Because I’m late as usual, I’ve not read the original Chapter 12, but I thought this one captured perfectly the back and forth present in many an argument where people hear and latch on to only part of what is being said as the dialogue evolves. I felt throughout as on a roller coaster as either Spike or Buffy would grab on to one sentence out of the most recent paragraph and run with it. (Mixed metaphor much?) It is heartbreaking that even at the point where they are finally communicating, one still feels, as if it’s all teetering on a knife’s edge. Yet, they both choose to persevere, and push each other to continue at different points where one or the other is about to give up (as they did in the canon “does it have to mean anything” scene). At some point, they start latching on to parts that matter and allow them access to the truth: they do love each other. They may be bad at this, as Buffy says (who isn’t?), but for once, they really talked. I thought it did click between them in the very last exchange. Will it actually change things? It’s up to you. ;)

As to the specifics of what was said, there is so much that I can only say I was nodding yes and wincing throughout. Great job!

Gail