Nothing the Same, Book 4, Ch. 36

[orchidluv]

Sorry this is so late.  Personally, I'm blaming Spike and Ethan.  They both went and did things that totally weren't in the script.  Which meant some major re-writing and re-thinking and futzing around.  Hopefully that won't happen again (eyes characters sternly).  Anyway, sorry for the delay and thanks for your patience.

Nothing the Same, Book 4

Comments

Re: fantastic

[orchidluv]

Thanks, hun. We're in the homestretch and I just posted the next chapter.

[brunettepet]

I really love Joyce's expanded role in your universe. She's a calming force in all this uncertainty and impending doom. She's quietly playing mother to everybody and it's helping keep the household settled.

Xander's pragmatic take on the upcoming fight has got the wheels turning. There entire plan can't rest on Spike's shoulders, there needs to be some sort of back up. Ethan going to Doc is part of that back up, but now Doc's been tipped off, as in canon, that Ethan has a connection to Glory's key. Giles has every reason to be angry with the mage, though he doesn't know it. Yet.

Giles and Ethan make a great couple, but I can understand why Xander has no stomach for thinking about his father figure having sex. Ick!

Spike's reasons for asking Xander to sit the fight out are heartwarming and they ring true to the character and the relationship you've built between him and Xander.

The mental image of Spike loaded down with lots and lots of ugly jewelry made me laugh out loud. He's going to look hysterical.

[orchidluv]

I had to go fishing for pictures on the internet to remind myself of what the ring looked like - and it was definitely ugly. Worse - it's not silver! And Spike was a silver jewelry kind of guy - although come to think of it, isn't silver traditionally a problem for vampires?

Having Joyce live was because I hated that she died, but it's been interesting to realize how much of a difference it would make having her there.

[anonymous]

You know, I was still skeptical of if Giles and Ethan were, you know, actually *together* yet. I assumed Giles was still resisting. So I spent the first half of what Xander overheard wondering if Giles had any idea that he sounded EXACTLY LIKE SPIKE. Than again, recent observations of canon have made me realize exactly how... incredibly similar Spike is to Ripper. I couldn't help but notice here that Giles used a LOT of the same words and phrases Spike uses when Xander goes off and does something stupidly heroic. Of course...it's totally not something anyone would expect from Ethan even if no one would expect anything less from Xander.

Of course, now for the big question: Will Xander *actually* sit this one out? ...will he even be able to?

[orchidluv]

I hadn't thought about it in those terms, but Ripper and Spike do have a lot in common. Band Candy remains one of my favorite episodes. Ripper and teenage rebel Joyce were hysterical together.

[orchidluv]

When I started Book 4, that was my one absolute - Joyce was surviving. It was interesting discovering how much impact she had on events.