3rd Person's POV

As Cordelia, Angel, and Laney sit in the library, Xander can be heard outside in the hall.

"So, both coffins are empty. That makes three girls signed up for the army of zombies."

Willow frowns, "Is it an army if you just have three?"

Angel gets up from the table and faces them. Cordelia clings to his arm and gets up, too. Laney glances over at Angel's uncomfortable face and chuckles to herself making him glare at her playfully.

"Zombie drill team then." Buffy replies to Willow not noticing the three in the library waiting.

"You're back."

Buffy jumps slightly, "Angel!"

Angel looks at Xander who is standing beside Buffy and frowns, "Xander."

Xander shrugs, "Angel."

Angel looks over at Buffy, "I thought you were takin' the night off."

"I, I was, um, but something came up."

Angel sighs, "Cordelia told me the truth."

Xander chuckles, "That's gotta be a first."

Laney rolls her eyes, "Don't be rude Alex."

Giles walks past the awkward group, "Um, as long as you're here, perhaps you could be of some help. Hmm?"

Buffy nods, "We were investigating. Somebody's been digging up the bodies of dead girls."

Angel goes to move forward but Cordelia is still wrapped around him, "I know. We found some of them."

"You mean, like, two of the three?"

Laney gags just thinking back to a few minutes ago, "No he means, like, some of them... Like parts."

Cordelia sniffles, "It was horrible. Angel saved me from an arm. God, there were so many parts, they were everywhere. Why are these terrible things always happening to me?"

"Karma!" Xander coughs to cover it)

Willow grimaces, "So much for our zombie theory."

Giles rubs his temple, "So much for all our theories."

Buffy crosses her arms across her chest as she paces, "I don't get it. Why go to all the trouble to dig up three girls only to chop them up and throw them away? It doesn't make any sense. Especially from a time management standpoint."

Angel shrugs, "Well, what I saw didn't add up to three whole girls. I think they kept some parts."

Laney frowns as bile rises in her throat. She gulps and digs in her purse for gum, "Could this get yuckier? I mean what the hell do they want with human parts?"

"They probably kept the other parts to eat."

Buffy frowns looking over at Willow, "Question answered."

Laney shakes her head in disgust then shoves a piece of gum in her mouth.

Giles frowns taking off his glasses, "Why dispose of the remains five miles from the cemetery at a school, of all places?"

"Maybe because whoever did it had some business in the neighborhood. Like, say, classes?" Buffy suggests.

Angel shakes his head, "This was no hatchet job. Whoever made those incisions really knew what they were doing."

Giles looks at Angel disbelieving, "Yes, really. What student here is gonna be that well versed in physiology?"

Willow puts her finger on her chin thinking, "Well, I can think of five or six guys in the science club. And me. And Laney..."

Everyone looks over at the ill looking Laney and shakes their head. Xander chuckles as he turns to Willow, "So, Will, come clean. Promise to never do it again, and we'll call it a night."

The library fills with silence as he receives no response.

"He joked!" Xander smiles.

"Willow, why don't you get these guys' locker numbers so we can do some checking?" Buffy ignores Xander's joke.

Cordelia shakes her head, "No. I have to go home now. I have to take a bath and burn my clothes."

Xander glances at her in mock disappointment, "You have to go? Aw, too bad. Keep in touch. Buh-bye."

Cordelia whines, "I don't wanna go alone. I'm still fragile."

Laney chuckles already knowing where her best friend was going with this. Cordelia glances at Buffy before turning to Angel giving him a puppy dog face.

"Can you take me?"

Angel is in open-mouthed shock, and looks at Buffy.

"Ugh sure?"

Buffy scoffs inwardly as she gives him a stare of disapproval.

Cordelia smiles, "Great! I'll drive?"

She leads the way out of the library as Angel gives Buffy another helpless look. Buffy frowns and cross her arms over her chest tapping her foot. Laney chuckles and follows behind the two.

"I'll go with. Keep an eye on them and be back."

The three disappear.

Xander chuckles to himself, "How about that? I always pegged him as a one-woman vampire."

...

Cordelia parks her car in front of her house and they all get out. She walks up to her patio and turns to Angel.

"Thanks so much for saving me! You're such a hero."

"No problem I guess."

She pulls him into a hug then turns to Laney.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

Laney turns away to walk down the stairs but is stopped by a hand holding onto her wrist.

"Hey you know I'm sorry right? Like completely... I know the anniversary date is coming up and we had our differences back then but you're my best friend and I don't want to lose you."

"I know Cordy. It's okay. I forgave you back then I forgive you now. It's all good. We're all good."

"Promise?" Cordelia grimaces.

"Swear."

Laney's arms wrap Cordy in a tight embrace. Cordelia pulls away and smiles then disappears into her house. Laney looks over at Angel who was still standing nearby and frowns.

"Oh you're still here?"

Angel shrugs, "Well yeah you said you were going back to the school... Just making sure you get there."

"Oh um okay."

The two walk side by side in silence. Laney's heart beats quickly each time their hands slightly graze one another. Angel tries to breathe deeply as he hears Laney's heartbeat and smells her citrus scent. He didn't have feelings for her at all but an interest and attraction was definitely there.

"So how's everything with Buffy?"

Angel sighs, "How's everything with Xander?"

Laney frowns and looks over at Angel with deadpanned look.

"Really? Look I just want to make sure you're treating my friend well. And there's nothing with Xander. That ship has sailed. I mean you see how he's been acting towards her. He loves her... you said it before and I'm saying it now. As much as I utterly hate it... shit happens."

Angels eyebrows furrow, "Damn who else broke your heart?"

Freezing in place, Laney looks over at Angel with a sad expression then shakes her head lightly and continues walking.

"Plenty of people. My mom told me I was a selfish brat the day she moved to another country, my dad told me how disappointed he was and hurt with me keeping secrets from him and then he died before we could ever talk about it. Let's see my ex boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend then he died, and Xander is falling in love with my good friend who has also died... but is now alive and well, so maybe that doesn't count."

Angel glances over at Laney who is trying to secretly wipe away a tear. He frowns and looks forward.

"Wow what's up with you and death? Seems like a lot of people around you die... good thing I'm already dead."

Laney laughs as more tears fall from her eyes, "That was so awful. You have a horrible way of trying to make me feel better. Nice try though."

"I'm sorry. Look sometimes in life crap happens. You don't want it to and you don't see it coming, but it has to happen. Just think it made you into the person you are today. You're strong and independent and caring. Not a brat... you're definitely not selfish. From what I know and have seen so far, you put others before yourself all the time. That guy... your ex was an asshole for cheating on you and with Cordelia, your best friend... that was just a jack ass move. But from your conversation just now and the way you two act around each other, it seems like you two worked everything out. Which is good because we all need someone... at least one person who understands and cares. You know?"

Laney looks over at him in awe, "Wow thanks Angel."

Angel nods and puts his hands in his pocket, "And forget about Xander, if he can't see how great you are then that's on him. Someone will come along and treat you how you should be treated. You're pretty great don't think you're less than you are... And um Buffy is hard to read and very hard to please... I'm still trying to figure her out but thanks for checking in on her. Shows what kind of person you are. What kind of friend you are."

Silence fills the air once more as the two stop talking. Their footsteps are the only sound heard as they near closer and closer to the school.

"I think that's the most I've heard you talk since I met you."

𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑤𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟? 𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑜𝑠? 𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟? 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑔𝑢𝑦𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑔𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐿𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑦'𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑡? 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑡𝑜?