Erm, I moved all the furniture out Professor.", she said, her eyes quickly going to the ground, her shoulders hunching up. Like she was trying to make herself as small as physically possible.

"Anna, I don't want you to-"he didn't know how to say anything without telling her he knew, what her father did to her. He knew as a child having someone find out was more horrifying then it actually happening. "I'm not a mean person, it's just that Justin guy…he was calling you a freak-"
Her eyes went up confused as it started to dawn upon her that he had been defending her. "He was calling you a freak too-"she muttered. Wesley smiled warmly

"Yes, but if he is the one going around calling people he doesn't even know a freak then who is who in the end." The words he spoke were soft and honest. She looked down at the ground.

"His name is Justin and he-"her explaintion on who was whowas interrupted by Wesley.

"Let's go inside shall we? You can tell me as we start to clean up this old piece of crap eh?" he smiled warmly at her. She nodded letting him go in first. He knew it wasn't a sign of respect. It was something he himself used to do.Never turn your back to someone for they could hit you from behind, especially your father. Never have your back facing your fathers face. Simple as that.

That evening Wesley realized had never met someone whom he could relate to so much. She was an American Southern female version of him. She loved to read books. Unlike Wesley who as a child loved The Adventures of Robin Hood, and The Sword in the Stone ,she loved the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and To Kill a Mocking Bird.

They swept up all the dust from the living room and the game room, cleaning everything else that was in there. Then they started doing the kitchen before it started to get dark. They were in the midst of talking about who exactly is the Mocking Bird in the story, when she asked out of no where.

"Professor, if you don't mind me asking, where did you learn how to fight like that?"

Over the past few hours she had started to trust him, and talk to him. He still didn't even dream of touching her. Personal conversations where next on the agenda, but he didn't plan them to be on him.

"Well I-"he stopped for a moment and nodded, knowing this would get her to think. Maybe with this lie he could possibly get her to open up to him one day. "There was this bully, at my school back in London. Used to beat on me every day," Her eyes went to the ground understanding. "It only lasted for about a week, nothing extremely bad. It wasn't like abuse or anything." ,he said noticing the way she held her breath as he spoke his word. "A friend of my fathers was part of the Royal Navy; he taught me how to fight, to defend myself."

"Professor?" she asked looking up at him "I-if you teach Justin...how to fight can you teach me too?"

"Why?" he asked unsure if he hit a nerve.

"Oh I don't know…I just sort of have to…deal with my own bullies."

"I see, well then yes. I will." He said nodding and for the next hour or so they cleaned the kitchen in silence.

Wesley woke up the next morning in an odd position. He was sitting in an overstuffed red felt chair that they had moved back inside the night before .Anna was sleeping on her side on the couch. He smiled warmly at her small sleeping form before getting up and heading into the kitchen.

"You better get dressed, you have to be at work by 10." ,said Wesley, taking a sip of his coffee that read "DO NOT SPEAK" in large bold letters…it had been Cordelia's.
He hates to send Anna there but it was part of the deal.
Anna, still in her clothes from the night before, had walked into the kitchen to see him reading the paper and sipping coffee. She nodded at him and headed straight back out.

Not a morning person

Fully noted

The one advantage of her working gave him time to do some things. For example, finish the paperwork for the house, move in some of his stuff which he had packed up (everything he could put in his SUV) and check the answering machine on his cell phone.

"Wesley. Its Angel. Connors back. He's back and he's a teenager. I don't know where you are but you get your ass here! You get your ass here and figure out how to fix him! He's different! DAMMIT WESLEY! YOU OWE IT TO ME!" he shouted into the phone.

"You owe what?" said a silky voice behind him. Wesley quickly turned to see Izzy standing there wearing a pair of jeans, a white blouse and a brown jacket over it.

"You are aware it's rude to eavesdrop and walk straight into someone's house."

"Not when the door is open,-"

"We're airing everything out."

"It's we now? So you and Anna do really live together now, don't you? What is she, your playmate?" she hissed coldly. Wesley's eyes narrowed, he simply couldn't believe this woman! Dear Lord!

"No, she is my student, my pupil, and my friend. Unlike you who is obviously rude, judgmental, and narrow minded"

"Narrow minded? Do you realize what kind of people live in this town? What her father does to her?."

She knew…Izzy knew.

His next words started out as a growl, and by the time he had ended the sentence he was shouting "Then why don't you Do SOMETING ABOUT IT!" !" he yelled at the top of his lungs, walking towards her. Her eyes went so wide in fear; she backed away. Her bottom lip quivered. But that was more then just for Anna, that was for him. Why hadn't any one done anything? His teachers knew, he was almost certain they knew. His mother of course knew…why hadn't anyone done anything about it? Plus with Angel calling he was a bit on edge…Connor's back? How is that possible? He'll ponder about it later. Now his bright blue eyes were on the extremely terrified Izzy.

"I-I-"she stopped speaking and then suddenly her eyes furrowed as she stood up tall. "Oh my gods you're just like her aren't you?"

It was Wesley's turn to show fear. Why in God's name did she have to be so smart? He quickly followed her response with "I don't know what you're talking about." Turning his back on her.

Bad idea

"Oh my God …that's why you took her in. Your not a teacher…you just want to protect her."

Wesley sighed deeply hanging his head. Damn Izzy for being so smart.

"Scars…" she whispered from behind him, and out of no where Wesley felt a soft hand on his own. Ittook a momentfor Wesley to realize that it had been months since someone touched him like that. Like someone actually cared about him.. Now he wasn't going off to kiss her, he didn't think of her like that. Plus, she was married, - no her touch was more friendly then anything else. "I guess you learn to hide them from the world…but you can't hide them from each other." He kept his eyes away from her. He didn't deserve such kindness, just like he didn't deserve Fred, and he never deserved Angel's friendship.

"Go." He merely said, his voice deepening slightly as he spoke his cold words.

"Wesley I-"

"Isabella…just leave.", his voice raspy and extremely serious.

"Here" she replied leaving something in his hand "It's my cell phone…call me…when you need me." Wesley kept his eyes on the ground in shame.

He could hide his scars from everyone…except Izzy. Even Angel didn't know of the extent...he was too thick headed to see him raise his voice or how he spoke of his father. No Angel and the others just didn't see. Yet Izzy did, she knew him for no more then 10 minutes, and she saw. Why? Why did she see and others didn't?

They didn't have electricity in the house which was ok; it were extremely hot days, and warm nights. The house, now that it was being aired out, was a lot less stuffy, and provided coolness from the extreme heat outside.

"Professor?" said Anna coming in and seeing some boxes throughout the living room floor. Wesley came from upstairs with a man behind him. He was young, maybe 17 or so. Anna's face suddenly for the oddest reason became extremely red.

"Ah yes, Anna this is William, his father and him will be helping us fix up the house."

"Miss" He said nodding smiling warmly, Anna's lips remained extremely pierced as she ran outside all of a sudden. Wesley furrowed his brow, sure he wouldn't have caught on with the face but with her running out he figured she liked him, but that was almost an extreme. She should be able to just talk to him, or mutter a hello. Another thought came to Wesley could she be-…no it would be wrong to even make that assumption without further proof.

William and his father Bob where busy around the house, making sure the flooring was good and so on. Wesley got them for cheap because they didn't exactly have their license; they were just a sort of small town family business. What he did have to offer them was the supplies, food, and boarding.

So for 3 weeks there was nothing but drilling, wood banging, and other ruckus going on throughout the house. Though wherever William was, Anna wasn't. Especially when she caught him outside with his shirt off, her face became blood red and she turned the corner to vomit

What was wrong with her? Wesley had been watching from the porch, this shyness was a bit to the extreme. Funny yes, but to the extreme just the same.

He had read about incidents such as these happening to children who had been abused…though only a special kind of abuse…but-could he honestly have been sexually abusing her as well?

Personal Note: Oh my goush thank you sooo much Léonie you rock!

Authors Note: -gasps- Sexual abuse? I am sorry if I offend anyone, please give me honest reveiws. Things you would like to see happen, things you liked that happened? Or just a "nice story" would be nice .. Wow I'm blabbering again, I sort of do that. Erm right -goes back to typing fourth chapter-