This is a really great twist! I love the more mature Buffy and the fact that she finds a life for herself. I can't wait to see what you do next!! Thanks for sharing your talent and imagination!

Rev it's still fantastic! I want to thank you for the quick updates. when you find a story as compelling and well written as this you want to read it straight through. I would love to see another chapter soon. Thanks for a great, unique story!

Wow What a beautiful chapter. Buffy and Spike belong together. Hope they get to LA and meet up with Joyce. Hopefully if the Scoobies find out they leave her alone in her happeness. May Spike Kick Angels selfish butt. And Joyce should get an oscar for her performance. Please update soon and often. Looking forward to the rest of this story. More chapters please

great updates to this story

Wow, these last four chapters were amazing! I loved the growth that Buffy went through while alone and away from the influences of the Scoobies, Giles, and Angel. She matured so much into the person I think she could have become on the show....and her scenes with Spike...WOW!! This last chapter was amazing, and I hope that the newfound feelings they have for each other don't change after she comes back from death. Can't wait for more!!!

loved it.

Great Chapter. Great Story. Your writing really brings the emotions out. Please continue to update soon and often. Love this story. Can't wait to see what happens next. Hopefully Joyce will know Buffy is still alive before angel lets them know Buffy is dead.

Love the conversations between them. They're profound, but done in a light manner that gives the story speed. Great job.

Damn, that was quick. No sooner had I reviewed/begged for more only to click on Recently Added and find a spankin' new chappie! ***closes eyes and wishes for a million dollars and own personal Spike in the flesh*** Did it work? ***looks around eagerly*** Damn. Oh, well...

This is a very interesting story but there are two things that are causing problems. The first problem is that you're rushing. In three short chapters you’ve skipped over a great deal of time. This is compounded by the fact that Buffy has gone through great changes during the period. The reader is left scrabbling to understand how Buffy has matured from the girl we knew in Season 3 to who she is now. There is no sense of progression. This leaves the rest of the story (particularly her acceptance of Spike) somewhat unbelievable. This is mostly due to the second problem. In these three chapters you've told the reader what has happened. You haven't shown them. This robs the story of immediacy and a sense of realism. What you really needed to do is follow Buffy's travels as if they were happening, rather than writing about them as if they were a diary entry or reflection. You don’t have to spend chapters doing this but more insight into Buffy’s experiences and travels is essential. I strongly suggest that you go back and give the background and foundation that this plot deserves. You have a good idea and you're a good writer. It’s just that you’ve leapt into the body of the story and have forgotten how important the introduction is.

Author's Response: I understand your point about rushing the natural progression of the story but I also had two specific problems to contend with. The first being many readers, hate waiting for the main characters to meet. In outlining the story I planned out a chapter detailing Buffy's character progression during her travels but in the end I decided against including it. We were shown how Buffy matured during her trip to LA as Anne on the show and once she returned to Sunnydale her belief in herself lapsed. With Giles and the Scoobies, she didn't have to have all the responsiblitiy for her choices and it was easy for her to allow them to led her...until Angel's return. That's when she once again started to show us her more mature and adult side.
Which leads me to the second problem, I am creating a Spuffy story during a time when she is consumed by Angel. His defection is the catalyst for her decision to re-discover herself but she can't just leave because of him or else it portrays her as trying to run which she is not. Her thoughts in the opening of the first chapter show her dependency on Angel and her confortation with her mother, shows her a side of him she refused to see before. Faced with such a harsh truth about his character, it strengthens her need to understand who she is without him or the rest of her friends. I tried to show her evolution by her becoming attached to Brenna in Ireland, her repaying the kindness the woman gave her by helping her around the inn...something a less mature person would have overlooked. Many people, despite their age have gotten lax about responding to the kindness of others, they either take it without giving anything back or they offer cash as a thank you, which is less sincere and impersonal.
As for my ultimate decision to show that through reflection, it's because she's not the only one trying to find herself. Both her and Spike are cut adrift and thier past experiences closely echo each other. Basically neither one knows their self-worth and together they help each other see the greatness and strength they both posess. Buffy can see parts of herself in Spike and their first meeting is not the first time she discovers there is more to him that what meets the eyes...she already learned that during her brief alliance with him. Now that she is more or less free from her role as the Slayer, it's understandable that she is allowing herself to explore that side of him. She's still a Slayer but since the Powers have released her from her fealty, it's not such a big moral dilema.She can spend time with him without wondering if she is failing her role as a Slayer. Basically both Spike and Buffy will evolve together which will be covered well before the inevitable meeting with their pasts. Thank you so much for the feedback, it's often helps to be able to discuss the overall theme of the story and my motivations behind it!

Wow, great starting chapter!!! I love that you're gonna do a twist on the end of S3 with Buffy leaving, and being immortal. Haven't read a story like that, so I'm very curious and anxious to see the progression. Can't wait for the next chapter!!!

A great begining. Please continue with this story. Can't wait to see how it progresses. Update soon and often Please