3rd Person's POV

Buffy walks into the Bronze. Angel sees her come in and goes over to her.

Buffy smiles lightly, "Hi."

"Hi."

"So, is there danger at the Bronze? Should I beware?"

Angel frowns in confusion with her tone, "I can't help thinking I've done something to make you angry. And that bothers me more than I'd like."

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm not angry. I don't know where that comes from."

"What are you afraid of? Me? Us?"

Buffy scoffs, "Could you contemplate getting over yourself for a second? There's no 'us'. Look, Angel, I'm sorry if I was supposed to spend the summer mooning over you, but I didn't. I moved on... To the living."

She heads over to Willow and Xander's table. Cordelia watches her go by, and wonders about her attitude. Laney walks out the bathroom and heads over at Cordelia.

"What's up with the face Cordy?"

"Buffy's being a bitch again. It's so weird. She literally just went off of Angel."

Laney frowns and glances over at Angel, "What why?"

"No idea."

Laney pulls Cordelia's arm and walks to Angel. She taps on his shoulder making him turn around and look at her in question.

"She's changed right? It's not just me that's she's upset with for whatever reason?"

Angel nods, "No it's not just you."

The three stand and watch as Buffy walks over to Willow and Xander.

Buffy smiles wifey as she stands beside Xander, "Hey!"

Xander smiles back, "Hi."

Willow glances at Angel who looked upset then noticed Cordelia and Laney standing beside him. All three stood and stared at Buffy as if examining her.

"What's wrong with Angel?"

Buffy shrugs not looking, "Beats me."

"Let's dance." Buffy pulls at Xander's shirt making him follow her to the dance floor.

"Ooo-kay."

Buffy and Xander begin to slow dance. Her movements are very sensual. Buffy turns around and spoons in against Xander, pulling his arms around her waist. She grinds her hips and shoulders against   She reaches up with her hand and strokes his face. Angel faces shows jealousy for a moment before he wears a blank stare. Willow just sits and watches in disbelief. Buffy smirks and continues her grinding as she sees Laney's eyes turn from stone cold to hurt within seconds.

Little by little Buffy turns to Xander and tilts her head up to his, close enough to kiss. Laney doesn't stay around to watch anymore. She pushes past Angel and runs out the Bronze ignoring the calls of Cordelia.

Angel watches her disappear then looks back at Buffy who was looking dead in his eyes. Shaking his head he looks at Cordelia.

"I'm going to go make sure she's alright."

Cordelia doesn't say anything as she glares at Buffy. Angel disappears and follows after Laney. Buffy looks back at Xander and smiles.

"Xander? Did I ever thank you... for saving my life?"

Xander stammers, "No."

Buffy slowly slithers around him, making sure not to lose contact with his body, "Don't you wish I would?"

She breaks off, leaving him standing there. Xander isn't sure what to make of it all, but he knows he doesn't like it. Buffy goes back to their table and retrieves her jacket. She walks past Cordelia as she makes her way out of the Bronze. Xander is still standing on the dance floor, upset and unsure how to react.

Buffy exits the Bronze and walks down the alley at a quick pace as Cordelia follows her out.

"Buffy."

Buffy stops and turns around.

Cordelia crosses her arms, "You're really campaigning for bitch-of-the-year, aren't you?"

Buffy smirks, "As defending champion, you nervous?"

Cordelia smiles, "I can hold my own. You know, we've never really been close, which is nice, 'cause I don't really like you that much, but... you have on occasion saved the world and stuff. And I'm not sure why but Laney talks to you sometimes, so I'm gonna... do you a favor."

Buffy shrugs, "And this great favor is..."

"I'm gonna give you some advice... Get over it."

"Excuse me?"

Cordelia nods, "Whatever is causing the Joan Collins 'tude, deal with it. Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever, but get over it. 'Cause pretty soon you're not even gonna have the loser friends you've got now."

Buffy scoffs, "I think it's about time you start minding your own business."

"It's long past."

"Nighty-night." Buffy flips up her hood and leaves.

Cordelia sticks out her tongue at Buffys vanishing figure then turns around to go back in the Bronze. She is suddenly grabbed by two vampires coming out of the shadows and dragged into an adjacent building.

"Stop following me."

Laney turns around and stops walking. Angel stops behind her and sighs.

"I'll leave you alone when you're home."

"Angel I'm fine."

Angel doesn't say anything else and just stands staring at Laney. Laney frowns in annoyance and turns around then walks.

Finally, they get to her house. He follows her into her room where she falls face first onto her bed.

"Now that's a little dramatic."

"I didn't do that cuz I was upset. I did it cuz I'm sleepy."

Angel smiles lightly as he tries to figure out what Laney said since it was muffled into the covers. Angel frowns looking at the heels on Laney's feet.

Laney's eyebrows furrow in confusion as she feels her heels slide off her feet. She lifts her head and sees her heels on the floor and Angel sitting in the chair in the corner of her room. She smiles at him making him frown at her.

"What?"

"You know you're kinda like my friend." Laney smirks.

Angel shakes his head with a blank stare, "No I'm not. I don't have friends."

"You do now." Laney smiles making Angel's lip twitch upwards, "Was that a smile?"

"No."

"I think it was."

"It wasn't."

"Definitely was."

Suddenly, the door bursts open making Laney yelp and jump in surprise. Xander stands looking at Laney lay in bed then he looks over at Angel in confusion.

"What are you doing here?"

Angel shrugs, "What are you doing here?"

Xander shakes his head, "No no no what are you doing here?"

"Um excuse me. What are YOU doing here?"

Xander turns to Laney and grimaces, "Oh right." He looks over at Angel and frowns, "Could we have a little privacy please?"

Angel looks at Laney who sighs and nods. Angel nods and walks to the window.

"You know where I am if you need me... But for the love of God please don't."

Laney chuckles as he disappears then glares at Xander. Xander flinches at the intensity of her glare.

"Laney I'm an idiot. I'm an asshole. I'm a stupid boy. I'm a horrible friend. I'm a terrible person. I'm just bad in general. You were right. I couldn't figure out between my crush on Buffy and my feelings for you. I'm sorry that I did that to you. I really am. You didn't deserve that and I really sincerely mean it. We may never be how we were but that's okay. All I want is for you to talk to me again. Be my friend. Please. I miss you so much. You're the pea to my pod. The Bonnie to my Clyde. The-"

Laney holds a finger up to Xander's lips, "First of all they were lovers and they both died. Second pea to your pod?"

Xander's voice catches in his throat as he hears Laney laugh. He hadn't heard that in literally two months. It was angelic. If he couldn't be in a romantic relationship with her then the next best thing was a friendship. He couldn't lose her. She was too important.

"So you forgive me?" Xander grimaces.

Laney squints her eyes and nose thinking, "Hmm alright. But you owe me. Like big time. I'm talking five pound chocolate bar. No actually I'm talking cheese fries."

"Wow that's serious."

Laney smiles at Xander's joke. She had missed him.

"Friends?" She holds out her hand.

Xander nods and shakes her hand, "Friends."

"Oh and I was serious. Like I want cheese fries right now."