Once outside the dorm room, Oz and Spike began immediately squabbling.
"Bloody hell, Dog-Boy, what is your problem?" Spike snarled whirling on Oz.
Oz glared back and uncharacteristically flared up, "Oh so now that you're impotent, you think let's join the Scooby Gang and kiss Willow? Don't you have...I don't know, Dru or someone to run to?"
"You left Will all along so that I-...I mean some vicious vamp could easily attack her in her dorm room as she so beautifully pouted..." he paused and shook his head, " I mean, join the Scooby-Gang?! I hate you all!"
"Hey, I resent that," snapped Buffy, "we take you in and feed you and this is all the thanks we get?"
Xander, trying to ease the tension piped up, "Okay, we're the Scooby Gang, Buff would probably be Daphne, Velma...Will..."
"Angel would..would've been Freddie..." Buffy said softly.
"Hey, c'mon, I wanna be Freddie!" Xander whined.
"No..I think you're more a Shaggy," Anya said thoughtfully.
"Wait, so who would I be?" Oz asked, caught up in the discussion.
Spike snorted, "Isn't it obvious, Dog-Boy? You'd be none other than Scooby Doo himself," on that note, he pushed past the group and with his duster over his head, marched down the hall and disappeared down the stairs.
"I cannot believe we just had that conversation," Buffy said, her voice heavy with disgust.
Oz shrugged, "I dunno..." he gave a wry grin "I always kind of thought Velma had a thing for Scooby Doo."
***
Back at Giles's house, the group, minus "Velma" hunched over the map that the former Watcher had created. He had given Oz a brief welcome back and decided not to question his return.
Everything happens in it's time, he thought to himself.
Buffy interrupted his thoughts, "So you're fairly certain that this is the way to go?"
"Yes," Giles traced a path with his pen, "this should lead us to the hospital units where Riley is being kept. Of course, we will need some distractions and much more planning but-"
Buffy stood, "I'm going in," she said firmly.
"B-but you can't possibly expect to get in and out undetected-" Giles protested.
Buffy frowned, "Will can help with computer systems...Xander has some combating experience.."
"Buffy," Giles said softly, "I realize Riley is a personal thing but you really can't just bust in without a plan. It would be purely self destructive. Now, I understand-"
"But do you?" Buffy said abruptly, her voice steely. With that, she picked up her purse and stalked out of the house.
"Well, that went well..." commented Xander.
"Oh shut up," Giles snapped back and put his head in his hands.
***
Willow jumped upon hearing a soft knocking at her door.
"Oh, c-come in," she said shakily.
Spike entered, his duster swishing behind him, "Hey..."
"Oh...hi," she replied, avoiding his gaze.
"Look, Red, I-I'm sorry about this..um, just...dammit! I'm not good at this whole romance thing. Just..just forget I even came in..." he turned to go.
"No!" she blurted, "I mean, no, you don't have to leave," she amended, her voice softer.
He looked at her long, then marched over and kissed her firmly on the lips. She could hear her heart pounding hard in her chest and her breath coming out ragged. She felt lost and confused and like she was betraying Oz.
Ignore it...a voice in her head chanted.
She inhaled deeply and obeyed, loosing herself in Spike's kiss.
TBC.......