Book 1: Red Moon Rising

Go To:	Part 1	Part 2	Part 3	Part 4	Part 5	Part 6
	Part 7	Part 8	Part 9	Part 10	Part 11	End

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.

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."

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.

"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?>

<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.

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

"Really? I mean, like, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said," Willow stammered.

"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…"

"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?"

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…"

"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."

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."

Willow blushed and smiled. The witch turned as Tara walked up behind her. "I'll call you or drop back by later, 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."

"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.

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.

"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?"

"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.

"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.

"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 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."

"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.

"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."

"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.

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

"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.

"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."

"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.

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

"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.

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.

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.

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.

"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."

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

"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.

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

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.

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.

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".

"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?"

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.

"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."

"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.

"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.

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'.

"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.

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?>

"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.

"What happened?" Giles asked, noticing Willow's tears as she continued to clean some wound on Buffy's arm. He couldn't get a good look from his angle but it was obviously bad.

"You got banged up, Tara got tossed through the window, Oz was about to bite me and Buffy threw her arm into his mouth," Willow said in a rush, the tears flowing even faster.

"Oh my God," Rupert Giles muttered, realizing his Slayer had just been bitten by a werewolf.

He leaned forward and looked at the wounds closely and frowned. He tried to put on a neutral face when he saw Willow's panicked expression. Giles knew that he couldn't lie to any of his kids though and he shook his head and saw fresh tears flowing down the witch's face.

"Buffy?" he said softly, the Slayer was leaning back on the sofa with her head laid back. Giles could tell she was in a great deal of pain as shown by her pale face and sweating. It was clear that the Slayer was hurting more than usual. He saw her wince as he shifted the arm and inspected it closely. "Both bones are broken but the bleeding isn't bad."

"Because I was bitten by a werewolf and might get furry at any moment," Buffy said softly, her eyes still closed.

"We don't know that!" Willow cried, leaning her head on Buffy's shoulder. "We cleaned the wound really quick and really good, maybe it didn't get through, and maybe she'll be okay…"

"Wills, it's okay," Buffy said softly, reaching up with her good hand to stroke Willow's hair.

"It's not okay!" Willow sobbed and Tara knelt in front of them and laid her hand on Willow's leg comfortingly. "My ex-boyfriend tries to rape me and turn me into a werewolf and you stop him by taking the bite, it's not okay!"

Giles, trying to work around a massive headache, the overwhelming fear of a werewolf Slayer, and now he was wondering what was going on with the three women in his living room. Willow began crying even harder when Giles placed the tranquilzer gun on the coffee table, close to hand. They all knew it really wasn't in case Oz returned, it was in case Buffy turned.

"Can we track a werewolf with a human mind?" Willow countered. "It may have been the wolf's body but its Oz inside. He knew what he was doing. He wasn't trying to kill me, he was trying to bite and turn me."

"She's right, I saw his eyes," Buffy agreed as chills shook her body. "They were wolf yellow but it was Oz doing the thinking and he was totally evil."

"I don't know, lay her down," the scholar suggested and Willow moved over on the sofa enough for Buffy to lay her head on the witch's lap while Giles grabbed a blanket out of the closet. Tara re-bandaged Buffy's arm with a splint.

The Slayer looked like she had developed a high fever and Giles was puzzled when he felt her forehead and didn't feel any heat. Buffy tossed her head restlessly in Willow's lap while the young witch stroked Buffy's hair and forehead.

"She doesn't have a fever," he muttered. He glanced down at her arm and frowned. He held the Slayer's arm up for the two young women. Willow's eyes widened and Tara gasped at the red streaks that ran from under the bandage and up to Buffy's elbow.

Buffy began muttering and jerking. Willow continued to stroke her forehead and began talking to her, attempting to comfort and calm the Slayer.

"I'm assuming that it's the poison of a werewolf bite. Her unusual Slayer healing ability is trying to fight off the infection," Giles muttered, wiping his glasses with his shirt. "This may be why there have never been any records of a Slayer being corrupted by a werewolf."

"Well, yes, there is that to take into account," Giles responded easily, his scholarly mind shifting into action around the problem. "We might have a bit of luck here if she can fight off the infection and not turn into a werewolf."

"What can we do to help?" Tara asked, sitting on the back of the sofa behind Willow and pulling the witch back to lean into her while Willow stroked Buffy's hair.

"I don't know," Giles admitted, watching the Slayer moan and thrash. "Wait it out, I guess."

"You guess? Buffy could be dying or morphing into something furry and fanged with a really bad temper and all you can do is guess?" Willow demanded.

"Willow!" Giles snapped and then fought to control his own desire to raise his voice. "I'm sorry, you know we tried to find a cure when Oz turned into a werewolf, I haven't found anything new since then."

"Oh goddess, please," Willow's head dropped forward and Tara wrapped her arms around the smaller witch.

Four hours later, Giles was losing the battle to get Willow to go to the hospital and have her hand tended to, even with Tara joining in the argument and offering to drive the young witch. Willow refused to leave Buffy's side while she was still struggling with the werewolf bite.

Giles had always known that the two girls were close but he was beginning to suspect that it ran deeper than just best friends and was also suspecting that all three of them had come to some revelations in the last few days.

The Watcher muttered to himself that Buffy dating the vampire Angel was complicated enough; he wondered how complicated dating Willow or Tara or both Willow and Tara could get, especially in Sunnydale.

Giles also didn't bring up the fact that Xander and Anya hadn't arrived at his house yet. He was worried enough for everyone. Only Tara seemed to notice the former Watcher reaching into the closet and pulling out another tranquilzer gun and loading it. Giles looked over at his former charge, his Buffy, and laid the gun on the desk; within reach, just in case.

It was dawn before Giles really lost most of his nervousness. He didn't think Oz could maintain his werewolf form in the daytime, especially if he had been out howling all night. The former Watcher was worried though, Buffy wasn't any better and Willow wouldn't leave her side. Tara had finally fallen asleep in a chair and there was still no sign of Xander and Anya.

"Alright," Giles said firmly, getting to his feet and waking Tara up. "I don't think it'll be as dangerous in the daytime. I want Tara to take Willow to the hospital and get that hand set. If you wait too long then they'll have to re-break the fingers or you won't use that hand again." he gave Willow a stern look, cutting off any protests she might have.

"I'll call Joyce and have her come over here and help me watch Buffy while you two are gone. I'm going to have her drop by Xander's place on the way over here," he continued. "He and Anya were supposed to come over here last night and they didn't show and there's been no answer at his place."

"Oh goddess," Willow muttered, placing a pillow under Buffy's head. She quickly examined the Slayer's arm and whimpered at the sight of the red streaks running now from Buffy's fingertips to her bicep.

"Get her through this!" Willow said firmly, her green eyes shining with determination.

Willow wanted to protest but knew that Giles was right; she definitely didn't want to lose the use of her hand. Most of the typing done on a computer keyboard was with the left hand, after all.

Tara insisted that Willow file a police report and the doctor agreed, calling in a police officer once he learned that her crushed and broken fingers were from an ex-boyfriend. Tara pointed out that if Oz was picked up by the police, he couldn't hurt any of them for at least the day and night. Willow managed to smile at that thought and willingly filed the report, giving the police the name of the hotel where Oz was staying and described him hurting her in the Espresso Pump and having to hit him to get away. Tara added in about Oz chasing her all the way to the dorm rooms and threatening to break in the door and how she had called Campus Security. She then added they had stayed all night at a friend's house because they were worried about Willow's safety.

Willow was amazed; normally shy Tara seemed to have been replaced by confident and quick thinking Tara. The blonde witch blushed at Willow's amused expression when the police officer left after writing up the report and leaving papers for Willow on how to file a restraining order. The police officer had been reluctant to take a report of a squabble between a boyfriend and girlfriend until he saw Willow's hand and talked with the doctor.

Willow also knew that it was unlikely that the police would find Oz. Normally, she would be worried about exposing police officers to possible death or infection by a werewolf but with Oz in control of the wolf, she didn't think they'd find him at the hotel or anywhere else.

Judging by Anya and Xander being missing and the attack on Willow, the computer geek figured that Oz had everything planned before he had approached Willow. It was also very clear that he wasn't done; she knew he still wanted her as his mate.

The red-haired witch had been so focused on Buffy all night that she had shut out the pain until she and Tara arrived the hospital, then the pain hit. Despite her half-hearted protests about drugs, she had been given a shot of something that made the pain seem dull and a little distant. Better than the throbbing and red hot sensations running up her arms from her very swollen hand.

Willow tried to pay attention as the doctor talked with the police officer but she found it difficult with whatever drugs they had given her and didn't really care at that moment. She wanted to get back to Buffy as soon as possible.

"Are you okay with me?" Willow asked softly as Tara sat on a stool next to her gurney in the emergency room trauma area.

"Yes, as long as we stay friends, I think we can figure this out," Tara smiled slightly.

"No danger of losing that," Willow attempted to smile. "Thank you for staying last night, not that you could have left. No, that would have been dangerous, dangerous isn't a good thing. No, best you stayed, but I'm glad you stayed without thinking it was dangerous to leave…"

Tara grinned and Willow began blushing, realizing that she was off on one of her trademark babbles.

"That is not a happy face," Willow commented. "That is not a face about to deliver good news."

The doctor smiled ruefully. "No, it's not," he agreed. "I don't know how you got through the night with that hand like that. The pain had to be incredible."

"We were too scared to leave the house," Tara explained. "He ripped the phone out and we couldn't call for help or leave until this morning."

"Okay, here it comes," Doctor John O'Connor warned. "Three of your fingers are broken very badly and we're going to have to put pins in them to correct the break. He must have grabbed it at different angels to break the bones like this."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. They'll be coming for you in a few minutes. You'll be out of the hospital tomorrow morning with a cast on your arm for at least three months. Then we'll remove the pins and you'll be in a cast for another month, and then start on the physical therapy."

"Hope you've got the new voice recognition software or things will be a little frustrating for you," Dr. O'Connor attempted to joke and left the two young women.

"Surgery? I can't have surgery," Willow protested. "I've got to get back to Buffy!"

"Don't you dare get off that bed!" Tara warned, her finger in Willow's chest for emphasis. "I'll call Giles and tell him what's happening. He'll watch over Buffy and protect both her and Buffy's mom with his life, you know that."

"I know, I just… it's not fair!" Willow snapped and frowned at a nurse moving the curtain aside. The young college student really glared at the sight of another syringe.

"It usually isn't fair, honey," the older steel gray haired nurse commented. "This will help relax you before surgery."

"Easy now, I saw those x-rays, you don't want to play with this," the nurse responded. "They've called in a bone specialist. Your boyfriend must have a grip of iron."

"Oh goddess," Tara muttered and Willow managed to turn even more pale and sank back onto the bed as the shot began to take hold. "Do you want me to call your folks?"

"No, they won't notice anything anyway," Willow muttered, her eyes finally closing after more than 24 hours of being awake and stressed.

Giles hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. He heard Joyce talking softly to Buffy in the next room. They had moved Buffy into his room and on his bed, hoping to make the Slayer more comfortable in her struggles against the infection.

Joyce, of course, had rushed right over to Xander's place within minutes of receiving Giles' phone call and then to the Watcher's condo. Giles knew that Joyce was having a hard time seeing Buffy hurt as any mother would, but having the knowledge that it was very likely that Buffy would die at a very young age in what would most likely be a violent and painful death made it worse.

Buffy was still thrashing and mumbling, sweat had plastered her blonde hair to her forehead and the red streaks had reached from her finger tips and to above her bicep. The young Slayer didn't seem to hear her Mom talking to her or feel her gently wiping her forehead with a cool cloth.

Giles entered his bedroom and found Joyce wiping tears away as she looked up at the former Watcher and occasional boyfriend.

"I just talked with Tara," Giles felt like crying himself, it just seemed that the situation was getting worse and worse. "They're taking Willow into surgery in a few minutes to try and repair her hand. The doctor told Tara that Willow will be lucky to regain full strength of her hand in a year's time."

"She'll be in the hospital overnight at the least, I should think. Tara is going to stay with her," Giles informed Joyce. "The police have a report on Oz but I don't think they'll find him. Sunnydale seems to protect the darker individuals around here. I'm going to go to the hospital in a bit and make Tara eat something. I doubt she has money for the cafeteria," he muttered.

"I don't know. They haven't seen Xander at work and his parents think they went out of town or something," Giles responded.

"What happens if she can't fight off the infection?" Joyce asked softly as Buffy writhed in pain.

"I don't know, really," Giles answered. "There's never been a Slayer who was bitten by a werewolf and lived. Since we left the Council, I can't ask them for advice, help, or even let them know we could be in trouble."

"You told me about Buffy being a Slayer means she's stronger than full grown men, faster, and a natural fighter. You also mentioned her unusual healing ability, won't that help?"

"I think it's the only thing that kept Buffy from becoming a werewolf last night after the bite," Giles said uneasily. "With any other human there wouldn't be a question of her becoming a werewolf, but whether being a Slayer will help, I don't know ."

The former Watcher walked up and placed his hands on her shoulders as she turned to look at Buffy struggling.

"We don't have a choice, Joyce," he responded. "Just like she didn't have a choice in becoming the Slayer."

"Now I know why most of your Slayers didn't have family and friends, it hurts too much, doesn't it?" Joyce demanded.

"When we lose them?" Giles asked and didn't wait for Joyce's response. "Yes, it hurts too much but Buffy and I didn't have choices. Becoming a Watcher was the only choice to save my life and possibly my soul; for Buffy, it was the only choice she had. It may not be fair to take young girls in their teens and train them to kill demons, send them out after vampires until they die and wait for the next Slayer, but we weren't given a choice in the matter."

"Buffy has told me about her boyfriend, Riley," Joyce said, changing the subject. "Doesn't he work for a government thing that deals with this? Maybe they have more research or equipment that can help Buffy."

"Even though Buffy has gone on patrol with Riley, I don't think she totally trusts the organization he works for," Giles pondered. "After being betrayed by the Council, we're both a little gun-shy of organizations with too many secrets. They might have answers or they might decide that the safest thing to do is neutralize her."

"Imprisonment or execution," Giles said bluntly. "We've heard rumors that they take and do experiments on captured demons, vampires and other creatures. We know of one vampire who they managed to neutralize his ability to drink from humans. He's one of their success stories; imagine how many experiments it took to reach that level."

"You talk like you feel sorry for whatever they're experimenting on," Joyce frowned and turned to look at her sometime lover. "Don't you train Buffy and help her kill these things?"

"Sometimes, not all demons are evil and werewolves are cursed people," Giles tried to explain. "Like Oz, we didn't blame him or hunt him down, we did our best to protect him and keep others safe from him. I'm not sure the Initiative would be so considerate, even if it is Buffy."

"You look like you're avoiding something, Rupert," Joyce almost growled. "I know that look, it's a look of when you don't want to tell me something, usually concerning Buffy."

"I have no idea what is going on with Buffy and her dating life," Giles said truthfully. "I do know that Willow was one of her first friends and they've been close ever since."

"But Buffy isn't...," Joyce hesitated, her own face puzzled. "Is she? I've only known about boys."

"I don't know, truthfully," Giles admitted. "I don't know what to think anymore with anyone's dating. You and me are off and on again, Willow is awfully close to Tara and Buffy, Xander is dating an ex-vengeance demon, Buffy has been dating Riley but her track record with males is horrible and I've gotten the sense that she's not happy with Riley. I don't know, none of it adds up."

Both of them jumped at the sound of the phone ringing. Giles moved out of the room to answer it.

"It's Oz," a voice growled on the other end and Giles' hand tightened on the receiver and he turned his back to the hallway, hoping to cut down the sound traveling to his room.

"Shut up," Oz snapped back. "I have Xander and his girlfriend. Simple exchange, Willow comes with me and you get loser boy and his ditsy sidekick back."

"Believe what you want, she's not here," Giles insisted. "What the hell happened to you, Oz? The boy Willow loved never would have done this. You destroyed your relationship with Willow just to keep Veruca from hurting anyone in wolf form that night, now you've bitten Buffy!"

"I grew up, Giles," Oz's voice sounded so calm that it infuriated the older man. "I found a pack and learned how to live with the wolf instead of fighting it."

"You can't consider dragging Willow into that with you," Giles protested. "Please, Oz, just leave town or you'll force us to kill you."

"Buffy won't be hunting me, old man," Oz laughed again. "She'll be hunting WITH me soon."

Giles stared at the phone after Oz hung up and resisted throwing it against the wall. He turned and saw Joyce standing in the hallway and knew she had heard his end of the conversation, despite his low voice.

"He's totally insane," Giles tried to explain. "He says he has Xander and Anya and wants Willow and Buffy."

"That means finding him and rescuing Xander and Anya, keeping Oz from finding out Willow is in the hospital and praying Buffy doesn't..." Giles hesitated.

"No, worse than Oz," Giles said truthfully. "Oz has human control over his werewolf side now. Buffy wouldn't."

"Like the movies? Just out for blood?" Joyce whispered, a tear escaping down her face and Giles drew her into his arms, fighting back his own tears.

Willow was more than a little grumpy when they finally wheeled her into her room for the afternoon. It felt like someone had scrambled her brains and added a major dose of pain to the confusion.

Seeing Tara waiting impatiently helped put a smile on the red haired witch's face. The blonde whimpered slightly at the look of pain on Willow's face when they transferred from the gurney onto the hospital bed and helped her settle in. Finally they were alone and Willow noticed Tara standing off near the wall, hesitating.

Willow managed to smile and held out her hand in invitation and need. Tara smiled and moved quickly to Willow's side and was very surprised when the other witch pulled the blonde into her arms.

"Goddess, I don't want to go through that again!" Willow muttered. "I feel like I was split apart and tossed into a blender and thrown into a new mold."

Tara couldn't help but grin at the weird description as she pulled back and sat on the edge of the bed, Willow keeping her hand firmly gripped on Tara's.

"I asked Giles if there was anything I should watch out for while you were in surgery," Tara said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"If witches react differently to surgery and if I should be aware of anything," Tara answered.

"Very smart," Willow commented and smiled when Tara blushed under the compliment. "Did he tell you anything? Like why I feel so weird and out of synch and any word about Buffy?"

"Yes," Tara tried to keep smiling but Willow could sense the blonde's mood. "There's not much change in Buffy, she's still sick and fighting the poison."

"Three in the afternoon," Tara nodded at Willow's puzzled expression. "They said you had trouble coming out of the anesthesia and they kept you in Recovery longer than usual. Giles insisted I call your parents but they're out of town according to their answering machine."

"They are not going to let you out of here until tomorrow morning at the earliest. They're concerned about the recovery thing," Tara informed her fellow Wiccan.

"Giles did some research while Mrs. Summers is watching Buffy," Tara began explaining. "Seems that there are some things about witches and sensitive people, those close to the earth and the psychic energies have problems going through surgery. The anesthesia works on the body and the mind in strange ways. You know how the spirit can separate from the body during sleep and astral projection, right?"

"Of course, we do it frequently during meditation and lucid dreaming," Willow nodded, trying to focus through the throbbing pain of her hand.

"Well, somehow some anesthesia can do that as well. The spirit separates from the body and goes traveling, just like dreaming or astral traveling," Tara continued.

"Unfortunately, when the spirit is under anesthesia we don't remember the travel, we don't dream and the mind doesn't absorb the passage of time," Tara tried explaining, hoping that she was getting what Giles had said right.

"Yes!" Willow's eyes cleared a little. "That's part of the problem, I remember someone saying they were going to give me some meds and then someone was waking me up. No time difference."

"Messes with the mind and the spirit. Unlike dreaming, there's no gentle returning back to the body, under anesthesia the spirit is brought back abruptly, without warning," Tara continued, unconsciously stroking Willow's hand. "Sometimes the spirit doesn't come back."

"Yes, I was worried," Tara admitted, her eyes dropping to the sheet and blanket covering Willow.

The blonde witch was surprised when Willow pulled Tara's hand, bringing the other witch close to her and wrapped her injured arm around Tara. Both witches moaned when their lips met once more.

The kiss was soft, tender and loving. Tara pulled back reluctantly. Willow looked into Tara's blue eyes and saw hope, sadness, and confusion.

"Willow, I… I know you're in l-love with Buffy," Tara said softly, fighting back her own tears. "You always have been and I think she loves you. I won't come between that."

The tears finally escaped Willow's eyes and she began to cry as Tara drew the witch into her arms.

"I don't know what I'm feeling," Willow complained. "I know I love Buffy, finally admitting that. It's not fair though, I'm also falling head over heels in love with you. How can that happen? I mean, can I love both of you? I can't hurt either of you; I don't know what to do…"

"Oz tried to hurt me!" Willow continued to cry, the emotional overload as well as the physical pain getting to her. "He didn't only want to bite me, he tried to rape me!"

"How could he do that?" Willow sobbed. "Then he hurt Buffy! Bit her, threw you through a window and hurt Giles!"

"A little," Tara admitted and pushed Willow back down onto the bed. "The poison is spreading and she's not coming out of it."

"I've got to get to her," Willow mumbled and fell back onto the bed trying to keep her eyes open. "What's wrong with me?"

"The pain is getting to you and they gave you pain meds when they brought you back in," Tara explained, gently brushing Willow's hair off her forehead. "Oz called Giles, he and his pack have Xander and Anya."

Willow began to cry softly and Tara moved to lay alongside Willow and took the witch into her arms.

"Not because of you!" Tara said forcefully. "Because Oz has turned into a bastard! He's the one hurting everyone, not you!"

"That's my girl," Willow managed to smile, unable to keep her eyes open. "You lose that stutter when you're passionate," she mumbled. "Wonder if you stutter in…."

Tara's eyes opened wide and she felt herself blushing as Willow drifted into a drugged sleep. What was Willow about to say?

What did all this mean for the both of them? Tara felt complete whenever Willow was around and didn't want to lose that but she also knew that Willow had been in love with Buffy for years, even if the witch hadn't admitted it to anyone, including herself.

This was going to get complicated, she complained while running her fingers lightly through Willow's hair.

Giles removed his glassed and rubbed his hand across his eyes. Joyce refused to move from Buffy's side and the Slayer hadn't gotten any better. She still tossed as if she had a fever and the streaks had grown darker and more pronounced.

Joyce's eyes widened in surprise and confusion when the Watcher entered the bedroom carrying something that clanked. Then her eyes narrowed in anger when she realized what Giles was carrying and why.

Chains and shackles for a suspected werewolf. A suspected werewolf who happened to be her daughter.

Giles looked guilty and began blushing as Joyce stood up, her face as angry as her eyes.

"Joyce, please!" he begged quietly. "We don't know; she could turn at any moment."

"I'm sorry, Joyce," Giles choked on his own words as he watched Buffy thrash weakly. He didn't know how much longer she could go on; she was getting weaker by the hour. "I know she's sick and I'm hoping if she does turn into a werewolf she won't be strong enough to break the chains."

"Giles, do you seriously think that I'm going to let you chain my daughter up?" Joyce demanded.

"I know none of this has been easy," Giles said softly. "You're going to have to trust me in this, Joyce. I know I've failed Buffy in the past but this is what's best. She would never forgive herself if she turned into a werewolf and hurt someone and I would never forgive myself either."

"This isn't fair, Rupert!" she complained. "Your damned Council took my daughter when she was barely fifteen and turned her into a killer. This damned destiny of hers! It robbed her of her teenage years and now possibly her adult life."

Giles couldn't meet her eyes, everything she said was true and he knew it. He was also aware that she knew he didn't have a choice in his role either. The choice to leave the Council of Watchers hadn't been the hardest decision he had ever made, they're betrayal of Buffy had made it easy. Living with the decision had been difficult, the Council had saved him from the darkness he had fallen into and their resources had saved Buffy and the world several times. On the other hand, they merely saw Buffy as a tool and condemned his closeness to the Slayer.

"I'm sorry, Joyce," he muttered and moved to attach one of the leg shackles to Buffy's ankle and the other end to the metal frame of his heavy wrought iron bed. "We only have to get through tonight. There's only one more night of the full moon. Look, I don't know what Oz will do but he might show up looking for Willow. Do you know how to use a gun?"

"No, but I'm about to learn, that little bastard had better not show up in my sights," Joyce Summers growled and Rupert Giles had a flash of where Buffy got her stubborn streak.

Tara looked up when the door to Willow's room opened; she was expecting to see another nurse or doctor and was surprised when a man in a suit stepped into the room. Tara's hand moved under Willow's pillow and she realized the man had noticed the movement. He put up his hands in a peaceful gesture and slowly reached inside his coat.

"Easy, I'm detective Brad Santiago," he introduced himself, pulling out his badge and identification.

Tara relaxed a little and sat up, quickly looking down and sighing with relief when Willow kept on sleeping.

"Is she up to answering some questions?" he asked softly, taking note of how young and frail the red head looked lying in a hospital bed.

"I don't think so," Tara frowned. "They just gave her some more drugs for the pain."

"You were around most of last night, weren't you?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

"I have two police officers right outside the door, she'll be safe," he informed the young witch.

Brad Santiago's sharp eyes noticed the weariness in the young woman as well as the red-rimmed eyes and nodded to himself. He had read the initial report from the police officer about the attack on Willow Rosenburg and knew that this was something more than just a simple domestic fight. The police officer had been very detailed in his description of Ms. Rosenburg's injuries and how serious they were.

When the report came in that two of Ms. Rosenburg's friends were missing and no one had seen them since the night of her attack, Brad Santiago became concerned and involved.

His first planned stop was to the hospital, then he planned on stopping to see Ms. Rosenburg's friend who had reported the young couple missing, Mr. Rupert Giles.

He led the young woman to the cafeteria and forced her to pick something more solid than just the coke she first reached for. She finally settled on a large salad, and baked potato to go along with the coke. Brad chose a cheeseburger, fries and a coke.

The detective encouraged the young college student to eat before asking her any questions. He wolfed down his food, mostly from the long habit of having to eat on the run but also from wanting to observe the student before asking her any questions.

Brad smiled slightly. "You remind me of my daughter," he mused. "She's a lot younger, though. She's only fourteen going on thirty."

"She's awfully shy around strangers," he continued, focusing on his fries. "I'm sort of glad; better than a rebellious teenager staying out all night and worrying me to death."

"Can you tell me about Ms. Rosenburg and her relationship with her ex-boyfriend?"

"Oz," Tara responded. "They had broken up before I met her this semester. She was still hurting a lot over it."

"Yeah, she caught him with someone else and he left town, he barely said goodbye," Tara looked puzzled.

"That's unusual for a stalker relationship," Brad commented. "The stalker usually doesn't break up with the victim."

Tara shrugged. "He told her he needed to get his act together and left. She was getting over him," Tara continued. "Willow began to focus on class and… other things, her friends, research, me. Then Oz showed up yesterday looking for her."

"I don't know," Tara answered. "Buffy, her roommate, showed up at my room looking for Willow and they talked. It was about an hour before sundown when Willow was pounding on my door, screaming for help."

"I got her inside my room and locked the door," Tara continued, her voice droppingg even lower. "We barricaded the door. He…he was pounding and screaming for Willow to open the door. I called Campus Security and heard him running down the hall. Then I saw she was hurt."

"I guess we weren't thinking," Tara responded, sticking to the original story of an abusive boyfriend while leaving out the part of him changing into a werewolf and wanting to change his ex-girlfriend into a werewolf too. "Willow wanted to get to Giles place, she was worried about everyone and we all planned to meet there."

"He used to be the librarian at the high school and they are close friends," Tara tried explaining. How could you explain the relationship that Giles had with the kids without it sounding weird, a voice inside Tara demanded. "He's like a father to Willow and Buffy."

"I called Buffy, Willow's best friend and roommate, and then we caught a cab," Tara answered.

"Buffy Summers," Tara answered. "We got there before Buffy did. She didn't think Oz would be looking for her so she ran over."

"We told Giles what was happening and he wrapped Willow's hand," Tara felt tears falling down her cheeks as she remembered the redhead's pain. "He was about to call the police when Oz broke into the condo and attacked everyone."

Brad Santiago's eyebrows raised in surprise. That wasn't in the police report but Brad knew he was hearing the truth; the girl in front of him was too tired to be too evasive.

"He cut the phone lines before breaking in, we couldn't call out. He slammed Giles into the wall, threw me out the window," Tara continued and lifted her arms to show him the numerous scratches and cuts along her arms. "He then tried to… he wanted…"

"Willow said he tried to attack her, he tried to…" Tara stuttered. "He grabbed her hand and hurt her again. He ripped her shirt off and… he tried…"

"I understand," he said gently. Outwardly, the detective was calm and gentle; inside he was enraged. He knew what Oz had tried on the young woman and he felt a familiar anger hitting him. The detective despised anyone who could hurt another person and he especially hated anyone who would use sex to hurt someone else.

"Buffy showed up and they fought, she was hurt but he ran off," Tara continued. "Oz said he wasn't alone and we were afraid to leave the condo until morning. The rest I told the police officer."

"I read the report," Brad confirmed. "The doctor says that Ms. Rosenburg's hand was brutally broken in many places and that it'll be a long time before she has full use of it again."

"There wasn't anything in the report about Buffy's injuries or Mr. Giles," he commented.

"Giles and Buffy's Mom are watching her, she got really sick and Giles was a little shook up but okay," Tara explained.

"Do you know that your friends Xander Harris and Anya Smith are missing?" he questioned, watching her reactions carefully.

"Yes, that's what he reported to us, that's why I'm here," Brad Santiago responded.

"Of course, it wouldn't be just because Willow was attacked by her ex-boyfriend, had to be something more serious," Tara's voice held more than just a touch of bitterness.

"I'm sorry, we do our best but Sunnydale can be a busy place for the police," Brad tried to explain.

"I know, it's just that he… he hurt her so badly," Tara felt fresh tears beginning to flow down her face.

"No, none," Tara shook her head. "I only met Oz last night when he threw me through a window."

"We have officers looking for both Oz and your friends, why don't you go back to your friend," Brad suggested. "The police officers outside her door have orders not to let anyone in not on the list Mr. Giles gave us."

The detective flipped a page back in his notebook and consulted it. "You, Joyce Summers, and Rupert Giles. Buffy Summers, Xander Harris and Anya Smith if they are accompanied by either you or Mr. Giles."

"He said that they might upset Ms. Rosenburg without someone with them," Brad Santiago answered.

"Okay," Tara nodded. She suddenly realized that Giles wanted someone known to be safe with any of the three in case they had been turned into a member of Oz's pack.

"Why don't you go back to your friend," Brad suggested. "Try and get some sleep. I know that hospital chairs aren't comfortable but I have the feeling you won't leave her side, will you?"

"I know," Tara mumbled and began to work her way back to Willow's room. The police officers nodded as she opened the door.

The young witch pulled the chair next to Willow's bed and gently took the redhead's healthy hand in hers and leaned her head on the bed, closing her eyes.

Giles blinked and ran a hand through his hair as he sat up. He tried to think, his face reflecting his confusion.

The former Watcher grabbed the pistol off the coffee table and stumbled to his feet and padded down the hallway to his bedroom. It had been a rough night for both Giles and Joyce; they had taken turns watching over the Slayer while Buffy grew weaker and weaker until she was no longer thrashing just before dawn.

He stopped in the doorway in surprise as he looked at Joyce's smiling face and Buffy's blue eyes looking at him. Giles groaned faintly and quickly moved to the side of his Slayer, his friend, and the girl he thought of as a daughter. She smiled slightly as he knelt beside the bed and examined her arm, eyes and forehead.

The streaks were gone and her arm was showing the typical signs of a Slayer's advanced healing abilities.

Giles smiled as he raised his head. "Yes, quite a scare, young lady," he agreed softly. "You've been awfully sick fighting off that werewolf bite and, quite frankly, we didn't know if you'd make it."

"Where's Willow and Tara?" Buffy asked, accepting Giles' help in sitting up while her mother held a glass of water to her lips.

"Now don't panic," Giles began, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders. "Willow is in hospital," he tightened his grip as Buffy quickly attempted to sit up. "Oz broke her hand in several places and they had to operate yesterday. They're going to release her this morning."

"Tara is doing alright, she hasn't left Willow's side at hospital," Giles continued. "Willow's hand will need a lot of therapy and she's going to be in a great deal of pain. The injury was quite severe."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Buffy said, reaching out to hug her mom tightly as Giles sat behind her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Are you okay? It's not everyday my daughter gets bit by a werewolf," Joyce asked.

"I don't know, I feel okay," Buffy frowned. "My arm hurts but I don't feel fuzzy or furry," she tried to smile. "Maybe in desperate need of a shower but not a collar."

"Willow will be released this morning, probably late," Giles answered and then hesitated. Buffy caught the hesitation and turned to stare him in the eyes, her probing eyes making him uncomfortable. "Oz has Xander and Anya and wants to trade Willow for them. He also thinks you'll now turn into a werewolf and be on his side."

"What does that mean? Do werewolves work together? I thought they were just pretty much mindless, like," Buffy asked.

"I don't know," Giles admitted. "I need to do some research and make some calls. Oz wasn't acting like a normal werewolf and he mentioned a pack helping him."

"Well, he had a pack of vampires who tried to ambush me on the way over here," Buffy mentioned. They hadn't had a chance to talk about the fight or anything before Buffy had fallen sick to the werewolf bite.

"Vampires and werewolves normally don't work together," Giles muttered and then his eyes filled with tears and brightened with emotion. "And you, young lady! Intentionally taking a werewolf bite! What were you thinking?"

"I couldn't let him bite Wills," Buffy's eyes also began shining with intensity. "I grabbed him from behind but he had a firm hold on her. I had to stop his bite."

"With your arm?" Giles snapped, getting up from the bed and beginning to pace. "Why couldn't you shove a stake down his throat?"

"I would have if I could!" Buffy growled back. "Giles, I would have done it differently if I had time and if I could have. I couldn't let him bite Willow."

"Buffy, he didn't intend to kill her, only bite her," Giles argued, hating himself for his line of thought but unable to stop his own argument. "Willow, we could probably control as a werewolf, I don't know what we'd do with a Slayer werewolf."

Joyce recognized the anger and stubbornness coming over her daughter's face and moved back to the foot of the bed. The emotions were almost radiating off the young Slayer as she glared at her former teacher, mentor, friend and father figure.

"Nothing can hurt Willow! If it's a choice between Willow's life and mine, then there's no contest!" Buffy said quietly but firmly. "I'd rather you keep this goddamn chain on my ankle for the rest of my life than see her go through one night of hell as a werewolf if I can help it!"

Giles began blushing, remembering the chain and shackle still on the young woman's ankle and moved to unlock it, refusing to meet her eyes for the moment.

"Oh God," she whispered, her anger dissipating in the face of the question. Her blue eyes quickly sought out her mother's face, fear and hope both flashing across the Slayer's face.

"It's okay Buffy," Joyce said softly. "I realized it when you kept calling for Willow and no one else and you took the bite to keep her safe."

Buffy's head dropped and Joyce moved up to the head of the bed once more to hold her daughter close.

"I love her, Mom," Buffy felt herself begin to cry. "I think she's in love with Tara but I realized I'm like in love with her."

"Gods, this is going to be complicated," Giles complained. "I know Willow loves you and has been IN love with you for years. She's also very attracted to Tara and Tara is very much in love with her. We don't need a love triangle interfering with things right now."

"I know that, Giles!" Buffy snapped. "That's why I haven't said anything to her."

"I don't think you'll have to," Giles mumbled. "I've seen the way she looks at you as well."

"Can we sort this out later?" Buffy argued. "Don't you think I should have food, regain energy, find Xander and Anya and kill Oz today?"

"And we have a month to find out if that werewolf bite infected you or not," Giles mumbled.

Everyone jumped when the phone on the nightstand rang. Giles reached down and picked up the receiver, expecting the police or Tara from the hospital.

"Hey, old man," Oz's voice cut through any confusion. "I know that Willow isn't at your place but I'm betting that you know where she is. Deal is still good until tonight, she trades herself or Xander and his girlfriend won't see daylight. They're already a little worse for wear."

"Don't you dare harm them!" Giles shouted as Buffy swung her legs off the bed and her feet hit the floor.

"She doesn't know where you are," Giles protested, hoping to get some kind of clue out of the insane young werewolf.

"He's hurt Xander and Anya," Giles said softly. "Says he still will trade them for Willow and she'll know where he is."

Willow moaned, her hand hurt and she was uncomfortable. Instantly, Tara was awake and was still holding Willow's uninjured hand. She tried to smile as Willow opened her green eyes and smiled at the other witch.

"Hey, have you been there all night?" she asked softly and knew the answer when Tara began blushing and Willow noticed Tara was in the same clothes as the day before. "Did you eat at all?"

"Yeah, Giles came down yesterday and gave me money for food, he figured we hadn't thought to grab money when we left the dorm," Tara explained. "I had dinner while talking with a detective."

"Yeah, a Brad Santiago," Tara continued. "He'll want to talk to you. Xander and Anya are still missing and Giles told the police Oz has them."

"I told him that Oz was your boyfriend and you caught him with someone else and broke up. He came back and hurt you when you went to talk with him. He asked why we didn't call the police from the dorm and I admitted that we weren't thinking and only thought about getting to Giles' place. Then I told him that Oz ripped out the phone and we couldn't call and Oz attacked us, hurting you again, throwing the rest of us around."

Willow nodded. "Nothing about him getting furry and… what he tried… with me?"

Tara blushed a brighter red. "I told him that Oz tried to h-hurt you like that."

"Oh," Willow's eyes dropped to the blanket and the cast on her forearm and hand. She understood that it was probably best to tell the police about that part of the attack but it was still an icky feeling. The young college student tried to mentally shake herself, she was acting like a typical victim, she knew. She snapped at herself that she had nothing to be ashamed of; he was the one trying to hurt her, damnit.

Willow looked up after a moment and moved her hand to gently touch Tara's cheek.

"I don't know," Tara admitted. "I spent a lot of time thinking last night, watching you sleep. I know what you and B-Buffy do is dangerous and living in Sunnydale is risky every day. I don't want to lose either of you."

Willow pulled Tara into a one-armed embrace and held the blonde witch close. "I don't want to lose you or Buffy either."

Tara sat up rapidly when the door opened, her hand reaching under Willow's pillow again until they realized it was the doctor from the day before and so relaxed.

"Willow, you should be getting breakfast in a few minutes. I wanted to say that the operation went well," he said, pulling up Tara's chair and looking closely at Willow's fingers sticking out of the cast. "I'm not saying things are going to be easy, the bone specialist would like to get his hands on your boyfriend."

"A long and painful road to recovery," Doctor O'Connor admitted with a kind look. "Your fingers were broken in several places and at several different angles. Like I explained yesterday, a couple of months in that cast, another operation to remove the pins, time in another cast and then therapy."

"You push too hard and too soon and undo the work the pins will provide under that cast. There might be some nerve damage, some of the fingers might feel a little numb," Dr. O'Connor explained. "You might have some muscle spasms occasionally and definitely arthritis when you're older."

"I thought I might when I got older because of the computer work," Willow said thoughtfully.