Nothing the Same, Book 4, Ch. 15 & 16

[orchidluv]

As promised, two chapter, posted together.  I've just put them both together in one entry, rather than linking them.

Nothing the Same, Book 4
Chapters:  15 and 16
Feedback & concrit: yes, please
Disclaimer: don't own them, never will, just having fun.
WARNING:  CHAPTER 15 CONTAINS EXPLICIT SEX
Previous parts here

Comments

[mulder200]

Awesome! Two chapters for the price of one.

Things I liked:

Spike's non reaction to the news that Dawn wasn't human
The way Tara stands up to her family
Spike's comment about an orgy with Tara
The hot sex!

And Riley comes off like such an ass, doesn't he? He doesn't really get Buffy at all does he? It's so interesting to see how Buffy & Xander have become such great friends over the course of the story.

[orchidluv]

*g* as well as he knows him, even Xander sometimes forgets that Spike just doesn't react like a human does.

I couldn't resist the orgy crack, it just seemed like something Spike would say to annoy Tara's family. Glad you liked it.

Riley senses that Buffy is more important to him than he is to her and it's driving him crazy. I suspect one day he'll look back at his behavior and just cringe, but that day is months, if not years down the road.

[brunettepet]

This was a tight, vivid and emotional pair of chapter. Spike and Xander reaching for each other, finding comfort and a release of unbelievable tension in the wake of the Summers news was beautifully written. The need to connect and find comfort is natural, and you made it a balm for them both

[orchidluv]

That's what happens when you ask an immortal demon about something as vague as "the key". *g*

Riley's problem is he wants to be Buffy's rock and she just doesn't know how to lean on people that way. He's feeling left out and not without cause, he isn't Buffy's priority right now and it shows. Still...he ought to be a bit more understanding.

[sparrow2000]

Very nice update. You packed a lot of canon in, incredibly economically, but spun beautifully to fit in with this 'verse. Loved Xander working himself up to telling Spike about Dawn and it being an anticlimax, hee. The sex scenes were just hot and Riley made me want to slap him, although I have a modicum of pity for him as well as he struggles with being the outsider.

Really excellent, meaty update.

[orchidluv]

I'm not as unsympathetic towards Riley as it may seem. He's dealing with a lot of stuff, he's just not handling it very well. Bottom line, I think he's a good guy. It's just that he and Buffy are something never meant to be.

[spiceblueeyes]

Two in one, yay! I love the scene with Tara's family, and how Spike doesn't care that Dawn's not human. Very in character.

[orchidluv]

Poor Xander, got himself all worked up for the big reveal, then nothing. *g*

chapter 15

[anonymous]

Someone needs to hit Riley. Really hard. The world does NOT centre around him and his hurt feelings. Idiot.

Hopefully, having time to recover in LA will give Joyce a better chance to survive. If I remember correctly from canon, she was alone at home when she died. What I can't remember is if she came home immediately after the surgery or if she was in the hospital a few days first.

Nice to see Okolo coming up with all that info. Makes it much easier for everyone. Gives Giles time to stay in LA and support Buffy instead of having to do all that research.

Re: chapter 15

[orchidluv]

They were pretty vague in canon, but it seemed like she was home within a day of her surgery, then pretty much just went back to her normal life. That seemed wrong to me, so I'm making her spend a few days somewhere where she has to rest and get better.

Riley IS being left out and isn't Buffy's priority, but he could sure be handling it better.