Someone was knocking.
Willow rolled over onto her side and stared at the door. "Who is it?" She called out. She wasn't about to invite just anybody in. Not after that deal with Spike.
"It's Zach." A muffled voice responded.
Willow furrowed her brow. "I'm sorry, but I don't know anyone named Zach."
"I'm looking for Oz." The voice said.
Willow's confusion deepened. Oz had been gone for nearly a month now. All of his friends knew he was gone. Plus, Willow knew all of his friends and didn't remember a Zach.
Still, hearing Oz's name, she got up off of her bed and opened the door to her dorm room.
A tall, blond guy with dark brown eyes stared back at her.
"Oz isn't here." Willow informed him.
Zach frowned a little. "Well, where is he?"
Willow shrugged. "I don't know."
"When will he be back?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe I can wait here until he comes over?" He suggested.
Willow sighed. "He's out of town. He'll be back. I'm sure of it. But I don't know when."
"And you don't know where he went?" Willow shook her head.
Zach tilted his head as he looked at her. "Your boyfriend left town and he didn't tell you where he was going or when he'd be back? You guys must not have much of a thing."
Willow's eyes narrowed. Who was this guy coming here and talking about her relationship with Oz?
"Who are you?" She demanded.
Zach smiled but there was no warmth in it.
"I'm a boyfriend, too, only a better one. I know how to treat a girl. And my girl didn't go off without letting me know where she'd be." He told her. After a second of thought, he added. "In her own special way."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Willow snapped. She was losing patience with this strange young man.
"Oh, you know. A body here. A body there."
Willow didn't want to believe what he was implying. "What?"
"Weres like to do that kind of thing. Like me, she was a Were." He stated simply.
"Wolf?" She asked, her stomach knotting. He nodded.
The only werewolves Willow knew were Oz and. . .
Willow took an involuntary step backwards. Her eyes widened.
"Veruca!" She exclaimed.
Zach's eyes matched hers. "So you knew her? That's good. It'll make this whole thing much easier."
"What whole thing?" Willow was tired of asking questions and was about ready to slam the door in this creepy guy's face.
"I can't go tracking your boy if he's MIA, but I just got a better idea." His eyes trailed over her body, slowly.
Willow took another step back, and put one hand on the door, ready to slam and lock.
"What do you want?"
The smile that slowly spread over his face left Willow wanting to retreat even further into the safety of her dorm room.
"You."
"Go away!" Willow shouted as she slammed the door in his face. She ran to the phone on the desk and punched in the number where Buffy said she'd be.
"I can see you'll be needing some time with this. We'll talk later." He called out calmly from the other side of the door.
Willow shivered.
For the record, I adore Tara and think Willow and Tara together is beautiful and her ending was tragic and no less of a love between them than Willow and Oz. But, as a fan, I can't really help which pairings drive me the most when I'm writing.