awwww....so glad she was finally open with him, shared with him, talked to him like an equal and admitted that she counts on him to support her, even if she couldn't quite admit that she needed him to...
excellent update, love, can't wait for more ;)

This is the only WIP I still follow and you didn't disappoint. Each chapter is better than the one before. Good job.

"... moody, selfish, sarcastic, self-righteous –” that partially covers it. very good read, thank you.

Thanks so much for the update!  I swear, I can't get enough of this story.  I love these character chapters.  I love the emotion and subtext that is running through everything they do or say.  You do such a great job with the awkward/sexual tension between them.  Can't wait for the next update.

Ah lovely!  This is really in keeping with the S7 Spike who didn't say the I Love You anymore until the last few days. 

What a perfect chapter, so worth the wait.  They needed this talk and need to deal with the emotions and mixed signals too.

Spike's talk to her reminded me of EOD and his "Hell of a woman" speach.  If she hasn't snapped that he does love her she needs to think about why he'd say those things otherwise.

His comment about no innocent PEOPLE or vampires was dead on.  Past a certain age if one is mentally functional we make choices...vampires in this society as well as people in RL as well as the story.  The REASONS for those choices vary but the choices are our own and we are responsible for the outcome.  It is wonderful however that she IS starting to get with the program about this new society, that it was likely that vampire was a loving father...that a vampire is CAPABLE of being a loving father and that Spike IS a loving father.  Lots of progress there, lots of maturing.

Really wonderful update.

Kathleen

Wow - that was quite the conversation. 
I loved : 'Buffy shrugged slowly, looking down at nothing. “The one I count on.”'

Argh! Will they stop tiptoeing around the issue and kiss already :P

This story is just all kinds of awesome :)

Just stayed up way too late reading the whole thing.  Wow, the relationships are really complicated!  Looking forward to more, thanks. 

Yup, had to get Buffy past the fatalistic attitude.