this was again, heart-melting...so very sad for poor spike...you've captured his torment so well...and i'm so glad that buffy is going to be kind to him...and dawn will come around,in time, won't she? *anxious*

OMG! that was such an emotionally powerful and raw chapter, it still rips at my heart and sticks in my throat. Yeah, Dawn's still upset, she only heard what happened from Xander and now that he's gone why should she betray the last things he said to her, that would he lied to her just before he died and she can't deal with that now. so excellent of a chapter. Can't wait to keep reading.

*giggles*
i just love hte pb&j analogy. thats the best. love rupert and i'm glad he has come to some realizations. the counsil is such a bunch of wankers. can't wait to see what happens when buffy gets there.

yup Dawn's got issues alright. Can't wait for the big peanutbutter meets jelly scene. thanx 4 the update.

great chapter

very good chapter. really like this side of giles. thanks for the fine rread.

Everything happening is very appropriate, and a lot of it makes more sense than cannon, for sure.

I'm not surprised Dawn doesn't want to go. She's really angry that Spike left her. The bathroom incident is just an excuse for her, and I'm glad her last quote was the truth behind Dawn's attitude: "He left me. Now I'm leaving him!"

And Buffy so needed to come clean with how she treated Spike. There's a lot of making up to do.

You did so well with this that I could feel Spike's pain. I am so glad that Giles is there with him, and that Buffy did not cave to Dawn's temper tantrum but made arrangements and went to Africa. I am really looking forward to when Buffy and Spike meet again. Thank you for the great update.

LOL, I truly love this chappie :P

Just discovered this WIP and am hooked. I am looking forward to more of this. Nice to see Giles sympathetic for a change! I always felt he was out of character on the show when he had almost no interest in how and why Spike went after his soul. The Giles I had seen in the past would have been endlessly fascinated.

I believe the most important caveat to what Spike did in SR was that look on his face, as you point out in the story. He KNEW what he had tried to do was wrong and he STOPPED....yes, she kicked him off (rather like slapping a hysterical person to get their attention)..but he stopped and he felt remorse. The startling thing was what he did NOT do rather than what he did, or tried to do. The chip didn't work on Buffy, he had no soul....he should have just been like any other vampire and continued with no conscious....that was not what happened and that was what was remarkable.

Sorry forbeing long winded. Do carry on with this excellent fic.

Kathleen

Don't know bangers and mash either....not english....swedish

I have had peanut butter but I think it just sticks in your mouth and is really annoying :)

Tasha I don't agree with you in that what Buffy did was worse. It was bad and I really did not like Buffy for that and thought she was a really poor hero but in the end a lot has to be put on Spikes feet too cause he let her do it. I do agree that they weren't willing to see anything wrong with the way she treated Spike or the fact that if you have a soul and do wrong it's ok and you can be forgiven but not if you don't have a soul. Now I'm of the opposite side here, I mean if you have a soul you and you know right from wrong then when you do wrong/evil it really is evil but if a soulless creature who is only acting in his nature does that how can it really be evil?

Loved the analogies. I hope that Dawn gets a kick in the arse and gets out of her mood. I always hated that no one was willing to hear what Buffy did ... or they didnt' want to recognize what Buffy did to Spike as being far worse than what he tried to do to her. What he tried ... she succeeded in doing to him all the time over and over.

Excellent update. I look forward to more.

I really liked Giles in this chapter. I appreciate how much compassion and support he's giving to Spike. It's so great to see Buffy so determined. After Buffy's cookie dough speech on the show, peanut butter and jelly seems like something Buffy would think to herself about her feelings for Spike. Great chapter! :)

Don't eat that much peanut butte or jelly so I can't really say I understand how well they go together :)

Good chapter.Actually,peanut butter is better without jelly,but whatever.And no I don't expect David to go all fang-y in "Bones".Did you see last night's episode?It was about voodoo,and it was asked what religion David's character was.He said he was Catholic,and I laughed at the irony.I almost got the first season of Angel today at Barnes & Noble,but didn't have enough money.They're holding it for me until Monday.Then I'll have all seven seasons of Buffy and the movie(I haven't watched it yet.),and four seasons of Angel.I'll just need Season 2 then.Update soon.