I'm loving this bunches & bunches! Spuffy, Time travel, Way beyond or literal Angel /Liam (and Darla) bashing, favorite-killed-off-Scoobies revived (sometimes ya wonder if they killed off the wrong ones...), 18th century, possible-Victorian era, Claims; what else could a gal want? (Oh, yeah, Riley bashing, at least, due to the sheer amount of whining he's doing and increasingly doing!) Well, maybe one might like a little more time travel, a little actual-Victorian era, a little actual William/Spike, William possibly with cajones as Spike did imply, and to find out what that William was up to in his country obscurity (?) if that reality panned out. Spike definitely knew more than he was telling by saying "he became me" but then said he died in obscurity in the country. What did he mean by that? Did he simply mean William became a hard-drinking, leather-wearing, edgy (or maybe cagey?)
individual), yet still human? Did he seek Vampirism, becoming vamped, occult knowledge, etc, perhaps in some latent attempt to find what he didn't exactly know he needed? Will we find out about that reality? Will you keep us hanging long (LOL!)???
I loved that scraps of Spike's soul-essence was within Buffy's mind/body/soul (?). Perhaps now, if nothing else, for a bit, she can find her way there for comfort?
Will she head for LA for help from Wesley? That (especially as Giles was so party-line against it) would see, like a smart place to start. It would seem that if she did contact him, perhaps she might not have to do this on her own! I do hope we hear more about and from Wes! Demon-hunter Wes, all roughed-up was so cool.
I really am loving this made of awesome story! Keep on a-writin', ya hear? TIA!

This Giles is every bit as hidebound and prejudiced as the Council could wish, not a pretty sight.  Wesley sounds a much better bet to me, and as Buffy is bursting with smarts and can run rings round all of them I'm sure she'll manage to escape Sunnydale.  Great story.

What a great fic, althoug I hope Buffy time with Riley is near the end! 

    Interesting what if breakdowns of Giles, and probably as a result the whole Scooby gang dynamic in this chapter.  It's a little scary how they have been treating Buffy, it has to have given them even more moral righteousness than they had already posessed in cannon.  (At times I thought they bordered on arrogance as it was.)


  I dig that you still had Wes grow a spine.  I really grew to love that character as he developed.


  Good chapter, I cankot wait for your next one.

Yes, it's not only Buffy's life and outlook that has been affected by the lack of Angel/us, Dru & Spike. Just shown how much more interesting they made things! :-)

Interesting, I wonder what changed Wesley in this reallity? It seems like he could be of good use. Buffys thoughts about how being around Angel and Spike changed them all in the original timeline was well made. But I have always thought that the Angelus episodes was something that changed Giles and made him more close minded about demons and souls. 

I love how you pointed out that getting through conflict and adversity made Buffy a better person.  Please let's heraget a way to Spike soon.  This reality is so not for her.  

TextYes I think a visit from wes would be wonderful. And a question, Is she trying to get back to the 1800's or back to spike not william?

Oh poor Riley. NOT. He's sulking like a little boy who's had his favorite toy taken from him.

Way harsh Giles. I mean really in all his years he's never met a demon that he didn't want to slay? I could see him having that attitude after Angelus but that overgrown forehead was never made a vamp. So what happened to him to make him such a council lackey?

Does this mean a visit from Wes? I hope so. He became a good guy with guts and brains. It seems like he managed to get there this time too.