Over the next week Buffy enrolled in an adult education class to gain her high school diploma. She wasn’t as out of practice as she thought and soon picked up the rhythm of schoolwork again.

She saw her parents and friends a few times and although she still felt out of her depth in most situations, she coped.

She also saw Lorne once a day for her therapy. As well as therapy he taught her relaxation techniques and skills for coping with the new world. Gradually, as Buffy felt ready, they would try hypnotism to regain some of her lost memories.

Angel went back to work part time. He still officially had the rest of the month off but he thought it best not to always be around Buffy, he feared he might crowd her. He used the time to help put to together the case suing Sunny Hill.

About two weeks later Angel received a call from Detective Robins.

“I just thought you’d like to know what’s happening.” He began.

“I would.”

“Well we have a total of five victims from Sunny Hill. They like Buffy, don’t remember much, seems hallucinogens were his form of date rape drug. They are receiving help though and we have DNA evidence in four of those cases. We also have seven unsolved cases fro the LA area. Three are linked to both, two are liked to Martin and another two to Peter. We suspect others but these are the ones we can link to his for now. We’re looking into other cases from after they split up.”

“Martin’s turning states evidence isn’t he?” said Angel. He knew the legal profession like the back of his hand.

Robbins sighed. “Yes, he is. That’s why we’re looking into other cases he committed alone. He can still be tried and convicted of those.”

“Good.”

“He had been helpful to us though, in telling us Peter Lockwood’s methods.” Angel didn’t reply so the detective continued. “It appears he would drug a victim by spiking her drink with what ever he had, usually LSD. Once she became disorientated he or his father would separate her from the group, take her somewhere private. They then raped her knowing a positive ID would be hard because if the drugs and because of this they wouldn’t be caught by DNA. If they weren’t a suspect they wouldn’t even be tested.”

He sighed again. “He also told us about Buffy’s case specifically. I gather from Martins setp brother you already know what happened the night of his party.”

Angel was about to deny the knowledge when Robins spoke again.

“Don’t bother. I knolw it was you. And for what it’s worth I wish I could condict a few interviews at gun point. Anyway, on the night of the dance in the school gym Martin tried again to drug her but it looks like as the drugs began to take effect she saw him as a vampire again, a threat to her. I don’t know if it was just him she saw as a threat or everyone but that’s why she set fire to the gym. Once in Sunny Hill Peter took over her care, as he volunteered to do for all his victims. In Buffy’s case he built up on the fantasy she had created. Martin says he would alter her world by playing a suggestion over and over at night on a tape recorder. The tapes for Buffy usually included the line, ‘you aren’t real’ to drive her deeper into her fantasy. I gather from her psychiatrist that was a line she used a few times with you. The hope was to crush Buffy, completely.”

“Buffy remembers hearing his voice, she had nightmares about it.”

“He… He also continued assaulting her. We don’t believe he raped her again, it was too big a risk for him but he did indecently assault her according to Martin.”

Angel sighed. “OK, thank you detective.”

“I’m truly sorry about all this.”

“I know. Everyone’s sorry.”

“At least she wont have to face a trial.”

It was something but not much in the scheme of things.

“How is she?” Robbins asked.

“She’s doing well. She’s enrolled in school again.”

“Good. She’s a wonderful girl.”

“She is that.”


During the next month Buffy continued attending her classes. She was doing well, keeping up with it. She also began self-defence classes and took a cooking class.

Her first few efforts were disasters but slowly she improved and could manage to cook most things without burning them.

Angel returned to work but Buffy kept herself busy. She bought a car with what remained of her college fund. Most of it had been eaten away by her bills but she had enough to get an old car. Angel paid for her driving lessons.

She hated taking money from him, he had done so much already but he had assured her she could pay him back with her settlement from the hospital when it came through. Buffy was happier thinking of it as a loan.

Her sessions with Lorne were still daily. He refused to take payment for them saying he would have one hell of a paper to write from this experience. She had had two hypnotisms so far that had brought a lot back to her. She knew there would always be things she couldn’t remember but she wouldn’t hide from the ones she could.

She and Angel became a couple again, this time they could be open about it. Still nothing sexual happened and Buffy knew it wouldn’t until she was ready.


About two months after the Lockwood’s were arrested Buffy arrived home tired. Angel wasn’t there but she hadn’t expected him to be, he had a late meeting. She showered and changed into her nightclothes, washing the day off.

Life was going well. More importantly her cooking was improving. She went down into the kitchen to get dinner started.


Angel received a disturbing phone call from Robbins that same evening. Peter Lockwood had escaped from custody.

Angel was furious and petrified at the same time. He immediately hung up and called Buffy at home. The line was dead. He grabbed his jacket and ran for his car.