"Giles, now that we’re going into college, do you think we are still allowed to cage Oz up in the library?" Willow Rosenberg asked the former Watcher.  She turned away from the werewolf caged before her to look at Giles.
        "You know, I haven’t really thought about it.  Right now I’m just glad we have a decent place to cage him," the Brit replied, looking over the newly rebuilt library with pride.
        "So am I," Willow said with feeling.  She had hated having to lock Oz up in his basement.  Because there wasn’t a proper cage, that had meant that whoever was watching Oz had to sit next to the basement window.
        "Doughnut Call!! And, yes Giles, I got extra jellies." Buffy said perkily as she entered the library with a large box.
        "Oh, junk food," Xander said, leaving his spot in the table to raid the box of chocolate covered doughnuts.  Willow smiled and went to go find a jelly before Giles got to them.  As she took a bite, Willow sat down and looked at her friends.  Buffy had fully recovered from being partially drained by Angel, and had dealt with his leaving better then anyone had expected.  Xander had resumed his spot sitting on the table, with Cordelia’s feet propped up on his lap.  Willow was happy that the two had gotten back together.  Giles was the same as ever, but seemed to act even more fatherly with Buffy then before.  Willow herself was just dandy, and her and Oz were better then ever.  She looked over at Oz in werewolf form and smiled again. Willow had even put up some towels on the cage, though she no longer had problems handling him full monty, but it gave him some privacy from the others.  All of a sudden, Willow noticed something.  Usually at this time Oz was restless, noisy, and moved around a lot.  In fact, he had until a few moments ago.  But he stopped suddenly, grew quiet and went to the back of the cage.
        "Uh, Giles, I think something may be wrong with Oz," Willow said nervously as she got out of her chair.
        "Really? What?" Giles asked as he turned toward the cage.  Abruptly, Oz jumped up and at the cage door, which became unattached and crashed loudly to the floor.  Cordelia screamed, and Xander took hold of her waist and ran her up to the stacks as Buffy and Giles ran to the office to get the stun-gun.  Wolf-Oz looked at them all, and sniffed the air.
 
Oz still regained some awareness when in wolf form, but only in the most primal sense.  He had tested the cage for weaknesses, and had found one.  He now stood, sniffing the air, deciding what to do.  He smelled fear, surprise, and….something else.  Something as familiar as his own scent.  His mate.  He sniffed again and walked toward the scent.

*****

Willow stood still next to the table as she watched Wolf-Oz sniff the air. And as he started towards her.
        "Willow! Move!" Buffy yelled as she aimed the gun at Oz.
        "Wait!" Willow yelled back as she held up her hand to keep Buffy from shooting Oz.  She felt Oz wasn’t going to hurt them.

*****

Oz  came up to his mate, who knelt before him.  He smelled her scent, and also fear.  His mate was afraid.  He had to show her not to be afraid, that he would protect her.

*****

Willow knelt before Oz, afraid of his wolf form, but she knew he wouldn’t hurt her on purpose.  She was amazed when Oz began to lick her face.  The roughness of his tongue tickled, and Willow giggled.
        "Uh, Giles? What is happening here?" Xander asked, bewildered.  Below him, a werewolf Oz was licking  Willow, who in turn was petting him like he
was a big dog.
        "I’m not sure," Giles said, who ran to consult his books.  Buffy, emboldened by Oz’s treatment of Willow, reached down to touch him, but jumped back quickly when he snapped his jaws at her.
        "Oz!" Willow said reprovingly.  Surprisingly, the werewolf shrunk back from the scolding.  Willow smiled and continued to pet him.
        "Uh, Willow? I hate to cut this happy moment short, but could you do something about your un-caged werewolf boyfriend?" Cordelia asked edgily. Willow nodded, and lightly grabbed the scruff of Oz’s neck.  She led him to the back corner of the cage and sat down.  Oz, in turn, laid down and put his head on Willow’s lap.  As Oz fell asleep, Giles came back out of his office, book in hand.
        "It says here that the only cases of a werewolf being affectionate is with their mate," Giles explained, peering at his book. "It also says that a werewolf will only recognise his mate after they, um, actually mate." Giles continued in an embarrassed tone.  Willow was suddenly very aware of four pairs of eyes on her.
        "Well, um,"  Willow tried to explain, "why did you guys think we were late for the graduation ceremony?"
        "What?!?!?!?!?!" yelled Xander.  "You slept with Wolf-Boy?!"
        "Come on, Xander.  I didn’t freak out when I found out you slept with someone.  And at least I did it with my significant other, unlike someone I could mention."
        "What?!?!?!?!?!?!" This time it was Cordy to Xander.
        "What? Xander, you didn’t tell her about Faith?" Willow asked wickedly.
        "You slept with FAITH?!" screamed Cordy before she slapped Xander. Xander glared at Willow and led Cordelia further back into the stacks to explain.  Willow smiled as Buffy and Giles left her tactfully alone, though she knew Buffy would hound her for the whole story later.  Unhooking the towels from the cage, Willow covered her and Oz and settled down to fall asleep.

*****

Willow woke the next morning to find a very human, very naked Oz.  She took the towels and recovered him.  This action woke Oz, who blinked a few times, and stretched before realising he was laying on his girlfriend’s lap.
        "This looks like a very interesting story." Said Oz as he stood and wrapped the towel around his waist.
        "Oh, it is." Giggled Willow, "Get dressed, and I’ll tell you all about it."