AUTHOR'S NOTE As I'm posting these chapters that I wrote so long ago, I'm seeing that they're a little short and light on the action. That changes very soon, as we're nearing the point where I put this story down for a year or so and came back to it a more seasoned writer. Just bear with me! =-)

DISCLAIMER The scene in italics is straight from the BtVS episode "Wild at Heart." Actions and dialogue were written by Joss Whedon and co. All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Marvel.

Sleep did not come easily to the mutant or the werewolf that night. Jean tossed and turned, tormented by Oz's memories as he brooded over them through the night.

Oz was nervous about letting anyone into his mind. He'd only been at Xavier's school for a day and a half and already he had told them his darkest secret. Now he was agreeing to let one of them read his mind.

He had hundreds of reasons to be nervous. In the grand scheme of things, the most important was Buffy's identity as the Slayer. He had kind of been thrust into her life through Willow, but Buffy trusted him. And who knows what would happen if these mutants decided to make trouble for her? It would be all his fault.

More selfishly, Oz didn't want Xavier to pry into his most precious memories of being with Willow. Of course, those memories permeated everything else, so there was really no way of getting around them.

But Oz knew that the Professor would be looking for the memories that Oz was not, for the most part, aware of. Everything he had done while as the wolf would come up.

Something Veruca had said had been bothering him, playing on his mind. He closed his eyes, heard her voice. "Or you're the wolf all the time and this human face is just your disguise. You ever think about that?"

He was so afraid that it was true. He was afraid that Xavier would discover that and tell him the thing he dreaded the most. That there was no cure. Nothing could be done.

Sighing, Oz rolled onto his side. A million thoughts tumbled through his head. It would be a long night.

Students at Xavier's school were ecstatic. Whoever this werewolf was, wherever he'd come from, he was cancelling classes. Professors Xavier, Summers, Grey, and Munroe were all busy dealing with Oz and didn't have time to teach.

Right on schedule, Oz knocked on Professor Xavier's door at noon. "Come in, Oz."

He walked in to see all four of the adult mutants waiting for him. "Hey."

"Oz, I believe you've already met Ororo," Xavier began.

Storm smiled. "Hello."

Xavier continued, "I would like you to also meet Scott Summers, called Cyclops."

The man in red sunglasses held out his hand and Oz shook it. "Summers," he said thoughtfully. "Do you have any relatives in California?"

The Professor chuckled. "He is not related to your friend Buffy, if that is what you're asking." Seeing Oz's rare started expression, he added, "Oh yes, we are well aware of the Slayer."

Well, so much for that worry. "But how…I mean, is Buffy a…?"

"A mutant?" Xavier shook his head. "Mutants are children of genetic change. The Slayer's power is entirely supernatural."

"I thought so." It lifted a huge weight from Oz's chest to know that he would not betray Buffy's secret.

Xavier motioned to a chair by his desk. "Please sit down." Oz sat, looking apprehensive. "This will not hurt," the Professor assured him. "I need you to relax your mind."

Oz closed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts. Professor Xavier placed his hands on Oz's temples, concentrating. His powers transported him into Oz's memories.

Oz moved around a room, packing a suitcase. The door opened. A red-headed girl walked in. "Hello," she said.

"Hi," Oz replied.

'Oz, who is she?' Xavier asked.

'Willow.'

Willow noticed the suitcase. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going."

"Now?" Oz nodded and didn't look at her. He zipped the suitcase. "That's your solution?" she asked.

"That's my decision."

"Don't I get a say in this?"

"No." Finally, he turned to face her. "Veruca was right about something. The wolf is inside me all the time and I don't know where that line is anymore between me and it. And until I figure out what that means, I shouldn't be around you. Or anybody."

Willow started to cry. "Well, that could be a problem, 'cause people – kind of a planetary epidemic."

"I'll find someplace."

Her lip trembled. "Well, how long?"

"I don't know."

"Oz," she whispered, "don't you love me?"

Tears welled up in his eyes. He held her. "My whole life, I've never loved anything else."

Xavier left this memory, prodding deeper into Oz's subconscious. He found the wolf's memories, but could find nothing useful in them. The wolf was far less sentient than a human.

Reluctantly, he brought himself out of Oz's mind. Oz opened his eyes, visibly shaken by the encounter. He shook his head to clear it, then looked at the Professor. "Anything?"

Xavier sighed. "I'm not sure. I need to think on…everything." He smiled half-heartedly. "We will discuss this later."

Oz nodded and quickly left the office. Scott, Jean, and Storm remained, watching their mentor worriedly. "Professor?" Scott asked after a moment. "What's wrong?"

"What did you see?" Storm asked.

Xavier shook his head. "Nothing that can be of any use. The wolf's mind does not have the level of thought that a human's does. I could feel nothing but rage and ferocity." He sighed. "I am afraid that we may be ill equipped to deal with this. We know nothing of the supernatural." He looked at his students in turn. "We need help."