When third period rolled around, Xander headed straight for the library. He knew Cordelia would head there as soon as she could and he wanted to get started researching right away. He pushed the doors open in front of him and dropped his bag by a chair at the table. Giles was working at the checkout desk.

"Hey Giles, did Buffy tell you about the pus demon?"

"Pus demon? No she did not say anything about a pus demon, why?"

"We ran into it while patrolling on Friday, don't worry she got it, but it was major league weird. It was yellow skinned, it's eyes looked like they were leaking pus, green Giles, green and it stank. It was all we could do not to throw up. It ruined Buffy's shirt and Cordy's shoes. I was thinking about the pus and wondering if that meant it was sick or poisonous and if so, could it be something to worry about. I mean Buff basically got slimed by it. And Cordy may never forgive it for ruining her shoes."

"Well pus on anything isn't a good sign, so it is possible. I suppose we should research it and see if we can identify it and determine if that is its natural state."

"Cool, I've got a free, I can help. Cordy's meeting me here, she has a free too and thinks the demon may make her feet turn green or something if it actually is a problem. So if we can just figure it out, so I don't have to reassure her that her feet are fine, that would be great."

"Yes, I'm sure. You know where the books are, let's get started."

Cordelia arrived about 10 minutes later and greeted Xander with a kiss and discrete sniff, before sitting down beside him and grabbing one the books. In the end it was Xander who found the information on werewolves and Cordelia who found the information on the pus demon, which promptly led to her deciding she would be skipping lunch and possibly supper as the picture in the book was in vivid color. While she was gagging and Giles was reading, Xander was discretely slipping the book on werewolves into his school bag. While all three were relieved to see that they were in no danger from the demon and its pus, they were all grossed out to discover that the pus/stench were its way of a attracting a mate. Which meant that there might be more of them in Sunnydale. Giles sent Xander and Cordelia off to tell Buffy, while he, inured to such grossness after years of exposure to such things sat down at his desk and ate lunch.

Xander tracked Buffy down just as she and Willow were leaving the lunch room. "Hey, Buff got a minute?"

"Sure, Xand, what up?"

"You remember the uber weirdness of the yellow thing from Friday?" he asked, not wanting anyone to overhear them discussing demons in public. "Well I mentioned it to Giles, since that stuff it was leaking made me wonder if it was sick and if that was something we could catch. Turns out, all that weird was its way of attracting a mate. So Giles sent me to tell you to be on the lookout, because there might be more of them around."

"Great just when I thought my life couldn't get any weirder. Thanks for letting me know." she walked away muttering, 'major ew, major ew.'

Grimacing, because he wholeheartedly agreed and deciding lunch wasn't in his future either, Xander grabbed Cordelia's hand and lead her out outside to the bleachers. Checking to make sure no one was around, he pulled the book with the information on werewolves out. He showed her the passages he had found.

"So, basically, the three nights you've already transformed are it for now. But it'll happen again every month in the same three day cycle. So after school we'll go check out the old groundskeeper's place. I'm sorry, Cor the book says there no cure. This is a lifetime thing. Also, it's inherited, so that little boy as the mall last week? One or both of his parents is also a werewolf. So any of those little Chase-Harris we were daydreaming about will be too."

Cordelia leaned against him, it never occuring to her that discussing future children as though they were a done deal when your still seniors in high school was not a normal discussion for teenagers. Future children being of course a necessity of long term survival of a species meant offspring were inevitable and since Wolf-Cordy had decided Xander was her mate and Cordelia herself, was quite fond of him, it simply never occured to her wonder about it. If Xander had stopped to think about it, he might have noticed himself, but his own latent pack instincts were stirring, so he simply didn't.

"So I'm stuck like this. I have to learn to live with, like my stepmother has had to learn to live her Chronic Fatigue thing."

"Yah, but you're not alone, remember that. I'm not going anywhere. You, you lucky girl, are stuck with me for life, too."

"Oh lucky me, my very own Doofus." Cordelia cuddled closer, drinking in his scent and feeling herself relax. "Xander?"

"Yah, Cor?"

"I think I've got the better end of the bargain. You're giving up your life to take care of me and -"

"Cor, your not sick or dieing, you have a condition. I think comparing it your stepmother's condition is valid, though. It's something to live with, but it's not the end of world. And I'm not giving up anything. You're my Cordy. 'Nuff said. Besides would you run off if I was the one who got bit?"

She looked thoughtful, then said, "no, but I'd complain more and make cracks about you marking the furniture."

"You would too, wouldn't you. Cordy did I ever tell you about the first time I realized I loved you?"

"No, I don't think you ever said anything."

"Well there are two first times. The first time was when we were in kindergarten. I don't even remember what I said to bring it on, but I said something that made you smile. And I remember, thinking can I make her smile again? I love her smile. Well okay, it was your smile I was thinking I loved, but hey cut me some slack, I was five. The next time I realized I loved you was at the Bronze a few weeks ago. I realized I wanted to be the one who got make you happy. I wanted to be one you aimed that smile at for rest our lives. And I want be the one who holds you when you're upset. And the one you bicker with. And the one who gets to stroke your hair while cuddling on the couch. I want to be the one you depend on, Cor. I want to be the one you can depend. Let me love you. I will do everything I can to not let you down, I promise."

Cordelia felt tears prick her eyes. She'd known there was more to him then the clown for a long time, but to find she had barely scratched the surface. He was ducking his head, like he was afraid of a blow. He had poured his heart out and he was scared and so was she. So she did the only thing she could think of. She leaned forward and kissed him and said. "Yes, to all of it." That loped sided grin became full blown as he grabbed her and kissed her with all he had, leaving her dazed, breathless and tingling down to her toes. They spent the rest of lunch period just holding each other there on the bleachers.