WDWG - Chapter 10: Hank Part 1

Buffy's hands were cold and clammy as they entered the building where Hank Summers worked. She, Giles, and Dawn rode the elevator to the twelfth floor and with each level, the butterflies in the Slayer's stomach increased exponentially. Almost seven years, she told herself. What do you say after seven years? Feeling a steady hand take hers, the blonde looked up into the supporting face of the one man who had stood by her through it all, even when he was in England.

As the elevator doors opened, Dawn bounded out straight to the receptionist. "Could we see Hank Summers, please?"

"Do you have an appointment?" The young brunette behind the desk asked.

Dawn looked taken aback, "Umm. No?"

"He's not to be disturbed today. I can make an appointment for you next week and you can come back then." The woman offered dismissively.

Dawn scowled and looked at the nameplate on the reception desk, "Look, Monica, I've had a hell of a couple of days that I've just barely lived through. Get me my dad now, please."

Monica's eyes grew wide, "Oh my God! You're... which one?"

"Dawn." The younger girl softened at the sudden concern.

"Is Buffy...?" The girl behind the desk couldn't quite vocalize her thought.

Turning and pointing to her sister, Dawn whispered quietly, "She's there."

"Thank God! Your dad has been a wreck since he heard Sunnydale was destroyed. Let me call him."

The younger Summers girl looked like she was going to break down and cry, while her sister just stood in shock taking in the knowledge that her father might care about something other than work and cute young secretaries.

The receptionist picked up the phone, "Mr. Summers, please come down to reception, you have visitors... I know, sir, it's just... damn, he hung up." Looking apologetically at Dawn, Monica got up, walked around her desk, and addressed the trio. "Please follow me."

They walked down the hall past individual offices and a huge meeting room. Once they reached the corner office, the receptionist knocked on the door and opened it. "Mr. Summers..."

"Damn it, Monica! Not now, I'm... Oh God!" Taking in the sight of his daughters as he turned around to admonish the woman for the interruption, Hank grabbed the desk for support as he felt his legs give out beneath him.

"Daddy!" Dawn rushed in and hugged her father with a fierce desperation.

Embracing his youngest daughter closely, he looked over the girl's shoulder at his eldest child with tears in his eyes. "Oh, God! I thought I lost you both." He sobbed with relief.

Buffy stood rooted in her spot. Part of her wanted to follow her sister's example while the other waged a war inside her, not wanting to allow herself to become attached again to a man who had abandoned them. She looked over at her stalwart, her inner turmoil raging in her eyes.

Giles recognized her conflict and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his body. He felt her turn and bury her face into his chest, as he discretely watched Hank Summers take notice of their embrace.

Dawn finally let go of her father, but she kept her hand in his and started babbling about their ordeal, "Oh my God, Daddy, it was awful, the town imploded as we were making our way out of it. We could see it happening out the back of the bus just feet behind us. When we got clear of it, we stopped and just stared into the gaping hole."

Buffy relaxed a little in Giles' protective arms and turned her attention to the conversation, but decidedly stayed out of it.

Hank took in his eldest daughter's demeanor and locked eyes with her before asking the younger girl, "It's been three days, why didn't you call or come? I've been going crazy..."

Feeling her anger bubble to the surface, the Slayer rose up to her full height defiantly, letting go of her Watcher. "It's been seven years! Where the hell have you been?" She challenged tempestuously.

"Buffy!" Dawn yelled, only to receive a stern glare of reproach from her older sibling.

"No! He doesn't get to think things are going to be all hunky-dory because we nearly died and he suddenly remembered he had two daughters!" Buffy ground out between clenched teeth.

Shamefacedly, Hank hung his head, whispering, "I'm sorry. I know, it's... it's inexcusable."

Buffy regained some composure watching her father's contrite body language. She sat down on the couch beneath one of the expansive windows in his ornate office and began, "We're starting our lives over, Dad. We lost everything but a few things we were carrying and stuff Giles thoughtfully collected before we evacuated." She indicated the tall, quiet man standing by the door before turning her attention back to her father, "I don't need anything, but Dawn wants to spend the summer with you."

"You both can stay with me until you get back on your feet and I'm sure we can find employment for you here..." Hank offered, before shifting his eyes to the stranger across the room. Judging by his body language, the man was fiercely protective of his daughters, particularly Buffy.

Ignoring the offer, the blonde continued, "Dawn hasn't decided what she wants to do past the summer. I guess it all depends on you... and me."

"Really, I have plenty of room, Buffy, and I'd like to have you stay and if... Giles, is it?" He asked, receiving a curt nod from the girl, "If Giles needs a place until he finds one, he's welcome too."

"Sorry, introductions!" Dawn interrupted excitedly seeing an opening to relieve some of the tension in the room, "Dad, this is Rupert Giles. Giles, Hank Summers. Giles is a longtime friend of ours." She explained.

The men extended their hands, looked each other over, and shook in formal greeting. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Giles."

Having taken his queue from Buffy, Giles remained aloof but nodded politely, "I thank you for the offer, but..."

"Really, it's not a bother..."

"Actually, Dad, Giles and I are leaving for England in a few days. We're hoping that Dawn will join us in the fall. There is a great school -"

"England?" Hank interrupted incredulously. 'What the hell is going on here?' he thought, looking from Buffy to this mysterious Rupert Giles.

"Yes, Mr. Summers. You see, Buffy and I work for the same organization and since our positions in Sunnydale are no longer available, we are called to headquarters in London." The Watcher elaborated. Seeing the wheels turning in Hank's head, he continued to deflect the situation, feeling there was no need for the continuing fireworks. "As your daughter was saying, there is a school an hour outside of London that preps its students for study at prestigious universities. Given Dawn's acumen for academics, it would be an excellent opportunity for her to attend should she wish it. Having watched her for a couple years, she would be an excellent candidate for Oxford, which is my alma matter, and I would be proud to support her in that endeavor. However, her current wish is to stay with you, which allows Buffy to get settled into her new responsibilities within our company and set up a home for her and Dawn in England."

Hank grudgingly regarded the Englishman with respect. Clearly the man cared for his daughters and had put thought into their futures, which, admittedly, was more than he had. It did sound like a fantastic opportunity and he turned to the brunette, "Do you want to go to England and attend this school?"

Dawn trained her blue eyes onto her father after having watched Giles deftly diffuse the situation in the room, "Umm, I don't know. I don't want to decide right now. I'm seriously stressed and just want to blow off some steam and take it easy, ok?"

"Sure, honey. We can make decisions in a few weeks after you've gotten some rest." Hank responded, putting his arm around the younger girl. He longed to hold Buffy as well, but she had completely closed herself off to him. Sighing regretfully, he looked up at his eldest, "When do you leave?"

"In a few days, we're still making arrangements. We just got to L.A. today." Buffy answered quietly, internally reeling with emotion. The little girl in her so wanted to believe things could work out between her and her daddy, but the adult wouldn't allow her to raise her expectations for the man who so thoroughly abandoned his family. Her voice hardened again, "Dawn can come to England anytime this summer, if she wants. Please don't stand in her way. I was named her guardian and you have never wanted to be anything more than a memory."

Thrown by her words, Hank pleaded, "I'd like to be more than that now."

"Giles, would you please take Dawn out to get her stuff from the rental? I'd like to talk with my dad for a few minutes."

The tall Brit, who had been leaning against the back wall, stood up, "Come, Dawn, let's collect your things."

Dawn looked from her father, then to her sister and back again, "Play nice, you two." She said as she and the man she looked to as a father figure walked out the door.

The air in the room hung thickly, neither one saying a word for several minutes until Buffy broke the ice, "I don't even know where to start, Dad."

"I do. I am so sorry, Princess! I know I probably don't deserve a second chance with you, but I am hoping we can try. Sunnydale..." Hank choked out, palms outstretched.

Hearing her father call her by the childish nickname drew ire from the Slayer, causing the aggrieved daughter to begin her tirade, "Seven years, Dad! Mom died and where were you? She died. We were left alone! Alone! I had to bury her and settle her estate. All her savings as well as the profits from selling the gallery went to paying her medical bills. There was nothing left! Sure, the child support payments still came in, but they weren't enough. Not to pay the mortgage, the monthly bills, eat, and keep ourselves clothed. Much less have me continue with college. I was left to raise a depressed and difficult teenage sister with no funds, forcing me to quit school and take a minimum wage job at a fast-food joint. My support system fell apart around me as my friends ran into real life problems of their own. Oh, and the house was falling apart, sucking even more money from non-existent funds. Thank God Giles stepped in when he did, or we could have lost it all. But it wasn't his job to do that, was it?" Her voice was hard and she winced as she remembered how she'd treated the Watcher when he gave her the check.

"No, it was mine and I utterly failed you girls. I really am sorry, Buffy, I know I can't say it enough."

She started to pace in agitation, "No, at this point, you can't, so don't try! I don't want to hear it! I am just letting you know what happened these last two years, Dad. Did you know I was severely injured? No, of course not. I was out of commission for several months. When I was able to return to work and caring for my kleptomaniac sister, I was in a state of severe depression. I was relying on my friends to deal with her, while ignoring them and treating Giles like he was my servant. Then he was called back to England. He's my rock and the anchor of my family and without him around, I lost myself. Eventually, I persevered, because that is what I do, Dad, but it was hell! And still, no Hank Summers. The few times I came down to L.A., you were in Spain. Dawn called. I called. Then we just stopped. You were essentially dead to us. Other than the automatic payments that went into the bank account, which I am assuming, are scheduled to stop on Dawn's eighteenth birthday, there was nothing left of you. Your actions are disgraceful!" Buffy finished her carefully edited history with an admonishment, feeling better having given her father a piece of her mind.

Ashamed and reeling from her narrative, Hank gazed down at the floor and offered her his truth, "I don't have any excuses, Buffy. They wouldn't do any good anyway. I just got caught up in things and I kept telling myself, 'tomorrow, I will call them tomorrow'. And then tomorrow just became today and I never did. I was in Spain when your mom died. I was there for two years setting up our new offices and making the deals that started our international division. It was a busy time and I got lost in it. Family comes first, I know that, but I didn't act on it. I want to do that now."

"Then fix things with Dawn. I can't... I... I'm seething mad at you!" She paused to regain control of her emotions. "If you truly want to be a part of her life, then do it right: cut the hours and be her father. Take her shopping and buy her expensive clothes, take her to the theater on father/daughter dates, stay in and watch movies together, and cook her nice meals. Things have been so rough on her, but she's growing up mostly adjusted. She needs a sense of normalcy. Being raised by your older sister in a gang-infested town is not suitable for the well-adjusted. But do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Convince her to go to the school in England. It's an all girls school." Buffy smirked smugly at having eliminated one distraction from her sister's future studies. "She's a brainiac, Dad, unlike me. She should have the opportunity to go to Oxford or where ever her studies take her. She deserves that."

"I'll do my best, but if I recall correctly, you two girls are more stubborn than your mother ever was." He said with a shy grin.

"Nah, we just wanted to give you a run for your money." Buffy smiled back.

"Speaking of money, you can't have much. I mean, I don't know what this job in England is paying you, but moving expenses are hell and you'll need some cash up front. Plus, after everything, you deserve it. Let me write you a check and help out." He watched his daughter shake her head, declining his offer. "No, now it's your turn to do me a favor, though I know I haven't earned one. This is not something you will be indebted to me for. I don't expect anything. One day, I hope you can forgive me, but if you can't then that is fine too. Just take the money. I can afford it. You shouldn't have to try to make ends meet anymore."

"O-ok. Thank you." She faltered as she saw him produce a checkbook and start writing.

He put the check in an envelope, handed it to her, and continued their conversation, "So tell me about Giles."