Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! Love love love love love!!!!!!!!!!
Er, uh, I kinda liked them. *grin*
The first was as visually compelling as all your action sequences are. I could really *see* Spike swirling down the hallways, loudly freaking out and wanting to kill the evil walls that were between him and his goal, while Xander trailed behind, mostly serene but with sympathy for those hapless souls that got in Spike's way. I particularly liked that Xander wasn't apologetic towards others, that he's really healed and integrated *his* Before self (to use Trista's word) with his Now self. That apologetic part of his persona has been left behind, yeah? Or is it only that it's not his (or anyone's) place to apologize for Spike since Spike doesn't do apologies (and also it would be inappropriate to the Master/slave dynamic), and Xander is still sometimes apologetic on his own for his own self? Somehow, I don't think so, though. Oddly enough, being owned ("owned"?) by Spike seems to have resulted in Xander developing not only major self-confidence but also (the good kind of) pride.
I loved the family dynamic you've established for the four, er, now five of them. And the cover story is brilliant. And I'm so glad that Trista is accepting of Xander, rather than scared of him - you had me a bit concerned when he hung (hanged?) back talking with Joyce and that poor young doctor while Spike went to comfort Trista. Which was probably just your evil plan to begin with.
And I was so glad to see (what's left of) the rest of the gang show up. Cordelia is always a hoot, Angel and his cautious driving made me giggle, and I can see that Giles and Willow are slowly improving - though not in the phenomenal manner that Xander did, even though their traumas were relatively far less traumatic. And Tara, that calming sweet presence. *sigh*
And Amanda. That name choice really made me laugh out loud. I don't know if you know this, but Amanda was the name of Spock's mother on the original Star Trek series, and either Spock or Sarek commented that it meant "worthy of being loved" (I think that's an exact quote, but I could be off by a word or two) and how she was indeed worthy of being loved and that's how a human woman had won over a Vulcan to be her husband. Or something like that. I just can't help but think that Xander had that in mind (undoubtedly among other considerations) when he chose that name. The Geek-Force flows strong in that one. *g*
no subject
Er, uh, I kinda liked them. *grin*
The first was as visually compelling as all your action sequences are. I could really *see* Spike swirling down the hallways, loudly freaking out and wanting to kill the evil walls that were between him and his goal, while Xander trailed behind, mostly serene but with sympathy for those hapless souls that got in Spike's way. I particularly liked that Xander wasn't apologetic towards others, that he's really healed and integrated *his* Before self (to use Trista's word) with his Now self. That apologetic part of his persona has been left behind, yeah? Or is it only that it's not his (or anyone's) place to apologize for Spike since Spike doesn't do apologies (and also it would be inappropriate to the Master/slave dynamic), and Xander is still sometimes apologetic on his own for his own self? Somehow, I don't think so, though. Oddly enough, being owned ("owned"?) by Spike seems to have resulted in Xander developing not only major self-confidence but also (the good kind of) pride.
I loved the family dynamic you've established for the four, er, now five of them. And the cover story is brilliant. And I'm so glad that Trista is accepting of Xander, rather than scared of him - you had me a bit concerned when he hung (hanged?) back talking with Joyce and that poor young doctor while Spike went to comfort Trista. Which was probably just your evil plan to begin with.
And I was so glad to see (what's left of) the rest of the gang show up. Cordelia is always a hoot, Angel and his cautious driving made me giggle, and I can see that Giles and Willow are slowly improving - though not in the phenomenal manner that Xander did, even though their traumas were relatively far less traumatic. And Tara, that calming sweet presence. *sigh*
And Amanda. That name choice really made me laugh out loud. I don't know if you know this, but Amanda was the name of Spock's mother on the original Star Trek series, and either Spock or Sarek commented that it meant "worthy of being loved" (I think that's an exact quote, but I could be off by a word or two) and how she was indeed worthy of being loved and that's how a human woman had won over a Vulcan to be her husband. Or something like that. I just can't help but think that Xander had that in mind (undoubtedly among other considerations) when he chose that name. The Geek-Force flows strong in that one. *g*
(cont'd)