"Giles?"

"Giles!"

"Giles, c'mon, tell us what you found. Why's Xander behaving like he's in a B-grade movie?"

"Is he possessed by a hyena again? 'Cause, you know, I've said it before and, well, uh, I'll say it again, hyena possession is just plain nasty." Willow shuddered.

Giles pulled himself from the deductions in his head and looked up. Four faces stared back at him - two demanded answers and two were quietly curious. He gave a trademark sigh and wondered where to begin.

"Giles...hello...hyena...friend...knowledge guy required." Buffy was getting more impatient by the second. I can't remember the last time I had that much energy, he mused.

"Sorry," he finally said, "I'm just trying to gather my thoughts."

"Giles, is Xander ok?" The concern in Willow's voice was intense. Her childhood friend had looked awful.

That depends on whether you mean physically, mentally or emotionally, but essentially, yes, he's all right."

"Start with the physical. Did Xander's demon magnet go into overdrive again?" Buffy was gearing up to kick some demon butt when an idea struck. "Will, you haven't done any wacky spells lately have you?"

The witch shook her head as Giles spoke again.

"Xander and his friend were apparently attacked by drunken louts. They came here afterwards and I, uh, administered some first aid." He's sore and bruised, but that will heal quickly enough."

"Apparently?"

"I was rather under the impression that he didn't reveal the entire story, but I don't believe he neglected anything important." The second time anyway.

"So what's the sitch then? Why is Xander acting wiggy? And, to get back to my original question, what a-ha?"

"It seems that Xander hasn't been entirely forthcoming about a number of things. Evidently, the hyena spirit is still present. In fact, according to Xander it never left. However, since he has been spending time with Kyle, they have both been suffering nightmares. Rather horrendous ones if the screams I heard are anything to go by."

"So what does it mean Giles?" The desire to help Xander was overwhelming Willow.

"I'm not certain, but I believe that we can expect Xander's circle of cohorts to grow."

A resounding 'huh' echoed through the room.

"Sorry that was a bit obscure wasn't it? Although I haven't been able to find much in the way of information, I believe that the former pack members are being drawn together. For what purpose, if any, I don't know. My suspicion is that when we tried to transfer the hyena spirit we forgot one key element."

"Which was?"

Giles frowned at the interruption and continued. "The spirit initially possessed five bodies, we tried to move it back into one. Simply put, there wasn't enough room in the zookeeper and some of the spirit remained in the original five."

"I don't get it. Xander's been fine. Why is this happening now and what are we going to do about it?" Buffy needed answers. "I don't want to have to hit him with a desk again."

"I don't know Buffy. I just don't know. None of my books are at all helpful." Giles decided that he'd best keep his observations about Kyle and Xander to himself. It wasn't necessary for anyone to know about the mythical association between hyenas and homosexual behaviour. It would confuse matters.

"So, uh, Xander's a hyena?" Riley's voice resonated with bewilderment - every time he thought he had a handle on Buffy's friends, something weird always came up.

*****
Part 9:

Videos hadn't seemed like a good idea in the end. Xander wanted to be distracted and being alone in a room with Kyle wouldn't have worked. His inner game-show host had offered him a choice - door number 1, confrontation, door number 2, introspection, and door number 3, absolute escapism. It was no contest [I'll take door number 3 thanks Bob].

"So what's next?" Xander asked as they walked out of the cinema. He was high on a movie buzz and feeling generous. Besides, he knew Kyle could be trusted to continue the fun.

"Let's see... We could go to the Bronze and get beaten again. Oh wait, we did that last night and it's simply pass� today." Kyle laughed. "How about we go to the arcade and I kick your butt at Mortal Kombat?"

Xander mock punched Kyle's arm, ignoring the tingle in his stomach as he did so. "Cool, and afterwards we can swing by my place and pick some stuff up. I can't keep wearing your clothes man. They're way too tight."

Kyle suppressed the urge to comment.

*******

"I'm telling you, you just got lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it buddy. I'll have you know that I had an entirely misspent youth until Buffy arrived. C'mon, let's go get my stuff. These clothes are driving me nuts." Xander wasn't sure when he stopped caring if Kyle saw the basement, but he figured it was around the time he knew he wouldn't be living there anymore.

The walk was full of jokes and laughter, but just as Xander was about to unlock the door he became serious. "Someone's in there."

"Who?"

"I don't know," his nose twitched, "Anya, I think." He entered cautiously and descended into the basement. Anya was curled up on his bed, reading.

"Anya, what are you doing?"

"Xander!" She jumped up and threw her arms around him. "Xander, where have you been? I've been waiting for you for hours."

Xander disentangled himself. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Yes! Everything's wrong! I made a mistake; I don't want to break up. Orgasms aren't as much fun on my own."

Kyle spluttered from his position by the door, but Anya didn't notice. She pressed her body into Xander's, slipped her hands over his ass and began kissing his neck. Several heartbeats later, he pushed her away.

"Anya, I..." [God, what am I supposed to say? Sorry, I think I've met someone else and, hey, what do you know, it's a guy. Yeah right! Assuming I sort myself out and anything more happens with Kyle, all Anya would care about is joining in.] His mouth engaged before his brain got any further. "Look Anya, you broke up with me remember. And, to be honest, I think it's for the best. We didn't have a normal relationship and I don't want to be a part of that anymore."

"But Xander, I love you."

"No you don't", he ignored the pleading, "not really. It's better this way. Better for you and definitely better for me. Now if you don't mind, I need to get some stuff and leave."

"So?"

"So, I'd like you to leave. " [Well done, Xander. Excellent work. I should give lessons on how to piss off former vengeance demons.] He hadn't really intended to be mean, he just didn't feel like dealing right now.

Anya's face dropped and then hardened. Grabbing her bag, she stormed up the stairs and out the door, pushing Kyle into the wall as she went.

"Interesting girl", he said as ducked under the clothesline and entered the basement fully.

"You have *no* idea. She was the latest in a line of bizarre romances, and one I really shouldn't have pissed off." Xander sat on the bed. "Man, I don't know what came over me. I really hope she doesn't get her powers back."

Ignoring the reference to powers, it *was* Sunnydale after all, Kyle sat next to him. "Was it the hyena?"

Xander looked up and shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Maybe a little, but I had a lot of issues with Anya. Obviously, I needed to vent."

"Was it enough? You were...restrained...for someone with issues."

"It was plenty. I'm positive it's not the last I'll see of Anya." [God help me, I actually want to be friends. What? Masochistic? Me? Never!] He got up and began to rummage.

Kyle watched him for a moment then had a close look around. "Bet you'll be glad to get out of here, huh?" {Kyle, you idiot. He may be moving out, but that's no reason to insult the place he's been living in. Especially when he grew up upstairs.}

"You got that right. It's pretty much the reason I agreed to your offer. Um...I didn't mean...I mean...ah I'll just stop now before my foot is permanently lodged in my throat."

Their eyes met and they laughed, relieved that the other hadn't taken offence.

"Can I help?" Kyle asked.

"No, it's under control. I'll just grab some clothes and other essentials and come back for the rest later." He found the bag he'd been hunting for and started shoving things inside.

"Essentials?"

"Uh huh. ID papers, resume, comics, action figures, chocolate stash..."

"Cool. So, show me your action figures."

*******

Anya paused briefly outside Xander's door and then continued on her way. Something was wrong. Xander wouldn't reject her. Heading towards Giles', she determined to find out what was happening.

*******

The Scooby gang had been going through reference text after reference text ever since Xander and Kyle had left. Now that Giles had a suspicion of what might be happening, they were searching for a cause. Several hours of nothing useful had left them frustrated and tense. When the door swung open and Anya charged in, they all jumped.

"Giles, you have to help. Something's wrong with Xander!" Anya hadn't been this upset since wearing the bunny costume for Halloween.

"What happened?" Buffy was glad to escape the books.

"I was waiting at his place, I wanted to make up. But he was really mean and refused to have sex with me. Then he told me to leave. I don't know what's wrong with him, but we have to fix it. Who else is going to have sex with me if I don't have Xander?"

Buffy fought the urge to comment. "Was there anyone with him?"

"Some guy. I didn't really pay attention."

The need for action was starting to drive Buffy mad. "Giles, I'm not much use here, I can't concentrate anymore. I think I should go over to Xander's and convince him and Kyle to come back here. Maybe if we can talk to them we'll be able to figure out exactly what's going on and how to fix it."

Giles thought briefly and then agreed. "Just be careful. We don't know how advanced things are or if they've met up with the others. Oh, and Buffy..."

"Yeah?"

"We don't know if they are a threat to anyone, but given the apparent intensity of the nightmares I believe there is a chance that Kyle may be inclined towards self-harm." He sighed, life was just too complicated sometimes.

"Gotcha. I'll be back soon." She put on her jacket and turned to leave.

"Wait. I'll come with you." Riley stood, "Xander's a decent guy. I'd like to help."

*******

They arrived outside Xander's basement, only to be met with darkness.

"Doesn't look like anyone's there now." Riley said as he peered through a window.

There was a sudden crack as Buffy forced the door open. "Maybe not, but I'm going to make sure."

They entered carefully. The basement was silent and still. After fumbling around, Buffy switched on the light. The closet door was open and clothes were scattered across the sofa bed. Wandering around, neither of them could miss the strange feeling of emptiness. As though no one had been really living there at all. Stopping at the closet, Buffy crouched down. She pushed her way through the mess on the floor before standing abruptly.

"He's gone. He doesn't live here anymore."

Riley face was a study in puzzlement. "How do you know? Maybe he's just out."

Buffy shook her head. "He's definitely gone. The comics and action figures aren't here. They're his most prized possessions; they wouldn't be gone if he wasn't." She slammed the closet door. "Damn it. We have no way of contacting him now. God knows where he is and what he's doing!"

*******

At that moment, Kyle and Xander were walking down the hall towards Kyle's apartment when a sense of d�j� vu hit. This time they could both feel it. Moving slowly they rounded the last corner and dropped their bags. Kyle found his voice first.

"Heidi? Tor? What are you doing here?

*****
Part 10:

Xander stood and watched as Heidi and Tor embraced Kyle. It was an enthusiastic reunion, filled with rushed words and touches - the kind of touches that reassured a person of the other's existence. In Xander's opinion, neither of them had changed since high school. [Still blonde, still beautiful, still stylish, and, oh yeah, still rude.]

"We've been looking for you man!" Tor grabbed Kyle in another bear hug and pounded his back. "Not an easy task. I can't believe you came back here."

"Well, there are some things you have to do," Kyle cast a sidelong glance at Xander, "and some things you want to do. I came back because I needed to find you guys. I stayed because I like it."

"You like it? After everything, you still like it?" Heidi released her hold on Kyle's arm and took a step back. "This town is hopeless, full of nothing but losers and weirdos. You could have been and gone in a week. We haven't been here in years. Don't stay Kyle, if you do you'll end up a loser as well."

"That's not true."

Sick of his invisible statue impersonation, Xander ignored the conversation and picked up his bags. Using the key given to him weeks earlier he unlocked the door and slipped into Kyle's apartment. [Correction, 'our' apartment.] He had better things to do than listen to Kyle defend Sunnydale. It was a crappy little town hiding a hellmouth. In Xander's mind the only redeeming feature was its location as home to his friends. He paused briefly in the living room to see if it felt any different. [Nope, same old room. It's nice that you're dependable.] Looking quickly at the door, he continued into Kyle's room. The plan had been to sleep on the couch and organise his room in the morning, but logic suggested that Heidi and Tor would be staying. [Guess I'll just have to share with Kyle again. Doesn't mean that anything will happen. We're capable of just sleeping. And cuddling. Niiiice cuddling. No! No cuddling! This is complicated enough already, especially now that Heidi and Tor are here. Rhonda will probably show up any minute now. Then, 'Hail, hail, the pack's all here.'] Still pondering how he felt about sharing Kyle's bed, Xander strode into the living room.

"So we asked the neighbours to collect our mail and followed the directions your folks gave Tor."

Xander sat on a chair and waited for the newcomers to acknowledge his existence. [God, how pathetic am I? They're here ten minutes and I already feel like a dork. I'm just glad I'm wearing Kyle's clothes. Note to self, wear more solid colours.] Irritated with his reaction Xander interrupted Heidi, "Where's Rhonda?" Three pairs of eyes swivelled. "Cause you know, when she arrives you'll be your happy little fearsome foursome again." [Babble-mouth strikes. You couldn't just listen and settle for being ignored? Nooo, you wanted to confirm your loser status, make sure there wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind.]

Kyle felt his eyes widen. {He's jealous. He's actually jealous.}

Heidi and Tor's eyes narrowed. For the first time that evening they registered Xander's presence and identity. Moving as a unit they invaded Xander's personal space. The scent was recognizable as pack, but hyena senses were battling human awareness. Loser, mate, geek, dominant, weakling, alpha - the words bounced through their minds.

Xander watched quietly. He was too busy dealing with his own internal conflict to speak. The hyena had stirred with an outraged whisper for him to assert his supremacy and make them whimper. His inner moppet was mewling at the memory of schoolyard torment, and praying for them to leave him alone. So he waited.

Finally Heidi spoke, cruelty dripping from every word. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be delivering pizzas or mopping a floor somewhere? Or were you delivering something to Kyle? Don't expect a tip if you were, we have things to talk about and it's time for you to leave."

Human venom had obviously overpowered animal instinct and Xander's hyena shrieked in response. Pack should not forget pack, and lesser pack should never challenge the dominant. He stood. Gripping Heidi by the throat with one hand he used the other to shove Tor to the ground. Growling, he carried the girl by her throat until she was against the wall. Still squeezing with his hand he pushed his body against her.

"Where is Rhonda? The pack is incomplete." Twisting his head slightly his eyes sought Tor. "Answer! She cannot!" He squeezed to emphasise the point and Heidi gasped.

Tor caught a glimpse of Kyle watching avidly, and decided he should submit. The alpha wasn't going to pleased with his news. "She couldn't cope. It drove her insane. She was institutionalised two years ago, and committed suicide last year." The words escaped in a hurry.

Kyle's jaw fell. He collapsed onto the couch and tried to work out how he felt. Surprised? Definitely. Upset? Not really. Loss? Yep, that was it. The missing piece was never going to take its place now.

Momentary shock passed over Xander's features. He freed Heidi and she buckled to the floor. "Well, it seems as though our pack is a member short." Claiming his position beside Kyle, he smiled. "I guess we'll just have to fix that. But there's something more important to take care of first. I think we need to reclaim our territory, don't you Kyle?"

Understanding exactly what Xander meant, Kyle grinned in agreement.

*******

At Giles', the Scooby Gang were agitated. Buffy and Riley had come back with the news that Xander was gone and the panic switch had been flipped.

"What are we going to do?" The thought of losing her childhood friend was terrifying Willow.

"Well, I doubt we need to worry tonight. Xander and Kyle are still injured. It's, ah, likely that they will stay in for the rest of the evening." Giles paused to polish his glasses. "Tomorrow we'll try to locate Kyle's place of residence. Xander may well be staying there."

"What about this whole pack thing? What started it and how do I stop it? Buffy was eager to slay something, anything.

"I'm really not sure. We'll also look into tracing the rest of those involved with the original possession. That may provide some clues. Why don't you go home and get some rest. This can't have been the best welcome home for you all." He ushered them out the front door.

******

The pack moved through the alley towards the Bronze. Xander led slightly, flanked by Kyle to the right and Heidi and Tor to the left. Even to the casual observer, they projected an aura of power and menace. People scattered as they passed. It was obvious they were a group to avoid.

Xander smirked as he entered the club. Sometime during the evening, all of his self - doubt had disappeared. He felt strong and masterful. Power pulsed through his blood, injuries forgotten. A hand touched his shoulder. He looked at Kyle, and then let his eyes follow the direction of the outstretched arm. [Well, if it isn't the Neanderthals. Colour me unsurprised.] With a laugh, Xander gestured for the others to follow him.

They weaved through the crowd, stopping when they formed a semi-circle around their table. Xander let Kyle speak.

"I don't remember giving you permission to sit at our table."

Four heads turned.

"Look boys, it's the little faggots. And they brought friends."

The men laughed hysterically at their non-joke.

"Did you come back for round two? Cause we're happy to oblige."

The smile never left Xander's face as he lifted the man in front of him by the hair and dragged him through the club and outside. He didn't need to look to know that the others were behind him - each with their own prey. As the crowd cleared, Xander slammed the man's head against the wall. Repeatedly. The larger man made several futile efforts to escape, screaming for people to get the maniac off him. No one played the hero. Eventually, Xander let go and his victim slumped. All efforts to fight back had long since ceased, but he still wasn't finished. Xander kicked the man in the kidneys until he was bored. With his smile still in place, he lent down and whispered, "I don't think you'll be sitting at our table again, will you?"

A glance told him that his pack was dominant. It was enough. He gained their attention with a whistle and motioned for them to leave.

When the police arrived, the few witnesses who remained could only say that the attackers had obviously been on something. They never stopped smiling or laughing.

*****
Part 11:

Adrenalin buzzed through the veins of the pack. Striding to a soundless beat, they knew the town was theirs to take. People felt them coming and shuffled out of the way.

Xander stopped on a corner and looked at the others. "We need to eat. Come on." Turning on his heel, he clasped Kyle on the shoulder as he passed. His mate had flinched at the mention of food, but there was no need to worry - the nature of the pack was different now. They were stronger, more controlled. HE had more control. Anticipation sent a shiver up Xander's spine as he led them towards their destination.

******

Fifteen minutes later, the pack was back in the apartment. Xander was stretched out on the couch with Kyle on the floor by his feet. Heidi and Tor were entangled with each other in an armchair. They were all munching on a slightly warm, but raw, steak.

Kyle looked at the man who owned his soul and smiled. Xander radiated strength and power; he'd been a fool to doubt the alpha for even a second. Raw, bloody steak wasn't the most appetising meal, but it satisfied his body's demands while leaving conscience and sanity intact. Chewing intently, Kyle wondered at the changes that had happened that evening. The hyena wasn't raging inside him now. It seemed to have merged with his human nature. The change felt good. His instincts and senses were stronger, his reflexes were quicker and he had a feeling of belonging that hadn't existed since high school. Still, he couldn't shake the coil of fear at the base of his stomach. Savaging the man at the club had been fun. He hadn't wanted to stop. If anyone but Xander had tried to call him off, he wouldn't have listened. He would have killed - again. Running a thumb along the meat, he gathered blood and wiped it across the knuckles of his other hand. The smear made him wonder if he was destined to be a killer after all.

As he swallowed his last mouthful, Xander studied the pack. Heidi and Tor were oblivious to anything but their immediate needs. Right now that included each other and eating. Straightforward and easy to read was the best way to describe them. They lived in the surface of their consciousness, rarely delving deeper. Kyle was different. Watching him lick blood from his knuckles, Xander realised how quickly Kyle flipped between introspection and distraction. If things weren't handled well, the soul searching would overtake him. Xander smiled.

"So tonight was good. We were good. But it's not enough." Three pairs of eyes were glued to his face. "They're going to try and stop us. Change us, like they did before. We need to find the fifth. We're weak without them."

"How?"

"I don't know. We'll come up with a plan in the morning. Until then, we need to rest. You two have the couch. I'll share with Kyle." Swinging his legs off the couch, Xander grabbed the dark haired man by the hand and led him to the bedroom - no explanations given. If the others had questions, they could ask them in the morning. Assuming they still needed the answers. All he cared about was making Kyle forget the existence of anything except pleasure.

******

The door closed behind him and Kyle was assaulted with the scent of arousal. He closed his eyes. Strong arms encircled his waist; he tried to pretend they belonged to someone who hadn't already rejected him.

Apprehension clouded the room. Xander understood, but part of him didn't care. He just wanted the brooding to stop. His arms tightened and he placed a gentle kiss behind Kyle's jaw. Then he moved slowly to start sucking on an earlobe. Kyle's head dropped back. Xander worked down the exposed neck - savouring the silken skin. He turned his attention to the collarbone, trailing his lips across.

Kyle moaned as Xander sucked the hollow at the base of his throat. His breathing quickened. Suddenly it didn't matter that he might be hurt again in the morning. Sliding his hand into too-long hair, he pulled Xander's head up and brought their lips together. Driven by need, their bodies moulded into each other.

Realising they were still by the door, Xander spun them around and moved to the bed without breaking their kiss. Kyle fell back with an 'oomph' that coincided with Xander landing on top of him. He reached up a hand, tracing a path from the corner of Xander's eye, to his lips. Xander's tongue played with the tip before drawing the finger all the way into his mouth. Kyle grinned. The frenzy associated with their kiss disappeared; only tenderness remained.

Replacing Kyle's finger with his lips, Xander sucked on them as he worked to remove their shirts. Eventually, he was successful. Bare chests connected and a spark ran through them both. Xander shifted focus. Sliding down Kyle's body until he reached the nipples, he swirled his tongue and relished their taste. His hands moved lower. The fingers still massaging in his hair tightened when he brushed solid arousal. Kyle's belt buckle became the centre of attention.

Easing Kyle's pants off, Xander manoeuvred into a kneeling position by the bed. He ignored Kyle's erection, taking hold of a foot instead. Not wanting to break the mood, he briefly considered licking the sole, but decided against it. He cupped the heel with one hand and placing the other on Kyle's outer thigh. Each toe was sucked gently. Then he kissed the inner ankle and began working his way up - tormenting Kyle with little butterfly kisses. When he reached the groin, he glanced up. Kyle's eyes were almost closed, but he was watching Xander intently, his mouth slightly open. Grinning, Xander slid his tongue across to the sac, and sucked. Kyle gasped and his muscles tensed; strong hands grasped his waist.

Xander remained in position for several minutes, paying slavish attention to Kyle's balls, and then he moved. A flick of the tongue touched the tip of Kyle's erection just before it was engulfed. Kyle closed his eyes. A hot flush travelled his body, over and over. When he felt himself begin to shake, he put a hand on Xander's shoulder.

"Wait."

He wriggled across the bed, rolled on his stomach and hung his head over the edge. After a minute of rummaging, he returned to his previous position and handed a bottle to his lover. Xander looked at the baby oil in his hand and then back at Kyle. The question was clear in his eyes. Kyle nodded.

"Please?"

Xander leant over and kissed him deeply. They hadn't gone this far before and he was glad Kyle had asked. He was also glad that he'd taken the chance to strip completely. He couldn't think of anything he wanted more than to be inside his mate. Continuing the kiss, he poured the oil over his hands. Spilling it all over the bed in the process. Xander slid his hand back and forth along Kyle's cock, and then slipped it further back.

Kyle's muscles contracted as Xander's finger probed. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax. The finger wiggled. A groan echoed through the room as it found it's target and another quested to join it. When his breathing became ragged, Kyle ran a hand through the spilt oil and reached for Xander's erection.

At the first contact, Xander's head jerked up from its place on Kyle's chest. He inhaled sharply when he heard Kyle's whisper.

"Now. Do it now."

Xander rocked back onto his heels and placed Kyle's legs over his shoulders. Then he moved forward and began easing his way in. Kyle was oblivious to any pain or discomfort. His awareness was completely focussed on Xander. All that changed as Xander started a rhythm. Waves of pleasure passed through Kyle and he grabbed Xander's head down for a savage kiss. The rhythm gained momentum. Soon they were both panting heavily. Xander sped up, froze and then shuddered and came. Sweat beaded on his forehead and dripped from his hair. He kissed Kyle gently on the lips and then swooped down to swallow him again. Seconds later, Kyle exploded.

They lay together, bonelessly heavy, and soon drifted into sleep.

******

Everything was stained. The sky, the grass, the rain falling on his head - it was all crimson. How strange that the blood didn't bother him anymore.

A familiar form nudged his leg and he kicked it away. There wasn't any time for a cub now. Moving forward, he flinched as a howl shattered the rain's steady beat. The cub seized the opportunity and bit an ankle. Blood from the wound contributed to the landscape. He snarled. Then he grabbed the cub by the scruff and lifted it until blue eyes met his own. The cry sounded again.

Xander smiled. Finally he knew what had to be done.

******

The scoobies and their partners arrived at Giles' apartment early in the morning. Neither Buffy nor Willow had been able to sleep. They were worried for their friend, but the potential damage a new pack might cause had also kept them awake.

Giles opened the door with a book in his hand. "Morning. Do come in."

Willow watched as he surreptitiously hid then title and then slipped the book into a drawer. Positive that it contained important information about Xander, she decided to sneak a look when Giles left the room.

Buffy settled in a seat by the window. "So, Giles, what's the plan? How do we find Xander and stop him going feral?"

"I don't know Buffy, dreads might actually suit him." Riley's laughter died as he realised no one else thought his joke was funny.

Giles stepped into the silence. "Well, with Xander gone, it seems possible that he is staying with Kyle. Perhaps..."

"I can find the address." Willow was already moving to the computer. "My hacking is a little rusty, but even if he's not in the phone directory, it shouldn't take long."

"Then what?" Tara asked.

"I go there and knock the hyena out of him."

"It's not that simple Buffy. A ritual was required last time and we knew what was happening then. No. First we need to determine why the hyena has resurfaced. Xander hasn't shown any indication of its influence until now. It's important that we know the nature of the trigger before we attempt anything." Giles stopped pacing as Buffy interrupted.

"So we hit the books?"

"Indeed." He looked at Willow. "It might also be wise to determine the location of anyone involved in the initial possession."

"No problem. I can do it at the same time."

Willow set about her task as the others draped themselves through the room. Soon the only sounds were the tapping of a keyboard and the rustling of paper. Willow started an internal chant - 'please let him be all right, please let him be all right'...

*****

An hour and a half later she realised it was going to be more difficult to find Xander than expected. Kyle's contact address was consistently listed as a post office box and he didn't appear to hold a driver's licence. Luckily, two of the others had been easier.

"Heidi and Tor, two of Kyle's original gang, live together in San Francisco." Heads looked up. "I have their phone number. I'm going to call it."

Everyone gathered around the phone.

"Hello. I'd like to speak to Heidi or Tor please." Willow gripped Tara's hand. "My name's Willow Rosenberg. I went to school with them." The circle moved closer. "No, in Sunnydale. Oh. Uh huh. Well, thanks very much. I'll try again another time."

She hung up the phone with a sigh. "Apparently they've gone on holiday. She didn't know when they'd be back."

"I think it's safe to say that the reunion got started without us. What about the others Will?" Buffy was a study in restless energy.

"Nothing so far. I'll keep looking." Dejected, Willow resumed her previous position at the computer.

*****
tbc