Wow! That was amazing. Thank you!
Wow! That was amazing. Thank you!
BRAVO!!
Author's Response: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it :D
I'm estactic to come across this story again. After VampiresKiss crashed all my beloved stories and authors went away with it. Anyways, I just thought that this particular fic deserves another review from me..
I always wondered why the writers ended the scene the way they did. Was it so we can come up with our own version of it? Or because they thought that whatever else they added wouldn't fit the characters or be too cheesy? Whatever it was, I'm actually kind of glad they didn't go further with that scene because it made your story so powerful, like it actually did happen. Every word/scene was played out in my mind.. and I was heartbroken-for the both of them. These two characters have so much compassion , if only circumstances allowed them to portray(?) it. And in this little fic you were able to show us that despite all their superpowers, they were still just two lost people who needed love and forgiveness. And yes I just realised how long I've rambled on for. Even writing about it gets me all choked up. Ugh! Anyways if you haven't gotten it yet, I really REALLY enjoyed reading it. haha. Sorry for such a long ass review.
Author's Response:
Thanks for the stoping by to say hi again, Kara. That was really sweet of you. I really don't know why they left the scene the way they did. Perhaps they thought it was more dramatic to leave him smoking. It certainly was a powerful visual image. I also get the sense that they really wanted to emphasize that what was happening was really about Spike. Though he got the soul for Buffy, it was Spike's struggle, Spike's penance. And by continuing the scene, perhaps it would have detracted from how central it was to his transformation, and that it's not always about Buffy. But that's only speculation on my part =)
Thanks for leaving the lovely review again. And no reviewer can ever go on too long for a writer. Seriously. Details are always wonderful, and it does a little writer's heart good to hear that they made it work for someone.
I think I also just really like doing ep stealers, too. You have a good infrastructure to work with and then build from. For someone like me who doesn't do anything epic, that can be a really great starting point.
Oh wow... this was just beautiful! You wrote Spike's madness so perfectly and I love that Buffy not only feels remorse, but she does something about it. Great work.
Author's Response: Thanks! There was something really proud about Spike in that scene, which made his actions all the more heartbreaking. It was a real shame that they never further explored Buffy's response to these events. We see her cry and stare dumbly, but I couldn't believe that would have been the end of it. She's a complex woman, but is full of compassion, and would not have just left him to burn. I wrote the blood part because he must have had help with healing his burns. We don't get much sense of how much time has elapsed between Beneath You and the next episode, but it can't be much. He's all healed when Buff and Xander visit him. And I just realized that's probably way more than you wanted to know, lol.
It's 2am and I am up reading this. Absolutely amazing. Most of all then ending was most powerful - being able to taste forgiveness. That was absolutely the most original concept I have read and kudos to you for thinking of something so brilliant.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review, Opal. Very glad you enjoyed it. And it was definately appropriate to read it at 2AM, cause that's when I think I wrote it. I honestly don't even remember giving much thought to that ending line, but it seems that it's what really made the fic for most people. I like using the concept of blood as a vehicle for revelations about characters and their emotions. Check out "The Heart of Her." That fic is all about the symbolism and meaning in Buffy's blood.
Wow this just brought me to tears and I could So see this happening. I felt for both of them So much. One of the best fics I've ever read.
Author's Response: Oh, wow. What a lovely thing to say. Yes, the episode itself is one of the most emotional scenes in the whole series, but many people didn't like how it ended and then was never revisited. I tried to show what I felt really happened between the scenes. This came to me in my sleep one night, and it's still one of my fav fics. Thanks for reading!
Holy cow! Good stuff.
Author's Response: Thanks! It's always nice when these little snippets come to you in your sleep.
Wow! What a powerful piece of storytelling, the dialogue totally blew me away... great job! Thanks for sharing this truly amazing story!
Author's Response:
My pleasure to share this with you. I woke up in the middle of the night to write it and it just flowed. Spike's dialolgue in the actual episode was so heartbreaking and beautiful and I tried to stick with that mood here. He had such a broken pride in his insanity that touched me deeply. And through it all, he still sees her, knows her. I'm glad this touched you. It's what I strive for as a writer.