A/N I know my description of the body doesn't match the shows. Different au. Go with it.
Faith and Buffy were patrolling together when something came out the dark and attacked them, Thinking it might be the creature that attacked the human, they raised their stakes as it charged them. Faith, realizing it was a vamp and smelling blood drove her stake into its chest. The vamp crumbled to dust in front of them. "I smelled blood and it was definitely a vamp, I wonder if that was what attacked that guy in the paper?"
"I don't know, we'll have to see what Willow's analysis of that hair sample says. Nice moves by the way, you were fast."
"Thanks." The two continued on, unaware that Faith had just dusted a returned from hell Angel. Oh, well.
The next day Buffy had a meeting with Mr. Platt, the guidance counselor. It was her second, the first having been the day before. Just before her appointment, a girl named Debbie had also had an appointment. Unfortunately, after Debbie left, someone else had entered and killed Mr. Platt. So Buffy discovered his body. Not a pleasant surprise.
Later in the library she described what she had seen to the others.
"It sounds like what we found at the morgue," Xander said. "Which suggests whoever or whatever did this is here at the school. Who was the last person who saw Mr. Platt alive?"
"I heard the police talking about that," Buffy said, "It was another student named Debbie, but I didn't hear a last name."
"Mr. Platt only sees the juniors and seniors," Willow said, "I can check the roster for any students named Debbie."
"Good idea, Willow," Giles said. "In the meantime, everyone has classes. We can talk later."
Everyone headed off to class. Xander walking Cordelia to hers. "What's bothering you, Xander."
"Mr. Platt being attacked in his office like that is reminding me of the Hyena thing, when the others ate Flutie. I'm getting some unpleasant flashbacks."
"I thought it might be something like that. It wasn't your fault. It's like the thing with Willow. You said we should blame whoever came up with it in first place, same here. Put the blame where it belongs and that isn't with you,"
"Have I told you lately, I love you, my Queen."
"Not today, you've been a little negligent. Make it up to me with a kiss."
"My pleasure." He twirled her into a dip and a long kiss that had the other students hollering before twirling her back up. Her smile was a full thousand watts, as someone said "Wow, why don't you ever kiss me that way?" to her boyfriend.
After class the others were going to their cars to check out the area in the woods when Oz came up to. "I may have a lead, I know a girl named Debbie and I just found out she's been seeing Mr. Platt, bigger problem might be, she's got a black eye. Someone or something hit her."
"You think she attacked Mr. Platt?" Willow asked.
"I doubt it," Buffy said, "Mr. Platt didn't even have time to drop his cigarette, let alone fight back. On the other hand, maybe we should question her, it might be someone she knows. Willow, you come with, I don't think this is something the guys should do."
Willow nodded and followed her.
"Giles hasn't left yet, let's go see him," Xander suggested.
He, Oz and Cordelia headed for the library.
"Giles, we may have a lead. Oz here has a friend named Debbie. Debbie has been seeing Mr. Platt. Debbie looks like someone beat her up. Buffy says whoever killed Mr. Platt did so too fast for him to fight back."
"Which suggests someone other than Debbie killed him. If Debbie was the last one to see him, it may be someone she knows."
"Yah, that's what we're thinking. She and Willow have gone to find Debbie and talk to her. Giles, if it is a person and not some creature, catching them so we can turn them over to the police would be best."
"I agree," he reached under the circulation desk. "When I put together the information for the presentation, I mentioned using a tranquilizer gun to subdue a werewolf. I don't believe we're dealing with one now, but this may be the best way to subdue whoever we are dealing with. I haven't had a chance to take any lessons in how to use it yet. I imagine it's not that difficult, but -"
"Give it here Giles, you know I've shot guns before, my Uncle Rory taught me, tranq guns too."
"Oh, good, I was hoping you'd say that."
"There you are," a voice behind them said, "Did that little whore go running to you for help."
They turned toward the door.
"Pete" Oz said.
"You should never have touched what's mine."
"Never done anything with Debbie, man, I promise."
"Oh, now why don't I believe you, oh maybe because she's such a whore." He began to shake and then to their horror his head began to blur. Cordelia screamed as he transformed. Pete jumped at Oz. Instead of firing the tranq gun, Xander raised it up and slammed it butt first into Pete's face, hard, just as Buffy and Willow raced in though the doors. Buffy grabbed Pete as he stumbled back away from Xander, his face bleeding and punched him as well. He collapsed like a balloon with no air in it.
Everyone stared at the distorted face. Finally, Cordelia said, "We have to call the police, we tell them he was messed up on drugs or something. I mean he's human right, we can't just kill him. Even though we all might want to, given he beat up a girl."
Reluctantly everyone agreed. Giles hid the tranq gun and then called the police.
Afterward Willow headed for her healing session and Giles headed to the shop. While Xander and Cordelia went her place.
"You're thinking about your parents, aren't you and your fear."
"Yah, I don't want to be like them Cor, not ever."
"You won't be, I believe it. I'll make you believe it too." She held him as he shook, determined to believe he'd never be a human monster.
A/N This chapter ended a little darker than expected. But it had to. The parallels to Xander's home life were there already. Xander has accidentally been working on his self esteem as part of his efforts to protect Cordelia, and what's the use in protecting her from everything else if he can't or won't protect her from himself. He has to face his fear and deal with it.
