Damage

Christmas and New Year’s came and went at both the Summers and Finn households. Both homes were tense and full of anger, disappointment and stress. Buffy opened her packages lifelessly, taking minimal joy out of the activity. Dawn was gleefully happy though and with Giles there, they managed to get through decently. The Finn’s were another matter entirely. Riley refused to open anything from his father and their holiday was basically ruined. Spike just left everything under the tree and told Riley whenever he wanted them, they were his. He spent the days between Christmas and the New Year locked in his study, drunk. When he finally emerged, he noticed that all of the gifts were gone so he figured Riley had finally come and taken them to his own room.

After New Years, Spike made an appointment with a local law firm.
“Mr. Travers will see you now” the secretary at the desk said.
Spike got up from his seat and walked to the office door. He opened it and then entered.
“Ahh, Mr. Finn I presume? Nice to meet you” Mr. Travers stood from his big mahogany desk and shook hands with him.
“Likewise” Spike said looking around his office, feeling rather nervous.
“Please have a seat Mr. Finn” he motioned for Spike to sit down across from him at one of the plush chairs on the opposite side of his desk.
“Thank you.” Spike replied as he sat down.
“So, what brings you to my office Mr. Finn?” Travers asked him.
“I…I…I want to file for divorce” Spike managed to get out.
“I see. Well, you’ve come to the right place.” Travers said.
“I have…umm…special circumstances…my wife…she’s not well…hasn’t been for many years. She is mentally ill and I’ve been taking care of her at home for all this time but I just can’t do it anymore. I…I need to move on with my life but I want to make sure she is still taken care of…umm…she can still live with me but I don’t want us legally married anymore.” Spike explained.

“Yes, well…that is special circumstances. Have you had your wife declared legally incompetent ever?” Travers questioned.
“No…I was hoping you could help me with that too. She has a psychiatrist that prescribes her medication and she sees once in awhile though.” Spike answered.
“Of course. Let’s start with that first. We’ll have her evaluated by another doctor so the courts get an unbiased opinion and we can bring a motion do have her declared incompetent, pending the doctors evaluation. That then can be used as the grounds for divorce. I don’t see a problem Mr. Finn. I believe I can help you just fine.” Travers informed him.
“Really? That’s great…I was nervous about coming here to be honest. I’ve been married to my wife for 18 years, Mr. Travers and of those 18 years, she has been extremely ill about 13 of them. I did love her very much and I still care for her well being but…I just can’t…anymore…” Spike trailed off.
“It’s alright Mr. Finn. I understand completely and no one would hold this against you. It seems to me that you have done all you can for your wife. There is no shame” Travers replied.

Yeah, no shame exce’m s’m sleeping with my son’s girlfriend and that’s the biggest reason why I want to be a free agent again, Spike thought. The two men stood and shook hands again. Mr. Travers told Spike he would contact him as soon as he had the papers drawn up and an appointment scheduled for Drusilla to see the doctor. Spike left the law firm feeling like a great weight had just been lifted off his shoulders.

Buffy in hin her room, pouting. Her mom had grounded her and she was supposed to stay in her room at all times except for breakfast, lunch and dinner, bathroom breaks and of course for school on weekdays. This torture was to last a week and then she was still grounded after that for several more weeks from going out.

Buffy had snuck a call to Willow and told her what had happened briefly but she didn’t get to see her until school started back up. She gave her the full run down before classes on their first day back. Xander came walking up and started chatting with the girls.
“So Buff…what’s with the grounding? You must’ve done something pretty bad” he fished for answers.
“Oh…just fighting with Dawn” Buffy lied.
“Uh huh…right…so...that’s a nice necklace you got there…Sunshine? Christmas present?” he asked.
“Yes...umm...from Giles” Buffy fingered her necklace and blurted that out. She had told her mother it was from Riley and now she was telling Xander it was from Giles. She had to keep her lies straight and it was getting insingsingly difficult.
“Really? Since when does Mr. Stuffy call you Sunshine?” Xander looked confused.
“For awhile now…uhh...I gotta go…see you guys later” Buffy ran off down the hall.

“O.K. Will, you better spill because I KNOW something is going on. I’m your best friend! You need to tell me.” Xander kept badgering Willow to tell him what was going on with Buffy the rest of the week. Finally Willow couldn’t take it anymore and gave in. She made Xander swear on his life not to tell anyone.
“I swear Will!” he promised.
“Buffy is having an affair with Mr. Finn. He got her the necklace. Joyce caught them outside a motel and they lied and said Buffy had been there with Riley but Joyce grounded her for that because she was supposed to be with me for Hanukah.” Willow said really fast.
“What? How? What?” Xander said, utterly shocked and confused.
“Please don’t say anything. Buffy says she loves him and he loves her and he could get in big trouble if…” Willow began.
Xander cut her off, “Big trouble? I’ll say! Mr. Finn? RILEY”S DAD??? Oh merciful Zeus! He’s old enough to be her father! And…her boyfriend’s father? Did she…did she…umm…you know…?” Xander couldn’t quite bring himself to say the words.
“Have sex with him? Yes, many times” Willow answered.
“Oh God. I think I’m going to be sick” Xander said.

“He IS very attractive.” Willow said.
“What? He’s like...old...way OLD, Will! How could Buffy do something like this? You think you know someone and them BAM!” Xander replied.
“Please, just don’t say anything, Xan” Willow pleaded.
“Not just her though. What about HIM? He is…he is like a child molester! He should go to jail!” Xander continued his rant.
“NO! God, Xander you promised! Buffy would kill you and ME if you told” Willow pointed her finger at him.
“Calm down, Will. I’m not going to tell…I’m just seriously wigged. I’m approaching full mental breakdown with this picture.” Xander told her.

“Hey guys! Seen Buffy around? I wanted to talk to her” Riley came walking up.
Xander and Willow both twiddled their hands nervously, feeling awkward around Riley now.
“Umm…she went to her next class, I think. Maybe you can catch her before the bell. I think she has Math with Mr. Jones now” Willow supplied.
“Thanks Willow! See you” Riley left the two friends who both took collective sighs of relief.

Riley found Buffy standing outside her classroom looking in one of her books.
“Hey Buffy” he said as he approached her.
“Uhh...Hi Riley” she replied.
“So…how are you? How was your Christmas?” he asked.
“It was O.K. and yours?” Buffy answered.
“It sucked. My dad’s an asshole and we fought the whole time…well actually not the whole time because most of the time he was just being his usual drunk self locked up in his study but what’s new…anyway…not why I’m here” Riley told her.
Buffy flinched at Riley’s speech about his dad.
“Umm…so why are you here?” Buffy inquired.
“Well…umm…I was hoping maybe we could try going out again sometime. I was a real jerk, Buffy. I shouldn’t have ever broken up with you” Riley informed her. He had decided after this fight with Spike that he wasn’t going to let his father dictate who he could date.
“Ummm…I can’t Riley. I’m sorry” Buffy cringed.
“I know I hurt you but just give me a chance! I promise I will do anything…” Riley stopped talking as he noticed the necklace she was wearing.

“Who got you that?” he motioned to it.
“Ummm….ummm…” Buffy stuttered.
“You already got a new boyfriend, don’t you?” Riley’s eyes flashed with jealousy and hurt.
“Riley, I’m sorry” Buffy said again.
“Didn’t take you long, did it? Christ, maybe you are just a slut like my dad said!” he turned and stomped off.
Buffy stood there trembling as other students looked at her and snickered.

Little did Willow and Xander know but someone had picked up part of their earlier conversation. Cordelia Chase had been eavesdropping and had heard the part about Buffy being at a motel and Riley’s name. She couldn’t hear the entire story, thankfully for Buffy’s sake but she heard just enough to spread it all over school that Buffy and Riley had been caught having sex at a motel on Christmas Eve. By the end of the day, word had got back to Riley and he was flabbergasted. He knew he wasn’t the one at the motel with Buffy but who was? He was livid. All these months and she would barely let him touch her, being all virginal and now she was banging guys in motel rooms. That bitch!

Buffy had heard the rumors by the end of the day as well. Word travels fast especially if you have a big mouth like Cordelia Chase. She endured the finger pointing at her and the snickering until it was time to go home. She climbed into Xander’s car with him and Willow.
“I suppose you both heard what people are saying about me” Buffy gritted out between clenched teeth. She was furious. Willow was the only one who knew so she had to have been responsible.
“I don’t know how or why they’re saying it Buffy. I swear!” Willow offered a little too quickly.
“How could you, Willow?” Buffy accused.
“What? I…I….” Willow hung her head and broke down. “I’m so sorry Buffy. I just told Xander. He knew something was up and he wouldn’t leave me alone and we’re all best friends” Willow admitted.
“So it was YOU!” Buffy’s eyes turned to Xanders.
“NO! Willow told me, yes…but I swear I didn’t tell a soul!” Xander said sincerely.

“Someone must’ve heard us…but not the whole story, thank GoddeWillWillow said.
“Oh God! What if they had heard more? As it is now, at least they just think I was with Riley…but if anyone found out….oh God!” Buffy put her head in her hands.
“I’m so sorry Buffy.” Willow said again.
“Sorry? You betrayed me! Betrayed our friendship! I trusted you!” Buffy yelled.
Willow started crying.
“Alright…let’s just all take a deep breath…” Xander began.
“Just take me home, Xander. NOW!” Buffy yelled.
Xander started the car and they trio drove in silence, except Willow’s sniffles the entire way to Buffy’s house.
Once there, Buffy got out, slamming the door, not once looking back at her two friends.

Riley drove home after school and came in the house banging the doors. Spike was in the kitchen having a bite to eat when Riley got there. Riley had slowly begun speaking to his Dad again but their relationship was still tense. Now though, Riley knew his dad had been right about Buffy.
“Hey” Riley said.
“Hey yourselpikepike replied.
Riley just stared at him, looking like he wanted to say something.
“Everything O.K.? You need to talk son?” Spike put his sandwich down.
“You were right” Riley finally said.
“About what?” Spike quirked an eyebrow.
“Buffy. You were right. She is nothing but a whoring bitch!” Riley fumed.

Spike’s jaw tensed and his hands became fists as he heard his son call the woman he loved a whore.
“What happened?” he forced himself to say.
“It’s all over school. People are saying she had sex with me at a motel but it wasn’t me Dad! I just know she was there with someone else and she has this new necklace that he bought her. Sunshine! Can you believe that? She isn’t no fucking sunshine! I hate her!” Riley slumped down in a chair.
Spike stood up and moved to the side door.
“Where are you going?” Riley asked.
“To have a smoke” Spike answered. He had to get away before he punched his own son.

Spike stood on the porch and lit his cigarette with the Christmas present Buffy had gotten him. So caught in his thoughts, he didn’t realize Riley was next to him, having followed him outside.
“Nice lighter? That new?” Riley grabbed it from him before he had a chance to stop him.
“Give it back!” Spike lunged for it.
Riley turned the lighter over in his hands and read the inscription, “To Spike, Love B. Who is B Dad?” his eyes grew wide. “Are you cheating on Mom?” he asked.
“Give it here!” Spike grabbed the lighter back and stuffed it into his pocket.
“You are? You son of a bitch!” Riley yelled at him.
“Riley…it’s not what you think…please…just let me explain.” Spike began.

Riley stood there, shaking in rage and then his mind began to finally put two and two together. His mom had said they fought over Sunshine…Buffy had a necklace that said Sunshine. Spike had a lighter that said “Love B”. Riley’s face turned into a mask of fury.
“Oh my God! It’s YOU. You’re the one at the motel! You…You’ve been fucking my girlfriend! You miserable mother fucker!” Riley jumped at Spike and began pummeling him with his fists.
“Stop it! Riley…I don’t want to hurt you…Stop it!” Spike yelled, not wanting to hit his own son back but fearing he would have no choice but to defend himself.
“I hate you. I HATE YOU! You took the only girl I ever loved! You bastard! You’re married! She’s young enough to be your daughter! You sick bastard!” Riley screamed as he punched.

Spike rolled with him and punched him back, trying to knock him off so he could get away. The two men rolled down the porch steps and onto the lawn where they continued to punch and kick each other. Spike was sure he had broken a few ribs on his fall down the porch steps. He kept pleading with Riley to stop but he was in a blind rage. Finally Spike got the upper hand and punched Riley a few times, half knocking him out and managed to get up to his feet, standing over his bloodied son.

“I don’t want to hit you, son. Please let’s stop this! I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry! I know I’m a horr fat father. I know I hurt you. I know what I did was wrong. I love her, Riley. I’m so sorry but I can’t help it…I love her. I know I betrayed you…I’m so sorry.” Spike fell to his knees beside his son and gathered his injured body in his arms and hugged him as he sobbed.

Drusilla watched from her window. “All the kings’ horse and all the kings’ men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again…” she sang.

Continued in Chapter 15- Morning Sickness