Okay, after reading your warning at the beginning of the story about the Buffy/OC part, I decided to take my chances and read it anyway, mostly because I love too much what you write to pass something up and also, because of the promised spuffy reward! I'm really hoping said reward isn't far and this little weasel, Jacob, is going to go away soon, or die, or whatever, because I can't take much more of this. *lol* Okay, now I can keep on reading! *lolol* Love your stories!

~ Tanja ~

Awww, poor Spike. That's got to be a knife in the gut.

God, Spike! Where's his backbone?? He's being way too wet.

oh man, how did she end up getting the daft impression that it was somehow *spike's* fault? he protected dawn, and the thanks he gets is a distracted response and her deciding not to have him stay with dawn next time? what is her problem??? oh, i'm so frustrated with her right now...excellent chapter, though, your writing is awesome, love :)

Aww... poor Spikey.

Love the Dawn&Spike time! Especially the random demon and painting of the nails. Also, major points for making Jacob a perfectly amiable character who doesn't instantly inspire a surge of loathing like some OCs can have a tendency to do.

Makes me want to cry. Buffy is so oblivious. I think Jacob picked up on the vibe from Spike though....not our girl though, just use and toss Buffy! I want to whap her hard and make her see the great guy who loves her and she is stepping all over in the name of friendship. Geech, even friends are more empathetic than that!

Great update in spite of the weepies.

Kathleen

i feel for Spike..Buffy is so selfish..i'm trying to see how you going to fix this because anything short of a 2x4 upside buffy head is going to make her open her eyes. i think Spike should meet someone else even if it is just as friends but i would let Buffy think it is more.we all know how Buffy hates not being the center of those who love her attention.Look to be more heartache for spike for awhile..til next time..N

I think that Buffy was just frustrated after having such a great time on her date to come home to destruction. She could have said anything and Spike would have been easily hurt, he was already sensitive to the situation. He should stop wallowing in the fact that she's having fun with Jacob. He said he wanted a crumb and she gave him that by being his friend and letting him into her life. If he wants more now then he should say so.

You update on a regular, thank you for that. I like this story and it's prequel.

*sigh* ohh... my heart went out to Spike in this one... I could feel his pain... poor guy had to see her kissing some other dirtbag (although jacob sounds like a nice guy, I'm obliged to hate him intensly cause he's not Spike lol) great update! Loving the angst!!! keep it up :)

Poor Spike, I still say if she wants a built-in-babysitter, she needs to get someone else since she cares so little about him that she's even forgotten he was there. Risked his life again for Dawn and she just expects him too, while she's off having a "normal" life, totally ungrateful bitch. Let Dawn sneak around and visit him, just don't mess with his feelings. Spike needs to remove himself from the situation. He doesn't need to be used. Get his own life which doesn't revolve around her. If he's not good enough to be her friend, he needs to find others that won't treat him like he doesn't matter, because he does. Dawn's friendship it's enough for a vampire, not even Spike. Buffy's got the witches and Xander, they'll watch Dawn, she doesn't need Spike to rub his face in her new "normal" life. Maybe then she will see that she CAN'T have a normal life, she's the SLAYER not a NORMAL girl and the sooner she finds that out the better. How long is Jacob going to last when he's at his first scoobie meeting researching demons and is expected to fight along side them like Xander does. Why is Spike even patroling for her? Fighting for himself I can see, but making it easier for her to have more free time to date is just insane. Nobody does that, nobody, not even Loves Bitch. Sorry for the rant, it's just how I feel. I'm a Spuffy lover but rather him move on then to be continually used by an ungrateful shrew. He was good enough when she had no one, now that she has someone, he's nothing but dirt on the bottom of her shoe. It didn't get past me either, that beside the heartbeat and tan she's dating William! I may not be thrilled with the way the story's going but that doesn't mean I'm not going to continue to read it, it's a great story, you're creating a great amount of angst for us Spuffy readers, kudos.

Great Spike/Dawn interaction lightens the heart for Spike. Love how Spike appears to be the protective older brother type to Jacob as he opens the door on them kissing and spoils the mood. Too funny. Interesting that Buffy appears to go for blonds with blue eyes...like someone else she knows. Poor Spike for leaving the house disappointed and craving some violence. Sounds like a lot of other frustrated men to me (HA!).

I find myself hoping Jacob is some kind of demon looking for a Slayer snack. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

Oh, poor Spike! It's hard to be angry with Buffy-- she hasn't done anything wrong, other than fail to appreciate the hotness of Spike-- but the guy is just putting himself out there for her to break his little heart.

I have to say that if it wasn't for Spike I'd like Jacob. I'm glad you're making him a viable option; I tend to get a little bored with two-dimensional bad!Buffy!boyfriends. I can see Buffy being interested in him. And much as I love Spike, I kind of enjoy watching him suffer a little. He's so pretty when he's in pain!

buffy being inconsiderate of spike i can understand. buffy unconcerned about demons attacking her house (and sister) and having red and tara babysit next time is stretching things. still, very good read, thank you.

Buffy's a bitch. She's not even a good friend. And if Xander had been the one watching Dawn right now, they'd both be dead.

At least Dawn appreciates Spike. Nice that you got that question out there - of whether she's just a stepping stone to Buffy.

That demon was definitely after Dawn....what's up?

Why do I get the feeling its going to get much worse for Spike before it gets better? Oh. Right. This is realistic Spuffy. Damn. But eventually there will be happy Spike, right? Please? Although you could probably keep me sitting here waiting for it indefinitly if stays this good. Please don't take that as a suggestion. I haven't got a spare forever sitting around.

Oh I feel sorry for Spike right now, he loves her and she won't really give him the time of day, but then he did tell her they were not friends.

More please.

awww - poor Spike! Dumb Buffy!

Somebody please smack the crap out of Buffy!

Thank you for the chapter! This fic is soooo frustrating, lol. My instant reaction is to be angry with Buffy, but really she hasn't actually done anything wrong, besides being a little inconsiderate. It's not her fault that Spike's in love with her yet continues to put himself in situations in which he's constantly around her and knows she's not interested.

Poor Spike, he has so many issues. I think part of the problem is that he's never been alone. From what we can infer from canon, he went straight from living with his mother, to living with drucilla, to now being emotionally dependent on Buffy. He's got to learn to exist for himself, or I don't think he'd ever be any good for Buffy. Perhaps I'm thinking too hard, lol.

sheesh - could Buffy be more obtuse?
And - Jacob looks kinda like Spike, which you took pains to point put. Interesting. He seems like a really nice guy. I like that Buffy is having some "normal guy" time - hoping that she'll see that even _nice_ normal isn't for her. I'm not sure Jacob is EVIL, per se, but I think there is something up.

Bloody hell! Buffy subconciously wanting someone that looks like Spike, the hair, the eyes... and she still didn't realize it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this but Spike needs to find a girl. Maybe Clem can fix him up? Buffy is just being really mean.

I'm trying to decide whether torturing Spike with nails and holy water and all that stuff or torturing him with Buffy's apparantly total lack of concern for him is worse. Somehow, I think I prefer the torture implements. I know you'll make it all better for Spike, but this chapter is just mega depressing!! Looking forward to more. Really. Cause you promised to make it all better. And I trust you.

Gah! Poor Spike...how's he going to handle all this torture? Maybe Dawn could pull some kind of teenage plot thing to help them get together...or...okay, I'm reaching, but I just want Spike to be happy *sniff*. Great writing, as always.