Blood of Enemies, Blood of Friends
Chapter 41 – Vegas Weddings
The next morning Faith came to Buffy's room to get ready for her wedding. Buffy, Cat, Dawn, and Shannon were helping her get ready. No one seemed to know where Anya, who had originally been very involved with the planning, disappeared to.
"You look beautiful," said Dawn, as Faith twirled around the room in her wedding gown. It was a strapless, long light silver gown, simple but elegant. Buffy had pinned Faith's hair into a fancy updo.
"I can't believe that I'm getting married," said Faith in an uncharacteristic dreamy voice.
"I'm so happy for you. You deserve this," said Buffy.
"I never thought I would get married. You, yes. Me, no," Faith replied.
"I always figured that neither of us would live long enough. But all that has changed. We have the rest of our lives ahead of us," answered Buffy.
"And maybe someday you will become Buffy Weasley," said Dawn.
"Maybe, but not for a very long time," said Buffy.
"B., I have been meaning to ask you something," said Faith. "I know we haven't exactly been friends, but I'd like to think that things have changed this year." Buffy smiled. "Will you be my maid of honor?" Faith asked.
Buffy shrieked. "Oh my god, I would love to be." The two Slayers hugged.
"Now that is something I never expected to see," quipped Dawn. Faith grabbed the younger Summers's arm and pulled her into a group hug.
"So the other Scoobies and Angel Investigations people are all coming, right?" asked Shannon.
Faith nodded. "Angel is giving me away, and Wesley is Robin's best man. I just hope that Anya and Xander resurface before the wedding. I wonder where they disappeared to."
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After dinner with Genevieve, Xander and Anya had returned to their room. As usual, they spent several hours having wild sex. As they curled up together in bed ready to sleep, they began to talk about Faith and Robin's wedding the next day.
"I swore to myself that I wouldn't bring this up, but I have to know," said Anya. "Xander, what is it about me that makes you not want to marry me?"
"An, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I walked out on our wedding for a lot of reasons, but it was never because there was anything wrong with you."
"Then why?" she asked. "Why did you leave me there? I never really understood."
"The short of it, I was scared. I was afraid that I would be ruining your life. I was young, didn't have my own life together yet. I didn't think I was ready to be a husband, and I didn't want you to wake up one day and hate me for not being able to give you everything you wanted and deserved."
"But all I ever wanted was you," Anya replied.
"I know that now," said Xander. "I was always so afraid that we would regret getting married. But, when you died, my one regret was that we hadn't gotten married, that we hadn't spent what little time we had together."
"Do you still regret it?" asked Anya.
"When you first came back to me, I was so happy with the present that I didn't think about the future. Ever since Faith and Robin got engaged, I've been thinking a lot about marriage. I'm still scared of hurting you, but I'm more afraid that I will lose you again and that you will never know how much I do love you."
Anya kissed him. "Even if we never get married, I have no doubts that you love me, Xander."
"An, how important is it to you to have a big wedding?"
"It was fun planning our wedding, stressful, but fun. Though afterwards I realized that I was putting more emphasis on the wedding than the marriage. I think that was part of where we went wrong."
"Anya, could you be patient enough to focus on a marriage with a man who is scared about the future?"
"Xander, I love you. As long as you tell me what you are feeling instead of just running away, I think we could survive anything together," she replied.
"Anya, let's get married," said Xander.
"What? Now?"
"Right now. We can go get married by a justice of the peace right now. If you really want a formal wedding, we can do that after all this Voldemort craziness is done."
"Why now?" she asked.
"Because though I am still afraid of ruining your life, I am more afraid of losing you. Let's just do it. Let's just start our life together right now."
"Yes, I'll marry you," Anya said, as she threw her arms around Xander's neck.
The newly engaged couple quickly dressed and left the hotel. They stopped in a jewelry store on the first floor of the hotel to purchase wedding rings, and then took a cab to city hall to get their marriage license and find a justice of the peace. Only in Las Vegas can a couple decide to get married and do it at 2am on a Sunday morning.
After waiting in line behind several other couples, Xander and Anya finally stood before the justice of the peace and took the vows that they had planned to take three years before. They exchanged rings, were declared husband and wife, and kissed.
On the way back to the hotel, they decided that they would tell their friends after Faith and Robin's wedding. Xander did not want to steal any attention from the other couple.
Xander and Anya curled up in bed together again and slept late into the morning, waking with barely enough time to make it to the chapel for their friends' wedding.
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Angel, Fred, and Gunn drove to Las Vegas from Los Angeles. Giles, Wesley, Willow, and Andrew took the floo network to the Crosswands Casino. Everyone else took cabs from their hotel. They all met in the lobby of the small wedding chapel a half an hour before the scheduled ceremony. Everyone was excited, but no one as much as Faith and Robin.
While they waited, Buffy quickly briefed everyone on how they had obtained the gemma sanguinis. Giles and Wesley were exceptionally interested in Genevieve's story. As they talked, Spike arrived with a woman, both hidden under a heavy blanket until they were from the rays of the sun. "I hope no one minds that I came along with William," said Genevieve. Everyone assured her that it was fine.
Everyone took seats in the chapel. Robin and Wesley stood up front next to the justice of the peace. Music was piped into the room. Buffy walked down the isle and stood opposite the two men.
All eyes were on Faith as she walked down the aisle, her arm laced through Angel's. Robin could not tear his eyes from her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had no doubts about spending the rest of his life with her. When she reached the front, Angel kissed her on the cheek, took her hand and placed it in Robin's. "Take care of her," the vampire told the younger man. Robin nodded, "Always."
As the justice of the peace greeted everyone, Willow glanced over at Xander and Anya who were sitting beside her, holding hands. She noticed the rings they were wearing. "Did you two get married?" she whispered the question.
Xander and Anya both had goofy smiles plastered on their faces. The both nodded ever so slightly. Willow smiled back at them. She was happy that Xander had finally gotten himself together to marry the woman he loved. They turned their attention back to the current ceremony.
Faith and Robin took traditional vows, promising to love, honor, and cherish each other until death. When they Faith said, "I do," Angel wiped a tear from his eye. He had always wanted her to find her own happiness. Buffy also ran a finger under both her eyes. Andrew, however, was not so subtle. He began crying profusely, claiming that he always cried at weddings. Dawn and Shannon just gave him strange looks.
Faith and Robin were pronounced husband and wife. When they kissed, everyone in the small chapel cheered for them. It was a happy occasion for them all to see a Slayer get a happily ever after.
The group discussed having a late lunch together. Genevieve called the same Italian restaurant that they had eaten in the previous evening. Everyone found out that she was in fact part owner of the restaurant. She had her employees set up tables for them in the private party room, located on the second floor. Everyone had a wonderful time at the restaurant. They talked, ate, and generally enjoyed each other's company away from their constant battle against evil.
When everyone finished, they went their separate ways. Faith and Robin were staying in Las Vegas for a few days as a mini-honeymoon. The Angel Investigations team left for Los Angeles, after Spike extended an invitation to Genevieve to visit him any time. The Buffy, Cat, Xander, Anya, Dawn, and Shannon checked out of their hotel, and met the other Hogwarts faculty members at the Crosswands Casino. They each took turns using the fireplace to return to the Scooby common room.
Back at Hogwarts, Xander and Anya announced their marriage to their friends. The received numerous hugs and congratulations. The newlyweds decided to take a few days off to have a mini-honeymoon of their own at a bed and breakfast in Hogsmeade. During their honeymoon, they spent an evening in Diagon Alley. They met Fred, George, Angelina, and Oliver for dinner and told them about their marriage. Xander and Anya once again received several hugs and congratulations.