Title: The Third

Author: Kate R.

Disclaimer: No one is mine, seriously.

Rating: PG-13 to R I suppose to be safe.

Pairings: Giles/Ethan, Joe/Methos

Summary: Wesley had friends before Sunnydale. Friends and...What else?

The Third
by Kate R.

She spotted her prey after school. He was standing in the doorway waiting before he moved into the sunlight. Wearing a suit made of tweed, which she knew he hated, walking slowly, and dejectedly behind a blond girl who appeared to be ranting about something.

He was looking worn around the edges. His posture was one of defeated sadness, he was wearing a suit, Ick, and he seemed so not the guy she had last seen in France. But, she knew it was he. She'd known it was him the second she saw him in the library that morning. What had those bastards in the Other branch done to him?

She watched and waited until he was directly in front of her before she moved. She had been waiting all day for this opportunity. He wouldn't know what hit him.

OOO

Wesley Wyndham-Pryce followed behind Buffy as she continued to bitch him out about Giles not being there today. In point of fact he knew why Giles was not there and he really did not think it her business. He knew Mr. Giles was taking care of Mr. Rayne and he knew Mr. Rayne had been made ill by Buffy disrupting the harmless spell that had she not disrupted would have made the not so harmless spell unnecessary. But, it wasn't as if she would listen to him. He hated this place, he hated this town and he hated this girl. He wanted to be back in France with his books and his friends and his research. He was lonely, miserable, heartsick and alone.

He was so lost in thought that he did not see the blur running at him until it was on top of him and by then it was too late to move. After a moment he realized he didn't need to as he recognized the long braid.

"Hi, Lee!" she yelled as she jumped into his arms for a hug.

He stood stunned for a moment before his arms wrapped around her and smile slowly
broke out on his face.

"Hi Jenny," he said quietly.

She looked up into his face and saw weariness and pain there. She decided she would kill whoever had put that look on his face.

"Friend of yours, Wesley?" the ranting blond asked.

Wesley released her and started to stammer out a response but she beat him to it.

Jenny turned to look at the blond then.

"Hi." She said. "We're having a private moment so could you go away please?"

Wesley snorted and she looked at him and grinned. Her grin turned into a frown as she took in how he was dressed.

"Adam's gonna pissed. We had you dressing like a normal person and now you're back to the tweed," she said clucking her tongue.

"Sorry," Wesley replied. "Father... well, I don't have the clothes anymore."

"Well, he was a bastard," Jenny retorted. "Come on, Adam will be thinking best to get this out of the way now. You aren't invited, Blondie."

Buffy had begun to follow them when Jenny spoke and she got an irritated look on her face at being so casually dismissed.

"He's my watcher. He has to train me. Isn't that right, Wussly?" she said snidely.

Jenny spun around and slapped her and Buffy stared in shock at the same time Xander appeared.

"Hey," he said. "What was that for?"

"He has a name," Jenny said. "It's Wesley. Lee to his friends and Family. Use it."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Xander said. "He is a Wuss after all."

This time Xander got slapped in the face.

Wesley was staring in shock.

"Besides," Buffy said. "Giles isn't here so he has to watch me."

"Giles is caring for a sick friend," Wesley bit out. "If you paid attention to things you'd know that. His life does not revolve around you and neither does mine. Come on, jenny. If Adam is here, I'd like to see him again."

"We're all here," jenny said. "Well, all but maman but you were there for the reason she isn't. I saw you and I know why you had to leave like you did."

Wesley shrugged and trailed after her off the school grounds and to a waiting car where Adam Pierson was sitting. He first thing he did was take the tie Wesley was wearing off. The second thing he did was pull the jacket off.

"We are so going to the mall right now," Adam said.

They got into the car and Adam drove them out to the mall. Wesley sat in the back seat and realized something: They were really here. He wasn't alone anymore. Wow.

END PART 1