COLORADO, AUGUST, 2003

His tan needed no further work. The Neos did. It was Dawn who suggested letting the slight crushes some of them sported on Xander help to teach them some of the super-basics.

"Every vamp can kill you. The wild-looking one. The dandy. The cursed boyfriends. They can hit you and kill you every second until they are scattered dust, and for all we know, some might fly up your windpipe even then. They will taunt you. They're really good for that. Once someone is vamped, all the brains they had and all the brains they never used become turned toward seeking prey. That would be you."

He went on until he started repeating himself, and so dismissed the young women whose instincts would be a better teacher than he could ever hope to be. But the one who without a doubt did not want him even mildly remained. She was the chosen lover of his very best friend, and if she tended to grate on his nerves a bit, so be it.

"Hey, Xander? Can we talk?"

"Your tongue cut her again, didn't it?"

"Errr..No. Its about Tara."

Xander sat down.

"She appeared?"

Kennedy waved her hand.

"No. No First-y stuff. What--kind of person was she?"

Xander's remaining eye seemed to look at the clouds.

"Beauty. Not beautiful. Beauty. Not hot. Not hubba. Beauty. If I could, I'd give time from my remaining life so that Willow could have her ba--"

He stopped, seeing her obvious discomfort..

"Hey. Its not anything on you. But it was next to impossible not to love Tara."

She nodded, the tough girl almost looking a bit tearful.

"Or forget her. Xander, I don't need any surprises. So tell me now. Am I sloppy seconds for Willow? Am I always going to be the quick lay-over--so to speak--between Tara and the real next one?"

Xander held out his hand.

"You are a Scoobie. One of about fifty, last I checked. Someday, you'll be your own Slayer and have your own nerd jester to remind you of things. In fact, you may already, if Faith doesn't claim him so she can raid his groceries on a regular basis. The only surprise Willow is gonna give you is how totally totally totally--totally spies--totally she gives herself to you. Tara is gone."

Kennedy smiled lightly.

"No surprises?"

"She's yours. When Will moves on, she moves on. Hell, just ask Oz. No more surprises there, after the dust settled."

Kennedy began another round without meaning to.

"Oz? She was the werewolf, right?"