title: Marriage, Sunnydale-Style
author: Heather (heather@hella-good.org)
rating: R
spoilers: none...completely an au/fantasy fic except for things borrowed from the Buffyverse (season 1-7) that are twisted to fit in this universe.
disclaimer: If I actually owned anything, I probably wouldn't be doing this :)
summary: After almost 10 years of dating, Buffy and Spike finally find themselves in the midst of planning a wedding and remembering the long journey that got them there.

a/n: Thanks to everyone for leaving reviews and to those at Crumbling Walls. You guys all rock and I really appreciate it. It really does help in the writing process and it definitely gives me a happy :)

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Chapter 16

Willow walked down the long hall to her classroom, lost in her own thoughts. She felt a slight vibration from her waist and looked down to see her cell phone flashing. Like a pro, she deftly maneuvered her belongings into one hand without dropping anything and grabbed the phone.

"Honey, I'm on my way to class and running late. I haven't even booted up the network yet. I'll have to talk to you later," Willow said, a tad out of breath. She may have learned how to balance everything without taking a fall on her face but it took a lot out of her. She balanced the phone between her shoulder and head so she could replace the coffee mug into her now free hand.

"Appreciate the endearment, Red, but I'm not sure Buffy or Tara would."

"Oh! Spike, sorry. Tara usually calls right before class to wish me a good day and to tell me she lov-" Willow cut herself off. "I'm over sharing, aren't I?"

"Nothing like a Willow babble first thing in the morning," Spike answered and she could hear the smirk that was no doubt on his face.

She arrived at the door to her classroom which was, of course, closed. "Hold on a sec and if I hang up on you, I didn't mean to do it." Before he could say anything, she put the cup back in the hand that held her carrier, tightly pressing her right arm to her side to hold the paper in place, the phone made some beeping noises as she realized the side of her face pressed the buttons and she heard Spike say something about his bleeding ears. She finally got the door open and rushed to her desk, carefully setting down her mug and letting her bag and paper fall. She slumped down in her chair and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Phew!"

"Are you done with whatever you're doing?" Spike asked, annoyance in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Stupid classrooms with stupid closed doors."

"Probably shouldn't have been trying to carry a hundred things at once. That bag of yours alone weighs about fifty pounds."

"How did you know I had a lot of things?" She didn't get an answer just a soft chuckle. "I'm very good at multi-tasking, I'll have you know."

"No doubt, Willow. Look, I'll be brief because we both have things to do. Can we meet at lunch time?"

"Sure, I usually have lunch with Buffy..."

"No, just you and me. Tell Buffy you have something to do."

"You want me to lie to her? I can't. I'm very bad with the entire lying to Buffy thing. I turn all red and get jumpy and my voice does this weird high-pitched thing-"

"Fine, do you have any free time before or after lunch, then?"

"At 10, I have a free period. I usually go to the lounge or the library to talk with Giles."

"Library at 10. It won't take long." And with that Spike was gone. Willow listened to the buzzing noise of the dial tone for a bit before it registered that he had hung up. She sighed and flipped the phone down when it instantly started vibrating again.

"Hi, honey," Willow began, having this time looked at the caller I.D..

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As Spike walked down the halls of the high school, he wished the outside door to the library had been unlocked. He didn't particularly like having to fabricate a story about why he was here if Buffy should happen to see him and he wasn't fond of being back at a high school in general. As he made his way to the library, he heard a few whispers and giggles on his way. He glanced over at a group of girls, leaning against a row of lockers and threw them a cocky grin and felt manly pride that he could still make them swoon.

"Flirting with the jail bate?"

He spun his head around to see Buffy standing in front of him, her hands on her hips, her lips puckered together, jutting out just a bit, eyebrows raised in her classic angry stance. The look of shock on his face that he had been caught was too much for Buffy. Her lips slowly turned into a smile and she laughed just like the school girls had done.

"I wish I had my camera. Your face is too precious right now," Buffy told him, still laughing softly. "You never visit me at school. Is something wrong?"

"Uh, no, nothing wrong. Just came to talk to Rupert about some things."

"Wedding types of things or manly man things?"

"A little of both. Haven't seen him much lately, had some time to kill and he's a librarian so he's always free."

"Will's off this hour, too. She's probably in there," Buffy told him.

"Really? Well, that'll work out, then. Best man and matron of honor with the groom."

"Don't you be putting any ideas in their heads. Especially Willow. She can be very easily persuaded."

"No worries, luv." The bell rang and kids scattered in all directions. "Best be-"

"Going, yup." She leaned over, giving him a kiss.

"Alright, Miss Summers!"

"Get some!"

Buffy blushed but couldn't help the smile that came as her lips were still against Spike's. She pulled away, looking for the kids but she only saw a blur of two hurrying up the stairs.

"Getting some doesn't sound half bad," Spike murmured in her ear. In response, she lightly hit his arm, her smile growing wider.

"Later...although one day, breaking in my office furniture isn't a bad thought..." A groan escaped Spike and he leaned down to capture her lips again but she moved out the way. She held up her finger waving it back and forth. "Uh-uh. I can't be setting a bad example to the students."

"Could teach them all a thing or two."

"Buffy and Spike's Sex Ed? I'm sure parents would love that," she said, sarcastically. She looked down the hall and grimaced. "I gotta go. Snyder's coming..."

Spike turned his head and saw the little man standing in front of the main office's door, watching them. With a wicked gleam in his eye and the ever constant smirk coming back, he turned to Buffy. Her eyes went wide and she started shaking her head back and forth. Like that'll stop me. He grabbed her by the waist and brought her to him, he put one arm around her back, leaned her backwards, instantly latching onto her mouth, sucking in her bottom lip causing a moan from the both of them. He slowly brought them to an upright position, mouths still together. He gave her another small kiss and let her go. She wobbled a bit but quickly got her bearings as she saw Snyder coming closer to them.

"You better go," Buffy said, breathlessly.

"I'm not afraid of that tosser. What's he going to do? Expel me?"

"That or fire me." The truth of that statement hit Spike hard.

"Buffy, I didn't mean-"

She put her index finger to his lips and she shook her head. "It's not even an issue. But go...if he catches up with you, he probably will kick you out for good. And I kind of like you coming around here. Definitely brightens up my day."

He smiled, leaned over and kissed her quickly on the forehead and took off towards the library.

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Spike strolled into the library, seeing Giles and Willow talking at the table. He took off his duster and walked over, taking a seat next to Giles.

"Where have you been? I keep getting waves of nervousness wash over me because Buffy could have come in and even thinking that I might have to lie to her sends me into a fit and she picks up on it very quickly. Then the questions would come and I would have to sit here and try not to blabber on and on, trying to think of anything to talk about other than you-"

"Sorry, Red. Ran into her, myself."

"What?" Willow yelled. "Now she knows you're here and I'm here and she's going to get all suspicious and then the questions will come and I don't do well with Buffy's questions, Spike."

"She thinks I'm here to talk to Rupert. If it makes you feel any better, I'll tell her I saw you, what we talked about so there's no weirdness, alright?" Willow nodded enthusiastically, obviously liking that idea very much. "Hey there, Rupes."

"William," Giles said with a nod, a bemused look on his face. "And don't call me that."

"So, what's up?" Willow asked, cheerfully.

"Nothing much, actually."

"Nothing? Then why did you call me in such a panic and demand to see me?"

"It wasn't a panic. I don't panic." Spike heard Giles huff in response. "What? I don't..."

"Is this about Tara and Buffy's talk last night?" Willow asked, her voice showing her concern.

"They talked?" Spike asked, feigning ignorance.

"You know, you're not very good at playing dumb," Willow said, laughing. "We both know our girls' inside and out. I'm guessing that if Tara told me, Buffy definitely told you."

"Yeah...okay, so I lied. Stake me. But I didn't call you in a panic."

Willow simply nodded her head and let it go. "Again, I ask what's up?"

"Do you and Tara talk about what went down with Warren?" Spike asked quickly, his words slurring together. Willow heard him, though and she instantly understood.

"Is Buffy being all avoid-y?" Spike only nodded in the affirmative. "Spike, it's what she does. You know this."

"But I want her to talk to me-"

"That might very well be, William, but if Buffy isn't ready, then she isn't," Giles put in.

"Rupert, it was two years ago. She's never talked about it. I'm not exaggerating here. I mean she has never once said a word about it. She simply pretends that it-"

"Didn't happen," Willow finished. "It's Buffy's way. You've known her for ten years, Spike. You've been her boyfriend for almost nine of those. You don't know that this is the way she operates?"

"I do know. She plays everything close to the cuff. I get that. I do it myself but I still talk to her. I thought after a few months, she would want to talk about it, get some of those emotions out but nothing. And you," he paused, staring at Willow pointedly, "had to send Sean Meers to talk to her. What the hell were you thinking?"

Willow was taken aback and tried to respond, only to fail miserably every time she opened her mouth. Giles felt the need to step in and take Willow's side as he noticed the girl becoming increasing flustered.

"William, honestly, you can not blame Willow. It is both their jobs to care for the students of this school."

"Don't hand me that line of bullshit, Rupert," Spike said angrily, hardening his voice as he said second syllable in Giles's name. "You know bloody well that Red here could have gone to that pillock Cosgrove." Turning his attention back to Willow, his voice low and strained, "Why did you think that was a good idea?"

"Look, Spike, I don't know if you're yelling at me and blaming me in some twisted attempt to make yourself feel better that Buffy isn't confiding in you but this isn't my fault. You are not the only one that almost lost someone that day. Tara died, Spike. For a full minute, my life crumbled so don't pull a guilt trip with me," Willow said, her voice just as low and strained. She looked him straight in the eye and her face softened, along with her tone. "I guess I thought it would be therapeutic for everyone. Me, her, Tara and you. Tara and I discuss what happened, but we were both aware that you don't. Not from anything Buffy has said but more from what she hasn't. The opportunity presented itself and I asked her to do it. I knew it would be hard for her but I thought it had to be done."

"That really wasn't your decision."

"Spike, she could have said no. She had the chance and she could have sent him to Snyder or Cosgrove, but she chose to stick it out and work with him. That says a lot about what she might be thinking. You just have to give-"

"Her time. Yeah, given her all the bloody time in the world..."

"Then you're just going to have to find some more," Willow said as she stretched her arm across the table and patted his hands that were clenched together. "Buffy will tell you when she is ready to or she may never tell you. Either way, be prepared for it. Remember how long it took for her to tell you even the tiniest of details about her and Angel? Or when Joyce was sick and she closed herself off from everyone, including you? But she let go of it eventually and opened up." Willow took a breath, released her hand from Spike's and leaned back in her chair. "For a counselor who is hell bent on her student's being open with her, Buffy sure does like to keep her emotions close to her heart. She needs to deal with it on her own before she can let anyone else in on it."

"I know this. I'm just at the end of my rope," Spike muttered as he ran his hands through his hair, putting his head in between his forearms.

"Get some more rope," Willow joked. He glanced up from his place, a smirk slowly coming to his lips. "We good?" Spike nodded. "Thank goodness. I hate fighting. I get all spazzy."

"Red, you get spazzy even when you're not fighting." Willow shot Spike a look and then acquiesced, nodding in agreement. "I told Buffy I'd be talking to you about the wedding, so, Rupert, you need to get a suit."

"For?"

"Your duty as best man..."

"What happened to the tuxes?"

"She had some sort of wedding epiphany. No more tuxes. Plus, she got a peek at me in my suit looking extremely dashing and I wasn't going to argue."

"I bet," Willow said, under her breath. "So she told you about all the changes?" Spike looked at her in surprise. "Okay...maybe she didn't. There's no changes. I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm still all loopy from the almost lying and the almost fighting."

"What kind of changes?" Spike asked, forcefully, but made sure he smiled so she knew not to take his tone seriously.

"Essentially the guest list, the tuxes and the place...not so much, see?" Willow said, meekly.

"What about the guest list?"

"She wants to cut the numbers down by a lot." He raised his eyebrow in question. "To about 50 or so..."

Spike couldn't help it. He had no control over his facial muscles and he broke out in a big grin. "Thank bloody Christ!" he yelled as he held his arms up in a sign of victory.

"Yeah, yay?" Willow agreed, even though she wasn't exactly sure why he was that excited over a smaller wedding.

"Do you know how much I dreaded hobnobbing with those people? I never said anything but I never wanted anything to do with anyone outside the people we all know." Spike shook his head. "This is why I love her, ya know?"

"Because she cut the list?" Willow asked confused.

Spike rolled his eyes up. "No, it's because we're going along planning this picture perfect wedding and then out of nowhere everything changes. No explanations are given and believe me, none are necessary in this case, but she can be so rash and impulsive. She thinks it's a flaw but, man, it drives me insane...in a good way."

"What color suit am I supposed to be getting?"

"Talk to the bride. I'm not getting into color coordinating or any of that other business."

Giles suddenly remembered that Buffy had wanted to talk to him the other day before Sean had interrupted. "Do you know what Buffy wanted to talk to me about?"

"Uh, yeah, I do...but I'm leaving that up to her." The bell rang startling the three of them as they didn't realize fifty minutes had passed.

"Eek, I have to get upstairs," Willow said, quickly gathering her things. Spike walked around the table and gave her a hug. "If there's one person she'll talk to, it will be you," she whispered and pat him on the back. They let go and she gave a quick goodbye to Giles and was out the swinging doors in an instant.

"Tea?" Giles asked. Spike made a face and Giles laughed. "Well, I'm having some. Come." Spike followed Giles into the librarian's small office and watched amused as Giles went about making his tea. "Anya bought me delicious Earl Grey. Imported from home. I couldn't take another cup of Red Rose something or other."

"Lipton's not so bad."

Giles looked at him in horror. "You're becoming Americanized, you do realize."

"Me? Let's take a gander at Rupert, shall we? Tweed's gone, glasses are different, you actually know what fun means, you finally got rid of that Citroen and bought yourself a nice mid-life crisis mobile and got married to someone twenty years younger. I think we're both goners."

"As you have seemed to have forgotten, I had to get rid of the Citroen after you crashed it."

"Yeah, well, for the best, right?" Spike asked, grinning. Giles merely sighed and sat down. Spike followed his lead and sat in the other chair. "Buffy tells me you two had a talk the other day."

"Yes, indeed we did."

"What about? Unless it's private, of course. Not exactly sure what's so private between you two, though..."

"We talked about what she did for you."

"The name, you mean?" Giles nodded his head and took a sip of his tea. "And what's there to talk about?"

"I commended her for doing what I couldn't and never wanted to do," Giles said, trying to sound as if the statement weren't as heavy as it was.

"Why's that now?"

"I suppose it's like any adopted parent, although I'm not yours legally...I was afraid of the hurt you may suffer if you wanted to look for your parents. I can't say I understand that need to know where you belong-"

"I belong here," Spike said, simply.

"Yes, well, you were lucky enough to have found Buffy, to form a life here. I was only worried with what finding out would do to that."

"It's done nothing but give me a last name." Spike leaned back in the chair and sighed. "Rupert, you know I don't get into the mandy pandy heart to hearts, but when I say I belong here, I don't just mean Buffy." Giles looked at him wide-eyed, taking in what Spike had said. "She always tells me there is a reason for everything and I finally believe that."

"William-" Giles began.

"Look, there's a reason why I was given up, why I was never picked by a family, there's a reason why you took that job at Davies only two weeks before I arrived, there's a reason for our relationship, for you coming here to Sunnydale of all the places in the world, for me coming a year later, for seeing Buffy for a split second in the library and for seeing her again the next week, crying her eyes out over Angel. I have to believe there is. If I didn't, nothing would make sense. I wouldn't understand anything."

"William," Giles said, trying to intervene again. When he noticed that Spike wasn't going forward, he began, "Although it gives me great joy and comfort that I have given you a reason to, well, not be insane, I can't imagine that after all the years of wondering where your parents are, you're not in the least curious to find them."

"I'm not. You are my family and Buffy and the whole lot of them. You're all that I know. It's all I want to know. I talked to Angel about it, he gave me the names on the birth certificate but that's all that they are. Names. It's not like if I put water on them, I'll get insta-parents." Spike stood from his chair and stretched a bit. "Wipe that look of guilt off your face, Rupes. I wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for you. You're the best non-father a bloke could have." Giles stood also and grabbed a hold of Spike, crushing him in a hug that threw Spike off guard. It was bit awkward, patting on each other's backs, both trying desperately to remain manly while relaying the love they both had for each other.

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"Buffy Summers speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi, Buffy, it's Tara."

"Oh, hey! So weird...I was just thinking about the invites."

"Are you busy? I wanted to run something by you."

"Nope, pretty non-busy, actually. Just writing up some progress reports. What's going on?"

"I wasn't sure what picture you were going to use, but your mom has a copy of that one from your prom."

"That was one of the three, actually."

"Really? See I knew that!" They both laughed and Tara continued, "Well, I did a pencil of it. It's just a rough draft but I added some colors to it. Tried to brighten it up a bit, bring some life to it. If you would rather the photo, it's easy enough to do but it was slow today and I felt an itch on my artistic muscle."

"I would love to see it. Can you do up a demo of the invite for us?" Buffy asked, excitement in her voice.

"Sure can. I can have it done by tomorrow night. Do you feel like dragging Spike along?"

"Absolutely. He'll go with a smile on his face even if I have to-" Buffy was interrupted by a knock on her door. "Can you hold on a second, Tara?"

"Yes, believe me, I'm glad you didn't finish that sentence." They both laughed and Buffy took the phone from her ear.

"Come in!" Spike walked in and closed the door, a small smile on his face. She held up her finger and he nodded. She brought the phone back to her ear and said, "Speak of the devil."

"He's there? Okay, I'm thoroughly freaked out right now so I'm going to go. I'm here until eight tomorrow night so come whenever you want."

"We will. Thanks again, Tara." She hung up the phone and looked at Spike expectantly. "You haven't gone?" He didn't say anything, just continued to look at her. "Uh, what's the matter? You're acting all-" Buffy was abruptly cut off as he strode over to her quickly and lifted her from her chair, kissing her immediately. He let go of her lips, but still held on to her upper arms. "Yeah, okay...what is up with you?"

"I need a reason to kiss you now?"

"No, it's just...you're acting kind of strange. You come in here, don't say anything but do that staring thing and then you start with the kissing. Just wondering what's gotten into you is all."

"You."

"Me?" Buffy squeaked out.

"You want to break in that furniture?"

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"Hel-lo!" Buffy sang out as she entered the teacher's lounge. Willow looked up from her papers and smiled at Buffy. She sat down on her seat and grinned like a maniac. "So...how has your day been?"

"Dandy...and you look mighty happy."

"I am happy. It's such a nice feeling, isn't it? It's not like I'm not happy all the time but today just feels like a really happy day."

"Did you get mochas without me?" Buffy shook her head no, still smiling. Willow looked at her friend and noticed the flush of her skin, the bun that was perfect that morning, now messy and the grin. The grin is what gave her away. "Please tell me you did not just have," Willow lowered her voice to a whisper, "sex in your office, Buffy!"

"Alright, I won't tell you that," Buffy answered her, smirking.

"You're bad!"

"Yes, I'm very naughty. I'm a naughty but very happy girl."

"Damn you. I'm very seldom naughty," Willow added, pouting. "So did you guys talk or did you just do that thing?"

"Not so much with the talking but I have to take what I can get..."

"Oh, right because you and Spike aren't all over each other every single day. You're the closest couple I know...besides me and Tara, of course."

"Of course," Buffy agreed. "Do you ever wonder how we got so lucky? I mean you with Tara, me with Spike. Millions of people roam the Earth and never find it. We both thought we found it before and thought we'd never get it again...but then amazing people enter our lives and we're complete. How come we're the lucky ones?"

"I wish I could say something unselfish about this topic but the truth is? I'm glad it's me and you're glad it's you. I don't want to feel guilty that I found the love of my life. And I know you don't either."

"True, no more thinking thoughts like that."

"So...did he tell you what he and Giles talked about?" Willow asked, tentatively, making sure she wasn't giving herself away.

"Nope...he literally said two sentences to me before...well, you know and then I got a goodbye. Why are you so curious if we talked or not?"

"Not!" Willow's voice raised an octave too high. "I'm not. Just, you know, wondering. Being nosey."

"Did you see him in the library? I came here looking for you during third, but you weren't here. Assumed you were in the library with the two of them."

"Me? In the library? Uh, the library, huh...that's where they were?"

"It's where Giles lives. What is going on with everyone today? You're all acting so weird. First Spike, now you..." Buffy trailed off, thinking. She looked at Willow and could see the girl turning red. "Aha! You two were talking about something and I'm not supposed to know."

"What? No! Never! Why would we do that? I mean, we're your best friends...that would be back-handed and wrong or-"

"Willow, stop! You're doing the Energizer Bunny routine on me." Willow sighed and looked down, feeling guilty. "So are you going to tell me what the hell is going on or do I have to beat it out of Spike?"

"Beat it out of Spike," Willow answered too quickly. She looked back at Buffy, giving her a shy smile.

Buffy studied her friend some more and then it hit her. "You're lying for him...or something. But you are definitely showing signs of being caught in a lie."

"Okay, okay! You're like the Grand Inquisitor. It's very disconcerting, you know."

"Will..."

"He wanted to talk to me, it's no big."

"About what?" Buffy started to feel a tightening in her stomach as she got an idea exactly what he wanted to talk to Willow about.

"Uh, the wedding?"

"Nice try. Let's go for something convincing this time."

"Sean."

"I knew it!" Buffy yelled. "He said he understood, that he'd give me the time I needed...apparently all just bullshit to appease me. That is so infuriating!"

"Buffy, please don't be mad. He didn't mean any harm. He will give you the time...he just wanted to know why, I guess..."

"Why what?"

"Why you haven't talked about it with him."

"I haven't talked about it to anyone. It's a subject that I'm not very fond of. I like to repress the bad memories," Buffy said, pouting a bit. "He's a getting a talking to when I get home tonight."

Willow looked at her friend as she attacked her lunch and felt it was best to not say another word about the subject. She cursed Spike silently for not telling Buffy why he was here like he had said he would but the more she studied her friend, the more her anger turned to pity for the groom.

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