Fic: The First Dance

[jen_nsync_landl]

I've finally finished the much-referenced btvs_santa submission. (See, I was hard at work all this time I've been MIA on the fic front! Well, hard at work and sniffly and miserable. Ugh.) I was assigned ladyofthelog, and although I've seen her around my flist, I don't actually know her at all. Smell a challenge? ;) Among her requests was fic involving S2, which is sort

Comments

[deborahw37]

Lovely!!!

You fitted Spike and Dawn into the timeline so seamlessly and I loved the backstory about Aurelian vamps ( you're so right, they'd have had a special ritual)

Let's have another dance soon

[jen_nsync_landl]

:) Glad you liked, and thanks for reading. I was definitely in unfamiliar territory on this one (and I had to read the transcript of "Becoming," like, 20 times! LOL), but it was fun to push myself a bit. My beta readers were also really awesome with their comments in the past couple of days, which forced me to go back to the drawing board, in a good way. So, you know, yay!

Let's have another dance soon

Oh, do not get me started thinking I have to do more Dawn retconned early season stuff, you!

[deborahw37]

YAY!!

I like your retcons! Get started thinking :)

[slaymesoftly]

Oh, but it would be such a good idea....:)

[rahirah]

Whee! I really like the revisions to the final scene!

[jen_nsync_landl]

Oh, yay! :)

You and rynogeny really pushed me to re-think that scene in terms of plausibility and motivations, and I think it's stronger as a result. That is some quality beta-action in my book. Thanks again!

[readerjane]

Lovely polishing!

I especially liked this bit: (Spike nodded curtly in thanks.) I can just see the nod -- one of those asides that illuminates character without distracting from the plot.

[jen_nsync_landl]

Did you notice the borrowing? ;) The new stuff at the beginning about the mistrust and then the bit at the end re: the invite? I especially wanted you to be secure in the knowledge that Spike could still get into the house for Spike-Joyce bonding. I knew that was particularly important for you. *g*

I was surprised at how much changed right at the end, but such is the nature of deadlines. They are certainly...inspiring. LOL

And hey, you got your Spike and Dawn icon! :) I'm desperately in search of a Buffy "yay!" or "squee" icon, but can't find one to save my life. Must. have. celebratory. Buffy.

[readerjane]

Yes, I saw the changes -- mostly at the beginning and the end. I think you worked out the bits about Dru's prophecy very smoothly. More in-character for S2 Spike.

[ladyofthelog]

I couldn't resist!

[rynogeny]

Oh that all just works, on so many levels. Go, you. :)

[jen_nsync_landl]

So I continued to tweak a bit. I couldn't help myself! ;)

Thank *you* again for hammering away that big scene. I think I may have sprained something trying to deal with all of your observations, but the pain was good and productive (I hope!). LOL And since I know how much this episode means to you, the fact that you didn't hate this pleases me. *g*

[rynogeny]

think I may have sprained something trying to deal with all of your observations

ROFL! Thank you for taking my comments so seriously. I was trying to balance what *I* thought would make it a stronger story without turning it into my story instead of yours.

And since I know how much this episode means to you, the fact that you didn't hate this pleases me.

Aww. No worries on that score. I think the single thing I like the most about what you did (among many bits) is that Spike sees what she's going through. Really, really like that, and the fact that I think you've got his voice down so well.

[jen_nsync_landl]

Thank you for taking my comments so seriously.

You know, it's interesting: I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that I don't fill this journal with ramblings about my fandoms anymore. Sometimes I feel kind of talked out about specific episodes or characters, and then an exchange about a story, like our emails over the past couple of days, will spark a serious re-think that gets my fan juices going. I really love that, and the points you were making were super important for me to be thinking about. For BtVS, my head sort of lives in S5 onward, although I have deep appreciation and affection for early seasons, so it's good for me to be forced to think more about that part of the show in terms of characterization if I'm going to try to write about it.

you've got his voice down so well.

He's always talking in my head, that one. ;)

[louise39]

Yeah, this night just couldn’t get any more surreal.
A night that neither Spike nor Buffy would forget.

Well, at least he wasn’t alone in his misery. That made for a rather interesting form of comfort.
What started out as a diversion left consequences fot both.

Buffy was the hero, as usual and Spike had his escape with Dru. But the 'dance' would continue...

Good bantering voices and love the addition of Dawn memories. Well done.

[jen_nsync_landl]

Thanks so much for reading and commenting. :)

Every so often the changes that Dawn's 'insertion' into those earlier seasons would have made starts working at my brain. She *must* have altered the dynamics of several of the key events we saw, so that's kind of fascinating stuff!