excellent read, thank you. enjoyed buffy has seemed to decide; loved dawn and spike's conversation; and lmao at the last line. that is so her egocentric 'freinds.'

I had no intention of reading this story until it was completely finished. For over a year I waited and watched hoping it would be done soon because it just looked so good. FINALLY I break down and decide maybe if I am lucky you will finish it before I get all the way threw. I am a completely idiot. I couldn’t STOP reading it. How was I suppose to explain why I was crying at work was because I was really a really really good book when I wasn’t suppose to be reading ANYTHING!

Please PLEASE update soon. This is one of the best written novels I have read in a very very long time! I can’t help but hope even if it is very slim that Buffy is pregnant. Hoping William will beable to figure out a way to tap into the family funds to help and I see the biggest troubles from here on out being not if they love each other but getting the rest of them off their backs about it.

Thank you! And I cant’ wait for more!

Yeah Buffy, you'd better get a job. It's not like you don't have enough going on in your life already. And friends sponging off of you, and a secret identity. It's a wonder more superheroes don't become evil or institutionalized. The stress of everyone's expectations alone is enough to make you crack.

Real life coming back to bite into Buffy some more. Love the reconciliation..just a bit bittersweet, but so lovely.

And this is the reason I hated Willow and Zander during by the end of season 7. Giles was on my list of people who annoyed me also (although I could never really hate him). They were always trying to control Buffy's life.

WHOOOOHOOO a new chapter. I am glad that they are trying to make it and that he really called her on her BS. Buffy has to learn to live for herself. I mean she is the slayer and from that point on she has to be able to make decisions and live with them. I just love Dawn. She is just a joy in this story. And HOW DARE, Willow and Giles tells her that she needs a job. How about Willow pay some RENT. And Giles just needs to figure out a way for the Coucil to get off the pot.

Beautiful chapter as always. Loved Spike's speeches and his take on Buffy's desire to have everybody tell her what to do.

so nice to have your regular updates - I have been enjoying the story so very much - thanks for keeping us "happy buffyverse ff campers."

With that last shoe dropped, I definitely feel sorry for Buffy even though she was the bitch early in the chapter.

Great chapter. I love this story so much. I check every day just to see if you've updated it. I can't wait for the next chapter. Thank you for writing this story!

And everything is going along really nicely, loving the chapter, great...ahem, well, great chapter, enjoyable Dawn interlude then ... Unbridled Brunette throws in the curve ball.
I think I know how Buffy feels! :)
Well done.

*crunches almonds happily* That was so romantic and gorgeous. I hope Spike can be good. You can eat lo mein while you write, can't you?

Oh, my God, they just......
That girl needs new friends!!!!

I love that Spike's standing up for himself while still trying to make Buffy happy. Relationships are about compromise, but not compromise of *self*. And you soooo nailed her fear of making decisions thing. If she'd only ever realize that friends that are that conditional aren't really friends....

Dawn rocks. :D

Sweet chapter, UB. Looking foward to see the next one.

They want HER to get a job! What about the freeloaders? What about The Council of users? Gaaaahhh I hate this attitude both on the show and here but it is in character. I imagine they also think to busy her up enough to forget William. Grrrr arghhhhh.

Love Dawn in their corner (Chipmonk with a bullhorn...tee hee). She needs to enourage Buffy to stand up to the lot of them. Buffy better because I wouldn't put it past Giles to try to "remedy the situation" for himself and that would be worlds of bad. I think Spike is really on to something. Buffy can do the Slayer bit with her eyes closed but the "normal" stuff overwhelms her and always did. She DOES look to others for self defining and direction. She needs to grow up and take the blessing she's been given.

LOVE this update. Not completely there yet, not either of them. Still they are on the right road and walking it together at least.

Kathleen

Amazing, as always. Love that Buffy's not trying to hide what she wants...wonder how long their thing is going to stay a secret though? More soon, pretty please!

Wonderful update, I hope to see more soon!

I missed a few chapters and had to catch up (no hardship). This story is so amazing. I cannot even find the words to tell you how much I admire your writing. To keep control of a story this long and complex is a remarkable feat. Thank you so much for keeping at it. This is one piece of fanfic I will never forget.

I'm still here. Yay, we got some Spuffy lovin'. SO I wonder if Willow and Xander are going to make a bid deal with her sleeping with Spike. And now she has to get a job, oh joy. Can't wait till the next update!!!!

I love updates!!! Great chapter, and OF COURSE they want her to get a job!!! I love the way you write Dawn.

Lovely update -- at last they're doing some straight talking! Those Scoobies make me seeth, though. Where to they get off telling her to get a job? Grrrr! I can't see anything good coming from their interference.

One thing that always perplexed me was why Buffy suddenly had to pay all the bills despite there being 3 adults who lived in her home. I would LOVE to meet the sucker who would just let me stay in their house rent free for an indeterminate amount of time, in the Master bedroom, just because we're "friends."

Loved this chapter though. Very sweet, and funny while maintaining the classic UB Wuthering heights worthy gravity!

*Bows before author* I'm sure if I try really hard I can pull some amazing witticism out of my ass about how great this chapter is; how true to character; how fantastic the writing is; how the voices sound so real; how the scene was everything we Spuffy fans could have hoped for. BUT.... I'm just going to stand here in awe for a little while. I might go light a candle in tribute or something, eventually. Maybe clap a little bit???

Great freakin' chapter. More please.

great to have the update and the nice exploration of Angel-Angelus and Soul -Love your endig-

Argh! I just left you a long reply but my computer just did something wonky and I lost it all. Now its late and I'm too tired to make another long one, so just know that I really loved this as usual. Loved Dawn/Spike interaction

Fav. line from that >> "How’d you know I watch that channel?” she asked indignantly.“You told me.”
“Oh, yeah…” Just makes me smile.

Hope Buffy learns to love Spike fangs and all, and doesn't end up using him, just in a differnt way this time. Look forward to seeing what you do in the follow up chapters!

Thanks for the update - I'm really enjoying this story. Ending with "They want her to get a job" was awesome! I can just see Spike flipping over that one! I like the insight Spike has into Buffy's personality and how she's so strong, but wants someone to take care of her, too. I can't wait to see how this is going to play out (maybe, maybe there's still a baby possibility....?).

It's so fascinating to read how some of this story has echoes of Season Six, and now it seems the money problems and her friends' lack of support with that besides telling her she's got problems is being repeated. I like seeing Spike and Dawn together and his thoughts about how she'd track down a murder case and her reaction to them sleeping together, without girlish squealing in delight.
At the beginning of this chapter I was happy that Buffy thought about how Spike being drunk and his words could have been spurred on by her friends' telling him about Angel. Almost immediately, though, she lost that insight or ability to think for herself. She wasn't even trying to tell herself she had to stay away and she was managing to hurt Spike! And I worry that she'll sooth herself by thinking Spike isn't as vulnerable as William, so he doesn't have any feelings to hurt; just jealousy and anger and possessiveness and a fake act of tenderness left over.
I hope to read more soon, and that Buffy wakes up to actually realizing what Spike is feeling and going through. Ignoring how he felt about being a dirty secret, what he saw about how she thought and behaved for her friends, and thinking a blowjob could make it better doesn't sound to me like she knows he's William, or someone who loves her, not just sex with her. I need to see how this plays out!

Excellent chapter! I love how Dawn just 'knows.' And "they" want Buffy to get a job. Not that a job would be bad, but the fact that "they" are all deciding this, especially as Dawn already pointed out that Willow isn't paying rent.