Sunnydale After Dark
Summary: An addition to the John and Buffy series in which Buffy, while visiting Dawn in Cleveland, has found an amnesiac human Spike "John" many years after NFA, and they have a relationship in spite of his lack of memory of who or what he was. This story begins in the UK at the Slayer and Watchers Council school where Buffy lives when not traveling on Council business.  Spike has decided to let the coven try to regain his memories for him.
Series: The John and Buffy Series
Beta: All4Spike
Banner Art By: teragramm
Categories: Post-Series
Characters: Buffy, Spike, Giles, Willow
Genres: Drama, Established Relationship, HEA/HFN
Warnings: (Click Here To Reveal) Chooses Not to Use Warnings
Completed: Yes Chapters: 40
Word count: 111,012 Hit Count: 2,210 ePub Downloads: 45
Published: 10/30/23 Updated: 11/06/24


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Story Notes: Beta by All4Spike. Written for the "Truce" challenge at EF.
 
Note: as of 11/15, the rating will be an R (possibly a strong R?). If and/or when I think it might be necessary, I will change it back to NC17, but as of right now, that seems a bit overly ambitious for this fic, and I don't want to be accused of false advertising. :)

1. Chapter 1 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,306 Hit Count: 141 Published: 10/30/23

2. Chapter 2 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 6 Comments: 2 Word Count: 3,007 Hit Count: 71 Published: 11/02/23

3. Chapter 3 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 6 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,977 Hit Count: 115 Published: 11/06/23

4. Chapter 4 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,912 Hit Count: 78 Published: 11/10/23

5. Chapter 5 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,632 Hit Count: 85 Published: 11/15/23

6. Chapter 6 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 6 Word Count: 2,451 Hit Count: 68 Published: 11/20/23

7. Chapter 7 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 6 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,550 Hit Count: 69 Published: 11/25/23

8. Chapter 8 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 6 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,624 Hit Count: 65 Published: 11/30/23

Trying to remain at least two chapters ahead until the story is almost done, but sometimes RL gets in the way....

9. Chapter 9 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,845 Hit Count: 64 Published: 12/05/23

10. Chapter 10 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,225 Hit Count: 43 Published: 12/10/23

11. Chapter 11 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,679 Hit Count: 58 Published: 12/15/23

12. Chapter 12 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 4 Word Count: 3,052 Hit Count: 56 Published: 12/25/23

I plead Christmas-brain for missing my last posting date, and almost missing this one too! 

Beat by All4Spike, as usual.

13. Chapter 13 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 7 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,701 Hit Count: 38 Published: 12/30/23

14. Chapter 14 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 5 Comments: 8 Word Count: 2,540 Hit Count: 51 Published: 01/04/24

15. Chapter 15 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 5 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,775 Hit Count: 42 Published: 01/09/24

16. Chapter 16 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 5 Comments: 7 Word Count: 2,714 Hit Count: 46 Published: 01/14/24

17. Chapter 17 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 2 Word Count: 3,125 Hit Count: 55 Published: 01/19/24

18. Chapter 18 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 3 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,861 Hit Count: 28 Published: 01/24/24

19. Chapter 19 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 2 Word Count: 3,104 Hit Count: 30 Published: 01/29/24

20. Chapter 20 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 6 Word Count: 2,999 Hit Count: 32 Published: 02/03/24

21. Chapter 21 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,968 Hit Count: 34 Published: 02/08/24

22. Chapter 22 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 4 Word Count: 3,328 Hit Count: 29 Published: 02/13/24

23. Chapter 23 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 3 Word Count: 2,902 Hit Count: 34 Published: 02/21/24

24. Chapter 24 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,808 Hit Count: 40 Published: 02/26/24

25. Chapter 25 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 2 Word Count: 3,344 Hit Count: 30 Published: 03/03/24

26. Chapter 26 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 6 Word Count: 2,495 Hit Count: 28 Published: 03/09/24

27. Chapter 27 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,737 Hit Count: 40 Published: 03/20/24

28. Chapter 28 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 4 Comments: 2 Word Count: 2,711 Hit Count: 65 Published: 03/29/24

29. Chapter 29 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 3 Comments: 5 Word Count: 2,290 Hit Count: 108 Published: 04/07/24

Beta, as usual, by All4Spike and her eagle eyes. Any boo boos are probably due to my tinkering.

30. Chapter 30 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 3 Comments: 2 Word Count: 3,109 Hit Count: 42 Published: 04/19/24

31. Chapter 31 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 3 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,393 Hit Count: 63 Published: 05/19/24

This will be the last chapter for a good long while as I complete some needed research, as well as taking a trip out of the country. I don't expect to have much time to continue working on the next chapter, even if I didn't want to wait until I have more data for tweaking it, so there will be quite a gap between this chapter and the next one. On the other hand, we now have a truce (does anyone even remember that this was truce fic?) so, I should be able to wrap it up within a few more chapters. I apologize for any frustration.

32. Chapter 32 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 3 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,227 Hit Count: 43 Published: 07/01/24

Due to the long break between chapters, I'm putting the last little bit from the previous chapter here:

“So, we’re going to assume he has never met or been accosted by anything supernatural, and that his superior strength has allowed him to become something of a bully?” Giles struggled to bring the conversation back on topic.

“A bully and a wannabe gangster, we think. He uses the fishing boats and occasional ferries to send packages, mostly likely drugs, from one place to another. The boat owners are so intimidated by him, they don’t argue.”

“How do you know that?” Buffy asked.

Ronald, the Security Head, held up his hand. “I’ve been able to establish some contacts with law enforcement on a few of the larger islands in the area. They are quite confident they know what he’s doing, but with no one who knows for sure being willing to admit to anything, they don’t have enough evidence to confront him. The only time someone did visit the island to attempt an investigation, he was never heard from again. Everyone on the island swore they’d never seen such a person, and without a body or proof that he’d ever been there….”

“Seriously? Somebody went missing and they can’t just march in there with an army or something?” Buffy was getting more indignant by the second.

Ronald shook his head. “That part of the country, with all those islands and no way to reach most of them except by ferry or fishing boat, makes it very difficult to organize an expedition of any size. Transportation between islands is subject to incredible tidal forces as well as just normal bad weather. Even small planes and the few commercial or Coast Guard helicopters are subject to the occasional violent storm keeping them on the ground. An island that size probably wouldn’t even have an airstrip to land on.

“Not to mention, stories about the man’s prowess and willingness to wreak violence have intimidated many of the informal law enforcers up there. With the exception of the one missing investigator, no one has been willing to risk retaliation by cooperating with authorities from out of the immediate area.”

Ronald sighed. “My primary contact, who has been keeping an eye on things as much as he can, says Angus MacDonald is too minor a criminal to throw a lot of resources at without good reason. In his opinion, the missing investigator is good reason, but again—no proof, and few people knew of the unofficial visit.

“It’s finally becoming a bit of an issue, due to the increase in island tourism in the summer. Owners of small hotels and B&Bs on other islands are beginning to complain that he is demanding money from them for protection. My friend is quite frustrated, and will welcome any assistance we can send.”

“He knows what we are?” Giles frowned.

“In a general sense, he does. And I emailed him some more information. When he meets Spike and Buffy, he’ll have a pretty good idea what they are and why they aren’t afraid of confronting this man who has frightened so very many people on his own island and now, it seems, on a few others.”

 

 

33. Chapter 33 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 3 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,811 Hit Count: 74 Published: 07/06/24

All the better for All4Spike's eagle eyes and sharp mind.

34. Chapter 34 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,704 Hit Count: 47 Published: 07/13/24

35. Chapter 35 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,820 Hit Count: 47 Published: 07/19/24

36. Chapter 36 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,730 Hit Count: 46 Published: 08/04/24

37. Chapter 37 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,989 Hit Count: 43 Published: 08/15/24

Any mistakes are all mine and due to not leaving well enough alone after All4Spike has run her eyes over it.

38. Chapter 38 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 4 Word Count: 2,480 Hit Count: 76 Published: 09/11/24

Next to last chapter. I had no idea this story was going to go on so long!

39. Chapter 39 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 6 Word Count: 2,832 Hit Count: 47 Published: 10/21/24

I lied. This is not the last chapter. I think 40 is a nice round number, don't you? Hoping I can bring the next chapter in at a reasonable number of words and still leave everyone in a better place. As always, attention from the eagle-eyed All4Spike has made all the difference.

40. Chapter 40 by Slaymesoftly - Likes: 2 Comments: 6 Word Count: 3,255 Hit Count: 39 Published: 11/06/24