FINAL CHAPTER? How did I get here so fast?O It has been amazing journey!

OK, here is some advice to anybody just starting this out, anybody who is 5 or 10 chapters in and are thinking of walking away from this story. Take a break if you must it is very difficult I know I’ve been there and done that. Although I didn’t take a break I just push through.
Get to the intermission, or the ending of the first part of the story. I wish I could tell you exactly where that’s at somewhere around chapter 14, 15, 16 or so. Take a break then regroup and get yourself together. But DEFINITELY come back and finish the story. I’m on chapter 48 now and I must say I am not disappointed. But I did feel like you feel I can’t go on, this is getting ridiculous, I hate her, that would never really happen, etc.
No spoilers but this covers the gamut of the Buffyverse.

Who knew I needed 135,000 (mostly Buffy free) words on Spike's back story in a Spuffy fanfic ... to put that in context, Memories, Scenes from a Family, and Nights of Wine combined would make a decently weighty book in of themselves ... and certainly a book I enjoyed reading!

The trilogy of chapters, do a great job of moving "reincarnated" William from a wide eyed toddler, to the punk rock Spike who we know and love.

There are many notable events in Spike's life, but I loved the friendship between William and his cousin Pippa, and as they grew up, and Pippa's cadre of friends. I'm not sure William would recognise it as such, but his first love was deservedly Pippa ... older and more worldly than William could ever manage in his natural life, his only real friend in a world that wasn't as kind as it should be to a soul as gentle as William ... not that William was a pushover, even then we see Spike's intelligence, and steel throughout as he gains confidence in his ability to read people, and effect change in the world around him ... as William gracefully comes to terms with loss, does his best to protect his family, and builds an inner reserve of strength that will serve him well later.

I like to think that cousin Pippa did a good job of knocking out some of the natural "tweedy" pomposity, and installed a healthy respect for his female peers which carried through into his unlife ...

~Ch 17 - Memories ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William gave her a superior look. “But I’m a boy.”
She snorted. “Like that matters.”
“It matters.”
“How?” Pippa challenged.
“Well,” he said, closing the book with one of his fingers marking the page, “men are stronger and smarter so they can take care of women.”
Her brows lowered, and she launched herself at him, pinning him down against the cushions. William struggled, but couldn’t get free. “Who’s stronger?” she crowed.
“Only because you’re older,” he said, panting a little, still trying to get free. Pippa let go of him, and he scooted away far enough to chance a remark. “I’ll be stronger someday, and I’m smarter.” At her warning look, he quickly noted, “Who can speak four languages?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have to admit to having been a little blase about the content warnings in "Scenes from a family" at first ... seriously though, pay attention to the "final" warning, cos the chapter certainly flits into DARKNESS at that point ... how could it not, with Spike caught in the power play of his elders, Dru, Angelus and Darla ... often his only defence against their brutality, to cede control to his unruffleable inner anarchist ... Spike is clearly not a normal vampire ... whatever it is that sets him apart makes him both a target of abuse, and gives him the strength and tools to maintain some degree of humanity ...

... Spike is probably obsessed with Slayers in any dimension ... but in this reboot of his life, somewhere deep down he is in love with The Slayer, and on a mission to find her ... that and caring for a flighty Dru takes them on a fabulously entertaining romp around the world spanning nearly a century ... I love that each vignette shows a different aspect of their life, and place in the world, each bringing us closer to the Spike who will show up in Sunnydale, and moving the story forward ...

... and in this dimension Spike's Becca/Tribby totem eventually appears nudging Spike's life into a better place ...

... I love the fleeting relationships Spike builds with Slayers as he searches for someone worthy ... in a way, a preemptive start to his troubled relationship with "The Slayer" ... certainly echos of a future we've seen in another dimension!

~ Chapter 19 ~ Nights of Wine ~~~
Nikki was dancing with her eyes closed, and Spike slid in behind her. He felt her aura flare as she recognized him as a vampire, but he already had his arms snaked around her waist. “‘Lo, Nikki. Have a happy Christmas?”
She jerked and whipped around to glare at him. “You.”
For just a moment, he let himself enjoy the softness of her hair against his face and her perfume in his nostrils. “Yeah. Didn’t think you’d seen the last of me, did you, love?”
“I’d hoped.”
He laughed, and at that moment realized that he was hard, rampant with need. It had been a long time, and they did have a connection of sorts. “Dance with me.”
“Not gonna happen.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seriously I'd no idea I needed "this" part of the story in my life, but I absolutely do ... I learnt to love William's (human) family; process the complicated and bitter relationship relationship Spike has with his tormentor Angelus; see the compassion Spike can show to a broken soulful Angel (if only Angel would let him); and how despite the difficulties Spike loves Dru, and will care for her as best he can, wherever it takes him in the world ...

And boy did that commitment take them on a journey ... drinking moonshine and instigating a night of lust at a dusty crossroads in Texas ... Atlantis and Betsy? ... joining a "garage" band in 1960s London ... the rave scene in Madchester ... New York and a slayer who may just be worthy ... being introduced to the legend of the cave bound demon in Africa ... coming face to (er) face with his marble likeness in an "exhibition" ... picking up James and Elizabeth in a NY taxicab ... reuniting with Darla the nurse in war-torn Europe ... meeting Roger Wyndham-Pryce in an orphanage ... acting as "demon bouncer" for NY's punk scene, and walking vulnerable musicians home at night ... sitting for a photograph in the early 1900s, and err, other positions ...

Loved these chapters ... amazing world building for a Spike who's hopefully ready for what Sunnydale has to offer this time around!

I am rooting for Oz... The three of them really

I am so far beyond flabbergasted by everything this story has to offer, I'm not sure much of what I have to say will make sense ... but please know I adore this epic tale ... and at the "half way" point, I'm genuinely considering going back to the beginning and relaxing back into the half of the story that I already know and love, before dipping a toe into the second half ... who am I kidding, I want to know what happens, but I loved the first half so much I'm apprehensive to try something new ... luckily Spike is braver than me!

Firstly, as TeamEricNSookie says, 1.4million words? ... who writes 1.4million words!? ... I'm definitely going to read them all, but I am fascinated, who are you? ... this story is far too good for fanfiction ... I sure hope someone's paying you to write your own thing!

There is so much to love about this story, the writing is superb, and the flow between cannon, and this AU story is so seamless I'm having a difficult time remembering which things they failed to put in the series.

Tribby is so completely developed I can't imagine Spike's life without her, and of course Becca before her.
- Chapter 14 - Asunder -
Tribby was a demon-enhanced world-class athlete, trained by Spike personally, armed with dual-pointed stakes, ready to do her avowed duty and avenge Natalie's death and now Maria's. And she'd taken out nine once, when they were fighting back-to-back.
She didn't have a chance.
-
"No wonder she didn't like her name. She was never a butterfly, Lana. She was a falcon."
-
I'm not crying, you're crying!

I was reticent at first about this version of Dawn, and how close she is to Spike, but as the Kanai prophecy chapter unfolded, and her relationships with Angel, Connor and Illyria became clearer I can't imagine her being any other way, she is of course a unique, the key, wait, what was I talking about!?

One thing that always puzzled me about Angel in the series is why he let the curse affect his life so much after returning from hell. After all, could Angel ever really have a moment of pure happiness once the knowledge bomb dropped and he knew that a moment of pure happiness would release Angelus? And surely when Willow restored his soul for the second time, she should have had enough foresight to remove the happiness clause? ... ok, so Jasmine was already loose at that point, and it wouldn't have given Cordy & Angel the happy ending they so rightly deserved, but Willow was definitely failing in her duty there! ... maybe "show" Angel was never really free of Angelus, maybe Angel could have been happy knowing Angelus would be released ... but for me Angel never was and never will be the ideal version of an ensouled vampire ... Spike could never have had a moment of pure happiness if his soul had been at risk.

I am I admit, a little disappointed in your story, that you allowed Buffy and Angel to believe that pretty unfulfilling sex in a cage was enough to give Angel his "happy" ... I can't personally believe Buffy had much to do with it, other than being Willow's messenger ... I'm sure the "happy" was much more about Connor, and Angel's happiness at the prospect of freeing Connor from Angelus than anything to do with Buffy.

I'm delighted that you dropped this little bit of truth for Buffy:

- Chapter 13 - Gathering Shadows -
"Bit, this isn't an isolated incident. It's a way of thinking." He could see the Slayer's eyes narrow from where she was just on the edge of his peripheral vision.
"I don't get it."
Spike turned away. "I love Liam, I do, I – He's the only brother I'll ever have. But he will always know what's best for you, and he will do what he can to make what's best for you happen, and he will never, ever ask you if that's what you want." He stopped and looked at the ceiling. "Shouldn't even say this," he muttered, shaking his head. "Did he ask his son what he wanted? Did he consider coming to Giles, or consulting Faith, people who have experience with headcases who can rip their way out of handcuffs? Did he ask Charlie or Fred or Wes or Lorne if they wanted to forget?" Spike looked at the floor, then met Dawn's eyes, could not be paid enough to meet Buffy's. "Doesn't matter how much it hurts him or what the consequences are for other people. He will do what's best, by his lights, and he will never ask, or consult, or confer, or – Fuck it."
Dawn watched him stride away, not about to hazard a 'language' comment. She looked at her knees for a moment, then glanced at Buffy. "Spike has good insight into people."
-

My opinion of Angel has never recovered from that time (I will remember you) that he became human, had one night of bliss with Buffy, and peanut butter, and stained bed sheets, and then decided unilaterally that Buffy couldn't take care of herself, and he had to be her vampire protector, even though that meant breaking Buffy's heart, wiping the day from everyone else's existence (including Buffy's), and barely seeing her again. And then he had the gall, to spend the rest of the series longing to fulfil the flipping Shanshu prophecy, and become a real human boy ... and so far as I can see, Angel never bothered to tell anyone that there was a "cure" for vampirism.

As Spike says, this isn't an isolated incident, but Angel's way of thinking, and certainly not healthy or empowering for Buffy.

This is the guy you want to your left:
- Chapter 14 - Asunder -
"You claim her, William?" Dracula blurted, surprised, his eyes darting toward Angel.
"No, mate," he said, giving the other vampire an insufferable grin. "Not even I have the stones for that." The grin vanished, and his next words were stark. "I belong to her." Dismissing the other man, he turned back to Buffy, holding something out to her. "This what you wanted, my lady?"
She looked at the sword he offered, the one used by the Chinese Slayer so long ago, and her eyes went to his, startled. She had wanted something other than her stake, which hadn't worked the first time she'd fought Dracula. How could he possibly have known what she was thinking? Then her fingers went to the scar on her throat once more, her hazel eyes widening. Spike swallowed, as if she had touched him instead of herself. His eyes were dark, telling her so many things, telling her she was magnificent, telling her that there was nothing she couldn't do.
She believed him.
When she didn't take the sword immediately, Spike shifted his feet, moving into an offensive stance. "Unless you'd prefer I do the light lifting," he took a slight, hitching breath and added, "Slayer?"
"No," Buffy said serenely, her heart singing to hear that word in that voice. "I'll do it." She took the sword from his hand and he stepped back to his place at her left, feet planted wide apart, arms crossed, waiting for the show.
-

The Mother The Maiden The Crone

Never Conquered Except By Love She Saved the World a Lot Beloved Father

... now I'm crying!

I missed the knee-trembler part.

To say you are a mastermind would be careless underestimation of your talent!

PEACHESD

You did a good job painting a back story. This is my NEW belief of William the sweet prince.

OK look I really want to protest at this point. REALLY? AAAAALLLLLLLL the way back… {deep breath} OK, here we go!

This chapter was hard and heartbreaking. I hate it had the be this way. ;,-

My thought from a previous chapter,?12 I think. I am a huge Spuffy FanC but she is a user and selfish. I don’t particularly like Buffy. She is NOT a good person

I started this for something to do during the 2020 pandemic and I am so happy that I did. It truly felt like I was reading a novel. I can’t wait to read it again. This is the ending I always wished Spike would have received. Thank you so much for your hard work!

OK I’m seven chapters into this gargantuan masterpiece… Not even sure what to say about the story. Each chapter in and of itself is an entire story. For the most part I think they can stand alone. Of course it wouldn’t work for anyone who’s not familiar with the story or who doesn’t know what truly went on “behind the scenes” so to say.
Anyway 7 in 47 to go!

Is that 1.4 MILLION words? Who does that? Who reads that many? How long will this take?
We will see... here I go. Thanks in advance.

Oh my goodness, I hardly know what to say. I’ve been reading this story for weeks during the pandemic of 2020 and it’s been soooo engrossing, and agonizing at times, and wonderful. I can’t imagine the amount of time and energy you put into this, but thank you! It’s fantastic and covers so many ways their relationship could go. You so thoroughly captured the personalities of the characters through various realities... it’s truly a triumph!