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A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful feedback so far. Just a little warning. The next chapter is going to deal with rape and Stockholm syndrome. It's not going to be pretty. So be forewarned.



Chapter 3
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The tires squealed as Willow pulled the small red vehicle up to the curb with a sudden stop. Climbing out of the car Tara and she slung their purses over their shoulders, collected the case of soda and bags of Ben and Jerry's they had stopped briefly to get, and strode purposefully to the door of the Summers home.

Willow stilled Tara's hand as she was about to knock, waggling a pair of house keys at her with a little smile. "One of the perks of being best friends for nearly 16 years."

Turning back to the lock she stuck the key into the hole and turned. The tumblers gave way with a satisfying thunk and the two women stepped into the foyer blinking at the sudden dimness. Closing the door behind them they made their way into the livingroom where the T.V. was still blaring. Turning the volume down first Tara nodded towards the kitchen and made a motion with the bags and left Willow to their friend.

Setting her purse on a nearby chair Willow sat hesitantly on the edge of the couch where she could see her blanket cloaked friend and placed her hand gently on the non moving lump and said quietly, "Buffy?"

No answer except a sniffle.

Reaching up and pulling back the cover Willow was dismayed to find her normally bright and perky friend red eyed, and tear stained instead. "Oh Buffy what happened?" She asked reaching out to brush back a lock of tangled hair from Buffy's forehead.

"He....he...h...he called me a ...w...whore." She whispered the answer as a new flood of tears started streaming down her face, "F...f...followed me."

Willow sat back shocked that Spike would call her such a thing, "We are talking about Spike right?" She asked recieving a shaky nod of confirmation to the fact. *So that's why he couldn't look me in the eye.* "He followed you where Buffy? What happened?"

Buffy turned her face away from her friends caring eyes too ashamed to look at her, "With....Angel. We were....." taking a deep breath, "You know....having sex at the Point." The last bit was said so low Willow barely heard her. "He screamed that I was a whore, then he pulled me out of the car, and made Angel leave."

As Buffy started sobbing again Willow pulled her friend into her arms and held her, her mind whirling with questions. *Angel O'Reilly? What the hell is she doing with that loser?* Willow had known that Buffy was having problems, sleeping with random men, not able to keep relationships but Angel? He was a first class bum of the lowest order. The only reason anyone knew him at all was because of the attempted rape charges he had lodged against him by a fellow student in highschool. But that was what? 10 years ago? And now Buffy was having sex with him? In the back of a car no less?

Willow glanced up with deeply troubled eyes as Tara walked back into the room and sat behind Buffy rubbing her back to show her that she wasn't alone. Seeing the pain in Willows eyes and realizing she needed a moment, Tara gently disengaged Buffy from her and helped Buffy to lie down with her head in Tara's lap. Stroking her hair softly to help calm the shuddering blond Tara suggested to Willow that she go upstairs and see if Joyce had any Valium or anything to help calm Buffy.

Nodding gratefully at her girlfriend the redhead stood and moved away to do Tara's bidding taking a deep breath as she tried to come to grips with Buffy's revelations.

Pulling the quilt back around Buffy's seemingly frail shoulders, Tara continued to talk to her in a soothing voice eventually able to calm the petite girl to the occasional shudder and sniffle.

"Buffy, we're going to help you through this. We both are. We'll stay with you until your mom comes back ok?" The slight nod against her calf was reassuring. Glancing up a few minutes later she watched a worried Willow enter the room with a glass of water and some pills in her hand. "Buffy?" Tara asked, "Willows brought you something to help calm you down. I want you to sit up and take them for me ok?" Again a slight nod and then Buffy tiredly pulled herself up to take the pills and the drink from Willow. After swallowing the Valium she looked up at her friends with grateful eyes. "Thank you."

Willow crouched down and hugged her friend fiercely to her, "We love you, just remember that." Leaning back with her stern face in full view she told her, "Now I ran a hot bubble bath for you upstairs and I expect you to go take a nice long one. I'll come check on you in about 20 minutes." She pointed at the stairs, " So march missy!"

Buffy's smile was small but geniune this time as she stood up and did a mock two fingered salute, "Yes sir, General Willow, sir." With that she looked at both of them again the pain in her eyes but much less this time as she whispered, "Really you guys...thanks."

Watching Buffy follow her orders, Willow sighed and sat back on the couch next to Tara her face full of anger and mirroring the pain that Buffy was in as she took a deep breath and said looking deeply into Tara's kind eyes, "Before you get involved there are some things you need to know."

TBC





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