Author's Notes: This is not Fate-fic. It's actually really un-Fate fic since that centers around happy things and this... well, doesn't. Takes place sometime during Season Four. Since I don't know what the situation will be for Willow and Oz college-wise... I'm just going to pretend that Oz is going to UC Sunnydale as well, and that he lives in a dorm near Willow's. And that Willow's roomate is the non-existant kind. The title comes from a song called (wow!) "Quiet Little Place", by K's choice. It's on their CD "Cocoon Crash"
Part Two "Gi-iles." Buffy whined, kicking her feet up onto his coffee table. "You don't understand! I have a paper due on the Cold War in five days and ... and I don't even know what the soldiers did to keep themselves warm." She stared up at her former watcher.
"Buffy, I understand that you're feeling a bit of-- well, pressure now." Giles said, sitting down across from her.
"Pressure?" Buffy sat up. "I don't think pressure *covers* it. Watcher's council, I could deal with. 'Cause atleast I was doing my *job*. Now it's just an obligation which is much, much harder to deal with when I'd rather be having a life. Please. *PLEASE* just give me the week off."
Giles shook his head. "Even though you are not technically a slayer anymore, it is still your duty to--"
"What if I found a baddy tonight? With extreme emphasis on the 'bad'. I could kill it for you, that would make up for all the vamps that got away while I was dealing with Fidel Castrated or whoever."
Giles sighed.
Then his front door flew open and two redheads burst through, out of breath.
"Buff..." Willow breathed, grabbing her friend's hand and dragging her into Giles' room, as Oz tagged along silently. "Gotta talk."
Giles watched them go, slightly agitated. "Always life or death..." He murmered, shaking his head and walking into the kitchen.
**************** "What's up?" Buffy asked, her gaze shifting between the hacker and her boyfriend. Willow's face was tense and she was fidgeting so violently that the table she was leaning against started to shake. Oz was perfectly still, staring at the wall opposite him, his face completely blank.
"Buff, um... something's wrong. Potentially. We're not sure but it's... oh it could be really, really bad."
Buffy felt her heart drop into her stomach. If Oz was there it probably involved him. She spoke the first thing that came to her mind. "How late are you?"
Willow stared at her friend, confused, glancing at Oz. He just raised an eyebrow, and then Willow understood. "Oh! Not late... no, it's not that! Oh, but that would be bad too."
Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, whatever it is it can't be *that* ba--" She cut herself off when Willow turned around and yanked her shirt off her shoulder. Buffy's eyes widened as she looked at Oz for confirmation. He just nodded, averting his eyes, his jaw set firmly. "Oh."
Willow moved her shirt back, turning around to face her friend. They stood in silence for several moments, no one sure of what to say. Then Buffy cleared her throat.
"Um, when did you... notice this?"
Willow looked to Oz. He sighed, and stared down at the floor, as if to draw strength from it.
"This morning." He said, his voice flat.
"And you guys... last night, I mean..." Buffy really didn't want to discuss things like that. From the look of Willow's flushed face, neither did she.
"Yeah we um..." Her voice caught in her throat.
"But it could be something else. I mean... maybe you got scratched earlier in the day, and didn't notice it? Or maybe it won't do anything... It doesn't look too bad."
Oz shook his head. "No. If the skin's broken it gets passed along." Buffy glanced over at the werewolf and saw for the first time that he looked sick. Willow's gaze also fell on her boyfriend, but he refused to look at her.
"You guys have to tell Giles. Maybe he can..." Buffy closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, trying to think. This just couldn't happen.
Willow's eyes widened. "No, Buffy... I mean he doesn't even know we're..."
Buffy stared at her friend. "He's the only person who would even have the resources, Will."
Willow looked down at the her hands, worriedly. "I don't want to tell Giles." She sounded almost ashamed. Buffy glanced over at Oz to gauge his reaction to this. Hurt flashed through his eyes for a moment before he set his gaze on the floor again.
Giles stepped into the office. "Tell me what?"