-'Sad But True.'-
Pairings: a little angst for right now, something more substantial later.
A/N: This is the follow up to Enter Sandman. After Xander remembers more of the Sandman's dream he changes more and more, and the people around him begin to change. He has to accept what is happening, no matter the cost in life or love.
A/N 2: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy, Angel, or Metallica.
Timeframe: S2 AU "Phases."
Dedicated to the ones you can't save, and to the ones you can.
///////////////////////////////
"...In the days following the Sunnydale Mall attack, local law enforcement has been increased. While local parental groups have been lobbying for a curfew, Mayor Wilkins has made several press statements saying that a curfew would only increase paranoia and that local businesses need the night life to make a living. In unrelated news, The National Guard Armory outside of town has been raided several times, while authorities have yet to find the culprit. Officials there have stated quote 'some of the items stolen were not standard equipment for personnel. Some were personal belongings.' And now to sports with Kooky Kirk!!-*Click*."
Xander turned the radio off and laughed. Cordelia looked at him like he was crazy.
"What? I think its funny that the local news would do an editorial about some of my new late night habits, and yet the Channel Six 'investigative reporters' wont ever look into the fact that the school newspaper has an obituary right next to the lunch menus. Don't you think that's a little crazy?"
Cordelia shook her head and Xander swore that every now and then he could see a real person underneath everything. Inside her car, Xander found himself in a predicament. On the one hand, he was in a secluded area of the park at night making out with one of the most attractive girls in school. On the other hand, it was Cordelia.
Cordelia noticed that Xander was not fully into making out. "Do you even wanna be here?"
Xander shook his head. "Well, I'm not running away screaming."
Cordelia continued. "Because when you're not being mildly insane, you're not babbling about poor, defenseless Willow, or _raving_ about the all- powerful Buffy."
Xander stammered. "I do not babble. I might occasionally slur words together, every now and then I kinda run on or stammer and stutter..."
"Xander?"
"Yeah?"
Cordelia motioned outside of the car. "Look around. We're in my car, it's just the two of us, there's a beautiful, big full moon outside tonight. There's no one around. It doesn't get more passionate and romantic than this...So shut up!"
Xander stopped himself and looked at the brunette. Her long brown hair had fallen on both sides of her face. She was staring up at him with an annoyed look, but that only made her look even cuter. Xander chuckled and shook his head. "I'm sorry Cor. I'm just protective of my girls."
Cordelia leaned back in her seat and gave Xander a dirty look. "YOUR girls?"
Xander realized his mistake. 'Crap.'
"What do you mean YOUR girls?"
Xander heard a small noise and felt a familiar chill run down his spine. He looked out the window and reached for his tote bag in the front seat. "Did you hear that?"
Cordelia frowned. "What is it now? Don't think you can change the topic so easily."
Xander pulled out one of his pistols and a clip to load it. "I thought I heard something."
Cordelia fell back in her seat. "What? Is one of 'YOUR GIRLS' sending out some sorta distress signal that only _you_ can hear?"
Xander wasn't paying attention to her as cocked the gun. "Huh?"
Cordelia inched back in her seat. "XANDER, WHAT THEY HELL ARE YOU DOING? I TOLD YOU NEVER TO..."
Xander covered her mouth. "Shhh."
After a second of silence, Xander let go of Cordelia and unloaded the gun and put it back in the bag. Cordelia was frozen. Xander turned back to her. "What?"
She started hitting him over the head with her bare hand. "I TOLD YOU THAT I NEVER WANT TO SEE ONE OF YOUR GUNS IN MY CAR EVER AGAIN!!"
*Thwack* "Ow, Cordy," *Thwack* "OW! Listen I know that," *Thwack* "Ow, QUIT IT!"
A hairy arm with a clawed hand punched through the convertible top. Cordelia screamed and made a grab for the keys, while Xander reached back for the pistol.
"GET US OUTTA HERE!"
The creature on the roof of the car snarled as it reaches around for them inside. Xander finally got his pistol and quickly loaded a magazine. He shot several rounds through the roof.
Cordelia screamed, "Where are the keys?"
Xander's gunfire was enough to knock the creature off the car. "How the hell should I know? You were driving."
"Well, maybe if _BUFFY_ was here, she'd know what to do"
"Well maybe if you were okay with us going to public places, we wouldn't be attacked by a giant Cujo!"
"Well, if I were a..." Cordelia was cut off by a large growl. The two of them turned to see a very pissed off werewolf looking at them through the windshield. Xander talked slowly and quietly. "We should be moving. Let's go."
Cordelia found the keys and started the ignition. "Oh, I got 'em! Got 'em!"
She put the car into reverse, making the animal fall off the hood.
Xander stood through the hole in the roof and kept defensive fire on the creature. Cordelia put the car in drive and speed away.
Xander sat back in the seat and put the safety on the pistol. He glanced over at Cordelia, who looked scared shitless.
Xander smirked as he put his seatbelt back on. "Told ya I heard something."
*Thwack*
"Ow."
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Giles walked back from behind the stacks with an assortment of books and handed one to each person. "And you're sure it was a werewolf?"
Xander replied with a strait face. "Well, let's see, um, six feet tall, claws, a big old snout in the middle of his face like a wolf. Hairy, with bad doggie breath, yeah, I'm sticking with my first guess."
Oz nodded. "Seems wise."
Cordelia sobbed and put her head on Xander's shoulder. "It was so awful."
Xander put his arm around her and started to comfort her. "I know."
Cordelia started to cry. "Daddy just had my car detailed."
Buffy walked into the library to see everyone else had already arrived. "So what's the what? Any new evil creepy crawlies in town."
Giles walked over to her and handed her a large almanac. "Last night Cordelia and Xander were cornered by what seems to be a lycanthrope."
Xander looked confused. "I thought it was a werewolf."
Cordelia smiled sweetly at Xander. "Or maybe we were attacked by one of Xander's relatives."
Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them. "When I researched further, it seems there was a, a number of attacks by a wild dog around town reported. Several animal carcasses were found mutilated."
Willow's face paled. "You mean, like rabbits and squirrels and stuff?"
Oz smiled reassuringly. "Oh, don't worry. I mean, they might not look it, but bunnies and squirrels can really take care of themselves."
Giles tried to get them back on topic. "Yes, um, fortunately, no people were injured. But my guess is that this werewolf will be back at next month's full moon."
Willow spoke up. "What about tonight's full moon?"
Giles put his glasses back on. "Pardon?"
"Well, last night was the night before the full moon, traditionally known as... 'the night before the full moon.'"
Giles nodded and went in search of more books. "Meaning the accepted legend that werewolves only prowl during a full moon might be erroneous."
Xander joined in. "Unless the werewolf was using last year's calendar."
Buffy looked at Giles, who was pacing back and forth between the library stacks. "Looks like Giles has got some schooling to do."
Giles stammered as he looked at the different demon encyclopedias. "Yes, I must admit I, I am intrigued. Werewolves, it's... it's one of the classics. I, I'm sure my books and I are in for an absolutely fascinating afternoon."
The group watched as Giles disappeared into the back of the library. Xander smirked. "G-man needs a pet."
Pairings: a little angst for right now, something more substantial later.
A/N: This is the follow up to Enter Sandman. After Xander remembers more of the Sandman's dream he changes more and more, and the people around him begin to change. He has to accept what is happening, no matter the cost in life or love.
A/N 2: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy, Angel, or Metallica.
Timeframe: S2 AU "Phases."
Dedicated to the ones you can't save, and to the ones you can.
///////////////////////////////
"...In the days following the Sunnydale Mall attack, local law enforcement has been increased. While local parental groups have been lobbying for a curfew, Mayor Wilkins has made several press statements saying that a curfew would only increase paranoia and that local businesses need the night life to make a living. In unrelated news, The National Guard Armory outside of town has been raided several times, while authorities have yet to find the culprit. Officials there have stated quote 'some of the items stolen were not standard equipment for personnel. Some were personal belongings.' And now to sports with Kooky Kirk!!-*Click*."
Xander turned the radio off and laughed. Cordelia looked at him like he was crazy.
"What? I think its funny that the local news would do an editorial about some of my new late night habits, and yet the Channel Six 'investigative reporters' wont ever look into the fact that the school newspaper has an obituary right next to the lunch menus. Don't you think that's a little crazy?"
Cordelia shook her head and Xander swore that every now and then he could see a real person underneath everything. Inside her car, Xander found himself in a predicament. On the one hand, he was in a secluded area of the park at night making out with one of the most attractive girls in school. On the other hand, it was Cordelia.
Cordelia noticed that Xander was not fully into making out. "Do you even wanna be here?"
Xander shook his head. "Well, I'm not running away screaming."
Cordelia continued. "Because when you're not being mildly insane, you're not babbling about poor, defenseless Willow, or _raving_ about the all- powerful Buffy."
Xander stammered. "I do not babble. I might occasionally slur words together, every now and then I kinda run on or stammer and stutter..."
"Xander?"
"Yeah?"
Cordelia motioned outside of the car. "Look around. We're in my car, it's just the two of us, there's a beautiful, big full moon outside tonight. There's no one around. It doesn't get more passionate and romantic than this...So shut up!"
Xander stopped himself and looked at the brunette. Her long brown hair had fallen on both sides of her face. She was staring up at him with an annoyed look, but that only made her look even cuter. Xander chuckled and shook his head. "I'm sorry Cor. I'm just protective of my girls."
Cordelia leaned back in her seat and gave Xander a dirty look. "YOUR girls?"
Xander realized his mistake. 'Crap.'
"What do you mean YOUR girls?"
Xander heard a small noise and felt a familiar chill run down his spine. He looked out the window and reached for his tote bag in the front seat. "Did you hear that?"
Cordelia frowned. "What is it now? Don't think you can change the topic so easily."
Xander pulled out one of his pistols and a clip to load it. "I thought I heard something."
Cordelia fell back in her seat. "What? Is one of 'YOUR GIRLS' sending out some sorta distress signal that only _you_ can hear?"
Xander wasn't paying attention to her as cocked the gun. "Huh?"
Cordelia inched back in her seat. "XANDER, WHAT THEY HELL ARE YOU DOING? I TOLD YOU NEVER TO..."
Xander covered her mouth. "Shhh."
After a second of silence, Xander let go of Cordelia and unloaded the gun and put it back in the bag. Cordelia was frozen. Xander turned back to her. "What?"
She started hitting him over the head with her bare hand. "I TOLD YOU THAT I NEVER WANT TO SEE ONE OF YOUR GUNS IN MY CAR EVER AGAIN!!"
*Thwack* "Ow, Cordy," *Thwack* "OW! Listen I know that," *Thwack* "Ow, QUIT IT!"
A hairy arm with a clawed hand punched through the convertible top. Cordelia screamed and made a grab for the keys, while Xander reached back for the pistol.
"GET US OUTTA HERE!"
The creature on the roof of the car snarled as it reaches around for them inside. Xander finally got his pistol and quickly loaded a magazine. He shot several rounds through the roof.
Cordelia screamed, "Where are the keys?"
Xander's gunfire was enough to knock the creature off the car. "How the hell should I know? You were driving."
"Well, maybe if _BUFFY_ was here, she'd know what to do"
"Well maybe if you were okay with us going to public places, we wouldn't be attacked by a giant Cujo!"
"Well, if I were a..." Cordelia was cut off by a large growl. The two of them turned to see a very pissed off werewolf looking at them through the windshield. Xander talked slowly and quietly. "We should be moving. Let's go."
Cordelia found the keys and started the ignition. "Oh, I got 'em! Got 'em!"
She put the car into reverse, making the animal fall off the hood.
Xander stood through the hole in the roof and kept defensive fire on the creature. Cordelia put the car in drive and speed away.
Xander sat back in the seat and put the safety on the pistol. He glanced over at Cordelia, who looked scared shitless.
Xander smirked as he put his seatbelt back on. "Told ya I heard something."
*Thwack*
"Ow."
////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Giles walked back from behind the stacks with an assortment of books and handed one to each person. "And you're sure it was a werewolf?"
Xander replied with a strait face. "Well, let's see, um, six feet tall, claws, a big old snout in the middle of his face like a wolf. Hairy, with bad doggie breath, yeah, I'm sticking with my first guess."
Oz nodded. "Seems wise."
Cordelia sobbed and put her head on Xander's shoulder. "It was so awful."
Xander put his arm around her and started to comfort her. "I know."
Cordelia started to cry. "Daddy just had my car detailed."
Buffy walked into the library to see everyone else had already arrived. "So what's the what? Any new evil creepy crawlies in town."
Giles walked over to her and handed her a large almanac. "Last night Cordelia and Xander were cornered by what seems to be a lycanthrope."
Xander looked confused. "I thought it was a werewolf."
Cordelia smiled sweetly at Xander. "Or maybe we were attacked by one of Xander's relatives."
Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them. "When I researched further, it seems there was a, a number of attacks by a wild dog around town reported. Several animal carcasses were found mutilated."
Willow's face paled. "You mean, like rabbits and squirrels and stuff?"
Oz smiled reassuringly. "Oh, don't worry. I mean, they might not look it, but bunnies and squirrels can really take care of themselves."
Giles tried to get them back on topic. "Yes, um, fortunately, no people were injured. But my guess is that this werewolf will be back at next month's full moon."
Willow spoke up. "What about tonight's full moon?"
Giles put his glasses back on. "Pardon?"
"Well, last night was the night before the full moon, traditionally known as... 'the night before the full moon.'"
Giles nodded and went in search of more books. "Meaning the accepted legend that werewolves only prowl during a full moon might be erroneous."
Xander joined in. "Unless the werewolf was using last year's calendar."
Buffy looked at Giles, who was pacing back and forth between the library stacks. "Looks like Giles has got some schooling to do."
Giles stammered as he looked at the different demon encyclopedias. "Yes, I must admit I, I am intrigued. Werewolves, it's... it's one of the classics. I, I'm sure my books and I are in for an absolutely fascinating afternoon."
The group watched as Giles disappeared into the back of the library. Xander smirked. "G-man needs a pet."