Willow glanced at the clock that stood on her nightstand, then back at the partially dressed Slayer. She wiggled her toes insider her sneakers nervously before returning her attention to the neon digits of the clock which had advanced two minutes.
"Um, Buffy," Willow began.
"What's up?" The Slayer asked, slipping into a sexy purple dress and matching sandals.
"It's just…we were supposed to be at the Bronze fifteen minutes ago, and it's a twenty minute walk there from my house and if we don't leave soon then we shouldn't either bother going."
Buffy smiled at her friends naiveté. "Silly Willow, silly, silly Willow."
"What?"
"We need to make them wait. If we show up right on time, or early, they won't appreciate us as much," The Slayer explained.
"I don't understand."
"If we come on time all they'll do is look us once over and then go about their conversations. If we come in late they'll be angry that we've kept them waiting so long. Then, by the time they finally see us we'll blow them away with out beauty and they'll forget all about their anger."
Willow smiled at Buffy's logic. Though she saw that it made sense to Buffy she was still grateful that the Slayer had finished putting up her hair and they could go to the Bronze.
*** *** *** *** ***
"Where are they?" Xander asked Spike impatiently.
The vampire smirked. "You really thought they would be on time?"
"Willow's always on time," Xander responded, not understanding why Spike was mocking him.
"Well let me give you a little bit of advice about women. Trust me, with the girl I found you, you'll need it next weekend. Lesson the first, they want to be noticed. To be noticed they'll show up late on a date so they know they have your full attention. Now, while you are waiting for them you must constantly be on the alert. The second they walk through the door looking stunning you should be by their side telling them they look lovely and offering them your arm."
"This isn't the seventeen hundreds, Spike. I don't think women need that much attention," Xander assured the vampire.
Spike shook his head. "In a few seconds Buffy and Willow are going to come through the Bronze door. When they do you stay back here," Spike said, indicating the table that the two were sitting at.
"Why?" Xander asked.
"So you can watch and learn," Spike responded with a smirk before standing and making his way to the entrance of the Bronze. True to his word Buffy and Willow came through the door the second he reached it.
Xander watched in amazement as Spike spoke to the Slayer, saying something that caused her cheeks to redden before he planted a soft kiss on her lips. Then he turned and bestowed the same attention to Willow. However, he only kissed the redhead on the cheek. Xander stood as Spike ushered Willow and Buffy to the table the men had claimed.
"How did you do that?" Xander asked softly to Spike after the vampire had come to sit beside him.
Spike grinned, "What can I say. I'm a charmer."
"So Buff, anything new going on with you?" Xander asked.
Buffy arched an eyebrow, "You mean since this afternoon?" She asked.
"Just making conversation," Xander mumbled.
"Sorry Xand, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease you."
"I forgive but I do not forget," Xander declared playfully.
"Fine, I'll bite. My afternoon was basically spent…" Buffy trailed off and turned her attention away from her friends.
"What is it love?" Spike asked, concerned.
"Vampires."
Spike followed Buffy's eyes in time to see the door that led out to the alley behind the Bronze close. "They're in the alley."
"How many are there?" Willow asked.
"I only saw three."
"We can handle three. Can we handle three? We can handle three," Xander decided.
"I can handle three. You guys can stay put."
"Buffy, I know you're worried about us, but we have been fighting vampires for a while. We can handle it," Willow assured the Slayer.
"I know you guys can handle a few vamps, but with Malcah about to rise who knows how dangerous these vamps are. They could be working for her or-"
"Or nothing. No matter what this big-bad is we'll be able to deal with it better if we stick together."
"Whatever, the point is we don't have time to discuss this now. I'm going to head out back and see if they're still there. We'll talk about this later," Buffy declared, standing and heading towards the back door of the Bronze. Just as she reached the door to the Bronze Spike watched her produce a stake from the confines of her clothing and then slip out the door and into the alley.
"So, we just going to sit here because she tells us to?" Xander asked.
"Of course not you git. Lesson the second. Women never say what they mean. Let's go," Spike said, rising to his feet and heading in the direction the Slayer had.
"As much as I'm on board with that for the sake of women everywhere I'd like it if you refrained from general statements like saying that 'women never say what they mean' because to be perfectly honest-" Willow ranted, only to stop when she realized that Xander and Spike had both headed towards the door. "Ugh! Men. They talk, talk, talk, but they never listen."