Tara was sitting out on this dance, even if it was her party, sipping on a soda when the song ended. Willow and Buffy (who had somehow managed to separate herself from Riley, for once) were talking now, and generally enjoying themselves. As much as Tara loved being around her girlfriend, she enjoyed having time to herself. And why not? She had just gone through the biggest crisis in her life, and survived. Tara might not be a demon after all, but she was still on edge from the experience.

"Hey," announced a male voice, breaking Tara's reverie. "Enjoying your birthday party?"

"H-hi, Xan-Xander," she stuttered. "It was real n-nice of you guys to throw me a party and everything."

"Oh, it was nothing," he smiled. "It was the least we could do." Admitting the truth with his trademark sarcasm, Xander added, "Besides, all of our gifts kinda sucked, so we needed to cover our butts."

Blushing, the witch answered, "They were nice, Xander. R-really n-nice."

Seeing Tara's nervousness, Xander frowned. "What's wrong? Did I freak you out? Is there a stain on my shirt? Am I growing a horn on my head?"

"No," she admitted, feeling bad for having caused her lover's best friend to worry. "It's just that I'm not much of a soc-, a soc-...a people person, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah," acknowledged Xander, nodding in agreement. "Your family doesn't look like the Cleavers, that's for sure." Considering his statement, he amended, "Of course, neither is mine. And Willow's parents are the Absentee Parents of the Century."

"But you two had each other..."

"That's the point," Xander declared. "We had each other. You didn't have anyone." Getting really serious, he commented, "And that makes you a much stronger person than any of us other Scoobies. Except Buffy. Kinda hard to trump having to send your undead boyfriend to Hell, you know."

Tara giggled, a sure sign that she was opening up to Xander. "Well, she did almost send us all to Hell with Riley last year. And by not even getting out of bed."

"Oh yeah," agreed the Scooby Gang's "Zeppo". "Sure, Anya and I are known for our, how shall I say, 'mating habits', but at least we don't do it like bunnies."

"Bunnies?!" shouted Anya, who was nearing Tara and Xander's table with drinks, "Where!?" Slamming the drinks down on the table with lightning speed before latching onto her boyfriend, the ex-vengeance demon cowered, "It's your responsibility as my boyfriend to protect me from them, Xander. You have no idea what they can do with their teeth, and those big feet!"

Tara chuckled before joking, "You'd think that the Killer Rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail was real, or something."

"It is," she stammered. "I've seen it. Bunnies are the most vicious creatures on the planet. Look at Bugs Bunny. He's evil."

"No," interrupted Xander, "Bugs Bunny's a cross-dresser who eats carrots and likes making idiots out of stupid people. He's not evil."

"I don't know," replied Tara, a slight grin forming in the corner of her mouth. "Sometimes he gets pretty evil with Elmer. Remember that one cartoon where Elmer quit on his contract? That was pretty wrong what he did in Elmer's dream world."

"OK, what's going on here?" commanded Buffy, hovering behind Xander. "We're all supposed to be dancing. Look," she pointed to the dance floor, where Riley and Giles were dancing (but not together). "Even Giles is dancing. He never dances." Looking at her Watcher for a moment, she thought, "But, somehow, he's still a better dancer than you, Xander."

"Hey, no fair!" shouted Xander. "Can't I be allowed to spend some quality time with Tara without being insulted?"

"No," sneered Willow jokingly. "Only I can. Right, honey?"

"Whatever you say," smiled Tara sweetly as the two shared a quick kiss. "Although the thought did cross my mind. He is quite a hottie, you know."

"Tara!" scolded Willow.

"Don't worry, Will," joked Xander, "she's not my type. You know me, Xander Harris, best friend to the normal girls, lover to ex-demons, bitcas, and Inca mummy girls."

"You forgot praying mantis ladies," reminded Buffy.

"I was trying to repress that one," answered Xander. "You see, Tara, eventually, I repress all my weird infatuations, and stick with just the normal ones."

"I hope you realize that you've just forfeited sex tonight," sniffed Anya indignantly.

"I wasn't going to, anyways," defended the scorned boyfriend. "I need my strength for tomorrow," he announced, pulling a ticket out of his pocket. "Star Trek movie marathon, tomorrow morning, baby! All six movies, in a row!" Seeing that his enthusiasm was met by a chorus of indignant faces, Xander lamented, "God, I am such a dork."

"Aren't there like nine Star Trek movies?" asked Buffy.

"But only six with the original cast," reminded Xander, in full Geek-Boy mode. "Do not tempt to question my authority as a dork, Buffy Summers!" Xander's mighty-sounding bravado was met by a look of pure disdain from the Slayer.

"Well, I'd be a dork with you, Xan," replied Willow, "but I have a big ol' paper to write this weekend. Stupid term paper," she muttered to herself, knowing that she had promised to join Xander months ago.

"I'll go," blurted out Tara, breaking her brief silence. "I have the same paper to write, but I already finished it." Tara's smile was met with a jealous sticking out of the tongue by Willow, to which her lover replied, "Watch out, or you'll be joining Xander in the 'no-sex' club tonight."

"No big deal," joked Xander, "You've still got some formal wear, right, Willow?"

"Xander..."

"Sorry, bad joke," he apologized. Rising, Xander announced, "Well, I'm going home. The marathon starts at 9 AM, Tara," mentioned Xander, "Pick you up at 8?"

"Deal," she agreed, smiling at him.