Pairing: Buffy/Wes Rating: PG-13 If you can watch the show, you can read this. Spoilers: Through I Was Made To Love You on Buffy and The Thin Dead Line on Angel. Summary: Buffy seeks some advice from an old friend. Date Written: 2/27/01 Author's Notes: This is in response to the SlayersHaven February challenge. Must include ALL of the following: a silver picture frame, someone other than Buffy dusting a vampire, a letter revealing a dark secret about a Scooby, someone saying "Oh dear lord, Buffy! Not again!" Must include at least THREE of the following: a puppy with a red bow around its neck, a videotape, chocolate kisses, a leather jacket, cough drops. Buffy approached the tiny office nervously. She hugged her leather jacket tighter around her shoulders as she steeled herself for the coming conversation. With a final deep breath, she pushed open the door before she could stop herself. "Hello? Anyone home?" She peered around the room. It didn't take long. Her eyes swept over the single desk quickly, noting the bowl of chocolate kisses and the silver-framed photograph of a pretty, redheaded woman as well as the more traditional office supplies that decorated it. Her fingers drummed in frustration against the package she held in her hands. With a sigh she dropped into a chair to await the arrival of... anyone. "Buffy?" The girl started at the sound of her name. She hadn't heard footsteps. Of course, that could be because Wesley was in a wheelchair. "God, Wes! You startled me. What happened to you?" "Shot by a zombie policeman." "I hate zombies. So are you gonna be okay?" "Given time. I'm not paralyzed if that's what you're asking. What brings you to Los Angeles?" Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I was coming to see Angel..." "Oh dear lord Buffy! Not again!" "Like I said, that was the original plan. But when I got there, the building wasn't. There. Anymore. So I grabbed a demon off the streets. He seemed pretty panicked. Said his name was Merle. He told me what's been going on and where to find you." "And here you are." "Well, it didn't sound like Angel was gonna be much help, and that's what I need. Help." "What sort of help?" She wandered the room, picking up random objects and replacing them more or less where they had been. After a long moment she began to speak. She poured out the story of her mother's illness, Riley's departure, the Council's test, Glory, Spike's crush on her, and finally, her mother's sudden death. "And then, this morning I get this package. Somebody left it on the porch between the time I got back from patrol last night and the time I woke up this morning." She handed Wesley the letter and the package. He took her hand gently, but firmly. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I never knew her well, but I do know how much she loved you and Dawn." Buffy ducked her head and willed herself not to cry. She squeezed Wesley's hand as she let go. "Thanks. I'll, um, I'll let you know when the funeral is, in case you or Cordy want to come up." "Please do. And let us know if there's anything we can do to help." "Just tell me what to do about that." She pointed again to the package he held, then turned to wipe away the tears that would not be held back anymore. Without another word, Wesley opened the letter and read it. "My God. I don't believe it. Mr. Giles? Do you have reason to trust what this letter says?" "Like the man said: seeing is believing." She took the package and slid out the videotape inside. "Do you have a VCR around here?" Wesley nodded and pointed to the corner of the room where the video equipment sat. Buffy walked to it with a determined gait and inserted the tape. The film showed an empty room, at first. It looked like part of an abandoned warehouse. A few scattered pieces of broken-down furniture sat here and there among piles of rotting refuse and heaps of antediluvian dust. After several minutes, two figures entered the room. One was a scrawny, unattractive female vampire and the other was Giles. Wesley watched Buffy's shoulders tense when she saw her Watcher. He also caught her attempt to wipe away an unruly tear without being noticed. Returning his attention to the tape, he watched as Giles removed his shirt, sat in the one usable chair in the room, and offered his left arm to the vampiress. Only a slight tensing of his jaw muscles indicated that he even noticed when she bit into him. "Dear God!" Wesley breathed. "Not quite the words I used, but it means pretty much the same thing." "I believe I've seen enough." "No, not yet. There's more." They watched in silence as another figure entered the room and began to argue with Giles. The Watcher stood and grabbed the leg of a broken chair. He plunged it into the chest of the man before him, who evaporated in a cloud of dust. Then he returned calmly to his chair, still gripping the makeshift stake and held his arm out to be sucked some more. Buffy crossed the room and switched off the tape. "I hadn't seen Spike in a couple days. I thought it was weird, 'cause he said he wasn't leaving town. I even asked Giles what it meant that he hadn't been around. Now I know." "I must say, I find all of this very hard to accept." "I can't lose him, Wes. Not on top of everything else. And really not like this." "I'll do all I can, of course." "Thanks. I know I don't deserve this, but I'm grateful." "Buffy? Why would you say a thing like that?" "It's not exactly like we've been good friends, is it? I mean when you first came to Sunnydale, Giles and I were awful to you, and the last time I came down this way, I didn't make your life any easier." "Considering what a prat I was when you first met me, and the circumstances that led to my arrival in Sunnydale, I'd say you both were more generous than I deserved. And the last time you were here, Faith caused far more damage than you did. Besides, you and Mr. Giles fight the good fight as do I. We ought to help one another when we can." Embarrassed, Buffy moved to the desk and picked up the photograph. "She's pretty. Your girlfriend?" "She was." "Oh, sorry. She wasn't eaten up by something, was she?" "Actually, she decided she couldn't handle my job. Too dangerous." "I know. I get that, too. She didn't go to South America, did she?" "So far as I know, she's still in town." "Well, if you see her, tell her from me she made a mistake." "A mistake?" Buffy shrugged. "There's not that many good guys in the world. When you find one, you ought to hold on." "So I'm a good guy, eh?" "White hat and everything. What are you gonna do? For Giles." "I'm going to start by making some discreet inquiries into this sort of behavior. Once I know more of the phenomenon and have permission from my doctor to travel, I'll come to Sunnydale and do all I can. In the meantime, try to keep an eye on the situation. Ask him to help you make arrangements for your mother's funeral, beg him to go with you to the lawyers and such, anything to keep him in your sight. The less opportunity he has to go, the less he will. And Buffy, don't let him know you know. Keep asking about where Spike might be." "I can do that. Well, I'd better get going. I don't want to leave Dawn alone too long." "Of course. I'll come to you as soon as I can." Buffy had already reached the door when she turned back, bent down, and kissed Wesley on the cheek. He blinked in surprise. "What was that for?" "For being a good guy. I'd hug you, but I don't think it's a good idea right now. So think of it as a hug with lips. I'll see you soon." "Yes, of course. Oh, and Buffy?" He scribbled a quick note on a scrap of paper and handed it to her. "This is the number here, and this one is my home number. Call me anytime if it will help. Even if you just want someone to talk to." "You wouldn't mind?" "Of course not." They shared a brief, awkward smile. "Well, I better go. Thanks again. And I will call." With a small wave, she was out the door. As soon as she was out of sight, Wesley wheeled himself over to the desk. He picked up the photograph and looked at Virginia's face. After a moment, he turned it over and carefully removed the backing. He indulged himself in a good, long look at the photograph of Buffy that backed the one visible to the rest of the world. He would do all he could for her. He wouldn't let her down.