REDEMPTION
Summary: We find out what happens to our couple and their extended family.
Warning: Angst; not all of the characters have happy endings. There is character death in this chapter, however, there is a poetic justice for a nasty character.
Chapter 31: ‘Redemption Redux’
Hank Summers stared out the rather small window as the locomotive chugged into the station in Redemption.
Being a practical, yet sentimental man, Hank knew he should be thrilled to be finally arriving in his hometown. He would be back with his family, albeit without his oldest child, Buffy.
In his arms, Hank held some precious cargo. A beautiful baby girl , Angela Crawford to be exact. Just as the sun rose every morning, Hank knew his wife, Joyce, would take to this child as if she was her own. Even though the little baby was no blood kin to he or Joyce; even if her eyes were black as coal like her daddy’s. At least that’s how Hank remembered Angel Crawford’s dark eyes, just before……
The poor little babe, who now slept peacefully in Hank’s arms, did not know of how much sorrow her little life already held. Angela was the newborn daughter of Angel and Darla Crawford that was true enough.
Also true enough was the fact that Darla had died shortly after giving birth to this precious baby. Then, rather unjustly Hank felt; the outraged folks of Nogales, led by Marshall Merrick, hung Angel Crawford. Crawford’s trial had lasted less then an hour.
Buffy had begged Hank to take on Angela, just in case. Well, Buffy had been correct in being concerned about the just in case and so here they were; Angela and Hank. Back here in Redemption, Nebraska where the rest of Hank’s family waited for his return.
He had wired his wife, Hank had, to tell her of what had transpired in Nogales. If Joyce disagreed with her husband, or felt he should not bring the poor little orphaned baby to her? She made no mention of it at all.
Instead Joyce Summers waited at the train station in Redemption; loyally and patiently. Their natural born children, Dawnie and little Hank by her side. The Summers’ family would be there just outside the station building, Hank had no doubt. They would wait patiently for Hank to return to them; sans Buffy, but with a truly new addition to the Summers’ family.
Hank was not a particularly educated man by any modern standards. However, he was a well read man; the classics such as Shakespeare and Bacon under his belt. He was well aware of tragic irony; poetic or otherwise. It was Hank’s strength in life; and his burden also.
When Hank saw his lovely wife, waiting for him so patiently just in the train station’s door…..
“Oh Hank,” Joyce gushed happily as she hugged her husband and made over the darling baby in his arms. “She’s a beautiful little princess!”
“Well I don’t know what kind of princess she is,” Hank stammered in reply. “She is a beauty though.”
“Can I hold her Papa?” Dawn squealed in delight, holding out her long arms.
“Of course you can,” Hank murmured in an unusually soft voice, for him anyway. “Little Angela here is your new baby sister,” he whispered as he handed over the squirming little bundle to his youngest daughter.
“Little Angela is pretty, Papa,” little Hank observed reverently.
“You’ll need to watch over your new little sister, Jr.” Hank Sr. advised somberly. “She’ll be needin’ you to keep an eye on her and make sure the young men don’t push her when she‘s all grown up. You know what I mean, right?”
“I do,” Hank Jr. replied seriously, his little chest all puffed up and proud.
“God, I’ve missed you all,” Hank Sr. rasped as he broke down, overcome with emotion and began to weep for joy.
Hank sat on his front porch; the one he’d constructed so carefully years before. He was sitting, a mug of beer in his left hand, his rifle in his left.
Joyce had put the little baby Angela down over an hour ago. She had set up Dawn’s little crib in the master bedroom, next to their bed. Angela would stay there, in Hank and Joyce’s own room until the little dear adjusted to her new home. It was the least they could do to help the baby acclimate to her new life.
Dawn and little Hank had gone on to bed also; only Joyce and Hank remained awake at this late hour. Although, for now, Hank sat in his chair on the porch, all alone for now…..
In his very soul, Hank knew he would have company sometime this night. That was exactly why he sipped his welcome beer and held his trusty rifle over his lap.
Sure enough, sometime after 9:00 PM, Caleb Montgomery came riding up the dusty road to the Summers’ front porch.
Hank was ready for the sure to be angry younger man and when he saw Montgomery’s familiar figure, he sat down his mug and raised the rifle. Joyce had informed her husband, immediately, of what the monster had done to that poor doomed whore in Devereaux’s brothel.
‘There for the grace of God. It could have been our Buffy,’ Hank sighed to himself.
He would have to nip Caleb’s wrath in the bud and do it tonight, Hank would. He could only hope that the advice he was going to give the Caleb would take hold. Hank did not want any violence, especially in front of his own home.
“Montgomery,” Hank grunted in greeting, standing up to his full 6’ height.
“Hank,” Caleb replied simply in his gruff manner.
“Where’s Elizabeth?” Caleb asked quickly, though the man certainly must have heard the news by now.
“Somewhere in Mexico I suspect,” Hank answered as casually as he could muster.
“With her husband, William Giles that is,” Hank added smugly. He just couldn’t help himself for the abrupt, sarcastic reply to this monster of a man.
“Do you mean to tell me that it’s true!” Caleb nearly screeched in shock. “How could you leave Elizabeth with that scoundrel, Hank? I mean, she was promised to me and…..”
“I don’t believe William Giles is near as much a scoundrel as you are Montgomery,” Hank stated evenly.
Summers’ dark eyes were filled with disgust as he surveyed the younger, larger man in front of him.
“Hank, I can’t believe that….” Caleb began again, but Hank cut him off immediately.
“Believe what you will, Caleb,” he snorted, “my Buffy is married, good and legal to William Giles and I for one am glad of it!”
“My wife informed me of the horror you visited on that poor girl at Devereuax’s,” Hank hissed at the younger man. “And while we’re on that subject,” he continued with venom.
“Harmony was a paid and bought whore, nothing more then that,” Caleb interjected gruffly. “Who gives a damn what happens to a whore, Hank? Oh, wait, that’s what your daughter is now, ain’t it? So, I guess you give a….”
Hank Summers raised his rifle and fired two warning shots above Montgomery’s fool head.
“I missed on purpose that time Montgomery,” Hank roared angrily at the shocked man before him. “Next time I won’t miss on purpose or otherwise,” he finished with a growl.
“Hank,” Caleb stammered, somewhat disoriented by the whole drama unfolding in front of his eyes.
“You can call me Mr. Summers, Montgomery,” Hank grumbled in reply as he leveled his shot gun right at Caleb’s gut.
“But I think you should forego calling me anything at all, Caleb. Me or anyone else in Redemption or the territory about here. In fact,” Hank continued evenly, “I think you should move on completely; out of Redemption and maybe even Nebraska,” he finished with a snort disgust.
“Leave my home?” Caleb asked in shock, his dark eyes wide with horror at the mere thought of leaving his beloved Nebraska.
“Yup,” Hank replied simply. “The truth is, Montgomery, you’re all finished around here. The good folks of Redemption know exactly what kind of monster you truly are, at least by now they do.”
“Hank, I….” Caleb sputtered, but was cut off once again by the older man.
“Johnathan Levy Daniel Osbourne have already made it quite clear that they’ll assist me in running your worthless hide out of Redemption, and Nebraska if need be.” Hank stated menacingly.
“We don’t want you or need you around here makin’ any more trouble for anyone, lease of all my family, Montgomery,” he continued somberly.
“Be out of Redemption as soon as possible Caleb,” Hank ordered gruffly. “If you don’t leave…..well,” he finished in a disdainful voice.
“Look,” Hank began in a resigned tone, “this is your chance to redeem yourself, somewhat, Caleb. Go away from here and start over somewhere else. Everyone will be the better for it…..including yourself.
{Meanwhile, south of the border…..}
The mesmerizing blue-green waves broke on the shore of Guaymas, Mexico.
Spike Giles thought the wondrous colors of the sea were nothing next to the hues of his wife’s hazel/green eyes.
Said wife; Buffy Summers-Giles was at the moment kicking up her heels, literally, in the waters off the shores of Guaymas.
After they had fled the United States, the relieved, if somewhat disheveled band of desperados had stumbled wearily into Guaymas, Mexico. Well, some of the remaining Crawford gang anyway.
Rupert Giles and young Connor Crawford, along with Jesse, had traveled with Spike and Buffy down to Guaymas. After hearing of poor, doomed Angel and Darla’s deaths, it seemed the best thing for these remaining members of the gang.
Just past the US/Mexican border, on the Mexican side that is, Charles Gunn had announced that he was headed back to Alabama.
Seems the man had a wife, Kendra and two young children waiting for him there.
Charles had assured a concerned Buffy that no one gave a hang about an ex-slave and would ask no questions regarding his sudden reappearance near Selma. Gunn would go home and reclaim his family, no questions asked.
Holden, who did not miss his ‘friend’ Graham at all, had decided to try his luck down further in South America. He headed off for Argentina to try his hand at being a real gaucho on the Pampas down that way.
The other various gang members had taken off for parts unknown, which was just as well really. Perhaps someday, all of their paths would meet once again in happier circumstances…..God willing.
Buffy kicked up the white foam that encircled her calves and giggled wildly at her husband, William.
William Giles lay on the warm sand; perched on his elbows so he could enjoy the show his wife was putting on for him.
“I never thought it could be this beautiful!” Buffy squealed in delight as she scampered up the wet shore to where her husband waited for her.
“Me either,” Spike smirked happily. He held out his arms to catch his rather damp Buffy in them.
Buffy wore nothing but a little white chemise; nothing but a sweet wisp of lace and silk. Spike was in heaven for it, but actually found event hat bit of material a bit pesky for his intentions.
“I love it here,” Buffy sighed in contentment, her blond head snuggled into her Will’s strong chest.
“Me too, sweetheart,” Spike replied lazily as he tenderly stroked Buffy’s slim arm. He gently kissed the top of his wife’s golden head and pulled her even closer to his dry, warm body.
His large hand covered the slight bulge of Buffy’s tummy; the tell-tale sign that she was beginning to show with their child.
“Hmmmm,” Buffy sighed wistfully, alerting Spike to the fact that she was about to ‘say’ something that would probably be poignant and life-altering.
“Will,” Buffy began quietly.
“Yes baby?” He murmured softly to encourage her to speak her mind. If there was one thing Spike knew about his wife, it was that she had many opinions and ideas and that most of them were pretty bloody brilliant.
“What’s that land over, out there?” Buffy asked innocently as she pointed to the speck of darkness to the west of the sea water.
“They call it the Baja of California,” Spike replied simply as he scanned the horizon past the Sea of Cortez.
“Oh,” Buffy mumbled, deep in thought.
“What is it Buffy dear,” Spike asked evenly; his finger slipped up under her chin. He pulled her face up so their gazes met.
“I have family,” she whispered, “in the California of the United States,” she continued quietly. “An aunt of mine has a farm near Sunnydale, California and…..”
“You want to go there and start a new life, right?” Spike asked, his warn blue eyes held no undue judgement or quarrel with Buffy. They only asked for the truth in her words; nothing more.
“I do,” Buffy murmured; her green eyes scanned the distant land longingly.
“I think that can be arranged,” Spike chuckled, his fingers stroked Buffy’s warm cheek affectionately.
“I kind of thought that you might want to go home, to England,” Buffy began with trepidation. She hated the idea of moving to England but she wanted Will to be happy and…..
“I love you Buffy and I want you to be happy,” he whispered into her warm little ear. “Besides,” he continued evenly, “I don’t think Dad and I are really all that welcomed back home in England. We should all get a new start now.”
“Will you love me when I’m as big as one of those whales out there; in the Pacific Ocean? Will you…..” Buffy giggled, but her insecurity showed through.
“I’ll love you even more then I do now,” Spike replied with conviction before he kissed her square on the mouth.
“About Angel, Darla and little Angela,” Buffy began with great hesitation.
“We did what we had to do, baby,” Spike interjected somberly. “Angela is in great hands, with your folks that is and about Angel….” the pain in his voice cut Buffy to the core.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered sincerely as she nuzzled her husband’s neck with her warm, damp lips.
“Me too,” he sighed heavily, “but if you’re any indication of how well the Summers raise their children? Angela will have a wonderful life and be raised like a true lady.”
“That she will honey,” Buffy murmured in response.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Spike decided to act on his impulses.
He began to slip the lacy chemise from his wife’s elegant shoulder and ran his fingers down her arm.
“I think it’s time for me to show you just how much I want you sweetling,” Spike purred huskily.
“Will! Someone will see us!” Buffy cried in shock, but her airy giggle betrayed her ruse.
“Only a dolphin or two, baby,” Spike rasped, his need was apparent and Buffy decided to let him have his way…..(the little minx!)
Spike began to trail a path of warm, soft kitten kisses down Buffy’s neck to her shoulder then her right breast.
“Oh Will,” Buffy sighed dreamily, “you ‘do’ love and want me, don’t you?”
“Of course I do,” Spike replied with a deep chuckle. “I’ll always want you Buffy. When you’re ready to give birth, I’ll want you even more, I swear it.”
A/N: I had grown so fond of this fiction that I decided to continue you it to the end. One, maybe two more chapters and that’s it.
I hope you read this, as sappy as it is and enjoy it.
Thank you, spufette.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I"ve decided to finish this one sometime soon. I feel that I owe it to readers to try and finish the fictions I begin.
Thanks,
spufette.
Thanks,
spufette.