3rd Person's POV

The Bronze is crowded and more lively than usual. Xander and Willow are sitting at a table talking about something really important.

"You know how I feel about you. It's, uh, pretty obvious, isn't it? There's never been anyone else for me... but you. And we're good friends, and it's time to take the next step."

Willow is listening to him dreamily.

"Would you, um... date me? Oh that's good! Date me! It's terrible, right?"

Willow comes back to earth, "Huh? Oh, no! Oh, yes, 'date me' is silly..."

Xander frowns, "See, what I should do is I should just start with talking about the dance."

He clears his throat, "Y'know, Laney, Spring Fling just isn't any dance. It's a time for students to choose, um... a mate and then we can... observe their... mating rituals and tag them before they migrate. Just kill me!"

Willow smiles, "You're doing fine!"

Xander groans, "Why's it so hard? I should just walk up to her and say, 'Hey, I like you. Let's go to the dance together.'"

Xander can't help but think about saying that exact thing to Laney. But as soon as he pictures her she is instantly turned into someone else. Someone blonde.

Xander shakes his head and groans. He can't be thinking about Laney and Buffy. He thought he had this all figured out but lately his crush on Buffy had been coming back. He liked Laney so much he really did but Buffy was just something else. She was dangerous but sweet. Quiet but outgoing. She was beautiful.

He slaps himself and groans in annoyance, "I don't know what to do."

Willow sighs and smiles sadly trying to help, "Direct and to the point."

Xander frowns. Willow had no idea that he still had a crush on Buffy. He tried to push it out his head. Laney was... spectacular. He needed to ask her out and figure out his feelings before they changed again.

"I'm ready. I wanna do it now. I gotta do it now."

Willow frowns, "Oh, Laney's not here. You can practice on me some more."

Xander shakes his head, "No, no, I can't wait until tomorrow, I-I'll be thinking about it too much. Why didn't Laney show up tonight? What's she doing?"

"Oh, you know, the usual."

At the park, a car is parked in the distance with its windows all fogged up. Laney comes falling into the field of view in slow motion and hits the ground hard on her back and exhales. Inside a car nearby, Cordelia breaks off her kiss with Kevin.

"What was that?"

Kevin frowns, "What was what?"

Laney props herself up as a vampire approaches her and growls.

Cordelia looks around, "Someone's out there."

Kevin shakes his head with a small smile, "That's silly! Who would be out there?"

Buffy runs up beside the vamp and punches him in the face making him stumble away. Laney thanks Buffy then comes up standing, ready to fight. The vampire growls at them. Buffy pulls a stake out from under her jacket behind her back and holds it pointing out from her hips so the vampire can see. He frowns at the sight of it as Buffy puts on an evil smile. This infuriates the vampire and he launches himself at her. She hits him with an out-to-in crescent kick, and then follows up with a high front snap kick, stunning him. She immediately plunges the stake home, and he falls over backward and bursts into ashes when he hits the ground.

Laney walks over and they high five, "Three in one night. Giles would be so proud."

The next day in the library, Giles comes out of his office and walks over to the cage. Buffy comes in with Laney on her tail.

Buffy smiles, "Morning!"

Laney sits down at the table and throws her feet up, "What's up doc?"

She looks around at all the damage. Giles looks at her like he's just seen a ghost.

"Wow. The damage looks fairly structural."

Buffy frowns as she walks towards the stairs, "Are we safe in here?"

Giles jumps as he walks out the cage, "Buffy!"

"What? Do I have something on my face?" She pats her face worriedly.

Giles shakes his head quickly, "No! Uh, and, and yes, we're, we're safe," he indicates the stacks, "Uh, but probably best not to go up there."

Laney looks at Giles worried face and frowns knowing something was wrong.

"How're you doin' there, Giles? Get much sleep last night?"

Giles glances over at Laney and then back at Buffy, "Um... I-I-I've been working."

Buffy points at herself and Laney, "Us, too. We went hunting last night, and it is awfully sweet of you to ask. It's getting hairy out there, Giles. We killed three vampires last night, and one of them was practically on school grounds."

Giles looks off into space, "Their numbers are increasing."

Laney looks at her nails nonchalantly, "And they're getting cockier."

Buffy sighs, "Look, I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call."

Giles walks around distracted, "Yes."

"Giles, care? I'm putting my life on the line battling the undead."

Laney nods agreeing with Buffy, "Yeah and look, I broke a nail, okay? I'm wearing a press-on. The least you could do is exhibit some casual interest. You could go, 'hmm'."

Giles glances at her still distracted, "Hmm? Oh, sorry. Um, yes, I'm very glad that you two are alright. Uh, I-I need to verify, um... I just can't really talk right now."

Buffy looks over at Laney with a sad face, "Fine. That's okay. I can't put it off any longer."

Laney giggles, "Buffy has to meet her terrible fate."

Giles turns around quickly with confusion all over his face.

"What?!"

Buffy chuckles, "Biology Giles..."

The bell rings making Buffy sigh and grab her textbook.

"Dang late. See you guys later."

"Bye."

Laney says as Buffy leaves the library to go to class. Giles watches her go then he turns around to see Laney standing behind him with her arms crossed. She wears a serious face as she looks up at him.

"What's going on Giles? Weird things are happening and you're acting coo coo. This isn't normal and I'm actually really worried right now."

Giles gulps slowly and takes off his glasses. He pulls a handkerchief out his pocket and wipes his forehead.

"Uh it's nothing. Nothing I have figured out yet. I shall keep researching today."

Laney looks at his face to see if she could tell if he was lying or not. After a second, she nods then unfolds her arms.

"Alright fine. I will check back up later then. I'm gonna need a pass to class though."

After Biology class ends, Buffy, Xander, Laney, and Willow come out of the doors onto the balcony and head down the stairs.

Buffy exhales in exhaustion, "Wow. That was boring."

Xander nods, "I don't feel that boring covers it."

Laney agreed, "No, boring falls short."

Willow grimaces looking at the others, "Even I was bored. And I'm a science nerd."

Buffy frowns, "Don't say that."

"I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age. Nerds are in. They're still in, right?"

Xander looks over at Willow with desperate eyes, "Willow, don't you have a thing?"

Willow's eyebrows furrow, "A thing?... The thing! That I have! Which is... a thing that I have to go to."

They reach the bottom of the stairs and she walks away.

"See ya later."

She waves and departs then quickly turns around and grabs Buffy's arm.

"She is needed for the thing too."

She pulls away Buffy who looks confused and together they disappear behind a corner.

Laney chuckles and shakes her head, "What on earth is her deal?"

Xander shrugs as he laughs, "Uh, she's Willow."

"That is true. Very true."

Xander wrings his hands together making Laney look at him in question.

"You okay Alex?"

"What? Yeah uh, Lane, I wanted to, um... There was this thing I wanted to ask you, to talk to you about."

"Okay, what's up?"

Xander looks at Laney and freezes. Her beautiful wavy brunette hair was flying in the wind. Her green eyes sparkled as they looked into his eyes.

"Uh, let's go over here and sit."

He leads her over to a bench.

"Okay, now you're making me nervous."

"Oh, no, no, there's nothing to be nervous about. Really, it's silly. Ha, ha!" He laughs nervously.

They reach the bench, but a boy is sitting there. Xander pokes the boy on the shoulder, "Hey. Leave."

The boy frowns then gets up and walks away.

"Thank you!" Laney yells.

They sit and Laney playfully hits Xander's chest.

"What was that?"

Xander shrugs, "Um... You know, Laney, uh, Spring Fling is a... time for students to gather and... Oh, God!"

Laney smirks, "Breathe Alex. Inhale exhale."

Xander nods and takes a breath, "Laney, I want you to go to the dance with me. You and me, on a date."

Laney looks at him speechless, "I-I don't know what to say."

"Well, you're not laughing. So that's a good start. Laney, I like you. A lot. And I know we're friends, and we've had experiences... We've fought some blood-sucking fiends, and that's all been a good time. But I want more. I wanna dance with you."

"You have danced with me. A lot more than danced actually. Wait I'm confused I thought you were into Buffy. Like a lot."

Xander shakes his head, "No I mean well I was but I like you. Buffy was just a slight crush. I want to date date you. Like officially."

Laney frowns. Xander had always liked Buffy. That she knew. She never thought he would like like her. Sure they said they liked each other but she thought he meant as friends. She saw the way he looked at Buffy and it made her kind of sad. She didn't want to date him when she knew his true feelings.

"Alex you're one of my best friends. You and Buffy..."

"Well, Buffy's not looking to date you. Or if she is, she's playing it pretty close to the chest." He laughs nervously.

"Alex I don't want to spoil the friendship that we have."

"Well, I don't want to spoil it either. But that's not the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don't."

"Xander... I don't even know if you know your true feelings. Last thing I knew was that you liked Buffy. Is that not who you tried to ask out over and over again since you first met her?"

"No I mean yes but no. Laney I know I have been a little confused-"

Laney tears up as she looks at Xander, "A little? Last week I looked at you and you looked at her... I have no chance. You obviously have strong feelings for her... more than me. What's the point in fighting that?"

"Because it could turn into something good. Yes I had a crush on Buffy but my feelings for you are on another level Lane."

"Alex I can't give my heart away just for it to be broken again. If I date you... you'll break it. Maybe not now... if she had asked you to the dance just before you asked me... would you say yes?"

Xander looks at Laney with a frown then looks off into space thinking.

"Exactly my point."

"I guess a guy's gotta be undead to make time with you."

Laneys head whips up fast and looks at Xander in disbelief, "What?"

"Oh please you act like I haven't seen you looking at Angel. Buffy's not the only one with a vamp crush."

"I don't have a crush on Angel. That's not the same thing. You like Buffy... I don't like Angel. That's really harsh."

Xander shakes his head, "Look, I'm sorry. I don't handle rejection well. Funny! Considering all the practice I've had, huh?"

"Alex, I-"

"You know what? Let's just not."

He goes into the building with his head hung low. Laney exhales, bummed as a tear rolls down her cheek. She quickly wipes it then tears her things and heads inside.

JUST FOR FUN

Laney's Outfit