Spike's awake, yay! And double-yay that your muse popped in for a visit :D Their reactions and thoughts about Spike were so touching *sniffles* That's exactly the kind of thing I always wished we could see on the show - others caring for and appreciating Spike.

Buffy had some awesome revelations in this chapter! I especially loved how she realized she could've had a relationship with Spike, like her mom and sister had with him, if she hadn't listened to the Spike-haters and refused to let herself see him in a better light. She finally understands! Hallelujah! lol

There was so much to love about this chapter

Author's Response: Hi, PB! Thanks for your review, and sorry for the sniffles :-) Have some *HUGS* I'm glad you liked the reactions of people, and showing that Spike was appreciated. I think he deserved it! And I'm glad you liked my dabble in a little introspection on Buffy's part. It was about time, don't you think? I'm really pleased that you liked the chapter as a whole, and I promise, things will get better. Thanks for all your compliments and thoughts, it's really great to hear from you. Take care, PB. Thanks again. X

Haha! Good luck using PB as a scapegoat, never worked for me, but kudos for trying! And you're welcome for the help; you're doing great!! Best chapter yet! Ok, well ... the blood-letting one was ... errr ... yeah, ummm ... pretty good too, but 'Yay!' for Spike being awake and for Buffy teasing with him and at least *considering* him as relationship-material. :)

Really cannot wait for more! Tie your muse down and promise him whatever he wants to keep going. :P

Loved it, DH!

Author's Response: Hi P4S. Thanks for the compliment regarding the chapter, I'm glad you liked it. As for PB, I can dream, right? :-) I promise to try and stay on top of things, well, I'll do my best anyway. Thanks for your thoughts though, I really appreciate them, every time you leave me one. Thanks again, and take care. X

Some very timely (and very rare!) soul-searching from Buffy.

Author's Response: Hi all4spike, Thanks for leaving me a comment. It's about time she had a good rummage around that brain of hers! Thanks for reading and I hope you'll like where I'm gonna go with it. Take care. x

Aww thanks for the thanks in the End Notes! You're so sweet ;D

Yay that your muse has gotten back to work! :D I loved the bit where Buffy was comparing and contrasting Spike and Angel. So true!

I also loved that Buffy did some introspection, forcing herself to judge Spike by the way he treated her and her family and not dismiss the good things he'd done ^_^

Great chapter, hon! I'm looking forward to the next one! May the muse be with you :)

Author's Response: HI PB!! *hugs and more hugs* Nice to hear from you, thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked it. Yeah, I finally held my muse down and forced some work out of him!! About time Buffy did some thinking, and recognizing Spike for who he is, rather than what he is. So happy to hear from you, take care, thanks again for taking the time to review. X-x-x-x-X

Anytime tears well in my eyes as I'm reading, I count it as 'awesome', and this chapter did that. Absolutely loved this line: 'He put his heart in her deadly hands and simply waited for her to crush it.' Also really loved Buffy asserting Spike would stay unconscious just to annoy her! haha! Very true!

Now, of course, the question is, just what will Buffy do with all these realiZations in her new, grAy world? ;-D

Nice chapter, DH! Can't wait for more!

Author's Response: Thanks P4S, glad you liked it, not sure if I wanted you to cry, but if that's what it takes... OK! As for Spike's heart, kinda true isn't it? He put himself out there knowing he was gonna get hurt. That's what he does, who he is. Now, I can say to you I'm very sorry but, with all due respect, they're spelt 'realisations and grey. They just are. >; -) Glad you liked it. X-xx-X

I like the interaction, and poor Buffy, this in front of her mother and sister, really awkward :-)

Author's Response: glad you liked it. awkward? yes, although she might have got away with it in regards to Dawn...didn't really think she should have been present for the whole 'amazing orgasm thing.' That could have been a bit icky! Thanks for taking the time to review. : )

That sounded like a whole lot of fun!!

Author's Response: Thanks Lou, It was meant to be! heehee. x

Love it xx just what the doctor ordered xxx more please xx

Author's Response: Thank you very much. You must have a good doctor if they prescribe that! There will be more coming, I promise, just backing off a bit to get some wider perspective on the story as a whole. Thanks for the review. x

Oh holy ..... Warn a girl next time! Good thing it's cold outside!

Author's Response: uuhhmm...sorry?

Author's Response: 5 minutes outside...you'll be fine : ) x-x

**gah** Are you *sure* you haven't done this before, Dark Heart? Not like any virgin I've ever ... oh ... uh ... never mind. Just to make sure everyone is clear - DARK HEART wrote all that lovely smutty goodness. I just fixed the commas and added in some extra paragraph breaks so I could breathe! Awesome job, DH! And I loved the scene with Joyce and Buffy at the end. Love it when Buffy laughs.

Now can't wait to see what happens if Spike is actually *awake* and participating in the Buffy lovin'. Oh my, that will rock! Great job!! {hugs}

Author's Response: Thanks P4S. Now, YOU may think it was just some commas and paragraph breaks, but as people said of my first chapter, paragraph breaks can make all the difference in reading a story. So big smooch for you for that. As for being a smut virgin... It's the scariest thing I've done so far, seeing how people will take it and hoping everyone won't turn round and say 'OMG that was terrible! never do that again' etc... And I blame you and PB for my foray into smut entirely! Anyone who reads this...they corrupted me, I swear! : ) Seriously though, P4S thanks for all your help on the little grammatical things that I will still probably get wrong and will rely on you to point out! ' comma here, new para here, period here' etc. x-x-x

It's great to see all the Summer's girls on the Spike bandwagon. Buffy shouldn't beat herself up to much though. Yeh she was hard on Spike in S5 but given everything that went before, you can't really blame her. At least she's seeing he's changed now. Super update.

Author's Response: Thanks for the review, Jane. You never know, maybe Spike's bandwagon has found a home? As for Buffy, don't worry, she's not gonna be super-depressed or anything! It was just a combination of big things all kinda hitting her in a short space of time. Does that make sense? Hope so. Thanks again.

Life for Buffy would have been so different if her mother hadn't died, so I love that you've begun with that premise - and that Spike managed to defeat Doc before he cut Dawn. Looking forward to seeing where you take this.

Author's Response: Hi A4S, thanks very much for the review. I love the character of Joyce and always thought that her and Spike had an off-screen friendship that we weren't privy to. Wishful thinking maybe? As for Spike saving Dawn... wasn't it Buffy that said Spike was the strongest warrior they had in season 7?... but he just got beat so easily by doc at the end of season 5. How wank was that? Spike should of kicked his arse!

Omfg loved it loved it more please :-)

Author's Response: Hi original, glad you liked it. there will be more to come. I promise.