Part 2

 "Hey Willow, what's up?"
 "Nothing much," the red-head replied as Buffy joined her at their usual
table in the school cafeteria.  Willow was trying to finish her schoolwork
for the day so that she wouldn't have to worry about it later when she got
to Angel's, leaving her free to just hang out with the vampire.
 "I wanted to thank you for helping out with Angel last night," the Slayer
said as she sat in one of the vacant chairs.  "I'm sorry that you had to put
aside whatever else you might of had but you were the only one I could think
of to ask."
 "It was no problem, really," Willow assured Buffy.  Willow didn't feel
guilty over the fact that she had spent every night at Angel's house for the
past couple of weeks, without the Slayer's knowledge, or that her nights
often ended up with her curling around him in his bed.  Willow didn't see it
as a betrayal of the friendship that she had with the blonde girl, but knew
enough about Buffy and her emotional state when it came to Angel, to know
that she would not be happy with the news that the two of them often shared
the same bed.  Willow just saw it as helping her friend when he needed her.
 "Cool."  Willow went back to her studying, but kept getting distracted by
Buffy fidgeting in her sit.
 "What's up Buffy?" Willow asked her friend.  "You're all jumpy and stuff."
 "It's just that I have another really huge favor to ask you," Buffy told
her.
 "What is it?"
 "Well, I was wondering if you could maybe go over to Angel's again
tonight,:" Buffy asked.  "I mean, I'll understand if you say no and all, but
something kinda came up and I can't go over there."
 "No prob.  What came up?" Willow wanted to know, considering that this made
four times in one week that Buffy had not gone to see Angel, sending Willow
instead, although that Slayer had gotten better at asking Willow and not
just assuming that she would go.  The red head didn't understand what was so
important that Buffy would miss out on spending some quality time with the
man she supposedly loved.
 "Oh, Faith and I are going to spar a bit and then patrol," Buffy answered
non chalantly.  "Giles thinks it would be a good idea if she and I spend
some time bonding while doing the whole Slayer thing.  Seems to think that
it will only make us better in the long run."  Buffy's voice made it evident
what she thought about spending time with the other Slayer.  It was no
secret among the scooby gang how Buffy felt about Faith, hating that there
was another "chosen one".  Then again, Willow had to admit, Buffy hated
anything that took the spotlight from her.
 "He could be right, you know," Willow pointed out.  "I mean, two Slayers
are better than one on the Hellmouth.  And it probably makes him worry a lot
less knowing that you have some back up if you ever get into any trouble
that you can't handle."  Buffy looked sharply at Willow, who quickly threw
up her hands trying to placate the blonde.  "Not that you would get into any
trouble that you can't handle, because you can pretty much handle anything
that comes your way, with or without Faith around to help you and I'm
babbling so I'll just shut up now."  Willow looked down at her book as she
felt the Slayer's eyes bore into her head.
 "Umm, okay, tense much," Cordelia said as she came over to the table.  She
could feel the anger radiating off of Buffy, and considering the way that
Willow was trying to bury her head in her book, she had a feeling that she
knew who that anger was aimed at.
 "Just a little disagreement between friends," Buffy told the brunette as
she continued looking at Willow.  "But we've straightened it out, right
Wills?"
 "Uh huh," came the mumbled reply out of the red head who still refused to
raise her head from her book.
 "Well, I better go and talk to Giles."  Buffy rose from the table, grab-bing
her books.  "Thanks again Willow for taking care of Angel tonight."  With
that said, Buffy left the cafeteria, leaving Willow and Cordelia alone.
Willow watched Buffy go from under her eyelids and, once the Slayer had
left, she finally looked up at Cordelia.
 "Sorry about that?"
 "About what?"  Cordelia asked.  "Ignoring Buffy?  Please, like I wouldn't
try and do the same if I could help it."  The cheerleader sat down in
Buffy's vacated seat and looked over at Willow.  "So she has you babysitting
Angel again tonight.  Isn't that like the third time this week?"
 "Fourth, but who's counting?"  Cordelia smiled at Willow's attempt at
humor.
 "For someone who is supposedly in love with him, she certainly seems to
spend almost no time with Angel," Cordelia stated.  "I think I've seen more
of him this week than she has."
 "Well, she does have other things to do, like all her slayer stuff and
all," Willow pointed out.
 "And you don't?" Cordelia retorted.  "Please, Willow, that girl is using
you.  She thinks your the safe choice to keep an eye on her boyfriend until
she decides that she wants him back in her life on a full time basis."
 "What do you mean, safe choice?"  Cordelia suddenly looked uncomfortable
with the conversation that she had started, her eyes looking everywhere but
at the girl who shared the table with her.  "Cordy?"
 "Okay, look.  I want you to know that this isn't coming from me, okay?"
When Cordelia saw Willow nod her head in understanding, she continued,
"Well, Buffy and I were talking last week and I had said something about how
she seemed to always be asking you to take care of Angel, and she said it
was because she trusted him with you."
 "So?  What's so bad about that?"
 "That's not what I thought was bad.  It was why she trusted him with you,"
Cordelia explained.  "She said that she knew that, with you being the one
watching Angel, that she didn't have to worry about his eye wondering.  That
he would never be interested in you because you weren't his type."
 "His type?" Willow repeated in a soft voice.  "And what exactly is his
type?"
 "Well, according to Buffy.  Blonde, beautiful and big chested, although she
didn't say that in so many words," Cordelia said.  "Basically she doesn't
see you as competition for Angel's affections, although why is beyond me."
When Willow cocked her eyebrow at Cordelia's comment, the cheerleader smiled
at the young girl.  "Oh, come on.  I might not know Angel all that well, but
I'm pretty sure you're more his type than Buffy.  I mean, sure he might have
initially gone for the looks thing, but he seems more the type to like a
girl that has substance as well as looks.  Not to mention the fact that the
two of you are practically living together."  Willow almost fell off her
chair when Cordelia said that last part.
 "We're not living together," she protested.
 "Yeah right," Cordelia answered back.  "I'm not blind.  Remember I have to
drive past the mansion on my way to school, and trust me when I say your red
hair is very noticeable."  Willow paled as she realized that Cordelia knew
that she was spending her nights at Angel's and the cheerleader rushed to
let her know that it was okay.
 "Relax Willow.  It's cool with me, and Xander too."  Again Willow almost
fell to the floor.
 "Xander knows?"
 "He was with me this morning and we saw you leave the house.  We knew that
you were spending alot of time with Angel lately, helping him get over
whatever happened to him, and we just figured that you decided it would be
easier if you stayed at the mansion, especially since your folks are out of
town," the brunette explained.  "Besides, I'm personally cheering for you to
steal that gorgeous vampire out from under our little Slayer's nose."  This
time, Willow blushed at the suggestion of her and Angel getting together.
"I think you two would make a cute couple.  Much better than miss high and
mighty."
 "We're just friends," Willow tried to state convincingly, all the while
wondering if maybe there was something more than friendship.  ‘I mean, what
do I have to offer Angel.  I'm not Buffy.  Then again, Buffy doesn't seem to
care all that much about what Angel has been going through.  She isn't the
one that he has talked to about his time in Hell.  She isn't the one who has
held him when his dreams turn into nightmares. She isn't the one who gets to
fall asleep in his bed at night.'
   Cordelia could see Willow thinking about things and knew that she had
been right.  She had seen how Willow and Angel were around each other, the
red head often making sure that he was okay, while Angel never allowed
Willow to go anywhere by herself.  The brunette had seen the stolen glances
between the two and the silent communications that they often shared and
recognized them for what they were.  Willow and Angel were falling in love
with each other, even if they hadn't realized it themselves.  And when
Cordelia told Xander about her observations, her normally dense boyfriend
stated that he had noticed the affection Willow and Angel had for each other
and approved of anything that might happen between the two of them.  The
couple decided that they would help the vampire and witch discover their
feelings.
 "Friends, right," Cordelia drawled just as the bell rang signifying the end
of lunch.  "You keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll believe it."
Cordelia stood and walked away.
 "We're just friends," Willow repeated softly to her retreating back, this
time trying to convince herself that it was true.
 

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