OH!!!

Glad Joyce isn't my mother! I still don't think Buffy is totally to blame! Great chapter!

I love the pain and the depth of emotion with which Spike conveys his true feelings for the Slayer-- Why he accepted her claim. It was hear-breakingly beautiful! Looking forward to more.

I concede that mlle is correct and that I agree with what is written in the first paragraph of his/her review. I was too harsh in my assessment of Spike's character during his period of transformation. It was indeed a long journey of change that culminated the fight for his soul. Spike did not deserve every punch and bruise that Buffy gave him (on the show). But I do keep in mind that while Spike was learning to be good, Buffy was also learning to accept him as good. This is why I do not judge her as harshly as others may. The experience was a learning process for her as well.

I disagree that with Raspy that on the show Buffy was usually only violent with Spike when he "deserved nothing else" – she'd hit him for trying to talk to her, or for saying something rude, which is not an excuse. And I think he was trying to change, and had shown some change, before the soul. It was uneven change, and he had no real moral understanding, but he was trying. All they achieved by saying he was evil over and over was to remind me of the good he'd done. I can't really see the selfish purpose in babysitting Dawn or protecting the Scoobies after Buffy was dead.

I do agree with Raspy that some of what's happening is of questionable characterization. You've made it more than clear that Buffy is not in control of her actions when she abuses him in this story, and not in the way of someone with a violent temper or a drinking problem, but in that there is someone or something else inhabiting her or controlling her. If Spike loves her, why the hell wouldn't he explain the supernatural interference to Joyce?

Whether it's a spell or the claim or another entity or the Slayer, you've said yourself that Buffy is not in the driver's seat – in this last case, not even in the room. It may be exacerbating tendencies in her that are already there, but it is also an outside force. As such, her actions under its control are not her fault. It's the difference between willingly taking a drug, and having it forced on or slipped to you – the latter is what happened to Buffy. You seem to be making the opposite mistake from the show, IMHO – emphasizing Spike's emotional vulnerability and ignoring his status as a killer.

Initially, I was intrigued by your treatment of Buffy's abusive tendencies in this story, which I agree are there in canon. But now it's gotten the point where you're hammering them home, over and over and over, to be sure we get it, and it's getting tiresome. Ok, already. Buffy bad. Spike mistreated and alone and a woobie. We get it.

At this point, the only sensible course I see for Buffy to take is for her to chain herself up, and have Spike chained up separately. Herself because she is a danger to everyone around her until they figure out how to get her back in control. Spike because if the other her emerged, she could summon him and make him release her. Alternately, she could have Giles use the de-Slayerifying drugs on her to remove her strength so she couldn't hurt anyone. Or some similar solution. Buffy has flaws, but she is not stupid, and when the truth is revealed she tries to do the right thing. Knowing that she might hurt her friends and her mother and sister should she lose it again, she would go to any lengths to protect them. She would thereby regain some of her heroic status, which is at least as key to her character as her abusive status. Unfortunately, after much patience with the agenda-driven narrative of this story, I don't see it happening. Regretfully, I will not be reading further.

I agree with alpha and Raspy_Luv. I didn't actually become a spuffy shipper till season seven even though I wished Spike would somehow change for her. But at this point in the show, he is still a souless vampire. It doesn't excuse Buffy's behavior but then again it seems like something is controlling her so to blame her is for everything is wrong. You make it sound like Spike has always been the victim, but remember he tried to kill all of them just recently. I agree that Joyce wouldn't approve of Buffy's behavior, but she certainly wouldn't side over with Spike until she heard the whole story. Buffy is her daughter.

I didn't become a Spuffy fan until Spike started trying to change (on the show). Here you have him still a killer - there has been no change in him that I've seen other than the effects of the claim/mating/dominace bite, none of which are positive. So no, in this story I do not see him on equal par with Buffy or any other human being, nor did I on the show until he sought to change. Here, he is still a killer and even admitted (in his thoughts) that he came back to kill Buffy so he could get over her. You have Joyce acting motherly to him, a vampire, a killer, but not to her daughter, her own living flesh and blood. Yeh, I have a problem with that. Granted I don't know what you have in store for future chapters, but with the way you've been writing this I don't trust that you intend to cast Buffy in a shiny light anytime soon. And that bothers me because you have established already that Buffy is not in control of herself.
Of course I have a problem with the way "Buffy" is treating Spike in this story, evil dead guy or not. It is horrible. But the way I am comprehending your writing is that Buffy isn't the one doing this. She is just the vehicle for the thing that is doing this, whether it is the Slayer or another entitiy. So yeh, I am having a hard time with your story because of this.
I am a Spuffy fan because I like the idea of someone (Spike) changing for the better because of the affect of another (Buffy). She affected him so greatly that he wanted to be a better man, to be what she deserved. She was the catalyst for his change and I think that says a lot about her character. When she did treat him badly on the show, it is because he usually deserved nothing else. Up until he got his soul, he was selfish in his so called love for her and was bringing her down. She was fighting to prevent that from happening. The only way that love would ever work was if Spike was brought up to Buffy's level. Yes, her level. Warrior of light and all that. And he WAS. And THAT is why I am a Spuffy fan.

I'm having a hard time believing in the story at this point. No matter what her faults were, Joyce would never, ever take the side of Spike over her daughter. Never. She may have enjoyed the occasional visit from Spike on the show, but she also knew that Spike was very dangerous and not good boyfried material -- she was the first one to tell Buffy that she had to find a way to stop Spike from thinking that he had a chance with her when Spike revealed his crush. Joyce was always very protective of her daughters, and there is no way she would ever treat Buffy like this.

This chapter has just made me feel much more for Buffy and much less for Spike. Spike is the eternal victim at this point, and I find little to admire in him. Buffy, on the other hand, is not only suffering greatly, but everyone (her mother included) hates her for it. It's not her fault that this is happening, and I wish someone would take her side already. If this story is supposed to have some kind of a Spuffy ending, then why are you trying so hard to make your readers hate Buffy? Even with the force that's controling her, you're still writing her as a complete bitch. Why in the world should I want to see her and Spike together? Buffy doesn't deserve that.

Author's Response: I don't know, i disagree (obviously :P) ... joyce always liked spike, and joyce never really saw the way buffy treated him, even on the show...i have a feeling that if she had, she would not have approved... yes, buffy is a victim here too, but not as much as you might think...as will be revealed in time... :) thanx for a thoughtful review

I'm glad you pointed out Buffy's less than virtuous behavior from before the claim, as well as relating the abuse that's happened since. She does need to be straightened out on how to treat sentient beings. Joyce is now realizing that she was a bit remiss to not discuss with Buffy the details of the slaying part of life and what Buffy finds acceptable behavior towards demons.

When someone asks you for sanctuary, no matter who they are, they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect as a being that is less than they are supposed to be at the time. Wanting to enslave Spike because he was annoying? Disgusting and irreprehensible. Buffy has been sorry for the whole mess because of the results, not because the idea was hideous in the first place. That's another wrong she needs to realize.

I do worry for Joyce...PsychoSlayer will only put up with so much, even from Buffy's own mother. It's terribly possessive, and nothing will stop it from keeping Spike exactly how it wants him. It could see Joyce as a threat very quickly, like it already has Anya and Dawn.

Has Dawn made it into Buffy's room for her own confrontation? And will Joyce find Dawn in trouble from the PsychoSlayer?

At last there is now denying possible; Joyce had seen what primal!Buffy did. So Buffy noticed that part of her makes her an outsider. And yet she can't fight it or the other part of her comes out again. And the pain did stay longer now.. I wonder what primal!Buffy did different this time. Ah I see.. for Joyce is Spike part of her family. ~ Again, looking forward to the next chapter :)

I agree with PhotographyNut. People are being too hard on Buffy. Truth is, Buffy is being abused by this unknown THING. She may not be the one taking blows, but her SELF is being compromised. She is in real danger. I hope Spike tells Joyce what he's discovered and I hope that Joyce leaves the mothering (at the disciplinary level) out of this situation. Buffy doesn't need to be yelled at or chastized. She desparately needs help.

I think everyone's being too hard on Buffy esp. Joyce. Buffy hates what she's like when her "demon" comes out. She's just as confused as Spike! Great chapter!