Alternate Fork

by justagrump

Chapter 2

The first thing that Kennedy notices when as she regains consciousness is the pain. It's bad, but not nearly as bad as it should be. The second thing is the sight of worry and concern on her lover's face as seen through the slits that are all her puffed up eyelids allow. And through those slits she notices the familiar and less than thrilling sights and sounds of a hospital room.

Willow jumps slightly as calloused fingers brush across her palm. A wave of relief washes over her as she dives into the arms of the only woman who can simultaneously make her feel so warm, safe, loved and royally pissed off. The red-head quickly backs off at the sharp intake of breath.

"Oh! Sorry, Baby. I didn't think … a-are you … I mean, of course you are... um, h-how bad is it, t-the pain?"

Kennedy gingerly works herself into a sitting position as Willow fusses with the pillows behind her back. As she tries to run a dry tongue over parched lips she gestures feebly towards the bathroom.

"Not too bad I guess. Could I have a glass of water... and a toothbrush?"

Willow gathers the requested items and returns to her patient. The sassy Slayer works on ridding her mouth of the crud build up as the red-haired Wiccan adjusts the gauze bandages wrapped around her girlfriends forehead.

"So, er... um... how long was I out for?"

"Two days."

"Wha-! Two! What do you mean, two days!"

"You had a cracked skull Ken! If we had been any farther from the hospital you... you... What the hell were you thinking, Kenny?"

Kennedy knew there was no way to avoid this argument, so she bit the bullet.

"Will, she was talking smack about Faith! I couldn't just let her keep getting away with it, ya know. I am so damned sick and tired of everybody running around like frightened little bunnies whenever Buffy doesn't get her own way all the time! I thought it was time somebody taught Miss High and Mighty a thing or two about humility and polite conversation."

"Right, I'm sure she got the message loud and clear. Those bruises that your face left on her fists sure taught her a lesson, huh? How many times..."

"Baby, you know I love you. But Faith's my best friend and it sickens me to see the way she acts whenever Buffy's around. She's like a puppy that's been beaten over and over and is too afraid to stand up for itself anymore. She deserves better than that, Will. She is better than that."

Willow carefully lowers herself to the bed and wraps her arms around the injured Slayer.

"I know, Kenny, I know. But this is something that Faith and Buffy have to work out on their own. And you offering up your body as Buffy's new punching bag isn't helping matters any. As crazy as it sounds, patching up my unconscious girlfriend and cleaning up all of the blood... not as romantic as it is looks in the movies."

"Um, yeah. So... how bad is it, anyway?"

"Well, like I said, there was the cracked skull, broken cheek and eye socket, broken ribs, internal bleeding... The doctors said it looked like you got run over by a Mack truck. You... y-you don't know how lucky you are to be alive, Kenny." Willow can't stop the tears from leaking out and tracing down her cheeks.

"That bad, huh?"

"If Vi and Rona hadn't been making a final sweep with their team before coming home... Baby, when they brought you in, I didn't recognize you. It took five Slayers to pull Buffy off you. Even then they took some damage before they could knock her out. I've never seen her so totally out of control before."

"Damn!" If Kennedy's eyes weren't so puffed up they would have widened in surprise, a little fear, and a smidgen of new found respect for a certain annoying little blonde. "Anybody seriously injured?"

"Carrie has a broken arm and Vi dislocated her shoulder. Other than that, minor cuts and bruises. Slayer healing should have them all back in action in a week or so. You were the worst."

Willow chokes back a body wracking sob but the tears won't be denied.

"I thought it was too late when they brought you in, Kenny. I-I didn't think I could s-save you and we're so far from the hospital. Don't you ever, Ever do something that stupid again!"

The bruised and bandaged brunette gingerly wraps her arms around her lover and holds her close.

"I won't, Babe, I promise. Once was enough. But I don't have to like her. So, um... what about Buffy? What happens now?"

"She's, um... Buffy's kinda... um, i-i-in a timeout period right now. We had to... I mean she was all... a-a-and we couldn't control her or c-calm her down when she woke up and we didn't want anyone else getting hurt so we, uh, we had to... sorta... lock her up."

It took a moment for Kennedy to process the stammered information, but once she did she couldn't hold back the peels of laughter. Even the lancing pain from her injuries wasn't enough to make her stop. She laughed so hard tears dripped freely down her face and her sides hurt terribly. Just when she thought she had things under control, she'd get a glimpse of Willows shocked expression and break out all over again. And damn, it felt good! Kennedy couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard, if ever. It took her a full five minutes before she could catch her breath enough to look at her girlfriend without breaking into another laughing fit.

"Y-y-you mean... ha ha! You mean t-t-to tell me... oh my gawd this is hilarious... Will, Baby... are you telling me that the Great General Buffy Summers is" -snicker- "down in the basement, hee hee! ...Locked in the Cage? THIS, I just gotta see!"

While the plans for the Slayer Academy were being drawn up, Willow had suggested that they have a reinforced steel cage built in the basement of the house. There are several cells and can be used to contain werewolves or captured demons for study or interrogation. With input from Oz and testing performed by Buffy herself, they came up with an escape-proof cage that the U.S. Penal System would envy. Sturdy metal bunks, toilet facilities and a sink were the only amenities.

"NO! No you don't! It's bad enough already, Kenny. You are NOT to go anywhere near the basement. Do you understand me? You are to steer way clear of Buffy until we can get this settled."

"Aw, c'mon Willow! After what she did to me I deserve a little payback."

"No! Buffy has been humiliated enough, Kenny. I know she hurt you, Baby, but you gotta admit that you were kinda asking for it. You've been pushing her for two years now. The only reason she stood by and took it for this long is because of me, Baby. I don't know what you said that made her cross the line last night, but don't you think enough is enough already? This ends here, Kenny. You nearly died! I can't go through another night like this ever again. I won't do it!"

Kennedy hears the desperation in her lover's voice and studies her girlfriend for the first time since she woke up. She notices the sag in her usually straight shoulders, the bags under the eyes, each big enough to carry one of Buffy's makeup kits, the way the witch is keeping her eyes open by sheer force of... well... Will. Kennedy finally realizes that Willow is about to pass out from fatigue. The brunette Slayer knows that using magic drains the red-haired witch and apparently she had used everything she had to augment the work the emergency room doctors had done. Talk about a lesson in humility. She's able to shift in the bed just enough for the witch to lift her legs in and they snuggle together, mindful of the leads and tubes stretching out to various machines beeping and whirring next to the bed.

"Alright, Baby. I promise. No more playing 'Bait the Blonde'. And just between us, Will, it's not because Buffy handed me my ass on a platter even though that's what everybody else will think. It's because I love you, Will. It's because I love you and you want this. So, yeah, it's over, Baby."

Willow has just enough energy to mutter a soft "It had better be" before she drifts off for some much needed sleep.