Buffy gaped at Xander and he stared back at her with shock. Somewhere behind her she could kinda feel Willow's stare as well, but she wasn't sure who it was directed at and not sure she cared. Her head was buzzing, an entire swarm of buzzing little insects that…that buzzed!

Xander and Dawn…her best friend and her little sister…were going with Spike…the eternal bleached menace…to see Faith…that…that…grr! Her mind couldn't even give proper words for the brunette that she had once mistakenly called a friend. A good friend, at that! And Xander and Dawnie were going with Spike to see her!

Xander still stood in her doorway, looking a little uncomfortable and confused, his hand fiddling with his cast. She remembered a time where he would have been fidgeting with his flannel shirt, but they wouldn't fit comfortably over his cast. It stung her heart to see how much that stupid white thing seemed to throw things off and it made cruel thoughts emerge when she thought of his parents, when she thought of what she would do if any harm ever came to him again, and Buffy knew, she just knew, that's what would happen if he hung around Spike and Faith.

He didn't seem to think so. After a few moments of shifting his weight from foot to foot, he said with a small shrug, "Well, yeah. Spike said he wanted to go see her, and Dawn said she wanted to go, but Spike was going to have a few beers and y'know, you shouldn't drink and drive, but Dawnie really wanted to go, so I kinda said I'd go and drive them home when Faith went to work…" He gave a nervous giggle. "It's no big."

"Yes, big! Big big. Huge big, even!" she countered immediately. "Xander, Spike and Faith are bad news and I'm not really sure you and Dawn should be going. I mean…" she floundered, knowing that they didn't know much about the Faith situation, any part of it really. She honestly didn't want to try to explain it either, because that was big hurt and betrayal which she could handle well on her own. "You don't really know what they're like. Spike is all creepy and kinda evil, and Faith…well Faith, she's definitely not the kind to just hang out. You'd just end up regretting it."

When he didn't say anything, looking cowed and a little unhappy with her proclamation, she went on. "Why don't you and Dawn stay in with Willow and me? We were thinking of making brownies and cookies and I could call mom real quick before she gets home and she'll get some Twinkies and some of those cheesy things we like so much. It'll be fun, and I'm sure it'll be much less stressful than going out…"

…That was the wrong thing to say…

She could see his entire body go rigid just from the mention of stress. It hadn't been Buffy's intention to allude to the scene two nights ago, but allude she had. She had been trying to just put it behind them and so far had done a good job of not even mentioning what they'd all had for dinner that night even. It was all out the window now.

So much for tact, she thought to herself.

"It's not stress, Buffy," Xander said with a false calm that usually belied how upset he was even more than when he was lashing out. "That was just a once in a blue moon sensory overload. I'm fine and I already told Dawn that I would drive them both. Giles is even fine with it."

Her eyes? Bugging out of her head! "Giles said it was okay for you to take my sister to a drinking party?"

"No!" Xander looked absolutely affronted. "No, it's not a party and it's not like they'll be drunk, Buffy." She could see some of the doubt in his eyes though. "He said a few beers and Faith has to go to work. It's not like she can go drunk, right?"

"Xander, both Spike and Faith work at a nightclub! Who knows what the rules are for bouncers there! And who knows who else Faith will invite. She kinda likes her parties if you hadn't guessed just by looking at her! I know she's pretty, alright, and I know guys are attracted to her," she said the last part with a depreciative laugh, "but she's not that great. Trust me."

Xander gave his own laugh, this one of disbelief. "That's what you think this is about? You think I'm going out because I think she's attractive?"

"Well, what else could it be?" she shouted back, truly frustrated with her friend. "It isn't Dawn, because I know if you were thinking about it clearly, you wouldn't allow her within ten feet of a place with alcohol. And Spike…he's Spike. He's a pain in the ass! Who are you doing it for, if not her?"

"If it was her that I was going for, and trust me, it's not! But if it was, do you think I'm that shallow? Dawn said she had gone before with him, I just figured this way it would be safer for everyone involved, y'know? 'Cause I'm Mr. Safe Guy?"

They were both getting worked up and on the verge of yelling at each other, so before Xander could continue, she said, "Look, Xander, I didn't mean it that way. It's just I know these two better than you. They are bad news. I just don't want you to get hurt."

He stared at her with his sweet, innocent brown eyes and shook his head. "It's a bit late for that, don't ya think, Buff?" He waved his right arm jerkily, dismissively. Her heart snapped in half a little. "I'm going to take a shower, and then I'm going to take Dawn and Bleach boy to that Faith-girl's house. I'll see you later tonight."

He was out of the room before she could do anything else.

She sat back on her bed, saw Willow behind her just staring at the door with wide grey-green eyes and a shattered countenance that must have rivaled her own. When their eyes met, Buffy sighed and scooted closer to Willow, trying to both give and gather comfort after that tense meeting.

"Is that normal, too…after…?" she trailed off, not wanting to bring up the obvious elephant that was in every room of the house.

Willow shook her head, still looking shell-shocked. Her mouth open and closed a few times. "I don't know what that was, but it was very un-Xander." She closed her mouth with a pout on her face as she stared at Buffy, then slowly she let her mouth fall shut. "I don't want this to sound mean or anything, and I-I don't want to imply that this has anything to do with you or Dawnie, but maybe it's the stress o-of y'know, being in a new place. My mom says trauma can make new situations kind of, well, she says they can exacerbate the problem and put strain on relationships because it's all wonky in their head and in their surroundings. No real comfort mechanism…"

Buffy started pouting too. "You think that's it? You think being here in L.A. is doing this to him?"

She shrugged. "I'm not totally positive, but it could be. Probably not. It's probably something else but…maybe?"

The blond sagged. "Maybe we could talk to Giles or something."

Willow looked dubious, but didn't protest.