Make It Stop
by Red
Make It Stop
[reviews]
[Joss' people, just playing here.]
Buffy heard the crying the moment she stepped into the house. It took her mere seconds to reach the bedroom. She wasn't surprised when she found Willow, curled up in the corner, a knife in her hand. She quickly took her girl in. There didn't seem to be any blood, maybe she had gotten there in time.
"Will?" she softly said, kneeling down next to her. "It's ok, sweetie, I'm here."
Carefully, she removed the blade from the redhead's hand, putting it aside. Willow looked at her, eyes swollen from crying, lips trembling. Buffy had her arms around her in a heartbeat, pulling her close, whispering words of comfort to her.
"I'm sorry I was gone so long, sweetie," she apologized, hating herself for even leaving in the first place.
"No, you have to, I understand, it's your job," Willow murmured, her face in Buffy's shoulder.
"You are more important, Will, so much more."
She stood up, carefully scooping the redhead up in her arms and carrying her to the bed, keeping her in her arms as she sat down.
"I'm so sorry, Buffy," she cried.
"Sh, it's ok, honey, you don't need to apologize, you did nothing wrong."
The Slayer let out a deep sigh of relief seeing that she had, indeed, gotten there in time. Her girlfriend was cut free.
This time.
"I wanted to, Buffy, I really, really wanted to," Willow admitted, wiping her eyes and facing her.
"But you didn't, Will, baby, you didn't." Buffy reached up and wiped the remaining streaks of wet from her witch's eyes, smiling softly as she did. "You were strong, sweetheart, you fought it and won."
Willow tried to look brave but failed miserably and the tears begin to fall again. It broke Buffy's heart to see her like this. If only she could do something to the bastard who had done this to her Willow.
She had been fighting monsters for nearly seven years, but she couldn't protect the woman she loved from the worst of all of them. Two months ago, during a routine patrol, a gang of vamps had nearly assaulted Willow. Buffy and Spike had gotten there just in time, but the incident had shaken the redhead up worse than Buffy had ever seen her. Then one night, a few days later, all hell had broken loose. Willow had woken up screaming bloody murder and when she was finally able to calm down enough to talk had confessed to the Slayer something that made Buffy sick to even think about.
The vamp attack had triggered a repressed memory of the witch. A memory of a sickening secret she had buried many years ago, the truth of a childhood horror. When she was a child, Willow had been raped by Xander's father.
The details were somewhat sketchy, but the facts were there. It had occurred one night when she was staying over. He had been drinking, as usual and Xander and his mom had gone out to get some food. She had been playing in Xander's room, planning a surprise for him, a toy she had purchased with her own birthday money just for him. Mr. Harris had come in, started talking to her, then moved on to touching, and then-
Buffy really couldn't bear to think about it any more. The pain on Willow's face as she told of her memory was more than enough to break the Slayer's heart into a million pieces. And poor Xander, when he found out, he nearly killed the man. Had it not been for Spike, he would be sitting in jail right now. The vampire had literally drug him out of the house, back to his crypt where he kept him chained for a solid week. Of course, he had waited for the senior Harris one night after he left a bar and beat him within an inch of his life, stealing his wallet to make it look like a simple mugging. Dawn and her boyfriend, Andrew, had been with Xander when it happened, so he wouldn't be blamed.
It was when Xander found out, that he and Spike became the best of friends. It's funny what can bond people. Xander realized that the vamp had truly changed and was one of the good guys. Spike had found respect for the younger Harris, having seen what he had grown up with and how he had turned out.
"Buffy?"
Willow's soft voice brought the Slayer out of her thoughts and she looked at the redhead.
"Yes, honey?" she said, brushing strands of red from her face.
"Please, make it stop."
Buffy's heart fell. Ever since that night, Willow had taken to hurting herself. Dawn had found out first, having caught her in the bathroom with a razor to her arm, blood dripping to the tile floor. From then on, they had all kept a close eye on their friend. Spike's girlfriend, Tara, a pretty blonde witch they all adored, had gotten Willow into counseling but had warned them, it would take some time.
"Please, Buffy, I need it so bad."
Buffy herself had woken up one morning, turned to her lover and found a beaten shadow of her Willow. A black eye and swollen lip decorated the beautiful face of the one she loved. She knew instantly, the wounds were from her own hands. She had been so upset, so horrified, she had woken the redhead, pulled her over her knee and began spanking her until her butt was as red as her hair. Willow, for her part, didn't even fight it. Instead, she just lay there, crying softly. When Buffy realized what she was doing, she stopped immediately, apologizing as she herself cried. But Willow had told her to keep going, said that it was cathartic in some way. Naturally, the Slayer had refused, but Willow begged her, told her that it helped. After all, she had said, would you rather see me bloody and bruised?
After much discussion and great hesitation on Buffy's part, she had finally agreed. When Willow felt like she needed to hurt herself, she was to let Buffy know. Buffy would take care of it in a safe, non harmful way. The Slayer had talked to Tara and even Spike about it. Both agreed it was the healthier alternative.
"Buffy?"
Buffy looked into Willow's teary emerald eyes, they were desperate, needy, pain filled. How could she say no?
"Ok, Will, it's ok. I'm going to take care of you, I promise."
Willow managed a trace of a small smile then allowed Buffy to ease her over her lap. The moment she was face down across her Slayer's lap, Willow felt a sense of peace fall over her. Buffy smoothed a hand over her skirt, caressing tenderly.
"On the bare, Buffy, please, I need it so bad."
Willow's pleas brought tears to Buffy's hazel eyes and she raised the denim, resting it on Willow's back. She then slid the blue cotton panties down, baring the redhead's pale bottom.
"It's ok, Buffy, it helps, it really does," Willow softly noted, reading her lover's thoughts. "I know you won't hurt me. I trust you. I love you."
Buffy swallowed hard, the lump in her throat sticking.
"I love you, Will, and I will do whatever it takes to make you better, I promise."
And with that promise, she raised her hand and brought it down on her girlfriend's behind.