Repossession (BtVS story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Repossession
Author(s):	Lazuli or Lazuli.Kat
Date(s):	2002 or earlier to 2004 or later
Length:	epic
Genre:	AU, Future Fic
Fandom:	Buffy the Vampire Slayer
External Links:	Repossession (archived link)
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Repossession is a Spander future fic written by Lazuli

Several years after leaving Sunnydale behind, a successful but lonely Alex “Xander” Harris finds an unconscious, skeletal, and badly injured Spike in an alleyway, one who doesn’t seem to remember who he is or the people he’s known.

Reviews and Reception

Repossession was widely recced by Spander fans, but it is a fic that has been criticized. Some fans do not like the characterization of Spike or Xander, believing them to be OOC. It has also been accused of character bashing, and splitting up the scoobies, in order to progress the plot. Others disliked the plots focus on h/c. Fans of Repossession point out that in a far future fic these characterizations were believable, and it is also understandable that character relationships would change with time. The work inspired debate about the importance of canon characterizations in non-canon works and AU settings.

See: Repossession a review by Estepheia and the discussion that inspired. (2003)

WIP. I admit it; I’m a total Repo-junkie. This story is way, way AU, but it works. This is not the Xander and Spike we know, not even close; however, Laz makes it work pretty well. The story is rich, detailed and captivating. This story has made me laugh out loud and cry onto my keyboard, sometimes in the same chapter. Laz is just now starting to post the final third of this wonderful story. I’m also very partial to Repo because it inspired me to take a little idea that was knocking around my head and put it on paper.

‘Repossession’ is, by all accounts, one of the larger Spike and Xander fics on the ‘net. It boasts over 100 parts, a yule inspired post-fic, and a content guide for the wary reader who wants to know what might happen in each and every chapter. It is also one of the most widely recced S/X fics out there and, incidentally, is one of the toughest recs I’ve ever considered posting because I continue to waffle on it even as I do post. Lazuli has done an excellent job of capturing her readers right from the start, employing an intriguing and hurt/comfort filled premise to keep the readers on the edge of their seats, wondering about the who’s, the why’s, and the where’s of the situation. Even the characterization, which can be given leeway since the story is set years in the future for Xander and after some truly horrific events for Spike, is likable and not too ridiculously far a field of what I remember from canon.

I honestly adored this story when I first started reading it – something that quite a few people have said before – and many fans name it among their absolute favorites of all time. For me, while I loved the first sixty or so chapters, I found myself getting a little tired of the repetitive cycle of traumas and recoveries that befall the characters and even though I applauded the author’s ingenuity on certain key elements in the plot, the story as a whole might have been better served being somewhat shorter and less drawn out. Many of the ‘issues’ I have from the story spur from it’s length and the inevitable fluffing of the characters to make them seem more than they are in context.

All things told, however, every reader has to decide for themselves and, while I do still waffle on the story as a whole, I still think it deserves to be recced as I enjoyed it immensely.

I found this on another recs list, where it was warned as being a Highlander crossover. I am unfamiliar with Highlander, but after reading this fic and then doing some Highlander research, I can say that at most the author is borrowing from Highlander mythology. As far as I can tell she hasn't used any characters from the Highlander universe. No mention of using Highlander influences is mentioned in the author notes, so it is equally likely that she just thought up the mythology herself. That said, I found this a highly enjoyable read. It was a long story that I adored from start to finish. The author deserves extra points for finding a believable way of making Xander and Spike be destined for each other, and also for utilizing an unusually creative way of extending Xanders lifespan.