Hello everyone! Before we get started for the long, long, long, LONG anticipated Ch.11 of Always I have a few notices. First, due to an utter extreme sadness of the fact that Buffy is over (alas! Do not despair! SMG said she would do some Angel shows!) it has taken me a while to summon up the write-for-hours feeling when I first started this....Does this mean that this is the last chapter? Sadly, yes. But it is the last..for this story. Yes, after this ch. There is no more. But I will still write other stories and you can expect (very soon) to have major updating on the New Case. Along with major revision. Second, A major thank you to all who have given me feedback throughout this story! If there is more we might be seeing a sequel in our midst. Hint, hint. Thirdly, thanks for waiting! =)

Dedication: To you all. Sniff, I'll miss you!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: No. They are not mine. They belong to a man who makes us fall in love with couples/characters and then violently rips them apart or kills them off. Sigh. Poor Anya. Poor Jenny. Poor everyone.

And with no more ado, the last Chapter of Always...~Crystal

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Ch.11: The Wedding

The day was beautiful and the temperature was perfect. There was a blue sky and white fluffy clouds dotted the sky, but not so much as to cover the sun. As the day went on there was a flurry of activity at the Summer's household. People rushed around making last minute arrangements and fixing little odds and ends around the house. The only one who wasn't acting like a maniac was a young blond woman who was currently fretting to much to even think about doing anything useful. Well, she actually was the one who was most insane at the moment. A young redhead was sitting there listening to her panic and was doing her best to try to calm her without getting her own head bitten off.

"..What if he just leaves me there at the altar or he says he doesn't love me anymore. Or what if he decides that he loves Cordelia and runs off with her!" Willow interrupted and spoke cautiously.

"Buffy, I'm pretty sure at this point that Angel won't leave you at the altar. That'd be cruel, even for him. Plus, how can you say that he doesn't love you! That man *died* for you! I think you'll be all right. And if he does decide that he loves Cordelia...well, I wouldn't blame him. She is cute. Bad tempered though." Buffy's panicked face softened a little bit.

"That is true he does love me an...WAIT A MINUTE DID YOU SAY HE LOVES CORDELIA????!!" Cordelia popped her head into the room.

"Did I hear my name?" Buffy stalked up to her quickly and pulled her roughly into the room and through her on the bed.

"DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN STEAL MY MAN!? HUH?! DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE SO PRETTY THAT YOU CAN HAVE WHOMEVER YOU WANT? IS THAT THE WAY IT GOES CORDELIA? HUH? HUH?" By this point Cordelia was shaking on the bed and praying to the Power's that Be that she had her life when this was over. She was also cursing whatever God or Goddess that had made her enter the room. She was terrified. The Seer tried to speak and after making a few vowel sounds of nothing, she found herself getting angry.

"Well, what if Angel DOES love me? I mean who wouldn't love something as pretty as me? Also, what right do you have that makes you think you can just pull someone's arm until they think it's going to come off and scream and their faces for doing NOTHING?" Cordelia ended her angry tirade and stood up. She got right into Buffy's face and her height made her look down at Buffy. NO one was going to intimidate HER.

Buffy just looked up with eyes that were pure Slayer and held death for anyone who looked into them. She spoke quietly and dangerously and never took her eyes off Cordelia.

"The same right that lets me kill things or people that annoy me." Cordelia had deflated a little but she wasn't about to give up.

"You can't kill people! It's against the Slayer rules or whatever." Buffy got a purely evil smile on.

"Oh, Cordelia, Cordelia, Cordelia. You of all people should know that one doesn't always have to follow the rules. Plus, when have I EVER followed the Council's or ANYONE'S, for that matter, rules?" By this point Cordelia was back on the bed, cowering. Intimidated now.

Willow saw that Buffy was just about to kill Cordelia and although she sometimes liked to see the Prom Queen get some of her own medicine she thought it as about time to intervene.

"Buffy, Angel doesn't love Cordelia! I was just joking to make you calm down more!" Buffy glanced at Willow before looking back at the cowering Cordelia.

"Is this true?" Cordelia nodded furiously as Willow sighed.

"Buffy, you've GOT to calm down! Angel is not going to leave you! He loves you, you love him, and you are both getting married at sunset!" Buffy took a deep, calming breath.

"You're right Willow, it's just that I'm so nervous. Nothing in our relationship is smooth. It's mostly just one tragedy after another. Right now I'm terrified that we're in one of those tragedy times." Buffy sat down on the bed next to Cordelia. She looked at the Seer piteously. "Sorry for screaming at you. Nerves and all." Cordelia looked at the Slayer cautiously.

"You're not going to bite off my head" Buffy shook her head and grinned slightly.

"Not this time, but if you ever DO make a move on my man.." The dangerous glint came back to her eyes and Cordelia was quick to reassure her.

"Note to self: No moves on Buffy's man. Check, got it." Buffy smiled sweetly at her. Cordelia felt like she had lost some battle so she had to find some way to get back at Buffy.

"Angel definitely loves you Buffy. The only thing you have to worry about is demons crashing your wedding." Cordelia jumped up and ran out of the rooms screaming with Buffy hot on her heals. Willow just shook her head and followed to try to keep some semblance of peace and civil order.

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In Xander and Anya's apartment...

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Angel was currently pacing and making a hole in the carpet. Xander, Wesley, Lorne and Gunn were sitting there looking at him. Angel would stop ponder something for a minute and then start pacing faster. Finally, Gunn had had enough.

"Angel man, you've got to stop pacing! You're driving me crazy." Angel whirled on him in fury.

"Making you crazy?! I'm going to go to the altar and do you know what's gonna happen?!" Gunn shook his head, though whether it was in fear or in response, Angel didn't know..Nor did he care.

"She's not gonna be there. She's going to leave me there like some idiot and she's going to run off with..SPIKE!!! Or maybe Giles!" Wesley shuddered at the thought.

"Eugh. Giles is like Buffy's father! He's giving her away! That's just disgusting, and Spike??? Though he and Buffy may be friends she sure as hell isn't running off with him!" Angel stopped pacing and sat down next to Xander on the chair next to the table. He took in a deep breath and sighed.

"I just love her so much I'm afraid she's going to leave me. Our relationship never was in calm waters." Xander sighed and went to get a bottle of whiskey.

"Hey, I would give an eye to have what you and Buffy have." Angel glared at him. Lorne decided to speak for Angel.

"Oh, so you WANT the heart-wrenching angst and the tears that Angel- cakes and Buffy have?" Xander just got five shot glasses and sighed.

"Nah man. I'm talking about the love you have for each other. The love that binds you two together and has led you through hell and back. You've had your rough times (more glaring by Angel) but then you've had your sickeningly sweet times were anyone can plainly see how you two are soulmates and are meant to be." Xander sat back down next to Angel and handed everyone a glass. He poured Angel a drink, one for Wesley, one for Lorne, one for Gunn, and one for himself. They sat there in silence for a few moments before Angel spoke.

"I never knew you for being deep Xander but that actually made a lot of sense." Xander wasn't sure if that was a complement or insult but he took it anyway.

"Thanks dead bo-...Angel." They all sat drinking for a few minutes before Xander decided to lighten the mood.

"Now all you have to worry about is demon's crashing your wedding." Angel groaned and banged his head on the table.

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The beach...

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Angel stood there in his white tux nervously awaiting his bride. The sun was slowly setting and he kept playing with his tie. He looked at the people who had showed up. There were their close friends but they were all participating in the wedding so they had had to find other people to sit in the seats. A suprising number of people had volunteered to see the wedding. Many of the people Buffy and he had saved were sitting there. He didn't recognize most on Buffy's side except Amy and a few other people. On his side, he was happily surprised to see Faith along with other people and, er, not so people. Faith had been released on parole for good behavior and was winking at him. He gave her a small smile before fretting over the events. Finally, the wedding march started and his head nearly got whiplash from looking towards the back.

He nearly broke out in hysterical laughter when he saw that Cordy and Xander were the flower girl and ring bearer. Dawn was also a flower girl and was smiling brilliantly at everyone. All the bridesmaids(plus Dawn and Cordelia) were wearing a simple red sundress and all the males were wearing white tuxes. After Xander and Cordelia came Wesley and Willow. They were best man and bridesmaid and they were both beaming at Angel. Next came, Fred and Gunn, followed by Tara and Lorne. It seems the two of them had formed a strange kinship and enjoyed talking to one another. They weren't going to be romantically involved, Tara was very much in love with Willow, but they were very good friends.

Suddenly all thought flew out of his mind as he saw the main woman there. She was drop-dead gorgeous and stunning in a corset style strapless dress and a tiara with a vale. Giles looked like the proud father he was as he walked his "daughter" down the isle. Angel subconsciously noted that Buffy was also wearing the jewelry that he gave her except that the emerald necklace was replaced with the silver cross that he had first given her.

He snapped back to reality as Giles placed Angel's hand in Buffy's. He gave Buffy a quick kiss on the cheek and gave a manly pat on Angel's back. As he was turning he whispered quickly into Angel's ear with a voice that was pure Ripper.

"Hurt her and I'll stake you, vampire or not." Angel quickly whispered back.

"If I do I'll hand you the stake." He then turned his attention back to his beautiful goddess. He looked into her green eyes and didn't hear one word of what the priest was saying until he realized that everyone was staring at him. The priest cleared his throughout and spoke again.

"The two have requested to say their own vows." Angel, embarrassed, turned his attention back to the wedding.

"Buffy, first I have to say this. I love you. I will always love you. As this setting sun represents the end of the day, it also represents the beginning. The beginning of something new. The beginning of a new life together. Though I can't promise you it will be easy, I will be with you every step of the way. You have changed me in so many ways and all of them are for the better. In the beginning we were lovesick teenagers (A few chuckled at this) but we have both grown into extraordinary people with families who support us no matter what we do. Just knowing at the end of the day that I have your love with me makes me all that much stronger and able to resist whatever torture is thrown my way. Forever, that's the whole point." Buffy smiled at him and spoke.

"I also, Angel, love you so much that my heart stops whenever I see you. Just not literally. (Angel chuckled) I don't think I could ever speak as beautifully as you just did but I'll try my best. Our love is like a rose. It is beautiful, passionate, but at the same time dangerous. It has been harder and I have no illusions that the thorns will be cut off now, but those thorns have made our skin thicker and let our love survive when it's attacked. When the rose finally wilts and dies I won't be afraid because I know that's just an earthly rose and our love is so much stronger then any plant or anything on this earth. We have a love that will never die and although we may, it will still be as strong as ever. I'm Always you're girl." By the end Buffy and Angel were crying and after the exchange of the rings, when they kissed there was salt in their mouths. The sun set behind them and a promise was sealed, Always.

The End.

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I'll miss you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sniff. Thanks again.~Crystal