Title: Deceptions and Betrayals 4/21
Author: Ness
Contact: sessa1_2@yahoo.com
Written: 09/08/2003
Spoilers: Nothing after "Wrecked" in season 6 on BtVS and anything before "Sleep Tight" on AtS. But this is completely AU.
Summary: This one is a sequel to "When You Least Expect It". If you didn't read that one, this will probably confuse you.
Pairings: Cordelia/Giles and Buffy/Wesley
Rating: PG most of the time but there are NC-17 parts.
Distribution: Anyone that already has permission. Anyone else, please ask first.

Disclaimer: We all know who owns 'em and it ain't me. Joss and Co. are gods in their universe, I'm just a peon in mine.
Thanks to Suzanne for the beta. It is much appreciated, Chica. *G* A/N: I did a bit of juggling with this after Suz saw it, so any and all mistakes are mine--as usual. ;-)
Dedication: This one is for Kerrie. She gave me the idea that ended an almost six month block. She read this puppy even though she didn't normally read these pairings. Now, I've corrupted her or that's what she says anyway. *G* Thanks darlin', you're the best.

Two days later, Wesley made his way to the Sunnydale Museum. Buffy had said to act as he would if he were truly dating her. He planned on showing enough affection that this Jason fellow would leave Buffy alone.

Buffy was working in the office when she noticed that everything had gotten quiet. She turned to see what was the matter. When she saw what was causing the commotion, she was confused, and a little delighted. If this didn't make Jason leave her alone, she was staking him--'cause nothing else was going to work.

Wesley stopped in the doorway in an attempt to find Buffy. He became aware of the scrutiny that he was under and had to force himself not to fidget and give the game away.

Buffy was trying to reconcile the somewhat dorky, ex-watcher she had known with the man that was standing in the doorway. Wesley was dressed in a charcoal gray double-breasted suit. His hair was slightly mussed and he had the beginnings of a goatee. He looked--*hot*. She shook her head. Now that was just plain weird. Wesley and hot were not two words that she would have used in the same sentence together. Just then, He spotted her and moved towards her. She couldn't help but notice the roses he had in his hand.

"Hello, darling. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, but my plane was delayed." Wesley leaned down and kissed Buffy with as much speed as he could manage and still make it romantic. He really didn't want her to stake him when they were done with this charade.

He handed her the roses with a flourish.

"Um, thanks." Buffy managed to mumble out without blowing the whole thing. She took a deep fortifying breath. Well--she had told him to treat her like one of his girlfriends. Who knew he treated his girlfriends like this?

"Buffy, aren't you going to introduce everyone to your gentleman friend?" Lisa, a girl from the office next door, asked.

Buffy almost smacked herself on the head. Of course. Here she is standing around, looking dumb, and Wesley was trying his best to live up to *her* plan.

"Sure, Lisa." Buffy replied as she found her mental footing. "This is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce." She wasn't sure where to go from here. She *really* wanted to go, but didn't know how to do it without blowing the whole thing.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you." Wesley said as his gaze took in the entire room. "But I've made dinner reservations for the two of us and we really must go." Wesley turned to Buffy and offered her his arm, hoping she wouldn't be upset as his announcement. He could see she wanted to leave and that was the first thing that popped into his head.

A commotion was heard outside the door and Jason came in.

"Buffy, I was wondering if you'd like to--?" Jason stopped when he saw Buffy holding the arm of a man he's had never seen before. "Who are you?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"Jason, this is Wesley. Wesley, this is Jason." Buffy hastily made introductions.

Wesley held his hand out. So this was the bugger that was bothering Buffy.

He disliked him on sight.

Jason shook Wesley's hand as he tried to figure out who this guy was. He looked Wesley up and down. Didn't seem like much, he thought to himself.

Unbeknownst to Jason, Wesley was thinking the same thing. Jason wasn't much and, if Wesley had his way, he wouldn't be bothering Buffy anymore.

"So you're the fellow that Buffy has been telling me about." Wesley said as he let go of the other man's hand.

"Buffy talked about me?"

"Yes. I was sure she had misunderstood your intentions. After all, she told you she was seeing someone." Wesley said with a hint of steel touching his voice. He couldn't threaten the git, Buffy would kill him. But she wanted it known she had a boyfriend, so he was making it known.

"What do you mean?" Jason wasn't exactly what could be called the sharpest crayon in the box, so he still hadn't grasped the idea of Buffy and Wesley as a couple.

Wesley marveled at the obtuseness of the man standing before him. He looked at Buffy. There was only so far he could go without her approval and he had reached that limit. If she wanted anything more, she had to approve it. Buffy looked at him for a split-second and nodded her head slightly. Apparently, she *wouldn't* kill him if he threatened the pillock. Wesley grinned inside.

"She told me you had been making unwanted advances towards her. Is that true? I only ask this as a matter of courtesy, because if Buffy says that's what you've done, I believe her." The steel in Wesley's voice was quite a bit more than a hint this time.

"I've asked her out a couple of times." Jason said. His manner became more cautious as he began to realize he might be in trouble.

"And when she said no, did you cease?" Wesley asked.

"Sort of." Jason replied carefully.

"I'll take that as a no." Wesley stepped closer to the younger man. "Understand this, because I do no intend to repeat myself. Do not make any more untoward advances to Buffy. I would take it very personally if you did." Wesley stepped back before speaking again. "Besides, if I didn't teach you a few manners next time, Buffy most certainly would!" Wesley finished with a charming smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He turned to Buffy.

"Shall we go, my dear." He offered her his arm again and they turned, leaving the office, and it's occupants, in a stunned silence.

****

Wesley led Buffy to a late model sedan that was parked by the curb.

"Is this yours?" Buffy asked.

"A rental. I was trying to project a certain air and I didn't think a motorbike would go with the suit." Wesley said with a smile.

"Oh, I don't know." Buffy grinned. "I think the bike is kinda cool."

Wesley opened the door for Buffy and then went around to his side of the car.

"Buffy please open the glove box. Take out the letter inside," Wesley said as he pulled into traffic.

Buffy did as he asked and was surprised to find an envelope with her name on it. She grew suspicious when she realized it was a legal size envelope.

"What's this, Wes?"

"Open it and find out." He never looked away from the road, but he gripped the steering wheel in an attempt to hide his apprehension.

Buffy opened the envelope and read the contents.

"Stop the car!" Buffy demanded when she finished.

Wesley did as she asked and pulled in front of a deserted building. He engaged the electric locks when she tried to get out.

"Let me out!" Buffy said through gritted teeth.

"I can't do that until we've talked about this." Wesley was trying to stay calm. He had assumed Buffy would be upset, now he had to make her see reason.

"I told you I didn't want your help," she delivered in a low voice.

"I know that," he answered patiently. "But, think about this for a moment. Did you really think I would let you lose your home without trying to help."

"I expected you to listen to me," she retorted. "I didn't want this." She waved the papers that informed her the mortgage on her home had been paid in full.

"I know you didn't." Wesley was trying to be reasonable.

"Then why did you do it?"

Wesley stared at the road in front of him. How could he tell her that seeing a woman of her strength that close to tears was heartbreaking. That house was the only thing she had left of her mother and she had been in imminent danger of losing it. What kind of man would he have been if he *hadn't* helped her?

"Wesley?" Buffy broke into his thoughts.

"I couldn't allow you to lose your home, Buffy," he answered in a quiet voice.

"Why?"

"Because you've lost so much already. How could I stand by and let you lose your home when I had it in my power to save it? Besides, have you thought of Dawn?"

"What do you mean?" Buffy's tone was slightly defensive. She was trying so hard with her sister.

"I did not mean that as a criticism," Wesley assured her. "I simply meant that it would be tremendously hard on her to lose the only home she has known, false memories aside."

"I know that."

"Yes, well," he continued. "Have you considered that it will be that much harder to keep custody of her if you do not have a home."

"We could rent someplace."

"Buffy, think about it. You are having trouble making ends meet as it is. If you had to pay rent every month, it would be that much harder. At least, with your home, the money you spend for the monthly upkeep is going toward something you own."

She bit her lip. She had had this argument with herself every time she thought about moving. On one hand, she was furious with him for ignoring her wishes. On the other, she felt a huge relief at knowing the bank wouldn't be taking the house; but she was tired of owing people.

"Take it back." The demand sounded half-hearted, even to her ears.

"I'm afraid that's not an option." Wesley told her with a slight smile. "I don't believe the bank will give the money back because you don't want to take a loan from me."

He was right, and she hated that he was right. Of course, if she was honest with herself, she was also ecstatic that he was right.

She sighed.

"Okay. But I'm paying you back." She dared him to deny her that.

"I would expect no less." Relief flooded through him. He'd been afraid she was going to be much harder to convince.

"We'll set up papers and everything."

"Of course." He had no intention of telling her this, but papers didn't mean anything if he didn't enforce them and he didn't plan to force her to pay anything back. If she did, fine. If she didn't that was fine as well.

Buffy looked slightly suspicious as his calm acceptance of her demands, but let it pass.

"Where did you get the money?" If he had asked Giles, she was going to kill him.

"I didn't ask Giles, if that is your concern." Wesley answered as though he had read her mind. "I called in a few favors."

"What kind of favors?"

Wesley shifted uncomfortably.

"Wes, out with it!" Buffy demanded.

"I talked to my family."

"You didn't ask your father, did you?" She would have been surprised if he had, because from the little bit she had gotten from him he didn't get along with his father.

"No, not my father." Wesley said. "Would you like to eat now?" He tried to distract her.

"Sure, but I still want to know where you got eight thousand dollars." Buffy wasn't that easily distracted.

Wesley sighed.

"I spoke with my mother," he said.

Buffy began to ask more questions, but decided against it. He didn't sound like he really wanted to talk about it and after all he had done for her today, the least she could do was leave him some privacy.

"Well, I just want to say thank you. I didn't know what I was going to do."

"You're welcome." He said as he maneuvered the car back on the road.

They went to a quiet restaurant and had dinner before he dropped her off at home and headed back to L.A.

****

Willow met her at the door.

"Was that Wesley I saw dropping you off?"

"Yeah." Buffy answered as she kicked off her shoes and collapsed on the sofa.

"What was he doing here?"

"Doing me a favor." She thought for a moment. "Actually, two favors."

"What did he do?" Willow sat down and tucked her feet underneath her.

"Do you remember that guy, Jason, I've been telling you about? The one that won't leave me alone."

"Yeah, you said you were going to stake him if he didn't ease up."

"Well, I don't think I'm gonna have to do that."

"Why?"

"Wesley came by the office today and did a little playacting." Buffy leaned her head against the back of the sofa.

"Okay--I'm totally lost now. Why did he playact? And what did he playact?" Willow asked.

"I talked to Wes a couple of days ago and asked him if he would pretend to be my boyfriend to try and get Jason to leave me alone. He did and hopefully it worked. I'll know tomorrow."

"You said two favors, what was the other one?"

"He paid off the mortgage on the house."

"He did WHAT!" Willow exclaimed.

Buffy repeated it.

"But, you owed eight thousand dollars!" Willow couldn't believe that Wesley had come through for Buffy. They had been trying to figure out a way to pay the loan, but hadn't come up with anything.

"I know. And he won't tell me exactly where he got the money, he just said he talked to his mom, which I gathered wasn't a great mother/son moment."

"Wow." Willow was rarely at a loss for words, but she found herself in that position now.

"Wow is right. This is such a relief. Even if I did tell him I was going to pay him back." Buffy stood up. "I'll see you in the morning, Wills. I'm going to do a quick patrol and then go to bed."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Willow headed upstairs as Buffy went on patrol.

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