The Next Day

Campus Quad

"Hey Buffy, where were you? Why'd it take you so long to get home last night?" Willow asked her friend as she joined them for lunch.

"Oh I went to the Expresso Pump on my way home and then walked around for a while. I can't tell them I was raped. And by the guy THEY set me up with. They'd blame themselves. Plus Oz and Xander would freak and try to hurt Riley.

"Oh. So are we still up for that study session tonight?" Cordelia asked the group.

"That's right Professor Walsh's exam is tomorrow." Oz said.

"Urgh." Xander groaned.

Psychology with Professor Walsh was the only class they all shared. It was their way of staying close.

"Yeah I spoke to Riley he said he'd join us." Willow said nudging Buffy.

Buffy looked over at her friend and gave her a nervous smile.

"Buffy what's wrong?" Oz asked his sister.

"Huh?" Buffy said startled. She was already trying to come up with an excuse to miss tonight's study session.

Oz moved closer to his sister and looked into her eyes. "Buffy don't lie to me. I know you, I know there's something wrong. I'm your brother I know you better than you know yourself. So I'll ask again. What's wrong?"

"I…I just don't want to study with Riley." She told her brother.

"Why not Buffy?" Willow asked.

Buffy looked down at her hands. I can't tell them. She looked into her brothers eyes. They're going to find out anyways. I need to tell them. Oz would be so hurt if I didn't tell him first. "Because last night he… he… raped me" She mumbled softly.

It wasn't low enough though cause all of them heard.

"Oh my god Buffy." Cordelia said softly wrapping her arms around her friend.

"Buffy." Willow said softly before grapping her friend.

Buffy's eyes filled with tears as her friends wrapped their arms around her.

Oz just sat there numb. Did she just say… raped. Oz just couldn't wrap his mind around it. His baby sister was raped, by a man that they had set her up with. It's all my fault.

Buffy looked up from her friends and looked at her brother in deep thought. As if she could read his mind she moved over toward him and hugged him. "It's not your fault." She looked around at the others around her. "None of you." She told them.

"Buffy…I'm so…"
"Don't say sorry. You guys have nothing to be sorry for." She told them.

"Did you go to the hospital?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, Angel and Spike took me last night. The doctors did a rape kit and the cops took a statement. There were pictures and everything." She told them.

"So what happens now?" Cordelia asked.

"Well after they do the DNA test, they'll take the guy in for questioning." She told them.

"So no more Fish Boy." Xander said.

Buffy just nodded her head.

Everyone was really silent for a minute.

I told them. I can't believe I told them.

Apartment

Buffy walked into the apartment and put her keys on the kitchen table, heading for the refrigerator. She pulled out a Diet Mr. Pibb and pressed play on the answering machine.

"Hello this is Segt. Gunn from the Sunnydale Police Department I'm calling to speak with Buffy Summers. I would like to see you at the department some time today if at all possible. I'll be in until 7pm. Thank you."

Buffy stood in front of the machine for what felt like hours until a hand rested upon her shoulder. She looked up and say Spike looking back at her worry clearly written on his face.

"You okay luv?" he asked.

"Yeah… I just."

"Yeah I heard. Do you want me to go down there with you?" He asked her.

Buffy could only nod as the tears that seemed to never stop, continued.

"Shh…it's going to be okay luv." Spike said wrapping her in his arms.