"Smells good, Annie." Oz reached the bowl of popcorn at the kitchen island, popping a handful into his mouth. "What is it?"

"Soup. One of Jasmine's recipes. Or at least as close as I can get with the canned beans from the store." Buffy bent over the stove, sniffing. "Pretty close, actually." She tasted a bite. "Mmm. You know, even Will eats this."

"Really?" Oz looked on, amused, as Buffy danced around the kitchen to a tape of Lorne's singing in the cassette player.

Gitchie, gitchie, ya ya da da (yeah-ey)

Gitchie, gitchie, ya ya here (here)

Mocha Chocolata ya ya (ooh yeah)

Creole Lady Marmalade

Buffy pulled Oz off the stool to dance with her. "I play music, I don't dance that well." At her insistence, he wrapped his arms around her and they swayed to the music. "You need something, don't you?" Oz sniffed at her. "Why don't you go find Giles?"

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir (ah, oh)

Voulez vous coucher avec moi (Yeah yeah yeah yeah)

Buffy ignored him, still dancing to the music, running a finger down his neck. "I need blood more than sex, right now."

Oz nodded, pulling Buffy closer to him, allowing her to nuzzle into his neck. "Where's Will?" Buffy reached into a nearby drawer to get a knife.

"In L.A. Went to pick up some books." Buffy turned around in Oz's arms, rubbing herself against him suggestively.

"Annie, you've got to stop this. If Willow sees us, we'll have a lot of complicated explaining to do. If you need to feed, feed before things get out of control."

The front door opened and Joyce Summers walked into the house. Buffy and Oz sprung apart. "Buffy!" Joyce walked into the kitchen and spotted a guilty-faced Oz and Buffy seated at opposite ends of the island. "What's cooking?"

"Bean soup."

"Smells delicious. Who's that on the tape?"

Buffy and Oz both answered at the same time. "Lorne."

"He's good."

Buffy licked her lips and replied, "Yes, he's very good." Joyce gave Buffy a strange look and headed upstairs to change out of her work clothes.

Oz spotted an out. "Why don't we box up this soup, and drive up to see him?"

"You'd have to put me in the trunk. I won't make it that long." Buffy pulled her rings out from under her blouse and began fidgeting with them.

"Bummer." Oz threw a popcorn kernel across the room, where it ricocheted off the refrigerator and into the trashcan. "What are you going to do?"

"I called Ethan." Buffy pointed at her cell phone. "He just hasn't called back yet."

Oz looked dubious. "Is that a good idea?"

"He was at the card game last night. I suspect he's still in town. He's got lots of clients here. He'll call back."

"You haven't been around him since you came back."

"So?"

"Giles won't like it."

"Why? Ethan's not bad, not really. Just mischievous." Buffy looked confused. "Is there something I don't remember?"

"That tattoo on your shoulder, that's from Ethan." Oz walked over to her, and traced the tattoo. "I know you don't remember, but he nearly killed you."

"Why didn't you tell me that before I shagged him?"

Oz shrugged, his usual neutral expression on his face. "I wasn't in L.A. the first time you shagged him. I would have told you." He tossed another kernel across the room. "He and Giles don't get along."

"Why didn't say something before I fucked Giles?"

"I had no idea that you were going to fuck Giles. You're barely speaking to each other. And for what its worth, Giles called it making love, not fucking."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Making up and making love are not the same thing. We hashed out some differences last night."

"Obviously."

"Is he going to smell Giles on me?"

"You smelled like Giles before, it's not that different now. He's a sorcerer, not a were."

"He'll call." Buffy looked at her cell phone as if trying to convince herself. "I hope. What am I going to do?"

"Call Giles."

"No." Buffy paced. "I'm going to go outside for a minute." She pulled a tash cigarette and her lighter out of her purse. "Can you watch the stove?"

"Yeah. Sure." Oz puttered around the kitchen while waiting for Buffy to come back. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, and he heard Joyce go to answer it. Joyce came back into the kitchen with a young man, tall with curly reddish-brown hair. He wore a clean navy oxford shirt and black jeans. Oz nodded at him and the new arrival gave a friendly wave.

"I'm so glad you stopped by, I was hoping that Buffy could meet some new people her own age. Maybe put some spring back into her step. Please, let me set another seat at the table."

Oz choked, tears streaming from his eyes. The newcomer popped him on the back. "All right, mate?"

Oz coughed, then nodded. "Aaron, right?"

"Yes." The young man smiled.

"Anne's out back." Oz pointed out the window, where Buffy could be seen finishing her cigarette.

Joyce poked her head outside. "Young lady, what do you think you're doing?"

Buffy called back casually. "Having a fag, mom."

"Come inside this instant!" Joyce's voice raised another octave. When Buffy reached the door, her eyes widened in shock. Joyce hissed in her ear. "There's a guest here for dinner. What is he going to think if he sees you smoking?"

"Uh, Mom, Oz already knows I smoke. And I'm sure Aaron doesn't care." Buffy wasn't looking at Joyce, she had her eyes fully trained on Aaron. "What are you doing here?"

"Buffy! That's no way to greet our guest. He's a respectable young man, behave."

Buffy snickered and gave her Joyce a look of pure amusement. "Mom, are you trying to set me up? With Aaron?"

Joyce didn't answer, but she set her face determinedly.

"Aaron is not respectable, he's not a man -- he's a vampire, and he's got at least four centuries on Angel. And despite the fact that he's a hottie, he prefers men. And my mother should know better than to invite a stranger into the house after dark." Buffy walked over to Aaron. "Am I right?"

Aaron chuckled. "Except for the four centuries bit. It's closer to forty. And she didn't invite me in. I have droit seigneur."

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise, and she nodded. "I know you didn't come for soup. So what is it? Business or pleasure?"

"It was business. Now, I'm not so sure." Aaron pulled Buffy closer and gave her a deceptively friendly hug, licking her neck on the side away from her mother. She didn't resist. He whispered into her ear. "Dinner could be nice. Favored childe of William, where is your sire?"

"L.A."

Aaron gave a seductive purr. "How very convenient for me." Oz growled.

For the first time that night Joyce looked at her in alarm. "What is he talking about, Buffy?"

"Can we not do this in front of my mother?" Buffy batted him away in annoyance, but didn't truly push him away. "I'll come willingly, there's no need to play games."

Aaron fake-pouted. "But it's so much fun. Besides, it might be nice to have an audience. Such a lovely wolf you have, Anne." Oz growled again. "You stink of the watcher, no wonder your sire ran off without feeding you."

"I fed this morning. I'm planning to hunt in a half hour if Ethan doesn't call back."

"You don't feed from the wolf? How very curious."

"Not when his mate's on her way and my mom is home. Now, do we really need to persist in this? You have succeeded in pushing my pride down the toilet, can we take this business upstairs?"



"Your mate is the little red witch, right?"

Oz nodded. "Willow."

Aaron pulled Buffy closer to him and began whispering into her ear. Buffy was pressed flush against his body, and Oz had started up a continuous low whine under his breath.

"Buffy, what is he saying to you?"

"The nice young man here is telling me he has every right to toss me over the kitchen island and fuck me. And since William's not here to run interference, he might just do it. I'd prefer doing the nasty in the bedroom, Aaron. There's a perfectly decent bed up there.

If you want an audience, we'll let Mr. Gordo watch. Come on." Buffy started to lead Aaron towards the stairs. "Well, I guess Mom managed to set me up with you."

Aaron smiled broadly. "Indeed."

The front door banged open. "Hullo! Anyone home!"

Buffy answered quickly. "In the back, Ethan!"

Ethan Rayne moved quickly to the back. When he spotted Aaron, he pulled out a stake. "Really, Aaron, is this necessary?"

"It's okay, Ethan, he has droit seigneur."

"I know, but he abandoned his claims over Aurelius a millennia ago. Why pursue them now?"

"The Slayer."

Sarcasm dripped from Ethan's voice. "This chit? You've got to be kidding me. She's the Slayer?"

"Mom knows I'm the Slayer, Ethan. She may be in denial-land, but she knows."

Ethan nodded, and dropped the pretense. "You'll break truce if you do this here, without William's permission."

"Why? She's willing. I have rights."

"If you want to assert the rights, you have to take on the responsibilities, Aaron. You'll be food, just like the rest of us. You just want to get her behind William's back, and walk away from the responsibility. Jarnisa would not approve."

Aaron wrinkled his nose and released Buffy. "She stinks of the Watcher."

Ethan tugged Buffy out of Aaron's reach. "She's always smelled like Ripper. I stink of Ripper more than she does, and it's never bothered you."

"Not anymore. She's going to stink of him for the next nine months."

Buffy snorted in disgust. "Great, another psychic loony. Now I know where Dru gets it from."

Ethan grabbed Buffy by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "Bloody hell, Anne! You didn't use precautions?"

"Can we not have this discussion in front of my mother?"

"The mother's right here! And wants to know what the hell is going on!" Oz clamped a hand over Joyce's mouth and shot her a warning look.

Ethan started to head for the door. "I'll kill the bastard!"

"No. Ethan," Buffy whispered, tugging him back. "You won't."

Ethan spared a glance for the vampire. "Aaron, go wait for me at my house. If you're looking for entertainment, I'll be there in an hour or so. I'm sure you'll find me much more amusing than Anne. And I won't need you afterwards." Aaron nodded and left without arguing.

On the way out the door, Aaron turned back and looked at Buffy. "Kakistos is in town with a half dozen masters. He's mainly gunning for the black-haired slayer, but Jarnisa wants them dead. Ten thousand."

Ethan looked at him in annoyance. "For Kakistos? Forget it. Thirty-five, and another five for each master. Or do your own dirty work. Go fetch the deposit on your way to my house. Out!" Aaron jumped on his way out as if he'd been slapped in the rear. Buffy giggled in a combination of panic and relief.

Ethan threw an arm around Buffy's shoulders. She sagged a bit. "Come on, love, let's go upstairs. Good Lord, and I thought I worshipped chaos." Ethan picked Buffy up into his arms as if she weighed nothing, and carried her up the stairs.