Am, it's marked. I'll curl up with it later, when I'm back.

I won't hold it against you if you don't give me any feedback. I wouldn't.

Oh, dear. Here we go.

shining up that pretty toaster I got from Am-Chau

Which? You have several which involve me being persuaded. A new religion is one thing. A plot bunny? That's just unkind.

Heh. Actually, just dove in and read chapter 3 (I need to head out, truly, so rest of chapters later on). Keep in mind (vide the astrology discussion in Angel a few days ago), I'm a Cancer, and we're domestically oriented, so I found myself grinning at the concept, and also weirdly charmed by it.

First off, a technical question: is that child's name Josie, or Joise? Because it's spelled both ways and I wondered if "Joise" was a take on her grandmother's name.

Tiny bits of feedback - things I liked, right off the bat: Spike's being chuffed that the boy was left-handed, his slip in calling his small imprint of Buffy "pet" (one of his words that I always associate with women about whom he has strong feelings, one way or another), and the lego graveyard. I can see him doing that. Also, you never really teetered over into sentimentality.

Questions/comments, totally in passing: Why didn't Buffy kiss him goodnight? I'd have expected that from her, in a big way. Was there a reason, something mentioned in the chapters I haven't read yet? And (mother of now-adult girlchild raising head here), I get the sense that child is very sharp indeed, and would expect her (at age four) to be more articulate and less babytalk. Joanna (mine) was reading her own at age 5 and that's not unusual at all for kids who have watched stuff "brought to you by the letters C and A, and the number 8" damned near from birth.

Other than that, she's a nice realistic little girl. she knows precisely where daddy's, er, fangover points are, doesn't she? And of course, she still pushes.

Which?

True enough. I might be able to start on the dining room suite any day now.

it's spelled both ways

Um. Yeah. I never did decide which was right.

Why didn't Buffy kiss him goodnight? I'd have expected that from her, in a big way.

Good question. Not answered in the previous chapters, so not going to be. scowls at back of brain which is muttering 'chapter four!'

you never really teetered over into sentimentality.

That's about the best compleiment you could give me for this.

would expect her (at age four) to be more articulate and less babytalk

In my defence: tired children tend to babytalk more. It's nearly bedtime.

And now I'm actually talking seriously about this fic. That wasn't meant to happen. Thanks for reading it at all.

tired children tend to babytalk more. It's nearly bedtime.

Heheheh. Mine got edgier, more articulate and infuriatingly snotty when she got tired. Mine was, apparently, a bit of a freak.

It's a fun fic, seriously, because it really does hit me as more of a character study, and I am All About Characters. So long as it doesn't get sentimental, it could be nice easy-breezy fun to write.

But if you have either of those children sneaking into the dumpsters behind McDonald's in search of rats for Daddy's elevenses, I'm outta here.

Actually, I am outa here. Late like a thing which is late. Prying kittens off lap and going.

it's spelled both ways

Um. Yeah. I never did decide which was right.

If I could make a "not that you asked, but..." suggestion:

Josie is a nice name, as is Jocelyn. Joyce has family associations. Joise bothered me because a)I don't like unusually-spelled names in general, and I can't see Spike using one and b)it's hard to tell how it should be pronounced -- is it Jo-ice, or Jo-eese, or Joyce, or Joy-see?

But that's me. I agree that it's an insanely cute and very good fic in general.

it really does hit me as more of a character study, and I am All About Characters.

Me too, which may explain a lot about it.

So long as it doesn't get sentimental, it could be nice easy-breezy fun to write.

Don't tell connie, but yes. It kind of is.

If I could make a "not that you asked, but..." suggestion:

Go ahead, please.

Josie is a nice name, as is Jocelyn. Joyce has family associations. Joise bothered me because a)I don't like unusually-spelled names in general, and I can't see Spike using one and b)it's hard to tell how it should be pronounced -- is it Jo-ice, or Jo-eese, or Joyce, or Joy-see?

You make a convincing case. If I ever have reason to update the thing, I'll change the other ones.

I agree that it's an insanely cute and very good fic in general.

::gasps and nearly expires due to smothering in flattery::

::blushes::

Thanks.