Chapter 15 Wild Turkey
A/N: The big chapter the chapter we've been waiting for since Angel went off to war. Enjoy.
The day was cold and Buffy could see her breath in the air as she was cutting wood for fire. She never thought she could get this strong to cut wood with a wedge and a hammer but she was these days. Buffy was very strong these days and she liked it. She could for the most part stand on her own two feet something that would have not have happed three years ago. This war has changed for the better on the outside at least. Cordelia was out with the sheep feeding them as it was a normal day on the farm. But down the hillside Doyle came running. He had been running all night long to get here. He knew the short cuts and would make it to Black Cove before Riley did.
"Cordy!" He cried and Buffy looked up seeing him running to the farm. Something was wrong and she set down her wedge and hammer. Cordelia went running towards him.
"What?" Cordelia asked and as she got closer he could terror and dread on his face.
"Cordy!" He was out of breath as he fell to the ground and Buffy came running over as Cordelia sat him up.
"What's wrong?" Cordelia asked wanting to know both wanted to know. Buffy got down to the ground helping Doyle to stay up straight as he spoke trying to catch his breath.
"Finn…The Home Guard…" Doyle took in deep breaths as he was tired and scared.
"What?" Buffy was very concerned if Riley was involved he already hurt Willow both mentally and physically. He did something to this group and she looked around the clear day keeping an eye for Riley she just knew was after her.
"They shot your daddy! They shot your daddy and Oz too!" Doyle managed to get it out and Buffy looked to Cordelia as she looked shocked her face went white. Cordelia sat there in silence and Buffy reached out placing her hand on Cordelia's shoulder then Cordelia looked up to her now best friend. They then hoisted Doyle up and helped him inside knowing he was freezing.
Buffy and Cordelia were in the shed gathering supplies like rope and they would be bringing extra blankets. They would be taken Claire with them to find Whistler and Oz. Buffy took a bow and arrow from a shelf to take it with her. She taught herself to use it a few months ago she wasn't a pro but she could do it. Three years ago she would be too weak to even let the arrow fly just a foot from her.
"I told Doyle he can stop here; I told him he can sleep in the barn." Buffy said as Cordelia packed her things in silence. "He's got nothin' inside him he'll walk out of here and die in the snow." Meaning he needed to stay and rest and eat otherwise he would starve and freeze before he got anywhere. Cordelia nodded at what Buffy said but she was half in her own world.
"He can milk the cows I was worried about that." It sounded like a good plan. He can keep the place up and running while they were gone. "It's five hours' climb from here. He drew a map." And Cordelia took out paper from her pocket and handed it to Buffy and she nodded.
"I'm ready." Buffy stated and Cordelia nodded as Buffy fixed her braids. They say rather nicely one both sides of head. She loved her long hair but it got in the way of work. She kept it long so if Angel ever did return he would recognize her.
"You know them fools stayed the night in the mill?" Cordelia asked and Buffy looked up as she finished fixing up a braid. "That's Kline Chase. Can't do one good thing without addin' the bad. Left tracks in the snow all the way up for the Home Guard to follow. Sign that says 'Shoot me.'" Cordelia was rambling but Buffy knew her well enough that she was upset. Cordelia was tough but everyone had a weak spot.
"Cordy," Buffy needed to console her. "Cordy," Cordelia looked up to Buffy fighting the tears and the pain. "I'm sorry." And she was sorry Buffy knew what it was like to lose a father. And right now they were both orphans in this war and there was no one to protect them. Riley was on his way and there was no one here to help them. Cordelia stood there fighting the tears and looked to Buffy like she wanted to scream and she should she had every right too.
"Every piece of this is man's bullshit," She started and Buffy thought good get angry she needed to get angry to start moving on. "They call this war a cloud over the land but they made the weather and then they stand in the rain and say 'Shit it's rainin'!'" And Cordelia let the tears roll and Buffy had a small idea what she was going through. "If I cry one tear for my daddy I stole it off a crocodile." Cordelia then walked passed Buffy indicating it was time to go. "All right then." And they headed off into the mountains. Buffy grabbed Claire and made sure she was packed and ready and they were off. Five hours from now they would see Whistler and Oz and they were dead.
Three years ago there would have been no way Buffy would have been able to make the haul up here by foot but that was three years ago. That was then this is now. They found the clearing and the remains of a fire pit. Buffy had Claire stop walking and petted her and they looked around.
"All right then." Cordelia meant let's look and get this over with.
"Dear God," Buffy looked around as they walked but no one was here it was empty. The place was empty no one was here.
"Finn's probably took him," Cordelia said and found her father's fiddle and picked it up as Buffy searched. "They did that with Willow's brothers didn't they? Strung 'em up as a warnin'." Buffy stood there and it was probably true. As Cordelia held the broken fiddle she looked down a small hill and saw something well two things at the bottom.
"Daddy? Daddy!" Cordelia screamed and dropped the fiddle and ran down the hill and Buffy came over and saw both her father and Oz and she ran down the hill following. "Daddy! Daddy?" Cordelia rolled her father over and he grunted. "He's still breathin'! It's Ruby! Don't you die on me again!" She warned her father and then saw Oz as Buffy got to the bottom. Buffy checked Oz and he was alive too but barely.
"They took his coat," Buffy noticed. "Why would they take his coat?" She asked but figured Riley wanted to them freeze out here if they did survive the bullets. They both nearly froze out here and if Buffy and Cordelia showed maybe an hour later they might be dead. Instead of trying to move them the girls stayed there brushing the snow off of them and got a fire going. Cordelia took out her knife and started to heat it over the fire. Oz's bullet wasn't coming out it was too deep and all they could do for him was making him comfortable. Whistler's bullet was lodge in his shoulder and they could remove that one.
"We gotta get them home." Buffy stated as Cordelia brought the knife over. The two were freezing they would die of the cold much less than the blood loss and bullet. Oz laid on the ground as close to the fire as possible with a blanket around him.
"They won't make it they'll die first." Cordelia said and Buffy knew that was true they were almost dead now. "They got hardly no blood left in them." And then Cordelia drove the knife into her father's back to dig the bullet out. Whistler winced and Buffy held him down. "There it is I feel it."
"You got it?" Buffy asked holding Whistler down.
"Yep." And out came the bullet and Cordelia tossed it away. Buffy the put a bandage over the wound and the girls looked around they couldn't stay here they needed a roof and a better fire well more fires. A low fire like this wasn't going to keep all four of them warm and if there was snowfall then they were even in bigger trouble. "There's a place close." Cordelia stood up informed Buffy as she sat on the ground with Oz gently rubbing his back laying on top of him to give him some of her body heat. She needed to keep moving or she would break down. Looking at Buffy though with those two French braids and her rosy red cheeks from the cold made her look like a little girl. "Old Cherokee it used to be. It's got shelter and water I used to hide up there when he'd get a temper goin'." Buffy nodded but now they had to figure out how to get two fully grown men there.
They put Whistler and Oz on Claire letting them hang over her and walked the rest of the way up to the location Cordelia described. There were two shacks as well which was perfect. This would be fine and they hoped both Oz and Whistler would make it through the night. The girls managed to get Oz into one of the shacks just fine and onto a little bed. Whistler was harder for them but that managed. Cordelia would get their beds set up and Buffy knew they needed to eat.
"I'll go look for some food." Buffy said and started to head off.
"Take the shotgun." Cordelia ordered and Buffy picked it up and was off hunting she also picked up a bow and arrow. Over the last year she used the bow and arrow it was quieter than the shock gun. The shot gun was used for people. Buffy climbed up the mountain side and then saw wild turkeys a whole group of them. She slowly sat the rifle down and took out her bow and grabbed an arrow and took aim. Right between the eyes was best and she let the arrow fly. The turkey was dead and she made her target and smiled.
"Goddamn," She smiled and was proud of herself. "I'm good." She thought out loud and picked up the rifle and headed over to her kill. She removed the arrow and was about to head back when down the path she saw someone. She dropped her bow and arrow and grabbed the rifle and held it. "Turn around!" She ordered. Three years ago she would have never raised her voice like this. The man kept walking trying to see who this person was. "Go back where you came from! Go back!" She held the rifle steady and had the shot she needed all she needed to do was pull the trigger
"Buffy?" The man asked trying to get a better look at her. Could it be her? "Buffy Summers?" He asked and she fired her gun up in the air and he stopped walking towards her.
"Turn around or I'll shoot!" She warned and he stood there. She forgot about him he knew she would. So the best thing to do was to leave and find another home. Buffy held the shot gun and then saw the man turning around she realized who she was about to shoot at. She lowered her weapon and her heart started to pound and tears watered in her eyes he came home.
"Angel?" She asked but he kept walking not hearing her and then she started to chase after him and tossed the shot gun away. "Angel!" She cried out. "Angel!" He heard her call his name and his heart stopped for a moment. Angel turned around seeing her charge at him and he wasn't sure if he was strong enough at the moment to hold her but there was no stopping her. Angel braced himself and took his bag off his back. "Angel!" And then she jumped into his arms and he embraced her. He couldn't breathe all that walking and dreaming thinking this moment would never happen it just happened. She was warm he could finally feel her warmth. Buffy held him tight not wanting to let go. "Angel," She repeated his name. She pulled away and tears ran down her cheeks she could see his face and it was him he came back to her. Angel was exhausted and dropped to both knees still holding her.
"Buffy." She said with his arms wrapped around her waist and his head pressed against her stomach. Buffy then sunk to the ground and hugged him again making sure this was real. She pulled away taking another look at him and he looked back at her. She's changed, she's gotten prettier and. Buffy placed both hands on his cheeks and pulled him down kissing his forehead and then hugged him again.
"You better come with me." She said into his ear and then pulled away. She stood up and took his hand and helped him and he grabbed his bag and followed her. She scooped up the shot gun, the bow and the dead turkey. She held the turkey and rifle in one hand, the bow went around her back and with her free hand took his and led him. He was home and safe now.
Angel followed Buffy to the two shacks and she set down her bow and the shot gun and then grabbed Angel's hand again and he followed her. Buffy opened the door to one of the shacks where Cordelia made progress on the beds.
"Cordy," Buffy looked into the shack and Cordelia looked up seeing a man standing behind Buffy. "This is Angel." Cordelia thought I'll be damned he was alive. Cordelia walked over seeing the man that Buffy has waited so long for and ached and cried over. Then she noticed the dead turkey Buffy brought back.
"Oh Congratulations! Oughta send you out with a shotgun a lot more!" She giggled and then Angel placed his hand up against the shack to support himself. "Looks if he's about to topple over." And Buffy turned around as he stood there.
"I may need to." Angel stated and Buffy set the bird down and walked over to him and she became his support.
"You shot or somethin'?" Cordelia asked and he looked up and shrugged.
"Not lately." Angel answered and Buffy helped him into the shack and Cordelia was going to give them space. They brought plenty of blankets and Buffy helped Angel down to the floor and grabbed him a blanket and covered him up.
"Get some sleep you're safe now." She assured him and he relaxed a little and closed his eyes as his body needed the sleep. Buffy sat next to him and waited making sure he was asleep. She reached out and gently touched his face. He looked the same but worn and tired. Buffy pulled her knees to her chest and let her cheek rest on her knees and watched Angel sleep.
I changed how Buffy greeted Angel home and if you've seen Cold Mountain Ada seemed a little timmed seeing Inman again. I wanted to change their meeting because well they're Buffy and Angel. So I had Buffy react the way she should running to him and welcoming him home. Next chapter is the fluff chapter that you all wanted since Buffy and Angel first kiss. So hold on it's coming. Thanks for reading comments and reviews are welcomed.