Rating: NC-17
Summary: Life can be difficult when you are fifteen years old with a baby and few options. Fortunately Buffy Summers is a resourceful girl. Spuffy. All human AU in Four Parts. It's a high school fic with actual high school coming up in Parts Two thru Four. This is a very long saga and will be completed. NOTE : The ratings and warnings I am giving for this story do not represent the entire story - they allow for occasional forays into difficult subjects, but most chapters do not dwell there. It's not a fluffy story, but it is not unrelentingly grim. Like life, it flows among the highs and lows. IMPORTANT: Although Parts One and Two are rated R, beginning in Part Three the story will move into some NC-17 territory. ‘The Song Remains the Same’ consists of Parts One and Two. When we move into Part Three it will start a new posted ‘story’ so that I can reflect the new rating. Also, Parts One and Two are quite long enough on their own. / Winner of 'Judge's Pick' in Round 11 of Spuffy Awards and Winner of Best Fantasy Angst and Best Fantasy Author in Round 12 of the Spuffy Awards
This story is not complete.
Chapter 1: Baby Love ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I am a first time writer so constructive criticism is welcome. This is definitely a spuffy story but the tale is long and there's ground to cover before any spuffy action is involved. This is not a fluffy spuffy fic, however. Also, there is within the story sexual assault and rape, although not graphically described, so if you do not wish to read about that I will notate it when it appears so that you may skim over that section. Author's Note #2: The federal, state, and municipal laws referenced in the story are very complex and underwent massive federal and state changes in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and also vary widely from state to state and city to city in how they are enforced or interpreted. It is therefore not possible for me to pin down exact laws, in exact places, at exact times, as they are exactly enforced or not enforced by local law enforcement and social service agencies, there's too much variation. I've researched up the yazoo to be as accurate as possible but there will always be some differences between the law and how any particular law enforcement agency or social service worker decides to interpret or misinterpret it, even within the same local agency. Where a club mentioned in the story is concerned I have chosen to entirely ignore recent California laws that make certain club rules vastly different than the reader would expect and went with what worked best for the story.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 2: Escape From New York ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: We're still in back-storyville right now but don't worry, there'll be Spuffy along in the near future. Thank you for your review.
Author's Note #2: I am a first time writer so constructive criticism is welcome. This is definitely a spuffy story but the tale is long and there's ground to cover before any spuffy action is involved. This is not a fluffy spuffy fic, however. Also, there is within the story sexual assault and rape, although not graphically described, so if you do not wish to read about that I will notate it when it appears so that you may skim over that section.
Author's Note #3: The federal, state, and municipal laws referenced in the story are very complex and underwent massive federal and state changes in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and also vary widely from state to state and city to city in how they are enforced or interpreted. It is therefore not possible for me to pin down exact laws, in exact places, at exact times, as they are exactly enforced or not enforced by local law enforcement and social service agencies, there's too much variation. I've researched up the yazoo to be as accurate as possible but there will always be some differences between the law and how any particular law enforcement agency or social service worker decides to interpret or misinterpret it, even within the same local agency. Where a club mentioned in the story is concerned I have chosen to entirely ignore recent California laws that make certain club rules vastly different than the reader would expect and went with what worked best for the story.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 3: Where The Heart Is ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes:
I am a first time writer so constructive criticism is welcome. This is definitely a spuffy story but the tale is long and there's ground to cover before any spuffy action is involved. This is not a fluffy spuffy fic, however. Also, there is within the story sexual assault and rape, although not graphically described, so if you do not wish to read about that I will notate it when it appears so that you may skim over that section.
Author's Note #2: The federal, state, and municipal laws referenced in the story are very complex and underwent massive federal and state changes in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and also vary widely from state to state and city to city in how they are enforced or interpreted. It is therefore not possible for me to pin down exact laws, in exact places, at exact times, as they are exactly enforced or not enforced by local law enforcement and social service agencies, there's too much variation. I've researched up the yazoo to be as accurate as possible but there will always be some differences between the law and how any particular law enforcement agency or social service worker decides to interpret or misinterpret it, even within the same local agency. Where a club mentioned in the story is concerned I have chosen to entirely ignore recent California laws that make certain club rules vastly different than the reader would expect and went with what worked best for the story.
[Warning: This chapter contains some discussion of sexual assault/rape. It is not graphic and is only a brief discussion. If you are sensitive to these issues please take this into consideration when reading this particular chapter.]
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 4: Rude Awakenings ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I am a first time writer so constructive criticism is welcome. This is definitely a spuffy story but the tale is long and there's ground to cover before any spuffy action is involved. This is not a fluffy spuffy fic, however.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 5: Getting to Know You ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: There is method to my madness. Laying the groundwork is important in my story, and I have no intention of rushing things at this point. Please be patient, sit back, and enjoy the tale while it wends it's way to spuffiness. Remember, life is about the journey, not the destination. (But there is a destination, I swear!)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 6: Home Fires ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I know that some of my gentle readers are concerned that this is not fluffy and wonder whether this story will have a less than friendly Spike in it's future or be unredeemingly bleak. I can't reveal to you where we are going as I believe it detracts from the story as it unfolds naturally, even though I know that some of you find it difficult to wait. I can promise that athough it is not fluffy, and does contain some difficult subjects - violence, abuse, rape, hard bumps in the road, etc - that the end will not be bleak and the times are not all terrible and depressing. I don't think I am going to be writing anything gratuitously violent or grim. I am bringing the characters along as they are, neither all good nor all bad, and I can assure you that no major character in this story falls on one side entirely or the other. The problem I do have, though, is that I plot this story out and then start to write, but almost immediately I find myself watching the characters play out their parts in their scenes, and they tend to take over and diverge from where I thought they were going to go. They are stubborn and very willful like that. I don't always know what they are going to do. Anyway, I hope you'll stick around and trust me on this one. Thank you to all who leave reviews, they are water to a thirsty girl.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 7: First Christmas ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: For Christopher. You are my world. Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 8: Great Expectations ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: A note regarding the last chapter: I have set the period of this story's beginning in the year 2003. If I had used 1996 - the year Buffy in the series would have been fifteen - I would have run smack into the middle of the massive legal changes that have taken place in the federal and state laws regarding minor teenage parenting, and I did not want to deal with the two separate legal and benefit systems involved. So I chose the more recent laws, and moved the date up. The dates and holidays etc used in the story follow the actual calendar from 2003 on up. Note for this chapter: the movie mentioned in this chapter is a real one, and the plot and dialogue are written from memory only but follow the actual plotline and dialogue of that movie very closely. And yes, it was that bad. :-)
Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 9: Rain, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Just a quick chapter to tide you over. More to come later in the week. Thanks, and please leave a review and let me know how it's going. What? Me worry? Naw....
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 10: Rain, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Buffy is very young and sometimes makes poor decisions, as she does in this chapter. I am not condoning or recommending her decisions, I am merely writing a fifteen year old mother's logic and inexperience.
Author's Note #2: Just for the record, from the earlier chapters, the waiting period for signing adoption papers in New York turns out to be...none. Pop the kid out, sign the papers, fine by New York. It's not that there's no rule at all, it's just that the law makes it variable to the situation with no guidance on it, which is practically the same thing as no rule in my opinion. That's not the usual, most states have a waiting period, and three days seems to be the most common, but still. I'm in California, so I used three days (our law), and originally I had Buffy starting in a different state so when I moved her to New York I forgot to check into that waiting period law there. Oh well, I tried. Sorry.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 11: Sweet Sixteen ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 12: Lessons ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Things are progressing well, and Spike will be coming later, please don't worry about it. I'm a big Spike fan, and he's a big part of this story, once we get to him. Meanwhile, I appreciate you sticking with me here.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 13: Haiku ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Now, here's the deal. In California, laws were recently passed regarding strip clubs and what may or may not happen within them. These more recent laws don't work in my story, so I've decided to completely ignore them and assume pre-1999 strip club regulations are in place, the kinds of clubs you see on tv and in the movies, where it's a more libertine atmosphere. It's just less complicated that way. Hope you understand. Please don't get upset that I haven't got it right in the new legal reality, as it's intentional on my part.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 14: Scars ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: The paths are crossing but not yet convergent. Please be patient while the story unfolds as it must. Your patience will be rewarded.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 15: The Devil's In The Details ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I am utilizing the characters which already exist in the Buffyverse to as great a degree as I can. I am trying to keep those characters as close to their original characterization and relationships as I can, but I am somewhat limited by the story I am trying to tell. I have to fit them in there and this means that sometimes a character is used in a position for one purpose but must take on other characteristics that are not part of the Buffyverse or may not be as pleasant as one would like them to be, but the story requires that particular attitude or behavior be seen in the same character. No negative stereotyping is intended within this story. Each character is his/her own person, for good or bad, as the story requires it. I am completely opposed to character bashing in fanfiction, and to stereotyping in general. And this is not in reference to Spike, who is a complex combination of bad and good all on his own, so please don't panic anybody. I love Spike too. :-)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 16: June Gloom ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: The title of this chapter comes from a common phrase here; where May is likely to be a sunny pleasant month, June rolls in with overcast days and chillier weather, especially in the mornings. We call it June Gloom. Thank God for it, cuz it makes Spike's coat make more sense this time of year.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 17: Secrets ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 18: Tell Me Sweet Little Lies ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 19: Change Up ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 20: Girl Talk ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 21: On The Edge of Tomorrow ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 22: All Fall Down ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: There are a few things I want to point out. First, this is a hard chapter, as is the next one. A lot happens, and some of it is ugly. Second, each character is portrayed as themselves, they speak for themselves. If a particular character casts aspersions on the honesty or worthiness of another character or entire class of people/workers, that is their experience and opinion, not necessarily the actual truth of the situation. Everyone has their own view of the world and their own agenda. So please do not become offended if a character attacks some group or profession as I am not alleging that the character is necessarily right. They may well be, but it is still not meant as hard real world fact. It's a story. The situations are real, the laws are real, and the people are portrayed as actual people do behave. But as the saying goes, one bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch (girl). [Ah, Michael Jackson, the early years. *g*]
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 23: Ashes, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: This chapter was too long so I divided into three parts. These three chapters are very heavy on exposition but I wanted to clearly establish the parameters of Buffy's new life after-Faith, and so have been very detailed regarding this section, more so than some may care for, but it's my party and I'll cry if I want to. Or something. Anyway, hope you enjoy this, and sorry it's in three sections.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 24: Ashes, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 25: Ashes, Part Three ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 26: Appearances ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: This is the beginning of Part Two of the entire story. It starts at Chapter 26 because Chapter 23 had to divide into three parts and post as three parts, and so I used up chapters 23, 24, and 25. Rather than have the numbering off forever, I have chosen to pick up at Chapter 26 so it corresponds to the chapter listing on the actual story sites. Hope that's clear.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 27: Appearances, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 28: The New World ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 29: When Worlds Collide, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Ta dum! At long last, the time has come to pull these two young people together. I make no promises for an easy time, but it will definitely be spuffy time. Enjoy!
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 30: When Worlds Collide, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Here's part two of the big 'first meeting' chapter. People are who they are, and they live and they screw up and they grow. As do my characters. Please keep that in mind when reading these chapters. They aren't fluffy bunny Spike and Xander and Oz (and Giles, for that matter) in these chapters. But this is a VERY LONG STORY. There's room for personal growth and forgiveness here. Thanks to all who read and review.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 31: Friendship ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Well, it turns out that Part One was the hard one for you guys, with all the waiting for spuffy and the arrest and the trial and all. But Part Two is my hard part, as it's harder to write what I really want to do here. But on we go, and I'll try to get the chapters out a little faster than this last one. I re-wrote it again and again and just could not bring it into postable form. Oh well. The next one should be much easier. Thanks for your continued support and reviews. It means a lot to me.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 32: Dancing on a Friday Night With You ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: First off, in the last chapter I quoted Hunter Thompson, and Willow described him as a 'dead writer'. He would have been quite surprised by Willow's statement, since he didn't actually commit suicide for another two months, in February 2005. Sorry about that. And, quite frankly, the writing was on the wall long before February 2005, so we'll just pretend it had already happened as Willow mentioned in my chapter and move on, okay? :-) And in case anyone is wondering, Hanukkah was Dec 7 -14 in 2004, so it will not bump into Christmas in this story. So no going there with Willow and all for this year at least. In case anyone wondered. The chapter title is from 'Friday Night' by Darkness.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 33: Visting, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Part one of a two part chapter. It wouldn't completely post at some sites as a whole so it's in parts. Sorry.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 34: Visiting, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I promised myself I wouldn't flinch. So....it's hard. Sorry.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 35: Saturday Night's Alright, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: This chapter is a little long so I'm posting it in two parts. However, part two is not ready to post yet so you'll have to make do with part one for now. I did not want to leave you hanging there with that last chapter's emotional intensity just simmering for a few days. I don't know about you, but I needed to get something else on the page to lessen the blow to my psyche that was left from chapter 34. Hope you can make that turn there with me now. And remember: How does Buffy cope? That's right. Shove it down deep inside where it won't smother you for a little while, and pretend it's okay until you can face it without dying from the impact. It works, although I don't recommend it long term. The chapter title is from Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)'.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 36: Saturday Night's Alright, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Here is part two of 'Saturday Night's Alright' as promised. It's a little delayed due to being way too tired this week, and also having to plot out all of Part Two a second time so I can be sure everyone is in their correct places now for the story to unfold later. It's a whole thing. Anyway, on with the night! Hope you enjoy, and review if you can. It really helps. No, honest. It does.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 37: Two Days ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Two days in the life of Buffy Summers. Poor Buffy. The dialogue given to 'Jerry' are actual quotations from a man I know in a program like that. He's a hoot. :-)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 38: In The Beginning... ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 39: Three Things ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 40: Well Met By Moonlight ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: The title of the chapter refers to Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and the movie they saw was -- surprise! -- 'Million Dollar Baby'. If you haven't seen that movie, there are some SPOILERS for it in the narrative and dialogue, but I need them there so I'm just warning you now. It's been two years though, so I think spoilers are okay for this movie at this point. And...I'm leavin' em in there. Second, I used the Japanese poetry quote in the last chapter completely from memory because I was lazy and didn't want to get the book off the shelf. Which is why I wrote 'ninth' century instead of 'eleventh' century. I went back and corrected it so it reads accurately now. Sorry 'bout that.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 41: Family ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 42: Trust ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 43: Christmas Tales, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 44: Christmas Tales, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 45: Christmas Tales, Part Three ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 46: Uneasy ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 47: Rocky Places, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Thanks for all your reviews, I appreciate them very much. The surgery was fine but I'm having a little bit of complications with it so I have to take it easy for a few days. Fortunately it doesn't affect my typing ability, although pain meds keep putting me to sleep. Oh well. Wrote this chapter in a drug-induced haze. Hope it comes out okay. LOL.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 48: Rocky Places, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: This is part two of Buffy and Spike's second date. I haven't forgotten her issues, don't worry. Things are going along the way they need to and I for one think she could use a break. After all, her primary coping mechanisms are repression and compartmentalization. Not a good long term plan, but perfect for the occasion.
Please leave a review if you can. I am especially concerned about my ability to properly write the dating chapters. Oh, and a couple of chapters back I accidentally had Giles refer to Jenny as Spike's stepmother. I went back and changed it to 'like a stepmother' and apologize to everyone who read the first version. I keep reading all these stories where Giles is Spike's parent and then I don't even register that I've done the same in my own story. It's embarrassing. Uncle, he's the uncle. :-)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 49: Just Another Tuesday ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 50: What's Going On? ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: This chapter is a little shorter because I'm finding it's taking too much time to continue the next scene. So you're getting what is ready now, so there won't be so much of a gap between updates.
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 51: Long Day's Journey Into Night, Part One ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: This is part one of a long chapter. The title of this chapter is taken from a largely autobiographical Eugene O'Neill play which focuses on a very self-centered and dysfunctional family. What, me obvious? Noooo. That's silly.
The details Willow gives in her story were true of a friend of mine, whose husband was an anthropologist researching in that same part of the world. A very weird six months of their lives. And Buffy's story example was an exact situation with a friend I grew up with. We avoided playing at her house as much as possible, as it wasn't worth the resulting drama if someone forgot and ... well, I won't spoil the chapter for you. Hope you enjoy, and thank you everyone for your reviews. :-)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 52: Long Day's Journey Into Night, Part Two ~ Reviews (0)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 53: Comfort Zone ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Sorry for the longer wait between this and the last chapter. Hope it was worth the wait. And please know that this is a very long story and I absolutely promise to finish it. It'll be a long story, but it will not be left an unfinished WIP. I swear. Thanks for reading with me so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. :-)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 54: Wednesday's Child ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Who knew Wednesday would be such a looonnng day? This chapter follows immediately after the last one. I wanted to point out that I realize that Buffy and Spike -- especially Buffy -- are very comfortable with each other after a short period of time in that way that folks who fall in love at first sight and get married in Vegas do. Not that they are going to do that, but that's intentional on my part, so try to put it in that context, okay? Thanks. :-)
Added: 07-31-06
Chapter 55: Still Wednesday ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for your reviews and for accepting the direction I took the dinner. It was really the best way, as you seemed to totally get, and I'm beyond happy that you saw it that way too. I'd been concerned since so many reviews from the chapter before that seemed to feel that the dinner was going to go well and I didn't want to disappoint, but I've gotta do what I've gotta do. I promise there will be happy fluffy times in the future, as well as angst galore, but this particular period in the story is extremely important as a foundation for those future times. Anyway, thanks for trusting me and I hope you enjoy this third piece of The Wednesday That Would Not End. :-)
Added: 08-12-06
Chapter 56: In With the New, Part One ~ Reviews (2)
Author's Notes: I am using a tv show in this chapter that had only had three episodes air by the end of December. I need a marathon. I hereby declare, using artistic license, that an entire season and a half aired by the end of December. I need them, therefore they are. The second thing is that I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post, but it has a lot of new people in it and a new setting, and it's taken some time to get them and it just right. We are well on our way to the real 'high school' portion of our story.
Added: 09-04-06
Chapter 57: In With The New, Part 2 ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Sorry for the late posting, but I wrote the chapter I wanted to write, really really liked it, and it was just wrong. And I was so stubborn about wanting to keep it wrong that I struggled over posting or not for a month and a half, then gave in and re-wrote it. And now it's right. Hope you like it, and that it was worth the wait. There shouldn't be any huge posting gaps from now on. :-)
Added: 10-28-06
Chapter 58: Aftermath ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I've said it before but I am quite serious here. Things should start moving a little quicker now and hopefully I'll be able to get these chapters out more than once a week, like they were previously. These past few chapters were a kind of roadblock for me and now we're beyond them things should speed up. With the holiday chapters done and the majority of the characters properly introduced so that the coming story can unfold, I expect this to write much smoother than it has been. Thank you for your patience with me. This is my first story so I'm learning as I go here.
Added: 11-05-06
Chapter 59: Damage Control ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Thank you everyone for your reviews, I appreciate them very much. Some folks have said they miss the Buffy and Katie interaction and want them to be reunited quickly. I'm not giving plot away but I did want to say that there is good reason -- other than the requirements of the plot itself -- for appreciating them being separate right now. First of all, Buffy is settling into her new life, her new school, and her new boyfriend. All of that would be very difficult if she had to spend all her free time caring for Katie. Babies are 24/7 propositions and can dampen romance like nobody's business. The separation gives Spike and Buffy some quality couple time that they just would not have with the baby present. That's not why she's gone, but it does serve the situation very well and I'm taking advantage of it right now. There will be Katie and Buffy time aplenty later on, but right now this is really Buffy/Spike time. And it's only been three weeks since the arrest and there's a year and a half of high school to get through yet. So don't worry. The baby will be back and crowding up the place eventually. Thanks for your patience in following such a long story and I promise you that there's plenty of angst and fluffy happiness yet to come. Something for everybody. :-)
Added: 11-05-06
Chapter 60: Interlude ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I was going to put this scene in a larger chapter but thought you guys deserved a nice fluffy chapter with no angst or heavy depressing conversations and circumstances, so here it is -- a little fanfic amuse bouche. Hope you find it tasty and it leaves you wanting more.
Added: 11-29-06
Chapter 61: Old Moon Fades into the New ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Pay attention to the dates. Most of this chapter is looking back over the prior two weeks. Only the very beginning and very end are current Buffy-time.
Added: 12-18-06
Chapter 62: Innocence ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I am using the titles of the series episodes surrounding Buffy's seventeenth birthday because these are during the same time period (roughly for chapter 62, and exactly for chapter 63) and also fit with the content of the chapters themselves. This is a coincidence and nothing similar to the series occurs in these chapters.
I have finally written a chapter short enough to permit me to have an author's note. Whew. First, I want to thank everyone who reviewed and please know that I am thrilled with each and every review you've written and learn a lot from them and also gain momentum from them as well.
In Chapter 61 I had to introduce two new characters and handle a sex scene so it took some time to work it all out, hence the delay. Sorry about that. I keep trying to get the chapters out faster but it's so unpredictable. I was writing Chapter 62 when I suddenly realized I'd forgotten Buffy's seventeenth birthday. So the second half of this chapter moved to Chapter 63. Then I had to add a new part to 62. But Buffy's birthday was too long to keep in Chapter 62, so it had to move to Chapter 63. But then the second half of Chapter 63 was too long and had to bump to Chapter 64. So I have three all at once now and had no idea I was even going there. I think my muse was a trickster in another incarnation. Anyway, hope you like all three chapters as they pop up, and please let me know what you think.
Added: 12-18-06
Chapter 63: Surprise ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: Well, I wrote a lot, but none of it was for her birthday, which I had forgotten entirely. Sigh. So here's the seventeenth birthday chapter, fresh off the presses, and the next chapter should come out pretty quickly, within the next couple days by my guess. Thanks again for all your reviews, they are important to me and frankly, you all rock!
Added: 12-18-06
Chapter 64: Throwdown ~ Reviews (1)
Author's Notes: My New Year's resolution: never predict when the next chapter is going to post. You'd think I'd have learned that by now, but I am apparently not quite that smart. There's always some reason, some perfectly valid reason, for the delay, and then I feel guilty and my readers grow restless. Badness abounds. So, sorry. Truly. But I will say that I did have chapters written and ready to go, but suddenly decided I needed something more in between and to address some stuff and there I sat, bogged down with an impossible middle chapter once again. So, no more predictions. There. I said it. It must be true.
Hope your New Year's was a happy one and that you enjoy the new chapter. Thank you all once again for your reviews. They make me sing and also urge me to write better.
Added: 01-20-07
Chapter 65: Understanding ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: I'm sorry this took so long but I've had some serious issues in my personal life and simply could not bring myself to write for a little bit. I needed to veg some, and spent most of my time reading instead. A lot of you guys are writing some great stories, by the way. It's been great reading them all in my time of 'need', quite therapeutic. Anyway, here we are again, back to that unsettling rainy night in January.
Added: 04-04-07
Chapter 66: We Don't Need No Education... ~ Reviews (0)
Author's Notes: First, Happy New Year 2008 to all!
Second, I am so sorry I’ve been gone so long. If anyone is still interested in reading this story I am totally committed to writing it. It’s been percolating and bubbling up in me the entire time I’ve not posted. And I’ve not posted because I was ill and could not type and also could not access the internet since August 2007. But I’m back and I have the entire four parts plotted out in detail. I will be posting a chapter at a time though because I really do want to see what the reviews say as they help me a lot and keep me going when it gets hard so I hope those who will actually still want to read this continue to review as well.
Third, for those of you who read this story at Spuffy Realm after June 2007, you missed Chapter 30 When Worlds Collide, Part Two as I accidentally posted the first part of the chapter, or Chapter 29, twice. That was the chapter where Buffy and Spike first met, so that is especially unfortunate for those who missed it. I’m soooo sorry. I’ve fixed it now. If I hadn’t had to re-post my story at Vamp Kiss I probably would never have noticed that glaring mistake. So thanks Vampire’s Kiss. :-}
Thanks to all and again I am so sorry for my absence.
Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.
Added: 01-28-08
Chapter 67: We Don't Need No Thought Control... ~ Reviews (2)
Added: 01-28-08
