like I told you

Xander hadn't invited Sid over to stay. Of course, Sid was all talk with his life stories of being a surfer. He'd traveled all over.

Xander was a little put off. This wasn't what he wanted to hear about. Where were the stories about his mother? All he had was a a scrapbook pictures of his mother when she was a girl.

But this Sid went on and on about himself and the places he'd lived.

"What are you doing now?" Ducky asked.

Evidently, nothing because Sid didn't have a comeback line.

Xander nursed his bottom lip as he helped clear the dinner table. He knew he should be spending time with Sid, but he didn't want too. Especially, when Sid bragged about his life as a practical free-loader. It was so disconcerting.

So he ended up washing the dishes while Corina put stuff away. Ducky needed to go back to the hospital and Dakota was already snoozing in her room.

Suddenly, Xander realized it was awful quiet.

His shirt was all damp from being so close to the sink. He'd looked to see if Joey and Sid were in the livingroom. They weren't.

Xander gritted hard as he went to pull off his thermal shirt, just to put on a fresh one. This was giving him a headache.

At least, they weren't in Joey's room. Xander came back to the kitchen while Corina was putting on a pot of coffee.

Finally, Xander smelled a pungent odor that he remembered from Joey's place.

Xander spotted Joey and Sid in the cold all bundled up. Oh, they were smoking, all right.

Xander sighed and jerked the patio door open.

"What are you doing?" But he wasn't asking Joey. He was demanding it from Sid.

"Hey." Sid cracked a smile.

Xander jerked the homemade cigarette from Joey's lips.

"Just get out." Xander said very sternly to Sid.

"What? I just got here, man." Sid's smile was dazzling. Xander could see a little of himself in this man he'd never met until a few days ago. He didn't want to see himself.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE." Xander jerked Sid up from the lounge chair. "I don't ever want to see you, again. You're not invited here." Xander never batted an eye-lash.

"OK." Sid looked at him as if he thought Xander was crazy. He high tailed it in and was soon out the front door.