Sunnydale was no more. The First was history. Giles drove the bus to a small rest stop not far from the destruction. It had been deserted. There was a small grocery store, a gas station and a roadside motel. The warriors could heal and rest here for a few days. The injured slayers would mend quickly. Eventually there would be investigators drawn to the demolished Hellmouth. But for now, they were safe to regroup.

The party descended on the grocery store first. They gathered food and medical supplies, figuring it was their payment for saving the world. The motel afforded enough rooms when the slayers doubled up. Buffy and Faith together was a given. And Willow and Kennedy made sure that they procured a private place together as well. Everyone retired to their rooms.

"Kennedy, I have to talk to Buffy for a moment." Kennedy stopped and looked as though she'd object to being apart from Willow. She softly touched her slayer's forearm. "Go on, baby. I'll be right there, I promise."

Willow knocked on Buffy's door before opening it. She found Faith lying on the bed and Buffy sitting by her side.

"Hey, Wil..."Faith grinned at her. "Killer fireworks back there."

Willow returned the smile with a slight blush. She shifted her eyes to Buffy. The slayer said nothing. She remained still, looking at her best friend.

"You know, don't you.... "

The inquiry was more a statement than a question. Buffy nodded slightly.

"About Kennedy? Yeah, we know, Wil."Faith propped herself up on one elbow. "It would have been pretty damn hard to miss."

"It was the way she fought, Willow."Buffy finally spoke. "The fire in her eyes. She was just...... so much more than the others. Does she know?"

"No."Willow replied. "I didn't tell her."The wiccan hesitated. "Does it really matter now?"

"If one of us had been killed today,"Buffy put her hand on Faith's thigh. "she would have felt the calling. I'm sure of that. No matter how many potentials your spell released."The slayer exchanged glances with Faith briefly, before addressing Willow again. "You should tell her."

"B.'s right, Wil."Faith concurred as she covered Buffy's hand with her own. "Hey, the girl's got a right to know she was born to fly."

Willow nodded, turned, and closed the door. Faith sat up. "You should lie down, B. That stab wound was pretty bad."

Buffy took Faith's hand into both of hers. "It's gone now."

"Damn, B.,"Faith was impressed. "you heal a whole lot faster than I do."

"Wasn't me."Buffy spoke softly. "It was you...."
 
To Faith's puzzled expression, Buffy explained. "You saved my life twice today, ya know."

"How?"

"Remember when I handed the scythe to you?  We held it together for a moment?"

Faith nodded.

"It's what I think of as..... Slayer Transfer. I did it with Willow once through her magic meditation. I gave her my strength to heal her wounds. When you and I were connected by the scythe, I felt a surge of power go through me. It burned for a moment, and then suddenly the pain was gone and I felt stronger than I've ever felt in my life."

"Now ya tell me. I coulda used that a few weeks ago against the big bad Beast."Faith shook her head at the thought of healing quickly from that fiasco. "But hey, it's cool. When was the second time?"

Buffy looked down at her hands holding Faith's. "When I knew Spike was going to die for this cause, I knew I had to leave him to his sacrifice. But I felt so torn. It was realizing that you'd be waiting for me that pushed me to finally run. See?  My life.... my salvation..... twice...."

Faith gave her counterpart her most winning and seductive smile.
"So..."She said quietly. "Wanna go three for three?"

Buffy laughed out loud for the first time, in a long time.....

Willow opened the door to her motel room. She put the keys on the table and noticed their supplies were put away. "Kennedy?"

Suddenly strong arms encircled her waist from behind. Stress voiced itself near her ear.

"What took you so long, Willow? I've been going nuts here."

The witch recognized the signs. She'd often heard Faith talk about being "hungry and horny"after slaying.

"What's the matter, baby? A little jumpy?"

A sigh of frustration floated past her neck.

The carnality that Kennedy had been feeling since Willow cast her spell was still roaring through her. Intensified by the battle, it was fast approaching unbearable. Kennedy's plea was a borderline whimper. "I need you, Willow."
 
Willow was not surprised to feel strong arms wrap more possessively around her waist. Kennedy's breath barely preceded her lips nibbling on Willow's ear. She turned her head into Kennedy's nuzzling. The heat from the slayer infused Willow with a building need. She recalled how much she'd also wanted Kennedy's touch during the release spell. The desire had never completely left her.

Kennedy was lost in the softness of the goddess in her embrace. She wanted to dive into Willow's essence, possessing both her body and her heart. She was no longer thinking clearly. She was operating on pure instinct and yearning.

The witch tingled at the power emanating from behind her. She turned in Kennedy's arms and backed her up against the motel room door.

"The battle didn't give you the release you need, did it?"

The slayer didn't answer. She brought her hands to Willow's waistband, unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans. They were undone and loosened before Willow could even shift her legs apart to give Kennedy more access. Sliding her fingers under silk panties, past the soft curls, she went directly for Willow's center. Kennedy entered her lover easily through the wetness that assured her of Willow's desire. The witch was warm and welcoming. The slayer desperately wanted it all.

Gasping at the sudden swiftness, the redhead braced herself against her lover and opened her stance. The slickness that Kennedy was looking for had already started to flow. The slayer scooped it up and spread it over Willow's sex. Rubbing and sliding within the confines of the witch's clothes.

Willow began kissing Kennedy while she allowed her slayer to find her. Possessing Kennedy's mouth while the slayer penetrated her. Then Willow began to slowly pull Kennedy toward the bed. She moved back carefully, so as not to dislodge the tantalizing fingers that were thoroughly exploring her. When she reached the bed, she stopped her assault on Kennedy's lips and tongue. Standing still, gazing into Kennedy's eyes, she waited.

Kennedy watched Willow surrender. The wiccan delivered herself into the slayer's capable hands. Kennedy hadn't asked Willow if she could slip inside her, if she could touch her so intimately. Willow had just known what she had to have. The readiness she found with her seeking fingers told her that her witch would give her anything.

The slayer gently withdrew from the wiccan. She brought her wet fingers to her mouth, inhaling the sweet scent of Willow's essence. With deliberate slowness, Kennedy slipped her fingers into her mouth. Seductively sucking away all evidence of her penetration. Willow thought that it might be one of the most erotic displays she'd ever seen. When Kennedy finished, she pulled Willow's sheer tan blouse up over her head. Kennedy's eyes raked over the black camisole she wore underneath. Willow could be so many things. Funny, brilliant, shy, naive. But she could also be so sexy. Kennedy had already figured that out long ago. But the witch's physical allure still surprised her sometimes. Reaching out, she fondled the satin fabric that covered rapidly hardening nipples. She slid her hands down the camisole, then up underneath it. Her hands caressed the small, firm mounds. But she wanted to see Willow's slender body. Sensing her slayer's needs, the witch pulled the camisole up over her head and tossed it aside. The sight of Willow's gentle curves and porcelain skin was more than Kennedy could stand. She dropped to her knees and pulled at the tan jeans until they slipped down Willow's legs. Kennedy also relieved Willow of the matching black panties she wore. The slayer grasped Willow's hips with a slayer's strength that Willow realized she'd have to learn to adjust to. With equal tenderness, Kennedy brushed her lips and cheeks against the feathery amber curls between Willow's legs.

A contented sigh escaped Willow. Kennedy looked up to find the witch had closed her eyes during the intimate nuzzling. The relaxed expression of pleasure suddenly inflamed Kennedy. She separated the auburn hair of Willow's mons and swept her tongue through the delicate folds underneath. Willow's eyes shot open as she felt the soft tongue and the hot hardness of the metal stud Kennedy wore. They'd only made love a few times before. And each time Willow was tantalized by the addition of the hard round jewelry. She brought her hands down on Kennedy's shoulders to support herself. She feared her legs won't hold her long as Kennedy's mouth devoured her.

The new slayer enthusiastically licked her lover, losing herself in the taste and texture that was uniquely Willow. She'd been an active lesbian for a while. But no one else had ever mattered as much as Willow. She was all Kennedy wanted.

Grasping Willow's hips possessively, Kennedy eased her back onto the bed behind her. First sitting her down, then laying her down. Still kneeling between Willow's legs, she drank in the sight of glistening lips and the soft folds she'd licked clean. Willow's clit was very pink and slightly swollen from Kennedy's tongue and stud. She grabbed the hem of her tank top and discarded it in one motion. Kennedy shed her bra as well. But Willow hardly had the chance to appreciate the beautiful, full breasts that came into view. Kennedy lifted Willow's knees over her shoulders, so that Willow's legs were resting down the slayer's back. Almost simultaneously Kennedy entered Willow with her fingers and renewed her passionate assault on Willow's sexual shaft.

Almost as quickly, Willow's climax started. The enthusiastic foreplay had shifted Willow's libido into high gear. The release was reminiscent of the slayer spell. She felt the thrilling white hot surge of orgasm. She may have implored the goddess as she came. But it was Kennedy her emotions pulled deeper into her being.  

Kennedy lowered Willow's legs down onto the bed. She crawled up next to her lover and held her. Her need to be united with the woman who'd released her power was finally sated. She felt calmer.

"Hey…."The witch whispered. "So what kind of endurance does my new slayer have?"

Kennedy didn't have time to think of a witty reply. Willow had rolled her on her back and was suckling the closest nipple she could reach. Kennedy arched up toward her. Hunger for the wiccan rearing up in her again.

"Touch me, Willow."She barely got the words out. "Touch me…now…."

Together the women divested Kennedy of her black jeans. Willow explored Kennedy's mouth and caressed her breasts thoroughly. But the slayer was in no mood for a lengthy foreplay. She brought Willow's hand down her body and slid Willow's fingers between her legs.

Again came the subtle command. "Touch me, Willow….please…..now…"

Kennedy's hand stayed on top of Willow's as the witch gathered Kennedy's wetness and started stroking her. She used all her fingers to rub over the folds and valleys of Kennedy's sex. The slayer's hips began to thrust forward in rhythm with Willow's ministrations.

The witch whispered encouragements and endearments near Kennedy's ear.
"Com' on, baby. Do this for me. Show me that you want me. Give me everything you have. I need to feel you come for me….."The barrage went on and on in Kennedy's ear and echoed in her mind. Her body reacted obediently.

As Kennedy's climax went off like a rocket, Willow entered her deeply. Her fingers attaining the highest point inside the cooperative slayer. The intimate pressure causing the slayer to orgasm several times before she collapsed back onto the bed. Willow's fingers held her while she relaxed. She rained small, soft kisses all over Kennedy's face, neck and chest.

When Kennedy could speak, she murmured sleepily into copper hair.

"Did I ever tell you that you are a Goddess?"

Willow smiled at the drowsy slayer. "Maybe once or twice….."

Later when Willow awoke, she was wrapped around the sleeping slayer. She basked in the intimacy of their embrace, enjoying the softness and the firmness of Kennedy's body. She let her mind wander over the hours they had spent making love. The extraordinary events of the day had fueled their lust. She thought back to the night before when Kennedy had proclaimed, in her own unique way, how much she felt for her. Although the actual words had not been said, she knew that Kennedy was deeply in love with her. The ex-potential lived and breathed everything Willow. She was grateful for the devotion and thrilled to be the focus of such emotion and desire.

Willow hoped that she could match the intensity of what Kennedy felt. She had always thought that Tara would be her life partner. And she had loved her like no one else in her life. But Tara was gone. Her heart still ached from the loss. Being with Kennedy eased the pain, though she wondered if it would ever be completely gone. It was probable that the new slayer would never know that Willow was not entirely free. And it was even possible that Kennedy already knew and didn't care. But Willow would know. And it troubled her honest heart.

The pensive wiccan snuggled closer to the young beauty in her arms. Making love with her was such an amazing thing. It was yet another skill in which Kennedy was very apt. Again Willow's mind traveled back to the countless times she'd made love with Tara. They had fit together from the moment they'd first touched. Loving Tara was like being wrapped in a comfortable blanket next to a blazing fireplace. It sizzled and flamed, yet was cozy and familiar. When they would merge physically, they would merge emotionally and spiritually. She could feel Tara's soul joining with hers during every passionate moment. Tara had fulfilled her on every level of her being.

Making love with Kennedy was like trying to ride raging rapids. Willow smiled at the analogy. Kennedy was aggressive and intense. And yet she could also be gentle and tender. Whatever the witch required, the young experienced lesbian could be. She was gorgeous, had a pierced tongue, and a body that Willow could literally not get enough of. The redhead would never quite understand why she was lucky enough to be loved by two such very different, yet absolutely extraordinary women. She wanted to give Kennedy her heart and soul. Or at least as much of her heart and soul as she had left after already giving them away.... to Tara.

The unanswerable questions faded in Willow's mind as she drifted back to sleep. She had no way of knowing that time would see their union turn into much more than Willow could ever have hoped. For Kennedy, it would become everything she had envisioned from the moment she first saw Willow.

After a few days rest, the slaying contingent began packing up to head to LA. Angel had offered to use Wolfram and Hart's resources to sponsor their quest to find the new slayers.

Willow had avoided telling Kennedy what the scythe had shown her. They'd stayed in the motel room practically the whole time. Willow smiled at how Kennedy had indeed demonstrated her "slayer stamina."But Buffy and Faith were right. She had to tell her.

"Kennedy, I need to tell you something."

The new slayer looked at Willow's reflection in the mirror over the sink. Kennedy thought she sounded serious. Turning she asked. "Are you all right?"

A soft smile lit Willow's face. Kennedy's first concern was always her. "Yes." She assured her. "I'm fine. This is about you."

Kennedy leaned against the counter, arms folded over her chest and waited. Willow sat down on the bed and took a deep breath.

"During the slayer spell, the scythe showed me something. Something that Buffy and Faith figured out during the battle." Kennedy looked puzzled. "It showed me who the next Chosen One would be. If anything had happened to Buffy or Faith,"Willow paused, "the potential destined to be the next Vampire Slayer would have been you."

Surprise showed clearly on Kennedy's face. "Me?"I'm the next in line?"

"Yes."Willow admitted. "Or rather you would have been, if my spell hadn't released all the potentials to their destiny…. to your destiny."Willow suddenly felt like crying. She somehow felt like she had taken something extremely important away from Kennedy. "I'm so sorry…."

"What?"The young slayer had been processing the implications of what Willow was telling her. Finally, she noticed that Willow was upset. She crossed over to her lover and knelt down in front of her. "Hey."She put her hands on Willow's thighs. "I won't try to tell you that I'm not thrilled to know that I was next to be called. But Willow, I'm a slayer now. We're all chosen thanks to you. And if I had been called the way generations of slayers have been called, that would mean that Buffy or Faith would've had to die."She brought her hand up to Willow's face to guarantee that she had the witch's undivided attention. "And there is no way that I will ever let that happen, as long as it's in my power to prevent it."

Willow smiled down at the self proclaimed brat she was falling in love with.

"But you'll never be the Chosen One."

Kennedy stood up and pulled her wiccan into a comforting embrace.

"It doesn't matter."She whispered into Willow's hair. "As long as I'm your Chosen One."

In the motel room Buffy and Faith shared, they sat on the bed, facing each other, holding hands. Their meager possessions were packed and they were waiting for the others.

"Ya know, B., when we get back to LA, I'm gonna have to turn myself in."

The thought of Faith going back to prison had crossed Buffy's mind. But she had pushed away any consideration of life without her soul mate.

"No you won't."

They both turned to see Willow standing in their doorway.

Faith looked at the witch. "It beats havin' the law come after me, Red."

"They won't."She repeated. "You don't exist in the criminal justice system anymore."

Both slayers looked at Willow with a combination of confusion and suspicion.

"What did you do, Willow?"Buffy's tone sounded as if she were scolding a mischievous child.

"Well... when the police went all Hellmouth, I sorta rearranged some things."The witch had the decency to at least look a little guilty. "I figured if Faith was willing to fight to save the world, or die trying, twice mind you….then the very least the world owed her was her freedom....."

Faith shook her head in disbelief. "You used witchcraft?"

"Nah, just some overly sophisticated, high IQ kind of hacker skills."

The dark-haired slayer got up and walked over the wiccan. She took her face in warm hands, chocolate brown eyes searching emerald green ones.

"Thank you, Willow."She said quietly. And then Faith kissed her.

It would occur to the redhead later that it was one of the few times Faith had actually called her by her full name. But for the moment, she was stunned by the soft, sensual kiss of appreciation from the grateful slayer. When Faith released her, Willow could only stare dumbfounded at the smiling beauty.

"Hey!"Kennedy barked, coming up on the seemingly intimate moment. "That's my job."

Faith turned and grinned at the newbie slayer. "And ya better take damn good care of her too, Junior,"the freed slayer warned with affection. "Cuz I can still kick your ass."

As Willow led Kennedy away, the slayers could hear her grumbling something about being a slayer now and that Faith could just try it sometime and just who did she think she was, kissing her girl like that..... The rest was lost as the two original slayers laughed at the tirade. Faith turned to Buffy. Relief and love were threatening to overwhelm her. She could see similar emotions reflected in Buffy's eyes.

 "I'm free, B."

Buffy crossed the room and put her arms around her lover.

"No you're not."The blonde held Faith possessively. "You're my captive now. And I'm going to lock you away in my heart."

The Chosen One couldn't see the smile that spread across the rogue slayer's face. But she could feel it. Faith tightened the embrace.

"Then ya might as well just throw away the key, baby......."

Fini