Not a moment too soon!!!

Who knew that Angel could be so good at coaxing out Spike's inner thoughts? Well, I guess it's due to all the brooding but it sure focused Spike on the matter at hand. Now, looking forward to THE TALK!

took her long enough. very good read, thank you.

Well it's about damn time! ;)
Really happy with this chapter, there's alot of work to do, but maybe just maybe we're out of the angst.... oh lol who am I kidding. I'm sure angst is going to come around and smack me for that ^^

Keep up the great work! :)

wow! another great chapter! can't wait to read more!

I vowed to myself not to review until I saw some true Buffy angst and not just more of "Spike Angst".

I guess I must settle with this chapter.

The talk between Angel and Spike nearly made me cry, and when Buffy came, I was so glad. Finally she makes the first move!

Ugh.... stupid... what a cop out... Spike shoulda went back to Sunnydale, not this *snorts and goes off to bed muttering all sorts of stuff* ...gonna put a lot of errors in my next chapter for you to work on... punk... *pouts*

*don’t see why the monks couldn’t have made me Buffy’s incredibly brilliant, college graduate *older* sister, instead of making me suffer through the inhuman torture that is high school.* LOL. I actually have a challenge posted on that. About time Buffy went to LA.

Thanks for finally getting her to do something. I was getting tired of her crap. 6 weeks was to long for him to have been tortured like that. She had no reason left to ignore him other then she's being the same ol' selfish bitch Buffy. Said goodbye to Xander, Dawn's back on track and still pissed at her ignorance. So thank you so much for getting her off her ass and go to him. Really looking forward to this, Emotionly raw chapter for poor Spike, great job.

I didn't feel that Angel was encouraging Spike to make a big step, but his points of trying to point out both sides, and make Spike understand all sides, was pretty good. Spike didn't *have* to do anything with the understanding/info, but he did need to see beyong stubborness. I think Angel, because he's been talking to both of them, is just tired of the pain, and wants to see this resolved one way or another. If Buffy wasn't going to make a move, then just maybe...Spike would have to give a little hint that maybe her words would be *received*, at least. Or, he just had to put it behind him and move on. They can't stay in limbo.

But I'm very glad he didn't have to work out how to do that!

Well, finally! Excellent update luv. Can't wait for more.

OMG... OMG... she came. Holy cow, and everything holy too, lol. Never seen that coming, hee hee hee. I'm gussing she got Willow to teleport her to Angel's and at a excellent moment too. Can't wait to see what will happen next.

Can we still get Bufy spanked? lol

Angel's really shown some maturity in this fic. I like it.

I don't blame Spike for wanting her to make the first move. He's taken all the risks when it comes to thier relationship.

This shouldbe one interesting convo.

What Immortal Beloved said. Except maybe I'd toss in that after all of that she had the nerve to sit around for six weeks not making the first move because what -- she was afraid of being rejected? Still, credit where credit is due, let's give the girl a cookie for finally figuring out that just once she might have to be the one to risk something here.

Didn't think much of Angel's reasoning... no relationship can be healthy when the burden of reaching out ALWAYS falls on one side. It doesn't have to be even-steven, but it does have to be a two-way street. We'll see if Buffy and Spike ever figure this out...

Oh, THANK GOD! Buffy came to Spike. The way the conversation between Angel and Spike was going I was afraid that Spike was going to go back to Buffy. And let me tell you, I LOVE this story, but if that happened, I was going to have to stop reading it. Probably the thing that I love most about Spike is his dogged determination, his unwavering devotion, but there is only so much than a person can be expected to take. Spike's been tortured for Buffy, he's protected her family and her ungrateful friends, he got thrown off of a tower, he let Buffy beat him nearly more to death; she blew up Spike's crypt, used him as her own personal concubine, and practically sicced Xander on him. Spike is right: it is in no way too much to ask that she go to him. Buffy FINALLY did one thing right. Somebody toss the girl a Scooby snack! :)

Loved the way Angel plays Spike and agrees with him. Sneaky.

Well, THAT was an unexpected development! Great! I love surprises! (And you're so good at delivering them.) I like how they are both so paralyzed in their fear of each others' feelings for them. Both hurting so much for the other, but so scared of rejection, deserved or not. Nicely done.

I have a question - what does "a soft note of subtlety to his voice" mean? It's actually kind of a neat turn of phrase, but after I'd read it, I got down a couple of lines, and my brain kind of stopped and came back to it, and tried to figure out exactly what it meant. (I'm probably just being dense tonight...)

Thanks for the update!

Finally she wised up. Now let's see how badly those two can screw this up.

She came? Thought after Dawn hung up, that she was too much of a coward still....good heavens, I hope she didn't try to *drive*! Wonder how much she heard?

And yeah, it *isn't* about keeping score, but Spike isn't in the wrong, either, for wanting to not have to make all the effort, since he always has. And if he'd caved first, it just would have continued them in this unhealthy relationship of Buffy being able to do anything to him, and he still comes back and "forgives" her. And he doesn't deserve that. Spike's *not* a doormat. I'm really glad he didn't go to her.

Now, I hope he's strong with her. The boundaries have to be set *now*, because she still has so much power to hurt him. Her words mean diddly-squat, without actions and actions to back them up.

6 weeks....wow....

hmm well thats better than a phone call?

Hmmm, poor Buffy, she's so messed up, you just have to forgive her...Not.

But I'm really proud of her for showing up there too...

Proves she really is my girl :)

She was more than a little annoyed with Dawn’s attitude, and even more annoyed at the fact that she was pretty much right.

Okay - Dawn needs to stay THE HELL out of Spike & Buffy's relationship. And Angel is SO smart - it's not up to Buffy, it's up to Spike - I was so proud of her for staying away from him & finally learning her lesson. But now, she still has NO RIGHT to be there - She needs to stay away from Spike!

Well it's about damn time she got up off her ass and did something! I know it's going to be a long and painful conversation but queue the parade and seventy-six trombones! Buffy finally decided to do something right!

:dance:

And can I just say that I love Angel more and more as this story goes on? :D

Great update and I'm looking forward to the next one!

Ah, for once she does the right thing, finally. Hope that she overheard their conversation

Wordy me again...The one difference here from canon Angel S5 is Angel on the show was feeding Spike's insecurities and here he is the good sire helping Spike make good decisions.

Buffy and Spike are both damaged hearts with reason...they then hurt each other on top of the damage left by others.....add to that your story's complications and you have too people terrified of more hurt but loving too much to just chuck it. Beautiful.

K

YAY Buffy grows a backbone! Didn't see that ending but glad for it. Oh it isn't all puppies and roses yet but they need to start.

This chapter is the best spelling out of Angel S5 Spike/Buffy I've seen done. All the reasons (on both sides I think) clealy laid out. Very canon and on the money for these two gun shy characters.

I tried to respond on the forum but this MAC won't let me. I think the reason for the flip flops is that you have captured the complexity of these characters so very well (I mean there is even room to feel sad for little Xander being molded by his father into the guy who could and did these terrible things). You paint all the hues not just black and white just as on the show. It takes a certain amount of maturity (not age, but maturity) to see in more than black and white. That is why some people get stuck in "hate Buffy" or "Stupid Spike" mode.....they cant wrap around the fullness of the characters. The flaws, weaknesses, the wounded hearts and souls that are supremely wonderful and pure and also petty and proud. You cause heated debates because you paint them so very well! Nothing wrong with the depiction but the maturity filter of the reader will have a lot to do with the response (of course some people come in with prejudices already that shade things *G*).

Excelent as always.

Kathleen

Finally, a cliffhanger I like. I am glad that Buffy went to Los Angeles. Hopefully she and Spike will have a productive talk.

I love Buffy for going to him, and I really hope they can work things out by having an honest conversation. Can I say how much I wanted to give Angel a hug for being what Spike needed during that conversation and not just serving his own interests? And how heartbreaking was Spike's admittance that he is afraid of rejection and that he isn't enough? That he could even let himself say the words out loud is a sign of how much he has changed. I'm curious about how much Buffy heard, and how honest she is going to be in return

Aww... make it happy now, k? I want them to be happy. Much as I love the angst, if they have to fight again... I might cry.

oh so lovely! Buffy's emotions were done perfectly and so *her* -keeping it all inside instead of facing her fears and dealing with the issue -but I'm so glad she did. Angel and Spike's relationship is sweet, too. :) can't wait for the next chapter!

Wonderful chapter - totally agree with Angel about making concessions. I'm hoping they're moving in the right direction.

FINALLY! THANK GOD!!!!!

Buffy finally got her head out of her ummmm the ummmmmm SAND!

Great Chapter! My heart just aches for Spike ... PLEASE let Buffy be nice!

Ah, Buffy. **grinning ear-to-ear** It's about bloody time!