So... I've come back and read this fic through again 'cos I love it so much, and I thought I might be able to guilt you into picking it up again. So many questions to be answered... has Spike got his soul? What does Angel know about the slave ring? Who fiddled with Spike's memory? How messy will Xander's head exploding be when he finds out that Spike is back and living in Buffy's basement? When will all the potentials begin arriving?
Wheedle... wheedle... wheedle... want more... wheedle... wheedle... wheedle...
No pressure....

Oh hon I just spent delightful hours rereading this and hoping you and your muse will soon return!  This is so very wonderful and the promise of what is to come tantalizing.  How can we lure you back?  Anything we can do to slay RL or muse dragons? Beg? Plead? Cry? Do a Dawn immitation?

Was very worth the reread at any rate.  Wonderful characterizations all round.  Naturally I want Buffy to admit to herself and the others that she was not some innocent victim of Spike but an abuser herself....bout time she come clean ... I always wanted that and never got it.

Thanks again,
Kathleen

More more more, I want more...Please.
I LOVE this story can't wait to see where you are going to take it.

wow.. interesting.. Really like this story.. please keep updating..

Now that they have at least this part cleared out.. knows what's what and who's who - it's still getting more and more interesting..

Phew! Glad they (Buffy) finally worked it out. And it's good to see them talking about it and being a little more relaxed with each other.

i love this story!!! please write more of it!!!!

I'm a bit confused, which no doubt is your intention, but I still love your beginning of season 7 with the added delight of OtherSpike... or possibly SpelledSpike. One question is burning me and that is... has ThisSpike got his soul? 'Cos if I remember correctly it was souled vampires that the FE targeted. More please.

great to see you started working on this again - Sounds like this might turn into a long piece - look forward to the next posting -

Loved the last few lines. So funny and sweet. Really, all the dialog is great in this chapter. Their conversation is really worth rereading because it's so well done.
How come Spike still had the tattered shirt on when she'd fetched him a new one? The line "Spike wrapped his arms tightly round his half bare torso as Buffy waited for him to go on." comes _after_ he puts the new shirt on...

Glad to see the update, and glad the two of them are finally talking and figuring things out.

Hehe awesome chapter. My only complaint is Spike saying he raped and murdered across four continents. To me that's OOC for Spike. I don't see him as a rapist at ALL. Even evil. There are varying degrees of evil. There are plenty of people in the world who would do a lot of horrible things including killing, but wouldn't rape people. In season seven Spike DID say: "Wanna know what I've done to girls dawn's age" but I really don't buy it. I think the writers were either writing him OOC, or he was just saying that to scare Buffy or keep her away from him because he didn't think he deserved her by the time he'd gotten the soul. In season five of Angel there was an episode where some girl believed Spike had tortured her, and I believe some of it was sexual and Spike did one of those "it wasn't me, but not like I didn't do things like that" thing. Again, I think this is all the writers trying to after the fact add on layers of evil to Spike that didn't seem in his character. I never saw him as going after children, though he'd let Dru I'm sure, and I never saw him as a rapist, period. He's more the type who would seduce someone and then kill them, but not, IMO the type who would commit outright Rape.

Sorry to be so huffy on that point, it's one line out of an otherwise fantastically written chapter.

its kinda heartbreaking how even as he's coming to trust her more, he still feels the need to apologize every five seconds...poor dear... :( i'm glad dawn is being sweet to him again, and that they're gradually getting closer...was so happy to see this chapter here, love :) can't wait for more :)

Good to see Spike more like his old self - and they managed to have an actual conversation!! Progress!

So, good ol' mouthy Spike is back. I missed him. Will Angel find out that Spike's there? You know he'll be on the rode, the second he can put down the phone. Glad they've got this settled for now. She really does need Giles, she's not much help in the research department. Makes her cranky. Thanks you for the update, looking forward to more.

Love Spike getting back his sense of self. Love a Buffy that actually talks!

They are now on a right track although I suspect the Bringers were planning a vampnapping not killing and there's a Hellmouth waiting to open at the school. Wonder if Spike has his soul. Happy to wait for these ideas to be confirmed or not with your continued enjoyable plot.

Thanks for the update. I love this story.

Kathleen

Well, that's noticeably more progress.....kind of, LOL. We haven't gotten whole truths out, yet.