Sorry. I know I said this would be the last part, but it's not. I swear I'm on the last scene though, it's just... being tricky :) Anyway, as I promised to post the rest by the end of the weekend, here's what I have ready. The rest will be up some time this week. Happy reading!


They ended up crawling out of Buffy's bedroom window to sit on the balcony. It was freezing, but she figured Kennedy needed to talk right now even if the younger Slayer wouldn't admit it.

"So then what happened?" Buffy asked, pulling her cape tighter around her shoulders and wishing she'd thought to grab a sweater.

Kennedy shrugged. "He turned into a werewolf. How was I supposed to know he couldn't control himself? He's the one who keeps telling people he's all domesticated now." She fingered the tears in her jeans. "If you ask me it's a good job we found out that was BS before be lost it on someone who couldn't defend themselves."

"Oz is pretty good at not losing it on people. He voluntarily used to spend three nights a month in a cage for example." Buffy said softly. "How's your leg?"

"Healing, no thanks to him." Kennedy pulled her hand away from the torn material and crossed her arms on the lowest balcony railing. "So you think I'm making it up? What are you even doing out here if you've already jumped to your own conclusions?"

"I haven't jumped, and I don't think you're making it up either, but I'm not gonna go in there and put a silver bullet in Oz's heart just because you're jealous. You three have to sort this out between you, in a non-violent fashion, and find a way to work together."

"That's never gonna happen," Kennedy said adamantly.

Buffy sighed. "Not even if it'll make Will happy?"

"If Osborne is what it takes to make Willow happy, then she obviously doesn't need me. Besides, she made it pretty clear tonight that I'm not good enough for her. I'm not Glinda the good witch, full of mystery and light and endless frickin' empathy, and I'm not Rover the Wonder-mutt either, docile lapdog by day, savage defender of her honour by night." She gave a mirthless chuckle as she let her chin rest on her crossed arms. "I'm just a Slayer, and all I know is how to kick and punch and be pushy and possessive and pig-headed and all the other great Slayer qualities that Willow has suddenly decided she doesn't find attractive."

"Hey, I'm a Slayer too," Buffy reminded her. "And I'm none of those things."

Kennedy gave her a look over her shoulder.

"All the time," Buffy added with a little smirk. "Besides, despite being a brat most of the time, you do have a bunch of great qualities and I know Willow likes them."

Kennedy shook her head, looking out across the dark property below them. "Not enough. And Willow is special; she deserves to be with someone special… I thought being a Slayer would give me that, I don't know, edge, I guess, but it turns out that slayers aren't special anymore anyway, so…"

"Of course they are," Buffy cut her off. "We're special. More special than ever. I mean it's true, I was more special when it was just me," she sighed almost wistfully, but then shook herself out of it. "But now we're a whole bunch of special and that's… pretty cool."

"Not according to the vamp that nearly killed me tonight. He seemed to think that the more of us there are, the less power we have between us. That we were easy pickings now there was more. Or something." Kennedy shrugged. "I can't really remember what he said, it's weird, like I dreamed it or something, but I know I didn't."

"Dracula," Buffy sneered angrily, almost hissing the name.

"I'm sorry?" Kennedy turned to look over her shoulder again. "Did you just say Dracula?"

"Yeah, and before you go getting all starry-eyed, he's a big loser, okay, so just don't. And don't listen to anything he has to say either; he's just messing with you."

"But that was really Dracula? I knew something felt different about him, but I didn't…" Kennedy shut up when Buffy dropped her head onto her arms with an agitated groan. "Okay, missing the point you're making, sorry, but blinded by celebrity notwithstanding, he said some interesting stuff."

"I'm sure he did, but it was all baloney."

"What if it wasn't?"

"Then we'll probably find out the hard way like we usually do. And personally, if it means I don't have to think about that damn vamp any more tonight, I'm happy to take my chances with the hard way later on."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both gazing down at the ground ten or twelve feet below. Three shadows came around the corner of the house, talking excitedly with one another about unicorns. Buffy rolled her eyes and beside her Kennedy snorted. The three junior slayers walked across the back garden and entered their dormitory without ever realising they were being watched from above.

"Unicorns?" Buffy muttered, shaking her head.

"Your night didn't go too well either then I take it?" Kennedy asked sympathetically.

"It did, up to a point, and then it didn't." Buffy shrugged. "Being with Faith is just… taking some getting used to. There are some….unexpected difficulties, I guess you could say," she answered awkwardly.

"Like what?" When Buffy just smiled and shrugged the question away, Kennedy added. "I just got my heart broken by the only woman I've ever loved and the punch line is, I brought it all on myself. And if I'm the problem, I've got no way of fixing it. Whatever your difficulty is, it can't be as bad as that."

"Okay." Buffy sighed. "This is gonna sound stupid, but… I'm used to being… how can I put this…" she bit her lip, trying to figure out the best way to word it.

"Universally adored?" Buffy could hear the smirk in Kennedy's voice.

She hesitated. "Well, not universally, there were plenty of people in high school that didn't like me much, and Willow and Xander aren't shy of knocking me down a peg when they think I need it, but, as far as partners are concerned? A certain amount of adoration may have been involved. Not an unhealthy amount! Just…"

"You're used to getting your own way?"

Buffy was about to protest it was more complicated than that, but sighed instead. "Yeah. I'm not saying I didn't sometimes have to work for it, but, overall, yeah."

"Me too." Kennedy nodded. "Must be another slayer trait. Don't think I'm getting it this time though."

"No, well that's the thing. Usually when my boyfriends decide they want to do things their own way, and it directly conflicts with my way, well, that's usually when we end up going our separate ways, if you get what I mean."

"And Faith isn't falling into line?"

"I don't want her to fall into line!" Buffy said, glaring angrily at Kennedy.

"Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"I just want her to do everything I say, when I say and without arguing over every single thing." Buffy's lips twitched as she tried not to smile. "Is that too much to ask?"

Kennedy gave her a smile before leaning her chin back on her arms. "Willow didn't know how lucky she had it with me."

"I know it's something I've got to work on," Buffy sighed, mirroring her. "And I know I can't expect Faith to be perfect girlfriend material overnight. It's just sometimes it feels like bickering antagonism is our default position, and when she's being especially maddening its hard to remember why I want this to work."

"If it's so bad, why do you want it to work?"

Buffy smiled, ducking her head slightly. "Because she makes me feel alive."

"Well, that's pretty vague," Kennedy muttered unimpressed.

"Okay, she… makes my heart race, just by looking at me." Buffy gestured outwards with her arms. "She makes me smile, even when she doesn't know I'm in the room. She makes everything real and exciting and… worth getting out of bed for." Buffy paused, gazing out into the darkness, before adding softly. "She gave me back the fire."

There was a beat of intense quiet and then Kennedy muttered, "Oookay." and Buffy chuckled silently. She hadn't expected her to get it.

Below them Andrew and Naomi came running at full pelt around the corner. Stopping by the picnic table they clung to each other, looking behind them fearfully. Buffy and Kennedy watched with interest, wondering if they were needed.

"What is it? Why won't it stop chasing us?" Andrew's voice travelled up to them, almost wailing. "And how does it know my name!"

"A water demon of some kind. Probably upset that we disturbed his home, but…" Naomi answered him breathlessly. "… I, ah, have no idea how he knows you name."

"Andreeew!" Came a long drawn out cry from around the side of the house.

Buffy and Kennedy looked at each other for a clue. Andrew could be heard hyperventilating down there. Naomi was muttering soothing words as she looked around. Quickly darting to the side, she suddenly came back into the square of light from the window carrying a watering can. Brandishing it like a weapon, she stepped bravely in front of Andrew.

"That girl has a lot of potential," Buffy murmured.

Kennedy turned to her incredulously. "She's about to go against a demon with a watering can!"

"I didn't say she was going to live long enough to realise it." Buffy swiftly rose to her feet in case she had to jump off the balcony quick. "But I like a girl who can improvise."

Kennedy sniggered beside her, also rising, and Buffy rolled her eyes.

On the ground, the 'demon' suddenly tripped and dripped his way around the corner. "What's wrong with you two? I've been calling you since the bloody bridge!"

"Craig?" Andrew and Naomi squealed in surprise at the same time.

On seeing Naomi holding aloft the rusty gardening tool, he sank to his knees on the grass, out of breath. "Who'd yer bleeding think it was?"

"The ghost from the house," Andrew said sheepishly.

"A water demon?" Naomi was also sheepish, but she sounded amused too. "You sounded, er, soggy."

"You wouldn't stop running!" Craig panted.

"We thought you were going to eat us," Andrew explained.

"Or drown us," Naomi added for good measure.

Chuckling, happy there was no actual threat now, except of maybe Craig getting pneumonia, Buffy and Kennedy tuned the trio on the ground out.

"So are you going to go finish your date now?" Kennedy asked quietly. "I appreciate you walking me back from the metaphorical edge and all, really, but I'm feeling better now, so you can go, if you want."

Buffy thought about it, but it was late, really late now, and Kennedy didn't sound as convincing as she wanted to. Plus there were other reasons.

She shook her head, "No. She may well be the first person to actually make me want to whistle while I work, and she does, I have, its… disturbing, but I'm still pissed at her right now. I think it's better if we just call it a night and talk in the morning. What about Willow? You wanna try and work things out before you both go to bed angry?"

Kennedy looked down, her thumbs firmly tapping the wooden balcony rail for a few moments before she answered.

"Nah. Neither of us is budging tonight. Maybe after she's slept on it, she'll think differently about the Oz thing." She shrugged, not sounding like she really believed it. "Or, you never know, maybe I will."

Buffy nodded. "Okay, well, since I'm turning blue I'm going back inside. Plus I've had enough of being Wonder Woman for one day. I don't know how she captured so many bad guys in this outfit. The bodice cuts off all vital circulation and the hot pants ride up …" Buffy twisted on her tiptoes, reaching behind her for the material. "… high up."

She was turning away to climb back through her window when the door to the boys' barn flew wide open and smacked against the outside wall. Reece and Dawn stumbled out, kissing heavily, giggling and ignoring Craig's complaints that followed them out into the night. Buffy's eyes went wide as she stared at them and then she turned the wild glare on Kennedy.

"I told you she was back safe, you never asked more than that," Kennedy said quickly and firmly.

Buffy turned back to the intense kissing going on below. "Dawn!"

Dawn and Reece sprang apart guiltily, both looking around for the source of the shout. Buffy would have laughed if she hadn't just spotted that Dawn's shirt was wide open.

"Oh my God! Could you be more of a hussy right now? You're in the garden, Dawn! Is even a shred of decorum too much to ask?"

Pot meet Kettle; but at least in the woods she and Faith had been totally alone – at least she really hoped so. And anyway, they were old enough to have sex in public if they wanted, Dawn wasn't. Yep, that made her feel like less of a slut; Buffy rolled her eyes and concentrated on Dawn.

Who was now twisting herself this way and that, looking into the darkness all around her. "How are you doing this? Where are you? What are you talking about?"

"I can see your nipples! Cold tonight, huh, Dawnie?"

"Oh My God!" Dawn swung herself towards the barn wall, pulling her shirt closed over her flimsy bra, and came face to face with Craig looking out of the window. She jumped back and turned the other way, fingers thumbling too much to get even a single button done up. There were faces at the girl's dormitory window too, and as she turned towards the house, Xander peered through the kitchen window and Faith came out the back door, all wondering what the fuss was about.

"Oh My God!" Dawn repeated, assuming everyone had come out to gawp at her. Holding the shirt closed with both hands, she went sprinting past Faith into the house and straight up the back stairs without even saying goodnight to Reece.

"Now that was a pleasant way to end the evening," Buffy grinned as she climbed back through to her bedroom and headed towards a hot shower.


"Well, Gentlemen, we have indeed had an eventful evening," Owen remarked as the party started winding down and yawns were beginning to show.

"Yes, and I do not mind if it is not so eventful next year," Victor said dryly. "Although… if you have no objections, I will take the magic machine in the ballroom."

Owen waved his hand to indicate he didn't mind. "Truthfully, the further you take it from here, the happier I'll be. I'm still finding it hard to believe that those children managed to create something so powerful. The loss of their contraption will hopefully slow them down."

"It is in pieces. Do you really think you can fix it?" Fred asked hopefully.

"We can try. Igor, go and fetch the pieces."

Iggy looked up from his game of Solitaire on the card table with a questioning look in his lopsided eyes. Victor fidgeted uncomfortably as he realised what he'd accidentally done, but he held Igor's gaze with a similar expression. A tense, awkward silence seemed to blanket the gathering, the only sound Paddy's off-key rendition of 'Show me the way to go home'; further mangled by the Pheasant leg he was trying to gnaw on at the same time.

Standing up, Iggy relented with some attitude. "Fine, but when we get back, I want a raithe. In keeping with the rate of inflation this time. And a new bedroom. The bathement is cold, and the moth glowth in thpringtime… keepth me awake," he added in a small voice.

"Yes, done and done," Victor said so promptly it made him look desperate, but then good help was hard to find these days.

"And I want a broadband internet connection," Iggy put in quickly.

"You know I don't believe in all that technology…" Victor began, but as Igor tilted his head in such a way he appeared about to change his mind, he added quickly. "But I'm sure I can fix something up for you."

"Good." Iggy nodded, looking thoughtful. "In that cathe I'm going to need a computer too."

"Also done," Victor sighed. "Is that it?"

"And a…"

Owen cut Igor off. "I wouldn't push your luck."

Iggy grinned and let his request go unfinished. "Where would you like me to put all the pieces, Master?"

Zeke's tail thumped the hearth rug a few times. "You're so whipped."

Igor shrugged. "Hey, at leatht I never had an eighty year old Fairy Godmother make me her bitch."

As Owen and the Count tried to stifle chuckles, Zeke buried his nose under his tail in embarrassment.

"Hey!" Ptah looked down at him in a huff. "You always told me it was witch what changed you!"

Zeke sat up on his haunches, gesturing to himself with one paw. "Well, I'm pretty sure she had some magical abilities!"

Ptah made a sharp tutting sound and looked away. Paddy was sitting up, swaying slightly, and staring intently at him. "Oi, 'Tah, pal, d'yer wanter purchase a rainbow?"

"I'm still waiting for the one I brought from you in 'sixty-eight." Ptah groaned as he leaned over to fetch the brandy from the table beside the Count. Seeing everyone looking at him, he defended himself, "What? Rainbows were in in 'sixty-eight, weren't they?"

He handed the bottle down to Paddy. "Here you go, my friend."

"Ta… 'Tah!" The Leprechaun giggled and then fell over backwards as he tried drinking from the bottle.

"And everything returns to as it should be," the Count said with an air of finality as he gazed at his friends one by one. His expression was more doting grandfather than world famous vampire in that moment, but he soon shook it off. "Ready to begin again."

"I made up the guest coffin," Owen offered him.

"Thank you, but I brought my castle."

"Where did you put it?" Fred asked slowly.

Dracula pointed and they all looked out of the window just in time to see the shape of a castle a hundred yards away outlined by single flash of lightening in the cloudless sky.

Seeing Victor's eyes light up in appreciation, he offered, "I'll teach you the lightning trick one day, old friend."

"You always say that," Victor grumbled good-naturedly.

With a fond smile Owen, hat and boots now removed, sat back comfortably in his armchair to enjoy the rest of the night.

TBC...