Title: Deceptions and Betrayals 5/21
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.

Wesley was translating a scroll of obscure origins when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in."

Fred stuck her head in the door.

"I brought your mail." She came in and laid it on his desk. "It looks like an invitation."

He picked up the plain envelope and saw the Sunnydale return address. He had spoken to Buffy a couple of times, but hadn't seen her since the day of their charade. He slit the envelope open with a silver letter opener on his desk.

"Buffy is inviting us to Dawn's 16th birthday party."

"All of us?" Fred asked. She had met Buffy once and talked to her a few times. She seemed really nice.

"Yes," he replied as he continued to read. "It's one week from this Saturday."

"Maybe we can all go?" She suggested.

"Perhaps." He wasn't sure that Angel would want to go. It was still uncomfortable for the vampire to be around the people in Sunnydale, not just Buffy.

"I'll go tell Angel and Gunn."

"Why don't you let me tell Angel." He suspected that Angel would want a bit of privacy.

"Okay. Let me know what he says." Fred replied as she headed out to find Gunn.

Wesley carefully folded the scroll and placed it in a drawer for safekeeping. Then he went looking for Angel.

****

"Angel?" Wesley called softly from the doorway of Angel's room, moving quietly in case the vampire was putting Connor down for a nap.

"Come in, Wes." Angel said from his position by Connor's crib.

Wesley walked into the room and stopped by the crib. Every time he looked at this child, he thought about how his very existence went against everything that was thought possible. He truly was a gift.

"What did you need?" Angel asked.

"I wanted to let you know that I received a invitation from Buffy inviting all of us to Dawn's 16th birthday party." Wesley pulled his attention away from Connor.

"And?"

"I need to let her know who will be coming. Fred obviously wants to go and I 'm sure Gunn will go with her. What should I tell Buffy concerning your presence?"

Angel was silent for a long moment. He still cared a great deal for Buffy, but he also knew that he didn't want to see her. It caused them both too much pain and this was supposed to be a happy occasion. "Are you going?" he asked.

"I plan to attend if nothing interferes." Wesley answered cautiously.

"Then it's settled." Angel turned back to the crib. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on things."

"Very well."

"Wes?"

"Yes, Angel."

Angel hesitated for a split-second. "Wish Dawn a happy birthday for me."

"I will."

****

Wesley picked up the phone in his office. He needed to let Buffy know who was coming to the party. He heard the phone on the other end ring several times and was about to hang up when someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Dawn?"

"Yeah. Wesley, is that you?" Dawn sounded pleasantly surprised.

"Yes it is. How are you?" Wesley asked.

"I'm good. How 'bout you?" Dawn replied.

"Very well, thank you. Is Buffy home?"

"Yes. Hold on a sec." Wesley heard the younger Summers sister calling to Buffy. There was a pause and then he heard the phone being picked up.

"Hey, Wes," Buffy greeted him, her tone warm.

"Hello, Buffy." Wesley couldn't stop his flush of pleasure at the welcome in her voice. "How are you?"

"Doing good. How's everything in L.A.?"

"Fine. I wished to let you know we received your invitation in the mail."

"Great!" Buffy grinned. "Are you coming?"

"I'm not sure about Cordelia and Giles. But Gunn, Fred and I will be there," Wesley assured her.

"Not Angel?"

"No. He asked me to wish Dawn a happy birthday, but he wouldn't be able to make it."

"Oh." Buffy sounded--subdued.

"Buffy, are you all right?" Wesley asked, concern coloring his words.

"I'm fine. I just thought--."

"Thought what?"

"I just thought we'd be able to get past everything." She sighed. "I guess not."

"I don't think it's a matter of getting past anything, Buffy."

"Then what is it?"

"Angel still cares a great deal for you, Buffy." Wesley felt the need to explain what he thought the vampire's motives were. Both to defend Angel and ease Buffy's pain. "It hurts him when he sees you. Not only because of what he did, but because he can't give you what he so desperately wants for you."

"A normal life." Buffy drew in a deep breath as she wondered if she would ever be allowed that. And what else would she have to sacrifice in order to get it?

"Among other things, yes." Wesley removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He hated seeing his friends in pain.

Buffy sighed again. "Well, I understand. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it, but I do understand." She changed the subject. Putting Wes on the spot wouldn't help matters. "You are coming to Dawn's party, right?"

"Yes. Unless something occurs that will prevent it." Wesley never ruled out the unexpected.

"Nothing had better happen, understood?" Buffy ordered playfully.

Wesley put back on his glasses and grinned. "Understood." He hesitated for a moment. "Um, Buffy--?"

"Yeah?"

"Is everything else going well?"

"Actually, everything's going pretty good. Dawn's doing better in school. She's actually getting compared to me in a good way."

"In a good way?" He was puzzled.

"Yeah, you know--'you're nothing like your sister. You're so well behaved'. She's getting good grades and everything." Buffy sounded very proud of her younger sister.

Wesley chuckled. "It sounds as though you're doing very well with her," he complimented her.

"I'm not really doing anything." Buffy protested.

He felt the need to point out her accomplishments. "Buffy, you're providing her with a loving and stable home in the face of incredible odds. I would say you could take some of the credit for how well she is turning out."

"Thanks, Wes." She sounded slightly embarrassed.

"You're welcome." Wesley chuckled at the tone of Buffy's voice. "But I was also wondering if you were having any more problems with that Jason fellow."

"Nope. So far he's been leaving me alone. I'm not sure if it was the threat by you or the fact you implied I could hurt him." Buffy laughed. "Either way, he's steered clear. But everyone else is wanting to know when you're coming back. I told them you work out of town, but I don't know if they're buying it."

"And if they don't?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll deal with that when, and if, it happens."

"If you need me for anything--." Wesley began.

"Thanks, Wes. I appreciate it. I really do. But I can't keep asking you to bail me out of the messes of my life."

"You're not asking, Buffy. I'm offering." Wesley insisted. "I would be very put out if you needed something and did not ask because you felt you were imposing."

"Okay. If I need anything, I'll let you know."

"Good." Wesley nodded. "Well, I suppose I will see you then."

"Cool. I'll see you. I need to find out if Giles and Cordelia are coming."

"I will let you go then. Goodbye, Buffy."

"Bye, Wes."

****

Cordelia was opening the mail when Giles came through the door.

"Hey, handsome." Cordelia greeted him as she moved into his arms.

"Hello, luv." Giles returned as he kissed her.

"How was your day?" she asked when she came up for air.

"It went rather well." Giles hung up his coat and put his briefcase in the hall closet. He didn't plan on working tonight.

"We got an invite to Dawn's birthday party." She told him as they moved into the living room.

"When is it?" Giles asked, settling down on the sofa and pulling her down next to him.

"A week from this Saturday." She snuggled up next to him. "I want to go. A girl only turns 16 once and I want to see Dawn. I haven't seen her since we came back from our honeymoon."

"Then we should go."

Cordelia was about to speak when the phone rang. She untangled herself from her husband with a groan and went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Cordy?"

"Hey, Buffy." She sat back down beside Giles. "What's up?"

"I wanted to know if you got my invitation to Dawn's party?"

"Yeah, we did. In fact, we were just talking about it." Cordelia settled back against her husband.

"Are you coming?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. Do you need us to bring anything?"

"No. I think we've got it all covered."

"Okay. Did you need to talk to Giles?" Cordelia looked at him as she asked the question.

"Yes, please."

Cordelia handed Giles the phone and told him she was going to start dinner.

"Hello, Buffy." Giles watched Cordelia walk into the kitchen.

"Hey, Giles."

"What can I do for you?" He reluctantly looked away from his wife and turned his attention to his Slayer.

"I was wondering if you had time to see me this weekend." Buffy's voice sounded-strained.

"Do you need me to come to Sunnydale?" Giles asked. His tone indicating he would if she needed him to.

"No," she rushed to assure him. "I'll come to L.A., if you have time."

"Certainly I'll have time. I always have time for you, you know that." Giles chided her gently.

"I know." Buffy smiled at the affection she heard in his voice. "I just didn't want to interrupt anything if you and Cordelia had plans."

"As a matter-of-fact, I have to work for a short time Saturday morning." Giles made a mental note to rearrange his work schedule for Saturday to make it a short day. "Cordelia and I have nothing planned for this weekend." That was the truth. He'd planned to work all day Saturday. "When do you need to see me?"

"I can be there Saturday afternoon. I just need to talk to you." She assured him.

Giles was concerned, nonetheless. For Buffy to come to Los Angeles just to talk to him was not something that was conducive to an unworried mind.

"Very well." He didn't let any of his anxiety color his voice. "I shall see you Saturday."

"Okay. I'll talk to you then."

"Goodbye, Buffy. Tell the others I send my love." It was still hard for Giles to speak openly about his feelings, but Cordelia had taught him that he mustn't hold back from the people he cared about.

"Will do." Buffy was unused to hearing him voice his feelings, but she enjoyed hearing him say them. "Bye, Giles."

Giles hung up the phone and sat staring at nothing until his wife's voice broke his reverie.

"What are you think about?" She'd come back into the living room to see if his call was done. Since they had been married, her culinary skills had improved, but Giles liked to cook so she came to get his help. One of her favorite times of the day was helping him in the kitchen.

"Buffy is coming to town Saturday."

"And?"

"She wishes to speak with me." Giles said as he stood up and followed her into the kitchen.

"About what?"

"I don't know. She asked if I would mind her coming here and I told her no."

"Why would she ask?"

"She said she didn't want to interrupt any plans we might have made."

"Maybe that means it's not a world-ending problem." Cordelia guessed.

"One can only hope." Giles smiled.

"So, what do you want to do tonight?" The question was asked with exaggerated innocence.

"I don't know. Did you have something in mind?" Giles played along.

"Well, I thought maybe we could--." She leaned over and whispered in his ear.

Giles flushed and opened his mouth. Nothing came out. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"I think I could be persuaded to do that," he croaked out.

Cordelia just smiled wickedly.

****

Wesley was finishing up for the day when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Wes?"

"Hello, Buffy." He smiled. "To what do I owe the pleasure of speaking to you twice in one day?"

"I forgot to ask you what you're doing Saturday night." Buffy told him.

"I don't have anything planned at the moment. Why?"

"Well, I'm going to be in town. I have to talk to Giles and I thought I'd take you to dinner. Sort of a 'thank you' for what you did for me." Buffy really wanted to show him how much she appreciated what he'd done for her.

"You don't have to thank me, Buffy." Wesley told her quickly.

"I know I don't. I want to." Buffy insisted. "Just remember I'm raising a teenager on a single income."

Wesley laughed. "I'm sure we can find someplace that is compatible with your means."

"Cool. So, I'll see you Saturday?"

"Certainly. How does five o'clock sound?"

"Sounds good. Where should I meet you?"

"Why not my apartment?" Wesley suggested.

"Fine by me. I'll see you then. 'Bye, Wes." Buffy hung up with a smile on her face.

"Goodbye, Buffy." Wesley did the same.

NEXT