A/N: That whooshing sound you hear is us blowing by "Beer Bad" and moving into the stretch run, aka, "Wild at Heart". Only a handful of parts left until this story is in the can.

Buffy and Tara were at the Bronze with Willow and Oz (with Xander being an increasingly depressed fifth wheel), basking in the comforting familiarity of the place when they were interrupted by the unfamiliar and new.

"Hello, all."

Buffy shot up out of her seat as she noticed Giles, with Anya at his side (as usual). "Giles. Trouble?"

"Oh no-don't get up Buffy," replied the former Watcher. "It's nothing like that. I just thought I'd pop by….Anybody for a latte? On me?"

Turning to Willow, who had been extolling the virtues of the Bronze's familiar presence, Buffy said, "So much for your predictable blanky theory, Will."

With five bodies scrunched together already, Giles was forced to grab two nearby chairs for himself and Anya. "It's been ages since I've been out to hear a band….." The comment caused the two couples and Xander to look at each other, to Giles' slight annoyance. "Don't look that way. I'm quite 'with it' when it comes to music-and I have the record albums to prove it."

Buffy smirked. "But it's your cutting edge 8-tracks that keep you ahead of the scene." The comment earned her a slap on the arm from Tara. "Hey!"

"Might want to save the scoffing, gang," declared Oz authoritatively. I've seen the collection, and Giles was an animal in his day."

"I guess," answered Buffy. "If the Stones are still rolling, why can't Giles?"

"Exactly," replied Willow as she glared at Anya, "I think it's brave you're here."

"You people are horrible friends," sneered Anya. And by "you people", she mostly meant Willow.

Giles would have scolded his former charges, but the lights came up, and a band started to play.

"Oh," said Willow, with a touch of bile in her voice. "Yeah….Veruca's playing tonight."

"Yeah," answered Oz, either not noticing or not caring about Willow's slow burn. "Every Wednesday. I told you." Oz tried to smile, but he was soon fully absorbed by Veruca's performance, helped in no small part by her staring right at him rather lustily.

He wasn't the only person drawn in. Most of the men were transfixed (including Giles and especially Xander), and Buffy and Tara were openly gazing at her with hungry, lustful looks. It wasn't long before the two were holding hands, and edging closer and closer together.

"Buffy? Tara? What do you think of Shy?"

The two shot apart and snapped back to reality when they heard Willow's question, both looking furtively as if they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. (A cookie jar full of sex, apparently.) "What?" asked Buffy, being the first to respond. "Oh! Yes! They're really good, aren't they, Tara?"

Tara nodded in agreement profusely. "Y-yes! The lead singer is very…..interesting." The lust in Tara's voice on that last word was so palpable, it was almost a tangible thing.

Willow was deeply hurt. And that was just the beginning.

Buffy should have seen the signs of trouble. The next day, Willow was deeply upset over Oz's attraction to Veruca, but she brushed it off, declaring Oz to be fully committed. And the day after that, Professor Walsh spoke about being attacked by two wild dogs, and she didn't react too strongly to the sight of Oz repairing his cage. And, finally, on Saturday, she and Tara watched helplessly as Willow was nearly run over by a car. Thankfully, Riley was there, and pulled Willow to safety. After hearing the entire, sordid tale in their dorm room, Buffy promised her best friend that she'd take care of it. "Can I get you something before we take off? Kleenex? Chocolatey chocolate anything?"

"No," answered Willow curtly.

"I called Xander," interrupted Tara. "He's on his way."

Buffy nodded. "I'll come back as soon as things are taken care of. You just take it easy and wait for Xander, OK?" After a pause, Buffy added, "Riley was right. The main thing is-put the blame where it belongs. Don't hurt yourself."

Willow nodded as Tara handed Buffy her sword.

"OK." Before leaving, Buffy stopped again and asked once more, "You're OK?"

"I'm fine," answered Willow. "Promise."

"If you need anything, Xander will be here in a few minutes."

Willow nodded again, and Buffy and Tara left, posthaste.

Buffy and Tara arrived at Oz's place, and it was all business. "Where is she?" asked Buffy.

"I don't know," he answered. "I already tried her usual haunts." Pausing awkwardly, he added, "But-I know the areas we're drawn to, and I'm pretty sure I can follow her scent."

"We'll try that, then."

Stopping Buffy as she started to storm out, Oz said, "Look. You should just know that-"

Buffy glared. "Oz. This might be a good time for your trademark stoicism."

Oz nodded at the two very unhappy women before following them out the door.

But Veruca was too smart. She drew away Oz with some old clothes while she tracked down Willow, who had left their room and found herself cornered by Veruca in the campus chem lab. Buffy, Tara, and Xander caught up to Oz right as he, in full wolf mode and having already killed Veruca, lunged for Willow. Buffy had no choice but to grab Oz to stop him from killing Willow while Tara shot him with Giles' tranquilizer gun. With the immediate threat over, Buffy and Xander wrapped Willow into a protective hug.

It only got worse for Willow, though, as Oz left town the next day.

"Are you sure, Xander?" asked Buffy as she and Tara stood outside the door to her and Willow's dorm room. Almost an entire week had passed since Oz left, and Xander had shown up each night to be there for Willow. "I mean, you're bound to get fired if you keep ditching work. Tara can stay here if you need to go."

"The job sucks, Buffy," declared Xander with brutal honesty. "Willow needs me. That's the only thing that matters right now."

"OK," answered the Slayer. "But remember that you can't do it all by yourself."

"I owe it to her to help," replied Xander. "I've been the one doing the hurting more than enough, don't you think?"

Buffy nodded in understanding, before hugging him. "I'll see you later, Xander."

Xander smiled weakly and wordlessly as he closed the door behind Buffy and Tara before turning his attention to Willow, who had fallen asleep on her bed. Not wanting to disturb her, Xander found a blanket and covered Willow with it. Then, he pulled a chair next to the bed, sat down, held her hand, and waited.