I'm glad that you think it works. I'll now be completely pretentious and say that I intended the ending to make the reader face the same choice as the characters – there's evidence for both a hopeful ending and a dusty death, and you have to decide whether, at the end of it all, you're still able to believe that there's hope for Buffy and Spike.

Aaaand that's exactly why no one invites me to parties.

Thank you very much for your thoughtful review!