"Movies."

Willow looked up from her laptop and into her best friend's kind blue eyes. "Movies?"

Buffy nodded. "He wants movies. And a slumber party type thing."

Willow stared blankly at the slayer. "He's going away for three months, we're throwing him a party in which he can pick the theme and he wants... movies." She shook her head in disbelief.

Buffy nodded once again. "I'm thinking the same thing. He probably still feels guilty about the whole... 'freaking out' thing. I doubt he'd want to ask for anything too extreme. Probably scared we'll say no."

Willow thought for a moment. "He didn't even *ask* for a stripper?"

Buffy laughed. "Nope. Though I think he contemplated it. Anyway, movies it is. I'm thinking we start five-ish, since it's a movie-fest and Xand'll need his rest... junk food, and each of us picks a flick."

Willow made a sound that expressed her agreement. "Yeah. Who's house are we crashing? I know my parents wouldn't be too keen at the idea of Oz spending any time whatsoever, let alone the night, in my house."

"My place it is then." Buffy took out a small notepad and opened it. "So, I'll be in charge of junk food... I'll get Xander's pick, and then give you mine, and you and Oz can take care of the movies?"

Willow nodded happily. "Sounds good... Hmm, what should I pick?" She shut off her laptop, and then sat next to her friend on the bed.

Buffy looked at her best friend for a moment. "I'm gonna miss Xander. Y'know?"

Willow sighed. "Yeah, I do. As much as I'm still not exactly the happiest with him... it'll be weird not having him around. I mean, he's been around every summer of my life."

"He's really been a comfort since... Angel left." Buffy looked down at the bedspread. "Not that you haven't, it's just..."

"He knows what you're going through." Willow finished, for her friend. "It's okay, I know I haven't exactly been... *there* for you."

"You've had your... hands full." Buffy grinned, emphasizing her last couple of words. Willow blushed slightly.

"So to speak." She gave her friend a quick hug. "How *are* you doing? Is it bearable?"

Buffy thought for a moment. "Yeah." She said, slowly. "It's getting there, anyway. I mean, some nights, I'll be patrolling, and I'll get this feeling, the 'Angel is watching me' feeling. But now, when I turn around he's not there." She paused. "But, like I said... I'll get over it. Somewhat. And eventually... Now what I need is a good, free night of laughs and mirth."

Willow and Buffy got up, grabbing their bags on their way to their various tasks for that evening. "And movies." Willow added perkily.

*********************

"So Will and Oz'll be here around five-thirty..." Buffy chirped as she bustled around her kitchen. Xander sat at the counter, downing his third glass of Cola. "And thus the fiesta will begin."

"We're all going to sleep in your room, right?" He asked, browsing through the large assortment of candy and junk food Buffy had assembled.

"Yep. Two of us can take the bed, and then mom was nice and set up a futon for the other two.

"And, uh... Will and Oz will be ... on opposite sides of the room right?"

Buffy gave him a look. "Why?"

"Because I don't want to go to sleep to the sound of them doing the wild thing."

The Chosen One hit Xander's arm, only somewhat playfully. "Xander, c'mon!!! I think they have a bit more self control than that."

Xander nodded reluctantly after a moment. Mostly because he didn't want to be pummelled. "Yeah, maybe. It's just... weird seeing them together. Everytime I do, even if they're nowhere near eachother, all I can think is that they've... it's like watching a porno that your sister is starring in, ya know?"

Buffy made a face. "Actually... no."

He sighed. "Fine, then let's just say I *don't* want to think about them together like that. Yet I can't seem to stop."

Buffy studied her friend for a moment. "Jealousy?"

Xander groaned. "Ya think?"

She sat down next to her friend at the counter. "Look, Xand, this may be hard to hear... but Willow's moved on. She really loves Oz, and I don't think you want to begrudge her that."

Xander gave her a puzzled look. "I'm not that kind of jealous, Buff..." He shook his head. "Noooo, no. I know Willow and I are best as friends. Even after the whole... well, see that's the thing. You know, back at Homecoming... curiosity bit us BOTH in the ass... so how come she gets to cuddle up with Oz every night, and my only affection is coming from the sock puppet o'love?"

Buffy was at a loss for words. "It's... just the way things worked out." Then she made another face. "I'm not going to ask about the sock puppet, either."

He gave her a tired look. "Was I not worthy of forgiveness? I mean, Oz took her back... what, like two seconds after it happened. I *begged* Cordelia to come back to me, and it was like the more I tried the colder she got."

Buffy shrugged. "Oz and Cordelia are two different people. Oz needs Willow."

Xander rubbed his temples. "I guess she just didn't care enough about our relationship to give it another shot."

Buffy was silent for a moment. "You know, I never told you Xand, but on Homecoming night, when you were busy being confused about Willow, Cordelia was telling me that she loved you. You shattered her pride. And I think she needed you, but she needed to know you loved *her*. No one else."

Xander stared down at the counter. "God, I really am a moron aren't I?"

Buffy hugged her friend. "Only sometimes."

****************

"Mmm... Oz..." Willow sighed happily as Oz left a little trail of kisses down her neck and collarbone. They were in the middle of a very intense make-out session in the cozy confines of the back of his van. After a few very, passionate kisses, Oz reluctantly pulled his lips from hers.

"We should probably..." He trailed off as Willow began to nibble on his ear like there was no tommorow. "go soon..."

"Go where?" She asked innocently, pulling him in for another intense kiss. After a few moments, Oz pulled away, slightly breathless.

"I forgot." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. For a few minutes, there was nothing else in the world but Willow, Oz, and the slightly uncomfortable van floor that they were lying on. Then, Oz brushed his nose against Willow's and pulled away again.

"You remembered?" She asked, chewing on her lower lip, smiling up at him. He grinned.

"Yeah. Buffy's house. Xander's party." He gestured towards the four videos that he'd placed near the back door of the van. "Movies."

Willow frowned disapprovingly as Oz attempted to take his mind off of his girlfriend and direct in the way of the task at hand. "Can't we be a few minutes late?"

Oz gave her a look that clearly told her that he'd like to be late more than anything. "They'd know why."

Willow sat up so that she was kneeling beside Oz, and ran her hands down his chest, smiling softly. "But... I think they'd rather us be... late," She tugged on the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to her. "Than have us be thinking about why we weren't late all night... don't you?"

Oz thought for a moment. "Good point." They kissed again, and fell back onto the van floor.

***************

"I won't ask where you guys have been." Buffy said, grinning at Willow and Oz as she let them in.

Willow just smiled brightly, handing the four movies she and Oz had rented over to her best friend. "We come bearing movies."

Oz held up a plastic bag that contained a few snacks Buffy had asked him to pick up. "And food. Or... things that can pass as food."

Xander joined his friends in the foyer, not commenting on their tardiness. Willow suddenly became interested in her shoes, and Oz and Xander exchanged polite smiles. For a moment everyone was quiet. Then Buffy huffed, grabbing Willow's hand and dragging her into the kitchen.

"It's a PARTY, guys... party means fun." She smiled brightly, and dumped the rest of the food on the counter.

"Or in our case, zombies." Xander replied, taking his place at the counter.

"And disembodied arms." Oz chimed in, grabbing a couple of pretzels.

Willow giggled softly. "And little hats."

Buffy gestured towards a stack of plastic party hats, "Which I have." She looked at her friends. "Let's be festive."

They all looked at one another for a moment. Finally, Xander cleared his throat. "Sounds like a plan."

*************

"Don't look while I change, man." Xander said, warily, as he and Oz walked into the Summer's spare bedroom. The girls had sent them off to change into their night clothes while they did the same. Oz could hear the two girls giggling madly and suspected that Buffy was squeezing the details of their tardiness from his girlfriend.

"Don't worry, you're not my type." Oz replied, dryly, opening his overnight bag and pulling out the shirt he was planning on wearing. Xander was shuffling nervously around the bedroom, and turned his back to Oz. Oz shook his head, but let it go, stripping off his shirt and changing it quickly. He then discarded his pants, and put them in his bag. He owned flannel pajama pants, but the scorching summer heat in Sunnydale was unbearable enough at night without warm fabric covering you. Besides, he didn't care what Xander thought of his underwear, Buffy wouldn't think anything of it, and Willow... well she'd seen him in a lot less. Xander, however, was doing enough to cover himself up.

The silence in the room was uncomfortable. Oz and Xander hadn't really talked since their confrontation at Xander's house the week before. Oz didn't feel the need to apologize for what he'd said, and Xander was just plain embarrased.

"So, where are you going?" Oz asked, casually, as he studied one of the paintings on the wall.

"Um... all over, really. I'm just gonna get in the car and drive. Hopefully I won't end up dead by the side of the road."

Oz smirked. "We wouldn't want that."

Xander turned around at precisely the same time as Oz, dressed in thin cotton pajama pants and a long sleeved shirt. He stared at Oz, who was considerably less dressed. "That's what you're wearing?"

Oz shrugged. "Yep."

They stared at eachother for a moment. "Flamingoes." Xander noted the print on Oz's boxers. "Nice."

Oz shrugged again. He was going through a flamingo phase. "Spiderman." He nodded appreciatively at Xander's bedtime apparell.

Xander grinned. "They're manly."

Oz smirked. "Sure are."

A look passed between the two young men, and the tension eased. It was something about underwear that made guys understand eachother better. Before they spoke again, however, Buffy called to the guys.

"We're decent!!"

********************

Buffy laughed as the boys entered the slayer's bedroom. Xander gave them his best 'Suave' look, while Oz just looked kinda funny walking around in his underwear.

"Nice pants, Xander." She commented, still smirking.

"Tell Victoria Secret I'll be available to model in their next... Bedtime catalogue." Xander purred as he plopped down on Buffy's bed and took a long swig of his caffinated beverage. He then looked at Buffy. "Oh c'mon!! This is a pajama party, you're supposed to wear one of those cute... incredibly short nighty things."

She laughed, spinning around in her tank top and sweat pants. "You're welcome to wear it yourself... but there's no way you'll see that on me."

Xander pouted playfully. "But it's *my* party."

"You can cry all you want to." Buffy quipped.

Meanwhile, Willow walked out of Buffy's bathroom, running a brush through her hair, and grinned when she saw Oz.

"Ooh those are my favorite!!" She cried out when she saw his boxers, forgetting that there were others in the room. Oz grinned, Buffy ahemed and Willow blushed. "S-sorry." She stammered, and then she moved closer to Oz.

"I think Xander's right, you girls should wear nighties." He told her teasingly. Willow made a face, but was not at all insulted.

"Will this do for now?" She asked, gesturing to her satin , floral printed pajama pants and matching t-shirt. Oz smiled, sliding his hand around her waist.

"It's sexy." He murmered in her ear, and she flushed deep red.

"So are flamigoes." She chirped, nuzzling against his neck.

"Now, now you guys, I know you're used to seeing eachother in a different state of dress at bedtime... but don't forget that there are other people in the room."

Willow grinned, plopping down onto the other mattress and bringing Oz down with her. "We won't. We'll be good." She grabbed a bowl of M&M's and began to inhale them. Oz managed to steal a couple from the quickly disapeering stash, and looked up at his friends.

"So, what next? I haven't done the slumber party thing for awhile."

Buffy stood up, eager to take charge, and cleared her throat. "Well, since we're all in our pajamas, I suppose the party can officially begin. So... I guess we do slumber party things."

"No truth or dare." Willow shouted, immediatly, earning her two confused glances and a grin from her best friend. "The last time I played it, I had to streak across *someone*'s backyard and sing 'I am the Walrus' at the top of my lungs."

Oz stifled a laugh and Buffy smiled proudly. "One of my best dares to date."

"Can we play stri--" Xander began, but Buffy cut him off.

"No strip poker... how about facials?"

Oz grimaced. "How about not?" He popped another M&M into his mouth. "I suppose I'm the only person who wants to watch the musical Jeopardy game on VH1..."

Willow smiled proudly "Oz knows *all* the answers... he beat out all the contestants last night."

Xander made a face. "Unless it's having to do with Britney Spears, I'm not good at music trivia. We could see what's on the Playboy channel..."

Buffy threw a pillow at Xander.

"... or have a pillow fight..." He continued, teasingly, throwing the pillow back. The gang laughed for a moment, and it felt nice.

"I say we don't start the movies until after the pizza comes." Buffy said. The other three nodded in agreement. She then gave Willow and Oz a look, and they seemed to exchange a silent conversation. Xander immediatly spoke up.

"Hey! Silent talkage that I'm not a part of... secrets, secrets are no fun..." He whined.

Buffy nudged Xander. "Hold on a sec..." She gave her friend's one final look, and they both nodded. Then she got up and reached under her bed, pulling out a big, wrapped box. Xander's eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas.

"For me??" He asked, excitedly. Buffy grinned, and nodded.

"We all pitched in. Even Giles. And, um... Cordy." She knew that the former May Queen was a rough topic with Xander.

He stared at the box in awe for a moment, unsure of what to do. Finally, Willow cleared her throat.

"I think the fun part is the actual ... opening of the present."

"I've heard that." Oz nodded in confirmation. Xander tore off the wrapping paper, and lifted the lid on the box. Inside lay several small presents, which he pulled out one by one.

"Ooh cool, a flashlight." He flicked it on, testing it.

"That's from me." Buffy noted. "You know, 'cause I just know you'll drop your keys one night. It's also good for demon killage. Hit them hard enough over the head with it and they're out *cold*."

He grinned. "Thanks, Buff." Then he pulled out several cassette tapes. "Welcome to Mixed Tape land..." He murmered excitedly, checking over the list of songs on each. "Cool! I don't have to guess who this is from..." He glanced over at Oz.

He shrugged. "I'm a musical guy."

Another long look passed between the two guys. "Thanks, man." Xander finally said.

Oz nodded. "Sure."

Willow smiled happily. "I bet you can't guess which one is mine!"

Xander searched through the box for a moment before pulling out a teddy bear. "Gee, Will, you shouldn't have."

"I don't want you to get lonely." She admitted, smiling at her oldest friend. He smiled back.

"Well, I can't now. Thanks, Will."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

He pulled out the next item from the box. Several packages of gum. He smiled. "She always told me I could have better breath." He muttered under his breath, not needing any explaination as to who it was from. Willow and Oz exchanged a soft smile. He pulled out one of the last two remaining gifts. A leather-bound journal. "Giles?"

Buffy nodded. "He says he wants you to record any ... demonic activity you come across... though we all know he's a big old softy and just wants you to remember him."

Xander grinned, running his hand over the book. "I will." He pulled out the last item. A framed picture of the gang in the library, Angel had taken it a few weeks before the Prom. Buffy, Xander, Oz, Willow and Giles. You could see Cordelia and Wesley sitting in the background, even though they had refused to be included in the photo.

"So you don't forget what we look like." Buffy smiled softly. Willow and Oz were also smiling. Xander looked around the room, unsure of what to say. Finally he just smiled.

"Thanks." He said, simply. They all knew that if Xander was at a loss for words that they'd done their job.

************

---

Continues