Joyce sat on the couch cuddled up to her husband for the first time she could remember. Since Dawn's death they'd never been this close to each other. Even sex had become just something to do once in a while. She realized, they'd become the old married couple, they'd promised each other they would never be.
"Hank, when Buffy comes home we need to sit down like a family and talk. I really think we need to get into family counseling so we can save this family." Joyce sighed, "I won't accept anything less."
Hank hugged his wife close and said, "We will Joyce; when Buffy comes home we'll make everything right again, I promise."
Everyone was startled when Lindsey's cell phone rang. Hank pulled Joyce closer as he feared the news would not be good. He knew he'd never forgive himself if he never got to make things right with his little girl.
He could remember the day that Joyce handed Buffy to him for the very first time. He'd never felt so humble as when he first laid eyes on what had been created in love. The first thing she did that wrapped him around her finger was when her tiny hand grabbed his little finger. Her eyes were blue at first and by the time she was 3 months old, they'd turned into such a beautiful shade of green.
Hank's memories where interrupted when Lindsey said, "Mr. and Mrs. Summers, Buffy is okay. They're taking her to the Sunnydale Emergency Room, just to have them check her over."
"Did that monster hurt my girl? Is that why they're taking her to the emergency room?" Joyce asked, becoming slightly hysterical.
"Lt. Holtz told me she was fine and it was just a precautionary measure." Officer MacDonald assured her. "Come and we'll drive you both there. Lilah will follow with the patrol car and I'll drive yours."
"Did they catch the bastard who did this? Is he also the one that hurt our Dawnie?" Hank asked.
"He's dead from what I was told, and Lt. Holtz said Detective Gunn will tell you more when you get to the hospital." Lindsey replied.
"Let me get Dru, and we'll be on our way." Hank said, as he kissed his wife before going to get his daughter.
*******
Charles Gunn relaxed when he saw no media was present as he drove up to the hospital's emergency room entrance. Even the few of his men that would alert the news world had curbed their appetite for showboating. It felt good they were all on the same page for once.
Spike felt the car slow down as it slowly drove up toward the hospital and wished he could protect her from this. He knew it was a necessary evil, and prayed that whoever took care of his girl did so with the utmost care and compassion. If not, he'd make sure they paid for any mistreatment. There would be no one treating Buffy like she was treated at the diner.
"Come on, Kitten. We're there." Spike told her gently.
"I'm fine, I don't want to go in." She whispered.
"Just need to make it official is all."
"I just want to go somewhere and take a shower. Put on my own clothes and let it all go away." Buffy's voice was muffed, having snuggled deeper against him.
"I promise I won't leave you."
"Promise?"
"Buffy, I promise to be with you from beginning to end if you want."
"I want." She replied so softly he barely heard her.
"Get this done and then I can take you home."
Buffy tensed up and shook her head saying, "I don't want to go back to that house. I can't, not tonight. They are going to hate me even more."
"Buffy, then we won't go back there, at least not tonight." He told her before asking, "Why do you think they will hate you more?"
"Because they will, just trust me. I know it." She said with such conviction it made him actually hate the man more who did this and her so called parents.
"I know of a few people who won't hate you, me included." He assured her as he watched a crowd of familiar faces come out to meet the car. "I think your fan club needs to make sure you're okay, Kitten."
"Oh, God! I don't think I can face them right now." She cried, hearing Snyder's voice in her head reminding her everyone would hate her once they knew the truth. "They will hate me too."
Spike hugged her close as he calmly said, "I will never hate you, never. Don't let him win Buffy; don't give him the power to break you. He did this on his own; you did nothing to encourage it or make him think it was something you wanted. The bastard was sick."
"He killed Dawn because I wasn't home that night. It's the only reason she's dead."
"No."
"Yes."
"Buffy, look at me." Spike demanded, "Look me in the eyes, please."
Buffy looked up and felt the tears start to fall as she felt his hand cup her cheek softly. The warmth and understanding in his eyes touched her and made her feel for the first time since leaving the bad man's home that she truly wasn't alone. Not since that night eighteen months ago had she felt so vulnerable.
"I'm not going to lose you to what this monster has done. Right now you're feeling guilty and that is the last weapon he has to hold over you. Don't let him win, Buffy. Don't let him have this much power over you. I believe in you. I think you're stronger than he is, it's why you're here with me, right now."
Faith recognized her friend's pain, having never seen her cry since that day she found her in the park. She felt the man in the car with Buffy right now was the best thing that could've happened to the girl. The gentle way in which he touched her friend spoke of a deep caring, not just someone offering comfort.
Darla smiled as she leaned over and told Faith, "I think Buffy has found her man."
Faith turned and nodded, "I think you're right."
Everyone fought the urge to rush forward as the car door opened. They watched as Spike got out of he car first and then extended his hand toward Buffy. It was then they noticed she was wearing his coat. The fact his coat made her look like a waif of a girl, made them all feel more protective of her.
Her friends watched as Buffy practically glued herself to Spike's side and how he wrapped his arm protectively around her. It was there for all to see that a bond between the couple had formed. Their Buffy was no longer without a knight to protect her. It just meant they had one more person to add to the family unit.
"Buffy, baby are you okay?" Anya asked as she stepped into the younger girl's line of vision. "We've been so worried."
Buffy felt overwhelmed as she nodded. Then Anya opened her arms and she knew it was okay. Hearing Spike say it was okay, that her friends needed to feel her to make it real gave her the courage to leave his side. The feel of Anya's arms embracing her helped to push the bad thoughts away some more. Next thing she knew everyone present needed a hug.
"So, help me…you ever scare me like that again I will beat your ass." Angel said his usual threat, causing everyone to laugh and snicker with the, 'yeah right', and 'that'll be the day'.
"I think we should get inside." Detective Gunn, hated to be the one to break up the reunion, but he didn't want to press their luck.
Buffy nodded as she stepped away from Angel and walked back over toward Spike. Once she was close enough he took her hand in his and pulled her closer. Never thinking anything about it she let him. She noticed Spike's uncle walking toward them and gave a nod to let Spike know he was there. No one noticed as they were walking in that another car was pulling up.
Dru's anger boiled over, having seen Spike pull her sister to him. She knew now was not the time to play the injured party, for then her father would see through her pretense. A time would come she'd be able to make her pay for this night.
"Hurry, Hank. That's our little girl." Joyce begged, making him reach over and cup the side of her face and say, "I'll go with Officer MacDonald after we drop you and Dru off. So I'll know where to find the car. Then I will be right in, I promise."
"Okay." Joyce replied as she leaned in to his gentle touch.
*******
Spike was amazed at the compassion and thoughtfulness with which they were greeted. The caring eyes, and demeanor of the staff gave him hope for this town after all. Thinking it wasn't the Hellmouth he'd first thought it was.
"Hi, my name's Tara Maclay. I'm going to be your nurse." The young woman greeted them at the entrance, with a warmth about her that made Buffy instantly relax. "Follow me, I'm going to take you right back."
"Can Spike come with me?" Buffy asked, feeling they might separate them.
Tara nodded her head with no hesitation; having already been told both Dr. Rayne and his nephew Spike would be joining Miss Summers. "Yes, he can."
"Do you mind, Buffy, if I come along?" Ethan asked having joined them.
"I would like that." She answered with a quiver in her voice that made Spike tighten his arm around her and lean in and whisper close to her ear, "You're not alone."
"Then if the three of you will follow me." Tara said before addressing the others, "Please, have a seat and I promise we will keep you informed when you can visit her."
Buffy suddenly felt guilty as she turned to face her friends only to have Faith assure her it was okay, "It's fine, 'B'. We know he goes with the coat."
"Thank you." Buffy whispered, only to have Faith say, "You know we'll be right here."
"Come on, luv…sooner we do this the sooner we can leave." Spike reminded her as he guided her through the door the kind nurse was holding open.
Just as the doors locked shut, Joyce came rushing in with Dru behind her saying, "Where's my daughter, where's Buffy?"
Giles quickly whispered in Anya's ear, "Behave, my dear. Now is not the time to make a scene."
Anya turned and gave him a glare before she turned all gooey sweet toward Mrs. Summers and said, "She just went to the back to be examined. They told us to wait here."
"I have to see her." Joyce hurried to say, as she moved toward the receptionist's desk. "I'm Buffy Summers' mother. I would like to see my daughter."
The older woman looked over her glasses and said, "I have some paper work for you to fill out if you can. I'll check with the back when she can have a visitor."
"But I'm her mother and she's only seventeen."
"It will make it go faster if you'd please fill this out. I'll make sure it's okay for you to come back while you're filling it out. It will make it so much faster for us to do what we need for your daughter." The receptionist explained.
"Fine, but please I need to see her."
"I will do my best." The older woman promised as she handed Joyce the forms to fill out.
Dru addressed the others by asking, "Where is William?"
They looked at her as Faith asked, "Who's William?"
"I know he's here…I saw him come in with Buffy." She said as evenly as she could.
"Oh, you mean Spike." Lorne spoke up, enjoying what he was going to say next, "He's with Buffy in the back."
Joyce turned around and asked, "Why is he with her, and I can't be?"
Faith took a deep breath about to answer when Giles did it for her, "It would seem he was there. Could be he is a witness to something." He told her, knowing he was lying.
Anya snorted and mumbled under her breath so no one would understand what she'd said. It was so hard holding back from slapping the woman who came here today and now tried to play mother. Where was she when her child needed her back then?
"I can see by everyone's expression you think I'm a bad mother. I know I was, but it is going to change. I let my pain and anger blind me…it was so easy to blame her. I know I let her down, but I'm here now to fix it. I do love my daughter, and I will do everything I have to, to her get her back."
"Then tell her you love her every day. Even if she pushes you away, you stand your ground and fight for her." Anya got up in Joyce's face and growled. "You were lucky tonight she had people who cared about her safety."
"I do…I want to thank all of you for being there for her." Joyce declared as she started to cry. "Where's Hank, he's so much better at this than me," she mumbled as she stared down at the clipboard with all the confusing forms. "I just need to know she's okay, that my baby is okay."
"She's like her mother…she's a fighter." Hank said as he gently took the information out of his wife's hand and handed it to Dru. "Come on Honey, let's get the paper work done and then we will see about being with our daughter. We both have so much to atone for. I just hope she can forgive us."
Buffy's friends watched as Mr. Summers delicately assisted his wife to one of the couches and then joined her. He hugged his wife close as she cried in his arms, realizing it was the first time she'd allowed him to comfort her since that awful night. Suddenly it all cleared in his head. His family was broken because of him. He'd turned his back on getting them help, thinking they'd be able to fix it themselves.
Dru stood watching as her father comforted Buffy's mother. Here she stood holding a clipboard wanting this night to end. This was not working out as she hoped; the lunatic had not killed Buffy as she had prayed. By the looks of things this fiasco might actually foil her plans, and also bring to light her lies. All she could hope for was that no one believed Buffy over her.
*******
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I'm humbled at the response to this story and thank each and every one of you with the bottom of my heart,,,,,,it means so much to me......THANK YOU!!!!!!!