I'm so sorry for not updating this sooner. I've been extremely busy the past two months. I hope none of you have lost interest in this story. I'll try to update more frequently.

A loud scream echoed throughout the building. Buffy's eyes shot open, she looked around the darkened room but couldn't see anything. Another scream. Buffy sat up in the bed she was assigned to when checking into the mental hospital.

"NO! Daddy help me! Get your hands off me! Don't leave me here dad! Please! Let me go! Dad! Help me!"

Buffy listened as the words from a young female echoed in the room. She could see the girl in her head, begging her father not to leave her here. Just as Buffy had done with her mother. Memories from the day her mother left her rushed back to her.

She felt betrayed when her mother left her here. It wasn't like this place could help her, they couldn't destroy the memories of her step father or return her innocence. No one could stop the pain she felt. No one even knew the amount of pain she feels. No one could possibly understand what life's like for her. They haven't lived her life. They haven't seen everything she has or witnessed the beatings.

The pain she felt was physical. It hurt to breathe, to live. She screams inside her head, no one else can hear her screams or feel her pain.

The more she kept to herself the harder it became to live. Some days she would pray to God to take her life away. She would beg Him to end her pain and set her free of the endless memories of abuse and rape. She didn't have the courage to do it herself so she begged Him. Even hoped a serial killer would appear out of no where and kill her.

A scream interrupted Buffy from her thoughts. Whoever this girl was, she wasn't going to stop screaming for her father anytime soon. The high pitched screams were starting to give Buffy a headache. Wasn't the staff going to do something about this? They can't let her yell and scream all night. Suddenly the screaming ceased.

Buffy laid back down and tried to fall asleep. She knew it wasn't long until it was time to wake up.

At 5am a nurse entered the room Buffy was sleeping in. She stood next to Buffy's bed and gently touched her shoulder.

"Buffy, honey? Time to wake up. The doctor is here to see you."

Buffy moaned and opened her eyes. She sat up in her bed then threw the blankets off of her petite body.

The nurse led Buffy outside of the room. The main room was dim and quiet. Three staff members were walking around. Two staff members were working on paper work. There was a handsome Asian man sitting at one of the tables.

The nurse motioned for Buffy to take a seat across from the man. Buffy sat down and nervously looked at the man.

"Hello Buffy. How did you sleep?" The man spoke with a Chinese accent.

"Okay."

"I know it's still early and you're probably tired but I need to ask you a few questions to determine the length of your stay and whether or not you need medication."

Buffy nodded her head but didn't feel like answering anymore questions. All she wanted to do was sleep.

"Well, let's get started. I'm Dr. Lee. I'm a psychiatrist. I'll check on you throughout the day and tomorrow."

Dr. Lee opened up a folder and took out a sheet of paper. He placed the paper in front of himself and wrote down Buffy's full name.

"I know how often you must've been asked this question and are probably tired of people asking you but I have to." Buffy knew the question he was about to ask, everyone here as asked her the same question over and over again. "Why are you here Buffy?"

Buffy took a deep breath and stared at her hands in her lap. "I-I, um, I cut myself." Buffy glanced at the doctor as he wrote down what she said.

"Can you tell me why you cut yourself?"

Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. I guess I've been a little depressed lately."

"What's going on in your life that's making you depressed?"

"Um, I don't know. Nothing. I just...I just feel...depressed."

"For no reason?"

Buffy nodded her head.

Dr. Lee studied Buffy's face and could tell she was hiding something. Buffy could feel his eyes burning into her, which made her uncomfortable. Sensing her uneasiness, Dr. Lee continued with the questioning.

"Who do you live with?"

"My mom and my younger sister."

"Do you have any problems with your mother or sister?"

"Umm...No, not really. We all get along."

"Do you have a boyfriend or sexual partner?"

Buffy shook her head.

"Do you or have you ever done illegal drugs?"

"No."

Dr. Lee lowered his voice to almost a whisper and leaned into the table. "Listen, Buffy. I need you to be completely honest with me. You can trust me. I'm here to help you."

Buffy looked into his eyes and saw concern and kindness in them. He reminded her of Spike in a way.

"Has anyone hurt you? Or forced you to do something you didn't want to?"

Buffy looked back at her hands and shook her head. How long can she keep doing this? How long can she keep pretending she lived a normal life? How can anyone know what's going on if she doesn't start telling the truth?

She's too ashamed of her past and afraid people will judge her. It's too embarrassing to tell anyone what Ted did to her. What if they look at her and think she is disgusting? She should have prevented the whole thing from happening.

Maybe if she doesn't talk about it, it will be like it never happened. Maybe one day she'll forget everything. As long as she doesn't talk about it, it might go away. The memories might someday vanish if she keeps pretending nothing happened with Ted.

Dr. Lee leaned back in his chair and asked a few more questions. Once they were finished a nurse took her vitals and told her she can go back to sleep. Buffy didn't see the point in going back to bed since it was a little past 6am now. But she went back anyway.

At 8:20am Buffy and Ryeshia walked out of their room and took a seat at a table. Buffy overheard Ashley asking the staff who was screaming really early in the morning. They didn't answer her question, only told her to sit down and wait for breakfast. Ashley took a seat next to Buffy.

"Did you guys hear that girl screaming last night? That bitch woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep." Ashley asked Buffy and Ryeshia.

Ryeshia shook her head. "Nah, I didn't hear anything, it was probably Shana. That girl is crazy."

Buffy spoke up. "I heard it. I think it was a new girl. She was begging her dad not to leave her here."

"I'm guessing that's her." Ashley nodded her head towards a girl being escorted out of a room.

That girl looked young, younger than most of the other girls here. Probably 13 years old. She had light brown hair pulled back into a bun with a few strands of hair across her forehead. She had an angry expression on her face and clearly didn't want to be there.

Buffy watched as Dr. Lee approached the girl and asked her to come with him. He led her into a room labeled 'private' on the door then closed the door behind them.

Ashley yawned and leaned back in her chair.

"Girls, you can get your breakfast now." A staff member called out to the three girls sitting at the table from behind the nurses station.

Each girl stood up and walked over to the tray with plates of food on the other side of the room.

Buffy grabbed a plate which had eggs, bacon, sausage and toast on it. She also grabbed a fork and orange juice.

Five minutes later everyone except the new girl were sitting at tables and eating their breakfast. A woman walked over to Buffy's table and tapped Buffy on the shoulder.

"Your mother is visiting today. She will be here after first group." Buffy looked up at the kind faced woman and smiled.

"Okay. Thanks."

At group everyone including the new girl sat at a long gray table. Mrs. Edison was in charge of group this time. Mrs. Edison had a reputation for being a bitch. She felt no pity for others and believed no one else was to blame for their mistakes, they were the cause of their own problems. She always told everyone that no one can force a person to behave the way they do, its an act of choice. You choose how you behave and handle situations.

She was also very strict and made sure everyone followed the rules. No one was allowed to speak unless called upon. No one was aloud to move from their chairs unless told to do so. She doesn't allow the patients to converse with each other about anything other than the reason they are here. You are here to get help, not socialize.

Mrs. Edison took a seat and looked around the table. "I see two new faces this morning. Buffy Summers and Amber McLean."

Buffy hadn't met Mrs. Edison yet because she had arrived late afternoon yesterday. Although she hadn't been introduced to Mrs. Edison, she heard stories about how mean and unfair she was.

"When did you arrive, Miss Summers?"

Buffy shyly replied. "Yesterday evening."

"Roll up your sleeve."

Buffy gave her a questioning look.

"Come on. I ain't got all day, Miss Summers."

Buffy became very shy and nervous but did as Mrs. Edison asked. She slowly began to roll up her sleeve. Everyone around the table was staring at Buffy. She didn't want anyone to see her scars and wondered why Mrs. Edison would command her roll up her sleeve for everyone to see her self-destruction.

Mrs. Edison grabbed Buffy's arm in a firm grip and examined the cuts. She gave a disgusted look.

"Why would you do this to yourself?" Mrs. Edison asked in a disapproving tone.

"I-I don't know."

"Yes you do. You do things for a reason, not for the hell of it. Now why did you do this?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

Mrs. Edison looked at her like she was a moron.

"I want you to write a four paragraph paper on why you cut yourself during your free time."

Before Buffy could respond Mrs. Edison started talking to Amber.

"When did you get here, Miss McLean?"

"Three A.M."

"I heard you made quite a scene and gave the staff a hard time. Even punched a nurse in the jaw?" Mrs. Edison gave Amber a glare.

"She deserved it." Amber casually replied.

Mrs. Edison raised her eyebrow and spoke with attitude. "Excuse me?"

"I told that bitch not to lay a fucking finger on me. She practically begged to get hit."

"I don't know who you think you are young lady. You do not use those words, you hear me? When you speak to an adult you treat them with respect. You do not threaten nor hit anyone while in this hospital. You are under our rules now. Your momma may not have taught you manners and might accept your attitude but I will not. You understand me?"

Amber rolled her eyes. "No."

Buffy couldn't believe this girl. What was wrong with her? All she had to do was pretend to understand to save herself from getting into anymore trouble.

"What did you say?"

Amber pushed back her chair and stood up. "I said no!"

Mrs. Edison also stood up and she opened the door and called for assistance. A tall Hispanic security guard entered the room. Mrs. Edison told him Amber wasn't behaving and needed to go into the time out room. The man had to practically drag Amber out and she went kicking and screaming.

Once group was over everyone went to their rooms. Buffy laid on her bed and Ryeshia sat at one of the desks.

There was a knock on the door and both girls saw a nurse standing in the doorframe.

"Buffy, your mother is here."

Buffy stood up and walked over to the nurse who led her outside of the main room and into the guest room. Buffy was a little glad her mother was there. Maybe she could get her out of this insane place.

When Buffy entered the room she saw her mother sitting at a table with another man.

Once Buffy got a closer look she noticed the other man was her father. Her real father.

"Dad!"

"Hey Buffy."

"Oh my god. What are you doing here?"

"I came her to see you. To see how my girl was doing."

"Well, apparently not very well considering I'm in a mental hospital." Buffy joked with her father.

Her father nodded his head and stood up. He gave her a hug and whispered into her ear. "It's good to see you again. I missed you."

"I missed you too, dad."

"Well, take a seat. Let's talk."

Buffy sat in a chair across from her mother and father. Joyce spoke first. "How are you doing, Buff? Are you alright?"

Buffy nodded her head and smiled.

"I'm fine." Buffy laughed then shook her head. "Who am I kidding? I'm not fine. I'm tired of pretending. I feel terrible and I want to go home."

"Buffy, I'm sorry but you need to get help first before you can leave this place."

"Mom, I don't belong here. I'm nothing like these people. I can't get better when I'm here. I need to be home. With you, with Dawn." Buffy noticed her sister wasn't there.

"Where's Dawn?"

"With a friend. But Buffy, I hate to see you in here, I really do but it's for the best."

Buffy raised her voice. "For who? Who is it best for? You? So you don't have to put up with me for a few days?"

"Buffy, you know that is not true. I love you and want to see you well again."

"Sorry to inform you but I'll never be the same as before. Ted changed everything."

Buffy's eyes filled with tears and she looked away from her parents.

Joyce sighed. "Honey, I'm sorry you had to see Ted angry. I know how difficult it is for you but we have to move on. Ted isn't going to hurt us anymore."

"That's what you said last time. Before we moved to California. But he came back and he hurt us."

Buffy's father looked confused. "Us? I thought he only hurt Joyce."

Joyce faced Buffy's father. "Physically, he hurt only me. But he still hurt the girls. They had to witness his anger and yelling."

If only you knew the truth, mother. Buffy thought.

Buffy's dad held her hands in his. "Buffy, I need to know something." Buffy sighed. How many times are people going to ask her this question today? "Why? Why are you doing this, Buffy?"

Buffy slipped her hands out of her fathers. "Dad. I-I...I honestly don't know."

"Buffy, this isn't normal. No one does this. There has to be a reason."

"There is no reason. And yes, other people do this. Lots of people do this. It's becoming more and more common each year."

"And that makes it alright? Other people are cutting themselves so it makes it alright for you to do it as well?"

Buffy sighed. "I didn't say that. I just said I'm not the only one."

"You're justifying your reason for doing this, like it's something out of the ordinary."

"No, I'm not, dad. I told you the only reason I said that was because I'm not the only person who cuts. It isn't uncommon."

"And again you're giving yourself excuses and claiming there is no reason to be concerned about your behavior because everyone is doing it."

Buffy rolled her eyes and began to get agitated. "What? I never said everyone was doing it. Just that I'm not the only one."

Buffy's dad became angry as well. "Buffy, I do not need your excuses for acting crazy. Are you trying to embarrass me? Embarrass your mother and sister? Do you know what you are doing to this family? How you're making us look? I don't want my friends feeling sorry for me because I have an insane daughter. I want you to start acting normal again."

Joyce tried to calm him down but he ignored her. "Are you doing this for attention? Do you want people to pity you or talk behind your back? Do you have any idea what the children at your school would do if they found out they had a psycho as a fellow classmate?"

Joyce grabbed his arm. "Stop it! Buffy is not crazy. She has some problems she needs to deal with and yelling at her like this isn't going to help."

"Why do you always do this Joyce? Go against me to make me look like the bad guy and you the savior? This girl needs some discipline; you can't keep babying her every time she has a mental breakdown because everyone won't pay attention to her. She's an attention seeker."

Hot tears rolled down Buffy's cheeks. Everyone was blaming her. Imagine how they would act if they found out about Ted. They'd probably wish she were dead. No one could stand her. No one wanted her. To her father she was just a big disappointment. Her own father is ashamed of her.

Joyce started getting annoyed. "I've had enough of this, Hank. You can't come here and call Buffy names when you haven't been around for the past five years."

"And whose fault was that, Joyce? You're the one that moved to Nebraska. You knew you could have stayed in Ohio after the divorce so I could see my children. You wanted to make me look like the bad guy. And it's your fault she's in here in the first place. Look how you raised her. It's obvious you have absolutely no idea what you're doing. You don't know the first thing about raising a child properly. Buffy is proof of that."

"Oh, and suddenly you became an expert on children? You could have easily picked up a phone and called them once and awhile. You've talked them three times a year at most. You were probably too busy screwing that woman you cheated on me with. You can't even get a decent relationship so don't tell me I'm a bad mother."

"A decent relationship? You think you've had a decent relationship? Miss I let my new husband treat me like a punching bag."

Buffy grabbed her hair and started rocking back and forth as more tears poured from her eyes.

"Stop it! Just stop it! I can't stand this anymore!" Buffy yelled as loud as she could.

Joyce and her father stopped yelling and looked at Buffy. The door swung open and Dr. Lee entered the room.

"Is there a problem here?"

Buffy stopped rocking and released her hair. She stood up and glared at her parents.

"I know I'm some kind of disappointment to you, dad. But I can't change who I am. I'm not perfect. And neither are you. I'm sorry if you wish I were a completely different person. But I'm not going to be someone I'm not. I can't make you change your mind about me or love me but please try to accept me for who I am. That's all I'm asking of you. To please be supportive and try to help me instead of referring to me as crazy and insane. To you I'm the worst daughter there ever was." More tears come pouring from her eyes and her voice became unstable and not easy to understand. "I don't know what it was that I did to make you hate me so much. I must be a pretty awful person if my own father hates me. I don't know what to do to make you love me or even want me. I hope someday I will meet someone who loves me for me. Not because they have to." Buffy glanced at her mother. "But because they want to."

Buffy pushed past the doctor and crowd of people standing near the door. She walked to her room and fell onto her bed. She began to sob into the pillow.

Ryeshia was immediately concerned and sat on the edge of Buffy's bed. She gently touched her back. Buffy stopped crying and sat up. She looked into Ryeshias eyes then leaned against her. Ryeshia gave her a hug then patted her back.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine."

Dr. Lee walked into the room to see Ryeshia consoling Buffy. He decided to let her be. Buffy needed a friend right now. He planned on talking to her about what just happened later.