Chapter 4

Buffy kissed her sister goodnight and walked downstairs and into the lounge. Willow came in through the kitchen with a couple of mugs of hot chocolate. Buffy dropped down on the sofa and kicked off her trainers, wriggling her toes in the carpet pile as she stretched out. Willow passed her a mug and Buffy sipped at it gratefully, before letting out a long sigh.

"I'm glad you're here Willow," said Buffy.

"I wouldn't have missed Dawnie's homecoming for the world. How did she take the news?"

"Dawn was surprisingly chipper about the whole thing, but I can't help thinking its all an act,"

"She is a strong young woman Buffy, give her more credit. She's really grown up this past year, whiney Dawn hasn't surfaced since..."

"Before mom died?" asked Buffy cutting her friend off mid sentence.

"Yeah,"

"Willow this is all too much for me it's all..." Buffy's face crumpled as fat tears streaked down her face,

"Hey, c'mon you have managed this far baby. I'm here for you both, you're not alone in this," said Willow as she gathered up Buffy in her arms.

Buffy rested her head against her friend's shoulder until her sobs subsided to be replaced by the occasional hiccupping.

"Thanks for letting me wail all over you," smiled Buffy.

"That's what friends are for," said Willow, returning her smile.

Buffy leaned over to grab her purse; she took out the list that the hospital had given her earlier.

"You know how they say troubles come in threes?" asked Buffy.

"No, but I think you are about to tell me," said Willow as she looked at the sheets of paper in Buffy's hand.

"I got this from the hospital today,"

"Oh, Buffy how did this happen?" ask Willow.

"I'm gonna fix it," said Buffy firmly.

"How? That's a lot of money to find,"

"I'm going to get married,"

The room had gone so quiet that Buffy was sure that she could hear the crickets chirping. She looked at Willow's face, and at the perfect expression of shock on her friend's features.

"I've made up my mind, don't try to talk me out of it. Mr Rayne, you know, the gentleman has offered me the chance to make some money fast,"

"You're gonna marry him?" asked Willow in confusion.

"No, don't be silly. He has someone that needs to marry so they can stay in the country,"

"Let me get this straight you're gonna marry a total stranger?" asked Willow.

"That's the idea Willow, in less than two weeks, Saturday October 9th to be exact. What are you doing then?" asked Buffy.

"You want me to come to the wedding? Buffy I don't think I can..."

"No, I want you to sit in with Dawn while I disappear for a couple of hours that day,"

"You could be marrying an axe murderer or the guy could be about ninety for all we know,"

"Don't be so melodramatic Will, it's not like I ever have to see him again after it's all over,"

"You don't have to do this, I could lend you some money, and the others at the diner could..." Willow trailed off.

"No, I don't want anyone's charity and you can ill afford it, what with another two more years at uni to get through. Not a word about this to the others and especially Dawn. She can't know. I'm trusting you with this Willow,"

"You know you can count on me," sighed Willow.

"Good, well I'm gonna call it a night and don't try and talk me out of this because it won't work,"

Willow looked at Buffy knowing that stubborn expression of old; she could tell when she was fighting a losing battle. She didn't agree with what Buffy was doing, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Ok, ok, I will sit with Dawn, but on your head be it," said Willow.

"It is my head and my choice," said Buffy as she picked up the empty mugs and walked off to the kitchen.

Two Weeks Later Friday October 8th

Angel stood back and surveyed Spike dressed in one of his dark suits.

"Gotta say you scrub up good Spike,"

"I look like a bloody penguin, and this suit is too big for me," Spike replied as he examined his reflection in the mirror.

"Wonder what your bride will look like," smirked Angel

"I don't bleeding care as long as she's female and she shows up. That's the whole point," snapped Spike.

"Hey maybe it's the bag lady who hangs around the park talking to herself, she's always asking for change. Maybe Ethan offered her a get rich quick scheme,"

"Oh you're a laugh a minute," snapped Spike as he reached over to his jacket that was folded on Angel's bedside table. He fumbled around in his pocket until he located his cigarettes.

"No smoking in my bedroom Spike," said Angel as he confiscated his smokes.

"Bastard!"

"Is that anyway to speak to your best man? I'm doing you a huge favour here," said Angel, trying to sound offended.

"More like you want to come and witness my humiliation," replied Spike.

Spike snatched the cigarettes from Angel's grasp and walked out of the room onto the balcony. He lit up a cigarette and leant on the balustrade. By this time tomorrow he would be legally joined to a stranger. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. It had seemed such a long way away two weeks ago and now it was the eve of his wedding day. Well it couldn't go much worse than the previous one he thought mockingly.

A feeling of melancholy washed over him as for some reason he thought about the girl in the diner. He hadn't seen her to speak to since she had spilt coffee all down his jeans, but he had stopped by the place a couple of times, and had watched her through the steamed up windows before he had given himself a good talking to about what the hell he was up to. There was no way he was going to allow himself to be caught a second time around.

Spike checked his watch, the sun was setting and he suddenly had the desire to get out of here. He took off the suit jacket and dropped it on Angel's bed picked up his own jacket before striding out of the apartment.

Angel smiled to himself as he watched him go.

"That's the biggest case of pre-wedding jitters that I have ever witnessed," he said aloud smugly to himself as he went over to the drinks cabinet and poured out a generous shot of whiskey.

Spike walked through the park, breathing in the fresh air hoping it would help relieve his taut nerves, because his cigarette wasn't bloody working. He threw it into the gutter in disgust. He nodded to a couple of passers-by as he exited the park and walked down the street. Before Spike knew where he was, he was standing outside the diner. The lights were on, and he could see Buffy walking between the tables with a coffee pot in her hand. She looked so beautiful, like an Angel, if only things could have been different.... he sighed. Well they bloody weren't you damn poofta. Spike walked off quickly before he actually did something stupid like go in and sit at one of the tables.

Buffy looked up, she had felt as if someone were watching her. Eyes watched her all the time in a place like this, but it felt different. She looked out through the fogged up windows and was sure she had caught the flash of a bright blonde head retreating into the early evening.

She shook off her stupid fancies. Spike had not come anywhere near the diner since she had been dumb enough to spill coffee all down him. Not that she blamed him.

"Penny for your thoughts Buffy," said Willow as she came up behind her.

Buffy started at the sound of her friend's voice.

"How about $25,000 for them?" Buffy replied.

"That's not funny, you know it's not too late to back out," said Willow.

"We've already been through this a million times Willow. I've been paid the money upfront and something tells me that Ethan is not a guy to cross. It's a done deal, live with it, I have too," snapped Buffy as she walked off.

Willow shook her head sadly as she watched Buffy disappear into Mr Giles office.

Buffy knocked on the glass of Mr Giles's door.

"Enter,"

She opened the door and walked in.

"Hi, just wanted to make sure that it was still okay for me to take a couple of hours off tomorrow morning,"

"Of course Buffy. Why don't you sit down a moment?" said Mr Giles as he pointed to a vacant chair.

Buffy sank down on the seat, glad to take a load off her feet for a few minutes. She looked at her employer expectantly.

"We haven't had much time to talk of late. How is Dawn?" asked Mr Giles.

"She is fine, the chemo is due to start on Monday,"

"Good, good," he replied placing his elbows on the desk and lacing his fingers together.

Buffy looked at her employer. Why did she get the feeling he wanted to say more?

"Was there anything else?" she asked.

He coughed before answering her. "If there was anything you needed, a loan, some time off, you would ask if you thought I could help,"

Buffy's face darkened. "Have you been talking to Willow? Because if you have..."

"No not at all, she just mentioned that she was worried about you, that you were having difficulties,"

"Well it was not her place to say. Did she say anything else?" asked Buffy.

"No just what I mentioned. So can I help?" he asked.

"Thanks Mr Giles, but its all taken care of," said Buffy resolutely.

She got up from her seat and left the office with murder on her mind as she sought out Willow. Willow looked up nervously as she saw Buffy striding towards her with a rigid expression on her face.

"I trusted you Willow,"

"Hey wait a moment here, I didn't say anything about the "M" word to anyone. I just thought that if Mr Giles could help you then you wouldn't need to go through with tomorrow that's all,"

"And I've already told you that's not a possibility now," said Buffy.

"Fine I was just trying to help," said Willow as she began to walk off.

Buffy caught a hold of her arm before she could leave. "I'm sorry Willow, it's just that this whole thing has got me all edgy you know?"

"Yeah, and although I don't agree with what you are doing, I think it's a pretty noble thing you are doing for Dawn," admitted Willow reluctantly.

"I just want it done with," sighed Buffy.

Buffy packed the large holdall as she prepared to go to work like it was any other day, but it wasn't. It was her wedding day. She had her mother's wedding dress tucked safely inside. It broke her heart to put it to such use, but Ethan had told her to dress traditional. She just hoped that she could hold out at work without breaking down in tears. As far as they, all knew she was going off for a dentist's appointment, nothing else. Only Willow knew the truth.

Buffy hurried down the stairs as she heard the knock on the front door. She opened it on Willow, the redhead smiled at her as she walked in. Buffy hugged her tightly.

"Thanks Will, for being here and for everything,"

"No, probs. Where's Dawnie?"

"Need you ask? It's 6am on a Saturday morning," Buffy replied checking her watch. "Well I gotta go, places to be, people to wed,"

"Don't joke about it,"

"My quirky sense of humour is the only thing I have going for me right now Willow, don't knock it," Buffy smiled.

"See you later, around five right?" asked Willow.

"Call me if anything comes up," said Buffy as she left the house.

Willow watched her walk down the path with the huge holdall slung over one shoulder. "Good luck," she said quietly before closing the door.

Spike stood at the altar with Angel at his side. He pulled at the collar of his shirt that suddenly seemed too constricting to him. Angel turned to him and patted him on the back.

"She's late," Spike noted.

"She is already here, I heard the priest talking to Ethan about it," Angel informed him.

"Thanks a lot mate and you were going to tell me when?" snarked Spiked.

"You didn't ask," said Angel innocently.

"Git,"

"I aim to please,"

"Tell me again why we are friends." drawled Spike.

Both Angel and Spike's attention was taken up as the priest came to stand in front of them and he turned and nodded to the organist at the far corner. Spike felt his heart leap up in his throat as the strains of the wedding march belted out. Ethan and a couple of his friends who had attended at witnesses stood up.

Spike turned to see his prospective bride. The sun was shining in through the windows and he was temporarily blinded unable to make her out to any degree, a white veil also covered her. As she walked forward he was finally able to the woman's features beneath the covering. Angel let out a low appreciative whistle.

"Bloody hell," Spike choked out

TBC