Title: Wesley's Little Defender, the Sequel
 Author: FerretGirl
Pairing:Angel/Wesley
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, I'm just playing with them.


A big thanks to alias_lilacgirl for the beta and the tips. .



Wesley's Little Defender, the sequel

"Wes?"

Startled Wesley looked up to see Angel approaching him. He quickly stood up from where he was hunched and straightened himself.

"What's so interesting?" Angel looked over Wesley's shoulder into the shop window which captivated his lover's interest. "Are those ferrets?"

"Yes," Wesley looked back at the little critters playing and bouncing behind the glass. He smiled wistfully at the memory of the little ferret he once had. Pain flashed through him when he remembered what had happened to the tiny creature, changing the smiling features into sorrowful ceased ones.

"Cute little rodents," Angel tapped against the window to try and get the little animal's attention. He almost smiled.

"Ferrets are carnivores Angel, not rodents. They are used to hunt rabbits and kept as pets. This particular breed is called the blaze ferret." Wesley caught himself before he would go into lecture mode. He really had to stop that urge every time a subject came up he knew everything about

"Huh," Angel sat on his hunches and looked up at Wesley. "You seem to know a lot about them." He tapped the window once again and this time he had to smile when one of ferrets made a funny bounce toward the window, scratching its tiny paws against it.

Wesley frowned. He didn't like to be reminded about his childhood and somehow the memory of Alexia, the little ferret, hurt more then anything else. She had not been in his thoughts for years now. Every now and then he'd remember her fondly, but today he could feel the pain, the helplessness, the anger, he had felt some odd twenty five years ago.

"Yes, yes it seems I do." Wesley turned around and started walking toward the direction of the bookstore they were headed. "Coming Angel? We've wasted enough time," he stalked off into the dark bookstore.

When Angel reached the bookstore Wesley was already on his way out. "They didn't have it," he informed. "We'll try again next week," with that he walked off in the direction of the parking lot. His body language clearly showing he was upset. Not that anyone but Angel would notice, Wesley was good at hiding his feelings.

Confused, Angel followed. Something had really thrown Wes right of the scale. He sped up his pace to catch up with ex-watcher. He opened his mouth to ask what was the matter when he caught the look on Wesley's face. Now was obviously not the time for serious discussions, or perhaps any kind of discussions.

Wesley had a far away look on his face. Angel had seen that look before. He didn't like that particular look, it meant his lover was hurled back into his childhood. Angel didn't like that. Wes never really spoke about what had happened when he was a child, but the vampire could tell from the hints Wesley dropped every now and then, it had not been a happy childhood.

Hell, it was clear to almost everyone at AI that most of their boss' insecurities lead right back to his childhood or to be more precise, his father. Angel had to squash down the urge to run over to merry old England after every phone call Wes made to his father. His British lover was down for weeks after that. Wesley's parents never called Wesley, he always had to call them. Angel would give anything for some alone time with Mr. Wyndam-Pryce Sr., he had some ideas that would have made Angelus cringe.

But he didn't. Wesley wouldn't hear of it. The Brit had asked Angel to let it go, what was in the passed should remain in the passed, but still, Angel didn't like it when his Wes was upset or insecure or felt useless just because of a fucking phone call. If Wyndam-Pryce Sr. could do that to Wesley with just a phone call, Angel shuddered to think what the man had done during Wesley's childhood.

Maybe he could sneak over to the British Isles, take the Concord. He would be back in a day. But Wesley would find out and then what. Angel sighed, if Wes could handle it, so could he. The problem was, Angel wasn't so sure Wesley was handling it or maybe he was just repressing it. He knew Wes was very very good at hiding his feelings.

They were quiet in the car on their way back to the hotel. Wesley just stared out the window. His head propped up on one hand, a lost look on his face. Angel just wanted to reach over and kiss it away. He would have, if he wasn't driving. Wesley had traffic safety issues a mile wide, so the vampire didn't want to risk a lecture. But then again, maybe Wes could use the distraction.

"Used to have one you know...a ferret," the soft voice filled the silence. "When I was about ten, her name was Alexia," Wesley still didn't look up, kept staring out the window.

'Aha there it was,' Angel thought. He had to keep the conversation going, previous talks like these had taught him that. "Alexia huh?" He turned to look at Wesley and frowned when he saw that his lover still had the pained expression on his face. "So what happened to her?"

Wesley swallowed down the bitter bile that had formed in his throat. "My father didn't like animals in the house he-" his voice faltered and became even more softer, the English accent more pronounced, "-took care of her." After all these years he had only be able to say the words 'killed' once. Right after he had seen his father snap the tiny ferret's neck.

Angel however had no such qualms, "He killed her didn't he." It wasn't a question, somehow the look on Wesley's face spoke volumes, telling him everything he needed to know. One of his hands left the steering-wheel and landed on Wesley's knee squeezing it softly. "Tell me about her."

And Wesley did, about the tiny little ferret that had saved him from the rats. That had given him two weeks of joy. About how she had jumped funny, the sparkling mischievous eyes, the understanding when he confided in her. His voice became filled with unshed tears as he told Angel how his father had discovered the ferret and in a rage of anger had broken her neck. Wesley had disobeyed his father and had buried the tiny ferret under a tree near the river. A special stone with her name painted on it over her grave.

"I was ten, it's silly," Wesley took a shaky breath and gave Angel a weak smile. He took comfort in the strong hand that was rubbing his knee. He felt pathetic, almost bawling over something that had happened more then twenty years ago. Wouldn't his father be proud.

Angel frowned, "It's not silly, she meant a lot to you. She gave you happiness." He gripped the steering-wheel hard with his other hand turning his knuckles impossibly white. "Wes, I swear one day I'm going over to England and –" his angry rant was cut short when he felt Wesley's hand on his arm.

"I know Angel." Wesley turned around and looked at him now, "And I appreciate that, but it wouldn't change what has happened. It would only make me feel guilty about it." He took another shaky breath, "About my father's death that is and I won't let you risk your redemption for me. I just wish I could get his approval, but that is never going to happen it seems."

"You don't need his approval Wes," Angel growled. He hated it when Wesley was like this. "You're a great man, you're smart, you kind and you're sexy as hell." He turned to look at his lover, "You're a survivor, you are a crack shot with a crossbow and absolutely great in the sack."

Wesley blushed at the last words. "Well yes, but I think you're bias," he leaned over and kissed Angel on the cheek softly. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You're welcome." Angel wasn't exactly sure what he was being thanked for, but Wesley seemed better and it was all that mattered. Angel also had gotten an idea, an epiphany if you will.

Once they returned home the vampire went to work. He wanted to make it was good, no great, for Wes. It was the best idea he ever had, he was sure. He browsed though photo albums Wesley had pointed out to him once. He browsed through books he ordered from the internet with Cordelia's help. Having a hard time explaining to her why on earth he wanted to have books on ferrets. But somehow he managed to keep everything a secret from Wesley.

Angel bought the supplies he would need, went to the pet-store to look and ask questions. Finding out the salespeople in the pet-store knew next to nothing about ferrets. The books told him more, but the tiny bouncy creatures in the store were cute. He worked on his little idea when he was sure Wesley wasn't around.

When he was almost done after a week he became nervous. What if Wes didn't like it? What if it brought back bad memories? He had been so sure when he had his 'epiphany' in the car, but now the time was near to give Wesley his gift, he began to have doubts. Still, he had worked hard on this and a tiny voice in his head whispered that Wesley would be pleased, he just had to.

Wringing his hands nervously he deposited his gift on the table in the lobby of the hotel, making some final adjustments to the bow tied around it. He wondered briefly why his hands were clammy, vampires didn't sweat. He cleared his throat and walked over to the counter. Gunn and Cordelia were looking at something on the computer monitor, probably the internet. "Wesley?" Why was he so nervous?

Wesley poked his head out of the office. "Yes Angel?" he walked out of the office, putting the book he was currently studying on the counter carefully. He studied Angel, his face held a curious expression.

"I..uh..I have something for you," Angel shuffled from one foot to the other and gestured with his hand toward the wrapped gift on the table. "Its a little...uh...something."

Wesley looked toward the gift. "For me?" he asked unsure. At Angel's affirmative nod he walked over to the table and looked at it.

Cordelia began to stand up to have a closer look at the gift, but Gunn's hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked up at him annoyed, but sat back down when he shook his head. Gunn had a feeling this was one of those 'private moments'.

"What is it?" Wesley carefully let his fingers slide over the ribbon. He had no idea what the beautifully wrapped package could be.

"Open it and find out," Angel smiled at his lover, still wringing his hands nervously. He hoped he had done the right thing.

Wesley carefully tore away the wrapping paper and looked at the now revealed gift. He blinked and stared in shock. "Oh Angel," he whispered.

Angel wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. "Do you like it?" he asked, wringing his hands harder. Wesley stayed quiet, only staring at the gift. That couldn't be a good thing. "You don't like it." He was sure of it, he had made a mistake.

Wesley blinked up at Angel. "No," he whispered, "I love it Angel, this...this is wonderful." He looked back at the gift his hands carefully caressing as if it were a precious artifact.

Cordelia couldn't hold back her curiosity much longer, walking over she looked at the gift. Her eyebrows shot up and she threw a quizzical look at the former watcher and then at the vampire. "That's –" Her voice trailed off looking for the right words.

Wesley looked up, "I know exactly where I want to put it." He picked up the gift carefully and made his way up the stairs.

Angel followed him confused, but smiled broadly when Wesley entered his bedroom. Their bedroom.

A small sheen of sweat covered Wesley's naked body as he lay with his head on Angel's chest. A happy smile on his face. His fingers tracing meaningless patterns on the body of the vampire.

"So you really like it?" Angel had to ask again. The kiss he received told him everything he needed to know. Wesley really liked the gift. The vampire wrapped his arms around the ex-watcher and pulled him close.

"It's the most beautiful and precious gift I've ever have been given," Wesley murmured sleepy when they broke the kiss. He adjusted himself in the arms of his lover and looked toward the wall across the bed. "What did you call it?"

"I thought I'd give you that honor," Angel said also staring at the wall.

Wesley tiled his head and looked closer and smiled. "Little Defender," he decided quickly. He turned his head upward and kissed Angel again. "Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome." This time Angel did know what he was thanked for, his eyes turning back toward the wall across from the bed.

A ten year old boy, resembling Wesley drawn with charcoal looked back. In his arms he cuddled a tiny ferret, who looked down at the two entwined lovers with sparkling mischievous eyes. Like a guardian angel.

- end

2003 by FerretGirl