Part 9: Sweet Rendition

Part: a

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"So, your daddy tells me that he told you a story, hmmm?"

"Hmmm-mmm" Alex answered his mother as he took a scoop of ice-cream.

"Well, you know what?"

"What?"

"There's more to it than that... that is, if you wanna know..." Buffy asked Alex, as she looked at Spike.

A look of dread crossed his face.

"Yeah, I wanna know!" Alex exclaimed.

"So, what do you think, Spike?"

Spike shrugged his shoulders, but nodded reluctantly.

"Okay, well, you've already heard about the wedding. Now this is what happened afterwards."

Alex pulled the throw blanket that he was wrapped in, closer to him, to cover more of his body, and leaned his head back against his mom. Buffy wrapped her arm around his chest.

Buffy also leaned back so that most of her weight fell on Spike's side.

Spike smiled and rubbed his cheek affectionately against Buffy's hair.

"Well," Buffy began, "The wedding took a little over than an hour, but the after party lasted till the wee hours into the night."

"How 'bout me mom? Was I still there?"

"Of course, you were with your grandmother. She wouldn't put you down, not even for a minute. And if someone would happen by and ask to hold you, she would keep a close guard on you, and you would soon be in her arms again. She really loves and adores you, you know?"

"When will I see her again?"

"Oh baby, that's a tough question to answer. But I'm sure she sees you everyday, and is watching us right now."

"'Cuz she's in heaven?"

"Yeah, she's in heaven."

"How come she came down from heaven on you 'n dad's wedding?"

Spike chuckled at that. "Well, think of it this way, there was no stopping your grandmum from seeing her daughter off, happily married... and be able to finally meet you. Y'know, angels are always 'round, and if they want to be seen, they can be."

"How come she doesn't do it all the time?"

"Well, it's like this," Spike started, not knowing the answer himself, he said the first thing that came to mind: "Every moment she wants to be corporal on earth is like a lifetime away from heaven..."

"So, she wants to stay with God?" Alex inquired.

"Yeah, but, you see, that doesn't mean she doesn't wanna be with you. She's always looking out for you, you just have to remember that."

Alex nodded. Then looked at his mom to continue.

"So, the day wore on, and people, or should I say beings, were still laughing the time away. Some were dancing to the music, courtesy of your Uncle Oz and his band. They said it was their wedding gift-"

"Or they were just being cheap and-"

"Hush, it was sweet of 'em." Buffy playfully elbowed Spike in the ribs. "So, where was I? Well, the day soon turned to night. And beings were still drinking and talking, or helping themselves to another plate of food. While Spike and I, well mostly I, with a Spike shaped shadow by my side, mingled and thanked the guests for coming. And we danced every so often. But it was when I started talking to your Aunt Willow when I noticed the band had announced they were going to take a short break. I thought nothing of it because I told them that whenever they wanted to take a break and help themselves to food, or just talk, they most certainly could. They were, after all, guests too. And they happily agreed. So, anyway, they announced that Lorne would be taking over the music department. Again, no surprise there, it wasn't going to be his first song for the day, and I just love hearing his voice, but only this time the song didn't come. Instead, I watched your dad take center stage after Lorne introduced him.

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"Hello everybody, I just wanted to say thanks for coming and sharing the most wonderful moment of my life-getting married to the most beautiful woman on earth. Of course, personally, I'd have prefer it if I were to share it with just my wife." Spike said seriously, with a straight face, but then grinned, to let everybody know that he was just joking.

As the crowed laughed, Spike scanned his audience for his wife, when their eyes met, they shared a smile. He continued after clearing his throat. "But my lovely bride wants me to be thankful and be nice, and all that rot to everyone here, so, I will." Spike grinned. "Moving on, with that said, as you all know, I haven't been under the sun in over a century, but my girl-my wife and mother of my son-has given me something that I thought I would never experience again, she gave me the sunlight. So, thank you, baby..." With his eyes still locked onto Buffy, he dipped his head. Not knowing what in the hell he was doing up there, he continued, only for her, "you should know though, Buffy, the moon, the stars or even the sun don't shine like the light in your eyes."

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"Now, don't get me wrong, that was the most sweetest, the most beautiful words your father has ever said to me... Well, at least, when considering the words your father has ever said to me that others have heard. Anyway, what I'm saying is that that's not the point of the story. The point is, is what your father did next. He showed a different side of himself. That night-"

"Exactly, before that night the only person who saw me like that was your mum."

"And I rarely saw it. Well, actually, after that night I think I'm seeing a lot more of it."

"So, what happened mom?"

"Something incredible happened. Not incredible because I didn't think it would happen, or didn't want it to happen, but because of the feeling in and of itself was just simply incredible."

"What's that?" Alex asked whispering, as if saying it any louder would give away some kind of magic.

"I fell in love with your father all over again," Buffy said simply.

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"This is to my girl, Buffy Summers," Spike announced.

As Spike was dedicating his song, he heard Buffy correcting him, "Buffy Summers Howell!"

With a grin on his face and a chuckle in his voice, he repeated, "To Buffy Summers Howell, the most beautiful woman." With that, he began to sing for her.

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"Sing it to mom now, dad," Alex said, excitement filling his voice.

"Well, since the request is coming from you, then of course I will." Spike stood up, still holding Buffy's hand. "Dance with me, luv?"

"Oh, I dunno." She looked at Alex and whispered, knowing Spike could hear, "Do you think I could trust him?"

"Mo-om" Alex singsonged, laughing with his mom.

She looked at Spike and stood up. "You don't have to ask, my love, you know, with you, my answer will always be yes." She giggled as he put his hands at her waist and lifted her off the porch and onto the grass where he stood.

The sun was now low on the horizon, turning the sky into a water color painting of reds, oranges and purples.

And then she gasped when she felt the cool grass tickle her bare feet. Spike was barefoot too, so it was no problem for her to meet his gaze without having to pull back.

Spike turned her so that he could see Alex sitting on the porch. "Watch Alex, like what your mum said, this is how to win a woman's heart." Spike winked at him, before looking back into Buffy's eyes. "I love you."

"You know I love you."

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