Chapter 5 Helping Hand
A/N: So the last chapter was sad because Buffy is alone and starving and that happened back in the Civil War. Men didn't just die on the battle fields the women back home if they didn't know how to farm or work and had no help they starved and died. So Buffy's gotta toughen up and don't worry she will this chapter she gets help from an unlikely person too.
A/N: I'm going to try and explain this as best as I can. From here on out one chapter will focus on what Buffy is doing and then next chapter will focus on Angel but it's happening at the same time. That means as you read the next chapter, chapter 7 the Angel chapter, chapter six is also happening. I'm doing it this way instead of jumping all around in each chapter. Plus this allows for more time with each person and I can really show you what's happening. So each Buffy and Angel chapter is happening at the same time. So chapter 6 and 7 are happening together so I hope that makes sense. So now onwards.
Buffy made it into town a barren place now. She was heading to the post office hoping she could get a letter from Angel hoping he was alive. As she got closer she saw a group of people. A meeting was happening. She would walk passed it but she wanted no part in it. She could see it was Riley and his men. She couldn't stand that man but he was around and there wasn't much she could do about that.
"By order of Zebulon Vance," A man named Lindsey Macdonald started as he read a piece of paper. "Governor of this great state of North Carolina, any soldier turned deserter is guilty of treason and should be hunted down like a dog." He smiled when he said dog and then went back to reading. "Any man who takes in a deserter is likewise guilty of treason. The Home Guard is powered to enter any place it sees fit without notice or constraint. Captain Finn needs more volunteers any man whose age or infirmity prevents him from fightin' shall join us to protect this county from Yankee raiders and traitors to the cause." Buffy's heart sank hearing that and headed inside as Riley followed her every move. Buffy got into the post office and walked up to the lady at the desk.
"Is there a letter for me?" Buffy asked she hoped to god there was one but hopes and wishes were in short supply these days.
"Nothin'," The woman sound sad as she looked to Buffy as she stood there and could see her hope was smashed. "We've been gettin' no post through at all. The sooner we lose this war the better. They say not one boy in ten is comin' home to these mountains. Finn and his rabble throwin' their weight around, they're worse than the Yankees." The woman sounded very upset looking out the window to the little town meeting.
"Might I speak with you, please?" Buffy asked and the woman nodded as Buffy took out a pocket watch from her father's jacket. "This was the Reverend Summers'. I don't know who would want a watch. Who can bear to look at the time?" Buffy was giving everything away to get food these days. The woman sighed seeing Buffy like this she was such as nice girl and this shouldn't be happening to her.
"I've got a little salt pork you can have." The woman said and handed Buffy the watch back. "Keep your daddy's watch." She was very sincere about it Buffy shouldn't be giving up possessions like that. The woman then reached for a cloth towel and started to wrap up the small piece of meat and then handed it to Buffy. Buffy already felt her stomach growling wanting the small piece of meat. On her way back she needed to find food for Claire as well. "I was talkin' to some of the other womenfolk about maybe lookin' in on you at Black Cove it's hard right now but," Buffy cut the woman off she couldn't ask for that.
"Oh no, I manage very well whatever the talk is. I'm very grateful for the pork which I intend to pay for of course." Buffy then left wanting to get home to eat but she ran into Riley as he waited for her. He's been stalking her lately knowing she was alone. He thought about her all the time these days.
"Is everything all right?" Riley asked and Buffy shook her head yes even though that was a lie. She wanted Riley to leave her alone and she just walked away quickly too. Riley watched her leave and vowed if Angel was alive then he was never going to come back here regardless if this war ends or not. He owned this land and that meant he owned Buffy.
Back at home Buffy cooked the pork and ate it plain she didn't know how to make it any other way. Once she ate her stomach calmed down but it wasn't enough. She headed to the barn to visit Claire and the horse seemed ok she was eating roots and grass. Buffy couldn't pay for proper feed so at least she was eating and eating better than Buffy was these days. Buffy walked over to the horse and petted her trying to take some comfort in her and then she headed back to the house and to her room as the sun was setting on another day. When Buffy stripped down to her undergarments she looked in the mirror and realized just how skinny she was. Of course she was always tiny but now she could see bone and her face appeared more hallowed. In reality she was fading away and unless she can find food and enough of it she wasn't going live through the next winter she was going to die of starvation.
The next day came and Buffy left the house on her daily walk for food. Once in a while she thought about steeling from other's farms but that wasn't right. But then again desperate times were calling for desperate measures. She walked all of Cold Mountain in the search for food anything that could hold her over for the next few hours, days would be nice, and weeks would be a gift. Buffy walked down the road and felt dizzy she was so hungry these days. Vegetables don't last long and neither does little pieces of meat. Buffy then came up to Willow and Xander's house and saw Willow with a basket of food.
"Buffy, Buffy," Willow called after her and Buffy stopped looking at the red head. "Buffy you are skinny as a whippet girl." Willow was concerned now no woman should be that skinny without a corset. Buffy didn't even fit into corsets anymore they were to big on her and would tie right. "You are comin' indoors with me." Willow took Buffy's hand and started to lead her inside.
"No I can't. I don't…I can't keep countin' on your kindness." Buffy hated relaying people but Willow kept leading her to the house meaning no Buffy was coming and eating no matter what.
"Now come on I'm makin' a stew. We'd be proud to have you Xander's gonna be wantin' his dinner." And the two women went inside. Willow showed Buffy how to make a stew which was rather easy. The smell of it made Buffy even hungrier as it cooked. Xander than had Buffy come over and sit by the fire while dinner was put together and simmered. Buffy sat on the couch and relaxed it was nice to be with people.
The three sat at the table and ate well Buffy ate. She was moving onto her third serving now. Food was good she thought. Xander sat at the table rambling on about the war and how it was stupid.
"I just wanna stop. Sit on the porch with Will and then just watch her two brothers in the fields." Xander sounded defeated and Willow had that look she did miss her two brothers. They left for war when it was first declared and there has been no word from them since much like Angel to Buffy.
"That'll be a good day when my brothers get home." Willow said smiling and then sat down at the table as Buffy continued to eat not sure when her next meal would be. "What about your people in Charleston?" Willow asked hoping Buffy had family or friends to go to. She couldn't be here on her own. Willow knew Riley had it out for her and could hurt her if she was alone.
"There are no people and there's no money." Buffy said and thought about it. She had no one her mother was dead, her father gone so she was an orphan. And now the man she loves the only man she ever loved was nowhere to be found she didn't know if he was alive or dead. "My father had some bonds and investments. They're worthless now of course. The war…" Buffy paused and sighed. "They're not worth anything. I don't have anywhere else to go." She took a bite of stew and looked at Willow. "I don't wanna go." Willow nodded with smile and took Buffy's hand into hers assuring her that she was more than welcome to stay here. Xander however had an idea why she was going to stay here
"You're waiting on a feller?" He asked and then he felt Willow kick him under the table and Buffy smiled. Yes that was another reason for her stay. "Look down our well…" Xander said and sipped his water.
"Xander," Willow jumped in but Xander kept going.
"She should," Xander defended and Buffy was wondering what was happening. "If you look down our well with a mirror you'll see the future. It's what they say you do it." He said to Willow and Willow scoffed and got up. "She does it," Angel said to Buffy smiling and Buffy thought about it.
"What kind of mirror?" Buffy asked she curious and it couldn't hurt any. Xander smiled and then looked up at Willow who rolled her eyes.
The three were out back at the well and Buffy held a mirror and they walked to the well. Buffy looked down the well and could see the water and then looked at her two friends. Buffy took in a deep breath and turned around and Willow and Xander stood on each side of her.
"We'll hold on to you Xander, you hold on." Willow commanded and Xander nodded. It was going to be a little difficult with his half chopped off foot.
"I got her," Xander confirmed as they leaned Buffy back over the well. Buffy was a little nervous as they had her hanging over the well but she trusted them.
"See anything?" Willow asked as Buffy held the mirror behind her looking into the water. She couldn't get the right angle so she maneuvered it so she could see or at least she hoped she could.
"Uh…uh," Buffy looked it wasn't working all she saw was the water at the bottom of the well. "I don't know." Buffy didn't think this would work and she felt a little silly for even trying. Of course she wanted to know if and when Angel would return but this how could this tell her? But then as she was about to be asked to be pulled back up she saw something in the water. There were black things in the water they looked like…crows…Yeah and she kept looking and saw a figure a tall figure with crows around him and then everything went black.
"Oh!" Buffy cried out and pulled herself out and Willow and Xander were worried as Buffy looked into the well trying to see it again.
"Are you all right? Buffy?" Willow asked as Buffy continued to look in the well. "What? What happened? What'd you see? What'd you see?" Willow wanted to know and Buffy took a step back and shook her head.
"Nothing…" Buffy answered and Willow knew she saw something but she wasn't going to ask anymore it seemed to have bothered her. "I should…I should get home it's almost sundown." Buffy stammered and Willow nodded as Buffy headed back inside grabbing her father's coat and left. She got to her place just as the night began and walked inside being careful not stumble on anything. Finally she made it upstairs and to her room and found the candle she needed. Once lit she was able to change into her night gown and go to sleep. But she laid there in bed alone in this house. The house was empty and so was she. This was just that a house not a home. Buffy kept thinking about what she saw in the well. Was it Angel? Was he dying? Did he die? She didn't want to believe it she wanted to hope any day now he would be walking towards her and be home with her.
Buffy slept a little here and there if you can call it sleep. She was now out on the porch writing to Angel. She has sent somewhere around fifty letters by now. They weren't being returned which could be both good and bad. But until she knew he was dead she would keep writing to him.
"Yesterday, I saw you walkin' back to me...or thought I did." She wrote on her paper. "I found myself crouching over Willow's well...like a madwoman staring into its secrets. Was it you I saw walking home to me, or was it your ghost? After so long, I know I must learn to survive on my own and accept you will not return. And yet I cannot. I cannot." She wrote but then someone came up the stairs starling her.
"The cows wants milkin'," Buffy looked up and there was a woman. She had long brown hair that was braided down her back. She was young with brown eyes and small like Buffy. "If that letter ain't urgent, them cows is, is what I'm sayin'," She stood there and Buffy sat there wondering who this woman was.
"I don't know you." Buffy stated as the woman walked closer with her hands on her hips. She looked ok like she could be nice or really stuck up.
"Willow says you need help well here I am." The woman threw her hands up standing there and looked around the porch getting an idea for the place.
"I…I need help but…I need…I do need help but I need a laborer," Buffy spoke up she needed help but she didn't think it would be a woman helping. There's a lot of work that a strong man might need to do. But then again a woman could do it if they were raised that way. Buffy wasn't a farmer not by a long shot. "There's…ploughing and rough work I think there's been a misunderstanding." Buffy didn't understand what was going on and the woman shrugged.
"Number one, you got a horse? I can plough all day I'm a worker. Number two, ain't no man better'n me 'cause there ain't no man around who ain't old or full of mischief. I know your plight." The woman looked around the porch again and behind her to the fields.
"My plight?" Buffy asked taking a little bit of an offense to it. The young woman then looked to Buffy and shrugged giving her a squinted eye look.
"Am I hard to hear?'Cause you keep repeatin' everything." This woman was something else that's for sure. "I ain't lookin' for money I never cared for it and now it ain't worth nothin'. I expect to board and eat at the same table. I ain't a servant if you get my meanin'."
"You're not a servant." Buffy repeated and nodded. Well at least there was someone to talk to now in this big house maybe a bit of a rude person but a person.
"People's gonna have to empty their own night jars is my point. And I don't expect to work whilst you sit around and watch neither." The woman made her terms and conditions clear to Buffy. It meant Buffy was going to have to learn to farm which is something she's wanted to learn but from this person? She thought Charles or even Angel would teach her but these days you get what you get.
"Right," Buffy answered.
"Right, is that a yes or a no?" The woman asked and then Buffy saw the rooster that follows her around and goes for her feet.
"There's a rooster I go near him and he is at me with his spurs." Buffy explained as the rooster clucked and the woman looked at it as it sat on the small wooden ledge.
"I despise a floggin' rooster," The woman then walked over to the rooster.
"Oh no, I wouldn't…" Buffy started but the woman interrupted her.
"My name's Cordelia Chase you can call me Cordy I know your name." Cordelia said and then grabbed the rooster and then grabbed his neck and twisted it and it cried for a moment and it was dead. Buffy's eyes widen at the sight and then Cordelia turned around holding the dead rooster. "Let's put him in a pot." She suggested and headed inside and Buffy decided to follow. She was about not only have a home cooked meal but she was about to learn how to de-feather a bird, gut it, cut it, learn what to do with the organs and of course cook it. "You know how to boil water?"
"Uh yes," Buffy answered as they got into the kitchen and Cordelia stood there holding the dead bird.
"Well get a pot the water's not going to boil itself." Cordelia ordered and Buffy looked through the cabinets and pulled out one and then dumped the pale of water into it. "You know how to de-feather a bird?" And Buffy shook her head no and Cordelia motioned her to come over. "Very simple grab some feathers and pull." And she showed Buffy and then stopped indicating it was Buffy's turn and Buffy tried it. It wasn't hard to do.
Once the bird was de-feathered Cordelia searched for the knives. It was time for Buffy to learn how to cut a bird. For the most part it was the same for each bird from a pigeon to a turkey.
"Well come over here," Cordelia said and Buffy walked over to watch and learn as the water started to boil. "First we're goin' to remove the head." Buffy felt a slight wave of sickness hit her as the neck of the rooster was cut away. Eating meat wasn't a problem but she's never seen it be prepared. Cordelia showed Buffy each part of the bird and what part was what. After gutting it Cordelia began to make the chicken. After it the rooster was season and cooked and some sides or what they had was made. The two sat down and ate and Buffy was very grateful for the food.
Buffy had just fallen asleep. She couldn't sleep these days she was afraid too especially being alone here in this house by herself. She was finally warm and comfortable and the candle light was out. Finally she could sleep and get some rest. The first person she thought about when closing her eyes was Angel and she had at least one dream about him returning and them being together. It was always bitter sweet when waking up because it was like saying good bye to him. Buffy just started to reach the surface of sleep when she heard a voice that rattled her.
"Hey Buffy! You up?" Cordelia called through the door while knocking. Buffy shoot up out of bed and sighed and looked to her window it was still night time right? Her curtains were drawn but if the sun was out the rays would come through and she didn't see any. She heard the knocking again and knew it wasn't going to stop until she said something.
"Yes," Buffy put her head back on her pillow waiting to go back to sleep. She was having a dream about Angel or at least about to. "Wha…? It's still dark." Meaning go back to bed and let me sleep and she threw the covers over her head not wanting to get up she wanted to go back to dream where Angel was.
"Tell that to the cows it's late." Cordelia said through the door and Buffy heard her leaving. Buffy got out of bed not willingly though and headed to the closet to get a simple dress on that she could work in although she had no idea what was in store for her. Buffy twisted her long hair into a loose bun and looked in the mirror and then saw Angel's pictures. She reached for it picking it up and then placed back in its rightful place, grabbed a book and headed downstairs. Buffy looked in the basket of some vegetables and took a carrot out and sat at the table and began to nibble on it while about to read her book.
"You all set?" Cordelia asked coming back in the house and saw Buffy at the table about to snack and read. Cordelia realized she hadn't done a hard day's work so it should be a very interesting day for Buffy to say the least. They would be up from sun rise to sun down.
"Oh, I…I just have to eat somethin'." Buffy looked up as she was about to eat her carrot and Cordelia crossed her arms like "really."
"Well then you got to get up earlier." Cordelia stated and Buffy scoffed was this person for real the sun wasn't up and she highly doubted anyone else was awake at this god forsaken hour. This person was crazy there was no light to work with. "What's that?" Cordelia asked looking at Buffy's book.
"A novel," Buffy said with some frustration and annoyance too. Buffy then went back to read it as she took a bite of her carrot and the Cordelia scoffed oh these two were going to butt heads. Both were strong women raised completely different ways. Cordelia saw Buffy as a blonde ditz and Buffy saw Cordelia as a stuck up know it all.
"You wanna carry a book?" Cordelia asked and Buffy looked up. "Carry one you can write in." Cordelia stated. Once again Buffy scoffed and looked to the young woman but they were actually the same age. The blonde and the brunette then had a small stare down. Buffy really needed the help around here or she wasn't going to live much longer. She had to accept the help but did Cordelia had to be so stuck up? Buffy took one big bite of the carrot and closed her book standing up. "You should bring an empty book though lots of note taking today. This farm has gone to the dogs." Buffy left the small table and found an empty book that her father would keep to take notes on the Bible. She came back into the kitchen and did a huff meaning she was ready and followed Cordelia outside where the sun was barely peaking over the horizon.
Buffy hasn't actually seen a sunrise well she has but not often it was very rare if she did. But the pretty colors that the sky turns as the sun begins to the greet the day was never short of amazing. Buffy stooped and looked at it and she prayed Angel was watching the same sunrise too but of course the moment was gone.
"We got our own story it's called Black Cove Farm: Catastrophe." Cordelia ruined the moment and Buffy ran to catch up to her as Cordelia led Buffy to the barn. She had a brisk walk for this hour in the morning as the fog still laid on the ground. Buffy managed to catch up and was almost walking side by side with Cordelia. "I can spell it too learned it the same place you did in the schoolhouse." Cordelia explained as they walked the farm heading to the barn to milk the cows. "One of the first words they taught me Cordelia Chase you are a c-a-t-a-s-t-r-o-p-h-e." Buffy couldn't help but smirk that much was true.
The two girls walked into the barn and Cordelia snatched up two pales and handed one to Buffy well shoved it to her was move like it and Buffy followed Cordelia and she took one cow and Buffy another. There were a total of four cows on this farm. Cordelia's thought was to let them bread before they started to use any of their meat. Buffy's never milked a cow and she watched Cordelia first well at least the fourth cow as a bull he didn't need milking. Buffy watched what Cordelia did and Buffy mimicked on her cow but nothing happen. She tried again and it took a while but finally something happen.
"Three years I was in school before my daddy…sayin' God rest his soul is like wishin' him what he had in life." Cordelia commented as she milked her cow and Buffy listened. "He lived to rest he was born tired. He decided," She as she took a quick break and then started up again. "Better use for me than havin' me sat all day in front of a chalkboard." And then Cordelia stood up and walked over to the next cow with a pale halfway full of milk. Buffy looked into her pale and there wasn't much maybe enough for one and half sips. This day was going to be so long.
After the cows were milked it was time to get the hay in the wagon to feed the cows and the one horse Buffy had. Cordelia already made a mental note to get a second horse. Buffy's never milked a cow before and was a little well uncomfortable as she did it. But when done they had fresh milk to drink and cook with. Now the two were getting the hay ready. Cordelia just used a pitch fork and went to town as Buffy watched trying to see how it was done. Cordelia realized Buffy hadn't done anything so Buffy used her pitch fork to lift some hay but had a very hard time lifting it. Oh she had a long way to go but she managed to get some of the hay in barely though.
Once the cows and horse were eating the girls went on a walk through the farm. This place was so worn down no one took care of it for months. Weeds were everywhere over growth everywhere. Now it was time to get this place cleaned up and ready. Buffy brought the blank book to write in on what needed to be fixed up so they could work on it day by day. First spot of the day was the garden area as it was mostly weeds and dirt. Maybe some planets made it and those would be useful if they had seeds.
"Number one lay out a winter garden for cool-season crops." Cordelia explained as they walked through the once thriving garden. Buffy wrote it down as she followed the woman although it wasn't easy keeping up with her. "Turnips right there, onions, cabbage," Cordelia looked around as she mapped everything out. "Collards," She pointed and now they headed off to the next chore that needed to be done. Buffy did her best to write all this down. Then Cordelia headed off into another direction with Buffy trailing behind.
The next project was the barn yard that place was a mess and a job on its own. Cordelia wanted to get it done before the winter came because it would be harder once the snow came in. The animals would need shelter if there was a blizzard or a hard freeze. Also not just protect them from snow but rain and the harsh sun during the hot days of the summer.
"Number two; patch the shingles on the barn roof!" Cordelia yelled out as she looked at the roof standing on a latter and Buffy wrote it down. "Have we got a maul and froe?" Cordelia asked Buffy looked up she's never heard of a maul but then again half the tools on this farm she had no idea what they were.
"Maul?" Buffy asked and Cordelia sighed Buffy was also a project too and she looked down at the blonde.
"Maul," Cordelia repeated to her as in a "duh." "M-a-u-I." She spelt it out just to be sure and Buffy scoffed again. Oh this was going to be a long day and winter to come. Cordelia treated Buffy like she was stupid but Buffy's never done this before ever.
The morning was sliding into the early afternoon hours with the girls walking the fields writing down what needed to be done well Cordelia barked orders and Buffy wrote them like her personal secretary. This wasn't what Buffy asked for this was a man's job but there were no men around they were dead at war. The men here were just as Cordelia said old. There was Riley and she knew he'd love to plough her fields and that made Buffy roll her eyes as they walked to another field.
"Number three clear and turn this field," Cordelia said. "No harm done lettin' it go now we'll do well." And they continued on thought the field and headed to the house to eat lunch.
The day continued on with the girls walking all over Black Cove. Buffy was already sore and this was just seeing what needed to be fixed this was not the labor side of it. Buffy was dreading the work it wasn't so much she had to pick up a pitch fork or a rake it was Cordelia and how she just barked the orders and made Buffy feel stupid. The two were back at another part of the farm as Buffy did her best to stay with Cordelia how does she still have all this energy?
"Number fifteen…" Cordelia said as they were now up there in numbers to fixed this almost lost cause.
"Sixteen," Buffy corrected her and felt good doing it but it last for a second.
"Number sixteen put up some gourds for a martin colony keep away these crows. One thing in abundance on this farm and that's crows." Cordelia kept walking heading to another place to chew Buffy how she let it go. "Shut the gate!" And Buffy stopped and saw the gate was wide opened and she sighed she had to go all the way back and shut it. Was this some form of punishment from God she asked herself as she shut the gate and then ran to catch up with Cordelia. Could this get any worse she thought?
I hope you like the Buffy and Cordelia friendship or lack thereof. I wanted to make Cordelia her feisty and controlling self and say whatever she wants. But don't worry she won't be dominating Buffy, Buffy's going to get strong and go from a good old fashion southern bell to a hard working woman. It's sort of what Joss Whedon did Buffy was a drama queen and well a stereotypical dumb blonde but when she became a slayer she changed into a wonderful person. I'm taking that same idea here.
The next chapter we leave Buffy and Cordelia and head over and see what Angel's been up too. Now I'll also explain why Angel needs to keep running like Hell until he gets home. But also remember Riley the jerk that he is as placed a law that any and all deserters are to be killed and Angel is a deserter. So more to come thanks for reading comments and reviews are welcomed.