AN: Aren't you guys lucky? Two updates in 1 day! You all officially owe me lots of chocolate. Oh, and hey? Someone send James on over. I swear it's my turn! :p

Chapter 20

Buffy glanced at the empty apartment and frowned for what felt like the 75th time in 2 hours. Will still wasn't home, hadn't been all day. She knew it was his day off, and had hoped they could talk tonight over dinner.

She felt like he was pulling away from her, though, and that wasn't good from her point of view. Scowling, she went upstairs and changed out of her work clothes, and into a comfortable pair of sweats and a black t-shirt. Frowning down at it, she realized it was his. With only a few curses, she pulled it off, and tugged on a tank top instead.

As she pulled a brush through her hair, she heard the door open. Hurrying over, she pulled the canvas 'wall' aside, and peeked over the edge. Her shoulders fell when she saw Xander.

"Hey Buffster, what's the what?" Xander smiled up at her as he tossed his light jacket over the back of a chair, before making his way up the stairs to her room. He plopped down on her bed, and watched her stomp around the room.

"He STILL isn't here, and he STILL avoids me like… like… well, like I have the plague." She glimpsed at the clock, and saw that it was nearly 7pm, and scowled at it. "What is wrong with me? Or him? Is it Will? No, it can't be. He must hate something about me." Buffy began to ramble on as she talked more to herself than to Xander.

Xander grimaced along side her this time. "Buffy, I don't know what the deal is, but I don't know of any guys who find anything wrong with you."

Buffy stopped moving, and sighed softly as her shoulders drooped. She sat down next to him on the bed, and pulled a pillow over her face.

"I phath ghym," she mumbled. Xander smirked, and pulled the pillow away.

"You what?"

"I hate him," she said once more, unmuffled this time. For good measure, Buffy stuck her tongue out at Xander, and pulled the pillow back over her head.

Will unlocked the security door and laughed along with a story Anya was telling him about some of the guys she had gone out with in the past. For the most part, the evening had been pleasant enough, but that special spark was missing. She was only a replacement for what he really wanted.

"So, I told him that if he ever brought me any more rabbits, I would curse him for all time. Where's your place?" Anya had a habit of moving directly from one line of thought to the next without giving Will a chance to catch up first.

"Huh? Oh, the flat, right. S'up the steps. First door there at the top." Will followed behind her up the steps, and suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He had been thinking that Buffy worked at the magic shop that night, but had recalled as he approached the door, that she had traded tonight with another employee. She'd be home. Waiting. Seeing him. With another woman.

Great bloody time to be thinking of the consequences, you wanker, he told himself. Just bloody great. You start this mess, might as well finish it. Break it off with this bint, and Buffy, and lock my ballsy self away for eternity. Sounds good, he thought.

With a sense of unease, Will slowly unlocked and opened the door. He didn't hear anyone right off as he peeked his head in first, then entered. Anya was hot on his heels as he came in.

"Oh, this place is great! I love it." Anya's voice unfortunately rang out through the apartment, and Will cringed just moments before both Buffy and Xander's heads popped over the wall in the loft.

"Will?" Buffy asked with uncertainty as she watched Anya weasel in close to him.

"Xander?" Anya asked as she looked up at her neighbor's son.

"Buffy, look…" Will said with a distinct feeling that he was going to be butchered.

"Anya? What are you doing here? And with captain peroxide?" Xander asked at the same time Will tried to reply to Buffy.

Xander suddenly frowned at the closeness and turned towards Buffy, who had already disappeared from view of the lower section. She was sitting on the bed, pale as can be. Downstairs, he heard Will ask Anya to take a seat as he made his way up the stairs.

"Buffy, look…" Will repeated, only to have Xander shake his head and point back down the stairs.

"Man, not now. Go back to Anya. Leave me to pick up the pieces." Will frowned and started to step forward, but Buffy turned her back to him, and he stopped. With a resigned sigh, he made his way back down the steps to talk to Anya.

Anya was flipping through stations, obliviously unaware of the tension between the other three people in the flat.

"Oh, you guys get Cinemax! There's this movie I have been just dying to see, but I don't have cable."  Will looked at her for a minute, then headed for the small balcony while reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes.

"I'll be out here. Anya, why don't you join me? I think we should talk a bit."

Anya looked up and nodded, before joining him out on the small balcony.

Upstairs, Buffy was tossing a few things into a duffle bag, and slipping on a pair of shoes. She grabbed a book from her shelf, opened it, and pulled a wad of cash from the hallowed out inside.

"Buff, you can't just leave. Where will you go?" Xander was following close on her heels while trying to talk some sense into his friend.

"Maybe Willow's… or I could treat myself to a night in a hotel. What about Tara? I can find a place for a night or two. I just need to get away, Xander. No big. Just time alone."

Xander shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder to halt her movement.

"And after that? You can't move, you have a lease, and there's nothing else you can afford right now anyway. Just calm down. If you really need to go somewhere else tonight, then we can both take a vacation. Rent a room in a hotel, do the swimming, room service thing." He smiled his trademark smile and pulled her towards him.

Buffy sighed softly, and looked around, before nodding. Xander nodded with her, and stepped back, while letting her arm go.

"Good, then, I'll go grab my bag, and we'll check into the Hyatt for the night."

Will came back in with Anya, and without a word to his flatmates; he left with her, to take her home. The conversation had been minimal on the way, after he explained his relationship and feelings towards Buffy. Anya had been understanding, but bored with the conversation afterwards.

He dropped her off at home with a brief hug, and a wave, then left. On his way back towards the flat, he veered into a convenience mart, and seized a bottle of somewhat cheap wine from a shelf, and the nicest bouquet of flowers they had. He had some major butt kissing to do once he got home.

On the way to the Hyatt, neither Xander nor Buffy spoke with one another. Xander was thinking about the sudden appearance of Anya, while Buffy was mulling over the 'date' Will had brought home.

Sure, she reasoned with herself, Anya might have just been a friend, but Will looked entirely too guilty. Her eyes closed as they pulled out of the lot in Xander's truck. She felt so tired, so exhausted.