Author's Note: The new chapter is Chapter 5: What's My Line Part 2. I've slowly been rewriting this story, btw. That's why What's My line was included. I had been noticing some things that were going to not work out that great as they had repercussions later on. For example no Oz meant no Tara. And of course Tara is has plot points especially in season 5. Since I paired Buffy with Willow. I decided to pair Dawn with Oz then Tara. And since I had mentioned previously I wanted to pair her with Faith also I figure Faith and Dawn would get together during season 7. Which also means that some of Willow's arcs will belong to Dawn instead.

BTW the chapter #'s after What's My Line Part 2 are messed up. They will be fixed as I finish the rewrite.

Chapter 6: Phases

January 27, 1998 – Monday

Sunnydale High School

Buffy caught up with Willow in the main hallway. Despite the noise and near chaos of the start of the Sunnydale High school day, Willow was bending forward and intently studying something inside one of the trophy cases.

Buffy stepped up next to Willow. "Hi," she said. She saw Willow smile and blush.

"That's what I was going to say." Willow looked at Buffy, then glanced back at the case, still fascinated by something inside.

"Whatcha looking at?" Buffy asked.

"This cheerleader trophy," Willow answered, pointing at it. "The one Amy's mom won. I think I may have figured where she went. Look at its eyes, they follow you wherever you go."

Watching it carefully, Buffy leaned first to one side, then the other.

"I believe Willow is correct, Buffy. I am detecting a faint heartbeat from within the trophy."

"Cameron said she detected a faint heartbeat," Buffy said. "I would say it's a safe bet that your right, Will. Well at least that's one mystery solved." She straightened, then began to walk with Willow as they angled toward the main hallway and Willow's locker. "So," she said after a moment, "did you like the movie last night?"

"I loved it, Buffy," Willow said as she remembered the movie they had seen, 'Picture Perfect' which had starred Jennifer Aniston. "I just wish there were more romance films that had gay couples is all."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

As Buffy and Willow strolled down the hallway, they spotted Oz who was blocked from heading down the hall by Larry, a bruiser of a jock who always had a pack of Larryettes following him around. "Man, Oz," Larry said, leering in the direction of Willow and Buffy. "I would love to get me some of that Buffy and Willow action, if you know what I mean."

Oz raised an eyebrow. "That's great, Larry. You've really mastered the single entendre."

Larry looked at him blankly, then his attention switched back to Willow and Buffy as they strolled past. Quicker than Oz could have considered it, Larry reached out and 'accidentally' sent Willow's books tumbling ground-ward.

"Oops," Larry said with all the emotion of a cactus.

"Hey!" Buffy sent him a revolted look as she bent to retrieve her girlfriend's things, but Larry was anything but concerned.

"Thank you, Thighmaster!" Larry hooted as he and his cohorts leaned in to enjoy the view.

Willow balled her fists as she spun and let John Connor slip out as she decked Larry. "Don't ogle my girlfriend. Next time I will do worse than hit you."

When Buffy straightened, she looked at Willow surprised as she handed her girlfriend's things to her and they made a hasty retreat.

"Wow," Buffy said as they walked outside. "What was that? I've never seen you like that before."

"It just made me mad," Willow admitted. "I know you can protect yourself, Buffy. After all you are a Terminator. But I just couldn't let that go."

"I know," Buffy said. "It's the part of you that's John Connor."

"Yeah," Willow said.

"So, are we on for the Bronze tonight?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Willow answered. Then she looked at her girlfriend from beneath lowered eyelids. "I could 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."

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?"

"While I agree with you," Buffy said. "Remember us and how Xander reacted?"

"Right," Willow sighed.

Makeout Point

Hours later, with the day's school problems behind them, Xander and Cordelia were parked in a nice, private spot in Makeout Park. 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. Suddenly instinct made him pull back anyway.

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

"What?" Cordelia wondered impatiently.

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

It was then that 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 werewolf 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 28, 1998 – Tuesday

Sunnydale High School

It was hard to believe the horrors of last night.

Until Willow, Buffy and Dawn 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."

"Sounds reasonable," Dawn agreed.

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.

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

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 knew if this were pre-Halloween, she would have been more concerned about the animal carcasses. But when John Connor merged into her psyche, the young man who had been brought up to be the leader of the human race, had changed her.

Giles pressed his lips together. "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 werewolf will be back at next month's full moon."

Buffy took on the silver androgynous humanoid appearance before she took on the appearance of Cameron. In the time since Cameron had revealed herself, she and Buffy had slowly taken on a more symbiotic relationship. Cameron was effectively the symbiot while Buffy was the host, they shared their body now equally.

"Giles," Cameron said. "The full moon spans three nights. The night of, the night before and the night after."

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 said, in her own way of speaking, that you have research to do, Giles," Cameron told the Watcher.

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 Cameron, her girlfriend only shrugged.

"He needs to get a pet."

Cameron chuckled. "Buffy said he needs to get a pet."

Willow smiled as she leaned over and kissed Cameron. In the time since she had started dating Buffy, she had realized that she loved the whole package, which meant she also loved Cameron. For as far as she was concerned, they were two halves to a whole. They were both her girlfriend, there was no difference between them. And neither Buffy or Cameron minded that Willow saw them that way.

In the midst of the kiss Cameron took on the silver androgynous humanoid appearance and within seconds Willow was kissing Buffy as she took on Buffy's appearance.

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 girlfriend, Buffy had listened to the Phys Ed teacher talk, realizing that the teacher 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.

Buffy suddenly reached over and did something tickly to the back of Willow's neck. "Tag," she explained when Willow glanced toward her.

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

The guys got up and began stripping off sweatshirts and sweaters and putting on body pads. Getting ready with Xander were Oz and Larry.

The jock slipped 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 girlfriend aside. "Don't forget," she reminded Buffy urgently. "You're supposed to be a meek little girlie-girl like the rest of us."

She let go and saw Buffy pout briefly. "Spoil my fun." Still, she went back to Larry and tried her best to look attackable.

Xander suddenly waltzed past Buffy 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 smirked. "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."

"Who says I'm blending," Willow snapped.

Cordelia looked at Willow with a raised eyebrow. She leaned over and whispered, "Leftover from John Connor?" she asked as Willow nodded.

They 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 a 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." Ms. Litto walked the length of the line, checking the couples as Willow stepped into the spot in front of Oz. "I want to show you what to do should you be attacked from behind."

From her place a couple of students away, Willow saw Buffy paired with Larry. 'Uh-oh,' she thought, and tried to send her girlfriend a mental reminder. 'Girlie-girl, Buffy! Girlie-girl!'

"In this situation," Ms. Litto instructed as Larry wrapped one beefy arm around Buffy'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. Watching Buffy from the corner of her eye, Willow saw her friend pulling against Larry's arm and making spineless little "Uh! Mm-uh!" sounds as she tried vainly to flip him forward. She felt Oz start to position himself, but before she could attempt to flip Oz, Willow heard Larry's voice drift down the line of teenagers. Anger ran across her face at his words.

"Oh Summers, you are turning me on!" From the way Buffy jerked and the look on her face, Willow had no doubt that idiot-Larry had reached down and grabbed her butt.

Big mistake.

Without hesitation, Buffy bent and easily heaved Larry over her shoulder. He landed flat on his back with enough force to shake the gym floor, and there was Buffy, standing over him in her fighting stance, resisting the temptation to morph her arm into one of her weapons.

Oz leaned around from where Willow was trying to flip him and glanced down at Larry as everyone else in the gym also turned to stare. "That works, too," he said blandly.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the library Giles was using a globe, a smaller model of the moon, and a lamp for lighting as he explained the lunar phases to Dawn, Xander and Willow. "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, Dawn and Buffy glared at Xander but amazingly, Giles began to chuckle.

"You see," Giles 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—"

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

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

"Yes, let's not jump to conclusions—" Giles began.

"I did not jump," Dawn said with a perfectly expressionless face. "I took a tiny step. And there conclusions were."

"The point I believe Giles is making," Cameron said, "is like myself and Buffy, the werewolf can be anyone regardless of gender."

"Exactly, Cameron," Giles agreed. "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. "'Cause 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."

'So, tonight we bring 'em back alive.'

"Buffy said tonight we bring them back, alive," Cameron said.

Makeout Point

Makeout Point at night, and Buffy wandered quietly among the bushes at the edge of the parking lot. She could see Dawn prowling between the cars. Eventually she and her sister crossed paths between two of the darkened cars. "Anything yet?" Dawn 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—"

"Yeah," Dawn chuckled. "But that's not what I meant."

"No sign of the werewolf," Buffy answered. "How about you?"

"The same," Dawn said.

They then split up and headed into the wooded area around the lot's edge.

Dawn 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.

'Buffy,' Dawn telepathically sent out through her implant. 'I have something.'

'On my way,' Buffy replied.

Dawn aimed for the shape, 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 unless she phased. She decided to hang there seeing who came along.

Within moments someone stood below her. When she angled her head downward, Dawn saw him. A rough-looking man dressed in dark hunter's garb and boots stared up at her. She 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.

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

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Branches crunched as Buffy stepped into the clearing. "Hey!" she said when she saw the guy standing below her sister. Instantly, the hunter swung the gun in her direction. "You can't kill me."

"And why is that?" the man said coldly.

"Who are you?" Buffy demanded ignoring his question. "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."

Dawn cleared her throat. "Buffy, should I?"

"Might as well, since he doesn't seem interested in letting you down," Buffy answered.

"Should she what?" Cain said as he glanced up at Dawn. He 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.

Dawn fell to the ground with an "Oof!"

Buffy glanced at her sister. "You all right?" she asked as she helped her sister out of the net.

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

Cain considered the sisters. "I got to say, I'm impressed."

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked.

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

Buffy glared at him. "You'd be smart to take that back."

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

"Seriously?" Dawn said, clearly repulsed by the insinuation that she was out here to make out with her own sister. "She's my sister."

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! Well, you two are girls."

'I am taking over.'

Buffy nodded as she took on her androgynous silver humanoid appearance before taking on Cameron's appearance. "I am a T-X series Terminator," Cameron said. "And our sister can phase through solid matter."

Dawn walked over to a tree and phased through it to prove to him she could. She then moved back beside Cameron. "Between my sister being a Terminator and I being able to phase through objects. You would find it hard to hurt either of us."

Cain looked at the girls in clear surprise. "Let me ask you something. Exactly how many of these animals have you two taken out?"

"We have taken out none," Dawn replied. "Why?"

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."

'Did I just hear him right'

"You did, Buffy," Cameron replied.

"So, you're just going to kill it?" Dawn questioned.

"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."

Dawn'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 the rest of the month?" Dawn 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 during the full moon." 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 the boys and girls like to get together around here?"

"We would not tell you," Cameron answered.

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

Cameron and Dawn watched him stomp off, then Cameron took on her androgynous silver humanoid appearance before taking on Buffy's appearance. Then Buffy headed in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" Dawn asked as she kept up with her sister.

"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. Willow was enjoying the music when something huge and hairy fell from the ceiling and crashed onto her table.

Werewolf!

Screams erupted as teenagers fled in all directions. Willow threw herself backward as the creature swiped at her and missed. She scrambled from her seat. She made it outside despite the crush for the door and the tables and chairs that went flying around her. She smiled when she saw Buffy and Dawn walk up.

"Looks as though your hunch was right," Dawn said to Buffy.

"How could a werewolf resist Sunnydale's own House o' Hormones?" Buffy quipped.

"The werewolf!" Willow said as she ran up to her girlfriend. "It's in there! It went upstairs!"

Buffy quickly kissed Willow and then dashed for the entrance. Willow watched the sisters disappear inside the Bronze just as a final, panicked couple lurched out. Then they were in the clear, and someone reached out and slammed the door shut behind Buffy and Dawn.

Now it was just Buffy, Dawn, 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. "Cameron?"

'Behind you.'

Buffy spun out of the werewolf's way as it leaped, barely avoiding the slash of its claws. She dodged and kicked. It crashed backward, snarling viciously.

Dawn unshouldered her bag and yanked out a length of heavy, iron chain, which she tossed to Buffy. Buffy swung the chain which wrapped 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 two let it get away," Gib Cain said. He seemed not at all surprised.

"We 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?"

"We were trying to lock it up," Dawn 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 women try to do a man's job."

"Now you look here," Dawn said stiffly, "we risked our lives trying to capture something that you haven't even been able to find."

"Uh-huh. And little sis is doing a great job carrying the bag of Milk Bones." He smirked at Dawn's outraged expression, then leaned in until he was right in the sisters' faces. "You know if that thing out there harms anyone, it's going to be on your pretty little heads."

Buffy and Dawn 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 two can live with that."

Buffy and Dawn didn't drop their gaze. "We live with that every day," Dawn answered.

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 Dawn take the bag and zip it closed. "You did good for your first time out with me," she told her sister.

"Thanks, Buffy," Dawn said.

"Since your still human. Why don't you go home and get some sleep?" Buffy suggested. "I'll call Giles and get him to head out with me for a few more hours."

"Okay," Dawn agreed. "I'll let mom know what's going on."

January 29, 1998 – Wednesday

Makeout Point

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 tiny 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 Buffy 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.

'What is wrong, Buffy?'

"I know her, Cameron," Buffy answered. "We had gym class today with her."

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

'Giles is correct.'

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!"

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

"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.

"The problem is how do we tell who it is?" Dawn questioned.

"Well," Xander said. "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," Dawn interrupted with a glance at her sister. She remembered how Xander had zeroed in on Buffy when he had been possessed by the hyena.

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 and Dawn.

"I'm on the prowl. I'm sniffing, I'm snarling, I'm a slobbering predator. I'm—" He stopped. "Wait a second. It's right in front of us. It's obvious who I am!"

Willow, Dawn, Buffy and Giles tensed.

"I'm Larry!"

When they all stared at him blankly, Xander began to tick off points on his fingers. "The guys 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."

"And we can't forget how he looked at you when you bent down to pick up my things," Willow added.

"I would rather we did," Buffy countered.

"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 and Dawn to follow. "Buffy? Dawn?"

"Where are we going?" Dawn asked.

"If none of that works," Giles told the sisters. "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

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

Willow looked up and hid a smile as her girlfriend 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—"

Dawn rolled her eyes as she focused on the information displayed on the screen. "Okay, most of those were not Buffy's fault. Somebody else started them—she was just standing up for herself."

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

Dawn glared at her sister's girlfriend. "One, two, three—"

Willow grinned. "I'll keep looking." Outside the library, they heard the muffled sound of the bell ringing for class. She turned off the computer and followed Buffy and Dawn to the door.

"Hey," Xander exclaimed from behind them with a punch to Buffy's arm.

Willow turned away. "I'll see you guys later. Cordelia asked me to look over her history homework before class. I think that means I might have to do it."

Buffy, Dawn and Xander watched Willow go. Xander's expression was vaguely troubled. "Wow. Those two gals have been hanging out a lot together." They began heading down the hallway. "This would be a good time to panic," he muttered beneath his breath, but the sisters still caught the words and had to choke back a laugh.

Instead, Dawn asked, "How'd it go with Larry?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Xander demanded defensively.

Buffy peered at him as she reached her locker and opened it. "I think it's supposed to mean 'How'd it go with Larry?'"

"He's not the werewolf," Xander said quickly. His words were practically tumbling over themselves. "Can't we just leave it at that? Must you continue to push and push?"

'What's up with Xander?'

Buffy and Dawn glanced at each other at Cameron's silent question and had to shrug, they didn't know.

"There goes our lead suspect," Buffy said, slumping against her locker. "Which puts us right back at square boned."

Xander tried to look perky for her benefit. "You're not boned. You're Buffy, Eradicator of Evil. Defender of . . . things that need defending."

"Tell that to Theresa," Buffy replied. Awful, imaginary images filled her head. "She could have used some defending before she was ripped apart by that…"

"Werewolf," Dawn offered when her sister didn't finish.

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Nowhere in any of the reports did it say anything about her being mauled. They were linked to the animal attacks from the other night, so we just assumed werewolf."

Xander was clearly puzzled. "What else would we have assumed?"

"You think, she was killed by a vampire?" Dawn questioned.

Sunnydale Funeral Home

Cameron looked down at Theresa's face which was powdered to pale perfection. As she used a forefinger to pull down the floral scarf around the dead girl's neck, she saw that Dawn was right. "Vampire," she said as she looked toward Dawn.

Dawn groaned. "I hate being right," she sighed. "Buffy has seen a lot of things since she became the Slayer. And each loss has always…"

"I am aware," Cameron admitted. "Since Halloween I have access to her memories just as she has access to mine. Buffy and I see each one we could not save."

They turned away from the coffin and moved to the satin sign-in book. The stand that held it wobbled on three rather skinny legs as Dawn scrawled hers and Buffy's names.

"She had a lot of friends."

"She did, Buffy," Cameron agreed as she detected motion behind them. "Dawn."

Dawn whirled in time for Theresa's full body tackle. Dawn phased and rolled away from Theresa. Theresa jumped up and turned on Cameron as Cameron's arm morphed into her flame thrower and fired.

Theresa exploded into vamp dust.

Cameron turned toward Dawn. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Dawn said. "It's good I can phase. Otherwise I might have been a goner."

"Your being able to phase is why I started training you, Dawnie."

"I know, Buffy," Dawn said appreciatively.

Sunnydale High School

Buffy and Dawn heard a clang from the library as they hurried through the door. Giles had dropped a steel case on the table, and as they came over as he began pulling out pieces of a high-tech rifle. "Sorry, we're late," Dawn said.

"Had to do some unscheduled slayage in the form of Theresa," Buffy added.

Her Watcher looked up from where he was assembling the weapon. "She's a vampire?"

"Was." Buffy answered. "Cameron using the flamethrower dusted her."

"So, you got everything we need to bag ourselves a werewolf?" Dawn asked.

He nodded and turned his attention back to his project. "All set," he said as he screwed the final piece, a scope, into place. He then handed the weapon to Dawn and showed her how to shoot it. "Let's go find this thing."

"One question," Buffy said as they started for the door. "How exactly do we find this thing?"

Giles began to answer, then they both jumped as Willow dashed into the library. "It's after me!" she cried. "I was heading home and the werewolf jumped out of the bushes at me!"

Dawn squared her shoulders. "Where is it now?"

Willow looked back at the door automatically. "In the woods."

"Willow, it'll be okay." Buffy squeezed her friend's arm. "We're going to take care of everything."

Dawn lifted the rifle, then primed it. "Let's go."

Willow stared at the gun in Dawn's hands. "Go where? You're going to kill it? I know it's a werewolf, but it's still human."

Buffy took on the silver androgynous humanoid form before transforming into Cameron. "Don't worry, Will," Cameron assured her girlfriend. "We're not going to hurt whoever it is."

"We're not."

"And Buffy just completely agreed," Cameron added with a quick kiss to her girlfriend's lips.

"I put enough phenobarbital in here to sink a small elephant," Giles informed them motioning toward rifle as Dawn turned it until they could see it was filled with tranquilizer darts. "It should be enough for a large werewolf."

Woods

Gib Cain crouched in the woods, his rifle, loaded with silver bullets, at the ready. When he heard the were-wolf's soulful howl, he smiled in the darkness. "There you are," he whispered as he began silently working his way toward the cry.

It didn't take long to find the creature—Cain had set the perfect trap and the beast had taken the bait immediately. When the hunter crept to the edge of the clearing where he'd arranged the pile of meat, he could see the werewolf on the other side, sniffing the beef-scented air and carefully checking out the moonlit area. When all seemed okay, the werewolf edged toward the free meal.

"That's it," Cain murmured to himself, too low for even the werewolf's sensitive hearing to catch. "Let me see you . . ."

Another foot, then two, and the werewolf looked around a final time, lowered its head, and began to devour the meat.

"Come on, suppertime," Cain whispered. He stood without making a sound and aimed.

"Good doggie. Now play dead."

He squeezed the trigger at the same time someone smacked the side of his rifle and sent his best shot far off into the night sky.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy got a good crack in, but Gib Cain was an experienced hunter and didn't let go of his weapon. From the clearing, she heard the werewolf snarl but she was too busy struggling with Cain to think about it. The man's face was grim and angry as he tried to pull the gun free; still, her strength caught him off guard. With very little effort she yanked the weapon from his hands, spun it, and slammed the butt into his stomach. He went down—

—and she found herself facing the snarling werewolf. She thrust Cain's gun forward to block it and the beast grabbed on and lifted her into the air.

The thing tried with everything it had to bite and Buffy had to concentrate on keeping its jaws out of range and its claws occupied. Finally, as it reared back to try again, she managed to bring the rifle up and then down, clubbing it solidly on its skull. She knew the whole time that Dawn was trying to get a shot in with the tranquilizer gun.

Buffy played a sort of whirl game with the creature, putting its back to Dawn, but not for long enough before once again it was her back facing the tranq gun.

"Buffy, I can't get a clear shot with you in the way," Dawn said as Buffy caught a glimpse of her trying in vain to get a shot. Then, just when she thought she had it under control, she went sailing through the air. When she came down, it was on top of her sister and Willow.

The foursome scrambled around, trying to untangle themselves. Willow got free first, and Buffy was still hauling herself up when she saw the werewolf lock eyes with her friend, then jump for her.

Without time to think about it, Willow snatched up the tranquilizer rifle and fired.

The wolf howled in pain and reeled backward, clutching its chest.

Dawn smiled at her sister's girlfriend as she took the rifle.

"No wonder this town is overrun with monsters," said Cain. He looked disheveled and furious as he tramped over to them. "No one here's man enough to kill 'em."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that."

The hunter turned his head to see Buffy a few feet away. In her hands was his rifle. "You know," she continued, "I've been sick of you since the moment before I met you. And I've been waiting for just the right opportunity to take you on. But then I realized, a big, strong man versus a Terminator?" She looked down at his weapon and she began to bend the steel barrel slowly. "Wouldn't be a fair fight," she said softly. She tossed the now worthless piece of junk to the hunter. "How about you let the door hit you in the butt on the way out of town."

He glowered at her as though he wanted to say something, then thought better of it. Instead, he simply shook his head and stalked away. Buffy dismissed him and turned back to her girlfriend. "Willow?"

Willow had gone to the unconscious werewolf and now knelt next to him to check on him. "Is he going to be okay?"

Willow nodded. "He'll likely be a little sore in the morning, but he'll be whoever he is during the day."

January 30, 1998 – Thursday

Sunnydale High School

Buffy and Dawn walked down the hall with Xander the next day as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened the night before.

"This is all so weird," Xander said, as if he'd known her thoughts. "I mean, how are we supposed to act when we see him?"

When the werewolf woke that morning locked in the book cage they found out it was a fellow student nicknamed Oz.

"It's got to be weird for him, too," Dawn replied. "Now that we know so much."

Xander stared straight ahead. "All I know is I'll never be able to look at him the same way again."

Buffy frowned slightly. "Xander we've had this conversation. He's not much different than Cameron and I. He's still a human being. Most of the time."

Xander stopped, clearly confused. "Who are we talking about?"

"Oz," Buffy said, she and Dawn pausing with him.

"Who are you talking about?" Dawn wondered.

Xander blinked. "No one," he said, a little too quickly.

A few feet away they saw a couple of the guys who'd always hung around with Larry. As a nice-looking girl passed them, one of them reached out and knocked her books from her hands. They leered at her as she stooped to retrieve them, and suddenly Larry stepped between them and the girl. "Here, let me get those," he offered, scooping up the books and handing them back.

She took them and Larry came over to Buffy, Dawn and Xander, ignoring the puzzled glances and comments of his former Larryettes. "Hey, Xander," he said. "Look—about what you did? Man, I owe you."

Buffy glanced from one guy to the other. "What'd you do?"

"It's really nothing that we should be talking about." Xander's voice was oddly strained and he locked eyes with Larry. "Ever."

Larry nodded. "I know, I know. It's just, well . . ." He reached over and squeezed Xander's shoulder, making her friend wince. "Thanks." He walked away.

"That was weird," Dawn said.

"Dawn's right."

"What?" Xander demanded. "It's not okay for one guy to like another guy just because he happened to be in the locker room when absolutely nothing happened and I thought I told you not to push!"

'Whoa,' Dawn thought. 'Bundle of nerves, aren't we?'

"All Dawn meant was that he didn't try to look up my dress," Buffy admitted.

"Oh, yeah." Xander coughed nervously. "That's the weirdness."

"Weirdness abounds lately," Buffy said as they headed outside. "Maybe it's the moon. It does stuff to people."

"I've heard that," Xander agreed.