"Buffy.." Riley was trying to pull her away from Xander. Trying to get her to leave him, she wouldn't! He hadn't left her.

"We've gotta do something, CPR, Hymlic, whatever! Please... we have to save him.. somebody call 911." She cradled Xander's head loosely in her lap, he looked so shocked.

Cain growled from the corner where two of the commando boys were holding him. He hadn't meant for the kid to die, not that he cared. Cause he was big bad hunter guy, he didn't care.

"God.. Xander please.. " Buffy moved to his chest her hands were almost instantly covered in the sticky blood that she should have been used to. The bullet had been a stray.. in the struggle. Shot through Xander's chest, she knew deep down his heart would never pump again.

"Buffy.. you need to.. you can't contaminate the scene." Buffy turned on him her eyes fiery.

"Contaminate the scene?" She growled. "The hell I won't! I'm not going to leave him... he's just... he'll be back GOD SOMEBODY HELP HIM." tears were falling freshly again. Xander was going to open his eyes and scream "gotcha!" Any minute now.

Any minute.

~*~

Giles and Anya trudged through the cemetery. It was their third one tonight but they couldn't think of anywhere else that Xander and Buffy might be. Anya heard some soft whimpering coming from one of the crypts near by and cocked her head.

"Hear something." She said stopping and pointing. The noise was off and on, it sounded like a wild animal caught in a trap.

Giles lead the way silently moving towards the crypt, he dimly recalled this had been the place they had found the new cage for Oz to stay on full moons. Since the library was obviously out of the question. Giles stopped cold at the sight in front of him.

Anya stepped into the mausoleum next to Giles. "Oh look, dogs. Let's go find Xander." She said off handishly. Giles stepped forward. "Oz?" He recognized the white strips, it looked like Oz when he was in werewolf form.

Giles moved a bit closer to the cage and suddenly another form threw itself at the cage, rattling it and snarling viciously.

The red furred werewolf stared at the two humans, they were a threat to herself and to the male. She wanted to protect him.

"By the gods, Willow." Giles was dumbfounded.

Anya shuffled in next to him. "Willow?" She noticed the other wolf that was still glaring at them. Standing protectively over Oz-wolf.

"He looks sick." Anya mumbled, taking in the situation. This was going to delay them finding Xander. Damn.

~*~

Buffy growled at Riley and Graham as they yanked her back away from Xander and the other commando's picked up his still form. "Let go of me! We have to help him... please... " she fought for a few more seconds and then let the sobs take over. She watched as they hoisted Xander between them and headed for the base where they would take care of him.

Cain stood at the edge of the clearing still flanked by a few soldier boys. "You bastard." she said her eyes narrowing to slits. "this is *your* fault!" she screeched and launched herself forward Riley and Graham tumbled forward as she moved with Slayer strength and anger at Cain her fingers forming claws. "You killed him! He wasn't a damn werewolf! You killed him and you don't even *care*".

Buffy felt as if she was outside of her body looking down. She wasn't the lunatic woman attacking the man and throwing off the Initiative men, she wasn't the girl tearing at the guys eyes. He had killed her friend, but she was staying calm. She wasn't... that.

She was throwing wild punches at Cain's chest, hearing the air fly out of his lungs under her power. Seeing his face bleed, she wanted him to feel what he had done to her. Done to Xander. She wanted for the first time in her life since Faith to take a human life, an eye for an eye.

She was becoming more animal then Oz was on the full moon, she was giving into the urge to kill him. He deserved to die. They couldn't get her off of him as he cried out for help as she bashed in his face with her fist. Finally Riley grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up with the support of Graham and Forest.

"Damn woman, take a pill!" Forest hissed as they pushed her down to the ground holding her there until she calmed down. Riley shot him a venomous gaze. After all, one of her best friends had died. She had a right to go a little crazy.

Buffy had taken to sobbing again, uncontrollably. Rolling in on herself into a little ball. She was trying to choke out words and Riley bent down closer.

"Oz, find Oz. He's a werewolf.. he'll die too if you don't find him.. oh god Xander.." She managed to choke out between hyperventilating and tears.

~*~End 8~*~

Oz-wolfs stomach churned and twisted and he let out another pitiful whimper. The sun was going to rise soon and he would be turned back into human. His thoughts were foggy with pain 
but he could blearily make out the female laying in front of him, she had fallen asleep as they did before the sun came up.

Giles and Anya sat outside the cage, Giles watched Oz worriedly fearing for the boy. His condition had deteriorated drastically since they had arrived but Willow had completely enabled 
them from helping him. They would have to wait for the sun to rise, perhaps Oz wouldn't be sick in human form?

Anya glared at the splotches on the ground, she was upset that they hadn't been able to look for Xander. Giles had insisted on staying here and watching the dogs. She liked Oz well enough, even if he was a betraying male. Willow was a complete puzzle to her though, always so quick to try and please everyone and at the same time letting them walk all over her.

Anya sighed heavily. She wanted Xander, she missed him. Something in the pit of her stomach told her that he was in danger, that everything and perhaps nothing had gone wrong. Maybe it was just PMS, another perk of being a human.

Both the ex-librarian and the ex-demon were jerked out of their thought patterns when both the wolves in the cage shifted around and a cracking sound vibrated through the crypt. Oz howled in pain as his fur seemed to weave itself back into his skin, his features becoming less animal.

Willow seemed to shift back to human faster then Oz, she didn't make a sound as the changes happened through her body but when it was finished she groaned softly and opened her eyes.

Panic. Panic. Naked. Giles. Anya. Bad. Panic. She could feel a blush creep up her cheeks as she took in the situation. She scooted slightly and Giles turned his head as Anya jumped up 
and fetched Willow's clothing for her. Willow nodded her thanks and quickly pulled her shirt over her head and only then did she notice Oz. The memories of the last few minutes before the change flooded back into her mind.

"Oz!" she whispered hoarsely pulling the skirt she'd brought on quickly and moving over to him. "Anya, grab the blanket over there." She said pointing to the blanket that she had brought with her just in case. Anya stared at her blankly and Giles did as she asked grabbing the blanket and opening the cage door. He draped the blanket over Oz who was feverish and breathing shallowly.

"Damn." Giles swore and Willow looked up at him questioning with her eyes as she cradled Oz's head in her lap. "I had hoped that the symptoms would change when he became human once again."

"What's happening to him, Giles?" Willow whispered moving a sweaty clump of Oz's beautiful hair out of his face.

"He's seems to have slipped into a unconscious state.. he was awake but the change was probably too much of a stress on his system.." Giles babbled while racking his brain for something to tell Willow. He came up with no easy answer, he honestly didn't have a full one for her.

"Giles." She stopped him and looked up at him with those trusting eyes he had gotten so used to seeing, she trusted him with her life. He was her mentor and someone she looked up to, 
but even he didn't have all of the answers.

"I-I don't know Willow."

"I do." Riley Finn's voice flew through the old stone mausoleum like a thunder clap. All eyes turned to him, Forrest, and Graham.

"Riley, what are you doing here?" Willow asked worried for Oz, if the Initiative knew he was a werewolf... knew *they* were...

"Buffy sent us to look for Oz." Riley said in a flat tone, trying desperately to show no emotion. He was a solider, it wasn't his job to relay the bad news to people.

"Where is she? Why would she send you.. how would she know Oz was back.." the questions flew out of Willows mouth her brain coming up with a million others. She was cut off.

"She's... there's been an accident." Riley said finally.

"Oh god, not Buffy." Giles said in a horrified voice, Riley shook his head.

"No. Xander.."

Riley didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence before Anya's scream sounded.

~*~End 9~*~

Oz felt the pain rip through his body like he was being shot over and over again and still wouldn't die. He had to fight to open his eyes and they were greeted with a site he never wanted to see again, Willow's shocked face starring down at him she looked on the verge of crying. "Baby?" was all he could managed to gasp out before his lungs protested horribly.

"Oz!" She said looking down at him and forced herself to smile, he felt her grasp tighten slightly on him.

Suddenly he heard strangled sobs from somewhere around him and Giles was talking. He looked over past the bars of the cage and saw Anya lying on the ground in a heap sobs retching her whole body. Giles was rubbing the bridge of his nose his glasses in one hand and talking to the psych TA, who looked like he was playing GI Joe.

There voices drifted to his ears slowly, "...we've taken him into custody, the gun just went off in the struggle it seems the victim had hit him in the stomach and the man accidently pulled the trigger which was pointed at Xan... Mr Harris."

Oz felt Willow shudder against him, she looked so shocked like a deer about to be hit by a car. She couldn't even seem to let herself cry, of course Anya seemed to be doing enough of that for both of them.

"Who did this?" Giles asked finally after a long strangled breath.

"A hunter named Cain." Willow jerked, Oz felt it and winced as the upper part of his body was jerked with hers. She heard her breath seem to quicken and the panic rise in her eyes. He wanted so much to hold her. She didn't say anything.

"Cain? Bloody hell what is he doing back in town.." Giles swore, he seemed to be closing off his grief for a time when it could be afforded.

"From what we can get from Buffy it seems he was hunting.. Oz here." Willow jerked again and Oz took in a quick breath. She didn't seem to notice, she was starring at Riley. "Buffy said he has Silver poisoning. We need to get him to the labs right away to try and reverse the effects... " Oz heard the slight rumble in Willow's chest before it erupted out of her throat in words.

"NO. Your not taking him to yo-your labs! Just so you can dissect him! NO. I've already lost my best friend, I will not loose Oz to your people. No Riley." Her face was in resolve mode. Oz prayed Riley didn't try and fight with her.

"Willow I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter, Oz is a hostile and we will take him by force. We are his only hope now, if there still is hope." Giles stepped forward, Anya seemed to be picking herself up off the ground her face that of pure anguish.

"Now see here, I won't have you taking this boy... if its silver poisoning I'm sure I have a cure... and I-I have no reason to trust your initiative Riley. Not after what Ii've seen." Riley looked hurt and lost. He couldn't not take Oz, it had been a order by Buffy and by his superior officer.

"We'll arrest you if you give us any trouble." Forrest said behind him, he'd been silent the whole time.

"Then arrest me! You have no charges!" Giles said in a low pointed voice.

Willow was shaking, fear, hate, loss? All of them? Were they what were making his love shake like a leaf? Oz didn't have time to comfort her as much as he was possible before his body went into spasms and neon lights exploded behind his eyes, and then everything was dark and he lay still.

~*~End 10~*~

Oz went limp in Willow's arms and she shuddered violently leaning down. "Oz?" his chest wasn't moving. Why wasn't his chest moving? Willow lay her ear close to his mouth, there was no breath. Giles and Forrest were still bickering about whether Forrest could arrest Giles on charges, Willow turned desperately. "Giles, Oz isn't breathing!" Giles turned and stared at her, he looked flabbergasted.

Riley rushed over to her and placed his hand on Oz's chest, "the poison's gone too far. Willow do you know CPR?" Willow nodded, thinking of her health classes at high school. Her whole body felt numb. "Okay, Willow, I need you to give Oz breath while I try and get his heart going again." She nodded and Riley placed his fingers laced together on Oz's chest and pushed down. She saw Oz's rib cage contract slightly. "Now." she placed her mouth against him as if in a kiss and blew.

Oz's cheeks puffed slightly, Riley pumped his chest a few more times. "Now, Willow harder." she took a deep breath and willed her air to fill his lungs. She blew hard and his chest flared slightly. Tears were forming again in the corners of her eyes. *Not Oz too. No.* Riley began the violent pumping of Oz's chest again. Forrest, Graham, and Giles had pushed into the cage and were crowding around her.

They continued the CPR, but soon enough, Riley pulled back,

"Willow.. we can't do anything for him.." Willow glared at him.

"NO. Don't you *Dare* say that" she said and got to her feet, gently setting Oz's head on the cold ground. She stretched her arms out over Oz's body reverently. "Riley move." She growled and he got up slowly backing away from the look in Willow's eyes. Everyone took a step back, Anya came closer to the cage, her make-up streaming down her face. "I see love, I breathe love, I hold love, I feel love, I nourish love." Willow chanted softly waving her hands over Oz's body. Her eyes closed tightly in concentration. "Love is before me, Love is behind me, Love is beside me, Love is above me." Her hands circled to the different directions she said. "Love is below me, Love is within me, Love flows from me, Love comes to me, I AM LOVED." She screamed and dropped to her knees next to him, Oz, her love. She placed her hands on his chest.

She began to chant the old German spell to bring a love back from the dead she had learned while reading the diary of a Germanic witch. She prayed that it didn't go wrong, the woman who had written the spell had apparently incinerated herself. It wasn't true love, the spell was deadly if the love wasn't pure and true. She dismissed the thoughts and chanted with power behind her voice.

"Sie sehen Liebe, Sie atmen Liebe, Sie anhalten Liebe, Sie glauben Liebe, Ihnen ern�hren Liebeliebe sind vor Ihnen, Liebe sind hinter Ihnen, Liebe sind neben Ihnen, Liebe sind �ber Ihnen." Her voice became a steady cry to all the gods and goddesses that were listening, a cry 
for help. Willow's eyes were shut so tightly she couldn't see as the rays of soft blue light began to swirl around in the room. She didn't notice as her hands began to glow and that the glow had spread from her to Oz and surrounded them. "Liebe ist unter Ihnen, Liebe ist innerhalb Sie, Liebefl�sse von Ihnen, Liebe kommt zu Ihnen, Sie sind liebte!"

Something clicked in Giles head, he knew that spell. "NO Willow!" It was suicide, if she continued she would die. She didn't know... "Riley stop her!" He yelled moving forward himself. Both he and Riley were deflected easily and thrown to the ground and Willow continued to chant.

~*~End 11~*~

The air was pure electricity, it crackled around the mausoleum and the people in it. Anya backed into Graham and Forrest who had made a hasty exit from the cage to watch from the outside. She was horrified as Willow started to convulse with the energy of the spell.

"Willow, STOP" Giles shouted, knowing it wasn't going to get through to her. Once the spell was started...

"Giles, what is she doing?" Riley asked, he was pushed against the inside of the cage next to Giles. His body still tingling from when he'd been nearly electrocuted trying to stop Willow.

"She's twining their souls. Giving him half of her life, her love, trying to bring back the dead. If she fails, if the love is not pure... they will both die and their souls will be destroyed."

Riley shuddered, eternal darkness and even more damnation then even hell could offer.

"There's no way to stop her?" He asked breathing heavily.

"No, it's too far.. "

The blue light had formed a large dome around Oz and Willow. Oz's form was completely still under Willow's raised arms. She was shuddering and speaking in the old German. Her eyes blazed a powerful blue.

The others saw Willow collapse on Oz's chest. Willow herself felt something snap and she was free. Flying above the earth through the clouds into a light blue mist. Then Oz was there, standing in front of her. Human, his hair in perfect spikes, wearing his favorite shirt. His green eyes were peaceful and serene.

The came together like waves meeting sand on a beach. Willow felt a strange spinning and could hear him murmuring how much he loved her. Her body was all feelings and sensations and memories.

Oz and her deciding they would "still", Graduation, the fear and the panicking. Christmas, how they had just lain and watched movies while snow fell peacefully. Waking up in each others arms and being able to just lay there and feel safe and warm and loved. Every sensation of love 
she had ever felt seemed to magnify itself one hundred fold and echo through her body.

Then she was back in her body. Her eyes fluttered open and she breathed in. Giles was looking over her, a troubled look in his eyes.

"Oz?" she sat up and saw him, lying on the ground. He was breathing deeply and his eyes were starring at the ceiling unfocused.

"Willow." It was a statement said with more love then a hundred endearments.

She launched herself forward and hugged his chest, sobbing with relief. Their hearts beat at the same time, as if trying to be one through their chests and Willow felt whole and real.

Even she didn't know how close she'd come to eternal darkness for them both.

But even the void of a blackness can be pierced by love. The most troubled and tangled of hearts, the blackest of black, can be taken over and made whole again but the purity of true love.

~*~End~*~