Chapter One: Beauty and the Beasts
Buffy and Faith were patrolling in the west graveyard. They were talking about Scott to pass the time.
"My favorite part is that he doesn't seem to be any kind of hell beast", Buffy said talking about Scott.
"All men are beasts, B", Faith said cynically.
"Okay, I was hoping to not get that cynical til I was 40", Buffy said reacting to Faith's comment.
"It's not cynical. I mean it's realistic. Every guy from Manimal to Mr. I love the English Patient has beast in him. I don't care how sensitive they act; they're all in it for the chase. So one more sweep?", Faith asked.
"Nah I'll stop up by the forest on my way home,"Buffy said.
"Cool. Later", Faith said going the opposite way of Buffy.
Buffy headed to the forest and heard a rustling in the bushes. On her way there and she went to go check it out. Then suddenly everything went black. She woke up an hour later with a bite mark on her arm (which went away the next day). Then she headed for home wondering who or what bit her.
The next day at school the thought escaped her entirely. She caught up with Willow and Oz and told them about what Faith said about men being beasts.
"I don't think that's true about all men being in it for the chase," Willow said as they were walking up the stairs.
"I know it is an awful generalization", Buffy was interrupted by Scott.
"Hey Buffy", Scott said, "That's what I stopped you for to say, hey".
"Ok. hey", she answered him.
"Howdy Debbie", Oz said acknowledging the other couple.
Scott's friends; Debbie and Pete.
"Hey, Oz. You're not in jazz band this year?", Debbie asked.
"Oh, can't take the pressure. It's not the music that's hard, it's the marching", Oz said.
"We have a marching jazz band", Buffy asked feeling stupid for not knowing this.
"Yeah, but since the best jazz is improvisational we'd be going off in all different directions, banging into floats. Scary.", Oz said.
"Those are pretty flowers Debbie", Buffy said acknowledging the flowers Pete gave her.
"Thanks, Pete gave them to me", Debbie said looking at Pete.
"Yeah well, I'm sure Scott gets you all kind of stuff like that Buffy", Pete said.
"We're not up to flowers. Are we up to flowers? Did I miss flowers?", Scott asked worriedly.
"No we're pre-posed definitely", Buffy said. "Times up I have to go see Platt, I have to convince him I'm little miss sanity to stay in school,".
"Platt creeps me out. I would totally stop going but I'm flunking senior bio and my teacher says I have success issues", Debbie said laughingly.
"Senior bio? I kind of aced that final", Oz said.
"And how did you do that? Oh yeah, you showed up", Willow said proudly.
"If you want my notes they're yours", Oz offered.
"Thanks", Debbie said. Then the bell rang.
"We'd better go", Buffy said and kissed Scott before going to Platt's.
While Oz and Willow went to the library.
"We need to recheck every possible exit avenue," Giles said to Xander talking about Oz possibly getting out of his cage last night.
Someone was murdered last night; well actually mauled last night and as usual, Giles was worried and when he's worried he paces.
"I'm telling you you're wasting your time. I was here all night", Xander said as they walked over to the cage.
Oz and Willow walked into the library.
"Right. Good to see you no need to panic", Giles lied badly.
Oz and Willow saw right through him.
"Just a thought poker not your game", Oz said jokingly.
"What's the deal Giles", Willow asked seriously. Giles looked at them.
"Now bear in mind there most likely is no deal. But if there was a deal it would concern murder last night. A male student was found in the woods", Giles said.
"Which student", Willow asked curiously.
"Jeff Orkin", Giles said looking at her.
"Jeff he was- I knew him", Oz said. Giles started to pace.
"I'm afraid he was horribly mauled, now as much as I hate to think it. It could be the handiwork of-", Giles told them. "Me", Oz finished sadly.
"Wolf-you not you-you", Willow said trying to comfort him.
"But it's not. Not wolf-you not you-you. The room was secured. The gate was locked. The window unbreakable-", Xander said walking over to the window in the cage to see that it was open.
" and open", Xander finishes.
"Oh god", Willow says worried as she and Oz go to see if the window was actually open.
"Not to freak. I rested my eyes now and then. That's all", Xander said nonchalantly.
"How long exactly did you rest your eyes for", Giles asked sternly.
"A little now and a little then, But I never heard Oz leave and he was here in the morning when I", Xander said trying not to dig himself in a bigger hole than he already was.
Everyone was looking at him with either disappointment or anger.
"Woke up", Giles said angrily. "You could put it that way if you want ", Xander said.
"Oh god", Willow said worriedly.
Oz walks over to her and she holds his hand and looks at him worried. After an hour Oz, Willow, Cordelia, Xander, and Giles were sitting on the steps looking sad when Buffy walked in.
"I'm afraid to ask", Buffy said as she sat her purse on the table.
"Oz ate someone last night", Cordelia said boldly.
"He did not", Willow said coming to her boyfriend's defense.
"Oz does not eat people", Xander started to correct her. "It 's more werewolf play. You know I bat you around like a cat toy. I have harmless wolf fun. Is it Oz's fault that the side-effect is people get cut to ribbons and maybe then I'll take a nibble. I'm not helping am I?",Everyone glares at him making the answer to his question obvious.
"No. Oz may have got out of his cage last night", Giles informed Buffy.
"Or maybe there's another werewolf out there roaming the woods", Oz said hoping he was right.
"Perhaps. Or something else entirely", Giles said.
"It's okay we'll figure this out", Buffy said trying to get their hopes up.
"Yes umm Buffy you will patrol the woods and the others will check out the morgue", Giles told them.
"Right we can see if it's a werewolf kill or not. But what about Oz", Willow asked.
"Umm I have some research materials at home I need to look at. Uh, we could ask Faith to watch over him", Giles said.
"You're having a slayer watch me. Good thing we're not overacting", Oz told them sarcastically.
Oz walked away from the rest of the group but Willow followed him. Buffy couldn't help but feel sorry for the two; Oz for the obvious and Willow because she knew how she felt. She had been there with Angel and she knew how it felt to think your boyfriend was responsible for someone else's death but it was completely beyond his control. Oz turned around to face Willow.
"You know that thing where you bail in the middle of an upsetting conversation?I need to do that. It's kind of dramatic I know. But a necessary guy thing", Oz said explaining things to her. "And I want you too. Do the guy thing but", Willow said pointing to the clock meaning he was gonna change soon.
Oz walked over to the cage and stepped into it and closed the door. Willow walked up to the cage.
"Oz", Willow said.
"Get away from the cage", Oz told her.
"What", Willow asked surprised and hurt.
But she could understand why he didn't want her there. she was just hurt that he chose not to tell her why.
"It's gonna happen soon. Get away from the cage", Oz told her. Willow backed away from the cage and followed the others out of the library.
The others looked at Willow sympathetically. But it was Buffy who spoke up.
"You know he doesn't want to shut you out. Right?",Buffy asked her.
"Yeah a part of me knows and another part of me says why can't he just talk to me about it", Willow told her.
"I think he feels that you already have to deal with a lot of monsters and doesn't want you to add him to the list", Buffy explained.
"That makes sense I guess", Willow told her as they walked out the door.
Buffy went as far as the graveyard before she blacked out. When it was morning she woke up naked in the forest.
"What the hell", Buffy said to herself.
Buffy somehow made it to a laundromat without anyone noticing she was naked. She grabbed some clean clothes to at least get home so she could change. Luckily her mom was out of town art buying. Buffy went upstairs to change and then went to the library just as Willow came in with doughnuts.
"Hey Willow", Buffy said.
"Glazed or cake. It's fun to watch them make them. They use this spritzy thing and they drop the batter into this-", Willow babbled on.
"Couldn't sleep, huh?",Buffy assumed. "I 've been at since the t.v. did that snowy thing. How come you're the wakey girl. This time it's not your boyfriend who's the cold-blooded", Willow said but was interrupted by Oz walking over to them.
"Jelly doughnut", Willow asked.
"Everything alright", Oz asked them.
"Yeah, what happened with the inspection of the body?",Buffy asked Willow hanging on her every word.
Buffy still didn't know what happened last night but she knew it was connected to that bite mark she got a couple nights ago.
"Anyone. They're yummy and delicious", Willow said avoiding the question.
"Will come on, was it a werewolf?",Buffy asked. Willow didn't answer.
"Was it a vampire?",Buffy asked intently.
"It wasn't conclusive", Willow told them.
"How could it not be conclusive? What did it look like? Was he bit", Buffy asked angrily.
Giles walked down the stairs to where the three were standing.
"Let her finish Buffy", Giles told her and as soon as he did she turned around to look at him.
"No it's just", Buffy started to say but then looked at Willow and Oz.
They looked confused and taken back at why Buffy was pushing this so much.
"I'm sorry", Buffy told them,
She sat down at the table while the other three looked at her with concern at why Buffy was so invested in this other than the obvious. Buffy went through the day thinking there was something wrong with her. When lunch came around she went and sat by Scott, Debbie, and Pete.
"Hey", Buffy told Scott as she sat down at the table.
"Hey, uh I can't back you on that lunch. Nutritional demerits", Scott said indicating her jello-like food that was supposed to be her lunch.
"Umm, my stomach doesn't want hard food today. But there's fruit in it", Buffy said pointing to the fruit like marshmallows.
"Those are marshmallows", Scott whispered to her.
"Oh. I'm really out of it today. I didn't sleep well last night", Buffy said.
Truthfully she had other things on her mind.
"Don't tell Platt you have insomnia, he'll make you keep a dream journal", Debbie told her making fun of Platt.
"What's that like a Barbie thing-dear dream journal how come Ken hasn't come around since he got that earing", Pete said jokingly.
"I never did it he's a quack", Debbie told them.
"I kinda liked him", Buffy said.
"Really?I guess he's kinda funny and stuff. Sometimes I just don't like the things he says", Debbie said.
"He definitely marches to the beat of his own drummer. Actually, I think he makes his own drums", Buffy said.
"My mom says that therapy can be completely helpful", Scott said trying to help.
"Yeah but your mom has the wattage of a zippo lighter Scott", Pete said trying to be funny.
"I hope you realize that I don't actually know these people. I just thought you would like me better with friends. So I hired them. I uh wanted to tell you that you look great today", Scott started to say while he put his hand on her knee.
"But now I want to raise that to amazing because you didn't sleep well."
"Uh that's really sweet uh and I wish I didn't have to but I just remembered I do so I'll see you later", Buffy said feeling uncomfortable.
She walked out of the cafeteria.
"Check out Scotty liking the manic-depressive chick", Pete told Scott.
Buffy went to the library after finding dead. Faith, Willow, and Buffy were sitting at the table while Giles was filling them in about Platt.
"This creature is especially brutal. I believe the phrase used coined by the corner when describing was"pureed". But he did confirm Platt was killed shortly before Buffy found him", Giles told the girls.
"Which means he was killed during the day", Faith pointed out.
"Yes", Willow said excitedly.
Everyone stared at her.
"Sorry. I got. I've just been ..it's horrible, horrible", Willow said trying to cover her big mouth.
"It's okay Will we're all glad Oz is off the hook ", Buffy said gladly partly because her best friend's boyfriend was off the hook and she was too because she was fully aware of what she was doing in the daylight.
Second part because for some reason she was as excited if not more than Willow which was not supposed to happen with her best friends boyfriend.
"Indeed", Giles said looking at his watch. "Shouldn't he be here by now? Sunsets at 5:30", Giles asked worriedly. "Our task now is to determine what sort of killer we are dealing with. Clearly, we're looking for a depraved, sadistic animal".
Oz chooses that moment to enter the library.
"Present. Hey I may be a cold-blooded jelly doughnut but my timing is impeccable", Oz told them as he walked over to the group.
Willow jumped out of her chair and went over to him.
"But you aren't it's a-kill-in-the-day monster 100% for sure", Willow said excitedly while playing with the collar of his shirt.
Buffy was trying to overcome a tinge of jealousy towards which she was trying to ignore. She was jealous of her best friend for her boyfriend this was bad on so many levels.
"Ok", Oz said nonchalantly while Willow put her arm around him.
"I wish we had time to celebrate properly. However we have two victims-Jeff Orkin and now Platt maybe there's something they had in common", Giles trying to find out who or what this monster was.
Buffy was still worried. She didn't know what was going on with her but she still had the wiggins but she was certain she was off the hook for this one because she remembered days just not nights. "Missing internal organs", Faith said the obvious answer.
"Besides that", Giles said annoyed.
"Debbie", Oz started. "Victim number one-Jeff he was in jazz band with us. They used to horse around."
"They were screwing", Faith asked boldly.
"I don't think so but he hid her music comp book once", Oz told them.
"And we know Debbie knew Platt. She was seeing him and was way vocal about not having love for the guy", Buffy said agreeing with Oz.
"Add this and stir. I just saw Debbie a minute ago and sporting a nasty looking black eye", Oz told them.
"Okay so pretend Debbie wanted Platt dead maybe he fought back", Willow said trying to figure out the most obvious question.
"No Platt was dead in an instant. He didn't even drop his cigarette. Now, what if boyfriend Pete was the one doling out the punishment", Buffy asked.
"We should find them both immediately", Giles said worriedly.
"Debbie was in the quad a minute ago", Oz told them.
"Alright Faith you and I team. Willow stick with Buffy", Giles told them.
"And I'll.. go lock myself in the cage", Oz said as they were leaving.
Buffy and Willow found Debbie in the locker room trying to cover up her black eye.
"It's tricky covering a fresh shiner like that. You know what works?",Buffy asked her.
"What", Debbie asked her.
"Don't get hit. What's going on Debbie? I'll bet the farm you know", Buffy told Debbie intensely.
"You're wrong. I don't know anything", Debbie told obviously lying to protect her boyfriend.
"Normally I would say you wanna play have a secret fine. But people are dying here", Buffy said seriously.
"It's not his fault I mean he's not himself when he gets like this", Debbie told Buffy trying to defend her boyfriend's actions.
"You mean Pete", Buffy asked trying to get her to talk more.
"It's me. I make him crazy he just does what he does because he loves me too much", Debbie told Buffy.
"But weren't and Jeff murdered by an animal", Willow asked confused.
"Pete's not like other guys is he Debbie", Buffy asked already knowing the answer.
"I've gotta go", Debbie said and started to leave.
"You have to talk to us. We can't help us you until you do", Buffy told her worried about what Pete might do.
Debbie turned around to look at Buffy.
"I didn't ask for your help", Debbie told her but Buffy knew she wanted help.
"When are you going to if Pete kills you it'll pretty much be too late", Willow told Debbie trying to reason with her.
"Debbie we're running out of time", Buffy asked trying to get her to tell her something.
"Where can I find him", Buffy asked Debbie referring to Pete.
"I don't know", Debbie said lying to Buffy.
"You're lying", Buffy told her sternly.
"What if I am? What are you going to do about it", Debbie asked.
"Wrong question", Willow told her not referring to Buff's slayer powers.
Buffy pushed her towards a mirror and forces her to look at herself.
"Look at yourself. Why are you protecting him?Anybody who really loved you wouldn't do this to you", Buffy told her trying to get Debbie to realize what Pete was doing wasn't out of love.
"Would they take him someplace", Debbie asked worried what would happen if she told the truth.
"Probably", Buffy said not wanting to sugar coat it.
"I could never do that to him. I'm his everything", Debbie told them trying to get them to understand.
"Great so while you two live out your"Grim" fairytale two people are dead. Who's gonna be next?",Buffy asked her.
Debbie went over and sat on a bench and started to rock back and forth in a fetal position.
"He does love me, He does love me", Debbie continued to say while Buffy and Willow were talking.
"This is useless we have to go. I have to find Pete", Buffy told Willow. Buffy was getting anxious and impatient.
Willow walked over to Debbie.
"Come on", Willow told her trying to get her to get up so they could find Pete.
"I think we broke her", Willow told Buffy.
"I think she was broken before this", Buffy said feeling sorry for Debbie.
Buffy, Willow, and Debbie left the room and just started down the hallway to the library when Buffy turned a werewolf. Willow and Debbie screamed and Giles and Faith came running down the other hallway. Giles looked around for Buffy.
"Where is Buffy", Giles asked worriedly.
Werewolf Buffy was running toward the library.
"That is Buffy", Willow said shocked and confused at the fact that her best friend was now a werewolf.
They all ran after werewolf Buffy. They stopped to see that werewolf Oz was attacking Pete. Just as they were going to go after werewolf Buffy she jumped on top of Pete along with werewolf Oz and she bit him. The others were staring at the three fighting. Giles looked at the slayer and girl who had become like a daughter to him who was now a werewolf. Giles knew that when this was over he would get his answers.
"Get the dart gun", Giles yelled to Faith.
Faith climbed over the counter and grabbed the dart gun. She starts to aim it at Pete, Oz and Buffy and Debbie pushes Faith's arm just as she pulls the trigger.
"Pete watch out", Debbie told him.
So she accidentally shot Giles.
"Sorry G", Faith said.
"Right. Bloody priceless", Giles said as he fell into a small table by his office door.
Buffy and Oz (the werewolf versions) ran out of the library and almost ran over Xander.
"What's going on?",Xander asked the others completely clueless.
"Buffy's a werewolf", Willow told him as Faith handed her the dart gun.
"You get the wolves", Faith told them before running up to Pete and attacking him with her fists.
Faith and Pete started to go towards the bookcases. Pete tried to throw the bookcase on top but she got out of their before he could. Then Pete and Faith ran out of the hallway and out down the hallway and Pete went out of a window before Faith could catch up with him. Meanwhile, Oz and Buffy were running down the hallway and sticking very close to each other. This did not go unnoticed by Willow.
"Hey Will why are the getting all lady and the tramp with each other", Xander asked her while running after the werewolves.
"I don't know maybe she's sticking to Oz to because he's familiar", Willow said lying.
She had her theories and the truth was that wasn't one of them. Oz and Buffy being so close even in werewolf form gave her the wiggins. She knew that her best friend would never go after her boyfriend but Buffy wasn't in control here the monster was and the monster seemed to like oz. They were heading by the soda machines when Buffy jumped on top of Willow and Oz kept running. Willow dropped the gun when Buffy jumped on top of her. Xander picked up the gun and shot Buffy.
"Sorry Buff", Xander said and took off after Oz.
Willow stood by the tranquilized Buffy werewolf with sympathy. Xander shot Oz as he was turning the corner. They dragged Oz and Buffy into the cage and locked the door. Willow and Xander stood outside the cage looking at the two werewolves. Faith walked in looking like her head hit a doorknob.
"Pete", Willow asked.
"Dead as well as blondie. Psycho boyfriend killed her", Faith told them.
Giles came out of his office limping.
"How's Buffy", Giles asked the others.
"In the cage with Oz", Willow said.
Faith walked over to Xander and whispered:"Do you think they're gonna get pelvic".
"No way Buffy wouldn't do that to Will", Xander said thinking she was talking about the human version.
"I mean the werewolf version of B", Faith asked.
"Oh. I don't know. I hope not it would crush Will. Even if they were werewolves", Xander said.
"I wonder how B got like this", Faith asked.
"I'm afraid all the questions we need answers to can only be answered by Buffy", Giles said.
Willow, Xander, and Faith went home. Willow picked up some clothes for Buffy in the morning. When morning came Buffy woke up and noticed she was in the library cage naked next to Oz. she added it all up and figured it out.
"I'm a werewolf?",Buffy asked.
She got up and found her clothing on top of the file cabinet. In the middle of getting dressed Oz woke up.
"Hey", Oz said confused.
"Hey. Morning", Buffy said.
"It turns out I'm a werewolf". Oz nodded.
"Ok", Oz said.
After Buffy finished She left Oz to get dressed. She walked out of the cage to find Giles sitting in a chair drinking tea outside the cage.
"Morning", Buffy said.
"I take it you figured it out by now", Giles said.
"Yeah, I'm a werewolf. I figured something was wrong but this is wow", Buffy said.
Willow, Xander, and Cordy came rushing in at that point.
"Buffy", Willow said.
"You all know?",Buffy asked.
"About you being a murdering animal yeah", Cordy said boldly.
Oz walked out from the cage and went over by Willow but smiled at Buffy who smiled back.
"So are you all gonna stare at me uncomfortably or are you going ask", Buffy said.
"Well since you brought it up", Xander said.
"I can't really tell you how because I don't remember getting bit. All I do remember is I had just finished patrolling with Faith and I was gonna do a quick sweep up by the forest and I was on my way there when I blacked out and woke up with a bite mark on my arm. I didn't think anything of it at the time but now it's like I'm nancy drewing it", Buffy said.
Willow went over to her friend and hugged her.
Then the others joined in.
"So we're all okay", Buffy said.
"As long as you don't eat me", Xander said.
They all were walking in the quad.
"It's all over school what happened with Debbie and Pete. Except for the Pete was a monster part", Willow told them.
"Yeah a freshmen told me that Pete had 8 iced mochas and just lost it", Oz told them.
"That's better than the estrogen theory. I heard he took all of his mother's birth control pills", Buffy told them.
"He didn't? Pete was a monster? Where have I been?", Cordy asked.
"In your special place Cor which is why I adore you", Xander said and put his arm around her.
"So what's gonna happen when you turn it to werewolf how many times a month", Xander asked.
"I don't really know", Buffy said sadly.
"Well back to Pete. What's the true story what happened ", Cordy asked wanting to know?
"We got ahold of Pete's lab books and stuff and was a Jekyll/Hyde deal. He was afraid Debbie was going to leave him so he mixed this potion to become super mas macho", Willow told her. "The only thing was after a while he didn't need the potion to turn into a bad guy. Did it just fine on his own."
"So it was like a real killing he wasn't under the influence of anything?",Cordy asked.
"Just himself", Buffy said. Buffy saw Scott sitting by himself sadly.
"Uh I'll see you guys later", she said and went over to Scott.
"I don't know what to say that's not going to sound obvious or stupid", Buffy said.
"I've been friends with them both since before we started school", Scott sadly. Buffy laced her fingers into his.
"Is there anything I can do", Buffy asked knowing the answer.
"Thanks, I'm gonna be okay", Scott said. "It's just you never really know what's going on inside somebody, do you? You think if you care about them but you never really do".