Yup, that was much too good to be true. Eh... I get that back in a day Spike slaughtered enough people to populate a small country, but honestly, doesn't the guy deserve ANY kind of a break? And Buffy? The worst possible luck in the world, everything happening just a little to late and every other decision turning out to be one more thing to be regreted...

You're gonna make me cry, I can see that already. ;)

Oh, and BTW, that A/N at the end? That was EVIL. Bad, bad author. I'm really really glad I'm reading this now and not when it was first posted. ;)

*nods* Yep, you're gonna break my heart, I'm sure you are. I'm so glad they found each other though. *sniffles* Loving this story!

Those last paragraphs were so intense and then you ended it by saying "on a happy note"...I found it funny. I'd forgotten that Willow contacted him. Hope it's something that you're going to have a cure for. I'd hate to have him be left without her again. This time to take care of her daughter and not her sister. Hope you had a fun vacation.

One thing that does come to mind is the slayer healing and the cancer - would logic suggest would suggest that Buffy would end up in some type of loop with Cancer reaches certain stage, then slayer healing powers come back into play for temporary Healing Phase - then cycle starts again - eventually her healing powers decline with age - just thinking how this might work -

So a poignant piece, not only because of all the dreadful mistakes both made, but because in real life so many of us have suffered this horrible illness within our families and loved one. My own sister and our family is going through this same thing and I have lost several friends to cancer.

just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed reading your work - spent last several nights reading your stories - and have enjoyed all of them -

Like this "future life" story very much - a wonderful treatment of "lessons learned" for both Buffy and Spike - Like your mature Buffy very much - And nice to read a mature Xander as well -

Hope you have updates soon and that you have a wonderful vacation -

Now that cliffhanger was pure evil!!!

Have a great vacation (you lucky thing, you)!!!

Just what a girl needs to hear -- poor Buffy. At least she doesn't have to tell him herself.

And right now, Joy's gonna go "What's cancer, Mommy?"

I wonder who gets custody of Joy after....or is Buffy still hoping to beat it? You haven't mentioned if it's terminal or not.

enjoying the tale. you enjoy your vacation, come back refreshed and with more fine chapters to read.

Vacation? You don't need to go on vacation! You need to write me another chapter. lol

I'm loving this story. It's really nice and not at all like other Post Chosen/NFA fics I've read.

Gahhhhhh...okay we need a cure pronto. Hum, maybe Spike could turn her and Willow could make sure she kept her soul...yup that would work.

Excellent.

Have a nice vacation.

Kathleen

Vacation?! And they say Angelous is evil?

Ahaha, you heartless bitch. Love the author's note *squishes*. Mm, a good transitional chapter. I'm curious how you're going to wrap this up in a chapter or two given that I'm sure you're not done with the heaping amounts of sorrow you want to throw on them.

I was charmed by the spatula bit, I won't lie. I'll never look at them the same way again. Loved Spike calling Joy Bit, as well as her head tilt when she looks at him. Maybe she got a bit of Spike in her via osmosis or something. And of course, the menton of the other women I recognized.

This is an interesting verse for me just because it's so domestic. If I were to compare this to Clocks, where it's crazy action and adventure, this seems like a much calmer world where everyone has matured a great deal. You don't often see post-NFA fics where the Scoobies are just people, and not superheroes, and given my own writing, I really appreciate that. By stripping the drama of good vs. evil away, you really get to the heart of them, what makes them tick, etc.

yikes!!!
loving this story

Holy shit, You just left it there hanging in the air like that? , well I suspected she was ill but do you think I could persuade you to make it curable and not terminal , because from some of the the answers you've given to reviews makes me think this is not going to end well, can we have a happy ending , please? I like NFA story to end happily.

ach! no! oh no, buffy can't have cancer!!! :( that's so sad...it's so tragic that they're finally finding each other when she might not have much time left...and i love this older, more mature xander....great chapter, love, looking forward to more :)

"All these years, and he’d still almost let himself be foiled by Xander Harris." - LOL.

“I know that, ’s just… feel like I shoulda known better, you know? Knew the whole time there’d never be anyone for me but you, and I still couldn’t put my damn pride away and come find you until…” - Yes, you should have known better you silly vamp! But, if you had of, we wouldn't be treated with this lovely story! :D

And, so Spike knows about the cancer, ay? Good. Maybe it will help further his guilt for not going to Buffy & repeatedly cheating on her! haha.

Great chapter! Looking forward to the next one :)