"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless."

[Cordelia, hi] said Buffy.

"Buffy! How are you?"

[Oh, you know. . . Sunnydale.]

"Yeah, I know Sunnydale, all right. How is everybody? How's Xander, is he ok?"

[Everybody's good. Xander's um. . . good. We're all fine, here, thank you. How are you?]

"Well, it's been a little slow, Doyle hasn't had a vision in a few days, so I've been redecorating the office."

[Doyle?]

"Yeah, he gets these visions that tell Angel what to do. . . like, who he has to save, or whatever. It's a whole 'Powers That Be' thing."

[Okay. . .]

"You want to talk to him, right?"

[Um, I. . .]

"ANGEL! PICK UP THE TELEPHONE!"

[That's a good set of lungs you got there, Cordelia.]

"Giles said the exact same thing."

"Hello?" Angel asked, picking up the phone.

[Angel.]

"Buffy. . ."

"Cordelia," said Cordelia. The line was silent. "Oh, what, Harris is the only one who can make that joke?"

"Cordy. . ."

"I know, I know. Hanging up now. Bye Buffy!"

[Bye Cordelia.]

*click*

"So. . ."

[Yeah. . .]

"How are you?"

[Good. I'm good. You?]

"Doing pretty good. . . work and all."

[Yeah.]

"Was there. . . something specific you needed to ask me?"

[Oh. . . no] said Buffy. [Except, in the sense that. . . yes.]

"What's up? Do you need help? Is something wrong?"

[No, no. . . nothing like that. Um. . . I need to ask you a question, but it might sound a little strange.]

"Okay. Questions I can handle."

[Um. . . when you. . . when. . . the day that I, you know. . . died? Why. . . how did you find me?]

"Oh. Um, I knew where the master's cave was, so it wasn't that hard. I knew you were going to face off against him."

[Yeah. . . that's not quite what I meant.]

"What did you mean?"

[Umm. . . why did you. . . follow me down there?]

"Oh. I. . ." Angel paused. __ (Flashback)

Xander and Angel are in Angel's apartment.

"Look, I know you can find this Master guy. He's underground, right? Take me to him."

"You're way outta your league, kid. The Master'll kill you before you can even breathe. If you're lucky."

"How can I say this clearly?"

Xander holds up a cross. Angel growls. Xander advances toward him, and Angel backs off until he falls onto the couch.

"I don't like you. At the end of the day, I pretty much think you're a vampire. But Buffy's got this big old yen for you. She thinks you're a real person. And right now I need you to prove her right."

"You're in love with her."

"Aren't you?"

(End Flashback) __

"Xander. . . convinced me to ignore the prophecy, and I took him to the Master's lair."

[Um. . . convinced you how? I mean, at the time, he was just a normal, mortal, 16 year old boy. How did he convince you?]

"With a cross, and a few not-so-kind words," Angel said, quickly becoming uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was heading.

[So, what you're telling me is that Xander forced you to take him into the Master's lair, knowing fully well he could die, and then saved my life? He threatened you until you helped him.]

"Well, it wasn't quite that simple--"

[But basically?]

"Basically. . . yes. He threatened me until I helped him."

[One more thing.]

"Yes?" Angel asked, feeling somewhat less confident.

[When Angelus came to my hospital room, and Xander told him to leave. Why didn't you just go through? I mean, Angelus could take him, right?]

"Well first off, he didn't tell me to leave."

[What?]

"No, he damn near dared me to try to get past him."

[Why would he do that?]

"Because he didn't care."

[About me?]

"About himself. He knew why I was there, and he was ready to give himself up to save you. And I'm pretty sure that, had I tried, I could have killed him, but he would have taken me with him, too. There was no way I was getting to your room."

[So, that's why Angelus didn't try? He was afraid to die? Afraid of Xander?]

"Well. . . yes."

[So then Angelus called him a White Knight?]

"No," said Angel.

[Wait, but you told Giles. . .]

"Angelus didn't call him a White Knight, Buffy. He called Xander your White Knight."

[My?]

"Yes. Yours."

[Oh. Um. Thank you. I uh. . . have to. . . yeah.]

*click*

* * * * *

"He used a cross," Buffy said, bewildered.

"What's that, honey?" Joyce asked.

"Xander. After I rejected him, he went to Angel's apartment, and threatened Angel until Angel agreed to help him."

Joyce smiled. "And this is the boy you're worried about hurting you?"

Buffy looked up at her mom. "That's not the only time, either."

"The only time what?"

"That he stood up to Angel."

Buffy then proceeded to tell her mother about what happened at the hospital.

"Wow. And the others know this?"

"Yeah. Well, not about the him scaring Angelus part, but, yeah, the rest of it. Or, well, I think they know that. . . Mom? Does it matter that Angel called him my White Knight instead of just a White Knight?

"I think it probably does, sweetie."

"I need to talk to Willow," Buffy said, standing up quickly.

"I thought you didn't want her to know," Joyce said.

"It's okay now!" she yelled as she ran out the door. "Bye Mom!"

* * * * *

Willow waved as Buffy walked in the room.

"Willow, good, you're here. I need to talk -" Buffy stopped, seeing Willow on the phone.

"Uh huh," said Willow, grinning into the phone. "No, it's a great idea. . .. Yeah. Okay, I'll see you around seven then?... Great! Bye!"

"Oz?" Buffy asked as Willow hung up the phone.

"Xander," said Willow, still smiling. "We're going out tonight."

"You are?" Buffy asked.

"Yup. We. . . haven't been as close as we used to before. . . well, you know."

"The Fluke."

"Yeah, that. Anyway, so we were talking today, and, well, we thought it would be nice to, you know, get back to that, with the closeness? So we're going out to dinner and to talk and stuff before you guys patrol."

"Oh," said Buffy, frowning.

"What's up?" Willow asked. "Why with the gloominess all of a sudden?"

"Willow, I. . ."

"What's wrong, Buffy?"

"I need to ask you a question," she said, "and I need you to be completely truthful with me."

"Okay. . . kinda scarin' me here."

"I know. . . but um. . . do you love him? Xander, I mean."

Willow looked at Buffy, a little incredulously. "Buffy, what? Of course I love him, he's my Xander."

"Oh," Buffy said, sadly. "But, what about Oz?"

"Oz? What does that. . . oh! No! Buffy, no, not like that!" Willow said realizing what Buffy was really asking. "I mean, yeah, I did, for, like, ever, but no. Buffy, I'll love Xander as long as I live, he's my best friend, and has been since preschool, and he always will be. But romantically? I'm all Oz, all the time. Scout's honor."

"Oh," said Buffy, relaxed a little more. "You sure?"

"Positive. OHMYGOSH!" she yelled, realizing why Buffy was asking. "YOU LOVE HIM!"

Buffy gave her friend a weak smile.

"Oh! This is so great! You love him!" Willow got up and danced around a little. "You love him! You love him! La la la la la!"

"Calm down, Will," Buffy said.

"Calm down?" Willow asked. "But this is so great! You guys are gonna be so good together, I can see it now, all the little kiddies running around and everything!"

Buffy laughed at her friend's enthusiasm. "Willow, stop! It's not like we're even going out yet!"

"But when you do," Willow said, "it's gonna be sooo good! Oh! Yay!"

"Willow. . ." Buffy said. "I don't even know if he likes me. Oh, but, idea!"

"What?"

"Well, you're going out with him tonight, right?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Well, you could pump him for info, see if there's any interest!"

"Buffy," Willow said, "You know I'll help you as much as I can, but even if I do find anything out, I won't be able to tell you. I can't betray his trust like that!"

"I know. . ." Buffy said, dejectedly. "But, then, how do I know?"

"Well, duh," Willow said. "You ask him."

"But. . . but. . . what if. . . what if no?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "Buffy, whatever his answer is, he's not gonna hurt you. Or, well, it might hurt, but you know he loves you, right? I mean, he'll always be your friend, no matter what. I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about."

"I know, but. . . but. . . scary," Buffy said, pouting.

"Aww," Willow said, moving to hug the Slayer. "Is the poor widdle Slayer scared?"

"Willow!" Buffy said, smacking her friend on the arm. "I'm serious!"

"I know that, Buffy, but. . . look Xander had the nerve to ask you out, right? I mean, after he got over the whole gut-wrenching fear thing, he asked. And, you know, once you do, I'm gonna have to tell him how long I've known. Do you want him to be able to say he was braver than you?"

Buffy glared at her.

"I'm just saying. . ."

Buffy flopped down on her bed. "Will. . . what am I gonna do?"

"Okay, well, I'll see what I can find out tonight, and I'll tell you what I can, okay? And you'll go patrolling, and be all flirty. . . ooh! And you dress up all sexy like! For patrolling!"

"I think I can do that," said Buffy, smiling.

"And then tomorrow, we can compare notes, and see what we can come up with."

"Okay. You'll help me, right?"

"Yes. I will help you."

"Okay. Good."

* * * * *

Xander was humming a little tune to himself as he approached the girls' dorm room. Knocking on the door, he was thinking about where he and Willow would go for dinner, to try to recapture some of the closeness they had lost after the 'illicit smoochies' of the previous year.

The door opened and his mind quickly stopped all conscious thought, as he uttered the syllables, "Whaabuuhhuh."

"Xan? You ok?" Buffy asked, secretly pleased at the response. She was wearing a low cut, silky red top that emphasized her curves very well, and a long black skirt that had a slit up past mid-thigh.

"Daaaahaahhh. Er. That is to say. . . Hi. Yes. I'm fine. Thank you for asking. You? How? I, er. . . I mean, how are you?"

Buffy smiled at him. "Great. Will's just about ready. Come in?"

Xander nodded dumbly.

"Xan, you. . . actually have to move your feet to come inside."

"Huh? Oh. . . yeah. Right, sorry," he said, shaking his head to clear it. "I umm. . . actually, is there a men's room around here?"

Buffy shook her head. "One floor either way," she said. "No boys on this floor."

"'Kay," he said. "I'll. . . be back. . . in a minute."

Buffy smiled as he walked off, then shut the door most of the way, leaving a little crack so he would know to come in when he came back.

"I think you broke him," Willow said, grinning at her roommate.

* * * * *

"That girl is gonna be the end of me," Xander said to himself as he splashed cold water on his face.

Wiping off his face and heading back downstairs, Xander steadied himself for the sight of Buffy again. 'And I was so smooth, too' he thought. 'Yes. Vowel sounds are very appealing. Jeez, I'm such a moron!'

Xander entered the room, quietly knocking on the door, and saw Buffy reading Cosmo while sitting on her bed and smiling to herself. "Hey again," he said.

"Hey Xan," Buffy said, smiling at him.

"Hi Xander," Willow said from her desk.

"Wills, hi! Ready to go?"

"Just another minute," she said. "Gotta finish this problem here."

"Okay," he said, sitting on Willow's bed and turning towards Buffy.

"So, Buff," he asked as casually as he could. "Got a hot date tonight?"

"No," she said, not looking up from her magazine. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. You. . . just seem a little dressed up, is all."

Buffy shrugged and turned the page. "I just felt like looking good, is all," she said.

"Ah, Buff, you always look good."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Xander. You're lookin' pretty hot there yourself."

Xander grinned, looking down at his worn jeans, sneakers and old t-shirt. "What, this old stuff?"

"You ready to go, Xander?" Willow asked.

"Yep," he said. "Let's get a move on. Patrol later, Buff?"

"You betcha," she said. "I'll be waiting for you."

Xander raised his eyebrows at her word choice, but said nothing.

"Bye Buffy," Willow said as she grabbed Xander's arm and headed out the door.

"Bye guys, have fun," said Buffy.

* * * * *

"So, Xan, what'd ya do this summer?" Willow asked, as the pair walked down the street. "Where did you go? What did you see? Who did you meet? What did you kill?"

"That's my Willow," he said, grinning. "Always with the questions."

"So?" she said. "Answer!"

Xander chuckled. "Well, I drove. And. . . I killed some things, mostly demons, but I think I also got a possum or two. I pretty much drove up the coast to Seattle, then headed East. Got as far as Minnesota, where I actually took out a whole nest of vamps that were preying on the locals. After that, I realized I wasn't gonna get away from these things, no matter where I went. So, I came home by the scenic route. Saw Mount Rushmore, killed a Fyarl demon. Saw the Grand Canyon, dusted a few vamps. Hit Death Valley and, oddly enough, nothing happened."

"Wow," she said. "Eventful. Didja meet anybody neat?"

"Nah," he said. "I didn't really stay anywhere long enough to meet people. Although, I saved this one old guy from a couple of vamps, and he let me stay at his place that night. It was cool, until he started hitting on me. I pretty much slept in my car that night." He shuddered at the memory.

"What about you, Wills? You have an exciting summer?"

"No," she said. "Stayed in boring ol' Sunnydale. Didn't even get to kill much of anything. It was a quiet summer." Willow shrugged.

"So I gather. Still hasn't picked up yet. It's like they've gone, and they're not coming back."

"Yeah, it's weird."

"So. . . uh, how are you and Oz? How's that whole thing. . . working out?"

Willow gave him a big grin. "It's great. Oz is so sweet, and we're so in love. It's like the most wonderful thing."

"That's great, Wills," Xander said, "I'm glad you guys could work things out, and that you're all happy now."

"Me too," Willow said. "And how're you. . . you know. . . with the Buffy thing? I mean, I know you said, like a few days ago, but, still?"

"Yeah," he said. "God, she looked gorgeous today, don't you think?"

"Well, not really into the women here, but yeah, she had something going on."

"Hey Wills?" he said, stopping.

"Yeah?"

"I uh. . . I know that it's all over and done with and everything. . . but, well, I wanted to say. . . I'm sorry. About Faith."

"Oh, sweetie, that's okay," she said, smiling at him.

"No. It's not. It. . . it should never have happened. Especially that night. I mean. . . you told me you loved me, and I went off and. . ."

Willow embraced him. "I know. And it hurt, when I found out... and how."

"God, I never wanted to hurt you Willow," he said, his eyes tearing up a little. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, Xander," she said, crying a little bit. "It's okay now. Really, it is. Yeah, I. . . I hurt then. But, I'm all better now, see?" she asked, smiling. "No more hurt."

"I tried to tell you, so many times. I would pick up the phone, and start dialing your phone number, and then lose my nerve. I couldn't do it, because I already knew how much I'd hurt you, and I didn't want to do it anymore. I don't ever want to hurt you, Will."

"Shh," she said, holding him. "It's okay, sweetie. For what it's worth, I'm sorry, too."

"Willow, you don't have anything to be sorry for," he said.

"Yes, I do," she said. "I'm sorry that we tried to cut you out last year. It was wrong of us, and I should have said something. I'm sorry I was jealous of Cordelia, when I should have been supportive of your happiness. But mostly, I'm sorry I cut you off, after we were caught at the factory."

"Will, you had to do that," Xander said. "Even I understood that."

"No, I didn't," she said. "Not to the extent that I did it. I wasn't there for you, Xand, and I feel horrible about it. I mean, we barely talked until graduation, except about Hellmouth stuff. I'm never going to do that again, ever. Not even for Oz."

"Will, don't say that, I mean, I don't want-"

"No, Xander. Never. I can't, you're too important to me. You're my best friend, and if we were ever not talking, and something happened to you. . . I couldn't deal."

"That night, where the other you came, from wherever it was she was from. . . God, Willow, when I thought you had been turned, it was the worst feeling ever. It was like a piece of me had died. I didn't know how I was gonna keep going. When I saw you come in the library, and realized it was you, and you were alive. . . it was like I learned how to breathe again. I love you, Willow."

"I love you too, Xander."

They stood there holding each other for a minute, letting their tears flow.

"God, look at us," Willow said. "Couple o' cryin' fools."

"Well, one crying fool, one crying braniac," said Xander, chuckling. "Come on," he said, throwing his arm over her shoulder. "Let's go get some food."

* * * * *

"Anything?" Willow asked, munching on a french fry.

"Anything I don't know," Xander said. "No more secrets."

"Okay. . . I got asked out the other day by this guy in one of my classes."

"Wow. Did you tell Oz?"

"Yeah. He laughed, and kissed me."

"Good."

"Okay, you now."

"Umm. . . I thought you looked hot in that leather Vamp get up. I'm sick, I know."

Willow laughed. "Well, I did. I was a ragin' hot mama."

"Oh yeah, you sexy thang. What else?"

"Um. . . well, I don't know if you. . . you know, know. . . but me and Oz are. . . well, we're. . ."

Xander laughed. "Yeah. I knew. I mean, I didn't know, know, but I knew."

"Okay, good. Whew, that's the big one."

"The big one, huh?"

"Yup. You got a big one?"

Xander sighed. "Yeah. I do."

"Well spill, buddy. Don't make me interrogate you!"

"Okay. I saved the world once, and nobody knew."

"You WHAT?"

Xander nodded. "It was that night. . . with the apocalypse demons. Where. . . I. . . with Faith. . ."

"Okay. I remember the apocalypse demons, and I remember the Faith. . . but, how?"

"Well, you remember Jack O'Toole? Turns out he was a zombie. He'd died three weeks earlier in a drive-by shooting. His grandfather raised him. That night, I was driving around with him, because of Katie."

"Katie?" Willow asked.

"His knife that he liked to hold to my neck," Xander said. "Anyway, so we're driving around, and we make a few stops at some cemeteries and he decides, 'Hey, it'd be fun if we raised some of my friends as zombies, too!' So he gathers a few guys, and they decide it's a good idea to build a bomb. Well, while they were breaking and entering to get ingredients, that's when I ran into you outside the magic shop."

"I was wondering what you were doing there," Willow said. "Didn't know it was a bomb."

"Yeah. Well, they put the stuff in the car, you remember, Uncle Rory's '57 Chevy? Anyway, I drive off with it, leaving them behind. I saw Faith fighting with one of those apocalypse demons, and I hit it with the car. She jumps in, and we go to her motel, cuz we figured it would be safe there."

"That's when you. . ."

"Yeah. That's when. So, then she kicked me out, half-naked, and I ran into O'Toole and his cronies again. I grabbed one of them, and made him tell me where the bomb was by dragging him alongside my car. He told me the bomb was in the boiler room of the high school. I was about to ask him how to defuse it when his head kinda had a run in with a mailbox, and just like that, no more zombie."

"Wow. Bad timing."

"That's what I thought."

"Wait, the boiler room? That's right under the library!"

Xander nodded. "I know. And I knew something was going down. So I go to the school, chased the whole way by the zombies. Chased them around the school a bit, saw the demon thing you guys were fighting."

"You were THERE?"

Xander nodded again. "Yep. In fact, those apocalypse demons ate one of the guys. 'Nother one, I crushed by dropping a vending machine on it. So, anyway, I got down to the boiler room, and there was this huge bomb. I had no clue how to stop it. So of course, I'm looking at it, and O'Toole tackles me. We kinda have a stand off, a little. The timer got down to two seconds and Jack pulls the plug on it."

"Wow," said Willow. "Xander, if that bomb had gone off, you'd be dead!"

"Yeah," he said, "but so would all of you. And pretty much everybody else we've ever met. If that bomb had gone off, it would have killed you all, and nobody would have been there to stop the Hellmouth from opening. But it didn't so it's okay. I never did figure out what happened to Jack, though. I left him in the boiler room, and never saw him again."

Willow thought for a second. "Oh my god, Oz!"

"What?"

"Um, that night, it was a full moon. Oz was restless, and we put him in the closet in the boiler room! And he didn't eat anything the next day, because he kept saying he was oddly full." Her eyes were wide with horror.

"Oh," said Xander. "OH! Wow. . . oh jeez, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"No, it's okay. I mean, he was dead, after all. . . oh, and eww. Man, now I have to get him to brush his teeth."

"Will, it's been like half a year."

"I know, but I just found out, and eww."

"Yeah. . . yeah, I get that. Hey Will, I know you and Oz are doing the whole complete honesty thing. . ."

"No way. Not telling him this. Whoo, that would not be good."

"Yeah," said Xander.

Willow looked down at her plate. "I don't think I'm hungry anymore," she said.

"Yeah. Yeah me either. Oh, man, that's gross. Ice cream?"

"Oh yeah."

* * * * *

"So, did you have good times with Willow?" Buffy asked, as she and Xander walked towards Willy's bar.

"Yeah, it was good. We talked, got some stuff out that needed to be said, ended up sobbing together on the street, and then leaving about half our food at the restaurant when we went to get ice cream."

"Wait. You, Xander Harris, left food somewhere?" She looked away, faking tears in her eyes. "I don't think I even know who you are anymore."

Xander laughed as they entered Willy's. "Yeah, well. . . let's just say we realized something that made us lose our appetite for meat for a day or two."

Buffy looked at him oddly, and shook her head. "Willy!" she said to the bartender. "How are you tonight?"

"Uh. . . hey there, Slayer. Kid. Something I can help you with?" Willy asked, beginning to sweat a little as the occupants of his bar watched with interest.

"Oh, maybe a thing or two, Willy," Buffy said, putting a little emphasis on his name.

"Yeah. Well, I don't really know too much, anymore. Kinda gave up that lifestyle, you know?"

"Aww," said Xander. "And here we went and got our hopes up. Now I'm all disappointed." He slammed his fist on the bar, hard, denting it. "I don't like being disappointed, do you Buff?"

"No," she said, walking up to the bar and sitting down on a stool. "I really don't like being disappointed."

"I can see that you don't like disappointment," Willy said. "But don't go doing anything rash, now. Maybe you tell me what you're looking for, and I'll see if I know anything?"

"Fargath demon," said Xander. "Location, plans, everything."

"I don't know nothin' about no Fargath demon," Willy said.

"Dammit!" Xander said, punching the bar again.

"Willy, we've done this enough. You know how it works. I punch you, you tell me what I want to know, everybody goes away happy, except you, and that doesn't matter," Buffy said, smiling. "Only it's not going to work that way today. I'm not going to touch you."

"You. . . you're not?"

"Nope. Not one single hair on your head will I touch."

"Oh," said Willy, relaxing a little. "So I guess we're done here?"

"Not quite," said Xander, hopping the bar and grabbing Willy's head. "I still get to touch you."

Xander applied a large amount of force to Willy's temples, until Willy's eyes looked like they were going to pop out.

"Okay, okay!" said Willy, as Xander released his head. "Jeez, I was just joking before. You know I love helping you guys."

"That's right, Willy. You're a regular saint," said Buffy. "So. Fargath demon?"

"Right," said Willy, picking up a glass and cleaning it. "Fargath demon. Old warehouse, the one where Spike had set up. He's been recruiting vamps left and right, that's why you guys have been bored these nights."

"Plans?" Xander asked, leaning in towards Willy.

"Normal stuff. End of the world. But you guys already know that, otherwise you wouldn't be here."

"How many vamps?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know, exactly. 30, maybe more. They turn people, then keep the bodies. That way, no funerals, no vamps for the Slayer, yeah?"

"Right," said Buffy. "That all?"

"Yeah, that's all I know, I swear."

"Thanks Willy," said Xander.

"Sure thing, kid. Just stay away from me, you scare me."

"Wait, he scares you?" Buffy asked, incredulously.

"Sure," Willy said. "You, I know. I can deal. Don't know what he's gonna do. He's vicious."

"Vicious?" Xander asked, intrigued, and kind of glad he had a reputation. "What makes you say I'm vicious?"

"Uh. . ." Willy started.

"C'mon, Willy," Xander said, smiling. "What is it?"

"You know damn well how you dealt with O'Toole's crew, kid, I don't need to tell you."

"Wait, how did you know about that?" Xander asked, suddenly frowning.

"Xan? What's he talking about?" Buffy asked, confused.

"The Mayor's goons, the guys who cleaned up the 'cake.' They were in here talking the next day about how merciless you were. Feedin' that guy to a werewolf, man that's foul."

"Xander?" Buffy asked.

"I didn't feed him! I didn't know he was there!" said Xander.

"It's still nasty, kid," said Willy.

"XANDER!" Buffy yelled.

"What?"

"What's he talking about? Who's O'Toole?"

"You mean he never told you guys about it?"

"Willy, shut up," said Xander.

"Told us what?" Buffy asked.

"I can't believe you never told them, kid! I'd have been telling everybody!" Willy said.

"I said shut up, Willy."

"No, don't shut up!"

"Hey, the kid scares me, you don't," Willy said.

"Ok," Buffy said, grabbing Willy by his hair. "I'm breaking my promise."

"Kid?" Willy said.

Xander sighed. "Fine. I already told it once tonight, you go ahead. There's never a vampire around to kill when you need one."

A couple of patrons in the bar quickly shuffled out the back.

"Ok," Willy said. "Let go my head, and I'll tell you."

Buffy released Willy's hair and Willy told almost the same tale that Xander had told Willow earlier in the day. By the time he was finished, Xander was banging his head on the bar, and Buffy's mouth was agape.

"You're totally exaggerating," Xander said.

"I just tell 'em like I hear 'em, kid," Willy said.

"You mean that's true??" Buffy asked.

"Not entirely!" Xander said. "There were only 4 zombies, not 10. And one of them, I didn't even kill, those Sisters of Jhe did. And I had no clue Oz was in the boiler room, I swear!"

"Xander, you could have gotten killed!" she said. "Why didn't you come to one of us for help?"

"I tried!" he said. "But you guys were all busy with the Hellmouth opening, so I had to take care of it by myself!"

Buffy looked at him for a second, and then stormed out of the bar.

"Great," Xander muttered.

"Sorry I got you in deep with your girlfriend, kid."

"She's not my girlfriend," Xander said, getting up to leave.

"You sure?"

"As I've ever been."

----------

End Chapter 8