An hour later, at the library.
"So you're telling us that you are still kinda Hyena Guy and could go insane, and she's Angel's Watcher?"
"Yeah, Buff," Xander sighed, "With Drusilla's help we figured out how to tell you guys, I've been worried about worrying you and Willow, especially when I found out about Kyle and the others."
"You both shoulda told us before, but I guess it's okay."
"I know I should have Buffy, but Jenny's really only been part of this a few days…but it's good we have a better idea."
"Is there anything else I need to know," she sighed, then caught Willow, Xander, Angel and Giles looking uncomfortable, "What now?"
"Ford's part of some society that reveres vampires, practically worships them," Angel revealed, "We don't know what he wants from you, but you can't trust him."
"How do you know this?"
"W-we followed an address, Buffy," Giles contributed, "To a club full of stupid children that think v-very highly of Mr. Fordham, who dress up like movie vampires and talk about being blessed by them soon."
"Oh."
"Alright, where's Dru?" Spike asked his minions as day break approached, "Anybody seen her?"
"Don't know, Boss," Dalton responded, "But I found a human club where they all want to be vampires."
"Well, first, we stop in for a bite to eat tomorrow night, then we'll go looking for Dru. Let all the others know to meet us there after night falls, got it?"
Late Morning, November 6th
"So Buff, you see your friend Ford around today?" Xander asked sympathetically, he'd had hopes his friend might have had a relatively normal dating opportunity, "Maybe it'll work out anyway?"
"I thought you…"
"Buff, you told me months ago you didn't see me that way, and I've moved on I guess," Xander said, "While I'll never approve of your relationship with a vampire I can still hope you find a human that can make you happy." He hadn't seemed to notice Willow had come up behind him though Buffy had.
"Well, if not me, why not someone, say Willow?"
"Well, it's funny, there was an almost moment a minute before you showed up for school this semester, but even if we wanted to do you think she's willing to change religions?"
"Huh?" both Willow and Buffy said in confusion at the same time, causing Xander to start a bit as the red head sat down next to Buffy and looked at him questioningly.
"Well, Willow's Jewish," Xander gestured, "And while I have a great appreciation, I pretty much have become seriously Christian since Halloween."
"Oh," the girls replied together.
"Yeah, oh," Xander remarked, "And I don't think Ira Rosenberg is broad-minded enough to accept his daughter not being Jewish while living under his roof, and it would not be my place to steal his daughter away, no matter how wonderful, especially when I currently am without the means to establish a household and provide for a family."
"It'd only be dating, Xander, not marriage," Buffy protested on Willow's behalf as Willow's mind was hard at work on the discussion and the fact that Xander wasn't rejecting her, but actually thinking about her in a way.
"Dating is supposed to be a get-acquainted kind trial period, Buff, that leads to marriage once it can be worked out. And 'it were better a man be an infidel than not support his family.'"
"Says who?"
"Says the memories I have of one of the first Christian priests," Xander said, "And I know I'm not him, but I'm still working on who I'm going to be."
"Not much fun, huh?"
"It has its good points, but I'm wondering if it would have been any easier if I had a soldier's memories up here or a superhero's."
"But you like her, right?"
"I love her, Buff, but I don't know how to make anything work right now," he replied, then turned to a sadly smiling Willow, "And I'm too confused to have it all crash and burn to see if it could be more right now, Wills."
"O-okay," Willow relied a little glumly, to have Xander lift her chin and give her the supporto-eyes and a little reassuring smile of his own.
"Friends, Wills?"
"Friends, but I want a first option on you…"
"Hmm, okay, but if you want to date someone else, just let me know first, okay? I just don't want to make my usual kind of remark and ruin it for you."
"Thanks, Xander."
"Love ya, Wills, you too Buff."