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"Hey, guys," Buffy said, entering the library that night with Angel in tow. Willow, Oz, Xander, Cordelia and Giles were all present, looking in various books. Well, at least Giles was, the rest were goofing off, as usual.
"Hey, Buffy, Angel," Xander said, going over to the duo. He embraced Buffy tightly. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear.
A low growling noise filled the library.
The group looked at Angel as one. The vampire looked decidedly embarrassed. Laughing, Buffy took his hand and pulled him to an empty chair. She pushed him down, then perched herself on his lap.
Xander returned to his own seat next to Cordelia. "Sorry, man," he told Angel. "I'm not after your woman. I have a hellion of my own."
"Hey!" Cordelia said, smacking him on the arm. Everyone laughed, a cohesive team once more.
"By the way, Will," Buffy said, leaning closer to her best friend seated behind the computer. "No happiness clause."
"You mean..." Willow's eyes widened and she covered her mouth at Buffy's nod so as not to squeal in delight.
Angel looked back and fourth between the two girls and they talked, wondering what they meant. He looked over at the others in the room, pretending to work. "Can I h-help?"
Xander, Oz and Giles all looked at the vampire. Giles was the first to speak. "Of-of course," the librarian said. "If you can remove the, uh, growth from your lap."
The others chuckled as Buffy's head shot up. "The tweed man makes a joke," Xander said. "We're proud of you."
Giles smiled, turning away from Buffy's glare.
Buffy gave in and kissed Angel before sliding off his lap. She went over to the weapons locker to gather some stakes. "Oh, hey, before I forget," she said, tucking the wood into various places on her body. "Spike may be dropping by for a visit."
Six pairs of disbelieving eyes and one curious set stared at her. "Wh-what?" Giles asked, breaking into the surprised silence.
"Spike. He called me. On the phone," Buffy replied. "I know, I know, it's way wiggy. But we had a deal the night I fought Ang...at the mansion. He'd help in exchange for free passage out of town with Drusilla."
"Why is he coming back, then?" Willow asked.
"His loony tunes girlfriend flew the coop," Buffy answered. "Spike thinks she's gonna come here."
"Well, we-we must prepare then," Giles said, closing the large tome in his hand.
"Chill, Giles," Buffy stopped him. "We're not gonna do anything. Spike's only coming to get Dru, then he's outta here. I promised I wouldn't dust either of them unless I absolutely had no choice."
"I can not abide your making deals with-with vampires of their caliber," Giles scolded his Slayer. "And to do it twice is-is-is inconceivable!"
"'I do not think that word means what you think it means,'" three voices said simultaneously. Oz, Willow and Xander looked at one another, then burst out laughing.
"I can not believe I hang around with you losers," Cordelia commented, flipping pages in a fashion magazine.
Giles shook his head and went back to his books. Angel just looked puzzled.
"On that note, I'm gonna do a quick sweep," Buffy said. She kissed Angel on the cheek. "You guys stay here. I don't want you wandering around with Drusilla on the loose."
"Is-is she an an-animal?" Angel asked, confused as to whom Buffy was talking about.
"The worst kind, sweetie," Buffy said, patting his arm. "A woman." The others chuckled as she turned to go. "Keep an eye on forgetful here, will ya?"
"Bye, Buffy," the gang called with sing-song voices. Buffy shook her head and went out into the night.
Angel looked thoughtfully at the room full of people who Buffy told him were his friends. He had, for some strange reason, growled at Xander. He didn't even know he could growl.
Willow reached over and touched his hand. "You ok?"
Angel turned and smiled at her. "Yeah. It-it's just I-I didn't know I had s-so many f-friends," he said.
"They kinda sneak up on you like that," Oz told him. "One minute, you're walking along wondering who the cute girl with the red hair is the next, pow, you're a member of the Scooby Gang."
"'Sc-Scooby Gang'?" Angel asked.
"Pop culture for $500, Alex," Xander said. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. You don't own a TV. Ok, the Scooby Gang is like this..."
"Xander, your lips are flapping and it's messing up my hair," Cordelia said.
"Too late," Xander said without breaking stride. Cordelia screeched and put a hand to her head, then ran out of the library. Giles smothered his laughter while the others, minus Angel, just let it go. "As I was saying, the Scooby Gang was part of a cartoon show. They solved mysteries about supernatural occurrences, like we do."
"Th-the myth-mythol-ology club? L-like Buffy told m-me about?" Angel asked.
"Exactamundo," Oz cut in. He'd been briefed by Willow about the story Buffy had given their forgetful friend. "And we're sort-of all characters represented in the show."
Giles shook his head and picked up another book. *The conversations these children get into,* he thought.
"Right," Xander continued. "Willow is Velma, Cordelia is Daphne, Oz is Scooby-Dum by default since he was the last to join, I'm Shaggy and Giles is Fred. Oh, and Buffy's Scooby."
Angel arched his dark eyebrow, not understanding at all. "Who am I th-then?"
"Hmm. That's a toughie," Xander said. He looked at Willow and Oz. Willow shrugged and went back to typing.
"Oh, he can be Scooby-Dum," Oz said, thinking of the hapless cousin of the detective dog. Willow started to snicker and Giles had to stifle his laughter as well. "Although, I don't think we should tell Buffy that."
Cordelia came back from the bathroom at that moment, picture perfect as usual. "I did not have a single hair out of place, Xander Harris!"
Xander made a scared face and bolted for the stairs to the stacks. Cordelia chased right after him. "Get back here, you spineless twit"
"Why is she yell-yelling at him?" Angel asked, listening to the argument flowing down from the stacks.
"Just listen, man," Oz told him. Soon, silence took over. Oz smiled at Angel's puzzled expression. "They're on phase two."
"Phase t-two?"
Oz gave him a look that all males, no matter what creature they were, could understand. Angel's eyes widened and he quickly looked down at the book Giles had given him. "O-oh."
A slightly mussed Xander and a still perfect Cordelia rejoined the group a short time later. Xander could swear that Angel was blushing when the vamp glanced at him. "I'm going for some munchies. Orders anyone?"
"I'll go with you," Oz said, leaving his place by Willow's side. The two boys left the library chatting about the benefits of Twinkies.
"Giles, can you leave?" Cordelia said abruptly. Giles shot her a puzzled glare. "Girl talk."
"Right," Giles said, moving quickly to the shelter of his office. In his haste to get away, he forgot about the only other male in the room.
Cordelia, however, did not. "Angel," she said, smiling like the predator she was.
Angel looked back up from the book he was dutifully scanning for prophecies. "Y-yes?"
"I always wanted to know," she began. "Why Buffy?"
"Cordy!" Willow squawked.
"C'mon, Willow. Don't tell me you haven't wondered yourself," the cheerleader said. "Is it some sort of Romeo and Juliet complex you got going?"
Angel frowned, not sure as to what Cordelia was getting at. "Why Buffy wh-what?"
"Why Buffy everything," Cordelia explained. "Out of all the girls in Sunnydale, why did you choose the one who draws gross things to her like flypaper?"
Willow buried her head in her hands with a groan.
Angel stared at the girl, formulating his thoughts. When he spoke, however, he said the first thing that came to mine. "She's the reason I became someone."
"Confusing much?" Cordelia said.
"She's asking you to elaborate," Willow told the vampire.
"I...I don't think I c-can," Angel said. He looked sadly down at his hands. "I d-don't re-remem-remember."
Willow put her hand on Angel's sweater-covered arm. "It's ok, Angel," she comforted.
He looked up at the red-head, tears in his eyes. "Why c-can't I re-remember?"
Xander and Oz returned at that moment, loaded down with food and soda. "Hey, who pooped on our party?" Xander asked, noting the somber mood.
"Ask your girlfriend," Willow said snidely.
"Woah. Hostility. Not a good thing," Oz said, moving to Willow. "Causes pre-mature aging in monkeys - the ones without the pants."
Willow couldn't help but smile at her boyfriend as Xander chided Cordelia. Angel continued to look down at his hands as the two couples talked in their own way. He wished a certain blond was there.
"'Allo, people," Spike said, coming through the doors of the library.
"How's tricks?"