In ‘Crush’ when Buffy tells Joyce and Willow about Spike’s (almost) declaration of love and Buffy admits “I do beat him up a lot. For Spike that's like third base.” Joyce expresses horror that Buffy would be so cruel as to beat up on someone who can’t defend himself, just because she can.

Joyce realises that what she has been sensing in Spike in the past few months when he’s been popping in to see her, is his growing regard for Buffy.

When she realises that Buffy knows exactly what she is doing (continually beating him up despite the effect she knows she is having on him, re: the third base reference) she points out to Buffy the obviousness of her own developing feelings for the vampire.

Willow (as always) follows the example of the current authority figure and supports Spike, acknowledging that he has been changing and helping them. Shows similar sympathy for him as she did in ‘Doomed’.

When Buffy goes back to the crypt to ‘talk to’ Spike she finds the ‘shrine’ and using her new insight gained from Joyce’s and Willow’s perspectives is flattered rather than disgusted. Once she comes around from being zapped, when Spike does his whole rant she can see how genuine he is and gives him his crumb.

Drusilla dustage.

Spike releases Buffy immediately, but then he realises just what he’s done and starts mourning Dru.

Buffy comforts him and when Harmony turns up Buffy gets rid of her (whether by chasing her off or dusting her is up to you).

Spike is accepted into the Scoobies, albeit only reluctantly by Giles & Xander, but Giles soon recalls his ‘higher purpose’ idea from the beginning of ‘the I in Team’ and becomes more enthusiastic..

Spike is therefore present at one of Ben/Glory’s presto-chango’s and this leads to Glory being defeated without Buffy (or Dawn) dying.

Must have:
Snarky UST and SlowBurnSpuffy!

Can’t have:
Disinvite spell.
Buffybot.

• A New Big Bad Villain 
• Angel being pissed off that Buffy is expecting Spikes baby even though he loves Cordy
• Buffy not coming straight round to being with Spike (typical Buffy would put up a fight)
• Xander and Anya getting married
• Buffy and Spikes baby being a girl
• Prophecy referring to the two kids ending demon life
• A Claim between Buffy and Spike
• Connor Must Stay A Baby

• The Trio (Andrew/Warren/Jonathon)
• Xander/Spike bonding
• Faith
• Tara not dying/Willow not going evil
• Drusilla

• Buffy/Spike/Angel/Cordelia/Connor or Buffy & Spikes BABY Dying =[
• Giles trying to kill anyone
• Old Villains

The Spuffy Halloween/Horror Challenge

Since Halloween is so near, your challenge is to write a scary spuffy story.   It says season five but it can be any season you choose, stick with cannon or go completely AU, I'm not picky.

You can make it a crossover with your favorite scary movie or throw in some urban legends you like

example movies: Nightmare on Elm Street, Dawn of the Dead, Hellraiser, etc

urban legends: Bloody Mary, Hook Man, Spiders in the Hair, etc.

Fics can be long or short, scare your pants off horrifying or even campy and silly(think Gacnar the mini fear demon) so long as they're Spuffy and keep with the Halloween theme. So go crazy and have fun.

Happy Halloween and a blessed Samhain :)

~Ghost Writer

Not the hero

Lately I have been getting sick of these stories where chipped and/or souled Spike is the romantic hero of the story and tells Buffy how deeply he loves her all the time (and especially during sex).  I don’t want to see the happy end coming by the time they first get into bed with each other.  Am I the only one thinking that love needs some time to grow and to be noticed?

So I want something deeper and more exciting, I want the characters to really work to get to that happy end  - and I don’t mean they only have to fight some terrible evil,  with real work I mean actual character growth that might go off canon.  Make me cry and laugh in only one story.

I won’t suggest a special plot-line - that’s up to you.

I would like something in season 2-5.

Must haves:

• Spuffy in the end
• DEMON-Spike. He is still a demon, falling in love doesn’t change that.
• A happy end. And I mean END. I don’t want chapters-long happiness that makes me scroll forward to the actual end, because it bores me. I would also accept an end that leaves a few little questions.  
• Actual character growth. Make them face new things, new emotions, new situations that scare them deeply. I want desperation, emotional pain, doubts, hopelessness, sadness, fear and all that other stuff that’s terrible to go through.
• Some new and exciting evil. Something that hasn’t been there before and stands an actual challenge to them.  Surprise me here.
• Most importantly: Stay in-character. If a character changes in any way, there needs to be a reason for that.

Can’t haves:

• Romantic-Hero-Spike. I think I covered that point, but I want to be sure. If I read him getting all emotional “God, I love you so much” more than once – or maybe twice if it fits - in the whole story, I am going to get sick.
• Vamp!Buffy, Dark!Buffy. That’s just too easy.
• A chipped/souled Spike. You can think about some other way to make him nicer, but be creative here. If you still want him to be changed by the initiative, think about some other way, or make the chip work differently.
  
• All human AU

Can haves:

• Another Dimension (Cordelia’s wishverse for example)
• Other side pairings, even with Buffy or spike, as long as there is Spuffy in the end
• A spell,  side-effects of that spell, some ritual, curse etc.
• Mystical pregnancy (I like that one!)
• Anything else you can think of

What if the last fight against the ultimate Evil was just the first battle in a long war?

I think, the First wouldn't have been defeated that easily. There's more to come. I can't write it myself, so I want you to do it for me.

After being defeated by a bunch of Slayers, the First tries a different strategy. Not being able to win against more than two Slayers, it decides to go back in time and prevent them from calling the potentials by trying to kill either Buffy, Willow (or Giles, so the potentials don't show up at all) in advance. And the potentials are getting killed by the bringers. So we're talking end of season 6 here.

Now how to do that?

Pick one (or two if it works) of these strategies:

• Resurrecting all the (relatively) big bads they had killed over the years (Glory, Adam, the Master, the Mayor, Caleb, the Beast and last but not least Angelus – turning Faith or Willow evil again is a possibility too.)and throwing them at the Scoobies (And yes, I got this Idea from “Charmed”.)

• Using one of the old demons; one of Illyria's kind. There were hundreds of demons dead in those sarcophaguses in the Deeper Well. Why not resurrecting one of those? It worked with Illyria and Drogyn is not there anymore to guard them.

• Creating a whole new evil, stronger than all of the former evils combined. But be creative here. I want something that's never been there before.

• The First finds a different way to become corporeal and attacks all by itself

• Sending the Scoobies to a different dimension (Wishverse, Doppelgangland, Quor-toth,...), so they won't be there at all to protect the world while the First opens the Hellmouth again

• Sending only Buffy or Willow of the past to a different dimension (maybe season2-time) and changing the future all together

• Blocking out the sun, having the Vampires rule temporarily, maybe enslave humans

Must haves:

• Spuffy.

• The First's actions prevent Spike from getting his soul, but the attempted rape does take place. I don't care what you do with the chip

Can't haves:

• A whiny, crazy, romantic-hero Spike

• Kennedy

• Harmony

• Spike and Buffy immediately falling into bed with each other

• Joyce not dying. But she is supposed to be alive if you go back to an early season, of course

• Riley. The Initiative is possible though. Just leave him out of the picture!

• Dawn dying

• VampBuffy

Can haves

:

• Tara or Oz or both still in the picture, due to changes the First made in the past
   

• Spike/Dawn Friendship

• Spike and Buffy getting drunk

• Drusilla showing up at some point

• Buffy or Spike in another relationship (temporary of course). Maybe Spike tried to move on because he can't have Buffy, maybe Dru wanted him back and he is love's bitch again

• the Gem of Amara still intact

• Xander, Faith, Giles or Willow dying. But think about the consequences!

You see, there are lots and lots of ideas that I have, they don't even fit into one fanfiction. So if you are interested, do me a favor and response to this challenge, so this plotbunny leaves me alone.
Have fun!
 

Xander just left Anya at the altar and feels guilty about it. He wants to fix things. He gets a chance except he has to go back in time and help Buffy and Spike to get together. Of course, that's not a pleasant task for Xander because he doesn't like Spike and he "thinks" that Buffy feels the same way, too. But his love for Anya is greater than everything and he agrees.

Must Have:

- Some of Xander's tries fail and he ends up making Buffy and Spike further apart.

- Xander discovering that Spike is worth being loved and that he'll be a good man for Buffy which makes him relieved that he had done the right thing going back in time to get them together.

- Xander succeeds in the end and Buffy and Spike become together.

- Being too busy trying to get Buffy and Spike together, Xander unknowingly starts to neglect Anya.

- Anya ends up with someone other than Xander. Not Giles.

- Xander ends up alone.

- Reasonable writing of Xander and Willow, I find these two always getting bashed in Spuffy fics.

Can't Have:

- Character bashing.

Can Have:

- Which season Xander ends up with when he goes back in time is up to you.

• Drusilla has been captured by the Initiative and is the one telling Walsh about how the Scoobies would ruin her plans.


• Willow should be given a power boost, or something that gives her an early addiction to magic- she has to go completely insane, but not evil Willow insane.


• Willow kills Oz. (Or he dies some other way- I like him, but he needs to die for Willow to be even more insane.)


• Xander should be given empathic powers, so he feels whatever anyone in a one mile radius is feeling. He bursts out crying alot. :)


• Giles: I thought of Giles being telekinetic- so that if he even thinks too hard he can send someone flying across the room. But you can do whatever you want with him.


• Buffy: can be changed in appearance (more demon-like)- But MUST be made so that she has less compunction about killing humans, if none at all. But she can't be all evil.


• Spike: Still chipped, but something else is done to him as well. (I thought he might be given something where he can travel throughout time, but has no control over it. If you choose to do this- he should see Buffy's death in season 5 and realize his love for her sooner)


• TONS OF RILEY BASHING :) He has to be tortured for information


• A hat rack being used as a weapon

• The big bad of season four doesn't have to be Adam.


• Tara.


• Buffy kills Walsh. :D


• Riley: Sticks with the Initiative. Is thrown across the room 'accidentally' by Giles.


• In the end Drusilla can have been helping the Scoobyies (if she helped Walsh- she would've been dusted) But she still hates them for stealing Spike.

We have seen the mysterious Cheese-man in some of the weirdest and most important dreams, but no one ever actually accepts the offer. In this story someone has to eat one slice of this dream-cheese. As a result there will come a revelation of any sort, good or bad is not important, but it has to be something grand.

Other than that you may play as you like, story may be full of angst, humor or adventure. It may be a one-shot, or a long story with this challenge filling only a small part of the work. Only thing that is not aloud is universe without magic, anything else is a fair game.

Enjoy...

I've been thinking about how different the demon gods in the Buffyverse are portrayed, and I'd love to see a fic of Spike during/after Angel season 5 travel back in time...taking Illyria with him into BTVS season 5.  Illyria considers Spike her pet, and seems to care for him a bit, so maybe she'd join the good fight against Glory...and how funny would that be?  Buffy finding out Spike has a soul and his time-travel to help her would also change the response she has to his feelings for her.  Hopefully a story with a happy ending to season 5, a living Joyce, and a less annoying Dawn.  This is a loose challenge~I love Spike and Buffy together, and I think a god fight between two massively different characters that are both demon gods with heavy superiority complexes would be amusing.  Being an Illyria fan tho', Glory must not win obviously, and Illyria and Buffy should not hate each other.  Hope someone responds!

1. Buffy displays a? more mature behaviour and deeper? ? insight into? Spike's nature, thus being? able to overcome the? "soulless vampire= evil" way of thinking caused by the Angel/us trauma and the Council's teachings.? Even better if you include Buffy meeting other not evil demons.? ? The starting point of her change of mind can be her realizing the parallels with her experience during the Cruciamentum.


2. Time Travel: a post-series Buffy, who is very much in love with Spike, ends up in S4? (you choose why/how) just before Spike comes to Giles' house, so, of course she knows Spike? can be? more than he lets on, BUT she knows that at this stage telling him of the future and her undying love would only make him laugh at her, so she chooses to be subtle and? just be there for him... much to Spike's bafflement ;)

• If you choose Time Travel: Buffy can't/won't tell anybody she's from the future (you find the reason) until it's revealed (much) later. The same applies towards Spike.


• Some of/all the others not understanding/agreeing with Buffy on her treating Spike "like a human being" even after Buffy explains her reasons.


• Buffy putting Xander down when his taunts become too hateful.


• Spuffy happy ending

• Buffy seducing Spike or Spike Buffy and them jumping straight in bed! I mean, there HAS TO BE some character growth first!!!


• Let's not forget that Spike's a demon too, so don't make him a sensitive romantic hero - that's just a tiny part of him ;)

• Seeing as Giles doesn't understand Buffy's new and improved way of thinking, them? having a discussion on the nature of evil and demons, and maybe Giles changing some of his world- view

1. Spuffy, off course
2. Willow and Xander going all judgemental on B&S's relationship
3. Whipped cream
4. Buffy crying in Spike's arms

1. Joyce alive
2. Riley coming back after he heard Dawn died
3. Angel
4. Buffy getting raped/attempted rape

1. Joyce not liking the Spuffy relationship
2. Evil Willow
3. Dead Tara
4. Giles leaving

• NC-17


• Before Crush, and B&S realizing their love when they???re away


• Bloodplay


• Corsets


• A blue stuffed elephant


• The line ???Love???s a bitch and so am I???


• Buffy telling Spike he???s a pig atleast 20 times

• The gang trying to get them back by doing dark magic


• Dawn


• Jealous Riley

• Too fluffy


• Too dark


• Rape of any kind


• Season 7 Spike, I want him bad :)

1. Riley thinks it's his but when Willow does a magical test for her worried friend in front of him and the test results says 'no way' he totally flips out on Buffy.


2. Buffy being totally upset at first and unsure if she can go to Joyce or Giles or even Xander in fear of their reaction.


3. Must start at the very beginning of Season 5 or maybe even the summer before .


4. Giles decides not to go to England not because of the whole Dracula business (can or cannot still happen) but because of her pregnancy.


5. Buffy crying and Willow and her having a girls' night and watching chick flicks but then somehow teen pregnancy is mentioned and Buffy starts crying again.


6. Everyone in the gang relaxing after they find out the baby is merely Buffy-DNA (aka, no father) but Buffy still freaking cause she still has to have the baby.


7. Research like crazy to what could have happened- don't find out until the monk-thing that happens in the show during 'No Place Like Home'.


8. The events of the episode "The Replacement" happens to either Xander, Spike, Buffy, or Giles but focuses on the two copies different reactions towards Buffy's pregnancy.


9. Riley and Buffy splitting up soon after Riley can't handle her pregnancy news.


10. Spike's idea to cover patrol so she won't have to- weeks before necessary.


11. The events of "Fool for Love" still happen but both more worried about Buffy's well-being and her asking just because of the baby, not because she is almost killed.


12. Spike and Buffy's conversation about Slayers he killed in the past really does lead to their first kiss.


13. Spike and Buffy's relationship develop slowly the whole time she's pregnant and after lil Dawnie is born.


14. The birth of lil Dawnie and Spike being totally sweet with the 'lil nibblet'.

1. Buffy's moving back into her house.


2. Buffy fighting and saying that her opponent made their first mistake by messing with a very hormonal Slayer.

1. Buffy seriously considering getting an apportion.


2. Joyce getting sick.


3. Harmony (she conveniently decides to visit ol' Cordy earlier than in the shows).


4. Everyone/Buffy suspecting/finding out she was pregnant because she faints or has morning sickness (sooooo over-dramatic and actually not as typical as they are made out to be).

1. Anya being of great use to the gang after Xander's encouragement.


2. Xander/Anya relationship not just based on sex.


3. Tara if she is included - coming clean about her 'demon-ness' sooner because she sees how accepting they (Xander, Anya, Spike, and Joyce at least by that point) are.


4. Joyce approving of Xander's new attitude .


5. The rest of the gang not understanding.


6. Willow to come to terms with Xander first, before introduction of Tara.


7. Spike still locked up at Giles.


8. Xander and Anya and Joyce having a conversation about how Spike may be a good match for Buffy.


9. Xander suggesting Spike and him being roomies in their own apartment and both getting a job (could happen, could not- i like the idea of Xander also deciding he had to be a tad bit more responsible now that he's with Anya).


10. Spike and Buffy eventually hooking up (dur!).

1. Willow's will-be-done spell.


2. During the spell, Xander says to Spike "See, I knew you'd come around some time".


3. Anya fawning over Buffy and Spike's
   'wedding'.


4. Xander NOT trusting Riley.


5. Xander and Anya going to a demon bar and having a good time meeting some of Anya's old demon friends.


6. Spike and Xander eventually becoming good friends.

1. Riley and Buffy doing anything more than a very minimal amount of kissage (if any).


2. Xander being ashamed of Anya's demon heritage.


3. Anybody but Joyce immediately agreeing with Xander's new views.


4. Xander and Spike being such good friends that they don't tease each other any more - need the funny insults!