I do have a couple of bits of feedback on this, if I may.
There are some technical things about the Spike section that you could consider tinkering with. The time flow through it, as indicated by tense shifts, is a bit unsteady. The initial sentence implies that the section takes place after the service is over. The "Spike had retreated" might be a flashback, and might be setup for scene that follows the service. But it turns out to be flashback to prior to the funeral, then we follow Spike through.
Consider rewriting the section with strict attention to your time cues. You might not want to open with the tipoff that they all get through it-- might get more intensity by opening with how Spike is feeling as he contemplates the looming event. Love the detail of his struggle to knot his tie. It's a nice hook to hang the events of the afternoon upon.
Giles' eulogy. I beg to be allowed to hear it. This story is a slow, quiet study of the group's reactions to Buffy's loss. What Giles chooses to say, how he says it, and how people react are details I long to experience directly. It's okay if Spike can't pay attention (that's a believable detail). In that case, use somebody else's point of view to present it. Or perhaps you can contrast Giles' words (and the group stories about Buffy) with Spikes' reactions & his own version of her life. Spike as a viewpoint character there gives you the opportunity to comment on Buffy & her friends from the perspective of an outsider.
no subject
There are some technical things about the Spike section that you could consider tinkering with. The time flow through it, as indicated by tense shifts, is a bit unsteady. The initial sentence implies that the section takes place after the service is over. The "Spike had retreated" might be a flashback, and might be setup for scene that follows the service. But it turns out to be flashback to prior to the funeral, then we follow Spike through.
Consider rewriting the section with strict attention to your time cues. You might not want to open with the tipoff that they all get through it-- might get more intensity by opening with how Spike is feeling as he contemplates the looming event. Love the detail of his struggle to knot his tie. It's a nice hook to hang the events of the afternoon upon.
Giles' eulogy. I beg to be allowed to hear it. This story is a slow, quiet study of the group's reactions to Buffy's loss. What Giles chooses to say, how he says it, and how people react are details I long to experience directly. It's okay if Spike can't pay attention (that's a believable detail). In that case, use somebody else's point of view to present it. Or perhaps you can contrast Giles' words (and the group stories about Buffy) with Spikes' reactions & his own version of her life. Spike as a viewpoint character there gives you the opportunity to comment on Buffy & her friends from the perspective of an outsider.
Is this kind of approach helpful?