Wow, kudos on the authenticity here, what with Spike copping all the blame and Willow getting off Scott free.

Basically how it always went from season 5 on. Xander can summon a demon that results in people burning to death and shit all happens to him, doesn' get told off. Yet the second Spike puts a toe out of line, does anything they consider wrong, and Xander's one if the first looking to dust him for it, speaking to Spike like he's less than the dirt under his shoe.

And that's one reason people don't like Xander; hypocrisy, double standards m The holier than thou attitude because he has a soul and is friends with the Slayer as though it means he is somehow a paragon of good, a moral guide.

Really irked me when Anya complained in season 7 about Spike supposedly having a get out of jail free card. Spike was raked over the coals by this C***s for everything, even before 6x19, for everything, while they never even received a soap on the wrist for things they did...are you kidding me?

Willow does something to Tara against her will and Willow is comforted for it. Amy dies something to Willow against her will and Amy is now labelled enemy number one.

I'm looking for that fic that has out the "Because I'm the slayer" bit like she thinks it means she has the moral high ground or something, only to have someone point out "yeah, because a Slayer's never gone dark before. Oh, wait..."

I miss the characterisations of the first four seasons.

It's because of how things go from season 5 on that season 2 is above S5 for me, I don't care how many people place them the other way around.

S5 dropped the ball on too many things, like Spike's treatment and how he was written to be pathetic, how Riley's character was also destroyed, and I say that as someone who didn't think that much of him in S4... Just...

Anyway, next chapter... since I'm apparently not bloody sleeping tonight.

thank you again

spike said "if i didnt have the chip" But he DOESNT
now

yay spikes a HERO! for killing ben

This is one of the best spuffies ever and definately the funniest. ;)

OMG! Hilarious! Tears of laughter spurting from my eyes. :D

Wonderful story. Love seeing Spike's mother. Great ending as well.

Awwww, MUSHY! I love a good mushy sappy ending sometimes. I just do.

This whole story was a hoot and a half to read. Thanks for sharing it. And WHY wasn't it over on EF? Maybe I am wrong, but I could have sworn I never saw it there.

Cheers!

You've got me all a-quiver with anticipation. Good luck, Spike!

Also: I like that you've got him using the computer here again - we know he can, after all - and of course the manly-bonding-against-their-will thing is always cute between the fellas.

Anne is awesome... but just a *touch* too close to being a Mary Sue, I'm afraid. She's able to fix every problem, even the ones from Season 6 that you brought into the story ahead of time. Again, I love her and I'm really enjoying the story! And I think it was completely realistic to have Willow respond the way that she did; you built up this side of her personality and her earlier abuse of magic believably. It's just that adding that extra layer of "things Anne Pratt can remedy" might have been too much. She's not just a kind and loving mother, now she's a psychologist too?

Eeh. You can tell how upset I am over this by the way in which I shall now go on to read the next chapters, and gush about them. :D

I thought it was very well done, btw, how you had Spike discover his chip was out, and how we got the information from Melchior that originally was delivered by the Council. And I think it's cute that Anne and Giles may be getting together, since that will give us "Randy Giles" actually being Rupert's (step) son if things continue to their logical conclusion! Heh.

Yeeeek. Poor Tara. I don't know if I've ever actually seen the episode where this happened to her, just the aftermath. So eek.

Oh, darn, I was sort of hoping that Buffy or someone would get to Spike. It makes perfect sense why you didn't do that in this retelling of the incident, don't get me wrong - he wouldn't have wanted to lead the minions back to Revello Drive and his mom, and he probably wouldn't have wanted Anne to see him like this - never mind the part where his crypt is simply closer and easier to get to before sunrise.

Oh well, I've got ten more chapters to go, I'm sure we'll get us some lovely hurt/comfort soon enough. Plus, y'know, looking forward to Spike's realization that the chip is gone. I wonder if Giles or someone will spot the injury on his head and figure it out first...

Yippee, chip's gone!

My only grammar quibble here is that "disrespect" wasn't really used as a verb until very recently, and therefore isn't a term that a Victorian-era lady would use. Anne would say that a person "shows disrespect", instead.

Can't help it - total grammar nut. That one thing threw off my rhythm a bit, but the rest of this chapter - every INCH of it - was divine. I'd "favorite" the story again but FFnet won't let me.

My only disappointment in this chapter is that Anne hasn't laid into Xander yet the way Anya did and the rest of them want to. I love her to PIECES. Also, you. Forever. :D

Yeek, Initiative tazers.

Also, just at this moment, I'm listening to Loreena McKennit's "The Mask and the Mirror". I SEE WAT U DID THERE.