PART SEVEN: Changes...
Buffy walked into the kitchen to find Kennedy looking out the window. “Hey,” the blonde greeted, causing the brunette potential to jump. “Sorry.” The slayer apologized, walking more into the kitchen. Kennedy gave a sad smile in return and looked back out the window. Buffy pulled up a chair next to her and sat down.
“You care about her a lot don’t you?” The older slayer asked looking into the backyard. Kennedy looked at Buffy.
“Just like you care about Faith...” the potential quietly sighed. The blonde slayer looked at the brunette startled. “I don’t know what you’re talking...” Buffy started but Kennedy cut her off.
“Oh Buffy come off it. You care about her. Why else would she bother you so much? Why else would you hurt so much? Why else...” Kennedy started, as she turned to face her but noticed the blonde crying. “I I I ‘m sorry, I didn’t mean...” Kennedy started to take back, feeling horrible. Buffy shook her head.
“I I I don’t understand all these things I feel...and what I feel for her...I I I just don’t...” Buffy sobbed, not even understanding herself and feeling overloaded all of a sudden.
The potential understood now what Buffy was saying...the blonde slayer didn’t even really know she cared so much for Faith till now and she was confused by it and the way she felt. Buffy pushed all she ever felt for her sister slayer away because it was easier.
Now, everything was coming crashing down...
When Christine lost consciences...she saw The Powers That Be...it was all weird really. The potential remembered, that in real life, she did lose consciences but saw two people in the forms of 2 previous friends that hated her now. One being a girl that she had fallen in love with, Genna. The other being her best guy friend who disliked her very much now. And Genna? Genna moved to North Carolina for college and never spoke to Christine again.
They told her that she had to go back. And Christine woke up almost not remembering what she had done or what happened. But this time...she was in a white room. And two people did appear.
“Don’t worry,” a girl all in white had said stepping foreword.
“You’re not dead,” a boy all in white answered for Christine.
“Who are you?” Christine asked.
“We are who we are...The Powers That Be.” The girl stated.
“We have been trying to protect you from The First. You are very important in this prophecy,” the boy said calmly.
“Prophecy?” Christine asked in confusion.
“Yes...two shall become one...and you will die...” the girl stated. Christine’s mind was reeling. What were they saying, where was she, where was everyone?
“We’re supposed to not interfere...But The First is growing stronger. You and the dark slayer are the only ones who can stop it. You both hold solid force against The First...” the boy said to Christine.
A voice suddenly came to Christine’s ears... “Come on Christine...don’t let it kill you...” it was Faith’s voice.
“You have to go back now. You are needed. We will contact you again.” The girl said fading. Christine was just so beyond confused and lost. She followed Faith’s voice...she had to go back...
Back at the Summers'
“Um Faith?” Christine asked.
“Yeah?” Faith answered.
“Could you get off me please?” Christine asked laughing a little bit.
“Oh yea, sure.” The brunette answered chuckling herself. Christine wasn’t sure if she should tell them all what she saw and heard...she was still confused by it...as well as a little afraid. The potential looked over at Willow.
“Willow? Can I talk to you?”
Meanwhile in the kitchen...
Kennedy didn’t know what to do. Should she comfort Buffy or just sit like a bump on a log? Kennedy gave the blonde an awkward hug, trying to calm her down. It was the lest she could do. The older slayer had been through a lot in the past few years.
“Shhhh, it’s ok. I won’t tell...” Kennedy said, trying to be reassuring.
“Tha...that’s j-just it...tell what? I don’t understand! She comes back and I feel all these things that I tried so hard to push away...and I don’t understand any of it. I know it’s wrong...” Buffy was saying, trying to make sense of it all.
“No no, it’s not wrong Buffy. Sometimes, we hate the people that we love just because it’s easier. And many times, a person doesn’t understand how or why they love the person that they do, but they just do,” Kennedy tried to explain, putting an arm around the distressed blonde slayer, trying to get the strong older girl to calm down. She had never seen her like this, and it was a bit disturbing.
“Wh-What’s going on?” came a voice from the door way. Kennedy turned around to see Faith...and by the looks of it, she looked a little...hurt. The potential couldn’t help but feel a little happy at Faith’s misfortune. She knew very well that the brunette slayer had feelings for the older slayer. And Kennedy bet that from the looks of it...she and Buffy were a little too close to each other in the other slayer’s eye...
Outside in the living room...before the kitchen...
Faith was so glad that Christine was ok. She was, after all, her best friend...wait. Best friend? The dark slayer never believed in best friends. Faith guessed that Christine was an exception. They were too much a like. The brunette smiled at the thought as she got up from Christine.
Faith then noticed that Kennedy and Buffy were missing. Where did they go? “Willow? Can I talk to you?” Christine asked Willow looking then at Faith. The brunette slayer nodded and understood that she wanted to talk to the redhead alone. It hurt Faith a little bit, for she wanted to know what was going on with Christine, but she also understood that the potential would tell her when she was ready and when she needed to.
“I’ll talk with you later ok? I swear we’ll talk,” Christine said to Faith reading the expression on her face.
“It’s ok Chris. I understand. Besides, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried,” the brunette slayer joked. Christine smiled. As the dark slayer looked at the kitchen door, Christine leaned in whispering into Faith’s ear so that Willow wouldn’t hear.
“I know you are worried about her. Go find her,” Christine said smiling. Faith gave her a half smile walking to the kitchen door. The dark slayer cared deeply for the other blonde slayer with every once of her body but knew very well that Buffy didn’t care about her...but what about earlier?
It was obvious that Buffy cared then when she didn’t want Faith to go back into Christine’s mind. The brunette slayer shook her head. Her heart had been broken too many times. And if it broke again...she didn’t think she could fix it again. Things were complicated when it came to Buffy. And just how much of Faith’s life did the blonde see?
Damn Willow and her spell for allowing her to see that. Does Buffy know? Does she know that Faith is in love with her and has been since the first day she saw her? The brunette sighed as she pushed open the kitchen door. She needed to talk to Buffy. What she saw made her stop. Kennedy was WAY too close to Buffy and had her arm draped across her shoulders.
“Wh-What’s going on?” Faith said trying to sound cool. Although the whole stutter part was a give away. She couldn’t help feeling hurt. Buffy wouldn’t let Faith in one step of her but allowed this potential touch her?
Back in the living room...
Christine told Willow everything about seeing The Powers That Be and what they said. Willow was silent for a while.
“Willow?” Christine said trying to get the witch’s attention.
“Oh my God...” Willow whispered reaching for an old book that was near her.
“”Wh-what?” the potential asked, getting nervous.
Kitchen....
Kennedy got up and went near Faith. “Why don’t you go up stairs Faith,” Kennedy stated looking the dark slayer in the eye challenging her. Faith could still hear Buffy sobbing, trying to hide her face from her counter part. What was going on? The brunette slayer stood tall.
“No...I came looking for her,” Faith stated challenging the potential back. Kennedy lifted an eyebrow.
“Oh really? I thought you were too busy with Christine in there. You seemed pretty wrapped up in her,” Kennedy stated crossing her arms. Faith narrowed her eyes. What was Kennedy saying?
“She was dying Kennedy! How dare you say something like that!? You didn’t see her...” Faith was saying but Kennedy cut her off.
“No I didn’t, because you are ALWAYS there hogging the space,” the potential said getting upset. Faith now got it. Kennedy was massively jealous. This was not the time or space to be doing this. The brunette slayer had that much knowledge, yet she understood why Kennedy was getting upset.
“Kennedy, I understand how you feel but we are friends. Got that? FRIENDS. She was hanging choking to death by a chain...and you are worried about who was near her?” Faith questioned getting a little angry now.
Kennedy didn’t know that. She dropped her eyes to the floor a little ashamed. Faith took the opportunity to step around the potential to Buffy.
“B? You ok?” she questioned. But Kennedy got on her feet again and grabbed Faith by the arm.
“Get away from her Faith, she doesn’t want to see you right now...” the brunette potential was saying. Buffy felt very uncomfortable and weird around her sister slayer at the moment and stood up, running from the room. She just didn’t want the other girl to see her crying and didn’t want her to know why. The blonde was lost in thought the moment Faith walked in and didn’t really hear anything they were talking about.
The older slayer felt ashamed and ashamed of the way she felt. She ran from the room hoping that Faith wouldn’t follow...but in a way, hoped she would. Why did she have this need to be near Faith now? Everything was all jumbled up in her head. Buffy took the steps two at a time as she went up them up to her bed room.
“What is your deal Kennedy!?” Faith yelled, starting to get angry now.
“I was going to ask you the same thing! What’s up with you and Christine? Why are you all over her all of a sudden?” Kennedy asked raising her voice.
“Jealous much? We are FRIENDS Kennedy! How many damn times do I need to tell you that to get it into your head? I understand what she’s going through...“Faith started.
“Oh and I can’t?” the potential questioned getting into the brunette’s face.
“No, because you’ve never been there in the deep darkness of pain that we have been in. Why are you acting like a jealous brat Kennedy?” Faith questioned taking a step foreword.
“Why are you being a bitch Faith?” Kennedy asked challenging her. The brunette slayer was about to lose it. It was taking everything in her body to control herself right now not to jump on the potential and kick the shit out of her.
Just then the kitchen door opened and there was an angry concerned Christine in the door way. “What’s going on in here?” Christine questioned just as Kennedy lost her temper and threw a punch at the other brunette’s face. Faith, who was looking at Christine and not at Kennedy, got the punch right in her face.
“Faith!” Christine yelled going over to the crouching next to the dark slayer, who rubbed her face. “Kennedy! What is wrong with you!?” Christine screamed getting up and walking over to her as the other potential backed up.
Kennedy knew that she just now made a very bad mistake. “I I I didn’t mean...” the other potential was saying looking from Faith to Christine. Kennedy saw disappointment, bewilderment, concern, and anger, among other things, pass through the other girl’s eyes.
Faith straightened her self up. “Christine, it’s ok.” Faith said causing the other girl to look back at her then back to Kennedy. Christine sighed. She heard most of what they were saying in the other room. She bet half the house did too. Kennedy ran a hand nervously through her hair.
Christine started to walk away much to everyone’s amazement. “Christine?” Faith asked as Kennedy walked near the other potential.
“Don’t,” Christine said to Kennedy who was trying to touch her shoulder. Hurt went through Kennedy’s face and she felt helpless.
“I’ve had a long day...I I need to go...” Christine said looking again like she was 30 years more older then she already was. Both girls watched as the potential ascended up the stairs as Willow came through the door.
“You need to let her go guys.... She was just told something that will change her life...everything will be explained in the morning...but for now, why don’t we put everything behind us and go to bed,” the redhead stated, looking tired. Faith looked at Willow then at Kennedy.
“She’s right...” Faith stated as she shrugged. And for once Faith was tired. She feared going to sleep though...for what she might see in her dreams...
Buffy’s room...
Buffy heard a knock on her door and sighed. She knew it wasn’t Faith for she would be able to sense her. “Come in,” the blonde said to the person at the door. Buffy was surprised to see that it was Christine who walk in. The older slayer did hear Faith and Kennedy arguing downstairs earlier but tried to block them out.
The potential closed the door as she entered, sighing. Buffy could tell that she was tired. “You’ve been fighting this fight for a long time huh?” Christine asked sitting at the end of the slayer’s bed. Buffy looked at Christine.
“Yeah...too long maybe,” Buffy replied. Christine smiled. She remembered a memory that she saw from Faith in which the brunette used the very same line on Buffy.
“She loves you, you know,” Christine said throwing Buffy off guard. “She’s just afraid of what she feels...it’s different with you...” Christine was saying.
“I I I don’t...” Buffy was going to say. The potential put up her hand to stop her, smiling.
“No no, it’s ok. I’m just telling you. The relationship between her and I? We are just two good friends for each other. Just two souls born and raised in darkness...” Christine said to Buffy. That caught the blonde’s attention.
“Christine...” Buffy started. But the potential interrupted her.
“I know already Buffy. Faith and I are a BIG part of this prophecy thing...so you might want to think about talking to her...for you might not have another chance...” Christine said getting up form the edge of the bed. Buffy looked at the potential dumb founded a little bit as Christine walked away.
“Christine?” the blonde asked causing the potential to stop at her door.
“Yeah?” Christine answered.
“Thank you,” Buffy replied smiling. Christine smiled back at her and quietly walked out the door.
Downstairs...
Willow went up the stairs very tired. She decided she was going to sleep in Dawn’s room tonight. Her and Christine had a long talk. The redhead now knew that the two souls in the prophecy were Faith and Christine. She also figured that the other person it referred to was her. The witch also knew that they would all have to talk tomorrow about this whole thing.
Christine had told Willow that she would be the one to die but told her not to tell the others. She didn’t want them to know. The redhead thought it was terrible that this young potential had to go through so much. But she wanted to follow her wishes. Willow also knew that Christine wanted to spend some time with Kennedy...for she might not get to see her again.
Faith stopped Kennedy at the bottom of the stairs and sat her down along with her self at the bottom.
“Look Ken. I swear, Christine and I have nothing going on...besides, I see how she looks at you. She really likes you,” Faith told the potential. Kennedy looked at her.
“Yea...I guess I knew that. I am sorry I over reacted earlier. I can get jealous at times and I just...” Kennedy started, shaking her head. Faith interrupted her.
“No no it’s ok. I would be the same way. Only the person I love doesn’t really care,” the brunette salyer said getting up. Kennedy grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
“No Faith, that isn’t true,” Kennedy said stopping the other slayer. Faith quietly sat down again.
“She was crying earlier when I was with her...she’s confused Faith and she does care,” the potential told her. Faith thought for a moment. Could it be true? “Maybe you should talk to her,” Kennedy said getting up and ascending the stairs.
“Kennedy?” Faith said causing the girl to stop. “Thank you,” the dark slayer thanked, as Kennedy just smiled at her and walked the rest of the way up.
