Cordy was surprised to see Willow and Xander walk in the door shortly after six. After the episode at the stadium, she'd been sure they would run around the city like happy lovebirds taking in all the sights. She studied Willow closely and was dismayed to see the hurt in her eyes. What had happened? She shot a questioning look at Xander, who shrugged behind Willow and shook his head helplessly. She'd been distant and quiet ever since the museum. She firmly disengaged her hand from his every time he'd tried to hold her hand. She'd turned her head when he tried to kiss her once just outside the museum. She wasn't going to let him in.

Xander had spent the bus ride home racking his brains to find out where he'd gone wrong. The dancing idea seemed to set something off inside her, but he couldn't figure out what. He had many happy memories of thrashing about on the dance floor at the Bronze with Willow. He knew she liked dancing. Did she not like dancing with him? He had to admit he was no Fred Astaire, but still…

"Hey, guys!" Cordelia exclaimed brightly. "Where've you been?" And what happened? she added silently in her mind.

Willow pasted a smile onto her face as she looked at her friend. She detailed their day with little emotion, and Cordy looked at her, concerned. Xander had screwed up big-time somewhere here. When Willow mentioned that Xander wanted to go dancing, Cordy's head had shot straight up. Oh, please tell me he didn't say "like old times". She inwardly winced as Willow repeated the dreaded phrase. Well, now she knew what had happened. She sighed slightly and glared at Xander over Willow's shoulder. "Hey Will, why don't you go start dinner? We can all get changed later."

As soon as Willow was safely out of the room, Cordy whipped around and whacked Xander on the arm.

"OW! What--?!"

"You idiot," Cordelia hissed at him through clenched teeth. "Do you really have no clue? 'Just like old times.' Old times when you used to ignore her and dance with anything in a skirt! Old times when she wished that you would look at her like you did as you drooled over every girl in the place? Do you have any idea how much that hurt her?"

Xander stood rigid for a moment before he realized Cordy was right. He had wounded Willow all those nights at the Bronze so long ago. "Damn," he muttered quietly.

"Look, you are going to go to this club and you are going to spend every second paying attention to her. You are going to make her feel more special than any other woman there. You are going to fulfill all her fantasies about going dancing with the man she loves. Or I will kill you myself. Do you understand?" Cordy advanced on him in a fury and poked her finger into his chest.

Xander nodded meekly and whispered an apology to her. She sighed. Tonight was definitely going to be interesting. She just hoped she didn't have to live up to her threat.

She moved off the dance floor and led him to a table. "Do you want a drink?" he asked, gesturing towards the bar.

"No," she replied, somewhat breathless. "I just needed to rest for a minute."

She reached out for Xander's hand as she sat on a stool, and his heart soared at the look in her eyes. She would believe him by the end of the weekend. She had to. He couldn't live without her.

"Where's Cordy?" she asked, scanning the crowd briefly.

"I don't know," Xander admitted. He had lost track of Cordy hours earlier. He'd been so busy trying to show Willow he was sincere in his feelings for her that he'd almost forgotten about Cordelia altogether.

"Look, Xander," Willow began. "I know what you're trying to do here, and you don't have to."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't have to make up every slight from our youth to me." She smiled at him shyly. "It's all in the past."

"Are you still, uh, thinking about - that thing we discussed last night?" he asked tentatively. Please say you believe that I love you. Please Willow. I do love you. More than anything.

She looked in his eyes and cocked her head slightly to one side. "Yes. I'm still thinking about it."

Xander squeezed her hand and leaned in to kiss her, hoping that it might convince her. Their lips brushed in the dim light, and Xander felt his heart swell dangerously as they kissed. He could never give this up. Never.

Willow broke their kiss and smiled brightly. "Come on." She hopped off her stool and led him back to the dance floor. God help me, Willow, Xander thought to himself. I'll follow you anywhere. Just don't stop loving me.