Love Hurts

Chapter Two


Present Day


The car pulled up outside a large building that looked like it had been a grand hotel at some point. Buffy looked up and squinted against the sun to see her new home.

Tara held Buffys arm gently and escorted her inside. They stood at the front desk and waited for a large woman to end the phone call she was currently taking. Once she replaced the hand set the large woman came and sat in front of a computer.

"Tara, so who's the newby?"
"This is Buffy Summers, Buffy this is Elisabeth"

Buffy stared at the woman and nodded. Elisabeth smiled and typed something into the computer.

"Age?" she asked
"Seventeen"

Elisabeth looked up and gave a saddened smile.

"So you'll be here until you turn eighteen then sweety, whens your birthday?"

Tara rubbed Buffys back and answered.

"January the twenty fourth, nineteen ninety "
"Be here almost a year then, not as bad as it could be"

Great! Buffy thought. My parents are killed in front of me by some madman and they make out that being here for ten months is not that bad!

Elisabeth focused on Tara and apologized for her next question.Tara resumed rubbing Buffys back, which was beginning to annoy her.

"Reason for placement?"

Tara swallowed and watched Buffys reaction, nothing registered

"Death of both parents, no other family "
"Aww sweety, must be tough on you then huh? Never mind, I'm sure it won't take long for you to settle in and make friends"

Buffy couldn't believe what she had said. Never mind? Hello! Parents murdered in front of me twenty four hours ago! Buffy wanted to scream , wanted to run, wanted to kick and punch and tear and destroy the man that did this to her.

Tara continued to answer questions for her as Buffy shut down even more.

"Any funds or equity?"
"Trust fund available once she turns twenty one, all moneys and the property that her parents owned, which she will inherit at eighteen"
"Too bad, she leaves at eighteen and we won 't be able to touch it then.Poor kid will be state support then.She's going to have it tough"

Buffy caught Elisabeth's eyes and narrowed them.Elisabeth looked away, embarrassed .

"I'll see if I can get her lawyer to release some funds to Buffy every month.Just enough for clothing, toiletries that kind of thing"

"Good idea Tara, might make her time here better. Right let's give you the tour young lady"

Elisabeth got up and came round to the front of her desk. She took a large bunch of keys from her pocket and opened the door that was at the far end of the foyer. She held the door open for Tara and Buffy and then locked it behind herself.She barged through so that she could lead them . After walking down a small hallway they began to walk up a flight of stairs. Several girls walked down and cheerfully said hi.Once at the top they walked through some more doors and out into an open hall. Girls in their teens stood on the edge in groups. All talking stopped and Buffy felt hundreds of eyes on her.Again ,Buffy hid under the hood of her top. Younger children played with older ones and their carers.A few boys were playing pool and table tennis.Buffy glanced up and her eyes met with the bluest she had ever seen. His friend nudged him to get his attention back on their game.Buffy was bought out of her dreamlike state by the tender touch of Tara's hand on her arm and Elisabeth's giggle.

"Seems your already getting attention kid"

Buffy ignored her and followed her through yet another door and up more stairs.

"This is where the dorms are, Four girls to a room, we'll put you in with Faith , she's what we call a turnstile. She would go, stay with her new families a few days and then come back just as fast, hence the name. Longest she stayed was two months. Everything was fine, until the wife came home early one day and found her husband in bed with Faith. Two other girls in with her and I'm sure you'll get along with them just fine."

Buffy just looked ahead to see which room they were going to put her in. Elisabeth carried on talking, explaining how things worked at there.

"Schooling happens on the third floor.We have tutors that come in four days of the week and then the older kids teach the younger kids for two days .Sundays are days of rest, you kids get to hang out here. Friday nights we turn the main hall into a club with a d.j for you older ones , Saturday we all go out to a local park."

Tara smiled, at least they had some activities that allowed the children to relax and socialize, other homes that she had visited were run with the strictest of control. Tara looked at her watch and felt guilty. She had to go and she wouldn't get to see Buffy settle in properly.

"I'm so sorry about this Elisabeth but I have to leave for my next appointment."

"S'ok, I'm sure me and Buffy will get on just fine.We'll get her settled in right"

Buffy looked up at Tara and shrugged .Elisabeth took Buffys hand .

"I'll pop in next week and see how your doing. If you need me or have any problems, just call me, don't hesitate"

Tara handed Buffy her card and with a last hug, left the girl with her new carer.Buffy slipped the card into her pocket and walked into the room that Elisabeth had appointed her. Elisabeth entered the room and was glad that Faith had tidied up for once.She was also grateful that Faith was teaching two younger children at the moment and was in the classroom with them.Buffy sat on the remaining free bed and watched as Elisabeth put fresh linen on the end.

" We'll let you settle in and sort all your personal belongings out before I come and get you for dinner. I'll see you at four honey"

Buffy gave no reaction and just stared at the window.She could hear other children playing and laughing.She missed that sound, laughter. It seemed like such a long time ago that she had laughed that she had forgotten what laughter sounded like. She stood and went to watch out of the window.Buffy sat on the sill and bought her legs up and stretched them out. She sat and watched the children of all ages play , the older kids looking after or playing with their charges.

Buffy was snapped out of her daze by the sound of the people entering the room.She watched as two girls came running in, squealing and laughing as another girl, obviously Faith , followed them in, laughing .The girls froze when they saw Buffy sat on the window sill , Faith smiled and put an arm around each of the girls.

"So your our new roomy? Names Faith and this is Amy and Harmony."

" I'm Buffy "

The girls smiled back and then went to sit on their beds. Faith smiled back and flopped onto her own bed .She watched as Buffy went back to stare out of the window. Quiet one , wonder what happened to make her end up here?

" Dinners gonna be soon, best clean up ready "
The girls got up to wash up in the sink that sat in the corner of the room. Buffy watched and then returned to stare out of the window. Faith huffed.She didn't want a trouble maker as a room mate, she didn't want someone that was a total bore either. While she didn't know Buffys history, she felt that her closed off demeanor would affect the other girls and Faith had spent weeks trying to get the sisters to open up and accept her .

"Just gonna warn you once newby,Elisabeth hates anyone that don't comply with the rules.She might have seemed a sweety when she showed you round the place with your Social worker ,but that's an image .Once they drop you off and kiss you bye bye, all bets are off and Elisabeth turns out to be a hard bitch"

"I'm not hungry and nothing she could do to me can make me eat right now. You go and don't worry about me"

"Hate to be you if you keep that 'tude with her , don't say I didn't warn you"

Buffy ignored her and didn't notice them leave. "What could she do that is worse than losing my Mum and Dad?"