Re: FIC: Nothing Makes Sense (1/1)

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

Willow X (you Willowy-Goodness-nominated rockapalooza, you!),

Delightful work! "Forever" is among my least-liked eps from Season's
1-5, for many reasons:

?Willow as the irresponsible child who Mommy Tara has to clean up
after (which makes W/T get very icky for me).

?Buffy flexing her martyr complex and practically rushing Angel out of
town when he's being a great guy and trying to help any way he can.

?Buffy smacking Dawn, something you do absolutely not do if you have
Slayer strength.

?After all that, Dawn destroys the picture. Yes, probably Joyce "came
back wrong", but even St. Tara said that "usually" happens, not
"always". What if Joyce was just fine? Wait three seconds and see.
(Yeah, it wouldn't have happened because it would have been a schmaltzy
anti-climax, but Dawn isn't supposed to know this is a TV show.)

But especially annoying is W/T "taking" Dawn home with them...which
leaves Buffy all alone in the house where her mother died. I know
Willow isn't the most observant Jew in the world, but I'd bet even she's
heard of "sitting shiva". [Jewish practice wherein various relatives
spend the next week visiting and staying with the bereaved just so they
are *not* as abandoned as the show had them leave Buffy.]

I'm glad to see your Willow didn't do that. I'm glad to see that the
girl who was all "Buffy needs me...to be supportive" in "The Body"
didn't decide to "support" her by abandoning her, as in canon. I'm
touched by your portrayal of Buffy's confusion, of her clinging to even
the most painful memory of Joyce as comfort (but shouldn't it have been
schnapps, as in "Dead Man's Party"?), of her falling into automatic
Slayer Mode and feeling her loss all over again.

I'm relieved to see Buffy realize that there is more to her life than
being the Slayer, that when she thinks she's at her lowest point, Willow
will always be there for her. (Isn't the whole idea that Buffy is
better than the other slayers because she has people in her life to help
her over the rough spots?)

And I got a big Hee! out of "and hello to the other shoe!" And a good
smile at the continuity reference to Willow's head being "busy".  

Plus smoochies! (Hmm, Buffy has plenty of pajamas, but she just gave
Willow a long t-shirt as sleepwear...any excuse to see a little Willow,
I guess <g>)

Thank you,

Dan