I hope you continue this story! I've followed in for a while now. I have so many questions! How are they all getting back? Is that really the first? I think it's some incarnation of Kakistos with all the "worst of the worst" talk. I hope it's not!! He was the worst!
I can't wait to see more of this story. I love all your work!
Wow, nice ending to this chapter!
I like how Buffy corrects when Faith is called the other slayer. It shows that she knows Faith's issues with that without having to point it out. Faith is quick to defend Buffy in the chapter, too. I love it!
Can't wait to read what happens next! :)
Author's Response:Thanks, Hayley :) I like how this one turned out, too. It should be disorienting coming back to these two after so many hyiatuses because I'm working on my original fiction, but fuffy is like that long-time friend that you don't talk to every day, but when you get together it's like no time has passed :)
I feel I can't leave a proper review as I haven't actually started reading this one yet. I just wanted you to know that your fics are ruining my actual life. I've found myself trying to squeeze in a quick read during slow moving traffic on my commute. Take that as a sincere compliment.
Author's Response:Deadpool, that may be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me :)
Wow, complications!
Buffy and Faith definitely have some choices to make. I do like that Faith is more supportive and argumentative, even though it seems like she wants to.
Can't wait to read more! :)
Author's Response:Thanks, Hayley :) I've been keeping these two in a kind of holding pattern while I got my Fuffy-writing legs back (it's like riding a bike), but now that I've got their voices back, expect this story to take off. So glad you're still invested! Thanks!
so glad to see two up-dates! hope they can work this sitch out.
Author's Response:Thanks, Madison!
First, yay for a new chapter!
Second, yay they found each other! Well, Faith finally found Buffy but still love that they're together. It's easy to understand Buffy's conflicted feelings on leaving but I like that Faith is understanding and won't give up on her.
Hope to see another chapter in the not so distant future! :)
Author's Response:I know, right? I'm paying the bills as an author right now, so I've just been focused on my original stories lately. BUT, I plan on working on the next chapter this week, so hopefully you'll see something new within the next few days :D
Thanks, Hayley, for sticking with this story!
Can't believe how excited I am to see this story updated! Can't wait to see what happens. Update soon please :)
Dagmar knows Nora's name already, doesn't he? I thought I remembered that he'd overheard the conversation where she told her.
Also, none of this adds up and Buffy's kind of taking it at face value that this woman is actually the First. Enough that she'd take a human life, even with concrete proof something's very wrong with the whole scenario?
Regardless, can't wait to see what happens next!
So sad. Poor Buffy, but poor Faith and poor Preston... At least Faith is back where she belongs, but geez.
God. I've read this far before, but it's still just as gut-wrenching the second time around.
this was a veery interesting chapter! so many questions. like why didn't the first put up a barrier around the castle? why does it have a body? why didn't buffy kill it right then? and is faith going to be the first one through the door? don't keep us hanging to long. great job!
Oh, the First has a body! I was defnitely not expecting that.
It's interesting to read the differences in how Faith and Buffy are dealing with their separation. Faith is trying to get to Buffy while Buffy is trying to forget about Faith since she's been told she can't see her again. It's hard to take a side since they're both doing what they're doing for good reasons.
I'm looking forward to what happens when they face each other and when Buffy confronts the First again about having a body! :)
Author's Response:I know, i thought all that back and forth was pretty fun to write and to get inside their heads.
The First has a body! I wasn't expecting it either. It's one of those plot twists that come to you when you're 10 Chapters in and your Muse whispers in your ear and you're like OMG THIS IS HAPPENING.
Thanks, Hayley!
Shall I start with a complaint? This is too short! You leave me hanging for this long and you don't come back with the longest chapter ever?? Just cold, Liz.
That aside, I'm glad to see more of this fic! I still don't trust The First. I refuse to buy her as this all about the balance being who would so benevolently not try to kill all the Scoobs if they came here. She's not TPTB, she's eeeeevil. What is she up to??
I'm predicting Faith's vial will get used to send the kid back to home dimension, with one of the slayers. Although they'd stand a better chance if they sent her alone and they both stayed to fight, actually. I feel kind of bad for Faith... Hard to explain, I guess it just seems sad somehow that she is so focused on Buffy, and she doesn't know yet that the missing baby is here, older, and Buffy's top priority. The relationship is totally different and she doesn't know yet. If that makes any sense. If you don't come back with the next chapter as soon as possible, I am gonna hunt you down. :)
Yay! Very happy you've updated this story! :)
It's interesting that they're on opposite sides again, even if they don't realize it. Both of their positions are understandable so I'm curious at what will happen if they meet while on opposite sides. Also curious if The First knows Faith is there. It feels like that might be yes.
Can't wait to read more of Buffy's interaction with her daughter, too! Hope the next chapter shows up soon! :)
Author's Response:an update! hooray!
i'm curious what will happen if they meet while fighting for the other team, too. do you know how it's all going to end? because if you do, tell me - i have no idea :) and no worries, i'm 1800 words into the next chapter, so time between updates won't be so protracted
thanks for sticking with this story, Hayley!
Hmm, I am not sure what to make of this. I don't think of the First as interested in keeping balance in check. I think of the Powers as that, but the First definitely gunning for evil to come out ahead. I wonder how much of what she's saying is true, and how much is just her fucking with Buffy.
Faith's storyline was funny. The KKK were so confused by her. I wonder what plans they have and if they can really break her in.
Banishment actually was an improvement over what I thought would happen, since I thought she'd say, kill Faith and you can have your kid back.
Do you really not have any more written? D: Please write it! I need to know what happens!!! Grrrr! Argh!
D: Fucking First Evil! It just won't accept being beaten. Grrrr.
The anti demon KKK was inspired. What a prick, although you sympathize with them somewhat if demons are allowed to hurt humans freely. :/
I like Dagmar, although I am less than enthused about a 5 year old. Children who can talk are so much worse than babies! God, the First really is evil.
I. LOVE. THIS.
Why did I wait so long to read it? Oh, I remember now. Because you've stopped in the middle with no intention to finish it. DAMN IT.
I raced through this chapter. I loved the bickering between Willow and Faith. I don't know why it amused me so much, but it did. I'm intrigued by the other world, and lol'd at the crybaby demon. Ouch though, poor Buffy. That's no good. I hope years haven't passed by the time Faith gets through the portal, although I suspect they haven't because I have no idea how you'd work with that. :p
Loved the Willow fangirling, and this:
Kennedy wasn't so concerned about Buffy's disappearance, but she jumped at the opportunity to be intimidating.
I need more. MORE.
Lol! Well, Buffy is nothing if not resourceful. That was smart thinking, although I am quite nervous about where she's going to end up now.
I love Faith for finally coming around and thinking that maybe her mind is being messed with. So does this mean Buffy hasn't pulled the 'my baby's been stolen' thing before? If so that makes it even weirder for them to not have at least considered she was right. Blocking spell it must be! Very clever, Ms. Lizard. :p
Ohhh, belly book. Either Buffy is a total loon AND she can forge handwriting, OR it's a spell.
Okay but seriously, can you have chapter 10 up by the time I get there because I'm totally engrossed, and I don't know why you would want to leave me hanging like this?
Damn it, I spoke too soon! Preston. *shakes fist* PRESTOOOOOOOON. UGH. You couldn't have made Preston dead in this reality/spell/whatever? Don't you care about me at all, Liz?
I liked that Buffy went to him, though I don't know what he could have done to help if he did believe her. I'm really happy for Faith to be back too. It felt so realistic how that happened--they just want to be back together even if they don't know what's going to happen and Faith's afraid Buffy's lost it, and Buffy's feeling betrayed by Faith.
FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS. MY FEEELINGS.
So it sounds like they've done this research thing a few times, or at least the gang thinks they have. Interesting. If it is a spell, it's very intricate and well laid out. Buffy's right, with the examples she's bringing up. But if the rest of them think they've already tried to believe her and done the research, then they're going to be against it.
My heart jumped when Faith realized Buffy was standing there listening to her and Willow talk. Poor Buffy. D: Poor Faith. D: Poor W---no, wait a minute, I hate Willow. Not here specifically, just you know, in general in life. :)
I'm glad they're not breaking up. I hope Buffy can forgive Faith once this is resolved, because not believing her is a pretty big betrayal. But Faith's under a spell! I think.
Damn straight you're not crazy! (Except maybe you're crazy, and Liz has been fucking with us all along, I don't know!). I'm surprised Buffy was even able to go to this appointment, or concentrate on talking to Faith. I expected her to go balls to the wall with research and demon beating and baby hunting.
"Buffy blinked back the tears that seemed to flow so easily lately." Is this a clue!? Pregnancy hormones! Okay, Buffy's not crazy. Faith's crazy. And the psych is a demon!
No? Yes? I don't know. I have to read the next chapter. Damn it, I am going to be so pissed at you when I am caught up.
Bonus to baby being gone though? I never have to see Preston again, holllllla.
Noticed this typo!
"taken a long, hot shoulder to help ease the tension that had built up"
:p
Great chapter! I'm not even a big kid person, but you really feel for Buffy. Even above and beyond the normal feelings of love and excitement, her baby means so much to her in terms of giving her something to be proud of and feel accomplished for. And then it's just gone. And Faith's under some sort of spell and, gah! I just feel so sorry for Buffy. How horrible! I would imagine as it continues she's going to start to question her own mind. This is a pretty genius story line, and not at all what I thought would happen wayyyyy back when we talked about DN2 initially and I suggested killing the baby. :p
It's awesome and must be continued, is what I'm saying. :D
Well, pumpkin, I've decided to start reading this, in hopes that you will take pity on me and decide to continue it. You did tell me you had the end done! So now I will be relentless in my nagging. :D
This: Buffy looked worriedly between the hand still wiggling between the vice grip of her inner thighs and the beverage cart rolling steadily closer.
Had me snorting. :)
The dream sequence turned from funny to creepy in the blink of an eye, and boy did I love the creepy. The image of all the passengers sleeping and Buffy freaking the eff out because she was already nervous but now she's scared was so great. I had no idea it was a dream! I was waiting for a demon to pop up and them to have a hilarious pregnant airplane fight scene. Your way was probably better for the baby though. :p
Assuming the dream reflected real life, liked Faith's whole attitude toward B's pregnancy. She's so supportive. Also happy that Buffy's actually able to step back from slaying. That's gotta be hard. Makes me wonder what Nikki Wood did when she was pregnant and the only active slayer. Hmm.