Post-Season 5, an alternate reality take on Season 6, but not so crazy-alternate that anyone's unrecognisable. Just lots of small tweaks that pack a punch - like the odd bit of honest communication amongst the Scoobies. Starts with Spike/Dawn friendship and builds from there.

Runner Up for Best Angst in round 30 of the SunnyD Awards

A/N September 2018: this story is now being re-posted with minor edits on Elysian Fields and AO3, as a prelude to new chapters. New chapters will be re-posted here, but the formatting is too much work to re-post the previous 50.
 
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Words: 3,240 - Updated: 03/30/2014 09:41 pm

 

 
The Scoobies, Spike and the plumbing incident.
 
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Words: 3,530 - Updated: 03/31/2014 02:48 pm

 

 
More Scoobies, making decisions
 
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Spike's new life
 
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Words: 3,520 - Updated: 03/31/2014 06:38 pm

 

 
Resurrection, part 1
 
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Words: 3,666 - Updated: 03/31/2014 06:48 pm

 

 
Resurrection, part 2
 
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Words: 3,785 - Updated: 03/31/2014 06:59 pm

 

 
Consequences, part 1
 
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Words: 3,614 - Updated: 03/31/2014 07:06 pm

 

 
Consequences, part 2
 
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Words: 3,397 - Updated: 03/31/2014 07:17 pm

 

 
First meal all together
 
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Words: 3,443 - Updated: 03/31/2014 07:44 pm

 

 
They fight off the manifestation of evil. Mostly
 
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Words: 3,615 - Updated: 03/31/2014 07:51 pm

 

 
They finally kill off the manifestation of evil. Honest
 
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Words: 3,047 - Updated: 03/31/2014 08:11 pm

 

 
Giles is back and we get into Buffy's head a little.
 
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Words: 3,645 - Updated: 03/31/2014 08:19 pm

 

 
Giles and Spike talk about redemption
 
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Dawn has a melt-down and Giles is hung over
 
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Everybody hates Willow, part 1
 
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Words: 3,613 - Updated: 04/02/2014 08:14 pm

 

 
Everyone hates Willow, part 2
 
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Words: 3,655 - Updated: 04/07/2014 12:55 am

 

 
Angel shows up, with predictable results

A/N: this is pretty much the angstiest this story is going to get
 
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Words: 3,408 - Updated: 04/08/2014 03:37 pm

 

 
Aftermath, plus the beginning of the job.

Might be a couple of weeks before the next update - apologies in advance
 
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Words: 3,589 - Updated: 04/14/2014 11:45 pm

 

 
More of the job, and Buffy's nightmares
 
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Words: 3,513 - Updated: 04/22/2014 12:19 am

 

 
Spike escapes the clutches of Jenoff and Buffy is still very depressed
 
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Giles *finally* polishes his glasses! And other long-awaited things
 
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Words: 4,285 - Updated: 05/03/2014 03:27 am

 

 
The metaphysics of Dawn
 
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Peaches and despair
 
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Words: 4,172 - Updated: 05/14/2014 10:25 pm

 

 
The morning after the night before
 
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Words: 3,975 - Updated: 05/19/2014 03:20 pm

 

 
Buffy and Spike have an honest conversation (and the world doesn't end)
 
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Words: 5,419 - Updated: 05/25/2014 12:33 am

 

 
Build-up to a storm, part 1
 
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Words: 3,907 - Updated: 06/07/2014 11:47 am

 

 
Build-up to a storm, part 2
 
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Words: 4,007 - Updated: 06/12/2014 11:28 pm

 

 
Wash it all away
 
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Revello Drive wakes up
 
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What's in a name?
 
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Some crises are averted, others not so much.
 
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Words: 3,229 - Updated: 07/14/2014 11:07 pm

 

 
The spell is broken

A/N: This chapter is mostly about Xander and Anya - be warned
 
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Surprise, surprise, everyone is pretty miserable
 
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Buffy and Willow are conspicuous in their absence
 
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Words: 3,022 - Updated: 08/04/2014 10:08 am

 

 
Chickens come home to roost, comeuppances are handed out, and what was sowed is reaped, part 1
 
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Words: 3,820 - Updated: 08/17/2014 11:01 pm

 

 
Chickens come home to roost, comeuppances are handed out, and what was sowed is reaped, part 2
 
A/N: Beware! I posted Chapter 35 only 3 days ago, and you need to read that first! These two chapters were always in my head as one, and my intention was to post them together, but it didn't quite happen that way.... Oh well.
 
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Everyone still needs to eat and sleep and work
 
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Bring out the Geeks!
 
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Change is...

A/N: I have written an Angel crossover episode, called Double or Nothing, available on AO3 here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2401940/chapters/5311313

If you wish to read it, read Chapter 1 before reading this chapter.
 
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Words: 3,386 - Updated: 10/28/2014 10:52 pm

 

 
Buffy and Xander consider oblivion, while Anya considers her conscience.

A/N: If you are also reading Double or Nothing, please read Chapter 2 before reading this chapter.  http://archiveofourown.org/works/2401940/chapters/5619668
 
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Words: 3,237 - Updated: 11/12/2014 05:52 pm

 

 
Reflections on love and trust and anger and fear, part 1

A/N: Something went wrong with the posting of chapter 40, so if when you read it, it felt short and ended with Xander, you only read half of it. You may want to read the rest of it (and Chapter 3 of Double or Nothing: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2401940/chapters/5949539) before reading this one.
 
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Words: 3,267 - Updated: 12/11/2014 12:24 pm

 

 
Reflections on love and trust and anger and fear, part 2
 
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Buffy eats breakfast, the Geeks plot, the Council makes an appearance and Tara makes a decision
 
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Words: 3,387 - Updated: 01/04/2015 03:15 pm

 

 
Willow and Tara talk
 
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What's the worst that could happen?  A/N: Hope no one's had health complications from the shock of a new chapter.... I wanted to think through some strictly canon stuff before returning to this, hence all of the other writing. But my other stories are all on the verge of being finished, so almost back to Family being my primary focus again.
 
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Just another Saturday night, part 1
 
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Just another Saturday night, part 2
 
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Just another Saturday night, part 3
 
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Spike and Giles go on an adventure
 
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Giles and Willow duke it out
 
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Flamethrowers are a thing, and Chinese food is eaten
 
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Words: 3,498 - Updated: 11/15/2018 12:28 am