Buffy Wakes up to her alarm as usual and slowly makes her way down to the kitchen. " Of all days, it had to be this one that I remembered to set my alarm." She slumps down on to the bottom step, groaning. She looks around, noticing that it was very quiet. Buffy gets up and starts toward the living room, " Mom? You there?" Buffy calls out, then trips. She looks over beside her and sees that it's Anya's foot. " What?" Buffy gets up to find Anya sprawled on the couch, bottle in hand. Buffy carefully takes the bottle from her hand and walks into the kitchen. " A little late ladies." Buffy mumbles to herself, right when Joyce walks into the kitchen.

"Hey honey." Joyce groans and holds her head.

"Hangover?" Buffy asks with a smirk.

"Hangover." Joyce replies with a small nod and smile. " Me and Anya went out for awhile. Hm, I guess a while was to long." Buffy smiles and nods her agreement.

"I'd have to say, I didn't know that your are that kind of party animal." Buffy replies.

Joyce laughs. "You know, I actually met your father at a party. It was new years eve, and god it was fantastic." Joyce looks down at the floor. " He was better then." Buffy looks at her mother with sympathy.

"I know."

Then Dawn came in with a huge smile on her face, and completely dressed.

"Morning!" She says brightly, looking from Buffy to her mom. " Um there is a woman passed out on our couch by the way." Dawn looks into the living room. " I think she's really hammered, or at least, was." Dawn looks back at Joyce, Who's cheeks go a rather dark shade of red. Eyebrows go up. " Oh. Well, I have to study today at Alice's soooo, later!" Dawn grabs her bag and rushes out the door.

" I swear she's taking happy pills." Buffy chimes in and laughs. Joyce giggles a little too. "Well, I should get ready too, I have to go to Willow's and study too." Buffy gives Joyce a kiss on the cheek and rushes upstairs to the bathroom. Buffy thinks with a frown about her dad. 'He was better then' my ass. Buffy opens the door and turns the water on in the sink, remembering that June night, the night that her mom was nearly killed. She splashes water on her face.

"JOYCE!"

"ye…yes honey?"

"Where were you?"

"Ah, your hurting me, let-"

"WHERE WERE YOU!"

" I…I was with the girls from the museum. We…we went out for a few drinks after work… I didn't think you would have mind, I'm sor-"

"You, were supposed to be here right after work with me, remember?"

"Please, I'm sorry, Ah, your crushing my arm, Please let-"

SMACK, "You were with that guy, weren't you?"

(crying)"No!…I swear I wasn't!…please don't hit me again…please…I promise I wasn't…oh god my arm."

SMACK " YOU LYING COW!" SMACK,"I KNOW YOU WERE WITH THAT MR. JOHNSON!" SMACK, " I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE AROUND HIM EVER AGAIN!" SMACK, (glass breaking)

(Frantic crying) " I Promise I won't, I never was! Please listen to me! I love you! No one else!"

"Is that what you told him?"

"Please! You're the only man I have ever been with! You have to understa-"

"Dad, you get your filthy hands off her you bastard!"

"Don't talk to me like that Buffy. We are having an adult conversation."

"So throwing mom around like a sack of potatoes is an 'ADULT' conversation? You don't touch her again, or I'll kill you. I swear it."

"Buffy, honey, it's okay, I'll be fi-"

"(kneels down to Joyce) No, mom. You have been taking this shit from him for years. All of his outbursts are for nothing. He is just a control freak and can't handle the fact that you have a life. Wake up mom, you have been beaten to a bloody pulp more than once, and yet you say you love this thing? Your on the floor, and can barley move, what sort of love is that?"

"Don't say that Buffy dearest. You just might get hurt yourself."

"Don't you dare threaten her! She's your daughter!"

SMACK "Don't talk back to me!"

(stands up) THWACK! "I said don't touch her!"

"Buffy…I……ooo my head…"

"(Kneels beside Joyce) Hold on mom… please hold on…DAD! CALL 911! IF YOU HAVE EVER LOVED HER BEFORE YOU WILL DO THIS! GO! CALL NOW!"

"…Fine…But were finished Joyce…no more games…Were done."

"What?…yes…fine…(passes out)"

"(looks over her shoulder, glaring.) Make the call. Now."

Buffy looks up at the mirror and sees herself crying. No, I'm not going to cry because of him. She puts her hand over her mouth, the wetness in her eyes duplicates. I'm not going to cry. She sits down on the floor, and grasps her knees to her chest. I'm not going to… Then the tears fall out of her eyes, and her body begins to shake with nerving cries. Buffy puts her head on her knees and lets out all of the frustrations, pains, and anger, through her tears, falling slowly down cheeks, and onto the bathroom floor. Damn him.