EPILOGUE: New Beginning
Once Spike, Buffy, Alex, Katie and Jamie all got home after visiting Faith they all curled up together in Spike and Buffy's big bed. With Buffy on the right, Spike on the left and then the boys with Katie in the middle. As they all fell asleep Spike looked over at Buffy, for the first time in so long she had fallen asleep with a smile on her face, things kept hitting them and they were still standing strong, they were unbreakable, this thought gave Spike an idea as he slipped back out of bed.
Buffy woke up to the sun gleaming through her window as the sun shone outside and thought about the recent events, she shot round in her bed and was greeted by the smiling face of her daughter.
"Morning mommy." Katie greeted.
"Good morning baby, where are the boys?" She asked.
Katie moved forward slightly and snuggled into her mothers embrace.
"They down stairs, daddy said you can't come down stairs until one of them comes up."
"Ok, what are they doing?" Buffy asked.
"Dunno, they wont tell me cause they said I've got a big mouth and will tell you, so I can't go down stairs either." Katie pouted.
"Aww, well them nasty boys don't know what the are talking about, and if you have got a big mouth, you get it from your father." She said rubbing noses with her.
Katie giggled then turned around as she heard the door open and her bleach blond father peep his head in.
"And how are my two favourite girls doing?" Spike said walking in.
"Mommy said if I've got a big mouth I get it from you daddy." She said getting out of bed and jumping into his arms.
"Oh did she now?" He said raising an eyebrow at her "Well, why don't you go and find Alex and he can tell you what we've been doing down stairs." He said putting her down
Katie nodded and ran out the door screaming her brother's name.
Spike chuckled and jumped down onto the bed with his wife pulling her in for a kiss.
"So, I've got a big mouth have I?" He said tickling her.
"Yes, but, I must admit, your mouth is very good for certain things." She said pulling him on top of her.
"Oh really? Well we can explore those things much later." He said sliding his legs of the side of the bed, keeping his top half on top so he was kneeling on the floor next to Buffy.
"Can't we explore some of those things now?" She said pulling his head down for a kiss.
"Course we can luv, but I want you to do something first." He said as she kissed his lips.
"Mmm what's that?"
"Marry me first," He asked.
Buffy broke the kiss and looked at him.
"What?" She laughed.
Spike pulled away from her and kneeled on the floor, Buffy sat up and put her feet on the floor looked at him as he was knelt at her knees.
"Buffy, these past ten years, we've had many obstacles. From your psycho ex's to my psycho ex's, and what happened yesterday made me realise that he was the cause of most of the obstacles, and now, he's gone and we can move on with our lives. So this is where it's gonna start, right here in our bedroom, with our three maniac kids running about down stairs" He said pointing to the door.
Buffy laughed at Spikes words.
"I want you and everyone else to know that we are forever and the obstacles in the past have not stopped us. I want us to have a new beginning, so quoting myself 10 years ago, Buffy Anne Crawford, will you marry me, again?" He asked pulling out her engagement ring, which he took off during the night.
Buffy smiled at him and nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. "Yes, of course I will" She said letting him slip her ring on her finger; once he had she pulled his head to her for a passionate yet soft and loving kiss.
"I love you so much Spike," She said as tears leaked from her eyes.
"I love you too, sweet heart." He said kissing her nose.
She smiled at him then he stood up and took her hand and led her to the window.
"Take a look." He said.
She looked up at him then out the window, she gasped at the sight of Willow and Xander with a clipboard in hand screaming at people. Dawn, Xander, Kennedy, Sarah, Zack, Fred, Gunn, Wesley, Lorne, Giles,Andrew, Rachel, Katie and Jamie running about setting up a ceremony in the back yard and obviously Willow was the organiser.
"Don't worry about where the chairs will go...We'll decide when they get here...Did you find the table-cloths? Where's Dawn? Go find her...XANDER! Don't put the arch there! Of course I didn't tell you to put it there...I want it in front of the rose bushes...Then PUT it there...please! Alex honey please don't tie up your sister with the ribbons... Jamie leave the cake, that's for later..."
Buffy laughed as she watched her friends run about, all for her, she turned round and hugged Spike.
"Thank you, so much." She said.
"Your welcome baby, your dress will be here soon ok, Willow says I'm not allowed to see it." He said pouting.
"I get a new dress?" She said excitedly
"As I said, new beginning, so that means new dress." He said kissing her on the forehead.
"Yay. Wait Spike, where is my wedding ring?" She said looking at her finger for the first time.
Spike raised his eyebrow at her.
"Right, let me guess, new beginning." She said pulling him closer to her and bring his head down for a mind-blowing kiss.
"Dawn will be up with the dress and I've got a little surprise for you when you come down, ok."
"Ok, bye baby." She said stroking his face as he left.
Buffy watched the door close and turned back to the window and watched the scene in the back yard.
"Xander...move the arch over there...Because I've changed my mind I want her to come past the rose bush...Never mind why...Fred, Kennedy, Dawn the flowers are here...You have to see these, they're Buffy's favourite... HEY! Come back here...These are roses! Well, I ordered lilies...Yes, I'm sure! If I'd ordered roses, then I wouldn't be complaining about GETTING roses, would I? Yes, I realise it was very short notice but we are paying... or Spike is paying a lot of money for this to be perfect... yes you can have a tip if you go back... $100... yes really, if you move fast...Run red lights...Shoo! What do you want now, Xander? I am perfectly calm!"
After Spike had left Buffy sat down and did her hair the way she wanted it. Every couple of minutes she jumped up and looked out the window, Spike waved to her and blew her a kiss the last time she did it and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Buffy saw the door open and watched Dawn and her daughter walk in.
"Hey Buffy, you ready to see your wedding dress?" She asked.
Buffy opened her arms to Katie as she ran in and sat on her mother's lap.
"Ok, show me." She said.
Buffy gasped and her hand covered her mouth, she set Katie on the floor and walked up to dress that was laid on her bed, tears came to her eyes as she drunk in the site of it.
It was a lace strapless bustier wedding dress with sweetly scalloped lace neckline and hemline, full a-line skirt with crinoline underneath for fullness. Re-embroidered lace is one of the most intricate of all laces designs on the dress; it was a lace pattern fabric with stylistic embroidery on net tulle fabric.
"Oh god, its beautiful Dawn, thank you." She said hugging her.
"You better say thank you, do you know how early I had to get up this morning to pick out this dress?" She said.
"I will be forever grateful." Buffy said taking the dress out the plastic wrapping.
"If you want you could give me Spike." She said.
Buffy turned round and looked up at her.
"Well, who is ever going to be lucky enough to find a guy that will marry them twice and spend this much money the second time?" She said only half joking.
Buffy smiled and put her arm round her grown up little sister.
"II guess I'm just lucky huh, and anyway, you have got Zack, little sis." She said poking her in the ribs.
"Yeah, I know." She said grabbing Katie's hand.
"Call us when your ready, we're just going to put our dress's on in Katie's room ok." She said before leaving.
Buffy picked up the dress and held it up to her and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Very lucky." She said looking at a picture of her and Spike that sat on her dressing table.
Spike was in his tux already, Alex and Jamie stood next to him in their tuxes and everything was ready, all they needed now was the bride to come down those stairs.
Spike was about to run up and see what was taking her so long.
"Don't even think about it Spike."
Spike sighed and let out a deep breath as he turned round and looked at Willow who wore and black silk dress, as she was going to minister the wedding.
"Come on Red, I just want to..."
"Go and see Buffy, I know and the answer is no."
"But, its not like that bad luck thing still stands." He whined.
"Spike, you can whine until the cows come home, I'm not letting you up there."
"But..."
"Spike, I can hear your moaning from up here, do what Willow says honey" Buffy said through the window.
"Bloody hurry up then, I wanna see what you look like." He said up to the window.
"All in good time baby."
"BUFFY!" He yelled up.
"Alright alright, I'll be right down." She said.
Spike smiled and jumped up and down a couple of times, he was really excited.
Buffy checked herself in the mirror and smiled, she heard a knock at the door and knew it was Giles.
"I assume the shouting I heard from your other half tells me, you are ready to go." Giles said smiling at her
"Yes, I'm ready." She said turning round and facing him.
"Buffy, you look more stunning then you did the last time we were here." He said walking to her and holding up his arm.
Buffy slipped her hand onto his arm and smiled up at him.
"Thank you Giles," She said.
"Now lets get down stairs before Spike starts whining again." He said.
Buffy chuckled and was lead down stairs.
"Oh Buffy, before I forget, Spike organised someone to be here today" Giles said as they walked down the stairs.
"Really who?" Buffy asked.
"Hey B." She heard from the bottom of the stairs.
Buffy's eyes widened as she saw Faith. The last time she had seen her, Faith had been unconscious and in hospital. Now she was sitting in a wheel chair with Wood by her side.
"FAITH OH MY GOD!" She screeched running towards her and hugging her.
"B, still injured with gun shot wound here." She said struggling.
Buffy pulled back from her and knelt down in front of her slightly smiled at her with tears shimmering in her eyes.
"How are you feeling?" She asked holing her hands.
"Like I got shot in the gut." She said jokily before looking at Buffy seriously.
"I'm sorry I let him take them, that I wasn't able to stop him, he was just so strong and..."
"You stop right there, none of what happened was you're fault. I should be thanking you for trying, don't ever blame yourself ok, I'm just so sorry you got hurt in the process."
Faith smiled at her and pulled her up and hugged her.
"Buffy, you are my best friend, and I love those kids, if I had to take another bullet to save them I would do it," She said into Buffy's ear
Buffy was trying to hold back her tears as she kissed Faiths cheek
"You're the bestest friend anyone could ask for" She said to her
"Love ya B"
"Love ya too F" Buffy said sniffling.
The ceremony went of with out a hitch, with Alex as Spikes best man, and Dawn as the maid of honour, Katie as the flower girl, Jamie as page boy and Willow performing the ceremony and Faith in the front row, right beside Buffy they exchanged vows and rings they kissed and was pronounced husband and wife, forever.
Spike and Buffy waved goodbye to Faith, as she had to go back to hospital, she was only aloud out for an hour.
As everyone gathered in the back yard and danced, in the middle Spike and Buffy held each other listening to the lyrics of the song.
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life (You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin' They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
"You know what the funny thing about this song is?" Spike whispered into her ear.
"What?"
"That about 10 years ago, somebody told me that we'll never last" Spike said think about what Angel had said to him when they found out she was pregnant with Alex.
"Well that person couldn't be more wrong, and Shania Twain couldn't be more right." She laughed.
Spike laughed and held her tighter against him.
"Love you." He whispered
"Love you more."
"I don't think that's possible." He said burying his face into her hair
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
After the song was over, Buffy got up in front of everyone and signalled for everyone to be quite
"Hi, could I get everyone's attention please" Once everyone looked at Buffy, she smiled at them.
"I would like to thank everyone for coming, especially on such short notice. Today has been, amazing is not a big enough word. I'd like to thank Willow for setting everything up with the help of Xander and everyone else for setting up this beautiful scenery in my back yard, Dawn, my beautiful kid sister for getting my dress. And lastly, I'd like to thank the man who thought this all up, the man who I see as my soul mate, my world." She said looking into Spikes eyes as tears shimmered in her own.
"Spike, we've been through a lot, and today you told me that us getting married again today was the start of a new beginning. But Spike, with this new beginning one thing will never change and that's how I feel about you." She said as tears fell from her eyes.
Spike got up from his seat and slowly walked towards her.
"And what I'm trying to say is after all these years, I'm still crazy about you, I will never love anyone as much as I love you William." She said, as he got right in front of her.
"I love you too for all eternity." He said walking over to her and picking her up.
She laughed as he kissed her; the crowd went 'Awww' as he settled her to the floor.
Buffy signalled the kids over, they stood in front of their parents and smiled up at them.
"I like everyone to raise their glasses, to a new beginning." Buffy said.
"A new beginning." Everyone parroted.
"Hey you guys hold it." Willow said as she took a picture of the family.
Buffy looked around and sighed in contentment as Spike kissed her then walked away with the kids, she watched as her family walked away.
Alex, her first-born child. She had been through so much with him; he helped her through times that were hard even at a young age. He was Spike's right hand man, but he was her little man, who always had an instinct to protect his family, just like his father.
Katie and Jamie, she had gone through so much being pregnant with them, but thanks to their big brother and Faith she got through it.
Katie is and will always be Spikes little princess and she knows it, Buffy knew she would have a hard time dating with Spike as a father.
Jamie was her baby, he was the youngest and was attached to Buffy so much and she loved it, she knew he would be the hardest to let go, he was mommy's little boy.
And that brought her to the last member of her little family: Spike. Her and Spike had know each other for a decade and a half. The first 5 years of their relationship was not the best, but since she realised she was in love with him no matter what happened she was happy just knowing that he was hers, she loved him with everything that she had, and she always will. To Buffy, her family was perfect,
"ALEX LEAVE YOUR SISTER ALONE... KATIE DON'T PULL ALEX'S HAIR...JAMIE GET YOUR FACE OUT THE CAKE!" Spike yelled.
Ok so maybe perfect was to strong a word.
THE END
AN: First of all I would like to thank everyone who read this story, I've have enjoyed the past 10 months writing it, and I will also enjoy writing my other story Summers Dreams and Winters Nightmare which should have the same up-down storylines as this one did, I will also enjoy writing the sequel to this one
THAT'S RIGHT I SAID SEQUEL, so if there is anything that you think has been left for this story that I could carry on in a sequel, I would love for you to email you ideas to me, like couples you would like to see and things you would like to see with them.
I would like to thank my beta Ammers
I would also like to thank everyone who review, but there is a select few who have been reviewing since the beginning
And many more, thank you a please keep reading and reviewing my other stories.