Oh, wait....maybe that was a red herring! I hope it was....ah I love this fic so much!

The sneak!

That's it! Buffy and Dawn must have turned into Stepfords. I just can't believe they wouldn't even consider Xander.

All I can say is I want more. Excellent

I can't believe that Buffy is that dense. I know she has a blind eye when it comes to her friends, but this is ridiculous. Good chapter though. I hope that you will let Spike be able to identify his attacker before Xander hurts him again.

Xander is so evil to get Buffy out of the house and Spike to himself.

I didn't think Xander had that much deceit in him until I thought about the Acathla incident, and the hyena loss of memory and the...well, I guess he *does*. I hope Buffy puts Angel's vampire sense of smell on the case. I just don't know what the principal characters are going to do once Xander's caught.

excellent read, thank you. you have giles down perfectly. obviously the most intuitive watcher, ever.

OMG! How can they be so dense! Please tell me Buffy will realize the truth soon.

grrr lvoe this fic. your best work ever. but i really really hope someone finds out about xandr soon. i can't take much more lol so i know spike can't

Good grief....Giles and Buffy can stop an apocalypse but can't figure out why Spike regresses??? Idiots.

That bastard. This chapter made me uneasy just reading it. Xander acting all supportive. And who did he send Buffy off to find? I really hope that they figure out it was Xander soon. And I have to add to Dawn's request to make it hurt. ; ) More please.

Heartbreaking. Xander is creepy, deviously evil. I'm betting that he's named Angel as the person he just ran into earlier - effectively implicating him. Aaargh! I hope that just for once Buffy doesn't believe everything one of her human friends tells her, but since Buffy automatically equates human with being good, I don't hold out much hope that she won't strike first, think later - if at all.

I...just...can't...

So I'm guessing Xander tried o ut the blame onto either Angel or Riley. It's good that they noticed something was out of order with the strength of Spike's response, and I can understand why they would be unable to see Xander in that ligt, but I really wish they would be more aware. Poor Spike, smelling Xander on her and then her leaving him while Xander's still in the house must just make him feel more and more confused.

Yeah, Buffy and Giles are having a "Ben is Glory?" moment with their consideration of Xander right now. They almost get close enough to the truth to get it, then slip on by like they're freakin' blocked.

At least with Dawn, she would have gotten it out of Spike if she hadn't been interrupted by Buffy coming in.

Buffy is seriously such a moron. all of them are. The fact that Giles, Dawn AND Buffy couldn't figure out that it MIGHT be Xander, with his history of complete hatred is just insane.

Didn't buffy at least passingly suspect that ONE of the three men (angel, xander or riley) might have done it just the other night? And now she can't possibly fathom that it might be xander?

She's such a big moron I'm having a really hard liking her at all right now.

That was really creepy - Xander sending scent warnings to Spike via Buffy. Twist the knife. Again. Love it.

gah, how can they all be so stupid? xander's good. can't wait to see what happens next.

I think Giles knows, or at least has some idea. I'm just sayin'. It's an incredible story, and so heart-breaking. Poor Spike! P.S. Thank you thank you thank you for updating again--I thought I was going to have to tough it out through the holidays!

Wow, this Xander is smart, conniving and treacherous. Great way to write him, DOS. Poor Spike will be keep off balance every minute he's around. This is definitely not Joss' Xander. We're not in Kansas anymore. Fantastic fic, thanks for the update so soon, you rock!

god xander you jerk! and why oh why cant they see? they said it themselves, "it seems worse" yet they cant see it! They were so judgemental of angel when he came to the house but when its xander, arghh.. it frustrates me!

Awesome chapter!!

Time to get Angel in on things! He should figure this out, disappointed Dawn didn't get even time to figure it out. WAKE UP BUFFY!

Gah! You do love to torture Spike, don't you? Evil woman! LOL

Aaaaah! So close!

That bastard! He deflected her to Riley, didn't he? I'd almost thought that Giles was onto it, but no....not yet. And now Xander is downstairs, and Buffy's not there.....shit.

Okay, I want Angel to come back and protect them!

broken!spike is the best. Poor people Buffy, getting rejected like that, all from huggung the stupid twit. I'm just so glad it's still her that Spike relies & trusts to keep him safe more than her sister

My mind is screaming: Xander is planning something! Since he sent Buffy after Riley (well, I guess he meant Riley), now he only has to knock out Giles and Dawn to get to Spike. I think I might hate Xander right now. And I want to knock Buffy, Dawn and Giles repeatedly over the head untill they realise that Xander is the bad guy.
Great chapter, hope you update soon. Merry christmas.

Oh I am worried that Xander will sweet talk (or other ways finagle)his way into alone time with Spike. Xander is diabolically smart here in making sure to drive a wedge between Spike and Buffy with his presence and his scent. Shame on Giles for being so typically blind! Hope Dawn snaps at least. Buffy, well she IS Buffy.

Didn't expect this lovely update but am so delighted I squeed!

Wonder if Xander sent Buffy off to a Riley confrontation, or even Angel again. Judgeing by Buffy's continued determination at avenge Spike my money is on the demon (Angel) since she still is so black and white in her judgements.

Oh we need Anya to figure it all out (If she hasn't already...wonder about vengeance demons sense of smell). She might keep silent for numerous reasons but want someone to know. Angel should have gone to sniff out the answers at the place Spike was captive for that matter.

Excellent as always. This is your best yet, hon and that says a lot!

Kathleen

Buffy and Dawn are the stupidest people on the planet. Now I almost want Xander to get Spike back, just so they realize how much they've borken Spike fragile trust in them. Seriosuly, I doubt Spike could even be near them now, knowing that they let his tormentor in the house.

So glad to see another update. I'm sick that they've been left alone with Zander! I hope you have everyone put two & two together soon!

Again I ask...How stupid is Buffy?

Poor Spike! And I am worried exactly why Xander sent Buffy off on a goose chase, leaving only Giles and Dawn home alone with Spike.