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"You should've let me kick that guy's ass, Will. It would have been good for him. Teach him a lesson."
"Kenn..." Willow shifted in her seat, half turning to look at Kennedy. "Things don't always have to end in a fight, you know?"
"Yeah, I know, but..." Kennedy let her voice trail off as her hands tightened on the steering wheel to the point of pain. When she didn't finish the thought Kennedy could feel Willow's eyes on the side of her face. The redhead was obviously trying to figure out what Kennedy didn't want to say out loud.
Willow's voice was warm as she continued her thoughts. "It all came out alright. We got rid of him and we didn't need to make things worse."
Kennedy shrugged; her jaw tight with tension. Their little lunch stop had started out as fun and games, but as they were leaving the trucker had spoken to them again, calling them dykes and stupid cunts. It made Kennedy see red. What if Willow had gone there alone for some reason? Even though Kennedy knew that Willow was a powerful witch, and that she could take care of herself, she couldn't help the shiver of unease at the thought. The guy had been huge, and it would have been hard enough for Kennedy to defend herself against him, and god forbid, his friends too. And she had slayer strength and speed! Someone like Willow; someone without those advantages would be in real trouble.
"What is bothering you about it most, Kenn? The fact that he harassed us; or the fact that I didn't let you take care of me?" Willow's voice was a little chilly, and slightly angry.
"Willow... that isn't it." Kennedy could feel her girlfriend's gaze on her face, challenging her words, so she amended them to something closer to the truth. "Well, it is kind of. I mean, you haven't had a lot of experience being out in the real world as a lesbian, have you?"
"Kind of. Well, I mean, Tara and I..."
"Had a lot of supportive friends around, and other college students, and a familiar environment." Kennedy couldn't help but point out.
"So?" Now Willow sounded defensive, and Kennedy cursed herself for bringing up Tara. She knew better.
"I just mean that sometimes the real world sucks ass, and you just gotta be careful, that's all." Kennedy tried to keep her voice as calm as she could, pushing away the memories of taunting cries and pointing fingers. She was glad that Willow had never been forced to listen to things like that when she was with Tara. "If you'd been by yourself…"
"Then I could have defended myself. You should know that better then anyone, Kenn. Don't you have any faith in me?" Willow's voice sounded small and terribly young, and Kennedy wished they'd had this discussion facing each other so that she could look into her eyes. Instead of doing that she reached out and took Willow's hand in her own, resting them on her muscled thigh.
"I know that you could have. But, it's just that..."
Willow's hand tightened around hers for a moment. "What?"
"He almost touched you." The words came out in a rush, one long string of sound. "He almost put his dirty greasy hands on you. I can't let that happen."
"Oh, Kenn..." Dammit, now Willow sounded like she was crying.
Kennedy twisted the wheel and put them onto the shoulder of the road. She put the car into Park and turned the hazard lights on before turning to look at the woman next to her. She was crying, just a little; her eyes wet and her lower lip trembling.
Kennedy awkwardly tugged Willow forward, into her arms. She pressed her face to the side of her girlfriend's head, her cheek against the shiny red hair. "I'm sorry, Willow, I know that you can take care of yourself..."
"Shut up." The words shocked Kennedy out of her ranting and made her pull back a little to look into Willow's face. "Stop apologizing for being so sweet."
"Huh?" Kennedy knew she sounded stupid, but hell, that's how she felt. Sometimes a conversation with Willow made her feel like she'd missed a few turns, but right now she was sure that she'd missed an entire road.
"I can't believe that you still see me that way after... after everything." Willow's eyes were downcast and her voice was shaking. She hadn't said so, but Kennedy knew that the full force of the mess at the restaurant was just hitting her now. She'd used magic, probably instinctually; no thought, no planning, no control; and now she was scared to death of herself again.
"What do you mean? See you how?"
"Like I'm... shiny and clean and pure and good and..."
"Willow… what have I told you time and time again? All of us have darkness in ourselves. That's what makes everyone so interesting, amazing, different. What happened was terrible and sucked and should never have happened… but I can't blame you for what you did."
"But..."
"No." Kennedy caught Willow's chin and tugged her face up until their eyes met. "If it had been you I would have killed Warren with my bare hands. I would have killed him, and Andrew, and the other one; and anyone that dared to get in my way. Vengeance isn't necessarily evil, Will, sometimes it's justice. He killed her, and you killed him. Yes, you were out of control, but you've learned to deal with it now. It won't happen again."
"I almost destroyed the world." The words were tired, spoken almost by rote, and Kennedy knew that they were the same ones that Willow used to hurt herself during those long nights when she couldn't sleep.
"Yeah, I know." Kennedy gently brushed away the two fat tears that rolled over Willow's cheeks with her thumbs. "But then you saved it by using the magic, by giving me and all the other potentials their super slayer stuff. And I think that's a pretty fair damn trade, don't you?"
"You think?"
"I know." Kennedy leaned forward a little more and pressed their lips together; gently, reverently. She knew how lucky she was to have this amazingly complex woman love her, and she'd never forget it. And if a few guilt trips came with it... well, she'd pack her bags willingly.
After a few minutes of soft kisses and a very long hug, Willow seemed to gather her emotions. "Thanks, Kenn."
"No prob." She smiled brightly, pushing a few wayward strands of red hair behind Willow's ear. "Anything I can do to help my goddess."
Willow pulled Kennedy towards her; and this time, when their lips met, the kiss was deep, electric, intense. In just a few seconds Kennedy was gasping into Willow's hot mouth, inaudible groans of need emerging from her. Willow pulled back a little, just enough to rest her forehead against Kennedy's. "Love you." She murmured.
"Love you too, Will."
Willow slowly withdrew to her side of the car with a hungry look on her face. "I know we said that we'd try to get back tonight... but..." One of Willow's hands stroked slowly through Kennedy's heavy hair, and Kennedy leaned into the touch as her nails dragged across her scalp. "What do you say we find a nice little motel so you can ravish me?"
Kennedy's whole body jerked at the words, her hands clenching on her thighs as she fought the urge to tug her girlfriend into the back seat and take her. "Sounds good to me."
"Good." Willow reached over and turned the key in the ignition. "Let's go."
"As you wish." Kennedy answered, getting a brilliant thousand watt Willow-smile in return. That was one of Will's favorite movies, and although she'd never admit it, Kennedy's too. There was just something so wonderfully uncomplicated and straight-forward about a fairy tale where the bad guys got what they deserved and the good guys all got a happy ending. Hell, Kenn was even starting to believe in happily ever after.
"My hero." Willow said dramatically, but her eyes were warm and loving.
Without another word, Kennedy put the car into gear and pulled out into the road.
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