Buffy, Willow and Oz are sitting at a table. Willow is eating, Oz is sitting close with his arm around her waist and Buffy is sipping on a super-dupa sized juice.
BUFFY: So I've officially decided to move out.
WILLOW: (surprised at this sudden statement)What?, when?, why?.
BUFFY: (steals one of Willow's fries)I'm moving out of the dorm, as soon as I can find somewhere else, and because it's either that or I destroy Kathy's CD collection with one of those big ten ton weighs that Wile E Coyote always got hit with.
OZ: Quality Acme product.
WILLOW: Where are you going to stay?.
BUFFY: I'm sure it won't be too hard to find a place. Plus there's Mom or Giles in a pinch.
WILLOW: Isn't Giles having a........friend stay with him?.
BUFFY: Well yeah, I kinda forgot about that.
WILLOW: ..and didn't you say your old room was full of boxes from the gallery?.
BUFFY: Okay, I'll have to think about this a bit more.
XANDER: Daydreaming about me again?.
Xander slumps down into a chair next to Buffy.
BUFFY: Aren't I always?.
XANDER: Well you're only human after all.
BUFFY: (giggles)Why aren't you at work?.
XANDER: Oh I quit.
He goes to take some of Willow's fries, she just hands the whole plate to him.
WILLOW: Why?, how come everyone's making this big decisions all of a sudden?.
XANDER: You remember that guy who used to stand outside the pizza place with that big sign?.
BUFFY: The one you always made fun of?.
XANDER: Well he's manager now, and guess who he wanted to be the new sign guy?.
WILLOW: So you're jobless again?.
XANDER: Yep, thought I'd just bum around for a while.
BUFFY jolts, WILLOW just kicked her under the table.
BUFFY: (whispers)What?.
WILLOW shifts her head toward Xander slightly.
BUFFY: What?.
XANDER: Are you subtly pointing to me for a reason Will?.
WILLOW: I was trying to suggest that maybe Buffy could move in with you.
BUFFY: (embarrassed)Oh.....
XANDER: (nervous)Umm...
WILLOW: What?, she doesn't like the dorm. Where's the problem?.
XANDER: It's just kinda dungeon-esq, not the most girly of locations.
BUFFY: ....and it's pretty cramped as it is, isn't it?.
XANDER: Yeah, but y'know I'd love to have you there........er, staying there I mean.
BUFFY: (smiles at Xander's awkwardness)I know.
There's obviously a HUGE party going on inside, we can hear laughter and talking and really bad top 40 music. Buffy stands on the Porch by herself.
A good looking guy with a goatee comes up the stairs of the house, he's just about to go inside when he notices Buffy.
SCOTT: Hey.
BUFFY: (looks up)Hi.
SCOTT: Must be a great party.
BUFFY: It's okay, I'm not really in the mood for partying.
SCOTT: So you decided to head straight for the nearest kegger?.
BUFFY: (smiles)Thought it might make me feel better.
SCOTT: Watching Quarterbacks and Cheerleaders get so drunk they throw up always puts a smile on my face.
BUFFY: What do your Fraternity brothers think about that?.
SCOTT: Oh I'm not in this frat.....or any frat, do I look like a frat guy?.
BUFFY: No, I just assumed.
SCOTT: Oh, you had me scared for a moment there.
BUFFY: So what are you doing here then?.
SCOTT: I trawl porches late at night looking for beautiful girls to take advantage of.
They both smile.
SCOTT: Do you want to maybe get some coffee or something?.
BUFFY: Umm...I don't think so, sorry.
SCOTT: That's cool. Let me guess, you're involved with a tall dark haired guy?.
BUFFY: (confused)What makes you say that?.
Scott points behind her to Xander, who's standing on the lawn outside the house.
SCOTT: See you around?.
BUFFY: Sure.
Scott goes inside and Buffy goes down the stairs to Xander.
XANDER: (apologetic)Did I interrupt ?.
BUFFY: That?, no we where just talking.
XANDER: (unusually quiet)Ah-huh.
BUFFY: (concerned)What's up Xander?.
XANDER: Up?.
BUFFY: Why are you wandering around the campus at eleven at night?.
XANDER: Just passing through.
BUFFY: (resolve face)Xander....
XANDER: ..looking for you.
BUFFY: Why?.
XANDER: You know that big motivational speech I gave you last week?.
BUFFY: Yeah.
XANDER: Can I have one?.
BUFFY: Can we walk and talk?, it's a little cold.
Xander takes off his jacket and hands it to Buffy.
XANDER: Here.
BUFFY: (smiles)Thanks.
XANDER: Exactly where are we walking to?.
BUFFY: Oh.....um, your place?.
XANDER: Buff, I'm looking to get less depressed.
BUFFY: You?, depressed?.
XANDER: Alright, depressed might be a little melodramatic.
Buffy stops walking and faces Xander
BUFFY: What's wrong?.
XANDER: Nothing a complete life overhaul wouldn't fix.
BUFFY: What would you change?.
XANDER: How long have you got?.
BUFFY: How long do you need?.
It starts to rain and they run.
Buffy and Xander quietly go in the back door and turn on the kitchen light, Buffy puts the kettle on and Xander sits at the table.
BUFFY: Wait here for a second.
Buffy runs out of the kitchen and up the stairs, she returns with a stuffed pig and hands it to Xander.
BUFFY: Here.
XANDER: Mr Gordo?.
BUFFY: I know it's stupid, but he always made me feel better, and now I have you for that. Consider it a basement warming present.
XANDER: (smiles slightly)Thanks.
BUFFY: So, come on give me the list. Everything you don't like about your life.
XANDER: Do you really think that'll make me feel better?.
BUFFY: It's worth a try.
Buffy sits down opposite Xander.
XANDER: (sighs deeply)Alright, firstly there's the fact I have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life.
BUFFY: Well neither do I.
XANDER: Then what are you studying at college?.
BUFFY: .....stuff.
XANDER: Stuff that'll give you a good three years before you even have to think about it, plus there's the whole 'chosen one' thing.
BUFFY: Okay.
XANDER: Then there's my living in the basement.
BUFFY: I'm sure your parents would let you move back in your room.
XANDER: That's not the point, it's nothing.....it's where I've always been and now it's so far away.
BUFFY: From us?.
XANDER: ........yeah.
BUFFY: We'll visit, you can visit us. It won't be the same as high school, but it'll be good.
XANDER: Until I get another crappy job and you and Willow'll be studying all day and I'll be working all night.
BUFFY: You've been thinking about this a lot.
XANDER: Haven't had much else to do.
Buffy leans forward and takes Xander's hands.
BUFFY: We'll make time to see you, I'll make time.
Buffy comes in, every thing in the room has been moved. Kathy is at her computer.
BUFFY: What the hell happened?.
KATHY: (casually)Oh, I moved some stuff around. This room had bad Feng Shui.
BUFFY: You didn't think to ask?.
KATHY: (seems amazed by the question)You don't want bed Feng Shui do you?. Now can you be quiet?, I've got a paper to finish.
Buffy has a backpack over her shoulder and a suitcase.
XANDER: Bathroom's in the corner, bed's in the middle, couch off to the side, that's about it.
BUFFY: Thanks for this Xand.
XANDER: Is not a problem, I'll have to get some kind of room dividey thing. Unless.........(nods suggestively)
BUFFY: No, you'll get a room dividey.
XANDER: Aww.
BUFFY: It works out pretty well, I get somewhere to live and I can spend time cheering you up.
XANDER: So, communal showers then?.
BUFFY: Are you gonna be like this all the time?.
XANDER: One more?.
BUFFY: Alright, but I need to get into bed soon.
Xander just looks at her.
BUFFY: What?.
XANDER: Forget it, it's too easy.
Buffy is curled up in the middle of Xander's bed, Xander's half hanging off the couch in his sleeping bag. He's jolted awake by a crack of thunder, he tries to get comfortable but gives up.
XANDER: No Buffy, that's okay you can take the bed...........I'm only twice your size.
He slowly shuffles over to the bed (still in his sleeping bag) and lies next to Buffy. She lets out a little sigh and rolls over, putting her arm around Xander's waist.
XANDER: Great, now I'm never gonna get to sleep.
Early morning.
It's still raining.
Buffy opens her eyes to see Xander's face right in front of her, she jumps back in shock, forgetting where she is. Buffy quickly regains her composure and snuggles back into bed a respectable distance from Xander, she looks at her friend and brushes the hair away from his eyes, she notices the small sideways smirk on Xander's face.
BUFFY: Wonder what you're dreaming about..............scratch that, I don't want to know.
Xander twitches slightly, his smirk turns into a frown and his brow furrows, his dream seems to have taken a turn for the worse. He starts to make little groans and quick breaths, it's a full fledged nightmare now.
Buffy sees this and moves a little closer to him, she reaches out and strokes his cheek softly.
BUFFY: Shhh, it's okay Xander.
This calms him down, he groans again and a smile comes across his face again.
Buffy leans forward and softly kisses him, she watches him for a moment, runs her hand through his hair and then gets up. She grabs her backpack and goes into the bathroom.
BUFFY: (to herself)I just kissed Xander, where did that come from?.
She closes the door, Xander opens his eyes and rolls onto his back.
XANDER: I was thinking the same thing.
--later.
Buffy comes out of the bathroom still drying her hair, she's wearing sweatpants, a tanktop and big fuzzy Elmo slippers. She catches Xander putting a t-shirt on over the boxer shorts he slept in.
XANDER: (nervous).....Hey.
BUFFY: G'morning.
She shuffles over to her bag and puts yesterday's clothes in it.
XANDER: So, are we going somewhere special?.
BUFFY: Huh?.
Buffy looks at her clothes.
BUFFY: These are my hanging around the basement making my friend feel better clothes.
XANDER: I see.......it doesn't involve a Catholic shoolgirl outfit then?, cause that would save a lot of.......
He notices Buffy's look.
XANDER: Ahem.......are you hungry?.
BUFFY: Is it......um...?
XANDER: They're in Reno for two weeks, visiting Uncle Roary.
BUFFY: Oh, great....I mean, y'know..
XANDER: So, I'll get breakfast and you wait here.
BUFFY: I'll help.
XANDER: No, that's okay you get a complimentary breakfast with your stay.
--later
They're both eating Fruit loops.
XANDER: Sorry there's nothing more.......edible.
BUFFY: No it's okay, full of fruity goodness.
XANDER: Soooooooo what do you want to do?.
BUFFY: Don't know, watch a video?.
XANDER: Okay, I got a few out last week.
BUFFY: Anything good?.
Buffy picks up a copy of "She's all that".
BUFFY: What's this like?.
XANDER: Well, the titles pretty accurate, she's certainly a tasty treat. But it's kinda creepy that the girl goes with a guy who thought she was the least desirable person in school like a month before, plus people in the school actually respect members of the the football team which never happens.
BUFFY: So we'll skip that, what's this like?.
She holds up a copy of "Wing Commander".
XANDER: I turned it off after about ten minutes.
BUFFY: Did you get anything watchable?.
XANDER: Just the classics. Spinal Tap, Clerks, The Muppet Movie, Say Anything....
BUFFY: Say anything?.
XANDER: You haven't seen Say Anything?.
BUFFY: No, is it good?.
XANDER: It's great, it's like the anti-She's all that.
BUFFY: What are you waiting for then?.
Xander puts the tape of 'Say Anything' on, and lays next to Buffy on his bed to watch it.
-approx 96 minutes later.
The credits are rolling, the two have moved while the movie was on. Xander's still laying on his bed, but Buffy is sitting on the floor with her back against the bed.
BUFFY: That was so good.
XANDER: Isn't it?.
BUFFY: Y'know, you look a lot like John Cusack.
XANDER: Really?.
BUFFY: Uh huh.
XANDER: (smiles)You like John Cusack?.
BUFFY: He's................kinda cute.
XANDER: Alrighty then.
They both look around the room for a moment.
BUFFY: What do you want to do now?.
XANDER: I came up with the first idea, it's your turn.
BUFFY: Any suggestions?.
XANDER: Lap dancing passes the time.
BUFFY: I'm not the one who's had all the experience.
XANDER: No power on this earth Buff.
BUFFY: (pouty)Aw please.
XANDER: (fighting)......no.
BUFFY: (sexy)What if I make it worth your while?.
XANDER: Like what?.
BUFFY: Anything you want.
XANDER: .............anything?.
BUFFY: That's right............anythingyouwanttoeat.
XANDER: Excuse me?.
BUFFY: I'll make you anything you want to eat.
XANDER: But you can't cook.
BUFFY: .......provided you want Spagetti Bolognaise.
XANDER: So to sum up, in return for telling you a humiliating story you'll give me food poisoning?.
BUFFY: I'm not that bad.
XANDER: Oh you are, you suck.
BUFFY: Hey!.
XANDER: It's not a huge deal, so you can't cook. I'm sure Cornel Sanders isn't great at hand to hand combat.
BUFFY: He's dead.
XANDER: Well exactly.
BUFFY: We could go to the Broze.
XANDER: It's no even midday yet.
BUFFY: When it opens, their having some big 'Back to College party'.
XANDER: Townies allowed?.
BUFFY: Don't see why not.
XANDER: So, that's at least eight hours away..?.
BUFFY: Lets watch another video.
-about eight hours later.
There's a big stack of video sleaves, candy bar wrappers, empty Coke cans, cheesy chip packets and half eaten doughnuts. Xander's wearing black pants and is putting a grey bowling shirt on while he whistles the theme from 'the odd couple'.
XANDER: (yells)You sure about this shirt?, it's a little dull.
BUFFY: (yells back from bathroom)Not dull, subtle. Subtle's good.
XANDER: You're the boss.
The bathroom door opens.
BUFFY: And don't you forget it.
Xander turns to face Buffy, she's wearing a knee length dark blue strapless dress and does a little spin.
XANDER: Buff...
BUFFY: Is good?.
XANDER: (coughs, tries to collects himself)um......y'know, it's okay.
Buffy lowers her head and makes puppydog eyes.
XANDER: (awkward)....Buff, there's a mirror in there. You know how incredible you look.
BUFFY: (little embarrassed)Well...that's more like it...............you're looking pretty handsome yourself.
Xander does a suave little pose.
XANDER: Thanks.
BUFFY: We should bring a big stick so you can keep all the girls away.
XANDER: Why would I want to do that?.
BUFFY: You did it the last time girls chased you.
XANDER: Well.......if you weren't a rodent, it might've been a harder decision.
BUFFY: I wouldn't tell Oz or Willow that.
XANDER: Me neither.
WILLOW: Who's not telling me what?.
Willow comes down the stairs, she's wearing a white t-shirt, a black cardigan and a brown skirt.
XANDER: What Buffy's doing for me instead of paying rent.
Buffy playfully hits him.
BUFFY: It's mostly just washing his mouth out.
XANDER: Speaking of that, looking good Will.
WILLOW: (blushes)Thanks.
BUFFY: Where's Oz?.
WILLOW: The van's being all....not working-y, it won't start if he turns it off. He's waiting outside.
XANDER: I've just gotta pee.
BUFFY: Have fun.
XANDER: I'll try.
Xander goes into the bathroom, Willow sits on the bed.
WILLOW: So what did you two do today?.
BUFFY: Just watched videos, goofed around.
WILLOW: (innocently)Uh huh.
BUFFY: (smirks)We did.
WILLOW: (more innocently).........oh.
BUFFY: Stop that.
WILLOW: Stop what?.
BUFFY: Thinking dirty thoughts.
WILLOW: I'm not thinking dirty thoughts, I don't know where that comes from.
BUFFY: Will, it's Xander.
WILLOW: I know.
BUFFY: I'm not getting cuddly with Xander.
Willow and Oz are in the front, Xander and Buffy are crammed together in between a amplifier and a kick drum in the back. Neither of them seem comfortable.
OZ: Sorry, the band's in between rehearsal spaces.
Buffy and Xander crawl out of the van, Xander hands Oz a banjo.
XANDER: Here.
OZ: Been looking for that.
XANDER: You should've checked my kidneys.
There's a stream of people going into the Broze, a big group of good looking girls walk past and Xander tilts his head to appreciate their departing forms.
BUFFY: Down boy.
XANDER: Why aren't I in College again?.
BUFFY: Your spiritual journey?, finding yourself on the open road?.
XANDER: Oh yeah, that was a good idea.
WILLOW: Didn't learn about yourself?.
XANDER: I skimmed my crib notes, discovered the horror of paper cuts from dollar bills.
Buffy laughs, Willow looks at them.
WILLOW: Huh?.
XANDER: Lets go, first drinks on me.
The gang are sitting on the couches and sipping their drinks, the DJ's playing soft ambient stuff while the crowd builds up. There's mostly girls on the dance floor, because the guys aren't drunk enough to (attempt to)dance yet.
BUFFY: Why didn't we notice all these College people when we where in High School?.
XANDER: (eye's fixed on the dancing girls)I noticed.
BUFFY: You would.
XANDER: Y'know I imagined that we'd leave school and our lives would be completely different.
WILLOW: Like how?.
XANDER: ...Grown up stuff, dinner parties.
BUFFY: Dinner parties?.
XANDER: Just something different, I'm sitting on the same couch I've sat on for five years.
OZ: Want to dance?.
XANDER: (gives Oz a look)...........................(then smiles)okay.
BUFFY: You're kidding right?.
Xander and Oz grab each other and dramatically tango onto the dance floor, where they do a shambolic swing dance involving lots of dips, spins and swings. They keep straight faces the whole time, while all the guys at the bar point and laugh.
When they finish all the girls on the dance floor clap, Xander stays and dances with them while Oz walks back to Buffy and Willow. Willow hugs him and gives him a big kiss.
WILLOW: That was the cutest thing I've ever seen.
BUFFY: Very impressive.
WILLOW: You got dipped in a very manly way.
OZ: Oh I'm butch.
BUFFY: Speaking of butch.
Some of the girls on the dance floor are getting very close to Xander, which is seriously pissing off four guys in jerseys standing at a table near the couch.
BUFFY: I better go rescue him.
WILLOW: Good idea.
Buffy gets up and walks over to Xander, he immediately ignores all the other girls and they move to a empty bit of the dance floor and start to slow dance.
OZ: Interesting rescue plan.
WILLOW: Not very Chuck Norris-ish.
OZ: You okay with it?.
WILLOW: I am, it's about time she realised what she's got there.
Buffy and Xander are dancing, it's nowhere near like the 'sexy dance incident' they're just enjoying the music and each other's company.
XANDER: Afraid you'd lose me?.
BUFFY: Those girls you where dancing with, their boyfriends where about to use you as a tackling dummy.
XANDER: That's the oldest excuse in the book, you want me bad Summers.
BUFFY: (smiles)You seemed pretty keen to ditch them for me.
XANDER: Well yeah.
Buffy looks like she's about to say something but they just keep dancing.
XANDER: This just got awkward didn't it?.
BUFFY: I think so.
XANDER: Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything.
BUFFY: No, it's fine really.
XANDER: (bring on the country music)..............fine.
BUFFY: (trying to rescue the situation)No, y'know....it's.....I forget how you feel. Not forget, it's just......strange to deal with........you're always there.
Xander looks at his feet, Buffy's making this much worse. They keep dancing.
BUFFY: Which is where I need you, to make the scary less scary, make me laugh when I think my world's falling apart.
Xander turns to walk away, Buffy grabs him and pulls him a little closer. They keep dancing.
BUFFY: And to look out for me........you brought me back from the dead Xander and saved me more times than I can count........not just me, all of us. You don't do it because it's your destiny, you do it because we're your friends.....you don't complain about it or get angry when you're forgotten, you're just always there when I need you.........you've probably saved the world as many times as I have.
XANDER: (smiles a little)I doubt it.
BUFFY: (moves her head down to look him in the eye)I think Jack and his gang would disagree.
XANDER: (confused)How did you.....?.
BUFFY: I didn't...I suspected from everyone's stories of what happened that night.......except Faiths.........you didn't want us to know.
XANDER: It wasn't important, you all had your own problems to deal with.
BUFFY: Which I always tell everyone about......
XANDER: (smirks)I didn't say that.
BUFFY: There's a lot you don't tell us isn't there?.
XANDER: What do you mean?.
BUFFY: Stuff that happens when I'm not there, you always stand up for me.
Xander slowly breathes out and moves slightly away from Buffy, but they continue dancing.
XANDER: .........Angel.
BUFFY: He told me most of what happened between you two while he was Angelus.
XANDER: Why?.
BUFFY: When he wouldn't go with me to the Prom I said I'd ask you instead, he told me not to.....
XANDER: Remind me to thank him for that.
BUFFY: He said you deserved better than being a backup............he was right.
XANDER: Well we've always been very fond of each other.
BUFFY: I know, he's probably the last thing you want to talk about.
XANDER: Right after geriatric sex and the ingredients of McNuggets.
They both smile and keep dancing.
BUFFY: I missed you y'know, over Summer.
XANDER: I missed you too.
BUFFY: Why did you go then?.
XANDER: .....self discovery..
BUFFY: But why really?.
XANDER: To see if I could.
BUFFY: It worked I guess.
XANDER: Not so much, I called Giles three times a week to check up.
Buffy moves closer again, she rests her head on Xander's shoulder.
BUFFY: I'm glad you came back.
XANDER: I didn't have any choice.
BUFFY: You could have driven the other way when you got a new car, or bought a bus ticket.
XANDER: No I couldn't. I realised that even if I'm just the funny guy who you complain to about your boyfriend, at least I'm in your life.......and that's where I need to be.
Buffy pulls Xander closer.
BUFFY: I'm sorry Xander.
XANDER: For what?.
BUFFY: Everything.
XANDER: Don't be.
BUFFY: But I used you to make Angel jelous, I rubbed your feelings for me in your face when he came back, abandoned you guys over that Summer, I left you to get attacked in the library twice......
XANDER: We've all done stupid stuff Buffy, at least you did it for love.
BUFFY: That doesn't make it right.
XANDER: No, it doesn't. But it makes you human and it makes you who you are. If there's one thing I know for sure it's that you can't help who you fall in love with.
BUFFY: Thank you.
XANDER: You still do though don't you?.
BUFFY: I think so, I think a part of me always will.
XANDER: .....yeah.
BUFFY: That's not the answer you wanted I know.
XANDER: It's the answer I was expecting.
BUFFY: I could lie.
XANDER: No, the truth's harder but...............I'm trying to think of a positive.
BUFFY: It doesn't mean I'll feel that way forever, Willow loved you for ten years and she moved on.
XANDER: Thanks for the reminder.
BUFFY: The point is you're her first love and one of her best friends, but that doesn't mean she doesn't completely love Oz.
XANDER: (smiles).......and exactly how does that relate to us?.
BUFFY: It doesn't.....yet, but one day......one day soon I think it will.
They wrap their arms tighter around each other and keep dancing.
XANDER: The fact we're sleeping in the same bed might speed this process up a bit huh?.
BUFFY: I'm bringing a folding bed from Mom's place tomorrow.
XANDER: Does that mean you won't be kissing me while I'm asleep anymore?.
BUFFY: (shocked)You where awake?.
XANDER: Don't worry, you should've seen what I was doing to you while you were sleeping.
BUFFY: Xander!.
Xander laughs and they keep dancing.