Are there any stories out there that have Spike and Buffy having a child that is special needs? Could be just about anything really- autism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, deafness, etc.

I'd really prefer stories that aren't All Human AUs. Those just don't fly for me, sorry.

Thanks, y'all!

Really this is just the weirdest request ever and I don't think this is the forum...

I don't think its' inappropriate but I also don't recall anything that would fit this criteria. It's pretty specific in a very niche kind of way. There is an all human fic where they have twins and one of them dies shortly after birth but even that would be outside of the criteria. There's a story where their son turns out to be an immature pissy son of a bitch but even though it's not all human it still doesn't fit the criteria. And that's all I can come up with.

I think this one may be destined to remain unresolved for the requester.

SMac
Yeah, I'm aware that it's specific, I was just sort of wondering if it had been done because I had never seen it even though baby fics seem to be fairly popular. I thought it would be an interesting challenge for them, especially since it would be very far out of their comfort levels, or Buffy's at least.

But if it doesn't exist, it doesn't exist. *Shrug*

I'm fascinated by the implications this could bring to a Spuffy story. At the risk of sounding heartless, I think it would be a very very interesting story to write. I've read it in House, MD fanfic (done extremely well), but to imagine the realities of raising a differently-able child on the Hellmouth seems like a very challenging story to write.

I think it's a great request, and I wonder if a good writing challenge couldn't stem from it.

I think this 'verse has enough angst without bringing a disabled child into the mix.

Yes. people who don't HAVE a disabled child think its fasciniating...let me tell you I have a disabled child and fascinating is not a way to describe our world. Can't I just escape and read spufffy that doesn't have the heartache of raising a specail needs child....

Yes, of course. I have found though that quite a lot of fanfiction kind of serves an emotional need in the reader beyond simple escapism or a really good read. Sometimes it is exactly the circumstances of the plot that helps a person work through emotions and issues in their personal life at the time. Miscarriages, divorces, break-ups, rape, child abuse, domestic violence -- all of these are treated in fanfiction and sometimes reading about them is a way the reader can work through those very issues in their own lives. And other times they are a trigger for others who will avoid that subject at all costs because the subject is too painful. It depends on the reader. I was recently reading a beautifully plotted and written JAG story where the female lead's issues and problems reflected my own in a particularly painful way and I could not stop crying while reading it and finally had to simply put it away. It had gone beyond helping me deal and was dredging up too much for me. I will become attached to certain stories for the fact that they deal with certain difficult subjects even though they are not as well written (which is a huge deal for me, I am difficult to please in spelling and grammar and usually quite critical) and bemoan the fact that some subjects tend to be ignored by the best writers and dealt with almost always by second-tier writers. It is my own personal frustration.

So, I guess what I'm saying here is that people choose fanficion in whatever genre and focus for various reasons and all anyone has to do is choose which to pick up and which to pass by. To each their own.

As someone with a disabled family member and having worked in an SEN setting my whole career, I would be very interested to read fanfic that focuses on this. Disabilities are still under represented or used badly in fiction, I'm always interested to explore the lives of disabled characters and also the affect of disability on carers/parents/friends.

Fanfic is mostly for fun/to get out all your kinky ideas, but in all the years I've been reading (mostly in the Buffy/Harry Potter fandoms) I've seen it used as a forum to explore and represent diversity, politics and sensitive issues. Writing about disability has to be well written, well researched/based on personal experience, and dealt with carefully but if done right it can be educational, raise awareness and be interesting!

In the bazillions of babyfics I've read, would I like to see the dynamic with a blond haired, blue eyed 4 year old on the autistic spectrum like my Ben? Absolutely!

I've always thought if I was more involved in fandom (I tend to just lurk and read) I would love to arrange an exchange/fest (type thing?) where participants chose a charity, told the readers why they support that charity and linked to the website, and wrote a fic that involved the issues the charity represents... so anything 'B/S have a disabled child', 'Xander saves the rainforest', 'Anya dresses as a giant pink bunny and does Race For Life for breast cancer awareness'. There's a lot to be said for the community feel and charity of fandom, I think there would be some really great ideas!

I remember reading a fic where the baby Spike and Buffy have where a monster/horribly disfigured, and Spike kills it (?)and burries it. Very angsty, and no happy ending, but I do not remember the name.

Once I read one fanfic where Spike had a niece with autimos. Her parents died and he became guardian. Buffy were his doctor or something like that. But I don´ remember the author. I think It was in Spuffy fantasy, but I don´t remember if there some end.