Wow. This is the first time I've seen this story. It's such a wierd mix of sadness and hope. The desolate sadness is so in your face, while the hope kind of peeks around the corners until the end.

I wondered where the Spike loathing was coming from until a few lines later when you revealed he saved her and not Xander and Willow. I understood even more when she was talking to Angel. She's the defender, the champion. The fact that he pulled her away from them is something she would never forgive. That's a pretty dark place you've taken the Scoobies to, with Xander killing Anya, Dawn turned back into the Key. At least Xander and Willow had each other, and can I just say how much I adore this look at the bedrock of their friendship, but Buffy was all alone.

So many beautiful little bits, like Spike trying to help her rescue the two people under the rubble, only to be too late. One has to wonder if they looked that much like Willow and Xander or if that was an image she projected on them. I liked the hint that Spike eventually got over Buffy and found love elsewhere. That Buffy had her moments of enjoyment and Giles was comforted by his memories.

I find myself squirming at the thought that Xander and Willow were caught in some bleak purgatory until Buffy joined them, that in this most personal of journeys they had to wait for her to lead the way, but I think that has more to do with my personal beliefs about death than anything having to do with the quality of the story. Which is very high, btw. Thanks for posting this.