Xander and Cordelia sat at a table at the Bronze, making small talk, punctuated occasionally with smoochies. Their lives had been incredibly boring, since Buffy skipped town. And that's a completely different story.

"So what are we doing tomorrow?" Cordy asked. Xander and Cordy had taken to spending their days together, doing mundane things. Then they usually topped the day off with a trip to the Bronze.

"Well, I don't think anything can top today's shop 'til ya drop," Xander answered, complaining about the torment he had endured watching Cordy shop.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Let's do something new tomorrow," she suggested. "We've seen every movie that has ever been made, went shopping and have been to the Bronze a million times... I want... No, I *need* to do something different."

"Cordy, I hate to break this to you, but there is nothing else to do in Sunnydale," Xander said, bored. They had this conversation yesterday and the day before that and the day before that...

"Well, maybe we'll just have to get out of Sunnydale... I've got it!" she exclaimed. "We can go to the beach."

"The beach?" Xander asked. He didn't like the ocean. But if it made her happy...

"It'll be fun," Cordy answered, trying to convince him. "It's only a hour away. We can pack a lunch, full of all the junk food you like, and stay the whole day."

"I don't know..." Xander protested weakly. He already knew he was going to give in to her.

"Plus," Cordy added. "I've seen you in a swimsuit, but you've never seen me in one. I'll even wear my skimpy bikini."

That did it. Xander sighed. "What time?"

"Come to my house at nine, with your stuff. We'll go to the store after that and pick up food, then we'll be on our way," Cordy answered.

"Nine? Get up that early? Cordy, we're on vacation," Xander complained.

"You can sleep on the drive there," Cordy told him. She glanced at her watch. "I've got to go. Do you want a ride home?"

"Nah, I'll walk. Vampire activity's been low lately, so I'll be alright," Xander answered.

They got up and wove through the crowd, making their way to the door. As soon as they made it out, Xander leaned down and kissed Cordy.

"I'll see you tomorrow," He said, after he finished kissing her.

They bid each other farewell. After one last kiss they parted and went to their respective houses.

Xander rang the Chase's doorbell a few minutes before nine. He carried a backpack and wore a t - shirt and shorts. He looked tired. He wasn't used to getting up so early.

Cordelia answered the door, clad in a button - down, short shorts and leather sandals. "Good morning," she greeted and kissed him. "Come in."

He stepped in to the house and she shut the door. "I don't see what's so good about it," he grumbled.

Cordelia laughed. "I see you're not a morning person," she remarked. "I know just the thing to cure that." She pulled his head down and kissed him soundly. "Feel better?"

"Well, things are definitely looking up," he answered.

"Sit down," Cordy ordered. "I'll be ready in a few minutes."

Xander sat down on a couch. Cordelia went up a flight of stairs and disappeared. 'Knowing her, I'm in for a long wait,' Xander thought. 'I might as well get comfortable.' He positioned a throw pillow and laid down, promptly falling asleep.

Cordelia came back down the stairs a few minutes later. 'Look at him,' she thought. 'You leave the room for a moment and he goes to sleep.' She sighed and went over to the couch. She reached out and gently shook him. "Xander wake up!" He didn't even twitch.

Cordelia decided to get harsher. She yanked the throw pillow out from under his head and started shaking him harder. All Xander did was brush aside her hands. "I give up," Cordelia stated, exasperated.

In one last attempt to wake him, she leaned down and kissed him. His eyes flew open. Gently he pulled her on top of him and started kissing her back.

Cordy broke the kiss and glared down at him. "You're one hard person to wake up," she told him.

"That's what you get for waking me up so early," Xander retorted.

Cordelia rolled her eyes and got up off of him. "Come on. We better leave if we're going to get there."

Cordelia looked over at her boyfriend. After they had stopped for food, Xander had fallen asleep. 'At least this time I know how to wake him up,' she thought. She returned her attention to the road and started zipping through traffic.

After about an hour, they arrived at the beach. Cordelia found a parking space and parked. Xander had awakened half way through the trip, so at least that was taken care of.

They got out of the car and gathered their stuff. Then they headed out to the beach to find a good spot. After a few minutes of looking, Xander found the perfect spot. Close to the water with soft, powdery sand. They laid down the blanket Cordy had brought and set out their things.

Cordelia slipped out of her button - down and shorts, revealing the skimpy bikini she promised Xander she'd wear. She bent over to retrieve her bottle of sun screen.

Xander whistled. "Stay like that. I like the view."

Cordy turned around and lightly swatted him on the shoulder. "Thanks. It means *so* much coming from you." She started to put sun screen on.

"I'll get your back," Xander offered. He slipped his shirt off. "If you'll do mine."

"Thanks," she replied.

She handed him the sun screen and laid down. Xander squirted sun screen on her back and gently rubbed it over her soft skin. Every once in awhile, his hands would dip teasingly under her suit.

After he finished, she rolled over and gave him a light kiss. "On your stomach," she ordered. After he did what she commanded, she rubbed the sun screen all over his back, teasing him like he did her.

"All done," she told him. He rolled over and kissed her soundly. The couple sat there wrapped up in each other for a few minutes.

Cordy pulled back and looked into his eyes. 'It's now or never,' she thought. "I love you."

Xander looked at her shocked. It was the first time that either of them had said it. He knew he felt the same way. "I love you, too."

Cordy kissed him lightly. "Race you to the water," she challenged.

"You're on," he challenged.

They both got up and took off towards the water.