Summary: "You almost died, that’s what’s happened," Buffy scoffed. "And the fever isn’t helping. And you’re in the wreckage of the Wolfram and Hart med lab, in case you’re wondering."
 
Spike really only registered one part of that. "But vampires don’t get fevers."
 
"I know," she said softly.
 
In this version of BtVS season 8, we will see Xander date a normal girl for once, discover why the Immortal and Buffy entered each other's lives, and answer the age-old question of the Shanshu Propechy. Actually, more than one age-old question about it. And if we could figure out how to not have so many apocalpyses anymore, well, that wouldn't be terrible.

Categories: Post-Series
Characters: Buffy, Spike, Giles, Willow, Xander, Andrew Wells, Angel, Connor, Dawn, Faith Lehane, Illyria, Original Characters, Other, Oz, Riley Finn, Tara
Genres: Action/Adventure, Dramedy, Fix-It, HEA/HFN, Prophecy, Resurrection, Romance, Slow-Burn
Warnings: Buffy/Other (Temp), Character Death, Human!Spike, Violence
Completed: No Chapters: 12
Word count: 121,394 Hit Count: 3,472 ePub Downloads: 33
Published: August 26, 2021 Updated: January 16, 2022


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Story Notes: I started writing this when I was pretty fresh off the Buffy viewing boat-- did you know your fanfic writing style drastically changes when you actually start reading a lot of it? So it might be obvious these characters and this universe were definitely still super new to me. I cannot stress enough how unbeta'd this story is, and how much it SERIOUSLY needs to be overhauled. I'm probably never gonna do that, but I'm bringing it here from AO3 anyway.
 
It's not even finished, but I do still intend to go back to it... I'm gonna try to keep the same writing style I had when I started, but we'll see if that happens! And, it is written like a season of BtVS (with much milder language, lol), so depending on how you felt about certain aspects of the show, you may not like where this goes.  But a happy Spuffy is and always will be my end goal!
 
Takes place after "Not Fade Away." Because at some point every Buffy author needs to work out their own version of what happened post-series! Disregards every scrap of comic book lore, and, since I outlined the entirety of this story before even touching the comics, any similarity to them is purely coincidental. 
 
Banner by me.
 
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

1. Welcome Back by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 16 Comments: 10 Word Count: 9,811 Hit Count: 1,145 Published: August 26, 2021

There's gonna be a fair bit of Buffy/The Immortal for a while. Just bear with it; I promise I'm gonna make it okay! Thanks toVeroNyxK84 for signing on to help catch my typos!

2. Three Wishes by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 10 Comments: 5 Word Count: 9,772 Hit Count: 338 Published: September 01, 2021

Note on the timeline here: I'm making "Not Fade Away" have happened in August 2004, so that this "season" could start that month, too. This chapter takes place immediately after the previous one. 

Apologies if Spike and Buffy feel very overlooked so far-- one of the reasons I hestitated bringing this over to EF was the fact that they had to share the screen time evenly with every other character! But I promise they are always at the core, and the entirety of this story really was built around theirs. 

3. Game Face by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 10 Comments: 5 Word Count: 9,931 Hit Count: 279 Published: September 16, 2021

For those of you annoyed with Bitchy Buffy so far... I know, and I get it! But I do want these two to fall into a relationship as naturally as they can, dealing with the hurts of the past couple years in the only way they know how, and keep their actions pretty similar to how they were on both shows. Those icy walls between them WILL start to melt, just you wait. 

Thank you guys so much for reading!

4. Breathe by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 9 Comments: 8 Word Count: 9,807 Hit Count: 216 Published: September 30, 2021

So I guess that big house that Willow and Giles are hanging out in in "Lessons" and "Beneath You" belongs to the coven, and not actually to Giles??? But when I first watched it I assumed that house and horse and everything were his, and I've never been able to shake that headcanon. So, any mention of Giles' house in this story... just imagine that one. 

EDIT: It’s been pointed out to me that you don’t actually HAVE raccoons in the UK… which is a totally wild concept to me. I mean I’ve never seen one here in the states, but I l’ve heard the horror stories of people who have!! Anyway, you Brits can rest assured that I am aware of the error, but since I am leaving this story in the rough, unedited shape it is… we’ll just pretend someone smuggled a raccoon into the country and it escaped. 

5. The Seven by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 5 Comments: 7 Word Count: 9,981 Hit Count: 183 Published: October 07, 2021

I really, really love Illyria in this story (and there isn't too much I'm proud of--have I stressed lately that I was very new to this fandom when I started writing this??), and I'm thrilled that you guys have seemed to, as well! I think that's gonna continue in this one...

6. Mind's Eye by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 6 Comments: 4 Word Count: 11,795 Hit Count: 182 Published: October 14, 2021

Mild C/W: Innocence makes an insensitive comment about rape in this chapter, just so you all are aware! Also I apologize for anything I say about the UK that isn't strictly true-- I was basing the Halloween comments on something some London friends of mine said once, but they could have been totally wrong.

Love you guys starting to piece together all the weirdness that's going on here-- it makes me feel way better about this story!

7. The Vampire With Soul by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 7 Comments: 5 Word Count: 9,962 Hit Count: 179 Published: November 07, 2021

To those of you impatient for questions to be answered and secrets to start coming out--this one's for you! This chapter is a year old now from when it was originally written, but I remember loving writing it, so I think I was super impatient to get here, too. 

Still got a ways to go yet though, so don't expect everything to happen all at once! Thanks so much for reading!

8. Breaking Point by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 6 Comments: 3 Word Count: 9,677 Hit Count: 173 Published: November 14, 2021

I don't really condone self-inserts in fics (unless that was the point in writing the fic, anyway) but I do understand the appeal, and so yes... the Rachel character in this chapter was named after me. 

Love how worried you guys seem to be about Dawn, haha! I imagine this chapter will lead to more worry... and I'm afraid I can't promise anything for now.  I appreciate those of you sticking out this journey anyway! Thank you!

9. Masterpiece by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 5 Comments: 5 Word Count: 9,944 Hit Count: 188 Published: November 18, 2021

I feel like I've ruined you guys because of how you trust NOTHING in this story, haha! I love to see that, thanks for reading!

10. What I Hate About You Part 1 by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 4 Comments: 3 Word Count: 9,983 Hit Count: 181 Published: December 09, 2021

Objectively Buffy probably was a darker version of herself during her affair with Spike, just after she came back from heaven, or during her "Something to Sing About" song when she almost danced to death. But my argument for this story (or at least, what it was a year ago when this chapter was written!) is that it was when she thought none of her life was real and had been for nothing, when she was ready to give it all up for a fantasy, when she was trapped inside the horrors of her own mind in a way she never had been before.

...And my reasons for saying that will make way more sense in a minute. Thanks for reading!

11. What I Hate About You Part 2 by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 8 Comments: 5 Word Count: 9,979 Hit Count: 221 Published: December 12, 2021

While I NEVER liked Riley with Buffy, I was actually okay with him as a character my first run through this show. That opinion has completely changed since, but, uh, he's gonna continue to be a sympathetic character in this story anyway. There's something important for him to do later on that I need him around for. 

12. Coming Up Roses by violettathepiratequeen - Likes: 5 Comments: 3 Word Count: 10,752 Hit Count: 186 Published: January 16, 2022

Mild domestic abuse warning for this chapter--only discussed, not actually shown.

Welp, this is the last of my pre-written chapters, which are all from the end of 2020. I can't believe it's technically been two years since I started writing this. That means everything going forward will be with my writing prowess (such as it may be) of the present day, and that is honestly terrifying, because I'm already not the happiest with this story and I have no idea if I can make it go where I originally wanted it to! But it will be finished, one way or another.

Songs in this chapter are "Coming Up Roses" and "Drops of Jupiter."

Also, I happen to think Buffy has a very pretty singing voice! Not saying she should have signed up with a record label or anything, but I could have stood for another two or three solos by her in OMWF.