Say that since Xander started dating Cordelia, you realized what you were missing

Buffy POV

"This is silly," Willow whispered as she glanced over the script.

"I know, Cordelia wrote it," I replied as I strained my ears for any sound of Angel. I really wish I'd spent time learning how to sense vampires like Giles was always going on about.

"I can't read this," Willow protested.

"Well, we can spend the rest of the night clutching stakes," I said as I looked down at the weapons we had. Angel had killed Willow's fish, a clear message that more was coming. It was a tragic event, but gave a convenient excuse for having Willow over.

I heard the slightest footstep outside my window. Angel would definitely be coming to check on the progress he had made, "It's time to make a decision."

Willow nodded her head as she looked down at the script, "Xander, really?"

I started to read as well, "Yes, I know it is a surprise, given how bad I usually am at..."

Willow was right, we couldn't read this. Cordelia was a horrible author. Or was she so full of herself that she actually believed people talked this way?

"Ad lib," Willow told me. Great, now this is a foreign language class. "Buffy, you shouldn't be so down on yourself."

I glanced at the script. "Well Cordelia has such amazing...well, if Cordelia is going to date Xander, there must be something there, right?"

"I mean, she is a slut," Willow said, going completely off script. "And a bitch."

"Sure, but to actually date Xander, there has to be something more there."

"Like what?"

"Well, he is pretty cute. And brave. Like he is willing to run into danger for you. Really dedicated to doing what is right. Oh, and he's pretty funny too. And..." Willow started tapping my script, I wasn't even reading it anymore. "Yeah, um, you've noticed what he has in his pants, right?"

"Obviously. I mean, surely Angel was capable of getting you..." Willow paused her script reading as she cleared her throat. "Pleasing you?"

"Bluntly, no. Angel is very pretty, and really sensitive, but when it comes to passion, it was sorely missing. Like we dated for a year and a half and I had to make every single move."

"But when the two of you had sex..."

"Disappointing," I replied. That wasn't even in the script.

I heard a twig snap outside, "Willow, the crossbow!"

I wasn't trying to grab the crossbow actually, that was the ending signal to hopefully get Angel to take off.

I took a few moments before I glanced out the window. Yeah, no sign of Angel. It had either been him or one of his minions. Or I guess maybe just a random Sunnydale creepy crawly. Whatever it was, word was going to get to him one way or the other.

"Hey, um, Buffy," Willow said after a few minutes had passed.

"Yeah, Will?"

"How much of what you said was actually true?"

That was a question I was going to have to ask myself. "Let's try and get some sleep. We still have school tomorrow."

-

Angelus splashed water on his face, "I'm going to rip his throat out and show it to her."

Spike smiled, enjoying seeing Angelus in discomfort, "So the little Slayer has finally moved on. I guess you didn't do the deed as well as you thought."

"She loves me. She has to. It's a..." Angelus paused for a moment, "an act. It has to be."

"You don't sound too sure there, mate," Spike replied.

"What are you talking about?" Drusilla said as she swept into the room.

"Buffy has a new beau," Spike told her.

"Xander," Angelus growled. "A petty infatuation. Especially after I kill him."

"Oooh, Xander," Dru said with a whimsical smile.

"Wait, what?" Spike asked her, suddenly concerned.

"That's the boy who did the beautiful love spell," Dru said as she remembered it.

"It was just a spell, Dru," Angelus told her.

"Yes, but still," she said as she ran her hands through the air, "he had such an enjoyable presence to him that I..."

"Enough!" Spike shouted. "Are we killing the Slayer or not?"

"You're not doing anything in a wheelchair," Angelus told him. "We will follow my plan until..."

Dru left the room, a smile on her face. Xander. Yes, she would have to pay the boy a visit.

-

Jenny Calendar groaned as she watched the program work, trying to decipher the old spell. She couldn't believe how slow this was going. Her computer was top of the line. An Intel Pentium III with 600 MHz!

At this rate it would take months.

"Ms. Calendar," Willow said as the door opened.

"Yes?" she answered while quickly turning off the monitor. She was surprised to see someone else with Willow. "Oh, hello Cordelia."

"We have something to run by you," Willow said quickly. "It's going to sound crazy.”

A few minutes later Jenny could only shake her head, "Seriously?"

"Is it really such a bad idea?" Willow asked, afraid of what her mentor might think.

Jenny let out a sigh, "No, I see what you are trying to do. But why come to me?"

"Well, we need a bit of help with the next step," Cordelia said. "And being that you are supposed to make sure Angelus is still suffering and..."

"That's behind me," Jenny said firmly. "However, keeping him off his game is a good idea."

"Great!" Cordelia said.

"Yeah, great," Willow murmured.

"We have two plans, and they both involve your help," Cordelia said. "I was thinking a great next step would be if Buffy took some sexy pictures, and then make certain Angel knows she sent them to Xander."

"And I still think if you want to make Angel really upset, and Xander really happy, you are going to have to throw in another girl," Willow countered.

Jenny smiled as she looked Willow over. She knew the girl better than she knew herself.

It looked like the decision fell to her.

1) Picture time! (15)

2) Girl on girl! (11)