Buffy and Xander were walking back to Buffy’s apartment. After Xander had been freed, their reunion had been slightly awkward and detached. Xander didn’t know where to go now that he was face to face with his friend. He wanted to run but couldn’t. He wanted to scoop Buffy into his arms and never let go, but he wasn’t ready. So he walked after her, to go and say hi to Dawn, and then he would leave. There was no place for him here.
“What was Spike thinking?” Buffy said, completely enraged. “He knows I hate the whole kitten gambling thing! Why did he have to up and die and leave me with this crap?”
Xander shifted uncomfortably. He looked at the ground. He knew Spike wasn’t dead, at least not the last time he had seen him. He had run into him in a bar in L.A. about a year ago. They had had some drinks and shared some tales and then Xander had left. Spike had made him a promise not to let anyone know he was alive, especially not Buffy. This hadn’t been an issue till now, 'cause, well, he hadn’t even talked to Buffy for a long time.
“Uh-huh,” he said quietly. He couldn’t tell her now; he wasn’t ready to handle her reaction.
Buffy had successfully been able to avoid talking to Xander about anything but the kittens Spike owed. She didn’t know what to say to him. He didn’t know anything about what had happened the past two years. She wanted to tell him everything about Willow, about leaving with Dawn, about the schools they had all started, about how angry she had been at him for leaving her so long ago. She was dying to tell him how much she missed him, how good it had been to see him again. But Buffy didn’t know how to say this to him, so she filled the empty space with ranting; not wanting to know what would happen when there was silence.
They were finally at Buffy’s apartment. “Dawn, I brought back a surprise,” Buffy yelled into the apartment. There was no answer. “DAWN!” Buffy yelled again. No answer.
She walked over to Dawn’s door and knocked gently. No answer. Opening the door she saw Dawn’s empty room. There was a note on the bed. Buffy ran over and began to read.
Buffy:
I can’t keep running. I know where I belong and right now it’s not with you.
I’m sorry. I love you.
Dawn
Buffy just stared at the note. “She left,” she said quietly, sitting on the bed.
Xander was in the doorway, watching. He had forgotten how beautiful Buffy was. He walked over to the bed and sat beside her. Upon feeling Xander sit, Buffy moved closer to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Xander, uncomfortable at first with the contact, slowly eased into the hug, wrapping his arms around Buffy. They sat on the bed holding onto each other, thankful they had found some sort of comfort, at last.
*********************
Willow woke up the next morning to find Kennedy asleep in a chair by the bed, holding onto Willow’s hand. What happened? How did I get here? Willow wondered, wracking her brain for some clue as to what had happened the night before. She and Kennedy had been kissing, then nothing. She must have blacked out again. Why? Willow thought frustrated. Why is this happening again? Why can’t I remember?
Willow was tired. She was tired of having to hide away in the house, fearing an attack. Her magick had never been the same since the spell to empower the slayers. It was like it was gone, used up. So couldn’t even help with the fight against evil anymore. She was an invalid, confined to her house. But she still had Kennedy. She had noticed Kennedy pull away recently, but she was still here and Willow loved her more for not leaving, not abandoning her, but she still had doubt.
Then the buzzer rang. Kennedy woke with a start. “No it’s my turn to ride the elephant!” she said, dazed.
Willow giggled. “It’s just the door man, I got it.” She got out of bed. “Hello,” she said into the intercom.
“There is someone here to see you, miss. Says her name is Dawn.”
Willow gasped. Dawn was here, right now. “Send her up,” she said hurriedly.
“Kennedy, it’s Dawn, Dawn’s here!” Willow said, running into the bedroom.
“Here right now?” Kennedy said in surprise.
“Yes!”
There was a knock at the front door. Willow ran and opened it. Dawn smiled, carrying two large suitcases and one boy.
“DAWNIE!” Willow said, scooping the teenager into her arms. “Where did you come from? What are you doing here? Where’s Buffy? Who’s this?”
“Willow, I can’t breathe!” Dawn choked.
Willow hurriedly released the grinning Dawn. “I’m so sorry. Here, let me take those, please come in! Kennedy! I am so happy to see you, come sit down, can I get you anything? How was your trip?”
“Willow, breathe,” Dawn said, laughing.
“Sorry,” Willow said, her cheeks burning. “I guess I was babbling a bit.”
“Dawn!” Kennedy said emerging from the bedroom and walking up to embrace the girl. “You are about the last person I expected to see here. What’s going on?” she said, eyeing Mikkel suspiciously. “And, who’s this guy?”
“Oh, right,” Dawn squeaked. “Guys, this is a friend of mine from Brussels, Mikkel. Mikkel this is Willow and Kennedy.” She gestured the introductions.
“Pleased to meet you,” Mikkel said, extending his hand.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Willow said, shaking. Kennedy just glared at the newcomer. There was something about him she didn’t like.
“So, Dawnie, where’s Buffy?” Willow asked, hoping her best friend was here for a visit.
“Um, well, she, um, she isn’t here,” Dawn stammered.
“Does she know you’re here?” Kennedy asked, still eyeing Mikkel who, against all better judgment, was staring right back at her.
“Well, not exactly,” Dawn admitted, looking at the floor.
“You ran away?” Willow chided. “Dawn, why? We have to call Buffy, she’s probably worried sick!”
“No!” Dawn almost shouted. “Please, I don’t want to go back. I want to stay here, with you. I want to help. Please, don’t call her.” Dawn looked on the verge of tears.
“You know we have to, sweetie,” Willow said sympathetically, going to the kitchen to get the phone.
Dawn shot a pleading look at Kennedy, breaking the staring battle she and Mikkel were having. “Stop her,” she mouthed to Kennedy. Kennedy just shook her head. She knew there was no stopping Willow once she had set her mind on something.
The buzzer rang again. “Yes?” Kennedy said into the intercom.
“There is someone else to see you miss; she says you’re expecting her. Faith?”
Kennedy looked utterly perplexed. What was Faith doing here, were we expecting her? “Send her up.”
There was a knock at the door and Kennedy opened it to one very jet lagged slayer. “Hey brat!” Faith said walking into the apartment. “I’m exhausted. Got a place I can crash for a couple of hours?”
“What are you doing here?” Kennedy asked.
“Layover, remember? We talked about this weeks ago, when I was planning my trip to London.”
“Right! I completely forgot!”
“Glad to know I mean so much to you,” Faith muttered, putting down her bags and noticing Dawn for the first time.
“Pip squeak! What are you doing here?” She asked walking up to Dawn, and giving her a hug.
“She ran away from Buffy,” Kennedy said, before Dawn had time to answer.
“No kiddin’, finally got some sense then, huh?” Faith said, smiling at Dawn.
Dawn gave a half smile back. “Nice to see you too, Faith.”
“So, who’s your friend?”
“Hi, I’m Mikkel,” he said, holding his hand out to Faith.
“Faith,” she said, taking his hand.
“So, Kenn, where’s Red?” Faith asked, looking back at Kennedy.
“Kitchen,” Kennedy answered, pointing in the direction of the kitchen.
Faith made her way to where Kennedy had pointed. Walking in, she came up behind Willow. “Hey Red.”
Willow spun around in surprise, “Faith!” she said, dropping the phone in surprise. “What are you doing here?!”
“Geez, doesn’t seem like anyone here knows what day it is!” Faith said, opening the refrigerator door and starting to rummage, trying to find something to eat.
“Right!” Willow said, slapping her hand to her forehead. “I completely…”
“WILLOW!” Buffy’s voice screamed from the phone on the floor.
Jumping Willow remembered she had been on the phone and quickly went to retrieve it from the floor.
“Sorry Buffy, I dropped the phone. What were you saying?”
“Do I think Faith what?” Buffy asked.
“Nothing, it’s just Faith is here now and nothing. What do you want to do about Dawn?”
“How long has she been there?” Buffy asked.
“She only just got here.”
“Okay. I’m coming to get her.”
“Okay. See you soon,” Willow said, hanging up the phone.
**************************
The phone rang, startling Buffy and Xander out of their embrace. They looked at each other awkwardly. “Phone,” Buffy said smiling. “Oh, phone!” she said, jumping up, realizing it was her phone ringing.
“Hello,” Buffy answered.
“Hi, Buffy?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“It’s Willow. I wanted to let you know Dawn showed up at our house this morning.”
“Dawn! I am going to kill her! Is she okay? I am really going to kill her.”
“Buffy, stop, Dawn’s okay,” Willow said, stopping her friend’s rant.
Dawn went to Willow’s house, Buffy mouthed to Xander, who was watching the scene. “I am going to kill her,” she mouthed again, motioning strangling in the air.
“I think I gathered that,” Xander said chuckling.
“Buffy do you think..FAITH,” Buffy heard Willow start before she heard a loud thud.
“Do I think Faith what?” Buffy asked into the receiver. “Willow? Willow? WILLOW!” Buffy heard scraping, then Willow’s voice.
“Sorry, Buffy, I dropped the phone. What were you saying?”
“’Do I think Faith’ what?” Buffy asked.
“Nothing, it’s just Faith is here now and nothing. What do you want to do about Dawn?”
“How long has she been there?” Buffy asked.
“She only just got here.”
“Okay. I’m coming to get her.”
“Okay. See you soon,” Willow said and Buffy hung up the phone quickly.
“Get ready, we’re going to New York City!” Buffy said turning to Xander.
“I don’t know Buffy, I um, I have um things, that I should...” he trailed off.
“Xand, you’re coming with me. I couldn’t go alone and Willow will be so excited to see you. I won’t take no for an answer.” She took Xander’s hand and pulled him off the bed. “Help me, I have to pack.”
A very bewildered Xander was dragged from the room by one very forceful Buffy.
“Wait, Buffy.” he said. “I never asked, where exactly are we?”
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