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This page contains all of the notes she compiled before starting writing this fic, including OC biographies and the outline for the fic.
~sita’s Buffy/Dresden story, no working title yet~
Premise / starting outline:
Buffy:
Buffy is 25, married, living in Chicago when the story begins
Here’s how that happened
When she ran away to LA at 17 (before ep 1 of season 3) she met a wizard (OC: Julian Thorne) who was 18, from Chicago, vacationing in LA over the summer
When they meet, Julian has a vast knowledge of herbs and remedies / science/medical background
The relationship is “love at first sight” according to Thorne.
Progression of their romance (8 yrs before the start of this story): He saw her walking down the street and begged her for a date. She said no. / She refused him dozens of times before finally agreeing to a lunch / Eventually, she began trusting him, one thing led to another… And they get married and move to Chicago
She won’t know this until later, but when Thorne (who’s family is distantly related to the Morningways / except that they are much more low profile) traveled on business during their marriage, it was not as a result of his family’s investment business, but in order to practice the black arts without detection
Much later in the story, Buffy, HD and the reader learns that in order to keep her with him, Thorne has 1) wiped out all memory of her former life in Sunnydale, 2) produced a body (like Justin Morningway in “What about Bob?”) and staked it in a downtown LA warehouse to convince her family & friends that she has died, 3) has convinced her that she has a weak heart and is keeping her slayer powers at bay by giving her ‘heart pills’ formulated from a magical potion
Point for exploring later - These pills that weaken her also made her infertile (deliberate or unexpected side effect??), so she may think she’s not able to have a baby and gets pregnant with HD’s baby…
As a result of her married life to Thorne, her weakness / illness, and memory loss, she has a lot to over come
To those who don’t know her, she’s perceived as a bit of a pampered princess, to the degree that Dresden is socially intimidated by her (thinks he doesn’t have a shot because he doesn’t understand that they are exactly the same on the inside: outsiders)
No one else knows that she filed for divorce 2 weeks before her husband is killed, due to his many infidelities The marriage was over years before but what she thinks of as ‘the friendship’ remained; however, graduating from college has made her think about her life she is starting to feel as if she could handle life on her own tired of living like a roommate with her husband
Buffy has a few friends:
Jack & Livvie Tallowood, brother and sister wizards, their dad, Payton Tallowood is the Thorne family’s attorney
Simone Delalande from the Raven clan
‘Uncle’ Ethan Thorne -- a mentor/friend who is Julian’s mother’s brother and manages her husband’s family’s investment firm.
Ethan definitely wants something from her, but what…?
At the onset of the story she’s finished getting her masters in psych at Northwestern and she’s considering taking a job as a child advocate; however, Ethan wants her to go to work for the family business (to keep her close, I think) ('soul searching' first? then have 'B' ultimately resist Ethan's attempts to influence her)
Buffy comes to Dresden
Someone is following her, strange memories are coming to her that seem to be happening to another woman with her face (she wonders: past life regression?)
She is attacked by a little known vampire clan called ‘The Dregs’ by the other vampires / Bianca says: the animals can’t resist the pull of a hellmouth (in other words, Bverse vamps) (slayer 'instincts' should raise their heads)
Buffy forgets to take, or maybe she runs out of her pills a week after husband dies – nightmares begin, physically stronger every day, senses heightened, she’s restless especially at night
Buffy goes to Dresden’s place (after dark) and is again attacked by a vamp between her car and the door
She manages to kick through the bolt and get inside his office, beyond the reach of the vamp (would Harry have activated his defensive 'wards' for the evening yet & would Buffy have trouble getting thru them)
Bob, who of course knew her from before, witnesses the attack and she talks to him briefly before passing out on the office couch
Dresden / Murphy murder case(s)
A vampire serial killer – splashy murders – perpetrated by either Seth or Adrienne, our token Bverse (Dregs) vamps
Also a few Dreg kills surface, because they’re not hidden well enough…maybe one washed up on the lake shore, a couple of bodies found in the sewers
Enemies / Challenges --
Before he died, Thorne has paid Dregs vampires to scare her into returning to him
They don’t know that he’s dead, just know they’re not hearing from him
They are living under the State Street subway in an old construction tunnel some other vamps decorated at some point in history, so think shabby noir
OC Seth: (Buffy’s attacker) rough with her, voices desire to kill her, when in actuality only wants to please Adrienne & get the money
OC: Adrienne – worked for Lothos, worshipped him had been looking for Buffy all this time, formed unhealthy attachment to Buffy because she was strong enough to destroy her master
Neutral Parties –
Morgan
Thorne, her estranged husband, was killed by Morgan, on behalf of the High Council, for getting caught conducting magical experiments on humans
HD has heard about the execution and when he sees Morgan asks about it… Morgan says it’s a private matter, none of Harry’s business, no need to shame Thorne’s widow, etc. / HD asks: That bad? / Morgan: Thorne makes Bob look like a saint
Ancient Mai
Is the deus ex machina for Buffy, eventually identifying her as the Slayer
Buffy falls in love with Dresden
He’s nothing like her husband
On the surface, he’s tarnished compared to her husband’s ‘clean image’
HD has no money or the trappings, little work, and rough / sharp emotional edges
But on the inside, he’s what her husband pretended to be:
protective of women, loyal friend, humble, a little self-depreciating / not boastful or arrogant, merciful
This very different (and yet, hopefully recognizable) Buffy needs to learn that she’s stronger than she thinks she is on more than one level, that she’s strong enough to handle her life, the changes in her life, and a man like Dresden
Dresden has loved / wanted Buffy for years
She’s funny and sweet, but she’s also strong, even when she’s down / even though in many ways she’s so lost
She has integrity – she’s honest and fair / non-judgemental, takes responsibility for her actions, faces problems head on
He needs to learn to not be so afraid of believing in ‘forever’ and to truly take a chance on someone again
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Plot / Story Questions:
What kinds of challenges will the relationship between HD & Buffy have that will expose both their strengths and weaknesses? How can I up the emotional tension? Sexual tension?
How can Bob help HD with his detecting? (detecting is obvious, Bob has centuries worth of mystical knowledge With Buffy? (with Buffy?? not sure about that one, other than telling HD to bite the bullet & ask her out already)
Buffy scenes with Bob – how can I explore / build a friendship that works in the story and is faithful to both characters? (I'd think that she would be like Harry & treat Bob as a 'person' & not just a 'resource/servant' like Justin Morningway did - Bob might enjoy trading 'quips' with her)
What is Buffy’s relationship (pre-existing) to Morgan, as he is her husband’s executioner as well as a major figure in the local magic scene? What about Ancient Mai? (would she know Mai, Harry has said she only comes out when something needs major stomping on)
What have the Dreg vamps been up to besides the usual killing and making minions? Now that their boss Thorne is dead, have they taken a look at Chicago and formed a bigger plan: i.e. bringing about the end of the world? Opening a hellmouth? (as you've described them I can't see them formulating a 'bigger' plan but maybe Adriene wants to 'turn' Buffy so she can take Lothos' place as her master?? You did say she has an 'unhealthy' attachment to Buffy)
Re: Murphy’s serial case… who is the killer? What are the links between the murders? How many murders? How many crime scenes, i.e. can some scenes just be discussed and not written out explicitly? (after establishing the 'horror' of the 1st or 2nd murders I'd think going into gory 'detail' isn't needed)
If Buffy’s mystery & the emerging relationship between B & HD are the main threads, what are the subplot threads and how will they further the story? (will you bring in any other BTVS folks, if so Faith could start having dreams about Buffy. Maybe without knowing/realizing who she is )
What about the traditional Bverse baddies? What is up with Wolfram & Hart / the Circle of the Black Thorn? Do they have a viable part to play here in turning up the heat on Buffy & HD? What about the First? Does the First have a part to play? Is the Council aware of any or all of these? (man it's hard separating the book & TV-verses. In the books there's a character named 'Gentleman' John Marcone, he's a mobster & he wouldn't tolerate rivals like Wolfram & Hart or the Black Thorne If you're talking straight TV-verse than it would be reasonable for W&H to have a office there. They might even be the source of the 'pills' hubbie was giving Buffy )
Where do I want the scenes set, aside from Buffy’s & HD’s apartments? Are there other interesting places in Chicago that can be used / fictionalized? (have you read the books? Harry speaks about an 'underground' Chicago, seems Chicago was basically a swamp & buildings & streets had a tendency to sink & they just built new roads & buildings on top of them, don't know if that's real or an invention of Jim Buthcher. Here are some info links I found Chicago: http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r047.html
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Chicago-CityPass-C266.aspx
http://trustedtravels.blogspot.com/2006/12/all-natural.html
http://trustedtravels.blogspot.com/search/label/Chicago
http://www.luc.edu/orgs/undergroundchitown/culture.html
In the end, who saves whom? Does Buffy save HD or vice versa? (they both save each other of course) Or are they in danger together and both use their individual skills to get them out of trouble? Where’s Murphy at the climax of the story? Morgan?
How do I link Buffy’s case and Murphy’s so they end cleanly / simultaneously / solve each other?
What spells have we seen HD cast in the show so far?
Character questions:
HD
How old is he? (mid to late twenties)
Characteristics/mannerisms: (6' 3" or 5", snarky, usually won't 'kiss ass', in the books he freely makes 'pop culture' references. Has what Murphy considers an outmoded sense of chivalry towards women
Internal Conflict(s):
How did he become a detective if he dropped out of high school? (hasn’t been explained in the TV series, Jim Butcher has a short story on his website where Harry is still 'interning' with a PI before getting his own license: http://jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/restoration/
Buffy
After her husband, what are her emotional limitations? (trust issues obviously)
What are her inner conflicts? (rebuilding her self-confidence)
Is there a way for her new powers to go to her head / put her on a dangerous path / maybe euphoria / an invincibility complex? (actually I'd think she wouldn't trust them at first, might even think she's going crazy)
Who are the suspects? What are their motives and alibis?
Is there a way for the murders to look like they could have been committed by humans? (Morgan/other wardens might think it's part of a black magic spell/ritual)
Any viable human suspects? (the only one from the TV series would be the sorceress that kept bringing that man back from the dead for the insurance money, remember she got away)
Scene planning:
Scenes that may or may not further the plot but would just be fun to read: Buffy/Bianca jealousy, Buffy/Bob becoming friends…?
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Planned Scenes, the story begins…
The first 9 scenes: topics and dialog bits
Scene 1: Bob is bugging HD to go to the funeral of Julian Thorne
Bob’s arguments:
B: You need to get out, Harry. You look terrible. Get some fresh air. Go to a funeral.
H: I’m fine, Bob. You don’t have to worry about me.
B: The Thornes are an important family, high profile funeral in our community / duty as a Morningway
H: Pretty sure that ship’s sailed.
B: Weddings and funerals are often the best way to make social and business connections, especially social.
H: I am not going and that’s final.
B: If you go, you’ll see her. She might even take your hand if you offer it to her-
H: Don’t even-
B: If others see this, maybe your reputation will improve
H: Get in the skull, Bob! Now.
Scene 2: Of course, HD attends the funeral, thinks about the art burglary case he helped her with, the first time he saw her and the last time, how bad he wants her, etc. ‘cause he’s a man and can’t admit that he loves her not even to himself – oh no! not that! / switch to Buffy’s POV to get background info, comforting to see HD again, nightmare the night prior is mentioned not detailed out
Conflict begins
Scene 3: It’s 6 o’clock in the evening (winter) and she’s coming out of a restaurant, it’s a relief because even though she’s eating alone, she doesn’t have to hide being alone anymore, and she is attacked (timing?? still taking hubbies 'pills'?), found by Morgan, taken to a private hospital
Scene 4: next morning in the hospital Morgan insists that she go see HD (Morgan doesn't trust or like Harry, would he really send Buffy to him? Might work better if she remembers that Harry is a detective & decides to see him on her own), she says she doesn’t want to bother him etc. & she feels a wave of healing go through her for the first time (she can remember) It scares her because she doesn’t know what it is. Morgan asks if she has her heart meds, and she takes one
Scene 5: a week later, HD is called in to help Murphy on a vampire murder, goes to crime scene
Scene 6: it’s been a week since her attack and Buffy’s giving in to talking to HD about it just to get Morgan off her back / driving to HD’s office / cut to the vampires tailing her car, hits her car with theirs / she’s attacked on the street has to run to HD’s office
Scene 7: HD drives home, finds her inside / she gets sick with fever & thinking he is Julian, she kisses him and pulls him down onto the bed with her, HD not aware that in her mind she’s kissing her husband until it’s too late, seconds later, Bob interrupts says something about taking advantage…
Scene 8: Bob mini-scene, teases HD about burgeoning crush: Buffy Dresden has a nice ring to it, a woman of sufficient character might be able to redeem the Morningway line, etc etc (sounds like something Bob might say) / Buffy has a terrible nightmare while she’s ill
Scene 9: a few days later, when she’s no longer sick, she explains why she came to see HD: her attacks / reveals her memory loss 8 years before, but she holds back the truth about the physical changes—short, sharp flashes of strength, restless energy, etc. She tells him she wants her life back, wants to feel safe again
***Story goal that’s been set up by the intro: in the end the attacks & murders have to be resolved, Buffy needs to resolve issues with anyone who is left from SD (probably no one), and Buffy & HD need to be together and happy***
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