Title: Red Moon Rising , Part 1

Red Moon Series, Book 1
Author: Hunter Ash

Email: hunterash@sti.net Feedback welcome!!
Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The X-files characters and show all belong to Chris Carter, Fox and possibly others. No copyright infringement was intended and suing me will not make you any money! The storyline, however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and may even include 3 at the same time <G>. If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

Spoilers: Some general 5th season stuff, but nothing major.
Summary: OZ is back and causes havoc when he demands Willow join him as his mate. Buffy, Willow and Tara have other ideas.

Rating: R, violence, werewolf attacks, major character injury, angst, hurt and comfort. It’s Buffy, there’s violence.

Author's Note: While this is not my first story, it is my first Buffy story. So….kind words are hoped for…<G>. Oh, and by the way, this will be posted in parts. This being part one. Feedback always welcome.

Red Moon Rising

Red Moon Series, Book 1

Frau Hunter Ash

hunterash@sti.net

www.hunterash.com

Part 1

“Oz?”

The young musician didn’t looked surprised by Buffy’s stunned response when she answered the door to the dorm room she shared with Willow. He expected nothing less than surprise and looked like he was ready to flinch at any moment if her reaction was even stronger.

Buffy Summers, the Slayer, was tempted but resisted slamming the guitarist into the hallway wall behind him and then bouncing him down the stairs a few times. Both of them knew as The Slayer she could do it; she had the skills, she had the strength and she definitely had the anger.

“Is Willow around?”

Buffy Summers felt her eyes narrow in anger as Oz did flinch and the Slayer sensed his muscles tensing in a pre flight or fight adrenalin rush.

“Haven’t you done enough damage?” Buffy demanded. “She’s just now getting back on her feet.”

“With your help?” Oz snapped, his green eyes flashing.

The question puzzled Buffy but she refused to be drawn out of her original anger at him for hurting her best friend, her Willow.

“I’m not talking about me, you idiot!” she snapped back. “She spent a week in this damned room and refused to budge, we could barely get her to class. She wouldn’t eat, she wouldn’t sleep, her grades slipped!”

Oz had the decency to look ashamed at Buffy’s description of Willow’s suffering. He had left town with little word and no explanation other than to find himself and a way to control the wolf raging inside of him.

“Is she here, please?” he asked again.

“No, she’s over studying with a friend,” Buffy growled, her blue eyes almost flashing lightning at the small male.

Oz pulled out an envelope and handed it to the blonde. She saw it was addressed to Willow.

“Could you give that to her, please,” he asked in his normally soft and low voice. “It has the number where I’m staying, I’d like to see her.”

“Why? Are you back for good or do you plan on ripping out her heart again?” Buffy demanded.

“I don’t know, one of the things I want to talk to her about is to say I’m sorry,” he admitted and turned to walk away, stuffing his hands in his jacket.

Buffy watched as he walked down the hallway towards the stairs, her eyes still angry. He hadn’t changed outwardly in the six months he had been gone, she thought. He still had that scruffy look that Willow seemed to find adorable in him. His red hair was still spiky, an old baggy rock t-shirt, baggy green trousers in the style favored by a lot of the skateboarders and Doc Martin boots.

Buffy slammed the door and turned back to the room she shared with Willow, wanting to punch something. She thought about ripping up the envelope and whatever it contained inside but she knew Oz would just be back and find a way to get to Willow.

Buffy Summers, college student and Vampire Slayer, let out a yell and kicked her chair into her desk, shattering it. She laid the envelope on Willow’s bed and threw herself on her bed and began pounding her pillow flat.

<It wasn’t fair>, she thought. Willow was just getting her life back in order after her werewolf boyfriend had left. The young college student, computer hacker and witch had taken the breakup very hard. First Oz had slept with Veruca, a female werewolf, and then turned Willow down for intimacy. To finish off the hacker’s self esteem, he left town with barely a goodbye to his girlfriend.

Willow had gone through everything Buffy had described to the musician. It had actually been closer to two weeks before Buffy and Xander had gotten Willow to pay attention to anything other than sleeping and crying.

She had started going out with them and had started attending a local on-campus Wicca pagan group and had met a new friend which helped distract her.

Buffy had just met Willow’s new friend Tara and had thought the new friendship was actually good for Willow. What was puzzling Buffy was her reaction to Tara in general; she didn’t like the time Willow was spending with Tara even though it seemed to be helping the witch. <That didn’t make sense>, Buffy scolded herself.

Buffy had her own distractions lately and had been spending less and less time with Willow. The Slayer knew that it was only natural for Willow to start turning to someone else for friendship and focus. Buffy was spending time with her new boyfriend Riley, the commando-trained demon hunter. Time spent patrolling with him, studying with him, and sleeping with him.

It did bother Buffy though; she was used to Willow being there. <Willow had always been there for her: unconditional friendship and unconditional love.>

Buffy frowned to herself, <where did that come from? What was up with these thoughts?>

<Her Willow? Unconditional love?>

<Gods, wasn’t her life complicated enough?> A voice demanded from deep inside the Slayer.

************************

Willow pulled back from the kiss; knowing that she was blushing and lightly cursing her normally pale skin. Having red hair didn’t help; it made her blushing more noticeable and embarrassed her even more.

She noticed the same puzzled look on Tara’s face.

“Wow,” Willow muttered and sat down on Tara’s dorm bed. The other witch joined her on the bed, still looking puzzled.

“I’ve wanted to do that since we met,” Tara admitted.

“Really? I mean, like, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said,” Willow stammered.

“But?” Tara added with a slight smile on her face.

“I don’t know,” Willow admitted.

“Not what you expected?” Tara asked gently.

“It’s not you!” Willow began stammering again, “Oh gods, I just… I don’t know. It’s not because you’re a girl and I’m a girl, it’s not that it’s the gay thing, even though I’m not sure about being gay. I am attracted to you, that’s not it…”

“Willow!” Tara broke through the red-haired witch’s babbling. “It’s alright, I feel it too. Something isn’t clicking or maybe it is and I'm just scared, I don't know either. The magik works, being with you is wonderful, but it…”

“Goddess, you’re not mad at me?” Willow asked softly.

“No, not at all, it doesn’t seem to be there for me either,” Tara responded, her voice still soft and somewhat sad.

“Nothing changes between us, does it?” Willow asked, her voice sounding small and somewhat timid and Tara drew the smaller woman into her arms.

“No, I was hoping that maybe there was more but you can’t force love, especially if both of us don’t feel it,” Tara whispered.

“But I do love you,” Willow muttered and then smiled shyly. "Can we try that kiss again?"

“What about Buffy?”

Before Willow could puzzle out what Tara could mean by that question, the person in question barged through the door.

“Willow,” she almost yelled as a greeting when she stopped in the middle of the floor and took in the sight of her best friend in Tara’s arms.

Everyone seemed frozen in place, Willow in Tara’s arms and Buffy gawking at her best friend.

“I… uh,” Buffy stammered. “I wanted to find you before he did; I didn’t want you to fall over in shock. I didn’t mean to barge in…”

“Buffy,” Willow sat up, moving slightly out of Tara’s embrace. “Who him?”

“I… uh… Oz,” Buffy stammered. “Oz is back and looking for you.”

“Oz?” Willow whispered. “Oz? As in red hair, guitar, wolf fur and fangs, Oz?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered unhappily.

“Oh God,” the witch frowned and missed Buffy’s puzzled look for a moment until she looked up and realized Buffy was staring at her holding hands with Tara. Willow began to blush an even brighter red. “I… uh… Tara, I need to go for a bit.”

“You going to be okay?” Tara asked, turning to Willow with such a look of concern that Buffy felt her heart lurch a little.

“Yeah, I think so,” Willow said softly, appearing to think about it for a moment. “I guess I need to talk to him.”

“You don’t have to!” Buffy said firmly. “I can just tell him to get lost.”

Willow appeared to continue thinking about it and shook her head as she stood up. “No, that would be cowardly, that wouldn’t be good, no, not good.”

Buffy managed to finally smile. “That’s my Wills, babbling right along.”

Willow blushed and smiled. The witch turned as Tara walked up behind her. “I’ll call you or drop back by later, okay?”

“Sure, let me know, okay?” Tara asked.

“Yes, I will,” Willow promised. “Let’s go, Buffy.”

************************

“So, where we headed?” Buffy asked once they got outside Tara’s dorm.

“Buffy, I… uh,” Willow tried to begin. “Let’s walk, okay?”

“Okay,” Buffy agreed and the two young women started walking along the campus. “I… I’m glad you found Tara, Willow. What does Oz returning mean though? I mean, like, I’m okay with the gay thing and I don’t think Oz deserves you.”

Willow began blushing, as if on cue. “It’s not what you think it is with Tara. Well, actually, it was kinda but that changed, maybe. I mean, we’re still friends and everything but we’re not… we’re not, like girlfriend as in girlfriend-girlfriend thing. At least, not yet, I don't know.”

“Slow down!” Buffy laughed. “Try that without the babble.”

“Oh boy,” Willow sat down on one of the many benches and Buffy joined her. Buffy could tell the young witch was nervous and placed her hand reassuringly on Willow’s thigh. The Slayer almost jumped at the feeling of electricity passing between them and saw Willow jump as well.

“I… uh… Tara and I, we admitted we were attracted to each other and kissed,” Willow said in a rush, blushing profusely.

“And?” Buffy whispered, almost holding her breath.

“And we… it was nice but it wasn’t… it totally,” Willow tried to explain.

“Is it because of Oz?”

“No,” Willow said thoughtfully. “We came to that before you showed up.”

“So, like, you’re not gay?” Buffy asked, puzzled.

“No, I think I am, or at least bisexual,” Willow admitted.

Buffy and the young witch sat lost in their thoughts for a few moments.

The Slayer was puzzled by her own reactions and couldn’t seem to sort them out. Willow seemed happy around Tara, better than her own relationship with Riley which was turning out to be a disaster, but they weren’t a couple? <What did that mean? What did that especially mean for Buffy?>

Ever since Oz had left, Buffy had started noticing how much she depended on Willow, especially since they hadn’t been spending that much time together. Somehow, Riley seemed like a poor substitute for Willow in her life. <What did that mean?> The Slayer demanded from herself. <Just because she had found herself dreaming about Willow in a most “more than just friendship” way, did that mean she was gay or bi? Just because she found herself watching her best friend all the time, especially when the young witch changed for bed or got up in the mornings. Just because watching Willow got her hot and bothered, did that mean she was gay? >

<Maybe,> it also meant she had fallen for her best friend somewhere over the last few years together.

“Are you okay with this?” Willow asked in a timid voice.

“Yeah, it’s just a surprise, I never thought you went for females,” Buffy commented.

“I didn’t think I did but Tara and I got closer and I started noticing these feelings,” Willow said. “You know that evil double vampire Willow thing, like she was totally skanky and kinda gay. I tried to ignore it until Tara. Then I started noticing other girls and kinda analyzing how I felt and I guess I’m kinda gay. ”

“Other females?” Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows and noticed how flushed Willow suddenly got and how nervous. “Like who?”

“I… uh… shouldn’t we be talking about Oz?” Willow asked.

“Okay, I’ve got an envelope he left,” Buffy said, agreeing to the distraction for now. It might give her time to think too. She pulled the envelope out and handed it to the witch and watched as Willow ripped it open and began reading the pages inside.

Willow read, letting Buffy drift into the background. It was something a part of her mind noticed though; she never really let Buffy totally leave her mind.

“Willow, I’m staying at the Red Door Inn, room 17. Please call me. I just want to talk. Part of what I want to say is that I am so very sorry about what happened, especially with Veruca. I was wrong but didn’t know how to stop her that night. I’m so sorry in leaving the way I did. We should have talked things out but talking has never been one of my strong points. I know I hurt you and I would do anything to make that up to you. I love you, Willow. Please call me.”

Willow handed the letter over to Buffy as she leaned forward, putting her chin in her hands, elbows on her knees. The young witch was quiet as her best friend read the letter.

“What are you going to do, Wills?” Buy asked softly when she finished reading.

“I don’t know. I’m going to call him.”

“How can I help?”

“Just be here for me,” Willow whispered, looking up at her friend. The compassion and caring in Buffy’s eyes surprised Willow. Buffy had been so hung up lately with Riley that Willow wasn’t sure about how close their friendship was now. Looking into Buffy’s eyes, there was no doubt but there was a new level of confusion.

Willow had danced around the gay question and thinking about women other than Tara because the red head didn’t want to think about that, especially when talking to Buffy. Willow had gone through something of a self analysis when she realized she was attracted to Tara and one her thoughts which seemed to constantly came back was about Buffy.

Not only how gorgeous the Slayer was, but also how much their friendship meant to Willow. They were close and Willow knew they loved each other, now it was time to admit that she was also IN love with Buffy.

<Maybe not admit it aloud though,> she thought to herself. The last thing she wanted to do, especially now, was lose Buffy’s friendship. Willow didn’t think she could face Oz, her changing relationship with Tara and the general stress of living in Sunnydale without Buffy.

“I’ll always be here for you,” Buffy said softly and felt her body moving forward slightly, her eyes half closing.

Both women suddenly sat upright and blinked in the sunlight a moment, both realizing they had been about to kiss.

“I… uh… I guess I'll call him?” Willow asked softly.

“Okay," Buffy stammered, mentally smacking herself. <How could I be so stupid?> she yelled at herself. <Just because she likes females doesn't mean she likes YOU!> "I'll wait in our room."

"Okay, that's good," Willow stuttered. "Support is good, close is good. I mean, support close is good."

Buffy noticed she wasn't the only one blushing and at a loss for words. <Was she one of the females Willow had 'checked out'? What did her relationship with Riley mean?>

“Oh God,” she whispered.

“Oh boy,” Willow agreed. “I need to talk to Oz and get this over with,” Willow muttered.

“Okay, I’ll be in our room when you get done,” Buffy said firmly. “You can do this.”

“Yeah, my turn to hurt him,” Willow muttered.

“Will, that’s not it and you know it,” Buffy scolded gently.

“I know, I’m not doing it out of revenge. I’ve changed and he’s probably changed, I know I’m not in love with him anymore,” Willow agreed. “I’m in... I, uh, gotta go.”

The computer hacker was up and trotting away before Buffy could respond, leaving the Slayer with a slightly stunned expression on her face. <Was Willow about to say what Buffy thought she was about to say?>

************************

Willow had agreed to meet Oz at the Espresso Pump and was now nervously waiting, drinking her second cup of strong Earl Grey tea when she saw the familiar spiky red hair walking in the door.

“Oh Goddess,” she whispered to herself as Oz spotted her and his face lit up. Watching the young man make his way to her table just confirmed what Willow had decided. She was no longer in love with Oz. She still felt a stirring for him but it was nothing like when she thought of Buffy and Tara.

Oz sat down slowly, his face and eyes cautious.

“Hey, Willow,” he said simply.

“Hi, Oz,” the witch responded. “You’re looking good.”

“Thanks, I’m doing a lot better. That’s why I came back,” Oz responded.

“How so?”

“I learned to control the wolf, no more losing it on full moons,” he answered with a grin, taking her hand in the two of his. “I still change but I can control the rage.”

“That’s great!” Willow was truly happy for Oz, turning into a werewolf for three nights out of the month, especially when the wolf was a blood thirsty, out of control, killing machine was not what she wanted for anyone, especially her ex-boyfriend. It didn’t matter that he had hurt her, a lot of that was because of the wolf.

“Yeah, I was hoping to make things up to you,” Oz continued. “I was hoping we could start again.”

“Oz,” Willow hesitated, “I…”

The normally quiet musician waited.

“I don’t think so,” Willow said softly. “I’m not in love with you, Oz. I care, and I still love you, sort of, but not like ‘in love’ with you.”

Willow expected Oz to be hurt; she wasn’t prepared for the anger in the young man’s eyes. Feeling his hands clenched in anger shocked the witch.

“Oz? I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“We’re meant to be together, Willow,” he muttered. “I love you.”

Willow tried to pull her hands out of his but his grip tightened.

“It took that mess with Veruca and finding myself before I realized how I really felt. I can’t live without you, Willow.”

“Oz, please, don’t do this,” Willow winced as Oz squeezed even harder.

“I can’t do this without you, Willow,” Oz continued, ignoring her struggles. “I can only control the wolf by thinking of you and of us being together.”

Willow began to look around the coffee shop and was dismayed. There were only three other people in the shop besides the guy behind the counter. A couple so deep in love that they probably wouldn’t notice if an airplane dropped on them and a student who had his head buried in two different pre-med books. The guy behind the counter was somewhere in the back and out of sight.

“Oz, please, you’re hurting me,” Willow pleaded, a little louder.

“Just come with me tonight,” Oz kept on, seeming not to hear Willow’s protests.

“But tonight is a full moon,” Willow whispered and then cried out as she got one hand loose but Oz clamped the other one tightly.

“Yes, come with me and see how I can control the wolf, we can be together like we’re supposed to be,” Oz’s eyes had gone from his normally blue to a wolf yellow and Willow felt her heart begin pounding with fear. “We can join together, Willow. I can teach you.”

Willow knew she had gone pale as Oz’s words sank in.

“You want me to be like you, like in furry and fanged three nights of the month?” Willow squeaked, trying to lower her voice as she continued to struggle to get her hand free.

“Once we mate, nothing else will matter,” Oz grinned but it wasn’t a friendly grin, especially in his eyes.

“Oz, no, please!” Willow winced again. “I don’t love you anymore, there’s someone else. At least I hope they love me,” she muttered.

A deep rumble from the young man’s chest caused Willow to freeze.

Oz pulled her hand up to his lips and she almost screamed when she saw fangs when he smiled.

“One bite, Willow,” he said softly. “That’s all it takes.”

“Oz, no! You can’t mean that! Think of the suffering you’ve been through!” Willow protested. “Think what you put everyone else through, especially me! You can’t mean to put me through that!”

“I’ll take care of you until you can control it,” Oz shrugged and ran his tongue over her wrist. “I could do it now, you know.”

Willow was speechless with fear and then mentally shook herself. She was in danger and she wasn’t going to be a helpless victim! She began searching her mental magick database for something to use against Oz as her heart pounded loudly, the terror breaking her focus.

Willow didn’t know this Oz; this wasn’t the kind and gentle young musician that had left Sunnydale to find a way to control his demon. Willow had a feeling that the demon inside had somehow conquered him.

“You know how I want it though?” Oz questioned, ignoring her stunned expression. “I want us to be together when it happens, I bite you and we both change and becomes mates forever.”

Willow thought she was going to be ill. “You mean like having s… like doing it and turning all furry?”

“Yes, it’ll be fantastic!” Oz grinned. “Or you continue to argue and fight me and I do it now and wait for you to change tonight or tomorrow.”

Willow was beginning to panic, she couldn’t think straight enough to form a spell and she knew she was running out of time.

“I can’t, Oz, please,” Willow whispered.

Oz growled and tightened his hand abruptly and Willow cried out with the fire-like pain radiating up her arm from her hand.

Instinctively, Willow’s other hand grabbed the napkin holder and whacked Oz along side his temple and pulled her hand back from him. Oz yelled in anger, surprise and pain and was grasping for her shirt as she dashed past him, heading for the door.

The young witch almost bounced off the pre-med student suddenly in her way. The tall young man grabbed her arms to steady her and then pulled her behind him.

“Get out of here, I want to talk with your boyfriend,” he said and faced an enraged Oz springing up out of his chair.

Willow knew she should stay and try to protect the young man, it could be a major disaster if he was bitten by Oz. Buffy and the Scooby gang might actually have to hunt him down just because he had tried to help Willow. The witch also knew she was the focus of Oz and she needed to get out of there.

Willow hit the sidewalk running and stumbling, clutching her wounded hand. The pain was incredible and the red-haired witch bounced against a wall and almost fell. Willow bit her lip and kept moving. The hacker ducked down the next street and began running back towards campus; her only thought was to get out of Oz’s sight and to get to Buffy. Oz wouldn’t dare take on Buffy during the day.

“Willow!”

The young woman squeaked in fear at the sound of Oz’s voice behind her and sped up. She changed her direction abruptly and dashed through the doors of the dorm closer than the one she shared with Buffy. Willow was breathing heavily as she rushed up the stairs and down the hall to Tara’s door.

“Tara! Help me!” she yelled, pounding on the door with her good hand. She could hear Oz’s boots on the stairs and whimpered slightly but before she could bolt away, the door opened and someone pulled her into the room and slammed the door shut. Willow spun and saw Tara lock the door just as Oz hit it and grabbed at the door knob.

“Willow! Open this door, damnit!” Oz began screaming while he pounded and kicked the door.

Tara quickly got on the other side of a dresser as Willow got on the other end. Even with one hand, the adrenalin pumping through her system lent her strength beyond the pain and they managed to move the dresser in front of the door.

Willow felt her knees go weak and let Tara pull her over to her bed and then watched as Tara picked up the phone. The hacker was barely aware of her friend calling campus security as the pounding and yelling continued outside the door. After a moment Tara looked down at her, the other witch’s eyes filling with tears of anger and concern.

Tara went to the door.

“Get away from here! I’ve called security! Leave her alone!”

The two witches heard Oz cursing them and then his boots pounding down the hallway.

Tara quickly went to the bed and took Willow into her arms as the red haired witch broke down in tears, holding her hand that was quickly swelling.

************************

Buffy found she couldn’t concentrate on anything. It was a losing battle to attempt to study or even surf on Willow’s computer while she was waiting for her best friend to return.

The Slayer’s mind was racing too fast and she couldn’t seem to stop it.

“What?” she demanded into the phone as she picked up it before the first ring had ended.

“It’s Tara, Buffy,” a timid voice informed her. “I’ve got Willow over here. Oz got a little rough and I think her hand is broken.”

“I’ll be right there!”

“No, Willow wants to meet you at Giles’, we’re going to take a cab over there,” Tara informed the Slayer.

“Why?” Buffy asked.

“Because Oz wants to bite Willow tonight and the tranquilizer gun is at Giles’ place,” Tara explained and Buffy could hear the tears in the witch’s voice.

“Intentionally infect her?” Buffy whispered, not quite believing what she was hearing. That didn’t sound like the Oz she knew, unaware she was reflecting the same thoughts Willow had earlier.

“Yeah, he wants to make her his mate,” Tara said bitterly.

“Get her to Giles’, I’ll be right there,” Buffy responded, looking at the setting sun outside her window. “Make it fast, Tara.”

“I will, promise,” the witch responded in a stronger voice.

Buffy quickly grabbed her jacket and several stakes. Then she went to her dresser and rummaged through the bottom drawer until she found something wrapped in a silk scarf. Unwrapping it, Buffy felt a tear escape down her face as she looked at the silver dagger.

“Oz, I liked you but I’m not going to let you hurt my Willow,” she whispered and stuck the dagger in her belt behind her back.

She wasn’t surprised that the campus was beginning to clear for the evening. Even if no one admitted it in Sunnydale, people learned not to be outside unless it was in numbers once the sun went down. Buffy wasn’t worried but she was in a hurry and broke into a trot as she headed for her former Watcher’s home.

Even if Giles was no longer officially a Watcher, their relationship didn’t change much aftter both of them had rejected the Council. Buffy was grateful that it hadn’t, she depended on his guidance and especially his research in her task as Slayer. Between Willow and Giles, there wasn’t much in the way of information that could remain hidden. Add in Xander’s enthusiastic and dependable help, and the Scooby gang was a vital asset to the Slayer. Buffy knew that it was the combined efforts of all of them that had kept her alive as long as it had.

Buffy frowned, thinking as she trotted.

That’s what was missing in her relationship with Riley, she realized. She knew he wanted a relationship with her but the Initiative would always come first. He looked at it like a soldier, as a job and didn’t truly understand that Buffy really didn’t have a choice in being the Slayer.

Riley Finn really didn’t believe in magic, demons, vampires, and werewolves; he believed there was a scientific explanation for everything and that demons were merely a different species that lived underground and hated mankind.

Riley wanted Buffy but she didn’t really feel he believed in her role as The Chosen and she didn’t believe in the government approach to the problem of demons, vampires and werewolves. She had seen too much and knew that the Hellmouth had been real; she had died fighting that thing and its minions. Buffy had put a sword through Angel’s heart, knowing that his soul had just returned, all to keep the demons from gaining power. She had betrayed his love and trust to save the world.

Willow had been there for her after that; Willow was always there for her.

Buffy was determined to be there for her Wills.

The Slayer was almost to Giles’ house when her “spidey” sense kicked in and she skidded to a stop. Her sharp eyes caught movement in the shadows to both sides in front of her and behind her.

Oz stepped out into the light with an evil smirk. Buffy realized the other five figures surrounding her were vampires, in complete vampire demon face. What the Scooby gang called “game face”.

“Sorry, Buffy,” Oz said easily. “I need to talk to Willow without you around.”

“Oz, don’t do this! If you love her you couldn’t possibly consider infecting her,” Buffy begged.

“Shut up! She’s going to be mine! Kill her!” Oz shouted and the vampires moved in.

"'Kill her'?" Buffy questioned, "Didn't you learn anything more original in hanging with us, Oz?" she taunted.

Buffy struck out with her right hand, ramming a stake through the heart of a vampire on her left and kicking another vampire in the jaw. She spun and drove the same stake into that vampire. Vampire #3 grabbed Buffy from behind and threw the Slayer to the ground while Vampire #4 dived for her neck.

************************

Willow and Tara had made it to Giles’ condo easily. Both young women tried to explain while he examined and wrapped Willow’s hand, announcing that it was probably broken and should be looked at a hospital. That was, until he heard what Oz had planned for his favorite computer helper. He declared that the hospital trip could wait until morning, when it was safer.

Giles moved aside to let Tara sit next to Willow so as to comfort the distraught young woman as he headed for the closet where he kept the tranquilizer gun and sedative darts. He noticed the closeness between the young women and wondered exactly how close they had gotten in their friendship. The scholar and former Watcher didn’t know Tara very well, Willow hadn’t said much about her new friend but Giles had noticed how good Tara had been for Willow after Oz’s departure.

"Tara... I..." Willow whispered, leaning into the other woman. "Is it possible to love two people at the same time?"

Tara thought her heart would stop right then. "You mean Oz and Buffy?"

"Oz?" Willow's voice sounded confused. "No, not Oz. You and Buffy."

Willow waited, ready to wince at the rejection she expected. <How could Tara care for her when she was so damned confused? How could she feel so deeply about Buffy and have these beginning feelings for Tara?>

The computer hacker broke into tears and Tara tightened her arms around Willow as the red-haired witch gave into the confusion, the emotional pain and the physical pain.

Giles hesitated at the closet, unable to keep himself from watching the two young women. He wanted to comfort Willow but their protection came first, they needed that tranquilzer gun and maybe one of the real guns he kept. Somehow he wasn't surprised when Willow leaned up through her tears and kissed Tara and the other witch responded tenderly, the kiss becoming part of the comforting. After a moment Willow laid her head on Tara's shoulder and continued to cry.

Giles was just opening the closet door when his front door slammed open and Oz stood in the doorway.

Just like Buffy and Willow, Giles had a moment to contemplate that this didn’t really look or act like the young and tortured musician he had known before he was backhanded into the wall. The scholar slid down the wall, stunned.

Tara and Willow both jumped to their feet and faced the werewolf.

“Oz!” Willow yelled.

“You stay away from her!” Tara shouted.

“Is this the reason you turned me down?” Oz demanded, taking in the taller woman standing protectively in front of Willow.

“No! Don't hurt her!” Willow shouted “What you want is obscene, Oz. I don’t love you, it would be all wrong.”

“Won’t matter after you join me,” Oz said threateningly.

“No!” Tara screamed and grabbed a lamp and flung it at the young male. Oz growled and batted it aside and charged the two women. He grabbed Tara by the arms, surprising her with his unnatural strength as he lifted her into the air and ignored Willow pounding on his back with her one good hand.

Willow screamed as Oz threw Tara through Giles’ front window and turned to face her.

“Don’t fight it, Willow,” he growled softly.

“No, please,” the young witch pleaded as Oz began changing subtly, his teeth growing into fangs and his eyes turning wolf yellow. Willow screamed in pain when he grabbed her injured hand and squeezed again, bringing her to her knees.

Willow whimpered when the changing werewolf threw her forward onto her knees and hand. Before she could move, clawed hands ripped her t-shirt off her body and grabbed her around the waist, keeping her off balance.

The hacker tried to kick backwards but only managed to yell in anger again as the clawed hands reached for the front of her jeans.

“Hey! Back off, Wolf Boy! That doesn't look very consensual!”

Willow thought she would break into grateful tears when she looked up saw Buffy standing in the doorway with a silver dagger in her hands.

Instantly, Willow was thrown aside and the werewolf, in wolf-man form, dived for the Slayer with a howl of rage.

Willow looked up in time to see Buffy meet Oz’s attacked with a backhand of her own and a slash of the dagger. Oz landed heavily in the hall with a howl of pain and rage.

“Willow, grab Giles and run, I’ll protect Tara. Barricade yourselves in a room or something!” Buffy shouted; trading blows with the wolf, unable to get another slash in on the werewolf.

Willow stumbled over and cried out in panic when she noticed the blood flowing from Giles’ scalp. She scolded herself and began trying to shake him into action while Buffy continued her sparring with the werewolf.

It was a difficult fight for the Slayer, how to fight something when you didn’t dare get scratched or bitten and that was the main means of attack from a werewolf? The fight ended up in the doorway of Gile's place and Buffy felt the cool night air on her back.

Buffy’s head snapped back from a backhand from Oz and felt herself flying through the air, landing hard on the grass, next to an unconscious Tara.

Willow screamed as clawed hands grabbed her by the shoulders, tearing her away from Giles’.

Buffy jumped through the window as the werewolf pulled Willow close to him.

“Oz!” she screamed and the werewolf turned his head her way, the yellow eyes looking into her blue ones. Buffy felt a terrible revelation hit her when she looked in those eyes and saw intelligence. It wasn’t the intelligence of a wolf or of a clever animal; it was human. Buffy suddenly knew, Oz did have control over the wolf and he was very much aware what he was doing.

It was Oz, not the animal, which was about to hurt Willow.

Willow saw the same intelligence when the werewolf turned back to her and whimpered as his fangs began to lower to her neck. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

The sound of another scream and crunching bone snapped Willow’s eyes open. The sight of Buffy’s arm in Oz’s jaws took a moment to sink into the computer hacker’s mind.

Buffy, ignoring the fire flashing pain, took the opportunity to bury the dagger into Oz’s shoulder all the way to the hilt.

The werewolf released his hold on Buffy’s arm and howled in pain. As Buffy fell to her knees and Willow joined her, Oz dived out the door.

Giles shook his head and groaned softly. After a moment he managed to sit up against the wall. He was confused for a moment until he remembered the attack by Oz. He looked over to his sofa and saw Willow and Tara fussing over Buffy, the two witches dashing back and forth grabbing the first aid kit and bandages.

Something seemed different, not like the usual “after battle care” of the Slayer. Not only was the energy more intense but no one was hovering over him. The blood on his hand when he checked the back of his head worried him and their reaction worried him even more. Another question seemed to run through his head a moment later, <was that one of his t-shirts Willow was wearing?>

“Oh God!” Willow was mumbling. “Why did you do that?” she kept asking.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Buffy was muttering back as she gritted her teeth against the peroxide washing out her wounds.

“Giles!” Willow spotted him sitting up and Tara was there in a moment, helping him up to a chair and held a gauze bandage against his head.

“Buffy?” the scholar asked, his voice reflecting his questions and concern.

Buffy was extremely pale, sweating and her face was very pained.