Loved it, and off for more!
*hugs*

Author's Response: Thank you!

Really great chapter!

Author's Response: Thank you!

LOL I LOVE THAT SHE TOLD HIM HE SAVED A WATCHER!! i LOVE this story so much and am so happy that u updated. im so glad that spike didnt kill giles and that she beat the vamp. i really hope that they get angelus soon and that everything works out well. PLEASE update as soon as u can, i CANT wait to read more. THANX

Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! Spike saved a Watcher on accident, LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

That was a great trick Buffy dreamt of! Can't wait for the next update!

Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

Don't get me wrong, I love this story, but I thought this was a little anti -climatic. I was hoping that her fight with the vamp would have taken at least a little longer than that. Also, buffy sometimes sounds so much like a brat. Spike does everything for her, but all she seems to do is to bitch and complain.

This is your story, so of course the characterization of the characters is up to you., and I also don't expect you to change anything because of my opinion. It's just that, as someone who loves this story, I thought it would be okay for me to drop my two cents.

Other than that, I think you write very well and this is pretty much the only fanfic I keep up with. Keep up the good work and I hope my comment isn't taken the wrong way.

Author's Response: Not taken the wrong way at all! I think when Buffy complains (I assume you mean at the end, not about Spike wanting to kill Giles), she is perhaps more aware than Spike about what could have happened. Him going with her could have put her in danger another way, if the Council had seen. The test was for her alone to do, and certainly not for her to do with a vampire. (If you think she's been too bitchy other times, they've had fights, but nothing comes to my mind recently. The last few chapters before the Cruciamentum were couple-y and almost "honeymoon stage" in their relationship, at least I thought so.) I spent a long time trying to figure out how to get the Cruciamentum to work for this story. On the one hand, Buffy can't let Spike do it for her, because it is about taking control of her power. But on the other, this (obsessive and protective) Spike is clearly not going to leave her alone like Angel did on the show. But I still felt that Buffy had to do this on her own terms. I'm sorry if you thought it was anti-climatic. My plan from the beginning of this was to have her torch the vamp, idea courtesy of Faith, which doesn't exactly lend itself to a long fight scene. Also, since Spike is present, he wouldn't have let her get into a truly bad spot with the vampire, and I didn't want him to save her at all. I also wanted to do a Cruciamentum that "went right," with an average vampire (which really should be enough for any girl without powers to face), and not similar to what happened on the show. But I'm glad you're liking the story, even if you didn't enjoy this chapter as much. Thanks for commenting!

I love the differences between canon Spike and this Spike. He's just as devoted to Buffy, but there's no rein holding him back from protecting her or tamping down his violent nature. Buffy loves all of him, and that has to include this core of violence. He's willing to temper himself, but not to be good, just to be good with her. It's a wonderful dynamic that you're handling beautifully.

Buffy's overwhelmed reaction to Giles' betrayal was beautifully written, and the slayer dream was an excellent way to pull her out of the mild depression caused by her weakness and the betrayal. Buffy's weapon was quite clever, and I was smiling that Spike had just rolled over her wishes that he stay clear. He was right to be there, and I'm glad she was able to see that in the end.

Their last exchange gave me a much needed grin in an otherwise tension filled chapter.

Author's Response: Thank you! This Spike is very much unleashed where canon Spike wasn't. There's no chip, no soul, only Buffy to keep him from being bad. Everything he does he does for her. I think Buffy needed the Slayer/Faith dream to make her realize that she could do what she needed to. But of course Spike still didn't leave her alone, even though she didn't need his help to pass the test. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!