Chapter 27.

Hmm no response. Was the last chapter that bad? Did I lose everyone? Hope not.

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Preview: Giles talks to Buffy and the group gets ready to deal with Cordelia.

Wesley and Buffy rode silently to Angels with a worried Giles and Willow in the back seat. Giles kept looking at Buffy and Wesley in between discussing the upcoming trial. The rest of the group was waiting for them when they arrived. Giles held back and sent Wesley and Willow in to get everyone situated. When he and Buffy were alone he looked at her piercingly.

"Buffy?" He asked gaining her attention.

"Yeah Giles I'm fine." She said absently.

"That's good." Giles said humorously "Because the distant stare and pulling at your hair suggests otherwise."

Buffy looked at her hand unconsciously tugging at her hair before letting her hand fall to her side.

"Buffy, I know you are a grown up and don't really need my advice anymore, " Giles said kindly until his voice grew into anger "But what in bloody hell are you doing?"

Buffy looked at him in shock. Giles continued,

"I thought we were done with moving forward steps and then retreating yards?" he asked.

"But Giles-" Buffy started to say.

"Don't but Giles me young lady." He said "I want to know why you are acting betrayed and I want to know now."

"Wesley." Buffy said a little shocked at Giles's tone "He just went, whatever he just went."

"Yes, someone who slit his throat and tormented his friend and boss just tried to kill him again." Giles said "What about it?"

"Well," Buffy said looking for words "He changed. It's like I didn't even know who he was."

"Of course he has changed Buffy." Giles said harshly "He has been through almost as much as you have.No listen up." Giles said as Buffy started to interrupt "Let me tell you what has gone on with Wesley for the past couple of months. One, he was in love with a girl who, while under a spell, he almost killed. Two, he was thrown out of the group of people he loved. You know what that feels like don't you?"

Buffy thought about how betrayed and hurt she was when the Slayers chose Faith over her.

"One big difference Buffy." Giles said correctly reading her expression "Wesley didn't have someone like Spike to help him pick up his pieces. He had a woman that wanted him to turn dark and betray the people he still loved. Then he rescued Angel from his deep sea expedition. And what happened? Angel told him he should have killed him. This was not meant to be directed at Wesley but was due to hallucinations but Wesley didn't know that at the time. Then even though Angel said that to him he still made Angel drink his blood to heal him. What do you think of all this Buffy?"

"That maybe he is stronger than me." Buffy whispered. "But Giles it scared me. His face."

"I know it did" Giles said more caringly "But Buffy, you had to know what he is capable of. That he is not the sweet innocent Wesley we once all despised."

Buffy smiled at Giles's choice of words before saying softly

"I thought it was me."

"You?" Giles asked "How could you think that?"

"I don't know!" Buffy said tearfully "All I know is once a guy gets involved with me, bad things happen to them. Look at my history."

Giles sighed "Buffy? Did that moment of seeing his dark side change whatever feelings you may have for Wesley?"

"Well, no" Buffy said thoughtfully "In fact I was kind of glad to see it. I feel more secure knowing that he can be fierce when opposed. It just took me by surprise, seeing his scars."

"So what will you do now?" Giles asked her.

"Oh God." Buffy said horrified "He must think I hate him! Giles I have to fix this!"

"Then go now." Giles said "Before we start. If we have learned anything it's not waiting to tell people how we feel."

Buffy nodded and ran towards the hotel. Giles leaned against the car before muttering

"I'm getting too bloody old for this. I shudder in terror at the messes that would be made if I wasn't around."

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Inside the hotel Angel was cautiously approaching Cordelia.She opened her eyes and smirked at him.

"What's the matter Angel?" She said cattily "Scared of me? That's rich."

Willow started pouring sand in a circle around Cordelia and Emerald.

"What's this?" Gunn asked.

"This is a barrier." Willow told him "Cordelia can't go out of it."

"But what about Emerald?" Gunn asked locking eyes with the woman.

"It's OK" She assured him.

"This was her idea" Andrew said to Gunn. "If she fails then at least everything would be contained."

"I can't believe this is happening." Fred said holding Xanders hand.

"Oh how sweet." Cordelia cooed "Can't believe what Fred? That you're with a Sunnydale reject? Neither can I."

"It's not her Fredkins" Lorne said to the upset girl. "Don't take it to heart."

"So super witch." Cordelia asked Willow "What's the spell that your probably going to screw up be today?"

"How about sealing your mouth shut?" Faith asked before Robin shushed her.

"I'll remember that." Cordelia said darkly. "After witchgirl is taken care of I'll get to you."

"But to get to Willow you gotta go through me." Kennedy said in a hard voice. "And you know how we lesbians are with touching our lovers."

"Kennedy, please." Dawn said "Let's not do this."

Angel looked at Dawn gratefully. Dawn felt even more guilty that this may be last time he ever looked at her like that again. For the thousandth time she cursed Spike for telling her what was going to happen.

"So are we set?" She asked Wesley. Wesley was staring around the room at nothing in particular. Dawn was about to repeat her question for him when Buffy came running in the room. Wesley looked at her fearfully. Buffy ran over to stand directly in front of him.

"You dope." She said.

"I beg your pardon?" Wesley asked taken aback.

"You." Buffy said oblivious to the group listening to every word "Your a dope. You think I care that you have a past that isn't all roses and sunshine?"

"Well, obviously." Wesley said tightly "The fact that until now you haven't even come close to me influenced it a bit I suppose."

Buffy giggled and kissed Wesley full on the mouth. Shocked he looked at her before smiling.

"So that's out of the way?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, quite. Good. Well, then shall we start?" He asked before turning to look at the flabbergasted audience. After a moments pause everyone jumped in to pretend that everything was ordinary. Dawn just giggled.

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I know. Another short chapter. Sorry. Please review on it though. I'll be going back to work so I will have time to write more there. How sad is it that I can write more at my job than at home?