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"
Thank you so much for all the feedback. You guys rock *g*
Part Three "Nothing! Tell... there's nothing to tell!" Willow stammered, as Buffy just stared guiltily at her mentor.
"Alright." Giles studied the two girls and then looked to Oz. The young man who hadn't said a word was deathly still, staring at the doorway behind Giles, seemingly lost in thought. "Though, Willow, I must ask you to tell me if you're pursuing any magicks to please speak with me. Simply for safety reasons, I --"
"I scratched Willow." Oz stared up at Giles, suddenly, breaking his long silence and startling both the girls. Willow stared at him, wide-eyed. He glanced at Buffy, but refused to look at his girlfriend.
Giles blanched for a moment, then his brow furrowed. "Erm... what?"
Oz sighed, shifting slightly and perched himself on Giles' desk. "Last night. I scratched Willow."
"Oz..." Willow protested, feebly. He closed his eyes for a moment.
"Willow, we need help." His voice was thick. Willow nodded, slightly, hurt and worry in her eyes. She glanced up at Giles who was looking at her, obviously checking for the mark.
"Are you... oh dear." Giles sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is... not good."
"Yeah, we really know. Giles, what do we... what can they do? Anything?" Buffy asked anxiously.
Giles took off his glasses, studying them as if they held the answers. He began to clean the lenses in a nervous gesture. "I don't ...I researched some when Oz first contracted the lycanthropy but didn't come across anything..." He placed the glasses back on, and looked at WIllow. "May I... um, I'll need to see the scratch."
Willow nodded, never meeting the watcher's gaze. She turned, and showed him the injury, glancing over at Oz. He was staring at her exposed shoulder, the blank look once again masking whatever emotions he might be having. She sighed, allowing Giles to study her scratch while looking helplessly at Buffy.
"What in heaven's name where you two doing that would have caused thi--" He looked from Willow's flushed face to Oz's pained one, and closed his mouth quickly. He stepped away from Willow. "Oh, I um... I didn't know."
Willow rushed back to her seat, fidgeting again. "I-I... Giles, help." She finally whispered.
Giles set his jaw, staring at the werewolf for a moment. "Oz, are you sure that it was you that scratched her?"
Oz locked eyes with the watcher. "I don't know. I don't know what else it could have been."
"Willow, is there *anything* else you could have done that would have caused this? Anything at all that you can remember?"
Willow stared down at her lap, thinking hard, trying to remember everything she'd done the day before. "Not that I can remember."
Buffy spoke up. "What about when we patrolled last night, Will?"
The redhead's face lit up for a moment. "Yeah! Buffy and I patrolled... I might have caught my shoulder on a bush or something and not even noticed it!" She looked up at Giles. "That could cause that kind of scratch, right?"
Giles nodded. "I'm sure it could... but we can't be sure you did, especially if you do not remember anything of that kind occuring."
Willow's face once again fell, those her eyes still held the slight glimmer of hope. "So what do we do?"
Giles moved his shoulders in a helpless shrug. "I really don't know. It wasn't as if I was planning on locking two werewolves up this month." His tone held a trace of anger, as he turned to the slayer. "Buffy, could you... give me a moment with them, please?"
Buffy gave Willow a simpathetic smile, and stood. "Yeah. I'll be in the kitchen." She left the room, but stood close enough to hear everything that was going on. And to be able to come to the rescue if he went too hard on them.
Willow looked up at Giles with wide eyes as he began to pace.
"I don't want to lecture you." He said, his voice firm. "However, I do wish that you two had come to me before this incident. And that you had thought more carefully about the consequences of your actions."
"But we--" Willow cut herself off when she saw the look in Giles' eyes.
"I know that you are young and in love. And that it's difficult to believe that could bring any harm upon either of you. But that doesn't excuse your carelessness." He looked at Oz, who was still managing to keep his face clear of emotion. "Did you give any thought to what might happen if things got out of hand?"
Oz just let out a breath, glancing up at the watcher for only a minute. He made no other acknowledgement.
"And, Willow, did it ever even cross your mind that you were... involved with someone who is not fully human?"
Tears were stinging the sides of Willow's eyes. "Giles, please."
He exhaled, and stilled his movements. "I'm sorry." He looked down. "I'm just... this is a potentially awful situation. It's hard enough keeping one werewolf under control, it could be nearly impossible with two. I don't know what we'll do if you have in fact contracted lycanthropy."
"Is there any way to know? A... test or something?" Willow asked.
Giles shook his head. "I don't know. I suppose that it may turn up in blood samples, but I really can't be sure." He looked at the calendar that hung on his wall. "The full moon is in five days. I suppose all we can do now is contruct another cage and try to wait patiently." With that, he walked swiftly out of the office, leaving Oz and Willow alone.