I tend to shy away from both baby fic and all-human, so I'm not certain what led me to click on this story, but I'm very glad I did. Rather than review each chapter, I thought I'd just leave a note at the end and touch on a few of the things I think were especially well done throughout.

Xander was well done. You focused on the canon-based protectiveness he has always shown toward Buffy, and even though he wasn't a major player in a lot of the story, when he appeared, his presence was felt.

I also liked your choice of Riley as the villain, rather than Angel, and I absolutely adored everything about Will and Drusilla's relationship and interactions, and the friendship of Will and Liam.

I really really like how, even though in this world there are no demons and no slayers, you've brought some of the elements of what make Buffy and Spike and BtVS unique and worked them seemlessly into this story.

1) The "normal life". In this case, it's Buffy's pregnancy that sets her apart from the others, rather than the title of slayer, but the effect is the same. No matter what, Buffy won't be having the life she might have wanted, or that her parents wanted for her.

2) The "wrong relationship". Not slayer/demon but teacher/student, both equally difficult to deal with for both parties involved, in both scenarios. This is a lot of what, I believe, draws people to Spike and Buffy, that relationship that is, despite everything that says it shouldn't be.

3) "The dance". In canon/canon-based fiction, it's partially the slayer-vampire dance, but also the way Spike and Buffy have the ability to work together, fluidly, naturally, and you noted this on several occasions in your story, in a way that works with the setting.

4) "The graveyard". A minor point in some ways, but I liked this homage to slayer and vampire, that the graveyard had much significance to their relationship.

5) "The visions". You didn't make her insane, but you still kept her Drusilla.

6) Giles. Dead-on in character, and though he doesn't have quite the same role in this world as he did in canon, his concern for Buffy's wellfare rang true. That he had been "watching" out for her, worried about her home situation since she came to Sunnydale - yep, classic Giles.

7) The names. Kathleen's middle name being Edith, the other daughter Darla, and I almost died when you came to the part with Clem and Kennedy. Maggie being Riley's mother - as noted in canon by Adam, that she was, in that setting, something like a mother to Riley. Lilah the lawyer, Tara the therapist - you brought in other characters in subtle ways and though they had little effect on the story in general - they could have been any names - it let us feel their presence while keeping the story tidy.

In general, it was a very realistic portrayal of some of the hardships Buffy would have to go through in this situation. You wrote the relationship between Will and Buffy beautifully.

New reader here! I found this when you posted it to Elysian Fields and was delighted to find it more complete over here. I am absolutely loving this! Of course in-the-past-Spike has about as much chance of *not* falling for Buffy as in-the-future-Spike did - and I'm very much looking forward to reading about that! I'm also curious about whether future Spike's memories are going to reflect this early encounter with Buffy or if, somehow, when she gets back, the magic will have somehow accounted for that. Anyway, great update and surprise ending. Can't wait for more!

Author's Response: Do love to hear from new readers! Makes my day. So pleased you are enjoying the story. We'll see what the future brings!

Oh that was lovely. A much better Bronze night than what really happened.

Oh yay! This should be fun! Walsh won't know what hit her. Giles and Anya, huh? That should be an interesting story arc as well.

Author's Response: Thanks!

This was an absolutely FABULOUS re-write of that scene. It should have gone like this instead. And I loved Buffy's line:

“Which is why I finally realize you don’t need one.”

Loved this!

Author's Response: Aww, thank you so much! Really happy you loved it. :)