Chapter 20: Phases

January 26, 1998 – Monday

Sunnydale High School

"Nowhere!" Willow said, and it was all she could do not to wave her books around. "I mean, he said he was going to wait until I was ready, but I'm ready! Honest—I'm good to go here!"

Buffy rested her chin on her fist. "I think it's nice he's not just being an animal."

"It is nice," Willow agreed. "He's great. We have a lot of fun. But I want smoochies!"

"Have you dropped any hints?" Buffy asked.

"I've dropped anvils."

"He'll come around," Buffy told her. "What guy could resist your wily, Willow charms?"

Willow frowned. "At last count? All of them. Maybe more."

Buffy gave a rebellious shake of her head. "Well, none of them know a thing. They all get an F in Willow."

"But I want Oz to get an A. And, oh—" She brightened as she turned to face her friend. "And one of those gold stars!"

They stopped for a while and sat beneath a tree. "He will," Buffy said confidently.

"Well, he'd better hurry." Willow was sulking. "I don't want to be the only girl in school without a real boyfriend—"

The words were out before she could stop them, and when she saw Buffy staring at her lap, Willow just wanted to smack herself. "Oh, I'm such an idiot—I'm sorry. I shouldn't even be talking about…" She hesitated. "Do you want me to go away?"

"I wish you wouldn't," Buffy said quietly.

Another hesitation, but what kind of a friend would she be if she didn't ask? "How are you holding up, anyway?"

"I'm holding." Buffy looked at her ruefully. "I was going on close to two minutes there without thinking about Angel."

"Well," Willow said as cheerfully as she could. "There you go!"

Buffy gave her a brave smile. "But I'd be doing a lot better if you and Xander and I could do that 'sharing our misery' thing tonight."

"Great." Willow looked at her friend from beneath lowered eyelids. "I'll give Xander a call, ask him to join us. What's his number? Oh, yeah—1-800-I'm-Dating-A-Skanky-Ho."

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise. "Me-ow!"

Willow was pleased. "Really? Thanks—I've never gotten a 'me-ow' before."

This time Buffy laughed. "Well deserved."

"Darn tootin'!" Willow made a dismissive sound and gathered up her books. "I'm just saying, Xander and Cordelia? What does he see in her, anyway?"

Makeout Park

Hours later, with the day's school problems behind them, Xander and Cordelia were parked in a nice, private spot. It was a warm night with a gentle breeze, and amid the lushness of the leafy trees, the sky was split by stars and bright moonlight. Between the two teenagers, the kisses were coming hot and heavy—

—then Xander pulled away.

"But what could she possibly see in him?"

Cordelia threw up her hands in exasperation. "Excuse me? We did not come here to talk about Willow." She gave Xander a hard look. "We came here to do things I can never tell my father about because he still thinks I'm a good girl."

"I just don't trust Oz with her," Xander said, totally zoning past her irritation. "I mean, he's a senior, he's attractive. Okay, not to me, but…Oh, and he's in a band. And we know what element that kind attracts."

Cordelia sat back. "I've dated lots of guys in bands."

"Thank you!" Xander said pointedly.

She stared at him. "Do you even want to be here?"

Xander blinked. "I'm not running away."

"Because when you're not babbling about poor, defenseless Willow," she said, "you are raving about the all-powerful Buffy."

"I do not babble," Xander said huffily. "I occasionally run on. And every now and then I yammer—"

"Xander, look around," Cordelia interrupted with exaggerated gentleness.

"We're in my daddy's car. It's just the two of us. There is a beautiful, big full moon. It doesn't get any more romantic than this. So shut up!" She grabbed him and yanked him forward.

Xander didn't protest. But they were in the middle of a really good smooch when instinct made him pull back anyway.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, peering out the window.

"What is it now?" Cordelia demanded impatiently.

Xander frowned out at the shadowy park. "I thought I heard something."

This time, Cordelia's voice was thick with sarcasm. "Is Willow sending some sort of distress signal that only you can hear?"

Xander ignored the jibe and glanced outside again. Nothing. "Huh," he said. He leaned toward Cordelia and she came to him willingly, but before their lips could meet, he jolted back again. "Okay, now I know I heard something."

Cordelia twisted angrily away. "All right, that's it. Your mind has been not here all night. How 'bout I just drop you off at—"

Something punched a hole right through the leather top of the convertible.

They both screamed, long and loud, as a huge, claw-tipped paw swiped into the space between the seats, right where they'd faced each other only seconds before. It was there, then it was gone; when they looked again, peering at them through the slashed top was a hairy, snouted face and a snarling mouth that seemed to contain a thousand teeth—

Werewolf!

"Get us out of here!" Xander shouted as the creature groped through the hole again.

"Where are the keys?" Cordelia shrieked. She ducked down and her fingertips scrabbled across the floorboard as the car rocked around her. Still searching, she caught a glimpse of Xander, shoving himself against the door to stay out of reach of the beast's claws. "We should be moving!" he yelled.

"Let's go!"

She felt cool metal and snatched at it. "Got 'em!" An instant later she jammed them into the ignition and sent up a silent thanks as the engine fired on the first try. She threw the transmission into reverse and hit the accelerator, spinning the wheel as the werewolf growled and clung to the remains of the convertible top. Then she slammed on the brakes and yanked the gearshift into drive; she floored it and the car shot forward. The were-wolf snarled and lost its grip, and they left it howling and lying in the dirt as they raced off into the night.

Xander had to say it. He couldn't not. "Told you I heard something."

January 27, 1998 – Tuesday

Sunnydale High School

It was hard to believe the horrors of last night.

Until Willow and the rest of the gang looked at Cordelia's car parked in the school's lot.

"And you're sure it was a werewolf?" Buffy asked, fingering the slashed material.

"Well, let's see," Xander replied. "Six feet tall, claws, a big ol' snout right in the middle of a face like a wolf." He sent her a severe look. "Yeah, I'm sticking with my first guess."

Willow saw Xander make a mock, I-almost-forgot face. "Oh, and there was that little thing where it tried to bite us."

That made Cordelia bury her head in Xander's shoulder. "It was so awful."

"I know," Xander said soothingly, and Willow had to admit that even she felt a pang of sympathy for Cordy.

Cordelia raised her head. "Daddy just had this car detailed!"

Never mind.

Giles had been standing a little way off, studying a newspaper. Now he joined them. "So, what's the word?" Buffy asked when she saw him unfold it.

The librarian showed them the headlines. "Seems there were a number of other attacks by a 'wild dog' around town. Several animal carcasses were found mutilated."

Willow's eyes widened. "Oh, you mean bunnies and stuff?" Before anyone could answer, she shook her head. "No, don't tell me."

Giles pressed his lips together. "Yes. Well, fortunately, no people were injured."

Buffy looked surprised. "That falls into the 'that's a switch' column."

Giles nodded. "For now. But my guess is this were-wolf will be back at next month's full moon."

"What about tonight's full moon?" Willow asked pointedly.

Giles blinked. "Pardon?"

"Last night was the night before the full moon," Willow explained.

"Traditionally known as . . . the night before the full moon."

Giles frowned. "Meaning the accepted legend that werewolves only prowl during the full moon might be erroneous."

"Or it could be a crock," Cordelia said.

Xander nodded. "Unless the werewolf is still using last year's almanac."

"Looks like Giles has some schoolin' to do," Buffy noted.

Giles nodded a little too enthusiastically. "Yes, I must admit I'm intrigued. A werewolf? It's one of the classics. I'm sure my books and I are in for a fascinating afternoon."

Willow and the others watched him hurry off. When she looked at Buffy, her friend only shrugged. "He needs to get a pet."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The voices of a full class of students laughing and talking echoed through the gymnasium. They all sat in the lower rows of the stands, watching as Ms. Litto, looking strong and capable, strode across the floor in front of them.

Sitting with her pals, Willow had listened to the Phys Ed teacher talk with dismay, realizing that she had clearly arranged the lesson plan for this class because of the recent attacks.

"Sunnydale is becoming more dangerous all the time. And a full moon like tonight tends to bring out the crazies. But, with some simple basics of self-defense, each of you can learn how to protect yourself," Ms. Litto told them.

"Here's a suggestion," Buffy muttered beside Willow. "Move away from the Hellmouth."

From behind her, Oz suddenly reached forward and did something tickly to the back of Willow's neck. "Tag," he explained when she turned toward him.

Willow barely registered Xander's complaint, uttered from the other side of Buffy and Cordelia. "Would you look at that? He's all over her!" Suddenly he leaned in front of the other two girls. "Hey buddy," he said to Oz in a false whisper, "this is a public forum here!"

Cordelia shot Xander a disgusted glance as the rest of them looked at him, bewildered. "I think you splashed on a little too much 'Obsession for Dorks.'"

Ms. Litto clapped her hands. "Okay, everyone get into your assigned groups."

Buffy watched as the guys got up and began stripping off sweatshirts and sweaters and putting on body pads. She grabbed the body pads refusing to remove her shirt and put it on.

Willow and Buffy were close enough to hear what was going on with Oz. Getting ready with him were Xander and Larry.

Larry off his jacket to reveal a bandage wrapped around one elbow.

Xander eyed the dressing. "What happened to you?"

Larry looked irritated. "Ah, last week some huge dog jumped out of the bushes and bit me—thirty-nine stitches. They ought to shoot those strays."

"I been there, man." Oz held up a finger wrapped with a Band-Aid. "My cousin Jordy. Just got his grown-up teeth in, does not like to be tickled."

Willow leaned in to see. "Looks like it healed already."

Oz gave her a slight smile. "The emotional scar is still there."

Larry turned away, then sauntered up to Theresa, a small, pretty girl with dark hair. "Theresa!" he said jovially. "Be still my shorts. We're in the same group." His face held just a shade of cruelty. "I may have to attack you."

Theresa looked around anxiously. "No, I think, actually, in our group there're a few of us—"

Buffy cut in with obvious anticipation and a sugary smile for Larry. "And I'm one of the few."

Theresa backed out of harm's way as Willow snagged Buffy's arm and pulled her aside. "Don't forget," she reminded Buffy urgently. "You're supposed to be an average guy."

She let go and Buffy back to her group.

Xander suddenly waltzed past her and Cordelia, grinning foolishly as he pulled a large, padded helmet over his head. "Be gentle with me."

Cordelia looked at Willow. "You first," she said, her voice barely above a sneer. "I wouldn't want to be accused of taking your place in line."

Willow raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I think you pushed your way to the front long before this."

Cordelia shrugged prettily. "Hey, I can't help it if I get the spotlight just because some people blend into the background."

Willow felt her teeth clench at the insult. "Well, maybe some people could see better if you weren't standing on the auction block, shaking your wares."

"Sorry. We haven't all perfected that phony 'girl next door' bit."

"You could be the girl next door, too," Willow snapped. "If Xander lived next to a brothel!" She and Cordelia took a step toward each other, but the moment was broken when Xander called out innocently, "Okay, who wants a piece of me?"

Willow and Cordelia gazed at each other, then turned as one to face him.

Without warning, Cordelia let loose with a great cross punch to Xander's padded jaw, and Willow followed it with an excellently timid sidekick right in the center of his body armor. Cordelia moved in again, then Willow, and in no time at all, they had Xander rolled into a pathetic heap on the gym floor.

"Why…?" Xander managed to ask, but Willow and Cordelia only smiled in satisfaction and turned away as Ms. Litto called out to the class to line up in pairs, one in front of the other.

"Okay, everyone. Listen up." She walked the length of the line, checking the couples as Willow zipped into the spot in front of Oz. "I want to show you what to do should you be attacked from behind. In this situation," Ms. Litto instructed as Larry wrapped one beefy arm around Theresa's neck and held her waist with the other, "bend forward, using your back and shoulders to flip your assailant over to the ground."

Ms. Litto moved on down the line of students, making sure everyone understood.

Theresa pulled against Larry's arm and made spineless little "Uh! Mm-uh!" sounds as she tried vainly to flip him forward.

Willow felt Oz start to position himself, but before she could enjoy the fact that his arm was across her collarbone, she heard Larry's voice drift down the line of teenagers. "Oh, Hartman, you are turning me on!"

Buffy looked to the side and frowned as she watched Larry reach down and grabbed Theresa's butt.

Big mistake.

Without hesitation, Buffy let go of her partner and turned toward Larry and decked him. He landed flat on his back with enough force to shake the gym floor, and Buffy stood over him in her fighting stance and with her fists balled.

"You don't say anything like to any woman," Buffy snapped at Larry.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Giles was using a globe, a smaller model of the moon, and a lamp for lighting as he explained the lunar phases to them. "And while there's absolutely no scientific explanation for lunar effect on the human psyche," he continued as he moved the moon-model around the globe, "the phases of the moon seem to exert a great deal of psychological influence. And a full moon tends to bring out our darkest qualities."

Xander nodded, as if giving his approval to Giles's words. "And yet ironically, it led to the invention of the Moon Pie."

Willow and Buffy glared at Xander but amazingly, Giles began to chuckle. "Moon Pie…" At their expressions, he cleared his throat and looked embarrassed. "You see," he said, "the werewolf is such a potent, extreme representation of our inborn animalistic traits that it emerges for three full consecutive nights—the full moon, and the two nights surrounding it."

"Quite the party animal," Willow commented.

"Quite," Giles agreed. "And it acts on pure instinct, no conscience. Predatory and aggressive—"

Buffy sat back. "In other words, your typical male."

Xander frowned. "On behalf of my gender—hey!"

"Xander," Buffy said looking at him pointedly.

"I know. I know," Xander said with a sigh. "Despite that we know you're a girl. You still know what it's like to be a boy."

"Anyways," Giles said, "our wolfman could also be a wolfwoman. Or anyone who was bitten by a werewolf."

Xander looked at his watch. "And whoever it is will be changing at any moment."

Willow nodded, reached over to the globe, and gave it a gentle push. It turned about halfway, as if knowing her next words. "Because it'll be night soon."

"So then," Xander said, clasping his hands in summation. "I'm guessing your standard issue silver bullets are in order here?"

Giles shook his head emphatically. "No. No bullets. No matter who this werewolf is, it's still a human being who may be completely unaware of his, or her, condition."

Buffy's eyes meet Giles's. "So," she said, "tonight we bring 'em back alive."

Makeout Park

Buffy wandered quietly among the bushes at the edge of the parking lot. She could see Giles prowling between the cars, every now and then thoughtlessly shining a flashlight inside a window.

Finally, they crossed paths between two of the darkened cars. "Anything yet?" Giles asked.

"Yes," Buffy whispered excitedly. "And you won't believe what I saw! Cortney Podell was making out with Owen Sadeel—but she goes with Barrett Woods. If he ever finds out—" Her words sputtered away as she realized what he'd meant. "No," she amended. "No sign of the werewolf. How about you?"

"The same," Giles said, studying the cars. "I thought we might knock on a few windows, ask if anyone's seen anything yet."

Buffy gaped at him, completely appalled. "Giles? No one's seen anything."

His mouth opened, then closed. "Oh . . . yes. Of course not."

Buffy left him to roam through the parking lot and headed back into the wooded area around the lot's edge. She was barely a few yards into the bushes when she thought she heard something, so she went in deeper, stepping cautiously between the greenery. In the shadows ahead, a shape caught her eye but she couldn't quite make it out. She aimed for it, crossing out of the trees and into a small clearing—

Her feet snapped out from under her and the ground fell away as she was yanked upward. Some sort of netting made of thick leather strips folded tightly around her, making it impossible for her to move. She hung there for a second, stunned, then realized that someone was below her. When she angled her head downward, Buffy saw him.

A rough-looking man dressed in dark hunter's garb and boots stared up at her. Buffy couldn't decide which was more disturbing: the row of sharp teeth dangling from a cord around his neck, or the barrel of the long, oily rifle aimed at her head as she struggled vainly to free herself.

He grinned darkly, focusing behind the rifle's sight.

"Gotcha!"

"Giles! GILES!"

"What the—" The hunter stopped and lowered the rifle slightly. He peered up at her, then experimentally thrust the tip of the barrel through the netting.

"Ow!" Buffy cried. Frustrated, she thrashed but still couldn't free herself.

Branches crunched as Giles lurched into the clearing. "Hey!" he yelled when he saw the guy standing below Buffy. Instantly, the hunter swung the gun in Giles's direction. "Whoa, now!" Giles sputtered and threw up his hands.

"The hands are good right about there," the man said coldly.

"Who are you?" Giles demanded. "What are you doing?"

"The name's Gib Cain," the hunter replied without lowering his weapon. "I'm the one with the gun. Which means I'm the one who gets to do the interview."

Buffy cleared her throat loudly. "Hey," she called down, "before we get all chummy here, could we do something about this me being in a net thing?"

Cain glanced up at her, then lowered the rifle and pulled a knife from his belt. With three hard strokes, he sliced through the rope that held the net suspended above them. Buffy fell to the ground with an "Oof!"

Giles hurried to help free her. "You all right?"

"I could have done without the poking," she said, giving Cain a hard look.

Cain considered Buffy, then turned to Giles. "I got to say, I'm impressed."

"Excuse me?" Giles asked.

The hunter eyed Buffy again. "It's good to get the fruit while it's fresh."

Giles glared at him. "You'd be wise to take that back."

Cain shrugged, but his eyes were hooded. "Hey, what a man and a boy are doing in Lovers' Lane at night is nobody's—"

Giles started to move toward him, but Buffy stepped in between the two men. "It's not what you think, repulsive brain." It was obvious Cain wasn't convinced, so Buffy decided to go for the shock factor. "We're…hunting werewolves."

There was a beat of silence, then Cain broke into harsh laughter. "Sure,"

Buffy said in exasperation. "It's funny if you don't believe in werewolves—"

"No," Cain broke in. "It's funny thinking about you two catching one!" He shot Giles a humorous look. "This guy looks like he's auditioning to be a librarian. And you…" He shrugged and Buffy had the distinct impression he wanted to laugh all over again. "Well, you like someone who hangs out in libraries."

"I assure you," Giles said evenly, "he's quite capable."

"Uh-huh." Clearly Cain didn't believe him. He looked directly at Buffy. "Let me ask you something. Exactly how many of these animals have you taken out?"

Buffy hesitated. "As of… today?"

Cain fingered the necklace of sharp, pearly teeth around his neck. "I tore a tooth from the mouth of every werewolf that I killed. This next one will bring the total to an even dozen."

Not believing what she'd heard, Buffy looked at Giles, then back at Cain. "You're just going to kill it?"

"Well, see, that's the thing." Cain folded his arms around his hunting rifle. "Their pelts fetch a pretty penny in Sri Lanka, and it's a little hard to skin 'em when they're alive."

Giles's mouth fell open. "You hunt werewolves for sport!"

Cain wasn't at all vexed. "Oh, no. I'm in it purely for the money."

"And it doesn't bother you that a werewolf is a person twenty-eight days out of the month?" Buffy demanded.

For a second, Cain looked thoughtful. "You know, it does bother me. Quite a bit." Then his swarthy grin returned. "That's why I only hunt them the other three." He kept smiling as he began gathering the tangled net. "I'd really love to stay and chat, but I'm on a tight schedule. Any idea where else couples like to get together around here?"

Buffy couldn't follow. "You're looking for a party?"

"No," Cain told her, "but the werewolf is. They're suckers for that whole 'sexual heat' thing. Sense it miles away. But since little doggie ain't here, I guess he found another place."

The wheels clicked in Buffy's brain. "Sorry. Wish I could help you."

"But you don't know squat?" Cain shouldered the rest of his gear. "Gee, what a surprise."

Buffy and Giles watched him stomp off, then she snatched her bag of supplies out of Giles's hand and headed in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" Giles asked as he kept up with her.

"I think I know where to look," Buffy said with determination. "We just have to make it there before Mein Furrier."

The Bronze

The Bronze was smoking tonight. A good band, a more than ample crowd, lots of touchy-feely going on with the couples around her.

'And here sit I,' Willow thought. 'With my date.'

From her spot on the couch next to Willow, Cordelia frowned. "I mean, with Xander it's always 'Willow said that.' Willow, Willow. It's like I don't even exist."

Willow nodded, inwardly marveling that she could so totally sync with what Cordelia was thinking. "I sometimes feel like that."

"And then," Cordelia continued, "when I call him on it, he acts all confused, like I'm the one with the problem."

"His 'Do I smell something?' look," Willow said knowingly.

Cordelia nodded. "All part of his little guy-games. It's like he's there, but then he's not there. He wants it, but then he doesn't want it."

"He's so busy looking around at everything he doesn't have that he doesn't even realize what he does have."

Cordelia gave Willow an arched look. "But he should at least realize that you have Oz."

A part of Willow was rather horrified that she was in a semi-bonding conversation with, of all people, Cordelia. Another part of her desperately felt the urge to talk. "I'm not sure I do," she finally said. "Oz and I are in some sort of holding pattern. Only without the holding." She paused. "Or anything else."

Cordelia frowned. "What's he waiting for? What's his problem?" She looked disgusted. "Oh—that's right. He's a guy."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "Him and Xander. Guys."

Cordy sat back in a huff. "Who do they think they are?"

"A couple of guys," Willow answered sagely. They nodded in agreement—

And something huge and hairy fell from the ceiling and crashed onto their table.

Werewolf!

Screams erupted as teenagers fled in all directions. Willow and Cordelia screamed along with everyone else and threw themselves backward as the creature swiped at them and missed. They scrambled from their seats and Willow got a grip on Cordelia's arm, pulling her along. "Come on!" she shrieked. "This way!"

Somehow, they made it outside despite the crush for the door and the tables and chairs that went flying around them. Cordelia was right on her heels as Willow pounded out of the Bronze, shouting mental thanks as she saw Giles's car pull up.

"Looks as though your hunch was right," she heard Giles say to Buffy.

Buffy threw open the passenger door. "How could a werewolf resist Sunnydale's own House o' Hormones?"

"The werewolf!" Willow cried as she ran up to the car. "It's in there!"

Cordelia's voice reached a new level of strident as she ranted at the doorman. "You could be a little more discriminating with that velvet rope!"

Willow pulled on Buffy's sleeve. "It went upstairs!"

Buffy nodded and dashed for the entrance. Willow watched her disappear inside the Bronze just as a final, panicked couple lurched out. Then they were in the clear, and she had to bite her lip when someone reached out and slammed the door shut behind her best friend.

Now it was just Buffy, and the werewolf.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy crept forward, studying the shadows cast amid the broken chairs and overturned tables. Up the stairs and into more darkness. She caught a movement from the corner of her eye and angled toward it, only to discover her own reflection in a mirror. She paused for a second, frowning at herself, then realized what was wrong about it—

The werewolf was right behind her.

Buffy spun out of its way as it leaped, barely avoiding the wicked slash of its claws. Crazy thoughts of a Slayer with werewolf blood ran through her head as she dodged and kicked, fighting to stay out of its range. It crashed backward, snarling viciously, and she grabbed at the chance to unshoulder her bag and yank out a length of heavy, iron chain. When it came at her again, she swung the chain for all she was worth; her reward was seeing it wrap solidly around the beast's neck.

The werewolf's paws came up and grasped it, the humanity deep within its form giving its fingers flexibility where there should have been none. Buffy held on tight and for her effort got thrown across the room when the creature whirled in an attempt to get free. With her hold lost, she heaved herself back to her feet in time to see the werewolf pull the chain loose. Instead of attacking again, it ran in the other direction and dove straight through the second floor window—

—and disappeared into the night.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"You let it get away," Gib Cain said. He seemed not at all surprised.

"I didn't let it do anything," Buffy said hotly. "I had the chain around its neck."

"Chain?" Cain rolled his eyes. "What were you going to do, take it for a walk?"

"I was trying to lock it up," she said as she folded the length of metal back into her bag.

"That's beautiful," Cain said, shaking his head. The interior of the Bronze was a wreck and he glanced at the destruction. "This is what happens when an amateur tries to do a professional's job."

"Now you look here, Mr. Cain," Giles said stiffly, "this boy risked his life trying to capture a beast that you haven't as yet been able to find."

"Uh-huh. And Daddy's doing a great job carrying her bag of Milk Bones." He smirked at Giles's outraged expression, then leaned in until he was right in Buffy's face. "You know if that thing out there harms anyone, it's going to be on your head."

Buffy just glared at him, and after a moment, he turned on his heel and headed for the door. Right before he left, he gave one parting shot. "I hope you can live with that."

She didn't drop her gaze. "I live with that every day."

Disgusted, Cain shook his head again as he walked away. "First they tell me I can't hunt an elephant for its ivory. Now I've got to deal with People for the Ethical Treatment of Werewolves."

Buffy stood and stared after him, then felt Giles take the bag and zip it closed. He touched her elbow to pull her attention away from the hunter.

"Let's move out."

January 28, 1998 – Wednesday

Makeout Park

It was nearly dawn and Buffy sighed as she made her way back to Giles's car. She could hear the sound of a newscast on the tinny radio all the way across the now-empty parking lot—

". . . the negotiations were tabled when West-leader Petrie could not come to terms with the leader from the East. Petrie said a strike is inevitable."

—but when she got within range, the car was empty.

"Giles?" Panic filled her and she darted to the window. What if the werewolf had found him and dragged him away? What if he was dead? She yanked open the door, half yelling—

"Blaerg!" Giles cried and sat up on the front seat.

Buffy exhaled in relief and climbed inside the auto. "Oh—I didn't see you there. I thought something had happened."

"No, no," Giles managed. His hair was mussed and his voice was groggy with sleep. "I was just…I'm okay." He blinked. "Fine. Uh—any sign of the werewolf?"

"No." She gave him a sidelong glance. "I'm guessing you didn't see anything, either. From that vantage point of having your eyes closed."

Giles looked guiltily at his watch, then gazed out the window. "Sorry. It's going to be light soon. I suppose we should be heading—"

"Wait!" Buffy interrupted. She leaned forward and twisted the volume knob on the radio.

"—police say that the incident was apparently connected to the animal mutilation which occurred the night before last. The coroner's office has identified the body as that of Sunnydale High School student Theresa Klusmeyer, age seventeen. The authorities ask that anyone with further information—"

Giles reached over and turned off the radio as Buffy slumped on the seat, devastated. Theresa, dead? But how could that be when it seemed like gym class had only been a couple of hours ago?

"Buffy," Giles said gently, "we're going to get this thing. We have another whole night." When Buffy didn't answer, he continued. "There's nothing more we can do now—it is sunrise. That werewolf isn't going to be a werewolf much longer."

Sunnydale High School

"I can't believe I let that thing get away," Buffy said. "Cain was right. I should have killed it when I had the chance! That he got Theresa. "And I could have stopped it."

Giles rubbed his chin. "Well, we have one more night."

"Oh, yeah." Buffy's jaw was rigid. "Believe me, I'm going to give that wolfie something to howl about."

Xander unfolded himself from the chair on the other side of the table. "But while we hang here doing nothing, there's a human werewolf walking around out there, probably making fun of us."

"The way werewolves always do," Willow said dryly. She shot Oz a humorous look but he didn't seem to notice. Instead, he had a question of his own. "But is there really any way to tell who it is?"

"Sure, there is," Xander said confidently. "Giles knows stuff. And I'm practically an expert on this subject."

A corner of Willow's mouth lifted. "On account of how you were once a hyena."

Xander paced around the table, finally stopping in front of Oz. "I know what it's like to crave the taste of freshly killed meat. To be taken over by those uncontrollable urges—"

"You said you didn't remember anything about that," Buffy interrupted. "Did you know that I was back then?"

Derailed, Xander looked sheepish. "I said I didn't remember anything about that…" He cleared his throat. "Look, the point is, I have an affinity with this thing. I can get inside of its head." He closed his eyes and swayed for a few moments, then began to mumble to himself. "I'm a big, bad wolf." Eyes closed, Xander had no idea of the look that Willow exchanged with Buffy. "I'm on the prowl. I'm sniffing, I'm snarling, I'm a slobbering predator. I'm—Wait a second. It's right in front of us. It's obvious who I am!"

Willow, Buffy and Giles tensed.

"I'm Larry!"

When they all stared at him blankly, Xander began to tick off points on his fingers. "The guy has practically got 'wolf-boy' stamped on his forehead. You got the dog bite; you got the aggression. Not to mention the excessive back hair."

Buffy looked thoughtful. "He was awfully gleeful about tormenting Theresa."

"I'm going to go talk to him," Xander announced as he strode to the door. "Force a confession out of him!"

"Good," Giles said, unconvinced. "Good. In the meantime, we need to cover our bases. Willow, check the student files. See if anyone else fits the profile." He headed for his office, motioning for Buffy to follow. "Buffy?"

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"If none of that works," he told her, "I think I may have an alternative."

"Yeah. Me and the werewolf, alone in a cage for three minutes," Buffy said sharply. "That's all I ask."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Xander could hear the faucet running and knew that Larry was the only one in the locker room—he'd shadowed him for the last twenty minutes until Larry'd stopped in here. When the jock rounded the corner, Xander was right in his face.

"Harris!" Larry exclaimed as he jerked to a stop. "Geez—next time wear a bell!"

Xander didn't move out of his way. "Why so jumpy, Larry?"

"Geeks make me nervous," Larry said without missing a beat.

"Is that really it?" A corner of Xander's mouth turned up. "Or is there something you're hiding?"

Larry leaned toward him. "I could hide my fist in your face." He stepped around Xander and opened his locker; plastered to every inch inside the door were pictures of bikini-clad girls and models.

Before Larry could reach for his books, Xander slammed the door shut again. "I know your secret, big guy. I know what you've been doing at night."

Larry turned slowly toward him. "You know, Harris, that nosy little nose of yours is going to get you into trouble someday." Suddenly his ham-sized fist snagged Xander's collar and he yanked him nearly off his feet, then slammed him against a locker. "Like today."

But Xander didn't bat an eye. "Hurting me isn't going to make this go away. People are still going to find out."

Larry let him go with a little shove, then exhaled. "All right, what do you want? Hush money—is that what you're after?"

"I don't want anything," Xander told him. "I just want to help."

The other teen shot him a disgusted look. "What—you think you have a cure?"

Xander shook his head. "No, it's just . . . I know what you're going through because I've been there. That's why I know you should talk about it."

Larry gave a little laugh. "Yeah, that's easy for you to say! I mean, you're a nobody, but I've got a reputation."

"Larry, please—before someone else gets hurt." Xander waited.

The bigger teenager slammed a fist against his locker, then stared at the floor. "If this gets out, it's over for me. Forget about playing football—they'll run me out of this town. I mean, come on. How are people going to look at me after they find out I'm gay?"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"So, what's the scuttlebutt?" Buffy asked from behind her. "Anybody besides Larry fit our werewolf profile?"

Willow looked up and hid a smile as her friend perched on the edge of the desk. "There is one name that keeps getting spit out. Aggressive behavior, run-ins with authorities, about a screenful of violent incidents—"

Buffy broke in when she focused on the information displayed on the screen. "Okay, most of those were not my fault. Somebody else started them—I was just standing up for myself."

"They say it's a good idea to count to ten when you're angry," Willow said calmly.

Buffy glared at her. "One, two, three—"

Willow grinned. "I'll keep looking."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy was on her way to the faculty bathroom when Oz approached. "Can I talk to you about something?" he asked.

"Shoot," Buffy said.

"Not here," Oz said. He walked, and she scrambled to follow.

Makeout Park

Oz drove her to the park in silence, and she couldn't bring up the energy to feel nervous. Oz had a deep, calming presence about him that Buffy couldn't help but trust. They parked and wandered deep into the park, until they were next to a rocky stream scattered with sunbeams.

"This is beautiful," Buffy said, settling down on a rock. "How did you find it?"

"I like to wander," Oz said.

Buffy nodded. They sat in silence for a while, watching the stream ripple and dance along the rocks. "What did you want to talk about?" Buffy asked finally, not looking at Oz.

"Two things," Oz said. He paused. "What's your opinion on people who are violent, but can't help it?"

Buffy hummed. "It depends, I guess," she said. "Can I restrain this person, so they don't harm anyone? Is it all the time, or just sometimes? Do they want to do better?"

"Yes," Oz said. "And sometimes."

She looked back at him, but he was still watching the stream. "What's the other thing?"

"What do you know about transgender issues?"

Buffy laughed. Oz looked at her then, and she saw a flash of hurt. She tried to stop herself. Only when he stood to leave did she say, "No, I'm sorry, wait. That was just really unexpected." She giggled again. "I know a lot about transgender issues. Given how I'm a girl."

Oz sat back down. "I didn't know."

"I'm not super out. My name is Buffy. My sister, Willow, Xander, Giles and Cordelia all know. Why did you ask?"

"I guess that answers whether Willow would be okay with it," Oz said. "I'm trans too. I was born female. I socially transitioned when I was a kid and went on HRT last year."

Buffy smiled at him and reached out. He took her hand. "Why are you telling me now? Aside from the Willow thing."

He looked away, withdrew his hand. "I'm the werewolf."

Buffy's mouth opened in surprise. "Oh," she said all her anger at the werewolf disappearing instantly. "So, when you turn—"

"Yeah. I won't be able to hide it."

Buffy grabbed his hand again. "You won't have to. Based off when I told her that I was trans, I know she would accept that. She told me though how you had yet to kiss her. And she was hoping you would."

"I really like her," Oz admitted. "But…"

Buffy released Oz's hand and laid back on the rock, soaking up sunrays. She closed her eyes. "I dated a vampire," she said. "For a while. He knew who I was. All of who I was. It went rotten, at the end. Not his fault. Not my fault either. Sometimes bad shit just happens, you know? But when it was good—" she sighed. "Part of what made it so good was that he knew me, inside and out, all the parts of me I have to keep hidden. There's nothing like it." She turned to lay on her side and looked up at Oz. "You can't look for that, you know? It finds you. Willow is a good person, and I can tell you are too. At least your inner demon only comes out a couple times a month."

Oz looked up into the trees. A bird took flight, and Buffy watched it with him, her heart constricting. They sat there, watching the stream and the trees until pink began to touch the sky. "We'd better get back," Buffy said. She sat up, slowly. "There's a cage in the library you can use."

Oz nodded. As they both headed away from the brook, he reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "You're a good person," he told her. "The best."

"Save the flirting for Willow," Buffy teased. Oz smiled.

Sunnydale High School

The library was empty when they returned, and Buffy called Willow, Xander, and Giles as Oz locked himself in the cage. "I found the werewolf," she said.

Willow gaped, eyes wide, when she arrived. Oz was sleeping on the floor of the cage, curled up into a ball—he'd suggested she knock him out for the night, and Buffy had reluctantly agreed. Watching him now, though, Buffy thought it might've been the right call.

"I guess that makes balancing Scooby stuff and real-world stuff easier," Willow said, watching him through the bars.

Buffy sat with Willow at the table, and she patted Willow's arm. "We can never escape it, can we?" she said as Xander and Giles came through the doors, carrying pizzas, glancing at Oz as they sat.

"Did you know Larry is gay?" Xander asked, shoving pepperoni in his mouth. "I didn't know Larry was gay."

"Yeah, he asked me out last a few months ago," Buffy said. Xander gaped. "Well, he asked me to have sex."

Xander shook his head. "The secrets we keep." They all laughed.

Giles glanced at Oz. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"It's good to have these things in the open," Buffy said. "Secrets eat people alive. It never works out, in the long run. He'll be safe here."

They ate their pizza, watching Oz and gossiping. At one point Buffy left and went to the funeral home. When she returned, she told them Angel had been the one to kill Theresa and that he had sired Theresa to send a message to her.

January 29, 1998 – Thursday

Sunnydale High School

Around one, Xander yawned and laid his head down. "I'm tapping out," he said. "Wake me up when the morning comes."

Buffy patted his head fondly. The doors burst open, and Cain ran in, rifle raised. "You people," he snarled.

"Relax," Buffy said, standing. "Look. We have it under control here."

Cain glanced around the room, charging towards the cage when he spotted Oz. Buffy intercepted him, holding her hand against his chest. "I said we have it under control," she repeated. "You're not wanted nor needed here. Get out of my town."

"But it's a monster," Cain snarled.

"It's our monster," Buffy said. Willow, Giles and Xander watched from the table, in apparently mild interest. Xander yawned.

Cain looked from her to the cage to the Scoobies, then stepped back, lowering his rifle and shaking his head in disgust. "It's your funeral," he said, and stalked out, slamming the library doors.

"I hope we never see him again," Giles said as Willow giggled.

Buffy pulled out a few training mats and laid them on the floor, flopping down on her stomach. "Willow takes first shift," she said, and was asleep before her head hit the mat.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow watched Oz for a few moments, then dug deep and found the courage to go stand in front of him. "Hey," she said in a soft voice.

For a second, he didn't answer, then "Hey."

There was an awkward pause. Then Willow took a deep breath. "I kind of thought you would have told me."

"Which part?" Oz wondered.

"Either," Willow admitted.

He stood and began walking with her. "It's not something I admit to many," he admitted. "It's kind of why I asked Buffy's opinion first. I wanted to gauge how you would react. Then she told me her story and I knew I didn't have to hide that part of me."

Willow smiled. "I like you. You're nice and you're funny and you don't smoke. If you had said something before May of last year, I would have had to take my time wrapping my head around it." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Buffy didn't tell me and Xander till then. It was a little bit of a shock, but given our world it was much more normal than anything else. And the werewolf thing, well that's okay. I mean, three days out of the month I'm not much fun to be around either."

When it came, Oz's smile was wide. "You are quite the human."

"So I'd still if you'd still."

"I'd still." Oz nodded for emphasis. "I'd very still."

"Okay." Willow thought for a second. "No biting, though."

"Agreed," Oz said.

Satisfied, Willow hugged her books and stepped past him. She could feel him watching her as she left—

—so, she turned back, took three quick steps and, enjoying his puzzled expression, kissed him full on the lips.

Willow left him standing there and smiling as she strolled off. She thought she heard Oz say something—

"A transgender werewolf in love…"


Author's Note: This episode actually aired during the New Moon not the Full Moon. The Full Moon of January 1998 was on January 12th, which would have placed it before Surprise/Innocence. This is not the last time that actual calendar events or dates were ignored by the writers of the show. The episode Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered had Valentine's Day on a school day despite that in 1998 Valentine's Day was on a Saturday.