See Part 1 for Ratings and Disclaimers
Indescribably good smells come from the back area of the Chinese Kitchen, out to where Dawn and Xander sit, comfortably full. Lunch is long over, but neither of them really have anywhere to go, so they sit, nursing the sodas that came with their meal.
"Now that we're full of moo-goo-guy-starch, and I've described the entire country of England, what else has been going on around here? I mean, besides Will's assault on dating concepts?"
Dawn smiles at his joke. "Not too much. Vi and I are both still new enough at school that we're each other's only friend. That might be changing, but I'm not sure. Buffy was complaining the other day that there seems to be more vamps around here all of a sudden. They're checking on that. Uh... Let's see... None of us has had a date since we got here. Well, except Willow and Kennedy, of course. Faith too, now. Oh, and you know how Faith gives everyone nicknames?"
"You mean like 'B', or 'Red' or when she calls Kennedy 'Junior'? Yeah, I know about that. Why? What's she call you?"
"Usually 'D' or 'Little D'. Sometimes, she stills calls me 'pint-sized', but she mostly stopped when I got taller than her. She settled on a name for you this morning, though." Dawn tells him, eyes glittering.
Xander looks surprised. "Oh? After all these years?" Dawn just nods. "So what abuse of language did she hang on me?"
"Patch."
The carpenter grins his geeky grin. "Yeah? Well, hey! That was the name Wolverine used when he was based in Madripoor!" He looks across the table and notices the girl's pursed lips and raised eyebrow. Hanging his head, he laments, "Gotta quit hanging out with Andrew!"
Dawn cracks up at this and agrees with him. "So you dealing with the Willow thing any better?"
Xander nods. "A little. I wanna talk to Willow herself and try to get what she's thinking and feeling, but I guess I'm ok with it. I mean, she's my best friend. If she's happy, then I'm cool." The man reaches across the table and takes Dawn's hands into his own and looks her in the eyes. "And I really appreciate being able to talk to you about this. Hadn't really noticed until now, but we've been talking all this time, just one adult to another. It's nice."
Dawn looks down at the table, blushing at the compliment. "Yeah, it has been. Guess I'm a full scoobie now, huh?" she looks at him with a grin.
He returns her smile. "Yep. Far as I'm concerned. Buffy may take more convincing!" They both laugh. Xander rotates his forearm, bringing his watch into view. He still hasn't released the teenagers hands, nor has she pulled them back. "Think it's safe to go back yet?"
Dawn looks at his watch and smirks. Xander does too. "Right. Wanna catch a movie? Should be safe to go home after that."
Dawn smiles brightly and looks coyly at her friend. "Dinner and a movie? Xander Harris, are we on an actual date? Buffy's gonna be mad you didn't clear it with her first, y'know!" she teases him, her face suddenly extremely serious.
Xander looks startled at her words. Looking at the table, he finally remembers they're holding hands and jerks his away. "A date?!? No! No! So not what I meant! I meant, just friends going somewhere, to, you know, kill time! But, you know we can see separate movies, even different theaters! Or you can go to a movie and I can go somewhere else!"
The brunette just laughs at his frantic babbling. "Calm down, Xander! I was just teasing you!" She stands and extends her hand to him. He reluctantly takes it and she pulls him to his feet. "Worry much? Come on! I haven't seen Spiderman II yet."
Xander agrees, his enthusiasm coming back. "Yeah, that's good with me. Kirsten Dunst is hot!"
"And Toby McQuire isn't? Ok, kinda geeky, but I love those six-pack abs!" Dawn gushes.
Xander holds the door for her, then follows. They continue toward the theater, talking animatedly about the movies they've each seen while apart and the actors in them.
Faith nudges Kennedy as she sits on the side of the bed. Kennedy, thinking she just want access to Willow too, transfers her attention to one side of their witch. Faith nudges her again and the younger girl looks up, still caressing and stroking bare skin with both hands. Faith shows her the item she retrieved and Kennedy smiles and nods.
Moving up to Willow's head, Kennedy kisses the redhead, just little light pecks, all the while brushing her nails up and down Willow's side.
Willow is lost in the sensations Kennedy is causing, so she doesn't hear the soft 'pop' as Faith approaches. She suddenly gasps and her eyes fly open as something cool and liquidy dribbles onto her right breast, then across her chest and onto the left one before being continued down her stomach in small, lazy circles. Willow looks up at Faith, who stands over her, a mischievous smile directed at her witch, while she slowly drips syrup onto the redhead's body.
The Slayer pours a little more on the tops of each of Willow's thighs, then sets the condiment aside.
Kennedy looks at the older girl and smirks. "Faith! Look at what you did! You got her all dirty!" she scolds. Then the younger girl leers and licks along one sticky sweet line, flicking her tongue on the underside of a breast at the end. Willow squeals and shivers. "Guess we'll have to clean her up, huh?"
"Guess so, K." Faith smirks back at her young lover and leans over kiss her Red. Brushing her lips lightly over Willow's, she starts down the witch's body, kissing and licking as she goes. "Made a mess here, Red. Gotta clean it up." she murmurs.
"Goddess!" Willow screams as Faith and Kennedy both latch onto a maple flavored nipple. They suck and lick all around, making sure to get all the syrup, finally meeting at the middle of Willow's chest in a sticky, scorching kiss.
"High or low?" Kennedy whispers as their kiss breaks apart.
Faith just grins, then returns to cleaning the witch off, licking and nibbling her way down to Willow's navel, then starts back up her body. As she passes her Slayer, they kiss again before once more turning back to the moaning redhead.
Faith kisses her way back up to Willow's ear and whispers, "Like that, baby?"
"P-please!" Willow whimpers, need burning in her eyes.
The dark Slayer can feel her lover's body vibrating, desperately straining toward it's needed release. "Relax, Red. We'll get you there. Enjoy the ride!"
Kennedy, meanwhile, is busy licking up the last of the breakfast sweet from her girl's legs, smiling at the kitteny, mewing sounds coming from the redhead. Looking up Willow's body, she sees Faith kiss their lover, can feel the wicca's body quivering, so she reaches out with a hand and lightly runs a finger up her witch's center.
The feather touch, ending with a little flick at the top, is enough to send an overstimulated Willow thundering over her first peak. "Goddess, YES!" she screams.
The two Slayers smile at each other. Faith scoots down the bed a bit and takes a hardened nipple into her mouth, suckling gently, but urgently. After a few moments, she trails soft kisses across and latches onto the other one, staying there a moment, then leans up to kiss her witch. This starts a pattern.
Kennedy runs her finger across the same path again and Willow jerks slightly, her moans filling the room. The young Slayer eases forward and, using the flat of her tongue, laps at the juices leaking from her girlfriend. Once, twice, thrice in quick succession. Willow's quickened breathing causes her to grin.
Faith reaches her right hand down near Kennedy, never stopping her assault on her girl's upper body. [Together?] she asks in Kennedy's mind, offering her hand.
Kennedy smiles and takes the Slayer's right hand in her left. Both girls leave a finger outstretched. The younger woman guides their joined hands, giving Willow one more quick lick, inserts their fingers between slick folds.
"Kennedy! Faith! You guys are making me CRAZY!" The last word is screamed and they enter the redhead. Willow's back arches and she drives down to meet their hands, impaling herself.
Thrusting slowly, Kennedy presses little kisses onto Willow's inner thighs, occasionally flicking her tongue across the distended button at the top of the redhead's center.
Willow writhes and moans, body on total overload, as she gallops toward release. Suddenly, she squeals as Faith bites a nipple, not quite hard enough to cause pain, but more than enough to kick her body's yearning up a notch or two. Willow loses what little control she had over her body and just reacts to what her lovers are doing to her.
Kennedy increases the speed of their thrusting, sensing Willow's impending orgasm. Stopping her teasing, she leans in and takes Willow's clit between her lips. Thrusting her tongue forward, the younger Slayer starts purring, a stuttering vibration that causes her tongue ring to tap the sensitive little button she's sucking on several times a second.
"Fai - nnedy!!" Willow screams her lovers names, unconsciously mixing them as she crashes through the barrier and orgasms. Her body seems electrified as she twists and writhes as the sensations completely overwhelm her.
Faith and Kennedy ease back a little to watch their girl as she starts to come down, their joined thrusting finally slowing, then stopping as they withdraw. Both begin planting little feathery kisses across Willow's stomach and shoulder, careful to avoid places that are just too sensitive to touch right now.
Willow jerks again as they leave her, then just lies there panting hard and tries to regain control of her body. Her mind is a total jumble, unable to form even the simplest thought. The shaking continues for a full minute, then tapers off to occasional tremors.
"Wow. Never... came... that hard... before." Willow pants, still trying to get her breath back. She still can't move anything but her eyes, but doesn't really care. Yet.
Over her, her Slayers grin at each other. Kennedy leans down and kisses Willow gently, once, twice, then draws back as Faith takes her place. The dark Slayer softly kisses her witch, then leans up to kiss Kennedy as well. Lips move on lips as their kiss deepens for a moment, before they pull apart.
"You're welcome." Faith tells the redhead, softly stroking her cheek. Willow brings her hand up and takes Faith's hand, then holds her other hand out for Kennedy to grasp. The three women just sit for a few minutes while Willow regains her strength.
Willow looks up at Faith and grins at her. [Shall we?] she asks, her eyes sliding sideways toward her younger girlfriend. Faith smiles and nods.
Surging up, the redhead grabs Kennedy and spins her around and back onto the bed, ending up straddling her girl. She smiles, then leans down and captures her lips in a searing kiss, ending it by sucking on the Slayer's lower lip.
Sitting up again, Willow gives her girlfriend a leering smile and says, "Your turn."
Kennedy shudders at the hunger in the witch's eyes and smiles.
Willow walks into the kitchen and sets the tray of dirty dishes on the counter, then goes over to the refrigerator and quietly adds "syrup" to the bottom of the grocery list. She looks around and notices that Kennedy forgot to put the pots she used to fix breakfast in the dishwasher, again.
[Well,] she thinks, [with the whole thing with Xander, then the heart to heart with Dawnie, I guess I can forgive her. This time.] She opens the dishwasher and puts all the dishes she sees into it, along with the cleaning packet, then closes it up. She reaches to start it, but remembers that her Slayers are still in the shower. Turning around, she gives a little squeal and jumps back, heart hammering in her chest.
"Hey there, green-eyed girl."
"Xander! You scared the hell out of me!" she declares. Then, smiling, she goes and gives him a big hug, rubbing her hands up and down his back. Pulling back a step, she smiles at Dawn, then returns her attention to her oldest friend. "I'm really glad to see you, so that's what the hug is for." Willow punches him hard in his chest. "That's for the yelling and calling my girlfriends names!"
Xander rubs the place when she hit him. "Ok, first; Ow! Second; I didn't know until Dawnie and I talked that you'd started your own harem. Third; Ow!"
Dawn giggles at the harem remark, while Willow grins. "Oh, come here, you big baby." The redhead hugs him again, then draws back and looks into his face. "You and I both know how lucky you are that I'm the one that hit you and not one of my Slayers! You know how hot tempered Faith is and Kennedy just isn't that far behind her!"
"Actually, Faith was going to hit him, but Kennedy stopped her." Dawn adds, joining the conversation.
Xander looks at the younger Summers. "Really? Remind me to thank her. Intensive care is so expensive these days!" he finishes with a grin.
"Oh, she didn't do it for you, " Dawn assures him, shaking her head. "Remember the glass you dropped? She just didn't want Faith cut her feet up on her way over to beat you up, that's all."
He smiles. "Hey, whatever! No bones were broken, so not complaining." Crossing over the to the refrigerator, Xander gets himself a soda, then turns back to the two women. "Jokes about harems aside, Will, is this what you want? You're happy?"
Willow smiles. "Yeah, it is and I am. Kinda threw me for a loop when it happened. At first, I was all with the worry about me and Kenn and why was I attracted to Faith? Then I kissed Faith, and Faith kissed Kennedy, we all talked and now we're three!"
Xander takes her hand and gives it a fond squeeze, but a dubious look. "Thinkin it was a bit more complicated than that, but if you're happy, I'm happy for you. And yes, I plan on apologizing to both your girls when I see them. They in the house?"
The redhead nods, cocking an ear too see if she can still hear water running. "They were in the shower, but I can't hear water anymore. They should be down in a minute." She grins at her lifelong friend. "You might wanna hide behind Dawnie until after you say sorry."
Xander grins back and moves over behind the teen. "Not a bad idea. More time to escape if they have to go around her!" Dawn just smirks and shakes her head. The man looks at Willow, a mock lecherous grin on his face, "Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, Will, if you ever need a cameraman for those home movies..." he trails off, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Xander!" both women shout. Willow blushes so hard, she feels light headed. Dawn blushes a little, but brings her elbow swiftly back to connect with Xander's gut.
"OW!"
Dawn turns and glares at him. "Oh, be quiet. You so know you bought that one!"
"Ok, you two have lived with Slayers far too long," he laments, rubbing his new hurt place. "Neither of you used to be this violent!" Xander wags a scolding finger at the women for a moment, then all three dissolve into laughter.
Kennedy and Faith come in the kitchen and find them all laughing, both of them bristling slightly at the sight of the man. They both know he didn't really mean to be cruel, but what'd he said earlier had hurt, and neither woman dealt with insults well.
Before either of them have a chance to speak, Xander moves from behind Dawn and comes toward them. "Guys, listen, I'm sorry for this morning. I didn't know and I shot my mouth off. If the two of you make Will happy, then that's good enough for me. Can we forget about what I said?"
Kennedy looks at Faith, who flicks a quick nod. "Sure. We're all good here." She smiles at him as a thought wanders through. "Although, I probably owe you a good thump 'cause I'm sure you've mentioned me, Will, Faith and a camera sometime this morning!"
Dawn and Faith break up and Willow blushes again, while Xander just grins. "Guilty!"
The young Slayer leans over and starts to hit him, the man bracing himself. Instead, she just shakes her finger under his nose and smiles. "Knew it. What is it with men and wanting to tape women having sex?"
Xander shrugs and looks down, a little abashed. Kennedy just smiles and moves passed him, getting herself and Faith a bottle of water from the fridge. Tossing one bottle to her girl, she moves over and stands behind Willow.
"One thing, though, Faith." Xander says, his expression sobering. The older Slayer looks at him. "Kennedy and I had this talk a year ago, now it's your turn. I'm happy for you, finding two such good people to love you as Will and Kennedy. If you hurt them, though, especially Willow, Slayer or not, we'll dance. You cool with that?"
"Xander! Stop threatening my girlfriend! Wait, " Willow looks at Kennedy. "He threatened you, too? why didn't you tell me?"
Wrapping her arms around her witch, Kennedy puts her head on Willow's shoulder. "Chill, Red. He didn't threaten either of us, not really. That's just a statement of fact. Totally different. Both Faith and I understand. Xander loves you and doesn't want to see you get hurt anymore than she or I do. Besides, think about it for a minute. Didn't you tell me you gave essentially the same speech to Riley when he started seeing Buffy?"
Willow thinks it over and decides Kennedy is right, especially as she remembers what she had said to Riley that night at a party. It seemed so long ago.
Xander looks at the older Slayer and asks, "We good?"
"Five by five... Patch." Faith smiles big at him as she bestows his new name.
The man smiles at her and shakes his head. "Dawnie already warned me about that, so nyaa!" He slicks his tongue out at her.
Faith laughs. "Shouldn't do that unless you intend to use it!"
Willow and Dawn both blush, while Kennedy grins.
Xander gives the Slayer a leering grin. "Wouldn't be the first time!"
Kennedy looks confused until she remembers a morning in the Summers home before the final battle with the First. Faith telling something about it making Anya crazy that Faith had been Xander's first?
Kennedy looks at the man and smiles. "Sorry, Patch. Had your chance and blew it. She's ours now!"
Faith smiles and walks over to her girls. Willow takes her into her arms and nods.
Tensions have evaporated at 3061 Woodland Dr and the group has moved to the rec room. Much like the night before, Willow and Kennedy are on their couch, Faith is in the chair nearest it, though she has moved the chair a little closer. Dawn and Xander are sharing the other sofa.
"Now that we're all friends again, what's the what, Patch? Why'd you come back?" Faith starts the conversation with her usual flair.
"Not that we're not happy to see you, that is." Willow says quickly, casting a reproachful look at her lover.
Xander waves a negligent hand toward Faith to show he doesn't mind what she said. "It's ok, Will. I'm glad to be back. England's ok, but man, is it nice to be home. As for why I'm here, Kennedy, Faith, you still remember how to teach?"
Faith looks at him like he's nuts, as Kennedy says, "Ah, shit!"
The older Slayer looks at the younger. "What?"
"Giles wants us to train new Slayers, doesn't he?" Kennedy asks, eyes on Xander.
The man nods once. "Kinda. What Giles and the council have in mind is to send some of the more advanced students, a few at a time, to you guys and let'em get some Hellmouthy experience. Not to mention what Buffy and Faith could show them, just because they've lived longer than Slayers used to."
He catches Kennedy's eye and tells her, "No offense, Kennedy, I know you trained over half your life to be a Slayer, but Buffy's has been one for over eight years. Faith for nearly six, so they have a slight edge on you for time in slaying."
Kennedy smirks at Xander. "Won't stop me from tossin out an opinion or tellin the newbies when they're full of crap."
"Yeah, yeah, Junior. We know, you're real good at flappin that tongue of yours!"
Willow chokes on a sip of tea as she says this. She holds up a hand to Kennedy to show everything's fine. "Guys, please. " the redhead pleads, "Not now. I want to hear everything Xander's got to say. You can spar later, if you need to." [I'll bring the massage oil!] Willow thinks to her girls. They both grin.
Willow motions for Xander to continue. "Thanks. Anyway, the real reason Giles sent me was to check into getting this place expanded. Basically, we need to add three or four extra bedrooms a couple more bathrooms and a proper training room. Any other changes you want, I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything.
"The other two options if we can't rework this place are one; get another building and redo it, or two; buy land and build from the ground up. The last one'll take the longest, but we can tailor the place to the requirements."
Willow and Kennedy look unhappy that they might have to move, while Faith figures one place to sleep and eat is as good as the next one. She smiles as her mind adds the thought, [As long as Red and the Brat are there, anyway.] Dawn, of course, already knows all this.
Willow shakes her head dubiously. "I don't want to move! We just got everything where we want it, and, and there's the whole neighbors are just starting to get used to us thing! And Dawnie and Vi'll have to change schools, and I like our bedroom, and..."
The redhead's babblefest cuts off abruptly as Kennedy kisses her, fingers sliding into crimson tresses. Faith smiles and asks, "What's B think about all this?"
"Think about what?"
Heads spin to see the oldest Slayer coming through the dining room. She has a small packet and a piece of paper in her hand.
"Hey, B! Where'd you come from?" Faith drops the hand she'd been gesturing with, without thinking, onto the arm of the couch. Willow slides her hand into Faith's, their fingers interlacing. The Slayer glances at her wicca and smiles, before turning her attention back to the blonde.
Buffy notices the unconscious intimacy and the fact that the chair Faith is in is a good foot closer to the sofa. Looking at her sister and Xander, she sees that neither of them shows the slightest reaction to situation. [Will and I really need to talk.] she thinks. "Through the back door. I was heading back out to make a grocery run, and needed the list. Everybody added what they wanted?" She brandishes a fistful of paper.
Faith releases Willow and walks over to Buffy, hand outstretched for the shopping list. "First I've heard about it. Lemme see?"
Buffy hands over the paper, looking at Dawn. "I thought I asked you to tell everyone about this when I left this morning?"
Dawn flushes a little. "Sorry, forgot. It's kinda been a busy day."
"Oh? Anything I need to know about?"
"Not much, " the teen assures her sister. "Xander and I went out to lunch, then a movie. The lazy lumps over there didn't even get outta bed until about an hour ago!" she teases the new 'triple'.
Willow blushes and Kennedy grins, as does Faith, for some reason Buffy doesn't really understand. Suddenly her eyes get huge as Dawn's implication registers and she puts it with the bedroom scene she found earlier that day. [That can't be what she means! Nobody does that outside of bad porn!] Her mind races, trying to deny the conclusions she's reached.
While Buffy struggles in her mind, Kennedy calls out, "Did you add syrup to the list?"
"Red did. Anything else you want?"
[More Willow toppings, but she'll catch fire if she blushes anymore. You added various things we can use, didn't you?] Kennedy thinks to Faith. Out loud, she says, "Just more Gatorade. Orange, preferably. An assortment of cakes and chips already on there?"
[Started to add a bunch of ice cream toppings and whipped cream, but we can get all that tonight on the way home from patrol] "Got your sports drink, and the sweets and chips are already there." Faith gives the younger Slayer a disgusted smirk. "How can you stand to drink that stuff?"
"You just don't know what's good for you, that's all!"
Faith sticks her tongue out at her girlfriend.
Remembering what Faith had told Xander earlier, she grins and tells her, "Later, baby." The raven haired woman turns her attention back to the blonde Slayer. "Buffy, Xander was telling about why he's here when you got here. What do you think? Buffy!"
"Hmm?"
"I said, what's your take on Xander's visit?"
Buffy looks a little embarrassed. "Oh! Sorry, thinking about something. Uh, I'm ok with it, but I really hope we can just stay here and make the house bigger. Did he tell you guys about the newbies?"
Faith hands her the list back and returns to her seat, not even noticing she and Willow locking hands again. "Yeah. Patch over there said something about a few at a time showin up. Didn't say how long they'd be here or what we do with'em after, though."
Xander takes up the discussion. "Three to six months for most, depending on their progress. When you guys say they have enough experience with all the joys a Hellmouth brings, they go back to England for assignment, and the next bunch shows up."
The Slayers and the witch all look confused. Buffy walks and sits in the vacant chair before asking, "Meant to ask this morning, why do they need to know how to handle a Hellmouth? I mean, Hello! Four Slayers, living on the last one! I think we got it covered, Xand." The others nod agreement.
"It's not the last one, is it?"
Everyone's eyes turn toward Dawn, then to the front door as Vi comes in.
"Hi guys." She looks around at her housemates and notices the serious looks. She also takes notice of Faith and Willow holding hands. 'That's new.' she thinks. "What'd I miss? You guys all look like an apocalypse is coming. Oh, wait," she reconsiders what she was saying. "That's not it, is it?" she finishes nervously.
"No, not yet." Kennedy reassures the teenager. "But, Dawn was just saying something about Cleveland's Hellmouth not being the last one. What did you mean, Dawnie?"
The young brunette smiles as she realizes that this is the first time Kennedy has called her by the nickname. The smile fades as she turns her thought back to the topic at hand. "Just, I was thinking Giles usually has a reason for what her does, and if he suddenly wants lots of Slayers knowing how to handle what a Hellmouth can do..." she trails off.
Willow's eyes light up. "Oh! You think that there are more Hellmouths now, Dawnie? That's it, isn't Xander? More Hellmouths have opened, all over the world."
All eyes turn toward Xander. The man shrugs and smiles sheepishly, as he confirms, "Yep. That's pretty much the sitch."
"Tell me you're kidding!" wails Buffy. The others, except Dawn pale a bit.
"Shit! How many of these damn things do we have to close down?!?" Faith snarls as she sits forward, clenching her fists.
Willow winces. "Faith! Um..."
Faith turns to her, finally noticing their joined hands and that she's hurting her witch. She jerks her hand away as all the blood drains from her face. "Red, I - I - "
Willow flexes her hand once, then purposefully reaches over and reclaims her Slayers hand. "It's ok." She brings the girl's hand to her lips and kisses it. "Really. Sit back down, ok?"
The dark Slayer flushes and sits back, nodding, a stricken look on her face. [I'm really sorry, Willow. I didn't mean it. Didn't even know I was holding your hand.] she tells the redhead telepathically.
Willow kisses her hand again, squeezing Kennedy's at the same time. [I said it's ok, and I mean it. I didn't really notice either, so please, for me, forget it.] The witch is looking directly into her lover's eyes as she 'talks' to her.
[Listen to the beautiful redhead, Faith. Everything's cool.] Kennedy chimes in.
Faith looks uncertain for another moment then nods, eyes suspiciously damp. [Thank you, baby.] echoes through her mind and she smiles, wanly.
Buffy watches the tender interlude and starts to ask Willow what's going on, but, unable to 'hear' the three way conversation, decides that the whole new Hellmouths thing takes precedent. Pushing her questions to the back of her mind, she returns her gaze to Xander.
"You were saying, Xand, about the new Hellmouths?"
The man nods several times, replying, "Yep. Giles said Althenea noticed a shift in the Earth's energy a couple weeks ago, so she and the coven started checking into things. At first, there was only the one we're sitting on, but about ten days ago, they started getting what they thought was an echo. Turns out, it was a new Hellmouth in Detroit. Then one appeared in Tulsa and another outside Atlanta. Last count, there's 35, spread out all over. Most in the good ol' US, but a few in other countries."
Everyone in the room looks more and more horrified as Xander talks. Finally, Buffy stammers, "Th-thirty FIVE?!? Xander, just one of those damn things spent seven years trying to kill me, us I can't remember how many times, and succeeded twice! An-and now, you want me help train girls to go and get killed by their own personal one?!? How the HELL can the council, especially a council run by MY watcher, the man who saw how close it came so many times ask me to do that and live with myself?"
"Because they have to."
Buffy rounds on Kennedy, anger, frustration and disbelief warring for room in her expression. When she sees the look of determination that the smaller Slayer is wearing, the anger wins. Buffy no longer sees Kennedy as the fellow warrior who's fought beside her for months, the person who's tactical sense she's come to trust. In her fury, all she sees is the headstrong potential Slayer who questioned every order, fought every plan, forced her way in despite Buffy's attempts to keep her out.
"Just what the hell do you mean, 'They have to'? They have to what, kill off Slayers as fast as possible?"
Kennedy gives the oldest Slayer a small, sad smile. During all her time training with her watcher, he'd stressed two things. Weapons and combat training, of course, but barely second in importance, objective, analytical thinking. Once she'd gotten over the shock of so many new Hellmouths, she'd thought about what Giles was asking and soon saw what she was confident was his objective. Now, if she could just make Buffy understand. She grins wryly to herself. Faith's nickname of 'Junior' for her is short for 'Junior Buffy', because both of them are headstrong, stubborn and equally impossible to convince they might be wrong. When the two of them went head to head, their housemates tended to vanish.
"You don't see it, do you? The council is sending those girls here precisely because you survived seven years of everything hell threw at you. Seven. Even Faith only has about a year's experience, and you two are the only ones of us who've been here longer than six months. Buffy, I've read Giles' journals. Your first watcher's, too. From what I got from them, along with stuff Will's told me, you didn't know anything about being a Slayer or how to beat the bad guys until you were a Slayer. Then you move onto the Hellmouth and have to deal with what it was throwin at you pretty much right from the start! Can't you see that that's why Giles is sending the newbies here? He doesn't want them to die, so he's counting on you to show them some of what to expect and how to survive it. It's that simple."
Kennedy abruptly stands and takes a step closer the blonde Slayer. She stops as she feels Willow's hand pull her back a little. "Face it, Buffy, Giles is just doing his job. He's the head of the watcher's council now. He has to use every resource he has to fight the forces of evil. You're a major resource for surviving a Hellmouth. That's all it is, even though I'm pretty sure he hates asking you to do this.
"Speaking for myself, if this is what we gotta do, let's do it right. Get'em trained properly, so they won't get killed by the first idiot who thinks ending the world is a good idea."
Buffy had stood up as soon as Kennedy had, ready for a confrontation. She had, at first, ignored what the brunette was saying. She didn't want to do this and couldn't understand why her friends failed to see that. Then, slowly, what Kennedy was trying to tell her began to seep into her thoughts, where it triggered memories. Of times when the scoobies had found a way to deal with the latest world-ending demon at the last possible second. Of times when she had poured through the old watcher's diaries, reading about past Slayers and wondering why they never had to deal with the crap she seemed to have to.
[Could she be right?] Buffy wonders
"She's right, B, and you know it. Stop fightin it and let's get this thing planned out. Close to dinner time and the Brat and I gotta go patrol soon."
Kennedy looks at her girlfriend and smirks. "You? Wanna make a plan? Who the hell are you and what'd you do with our Faith?"
Even Buffy smiles at the remark, since everyone there knows all about Faith's habit of leaping into things without ever even thinking about looking.
"Keep it up, Junior. I'm rememberin everything and I plan on gettin even. Soon."
"Shakin in my boots, tough girl. I know some of your secrets, so not scared."
Faith's eyes narrow to slits as she contemplates her Slayer. "Oh yeah? Which secrets are those? Don't have many anymore, so it can't be bad enough to save your ass."
Kennedy smiles a shark's smile, all teeth and menace. "Sure you want me to tell everybody?" she says as she thinks to her girl, [I know where you're ticklish! Want me to pass that along?]
Willow smiles as she listens in to their conversation. "You two play later." she laughingly tells them, the sobers as she faces her best friend. "Buffy, do you agree that Kennedy has a point? Remember, I was there with you for everything. I know all the times we needed more information or some idea of how to handle something and it wasn't there."
"Think about it, Buffy," Dawn contributes, "You know the council is gonna send those Slayers to cover all those Hellmouths. Do you really want them to go through the same OJT you did? How could you live with yourself if you don't help and they start dying because they aren't as lucky as you?"
Buffy holds up both hands and retreats back into her chair. "Hey! Can we stop with the 'Attack Buffy party'? I get it, ok? Not helping is bad." She looks at Xander. "Anything else about this? I just know you're gonna tell me none of these things are that big yet, right?"
The carpenter nods. "The largest is still here in the Land of Cleve. And may I digress for a moment to say, if ever there was a town made for Slayers, is this one. A place named for cutting things in half!" he grins. Xander gazes around the room, noting the straight faces all around him. "OK, maybe it's just me."
It starts with Vi, but the others quickly join in groaning and laughing.
Xander smiles his goofy smile, then says, "To get all Hellmouthy again, though, most of the new ones are really small. Only a couple are actually big enough to be able to able to open even a little. We've got time to get everything set up, so no worries."
Willow appears pensive as she looks at her old friend. "Does Giles have any ideas why the Hellmouth is all with the growth spurt?"
"Not Giles, but Althenea said something about it having to do with our closing the Sunnydale one. She started talking about magic and the nature of the universe and I kinda just nodded and said I'd ask you to call her."
"Will, can you go ahead and do that, please? I want to know what we're dealing with and how long before the blow. If I have to train kids to fight, I want to prepare them for the worst that can happen first, then work on easy stuff. You guys agree?" she asks, looking at each of her fellow Slayers. They all signal agreement.
"It'll have to wait until tomorrow, Buff." Willow tells her, after checking her watch. "Time difference means it's after midnight there."
"Soon as you can, then. Xander, anything else?"
The man shrugs. "Not really. I figure I'll start taking measurements tomorrow morning and make a few sketches. That'll tell me if we need to look at buying any of the land around us. Once I know that, I'll check on whether it's for sale and prices. Remember, guys, if you want something in particular changed, you need to tell me by morning, ok?"
Faith immediately speaks up. "A shower big enough for three'd be good." Willow blushes bright red and even Kennedy's tanned face darkens a little more, though she smiles.
"Got my vote, babe."
Xander smirks. "I'll see what I can do, if you're willing to talk about the camera thing." he attempts to negotiate.
"Xander!" Willow whines, her face a half a shade darker than her hair, she's blushing so hard.
Xander smiles apologetically to his best friend. "Sorry, Will." To Faith, he says, quietly, "We'll talk later."
She smirks and answers him, her voice the same volume, "Only about the shower."
Suddenly, everyone looks at Vi as her stomach growls loudly. "If we're done with the meeting, can we start dinner now?"
Buffy smiles at her. "A hungry Slayer. What're the odds?" Everyone chuckles. "Ok, I'm going to go on to the grocery store, while you guys get dinner going. Who's turn to cook, anyway?"
Dawn stands and addresses her sister, "Mine, but I'm kinda in the mood for pizza. Anybody else?" She looks at everyone in turn, and they all agree. "Ok, I'll call it in. Anyone want anything different?"
Xander is the only one who speaks. "You remember how I like mine, Dawnie? Ok, then looks we got a plan."
"Yep." Buffy agrees. "Xander, you want to come with me?"
"Alone time with the Buffster? Sure, I'm in!" He gives her a playful leer.
The blonde just shakes her head at him and grins. "Just wanted help carrying the bags, that's all."
"Want me for my manly muscles, huh? Hey, it's a start!" he chuckles as they go through the front door.
The others head off to start whatever they have planned for the evening. After they both kiss Willow, Faith and Kennedy go to the basement to get ready for their patrol that night, while the witch moves over to her computer to do some web searches she has in mind.
Dawn feels a faint unease, but doesn't understand what it is or what it's about. She decides to ignore it as she calls in the medium sized stack of pizzas needed to feed a house full of Slayers. She hangs up and goes to find Vi, finally locating the girl in her room. The younger Summers knocks on the doorframe. "Hey. Can I come in?"
Vi spins around, quickly hiding an envelope marked Pretzel Haus. "Sure. What's up?"
"Nothing, really. Just bought a new CD while Xander and I were out. Thought you might want to listen to it with me." the teen explains, holding up the case for Vi to see.
The other girl looks at the CD's cover. "Sure. I like them. Can we talk, too?"
"Sure." Dawn hands the CD to Vi so she can start it playing, then takes a seat on the girl's bed. "So, what's up?" she asks as the Slayer sits back down at the desk.
Vi smiles at her friend. "Well, I saw you and Xander at the mall today. You guys were looking awfully chummy, there. Going for older men now?" she teases.
Dawn's eyes get big. "No! Eww!! Xander's like my brother! I can't think of him that way. It's just gross!"
"Like your brother, huh? Not the way it looked to me!"
"Vi! Stop it, please! I do not want to date Xander. Period. Besides, we were only at the mall to get out of the house so we wouldn't have to listen to our resident sex maniacs!"
The Slayer's eyes get so big, they threaten to fall out of her head. "What's up with that, anyway? Why were Willow and Faith holding hands downstairs?"
"Stress much? Short story? The couple of Willow and Kennedy is now the triple of Willow, Kennedy and Faith."
"Huh?"
Dawn rolls her eyes at her friend. "What don't you get? The three of them are in love. With each other."
Vi looks completely confused as she hears this. "How can anyone be in love with two people at the same time? Is that even possible?"
"Apparently so," Dawn shrugs. "I talked to Faith and Kennedy this morning and they're the ones who explained things to me. I admit, it's a little weird, but hey, what about those people we were reading about in history class, the ones with two or three wives? Same thing, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Just never really thought about it. I've never know anybody who did that kinda thing." the young Slayer states.
"You freaked?"
"A little," Vi admits, "But I'll deal."
Dawn smiles. "Thanks." She stops as she thinks of something. "You get anything while you were at the mall?"
"Huh? Oh, no, not really. K-kinda just window shopping, y'know? Nothing special."
Dawn looks at the other girl, noticing the blush and the fact that she's looking everywhere but at Dawn herself and the stammer. 'Come to think of it, she's been out of the house every night she hasn't had to patrol. Doesn't come home until late. Oh, yeah!' she thinks as she smiles.
"What's his name, vi?"
The Slayer looks shocked. "Wh-who's name? What are talking about?"
Dawn just gives her a patented 'Yeah, right' look.
"But, really, there's not a he! No guy!"
Dawn still looks skeptical. "Uh huh. Then what's her name?"
"No! No her, either. There's no one." Vi throws a small stuffed animal at the other teenager. "You know you're my only friend!"
"And why's that again?" Dawn asks sarcastically.
"'Cause you're nice and friendly and nice to weirdos like me." She smirks. "And because I'm the only one who'll talk to you."
Dawn gets an offended look. "So not true! Just last week Susan Graham and I had a stimulating conversation!"
Now it's Vi's turn to give a 'Yeah, right!' look. "I was behind you during that 'stimulating conversation'. Her exact words were, 'Out of the way, freak-o!' "
"So not the point! She talked to me, didn't she?"
"You're gonna count that? Well, then Josh Hamilton said I was in his way, once. Guess I got two friends now, huh?"
Dawn laughs. "Ok, so we're equally pathetic! Still got each other, right?"
The young Slayer's eyes soften as she hears this. "Yep! Guess this means we're friends for life. Hey? Was that the doorbell?" she asks, pausing the CD.
[Dawnie! Food's here!] Willow's mindvoice says.
Dawn starts a little, the smiles. "It was. Dinner is served!"
"And you know that how? Oh. Willow did that telepath thingie again, didn't she? God, that so creeps me out!"
"Probably why she only talks to you that way in emergencies. Willow's nice that way." Dawn says as they head toward the stairs and pizza.
By the time Dawn and Vi reached the kitchen, Willow had already checked and separated all the pizzas so everyone had their favorite. Dawn grabs hers and Vi's while the other girl gets sodas for them both, then the girls head for the dining room, where the triple is already eating. Faith and Kennedy have already inhaled half a large each, while Willow is just getting started.
Dawn looks at Willow, then at the two older Slayer's food and back up to Willow, grinning wryly. "Do they bother to chew, or just swallow it whole?"
Both brunettes make indignant sounds and mock threats while the redhead just giggles and agrees. Long experience living with Slayers has taught both Willow and Dawn about them and their appetites.
Quiet munching is heard for a while, before Kennedy closes her pizza box and asks the two teens, "You guys going out tonight?"
Vi quickly swallows and shakes her head. "Not me. Buffy kept us out so late last night, I couldn't get any homework done. My turn to patrol tomorrow, so no fun for me tonight!" she finishes with a little pout.
Dawn chimes in. "Well, I only have a little homework left, so I was, but I think I'll stay and study with Vi. Maybe together, we can get done early and go dancing or something. I found a place last weekend that just so reminds me of the Bronze!"
The older girl smiles at her. "Cool! I so need some down time, but thought I wouldn't get it. Hurry up and eat!"
The younger Summers giggles at the excited change in her friend and suggests they take their food and study while they finish eating. The Slayer readily agrees and the girls take their dinner and leave.
Vi stops in the doorway and looks back at her fellow Slayers. "By the ways, guys. We found signs of a nest of vamps in the Johnson mausoleum, the one near Gardner."
Kennedy nods as Faith says, "Thanks, kid. We'll check there first."
Vi scowls at being called 'kid', but Dawn nudges her and they leave.
"Come on, K. If we're gonna start that far across town, we better get going. Suddenly feelin the need for a good slay!"
Kennedy laughs and agrees. "Ok, ok, we're going! You go get our weapons and I'll take care of this mess, deal?" Faith agrees and heads for the basement.
The young Slayer throws out the empty pizza boxes and returns to the dining room. Walking over to Willow, she puts her hands on the witch's shoulders. Willow tilts her head back and Kennedy gives her a light, upside down kiss. "You wanna come with us, Red?"
Willow smiles at her girl. "Not tonight, sweetie. I've got some research I started before dinner that I want to finish." She looks toward the door as Faith comes in then stands and turns. "Both of you be careful, ok?"
Kennedy smiles and pulls her into a tight hug, then kisses her deeply. Pulling back a little, she replies, "We will, don't worry." She kisses the witch again chastely before stepping out of the embrace.
Faith walks over to Willow as Kennedy starts strapping on her weapons. Taking her girl into her own arms, the Slayer kisses Willow deeply as well.
Lips begin to move for a moment, before Willow pulls back and tells her, "Remember. Be careful! I want you home in one piece each, or I might get upset, ok baby?"
Faith chuckles and kisses her again quickly. "You know me, Red." Her smile fades as Willow regards her steadily. "Ok, Willow. I promise, nothing really crazy." She smiles again. "'Sides! Got Junior with me, right? She'll watch my ass for me!"
Kennedy gives an amused grunt and smirks. "Happy to do that for you, babe!" Faith smirks at her.
Willow smiles and shakes her head sadly, "Just so you both look for vampires occasionally, too! If you come home with bites marks, then I hope the couch is comfortable!"
Faith gives her an innocent look. "You mean vamp bites or just bites in general, 'cause, I mean, big dark crypts, lotsa privacy, juices flowin from the slayin. Shit, Red, only human here!" she teases.
Kennedy tries to hide her laughter while Willow regards her older Slayer with a 'so not amused' gaze. "No, no bites at all. If you feel a need to get bitten, you'd better hurry home, then, huh?" she replies, smiling her sweetest smile. Both Slayers grin and agree they'll be careful, so she kisses both again quickly before they head for the garage and Kennedy's bike.
After putting the remains of her pizza in the fridge, Willow moves back to her computer. Bringing the browser up, she goes to Google and types in 'polyamory', selecting the third website down. When it opens, she begins reading.
She's on her fifth website when the sound of the back door opening startles her. She turns and is half out of her chair when she recognizes Buffy and Xander's voices and stays in her seat. Raising her voice, she half-shouts, "Buffy?"
The blonde appears in the doorway. "Yep, just us. Everything ok here?"
"Oh, yeah. Kenn and Faith left for patrol and Dawn and Vi are studying. Your pizzas are in the oven. Are all the groceries in? Need some help?"
"Xander's got 'em." Buffy takes a tentative step forward. "Will, can I talk to you?"
Willow looks at her friend. "Usually," she hedges. "What's up?"
"I - I wanted to ask you what was going on. With you and Kennedy an-and Faith. I-I mean when Faith was injured last week, I came in to check on her and the three of you were all snuggly. Then this morning, I came by your room to see if you wanted to go get Xander with me, and there you three were again. Then tonight, you were holding hands with both Faith and Kennedy. I don't understand what's happening, Willow. Can you be kinda splainy?"
"Did you ask Xander?"
Buffy moves over and takes a seat at the table. "He said something about them both being your girlfriend, but I should ask you."
"Well, he's right."
"Will, how can that be? You love Kennedy. How can Faith be your girlfriend if Kennedy is?"
"Simple. I love them both, they both love me, hence, girlfriends. Buffy, it's really not that hard to understand." Willow tells her in a voice that's a little defensive.
Buffy leans forward as she organizes her thoughts. "Well, I don't. Willow, you can't be in love with two people at the same time. That's crazy! An- and what about Kennedy? I know she'll do anything for you, but what does she say about this? Are you going to leave her?"
Willow's eyes harden. "Actually, Buffy, its perfectly possible to be in love with more than one person. And I should know, cause I am, and have been for a while now. Or did you think I'd forgotten Tara?" The Slayer starts to respond, but Willow cuts her off. "I love her now as much as I ever did, and I'm just as much in love with her as you are with Angel. Are you ever going to stop loving him?"
Buffy's eyes widen a bit at the vampire's name, then she shakes her head a little.
Willow doesn't give the blonde time to say anything. "When I fell in love with Kennedy, I didn't understand how it happened. I couldn't love her because I already loved Tara. It took a while, but I finally realized I could love them both without being unfair to Kennedy or betraying Tara."
Buffy sits up straighter, her own emotions starting to come into play. Xander starts into the room, but, seeing the women's posture and sensing the mood, he turns quietly and goes back to the kitchen.
"Will, I understand that completely. I had to make the same decision when I started dating Riley. What I don't understand is how you say you're in love with Faith, too."
Buffy puts the slightest inflection and emphasis of the once rogue's name. "Why'd you say her name like that?"
"Like what?"
Willow's eyes have begun to flash. "Like you don't trust her, or she's not worth knowing or she's a bad guy. Or that you maybe think she's going to hurt us. She won't, you know. She's changed."
"I know she's changed! I just don't know how much I can trust that. Will, for God's sake, it just not been that long since she killed two people and tried to kill us all, remember that?"
"She's not that person anymore!" Willow snaps. "Faith knows what she did and regrets it. She wants to make up for it, if you'd let her! That's why she came to Sunnydale with me. She knew you wouldn't like that she was back, but she also knew we needed help, so she asked to come back with me. You know what she said to me in the car, just before we found Shannon?"
Buffy shakes her head.
Willow leans toward the Slayer, eyes a darker green in her anger. "She asked me if I could forgive her for what she'd done to me when she first came to Sunnydale. When she asked, she was barely able to get the words out, but she did. The Faith we knew in high school could never have done that and you know it."
"Fine! She apologized. That doesn't change the fact that she's dangerous or that she's murdered people!" Buffy snarls. "Even if I grant you that she's all repenty now, it doesn't change that fact!"
"What about the people I killed? Or, how about the Knights of Byzantium you killed? Have you forgotten about the men you murdered to protect Dawn?"
Buffy's eyes narrow. "That was self-defense, not murder! They were trying to kill me, kill all of us, remember? I didn't want to kill any of them, they just didn't leave me with a choice. As for Faith, I'll grant you that the mayor's guy friday was an accident, cause it was. The volcano guy, that was cold blooded murder!"
Willow nods once, sharply. Her eyes are blazing now. "Yes, it was. So was Warren." Buffy recoils from mention of her former foe. "Warren was a warped, misogynistic, murderous little shit, and the world is far better off without him, but, it wasn't the law that decided that. It was me. Do you remember, Buffy? I stalked him, trapped him and tortured him, then killed him in the most painful way I could think of. If all of you hadn't stopped me, I would've killed Jonathan and Andrew, just for fun. But, I was forgiven. Why not Faith?"
"You killed Warren because of anger and grief and revenge. He killed Tara and nearly killed me! Yes, it was still murder and wrong, but understandable. When Faith killed that scientist, she did it because the Mayor asked he to. He hadn't done anything to her, personally. He was just a job. That's called assassination!"
Willow regards the blonde Slayer levelly for a moment, before countering with, "What about the truck driver?"
Buffy draws back, looking confused. "What truck driver? What are you talking about, Will?"
"Do you remember when you and Xander were trying to run away in the police car and I chased you with the truck?" She waits til Buffy nods. "That truck driver. When I took control of his truck, he tried so hard to take it back. He fought until I had to release it, but he had a bad heart and then it was too late. He died before anyone found him. I killed him, too, but no one ever said anything about that."
The Slayer shakes her head. "Will, that was a tragedy and an accident, but you didn't kill him. Even if we say you might have had a little to do with it, you didn't mean to do it. Didn't set out to hurt him, so..."
"You so don't get it, Buffy." Willow cuts her off. "I didn't care what happened to him. I needed the truck to get to Jonathan and Andrew. The driver didn't matter. I felt him die and it didn't matter, cause I wanted to find you and them. Anyone who got in my way was expendable. Or don't you remember I threatened to turn Dawn back into energy?"
Willow breathes deeply and tries to reign in her anger. After a moment, she begins again. "You're right, about the vulcanologist, Buffy. She did kill him just because the Mayor told her to. But, don't forget; she willing went to prison for both crimes. She wanted to pay for her mistakes. And, think about how easy she broke out when Angel needed her. She could've escaped anytime, but she stayed because she knew she had to redeem herself.
"Why can't you give her the chance to do that? She's a good person now. The person she should have been, would have been if she hadn't been so angry and defensive when we were kids. Buffy, you're my best friend and I love you, but you need to accept the fact that I'm in love with Kennedy and Faith both."
Willow leans forward, her hand outstretched toward Buffy, her eyes and voice imploring. "I know she's hurt you. I know she almost killed Angel and you told me about her and Riley. She can't change any of that, but she does regret it. You've lived with her, fought beside her for months now. You tell me; Is she the same person you fought to the death in high school? Could she do the things she's done before now? I want you to think about your answers. If you can honestly say no to both, and I know that's what the answers will be, if your honest with yourself, I'm asking you to try to forgive her. Can you do that?"
Buffy looks down at Willow's hand covering hers and tries to think about everything that's been said. It's not easy. She's only seen or heard of Willow getting all with the righteous fury a few times since they've known each other. On the other hand, she has to admit to herself, when the witch does explode like this, it's usually because the target needed or deserved it.
A part of her immediately rebels, thinking she's done nothing wrong. Faith's the crazy one, she's just defending her best friend who sometimes doesn't see things they way they really are. Even if she's on her best behavior now, Faith is dangerous and will, sooner or later, betray them again.
Most of the blonde, though, especially her heart, has noticed the things the once rogue has done, the way she's acted and has to admit that Willow might be right. She can't even blame Faith for when the potentials kicked her out of the house. She herself was the crazy, dangerous one then. Faith had backed her all down the line, never wanting to take over and willingly giving command back when Buffy returned with her head back on straight.
[Do I think she's right?] Buffy wonders to herself. After a moment more of reflection, she has to admit, privately, that she does. [I'm not quite ready to forgive her, but I think I want to try.]
Hazel eyes look into green as Buffy says, "I can't answer that yet, Will. Can I keep thinking on it?"
Willow smiles brightly. "Absolutely! As long as you need." she assures the Slayer, then her smile dims a bit. "As long as you accept that Faith is going to be a part of my life from now on. The same as Kennedy, in fact, and you know how much I like the smoochies and the cuddling! Can you handle that?"
"I can't say I'm not still a little wigged out by this, but that's my problem, my issues. You know me. All I really want is for my family to be happy. If you're happy and Faith is the one who helps make that true, I'll deal. Promise."
Willow smiles her happy smile and stands, pulling Buffy to her feet as well and into a hug. Drawing apart, the wicca says, softly, "Thank you, Buffy. I am happy, so don't worry, ok?"
"Sorry. I have to worry. It's in the 'best friend' contract and you know it. But, I'll try to worry quietly." Buffy replies, then hugs her friend again.
"Is it safe to come in yet?"
Both women look toward the doorway to see Xander peeking around the side. They laugh and separate, motioning for him to come on in.
"Everything is of the good in here, Xand. Right, Buffy? We're good?"
Buffy smiles slyly before replying, "Five by five, Red."
Willow just stares at her for a second, then breaks up giggling.
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