Walking down the basement stairs the future slayer stopped when she saw that the cot on the opposite wall was empty.
'knock, knock.' She said as she tapped lightly on the wooden railing.
'You seem to be doing that a lot today pet.' Spike voice came from beside her.
'Knocking.' He added.
'Just being polite.' She shrugged.
'Well if you're here looking for fresh parts, I'm all out.' he said with a smirk.
'That's funny.' She chuckled softly as he came to stand in front of her.
'Actually I have a business proposition for you.' She informed him.
'What's in it for me?' he asks, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
'Money…' she replied, holding up a wad of cash.
'Alright, I'll bite. What's in it for you?' he asks.
'Money.' She said as if it was the only obvious answer.
'Are you sure we couldn't have left his sorry ass behind?' Kennedy groaned as she marched into the kitchen, with Andrew quickly on here heals.
'I happen to be an integral part of the team.' He huffed as he played around with the camera in his hands.
'Well maybe not right now but someday.' He added when none of the others rushed to his defence.
'Aim high Andy.' Faith said with a smirk.
Crossing his arms in front of him, he leant against the wall sulking like a child. The conversation continued on around him as he spotted the jacket draped over the stool opposite him his frown quickly turned upside down.
'Hope's back?' he asked, barley containing the excitement in his voice.
'Great.' Kennedy muttered, ignoring the looks she received from the group.
'Basement.' Dawn mumbled as she massaged her temples.
Tripping over himself in his haste to reach the door he quickly disappeared into the basement, only to reappear moments later.
''Hope's fighting Spike!'' Andrew said excitedly as he poked his head around the basement door.
''They're sparring big deal.'' Dawn said.
''Hope's blindfolded!'' he almost screeched before rushing back down the steps.
''Now this I gotta see...'' Faith said as she and the others headed for the basement.
The others headed down to the basement and quietly sat on the stairs while Andrew sat at the bottom filming the whole show with his camera. They watched as Spike began circled Hope once more.
Spike crept silently around Hope who stood blindfolded in the centre of the basement listening carefully for any sound of movement around her. He was just about to go in for an attack but she must have sensed it as she shot out her palm deflecting his strike before connecting with the vampire's nose.
He stood in silence as he pinched the bridge of his nose, wincing before looking for his next opening. Dropping to the ground he swept his leg out with every intention of flooring the blindfolded slayer, once again instinct takes over as she jumps at the last second narrowly avoiding the attack before he charges at her again, each of his attempts blocked before she lands a solid punch to his jaw. He stumbles backwards just as the timer rings out behind them.
'Ha... five minutes...' Hope said triumphantly as she pulled off the blindfold.
'Pay up William.' she said to Spike who slapped the money into the future slayers open palm.
'What was that?' Buffy asked, bringing attention to their audience.
'I just bet Spike here that I could fight him blindfolded for five minutes without him getting a punch in...' Hope said with a smug expression as she pocketed her winnings.
''She's incredible.'' Andrew said with a sigh that earnt him odd looks from Buffy, Spike and Faith.
''Well she is.'' he said before running up the stairs.
''Look's like you've got an admirer.'' Spike said nodding at Andrews retreating form.
''That's all I need...'' Hope said as Faith stepped towards her.
''That was tight...'' Faith said.
'Figured I could use a refresher corse after last night...' she said handing Faith the blindfold.
'So what, you just came to score some quick cash?' Kennedy asked as she descended the stairs.
'What are we, your personal ATM?' she continues.
'Quick cash… nah.' Hope replied, her winnings secure in her pocket.
'I came so we could have more of these quality moments together.' She responded with a grin.
'Whatever.' Kennedy huffed before turning to leave.
'I'm serious, you've been out of town for a week… I missed you.' She continued teasing the slayer.
'You done yet?' Kennedy asked folding her arms.
'Well I was gonna ask if you wanted to patrol with me later, but if you're gonna be such a…' she didn't finish as Kennedy cut her off mid-sentence.
'I'm not going anywhere with you.' She informed the future slayer.
'You really hate me that much?' Hope asks out of curiosity.
'You really have to ask?' Kennedy replies, her words sharp.
'Enough.' Buffy calls out.
She stands to approach the pair only to be stopped by Spike's hand on her hers. He gives it a gentle squeeze before pulling her back with a subtle shake of his head.
'You think you could just stroll back in here, a few vamps nest later and all is forgiven?' the young slayer askes.
'Alright. You've got issues.' Hope says with a small shrug.
'Let's deal with them…' she says holding her arms wide, giving Kennedy an opening.
'Are we sure this is such a great idea?' Andrew quickly becomes silent at Faith's glare.
'Why not? Talking out our differences hasn't got us anywhere might as well try...' Hope was cut off by a punch to the jaw from Kennedy that sent her flying into the wall.
'...punching them out instead.' Hope said as she got to her feet.
'This stops now.' Buffy said, she was about to move forward when Faith stopped her.
'Trust her...she knows what she's doing.' Faith said.
She looked towards Spike for some support in the matter only to come up empty.
'Don't look at me, this is slayer business.' He said before hopping the railing and disappearing into the kitchen.
'I've got nine years training on you... do you honestly think you can win this?' Hope asked, as she spun Kennedy around and quickly pinned her to the floor.
'What are you gonna do, kill me too?' Kennedy asked venom filled her voice.
'Don't tempt me...' Hope smirked, before she was thrown aside.
'Is that the best you got?' Hope said as she avoided another attack from Kennedy.
'Not much of a slayer are you.' She added with a soft chuckle.
'Something funny?' Kennedy spat.
'Just that word... slayer...' Hope began.
'Y'know I actually used to look up to you, I thought that if I could be half the slayer that you were...' she said with a sad smile.
'That they were...' she said looking to the others all the while blocking the next attack.
'You've had your powers for months now and that's the best you've got...' Hope said, her fist connecting with Kennedys face.
Kicking out with her free leg Kennedy knocked Hopes legs form under her. In seconds both slayers were on their feet, as they began to circle each other. Kennedy swung out at Hope who caught her fist mid-air, before twisting her arm behind her back and pushed her into the wall pinning her there for a few seconds.
'It's a miracle you survived the apocalypse, you can barely take on one of your own.' Hope whispered, before releasing her grip.
'I am not a murderer.' Kennedy growled.
'See now we're using our words.' Hope laughed, which only added to the other slayers anger.
'Say what you want but don't expect to find me hanging from the bathroom ceiling any time soon...' Hope didn't get to finish as Kennedy slammed into her.
'Now we're pushing the right buttons...' Hope said as Kennedy began to punchrepeatedly.
Hope will attempt to block the hits but Kennedy will be relentless. Ignoring the senior slayers as they tried to separate them, slipping out of Buffy's grasp she went for the future slayer getting in another heavy blow before Hope kicked her off.
'You feel that... all that anger, all that hate.'' Hope says as she sits up.
'That's enough.' Buffy said, grabbing a towel from the laundry before giving it to Hope.
'I am not like you.' Kennedy says from where she lays.
''Never said you were.' The future slayer groaned as she wiped blood from her nose.
She looked between Buffy and Faith who stood alert between the two, flashing an apologetic smile before turning her attention back to Kennedy.
'Have the dreams started yet?' she asks as the other slayer sits up, clutching her side.
'What would you know about it?' she asks as she stares at the blood on her hands.
'Cities burnt to the ground, entire families butchered…' Hope said as she handed her the towel.
'Every night. It's the same thing.' She said finally looking to the others.
'Why didn't you say anything?' Buffy asked, concern flooding her voice.
''All part of the package right?' she looked between the two senior slayers.
'At least that's what I thought…' she said as she cleaned the blood from her hands.
'Until I showed up…' Hope muttered sadly.
'They're not just dreams are they?' Faith asked.
'No. It's the future.' Hope confirmed.
'So that's it… we become the monsters.' Kennedy said in defeat as she looked to the future slayer.
Hope sat in silence there was nothing that she could say that would ease the young slayers mind, her very presence confirming her worse fears.
'Why did you come back here?' she asked.
'Like I said. I missed you.' Hope replied earning herself another punch from the slayer.
Kennedy let out a groan as she fell forward clutching at her side once more.
'I came to apologize.' Hope said massaging her jaw where she lay.
The two lay there for a moment before laughing hysterically.
'Well that was something.' Faith muttered to the older slayer as they helped the pair to their feet.
'Why don't you go get cleaned up.' Buffy said to the future slayer.
'Yeah, maybe get some ice too.' Hope said pinching the bridge of her nose.
She was just about to reach the stairs when she turned to find Kennedy dusting off her jeans.
'You not a monster Kennedy, you never were.' She told the slayer with a small nod before heading up the stairs.