aww. i know it won't be too easy, but i love this. finally, a small glimmer of hope, slim as it may be.

i like the way you've made this situation very equivocal... like spike, i'm actually wondering if angel did indeed destroy buffy's chances of being with someone normal. what if it is, like you so eloquently phrased, some "terrible, if unfortunate, pathology?"

but then again, i think regardless of why they're together, the force of their passion and their affection reconciles any differences of interpretation, at least for me it does. hope you'll enjoy the weekend and thanks for the update.

oh, and i like how your depiction of the reformed faith seems very cognizant of buffy's possession of both angel and spike, but not the overwhelming jealousy typical of her behavior.