A/N : Wow! I can't believe how many reviews this story has got so far! I want to say a huge thankyou to all the wonderful people who reviewed chapter 3 - kathypg, msu, Tobert, RoboShiflo, Reader, tinkerbell42, Leanne8582, SpIkEs AnGeL, zanthine, RockAngel, artemis66 - you guys are the best! Here's chapter 4, which I hope you all enjoy and I hope it cheers up anyone who has just read chapter 17 of 'Friends and Lovers' ;-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4 - Something Confusing

"Angel?!" Buffy gaped as she turned to see her vampiric ex-lover.

"Buffy..." he began, coming down the aisle, but Spike quickly blocked the way to Buffy and growled.

"She's not your bird anymore Peaches, so sod off" he spat angrily, with a quick punch, Angel knocked his grande-childe sideways and pushed his way through to Buffy.

"Spike!" she called to her would-be-husband, as Angel grabbed her arm and pulled her towards a room off to the side of the hall, "What are you doing?!" the Slayer yelled, pulling her wrist from his grasp and looking like she might pummel him at any moment.

"What am I doing?" he echoed incredulously, but off her look he changed his mood "Please Buffy," Angel begged, "I need to talk to you alone"

Looking past her ex-boyfriend, Buffy saw Willow and Giles trying to calm Spike down. He didn't look badly hurt by the blow Angel had dealt.

"Five minutes" the Slayer said flatly, heading into the side room with Angel right behind her, who glanced back at the crowd of Scoobies with confusion just before he closed the door.

"Buffy, you wanna tell me why you were about to marry Spike?" Angel asked, figuring it was the best question to start with, even it did sound crazy when he said it.

"Why does anyone marry anyone?" came her answer, "Because I love him"

Angel shook his head as he paced the room, laughing without humour at what had to be a very sick joke.

"You cannot be serious" he raved, "he's a vampire!"

"Er, you do realise that you are too, right?" Buffy frowned and Angel nodded.

"I have a soul, he's just a demon" he protested at some volume and Buffy was getting sick of this now, all she wanted to do was get back into the hall and marry the man she loved.

"Buffy, we're talking about Spike here. Y'know, William the Bloody?" Angel's eyes were practically begging her to realise what she was doing and snap out of it but she didn't. The Slayer just let out a deep sigh.

"Yes Angel, we are talking about Spike, my William, the man I love" that stopped the vampire before her in his tracks and he stared open mouthed as the she continued "and the man that I am going to marry no matter what you or anyone else thinks about it" with that she moved toward the door but Angel spun around and caught her arm.

"Buffy, I..."

"No, Angel" she snapped, pulling her arm away again, and looking at him tearfully, "You meant a lot to me" she told him, "you still do, but what I feel for Spike, what he feels for me, it's beyond anything I can explain, beyond anything I have ever known"

The look in her wide eyes was so real, she almost had Angel believing her, but she couldn't seriously be in love Spike! Something had to be wrong with her.

As the Slayer finally stormed from the room, Giles hurried over, promising her he would just be a moment but he needed to speak with Angel.

"Giles, you can't condone this, what she's doing, it's crazy" the vampire rambled as soon as the ex-Watcher approached. With a shake of his head, Giles denied his condonement.

"It's a spell" he said flatly, "It will break as soon as they are married"

"Oh thank God" Angel sighed despite his lack of breath "but why...?"

"It's a very long story and to be honest I really don't see what right you have to be told" Giles said somewhat coldly, he'd never particularly liked the vampire anyway but after what he'd done to Jenny when he was Angelus, and more recently of course, the way he'd tricked Buffy about his return to Sunnydale...

"I guess I deserve that" the seemingly younger man nodded, "and given that Buffy is in no danger, I should probably head back to LA" he smiled when he added, "I don't think I want to be around when those two realise what happened"

As Angel swept through the door, Giles watched his back disappear and sighed.

"To be honest" he said to himself, "I'm not so sure I do either"

"What did the great wanker want?" Spike sneered as Buffy came back to him, "Other than to smack me in the face?"

"He said I was crazy for marrying you" Buffy told him softly as he held her close, he knew how much the Slayer had cared for Angel, and he was so afraid of losing her.

"And what did you tell him?" he cringed as he asked the question, closing his eyes and preparing himself in case she had only come back to his side to tell him it wasn't going to happen.

"I told him that I love you" she said in a whisper, "and that nothing anyone could say or do would ever stop me from marrying you"

He smiled at that, a genuine grin not often seen on Spike's face, before moving in to kiss her thoroughly, making Xander wince and the man who should have been performing the ceremony to remind them that kissing the bride came after the vows.

Giles returned as Angel left, Spike flipping his grande-sire off as he passed by and making a point of kissing Buffy again whilst the older vamp was still watching.

"If there are going to be no more interruptions" the registrar asked, "may I continue?"

"Please do" Buffy nodded turning from her almost-husband to face forwards again, as he did the same.

The ceremony began again and the Scoobies waited on the edge of their seats for the end to come, knowing the reactions from the bride and groom would be unforgettable but not of the good. Xander was hoping that Buffy might hit Spike whilst Anya didn't really care. Joyce couldn't help but get teary eyed, despite the fact the wedding was a sham, Giles would just be glad when the whole thing was over, but Willow, she was starting to wonder if it would be over quite so easily...

Buffy and Spike had written their own vows and the time came for them to tell each other how much they loved each other and how committed they would be from this day forth. Buffy went first.

"My life isn't like other girls, and I always felt like I didn't really fit in, even when I was surrounded by family and friends who love me, but when I'm with you, Spike, I know I belong. In your arms I know I'm safe and when you say you love me I know it's as true as when I say it back. I promise to be there for you as I know you'll be there for me. I will be your leader when you are lost and your follower when you need support. I'll never leave you, I'll never doubt you, and I'll always love you for as long as I live and beyond"

By the time it was Spike's turn there was a lump in his throat and he had trouble getting out the words he wanted to say to the wondrous woman standing before him.

"Buffy, we haven't always been friends, far from it, but deep down I think I always knew I loved you. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met and ever will meet, to be honest I don't think I deserve you. You're not like other women, I'm not like other men, maybe that's why we found each other. We are meant to be together, I believe that. I love you, I trust you, and I will never leave you, I give you my word"

Despite the fakeness of the wedding, everyone had a hard time not being moved by the beautiful words the bride and groom said to each other. With such love in their eyes and honesty in their looks, it was a wonder to them all that a spell could make it look so real...

"You may now kiss the bride"

Everyone immediately emerged from their teary-eyed staring, all now on the edge of their seats and prepared for the hell that would break lose as soon as that final kiss was over...

To Be Continued

A/N2 : Final chapter coming soon... :-) Reviews welcome, as always!