Act1

The Council hotel’s lobby was almost deserted when Buffy and Dawn entered after coming down the stairs that lead to the side of the hotel used as residence by the Slayers, Watchers and others Council members.

Both sisters had gotten their own room on Giles’ behalf, when most of the Slayers had to share one for two or three girls. Buffy had tried to explain it was not necessary that they had their own room that they could share the same one, Giles had not listened. Really wanting to be nice to them, he had booked a room for each of them.

Son the Summers sisters had settled and gotten some rest in there just after their arrival from the airport, while Giles had come back to his duties.

Time of the meeting scheduled by Giles was now close, so Buffy had decided to meet her former Watcher and to check on her friends. She was getting really impatient to see them again.

Several months had passed since their victory over the First. With her departure for Europe, Buffy had not seen much of Willow and Xander since then and she had had even little time to talk to them on the phone.

Seeing them again, hugging them close and be sure they were doing well was her main – and even only – reason for coming here and taking part to this Council meeting.

A meeting that had Dawn very enthusiastic. Not as much as seeing Xander and Willow again, but still, she was really enthusiastic about the meeting. Since Giles had invited them to come in Cleveland some weeks ago, the younger Summers could not hide her impatience and just bounced all the time to her sister’s despair.

“So, who does take part to this meeting?” Asked Dawn as both young women crossed the lobby to the meeting room.

« Well, Giles, Xander, Willow… »

“I knew that. Apart from US of course” said Dawn slightly annoyed. “We wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for them.”

« Well, from what I know » resumed Buffy patiently. “Except us, there’ll probably be the Slayers and Watchers from Cleveland, the new Council heads, Kennedy, Faith and Robin Wood “

« Faith? » asked Dawn with a scowl. “What the hell is she gonna do in a meeting like that one?”

“Well, you know, she and I are the two original called Slayers. I guess it gives us some honors from the council. And maybe she’s coming to see Robin. Well, I don’t know much, just what Giles told me.”

Dawn nodded. She was not really bothered by the former rogue Slayer’s presence. Dawn even found her kinda cool sometimes: when she could get over everything bad Faith had done to those she loved. The fact was that Dawn was just surprised. From little she had heard about Faith, the Slayer mainly avoided group gathering and preferred doing her things on her own, without rules or orders. She sometimes checked on Giles or Robin and things seemed to work that way with her. So Dawn was not really sure that Faith would show up during their stay. Except if Buffy’s presence in Cleveland gave her a new reason to come.

“Maybe she’ll come to see you” suggested Dawn, thinking out loud.

Her sister frowned and turned to her, a questioning look on her face.

« You know, Faith and I are not really friends burning to see each other again as soon as possible”

“I know this. But I think she still tries to have you forgive her”

Buffy pouted and shrugged.

“All this is past. She had come to terms with that now”

“And so had I” she added quickly in a resolute tone, looking at Dawn in the eye.

Dawn nodded and resumed, following her random train of thoughts.

« And Kennedy? I guess she’s there as the ‘Willow-the-council’s-uber-witch’s girlfriend’ ? »

Buffy couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the annoyed look on her sister’s face at the mention of Kennedy’s name.

« Please, Dawn, when will you come to terms with that ? It’s been a year now that they’re dating. Willow seems to be happy with her. And Kennedy is a very good Slayer the Council totally trusts”

Dawn scowled to this.

“Willow happy with her? Don’t you think it’s a little bit strong as a choice for word? Kennedy is so not what Willow needs and…”

Buffy deeply sighed. That conversation would lead nowhere: she already knew that. Her so-brilliant and open-minded sister was inexplicably stubborn and of bad faith when it came to Kennedy and her relationship with Willow.

Buffy had to admit that herself had been surprise and dumbfounded about the younger Slayer and the way Willow had thrown herself into her arms. But for months, they seemed to really get along for what Buffy knew about it. And that was the only thing she cared about.

“Dan, we talked about that like a million times. Willow’s maybe not exactly ‘happy’ but she’s really getting better and she’s rebuilding herself slowly. Isn’t that the most important thing? Kennedy or not?”

Dawn sighed and Buffy recognized immediately that trademark frown on her sister face, which would appear each time they had this conversation. Dawn would always stay on her positions, refusing sternly to give any credit to Buffy’s point. So Buffy was not surprised when as usual at this point, Dawn vaguely gestured with her hand, pointing out this way that the conversation was going to come to an end.

“Just don’t talk about that anymore. We’ll never agree anyway”

Buffy dropped the subject as her sister suggested, even she would have wanted to go farther to try and convince Dawn that Kennedy was worthy that she gave her a chance.

But she’d do that another time. And Dawn could not help but add :

“We stop here for now, but I still think she’s so not what Willow needs”

And she punctuated her sentence by staring intently at her sister, showing that way that she thought this assertion was an indisputable fact and truth for any sane person in the world.

Buffy kept quiet and pushed the door leading to the meeting room.

***

The meeting room was not as big as Buffy had imagined it. She expected something imposing but now faced a room not bigger than one of her old high school classroom. But the room was filled with conversations and laughter. Buffy immediately spotted Xander talking animatedly to Giles and a woman of she had sometimes caught a glimpse and she knew to be a Watcher.

Buffy walked to them and saw a giant smile forming on the carpenter’s face when he spotted her. She smiled back instinctively and sped up her pace. Dawn chose that exact moment to start running towards Xander and threw herself into his arms, as the good hysterical teenager she was. Xander hugged her affectionately as he usually did, before releasing her and wrapped his arms around Buffy who hugged him back.

“Hey! You started without me!” exclaimed a new but well-known voice behind them. They both turned around and saw Willow coming their way followed closely by Kennedy.

Xander immediately moved forward towards the redhead and pulled her into his arms. When he released her, Willow and Buffy came face to face, an uncertain smile on their face.

« Hey, Buffy » Willow said, raising shyly her hand in front of her as to great the Slayer.

Xander then wrapped his arms around each girl’s shoulders and invited them in a warm hug like they did not have one for ages. Both girls hugged back without hesitation.

Dawn looked at them smiling, before turning to Kennedy who was too staring at the scene with a smile. As soon as the Slayer appeared in her field of vision, Dawn’s smile vanished from her face. The young Summers crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the brunette from head to toes while casting her an annoyed glance. Kennedy noticed it immediately but did not really pay attention: she was so used to those dark looks. Her first thought had been to hug Dawn to great her but Dawn’s behavior had convinced her not to do so. So, she simply stood next to Dawn, waiting for the three friends to part and give her a life again. Dawn seemed to read her thoughts.

“It can last a long time you know, before they remember we’re here”

Kennedy pretended not to notice Dawn’s cold tone and tried to joke:

“Maybe we can cough or something?”

« Well, if you can’t wait some minutes that they celebrate being together again as the close friends they are for so long, maybe you can”

« Dawn ! »

Buffy’s severe voice rang and the three friends parted to face both forgotten women. Xander turned to Kennedy and hugged while Willow was doing the same with Dawn.

“How’s my second favorite Slayer?”

“My little Dawn!”

Kennedy smiled. Xander had always been the only one within the group to treat her with true affection. Even if she sometimes thought he was acting this way because of the phantasms he probably had about her and Willow together, he was the only one she was et ease with.

On the other hand, the Summers sisters seemed to be leery about her. Buffy had always tried to hide her feelings with much or less luck and with the time that had passed, Kennedy could feel the other Slayer’s mistrust going away. But with Dawn, there was nothing to do. Despite time and all the efforts Kennedy desperately made to be accepted by Willow’s friends, only Dawn’s presence was enough to remind her that she would never, oh NEVER, be loved by them the way Tara had been.

When Xander released her, Buffy hugged her quickly in her turn. Then Giles, who had just come nearer, did the same, before hugging Willow in a fatherly gesture.

« It’s been a so long time » willow said, still clutching the former Watcher. “I missed you!”

Then, she released Giles and pulled Xander and Buffy again in her arms.

“You too!”

They were again in each other’s arms under Giles’ tender gaze.

“So” Xander said, after steeping back from the hug. “What’s new?”

Both young women smiled to their friend. But Dawn was the one to answer for both of them:

« Lots and lots of new things ! Lots and lots of new clothes!”

Buffy cast a dark look to her sister but never had time to answer as Dawn went on:

« But for Willow, nothing new I’ll say, Kennedy’s still there! »

« Dawn ! »

Buffy’s voice was serious and to the frown on her face, Dawn knew she just crossed a line. But the teenager could not fail to notice Giles’ amused glance and even Willow’s forgiver one. And Kennedy was the one who cut Buffy when she was about to chid her sister:

“Drop it Buffy. Coming from her, I know what to expect”

Buffy seemed to hesitate a second but finally nodded and perched on a table nearby. Willow did the same and sat beside her.

« So, Will these last months? Brazil, Brazil? »

Willow’s face lit up at this mention and she switched to full babble-mode:

« Yes, exactly! Brazil, Brazil ! It’s such a fascinating experience! I never traveled in that part of the world before, you know! Never really get out of the country! Actually, never get out from California! Well… » She wavered for half a second and her face crumpled a little and she lowered her eyes, as suddenly unable to face Buffy in the eye. « Well, except for England I mean… » She added in a hushed tone before resuming with the same enthusiasm as earlier: « You should see the demons we met there: breeds we never saw in Sunnydale! And Sunnydale was known to be full of all kind of demons and…»

“Easy Will! Don’t forget to breathe!” Kennedy exclaimed, obviously amused by the witch’s demeanor.

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry! So, you, what about Rome?”

“just like you, my first trip away from mother country! I think we’re fine there. Dawn adapts quite well. True, Dawn?”

Dawn winced to her sister.

“Obviously not as well as you. I miss you all way too much, we’re so far!”

Saying that, the teenager threw her arm around Willow’s waist and hugged her against her while pulling Xander with them with her free hand. Both smiled and Willow patted tenderly on her shoulder.

“That’s so good to see you again!”

***

Faith stretch out on the bed she was laying on and put her sleepy eyes on the alarm clock on the night table. She sighed a long sigh when she saw the screen showing 4:12. she had to get up. She was already late. The meeting was scheduled to start at 4. New reason for her to be noticed. And not in a good way of course. She got up regretfully, caught a pair of jeans that were laying on the floor et slipped on it quickly. Then, she started to put on her boots. Finally, she ran her hand through her hair to get it a little clean and got to the door.

She quickly went down the stairs to the hotel’s lobby. No one was in sight, except for the receptionist who was fussing behind his desk. He greeted her politely and she waved back. The dark-haired Slayer crossed the lobby quickly and found herself soon in front of the meeting room’s closed door. The noise she could hear coming from behind the door pointed out that several persons were talking. She deeply breathed in, opened the door and walked in the room.

The meeting had not started yet and several groups were talking separately. Nobody paid any particular attention to her coming in. Faith noticed immediately Buffy and her friends. The blonde Slayer was sat on a table on her right. Willow was sat awkwardly beside her while Xander stood in front of them, his arm around Dawn’s shoulders. The four of them were in deep conversation while Kennedy, sat close to Willow, seemed to just listen.

“Faith ! I started to be desperate to see you today!”

Faith jumped slightly. Absorbed as she was staring at the scoobies, she had failed to notice Robin Wood coming her way. Her lover.

« Robin! » Faith exclaimed, at the same time surprise and embarrassed. « Sorry for today. Patrol all night. Killed lot of demons. Slept all day. Never moved from my room”

Robin frowned slightly and stopped the gesture he was doing toward her.

“You patrolled again last night? You know there’re enough Slayers here? You were not scheduled to patrol last night I think?”

Faith’s face crumpled to Robin’s reproachful tone.

“C’me on! You know me. I’m a Slayer, I needed my little patrol before going to sleep, that’s all »

« Did you tell someone? There’re rules to follow here. If something had happened to you, we’d never have known!”

Faith rolled her eyes and got away toward the Scooby gang.

“Well, as you can see for yourself, nothing happened to me!”

“Hey, check this out, the whole Scooby gang!” she exclaimed when she was close to the little group. “And even the fake one” she added gesturing to Kennedy.

« Faith! » The latter answered. « Always so nice! And I thought that finding a guy would make you more sociable. Maybe guys are not what you need after all, maybe you should try girls! »

“Are you offering?” Faith smirked. “Red, you should look better after your girl!”

« Well, now that our two dark-eyed Slayers had greeted each others, maybe we could get to the civilized part. What about: hi Faith, how are you?

Saying that, Xander moved to the dark-haired Slayer, a light smile on his lips, his arms slightly opened.

“You’re really about to hug me?” Asked a dumfounded Faith, staring blankly at Xander.

The young man answered nothing and took Faith in his arms before she could protest.

« That’s right »

« Well, Xander is the most affectionate of all of us” threw Buffy while raising her hand. “I think we’ll content ourselves with a wave of our hands”

« Good for me’ answered Faith, doing as Buffy and gesturing towards the four girls.

Then she sat on a table in front of the group.

“So, what’s up B? I thought you were retired?”

“Kinda” Buffy answered. “But Giles insisted for me to come and when I got to know that my friends would be there – saying this, she gestured to Willow and Xander – “I decided to come and spend some weeks of vacation here. What about you? I thought you were playing alone, as always?”

Faith had a sardonic smile.

« I do. But I like to know about things from time to time.»

“And anyway you’re working for the Council” Kennedy added.

“And there’s Robin” Willow said, pointing him with her chin.

« Well, why asking if you know already everything. » Faith said in an annoyed tone. “So, you two, the uber dykes, how’s Brazil?”

“Hey ! Don’t use that word!” spat an angry Kennedy moving towards Faith.

Willow put a soothing hand on her girlfriend’s arm.

“Drop it Kenn. She’s doing it on purpose to get you angry.”

Kennedy turned to Willow, then to Faith again and saw the superior smile plastered on the other Slayer’s face.

“No need to ask who’s the brain in that couple!”

Kennedy almost reacted again but this time, Buffy’s strong grip stopped her. Kennedy’s gaze met the blonde Slayer’s one.

« Coming from Faith, you shouldn’t get too mad » she said simply.

The two of them exchanged a smile before turning to the third Slayer who was looking at their team, slightly unhinged. But she pulled herself together quickly.

“Everybody against me? Why would I be surprised after all?”