Author's Chapter Notes:
There is an implied rape, nothing graphic....
Buffy Anne Summers sat at her desk, working on trying to meet her deadline. Since coming to Masters Financial Services, all that was important to her was doing the best job possible. Nothing was more important to her than her work, for it reflected who she thought she was. When she looked in the mirror she saw herself as professional, dedicated, focused, and career oriented.

Her only friends were outside of work, Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris. They became her loyal buddies after meeting in the tenth grade ten years ago. Both of her friends had their own lives and loves, but they still found time for her, as she did for them.

Her mistake was in thinking that her co-workers saw her as she perceived herself. She was unaware of how little they really knew her and how much they thought of her as a cold-hearted bitch. Her nickname, which was bantered behind her back around the office, was 'Ice Queen'.

Little did they know, but their 'Ice Queen', harbored feelings toward someone they all worked with. The problem being that she never thought he'd notice her in that way. He always had the most beautiful women on his arm, and he only spoke to her if it pertained to something they were working on together.

She was about to walk into the break room when she heard her name mentioned. "We could ask Buffy to do it."

The sound of laughter made her leery to enter, and then the next words floored her. "What, Buffy the 'Ice Queen' Summers, lower herself by taking on the charity account Mr. Masters is wanting to do pro bono? Get real!"

"True," she heard someone say.

"She's such a bitch."

"I second that."

"I wonder who she slept with to get her position here?"

"Probably Masters himself, since he sure didn't send Mr. Giles' case to her."

Buffy felt the sting of tears threatening to fall as she quickly returned to her office, not noticing the worried look on one of her co-workers face. William Spike Masters watched as the young women he always thought of as unfeeling and cold, hurried back to her office. The pained look on her face touched him for some reason, for the first time he wondered if his previous judgment of her was correct.

His father had told him she was the best employee, because she kept her private life outside of work, gave her job her all, and didn't dabble in the office gossip like the rest of his employees. Preaching all the time that others should give their job half the dedication that Miss Summers did.

He could still remember seeing the disappointment in his father's eyes when he had called Buffy a cold fish one day. His father had just shaken his head and reminded him of all the superficial women in his life. Now, he wondered if his father was right when he suggested that he should try to get to know the real Buffy, the one outside of work.

Buffy fumbled with the doorknob, her tears blinding her. Yes, she never socialized with the others in the office, mostly because they seemed to stay away from her. After the experience at her last job, where she had been told she was too friendly and outgoing, she held back getting too close to anyone at work. It was those overly friendly qualities that got her the attention of one Parker Abrams, someone she'd give anything to forget.

Once she closed the door the dam broke. She slid down the door to sit on the floor and let the tears flow. Soon she was sobbing, as she played their comments over and over again in her head. Only this time they mixed with words told to her from another time.

"Buffy, don't lie to me." Parker's voice sounded smug as he continued to say, "you know you want this."

"No! Parker, stop!" she pleaded, as she tried to keep his hands from going up her skirt. "I don't like you like that. Please stop!"

"Oh, stop lying. You know you want me. Everyday you twitch that sweet little ass, letting me know you want it. Offering to help me all the time, when I know you do it just to get my attention. Those sweet little smiles; going out with me after work for drinks." Parker went on as he forced his hand between her legs.

"Stop it!" Buffy begged as she to hit him with her fists and started to cry. "I was only doing my job, and the drinks were work related. I'm not interested in you like this."

"Playing hard to get, good." He snorted as he hooked his fingers around the sides of her underwear and started to yank them down.

"Oh God! Stop! I don't want this," she cried, as she tried to bring her knee up to help push him off of her.

"Yes, you do, baby."

"STOP!" she screamed, knowing no one was around to help her, since everyone had gone home.

A knock on the door brought Buffy back to reality. Hearing her boss' voice calling her name made her remember where she was. Quickly she stood up and practically ran to her desk. She hoped and prayed that Thomas Masters would think she was not in her office and leave her alone. Dropping down to her knees she crawled under her desk and prayed that he'd go back to his office.

The last thing she wanted was for him, or anyone else, to see how weak she was right now. She sat silently and listened for the telltale squeak of her door that would tell her if he had entered her office. She just needed some time to gather her wits about her before facing the reality outside her office.

She breathed a sigh of relief when no attempt was made to enter her domain, and she crawled out from underneath her desk. She stood briefly before she sat down in her chair, and once again let their words repeat themselves. She had recognized the three people as being Harmony Kendall, Lindsey MacDonald, and Riley Finn.

"First order of business is to find out what Giles needed, and what did they mean by charity case," she muttered to herself, deciding she would show them that she wouldn't mind helping out with the lesser cases; that it was not beneath her at all. In the past, she'd done such work for Mr. Masters, without concern over the money or prestige.

Her job was to represent their clients in finding funding and to incorporate good PR to represent their needs. Mr. Masters told her she was the best he had working for him, because she always put her best forward, and she truly cared about doing the best she could for her clients.

"I'm not an Ice Queen," she growled, as she gathered her make up case and began to fix her face, so no one would know she'd been hiding away in her office crying.

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