Buffy looked over at him. "That's one way to put it." She sighed. "I
know how to handle this the safest way for us, but it won't be pretty."

"And that would be?" Xander asked.

"A little arson in the interest of protecting humanity," Buffy
replied. "Wouldn't be the first time I did it."

"So what's holding you back?" Xander wondered.

"It won't be pretty," Buffy repeated. "If you've never heard the dying
screams as they're burned to a crisp, I envy you."

"It's your call," Xander said. "Whether we go in with stakes or
attack with fire, it's all the same in the end, right?"

"Yes," Buffy admitted, nodding. "But first we need to find out
how many exits there are. You take one side, I'll take the other, and
we'll meet at the back of the house. Stay out of sight."

Xander nodded and they parted. Buffy walked slowly, keeping an eye
on the house and on Xander until he disappeared from view. She
stepped back further into the shadows as ten more vampires entered
the house. "That's got to be a large chunk of the vampire population
of this town," Buffy said. "I hope." She didn't see any door except
the front door. She was overcome with relief when she saw Xander approaching
as they both reached the back of the house.

"Hey," she whispered. "Anything?"

"Just the front door," Xander whispered back. "And two windows along
the side."

"Two more windows at the front, two more on the other side, and two
in back." Buffy said, leading him back to the front of the house, and
down the street ten feet. They ducked behind the same car as earlier.
"That makes ten possible exits. Just on the first floor. We need help."

"If we leave, we risk the vampires getting away," Xander pointed out

"_We_ aren't leaving," Buffy said, shaking her head. "You are." She
braced herself, knowing he would argue. She wasn't wrong.

"Like hell I am!" he said. "I saw the other vamps walk in a while
ago, Buffy. That makes at least thirty, and for all we know there
are others who were already there before we got here. I will _not_
leave you to deal with them alone." He crossed his arms in front of
his chest, signifying he was not going to budge on the issue.

"Xander, I'm not telling you to leave for good," Buffy argued,
looking back at the house. She had to keep an eye on the exits.
"Just run down the street, call Giles, Giles can get Willow.
If it was just the vamps, I might say leave them for another night,
but that wolf is going to wake up in an hour. Please, please, please
go call Giles. He'll at least have some ideas, even if he doesn't
want to leave Oz. You'll only be gone five minutes, ten minutes
maximum."

"I..." Xander hesitated, and Buffy knew she'd won the
argument. "Fine. But I'll be back so fast you won't even know I was
gone." He looked at her, and she saw the worry in his eyes.

"Xan," she laid her hand against his cheek, "I'll be fine. Get help,
I'll be right here, waiting for you, when you get back."

Xander took that hand in his, and raised it to his lips, kissing the
palm gently, taking Buffy's breath away.

"Love you," he whispered softly before dropping the hand and rushing
off to get the others.

When Buffy could form a thought, it was, "Before the end of this
night, Xander Harris, you are _going_ to kiss me."

*****