Author's Note: I know it's been forever for this story too, but here you go! I really hope you like this, I still don't know how long I'm going to make this.

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Chapter Ten

Buffy still couldn't believe that she'd fallen for that, but what was she supposed to think? She'd seen her boyfriend in a very passionate kiss, only it hadn't been him. It was very weird, and she knew that Oz was looking for an explanation from her. Xander looked more pained then any of them, and Buffy really didn't blame him. Willow was supposed to be with him now, but she kept causing problems with her and Oz. Well, not really, that last part was mostly in Buffy's mind. She walked back over to where they'd been sitting and huffily crossed her arms. Oz stopped in front of her and grinned. He didn't say anything, just stood there, waiting for Buffy to explain what had happened.

" Sorry about that display back there. I couldn't find you when I came out of the bathroom, but I saw you and Willow kissing underneath the staircase. Only it wasn't you at all or Willow...it was Amy pulling a very bad prank. I sort of freaked out until I remembered what color shirt you were wearing." He nodded and sat down beside her, pulling her towards him for a kiss. Buffy sighed when his lips finally touched hers, and she let him relax her. When they finally pulled apart, he settled in beside her before speaking.

" I sensed that it wasn't her, that's why I was staring at her. She didn't smell right." Buffy tried not to turn her nose up, but she couldn't help it, which caused him to sigh again.

" I can't help it, Buffy. I did date her for almost two years, you know." She could tell that a fight was close to happening, and Buffy really didn't have the energy to fuel it.

" I know that, Oz, I didn't say anything." He removed his arm from her shoulders to look at her.

" We definitely need to talk about this. I saw the look you made, you get that way whenever Willow's name comes up. Why don't we go home, and talk about it there." Buffy couldn't believe that he was angry with her! After what just happened, he thought she was overreacting? She stood up, picked her purse up, and faced him.

" You go on ahead, I promised my mom that I'd visit her before heading back to campus." He started to argue with her, but he just got up and walked out of the crowded area. Buffy just watched him walk out, not being able to follow him. Xander came up to her before she could leave, which made Buffy smile. She loved that she was still good friends with him, even with the whole Willow thing.

" Hey Buffy, what's the matter? Oz isn't mad at you, is he? It so wasn't your fault about the whole Amy thing." Buffy sighed.

"It'll be okay, Xand. Sometimes I wonder if this was a good idea, you know?" Xander nodded with his hands in his pockets.

" I know what you mean exactly, Buffy. I love Willow with everything that I have, but she doesn't seem to be that invested." Buffy put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

" I feel you. Love sucks in the worst way possible. I had my guts ripped inside out when Angel told me he was leaving me, then my best friend started hating me because I started dating her ex. Now...it seems like I fell too hard or something, because he doesn't seem to have the same feelings as me." Xander nodded knowingly.

" There's only one way to find out, you know. You have to talk to him, Buffy. It's not like you guys will get into a fight or anything because the guy barely talks as it is." Buffy giggle just a little bit and looked at the door.

" Well, I'm off to see my mom, I promised her I'd visit her this time around." Xander waved goodbye to her as she left.

When she got to her mother's house, there was only one light on. It wasn't exactly late, but she had no idea what type of schedule that her mom was keeping now. She pulled out her house key and opened the front door. It was so weird to be back at home these days, she was so used to staying with Oz. She looked all around the house, but she finally saw her mom sitting on a bench in the backyard. She smiled and opened the door to go out and see her. Her mom turned her head when she heard the door open, and she smiled brightly when she saw Buffy.

" Buffy, what a great surprise!" Buffy grinned and sat down next to her, letting her mom embrace her.

" Did you come alone? I thought Oz would come with you, since the two of you are joined at the hip." Buffy couldn't help but laugh at her mom's joke, but it was true. The two were always together unless they were in classes. She looked over at her mom and grinned.

" What have you been up to lately? I thought I'd surprise you and come and visit you. Oz and I were just over at the Bronze, but we decided to cut out early." Joyce knew her daughter very well, and that meant that her and Oz had gotten into an argument.

" Do you want to talk about it, honey?" Buffy gave her mom a confused look.

" What are you talking about? Do I want to talk about what?" Joyce stood up and grabbed her daughter's hand. She gently guided her into the kitchen and started to make her some hot chocolate. Once she had it fixed, she down across from Buffy with a gentle smile.

" Honey, I don't take offense to the fact that you never come and see me. I also know that you've got the guy trouble look on your face. So, spill it." Buffy thought about not telling her, but it was her mom...with hot chocolate.

" Well, I just sometimes feel that I'm more invested in our relationship then Oz is." Joyce furrowed her brow with a look of confusion.

" You're joking, right? I can't believe you don't see the way he looks at you, Buffy. He absolutely adores you, and you know it. So, why don't you tell me where this seed of doubt comes from." Buffy looked down at her hands for a minute before answering.

" It's just that...it feels like he's been trying to pick fights with me lately. Most of them are about Willow, and most of that is my fault. There was a bad experience tonight and he acted like I didn't have cause for alarm." She went on to tell her mom about the whole Amy trick, and when she was done her mom was silent for a spell. Buffy was never one for silence.

" Do you agree with him that I overreacted?" Joyce sighed.

" Not really, no. I'm actually more interested in why he acted the way he did. I really think you should talk to him, Buffy. Believe me when I say that Oz is a keeper." Buffy grinned, knowing she was right.

" Thanks for the pep talk, mom, I really needed it." Joyce smiled and hugged her daughter warmly.

" That's what I'm here for, sweetie. Tell Oz I said hello." Buffy nodded and bounded out of the house with a smile on her face, only to come face to face with Oz. She knew from the look on his face that he'd heard every word that she'd spoken with her mother. He didn't say anything to her for a long time, just stared at her. Finally, Buffy couldn't take it anymore, so she huffed at him.

" Will you say something, already?" He just cocked his head to the side, barely.

" What am I supposed to say, Buffy? I had no idea that you were so insecure about our relationship. You and I definitely need to have a chat, but not right now. I knew that you didn't have a ride, so I came back for you. We have class in the morning, so we need to go." Buffy knew that there was no talking to him right now, so she didn't even try. She just followed him to his van and rode back to the house in silence.

Buffy didn't speak to Oz at all the next day, only because she couldn't find him. Unfortunately, they didn't have any classes together, and he was gone already when she was leaving. She was sad that he wouldn't talk to him, and she honestly didn't think that she'd done anything wrong. She went through the day fine, until she found a body in the park. She couldn't tell wether or not it was a girl or a boy because it was completely eviscerated. She looked up at the sky and saw the full moon above her head and she felt like crying. Unless there was another werewolf on the campus, she had to find Oz immediately. She ran into the house and into the basement full throttle. When she saw that he was indeed locked up in a cage, she almost fell over with relief. The wolf Oz growled as she got a little bit closer to the cage. She wouldn't get close enough so that he could get her, but it was as if he smelled her and calmed. He was no longer pacing the cage, but lying down staring at her. She pulled out the sleeping bag and pillow that she normally laid on for these occasions, and unrolled it. She didn't go to sleep as soon as she laid down, but she watched him. She knew without having to think about it that she loved him. She didn't know why she'd try to ignore the feeling, but it was there clear as day. She just seriously hoped that he returned that same feeling.

The next morning, Buffy awoke with a start. She glanced around trying to figure out her surrounding, until she remembered. She looked in the cage, and a very naked Oz was lying asleep on the ground. She'd more or less gotten used to his nakedness over the months, because she was the one who sat over him. She looked around for the key, and finally found it against the opposite wall of the cage. Oz must have thrown it after he'd locked himself up, it was normally Buffy who did it. She went back over to the cage to unlock it just as Oz was waking up. He looked around and saw Buffy rolling the sleeping bag up. He sat up gingerly and looked around for his clothes, and got dressed. When Buffy was putting her sleeping bag up, he enclosed his arms around her waist from behind her. She turned in his arms and was taken aback by the kiss he laid on her. She didn't fight it though, she leaned into him wrapping her arms around him. When he let her go, he was smiling at her.

" I had thought you'd forgotten or something. It's nice to have you here when I wake from this, Buffy. No, it's more then nice, it's special." Buffy leaned her forehead on his and sighed.

" I'm sorry, Oz. I'm a silly person who should never have questioned you." He grinned and shrugged, and that was all she needed. She knew that she was going to have to tell him, and she dreaded it. It was as if the boy had a radar for this sort of thing though, because he was instantly alert.

" What's wrong?" She looked at him gravely before speaking.

" I found a very mutilated body in the park last night. I had actually forgotten what day it was, but I ran here to see if you were okay." Oz didn't let go of her, but his face grew serious.

" You think a werewolf did it, don't you? That's why you were panicked to get back here, you thought it was me." Buffy sighed, feeling terrible.

" I didn't think it was you, Oz, I was just making sure it wasn't. That sounds so lame, I'm sorry." He leaned into her again, kissing her neck.

" It's okay. It looks like I've got to sniff out another werewolf then."