Notes:

Oz has been a werewolf since before 'Innocence,' so all of the scoobies are aware of his 'condition'.

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X Woman

Chapter 8

After The Attack

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Sunnydale, California.

Same day as Chapter 7.

The two slayers in Sunnydale were supporting a broken arm each. Every one else suffered various wounds, and Giles had received yet another concussion. There were three different first aid kits out that had come in handy time and time again. Jenny was trying to give Xander stitches while Willow and Oz got the splints and antibiotics to bandage the two slayers properly.

Cordy had a small cloth bandage, preferred over a band aid, on the left side of her eyebrow from a cut she had taken from a vampire with a knife. Xander had pulled her back in perfect timing. If he hadn't been there to help her, she would very well be in the coroner's office the morning after.

Oz was limping, but he was prepared not to let it show. His healing abilities that he got from his primal side where the wolf lay would allow him to be okay in less than a week. He sprained his ankle when two vamps surrounded him and Willow. He had involuntarily growled, surprising the vamps. Oz had used the surprise to launch himself and Willow out of harms way, but it also called for a sharp turn backwards. His foot, being on the ground, didn't take it to well. But he could take it.

Willow had a few cuts on her arm from when a girl she briefly recognized from her junior high history class had grabbed her arm. She was sporting bruises that looked significantly like fingerprints at two placed that made it uncomfortable to bend her right arm too much. She was lucky that her boyfriend had been there to fight the vampire off of her arm.

The slayers had both been too busy with their own battles to come to the rescue, and the redhead found herself being save by Cordy when she hit the vampire over the head with the book that had scratched her when it went flying. It had hit Giles and he was currently lying unconscious in a chair.

Miss Calendar was busy keeping them away from her computer, which they had been downloading a new language into a section for Willow, herself and Giles to co-exist with when one of the slayers had managed to hurriedly dust both vamps at her back and had gone to help the scoobies. She had gotten a lucky punch in but it was returned. She'd probably have her bloody lip healed by the next morning.

The second slayer hadn't been so lucky. She was stabbed in the leg, which was better then the gut where the vamp was aiming originally she guessed, and would have a few days off before she would be healed enough to go back out on patrol. But she was already thinking of how much Bronzing she could get through before she got caught.

All in all, things weren't as bad as they could possibly be on the mouth of hell. Word had gotten out, as it often did, that there were newbies watching over the hellmouth, and vamps were flocking looking for fresh meat and a chance at a slayer. Apparently, Buffy had racked up a good few brownie points in the demon world for being fair to the casual demon just looking to live and not harm anyone, and quickly and sufficiently kill the bad guys looking for a human sacrifice.

Giles found himself aching for the company of his daughter (fore that's what she was in al intents and purposes) because at least she was someone who could explain. The two slayers who he was growing rather fond of seemed to only know that they were sent here, and despite their rebellion of all elders and parental-like figures, they didn't seem to question it.

Giles and Jenny spent plenty of time together just talking and reacquainting themselves with one another. Both confirmed their suspicions in private, and then to one another; they were in love, and knowing the world they lived in, they decided on a course of action. Now it was time to decide.

Willow and Oz were progressing nicely in the relationship department. Both felt somehow calm in their developing feelings, knowing the panicking would come later.

Xander and Cordy were on odd couple, but it seemed to work out for them between the daily snipping battles of speaking, and then the snogging in the broom closets somehow littering the campus.

Giles was just thankful that they hadn't done anything to serious in the library, he hoped. Oh well, and he through that out of his mind, not willing to find any 'What ifs'.

Joyce Summers still made her rounds to the library or even to Giles home to ask for word on her daughter. She seemed upset about something but Rupert just couldn't bring out the emotions to care so much for her. He knew she was hurting as much as he, fore he was more the father then the sperm donor that Buffy had called "daddy" for most of her life.

At the end of the third day, he sat in his office with a large book in front of him, and he dreaded what he was getting out of it. The book made it quite hard to understand, and he feared he was only getting some parts of it translated accurately. At the infamous "Oh, Dear Lord" that made its way through the library pointedly brought the attention of the others to him, and if not for the untimely and annoying visit of the Nazi troll they all hated with a vengeance, like a blister on the bottom of your foot.

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Buffy and Faith slept soundly, like the dead. But their dreams were another matter entirely because they met in the Dreaming. They talked for a while before just finally going off into oblivion.

Faith had apparently been looking for her for a few days now after her watcher was killed by some ancient vamp called Kakistos. She had run herself ragged, looking for companionship because of "these stupid dreams!"

Although her bed wasn't overly large, Buffy and Faith found themselves oddly comforted by the other's presence. The blonde slayer tried not to think about the bond she already felt growing; it was similar to the bond she had had at one time with Kendra. She banished all thoughts of her dead sister slayer and concentrated on trying to get out of bed. Her head hurt badly from the fight the night before.

And if she knew her cousin, and she still felt that she knew Scott, he would want an explanation. She rubbed her temples. So would Xavier now that she thought about it.

After rousing Faith, who she found was almost as extremely fond of some good sleep as she was; she showered and dressed, followed by Faith who just snorted her answer as she sleepily changed. Buffy tried not to think of how the younger girl must have been exhausted.

They left the room through the door at the same time and just sleepily made their way to the kitchen, Buffy just motioning directions drowsily. When they got to the kitchen, they were barreled into by one of the students and various questions were shouted.

The slayers flinched, their heightened senses obscuring their vision slightly. They groaned and Buffy rubbed her temples while the brunette slayer pushed her ears closed. The noise hurt her ears but the sound waves also reverberated to them, shaking them. It was going to be a long day.

First they explained.

Then they made decisions and talked about Faith's own education.

Last, the slayers had to have a talk on how all of those vamps knew where she was and where to go.

…………………

TBC?

Okay, I wrote this a long time ago and I really do intend to continue. But my muse is not helping me lately and I'm afraid that this will only be continued on random whims. I know it's disappointing and I have honestly not just abandoned any of my stories; I'll get back to them when I find some good 'ole inspiration. I just can't bring myself to write much every time I try to do something on a fic.

Reviews are welcome.