Something Beautiful
Chapter Two: Dressing To Kill

"Morning, Wes," Harmony said brightly as he walked past her desk.

He stopped leaned over the desk and offered her a winning smile.

"Harmony," he said graciously.

Her own smile slipped and she frowned at him suspiciously.

"What do you want?" she asked warily.

"Want?" he repeated innocently. "Who said I wanted anything?"

"Because you're smiling like you want something. I know that smile."

She did indeed. It was two weeks on from their meeting in the bar and they had spoken a lot more often than they had done before, they had even gone out for a drink once or twice after work. And it had been Harmony that Wes raged to when Angel killed his PA, Martin.

Well, ok, his PA had been evil and was plotting the ugly death of Wes and all his friends, but couldn't Angel have waited until Martin had finished the report he had been working on?

"All right," he relented and handed her the file he had been carrying. "I was wondering if you would do me the great favour of doing some quick internet research for me," he leaned over the desk and flipped open the file. "I've highlighted a couple of points on this report I want checking and I wondered if you would be so kind…"

"Wesley," Harmony moaned. "Haven't you got a new PA yet?"

"I've got high standards," he protested. "I can't just have any old twit. And I haven't gotton around to interviewing anyone. I'm a very busy man, y'know."

"I know," she replied, attempting to smooth his ruffled feathers. "Chill. I'll see what I can do. Angel's taking a nap, this shouldn't take too long," she flicked quickly through the pages. "You've not highlighted much. I'll do it, then get it typed and a final copy over to your office in two hours, k?"

"You're a life saver," he answered. "Thanks, Harmony. I owe you one. See you later."

He turned away from, marvelling once again how friendly they were. When his PA was decapitated, Harmony was the one he handed any work to because - for some reason - he trusted her.

"How about you owing me two?" Harmony called. He stopped and turned around, raising his eyebrows in question. Harmony studied her manicured nails, attempting to look casual. "I know some people who are desperate to move up in this company. Some of them are jerks, some of them are completely brain-dead, but some of them might have the makings of a decent PA. No where near as good as me of course," she added hastily. "But I can find you someone. Then you wouldn't have to worry about it. Or worry me with anymore of your work. I don't get paid for it, y'know."

"Then, Harmony, I suppose I'll owe you two," he replied. "And should I be worried about what I'm going to owe you?"

"That depends," Harmony answered.

"On what?" he asked, suddenly wary.

"On how attached you are to those pants and that shirt," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Wes crossed the lobby, stomach growling as he headed in the direction of the staff break room. Harmony saw him go by, closed the file she was working on, grabbed her purse and jumped up.

"Wesley! Wes, wait!" she called.

He stopped and waited for her to catch up.

"Hello," he greeted. "I got the report back a couple of hours ago. Thank you for that."

"Now it's your turn to hold up your end of the bargain. We'll go talk about it now," she said brightly. She saw Angel walk out of his office and she called over to him. "Angel? Wes and I are taking our lunch break now. We'll be back in an hour! See ya, Boss!"

"An hour?" Wes spluttered. "I was going to grab a sandwich and eat it in my office."

"Go," Angel answered, frowning at them. "You go on, Harmony. Wes, could I have a word first?"

"Yes, of course," Wes nodded. "I'll see you in the break room, Harmony," she nodded and left them and Wes turned expectantly to Angel. "Yes?"

"You and Harmony seem to be, uh, hanging out a lot lately," Angel said carefully.

"We got talking in the bar a couple of weeks ago," Wes replied. "She's been doing a little work for me since you decapitated my PA."

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that," Angel answered, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"So, why was it you brought up the subject of my friendship with Harmony?" Wes asked, lifting his eyebrow and making the vampire shift even more uncomfortably.

Of course, Wes knew exactly why he had brought up the subject. Angel wasn't Harmony's biggest fan and having one of his friends grow close to her couldn't be a good thing in Angel's eyes.

"I just wondered… why you were so friendly," Angel answered. "She is a vampire. And a bit of a… well, ditz."

"I think ditz is a little harsh, Angel," Wes said, frowning. "And yes, I know she's a vampire, but she's trying her best to stay on the straight and narrow. If there's any chance I can help her remain on that path, I'll take it. Anyway, she's just a friend, you needn't worry. And I think we could do with all the friends we can get at the moment, don't you?"

"Yeah. You've got a point," Angel glanced over Wes's shoulder to make sure Harmony had gone. "And I wouldn't say it to her, but…" he leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "She does some good work."

"I know," Wes replied. "Well, I'd better go, I'm starving."

"All right. See ya later, Wes."

Wes nodded in reply and continued on his way into the staff break room. Harmony was already seated, sipping from a warm mug of blood. She was doodling on a notepad, while munching idly on an Oreo. He went to the fridge and retrieved a sandwich he had put there that morning and went to sit with Harmony, unwrapping the silver foil as he did so.

"Urgh," Harmony wrinkled her nose, looking up and eyeing the thick sandwich with distaste.

"Cheese and pickle," he replied defensively. "An English classic. Now what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"What you owe me," she said, a mischievous smile on her face. "A makeover."

He coughed, dropping his sandwich and wiping the tears that his coughing fit brought to his eyes. He looked up at her, eyes wide with horror.

"Makeover?" he cried. "Please, Harmony, tell me you're joking?"

"You could do with one," she said firmly. "Look at you, Wes. You're wearing all these horrible bland colours. You tuck your shirts in, but in this weird English way. It does nothing for you," she gave him a shrewd look, leaning back and folding her arms. "And if you want any kinda chance with Fred, you want to make an impact."

Wes stopped chewing, blinked and swallowed hard.

"I've no idea what you're talking about," he said in a low, dignified voice.

Harmony wasn't buying it and she rolled her eyes. Honestly, men were so transparent. Wesley most of all, though she wondered whether Fred knew about his feelings. Either way, Harmony had gotton to know Wes well enough over the past two weeks to be able to see right through him. After all, she wasn't stupid.

"I'm not stupid," she said. "And you don't get to argue on this one, Wes. You've gotta do as I say. You owe me a favour and if this is the only way I'm ever gonna get you out of beige, then so be it," she nibbled the top of her pen before returning to scribble furiously on her notepad.

He had finished his sandwich and was considering making himself a cup of coffee when Harmony finally looked up.

"Ready?" she asked.

"As I'll ever be," he replied.

She lifted the pad, looked at it for a moment, then hugged it to her chest. She turned it around with a proud smile and a "ta-da!" flourish. He blinked at it for a moment, utterly bewildered by her almost indecipherable doodle. He assumed it was him in her idea of the perfect outfit. An idea of the perfect outfit that he wasn't in exact agreement with.

"You're joking, of course?"

"You have pretty eyes, Wes," Harmony said firmly. "This will bring 'em out."

That night, when Wes shut the door of his apartment behind him and yawned, he wandered into his bedroom. He rubbed his eyes, stretched and opened his closet. He stared at the vast array of clothes stuffed into his closet. He was surprised at the amount of clothes he had and with a sigh, he pitched himself forward into the sea of fabrics and rifled through them to find something that fitted Harmony's criteria.

He wrestled a shirt out of the closet, toppling over as he did so. He hung the shirt on the door of the closet and found the other things Harmony had specified. With a doubtful frown, he held the clothes against him and looked in the mirror on the inside of the door of the closet.

"I do have pretty eyes," he admitted.

The next morning, Wes strode slightly self-conciously into the Wolfram and Hart building. He had taken Harmony's advice and had opted for the blue shirt and a dark charcoal suit. He had resisted the urge to tuck his shirt in and instead grabbed a couple of ties to stash in his desk should he need to don one for an impromptu meeting that day.

He had given himself an honest appraisal in the mirror that morning and had to admit, he looked quite good. The blue went well with the colour of the suit and brought out his "pretty eyes." He looked professional, but not tucking his shirt in and the lack of a tie made it less stuffy looking.

He stepped out the elevator, walked over to Harmony's desk and leaned over it, waiting silently for her to finish on the phone.

"… Ok, we'll get right on it. Thanks. Bye," Harmony looked up at him and clapped her hands, squealing in delight. "Oh, you look great! I told you!"

"Thank you," he answered. "Though I do admit to feeling a little self-conscious."

"But you look good, for a change. Y'know, if I've managed to get you looking cool, I might be able to work my magic on Angel. I think red is just his colour…" her expression became dreamy and her fingers inched toward her notepad and pen.

"Yes, well. I think you'll have your work cut out there," Wes warned her, but couldn't resist a little smile at the image of Angel in something Harmony dreamed up.

"Hey, Wes. Angel wants to brief us on some new sitch," Gunn said, coming up behind Wes. "Woah. That's a new look."

"What?" Wes asked, turning to face Gunn.

"The suit thing," Gunn said, waving a hand at Wes's attire. "Suits you, man."

Wes smiled at the pun and shrugged, secretly pleased. He avoided Harmony's triumphant look and raised his hand in greeting as Angel stomped out of the elevator.

"Wes, Gunn tell you about the briefing? Good. My office, five minutes. Nice suit by the way," Angel said, sweeping past them into his office.

Shrugging at Angel's sleep deprived grumpiness, Gunn excused himself to gather some info he needed to brief the group on, leaving Wes at the mercy of Harmony's triumph.

"Any messages for me?" he asked.

"Nope," Harmony shook her head, eyes once more sweeping over his outfit. "Only this: your new PA starts work this morning. Louise. She's waiting in your office now."

"What?" he asked. "PA? A new PA? You found her?"

"I told you I would. And I did."

"Thank you again," he said.

Harmony shrugged and answered the phone as it rang shrilly through the air. With a smile, sure today was going to be a good day; he turned in the direction of his office. A petite redhead in a professional suit came towards him, smiling.

"Mr Wyndham-Pryce?" she asked, sticking out her hand. "I'm Louise Kinley. Your new PA."

He shook her hand slowly.

"Good to meet you, Miss Kinley," he said.

"Louise," she replied with a slightly flirtatious smile. "And I think you'll be wanting this report in your briefing. Want me to come to take notes?"

"No, I think I can handle it," he took the report, oddly pleased that she had known without asking what he needed. "I shouldn't be too long. I'll see you in my office and we'll go over what sort of things I'll need you to do. Thank you, Louise," he said, nodding at the file in his hand.

"It's my job, Mr Wyndham-Pryce," she said, putting a certain emphasis on his name. She turned away, her hips swaying deliberately as she walked away from him.

He raised his eyebrows at Harmony's good choice. He was the last one into the briefing and was pleased to note Fred's double-take.

"You look… nice, Wes," she complimented; though he was slightly offended by the surprised tone in her voice.

"Just something I threw together," he replied with a shrug, looking at Angel expectantly.

Once Angel had started his lecture, Wes risked a glance through the glass walls of Angel's office at Harmony who was watching. She had seen Fred's appreciative glance and she gave him a double thumbs up.

He smiled at her and discreetly returned her thumbs up before smiling innocently at a frowning Angel.