A/N: If you haven't read the previous chapter, please do since it was a double update and you don't want to accidentally skip a chapter!

NECCISSARY LIES

Xander and Scarlett decided to walk to school the next day. John and Dean offered to drive, but Scarlett refused and Xander understood why. The tension in the air was thick within the family, no one could deny that. They all just hoped they could sort it out soon.

When they reached the gates, they found Buffy, Willow, Oz and Devon waiting there for them as always. Xander walked up to greet his two best friends, and Devon jumped off of the seat he was on to come and wrap his arm around his girlfriend.

"Hey, Xander told me that you weren't feeling well yesterday." Devon said sweetly. Scarlett felt bad for lying, but at least it wasn't a complete lie.

"Oh, yeah, I just had a headache." She smiled a small smile because that's all she could manage right now.

"Are you feeling better today?" he asked and then kissed her forehead, as if he could kiss it away if she wasn't. Scarlett nodded.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better." she gripped his hand and walked over to the others. "Hey." She said to them with a small wave. They waved back sadly. They weren't dumb; they knew she wasn't alright but they hoped she would return to the fun-loving Scarlett she was just a week ago.

The bell rung, signalling that it was time for school to start, and they all went their separate ways to their classes. Oz and Devon headed off to their classes first. The four younger liked to dawdle and postpone class as much as they could. Scarlett walked over to her brother and hugged his arm, laying her head on his shoulder. He looked sown at her and smiled sadly. The group of them started to walk.

"Ugh, I have American History first." Scarlett complained.

"Mmm, I have history, but Giles said he wanted to see me ASAP today so I'm thinking I might just skip it." Buffy said.

"Ooh, is there a new evil a-brewin'?" Willow asked with a little too much enthusiasm.

"I think it's just your average run-of-the-mill demon, but you never know." Buffy shrugged.

"Do you think there'll be research involved?" Willow asked, hinting that she wanted to join.

"Ah, isn't there always?" Xander said with disappointment. Buffy laughed.

"Come on guys, we should get to the library." Buffy said and the other three smiled, glad to be doing something interesting rather than actual schoolwork.

When they got to the library, they found Giles with a stack of books open on the table.

"You did research without me?" Willow asked with a cute pouty face. No one would be upset about that except for her.

"I'm afraid I didn't have time to wait, Willow." Giles said and took off his glasses, cleaned them, and then placed them back on. "Something has been, er, eating people." he explained.

"Like vampires?" Buffy asked, wanting the answer to be a less-gory 'yes'. Giles just looked at her and she knew it was definitely the 'eating people' kind of eating people. "Oh."

"Yes, I believe it's a Wendigo." He said, expecting more of a reaction that he got – which was just for all four teens to stare at him.

"A what-now?" Xander asked.

"A Wendigo." Giles repeated. "A creature that was once human but was transformed into an evil spirit when it took up the practice of cannibalism. Wendigos are cursed to wander the land, eternally seeking to fulfil their appetite for human flesh. Native American tribes tell slightly different stories about this creature and refer to it by different names – Wendigo, Witigo, Witiko and Wee-Tee-Go – but each version roughly translates to mean 'the evil spirit that devours mankind'."

"How do I kill it?" Buffy asked seriously.

"Well, er, I believe fire would kill it."

"Then I'll go patrolling tonight." She nodded.

"And we'll help." Scarlett smiled, along with Xander and Willow.

After their hour spent at the library, they headed off to their classes. During the period-change, they ran into Devon. He suddenly stopped to speak to Scarlett.

"Oh, Scar, I didn't get a chance to ask you this morning, but Jake – my friend from UC Sunnydale – is having a party tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to go?" he asked.

Scarlett frowned. She'd already had plans to go patrolling with Buffy and the others, but of course she couldn't tell Devon that. He had no idea of her hunting monsters, and she had no intention of him finding out – it was for his own good.

"Um, sorry sweetie, I have heaps of homework to do and I promised John and the boys I'd have dinner with them." she said, and it hurt her how easily she could lie to him. Devon nodded, kissed her on the cheek and excused himself to go to class. She sighed and did the same.

"Boys, I've found a case that I might need your help on." John told his sons.

"A case? You just got off a case, though." Dean said.

"I know, but now I think there's a Wendigo here." John said.

"A Wendigo? Here? That's odd, they're usually in Minnesota or Canada." Sam said with his 'thinking face' on.

"I know. Sammy, I want you to research this town. Find out anything you can about it." John ordered.

"Yes, sir." Sam nodded.

It was late that afternoon when Xander and Scarlett arrived back at the motel. They only stopped by to change into more hunt-appropriate clothes, but just as they were about to open the door, it opened from the inside as John, Sam and Dean were about to leave to also go hunt the Wendigo.

"Uh, hey." Xander said awkwardly.

"Where are you guys going?" Scarlett asked, noticing the bag Dean was carrying. She knew it; she knew they were just going to leave them. All their 'family' ever seemed to do was betray them.

"We're, uh, low on food, so we were just going out to get some." Dean made up weakly.

"What's the bag for?" she continued to question.

"To put the food in." Sam said slowly, as he himself was unsure.

"And how do you plan to buy the food?" she asked sceptically.

"We'll hustle pool." John answered honestly before adding; "Its bad, don't ever do it."

"Don't worry about it sir, neither of us can play pool." Xander shrugged. Dean looked shocked and upset.

"You can't play pool?" he asked Xander.

"Was never taught." Xander replied. Before Dean could reply again, John spoke.

"Boys, we have to go." He urged. The two nodded and the three of them left.

"Did that seem suspicious to you?" Scarlett asked. Xander nodded, but they didn't have a chance to discuss it because they had to go hunt a Wendigo.