AUTHOR: Goddess Isa
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com
SUMMARY: Buffy and Angel's daughter has problems with her impending wedding to a familiar man
SPOILER: NONE
DISTRIBUTION: My site - http://planetslaythis.homestead.com - Crystal's site, if she wants it - Anyone else - sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-PG
DISCLAIMER: Joss owns everyone but Charlotte and Tara, who is the narrator of our story.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this in like five minutes after the idea just flew into my head. Don't ask, and don't expect any sequels/prequels, either.
When I announced I was engaged on Christmas Eve last year, the worst possible thing that could've happened, happened.
Mom wanted me to marry in a gorgeous white dress with a lace bodice and a full skirt. Something from a French designer that would make me look like a princess.
Daddy wanted me to wear a traditional gown with a large veil, be married in a huge church and have an all-night reception.
My fiancee wanted to elope.
And I wanted to run away.
The fact of the matter is that I'm twenty-two years old and Slayer or not, vampire or not, I'm going to marry Xander Harris and there is nothing my parents can do about it.
Of course, they've been trying. Mom loves Xander like a brother but Dad detests him and that's made some friction between them. I figure, they're gonna live forever, why do they care who their older daughter is marrying?"
"Because he's older than you and I've seen some of the things he's done," Dad would say.
"Don't you feel a little odd wanting to marry someone you grew up with?" Mom will add for lack of anything better to use as ammunition.
Xander is twenty years older than I am. I don't think that's so much. And as for him knowing me my whole life, I feel like I've known him for his. He's funny, and sweet, and absolutely gorgeous, and I know that he'll make me happy.
"Xander's a great guy," my Godmother, Willow, will say when Mom and Dad ask her to help advise me. They both roll their eyes when she takes my side.
"I'm her Godmother," she adds. "I'm looking out for her best interest as much as you two are. They seem happy, let them be."
Daddy almost killed poor Xander when he first found out we were dating. I had just turned eighteen and I don't think my parents expected a surprise like that at my all-night party in Hawaii. I don't see what the big deal is. You'd think they'd be glad I'm marrying someone they know and trust.
When I make that point, Daddy always says he can't trust Xander, but I *know* he can.
He makes me happy. I love him. Aren't those the only two things that matter?
When I ask that, Mom says yes and Dad says no and they fight some more.
And they wonder why I've been living with Grandma Joyce, Grandpa Giles and Charlotte since this happened. Maybe because they're driving me bananas???
Tomorrow is May fifteenth, the day I wanted to get married. Willow had her backyard decorated for a celestial celebration, which is just perfect for the Wiccan marriage ceremony I wish to have. Dad still requested that a priest come and Mom bought me an expensive dress.
I'm sitting here in the dress I picked out and tennis shoes waiting for Xander to pick me up.
I don't know where we're going, and I don't really care. All I know is that I love him and that we're going to be together, the way we need to be. This can't be about my parents the way everything else my whole entire life has been.
This has to be about *me* and only me.
I just hope they can forgive me.
*Honk-Honk!*
Oh God, he's here! I quickly toss my bag down to him and leave two letters, one for Charlotte and one for Mom and Dad, on the bed before I climb carefully down the balcony into Xander's awaiting arms. We kiss and he swings me around a bit before we hop into his Jeep and take off for blissful, uncharted territory.