That was great

I enjoyed reading this fic, thank you. Oh, and Buf throwing Will out, yay, about time!

Loved that ending :)

Great fic, I really enjoyed it :)

Thank you for finishing.  I'll look forward to your new story.  Keep the Spuffy coming.

love it please update soon

That was good that Buffy had her powers back when they were attacked. So Willow's spell worked in a way. Eben if she shouldn't have tried it to start with.
Enjoyed your story.

*phew* At last the spell is lifted now and Spike not dust. Though it was close, very close. Willow isn't thinking when it comes to magic.

love it please update soon

As always I liked the chapter. Please update soon.

Uh oh. looks like Willow brought Buffy a little 'too' back in touch with her Slayer side, eh?

That girl seriously needs stripped of her powers, I always thought she should have gotten more repercussions from her actions on the show, too. She was coddled too much and allowed to gain a massive ego as a result. Giles said it best, she was a rank, arrogant ammature and it looks like she's no less in this fic, which is very true to the character. I love that this fic deals with Buffy losing her power and becoming like everyone else, whether its permanent or temporary. Sometimes on the show I think Buffy forgot what it was like to not have all that power and she did let it go to her head in a lot of ways..case in point her treatment of Spike and the physical abuse there. And she seemed to almost enjoy at times making poor Dawn feel small and insignificant because she isn't a slayer, I think that was a big part of why it was such a huge let down to Dawn to find she wasn't a potential. I'm hoping to see just a little bit of a balance of power at least for a little while between the two sisters. Yes Buffy is still the adult but she needs to learn her little sister doesn't deserve to be treated like a subordinate.

Ah Willow's look. Tried to fix it again, huh?
Sounds as if Buffy is gone and the slayer in the driving seat.
~ Looking forward to more.

Loving the new chapters
and tut tut to Willow ... Can't wait to find out what she's done now
xx

love it please update soon

why does that girl never learn?  i'm guessing she did a spell to bring the slayer back, but now buffy is gone in the process.  i suddenly really hate that chip in spike's head, willow seriously needs to be smacked around.  i'm pissed at her for ruining a sweet moment between them.

Please try to update sooner. I like the story very much and I want to read more.

I'm very curious to see if Buffy's loss of power remains permanent or if it returns.........I have to tell you, I just love the dynamic between the Buffy and Spike of this story, how you've built a real relationship, built on trust and friendship, moving  towards a real love. ....Also, I'm pleased with you giving Spike respect for himself........ In too many stories, his character and Buffy's also, are so self destructive it's hard to find a "happy ever after" ending to be believeable....... I was pleased to see you writing again, and I always check the site to see if you've updated......It's really a great read!

The Bot will be helpful but the fact stays that Buffy isn't the slayer any longer, she lost that part of herself.
Looking forward to more.

how crazy is it that I finally reviewed earlier today (after catching up ages ago) and you update today!  yay!  

thanks for the great update:  I love the thoughtful way this story has developed/is developing... 

love it please update soon

I liked the chapter very much. Please try to update as soon as you can, because I want to read more of this story.

love this story! 

Just started the story this morning and have flown through 15 chapters only to get to this evil, evil cliffhanger. What will they say? What will they think? How long until we find out? Gaaah!

On a less dramatic note, I'm really enjoying this story. Your characterizations and voices are right on the mark and the whole bittersweet vibe of "Be careful what you wish for..." is just irresistible.

Thanks so much for writing and posting this...and btw, congrats on your marriage. I can safely say that married women do in fact have time for Spike--it's a necessity :-)

*phew*  They managed to escape. And now Buffy told the scoobies, at last.
Looking forward to their reactions.

At last!  High time she came clean, the outcome of this could have been far worse.

love it please update soon

I liked the chapter and I would like to read more of this story, so please update as soon as you can.

Time for Buffy to tell the truth now; without Spike's help she shouldn't patrol. It's time that she opens her eyes and sees how dangerous it is. *sigh* Even if it sucks for her having lost her slayer part.

Great chapter. I liked Dawn's suspicion, and Buffy's own doubts about keeping the secret from her friends. As always, your scenes with just Buffy and Spike manage to have a lot of depth and emotion behind simple words.

Spike needing some space is handled well and manages to stay in character when he's clearly still ruled by his heart. I remember hearing Joss Whedon talking about OMWF and how Spike needed to tell Buffy to go away so they could start a kind of relationship--because if he was always available and expected and taken for granted, Buffy would never realize that seeing him did matter to her.
 
I worry about how she'll handle patrolling and being cut off from her friends by the secret and that they seem to be ignoring how much they hurt her when they selfishly pulled her out of Heaven. But I think the reunion will be fun.

Great chapter and looking forward to more.

Good, Buffy needs a wake-up call, Scoobies too.

love it please update soon

Owie! 

I love the sweet relationship between Buffy and Spike that you've built in this story.  It feels real and natural.

Thanks for the update!  A sweet chapter, especially at the end. 

love it please update soon

Oh my... poor Buffy, hurt because of that. It's really too dangerous for her to work as the slayer any longer.
I hope Spike can convince her.

It was ages ago that you updated. Please try to do it more often and sooner. I like the stoy and I would like to read more.

Poor Buffy is really struggling, dare I hope the Scoobies will snap into helpful mode and try to sort out what's wrong?

Loving this story. Hope you update again soon!

Really great chapter. I loved the cute Spuffiness.
Cannot wait for the damage control. Or for everyone else to find out about how Buffy is not a Slayer anymore.
Update soon!

love the update! so sweet!  thank you! 

Good to see you updating again. :)
Loved the spuffyness. And good it's day because Buffy has to go home again alone (I was worried til I've read 'sunshine').

love it please update soon

Please update as soon as you can.

Wow, thank you for this many updates at once. :)
I liked Spike reassuring Dawn; she is the last that should feel guilty for bringing Buffy back.
And enjoyed the spuffyness.

So thanks to the singing demon the Scoobies know now where Buffy has been (even if they don't know that she lost her powers).
I wonder how they will react - I liked Spike's reaction a lot.
Till the next chapter.

love it please update soon

Congrats for your wedding. :)
Buffy seems doing well but she didn't have to fight this time.
But without telling the others Buffy won't get help.
Looking forward to more.

Can I please have some more?

Buffy needs to tell Giles what's happened.

Loved it but don't have time to review right now! great chapter!

love it please update soon

Please update as soon as you can, because I would like to read more.

NICE ending - I love the simple words about a huge change of heart and her life.

It will be interesting to see how you take their story from here - we don't often get works that deal with a Buffy that is no longer the Slayer - even temporary.

 this is absolutely my favorite story right now.  this chapter in particular really played at my heartstrings.  always waiting for next one!

love it please update soon

I'm thinking that not telling her friends is a bad call. I mean, she can still patrol and all (after all, the 'normal' humans have all fought the bad guys and come out more or less alright), but it can't be like she's used to. By not telling them, I can see them expecting her to do something Slayeresque, and her (or them) getting hurt because of it.
Aww, Spike is so adorable.
Update soon and all that!

Please update as soon as you can, because I would like to read more.

I can't see Buffy patrolling in the future, at last not alone because she is not strong enough. So not telling the Scoobies? Not sure how long she can hide it. No telling means so help researching....
Poor Buffy.

Sweet, believable and tender moments between them.  Yes, he'll patrol with her and keep her safe while she keeps her secret (even though she'll have to tell eventually).  Funny how she wondered if she was now food to him...silly girl!  She should know that she will never be that to this vampire. 

Love the line where he makes his promise...lovely echo to his "every night I save you" canon speech.

Kathleen

Why on earth won't she come clean to the Scoobies?  She's being ridiculous, she didn't like them patrolling without special powers, did she?

Kind of feel sad for Buffy and with friends like her's I don't know if losing her strenght is a good thing. Loved Spike

So sad....

It's like I feared (judging from the story title) - Buffy is weak her, it seems her Slayer powers didn't come back with her.
Poor Buffy - that makes a big difference for her. And because of her reaction (that she seems to miss it) I hope for her that she'll get her powers back.

I am so glad that you have returned to this story and your writing -  Like how you are treating her return and her weakened status - It's good to have this exploration of what coming back would be like, this newly returned body -

I don't know if I hope that Buffy gets her Slayer abilities back or not.  Either way, the loss presents an interesting challenge for her.  Great chapter in a great story!

 I love this story, the tone, the gentle-ness.
Its just the right level.
Definitely interested to see how both Spike and Buffy will deal with this

I love the unexpected!  Well done.

This story is great so far. I really can't wait to see what's going to happen next. Update soon please!

love it please update soon

 Ooo I don't think I've read one with her losing the Slayer part of her.  What a great idea!  Spike will need to help her (and it will be interesting to see how she really feels about being "normal" after all her focus on that desire.  I've a feeling she will hate it.).

Excellent all round.
Kathleen

 great chapter; really indepth with spike's emotions.  
this is the story i jump at whenever i see it updated.
thank you

Please update as soon as you can.

No spidey-sense? That with no slayer healing seems to mean that Buffy is a normal mortal now even if a skilled fighter.
And reading this chapter only showed that it isn't safe for Buffy so patrol, going alone is even worse.
~ Looking forward to more.

love it please update soon

Oh that is worrisome - Buffy was really weak. If she continues to do that she'll has a really big problem. :(
Or didn't simply Buffy's slayer side not come back?

Yay for another update! I'm really interested in this story and look forward to Buffy discovering the new Spike. And getting caught up in Twilight is totally understandable! Warning, though, the fourth and final book is really long and really wonderful, and you might not want to put it down!

It's much more believable that Buffy's fighting skills wouldn't be up to scratch after five months.

Great chapter! I love what you've done with this story!

A word of advice on Twilight. I loved the series through book three. I wouldn't read Breaking Dawn. If you do, treat it as a fanfic (a bad fanfic). It made me HATE the entire series. Anyway, Eclipse was my favorite book. It's amazing.

And since I like to reccomend books, Stephanie Meyer's The Host is really good once you get past the first 100 pages (it starts off a little slow). Also, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is very good.

Can't wait to see more!

love it please update soon

Please keep writing and update as soon as you can. I would like to read the end of this story.

Decided to start from the beginning again - I love the exchange when he finds out she was in some kind of "Heaven" realm.  Wonderful scene, the entire chapter is very sad but at the same time has a loverly poignant quality.

Hope your writing is going better -

I hope Buffy's not making the same mistakes.

love it please update soon

Spike is right, the Scoobies didn't think of the consequences.
They didn't notice a difference in Buffy?

love it please update soon

Please keep writing, because I would like to read more of this story.

Much as I love the awed look on Spike's face in Afterlife I like his finding out this way much more for Buffy's sake.  Hope he gives the Scoobies an earful and doesn't let Xander drive him off.

Excellent!

Hope your Christmas was lovely and that your New Year is nothing less than spectacular.

Kathleen

Excellent - reigned in powerful emotions - everything ready to makes its way into their lives. 

Can't wait to read the next chapter - well done

Good set up.  Hope Spike starts yelling now.  :)

So Spike figured out what happened (Scoobies). Even if Buffy if different now I hope she'll be her old self again. ~ Looking forward to more.
Merry Christmas to you too. :)

Like how this is written as compared to the story line on the TV Series, always felt that Spike, had he known what the Scoobies were up to, would have been smart enough to stop them or if not then at least dig the coffin up before the ritual.    Okay, ready to read where Spike unleashes his wrath upon those who do not think things through.   BTW, why didn't Anya being a thousand year old being not think of digging up the coffin?    She, of all people, should have realized such a thing, unless, all she thought about was the cost of the ritual to her pockets and the resentment she holds for Willow.   Look forward to the next chapter.

Thanks so much for another update so soon. I'm very interested to learn how Buffy will handle all of this. Happy Holidays to you!

love it please update soon

Let them have it, Spike!

A very believable 'what if?' scenario. I look forward to seeing where you take it.

KICK THEIR COLLECTIVE DUMB ASSES, SPIKE!!!  *fist pump*

OH how I wish they had done it this way!  Having her wake alone in the ground was so horrible.  Spike there might make a difference.  His helping to get her out might too.

ALWAYS thrilled to see a story by you!  Looking forward to more of this.

Kathleen

Good Luck with your return - sometimes it is just really hard to find your creative voice or that spark of passion - going through a bit of that myself - all the political power struggles and hardships that it creates for so many people  - it get to you, can drain all the creative need and force right out of you.  It does for me - and I hope that what ever is doing the same for you will retreat and let you get back to your writing. 

I love this beginning, placing Spike there as Buffy must claw her way back to life - his being there and clawing his way down - makes a power visual.  Very different way to have Buffy return.

On the writing and inspiration - One thing that helps me with my work is to get back to very important basic questions you have.  For example, I just recently read a "spuffy" story that was about a triad with Spike-Buffy-Angel in an erotic sexual relationship and it really started me thinking about Spike and how he loved Buffy and how people in real life experience deep and even profound love.  Then it made me start thinking again about respect and dignity of Spike and how his story becomes even more powerful when his story with Buffy gets down to the rock bottom basic questions of love, respect and dignity - 

I really like your works and send you all my best wishes for this story and the coming year -

If you are interested in a banner, let me know and I will try to make one for you  - that is if you like my work -

Very sweet and sad.

Love this twist, Adhh gahhh it's still gets me that they left her buried in her coffin.

Wow, good start. And twist too.

Very good start to this one.  I'm looking forward to the rest.

 I like it, so much potential... 

Oh! I can see this happening! But for the demon bikers, why not? Great start!

love it please update soon

this looks intriguing!  can't wait to read more! 

So glad to see another story by you.  You're off to a great start!

It's so good to have you back!  You're off to a great start. I look forward to more.

Glad to see you back. Good start. You've got me hooked anyway...

Please keep writing. I would like to know how this story ends.

Oooh, I love this!!!  Great start; can't wait to read more!