Chapter 10 Scapegoat

A/N: Angel's chapter and just for you readers chapter 11 will be posted right away I got these typed up back to back because both are quick. Chapter 10 and 11 are quick reads but good updates to see where our two lovers are. So enjoy.

Angel was walking chained to another dozen men. William was right next to him and his cries out to God have long stopped. They managed to rest for an hour or so but now continued to walk and he was thirsty and hungry and he knows the others were too. The other men were just like him trying to get back home to their families. What was so wrong with wanting to go home this war was lost on the Southern front. Why fight when you're going to lose. Angel knew the South was going to lose long before the fight started. He wished it never started maybe he and Buffy would be married by now maybe even have one or two kids. But every step closer to the war brought him one step further from Buffy. Then as Angel thought about Buffy a horse came riding up.

"Yankees! Yankees!" A man said and the men chained up started to panic they had no weapons to defend themselves they were sitting ducks. The other horse men gathered around trying to think what they could do. "Cavalry! Federal raiders! Just over that hill," The man informed the others and the leader nodded.

"Get those sacks of shit up that hill." The leader ordered and the group started to run up the hill. The plan was to get them over the hill and then hide on the other side. "Come on!"

"Get those horses under cover if they see us we're dead." Another man ordered and everyone got down.

"Make a move, make a noise…" The leader began to warn the group of deserters but one man on the other side of Angel had a look.

"I'm gettin' out of this." He said to Angel. Angel perked up a little this man wanted to go home too and he nodded. "I'm not gettin' shot again for some cause I don't believe in." Angel nodded again tell him he was with him and they stayed low waiting. "Come on let's go!" The man yelled and the men in chains got up and started to run.

The Home Guard saw the men running and the Yankees riding towards them and started to fire. The Yankees fired back both at the Home Guard and the running men. Angel ran as fast as he could with these men but the chains started to get heavy as the men started to fall after getting shot at. Angel then fell because of the weight and he felt himself starting to tumble down the side of the hill. Angel stopped and one of the men was on top of him. The gun fire kept going and he knew if he was going to live he needed to stay still.

"Grab their boots and rifles! Let's move on!" A Yankee soldier said as they raided some of the dead men. Angel laid there and waited until he heard nothing and got up or at least tried. Angel pushed a dead man off of him and then rolled over and saw William the preacher dead lying in blood. He couldn't help but feel sorry for him but he needed to get out of here. Angel was still changed to the dozen or so men. First he sat up and tried to pull his wrist through the chains. After a few attempts he knew he was tearing his skin. But the chains had to come off so he got up and started to pull against the weight of the other men. He tried to break free but then felt a wave hit him and he got dizzy and fell to the ground. Angel's world blacken even though he fought it.

"Buggery and shit!" A voice said and Angel jolted awake. He was no longer in a field but in the woods. He was being cared along too and looked around as he was on a stretcher. How long did he black? Hours? A day? "If I'da known you were this heavy I'da left you in those chains." The voice said again and then the stretcher was set down and an elderly woman was hovering over him. "Good thing you're cute come on." She reached over and hoisted him up. She took Angel's arm and slung in around her shoulder and helped Angel into well her shack.

'She smiled at him and he smiled back and then she came charging at him and he braced himself and caught her and they held one another in a tight embrace. Then he started to kiss her so happy he was home and she was in his arms. She pulled away and he got to look into her beautiful green eyes.'

Angel woke up and looked around he was in a bed in a little shack. He also noticed he was naked and slowly sat up. He had to lay back down because the dizzy spell came back over him. He then sat up slowly again and then sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed the sheets and wrapped himself up in them. He took maybe five steps to the door and saw the old woman sitting outside. She looked a bit mean as she sat there but she saved his life. Someone up in the heavens liked him because this is the countless time he's cheated death.

"How long have I been sleepin'?" Angel asked the old woman and she looked up at him as a goat came walking up to her and she started to pet it.

"Two days, three days, not long enough." She answered but sleeping that long it showed just how tired his body was. He needed the rest he barely sleeps; always jumping to each sound thinking it was someone after him.

"I can't stop here," Angel started and the old woman looked up at him as he was about fall over. Angel was weak he ate little and did a lot of walking and running he needed to rest.

"Sit down before you fall down." The old man order and Angel obeyed and sat down on the step still wrapped in the sheet.

"I'm a deserter," Angel started he needed to warn her he would not have more blood on his hands. "If they find me here things could be bad for you."

"What are they gonna do? Cut short my young life?" The old woman asked and Angel thought about it well she was old but still he wouldn't put her life at risk for his own. The dizzy spell took over and he heard his stomach growl. He needed food and soon too. "I've learned a person can pretty much survive off of a goat," The old woman started to explain as she petted the goat she had with her. "A goat gives you company and milk and cheese and when you need it good meat." She then took out a knife and slit the goat's neck. "That's my beauty, there's my beauty." She whispered to it her way of saying thank you. "So you been fightin'?" Angel then looked up with his head resting against the entry way and nodded.

"I could be at killin'…for days my feet against the feet of my enemy. And I always killed him he never killed me I don't know why," Angel was now thinking out loud. He should have died many times over by now. But yet here he was alive and still moving.

"Gave it a try to look at ya," The old woman commented meaning you're still here. It had to mean something he was still alive. He was alive for one purpose and one purpose only and that was to get home to Buffy.

"Yeah I guess he did." Angel then closed his eyes hearing the sound of the woods it was peaceful.

"See I think there's a plan," The old woman started to speak and Angel opened his eyes to listen. "There's a design for each and every one of us. You look at nature," The old woman pointed around and Angel looked to the directions she was pointing which were just trees. "Bird flies somewhere, picks up a seed, shits the seed out, plant grows. Bird's got a job, shit's got a job, seed's got a job." She made it sound that plain and simple that everything had a job and then she looked down to the dead goat letting it fall to the ground still petting it. Angel found it rather creepy she was petting a dead animal but she was here all by herself goats were probably her best friend. "And you've got a job," She said to the dead goat. "You done good goat you were a real beauty."

The old woman bent over and got to the ground and started to cut the goat and Angel headed back inside to lie down. He needed to lie down but he knew after the old woman was done cutting up the goat there would be food. He was so hungry and he felt like he could eat a whole cow by himself.

The goat's meat was in a pan getting cooked and Angel had a plate as he was finishing off his second plate of the meat. Food was good it was so good he thought as he ate. He then looked up to the old woman as she cooked for him. Not only did she do that she cleaned him up, shaved him gave him a bath. He didn't realize that until she started to cook.

"Sometimes I think I'm crazy when I'm just hungry." Angel stated while still chewing the food then the old woman held out the pan and Angel held out his plate as she gave him a third helping of dinner. He was grateful for the meal and wanted to know how to pay her back. As he piled on the food the old woman started to mix something in a cup and then handed it to Angel.

"Now drink this it eases the pain and you'll sleep." She explained and Angel drank the drink even though it was bitter. He finished it and then finished his meal. "Is she waitin' for ya this Buffy Summers?" Angel looked up and thought about it. At the start of the war she was and the letter said she was but that was a year ago.

"She was," Angel answered and the old woman was prepping something as she listened. "I don't know," Angel was in doubt now could she be waiting for him after all this time? "Or even if she knows me," But what Angel didn't realized was she knew him and wanted him home he just needs to make it home and find her. Angel set aside the plate and felt full it was a good feeling.

"Lie down," The woman said and Angel did getting comfortable in the bed.

"I'm like the boy who goes for wood in winter and comes back in spring with a whistle." Angel explained as he laid there and the old woman sat on the edge of the bed and with a black clay type substance she put it on his wounds first were the wrist his wrist looked horrible. "Like every fool sent off to fight with a flag and a lie." Angel was feeling relaxed and safe as well.

"That's the laudanum gettin' to ya, that's good," The old woman then got some more of the black clay medicine and held it to Angel's neck wound. "Say somethin' more," Meaning she needed him to talk as this would be painful and it was. Angel winced at the pain as it burned.

"She got me a book," He blurted out as the old woman continued to nurse him. "Buffy, a man by the name of Bartram." The book was gone though out in the fields but not her picture that was tucked away in a pocket. "He wrote about his travels. Sometimes…just readin' the name of a place…near home…Sorell Cove, Bishop's Creek." Angel winced again in pain. "Those places belonged to people before us to the Cherokee. What did he call Cold Mountain? How could a name…not even a real name…break your heart?" Angel then could see Buffy in his mind her pretty smile and he golden hair. "It's her she's the place I'm headin'." He had to get back to her. "And I hardly know her, I hardly know her!" But he wanted to marry her he was going to ask her before the war but it was too late. Maybe if she came sooner or if he worked up the courage they could have been married. Hell if this war didn't happen they could be married and even have a child by now. "And I just can't seem to get back to her." He would take a step forward but then take two steps back.

Three more days went by as Angel stayed with the old woman resting and healing. She told him where he was and he wasn't far off from North Carolina he was in Virginia now. She drew him a map telling him the best way to get back. He still had miles ahead of him but to finally know where he was at least he had hope. The old woman also packed up a bag for him and washed his clothes.

"That's medicine," She pointed to in the bag. "That's goat meat," And then she handed him the bag and he took it. "And you're sick of both." She stated with a small grin and Angel nodded as he stood there ready for his journey home.

"I have a deal to thank you for." Angel stated and the old woman handed him a gun that was loaded and ready.

"You just get home to her." That was the deal and Angel nodded. He put the gun away and then turned away heading home. The air was crisp and cool and the sun was out. He felt well rested and ready to make the journey home back to Buffy. Winter was setting in the month was November ending and the hot sticky days were long gone. He hoped to make it home before the first snowfall if not by Christmas. Wouldn't that be a wonderful Christmas gift to Buffy returning home to her? It would be an amazing gift to himself. That put a smile on his face as he headed for Black Cove. As he walked crunching the leaves on the ground he wondered what Buffy was doing these days.

Angel is that much closer to home makes you happy right? So next is 11 which will be shortly. Comments and reviews are most welcomed thanks for reading.