Title: Faith's Hope

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: The characters of this piece of fiction are owned by Joss Wedon and ME. No one is making any profit from this story.

Distribution: Kennedy Fanfics, My website: http/ Bite Me... Please, Wicked and Divine, Any others, please ask

Spoilers: Everything up to the beginning of Dirty Girls (Season 7)

Feedback: Please. I've learned recently it's hard for me to write if no one is reading.

Pairing: Buffy/Faith; Willow/Kennedy

Summary: When Faith comes back to Sunnydale, she finds something she didn't expect.

Author's note: This is my first story in Buffy-verse. Please let me know what you think of it.

"I hate it when I can't sleep at night," Kennedy thought as she lay in the bed she and Willow usually share, now that she talked the red-headed wicca into moving up there from the floor. This has been her usual routine for a little over a week now. She had no clue as to why. She didn't feel over-tired from the lack of sleep though. All she felt was an immense feeling that someone, somewhere was in trouble and needed her. She hadn't felt that feeling for about three years now. She had decided to talk to Willow about it a couple of days ago, but that was the day her girlfriend got the call from someone in LA saying they needed her help down there. She had begged Willow to take her with her, almost got her to agree, but Buffy vetoed that idea. Said Kennedy was needed more up here, helping to train the other potentials. Only Kennedy's heart wasn't in it much anymore. Her thoughts on the feeling that she was needed elsewhere. So when she decided to try to explain to Buffy why she wanted to go, the slayer decided it was time to take the potential out on some routine patrols with her. Tonight was the second time they would be going out. They didn't find much action the night before, which made Kennedy very relieved. She really couldn't concentrate on patrolling. The feelings she had just got worse when Willow left. Kennedy hoped she would be back soon. She knew she had to talk to someone about what she was feeling, and felt only Willow would really pay attention and understand what she was going through.

After a few hours, about the time dawn was about to break, the feeling suddenly lifted, leaving Kennedy drained. Thank God she had a few hours till she went out with Buffy for patrol. With that thought, she rolled over and finally fell asleep.

That night

Kennedy and Buffy had been out for a couple of hours and hadn't run into any trouble. That left Kennedy free to think of other things, like the fact Willow called and let them all know she would be home later tonight, and she was bringing someone with her. Kennedy just hoped she didn't fall asleep before the two got some quality time in.

She had slept most of the day, but she could still feel the effect of the week of sleepless nights. So that is where her thoughts were when she was suddenly attacked from behind. Before either she or Buffy knew what was happening, Kennedy had been pushed face first into a tombstone, knocking her out.

Buffy quickly took care of the vamp and ran over to check on her slaying partner for the night. When she turned Kennedy over, she noticed the large gash across her forehead caused by the impact with the granite marker. Noticing the younger girl was still unconscious, she decided to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Once she got to the hospital, the staff took Kennedy into the back to treat her, making Buffy sit in the waiting room. Buffy sat there frustrated that this would happen tonight of all nights, with Willow expected home at any time. After sitting and waiting for about 15 minutes with no news how Kennedy was, she decided to call the house to see if her best friend had gotten in yet. Just as she was about to go find a pay phone, she heard someone familiar calling out to her.

"Yo, B. I was just going out to find ya. How did you know Red and me were here?"

"Faith, I should have known you were the person Willow was bringing back with her. What with her being all secretive about who it was and all."

"Touching, but really, how did you know? I didn't call ya, and I don't think Red had a chance to either. So whatcha doing here?"

"I was out patrolling with one of the potentials, and she got blind-sided by a vamp. Hit her head on a tombstone. I thought it would be best to make sure she was ok, especially since she also happens to be Willow's girlfriend, and I happened to promise her that nothing would happen to Kennedy before she got back."

As she finished her explanation, the doctor came out to talk to Buffy about Kennedy.

"Are you with the young lady with the head wound that was brought in?" the doctor asked the two.

"I am. How is she doing, doctor?" Buffy replied.

"Well, she has a concussion and we had to stitch up her forehead. We have to wait till she wakes up to be sure of anything else."

"Can we go back and see her?"

"Sure, but don't stay too long. If you notice any changes, let one of the staff know. She's in bed four till we can get her up to a room."

"Thanks doctor." Turning to Faith she asked, "Do you want to come back with me? I just want to see how she is for myself, then maybe we can go somewhere to talk."

"Sounds like a plan to me, just can we make it fast, this place is beginning to freak me out."

With that the two slayers made their way to Kennedy's bed. As they walked past the curtain, Faith got a good look at the potential lying on the bed. As soon as she did, she started shaking and turned pale. After a second, she turned and ran out of the room. As soon as she left, Buffy was on her heels to find out what was wrong. As far as she knew, Faith had never met any of the potentials before, so she had no clue why the sight of one in a hospital bed would bring out this type of reaction.

She finally met up with Faith in the park, sitting on a bench. "Care to tell me what that was all about?" Buffy asked.

"B, the girl on the bed, what's her name?"

"Kennedy, why?"

"Are you sure? What's her full name?"

"Faith you are starting to scare me. Why is this so important?"

"Just please Buffy, do you know her full name?"

"No, all we know her by is Kennedy, why?"

"Cause I'm beginning to think the PTB just love to fuck with us. I never told you my last name did I?"

"Not that I recall, no. What does this have to do with Kennedy?"

"That's my last name. I think she's my sister."