Chapter
Two
Xander Harris walked into the Summers house. "Buffy? I found Warren. Actually, my face kinda found him." His words stopped as his gaze landed on Spike's duster. I thought you could keep your word Buff. Looks like I was wrong. No more lies. He stormed up the stairs, duster in hand.
Buffy's laying on the bathroom floor, in serious pain. She'd awoken when the front door had been slammed shut. She leaned against the tub, tears rolling down her face. The bathroom door burst open.
"This what you call not seeing Spike anymore?" Xander demanded, waving the jacket. He looked at her, his anger quickly changing to shock.
How he knew she was in the bathroom, she didn't know. She looked at him, pain and fear written on her face.
"Buffy, my god. What did he do? Did he hurt you?"
Buffy knew her eyes were filling with tears again. He saw the blood on the floor, her robe, then the her bruise covered thighs. He stepped towards her and she whimpered. His heart broke at hearing that sound coming from her. Buffy Summers was strong. She'd never get hurt, not like this. They'd all assumed it. And they'd all been wrong. All except her now dead mother, and Giles.
The door slammed again and Willow bound up the stairs, grinning; Buffy cringed at the loud sound. "Hey, I think we found something. What happened?" she asked, noticing Buffy. Buffy let out a sob. It's a sound of a broken spirited woman...or one close to being broken.
Willow pushed past Xander and rushed over to Buffy. Hesitantly, she placed her arms around the blond, who broke down in gut-wrenching sobs.
"Xander, go call Janice mother. Tell her Dawn needs to
stay the night." Xander left, rushing. Willow looked around and
knew what had happened. It wasn't hard to figure out. "It'll be
all right Buffy. I promise." Her eyes go black. The door opened and
Tara goes to the kitchen. Xander hastily explained what happened. She
quietly made her way up the stairs and to the bathroom. Willow looked
up. Tara took a step back at the black eyes, then went over to
Buffy.
"Buffy?" Buffy just hiccuped. "Wil?"
"I'm fine; Buffy's not. I'm going to deal with Spike later though. I swear I'll make him suffer," she said, snarling the last word. Tara looked at her with sadness and disappointment. Xander came back up.
"Dawn's staying the ni-Wow, Wil, your eyes!" he exclaimed. "That's bad!" Willow scowled, lightning flashing in her eyes. Tara stood and rushed to her room, only to return a minute later.
Willow and Tara had stayed together through Willow's magic problem. Tara was slowly helping her ease back into it. But right now, one little slip would be disastrous.
"Willow, don't make me do this," Tara said, holding a candle and boline. Willow looked at Tara warily. "I will and you know it!" Tara growled, lighting the now floating candle with a snap of her fingers. Slowly, Willow's eyes dimmed. She didn't want her magic bound or taken. It would be torture, especially for someone as powerful as Willow. "Good," Tara said, sending the stuff back to their room. She went over and wrapped her arms around Buffy again. The blond Slayer fell asleep.
"Xander, help us get her to her room." Nodding, Xander walked over, picked her up, and carried Buffy to her room. Gently, he laid her on the bed, covered her with a thin but warm blanket, and left with the witches.
"Now what?" he asked, looking at the bathroom.
"First we clean that up. Then we talk," Willow said, heading for the room. They worked for a hour, using bleach to clean the blood from the floor. Xander had said the curtain rod was going to have to be replaced, since it had been yanked from the wall. The rug was taken to the basement to wash. All the glass and wood was swept into a trash bag and taken to the cans outside.
The trio went down to the living room when they were done, depressed.
"I think we should call Giles," Tara said, looking at the phone.
"Buffy would kill us," Xander said. He's washed the blood from his injured face. He didn't feel the pain from his nose as he shook his head.
"No...well maybe. But she'd thank us later," Tara said, somewhat doubtfully. Willow picked up the phone and punched in the number. It rang a few time.
"Rupert Giles," a sleepy voice said.
"Giles, it's Willow." In England, Giles smiled as he got out of bed. He hadn't heard from them in a while, and it was comforting to have her call.
"It's good to here from you Willow. What can I do for you?" Willow quickly went into the kitchen and motioned for the others to pick up the extension.
"Well, it's not me you can do something for. I need the Repelling spell we used for Angel." Giles' smile instantly fell. Even though he'd forgiven Angel, to some extent, he didn't like where the conversation was going.
"Very well. What do you need it for?" he asked as he propped the phone on his shoulder and began looking through his library.
They hesitated, then Xander said, "Well, um...it's for Spike. And well...things didn't go to well."
"Thank you, but Anya has already told me of what happened. Ah, here it is." He began reading and Willow wrote it all down. Cryptically, Willow told Giles to stay on while pretending to say bye. He hit flash as the others hung up and left the room. He clicked back.
"What is it Willow?"
"Well, we needed the spell because-" she let a chocked sound. Giles was truly worried.
"Is it about Buffy?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"What happed?"
"Spike had some trouble letting go."
"Damn it Willow! Tell me!" he demanded. She sometimes forgot he was one of the most powerful dark magic users as a young man, with a temper to boot.
"Spike raped Buffy!" she said quickly, her words hard in tone and low in volume. Giles sunk into the chair behind him.
"Rape? Buffy?" he asked, voice a little high.
"Yes," she said, tears coming to her eyes.
"Willow, listen carefully. You must not tell them about this." She agreed and he told her his plan. Tara was doing the spell as they spoke. Once she was off the phone, she was exhausted. Willow went in the living room and sat in a chair. She looked around. Her girlfriend and best friend were at a loss what to do. Well, almost at lost.
"I vote we go after Spike," Xander said, hand twitching. Tara looked torn between going and staying.
"No!" Willow said forcefully. "We stay here with Buffy. Who needs us. Besides, that slay should be for her, not us." Tara looked at Willow, doubt in her eyes.
"You think she'd really face him after...that?"
"I'm not sure hun. I can only hope."
"That's all we can do," Xander said, shutting his eyes in defeat.
***
The next day, Dawn went to the mall with her friends, having gotten permission the night before from Willow. Around noon, Buffy walked down the stairs, limped actually, and went into the kitchen. Luckily, only Tara was home, since Xander had to go to work, and Willow was running an important errand.
Tara smiled at Buffy, but it wasn't a happy smile. The sweats did nothing to cover the bruises on her friend's face, neck and wrist.
"Afternoon," she said, gingerly scooting into a chair.
"Want something?" Tara asked, opening the fridge. Buffy said no, but ended up with a glass of juice anyway. Smiling, she drank it, sputtering; it burnt her raw throat. She set the glass down. Someone pulled into the driveway. "I thinks that's Willow," Tara said, looking out the window.
"No, it's someone else. Probably Anya," Buffy said, getting off the stool and going to the door. She was worried about the pain she was in. After they knocked, Buffy opened the door, keeping a distance between herself and the entrance.
"Hello Buffy." someone said while taking a hesitant step into the house and out of the bright sunlight. Buffy blinked, throat restricted.
"Giles?" she asked, voice clouded.
He moved towards her and placed a hand on her arm, wary of her fragile state even as he tried fo offer her comfort and support.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping away and going into the living room.
"I came for a visit," he said, half telling the truth. The second he'd laid eyes on her, his anger had went to rage and beyond. But unlike Willow, he was able to control his magic from manifesting.
Buffy sat on the couch and wrapped her arms around her chest, self-conscious of her battered body.
"Why now?" she asked, looking at him with hurt eyes. He knew he never should have left.
"It seemed like as good as time as ever. And I wanted to see what Anya has done to the store now that she's a demon," he added with a slight smile. Buffy chuckled slightly, then winced. Her ribs hurt just as bad as the rest of her body.
During the night, Willow had snuck into Buffy's room and preformed a spell that showed her injuries. She'd told Giles what she'd found; it wasn't good. Broken ribs, multiple fractures to her wrist, ankle and the few vertebras she hit on the tub. Her femurs had hairline fractures, hamstrings where bruised and had a few tears to her vaginal wall, which was close to being ripped. It was horrid.
"I think it's still the same. I haven't seen it in a few days," she said, giving him a smile. Her lip was starting to heal, since it had been split slightly during the kiss. Flashes of the forced kiss went through her mind. He smile froze and her eyes glazed over slightly.
"Buffy?" Giles asked, instantly worried. "Willow, Tara!" he snapped, slowly getting up and going towards the chair.
"Are you afraid I'm gonna-" Spike's words wee halted but Buffy as she kissed him.
FLASH!
"Don't," she whispered/pleaded while looking down at her friends as they danced. "Stop me," he said before shoving into her from behind. She shut her eyes.
FLASH!
"Please! Don't do this!"
"Please! No!" she screamed, thrashing on the couch. Willow and Tara quickly placed their hands on her arms.
"Buffy! Calm down!" Willow said. Buffy's eyes snapped opened and she began shaking uncontrollably. "It's all right Buffy," the redhead said gently. They released her arms and sat on either side of her. Giles was kneeling on the floor in front of her. Willow rested a hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off.
Hurt, the witch got up and left. She came back with a mug of tea and three mugs of coffee. Buffy didn't drink hers, only held it, trying to warm herself as she became lost in her thoughts.
The trio exchanged looks and went into the kitchen.
Giles pulled off his glasses and began wiping the so hard, the girls feared he was going to pop the lenses out. "Was she like this last night?"
"No. She just went to bed." Willow looked at the ground. "Actually, she fell asleep after Tara threatened to bind me," she said shamefully. Giles gently sat his mug down and turned.
"And why would she do that?" His voice was soft, dangerous. Willow gulped, looking at Tara for help.
"We h-had just found Buffy, a-and Willow vowed she'd g-get Spike. But her eyes s-showed her anger," Tara said, moving next to Willow. Giles placed a hand over his eyes and began muttering. When he removed his hand, he glared at Willow.
"You know how dangerous it is Willow. I told you that after you foolishly brought her back! I can't even trust you alone for a few months before you do something like it again!" he said, effectively scaring them.
"I didn't mean to. I was angry," she said like a child.
"That is no excuse!" he said, slamming his fist on the counter. Willow jumped. Buffy got up and slowly went through the back way. She waited in the little room, listening. They hadn't heard her at all.
"I wasn't trying to make excuses Giles! I was angry, it was a mistake!"
"You're mistake could have made everything worse Willow." He lowered his raised voice. "You know the magic you wield. It. Is. DARK," he hissed the last word. Willow gaped then narrowed her eyes.
"I am both magics. And don't start criticizing me Giles. It's hypocrisy and you know it! Ripper had more dark magic than I do." Tara was slowly making her way to where Buffy was, having seen a shadow.
"We are not talking about me. We are talking about you! By the gods Willow, do you have any idea what happened lat night?" His voice had taken a sad tone. Buffy gently leaned against the wall. She hurt like hell. Tara entered the small room and she put her fingers to her lips for silence. Tara nodded.
"Of course, it's not that hard to figure out! She was raped by a vampire."
"Who has extensive magical knowledge! Nearly two hundred years of knowledge to be exact. We have no clue what he did to Buffy beyond the obvious. Her injuries are bad enough without magical influence."
Willow inhaled sharply as Buffy put a hand over her mouth.
"I don't even know how to help her," she admitted, handing her head slightly. "I feel like this is my fault."
"From what Anya told me, it was her and Spike's fault."
"But I'm the one who tapped into the video," she mumbled. Buffy entered the kitchen.
"And I'm the one who slept with him in the first place," the Slayer said, standing behind Giles. "If I had of been truthful and told you guys how I felt, I would never have went to him." Finished, she went over to the fridge and pulled out the pitcher of ice-water. After a large glass, she left the room with as much dignity as possible. Tara rejoined them.
"I's not sure if that was an apology or accusation," Willow said, sitting on one of the chairs.
"I think it was both Wil," Tara said, stroking her hair. The phone rang. Tara picked it up, and it almost instantly was handed with Willow.
"Hello?"
"Willow," a voice replied.
"Oh, hi. Um, you got my message then?" she asked, looking at the others and revealing nothing.
"Yes. I'll do all I can."
"That's great. Bye."
~*~
A man hung up the phone. "How is she?" He looked at the woman setting on his couch.
"As much as I like the fake sympathy, drop it."
"I do care. Honestly, you can me so mean." The man smiled at the whining woman.
"You have no idea."
Summers Residence
When Dawn returned home, she practically crushed Giles she hugged him so hard he feared damage to his ribs. Buffy was in her room, sleeping, thanks to a couple of pills. During dinner, Dawn filled Willow and Tara in on her weekend, which was one of the best yet, and Giles told her about England. It was Sunday, so everyone conceded to go to bed early.
"What about Buffy's patrol?" Dawn asked, looking at the ceiling with a frown.
"She's waiting until later Dawnie." Shrugging, the Key walked up the stairs. She hadn't gotten much sleep the past two days. The witches shared a look and headed for the door. Giles called Xander to meet them as the Du Lac cemetery and they took care of the patrol. Giles kept vigil until midnight, when they returned.
"We didn't see him."
"He didn't come here either. What do you think?"
"Not that he left town. We can look around some more tomorrow," Xander said, resting the ax in the weapons chest he'd made. He looked up, thinking. "What about a locator spell?" Willow was about to answer when she caught the look Giles was giving her.
"No, don't think it would work," she said, averting her gaze. Willow had always been a terrible liar. "I don't think was should use magic unless we have to." Xander looked at her searchingly.
"You and Tara are the magic mamma's," he said with a shrug. The three magic wielders looked at each other. It was going to be a long night.
***
A few days and nights later, Willow and Tara came home from school early. Giles was at his flat, which he'd bought before the fight with Glory. Xander was at work, building the new school. The lovers bound up the front stairs and strait inside. Buffy was sitting on the couch, sharpening something. They heard stone on steel and decided to check. She was sharpening her throwing knifes; there was a target against the opposite wall.
"Hey guys," she said, while running her finger along the blade. She didn't even get a nick. She threw it, barely missing the center.
"Uh, Buffy, shouldn't you be resting your wrists?" Willow asked, setting down her books and computer.
"Should, yes. Am, no."
"Why? You heard Giles say you're not going to heal normally," Tara said, standing next to Willow.
"It keeps me from going crazy. I can't just set here, watching tv. That's Faith's thing, not mine," she said, throwing another knife. It landed dead center. A piece of black leather was sticking out of the center of the target. Willow swallowed.
"Ok," she said. Buffy kept the sounds of pain to herself. She'd just regained her voice back, since it had been scratchy. Dawn had been suspicious until they told her it was a virus. As much as Dawn hated school, she liked seeing her friends. Buffy's bones weren't healing, since she insisted on using them. Her ankles were swollen, as were her her ice-wrapped wrists. Her thighs were killing her, and it burned like mad to use the bathroom. And she refused to spend more time than necessary in the bathroom. Not that anyone blamed or questioned her.
"Hey guys, is it all right if I go help Anya?" Dawn called, carrying the cordless from the kitchen, oblivious to the tension in the house.
"Buy the items, Damn!" Buffy called. Dawn quickly left. Buffy slumped against the couch, holding back a wince. Her back was covered in bruises. But she was so independent, she wouldn't tell anyone. Not that they didn't know. They weren't stupid. The Slayer turned to her friends. "I think I'm gonna go walk or something," she said, standing. But even the blond Slayer couldn't hold back the hiss of pain.
"Buff, take it easy!" Willow said, rushing over and helping her steady.
"I don't want to take it easy. I want to move. I want to train. I want to take my frustration-" understatement of the century "-out on something!" she growled.
"Please Buffy, you'll make it worse," Tara said, helping Willow. Buffy sighed in defeat and let them set her on the couch.
"I give up. Call Faith, let her take care of Sunnydale. I quit." Willow and Tara stared down at her. "I'm serious. I've been killed twice because of this thing." They winced. "I've lost loved ones. Curses have killed my friends, lost me my boyfriend. Lies killed people. I'm just so tired of it all. Faith lost a Watcher, I get it. So did I. Let her take over, I'm done."
The phone rang just as she finished. Willow answered. After a quick conversation with Anya about Dawn, she looked at Buffy, about to speak. Then the doorbell rang. She went to the door while Tara sat on the coffee table. It was de ja' vu for the two. Just like when Buffy had admitted she was with Spike.
"Giles, maybe you can talk some sense into her," Willow whispered urgently.
"What's wrong?"
"She quit! She said Faith can be Slayer!" Giles pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"Leave it alone Willow. She's entitled to want to give up. I was thinking it might be an answer." Willow gave a cry of annoyance, threw up her hands, and went into the living room. She flopped on a chair, arms crossed. Willow was both sulking and defiant. Tara giggled. It was funny, kinda cute. Willow barely held in a smile.
"Giles..." Buffy waited, drawing it out until he looked at her. "I'm bored," she said, lips twitching. "Teach me something." Giles instantly fell into a chair.
"Good lord. Buffy Summers is asking for lessons, instead of trying to get out of them," he said, true shock and surprise on his face. Tara snickered with Willow. It was the exact opposite of her high school Slayer lessons.
"And no trance crystal thigies either. You have a bad association with them," she said, humor flooding her voice. Giles turned a little pink then scowled.
"I told the Council you were going to survive. Travis wouldn't listen." He looked smug at the end, and she began laughing.
"You got your job back with all the unpaid years back."
"I did. Thank you." She shrugged, remembering the look on the Councilman's face.
"It was worth it. And if something like that happens again, I'll go to England and kick his ass." They all began laughing and sharing stories until well after dark. Dawn returned at ten. There was another knock at twelve. Buffy tensed, sliding down the couch, away from the window. Giles got up and sat next to her. Tara smiled at Willow as she got up.
The redhead knew who it was before she even opened the door. The person was the reason Dawn was in bed, asleep thanks to a couple of powdered pills in her chocolate milk. Willow opened the door, and they talked in low voices as she stepped aside.
"Come in." They did.
"How is she?"
"I'm not sure. She's given up though."
"What can I do?"
"Honestly? I have no idea. Giles says leave it alone. Maybe you can talk some sense into her."
"I can try." Willow tilted her head at the doubt.
"She admitted to losing loved ones because of her fate. She still loves you." The figure snorted.
"If you say so." The two went into the living room.
"Hey Buffy." Buffy stared, eyes wide opened. The trio left. She blinked, tears falling. Relief flooded her face. "How are you?"
"Been better. Don't think I ever hurt this much though," she said, not even wiping away the tears. The person sat on the couch. She didn't shy away, but fell into the offered embrace. She cried. She was safe.
