~ Part 6 ~
Willow wiped stray tears from her cheeks. "I can't believe you're getting married."
"Wil, please. It's Spike. Remember Spike. The guy who's tried to kill us and end the world on multiple occasions."
"But he's changed Buffy, you know that he has. He took care of Dawn. And he bought the dress. Anyway, it's your wedding day. No bad thoughts allowed."
"Well if the happy ones are running your mascara I don't know what the bad ones will make you do." Buffy laughed as Willow ran for the mirror, checking her face for the undesired black streaks. "Kidding. Just kidding."
"Not funny."
"The look on your face was." Buffy picked up a brush and began pulling it through her hair. "I know I said I didn't want to use titles, like bride and groom, cause ew, but I want you to know that you're my maid of honor Willow. You've been my best friend and there's no one else that I'd rather have stand beside me at my wedding."
"Aw Buffy." The tears began to drip from her eyelashes again. "I just wish everyone could be here. You know? Giles and Xander and Anya."
"Well you and Tara are going to be there, and Dawn. So it'll be my little family instead of the big one. There's going to be another time that all of you can be there and Giles can give me away and I'll have a caterer and we can pick out floral patterns and all that stuff."
"You keep saying that Buffy," Willow took the brush from Buffy's hands and began untangling some knots at the back. "Why?"
She sighed a little, and turned to face her friend. "Because I can't think that this is it, that this will be my future." She paused, trying to control the little quiver her voice had acquired. "Spike's little wife who got married to him in the same place criminals are sentenced. Who didn't decide to tie the knot because she was in love, or because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man, or even because he'd accidentally knocked her up which still might be a better reason than this one. I am marrying Spike because the State said I had no choice. So I'm going along with it. And the only thing keeping me sane is the fact that maybe someday, I'll be able to walk down the aisle to a man that I can see myself building a life with. So that's why Wil. Because I can't see this as my life."
"But he loves you Buffy. And he loves Dawn too. He could give you a nice life, if you let him. He's only trying to make the best of this whole thing."
"Oh, right. Because I know how much he hates this idea. This is actually probably one of his twisted fantasies that he lulls himself to sleep with. Just because I kissed him."
"You kissed him?!"
"Only twice."
"Twice?!"
"Well, the first time was under Sweet's spell and the second wasn't on the lips or anything. It was like a relative kiss. And that was only to thank him for the dress. And you've seen the dress. It's a relative kiss worthy article of clothing."
"That last part might be true, but Sweet's spell had no effect on people's actions Buffy, it only made people share their secrets."
"It must have done something, because I never would have kissed him like that. The kiss, well the kiss was just. It was wow. But again, the spell. I'm sure the swell of music and all that must have made it seem better than it was the more I think about it."
"So you've thought about it? After it happened I mean."
"Somewhat."
"I think you mean everyday, about sixty times a day."
"No, of course not." She had started to blush, her cheeks and chest radiating a slight pink hue.
"Of course not." Willow reached around and continued to brush Buffy's long hair. She hadn't gone to get it dyed since she came back, and the darker shade seemed to suit her. "I think deep down you care about him."
"How can you say that?"
"I didn't, your skin did." Buffy blushed again. "Denial is such a pretty shade on you."
"I've told you I don't love him."
"Not yet you don't. But there's still tomorrow, and the next day. You might surprise yourself."
"Have you been talking to him? Is he the one putting these ideas in your head?"
"No, these are all my thoughts. Thoughts of Willow. Hear me out ok? Love is like a car accident."
"That's beautiful Willow, you should really put that in a greeting card." She got up from her chair. "Have you seen my veil anywhere?"
"Stop avoiding the subject and let me finish. It's like a car accident because it will happen just when you stop paying attention. It'll come up and smash into you and there will be nothing you can do but let it happen. It may kill you, or you may just get up and walk away untouched. Or maybe it'll leave you a little shaken, and it will take you some time before you'll shift the gears back into drive, but you'll do it. And every time it happens, it's going to be different, but it's going to be when you least expect it."
"Than I guess I'll just have to keep paying attention."
"This is going to sound horrible, but I hope you fall asleep at the wheel."
"Remember, Buffy holds no license. Buffy can't drive. No fender benders for Buffy."
"Spike could run you over in the DeSoto."
"Please, don't give me things to look forward to."
"I give you a year."
"For Spike to run me over? I'm not that bad of a person."
"Not that. Your next crash. And if I'm right, we may be looking at a pileup."
Willow wiped stray tears from her cheeks. "I can't believe you're getting married."
"Wil, please. It's Spike. Remember Spike. The guy who's tried to kill us and end the world on multiple occasions."
"But he's changed Buffy, you know that he has. He took care of Dawn. And he bought the dress. Anyway, it's your wedding day. No bad thoughts allowed."
"Well if the happy ones are running your mascara I don't know what the bad ones will make you do." Buffy laughed as Willow ran for the mirror, checking her face for the undesired black streaks. "Kidding. Just kidding."
"Not funny."
"The look on your face was." Buffy picked up a brush and began pulling it through her hair. "I know I said I didn't want to use titles, like bride and groom, cause ew, but I want you to know that you're my maid of honor Willow. You've been my best friend and there's no one else that I'd rather have stand beside me at my wedding."
"Aw Buffy." The tears began to drip from her eyelashes again. "I just wish everyone could be here. You know? Giles and Xander and Anya."
"Well you and Tara are going to be there, and Dawn. So it'll be my little family instead of the big one. There's going to be another time that all of you can be there and Giles can give me away and I'll have a caterer and we can pick out floral patterns and all that stuff."
"You keep saying that Buffy," Willow took the brush from Buffy's hands and began untangling some knots at the back. "Why?"
She sighed a little, and turned to face her friend. "Because I can't think that this is it, that this will be my future." She paused, trying to control the little quiver her voice had acquired. "Spike's little wife who got married to him in the same place criminals are sentenced. Who didn't decide to tie the knot because she was in love, or because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man, or even because he'd accidentally knocked her up which still might be a better reason than this one. I am marrying Spike because the State said I had no choice. So I'm going along with it. And the only thing keeping me sane is the fact that maybe someday, I'll be able to walk down the aisle to a man that I can see myself building a life with. So that's why Wil. Because I can't see this as my life."
"But he loves you Buffy. And he loves Dawn too. He could give you a nice life, if you let him. He's only trying to make the best of this whole thing."
"Oh, right. Because I know how much he hates this idea. This is actually probably one of his twisted fantasies that he lulls himself to sleep with. Just because I kissed him."
"You kissed him?!"
"Only twice."
"Twice?!"
"Well, the first time was under Sweet's spell and the second wasn't on the lips or anything. It was like a relative kiss. And that was only to thank him for the dress. And you've seen the dress. It's a relative kiss worthy article of clothing."
"That last part might be true, but Sweet's spell had no effect on people's actions Buffy, it only made people share their secrets."
"It must have done something, because I never would have kissed him like that. The kiss, well the kiss was just. It was wow. But again, the spell. I'm sure the swell of music and all that must have made it seem better than it was the more I think about it."
"So you've thought about it? After it happened I mean."
"Somewhat."
"I think you mean everyday, about sixty times a day."
"No, of course not." She had started to blush, her cheeks and chest radiating a slight pink hue.
"Of course not." Willow reached around and continued to brush Buffy's long hair. She hadn't gone to get it dyed since she came back, and the darker shade seemed to suit her. "I think deep down you care about him."
"How can you say that?"
"I didn't, your skin did." Buffy blushed again. "Denial is such a pretty shade on you."
"I've told you I don't love him."
"Not yet you don't. But there's still tomorrow, and the next day. You might surprise yourself."
"Have you been talking to him? Is he the one putting these ideas in your head?"
"No, these are all my thoughts. Thoughts of Willow. Hear me out ok? Love is like a car accident."
"That's beautiful Willow, you should really put that in a greeting card." She got up from her chair. "Have you seen my veil anywhere?"
"Stop avoiding the subject and let me finish. It's like a car accident because it will happen just when you stop paying attention. It'll come up and smash into you and there will be nothing you can do but let it happen. It may kill you, or you may just get up and walk away untouched. Or maybe it'll leave you a little shaken, and it will take you some time before you'll shift the gears back into drive, but you'll do it. And every time it happens, it's going to be different, but it's going to be when you least expect it."
"Than I guess I'll just have to keep paying attention."
"This is going to sound horrible, but I hope you fall asleep at the wheel."
"Remember, Buffy holds no license. Buffy can't drive. No fender benders for Buffy."
"Spike could run you over in the DeSoto."
"Please, don't give me things to look forward to."
"I give you a year."
"For Spike to run me over? I'm not that bad of a person."
"Not that. Your next crash. And if I'm right, we may be looking at a pileup."