*~*~*~*
Willow glanced over at Xander. "So," she said softly. "LA. Are you excited?"
"Not going," Xander said, staring over the backyard, automatically scanning for any evil that might try to hurt him and his best friend.
"What?" Willow asked. "You broke up with Anya for him. How can you not go?"
"You aren't going."
"I wasn't invited," she snapped, turning away angrily.
"Well," Xander said, "I'm inviting you. I'm not going without you. Besides, me, three vampires, Cordelia Chase, and Wesley Wyndam-Price? I need someone normal and sane to be there to keep me from killing them all."
Willow giggled, hugging Xander. "I was hoping someone would let me go with you."
"Like I'd run off to LA and live the life of a vampire's consort and not have you with me!" He nudged Willow's side. "Besides, I saw the looks you were giving Spike."
"Spike?" Willow asked softly. "I wasn't giving any looks to Spike."
Xander looked over at her, smiling knowingly. "No looks. Right, Wills. I didn't see those big green eyes look up at him so admiringly. . ."
"Don't tell him, k? I don't want him to laugh at me."
"I won't. . .but what are you going to do about Tara?" Xander asked.
Willow sighed. "I don't know. I have to go see her today. I can't stay here, Xander. Not without you." She sighed, standing up. "I should go there now. She'll be awake. And then we have to go see Giles, let him know we are leaving. I'm. . .I'm sure that they will want to leave tonight."
Xander stood up, pulling Willow into a hug. "Yea, I think so. I guess we should get our affairs into order today."
"Somehow, I think Buffy will be the hardest," Willow said, chewing on her bottom lip. She yawned. "Come on. Let's get this day going."
"Caffeine," Xander said. "Need caffeine."
*~*~*~*
Xand frowned, watching Willow down her third cup of coffee. "Wills, are you sure that's a good idea? You and coffee? I mean, I know how my Willow is, and she doesn't do well with coffee."
Willow grinned at the vampire. "I'll be ok, Xandy-poo," she giggled.
Xander's eyebrow rose. "Oh, god, Wills has just hit the caffeine buzz head on."
Xand growled. "Don't call me Xandy-poo. I'm evil, Willow. You know, drain you in a heartbeat, demon kinda guy? Xandy-poo inspires feelings of fluffiness and bunnies."
Willow licked her lips, the caffeine traveling through her body like a drug. She glanced at Angel, who was watching her with curious eyes. Her eyebrow rose and he grinned slightly. He didn't know what she was going to do, but he was certainly interested in finding out.
She turned back to Xand, a grin on her face. "I'd hope that I'd inspire more than fluffy bunny feelings," she purred, stalking him.
Xand smiled slightly, recognizing the look in Willow's eyes. "You want me, don't you, baby?"
She licked her lips. "Perhaps."
He stepped to her, pulling the frail woman into his arms. "You know that you are mine."
Spike growled softly from the couch. Angel looked at him, shaking his head no. "I want to see where this goes," Angel murmured.
"You want him to feel my Red up?" Spike hissed.
"Spike, you haven't expressed any interest in her. Besides, I need to know how the two feel about each other. I want to know where my Xand's loyalties lie. Anyway, if we are all living together in the warehouse, then eventually their attraction will come to a head."
Spike growled angrily at his sire and stood up, walking upstairs.
*~*~*~*
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