Title: Calming the Beast

Raiting: R

Chapter:2

Author:White Werewolf

Category:Buffy/Xander

Spoiler:Takes off from "The Wish." Then it hit's AU.

Disclaimer:I don't own anything, but the ideas, my computer, and my website: http: makes a wish that traumatizes Xander, and he becomes something far from human.

Author Notes:This idea came from Mac's Defender of the Night. It's also my way to do a Halloween fic, but not do the challenge. Hopefully, this turns out good.

Dedication:Merlin

-

Buffy stammered, "You're…you're…an alligator."

All three of them watched in surprise as Xander ran away.

"Xander!" Willow cried as she started to chase for him.

"Willow, stop!" Cordelia yelled.

She turned around, "Why? Xander isn't Xander anymore! He's…he's" Her eyes widened from a picture she saw in one of Xander's comic books. "He's Leatherhead!"

Buffy asked skeptically, "Leatherhead?"

Willow nodded, "Comic book character. Character from the Ninja Turtles."

Shaking her head, "Leatherhead or not, Willow. We got to talk to Xander. Go get Giles and Oz's tranquilizer rifle. Cordy, go with her."

The redhead shook her head, "I want to go with you."

"Don't argue, Willow. Just go. Xander could be anywhere by now. Just go!"

Willow was about to say something, when Cordelia grabbed her by the arm, "Just come on, Willow. Buffy can handle it!"

"But—"

"No buts. C'mon." Then the two of them ran to the library.

-

Xander ran from the school until he reached the front gate. Seeing it locked he was about to climb it when he looked down at his hand. No, wait…claw. His fingers were no longer the white skinned appendages that he was always accustomed too. Now, they were thick and covered in green scales. He no longer had fingernails either. They were in fact sharp nails.

"I'm a freak." He said to himself. "I don't even know what I look like yet."

Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts of abnormality. He had to get out of here. He couldn't be at the school when he was….was…what was he?

Xander grabbed the gate with one claw. He started to climb when he heard,

"Xander! Wait!"

He knew that voice. It was Buffy. If he stayed, she might try to slay him, think he was a demon that took over her friend's body.

Then again, she might listen to him.

He couldn't face her…not yet. Grabbing the gate again, he started to climb.

About to reach the top, he soon felt his tail being yanked.

"Xander! Don't go! We can fix this!"

Xander fell to the ground on his back. His eyes soon saw Buffy standing over him.

"I don't know if you looked at me, Buffy. But you can fix this! I'm not human anymore!"

She nodded, "I know that, Xan. You became Leatherhead."

"Leatherhead?" He asked softly.

His claw went to his snout. It was elongated. After opening it, he soon felt sharp teeth where his normal flat teeth used to be.

"I'm a mutant alligator?"

Buffy shrugged, "I dunno about that. Willow recognized your new body from your comic books."

Standing to his feet, he easily towered over Buffy. He was taller then her before. But now, he was even taller. He was seven feet tall.

"Why didn't you attack me, Buffy? Knowing you, you'd probably try to stake me."

She grinned, "Because, Xand. If you were going to kill me, you'd attack me before. But instead, you ran. And now, we're talking. You don't seem to want to attack me."

He sighed, "I'm a freak. I'm a freak who's also a geek."

"Good lord!"

Xander and Buffy turned to see Giles standing with the tranquilizer in his hand. Cordelia and Willow were behind him.

"What happened?" Giles asked.

Xander said, "I dunno, Giles. I was talking to Buffy and Willow when I started to change. Next thing I know, I became Leatherhead."

The Watcher asked, "Leatherhead?"

Willow answered, "A comic book character."

The mention of Willow's answer made Cordlia covered her hand over her mouth. "It's my fault."

Xander asked, "What?"

Buffy questioned, "How is this your fault?"

"I wished something to Anya. She wore this pendent." She immediately withdrew the necklace from her neck.

"What did you wish Cordelia?" Giles asked.

"I wish that Xander became one of the freaky monsters that he reads about."

Xander soon felt something happen within him. His eyes narrowed and he growled. Grabbing Cordelia by the arm, he lifted her off the ground. "You did this!"

"What are you doing, Xander?" Buffy asked.

"You turned me into this…this freak!" Xander felt the presence of Leatherhead say.

"Put me down, Xander!" Cordelia yelled.

Xander listened to all his friends trying to get him to put Cordelia. Down.

He snarled, "You bitch!" Xander then through her a few feet away.

After she landed with a thud, Xander leapt and landed a few inches from her feet.

"What is your problem, Xander?"

Xander grabbed her again by the arm. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now!"

Cordelia was about to speak, when Xander sudden fell over and landed on Cordelia.

On the ground, Cordelia tried to shove Xander off of her. But he was too heavy. "Get him off me!"

Buffy nodded as she grabbed Xander by the arm. Pulling him off her, she turned to Giles, "How long with the tranquilizer work?"

Looking at the body of a seven foot alligator, Giles said, "It might not last very long. I suggest we put Xander in Oz's cage for right now."

Willow shook her head, "Giles, Xander isn't an animal!"

Getting to her feet, Cordelia stated, "Actually, he is."

"Willow, we need to put Xander away for safety. He nearly killed Cordelia. We need to put him in the cage for safe keeping." Giles reaffirmed.

Turning to his slayer, he asked, "Can you carry him?"

Placing him back on the ground. She scooped her arms underneath him and put him in a fireman's carry. "He better stay out until we get him inside."

"What are we going to tell people if they see you carrying him inside, Buffy?"

She answered her best female friend, "I'll say I had to pick up this alligator for Mr. Goodwin's biology class."

"Works for me." Cordelia commented.

The three of them started to head towards the library.

Willow asked, "What was your wish exactly?"

She said slowly, "I wished Xander became of those monsters he read about in his comic books."

-

TBC