-'Hand In Hand.'-
Pairings: One sided B/X, some B/A, and W/X
A/N: [One shot] A response to malastor's challenge 'Xander wasn't the one to get possessed by the Hyena' Not your usual W/X
A/N 2: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews. So review me or feel my wrath.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy.
Timeframe: S1 AU The Pack.
Dedicated to the few remaining W/X'ers out there, you know who you are.
////////////////////////////////////////
"Wills. I love you, you know that, but still not you in there."
"Then why are you talking to me?"
Xander shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I guess I just think that you might be scared Wills. You don't have control of what's going on. And I don't want you to think I blame you."
Willow smiled. "But I _am_ in control. More in control than I've ever been in my life. You wont believe how freeing it is Xander. The strength to do what you want. To feel every essence of life. You wont believe it until you've had it."
Xander started to get a little suspicious. "Willow what are you talking about?"
Several loud cackling laughs echoed throughout the library. Xander's face paled as he realized what was happening. Willow smirked as she felt her pack come closer. "I cant wait for you to join me Xander. It'll be like old times again."
Xander edged closer to the office where he knew Giles had a tranquilizer gun. "Willow..."
Kyle and Heidi kicked in the windows. Tor and Rhonda burst through the library doors and screamed for blood. Xander dove into Giles' office and locked the door.
Willow smiled as her pack gathered around the office. "Hmmm. It's about time you showed up. I was getting antsy."
//////////////////////////
Xander opened the cabinet in the back of the office and was relieved to see the tranquilizer gun propped up against the back of the wooden furniture and two darts. The boy groaned as he quickly loaded one of the darts into the rifle. "Dammit. Even _I_ know that's not enough."
//////////////////////////////////
Kyle grinned and turned around to face the redhead trapped in the weapons cage. The rest of the pack cackled loudly as Kyle leaned closer to their captive leader. "How is it that the mighty have fallen."
Willow smiled seductively and pressed herself up against the cage. Her hands slowly roamed down her sides as she spoke. "Well, I guess I couldn't help myself. Being like this has certain... advantages."
Kyle grinned evilly and leaned in closer to the cage. "Like what?"
The girl pouted innocently. "Oh you know..." As Kyle came within reach, Willow's arms snaked out and grabbed him by the throat, causing the pack to laugh wildly. Willow smiled as she began to squeeze harder. "Like being able to control the idiots under you." She stopped smiling and turned to Tor. "Would you open the door for me Tor? The keys should be on the table."
Tor took one look at the second in command before walking over to the table and throwing off all of the books. He frowned and turned back to his leader. "They are not here mistress."
Willow frowned and looked down upon Kyle, who was quickly turning blue in the face from asphyxiation. "If I let you go will you be a good little doggie for mommy and help get my keys from my Xander?"
Kyle's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he clawed against her arms. Willow took that as a 'yes.'
//////////////////////////
"HURRY UP GILES!"
The ancient Citroen charged down the street, cutting off several other vehicles. The elder librarian cursed under his breath before addressing his charge. "We are going as fast as we can Buffy."
"But they could be there already."
Giles honked the horn as he cut off another SUV. "Yes I know, but I doubt that you can outrun the Citroen so I suggest that you be _quiet_."
Buffy groaned. "_That's_ a matter of opinion."
//////////////////////////////////////
Xander palmed the keys to the weapons locker in his hand and cautiously released the safety on the tranquilizer gun. He didn't hear any sounds coming from outside the office, which, he hoped, meant that they left already.
A soft tapping on the window did little to confirm his hopes. He mentally chided himself for backing himself into a corner. "Dammit Buffy, Giles, I need you."
The window on the door shattered revealing a slightly annoyed looking Kyle. He poked his head in and laughed. "Heeeerreee's Johnny!"
Xander aimed the tranq gun and fired. The dart barely missed the pack member's face, causing him to turn to his left and stare at the dart lodged into the wall. Kyle looked back at Xander and screamed in laughter. The slayerette fumbled with the second dart, trying to load it into the gun. Kyle walked closer grinning. "You have something that doesn't belong to you." He growled and lunged at the boy.
Xander sighed in relief as the dart clicked into place and the gun was ready to fire. He took aim at the charging teenager.
Their eyes met as the gun fired.
//////////////////////////////////
Willow stared at the broken office door as her heightened senses heard the soft discharge of the tranquilizer gun. After several seconds of silence, she turned to the rest of her pack. "Go see what's taking so long."
Tor and the two girls grinned eagerly and began walking towards the open door. As they got closer, they started to whimper and back off. Willow's face burned red with anger. "WHAT IS GOING O-"
A sinister laugh permeated the library walls. The pack stared in astonishment as Xander walked out of the library holding up the limp body of Kyle and proclaiming. "See what happens when you send a boy to do a _man's_ job."
The girls, Heidi and Rhonda backed down acknowledging Xander as more powerful. Tor growled and took a step forward. "What did you do to Kyle?"
Xander grinned and dropped Kyle's unconscious form onto the floor. "Oh nothing, he's just off in his own little world right now. The little dipshit thought he could take me on." He stepped closer to the other male and growled under his breath. "Challenge me and I will grind your bones to dust and throw you into the wind."
Willow smirked and clapped her hands together. "Bravo Xander, Bravo."
Xander's eyes glowed yellow as he slowly walked over to the weapons cage. "Willow, I have to admit, I didn't believe you when you told me how..." he inhaled deeply. "_incredible_ this was."
Willow smiled and leaned against the cage door. "Well Xan, If you wanted, you could open up this cage and I'll show you how..._incredible_ it really can be."
Xander took the keys out of his pocket and twirled them around his finger. "Hmmm. You _could_ be...useful."
Willow groaned in pleasure as she sensed his scent oozing into her pores. "What kind of 'uses' did you have in mind?"
The teenager sniffed her scent through the cage and smirked. "Plenty."
Willow squirmed as she heard the mate in Xander calling out to her. "Oh God Xander. If you don't let me out of this cage right now, and I mean _RIGHT_ _FUCKING_ _NOW_, I swear to almighty God you will live to regret it."
Xander grinned and unlocked the door. "Before we get to the... festivities, there _is_ something else we should probably take care of..."
////////////////////////////////////
Giles and Buffy burst through the library doors holding a sword and a club. Buffy saw the office windows broken with Kyle on the floor. Giles noticed the open cage door and sighed. "We're too late."
Buffy knelt down next to Kyle and saw the tranquilizer dart sticking out of his shoulder. "Giles, look."
The librarian knelt opposite her and looked down upon his body. "He's only unconscious. That must be Xander's work. Place him in the cage and I'll go get some smelling salts to wake him up to see what he knows."
"Uh Giles?"
The watcher looked back over his shoulder as he walked into his office. "Yes Buffy?"
The blond slayer shook her head and looked back down at the unconscious teenager. "If they came back for Willow, then why did they leave Kyle here? And where is Xander?"
Giles sighed and grabbed the tranquilizer gun from off the floor where Xander had dropped it. "If they left Kyle, that means that he is no longer part of their 'pack.' And as for Xander..."
Buffy abruptly stood up and walked into the weapons locker. She grabbed a large club and another box of tranq darts. She threw them to Giles, who barely managed to catch them. The British librarian shouldered the gun and loaded a dart. "We must lead them back to the zoo if we're going to stop this."
Buffy nodded and followed him out to the car. "And before their next meal. Guess that's my job."
Giles shook his head and turned the safety on. "No, if they were hungry, they would have...fed."
"On Kyle?"
Giles stammered as they walked out the frond doors. "W-well, yes. But since they did not, um...feed, they might be after something else. A way to...consolidate their power. And if the spirit had indeed gone into Xander, then they might know their weakness."
Buffy sighed. "Okay, so what do we do?"
"Well, individually they're almost as strong as you. As a group they're..."
"They're tough, but if we can take them out with the tranq gun or re-de- transpossess them or whatever at the exhibit, we might manage it. But how are we going to get there before them?"
Giles smirked and looked towards Principle Flutie's red 1969 Ford Mustang. "I think I have an idea."
///////////////////////////////////
Willow snarled hungrily as she followed Xander through the back streets and alleyways of Sunnydale. Several vampires had come across their path only to be dispatched easily by the pack. She reveled in the sight of Xander standing over their dust smirking evilly before growling his pleasure. He was hers. A member of her pack. She didn't really enjoy his thinking that he could rival her in power or stature, but first things first. There was a threat to the pack. And there was one thing they could all agree upon.
There _are_ no threats to the pack.
////////////////////////////////////
Buffy groaned looked around wildly. "The pathway to the Hyena House. Where's the zookeeper?"
Giles panted and held himself up with his hands on his knees. "Uh, he must be inside. I-I'll go in and help prepare things. You just warn, try and stall them for a few minutes before uh, before you come down."
///////////////////////////////
Giles looked around the empty room as he walked in. "Doctor? Uh... Zookeeper?"
He heard a door close and turned around to see the zookeeper standing inches from his face in a tribal outfit with black and white makeup covering his skin holding a large staff. "Oh! Oh, of course, the, uh, Masai ceremonial garb. Yes... very good. Are you, uh, otherwise prepared for the trans-possession?"
The zookeeper nodded. "Almost."
Giles walked around and noticed the markings on the floor. "Oh, right! The, uh, sacred circle. Yes, you'd need that to, um... This would be here when... when the children first came. Why would you..." Giles sighed and turned back to face the zookeeper. "How terribly frustrating for you, that a bunch of school children could accomplish what you could not."
The zookeeper grinned and took a step forward. "It bothered me. But the power will be mine."
Giles fake left and tried to escape, but the zookeeper snapped out his staff and tripped the librarian. The zookeeper smirked and held the staff above his head before knocking Giles unconscious. Thanks for the help though."
////////////////////////////////
Buffy readied her club and tensed as she heard the yipping and cackling approach her. The five members of the pack walked into sight. Willow and Xander walked infront of the other three and approached the slayer. Willow smirked. "Aww, is Buffy upset that she doesn't have Xander following her around like a wittle puppy?"
Buffy tensed and took a step forward. "Wills, what are you talking about?"
Xander cackled loudly. "What? Didn't you know Slayer?"
Buffy held the club infront of her in a defensive stance. "I'm really sorry, Xander. I didn't know they were gonna come after Willow."
Xander grinned and hungrily licked his lips. "Its okay Slayer. I'd have to say that it worked out for the best."
Buffy noticed the other three moving to the sides, getting ready to flank her position. She tried to keep the distracted as long as she could before falling back into the exhibit. "So, how'd it happen Xander? What was your 'predatory act,' stalking a lone twinkie?"
Tor, Heidi, and Rhonda giggled loudly until Xander held up his hand, causing them to stifle their laughter. "Something like that."
Willow couldn't take it anymore and growled. "What are you waiting for?"
Buffy cocked her head to the side as the other three members of the pack were moving into position. Xander turned to face Willow and smiled. "Oh nothing Wills. I just wanted them in position to take care of a thorn in my side."
Willow smirked and turned back to Buffy. "Then do it already!"
Xander nodded his head and smiled deviously. "Okay, you heard the lady."
Buffy tensed and prepared for the attack only to see Heidi tackle Willow, Tor ran up behind her and grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back. Rhonda cackled loudly before joining in the melee.
Xander turned back to Buffy. "Well, now that that's taken care of. You and I have a date with a hyena."
Buffy stared at him incredulously. "What are you talking about?"
Xander grinned as her heard the sound of struggle behind him. "Willow's nice and all that, but she needs to stop deluding herself. The Alpha needs a mate who is strong, fierce, and...well...what can I say, I have a thing for blonds. And if I can get you down there I'm sure there's a lucky little Hyena that wants a slayer as a friend."
Buffy decided that she had waited long enough and made a mad dash for the Hyena exhibit with Xander hot on her trail.
///////////////////
Willow's rage burned into an inferno as the three 'lesser' members of her pack were holding her at bay. With all of the anger and strength she had in her body, she tore Heidi and Rhonda off her body and twisted her arm around to throw Tor off her body. She screamed in anger and ran off towards the Hyena exhibit. "XANDER!!!!!!"
The rest of the pack laughed and followed her.
///////////////////
Buffy slammed the door behind her and locked it. She could hear Xander's shouts and him slamming on the door. She turned around and began looking for Giles. "They're almost here! Giles! Giles!" The zookeeper ran past he getting things ready for when the pack arrived. "Where are the hyenas for the trans-possession?"
The zookeeper and grabbed his staff. "They're right here in the feeding area. We have to get ready."
Buffy nodded and ran over to see the hyenas, but the zookeeper held out his arm and stopped her. "Stay back! They haven't been fed."
Buffy looked around. "Where's Giles?"
The zookeeper kept his grin at bay. "He's... laying in wait."
Buffy looked back towards the exhibit door. "Its not gonna last much longer."
The zookeeper nodded and pulled out a knife. "Don't worry, this won't take long."
Buffy snapped out her arm and grabbed hold of his wrist. "What is this?"
The zookeeper acted annoyed. "A predatory act, remember?"
Buffy nodded, not really sure whether or not to believe his story. "Uh, right. You'll pretend to slash my throat and, and put the evil in the hyenas?"
The zookeeper nodded and looked back towards the door. "Something like that."
Buffy flinched as the door was thrown from its hinges. Xander growled loudly and ran into the room. "COME ON BUFFY. I PROMISE I WONT BITE."
The hyena possessed Xander turned and faced Buffy and the zookeeper and grinned. "Well, not a lot."
Before the zookeeper could perform the ritual Xander charged the pair, knocking the zookeeper down and landing on top of Buffy. He grinned and licked her face. "I love the scent of fear."
Willow ran into the exhibit followed closely by the rest of the pack. She saw Xander on top of Buffy and screamed before charging.
The zookeeper looked up and saw his chance. "YU BA YA SA NA!"
At once all of the pack froze and looked up at him. The circle on the ground pulsated a pale green and yellow light. The hyenas in the exhibit screamed in laughter as one by one the pack's eyes flashed yellow. The zookeeper grinned as he felt all of spirits possessing the students flowing into him. His eyes glowed a feral yellow as he felt the hunger consume him. He turned to face the closest living thing next to him and growled. Xander shook his head and saw the zookeeper lunge at Willow.
Xander yelled and pounced the zookeeper, knocking him over. The zookeeper quickly recovered and grinned. His arm hand out and grabbed Xander by the throat. He uttered only a single word. "Meat."
Willow looked up and grabbed onto Xander, trying to pull him down. The possessed zookeeper grinned and kicked the redhead away. He looked back at the boy in his grip to see Xander holding the ceremonial knife. Xander grinned and looked at the zookeeper's exposed forearm. "You dropped this."
Xander sliced open the man's forearm, causing him to loose grip on the boy. Buffy ran up and tackled the zookeeper, knocking him off balance and causing him to fall into the hyena pit. As he fell, the zookeeper felt the presence of the Hyena's waiting in the pit, hungrily yipping for their snack.
Buffy leaned over the rail to see the zookeeper's lifeless body being torn apart by the pack of hyenas. She sighed and looked back to see that Kyle, Tor, Heidi, and Rhonda had left during the fight. She turned back to Willow and Xander. "You two okay?"
Xander groaned and rubbed his face. "Yeah...sure."
Willow only looked down at her shoes.
A loud thud echoed through out the room causing the three friends to jump. Giles staggered out of the storeroom. And placed his broken glasses on his face. "Uh, did I miss anything?"
////////////////////////////////////
Buffy walked in-between Xander and Willow as they walked up the stairs to school. The usually chipper and talkative boy was keeping quiet and looking down at the pavement, mirroring his childhood friend. "...And I heard the vice-principal's taking over till they can find a replacement."
Xander shrugged and continued looking down as they walked. "It shouldn't be too hard to find a new principal. Unless they ask what happened to the last one."
Willow suddenly looked up. "I had nothing to do with that, right?"
Xander shook his head. "Nope."
Buffy nodded. "You only ate the pig."
Willow squeaked and held her hands to her face. "I ate a pig? W-w-was it kosher?"
"Well, I guess that nothing short of the apocalypse shall close this horrible imitation of a place of learning."
The three friends looked up to see Giles standing infront of them holding a large book. "Now don't worry. I was just making sure to check up on all of you. The others seem to have...dismissed and 'forgotten' what has happened to them. Although I've been reading up on my, uh, animal possession, and I cannot find anything anywhere about memory loss afterwards."
Xander gave a slow nod. "Yeah, gotta love that Sunnydale repression thing. " He added under his breath. "Wish I had some of that right now."
Giles looked down at his book and motioned to his slayer. "Buffy, before class starts, I wanted to check a couple things by you in regards to your patrol."
Buffy frowned and tried to give the hint that she did not want to leave her friends alone. "But Giles..."
Giles slammed the book shut and glowered at the girl. "No 'but's Buffy, we need to discuss this."
Willow put her hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Its okay Buffy. If Giles needs you, you should go."
Buffy turned around to face Willow and Xander. "You sure?"
Xander nodded and sighed. "Yeah, go have lots of fun with the watcher man. We'll be okay."
Buffy stared at the two of them for a minute before giving in. She turned back to her watcher and groaned. "As long as I get home by two and I don't want to get any of my shoes dirty."
Giles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as they walked off. "Yes Buffy, God forbid that in the effort to rid the world of Evil, your Nike's should gather dirt."
Buffy's face paled. "They are _NOT_ Nikes! They are leather Pravda designer shoes!"
"Then I suggest that you _wear_ Nikes so that you get _them_ dirty."
Xander groaned as he watched the watcher and slayer verbally barrage each other until they disappeared around the hall. He sighed and looked over at Willow, who quickly stopped looking at him and looked at her feet. They stood silently for several seconds before the first bell rang. Xander sighed and took a step towards the front doors, leaving Willow standing by herself. The redhead immediately started to whimper, letting several tears flow down her face.
"Hey Wills..."
Willow looked up to see Xander looking back at her. She forced back several more of her tears. "What?"
Xander gave her a comforting grin and held out his hand. "You coming or what?"
Willow chuckled, not exactly sure of what to do before she nodded and walked over. "Are you sure? I-I mean..."
Xander shook his head and sighed. "Wills, just take my hand okay?"
Willow looked into his deep brown eyes and got lost for a split second. She rubbed the tears off of her face and took his hand. "I love you Xander."
Xander sighed and nodded. "Love ya too Wills."
Hand in hand, Alexander Lavelle Harris and Willow Rosenburg walked into Sunnydale High School.
They were three minutes late to class.
////////////////////////////////////////
Thanks for reading everyone. This was a little plot bunny I couldn't get out of my head. I'll try to finish some of my other fics now. Have fun
-BoxerMan
Pairings: One sided B/X, some B/A, and W/X
A/N: [One shot] A response to malastor's challenge 'Xander wasn't the one to get possessed by the Hyena' Not your usual W/X
A/N 2: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews. So review me or feel my wrath.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy.
Timeframe: S1 AU The Pack.
Dedicated to the few remaining W/X'ers out there, you know who you are.
////////////////////////////////////////
"Wills. I love you, you know that, but still not you in there."
"Then why are you talking to me?"
Xander shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I guess I just think that you might be scared Wills. You don't have control of what's going on. And I don't want you to think I blame you."
Willow smiled. "But I _am_ in control. More in control than I've ever been in my life. You wont believe how freeing it is Xander. The strength to do what you want. To feel every essence of life. You wont believe it until you've had it."
Xander started to get a little suspicious. "Willow what are you talking about?"
Several loud cackling laughs echoed throughout the library. Xander's face paled as he realized what was happening. Willow smirked as she felt her pack come closer. "I cant wait for you to join me Xander. It'll be like old times again."
Xander edged closer to the office where he knew Giles had a tranquilizer gun. "Willow..."
Kyle and Heidi kicked in the windows. Tor and Rhonda burst through the library doors and screamed for blood. Xander dove into Giles' office and locked the door.
Willow smiled as her pack gathered around the office. "Hmmm. It's about time you showed up. I was getting antsy."
//////////////////////////
Xander opened the cabinet in the back of the office and was relieved to see the tranquilizer gun propped up against the back of the wooden furniture and two darts. The boy groaned as he quickly loaded one of the darts into the rifle. "Dammit. Even _I_ know that's not enough."
//////////////////////////////////
Kyle grinned and turned around to face the redhead trapped in the weapons cage. The rest of the pack cackled loudly as Kyle leaned closer to their captive leader. "How is it that the mighty have fallen."
Willow smiled seductively and pressed herself up against the cage. Her hands slowly roamed down her sides as she spoke. "Well, I guess I couldn't help myself. Being like this has certain... advantages."
Kyle grinned evilly and leaned in closer to the cage. "Like what?"
The girl pouted innocently. "Oh you know..." As Kyle came within reach, Willow's arms snaked out and grabbed him by the throat, causing the pack to laugh wildly. Willow smiled as she began to squeeze harder. "Like being able to control the idiots under you." She stopped smiling and turned to Tor. "Would you open the door for me Tor? The keys should be on the table."
Tor took one look at the second in command before walking over to the table and throwing off all of the books. He frowned and turned back to his leader. "They are not here mistress."
Willow frowned and looked down upon Kyle, who was quickly turning blue in the face from asphyxiation. "If I let you go will you be a good little doggie for mommy and help get my keys from my Xander?"
Kyle's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he clawed against her arms. Willow took that as a 'yes.'
//////////////////////////
"HURRY UP GILES!"
The ancient Citroen charged down the street, cutting off several other vehicles. The elder librarian cursed under his breath before addressing his charge. "We are going as fast as we can Buffy."
"But they could be there already."
Giles honked the horn as he cut off another SUV. "Yes I know, but I doubt that you can outrun the Citroen so I suggest that you be _quiet_."
Buffy groaned. "_That's_ a matter of opinion."
//////////////////////////////////////
Xander palmed the keys to the weapons locker in his hand and cautiously released the safety on the tranquilizer gun. He didn't hear any sounds coming from outside the office, which, he hoped, meant that they left already.
A soft tapping on the window did little to confirm his hopes. He mentally chided himself for backing himself into a corner. "Dammit Buffy, Giles, I need you."
The window on the door shattered revealing a slightly annoyed looking Kyle. He poked his head in and laughed. "Heeeerreee's Johnny!"
Xander aimed the tranq gun and fired. The dart barely missed the pack member's face, causing him to turn to his left and stare at the dart lodged into the wall. Kyle looked back at Xander and screamed in laughter. The slayerette fumbled with the second dart, trying to load it into the gun. Kyle walked closer grinning. "You have something that doesn't belong to you." He growled and lunged at the boy.
Xander sighed in relief as the dart clicked into place and the gun was ready to fire. He took aim at the charging teenager.
Their eyes met as the gun fired.
//////////////////////////////////
Willow stared at the broken office door as her heightened senses heard the soft discharge of the tranquilizer gun. After several seconds of silence, she turned to the rest of her pack. "Go see what's taking so long."
Tor and the two girls grinned eagerly and began walking towards the open door. As they got closer, they started to whimper and back off. Willow's face burned red with anger. "WHAT IS GOING O-"
A sinister laugh permeated the library walls. The pack stared in astonishment as Xander walked out of the library holding up the limp body of Kyle and proclaiming. "See what happens when you send a boy to do a _man's_ job."
The girls, Heidi and Rhonda backed down acknowledging Xander as more powerful. Tor growled and took a step forward. "What did you do to Kyle?"
Xander grinned and dropped Kyle's unconscious form onto the floor. "Oh nothing, he's just off in his own little world right now. The little dipshit thought he could take me on." He stepped closer to the other male and growled under his breath. "Challenge me and I will grind your bones to dust and throw you into the wind."
Willow smirked and clapped her hands together. "Bravo Xander, Bravo."
Xander's eyes glowed yellow as he slowly walked over to the weapons cage. "Willow, I have to admit, I didn't believe you when you told me how..." he inhaled deeply. "_incredible_ this was."
Willow smiled and leaned against the cage door. "Well Xan, If you wanted, you could open up this cage and I'll show you how..._incredible_ it really can be."
Xander took the keys out of his pocket and twirled them around his finger. "Hmmm. You _could_ be...useful."
Willow groaned in pleasure as she sensed his scent oozing into her pores. "What kind of 'uses' did you have in mind?"
The teenager sniffed her scent through the cage and smirked. "Plenty."
Willow squirmed as she heard the mate in Xander calling out to her. "Oh God Xander. If you don't let me out of this cage right now, and I mean _RIGHT_ _FUCKING_ _NOW_, I swear to almighty God you will live to regret it."
Xander grinned and unlocked the door. "Before we get to the... festivities, there _is_ something else we should probably take care of..."
////////////////////////////////////
Giles and Buffy burst through the library doors holding a sword and a club. Buffy saw the office windows broken with Kyle on the floor. Giles noticed the open cage door and sighed. "We're too late."
Buffy knelt down next to Kyle and saw the tranquilizer dart sticking out of his shoulder. "Giles, look."
The librarian knelt opposite her and looked down upon his body. "He's only unconscious. That must be Xander's work. Place him in the cage and I'll go get some smelling salts to wake him up to see what he knows."
"Uh Giles?"
The watcher looked back over his shoulder as he walked into his office. "Yes Buffy?"
The blond slayer shook her head and looked back down at the unconscious teenager. "If they came back for Willow, then why did they leave Kyle here? And where is Xander?"
Giles sighed and grabbed the tranquilizer gun from off the floor where Xander had dropped it. "If they left Kyle, that means that he is no longer part of their 'pack.' And as for Xander..."
Buffy abruptly stood up and walked into the weapons locker. She grabbed a large club and another box of tranq darts. She threw them to Giles, who barely managed to catch them. The British librarian shouldered the gun and loaded a dart. "We must lead them back to the zoo if we're going to stop this."
Buffy nodded and followed him out to the car. "And before their next meal. Guess that's my job."
Giles shook his head and turned the safety on. "No, if they were hungry, they would have...fed."
"On Kyle?"
Giles stammered as they walked out the frond doors. "W-well, yes. But since they did not, um...feed, they might be after something else. A way to...consolidate their power. And if the spirit had indeed gone into Xander, then they might know their weakness."
Buffy sighed. "Okay, so what do we do?"
"Well, individually they're almost as strong as you. As a group they're..."
"They're tough, but if we can take them out with the tranq gun or re-de- transpossess them or whatever at the exhibit, we might manage it. But how are we going to get there before them?"
Giles smirked and looked towards Principle Flutie's red 1969 Ford Mustang. "I think I have an idea."
///////////////////////////////////
Willow snarled hungrily as she followed Xander through the back streets and alleyways of Sunnydale. Several vampires had come across their path only to be dispatched easily by the pack. She reveled in the sight of Xander standing over their dust smirking evilly before growling his pleasure. He was hers. A member of her pack. She didn't really enjoy his thinking that he could rival her in power or stature, but first things first. There was a threat to the pack. And there was one thing they could all agree upon.
There _are_ no threats to the pack.
////////////////////////////////////
Buffy groaned looked around wildly. "The pathway to the Hyena House. Where's the zookeeper?"
Giles panted and held himself up with his hands on his knees. "Uh, he must be inside. I-I'll go in and help prepare things. You just warn, try and stall them for a few minutes before uh, before you come down."
///////////////////////////////
Giles looked around the empty room as he walked in. "Doctor? Uh... Zookeeper?"
He heard a door close and turned around to see the zookeeper standing inches from his face in a tribal outfit with black and white makeup covering his skin holding a large staff. "Oh! Oh, of course, the, uh, Masai ceremonial garb. Yes... very good. Are you, uh, otherwise prepared for the trans-possession?"
The zookeeper nodded. "Almost."
Giles walked around and noticed the markings on the floor. "Oh, right! The, uh, sacred circle. Yes, you'd need that to, um... This would be here when... when the children first came. Why would you..." Giles sighed and turned back to face the zookeeper. "How terribly frustrating for you, that a bunch of school children could accomplish what you could not."
The zookeeper grinned and took a step forward. "It bothered me. But the power will be mine."
Giles fake left and tried to escape, but the zookeeper snapped out his staff and tripped the librarian. The zookeeper smirked and held the staff above his head before knocking Giles unconscious. Thanks for the help though."
////////////////////////////////
Buffy readied her club and tensed as she heard the yipping and cackling approach her. The five members of the pack walked into sight. Willow and Xander walked infront of the other three and approached the slayer. Willow smirked. "Aww, is Buffy upset that she doesn't have Xander following her around like a wittle puppy?"
Buffy tensed and took a step forward. "Wills, what are you talking about?"
Xander cackled loudly. "What? Didn't you know Slayer?"
Buffy held the club infront of her in a defensive stance. "I'm really sorry, Xander. I didn't know they were gonna come after Willow."
Xander grinned and hungrily licked his lips. "Its okay Slayer. I'd have to say that it worked out for the best."
Buffy noticed the other three moving to the sides, getting ready to flank her position. She tried to keep the distracted as long as she could before falling back into the exhibit. "So, how'd it happen Xander? What was your 'predatory act,' stalking a lone twinkie?"
Tor, Heidi, and Rhonda giggled loudly until Xander held up his hand, causing them to stifle their laughter. "Something like that."
Willow couldn't take it anymore and growled. "What are you waiting for?"
Buffy cocked her head to the side as the other three members of the pack were moving into position. Xander turned to face Willow and smiled. "Oh nothing Wills. I just wanted them in position to take care of a thorn in my side."
Willow smirked and turned back to Buffy. "Then do it already!"
Xander nodded his head and smiled deviously. "Okay, you heard the lady."
Buffy tensed and prepared for the attack only to see Heidi tackle Willow, Tor ran up behind her and grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back. Rhonda cackled loudly before joining in the melee.
Xander turned back to Buffy. "Well, now that that's taken care of. You and I have a date with a hyena."
Buffy stared at him incredulously. "What are you talking about?"
Xander grinned as her heard the sound of struggle behind him. "Willow's nice and all that, but she needs to stop deluding herself. The Alpha needs a mate who is strong, fierce, and...well...what can I say, I have a thing for blonds. And if I can get you down there I'm sure there's a lucky little Hyena that wants a slayer as a friend."
Buffy decided that she had waited long enough and made a mad dash for the Hyena exhibit with Xander hot on her trail.
///////////////////
Willow's rage burned into an inferno as the three 'lesser' members of her pack were holding her at bay. With all of the anger and strength she had in her body, she tore Heidi and Rhonda off her body and twisted her arm around to throw Tor off her body. She screamed in anger and ran off towards the Hyena exhibit. "XANDER!!!!!!"
The rest of the pack laughed and followed her.
///////////////////
Buffy slammed the door behind her and locked it. She could hear Xander's shouts and him slamming on the door. She turned around and began looking for Giles. "They're almost here! Giles! Giles!" The zookeeper ran past he getting things ready for when the pack arrived. "Where are the hyenas for the trans-possession?"
The zookeeper and grabbed his staff. "They're right here in the feeding area. We have to get ready."
Buffy nodded and ran over to see the hyenas, but the zookeeper held out his arm and stopped her. "Stay back! They haven't been fed."
Buffy looked around. "Where's Giles?"
The zookeeper kept his grin at bay. "He's... laying in wait."
Buffy looked back towards the exhibit door. "Its not gonna last much longer."
The zookeeper nodded and pulled out a knife. "Don't worry, this won't take long."
Buffy snapped out her arm and grabbed hold of his wrist. "What is this?"
The zookeeper acted annoyed. "A predatory act, remember?"
Buffy nodded, not really sure whether or not to believe his story. "Uh, right. You'll pretend to slash my throat and, and put the evil in the hyenas?"
The zookeeper nodded and looked back towards the door. "Something like that."
Buffy flinched as the door was thrown from its hinges. Xander growled loudly and ran into the room. "COME ON BUFFY. I PROMISE I WONT BITE."
The hyena possessed Xander turned and faced Buffy and the zookeeper and grinned. "Well, not a lot."
Before the zookeeper could perform the ritual Xander charged the pair, knocking the zookeeper down and landing on top of Buffy. He grinned and licked her face. "I love the scent of fear."
Willow ran into the exhibit followed closely by the rest of the pack. She saw Xander on top of Buffy and screamed before charging.
The zookeeper looked up and saw his chance. "YU BA YA SA NA!"
At once all of the pack froze and looked up at him. The circle on the ground pulsated a pale green and yellow light. The hyenas in the exhibit screamed in laughter as one by one the pack's eyes flashed yellow. The zookeeper grinned as he felt all of spirits possessing the students flowing into him. His eyes glowed a feral yellow as he felt the hunger consume him. He turned to face the closest living thing next to him and growled. Xander shook his head and saw the zookeeper lunge at Willow.
Xander yelled and pounced the zookeeper, knocking him over. The zookeeper quickly recovered and grinned. His arm hand out and grabbed Xander by the throat. He uttered only a single word. "Meat."
Willow looked up and grabbed onto Xander, trying to pull him down. The possessed zookeeper grinned and kicked the redhead away. He looked back at the boy in his grip to see Xander holding the ceremonial knife. Xander grinned and looked at the zookeeper's exposed forearm. "You dropped this."
Xander sliced open the man's forearm, causing him to loose grip on the boy. Buffy ran up and tackled the zookeeper, knocking him off balance and causing him to fall into the hyena pit. As he fell, the zookeeper felt the presence of the Hyena's waiting in the pit, hungrily yipping for their snack.
Buffy leaned over the rail to see the zookeeper's lifeless body being torn apart by the pack of hyenas. She sighed and looked back to see that Kyle, Tor, Heidi, and Rhonda had left during the fight. She turned back to Willow and Xander. "You two okay?"
Xander groaned and rubbed his face. "Yeah...sure."
Willow only looked down at her shoes.
A loud thud echoed through out the room causing the three friends to jump. Giles staggered out of the storeroom. And placed his broken glasses on his face. "Uh, did I miss anything?"
////////////////////////////////////
Buffy walked in-between Xander and Willow as they walked up the stairs to school. The usually chipper and talkative boy was keeping quiet and looking down at the pavement, mirroring his childhood friend. "...And I heard the vice-principal's taking over till they can find a replacement."
Xander shrugged and continued looking down as they walked. "It shouldn't be too hard to find a new principal. Unless they ask what happened to the last one."
Willow suddenly looked up. "I had nothing to do with that, right?"
Xander shook his head. "Nope."
Buffy nodded. "You only ate the pig."
Willow squeaked and held her hands to her face. "I ate a pig? W-w-was it kosher?"
"Well, I guess that nothing short of the apocalypse shall close this horrible imitation of a place of learning."
The three friends looked up to see Giles standing infront of them holding a large book. "Now don't worry. I was just making sure to check up on all of you. The others seem to have...dismissed and 'forgotten' what has happened to them. Although I've been reading up on my, uh, animal possession, and I cannot find anything anywhere about memory loss afterwards."
Xander gave a slow nod. "Yeah, gotta love that Sunnydale repression thing. " He added under his breath. "Wish I had some of that right now."
Giles looked down at his book and motioned to his slayer. "Buffy, before class starts, I wanted to check a couple things by you in regards to your patrol."
Buffy frowned and tried to give the hint that she did not want to leave her friends alone. "But Giles..."
Giles slammed the book shut and glowered at the girl. "No 'but's Buffy, we need to discuss this."
Willow put her hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Its okay Buffy. If Giles needs you, you should go."
Buffy turned around to face Willow and Xander. "You sure?"
Xander nodded and sighed. "Yeah, go have lots of fun with the watcher man. We'll be okay."
Buffy stared at the two of them for a minute before giving in. She turned back to her watcher and groaned. "As long as I get home by two and I don't want to get any of my shoes dirty."
Giles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as they walked off. "Yes Buffy, God forbid that in the effort to rid the world of Evil, your Nike's should gather dirt."
Buffy's face paled. "They are _NOT_ Nikes! They are leather Pravda designer shoes!"
"Then I suggest that you _wear_ Nikes so that you get _them_ dirty."
Xander groaned as he watched the watcher and slayer verbally barrage each other until they disappeared around the hall. He sighed and looked over at Willow, who quickly stopped looking at him and looked at her feet. They stood silently for several seconds before the first bell rang. Xander sighed and took a step towards the front doors, leaving Willow standing by herself. The redhead immediately started to whimper, letting several tears flow down her face.
"Hey Wills..."
Willow looked up to see Xander looking back at her. She forced back several more of her tears. "What?"
Xander gave her a comforting grin and held out his hand. "You coming or what?"
Willow chuckled, not exactly sure of what to do before she nodded and walked over. "Are you sure? I-I mean..."
Xander shook his head and sighed. "Wills, just take my hand okay?"
Willow looked into his deep brown eyes and got lost for a split second. She rubbed the tears off of her face and took his hand. "I love you Xander."
Xander sighed and nodded. "Love ya too Wills."
Hand in hand, Alexander Lavelle Harris and Willow Rosenburg walked into Sunnydale High School.
They were three minutes late to class.
////////////////////////////////////////
Thanks for reading everyone. This was a little plot bunny I couldn't get out of my head. I'll try to finish some of my other fics now. Have fun
-BoxerMan