Chapter 28: Beauty and the Beasts

October 19, 1998 – Monday

Restfield Cemetery

Buffy, and Faith strolled side, by side through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries. Trying their best to get to know each other as they did a joint patrol. Buffy put on a brave face, but really her heart was aching inside, she so wanted to kiss Faith but she wasn't sure where she and Faith stood yet.

"Nice place. Do you ever catch kids doing the diddy out here?" Faith asked breaking the silence, as she felt her usual charge of excitement at the prospect of dusting a few vamps or killing a few demons.

Buffy shook her head. "No. There's a smooch spot up by the woods. That's usually were kids go," she answered.

"So you been kicking the gearshift lately," Faith said with a provocative grin, which left no room for misinterpretations of her meaning.

Buffy looked at Faith as she shook her head. "No," she answered. "There is one person…"

"You like this person. And when you think about this person you get that," Faith inhaled meaningfully, "good, down low tickle, right?"

"Yeah," Buffy said as she eyed Faith.

"So," Faith said, she so wanted to kiss Buffy. But she wasn't sure yet where they stood so she held off. "We talking boy or girl?"

"Girl," Buffy answered without thinking. She looked around scanning for possible threats.

"And she's quite the muffin." Faith gave Buffy a friendly smile, which Buffy returned.

Buffy nodded. "Blueberry. That crunchy, munchy stuff on top. One thing I do like about her is that she doesn't seem to be any kind of hell beast."

"Women are the best, unlike men." Faith told her seriously, giving her sister Slayer a sideways glance. Every guy from…Manimal down to Mr. I-Love-The-English-Patient has beast in him. And I don't care how sensitive they act. They're all still just in it for the chase," she said firmly.

"You know that from experience," Buffy questioned.

"I prefer women, B, doesn't mean I haven't been with men," Faith admitted.

October 20, 1998 – Tuesday

Sunnydale High School

Buffy, Willow and Oz walked up stairs from the quad, going up to the balcony. "I don't think that's true, that every guy is in it only for the chase," Willow said seriously, a small frown on her face as she thought about it. Continuing on from the conversation they had been having after Buffy had told them about her patrol with Faith.

"I know it's an awful generalization," Buffy agreed.

"Hey, Buffy!" someone shouted. Looking over in the direction of the voice, her eyes landed on Scott as he walked over to her from the other side of the balcony. "How's your friend?" he asked when he was standing in front of the blonde.

"I think she's getting there," Buffy admitted.

From across the balcony Scott's close friends Debbie, and Pete make their way over. Debbie was holding a bouquet of flowers that Pete had given her as a surprise gift this morning. Her small hands clutching them as if afraid they'd disappear on her.

Oz noticed their approach and held up one of his hands in greeting. "Howdy, Debbie."

"Hi, Oz," Debbie said with a smile she'd always liked the guitar player, he'd always been nice to her in his peculiar way. "Hey, you're not doing jazz band this year?" she commented, feeling disappointed by the fact.

"Oh, can't take the pressure," Oz said in way of an explanation. "It's not the music that's hard it's the marching."

"We have a marching jazz band?" Buffy inquired.

"Yeah, but you know, since the best jazz is improvisational, we'd be going off in all different directions, banging into floats…scary," Oz said with his lopsided smile.

Willow smiled at the group. "He's just being Oz," she told them

"Pretty much full time," Oz quipped smiling across at his Willow, tempted to give her a kiss, but held himself back seeing as they were in a crowd of people and he didn't want to embarrass his easily embarrassed red head.

Buffy's eyes landed on the bouquet of flowers clutched in Debbie's hand. "Those are pretty flowers," she commented smiling at Debbie. Proud of herself for the steady polite voice that she had managed to use.

"Thanks," Debbie beamed thrilled beyond belief that someone had asked her about them, she was just desperate to let everyone know that, her fella was buying her flowers. "There from Pete," she told them, grinning up at her boyfriend.

Pete gave a small smile. "Yeah, well, I, I'm sure Scott does that kind of stuff for you too, Buffy," he said uncomfortably, praying that the heat he felt in his cheeks was not a blush.

Scott and Buffy looked at each other with wide eyes. "Pete," he said. "Buffy and I aren't together. She's devoting her time to a friend who needs a shoulder, you know. We're just friends."

"What time is it?" Buffy asked suddenly remembering that she had to be somewhere soon. She looked around for a clock, before grabbing Scott's left wrist so that she could see the face of the watch he was wearing. "Oh, I have to go see Mr. Platt today," she muttered, not really wanting to go, but knew that she needed to.

"Platt? The school counselor?" Debbie asked, looking interested.

Buffy nodded conformingly, bringing her hands together in sarcastic joy. "Yep. I get to convince him I'm little-miss-stable so that I can stay in school."

"Platt creeps me out. I would totally quit going, except I'm flunking senior bio, and my teacher says I have success issues." Debbie giggled.

"Senior bio? I kind of aced that final," Oz informed her.

"And how did you do that? Oh, right you showed up," Willow teased.

Oz smiled at her, not taking any offense to his girlfriend's jibes. "If you want my notes there yours," he offered wrapping an arm around his girlfriend.

"Thanks," Debbie said gratefully. "That would be great."

At that moment the bell rang, making them all grimace at the loud sound, Buffy more for the fact that she had to go talk to the school shrink, about things that, she wasn't really supposed to talk about, and could get her sent to another loony bin.

"We'd better go." Buffy said as he walked off, with Willow and Oz not far behind her.

"So, how come you and Scott are just friendly?" Willow wondered.

"Because I'm interested in someone else," Buffy answered.

"You are," Willow asked in surprise.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah."

"Who?"

"Uhm…" Buffy started. "Faith," she said softly.

Willow looked at her friend with wide eyes. "Wow, I never would have expected that. How does Faith feel about that?"

"I don't know," Buffy admitted. "We've done a little bit of flirting but that's been it."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy lightly knocked on the door to the school psychologist's office before opening the unlocked door entering the room. She closed the door behind her as her nose wrinkled slightly at the smell of cigarette smoke in the air. Her eyes rested on the arm of the psychologist, his hand deftly holding a burning cigarette in between his fingers. His arm was the only thing she could see, as the rest of him was blocked from her view by the very puffy leather chair he was sitting in. "Two o'clock, Mister…" Mr. Platt said without turning around.

"Miss," Buffy corrected.

"My apologized," he said. "I got the memo but I wasn't sure if it was official yet."

"As far as the school is concerned it's official," Buffy answered as he blew out a large puff of smoke, making no move to turn around to face her. "As far as the courts it's not yet. Our lawyers have said they want bottom surgery before they will make it official. My name on the other hand is."

"Of course," he said as he continued to look out his window. "I'll try and make sure and gender you correctly from now on," he informed her.

"Look…I know that I have to do this, and I'll cooperate, and I'll look at your ink blots and everything, but…I don't want to talk about my life or my childhood…or anything for that matter actually," Buffy explained.

"Do you see a psychologist for…what's the word?" he asked.

"Transitioning and yes," Buffy answered as Mr. Platt finally turned around to face her. "I see her every other week. That's kind of why I don't wan't…"

"That's understandable. Then we'll leave your life and your childhood for your normal psychologist," he informed her as he took another drag from his cigarette, before crushing it out. "So, in here we'll deal with what got you expelled back in May instead." Popping the lid off an aerosol, he sprayed it around himself, trying to camouflage the scent of smoke in his small office. "Take a seat." He replaced the lid of the can, and hid it back in his drawer as Buffy took the offered seat. "That said I would like to have the contact information of your primary psychologist so we can confer."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy walked into the library from her meeting with Mr. Platt to see Giles pacing a hole in the library floor and Willow, Oz, Cordelia and Xander sitting on the library steps looking miserable. She sat her bag down on the table. "I'm afraid to ask," she muttered crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oz ate someone last night," Cordelia declared with her usual clueless bluntness.

Willow glared at the cheerleader, with angry eyes. "He did not!" she said in her boyfriend's defense.

"Oz does not eat people." Xander growled annoyed, the guilt in him making him more irritable than normal. Cordelia rolled her eyes uncaringly. "It's more werewolf play." Buffy looked at Giles inquiringly, deciding that she wasn't going to get an answer from her friends anytime soon. "You know, I bat you around a little bit, like a cat toy. I have harmless, wolf fun. Is it Oz's fault that…" Oz lowered his head in guilt, "…you know, side effect, people get cut to ribbons, and maybe then he'll take a little nibble and…" Willow turned her pain-filled eyes on her friend. Noticing the look, he cut off his rambling. "I'm not helping, am I?"

"No," Giles agreed. "Oz may have gotten out of his cage last night," he explained, answering Buffy's question.

"Or maybe there's a, another werewolf roaming the woods," Oz said feeling desperate for other options to be discussed.

"Perhaps. Perhaps it is something else entirely," Giles offered.

"Good in theory," Oz said clearly frustrated. "Not very helpful for the potential nibbler."

"It's ok. We'll work together and figure this out," Buffy said firmly, trying to offer comfort to her friends, hating the looks of misery on their faces.

"Yes, um… Buffy, uh, you, uh, patrol…"

"I can't patrol till after my session with Miss Holloway," Buffy said as she saw the raised eyebrows. "I have to jump through hoops to get my hormones legally. Miss Holloway is my therapist for that. Though she is helping me with other things as well. Anyways I see her after school today." She looked at Giles. "So, I'll patrol the woods after I am done."

"Very well," Giles agreed before looking at the Scoobies. "The rest of you, check the morgue."

Willow smiled. "Right! We can see if it's a werewolf kill or not." She looked at Oz, suddenly remembering that he still had two more nights of changing. "But what about Oz?"

"Um…I have some research materials at home I need to look up," Giles said. "We could ask Faith to watch over him."

Oz looked at Giles sullenly. "You're having a Slayer watch me? Oh good, I'm glad to see were not over reacting," he grumbled, standing up, feeling the need to leave. Needing some space from all that was happening.

Willow glanced at Buffy concern filling her eyes, before she went after Oz catching him by the arm. She attempted to smile reassuringly, wanting nothing more than for Oz to feel better.

Oz looked away from her. "Ok. Uh you know that thing where someone bails in the middle of an upsetting conversation? I have to do that. It's kind of dramatic I know, but…sometimes, it a necessary guy thing," he said trying his best to keep his voice calm, and for the most part succeeding, only Willow could hear the emotional tremor in his voice.

"And I want you to…but…" Willow glanced at the clock meaningful, gesturing at it helplessly.

Oz looked at it with condemning eyes. 5:34. Almost sunset, looking round at the others for a moment, wishing that they'd all leave so that he could at least have a small moment, before the sunset and he thought no more. Walking to the cage, with a profound reluctance, and yet with a determination that he hadn't had just the previous night. The cage door creaked sharply as he swung it open. The lock clicking into place with a loud clang as he swung the door shut.

"Oz," Willow said concerned as she stood outside the cage. She didn't like the vibes she was feeling from him. They were all dark and turbulent.

Oz refused to meet her gaze, feeling to low down, and dirty at the moment to want to see the lovable innocence in her eyes. "Get away from the cage," he demanded gruffly.

"What?" Willow asked confused, and a little hurt, at Oz's treatment.

"It's going to happen soon," he said. Willow still wouldn't move her eyes never wavering from him. She was about to speak again when Oz cut across her. "Get away from me!" He turned his back on her walking further into the cage.

Willow looked at him for a moment more her eyes giving away her hurt and confusion at Oz shutting her out, when all she wanted to do was hold him close until he felt better. To show him how much she loved him, no matter what he did, or didn't do.

Buffy moved next to Willow and laid a hand on her friend's shoulder before looking at Oz. "I'll clear your name, Oz. I promise." She received no response, but she knew her fellow transgender individual had heard and was grateful. She then turned and headed for the library doors.

Forever Mindful Psychological Services

Buffy sat in front of her psychologist Marissa Holloway sitting across from her. "Today I want to start with why you ran away," Marissa informed her.

"I was dating someone." Buffy said awkwardly as she compiled the barest of facts that wouldn't give away the true freakiness of her life. "It ended badly. My mom and I were fighting, and…I guess I kind of…freaked."

Marissa was silent for a moment as she rolled her chair closer to Buffy. "Tell me about this guy. The bad ending guy," she clarified.

"He was the first person—" Buffy started.

"I take it, he knew?" Marissa wondered as she crossed one leg over the other.

"Yeah," Buffy answered. "It didn't bother him that I was trans. At least not till he…"

"Changed," Marissa supplied in understanding. "I assume that was after…"

"We had…yeah," Buffy said slowly, with a small nodded, her mind helplessly replaying her first meeting with Angelus, and the mind-numbing pain that went with it. "He got mean after that."

"But you didn't stop loving him," Marissa said.

"Not right away," Buffy admitted. "For a while I thought it was a phase. That he would become the person I loved again. Eventually I had to admit to myself that he wasn't going to change back."

Marissa nodded as she reached over and patted Buffy on the knee. "A lot of people lose themselves in love," she admitted sadly. "You have no idea how many people I see in here that have been where you were. What you need to do is move forward. And with the fact you have started your transition you are trying to do that. Tell me, why have you not started dating yet?"

"I'm afraid," Buffy admitted. "There is this girl I like. But I'm afraid if I open my heart to her, she will reject it."

"I take it your bisexual?" Marissa asked as Buffy nodded. "Sadly, that's a risk, Buffy. For anyone regardless of gender. You have to put yourself back out there. You have to take that risk."

Buffy considered Marissa for a moment. "And if you can't?" she wondered.

"If you can't…your fear becomes your master. And you're just it's dog," Marissa said bluntly.

Forest

Buffy patrolled through the woods glad for the alone time. When she could put her thoughts in order. Such as how to tell Faith that she wanted to date her.

Her eyes surveyed her surroundings for any sign of what could have mauled the boy the night before. She hoped that she found something, if only to ease the burden that was weighing on Oz's heart at the thought of killing someone. Not that the death would be made any easier, but at least he'd know that it wasn't him that had viciously attacked him.

Buffy paused; she could swear something was watching her! The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end, warning her of the danger. She heard something behind her and she swiveled around, but she saw nothing, but the dark forest, that surrounded her.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Angel watched from the bushes as a figure prowled his forest. The woman was prowling, she walked with the grace of a predator, an experienced one. His senses were going haywire, warning him of the danger the girl possessed. His instinct was to attack, to get rid of the danger, to protect himself, to protect his territory. But at the same time, he felt as if he knew this person that he knew her very well, but he couldn't place her face, or name to the prowling figure. He growled softly when she paused, her back still to him, he could see her tense. Dashing through to another spot one where he would be able to see her face. He growled again when he got there, she had turned around, to his previous position, an object in her hand.

His eyes recognized the object as danger, as lethal, a small flash of memory crossed his mind, but it was small and quick and gone to quickly for him to catch, or remember it. He growled again, before silently dashing for another spot. This time he could hear her give chase. He moved quicker, instinctively knowing that if she caught him it meant death. Stopping when he reached a thick spot of bushes, he saw her run into sight, slowing slightly when she couldn't see him. His eyes narrowed and a low snarl escaped him, when for the first time he saw her face, and an unexplainable anger filled him, as well as a light heartedness as if she eased a spot inside of him. He couldn't remember, and the conflicting feelings confused him.

With a snarl Angel raced out of the bushes towards her intent on getting rid of her, and stopping the unexplained confusing emotions within him.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy came to a complete stop, staring in disbelief as she saw what she was pursuing running toward her. She couldn't see what it was very clearly, but she was relieved that she had found the possible something that had killed the boy everyone thought Oz had. The figure knocked her down as it ran into her, at that close proximity she could make out that it looked like a man, but it had been too fast for her to see any facial features. She steadied herself, pushing herself up. She paused in her attempt to get up as she saw clearly for the first time just who had attacked her. The face of Angel stared back at her, his dark eyes haunted, as he snarled at her ferociously, blood coating his lips. Her eyes widened with surprised disbelief.

Angel turned back to face her after he had knocked Buffy down, staring at her as she was doing him, deciding what he should do. She was danger therefore she should die, but he also sensed that he had known her, that at one stage they had been close. He snarled, his body quivering with pent up rage. His body still hurt at times with real, or remembered pain he wasn't sure, but his tormentors wouldn't be far behind him, they were always close. He'd killed a few he knew, but there had always been more…always more! He snarled angrily, ferally, before he attacked her again his decision made.

Buffy shook herself of her surprise quickly as Angel moved to attack her, as she moved to stand up, grabbing him she threw him to the ground, trying to find a way to get out of this without seriously hurting him. It was obvious to her that Angel wasn't in his right mind at the moment. She stumbled under his weight, falling to the hard ground.

Angel picked himself back up to rest on all fours, before crawling over to her, to finish her off whilst she was defenseless. He lunged at her. Buffy used his momentum against him, lifting her legs to catch him in the gut, sending him sailing over her to land hard on his back. Rising to her knees, she punched him before he could completely regain his footing. Her fist landed on his face, sending him into an uncontrolled spin. He quickly regained himself using his motion to add force to a back handed punch he landed on her face.

Buffy lost her balance falling on to her back on the forest floor, looking up she saw Angel lunging at her again, using her legs again she sent him onto his back once again. He twisted his body awkwardly and delivered a punch to her gut. She rolled away from the animal that Angel had become, pulling herself up into a defensive stance. She delivered a solid kick to his head when he tried to stand.

Angel slumped down on all fours shaking his head slightly trying to regain his focus. He looked up at Buffy a low growl rumbling in his chest. He was in time to receive a hit to his face. One that was strong enough to send his head flying to the side. He fell to the ground his limbs giving out on him, after a few breaths his world went black as he lost consciousness.

Buffy stared down at the unconscious body of Angel, her breaths coming in harsh pants as she tried to regain her breath. Cautiously stepping closer to him, she looked down at his defeated body. She still didn't quite believe what was happening. That he was back. Squatting down she gently rolled him over.

Reaching out an arm she gripped one of his wrists tightly, and slowly, trying to be as gentle as possible. She lifted him, pulling his arm over her shoulder so that his weight would be spread out more evenly and she wouldn't be teetering under his not so light weight.

Crawford Street Mansion

Buffy walked with a purposeful stride through the mansion moving quickly, whilst trying to search thoroughly. She couldn't be gone too long whilst Angel was unconscious, if he woke up, in the state he was in he'd run off into the wilderness. "Oh, come on!" she muttered annoyed as she walked into another room. "Where are the freaking chains?!" She spied a large trunk topped with old fashioned dolls, that looked like they had seen better days.

Knocking the dolls from there perch without care she threw open the lid, and tipped it over. Emptying the contents on the floor. Finally, she saw what she had been searching for and picked up the heavy chains. She retraced her steps back to the main room where she had left Angel. She was relieved to see him there lying on the floor unconscious. Looking over at the metal bracket holding up the high marble fireplace mantle, she walked over and looped one end around the iron bracket and locked the shackles around Angel's wrists.

Buffy took a step back as she watched his unconscious form, not quite being able to believe what she was seeing. One of his arms was held high off the ground by his chains, she winced at how uncomfortable that would be. "I'm sorry I have to chain you…but I can't have you hurting others whilst you're like this…I hope you understand."

Angel stirred on the floor. His body tensed, before he lashed out at her causing her to jump out of his reach. He growled at her as he tested the strength of his bonds. Then he retreated to the wall, huddling against it and cowered uncontrollably.

Buffy walked around him slowly in a wide arch keeping just out of reach. She couldn't imagine what he had suffered whilst in hell, but it had to have been horrible. She stopped walking when she noticed the new scorch mark on the floor, this time one in the shape of a man's body. She looked back at Angel when she heard him growl and begin to struggle with the chain. She then turned her attention back to the scorched silhouette of Angel for a better look. Trying to put together the pieces of an incomplete puzzle.

Angel growled as his attempts to pull the chains from the wall failed. With a feral growl he lunged for Buffy, his eyes full of anger causing her to jerk back away from him. He gave up his struggle with the chain and slumped to the floor.

Buffy sighed as she stood up. She looked over at Angel's cowering form. A part of her would always love him, she knew that even though she was no longer in love with him. And seeing him like this, that part of her that would always love him hated seeing him like this.

She glanced back at the scorched outline and decided she could get no more information to the puzzle that was his return here. She knew she would have to come tomorrow, and see how he was, bring him some pigs blood…till then she needed to do some research.

Walking slowly toward the door Buffy looked back over her shoulder at him. She saw his eyes focused on her, watching her angrily. She wondered if he expected her to attack him.

Sunnydale High School

Oz growled in his cage as one of Mark Ferrari's songs rang in his ears from Faith's portable CD player as she danced around the library in an attempt to cure her boredom. 'I probably should have brought more stuff with me to do,' Faith thought. A hand landed on her shoulder all of a sudden out of nowhere, spinning around on instinct she delivered a backhanded punch to her aggressor. Her fist smacking Buffy across the face of the blonde.

Buffy had not been prepared for an attack and took the full force of the blow not even attempting to block it. "Oh," she muttered as she stumbled back using the portable library card catalogue to keep herself from falling.

"Oh! Uh, Buffy!" Faith stuttered flustered at having attacked the more experienced Slayer, who was becoming what she thought was a good friend and hopefully in time much more. "Are you ok? What are you doing here?"

Buffy rubbed her tender jaw. "Uh, bleeding internally, but I'll live," she joked, grimacing slightly as her jaw throbbed.

"God, I'm so sorry." Faith held up her CD player as a silent part of her explanation. "I guess I didn't hear you."

"Figured as much," Buffy agreed, wincing again as her jaw gave a particularly painful throb. "Ow. Again." She arched her back in a small stretch. "Uh…actually, I came to give you the rest of the night off," she said with a small smile.

"Get out of jail free, huh? How come?" Faith asked with a raised brow.

Buffy shrugged nonchalantly. "Couldn't sleep," she muttered taking off her jacket, it wasn't exactly a lie, she wouldn't be able to sleep just yet. "Figured I'd, uh, cram for my French test." Well she'd be cramming alright, but not for something as unimportant as her French test.

Faith smiled, and shrugged in return. "That's cool. I was going kind of crazy in here, but I can get in a few stakings before sunrise." She handed Buffy the keys to Oz's cage with relief, before heading for the door.

"Knock yourself out…not literally, though," Buffy called after her as she watched Faith walk to the library door.

"Yeah, later." Faith said with a small wave of her hand.

"Uh, Faith," Buffy said before Faith was all the way out the door.

"Yeah," Faith said looking back.

"Uh…" Buffy started hesitantly. 'What is wrong with me?' she thought. 'Just say it. Just tell her how you feel.' "Have fun," she said out loud instead.

"Thanks," Faith said as she smiled at Buffy and then she was out the door, the door clanging shut behind her.

"Stupid," Buffy groaned. "Why can't I take the risk like Marissa suggested?"

Streets of Sunnydale

"Was she going to ask me out?" Faith wondered as she headed down the street. "Did she chicken out? She did say she had been having dreams about Angel. I wonder if his turning had more of an effect on her than she realizes."

October 21, 1998 – Wednesday

Sunnydale High School

Giles walked into the library a cup of coffee in his hand, he smiled slightly in relief when he saw Oz naked in the cage. Glad to see that there hadn't been any trouble last night. He unlocked the door to the cage with his own personal key, and pulled the door slightly open so that it wouldn't automatically relock itself.

Taking a sip from his cup, he looked around expecting to see Faith curled up somewhere, but instead he saw Buffy curled up in the stacks asleep, a book in her lap and a drawer from the card catalogue next to her on a step stool. Other books lay around her some open in various spots others lay closed.

Quietly Giles walked up the steps to the upper level of the library, reaching down for one of the books that surrounded her. As his fingers brush against the book he was going to pick up Buffy stirred sensing the presence above her. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him and smiled a little sheepishly at having been caught.

"Hey," Buffy mumbled quietly, rubbing at one of her eyes as she stretched her cramped muscles.

"Hmm. Hello," Giles replied taking another sip from his coffee. "What exactly are you researching?" he asked and looked down at some of the books, reading the titles. "'Exploring Demon Dimensions', and 'Mystery of Acathla.'"

"What if…I told you that…I had a dream about Angel…and, um…it brought up questions?" Buffy said speaking slowly as she decided to lie to her Watcher. Till she knew more about why Angel was back; she wasn't sure it was wise to mention that Angel was actually back.

"I'd say it was to be expected. Must have been some dream," Giles said as he took another sip of his coffee.

"I dreamt that he came back," Buffy said, giving Giles a glance judging his reaction, before slowly moving to sit down on the steps.

Giles sat down beside her, feeling badly for the pain Buffy was in. "Of course, after Jenny was killed," he started awkwardly, not used to talking of himself in such a personal way. Setting aside his cup he clasped his hands in his lap. "I had dreams that she was still alive, that I saved her," he said softly, getting the words past the lump that had formed in his throat.

"I'm not in love with him anymore though Giles," Buffy reminded him.

"We both know that, Buffy," Giles admitted. "Given the fact you have mentioned multiple times in private that you've thought about Faith romantically. But that doesn't mean if you couldn't have, that you wouldn't want to save him. That said do you believe it was a prophecy?" he asked.

"No." Buffy said quickly, almost too quickly. "I don't know…" She took a deep steadying breath. "I guess it just…made me wonder." She sighed; her research last night hadn't really revealed much in the way of answering the question of why he was back. "Is there even a chance? Could it happen?" she asked, if anyone would know why Angel was back it would be Giles.

"Well there's no record of anyone returning from a demon dimension once the…gate was closed. I can't imagine how it would happen, or why," Giles told her.

"Let's just pretend for a second that…Angel somehow managed to find his way back to Sunnydale. What would he be like?" Buffy asked, her mind flashing to the mostly broken creature chained to the wall at the mansion.

"I really can't say," Giles admitted. "From what is known about that dimension, it would suggest a world of…brutal torment. And time moves quiet differently there, so…"

"I remember," Buffy said cutting him off from saying anymore not wanting to hear what she already knew about the place she had condemned Angel to. "So, he would've been there for hundreds of years."

"Yes," Giles said looking at her.

"Of torture," Buffy added her voice wavering slightly and she bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering.

"It would take someone of extraordinary…will and character to survive that and, uh, retain any semblance of self. Most likely, he'd be, be a monster," Giles told her regretfully.

Buffy lowered her head hopelessly. "A lost cause."

"Maybe. Maybe not," Giles said. "In my experience there are…two types of monster. The first, uh, can be redeemed, or more importantly, wants to be redeemed."

"And the second type?" Buffy asked hesitantly.

"The second type is void of humanity, cannot respond to reason…or love."

Willow walked through the door then, bringing a silent halt to their conversation, a box of donuts in her hands. "I thought Faith was on duty," she commented as she walked toward the stairs.

"Oh, hey, change of plans," Buffy said with a smile doing her best to wipe the traces of her previous serious conversation with Giles off her face.

"Glaze or cake?" Willow asked with a smile as Buffy came down the stairs to meet her. "It's fun to watch them make them. They use this spritzy thing, and they drop the batter into this…"

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Buffy guessed with a small smile.

Willow sighed realizing that she was busted. "I've been at Mister Doughnut since the TV did that snowy thing," she confessed sheepishly. "How come you're the wakey girl? I mean, this time it's not your boyfriend who's the cold blooded…" she cut herself off as she sees Buffy's pointed wide eyed look. Oz slipped on his outer shirt as he came up beside her. "Jelly doughnut?" she asked offering the box.

Oz ignored the proffered doughnuts. "Everything alright?" he asked sensing a slight tension amongst the group.

"Yeah. Uh, what happened with the inspection of the body?" Buffy asked wondering if it had been a vampire or a werewolf attack.

Willow smiled awkwardly. "Anyone? They're yummy delicious!" she said with an overly cheery voice trying to avoid the issue.

"Willow come on. Was it a werewolf?" Buffy asked as Willow set down the box on the table, her expression showing just how much she didn't want answer. "Was it a vampire?" she asked growing impatient with her friend.

"It wasn't conclusive," Willow said softly.

"How could it not be conclusive? What did it look like? Was he bit?" Buffy asked her voice rising slightly.

"Let her finish Buffy," Giles said firmly, looking patiently at Willow.

"No, it's just…" Buffy trailed off as she suddenly realized the sensitivity of the discussion with Oz standing right there, and she blushed slightly in her embarrassment at pushing Willow. "…I'm sorry," she said sitting down.

Giles nodded, calmly waiting for Willow to get out the details of what the body looked like.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy sighed as she took her lunch tray and walked out of the cafeteria line. Her tray filled with a couple of varieties of jello. The mauled body of Jeff Orkin really was inconclusive at best, totally worthless at worst. Anyone or anything could maul a body like that depending on what they had on them.

She searched the sea of tables around her looking for a spot to sit. Scott saw her from his table, where he was sitting with his friends Pete and Debbie. "Buffy. Over here," he called with a small wave and a smile.

Buffy didn't see Willow or Xander so she walked over to Scott instead. "Hey," she greeted as she sat down in the spare seat next to Scott.

Scott looked down at her plate, and fought the urge to wrinkle his nose. "Hey. Uh, I can't back you on that lunch. Nutritional demerits," he teased.

Buffy looked down at her plate with an almost blank expression in hazel eyes. "Oh…my stomach can't handle hard food today, but there's fruit in it," she said in her defense pointing at the small lumps in the jello.

Scott leaned closer to her, a small amused smile on his face. "Those are marshmallows," he whispered in her ear.

Buffy looked at the small lumps closer. "Oh." Debbie and Pete give her curious looks, wondering how she didn't already know that. She sighed as she noticed the looks, she was receiving. "I'm…I'm really out of it today. I didn't sleep well last night," she explained hoping that, that would be a buyable excuse for her odd behavior.

"Just don't tell Mr. Platt you have insomnia. He'll make you start a dream journal," Debbie told her, with a small roll of her eyes.

"Oh, what's that, like a Barbie thing? Dear Dream Journal, how come Ken hasn't come around since he got that earring?" Pete quipped pitching his voice higher to sound more like a girl.

Debbie giggled at her boyfriend. "I never did it. He's a quack. Sometimes I just don't like the things he says," she explained thoughtfully, everyone at the table missed Pete's angry look.

"Oh, he definitely…marches to the beat of his own drummer. Actually, I think he makes his own drums," Buffy joked weakly.

"Well, my mom says therapy can be completely helpful," Scott piped in.

"Yeah, but your mom has the wattage of a Zippo lighter Scott," Pete said his voice almost too serious to be joking. Debbie couldn't help giggling again, looking at her boyfriend with loving eyes.

Scott shot Pete an annoyed look, before looking at Buffy again. "I hope you realize I don't actually know these people. I just thought you'd like me better if had friends, so I hired them," he told her his voice serious, but his face playful.

Buffy gave him a weak smile for his efforts.

Scott turned in his chair so that he could face her completely. Giving her his utmost attention, wanting to get across that he was completely serious. "So, I, uh, wanted to tell you that you look great today, but now I want to raise that to amazing because you didn't sleep well."

"Uh." Buffy smiled suddenly feeling more than uncomfortable at the table. "That's really sweet," she choked out as she stood up. "Maybe this friend thing isn't working out, Scott. You seem to be waiting for me and …"

Scott sighed and nodded. "I understand," he said as walked around him on her way out, leaving the untouched tray of jello behind. He swiveled his head to watch her walk away.

Debbie and Pete follow the blonde with their eyes for a moment, before Pete looked back at Scott. "Gee Scotty, who would have thought that the manic-depressive chick would dump you."

Scott glared at his friend. "Shuddup Pete. She's just sleep deprived, not depressed. And she didn't dump me when we were just friends. We weren't dating."

"But you wanted to be," Pete countered with a smirk.

"Yes," Scott admitted with a sigh.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy slipped out of the cafeteria and leaned against the wall. She had heard Pete's comment, and Scott's reply. It made her feel beyond bad that she didn't love him back. Shaking her head, she moved on, walking further and further from the cafeteria. "I have to find some way of telling, Faith," she admitted to herself.

Crawford Street Mansion

Buffy made her way to the mansion a mug in her hands, steam coming from the contents inside. The scent of it tickled her nose, making her want to pull away from it, but it was for Angel. She reached the heavy black curtain that hung from the ceiling to block out the sun coming in through the gaping side entrance, it also effectively blocked out the wind. Carefully she slipped through the curtain, not wanting to accidently burn Angel.

She cringed to see Angel crouching against the wall whimpering as he looked around with wild eyes, as if waiting to be attacked. Buffy walked toward him slowly, not wanting to startle him. Angel didn't seem to notice her as he remained unmoving in his crouch, his whimpers never ceasing. "Angel?" she called hoping for some kind of reaction, even a violent one. Just something that indicated that he knew who he was. There was nothing, not even a twitch to indicate that her voice had even registered with him.

"Do you understand me?" Buffy asked feeling a huge sense of hopelessness, and feeling slightly at a loss for what to do for him. Looking down at the cup in her hands, the heat of the cup a small comfort. "Angel? I bought you some blood…figured you might need something to eat…" she told him cautiously walking forward her eyes never wavering from his hunched over form. "It may not be as warm as you like…seeing as I had to walk it here…from my house…" she offered him a small shaky smile even though he couldn't see it.

She squatted down beside him and looked across at him for a moment. "I'm not sure if you remember how to drink from a cup, or…" Buffy trailed off sadly, her eyes glued to his large cowering form. "Angel?" she said on a sighing breath. She reached over with the cup trying to get him to at least recognize the scent, but he didn't move, if anything he tried to flinch away from her presence.

Buffy pulled back the cup with a sigh. Looking at him for a long moment she hesitantly reached out a hand, wanting to offer comfort.

As soon as her hand touched his back softly, Angel lashed out with sudden violence, his fist hitting her in the jaw, sending her sprawling onto her back, the cup knocked from her grasp the contents spilling on to the floor. Buffy sat herself up, backing away on with her hands and feet, to get out of reach from the unpredictable vampire. Putting a hand to her throbbing cheek she stood up and rushed of the mansion.

Sunnydale High School

Buffy entered Mr. Platt's office for her two o'clock appointment, closing the door behind her even though the smoke in the room made her want to leave it open. She saw that he was turned toward the window again, and guessed that this was a habit for him, the cigarette burned away in his fingers.

"Two o'clock, Buffy right," Buffy said as she extended her arm, her hand out flat in a gesture for him to not turn around. "Don't turn around." It was then she realized her gesture was useless when faced with the back of his chair. "And don't say anything," she said clutching her jacket to her, and began to pace. "Just listen."

Buffy forced herself to not pace like a caged lion in her nervous state, and came to stand behind the chair she had sat in last time. "There's something going on," she began in a shaky voice. "I mean, th, this whole entire story is probably going to convince you that I'm loony bin material, but…" She shrugged helplessly. "There's no one else to talk to. Not my normal psychologist. Not my friends…or Giles…or even my sister…nobody," she muttered and she started to pace again in agitation.

"If they, if they found out, they'd freak on me, or do something, and…" Buffy took a deep breath and stopped pacing turning to face him once again. "I told Marissa about him…my ex-boyfriend…he was one of the reasons I ran. And now he's back. I'm no longer in love with him, but I'm so scared of him. But not for the reasons I was scared of him the last time I saw him. He's changed, he's traumatized and…"

Buffy cut herself off her eyes focused on the cigarette that was in Mr. Platt's hand, for the first time noticing that it was burnt all the way down to the quick, not once had the ashes been tapped off. Buffy shifted; he hadn't moved the entire time she had been talking…she hadn't even heard the sounds of his breathing. Her eyes widen slightly and she looked sadly at the chair, her entire being telling her that something was wrong with this entire situation. Walking over to the chair, she gasped to see that his chest and face had been badly mauled by some type of animal, her instincts said demon.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"This creature is especially brutal. I believe the phrase coined by the coroner when describing Mr. Platt was 'pureed'. But he did confirm that Platt was killed shortly, before Buffy found him," Giles told Buffy, Faith, and Willow as he paced his library, the sun sinking lower in the sky as the day drew to a close.

"Which means that he was killed during the day," Faith summarized.

"Yes," Willow cried with elation, pumping her fist in the air like she had just won the lottery. She noticed the silence, and the odd looks everyone was giving her. "Sorry. I got…" She self-consciously lowered her still raised hand. "I've just been…it's horrible, horrible." She ended giving up on the painful task of trying to explain away her enthusiasm over someone's death.

Buffy smiled reassuringly at her friend. "It's ok Will. We're all glad Oz is off the hook."

"Indeed," Giles agreed, before checking his watch, a small concerned frown crinkling his brow. "Shouldn't he be here by now? The sun sets at five thirty."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Oz stood in the quad, a notebook tucked under his arm, frowning up at the sun. He checked his watch for the last time since coming out here. The person he was meeting late was very late. He sighed as he had to get back. Turning back toward the school, he was about to head for the school library when he saw Debbie come running from the school.

"Sorry I'm late," Debbie said with a smile, her breaths slightly heavier due to her run. "Did you bring the notes?"

"Yeah…" Oz said slowly his eyes drifting to the black eye Debbie was sporting. "Um…you ok?" he asked handing her the notes that he had promised her.

"What?" Debbie asked, a hand self-consciously going to her eye. "Oh yeah," she said with a small laugh. "I'm such a klutz! I, um, oh…" she stuttered, she hadn't gotten as far as what had caused her black eye.

"Fell down? Hit your eye?" Oz said with his deadpanned sarcasm. Behind them unnoticed, Pete watched angrily from around the corner.

"Doorknob," Debbie clarified with a bright, fake smile. "Um…thanks," she said gratefully before turning to go.

Oz caught her arm concerned for the girl he considered a friend. "Hey, um… if you wanna talk…"

Debbie cut him off with a shake of her head, and another smile. "Thanks again for the notes," she said again before leaving. Heading for the girl's locker room.

"Yeah…" Oz muttered, as he watched her go, a concerned frown on his face. Looking up at the sky for the hundredth time since coming out here to wait for Debbie, he ducked his head and quickly stalked off for the library.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Our task now is to determine what sort of killer we are dealing with," Giles told the girls as they watched him. "Clearly we're looking for a depraved, sadistic animal," he described accurately just as Oz walked into the library.

"Present," Oz said with a sad smile.

Willow smiled, her expression ecstatic at seeing Oz, especially now that they had good news. Jumping up from the table she was sitting on beside Buffy. She rushed over to him, knocking Giles over in her haste, making the older man stumble slightly, before he could steady himself.

"Hey I may be a cold-blooded jelly doughnut, but my timing is impeccable," Oz quipped.

Willow touched him with both hands a large smile gracing her face. "But you aren't! It's a kill-in-the-day-monster! A hundred percent for sure," she beamed.

Oz let out a low breath of relief. "Ok," he said softly a smile stretching his lips. The first one to reach his eyes since he had been told that the window had been left open on the night Jeff had been mauled. Willow slipped an arm around his back smiling at her friends.

"Uh, I wish we had time to celebrate properly," Giles said smiling at Oz. "However, we have two victims. Jeff Orkin, and, uh, now Platt. Uh, maybe there's something they had in common," he suggested looking around at the group of teenagers he surrounded himself with, teenagers that had quickly become as close as family.

"Missing internal organs," Faith supplied after a moment of silence.

"Besides that," Giles stated giving Faith a look.

"Debbie," Oz said as Giles looked at him hopefully. "Well, victim number one, Jeff. He was in jazz band with us. They used to horse around," he supplied with a small shrug of his shoulders.

"They were screwing?" Faith asked seeking to confirm, what her mind had effortlessly jumped to at Oz's choice of words. Not caring about the strange looks she was getting from all but Buffy, who actually looked at her with blush on her cheeks.

"I don't think so, but he hid her music comp. book once."

"And we know that Debbie knew Platt. I mean, she was seeing him, and way vocal about not having love for the guy," Buffy said confirming the link to Platt.

"Add this and stir. I just saw Debbie a minute ago sporting a nasty black eye," Oz finished.

"Ok, so pretend Debbie wanted Platt dead. Maybe he fought back?" Willow offered.

Buffy shook her head. "No. Platt was dead in an instant. He didn't even drop his cigarette." She paused as her mind went over everything, and an idea popped into her head, everything clicking into place in her mind. "Now…what if boyfriend Pete's the one doling out the punishment?" she hypothesized, becoming more certain the longer she thought about it.

"We should find them both immediately," Giles agreed, Buffy's scenario making the most sense. Both he and Buffy grabbed their coats shrugging into them quickly.

"Well, Debbie was in the quad a minute ago," Oz told them, wanting them found quickly for innocent people's sake, as well as for Debbie. He had a feeling that it was Pete that gave her that black eye, and her reaction to his questioning, seemed to suddenly make more sense.

"Alright," Giles said authoritatively. "We'll split up. Um, Faith, you and I. Willow, stick with Buffy."

Willow gave Oz a sad look, wanting to stay with him, and keep him company through the change. She'd come back later, and read to him some more, she decided…once this whole thing was settled. She stuck on her resolve face and followed the others out of the library, jogging slightly to catch Buffy up at the door.

Oz watched them go until the door closed behind them, before turning to look at the cage, that was to be his room for the third night in a row. "And…I'll go lock myself in the cage." He muttered giving the cage a glare. The only physical reminder; for the moment of what he was.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Debbie stood in front of the mirror in the girl's locker room a foundation pad in her hand as she patted it around her black bruise trying desperately to cover up the evidence of the monster's rage. She'd never betray her boyfriend, and she was too scared of the monster he became when angry to try and tell someone about his duel personalities. She heard the door open behind her, but didn't bother pausing or looking up, she had her excuse if asked again.

Buffy and Willow walked toward her. "It's tricky covering up a fresh shiner like that. You know what works?" Buffy asked her voice holding a slight mocking tone to it.

Debbie hesitated for a moment; she wasn't used to seeing Buffy in the girl's locker room yet. While she accepted that Buffy was a girl her mind still yelled at her saying that Buffy was a boy and should not be in here. "What?" she asked finally hoping that the blonde would have a helpful tip that would do a better job than her foundation.

"Don't get hit," Buffy said with a shrug. Walking closer to the mirror not wanting to give Debbie the chance to run. "What's going on Debbie? I'll bet the farm you know."

Debbie shook her head. Her heartbeat accelerating in her chest. "You're wrong. I don't know anything!"

Buffy rolled her eyes; they did not have time for this. "Normally I'd say, you want to play I have a secret. Fine. But people are dying here."

Debbie looked fretfully between Buffy and Willow; her eyes slightly wider than normal. "It…it's not his fault," she defended with a shake of her head. "I mean, he's not himself when he gets like this." She rang her hands together.

"You mean Pete," Buffy said to confirm their belief.

"It's me!" Debbie cried making Willow and Buffy give her a confused look. "I make him crazy. He, he just does what he does because he loves me too much."

"But weren't Mr. Platt, and Jeff murdered by an animal?" Willow asked confused.

Buffy tilted her head slightly, her eyes hard. "Pete's not like the other guys," she said darkly, her eyes shifting to land on Debbie again. "Is he Debbie?"

Debbie looked between the two of them again her eyes wide now with horror as she realized that they knew more than they were letting on, and that she had said too much to the two of them. "I've got to go," she cried grabbing her purse off the bench and made to leave.

Buffy grabbed Debbie's arm stopping her progress. "You have to talk to us," she demanded and Debbie shook her head. "We can't help you until you do," she said softer, her eyes softening.

"I didn't ask for your help!" Debbie yelled at them.

"Well when are you going to?" Willow asked. "I mean if Pete kills you, it'll pretty much be too late."

"Debbie, we're running out of time," Buffy said softly trying to appeal to the girl, trying to reach the side of Debbie that felt guilt over the deaths of the people around her.

Crawford Street Mansion

Angel sat against the wall, the arm that wasn't forced up high by the chain, lay against one of his raised knees. His eyes were closed in sleep, but it wasn't peaceful. It was anything but as his face was screwed in pain and low whimpers escaped his mouth as well as the occasional growl. His body was tense and his fists clenched tightly as he dreamed.

His eyes snapped open and he let out a tortured scream. He looked around wildly. He looked up at the chain holding him to the wall. He pulled with all his might at the chain as it slowly loosened. When he finally gave it fell from the wall. Even though he was still shackled he was free and he bolted for the door.

Sunnydale High School

"Were can we find him?" Buffy asked giving Debbie a small shake as her patience with the situation was wearing thin.

"I don't know."

"You're lying," Buffy said her hand squeezing a little tighter around Debbie's arm, before letting go with a small sigh.

"What if I am?" Debbie said defiantly. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Wrong question," Willow stated softly with a small wince as Buffy took Debbie's arm again.

Forcing her up against the sink, so that she could see her face in the mirror. "Look at yourself!" Buffy demanded. "Why are you protecting him? Anybody who really loved you couldn't do this to you!" Sje released Debbie's arm and took a couple of steps back to give Debbie some room, trying to curb the impatience she was feeling. Debbie slowly turned around to face them.

"Would they take him some place?" Debbie asked.

"Probably." Buffy nodded.

Debbie shook her head as sobs escaped her mouth. "I could never do that to him." Willow sighed her own patience wearing thin, she wanted to be with Oz! "I'm his everything."

Buffy looked at the girl with disgust. "Great. So what? You two live out your Grimm fairy tale? Two people are dead," she fairly growled, this was getting them nowhere fast. "Who's going to be next?" she demanded, as Debbie shook her head, and said nothing.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Oz paced the cage waiting for the sun to set, and for the change to begin. He wished that Willow would get back, he didn't like changing without her. He liked her being the last thing he saw before everything became a haze of black. He looked up hopefully when he heard the door open, only to see Pete walking into the library with purposeful strides, walking right up to the cage, not even batting an eye as to the reason Oz was locked in a cage in the school library.

"Since when do you touch my girl?" Pete growled, wrapping his hands around the bars of the cage door. Ignoring the fact that Oz was mostly naked save for a pair of boxers and a binder around Oz's breasts.

"Hey Pete…this is kind of a bad time," Oz said uncomfortably, the last thing he needed was for word to spread that he was a werewolf and that he was transgender.

"Well I guess you didn't think about that when you put the moves on Debbie!" Pete growled again rattling the cage door, his rage rising with each passing moment that he couldn't get his hands on the boy who thought to steal his Debbie. She was his!

Oz glanced up at the closed window where he could still see the sun slowly setting in the sky. "We talked yeah," he said with a casual shrug, his eyes back on Pete. "But it was move free," he told Pete, hoping to calm the other guy down, at least long enough for Buffy to find her way back here.

Pete either wasn't listening, or didn't care what Oz said in his own defense as he rattled the cage again harder trying to break it open, not realizing the danger of such an action. It had never even crossed his mind that there could be something bigger, and badder then him in the world.

"About this cage...when the sun sets…" Oz informed him.

"You won't be alive to see it!" Pete whispered angrily; his rage so powerful that it blocked the full strength of his vocal cords. He rattled the cage again, before stepping back from it, giving himself enough room for his transformation.

"I'm serious. Something's going to happen that you…probably won't believe," Oz told him feeling the wolf in him growing stronger as the sun sank deeper into the sky.

Pete screamed as his head whipped around, his skin thickening and tensing as the change took place. Looking back at Oz when his change was complete, murder flashing in his furious eyes.

Oz gulped and took an amazed step backward. "Or, you might," he corrected himself.

Pete threw himself back at the cage door, yanking at it, yelling with each tug. The door broke free of the cage, giving to the strength of the raging out of control side of Pete. Stalking quickly into the cage with a roar, he grabbed Oz roughly, throwing him out the door, making Oz skid across the floor for a second when he landed.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy sighed as she watched Debbie who was now sitting on one of the changing benches, hugging herself chanting continuously, "He does love me; he does love me."

"This is useless," Buffy said after another moment. "We have to go. I have to find Pete."

"He does love me," Debbie continued to chant. Willow reached over trying to grab her and pull her along. "Come on."

Debbie resisted Willow's strength. "He does love me."

"I think we broke her," Willow said in a concerned, but tired voice.

Buffy paused at the door to the locker room. "I think she was broken before this," she said sadly, before she left through the door, she could deal with what to do about Debbie later. Pete was the biggest fish on her radar at the moment.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Pete walked out of the cage heaving Oz up over his head and down onto a table. The table quivered under the force, before giving way to it, sending the both of them down to the ground. He scrambled to his feet pulling the still stunned Oz up into the air again. He punched Oz hard, the blow catching him in the face. He shook the transgender werewolf, his rage not allowing him to keep his body still.

"Did you kiss that whore? Huh? Did she like it?" Pete bellowed, not giving Oz the chance to answer as he heaved him up over his head again and smashed him into the stairs.

Oz slid down the stairs, his body turning when he reached the base. As Pete attacked again, he recovered somewhat and kicked Pete away from him and sending Pete sliding across the floor. He looked up at one of the arch windows to see the sun sink below the horizon. Looking back over at Pete he smiled grimly. "Times up. Rules change," Oz managed to say just before the change took over, his body quickly morphing into that of the wolf his body used to the change now, unlike Pete's.

Pete could only stare in shock as the wolf growled at him. The wolf leapt into the air attacking him, knocking him to the floor. The wolf tried to bite him as they wrestled, but the wolf couldn't get a good hold of him. The wolf kicked him away and then he leapt at him. He backhanded the wolf solidly, expecting it to stay down, but the wolf wasn't fazed in the slightest.

The wolf quickly leapt at Pete again sending them crashing into the stairs. He found a good purchase to bite into this time, and he sunk his fangs into Pete's arm, hard.

Pete screamed in agony, never had anyone been able to hurt him, not when he was in this invincible form. The wolf was stronger than he could have ever imagined.

Buffy, Willow and Debbie heard the scream out in the halls and they all began to run in the direction of the library. They were soon joined by Giles and Faith, as they ran in from another hall, heading toward the library from where the scream had sound.

"What was that?" Giles asked as they ran as if expecting one of them to know.

They ran through the library doors, their eyes going to the cage, and then to the two figures fighting on the stairs. The wolf's jaws still firmly clamped down on Pete's arm. Pete repeatedly punched the wolf in the head, trying to get him to let go.

"Get the dart gun!" Giles demanded immediately falling back into Watcher mode.

Buffy reached behind the counter grasping the dart gun, and pulled it from its hiding place. "Got it," she called cocking the gun, taking aim past Giles. She was about to fire at Pete and Oz, when Debbie shoved her to the side to protect her boyfriend.

"Pete watch out!" Debbie screamed. Buffy's finger slipped on the trigger a shot going off. The dart embedding itself into Giles hip.

"Ow!" Giles yelped surprised at the sudden prick, the tip of the dart scrapping the bone.

Pete managed to flip the wolf off him, disentangling his arm from Oz's jaws.

"Oh! Sorry." Buffy cried disbelievingly as she stared at the dart imbedded in Giles' hip.

"Oh right…bloody priceless," Giles muttered as the drug started to take effect, making him stagger and fall to the floor. Looking up he saw the wolf trying to make a break for it. Pushing a table in the wolfs way Giles tried to inhibit the wolf's escape.

The wolf growled, but made a detour through the door that led in behind the counter leaping over it, he made his bid for freedom, running out the library doors. Buffy lowered the dart gun, she hadn't had a clear shot, and hadn't wanted to waste anymore darts. Looking at Faith she threw the rifle to her. "You get the wolf."

"Got it," Faith said catching the rifle, and quickly giving chase to the rampaging wolf. Willow following closely behind, unwilling to leave Oz.

Debbie realizing that she wasn't being watched slipped out of the library, through the stacks. Buffy turned her attention to Pete, running up the stairs on the right side of the library stopping only to deliver a hard kick to Pete's head, sending him stumbling into a bookcase. She walked closer to him as he got to his feet, heading up to the upper levels of the library. She punched him with both her fists, not relenting as she forced him back.

Pete staggered into a bookcase, giving Buffy an angry look, he grasped the bookcase and tipped it over. Buffy covered her head with her arms as the bookcase landed on her the books falling all around her. Pete let out a loud angry roar, as he ran from the library, his anger focused now on Debbie.

Pete ran through a set of doors coming out into a hall, clutching at his wounded arm. Looking around him he searched for any signs of his pursuer, not seeing Buffy he ran down the hall looking for an exit. Turning a corner, he pushed through another set of doors, frantically looking for a way out. He spotted a high window above the lockers down an adjacent hall. Running for it, he leapt on top of the lockers. Opening the window and slipping through leaving smears of blood behind on the wall.

Buffy reached the intersection in the hall, three different directions facing her. Looking down each corridor, Buffy frowned when she didn't see Pete anywhere. She turned down a corridor, hoping that she had chosen the right path. Her eyes rested on a window blood smeared on the wall around it. 'Gotcha!' she thought as she moved toward it.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 - 0

The wolf leapt down the stairs and into the lounge of the school. Coming to a stop by the vending machine. As Faith came running down the stairs after him the wolf leapt at her sending her to the ground the gun dropping from her grasp, to land under her.

"No! Down! Bad Oz!" Willow screamed from her spot on the stairs scared that the wolf would manage to bite the brunette Slayer.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 - 0

Buffy crawled through the window. Getting to her feet she walked to the edge of the roof she was standing on. Looking down, she jumped, knowing that the small distance wouldn't hurt her. She landed lightly on her feet. Turning around she noticed a light swinging through a window of a supply room. She forced the door open and walked in slowly, cautiously, looking for any sign of the hulking Pete. Behind a shelf she was confronted with Debbie lying lifelessly on the floor.

Buffy bent down slowly checking her pulse to confirm what she already knew. "Oh God," she murmured when she didn't feel anything. She heard a grunt, but before she could turn around Pete smashed her into a crate and hit the floor slightly dazed. Pete advanced on her a grin on his face. His eyes flashing murderously.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith struggled under the wolf's weight trying to keep his jaws from clamping down on any part of her. "Where's the gun! Where's the gun!" she screamed at Willow as she fought with the wolf's jaws.

Willow looked for a brief moment before spotting it under Faith's legs. Running up she yanked on Oz's tail, hard, before running down the hall. "Get the gun! Get the gun!" she cried as she ran trying to keep ahead of Oz. "Hurry!"

Faith scrambled for the gun. Cocking it, she took aim, before she fired managing to hit the wolf in the ass. The wolf whimpered coming to a stop, before he fell to the floor unconscious.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy landed with a pained 'oof' outside the supply room. Quickly getting to her feet, she looked up at Pete as he walked toward her his expression furious. 'Good.' Buffy thought. 'He'll come after me!' She had to get him away from the school away from populated areas, where he couldn't harm anyone else…where their fight wouldn't attract so much attention. Buffy turned tail and ran, satisfied when she heard him chasing after her.

Pete howled in anger. "You can't get away you stupid bitch!" he screamed as he gave chase. She knew too much, had too much knowledge about him, and his change. He couldn't allow her to live.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith and Willow cautiously approached the wolf. Willow reached down and stroked his fur tenderly. "We have to get you a better cage," Willow said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy ran out of the back entrance of the school, taking the most deserted roads, and alleyways. She jumped over the brick dead ends easily. Always making sure that she was in sight of the hulking figure of Pete as he chased after her, roaring with feral rage.

It didn't take Buffy long until she unwittingly reached the outskirts of the mansion. Stopping and bending over her knees to catch her breath for a moment she waited for Pete to catch up to her.

"All the same!" Pete roared when he caught up with her. "You're all the same!" he said again just before he rushed her. Buffy barely dodged as he swung a large fist at her. She punched him hard in the face sending his head flying back. Raising her fist to do it again she inhaled sharply when he caught her fist. His large hand tightening around hers painfully.

Pete used his grip on her wrist to pull her closer, before he head-butted her. Releasing her fist, Buffy fell backward hitting the ground with a thump, she scuttled backwards as she shook her head. She looked up at him, trying to find the right moment to stand back up again. He stalked after her, a cruel grin on his lips sensing that the battle was almost over.

Angel watched with keen eyes from the bushes.

Buffy tried to move herself faster, she needed to put more distance between them to stand up without being knocked down again before she'd even gotten up half way.

"You know the only reason I'm going to feeling anything about killing you is when I have to put up with Scott's melancholy," Pete snarled as he kept on advancing.

Buffy finally gave up on putting more distance between them, and just flipped to her feet. Her hands grasping his arms as she kneed him in the balls a couple of times before head butting him causing Pete to stumble back. She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, grimacing at the unpleasant throbbing there. She hadn't realized his head would be so damned hard.

She looked up in time to see a large fist flying at her face. Not having time to block it she took it head on stumbling back, tripping over her feet to land on the hard stone. "Ahh," she moaned, shaking her head, and once again crawling away from Pete using her elbows and the heels of her feet to push her away from him.

Buffy gasped surprised as a growl sounded close to her, glancing up she was in time to see Angel lunge forward just managing to grip Pete's wrists in one of his own. Angel swung Pete round effortlessly smashing him into a tree. Pete stumbled and turned angry eyes on the vampire.

She scrambled to her feet, just as Pete swung his fist into Angel's face, sending him to the ground. A feral growl ripped from Angel's throat. As she looked at Angel, she saw the golden amber eyes of the demon and the hard ridges of his prominent brow.

Angel looked up at the boy and kicked out his leg. He smashed his foot into the boy's kneecap, and he heard the satisfying sound of the loud crack signifying that he had broken the fragile bone.

Pete screamed loudly as he fell to his knees.

Angel leapt on him the chains that had bound him rattling with the movement. He bent forward and placed his hands on either side of the boy's head. Pete thrashed trying to get up. He couldn't die! He was invincible! Nothing out matched him! Nothing! Pete screamed as he struggled almost succeeding in throwing the crazy son of a bitch off, but he held firm refusing to be dislodged.

Angel twisted with all his might, grunting as it took a little extra power then he had originally anticipated. But with a resounding crack the boy's neck broke, and he watched as the boy's face returned to that of an ordinary human the seething wrath emanating from the boy disappearing. He stood up turning to face the blonde who was looking at him. He slowly approached her as his face morphed back into its human visage. "Buffy?" he said sounding hopeful.

Buffy nodded as Angel fell to his knees at her feet. Despite the chains and shackles, he wrapped his arms around her waist. He began to cry as he felt the first comfort, he's known in a hundred years. "Buffy…" he repeated.

Sunnydale High School

Buffy walked the quad beside Willow, Oz, Xander and Cordelia. "It's all over the school. What happened with Debbie and Pete…except for the Pete was a monster part," Willow exclaimed slightly surprised at how fast the news had gotten around even in the gossip crazy school.

Oz nodded. "Yeah, a freshman told me that Pete had eight iced café mochas and just lost it."

"That's better than the theory he was on estrogen," Buffy admitted with a shudder. "That he was on hormone replacement therapy."

"I have to agree there," Oz said with his own shudder.

"Agreed," Buffy said. "That's not even how estrogen works anyways. Believe me I know."

Cordelia looked at Xander confused. "He wasn't on hormones? Pete was a monster?" Xander nodded in confirmation. "Where have I been?"

"In your special place Cordy, which is why I adore you," Xander responded giving her hand a squeeze.

"So, what's the true story? What happened?" Cordelia asked the group.

"Well we got a hold of, uh, Pete's lab books and stuff, and Mr. Science was doing a Jekyll/Hyde deal," Willow explained. "He was afraid Debbie was going to leave him, so he mixed this potion to become super mass macho."

"The only thing was after a while. He didn't need the potion to turn into a bad guy," Buffy added. "He did it just fine on his own."

"So, it was like a real killing? He wasn't under the influence of anything?" Cordelia asked feeling horrified.

"Just himself," Buffy agreed. She looked over across the quad to see Scott sitting by himself. "Uh…" she turned back to the group, "…I'll see you guys later," she told them before walking over to Scott.

Buffy sat down next to Scott. "I don't know what to say that's…not going to sound stupid, or obvious," she said softly.

"I've been friends with them both since before we started school," Scott said morosely.

"Is there anything I can do?" Buffy asked looking at him.

Scott met her gaze, remaining silent for a long moment before speaking. Giving her a weak smile. "Thanks. I'm going to be ok. It's just that you never really know what's going on inside somebody. Do you? I mean you think…if you care about them…but you never really do."

Buffy took one of his hands in her own giving it a squeeze. "It's not your fault…no one saw this coming…and as much as you may want to believe it…there was nothing you could have done to stop it," she said slowly, carefully. Drawing from her own experiences with loss.

Scott didn't react for a minute, but then he squeezed her hand, and gave her another smile. "Thanks…do you think…do you think you could sit with me for a while?"

Buffy smiled at him and nodded. "Of course." She was slightly surprised when he leaned against her, but she accepted it. She came to a decision in regards to Faith and in regards to Angel. She would wait to tell Faith how she felt. She needed to make sure Angel was better first. Once that was done, she would let him down easily or at least try to. He deserved at least that before she told her friends that he was back. Then she would muster her courage and admit to Faith how she felt.