Chapter Title: Closure of some Kind

Summary: Ok I am so sorry that it's been so long since an up-date. I've had a lot of crap going on. SO SORRY. Anyway this chapter is packed full of it. Jocelyn (for you Angelfirenze. You're part is very small but you may be in other chapters) will be Drusilla's best friend. Um there is some Buffy angst happening. And a flashback!! Sad flashback but still. Oh and I know the last chapter was sooo confusin. That isn't how I typed it but I was rushing so I never checked it after I uploaded it. I will re-post that later. Sorry. Ok. There is child abuse in this chapter. You've been warned

Disclaimer: If I owned any of them I wouldn't have such a crappy computer.

Today is my birthday party! (my real b-day is Tuesday) I got $150! I'm so happy.

DISCLAIMER (yes again)- There is descriptions of CHILD ABUSE in this chapter. I didn't realize really till now that it might make some people uncomfortable. So just to warn you. And alcoholism. Serious chapter. It's late I hope this chapter doesn't suck :) Oh and there's no song for this chapter cause I don't feel like delaying this anymore looking for a song.

"Tell me the truth Hank!"

"Shut-up you stupid bitch", she didn't even winch at the sound of her mother being slapped. She was numb to it all now. From where she sat curled up at the top of the stairs Buffy could hear everything very clearly. They were so loud she probably would have been able to hear them clearly from a block away.

"Buffy?" a voice hissed. Buffy didn't even turn around. Crystal tugged on her ten year old sisters arm. "Come on before dad comes up". Buffy didn't budge. She seemed almost hypnotized as she listened to the screams of her mother. Tears formed in Crystal's eyes as she pulled on her sister who was like dead weight. The same thing happened almost every night. Their father came home late, reeking of alcohol. Their mother would ask where he had been and he would either scream at her or beat her. The sound of heavy footsteps coming towards them startled Crystal and she pulled harder on her sister. "Buffy please he's coming". Suddenly Buffy snapped out of her daze and climbed to her feet but it was too late. Their father appeared on the stairs and spotted them.

"Why aren't you in bed?" he growled stumbling towards them. The two girls backed up towards their bedroom.

"We...."

"Fucking little eavesdroppers" he swore loudly and got closer. Buffy began to cry and he grabbed her roughly on the arms and lifted her against the wall. She was sure there would be bruises shaped like finger marks on her arm the next day. She cried harder and he lifted her up slamming her hard against the wall

"Shut the hell up little bitch. So nosy just like your mother... the two of you don't nothing but boss me around. Always want to know where I am" he slammed her again. Her little body ached and Crystal screamed and pulled at her father. He backhanded her across the face and sent the other little girl falling to the floor, blood dripping from her mouth. He turned back to Buffy

"Don't' worry you're sisters mother was a whore too" he dropped her to the ground and stomped away.

END FLASHBACK ------------------------------------------------------- END FLASHBACK

"Buffy? Buffy?" she snapped from her daze and found herself staring into the concerned eyes of her boyfriend. Angel searched her face with a curious frown. "You all right?" he questioned. Buffy tried to compose herself and offered him a shaky smile

"Fine". Angel didn't push it any further but knew that something was up. Buffy had been acting completely spaced out for days. They were in the Rat's Nest, it was Friday night and Buffy was out of it.

Meanwhile Buffy sat trying to figure out what had triggered the unsuspected flashback to the hell that was her childhood. A familiar smell assaulted her nose and suddenly she knew exactly what the trigger had been. Her eyes fell on Angel's open bottle of beer and it clicked. She remembered how foul her father had smelled that night. How the smell of liquor had burned her nose as he had slammed her against the wall. It wasn't the first time she had smelled beer since then but with all that was going on now. She had been thinking none stop about her father since she had met her mom's new boyfriend. Her hand traveled to her thigh where she traced the familiar line of the scar with her finger. It had been there since she was twelve. Her father had sliced her with a broken beer bottle. Her eyes watered as she remembered how much it had hurt.

"Angel?" her voice was no more then a whisper

"Yea?"

"Can we get out of here? I don't feel so well". He nodded and stood up and turned to Spike and told him what was happening. As they walked out Buffy noticed Angel wincing and that he seemed a bit unsteady

"Are you okay to drive?" she asked as they made their way to the car.

"I'm fine," he said not thinking logically about it. She saw him almost trip and stopped

"No you aren't.... you're drunk Angel I'm gonna go get someone to drive us..."

"I'm fine" he raised his voice a bit and opened the car door. Buffy didn't move "Are you coming or not? What the hell Buffy?" he asked angrily. She knew he was drunk and he didn't mean what he was doing but she slowly backed away. Angel slammed his head down and kicked himself for being an ass-hole. After everything he knew about her father he should have known better but he was drunk and alcohol always tended to affect him in very unflattering ways. That was why he tried avoiding drinking a lot. But right now he was half smashed and he knew it.

"Buffy I'm sorry. I'm drunk", she stopped and turned around and looked at him. He had his head lying on top of the car.

"Like I said. I'm gonna go get Spike".

At noon the next the day Buffy heard the doorbell ring. She knew who it was and slowly descended the stairs. No one else was home. Her mother was working extra hours and Crystal was out. She slowly opened the door and looked out at him. He wore baggy black pants equipped with a pocket chain and a white button down shirt. The outfit was topped off with sunglasses obviously trying to aid the ills of his hangover. He raised the glasses and squinted in the sun giving her a sheepish look.

"Headache?" she asked quietly not looking at him. He nodded. "Good" she concluded. Angel knew he deserved it.

"Buffy I'm sorry for being an ass last night. I was drunk...."

"I got that much" she cut him off under her breathe. Angel sighed.

"Look I'm sorry ok?". She said nothing but moved to the side and gestured for him to come inside. He did so and followed her into the living room. They sat at opposite sides of the couch and Angel started to speak

"What's been going on with you lately? I mean you seem...like something's bothering you". She looked down at her hands

"My dad. I've been thinking about him a lot since my mom started going out with this new guy". He nodded and it hit him. She had told him a lot about her father's drunken rages. His abuse. Last night he had been no better then her father. A drunken idiot

"Buffy..."

"I need you to understand Angel. Last night you scared me...for a spilt second I could see my father in your eyes"

"Buffy I would never hurt you...."

"I know but Angel you saw what just a few beers did to you last night...."

"I know. I get.... really stupid when I drink. That's why I don't a lot. Last night I just...let go and I'm sorry"

"You can't drink anymore", she concluded. He nodded and Buffy looked down at her lap tears forming in her eyes. "I keep thinking about my dad...I keep remembering all the things he did to me," she whispered. Angel moved so he sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. He was more then surprised when she stood up and started undoing her pants

"What are you doing?" she just dropped her pants so she stood in her underwear. She took his hands and ran it over the scar on her thigh with tears in her eyes

"He did this to you?" Angel whispered tears in his eyes. She nodded

"When I was 12...with a beer bottle," she cried reaching down to pull her pants up again. Angel pulled her to him and let her cry. "I never told anyone about that before not even Crystal.... there are more. One on my back, one on my stomach. He made me ugly" she sobbed the old insecurities she had suffered in L.A creeping to the surface. Angel grabbed her arms and made her face him. There were tears in his eyes as well Buffy noted.

"You are not ugly. You never could be. You are the most beautiful thing in the world no matter what you're father said. I love you", he told her. A small smile finally appeared on Buffy's face and she buried her head in his neck

"I love you too.

Two nights later at the Rat's Nest Buffy was sitting in the Rat's Nest. Willow was talking off her ear as usual. Drusilla was babbling about the stars alignment to Spike and Jocelyn, Drusilla's best friend was sitting next to her reading 'You Don't Know Me' by David Klass. Buffy didn't know anyone else who could read in such a loud place. Angel slid into the chair next to her and grinned. Spike got up and turned to Angel

"You want a beer mate?"

"No thanks" Angel answered. Buffy smiled and leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you"

"No thank you".

At the same time in Los Angeles Hank Summers sat down to read a letter he had received that day.

'Dear Hank,

I have tried to forget you. I have tried to pretend you never existed. But it doesn't work. Even after we left you, you were still ruining my life. You're voice still haunts me the same way it did when I was so little. For too long you have affected me in a negative way and I won't stand for it any longer. For the longest time you made me think there was something wrong with me. Now I realize, you're the one with the problems. I have met a boy who has showed me what real love is. Who makes me feel beautiful and loves me. He's ten times the man you'll ever be. I just want you to know that I hate you. But you're my father and I wish that you would get help. This is my closure. I'm ending this stage of my life right now. I'm not going to let you control my life anymore.

Your daughter,

Buffy Summers'

Hank Summers growled and threw the paper across the room. Suddenly he looked around and realized for the first time he was all-alone. Suddenly he realized what he lost and that he would never get it back.

THANK GOD. It's been forever and I hope you all liked it, Give me feedback. I need it...or I'll die.... it's true.... my doctor said...