Author: Emilie (EmilieKitten@earthlink.net")
Rating: R (some sexual things hinted at, mentions of rape.)
Disclaimer: I don't own BtVs but I do own Gwen and the basic plot.
Distribution: http://www.emiliekitten.com or MIA or ask.
Spoilers: If you didn't know Oz was a werewolf and that he left and came back and left again because of Tara. . . well lets just say through NMR.
Feedback: Please god. I feel like nobodys reading. LOL.
For Karen.
~*~
Gwen stood at the counter of the local Barnes and Nobles, her current employment was book seller extraordinaire. She tapped her foot lightly as her favorite of the classical music that played 24/7 in Barnes and Nobles began to play. People bustled all around, trying to get their Christmas shopping done before the inevitable day. *Only 17 days left, better hurry! Gotta make sure Christmas is as commercial as ever.* She thought to herself slightly with disgust as a lady with her arms loaded of children books spilled them all over the counter in front of her. She began scanning the individual books as a line began to form, she rang a bell in back of her and hopped that someone would actually come to help.
"Would you like a bag with that?" She asked automatically. The woman gave her a 'duh' look.
"Yes please, thank you dear. How much are these?" She asked holding up a way too expensive designer pen.
"ten ninety-nine."
"I'll take it." Gwen tried not to roll her eyes and rang up the pen.
"Have a nice evening."
"You too dear." As the woman moved away a man walked up, he was about 5'4, slightly shorter then Gwen herself. He had blue-green streaks through his perfectly spiked hair. *Cute.* Gwen thought as she took his book.
"Actually can you look up a book for me?"
"Sure. What's the title?" She asked, clicking into the correct program
on the computer.
"Werewolves who. . . " He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence
as a man pushed past him, holding something black.
"Okay. Give me your money and you won't get hurt." Gwen blinked a few times. Trying to make herself wake up from the dream she was obviously having. The guy grabbed her arm and jerked her forward, her chest coming within inches of the barrel of the gun. Someone screamed, time seemed to slow down, and then the man she had been helping let out a growl so feral that it didn't sound human and lunged, knocking her attacker over. The man dragged her over the register as he fell, she knocked sideways into the register, tilting it dangerously close to the edge. She tried to pull herself back over, but his grip was fierce and she could feel her arm being nearly pulled out of the socket..
She hit the concrete half on top of the robber. She felt something scratch
her arm and cried out as the cash register crashed down onto the robber,
hitting him in the chest, millimeters from her hair. She could feel the
guy that had saved her trying to pull her up, she realized he had scratched
her, his nails were long and black. . . his eyes were. . . she looked down
as she got to her feet and saw the blood pouring from the robbers crushed
ribs and his blank face. The gun had skittered and was up against the mans
feet. Gwen saw black spots and then she collapsed.
~*~
Oz caught the girl as she fell, falling backwards with her weight away
from the dead man. His breath was coming in short rasps as he tried to
control the change. He had seen the gun and just lost it, something in
the background was screaming for the police. A boy with short brown hair
that looked slightly like Xander skidded up next to Oz on his knees.
"Gwen? Gwen??"
Oz took a deep breath. "She's okay. She wasn't hurt, I don't think."
"She's bleeding!" The boy said frantically, pointing to the long claw
mark on the girls arm. Oz felt his heart stop. He reached his hand and
wiped some of the blood that was oozing from the wound, trying to make
sure that it was actually a cut and not just extra blood from the robber.
It wasn't.
He did a quick time in his head on when the next full moon would be, two nights. This girl was going to become her worst nightmare. . . because he had tried to save her. "Help me get her up." The boy stared at him stupidly. "Now." Each taking a hand they pulled Gwen up between them and dragged her onto the carpeted part of the store in between a few bookshelf's. "Is someone calling the police?" Oz asked, trying to keep his voice calm. He needed to get her out of here, she didn't look more then sixteen. It would be kidnapping. "I think the manager did." The boy said, his name tag read Tad.
"Tad. I need you to go check and make sure, get me a cold wash cloth." The boy jumped up and ran off, pushing through the on lookers. Oz shook the girl until she began to come around. Her eyes opened slowly and she blinked a few times.
"Wha. . . " Oz pulled her up to her feet.
"We need to go."
"Huh?"
"We have to go. Come on." He tugged her arm gently, full prepared to pick her up and carry her out if she didn't cooperate. She followed him complacently, looking bewildered. *Probably thinks this is all a dream.* He thought to himself as he lead her through Starbucks and out the back entrance, just as police cars screeched up to the door. He grabbed her arm and began running to where he had his van parked around the block. As they got in the girl seemed to be coming to her senses.
"Wait a second, where are we going? What are you doing? Oh my god I'm bleeding! Its real!" Her voice was a moan as she scratched at the claw mark on her arm, wincing in pain. "It hurts. I'm not dreaming."
"No," Oz stated as he drove away. "Your not."
~*~End 1~*~
Gwen sat in the seat of the van, her mind flying a mile a minute. Oz
was next to her staring at the road as he put miles between her and her
home, her family. Well at least what family she had left. Her mom and Dad
we're split and each had either her sister or brother, she was stuck with
her grandparents. *Will they miss me? Will they call the police and cry
because I've been kidnapped?*
"I'm sorry." It was quiet, barely a whisper. She glanced over at him.
"Huh?"
"For having to do this. Take you away." She blinked back tears, trying not to cry. A single tear escaped her eye and slid down splashing on her name tag.
"Why are you doing this? Are you going to kill me? Or ra. . . "
"No." He cut her off and glanced over at her, his eyes were soft. Pain radiated off of him.
"Why then?"
"I. . . I scratched you."
"You did? Thats okay. . . it hurts. . . but. . . it'll be alright in a few days. Probably won't even leave a scar, do you have any Neosporin?" *Idiot!* Gwen scolded herself. She was acting like he was someone she knew.
"You don't understand."
"I guess not."
A uncomfortable silence fell. Oz was glancing over at her like he wanted to say something, she stared out the window as the little yellow dots slid by the car. "So. . . Gwen. Is it short for anything?"
"Gwenhwyfar." Oz looked over at her strangely. "What? My mom has read a little too much about Arthurian legend." At Oz's silence she grumbled out, "I would have much preferred Morgaine."
"The incestuous priestess?"
"Hey, did you read Mists of Avalon? She had layers."
"She had her brothers son."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I would still much rather be a powerful sorceress then a pious pathetic queen." Oz winced as she said 'priestess' but Gwen didn't notice.
"Where are we going?"
"California." Gwen let out a surprised sound.
"California? Why?"
"I have friends there that can help."
"Help kill me?"
"I'm not going to kill you."
Gwen breathed a little easier, why would he lie? "Can't I just go home? Please? I promise I won't tell anyone. . . all you did was try to help me when that guy pulled the gun. . ." The scene flashed before her eyes, she shuddered as she envisioned the body of the man with the cash register planted on his chest, blood pouring from him.
"You can't go home until you've been told everything."
"I know everything! Your a hero!"
"No. I've ruined your life."
Gwen let out nervous laughter. "No no, its just one night. . . I mean therapy for the rest of my days? Sure. I mean I did see a guys chest cavity compress under a cash register. . . I'll forever not be able to shop for books, hell! I'll probably not be able to read books but. . . "
Oz was silent which made her nervous. She started to open her mouth to say something more but Oz cut her off. "Your a werewolf now."
"Uh." Gwen blinked slowly. *He really is psycho.*
~*~
They drove for the rest of the day. Oz told her the whole story about
him becoming a werewolf, Gwen listened quietly. Not believing a word of
it. When he finally pulled into a motel she was half asleep, it was nearly
midnight by Oz's clock in his van and they hadn't stopped except for twice
for bathroom breaks and once for cheeseburgers from McDonalds. She hadn't
had the heart to tell him she was a vegetarian and so ate only the fries.
"I'm going to go get a room for us. Don't run."
Gwen exploded into nervous laughter. "Where would I run to? We're hundreds of miles from my home."
Oz shrugged and hopped out of the van. Gwen considered leaving, running to the nearest person and telling them she'd been kidnapped. She saw that Oz could see her from the office. He'd catch her before anyone would help her. He wasn't going to hurt her but she didn't want to piss him off, just in case. Anyone who thought they were a werewolf couldn't be safe. Finally after what seemed like a eternity he came out of the office holding a key.
He quickly parked the van in front of 42A and got out, locking his door. He came around to help her out. "Tomorrow we can find a store and you can get another outfit or two. Whatever you need to feel safe. I don't want you to have to wear the same thing every day." He quickly grabbed one of his t-shirts out of the back. "You can sleep in this if you want."
She took the shirt from him, noticing it said some band name she'd never heard of. She followed him into the room and noticed there was only one bed, she shuddered.
"I'll sleep on the floor." Oz said, almost reading her mind.
"Is it okay. . . if I . . take a shower? You can check the bathroom to make sure there's no window to crawl out of. . ."
"No, that's alright. Go ahead. Do you want anything? I can go get sodas or whatever."
"Uh. A diet Pepsi would be great." Oz nodded. She went into the bathroom
and closed the door behind her. She saw herself in the mirror. Makeup was
all over her face, mascara ran in lines. Her clothes were rumpled and there
was a blood splatter on her white work shirt and khaki pants. She shuddered
and quickly stepped out of them, putting them under the water of the sink
she washed them as best she could, trying to get the dried blood out. When
that was over she put the shower on as hot as it would go and began to
wash, hoping to wash away the past couple of days.
~*~End 2~*~
Gwen exited the bathroom, hair wrapped in a towel and wearing Oz's
t-shirt. She had her pants and shirt closely clasped in her hands as she
looked for Oz. He was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room opposite
from where she was. He was starring at the TV which had what appeared to
be Jerry Springer on mute.
"What's the point of watching that if its on mute?"
"Its amusing." Gwen shrugged. Setting her shoes and tiny pile of clothing
on the side of the bed and sitting down rigidly. Pulling at the t-shirt
that wasn't down to her knees. She didn't feel comfortable in it, since
it was shorter then her ankles in the company of a stranger.
"So. I'm a werewolf." She said, trying to get him to laugh. Maybe he
had been joking. . .
"Yeah. You'll find out tomorrow night. Its the night before the full moon."
"Shouldn't it be the full moon?" Gwen's mind was panicking. *Psycho psycho psycho. . . *
"No. Its a three day cycle. Day before, day of, and day after the full moon."
"Kinda like another period. . . grrr-eat." Oz shifted in his chair. Gwen's eyes snapped to the tv, watching as some woman attacked another woman. A man sat in a chair behind them smiling and watching.
"These shows are so dumb."
"They're all acted out."
"Yeah." Gwen twisted her hands together. "Oz?"
"Yeah?"
"If. . . I don't. . . become a werewolf tomorrow. Can I go home?"
"I promise."
~*~
The next day went by in a blur. Gwen got a new pair of pants and shirt
for a change of clothes and Oz gave her some money to get 'undergarments'.
It was odd that he even cared she had something else to wear then her blood
stained work clothes but in the same way it was kind of touching. Not that
she was letting her guard down, she still didn't trust him. They quickly
stopped at a fast food restaurant for her to change and get food and then
were off again, driving toward California.
They finally made it somewhere around five. Oz seemed rushed as he led her through the graveyard. *This is it, if he's going to kill me this would be the place. . . kind of ironic. . . * She still couldn't get over the fact that he hadn't raped and murdered her yet. He carefully led her into a large mausoleum off to the side and she noticed instantly the steel cage.
"You need to go in there."
"Huh? Your going to leave me here? Oz! I can't stay here! It'll be dark soon. . . I-I hate graveyards. Please don't make me. . . " Oz stared at her for a second and then reached for her hand, she almost started back but let him take it. It was almost soothing, if she hadn't been shaking with terror.
"I'm going to stay with you. I won't leave. You just need to be in the
cage. I won't be more then a few steps away, if nothing happens I'll let
you out." She gulped.
"But. . . if I'm going to change. . . arint you too?" She assumed he
believed he was a werewolf too.
"I can control it. I'll teach you too eventually. Please." She balked slightly when he tried to tug her toward the cage. He turned and stared at her calmly, his green-blue eyes expressionless. "If you don't go in, I'm going to have to put you in."
She wrenched her hand away from his, giving him a deadly look. She might be terrified of cemeteries but she wasn't going to give up her dignity, as specially to this crazy kidnapper. . . She walked into the cage with her head held high and turned as Oz shut the door and locked it. He pushed a old white t-shirt through the bars.
"You might want to change into that, or you'll have to buy new clothes." She grit her teeth.
"I'm not changing in front of you." Gwen set her jaw, and Oz turned around. She quickly took off her shirt and pulled the white shirt over it. It smelled differently then the others, a slight trace of someone more female. It disturbed her as she realized what she'd just thought. *Great, I can smell things differently now. . . letting myself get pulled into his delusions.* She quickly got out of her jeans and set them on top of a high stone that seemed convenient.
"Alright."
Oz turned. "It should happen now. Do you feel alright?"
"Now that you mention it." Gwen said, scratching at her skin slightly.
"I feel itchy. Probably fleas."
"Probably." Oz mumbled knowingly. He sat down against the wall, facing
her. Again his face was expressionless.
"Do you ever feel anything?" She cried after a couple of minutes of
silence. *Besides insanity. . . *
"Like what?"
"Like. . . anything! You let anything phase you! You could have been killed! Your *kidnapping* a minor. . and you act like its part of your every day routine! Are you ever anything but stoic?"
"No."
"Oh."
"How old are you?" Gwen was startled by the sound of his voice. She had been staring at deep marks in the walls, they looked like claw marks.
"Seventeen and a half." She glanced at him, his face was slightly amused.
"Seventeen. I know the half sounds like I'm four. . . but. . . I'm almost
eighteen." *At least I hope to live that long.*
He didn't respond. She shut up. She felt a slight pain in her stomach
and groaned softly. *Great time for cramps.* She thought and sat down on
the ground massaging her fist over the place where the pain was coming
from. Oz was standing beside the cage. "Its starting."
"What? My period? Yeah. Thanks for noticing. . . Ow. . . " Her stomach seemed to flip flop and then try altogether to get out of her skin. Her insides seemed to turn inside out on themselves. "Oh god. . . "
"Don't worry. You won't remember the pain." She looked up at him and
then back down at her arms. Chestnut fur had begun to sprout from no where
and she moaned, she felt her mind slowly beginning to retreat and she tried
desperately to hold on to it. She went to scream, and all that came out
was a guttural howl.
~*~
Oz backed up from the cage as the small werewolf slammed herself against
it. He was having trouble holding on to his own change, with the stress
of the past two days coupled with the scent of a newly changed werewolf.
. .
He wanted to make it all better for her. The look of terror on her face before she'd fully changed. . . it was enough to make him want to kill himself. He'd caused this. He was to blame. He was always to blame.
He ruined three lives. Killing Veruca, turning Gwen, and destroying his own to rubble. He'd run from his own problems, and run from dealing with Veruca's murder. He wasn't going to leave Gwen. She reminded him so much of his friends. Not exactly one person, but a combination of them. Xander's dry wit, Willow's innocence, Buffy's strength, Giles's book smarts. She was like the mixture of them all, with her own way thrown in. He was beginning to feel for her, not love. No, he couldn't let himself love. . . but friendship. He wanted her to be his friend, not to always see her as the lunatic who had kidnapped her.
Now the lunatic who had ruined her life. In one moment he had completely ruined her life. Oz felt his control slipping, felt his mind beginning to blink out in distress. He was giving in to the change subconsciously, barely noticing it as he watched the wolf in the cage. She was caught up in his change, trying to reach him. He felt himself fall to the ground with a kind of detachment, and felt the wolf take over his brain. It was the first time he'd lost control since. . .
The wolf raised his head, staring at the female in the cage. He growled
low in his throat at the scent of her. He leapt up and threw himself at
the cage, making the bars rattle.
It was going to be a long night.
~*~End 3~*~