Willow opened the door.

"Pizza and a movie?" Xander offered her his gifts.

"'Dracula'?"

"Ah, come on, Will, it's old school with Boris Karloff. Cheesy black and white, complete escapism. What do you say?"

"I'd say that better be an extra-large pizza. I'm starving for some pizza goodness."

Since their showdown, Xander had been more attentive toward Willow than the rest. Always popping in out of the blue. Lately he had taken to ringing the doorbell whenever he came to the house, or just calling to say hi. In part he was trying to make up for lost time, the two best friends had grown apart in recent years. He wanted Willow to know that she would never be alone or insignificant, at least in his eyes. He'd wasted too much time on Xander and look where that had gotten him. He'd blown two good relationships. He wasn't about to destroy a third, the most important one.

"The Summers girls out saving the world again?"

"Well if you call working fast food and tending to Magic Shop customers saving the world . . ."

"Dawn still working off her debt?" Xander asked casually, popping the tape into the VCR and making himself at home on the couch.

"So I suppose I get the floor?" Willow smiled.

"Oh wait, I think there may be an inch or two to spare right about here!" he pulled her onto his lap.

"Xander Harris, didn't you mother ever teach you how to behave!"

"Oh, I forgot, you're ticklish, aren't you?"

"Don't you dare!"

"Look," he said, poking her in the side repeatedly, "I think I dare."

"Turn about's fair play, mister," she turned and began poking him.

"You guys heard from Buffy tonight?"

~*~

Dawn hadn't wanted to disturb them. Willow laughing was too important of a thing to interrupt. She almost looked happy. Good for her. But Dawn needed to know where Buffy was before she went out for the night, so she could avoid her if possible.

The friends looked up, still giggling.

"Saved by the Dawnster for the moment," Xander laughed.

"Do you know how late she's working tonight?"

"Flipping burgers til midnight, I think," Willow slid next to Xander. "Want to share in some pizza goodness. We've got old-school 'Dracula' on the menu. Always good for a few laughs."

"I figured I'd go out on an early patrol, maybe save her some extra work after work."

"Can't tempt you with a few hours of slacking?" Xander held up a less than sturdy piece of pizza.

"No I should get out. Make sure the recent calm in activity isn't up."

"More pizza for us then."

"I should be home early tonight. I need sleep, if no one else around here seems to."

~*~

After she had gone, Xander looked quizzically at Willow.

"Oh you know Buffy, driving herself as hard as ever. Thinks sleep is for wusses."

"How about you, Will?"

"It's overrated, sleep," she smiled. "But hey, I've got a new hobby."

"Breaking into government secret files again?"

"I said new hobby. But yes that too."

"So . . ."

"Painting. Just a bunch of colors mushed together, but it's kinda fun."

They sat in silence for a moment. Then Xander spoke, "What's Dawn up to now? She seems to be in Detective Mode."

"You got that too?"

"Buffy?"

Willow shrugged.

"What's going on, Will. You know something."

"M-m-me? No! Clueless as the rest," she laughed nervously.

"Willow, you know something."

"Can't say. How about that movie?" she said, grabbing a slice of pizza.