I'm enjoying this story very much;and I ,as well as many others , am enjoying your original character of Jerimiah. I find him very intriging.....could he possibly be in pocession of his soul? Or perhaps be an emissary for the PTB? Whether either or neither I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him yet.......he does make Spike so deliciously jealous after all and he is so easily useable for plot advancement. not to mention driving some readers to distraction.........keep it coming please and I will continue to read and enjoy......thank you!

I was like, "Spike can't leave!" Well, he did, just not for good. I get the feeling the Jeremiah is like a Vamp Whistler. Question is, was he there for Buffy or for Spike? You're gonna have to let me know. please? =D

This was an excellent chapter. Surprised me with Jeremiah's reappearance. Loved how he just came right over, introduced himself, and asked her to dance. I'm wondering how her friends will react. And Spike picking out her clothes was hilarious. I think that Buffy is wrong about them not being comfortable with each other. Great Spuffy scene by the way. Loved Spike's thoughts about how he was getting too attached and needed to leave. I knew that he couldn't stay away for long considering he enjoyed hearing Buffy laugh and gave her a pep talk. I just didn't think that it would be that soon. ; ) I just wonder how different their relationship is going to be now, what with the revelation about Spike's killing and him not being able to leave town. Lovely chapter. More please.

The entire scene in Buffy's bedroom was well realized, and I love the sentiment of Spike showcasing Buffy's scars, trying to make her "own" them. Jeremiah certainly wasn't gone long, and his brazen dance request made me laugh. What is Buffy going to do about Spike being "on the juice?" He may wish that he'd really left Sunnydale in his rearview mirror. I'm looking forward to finding out.

Thanks for an excelent update. Still can't figure Jeremiah and does this mean Spike will quit killing? Are we headed into more amgst

glad that he didnt leave

Damnit!!! I thought he was going to be gone for good! I'm sorry, but I HATE that little prick! I'm talking about Jeremiah, if you were wondering. This time, he had better not come back!! Hint!! Hint!!! Hint!!!! I'm glad that Spike is going to stay, though! That's one good thing that happened in the chapter. I really hope that Buffy and Spike can work things out, and Buffy can keep her little paws off of that wanker, Jeremiah. Please update as soon as you can! I can't wait to see what happens next!
Thanx! ~Raven~

Just noticed you updating at the BSV.. but now I'm reading here. Spike is leaving? *reads on* Oh I don't think Spike know how much he does for Buffy in regarding her scars, convincing her to wear them proud? But maybe he does. :) Yet ... he leaves because he is lying to her (and won't change for her) and that will hurt her.. he even never tells her that he is leaving for good. That will Buffy wondering. ~ Oh Jeremiah is back, telling Buffy the truth about Spike's feeding. Oh my.. what will she say when the trust is broken? ~ Oh, Spike is coming back? Maybe it's time then (when he wants to stay) that he tells the truth. :)

I enjoyed all the domestic details in the backdrop of Buffy's quiet conversation with Giles. It felt as though she was coming home and the domesticity of the scene underscored that emotion. You're doing an excellent job writing "Spike the Seducer," it's no wonder Buffy can't resist him. The bite was erotic and Buffy's physical and emotional reaction to it were descriptive. Buffy groggily coming back to "...if someone were to come upon them in that state, they would die from the sheer beauty of them..." line at the end of the chapter made me grin.

That was very hot. Love the biting!

Oh so glad to see another chapter of this story. I am enjoying the twists and turns. My only complaint is that it was to short! :)

Absolutely loved the little interaction between Buffy and Giles at the start of this chapter. You really captured what their relationship was all about.

“Tea?” He offered, gently.

She shook her head and took her hat off, fiddling with the brim. “I’m sorry, Giles.”

“That’s quite all right. Just means there’s more tea for me.”

Buffy looked at him as he smiled at his own joke and she smiled back, laughing a little. Giles seemed delighted by this and looked as though he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. After a moment he turned around and walked back into the kitchen, filling the kettle up with water and heating it up.

This is quite a sad fic really, isn't it? And this chapter tells us why. Buffy's journey here is one of self-discovery. Can she learn to trust again? Is Spike the one to help her? Well, she seems to have decided that he is. She's decided to trust him.

Either she agreed to trust Spike completely and continue seeing him or she had to kill him. She had chosen the former option and even now with him being a possessive, egotistical vampire she knew she couldn’t kill him. It just wasn’t an option for her anymore. Buffy was in too deep, deeper than even she realised.

Trouble is, as you said yourself JM, this is BigBad Spike and BigBd Spike wasn't all puppy eyes and do anything for a pat on the head from the Slayer. He was full of himself and self-riteous and cocky and brazen and he relished being a vampire. If that included lying to the slayer about where he was getting his daily haemogloben well, no hurt no foul... what Buffy's eye doesn't see, her heart won't grieve over. Trouble is... things never remain undiscovered around the Slayer, and what will that do to her fragile self-confidence and desire to trust again?

Yup... I sense angst ahoy.

Loving reading this though, pet. 's good fun.

Spotted a couple of small typos, Buffy knew she was the course of his premature ageing. s/b, 'cause of his premature ageing'. I thought it might be beneficiary to use your hurt ... s/b 'beneficial to use your hurt... ' I think.

Author's Response: Yeah, the Giles and Buffy relationship is so important to Buffy and how she lives. It is a sad fic, I never intended this to be an easy happy fic :) yeah, Big Bad Spike is not on anyones leash. Kind of makes it more interesting in some ways. You're right about the spellings. I shall change them immediately.

Oh man- she's in deep. Is Spike going to keep killing? I'm actually a little worried what will happen when she finds out. Will she never trust anyone again? :-S I like the fic, but it has me worried at the same time.