With a warm grin and gentle nod, Tara picked up the remainder of her coffee and got to her feet.

Together, both women walked in contemplative silence back towards ‘Slayer Central’.

*****************************

Buffy pushed open the front door and was greeted with sounds of a full scale argument emitting from the kitchen.

“Welcome home!” Tara whispered sarcastically as she closed the door behind her.

Rona emerged from the kitchen, her hair full of what Buffy assumed was flour and a glare stretched tightly over her face.

“Thank god you’re back!” the potential said as she saw Buffy and Tara. “They’re going crazy out there. Kennedy ate the last pop tart and Andrew got upset and yelled at her then he tried running away and bumped into Amanda who was making pancakes and…” she gestured to her flour covered body to indicate what had followed before turning and making her way up the stairs for a shower.

Rolling their eyes simultaneously, both Buffy and Tara had to fight to suppress the giggles as they made their way into the kitchen.

The scene before them broke their giggle control and they spluttered and laughed raucously.

Kennedy had Andrew in a headlock knuckling his pristine blonde hair roughly as he squealed and squirmed in her grip. Vi, Molly and Chao-Ahn were desperately trying to pull the two apart while Anya sat at the breakfast bar giving a comedic commentary on the whole event. In the far corner, Amanda was covered from head to toe in pancake batter, the shocked look on her face only mildly covered by the frown as she tried to clean up around the squabbling potentials.

“Kennedy!” Buffy said, her commander in chief tone returning and causing Kennedy to stop her friendly attack on Andrew and look up.

Releasing the young man from her grip, Kennedy smiled sheepishly.

“We’re just blowing off some steam!” she explained.

“Really? Everyone else all steamy?” Buffy asked disbelievingly.

Before waiting for an answer, she continued. “Good, so training session in the yard. Ten minutes!”

Each potential jumped into action, rushing from the kitchen and bumping into everyone else on their way to their rooms to prepare.

“Why did you do that?” Anya asked accusingly. “She was about to twist his head off. It had great comedic potential!”

Buffy shot the ex-demon a stern look and Anya got to her feet and followed the potentials upstairs, complaining under her breath as she went.

“So,” Buffy continued, turning to Tara, “Do you want to take the training session and I’ll see if I can find Giles?”

Tara smiled warmly. “Sure thing Buffy.” she agreed and turned without another word to change her clothes.