STAKE YOUR CLAIM
Chapter 23: ‘1902’
Buffy Summers Giles hurried into the Union Pacific Railway station to receive her letters from California. From Sunnydale, California that is.
Daniel Osbourne, the younger one, was behind the desk, apparently sitting in for his father, Daniel Sr.
“How’s your Mother, Daniel,” Buffy asked warmly as she patted the young man’s arm.
“She’s fine Mrs. Giles,” Daniel answered simply, “busy helping Joyce pick out baby things, of course.”
Although it still seemed a bit strange to Buffy, she found the current events about her to be happy ones, full of promise and hope. When her own daughter, Sarah, had left for Berkeley, California to attend college, Buffy was more then aware that the girl’s infatuation with young Daniel would probably fizzle out, and soon. It had. Which, turned out to be fine in the long run.
Sarah had just graduated a couple of months before and joined her brother Hank and his wife Beth Harris Giles in Sunnydale. For a while, anyway, until after Hank and Beth’s baby was born. Of course, Sarah was moving back to Cheyenne (her idea and her new husband’s to be, Zachary Harris), as soon as possible. Buffy just wished that Hank and Beth could be persuaded to bring the babies and come back, but…
“How is my neice doing with the last stages of pregnancy, Daniel?” Buffy asked with true interest, “it’s so rare I get into town anymore, but when I do, I see your Mother and Joyce way too little.”
Daniel Osbourne had pluckily went on after Sarah had unceremoniously broken off her engagement to him. That took place right after Zach Harris had high tailed it up to Salinas, California ‘to help’ Angel Giles on his farm. Salinas, which was much closer to Berkeley then Sunnydale was, made it quite nice for Sarah and Zack to court. The rest, as one could say, was Giles/Harris history.
The younger Daniel Osbourne immediately found comfort with Joyce Giles, Buffy’s little sister, Dawn and Connor’s oldest daughter. They had married the year before, and now, a baby was due at any time. All in all, the Giles family was making quite the mark in Wyoming history and now, in California’s also. Buffy could not have been happier, prouder or more content.
“Oh, Joyce is fine, Mrs. Giles,” Daniel grinned, a replica of his father’s happy smile. “But, I’m thinking that you came for your wire and some mail I just received for you. Feel’s like there’s a picture or two in the package. Those twin’s of Hank’s, you and Mr. Giles must be so proud.”
Buffy reached for the package that held the news and pictures of her first grandbabies, “more then either of us could say, Daniel,” she smiled affectionately and ripped the paper open. Five pictures tumbled from the package onto the station desk. Buffy grabbed them up quickly and began to peruse through them, “oh look!” she cried happily, “it is pictures of little Alexander William and Elizabeth Anne!”
The new grandmother rifled through the pictures, tears forming quickly in her still emerald green eyes. “Will’s going to kill me, for sure,” she giggled to Daniel, wickedly, “for opening the package and seeing the twin’s pictures first! Not waiting for him! He’s over at the Mercantile and I was supposed to wait for him…oh well, he’d have done the same thing!” Buffy laughed merrily as she looked again at her two beautiful grandchildren.
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll understand, Mrs. Gile’s,” Daniel chuckled along with her.
“Daniel,” Buffy finally stopped giggling and looked at the young man, evenly, “please at least call me Aunt Buffy, I mean you are my neice’s husband?”
Daniel blushed profusely, his face matching his red hair, just like his father’s. “Yes, Maam,” he stammered, “I’ll try.”
The station door opened and William Rupert Giles, Jr., sauntered into the station. “Dad’s havin’ a fit, Mum,” he grinned at his Mother then at Daniel, “says he knows what you’re up to and if you opened the mail without him, he’s going to spank your arse, just like he used to and…”
It was Buffy’s turn to blush, “oh, he is, is he?” she huffed, but smiled despite herself. The door opened once more, but it wasn’t William Giles, Sr. that came through it.
“Buffy Summers?” came the distinct, once familiar flat tone of a voice that could only belong to Riley Finn.
“Riley?” Buffy gasped in surprise. The man was grayer then her William was, and didn’t seem near so tall as he used to. “What are you doing up here, Riley,” she asked evenly, “we thought you were still in Denver. You’re Sheriff down there now, right?” Riley grinned and nodded, “yeah, I am. Just came up to visit the old place, see what’s changed, and hasn’t. My God,” Riley grumbled as he caught sight of William, Jr., “you’re the spittin’ image of your old man, boy.”
The younger Giles gave the man a dubious once over and smirked, “oh, so you’re the one, lost my Mum to my Dad?” Buffy rolled her eyes and pointed to her son, “yes, Riley,” she smiled patiently, “my oldest son ‘is’ the mirror of his Father, in many ways.”
“Are you the one, the twin that married that Harris girl, out in California,” Riley spat as he gave Buffy’s son the once over, himself, rather smugly, Buffy felt.
“No,” William replied, somewhat politely, a bit too politely for Buffy’s taste. ‘Pompous as ever, aren’t you Riley,’ she thought to herself.
“That’d be my little brother, Hank,” William, Jr. explained proudly, “him and Bethie just made my folks grandparents. Twins, like their Dad and me, boy and a girl. Hank is partners with old Xander out at his winery, out in California.”
Buffy patted her son’s arm, “actually, Riley,” she grinned in wicked anticipation, of the old fool’s reaction, “my William, here, is engaged to the daughter of an old friend of yours. Reverend Montgomery’s oldest daughter, Alice. They’re to be married, this next Spring.”
Riley Finn looked as if he’d swallowed something bad tasting, “I guess a lot has changed since I left, huh?”
The station door opened, once more, and Spike Giles stepped through into the medium sized building.
“Oh, bloody hell,” he hissed loudly, “Deputy Finn.” Spike decided to take the higher ground and immediately offer his hand to the taller man, after all, Buffy ‘had’ chosen him, hadn’t she?
“Well, well, look what blew into Cheyenne, Deputy Finn, or I mean Sheriff Finn, isn’t it?”
Riley gave Spike a look of total disdain, but shook his hand anyway. ‘Still ain’t over it, are you, you bloody moron?’ Spike mused silently.
“Hello, Giles,” Riley mumbled, but looked at Buffy. “Well,” the Sheriff grinned, kind of, “I see you’re as gray as me, huh, Spike?”
Even though he could swear that his wife groaned, audibly, Spike smirked and winked, “yeah, I’m gray as can be, Finn. But just look at my Buffy, isn’t she as beautiful as the day that ‘I’ married her?”
Riley gave Spike a sour look, but then nodded in agreement, “yes, Spike,” he sighed wistfully, “Buffy is as lovely as ever. I guess marriage and children, and now grandchildren have agreed with her.”
“I expect there’ll be more grandchildren in the near future, Riley,” Spike had to smirk at Buffy’s crowing. “Our Sarah is to marry Zachary Harris, next month, right here in Cheyenne. Zachary is going to work with Connor at his Dad’s ranch and Sarah is going to run the Library, here in Cheyenne.
“You know,” Buffy smiled, charmingly, “my darling Will and I,” Spike felt like a million dollars when Buffy took his arm, lovingly, “we helped establish the Public Library. First of it’s kind in the whole Territory, then the State.”
Spike could only grin, smugly, at the old fool, Finn, who stood, stammering in front of him and his wife. “My Mother, Joyce Summers is living in our guest house now, on our own ranch,” Buffy continued brashly bragging to Riley. Papa passed on a couple of years ago,” Spike felt Buffy flinch, just a bit, “so Will insisted Mama move out with us. She just loves Wyoming and adores my Will. And all of her grandchildren and now, great-grandchildren.”
Now, Spike had to blush, Buffy was looking at him as if he were a God or something and it did ‘kind of’ embarrass him. Kind of, that is.
“Buffy, luv,” Will smiled at her, lovingly, “we best get going home. Promised, Cindy I’d let her break in the new pony, can’t let my little girl down, can I?”
Buffy paused from her bragging and gazed, lovingly, at her husband of over twenty years, “no, Will,” she murmered as she brushed his graying hair behind his ear, “you would never, ever let our Cindy down. Or any of us.”
She couldn’t help it, Buffy stood up on her tippy toes and kissed her husband right on the mouth, right there in front of their oldest son, William, Jr., Daniel Osbourne and even Riley Finn. This bold little maneuver did not surprise William Giles, Sr., he was used to his wife by now, but Daniel Osbourne did chuckle and Riley actually seemed to snort.
“Well, see you around Finn,” William took his wife’s arm in his and led her through the door.
“Thanks, Daniel,” Buffy called back, over her shoulder, “tell Joyce and Willow, I’ll be in town soon, see to them.”
“He’s as ridiculous as ever you know?” Buffy whispered in her husband’s ear as they rode out of town in the buckboard, their son, on Buck, his horse nearby.
“Riley, I mean,” Buffy chuckled, “he’s as pompous and foolish as ever. Dear Lord, Will,” she sighed as she shook her head in disbelief, “what could I have ever been thinking, letting that man within a mile of me, once.”
Spike chuckled gleefully, “oh, hell, Baby, Riley Finn was never a serious threat to me. Besides, if you hadn’t come to your senses, and soon, I’d have just shot that damn ponce and been done with it. Of course,” he added, thoughtfully, “I’d have swung for it, but it would have been worth it. No way in hell was I going to lose you to Riley Finn.”
Spike’s Princess, Buffy, giggled, like a much younger woman, like the one that stepped off a train, over twenty years ago and into his life.
“Thank you,” Buffy whispered as she snuggled up against Spike, even closer, “thank you for loving me, my Old Man.”
A/N: Well, wanted to move this up a few years and show what’s happened to the Giles clan, a little anyway. If you read further, I’m going to give a little history of some of our fave characters. In the meantime, please read and review. This is my labour of love! Thanks, Luv, Spuf
William and Buffy Giles: Of course, we’ve seen what they’ve been up to. Seven children, two grandchildren. William Jr. is engaged to Alice Montgomery (how’s that for a surprise!) who is of course, Caleb and Anne Montgomery’s daughter. Sarah is marrying Zachary Harris, who is coming to live at the Gile’s ranch, soon.
Daniel and Willow Osbourne: Have two children, Daniel and Tara (named after you know who). Young Daniel married Joyce Giles, Connor and Dawn’s first child. Young Tara is married to Samuel Rayne.
Saul and Tara Rosenberg: Tara helped raise Saul’s two children from his first marriage, Johnathan and Rachael. They are now married and have children of their own. Saul is still running the Mercantile, while Tara has become quite the ‘lady’ of Cheyenne.
Angel and Winnefred Giles: Their son, Liam, newest child, Jennifer still live in Salinas and run a successful farm.
Ethan and Cordelia Rayne: Ethan Rayne, Jr. went to Yale, excelled in law and practices in New York City. Alise, their only daughter, married Tommy Jenkins back in 1894. They have three children. We know, of course, what became of Samuel, oh, he is a blacksmith in Cheyenne. Ethan just enjoys being at home, which is good, because his wife Cordelia is the first female Mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Andrew Snyder: Went on to become quite the bank manager and finally got up the courage to court Sandy Jenkins. Who, he finally got up the courage to ask to marry him…she did.
AAN: This is not the end, however, this will probably be the last truly ‘unangstsy’ chapter. In upcoming chapters, there will be angst and loss, as is true to life. Please stick with the story. It means so much to me.
Luv, Spuf
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