A Different Light by dreamweaver
Chapter: Chapter 11

04/14/2014 05:59 pm
One of these days I'm gonna have to stop reading your stories and get back to my work...  Of course, I just may have to read them all first...

Blue
DeepBlueJoy's Stories
http://www.tthfanfic.org/authors.php?no=12717&list=profile
Oh, thank you!  I’m so glad you’re liking my stories!  A Different Light was my first try at an alternate world.  I love science fiction and fantasy, and ADL and then Running Wild later were me trying to learn how to write it. :)

Jags
11/16/2013 07:29 am
Wonderful
Thank you! It was my first try at creating a believable alternate world. I'm so glad you liked it. :)

Becca
12/24/2011 08:35 am
Wow. Just wow. This story is absolutely amazing. 
Oh, thank you!  I'm so glad you liked it!

04/11/2010 04:52 am

Lovely D&D type adventure

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!  Thank you!  It was my very first try at an alternate dimension.

Magemaster
03/31/2010 01:18 am
Amazing story. Well written and captivating.
Thank you!  It was my very first try at an alternate dimension.  I'm so glad you liked it!

calminthechaos
11/19/2009 12:48 am
Perfection!
Thank you!  'A Different Light' was my first attempt at an original alternate dimension and I was pleased with the way it turned out.  I'm so glad you liked it!

lmal
07/31/2009 04:42 am
Wow! Thanks for a wonderful story, very well written. Keep writing, I'll keep reading... and reviewing (it's my first time)
Oh, thank you!  I'm so glad you enjoyed it!  This was my first try at an alternate world and I was so relieved when everyone liked it.

pearlseed
06/11/2009 03:31 am
The action adventure part of the story is fabulous.  The love story is strong and sweet.  Right amount of blasting Angel and setting Giles on his ear.   Really enjoyed your alternate world--always find Alpha Spike being all manly a real turn-on and love it that he separates the bedroom and the world.  He is a smart cookie to know that one place he must be in control and the other is a matter to be decided.  Pretty, fun, very hot in the old style, just the hint of the act is quite enough--don't need to see every single caress.  Nice nice nice work and thank you for  your efforts.
I'm so glad you liked it!  Thank you!  I love Alpha Spike and I think he would know that in the bedroom Buffy, always unsure about love and emotions, needs to be led, but in fighting needs have an equal partner.  Somehow this story called for the 'old style' in the love scenes - I don't know why.  I get more explicit in 'Change Partners and Dance.'  :D

Niori
06/06/2009 05:13 am
I really love your alternate dimension fics. You do such a good job making your other dimension socities so intricate. They're not flat at all, but totally three dimensional.
Great story.
Oh, thank you!  This was my first try at another dimension and I'm so glad you find it believable!  I'm trying to learn how to create different worlds, with an eye to hopefully getting published in the end.  Writing Spuffy is a wonderful learning process because I love the two of them so much and it's such fun to write.

03/29/2009 10:02 pm
I love your style! This is my favorite story of yours that I've read, so far, and I can't wait to read the rest of your stuff. The particular historical setting for this one is very original (not to mention fascinating) among Spuffy stories. I couldn't put it down. In all your stories, your Buffy & Spike characterizations are spot on, I think, and their interactions are excellent--they're poignant, funny and go straight to the heart of the matter. I adore the way you do Spike (i.e. the ability to adapt, the passion, the despairing belief that he doesn't really deserve to be loved and is "beneath" Buffy). These are part of what make him the man we've all come to love and you portray him beautifully--much better than just about every other writer I've read. And I love your dialogues--very witty and compelling.

I love the recurring theme that it is what you do, not what you say or have, that really matters. Your heart--not the presence of a soul--is what counts. I also like that the way you often resolve the issues in canon situations is by having the characters actually communicate with each other where they held back in the series and showing how this could have changed everything.

If you're interested in constructive criticism, there's only one thing I would say, but it might take a while for me to explain what I mean. As I'm sure you are aware, there are certain elements you weave into every story (e.g. most or all of the original Scoobies are fairly evil; Giles and Xander are both usually bumbling idiots, though sometimes it is mostly just Xander except briefly in "Learning the Dance"; if Angel shows up he's also a bumbling idiot; Spike loses his chip if he ever had it; ends with a mating claim). So, even though the story lines vary widely between your works, these recurring elements make them all very similar.

Now, don't get me wrong--I personally am a huge fan of most of these elements. However, it would be nice to see more variance--like if different stories contained some of these elements and changed others. For example, a story with a more supportive Giles, maybe one where Spike is hurt and Angel actually cares for him as a sire or something else. I guess it would be nice to see more of other characters having the ability to change once they see the goodness in Spike. I see that you really like the mating claim and I like the way you do the claims, which make for a great ending, but it is a bit redundant as the ending for every story. I know having all of these elements make for a more perfect story, but, I don't know...having all of them in every story maybe takes away from their power a bit (if you look at the stories together). Does that make sense? Anyway, thanks for sharing your stories. I love them & have quickly become an avid fan.
Thank you so much!  I'm so glad you like my stories and the dialogue, and think my characterizations are correct.  I do love Spike and Buffy and would hate to get them wrong.  What you said about Spike is the way I see him.

I really do believe that one's actions are what count, and for me heart always trumps soul.  Even on the show, Spike always cares more and tries harder than any souled person there and is never given any credit for it.  And everyone's refusal to listen to each other or communicate properly drove me crazy, which is why I keep trying to show how different things could have been if they only did.

Truly, I don't believe that the original Scoobies are 'fairly evil'!  But, even on the show, they do make mistakes, do not admit or apologize for them, and seem very self-absorbed, not really seeming to see or care about others.  Mind you, so does Buffy.  This occasionally makes them convenient as, not villains exactly, but hindrances.  Tara or Anya seem to care so much more and caring is very important for me.

Angel?  I know I do dump on him, because I so prefer Spike.  But Angel uses people, even down to wiping their memories or setting them up so they have no choice but to follow him - out of their own goodness and loyalty, mind! - even into death.  I've seen stories where Angel cares for Spike as a sire - but I find myself really unable to believe that.  Throughout BTVS and AtS, Angel shows no caring or understanding of Spike, only a definite dislike and antagonism.

I like Giles, not in his current persona of villain that canon writers are making of him, but the original likeable man, falling over his feet but trying hard.  But one always has to remember that he is a Watcher, trained to their dogma.  I do have him being supportive by the end of a couple of stories, but to remain in character, it has to be a long, hard struggle for him to get there. 

I admit to disliking Xander, who seems to bring nothing to the mix but bigotry and nastiness.  Canon keeps telling us he is supposed to be the 'Heart' - what heart?  He constantly exploits and disses Anya.  He ignores Willow's crush on him in the beginning, but once she gets involved with Oz, suddenly gets the hots for her (out of possessiveness, not real caring, it seems to me) and precipitates trouble.  He tries to rape Buffy out of lust, then pretends it never happened - but never lets anyone forget Spike's attempt which was made out of love and desperation, not just lust.  He is responsible for several deaths, as in 'Once More With Feeling', but never takes responsibility or shows remorse, only worries that he might be taken as the demon Sweet's 'queen'.  I could go on and on.  So, sorry, I can't help writing him that way!

Spike becoming free of his chip and being able to fight back against anyone trying to stake him seems important to me.  And, to stay in character, the Scoobies should have trouble seeing Spike's goodness - they never did so on the show.  The mating claim is a problem, because I see it as the ultimate commitment between Buffy and Spike.  It also makes Spike safe from any action the Scoobies or Giles might take against him.  So many people want and ask for it  for that reason that I keep putting it in. 

To be honest, I never expected people to read my stories together!  :D  I just posted them every couple of months and thought people would come to them new without bothering to read the others.  I'm starting to learn different!  So I'll try to come up with variations, though it's difficult without ruining the dynamic between Buffy and Spike.  I'm so glad you like the stories anyway!

01/19/2009 12:01 am
Just read all of this in one sitting ... I was completely hooked.  The alternate dimension you created was very interesting, and well conceived with a different manner of acting, speaking, dressing everything.  I very much liked all the details that Spike understood, being so much older than Buffy (gas lamps and how to treat the servants), great touch and great insight into his former, human life.  I also really liked the supposed villian in your story - just another lost soul trying to find his way back home - and I appreciated the intelligence you game him.  He wasn't just some one sided evil demon rampaging the countryside for the sheer carnage of it all, he was a thinking, feeling character.  Cheers!  And, of course I loved all the Spuffy action and the perfect happy ending you gave them.  Wonderful story.  I'll just be off to read everything you've ever written now :-)
Oh, thank you so much!  I'm so glad you liked it!  I wanted to learn how to create a believable alternate world and villains who have some justification for being villainous. :D 
Anyone born before 1900 wouldn't have trouble seeing similarities in any period from 1600 to 1900 and easily adjusting to it.  Things changed rapidly and exponentially after 1900, but, prior to that, change really was slow.  Buffy, born in our modern age of electricity and computers would have difficulty relating; but Spike, born in 1852 and turned by Dru in 1880, would have no trouble with gas lamps and such, and since he was brought up a well-to-to English gentleman, would have been familiar with having servants around.  It was fun to explore that.  My other dimensional jump story, 'Running Wild', gave me even more opportunity to explore his talents and, as I'm trying to learn how to write alternate worlds, I'll probably be fashioning more dimensions in the future.  They're fun!
But the Spuffy is the heart of it.  I love writing that and there will always be a happy ending because I really want those two to end up together.  Thank you so much for enjoying it!

01/02/2009 09:17 am
really enjoyed reading your alternative dimension stories - well done - Loved the new characters you created for this one very much.
Oh, thank you!  I'm trying to learn how to create believable alternate worlds and this was my first attempt at it.  I'm so glad you liked it!  I'm really fond of this story.

lulu
12/30/2008 04:49 am

Enjoyed the love story -- I like to see them happy!  The dragon was funny, too. :-)

Thank you!  I'm so glad you liked it!  I really had fun with the dragon.

11/19/2008 09:35 pm
I do love your happy endings:) ... Always cheers me up...
Are you working on something new, btw?. It has been kinda silent  for a couple of months now. Need my dreamweaver updates to keep me through computer sience.
Yes, and I should have it done very soon!  I would have had a new story up by now, but real life got in the way with a family member ending up in hospital and major renovations having to be done to the house, including putting on a new roof before winter.  That's all out of the way now and I've only got one more chapter to be written on my new story, which has turned out to be another long one anyway.  I get too self-conscious to post until the whole thing's done, but there's only the last chapter left which shouldn't take too long.  Once that's done, I'll start posting it as I get each chapter proofed. 
Thank you so much for liking my work and wanting more!

10/01/2008 07:15 am
I keep a list of my favorite stories--and this is definitely going on my list!  What a wonderfully complex plot, a richly textured alternate world, and nice progression of Spike and Buffy's relationship.  Really, really, really well done!!!
Oh, thank you so much!  This is the first time I've tried to create an alternate world and I'm so glad that people like it and find it believable.  I'm trying to do more of that now. 

09/25/2008 08:59 pm
Excellent!!!
Thank you!  I'm so glad you liked it!

treadingthedark
09/20/2008 09:14 pm
What lovely story! Really romantic and erotic, plus the adventure part was excellent as well.
Loved it. Thanks.
Thank you so much!  It was so much fun to write - my first try at mixing romance and adventure.  I'm so glad you liked it!

notwhomever
09/02/2008 10:17 pm
loved it, a feel good story thats beautifully written
Thank you!  I'm so glad you liked it!  It was a new venture for me and I learned a lot writing it.

09/02/2008 10:30 am
A nice happy ending.  Great story.  :)
Thank you so much!  I love happy endings and I had so much fun with this story.

08/27/2008 02:23 am
I should probably have been commenting all along, but I decided to wait until the end so I could just gush incoherently at another one of your fabulous stories.  You totally blow me away with every foray you make into the Spuffy relationship; Spike valuing tenderness above all else brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat; Buffy realizing she can make her own decisions (and about time too!!!); just a really amazing story, and I can't wait to see what you bring to the table next!  *applauds madly*  Bravo!!!
Wow, thank you so much!  I'd never mixed adventure with romance before, or tried a longer story, so I was really worried.  Spike always seemed to need tenderness, and I really wanted Buffy to finally mature and grow up.  I'm so glad you liked it!

spuffy chick
08/26/2008 08:47 am
oh..that was wonderful! i had fun reading.
Thank you!  It was my first try at mixing adventure with romance.  I'm so glad you liked it!

08/26/2008 02:01 am
fine blend of adventure and romance. thank you.
Oh, thank you for liking it!  I was very worried, because I'd never tried a detailed, plot-filled adventure/romance before and was nervous that I wouldn't do it right.  I'm so glad you think I was successful at it!  Thank you!

08/25/2008 06:19 am
 OMG i love this story i came on it in the recently updated stories and fell in love very good i love the way it is written and told it really shows truths with spike, buffy, her friends and angel and how they treat her and how the only one who treats her fairly and lets her make her own desitions is Spike the souless vampire it just great
Oh, thank you so much!  I'm so glad you liked it!  I really believe that Spike was the only one who was really honest with her and didn't try to control her.  He was the perfect partner for her.

olinka
08/24/2008 07:57 pm
What a great story :) I especially liked your analogy between making decisions for someone else and raping their minds, as well as that coin metaphor. Very well done :) oh, and the description of claiming.... so strong and beautiful
Oh, thank you so much!  I'm so glad you liked the story!  Taking away someone's choices like that and forcing things on them against their will seems like a kind of rape to me.  Angel keeps doing that.  Look at the way he changed everybody's memories to suit himself at the end of Season 4 on AtS.

Lea
08/22/2008 06:54 pm
Oh, my. What a read. Simply wonderful! You truly are a dreamweaver :) I fell in love with Spike (all over again, haha) because of this story. Thank you! Looking forward to your future works. All the best /Lea
Oh, thank you!  I adore Spike and can't help preaching to the choir about him!  :D  I'm so glad you liked it!

08/22/2008 02:36 pm
This is one of the most enjoyable Spuffy Alternative Dimension works I have read - I completely loved reading your story and the realm that you created and the way that Buffy develops as a woman and a warrior.  Having Spike transformed  her consort and partner champion is a wonderful way to bring joy and love to their lives -

Thanks for the wonderful read -
Wow!  Thank you so much!  I always thought that Spike was the perfect partner for her, but canon would never allow that.  I'm so glad you liked it!

ValerieLockett
08/22/2008 04:36 am
I enjoyed this story greatly.  My only complaint was that I found it  when you had just posted chapter 5.  I had a hard time waiting for the updates.  Now to go and read some of your other stories.

Thank you 
I do hate waiting too.  That's why I post only when the story is finished and only needs to be proofed .  I'm so pleased you liked the story!  Thank you!

08/22/2008 04:17 am
loved it!!!!!!! fabulous, happy ending! (i'm a sucker for them happy endings!) great story!
I'm a sucker for them too!  I'm so glad you liked it!  Thank you!

All4Spike
08/22/2008 02:12 am
{Heaves satisfied sigh} Oh that was nice. I'm glad Buffy told Angel and Giles off and it was about time they started respecting her opinions!

Don't suppose you fancy a sequel with them facing the Initiative together? Please?
Wow!  How did you guess?  But not a sequel - a whole new story, mostly from Spike's viewpoint, probably going to be called 'Spike's Initiative' or some variation on that theme.  I'm delighted you liked this story enough to want a sequel!  Thank you!

08/21/2008 11:33 pm
“Got a heart. You don’t need that soul. You do better with that heart of yours than Angel does with his soul.”   Oh, so very true!

And they got their happy ending!
For me, heart trumps soul every time!  I'm so glad you liked it!  Thank you!

08/21/2008 08:58 pm
Great story.  The claiming was great.    Loved the way Buffy and Spike  worked together to  "solve the problem" .  Also the idea with the blue blood , to force her to see him and his problem  was a great  device to bring them closer together - a step at a time.
Oh, thank you so much!  I'm so glad you liked it!

ya_lublyu_tebya
08/21/2008 08:37 pm
Lovely ending to a brilliant story.
Oh, thank you so much!  That's great to hear from an experienced author!  Thank you!

08/21/2008 08:00 pm
Lovely. It's nice to see her dearest making the leap to acceptance of a grownup Buffy. Yay, Joyce! Yay, Willow! C'mon Giles: you can do it!

This was lovely and sweet. I was starting to worry that Spike's disappearance was due to the Initiative, but then I realized you'd already tortured the poor guy enough. You have a much lower threshold for Spike pain than Joss ever did. Thanks for that.
Getting him chipped at this point would have been too cruel!  Joss really put Spike through the wringer.  Don't know why - it seemed to me that Xander deserved it more, but nothing ever really happened to him.
Thank you for liking the story!

nea
08/21/2008 06:10 pm
I loved it.  Especially that they gave each other rings.  That was sweet.  Wonderful ending to a wonderful story.
Thank you!  Somehow that seemed right with the Gem of Amara and the claim being like marriage.  I'm so glad you liked it!

lilashannah
08/21/2008 03:39 pm
ahhh...It's over? Dang! Have to tell ya, you did a great job! Can't wait to see what you come up with next!
Thank you so much!  Working on the next one right now.

Gill B
08/21/2008 03:19 pm
Always a relief when you sort out the problems at the end.  I was glad you got rid of Harmony (there's something about her that drives me mad...) and the idea of a vampire called Brian is wonderful!  I'm always delighted when Angel gets his as well; I never took to him as the only time that DB looked comfortable playing the part was as Angelus (though the Irish accent drove me mad - I like him far more in Bones; much less one dimensional).

Thank you for another wonderful story - roll on the next one...
I'm so glad you liked it!  Thank you!  Harmony - she's sweet, but she's so dumb!  And I always thought DB was wooden.  I can't take credit for the name 'Brian'!  Wasn't that the name Harmony called the vamp whose head Spike slammed into the table?  I may be mistaken because, when I ran the episode again for this story, I was concentrating on what Buffy and Spike's voices were like at this point in canon - but that's what it sounded like.

08/21/2008 01:55 pm
Awwwwww  :)
Oh, thank you!  I think they belong together!

Pam S
08/21/2008 01:48 pm
 All Claimed/Married and All...

 Yea for the happy ending..
Always wanted them to be together!  Thank you for liking it!

sin_amatic
08/21/2008 10:15 am
DreamWeaver,

Thank you so much for giving us something Joss & Co. never could or would: A  _maturing_ woman in a slayer's body.  It was a "nice" revelation though I admit I was gonna "go medieval"  on both of ya over the cold hearted, "no tangles" at the end of the last chappy.   (But I got over it. :)

As for your "Spike," well you said it best: “Got a heart. You don’t need that soul. You do better with that heart of yours than Angel does with his soul.”  (Heart trumps soul.  <insert>Snoopy dance<here>)

Great stuff...  Brava!  

btw  Sorry if this comes up a double post... pc hiccup! 


I thought that being independent and far from Scoobie pressure would give her the chance to grow up.  But I couldn't resist the nasty cliffie at the end of the last chapter!  Sorry! :D  As far as I'm concerned, heart always trumps soul!  No double post.  Thank you so much for liking the story!

Liza
08/21/2008 09:32 am
Thank you.  This was a glorious romp. And appreciated the swift updates more than I can say!  xx
Oh, thank you for liking it!  You'll always get fast updates from me because I get too self-conscious to post until the story is completely written and I only have the proofreading to do.  I'm a nitpicker, obsessing over every comma, and keep changing things right up to the last minute.

Dee
08/21/2008 09:09 am
Loved this! Any chance of a sequel???
This one sort of feels finished, so it won't have a sequel.  But I'm working on a whole new one and hope to have it up soon.  Thank you so much for liking this!

shelly
08/21/2008 09:07 am
wow! Excellent story i enjoyed each chapter and found myself anxiously waiting for a new one each day! you have a way with words! thanks!
Oh, thank you so much!  I'm so glad you liked it.

Kat
08/21/2008 08:34 am
That was an amazing story. from start to finish it kept me entrapped. wow :)
Oh, thank you!  I'm so glad you liked it!