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Author's Chapter Notes:
This chapter is odd, I'll admit that.
Thanks for reading.

Another A/N: I just found out that this fic was nominated at the Breathless Awards in the Fool For Love category!
Thank you to whoever nominated me!!!
REDEMPTION


Chapter 13: ‘Regret’


Summary: Hank Summers gets his eyes opened by two very different men. Buffy overhears an argument and misunderstands Spike’s intentions towards her. Something she does puts her and Spuffy in danger.


Buffy lay in the simple bed roll, her eyes focused up on the heavens and the stars in them. William was asleep, next to her, in his own roll, oblivious to the fact that she could not sleep, yet again, tonight.

After a few days in the wilds of the Utah Territory, Buffy had come to realize that sleeping on the open plain was quite the adventure for her. If nothing else, the stars seemed even closer to earth then back in Nebraska. As if Buffy could reach up and touch each shiny, pointed bright light with her hands.

She had become quite used to having William lying as close as he could to her. As close as propriety and decorum would allow that is. Actually, Buffy found his closeness comforting in a lot of ways, especially since that snake, Graham was only yards away from her at night.

From what Angel had said, earlier in the day, Buffy surmised that they were near the territory of Arizona. She could only imagine how far they rode, daily, or what day it truly was. Out here, in the open plains of the Southwest, hours melted into days and days into weeks.

Buffy wondered if her father and the posse from Redemption had finally given up and returned home. Probably not, she reasoned, especially since her father was a somewhat powerful man in the Nebraska territory.

‘Salt Lake City…’


“You couldn’t have missed them,” Marshal Merrick was patiently explaining to the main deputy of Salt Lake City. “A dozen or so rough men and one small woman with them? They had to have made an impression, if they came this way,” he added.

“Nope,” the no name deputy grunted in reply, eyeing the weary looking posse. “No way we’d have missed that outcast bunch,” he continued thoughtfully. “Especially if the young woman was the beauty you say she is.

“But, then again,” the thirty something law man scratched his head in thought, “most folks here in the Utah Territory are thought of as outcasts themselves. We tend to mind our own business and not get caught up in the problems of other territories or states. They didn’t want us? We don’t give a hang about them. It’s simple as that,” he spat.

As Merrick and Hank Summers left the tidy sheriff’s office, the marshal pulled the worried father aside. “We need to talk, Summers,” he mumbled so the rest of the men could not hear.

“It’s about your daughter and the Crawford Gang and well,” the lawman sighed in frustration. “I’m going to be straight Hank,” he continued evenly. “Up in Wyoming, or even here in Utah? We had a chance of catching up to the gang and all. Angel Crawford and his wild bunch have no friends in the Utah, that’s for certain, outcasts or not. But in Arizona? Well, Summers,” Merrick hesitated and tried to read Hank’s expressions.

“Tell me,” Hank murmured. “The truth marshal, all of it.”

“Angel Crawford is well liked in the Southwest, or the South for that matter,” the marshal grunted. “There’s a lot of bad feelings left over, from after the War and Angel is well known in Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and of course, Georgia. Just because the Union won the War, doesn’t mean it sits well with the people that ran for the Southwest when it ended, and after.”

“You’re saying that if those ‘men’ make it to Arizona, with my Buffy? We might never…” Hank couldn’t finish the sentence, he felt overwhelmed by physical illness.

I’m saying,” Marshal Merrick muttered, “that Angel Crawford probably has more friends in the Arizona Territory then he has in Wyoming, Nebraska and Kansas put together. If the Crawford’s make it to the Arizona border? Then it’ll be like goin’ to hell and scouting out Satan himself to find them. Crawford has that many friends there. Do you understand me, Hank?”

Samual Lightfoot sidled up to Hank Summers and tapped him on his shoulder. “Summers,” the Indian grunted, “need to talk to you,” he motioned for Hank to join him.

“Yes, Samual,” Hank followed the taller man down the street a ways.

“It’s about your girl,” Sam continued evenly. “I just want to say some things; make things clear to you. If and when we bring your daughter home…”

“We will,” Hank growled angrily. “Buffy belongs at home, in Redemption, with me and her family!”

“Not sayin’ she does or don’t,” Samual grunted again. “I’m sayin’ that if she does come home with us? You’d best expect some changes in the girl. Maybe for the good? Maybe for the bad? But there’ll be changes in the girl There’s magic afoot, Summers,” Sam stated knowingly. “Magic that’s powerful strong and nothin’ that any man can do will change it. Your girl? She’s not gonna’ want to go back to your home, Summers. Not willingly. This magic I’m talkin’ about is so strong that not even white men can fix it.”

Hank stared at Samual Lightfoot, stunned. If he was a less logical man, Hank Summers might truly believe what the tall, imposing man in front of him had to say.


Buffy glanced about the makeshift camp, wondering where William had disappeared to. She noticed that Graham was also missing, as was Riley Finn. There was something about this Finn fellow that intrigued Buffy; something almost mystical, or all-knowing about the large man.

Finally, Buffy found William, standing in front of Graham and Riley. By his stance and the fact that she could hear angry words between the trio, Buffy realized that a heated argument was going on. William had his back to her, so she crept up behind him, careful not to be heard or seen.

“If you’d thought with your head, instead of your dick, Giles, then maybe we’d nearly be in Mexico by now,” Graham spat angrily.

“And if you’d not of murdered that sheriff in Redemption,” Spike growled loudly, “I wouldn't of had to have dragged Buffy along with us!”

Buffy froze in place, stunned by the crass words and harsh tone in both of the men’s voices. ‘Uncle Richard ‘is’ dead,’ she suddenly realized, painfully. ‘He’s been dead and Will didn’t tell me,’ she reasoned as tiny, hot tears spilled out of green eyes.

Apparently, Graham and Riley had noticed Buffy, silently weeping behind William. Graham smirked at Will and before Riley could stop him, the murderer asked loudly, “so Spike, has grabbin’ the skirt paid off? She let you slip her pretty little panties off and…”

“You fucking bastard!” Spike roared as he leapt at Graham and began to pummel the larger man with his fists. “You don’t talk about Buffy like that,” the blond man screamed wildly.

“No!” Buffy cried out in protest. She ran to the fighting men and glared at Riley. “Stop them!” She ordered the huge man, angrily.

“Can’t,” Riley grunted with a shrug, “this is between two men. Over your honor, Miss Summers. I can’t do anything…”

“God dammit!” Buffy cursed loudly as she pulled at William. “You men are so God damned bull headed and full of stupid nobility…” she stopped before she spewed anymore filth and concentrated on ending the fight.

“Stop it, Will,” Buffy screamed, noticing that Angel and Rupert Giles had finally joined them. With Angel grabbing Graham and Rupert pulling his son back, the fight ended as quickly as it started.

“Enough!” Angel roared, enraged. “We’ve got half of Nebraska out gunning for us and you two decide to kill each other? Bright, cousin,” he spat at Spike. “I fucking regret ever dragging this girl with us!” Angel glared at his cousin before storming off in a rage.

“What’s this about?” Rupert asked quietly of his son, knowing full well what the answer had to be.

“He insulted Buffy,” Spike mumbled to his father, even as he glared at Graham.

“She’s a burden,” Graham hissed at Rupert, but his dark eyes were on Buffy. “Just because your son wants a piece of ass he drags along this,” the hateful man sneered at Buffy now. “She’s slowed us down, caused us nothin’ but trouble and Spike’ll probably just dump her off at the border anyhow. When he’s done with her, right Spike?” Graham glared at Spike, now, his dark eyes gleamed with jealousy and hatred.

Buffy looked at Graham, then at Rupert, and finally at William. Her huge green eyes were filled with fresh tears of pain and humiliation.

She noted that William didn’t speak up too quickly to deny what this Graham was saying. Her heart broke into a million pieces, instantly and without saying another word, Buffy fled from the group of men.

Of course, Buffy had no idea where she was running off to; she just ran. Her heartbreak and pain from William’s betrayal caused her to blindly flee from her captors.

‘He didn’t tell me Uncle Richard was dead,’ her pained mind cried as she stumbled through prairie bush and shrub. ‘What if Graham’s right? What if Will really just wanted to use me as a hostage and seduce me? Then dump me off at the nearest border town, without…’

“Buffy!” She could hear the shouts of the men behind her, but she stumbled on into the rough terrain. Prairie brush and rough trees seemed to reach out and try to grab at her.

“Buffy, stop!” William’s voice could be heard above the others; as he seemed to be the closest to her now.

‘He loves me,’ she tried to reassure herself as she ran on, blindly.

‘If he does, you little idiot…..how come he didn’t tell you about Uncle Richard? What if Graham is right?’ The insecure little voice in her mind taunted her with ugly accusations.

‘I hate him,’ Buffy assured herself, even as she wept, ‘I hate you William Giles and I regret every laying eyes on you! With all of my heart and soul…’

Buffy tripped, suddenly, over some errant rock in her path. She tried to catch herself, but only succeeded in slipping backwards and hitting her golden head on what felt like a boulder. Everything went black.


A/N: I tussled with this chapter and frankly, I don’t really like it at all. However, I needed to have Buffy ‘confused’ for a little while about Spike. Things will get better and soon between Spike and Buffy and yes, there will be Spuffy sex very soon. Promise.

Thanks for reading, please review, spufette.





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