Authors notes: As always thanks to the reviews from one guest and dimonyo-anghel. As always huge thanks to ConstanceTruggle for the speedy beta. Added disclaimer: In the course of this chapter we encounter the characters of the BBC Sherlock series. As usual I don't own the characters and cannot make any money from them. -Fun Conversations-
Hank Summers was a selfish ass. This was not news to the Scoobies, but even they were sometimes amazed by the sheer capacity of his selfishness.
What happened, exactly? Well, it may have something to do with the fact that he recently tried to reconcile with his daughters. If Buffy and Dawn had felt that he had been even the remotest bit sincere they would have tried. Instead, the man had tried to demand they meet him in Spain and had not shown even the barest hint of remorse. This did not sit well with Buffy, who'd told him that he could go to hell.
His interest had been evoked after their photo had been published in the European papers, partying with the Princes of England. Buffy had been introduced to the Princes during a meeting at Buckingham Palace. She and Giles had met with the Queen and one of her advisors, Mycroft. They had talked about many things, and Buffy blushed when the Queen thanked her for her sacrifices. She couldn't help but flush at the praise and the warm affectionate look Giles gave her.
At the end of the meeting, Mycroft promised Buffy a favour. Giles had clearly been surprised and Buffy had quizzed him about it afterwards. It was then that Giles explained how Mycroft, despite not having an official title, was one of the most powerful men in England. Personally, Buffy liked him; they'd traded stories about annoying little siblings. However, they could not decide who had the better story. Buffy had laughed hearing about Sherlock in a bed-sheet, whilst at a meeting in the Palace. Mycroft had been coolly amused when she told the story of Dawn meeting the Pope in pyjamas.
Anyway, Buffy was reminded of both the promise and the day because she and Giles were both spitting mad and plotting. In recent months, Buffy had found that she had an innate talent for Politics, which Giles had recognised and encouraged. If there was one lesson that had been learnt from Sunnydale, it was that Buffy needed an identity and purpose beyond the role as slayer. Still, the letter which had caused all the anger was from Hank. The letter basically informed them of Hank's intention to sue for Dawn's custody.
Having read the letter, they locked themselves in their large office and indulged in some fantasies that would put Angelus to shame. Then once their initial anger died down, they got serious. The bastard had no idea what he'd started but by God, they would finish it.
Buffy was apocalyptically cross, considering in those short months when she had been dead he hadn't even bothered to check on his youngest. Still, on paper at least, he was Dawn's father and it was possible – especially with Wolfram and Hart – that he could challenge and win.
Buffy sighed and flopped down on the leather green sofa, "It's not fair, you've been more of a father to us than he ever was."
Giles looked sad, "You know I think of you both as my daughters Buffy."
Then a devious smile crossed Buffy's face. Giles would have been wary of that smile, if she had been next to explosives.
Buffy smirked, "It's simple, Mycroft did promise me one favour. I wonder if two adoptions will pose a challenge. He did say that he longed for a challenge and a distraction from Sherlock's antics."
Giles was awe struck, "Do you truly mean this Buffy? It is a pretty big step."
Buffy respected Giles, so she took the time to formulate an honest response. After a few minutes, she spoke. "Yeah I do. I know of everything that has gone on, but we worked so hard to repair our relationship. Giles, it may not be a blood relationship but you are truly the closest thing to a father and I know that Dawn agrees with me."
Giles grinned, "Then I accept. What will you do about your f...Hank?"
Buffy grinned, having already solved that conundrum, "Do you know, Nana and Uncle Phil have wanted to chat with him for like, ever? Nana is very good at getting people to see reason."
Giles chuckled softly and he could honestly say that the thought appealed to him. Victoria Winslow could get anyone to agree with her point of view, or, she would kill them. It was perhaps not the most elegant of solutions but he could not deny the effectiveness of the method.
In reality, it took Mycroft less than a day and within a week the adoption and appropriate titles had been conferred.
Spain
Hank heard a knock on his Villa door. He preened, assuming his daughters had finally seen sense. He knew he had not always been the best father, but he wasn't so bad that he deserved his eldest telling him to go to hell.
He opened the door wide and froze. Oh Christ, this was not how his morning was meant to go. Not really having a choice, given the matching guns being pointed at him, he invited the party inside. "Why don't you come in Victoria, Phil and I'm sorry I don't know your name."
Clint gave him a hard smile, "Not important, but think about this … Buffy calls me Uncle."
Any other man would have felt shame about not realising just how much he'd missed of his daughters' life. For Hank, though, he just wanted to use his daughters' connections to help him advance his own career.
Victoria forced him to sit on his chair with no verbal threat. All she had done was walk forwards, forcing him to retreat until he fell backwards. He'd collapsed in an ungainly heap that did not impress the two males going by their matching eye rolls.
"Well Hank, I'd like to know why you seem to think you can be a father to my grandchildren all of a sudden." Victoria's voice was as cold and hard as an arctic blast.
Hank flushed; it was clear that Joyce had either not known, or forgot to mention some vital facts about her mother. He was smart enough to know that whatever answers he gave would impact upon how long he had to live. The whole family was positively vibrating with restrained violence and he was the sole attention of their fury.
"I have made mistakes," he conceded.
Phil snorted, "You did not care for either daughter and you repeatedly cheated on their mother before divorcing her. You have not paid child support for either child in years."
Clint grinned and didn't bother to hide his disgust, "Let's not forget that he signed custody over to his eldest child who had to take two jobs just to keep a roof over their heads."
Victoria smiled, "Oh we have so much to talk about dearest Hank."
Phil deadpanned, "Mother, he's a lawyer."
Victoria smiled at her son, "Of that I am aware, which is why the drink he's just drank to try and hide his nervous was dosed with a truth serum."
Phil could see that Hank was starting to visibly sweat so the drug was working. "So, why did you launch this ridiculous suit?" Victoria asked calmly.
"I saw the photos of them partying with the royal family of England." Hank hated that he'd revealed the truth. He was a lawyer for God's sake; he was meant to be good at this.
Victoria sighed and shook her head, "I really hated you when you were married to my daughter but she loved you. I would have liked nothing more than to kill you slowly and feed you to my pigs, but Joyce never knew about that life."
Clint sighed wistfully, "Well, I can always put an arrow through his eye when he least suspects it. I think my record stands at 1750 metres. He would never see it coming," he promised.
Victoria smiled brightly, looking like a proud parent. "You've increased your own record. Impressive."
Clint grinned; it was nice to be appreciated, especially by such a legend.
They continued to question and record the conversation. They were shocked by his sheer lack of morals. After all, they had worked with all sorts due to their career paths; but Hank Summers was a singularly repulsive person.
Hank was coming around as Joyce's brother finished making a copy of the disk.
He twirled around and stated calmly, "This is your spoken confession of all the ridiculous and immoral things you've done concerning your daughters and for your job."
Clint was smiling but it was thin and mean, "Tell him the rest, baby."
"Buffy and Dawn have been officially adopted by her mentor. They are now untouchable. If you so much as look at them wrongly… Well, you already know that you won't see it coming and I'll ensure that a) they never find you and b) they won't get charged. As insurance, you cause trouble and I'll release this tape to your boss."
Hank flushed and desperately shouted, "You can't threaten me, you work for the government."
Clint snickered absolutely delighted, as Vicky and Phil now owed him a hundred bucks each. He enjoyed this, "You know, I don't actually exist. My boss saw to that. Vicky is retired and Phil? Well his boss is my boss and he is awfully fond of Buffy, so he'd probably help us."
Hank deflated like a lead balloon. All his plans had come to naught; he flinched when Vicky clapped his cheek in a cheerful manner. "Oh Hank, it could be worse."
"How?"
"I could have killed you today."
She was calm, this was no threat Hank realized – it was a promise. "You're lucky that my son convinced me that it would not be best for Buffy."
Phil shrugged, "Buffy and Dawn think that he is a waste of space, but they don't wish him dead."
Hank would watch as Dawn would become a well-respected academic, whose opinion was sought by all sorts. He saw the photos of another man walking his eldest down the aisle, in that year's most eagerly anticipated wedding. It was only then would he realize what a selfish ass he'd been, but as the story goes – It was too little; too late.
-End of Chapter- Next up – The news of Buffy's death hit the Scoobies hard but it hit the S.H.I.E.L.D people just as hard. How did they handle it? As always I love to read your thoughts and opinions!