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jesterladyficTitle: Grace Fills Up Uneven Nature
by Jesterlady
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Willow/Oz, Xander/Anya, slight Spike/Buffy if you squint :)
Summary: A rewrite of BTVS S4, but this time, I'm really focusing on Willow/Oz.
Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS. Some lines are from the show. The title is by George Hebert. This chapter's title is by George Herbert
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine: If Thou Lose Thy Hold
“I must advise you, Oz, these techniques that Sirjani has prescribed are quite advanced. I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to affect the wolf side of you. It might mean your schedule will change slightly.”
“I could change without the moon?”
“Possibly. This is all new territory, perhaps for the world, not just for us.”
“Guinea pig of the werewolves?”
“Something like that. Congratulations.”
“What I always wanted.”
The phone rang and Giles went to answer it while Oz closed his eyes and concentrated. He’d almost succeeded in sinking within himself when Giles’ raised voice distracted him.
“Gone?”
“What’s the matter?”
“Faith is awake. She’s gone.”
***
Willow had been minding her own business. She was fairly certain she hadn’t pissed anybody off lately, hadn’t done any spells that went wrong. But when she’d gotten up to answer the door, it had flung into her head and she’d woken up only now, with a pounding headache.
“Joining us in the land of the conscious, I see.”
A very familiar voice. Oh, so not a good voice to hear.
“Faith? What happened?”
“I’m exacting revenge. See, I’ve been gestating for awhile now, apparently. It wasn’t so fun waking up, but I’ve
made some improvements.”
“Everything that happened was your own fault,” Willow muttered, her head still splitting.
She felt a resounding crack against it and it seemed to split further open.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. Come on, Willow, where are the magics? That old fighting spirit?”
Willow wished her head would come back together so she could find out too.
***
“Willow’s gone,” Buffy said, obviously not having time to sugarcoat it. “Our dorm room was open and there was blood. Either Adam’s found out where I live or it’s Faith. And this doesn’t seem like Adam’s style. I made the call, but I don’t know how long it will take.”
Oz’s world stopped and Buffy put her hand on his arm.
“I’m sorry, Oz. I thought she’d go after my mom.”
“Let’s find her,” he said evenly.
“I’m already working on a locater spell,” Giles said.
Xander paced up and down the room.
“What if she hurts her? Sorry, not helping. Okay, what if she hurts her? Faith’s crazy, loony, not with the full deck of cards, and definitely fries short of a happy meal.”
“Xander, this won’t help. Buffy will fix it. Calm down.” Anya softened her blunt words with a caressing hand on the arm.
Oz sat silent and struggled to keep calm. Rage that he didn’t normally feel this time of the month swept over him.
“She’s in a video shop downtown,” Giles said finally.
Buffy reappeared.
“Let’s go.”
It was a silent procession that arrived at the video store.
“I’m going to look for a silent way in,” Buffy said. “Stay here. I'll let you know.”
They nodded and Buffy went around the back. Oz closed his eyes and Giles watched him in concern.
“Oz?”
“I can smell her fear,” the werewolf said.
Then he changed. The others gasped and leapt aside as the wolf crashed through the window.
***
Faith looked up in surprise, but grinned when she spied the wolf.
“Looks like the faithful dog has learned some new tricks,” she told the anxious Willow. “Let’s see if he knows
how to die.”
“Oz, no!” Willow cried out.
Faith was knocked to the ground, bringing her knife into play. Willow’s face filled with horror and then she felt
Buffy’s hands untying her.
“Sh, Will. Try to sneak out back, get a tranq gun.”
“I keep one in my purse,” Willow said, motioning with her head slightly. “I guess being all ready to go out pays off when you’re kidnapped.”
Buffy snuck behind the table as quietly as possible. She got the gun and took careful aim, the wrestling pair not even noticing her.
***
The wolf went down and Buffy leapt into action. It was better for her that she was fresh, but Faith was full of un-exacted vengeance.
“It was all so easy, wasn’t it? Just stick me and put me in the hospital. Somebody else’s problem.”
“You know full well I always took responsibility even though you aren’t my problem!”
“I can’t deal with this now, B,” Faith said, knocking Buffy to the other side of the room and making a run for it.
And ran straight into Angel’s arms.
“I think we’ve got a lot to talk about,” he said softly.
Buffy got up.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.”
Faith didn’t know why, but she was relieved.
***
“So, you’re you again,” Willow said after Oz had completed the transformation.
She opened the door and scooted next to him on the blanket. Normally, she gave him privacy, giving him moments to come to himself, but today he needed her. She needed him.
“Did what I think happened happen?”
“Probably, unless there was a clown involved.”
“No clowns, just me with murder.”
“You were a wolf.”
He clung to her.
“I could feel the change. I tried to stop it, but I didn’t know how. Giles said it might happen, but did I just make
myself more dangerous?”
“No, you’re going to get better.”
“What if I don’t? What if I just took away the only safety we had? The fact that we knew when I would change?”
“Giles and Sirjani will help. I won’t lose you.”
“I almost lost you,” he murmured, burying his face in her hair.
“You changed for me,” she said.
And that’s all she felt mattered at the moment. The fear he’d ignited, she shoved deep inside. He needed something
else now. He needed her faith.
by Jesterlady
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Willow/Oz, Xander/Anya, slight Spike/Buffy if you squint :)
Summary: A rewrite of BTVS S4, but this time, I'm really focusing on Willow/Oz.
Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS. Some lines are from the show. The title is by George Hebert. This chapter's title is by George Herbert
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine: If Thou Lose Thy Hold
“I must advise you, Oz, these techniques that Sirjani has prescribed are quite advanced. I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to affect the wolf side of you. It might mean your schedule will change slightly.”
“I could change without the moon?”
“Possibly. This is all new territory, perhaps for the world, not just for us.”
“Guinea pig of the werewolves?”
“Something like that. Congratulations.”
“What I always wanted.”
The phone rang and Giles went to answer it while Oz closed his eyes and concentrated. He’d almost succeeded in sinking within himself when Giles’ raised voice distracted him.
“Gone?”
“What’s the matter?”
“Faith is awake. She’s gone.”
***
Willow had been minding her own business. She was fairly certain she hadn’t pissed anybody off lately, hadn’t done any spells that went wrong. But when she’d gotten up to answer the door, it had flung into her head and she’d woken up only now, with a pounding headache.
“Joining us in the land of the conscious, I see.”
A very familiar voice. Oh, so not a good voice to hear.
“Faith? What happened?”
“I’m exacting revenge. See, I’ve been gestating for awhile now, apparently. It wasn’t so fun waking up, but I’ve
made some improvements.”
“Everything that happened was your own fault,” Willow muttered, her head still splitting.
She felt a resounding crack against it and it seemed to split further open.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. Come on, Willow, where are the magics? That old fighting spirit?”
Willow wished her head would come back together so she could find out too.
***
“Willow’s gone,” Buffy said, obviously not having time to sugarcoat it. “Our dorm room was open and there was blood. Either Adam’s found out where I live or it’s Faith. And this doesn’t seem like Adam’s style. I made the call, but I don’t know how long it will take.”
Oz’s world stopped and Buffy put her hand on his arm.
“I’m sorry, Oz. I thought she’d go after my mom.”
“Let’s find her,” he said evenly.
“I’m already working on a locater spell,” Giles said.
Xander paced up and down the room.
“What if she hurts her? Sorry, not helping. Okay, what if she hurts her? Faith’s crazy, loony, not with the full deck of cards, and definitely fries short of a happy meal.”
“Xander, this won’t help. Buffy will fix it. Calm down.” Anya softened her blunt words with a caressing hand on the arm.
Oz sat silent and struggled to keep calm. Rage that he didn’t normally feel this time of the month swept over him.
“She’s in a video shop downtown,” Giles said finally.
Buffy reappeared.
“Let’s go.”
It was a silent procession that arrived at the video store.
“I’m going to look for a silent way in,” Buffy said. “Stay here. I'll let you know.”
They nodded and Buffy went around the back. Oz closed his eyes and Giles watched him in concern.
“Oz?”
“I can smell her fear,” the werewolf said.
Then he changed. The others gasped and leapt aside as the wolf crashed through the window.
***
Faith looked up in surprise, but grinned when she spied the wolf.
“Looks like the faithful dog has learned some new tricks,” she told the anxious Willow. “Let’s see if he knows
how to die.”
“Oz, no!” Willow cried out.
Faith was knocked to the ground, bringing her knife into play. Willow’s face filled with horror and then she felt
Buffy’s hands untying her.
“Sh, Will. Try to sneak out back, get a tranq gun.”
“I keep one in my purse,” Willow said, motioning with her head slightly. “I guess being all ready to go out pays off when you’re kidnapped.”
Buffy snuck behind the table as quietly as possible. She got the gun and took careful aim, the wrestling pair not even noticing her.
***
The wolf went down and Buffy leapt into action. It was better for her that she was fresh, but Faith was full of un-exacted vengeance.
“It was all so easy, wasn’t it? Just stick me and put me in the hospital. Somebody else’s problem.”
“You know full well I always took responsibility even though you aren’t my problem!”
“I can’t deal with this now, B,” Faith said, knocking Buffy to the other side of the room and making a run for it.
And ran straight into Angel’s arms.
“I think we’ve got a lot to talk about,” he said softly.
Buffy got up.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.”
Faith didn’t know why, but she was relieved.
***
“So, you’re you again,” Willow said after Oz had completed the transformation.
She opened the door and scooted next to him on the blanket. Normally, she gave him privacy, giving him moments to come to himself, but today he needed her. She needed him.
“Did what I think happened happen?”
“Probably, unless there was a clown involved.”
“No clowns, just me with murder.”
“You were a wolf.”
He clung to her.
“I could feel the change. I tried to stop it, but I didn’t know how. Giles said it might happen, but did I just make
myself more dangerous?”
“No, you’re going to get better.”
“What if I don’t? What if I just took away the only safety we had? The fact that we knew when I would change?”
“Giles and Sirjani will help. I won’t lose you.”
“I almost lost you,” he murmured, burying his face in her hair.
“You changed for me,” she said.
And that’s all she felt mattered at the moment. The fear he’d ignited, she shoved deep inside. He needed something
else now. He needed her faith.
