My eyes lift from the pages of a book when the library doors open. Buffy is dragging Xander in by his clothing on his shoulder as he's passed out. "What happened?" I question as I open the cage like room in the library.

"I hit him."

"With what?" Willow asks, biting her one thumbnail.

"A desk."

Buffy lies Xander down and locks the room, going to lean on one of the tables and takes a drink of water. "Where's Giles?"

"He got called into a teacher's meeting," I say, folding my arms against my chest. "What are we going to do?"

Willow nods. "How are we going to get Xander back?"

"Right now I'm a little more worried about what the rest of the pack are up to."

"The rest of the pack were spotted outside Herbert the mascot's cage. They were sent to the principal's office," Giles says, walking into the library.

Judging by the look on his face, something is wrong. "Is everything okay?" I ask, playing with my fingers.

With a simple shake of his head, he answers, "They—ate him."

"Oh my gosh," I murmur as I hold my face in my hands. My stomach starts twisting in knots.

"The theory is wild dogs got into his office somehow. There was no one at the scene."

"But Xander didn't," Willow says, looking to Buffy. "He was with you."

Buffy nods her head towards the cage looking room and Giles nods towards our friend, coming around the table to stand beside me.

"Giles, how do we stop this? How do you trans-possess someone?" Buffy asks.

He starts looking through a book in the stack. "I'm afraid I still don't have all the pieces. The accounts of the Primals and their methods are a bit thin on the ground. There is some talk of a predatory act, but the exact ritual is the Malleus Maleficarum deals in particulars of demonic possession, which may apply," his sentence trails off as he scans the pages. "One should be able to transfer the spirits to another human."

"Who would volunteer to have one of those spirits put into them?" I point out.

"What we need to do is put the hyena back in the hyena," Buffy offers. "I bet that zookeeper could tell us. Maybe he didn't quarantine those hyenas because they were sick."

Giles nods, "We should talk to him."

Buffy leans away from the table and begins to walk away but stops. "Wait, somebody's got to watch Xander."

"I will," Willow says, standing up.

"Will, are you sure?" Buffy asks.

I get up as well to stand next to my redheaded friend. "I'll stay with her. We'll be okay."

Buffy still hesitates a moment, looking between the two of us, before giving Willow the keys to the cage room that Xander is currently still passed out in before leaving with Giles.

Letting out a long drawn out sigh, I take my seat once more, running my fingers through my hair. Still harvesting on the fact that our principal was eaten—I can't believe this has happened. I guess I've been repeating that statement for a while since diving into Buffy's world.

Willow goes back to watching a film about hyenas as I walk up the stairs to the other level of the library for a few moments of quiet. Resting my back against the wall, my head tilts back so I'm staring up at the ceiling. My eyes start counting the tiles, trying anything that'll help take my mind off what's going on to Xander and the rest of the people in this so-called pact.

Hearing the faint sound of Xander's voice a few minutes later, I get back on my feet, holding Angel's jacket tighter against my torso, as I walk into sight, down the steps, and see Willow standing in front of the cage with Xander on the opposite side.

"You're awake," I state, noticing his eyes now on me.

"You guys got me locked up."

"Because you're sick. Buffy said-"

"Oh, yeah. Buffy and her all-purpose solution—punch them out and knock them down. I'd love to see what she'd do to somebody who was really sick," Xander states, interrupting Willow.

Shaking my head, I approach the cage and stand beside Willow. "Stop acting like she didn't save all our lives. She's trying to save yours now."

His eyes move between Willow and me. "Before she came here our lives didn't need that much saving, did they? Weren't things a lot simpler when it was just the three of us?"

"Maybe," Willow responds.

"Perhaps, but without Buffy-"

"You wouldn't have met your mysterious Angel? A man who barely shows up to be with you? Take the hint Lindsay."

Glaring at Xander, I drop my arms at my side. "Don't be a jerk. We're trying to help save you."

"I know there's something wrong with me. I think it's getting worse. But I can't just stand around waiting for Buffy to decide it's time to punch me out again. I want you two to help me."

"We are helping you." Willow's soft voice answers.

Xander shakes his head. "You guys are doing what you're told. Buffy's so selfless. Always thinking of us. Well, if I'm so dangerous, how come she left you two alone with me?"

"We told her it was fine," I answer.

"Why?"

Willow speaks before I have a chance to. "Because we know you better than she does. I wanted to be here to see if you were still you."

"You know I am. Look at me," Xander leans a little closer, focusing his attention on our redheaded friend.

As Willow takes a small step towards, I'm just reaching out to take ahold of her hand to hold her back when Xander pushes his hand forward, trying to make a grab for Willow as well. Our redhaired friend smiles. "Now I know."

Xander hits the cage multiple times. "Let me out!"

__________

Xander continues to pace back and forth within the cage. Willow has her back facing him as she watches the computer scene with hyenas on it as I face Xander with my arms crossed against my chest. His eyes switch focus between Willow and me.

"Lindsay," he says in a drawn out voice.

Rolling my eyes, I lean back against the chair. "Knock it off. We aren't letting you out." Tapping my foot against the floor as nerves start to increase, I turn to Willow. "When do you think Buffy will be back? It's been quite a while."

Willow shrugs. "I'm not sure, but I hope soon."

Suddenly, there's another voice that draws out Willow's name, then mine.

"Xander, shut up," Willow says, turning to look back at Xander.

My eyes widen, taking note that Xander's mouth has yet to move since the last time he has said my name before I told him to knock it off. "That wasn't Xander."

Twisting at the waist, I see Kyle at the window towards the ceiling of the library. Willow manages to look up at the same time before Kyle and one of his other friends in the pact kicks the windows in, causing glass to scatter.

Willow and I don't stay to witness what'll happen. She grabs my hand as we run out of the library and down the hall. Hearing banging and commotion from where Xander is, we don't stop until we decide on going down a hallway to our left instead of continuing straight. Dropping Willow's hand, I try for a classroom door, but find it locked.

Cursing under my breath, I hear Willow say my name. looking over my shoulder, I see her with another classroom's door open. Following behind her, we go into the darken classroom that is only illuminated with the moonlight. Willow finds a hiding space under the teacher's desk as I look back and forth to see where I can hide. Settling on a cabinet in the back, I turn the handle as the metal gives of a squeezing sound.

Knowing I have barely any time to hide anywhere else, I open the door in a quick motion and find a few leftover school supplies on one side, and on the other a jacket that smells like it's been here a while. Stepping into the cabinet, I have little room to turn my body forward to fit inside the small space, but manage to turn enough where I'm able to shut the door.

My palms being to feel clammy as the door to the classroom opens. Without intension, I find myself holding my breath, trying to hear whoever entered the room. There's a silence that follows before the classroom door shuts. Letting out a breath, I open the door just in time to hear Willow let out a shriek.

"Willow!"

She throws her body back in time to miss Xander's lunge at her. Running towards the front, I'm behind Willow as she opens the door to find Kyle's blonde-haired female friend standing there, flashing her teeth. As I take a step back, Xander's arms circle around me, pulling me into his body. Kicking my legs, trying to get enough momentum to throw him off balance, I see Buffy emerge with a fire extinguisher, knocking the blonde-haired female out.

With Xander distracted by Buffy, I manage to come down on his foot with my right shoe, causing him to let up on his grip. Swinging back my arms, my elbows give me enough space to slip out of his embrace. As he tries to advance, I get behind Buffy as she kicks him in the chest. Xander falls outside of the classroom beside the blonde. Hearing noises down the hall, we see the remaining three members of the pact standing there. Giles, who has Willow in his arms, rushes us inside the classroom, and Buffy locks the door behind us.

They scratch at the door, trying to get inside, before there's silence. "I think they're going," Buffy states.

"They could be faking it," Willow adds.

Buffy shakes her head before running her fingers through her hair as she steps away from the door. "No, they're hungry. They'll be looking for somebody weak. I'm really sorry guys. I didn't know they were going come after Xander."

"Don't worry about it," I say with erratic breathing as I try to calm down.

"We must lead them back to the zoo if we're going to stop this." Giles also seems a little shaken.

Buffy turns towards the door with her back to us. "And before their next meal. Guess that's my job."

"Well, individually they're almost as strong as you. As a group they're-"

"They're tough, but I think they're getting stupider. You guys go to the zoo and I will bring them to you," Buffy interrupts Giles.

________________

Willow and I carry flashlights with us as we run with Giles to where the hyenas are in the zoo. Where we come across the similar yellow tape, closing off the entrance to the attraction, we stop running and come to a stop.

"Where's the zookeeper?" I ask Giles, not seeing him anywhere near the entrance to the Hyena House.

"He must be inside," Giles states, bending at the waist so he's able to get under the yellow tape. "I'll go in and prepare things. You guys can warn us when you hear Buffy and the others approaching."

Nodding, I watch Giles disappear into the entrance before turning and watching for Buffy. I notice Willow's jitteriness.

"We'll get Xander back to normal and then we can go to The Bronze to celebrate."

Her eyes travel to me. "How can you be so confident everything will be okay?"

The corners of my lips turn up a little. "Because we're one badass team. We're not going to let Xander continue like this—or worse. In the library, Xander may have voiced his doubts about Buffy, but we both know she cares for us. She's one of our close friends now. Would you have that any other way?"

Willow shakes her head. "I know she'll try her harder to save any one of us. I'm just worried about Xander."

"I am too."

We fall into silence for a few moments until we hear approaching sounds. Willow and I look at one another before lifting the tape and going into the Hyena House.

"They're almost here," I say, entering where the hyenas are behind the bars. "Giles?"

Willow says his name as well, but he isn't anywhere insight. Instead, it's the zookeeper who is wearing what looks to be a long blue cloth wrapped around his body, with his face painted blue as well, but with features of a skull as well.

Not liking the absence of Giles, I make sure to keep my distance. "Where are the hyenas for the trans-possession?"

The zookeeper points to the bars where shadows of hyenas can be seen on top of the stone ceilings, pacing. "They're right here in the feeding area." Willow takes a few steps closer to see the hyenas, but the man stops her. "Stay back. They haven't been fed."

Willow looks at the zookeeper. "Where is Giles?"

"He's laying in wait."

Furrowing my eyebrows, I take one step towards my friend. "Willow," I say in a low tone of voice, and by the look in her eyes as she meets my own, I know she can pick up on my warning. "They're almost here. Shouldn't you bring the hyenas out?" Taking another step closer, I lunge enough to grab ahold of Willow's right hand as the zookeeper takes her left.

He shakes his head, making a sound in the back of his throat. "Let go of her hand now."

"Not a chance."

Willow tries to take her wrist away from the zookeeper, but he doesn't let up his grasp. His hand holds tighter, causing Willow to wince. "When the time is right, I'm going to need your friend's help. Now let go of her hand."

"They're right behind me!" Buffy screams from the entrance.

The zookeeper brings out a knife, slicing my hand that has Willow's. not expecting the sting of the blade, I drop my friend's hand as a wince leaves my lips. Taking a step forward, he holds the knife to Willow's throat. "I'll slice her throat. Don't take one step closer."

Just then, Buffy comes into the area, stopping when she sees us before she's brought to the ground by Xander, Kyle and his friends. The zookeeper screams in another language, and I watch as Xander and everyone's eyes flash green for a second before the zookeeper's matches their eyes with the same flash of green. A growl comes from the zookeeper as his teeth aim for Willow's throat.

"Willow!" Xander and I yell at the same time.

Xander lunges for the zookeeper, causing him to drop his grip on Willow, which allows me to grab her and take her to the side—away from the zookeeper toss Xander in time for Buffy to get up and begin to fight him. When the zookeeper charges Buffy, towards the enclosure where the hyenas are, the blonde slayer is able to lift him up and throw him over the bars. The hyenas make a satisfied sound as they begin to feed.

As I begin to undo the rope around Willow's wrist, which the zookeeper started to knock when he took her into his grasps but didn't finish, Xander comes up to us. Kyle and his friends get up and run away, not saying anything to either one of us—not like I was expecting it.

A door opens from one of the walls, and Giles comes out, looking confused. "Did I miss anything?"

Smiling, I wrap an arm around Willow as we walk out.

___________

"Why did you want to take a walk this late at night on a school night?" Xander asks as we walk down the sidewalk.

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. "It's only nine o'clock. We used to do this all the time when we were kids, trying to find an adventure."

It's the night after saving Xander from his hyena tendencies, and I wanted to spend some time with him—just us. No Willow or Buffy. I figured we needed this. We haven't spent any time just the two of us in a while.

"That was before we know what really lures out there." Xander's head twist around, scanning the area around us.

Laughing at his hyperawareness, I wrap my arms around one of his, hugging it to my side. There's a bit of a chill in the air tonight, and even though I have on a jacket, not Angel's, goose bumps still spread along my skin.

"How is everything with your dad?" he asks after a few moments of silence. "I know I've been a jerk when it comes to how you're feeling, but I want to truly know if you're okay."

Tilting my head up, I see him looking down at me. "I'm honestly okay. At first it threw me for a loop, but I'm done fighting him—and my mom—all the time about his time at the house or Mom seeing him again. I figured if I loved someone and they left, but overtime they came back—I can only imagine that I will still love that person. And he's my dad, and I know he's trying. So I'm going to try too."

"Awe," he draws out, bringing his other arm that I'm not holding across his body to hug me to him. "I'm happy you're opening yourself up to your dad."

I give into the hug for a few moments until Xander still hasn't pulled away. Pushing at his chest, I chuckles as his right arm falls away, but I still get a grasp on his left. "I know you said you didn't remember anything, which is clearly a lie considering you admitted to what you said to me, and I promise I won't tell Willow or Buffy, but did you mean what you said about Angel? About how I'm basically fooling myself?"

Xander doesn't say anything for a few seconds, and I don't look up because I know I'll see a crestfallen look on his features. "I just don't want you to get hurt, and I know if I liked a girl I would spend any amount of time I could seeing her, or at least calling her. The only time I've seen Angel with you is at The Bronze."

"I've ran into him on the street before, and he has stopped by my house a couple of times."

"But it's only at night, and that doesn't add up with me. Like I know his mysterious, and you are attracted to that unfortunately, but if I were you, I'd ask him why he doesn't see you more. He gave you his jacket so, I guess, his at least interested, but—you know what—I don't know. I don't want my advice to cause you to do something stupid that messes this up for you."

Shaking my head, I bring us to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. I unwrap my arms around his left so I'm able to stand in front of him. "Don't. I need to hear this because I don't know what I'm doing with Angel. I really like him, but you're right. I don't know how long I can go without seeing him, and then him expecting me to go to him whenever he appears."

Xander pulls him into his chest as he sees raw emotion flash in my eyes and my lips begin to frown. "You deserve better."

Closing my eyes, I know he's right. There's a draw to Angel I have though, but I know I need to figure out what is going on with Angel before proceeding further. Buffy seems fine with him since he also communicates with her, but even she's in the dark about who Angel is.

Opening my eyes, I can see a figure over Xander's shoulder, standing in the shadows. When the street light catches the side of the figure's face I know it's Angel.