Faith lashed out with her foot, catching Dawn in the back. The teen flinched and cried out, yet made no move to defend herself. Oz felt his hackles rise. He couldn't sit by and watch Faith torment the girl. He got up from his crouch and padded over to the door.
"Oz! What are you doing?" Willow demanded, her eyes wide.
"Buying Buffy some time," he replied, and pushed the door aside. Faith whirled to face the newcomer, a smirk twisting her features.
"Well, well, well," she said. "Look who's come to crash the party. You think you can take me, wolf-boy?"
Oz didn't reply, merely staring at the rogue Slayer. He was hardly an impressive sight, slightly built and barely taller than his girlfriend. "Let Dawn go," he ordered in an eerily calm voice. Faith spread her arms challengingly.
"Make me," she said.
Oz's eyes changed to gold and his body began to change. Muscles rippled over his arms and torso and a short, thick coat of reddish fur sprouted over his skin. His features became more animal, and when his lips curled in a snarl, it revealed long, sharp canines.
Faith wavered, clearly startled. Oz gathered himself and leapt across the open space between them, slamming his compact body into Faith. They tumbled over the ground, Oz ending up on top. He slammed his fist into Faith's jaw, temporarily stunning the Slayer.
"Willow! Get Dawn out of here!" His voice was halfway between a bark and a howl. The redheaded witch scrambled into the building. Faith shoved Oz off of her chest. He rolled away and jumped back to his feet with easy grace.
Faith yanked a knife from her belt and lunged at the werewolf. He spun out of her way, dodging the blade by centimeters. "You're not going to win this, wolf-boy," Faith snapped. "But I can dance with you all day." She brandished the knife. "I'll make you bleed."
Oz put his ears back and growled deep in his throat. Faith stabbed at him but he again slipped out of range. He had no intention of letting her cut him, and was equally determined not to scratch or bite Faith. The last thing they needed was a werewolf Slayer.
"What the hell is going on here?" a hard, feminine voice demanded. Oz risked a glance over his shoulder to confirm what his nose had already told him. A blonde woman stood in the doorway, a gun on her hip. She stared in utter horror and shock at Oz, who cursed inwardly.
"Oz, look out!" Willow yelled from where she stood protectively in front of Dawn.
Oz ducked at the last second and slammed his hand down on Faith's wrist, knocking the blade to the ground. With a snarl, he grabbed her throat and slammed her against the wall with enough force to knock the breath out of her.
Faith kicked out, slamming her booted foot into Oz's stomach. He flew across the room, hit the ground hard and rolled over, blood dribbling from his mouth. "I am so going to kill you for that!" she screamed at him, retrieving her knife.
"Police! Don't move," the strange woman yelled, drawing her gun. "Drop the knife."
"Go to hell," Faith snapped, and flung out her hand. The knife spun through the air, heading straight for the woman.
"Subsisto motus!" Willow cried, and the knife froze in mid air. "Inflictus!" Faith flew back into the wall again, shaking free a reign of dust.
Buffy arrived at that moment, shoving the police officer out of her way without a second's pause. She met Faith as the other Slayer was getting to her feet, landing a rib-cracking kick.
"This is between you and me, Faith," Buffy said. "You want a fight? I'll give you one."
Willow ran over to Oz's side and dropped to her knees. "Oz? Oz, are you okay? Oz, wake up!"
His eyes fluttered open to meet hers. "Ouch," he said weakly. His body was rapidly becoming human again.
"No, don't do that," Willow said in alarm. "You're hurt! Stay wolf!"
He blinked a few times, trying to regain concentration. Then the change halted and reversed itself. "Dawn?" At Oz's question, Willow looked back over her shoulder at the teenager in question. Dawn huddled against the wall, watching the Slayers fight with dull eyes.
Angel skidded to a halt in the doorway. "Kate?" he demanded, staring at the woman. "What are you doing here?"
"What is going on?" the detective asked. "What the hell is that?" she pointed at Oz, who was trying to get to his feet.
"Um…" Angel trailed off when he saw Faith and Buffy locked together.
The Slayers were a whirl of motion. Fists and feet moved faster than the eye could follow, meeting with bone-cracking force. Angel approached, looking for an opportunity to help Buffy.
Faith crashed into the ground, her nose and lip bleeding, and stayed there. "This is it, huh, B?" she tainted, wiping blood onto her jacket. "You gonna finish it this time?"
"I don't want to hurt you, Faith," Buffy said.
"This isn't about what you want!" Faith screamed, getting to her feet and lunging. Buffy dodged and tripped Faith, knocking the other Slayer off balance.
"It doesn't have to be this way," Buffy said, almost imploringly.
"Yes it does," Faith said panting. "You started it, B! You have to finish it!" She fell on Buffy in a fury, insensate in her rage. Buffy met her blow for blow, never losing her control. Within seconds, Faith was on the ground again.
"Stop playing with me!" Faith yelled. "Finish this! You're gonna finish it!"
Buffy's eyes widened as she finally realized what Faith wanted. To Angel's shock, she backed away, lowering her hands. "I won't do it, Faith," she said softly.
"You have to!" Faith yelled. "You have to finish it!"
"No. I'm not going to kill you," Buffy insisted.
Faith slammed her fist against the ground. "Fuck you! It's the only way! I'm bad! You hear me? I'm bad!" She launched herself at Buffy, still screaming, "I'm bad! I'm bad!"
Buffy pinned Faith to the ground, her knee between Faith's shoulder blades. "Listen to me, Faith," she panted. "I'm not going to kill you. You don't deserve that. You deserve justice."
"No," Faith moaned, breaking down into tears. Angel knelt beside Dawn, still staring at the Slayers. Dawn made no indication she even noticed Angel as he put his arm around her.
"This isn't how it ends," Buffy continued. "You did some horrible things, Faith, but that doesn't mean you deserve to die."
Faith sobbed into the dirt floor, her whole body shaking. Buffy released her former friend and gathered her in a hug. Faith clung to Buffy as if she was drowning.
"Is that really happening?" Willow asked, stunned.
"Huh," Oz said, holding a hand to his cracked ribs.