Title: Pretending to be Wesley

Author(s): Eva McGregor and Teri

Rating: PG-13

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Pretender AU

Summary: Wesley leaves after "Graduation" and discovers the Watchers want him and so does the Center, now on the run he must discover why, while dodging everyone including a man that seems familiar. All the while Xander's life is put in danger when he is mistaken for Wesley. Only the mysterious stranger can help both of them get out of this one. If they can find the real Wes that is.

Pairing: Wes/Xan friendship

Eva's Disclaimer: I'm still a XanderSpikeoholic get over it! All Buffy characters are owned by Joss, Pretender is own by their masters, all else are owned by me and/or Teri. So nuh!

Teri's Disclaimer: Disclaimer we acknowledge that Wesley, Xander, and all other characters of Buffy:TVS, Angel, The Pretender or any other crossover stories mentioned are not our property. No copyright infringement is intended.

Eva's Note: Xander is a little more of a strong type then he is portrayed on the show; i.e. he knows how to fight and such, Wes sheds personas more then Spike goes through bleach, he's also only 20 in this time line which makes him born in 1979. Jared finds his family only to discover he had a missing brother, wonder who it could be.

Note2: 'Cause I like it, Xander has Hazel eyes, (I'm starting a trend here)

Did I get it all?

No? Oh well, Teri fill them in on what I missed would you?

Teri's Note: Actually, I think Xander is right on target, but I think he is a strong character to begin with. Looks like this will be a fun story. It looks like we will be alternating chapters. The prologue and chapter one were written by Eva. Let her know what a good job she did.

Now We present:

Winter in Russia was no laughing matter, and standing outside in the cold all day was even less of one. Yet Melovich was willing to stand outside all day if it meant he didn't have to be inside that building with those people. The cold of outside did not deter him, but the icy stare of the one they called Reines was enough to freeze liquid nitrogen.

Melovich couldn't complain if the deal went well then they would leave. All of them, the Americans and the English.

"Why they have to negotiate here is beyond me," Melovich muttered under his breath as he sipped his vodka. "Too much, too much for a child."

It was a child they aimed to buy. Melovich saw the baby boy just before the bidding started. It sickened him to see humans stoop so low as to sell a baby to the highest bidder. He was nearly tempted to go in there a biding himself so the child would have a chance at a real life. Melovich could find the boy's real family or raise him as his own.

The doors opened and out stepped all of the negotiators. Mister Reines held a large black brief case in his hand that vanished, along with himself, into the car he came in. another man, Mister Wyndam-Price, carried the baby boy in his arms like merchandise he just perched and didn't wish to break. There was no love from the man; he was as cold and heartless as the American.

The Brit's ignored Melovich as they waited for the driver to move the car. "What did they say the child's name was?" One man asked writing in a book.

The man holding the child looked down at the infant in disgust. "They called it Wesley." He said. "Let's depart before it needs to be changed."

Melovich growled a little but kept his mouth shut. Instead he took the pendant from around his neck and walked up to the group. "A gift," he said in accented English, placing the necklace over the child's head. Wyndam-Price glared but Melovich only smiled, that pendant would never come off by that man's hand and it would protect the child.

He was sure little Wesley would need all the protection he could get.

***

Wesley Wyndam-Price watched Angel go, vanish into the smoke bellowing from the once proud Sunnydale High. In the distance he could see Buffy watching her beloved leave and his heart sank. True love only came once in a long while, it was a shame this one would never be met. The two that had been star-crossed lovers would forever remain only that.

He could feel eyes on the back of his neck and knew there could be only one person paying attention to him and not everything else. Xander was a strange creature; one Wes had never encountered before. His loyalties were high, bravery even higher, yet he hid all Wes knew he could do behind a comedy act that was tragically unfunny.

They had formed a common kinship and an unlikely friendship with things in common to boot. Things other then what they had done to them. The pain and scars where the same only inflicted by different means and people.

It had surprised Wes to no end that Xander had a hidden knowledge of culture and language that matched his own. The boy was smart and powerful when he wanted to be and only wanted to be around the soon-to-be Ex-Watcher. It was a trust issue, Xander fully trusted him to know his secrets, something not even Willow could say.

He only wished he could trust Xander the same way.

But it didn't matter; Wesley would be gone before such a question of trust could be answered. It was just how it was.

"Hey," Xander said walking up to the young Watcher as the paramedic's looked him over. "Hey," Wesley answered with a slight smile. "You did well out there."

"You too...well until you got knocked out." Xander's smile widened.

"But we won and that's all that counts." Wes said holding out his hand.

"Absolutely," Xander grinned taken his friends hand.

"We need to take you to the hospital now," the paramedic said urging Wesley to lie back in the gurney.

"Can I come?" Xander asked in a pleading tone.

"That quite alright Xander." Wes said quickly, "I'll be fine. Go make sure the others are ok."

Xander nodded. "Take care, I'll stop by later tonight."

Wes nodded back as he was wheeled into the ambulance. He was sure the boy would be good to his word. To bad he wouldn't be there.

***

Xander walked down the hospital hallway alone, a stake up his sleeve a squirt bottle of Holy water in his pocket. He had learned the hard way that creatures of the night could be found in hospitals more often then not- he was pretty sure one of the nurses was one, but had yet to prove it.

It had taken three hours to make sure everything was alright at the ruined school and until dusk to make sure his friends were still well and to convince them he was fine as well. So as promised he walked down the hospital corridor toward the hospital room of his only male friend.

Only to find said room and said friend empty and gone.

His first thought was for the worst as he ran to the nurse's station demanding to know what had happened to his friend.

"I'm sorry sir," the nurse said. "Your friend went MIA when the doctor determined he was not seriously injured. Are you Mister Harris?"

"Yes I am" Xander said still a little flustered.

"Mister Wyndam-Price left something for you." She said taking an envelope from a pile.

"Thank you." Xander said taking the envelope and making to walk away. "If he comes back can I be called?"

the nurse smiled. "Of course, we have you down as his emergency contact."

Xander nodded and walked away, stepping onto an elevator at the end of the hall. He opened the letter as the doors closed leaning heavily against the far wall to scan the hand written paper...

"Damn!" Xander muttered with a sigh reading over the latter again with a long whistle at the numbers of the bank account and trust fund. He didn't want to know where Wes had gotten that kind of money.

After a moment's thought he reached into the envelope again and pulled out a small pendant. He remembered that the pendent was something Wesley never took off and something that no matter the circumstances never fell off either. It was a gift that meant more then either of them know, or would ever know.

The brunette placed the pendant over his head letting it settle against his chest under his outer shirt. He exited the elevator with a little more confidence and intimidation. Pity to the vampire that crossed his path as he walked home. He had more important things to do then to worry about a vamp in the shadows.

Like storage for all this things and a fast easy mode of transportation. It was time to go find a lost friend.

Go to: Chapter 1

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