*Archivist's Note: Due to some "objectionable content," I must caution anyone who reads this story. This fanfiction deals with and describes a non-consensual sexual incident (rape). If you do not wish to read about rape and its effects, please move on to other stories. Following my policy about such things, if you strongly feel that this story is inappropriate, please inform me, and I will go to whatever measures you, with my agreement, feel are appropriate. Thank you for your patience.*

Willow Rosenburg sat in her room in front of her computer when her mother called her from down stairs.

"Willow, Mrs. Summers needs to talk to you." Willow hurried down the stairs and put the phone to her ear. Joyce Summers was crying.

"Mrs. Summers? Is Buffy alright?" Willow asked, dread filling her voice. What Mrs. Summers told her made her face go pale. Willow dropped the phone and ran to the library.

Angel sat in the shadows, silently translating the book in his hands. Giles was in the center of the library, reading another book. Then, the heavy doors of the entrance flew open and a frantic Willow came into the dimly lit room. Tears streamed down her face.

"Dear god, Willow, what's wrong?" The brit asked, dropping his book and standing.

"Buffy...Buffy...she was...she was beaten." The hacker stammered.

Angel's eyes went wide with fear for Buffy.

"Is she ok?" He asked looking at the slayerette. She shook her head furiously.

"That's not all. She was... r...r...raped." Willow explained what Buffy's mother had told her.

Buffy lay in the white room of the hospital. She was still having trouble breathing, but she was starting to do better. She never imagined something so horrible could ever happen to her, not even in her worst nightmares. She thought back to what had happened that night. She had left the Bronze early, and a dark figure had jumped her beaten her and... and… She could not finish the thought. She was supposed to be the Slayer. And yet she could not get away from him. He had stolen something from her that she could never have back, and that scared her. The door opened and her friends walked in. All of them had stone faces on. Buffy struggled not to start crying again. Willow gave her a quick hug.

"The doctors said you can go home tomorrow, but you'll have to stay in bed for a few days." The hacker said, trying to cheer Buffy up. Everyone talked to her for a few minutes then they all left, except Angel. He pulled a chair up to her bedside and took her hand in his.

"I'm so sorry, I should have followed you tonight. I was at the library when I should have been with you." Angel said, grief in his voice and pain in his dark eyes.

"Don't blame yourself," tears began to fall again. "You can't blame yourself for something like this," she said. He gathered her in his arms and cradled her gently.

"How can someone do something like this to someone as special as you?" he asked, not really to her.

Buffy couldn't come up with an answer. She felt sick that it had happened. She felt violated, dirty and that it was all her fault. So, instead of answering him, she just sat there, crying in his arms, with thought of betrayal by God and self-loathing, and her whole world came crashing down around her....

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