Title: Deceptions and Betrayals 12/21
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.

Buffy heard the phone and hurriedly unlocked the front door. She dropped everything on the floor inside the door as it slammed behind her and dove for the phone. She'd worked late and was just getting home.

"Hello?" She answered, breathlessly.

"Buffy?"

"Cordy?"

"Yeah, listen, I need to talk to you. Can you come to L.A.?" Cordelia didn't have the time or patience for tact. She was too damned worried.

"Cordy, what's wrong?" Buffy went into full panic mode at the barely contained hysteria in the other woman's voice. "Has something happened to Giles? Is Wesley okay?" She would've fired more questions, but she was interrupted.

"Wesley's fine, but we've got a problem with my stubborn husband," Cordelia snapped. She knew it wasn't right to take it out on Buffy, but right now she just couldn't seem to work up the energy to care. She and Giles had gone through so much together and for him to not even tell her something was wrong--magically wrong--was like a slap in the face. Not to mention terrifying.

"What's wrong with Giles," Buffy asked as she tried to control the rising dread.

"I'll tell you when you get here."

"Cordy--"

"Buffy, please?" The other woman's voice cracked slightly.

The Slayer began to mentally rearrange her schedule. Thank God today was Friday. She had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but that was out now.

"Okay," she said as she blew out a breath. "Let me try to get in touch with my dad and see if I can stay there."

"You can stay with us."

"No. I got a feeling that whatever this is about, once it hits the fan, you two are going to want to be alone." She drew a deep breath. "Don't worry, Cordy. I'll figure out something. I can't leave tonight, but I'll be there first thing in the morning."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Cordelia hung up the phone and wondered how they were going to save her husband from himself.

****

Buffy spent the better part of two hours trying to track her father down before his answering service finally told her that he was out of the country and had left orders not to be disturbed. She'd gotten an awkward silence when she asked if that included his daughters. She hung up at that point and started wracking her brain for alternatives.

She couldn't stay with Angel--that would be too weird for her. She didn't have any other family in L.A. now.

She sighed.

Giles and Cordelia's looked to be the only place, but if Cordy's voice was any indication, the uncomfortable levels in that house were going to be off the charts tomorrow.

She sighed again.

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Buffy? It's Wesley."

"Hey, Wes. What's up?"

Wesley hesitated for a moment. "I hate to ask you, but do you have any idea what's happening with Cordelia and Giles?"

"Not a clue, but I'm coming to town tomorrow."

"You are? Excellent." Wesley was relieved.

"Yeah. Why? Have you heard something I need to know about?" Buffy asked, hating to be left out of the loop.

"No." Wesley ran his hand through his hair. "I was simply worried because Cordelia seemed very agitated today and the only thing I can think of that would make her this nervous would be problems between her and her husband."

"She called me today and asked me if I could come to L.A." Buffy rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm definitely going to find out."

"I would appreciate it if you would keep me informed." Wesley replied. "Would you like me to pick you up at the bus station?"

"No, that's okay." Buffy sighed. "I've got to find someplace to stay once I get there."

"What do you mean, 'find someplace to stay'?" he asked suspiciously.

"I mean, I couldn't get in touch with my dad and I'm *not* asking Angel to stay with him." She blew out a frustrated breath that ruffled her bangs.

"What about Giles and Cordelia?" Wesley suggested.

"If Cordy's pissed enough at Giles to call me in as backup, I don't think I' m gonna want to be in the same house when everything comes out. That means I 'm finding a motel room."

"Buffy?"

She could hear the hesitation in his voice.

"Yeah?"

"How will you be able to afford that?"

Buffy rubbed her head again. God, how had her mom deal with emergencies? "I don't know yet, but I'll figure something out."

"You could stay--"

She interrupted him. "Forget it."

"Buffy--?"

"No, Wes." She forced out through clenched teeth. "I owe you too much already."

There was such a long silence to that that Buffy thought they might have been disconnected.

"Very well. If that's how you feel," he said with quiet acceptance.

She cursed to herself in terms that would shock her parents, Watcher and the man talking to her if he heard them.

"Wes--."

"No, Buffy. It is quite all right." Wesley's voice had gone very proper.

She cursed again. She'd hurt him and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Wes--."

"No, Buffy," he interrupted again. "I completely understand. I wouldn't want you to feel indebted to me." His tone was frosty.

"Damnit! Would you stop interrupting me!?" Buffy snapped in frustration.

"I do apologize." The Antarctic couldn't have been colder at this point.

"What the hell is your problem?" She asked angrily.

"My problem, as you put it, is I thought friends helped on another without keeping score. Apparently I was wrong. Or," he said in a quieter tone, "I wasn't, but we're not the friends I thought we were."

Buffy was so damned tired of hurting the people she cared about and it seemed like that's all she did done.

"Wesley, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

"Wesley," she threatened softly. "If you don't shut up and listen, I'm gonna come to L.A. and kick your British butt all over town."

"Buffy--"

"Wesley. Shut. Up." Buffy bit off each word.

Wesley closed his mouth with an audible snap and seethed as she gathered her thoughts.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," she began. She could feel him begin to interrupt. "Nope, keep quiet." She smiled, because she could almost see him grinding his teeth in frustration. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but I did and I'm sorry for that." She took a deep breath. "We are friends, Wesley. Good friends. I just don't like asking people for things that I should be able to do for myself. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do understand, but you must know that you don't have to do it all alone." Wesley hated the thought that she felt so alone.

"I know that, Wes. I really do. But the only thing I know is ever since I got back, I've needed someone else's help to get myself out of my own problems."

"This isn't a problem of your making, Buffy," Wesley pointed out. "Cordelia asked you to come to L.A. because she needs *your* help."

"And I can't even do that without having to bother someone else to make it happen." She heaved a deep sigh.

"Buffy," he began gently. "You are an amazing young woman that has managed to make the best in the midst of overpowering odds. I don't know many people that would have been able to overcome the things you have in order to thrive and grow."

"But--."

"But what? You've asked for a place to stay for the night? Technically, you haven't even asked, I offered. Why do you need it? Because you wish to help someone you care for." He rolled over any objections she thought about making. "I fail to see how that makes you needy in any way."

"Wes, you don't understand."

"I understand better than you know. I understand constantly striving to please someone and feeling as though you've fallen short." He paused to consider that. "Of course, in your case, the failure is in your own mind, not in the minds of those who care about you."

Buffy could hear the weary resignation in his voice at the unspoken admission of the disapproval of his family.

"Wes, are you okay?"

He winced at the well-meaning concern. He couldn't explain what disappointing the one person in the world you wanted to impress the most could do to a person. Especially when that disappoint was never-ending and never, ever forgotten.

"Wes?" Buffy repeated.

He mentally shook himself. This was not the time to feel sorry for himself. "I'm fine, Buffy."

She wasn't so convinced of that, but she let it slide. She wanted to know what had happened in his life to make him doubt himself so, but she also knew that she didn't have any right to ask. She wondered at the small pang of disappointment that thought caused. Did she want to have the right? One thing was for sure, she wanted to erase the sorrow from his voice. She wanted to let him know that someone trusted and believed in him; even if it was just by accepting his help.

"Buffy? Please, let me help you?" Wesley asked again.

"Okay."

He blinked.

"You're sure?"

She laughed at the astonishment in his voice.

"Well, if you're taking back the offer--?"

"NO." He cleared his throat. "No, I'm not."

He could hear the grin in her voice.

"Okay. Then I'll be there tomorrow."

Wesley smiled. "Very good. I'll be expecting you."

"See you then."

She hung up and wondered just what emotional deep water she was letting herself in for.

****

Cordy wandered the home she and Giles shared and wondered when it had turned into a lie. When had he stopped trusting her enough to let her share his problems? When had he stopped believing in her? She wanted so badly to confront him. To ask him what the hell the thought he was doing? But she knew that if she did it tonight, she would say something that would be unforgivable. She wouldn't do that to herself and she *couldn't* do that to him. Not if even half of what that doctor told her was true.

She scribbled a hasty note explaining that Angel needed her at the hotel. Dennis rattled pans in the kitchen.

"Don't start, Dennis," she warned. "And don't you dare do anything that will let Giles know I know."

With that last command, she left the house.

****

Giles closed the front door and called to his wife. He got no answer. He started to call again, then saw the note.

Giles,

Fred called. Gotta go to the hotel. Don't know how long I'll be gone.

Cordelia

Giles smothered the stab of jealousy that reared its ugly head. He knew that Angel laid claim to her time before he married her. That didn't make it any easier to deal with. He didn't want her dropping everything to go to the vampire. Hell, if he was honest with himself, he would have to admit he didn 't want her going to Angel period.

He and the souled vampire had managed to find a way to deal with one another, but neither was entirely comfortable. Giles, because of what Angelus did to him. And Angel, because of what Angelus had done. It was the height of irony that they both were haunted by what happened in that mansion in Sunnydale.

He reread the note and wondered at the abrupt tone. He couldn't remember her leaving a note in that tone for a very long time.

He picked up the telephone and dialed the Hyperion.

"Hello?"

"Fred, this is Giles. May I speak to my wife?" He detected the barest hint of hesitancy before she replied.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Giles. She's in the middle of something and said to tell you she'd see you in the morning."

"Fred--?"

"Please, Mr. Giles." The young woman's voice was pleading.

He sighed and told her goodbye. If Cordelia was angry and determined not to talk to him, badgering the poor soul designated as her go-between wouldn't help and would just put Fred into an untenable position.

He resigned himself to a lonely night. A glass of scotch floated towards him.

"Thank you, Dennis."

He took a sip and worried.

****

Cordelia looked up as Fred came in Wesley's office. She'd been working--well, that's what she told everyone. Actually, she had been staring at the same sentence for the last hour. All she could think about was what the doctor had told her.

"Mr. Giles called," a soft Texas drawl interrupted her thoughts.

"I heard the phone."

"I told him you would see him in the morning."

"Thanks, Fred."

"Cordelia?"

She looked up at the questioning note in the other woman's voice.

"Why didn't you want me to tell him you were with Angel? It would have made more sense."

"Because--just because," she finished lamely.

Fred just shook her head and left.

Cordelia didn't know how to answer Fred's question. She wasn't sure why she didn't have Fred tell Giles she was with Angel. After all, that's what she'd told him in the note.

She sighed.

She didn't tell him she was with Angel, because no matter how pissed she was at him, she wouldn't cause him more pain than necessary. She knew that he'd made as much peace with Angel as he could. She also knew that he found it almost impossible to stay in the same room with the vampire. He hid it well, but she'd been privy to his nightmares and his memories of the night Angelus tortured.

She loved Angel. She wouldn't give him up, but she wouldn't use him as a bludgeon to punish Giles, no matter how mad she was.

She sighed and left the office. She wouldn't get any work done tonight anyway, so she trudged up the stairs to the room she was using. She didn't know what she would say to Giles tomorrow, and was too tired to think about it tonight.

****

Cordelia waited anxiously by the door as Buffy's taxi pulled up to the curb. She expected Giles home at any moment and she wanted to fill the Slayer in on what was going on before he arrived.

"Hey Buffy," she greeted the blonde as she yanked her in the house.

"Geez, Cordelia. Why don't you yank my arm out of the socket?"

"Oh, quit being a baby. You're the Slayer for God's sake."

Buffy looked at her peevishly. "Why did you want me here again?"

"Because this has to do with Giles and you would string me up if I didn't tell you what was going on," the brunette replied.

Buffy cocked her head to one side while she thought about that and then nodded. "You got that right," she agreed.

She dropped her overnight bag by the door and plopped down on the couch. "So, you want to tell me what this is all about?"

Cordelia curled up at the end of the couch and told Buffy everything she knew.

"Damn," the Slayer blew out a breath. "Has he gone completely crazy? Keeping something like this a secret?"

"That's what we're going to find out," came the assurance.

Buffy nodded and they settled down in silence to await Giles' return.

****

Giles turned his key and swung the door open. The sight that greeted him had terrified lesser mortals.

Buffy and Cordelia, shoulder-to-shoulder, aligned for battle.

He suppressed a shiver that went down his spine and strolled into the living room with a nonchalance he was far from feeling.

He kissed Cordelia on the cheek. "Hello, darling."

He nodded to his Slayer. "Hello, Buffy. What brings you here?"

Neither woman said anything for a long, nerve-wracking moment and then Buffy looked at Cordelia and shrugged her shoulders as if to say 'knock yourself out'.

Cordelia pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her husband without a word.

He read the name and address and promptly lost all color.

He glanced up at his wife and cringed inwardly at the barely-concealed fury in her eyes.

"How could you?" She whispered fiercely. "How could you keep something like this from me?"

"Keep what?" He desperately hoped that the doctor hadn't told her everything. He risked another look and knew it was a futile hope.

Cordelia didn't answer, she just glared at him.

He cast a furtive eye towards the silent blonde and saw she was just as furious as his wife.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Cordelia. I didn't want to worry you. Or you, Buffy." He directed this to his Slayer.

"I don't want sorry, Giles. I want to know what the hell's going on," Cordelia ground out.

Giles knew she wouldn't be so angry if she wasn't frightened for him. Which was exactly why he hadn't told her to begin with. He knew now, however, that he had no choice but to tell her the truth. So he did.

****

They had all sat down in the course of the telling and now Cordelia wore a dazed look on her face that was quickly being burned away by anger.

"You should have told me."

Giles cringed at the censure in her voice. He looked at Buffy and saw the same betrayal that resided in his wife's eyes.

"Perhaps," he agreed wearily. "But I had my reasons."

Cordelia jumped up.

"What reasons, Giles? What reasons could possibly justify keeping something like this from me?" She whirled on him. "You could have died for God's sake. Hell, unless you've found out who's doing this, you could still die." Her words choked off as the magnitude of what could happen to the man she loved slammed into her.

He rose and took her in his arms, cradling her against him.

"Shhh, luv. It's going to be all right," he crooned gently.

"You don't know that," she argued weakly. She pushed away from him. "Besides, you still haven't told me why you didn't tell me."

"How could I tell you, Cordelia?" He asked. "You were dealing with the possibility of a pregnancy that neither of us planned for and may be against all the known laws of the universe. You've admitted that you're scared. Bloody hell, so am I." He ran an agitated hand through his hair. "How could I tell you there was a strong possibility that I wouldn't be around to raise our child with you? That I wouldn't be here to watch you grow old gracefully? That I would leave you alone?" That last question was laced with anguish. That was all he'd been able to think about since he had found out. How could he leave her when he'd just found her? When he'd finally found the one person that complimented him and made him whole.

She stepped closer to him and raised a hand to gently caress his cheek.

"We'll figure this out," she assured him. "There's no way in hell I'm raising our child alone. Who's gonna teach him about tea and old, musty books if you're not here?" She didn't try to hide the tears shimmering in her eyes. She was absolutely terrified, but she didn't intend to give him up without a fight.

He gave a weak chuckle before pulling her into his arms.

****

Buffy watched the exchange between her Watcher and her friend and felt as though she was intruding on something private. She shouldn't be here, but she couldn't leave.

She also had to smother a tiny flame of jealousy. They had something that she'd believed was a fairytale. Someone to stand beside you, no matter what.

She sniffed.

Giles raised his head at the sound. He'd forgotten about her. "Buffy?"

She waved his concern away. "It's okay, Giles. I'm fine."

Cordelia looked at her and gave a watery giggle. "Geez, aren't we something? We'll flood L.A. if we're not careful."

He chuckled again and slowly released her.

Buffy looked at them and decided it was time for her to go.

"I'm going to get out of here." She raised her hand to head off their protests. "Nope, you two need to be alone. I'll get out of your hair."

"Where are you staying tonight? It's too late to return to Sunnydale."

"I've got someplace to stay." She walked over to the phone and dialed a cab company. After she hung up, she turned back to them. "I'll be back in the morning. We need to figure out how we're going to fight this."

They both nodded and the three of them sat down to talk quietly while she waited for her cab.

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