"Do you want me to come in too?" he asked uncertainly. He wasn't sure how this whole first date thing with Willow had gone. He was half-afraid she'd never want to see him again. He'd never had a first date remotely like this one. With anyone remotely as special as Willow. < Just my luck. > He gazed at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"Nah," Xander said loudly, opening the van's side door. "We can handle it from here. C'mon Will."

Willow shot him a look and waved him away. "You go ahead. I'll be there in a minute." Xander huffed loudly, but complied with her request, looking back at the pair several times as he walked. Willow watched Xander head for the door, and once he was safely inside she turned her attention back to Oz.

"I think maybe it would be best if it was only me and Xander here when Buffy got back," she began. "It's just that -"

"No Willow, it's okay. You don't need to explain, I mean, I don't want to make Buffy uncomfortable. This whole night is probably hard enough for her.." Oz let his voice trail off. Willow nodded, glad he understood.

"I realize this probably wasn't the best party you've ever been to as well," Willow said.

"No, no. It's fine. It was good getting to spend some time with you and your friends," Oz hurried to reassure her. "Especially with you." He would never have guessed that Willow's life was so dangerous. The fact that he knew something about her that other people didn't made him feel special. It made the time she spent with him more valuable somehow.

Oz smiled as she blushed and looked at her lap. She seemed kind of tongue-tied, so Oz hopped in to fill the silence. "Uh, I do have a couple of questions."

Willow looked up at him in surprise. "Like what?"

"Uh, Mr. Giles - Giles. How exactly does he fit in to all this? He seemed to know a lot about this Judge guy already."

Willow smiled, glad to know the easy answer to this one. "Oh, he's what's known as a Watcher. His job is to train Buffy. He keeps an eye on her and researches stuff. He's kinda like an expert on demons and the other baddies."

Oz absorbed this information quickly. "And Buffy kills vampires, but Angel's a vampire. What's the deal there?"

Willow gazed at Oz in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"Well, it was that whole avoiding daylight thing, you know. I mean, I've read the novels too."

Willow's face scrunched up as she tried to think of a way to explain Angel. "He's a vampire, but he's not like other vampires at all. He had his soul restored. He's really a nice guy. Kinda quiet, but nice."

Oz nodded. "Yeah, I get that about him."

"You know this all has to be a secret, right?" Willow asked suddenly.

"Oh yeah," Oz agreed. "I won't tell anyone. I swear." < I would never hurt you Willow. And hurting any of your friends would hurt you. >

"You're sure you're okay with this?" Willow asked. "I mean, I know it's a shock, and I don't want you to feel weird about Buffy or-"

"No, I feel better knowing that she's out there," Oz interrupted, causing Willow to break into a wide smile. His heart stopped momentarily as he basked in it. This smile was just for him. Her eyes danced with happiness that he understood. For what he had said about Buffy. "I'd like to help her too, if you need me. Tomorrow or whenever." Oz leaned forward and withdrew a pen and paper from the dashboard. He quickly wrote out his phone number and handed the paper to Willow. "If you guys need anything…"

Willow took the paper and held it tightly. She looked toward the library door again. Oz knew she wanted to be in there, helping her friends. She was something else. < I hope someday she cares about me. It must be amazing to be loved like that by Willow. > A smile toyed on Oz's lips for a moment as he considered the possibility that someday he'd be on the receiving end of Willow's devotion. He then hopped out his side of the van and opened Willow's door. He retrieved her bags from the backseat. He nervously took her hand to help her down from the van and then walked her to the library door. She stepped back slightly to let him twist the doorknob and then grinned when held it open for her. Giving her bag her shopping bags, he said, "You'd better go. You know, before chaperone-Xander comes back."

Willow giggled quietly and tucked the paper Oz had given her into her purse. "I'm glad that you're okay with all of this." Oz reached forward to grasp her hand. He squeezed it encouragingly and smiled. She looked surprised for a moment before she squeezed back. Oz thought about how much he would like to kiss her goodnight. But the circumstances of the evening made that seem almost frivolous. They had a head-bobbing conversation very similar to the one they shared when she had asked him out . Willow smiled at him and stared into his eyes for a minute before she silently went through the door. Oz watched it close, until she disappeared from view completely.

"I'm very okay with anything that has to do with you, Willow," he whispered softly to the darkness.