I Am Not Yours

Favors ( Spilling Out )

March 1915

They did not see each other again until Henry's trial in Cape Fullerton. He was shocked to see that she had agreed to testify FOR him rather than against, but his lawyer had begged him to give him ANY name of someone who MAY speak of him positively. Just to shut him up, Henry said Abigail's name, not expecting her to actually BE a character witness in the case, but it was the best "fake" decision he ever made. The judge gave him a lesser sentence than he had anticipated and then credited him time served so that he would get to go home to Hope Valley immediately following the trial. All thanks to Abigail's testimony. She had practically begged the judge to not ONLY judge Henry on his mistakes but also on the good things he had done for the town as a whole and the selfless things he had done for her, her family, and even Bill.

Every word that Abigail said FOR Henry on that stand stung him as he knew he did not deserve to hear kind words from her. But he knew she was not lying and they were things that she actually believed about him. That only made him feel worse. He promised the judge that he would not make a fool of him for this sentencing but Henry was not entirely sure that he was going to keep that promise and he was ashamed to even think it. But he knew himself better than anyone did and he knew it was only a matter of time that he would mess up again. And the next time....he was certain, Abigail would not give him another chance.

Once he was brought back to Hope Valley, Henry did his best to avoid Abigail, though he knew he owed her thanks for her testimony. He got a job working at the sawmill for Lee and felt as though he had taken several steps back in his life. He had worked from the ground up to become one of the employers and now he was back to being a measly little employee...taking orders like some trained dog. He hated it....but he knew he deserved it.

"Mm, life's just getting better." He said sarcastically when Lee informed the workers at the mill about a few weeks after he began to work that there would be no payroll for a few days or even another week. Henry immediately suspected that there was something wrong at the bank when he heard this so he visited the bank himself and had a word with Mr. Jenkins. He was right.

So much for avoiding Abigail.

He went to her office to warn her, telling her as quickly as he could with as much advice as he could give before leaving quickly.

It wasn't even two days later that the bank closed down and the town was in a panic. Abigail, for once feeling as though she had no smarts for something like this, then approached Henry at work at the sawmill the next day, asking him for his help. She knew that with his old connections, he must know SOMEBODY with enough money to invest in new funds for their bank. Henry was reluctant at first to even consider trying, knowing that with word out about his arrest and his trial, there was a chance that all of his old buddies would only see him as slime now. But when he told Abigail no, she did not take that, telling him that the Henry Gowen she knows would live for this kind of fight...a business deal gamble...and the look in her eyes only gave Henry the kick in the butt he needed to finally tell her he would give it a shot. Though a part in him asked himself why he, still, always did anything for her.

April 1915

A couple of weeks passed and Jack and Elizabeth were married. Frank had returned from the children's hospital to perform the ceremony and Henry avoided Abigail even more. He noticed how much more she smiled around Frank and decided to do his work, try to get investors for the bank and move on. Though he hadn't much luck with the finances, he kept trying, getting a no every single time. He felt awful having to disappoint Abigail over and over again.

It was only a day or two later that he finally found an old friend who sounded interested. He was on his way to the cafe to tell Abigail when he saw that she was standing at the stagecoach with Frank, Elizabeth, and a few others. He stayed across the street, not wanting to intrude on whatever was happening at the moment, but witnessed Frank climb into the stagecoach and leave town.