Chapter 49-Pinch me
-Buffy-
I look in the full length mirror again, thankful I can see my reflection. I smooth down the bodice of my dress. "Are you sure I look alright, Dawnie?" I ask my little sister, who is fussing with her own dress across the tent.
Dawn turns to me. She is lovely and so grown up in an ice pale pink dress. "Buffy, you're gorgeous, really. I don't think I have ever seen you look this pretty."
I cautiously touch the tumble of curls gathered at the crown of my head. "Well, if I'm not, there's not much else I can do about it. I wish Willow was here." I struggle against the tears that well up.
Dawn hugs me. "Somewhere, she's watching." She whispers.
I know she's right. I dab at my eyes with a Kleenex. I don't want to be weepy and smeary. "Pinch me." I say.
"Huh?" Dawn says.
"Pinch me. I've dreamed this too often, I want to make sure I'm awake." I offer my arm up to her.
Dawn takes a good amount of the flesh on my bicep and twists it. I shriek. "Ow! Brat!" I yell with a giggle. She darts out of the way of my smack and I give chase. We end up in a pile on the big wingback chair.
"You did say pinch." Dawn says.
"Yeah, pinch not bruise." I stick my tongue out at her.
"You're the slayer you don't bruise unless my key powers have suddenly started to include Hulk strength, which hey would be cool." Dawn glances at her watch. "Oooo come on, you got a Muffin waiting for you outside."
I stand up with a huge smile on my face. "Yeah, blueberry with lots of the crunchy munchy stuff on top."
I follow Dawn out of the tent. I can't seem him at first because of the way the tent is positioned in a little cove. The sand is warm between my bare, freshly painted toes. I can feel him though. It's that same whispery frantic beating inside my rib cage, like moths beating against a light bulb, only nicer and not gross. Me and Angel being able to feel each other inside never had anything to do with him being a vampire or me being a slayer. It was about one soul recognizing it's other half.
When I do see him, my mouth goes cotton dry. He's wearing a white button down with the first two buttons undone and a black jacket. The tails of the shirt are untucked and flop over his black slacks. He is barefoot.
Giles takes my arm at the top of the aisle. He links it through his and smiles at me. "You realize, it's not too late to take off running. You're sure you're ready?"
My eyes never leave Angel. Somehow he has made all our friends, the ocean; the sun and the sky disappear, leaving only me and him. "Giles, all those years ago when I was called, they got it wrong, he's my destiny."
-Angel-
I wiggle my toes in the sand. Wes stands with me. He's been here with me for hours, since mid afternoon. I couldn't wait.
"How much longer, Wes?"
"Ten minutes, which is exactly two minutes less then the last time you asked me." Wes says patiently.
"Sorry. I'm nervous." I scuff my bare foot in the sand.
"You love her that much is obvious to everyone that meets you. She adores you. As long as I've known you, this is what you have wanted, Angel. There's nothing to be nervous about."
"Nothing to be nervous about? I'm human now. This breathing thing is still new to me. What if I see her and I forget to breathe? I'll pass out and ruin her day." I shove my hands in my pockets.
Wes chuckles. "I'll remind you to breathe."
I take a deep breath. The sun is just beginning to set. There is firewood for a large bonfire along with beach chairs set up to the left. There is a long table with a traditional wedding cake on it. There are sketches of Willow, Joyce and Tara that I did at Buffy's request. She wanted us to remember that we're here because Tara and Willow saved the world, and our lives, by giving their own. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see the minister walking through the sand to the beach. I smile. He is barefoot too.
"Hello, Father." I shake his hand.
"Angel, it's going to be a beautiful sunset for a wedding." The minister says.
I nod. "It is." I turn toward the ocean to watch the sun just beginning to set over it. I am somehow startled when the bridal march begins to play. I turn around and am completely swept by her.
She's always beautiful. She is angelic right now. The sun glints off her golden hair and turns it red gold. She's wearing a white dress with ribbon straps. The bodice of the dress fits snugly and accentuates her curves. The skirt of the dress is full and just brushes the sand. I can see her freshly painted pink toenails peeking out as she walks. And the smile on her face, have I mentioned I love Buffy's smile. I love the way it lights her up from within, the way it changes her whole face and makes her eyes sparkle.
Wes leans over to me and whispers, "Breathe."
I take a deep breath.
The minister is talking. I know I should be listening but I can't she's thisclose and I'm holding her hands in mine. She's trembling. I lean forward and gently kiss her lips. She closes her eyes and leans into the kiss. I bring her hand up to my cheek. The minister clears his throat. I look up, truly surprised to see him there and then blush. Everyone standing around us chuckles.
"As I was saying, we are here to celebrate the union of Angel and Buffy."
*
The bonfire is roaring. Fred and Gunn are making smores. Xander, Anya, Buffy and Dawn are dancing in front of the fire. I watch as she laughs and the sound washes over me. Have I mentioned lately that she's amazing? I remember something Wes told me once. 99.9% to the infinite of relationships settle with almost perfectly happy. Buffy and I get to have that .0 to the infinite 1 %. Just watching her is pure bliss and when she touches me, there aren't words for the happiness she brings me. She notices me watching her and walks to me. She offers her hand and I take it, pulling her down into the sand with me. I kiss her neck, loving the feel of her pulse against my lips. Becoming human didn't change the fascination I have with Buffy's neck. She closes her eyes and moans softly, a slow smile spreads across her face.
"You know, there's a tent with a big lonely bed in it just up the beach there." She purrs.
"Hmm, I seem to remember that." I stand, pulling her with me and sweep her up in my arms. Her mouth finds mine. I get lost in Buffy's kisses. They are everything she is, tender, sweet, passionate, strong and mine. I trip, stumbling over a rock. We both land in the sand laughing.
"Everyone okay over there?" Xander yells from a distance.
"Fine. Angel just can't walk and kiss me at the same time." Buffy yells back.
She gets to her feet and holds out a hand to help me up. "Race you there." She takes off in a sprint.
"Do not cross that threshold!" I yell after her and take off running.
I catch up to her and she's standing in front of the tent with a sexy smile on her face. I nuzzle her neck and growl, nipping at her pulse with my blunt teeth, the only teeth I have these days. I catch her up in my arms and step through the tent flap.
Dawn did a wonderful job. There are lit candles everywhere. The bed and surrounding sand are covered in pale pink rose petals. I wanted to fulfill every girlish fantasy she might ever have had on our wedding night. There is a bottle of champagne in ice next to the bed. I set Buffy on her feet. She looks around and then up at me with tears in her eyes.
"How do you do that?" she asks.
"What?"
"Make everything better then anything I ever dreamed."
I don't answer her. I can't. It hits me full force, she's my wife, mine for all eternity. I slide my fingers across her satin smooth shoulders, slipping the satin straps off. She reaches behind her to unzip her dress. I stop her.
"I want to. " My voice is a husky whisper filled with desire and love. I close my eyes, trying to absorb this moment into myself. I want to keep it forever.
"Open your eyes, Angel. I'm not going to disappear like smoke." She whispers.
"Pinch me." I say with a smile.
-Buffy-
I look in the full length mirror again, thankful I can see my reflection. I smooth down the bodice of my dress. "Are you sure I look alright, Dawnie?" I ask my little sister, who is fussing with her own dress across the tent.
Dawn turns to me. She is lovely and so grown up in an ice pale pink dress. "Buffy, you're gorgeous, really. I don't think I have ever seen you look this pretty."
I cautiously touch the tumble of curls gathered at the crown of my head. "Well, if I'm not, there's not much else I can do about it. I wish Willow was here." I struggle against the tears that well up.
Dawn hugs me. "Somewhere, she's watching." She whispers.
I know she's right. I dab at my eyes with a Kleenex. I don't want to be weepy and smeary. "Pinch me." I say.
"Huh?" Dawn says.
"Pinch me. I've dreamed this too often, I want to make sure I'm awake." I offer my arm up to her.
Dawn takes a good amount of the flesh on my bicep and twists it. I shriek. "Ow! Brat!" I yell with a giggle. She darts out of the way of my smack and I give chase. We end up in a pile on the big wingback chair.
"You did say pinch." Dawn says.
"Yeah, pinch not bruise." I stick my tongue out at her.
"You're the slayer you don't bruise unless my key powers have suddenly started to include Hulk strength, which hey would be cool." Dawn glances at her watch. "Oooo come on, you got a Muffin waiting for you outside."
I stand up with a huge smile on my face. "Yeah, blueberry with lots of the crunchy munchy stuff on top."
I follow Dawn out of the tent. I can't seem him at first because of the way the tent is positioned in a little cove. The sand is warm between my bare, freshly painted toes. I can feel him though. It's that same whispery frantic beating inside my rib cage, like moths beating against a light bulb, only nicer and not gross. Me and Angel being able to feel each other inside never had anything to do with him being a vampire or me being a slayer. It was about one soul recognizing it's other half.
When I do see him, my mouth goes cotton dry. He's wearing a white button down with the first two buttons undone and a black jacket. The tails of the shirt are untucked and flop over his black slacks. He is barefoot.
Giles takes my arm at the top of the aisle. He links it through his and smiles at me. "You realize, it's not too late to take off running. You're sure you're ready?"
My eyes never leave Angel. Somehow he has made all our friends, the ocean; the sun and the sky disappear, leaving only me and him. "Giles, all those years ago when I was called, they got it wrong, he's my destiny."
-Angel-
I wiggle my toes in the sand. Wes stands with me. He's been here with me for hours, since mid afternoon. I couldn't wait.
"How much longer, Wes?"
"Ten minutes, which is exactly two minutes less then the last time you asked me." Wes says patiently.
"Sorry. I'm nervous." I scuff my bare foot in the sand.
"You love her that much is obvious to everyone that meets you. She adores you. As long as I've known you, this is what you have wanted, Angel. There's nothing to be nervous about."
"Nothing to be nervous about? I'm human now. This breathing thing is still new to me. What if I see her and I forget to breathe? I'll pass out and ruin her day." I shove my hands in my pockets.
Wes chuckles. "I'll remind you to breathe."
I take a deep breath. The sun is just beginning to set. There is firewood for a large bonfire along with beach chairs set up to the left. There is a long table with a traditional wedding cake on it. There are sketches of Willow, Joyce and Tara that I did at Buffy's request. She wanted us to remember that we're here because Tara and Willow saved the world, and our lives, by giving their own. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see the minister walking through the sand to the beach. I smile. He is barefoot too.
"Hello, Father." I shake his hand.
"Angel, it's going to be a beautiful sunset for a wedding." The minister says.
I nod. "It is." I turn toward the ocean to watch the sun just beginning to set over it. I am somehow startled when the bridal march begins to play. I turn around and am completely swept by her.
She's always beautiful. She is angelic right now. The sun glints off her golden hair and turns it red gold. She's wearing a white dress with ribbon straps. The bodice of the dress fits snugly and accentuates her curves. The skirt of the dress is full and just brushes the sand. I can see her freshly painted pink toenails peeking out as she walks. And the smile on her face, have I mentioned I love Buffy's smile. I love the way it lights her up from within, the way it changes her whole face and makes her eyes sparkle.
Wes leans over to me and whispers, "Breathe."
I take a deep breath.
The minister is talking. I know I should be listening but I can't she's thisclose and I'm holding her hands in mine. She's trembling. I lean forward and gently kiss her lips. She closes her eyes and leans into the kiss. I bring her hand up to my cheek. The minister clears his throat. I look up, truly surprised to see him there and then blush. Everyone standing around us chuckles.
"As I was saying, we are here to celebrate the union of Angel and Buffy."
*
The bonfire is roaring. Fred and Gunn are making smores. Xander, Anya, Buffy and Dawn are dancing in front of the fire. I watch as she laughs and the sound washes over me. Have I mentioned lately that she's amazing? I remember something Wes told me once. 99.9% to the infinite of relationships settle with almost perfectly happy. Buffy and I get to have that .0 to the infinite 1 %. Just watching her is pure bliss and when she touches me, there aren't words for the happiness she brings me. She notices me watching her and walks to me. She offers her hand and I take it, pulling her down into the sand with me. I kiss her neck, loving the feel of her pulse against my lips. Becoming human didn't change the fascination I have with Buffy's neck. She closes her eyes and moans softly, a slow smile spreads across her face.
"You know, there's a tent with a big lonely bed in it just up the beach there." She purrs.
"Hmm, I seem to remember that." I stand, pulling her with me and sweep her up in my arms. Her mouth finds mine. I get lost in Buffy's kisses. They are everything she is, tender, sweet, passionate, strong and mine. I trip, stumbling over a rock. We both land in the sand laughing.
"Everyone okay over there?" Xander yells from a distance.
"Fine. Angel just can't walk and kiss me at the same time." Buffy yells back.
She gets to her feet and holds out a hand to help me up. "Race you there." She takes off in a sprint.
"Do not cross that threshold!" I yell after her and take off running.
I catch up to her and she's standing in front of the tent with a sexy smile on her face. I nuzzle her neck and growl, nipping at her pulse with my blunt teeth, the only teeth I have these days. I catch her up in my arms and step through the tent flap.
Dawn did a wonderful job. There are lit candles everywhere. The bed and surrounding sand are covered in pale pink rose petals. I wanted to fulfill every girlish fantasy she might ever have had on our wedding night. There is a bottle of champagne in ice next to the bed. I set Buffy on her feet. She looks around and then up at me with tears in her eyes.
"How do you do that?" she asks.
"What?"
"Make everything better then anything I ever dreamed."
I don't answer her. I can't. It hits me full force, she's my wife, mine for all eternity. I slide my fingers across her satin smooth shoulders, slipping the satin straps off. She reaches behind her to unzip her dress. I stop her.
"I want to. " My voice is a husky whisper filled with desire and love. I close my eyes, trying to absorb this moment into myself. I want to keep it forever.
"Open your eyes, Angel. I'm not going to disappear like smoke." She whispers.
"Pinch me." I say with a smile.
