Closing the door heavily behind him, the young Watcher sighed. What a day; what a week; what a month. After this evening Wesley was sure that there was no reason for his presence in Sunnydale. One Slayer had her old watcher and the other Slayer had her evil Mayor. No, no reason for him to be here.
Wesley had imagined that it would take the Slayers a little while to warm to him, but this was absurd. He had not even gotten a chance. All his ideas, his thoughts, his valid points have been ignored or mocked. Shrugging off his jacket and draping it over a chair, Wesley made his way over to the desk.
He flipped on the computer then moved to the small kitchenette to retrieve a beer. He had bought American on a whim and now regretted it. Wesley was now stuck with several bottles of the worst tasting liquid he'd ever consumed. Walking back to the desk, he popped the cap off the beer and took a long draw, then winced when he had to swallow the stuff.
Setting the bottle to the side, Wesley pulled up a document and reviewed it. He wrote it the third night after he had arrived in Sunnydale.
"To the members of the illustrious Council of Watchers,
I regret to report that I, Wesley Wyndham-Price, am no longer able to fulfill my duties as Watcher of the active Slayers."
The letter went on, of course, detailing as to why Wesley could not go on as Watcher. He cited his inability to gain the Slayers' trust and his inability to wield any type of authority over them, the former Watcher, Mr. Giles, or over the disturbingly large number of people who knew about the Sacred Duty.
Wesley had hoped, of course, that he would not have to use this letter. He had hoped that one day soon he would be allowed by those in Sunnydale to do his job. But after tonight's fiasco with the Mayor and the Box of Gavrock, he knew that there would never be a time where he'd be able to completely fulfill his duty.
He hadn't wanted the Slayer's friend Willow to perish, but when it came down to one life verses the lives of thousands, maybe more, was there really a choice? Not as he saw it, but the choice, if there was one, was taken out of anyone's hands by the girl's boyfriend. He had smashed the Urn, and with it, the chances of destroying the box.
And so by the end of the evening, Willow was back in the arms of her boyfriend, the Mayor had another crucial key to his Ascension and the Slayer was no where near being able to stop him. Willow had gotten out a few pages of the book of Ascension. That was a small step beyond square one.
Of course, Wesley had tried to help the former Watcher make sense of the pages, but like an unwanted child, he was dismissed. Told to go to his room, so to speak.
On the drive home, Wesley began to wonder why he was even attempting this at all. A Watcher's life was supposed to be one of honor, but he saw none. His father was dead and yet Wesley was still trying to prove himself to the old man. His mother was dead and yet Wesley was still trying to live up to her uncompromising standards.
Wesley finally hit the printer button and watched as the once blank paper was filled with black ink, heralding one of the biggest changes in his life. Taking another long draw from his beer, Wesley smiled as he thought about the possibilities.
He had been bred to be a Watcher. Like a Slayer, he had been chosen at an early age and doomed with a sacred duty. This was all he knew. He had not attended school like other children. He attended training seminars and military strategy meetings. While other children his age were reading about lost dogs and the boys who loved them, Wesley had been reading about demons and evils and how to rid the world of them.
Some of the members of the Council had not wanted to assign Wesley to the Slayers. He was too young, they said. And it was true, he was. Most watchers, active or not, were over forty. But he was the only Watcher who had been bred for the position. His father had been the head of all the Council and had taken it upon himself to raise his son as a Watcher from the day he was born. It was an experiment, one might say; research to see if Watchers could be made better by endless years of training, like Slayers.
Obviously the experiment was a failure and the answer was no. Wesley was no better for all the years of training. When he had told Giles that he had faced two vampires under controlled circumstances, Wesley had been telling the truth. Not the whole truth, but the truth none the less.
He had actually faced more than two vampires, without the controlled environment. There were three he had faced years before the Council had even begun to prepare the Watchers by having them fight real vampires. It was because of those three vampires that Wesley was now without his parent and why he did not seem overly courageous in battle.
It's hard to fight a foe when all you can think about were the expressions on your parents' faces as they were being gutted. Wesley had been fourteen when that happened. How was a fourteen year old boy with no supernatural abilities supposed to stop three rather large vampires from killing his family? He wasn't. So, recalling the training of his youth, Wesley had managed to get himself out of danger. Luckily, Wesley has a good runner. Had he gone to school, he could have had a chance at athletics.
Now, with thoughts of resigning, Wesley could picture a new type of future for himself. He still had his father's money, so he would never need to find another occupation. He wanted to go live somewhere warm with long days and very short nights, preferably somewhere demon-free.
With new resolve, Wesley pulled a pen from a drawer and signed the bottom of the page. It was not his usual clipped signature. This time he sprawled his name, adding large hoops to the 'Y's in his name.
It felt good to sign that sheet of paper. It felt right.
Wesley found himself dreaming about the life he could lead. The life he could lead if he ever got up the nerve to actually submit the letter. Once again he began weighing the pros and cons. He had done this so many times since he first wrote the letter.
This time he didn't get very far, as he was startled out of his internal debate by a knocking at his door. Taking the last sip of the now warm beer, Wesley stood up and crossed over to the door. His eyes widened in surprise as he opened it.
"Cordelia...I mean, Ms. Chase. What are you doing here?" It was nearly one o'clock in the morning.
"Truthfully," she said as she smiled. "I don't know. I was...working and I just didn't feel like going home afterwards, so I just went out wandering."
"Working? I was under the impression..." Wesley stopped after he realized that Cordelia had been out in Sunnydale alone walking the streets. "Wandering? Ms. Chase, this *is* Sunnydale, wandering is not allowed. You should know..."
"Better, I know." She nodded before pointing inside. "Can I come in?"
Before he realized what he was doing, Wesley ushered her inside and closed the door behind him. He watched her as she hesitantly explored the room with her eyes. She was quite possibly the most beautiful woman that Wesley had ever seen. "How," his voice cracked a little. "How did you know where I lived?"
Cordelia flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave him a brilliant smile. "Sunnydale's small and the other night I saw you and well, I followed you. Not that I'm a stalker, mind you, I was just curious."
Wesley nodded as a slight blush settled over him. "I see, so..."
"Yeah, so..."
He searched his mind for something to say to this gorgeous creature standing before him. "So you were working?"
Sadness crossed over her face for a moment before she nodded. "Yeah, at this little boutique on Main Street."
"From the way your friends speak, I thought you came from money."
Cordelia's face fell slightly, making Wesley feel horrible for even opening his mouth. "You mean, Xander, Oz, Willow and Buffy? Those friends? First, they're not my friends anymore, I mean, if they ever were. And second, I did come from money, just not anymore."
Wesley quirked an eyebrow, letting Cordelia know that he was interested but not pushing. She didn't know why she wanted to tell him. Maybe it was because he's the only person who'd listen to her. "My dad was always away and I'm still not sure what exactly he did for a living, but apparently he got into illegal stuff and now is trying to cover his ass. I went to check on my bank accounts and I was told that all of them were empty. I had over fifty-five thousand dollars saved for my college and now it's gone. And I had a personal account too and that's all gone. We don't even know where my father is."
Not knowing what else to say, Wesley simply whispered, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I mean, lots of people have it worse. My mom's going to sell the house and two of the cars and get a smaller place. You know, she'll be okay." Cordelia moved to the bed, sat down on the edge and looked back up at Wesley. "It's just, it's unexpected. I hadn't even thought about something like this happening...ever."
She looked so sad and Wesley's heart broke for her. "Cordelia..."
"And now I'm working in this dress shop, trying to be able to afford this dress for the stupid prom." Cordelia gave a small, sad laugh. "I don't even really want to go. But the dress is pretty and I can't let anyone know about my dad and our newly acquired lack of money, so I have to go."
"Cordelia," Wesley said gently as he sat down next to her on the bed. "Things will work out. You are an extremely bright young woman. There are scholarships available."
"Yeah," she said as she nodded. "But I don't deserve them." Cordelia stood up and began to examine Wesley's small studio apartment. "You know, it's not really the money thing or not being able to go to college. It's the fact that everyone will always think of me as the rich girl, even when I'm not. And that's all I know myself as. Who am I if I'm not Cordelia Chase, daughter of Jack and Natasha Chase, the second richest family in Sunnydale? It's this big change that I had no control over."
Cordelia moved over to the desk, her eyes scanning the paper that sat on it. She hastily turned back to Wesley, watching him as he stood up. "You're resigning? From being a Watcher?"
He nodded, then shook his head as he neared her. "I haven't decided."
"Well, I think you should."
"What?" He was surprised that she even had an opinion on the matter. "Why?"
"Because it's not like they respect you. Or ever will. Trust me, I know. The only people they respect are themselves. You're always going to be treated like an outsider, just like I was. It doesn't matter if you have something useful to contribute, you'll never be one of them."
"I, I...well, I was..."
"Wesley," Cordelia drew out his name as she placed a light hand on his forearm. "You deserve respect from them. You deserve to be treated better. And I mean, Giles is there and..."
"They don't need me," Wesley finished for her.
"No, they do need you, but they'll never see it." Cordelia's hand left his arm as she leaned back against the desk. "What will you do when you're not a Watcher?"
Wesley allowed himself a little smile. "I have no idea. Travel, live, love, hopefully."
Cordelia smiled at the longing in his voice. "Sounds nice." She watched as several different expressions settled over his face as he thought about it. He truly was a handsome man. "Wesley?"
"Hmmm?" He looked back at Cordelia, his mind returning from thoughts of sunsets on a deserted beach.
"Will you kiss me?"
"Wh-what?" Wesley was taken aback by her question. "Cordelia, you're..."
"Eighteen," she supplied.
"And I'm thirty-two."
"What's your point?"
"Well, I..."
"I know you like me. I can tell you like me. And I like you and I want to kiss you."
"When I was fourteen, you were being born, Cordelia."
"Well, I wasn't looking to date you then." Cordelia pushed off of the desk and moved closer to Wesley.
"Cor-Cordelia, I think you just..."
"If you don't like me or want me, then that's one thing. If that's the case I'll go away, but if it's just because of an age difference, then I can't accept it. Wesley, please?" Cordelia placed her hands lightly over his chest and looked up at him with wide brown eyes. He had always had a weakness for brown eyes.
As his eyes ran over her face, taking in the hopeful gleam in her eyes and the fullness of her lips, Wesley wanted to give in. His mouth lowered to meet hers, but stopped short. He pulled away. "This is wrong."
"How?" She asked in a nearly pleading voice. "Why? You're not my teacher, you're not my Watcher. You aren't taking advantage me. I want you, and..." her voice trailed off as her eyes began to water.
With only another moment of hesitation, Wesley moved back to her, his arms sweeping her into a tight embrace. Carefully and gently, he brushed his lips against hers. His entire body reacted to the electricity her lips sent into his.
Cordelia relaxed into the kiss and opened her mouth wider, allowing him to deepen the kiss. As his arms moved around her shoulders, she slid her hands around his waist, putting pressure on the small of his back. His pelvis was pressed against her and he let out a small moan as her hands kept pressing him to her.
Slowly, she pulled back, breaking the contact. Licking her lips as her eyes closed for a moment, Cordelia took Wesley's hand. "I don't like making out standing up," she said, her voice husky. She led him to the bed and sat down. Her hand still held his as she looked back up at him. She could tell he was hesitating. "It's okay, Wes. We don't have to do anything more that what we were. The bed is just more comfortable."
"Cordelia, I think that..."
"No. Don't think, Wesley. Can't you just feel for awhile? It's okay to do that, you know. Come here," she whispered as she pulled him forward. He knelt down on the bed and she moved to her knees beside him. Her hands moved to his tie, quickly sliding the knot down and removing the piece of fabric from around his neck.
He gulped as her long fingers unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt. Lowering her head, Cordelia kissed his jaw then moved down to his pulse point. "Just feel, Wesley. It's okay."
As her mouth began to kiss, tickle, suckle and tease his flesh, Wesley realized that Cordelia was right. It was okay not to think sometimes. It was a hard concept for him to grasp, since he was raised believe that thinking was the only thing to do, all the time.
He let his hands move to her hips then slide up around her back and pull her closer. As he stroked her hair, Wesley's lips found Cordelia's. As the heated kiss continued, her little fingers began to unbutton his shirt all the way. Wesley didn't even notice when she pulled the tails out of the waistband of his pants and slipped the shirt off his shoulders, leaving him in a tight white undershirt.
Roughly, Cordelia ran her hands over his chest and torso. She felt and heard Wesley gasp for air as her nails lightly raked over his nipples. "Wesley," she said in a whispered moan against his lips. Her hands left his chest and moved up to his head to thread wildly in his hair. Her soft breasts pressed his hard chest and created a sensation that only left Cordelia wanting more.
She leaned in more while running her tongue over Wesley's. He gracefully fell backwards, bringing her with him. With her legs on either side of his hips, Cordelia straddled him and realized for the first time that not only was he hard, but that she was wet. The tingle that had begun just a little lower than her stomach spread downward and became much more than an innocent tingle. It was now a full-fledged throbbing.
Without even realizing what she was doing, she squirmed, rubbing her most private area on his. Cordelia's hands went to his waist and then crept up under his shirt to tease his hard nipples. But the tightness of the shirt hindered her, so she set about trying to rid him of the article of clothing.
Not having very much luck, Cordelia pulled back from the kiss and sat up, her hips still on top of his. "Help," she cried quietly. Wesley's lust filled eyes found her pleading eyes and he sat up. His arms moved to her bottom, carefully keeping her in place.
After a moment of finagling, Wesley was naked from the waist up. Without thinking of anything but what it would feel like to have her bare skin touching his, Cordelia pulled off her top quickly. Her mouth found his again as she felt his hands move to the clasp on her bra.
As Wesley unhooked Cordelia's bra, he realized how easy it had been to just stop thinking and feel. Cordelia was a smart woman. Peeling the garment away from her, he pulled his mouth free from hers and moved down to the slope of her breast.
Cordelia pulled back slightly to allow him better access. Her movement caused her to push harder against his erection. They both let out a low moan. Cordelia's soft cry outlasted Wesley's as she felt his mouth attach itself to one of her nipples. Her mind began to spin as she took in all of the sensation assaulting her. She was suffused in heat yet Wesley's warm mouth sent shivers through her. She couldn't catch her breath, but yet there was an overwhelming sense of tranquility running through her. Her body was responding to this man in a way that it had never responded before.
Moving deliberately, Cordelia changed their positions without Wesley's mouth losing contact with her breast. She was now on her back with him lying between her legs. Her hands wrapped in his hair as he lifted his head. She tried to get his mouth back down to the swollen nipple it had just left, but she gave up when it descended on the other nipple, wanting to give it the same treatment.
"Oh," Cordelia breathed as she ran her hands up and down Wesley's back as he continued to suck on her flesh. "God, Wesley." She drew out his name, making it sound like a lyric in a hymn of praise. Cordelia wriggled beneath him, her skirt riding up until only her panties separated her mound from his firm stomach. "Wesley, please," she begged in a needy voice.
The Watcher lifted his head and fixed his eyes on her. She was breathless and flushed as her eyes flashed with wild desire. "Cordelia," he nearly sighed her name. He had just felt for a little too long. Now it was time to think. "Cordelia, I think that we should stop here."
"Stop thinking, Wesley," she commanded.
"But it isn't..."
"Shut up." Her eyes locked on to his and she knew that he could see her determination. "This is what I want."
Wesley thought for the briefest of moments before bending his neck and placing a kiss between her breasts while his hands gently stroked her sides. He looked back up. "I haven't done this in a long while, Cordelia."
Breathing heavily, she replied, "It's okay. I haven't done this...ever."
His hands stopped and his face conveyed shock. He had just assumed that she was experienced. But the fact that she wasn't made her age come crashing back to Wesley. Pulling away, Wesley sat back on his heels, trying to gain a modicum of composure.
"What?" Cordelia asked worriedly as she sat up, her hands reaching for his arms.
Wesley moved back farther, evading her touch. The hurt that passed over her face made him wince. "Cordelia, you're a virgin?" he quietly asked. She nodded, a bit insecurely. "I cannot take that from you."
Slowly she drew her legs up to her chest, shielding her breasts from his view. Feeling hurt and oddly, a little ashamed, Cordelia wrapped her arms around her legs. "Quit being so virtuous."
"Cordelia, I like you and I know that you like me as well, but this is a considerable event for young people. You don't want to experience it with someone you just like."
"I hate that," Cordelia announced.
"Hate what?"
"When people tell me how I feel then proceed to tell me what I want."
Wesley shook his head. "That wasn't my intent."
"Yes it was. You think you know what it is I feel for you. Well, you don't. I don't just like you, Wesley."
"I don't understand."
Rolling her eyes, Cordelia sighed. "Of course not, you're a guy." Cordelia got to her knees and moved toward Wesley, who made no move to escape her. No longer caring that she was half naked, Cordelia placed her hands on his chest. "You're the only person who has ever made me feel like I'm okay."
"Hmm? Like you're okay?" Wesley asked, not quite understanding.
"You like me for me. And it's not just some 'get in my pants' act. You make me feel like who I am is okay."
Wrapping his arms around the woman before him, Wesley placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Who you are is okay. You're a very bright young woman with an obviously good heart. Trust me, I know what it's like to doubt yourself and who you are, but please don't. You have no need."
"Wes, I want to do this with you. I can't imagine doing it with anyone else and truth be told, every time that I've imagined doing it since we've met has been with you."
"You..."
"Fantasize about you? Yes," Cordelia cut him off. "And before you say anything, it's not just lust. I've felt that before with other guys. What I feel for you is different. It's more." Pulling out of his embrace, Cordelia looked him straight in the eyes. "I wouldn't do this with just anyone, Wesley. And I don't care that you're fourteen years older than I am. Take a look at Angel and Buffy. As much as I hate to say it, they're in love and will be forever, and he's got something like two hundred and twenty-six years on her. If there is one thing to learn from them, it's that age doesn't matter. Love defies it."
"But is this love, Cordelia?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Cordelia smiled. "I don't know for sure. I can only think that it is because I've never felt this way for anyone in my whole life." Her hands trailed lightly to his waist and gently began to unbuckle his belt. "I want you to be the first man I make love to and if at all possible, the only."
"Cordelia," Wesley breathed her name. "I-I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything." The smile on her face widened as she pulled his belt free and began to unfasten Wesley's pants. "Be a man of action."
He returned her smile with a soft laugh before swooping down to recapture her lips with his. When Cordelia had succeeded in opening his tailored pants, she carefully tugged them down his along with his boxer briefs. Wesley pulled back and repositioned himself to slide the pants completely off his legs.
When he looked back up at Cordelia, he found her looking at his midsection with wide eyes. "You've never seen..."
"No, I have," she said with a small smile. "Just never one like that."
Furrowing his brow, Wesley asked in a tentative voice, "Is that a good or bad thing?"
Cordelia's breathing returned to the ragged panting of ten minutes before as she continued to gaze at Wesley's penis. "It's, it's g-good."
Taking her sudden inability to speak fluid English as hesitation, Wesley reminded her, "We don't have to do anything."
Cordelia shook her head. "Oh, yes we do." Not a second later, Cordelia was upon him, her mouth attacking his in the most pleasurable way. She became so hot, so fast; it was all Wesley could do to keep upright. Cordelia climbed into his lap, her mouth still dancing with his. "Get my skirt off," she said in a rush against his lips and tongue.
As if there was a threat of death if he was slow to follow her orders, Wesley quickly, but gently, moved Cordelia off him, unzipped her skirt and tugged it down her legs. Gently he guided her back until she lay with her back against the mattress. Moving down the bed, Wesley's fingertips teased her skin, forcing her to shiver.
He hooked his fingers in the waistband of her silk panties. Carefully he peeled them away from her body, tugging them delicately down her long legs. Once she was completely naked, Wesley trailed his hands up the outsides of her legs while his mouth kissed and nipped and sucked its way up to her knees.
By the time he was kissing the area just above her left kneecap, Wesley could smell her arousal. Her thighs were pressed tightly together as she squirmed, desperately trying to relieve the tension between her legs. Slowly his hands moved to the insides of her legs, massaging them. Cordelia's legs parted ever so slightly; just enough to allow one of Wesley's hands to begin massaging the supple skin of her inner thigh.
Managing to spread her legs a little wider, Wesley began to tease her thighs with his tongue. He kissed her skin in between flicks of his tongue. Gradually, her thighs parted more and more until he was able bury his face in her heat. When he did so, Cordelia gasped for air and her hands flew immediately to his head, holding him to her, encouraging him to continue.
With each new stroke of Wesley's tongue, Cordelia felt the heat within herself grow. His fingers held her open as his tongue lapped at her clitoris. Her hips began to move against his mouth, trying to acquire more pressure for the little bud of nerve endings. She felt a finger gently slide into her and she gasped again. Her inner muscles clamped down around the welcomed intruder. That only served to make her more hot.
She continued to move against Wesley's mouth and hands until her quickened breath finally caught in her throat and a soft whimper passed her dry lips. Her hips bucked up one last time as waves of heat, followed by refreshing waves of cool, wracked her body.
Moving his thumb to continue stroking her through her orgasm, Wesley looked up, face messy with her arousal. He watched as emotions played over her lovely features. Her eyes were closed and her chest was heaving. A small smile crept onto her face and Wesley found himself nearly bursting with pride. It had been so long since a woman had looked that way because of him.
After a moment, Cordelia's body came back to life as her hips began to move with Wesley's hands. Her eyes opened and she lifted up on her elbows to look at him. Her eyes twinkled as they locked with Wesley's. "That was..."
With a small smile, Wesley moved to his knees as his hands continued to stroke her sensitive flesh. "Did you like that?" He knew what her answer would be, but since he was a male and had an ego just like everyone else, he asked anyway.
"That was the most amazing thing that I've ever experienced." Cordelia sat up farther, but not far enough to hinder his hands and their task. "Thank you," she whispered as she tried to regulate her breath.
Wesley's hands stopped their movement and pulled away from Cordelia as he sat up. Cordelia moved her legs around his hips and lay back down on the bed, her arms raised, reaching for him. Wesley moved into her embrace, leaning over her and nearly groaning as his now painfully hard cock brushed against her wet heat.
The feel of Wesley's manhood pressing against her, sent bolts of electricity shooting through her body. A thought passed through her head and for some reason she remembered last year's Teen Health class. "Wait," she said suddenly as she sat up. Wesley quickly moved off of her, looking almost guilty.
"No," she sighed and smiled at him. "It's not you. It's just, I can't afford a baby."
Wesley looked confused for a moment but then realization dawned on him. "Oh! Right." He looked down at the bedspread. "I don't have condom. I, I should have thought about that before we began. I, I apologize."
"Well, stop. It's okay; I have one in my purse." Cordelia quickly moved off of the bed and moved to the front door, searching through her purse hastily. In less than a minute, she was back on the bed, a small blue foil package in her hand. Almost shyly, she held it out to Wesley. "Here." He moved to take it, but she pulled it back. "Um, do you want me to, you know, put it...on...you?"
"It's up to you, my dear. Do you want to?" Wesley asked, knowing that she had never done it before. A painful throb from his cock made him hope that it would be her fingers sliding the latex sheath in place.
After a nearly unbearable moment for Wesley, Cordelia's hand snaked out and her fingers ran down the length of his penis. They both gasped for breath. Hesitantly, Cordelia wrapped her fingers around his cock and it took all the strength and willpower that Wesley could muster to keep from thrusting up into her delicate touch.
"This is going to sound silly," Cordelia said in a hushed voice filled with desire. "But I've never, never touched one without it being...clothed. It feels...nice." Slowly her hand began to move up and down his shaft, not stroking, just exploring.
Wesley groaned and then hissed as two of her fingers ran over the tip of his penis, spreading the small amount of semen around. "Cordelia," he gasped out, his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, he saw her fascinated face accentuated by an amazing smile. Finally, she tore open the package and began to roll the condom down the length of his cock.
The moment she was finished, Wesley moved his mouth over hers. He guided her gently to the bed and moved over her. Cordelia's legs parted easily and he noticed how nicely his hips fit between them. Resting on one elbow, Wesley used the other hand to open the soft petals of her sex as his hips slowly inched forward.
Cordelia trembled as the head of his cock pushed into her. One hand moved to grip his muscled upper arm and the other clenched onto his shoulder. His eyes met hers and she saw that his were filled with concern. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"
She smiled at the term of endearment and nodded her head. "I'm great. How about you?"
"Bloody wonderful, but I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't, please just..." Her words trailed off as Wesley's lips descended to hers. His hips pressed forward and she could feel his cock moving within her. Her muscles clamped down around him as she whimpered into his mouth. Her whimpers grew in volume as the head of his cock pressed against her protective membrane and finally broke through it.
After a moment, Wesley rose up on his elbows again and studied her flushed face. Small tears leaked from her eyes as her chin trembled. "Did it hurt too much, my love?" Swallowing hard, Cordelia shook her head before leaning up to recapture his mouth.
His hips began to move in a slow rhythm. Each time he pulled back, Cordelia exhaled and each time he slid back into her, Cordelia let out little sounds of pleasure. Wesley bent his neck and pulled one of her hard nipples into his mouth. As he rolled the tight bud in his mouth, occasionally scraping his blunt teeth against it, Wesley's hips picked up the pace.
Cordelia met him stroke for stroke as she felt the heat and tension build within her again. With every upward thrust, she could feel her clit grinding against Wesley. He let her nipple slip from his mouth as he lifted his head to watch her face. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, forcing his mouth down to the place where her neck met her shoulder.
He suckled her flesh as he felt her move faster beneath him. He heard her whimpers turn into cries of passion. She bit his shoulder softly as the muscles in her vagina fluttered, squeezing him. Cordelia's eyes shut as she moaned against his shoulder. Wave after wave of intense pleasure crashed over her as she tightly clung to his body, his hips still moving back and forth.
Seeing no need to postpone it any longer, Wesley grunted as he drove into her one last time before allowing himself to lose control. His body stiffened as his seed spilled from his body. Wesley stilled for a moment before pulling his hips back and removing his softening cock from Cordelia's still grasping channel.
"Oh, God, Wesley," Cordelia purred, her eyes still closed.
Wesley moved off of his lover and sat on the edge of the bed, carefully removing the condom. "Be right back, my love," he whispered as he moved off the bed and over to the kitchen, tossing the used condom into the trash before moving to the sink.
Wesley returned to the bed a moment later, a large glass of ice water in his hand. He looked adoringly down at Cordelia, her eyes still shut. "Sleepy?"
Her eyes opened and a wicked smile played upon her lips. "Not at all," she answered in a confident voice as she sat up. As Wesley sat down, he offered her the water, which she accepted. After taking several large gulps, she handed the glass back to Wesley who promptly set it down on the nightstand. "You tired?" she asked as he lay back down on the bed.
Wesley nodded. "Most males, after they get...very excited, tend to get very fatigued."
Cordelia smiled as her mind replayed certain images of his excitement. "So, you're going to go to sleep then?"
"I won't sleep until you do."
"You mean, you want me to sleep over night?" she asked as her faced beamed with delight.
"Of course. Only, the night's practically over, dear. It's after three in the morning."
Cordelia reclined, placing her head on his bicep and staring at the ceiling. "And it's a school day. Do you want to just skip and stay in bed all day?"
"Won't your mother worry?" Cordelia sighed and shook her head. "Well, I'm not sure if I'm going in tomorrow anyway."
The brunette shifted to her side, propping her head up on her hand. "So you're really considering resigning?"
"Yes, I am. And you have made the decision much more clear."
"I have?"
"Yes. Stop thinking and feel, right? Well, I feel that it is something that I must do, only..."
"Only what?" she asked as she ran a finger over his cheek.
"Only maybe I could wait until after your Graduation and take you with me."
"What?" Cordelia was a little shocked to hear him say something like that. "You want me to go with you?"
"Yes, I do," he replied solemnly. "I want you to come with me, where ever I go. I know it might be a selfish want, and I know that you are under no obligation to..."
"Or maybe you can take me with you now."
"Pardon?"
Cordelia sat up and placed both hands on his chest. "You can resign and I'll go with you."
"What about graduating?"
Shaking her head, Cordelia replied, "Not important."
Wesley took her hands in his and sat up, facing Cordelia. "It is important. Nothing should be more important that receiving your diploma, Cordelia."
"Why? I can't go to college. I can't afford to, and besides, I'm not saying that I wouldn't get my diploma. I only really need my Senior English credit and I only have one test and one project left to do. I heard my guidance counselor tell someone that it wasn't necessary for them to actually attend class this last month, as long as they do all the work."
His brow creasing, Wesley studied his lover closely. "That doesn't seem like something they would say, Cordelia. Attendance is an important thing."
"Well, besides the week I took off, due to almost dying, I haven't missed a day of school all year. And you know, you could always pose as my tutor, in say, Spanish, and you could say that you've arranged a cultural tour of Mexico for the summer, but I'd have to leave right away. And of course, you could assure them that I'd do all of my required assignments and that they'll be delivered by the due date."
"Mexico?" Wesley had to admit, the idea had merit and he'd always wanted to visit Mexico. And he was pretty sure that Mexico had deserted beaches with sunsets. It fit the bill.
"Yeah, my school loves stuff like that. We have this whole big foreign exchange student thing every year. It could work." She looked down. "That is, you know, if you wanted."
"I do want, very much."
"Then let's do it, Wes. I mean, I know I don't have any money, but I could pay you back sometime, like get a job somewhere or..."
"Shhh," he quieted her with a gentle finger to her lips. "Your company is all I require. And trust me, my father left me an a substantial amount of money, so money isn't an object."
"Alright." She smiled widely for him. "But just so you know, that I won't be with you for the money."
"Why will you be with me?"
"Why, the incredible sex, of course!"
He chuckled, something he didn't do often. "Of course, the sex! Why didn't I know that?" Bringing her into an embrace, Wesley covered her mouth with his. After several minutes, he pulled back. "How soon do you wish to leave?"
Cordelia smiled and her eyes twinkled in excitement. "I can go home an pack some stuff in no time. And my mother's friend works for a travel agent. She'll get us good rates or, better yet, we could drive down there. My mom can't sell my car, and it's a convertible. But," she said as she glanced around Wesley's apartment, "It might take longer to pack up this place."
"No, actually, it wouldn't. The furniture all came with the flat, the only thing that's really mine is the computer, and that's not hard to disassemble. And the only other things that are mine are my clothing and books, which granted, I can't take all of them."
"Well my cousin Toni just got married and moved to this nice, big place up on Hillside Drive. I bet she could probably store the books and some of your clothes. She'll probably be willing to store some of my stuff too. We'd just have to pay someone to take it over there. But I could call her."
Placing a small kiss on her forehead, Wesley asked, "What about your mother, Cordelia?"
Cordelia shrugged. "Most of the time I get the impression that she doesn't really want me around anyway. I'll just go pack some stuff, have Toni get the rest and then say bye to my mom. She won't miss me and I'll do the good daughter thing and send her postcards from the various exotic places we visit."
**
The next day, around three in the afternoon, Wesley entered the library, dressed in decidedly unprofessional Watcher attire. Clothed in loose jeans, a button down shirt and sneakers, Wesley walked towards the five people gathered around the research table, holding two envelopes in his hand.
"Wow, Wes, is this new, 'hip' you?" Buffy asked in the mocking tone that Wesley had grown accustomed to.
"You could say that," he replied calmly as he came to a halt in front of the group. "But don't worry, it's not for your benefit."
"Well, if you ask me, I like the old 'I'm stuffy and heartless' Wesley look," Xander chimed in.
"Ah, well, the funny thing is, Mr. Harris, is that I didn't ask you and I didn't hear anyone else ask either."
"Wesley, you're late," Giles commented dryly.
"Yes, well, I wasn't sure that I was still invited after last night. You know, when everyone got so upset because I was trying to do my job."
"Oh, get off it Wesley, you just have to face up to the fact that you're not..."
"I'm not as wonderful as Mr. Giles, yes, I know." Wesley quickly cut the Slayer off. "That's not why I'm here and it's not what I want to discuss." He held out the two envelopes to Giles. "One of them is a somewhat personal note to you and your Slayer and the other is a duplicate letter that I sent out to the Council this morning."
"I'm not quite sure I follow," Giles said as he took the letters.
"You're not the only one," Oz added as he continued to run his hand through Willow's silky hair.
"Yes, well, everything is explained in the letters, but since I can see the look of curiosity on all of your faces, I'll tell you. I'm resigning from my post and abandoning my Sacred Duty. Another more attractive offer exposed itself to me last night."
Before anyone could say anything, Cordelia came through the double doors, followed by a book laden Jonathan. Cordelia, herself, carried a few books. After Jonathan had set the books down on the checkout counter, Cordelia shooed him away with a wave of her hand. "Hey, Giles," she said, her voice ringing with happiness as she smiled. "I'm just returning these books. There was one I found at the bottom of my closet that I checked out my Freshman year, before you were here, but I'm not going to pay the late fees on it, so don't even pretend like you're going to try to make me."
Walking over to the group, Cordelia smiled as she saw the stunned faces of the people gathered around the table. Wesley must have just told them that he quit. "What's going on?" she asked, feigning ignorance. "More doom and gloom courtesy of the Hellmouth?"
Xander shook his head. "Why do you care, Cordelia? The only thing you're interested in is how you're going to look for prom."
"Wesley just quit," Willow informed her.
"Oh. Gee, I wonder why?" Cordelia absently scratched her chin, pretending to really think. "It's just so strange that someone like Wesley would resign, because you all welcomed him into your freaky little world with open arms, right?" Cordelia laughed lightly. "If I were him, I'd quit too. I mean, you know, at least *I* have a reason to be mean and my cruelty extends to everyone and I acknowledge that I'm a mean bitch. But you all, you all don't realize that you're cruel. Your meanness is selective; you don't even have a reason to treat Wesley badly, but you do."
"We're not cruel," Buffy protested.
"Oh no? Think about it, Buffy. Go over everything you've ever said to Wesley and then maybe you'll see the need to revise that statement. In any event, I'm sure you and your little posse of weirdos will be able to handle things just fine. I mean, it's not like you all actually had any use for him, right? After all, you have Giles and as we all know, there isn't anyone else in the world who could have a thought or idea that would be of some benefit in the fight against evil."
"Cordelia, are you through?" Xander asked with annoyance.
She smiled at him. "Actually, yes, I am. I'm very through." Smiling a small, secret smile at Wesley, Cordelia turned and strode confidently out of the library.
"Yes, well," Wesley cleared his throat. "I believe it is time for me to be leaving as well."
"You can't just leave."
"That's where you're wrong, Buffy. You don't need me. You all have made that perfectly clear. You, Mr. Giles and your friends have thought of me as nothing more than an annoyance. And now I'm making my exit."
As younger Watcher turned to leave, Giles put his hand on his arm, stopping him. "You know that the Council will not accept your resignation."
"If you had done a little research on me, you would have realized that I was not just a run of the mill Watcher. My father was the head of the Council until he was killed. I was raised from birth to be a Watcher. I've been trained by the top military and academic leaders in the world. The Council knows that I know the secrets of nearly everything that makes this world tick. They know better than to tangle with me. I could expose not only the demon realm and the Slayer and Watcher's place in it, but I could expose the naked truth about the exact nature of this world."
Wesley looked down at Giles' hand. "So politely take your hand off of me." When Giles did as asked, Wesley took a step back and glanced around the table. "You see, you all thought you knew me, but you didn't even take the time to see if what you thought you knew was correct. I could have been very useful to you, had you have just listened to me once. But now I realize that this isn't my fight; it never was. It was my father's and truth be told, I've wasted too many years trying to honor my father's wishes. So, good luck to you all."
Wesley turned and walked towards the door. He stopped when he heard Buffy ask "What about the Ascension?"
Wesley did not turn around as he answered. "I have full confidence that you and your team will be successful in thwarting it. The key is probably in those pages, Mr. Giles. Look for demon blood rites. Usually demons can't transform without bathing in the blood of a weaker, yet powerful demon."
**
Wesley smiled as he neared the convertible. Cordelia sat in the driver's seat bopping her head to the beat of the music playing on the radio. She turned to him as he slid in the passenger seat. "How'd it go? They didn't look too happy."
"I doubt it will take them long to get over it," he replied as he leaned over and kissed Cordelia with the same passion he'd had the night before.
After a moment Cordelia pulled back and smiled. "So, on to Mexico?"
"On to Mexico," he confirmed as he took her hand and looked out the front window. "On to beautiful beaches and gorgeous sunsets."
Cordelia smiled as an image of the two of them, sitting on a deserted beach at sunset, watching a small dark haired child play vibrantly in the surf, floated into her mind. Thoughts of the future ran through both of their minds as Sunnydale whooshed by them in a blur.
And neither of them looked back.
~**~
The End.