FIC: "Just Friends" 5/10 B/W

The brunette potential was leaning against the door of the room she?d been sharing with Willow, with lately Rona in it too. She was staring at Buffy.

?Err hi Kennedy. You?re awake??

Kennedy nodded and asked:

?Something wrong??

Buffy frowned innocently:

?No, not at all, why do you ask??

Kennedy looked at Buffy from top to bottom and Buffy realized she was in panties and shirt; she very fast put her pants on while trying to sound natural:

?Err, yes, I?m always getting dressed up very fast, I mean, I?m too impatient and, well it happens often that I finish getting dressed in the corridor, don?t worry?

She was trying to sound light but Kennedy remained serious:

?Funny, you were already dressed up when you entered the room? 2 minutes ago?

Buffy didn?t know what to reply:

?Err, I-I, you?

?I was going out of my room when you entered yours. I just felt like staying here and then? here you were again, looking? is there something in there disturbing you??

Buffy said:

?Err, no, I was getting undressed then I realized I?d forgotten something? in the basement, something to tell Spike, you know me?

Kennedy moved forward and asked:

?Is she sleeping??

Buffy tried to think very fast and hide her surprise, she was trying to think of what exactly did the brunette know; so Kennedy knew Willow was inside, so then Buffy asked herself why the witch was in and not with the brunette girl. Kennedy didn?t let her more time to think, she moved forward and opened the door; she stared at the sleeping redhead:

?She seems so peaceful, she?s so beautiful?

Buffy remained silent and didn?t turn around, she couldn?t look at Willow. Kennedy closed the door and looked at Buffy, trying to sound self-confident:

?Willow and I are starting something?

Buffy looked at her, slightly raising her brows but trying not to show anything. Kennedy went on:

?We?re involved, I guess?

Buffy remained silent and the brunette crossed her arms on her chest and asked:

?Is there something I should know??

Buffy looked a bit surprised:

?You?re asking that to me??

?Yes, Tara maybe, that seems like a hard story?

?Err, hard and long, and that I probably shouldn?t be the one telling. Willow will tell you everything on time I?m sure?

Kennedy nodded but asked:

?Ok, not Tara then? you maybe?

Buffy looked surprise:

?Me, I-I err- no- why- is- did- did she say? something??

Kennedy raised her brows and asked firmly:

?Is there something to say??

Buffy pulled herself together:

?We?re friends, she?s my best friend. We?ve been through a lot together; we?re close friends, Willow, Xander and I. But we?re? just friends?

Kennedy nodded. Buffy started to move away and Kennedy asked:

?Just a last question?

Buffy sighed:

?I?m kind of weary Kennedy, can?t it wait??

Kennedy moved closer:

?Not really a question in fact just? something wondering in my mind?

Buffy nodded:

?Ok, what is it??

?Just that, my girlfriend, ok maybe I can?t call her that yet so let?s say, Willow, is sleeping in your bedroom right now because she was afraid she and I would sleep together tonight, we were kinda on a good path to it I admit but anyway, so she left the room and I accepted it. And what I find funny is that you went out of your own room in panties, room that you?d entered a minute before, you left it with the same look on your face she wore when she left our room? and the same heavy breathing too?funny don?t you think??

Kennedy didn?t say more words and entered her room again closing the door behind her. Buffy sighed, very annoyed, she went downstairs and slept beside Spike.

~~~

Several weeks went by. Buffy remained close to Spike while Willow and Kennedy were flirting more seriously.

Buffy was focusing a lot on the work to do and she was being very hard and authoritarian with all of them. She sometimes had to argue with Xander, Anya and Giles but Willow remained each time held back, not questioning Buffy?s attitude while Kennedy was disagreeing a lot and Buffy was very eager to shut her out.

Buffy called everyone telling them they had news. She wanted to speak about the visions the three guardian men gave her of the hundreds of Turok-Hans. While they were listening Kennedy moved closer to Willow and gently caressed the witch?s arm with her fingertips. They were smiling lovingly at each other.

?Kennedy, if you?re not interested in what I?m saying you can skip it and immediately jump to the part where the Turok-Han chop your head off?

Buffy was already scolding herself inwardly for once again showing some jealousy or grudge towards the younger girl but she didn?t say more, she just continued her speech while Kennedy sighed, Willow moved a bit apart from the potential.

~~~

A few more days went by and Willow took off for LA as Fred called her for some problem.

When she came back Willow wasn?t alone, she?d brought back Faith with her and let her go find Buffy while she remained in the hospital to watch over a girl, probably a potential, badly injured, that someone had pushed out of a driving car.

Willow came back with Buffy the next day, after the slayer came at the hospital once Willow called her to say the potential was awake. Buffy was in a foul mood, she gathered the scoobies to tell them she?d decided to go straight to the new player in town and take back what he let her know he had that was hers. The others rather disagreed but she didn?t listen as she was still pretty much pissed off at Giles for betraying her and trying to kill Spike.

Buffy then took Faith out on a patrol. They came back a little later. Willow was downstairs with Xander, Dawn and the potentials who were supposed to go into battle that same night. The slayers entered at the end of a speech from Xander, praising Buffy. Willow couldn?t hear them but noticed Faith telling something and Buffy smiling, both slayers exchanging nice, knowing gazes. Willow slightly looked down at the floor for a short second; Kennedy noticed but didn?t say anything.

Buffy told the girls as they were taking their weapons:

?It?s ok girls, everybody?s staying home tonight?

They were all surprised. Kennedy wasn?t very pleased:

?And why is that??

?Because I said so? Buffy replied coldly before relaxing and adding more nicely to all of them:

?That was finally not a so good plan. Let?s know more about this guy first and we?ll attack afterwards?

Kennedy put her sword down with a pissed off sigh while the other potentials were rather rejoicing, they all waved goodbye and left to their rooms relieved. Kennedy stayed downstairs as Willow was still here. Xander asked:

?That a surprise, what made you change your mind??

Buffy gave a slight gaze at Faith, with a short smile before replying:

?Well, it was pretty obvious it was a trap, Faith convinced me it would be too risky?

Willow moved forward with a frown:

?But we already knew it was a trap, well, might be, we all pointed out to you earlier but you didn?t listen?

Willow sounded offended, Buffy said in a low voice:

?Ok, I was being a bit...?

?Bitchy? Faith said with a smile. Buffy turned around but couldn?t help smiling too despite her scolding gaze. She looked again at Willow who was looking even more offended now:

?Look Will, it?s nothing, I just realized afterwards you all were right that?s all?

Willow replied in a slightly aggressive tone:

?So you were ready to get all the girls into suicide despite our disapproval and now that -she- said the same thing you listen??

Xander and Faith were a bit surprised at Willow?s scene; Kennedy was just remaining silent, watching attentively and keeping her thoughts to herself towards her girlfriend?s attitude. Buffy was annoyed, she saw the way the brunette potential was looking at them and tried gently:

?Willow please?

Willow stood straight suddenly and looked backwards, feeling bad at ease:

?Yes, anyway, time to get to sleep?

?Wouldn?t have said better? Faith said with a glance before turning around. Willow moved forward, passing by Buffy who sighed. Kennedy followed Willow, not quitting her hard gaze off of Buffy until she passed her by. Buffy then followed. Faith entered Buffy?s room:

?Night? she closed the door.

Willow stood straight:

?She?s sleeping in your room?!?

The witch turned around and was face to face with two pair of eyes; one, very wound up and another one slightly embarrassed. Kennedy didn?t even say anything; she passed by the witch and entered their room. Buffy immediately went to Willow:

?God Willow, what you?re doing?!?

?I don?t know?

Buffy sighed:

?Try to be, try to... ?

?To what Buffy??

?I don?t know?

They remained silent for a short while then Willow said:

?And I could ask you the same, what are you doing??

?What do you mean??

?What are you doing with Faith? You guys hated each other and now you seem like -best buddies-?

?You know it?s not that Willow, and we never hated each other?

?Oh yes I forgot, you were having fantasy about her, that changes everything right??

?Stop that now Will ok? You?re totally not making sense you know that. You and me it?s, look I thought we went through this. We were clear about it so you have to get over it now please?

?Get over it, ok. Just try to remind that to yourself next time you lay into Kennedy for nothing ok??

On this Willow left for her room. Buffy sighed, exasperated but then her thoughts came back and she felt a bit sad.