< Maybe it's wearing off, > she thought.

"So, Buffster, meeting Angel tonight?" Xander asked.

"Uh...if I am, you're not going to overract and try to protect me by killing him or anything like that?" she asked a bit apprehensively.

"No! I mean, why would I worry about you like that?" He started staring at Willow. "I trust you...." Willow and Xander kissed.

"So you're okay with your best friend doing the whole older guy thing?" Buffy asked.

Xander broke away from the kiss. "Uh, sorry. Were you saying something, Buff?"

"Oh no, not me," said Buffy. "I don't actually talk, I just stand around and Slay things while watching my friends make out." < It's too bad I can't use some of that stuff on Angel, > she thought. < I mean, if it did this to Xander, Mr.Cool-and-Enigmatic would...probably just shrug it off. But I can dream, can't I? >

"Hey Buffy, want some coffee? Cappuccino, maybe?" Willow asked.

"Sure Will, get one for yourself too," she said.

"Oh no," Willow replied. "Coffee makes me -- "

"Jumpy," Xander finished.

< Oh God, now they're completing each other's sentences! > Buffy thought morosely. < This is just so sickeningly perfect I think I could throw up. > Then she considered the alternative. < Of course, this is a lot better than this turning into a sequel of 'So I Married an Axe Murderer.' > She giggled to herself, imagining Willow going after Xander with an axe. It was so surreal. Kinda like her threatening Angel with a gun, and yelling, "Freeze bitch!" And then....

"Oh look, Angel!" Willow said, back with the cappucinos.

"Where?" said Buffy, panicking out of her daydream. < I wasn't going to do anything illegal to him, honest! > she could imagine herself explaining to him. And her friends. And her mom. And the cops.

"Right behind you," came the smooth, quiet voice.

"Cappuccino?" Willow offered Angel a coffee.

"I'm really not hungry," Angel said.

"Yeah, we can see how you stuff yourself," said Xander pointedly.

"Besides, it's not a food, it's a beverage," added Willow.

Angel relented and took the cappuccino. Willow gave the other one to Buffy.

"Hey, wasn't that supposed to be mine?" Xander's normally defensive tone around Angel sounded entirely playful this time.

"Now you be a good puppy and you'll get yours next time," Willow said in a mock-scolding tone.

"What if I want mine now?" Xander asked, eyes smoldering.

Buffy coughed. They ignored her.

"Listen, you two kids should go," said Angel. "Find a room or something." Bitterness washed over his face to be rapidly repressed. "I should go too."

"No!" Willow suddenly started paying attention. "You two have to stay. You have coffee to finish." Her face got all serious. "You HAVE to."

"It's the Resolved Face," Xander said. "Don't try and fight it. Resistance is futile."

"Darn tootin'," said Willow. She kissed Xander, and sighed. "C'mon, Xander, we haven't danced yet," she said. She hauled him to his feet and they left to go across the room, and dance.

"How long have those two been together?" Angel asked, watching them.

"Only about forever," Buffy added, sipping her coffee. Angel drank as well.

He coughed. "These are a little heavy on the cinnamon," he noted.

< Heavy on the cinnamon? > Buffy thought. < She wouldn't. She didn't. > An evil smile began to creep across her face. Angel seemed to appreciate it. The poor fool.

< This is a bad idea, > she thought. < Complete irrationality and loss of free will. Danger. Lots o' danger. > She gave him a good once-over.  < Hey, I'm the Slayer. I can handle danger. >

"Isn't this coffee great though?" she asked. It was, as he had said, rather heavy on the cinnamon. Of course, his wasn't cinnamon, but cinnamon-flavored love potion, but really, don't they say, 'All's fair in love and war?'

"It's...not bad," he said, eyes never leaving her.

"So what's your cryptic warning this time?" she asked.

He paused before replying, looking wistfully at her. She half-smiled again. "There's this group of vampires called the Three. They've been sent after you. They're very dangerous, and they will try to kill you." He set his cappucino down, having drained it. "We should get you home as soon as possible."

That half-smile again.

Willow and Xander came back from dancing. "So you two having fun?" she asked.

"Tons," Buffy replied, and the half-smile became a full one. "Thanks so much for the coffee Will." She had only half-drunk hers. "Hold this for me? Angel's going to escort me home."

Xander looked askance at her.

"It's a dangerous town at night," she explained.

"Well, maybe we should come along too," he reasoned. "It being so dangerous and all. We could make a thing of it. A double walking thing. Owtch!" Willow had discreetly stomped his foot.

< Oh God, > Buffy thought < This is how the violence starts. >

But Xander just grinned good-naturedly. "Don't worry honey," Xander told Willow. "I really was getting sick of walking." He smiled at her.

"You two go," said Willow. "It's getting late." She smiled knowingly.

Angel's eyes flicked back and forth between them. Buffy offered him her arm. "Danger, remember?"

He took it.

After Buffy and Angel had left the Bronze, Xander asked, "You think you did the right thing? Putting the mojo on Angel and all?"

"Of course," she reassured him. "They're such a cute couple. Like us," she added.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't mix up the drinks," Xander replied. "You remember what happened the last time Buffy got dosed."

"Do I!" Willow said. "But I marked the 'special' coffee with a heart, see?" She picked up Angel's drink from the table and showed it to Xander.

He picked out of