STAKE YOUR CLAIM
Chapter 17: Part II ‘So Very Good To Me’
Buffy Summers sat in the Gile’s kitchen, nervously stabbing at a very good steak and trying to get the desire up to actually eat the thing. Jennifer Gile’s sat across the table, scrutinizing her ‘guest’ as she attempted to eat the huge steak and Dawn Summers nibbled on her cake dessert. It was now close to 10:30 PM, Buffy noted for the tenth time in less then five minutes and all three of the women in the kitchen were quiet as mice.
‘They’ve been gone too long,’ Buffy surmissed fearfully, ‘William and the rest, they should have been back hours ago.’
After William had brought Buffy back to the Gile’s Ranch, then turned right around to rejoin the posse that had gone after her, she immediately sunk into a warm tub to bathe. Later, at Jennifer’s insistence, Buffy had tried to eat something, but had failed miserably. Now, both Buffy and Dawn demanded that they be allowed to stay up and wait until their ‘guys’ had returned home from the fray at the bluff. Jennifer again insisted that Buffy eat something.
“You’re skin and bones child,” Mrs. Rupert Giles scolded, “you have got to eat. You’ll get ill.”
Therefore, Buffy was trying to eat some steak and biscuits, at least, to appease the kind woman and possibly help keep herself awake longer.
“Will they arrest the men, Jennifer?” Buffy asked innocently, although she was sure that William, the Gile’s clan and the other men would do more then ‘that’ to Holden and his gang. Jennifer didn’t answer, just gave Buffy a strange look and glanced over at Dawn who had grown oddly silent.
“She’s sound asleep,” Buffy giggled as she surveyed her younger sister who had slid the cake plate aside and dropped her dark head to the kitchen table.
“It’s not for me to say, Buffy. I mean about the justice that Rupert and the others will meet out to Holden and the rest.” Jennifer responded somberly.
She stood and went over to Dawn, “let’s get your little sister to bed, Buffy,” she ordered gently. “We’ll put her in the guest room, the one you two used before. I think it would be best if you stayed with her, for a while at least, dear. She’s been so afraid for you since you were taken, now I fear she’s worried about that head strong youngest son of mine.”
Buffy shook Dawnie just awake enough to be led upstairs to the guest room and her bed. As Jennifer suggested, she lay down in the bed next to her sister and watched the younger girl fall back asleep instantly. Dawn had sobbed for almost an hour after William had brought Buffy home, going on about how everything had been her fault, not Buffy’s. As much as Buffy would have liked to selfishly blame Dawn for everything, the truth was, she had brought some of the kidnapping events on herself.
She, Buffy knew better then to run around, outside of the town’s limits, even just to the school house alone. Even if she had had the presence of mind to take her rifle with her, then perhaps none of the horrible events later would have occurred.
‘I’m afraid it’s more then one person’s fault, here, Dawnie,’ she admitted to herself as she brushed the long dark hair from her sister’s face.
‘Oh, God, Will,’ Buffy sighed wistfully, ‘just come back, please. I have to talk to you, tell you so much.’
It was already well past midnight when Spike, Rupert, Angel and Connor stumbled into the Gile’s back door. They were hungry and disheveled, but more then that, they were all exhausted. Jennifer still sat, alone now, in the kitchen, sipping tea when the men found her there.
“Rupert,” Jennifer jumped up to hug her man, then her sons, even Spike, warmly. “Is everyone all right? Dear Lord we’ve been sick with worry,” she exclaimed, “I finally forced poor Buffy and Dawn to at least lie down for a while. Last time I checked, they were both fast asleep, they’ll be sick that they weren’t awake when you got home.”
Spike nodded and flopped down on the nearest chair, joined by Angel who sat next to him and laid his dark head on the table across his huge arms.
“Mother,” Connor yawned, “I’m going to bed now, I can’t stay awake any longer.” There was a sad, desperation in the young man when he kissed his mother’s cheek and then stumbled off to bed.
“Jennifer, dear,” Rupert began quietly, “I’m off to bed also. The rest of the men with us went on home, though I tried to put them up here for the night. Gunn, Ford, the rest of the hands, they’re already in their bunks. Please come up soon, darling,” the oldest Giles kissed his wife on the mouth, tenderly, and headed up the back stairs to their bedroom.
“Bloody hell,” Spike groaned, “if it wasn’t the middle of winter, I’d go wash in the creek, right this minute.”
Jennifer smiled at her stepson then took a chair across from the two Gile’s boys. “Do I want to know what happened?” she asked seriously.
“Probably not, Mom,” Angel mumbled, his head still buried on his crossed arms.
“William?” Jennifer asked again as she looked at her stepson with a tired, somewhat sad expression.
“We went up, rounded up the whole bunch of them,” Spike sighed gruffly, “they didn’t go out without a fight, of course.” He didn’t look at his stepmother, it bothered him to tell her this, but she should know, as Buffy would know as soon as he could tell her.
“Shot and killed most of them, including that worthless son-of-a-bitch, sorry Jennifer, Holden Webster. The ones we didn’t shoot and kill, we hung afterwards, every one of them.”
Jennifer didn’t gasp or look terribly shocked, however, she did flinch, visibly then frowned. “The two women, the boy? What happened to them?”
Spike shrugged, “Deputy Finn and that two bit Sheriff Adams of ours, they proved to be worth something at least, this time. They took custody of Webster’s sister, Darla, her boy Dalton and that loony Faith and swore to put them on the first train out of Cheyenne. Send them all to California with a warning never to show their faces again in the Territory. Buffy would’ve wanted it that way, so Dad made sure the women and child were unharmed, just banished, so to speak.”
His stepmother just nodded slightly and said no more. “Mother,” Angel mumbled, “go easy on Connor for a while. He’s seen some hard things now, not sure if he’ll be allright for a while.”
Jennifer smiled softly and shook her dark head, “my boy, Connor will be fine,” she whispered, “he is a Giles after all.”
“William?” Buffy’s sleepy voice came from the kitchen door and he turned to find his love standing there. Dressed in a very long, warm robe, that nearly covered her from head to toe. Spike recognized it as one of his own.
“Come in, Princess,” he offerred warmly.
“Did you get them, Holden and the others?” Buffy asked, wide-eyed and shaking, slightly.
Spike glanced over at his now wide awake younger brother, Angel, then back at Buffy. With a sigh, he nodded, “we caught them all, luv. Shot most of them, hung the rest. Dad convinced the others to spare the two women and the boy, sent them away. They won’t bother anyone here anymore, sweet.”
Buffy flinched when Spike told her about the mens’ respective fates, but she seemed relieved when she heard that the boy and women would just be gone from their lives, completely.
“Get to bed Angel,” Jennifer ordered gently then stood herself to join her husband upstairs. “You two should also get off to sleep,” the woman nodded at Buffy and William.
“Thank you Jennifer,” Buffy whispered as she took the seat next to Will and lay her head on his shoulder.
“Goodnight,” Jennifer said simply and followed Angel up the stairwell, “goodnight Jennifer,” William called. Buffy just lay very still, her head in place on Will’s firm shoulder, ‘it’s right,’ she smiled to herself, ‘my head here, on his shoulder. It’s the right thing for me.’
“Buffy, luv,” William murmered, placing his arm about her, “best for you to get to bed, sweet. You’re exhausted and I want you to rest up. Take days if you must, dear. The town will hear tomorrow that school’s postponed for the rest of the week. You need your strength back and to get your bearings straight again.”
She nodded slowly, her lids almost completely closed from exhaustion. “Are you going to bed now, too?” she whimpered even as she yawned.
“Yes, luv,” Will chuckled and pulled her closer, “I’m hitting the sack right behind everyone else. I wish I could take a bath. Bloody hell, I’d take a swim in the creek if it wouldn’t freeze my arse off.”
Buffy giggled, she supposed it was to break the tension within her that had built for days now.
“Wouldn’t want your ‘arse’ frozen, would we Will?” she giggled again, snuggling in closer to him. He pulled her up from the chair and sat her on his very inviting lap, then embraced her tightly.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, Princess,” he whispered, kissed her cheek. “I don’t know what I’d do if…”
She put her finger up against his lips, “I’m all right, Will, now anyway. I just don’t know how I’ll ever repay you, your family and the others. For what they did for me and Dawnie, too.”
Spike smiled down at her lovingly, “well, baby,” he whispered, “I am just so glad that you are okay. That’s enough thanks for me. Now my Dad, my family, I think if you’d agree to marry this bloody bum of an oldest Gile’s son, then that would do.”
He smirked at her and kissed her lips softly. With a sigh, she buried her head into his chest again, “I’m so tired Will. We do need to get to bed and get some sleep. I don’t think I can even think straight anymore, you must be near dead with exhaustion.”
‘Sidestepped that one, didn’t you sweet?’ he mused. “All right, then, Princess,” he said instead, “let’s get you to bed, then I’ll go. To my poor, cold, lonely bed that is just down the hall from yours and…” he was being quite dramatic, purposely, and he saw it was not lost on Buffy.
“Oh, shush,” she giggled, placing a chaste kiss on his lips, “tomorrow I want to make a nice lunch for everyone. It’ll make me feel somewhat better about this whole mess, like it’s some kind of thank you. Although it’s not a very ‘big’ one.”
He hugged her to him, then stood up, her still in his arms. “Okay, but at least let me carry you up the stairs, luv. Makes me feel all manly like.” They both laughed all the way up the to the second floor.
Everyone in the Gile’s house slept until close to noon that day. After all of the drama and horror of the last almost 72 hours, they needed it. When Buffy awoke, she wanted for nothing more then another warm bath, which seemed to be the general ‘wish’ of everyone in the household.
Once everyone was cleaned and dressed, Buffy marched down to the kitchen and took charge from Wauneta and the cook. With the efficiency of an Army cook, Buffy put together a wonderful, if not elaborate lunch for the whole Gile’s bunch, Dawn and herself. She even insisted that Wauneta join them at the dining table.
The meal was over, coffee and dessert were set on the huge dining table and Buffy took her place by William. Everyone seemed to just watch William, expectantly, until he finally chuckled and left the dining room for a moment.
When he returned, he carried a huge, wrapped package and placed it in front of Buffy on the table.
“What’s this?” she asked, puzzled and curious. “Well, Princess,” William began shyly, “this is an early Christmas present. From me to you. I wanted to give it to you, for Christmas, but I thought maybe you should have it now. Might cheer you up after all this bloody mess. What you’ve been through and all.”
Buffy looked up at his indigo blue eyes and blinked just twice before she smiled and eagerly began to tear at the red and gold trim on the package. Of anything she would have expected to be hidden in that box from Will, she never could have guessed what it was. Pulling out the first piece of the present; Buffy discovered a Wedgewood tea pot. The exact replica of the one that had been broken when she came to Wyoming.
“Mammy Buffy’s tea set,” Buffy whispered hoarsely, staring at the pot and cups she pulled out next. Before anyone could say a word, Buffy burst into a torrent of tears and began to sob loudly.
“Rupert, Angel, Connor, Dawn,” Jennifer Giles stood and called to the four other diners, “we should go into the parlour now.”
They followed the woman out of the dining area and presumably into the parlour, leaving Spike and Buffy alone at the table.
“Buffy,” Spike murmered as he took her in his arms, “I didn’t order that or give it to you to make you cry. Thought it would please you.”
He was totally confused by this outburst over the tea pot and felt like an idiot for even considering the idea in the first place.
“No,” she shook her golden head against his chest, “it’s wonderful and it does please me. It’s just,” she choked out between sobs, “that you’re so good to me, Will. So very good to me and you said you were a bum and everything this morning. There isn’t a bummy bone in your body and…”
He chuckled and lifted her little chin up to meet his gaze, “I think you’ve kept your tears all bottled up inside of you for a bit long, luv,” he advised.
“You go ahead and cry all you want, you deserve to, strong little stubborn chit that you are. Love you so much, Buffy.”
After Buffy had cried herself into a daze, William had carried her up the stairs, back to the guest room and her borrowed bed. He laid her down on the little bed and left for just a moment, returning with a warm cloth, dipped in sweet water.
“There,” he smiled down at her, “all dried up.” He had virtually wiped then dried all of Buffy’s tear stained face.
“I’m going to send Dawn up to help you get undressed, sweet,” he grinned, “though I’d prefer to do it myself. Wouldn’t be too proper, would it?”
She shook her head softly and sniffled once or twice for good measure. “You get back to sleep, baby,” he whispered and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “By the way, Buffy,” he murmered as he stood up to leave the room, “supper was delicious.”
William blew her a kiss then left the room and her alone in the half light.
“Good night, Will,” she whispered lovingly as she drifted off to sleep.
Sometime during the evening, just after sunset, Dawn had come up the room and stirred Buffy long enough to help her get out of the day dress she had worn.
“Here’s your nice silky blue wrap, Buffy,” Dawn smiled eagerly as she slipped the wonderful soft material around her sister’s naked body. “Now just crawl into the bed and get all warm again, you’ll be asleep in a wink of an eye,” Dawn assured her.
True enough, Buffy closed her eyes and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the soft pillow. “Thanks, Dawnie,” she murmered before she went to sleep.
When Buffy opened her eyes again, it was pitch black in the little room, Dawn was asleep in the next bed over and Buffy was well aware that she was now wide awake. Her mind troubled.
Spike lay in his bed, wearing nothing but his pants and socks, reading the next chapter of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. This would make it about the hundredth time that he had reread the Bard’s tragic love story, but he couldn’t sleep. Buffy was in the guest room, not more then twenty or thirty feet down the hall from his closed bedroom door and it was difficult to concentrate on anything. The warm light from the fireplace heat made it comfortable enough in his room to not wear too much and his lamp gave him more then enough reading light.
Finally, just about 11:00 or so, Spike decided to try and get to sleep, he had a lot of work to do in the southern part of the ranch, over by the old outpost shack.
‘I’ve gotta’ stop thinking about Buffy, get to sleep. She’ll be here, at the ranch when I get back from the range tomorrow and…’
His thoughts were interrupted by a timid, soft knock on his bedroom door. He didn’t even have to ask who was there, his senses told him it was Buffy, he felt her through the oaken door.
“What’s wrong, luv,” he asked her with concern as he answered the door. “You must be freezin’ in that little silk wrap, it’s so cold in the hallway.”
Buffy just stood at his door for a moment, a tender, warm light in her beautiful green eyes. Without a word, she entered his room, closed the door behind her softly and embraced him in her tiny arms. His own arms wrapped about her, automatically in response and he buried his lips into her soft, fragrant hair.
“I love you,” Buffy whispered, simply, but with great emotion, “I love you Will, so much.”
A/N: Well, uhem, we’ll let the two lovebirds have a moment or two of privacy. Next chapter, well, it will be rated a hard R or NC-17! Guess that kind of gives you a hint of some real Spuffy coming! Hope this chapter wasn’t too, too hokey. Thanks for reading, please review, Luv Spuf
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