Title: Seeking His Place 4/?
Author: Kate R.
Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein.  The X-men belong to Marvel Entertainment Group; the Angel characters belong to Joss Whedon.  I'm not making any money off this so please don't sue me.  

"Wesley," professor Xavier said. "I want you to focus on this crystal. I want you to let your mind drift, slowly allow yourself to go into a..." The crystal exploded suddenly as Wesley pulled himself back form the trance stat and shook his head.

"Never attempt to use a crystal to teach a wizard to meditate," Wesley said. "And this is one lesson I don't need to learn. I have learned to meditate over the years of hell I've lived through---" he sighed after a moment. 'I'm sorry," he whispered. "I don't need to be treated as a child---" In the week since he'd arrived Wesley had shown remarkable improvement in his people skills, even laughing with the New Mutants about may things, but on other matters he still thought he'd be yelled at for voicing an opinion. "Wesley," the professor said. "It's all right. I forget sometimes that you have more world experience than most of my students. Bear with me all right? We'll find something that works."

"My father called me a freak," Wesley said softly. The Professor turned his wheelchair towards him and took his hand. "You are not a freak Wesley," he said. "You are a gifted young man who has so much to contribute if you would just learn to trust yourself. You know you saved Illyana your first night here. You did that. No one else would have known how to do what you did for her. And she is much happier now with your wards protecting her."

"I...how did she become like that? That child has been twisted worse than Ethan Rayne was and he was twisted terribly."

"She was kidnapped by a demon lord to be used to let his dark masters have earth. She chose to reject him but the line she walks is hard."

"Perhaps I'll call Giles sometime. He may know how to help her. He walks the same line between dark and light. Ethan is finally learning to."

"That would be most kind Wesley. And most appreciated. Do you use your gifts often?"

"No...Only when they make me. I was told I was a freak so I suppressed them. They didn't start to bother me again until a few weeks ago. They threw me off balance, I fell into someone and tore her dress--- I wasn't supposed to hear what she said but I did. So, I left."

"If I was to teach you to use these gifts you have Wesley, would you allow them into your life?"

"Can I use them to help people?" Wesley asked. Xavier stared in shock.

"My god, of course Wesley. That's what I'm trying to teach these students. How to use their gifts to help people. There is a great deal of power in you that needs a focus other than magic. You are more than an ordinary Psi. When I touched your mind, I felt a power that rivals even the Phoenix Force. Do you wish to learn to use it?"

"Yes sir," Wesley said softly. He knew he needed to learn to control and use his gifts and although they frightened him, he was determined not to screw up again.

"Excellent. Now, the New Mutants, Illyana's Team, would like to go to the mall today. I thought perhaps you'd like to go with them?"

"Uhm...All right..." Wesley said as he understood the Professor was saying they'd done enough today. As he turned to leave, he looked back at Xavier.

"If I were you and trying to teach me? I'd use a bowl of water to focus on. There is less change of danger in that. At most all that I would do would be to scry out my former teammates."

Xavier chuckled as Wesley walked out the door and down to where the New Mutants were waiting for him. Perhaps Wesley would find his niche with them. he was far too powerful to be placed causally and Xavier knew from watching that he and Jean in the same group could cause an explosion. Wesley's approach to his gifts was different from Jean's and that bred dissent as Jean thought Xavier's way was the only way. Wesley had already been taught most of the disciplines he needed to harness his gifts though. He had been taught differently and with a different purpose in mind, yes. But, he had been taught nonetheless. Xavier smiled as Wesley played tag on the way to the car. He would be driving but seeing him running around like a teenager despite being in his mid twenties was refreshing. Xavier found himself greatly pleased. As the car pulled out, he turned to Jean in the doorway.

"Leave him be," Xavier said. "He destroyed the crystal when you tried to touch his mind. That was beneath you Jean. I hope you don't do it again."

"Does he know?" she asked. Xavier shook his head. "No, he doesn't know. But he suspects someone tried. Let him alone. He reaches the same end as you did when I taught you. Wesley has his own way of learning. It is not our way but it is a way. Trying to change it now could result in catastrophe."

"But he didn't learn right..." "He didn't learn my way Jean, that doesn't mean he learned wrong. You've seen a bit into his mind, you know what he's done in his life. My way would have closed him off from fighting demons. Wesley has his own way and thoughts on what to do with it. He's helped Illyana and he's helping Rahne. Don't interfere again. You do not want his full power brought to bear n you. It rivals and possibly surpasses the Phoenix Force."

"Doesn't that make him dangerous in the way he could be corrupted?" Jean asked.

"I honestly don't think so. Wesley has something in his heart that you did not, he has a purpose and a fight that needs him to be focused and in control. Wesley has purity in his soul that I doubt even he is aware of. And that I think is for the best at this time."

Jean looked at the professor as he turned his chair to look out the window. He could still see the remains of the leaf pile Wesley had jumped through on his way to the car.

"They are teaching him to laugh Jean, and right now that is far more important than anything we adults could teach him. Have you seen his true smile? Not the cynical one he gave you when you got upset about him breaking your shields, but his true, pure enjoyment smile? No? When you do, let me know. And I'll tell you why receiving it is such a gift."

That last statement told Jean the conversation was over and she left pondering Wesley and what a true smile could mean. She hoped she did see just to get an answer form the professor about why it was such a special thing. She met Scott in the hallway and they walked down to the dining room for a sandwich and then went for a walk in the fields. Jean would keep her own council for now, maybe later she would tell Scott about the strange conversation but for now, she would keep it to herself.

On the road, just entering Westchester County, Giles sighed. He could see the others were hungry and quite a bit colder than they would be in California so he decided to pull into a mall. Spike looked out at the over cast sky and followed the others in to the mall. He hoped they found Rupe's kid soon. The guy was getting really, really impatient. They'd been through most of the sates in the past seven days switching off drivers. At night, Spike drove, during the day, Rupert did. Spike sighed as they headed to get warmer clothes and food. Dawn was making a beeline for the food court and Spike and the others followed her. She ran to a cheese-steak place causing Spike and Xander both to chuckle as they ordered. Then, they sat at the table where Buffy and Giles continued their discussion from the car.

"I guess the first thing I should do when we find Wes is to apologize for being a brat in Sunnydale. But Giles, he was a pain," she said.

"He was a lonely young man Buffy," Giles returned gently. "Did any of us really even try to see the man as opposed to the Council's sacrficial lamb? Thinking on it now, I look at Wesley and I see a young man who was deathly afraid of failing and being alone and we caused both things. We all owe him an apology."

"None of us more than Cordelia thought," Xander groused. "God, I can't believe I dated her. Why would she say something that cruel about anyone?"

"You know Cordy," Willow said as she and Tara split Tara's veggie sub. "That girl couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it."

"It was cruel and unnecessary," Giles stated coldly. "I'd have slapped her for it if I were Angel but I guess he thinks sop little of Wesley as well. What is wrong with those people?"

"Some people just can't see the beautiful flower amid the weeds Giles," Buffy said. "We never got to see Wesley change and Cordelia doesn't want to see beyond the man he was in Sunnydale."

"Yes," Giles sighed. I suppose you are correct---Spike? What is it?"

"He's here Rupert. In this food court somewhere. I can smell him."

"Where?" Giles asked. Spike focused and then pointed to a group of teenagers and the adult with them. The adult they recognized as ---

"WESLEY!" Dawn squealed and ran across the food court. Wesley jumped in startled surprise at her voice but caught her nonetheless.

"Dawn? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. Giles has something important to tell you and uhm...man was he pissed when he found out about what Cordelia said to you. I thought he was going o let the Ripper out for a few minutes."

"You---You came here to find me?" Wesley asked in stunned amazement. Dawn sighed.

"Of course we did. We care. You're my friend Wesley, remember? You are my best friend. I got worried and stuff about you. So, who are you friends?"

Wesley was nonplussed about Dawn's sudden change of topics but also used to it.

"I'll tell you when the others get over here. Guys this is Dawn Summers. A special young lady in her own right."

Dawn giggled and rolled her eyes and then waved impatiently to everyone over at the table the Sunnydale crew had been sitting at. They all made their way over and Dawn noticed that the kids with Wesley were getting positioned around him. Almost like they were---protecting him?

"My dear boy," Giles said as he hugged Wesley tightly. "My dear, dear boy. Thank God you are all right. I was worried about you."

"I'm sorry Rupert but---" Wesley began only to be cut off by Giles.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Wesley. You did nothing wrong but listen to fools. You have worth. To us if not to Angel. To me especially."

"Why to you especially?" Wesley asked. Giles shook his head.

"We'll discuss that later. Now, who are these young ladies and gentlemen?"

Wesley blushed slightly as he began introductions.

"This is Rahne, Dani, Illyana, Sam, Roberto, Kitty and X'ian. Guys, this is Buffy, Rupert, Xander, Willow, Dawn, Spike and---I'm sorry, but I don't know your name---" Wesley said looking at Tara.

"I'm Tara, she said as she shook his hand. And it's very nice to meet you Wesley."

Wesley stared for a moment before standing suddenly to look for more chairs.

"It's all right, Wesley," Giles said. "We were getting warmer clothes for this group anyway."

"We could show ya'll the stores to go to is ya'll'd like," Sam said. Giles nodded seeing how important these teenagers were to Wesley and allowed the groups to intermingle. This was going to be one interesting adventure that was for sure.

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