terrific work you've done - want to add my THANKS for all the work you did with use of images. first great selection and excellent manips on lighting and levels.

Another great chappie babes.:) You're knocking it outta the park with this one. Love how you have Buffy in and out of lucidness(is that a word?) so heartbreaking for both of them. And the Bot is so awesome. You made a good choice to have her in this story. It balances out the sadness and angst really well.
I wish Buffy would tell Spike about Dawn and needing him to make a baby. but that would be too easy lol. Hated Negative! Buffy(too much like canon!) and loved the Abby reference. I love her too and Spike definitely would too. :)

And dammit here's the Big Poof! How the hell did he find them? Isn't he supposed to be in Pylea or something?
That was a truly evil cliffie. I hope Buffy or the Bot save Spike from Angel and shove a stake so high up his ass that he dusts. *evil laff and mustache twirl*

I see you've finally read the comics. Are you finished yet? Or have you not gotten to the most disgusting and stupid issue yet? Number 34 *spit* I officially despise Angel now and before the comics I liked him well enough. And Buffy isn't too far behind. They made her stupid, selfish and a horrible person. My love for the verse suffered for a long while, and I had a hard time even reading fics set after Chosen cause I just couldn't make them fit into the Buffy they portrayed in the comics. And no Spike anywhere so it looks like she never loved him at all.(and number 36 just reinforced that. *cries*) I was really, really down for a while there. And season 9 isn't much better, at least Angel is off with Faith, but no Spuffy to speak of. I apparently am some sort of masochist and can't stop reading them, it's like a train wreck lol. And the pic of Buffy is nice, but it's from that horrible issue so I don't like it. Sue me I'm petty. :)

More soon plz, and hopefully some Angel dustage. For me pretty please? *smooches*

Author's Response: Hi AMI!!! Glad you're liking it! Yes, I do think my evil muse was being kind to include the Bot to lighten the angst a bit. She's a good egg. Glad you agree that Spike would like Abby! I love her!

Yes, {sigh} sorry, I know it would be better for Buffy to tell Spike about the baby-making-Dawn-saving thing, but ... way too easy. If it helps at all, she will continue to struggle with that and even come very close to telling him, until he, of course, does something stupid and prideful and stops her. Oh, our poor bad-communicate-y couple!

We'll find out how the Poof found them next and if there is any Angel dustage to be had.

Yes, I read the comics. Yes, I barfed. I knew who TW was waaaay before the big 'reveal' and I kept going, 'Buffy! Really! You can't tell who the F that is!??" I have to say that whole thing had me just confused - Why would Buffy do that!?!?! (any of it!!) Grrrrr! Joss! He's such a wanker!

I am into S9 now, no Angel, lots more Spike, BUT Buffy still won't give him a crumb! She just uses him when she needs a friend and he just lets her. Damn it, Buffy! How could she stand there in the Hellmouth and say 'I love you' and then be like this? GRRRR! I guess Spike was right, 'No you don't...'

I probably should've stuck with fanfic! I'm sorry that the comics turned you off even fanfic for a while. I get it, because I kept looking for things that 'fit' with my own fics to kinda validate them, but there was very little to be had. The thing I did like was Spike saying he'd like a 'normal life' and that he could be that for her and that he'd like 'kidlets'. That was a nice validation. Of course, Buffy wasn't having it. Bit-ca.

Actually where I snagged that picture, someone had cut Angel out of it already. I do love those drawings, I keep wishing for a Spuffy one, but alas ...no. There was one with Spike and Buffy on the couch watching TV and doing a crossword or something, but it wasn't by that super good artist (Whose name escapes me now).

Will have more later today! Can't promise about the Angel dustage (yet?) :O (oooo, is that a spoiler for later? hmmmm...)

Thanks sooo much for reading and always stopping in, AMI! Always love your insights and wonderful reviews!! {hugs}

I'm enjoying this, alot. Evil cliffie, not withstanding. Update soon, please!

Author's Response: Thank you so much, templeton2! Will have more today! I'm so glad you're liking it - thanks for stopping in here! It means a lot to me!

Very interesting. I am enjoying the Bot developing as a full fledged character. I think it was a strok of genius for Spike to bring her along for this ride. And the glimpses of Buffy coming back to him, and then leaving again--truly heart breaking. And they totally need to create a solid bank of insults for the Bot. I look forward to that interaction. And Angel, that is kind of the best evil cliffie imaginable at this point. Not too evil, but not has morally ambiguous as any of her friends would be. Interested to see how that plays out. Update soon!

Author's Response: Hi BuffyRat! (I typed BuffyRate first and that reminded me of Doyle .. 'Our rats are low' ... I liked Doyle ... hated to see him die. Sorry, my mind wanders at times). Glad you're liking the Bot! Yes, she and Buffy will sit down and create a databank of insults in the future, I promise! And, yes, of course, you're right, having Angel as the threat (rather than Giles, Xander, or Willow) should make it easier for Buffy, even Barmy Buffy, to distinguish good vs. bad in that fight. We can hope anyway. After (recently) reading S8 of the comics that premise could be wrong, but I'm gonna put my fingers in my ears and chant 'la,la,la,la,la" and pretend I never read that barf-worthy do-do.

Thanks so much for reading and stopping in! I'm really glad to hear you like the Bot. Hope to have the next on Tuesday.