"Well, well. You were fast." The agent said as she walked in. "I haven't even sent the ransom note yet. Did you come alone?"
"Do you see anyone else, Beamer?" Buffy asked. "Where's Willow?" The agent stepped to one side, showing Willow, unconscious and tied to a chair.
"I'd hoped she'd be awake by the time you got here." He admitted. "Her pitiful pleas might have persuaded you to do the right thing." Buffy growled. "Ah ah. I don't think you want to do anything stupid."
"Always thought Red'd make a decent vampire." A familiar voice said, walking out of the shadows behind Willow. "Looks like we get a chance to find out."
"Spike." Buffy growled. "Figures. You always seemed like more of minion than a Master."
"Hey!" The vamp shouted. "Just for that, I'm gonna make you watch."
"Get away from her." A male voice growled. Shit, Buffy thought.
"That the wolf?" Spike asked, watching as Oz prowled in. "You Scoobies are just full of surprises."
"Get away from her." Oz ordered again.
"Or what?" The agent sneered. "You didn't see what happened to the last mutt I ran in to?" Oz looked at him and grinned. The agent tried to suppress the shiver that ran up his spine. He looks ready to eat me.
"This ends here." Buffy said. "Let her go and I won't hurt you."
"I think you're in the wrong position to be makin' demands, luv." Spike scoffed. He felt something sharp press against his back.
"Is this the right the position?" Shalimar asked coolly from behind him.
"I warned you." Angel said, coming in from the left. "I told you not to piss her off. Now you've got bigger troubles than you could've possibly imagined."
"You think I can't handle you fools?" The agent asked. He was answered by Faith, who swang down from the ceiling, knocking him out with a well placed kick to the head.
"Is this party by invitation only, or can anyone crash?" She asked jokingly.
"Crash away, Faith." Buffy said, watching Oz out of the corner of her eye. He walked up to Willow. He called the wolf's claws, slicing through the ropes.
"Wills?" He whispered. The Wicca's eyes opened a bit.
"Oz?" She asked groggily. "You came. Knew you would."
"You alright, love?" The wolf asked.
"Sleepy." She muttered. "Nightie-night." She cuddled closer and slipped back into unconsciousness. Oz held her close, before laying her gently on the ground, her head pillowed on his jacket. He stood and walked over to Spike.
"Let him go." Oz ordered. Shalimar gave him a questioning look. "He threatened my mate. He has to pay." Shalimar nodded and backed off slowly. Spike smiled, walking forward.
"You really think you can stop me?" Spike said. "In case you forgot, you're not hairy anymore." Oz grinned. He hadn't seen the claws.
"Only when I don't want to be." He said, doing a half-change.
"Bloody hell." Spike breathed. "Can't you gits do anything normal?" Oz answered with wolf-like howl, crashing head long into the vampire. Spike felt claws rip through his side. He pushed the werewolf off and wiped a finger across the scratch. "Yeah, you're just full of surprises, wolf boy." Spike muttered, licking his blood of his finger. "Still, I'd prefer the taste of your girlfriend, I think." That was it for Oz. He had taken all he could from the blonde vampire.
"First, you threatened my pack." He growled dangerously. Spike started to have second thoughts about his choice of words and victims. "Then you threatened my mate." The change began to continue, his clothes tearing as his body expanded. Fur grew all over his body. "Now, you think of my mate, my Willow, as prey. That will not be tolerated." He let out another low, horrifying howl as the change completed. He charged forward, his claws tearing into Spikes chest. The chest cavity collapsed inwards, allowing Oz access to the heart.
"Bloody…" That was the last word to lave Spike's mouth as he turned to dust at the hand of the young wolf. Oz looked down at the pile of dust and snorted, sending it towards Shalimar.
"Remind me not to piss you off, Oz." The feral said. The wolf chuckled, which sounded more like a huffing noise than anything. He then moved over to Willow's side, nudging her hand with his snout. The red head moaned and opened her eyes slightly.
"Nice wolfy." She said, petting his snout before slipping, once more, into unconsciousness. Angel moved over to them and picked Willow up gently.
"I'll take her." He said. Oz nodded to his pack-brother.
Buffy watched the exchange and Spike's final death before looking over at Faith. "I see you decided." Faith shrugged.
"Xander can be real persuasive." The Slayer said with a suggestive grin.
"I really do not want to know." Buffy muttered.
They stood just outside of town as Mutant X's jet touched down.
"I guess this is goodbye." Buffy said to the others. Joyce pushed forward, wrapping her arms around the girl who would always be her daughter.
"Your always welcome back home." She told her. "And when you find your parents, give them my number. I want to tell them to take care of my girls." Buffy smiled through her tears.
"I will." She said as Joyce pulled away. Buffy walked over to the gang. "I'm going to miss you guys. Life's never going to be the same without you."
"Same here." Xander said, his arm around Faith's shoulder. He handed her a piece of paper. "Some numbers. Former X-Men, a couple of others. Storm's already filled them in about you, so they'll be able to help if you get in too much trouble."
"Thanks Xand." Buffy said, taking the number. "We may need it if Ekhart gets a bit to concerned about our search." Willow stepped forward with a package, Oz not far from her side.
"I managed to make this for you." She said, handing the package to her. Buffy unwrapped it to find a small amulet inside.
"Wills…"
"There's a contact spell on it, so we can communicate without the use of high tech communicators or telephones." Willow told her. "Just in case. I've got the other one." She reached under her shirt and pulled it out to show her.
"Wow." Buffy muttered. "Thanks Wills. I'll use it."
"Better." Oz said. Buffy smiled.
"Take care of her." She ordered. Oz simply nodded. Giles was next.
"I don't think any Watcher has ever had a girl like you under their care." He said. "I see why Merrick thought so much of you." Buffy looked at him inquisitively. "He wanted you to have this. I'm sorry it's taken this long to give it to you." He handed her a small, leather covered book. Buffy opened the cover.
"His…diary?"
"There are a few other things too." Giles said. "Some accounts he set up for you, a little money from me. Uh, and Wesley, of course. You caused quite a few changes in our lives, ones that you can't just forget. I know I'll never be the same." Buffy smiled up at the man who had been like her father for the past five years.
"Thanks." She said, wrapping her arms around him. "I'll miss you too." Gilles patted her shoulder gently.
"We should get going." Brannon said. Angel and Shalimar turned and walked up the ramp. As they past him, they each grabbed an arm and dragged him inside.
Giles and Buffy held each other a little longer before separating. "I guess I should be going then." She said. She looked past her friends to where Riley and a few of the Initiative's men were standing. "You take care of my friends, Finn." She ordered. The soldier snapped to attention, saluting sharply.
"Yes, ma'am." He said officially.
"Since when have I rated a salute?" Buffy asked. Riley walked forward with an envelope.
"This just came from the Pentagon." He said. "Professor Walsh organized this. She hoped it would protect you from the GSA." Buffy took the envelope and opened it.
"I've been accepted as a civilian consultant to the Initiative with the honorary rank of Sergeant?" She read slowly. "Wow. Who's idea was this?"
"The professors." He said. "The Watcher's aren't the only one's you've impacted. Stay in one piece."
"I'll try." She said. She turned and walked up the ramp, as she got to the top, she turned and looked down at her friends, her family. I'll never forget any of you, she though before turning and entering the jet.
And as the aircraft disappeared into the horizon a faint whistling can be heard. Like an old Chinese flute.
Fin.
That's it. What do you think? I loved this story so much, I'm doing a sequel. Woo-hoo! It will detail the girl's search for there parents. No ideas for mothers, but I've got it cut down to either Wolverine or Sabretooth for the father. Any ideas would be much appreciated, To ManitcoreGurl, thanks for the challenge; I enjoyed it thoroughly. Anytime you have another one, let me know. To all those who reviewed, thankyou. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Be assured I shall try to keep it up. Well, that's about it. See ya!
Doc
