Title: "Macaroni Key," part two of the "Macaroni Drowning" trilogy

Author: LadyAvalon

Disclaimer: The characters of the Buffyverse belong to 20th Century Fox, UPN and Mutant Enemy. The Backstreet Boys belong to themselves, Jive Records and are represented by The Firm. Remember: Me no own, you no sue.

The characters of Kira, Roberta, Toree, Autumn and Addie belong to the author, LadyAvalon, and cannot be used, quoted or referenced to without the author's express written permission. I understand copyright laws very well and would hate to have to use that knowledge for evil.

Also, I am aware that this universe follows no fixed timeline and I have taken liberties with the characters that appear within. Remember, in the Macaroni Baked Universe, things aren't always what they appear. ;)

The author of this story assumes no liability for the damage this may cause. She hopes you enjoys and that you leave a review. If you would like to contact the author: macaronibaked@hotmail.com.

Chapter Three: And You're Out!

Toree shook Roberta gently. "Wake up," Toree said. "I need you to do me a favor."

Roberta's mouth moved, but her eyes didn't. "What's up?"

"I want to bounce something off you."

"What's that?"

Toree opened her mouth to speak, then shut it and sat down on the bed. She stayed silent for a few minutes. "Do you get the impression there's something we're missing?"

Roberta sat up, frowning. "Why?"

"I was at Giles's last night." Roberta's expression didn't change as she studied Toree's busy face. Toree was so desperately trying to keep a expressionless face, but it was a mix of frustration, surprise and delight. "He … I went back to his hotel room and…"

"And?"

"We kissed," Toree confessed, then she frowned. "He said it was a mistake."

"Was it?"

"It was a mistake that felt very, very good."

Roberta had to laugh. "The best mistakes often do."

"How late were you up last night?"

"I waited to see what time Buffy came home. She was out last night. Left Dawn here with Willow and Tara."

"I know. I bumped into her and Anya last night in the hotel parking lot."

"What?" Roberta asked, confused. "What were they doing there?"

"I didn't think to ask. What time did Buffy get home?"

"Two a.m. About a half-hour before you did." Toree considered for a moment. "Another oddity?"

"There are so many."

Toree entered the kitchen and found Dawn sitting at the bar, a book in front of her. Tara was cooking. "So what's on the agenda today?" Toree asked Dawn, opening up her papers for the day and settling across from the teen at the bar.

"School, then Campus for Christ. We're having our prayer around the flagpole."

Toree thought this was incredibly odd, but she kept her lawyer face on and struggled for something to say. Tara beat her to it. "I can't think of a place that needs more prayer than Sunnydale."

"God I hate mornings," Buffy said, coming into the kitchen. "Coffee. Now." Dawn got up to get her sister a cup. "Your testimony practice went long last night," Buffy observed.

"Your walk did, too," Toree said, not looking up from her papers. Toree felt the tension rise in the room, but she didn't look up. "However, Xander and Giles are ready for today."

"Do you think Xander will be OK on the stand?" Tara asked, concerned. "He's… he gets nervous sometimes. Says things before he thinks."

"I think he'll be OK," Buffy said. "He'd do anything to please Toree and not to piss me off."

"Toree, Buffy, do you want some pancakes?" Tara asked.

Dawn smiled and her blue eyes twinkled. "Yeah, she can make yours with chocolate chips and in the shape of Mickey's head."

Toree and Tara exchanged covert smiles. "I'd love some," Toree said as Buffy shook her head. "Oh, and Dawn, I talked to Kira last night and she says that she'd be happy to get you autographs from the Boys. She wants to know if you want them on something in particular, like the "Millennium" CD or a poster or something."

"Oh, on the CD would be so cool," Dawn said, trying to hide her excitement. "This is so cool that she knows the Backstreet Boys. Does she know anyone else?"

"Carson Daly," Toree admitted. "She's an entertainment editor, so she's met a lot of famous people in the last couple of years."

"I didn't know that," Buffy said. "You said she worked for a newspaper, but I didn't know she was in entertainment. That's weird that she's living in D.C."

"Can she get me Carson's autograph?" Dawn asked. "He is so cool."

"Is all your homework done?" Buffy asked, switching into mom mode.

Dawn nodded, proud. "Yep, all done and I'm totally prepared for my test on 'Pride and Prejudice.'"

"One of my favorite books," Toree said as she settled back into her paperwork.

"Mine too," Tara said. "And a good movie. We watched part of it last night to review for the test. I love Mr. Darcy – so full of pride and so unable to smile. He makes me laugh."

Tara and Dawn talked about the book. Toree thought Mr. Darcy reminded her of someone. Buffy apparently hadn't read it or she still wasn't awake enough for a conversation. Toree continued to sort through her notes for the case, trying to make sure there wasn't anything missing. But she knew something was.

She suddenly wished she had taken the chance to find out the secret last night with Xander instead of Giles. She had a feeling she could have broken him – but it was Giles she was most curious about. Her head jerked up at the sound of a cell phone. "Is that my cell? I think it's my cell," she said, running out of the room.

"Wonder who's calling so early?" Tara mused.

Roberta walked into the kitchen. "I didn't hear a phone ring."

"Toree's just did," Buffy said.

"Then I bet I know who it is," she said, sliding up on a stool. Buffy looked at her, curious. "It's Kira. I'd bet on it. She doesn't think I'm awake or she would have called me."

"… Yes, I totally agree with you that AJ's an asshole," Toree said, walking back into the kitchen. Seeing Dawn, she paused. "Whoops. Sorry 'bout that." She looked over at Roberta. "It's Kira," she whispered. "She's flipping."

"When isn't she?" Roberta asked dryly.

"What? What was that?" Toree asked into the phone.

Dawn looked up, excited. "The Kira? The one with the Backstreet Boy?" She looked over at Buffy. "Can I have a late note? I don't want to miss this."

"No you can't," Buffy said. "You have to be at school. And don't tell anyone what you heard either. This is someone's private life."

Toree made an ugly face and handed Roberta the phone. "Here, you deal with this. I can barely understand her; she's so pissed. I don't think I've ever heard her like this."

Roberta nodded and took the phone out onto the back stoop. "What's going on?" Buffy asked.

Dawn looked shocked. "I thought you said this was someone's private life?"

"I'm asking Toree because it's her friend that's upset," Buffy said lamely.

Toree laughed. "You're asking because you're curious."

"OK, you got me." She glanced over at Dawn. "Don't you have to go to school or something?"

Dawn rolled her eyes and got up. "Yeah, I guess. Bye Toree, Tara. And good morning and good-bye Willow," she said to the redhead who came into the kitchen.

"Bye Dawnie," Willow replied, yawning. "What's going on?"

"Toree was just going to give us the dish on her friend and the Backstreet Boy."

"I was?" Toree asked with a smirk. "OK, all I got out of her is that she and Howie had a fight and now she's stuck at the hotel by herself and something about AJ calling her something mean."

"When you say trapped in the hotel, do you mean that literally?" Willow asked.

"Well, she's not locked in, if that's what you mean. She said the guys were at the studio, Addie was at work and she didn't know her way around Los Angeles."

"Hey, we have some friends in L.A., maybe Kira could hang with one of them," Willow suggested.

Buffy stiffened, pulling away from the counter. "Do you someone in mind?" she asked her friend.

"Cordelia, maybe," Willow said. "I don't think it would be a problem. They could just go shopping or Cordelia could show her the sights."

"That sounds like a great idea," Toree said.

"I'll go call her and see what she's up to," Willow said, leaving the room.

Toree looked down at her papers. "Meanwhile, we have court to prepare for."

"I'll go get dressed," Buffy said grumpily.

* * *

"Court is back in session," Judge Hammerstein said, pounding the gavel. She looked over at Toree. "Call your witness, counsel."

She didn't favor the judge with a smile – the woman was no nonsense. Toree looked back at Xander. "I call Alexander Harris to the stand."

Xander went up to the box and was sworn in. He looked at Toree and Smiled, obviously nervous. Toree shut her eyes and gave up a small prayer that Xander wouldn't screw this up. Then she shifted right into lawyer mode. "Your full name and occupation, please?"

"Alexander LaVelle Harris, construction foreman."

"And how do you know Buffy Summers?"

Xander shifted in his chair. "We've been friends since high school. Since sophomore year. So I guess about six years."

"And you know her very well?"

"I'd call her one of my best friends."

"And do you know Dawn Summers well?"

There was a strange look that suddenly crossed Xander's face, one that hadn't crossed it last night when she'd asked him the same question. "Yeah," he said, his voice quiet.

Toree shot him a look, then continued with her questioning. "With that knowledge, would you say that Buffy Summers should continue to raise her sister?"

"I would," Xander answered in his normal voice. "That's what Joyce –their mother – wanted. She wanted Buffy to take care of Dawn."

The testimony continued along these lines, then, feeling satisfied, Toree relaxed, smiled at Xander, then looked at the judge. "I have no more questions for Mr. Harris, your honor."

"Great," the judge said. "Your turn," she said to the opposing lawyer. He got up with a smile on his face that irritated Toree. "Mr. Harris, you've known Buffy since high school?"

"Yes sir."

Buffy leaned over to Toree. "Xander's starting to sweat."

"I noticed," Toree said.

"That's not good."

The opposing counsel moved away from his table, closer to Xander. "Including the time when she was the prime suspect in a murder investigation?"

"Oh Jesus," Roberta murmured, leaning forward calmly to go through the papers in front of her.

Toree rose calmly from her chair. "Your honor, I object. There was never a charge filed against Ms. Summers in any murder case," she said, her voice completely even.

"I agree, but I want to hear more about this," the judge said. "Counsel?"

"I have here the police report from the night of May 12, 1998," he said, looking over at Toree with the glimmer of a smirk. "In this paperwork, Ms. Summers is listed as a suspect in a murder and several of her friends, including Mr. Harris, are listed as being witnesses to this crime or at the scene."

"Those are inadmissible," Toree protested hotly, without thought. Everyone in the courtroom stared at her, shocked by her response. It wasn't like her. "Your honor..."

The judge waved. "Counselors, please approach the bench," she said. Toree shot Buffy an incredibly dirty look, then she and the other lawyer went to stand before the judge. "All right, show me what you got," she said to Mr. Summers's lawyer.

"Here's the very paperwork," he said.

Toree rolled her eyes. "This is crap, your honor," she said, her manners forgotten. "Seriously. Ms. Summers's high school also exploded during graduation and she was there." Toree looked over at  the other lawyer. "Do you want to try to tie her to that as well?" she asked, some amusement on her face.

The opposing lawyer grinned. "I could bring that up, too, counsel, but you just did that for me, didn't you?"

Oh shit, Toree thought. How could Buffy have hidden this from her?

Giles leaned forward and tapped Roberta on the shoulder. "What's going on?" he asked her.

"I don't know," Roberta said. Then she looked hard at both Giles and Buffy. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

Toree found her lawyer voice again. "This isn't admissible, your honor, as this evidence wasn't revealed to me beforehand." She then began to cite the cases that proved that.

"You can stop," the judge said. "Those are all criminal cases. This is family court. There is very little that isn't admissible here and I say that this particular information is."

"But your honor, we're talking about something that happened several years ago. This can't possibly be admissible."

The judge frowned. "I am noting your serious objections, but I believe Mr. Harris should answer the question. This goes back to the fitness of Ms. Summers as a parent. Can she be an effective parent if she's putting her own life into such danger?"

"One has nothing to do with the other," Toree said, running a hand through her hair. "She is a fit parent and there's really very little Mr. Summers can say to prove that *he* is. You're grasping at straws, counselor," she said to the little weaselly lawyer. Xander stifled a laugh.

The judge nodded. "Listen, both of you, closely. I'm admitting this, I'm going to read this information very thoroughly, but because I am, I have heard enough, from both sides. I'm closing up shop for the day and will have my decision on Friday."

Toree's eyes snapped open. "Your honor, with all due respect, this is incredibly unorthodox...."

"This is an incredibly unorthodox case," she said. Then she picked up her gavel and looked out at the courtroom. "You're dismissed, Mr. Harris. This court is now in recess until 1 p.m. Friday." She pounded the gavel.

Toree turned around, her eyes full of fire aimed squarely at Buffy. Roberta began cleaning up the desk, putting Toree's papers together. Buffy, nervous, and Giles, worried, rose as the judge swept out of the courtroom. Mr. Summers and his new wife walked past Buffy without a word, but the smug grin on his face irritated the four on the other side of the room.

When the courtroom was clear, Toree turned all of her frustration on Buffy. "You want to open up to me or do you plan to continue to hide things from me and hope they don't come up in court?" she demanded seriously.

"The judge said she'd have her decision on Friday," Buffy protested.

"If you lose this case, don't you dare think you can put the blame on me," Toree said. "I have done the best that I could have possibly done with the information provided here. Your secrets, Buffy, that's what is destroying your case. Your secrets and your lack of trust for me." She glanced at Giles. "At least I didn't have to put you on the stand."

Roberta followed Toree out. "Where are you going?" she asked when they were both sitting in the car. Toree had put the keys in the ignition, but hadn't turned the car on. She was staring at the wall in front of the car without a sound, smoking.

"I don't know."

Roberta, not bothered by silence, sat in the car. Toree, she noted, took several deep breaths and leaned her head against the steering wheel. "Are you going to be OK if I drop you back at Buffy's?"

"Drop me at The Magic Box," Roberta said. "I think it would be easier if I talked to Willow and Tara about the situation first." Toree started the car and they drove in silence.

"Where are you going?" Roberta asked when the car stopped in front of the small store.

"I'm going for a drive. I have my cell phone. I'll be fine."

Roberta nodded. Toree would be OK on her own; in fact, it was probably just  what she needed. She watched her pull away in the sleek black car, then turned and looked inside The Magic Box in the dark. Buffy and Giles were inside, along with Dawn and everyone else. Giles was talking, worry creasing his face. Buffy was stroking Dawn's hair. Roberta knew that she'd be an imposition if she entered the store at that moment.

"Nosing around, eh?" came a familiar British voice.

Roberta jumped slightly, startled. Turning, she found the blonde man from the Bronze. "Just considering my options," she replied, keeping her voice low and even. "Know any place with a British beer on tap?"

He smirked. "Right this way."

She found herself sitting across the table from him in a dark, little out-of-the-way dive near the edge of town. It made her vaguely uncomfortable; the people here were not what they seemed. But neither was the man in front of her.

"This is better than I thought it would be," she said after taking a sip of the drink.

"Better than your Guinness?" She smothered a smile intentionally and he grinned back. "I didn't get your handle the other night at the Bronze."

"Nor I yours."

"Touché." He didn't extend his hand. "Spike."

"Roberta."

Spike leaned back in his chair, giving Roberta the chance to admire his abs beneath his skin-tight black shirt. He was also taking her in, and she smoothed her auburn hair, a total reflex action. "So you know the

Scoobies, do you?" She looked confused. "The people in the shop?"

"The Magic Box?" Spike nodded. "You mean Buffy, Xander, Willow, et al.?"

"Now I think you've got it."

"I'm a friend of a friend so to speak."

"And yet you chose to be with me rather than them? Your taste, I must say, is outstanding."

"Tonight they have their own situation to deal with," was Roberta's cryptic reply before drinking again.

Spike chuckled. "They usually do. So you know the Scoobs and yet we've never met until now."

"I take it you have the pleasure of their acquaintance?"

The man frowned and Roberta took pleasure in the way the thin man sucked in his cheeks. "Pleasure? Not quite the word I'd use, ducks." Roberta didn't speak -- she wanted to see if he'd say anything else. He, like so many people, didn't disappoint. "Xander is a bumbling idiot. Willow is trying to become the Wicked Witch of Sunnydale and Buffy is a cockteasing self-important bitch."

"Way to support the team," she said wryly, lighting up a cigarette. "You know those things will kill ya." Roberta shrugged. "Got another?" She motioned to the pack on the table and Spike helped himself.

"Admit it -- you find them all insufferable, too."

Roberta smiled slightly. "I admit nothing. I am simply an observer in their universe, here to provide an outsider's honest commentary." She let the smile grow. "But you appear to have taken my job."

There was a long pause and Roberta worried that she'd gone too far. Spike suddenly laughed loudly, attracting the attention of some of the "patrons" around them. "I like you. Uncanny ability to know exactly what the fuck is going on, but I like you anyway."

What the fuck is going on, she asked herself, sipping on her drink. This  town, this place ... there was more to everything. Years of observing people at the mall and years of acting like she knew what was going on were serving her well here in Sunnydale. That's why Toree had chosen her to be her eyes and ears on this trip. Could she have prevented what happened today in court?

"How long have you known the Scoobies?" she asked.

"Too damn long. You?"

"Apparently not long enough." She smiled. "So why were you lurking around the shop?"

This question struck home -- Roberta saw him flinch and caught the fleeting fear in his eyes. Fear was a new emotion to him, or one he hadn't had in a long time, she realized. Then she felt the overwhelming guilt again. "Little Bit? Dawn? I got a soft spot for the girl."

"What is it about Dawn?" Roberta mused aloud. "Everyone is so protective of her, wants to save her."

"She's just a girl," Spike said, too quickly, she thought. "And she's all Buffy has left."

And then Roberta felt like she'd been handed the key to open the door to the secrets of Sunnydale. "You were watching Buffy," she murmured. "You have feelings for her -- feelings she doesn't return."

Spike was quiet for a long time and wouldn't meet her eyes. Roberta hated this ability she had to gut-jump, to put one and one together and get 42. "You are good," he finally said. "Is it written all over my face?"

"Not at all," she said, her voice flat, trying to hide the disappointment she was afraid would show through. "It's in your voice."

They chatted for a bit longer, but the sparkle had gone out of the evening for both of them. Spike called a cab for her and about 20 minutes later they were standing outside on the dark street as the cab pulled up. "You in town much longer?" he asked.

Roberta opened the door to the taxi. "We leave Sunday."

"Maybe I'll see you around, then." And he disappeared into the night.

On the other side of town, Toree tapped her toes as the elevator made its slow ascent in the hotel.

She'd been driving for hours, but she realized she kept passing the same place over and over – the hotel where Giles was staying. Now she was there. She didn't know why, but she was.

"Victoria?" Giles asked.

"I just... needed to be somewhere... normal," she said, her words coming out in passionate bursts that were so unlike her. She walked past him into his room, then turned back to him. "No more witches, no more lesbians, no more magic, no more boy bands, no more strangeness, no more engaged people, no more secrets coming to light. Just... something that I want so desperately to make sense."

"What's that?" he asked her, shutting the door and coming to stand in front of her.

Toree reached for Giles's face with both of her hands and kissed him. He put his arms around her and kissed her back.

But only for a moment. Then he pushed her away, leaving her standing there, bereft. "This isn't ... right. This isn't appropriate."

"Who cares? It feels right," she said definitively. "You know that it does."

He shook his head. "No, it's not. It's not right at all. You are my friend's lawyer. You are much younger than me."

"My job and my age? Those are the only reasons you can come up with?" she demanded, giggling the high giggle of one so very stressed.

"You are upset, you are frustrated. This," he said, motioning his hand between him and her, "isn't why you're here."

"My entire life I have lived by logic, by the law. Buttoned down shirts and pearls and suits. But I look at you and I don't want to live that way. Yes, I'm upset, I'm frustrated and you, you Giles, can make it better."

Giles looked horrified. "Do you want an explanation?" he asked her softly. "Is that it? Would that make it better?"

"No," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "You would make it better. Tell me that you feel it too."

Giles jerked his arm away from hers, but he couldn't take his eyes from hers. "Toree, we can't do this. You are Buffy's lawyer and she, she and Dawn are like daughters to me."

"After what happened today, I doubt I will be Buffy's lawyer much longer. Let's just enjoy what time we have together," she said, reaching to unbutton his shirt.

Giles moved her hands away from his chest. "That's enough, Victoria."

It cut Giles to watch Toree's body stiffen, her eyes harden. "Fine," she said, her voice sharp. "Don't say you never had your chance. Goodnight Giles."

As she slammed the door, Giles sat down on the bed, and put his head in his hands.

In the car, Toree slammed her fist against the steering wheel and tried to calm herself. There was no point in her anger -- at Buffy, at Giles, at herself. But she didn't care.

She picked up the cell phone and saw that Kira had called, although she hadn't left a message. Returning the call, Kira's cell was busy, so she tried her hotel room in Los Angeles. "Hi Addie," she said in her calmest voice when the girl answered. "I need to talk to Kira."

"She's not here."

"Right, she's with Howie," Toree answered herself. "Is she in his room? Can I have the number?" A male voice, one vaguely familiar, spoke in the background. "Who's that?"

"It's Nick," Addie answered lightly.

"Are you *with* Nick?"

There was some stammering. "Well, um, yeah."

"Ew... OK, that's not what's important. Give me Howie's number. I need to talk to Kira."

There was a pause, a silent one. "Listen, Tor, I don't know how to tell you this, but Kira's gone."

"Gone?!" Toree demanded. "Gone where?"

"D.C. Howie said she was going home."

"WHAT?"

"Well, I couldn't find her all day and when we came back from the studio, she'd left a note for Howie saying she needed some time away."

"Yeah, she went out with a friend of my client's."

"Really? She wasn't out by herself?"

Toree took a deep breath. "OK, so she came back, right?"

"Well, Nick and I came back from dinner and all her stuff was gone."

"And you weren't worried?"

"Howie told Nick that she'd gone home. Where else could she have gone?"

Toree gripped the steering wheel and gritted her teeth. "Where else?" she snapped back. "Bye Addie."

"Toree, wait! How's your case coming?"

"Fine. Everything's just fucking perfect." She ended the call, then dialed up Autumn. "Hey, it's Toree. Where's Kira?"

"Kira?" Autumn asked, her voice sleepy. "She's in LA."

Toree shook her head. "No, she's not. Addie says she's at home."

"Hold on, let me look in her room." Toree could hear her friend getting out of bed. "Is something wrong? I haven't heard from her since Monday and things were not going well," Autumn said as she walked.

"I don't know. I just know I can't find Kira. Addie says she went home, that she left sometime late today."

Autumn sighed and turned on the light switch. "No, she's not here. Her bed's empty. Unless home means somewhere besides D.C., she's not here. And no flights come into National Airport after 11 p.m. or so and it's after 3 here." Toree slammed her fist on the steering wheel again. This was the last thing she needed – a missing friend, somewhere in L.A. "Have you heard from her at all since Monday?"

"She called this morning and talked to someone where I'm staying and she was incredibly upset and now I don't know where she is."

"Shit, Toree. Something happened between her and Howie? Have you tried her cell?"

"It's busy."

"OK. Tor, I would just keep trying to call her until you get an answer. She has to be somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, the question is where."

"You're way too worried. Kira can take care of herself. What else is wrong?"

Toree hated Autumn's ability to know when there was something really wrong. "I think I've lost my case and I pushed so hard that I lost any chance at all with Giles," Toree said, starting the car. "Now Kira's missing. Not a fucking thing in the world is making sense at the moment. Nothing."

Autumn sighed. "Wanna talk about it?"

Toree pulled the car out onto the empty Sunnydale streets. "I can't, not really. I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's OK. And if Kira comes home I'll call you and if you hear from her, call me."

"I will."

When she arrived at Buffy's, Toree threw the car in park and ran up onto the porch and through the door. "Roberta!" she called. "Roberta! Kira's...."

Buffy ran through the dining room. "Toree! You're back! Roberta's...."

"I need to talk to Roberta," she said.

Buffy put a hand on Toree's arm. "Roberta's on the phone with Kira," she said, her tone soothing. Toree looked surprised. "Kira's with Cordelia, remember? She's really upset, but she's in a safe place."

Toree looked down at Buffy, pressing her lips together. "I'm sorry for what I said to you in the courtroom earlier," she apologized. "It was totally out of line and I apologize."

Buffy nodded. "Not necessary. Everything you said was true. Totally true. I have been keeping stuff from you, to protect you and to protect Dawn. I...." Buffy's eyes filled with tears and she looked away. "I'm so afraid I'm going to lose her. So afraid that I'm willing to do anything...."

Toree felt her knees go weak and suddenly she understood Buffy like she never had before. She knew what it was like to have the insane ability to make incredibly stupid decisions under emotional pressure. "I know, I understand."

"I fought so hard for Dawn, so incredibly hard and I sacrificed so much. I can't lose her, Tor, I can't."

Toree hugged Buffy. "We won't lose her; I promise you. If I have to take this to the Supreme Court, you won't lose Dawn. We all do crazy things sometimes to keep the people we want."

"Thank you," Buffy said.

Toree went out on the back stoop. Roberta was already out there, the cell phone and headset beside her, a lit cigarette in her hand. Toree sat down. "Of course you can have a cigarette," Roberta said without looking up.

"Kira's with Cordelia?" Toree asked after inhaling.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I'll keep this short: Kira went shopping. When she came back, Howie was  pissed because he found out she and Addie had been playing games with AJ. He yelled, she ran."

"Poor Kira."

"Frankly, I have little sympathy."

"Really?"

"She did this to herself. The guy's in recovery and she's off playing games."

"That really is little sympathy. She does like Howie, you know. And she's very insecure about the relationship."

Roberta sighed, inhaled hard on the cigarette and appeared to be considering her friend's comment. "Sorry. I just listened to another sob story before hers tonight and I'm all out of sympathy."

Toree paused. "Then I guess you don't want to hear mine."

Roberta looked over at her. "You went to see Giles." Toree nodded. "And you're here now. Things didn't go well I assume."

"He told me that he didn't feel the same way I do," she said quietly. "That there are too many things between us."

Roberta leaned back. "I saw that guy again tonight. The one I met the first night we were here? We went for drinks and he spent the night talking about the thing he has for Buffy."

"Oh hon."

"So three girls, three strikes... I guess we're all out." Toree started to laugh. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Have you talked to Addie tonight?"

"Shit no."

Toree laughed again. "She's with Nick Carter."

Roberta snerked. "What luck. The little religious virgin girl is getting some and we're not."

"You make your own luck." But Toree didn't sound like she believed it.

Roberta waited a long time to speak again. "What happens tomorrow?"

"We wait."