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Chapter 20 – Painful Reminders


Letting the sun wash over her face as she walked out of the building, Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. She had just turned in her last paper that she had to make up from missing class and she relished the fact that she had no more deadlines to look forward to for awhile. Looking around the open area, she let a disappointed look cross her features when she didn’t see Spike. He had told her that he would try to meet her, but she knew his Psych exam was probably going to take a little bit longer.

Beginning her walk back to the frat house, Buffy shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other, trying not to wince as the weight of the backpack cut into her shoulder. It had been a few weeks since the attack with no mention of Parker and even though the cuts and bruises had faded, but no matter how much she healed, the results were still there, lying just beneath the surface.

The swelling and the worst of the bruising were gone, leaving her feeling a little more refreshed but she still felt broken.

She still felt so…vulnerable.

Even as the thought crossed her mind, Buffy barely had time to register what was happening as her shoulder was practically jerked out of its socket. Gasping as she was blindly pulled into the shadows of two of the college buildings, her eyes widened in terror when she looked into her ex-boyfriend’s crazed eyes.

Too scared to scream, she vaguely realized she wouldn’t be able to, even if she wanted to. Her breath was caught in her throat, trapping any other sound that might have escaped.

“You thought you would get away?” he hissed, his hand wrapped around her neck, holding her in place, letting the brick wall press against her back, biting into it.

Buffy closed her eyes, willing this to be a dream, even as her hands reached up, trying to claw at his hand and force him to release her.

“Did you think you could just shack up with him and get away with it?” Parker continued, letting his lips come within mere centimeters of her own. “I warned you, baby,” he said in a menacing whisper. “I could snap your neck right here. Leave you for someone else to stumble across, but I’m not going to…I think it would be more fun if I kill your new boy-toy first.”

Hearing the whimper that escaped from the woman he was sure he was in love with, Parker loosened his hold, just enough for her to take in some air.

“Have you missed me, baby?” he whispered, holding her body in place with his own as his other hand reached up to squeeze her breast, gently at first before increasing the pressure, causing a sob to escape her lips as she tried to get away from him.

“Don’t,” she whispered, her voice laced with pain as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over.

“Come on,” he said in a rough voice, stepping back and holding her upper arm in a punishing grip as he began to pull her along. “We’re going to have some fun.”

A strangled sound ripped from her throat as she struggled against him, fighting against the panic that was trying to make itself known.

“No,” she said, gritting her teeth and desperately trying to pull away from him as she fought the tears in her eyes.

“Buffy?”

Turning around at the sound of the familiar voice, Buffy saw Spike and Angel walking toward her, each with a confused expression on their faces until they got a good look at who was holding her.

Spike never realized that he could actually see red if provoked, but the sight of Buffy being dragged against her will by her abusive ex-boyfriend was enough to have him looking for blood.

Closing the distance between them, Parker barely had a chance to blink as Spike’s fist slammed into his jaw.

Attacking him with renewed force, he never let Parker get in a hit as he continued to pummel the other man. Vaguely realizing that someone was attempting to pull him away, Spike whirled around, prepared to lash out at whoever was behind him. Seeing Angel’s face, his brows knit together before Angel’s gaze directed him toward Buffy.

Spike’s eyes widened as he watched her backing away, visibly trembling as she turned and pushed her way through the crowd that was forming to watch the fight.

“Buffy,” he whispered. Running after her and easily catching up to her, Spike wrapped his arm around her waist, redirecting her movements until she was firmly pulled against his chest. His other hand immediately cupped the back of her head, holding her to him in a desperate attempt to calm her.

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” he murmured, closing his eyes as he tried to soothe her, holding his tears back as she continued shaking. “He’s not going to hurt you.”

“And what about you?” she asked, her voice quavering as she tried to pull away from him.

“What?” he asked in disbelief, unable to let her go, leading her away from the crowd.

“Y-you were…uncontrollable,” she whispered, fighting the tears in her eyes. “Just like him.”

Gritting his teeth at the mention of him being anything like Parker, Spike closed his eyes for a moment, understanding what she was saying.

“But I’d never hurt you, pet,” he murmured, pulling back to cup her face in his hands.

Finally raising her watery eyes to his, Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, letting go of the tension she was holding onto. “I know,” she whispered. “I just…it all happened so fast and it…I guess it was just too much for me.”

“I know,” Spike replied in a soothing voice, reluctantly pulling away when he heard the commotion behind him. Turning around and protectively keeping Buffy behind him, he glared as Parker tried to break free of the hold Angel had on him.

He could feel Buffy flinch when the other man called her name. Preparing to step forward, Spike stopped when he felt her grab his arm in a gentle hold, keeping him in place. “Don’t,” she whispered in his ear, restraining him from moving any farther.

“Why…”

Spike trailed off as Buffy walked toward Parker. Seeing Angel take a firm grip on the smaller man’s arms, Spike took a step forward in case Parker decided to try something stupid.

“I knew you’d come to your senses,” Parker said with a smile, still struggling to get free.

“Yes,” Buffy said with more conviction than she’d felt in years. “I have.”

Before anyone could react, the small blonde pulled her leg back- kicking him as hard as she could in the groin, smiling at the scream of pain that erupted from Parker as all of the men standing around involuntarily winced.

Grateful that she had Spike behind her for support and Angel holding Parker back, Buffy felt more brazen as she took another step toward him. “I have come to my senses,” she said in a low voice. “And since you obviously don’t understand the word ‘no’, I’m going to say this in a way that even you can understand…fuck off.”

Watching in admiration and shock as Buffy slammed her fist into Parker’s nose, Spike smiled when Angel dropped him to the ground, leaving the pathetic excuse for a man to whimper as one hand clutched his nose and the other grabbed his injured groin. Stepping behind her, Spike eagerly wrapped his arms around Buffy, never feeling happier than that moment.

Taking her injured hand in his, Spike tenderly kissed the soon-to-be bruised knuckles. “Ready to go home?” he asked softly.

“Yeah,” she murmured, allowing herself to be led away from the scene when she heard Parker’s voice call out to her.

Slowly turning around, she leveled him with a glare so full of contempt she saw him shudder.

“This isn’t over,” he growled.

“Maybe not,” Buffy replied with a disinterested shrug. “But we are.”





Thanks so much to: spufette, gypsy_jin, Seraiza, baby spikes, Caitie, Reciprocity, willowmouse, Tasha, Lyns, lindsay, Amanda, Mariana, BuffyandSpikeForever, BuffyRat, Sevvy_O, tina, Crystal Pegasus, phantomwriter & vamptastica for reviewing!





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