FF: Red Moon Rising 7/1 B/W/T NC-17 = long post

["carrkjar" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Red Moon Rising, 
Part 7

Author: Hunter Ash 

Copyright © 2001 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.

Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!

Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

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.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and may even include 3 at the same 
time <G>. If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave.  
Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed 
your laws. B/W T/W B/T

Spoilers: Some general 5th season stuff, but nothing major.

Summary: the gang prepares for the next full moon and Buffy's 
possible change into a werewolf but Willow has a dangerous plan and 
Riley suspects Buffy has been bitten and wants the Initiative to take 
action against her.

Rating: R to NC-17, same sex action, werewolf attack, major character 
injury, angst, hurt and comfort. It's Buffy, there's violence.

Author's Note: While this is not my first story, it is my first Buffy 
story. So?.kind words are hoped for?<G>. Oh, and by the way, this 
will be posted in parts. This being part seven. Feedback always 
welcome.

===============================================================

Buffy angrily wiped at the tears streaming down her face as she 
slowed down. Somehow her Slayer skills had kept her from falling and 
breaking her neck in her mad dash into the woods and she knew that 
was about all that had saved her. <She certainly hadn't been 
thinking,> she now reflected.

Buffy heard the soothing sound of a stream and walked towards it 
instinctively. She was hot, tired and felt covered in sweat and 
grime. She found a small creek running over boulders and cool 
looking ground. The Slayer knelt down on a boulder and dipped her 
hands into the stream and let the water splash over her upturned 
face. She knew better than to drink the water but just cooling her 
skin felt good. The water was ice cold and revived her energy.

Buffy sat down on another boulder and watched the water flowing and 
let it take her panic with it. She knew it had been stupid to run 
off like that just because Xander had made a stupid joke about her 
possible werewolf status. If she let every Xander comment get to 
her, Buffy realized, she would have killed him a long time ago.

The Slayer let the sun warm her as her sweat covered body began to 
cool down in the chilled autumn air of late October. Then her Slayer 
senses kicked into alert and she looked around cautiously, pretending 
not to notice anything or to be alarmed.

Buffy cursed herself for running off from the others. She could 
usually take care of herself and often spent time saving her friends 
when they tried to help her but she knew things were different now.  
Giles was right, if Buffy was infected with lycanthropy, she 
shouldn't be alone where Oz could reach her.

The Slayer somehow knew the movement surrounding her was dangerous.  
After a moment several figures appeared on all sides of her, four on 
the other side of the river and three on her side. One in front, 
side and back. There were five males and two females and they had 
the same predatory look that Buffy had seen before when spirits of 
hyenas had possessed several of the students, including Xander.  
These males and females had that same feral look, even though they 
were dressed like any other high school or college student.

Buffy stood up slowly and waited, her eyes darting around constantly, 
trying to keep them all in sight as they moved closer.

The Slayer didn't even bother to look surprised when Oz stepped out 
of the trees and slowly approached her. He had dyed his hair and 
beard black, probably in an effort to avoid the police but that was 
the only thing that had really changed about him.

<In fact>, Buffy thought, <he had gotten scruffier.> His clothes 
hung limply on him and hadn't seen the inside of a washing machine in 
quite awhile. His shirt still had the blood from where she had 
stabbed him with the silver dagger a month earlier.

"Oz," Buffy said easily.

"About time you showed up," he growled. "Ready to join the pack?"

"Not really, I was really looking for some quiet time," Buffy said 
easily. "You know how it is; slaying day and night, needed a break."

"Don't fight it, Buffy," Oz ignored her quip. "I can smell my mark 
on you; you're already part of the pack."

"You know, I discovered when I was cheerleader that I'm not really a 
joining person anymore," Buffy said casually as she jumped off the 
boulder, still keeping an eye on the other werewolves. "I think I'll 
pass on this one."

"You don't have a choice," Oz growled, his green eyes shifting to 
wolf yellow. "Same old Buffy though, you'll probably be joking when 
someone rips your throat out."

"Well, when that happens someday, I'll let you know," Buffy countered.

"Buffy, either you come with us today and join the pack or I hurt you 
really badly and we take you anyway," Oz grinned, his teeth growing 
into fangs.

"Nobody tells me what to do, even Giles learned that one a long time 
ago," Buffy growled.

"You can't fight me, Buffy," Oz laughed a guttural laugh. "I'm your 
alpha male."

"Don't you sense something else, Oz?" Buffy grinned right back at him 
as she pulled a silver dagger out of her belt. "I'm not yours!"

Oz moved a little closer and sniffed the air and Buffy's muscles 
tensed.

She grinned a vicious smile when his eyes widened in shock and he 
began to tremble.

"Willow?" he said softly. "You mated with Willow? After I bit you?"

"She insisted," Buffy grinned and answered Oz's growl with one of her 
own. "Seems she wants me instead of you, even as a wolf."

Oz roared his rage and dived at the Slayer.

Even expecting the attack, the swiftness almost caught Buffy off 
guard as Oz changed in mid-air and, as a full werewolf, tackled her 
into the boulder behind her. Knowing she didn't have to worry 
really about being bitten or scratched, Buffy fought back with no 
holds barred and rammed the dagger into his chest as he raked hers 
with one of his clawed paws.

The werewolf fell back howling in pain as his pack gathered around 
him. Buffy noticed they were circling and appeared nervous but none 
of them moved in, they were leaving the fighting to their leader 
until he gave the signal.

Buffy tried to regain her feet but was stunned to discover how much 
the slashes across her chest hurt.   

Oz managed to get to his feet at the same time the Slayer did and 
they squared off once again: Oz with his claws at the ready and 
Buffy with the dagger in her hand.

Suddenly shots filled the air followed by screams and sounds of 
panic. Oz looked around in confusion as his pack was scattering to 
the woods or across the river and shots were following them. Two of 
his pack were on the ground, one dead with a head shot and the other 
moaning with a back wound that was probably fatal.

Oz turned as Buffy attempted to stab him again and backhanded her 
into the water. He bounded over her to the other side of the river 
and disappeared into the woods.

"Buffy!" 

"Here!" she called out, getting to her hands and knees in the water 
and then she began moving towards the embankment. Two sets of legs 
were there in a moment, splashing around her as hands grabbed her by 
the arms and helped her to the bank. She was turned over and she saw 
Giles and Tara examining her as her teeth began to chatter.

"Glad you guys showed up," she stammered through her teeth.

"We've got to get her to a hospital, even with her Slayer healing 
she's going into shock with that cold water and loss of blood," Giles 
grumbled as he stripped off his coat and covered the Slayer with it.  

Together they got the Slayer on her feet and began walking her back 
towards the car.  

"It's too far away, Giles," Tara complained as Buffy became harder to 
guide as she started to slip into unconsciousness.

"I know, I know," he growled. "Listen, give me your jacket. I'm 
going to stay with Buffy; you get back to the car and guide the 
paramedics in here. I'm going to call them on the cell phone and 
tell them where the car is. Can you run that far and back?"

"I have to," Tara said firmly and handed the Watcher her jacket. He 
quickly added it to his as he laid his charge on the pine covered 
forest floor.  

Tara was gone at a sprint.

Giles leaned over Buffy and checked her pulse and wasn't happy with 
what he found. The Watcher moved his body alongside Buffy's and 
pulled her into his arms, trying to lend his warmth to her quickly 
cooling body.

He pulled out his cellular phone and started making his calls, first 
to the paramedics; Detective Santiago was next, followed by the call 
to Joyce and Willow.

===============================================================

Giles met Willow and Joyce outside the Emergency room.  

"She's going to be fine!" he said quickly, attempting to 
reassure a very anxious mother and lover of his Slayer. "Just as we 
feared, Oz and his pack found her and she fought with him. We got 
there in time to break it up but he got in one good slash across her 
chest and she landed in the creek."

"Then why the hospital?" Willow demanded.  
	
"She went into shock from the loss of blood and the cold water, the 
doctor's are finishing stitching the wounds now and say that she'll 
be fine," Giles said gently. "They've warmed her up, replaced her 
blood and cleaned the wounds. They want to keep her overnight just to 
be sure."

"When can we see her?" Willow asked.

"They'll let Joyce in right after they finish with the 
stitches. They want the rest of us to wait until they move her 
upstairs," Giles answered and moved aside as Joyce rushed past him.  
He led the distraught witch inside the Emergency Waiting Room where 
Tara quickly hugged the redhead.

Ignoring the other anxious people waiting for loved ones or 
waiting to be seen, the taller witch leaned down and kissed Willow 
lightly on the lips and continued to hug her.

"Goddess, I needed that," Willow muttered. She and Tara went 
to a free set of chairs with Giles.

The Watcher looked frazzled and Tara looked exactly like what 
she had been through, she looked like she had taken a mad dash 
through the woods in the middle of fall. There was mud covering the 
bottom of her sweat pants and sweat stains on the shirt and her hair 
was mussed up. Willow tried to ignore the blood on Tara's sweat 
jacket, knowing it was Buffy's.

"Okay, what happened?" Willow leaned over, whispering to both 
of them.

"Oz attacked her and they were fighting when we got there," 
Giles began.

"Giles shot a couple of them and they scattered just as Oz 
knocked Buffy into the creek and ran," Tara finished.

"She got in a good chest wound and so did he," Giles 
continued. "Tara ran to lead the paramedics in while I called 
everyone. I told Detective Santiago that Oz attacked her with some 
kind of clawed weapon, like a martial arts thing."

"Good thinking," Willow muttered. "How bad are the wounds?"

"Deep but not bad for a Slayer," he whispered. "They'll heal 
over and barely leave scars."

"She was able to fight him?" Willow demanded, her green eyes 
shining brightly.

"Yes, they were fighting when we got there," Tara nodded. "I 
think your bonding worked."

"Thank the goddess," the witch muttered and leaned back in 
her chair.

"I've called Xander to watch over Buffy's room tonight and 
Anya to stay with us at Joyce's place," Giles informed the young 
witches.

"Good idea. Tomorrow we all need to talk about Halloween 
night," Willow said 
firmly. "I know we've been avoiding it but it's time."

"I agree," Giles said wearily.  

All three stood up quickly when Joyce entered the waiting 
area and then rushed over to the Slayer's mother.

"She's awake and asking for both of you," she said with a 
small smile. "They're 
moving her to the third floor, room 17. Go on up, Giles and I will 
follow."

Willow and Tara were off promptly, trying to refrain from 
breaking into a run down the hospital corridor to the elevator.

Joyce turned and accepted Giles' offer of an embrace as she 
began to cry.

"How do you do it, Rupert?" she sobbed. "She looked so small 
on that bed. Those bandages were so large!"

"I won't lie to you and say it gets easier, it doesn't," he 
admitted as they began 
walking towards the elevators.

"What if she is infected?" she whispered. "How are we 
supposed to deal with that?"

"I don't know, I just don't know."

===============================================================

Buffy managed to smile when Tara and Willow entered the room 
and she reached out her hands to both of them. 

"Oh my God, Buffy!" Willow cried and held the Slayer's hand 
next to her cheek.

"I fought him, Wills," Buffy said softly as Tara stroked the 
blonde hair off Buffy's forehead. "He didn't control me."

"And you almost got yourself killed!" Tara countered with a 
slight smile.

"I'll be mostly healed by tomorrow," Buffy protested.

"Taking on a pack of werewolves by yourself was not in the 
plan!" Willow responded.

"Terrific, now I've got two girlfriends to gang up on me!" 
Buffy grinned.

"You bet!" Willow nodded as Tara grinned and pulled up a 
chair.

"Giles and your mom will be here in a minute," Tara said.

"Cool," Buffy said softly.  

"I'm going to stay here until Xander takes over when he gets 
off work at the mall," 
Tara continued as Buffy began to drift into a drugged sleep.

"My God, Tara, I can't lose either of you," Willow whispered, 
reaching across the bed and touching the other witch's arm.

"I know, neither could we," she agreed. "Let's get through 
the next few days and see what happens."

Willow nodded as Giles and Joyce entered the room.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Giles had over-ridden Tara's decision to stay with Buffy and 
insisted that she stay with Willow and Joyce and the three women had 
finally gone home, leaving the Watcher to watch over Buffy.

The Watcher settled in with his notebook, writing down all 
the revelations of the last couple of days among the Wiccans and his 
Slayer while Buffy slept a healing sleep of recovery. Giles was 
stunned for a moment when he looked up at the sound of the door 
opening and realized Riley had stepped into the room.

Giles frowned and put his notebook behind him in his 
waistband as he stood up.

"What do you want, Riley?" he questioned.  

The young commando was in civilian clothes but had a very 
serious look on his face and Giles was cautious.

"I've come for Buffy," Riley responded.

"What on earth do you mean?"

"We heard the police scanner and Detective Santiago's orders 
to look for Oz in the woods. She's been attacked by a werewolf and 
we're taking her in for safety," he said in a flat voice.

"Buffy is our responsibility, not yours!" Giles hissed as he 
ran a hand through his mussed up hair. Riley, watching the Watchers' 
eyes, failed to notice Giles' other hand moving to his coat pocket.

"Slaying vampires and demons is yours and now your Slayer is 
a hostile, that makes her our responsibility," Riley countered, his 
eyes showing anger.

"Why, so you can lock her in a cage, put some device in her 
head to drive her insane for the rest of her life?" Giles demanded.

"What will you do with her?" Riley countered. "Lock her away 
in a cell somewhere like you did Oz? So she can howl at the moon all 
night and maybe get out, like he did."

"Buffy isn't going with you," Giles growled.  

"Get over it, old man," Riley snapped. "A team is on its 
way, we'll take her even if we have to go over you to do it."

Riley looked surprised when he moved forward towards Buffy's 
bed and found himself staring at a Glock automatic pistol in Giles' 
hand. The commando froze in place.

"You won't do it, librarian," Riley muttered.

"You don't know Watchers, we train girls to fight better than 
you'll ever achieve," 
Giles smiled a deadly smile and Riley had the feeling he was suddenly 
watching a Bond movie. "My nickname used to be Ripper; do you really 
want to test whether I can pull the trigger to protect Buffy?"

Riley looked down the barrel into the unflinching eyes and 
calm face of the Slayer's Watcher and knew with a chill that Giles 
really would pull the trigger and would have less remorse than Buffy 
over killing.

"Get out of here, I want to watch from Buffy's window and see 
you moving across the lawn towards the parking lot," Giles 
ordered. "If I don't, then I'll shoot anyone coming through that 
door I don't know, including you and I am an expert shot and have 
plenty of clips in my pocket."

"We'll be back for her," Riley warned.

"If I see anything that looks like you or your playmates, I 
will nail your sorry bloody asses to the wall and pin your ears back, 
little boy," Giles growled and cocked the weapon as Riley turned 
bright red with anger. "Don't think that I'd get away with shooting 
my future step-daughter's stalking ex-boyfriend as he hovered over 
her hospital bed threatening her? This is Sunnydale, Riley, they 
won't even ask questions, especially after you were seen fighting 
with her physically because she rejected you for a female."

"I'll kill you, Giles," Riley threatened.

"It'll take more than you," Giles snarled. "You're male ego 
was so assaulted that you assailed her in the hospital after you 
heard she had been attacked. I found you threatening her and choking 
her and I had to defend my future stepdaughter. Forget about Buffy, 
tell your team that she wasn't bitten by Oz because she wasn't; she 
was slashed. Either you forget about her or I'll make sure every 
single person on campus hears my version of your hospital visit."

"My superiors won't believe you!"

"Yes they will, they know how hung up sexually you were with 
Buffy," Giles said easily. "They even doubted your judgment in 
bringing Buffy into the Initiative, didn't they?"

Riley's refusal to answer was enough of an answer for the 
Watcher.

"Leave, Riley, and convince your team she wasn't bitten or 
you'll deal with a very pissed off Slayer tomorrow," Giles suggested.

"You shouldn't mess with the Initiative," Riley threatened.

"I don't know what the conversation is about here but that sounded 
like a threat," a new voice entered the conversation and both Giles 
and Riley glanced over and saw Detective Santiago standing in the 
doorway with his gun drawn on Riley.

Giles quickly lowered his pistol.

"Young Mr. Finn was just leaving," he said calmly. "He and Buffy 
broke up last week and he isn't taking it well. I was encouraging him 
to leave."

"Then maybe you should leave Mr. Finn," Detective Santiago said just 
as calmly, lowering his gun but keeping it in his hand.

Riley turned on his heels and left, quickly.

"Okay, Mr. Giles," Detective Santiago began as he entered the room 
and put his gun away. "It's time for some answers and I want the 
truth."

Giles sighed heavily and sat down and became very attentive when 
Buffy began stirring.  

Detective Brad Santiago waited with his questions as they both 
watched the young blonde woman begin moaning and thrashing.

Giles leaned over and gently held Buffy's hand and began shaking the 
Slayer.

"Buffy, it's okay," he said softly. "Come on, wake up, you're safe."

After a moment the wounded woman slowly opened her eyes and smiled 
slightly at the sight of Giles' concerned face. Her eyebrows rose in 
question when she spotted Detective Santiago on the other side of her 
bed.

"Hey," she said.

"Nightmare again?" Giles asked.

"As usual," Buffy attempted to shrug and winced at the pain from 
moving her chest. "Ow!"

"Easy, you," Giles chuckled slightly. "Detective Santiago walked in 
while I was having a rather heated discussion with Riley Finn."

"Riley?" Buffy tried to sit up and moaned in pain. "What did he 
want? Last time I saw him he was calling me a dyke."

"Buffy," Giles took off his glasses and began cleaning them with a 
Kleenex from Buffy's nightstand. "Detective Santiago is demanding 
answers and knowing him, he's going to keep digging."

"You want him in?" Buffy asked with a frown.

"Hey, I'm right here!" Brad protested but Giles waved at him in a 
dismissive manner, still focusing on his Slayer.

"Well, it might be advantageous," Giles said thoughtfully.  

"If he believes us," Buffy countered.

"Well, there is always the fresh grave approach," Giles smiled.

"Oh right, like Merrick pulled on me!" Buffy smirked.  

"Goddamn it!" Brad nearly shouted. "What the hell is going on?"

"Quiet for a moment, detective," Giles ordered. "It's Buffy's life 
that is the one ultimately at stake, it's her decision."

"Well, we don't have to answer to the Council for someone other than 
the Powers That Be knowing what I do," she continued to frown in 
thought. "Yeah, okay, go for it."

"It'll be difficult, how to convince him quickly," Giles said 
thoughtfully.

"Fresh grave tonight?" Buffy suggested.

"Seems the quickest plan," Giles agreed and turned to the 
detective. "Tell me, Detective Santiago, has anyone died within the 
last three days from massive blood loss from a brutal neck wound?"

"Well, yeah, one of the detectives was talking about it," Brad 
answered with a frown.  

"Do you know where the victim is buried?" Giles asked.

"No, afraid not," Brad answered, his face still a mass of confusion.  

"That's okay, Willow can hack into the Coroners records," Buffy said 
confidently.  

"Hey, that's not legal!" Brad protested.  

"Don't worry about it, Detective," Giles smirked. "It'll get much 
worse," the Watcher turned to Buffy. "I'll call Anya to watch over 
you until Xander gets off work."

"Is Xander mad at me?" Buffy asked, her voice sounding younger and 
smaller.

"No, Anya said that he is fine and thinks that he was an idiot," 
Giles smiled. "Sit down, Detective Santiago, it'll take Anya a few 
minutes to get here and we may as well start with the explanations."

===============================================================

Two hours later, Anya joined them and occasionally threw her own 
viewpoint into the discussion of informing the former New Yorker of 
the place he had moved to and Buffy's role in it.

Buffy was obviously uncomfortable with being talked about but 
tolerated it and threw in her own version of things occasionally.  

Anya had gone out and brought back sodas for everyone, as Giles was 
finishing up his explanation.

Brad sat back in his chair and took a long steady look into the face 
of each of the other people in the room. His well honed detective 
skills and instincts told him that they weren't lying to him; either 
they were all insane and shared the same delusion or they were quiet 
serious. That probably also included Riley Finn, given the encounter 
Brad had walked in on earlier.

"Vampires, werewolves, secret government operations, witches, slayers 
and watchers, oh boy," he muttered. "Have I stumbled onto the set of 
the Twilight Zone?"

"I wish it were that simple, not many people died on the Twilight 
Zone," Buffy countered. "Here they die every day and usually 
horribly."

"I can prove it to you in a few hours," Giles said calmly. He was 
tired and had a headache. He also needed a shower after tracking 
Buffy through the woods and caring for his injured Slayer.

"Okay, I'll give you that some things appear weird around this town 
and no one seems to notice it," Brad Santiago said 
reluctantly. "I'll even agree that everything you've said fits the 
evidence I have."

"But?" Giles asked with a slight smile.

"How do you intend to prove it to me? Have me sit on a fresh grave 
and let a vampire pop up like that other Watcher did to Buffy?"

"Something like that, yes," Giles answered.

"Okay, I'm all for field trips and I'll take you up on it," Brad 
said.  

"You're taking this well," Anya commented. "Most run screaming in 
the night when confronted with vampires, or stand around in disbelief 
which makes them easy meals."

"Yeah, well, I grew up in New York, I've seen a lot of stuff," Brad 
grinned. "My grandma was also a Brujah woman."

"Brujah, that dumb vampire role playing game?" Buffy asked.

"No," Brad laughed. "No, Spanish witch woman. Incense, prayers, a 
little home magic."

Buffy began nodding off when the second round of pain medication 
began to take affect.

"So, Buffy might be a werewolf like Oz, this secret government 
organization wants her to experiment on, Willow and Tara are witches, 
and Anya there is a former demon. Does that cover it?"

"Yes, actually, you keep track well," Giles admitted.

"Thanks, I'm putting two guards on the door outside Buffy's room to 
keep Riley Finn and his comrades out until she can be released 
tomorrow. I'm going to call my wife and let her know I'm going to 
miss dinner tonight," Brad said, getting to his feet.

"Don't eat dinner before going out," Anya suggested. "Sometimes the 
vampires have very poor hygiene and the smell can make you hurl."

"Uh, thanks."

===============================================================

A somewhat green looking Brad Santiago joined the Scooby Gang at the 
home of Joyce and Buffy Summers.

Xander, Tara, Willow and Joyce were obviously confused since Giles 
had called a meeting to discuss their plans for Halloween and 
bringing a police detective didn't seem like part of the plans or 
discussion. Then the Watcher explained that Brad Santiago of the 
Sunnydale police force had been given the basics about vampires, 
werewolves, demons, Slayers and the Hellmouth.

Both Willow and Tara started blushing and Xander was angry.

"Shouldn't you have asked us?" he demanded from Giles.

"Probably but there wasn't time," Giles said firmly. "Detective 
Santiago caught me with an automatic weapon pointed at Riley Finn and 
threatening his life. Buffy agreed."

"Okay, Xander!" Willow snapped. "It's done! Giles is right; we could 
use someone in law enforcement."

"Oh you mean someone who isn't just a mall security jerk!" Xander 
snapped back.

"I didn't say that!" Willow protested. "Don't go getting male 
territorial!"

"Me? Who said I was territorial?" Xander demanded.

"Children!" Giles snapped. "Let's get down to the planning, shall 
we? As unpleasant as it is, we need to discuss what we're going to 
do Halloween night."

"Well," Willow said hesitantly. "I kinda had a plan if everyone 
agrees."

"Let's sit down at the table shall we?" Joyce suggested. "I helped 
Willow and Tara draw out plans of the crypt and graveyard where Oz 
built that cell."

The Scooby Gang, minus Anya and adding Brad, sat down around the 
table and turned their attention to Willow.

"Welcome to the Scooby Gang, Detective Santiago," she said shyly.

"Scooby Gang?" he questioned with a smile.

"Kinda of a traditional name we have for ourselves. We're like 
Slayerettes and Buffy is the Slayer. We help her, doing research and 
helping during battle sometimes," Willow explained.

"Don't let her fool you, Detective," Xander grinned. "Those two are 
becoming scary with their magick type skills."

Brad smiled at how both young witches began blushing on cue.

"Why don't you all call me Brad?" he suggested. "After seeing a 
vampire up close and personal tonight, I'm honored to be included 
with a group that is brave enough to face that night after night."

There was an awkward silence as the Scooby Gang blushed, no one 
protested that they were brave but they were thinking it. The Gang 
looked at it somewhat like Buffy, they didn't have a choice in 
fighting the evil things because it had to be done and they were 
there. Brad would have pointed out that it was exactly this attitude 
that made them heroes if anyone had asked but he kept the thought to 
himself. <He'd convince them later,> he thought to himself.

"Hey, enough mutual admiration!" Xander declared. "Night before and 
Halloween night! What's the deal, Wills?"

"Well, I have a new spell I want to try while Buffy is locked in the?
in the?" she hesitated as she glanced over at Joyce.

"It's okay, Willow," Joyce responded to the witch's discomfort. "I 
know that we're going to have to lock her up until we know for sure 
if she's infected. It's a cell in a crypt, I can handle that."

"I want to be left alone with Buffy," Willow continued and held her 
hand up against the protest from around the table. "We know from 
experience that if Buffy is a werewolf, she'll respond better with 
only one person in the room and that logically is me."

"Okay, what is this spell?" Giles demanded.

"Two spells actually," Willow tried to smile. "I think Tara should 
be outside the crypt and cast the second spell. It's a protection 
spell that makes a shield of silver; werewolves shouldn't be able to 
break it. That'll keep Oz and any of his pack out of the crypt."

"What about the secret passages, we know they didn't just vanish when 
you were there," Xander asked.

"The spell will wrap the crypt in a silver light, it'll cover the 
secret places too," Willow explained.

"And your spell?" Giles demanded again.

"It's a massive sleep spell and it might catch me in it as well. I 
figure if Buffy starts changing, I throw the spell and hope to 
prevent some of the pain and the werewolf frenzy."

Giles frowned but nodded. It made sense and it was a good plan. He 
knew the rest of the plan had the rest of the Scooby Gang outside 
protecting the crypt and slaying anything getting too near it.

"I'm on shift Halloween night," Brad said thoughtfully. "There's 
already extra patrols being added because of what night it is. How 
else can I help?"

Tara giggled and everyone turned to look at her.

"It's a safe bet that Riley will be looking for Buffy that night, 
right?" she asked Giles.

"Yes, it would seem likely that he and one of his team will be 
waiting outside for Buffy to go out slaying that night or for us to 
take her someplace safe for the night," Giles responded.

"Do you think that Riley could be picked up by the police for the 
night? A case of mistaken identity or something?" she suggested.

Giles looked surprised and then pleased, everyone else looked 
confused for a while longer. Then grins spread around the table.

"I think something might be arranged," Brad said slowly. "You know 
I'm crossing a line here."

"Yes, and if it's beyond what your morals can handle, we'll 
understand," Giles said quickly. "We would never ask you to do 
something you couldn't live with."

"I notice that you don't limit yourself to asking me to do something 
illegal or that could get me fired," Brad pointed out.

"No, I'll admit that," Giles nodded. "Already you've been aware that 
we illegally carry pistols, that we have filed false police reports, 
have hacked into government computer records, and have destroyed 
bodies that could be evidence."

Brad frowned. "Okay, I'm in, totally. We moved to Sunnydale to give 
my daughter a safe place to grow up and now it looks like we moved 
into Spook Central. I'll fight that with you."

"Thank you, we try and stay on the legal side of things most of the 
time, at least the morally legal side," Giles smiled.

"Okay, I'll get Riley Finn out of commission that night. What about 
the other government types, won't they just go after Buffy?"

"Probably only half-heartedly," Giles commented slowly. "Most of 
them didn't care to be shown up by a small female all the time and 
resented her presence as well as Riley's focus on her. Given a 
choice they'd rather forget she exists."

"They'll also have their hands full that night," Willow 
added. "Halloween brings out all the crazies, the Initiative doesn't 
know about the Rule and they'll expect the dead and undead ones to be 
out."

"Rule?" Brad questioned.

"It's kinda of an unwritten thing among them," Giles 
explained. "They take the night off on Halloween and let the 
mundanes, the humans play."

"That is totally weird," Brad complained.

"Willow, are you telling us everything about those spells?" Joyce 
asked pointedly.

"I'm hoping that the spell will pull the wolf spirit into a dormant 
state," Willow admitted.

"Where did you find this spell, that doesn't sound familiar," Giles 
asked.

"Through my contact on the internet, Grayfox," Willow answered.

"He's been very reliable in the past," Tara commented and Giles 
merely nodded.

"I suggest we move Buffy to the crypt early that day to avoid any 
potential ambushes from the Initiative," Xander suggested and 
everyone nodded.

"Okay, Willow, you and Joyce go to the crypt tomorrow and set things 
up since you know what you need for your spell," Giles 
instructed. "Xander and I will check the weapons and pick up Buffy 
from the hospital first thing in the morning."

Everyone nodded and Giles looked around. "Any questions?"

"Yeah, what kills a vampire other than a wooden stake and do silver 
bullets really work on werewolves?" Brad asked.

Xander grinned and everyone smiled.  

"Let's have some coffee while we talk about Slaying 101, shall we?" 
Giles suggested, including Joyce in it as well.

"Giles, we're going to the living room and watch TV," Willow told the 
older man and he nodded.

"Guess that makes me one of the adults of the group, huh?" Brad asked 
with a laugh. "Reminds me of holidays, kids in one area, adults in 
the other."

"Yes, but these kids risk their lives and souls every night," Joyce 
commented bitterly.

===============================================================

October 28 

It was after midnight when Tara nudged a sleepy Willow and suggested 
they head to bed. The witch looked over and found Xander half dozing 
on the sofa.

"You need a quilt?" Tara asked the young man as she helped Willow 
stand up.

"Nah, I know where they are. I'm going to watch the Dracula 
marathon," he said softly.

Tara hesitated in front of Willow's door and the redhead smiled 
playfully.

"You've been in before," she whispered and took Tara's hand and 
pulled the taller woman into her bedroom. Once inside, Willow shut 
the door firmly and led Tara over to the bed without turning on the 
light.

Tara smiled in the faint light of the growing moon and lit a candle 
on Willow's nightstand and turned to help the other witch out of her 
shoes. With her left hand and arm in a cast, the red-haired witch 
had switched her usual jeans and t-shirts for sweatpants and larger t-
shirts. If she wanted to wear anything more than plain Birkenstock 
sandals, however, Willow discovered she needed someone to help her 
put on socks and tie her shoes.  

Feeling like she was four years old again was a hassle but neither 
Tara nor Buffy complained at tying her shoes or doing anything else 
to take care of her.

As Tara knelt in front of Willow to untie her tennis shoes, the red-
haired witch reached out and began to gently stroke Tara's long 
hair. Tara laid her head on Willow's thigh with a smile, comfortable 
in the silence.

After a moment Willow raised Tara's head with a gentle finger under 
the witch's chin and let Tara see the love and desire Willow knew was 
showing plainly on her face and in her eyes. The blonde witch rose 
up and slowly met Willow's lips with her own.

Once again Willow marveled at how everything disappeared except for 
the feelings and emotions surrounding her and Tara at that moment.  
She felt Tara hesitate and Willow ran her hand through Tara's hair 
and pulled the other witch's head to her, holding Tara into the kiss 
as it became more passionate.

Willow moaned and Tara moved Willow back onto the bed while their 
tongues dueled. The red-haired witch tried to maintain her balance 
and composure with a heavy cast on her arm. 

They ended up on the bed somehow, falling and giggling in the 
process, as their limbs intertwined. Tara was just grateful they had 
ended up on the same end of the bed and she hadn't gotten whacked by 
Willow's cast.

After the giggles had subsided, Tara leaned on an elbow and looked 
down at Willow and saw the other witch's eyes were slightly darker 
and her eyelids were heavy.  

"Please," Willow said softly and drew Tara to her and let down her 
mental shields, drawing Tara's mind and spirit in as well.

Tara gasped and pulled back slightly in surprise. Willow tried to 
take advantage of the movement to remove her t-shirt but lying under 
Tara and working with only one hand made it more than difficult, 
especially when she got caught in it. Tara laughed lightly and 
helped the t-shirt become a memory and then lost her laugh in a sense 
of awe when she looked at Willow half naked under her.

"Goddess, you're so beautiful," she whispered.

"So are you, my love," Willow smiled, blushing lightly. 

"I can feel what you're feeling," Tara said softly and lowered her 
lips to Willow's neck.

Willow's body shuddered and Tara moaned as the sensation rocked 
through her body as well. As Tara's hands found her breasts the 
witch gasped. They had shared long sessions of kissing and making 
out before, but this was different and both of them could sense it.  
The sharing of the emotions and sensations was adding an intensity 
that was causing Willow's breath to quicken and her heart to start 
racing.

The witch pulled irritably at Tara's shirt and the rest of their 
clothing was quickly done away with. The intensity swept them higher 
with each piece of clothing being removed as more and more skin began 
to touch naked skin. 

Willow whimpered slightly as Tara cried out at Willow's touch on her 
nipples, her back arching.  

"I love you, Tara," Willow whispered and moaned when Tara became the 
initiator with a passion that was surprising both of them.  

"Goddess, you feel so wonderful," Tara whispered as she began to 
nibble from Willow's neck to her nipples while her hands ran along 
the smaller woman's back, shoulders, lips, and down to caress her 
wonderful ass cheeks. 

Willow felt like everywhere that Tara was touching was electric, like 
moving too close to a static machine at a science fair and she was 
squirming while clinging to the other witch.

Willow thought Tara was going to tease and torment her nipples and 
breasts forever as the lightning danced between them until Tara's 
lips and tongue were moving across Willow's ribs, exploring almost 
every inch of the redhead. Willow gasped with twice the pleasure as 
she felt what Tara could feel in making love to her. It was almost 
overwhelming for both of them.

Tara thought she was in Nirvana when she worked her way between 
Willow's legs and inhaled the unique scent that was the young witch.  
The shy college student had never been with another person sexually 
but felt this was like coming home and was where she wanted to be.

Willow's hips jerked and she bit her lower lip as Tara's fingers 
began their own exploration of the inside of her thighs and sexual 
lips. Tara moaned as Willow's arousal level hit her through their 
connection and felt Willow's need as if it was coming from within.

Her lips and tongue joined her fingers in exploring her lover and 
both women cried out as Willow's hips left the bed in reaction to the 
intensity. Tara thought nothing would ever compare to making love to 
the beautiful woman with her right then, she knew it would be 
different with Buffy. As intense and just as emotional but also 
different. She had been drawn to Willow first and Willow was her 
first lover.

"Oh my God, Tara!" Willow begged.  

Tara let her fingers sink into the warmth that was begging for her 
attention and Willow's hand clenched the blanket underneath her as 
her back arched. Tara pulled almost out of the body enveloping her 
and then pressed in again. Tara's body jerked from their connection 
and began a rhythm that Willow quickly matched.

"Tara, harder!" 

Without the connection, Tara would have worried that she was hurting 
Willow but she could feel how the intensity was building as Willow's 
body begged for more of her touch. Tara couldn't believe that she 
was actually causing this much pleasure for her lover and could feel 
it. She thrust harder and Willow cried out and almost bucked out of 
Tara's arms.

Tara added another finger and cried out herself as the energy 
rebounded into her body. Feeling Willow's muscles contracting, she 
let her tongue begin a wonderful dance over Willow's clit and began 
drinking in the essence of Willow.

Willow, hovering on the edge of climax, screamed Tara's name as her 
body arched off the bed. Tara followed, holding Willow's hips with 
one arm and thrusting into her with the other hand until Willow's 
body stopped convulsing.  

Tara moved up onto the bed and pulled Willow into her arms and gently 
rocked the witch until her heart rate began to slow back to a safer 
range.

"Do you need your meds?" she whispered.

"I love you too," Willow mumbled. "I think I'm okay without them."

"That was....w-wonderful," Tara said softly. "Thank you."

"Oh Goddess, thank you!" Willow countered. "That was incredible!"

Tara felt herself blushing and Willow gently kissed her.

The blonde witch squeaked with surprise when Willow rolled over onto 
of her, the witch's green eyes flashing with mischievous energy.

"That connection was interesting, I want to try it on this end," 
Willow grinned and lowered her lips to Tara's breast and opened her 
mental shields up to Tara before the blonde could protest.

Tara moaned and felt fire flowing through her entire body as Willow's 
skin touched her everywhere. In minutes Willow had Tara in the same 
heightened arousal Willow had been in earlier.

"Willow, yes!" Tara begged, not knowing exactly what she was craving 
but needing it immediately. Having had the connection with Willow 
was only making it more intense and desperate.  

Willow started to enter her lover and hesitated, her green eyes 
catching Tara's blue ones. "Tara?"

"Yes, now!" Tara responded and whimpered slightly as Willow took her 
virginity then she heard noises and realized she was making them as 
her body began to shake and buck against Willow's fingers and 
body. "Oh Goddess! Willow, don't stop, please!"

Sometime later, Xander sat upright on the sofa, eyes blinking and 
heart racing. "I think that was?I think this time it was Tara 
screaming Willow's name," he said aloud to the empty room with a 
wolfish grin. "Earlier it was Willow yelling 'harder', for the 
Goddess and then just Tara's name," Xander smirked. He had plenty of 
ammunition to tease his best friend with and had already mentally 
filed it away.

He returned to watching Christopher Lee as Dracula bent over to bite 
another well endowed blonde victim on the television and wished Anya 
was there with him.

===============================================================

The police officers reported that three young men had approached 
Buffy Summers' room the night before and had been very insistent on 
seeing the young woman until threatened with arrest if they didn't 
leave. From their descriptions Giles confirmed that they sounded 
like part of Riley Finn's organization, the Initiative.

Brad Santiago and Giles found Anya kneeling beside Buffy's bed with 
her pistol in her hands and being steadied by the bed as she aimed at 
the door. Both men moved out of the way quickly and yelled at her to 
put the thing away.
 
Giles peeked around the doorway as Anya put the pistol away in her 
waistband and saw Buffy was doing her best not to giggle. Brad 
followed him into the room and shut the door.

"What was that about, you know there are police guarding the door," 
Giles demanded from the former demon.

"They are men and men can be fooled very easily," Anya countered and 
Buffy shrugged as Giles looked at her for support. "Those two men 
outside nearly let three large hulking types in last night when they 
claimed to be friends. I yelled that Buffy had no friends other than 
geeks and library types, certainly not football type jerks."

"Thanks!" Buffy snapped.

"What?" Anya asked innocently and Giles held up his hand to stop the 
argument.

"Get dressed, Buffy," he ordered.

"The doctor hasn't released me yet," she responded while glaring at 
Anya.

"I'm afraid there's a problem," Giles hesitated and began cleaning 
his glasses.

"Oh God, it's serious," Buffy muttered and noticed that Brad Santiago 
wasn't smiling and his eyes were cold.

"How do you know that?" he demanded.

"Giles always starts cleaning his glasses when he doesn't want to 
talk about something and it's usually serious," Buffy explained.

"They found Oz's body in the woods this morning," Giles said softly.

"His what?" Buffy demanded in a low, disbelieving voice.

"His body, he was cut to shreds," Brad informed her. "He had a 
silver dagger sticking out of his chest and your prints were on it."

"No, that's not right," Buffy protested. "I fought with him and he 
hurt me. I stabbed him but he was up and running. I only stabbed 
him once and I dropped the knife when I went into the creek, it 
wasn't in his chest."

"The knife was embedded into his heart, all the way to the hilt, much 
like he did to Willow Rosenberg, your best friend," Brad declared and 
glanced at the two police listening in as they stood guard at the 
door. "There was no evidence of whatever device you say he used on 
you and there was only your knife in his chest."

"Whoa!" Buffy shouted. "Wait a goddamn minute! Oz was a stalker, he 
hurt and tried to rape Willow, he threw Giles into a wall, Tara 
through a window and gave me one hell of a headache and now I'm the 
bad guy?"

"We only have your word and those of your friends that anything 
happened to all of you," Brad countered. "We believe that Ms. 
Rosenberg was attacked and you were angry about that. Angry enough 
to kill?"

"Yes, no, I don't know! He attacked me!" Buffy shouted and Anya 
growled. "I certainly didn't make these wounds myself!" she said, 
pointing to her bandaged chest.

"Actually the doctors admit that there is that possibility with the 
same knife," Brad countered.

"What?" Buffy whispered and turned to Giles for support and found him 
looking down at his shoes. "Giles?"

"They want to take you in until they clear this up, Buffy," he said 
softly.

"Officer!" Brad called and both officers stuck their heads in the 
open doorway. "You," Brad said, pointing to one of them. "I want 
you to clear the corridor in 10 minutes when I bring Ms. Summers out."

"Yes, sir," the young, military looking male responded.

"Please get dressed, Ms. Summers," Brad ordered. "You can change in 
the bathroom, leave the door open."

Buffy couldn't believe what was happening, especially when Giles 
reached into the wall locker and handed her the clothes she had been 
wearing the day before.

"I can't wear these," she protested, holding up the ripped and bloody 
sweatshirt.

"I'll get the hospital to give you some scrubs," Brad said in a flat 
voice. "He turned to the two police officers. "Find a nurse and get 
a set of surgical scrubs. Ms. Summers is going to be heading 
straight to jail and will be there for several days. Given the 
nature of the crime, no judge is going to grant bail."

The detective turned back to the Slayer. "You'll just have to miss 
playing Halloween pranks with your friends."

"Halloween, you're going to lock me up over Halloween?"

"Maybe even longer if I can make the murder charge stick," Brad 
promised.

"Wait a minute! I thought he was on our side!"

"Buffy!" Giles snapped, glancing at the police officers. "I advise 
you not to say anything. I'll be right behind you and I've phoned 
for an attorney."

Buffy slammed her jaw shut but her blue eyes were blazing with anger 
as the police officer returned with a set of surgical scrubs and Brad 
waited with crossed arms. Buffy grabbed the clothing and moved to 
the bathroom to change.

Giles opened the door slightly as his Slayer tried to pull the 
surgical shirt over her head. He took the top from her and helped it 
over her head and arms.  

"Don't fight this and don't escape, trust me," he whispered. "It's 
not what it looks like. Continue to act pissed off though, you have 
an audience."

Buffy nodded and followed him out the bathroom door and was quickly 
turned around and handcuffed.

"Hey, goddamnit, this isn't funny!" she shouted.

"Neither was Oz' body when we found him," Brad Santiago growled.

===============================================================

Buffy was still fuming when she and Brad Santiago walked into the 
Summers' home to the relief of Tara and Joyce.

"Hey, I said I was sorry," Brad continued protesting as they walked 
in the door.

"Okay, just easy with the cuffs next time!" Buffy snapped.

"Cuffs?" Tara questioned as she gently drew Buffy into a hug. The 
tension melted from the Slayer as she felt her body melding next to 
Tara's and the witch's warmth settling in over her. The Slayer 
nuzzled the neck of the taller girl and hugged her as tightly as her 
injured rib muscles would allow.

"We dragged Buffy out of the hospital in handcuffs," Brad explained.

"You what?" Joyce demanded as she hugged both girls quickly and 
turned to the detective.

"Anya said that three football type guys tried to get into Buffy's 
room last night and my police officers almost let them," Brad 
explained and sat down on the sofa. "I already suspected I might 
have a couple of Initiative types on the police force so Giles and I 
already had this planned. I arrested Buffy on the charge of 
murdering Oz in the woods yesterday and injuring herself to cover the 
killing. I dragged her out of the hospital protesting. The 
Initiative 'containment' squad will be checking the jail for Buffy, 
not here."

"That means we have to get her out of here," Joyce reasoned.

"Yes, Giles suggested moving her, Willow and Tara to the crypt now," 
Brad confirmed.

"Is Oz dead?" Joyce asked with a frown.

"No, he's still alive," Brad explained.

"Where's Willow?" Buffy asked.

"Upstairs on her laptop," Tara said.

"Let's go pack an overnight bag," Buffy suggested, reaching up to 
quickly kiss Tara and then dart upstairs.

Brad and Joyce watched the two young women disappear, pounding up the 
stairs and Joyce caught the detective shaking his head.

"What?" she questioned.

"She was nearly dead yesterday and now she's barely hurting," he 
commented.

"Giles says that's normal for a Slayer, its one way she was able to 
keep being the Slayer a secret from me for so long," Joyce 
explained. "I hardly ever knew she was hurt and if I did she'd shrug 
it off as a gym accident or something."

"Where's Giles?" Joyce asked after a moment.

"Watching the police officer I suspected, he should be here any 
minute."

A few minutes later the three college students came down the stairs, 
Tara and Buffy had bags.

"Where's your bags, Willow?" Joyce asked.

"I'm staying here tonight, I need some time to get ready for the 
ritual part tomorrow night," Willow smiled, holding Tara's hand.

Joyce's eyes narrowed in suspicion but merely nodded.

"Okay, Brad is going to drive you," she said as she hugged Buffy 
tightly. "We'll be there before dark that night. Got things to keep 
you occupied?"

"Yeah, a couple of board games and stuff," Buffy smiled but her mom 
could see the underlying tension and hugged her daughter again.

"You're not alone, Buffy," she whispered. "We'll be right there with 
you."

"Thanks, Mom," the Slayer whispered back and moved aside to let Joyce 
hug Tara as well. "Don't let her drive you crazy with that energy of 
hers."

"I won't, Mrs. Summers," Tara answered.

"Joyce, or Mom, please."

"Joyce Mom?" Tara smiled and Joyce hugged her again affectionately.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Willow hovered over her laptop and frowned. There was another email 
from Grayfox and this one was marked urgent.

The red-haired witch debated about opening it but clicked on the 
email.

<Redwitch7: I'm sorry; I never should have given you that spell. I 
never dreamed that you'd be able to find a translation. I know 
you've told me that you're not dealing with an actual werewolf but I 
really don't believe you.

This isn't a line; I am not trying to meet you or humor you. I get 
the real feeling that you are involved in real life with some heavy 
stuff in the paranormal. You aren't the usual quack I run into. Of 
course, I'm not saying I'm not a quack either. LOL

Seriously, though, that spell is the ultimate major stuff. The price 
tag is way too heavy for anyone to pay. Please reconsider, destroy 
the spell.

Please let me know what's happening, I do care about you and whatever 
you're going through. I do have some resources at my disposal and 
might be able to help in some way. Your friend, Fox.>

Willow closed the email without responding and called up the file 
Grayfox had sent her days before. It had taken her forever to figure 
out the translation from the mixture of Old English, Latin and 
several witch glyphs. Parts of it were intentionally obscure and 
backward, making translation from a foreign language very difficult.  
Fortunately, she had been able to retrieve the same program that 
Jenny Calendar had used to translate the spell to bring Angel's soul 
back to the vampire. The program was a random search pattern of 
various old dead and obscure languages as well as known glyph type 
writing systems. It had worked just as well on this spell as it had 
for the one she used on Angel.

The ingredients hadn't been a problem; the spell was more mental, 
emotional and physical.  

Willow continued to frown and set the laptop aside. She began to 
gather the ingredients she would need for the spell. It wasn't easy 
with one hand but she wanted everything right and ran down the list 
twice.  

She looked up as someone knocked on the door and opened it slightly.  
Giles stuck his head in and Willow smiled.

"Come on in, Giles," she offered and sat down on the bed, leaving 
room for him.

"We didn't talk much over dinner," he began.  

"Nope, you're being a typical father figure image and British, which 
is making you a reserved type guy. Makes asking about relationships 
and possibly sex difficult for you?"

"God, I do like your babbling at times," he muttered.

"But tonight is not one of them, right," she smiled.

"Right and you're trying to distract me," he smiled back. "Willow, 
you didn't go to the crypt tonight with Buffy and Tara because you're 
giving them space and opportunity to be together, aren't you?"

"Yes," the witch admitted.

"You were with Tara last night?"

Willow's eyes widened and her face flushed but she nodded.

"Willow, did you plan to be intimate with both of them just for your 
spell?"

"No, Giles, honest," Willow stammered. "I want them, both of them 
and they both love each other too."

"Willow, what is this spell you're planning?" Giles asked gently.

"Hopefully, it'll send the wolf spirit inside Buffy to sleep," Willow 
explained.

"Is that all?" Giles asked.

"No," she admitted. "There's a risk of it backfiring and sending me 
into a coma for a week."

"Willow!" he suddenly shouted, jumping to his feet.

"Giles, calm down!" Willow smiled. "It's not fatal! I'd only sleep 
for a few days. If it means me catching up on my sleep or leaving 
Buffy as a werewolf, I'll take the risk of falling asleep."

Giles continued to frown.  

"Willow, I don't want you to take any risks," Giles muttered. "I 
also understand that I'm not going to stop you from this, am I?"

The college student stood up and hugged the closest thing she had to 
an actual father figure. "I love her, Giles, I have to try 
something. She took the bite for me."

"I know, I just feel so helpless," he complained.

"Me too," she whispered. "Especially with that damned Initiative 
looking for Buffy."

"I agree, that young officer went immediately to the frat house where 
Riley lives after Brad took Buffy away. Moments later Riley and the 
officer came out and drove off. I assume they were headed to the 
police station," Giles recounted thoughtfully. "You know they'll be 
here tomorrow looking for Buffy."

"I know, Joyce Mom and I are going out with Xander and Anya at first 
light for breakfast and a day trip while you sneak food into Tara and 
Buffy," Willow smiled and sat back down on her bed.

"Just be careful," he asked.

"You bet, just take care of Buffy and Tara until we get there," 
Willow countered.