Chapter 31: The New Mint

The injured girl reached out her hand, seeking Kennedy's. Kennedy wrapped hers around the proffered hand.

"You came back for me. You saved my life," Amanda whispered.

"You're my sister and friend. I'd have done it for any of you."

"This itches something terrible."

"Don't scratch," Kennedy told her.

She managed to lift her head. "The Marching Band didn't make it, right?"

"No, I don't think any of them survived. Not if they stayed."

The wounded Slayer looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"Outside. It looks like Sunnydale was hit by a big meteor. There's just this big crater where it was. Everyone is oohing and aahing over it."

The injured girl sighed and repeated. "You came back for me."

Kennedy reached out and took her hand. "Yeah. Can I tell you a secret?" Kennedy paused. "I love you, Amanda."

"I thought you loved Willow?"

"No, nothing like that. Willow and I ... yeah, we're never going to be enemies. But, I tell you true, Willow doesn't really have friends. Once she sucked the life out of me."

"Oh!"

"Yeah! Oh! But, hey, that's Willow. She's like the Slayer, that way. She does what she has to do, to get the job done."

"I don't hate people like that. Just the Marching Band."

Kennedy smiled gently and squeezed Amanda's hand. "You know, once you came to us, I would look around, and there you were. Always someplace close."

"You were always there, leading. I ... I didn't want to die. So I stayed close."

Kennedy nodded. She waved towards the back of the school bus. "I've already put my two cents in. A couple of weeks ago, Andrew had his 'Big Board.' Until I saw it, I didn't realize how close the ocean was. I asked Willow to let the ocean in."

"Let the ocean in?" Amanda asked, confused.

"Yeah. I grew up near New York City. I understand about harbors and all that. A Hell Mouth that is below sea level is not going to be much of a threat. We make this a big harbor and the Hell Mouth is going to be out of commission."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that," Kennedy responded.

Amanda squeezed Kennedy's fingers. "Do you really love me?"

"Really, I do. It's taken me all my life to realize that it was about time I lifted my head and looked around me. People who stand shoulder to shoulder with me -- those are my real friends. Someone who is always there, whenever I look, is more than a friend."

"Even if I just sing? If I'm not a witch?"

"Amanda, sweetie, I've known many witches. I'd far rather hear you sing like a meadowlark, than see you enchant a pencil to float."

A few weeks later, Kennedy led her friend into the restaurant. Fatso was there, beaming, joined quickly by Pipes.

"Pipes!" Kennedy said. "I have a present for you."

Pipes shook his head. "Kennedy?"

"I'm moving back to the estate. However, I've brought someone who wants to sing in your choir." Pipes looked at Amanda and visibly blinked.