Summary: Updated! Buffy was rebuilding her life post Sunnydale in the newly founded Council of Watchers headquarters in Scotland, definitely, absolutely, not even a little bit thinking of the man she last saw bathed in sunlight at the bottom of the Hellmouth.
One night, while out on patrol, she chases a demon through the doorway of a crypt and falls face-first onto the floor of the Magic Box, 4 years in the past. 
Buffy navigates her way through the space-time continuum, the butterfly effect, and a vampire who is just figuring out his feelings for her.
Start post season 7 and jumps to immediately after season 5 episode 6, Family.
Beta and Sensitivity Readers: None
Artists: None
Categories: Season 5, Post-Series, Time Travel
Characters: Buffy, Spike, Giles, Willow, Xander, Angel, Anya, Cordelia, Dawn, Harmony, Riley Finn, Satsu, Tara
Genres: Angst, HEA/HFN, Mystery
Warnings: Adult Language, Buffy/Other (Temp)
Completed: No Chapters: 8
Word count: 21,405 Hit Count: 6,675 ePub Downloads: 31
Published: August 13, 2024 Updated: October 01, 2024


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Story Notes: This is my first fic, well that I'm actually going to publish and try to finish. I'm doing my best to stick decently close to canon relationship dynamics but I've never read the comics. We'll only be in post-series world for the very beginning and will mention it sparingly.
Also I want to ignore Glory, solely so I can focus on those juicy juicy relationships, without getting too bogged down in the canon plot, so don't be too disappointed if she or Ben don't make any appearances.
I tagged Angel and Cordy for their likely presence in later chapters, though they probably won't be too present, mostly just the core Scooby gang.

1. Chapter 1 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 42 Comments: 22 Word Count: 3,577 Hit Count: 1,801 Published: August 13, 2024

Here we go! First chapter fully written. This is going un-betaed but I've reread it as my times as my English lit brain will allow. Let me know if you see anything I missed :)

2. Chapter 2 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 40 Comments: 13 Word Count: 2,944 Hit Count: 857 Published: August 20, 2024

hello! Wow so many lovely comments so quickly. I really never thought I’d get much of a response but it seems like people like time travel stories as much as I do. 

 

I saw some people asking questions about the timeline being screwy and about their lack of worry for “their” Buffy. All things to be dealt with down the line, I promise. Not sure how quickly I’ll get the chapters coming since I’m mostly writing on break at work but here’s the next one :)

3. Chapter 3 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 36 Comments: 18 Word Count: 2,024 Hit Count: 753 Published: August 26, 2024

Thank you all for the continued support! This chapter is a little shorter, kind of an in-between chapter, but I’ve already got Chapter 4 fully written and it’s much chunkier.

For now, enjoy Buffy’s angst :)

4. Chapter 4 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 36 Comments: 12 Word Count: 3,699 Hit Count: 781 Published: September 01, 2024

I'm a day early since I'll be away from tech tomorrow for the holiday.

Loved everyone’s reactions to the “twist”! Here’s a bit of a meatier chapter, this time with Spike :)

5. Chapter 5 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 34 Comments: 15 Word Count: 2,259 Hit Count: 697 Published: September 10, 2024

Finally! Buffy and Spike actually talking to each other :)

6. Chapter 6 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 29 Comments: 11 Word Count: 1,942 Hit Count: 635 Published: September 16, 2024

Oops! Buffy got stabbed.

7. Chapter 7 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 31 Comments: 12 Word Count: 2,441 Hit Count: 670 Published: September 24, 2024

Riley gets his.

8. Chapter 8 by thedoppleganger - Likes: 26 Comments: 12 Word Count: 2,519 Hit Count: 481 Published: October 01, 2024

Buffy and Spike have The Talk.