Chapter Nine

Buffy opened the door and went back inside. Her gaze stayed at the floor, letting her mind go into deep thought. She went straight upstairs and to her room. Buffy plopped down on her bed, arms stretched out. This could be some serious suckiness. Xander can't be in love with my Mom forever. I don't even want to think about what could happen. But of coarse she did. He could start stalking her, actually that's expecting too much, he'll just follow her around in the open and say he loves her. Everyone will think she's the next Mrs. Robinson. And I can't come up with an excuse for his hyped up lovey doveyness for the rest of my life. We might even have to consider hiring a hit man.

"Buffy? Are you hungry?" Joyce called up the stairs, her left hand lying on the mantle.

"No!" she called, welcoming the intermission from disturbing Xander and her Mom thoughts.

"Are you sure?" Buffy sat up in shock when her mother's voice was closer than before. Joyce was leaning against her doorway, arms folded. "We can order a pizza."

Pizza?! The magic words of the food world. Well, besides any other promise of food. "Pizza's good."

"Plain?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Joyce turned and left.

At least it wasn't an interrogation about Xander and the whole-

"Uh, Buffy," Joyce asked, popping back in her room. "What was the project?"

"Huh?"

"The project you and Xander are doing."

"Oh," Buffy remembered. "Just this thing for Science. We tested his…" She was trying to think of some big words to cover up her lie. "Cerebellum by introducing a habitat to the subject, which is Xander, and obstruct it by introducing new inhabitants." Wow, that came out surprisingly well. I almost convinced myself.

"All right then." Joyce left and went down the stairs to the kitchen.

Buffy exhaled. "Sometimes I really surprise myself." She sat there for a minute and looked over at her dresser. She pursed her lips and stood up. She walked over to the box, which now had only one pill in it. Buffy picked it up and carried it over to her bed.

Downstairs Joyce called for a large cheese pizza and some garlic knots. Once she hung up, the door opened. She looked out and saw Giles. "Hello Rupert."

"Oh, hello Joyce." Giles placed his briefcase by the door. "Do you know where Spike is?"

"Upstairs isn't he?"

"Well, I noticed his car's not here."

"Oh, well, maybe Buffy knows. I can go ask," Joyce offered, walking to the stairs.

"No, that's all right. I can go. But thank you."

"Sure."

Buffy was looking closely at the last pill. "How can you make someone fall in love?" Buffy asked it. "You look like a normal aspirin to me." She carefully smelled it. "You smell like an aspirin." She put her tongue out to give it a little lick.

"Buffy," Giles said, startling her.

Buffy accidentally dropped the pill in her mouth and swallowed in panic. Oh no! She quickly turned away from Giles. Oh no! Don't make me fall in love with Giles!

"Buffy? You all right?" he asked with concern. She heard him walking towards her.

Buffy held her hand out and said, "Fine. I'm fine. Just, what is it?"

"I wanted to ask you a quick question."

"What?"

"Do you know where Spike went?"

"He brought Xander home."

"How long ago?"

"I don't know. I don't look at my watch all the time!" Buffy said with frustration. Whoah Buffy, calm yourself down. "Sorry, I'm just a little stressed from my history test today."

"Of coarse," he said, not sure what to make of the situation. "Well, I'll just…" he trailed off and left.

"Giles?" she asked, making sure he wasn't there. When there was no answer she turned around. Buffy grabbed the phone and called Willow.

Half an hour later, Willow returned to Buffy's house. She was standing outside with Oz. They planned on a quiet evening alone together but Buffy's problem was more substantial. "I'd ask you to come in but, Buffy can't look at you or she'll become infatuated with you."

"That could ruin my image. I'm also not much for the desperate girls."

Willow smiled. Oz was always so understanding and ready to do anything for her. "I'll see you later?"

"As long as you'll still want to see me." They kissed each other. Oz placed his right hand gently on Willow's cheek. They parted after a couple more seconds. "I love you."

"I love you too." They gave each other one more quick kiss before walking away. Willow walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

Giles opened it. "Oh. Hello Willow."

"Hi Mr. Giles. I came to see Buffy."

"Oh, yes," he held open the door for her.

"Thanks." Willow walked in and made her way upstairs. "Buffy?" she asked, walking into her room. Buffy had one of her shirts tied around her eyes.

"Willow," she said sadly.

"Why is there a shirt on your head?"

"Just in case I saw Giles when I went to the bathroom. I am not falling for him."

"I understand." Willow sat on her bed. "But he's not here now and your door's shut.

"I'm not going to chance it. But I can't wear this on Monday. What am I gonna do?" she asked.

"I don't know," Willow said with a hint of a whine. She wanted to help, but she couldn't think of anything.

Author's Note: I'm sorry but Spuffiness is pushed back a little bit. This chapter and the next one were supposed to be only one chapter but it wasn't uploading it so I had to divide them. I figured you would prefer a faster update than a longer chapter.