DISCLAIMER: I do not own the BtVS characters, those are Joss Whedon's & Co. I do not own RENT or its characters; those belong to the late Jonathan Larson. The places in New York are actual places. The University of New Orleans and buildings mentioned on campus are real places. You should really consider coming to UNO for college. if you are interested (end plug). The plot of the story is mine, it's not original, but it's mine nonetheless.

A/N: Okay, so this story is AU and OOC. It was originally a story that I wrote for a fiction writing class with Buffy, Riley, and Spike in mind. I couldn't use those actual names though, so the original of this is slightly different because of that. Anyway, I haven't really done any major editing or re-working of this story since I wrote it. It's something I planned on doing based on the critiques from my classmates and instructor, but I thought I would post it as it was to get some other opinions on what I should do with it to compare. I want you to be as brutally honest as you can be. I will accept flames and praise, just as long as there are some helpful critiques within your review. I was considering bringing Buffy and Riley back to UC Sunnydale rather than keeping them at my college, the University of New Orleans, as well as putting more canon background information. However, this is an AU/OOC, so maybe you will be okay with it the way it is. Anyway, to end this long ramble, I hope you really read this and offer any advice you can. THANKS MUCH, MONICA

A/N2: I'm currently stuck with a halfway finished script version of HYDE WATCHES BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. It is a spinoff of sometimestheycallmejackie's HYDE READS TWILIGHT. It's quite funny and you should read that story, along with everything else she has written. That is all. Now on with my story:

The hot water cascaded from the showerhead. A pool of steam formed around the huddled figure. Buffy Finn was beat red as she sat under the scalding spray. Her whole body shook. She didn't move, didn't stop crying. The water was cold by the time she was able to calm down.

When she got out of the shower, Buffy put her favorite black, terrycloth robe on. She took a hair tie from her vanity and pulled her long, wet, blonde hair into a messy bun. She avoided the mirror. She did not want to see the latest mark her husband left on her. She would start crying again if she did. Buffy was glad that Riley had to work today. She had no energy to play the doting house wife that morning. She walked over to her bed and laid down in the fetal position over the covers. She could not figure out why things between her and Riley changed so much since they got married. She did everything he asked her to. He was a good man, she knew he was. She told herself that it was just all the stress from his job. When he wasn't drunk or stressed, he was the picture perfect husband. It wasn't all the time. She tried so hard to believe her own reassurances, but with each hit, it became harder for her to do so. Tears fell from her eyes as she tried to clear her mind and find sleep.