Intriguing story. Thanks for sharing.

BRILLIANT. Brilliant writing, brilliant execution.
I'm officially in love with your fanfic now. :D

Thanks so much for sharing this gem, pennydrdful.

Holy heck! o.O What did Dru do?

Wow! I'm completely hooked-breathing-fast-dying-for-the-next-bit addicted already.

This is fantastic! Well done, pennydrdful!

This was really amazing. I hope you'll write more. Not necessarily a continuation of this story, because I think it's lovely and brutal and ends perfectly, but I'd love to see more from you.

Spike's brief note at the end just broke me. I think the power of the story is that you can feel yourself getting frustrated with him, imagine just how horrible his words and actions must be to deal with, and see how amazing it is that Buffy can look past it. She gets such a bad wrap in fandom, but on the show and in this fic, her capacity for forgiveness is astounding. Great job.

Again, I say a humdinger of a story. It is brutal and yet clean in its brutality. They all suffer and they are all punished. Buffy rescues Dawn and frees Spike; the room is covered in blood, a dead body, broken bones and dust. Dust. The imprint of evil is heavy and like the dust, it clings.

Your ending with Spike, is just right. He is so greatly affected by his part, his fall from Buffy's grace at the magical exultation of Drusilla ...... only to find tenderness at the last, and kindness, even, as he dusts he beloved Dark Princess.

The message between Buffy and Spike is clear. Her trust, her belief in him, throughout, is intact. He's just got to make peace with himself, first.

This Buffy is the Buffy I like to think emerged at the end of the Series. Mature and strong, full of purpose and empathy and grown into herself. Slayer and Woman. Roles intertwined and separate, when needed.
"Buffy is locked away in a tiny box. She’ll come out when needed."

This whole story has been wonderful. Looking beyond the minutiae of building or destroying relationships, here, they are already formed: up against it, but ready to take on this terrible trial of Spike gone bad. By giving us Buffy in first person, by looking at it all through her eyes -
"The leaf skittering across the concrete at my feet is louder than my voice." your effective narrative zooms in on all the fear, the horror, the pain, both mental and physical. All are punished.

Fantastic end. No near tie-up, but there is hope and - at last - a determined Buffy where Spike is concerned. Unswerving in her love. For him. Well Done!

I wonder what he found there in the drawer, something Dru made (how she controls him?) I guess that was what Buffy was looking for. And something did hold him back but Dru is too strong so he told her about Dawn.
Spike broke Buffy's wrist even if she broke the spell? Ah no. ~ And it was Spike who dusted Drusilla. Then he remembers his past now.
Sorry to see it end here. It was a good twist (a new one I haven't read before) but for my liking a bit to open in the end. For me something is missing here, the story ends too abrupt. ~ But the liking are different.
Merry Christmas to you!

This was the best fan fiction I have read in years, please more, continue this story, your sign on name penny dreadful, the hotel smelling like pennies (coppery blood)....ssoooo good, I hope you write "real fiction" as well. You deserve to be published.

YOU CANT END IT THERE!!! THATS JUST WROOOONG!!!

You DO know that this demands a sequel don't you? LOL Well written story. I have always felt sorry for Dru but she IS evil and this was totally in character for her to do under all the circumstances. Well done.

Kathleen

Nice ending. Fitting....he does have a lot to work through. His soul is probably screaming.

Very interesting! The ending was somewhat unexpected but surprisingly appropriate. Nice job and thank you for sharing your talents.

*beats Spike in the head and pouts* Bastard

I'm glad Buffy wants to have Spike back and not to kill him.
Spike is really different, threatening to kill Dawn.
And the kills he talks of that he and Dru did? Why is he so skinny then? Doesn't make a lot of sense or he is lying or imaging it.
Looking forward to more!