“Aren’t we supposed to wait until Cordelia and the others get here?”
 
 

“No. We’ll just eat again.”
 
 

“How did I know you’ll say that?”
 
 

Willow flopped down on Xander’s bed, setting her ice cream bowl on the
floor and cuddling the pillow. He gave the pillow a short envying look and
sat on the floor, cross-legged, his back against the bed.
 
 

“So, Cordelia gets here later and brings the movies...”
 
 

“I still think you should’d let me pick them .”
 
 

She smiled. “In your dreams. And Jesse said he won’t show up... and Ardity
is still outta town. Oh, what are we doing for her welcome home thing?”
 
 

Xander gave her a blank look. “When’s she coming back?”
 
 

“In two days? Remember?”
 
 

He srugged. “Nope. It’s Jesse’s job keeping track of her.”
 
 

“Xander, this is one of our friends coming back to Sunnydale after almost
three months away.” She made a reproachful face. “Show a little
enthusiasm.”
 
 

“I’m enthusiastic. I just don’t remember what day she’s coming back. So,
what about Amy and Oz?”
 
 

“Uh...” Willow tried to remember what Amy had told her before bio class.
She was having a hard time paying attention, her mind still oddly hung on
the dream...
 
 

“I think Oz’s band had a practice today, and Amy went to stare at him and
do groupie things. They should be here soon.”
 
 

Xander laid his head backwards on the bed, watching her. She smiled at him.
“It’s so weird that they got together. I’d never think they are... I don
’t know... I mean, they’re *really* diffrent.”
 
 

“Yeah, but it’s a good thing, don’t you think?” Xander shrugged. “They
’ve both got the slayerette thing. Saves a lot of explaining.” his voice
sounded weird, as if trying very hard to highlight something. She considered
asking him what it was when he added, in a more cheerful voice, “and forget
she’s our friend and everything, *anyone* that goes and invents a brownies
spell deserves to be happy. And then there’s the whole one of my best
friends is a werewolf thing, which I personally never thought I’ll be able
to say. Not with a straight face, anyway.”
 
 

She smiled. “Me neither. But I also never thought I’ll be able to say
‘some of my best me’s are vampire Slayers’, so that just goes to show you
what *I* know.”
 
 

“I don’t think that was an actual sentence.”
 
 

***
 
 

Four hours later, they were all sprawled in different positions in Xander’s
living room, watching the couple on the screen walking off into the sunset.
Willow sighed happily and turned the TV off. “So guys, what are we gonna do
for Ardity’s welcome home?”
 
 

“Oh, that’s right! In three days!” Amy squeaked happily from somewhere
around Oz.
 
 

“Two days. I think I’m gonna buy you all calendars for your birthdays.”
 
 

“See, I’m not a terrible friend,” Xander pointed out. “I‘m human.”
 
 

Willow gave him a look.
 
 

“...With a really bad memory.”
 
 

“Well,” said Oz, making the effort of untangling himself from Amy. Amy
obviously didn’t approve. “Wasn’t Jesse talking about a surprise party or
something?”
 
 

“Was he? Well, I guess we better plan it when he’s around.”
 
 

Being that the most urgent topic was off, they went back to the obvious:
vampires.
 
 

“Will, you going on patrol tonight?” Cordelia propped her legs up on the
table in front of her. “Or are we going to the Bronze?”
 
 

“Both, actually. Giles wanted me to see if I can find Enigma Guy. He found
this prophecy... well, he’s not too sure, I mean Giles, and since *HE*
seems to know a lot about that kind of stuff...”
 
 

Xander, lying on the carpet in front of the TV, placed his chin on his hands
and looked up at her. “I don’t know, Will. I don’t think we should
undoubtedly trust him like that.”
 
 

“Why not?” Willow frowned at him. “He’s always given us accurate
warnings before. When we manage to figure out what he means, that is.”
 
 

“Yeah, but...” Xander shrugged, uncomfortable. “Look, you know him for,
what, almost two months now. We don’t know his name. We don’t know why he
helps us. We don’t know where he lives. We don’t know anything, except
that he’s the weird guy that sometimes gives you weird warnings.”
 
 

“And that he knows about the vampires and the whole Slayer deal,” Amy
added.
 
 

“Right. And sometimes he knows more than us about what’s going on. But do
we know how he knows? Nope. He can be working for Spike, for all we know.”
 
 

She seemed thoughtful, staring off into space. Xander let the subject drop,
figuring she would think about it. “Anyone wants more ice cream?”
 
 

Everyone raised their hands, except Cordelia, who jumped to her feet. “I’
ll help you get it.”
 
 

He stood up. “Cordy, you told us not to let you eat anything but nonfat.
That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
 
 

“Fine.” she rolled her eyes, following him to the kitchen. “I’m not
gonna beg.”
 
 

“Why break tradition?”
 
 

“Hee hee. Are you suggesting I don’t have self control?” she closed the
kitchen’s door. “So you don’t like Enigma Guy. Why? Jealous?”
 
 

Xander busied himself with the freaser. “Cordy, I’ve got it that you love
this whole speak-what’s-on-your-mind thing, but please go and get your tact
shots. What would I be jealous of?”
 
 

She raised an eyebrow. “Er, good looks, mystery aroma, great taste in
clothes...”
 
 

“What’s wrong with you? Will doesn’t fall for stuff like that.”
 
 

Cordelia sniggered. “Xander, I really don’t think convincing yourself she
’s a lesbian is gonna help.”
 
 

“I’m sure that’d be funny if I just looked harder.” He took out the ice
cream, while Cordelia took out new bowls. “I mean, Brains? Sense of umor?
Actual personality? Being able to make the local news into little unreadable
messages is a very nice talent, but there are other things.”
 
 

She shrugged. “OK. You’re manly, you’re mighty, you stand your ground,
you’re not threatened. So why don’t you like him?”
 
 

“A hunch?”

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