“Do you always understand everything you say?”

“Yes, but I must listen attentively.”

Love Oscar. Kind of like a more upscale old timey Giles. And Never, Never did I anticipate poor William would be alive!! To say if that is a merciful thing or not, I can't quite, but she's got him. For how long, and what do those vamps plan on next, I suppose I shall just have to wait. Nearing the end is something I anticipate and wish wouldn't quite come so soon. It's been and continues to be an amazing ride. :) Update soon!

Author's Response: BR, you've been such a loyal reader and thoughtful reviewer. I've been bothered by something - by an earlier something I said that made it sound like this tale will have an unhappy ending. I meant to say that *some* readers will dislike the ending, just as some readers disliked the ending of "Yours, William." I don't think most readers will dislike this ending and I don't think you will. I certainly don't dislike it. So, no worries. (And if you DO dislike my ending, I expect to hear from you as I learn a lot that way) ~~ I'm 3/4 finished with the next chapter and I'm terribly excited about it. I haven't felt this way about a chapter since the ending of "Yours". Hope to update very soon!

Argh! I await more with baited (or is it bated) breath. What kind of breath is that anyway? Is it fishy? Sorry, I digress. Awesome chapter. I cannot wait for Buffy to kick Dru's skanky ass.

Author's Response: Giving absolutely no spoilers, I will say that some bad assery goes down. So, I was curious. Turns out Shakespeare used "bated breath" first - and it was a shortened version of "abated" or lowered. So ... like holding your breath!

I love how Oscar is actually a character instead of a collection of quotes. He feels like a real person, and the relationship he has with Buffy is lovely.

Author's Response: I found "Jersey Shore Gone Wilde" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhk5Rjz7xk0 and thought of you :) Thank you. That means a lot

Hate mail at the end? Whatever do you plan on doing to them? Wait, don't tell me, just update in a polite and timely fashion, and put Spike back in that coat. Oh, I do hope he forgives her. She was wrong not to try to tell him sooner, but 100 some odd years out of her element, gotta give her a little slack. Right? Still love it. Love Oscar, and the poor tea funeral. Please, update soon! Gotta see how Billy and William get along. :)

Author's Response: Thanks for mentioning the tea funeral. With all the big things going on, I worried that Stinky Stan and his brewed marvel would be forgotten! No hate mail! I am happy to report. I won't spoil anything - except to say thanks for trusting me and I hope that you won't consider your trust misplaced. That's what I think about at night because I am a huge dork.

Bless you for the notes at the end, I always enjoy reading them!! I never knew what Oscar Wilde looked like and I'm surprised to find out how handsome he was. Gorgeous and smart?! Wish there were more men like that around today. :D I love the way you write him because he brought levity and humour into an otherwise tense situation between Buffy and William. Speaking of, brilliant writing there... it felt true and heartbreaking and why the hell aren't you writing original fiction?? Although I'm selfishly glad you're writing Spuffy fics. ;)

Btw, not sure if you're aware of this but when they were inventing Spike, they were deciding between the English punk persona and Western-like southerner. Just find this story and William being dressed like a cowboy an awesome parallel.

Author's Response: Wow. You are so nice to me. This is one of those reviews that I'll take out and read on dark days. I'm glad you liked Oscar. The first draft of the past chapter, I called him "Fingal O'Flahertie" and 'based him' on Oscar Wilde because I was too intimidated by the real guy and thought I couldn't do it. I wish I would have done the William as a cowboy as an intentional parallel, but alas. :) Thanks EoR!

I feel for William so, so much. Apparently, as soon as Buffy becomes a slayer she snaps back to her tendency of pushing people away, which is such a big part of her character. LOVED William's POV, Oscar Wilde as Buffy's watcher, all the wonderfully written descriptions and insights. Can't wait to read more!!

Author's Response: Thanks so much EoR. Oscar is kind of a larger than life person to tackle. It's good he's at the end of the story or I'd curl into a little intimidated ball!

Oscar Wilde. Who woulda thunk? Glad to see she finally came out to William, of sorts, even if he is still too outta sorts to comprehend it. Should come to light soon enough. Glad she's making her mark on history. One can only hope that she changes the rest of the story too. Love that William is in a duster again. Wonder when that picture will click for his missus. He's got the scar now and the coat. Are we working backwards to something-something, or something else? I find it best not to give too much away as a reviewer either. :) Dru and Billy are up and coming and I eagerly await that double date. But truly, the most important question in all of this, when will the meet up with their luggage? Hmmm... So many questions. Update soon!

Author's Response: Thanks BR! The current chapter is at the betas as I type. :) Oscar is ... challenging to write! I hope I get him right! The luggage question will be answered as well! Thanks again for your feedback

Are you serious about the ultimate fate of the chinese? They were enslaved after all they had been through. Boy, history does indeed suck.

Author's Response: I know! So depressing! I need to call my hollywood friends and have this made into a movie. Wait. :( I don't have any of those.

Oh my goodness. Where to being? Sexy eyebrow scar like Spike - check! Love the idea. Oscar Wilde - you sooo did not go there!! Haha. But I love it. I've always loved him. I seriously cannot wait to see what you do with him. And it brings up so many questions - was he assigned to the current generation's slayer? Or is Buffy his first? Will Buffy be able to form a relationship with a new Watcher considering how betrayed she was with Giles? (And, oddly - I feel a little... I don't know - guilty maybe? - at the thought that Buffy could have a relationship with someone other than Giles? God I love Giles! Well, before the whole season 7 gonna kill Spike attitude and the season 6 Buffy you need to be on your own even though you just came out of heaven attitude).

Additionally, with the appearance of a new watcher, how aware is the Council that things are seriously wrong in the timeline? Will there be great-great-whatever-Travers to be royal pain in the ass? Are the PTB ever going to get their asses in gear and help the girl out?

And William - poor William - how is he going to deal with Buffy's lies/secrets? She has to come clean - and, heaven forbid, SHARE her emotions with HER HUSBAND! Surely she learned the first time around that Spike/William does not like being kept in the dark. And HIS adorable speech to the crowd - calling to their inner goodness (so sweet that he thought an appeal like that would work), clearly shows that even in his human incarnation, he's not going to sit idly by while she's in danger.

SOOO many good things happening. I can't wait for the next bit. Please don't stop writing. I have to know how this ends!!! Thanks so much.



Author's Response: Haha! What a terrific way to start my morning. Cup of coffee with caramel flavoring and responding to this review from you, Inara. What a lovely long review it is!! I had one of those nights where I couldn't sleep and just had to settle for scribbling notes about upcoming STUFF until past 2 am! (I wish I didn't obsess about stories, but that seems to be the way of it!) I was working through a lot of Oscar stuff last night. I've researched him, but I need to get inside his head and see what makes him tick. He's such a singular sort of person. I think you will see that as different as Giles is from Oscar, so will the watcher-slayer relationship be different. No worries about Oscar "replacing" Giles, per se. I remember reading my first Oscar Wilde short story in elementary school and ... he's really the first writer I remember. I just adored him and thought society treated him so cruelly. Let's hope Dru and Billy won't stop me from being a little nicer to him. I'm so glad you liked William's speech. I wanted it to be convincing without being condescending. And I wanted him to play a real part in quelling the riot (using a poets words and not a slayers fists). Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Keeping a connection like this is what keeps me going - knowing that you're with me and seeing the things I'd hoped you'd see. I won't stop writing - the story is all lined out....8 pages of outline. I just have to ... ya know, write it out of outline form! Hugs!

Yeah, I found out about the hysteria treament and origin of the vibrator about 15 years ago working for a women's health company... found it incredible, took me a while to come to grips with it (so to speak), and still am always a little shocked when I run into evidence of it. As Twain liked to point out, "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't."


Author's Response: Haha, yeah. That stuff is freaky. Unluckily for my husband, when I've had more than a couple of glasses of wine, I tend to talk about it at parties too :D

Oh ... shoooo! For a minute there I thought you'd somehow gotten Liam/Angelus into the mix! Thank goodness the Irishman was only her Watcher! Buffy definitely messed up - poor William, feeling betrayed and like he doesn't know who she is. I hope she can redeem herself with him. And just what does Dru have in mind? Oh dear, that's a worry, innit? Thanks for the update! Hope your muse finds inspiration and the time to keep going!

Author's Response: Thanks! Yeah, I sure wouldn't have wanted to drag Angel into any of this. The next chapter is coming along, but requires a lot of brushing up on Oscar Wilde first. He's a blast as a person, but intimidating to write!

"Americans are great hero worshipers, and they always take their heroes from the criminal classes." -Oscar Wilde-


What a flippin' great quote, and danged if it doesn't explain just why we like Spike so much, yeah?

Love the info on the Pullman porters...

Author's Response: And that Oscar Wilde quote becomes even more odd when you read chapter 31!!! WHICH I JUST POSTED!! (/immature)