Ch. 17-
"Buffy, it was Hell!" I moaned over the din of Chuck E. Cheese. I had promised Madeliene we'd go there, since things had been so rough. So I called Buffy and told her here we would be going, and she agreed that it would be good for Maddy, as she called her.
"Well, what happened?" She asked, then took a bite ofpizza.
"Well, I heard yelling and found Xander and Oz fighting. I sent Madeliene upstairs. Then Xander yelled at Oz for staying the night even though I hadn't wanted him to, and I yelled at him, saying that I was scared and I did want him to. And then Oz said that what I wanted to do didn't include asking Xander for permission, and that it was my life. Then Xander said that Oz was manipulating me, and that he had never been good for me, and then something about me being a slut cause I slept with him with a kid in thehouse, and I said that-"
"Wait, Xander called you a slut?" Buffy asked,incredulous.
"Well, I think what he said was he thought only sluts slept with a guy she hardly knew when there was a little kid that might hear them and get the wrong idea, so I yelled at him some more about how Xander didn't even know if we had slept together, and how he had no right to decide what I could and could not do in my relationships. Oz backed me up on that. So Xander told me he wasn't sure he knew me, and that he wasn't sure if he could handle being around me if I continued to date Oz. And then I threw him out the door. And I do mean threw. Buffy, how do I fix this?"I asked helplessly.
"Do you want me to talk with Xander?" Buffy asked me.
"Yes. But the kind of talk that would requirestitches." I replied firmly.
"That was catty, Will, but that's the kind of talk I feel like having with him too. Now, let's talk about Oz. What happened with him?" Buffy was eager for gossip, and she knew that talking about your best friend's boyfriend was almost as good as having yourown.
"Not much happened. He came by after band practice. We talked, we kissed, we watched a movie, we fell asleep." I said, not wanting to go into details toomuch.
"Now I know more than that happened. Are you sure there wasn't a make-out session somewhere in there? Cause since neither of you are under parental supervision, I'd have thought you'd have a bit morefun than that." Buffy teased.
"Okay, it was more of a make-out session. And it was very fun. But something's bothering Oz. He seemed a bit too preoccupied. And he won't tell me what. Do you think he may want to break up with me? I mean, now that Maddy's in the picture I' not sure where we're going . It may be too much for him." I worried.
"Don't worry, Oz is together guy, 'member? He wouldn't ditch you over that." Buffy reassured her friend, determined to have a talk with Oz, the kind that*didn't* require stitches.
"Yeah, you're right. Listen, I have to take Maddy out to get some new clothes tomorrow. Want to come?" I asked after taking a drink of soda.
"Can't. Training. Oh, you should come too. you're gonna need all the practice you can get. It's from 1:00 to 5:00." Buffy informed her.
"I'll take her out some other time. Training is very important. We both need to enhance our powers. Hey, you want company during slayage tonight? I want totest my powers." I asked.
"I always want company during slayage. But what about Madeliene?" Buffy asked doubtfully.
"Could she stay with your Mom?" I inquired.
"Mom would love it. Having a little kid to read a story to, tuck in, kiss goodnight? Mommy Heaven."Buffy asured her friend.
"Yeah. It still feels wierd, knowing that it will be me Madeliene will be sneaking away from late at night for a date. But I do love her. And I want this to work. Anyway, see ya tonight, 'kay?" I said happily.
"Yep. See ya." Buffy said with a wave, determined to find out what was going on with Xander and Oz.
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Ch. 18-
"Buffy, hi, didn't expect to see you today. Why are you--ow, that hurts. Quit it. Ow ow ow ow, okay, I'm going." Xander whine as Buffy took a firm hold on his upper arm and guided him to his living room.
"Xander. We need to talk. Why did you call Willow, of all people, a slut? Have you any idea of how much I want to hurt you?" Buffy asked angrily. By the time she was done with her monologue, she had reached Xander's living room and released his arm.
Nursing his bruised arm, Xander answered, "Because I call 'em as I see 'em. She screwed that jerk with a kid that had a tendency to come into her room at the slightest noise. It's one thing if a person's married, but as far as I know Wolfboy hasn't proposed. It was slutty, plain and simple, and nothing can changethat."
"But maybe she *didn't* sleep with him, Boy Wonder. Maybe he was just over there cause she was scared. Think about it. A small child in the house. A very powerful small child, but a little girl non the less. Will was worried. Now, if you ask me, what you and Faith did was worse. So I'd like you to apologize. It was wrong of you to jump to conclusions. Got it?" Buffy finished, thinking she had solved tbe problem.
"No. I don't want to." Xander said resolutely.
"Come again?" Buffy asked dangerously.
"No. I am not going to crawl back on my hands and knees after what happened. I don't think this is a repairable problem. We haven't been great friends for a long time. I think it's time to let it go." Xanderfinished.
"But this is you're life-long best friend!! How can you not want to patch this up? Explain this to me."Buffy sputtered.
"Our friendship hasn't been that great for a long time. And now with this it's irreparable. I mean, she threw me across the room because I was making her angry. That hurt. A lot. And if I implied that she was a slut, it still stands. They were still in the same bed wearing God only know's what and there as a young impressionable little kid there. That is way up there on the Teenage Mommy Slut Scale. I don't think our friendship can survive this. And I'm not sure I wantit to." Xander told her.
"I can't believe you!!! This is hard for her too, you know. This is a huge change in her life and she won't be the perfect mom!! You know what? I have to go before I hurt you. I'm so angry right now. Just think about what you said to me and to Will and hope I don't kill you as a warm-up before slayage!!!" Buffy yelled as she stormed out of Xander's house.
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"Hi Buffy, what can I do for ya?" Oz asked, openingthe door.
"We need to talk. Is something bothering you? Cause you seem kinda distant, and it's starting to bug Willow. So out with it." Buffy said in command-style, not letting her feelings from dealing with Xander takeover.
Debating whether to tell or not, Oz decided to tellher what was wrong.
"It's everybody. The band, my other friends, even my parents. They all keep telling me to break up with Will because of Madeliene. I'm, not going to, but I hate having the world telling me what to do. I mean, my Mom and Dad have been bugging me about it. I don't like not being approved of. My parents didn't really care about the nail polish, or the band, or even being held back. I never even had a cerfew, and this, of all things, is concering them. What is theirproblem?" Oz finished.
"Wow. Um, have you ever talked that much before? Nevermind. Have you told Will about this?" Buffyasked.
"I don't want to worry her. You know how she is. And she has enough to worry about. I just have to deal with this. I'll find a way. But I love Will too much to dump her. So don't worry aobut it." Oz replied.
"Sorry, but as one of her best friends I have to worry. It's a rule. But I don't think you'll hurt her in any way. I trust you. You're good for Will. I just don't want you to worry her. She's kinda hyper-aware of what people are feeling right now. Just let her know that you're not going to leave her. I don't think she really knows that right now. Her entire world is upside-down right now, and she needs reasurance. So let her know, okay?" Buffy finished.
"Yeah. That would be a good thing to do. Thanks,Buffy." Oz said.
"Glad to help. Have to go now, though. I need some more vamp ammo. See ya later, 'kay?" Buffy called outas she went to the door.
"Alright. Bye Buffy." Oz answered, deep in thought.