Tara smiled warmly and knew that no matter what happened between them, they would always be there for each other.

“I need the bathroom. Can you hang about for a bit?” Willow asked hopefully. Tara nodded and watched as Willow turned and left the room.

Pacing gently, she glanced over at Kennedy, her chest rising and falling evenly.

 “You should’ve stayed home and listened to us. She wouldn’t leave you, she’s better than that!” Tara whispered harshly.

Slumping back in the chair, Tara sighed sadly. The sleeping form before her had everything that she herself had had only one brief year before and yet seemed to take it for granted.

Suddenly Kennedy shifted in the bed and coughed loudly, the tubes that the doctors had placed down her throat during surgery had irritated her and she struggled to sit up. Rubbing her eyes, she groaned in pain before looking around the room, her eyes fixing securely on the blonde at the end of the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Tara asked.

“I guess I owe you my thanks.” Kennedy admitted, the steely coldness in her eyes never so much as softening.

“Yeah well, you’re welcome.” Tara replied, unsure if she meant the words as genuinely as they sounded.

Taking a small sip from the glass next to her bed, Kennedy regarded the blonde carefully. In her anger she had previously failed to notice that she was attractive and what she had first thought of as excess weight, was in fact muscle. This blonde would certainly give Buffy a run for her money if they got into a fight, she thought.

“It doesn’t change anything.” Kennedy told her quietly.

Tara raised an eyebrow questioningly. “Excuse me?” she asked as politely as she could manage.

“I’m still going to be with Willow, you can’t think that just because you saved me from the bringers that you have anything over me, or that you can take Willow back.”

Tara rested her head in her hands and marvelled at the arrogance and ungratefulness the potential was displaying. “You know something Kennedy, if you maybe took a moment to actually get to know Willow, then you’d know as well as I do that she is with you, she’s faithful and loyal and loving but you have to give her that space to be herself. My coming back doesn’t effect whatever it is that you two have together!” she slumped back in a defeated pose and fought to hide tears that gathered.

“Don’t tell me about my girlfriend. I know Willow, I don’t know what’s happened between you while I’ve been away but I don’t believe you when you say you don’t want her back, I saw how you looked at her and I’m not going to let you walk in and take her away, she’s mine now!” Kennedy told her croakily.

Outside the small room, Willow watched as the events unfolded before her. Leaning back against the wall away from the round window, she sighed heavily, a wide smile spreading over her face. ‘Thank you Kennedy!’ she thought before inhaling deeply once again and pushing the door open.

The doctor came and checked on Kennedy and seemed happy with the progress she was making. He had told her she would have to stay in for at least a week but he was generally pleased with her.

“I’m going to go.” Tara said after the doctor had left.

“Thanks for coming!” Kennedy said, a hint of sarcasm tingeing her voice.

“You should consider coming back to the house, y’know, have a shower and get a proper meal.” Tara directed her attention to Willow who frowned at the potential before meeting the blondes gaze.

With the redheads gaze fixed firmly on Tara, Kennedy glared at the blonde. “Maybe you’re right.” Willow admitted slowly, before returning her attention to Kennedy. “You don’t mind if I go back for tonight and get sorted. I’ll come back tomorrow!” she told her, startling the potential in her statement phrased question.

“Well, you can go if you’d like!” Kennedy said sadly, hoping that her best puppy eyes and recent injuries would be enough to make the redhead stay.

“Ok, well, I’m sure Buffy will want to come by so you won’t be lonely!” Willow said as she took to her feet and picked up the holdall that Tara had arrived with.

With a heavy heart, Kennedy watched as Willow and Tara disappeared out through the door without even looking back. In that one instant, she knew she had lost Willow forever.