Since sum1 told me Willow doesn't seem right as popular I'm going to change it. Now Cordelia is the most popular and Willow's kinda popular. I realized it was wrong to the plot and I totally agree she doesn't fit the popular type. Yeah, and Cordelia's nice in this.

Thx to those who reviewed.

I own nothing.

AU and B/A.

"Where'd this come from?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"You don't understand this can't be here. It's impossible." Gently she removed the ring from her finger but was shaking so badly she almost dropped it. Xander took it from her and Buffy sat down hard. He took the seat beside her and just stared waiting for something.

"What's going on?"

Then Buffy broke down and told him about the dream or whatever it was and how it couldn't be possible. They decided to go back to their house when she noticed how cold Xander looked. Buffy took off her jacket and gave it to him.

"Wait…where's your stuff?"

"In the cellar still. And I'm not going back for it now."

"Yeah let's get you something to eat at the house."

"So what do you think we should do? Look up some records? See if there was anything about a fire at the Huntington house."

"Yeah, maybe. There might be someone old enough to remember."

"And you call me crazy Xander. That was like a hundred years ago."

"How are you so sure about the date?"

"I was wearing petticoats. What time do you think I was in?"

"Yeah, library."

"All right, tomorrow. So what about Cordelia?"

"What about Cordelia?"

"Xander Summers!!! I went through all that and now you tell me you don't even remember what for."

"Okay, okay. Calm down, I'll ask Cordy to the dance."

"Do it now."

"What? It's one in the morning."

"It is?"

"Yeah. What do you want to do with the ring?"

"I don't know…throw it away."

"I think you should take it back to the house and leave it there."

"You take it back. I'm not going in there again."

Then she left up the stairs not giving him a chance to answer. As Buffy sat down on her bed she couldn't get his face…Angel's face… out of her mind. Before now she didn't believe in ghosts much less expect to fall in love with one.

"What did you do?"

"Huh, what?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Cordelia asked again while opening the blinds.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked squinting against the bright sunlight, "and what time is it?"

"You know I'm never out of bed before noon on weekends. So watcha do? Sell him your soul, pay him, what?"

"What are you talking about?" The events of last night finally beginning to enter her mind.

"Stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about!"

"But I really don't," Buffy said pausing a moment then walking out of her room down to the kitchen.

"Are you all right? You look like hell?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. But that pretty much describes how I'm feeling. And I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Honest?" Cordelia asked a little less suspicious.

"Yes. And I'm way too tired to be playing twenty questions so just tell what you're screaming about."

"Xander called me this morning."

"Called you what?"

"Buff, come on, I'm being serious."

"And so am I."

"He asked me to the dance."

"As a date? That is so creepy. And you of course are considering going."

"I don't know I mean it might be a joke or he might be serious so I don't know. Do you think he's up to something?"

"Maybe."

"What do you mean 'maybe'? You're supposed to be able to read his mind."

"Did Will tell you that one? Cause I don't want to read his mind and it's not like I can tell everything he's thinking. Thank god."

"Maybe he's trying to make his girlfriend jealous."

"Xander doesn't have a girlfriend. I would know."

"Well he doesn't have to tell you everything. And I just don't get it. Right out of no where he calls and asks me to the dance. I mean it's just weird."

"Maybe he was just waiting for your boyfriend to be gone. I mean a lot of guys were pretty happy after he moved."

"Oh my god. Do you think it's a pity date?"

"No. Xander's not that perceptive or sensitive."

"Yeah, but you're sensitive and perceptive. Are you sure you didn't blackmail him?"

"Why would I want you dating my jerk brother? If I was going to blackmail somebody I'm sure I'd have higher standards than him. And it's not like you have to say yes. Wait did you say yes?"

"Yeah, outta you know curiosity and to be polite."

Then they heard the front door swing open.

"Hey, Xander."

But he walked to his room barely even giving them a nod.

"Okay."

"All right now that we have this out of the way you are coming shopping with me, right?"

"I can't come. I have to go to the library."

"Yeah, but I have a really big project."

"Fine but I really hope Xander doesn't blow me off like that at the dance. I can have better conversations with myself."

"And more intelligent ones."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah. I just didn't sleep well."

"Okay. What's that smell?"

"What smell?"

"That smell in your hair. I kinda smells like smoke."

"Don't know," but now her voice was shaking so badly.

"All right. Bye!"

Now Buffy climbed up the stairs to her brother's room.

"Xander!"

No answer. She opened the door and found him sprawled on his bed with headphones on. Almost tripping on a baseball bat she realized that he probably hadn't cleaned his room in years. Buffy yanked his headphones off causing him to look up at her in annoyance.

"What?"

"Where's my ring?"

"What ring?"

"The one from last night."

"Why do you want it back?"

"I just do. Give it to me."

"It's in that drawer," he said pointing towards his desk.

"Fine," she said walking over piles of dirty clothes to get to her destination.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting my ring."

"Let me do it you don't know where it is."

"Yes I do. It's in that drawer. And I don't think we're going to get to it."

"Why?"

"It's jammed shut."

"No it isn't. You just gotta learn how to open…it," he finished lamely staring at the mess that used to be the contents of his drawer.

"Here it is."

"Aren't you going to help?"

"You're the one who opened it." She sat on his bed and slipped the ring into her pocket before noticing a stray photograph.

"Hey Xander. What is this?" she asked as she picked it up and turned it over. Xander on the other hand didn't even notice her words. Buffy immediately recognized the photograph from last summer. It was Cordy. In a two-piece. That left little to the imagination.

"Xander, why do you have a picture of Cordelia…in a bikini." Buffy saw the telltale blush before he even turned around.

"What picture?" he asked feigning innocence while taking it from her. "I don't remember this. The next time you guys wanna trick me put it some place that I'll actually look."

"So I put that in there."

"You or Cordy. When will you guys ever grow up?"

"Sure. Library?"

"Yeah, let's go."

Buffy followed him out of the room but not before placing the picture casually under his books.

A/N – This chapter had absolutely no point. The next one will be kinda creepy and maybe some B/A depends on how much I over-evaluate the book and go into details.