~ Part 7 ~
"Stand still. I can't get this on straight if you keep wiggling."
"I'm a grown man, I can tie my own tie. I've known how to do it for over a hundred years."
"That may be true, but your fingers don't seem to agree."
Spike glanced down at his hands, where the digits were fluttering ever so slightly. He sighed loudly. "Fine Tara, you can tie the bleeding tie."
"Thank you." She swiftly wrapped the fabric around itself until it made a nice little knot at the top.
"You're pretty good at this."
"I did the debate team in high school."
"Huh?"
"'Pretty Woman' joke. Calm down a little."
"I am calm."
"Your aura is all jumpy, you're not calm."
"I'm sorry luv. Just never been a groom before."
"Well me neither, but I don't think that you have anything to worry about. Don't think that Buffy's going to be disappointed with the honeymoon, or wake up tomorrow regretting the whole thing."
"She already does."
"You don't know that."
"She wants nothing to do with me. She never has wanted anything to do with me."
"Things can change. You've changed, from what I've heard anyway."
"I have pet, but she's stubborn. Even if it happened, and she stopped regretting it, she'd never let on. She can be such a headstrong bitch sometimes."
"But you love her don't you?"
"Course I love her. She's my existence."
"Love can break the strongest peoples' wills Spike. Give her time."
"What choice do I have? I'd give her anything. Why do you think I let her treat me like she does? I don't enjoy it. In fact, it's torture, but if it helps her to feel better, I'll be the first person telling her to do it more often. I let her get away with hurting me, because in some ways it's better than her doing nothing to me."
"I und und undererstand." Tara stuttered as she turned away, pausing as she realized that there was no reason and quickly reaching for the boutainere as if she had planned to all the time.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing really. Just Will Willow and me. She did a spell and erased my memory so we wo would stop fighting. But I'm staying with her, be be because I can't let myself think she'll do it again."
"I'm sorry."
"Me too. I just hope it might be better this time."
"It will be." The two stood in an awkward silence, neither very sure of what they were supposed to say. "Why don't you head on home, I can finish up the prep work. I'll meet all of you guys over at the courthouse."
"Alright Spike." She gathered up the things she had come with. "And by the way, congratulations."
He smiled at her. "Don't congratulate me, I haven't done anything yet."
"But you will Spike, trust me you will."
"Stand still. I can't get this on straight if you keep wiggling."
"I'm a grown man, I can tie my own tie. I've known how to do it for over a hundred years."
"That may be true, but your fingers don't seem to agree."
Spike glanced down at his hands, where the digits were fluttering ever so slightly. He sighed loudly. "Fine Tara, you can tie the bleeding tie."
"Thank you." She swiftly wrapped the fabric around itself until it made a nice little knot at the top.
"You're pretty good at this."
"I did the debate team in high school."
"Huh?"
"'Pretty Woman' joke. Calm down a little."
"I am calm."
"Your aura is all jumpy, you're not calm."
"I'm sorry luv. Just never been a groom before."
"Well me neither, but I don't think that you have anything to worry about. Don't think that Buffy's going to be disappointed with the honeymoon, or wake up tomorrow regretting the whole thing."
"She already does."
"You don't know that."
"She wants nothing to do with me. She never has wanted anything to do with me."
"Things can change. You've changed, from what I've heard anyway."
"I have pet, but she's stubborn. Even if it happened, and she stopped regretting it, she'd never let on. She can be such a headstrong bitch sometimes."
"But you love her don't you?"
"Course I love her. She's my existence."
"Love can break the strongest peoples' wills Spike. Give her time."
"What choice do I have? I'd give her anything. Why do you think I let her treat me like she does? I don't enjoy it. In fact, it's torture, but if it helps her to feel better, I'll be the first person telling her to do it more often. I let her get away with hurting me, because in some ways it's better than her doing nothing to me."
"I und und undererstand." Tara stuttered as she turned away, pausing as she realized that there was no reason and quickly reaching for the boutainere as if she had planned to all the time.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing really. Just Will Willow and me. She did a spell and erased my memory so we wo would stop fighting. But I'm staying with her, be be because I can't let myself think she'll do it again."
"I'm sorry."
"Me too. I just hope it might be better this time."
"It will be." The two stood in an awkward silence, neither very sure of what they were supposed to say. "Why don't you head on home, I can finish up the prep work. I'll meet all of you guys over at the courthouse."
"Alright Spike." She gathered up the things she had come with. "And by the way, congratulations."
He smiled at her. "Don't congratulate me, I haven't done anything yet."
"But you will Spike, trust me you will."