Re: Here's To You *Chapter Three*

[danspector@xxxxxxxxx]

Whitney,

Skilfull choice with the Faith/Buffy scene; instead of a big angst
fest, an outwardly pleasant moment with the rift between them feeling
just a little more visible all the time. You conveyed that nicely.

Spike is a total prick. He's not giving Faith even the hope of any love
from him, but he takes great joy ("A smile...like a spreading
bloodstain"--cute) in making sure she knows things with Buffy are
doomed. Perfectly in character.

Buffy and Willow's scene was very sweet, with the remark about the small
gifts being the ones that count (neatly contrasted with Anya's
appreciation for Faith's taste in baubles) and Willow ignoring Xander's
fall to tend to Buffy's tiny little cut (hee!). One thing, though:
they still seem to be in "oh, we're just friends" mode and denial and
stuff. Didn't Buffy tell Willow she was in love with her last chapter?
I'd have liked to see some follow-up.

Your Xander continues to be hilarious, although I worry you're falling
into the show's trap of having him just be the buttmonkey, rather than
the deeper character he was up until "Amends". Still, got to love "been
there, done that, fell off the ladder already", not to mention his
perverse pride in how tall the ladder was. And Anya is still very well
done. I love how you mix in her more unpleasant traits (the compulsion
to assign blame) without causing us to lose sympathy for her. Lastly,
glad to see Cordelia back, even if she didn't get much to do here.

However, there's no excuse for skipping the "Giles plays Santa at the
mall" scene. Oh, well :)

Thanks again,

Dan