You're very welcome, and... good job, Buffy! Proud of her in this one, she was smart and quick-thinking... and showed just the right level of competence for one lesson, I think. Brava to you both.

Author's Response: Thanks again, your email was very helpful. I was little nervous putting in the move she did because I hadn't specifically shown it, but I did mention that he demonstrated things to her, so I think it's ok. I'm glad you think it jibes with her level of competence (which is pretty nil, lol). Thanks for reviewing too!

Brilliant! I love the way this storey is going, and I'm glad that Buffy discovered Parker's less savoury side before succumbing to his so-called charms. Yay Buffy!*

Author's Response: Thanks, I'm glad you like how it's progressing. Well, Parker's slimy side was bound to show up. Thanks for reviewing! :)

This is amazing!!! I love how you've fleshed everyone quite believably. Dru isn't painted as someone purely psycho, just eccentric and that Angel isn't a complete douchebag, what with him warning Buffy about Parker.

And of course, I love your pacing of the story. Not saccharine sweetness, but the slow burning kind of love story that I'm terribly fond of. Can't wait for the next one!!

Author's Response: Thanks! Yes, I'm trying not to make anyone too one-sided, cardboard cutout-y, because real people aren't. Even the most outwardly nasty people have feelings.

Great, I know everyone's impatient for them to get together, but they're coming from such different places I don't want to rush it. I just posted the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing! :)

Can't Buffy and Spike have a decent conversation without Dru?? More please!

Author's Response: Well, they have in tutoring lessons, but not about anything life changing hehe. I just updated, hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reviewing! :)

A good weekend to your too.
Angel really thought Buffy wanted him back. But he tried to warn her about Parker. Coming to think of it: it's good that Buffy had he first self defense lesson this day ;-)
The lesson went well too. At last till Drusilla came, making Buffy hear her talk (about the date) and making her realize that she (Buffy) is jealous. ~ Loved Buffy cheering William up a bit.

Author's Response: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter :) Thanks for reviewing, Cordy!

Excellent chapter. Where he tackled Buffy to the ground was very hot! Trust Dru to come in and spoil the moment! I hope Buffy gets to try out her new moves on Parker!!! I hope you can update soon.

Author's Response: Yes, Dru's good that way, isn't she? She has excellent timing. I'll try and update as soon as possible. Thanks for reviewing! :)

Heh, yeah, I've seen scary people on buses!

Hey, Angel can actually pull his head out.....too bad she won't take his advice about Parker. I'm sure her lesson will help, though, when he gets too grabby.

Now the green-eyed-monster is coming between Buffy and Will.....will he figure it out before Buffy blurts out she likes him?

Author's Response: Hehe, I think they're mostly concerned with people lurking between the gym and bus stop.

Yes, Angel's actually trying to help her here.

Have to wait and see who blurts out the truth first! :) Thanks for reviewing!

my mistake. I meant to say this story updated. I don't know why I typed movie. Must be time for bed.

Author's Response: Time for bed for me too! I knew what you meant :)

Liking it!

Although, gotta say, the floor's a pretty good position to fight from – no one can knock you down. If they're standing and you keep your legs between you and them, side kicking when they approach, they can't even get close. Rest on one forearm, keep the opposite knee pointed up so they can't jump on you, one hand in a guarding position... you may not be able to run, but you're not beaten.

Obviously, someone on sitting on your hips on top of you is not ideal, but bend your knees and put your feet down, lift your hips just enough to be able to and sharply twist – you can send people much bigger than you flying off. I did this to my 6-foot-plus sensei. And there are ways to get out of even what might seem like hopeless pins, like being face down and having someone sprawled over your back and holding your wrists.

Sorry, I know this comment may seem nitpicky and missing-the-point, and you may cover it in the future, but I'd hate anyone to get the impression that down=out.

Author's Response: Oooo, see now here's where I need someone who knows what the heck I'm trying to write about, lol. Yes, I was talking about someone sitting on you and honestly, all I had to go on was my over a decade ago marine ex-boyfriend's brief foray into teaching me self defense. He drilled that into my head and did pretty much what William did over and over in the backyard and not once was I able to prevent it, mind you he wasn't exactly telling me very well how at 110lbs I was supposed to keep over 200 lbs of guy from knocking me down. I think I was supposed to be evading him or figuring something out from all the times I hit the ground, but I sucked at it, haha. All I got out of that was grass stains and a few bruises, so I'm not writing from a wealth of experience here (always bad!).

If you have any recommendations on a book or two or websites so I can not be so uninformed, I'd really appreciate them. I couldn't really find much on amazon, maybe I was using the wrong search terms. I bought a couple basic defense ones to look at, but boy are they basic. You could email me by clicking the contact button or using my username@yahoo.com. Or if I could just download the information in your head...that'd be fantastic...gimme :P I think I gave myself an out in this particular instance by having him say she could get out of it, she just had less things she could do. Hopefully, I did.

You don't have to apologize at all, that was a wonderfully helpful review. I want what I write to be funny only when it's supposed to be! :) I like nit-picky and the only shot I have at covering it in the future is if I cheat and crib from what you just wrote! Thanks very much for the comments.

Author's Response: Oh let me add that if I write anything else that's iffy or just downright wrong, I'd love to hear about it. That's really constructive criticism. (And no, given the choice again, I would probably *not* put the story so firmly in an arena I don't know much about - I have no idea what I was thinking. I think I liked my tough-under-the-surface William too much to give him up, really. Now I'm written into a teensy tiny corner...)

Hmm...I've wanted to read this for a while now but told myself to wait until it grew a bit to jump in, seeing as how I find it terribly painful to read only a couple chapters and have to wait. I am dreadfully impatient, you see?

Yes, yes. Well, I decided to go ahead a read it now since I was really quite bored. And bored I am no longer! It's really a wonderful read. Of course I've always been a softie when it came to high school fics but this is by far one of the better ones I've read. All of your characters are so dynamic and very believable, even if young William is quite naive. I'm quite a softie for William fics too. And I love even more that your William has spunk (no pun intended). It's nice to see a William who can defend himself.

Point is, you've done a splendid job so far with this fic and I'd love nothing more than to see an update soon.


Author's Response: I know the feeling. I'm very impatient myself. I really want to know what happens next and of course there's always the looming fear that I could get involved in a great story and it'll remain unfinished and I'll never ever know how it ends. I hate that worst of all! I'd be willing to beg, plead and grovel to some of the authors, but I've a feeling they might think I was a little nuts and it would be less than productive.

I'm glad the boredom was banished and that you're enjoying the story. Thanks so much for the wonderful compliments, I appreciate them. I love William too. I've been a little worried that I changed him too much, but I'm trying to keep him hovering on the edge right now between brilliant, sweet, book geek and confident Spike

Well, thank you so much for the lovely review, it's very encouraging and does inspire me to write more! I just posted tonight, so it may be a couple or a few days before another, but if I get some writing in tomorrow maybe it'll be sooner.

Drusilla again.. making sure Buffy knew. The claws are coming out.

And have a feeling Parker is going to be a problem...
hopefully lessons learned for Buffy.

Enjoying

Author's Response: Yes, just far away enough for Buffy to still hear them. Bet that was an accident. Possibly a Parker problem in the future :) Thanks for reviewing!

I'm glad that William came to Buffy's rescue even if he neither didn't like her there not her worried questions for his mom.

Author's Response: Oh, of course he would help her, thought to be honest, he would've helped anyone in that situation. Thanks for reviewing :)

Ohh, you see, if I had been Buffy, I would have had a real long gawp at Spike in the bath before I woke him up! lol I know not the time. I'm not mad at William, I can understand where he's coming from.

Thanks for another wonderful chap... on to the next! xx

Author's Response: Haha, no, not quite the time for that. Oh good, I was worried people would be upset with him for rejecting Buffy's statement that they were friends. Thanks for reviewing! :)