Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth dying (TWICE) for here.

These are recommendations made by tropers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. After a few samples, you will be able to note the interests of the tropers recommending them, and judge whether you might be also interested in a certain 'fic.

Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here. Do warn when a fanfic may head into sexual or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.

Reviews of fics are encouraged, but if you choose to write one, please make it substantive, and give specific details about what you liked / disliked in the fic. If you want to give a fic a thumbs-up without writing a full review, you can add your troper handle to the Recommendations Line. Please refrain from posting "Comments" or Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.

Recommendations Template
Title of the Fanfic by Author OR Fic Trope Page, by Author (Link)
 * Recommended by: Troper Name
 * Synopsis: What's the story about? Give here a brief summary of the plot. It would be also useful to point out in what moment of the series the story takes place. If it's a Gen Fic but it has some romantic elements, note here the characters involved too.
 * Pairing(s): If it's a Shipping Fic, list here the pairings that feature in the fic (warn here if it's het, male slash or female slash). If it's a Gen Fic, remove this line. To tell the difference between the two, notice if the focus of the fic is on a romantic relationship or if it focuses on the other aspects of the story. In case of doubt, classify the story according to the genres it's been tagged: the Romance tag for Shipping, absence of that tag for Gen Fic.
 * Tags: If any are known. This would be things like WAFF, Lemon, Dark Fic, any known Crossovers etc.

Archives, Authors and Websites
All stories by Meltha
 * Recommended by Man Called True:
 * I have yet to see someone else nail the characters quite so well. No new ones in a while, but Meltha was rather prolific before then. Personal favorites: "Who Died and Made You the Iron Chef?" and "Never Send Mom and Sis to a Vamp". Mostly Original Flavor with some angsty diversions.
 * "Combined Forces" is a brilliant piece of humor.

Aadler's backstage series
 * Recommended by User:Robert
 * Several stories, taking placing on the edges of the main series, all in the same continuity. Excellent worldbuilding. Includes some AU stories and minor crossovers.

The works of Jet Wolf
 * Recommended by Andrew
 * A particularly good writer with a talent for character voices. Her continuation of Buffy focuses on returning the Scoobies to their family dynamic and does so in a realistic manner. Essentially, if you disliked General!Buffy, Plotless!Xander or Distanced!Scoobies this fic is the answer. You can test the waters here with some of her gen fic.
 * What makes The Chosen particularly good is that it keeps everything from season seven canon (though not season five of Angel as it was started before that) while still making it work better than the show's actual writers ever did. More than one person has written that the series actually got them to like Kennedy, which they thought could never happen.

The Fanfiction of Christina Kamnikar
 * Recommended by User:Operation Shoestring
 * Excellent works that really capture the tone of Buffy's earlier seasons. Her best known work, the Smallville crossovers Runaway Trains at 3 AM and Lines of Communication are improperly linked at the above site, so use the links provided.

Mad-Hamlet's Fiction
 * Recommended by Patrick
 * Femslashy work that manages the impossible -- being authentically dark without a drop of Wangst. The best of his work causes one to proclaim Mad-Hamlet as Buffy's real daddy. This is a man who takes Earn Your Happy Ending to heart. Must reads include "Prisms" and "Deeper."

Virtual Mutant at MZPTV
 * Recommended by User:Meshakhad
 * This site houses a whole host of virtual series extensions of the Buffyverse. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel each get two additional seasons and a feature film. Beyond this, there are a total of six spinoff series currently in production. All stories are written in screenplay format, and each series even has a cast page, naming actors to play the new characters.

All About Spike
 * Recommended by User:Lagomorph
 * Spike-focused archive, though beyond the Spike focus, pretty much anything goes -- any pairing (not necessarily romantic), genre, or time frame. Lots of good stuff. No longer updated, but is in no danger of going down any time soon, as far as I can tell.

Angel: No Limits
 * Recommended by User:Mon Solo
 * Set after Angel season 5, with enough material to constitute an entire season 6. Each story is the equivalent of one episode. The stories are brilliantly written, with all of the characters spot-on. Alternates between funny, heart-wrenching, tense, and occasionally sexy. There are some mild slashy vibes (mostly Angel/Spike and Angel/Wes) but nothing explicit. Written several years before the s6 comics were released, so would be considered an alternate continuity.

The Nyazian Prophecies
 * Recommended by Amy Jade
 * A Buffy/Angel spin-off virtual series featuring Connor as he deals with his memories of being in Quor'toth and becomes a "boy-slayer," and Andrew as his Watcher. Great writing, great original characters and character development of the existing characters, and some very interesting developments of the Buffy mythology. Unfortunately won't be completed, but the creator has written out an outline of the movies that would have followed the series.

Gumboy's Watcher series, Season One and Season Two
 * Recommended by Roo
 * A spin-off virtual series that takes place seven years after S7 and centers on Xander -- now armed with Cordelia-style visions and a magic eight ball that actually does tell the truth -- moving to Cape Kenneth to be the Watcher for a young Slayer named Olivia "Liv" Fontaine (you may remember her as the girl with the baseball bat from the very last episode). The series is rather OC-heavy, and is written in Script Fic format, but don't let that scare you; the format is used well and captures the traditional witty banter and horror-comedy feel of the Buffyverse, and the O Cs are likeable and interesting. The classic Buffy and Angel characters also feature heavily, as the older and established generation which are on call for when the big guns are needed... though apart from Xander (and eventually Spike, who has a major role in the second season), most of them remain secondary characters.
 * Unfortunately, the second season hasn't been updated since the sixteenth episode in 2007 -- and that episode ends on a rather nasty cliffhanger. There's also some Xander/OC romance, as Xander gets involved with Liv's mother Lucy (who in a staggering break from tradition knows all about her daughter's Slayer powers from the get-go). Consider yourself warned.

General Fics
''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''

Visiting Hours by Leonheart17
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Faith gets an unexpected visitor while she's in jail... set sometime in Buffy Season 6/Angel Season 3
 * Comments: A great fic by a great writer.

''Here Is Gone" by Terri Botta
 * Recommended by Hinn-Raven
 * Synopsis: A Peggy-Sue fanfic, starring Spike, who, after getting his soul, gets the chance to change a few things.
 * Comments: Really well written and everyone's in character. Contains hints of Buffy/Spike.

Comfort by mat528
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Spike is pissed due to how the Scoobies treated him at Joyce's funeral.
 * Comments: A good, self-contained fic that's Better Than Canon.

Let's Talk About Art by Sayie
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Just a funny little oneshot, Spike gets a job as a nude model... in Dawn's art class.
 * Comments: As to why a High School has a nude model, well, MST3K Mantra.

Pictures At An Exhibition by A Gentleman Of Leisure
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Set in early Season 1, they discover something is abnormal about three paintings in the gallery.
 * Comments: I'll be honest, it isn't perfect. Setting a story in early Season 1 will cause that, especially if you try to nail the characters as they were then. So the fact that the author does it extremely well is to be complimented. Even Dawn, who is in this, is done well and realistically, despite five years between the setting and when you have a canon version of her to go with. So, with allowances to that, the story is exceptional. The only one that feels OOC is

Of The Buggered by AttackTheMayorWithHummus
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Hard to describe. Just one-shots with humor.
 * Comments: Cute, funny, and perhaps a hint of Buffy/Willow.

I Am What I Am by M. McGregor. (Peggy Sue, peripheral femmeslash)
 * Recommended by User:Looney Toons, boonerunner, Frodo Lives
 * Synopsis: At one end of his life, a 90+-year-old Xander lies dying. At the other end of his life, a teenage Xander decides to dress up as himself, only older, for a fateful Halloween. Time twists, and the life of the Slayer(s) will never be the same again.
 * Comments: Definitely worth a read; and as an extra bonus the author has posted an annotated and footnoted version of the story on his LiveJournal that is invaluable to anyone wanting to study the mind of a writer and how/why he writes things the way he does. Warning: some F/F and poly shipping toward the end of the story, but nothing actually explicit.
 * User:Frodo Lives: Seconded. Fic describes a capable, but not superpowered, Xander - a logical extension of the Zeppo as he grows and matures. The flashbacks are well written and occasionally heart-wrenching. The author ends the fic at a good point, but I would really like a follow-up story.

Not Even Jimmy Olsen by Blair Provence
 * Recommended by User:Robert, User:Operation Shoestring, User:Looney Toons, and Amdijefri
 * Synopsis: Season 3 fic. One of Cordelia's cronies gets drawn into a wild night of adventure, by her standards.
 * Comments: Excellent description of what the Scooby gang looks like to outsiders.

Here's Your Accordion by Drakensis
 * Recommended by User:Looney Toons, Kalimada
 * Synopsis: A twenty-something British man wakes up in Buffy Summers' body on the first day of the TV series. While not exactly happy with the situation, he'll use what he can remember of the first season to make the best of his situation and maybe make some better choices than the "real" Buffy did. Now if only (s)he can figure out why there's a 10-year-old Dawn hanging around. Oh, and yeah, stop obviously drooling over Willow.
 * Comments: Clever, well-done Self-Insert Fic that doesn't go overboard with the advantages of foreknowledge. In the ten extant chapters it covers a fair amount of the first season, but while the author fully intends to write more, it has been moribund since 2006. Laugh-out-loud funny at points and definitely worth a look.

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by Greywizard.
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: A mysterious visitor comes to set Buffy and Angel right during the season 3 episode "Amends".
 * Comments: This fic is both sad and a little WAFF-y, and offers a very good perspective on the two angst ridden characters.

Identity Crisis by Vampireconfuser
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: A OC vampire's thoughts on his life and undeath.
 * Comments: A very interesting insight into how a vampire who isn't the Big Bad, hopelessly in love with Buffy, or clinically insane views himself.

Lilith's Daughters by runaway scrape
 * Recommended by boomslangvenom
 * Synopsis: An alternative origin for the Slayer, vampires, and the Watchers.
 * Comments: This fic unites the Biblical creation myth with the origin story of the vampires and slayers. The stories we've all heard? Those are the stories the men told. And they are true. But these are the stories told by the women. They are also true.

Phoenix Burning by Yahtzee (not that one, though)
 * Recommended by User:Meshakhad
 * Synopsis: Buffy is resurrected 350 years after her Heroic Sacrifice in "The Gift", to find a world greatly changed.
 * Comments: A superb work of fiction, worthy of a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
 * Shay Guy: Why the HELL are the vast majority of the chapters written in WHITE TEXT ON A WHITE BACKGROUND? (Using  tags, to boot!)

The Compelled series, by Hotpoint (link goes to first story in the series)
 * Recommended by User:Meshakhad, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: Illyria travels back in time to alter the course of history -- for the better.
 * Comments: A delightful series featuring Illyria leading the good guys, the forces of evil getting their asses handed to them on a platter, and too many delightful character moments to count.
 * User:Looney Toons: Seconded, but be aware that the author hasn't got the strongest grasp of punctuation or structure; it's a bit of a hard read at times. But Hotpoint's imagination and creativity more than make up for it.
 * User:Frodo Lives: I really enjoyed these stories. There is a bit of Buffy-bashing, but totally deserved IMHO. Unfortunately, the series does seem to train off with no resolution in site. Would disagree with the comment about the forces of evil getting their asses handed to them - the author just raises the scope of the conflict and the magnitude of the conflict far beyond anything imagined in the original tv show, particularly in the last few novels.

Difficult to Fight Against Anger by Goat Boy
 * Recommended by Somebody Else
 * Synopsis: Inspired by Marvel's What If series, this is an alternate ending to season six, where Warren doesn't shoot Buffy and kill Tara. Instead, he does something, uh, much more brutal.
 * Comments: For those not familiar with the reference (which on here will be about two people), the title is based on a quote by Heraclytes: "It is difficult to fight against anger, for a man will buy vengeance with his soul." Oh, also, it's a two-parter.

Matryoshka by Danyel Woods (mild AU, some violence against major characters)
 * Recommended by User:Trace_Coburn
 * Synopsis: The Scooby Gang thought they might actually get a breather in the brief span between Graduation and college... but this is Sunnydale, and they really should have known better. As Xander returns from his road-trip, the Scoobies become ensnared in someone's Xanatos Gambit(s) and make new friends and new enemies... but which is which? Mild Xander/Willow elements.
 * Comments: A thriller based on the ideas that all actions (like telling certain parties to "go to hell") have consequences, both foreseeable and unexpected... and that there's more to the characters (that's most of the canon cast, as well as a few original characters) than they let on, even to their trusted friends (or sometimes themselves). Also one of the few fics to portray the Sunnydale Police Department with something other than unalloyed contempt. Still "in progress" after a long time, but hopefully Only Mostly Dead.

Nature's Special Effects by Babies-Stole-My-Dingo
 * Recommended by User:Majin Gojira
 * Synopsis: Xander goes to the Congo to find a new Slayer. While there, he has a surprise encounter with a creature that shouldn't exist. Oneshot, complete.
 * Comments: A short story, but one worth the read for the acknowledgment of different cultures around the world, language barriers and the appearance of a cryptozoological icon in a non-antagonistic manner.

Still Here by Christian Gate Fan (Alternate Universe)
 * Recommended by User:Caellach Tiger Eye
 * Synopsis: What if Drusilla took her interrogation of Giles too far? What if he was killed & turned, but the Scoobies got to him in time to return his soul? Can the gang keep it together with their world upside down? AU post Becoming P2.
 * Comment: Basically what the summary says, but this story isn't a simple read. The concept of Giles becoming a vampire is depicted with a delicate, tender hand that treats him and the other characters with care. It gets off to a somewhat slow start, but a patient reader will find themselves rewarded after the first half-dozen chapter. While the story has elements that diverge from canon, these are secondary to the characters and how this new development causes them to grow and change. The story has angst, but once its pace settles, it blends with the tale in a way that is not intrusive or overbearing. What carries the tale most, however, is the emotional intensity apparent whenever Buffy and Giles are together, especially alone. Very few stories are so devoted to the father-daughter bond between the two characters, and the author has a decisively strong grasp on how they interact. Even better, their relationship is tentatively yet effectively explored, moreso than the television series itself strove to do. A story worth checking out if I ever saw one.
 * Wholeheartedly seconded by Analiza. While the early chapters are low on action, their characterization and emotion are flawless, making them slow but good reading, and this attention to character detail (in particular, the voices of each of the Scoobies are kept very distinct and in-character) is carried on even as the plot gets moving. Plenty of Tear Jerker and more than a few Heartwarming Moments, all flawlessly done. It does reopen a bit of Fridge Logic (namely, why is the vampire re-ensoulment spell never used again on, say, Spike, when Willow can do it? My theory was that she didn't understand it well enough to transfer it to another recipient, but this story pokes a big hole in that idea), but it's so good, I don't care.

Two Slayers -- One Heart (Version 3.0) by Wild Paladin. (Some lesbian sex between teens, some group sex, one May-December Romance. AU.)
 * Recommended by User:Grey Paladin
 * Also recommended by HG 131.
 * Synopsis: This AU fic ignores the Buffy Season Eight comics completely, as well as ignoring Season Five of Angel. It opens with the Scythe-powered activation of two high school girls in a small Midwestern city, follows them as they learn about being Slayers, and features the addition of the Scooby Gang very early in the fic. As the Scooby Gang befriends the new Slayers and starts training them and others, things begin to go very, very strange in their town -- as an old enemy of the Scooby Gang makes its presence felt.
 * Comments: Two Slayers is a rare find to this troper, because it features original characters without pushing the canon cast entirely offstage, in fact leaving the Scooby Gang vital to the story and the solution to the threat. One can only assume that the graphic sex will go the way of the dodo bird in this version, leaving it largely plot-centric and adventure-oriented. It is also very long -- over a quarter of a million words -- but it is complete.
 * And it has been taken down from AFF.net, is now reposted (I guess that's why it's 3.0, now) in an at least more safe for work T-Rated version on fanfiction.net. The author's comments at the beginning say that there will be a part a day, as of 25 April 2011. Completed on 21 July 2011.
 * This troper (HG 131) agrees. It also manages to still have darkness and depression without using Joss Whedon-style angst born of stupidity. The characters perform something that most everyone yells at them to do: talk to each other.

The Uninvited Guest by Yahtzee
 * Recommended by User:Furry Fury
 * Synopsis: 'She will tell us all she knows, all she has done. And we will make our judgments accordingly. So you see - Faith has nothing to fear but the truth.' Like that ain't enough to be afraid of. AU starting in the end of BtVS season 6/AtS season 3.
 * Comments: Remember Buffy's Character Derailment in season 6? This Dark Fic takes in Up to Eleven and runs with it, exploring the influence on the members of the Fang Gang (plus Faith). Perfect character voices, Jigsaw Puzzle Plot and overall great writing. Mentions a few relationships (Gunn/Faith, Angel/Cordelia, others hinted) but is more gen than shippy.

Halfway There by Indri
 * Recommended by luckylucky
 * Synopsis: What happened to Giles in Season Seven? (Or the search for Potentials.)
 * Comments: Incredibly moving, with a major focus on angsty!Giles but also features tons of canon cameos--the usual suspects of Xander, Buffy, Faith, Kennedy, as well as a few more unexpected ones like Olivia, Vi, and Ethan Rayne. The summary is far too simplistic for the sheer depths of emotion. So many writers either bash Potentials or just have them in the background, dropping like flies whenever the fic needs a death. Giles' hunt for Slayers in training is heartbreaking, mainly because the author puts focus on showing the SI Ts as real people. It's a very long read (forty-nine chapters) but almost never gets repetitive, and it's so addictive this troper read most of it in one sitting.

Bring Me To Life by Jean-theGuardian
 * Recommended by User:Wolfram And Hart
 * Synopsis: Buffy TVS & Angel Xover! When Connor defies 'Cordelia', the chain of events unite both Sunny Dale & L.A's heroes for the explosive final battle with Jasmine and the First Evil. Who will survive the End of Days? Set during Buffy Season 7 / Angel Season 4
 * Comments This story perfectly combines the last season of Buffy and the fourth season of Angel. It takes what were somewhat disappointing seasons and turns them into the epic, apocalyptic finale we all wanted. Everyone is in character, it keeps the tone of the show, it takes several unpredictable turns and it will leave you begging for more.

Hell Is Other Demons by Wolfram-and-Hart-Sauron
 * Recommended by User:Wolfram And Hart
 * Synopsis:The Master, Drusilla, the Mayor, Adam, Glory, Warren and Caleb have long since been sent to Hell, and now they meet up to discuss their hatred for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
 * Comments Imagine the Batman episode, Almost Got 'Im, but with the Big Bads of BTVS. It's fun to see all the show's bigget villains work off of each other and they're written in character very well.

Big Rock Candy Mountain by Basingstoke
 * Recommended by Jackdaw
 * Synopsis: Five things that never happened to Andrew Wells. AU. Includes slash, rated NC-17.
 * Comments: Andrew is caught in the same attack the kills Jesse, and manages to find a place amongst the Scoobies to use his great interest in magic and demons. Life gets a lot more complicated when he becomes a soulless but well-intentioned vampire. Mostly gen, but Andrew/Giles and Andrew/OC are present.

The Snow Queen by Doyle
 * Recommended by Pryderi
 * Synopsis: A dark power is rising in Los Angeles, Angel and Wesley have both been kidnapped and it looks like Cordelia is the only person left who can stop the world falling into an icy apocalypse. Set in Angel, early season two.
 * Comments: Fast-paced and witty, this story feels like a lost episode of the series and fits seamlessly into established canon. Cordelia and her supporting cast are depicted beautifully, and the story keeps a fine balance between humour and action.

Dawn Of The Dead by Beer Good
 * Recommended by Pryderi
 * Synopsis: What would have happened if Dawn was vamped at the end of All The Way? Tragedy? Angst? Not so much in this case …
 * Comments: Written as a series of drabbles, this is an hilarious demolition of the entire season six storyline – and don’t think Angel season three is going to escape the mayhem. Highlights include Angel’s brooding masterclass, the importance of reading the small print on Gypsy curses and Spike’s growing exasperation at having to play love puppet to half the cast.

Two Steps Back by Yahtzee
 * Recommended by Roo
 * Synopsis: A Peggy Sue fic with a slight twist. After things go to hell in the the Angel series finale, Angel is given a device by the Powers That Be that enables him to travel back in time to do things over and put everything right. But where is the best point to start over from? Cue a backwards trip through Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Angel uses the device to go further and further back in time in order to undo his mistakes and find a perfect place to start anew.
 * Comments: It's a well-written and fascinating Deconstruction of Peggy Sue fics -- Angel sets out with the same attitude as most Peggy Sue main characters, to use his foreknowledge to prevent disasters and mistakes, but he keeps missing details or miscalculating the reactions of the world around him, or he acts to change things without knowing the entire story, and in most of these cases things tend to end up worse than they were in the original timeline. Characterizations are solid and the plot remains interesting throughout. There are mentions of canon 'ships, primarily Angel/Cordelia, but they're not very central to the plot.

Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Bonding by Hayley128
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Pairings: Buffy/Faith
 * Synopsis: The Chosen Two bond over their dislike of Valentine's Day.

''Something to Talk About by Leonheart17
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Pairings: Willow/Faith
 * Synopsis: Post season 7 - Willow has something she needs to tell Buffy and Xander about who she's been sleeping with... *mostly light and funny*
 * Comments: A very good Willow/Faith fic. It is extremely good.

Atonement by Katrina
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara
 * Synopsis: Buffy actually uses her head and prevents the portal from opening at the end of The Gift and therefor not dying. Too bad Spike's gone all angsty for his failure while Buffy has finally figured out she loves him. Oh, and there's a new Big Bad already.
 * Comments: Normally I'm a Buffy/Willow or Buffy/Faith guy, but occasionally I'll like a Buffy/Spike pairing. This is one of those occasions.

The Dawning of Faith and Fruition by LJlashlarue (Femslash x2)
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Pairings: Buffy/Willow, Dawn/Faith, Giles/Rona
 * Synopsis: Romance fics. Really, really hard to describe without spoilers for something.

Bread by Tulipp (Explicit content, femmeslash, AU, character death)
 * Recommended by User:John 17 Martin
 * Pairing(s): Willow/Tara
 * Synopsis: What if the season five finale, "The Gift," was really the end of Buffy? What would happen to Willow and Tara (and Dawn)?
 * Comments: Has girl/girl sex scenes, but the sex is the natural consequence of the plot. One of the best Willow/Tara fics.

Terra Firma by Tulipp (Explicit content, femmeslash, AU)
 * Recommended by User:generalzoi
 * Pairing(s): Willow/Tara
 * Synopsis: When Tara returns three months after Grave, Willow and the Scoobies must learn how she came back...and why.
 * Comments: This troper skipped this fic for a long time because of the not particularly inspiring summary, but it's a fantastically well thought-out and occassionally heartbreaking take on what could have happened after season six. The fic also contains many exceedingly subtle and easy to miss jabs at the weaker parts of the canon.

Fragments of Perception by Cyd (Explicit content, femmeslash, AU)
 * Recommended by User:John 17 Martin
 * Pairing(s): Willow/Tara
 * Synopsis: What if Buffy didn't die at the end of "The Gift"? What if Willow saved the world instead, but was forever changed?
 * Comments: Has girl/girl sex scenes, but the sex is the natural consequence of the plot. One of the best Willow/Tara fics.

The Other Half Lives, by Yahtzee (not that one, though)
 * Recommended by User:Tabby
 * Pairing: Cordelia/Wesley
 * Synopsis: "After Wesley is injured, Cordelia re-examines her feelings for Wesley -- but Wesley's making some changes, too."
 * Comments: That's the official summary, but it doesn't quite capture the charm of this Angel fic. Or the delightfully unexpected ending.

skin by te and Kate Bolin (explicit content, horrific violence, character death)
 * Recommended by User:grendelkhan
 * Pairing:
 * Synopsis:
 * Comments: One of the first bits of fanfic this troper ever read. Though there's sex in it, you'd have to be real special to find it sexy. Much, much Darker and Edgier than the original, yet remarkably true to the original characters' motivations. The last part ("excoriate") is the best.

Nothing The Same by Orchidluv
 * Recommended By: User:Studious Jones
 * Pairing: Spike/Xander
 * Synopsis: Xander doesn't deal well with Jesse's death and everything changes from there.
 * Comments: This is a long story. (WIP as of this posting) A complete retelling of the entire series, deviating at the point of Jessie's death. All with a Spander twist!

Where the Wild Things Are by Brighid
 * Recommended by: Sky Stained
 * Pairing: Mild Spike/Andrew, mentions of Warren/Andrew
 * Synopsis Spike muses over the similarities between him and Andrew over poetry and whiskey.
 * Comments Set ambiguously in season seven this is a really sweet piece. You see the sadder, lonely side of Andrew and Spike, and very briefy Xander. Highly reccomended

Second'Verse by Litgal
 * Recommended By: User:Studious Jones
 * Pairing: Spike/Xander
 * Synopsis: Spike meets a Xander who never met the slayer.
 * Comments: A great story. It takes place more in the vicinity of Angel than Buffy. Three parts so far.

The Giles Thing by Dr. Squidlove
 * Recommended By: User:Studious Jones
 * Pairing: Giles/Xander
 * Synopsis: Xander meets the teenaged Ripper, and his relationship with Rupert Giles will never be the same again. This is kind of an ode to that look Xander gets in his eye when his life is imploding.
 * Comments: An interesting take on a pairing you don't usually see. Full of angst and humor -- just like Xander. The first part takes place sometime in season three.

Vignette Series by Sassette
 * Recommended By: Matrim
 * Pairing: Willow/Tara
 * Synopsis: Moments from the lives of Willow and Tara
 * Comments: As the name implies, this a series of short stories concentrated on Willow/Tara. Most of the vignettes are not really connected to each other. Lots of fluff and humor but some darker undertones as well. Highlights include Tara and Willow getting drunk at Xander's bachelor party, Willow developing a fanfic addiction and the most elaborate Valentine's Day gift ever.

Van Rosenberg by Alcy
 * Recommended By: User:The Best Name On The Site
 * Pairing: Willow/Tara
 * Synopsis: The year is 1897 and the last thing Willow Rosenberg wants to be doing is battling against the forces of darkness, she’d rather be curled up with a book and a nice, hot cup of tea. Unfortunately Willow’s stuck working for a secret organisation hidden beneath the British Museum dedicated to the protection of mankind from the evil which lurks in the shadows of the world. With her bumbling assistant Myles, over-enthusiastic demon-slaying friend Faith and an all-too-sexy employer who collects death masks, Willow is about to realise that perilous danger comes even to those who least want it. The discovery of a diary and the journey that follows will disrupt everything Willow has ever known, including her own identity, and reunite her with a love she never knew she lost.
 * Comments: Words cannot describe how great this story is. Plenty of plot twists, steamy scenes, and an unusual ending. Very original and fresh. The sequel is also up which ties up loose ends and creates new ones.

Equinox by Kita
 * Recommended by: iamthecircle
 * Pairing: Angel/Buffy, Angel/Spike, Angel/Wesley, and Angel/Darla
 * Synopsis: Angel contemplates losing his soul to four loves, each representing the seasons. Set during Reprise.
 * Comments: I can't directly link to the fic, but it's rather easy to find on the site. Just look for Equinox after clicking on slash and can be found under Spike/Angel or just from looking alphabetically. It's got some Purple Prose, but really it's not that bad when you get down to how beautiful the fic illustrates each of Angel's relationships and how they relate and symbolize the seasons. I enjoyed the fascinating insight and it's not a long read. Though if you're not a fan of slash, be wary because it includes two popular slash ships.

Living History by Lizbeth Marcs
 * Recommended by: Stormbringer951
 * Pairing:
 * Synopsis: Some people have come a place far, far away and a time far, far ahead to ask for help on an urgent matter. The time? February 2008. The place? Moscow. The problem? They're in Cleveland, September 2003. And that's just the beginning of the trouble...
 * Comments: You know there are some really well-written fan stories? Then there are gems like this. Living History is a novel-length piece of fanfiction with an interesting premise. A slayer, a watcher, a historian and a medic from the far future land in 2003, meeting with the almost mythical founders of the slayer organization. The author clearly put a lot of thought into the plot, making sure that everything is consistent. The only criticisms that I can level against the story is that it suffers from an over-the-top future lexicon and that Xander very noticeably Took a Level In Badass.

He Can't See It by Brother Bludgeon
 * Recommended by: User:Looney Toons
 * Recommended by: Twizzlers, Caellach Tiger Eye
 * Pairing: Xander/Marcie Ross
 * Synopsis: After bullies leave Xander trapped overnight at the high school in a lightless closet, he discovers he's not alone -- a girl named Marcie has been trapped with him. And there in the dark they both discover something new, something important -- and in Marcie's case, something that could save her soul and her humanity.
 * Comments: A unique story pairing Xander with a girl who would later in Buffy's first season become a Monster of the Week, set before she is driven mad by her invisibility. This is a slow-updating fic with only three chapters; the first chapter was originally written as a self-contained story and accomplishes it admirably, though its bittersweet ending is clearly responsible for reader demands that the author continue it. Sadly, that continuation stops before it really starts. Even so, what exists is a fine read and tugs the heartstrings, especially for those who know Marcie's brief history on the show.
 * Great news! Brother Bludgeon is back and this is the first story he's updated.
 * Caellach Tiger Eye: Yes, yes, YESSS!! I cannot find the words to express my sheer love and platitude for this fic. That may sound like I'm overexaggerating things, but this fic is definitely up there as among the best BtVS 'fics out there in my opinion. The characterisation is excellent, the story concept is fresh and original (no joke, I cannot find another good Marcie Ross fic on FF.Net out there, much less one similar to this), and execution is brilliant. The author really gets into just what makes Xander and Marcie (and others) tick, making the idea of her eventual redemption plausible. Highly recommended.

Meant To Be by Hellmouth Guy (Explicit content, femmeslash, AU, character death)
 * Recommended by: spiralx
 * Pairing: Buffy/Faith, Willow/Tara, others
 * Synopsis: When Kakistos comes looking to destroy the new Slayer and everyone she cares about, the life Faith has built for herself comes crashing down around her, she has no choice but to run again.
 * Comments: A complete reworking of the Buffyverse from approximately season three onwards consisting of three books (The New World, The Queen of Hearts and Revelations) containing just over a million words, it starts with a 17-year old Faith Lehane living on the streets of Boston and through an incredible series of adventures, plot twists, relationships, time travel, magic and battles through to the final showdown with the First. Very well-written and believable with some great twists on both the Buffyverse setting and the characters and their relationships. There is some very explicit content in places, but it never feels gratuitous, and fits the more adult and darker tone of the series. A second trilogy which retells/follows on from the first is in progress, with currently the first book, Tara, near completion.

Complement by Michelle (NC-17)
 * Recommended by: Elliotet
 * Pairing: Buffy/Faith
 * Synopsis: "Faith returns to Sunnydale to help Buffy, but Buffy doesn't take the offer nicely."
 * Comments: Amazing. This will make you laugh, cry and feel everything in between. Really takes the 'Two sides of the same coin' to a whole new level and can stand as its own novel. Begins with Faith's return into Buffy's life all the way until the end. There are twists and developments that really keep you into it and the relationship between all the characters are very well written, concepts and problems of Buffy and Faith's relationship are dealt with extreme care and attention. Props to the writer who not only added in her original characters by developed them so well that they grow on you even if you don't like fanfics with O Cs.

Scar Tissue by Kristi (Rated R)
 * Recommended by: User:Lady Nomad
 * Pairing: Buffy/Angel
 * Synopsis: Buffy deals (or not) with the events of ‘Empty Places’.
 * Comments: This was written before the comic book Season 8 came out so it puts the gang out in London. The characterization is good and that forgiveness is not instant but more into steps. It showed Buffy trying to keep everything together but having to fight all that anger she has inside about the events of 'Empty Places'.

Heart Don't Lie by Nauti Bits (NC-17)
 * Recommended by: Miccola
 * Pairing: Buffy/Spike
 * Synopsis: " Buffy and Spike face the consequences of a 'wild' night together: a bundle of (possibly evil) joy! Much more than a "baby fic", this is a multi-layered love story about learning to listen to your heart. It's also chock full o' freaky sex, fluffy bunnies, horny gods, catty brawls, cranky slayers, and the end of the 'verse as you know it!"
 * Comments: Written in a Season 4 AU, this fic is pretty long (25 chapters and roughly the size of a small novel), but worth it. Excels and shines in keeping canon characterization, even through putting Spike in the hopeless romantic category as much as this one does. (It works.)

Ketchup Blood by Kalima
 * Recommended by: Maybe Baby
 * Pairing: Buffy/Spike
 * Synopsis: After sex, there's always breakfast at Denny's. B/S vignette with some humor and unpleasantness.
 * Comments: One of, if not the most, realistic portrayals of the unseen parts of the mid-season six Buffy and Spike affair. The writing, characterization, and mundane details are all perfect. Spike's response to what Buffy wrongly thought was going to be just a cute story is real and expected. He is on edge and heartbroken, while she is conflicted and depressed. But there are little glimpses at what keeps pulling them together, even as they both make each other miserable in the process.

Crossover Fics
The Doctor's Faith Healing, The Angel Has the Phone Box and The Doctors and the Keys by DWDuck
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: The second and third fic here are sequels to the first one. All of them are DoctorWho/BuffyTheVampireSlayer crossovers, with the second one also crossing over with Angel (A Hole In The World, to be exact). There is some romance in them but that is not the main focus of the stories.
 * Comments: These two fics are amazingly well written, all of the dialog is in character and it, in my opinion, meshes the Whoniverse and the Buffyverse quite well. The third one is currently in progress, though, and the writer's music selections in the second one leave something to be desired.

Name The Stars by Gilari
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: A certain bleached blonde boards a ship known as Serenity.
 * Comments: Short BTVS/Firefly crossover, pretty good.

Well, That Went Well by emw314
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Xander, Faith and Dawn are supposed to go on the run from Glory. Instead, they end up on another planet, 500 years in the future. Then they board a ship named Serenity...
 * Comments: Awesome Firefly/BTVS crossover.

Of Rifts and Vampires by enigma-kar.
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: A Torchwood crossover where Spike and John Hart meet and then the entire Torchwood team meet the duo. They then bash Twilight and its hack writer and go out for drinks.
 * Comments: This is actually funny. It's also short so just read it.

''[http://www.tthfanfic.com/Story-9651/sevangel+My+daughter+the+what.htm My Daughter... the What?] by Sevangel (crossover with Law and Order Special Victims Unit'')
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Buffy finds out that Elliot is her biological father.
 * Comments: A good idea in theory with some genuinely funny moments and good dialog. But the characters do and say things that really aren't in keeping with the show and, given what we know about them, make no sense.

''[http://www.tthfanfic.com/Story-11015/sevangel+The+flipped+side+of+My+daughter+the+what.htm The Flipped Side of My Daughter... The What?]'' by Sevangel
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Faith rather than Buffy is Elliot's daughter.
 * Comments:
 * boomslangvenom: In some ways an even more interesting premise. In the first (fantastic) fic, the Slayer in question was the preppy, "good girl" type. Here we have the extremely straight-laced, old-fashioned, and over-protective Detective Stabler, whose daughter is very sexually liberated, dresses in leather, and, oh, happens to be an ex-con convicted of a whole bunch of offenses, including breaking out of maximum and two counts of homocide.

Not All Monsters Are Demons by imjustaguy (SVU/BTVS crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Luc, User:Majin Gojira
 * Synopsis: A serial killer attracts the attention of both the SVU and the Council. The Summers sisters learn that not all monsters are demons.
 * Comments: A rather interesting and creepy fic about what exactly would cause the Buffy crew to work with the Special Victims Unit.
 * Also recommended by Marvel Girl. And think about this: what would the SVU folks think about people like Buffy and Dawn?
 * The Muggle Way is a tie-in story by the same author, recommended by jaimystery. It is, however, a Dead Fic, abandoned barely halfway into the story, if that far.

Martian Manhunter by Mediancat (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Luc, User:Operation Shoestring, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: "Veronica Mars and some of the people critical to her life have been worked into the Buffyverse. She was a fan of the series and knows how it all would've gone, but she cannot tell anyone..."
 * Comments: A Veronica Mars/Buffy the Vampire Slayer fusion that is almost indescribable due to the brilliant twists it takes.

The "Have Faith" series: April 10, 1997, The Sum of Their Parts, That's What You'll Take to the Grave and The In-Dark, also by Mediancat (crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: A unique crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Daria. In the first story a mandatory psych examination in prison reveals that Faith may not be who she thinks she is.
 * Comments: Well written and implements a crossover by way of a device that I don't think I've ever seen before.
 * Love Is Weird: Seconded. The many twists and turns keep a reader on her feet, and it is superbly written. Somebody better write a trope page for this.

Dwarf Bread by keswindhover (crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Micah
 * Synopsis: The Buffybot ends up in Ankh-Morpork; Hilarity Ensues.
 * Comments: A chaptered fic, extremely funny, which perfectly captures the voices of both the Discworld and Buffy characters.

The Lone Flower series by Vathara (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Takes the standard "Scoobies wear a different costume and keep the powers" plot with a twist. Buffy wears a kimono once owned by Jushiro Ukitake, pulling him out of the Soul Society and into Buffy's body when the spell is cast. After the spell ends, there are far reaching consequences for both universes.
 * Comments: A very original variation on an overdone plot. All the characterizations are right on and many of the interactions are priceless. The only thing to dislike is some Angel bashing in the second story, but the excellent writing makes up for it.

Girl With Gold Eyes by LadyYashka (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak, User:Password Forgetting Troper
 * Synopsis: Drusilla meets the Joker in a church. Nothing good can come of this.
 * Comments: Despite being a short oneshot, this is an excellent read. The author captures Drusilla and the Joker so perfectly and the effect is very creepy, but in a good way.

The Dragonfly Effect series by Earnest Scribbler (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Buffy isn't the Slayer nor was she ever a Potential. Instead, she is the daughter of Mink and Dick Saucer of Dragon Half, taken to the Buffyverse by Dick's sister, Joyce, to protect her from her parentsâ€™ enemies. Things play out a lot differently because of this.
 * Comments: I admit I'm a bit biased considering this fic was inspired by a challenge I submitted, but it is still a very excellent read. It does pretty much everything right and the alterations to canon are entertaining to see, especially

The Slayers and a Hanyou series by L Mouse (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Basically built on the premise of Kagome being called as a Slayer when Willow does her mojo with the scythe. The first story, Alone in an Alley, A Slayer Is Born, chronicles Kagome's coming to LA in search of Inuyasha in the modern world. The second, A Slayer of Nightmares, focuses on Kagome trying to make peace between her fellow Slayers, who killed Inuyasha's wife, and Inuyasha, who killed Kennedy in retribution and has been killing the Slayers sent to extract retribution from him. The third, Unseelie, focuses on a team up of the living Inuyasha characters and the Slayers to prevent evil fair folk from creating and opening a new Hellmouth. It also features an appearance from There's also a short prequel set in the Feudal Era entitled Promises. 
 * Comments: Very well written, excellent characterizations, and the worlds mesh together very well. It does ignore the events of the Buffy Season 8 comics and the last 100 or so chapters of the Inuyasha manga since the first story was started well before those were released. There are also some hints of Spuffy, but this series is so good that this troper is willing to put up with them despite hating that pairing with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns.

Trick Or Treat by Kei [Crossover with Stargate SG-1].
 * Recommended by User:Marvel Girl Seconded by EMY 3 K
 * Synopsis: The Buffyverse four years after season 7, and the Powers That Be find a way to screw with Xander while he's taking a bunch of mini-Slayers out trick-or-treating, thanks to an escaped Goa'uld and (mid-fourth season) SG-1.
 * Comments: A 47-chapter complete story showing what the Scooby Gang must look like to outsiders, even outsiders as experienced as the original SG-1. No shipping, no Bitchy!Buffy, no Psycho!Faith. A functional Scooby Gang, and a fun read. Plus, plenty of snarky Jack-and-Xander dialogue.
 * Review: Okay, is so and so done. Good characterization and good dialogue. But Buffy verse is imbalance to death. I mean, SG 1 had taken by that moment entire Goa'uld Lords and are treated like kids against the scooby Gang. There is a lot, and I mean a lot of military is bad going on and Willow... Also, Riley had to be the worst militar man in existence, literally supporting what could be nicely be called a semi-competent anarchist, third wold level trained group (who when having less than a hundred individuals, are supposed to protect the entire world, at all times/places), constantly sneer at the Military Idiocy and all in all had caused to forces of Darkness to continue going (mostly) scott free to uphold a Masquerade, because Buffy is the Chosen One, a supreme warrior and can handle (which, is odly, against U.S Militar mindset) it alone. Yeah, recommended but honestly for this troper, make it glad that is actually the Army and not a group of teenagers and co. who handle global problems.
 * Seconding this story. Both 'verses are balanced perfectly. There's great characterization for both SG 1 and the Scooby Gang, as well as the original characters. The plot is very engaging. Riley is great as a go-between and I like the character development he and his wife get.

The Flat Next Door by Tassos (crossover with Harry Potter)
 * Recommended by User:Looney Toons, User:Caellach Tiger Eye, Maybe Baby
 * Synopsis: In an alternate summer after the events of Harry Potter, Harry and the Dursleys are moved by the Order into an apartment when 4 Privet Drive is identified and targeted by the Death Eaters. Harry finds little to recommend the change until he meets the gentleman living in the next apartment -- one Mr. Rupert Giles, whose quiet and respectful friendship saves Harry's sanity and soul from the depths of despair.
 * Comments: Set after the final episode of BTVS and featuring almost none of the other characters from the series, this is a low-key story that nonetheless carries an unexpected emotional intensity, all the way to its quietly surprising ending.
 * User:Caellach Tiger Eye: Seconded. Rarely have I ever read a story with such charm and heart involved. The unusual friendship which blooms between Harry Potter and Rupert Giles is incredibly moving and carries the story all on its own. While short, it was immersive, and I lost track of time and everything else until after it was concluded. It proves that one doesn't need 100,000 words of over-the-top drama to capture the essence -- and more importantly, the heart -- of these two highly deep series.
 * Maybe Baby: A perfect example of what a small idea, executed in what is (compared to the available options from both sources) a refreshingly simplistic setting, can do extraordinarily right. As this one proves, crossovers don't have to be overblown epics featuring whole casts interacting or a quest of any sort. This story uses its hints and observations in a perfectly subtle way that makes the interactions feel real and not forced.

Counts of Blood and The Muppet Contracts by Lucinda. (Crossover with The Muppets.) The Muppet Contracts: When Angel Investigations takes the case of a murdered acting agent, they have no idea what sort of people they're about to meet.
 * Recommended by User:Luc, boonerunner
 * Synopsis: Counts of Blood: Before a girl named Buffy moved to Sunnydale, the Master gets a visit from an old friend, Count vonCount.
 * Comments: I'd call these a pair of crack fics, but they're just too logical. Both qualify as horror/comedy, in keeping with the blending of Muppets and Buffy.

When Hellmouths Collide by Kimberley Rector and Martha Wilson (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Robert
 * Synopsis: Ethan makes an alliance with the vampire god Bacchus.
 * Comments: Set in early season 3. Multiple Xanatos gambits from Ethan. Effective Lampshade Hanging on oddities of the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys-verse.
 * One of the oldest and better thought out crossover fics on the net.

Seeking the Incomplete by Marz1 (crossover with Fullmetal Alchemist.)
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Willow attempts to use alchemy to bring Buffy back from the dead, and the Slayer ends up in Amestris.
 * Comments: A great story with near perfect characterization, but it's updated irregularly.

Shadows' Waiting by runaway scrape (L&O: SVU and BtVS crossover, sexually explicit noncon)
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: The SVU team and the Scoobies are both after the same serial killer, and their paths inevitably cross.
 * Comments: There are some sexually explicit scenes, but they are part of the plot.

The Father Goose Tales by litmouse: Father Goose and the Black Knight (L&O:SVU crossover), Loyalties (Alias crossover), Secrets (Stargate SG-1 crossover, on hiatus), and A Schism in Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls crossover)
 * Recommended by eset, Frodo Lives
 * Synopsis: The Scoobies have spread all over the world, with Xander running the school on the Cleveland hellmouth. When he calls Giles to request another adult to help keep the girls in line, he gets Faith instead. X/F
 * Comments: Wonderfully written, the characters are true to themselves and still given time to change and grow with experience. Engaging, touching, and fabulously funny.
 * Seconded by Frodo Lives: Character interaction is incredible. Xander the Slayer Whisperer is a little out of character(does any male understands women enough to demonstrate his abilities), but not to an extreme. Favorate Quote:

Enigmatic Absurdities by eponine (House crossover)
 * Recommended by Otempora
 * Synopsis: What would happen if the House team had to diagnose vampirism?
 * Comments: There's some Character Exaggeration, but the interactions between the doctors and the Scoobies is priceless.

Oddly Familiar by Dr. Gonzo (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Majin Gojira
 * Synopsis: Halloween's aftermath from a different POV. Batman crossover.
 * Comment: Other stories claim to twist the Halloween concept, this one actually does so by barely featuring the cast at all. Instead, it is told entirely from the perspective of the character brought into the Buffyverse by the spell, and the aftereffects it has on Mr. Wayne as Xander's humor and love of junk food seep in.

The BSC, Vampire Slayers by Gilraen V (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Majin Gojira
 * Synopsis: Whether they're sitting for the neighborhood kids or slaying vampires, the BSC will always be best friends! Babysitters Club crossover.
 * Comment: A marvelous parody written in the exact style of the BSC book series (or So I Heard). Knowledge of the series is not needed to enjoy this well done tale. Post Season 7.

The Scarab by BK The Irregular (Crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Majin Gojira
 * Synopsis: An exile from the gods of ancient Egypt surfaces in California, at the Mouth of Hell. Crossover with Stargate SG-1
 * Comment: One of the few Buffy/Stargate fics to treat the characters properly, with no one group outdoing, overpowering or belittling the other. Stick with the story past the first chapter. Though there appears to be Character Death at the start, it is far from permanent (thank you Sarcophagus). It reads like how a crossover between the two might actually go.

Every Silver Lining has its Cloud by Diresquirrel (Crossover with Forgotten Realms with a few mentions of Ranma)
 * Recommended by User:Prinny Ramza
 * Synopsis: Forgotten Realms Crossover. Buffy is late in stopping Angelus and most of Sunnydale is pulled into Acathla's portal, ending up in the Nether Mountains in northern Faerun. Warnings for occasional naughty words, heavy violence, and gnomes.
 * Comments: First chapter is short and just okay, but don't be fooled by that. It quickly builds up becoming really epic. This is the type of story to read when you love it when two worlds collide. To understand it you don't really need to have much knowledge of Ranma or Forgotten Realms, in fact I knew next to nothing about Forgotten Realms and still enjoyed it and though this fic makes use of several minor of one-shot Buffy characters, it makes sure to fill you in on them right away, and you will like those characters just as much (sometimes more) than the mains.

Life's End, Life's Beginning by becuzitswrong (Crossover with Stargate SG-1)
 * Recommended by wswordsmen, User:USA Bobcat, Frodo Lives
 * Xander miscalculates the amount of explosives needed to kill the mayor at graduation, killing all the scoobies except Buffy. She is then told she must attend the Air Force Academy, to join the SGC, to help stop a crisis that won't happen for several years.
 * Description doesn't do this fic justice. Read it you will not be disappointed.
 * Comments:
 * User:USA Bobcat: Damn... this story deserves much more than a simple explanation can give. While the beginning is rough, it really comes into its own when Buffy starts attending the Academy. Filled with wacky hyjinks and events that any normal person would have to deal with, Buffy has to deal with all those difficulties while not revealing that she is the Slayer. A funny, tear-jerking at times, 100% sheer distilled Awesome.

The Ghost In The Team by Marcus S Lazarus (Crossover with Stargate SG-1)
 * Recommended by Meshakhad
 * Summary: Riley sends Spike's amulet to the SGC. Hilarity and asskicking ensue.

If Wishes Were Thestrals, We'd All Run Screaming by SusanAnthony (Crossover with Harry Potter)
 * Recommended by Frodo Lives, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: "Xander makes a wish and the Wizarding World will never be the same." Xander and Harry Potter switch places, altering reality, and Xander and Willow are the only ones who know it.
 * Comments:

Harris and the Shadow Council by Tenhawk
 * Recommended by Spooner Wilkins, Frodo Lives, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: So far this is a threeway crossover between The Addams Family, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Harry Potter. The main focus is on Xander Harris and Wednesday Addams as they they go to Hogwarts but Hermione from the "Golden Trio" does get her share of the story. The story starts of with a slight retelling of the first Harry Potter book (Harry Potter) and unravels it as Xander works his particular brand of chaos. This could well be described as a day-in-the-life story.
 * The author is well known for his...enthusiastic use of Xander Harris, and for a rather lengthy Xander-Stu / Peggy Sue fic. It's best to know what you're getting into beforehand.
 * Frodo Lives: One of my favorate fanfictions - probably have read it a half dozen times. Great plot, great characters. It is a bit Xander Stuish, but his character growth is well explained throughout the story.

Bridges by Tassos(Crossover with Stargate: SG 1). FF.net link here.
 * Recommended by EMY 3 K; User:Luc, User:USA Bobcat
 * Synopsis: After the collapse of Sunnydale, Jack gets a call about a woman he knew over twenty years ago. . . and the son he didn't know he had.
 * Comments: This is probably the most well-written "Xander's real father" story that has ever been written. Neither fandom gets pushed aside in favor of the other. The relationship between Jack and Xander is believable and well-paced. Links to the sequels are included.

''[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-22035-3/joshlamont+Fear+Us+We+Are-.htm Fear Us. We Are-] by joshlamont (Crossover with Harry Potter'')
 * Recommended by Frodo Lives, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: After ending up in the wrong part of the Multiverse, a 27 year old magic-warping Xander goes to Hogwarts.
 * Comments: Very entertaining. Despite being extremely magically inhibited, Xander adapts to Hogwarts and changes his house, the school, and the whole magical society.

In Over My Head by Random1 (crossover)
 * Recommended by User:Snige Pippi
 * Synopsis: John Constantine; is in trouble! Real trouble.... again. This time, his old friend, Ripper, might be the only one to help him! Even if Ripper now lives on a Hellmouth!
 * Comments: A crossover with Hellblazer and Buffy. Gets them good. Funny and good characters!

Revenge of the Red Witch by Stormwreathed
 * Recommended by: User:Majin Gojira
 * Synopsis: An epic tale of swords and sorcery, as Willow and a barbarian warrior from the distant past travel to confront a wizard who has stolen something immensely valuable from her. Buffy / Conan the Barbarian
 * Comments: written in a pulpy style of Howard's Conan stories and darn good yarn to boot.

Unlocking Torchwood by Jaded
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: It's a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Torchwood Crossover. Dawn watches all of Torchwood with Andrew... in Cardiff... on a Tuesday. Dawn promptly finds herself right outside of Torchwood, being questioned by Torchwood.
 * Comments: I just want to say, this fic is really funny. The characters are well written and the interactions are believable.

Savior by JoeHundredaire (Crossover with Harry Potter)
 * Recommended by Frodo Lives, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: "She's Luke Skywalker. She's here to rescue him." Illyria goes to Hogwarts and chaos ensues.
 * Comments: Very funny, especially the Luna/Illyria interactions. Hints of F/F and poly shipping, but nothing actually explicit.

Wishes by ShayneT
 * Recommended by Zulaq
 * Synopsis: Anyanka is in a rut so D'hoffryn sends her to another universe for a vacation. Throw in an encounter with Q and things never seem to go right for her as she bounces around the multiverse. Set pre-series while Anya is still a vengeance demon. Complete.
 * Comments: An extremely interesting fic as Anya goes from world to world and the various wishes she grants never go the way she wants them to. It starts off as a sort of comedy where each of the wishes granted starts out as something horrific, but eventually results in something good happening, like, and comes across as comedy. But when Anya actually starts to feel guilty and tries to only grant small, harmless wishes, each wish granted has more and more horrific results. It's an interesting character piece and a look at exactly what a vengeance demon does, and a sort of cautionary tale about the dangers of granting wishes.

A Spark of Genius By michaelsuave (Crossover with DC Comics & Web Comic Girl Genius and miscellaneous crossovers)
 * Recommended By Gotterdammerung, Frodo Lives
 * Synopsis: Xander Harris was never called a genius, but after a different choice of Halloween costumes he is hit with a "spark" of mad genius, the abilities that go with it, and flung into a far different world. Come and enjoy the madness.
 * Comments: Very good story well written. There will be love, war and lust. As I Gotterdammerung am writing this The author has started an invasion into Hell in recent chapters.

Far Beyond Normal and its sequels, Return To Normal and Redefining Normal, by jAkL
 * Crossover with Stargate SG-1 and later Star Trek.
 * Recommended by spacemonkey37, User:Looney Toons
 * Synopsis: Buffy did not survive her confrontation with the First. Fortunately, Buffy has never been one to let death stand in her way...
 * Comments: Wow. This is epic. It also makes so much more sense than the way Buffy Season 7 actually ended.

Rifts and Transformations and its sequel Ruins and Explorations by Pythia (Crossover with Dungeons and Dragons)
 * Recommended by Frodo Lives
 * Synopsis: Sometimes you have to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save the world. And sometimes, you find you have a whole new world to save... Willow and Giles are transported to another reality and transformed for a higher purpose.
 * Comments: Beautiful story. Great description of how Willow and Giles attempt to accept and adapt to their changes.

A New World In My View by PH Wise.
 * Recommeded by User:Cryptic Mirror
 * Synopisis: That Halloween Xander lost a bet to Cordelia. His forfeit, to wear the costume of her choice, and Cordelia chose a Power Girl costume. As if that wasn't bad enough, when the time comes to change back the universe itself glitches. Xander Harris finds himse...er...make that herself in a whole new body and a whole new universe, one populated by super heros and super villains. Only it isn't the DCU that Xander knows, but the Marvelverse.
 * Tags: Crossover with the DCU and Marvelverse. YAHF. Gender Bender.

Donna the Vampire Slayer by Nomad (crossover with The West Wing)
 * Recommended by Pryderi
 * Synopsis: After Buffy’s demise at the end of “The Gift”, a new slayer is called in the unlikeliest place imaginable – the Bartlet White House.
 * Comments: A sheer joy from start to finish: the characters from both series feel spot-on, and you know that this is exactly how the White House senior staff would behave upon receiving news that vampires are real. The dialogue is masterful, no small achievement when you consider that the author is having to match Joss Whedon and Aaron Sorkin at their finest. Contains some Josh/Donna shipping.

Rainbow in Sunnydale series by JoeB (crossover with the Ryanverse)
 * Recomendded by Antonio CC
 * Synopsis: during Season 7 of Buffy and after The Bear and the Dragon, president Ryan is briefed in the existence of a secret Black Ops unit, called The Initiative...
 * Comments: A quite good series, that also includes a number of minor crossovers along the way. Currently it has three stories: Rainbow over Sunnydale, Imhotep's Key (crossover with The Mummy Trilogy), and Witchfinder (crossover with Charmed). Includes also appearances by Lara Croft, the crew from Down Periscope, and some other characters. Now Rainbow in Sunnydale has its own page!

Crossover Shipping Fics
Jaded Golden Threads by Jaded (slash... sort of, it's a Torchwood Crossover and just read the pairings)
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto/Dawn, hints of Spike/Xander
 * Synopsis: What happens when the Buffyverse and the Whoniverse crossover? This does. Dawn, Jack and Ianto centric and describing the plot would spoil something somehow (the pairing is even a spoiler). Also, the later chapters do a minor amount of crossing over with Bones, Castle, Glee, Charmed and I'm sure I forgot something. It's a good fic, give it a chance. Strange, but good.

Her Beauty and Her Terror by Ijemanga (Angel/The Addams Family crossover)
 * Recommended by Lagomorph, User:Looney Toons
 * Pairings: Harmony/Wednesday
 * Synopsis: Amanda Buckman moved to California, changed her name, and became a vampire. Wednesday can't help but approve.
 * Comments: I love this story. So much.
 * User:Looney Toons: Not the first story I've seen using this conceit, but definitely the first where it doesn't end with Harmony fleeing into the night in terror. Definitely a winner. The effect is much improved if you know that Mercedes McNab played both Amanda and Harmony, but you can get that from the commentary below the story.