Summary: A sequel to 'A Gem of a Soul', but this can be read as a standalone.  Years after the previous story ended, Buffy and Spike are having problems, like any married couple.  Will a favor owed to Halfrek make things better or worse?
Beta and Sensitivity Readers: None
Artists: None
Categories: Post-Series, Alternate Reality
Characters: Spike
Genres: Angst
Warnings: Adult Language
Completed: Yes Chapters: 6
Word count: 11,079 Hit Count: 13,510 ePub Downloads: 265
Published: September 29, 2012 Updated: October 05, 2012


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1. Chapter 1 by Baphrosia - Likes: 15 Comments: 9 Word Count: 1,858 Hit Count: 3,125

If you didn't read 'A Gem of a Soul', it's okay, you can pretty much follow along.  Big things to know - Buffy and Spike have been 'married' since S6, Spike has the Gem of Amarra, and nobody died (Joyce, Anya, Tara).  Because I'm a much softer person than Joss Whedon.  To whom all these characters belong, etc.  (I write for my amusement only).  Also, Spike owed Halfrek the Vengeance Demon a favor in exchange for having healed Buffy from a physically incapacitating gun shot wound.

This has a different feel from 'A Gem of a Soul'.  It's even more heavy and emotional and angsty, and, unlike the other, in no way follows future/comic canon.  Honest to God I was going to write something humorous, but it just didn't come out that way.  Sigh.  Your thoughts will be much appreciated, as always.

There will only be five chapters, so, short!  For me.

2. Chapter 2 by Baphrosia - Likes: 16 Comments: 10 Word Count: 1,688 Hit Count: 2,049

I swore I wasn't going to write a babyfic sequel (it was part of my original end notes, damn it!), but since Spike wanting the chance to give Buffy kids was a big part of the epilogue, it set me to thinking about how I would never turn Spike human in this verse... and how else they might have kids... and then I was thinking about that favor Spike owes Hallie... and BAM!  There it was.  Convergence.

3. Chapter 3 by Baphrosia - Likes: 16 Comments: 9 Word Count: 2,424 Hit Count: 2,021

Well, I knew I was inviting strong reactions by taking the story in this direction.  I just want to say, you're getting the story in bits and pieces, flashing back and forth through time.  Whatever you think you know, it might be wrong...

Or it may be poor writing on my part.  That's also a possibility. 

If you're reading this without having read the previous story, one other important thing I didn't mention - Buffy ended up with enhanced Slayer powers.  When she refers to her super-Slayer package, that's what she's talking about.

4. Chapter 4 by Baphrosia - Likes: 11 Comments: 5 Word Count: 2,067 Hit Count: 2,023
As always, the comments and reviews really help me to hone the story.  I've rearranged the story a bit, so if you're re-reading this chapter, you'll notice the last section is different.

5. Chapter 5 by Baphrosia - Likes: 13 Comments: 7 Word Count: 1,943 Hit Count: 2,123

I ended up rearranging just a touch to make the story flow better, switching part of the last chapter with this one.  Which means if you're reading this story as I post it, you might want to go back and re-read the end of chapter four - it's new and different (and not to be missed!), while the end of this chapter will be familiar.  I also decided to split this last chapter into two, so now there's a forthcoming epilogue as well.  

I get that our heroes seem to have suffered from monumental lapses in judgement in this story, which is upsetting, but in their defense... Most everybody I know (me included) has suffered from insanity and irrationality at some point or other in their life.  There's a reason for the expression 'It's so crazy it has to be true' (aka you can't make this shit up - although maybe vampires and vengeance demons suggest otherwise).  I'm just hoping I'm able to make all the craziness come together in a way that feels real...

Reviews are awesome and help me figure out if I'm doing things right or not, especially on something as difficult as this!

6. Epilogue by Baphrosia - Likes: 24 Comments: 9 Word Count: 1,099 Hit Count: 2,168

The twins' heritage is a little OTT, I know.  Probably because the idea started out as silly and somehow mutated into this whole angsty backstory.  I had to cut out a huge section of the epilogue because... well... not a comedy.  But that idea shall go into the new short story that IS silly and fluffy (hopefully I can make it stay that way).

In my mind the PTB were involved, even though our heroes never find out for sure.

PLEASE let me know if I managed to make this work.  I'll see you soon with something new (damn plot bunnies multiply like... rabbits).

Also, I've changed the epilogue to A Gem of a Soul a little bit, because enough people pointed out to me that it was too light in tone compared to the rest of the story, and it probably was, so if you want to see the changes I'll be posting it soon.  Thanks!