The warm summer breeze was all he needed. The sweet smelling of jasmine as the sun started to dip below the horizon. It was nice and it was at times like these he almost forgot who he was and what he had done. When the warm country air smelt of jasmine, and chlorine from the countless hours of his pupils swimming, is when he would forget.

Redemption

Angel once told him, that there was no cosmic balance, redemption was nothing. Yet Wesley doesn't believe that, no he does believe in redemption. He took away his son, his own flesh and blood. In result he lost his own blood and for a while his own humanity. Though time has a way of healing all wounds and magic does help. A simple cover spell hides the scar that once haunted him day and night. It was true, he had stayed in LA for a while seeking some sort of possible…forgiveness maybe? He didn't know exactly but he waited. Yet it was after he slept with Lilah that he gave up. No, he was not going to find it, whatever it was he was seeking. So he took off, no clue exactly where he was going. But he knew he needed some extreme distance between him and LA. Where did he find it? He found his new home in Alabama, in a small town no one has ever even heard of called Cherryville Alabama.

It was a quite town, extremely quite. He came there at first just to rest for a few days then he stuck around. No clue why, but he stuck around one more day, maybe the higher beings wanted him to, he didn't know. But he did know he would never regret staying an extra day. Wesley stopped by a coffee shop, known as "Legit" which in Latin means "reading". Though very few knew that, many just called it "Leg." Then he saw something he would never forget.

A girl

Not a woman, a girl. A quite girl, wearing long sleeves, extremely long, to the point where she held the ends of it in her hands. Also a pair of long slacks, so long she had to cuff them up at the bottom. His eyes scanned her, not checking her out but rather looking at her outfit and her mere being. Where had he seen that outfit before? Oh yes, that's right…the mirror. He knew it many times; luckily it had been easier for him. In England it was rather cold all the time, and so sweaters were not a rare sight. Yet, this was Alabama and it was May.

The girl slouched slightly, and when someone touched her shoulder she jumped, and caught the arm twisting it behind the persons back then quickly let them go, nothing but fear in her eyes. She looked so scared, and so weak. He understood completely. It was obvious also she was a waitress from what she wore which was a pair of black slacks, a red button up shirt, and a black apron. Her dishwasher blond hair was up in a messy bun. It was an almost brown gray color mixed in with the blood. Heavy cover up could be seen, because she was starting to sweat it off. She turned to him, and scrunched up her tiny nose at him starring at her. Probably thinking he was some kind of pervert. Yet that look suddenly left as an older man came from behind the counter. It was obvious he was the chef, or owner. He was an extremely large man with bulgy gray eyes and wearing a white apron, a white short sleeve shirt, and jeans. He was also swearing profusely.

Wesley's eyes watched in silent horror as the older man saw her staring at Wesley with disgust walk over to her and grab her arm. Extremely hard, and she winced obviously in great pain, she also looked as if she might fight back for a moment. Like it was instinct, yet she saw whom it was and froze, froze in complete terror.

No, no he was not going to stand for this.

"Girl what are you doing? First you scare away the customers with your freakiness and then your starin at them fun-"
"Excuse me sir." Said Wesley, he turned to him and tilted his head. As if he had never even heard of someone who might be from another country. "I assure you she was not. She was looking at the giant mess the person before me left."
"Is that true girl?" he hissed squeezing harder. The girl maybe of 14 years of age nodded vigorously.
"Y-yes sir."
"Well then, why was that table a mess in the first plac-"
"Sir, if you don't mind could I perhaps talk to her?"
"W-what do you want to talk to my daughter for?"
"The reason I had been looking for her, is I am a tutor."
"W-what? I can't afford a tutor."

"Yes, I am well away of the economical status of most of the residence of this town. No, you see I am a Professor to be more exact." Wesley replied doing some quick thinking. "I was actually wondering if you would be interested in lending me your daughter."
"W-what?" Wesley wasn't sure if he didn't understand the words coming from his mouth, or the lending the daughter part.
"Just for a few weeks, and only when she is not working. Most likely for 3 to 10. I plan on teaching her Latin, Algebra, and Physics."
"For free?"
"Yes, for free. It's a social experiment really, I'm a reporter you see."
"I thought you said you were a-"
"And I'm a reporter. In London you see you can be more then one thing. The Queen is also a disc jockey."

It was obvious the bigger man was too stupid, and to thick headed to understand

"Why would I do this?"
"Well, I plan on paying you of course."
"How much?"
"$100 for keeping her out of your hair for 7 hours of the day, giving you more free time, and educating her farther in the complications of this universe."
The big man stopped, Wesley never took his eyes off of him. Just stared at him, knowing if he looked at the girl, he might slip up.

"You got yourself a deal." Said the older man as he roughly let go of his daughter and firmly shook Wesley's hand the larger man furrowed his eyebrow at the strength of the smaller man.
He then roughly pushed the girl towards Wesley who caught her, grasping her by her shoulders and she winced painfully.
"W-who are you?" she stuttered, fear in her eyes. It was obvious she didn't trust him. And she was scared.
"I'm Wesley, and you are?"

"Annabelle" she whimpered.
Wesley nodded, unknown to her he knew more about her then she did.

She was a slayer

And she was being abuse.

Authors Note: I admit the beginning is rather slow, but reviews would be nice. I am currently researching child abuse and find it incredibly fascinating so I though I'd write this. Don't worry lots of fluff and angst, and probably some romance in the later chapters. Plus its Wesley how you can you even think there won't be action?