Tornado of Souls by Frau Hunter Ash

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. 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Summary: Buffy is trying to adjust to being back in Sunnydale but she seems withdrawn, almost secretive.

Willow smiled as she opened the door to Buffy's room but then frowned. Was that actually Buffy Summers lying on her bed with a book open in front of her?

"Hey, Will," Buffy stammered. "I, uh, just reading. No studying here. You know me."

Willow started to reach for the book and was surprised when Buffy grabbed it up and tossed it on her shelves. The red-haired honor student frowned and noticed immediately Buffy absently playing with the tusk around her neck.

The budding witch decided not to push it right then. Buffy had only been back two weeks from her attempt to runaway from her life and Willow still wasn't sure how far she could question the Slayer about the little changes Willow had noticed.

After a fight with zombies and Buffy's reinstatement into school, things had returned almost back to normal but there was still a little tension at times between the Slayer and the Scooby gang.

"So what are your major plans for the weekend?" Willow asked, throwing herself down on the bed with an exaggerated sigh and was pleased when Buffy grinned.

"Faith, of course, wants to hang out at the Bronze tonight and find someone to get horizontal with after slaying," Buffy grinned.

Willow nodded, not surprised. She knew Buffy was working hard at making Faith feel welcome after the first awkward adjustment period of discovering another Slayer and having a very big and very powerful vampire after same Slayer.

A Slayer with an attitude, a smart-ass mouth and a sharp wit that rivaled Cordelia in wounds left by words.

Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise; Willow wasn't usually so… so… catty.

"Well, are you going to the Bronze tonight?" the Slayer asked, knowing that she owed her friend some quality time. Buffy knew Willow was the one most hurt by her disappearance for months among her friends and she meant to make that up to the red-head.

"Yeah, Oz is playing and I thought I'd play devoted groupie," Willow grinned and Buffy laughed, ruffling her friend's hair. Willow lost her grin as she coughed several times. "I hate fall allergies," she muttered.

"Why didn't you let us know you were okay?" Willow asked, keeping her voice soft. They hadn't really talked about the time Buffy was gone and Willow had been patient, figuring Buffy would eventually open up.

Willow really hoped the time was now; there was so much she wanted to know about Buffy's time away from Sunnydale. She especially wanted to know about that boar's tusk around Buffy's neck, the massive claw scars on Buffy's left thigh, and the Celtic knotwork band tattoo around Buffy's right bicep.

Willow didn't quite believe the story of a drunken night at a tattoo parlor. The band consisted of some very intricate Celtic interlacing around Buffy's arm to a circle with a symbol in the center of the circle, like a medallion. Willow's research hadn't found what that symbol was yet either and it was driving the computer geek crazy.

The scars Buffy explained as a rather tough demon that had gotten too close, causing a wound deep enough to scar the Slayer.

"I wasn't alright," Buffy said with a frown, her eyes becoming distant as she leaned against the headboard of her bed. "I was scared and running. I had sent Angel to Hell. Not Angelus but Angel."

"You told me and Giles, I never should have done that spell," Willow muttered and Buffy reached out for her hand.

"Not your fault, you were trying to save him," Buffy tried to smile. "It was just the fates, karma or whatever that he had already cast the spell to summon that stupid demon and I had to stop the spell."

"Every day," Buffy nodded. "I was afraid if I talked to any of you I'd lose it and come running back or reveal too much and you'd find me."

"But why?" Willow couldn't resist asking. "I'm your best friend! We're supposed to turn to each other!"

"Yes," Buffy nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "I wanted to, Will. I was afraid of your disappointment, your anger, and I knew you'd talk me into slaying."

"Yes, destiny and all that stuff," Buffy said calmly. "I learned that I can't run from it, it's what I am. I'm unique, even different than Faith and I have a responsibility because of it."

"Yeah, he always thought I was too casual about the destiny of being the Chosen One thing," Buffy agreed.

"How are you different from Faith?" Willow asked, wanting to keep her friend talking and to ignore her own coughing.

"She likes the slaying and accepts that she'll probably die young, kinda a fatal approach," Buffy said slowly, as if thinking of her words. "I learned some stuff about myself that… it's just different than it was before."

Buffy's hand went immediately to the tusk and a panicked look darted across her eyes.

"Told you, nothing to report there," Buffy said lightly but her voice was strained. "This guy I made friends with in the diner gave me the tusk, said he knew by looking at my aura that I was a warrior and should have it. The tatt, well that was the idea of a friend after we'd been drinking."

Willow glanced away, knowing her friend was lying and debated whether to force the issue or not.

"Don't forget you've got your visit with your Father Sunday until Tuesday night," Joyce Summers called. "I've already talked with Principal Snyder and your teachers so there won't be a problem."

"Yeah, have to take advantage whenever Dad is in the country for a visit," Buffy shrugged. "Only three days."

"And three nights," Willow complained. "Three nights when Oz just happens to be turning furry like."

"I know, I'm just gonna miss you," Willow whined. Buffy smiled as the honor student coughed and looked miserable.

"I'll be back Tuesday morning," she promised. "Oz and I can eat a huge breakfast while you look on with those adoring eyes at your favorite boyfriend."

"It's so damned hard, Will," Buffy complained. "What the hell do I talk about? Do you have any hobbies? Mine is killing vampires, demons and keeping a werewolf locked up."

"It's almost secondary to anything," Buffy tried to explain. "Only Mom is encouraging me to think of college, not even Giles thinks I'll make it that far because I'm the Slayer. School is secondary, family is supposed to come second, my friends aren't even supposed to know, and I 'm not supposed to have a love life!"

Willow was unsure how to respond, feeling inadequate once again. She had no idea how to help her friend. Buffy was popular, beautiful, and intelligent and had more on her shoulders than Willow could even imagine.

The only one who could relate was Faith and everyone was still trying to adjust to the dark Slayer's abrasive personality. It had gotten easier after the mess with that ancient vampire known as Kakistos, Faith had eased up a bit and so had the Scooby Gang. Xander was still fascinated with the dark Slayer, Cordelia was jealous of the new girl, and Joyce was easily accepting. Willow had been intrigued with Faith but had quickly found her annoying when Faith had turned her sharp wit and tongue on the shy red-head, especially when the Slayer realized that Willow was easily teased.

Buffy had been resentful of everyone's easy acceptance of Faith until facing Kakistos with Faith and understanding something of the terror and hardships the other Slayer had faced. She was still reluctant to accept the brunette Slayer totally on face value though.

"Wanna head down to the Espresso Pump for some cocoa?" Buffy suggested. "Mom is heading down to the gallery, she can drop us off."

Buffy took a deep breath and stepped into the light in the Bronze. She could sense a vampire or demon nearby and knew they probably felt her arrival too. Now that things had changed so drastically, the Slayer knew unless she was willing to expend the energies, the undead and demons would sense her just as quickly as she sensed them. It would make slaying harder, but then the changes would make slaying interesting in other ways, she grinned wolfishly.

She had already taken a cruise around two cemeteries and dusted seven vampires. Now Buffy was steeling herself to face her friends again. Ever since her return, things had been awkward. She had expected the yelling and figured she deserved it. To all of them, she had ran away and didn't even bother to write or call and tell them she was safe.

The Scooby Gang had continued on without her, taking over the Slayer duties, risking their lives every night because she wasn't there. They had all been worried sick about her and she had taken their anger and accepted the guilt. The truth would have been worse and Buffy knew they could never understand what she had been through.

Especially Willow. Buffy knew she had hurt Willow the worst by her absence and silence but it had been necessary. Just like the silence continued to be necessary.

Buffy grinned when she spotted Xander and Cordelia necking on a sofa with Will sitting in a chair near them, watching the Dingoes play on stage. The Slayer started towards her friends and froze, sensing another nearby.

She quickly spotted Faith on the dance floor with Scott, Buffy's would-be boyfriend but ignored them. It wasn't the other Slayer she was sensing and it wasn't a vampire or demon. Buffy spotted the young male hesitating on the dance floor as he looked for her. Her eyes narrowed as he noticed her then looked back at his companion; the young student was annoyed that he wasn't paying attention to her.

The young male smiled, kissed her and apparently offered to get them something to drink because a moment later he was headed for the bar.

Buffy decided that she should get a drink before joining her friends and worked her way around the dance floor. She slid through the crowd until she was up to the bar and standing next to the young man.

Buffy knew that he was checking her out from head to toe and so pulled off her leather jacket, revealing a tank top that barely covered her body and showed off her tattoo and boar tusk nicely. She knew he saw both and felt his muscles relax. While he waited for his drink he absently picked up a pen and began doodling on a napkin in front of him.

The Slayer smiled slightly and waited to order her drink as he took his and headed back to his date.

"Not much, I checked the north side tonight," Buffy smiled. She was actually becoming used to Faith, finally able to see through the tough outer shell.

"I grabbed the west earlier," Faith nodded, sitting in Scott's lap as he looked slightly panicked at Buffy, wondering what her reaction would be.

Buffy merely ignored the move and took a sip of her coke. It was true that she and Scott hadn't broken up officially but she wondered if they had really been dating either. The Slayer discovered she didn't care and certainly wasn't going to fill Faith's need for drama by causing a scene.

Buffy almost laughed when Faith looked disappointed and almost glared at her. The Slayer also caught Willow's sharp eyes watching the interactions. Sometimes her friend was too sharp and the Slayer wondered if returning had been a good idea, especially now that Faith was here.

It wouldn't be hard to disappear again. Hell, Faith had even taken over her boyfriend, lived in her house, was accepted by her friends and the Council. It would be easy.

The only problem was that Buffy didn't want to leave. The Scooby Gang was her family, more so than any other unit could ever be. Even if they didn't understand her and what it felt like to be her, she still loved them greatly. They reminded her a bit of the hyena pack that Xander had formed when he had been possessed. The Scooby Gang was like an animal pack or family.

Buffy smiled to herself, watching Faith. Maybe that's why she fought with the brunette Slayer all the time; they were both alpha types in the pack.

Oz jumped off the stage during a break and pulled Willow up out of her chair and proceeded to kiss her deeply, letting her know that he had missed her during the day. Buffy was suddenly confused and fought to keep the emotion from her face or eyes. Oz was more than happy to see Willow; Buffy could sense his arousal from the music gig and holding Willow. What was surprising was that Willow wasn't aroused even though the kissing they were doing would have had Buffy more than a little wet.

"That's your style, not ours," Willow snapped, keeping her arms around Oz' neck.

Willow blushed a bright red and Oz whispered something in her ear, encouraging her to ignore the brunette Slayer. Faith laughed and she turned to follow Scott to the dance floor, taking a quick glance in Buffy's direction with a frown.

"God, she drives me crazy," Willow muttered and Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise. Instead of settling into a Scooby friendship or tolerance like the rest of the gang had, Willow's irritation with Faith was just getting worse.

"What's your problem, Will? Faith's okay ever since they got rid of that Kali guy," Xander asked.

"I don't know," Willow muttered as Oz kissed her forehead and headed back towards the stage.

"I remember when you were complaining that she was trying to take over your life," Willow remarked as she sat back down, watching Oz jump back onto the stage.

"Yeah, that's what it felt like," Buffy nodded honestly. "I was still off balance from coming home."

"Well, Snyder isn't happy that I'm going to be gone for two school days but it's not like I'm skipping out if my Mom clears it ahead of time," Buffy said easily.

"Two days?" Cordy frowned. "How the hell do you rate getting out of here for two days?"

Buffy grinned. "My father's in LA and I'm going to spend a couple of days with him."

"Sure you can, Cordy," Xander smiled, nuzzling her neck. "You get to be seen with me!"

"Arrrggghhh!" Cordelia growled and smacked Xander playfully on the arm as the Scooby Gang laughed. They knew it was still a sore spot that she had actually fallen for Xander Harris, Sunnydale reject and she was the most popular girl in school.

Now she was one of the "rejects" because of it and her friendship with the Scooby Gang.

"My incredible good looks, extremely kissable lips and sexy body?" he ventured and Willow rolled her eyes as Buffy almost choked on her soda.

"Any sign of Faith and Scott?" Xander asked as they walked out of the Bronze into the cool night air.

"Nah, she probably…" Willow started to mutter and quickly snapped her jaws shut. It was Buffy's ex-boyfriend she was about to comment on about various sexual positions with Faith in some nearby alley.

"How does your Mom like having two delinquents in the house?" Cordy asked, a slight bite to the question and pretended to look innocent as Xander and Willow glared at her. Buffy ignored the taunt in the question.

"She demands that we both keep up our grades and not run away again, either of us," Buffy said calmly.

"It's okay, Will," Buffy said softly. "I ran away, I gotta deal with the anger you guys feel about it."

"Oh generous much?" Cordelia demanded. "Going to tell us about your special box that you lived in on the street?"

"Delia!" Xander snapped. "Crossing a line here! We've already gone through this!"

"No, we yelled at her for leaving and not telling us where she was," Cordy snapped back. "This is me yelling at her because she's been so damned secretive about everything since she got back! Weird tatts and what is that Indian type thing around your neck? Go native or something?"

"Something like that!" Buffy growled. "It was given to me by my…by a good friend and it symbolizes that I'm a fighter, a strength totem."

Buffy could see Cordelia about to launch into another attack but the Slayer spun on her heels, holding up her hand for silence. Xander clamped his hand over Cordy's mouth before she could protest.

Willow, Xander and Cordelia skidded to a stop at the end of the alley, in time to see Buffy ramming a stake into the chest of a vampire as another figure fought with two others. Xander started to move to help the Slayer when the other three figures fell into the dim lighting and the Scooby members gasped in surprise. Two of the fighters were vampires in game face and the third was a werewolf.

"Wouldn't happen to have a silver bullet in a pistol would you?" Cordy demanded sarcastically.

"No!" Willow screamed and Xander grabbed his friend by the arms. "She'll get bit!"

It was hard to tell what was happening in the shadows. The growls, screams, moans and shouts of rage didn't ease the tension among the students either. Finally, two figures seemed to disappear and two stood up facing each other.

Buffy stepped into the light and watched calmly as the werewolf turned and dashed down the alley, jumping on top of a dumpster and then over a fence.

"No, it's okay," Buffy said quickly, holding up her hand as the gang joined her. "Let him go, I'm too tired and wigged to chase him."

Both Xander and Willow began searching Buffy for any sign of blood or bite marks until she smacked their hands with a smile.

"No! I wasn't bitten!" she snapped playfully. "I'm wigged about the fact that it's not a full moon and we just ran into a werewolf."

"Oh, okay, I understand that," Willow said softly, sighing with relief. It was bad enough that they had to lock Oz away for three nights out of every month without having to worry about a Slayer werewolf.

"Yeah, Faith," she called back softly and felt Faith enter her room and sit down on the edge of the bed.

"Do we need to talk about Scott?" Faith asked, her voice sounding small and unsure.

"You intentionally throw yourself at him, sitting in his lap and making out and now you ask if I've got a problem with it? What's wrong with this friendship picture, Faith?"

"I'm sorry," Faith said softly as Buffy reached over and turned on her bedside lamp. "I'm working on the friendship thing. I never had any friends before."

"I know and I'm not mad," Buffy said calmly. "Scott and I never clicked, just don't make it a habit, okay?"

"I don't know why I did it," Faith suddenly complained. "I don't even like him that much. He's cute as hell but not a lot more to him, you know. He can't even begin to understand what we go through."

"It was like I was doing it more to get a rise out of you than to be with him," Faith said thoughtfully.

"Well, you know me, B," she said in a husky voice. "Either fighting or sex, best things in the world."

"You're impossible, Faith!" she declared firmly. "Everything is either a fight or sex, is that it? Including us?"

"Oh tell me another one!" Faith grinned as Buffy's blush deepened. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about throwing Willow across your bed and kissing her silly."

"Why not? She wants you," Faith grinned. "I can feel it coming off of her every time she's near you."

"And you?" Buffy demanded. Faith lost her smart-ass grin and then tried to regain it but Buffy could tell the smile was strained.

"I like sex, B," Faith smiled, trying to shrug off the question. "You're incredibly hot and there's that Slayer energy between us. Gotta lead to fireworks when we get it on."

"Dream on, Faith," Buffy snapped. "You're telling me you just want sex; no romance, no love?"

"No, he chose to blow his brains out instead of having incredible sex, waste," Faith smirked.

"So, sleeping with me wouldn't be a waste?" Buffy taunted, wanting to push Faith for some reason and then it hit her. She was going away for three days and the reason she was going away. Buffy was going to miss everyone, even Faith.

"Definitely not a waste," Faith nodded as she stood up and headed for the door. "Never say never, B."

Buffy shook her head. By Gaia, she'd have to be careful with that one. The blonde Slayer had too many secrets and having Faith living with her wasn't helping. Once again, Buffy was regretting that her mom had insisted Faith stay with them when she found out Faith was staying in a rat-infested hotel in the roughest part of town.

The Slayer suddenly felt very old and touched the boar's tooth next to her cross. Not only did she have the usual things to fight for: friends, family, the world in general, but now she had the entire world to fight for. The world no one saw and few knew about.

Faith was surprised to open the door and find Willow on the other side early Monday morning. The brunette Slayer's frown matched the red-head's.

"What? You forget B's out of town?" Faith demanded, running a brush through her hair as she tried to finish getting ready for school. It was one of the demands from the Council and Giles that she could have done without, Faith thought. She did not need to go to school, damn it! She'd tolerate it though; staying in Sunnydale and in the Summers' house depended on keeping up grades and curbing her street-life type behavior.

"No, I forgot my biology book here when we were studying Saturday night," Willow complained around a cough.

"What the hell do you need books for?" Faith smirked as she moved aside, letting Willow in. "You've probably got the damn thing memorized."

"Don't start!" Willow snapped. "Just remember, you might need my help one of these days in school."

The brunette Slayer hesitated, looking confused for a moment. Willow could almost see the struggle and wondered if Faith was going to retreat behind the hard shell or actually open up.

"You feel like a threat, Red," Faith said slowly. "I react on instinct to a threat. You're not a vampire so you get the smart ass reaction."

"Why would I be a threat?" Willow asked, clearly puzzled. "You're smart, beautiful, strong and a Slayer. How could I be a threat?"

"One word from you and Buffy would toss me aside," Faith said softly, hating herself for displaying any kind of weakness.

"I'm trying not to run, okay?" Faith snapped. "Everyone tells me I can make a new start here; I just want a fair chance."

"Then why pick on me?" Willow demanded. "I can understand Cordelia, she's shallow and it's a requirement for high school, but why you?"

"You're beyond smart, you're cute as hell, you got a cool boyfriend, you've got family, friends and Buffy," Faith admitted, turning her back as she clenched her hands into fists.

"I don't believe this," Willow muttered. "You're beautiful and can have any guy you want. And why are we fighting about this?"

"What, a homework problem?" Willow perked up immediately; school was something she really knew she excelled at beyond everyone around her, except maybe Oz and his hidden intelligence.

"No, more personal," Faith said slowly. "I've watched you watching Buffy, something's bugging you too."

"Look, I've only been here less than a month and I didn't know her before she ran away but I can sense the tension with all of you," Faith said slowly, walking up the stairs with Willow. "And you've been watching her like a hawk and I don't think it's just lust."

Faith reached out with typical Slayer speed and caught Willow before the red-head could fall down the stairs in surprise as Faith laughed.

"Do you have to make everything sexual?" Willow complained. "And I am not…boyfriend, Oz, straight here!"

"Not that gay is bad but…" Willow stammered as Faith steered her back up the stairs.

"Don't worry about it, Red," Faith grinned. "Just friendly teasing, no harm, no foul. Let's get your book and head to school."

They found Willow's book on Buffy's dresser and Faith picked it up and found Willow frowning, looking at a set of bookshelves.

"Well, Buffy's smart, smarter than she let's anyone know," Willow muttered, looking at the books that were a new addition to the bookshelves that were normally crowded with knick knacks instead of books. Now there were several books and Willow looked over them with a bookworm's curiosity. "But studying and books do not happen in the same sentence with Buffy Summers."

"History of the Celts," Willow read aloud. "Celtic Mythology, A Trip Through Scotland and Wales, Gaelic/English Dictionary?"

"No, there's nothing like that at Sunnydale High," Willow said absently, noticing a binder. Willow's hand hesitated but Faith decided the issue by reaching past Willow and grabbing the binder.

"Come on, let's go to school, we'll look at this over lunch, what say?" Faith said.

Willow was still frowning when she spotted Faith waiting for her under a tree outside the school. She saw the binder the brunette Slayer had taken from Buffy's room and Willow was scolding herself silly for even looking at Buffy's private book collection, let alone taking the binder.

Faith laughed as the red-head moved closer. Willow was so easy to read, she thought. She knew that the binder was causing the student a moral crisis and decided not to tease Willow about it, even though it would be so easy, Faith thought to herself.

"Yeah, yeah," Willow muttered at Faith's laughter. "I want to take the binder back without opening it."

Willow's eyes widened and she looked like she might drop the binder. Faith patted the grass under the tree and Willow sat down reluctantly with her bag lunch and nodded absently as Faith handed her a soda. She stared at the binder intently.

"I'm not sure, there's a bunch of doodles and some of them have labels to them," Faith said calmly. "Also some notes on Celtic stuff she's been reading, like she's trying to learn certain time periods of Celtic history."

"Jewish here," Willow muttered absently, not bothering to tell Faith she could very well have started out Irish or Scottish. Willow had no idea who her original parents were. The only thing she knew was the love and attention from Sheila and Ira Rosenberg from the first month of her life.

Well, love and attention until she was about 10, she corrected herself mentally. Then they seemed to lose interest in their "beloved" gift from the Lord. Willow hadn't seen a lot of them in the years between except at high holidays.

"Hey!" Faith protested and Willow blushed, realizing she had been lost in her own thoughts.

"There's two different types of active Celtic dialects, P-Celtic and Q-Celtic," Willow explained. "Irish and Scottish are P-Celtic, Welsh and Manx are Q-Celtic."

"How the hell do you know that?" Faith grinned. "Did you swallow the Internet one night in your sleep?"

"We did a research thing on our families in the 8th grade," Willow explained. "I helped Xander do the Harris research."

"I don't know, like that magic writing stuff my Watcher used to show me in books sometimes," Faith commented, reaching out to open the binder.

"You really are exploring this stuff, aren't you?" Faith questioned without a teasing tone.

"Others include Passing the River, Angelic, Malachim, Pictish and witch glyphs," Willow continued. "These kinda look like some witch glyphs or gang symbols."

"No, I don't think so either," Willow grinned. "She won't even do cheerleading anymore."

"What's all this stuff, anyway?" Faith asked, pointing at some of the symbols. "Cold, alpha, friend, help?"

"Fenris is with Odin and Norse mythology, I think," Willow looked at the notes Faith had made and was impressed. The brunette Slayer had taken some very detailed notes about the glyphs and Celtic research she had found in the binder. "Wendingo is a chaotic Earth spirit that possesses someone, turns them into a cannibal monster. I don't know the others."

"Cheerful stuff," Faith commented. "Speaking of demons stuff, how was furry duty last night?"

Willow smiled ruefully. "Trying," she complained. "Something had the wolf upset last night and I couldn't nap. Thought I'd curl up for awhile after school before tonight's shift."

"Want me to drop by after patrolling, I can watch for a bit while you nap on Giles' sofa," Faith offered.

"Okay, so Buffy is acting strange, drawing strange doodles or a secret writing you don't recognize and went and got a tatt," Faith commented.

"Yeah and I haven't found what that symbol is either, although I do know the knot work is Celtic," Willow added.

"Did she see Braveheart too many times?" Faith complained with a frown of frustration.

"I don't think so," Willow said slowly. "I'm going to look up those words on the Internet tonight. Maybe scan the designs so I can look them up too."

"Well, do it tonight, I'll put the binder back before she gets back in the morning," Faith said.

The second night seemed to go by much faster than the previous one once Faith arrived from her nightly patrol. Willow and Faith had compared notes until Willow was falling asleep in her chair. Faith had laughed gently and nudged her, encouraging the red-head to sleep for awhile in Giles' office.

Faith glanced over at the library cage when the werewolf growled but basically ignored the creature's displeasure at being locked up as she glanced over Willow's notes. The Slayer sighed and shook her head as she took the opportunity to actually catch up on some homework assignments and then took a second look at Willow's research into Buffy's notes.

"Uketena; A tourist site in North Carolina of the Cherokee nation?" Faith pondered. "Okay, a Cherokee word but doesn't tell me what the hell it is. Indians and Celts. Next, Ahroun: websites mentioning this talk about Gaia, the Earth Mother and the Tribes. What tribes? More Indians? Warriors, tribes, garou? What the heck?"

"Umbra; okay, what do we have here?" Faith muttered as the werewolf paced restlessly in his cage. "Furniture by Umbra? Somehow I don't think Buffy is planning on become a cabinet maker. Freshmeat.com? Okay, the words sound like Indian except for Fenris, which is Norse for the great monster wolf in mythology."

Faith threw her pen across the room and slammed her feet onto the table, leaning back into her chair.

Somehow she felt like they weren't any closer to solving the mystery surrounding Buffy. There were now extra pieces to the puzzle but no solution yet and Faith hated puzzles.

Faith looked over towards the office, wondering if she was making the right choice in reaching out to Willow. The red-head had more power than she knew and Faith hated it when someone had more control over anything than she did, especially when it concerned her.

Faith knew that if she pushed too hard, Willow could shut down her friendship with Buffy and that was becoming very, very important to the brunette Slayer.

Willow yawned and smiled at the sight of Oz pulling on a t-shirt behind the blanketed book cage. He looked adorable when first waking up, she thought but then frowned. Once again Willow was confusing herself. She thought Oz was the cutest, the sweetest, coolest and gave her kinda warm fuzzies but definitely not red-hot fuzzies.

Faith had already left, when the moon first went down, to change clothes and return the binder to Buffy's shelves. The blonde Slayer wasn't due back until the next morning but Willow didn't want to take any chances of Buffy discovering their betrayal of her privacy. The would-be witch was having enough troubles living with herself without Buffy finding out, Willow was tempted to just tell her friend but was scared of losing Buffy's friendship.

Oz smiled and waited patiently as Willow unlocked the cage. He turned and helped her unhook the blanket that afforded him some privacy after he would change from werewolf to human again. A naked human.

"You off to breakfast?" Willow asked as Oz wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck lightly.

"I'm going to clean up from my research stuff last night and then crash for a couple more hours on the sofa," Willow said wearily. "It's not the same without Buffy dropping in for cage duty. I'm tired."

"Stop, remember," Willow said in a slightly irritated voice. "No more apologizing, it's not your fault and I don't mind watching over the wolf. I just need a couple more hours. I think I've got a cold."

"Okay, I'm going to grab something to eat and take a shower in the gym," Oz said easily, grabbing his knapsack from outside the cage. "I'll buy you chicken soup at lunch."

Willow was shoving her notebook and laptop into her backpack when the library door opened. The student looked up with a frown. No one should be on campus that early except over-enthusiastic teachers, sleeping werewolves and their keepers, she thought. Giles wasn't even due in for another two hours.

Willow knew that werewolves would either be curled up asleep in human form or going for coffee and breakfast and vampires would be somewhere dark for the day. That didn't mean there wasn't danger in Sunnydale during the day, however. Some demons could come out in the daytime and then there was the old fashioned human danger.

The red-haired witch went behind the check-out counter and rested her hand on the tranquilizer gun under the counter, fighting back a cough.

Willow frowned at the three men that entered the library. All were wearing tweed, glasses and looked very much like the librarian. They also kept their hands in sight as they spotted Willow.

"Miss Rosenberg?" the first one in the door questioned. He looked older than the other two but Willow couldn't really figure an age for him. Probably somewhere around 40 to 50 with an average build, thinning gray hair with non-descript brown eyes. He somewhat reminded her of Rex Harrison from My Fair Lady.

"Yes?" she answered slowly, not taking her hand off the weapon and hoping her voice wasn't squeaking as bad as she thought it was.

The other two looked younger, maybe mid 20s or early 30s and they all looked uncomfortable.

"I'm Colin Aimsley, these are Timothy Ryan and Damian Krammer, we're Watchers," the older one said calmly. "May we have a moment of your time?"

"Giles isn't supposed to arrive for another couple of hours," Willow informed them. "I was…I forgot some…I forgot my books last night, I mean yesterday."

The young man looked at Willow with a neutral expression that she found very disconcerting.

"You were here last night watching over your werewolf boyfriend," he said firmly. "The Slayer Faith dropped in and took over for part of the night and left this morning at sunrise. Daniel Oswald left just a few minutes ago."

"We know quite a bit about your 'Scooby Gang,' Miss Rosenberg," Colin smiled gently. "Ever since that disaster of Angelus, we've taken a closer interest in your small group and how beneficial it's been in aiding the Slayer."

"I thought the Watcher Council didn't like us being involved," Willow said with a frown.

"Yes, that has been the opinion in the past," Damian Krammer agreed and Aimsley pointed to chairs and tables and Willow nodded, following the men. "Given that all of your group was invaluable in destroying Angelus and you are the reason the Slayer returned to her duties, we've revaluated that stance."

"Okay, so why are you looking for me and not Giles?" Willow asked, wishing she had a few more hours of sleep before dealing with the strangers.

"Well, we have an urgent situation and we think that Mr. Giles may not be the right person to handle this," Aimsley said slowly.

"That doesn't make sense," Willow muttered. "Giles is the Watcher, Buffy and Faith are the Slayers, I'm just the research type and you guys are a lot better at it than I am."

"You are the spirit of the group, the untouched purity that we need," Ryan said almost reverently and something about it made Willow begin blushing.

Aimsley smiled. "No, that isn't why we need you, although that does show us your devotion to the moral strength we need."

"How do you know Oz and I haven't….haven't like…" Willow snapped. She had taken enough teasing from Cordelia and Faith about her sex life, or lack of it, she didn't need strangers pointing it out.

"Because, even though you're beginning a dangerous flirtation with magic," Aimsley said calmly. "We know that you're devoted to your religion and morals. We need that strength and we don't think Mr. Giles can pull it off."

Faith noticed the library doors slightly ajar and felt her Slayer senses kicking in. She knew Willow was planning on sleeping for a little longer after Oz woke up and the doors should be locked.

Either someone was in the library with Willow or the red-head had gotten careless and left the door open. Faith didn't think Willow was careless, not when it came to the library.

She pulled out her trusty stake, not sensing a vampire or demon but not wanting to take any chances either. Faith frowned when she heard voices among Willow's and stopped to listen.

"Kill a werewolf?" Willow knew her voice was definitely squeaking now. "No, Oz is a good werewolf. Well, not a good werewolf but we keep him locked up, he's never hurt anybody."

"No, not Daniel Oswald," Aimsley said slowly. "This will be even more difficult for you."

Ryan laid his briefcase on the table and opened it. Willow frowned at the folder he passed across the table to her. Every instinct in the world was screaming to shove it back at him and run. Something wasn't right, this was bad stuff coming her way, she yelled at herself.

"Apparently during the period when Angelus was running amok, he came into the library and released Daniel Oswald," Aimsley said as Willow started to open the file.

"No, Oz never escaped!" Willow protested, her hand hesitating. "Someone was always with him!"

"The one with him was bitten," Krammer continued. "It's natural for a victim to hide the bite from friends and family. Angelus returned Oz to his cage and the victim never said a word to anyone."

"Not Xander, he helps watch Oz," Willow muttered, her mind whirling too fast to think. The young student was almost dizzy and she shook her head. "No, none of us."

"Someone was gone for months and even now is gone on a full moon," Aimsley pointed out.

Willow blinked rapidly as she looked at the top picture of Buffy leaving her house with a backpack over her shoulder and a determined look on her face. The next picture was Buffy at a graveyard, during the day. Willow looked up.

"We suspected something was wrong and have been following her since her return from wherever she was," Ryan explained. "It's much like watching an intelligence operative who went missing for a period of time."

"Sunday, late afternoon," Krammer answered as Willow turned the photos to see Buffy turning a key in the lock of a crypt and the next one entering.

"The next set was taken last night after we entered the crypt during the day and installed hidden micro cameras," Ryan explained.

Willow wasn't even aware that she was whimpering as she turned the photos, watching Buffy approach a cell inside a lower crypt. A cell complete with bars, a door and a combination push button lock that a werewolf couldn't work.

There were so many pictures Willow could almost see the action without any breaks.

Buffy sat the backpack down outside the cell and pulled a milk crate over from the wall, took several items out of the backpack and sat them out. A thermos, a paper bag of something, a couple of books, and a notebook.

Buffy looked at her watch and sat down to apparently wait for something, picking up one of the books and resumed reading it from about half way through.

A bit later the Slayer looked concerned and set her book aside, glancing at her watch. Buffy moved to the cell door and opened it easily and looked at it for a moment before moving inside. Willow slammed the folder shut when the pictures showed Buffy pulling her t-shirt over her head and reaching for the buttons on her jeans.

The photos showed Buffy kneeling naked on the stone floor as a wave of pain hit her. Willow saw the Slayer grabbing at the boar's tusk around her neck as Buffy's head was thrown back in a scream. The red-haired student shoved the pictures away from her, recognizing the lengthening ears, blonde hair becoming fur, and bones breaking and reforming into something other than human.

Willow tried to bite back a sob as she stumbled from her chair and dashed for the door.

Faith pressed up against the wall just outside as Willow slammed out the doors and bounded off a set of lockers, sobbing. The brunette Slayer listened at the door.

"No, right now she's curled up on a bathroom floor, either crying her eyes out or throwing up," Aimsley said calmly.

"Yes she will," Aimsley countered. "She is the strongest one of the group. Willow Rosenberg will become a Hunter, gentlemen, and her first kill will be a Slayer werewolf and then her boyfriend."

"That's why you're merely a Hunter and I'm a recruiter," Aimsley said and Faith could hear the smirk in his voice. "I've done the research and the studies. Willow Rosenberg is the one that kept the group slaying every night while Summers was gone. Her sense of duty is probably just as strong as the Slayer's."

"You know her psych profile reveals she leans towards perversion," Krammer countered.

"Willow might discover she's gay or bisexual, so what?" Ryan demanded. "It's not like I care who anyone sleeps with if they're good Hunters."

"We were given the divine task of ridding the world of monsters and evil from the pit of Hell itself!" Krammer snapped. "Having perverts and sinners as Hunters goes against that very Divine mandate!"

"Krammer!" Aimsley snapped. "The girl hasn't even had sex with her boyfriend! We can't condemn her for what she MIGHT do in the future!"

"I don't see why we don't take Summers out ourselves," Krammer complained. "We're Hunters."

"We're also Watchers," Ryan countered. "It gives us an excellent opportunity to follow behind the Slayer once one is killed and turn the Hunters loose on whatever the Slayer has left."

"Besides, one of the prophets had a vision about the girl," Aimsley announced and Faith frowned. "She could be useful to us as a Hunter."

"Willow Rosenberg has a talent for magic that hasn't been seen in centuries among the Hunters," Aimsley said smugly. "Why don't Mages become Hunters?"

"Because the bastards are only in it for themselves," Krammer grumbled. "They have no morals."

"Exactly, imagine taking a Mage before they discover their talent and training them as Hunters," Aimsley said. "A Mage with the ethics and morals of a Hunter."

"Why not just use the other Slayer as well?" Krammer asked. "I don't like sending an untrained girl who isn't even 18 into a den with a werewolf!"

"Faith's psych tests show she's almost as amoral as a vampire," Aimsley explained and Faith felt her face blushing with rage. "She's also proven herself totally self-centered and a coward. When her Watcher was killed, she ran and kept running until she got here and dragged Summers and the others into her fight with the vampire. First sign of major trouble and she'd leave a partner behind. Faith could never aspire to martyrdom."

Faith felt her breathing quicken and her head roaring. She debated whether to rush in and crack every single skull open in the library or to run away.

The brunette Slayer knew they were right. She had fled; she had been a coward.

"Right now she's exhausted and in an emotional crisis," Aimsley said slowly. "My predictions are that she'll turn inside herself for awhile, probably several days before reaching back out to us. If she sees evidence that we're correct, then we've got her."

"What could Summers say?" Aimsley countered. "Willow won't. She'll avoid Summers for a few days, then watch her carefully. It may take a full month but Willow will be ours and she'll become one of our finest Hunters."

"Then we take care of them," Aimsley said harshly. "The secondary plan still holds. Elimination of the threat from the Slayer werewolf and disbanding of the Sunnydale group."

Faith glanced up at noise in the hallway and ducked behind the end of some lockers as Willow came back into sight, heading for the library, 'resolve face' firmly in place.

Willow slammed the door open and glared at the three Watchers. Aimsley didn't seem surprised to see her.

"No, no way!" she protested. "Even…even if…even if she's a werewolf, she's taking care of it!"

"I'm afraid there's more," Aimsley said, pointing to the rest of the pictures in the first folder.

"Alright," Aimsley said calmly. "The werewolf Ms. Summers becomes has found a way out of the crypt, one of those damned connecting tunnels to the sewers demons love about Sunnydale."

"We anticipate the others will be rushing in here very soon once they see the morning news and learn that three homeless people were killed last night," Krammer said. "It was rather brutal and no doubt to anyone who knows Sunnydale that it was a werewolf."

"They'll be inquiring whether Daniel Oswald escaped last night," Ryan added. "All of us here know he didn't."

"It could have been another werewolf! We ran into one the other night and it wasn't even a full moon!" Willow protested.

"We have pictures," Krammer said flatly. "IT was followed. That's another reason we need your help, this werewolf is extremely smart and returned to the cell before changing back. Ms. Summers may not even be aware she escaped and killed."

"Werewolves are very instinctive creatures," Aimsley continued. "Even when in human form. It's amazing that you've done so well with the werewolf Oswald. Even if we explained all of this and showed Mr. Giles the evidence, we think he'd let something slip or even try to protect Ms. Summers. She'd sense his reluctance and the werewolf would force a confrontation."

"Why me? Why not Faith, she's the Slayer!" Willow cried, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. "Why make me your Judas?"

Willow blushed with anger. "Hey, well read here! Answer the question! Why not Faith?"

"But you think I am?" Willow squeaked. "Buffy's my best friend! My…she was my only friend except Xander!"

"Then be a friend," Aimsley said gently. "There's no way anyone could control a Slayer werewolf and three people are already dead. We don't know how many she killed when she ran away. What do you think she'll feel like when she discovers she's a killer? A monster that she usually hunts."

Willow spun on her heels and ran out of the library again. Faith heard and saw the school coming to life and moved down the hallway, wanting some privacy for her own thoughts.

Willow had no idea how long she ran or even where she was going until she dropped, leaning against a tree out of breath. The student looked around and realized she was across the street from one of the graveyards.

She wondered why she had come here and squeaked when she spotted a familiar figure working their way through the headstones. Willow ducked behind the tree and watched as Buffy trotted across the grass, backpack over her shoulders.

Joyce Summers pulled up next to the cemetery gates and leaned over to unlock the passenger door.

"Mom, you're late!" Buffy yelled as she raced around the front of the car. "I won't have time for breakfast if I'm going to hang out at the gallery with you today!"

"Sorry, I got hung up on a business call," Joyce answered. "I brought donuts though and milk."

"Thanks, Mom," Willow heard Buffy say as she closed the door and the car started off towards the school.

Willow allowed herself to slide down the tree in shock, finally able to cough aloud.

"Oh God, please, please don't do this," she whimpered, wrapping her arms around herself as sobs racked her body. "Not Buffy, please not Buffy."

Willow ignored the few people passing by on the sidewalk and wasn't surprised when they ignored her. It was common in Sunnydale. Any sign of distress was usually overlooked.

"Okay, Mrs. Summers knew Buffy was leaving for three days and cleared it with Snyder," Willow muttered, pulling out her notebook and taking notes. "She reminded Buffy about leaving but picked her up at the graveyard. That means Mrs. Summers knew where Buffy's been for the last three nights and helped set it up. Buffy's Mom knows Buffy's a werewolf."

"I wonder if Buffy's looking for a cure among the Celts or Indians?" Willow pondered, wondering about the strange symbols in Buffy's notebook. "Okay, Buffy knows she's a werewolf and is fighting it."

Willow didn't know what to do or where to go. She always turned to Buffy during times like this.

Faith slammed the baseball bat she had swiped from the sports equipment room against a bleacher support. The brunette Slayer had climbed under the bleachers and began swinging the bat as she raged in anger.

Not only was Buffy a raging werewolf but the Watchers still didn't consider Faith good enough! They went to Willow! Not her, not the one trained to fight werewolves and vampires! Not the Slayer trained to ignore feelings, pain and friendship when it came to the supernatural! Faith screamed and whacked the bat against the wooden structure.

Faith frowned when the bat shattered, cutting her palm open. The Slayer threw the mangled bat aside and watched the blood as it pooled in her palm.

This not only explained why Buffy had been so withdrawn but it also meant a lot of future heartbreak for the two women Faith cared about. The brunette Slayer already knew she wanted to be close to Buffy, it was an extremely rare thing for two Slayers to be able to work together. No one could know what she had been through except Buffy. Faith also was beginning to like Willow and wanted to deepen that potential friendship.

Faith had no idea how Willow was going to cope with the early morning revelations. Not only did Willow have a boyfriend that she worried about but now her best friend was also a werewolf and a killer.

Faith growled as she walked towards the main building of the school, her hand dripping blood.

To make everything worse, the goddamn Watchers wanted Willow to kill her best friend. To try and kill a Slayer turned werewolf.

That was more than any 17 year old should live through, Faith decided. That was even worse than seeing your Watcher, your only friend and mentor ripped apart by a vampire.

Faith ignored the curious glances from several students as she entered the library, holding part of her jacket wrapped around her bleeding hand.

Just as she had expected, Giles was talking with the three strangers in his office.

"Uh, Giles?" Faith called out, catching the librarian's attention. He looked irritated at the interruption until she half held up her hand, indicating she was injured.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," she heard him say as he opened the door and went behind the counter, grabbing the first aid kit. "What happened?" he demanded as she unwrapped her jacket from around the wound.

"Good God, Faith!" Giles exclaimed as he looked at the hand closely. Faith growled as the three Watchers walked out of Giles' office. "There's splinters all through your palm! I'm afraid that a simple bandage won't do this time."

"I figured, kinda hurts," Faith admitted, trying to keep her tough-girl appearance intact in front of the Watchers she already hated.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to take her to the hospital, gentlemen," Giles announced, placing a gauze pad in the Slayer's palm and wrapping it with more gauze.

"Oh, sorry, Faith," Giles said absently as he picked up the telephone. "These are Watchers sent over from England to meet you and Buffy. They're here to do some regular tests: physical strength, reaction time, things like that."

"Yes, Principal Snyder please," Giles muttered into the phone. "He's out? Well, please inform him that a student came into the library with an injury. I'm bringing her over to the nurse now but I do believe that she's going to require medical attention. Yes, thank you."

Giles turned to his brunette Slayer. "Is Mrs. Summers at home or the gallery today, do you think?"

"We have to keep up appearances, Faith," Giles said. "Rules of High school, I take you to the nurse and the nurse calls Joyce to come and drive you to the hospital or calls the paramedics. That keeps Principal Snyder off our backs and everything by the rules."

"Tell me, Tweed guy, do those tests include Buffy's and my incredible hearing?" she growled and was pleased when the Watcher blushed.

"I'll be back shortly, gentlemen," Giles said quickly, sensing the tension between his rebel slayer and the Watchers. "Come along, Faith."

"What was that all about?" he demanded. "You were treating them like demons or vampires."

"Sometimes bad guys aren't always supernatural, Giles baby," Faith growled. "I got a bad vibe from them. Slayer senses going crazy."

Giles continued to frown. "Well, the tests are unscheduled and I had no word they were coming."

"Do some checking on them, please," Faith asked softly and Giles blinked in surprise. Faith didn't ask for anything, she merely took.

"Yes, of course," Giles nodded. "Is there something going on I should know about? Like why you were swinging a baseball around at 8:30 in the morning hard enough to break it into splinters?"

Willow felt lost. Normally, when confronted with a problem dealing with the supernatural, she'd hit Giles' books or the Internet. Unfortunately, she had hit the Internet and Giles' books a hundred times since learning that Oz was a werewolf. She knew she wasn't going to find anything new since scanning over everything the week before.

The red-haired student finally settled on sneaking back into her home after her parents left and curled up on the bed crying with the windows and drapes shut, the coughing beginning to hurt her ribs and throat.

Faith had managed to escape Giles for the rest of the day by getting a trip to the hospital where a surgical med student spent over an hour working wood splinters out of her palm. The dark Slayer gritted her teeth a lot and tried to work her mind over the problem of what to do with Willow, Buffy and the stranger Watchers.

Joyce looked on with a frown as the surgeon continually had to work to get the splinters out. For once, Slayer healing abilities was a drawback as Faith's skin quickly healed over the splinters and the student was forced to go after them with a needle and tweezers. Finally, he stitched up the major wound and released Faith into the care of Joyce, giving Faith a note to excuse her from school for the day and from PE for the rest of the week.

"I need to use the phone and check my messages, I'm waiting for word on an important shipment," she explained and Faith wondered why Joyce Mom wasn't using her cell phone but didn't say anything.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad it's not really serious," Joyce said truthfully.

"I'll never get used to that healing thing of you and Buffy," she complained. "I'll be right back."

"Okay, I'm going to flirt with that cute busboy," Faith declared and Joyce laughed a genuine laugh.

The moment Joyce disappeared beyond the door leading to the restrooms and telephone, Faith was on her feet and opened the door a crack a moment later.

"Buff, pick up the phone, it's Mom," Joyce was saying into the phone. "Buffy, look you need to get out of there for the day. Faith had an accident at school; we just got out of the hospital. She's fine but she's out of school for the day and we'll be there after lunch."

So, Joyce Mom knew Buffy wasn't visiting her father. That meant she probably was aware of everything, including Buffy turning furry on full moons.

"Okay, I love you, Buffy," Joyce said softly and Faith could hear the tears in her voice. "I'm trying to understand, baby."

Faith quickly moved through the restaurant and was playing with her fork when Joyce sat back down.

Faith nodded as the waiter brought their salads and she dug in with a healthy appetite that only Xander or Buffy could appreciate.

The slayer debated on what to do next. Should she confront Joyce and Buffy? Or Willow? Should she tell Giles what was going on?

"So Faith is at home, that explains her absence but where's Will?" Xander complained as the Scooby Gang gathered in the library after school.

"I don't know, she let me out this morning and was going to catch a couple more hours of sleep on your sofa," Oz explained as Cordelia filed her nails.

"She wasn't here when I arrived this morning," Giles said. "Maybe she went home instead and fell asleep."

"Willow miss school just because of lack of sleep?" Cordelia said sarcastically. "The world will come to an end this weekend!"

"As annoying as she is, Cordelia's right," Xander grinned. "Will would never miss school. I've seen her stumble to school with a fever of a 103."

"I called earlier during lunch but no one answered," Oz added. "Want me to go and check on her?"

"Do you have time before moonrise?" Giles asked honestly. Oz frowned and shook his head.

"Faith should be able to handle Slaying duties tonight since Buffy is still out of town until tomorrow morning," Giles said thoughtfully. "Could you and Cordelia lend her a hand? I'll stay here tonight with Willow and Oz."

"Okay, I only have homework I'm missing out on," Xander grinned and Giles merely shook his head.

Willow hadn't lain on her bed for long once the clock began moving into the afternoon. She knew someone would come by to check on her. Willow was quite aware that it was unusual for her to miss school and not let anyone know that she was sick. She couldn't remember the last time she had missed school.

The red-head left her house before anyone could come looking for her. She didn't want to run into Xander or any of the Scooby Gang. One thing Willow knew about herself, she was a miserable liar and she wouldn't be able to hide anything from her friends.

Willow sat down behind a gravestone and rummaged through her backpack. A bottle of water, cough syrup, books and laptop. Hooked to her belt was something she had prayed she'd never have to use, a gift from Oz shortly after he had discovered he was a werewolf. A silver dagger.

The computer geek and honor student waited impatiently as the sun got lower, unsure whether she was praying that Buffy wouldn't show up or that the Slayer would. Finally near sunset Willow spotted a familiar form climbing over one of the walls of the cemetery and dropping lightly to the ground, Buffy's eyes darting all around.

Willow ducked back and waited. She was hoping that Slayer senses wouldn't pick up on her presence but if it did she was ready with a quick lie that she was waiting for Faith for an evening of patrolling.

After a couple of moments, Willow risked glancing around the stone and saw Buffy working her way towards the older crypts, taking a crooked and round-about path to get to a particular one. The hacker felt her heart sinking and her mind going numb at Buffy's caution. Willow had already spotted the crypt that she had seen in the photos and had it in sight.

Willow wiped at the tears escaping her eyes as Buffy unlocked the tomb and entered. The honor student stood up and leaned on the headstone for support, unable to stand on her shaking legs for a full minute.

Five minutes later Willow stood in front of the door, hesitating. She turned her head and saw the sun was almost down. The timing had to be just right, she knew. Willow couldn't crash the crypt too soon or Buffy might flee, leaving a werewolf free to kill. Willow also couldn't hesitate too long in case Buffy turned and the werewolf got out through the tunnels.

Willow opened the door and moved quickly through the semi-darkness, flashlight already in hand. She opened the inner door and wasn't surprised to find three lanterns lit around the tomb, giving enough light to see every corner clearly.

Blinking at her in surprise from behind the bars of the cell was Buffy, her best friend and Slayer.

Faith cursed when she realized Willow wasn't at home either. Xander and Cordelia were beginning to look concerned.

The Slayer had no idea where the crypt was and no idea of where to look either. What's more, Faith didn't think the Watchers would tell her its location.

Faith attempted to put on her typically happy-go-lucky let's slay something personae but it wasn't easy. The brunette Slayer hated riddles, puzzles and mysteries!

"Oh God, no," Buffy said softly as Willow walked down the stairs into the crypt, turning off her flashlight absently. "Please, Will, get out here! Leave!"

"It's true, isn't it?" Willow asked softly, tears streaking her face as Buffy gripped the bars. Willow could see the debate in her friends' eyes, Buffy unsure whether to unlock the door and run for it or stay locked up safe.

"Will, please! I'm begging you! Don't do this!" Buffy pleaded, wincing slightly.

"What? Watch over a werewolf on the night of a full moon? Don't I do that every month?" Willow demanded.

"Oh God," Buffy muttered. "I can't control it on a full moon, Will! Please get out! I'm safe in here! We'll talk tomorrow, there's more to this than you know!"

"I know," Willow said softly as Buffy's body began to twitch. "The wolf escaped last night Buffy, some sort of tunnel. Three people are dead."

"No, that's not possible!" she protested, her voice becoming harsh and strained. "Leave! Now!"

Buffy bent over almost double as the pain of forced transformation began to hit her. She watched as Willow pulled out a silver knife and tossed it to the edge of the cell bars. The Slayer instinctively backed away.

"I thought I could stop you tonight but I can't," Willow said softly. "I just hope you don't escape tonight. Be a Slayer in the morning, Buffy, and end it. I can't."

"Willow! Wait!" Buffy screamed as the red-haired student turned and dashed up the stairs. Buffy turned with a scream as the change hit her, totally.

'"Hey, isn't that Will?" Xander asked, pointing in the direction of the cemetery gate. Faith spun and broke into a run after the girl with Xander and Cordelia quickly following.

"Willow! Wait!" Faith shouted and the would-be witch hesitated, looking up at her approaching friends and Slayer. Faith could see the tears in the moonlight.

The Slayer knew she could catch the red-head and debated with herself over what to do with Willow once she caught her. The girl was emotionally upset about something and that was likely to do with a certain Slayer turned werewolf. How the hell to deal with this with Cordy and Xander along for the ride, Faith demanded of herself.

The three stopped abruptly when a black car skidded to a stop at the curb next to the running Willow.

Faith, Xander and Cordy watched in disbelief as Willow stopped, hesitated and then got into the car.

The brunette Slayer cursed and ran after the car but it sped away at a quick pace.

"What the hell was that about?" Xander demanded. "Wasn't that those new Watcher types?"

"Come on, this is about to break wide open, guys," Faith said, heading back into the cemetery. "I think we've got a werewolf to watch over."

"Maybe, come on," Faith growled, letting her Slayer senses extend, looking for the crypt where she suspected a Slayer werewolf was waiting.

Oz opened his eyes slowly and glanced around the book cage. He figured by the position of the sunlight that he had been asleep after the transformation for probably an hour. A quick glance at one of the wall clocks told him an hour and a half.

He spotted Giles asleep in his office chair with his feet propped up on one of the tables, book in lap. Oz frowned as he slipped his pants on, there was no sign of Willow and no fresh scent either. He quickly zipped up his jeans and rattled the door.

Giles blinked as he sat up and winced from having spent the night in a chair, even if it was his chair from the office.

"I don't know actually," he admitted, walking over to the cage, pulling out the key. "She never showed up last night."

"No, not yet," Giles said softly. He had a very bad feeling concerning the last two days and Buffy wasn't even in town to help.

Buffy groaned and slowly lifted herself up on her hands and knees. The blonde Slayer shook her head and absently touched the boar's tusk around her neck. Somehow, that never came off, even though all clothes did.

"Is that something like a hangover? Do you get a headache and body aches from changing?" a voice demanded and Buffy's mind shut down from shock as she looked up and saw Faith standing at the cell door, watching her.

"Oh God, is it like posted somewhere that I'm now a furry type?" Buffy demanded.

"Kinda," Faith nodded, her face and eyes hard. She held up the silver knife and Buffy felt her face and body flushing with anger. "I take it Red couldn't take you out last night so she left this so you'd do the right thing this morning?"

"Something like that," Buffy said softly, standing uneasily. She bent down and reached through the bars for her backpack, pulling it through, cautiously keeping her eyes on the other Slayer. The Slayer grabbed a t-shirt and her jeans from the bag. "Where's Will? I gotta talk to her and you."

"You've been outed, B," Faith smirked. "So what now? Do I throw you this knife and walk away?"

"No," Buffy snapped, her eyes angry. "There's more to this than just me being your Hollywood type werewolf. It gets really complicated."

"Willow said I killed someone, that I was followed but I wasn't," Buffy protested. "I mean, I didn't get out for the last three nights. I swear it."

"I think I'll stay on this side, thanks, until you put that knife away," Buffy growled, tying on her Doc Martin boots.

"It'd take a lot more silver than that to kill me, Faith, but I really don't want to go through a fight with you," Buffy countered. "Who the hell was supposed to have followed me when I didn't go anywhere?"

"Listen, B, I really, really need some caffeine and food, we've been watching you pace all night," Faith declared. "Truce until you explain some things?"

Buffy hesitated and reached around to the combination and waited until Faith turned her back and keyed in the numbers.

The Slayer quickly grabbed her backpack up and motioned for Faith to go up the stairs first.

"That's something we need to talk about, B," Faith said wearily. "I really don't feel like walking to school to fill in Oz and Giles either."

"Everyone else does!" Faith countered as she opened the door and Buffy saw Xander and Cordelia outside the crypt looking very uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I guess so," Buffy said slowly as tears filled her eyes. "This is going to be a really, really long day."

"Buff?" Xander questioned, his eyes pained. "Did Oz bite you without us knowing?"

"No, Xan," Buffy said sadly. "I wasn't bitten and it's not Oz' fault. There's my Mom, lets call Giles and Oz and get something to eat. And you'd better damn well tell me where Will is!"

"Yeah, I kinda couldn't keep it from her when I came back; she was watching me like a hawk. I also needed someone to cover for me on full moons," Buffy explained as they walked through the graveyard.

"Hi, Mom," Buffy said, trying to sound cheerful but didn't quite succeed. "Long breakfast and lots of coffee and sodas for this one, Mom."

"Oh, okay," Joyce muttered as the gang crawled into the car. She did notice that Buffy waited until everyone else was in the car before getting into the passenger seat and she sat sideways, as if not quite trusting her friends.

"Or Denny's," Xander suggested and Cordelia rolled her eyes at the choices but nodded anyway.

"Giles? It's Buffy, can you and Oz meet us at IHOP?" Buffy questioned into the phone. "Long explanations all around."

"Hello? It's Little Stalker," she said softly. "The veil is pierced and I need some verbal and emotional backup. No, it's not dangerous or deadly to Gaia but it's complicated. IHOP in an hour? Thanks."

Giles noticed the Scooby gang gathered around a large table at the nearest IHOP restaurant, minus Willow and the Watcher frowned.

"Let's start at where I came in yesterday and what I overheard between Willow and those Watchers," Faith suggested. "Then Buffy can explain why she now gets furry on full moons like Oz."

Giles quickly grabbed Oz' arms as the young man's knees buckled. The Watcher steered his young friend into the booth next to Cordelia as Oz stared at Buffy in disbelief.

"When I sent Angel to Hell, the how is a long story, and you had nothing to do with it," Buffy answered calmly.

"Willow talked with the Watchers?" Giles questioned as he sat next to Joyce. "They didn't mention they had met her."

"They didn't meet her, Giles guy," Faith clarified. "They were looking for her."

Faith began her long explanation of what she had overheard between the Watchers and Willow, trying not to leave anything out as the group ordered food and large cokes from the waitress.

"Okay, first off," Buffy snapped. "I didn't kill anyone! The wolf didn't get out and I didn't kill three homeless types."

"How do you know, you were furry and all?" Xander demanded. "Oz never remembers."

"Oz and I have a lot to talk about after this," Buffy nodded. "Okay, my turn for questions. Who the heck are these Watchers, Giles?"

"I don't know now," he admitted. "They said they were here to conduct routine Slayer testing on you and Faith. Obviously they were lying."

"That's what those idiots told Willow and showed her pictures of you changing in that crypt," Faith explained.

"Okay, you're a werewolf," Cordy snapped. "How do you know you didn't kill those guys as a wolf? Oz tries to like kill us every chance he gets. No offense, Oz."

"That's what they said and said they had pictures of you as a werewolf killing the homeless guys," Faith said.

"If the tunnel is in the cell, how did they follow me? No one has that combination but me and Mom," Buffy asked and saw Faith's eyes widen and Giles' narrow in surprise and thought.

"Buffy was in the cell those three nights," Joyce said softly. "I stayed with her the first night and checked on her twice during the second night."

"I couldn't take it anymore," Joyce said softly and Buffy reached out to hold her hand. "Buffy's explained it to me and everything but it's still so hard to watch her go through a frenzy like that."

"So why would the Watchers tell Will that Buffy killed someone?" Xander demanded. "And explained what?"

Buffy looked up and smiled; the others turned and saw a large man walking through the restaurant, heading their way. Giles noticed Oz' eyes widening and a surprised look cross the young man's face.

The stranger reminded Xander of the largest Scot he had ever seen in Braveheart in his life. Flame red hair like Willow's, pale green eyes and complexion confirmed everyone's assessment that his name was probably Scottish or Irish. He stood tall, at least 6'6" and was very broad shouldered. He was dressed in a flannel shirt, Levi jacket and black jeans. Oz spotted cowboy boots and a wide leather belt as well.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the boar's tusk on a leather thong around his neck, just like Buffy's.

The Slayer crawled under the table and walked up to the stranger and hugged him tightly and affectionately.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," she said softly and then turned to the surprised group.

"That's Giles, my Watcher; Joyce, my Mom; Faith, the other Slayer; Xander and Cordelia, faithful Scooby members and this is Oz, a brother," Buffy said, introducing everyone.

"Ah, the lost cub you told us about then?" Angus grinned and pulled Oz up out of his seat and hugged him fiercely.

"Angus!" Buffy laughed. "Put him down before you scare him into a frenzy! He's never changed outside of the moon."

"You know, I hate to be rude," Faith snapped. "No, I don't. I take that back. I don't hate being rude, especially now! I'm tired and confused and I hate being confused!"

Buffy smiled as everyone moved over and shifted her plate until it was back in front of her. Angus gave an order for a huge breakfast to the waitress and grinned as everyone stared at him.

"And he knows about Watchers, Slayers and the Gang?" Xander snapped. "Thought we kept a low profile?"

"This is my mentor, Xan," Buffy said calmly. "He knows more about my life than my mother does. Maybe even more than I do."

"Our clan knows that Buffy's friends are aware of the evil that walks in the shadows," Angus said thoughtfully. "We're also aware that you are under the impression that all werewolves are monsters, cursed creatures that have to be contained or they'll kill innocents, correct?"

"Well, yes," Giles nodded, avoiding Buffy and Oz' eyes. "That's been our experience."

"Why do you look like a Scot, have a Scottish name but a California accent?" Cordy asked.

"You mentioned Klan, you mean KKK?" Xander questioned. "Buffy's not gone skinhead or anything?"

"Werewolves are part of nature, not against it like vampires and demons," Angus began. "We're the protectors of Gaia, the Mother Earth and we're losing the fight."

"Garou, we call ourselves many things, but Garou is the most common," Angus said gently. "There are a handful of werewolves that are actually cursed beings, either through the bloodline or calling it on themselves. Sad bastards. We put them down gently when we find them."

"Yes, we put them out of their misery," Angus nodded. "They are against nature and against Gaia's wishes for her children. There are also evil Garou, those who have lost their connection to the Mother Earth and now walk the twisted path of the Wyrm."

"Don't get too detailed or technical right now," Buffy scolded. "Everyone's tired and on emotional overload and I think Hunters have my best friend."

"They tried to frame me for a werewolf murder and are talking my best friend into killing me," Buffy explained.

"Oh Stag's blood!" Angus growled. "Alright, good werewolves vs. evil werewolves and evil creatures like vampires and demons. Much like your Slayers."

"But how can werewolves fight if they're mindless killing machines only on the full moons?" Giles asked.

"We're not," Angus said calmly. "Only when we go into a rage and some on the moon they were born under. Buffy is very unique, even among the Garou."

"Figures," Faith smirked and Buffy threw a piece of toast at the brunette Slayer. Faith in turn, caught the toast with her fork, impaling the bread. Angus' eyebrows rose in appreciation of her quick reflexes and skills.

"Garou prefer to live in packs, among others of their kind," Angus continued with a nod. "Once someone is found to be Garou, like a lost cub, they are taken in and taught the ways and rites and they join the pack. Very few roam the land as Ronin, undeclared or banished Garou."

"Those humans who mate with us are considered our kin, our families. Sometimes the children inherit the Garou shape changing abilities, sometimes they don't. Occasionally a family slips away from their Garou and we lose contact. Then the genes pop up and we get a Garou who knows nothing of their past, their heritage or their kin. Like you."

"No, young one," Angus said gently. "You're either of the Fianna Clan or maybe one of the Children of Gaia."

"Some of the Garou, especially those born on a full moon or very young in their training, can't control themselves on full moons and are forced to shape change. Once the change hits the rage is common."

"The Garou are prone to rages and frenzies, it's part of the burden we carry in being the defenders of Gaia," Angus tried to explain. "When we change especially, we can feel the extent of the damage done to the mother. It's especially hard if we're caught in the city during a change or rage. You can't think rationally and just want to kill the cause of the damage."

"No," Angus said, hesitating. "Humans are the cause of the destruction to Mother Earth. More than any vampire ever could."

"Of Mother Earth," Angus corrected. "There is no greater enemy than humans because most of the time they are either unaware or they don't care about the damage they do and they serve the purpose of the evil entities that want the Earth to fail. Chaos beings who want the world in darkness again."

"Garou can change into various forms of werewolves at other times," Buffy continued. "Some seem to have lost some of the gifts and can't make some of the changes or can't do it under certain conditions but Angus here could change into about five different types of werewolves right now."

"I wouldn't because seeing a werewolf in some of the forms cause humans to panic or go insane," Angus smiled at his charge. "Then there's the safety rule: never let the humans know we exist. We call it the Veil."

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "You guys found out about me. I'm in trouble with the Garou Nation and my own Tribe and Clan."

"We assess the threat," Angus said slowly. "We knew there was a major risk in some of you finding out about Buffy since we allowed her to return home and to her Slaying. We didn't think it'd happen this quickly though. Sometimes, if the human becomes a threat, the threat is taken care of."

"Taken care of? You'd kill a human?" Giles demanded from his Slayer and Buffy frowned, looking down at her plate.

"I don't know, Giles," she admitted. "If it meant protecting my Tribe or my clan, then I'd have to say I would."

"This puts me in an awkward position, Buffy," Giles complained. "How am I supposed to keep this from the Council?"

"Don't they already know? Those Watchers were the ones who found out," Xander pointed out.

"I don't think they were sent by the Council," Giles shook his head. "It doesn't feel right."

"There are humans who have learned about vampires and werewolves and feel a divine calling to eliminate all the monsters," Angus explained. "Unfortunately, they won't listen that we're not evil. They can be extremely fanatical, sometimes even religiously fanatical. They won't hesitate to kill another human for being mated with a Garou either."

"Until last night you would have been willing to get horizontal with me," Buffy snapped.

"Garou can't mate with another Garou," Angus said sadly. "The genetics are wrong and the offspring are deformed and usually insane."

"Yes, so was Oz," Buffy nodded, seeing the surprise and relief in his eyes. "Getting bitten by his cousin was a coincidence. They're both Garou."

"Wow!" Xander exclaimed as Oz ducked his head, hiding the tears filling his eyes.

"We were going to wait until you and the witch had decided your relationship before taking you and training you, brother," Angus smiled. "But now that you know, you'll come away and be taught properly."

"There is a great danger in an untrained Garou falling into the hands of the Spiral Dancers, the evil werewolves, and being forced into corruption," Angus explained. "Living with a pack and being taught helps prevent that."

"A Spiral Dancer loves chaos and willingly kills humans for sport and blood and other weres," Buffy explained. "They love stuff that hurts the Earth, like toxic waste spills and work to cause as much harm as possible. Imagine Oz tearing through Sunnydale High and then nuking the place. That's what a corrupted Were would try."

"So, Oz goes off with you and then what?" Giles asked. "Buffy continues as the Slayer and we lock her away on Full moons like we did Oz?"

"Basically," Angus nodded. "We hope that she'll gain control of her rage during the Ahroun moon, the full moon, but that's uncertain. She also can't seem to change into any other form than ape during the day. That can be a great disadvantage if caught by a Hunter."

"If not, then we wait and hope she's halfway sane when she returns," Angus said sadly. "The Hunters will be back for Buffy. The Wyrm already has a major hold on Sunnydale without adding Hunters to it."

"They think I'll have an even shorter life now than before when I was a Slayer," Buffy explained with a shrug.

"What was that other werewolf Saturday night?" Cordelia asked and Angus raised his eyebrows in question.

"I ran into a Child of Gaia at a nightclub," Buffy explained. "We sensed each other. He saw my Clan tatt and he flashed me his Tribe glyph and that he knew there were vampires in the club."

"I had already sensed the vampires and knew he was going after them," Buffy nodded. "I lent a hand without changing and didn't let these guys follow him."

"We wait for Will to return and Oz gets educated," Buffy smiled. "You've got family now, Oz."

Buffy sighed as she crawled onto her bed. She could hear Giles, Oz and Angus continuing the conversation about Garou, cursed werewolves, vampires and Hunters and how Buffy fit into all of it as a Slayer Garou.

Xander and Cordelia had finally gone to the upstairs guest room to crash on the bed, fully clothed, as Joyce had checked, and Buffy had gone to her own room to sleep for a few hours.

Faith paused, noticed Buffy's door slightly ajar and frowned when she heard Buffy crying. The brunette Slayer opened the door slightly and entered the room. Buffy, hearing Faith, turned over, hugging a pillow tightly.

Faith frowned. They had all been hit with a lot of information and shocks in less than a two day period.

"No," Buffy admitted. "Everyone thinks I'm a freak because I'm a Slayer, a cool freak but a freak. Not quite human, you know? Now they REALLY think I'm a freak."

"Yeah, I do know," Faith nodded slightly, holding back from reaching out and touching Buffy's shoulder.

"Only you do, don't you?" Buffy asked softly, turning over and sitting up against the headboard, still hugging the pillow. "I'm missing Will."

"Me too," Faith agreed and laughed softly at Buffy's surprised expression. "We kinda hit it off the last couple of days, thanks to you, B."

"We were trying to figure out why you were acting so weird and we put our heads together," Faith explained. "She's not so bad for a geek and she thinks I'm okay for a slut."

"When you claim to have gotten horizontal with someone, you never smell of sex," Buffy countered.

"Tell me about this wolf thing, B," Faith encouraged, wanting to change the subject.

"In some ways it's amazing, Faith," Buffy sighed wistfully, her eyes becoming distant. "Giles and Angus are talking about it right now. Angus is explaining that my first change was long overdue and probably delayed because I'm a Slayer. It hit when I sent Angel to Hell. I lost it. Really, really lost it."

"No, not Angelus," Buffy corrected. "Willow cast a spell that restored Angel's soul. Angelus had started the spell to destroy the world, though. I had to kill him to stop the spell. I sent Angel to Hell, not Angelus."

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "I lost it and went into my first change. When I came out of it, I packed a bag and left Sunnydale. I wasn't even really sure if I had changed or had hallucinated it. When I hit LA, a Garou was waiting at the bus station. They keep a Garou at the station watching for runaway Lost Cubs."

"Yes," Buffy laughed. "They knew me for Garou and took me somewhere, locked me in a room and made me eat and sleep until I was a little more coherent. Then they took me to a Fianna pack and I began my training."

"What's that like?" Faith asked, suddenly envious of Buffy's calm and joyful expression.

"Like Slayer training? How to handle being furry and stuff?" Faith asked, genuinely curious.

"Some. How to handle the different shapes you can take, how the pack interacts, history, modern politics between the Tribes and always more and more about the Wyrm," Buffy tried to explain.

"There's all kinds of rituals and rites of passage stuff to get through," Buffy continued. "That's how I got the scars on my thigh, one of the passage things."

"What, changing?" Buffy asked softly and Faith nodded. "It's…it really hurts the first few times. It's harder to change all the way to full wolf form. I can't talk about a lot of it."

"What do those weirdoes want with Red?" Faith asked and watched Buffy's face crumble.

"Hunters," Buffy said with a frown. "Fanatics that believe anything not human is evil, from Satan and must be destroyed, no matter what the costs."

"Sort of but there are a lot more Hunters than the two of us," Buffy said, moving to lay back down on the bed, Faith beside her as they looked up at the ceiling. "They won't listen to reason. They don't believe in a connection to the earth and can't believe that we're part of nature."

"The Earth doesn't matter to most of them, something about their religious beliefs about having domain over the Earth," Buffy frowned. "Humans think they are the top of the food chain and the evolution ladder. Garou's can shape-change, we can walk in the spirit world and we're connected to the Earth so that threatens their superior views."

"Calling everyone else 'humans', talking like you're different," Faith complained.

"We're both different than most other humans," Buffy pointed out, her eyes saddened. "Only a potential Slayer can understand what we're like and we learned to live with that. Now, I had to find out that I'm different than other Slayers, other Garou and I'm not really human anymore."

"Most of the time a young Garou, a Lost Cub, is taken into a pack and the Tribe and live with at least the pack," Buffy continued. "I'm unusual because I'm also a Slayer and I'm needed here. I'll probably travel to my pack several times a year to reconnect with them and our sacred home."

"I can't say, it's kept secret, even from most of our Kin," Buffy frowned. "Only those close to Mother Earth, to Gaia, can go near our caern, our home."

"The Hunters? Convince her I'm a killer, against nature, against God, and that the wolf in me comes from Satan," Buffy said, tears filling her eyes. "They're on the way to convincing her I'm a killer."

"Not you, the wolf," Faith argued. "Willow thinks there's a difference after dealing with Oz and his furriness."

"And they have an agreement that he'll either kill himself or she'll kill him if he ever gets out and kills an innocent," Buffy countered. "Willow will demand the same thing from me, especially as a Slayer."

"So, she comes back to town, we grab her and talk some sense into her," Faith grumbled.

"Does this make sense to you?" Buffy asked softly as Faith laid back down next to her.

The next day Giles called the Rosenberg house and asked for Willow but was told that the honor student was out of town on a family emergency and would be gone for at least a month. Xander and Buffy were greeted with harsh words and a slammed door when they went to talk to Willow's parents that afternoon after school.

"Damn it!" Buffy shouted as she slammed the door to the Summers' home. Xander looked equally unhappy as Faith's eyebrows rose in question.

"They wouldn't even talk to us and called Buffy a 'perverted' goya jifa—meaning a disgusting perverted non-Jew," Xander growled, throwing his backpack on the floor as Buffy clenched fists.

"Damn!" Faith growled, hating to see the hurt and anger in Buffy's eyes and the rage in Xander's. "Giles called on the answering machine, says everyone is coming over at 7pm for planning."

"He's starting a new life and might have little contact with general society anymore," Buffy tried to explain.

"He'll learn some new music, Clan Fianna is known for their music, parties and howls," she said softly.

"Gatherings of the pack or packs, kinda a party with rituals, bragging and reconnecting with Gaia. Then party time."

"Angus will talk with them. Oz and his little cousin will be taken to the pack and trained. They'll get to see their families occasionally; the family will be considered Kin because they know about Oz and Lisa's Garou status. Kinda like you guys are now considered Kin because of how close you are to me."

"It's for everyone's protection, Xan," Buffy tried to explain. "Hunters aren't above taking Kin hostage to get to the Garou."

"Now that Hunters know you're furry and here, will you have to leave?" Xander demanded.

Buffy frowned and wouldn't meet their eyes. "I don't know," she admitted. "The Elders may decide that me staying here is too risky for me and for all of you."

"You're a Slayer, Faith, and there was never meant to be more than one," Buffy pointed out.

"No, I don't…I don't want to do this without you around, B," Faith said softly and immediately looked embarrassed. "Look, I'll be back later."

"I got something I gotta do," Faith snapped and slammed out the door, leaving Buffy and Xander confused.

Willow sat down on her cot, grateful to be left alone for a moment for the first time since the Watchers had picked her up. The next hours were confusing to the young honor student; the Watchers revealing themselves as Hunters, talking to her parents, packing a few things and boarding a private plane within two hours of leaving the cemetery.

Willow Rosenberg hadn't heard what the Hunters had said to her parents but Sheila and Ira had been very willing to let Willow go for "specialized training" for the next month.

The intelligent student had kept her wits enough to know that they were now somewhere in Arizona, near Phoenix, at a private ranch. Willow had been taken to a barracks like building and shown a small room with a bunk bed, two desks and two dressers. It reminded her of counselor rooms at summer camp.

Apparently she didn't have a roommate at the time and wasn't given very long to settle in before being taken to another large building for dinner, introductions to everyone, and beginning indoctrination.

Willow felt like she had been kidnapped by a cult after an hour of trying to eat, answer questions and listen as several people talked at once. Each of the men and women had an enthusiasm for "hunting," that reminded Willow of religious converts.

After dinner, someone walked up to the stage and introduced themselves as Raymond Johnson, head of the Brotherhood of Hunters, Western Chapter. Willow bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. It sounded like something out of an Elk's Lodge but everyone around her were deadly serious and nodded at his introduction.

"As you know, this is the second active training camp for those of us who have been blessed and cursed with the truth about the supernatural," Johnson began. "I want to thank the new recruits for coming. Your future won't be easy and it might even be short."

Willow was instantly reminded of Giles' lectures to Buffy about her Fate as a Slayer.

"Most of you have suffered already," Johnson continued. "I commend you for your bravery, especially the young ones with us. Now that you've seen the monsters, we invite you to join with your brothers and sisters and discover the strength of our Brotherhood."

Willow looked around with a frown. She turned her attention back to the stage when names were called and pairs of people walked up to face the crowd. The budding witch quickly caught on that these were the new recruits and their "counselors". Each counselor told the basic story of the recruit and the recruit was welcomed with hugs and sometimes tears from the "Elders" on the stage, including Johnson.

Willow jumped slightly when she realized Watcher Ryan had moved next to her and was smiling down at her. She tried to smile up into his hazel eyes but felt a familiar fear gripping her. She knew they were going to be called up on stage and she hated and feared public appearances.

Tim Ryan gently grabbed her arm and steered Willow through the crowd and helped her up the stairs, as if expecting the student's reluctance.

"This is Brother Ryan and Willow," Johnson said into the mike. "All the Brothers and Sisters of the Western region know there are some solo fighters. It is my sad duty to report that a fighter against the darkness has fallen to that darkness. We've told you of the fighter in California, called by the Divine to fight evil. She has been infected by that evil."

Shouts and gasps of disbelief filled the cafeteria and Willow's head dropped as tears filled her eyes.

Johnson, looking very much like a politician or preacher, held up his hands for silence as the sounds of tears began reaching Willow's ears.

"I know, I know," Johnson said loudly. "The worst of it is that she didn't fall in battle, as would honor a Hunter of her years and talent. The Hunter fell to a werewolf's bite and has become a killer."

Willow felt Ryan's arm slide around her shoulder and leaned against him, much as she would have if it had been Giles.

More shouts of disbelief were the reaction and Willow's tears began escaping from her eyes as well.

"This is her best friend, Willow," Johnson said, pointing to Willow. "She has been fighting the darkness and evil for years beside the Slayer and stayed in the fight when they were recently joined by the second Hunter."

"Willow began her fight in her sophomore year," Johnson continued. "She and a group of divinely imbued students stood with the Hunter and fought the evil. Willow has even overseen the care of one of her fellow students after it was discovered he was a werewolf. Together, the Hunter and the small group kept him from acting on his evil urges to kill and ensured his safety as well."

Willow felt the tears flowing freely down her cheeks, remembering everyone: especially Oz. It had only been a day but it felt like she had been gone forever.

"Now the Hunter is infected and has tasted human blood," Johnson continued. "We aren't sure when she was infected or how many she has possibly killed. The Hunter ran away from her duties a few months ago and we lost track of her. When she returned to her home, we were ready and observant. Our worst fears were confirmed and she is tainted and lost. Our Brothers approached Willow and she has agreed to come to us and train. Brothers and Sisters, her training won't be easy and I ask you to help her all you can. Willow is training to kill her best friend and, even though it's the right thing to do, we know it won't be easy. Too many of know what it's like to have a family member taken by a vampire and turned into one of those damned creatures. Others have seen their families ripped to pieces. Welcome Willow among us, my friends."

Willow was barely aware of the applause and shouted greetings as Ryan led her from the stage and through the crowd. Gentle hands reached out to touch her, welcoming her as she began to sob against Ryan's chest.

The red-head curled up around a pillow later, crying herself to sleep but none of the three females who helped her settle in seemed surprised.

Faith smiled and folded the knife and put it back into its sheath behind her back. She raised the window to Willow's room slowly. The brunette Slayer was grateful it wasn't dark yet. It made it more dangerous, especially since Ira and Sheila Rosenberg were right downstairs but it also made it exciting.

Faith had an idea that the Hunters had been prepared to talk to Willow's parents. They had been prepared for everything else, including having doctored photos of Buffy as a werewolf killing someone.

The dark Slayer had already been through the cell with Buffy earlier and they hadn't found any sign of a tunnel. Xander and Giles had searched outside the tomb as well and together the small group tore apart the crypt, finding three wireless cameras.

Buffy had growled and smashed them under her feet before Xander could protest that the frequency could be tapped into. Faith pointed out that the only one who might even be able to do that was Willow. Buffy growled again, reminded once again the red-head was gone and she felt responsible.

Faith had an idea that there might be something in the Rosenberg house that could lead the Scooby Gang to Willow or give them a clue as to what they were facing in trying to get the red-head back.

She was determined that they were going to do just that. If not for Buffy's sanity, then her own. Faith genuinely had come to like the geek.

The Slayer rummaged through Willow's desk quickly and efficiently, not finding anything pertinent. Faith frowned. That meant whatever she was looking for was downstairs, probably in Mr. Rosenberg's study.

"Damn," Faith muttered and listened closely at Willow's door. She wanted to be back before the meeting with everyone, either with questions or an innocent face. The last thing Faith wanted was to be spotted or caught in the house.

The Slayer stayed close to the wall as she walked down the stairs slowly, her ears picking up the sounds of Ira shifting in his seat in the living room as he watched some sort of ball game and Sheila in the kitchen making dinner. Faith knew enough about "breaking and entering" to know that older houses had stairs that creaked, particularly in the middle. She hugged the wall where there was the most support for the stairs and kept her, hopefully, out of being noticed in Ira's peripheral vision.

Faith breathed a small sigh of relief when she slipped into the study and carefully shut the door behind her. She quickly crossed to the desk and began rummaging through the papers until she spotted a familiar looking manila envelope, just like the ones the Hunters had been pulling the file folders and pictures out of.

The Slayer growled as she pulled out 8x10 photos. She walked over to the window and held them up to the light coming in from the shutters and bit her lip to keep from yelling out in anger.

There were a lot of photos, most of them grainy and slightly out of focus and they were all of Buffy. All of Buffy naked or getting that way with someone. Two someones, Faith noticed. Her and Oz. The pictures were highly sexual and graphic and Faith frowned.

She knew for certain that she and Buffy hadn't tried any of those moves, thank you! She also highly doubted that Buffy had gotten horizontal with Oz either. He was much too hooked on Willow and Buffy was still grieving for Angel.

Besides, didn't Buffy say something about Garou not mixing it up sexually with other Garou? That meant these were fakes, just like the ones the Hunters had shown Willow of a werewolf Buffy killing humans. No wonder the Rosenbergs had slammed the door in Buffy's face. They did think Buffy was a slut and a pervert!

Faith dug further in the envelope and found several papers and a map. She quickly stuffed the folder into her a waistband behind her back and opened the window as quietly as she could. It was beginning to get dark, just what she needed as she slipped out the window and shut it behind her.

"Okay, no yelling at Faith for doing it!" Giles finally snapped as the group debated the wisdom of Faith's actions. "Enough! We're tired, stressed and I personally think it was a good idea. Now, Faith, did you find anything that might help us?"

Faith grinned and wiggled her eyebrows at Buffy and the blonde Slayer grinned, a spark of hope racing over everyone's faces.

"How about a map to the place where they've got Red?" she asked, pulling out the envelope from behind her back and digging through it. She finally handed over a folded map to Giles. Faith grinned as he almost ripped it unfolding it so quickly and spreading it out on the dining table.

"Hmmm," Giles muttered as everyone crowded around the table. "Arizona, near Phoenix. Isolated in the high desert, probably a former summer camp."

"Not so simple, you're talking about walking into a den of Hunters, young one," Angus growled. "They are even more paranoid than Garou about their caerns."

"We are not just going to leave her to them!" Buffy growled, her voice dropping an octave and everyone jumped when Angus literally growled back.

"This is my ward, Angus!" Buffy growled back. "The pack knows my commitment to the gang and mother."

"Diving into a Hunter's nest is akin to suicide and will gather you nothing but death!" Angus growled. "Find another way, warrior."

"I think that might be the only way," Giles said slowly. "I suggest that Buffy stays here while the rest of us go to Phoenix and see if we have a chance of getting Willow back."

"Yes, you are!" Giles snapped back. "Sunnydale still needs a Slayer and it's very likely that the Hunters left someone behind to keep an eye on you and all of us. They'll be anticipating this action."

"I suggest that Joyce, Oz and Angus keep an eye on you and one out for Hunter's," Giles continued.

Angus nodded. "No matter what you find out, I need to leave with Oz by the end of next week."

"Alright," Giles frowned. He hated knowing Oz was going and that it would mean leaving his life in Sunnydale behind. Leaving them and probably Willow or would Willow go with him as his mate? Giles didn't like the thought of losing two of his kids.

Buffy was frowning as well. Angus' sharp eyes noticed Faith leaning into Buffy's shoulder and lightly wrapping an arm around the blonde. He especially noticed Buffy relaxing at the touch.

"It's my fault," Buffy whined. "If I had followed my instincts and told you guys what was happening, they never would have gotten to her!"

"You were following the traditions, small one," Angus countered. "We made you promise not to tell your friends."

"Giles, it was necessary," Buffy said wearily. "I had to fight them tooth and claw to agree I could tell Mom."

"Again, Buffy's unusual in that she returned to her friends and family after joining the pack and Tribe," Angus said gently.

"Living at home was hard enough when I became the Slayer, I needed someone to help me on the Ahroun moons," Buffy explained. "The Elders thought that Mom was the best choice to tell, she'd instinctively protect me, even if she didn't understand the Garou part of me."

"Well, I'll admit I was still having trouble adjusting to the Slayer news," Joyce said with a frown. "Giles and I argued about it the entire time you were gone and I still don't like it. I like this even less, especially since it probably means you'll have to leave or die even younger. But, I'm here for you and always will be."

"Right," Giles said firmly. "It's getting late and tomorrow is a school day. I suggest Cordelia and Xander get notes from their parents that they'll be out of town for the next four school days. Today's Wednesday, if we haven't found a way to get Willow back by Monday, then I don't think we will."

"Okay," Cordelia nodded. "My parents are going out of town for the weekend. I'll tell them I'm staying at Harmony's for the next couple of days and the weekend."

"I need someone to forge an excuse for school," Xander said slowly. "Will always does that when I'm sick."

"I'll write you and Faith a note, Xander," Joyce said quickly as everyone frowned.

"Everyone go home and to bed now, no slaying tonight!" Joyce snapped. "No arguments, neither one of you are in any shape to go out tonight."

"Okay," Buffy finally nodded and let Faith pull on her arm as everyone exchanged hugs and whispered words of reassurances.

Buffy was surprised but pleased when Faith led the blonde Slayer into her room and sat Buffy on the edge of the bed.

"Stay!" Faith ordered. "I'm going to get some sweats for you to sleep in. I don't think you need to be alone tonight."

Buffy nodded, actually grateful for Faith's insight and waited as the dark haired Slayer threw an oversized t-shirt and pair of shorts at her. The Slayer stood up and pulled her shirt off as Faith turned her back to Buffy and pulled her own shirt off and quickly pulled on her own sleep shirt.

The blonde Slayer relented and let some of her control slip again as Faith, instead of turning her back to Buffy in bed, wrapped her arms around Buffy and pulled her close. Buffy began crying softly as Faith gently stroked her hair and held her.

Why did the thought of their deep friendship bother her, Faith demanded from herself. Was she ready to face that answer?

Willow thought she was back at summer camp the next morning when whistles woke everyone up and she joined the lines of mostly young people for use of the bathrooms and then breakfast. Everyone was friendly and encouraging but not smothering and the recruit felt herself relaxing as she began to wake up.

"And I'm your training partner, Tara Maclay," said the girl on her left. "They thought that us magic types should stick together."

Willow grinned. "I was beginning to worry I had stumbled across a Christian summer camp."

Everyone laughed and some nodded. Willow's eyes kept coming back to Tara's blue eyes and shy nature.

"They get a little heavy with the Divine Chosen thing," Tommy agreed. "Don't let them worry you, we've got Rabbis, Priests, preachers, and atheists here to teach us."

"Yes, I'm Wiccan and have a little bit of magic talent," Tara admitted with a blush. "They said that you do too."

"Yeah," Willow muttered, blushing herself and wondering why. Willow was normally shy and wasn't accustomed to large groups of people accepting her, but what was it about Tara that made her nervous and shy?

"I heard the Elders saying that they were going to train you quick, a fast track thing or something," Tawanda said over her orange juice.

"Yeah, you've already fought the damned things," Tommy nodded, his eyes growing hard and intense.

"Easy, Tommy," Tawanda suggested. "He lost his little sister to some really low life, ugly vampires."

"Wait until you see some of the stuff these guys have come up with to fight these things!" Tara said enthusiastically. "Stakes that have a silver core for both werewolves and vampires…."

Willow frowned and looked down at her plate, envisioning the results of what those weapons could do to a werewolf. The red-head suddenly looked ill and she felt Tara's hand on her arm.

"We understand," the young woman said softly, her brown eyes gentle. "Tommy had to stake his sister. Tawanda had to identify her mother's body, only the head was recognizable."

"I had to kill my brother," Tara said softly. "He changed in front of all of us and killed my mother immediately. His fur was black as night and his eyes blazing an evil red. He threw my brother into the wall, crushing his skull. He came for me next. It was Thanksgiving and Mother had the good silver out on the table. I grabbed a knife and stabbed him but that only made him angry. I held up a tray to block his blows and his claws sliced it in half. When he attacked me, he fell on it, sliced through his neck. "

"Why do I have to do it?" Willow asked, her voice cracking. "Why can't another Hunter do it?"

"We know, we asked the same thing," Tawanda nodded. "They want us to pass through the worst thing a Hunter can face, killing your own family or a friend. After that, they know the Hunter can face anything without hesitation."

"My friend deserves better than being killed by her best friend," Willow protested.

"Who better?" Tara countered. "You love her. It's an act of love, Willow. We're protecting humanity and setting the creature's soul free."

"Somehow shooting my friend with silver buckshot doesn't feel like an act of love," Willow snapped. "She's given up so much for the world! Her friends died, she got tossed out of school, she even died once!"

"She deserves better than living with the knowledge of killing innocents," Tawanda countered. "Your friend, more than any other human, would want that if she was thinking clearly."

Willow nodded, dropping her eyes again, coughing. "Yeah, if Oz ever got out and hurt someone, I was to kill him or he'd kill himself."

Willow stood up and stumbled out of the Food Hall, running to the now empty bathrooms. The honor student curled up in a back stall, hugging herself and crying.

Buffy frowned as Giles pulled away from the curb with Cordelia, Xander, and Faith. Angus placed a hand on her shoulder.

Buffy nodded but continued to frown. Once again her friends were in danger and this time it really was because of her.

"Can I come home after things settle down here?" she asked. "For a visit, for a howl?"

"Dark? Faith? I thought only Kin were allowed at howls," Buffy asked with a confused expression. "Like…sexual partner types."

"You two are getting very close and she understands parts of you that others don't," he said calmly. "And she wants you."

"Goddamn wolves," Buffy complained. "No, I'm tired, stressed, worried and…and…very straight. Only sex with guys."

"This conversation is getting really freaky here! You're trying to talk me into being gay?" Buffy snapped. "I thought we were supposed to mate with humans and have more little Garous running around. That requires a male on my part."

"Who says that can't happen?" Angus grinned. "I hear Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher have two beautiful kids. I'm just trying to get you to look at yourself, your motivations, your desires and don't let labels stand in your way."

"Buffy, you know it's likely you won't live a long life," Angus continued, his voice soft and gentle. "Take love wherever you find, don't let gender blind you."

Angus smiled and kissed the top of the Slayer's head before moving inside the Summers' home.

Buffy frowned and trotted off into the night on Slayer duty. Vampires and demons were going to pay for her confusion tonight.

Willow tossed restlessly in her bunk and barely heard the door to her room opening.

"Willow? Are you okay? You didn't show up for afternoon class or dinner?" Tara's voice asked and the red-head moaned.

Tara quickly crossed the room and sat down on the bed next to Willow and held her hand to Willow's forehead. The young trainer brushed her long hair out of her eyes and frowned.

Willow managed to have the coherent thought that she really didn't feel like getting up. The red-haired student fell back into a fevered sleep.

"Damn!" Ryan cursed as the doctor showed him the temperature showing on the device, reading the numbers of 103.5. "What brought this on?"

"I'd say stress and exhaustion, she probably hasn't even noticed she's been coughing," the doctor theorized. "Several days in bed, a good round of antibiotics and she might avoid pneumonia."

"At least," the doctor agreed as Tara placed a wet cool cloth on Willow's forehead. "We need to transport her to the Infirmary."

"I've got a couple of security guards standing by with a stretcher," Ryan muttered. "Tara, will you stay with her?"

"Report any changes, either of you. Willow is a special case and the Elders are very interested in her," Ryan ordered.

Xander and Cordelia knocked on the hotel door early the next morning and were greeted by an automatic pistol held by Faith.

"We played lost tourists and were turned away at the gate," Xander reported. "We managed to drive around most of the perimeter."

The young man pulled out a map and spread it out on the bed. Slayer and Watcher gathered around as Xander began pointing things out.

"I drew a general map of what we could see," he said as Cordy pulled out a large folded up piece of paper. "There's guard towers, actual towers with guys and guns. The main gate is manned by two armed guards and they are alert. A high chainlink fence surrounds the place."

"We watched the place an hour before dawn, like you suggested," Xander said thoughtfully. "There are lights everywhere, it's worse than a prison. Very hard to get in and out, especially if Willow isn't willing to be rescued."

Giles frowned and leaned back against the headboard. The Englishman looked as tired as the rest of them felt. They had driven from Sunnydale to Los Angeles and then flown to Phoenix. They had gotten a hotel and rented two cars. Xander and Cordy driving out in the middle of the night to scout out the training camp and Giles and Faith to connect with some contacts he knew in the area through the Watchers.

As Giles had suspected, the Watcher's Council knew nothing about Aimsley, Krammer or Ryan's activities. The Council reported to Giles that the three Watchers were on vacation for two months in America.

Giles told the Council the wayward Watchers had appeared in Sunnydale and he didn't know why.

"God, how the hell am I supposed to keep Buffy's wolf nature from the Council? Especially if any of those bastards talk?" Giles complained.

"Do you think they will? They are going against Council directives aren't they?" Faith asked.

"By becoming active Hunters?" Giles asked. "Yes, to a point, but the Council just might like the idea of Hunters. Especially if they're becoming organized."

"If they find out about Buffy, she'll have to leave," Xander complained. "She'll have to go into hiding with the werewolves."

"Okay, anyway we can get in there undercover and find out where Willow is?" Faith asked Xander and Cordy. "Tackling all those buildings at night with spotlights will take too long."

"I agree," Xander nodded, remembering his "military training" from the cursed Halloween costume. "These long buildings here look like sleeping rooms, and this one is the food hall. I'm not sure about these two or the smaller ones."

"Searching room after room looking for Red? Too risky," Faith repeated, frowning over the hand-made map.

"Then some sort of service," Cordy said firmly. "They'll need laundry or food delivery. Unless they do it all."

"Agreed," Giles nodded. "I suggest Cordy and Xander go back out there and observe the camp, especially any delivery trucks arriving. Get the names of companies doing business with them."

"God, do you know how hot it gets out here?" Cordelia demanded and Faith merely shook her head with a smirk.

"We're going to find the nearest demon bar and see what the other side of the coin knows about this place," Giles said calmly.

Buffy growled and shifted into glabro werewolf form, looking a lot like a female version of Lon Chaney Jr. She slashed out with her claws with a howl of delight as she flipped over a tombstone and landed in the middle of a pack of vampires in one of the many Sunnydale cemeteries.

She heard an answering growl and glanced over in time to see a huge, hulking monster werewolf leaping into the fray next to her. The vampires, most of them screaming in terror, tried to fight back against the manic werewolves in their midst but most of them fell quickly to fang and claw.

Buffy pulled out her trusty stake and slashed left and right, staking and wounding. Those she wounded, she either followed through with the stake or Angus came behind her and decapitated the wounded vampires.

Within moments seven vampires were dust and two werewolves were howling in victory.

Joyce, waiting outside the cemetery in the car to pick up her daughter and friend, shivered. Her eyes suddenly widened and she was out of the car in a flash at the sound of gunshots.

Faith waited impatiently as Giles talked with the bartender of the third demon bar they had found in Phoenix. For being next door to a Hunter's training camp, there seemed to be a lot of demons, vampires and other "Wyrm" stuff, Faith complained to herself.

Her Slayer senses were going crazy in here and it made Faith very uncomfortable. Buffy and the others may have gotten used to dealing with a vampire and a werewolf but she hadn't. Faith wasn't sure she ever wanted to be comfortable around any of a Slayer's natural enemies.

Faith suddenly jerked as she considered her line of thinking. Did that mean Buffy was the enemy? If she believed Buffy and Angus, then Buffy was even more of a protector now than she had been before. The Slayer werewolf now had the responsibility of trying to keep the entire Garou nation safe as well as the rest of the world.

Faith hated mental conflicts. She felt more than a little empathy and understanding for the Hunters. They were a lot like the Scooby Gang, they saw danger and evil and went after it. Like a Slayer.

The problem was getting them to see that most werewolves weren't the enemy but Faith was having a problem with that as well. Buffy and Angus had said there were bad werewolves. Garou who liked chaos and worked for it, just like there were good and bad humans. How could you tell the difference? How was a Hunter or Slayer supposed to know?

Before it had been simple: find, stake, kill, dinner. If a werewolf was out on a full moon, it meant evil stuff, kill it and hope it wasn't an escaped Oz. If it was a vampire, kill it, no need for questions, all vampires were evil. Even Angel had fallen back into Angelus and had killed with delight.

Faith glanced around the bar and noticed a young woman watching her and Giles. That wasn't surprising, they were strangers, human and most of the supernatural types in there could sense something different about Faith. What caught Faith's attention to the blonde Viking looking female was the necklace around her neck.

The Slayer recognized a Thor's Hammer and a silver square with a glyph in the center. Faith's eyes narrowed, she had seen that before.

Faith approached the woman cautiously, keeping her hands in plain sight as the tall woman's eyes narrowed and her lips began to curl in a snarl.

"I'm a friend of a Garou," Faith said calmly, sitting down on the stool next to the female werewolf.

"So what, someone is stupid enough to mix with humans, not my care," the woman growled

Faith frowned and traced a glyph in the condensation left behind from a bottle of beer. She hoped she remembered it correctly.

"I know that there's a training camp outside of the city and they're training Hunters," Faith smiled as the woman turned pale. "An entire camp of Hunters and their trainees. Lots of guns, determination and bibles."

"I'm Faith," the Slayer nodded. "I tell you where the camp is, you and your tribe don't move against them for at least two weeks. I've got a good friend in there being brainwashed and I want her back."

"Two things," Faith bargained. "Your word of honor to Odin and Gaia that you and your tribe won't kill any humans. They hunt vampires and that helps all of us."

"Impossible demand. They also hunt Garou, that makes them dangerous to us and there are too few of us as it is," Hildgrun complained and watched Faith thoughtfully for a moment. "Life for lives, human."

"Talk," Faith nodded. She actually was enjoying the dealing, the Viking werewolf was direct and to the point and it was refreshing to the young warrior.

"Information, you or someone you pick, help us scout the place so we can get our friend back," Faith said.

"The right to call on me for any future mission as long as it didn't involve killing humans," Faith said slowly. It was a high price and she knew it and, getting an idea of what kind of things werewolves went up against, it was probably suicidal. "You know about Slayers, you know I'm good."

Hildgrun looked Faith up and down and nodded. "I have a price for the lives of the Hunters. Letting them live is a danger and the price is high."

"I'm a Slayer, I can't kill a human or help lead to a human's death," Faith countered.

"Garou are few and far between and we can't mate with each other," Hildgrun smiled as Faith's eyes widened, beginning to suspect what the Garou was going to ask. "We mate with humans and the Get of Fenris hate dealing with humans. You might be unique and worthy enough."

"You want me to get horizontal with one of your tribe and have a kid?" Faith demanded. "Isn't that a little medieval or something?"

Faith spun with her fist drawn back as a hand came down on her shoulder. Giles jumped back two feet and blushed.

"I received an emergency page, Buffy has been shot several times with silver bullets and Angus is dead. We have to return immediately," he said softly, fighting back the tears filling his eyes.

"Leave Xander and Cordy here for a few days and hope they can find some information," Giles said slowly. "The Hunters knew we'd come after them and are forcing us to go back so we can't get to Willow."

"The how you guys can figure out with a couple of friends of ours, family," Faith muttered. "Giles, paper and pen!"

"This is the hotel where Xander and Cordelia are, give them this note," Faith muttered as she wrote. "We'll tell them to expect you. They're family and Kin to our Garou, they might be annoying but you can't kill them or hurt them, agreed?"

"If not Garou, no interference," Hildgrun said. "If Garou, then they join the pack after first change."

Faith hesitated, considering the implications. She was agreeing to have a child, probably with a stranger and would have to give him or her up!? Faith had been raised in a drunken, broken home and wasn't sure she could give a child up.

"I stay close, total Kin thing," Faith demanded. She wasn't sure she understood how family and friends of Garou worked, she hadn't had time to really question Buffy and Angus about it. Faith was hoping she was making at least a bargain she could live with in the future.

"Agreed," Hildgrun nodded. "You and the others would be Kin to our pack, Tribe and the child."

"Then we will get your friend back without loss of life," Hildgrun nodded. "Unless it is absolutely necessary. If someone has a shotgun of silver at my head and I can't knock them out, I will kill them, agreed?"

"I can sense the warrior in you," she said softly. "And I've heard about Rages, I want those humans alive. Only as a last resort can you kill them, agreed?"

"Here's the info, intro yourself to Xander and Cordy and we'll be in close contact," Faith said. "My oath as a Slayer to our agreement."

"I, Slasher Thorhilder of the Get of Fenris, swear to rescue your friend with minimal loss of human lives," the Viking said firmly and shook Faith's hand, wrist to wrist—warrior to warrior.

"Come on, Giles, fill me in about the attack and I'll try and explain what just happened here."

Buffy moaned and looked down at the white sheet and beige blanket. Looking around she found the expected tubes, IVs and hospital machinery.

"I heard howls and then gunfire," Joyce said softly, tears falling down her cheeks. "I found you and Angus."

"He's gone, Buffy," Joyce said gently. "I saw three men bending over him and…and a fourth was over you. I saw a large machete in his hands and fired at them. I don't think I hit them but they ran away."

"They cut off his head," Joyce admitted and wiped at the tears flowing from Buffy's eyes as the Slayer closed them.

"Shot four times with silver coated bullets, the police called them Black Talons," Joyce was crying steadily now.

"Black Talons, they expand into shrapnel in the body, causes a lot of damage," Buffy said absently. "With the silver, I won't heal as fast."

"I know, I've talked with Giles," Joyce nodded, holding Buffy's hand. "He and Faith are on their way back."

"Looks like it's going to be hard to get into the training camp, Xander and Cordy are staying behind with some help," Joyce said calmly. "The doctors don't know how you made it, Buffy."

"Some damage to the liver, a collapsed lung, and a broken leg," Joyce tried to remain calm as she answered. It had been a lot worse but Sunnydale doctors were very good at trauma cases. They got a lot of experience, you'll recover totally."

"Attack by a gang looking for money to buy drugs," Joyce answered, it was a common and good enough answer for Sunnydale police.

"You and Angus were mistaken for rival drug dealers," Joyce explained the cover story. "I was there to pick you and your fiancée up when I heard the gunfire."

"The police are reluctant to think bad things about a young high school student bringing her fiancée home to meet her mother," Joyce smiled ruefully.

"Think of it as surrogate motherhood or something," Faith muttered. "Look, I'm not happy with the idea. The last thing I ever considered was having kids but if this gets Willow back and Buffy safe then it's worth it, okay?"

"I admit I don't understand, Faith," Giles said after a few moments. "I know the adjustment to Sunnydale and everyone hasn't been easy for you and I haven't known how to help. It seems like you don't care about anyone or anything, Faith. To pay this kind of price, why?"

"I do care," Faith admitted. "I…I. Buffy wants Willow safe and sane, that's what I'll do."

"Okay, a little extreme, I'll admit," Faith blushed. "But you know me, Giles, not like it would be much different than the Bronze on a Friday night after a heavy night of slaying. Want, take, have."

"Buffy didn't say anything but I've been around for awhile and I've seen a lot," Giles said calmly. "You're falling for Buffy, aren't you?"

"What?" Faith whispered. "Hey, I'll admit she's hot as hell, maybe a little annoying and whining at times but sexy as hell. It'd never work."

"I'm tired and worried and really don't know if what you've done is wise or not," Giles complained.

"We'll just have to see down the road, Giles," Faith shrugged. "We get back to Sunnydale, protect Buffy, get Red back and see what happens from there."

There was no way he could explain all of this to the Council. Tell them about Buffy being a werewolf? How to tell them about Faith's deal to become a mother to werewolves without telling them about Buffy? Not tell them anything? Giles had thought becoming Buffy's Watcher had made his life complicated; now he knew that had been easy compared to these complications. Even Angel turning into Angelus hadn't been all that complicated for him, his only torment was watching Buffy suffer. That was the only reason he had held back from forcing her into killing Angelus from the start. His mistake had cost Jenny her life and Giles his chance at love.

"How is she?" Willow heard someone's voice nearby but didn't care to open her eyes.

"Any improvement at all?" the first voice demanded and Willow realized it was Ryan.

"Not yet but it takes a few hours for the antibiotics to kick in," the second voice explained. "Her fever isn't getting any higher and she hasn't gone into full pneumonia."

Closest friends? That wasn't right. Xander and Buffy were her closest friends. She did miss Faith though. Those couple of days of working together instead of fighting had been nice.

"Buffy's the one that's infected," she heard Tara saying. "How can she kill her best friend? I mean she's calling for Buffy in her delirium."

"I don't know. She hasn't even started training, though," the doctor pointed out. "She'll do what's right. Her friend is now a killer and Willow wouldn't have been brought here if she didn't know it was the right thing to do."

Right thing to do? Kill Buffy? Willow moaned and thrashed against the blankets covering her.

Buffy woke up again and smiled at the sight of Faith sitting in a chair next to her bed, feet propped up on the bed and a pistol in her lap as she napped. The blonde Slayer watched Faith sleeping for a few moments, letting Angus' words come back to her as she cried for her friend.

If she was going to stay in Sunnydale, Buffy knew she needed to analyze her feelings, motivations, and how she now interacted with the others.

Everyone had taken the news of her Garou self pretty well except that they really hadn't had time to deal with it. Buffy had no idea how they would really treat her once things settled down. Especially Faith.

From Giles and Xander she sensed a trace of fear; from Cordelia acceptance, as if Buffy's werewolf state was just another aspect of Sunnydale to tolerate; from her mother total acceptance and sorrow and Buffy knew that being the Slayer and a werewolf was the last thing a parent would want for their child. Faith, she had no idea how the brunette Slayer felt about Buffy Garou status or about Buffy in general.

Oz, he was so wrapped up in dealing with his own new information about being a werewolf that he was barely aware of Buffy being like him. She knew that with Angus dead, Oz would turn to her for answers. She made a mental note to send word to the caern that she had a Lost Cub that needed escort to the Tribe.

Willow, that one hurt. Seeing and sensing the slight fear in Giles hurt a lot, almost as much as it did when her mother found out but not as bad as the absolute look of devastation on Willow's face as Buffy began to change.

She needed Willow back, Buffy admitted and she wanted Faith's friendship almost as much.

"Hey, B," the Slayer sat up and moved the chair closer to the bed. "Glad to see you awake there."

"Press that button next to your hand, that thingy lets you self medicate yourself," Faith said. Buffy found the button trigger leading to a machine next to the bed and from that a tube ran to one of the IVs leading into her arm.

"Demerol, I think," Faith shrugged. "It won't let you take too much and it helps keep the nurses free for their rounds and stuff."

"Giles?" Buffy asked as she pressed the button. She hated drugs and hated taking medication but she did admit that she was hurting. Buffy also knew she wasn't getting out of the hospital within the next few hours either.

"Gun?" Buffy asked, pointing at the weapon as Faith stuck it into her waistband.

"There's at least four Hunters who know you're here and alive," Faith said seriously.

"Xander and Cordy are looking for a way in and we teamed up with some of your types," Faith explained. "They're going to help get Willow out of there."

"Sorry, I meant Garou types," Faith said softly. "We ran into a warrior and she agreed to get her pack to help get Willow out of there and destroy the camp without killing."

"Fenris? They're totally nuts!" Buffy protested. "They love killing and fighting, they'll slaughter the Hunters."

"The very same guys that helped kill Angus, kidnapped Willow to brainwash her and will probably track you all the way to Siberia to kill you?" Faith demanded. "Look, I got her to swear by Odin and Gaia not to kill anyone unless a last ditch thing at self defense."

"That might work, they take oaths extremely serious," Buffy whispered and then her eyes filled with tears. "They killed Angus."

"I don't know if I can stay in Sunnydale after this," Buffy admitted, looking away.

"I don't want to leave you guys," Buffy whispered, her eyes closing as the medication began to take affect. "I don't want to leave you."

"Short life expectancy, Faith," the blonde Slayer smirked. "When I get out of here I might take you up on that challenge."

"Which challenge? We already know you're a better fighter than I am," Faith asked as Buffy's eyes closed again.

"I don't like it, Sir," Ryan snapped as they watched Willow sleeping restlessly. "She's trainable in the traditional methods. Willow is highly intelligent, open-minded, already well versed in the occult, and extremely dedicated. We don't need to try this on her."

"We know that only the Watcher and Slayer went back to Sunnydale after Summers was attacked, that leaves the two students nosing around," Raymond Johnson countered. "We know they'll be back for Willow Rosenberg and we have to move fast. Her condition will actually help in the psych training and the drugs."

"It's my decision, Brother Ryan," Johnson said flatly. "After she accomplishes this task, she can be brought back and trained properly. We have a unique weapon here."

"It's very likely that the drugs could harm her mentally and physically, she wouldn't be any good to us then," Ryan growled.

"You won't be taking the risk, Willow will," Ryan snapped back. "Without her consent."

Faith sat up quickly when the hospital door opened but relaxed when Giles walked in.

"That will be at least a week," Giles said calmly. "Principal Snyder is on a rampage with everyone being out of school. So far Joyce is covering for everyone but he isn't satisfied."

"Well, he can't question Buffy being out of school with five bullets in her," Faith growled.

"Yes, that Garou you made the deal with is being very helpful," Giles said slowly, watching Buffy sleep as he and Faith talked by the door in whispers. "Several of her pack members have scouted the place, getting very close. Xander and Cordy have also noted several companies who do business with the Hunters."

"It looks like it," Giles said slowly. "They're going to try in four days, the next delivery of linens to the Hunters. A small group of Garou will sneak out and wait until dark and then search the housing area."

"Tranquilizer dart, disable all the vehicles but one and crash out," Giles finished and then frowned as Buffy moaned in her sleep and his pager went off in his pocket. "I'll be back."

Faith turned back to Buffy's beside and gently stroked Buffy's forehead and smiled when the Slayer opened her eyes.

"Hey, Faith," Buffy whispered and nodded as Faith picked up the usual cup of water next to the bed, she sipped slowly. Faith leaned over and worked the button to raise the upper half of the bed until Buffy was in a sitting position. "Will?"

"Working on, B, we're working on it," Faith smiled and resisting a desire to get closer to the blonde.

"No, just lost in my own thoughts, B," Faith smiled, trying to re-establish her trademark smirk.

"Honesty, Faith," Buffy said softly. "I need total honesty. Is it just a game with you or is it deeper than that?"

"You know me, B," Faith said, desperately trying to sound nonchalant. "Love 'em and leave 'em."

"Okay," Buffy said softly. "I… I'm going to call and talk to Mom for awhile, okay?"

"Nothing, Faith," Buffy shook her head. "Forget anything was said, okay? Go play with Scott or something."

"Look, B, we haven't known each other long," Faith said softly but Buffy cut her off.

"And I'm only 17 and you're 16," Buffy said sadly. "I've only seriously dated one guy and he turned evil and I had to kill him, you haven't even dated, I know. Just forget it, okay?"

"I'm not the one you want, damn it!" Faith snapped. "I'll get Willow back for you and you two can live happily ever after, alright?"

"Look, I'm Garou," Buffy snapped. "We feel and sense things more intensely and it feels like there's something between us. Something that could develop. The doctors say I can get out of here in two days. We get Will back and then I'll leave."

"It's done, Faith," Buffy said firmly. "I lost Angel, I've probably lost Will. We may be only teenagers but we're also Slayers and now I'm being hunted. I don't have time and I'm not in the mood for games."

Faith's frown deepened and she started to say something but they both turned when the door opened. Faith went on alert and then relaxed when Giles walked in.

"I'm not sure," he muttered. "I just had a most unusual page from your mother. Seems that someone contacted her, trying to get to me."

"I called the man back, it was Timothy Ryan, one of the Hunters that took Willow," Giles said slowly. "He knows Faith and I are here with you and that we know where Willow is."

"He says he wants to help, actually," Giles said, pulling off his glasses and beginning to clean them.

"Well, he seems to be having an attack of guilt," Giles said. "Mr. Ryan said that Willow is sick, very sick, and the person in charge has decided on a radical drug and mental brainwashing while she's sick. They fear that we might get to her before she's ready and willing to kill Buffy."

Buffy growled deep in her chest and Faith jumped, startled. She frowned as Buffy's eyes turned wolf yellow.

"To trade Buffy for Willow," Giles said slowly. "He thinks that the Elders will agree to release Willow back to us if we turn Buffy over to them."

"It makes sense!" Buffy snapped back. "I'm useless as a Slayer now that the Hunters are after me. They'll try and track me if I go back to my pack and I'll be endangering them. This way you get Will back in one piece and can bring her back mentally before they totally destroy her."

"No! There's got to be another way!" Faith protested. "We've still got that pack of weres in Phoenix willing to help us!"

Buffy wouldn't meet his or Faith's eyes. "Yeah, lots of silver, fire, cutting and maybe even an exorcism."

"They'll try and get the location of my pack and our caern, anything they can get out of me," Buffy said softly.

"Buffy, they'll drug and torture you for days before killing you," Giles frowned.

"No, he'll call back when he's sure that he's not being watched and has privacy," Giles frowned. "Buffy, I'm afraid I must agree with Faith on this. I can't let you just walk into death."

"No, that's not the same thing," he growled. "You have a fighting chance against vampires and demons, this is suicide."

"No, I won't yell yet," Faith growled, moving close to the blonde Slayer's side. "I told you I made a deal with those Viking werewolves!"

"Yeah, you agreed to help out on a mission and they help you get Will back," Buffy nodded.

"To get horizontal with one of your kind and expand the population of werewolves," Faith snapped, a tear flowing down her face.

"Why in the world would you agree to that?" Buffy demanded, her expression one of shock.

"To get Red back for you I agreed to something, anything to keep you happy and safe, B," Faith said softly. "I'm begging you not to do this."

"Yes," Faith said firmly. "Let me do this. We now know where she is, Red will be in the Infirmary."

The brunette Slayer growled and leaned over Buffy, her lips crushing against the other Slayer's, her hands holding the sides of Buffy's face gently.

Buffy moaned and pulled Faith closer to her. The kiss, desperate at first, became passionate and exploring. Faith whimpered as she drew back and rested her forehead against Buffy's, tears escaping her eyes.

"B, I told Red last week the reason I pick on her was that I was jealous of her friendship with you," Faith whispered. "I thought you wanted her."

"No," Buffy said slowly. "I've thought about it, admitting that. But it's you I dream of at night, it's you I think about constantly."

"Don't do anything until I get back," Faith begged. "Give me a chance to save you both."

"Faith, even if you get Will back, the Hunters will still come after me," Buffy countered. "You can't go with me and I can't stay."

"Couldn't I go as your mate? I mean, if this works between us," Faith said shyly.

Faith frowned and sat down in the chair next to the bed, holding tightly to Buffy's hand.

"Giles doesn't think that those Hunter guys have told the Watcher Council about you. They couldn't without giving themselves away. If we destroy their organization, they have to keep quiet if they still want a job with the Council," Faith pointed out.

"You make me feel, B," Faith said softly, beginning to cry freely. "I've been running and just…just going with whatever at the moment. I don't know what I'm feeling, B."

"Come here," Buffy said softly, pulling on Faith's hand, drawing the Slayer back to her lips.

"B, I never….I haven't…" Faith stammered as her body began to heat up, sensations running all along her nerve endings.

"I can't lose Willow like this, not because she's thinks I'm evil," Buffy said just as firmly.

"If she knew the truth, she wouldn't let you, either," Faith said, her voice sullen.

"No, I don't like the idea of drugs and mind bending, even for two days," Faith said slowly. "I'm leaving tonight, hopefully with Giles. We'll get her back day after tomorrow. Joyce Mom is armed to the teeth now and wants to stand guard over you."

"How is she?" Raymond Johnson asked as the doctor scribbled notes, watching two men and women hovering over the red-head.

"Willow is stabilized and your trainers are working hard on her," the doctor muttered.

"I don't know why you're rushing this," the doctor snapped. "Past cases have shown that the Hunter kills the target but is totally useless after that, usually suffering from a mental breakdown or committing suicide."

"Yes, I'm hoping Willow is a success case," Johnson said absently. "Her target is powerful and has powerful contacts in our world and among the demons. You know sacrifices are acceptable."

The doctor didn't respond but continued frowning. He noticed that Brother Ryan didn't appear happy about the decision either and stayed behind to watch Willow for a few minutes before leaving the infirmary.

"I'm afraid the Elders have chosen an extreme short cut in Willow's training," the doctor said slowly. "Like most short cuts, it's a harder road."

"It looks like something out of a horror movie," Tara said, almost whispering. "Aren't we the good guys?"

Buffy stood by her hospital window, watching Giles' rental car pulling out of the parking lot. Joyce wrapped her arm around Buffy's shoulders.

"It's so dangerous, Mom," Buffy complained. "Faith and everyone won't kill anyone human, that puts them at a disadvantage. The Hunters won't hesitate to kill them or Willow."

"She knows about them and the compound, if they think they might lose her, they will kill her," Buffy tried to explain.

"What happens when they come back?" Joyce asked, ignoring the probability that some of "her" kids might not come back, including Willow.

"I don't know, Mom," Buffy admitted, leaning into her mom. "I might have to leave."

Faith, for once, was courteous and kept the music at a low volume, letting Giles sleep in the back of the car. He shifted uneasily, trying to stretch his tall and lanky frame out as much as he could. The Watcher was uncomfortable with his 16 year old Slayer driving but they didn't have many choices. They had to get back to Phoenix quickly and everyone was already exhausted.

Xander and Cordelia had reported that the local pack of Fenris Garou were anxious to move against the compound and everyone was on emotional overload. Xander urged Giles and Faith to return to Phoenix as soon as possible.

"Forced her to face the fact that sometimes those around us die in this fight," Giles said firmly. "First rule of Slaying, stay alive."

"Yes," he admitted. "To save Buffy, you and possibly the world, I would. Then I'd probably drink myself into oblivion every night."

"Yes," Giles muttered. "I might think of some kind of lecture after we're out of this but I can't think of one right now."

"I know. I can't say I was happy when I found out that Buffy had been sexual with Angel. Even if he hadn't reverted back to Angelus, I still would have been unhappy with her having sex at 17," Giles said. "I expect you two to seriously think about what you're doing and how far you want to take this relationship. You're even younger than Buffy."

"Just watch you're driving and let me know when you get tired," Giles said from the backseat.

The hacker opened her eyes slowly and tried to smile as Tara's face came into focus.

"I feel terrible, my chest feels like someone is sitting on it," Willow whispered as Tara helped her sit up and take a drink of water.

"Wow," Willow mumbled, leaning into Tara's arms without thinking about it. Tara readily moved to where she was almost sitting on the bed, holding the potential witch.

"I…they've been giving you drugs and yelling at you to train you to kill your friend," Tara said slowly. "Is that okay with you? Did you agree to drugs?"

"I…I…she said she could explain," Willow said, remembering the last time she saw Buffy.

"I don't like what they're doing, Willow," Tara said firmly. "I understand training but mind control? I ran away from home to get away from that."

"Buffy isn't just a werewolf," Willow managed to smile. "Both her and Faith are more than human."

"I hope so, I've got a bad feeling about this place since Brother Johnson took over two weeks ago," Tara said.

Buffy walked slowly into the house as her mother held the door open. The doctors had been determined to keep the Slayer in the hospital and she was just as determined to get out.

Joyce thought Buffy was too pale and her face was drawn from the pain. She wished that she could help her daughter more. She watched Buffy walk slowly into the family room and sit down on the hearth in front of the fireplace.

None of the Scooby Gang had noticed the renovation around the fireplace except the new mantle piece. They hadn't paid any attention to the new stones, just as Buffy had hoped. This particular one was a special stone imbued with magic; it was part of Buffy's caern and helped connect her to them and to the Earth.

Joyce didn't really understand her daughter's strangeness, not the slaying or the werewolf thing. It even got more complicated when Buffy tried to explain about the Garou's and their spiritual and physical connection to the Earth. Somehow this stone, with small glyphs in the corners, helped Buffy and Joyce just accepted it.

The woman had always thought she was a typical mom in America. Even when her husband ran off with his young assistant and demanded a divorce, barely seeing his daughter a couple of times a year.

Joyce thought she had done the best anyone could have done, moving Buffy to a small town after her daughter had gotten into trouble. Keeping an eye on her wayward daughter until finally the truth came out.

Then everything turned upside down and Joyce found out that nothing she had believed in was true. Buffy wasn't a juvenile delinquent as she had feared, Buffy was a Slayer. Destined to fight evil and destroy vampires.

Joyce's world had collapsed in one night, she had found out her daughter was somehow a supernatural fighter and she lost Buffy that night.

Lots of discussions with Giles had helped. Lots of yelling at Giles had helped even more. She had come to some sort of terms about Buffy being the Slayer, then Buffy had come home and hit Joyce with even more earth shattering news. Werewolf, her daughter was a werewolf and werewolves weren't what Joyce thought.

Buffy had both hands on the stone with her eyes closed. Joyce thought her daughter looked better and was pleased when Buffy opened her eyes and smiled.

"Right!" Buffy eye's widened and dashed for the answering machine, Joyce noticing that her daughter was moving better. "Message!"

< B, it's us, > Faith's voice carried through the room. < Really wishing you were here to talk to these damned furry types! I might have to muzzle them to keep them from killing everything in sight! >

"She made a deal with a tribe that's notoriously fond of fighting," Buffy tried to explain, replaying the tape again for both of them.

< Anyway, we're okay and got here in one piece and I wasn't the one who got the speeding ticket. > Faith continued and they could hear Giles complaining in the background. < We're going to try for tomorrow during breakfast. I know, none of us like going in the daylight but they'll all be in one place and we can move in and out quickly.>

< Okay, the furs are here so we're going to plan now. Later, B. We'll have good news or that place is going down to the ground. > Faith promised.

Joyce wrapped her arms around Buffy as the Slayer sniffled, fighting back tears.

"You can't even tie your own shoes right now," Joyce countered. "Let your friends and family take care of this one."

Faith spun on her heels, stake in hand. The werewolf male held up his hands quickly with a grin.

"Peace, warrior," he said softly, glancing around the hallway. Fortunately, there weren't any hotel guests in sight.

Faith put the stake away slowly. She knew that the stake would be almost useless against a werewolf, especially one of these Viking types, but it was instinctive.

She looked the Garou up and down, appraising him for the fight they were possibly facing in the morning. He was tall, as tall as Giles and about as lean. Unlike most of the other male Garou arguing inside the hotel room, he had military short hair and a massive scar down his left jaw. Blonde hair, blue eyes and a handsome face that Faith knew would have made him extremely popular on a high school campus.

"Among my kind I'm called Thorfinn Moves-Silently," the tall male answered. "When I'm among humans, call me Robert."

"Faith, nice enough," he countered. "We've heard rumors about Slayers, never met one before."

"The only wolfie type I'd ever seen was Oz and he was pretty much like American Werewolf, just wanting to eat everyone," Faith countered.

"There's someone in my life," Faith said slowly. "You're cute and everything but there's someone special."

"Me either," Faith laughed. "We'll talk about this baby thing after we get out of this."

Buffy paced restlessly most of the night and shared several cups of cocoa with her mother as they waited the night through, knowing they wouldn't hear anything until midmorning or later.

The Slayer and Mother went over past photos, especially those taken over the last two years in Sunnydale. Buffy smiled at the growth they had all gone through in the two years.

"I was so worried that you'd get into trouble again," Joyce commented. "I was so glad to meet Willow and Xander, they seemed so normal."

"I wish you could have told me what you were going through," Joyce said thoughtfully. "Maybe that mess with Angel wouldn't have been so bad."

"I know," Buffy said softly. "It was so hard when Merrick was killed, I was just hoping to put it behind me when we moved here. I planned on just slaying occasionally, not let it be my life."

"What happened?" Joyce asked, grateful that Buffy seemed willing to talk. They hadn't had done a lot of that since Buffy's return from running away.

"Started having nightmares, prophetic dreams," Buffy tried to explain. "We found out that a major type vampire was about to break free and turn Sunnydale into a drive thru for vampires. Willow was attacked and I was forced to act."

"Yeah, almost the first day I met her a vampire picked her as a victim, I had to save her and Jesse," Buffy's expression turned into one of painful memories. "I saved Willow but Jesse was turned. Xander had to kill his best friend."

"Oh Buffy," Joyce said softly. "How could you all carry that and not turn to us, your parents?"

"In Sunnydale it's not so surprising," Buffy said calmly. "You're an exception, Mom. Well, except for that time that you tried to burn me at the stake."

"Exactly! Just like you don't remember Darla biting you," Buffy exclaimed. "Xander's parents were abusive, now they just ignore him and Willow's parents are always gone. What's really weird is that Oz' parents know about him and his cousin and help lock the cousin up every full moon. They're the only ones beside you that know the truth."

"I know, that's why I ran away after I had to send Angel to Hell," Buffy continued. "I didn't know if I had imagined changing into a werewolf but I was sure that I had just sent the first guy I ever fell in love with to Hell. I just wanted to get away from it."

"Then you found out about the Garou stuff," Joyce said, hoping to prompt Buffy to keep talking.

"But you fought to come back and be the Slayer, couldn't you have stayed with the pack?" Joyce asked.

"Yeah, they wanted me to stay," Buffy nodded, looking at the clock again. "I ran into trouble in LA when I ran away and discovered I'm the Slayer. It's what I am and what I'm supposed to do in this life. With the Garou skills, I can be a better Slayer."

"Maybe, hopefully not if I'm careful," Buffy said slowly. "Like a superhero thing."

"You're the only one who can get through to her," Joyce said slowly. "There's an energy between the two of you, is it that you're both Slayers?"

"It's more than just Slayer stuff," Buffy admitted, her face turning a bright red.

"I've overheard some of her joking and it does get a little…suggestive," Joyce continued. "Is there something to it?"

"Could be," Buffy admitted. "We're…it could be something. I…I might love her, Mom."

"Another complication in your life," Joyce said slowly. "I want you to be happy, Buffy, with whoever that is. I can't say I'd want this for you, though. Being gay or bisexual isn't easy and your life isn't easy to start with."

"I know but it's there, Mom," Buffy said softly. "I've been attracted to girls before, it's not just because Faith is a Slayer. Her being a Slayer means she understands me and that's rare."

Joyce sighed and reached over the breakfast counter to hold her daughter's hand.

"If this is who you are going to be happy with, then I'm glad you found her," Joyce said slowly. "I do insist that you both wait before making the same mistake you made with Angel. She's still only 16."

"Strong rule here, Buff," Joyce said firmly. "Personally, I'd like you both to wait until you're both 18 but you keep reminding me that you might not live to 18. So the rule is, you both have to be 17 and be safe about it."

Willow clutched at her chest as Tara held her tightly, the witch coughing painfully. Tara reached over to the metal tray/table next to the bed and grabbed a Kleenex and held it to Willow's lips to catch the blood.

"You need to be in a real hospital," Tara protested, gently stroking the red hair.

"Just say 'hi' and nothing else, okay, Cordy?" he whispered as he rolled down the window, the armed gate guard approaching.

The guard stepped up onto the running board and looked in the cab, his eyes suspicious. He looked Cordy and Xander up and down, taking in their uniforms, name tags, and manifest book on the seat between them.

"Usual load?" the guard asked and Xander grabbed the manifest and handed it over.

"Yeah, white sheets and more white sheets," Xander smiled. "Listen, I just moved here. Any good churches around here?"

The guard's eyes instantly lit up and he turned over the invoice and scribbled on it.

"This is the number of my pastor, give him a call," the guard said enthusiastically. "He's the best!"

"Yeah, first part of the load to the first aid place, I road with Stan last week," Xander smiled and reached out his hand to shake the guard's firmly.

"I'm Matthew," Xander smiled and put the truck into gear, handing the manifest book to Anya.

"Let's hope we don't have to fight," he muttered as he turned the wheel of the delivery truck, backing it up to the dock at the end of the Infirmary.

Both Xander and Cordy quickly got out and went to the back. The young man glanced around and nodded to his girlfriend and they opened the doors slowly. Xander could make out a few eyes peeking around laundry bins in the darkness of the inside of the truck.

"Okay, troops," Xander said softly. "We're at the Infirmary, let's keep to the plan and not kill anyone, okay?"

He and Cordy stepped aside as several figures dashed past them. The werewolves were dressed like any other trainee that could be found in the compound, jeans and bright red t-shirts. To help identify each other quickly, they had added blue baseball caps.

The brunette Slayer growled with impatience as they wandered through the storage area and down the hallway, opening doors as they went.

Finally the third door opened to reveal a familiar sleeping red-head and an unknown trainee who squeaked in fear.

"St-stay back!" the girl stammered, standing up between Willow and the two strangers. "Don't…don't come any closer!"

"Listen, sweetheart," Faith grinned, raising her fists. "You REALLY don't want to play with me."

"Faith? You're friends with Willow?" the girl asked, lowering her hands slightly.

"Faith?" a weak voice called and Faith winced as Willow broke into a coughing fit. "Tara?"

"Right here, Willow," Tara said and moved to quickly help Willow sit up to ease the coughing. "Your friend Faith is here to help us."

"You follow Cordelia there, I'll bring Red," Faith growled as she looked at the IVs leading to Willow's arms. Faith grabbed the IVs off their hanging racks and handed them Tara. "Stay close!"

When Cordy opened the outer door they could hear shouts of confusion and anger and an alarm began blaring.

"The Weres have set fire to some of the empty buildings to keep everyone occupied," Xander explained, pulling a Glock pistol out of his belt. "Quick, inside!"

"A friend of Red's," Faith growled and moved into the back of the truck. She placed Willow on a prepared sleeping bag as Willow coughed painfully. Tara sat down next to Willow, holding the IV bags up. "Stay with her."

Faith grinned as Cordy climbed back into the cab of the truck and Xander started to close one of the doors.

"Keep the door open and grab our friends as we go," he said and headed for the driving seat.

Faith stood by the door, her hand wrapped in a convenient hand strap by the door as Xander drove along slowly and grabbed their friends. The Slayer grinning at the enthusiasm from the Weres. They were laughing and teasing each other that this really wasn't worth their time but it was fun.

"I think she's a trainee. She wanted to help get Red out of there," Faith growled, closing the door. "Everyone down behind the bins or inside one in case they want to search."

Faith and two of the Weres moved the bins around to hide Willow and Tara from casual view from the back of the truck.

"Matthew! Sign yourself out! I've got to keep the road clear for the fire trucks!" the guard shouted.

"The Weres say that they flattened all the tires, ripped out the distributor caps and set fire to several empty buildings. That should keep them busy," Cordy reported.

"Radio Giles and tell him to put the spike strips across the road after the fire trucks go by," Xander grinned.

Buffy hugged Oz carefully and then his cousin as Speaks-With-Song waited by the car for the two newest members of the Clan of Fiana.

"Stay safe and sane," Buffy said softly as Oz glanced around, taking in the sight of his home once again and his parents standing on the porch. Mrs. Osborne was trying to be brave and not let her son see her crying but was beginning to fail.

"You know how to get a hold of us, let me know about Willow?" he asked once again. "I still want to stay and see her."

"I know you do, Oz," Buffy said gently, suddenly feeling much older than her 17 years. "You'd better go."

"Just concentrate on getting through the next year and learn to control the wolf," Buffy suggested.

"Okay," Oz nodded and bent down to pick up his acoustic guitar and wrapped an arm around his younger cousin. "Let's go, Cuz."

Joyce wrapped an arm around Buffy's shoulders as the Slayer wiped at the tears filling her eyes.

"We've been talking day and night," Buffy said as the car pulled out of sight. "He knows that he's in a dangerous stage right now. If the wrong Garou get their hands on him, they will corrupt him and he'll be so evil that he'll come back and kill his family, Willow and all of us. It's safer for all of us if they leave now."

"Yes, just like anyone else," Buffy corrected. "It would be harder because I've made my connection to Gaia. I also have the strength of my tribe and clan mates."

Joyce jumped when her cell phone started beeping. Buffy quickly opened her mother's purse as Joyce's hand dived inside and brought the phone out to her ear.

"Yes, I know where it is, we'll be there in a few hours," Joyce clicked the phone off and started the car. "Willow is very sick, Giles and the others are at the hospital with her. The doctors say she's going to be in the hospital for at least a week."

"She's very feverish, Giles said," Joyce answered. "Sit back, Buff, we'll be there in a couple of hours."

Buffy was relieved to see Xander and Cordelia sitting in chairs in the waiting room of the small hospital. Xander spotted her and Joyce and ran up to grab them in a large, but careful, hug with Cordy right behind him.

"The doctors say it'll take a few days to clear her lungs, though," Xander added.

"Uh, Giles said to wait down here when you got here," Xander said softly. "Faith, Giles and Willow's new friend are talking to her, trying to convince her that you're not evil and that some werewolves are good guys."

"A trainee that wanted out and was trying to take care of Will," Xander explained. "She's a witch, she said."

Buffy waited an hour and then dashed up the stairs to the third floor to burn off some energy. She waited outside Willow's room impatiently. She decided not to enter the room yet, not until Giles thought it might be okay but she could wait closer to her friends and girlfriend.

The Slayer's face lit up when the door opened and Faith walked out with a grin on her face.

"I thought I sensed you," Faith whispered and glanced around at the crowded corridor. "I missed you, B."

Buffy looked around with a moan of frustration and grabbed Faith's hand. The blonde Slayer pulled Faith into the nearest bathroom. Faith laughed and checked the stalls, taking the lead and pulling Buffy into the handicapped stall. She barely had time to click the lock into place before she was pinned to the wall and Buffy was attacking her lips.

Faith moaned, running her fingers through Buffy's hair and returning the kiss with equal passion and aggression. Buffy's lips moved to Faith's neck as Faith held her tight.

Buffy sighed and tried to calm down and touched her forehead to Faith's, breathing heavily.

"Mom wants us to wait until you're legal," Buffy smiled ruefully. "When the hell is that anyway?"

"Oh damn it!" Buffy joined the complaining as Faith's hands roamed up and down her back, holding Buffy close.

"How far is too far?" Faith mumbled, her hands shaking as they rested on Buffy's shoulders and she looked down at Buffy's body and hers, almost melding together, the heat fusing them.

"Five more minutes with you," Buffy growled, attacking Faith's neck again causing the brunette to jerk against her, hip to hip.

"I never did obey rules," Faith muttered, moving her hands down to Buffy's breasts.

Buffy cried out and braced her hands against the wall as Faith took advantage of the move and lowered her head to tease Buffy's aroused nipples through the blonde Slayer's t-shirt.

"Faith, stop!" Buffy whimpered, pulling back slightly. "If we don't stop right this moment I'm going to lose control here."

"Okay, you're right," Faith nodded, her breathing ragged. "I've never felt like this, B."

"Me either," Buffy admitted. "I don't know if it's Garou meeting Slayer or Slayer to Slayer."

"Why don't Weres get together? You looked pretty cozy with Angus," Faith asked as they kept separated, not trusting touching each other without losing control.

"The genetics work wrong among Garou," Buffy frowned. "The offspring are called Metis and are deformed in some way and the majority of them are nuts."

"Yeah, crippled legs, missing arm, bald and no fur, stuff like that," Buffy shrugged. "The energy between Garou is intense and it's hard to resist."

"Maybe," Buffy smirked back. "How's Will? Xander said to wait," the smirk becoming a concerned look.

"We haven't gotten far yet," Faith frowned as Buffy unlocked the door and they walked out of the bathroom, heading for the small waiting room on that floor of the hospital. "She's still weak and fuzzy. Giles is approaching it slowly, getting her to talk about what happened to her, you know, the Hunters."

"I really want to see her," Buffy complained. "It was so hard to keep this from everyone, especially Will. We tell each other everything."

"Yeah, kinda distracted everyone," Buffy agreed. "Thanks, Faith, for getting Will back, I mean."

Willow opened her eyes slowly and smiled when she realized Tara was sitting next to the hospital bed and holding her hand. The young witch noticed Willow glancing at their hands and started to pull back with a blushing expression but Willow held firm.

"Thanks, it does," Willow agreed, her voice harsh and barely a whisper. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere in LA," Tara said softly, reaching with her other hand to push the button to raise Willow into more of a sitting up position.

Willow glanced around, taking note of the IV running into her arm and oxygen tube around her ears to her nose.

"No, they've been really worried about you and said they would explain everything when you were better," Tara explained.

Willow jumped and looked apprehensive when the door opened but smiled softly when Xander stuck his head in the door.

"Will!" he exclaimed and dashed to the side of the bed and wrapped his arms awkwardly around the tubes, wires and bed railing.

"Xan," she whispered as Tara poured water into a plastic cup and handed it to Xander. He looked pleased to help as Willow drank gratefully.

"We had to stop and get you into a hospital," he explained. "We couldn't take the chance on going all the way back to Sunnydale."

"You bet!" Xander grinned. "Faith wouldn't stop till we had you back. Tara kinda came along with the deal."

"Oh excellent," he said, seeing Willow's eyes focusing and alert. "The nurses thought you might wake up soon."

Willow frowned and glanced over at Tara and the witch reached out for Willow's hand again, reassuring her new friend.

"Being introduced to lots of people at the training center and then everything gets fuzzy," Willow said slowly.

"You got really sick with pneumonia," Tara explained. "Then they began giving you drugs and trying to control you mentally."

"The pictures they showed you were faked, Will," Xander explained. "Buff didn't kill anyone."

"Buffy is a werewolf," Giles nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. "But we've learned a lot about werewolves, even about Oz. I truly believe that Buffy, as a werewolf, she didn't kill anyone. We checked and double checked that cell of hers and Buffy has control over the wolf on any night but the full moon."

"Buffy is a werewolf but didn't hurt anyone?" Willow demanded. "Then why would the Watchers make me think she had? We already watch over Oz, why is that different than Oz?"

"They're Hunters, Willow," Giles said slowly. "You know how there are some demons that aren't evil, just different?"

"Yeah, Angel mentioned there were some demons that didn't want to hurt humans," Willow nodded.

"Do you think we should hunt them down and kill them?" Xander asked gently and Willow frowned.

"Yeah, he had a soul and didn't hurt people until he lost his soul," Willow agreed. "I'm not stupid, just get to it."

"Hunters feel that anything not human should be killed," Giles explained. "No matter what or who."

"Yes, they wanted you as a Hunter and were willing to trick you," Giles nodded. "They wanted you to kill your best friend."

"Hey, Tara, let's go down and get something to eat," Xander suggested. "You've already heard all of this."

"You can spend some time with us," Xander added. "I got a feeling we're keeping you."

Tara's eyes widened and Willow blushed, wondering again why she was blushing. It just felt right to have Tara next to her, she decided.

Willow nodded as Tara walked out the door with Xander, glancing back at the red-head with a worried expression.

Giles pretended not to be confused about Tara's presence and affect she seemed to have on Willow and began to clean his glasses.

Xander and Tara found Buffy, Cordelia, Faith and Joyce sitting at a table in the cafeteria of the hospital. Xander noticed the shy former Hunter trainee hesitate and smiled, trying to reassure her.

"The only Were I've ever seen was my brother when he killed some of my family," Tara whispered.

"Buffy's not like that," Xander reminded her. "That was an evil Were, he had been corrupted from your description. Give us a chance to show you."

"Okay, for Willow," Tara nodded and they walked through the cafeteria, Xander making Tara pick out more than just the carton of milk she first selected.

Buffy glanced up and grew silent when she saw Xander and a stranger approaching their table with trays in hand. She knew this had to be the other trainee that Faith and Cordy had told her about. Willow's friend, Tara.

"Hi, guys," Xander said cheerfully. "This is Tara. You already know Cordy, my most gorgeous girlfriend and Queen of Sunnydale High; Faith the Slayer; that's Mrs. Summers and that's Buffy, Slayer and friend."

"Cordelia says that you were part of the training group that Willow was going to be part of," Joyce said easily.

"Yes, they knew Willow has magical skills and assigned me as kinda an upper classman type thing," Tara said softly, almost hiding behind her hair.

"You became close in a couple of days?" Xander asked, wanting to prompt the young woman to talk.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It…it feels strange. Like it's right or something. I didn't like what they were starting with her."

"Xander says that Giles explained about Garous?" Joyce asked gently, noticing how quiet Buffy was.

Faith reached under the table and grabbed the blonde Slayer's hand and squeezed tightly.

"She really didn't want you to be evil," Tara said softly. "I think that's why she got so sick; she couldn't take the thought of killing you."

"I thought Watchers were bad, training young girls to be Slayers and dying young," Joyce complained. "These bastards are worse!"

"Well, the other Hunters won't listen to Garou," Buffy countered. "They refuse to listen to reason and to see the truth that there are some nice demons, daemons and werewolves and that we have a culture and history. It's like a family only closer and traditions and stuff."

"Is that why you had those books on Celtic stuff?" Faith asked, putting some of the puzzle together.

"Yeah, my werewolf family is descended from Celtic werewolves and our traditions and… and… personalities come from the Celts," Buffy nodded. "Like the werewolves you hooked up with are from the group known as the Get of Fenris, descended from Vikings. That's why they love to fight and stuff."

"Any plans, Tara?" Cordelia asked, leaning over to snatch one of Xander's fries.

"Not really," the witch said slowly. "I ran away from home and was found by the Hunters."

"No, the Hunters were teaching those of us who hadn't, in order to pass the GED," Tara explained.

"No, my father, cousin and brother lived," Tara said, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to go back there. It was bad before the attack."

"Then we need to take some steps to get you declared an independent adult and back in school if you're coming to Sunnydale," Joyce said firmly.

"The local losers of Sunnydale High that happen to save the world upon occasion," Cordy smirked.

"Yes," Buffy said firmly. "Even if she won't talk to me, I won't let her go through brainwashing and become a Hunter."

"Her werewolf boyfriend," Cordy explained. "He left to live with the pack and learn how to handle being furry."

"Things weren't exactly smooth sailing for them," Cordy said sarcastically. "Being the best friend of two Slayers, a loser and girlfriend of a werewolf isn't exactly what you put on a social resume."

It was an hour before Giles made his way to the cafeteria and joined the gang. Buffy's grip on Faith's hand tightened as she looked at her Watcher with apprehension.

"Oh thank God," Joyce whispered and Xander released the breath he had been holding.

Buffy dashed for the main hallway, dodging tables and chairs with the skill of a Slayer.

Faith turned back to the obvious stares of the Scooby members. Only Joyce and Giles "knew" about her beginning relationship with Buffy.

Xander coughed and Cordelia smirked. Giles and Joyce decided to ignore the outburst and turned to Tara with more questions.

Buffy stood outside the door, hesitating. Her heart was pounding harder than if she was facing five vampires without a stake. The Slayer thought the only thing that could hurt more than Willow's tears would be Faith leaving her.

Buffy was distracted with her own thoughts and fears as she opened the door. The Slayer blinked for a moment, seeing two men holding Willow down on the bed, one with his hand over her mouth.

Buffy snapped up her right arm, blocking a blow from a male standing just inside the door but missed blocking the one behind the door and fell to the floor writhing from an electric shock from a stun gun. Whoever it was stunned her again at the back of the neck and Buffy felt all the energy leave her body and her muscles twitching.

The Slayer felt herself turned over and her hands cuffed behind her back. Then hands roughly pulled her to her feet and held her up.

Buffy tried to focus and flinched at the silver dagger the tall man held up under her chin.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Willow," Elder Johnson said calmly. "I thought you were one of us."

"I'm not a killer! I might help Buffy hunt demons and vampires but I don't kill friends!" Willow said, falling back onto her bed, gasping.

"Don't worry, werewolf," Elder Johnson smirked. "I have no intention of killing her. WE don't kill humans, unlike your kind."

"You wouldn't know the truth of my kind," Buffy growled. "I'm a Slayer and a werewolf, get over it."

"Actually, I think we'll be getting on with it," Johnson snarled, holding the knife under Buffy's jaw.

Buffy cried out and Willow tried to scream but the Hunter watching over her, covered her mouth as Johnson rammed the knife into Buffy's ribs. Buffy whimpered as the knife cut into her body again and again. She knew the Hunter was doing it to torture her, or else he'd just cut her throat.

The Slayer werewolf felt her body weakening and wished she had the talent to change shape in the daylight. One of the downsides of her particular inheritance was that she couldn't change shape in daytime and she couldn't control changing on the Full Moons.

"Buffy!" Willow cried weakly as Buffy's eyes closed, blood welling up in her mouth.

The oxygen tube had fallen away from Willow's nose during the struggle and the fighting back hadn't helped her condition either.

The witch was barely conscious when Faith kicked the door open and dived right into the mass of bodies with Xander right behind her. The Hunter watching Willow started to move to help his co-Hunters but stopped when Giles entered the room, pointing a gun at them.

"Everyone stop!" Giles yelled and stepped aside as two large security guards rushed by him. The Watcher quickly pocketing his weapon.

The security guards quickly secured the Hunters, handcuffing them and standing them up against the wall as an emergency team responded to frantic calls. Buffy was un-handcuffed and turned over.

Joyce gasped. Faith swore and launched herself back at Johnson when they saw the multiple stab wounds, all the blood and Buffy's unconscious face.

Giles grabbed her as the emergency team quickly threw the Slayer onto a gurney and pulled her into the hallway.

"Alert Surgery!" one of the doctors working on Buffy yelled to the nurse at the nurse's station. "Tell me we've got multiple stab wounds, large hunting knife. We're coming up!"

"Joyce, I'm going to stay with Willow, you and Faith follow Buffy," Giles said firmly.

Cordelia helped Xander stand up and they watched as a second trauma team worked on Willow. To their relief, Willow was soon breathing easier and color began returning to her cheeks.

"Yeah, go find out about Buff," Xander nodded as the security guards led the Hunters out the door. Giles resisted pulling his gun out and shooting Johnson.

"B, you do that again and I'll kill you myself," Faith whispered, tears filling her eyes.

"I know, just don't do it again, okay?" Faith said, a little softer as she leaned over to kiss the blonde Slayer.

"Will?" Buffy whispered, noticing the tube running up her nose, IVs hanging over her and leading to her arms, and other tubes heading under the sheets covering her.

"We know," Joyce said, trying not to cry at the sight of her only daughter looking so frail. "I called that number you gave me and someone said they'd visit you in a couple of days and help."

"One of Buffy's pack mates will come with some magic stuff to help in her recovery since she was attacked with silver," Giles explained, out of Buffy's sight.

"Don't worry, the small group that attacked you were caught," Giles said softly, coming into view. "They won't talk because they know they'll sound crazy. Hunters are as secretive as vampires. They'll make bail and then disappear."

"No," Giles said gently. "I talked with their leader and warned him that I would reveal everything to the Council, including kidnapping young women and using mind altering drugs on them."

"At least a week, Buffy, even with the healing," Giles answered truthfully. "Johnson knew where to stab. The doctors have no idea how you survived."

"You'll watch over her, Faith?" Joyce asked, almost whispering. They knew the Hunters were in jail but Joyce wasn't trusting her daughter's safety only to hospital security.

The hospital staff had quit trying to get Faith away from Buffy's bedside after the first few hours once the Slayer was out of Surgery and Recovery.

She had pulled a chair up next to Buffy's bed, propped her Doc Martin boots on Buffy's it and dared anyone to try and move her.

"She'll be fine," Joyce assured Faith. "I'm having both of them moved to Sunnydale as soon as they can be transferred."

"We'll be okay," Faith said firmly. "We just get them home and healed. We'll be fine."

Buffy smiled three days later when Xander wheeled a pale looking Willow into her room. Faith grinned and worked the controls to sit Buffy up a little straighter.

"Well, ladies," he said calmly. "I'm going to take Faith down for some lunch while you two do the re-bonding thing."

Both Buffy and Willow nodded shyly, Willow's eyes widening when Faith leaned over and kissed Buffy.

"Buffy," Willow said slowly, reaching for Buffy's hand. "I'm sorry, I should have believed in you."

"They were convincing, Will," Buffy said softly. "It's okay. I'm just glad we got you back before they hurt you too bad."

"Giles says that Oz is gone and that you might have to leave," Willow said unhappily. "I don't want you to leave, Buff."

"I don't want to leave either," Buffy smiled. "We'll see if the Hunters come after me or if the ones that grabbed you will keep quiet."

"Already done, Will," Buffy smiled. "Forgive me for not telling you when I came back?"

"Yeah, I understand now," Willow smiled slightly. "Giles and everyone has been talking to me about this Garou thing, including that friend that came to help heal you."

"Little Stalker," Buffy admitted. "They tease me about being kinda small but strong."

"Walker and I talked a lot," Willow smiled. "She says I'm a natural with the magic stuff. Kinda like what Ms. Calendar was beginning to show me and what Giles won't."

"What's up with you and Faith," Willow asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"What's up with you and Tara?" Buffy countered and knew she had scored a hit when Willow turned bright red.

"I…I'm not sure," Willow admitted. "It feels so right with her. I'm not sure I can explain it."

Willow frowned. "It hurts but not like I thought it would. It feels different with Tara. I looked into those sleepy eyes of hers and…and…my heart stopped."

"I know," Buffy smiled. "Faith and I admitted we feel more than just friendly feelings for each other. In fact, it's kinda hot feelings."

"You should, Will," Buffy urged. "Recent school year should tell us to move quick when we find some kind of happiness."

"I'd better get back to my room, I'm kinda tired," Willow said quickly. "They're going to transfer us to Sunnydale in a couple of days."

"That'll be good," Buffy said softly, closing her eyes. "I love you, Will. I don't want to lose you."

"I'm so sorry, Buff," Willow said gently. "You're my best friend and something more. Nobody's gonna break our friendship up again."

"We got a lot to figure out when we get home," Willow nodded as Xander, Cordelia and Faith returned to the room.

"It'll be 5x5, Red," Faith grinned. "Tara is waiting in your room for you. Seems we can't separate you two."

"Gods, what a weird summer!" Cordelia complained. "Buffy comes back, we find out she now gets furry; Faith shows up and is a pain in the ass; Willow wigs and joins some weird demon hunter cult and brings home a female stray; and now these two want to get horizontal!"

"Wow!" Buffy grinned as Willow blushed. "I think she managed to sum that up in one sentence!"

"Talented much with that tongue?" Faith teased the cheerleader as Xander tried to keep from laughing.

Giles sat at the interrogation table and waited patiently. The trained Watcher showed no emotion as Robert Johnson, rogue Watcher, Hunter and fanatic was escorted into the room.

Giles reflected that the cultured Englishman certainly looked different in an orange jail jumpsuit, complete with leg and waist chains connected to his handcuffed hands.

"Did the Council arrange our little meeting here?" Johnson asked after several moments of silence and a contest of wills.

"Yes," Giles admitted. The Englishman was well versed in mind games, as were all Watchers and Council members but sometimes the truth worked better.

"And am I going to find myself being transferred to England on some sort of charges so the Council can get their hands on me?" Johnson asked calmly.

"No, they're content to let you rot here in a California prison," Giles resisted obviously smirking as Johnson looked surprised.

"A trial will mean the truth comes out! They wouldn't dare risk that!" Johnson protested.

"You might want to plead guilty by reason of mental defect then," Giles smirked, and was delighting when Johnson turned red. "Shall we get down to it, then?"

"I'm about to give them to you," Giles nodded. "On the surface, you're looking at attempted murder of a young college student visiting a sick friend. You haven't told the detectives why you attacked Buffy. There isn't much doubt that you attacked her, with independent witnesses of nurses, guards and us. Your friends' prints are on the handcuffs and yours are all over the knife covered with Buffy's blood."

"I've spent the last three days talking with the Council and explaining things," Giles continued. "Including Buffy's condition. They agree that she has been a remarkable Slayer and see no reason to change things. As long as we promise to take appropriate precautions on Full Moons as we were doing with Oz."

"You've hidden him already?" Johnson smirked. "You're a Watcher turned traitor, protecting the monsters."

"I know that Hunters usually concentrate on vampires because of the advantage of being able to hunt them in the daytime," Giles commented. "I also know that Hunters usually avoid hunting werewolves because they're usually not alone."

"You've been studying Hunters as well as Slayers," Johnson commented, his voice flat.

"Yes," Giles nodded. "You understand that werewolves usually aren't alone, correct?"

"Yes, there's usually three or more if Hunters come across them," Johnson admitted.

"Then understand this, the werewolves find each other and form packs," Giles explained, trying to put it in terms that Johnson could understand. "Buffy belongs to a pack and each pack is part of a larger group. Getting the picture?"

"Yes," Giles nodded. "Just like some vampires have formed clans and such. Tell me, what happens to Hunters when vampires and werewolves learn their identities?"

"Yes, I know Hunters, Johnson," Giles nodded. "I was a Hunter, you idiot! It is one of the interesting facts about my past that drew the Council to me. You'll never sleep easily again. You might be safe in the daytime from vampires but werewolves can move during the daytime. You'll be seeing vampires and werewolves in every shadow."

"What are your terms?" Johnson asked softly and Giles nodded. Even prison wouldn't be safe from vampire controlled ghouls or werewolves seeking the death of the Hunters.

"If you keep quiet about Buffy's werewolf condition, the Council will have you transferred to England," Giles said calmly. "Once you reach England, the Council will probably send you into exile."

Giles' eyes hardened. "After what you attempted to do to Willow, I could snap your neck in one move, mate. You don't agree to this and you won't last a year."

"They can disband and find other Hunter groups to join," Giles said calmly. "Their names won't be released to the wolves or vampires."

"Then they'll find themselves under siege," Giles responded easily. "We got Willow out of your hands with a group of werewolves helping us. They live in the area, they know your camp and have it under observation. One word from us and they'll take your camp out."

"I'm not a Slayer, remember?" Giles pointed out. "If you don't threaten my kids, I'll let yours slip away."

"You get Buffy and Faith as Slayers, Willow's yours again and you even took Sister Tara," Johnson complained.

"Not if you and your three conspirators wish to live," Giles agreed. "The Council is sealing the records on Buffy's condition, only the High Council will know of it. You break the silence about Buffy and you'll be dead within a week."

"You'll never approach Buffy or any of the other kids, no matter where in the world any of us end up," Giles added.

"Yes, agreed," Johnson said wearily. "You agree not to turn our names over to demons and let the Phoenix camp disband."

"Buffy and Willow are back in Sunnydale in the hospital," Giles informed the rogue Watcher. "You almost killed both of them with that attack. One hint of any Hunter near them and I'll release your name to every demon, vampire, and werewolf I can find, including anyone claiming to be a vampire, werewolf or demon on the Internet."

"Limited. After your transfer to England, the Council will take over," Giles explained.

Giles stood up and knocked on the door. A moment later a guard let him out of the room and the Watcher made his way through the maze of doors and papers to get outside the jail.

The Englishman knew he would be grateful to get out of Los Angeles and back to Sunnydale. He was very uncomfortable leaving Buffy and Willow in the hospital without him but he knew that the bargaining with the Council and the Hunters had been more important. Hopefully this would ensure Buffy's future safety from this group of Hunters.

Willow thought that the Elders and rogue Watchers hadn't told the entire group of Hunters and trainees Buffy's name and Tara confirmed it. That gave Giles hope that he might be able to contain the information that Buffy, his Slayer, was a werewolf.

Giles stopped at a row of payphones just inside the doors of the jail and dialed several numbers and waited patiently.

"Buffy Summers room, please," he asked calmly. He wasn't surprised when Faith answered the phone.

"Got good news, Handsome?" Faith asked and he could hear Buffy demanding to know who it was.

"Good, I made the deal with both the Council and those Hunters," Giles explained. "Tell Buffy and Willow, if everyone holds to their common sense, we won't have any problems."

He could hear Faith relaying the news and Willow's squeak of delight and Buffy muttering something.

"Only vague references to organized packs of werewolves," Giles said calmly, knowing Buffy's fears of "piercing the veil" and having to answer to her pack and the rest of the Garou nation for letting outsiders find out about werewolves and their true nature. "I'm on my way back tonight."

"Red's parents," Faith said, the bitterness evident in her voice. "They said that if she was hanging with Buffy or Oz they would disown her and they don't like Tara or me either."

"Yeah, they didn't believe her," Faith complained. "They said they're going to pull her out of school and send her back east to some rabbi run type school."

"Good, tell Willow to hang in there," Giles said. "We just got her back and we're not about to let her go now."

The red-haired witch looked up from her wheelchair, wiping at her eyes. Her head had been resting on the bed next to Buffy's hand.

"Stop apologizing," Tara said softly as Willow released the brakes on the wheelchair. "The doctors say you'll be able to go home soon as long as you rest."

"Yeah, Buffy should be out by the end of the week," Willow nodded. "My Mom and Dad came by again today."

"For me to come home and abandon all of you," Willow said softly, trying to keep calm. Getting excited caused her heart to beat fast and her breathing to quicken and that hurt.

Willow was surprised when they went up instead of down. Tara smiled and wheeled her friend to a different elevator that was labeled "freight" and they continued upwards.

Tara squatted down next to the wheelchair as they watched the sun playing over the city. The blonde witch felt her heart skip a beat when Willow slipped a hand into hers and leaned on Tara's shoulder.

"Mrs. Summers says that we can move in with her and Buffy," Tara said slowly. "If you don't mind sharing a room, that is. I think Mrs. Summers is going to let Faith share Buffy's room. Separate beds though."

"No," Willow wondered why her heart was suddenly pounding again. "I wouldn't mind sharing a room with you."

"We'll both be declared emancipated adults, go back to school and figure out the adult stuff later," Tara smiled reassuringly.

"Sure, you can ask me anything," Willow nodded. "Oz was my boyfriend. Only one I ever had, really. Things got rough when we found out he was a werewolf. We'd lock him up and watch over him on full moons."

"He couldn't control it?" Tara asked, remembering the lessons Giles had given them about Garous.

"No, we didn't know about Weres being able to control it," Willow explained. "Or I wouldn't have run away when I found out about Buffy. God, Tar, I was almost willing to kill my best friend!"

"Shhhh, you believed what you had been taught," Tara said, trying to soothe her friend. "They worked hard to convince you."

"They hurt Buffy! They drugged me!" Willow continued to cry and Tara held her until Willow's sobs subsided but the hacker seemed reluctant to let go of her.

"Willow," Tara said softly, pulling back slightly. "I…I've been thinking th-that I might need to leave."

"What?" Willow sat back, her eyes wide with sudden fear. "No! That would be bad! I…I…why?"

"Will," Tara began slowly. "Th-this is so hard." She stood up and walked to the edge of the roof. "I…I like you, a lot."

"It…it could be," Tara said, turning away from Willow. "I…I th-think I like you too much."

Willow was confused for a moment and felt her heart beat speeding up, beginning to realize what Tara might be implying.

Willow frowned, her thoughts racing faster than she could keep up with. Thoughts of Oz and warm fuzzies but not the overwhelming grief over his leaving that she expected. Comparisons between holding hands with Oz and holding hands with Tara, of looking into deep green eyes and blue ones and how her heart pounded whenever she was near Tara while with Oz it was comfortable.

Which one made her hands shake, her knees go weak, and sent a warm feeling through her whole body that seemed to nest right below the belt. It never felt like that with Oz, she realized.

"Tara?" Willow said softly, trying to calm her breathing before she started coughing again.

"Tara, I can't get out of the chair and come to you," Willow said firmly but her hands were shaking badly. "Please come here."

Tara turned with tears streaking her cheeks and slowly approached the red-haired student.

"It's okay, I understand that we can't be friends," Tara said softly, her voice cracking.

"Tara, either get down here where I can look at you or I'm getting out of this chair and probably get sick and everyone will yell at me…"

Tara reluctantly squatted down next to Willow's wheelchair but still wouldn't look at her friend.

"You know what Buffy said to me the first time we went out?" Willow asked softly, raising Tara's chin with a gentle finger. "She said 'seize the day'."

Willow, her heart pounding loudly, leaned forward and let her lips find Tara's as they closed their eyes.

Tara fell back onto her rear, touching her lips with a surprised expression as Willow eased back in her chair, touching her lips as well.

Tara moved up onto her knees and reached out to gently touch Willow's hair and move her hand down Willow's cheek and jaw line.

"I'm too skinny, I'm a geek, I don't have cool clothes," Willow began babbling, tears filling her own eyes.

Willow moaned and moved closer to Tara and the blonde witch ran her fingers through Willow's hair, pulling the redhead closer.

The kiss was tentative and gentle but soon became exploring until the need to breathe broke the two apart. Tara leaned against the wheelchair, breathing heavily, her forehead resting against Willow's.

"What about Oz, what if he comes back for you?" Tara asked, her voice cracking again.

"Oz," Willow said with a frown, leaning back into her chair as she thought. "Oz was comfortable. He was scared of sex because the werewolf thing and it was safe with him. I loved him, I still love him. He's so cool but it doesn't feel like this."

"What does it feel like?" Tara asked softly as Willow leaned forward to grab her hands.

Tara almost knocked the red-head out of the chair rushing to hug her tightly and kiss Willow again and again.

Buffy looked up as Willow wheeled into the room and did a double-take as she looked at her friend. Tara and Willow actually looked flushed and there was easiness about them that the Slayer couldn't place.

"Whoa! B, they figured it out!" Faith grinned, causing both witches to blush a bright red.

"Figured what out?" Buffy asked and noticed Tara's hands coming to rest on Willow's shoulders and how her friend leaned into the contact. The Slayer grinned.

"To hell with the snuggles, you get past the bra yet?" Faith grinned as Willow began coughing with embarrassment.

"Yeah," Buffy agreed as Willow leaned against Tara's arm, a gentle smile on her face.

Faith grinned as Buffy spun with a round-house kick that almost took a vampire's head off. The blonde Slayer turned and flashed Faith a smile as they both staked a vampire at the same time.

"He's dust," Buffy grinned and laughed as Faith turned and ran the few feet between them and tackled her to the ground. Instantly Faith's lips were on hers and Buffy's fingers were in Faith's hair, pulling the dark Slayer closer.

Buffy moaned and drew a leg up between Faith's, causing the other Slayer to break off the kiss with a gasp and a flush of her skin.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded, linking her fingers with Faith's. "I always thought of Willow as the ultimate shy type but with Tara, well, she can't keep her hands off."

"I know the feeling," Faith whispered, pulling Buffy into a passionate kiss that left them both breathless. "B, I know we're young and everything and I've never dated anybody before….Christ, what the hell am I trying to say?"

"Well, I've dated all of three guys and only slept with one of them," Buffy smirked. "My boyfriend at Hemry was a joke. Pike was great but got himself killed by a pack of vampires and…well, you know what happened with Angel."

"Psycho vampire from hell," Faith nodded. "I know we're supposed to take things slow and date lots of people before we grow up and settle down to marriage somewhere around 23 or something but we're Slayers and you're a werewolf."

"We live in Sunnydale and the odds of reaching 24 aren't exactly good for us," Buffy agreed. "I love you, Faith, for as long as you'll have me."

"Cool," Faith grinned, sighing with relief. "I love you too and I don't want to date anybody else and I don't want to wait."

"Me either," Buffy agreed, nibbling Faith's neck, sending shivers down the other Slayer's spine.

Buffy managed to shut the door behind her in the semi-darkened house just as Faith grabbed her against the said door, kissing her brutally. Buffy moaned and wrapped her arms around Faith, the brunette Slayer almost pinning her against the wood.

"Mom?" Buffy called softly, surprised to find her mom still up and waiting for them. She helped Faith stay upright and they walked into the living room where Joyce was, indeed, waiting for them. She was curled up in an easy chair, blanket thrown over her legs, book in lap and a small reading lamp on.

"Good, as long as you two are safe," Joyce nodded. "I talked with Willow and Tara earlier."

"I know I've insisted on single beds for each of you," Joyce said slowly. "I'm making a very adult decision here. I've got to go to San Francisco this weekend to oversee a shipment coming in from Asia for the gallery."

"Okay, you going to tell us to switch rooms so we're not tempted?" Buffy asked, trying to keep her voice from cracking. She so did not want to talk about sex with her mother.

Joyce Summers had been more receptive of her relationship with Faith than she had of Buffy's relationship with Angel but Buffy didn't want to push her mother either. Two underage lesbian couples in the house was a little rough for the single parent.

"No, actually I'm leaving my credit card," Joyce smiled. "I want the four of you to go shopping this weekend for beds that suit each pair of you."

"You…Mom? You're saying we can….can sleep in the same bed?" Buffy squeaked. "Isn't that tempting fate? I'm strong and the Slayer and everything but sleeping in the same bed with…with someone I love is a little much to ask for restraint."

"I thought Red did the babble thing," Faith teased softly and Joyce laughed, causing Buffy's eyes to widen even further.

"Actually you should have heard Willow babbling when I told her the same thing," Joyce smiled. "Both couples have a limit of $800.00 for bed and stuff and you have the weekend to…to get acquainted. I'm not going to demand restraint except at school. I don't want you giving Principal Snyder any excuse to come down on any of you."

"Wow," Faith muttered, reaching out to hold Buffy's hand. "Mrs. Summers, Mom, I…I just want to say that I love Buffy very much. It's not a kid thing."

"I know, Faith," Joyce said softly, seeing the tears welling up in Buffy's eyes. "I know and I thank you for telling me."

"How did Willow and Tara react?" Buffy asked, trying to get her voice back from the twilight zone where it had ran away to in shock.

"A little bit more wigged about it than you," Joyce smiled. "Have the beds delivered and don't tear down the house while I'm gone."

"Don't say anything, honey," Joyce said, moving the blanket and book aside and standing up. "You're seventeen and Faith almost is. Willow and Tara are the same age. Some kids get married at your age. Most of the time the marriages don't work but they don't live on a Hellmouth and they aren't Slayers. I'd want a typical marriage for you but I'm going to be more than satisfied if you're happy with Faith. That's the important thing."

"Then I'm glad," Joyce smiled and hugged both young women. She headed for the stairs. "I love you, Buffy."

"Come on, lover," Faith said gently. "Let's go to bed. We've got two more days of school before the weekend."

"I just don't like losing control," Buffy complained. "I know what happens as the wolf but I can't control it. It's like I'm watching from far away on full moons."

"We'll get through it, B," Faith said firmly, leading Buffy up the stairs. "Just like we'll get through waiting the next two days."

"Oh God," Buffy whispered. "Now that it's only two days until I…I can touch you, it feels like forever!"

Willow smiled and leaned back as warm arms wrapped around her and lips began nuzzling her neck.

"Not at school, remember?" Tara whispered, pinning Willow against the books. "We just got you back in and me registered."

"I'm just glad that fight with my parents is over," Willow nodded, moving her hands over Tara's ribs and back, under the blonde witch's shirt. "That was bitter!"

"I know, baby," Tara said softly, holding Willow tightly. "They'll come around eventually."

"I don't think so," Willow shook her head. "Telling them and the court that I'm gay pushed them over the edge. They might be liberal for everyone else in the world but not when it comes to me."

"I-I'm just glad we're in California," Tara admitted. "When they told the judge they were going to send you to a Readjustment Treatment Program, I thought she was going to have a heart attack."

"Yeah," Willow smiled slightly. "Now Joyce Mom is our guardian. I can't believe the last two months. Buffy's a werewolf but it's okay, I get practically kidnapped by warped Hunter cultist but that's okay because I meet you, and now my family disowns me because I have you."

"I love it when you babble," Tara whispered, moving to kiss Willow passionately.

Tara backed up into the bookshelf as Willow squeaked in surprise. Both turned to see a stunned Xander at the end of the row of shelves.

"Hey!" Willow snapped back. "What's the problem? You haven't said a word about Buffy and Faith!"

"That's because they can kick my ass," Xander growled. "You…my best friend forever! Since grade school! What happened to your feelings for Oz and…and your crush on me?"

"I…I grew up and fell in love with…with a wonderful, beautiful and intelligent woman who…who just happens to love me back!" Willow shouted.

"Look, Will," Xander frowned. "I know you're grateful for Tara taking care of you when you were sick and helping get you out of there, but this…"

"What this?" Willow snapped. "This is more than…than gratitude! Go away and think before you say another word."

"Xan, we've been best friends since grade school," Willow said, her voice softening. "You came after me and helped save me, I love you. Please take a step back and see that."

"Oz hasn't even been gone a month, Will," Xander protested, his eyes pleading for things to go back the way they were before Buffy ran away.

"Oz left mentally when he found out about the wolf," Willow said sadly. "What I feel for Tara is…is…it's amazing."

"Amazing?" Xander squeaked as Tara lowered her head, letting her hair hide her face. Finally his eyes lost their hardness and he looked at his friend. "I need some time, okay?"

"I just found out four of the five women in my life all prefer each other, okay," he said softly. "I'm a little wigged here."

"Well, it won't exactly put me at the top of the popularity list," Xander grumbled.

"Is Cordelia rubbing off on you?" Willow demanded, her face going hard again. "You're worried what others will say when they find out your best friends are….are dykes?"

"No, after all these years of Cordelia tormenting me and you?" Willow snapped. "If this is about your rep and what others might say, then you've become shallow, self centered, self righteous and a jerk!"

Willow looked unconvinced and walked back to Tara, intertwining her fingers with the other witch's.

"This is who I am, Xander," Willow said firmly. "I took on my parents for this, I fought Principal Snyder to come back to school for this and I'm willing to lose you for her."

"Okay, we'll catch you later," Willow said calmly and waited until Xander had left the library before turning and collapsing into Tara's arms.

"I know, but we all m-make mistakes and say stuff w-we wish we hadn't," Tara said, holding Willow tight.

"God, you feel so good," Willow whispered, her voice dropping as her lips went to Tara's neck causing the witch to gasp.

Willow pulled back blinking and breathing heavily. "Gotta get to research or I'm going to attack you."

Tara smiled as she watched Willow scrambling down from the stacks and out of the library.

Despite Willow's irritation and hurt over Xander's reaction, within a week the best friends were trading verbal and physical jabs. The young man presented Tara with her own Scooby Doo lunchbox as amends.

Buffy and Faith settled into keeping Sunnydale at least mostly out of the hands of demons, vampires, sorcerers and Hunters. Three months after becoming a couple, the two Slayers visited Buffy's clan for a Howl. Buffy told the tale of Angus falling to the Hunters and presented Faith as her mate and kin. Faith was accepted by the clan of werewolves.

A year later Faith and Buffy traveled to Arizona to visit the Get of Fenris clan to fulfill Faith's part of the bargain. Despite Robert's enthusiasm to conduct the affair in the old fashioned way, he grinned and shrugged when Buffy and Faith insisted on the Viking werewolf being more of a donor than a lover.

Nine months after that, Faith gave birth to a baby girl and she was named Gillian.

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Tornado of Souls

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