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.

Carson climbed into the bed with the witch with a smile. Out of respect for his guest, he kept on his shorts and a t-shirt. The vampire lost his smile when he looked down and saw the pained look on Willow's face and the sweat pouring off of her as she thrashed lightly in the grip of a nightmare.

Willow's eyes snapped open and Carson tried to scramble out of his bed with a squeak of surprise as the witch raised her hands, pointed at him.

"Damnit, wake up!" he shouted, just as a massive burst of energy hit him, sending him and the covers flying into the far wall.

Carson blinked several times as he thanked the dark gods that he no longer had to breathe to live because he was certain he had several broken ribs.

"You were having a nightmare and zapped me when I woke you up," he explained, trying to unwrap his feet out from the blanket and sheet.

"Oh Goddess," Willow cried and rushed to the vampire, "I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said and winced at the pain in his ribs and Willow noticed.

"Yes, you did and I should have known better," Carson said firmly, finally getting to his feet and pulling her up. "I shouldn't have gotten in your line of fire; a witch with a nightmare can be deadly."

"I can't let Tara and Buffy see me like this," she whispered as he led them both back to the bed and spread out the sheet once more.

"Nope, figured that was your business if you wanted to tell me or not, Willow Rosenberg," he grinned. "You'll find on this side of the fence most of us don't even remember our real names."

"You knew my name though," Willow said, crawling back into bed with the vampire.

"Everyone knows Willow Rosenberg, college student, witch, lesbian and girlfriend to slayer and witch. Buffy Summers the Slayer and Tara Maclay the witch."

"No, just a few of us that don't care to go tracking her down," Carson explained. "Some of us just want to stay out of her way and not force a scene."

"What the hell do I do now?" Willow demanded, more from herself than the vampire lying next to her, as she sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs. "I killed someone innocent."

"What? They were human, that's enough," she clarified her own morality issues. "I saw a mental flash from Buffy, I saw the bodies in her mind."

"Okay, you killed," Carson leaned up on a hand and elbow. "Deal with it somehow."

"Well, the basics of survival are covered: shelter, food, water, clothing. Can you get on with your life with your lovers and friends, go back to your old life?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Willow admitted. "I'm supposed to go back to school and my life as if nothing happened until the next full moon. Let them lock me away and pray that something doesn't let the wolf out?"

"What would you do if you didn't go back to them?" Carson asked. "The same thing but without your friends and family. Trying to survive until the next full moon and finding a place to lock yourself up and praying something doesn't let the wolf out."

"That's why they call them curses, shouldn't have gotten yourself bit," Carson smirked.

Willow smirked. "Nope, that's what I meant when I said I called it to me. Buffy was bitten and I took on the curse to save her."

"I figured it was only fair, Buffy has more than enough to deal with being the
Slayer."

"Then go home to her and Tara," Carson suggested. "You guys obviously love each other. Let that get you through this."

"They won't look at it that way," Carson argued. "Did you want to dump your boyfriend because he was a werewolf?"

"No, we had to work around it but that wasn't a question," Willow explained and then smirked at herself. "Right, I get it, Buffy and Tara wouldn't even question getting me through this. Just like I didn't second think taking it from Buffy."

"Right, now lets get some sleep and you can go home in the afternoon," he suggested and was surprised but pleased when Willow laid back down on the bed and snuggled in his arm. "How do you know I'm not hungry?" he asked.

"You're warm, you've fed," she said, suddenly sleepy. "Besides, you're a gentleman."

Riley watched the Summers' house closely with unblinking eyes. He waited in the shadows for Buffy and the others to leave and followed Buffy and Tara as they headed to one of the graveyards.

Buffy and Tara stood near the entrance of the crypt and the Slayer waited while the witch concentrated and chanted several phrases along with some hand gestures. Tara's face lit up with hope and Buffy smiled.

"Lead on then, Indian scout," Buffy grinned, keeping an eye out for vampires, demons and any other thing crawling about in the dark.

Tara headed for the far end of the cemetery, heading for the wall closest to the woods.

Tara, sensing the change in her lover's energy, turned and looked at Buffy with a concerned expression.

"I know where we're headed," Buffy said flatly, her emotions going numb. She motioned for Tara to continue following the magickal energy trail and felt darkness trying to crowd into her heart and mind as things became familiar.

Buffy tried not to whimper when they came upon the clearing. Tara looked around in confusion, spotting the torn police tape, the taped outlines of where bodies had been found, and the dark stains on the picnic table.

It was close to dawn when they worked their way down into the sewer tunnel and found where Willow's energy pattern changed.

"What are the odds she didn't run into something down here?" Buffy pondered, looking around. The sewers were notoriously known for harboring vampires, demons, criminals, the homeless and runaways. The dark tunnels protected the vampires and demons from the sun and the protected the homeless, criminals and runaways from the law.

"Let's hope they were friendly," Tara agreed, beginning to follow the new trail.

Riley waited at the grate covering the entrance to the sewer tunnels and stood unblinking as Adam moved out of the woods and approached him.

"They went down there?" the hybrid human/demon/cyborg asked, pointing to the grate.

"I merely activated your implants," Adam said impatiently, easily lifting the grate.

"Of course they would," Adam said easily. "Just like they use drugs to enhance your strength, stamina and reflexes. The implant that is controlling you is right here," Adam said, pointing at Riley's breastbone. "It connects into your neuro-system. Makes controlling your movements easy. It also hooks into the mind control implant."

"What do you want?" Riley questioned, struggling against the control of the hybrid.

"To fulfill our destiny, you are the first generation soldier of the future, I am the third and the prototype for the next level," Adam explained as he pointed to the ladder and Riley Finn began descending into the tunnel. "I am going to take things to the next level by creating an entire army of those like me. Instead of being prodded, poked, tested and kept in a lab for the rest of my life, I'm going to prove by example."

"That's not what Mother wanted," Riley argued as Adam followed him down the ladder.

"The student has outgrown the teacher," Adam shrugged. "We'll take over Sunnydale and force the demons and humans to work for us and prove our superiority."

"Us, brother, us," Adam corrected. "That's why we're going to take her out now, pre-emptive strike."

"There's someone coming up the ladder, someone activated my trip alarm," he whispered. "Get your clothes and let's go!"

"I've got an idea, get against the wall, quick!" she instructed, thrusting her feet into the sneakers Renfield had brought her. She grabbed up the sweatshirt and quickly pulled it on.

She joined him against the wall and closed her eyes, concentrating as they heard sounds of someone climbing the ladder leading from the sewer tunnels into the crypt.

"I don't have to breathe," Carson muttered and tried not to squeak as his hands and feet faded out of sight and both of them became invisible.

Willow opened her eyes as the grate opened and a crossbow appeared from below. A familiar hand and head followed as Buffy entered the crypt, followed by Tara.

Carson's eyes widened at the sight of the Slayer in his crypt as Buffy's eyes quickly scanned the room, looking for danger. After a moment, the Slayer relaxed and helped Tara the rest of the way up the ladder and into the room.

Tara glanced around the room while Buffy explored. Her mind taking in the empty fast food bags and water bottles.

"I don't know, probably," Tara said, looking around and stopped, hesitating on the spot where Willow and Carson stood. Willow held her breath and Tara's eyes moved on. "Buff, what is this place?"

"Someone's lair, a vampire with company," Buffy said, continuing to look around.

"No food or food storage but empty fast food bags and bottled water," Buffy reasoned. "Someone who doesn't need food suddenly has someone around who does."

"Willow," Tara nodded. "Why would a vampire take Willow in, unless he's holding her against her will."

"Buffy, what will we do when we find her?" Tara asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Buffy walked over and wrapped her arms around Tara, gently stroking her hair after dropping the crossbow on the bed.

"Her trail showed us she was at the killing," Tara cried lightly. "Her worst fear was killing someone innocent or hurting one of us."

"We'll deal with it somehow," Buffy said softly. "As long as Walsh and the Initiative don't get their hands on Willow again, we can face anything."

"Maybe, we'll stake out the place tonight and see if anything comes back," Buffy said.

"It's alright, Xander," Joyce said as Anya grabbed the coffee tray from her. "Everyone is upset and worried."

"I know that, it's just an impossible situation," Joyce agreed. "We'll just have to get through it one day at a time."

The three of them looked up at a knock on the door. Joyce started for the door and Giles stuck his head in.

"No, I'm afraid not," he said. "Spike says there's been no word among the demons and vampires. No one at school has seen her and Brad says nothing coming into the police either."

"What the hell was that all about?" Carson demanded when he could see his body again.

"I don't know," Willow frowned. "I wanted to hear what they were thinking before showing myself."

"Yes, most every demon, werewolf, vampire and daemon in town knows to stay clear of those damned military types," Carson nodded.

"Well, I know they put some damned chip in Spike's head and neutered him," Carson grinned.

"Yeah," he said softly. "I saw a werewolf they let loose after they were done with him. He was totally nuts and became this homeless guy. Kept jumping at shadows and talking to himself. On nights of the full moon he'd crawl into the sewers and changed. He would howl all night and throw himself into walls, holding his head."

"They put a chip in his head, it sends a signal to his ears like a dog whistle," Willow explained. "I was captured by the Initiative."

"Yes. To make a long story short, in three days they nearly drove me insane and tortured me physically, I can't risk that again," Willow said softly.

"Two days ago, first day after the full moon, Buffy and my friends rescued me, destroyed the Initiative center and ran them out of town, or so we thought," Willow said bitterly.

"Wow, you haven't even started recovering from that let alone going through your first kill," Carson commented.

"You heard them, the Initiative is still in town," Willow explained. "I can't take the chance. They know about me."

"I've got friends who can help with a new identity but I have to get out of Sunnydale," Willow explained, tears starting to fall from her eyes.

"I have to," Willow argued. "All of my friends risked their lives to rescue me a couple of days ago, I can't risk that again."

"You keep saying that," Carson snapped. "Maybe you should ask them if they're willing to risk it."

"I'm not willing to risk them anymore," Willow countered. "Buffy is the Slayer, life is dangerous enough for her and my friends without adding me being a werewolf and taking on the government."

"Okay, you have a very distinctive look when you get stubborn don't you?" Carson grinned.

"He'll be fine; he can take over the place after your Slayer realizes we're gone. I can't stay here now the Slayer knows this is occupied," Carson shrugged. "I can help you make some contacts in LA."

"Okay, let's get out of here before they come back on surveillance duty," Willow suggested and Carson grabbed a couple of backpacks and threw one at Willow.

"Pack the best books, they have an X on the inside cover," he instructed and the bookworm grinned in appreciation. "What's the plan after that?"

"I go to my parent's place and get the car," Willow began. "I wait until Buffy and the rest leave for the evening, grab my clothes and a few things from home and pick you up somewhere and we go to LA."

"Sounds good, I got friends we can stay with until you get on your feet," Carson said easily.

"You're running on denial, anger, and shock," he commented. "You'll need a friend when you collapse."

Buffy and Tara headed for the nearest ladder leading to the upper world only to find it blocked by a huge monster and an expressionless Riley.

"Uh, yeah," Buffy agreed, taking in the size, apparent strength and confidence of the creature and Riley's dead eyes.

The two young women turned to run when Tara squeaked and fell to the slimly ground in convulsions with two Taser spikes in her back, wires trailing to Riley's electric stun gun.

"Tara!" Buffy screamed and grabbed a chair without a seat someone had thrown into the sewer and broke it into pieces. One piece she shot at Riley, knocking the gun out of his hand and with another she whacked at the wiring and pulled the darts out of Tara.

"Impressive, quick thinking, quick reflexes, enhanced strength," the creature commented as Riley stood motionless.

"Yeah, and mine comes naturally," Buffy quipped, trying to get Tara to her feet and giving up as Adam suddenly dashed forward, moving faster than Buffy thought he could with his size. The Slayer barely turned to face the monster and took a backhand blow to her jaw, which sent her flying across the tunnel and sliding down the cold stone wall.

Adam was on her before Buffy could even shake her head and then grabbed her by the throat. Buffy clawed at his arm uselessly as he lifted her off the ground, slowly tightening his grip.

"Over so quickly," he commented as she gasped for air. "Even the mighty Slayer is helpless before my strength and speed."

Adam glanced back in time to see Tara facing him with both hands raised. He dropped Buffy and turned to face the witch as she chanted and concentrated. The creature suddenly began howling in pain as flames enveloped him.

As he batted at his blistering demon skin, Tara ran forward and ducked under his wild flailing arms to grab Buffy and drag her away from Adam. As he dropped to the slimy floor, the two women stumbled to their feet and began to run down the tunnel past Riley.

Buffy stopped and waved her hand in front of her ex-boyfriend's face and frowned when he didn't even blink.

Buffy was in a miserable mood by the time she and the gang got back from watching the tomb all night. Xander and Anya had volunteered to watch the ladder in the sewer tunnel, Xander armed with a Glock automatic pistol and Anya with a shotgun. They figured that a head shot to whatever had attacked Buffy might just take the creature down.

Buffy and Tara watched the outside entrance to the tomb. By dawn everyone was tired and suffering from frazzled nerves.

Giles had stayed behind to contact Agents Mulder and Scully and go over the files from the Initiative. He updated them about the cyborg hybrid that Buffy and Tara had run into.

"I've been going through those files," Mulder said after Giles gave the FBI agent Buffy's description of her attacker. "That sounds like the thing Professor Walsh was experimenting with but she was nowhere near ready to activate."

"Well, it was with Riley Finn and apparently had mental control over Riley, that tells me it's from the Initiative," Giles explained.

"I agree," Mulder responded. "Listen, from what our techs here tell us, they don't think it's possible to make something like this. This is straight out of Frankenstein."

"Well, you and I both know that your techs don't think werewolves exist either," Giles countered.

"Right," Giles could almost hear Mulder smiling over the phone. "If she got this thing activated, it's deadly. Enhanced strength, rapid reflexes, infra-red sight in one eye, extremely thick skin, a CPU processor in his head and the heart is protected by metal."

"The power supply for his CPU and adrenaline pumps is at the base of his spine, you might be able to break it, or crush his head in a vice like in the Terminator," Mulder suggested.

"Yes, he could be only slightly less dangerous," Mulder answered. "How's Willow?"

"What?" Mulder demanded on the other end of the phone and Giles winced. "When? How?"

"Well, that earthquake we had loosened the cell door and the werewolf escaped," Giles explained. "We know she's alive and hiding."

"There is evidence that it was possibly Willow but there's also some confusion," Giles said.

"Send everything you got to Scully and me, we'll see what we can figure on this end," Mulder insisted.

"There are two victims, a teenage male and female. It looks like the male and female were killed by two separate creatures," Giles explained.

"Yes, any of those are possible except that Buffy and Tara tracked Willow's magickal trail to the scene. She was there that night and when they connected with her the next morning she was confused and covered in blood," Giles expanded.

"No, we didn't have a chance. We only had her back two nights," Giles' voice was threatening to crack.

"Wait a minute, all those tests the Initiative did, I bet they have a bite pattern for the werewolf," Mulder grumbled and Giles could hear him clicking on his computer keyboard. "Send me what you've got, I've got a bite pattern for Willow as a werewolf."

"Well, your Slayer was a little disappointing but that witch was most entertaining," Adam said calmly. When Riley didn't respond, Adam pressed several keys on his small hand-held computer and Riley blinked and glared at the cyborg.

"Buffy will figure out a way to stop you," Riley snapped, struggling to move but unable to move more than his head.

"I doubt it," Adam dismissed the soldier's ranting. "The Slayer is very predictable; she is clever but relies heavily on her friends in her duties. Remove her friends and family and she will be weak."

"Logic, brother," Adam said casually. "Find your enemy's weakness and exploit it. Buffy Summers' weakness is her reliance and loyalty to her friends. Mother often commented on it in her notes about the Slayer."

"A mistake, I admit," Adam said easily. "I wasn't functioning properly yet when she entered the room."

"To prove that I am the future of the military," Adam responded. "To do that, I will take over Sunnydale with very little help and show what can be accomplished by a super soldier. Then I will oversee the limited construction of others like me and the research onto the next level."

"Accept your destiny," Adam suggested. "You were Mother's favorite among the soldiers. Your intelligence pleased her greatly. "First we cut off the head of the enemy, then we attack the other body parts. I'm not sure what to do about the witch, though."

Buffy threw herself down on the sofa and curled up in Tara's arms as Giles came out of the kitchen with a cup of tea in his hands.

"I take it by your expressions that no one came back to the crypt last night," he commented as Joyce walked up behind him and under his arm as it wrapped around her shoulder.

Joyce looked at Buffy and Tara with concern. Neither one had slept more than a few hours in a week since Willow had been taken by the Initiative. Even after getting her back the full moon had interrupted any kind of a decent sleep pattern for everyone.

"No, nothing, not even a rat," Tara complained. "Her trail ended in the crypt, it was as if she disappeared there."

"No, it would still be there," he muttered as they sat down across from Buffy and Tara.

"I can't think unless she thought to erase her trail magickally but I'm not sure how to do that," Tara commented.

"No, we tried while we were waiting and again just before coming home," Buffy muttered. "She's still blocking us, alive, but blocking us."

"It just doesn't make sense," Joyce complained. "We talked; I know how much she loves you both."

"You two go up and get some sleep," Joyce suggested. "I'm going to call Theresa Santiago today and see what we can do about this semester for you three; I don't want the three of you failing because of all of this."

"Thanks, Mom," Buffy mumbled and helped Tara up from the sofa and headed for the stairs.

"I don't know, I don't remember the closet door being open when we left," Buffy commented and walked into Willow's room. Her tired mind tried to register what was wrong with the room.

"Oh no!" Tara cried and rushed to the bed, grabbing up a sheet of paper and began reading.

Buffy knew what the note was. When she had run away, she left a similar note for her friends and mother. At least Willow was kind enough to do that, she thought as she looked around and noticed Willow's laptop computer, a few books and some of the witch's clothes missing.

Buffy understood, it seemed like all they did recently was cry and they were both tired. The Slayer took the note without a word and read through it quickly.

"Gang; I'm sorry to do this. I can't stay in Sunnydale with the Initiative still in town. I won't endanger you by getting caught by them again and I won't endanger you with the wolf either. I know I didn't hurt Tara but I could have. I also figured out that I killed someone as the wolf.

"I'm not going to kill myself, even though I probably should and end the risk to the rest of the world. Guess I'm not that brave anymore. I'm leaving town for a while. I can't let the government get a hold of me again. I could be brave enough to kill myself before that happens again.

"Buffy, Tara; I know you're not going to understand this. I don't quite understand it myself. I love you both more than my own life but I can't stay and keep endangering you both. I need you both so much and I know I'm going to be lost without you but I can't risk hurting you or having you hurt because of me. Please, let me go and be happy together. Willow."

"Oh God, Wills," Buffy muttered and sat down heavily on the bed. Tara gently took the note from her and headed back downstairs.

Buffy stared at the frame on Willow's nightstand and realized it was empty. The picture of her, Tara and Willow was missing.

"Don't give up on us yet, Wills," Buffy whispered, mentally sending out all the love she could through their connection.

Carson, in the back seat of her parent's car, heard Willow whimper and sat up. He kept the blanket over his head and made sure to stay out of the sunlight coming into the car.

"Not with men in white coats looking for me," Willow said firmly. "I can't take that again. They can make it without me."

Willow hoped that the Highway Patrol wouldn't take an interest in the car with towels blocking out all the windows but the driver's side and windshield. It would be hard to explain why the guy in the backseat couldn't get out of the car on a nice sunny California winter day.

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Wanted: A Werewolf and a Superman

By Frau Hunter Ash

Carrkjar@yahoo.com