While I fully understand Xander's individual choice and decision - the more I read your story, the more angry I become with how he handled this from the start - Don't know if that was your intent, but seeing how so many men think it is their right to make choices for their spouse and family life without giving them equal rights and respect for how things will effect their life as well. He just told her how things were going to be - he never really gave her a choice or discussed with her what she wanted.
Trouble with how Xander is thinking about this is that eventually their will be a huge blow up of everything - people resent being made to feel guilty or resent an being manipulated or forced to do things that would have this kind of huge impact on their lives.
lol, your story is hitting all my women's issues nerve endings -
LOL! My intention is for you to hate them all, hee. Actually, you're right. Xander did a lousy job making decisions with their child behind Buffy's back, it's understandable to want your kid far away from a castle set in nowhere, filled with plenty of Slayers, and is a target for government and demon attacks. It's also understandable to want your kid living in a normal apartment in the middle of the city, surrounded by normal people, and having a normal life. However, he should have talked about it with Buffy first. I guess Xander knew that Buffy would never leave that lifestyle and that she would prefer going back to the castle with her daughter with her.
been waiting for your next chapter - don't think I have ever been so excited about reading a WIP before - THANKS for the great update.
I feel so sorry for Buffy, and why is Spike being so harsh and so a big jerk with her? It doesn't strike me that Spike would be so harsh judgmental of her tactics and leadership without giving her an opportunity to talk about things. Hope that you will give us more back story on his life in this time-line. Perhaps that will be another story, which makes perfect sense.
Gotta say, your story is the Grand Poster Child Message for strict birth control - I would HATE and HATE on top of that to be your Buffy - it's really depressing to think of any possible exit options for her in this situation - all is a black clouds and storms ahead in my mind. I sure hope that you are not the pessimist that I tend to be.
Heart breaking her scene with Spike - and your exit line for the scene was outstanding -
The sequel will be told from Spike's POV, and might contain flashbacks of his time before Angel got cursed.
Don't worry about Buffy, she's tough, but yeah, she's in a difficult situation, poor thing has a lot going on.