(AN) Hello and welcome to the penultimate chapter of Aftermath; hope you all enjoy.

In this chapter, David and Amy attempt to remain at Trencher's Farm, but this will prove more difficult than expected.

Disclaimer: I don't own Straw Dogs; all characters and locations are owned by their respective owners.

Chapter Five

After getting an ice-pack for David's head, Amy went to get tested to be sure that she hadn't contracted any STDs or STIs: thankfully, the tests came back negative. After this, the couple went down to the station to collect Amy's stolen pants.

While waiting for DI Evans, David began to think: he knew that Charlie and Scutt could never face proper justice for what they'd done to his wife, but he wondered if it would be worth trying to see if there was any sort of justice that could be brought upon the deceased individuals.

"Hey, Amy, I know it won't give you proper justice, but would it help if you told the police about Charlie and Scutt?" asked David gently.

"I know you're just trying to make up for everything, but I don't think it would do much good," lamented Amy, "There's no more evidence that they did anything and it would be my word against the word of two dead people. The only thing that can be proven is that Scutt tried to rape me last night."

"Oh." muttered a dejected sounding David.

Neil came through a nearby door and approached the couple. "Well, you'll be pleased to know that Trencher's Farm is no longer an active crime scene and that you can return there." he explained.

"Thank you, DI Evans." thanked David.

Soon after, David parked the car outside of Trencher's Farm. The couple hopped out and slowly walked up to the farmhouse; observing the broken windows. Major Scott's body had been removed.

"It feels so strange being back here after all that's happened," remarked Amy, "I wonder if we'll still be able to live here?"

"We can try," replied David, "We shouldn't let what happened scare us away."

Amy glanced over at the garage with the unfinished roof. "What are we going to do about the repair work now?" she asked teasingly.

"I think I'll make sure to hire people that aren't psychopaths." answered David.

The couple entered the house and looked around at the smashed windows, the burn marks and the holes in the walls. The bodies were now all gone, as were the blood stains.

David entered the study and spotted his nearly completed book on the table, he then picked it up and stared at the cover. Amy walked up behind him and glanced at the book. "Do you think you'll finish it?" she asked curiously.

"I honestly don't know," sighed her husband, "If you'd asked me a few days ago, I'd have said yes, but it just doesn't seem that important right now."

"I think you should try," suggested Amy, "It's really good so far, even if I don't understand any of it."

"Thanks for the compliment," thanked David, grinning, "I suppose I could try."

The blonde smiled back before heading towards the door.

"Oh and Amy," called out David, causing her to stop and turn around, "You know I'm not fussed about whether you wear a bra or not: I think you look hot either way, I just thought I was being helpful by suggesting you wear one."

"I know," replied Amy, smirking, "I think you're hot in a dorky sort of way."

David chuckled as his wife exited the room.

David tried desperately to write down some more stuff for his book, but he found that he just couldn't concentrate: he was on edge and any sudden noise made him rather jumpy. After ten minutes, David slammed the book shut, got up and exited the study.

"I-I just can't do it," uttered a defeated David as he slumped down on to the sofa and put his head in his hands, "I'm just on edge and jumpy."

Amy gave her husband a sympathetic smile as she sat down next to him. "I'm feeling the same," she remarked, "I went upstairs and kept expecting Scutt or one of the others to lunge out at me."

"I did have something on my mind, but I wanted to know what you thought of it first," began David, "I think I want to move back home to Philadelphia."

"Really," said a surprised Amy, "I thought the whole reason we moved here was because you felt pressured into picking a side."

"That's true," replied David, "I'm totally on board with the Civil Rights Movement, but I didn't want to cause any trouble, but at the same time, I also felt that me not saying anything would make me look bad for either side, so I ran with you to a place you didn't even want to return to. In the end, trouble found us and I ended up turning into somebody that I didn't like. I know I did what I did to protect you, but I think a part of me wanted to prove that I wasn't a coward and that I was tough and manly."

"Wow, I think that's the most honest thing you've said in ages," quipped Amy, "I wasn't entirely against coming back here, since I thought that Charlie might be gone by then."

"Forgive me for asking, but what exactly happened between you and Charlie?" asked David curiously.

"Charlie was physically and emotionally abusive towards me," informed Amy quietly, "He tried to control every aspect of my life, but I eventually left and moved to the states."

"I'm so sorry," said David sympathetically, gently squeezing his wife's hand, "I thought you seemed perfectly comfortable around him before he raped you."

"I was pretending," replied Amy, "I felt there was no point in making a fuss since who would believe a silly, hysterical girl about something that happened years ago."

"Well, I would have believed you," assured the maths professor, "Did your dad ever find out?"

"I told him," replied the blonde, "Me being upset was the only thing preventing him from going over to Charlie and beating him up."

Due to the windows still being broken, David and Amy spent another night at Barney and Louise's house, where they once again settled into the spare room.

Amy woke with a start and was surprised to find herself in her and David's bedroom at Trencher's Farm.

"Hello?" called out a confused Amy as she slipped out of bed and walked over to the bedroom door, "David, are you there?"

Amy slowly exited the bedroom and crept towards the stairs, the blonde began to slowly walk down the stairs, but stopped and screamed in horror at the sight of Charlie standing over David's dead body. David's head was in the bear trap; his neck crushed. Charlie turned towards Amy and flashed a wicked grin in her direction.

"Stay away from me!" cried a panicky Amy as she ran back up the stairs.

Amy raced back into her and David's bedroom and tried to slam the door shut, but Charlie suddenly pushed against it before forcing it open, throwing the young woman to the floor, he then crawled on top of Amy, who struggled, but it was no use.

"NO! NO, GET AWAY!" shouted a terrified Amy.

"Your husband can't help you now." whispered Charlie into his ex's ear, "It's just you and me now."

"NO! NO! NO!" shouted a terrified Amy as Charlie began trying to tear at her nightdress.

"NO!" yelled Amy as she bolted up in bed before breathing heavily and clutching her chest.

After a minute, Amy calmed down and got her breathing under control. The blonde suddenly felt the bed shift, she then turned and saw David looking at her in concern. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"Oh, David, it was horrible," whispered Amy in a frightened manner, "I was back in the house and C-Charlie was standing over your dead body, t-then he chased me and t-tried to rape me!"

"Hey, it's okay now; it was just a nightmare." assured David as he hugged his sobbing wife and rubbed her back.

"I thought about it and I want to move back to the states with you," informed Amy once she'd calmed down, "The idea of trying to stay in that awful place makes my skin crawl. I'm going to put it up for sale."

"I hear you," replied David sympathetically, "After everything that's happened, I can't bare the thought of staying there either."

The next morning, David and Amy informed Barney and Louise of their intentions while sat at their kitchen table and eating breakfast.

"Well, this is unexpected news indeed," remarked Barney, "but not surprising given what you've both been through."

"Well, you shall both be missed," stated Louise, "I must admit that we've grown quite fond of you, and it's a shame that you have to leave under such dreadful circumstances."

"Yes, this place was starting to grow on me a bit," stated David, "But needs must."

Barney and Louise helped David and Amy to pack all of their things away and load them into the car. After a few days, Amy managed to put Trencher's Farm up for sale. The couple then headed to the airport.

After a long flight, David and Amy arrived back in Philadelphia. The two were invited to stay at David's parents' house. George and Louise Sumner were a lovely couple, though George could be a bit old fashioned. George was a middle-aged man with grey hair. Louise was around the same age and had long, black hair.

The four of them were currently sitting in the living room. David and Amy finished telling them about their experience in Wakely.

"And here we were thinking you were having a great time," remarked George after the couple had finished, "Well, you're back home, safe and sound; that's what counts."

"I'm going to start seeing a therapist," informed Amy, "though I think it'll be a long time before I ever fully recover from this ordeal."

"I'm also going to see one," put in David before noticing the look on his dad's face, "Don't give me that look, Dad: I killed two people and was nearly killed along with Amy, I can't just bottle up my emotions."

"One of those men you killed raped Amy." reminded George.

"George!" snapped Louise sternly, "I'm not trying to downplay what this Charlie person did, but killing somebody isn't something you just easily forget and move on from!"

"I know that," grumbled George, "That bastard had it coming though."

"Anyway, Dad, Mom, you'll be pleased to know that I'm going to try and get my job at the University back." informed David.

"Good to know." replied George.

Later on, David went over to his old workplace: the University of Pennsylvania. David walked up to the office door of the headmaster: Mr Jeremy Baldwin.

"Enter!" came a sharp voice from within.

David entered the office and saw Mr Baldwin sitting behind his desk. Mr Baldwin was a short, obese man with thinning grey hair, a moustache and thick, round glasses.

"Mr Sumner!" exclaimed Baldwin in surprise, "This is unexpected. I thought we'd lost you for good after you decided to move to the UK."

"Well, I'm back now," stated David firmly, "Firstly, I may not agree with everything they do, but I choose to stand by those in this university who believe in the Civil Rights Movement."

"I see," said Jeremy dryly, "Well, you do what you need to do."

"And secondly, I'd like my old job back if that's okay." said the young man firmly.

"That's absolutely fine," replied Baldwin, "We haven't been able to find a suitable replacement for you; we've been hiring temps. So, your old job is still there for when you want it."

"Thank you, sir." replied David cheerfully.

Some time later, David and Amy were sitting on the bed in the spare bedroom.

"So, alls well that ends well I suppose." commented Amy.

"Yep," replied David, smiling at his wife, "Now all we need to do is buy a new house."

(AN) And that's a wrap on the penultimate chapter of Aftermath; hope you all enjoyed.

The last chapter will be an epilogue that will wrap up the story with a couple of interesting surprises.

Until then, this is TimeLordMaster108 signing out.