Buffy peered through her window as she watched Willow and Tara decorate the backyard. She was so nervous she couldn't stand it. She couldn't help constantly rubbing her hands, smoothing her clothes, or pacing around.
"Buffy, you need to chill out!" Dawn said as she seized her sister's shoulders. "You're going to rub your hands raw."
"I'm just so nervous!" I can fight any demon in the world except my own, she thought.
"It'll start soon, so just calm down. I could always give you some liquid encouragement."
"A world of no," she laughed. She walked back to the window and saw that everything was already set up. "I love magic."
"Yeah, we all do. Are you ready?" Willow said as she bounced in.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
…
…
Spike paced the basement frivolously. He was so worried about what was happening. "Are you ready?" Xander asked.
"Not nearly," he chuckled.
"It's time," a cheery voice said, bursting through the door.
"Not excited, are you G-man?"
"Xander, I have asked you countless times throughout the past eight years to stop calling me that," Rupert Giles said sternly, though his face never broke the smile. "And honestly, yes. I never would have imagined that years ago when that spell went bonkers that Buffy would still want me to do this. As never having had children of my own, yes, I am excited. For all of you."
"Oh, Rupes!" Spike said, slapping Giles' arm playfully, "I never knew you cared."
"Up until recently, I didn't for you. But the past is behind us all. The future is what counts."
"Here, here!" Xander said, toasting his invisible glass. The two men chuckled as they watched their friend. "Well, let's get out there. Don't want to keep our ladies waiting, do we?"
The trio walked out, finding their spots dutifully.
A soft music began to play as the sun peaked from its hiding spot from the clouds. The event was planned prudently by Willow, who studied the setting religiously the past few weeks in hopes of getting everything just right. As the sun came from its hiding spot, Selena began walking down the makeshift aisle. She walked to her father, slipping something into his hand before taking her spot behind him.
Next walked Dawn, who stepped onto the opposite side.
Just as the music increased, Buffy was revealed, with Giles on her side. Her hair flowed down her back in curls, as bits were tucked away with hidden bobby pins. A bare minimum of makeup accented her perfectly sculpted face. A birdcage veil sat atop her head, as if giving a warning to the elegance before them. The slender woman bore a snugly fit, dress with bellowed slightly from her hips down. The one shouldered ensemble was simple, reveling nothing but her beauty. There were no ruffles or flowers on the satin gown. Beading was placed intricately around her waist and bust and in various spots down her train.
Buffy could barely see as she stepped out of her house and down the aisle Willow had made for her. She could see the white fabric stretched before her, and the white chairs where the younger slayers sat. The sun had decided to come out as soon as she did, and it blinded her even more as she strained to look for the blues she wanted to see. She could see Dawn and Selena in their yellow knee length dresses, and Robin in his white suit. Why can't I see him? she thought furiously. They stepped a few feet more, and she finally saw him. His platinum hair was in such contrast to his grey tuxedo and his ever-pale skin. She saw the look on his face and had to stop herself from turning to see if he was staring at someone else. She felt Giles tug her arm, making an assumption that she was walking too fast. But seeing him there, under the canopy of lattice and lights, she couldn't help but want to run.
Spike stood slack-jawed at the sight before. He swore he wouldn't cry, but seeing the glorious form walking toward him made him weak in the knees and extremely light headed.
"Breathe," Selena giggled behind him. He jumped at the sound of her voice, having forgotten anyone else was around. He watched as she neared him, and he found himself having a difficult time controlling his urge to run to her. A smile spread across his face as she was almost upon him.
"Who gives this woman, to this man?" Robin's voice boomed, breaking the two out of their trance momentarily.
"I do," Giles said, as he placed Buffy's hand in Spike's. He turned as sat next to Willow, who was already dabbing at her eyes. When he looked at her curiously, she only replied, "Allergies," in a hushed voice.
Buffy stared into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen and rejoiced at what she saw in them. All the fight, the passion, the fire, the love shared between these two over the years only seemed to multiply in them. She had kicked herself the past month, hating that she had let the time between them be completely intent on killing the other.
"The groom has informed me that he has written his own vows, and that he wishes to read them himself."
Buffy looked shocked as the words registered in her head. He did what? Oh… I feel so bad now….
"Buffy," Spike began, "I knew from the first time I ever saw you that you were different. You were only a young girl, but you had so much power, and loyalty, and love. I knew from the first time I saw you fight that you were no child, and you weren't scared of the things that went bump in the night. You fought with such ferocity, such passion. Buffy, I can tell you the exact time I realized I loved you, and here we are, years later, going through with the things we planned that night." He noticed her blush at his admittance, but he kept going. "Though it was two years after that that I finally told you, I wish I had that night, so that we wouldn't have fought all those years. But from now on, I promise to love you. To cherish you. To support you, and to help you. To make you happy by any way possible. I never want to see this smile leave your face. I love you with everything I am, my heart and my soul, even if it's only recently that I can say that last bit," he began to wrap up with a smile. "I have seen the best of you, and the worst of you. You're an amazing woman, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life learning everything else there is to know about you."
"Buffy, do you have anything to say?" Robin asked after Spike finished.
She thought for a moment and felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Dawn handing her a handkerchief. She smiled and whipped her eyes, just realizing that she had begun to cry. "Umm," she said for a moment before gathering her thoughts. "Spike," she whispered. "William," she said louder, "I can honestly say I've never heard anything that beautiful in my life. I only hope to be truthful when I say I've seen you at your best and worse as well. And although nothing else in the world scared me, you did. You were the Slayer of Slayers, and I would have been foolish not to have been terrified. You've helped me countless times before, even before you were chipped and en-souled. I knew you were good before you did, and that scared me, too. The first time I knew I loved you was when you left," she chuckled, "and I missed you. I missed having a friend that I could tell anything to, do anything with, and not be judged for it. I knew there was something else there, but I didn't want to admit it, even though you did often. I was dumb back then, but I have you now. And I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy. I promise to you love you, and care for you, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, in sickness or in health from this day forward until the end of time." She finished with a slight smile, and whipped her falling tears once more.
"Well," Robin began, clearing his throat, "unless anyone objects, by the state of Ohio, I proudly pronounce these two, man and wife. You may kiss your bride," Robin ordered.
Spike stepped closer to the woman, closing the small gap between them. He raised his hand to her face, sliding his thumb over her tear ridden cheek. He wrapped his other hand around her waist to the small of her back, and moved the other to between her shoulder blades. He leaned her back and kissed her passionately. The two kissed for several seconds before the audience broke into a resounding applause. He pulled her back to him, resting his forehead on hers slightly before turning them both toward the crowd. Music broke across the lawn as they walked back toward the house.
