Editor's Note: You know, when I first proposed that a few hard-core Buffy fans get together and try to write a group fanfic, I really had no idea what we were actually getting in to. After all, those 'Dancing Lessons' people made it seem so easy. Seven months later (and still putting the finishing touches on chapter two), I am beginning to think we may have all been smoking just a liiiiitle too much crack that weekend ;-) Anyway, Chapter Two of Shades of Gray is due up sometime around April 1. Until then, here is a piece of fluff that CJ wrote months ago. Pretty much sums it all up, I think…

Rating: G (short for "For God's sake, hurry up and finish your Gosh-darned chapter")

The Buffy/Spike Shipper Society Writes a Fanfic

Written by CJ

*

It's night. Three people are gathered around a table in what looks like a kitchen (everybody picture your kitchen). Jules is feverishly typing away on her laptop. Phil is standing by the printer as it spews out page after page after page after page. Leslie is reading a stack of papers, red marker in hand, and frequently marks on the pages. Out of sight we hear CJ yell, "Come back with my sandwich, you deaf bastard!" A loud crash is heard. A few seconds later she walks into the kitchen, dusting off the edge of a sandwich and then taking a bite. Her albino, deaf Great Dane follows her in and lies down by the chair she sits in at the table.

"Finished!" Phil exclaims as he pulls the last page out of the printer. He carries the large stack of paper over to Leslie and drops it in front of her. "Here it is. All 36 pages of my section of Chapter 1," he says proudly. Leslie, Jules, and CJ all look down at the one to two pages of paper in front of each of them that contain their sections of chapter 1.

"We might have to edit this just a little." Leslie looks in horror at the large stack of paper she has to proofread and edit.

"CJ, are you finished with Chapter 2 yet?" Jules asks.

"I'll be done in 5 minutes." She replies. Everyone looks at her doubtingly. "What?" CJ questions.

Phil answers, "You've been saying that for the last four months."

"But this time I mean it," she counters.

Everyone goes back to work amidst mumblings of "uh-huh", "yeah right", "suuuure", and "I'll believe that when I see it."

"I do have some serious concerns about Chapter 2 though." Leslie says. "It isn't really pertinent to the story. At all. Any of it."

"I know." CJ responds. "But I've always wanted to write a scene where Spike sings for Lorne and this seemed like as good a place as any to squeeze one in. And writing for Cordelia's fun. So is writing for Lorne and Lindsey. Ooh, I bet writing for Warren would be fun too. Let's squeeze him in somewhere. And Jonathan gotta have Jonathan. And what about Jinx, and…" She continues to list insignificant characters that haven't made appearances on the show in years. Everybody starts to ignore her ramblings and goes back to work. "Numfar! Come on, we've got to have Numfar!" she blurts out.

"But there is one part of it that's horribly important." Phil defends. "It brings Cordelia in. Now we can have the Buffy/Cordelia slash part." As Phil starts to drool, CJ rubs the bridge of her nose like Giles and mumbles "men", Jules just shakes her head, and Leslie rolls up Phil's 36 pages of Chapter 1 and whack him on the head with it. "Ow. That really hurt. That thing's heavy," he complains.

"Maybe that'll teach him to write shorter chapters." Jules smirks.