A/N: ahh waht the heck here you go, Remember willow hurt, Angel a little crispy round the edges and Oz beaten up. hmmmm ne thinks they are about to find a link

Chapter 6

Willow was lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.Giles ran to the phone to call an ambulance, all the while watching Oz carefully tending to his girlfriend.

"They're on their way." Giles said his voice softening as he watched Oz whisper softly in Willow's ear, trying to bring her round.

"We should call Buffy." Oz said not looking up from the red-heads face.

"I'll go back to the school once the ambulance gets here."

Oz just nodded. "Hey Will, it's me, the disappearing wizard of Oz. Come on sweetie, open your eyes."

XxXxX

"How is she?" Buffy asked as she and the rest of the gang approached Oz in the hospital corridor.

"She's got a concussion, a couple of cuts and bruises and a twisted ankle. But otherwise she seems ok. Doc's with her now."

Buffy moved to hug him and squeezed a little too tight on Oz's battered body. "Sorry," she said when he grunted. "How are you? And I should be annoyed with you for running off but I'm too glad to see you to care anymore."

"I'm…… Ok." His voice drifted off as Willow's door opened.

"She's asking for you. Not too many for too long. She needs her rest."

One by one the friends walked in so quietly you could have heard a pin drop. Buffy and Giles watched Oz, his face remained unchanged as he looked her over, and then there was a flicker in his eyes. Buffy couldn't work out what it was but then she never could with him. The only one who understood the mono-tone guitarist was Willow.

"Hey baby." He said softy as he took her hand. "We've been here before huh?" the corner of his mouth twitched as she gave a little tired smile at his voice.

"I tripped. This time." She croaked. "No vampires."

"Not sure that makes it any better, Will." Xander said as he stepped closer. "Good to see you in one piece though."

"Yeah, although I'd lay low for a while. The whole black puffy eyes thing really doesn't work for you."

"Not now Cordelia." Giles chided wearily.

"Does it…….do I look bad?" Willow turned back to her boyfriend."

"No, you look gorgeous, always." He smiled softly and kissed her hand.

"Will, what happened?" Buffy asked.

"I….I was in my room. I thought I heard something downstairs. I thought maybe it was Oz. I started down the stairs and…… I guess I must've tripped over something or caught my foot…. I'm so glad to see you. I was so worried." She said looking at her boyfriend

"Ssshhh I know, I'm sorry. I'm here now."

"I think we should leave Willow to rest." Giles interrupted.

"Yeah, ok. Take care, see you tomorrow, Will." Buffy smiled.

"I'll be here" the witch replied weakly.

XxXxX

Angel was waiting for them in the shadows next to Willow's house.

"Hey, Rupert."

"Angel, glad you made it. Everything ….er ….alright?"

"Could be worse." The vampire shrugged, and stifled a hiss as Buffy grabbed his hand. His body healed quickly but his flesh was still burnt and sore from his little drama that morning.

"Why are we here? I mean she tripped down the stairs, what are you going to do? Slay them?" Cordy huffed.

"We're just going to check a few things." Buffy smiled up at the vampire, earning unhappy looks from Giles and Xander. "What happened to your face?" She asked noticing the red flesh on his forehead and cheek.

The vampire looked at Giles, who stiffened at the question, before answering. "I fell asleep in the main hall; some vandals got in and tore down the curtains. I must've left the front door unlocked."

Giles was impressed and more than a little put off by the ease in which Angel lied to them.

"You didn't hear them?"

"It was day break; I was more worried about getting out of the sunlight."

"How did you get away from it? He light fills the hall."

"Luckily Giles came by to ask me to meet with you all tonight and got me into the bedroom."

"Uh hello? Boring as this conversation is, can we just get on with this already so I can get home?" Cordy whined.

Angel reached for the door handle. Oz had left it unlocked when the ambulance had arrived. Not surprising, locking up was probably the last thing on his mind.

"Trip wire." Angel said quietly.

"What?" Xander moved up the stairs next to where the vampire had stopped.

"Someone isn't playing fair." Angel untied the wire from the railings, finding its other end pinned to the wall. "Fishing wire. Virtually invisible but very strong."

"So it wasn't an accident?" Cordy's voice had a hint of worry.

"Oh man. First Oz, then Willow?" Xander's mind raced. "Who's next?"

"Angel." Buffy said beginning to panic. "Well someone tore down his curtains; it could be connected, right?"

"Calm down Buffy, we don't know that was related. The mansion looks deserted in the middle of the woods. It was just curtains being torn down, no one tried to stake me or set fire to me. They probably didn't even notice me." The vampire soothed, shooting a look at the librarian.

"Angel's right Buffy. If he doesn't suspect anything more than vandals then we should trust him to know if someone is trying to hurt him. Let's not get carried away. But we must all be on our guard. We don't know who or what is responsible for this." There's nothing more we can do. Best thing for us to do is to go home, check all is secure and stay in, away from any dangers that could be lurking in the shadows."

"We're going to hide? I'm the Slayer I don't hide. I have to Slay it's in my job description!"

"Buffy!" Angel snapped. "Please just do as Rupert says. If you go out and something happens to you then…….. Just do as he says, please."

"Fine" Buffy pouted trying to ignore how worried her lover sounded and how worried she was over his injuries.

"Should we tell Oz and Willow?" Xander asked.

"Willow's safe enough in hospital and I'm sure Oz will stay with her. Nothing will happen to them. When you all get home, check for anything out of the ordinary; anything that could be dangerous and then lock every entrance. Until we know what's happening we have to be extremely careful." Giles told them.

"Way to keep panic levels down Giles." Cordy scoffed.

XxXxX

The four had agreed to walk each other home. Xander, Angel and Buffy checked Cordy's home, Angel and Buffy checked Xander's, leaving Angel and Buffy to investigate hers without waking her mother.

Buffy sat on her windowsill, watching the man she loved retreat into the shadows to patrol before heading home. Sighing she closed her window and curtains and went to pull the cushions off her bed. As she did she noticed something odd about the way her favourite toy pig was arranged.

XxXxX

Giles sighed as he noticed the stop sign ahead. Lightly he pressed the brake peddle. Nothing happened. He pushed it harder. Still nothing happen.

"Damn." Pumping his breaks he watched as the stop sign grew bigger and bigger in his windscreen. He grabbed the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles went white; yanking it hard left Giles closed his eyes and prayed.

XxXxX

Picking up Mr. Gordo, Buffy realised what was wrong. Its body was in her hand but its head was still on the mattress. Someone had been in her room. Panicking a little she searched her room for the third time. She couldn't see any booby traps; everything was where it should be. That when she heard the frantic tapping on her window. Running to it she threw back the curtains to see her vampire perched on the slanted roof outside.

"Angel? Someone's been in my room, they ripped Mr. Gor…." Angel didn't let her finish.

"Giles." He interrupted. "He's crashed. Someone cut his break line."

"Oh my God!" Buffy grabbed her jacket from her bed and climbed out the window to see her watcher.

XxXxX

He wasn't badly hurt. A bump on his head, a few cuts and bruises. The car had careened into a bush.

"Giles! Giles!" He heard his Slayer shouting as she ran to his side. "Oh my God Giles, what happened?"

"The brakes didn't work. I kept pressing but they just wouldn't work."

"Good job you don't drive faster than my Nan." Buffy let a small smile touch her lips as she helped her watcher out of the crumpled car.

"Yes, after years of teasing it seems I've been right. Driving slower does save lives."

"Maybe we should go and check on Willow and Oz. We can get you checked over too."

"I'll run by the others and check they're ok and meet you at the hospital." Angel said. "Will you be ok?"

"We'll be fine. Angel, just be careful." Giles gave the vampire a hard look.

Angel nodded and took off up the street towards Xander's home.

XxXxX

"Buffy," Giles pulled her attention from her thoughts of her friends. "Isn't that Oz's van?" he pointed at the rusty vehicle.

"Yeah, so?"

Placing his hand on the hood he felt the warmth of a freshly parked motor. "Oz didn't bring his van. He came in the ambulance with Willow. And the engine's warm."

"Ok….. So, what, Oz tripped Willow down the stairs and cut your brakes?"

"And tried to kill Angel. There were no vandals. When I found him he said he must've been dreaming still because he thought the person in the mansion looked like Oz. I haven't had a chance to run tests on the ashes I found but I have a suspicion they are from a kind of incense that sends demons into a heavy sleep. Whoever placed it didn't wait long enough before doing his job."

"But why would Oz hurt any of us, let alone Willow?"

"I don't know. You said yourself, it was worrying that he got up and left after such a hard beating. I need a closer look at his injuries. But what if there was a reason they hurt him? What if they did go after him specifically?"

"Why would that cause him to attack us?"

"I don't know" Giles was becoming frustrated at the lack of information he had to back up his theories. "We need to get Oz under lock and key. I need to see exactly what they did to him."

"Fine, but this theory is beyond weird. Oz would never hurt any of us."

"Not intentionally, no. What if he doesn't have a choice!"

Slayer and Watcher took up to Willow's room.

XxXxX

"Tut. Tut. Naughty boy. You were meant to kill them not give them love bites. It seems I underestimated your free will; you obviously needed a stronger dose. No matter, I have other ways. They just wont be as much fun. You on the other hand. I have plans for you."

Oz could smell the slayer approaching.

"Maybe they're coming for you! Maybe they found you out. I knew you shouldn't have taken your van. Memo to self; practice controlling skills before the next big event. I'd run if I were you. Unless you want to be caught….."

The mayor watched as the boy sat still at the red-head's side.

Well, gosh you are a clever boy. Sitting there waiting to be taken. Waiting to be put somewhere safe. Just one problem with that.

Oz suddenly got up and started running from Willow's room.

I can make you run if I want to; same way I made you do those other things. Just a shame I didn't get the results I wanted. There's still time. While I have control of you and have Faith on my side, I'll take the Slayer's band of friends apart one at a time if I have to.

XxXxX

Buffy saw Oz bolt from Willow's room. "Oz!" she yelled after him. "Wait here for the other's. I'll catch up with our furry friend."

"Buffy wait, what are you going to do?" It was too late; the Slayer was out of sight. Giles ran down the corridor and into Willow's room.

"Giles? What's going on?" Willow's quiet voice reached his ear.

"Hmm? Oh nothing, I hope."

"What happened to you?" she asked noticing the cut of his forehead.

"My brakes failed, would you believe. You've all been telling me to get a new car. Looks like the vehicle agrees with you itself."

"You're lying." She said simply.

Giles just looked at her for a moment.

"Something's wrong with Oz, isn't it." It was a statement. Giles knew there was no point in denying it.

"What makes you say that?" Giles sat in the empty seat at the side of her bed.

"I pretended to go back to sleep. Oz had been talking to himself. Almost as if there was another person in the room." She took a deep breath "I know he tripped me. He set the wire; he tore down the curtains at Angel's home. And…… and he cut your breaks and killed Mr. Gordo. Who's Mr. Gordo?"

"Willow, did he leave you when we left?" He saw the tears form in the witch's eyes as she nodded.

"Almost as soon as you turned the corner. Who's Mr. Gordo? Did Oz really kill someone?"

"Mr. Gordo? I…. I don't"

"Oh my God, someone totally tried to kill Xander, and it wasn't me! Am I next? Have you guys annoyed the wrong person again? Because I haven't done anything to any demon recently." Cordy came bursting through the door.

"What?" Giles began to panic.

"It's ok, I'm here I'm alive. I got an electric shock off the light switch which fused the house. Believe me when I say Angel turning up with that news about you got me outta a whole heap of trouble."

"Xander, who's Mr. Gordo?" Willow pleaded.

"Will, you must've hit your head harder than you thought. Why do you want to know?"

"Oz killed him."

"Will, Mr. Gordo is Buffy's pig. You know the cuddly one with the bow tie? What do you mean Oz killed him?"

"It seems Oz may be behind the accidents. Angel thought he saw him in his mansion this morning but put it down to being drugged." Giles explained.

"So you're going on the word of a vampire?"

"No, Oz came in the ambulance. When Buffy and I arrived his van was in the car park and the engine was still warm. We think the brakes on my car were cut. Where is Angel?"

"He saw Buffy running through the car park and took off after her. "Was she chasing Oz?" Cordy was trying to follow the train of events.

"I would imagine so. He took off as Buffy and I rounded the corner of the corridor."

"He was muttering. I don't think he wants to be doing these things. It was almost like he messed up on purpose. He sounded like he was trying to prove that he was stronger than someone thinks. Giles, Oz isn't in complete control, he can't be." Willow's voice was desperate.

"So what do we do?" Cordelia sounded unusually solemn.

"We find out what the nasty is, right?" Willow said hopefully.

Giles looked at the young witch's face. "I hope so, yes, I hope so."

Angel flew gasping into the room.

"Buff…………" He tried to catch his breath.

"Angel, breathe." Willow said softly.

"Breathe? Why breathe? Stop gasping. You don't need air." Xander said sounding a little annoyed.

"Huh, good point." Angel replied in a normal voice, clearing his throat as he tried to hide how foolish he felt. Being a vampire your body sometimes reacts the way it would if you were alive. "Habit."

"What about Buffy?" Giles said trying to hide his annoyance that Xander had distracted Angel.

"Right. Oz is down and in the van. We need to hurry though. I don't know how long he'll stay down."

"I'm coming too." Willow said climbing out of bed.

"You can't just leave, Willow. You need rest." Giles said softly.

"You think I'm going to be able to rest in here knowing that my boyfriend is in trouble? This time I'm not listening. I'm coming and that's that. Xander grab that chair."

"Willow, if you leave you will cause a panic."

"I'll leave a note. Giles don't argue with me on this. Besides I feel fine now."

"Giles, she has that face. You're not going to talk her out of it. Even Oz can't talk her out of things when she has that face." Xander pointed out.

Giles sighed and rubbed his eyes.

XxXxX

They saw Buffy leaning against the van's back doors as they approached.

"Man, that boy has got some fight in him." She said breathlessly.

"See, she's alive, she has reason to gasp. Wait you have super strength, why are you out of breath?" Xander mocked.

"Kinda happens when you fight an angry werewolf with little help. Angel you're out of shape." She teased.

"Excuse me, who out of the two of us has very nearly been burnt to a crisp?"

"Hey, guys. I hate to break up this little love-fest but shouldn't we get a move on and stop Oz from trying to kill anybody else?" Cordy butted in. "Or is that too obvious?"

XxXxX

A/N: OOOOOO Oz is a naughty boy isn't he. Lets hope the watcher can come up with a bright idea on how to save him before he kills em all!

"Catch ya on the flip flop"