Chapter 4

The atmosphere was tense as they waited for Wesley to say something. He was painstakingly slow at sipping his tea but they knew that everything that was said was a lot to take in in one go. Finally he put down his cup and looked at them.

"So… I'm a vampire?"

"Not you exactly but yeah, this world's Wesley is." Dawn said.

"And I'm evil?"

"Goes with the territory." Xander said.

"But Spike's not evil." Wesley said, looking at the vampire who was sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, but I got me self a soul." said Spike with satisfaction.

Wesley looked back at Xander and Dawn who were sitting across him with worried expressions, and then looked down while twiddling his thumbs. "Can't I have a soul?" Wesley said softly.

"Unfortunately not." Giles said as he came into the kitchen. "And remember, it's not you, it's this world's Wesley – you're really two different people and should be recognized as such. Anyway, - this world's – Wesley is unable to obtain a soul because apparently, as soon as he was turned, he did a spell to counter the re-ensouling that it made no effect on him whatsoever."

Buffy, Willow and Cordelia joined them as soon as Giles was finished and joined the others at the table. "Hey," Cordelia said happily "you ate my cookies!"

Just then the others finally realized that beside the still uneaten cake was an empty tray where the cookies have previously been. It all seemed too suspicious.

"Xander, you didn't seriously do what I think you did, did you? I thought you were joking!" Buffy said to Xander through their psychic connection.

"Hey, don't look at me. Wesley ate it. He actually ate it, all of it. I told him to have one but I didn't actually think he'd swallow it." Xander explained.

"Well, maybe he didn't want to be rude – he is British and they're all proper and manners." Willow said.

"Yeah, and me and Dawn said that he didn't have to but he went all confused and said they were delicious. I told you, he ate all of it."

Unaware of the mind-conversation between the three, Wesley looked at Cordelia.

"Oh? So you baked them? Well, I have to say that they were extremely delicious and were the best cookies I've ever had for a very long time. Um, I seem to have finished all of them, actually. I'm really sorry; I should have been more thoughtful." Wesley said.

"Oh, hey, don't worry about it; it's for anyone to eat. I'm only glad that at least someone appreciates me cooking." Cordelia said, not bothering to mask her displeasure.

"Um, right. So Wesley" Giles said, quickly changing the subject "How are you taking everything in? It must be quite overwhelming."

"Well," Wesley said, uncomfortable with the attention he is now getting "It is a lot to take in, but I believe I got the gist of it. So I'm – I mean, your Wesley's turned into a vampire ad Angelus is out and together they're building a vampire army to take over the world. That's about it, right?"

"Yes, that is correct." Giles said.

"Well, good then. But… there is one thing that I'm not really clear about." Wesley said. He looked at Giles who nodded as a sign to go on and Wesley continued, "It seems like I should know this but, I don't. Um… so… what's a Watcher?"

They were surprised that he asked that because they assumed he was also one in his reality. "Fascinating" Giles said as he took a seat. "You mean you don't work as a Watcher?"

Wesley shook his head, "I've only heard of it now. I understand what a slayer is though; Xander explained that to me."

"Very well. They are the people who watch over slayers, supposedly." Giles explained "They train them, prepare them and try to help them as best as they can with their knowledge."

"So they're allies in the battle against evil?"

"Yes, basically." Giles said. That was certainly not the view of their Wesley, Giles thought, suddenly hearing a little Wesley voice in his head saying 'With the power invested in me by the Council…'

"So if you're not a Watcher like Giles, what did you work as?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Me?" Wesley said as he sipped his tea. He put it down again and smiled. "Well, it's nothing fancy; I owned a little coffee shop."

"But you were hardly a virgin in the demon knowledge area. Spike found you with Angelus." Giles said.

"Oh, Angel was a regular." Wesley was talking animatedly and had barely flinched at the mention of Angelus that no one noticed the slip-up. "He used to come at seven in the evening everyday and sit in his little corner and order black coffee every time. Usually he would stay for about two hours just sitting but we never disturbed him."

Everyone was surprised with the knowledge that Angel, any Angel, would drink black coffee on a regular basis. "He is a vampire in your world, right?" Xander asked.

"Oh, yes." Wesley said. "Knew that as soon as the first time he came in. It turns out that he only came back every day just to see me. It took him bloody well long enough to tell me though, but isn't that just cute and adorable?" Wesley smiled at the memory while everyone else was just registering what he said.

"You – and Angel? Together?" Xander asked, shocked.

"Yes" Wesley said, and then frowned. "When you told me Angelus and I were building an army together, I assumed that the situation was the same here."

"Well, now that you say it…" Cordelia said, thinking back on their days in L.A.

"Cordelia, please, we don't need any visual help." Giles said. He turned back to Wesley "So you were only exposed to vampires? No other demons?"

Wesley looked momentarily confused at Giles question. "I owned a coffee shop" He said, as if it would clarify everything. They were still silent so Wesley elaborated "You can't own a coffee shop without having an assortment of demons wanting to get a cappuccino during lunch hour."

Giles looked just flabbergasted "You mean demons walk around freely in your world?"

Wesley actually looked a bit irritated, "Mr. Giles, if you say it like that you might be considered a negative racist. They're not really that much different from you and I. Most of them are really quite friendly, actually. Their existence is still quite prejudiced and I like the people I be with to be a bit more open-minded. Really, are they as bad as we are? We humans are no saints, Mr. Giles. We can't act to be more superior to them."

"But they kill people." Buffy said.

"As do people themselves." Wesley countered.

"But they do those things where they implant demons spawns in women, and build evil armies to kill us." Cordelia said.

Wesley took a breath and said "Hitler, World War II", and they understood. "Do you think humans themselves do not practice demonic rituals; have their cults? There are laws for that and although some still don't comply, it is just as bad as serial killers, rapist and pedophiles – as I said, we are hardly innocent; the definition of a demon, really, is not what's on the outside. Most of the crimes rates are committed by humans, anyway."

"Well, this certainly is an education to us." Giles said "But forgive me if you don't find that kind of understanding here, on either side."

"Yes, I'm sorry Giles." Wesley said softly as he calmed down. "It did take my world decades to get where they are now and from what I'm guessing, most of your world still does not know of the existence of demons."

"Maybe someday then, Wesley." Giles reassured him. Suddenly Wesley's head popped up to look at them as if he just remembered something.

"Oh, um… I know that I can never return back to my world, it's probably blowing up as we speak, so maybe I can stay in yours?"

"My, of course. I thought that went without saying, my earlier outburst notwithstanding." Giles said.

"This is your world now, Wesley." Willow said.

"Yes, well. Since I'm living in a new world, I'd like to make a new beginning, a new life… and a new name."

"What's wrong with Wesley?"

"Well, there are two of us now, so it is quite confusing if you refer us with the same name. And actually, I've always wanted to change it for quite a while now, so I'm guessing this is as good a start as any."

"Well, did you think of any yet?" Cordelia asked.

They waited patiently for Wesley who was staring at his tea cup and slowly he looked up and smiled. "I'm quite fond of William."

Suddenly there was a coughing sound and everyone looked at Spike who was choking on the beer that went down the wrong way. Wesley was giving him a concerned frown, oblivious to what his name choice meant and more so the phrasing of his sentence, while the teens tried to stifle a laugh and Giles just cleared his throat.

"Are you okay, Spike?" Wesley asked and Spike just waved away his concern, still coughing.

"Just William, then?" Giles asked finally when he was able to compose himself.

"Well…" Wesley said while still giving concerned looks at Spike, "I haven't thought of a last name yet. I'll figure out that detail later, is that ok?"

"That's fine." Giles said. "We'll take care of those matters later. In the meantime, I suggest Buffy, Faith, Xander and Spike, you go on patrol and the rest of us will continue on with the research."

"Ok, let's go." Buffy said as she went out. Everyone dispersed to do their designated tasks and Wesley decided to follow Giles to the living room. But before he moved two steps, he felt a hand lightly touch his arm. He turned around and saw that it was Spike. It felt like a long time as they stared into each other's eyes in silence but in truth only a few moments passed.

When Spike finally spoke, he grinned and offered his hand, "Welcome to the team, William."

William returned his smile and shook his hand, and he watched as Spike turned and walk away into the night before joining the rest of the gang in the living room.