Chapter 22/Epilogue - 5 Years Later

"Oh bloody hell!" Spike cursed, fumbling with the tie around his neck. His reflection, that he had just about got used to having back now, should have made his task easier but his nerves were making him shake just too much.

"Come here" the man behind him instructed, forcibly turning him around and tying the bow-tie for him with ease, "seems these things are always more complicated when you're the groom" he quipped.

"Yeah" Spike grinned with a memory in his mind, "Seem to remember you being a fumbling mess when you made Anya into Mrs Harris"

There was no time for Xander to respond as a tapping came on the door before Willow and Tara appeared, both decked out in flowing bridesmaids dresses.

"Well I'll say this for the Y chromosome" the red head giggled, "Looks good in a tux"

Tara nodded in agreement as Xander and Spike smiled.

"Don't look so bad yourself Red" the bleach blond realised, "You too Glinda"

Both girls blushed a little as Xander turned to Spike.

"You ready for this?" he asked and, taking a deep breath, the groom nodded.

Spike felt as if he floated from the room to the front of the hall where the wedding would take place. His best man, Xander, at his side, he waited for the girl of his dreams to come to him, down the aisle.

As the band began to play the music, Spike knew it was time and he tuned to see the girls enter the hall. First was Dawn, followed by Anya, Willow and Tara, all in matching dresses and all beautiful as ever as they glided toward the front of the hall. Behind them was Giles, smart as ever in his impeccable suit and on his arm was a vision in white, Spike's Slayer, his Buffy.

She smiled as she saw him, so much smarter than he usually looked, a lot different to the vampire he had ceased to be just a few years ago. It didn't matter to Buffy what he was wearing though, or what he was, she loved the man for who he was and she knew she always would.

Giles, her father in every way but biology, handed her over to the man she would soon be married to, a man who loved her with his whole heart, who had died for her and now who lived for her.

The vows and rings were exchanged and Spike was only to pleased to oblige when told 'you may now kiss the bride'.

The reception followed, the happy couple leading the first dance, soon to be joined by many other happy couples, including all their friends. Xander and Anya, whose second anniversary was fast approaching, Willow and Tara who were planning a commitment ceremony in the not so distant future, Dawn and her boyfriend Zack, whom Spike had decided was 'a decent enough bloke for his Little Bit,' and Giles and his girlfriend Olivia, who had returned from England not so long ago after realising she couldn't be without the ex-Watcher.

Demons still darkened the Slayers door on many a night, the Hellmouth still existed and a hundred different evils because of it, but it didn't stop the Scoobies, new and old, from being happy, no-one more so than a certain ex-vampire and his Slayer.

"Did I tell you how gorgeous you look in that dress?" Spike smiled to his bride as he held her close and they swayed to the music, "and also how I can't wait to get you out of it"

Buffy giggled as she playfully swatted him in the chest.

"They'll be plenty of time for that later" she promised him, "but while we're on the subject of...that" she smiled, "how do you feel about expanding our little family?"

"Slow down, Slayer" Spike gasped, "We've only been married an hour"

"It's kind of a little late to back out of the fatherhood thing now" his bride replied shyly, looking down and then up into her new husbands eyes.

"You mean...?" he started, eyes wide as saucers.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded "there's a tiny guest at this wedding that no-one knew about, except me" she admitted, both her and Spike glancing down at her stomach and then back into each others eyes.

In one motion Spike's lips landed on Buffy's kissing her as thoroughly as ever, showing her just how much he loved her, today even more than before if it were possible.

"I love you Buffy" he whispered as they came up for air "always remember that"

"I will" the Slayer nodded "because I love you too William" she smiled "always"

~~THE END~~

Disclaimer2 : One line stolen from episode Hell's Bells- this recognisable line belongs to the writers of the eppy!