"Of course not! I could kick the witch's ass... if she was real, which she is not!"

"Actually, I have to wonder if she was ever really a witch, maybe she was just an innocent woman. You know how they killed all these women for being witches back then. Then she got all pissed when they killed her so she became an angry ghost! So could you really fight a ghost?" Cordelia asked as she sat in the passenger seat of Buffy's Saturn on their way to Buffy's house from the movie theater.

"Well I did kick that invisible girl's ass." Buffy replied, disinterested.

"True... But the Blair Witch has special powers, and Marcie's only power was being invisible. Besides, now you're five months pregnant! I bet you can't kick anybody's ass!"

Buffy looked at her, offended. "I can too!"

"No, you can't!" Cordelia accused. "I was there when Giles mentioned that slayer fifty years ago that got pregnant and lost her powers! I *know* the truth! Have you tried to do anything that requires uberstrength."

"No." Buffy replied with a pout.

"Why not? Could it be fear because you're now a girlie girl like the rest of us?"

"I am not! I... I'm the slayer."

"You're a wimpy-ass slayer."

"Shut up!"

"Oh great, this night is going to suck on a monumental level. Angel is out of town so you and I are alone, in your big old house. It's going to be one of those long scary sleepless nights."

"Maybe for you, but I will rest well. You know why? The Blair witch, whether it's a witch or a ghost, isn't real, and even if it was, it's going to leave you alone until you see the movie and then it's going to kill you? I think not!" Buffy rolled her eyes at her friend's hysteria.

"Logically, I know it's not real, I know that nothing is out to get me... but it doesn't matter! I'm still scared!"

"I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"You're always scared!"

"Did you hear that?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Cordelia, would you give it a rest? It's not scaring me, it's not amusing me, it's annoying me! For the past two hours you keep hearing noises, you keep seeing things out of the corner of your eye, and you keep talking about the damn movie! Yes, it was a good movie, I enjoyed the hour and a half spent watching it; but that was two hours ago and I'm sick of it!"

"I'm not making it up, I really do hear stuff and see stuff." At Buffy's incredulous look, Cordelia continued to defend herself. "I do! I know I probably psyched myself out because of the movie and that is *why*, but I can't stop thinking about it!"

"Well, then let's distract you." Buffy replied, picking up her latest issue of Cosmo. "We can take a quiz to see if our mates are meant for us."

"I sure hope Xander's not meant for me, because if he is, someone up there *hates* me!"

Buffy smiled and handed her friend a piece of paper and a pen. Cordelia picked up a book off the coffee table and Buffy used the magazine to use as flat surface to write on.

"Okay, question one. Do you know any of your mates hopes and dreams?"

"God I love this stuff." Buffy praised as she dug out another spoonful of Phish Food ice cream and shoved it in her mouth.

Cordelia looked at her with disgust. "No wonder you're growing so fast, where are you putting all that food? You are almost done with that whole pint after you ate half the pizza."

Buffy shrugged. "I guess I have a hollow leg."

"Apparently." Cordelia replied. "Do you think that test was right? I mean, maybe Xander really is totally wrong for me. In fact, I've never thought he was right for me."

"Oh Cordelia, ignore it. It was just for fun. You and Xander have a unique relationship. The point is that you're happy. You are happy, right?"

Cordelia sighed. "I don't know, I guess so." She got up and headed for the kitchen. "I'm gonna go get a drink, want anything?"

Buffy shook her head. "Actually, I could use some syrup for this."

"Eww... chocolate syrup added to all that chocolate?" Cordelia replied from the kitchen.

"No... maple syrup." Buffy answered.

The expected screech of disgust didn't come and Buffy turned her head towards the kitchen.

"Cordelia?"

Buffy sighed. "If I get up to go check and make sure you didn't knock yourself out or need a bug killed and find you standing there trying to scare me, you will be *so* sorry."

It took a bit more effort than a few months earlier, but she got up and headed to the kitchen. She turned the corner and found Cordelia facing the corner. She took a sharp intake of breath and gasped, as fear took over her body she was paralyzed.

Cordelia turned around and saw the scared look on her face. Laughing, she gloated. "You were scared! Admit it, you were afraid you were about to get killed, weren't you?!"

Buffy glared at her friend. "That's SO not funny."

"Come on, Buffy, admit that you were scared."

"It was just unnerving."

"Unnerving my ass! You were scared!" Cordelia snickered, knowing she was right.

"Shit!" Cordelia hissed as she sat up in bed in the dark room, with a small amount of light filtering in from the connected bathroom and the door slightly ajar.

"Cordelia, shut the *fuck* up!" Buffy growled as she tried to sleep beside her. "It's three o'clock in the morning, I have to get up in *two* hours so I can be at the airport to pick Angel up at six-thirty. I let you sleep with me because you said you wouldn't be as scared, so shut up with the 'I hear a noise' crap and sleep!"

"Buffy I am not kidding, I think I heard a door click shut." Cordelia replied, her voice shaking with fear.

Buffy sighed; realizing Cordelia wasn't screwing around anymore. "Cordy, it's okay. It's just that movie. It could be that the air conditioner went on downstairs and a door that was open just half an inch clicked shut."

"Are you sure?" Cordelia answered, forcing herself to lie back down.

"Positive. Just think rationally; why would anybody want to come in here?"

"To kill us?" She replied in a wavering voice.

"Nobody is going to kill us." Buffy reassured. "Plus, don't you remember I checked all the doors and windows with you? And Angel has that damn alarm system. Nobody could get in here without us knowing."

There was a creak on the stairs.

"Shit, shit, shit." Cordelia whispered. "Did you hear that?"

Buffy nodded, then looked around the room for a second. Seeing Angel's golf bag propped up in the corner. She quickly crept over to it and pulled out two golf clubs. She handed one to Cordelia, who had followed closely behind.

The two girls moved toward the double doors that led to the bedroom. Buffy gestured to Cordelia to stand behind the door, so when it opened, Buffy would face the intruder and Cordelia could attack from behind.

In her position, Cordelia saw the handle to the door start to turn and had to bite back a scream. It opened in front of her and she saw Buffy stiffen with her hands holding the golf club, poised to attack.

Cordelia's fright took over and she instinctively swung her club, not being able to slow her swing down when Buffy screamed.

"Do you think he'll be mad?"

"I'm worrying more about if he'll be needing a doctor right now, Cordelia."

"Well, he'll understand that I didn't mean to, right? I mean I was protecting you and the baby!"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Cordelia, I'm dead tired due to the fact it's going to be four in the morning before I can get to sleep at least and my husband's head has a huge purple bulge on the side of it from where you knocked him out with a golf club."

"*Accidentally* Buffy! Don't forget that I didn't *mean* to!"

Angel groaned, coming around to consciousness. "Buffy?"

"I'm right here Sweetie." Buffy replied, brushing her fingers down the side of his face.

He opened his eyes and asked groggily, "What happened?"

"Cordelia..."

"ACCIDENTALLY." The brunette interjected.

"Accidentally hit you with a golf club. We thought you were somebody breaking in." Buffy explained.

"Oh yeah... she's spending the night.. I forgot. I took an earlier flight from Boston and didn't want to wake you, or I would have called. Plus, you're such a sound sleeper I didn't think I would wake you."

"I wasn't even sleeping, because *someone* was scared." Buffy replied.

"I swear I will never see another scary movie as long as I live." Cordelia vowed.

"Do you think you have a concussion?" Buffy asked her husband in a concerned voice.

Angel shook his head slightly. "Just a really bad headache and I'm very tired."

"Cordelia go get the glass from the bathroom and fill it with water, and there is some Tylenol in the medicine cabinet. Bring me two pills." Buffy ordered.

Her friend, eager to make amends, did as she was told.

"I don't think Cordelia will be too keen on the idea of sleeping all by herself in the guestroom, do you mind if I go sleep with her and you'll get the bed to yourself?"

Angel frowned. "She won't sleep alone? I could use my wife here. Why don't we all sleep in here?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "If you weren't injured I'd punch you."

"Here we go." Cordelia announced as she came out of the bathroom with the water and the Tylenol and handed them to Buffy, who thanked her.

Angel sat up slightly so he could take the pills. After he was done, he kissed his wife softly. "See you in a few hours?"

"You got it, and call me if you need anything." Buffy replied, tucking him in.

"Oh, you're not going to make me sleep alone? Thank you!" Cordelia cheered.

Angel shook his head in amazement. So scared over a movie?

"This is how I sleep best, with my Buffy in my arms." Angel smiled as he and his wife cuddled in bed the next night. "Those two nights in Boston were so long and all I could think about was you and the baby. I worried that something might happen, but now I see that with Cordelia here you are safe from any intruder."

Buffy laughed. "She's my bodyguard."

"And I had impure thoughts about you as well."

Buffy gasped in mock amazement. "Dirty thoughts about innocent 'lil me?"

"Yes... I'm a bad man." Angel joked.

"Very... very bad." Buffy replied, kissing him tenderly.

Their hands started to roam each other's bodies, but before they could do anything else, the telephone began to ring. Sighing, Buffy reached over and grabbed the telephone from her nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Buffy?"

Buffy sighed. "Cordelia, I promise you, nothing is going to get you. Did you bring your dog in the room?"

"Yes, but I don't think a shitzu can protect me."

"Yeah, but she'll be able to tell if a ghost is near. It's a dog thing."

"You sure?"

"Yes... Why don't you call Xander? As your boyfriend it's his duty."

"Yeah, but I am avoiding him right now."

"You are? Why?"

"Because I'm trying to evaluate my feelings for him." Cordelia explained.

"Oh..."

"I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Call me tomorrow."

"Okay." Buffy replied. "You sure you're okay?"

"She's okay." Angel murmured as he nibbled on her neck.

"Yeah... good night."

"Night." Buffy replied, hanging up the telephone as Angel continued to kiss her neck and the side of her face.

"Do I need to leave the phone off the hook?" Buffy asked.

"Definitely." Angel replied.

"Oh good." Buffy giggled.

It was a good thing Cordelia never tried to call back, or she might have worried when it was busy for the next few hours.

The End

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