Wanted: A Werewolf and a Superman by Frau Hunter Ash

Disclaimer: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The X-files characters and show all belong to Chris Carter, Fox and possibly others. No copyright infringement was intended and suing me will not make you any money! The storyline, however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.

Summary: It's a full moon, Willow is a werewolf and there's an earthquake.

Scully frowned as she looked up from her laptop when Mulder entered her hotel room with barely a knock.

"What up?" he asked casually as he dropped a pizza on the bed next to her and peeled off a Pepsi from the six-pack he was carrying.

She decided to make him wait as she raised the top of the pizza and investigated what kind he had ordered. <Combination without onions, nice.>

"I've been going over Willow Rosenberg's records from the Initiative," she said as Mulder settled in on the other side of the bed and grabbed for a slice, handing her several napkins.

"They put her through hell in just those three days, Mulder," Scully growled. "Electric shocks, mind altering drugs, heat tolerance, cold tolerance, pain tolerance, and that's just the start. Then they decided on some real torture, more mind altering drugs, extreme noise, light, sleep deprivation, and triggering phobias."

"What were they trying to accomplish?" he asked with a frown as intense as his partner's.

"To force her to change into a werewolf without the trigger of the full moon," Scully answered. "Their goal is to train werewolf soldiers to be able to change on command, either voluntarily or through some device implanted in them."

"Not with Willow, they may have with others," the FBI agent/doctor said as she moved her cursor around on the screen. "I'm concentrating on Willow's file specifically right now so we might be able to tell Giles and the others what to expect."

"Good idea, we've been called back to the Hill to account for our time here," Mulder said casually.

"Someone at the Initiative complaining about us shutting down their organization?" Scully questioned with a smile.

"Well, sabotaging their entire computer system, blowing up one of their Centers, killing several of their operatives and stealing Willow back from them tended to make them very unhappy," Mulder agreed.

"Danger? Yes," Mulder nodded. "Career? No, they can't touch us without risking exposure, for once."

"There is a risk but a small one, I think she'll move onto her Super Soldier program and leave Sunnydale alone," Mulder shrugged between bites. "Any permanent damage to Willow?"

"Possible flashbacks from some of those drugs, almost all of which are not approved for testing on animals, let alone humans," Scully complained. "Definite flashbacks from the physical torture she went through. Possible seizures from the electric shocks, and sensitivity to heat and cold. She was very lucky, actually."

"Right, Daniel Oswald, the young werewolf responsible for breaking her hand and infecting Buffy. Ultimately responsible for Willow's lycanthropy," Mulder nodded, reaching for another slice of pizza.

"Yes, they were hoping he was still out of control and would rape her," Scully said bitterly.

"Oh God," Mulder muttered, struggling to keep his pizza down at the thought of his young witch friend being raped by a werewolf.

"They wanted to use her as a brood mare werewolf," Scully said softly, remembering her own child. A daughter she never knew she had conceived, born in a test lab and dying because she was an alien hybrid and couldn't tolerate the Earth.

"I'm sorry, Scully," Mulder said softly, realizing by Dana's expression what she was thinking about.

"I'm alright," she said with a small smile. "It would have been worse for Willow, going through the pregnancy and giving birth due to rape and then have the child taken away as a lab rat."

"You know we stopped them here in Sunnydale but they have other Centers," Mulder complained softly.

"I know. A little at a time, Mulder," Scully said. "That's all we can do. One windmill at a time."

Buffy felt the body next to hers jerk and then heard a familiar whimper. The Slayer opened her eyes and tightened her arm around Willow as the young witch flinched.

"Wills, it's okay," Buffy shook her lover again and wasn't surprised when Tara, on the other side of Willow, turned over to face Willow and Buffy.

Willow jerked and opened her eyes, a look of fear on her face. She blinked a couple of times and then sighed.

"I'm sorry, guys," she said softly as both blondes wrapped their arms around her.

Tara leaned up and looked at the clock and then snuggled back down onto Willow's shoulder. "Time to get up anyway, the alarm is about to go off."

With a frown, Buffy leaned back and whacked the radio alarm, just as it started to buzz.

"I could use another few hours," Tara complained, lightly nuzzling Willow's neck.

"Me too," Willow whispered as her hand unconsciously played in Buffy's hair. "They didn't let me sleep much."

Buffy frowned and squeezed both her girlfriends tightly. She reflected she could use some extra sleep as well, especially now that they had Willow back from the Initiative.

"Come on, guys," she said easily, leaning over to kiss Tara and then Willow. "Giles is expecting us downstairs."

After a short meeting at Giles' place, the girls and Joyce had returned to the Summers home for a round of showers, food, and a long nap. It had been 11 a.m. when they finally laid down for some much-needed rest.

Now it was 4:30 p.m. and they needed to get ready for the full moon. Another night when Willow would turn into a werewolf.

"Okay, I admit it, I'm scared," Willow said, sitting up in the middle of the bed.

Tara sat up beside her and wrapped an arm around the red-haired witch's shoulder.

"We'll be right there," Tara tried to reassure her lover. "The spells we did will keep out everyone out of the crypt, except members of the Scooby Gang. You'll be safe with us."

"After all the times you've been thrown around, backhanded by some vampire, put in the hospital and terrorized out of your mind, you won't notice this," Buffy grinned. "I don't remember beginning to change last month when you did that spell."

"I know, Oz said you don't start remembering the change until you're used to it and it's not as painful," Willow commented, getting out of the bed behind Tara.

Buffy leaned down and grabbed Willow's shoes and motioned for the witch to sit down on the bed.

Since they had lain down on top of the bed with their clothes on, they didn't have to get dressed except for shoes and Willow needed help with hers.

"I would love to spend the rest of the night snuggling with both of you but we've only got an hour and twenty minutes before moonrise," Willow reminded them as Tara reached down to kiss her and then Buffy.

"I have a feeling we're going to know the rise and setting of every moon for the rest of our lives," Tara complained. "Moonrise at 5:54 p.m. and setting at 6:24 a.m."

Giles was sitting at the dining table with Scully and Mulder while Joyce prepared a quick dinner in the kitchen.

Buffy and Tara looked over Giles' shoulder at the computer screen while Willow began to pace in the living room.

"Restlessness is common," Giles muttered to them. Willow glared and then continued pacing.

Joyce entered from the kitchen with a plate of roast beef sandwiches and three bags of chips. Giles jumped up and went into the kitchen for sodas.

"You already know most of it," Mulder commented. "You've actually dealt with werewolves before. The affects from her time with the Initiative should be short term except for the flashbacks and nightmares."

"So we go on as before?" Tara asked. "We continue helping Buffy with slaying…."

"You know that spell you did was irreversible, don't you? It can't be undone even with another spell," Giles commented.

"I don't think we have time to lecture me about risking such powerful and dark magick," Willow snapped.

"Shall we then?" he asked as Buffy grabbed another sandwich as they headed for the door.

The worried mother watched her daughter and two daughters-in-law leave with Giles and looked over at the two FBI agents.

"There's always hope, we've seen some incredible things," Mulder said with a small smile.

"We might be able to do something with reversing the DNA change that she's been through," Scully said thoughtfully. "And Mulder, Giles, and Willow will continue to look for a spell."

"God, she's so young," Joyce complained. "Buffy was only fifteen when Merrick told her she was the Slayer and turned her into a vampire hunter."

Willow sat down unhappily on a sleeping bag as Tara knelt and began removing the red-haired witch's shoes. Willow unconsciously scratched at her fingers sticking out of the cast.

Buffy sat down behind Willow and wrapped her arms around the hacker. Willow leaned back and interlaced her fingers with the Slayer.

"Yup, got it covered," Buffy agreed. She looked up and saw Giles preparing a needle. "With you unconscious when you change, you probably won't shred your clothes though."

Buffy felt the witch stiffen and her breathing quicken. Tara also noticed the change in energy and looked up into Willow's green eyes.

Tara fell backwards and Buffy tightened her embrace around Willow when they all heard a warning growl from the witch.

"Okay," she agreed and tried to keep her breathing calm and even as Willow's green eyes changed to yellow. Tara looked up at Buffy. "Drop your shields, Buff."

Buffy dropped her mental shields and let Tara connect with her. In a moment she could see what Tara was seeing, Willow's yellow eyes, growing teeth and tense muscles. Together, she and Tara melded their connection and reached out for Willow but found themselves blocked.

Tara reached out with her left hand as if to gently stroke Willow's cheek and slid the needle to Buffy.

Willow growled at Tara's hand and Buffy tightened an arm around the witch and quickly injected the hacker in the neck.

The Watcher moved forward and checked the witch's pulse and pupils. "She'll be okay. Let's get out of here before she changes, she may thrash."

Buffy and Tara reluctantly moved out of the cage with the Watcher and watched as he shut the door firmly and listened to the lock click.

"Come on, Tara, this is the painful part for us too," Buffy urged Tara, gently pulling the witch away from the cell.

"Buffy?" Tara whispered as Buffy tried to lead her away from the bars, her eyes still locked on Willow as the red hair turned into fur and claws extended from the hacker's hands.

"Come on, Tara," Buffy urged and got her girlfriend away. "Giles, what was that about? She started changing early!"

"I think she was reacting to the sight of the needle, recent trauma and such," he pondered.

"She's on the verge of being able to change at will?" Tara asked, her voice fearful.

Giles hung up a blanket across the cell bars and turned to comfort his Slayer and Tara.

"Okay, Professor," a young man with a military haircut called to a middle aged woman in a lab coat. "We set up in those caves you specified. Industrial size generators installed, super computers, three labs set up."

"Totally, Finn. You get to know everything now," Professor Walsh smiled. "The first thing you get to know is the need for absolute silence. You cannot be spotted by Buffy Summers or any of her friends, they cannot know we stayed here in Sunnydale and had this alternate plan."

"Your first assignment is to contact the Los Angeles unit, they have a particular demon that we need for our experiment, arrange transport," Walsh ordered. "You'll be let in on the project very soon, Finn."

"Now we work full time on the ultimate project, the super soldier of the future," Walsh said softly to herself. "The first soldier shall be named Adam."

Buffy moaned and lifted her head off the pillow and glanced down at Tara sleeping in her arms.

The Slayer had stayed with the blonde witch during Willow's first night as a werewolf with them. The drugs had worn off after two hours and they had elected not to shoot her with a tranquilizer dart when the werewolf didn't seem overly violent, just restless. They tried to ignore the werewolf watching them through the bars most of the night and the animals' pacing. Occasionally the werewolf would even growl when they moved around the crypt.

The werewolf had finally settled down on the sleeping bag at 4 a.m. and Buffy and Tara had decided to lay down on the air mattress to try and sleep. Tara had drifted to sleep and Buffy dozed lightly. She was aware every time the werewolf got up, looked around and then lay back down.

Buffy stood up and walked over to the bars and glanced over the blanket. She remembered the numerous times they had watched Oz in the bookcage at the school library. Similar blankets had been hung up to give the young man privacy when he would change back into human and find himself totally naked.

Willow was asleep in the sleeping bag with her back to the door. Buffy could see the red head's naked shoulder and sighed with relief that the young witch had gotten into the sleeping bag shortly after changing. Maybe they wouldn't have to worry about Willow catching a cold from the cold winter morning in a damp crypt.

Buffy heard movement behind her and turned with a smile to see Tara sitting up, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Hey, baby," Buffy grinned and crossed back to the bed and into Tara's arms. The Slayer laughed softly as Tara pulled her over onto the mattress, ending up on top of Buffy.

"Morning," Tara said softly and began kissing Buffy as the Slayer moaned and wrapped her arms around the witch.

Buffy slid her hands under Tara's t-shirt and the witch responded with a moan of arousal and broke the kiss to nibble on Buffy's neck.

Tara's head and back arched as Buffy's hands roamed over her breast and pulled at her t-shirt.

"Willow is going to wake up and Giles will be here any minute!" Tara insisted with a small laugh.

"Listen, I'm going to go outside and head Giles off, you wake Willow up," Tara suggested. "I'll bring Giles back in about an hour."

"Because Willow is going to wake up frisky and need one of us," Tara explained and was surprised when Buffy frowned.

"You make it sound like you're second choice," Buffy complained. "You are not second choice or second best!"

"Relax!" Tara smiled. "I don't think that even though I know you've always been in Willow's heart first."

"Yeah, you're the one that woke her up from that darkness Oz left her in," Buffy growled. "And your connection with her is much different than mine and deeper."

"Might be rushing Willow," Buffy said thoughtfully. "Those damned Initiative types messed with her a lot."

"No, we'll talk about this after breakfast, school, and a nap today," Tara promised and sat up, reaching for her shoes.

"I love you, Buffy," Tara answered with a smile, leaning back into the embrace. "I'm not jealous and I don't feel left out."

"Both," Tara laughed. "At least before the Initiative. Agent Scully didn't say anything about hurting her sexually."

"No, they didn't have time," Buffy confirmed. "They wanted Oz to mate with her but he became a nice guy again according to the reports."

"No, not really," Buffy answered seriously. "You know we still need to find out more about that spell she did. Mulder said it was dark magick."

"I know, to call a curse like lycanthropy on yourself is almost the equivalent of making a pact with a demon for your soul," Tara said thoughtfully.

"Damn," Buffy muttered and then tried to smile. "Go, find Giles and head him off."

"I will," Buffy smiled and watched the blonde witch climb the stairs to the upper crypt and out the door.

Professor Walsh stood over the table and looked down at the figure on the steel table with the loving eyes of a parent, or Victor Frankenstein looking at his creation.

The only ones that could look at the creature on the table with such affection would be a creator. The only thing normal looking about the figure was its short brown hair and part of the right half of his face. The rest of the head was a combination of strange green demon skin and the shiny metal of a cyborg. The rest of the body was covered with a white sheet.

Various tubes and wires ran to different parts of the body under the sheet, including the metal part of his head.

Professor Walsh checked several read-outs from different machines lining the walls around the table in the center of the room.

Buffy whimpered and clutched at the sleeping bag below her as Willow thrust into her even deeper and harder.

Tara had been right in her assessment of Willow's mood when Buffy woke her up. Willow had nearly attacked her when the 'good morning' kiss became something very heated and lively between the two. Buffy's clothing had quickly been pulled off or ripped off as Willow's teeth, hand and lips were all over the Slayer.

"Wills! Oh, God!" Buffy cried out as her hips lifted off the sleeping bag. Willow followed the Slayer with her fingers and tongue, not stopping pleasing her lover and never breaking the rhythm they had set.

"Wills!" Buffy screamed again. She had no idea any more how many times they had pleased each other. She became aware of her surroundings when she collapsed back onto the sleeping bag, breathing heavily. Her muscles were shaking and she felt like she had no strength left.

Buffy looked down to see Willow's head resting on her thigh, loving green eyes watching her as the red haired witch caught her breath and slowed her heart rate.

"I love you too, Buff," Willow smiled. "We should get dressed; won't Giles and Tara be here soon?"

"Buffy," Willow began slowly as she reached for a t-shirt and Buffy helped her get it on. Willow leaned on Buffy's shoulder to step into the sweat pants she had taken to wearing since her hand was caught in the cast.

"What happened last night?" Willow asked softly. "I don't remember getting a shot."

Buffy suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Uh, Wills, you saw the needle and had a panic attack or something. You started to change early."

"Change, early?" Willow repeated. "I was so scared I started to change? Oh God, Buffy!"

"Wills, it's okay!" Buffy exclaimed, grabbing Willow from behind and hugging her. "You didn't hurt anyone. Mulder and Scully said you might have reactions like that."

"After that workout, I probably won't need to spar with Giles this afternoon," Buffy teased and grinned as Willow blushed.

The day went quickly for the three young college students. Willow felt a little ridiculous going to class with the threat of the full moon hanging over her just a few short hours away. She wondered once again how Oz could have dealt with it all those months with very little wigging out.

By the end of classes all three were dragging; especially Willow and Tara since they didn't have Buffy's Slayer stamina. They readily agreed to a nap. Giles and Joyce went to the crypt to stock snacks in anticipation for Tara to watch over Willow that night.

Willow woke up in Tara's arms and no sign of Buffy. Tara muttered and slammed her hand down on the snooze bar of the clock radio. Willow couldn't help but grin.

"Slayer stamina, goes along with that extra strong thingy," Willow managed to smile as she glanced at the clock. "We'd better get going."

Willow and Tara were surprised to see Mulder and Scully waiting downstairs in the living room for them along with Buffy, Giles and Joyce.

"Where's Xander, Anya and Brad, it could be a full Scooby meeting," Willow quipped, trying to be upbeat.

Willow grabbed a quick hug from Buffy and sat down on the floor in between the Slayer's legs while Tara sat down on the arm of the chair, playing with Buffy's hair.

"We have to leave in an hour and thought we'd drop by," Mulder explained. "Didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."

"Just very detailed reports of what they did to her," Scully answered and Willow shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't remember a lot of the details, it was all pretty awful," Willow muttered. "Really high up there on the awful scale."

"Just like we figured the other day, you may experience flashbacks from some of those experimental drugs they gave you," Scully said softly.

"Terrific," Giles complained. "They get through their entire teen years without drugs and now this?"

"She'll also have some reactions that are common to victims of assault and torture, I'm leaving a disk with things to expect," Scully continued. "Panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks during intense emotional moments, depression, insomnia, short temper, relationship problems…."

"Look, I'm really sorry," Scully said gently. "We just want you to know what you might expect."

"Denial, suppression, uncontrolled sweating, hyper alert, hyper watchful, distrust of government or official institutions…"

"Headaches, lack of concentration, possible memory loss, and feelings of being numb are just some of the fun highlights," Scully finished.

"Not to mention clenching jaw muscles, racing heartbeat, breathing difficulties, chest pain, change in appetite, and emotional outburst," Giles added. "Slayers often suffer PTSD during their careers and Watchers seem to suffer quite a bit with it, especially in retirement."

"Dealing with all the side affects can work on a relationship," Scully explained. "Having your partner suddenly snapping at you, suffering with nightmares, having flashback during sex, all that can take a toll."

"Exactly," Giles nodded with a rueful smile. "Now it's time to say goodbye, girls."

"Damn!" Willow muttered and ducked as Buffy climbed over her to stand up. The Slayer reached down and helped Willow to her feet and drew Willow into a reassuring hug which was joined by Tara.

"I'm going to miss you," the red haired witch said softly. "You'll still email?"

Thing went a little smoother for the three young women, Willow didn't freak at the sight of the hypodermic needle this time and let Buffy inject her with the tranquilizing drugs.

Tara held the witch as the drugs took affect and Willow's head fell back against her shoulder.

Tara gently stroked Willow's head and laid the witch back onto the sleeping bag and watched closely.

"Come on, Tara," Buffy said softly, gently touching Tara on the shoulder. "She'll be okay the change won't hurt."

"Yeah, totally," Buffy agreed and held Tara's hand as they walked out of the cell and closed the door, listening to the combination lock click into place. Buffy looked at Tara's watch and sat down at the card table with her lover.

"How many times did someone sit outside the bookcage and watch Oz during his furry time?" Tara asked.

"Lots," Buffy answered with a smile. "With your protection spells around the place it should be safer than the library at school was."

"Then I'll be fine. I'm going to do homework and nap," Tara said easily, glancing over at the cage. She frowned as Willow began to jerk and moan softly in her drugged sleep. Buffy followed her gaze and both watched as Willow's light red hairs on her arms became darker and thicker.

"I know, it just kills me that she goes through this," Tara said softly, trying not to cry. "Those damned Initiative bastards!"

Buffy glanced over and saw that Willow was indeed a full werewolf now and still unconscious.

"She should sleep for several hours, Oz averaged about four hours before the wolf came out of it," Buffy said.

"No," Buffy frowned. "Only if she managed to rip that door open would you need to sedate her."

Buffy melted into Tara's embrace and the kissing lasted over a couple of minutes until they broke apart, their foreheads touching.

Giles watched as the FBI agents got into their rental car and slowly pulled away in the early evening. The Watcher hated seeing them go but knew they had their own jobs and lives to get back to.

"What they said about Willow, it's horrible, Rupert," she said as they turned to go back inside the Summers' house.

"I know, it won't be easy. They've all been through a lot with that damned deal with Oz, having the Initiative kidnap Willow and torture her isn't going to be easy to get over," he commented.

"You know, I wasn't sure Buffy would really get over Angel," Giles said thoughtfully. "I never really thought she was deeply in love with Riley. I knew she depended on Willow, just didn't know they would realize how deep that love went. Tara was a surprise, I must admit."

"I agree, they've been good for each other. All we can hope now is a chance at some peace and quiet," Giles smiled.

"I know, I know," he muttered, sitting down on the sofa and pulling her into his arms. "What say we set a wedding date now that we have Willow back and the Initiative is gone?"

Buffy grinned as she spotted Xander and Anya snuggling in a corner of the Bronze. She quickly made her way over to the couple and tapped Xander on the shoulder.

"Hey, Buff!" Xander grinned and Anya smiled, keeping her arms around Xander's neck. "Heading back to the cemetery for furry duty?"

"Yeah, the streets around the Bronze are clear as of five minutes ago," Buffy grinned.

"Four vampires and one new demon I need to talk to Giles about," Buffy grinned. "Not even a scratch."

"What was the new demon thing?" Anya asked as Buffy sat down in a lounge chair across from them.

"This one was big, green, ugly and had a long spike that came out of its forearm," Buffy described. "Fortunately, he tried to impale me and got the spike thingy stuck in a fence. Took him out with a sword."

"Giles pointed out that some demons have really thick skin and stakes may not always work. Angel and I used to practice with swords."

Buffy was surprised when she fell out of the chair amid shouting, screams, creaking walls and a deep rumbling from the ground. The Slayer clung to the floor with her hands over her head. She glanced over and saw Xander lying on top of Anya, trying to protect her with his own body.

"Earthquake!" he screamed and Buffy nodded, putting her head under a coffee table as Xander moved Anya and himself to do the same.

The quake seemed to go on forever but Buffy knew that it was probably less than 30 seconds, if that. Anya started to move and Buffy grabbed her shoulder, keeping her down. In a moment the aftershocks hit and the screams started again.

Buffy felt the last rumble shake the hangout and sat up slowly. She looked around and was relieved to discover that no one seemed more hurt than maybe broken arms and sprained ankles. A few cuts from broken glasses but no collapsed walls or ceiling and no smell of gas leaks.

"Be careful, Buffy," Anya added. "Earthquake may have tossed unhappy things out of their crypts."

"Meet me at the crypt in an hour," Buffy instructed them as she headed for the door.

"Willow! No! Please!" Tara pleaded, trying desperately to get the heavy cell door off her legs as the werewolf approached her slowly, growling deep in its throat.

Tara quickly looked over at the card table, a good five feet away and now on its side. The tranquilizer gun lay on the cold stone floor, at least six feet away.

The witch looked deep into the werewolf's yellow eyes and saw nothing of Willow inside.

The wolf's jaws opened and Tara whimpered at the sight of the mouth full of very sharp teeth meant for ripping.

Tara closed her eyes and mentally tried to calm herself and dropped her shields, reaching out psychically. She felt her mind touching the werewolf's brain and felt it hesitate. Tara opened her eyes and tried to calm her heart rate as the werewolf walked over to her and sniffed her hair and neck.

The blonde witch somehow kept from screaming both physically and mentally. She poured all the love she felt for Willow into her projection to the wolf and Tara felt a tear escape as the werewolf nuzzled her neck for a moment, a low whine in the back of its throat.

"Willow!" Tara screamed, trying to maintain her contact with the wolf but sensed nothing but the intense need for freedom and the hunt.

Buffy wasn't surprised when she saw Giles and her mom getting out of the Summers car in front of the cemetery gate.

"I don't know, I was patrolling around the Bronze when the quake hit," Buffy explained.

"Come on then!" Giles urged, pulling out a tranquilizer pistol as Buffy dashed through the gate.

"Come on, Joyce," Giles said anxious, keeping his eyes moving around the cemetery. "Get inside; it's probably safer in there, right now."

"Oz tried to attack anyone within sight, including Buffy, Faith and Willow," he explained.

Giles closed the door and bolted it from the inside and the couple moved to the second door leading to the lower crypt. As they headed down the stairs, watching for cracks and loose stones from the earthquake, they spotted Buffy squatting down next to the cell door, still trapping Tara beneath it.

With a growl, Buffy lifted the door as Giles and Joyce reached the girls and they grabbed Tara and pulled her out.

Buffy dropped the cell door and was beside Tara in an instant as Giles and Joyce looked her over.

Buffy held her lover close and fought against her own rising emotions as she thought of Willow as a werewolf and loose.

"Ow! Ow!" Tara cried as Giles moved her foot. "Willow, I mean the werewolf woke up in a really anxious mood. She kept pacing and growling, not like last night. Then she started howling and pounding on a wall. Ow!"

"I don't think it's broken but the ankle should have an x-ray just as a precaution," Giles announced.

"I got up and went to the door, I was trying to reach her with our mental connection but the wolf wouldn't let me in. Then everything went crazy. Earthquake, I guess. I grabbed onto the bars, trying to keep my balance and it twisted off the hinges and fell on me."

"It's okay, baby," Buffy whispered, stroking Tara's hair and holding her tightly as Giles went to the first aid kit and came back with a large ace bandage and began wrapping the witch's ankle.

"Buffy, she…s-she started towards me," Tara said softly, her tears beginning again. "The wolf, I mean. It…it wasn't Willow."

"I know, I know," Buffy said softly, remembering what Oz was like as a werewolf before he left Sunnydale.

"I tried to connect again, I was so scared! She growled…and…and…she was s-stalking me. I…something happened."

"The w-werewolf stopped and….it sniffed me," Tara sobbed. "I could feel her c-confusion and c-curiosity. I poured all of my love into the connection. Buffy, she nuzzled me and then took off!"

"I d-don't think so," Tara shook her head, clinging to Buffy. "I…I confused her, the wolf. It knew me on a basic level but not as Willow. I tried to connect with it as the werewolf ran away but couldn't. Being free to hunt was in its thoughts."

"Thank God she didn't hurt you," Buffy said, letting the tears escape down her face. "None of us could live with that."

"Especially Willow," Tara nodded. "You've got to find her, Buffy. That's not Willow, only the werewolf who wants to hunt."

"With the earthquake there's going to be a lot of people in the streets," Giles commented. "It's a natural human reaction, to check on neighbors, curiosity about damage and possible death, and the need to connect with other humans after a crisis."

"This graveyard is the closest to the woods, I'm betting that the wolf will want to run through the woods rather than the streets," Buffy said thoughtfully. "Most werewolves try and head for woods or fields."

"Hopefully with the earthquake that'll mean the woods won't be popular tonight," Joyce commented.

"Let's get Tara and your mother to the car," Giles suggested. "She can take Tara to the hospital and get that ankle checked out while you and I look for Willow with the dart guns."

"Good idea, Xander and Anya are supposed to meet me here in about a half hour," Buffy added. "They can help look."

"Let's meet them at the gates, if Willow stayed in the graveyard, I don't want them running into her on their way here," Giles instructed.

Within a half hour Joyce and Tara were on their way to the hospital and the remaining Scooby Gang had split into two teams and were now searching the woods and the graveyard for a werewolf. Xander had Giles' tranquilizer pistol and Buffy with the tranquilizer rifle.

"Damage report!" Walsh snapped at the soldier stopping at attention in front of her.

"The cave on the northwest quadrant collapsed with three lab techs and one guard, we're trying to dig to them now. Expected level of damage in the labs themselves, broken vials, beakers, and equipment, nothing that can't be replaced or repeated."

"Good, any structural damage that will force a move?" Professor Walsh questioned.

"The engineers are checking that out now, Professor," he reported. "It doesn't appear necessary. A low grade earthquake, looks like the tunnel in the northwest quadrant may have been structurally unsound before the quake. The soil behind the rock in that part of the tunnels and caves was mostly sand, very unstable."

"Once that's completed, have Corporal Finn report to me," she instructed and the soldier quickly saluted and dashed down the tunnel.

Professor Walsh turned and walked down a different tunnel, heading deeper into the cave structure that had been expanded by the Army Corp of Engineers who had worked secretly for seven months. Instead of a simple series of small caves the area was now large enough to continue with Professor Walsh's work as well as that of several other Initiative researchers.

The Professor cursed the earthquake once again as she made her way back to her inner sanctorum, the lab containing the developing body and mind of her prize experiment. The Super Soldier of the future, Adam.

She had been in the middle of operating on the body when the quake had hit and Walsh had been forced to end the operation quickly. That meant that her latest grafting would appear ugly and careless and Walsh wasn't happy with that. She knew deep down that Adam would be seen as a monster, she was enough of a realist to know that but she also knew that as a prototype, his looks really weren't of importance.

Once she proved her theories in actual real life, the government would come through with enough funding and personnel to ensure that the future soldiers would be more pleasant in appearance, or more frightening.

Walsh stopped just inside the door, totally stunned as she took in the sight of Adam sitting up on the steel table looking at her.

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Wanted: A Werewolf and a Superman

By Frau Hunter Ash

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