OK. So, he rapes her every night, keeps her against her will, threaten to kill her family if she runs away, and he's what? Disappointed that she doesn't like him very much? Geez Spike, wake up and smell the coffee buddy ::shakes head:: Loved this chapter. I really enjoyed the team work and Illyria was funny. Great read.

Author's Response: Lol, he's a bastard *shakes head with you* Thanks for the review!

Oh WOW! I'm so on board with this dark tale...just love the bitter twists and turns you're writting into the plot...the whole atmosphere is swamped with killer vibes...and if this Buffy doesn't actually kill or seriously wound this Spike, I'll be very surprised...her anger is amazing and his unyeilding cruelity is powerful and scary...he gives me the shivers...and now he's progressed to using he family against her...(and doesn't that work so very, very well...oh boy!) controlling her is now made much easier...well, I'm ready for some more, I only hope you can update soon...please!!!

Author's Response: Shivers are good right? And yes, that's one thing the info is for - thanks for the review!

This is a really great story and I can't wait for chapter twelve. Awesome job!

Author's Response: Thanks!

”You’ll never be good enough, William.”


Dude don't destroy yourself go destroy Dru an Angel!!!

I'm keeping good Spike thoughts going for I think he can save himself and if he's real lucky once Buffy kicks his @ss these two might just figure each other out.



Author's Response: Yep, he's definitely venting his troubles in the wrong way, but you're right - he'll figure it out ;) Thanks for reviewing!

Kudos to Buffy for steppin up in the...evil game(?) not sure if thats a good thing or not, but anyway I externalize my internal rambling. Great chapter, I loved that heist expecially Illyria acting all innocent and Fred like. Knives huh, can't wait to see that flashback session. Kudos to you:D....man I love those bars...

Author's Response: Stepping up would be a correct assessment, and I'm glad someone finally said something about Illyria, lol. I liked that part and I thought people missed it. Thanks for reviewing!

I re-read this chapter this morning.
(I drank a little wine last night, at least a little for me and watched a really sappy, corny movie with Bob Hope and Lucille Ball).
I'm explaining this because I want to give you the frame of mind I was in last night. People I love or have loved, have had some hard knocks in their lives lately and I was not in a good frame of mind for angst last night.
That being stated, I re-read this, after a great night's sleep (time change and all) and came to some interesting conclusions that I don't want to express here, due to maybe spoiling the read for others.
Anyway, this chapter was quite amazing, really, the tides have changed indeed. Spike is now meshing himself into Buffy's life instead of just pulling her away from it.
I forgot about this, but (without the risk of ruining the plot twists) didn't Buffy get raped, basically, back in Sunnydale?
If that's the case, which I believe it is, then Spike is in for a big, big epipheny himself. Buffy ran 'from' her life in Sunnydale and right into Spike's dark life in LA. Interesting that now Spike is taking things to the extreme by going after certain entities in Buffy's past.
I hope this wasn't too confusing as a review, I just wanted to let you know after re-reading this, in a new light, I think I finally get it.
Thanks,
spuf

Author's Response: Lol, interesting conclusion are good. It does leave a lot to the imagination, so it'll be interesting to see what happened in the gap ;) Thanks for spending so much time reading this little fic :)

Update, please!!

Author's Response: I'll try! Thanks for reviewing :)

Someone's been watching "Alias". Nice to see something other than the raw violence the gang is usually engaged in.

Author's Response: Lol, I never watch Alias, but my beta does and she tries to suck me in. I do know that it is similar to that show though, lol. Thanks for the review!

OMG a update! I knew checking daily would so pay off lol. Ok he got her personal info to keep her in line. The 2 moth jump ahead was interesting cause I was wondering how you were going to play those to coming face to face after she woke up the next day. I'm not sure if him having her info is a good or bad thing cause we didn't really see his reaction to learning about her life so at this point I'm not gonna make to much of a judgement on that for we don't know how its gonna play out and oh I love that about reading this fic.
I do find it interesting Spike does not know what to say to her in the car, and she's wishing he'd drop dead. So it will be cool to see the next fight or mission with these two. Spike I think at this point is not all that he seems things are changing here and I'm loving it.

Loved this update and will willing beg for more.
Thank you for having me jumping out of my seat reading this.

Author's Response: Lol! I was glad to see a review as I am currently procrastinating on midterm studying. The "wishing he'd drop dead" comment cracked me up and you are very much right about the whole speechlessness Spike. I just liked the two month jump thing because I didn't want to write a straight chapter of how they confront each other - I think it'll be more interesting to see it in flashbacks or thoughts. And the info thing will be expanded :) Thanks for the great review!

Alright!!!! A PJ update!~

Wow didn't think she'd be working so fast but it makes sense. I really enjoyed this update now it has me all thinking where will it go from here. I'm craving more more more to this fic already and I just re-read the chap. 3 times lol.

Great work to you and beta's :D

Author's Response: Yep, she's starting out small, and at first I didn't think she would either, but I realized (with the help of some friends) that Spike likes to throw her in there blindly. 3 times??? lol. Wow, that's really flattering - thank you!

This is a interesting twist I have a question though did Spike get Buffy's life info and it using it as a means to keep her in line? Did he threaten to kill off her family or something? With the Dawn reference I was just curious. Cause that left me kinda confused.

It's very La Femme Nikita Buffy although in a place she hates is hardening up and withdrawing from those around her to survive. I'm not sure Spike knows what to do with Buffy at this point. They sort of had a "No going back" point with Spike it seems he's looking more at himself and actions and I think* he see's the girl and person who Buffy is now that he looks at her. It seems he in many ways was a victim also and harden to shut himself off from his emotions and is starting now to see the same in her. What he does with that will be interesting to watch play out.

Buffy, it's cool to see her come into her own and take back her control. I do not think anyone including Spike in this gang will know what she is capable of or the strength she will now possess. It's a hard story to write and I give you a lot of credit cause to beat a girl down in a strong you always have people cringe but its truly a gift of a great writer is to then transform the girl who was broken into a woman who can't be destroyed. And in becoming that woman she is a force of strength.

Spike, I do not hate Spike as most people might in this fic. He's simply a guy who's like a inside out version of Buffy, both are broken down in life both tried to survive the best they could in a insane setting. Yes he sunk to the ultimate low but that could be his salvation in fixing himself. Sometimes you have to see the monster in yourself and what you have let yourself become to save yourself. I have hope yet in him.

I really hope now your back to writing the chapters keep coming cause it is hard sometimes to wait on greatness lol. I really like your work and am a fan on all your fics. You really weave a tale well and leave a reader begging for more.

4 STARS

Author's Response: Spike knew why she was tense and highly irritated. He had told her they would kill them all - there was nothing else that would ensure she didn’t run – it was the only way. Although (spoiler-ish) I never said it was the only reason he got her info ;) And I've never seen Le Femme Nikita, but my beta did mention that. She is my living witness that I had this sort of "job" style planned for the gang since the very beginning. Yes, I did have Drusilla shoot a random guy in an alley, but she's a little tactless and I never meant to imply that's all they did. In fact I think Angelus said something about how she wasn't supposed to be killing more people. I like your thoughts on Spike and Buffy, and in many ways, it's exactly what I want people people to start thinking for themselves. I just love when people get into depth about it, and I'm glad that I don't always have to implant those thoughts into people's minds by spelling it out :) Thanks for the good review and lovely rating!

Author's Response: The first two sentences I pasted from the end of the fic - sorry, the space didn't hold when I submitted.

You know, I'm almost glad that Buffy's indifferent towards Spike- it's nice to see that she's getting stronger during every chapter. Plus, the heist was an interesting twist to throw in- ever since "Cool Money", the thought of JM in a situation like that makes me grin. I'm happy you posted the chapter, even though you weren't happy with the situation;)

Author's Response: Oh ho ho, you don't even know the half of it. I woke up and was about to post, when I saw, and got so pissed, lol. But I'm glad you liked the heist twist - had that one planned for a while but apparently ppl thought they were a lowlife gang, lol. And yes, I'm liking where Buffy's going too ;) Thanks for reviewing!

I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me.
I've taken a couple of hits lately (actually a lot of hits) in the lives of the people I care about. My level of dealing with angst is about bust.
I think that's why I have such a problem with reading it and writing it.
I have co-workers who were involved in LA gangs and other gangs and yes, I know they are very prevelent and controling in LA. Most of my friends who were in gangs have battle scars from those days.
There's a big flap going on in S. LA right now about billboards for movies and old gangsters who have recently found themselves redeemed in the public eye.
I'm not sure if Spike and Buffy are still together in this fic, I find myself almost wanting them to be, but mostly because I want Buffy safe.
I'm not one of these anti Buffy readers who feel she should be punished, time after time because of Joss or ME. They wrote her character (especially in season 6 and somewhat in 7) way off of canon, to me anyway. Frankly, they made her a bitch, I feel, when she didn't deserve it.
Spike was evil in the show, something alot of sites will never accept, only Buffy redeemed him, in my eyes. If Buffy can't redeem him? Then he's unredeemable, to me anyway. I know I'll get stakes for this but it is only my opinion.
I've always found Spike's character a little rash at times however I felt that Joss redeemed him in 7 by allowing him to die an honorable death. My only complaint was when they reserected him in Angel (again, I'll get stakes for this one, I've always gotten staked for this).
It's no crime to change for love, I'll always believe that. I've known men and women who have and I'd hoped that Spike could, for Buffy. Like I feel he did in the show.
Again, it's my opinion, alot of people love evil, unredeemed Spike, but in my opinion? Spike like that is just Angel, but shorter and with blond hair.

I love this story, I do. I just hoped that Spike wouldn't dump Buffy because she wouldn't jump into the dark side all the way?
spuf


Author's Response: Whoa, lol. I never said they weren't together. I thought you were asking about it in sexual terms. I don't think it'll be a spoiler to tell you they are still 'together' in at least one meaning of the term. And I disagree about Spike and Angel being the same, because then Spike wouldn't have started loving Buffy when he was pre-soul in the first place. But anyway, redemption is a long road - I already implied I'm taking it :)