Part 7: With this ring I thee wed...

A/N: Spike's POV. Imagine him telling this story to his son.

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The day of the wedding was on the third of April. It was spring time then, so the weather was just right. Birds. Bees. The scent of flowers and sunshine was in the air. The day had come together perfectly.

We had planned the day as if we were going to battle an apocalypse, complete with Back-up plan and all.

The wedding took place in Sunnydale. Or, what was left of Sunnydale, which was... well, a hole.

However, just a hole it was not. Something amazing had happened after everything crumbled into nothing-flowers of every color covered the place. The greenest grass matted the ground. Little tree younglings had sprouted here and there. It was as if the place knew we were planning a wedding, and decided it needed to dress up to be fit for the occasion.

Your mum said it had to be, because so much death had taken place in the town it would only be right that life should grow from it.

In any case, we weren't expecting the sight.

Also, upon finding out what the place surprisingly offered, we decided to do away with the decorations. Sunnydale was enough, au natural.

Buffy loved it.

Perfect.

Of course, it was only perfect after the less than perfect events had occurred prior to the occasion.

Your Uncle Xander and I had driven the night before the wedding, so you can say I was a little cranky. Plus, I haven't been apart from Buffy for that long since we reunited back in L.A.. I missed her, your mum.

Xander figured that I was in need of a slight detour that night... Not that I was getting cold feet or anything like that. I guess I was just scared that what would be happening was just a dream, a wonderful and great, horrible dream. So Xander thought it would be a good idea to take me somewhere to get away for a bit, to soak it all in, and what better place than the beach?

I didn't need some wild guys night out before getting hitched. I didn't need any last hooraahs because I knew what I would be leaving behind, and let me tell you, it's nothing compared to the married life with your mum, and I knew that NOTHING could have made me any more happier.

But as the story goes, I was a bit cranky that night, and I took it out on your Uncle Xander, but he handled things... when it got a bit rough. And whatever he says, don't believe it, cuz I did not strip in front of him and run into the water like some mad lunatic. I just splashed a little water on my face to make sure I was awake, is all.

Well that was that, and when we got back on the road, I was feeling more like myself and feeling like the things around me were actually happening.

When we finally got to the "hole" around midnight, I realized my bride-to-be would be arriving in five and a half hours. I was psyched up, couldn't sit still for a minute. So, I changed into my tux and paced around, while Xander told jokes and such, trying to calm me down. A valiant attempt, but he was no match for the emotions running through me.

Then people started to show up. There weren't many guests expected to arrive, since Buffy wanted a simple, small, intimate wedding, and I didn't complain on that end. As it turned out, I barely got a chance to even talk to 'em.

Then all too soon, or not soon enough, it came time for me to duck into the so-called grooms-room. So I wouldn't see Buffy in her gown. Hardest two minutes of my life. Thank God she came round to where I was at and talked to me through the door.

Buffy, she always was there for me; knowing what I was thinking, and far better than I ever was at knowing what I needed. I like to think that I do the same for her.

I remember, she tapped on the door to let me know she was there. But she needn't need to go through the trouble, since I already knew she was behind the piece of wood that separated us.

She told me how everyone was gathering around. Ushers were handing out fans for the guests as they took their seats. She talked about how everyone were getting along. And in a way, she told me how she felt without even telling me. She was excited, but calm; her voice even and soothing. I couldn't see her, but I could tell that her hand lingered just above the handle and her body was leaning towards, but not against the door so that her dress wouldn't wrinkle. And in how her words carried to me, I could tell she was smiling.

I told her about the night previous, how I woke and realized that I was living my dream. She didn't reply, but I felt her heart quicken and then slow to an even rhythm. We stood there like that for some minutes, just being there in each other's presence. There's this certain comfortableness in just knwing she's there. An' I heard somewhere, that if you can sit in comfortable silence with your significant other, that's love.

A few moments later, I heard Dawn and Willow letting Buffy know it was time.

The wedding was about to start, and I nearly stormed out of the room in my excitement. But Xander got to me first.

Next thing I remember, I was standing in front of everybody and waiting for my bride.

It seemed like it took ages for her to get there, but when I finally saw her, I swear, I would have waited an eternity...

She was just... beautiful, standing there. I couldn't help but think, 'is she really going to be mine?' I mean, it's inconceivable for an angel to ever belong to someone, right? Regardless, she was there-walking to me, and being escorted by, out of all people, Rupert.

When she was finally within arms reach, your Grandpa Rupert kissed her forehead. In that moment, I had the utmost respect for the man. I don't think anyone was more suited to give Buffy away.

Rupert then turned to me, but my eyes were still locked onto the beautiful woman standing next to him.

I dunno, somehow my legs started to move towards her. I'm guessing it was Clem, or Xander, or it could've even been Andrew; that got me moving. Because I know that if somebody didn't give me a shove, I would have just stood there, awestruck.

When I stepped the two steps it took to get to her, Rupert gave me a pat on the back, and I think, when I looked at him, he smiled. Next thing I knew he shook my hand. But it really was a blur on that end. I don't even remember when he went to take a seat next to your grandmum, who was holding you, because once Buffy's hand left the crook of Rupert's bent arm, to be placed into mine-I dunno if there are words to explain such a feeling.

Then, as if my head cleared up from all the clouds; brought on by my own personal piece of heaven standing next to me, I got the nerve to guide her the two steps it took to the person who was going to marry us, and make me the happiest man on earth.

And the person responsible for giving us a proper right to do so, wasn't a person at all, but an angel; literally an angel. I thought it perfect that Tara was able to do such a thing... because, well, don't you think it rightfully so? She was, in fact, the first to know about us. You know?

When she pronounced us married, and gave me the permission to kiss my bride, I never heard an order so sweet.

Then as Buffy had planned-well, from what I heard later-she had planned it so that by the time we were pronounced married, the sun would rise. And rise it did.

Since I couldn't go out into the sun with her, to meet up with the crowd out in the burgeoning sunlight, I whispered in her ear to remind her of my vampiric allergy conditions. But she just looked up at me, smiled and whispered, "Come on, don't be shy."

I thought she probably wasn't thinking right. So, I stood in my place, safe in the shadows. But she grabbed my hand and told me not to worry and to remember what she said, when she slipped on the gold band onto my finger. I remember it clearly. After her vows, she told me in the merest of whispers: "You reached out and gave me a star, so I thought... maybe I could give you a bit of sunshine... I hope you like it."

When I first heard her words, however, I thought she meant, of course, that she was my sunshine, and her putting on the ring was the delectable seal of proof. But standing there after we were pronounced married; she in the sunlight and me still in the shadow of the terrace- well I put two and two together, and realized what it really meant. The metaphor was not only a metaphor but also literal. With this ring, she not only promised to be with me always, but to be with me ALWAYS...

She had squeezed my hand, telling me what I was thinking, was true. And so, I stepped out from underneath the terrace that Xander had built, and joined her in the sunlight, that was fast in revealing itself to the people standing below it. Well, except for a few, of course, to those who still can't handle sunlight.

But let me tell you, although it felt great to stand in the sunshine again, it was nothing compared to the thought of being able to stand next to Buffy.

'Not to mention, to be able to see the look on ol' Angelus's face when I joined her in the sun. Priceless'

And that, my son, is the story of our wedding…

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TBC...