Black Magic White Lies, chapter 17

[moscow_watcher]

Title: Black Magic White Lies
Chapter 17 - Dollhouse Much?
Timeline: BtVS, alternate season 5
Genre: drama, mystery, action
Characters, pairing: general, Xander/Faith
Rating: R (for intense situations).
Summary: Xander thinks he has a little secret. He doesn't know that his little secret is a part of a big fat conspiracy.
Disclaimer: They all

Comments

[xc_runner50]

Ah! Hells yeah! I am loving this. SO intense right now. God! Go Xander protecting his child and mother of his Child. I can't believe Buffy is actually considering something so terrible. But then she doesn't see it as real, at least that is how she is spinning it to herself. *bites nails* I so need the next chapter soon!

[moscow_watcher]

Thanks! I think that Buffy is in the worst possible situation right now. It's a lose-lose. I can say in Buffy's defence that she really tries to help Faith. But her baby is too abstract for Buffy. Buffy's truth is a warrior's truth. Faith's truth is a mother's truth.

[rebcake]

Wow. Giles is really despicable in this chapter. He's so dismissive of Xander in every possible way. And Buffy has no idea how the "let's-save-poor-Faith-from-evil-Buffy" game will change if she kills an infant. Her friend's infant. That's not something she would ever be able to forgive herself for, I imagine.

Great chapter.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you!

I think Giles thinks about Buffy first and foremost. He'd do anything to protect her feelings. Giles realizes how hard is the decision Buffy has to make and he's furious at Xander for making it even harder. Giles would kill the baby himself to spare Buffy the heartbreak. And Buffy, being a very intuitive person, understands it and doesn't give him the broadsword.

[keith5by5]

Kudos to Xander for telling the truth, 'cept he didn't go far enough.

And 'the lie' saved the world.

[moscow_watcher]

*hugs Xander*

And 'the lie' saved the world.

I always wanted them to talk about it in the presence of somebody who was there and could estimate the whole disposition. This fic provided me with a fair chance.

[keith5by5]

"I always wanted them to talk about it in the presence of somebody who was there and could estimate the whole disposition. This fic provided me with a fair chance."

Could be v. interesting, dear. :D

[angearia]

And 'the lie' saved the world.

(Do you mean in Becoming?)

Or the lie let Buffy be distracted by minions when she could have been hurrying to keep Angel from pulling out the sword in order to prevent Acathla from being awakened. Hope of Angel's return would have made her more urgent. Motivation matters, too. :)

I don't think the lie can be given any added kudos for helping to save the world. It was just a lie. And with it, all sorts of selfish and altruistic motivations led towards it. But it also carried with it the deception and Xander's distrust that Buffy would get the job done (as he'd said repeatedly throughout that season. So I don't see grace in Xander failing to believe in Buffy's judgment and strength. The fact that she goes on to have her "Me" moment as Angel thrust the sword home and then she later thrusts the sword to send Angel to hell show that Xander's lack of faith was a deficiency on his part. Buffy got the job done.

[mulder200]

OMG! This is so intense and powerful! Xander stating the cold, hard truth in a attempt to save the life of a child and forcing Buffy to make a hard choice is so brutal and yet it is something that he would do.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you! I think that Xander can keep in the background for a long time, but when the situation becomes really intense, he will go all the way.

[moscow_watcher]

Thank you, honey! *smoochies* I have to confess that I was so afraid of readers' reaction that immediately after posting I shut down my computer and made myself busy with home work - to avoid the temptation to rewrite and to soften the harshest lines. As much I loved them both, I think Giles and Buffy could act that way under extreme pressure.

He's always been like this with Xander on the show. Remember how shocked and impressed he was when witnessing Xander's skills fixing the shelves for the Magic Box? He has this idea about Xander being incompetent -and I can't blame him.

Yes, I remember. In a way, I made Giles pay for it in the very first chapter, when Xander was explaining him elementary computer stuff. :)