The Escape – Chapter 4 – A late night Call
Author's Note: While writing this chapter I was listening to Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, it was rather sad but really inspiring and it helped me so much with this sad chapter. Thank you to Ba2006 and Angel1969 for reviewing. It really makes me happy. This Chapter is for you, Huggins, Little Glass Heart xxxxxxAs Buffy lay in bed all she could feel was shame and pain. The guilt was unbearable. All she could see when she closed her eyes was Angel's crying face, his pain filled eyes. She realised with a jolt that she loved him, more than anything but her new life was so exiting but in a good way.
A knock on the front door broke Buffy from her thoughts, she jumped to her feet, looking towards the window she realised it wasn't Angel as it would be dawn soon. Running down the stairs and opening the door, in front of her was Shana.
Shana looked terrible. Her face was deathly pale with mascara smears of were she had been crying and all across her face was bruises, just forming but Buffy knew within a day or so they would be black.
"Buffy, I didn't know where else to go"
She began to sob and Buffy took her hand and pulled her inside where she pulled her to the coach and hugged her. Shana looked in a bad way, she had a cut on her head, a large scratch on her cheek and a large gash on her leg and not to mention the bruises.
"What happened, who did this to you" Buffy whispered
"I went to see Keenan and he said I had to prove my loyalty to the gang, he said that if I wanted to hang out with you, him and the others I had to prove that at the first sign of trouble I wouldn't run to the police or anyone else. I need Keenan's protection; Itchy Ritchie won't leave me alone and if I'm part of Keenan's gang he will. We were just talking and then Keenan leapt on me and he wouldn't get off"
She began to sob louder, Buffy hugged her close, she guessed where this was going and couldn't believe Keenan would do such a thing.
"I couldn't stop him, he was so strong, I thought I was going to die, it hurt so much"
Buffy gently pulled Shana to her feet after a few minutes of comforting her before leading her to the kitchen where she gently began to clean Shana's wounds.
Shana's hair was a tangled mess of dust and dirt from were she had fallen over so Buffy, after she had cleaned the cuts on Shana's face, arms and legs, sent her to have a shower.
Picking up her phone instinctively she scrolled down the contacts list and was on the verge of ringing Giles when she remembered that she hadn't spoken to him in weeks. What had she done? All Giles, Willow and Xander had done ever since she had arrived in Sunnydale was be her friends and allies in the battle against evil. And without even thinking she had immediately abandoned them. For Keenan and his gang. A gang of convicts who killed people. She had heard Keenan talking about people he had killed and injured. Boasting about all the crimes he had committed over the years. She like Shana had thought he was kind and cared about them but all he had done was use them. Buffy was glad he had taken a shining to her because she knew now if he hadn't, she would have ended up like Shana, a victim of rape.
That night Buffy held Shana as they, together, lay on Buffy's bed. Shana had not dared return home, her mother would have just worried about her and she didn't want to tell her what Keenan had done to her.
As Buffy lay with Shana, who had finally after 2 hours of crying fallen asleep, she knew what she must do tomorrow. Patch up her friendship with Willow, Xander and Giles, Persuade her mother to stay in LA for a little while longer (she was sure this wouldn't be a problem as from the phone calls she had received her mother was having a fantastic time with her old friends) and most importantly she would visit Angel and apologise.
Opening her eyes Buffy looked out of the window at the moon which was shining very brightly. Looking at her clock, she gasped as she realised it was only 10pm. She and Shana had slept through the entire day; it was understandable considering they had been awake most of the night. Looking down at Shana, who she noticed looked rather angelic when asleep, despite the nasty blue and black bruises which covered her face.
Turning on her computer, she looked at the date on her calendar.
Saturday, 10th April, how had time passed so quickly?
She wished it was a school day, so she could speak to Willow and Xander in person. An email or a letter would have to do. A letter was a more personal way, she wanted Willow to know she had made an effort.
Willow and Xander,
I know you probably think I'm a horrible person and a rubbish friend but I am so sorry. I care about you and Xander, things in my life are pretty bad right now, Keenan isn't the misunderstood person I thought he was. He is a cold evil man. I have a friend Shana, he raped her. That could have been me; I don't know what too do. I want things to go back the way they were before. The reason I went with Keenan in the first place was because I felt that with all the slayer requirements I had no personal life whatsoever.
I realise how stupid that was now and I am so sorry for it. You and Xander are 2 of the greatest friends I ever had and I can't believe I ever even thought about your feelings and what my actions would cause you.
You have no idea how sorry I am,
Love both of you forever,
Hopefully your friend,
Buffy xxxxx
While writing Buffy noticed that she had started to cry and had smudged the ink but it didn't matter. She had written that letter from the heart and she hoped Willow and Xander would forgive her. Giles would have to wait till Monday; she knew it would be best if she spoke to him while she was at the library.
Picking up her mobile, she scrolled down her contact list before she came to the number she wanted and pressed the call button. She felt her hand shaking. It went straight to voicemail and his gentle voice made tears fill her eyes.
"Hi, this is Angel, I can't answer right now but I'll call you back as soon as I can, leave a message if it's important, Thanks"
"Hi, Angel its Buffy, We need to talk, you were right, Keenan is a monster. I really want to see you, please call me back, I am so sorry, I love you" the last three words came out of her mouth and she let out a great sob before she successfully ended the call.
After several minutes Buffy managed to gain control and leaving Shana where she was Buffy ran down the stairs and through the streets of Sunnydale until she reached Willow's house, were she gently put the letter through the letterbox before walking away.
She walked to the end of Willows road and felt hope. She was on the way to sorting her life out. She needed to call her mother the minute she got in and postpone he return as she knew Shana was planning on avoiding going to her home as long as was possible. She and Shana had not known each other very long but already she felt the same feeling she felt for Willow. A need to protect and to care for her. Shana was a good friend and Buffy was determined that she and Shana would stay friends without Keenan in either of there lives.
As she approached her house she realised a car was parked outside. As she neared it, Keenan climbed out and smiled at her.
"Buffy, you coming for a ride my Little Baby"
Buffy began to shake, not from fear but in anger.
"What are you doing here Keenan" She was so angry but he voice somehow remained calm.
"Just coming to see my favourite girl" He was grinning at her like everything was ok but it never would be.
He frowned as he took in the expression on her face, for a long time they both stood facing each other. Over 10 minutes passed before either of them moved.
Keenan slowly began to walk towards her, Buffy felt as if she was a statue, she couldn't move. He reached for her arm but Buffy didn't want him to touch her.
Raising her hand she slapped him right across the face, hard. His head snapped back and stumbled back a few steps, dazed before he managed to stop the earth spinning.
"Don't touch me" she was whispering but it had a deadly tone.
"Keep away from me and Shana, did you really think everything would just be normal after what you did, if you come near us I will kill you, do you understand?"
Keenan was looking at her in a strange way.
"Keep away from you, what! You are my girl…."
This was too much for Buffy.
"I am not your girl, I never was, how dare you, I don't belong to you, my heart doesn't belong to you, it belongs to a better man, a man who isn't a druggie, a bugler, a rapist or a murderer, an Angel, my Angel"
Keenan walked toward her and stopped so he was inches from her face.
"You were gonna be a good member of my gang, Buffy, it's such a shame" He shook his head sadly before he pulled his hand out of his pocket and punched her in the side, hard.
She fell to the floor, as Keenan jumped into his car and drove off as fast as he could. She felt dizzy, from her position on the floor, she gently touched where he had hit her. She felt something sticky and as she pulled her hand up to her face, she saw it was dark. It was blood. Keenan hadn't just punched her, he had stabbed her.
Buffy lay on the floor she felt too weak to move but she knew if she didn't then she would be in serious trouble. If a vampire smelt the blood, she wouldn't stand a chance at surviving this. Feeling for her mobile in her coat pocket she brought it too her ear and without even considering it, she didn't call 911 as she should have, she called the person she needed.
"Hello" a soft voice answered
"Angel, help me please, Keenan stabbed me, I feel so woozy"
"Buffy, where are you" he sounded panicked.
"Outside my house, we were arguing so he stabbed me" She felt really lightheaded but she knew she had to keep her eyes open.
"Buffy, Please, just hold on, I'm coming"
"Don't leave me, Angel, I don't want to die alone"
"You are not gonna die, I will not let you and I swear when I get my hands on Keenan I am going to tear him limb for limb!"
"Buffy, I have to call Giles but I'm coming I promise, I'll be there soon, I love you more than anything"
"I don't want to die" she whimpered just as the her phone lost battery and terminated the call.
