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Series: Tireseus Title: Sins of the Body Chapter: Four Rating: R Pairing: Willow/Buffy Spoilers: Anything is up for grabs. Timeline: This is probably around season three. It takes place during school year after the cycle. Beta Readers: Scotty Welles Shadow Mage Summary: A spell sends Willow's life spiraling out of control, and no matter what she does things only get more and more complicated. Disclaimer: So not mine <><><><><><><> CHAPTER FOUR <><><><><><><> The ocean based wind soothed her tense muscles, leaving her mind completely worried and alert. It had been three hours, and Willow hadn't come home once. The Slayer in her wanted to go out and search the town again, but the best friend in her wanted to continue sitting on the porch in waiting until either Jenny or Willow got back. The woman she lov... Her best friend had her in a panic of worry. The last few days had been incredibly hard on her, and it only seemed to be getting worse. The murders in particular were gruesome and useless. The only connection between the victims was that they were popular and loved to pick on anybody that breathed wrong. Which in her opinion narrowed the possible list of suspects down by five, if even that much. The entire school hated them, even their so-called 'friends'. "What are you doing here?" Willow's voice broke into her reverie. "Not that I don't want you here, because I do. I just mean, why here instead of the Bronze or the library or even your house..." (** Quick question, Aeris. Is "the Bronze" a club or local hangout on the show? I've been assuming as much, just curious. **) She looked up at her best friend, and searched for any sign that she was hurt. "I was worried." The look of horror on Willow's face set off her 'Spidey Senses'. The witch seemed to get control over herself and shut off her emotions. Or most of them. She could see the nervous way she was shifting her eyes. "Worried? Nope, nothing to be worried about. I'm fine, perfectly totally 100 percent fine. Yep, that's me. Fine Willow. Well, fine as in good, not fine as in 'oh she's so fine'." Okay, now she knew something was seriously wrong. The question was what. "In that case, why don't we head over to the Bronze?" Where I can keep an eye on you. "I'm really tired." Willow forced a yawn. "See? Tired. I should go to bed. Right now, in fact." "Oh. I-I was really hoping we could use the time to reconnect." She ducked her head and watched Willow melt out of the corner of her eye. "After everything's that happened, I'd hoped we could try and move past it." "All right. Just let me put my stuff in my room." She stood up and followed the redhead inside. Something about her friend was sending her inner alarm into overload. Even the way her friend was holding herself was off. She stopped at the bottom of the steps and watched her friend go into her room, then silently followed. Angling her body, she saw her friend removing an old-looking dark brown leather book. Willow bent over and slid it under her mattress. Backing away, she went back downstairs in deep thought. What was that book? Why was Willow hiding it? She had no idea, but she was going to find out. <><><><><><><> The burning, pulsing bodies gyrated into each other. The strobing lights forced the throbbing heavy fog in her mind to blind her need to stop the events unfolding around her. The only anchor holding her in place stood firmly beside her. The blonde Slayer casting futile glances at her, trying to discern what was going on. She cast her emerald eyes over the mob of hormonal teenagers, pausing on the short, dyed-haired male moving towards her. His blazing, shy eyes met hers in a spark of heat that she'd only felt in Buffy's arms. A shy smile met him, as he stopped in front of her, blushing slightly. "Willow I..." "Can we talk?" she interrupted He blinked and nodded, carefully controlling his emotions. "Sure." Willow ignored the flare in Buffy's eyes, the way the Slayer's body tensed, the red that crept onto her neck, the promise of death that was on her face as she scowled at Oz. Pushing her way through the crowds, she led him outside, careful to stay close to the door. "Is something wrong?" "Yes. I haven't been telling you the truth." Oz didn't seem to be to affected as he shrugged nonchalantly. "About what?" "Vampiresarereal,I'mbothaguyandagirl,andIknowitsoundscrazy,butIreallylikeyouandwanttocontinuedatin gyou." Oz blinked once, twice, and a third time. "Okay," he said. "Okay?!" she repeated. "I just dumped a shitload of weirdness on you, and that's your big reaction?" "Hey, it's all a matter of perspective," he said with a sheepish grin. "Vampires are real, Brittany Spears is still popular. Life is scary all over." He leaned closer. "As long as that last one still applies, I'm happy. I really like you, too." Willow felt herself grinning broadly, almost blushing with relief. "Umm, don't you want to know about me being both a guy and a girl?" "Okay, that one kinda confused me," he admitted. "What did you mean? Is it some kinda medical condition, like you're a hermaphrodite or something?" "Uhh, not exactly..." She sighed. "There's magic involved, long story. Short version is that I can shift between a male form and a female form. I'd show you, but I don't want to freak you out. You're not into guys, are you?" "Not really." Oz smiled again, showing the first sign of emotion that week. "So you can change into another body, huh? Like a werewolf?" "Well, I don't scratch myself with my feet or howl at the moon, but yeah, I suppose you could..." She paused when he didn't smile at her joke. "What's the matter?" He looked embarrassed. "I'm a werewolf," he said, matter-of-factly. "Oh." His admission surprised her, but she took it in easily enough. She'd been through too much craziness in her life not to. "I'm not dangerous," he assured her. "I've got it under control." "Okay," she said, adjusting to this new revelation about her friend. "Well...nobody's perfect." That made him laugh, lighting up his face. "Make a hell of a couple, don't we?" "Yeah," she teased, laughing along. "We could switch forms and pass for a boy and his dog." Oz made another joke in response to that, but she didn't hear it... She gasped as the heavy fog engulfed her, reaching out. She felt the feel of smooth skin, the smell of expensive perfume the kind that only Jamie wore. The long, midnight black hair sweeping over the track star's shoulder as she leaned over the second floor stairwell... She flinched, screaming out as she felt the cheerleader fall over the railing. Her lean, firm body smashing into one of the tables. Splintering upon impact, the thick metal pole driving through her spine and chest. Screams of horror split through the night air as the vision faded, leaving her back in the Bronze, drawing stares from the young people dancing and drinking around her. Bolting out the door, ignoring the questions from Oz and Buffy, her lungs heaved and her heart pounded against her ribs as her feet pumped against the sidewalk. Another young woman had been murdered before reaching adulthood, while she flirted and toyed with the emotions of a good friend. No more, she vowed. This thing had to be stopped, and from her talk with Giles, she knew the only way to stop it. It had to die. And there was only one way to kill it. The most difficult choice she had already made for her. <><><><><><><> Oz raced after her, the distance between them growing with every block they ran. He knew where she was going, knew the direction, the path. She was headed for the ocean, but why? What happened back there? They'd been having a good time, getting to know each other even more deeply, happy in each other's company despite those harsh looks Willow's blonde friend kept shooting them. Then, without warning, Willow had freaked out and ran away, sobbing that someone else was dead and it was all her fault. Was she right about another death? How did she know? And how was she responsible? The beach line came into view, and he sped up. No sight of the woman he was falling in love with. No sign of her at all. The water broke in front of him as he dived in, still clothed. His arms cut through the tide, his eyes desperately searching for his friend. Blackness seeped around him, forcing him to feel out with his hands, diving deeper and further in. Forms appeared and disappeared around him, until he reached the bottom. Hands scraped against rocks, planets, against fish, cloth... He dug his hands into the cotton-like material, his lungs screaming for air, he started towards the surface. Another pair of hands found his and helped take the load. He squinted in the water, noticing the blonde coloring as they emerged. Buffy took Willow into her arms, crying her friend's name and checking for a pulse. The sharp intake of breath gave him his answer. Ignoring the blonde, he grabbed Willow, and headed for the shore. His arms were never stronger as he lifted the body out of the water. He kneeled by her body, tears streaming down his cheeks. As Buffy leaned over her body beginning CPR, he howled at the night sky. He couldn't lose her, not now. Oh please, not now. <><><><><><><> " I signed the release waiver, so feel free to put things in my slot anytime." - Charles Angels. Odo: Madam Ambassodor, I'm not like you. Every sixteen hours I revert to a liqiud. Lwaxana Troi: I can swim. - DS9: The Forsaken. 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