Chapter 5

Buffy halted mid-aisle. Her eyes widening in recognition, she gripped the small bunch of white roses she held in her hands so tightly that a thorn pricked one of her fingers. She winced a little at the pain, but paid it no heed. How could this be? Buffy had only found out the name of her bridegroom the night before. It had said William Sutton, no mention of a Spike anywhere, but here he was standing in front of her waiting to be joined in holy matrimony.

She had heard his softly spoken "Bloody hell" and for some reason she had been stung by it. Buffy forced her feet to move forward as she completed her walk down the aisle. The music faded away and she put down her flowers on a pew and turned to face him.

He wasn't looking at her, but at Ethan Rayne seated to the side of her. He was glaring at the older man who just looked back at him and shrugged indifferently. Spike turned his attention back to Buffy; she looked nervously up at him through her veil.

"Hello," was all she could think of to say to the man at her side, inwardly cringing at her trite remark. Oh, God this was turning out to be so much harder than she had imagined. It had been a great deal simpler when it had been some faceless stranger. Not that she really knew Spike/William, but they had met and she had had more than a few daydreams that had involved him...

Spike tried to keep his breathing shallow, as he could feel the presence of the girl at his side with every fibre of his being. This was all wrong, what advantage had Ethan used to get her here or was she just some gold digger seduced by a big fat cheque? He looked at her again, but this time she averted her gaze to the floor. Well he was here now and he had dammed well paid through the nose for the privilege of it too. He thought to himself.

He took Buffy's hand as they both followed the priest to the altar, and he noted the coldness of her fingers. The meagre showing of wedding guests followed them. As they walked, the priest recited a passage from the bible. They all knelt on satin cushions while the priest motioned them to make the sign of the cross. Spike made an awkward motion that was more like an x. Buffy tried not to smile at his obvious discomfort.

The priest opened his book and began to read"My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community...

Spike switched off at the drone of the priest's drone, none of it applied to him...he turned to look at Buffy again. Was it just the trick of the light or could he see tears rimming her eyes. He hoped what ever had brought her to this place in time; it was for the right reasons. He let out a self-derisive laugh that rang through the church. The priest stopped talking and glared at him.

Spike blushed red. "Sorry mate,"

"If we can continue?" asked the priest.

Spike nodded and looked at his bride. He had to stop calling her that. She wasn't his anything. He was sure he detected a hint of a smile on her face. Well it was far better than the earlier tears. For a moment, his stupid mind wandered as he imagined what it would be like to be here, being joined to her if they were a pair of typical lovers and not almost complete strangers. He became aware that all eyes were looking at him again as if waiting for something...Buffy nudged him in the ribs.

"What was that?" he asked.

The Priest sighed and repeated himself. "Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to each other in marriage?"

"Oh yeah...uh I know not of any lawful impediments,"

Buffy quietly and evenly repeated Spike's words. She knew not of any lawful impediments, but she sure knew a whole bunch of moral ones. She pushed the thoughts aside as she waited for the next question.

"Will you love and honour each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?"

Yeah for the whole twelve months, we are married Spike thought dryly as he replied in the affirmative. He waited for Buffy's firm response.

"Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?" the priest asked.

Spike let out a little choking sound. He hadn't seen that one coming; Kids...Buffy...He had a sudden vision of a little girl with honey blonde curls calling him daddy...

"Uh...yes," Spike replied.

He looked at Buffy, but her gaze was fixed straight ahead, as she looked at the priest. Two bright spots of colour burned her cheeks. Spike kids...kids of Spike. The thought of making babies flooded unbidden into her mind, their bodies entwined...and he looked like he would have such a nice body...

"Buffy," The priest looked at her in askance.

"Oh yeah," she could of slapped herself as her voice almost sounded like she was begging to make children with Spike.

There was no more time for daydreams as the priest launched into the marriage ceremony. Angel moved forward and placed the plain gold wedding bands on the prayer book. The priest made the sign of the cross over them before passing the book to Spike so he could take the tiny gold ring that was intended for his almost wife. His hands were shaking as he took it and placed it first on her thumb and other subsequent fingers in the traditional Catholic manner he had read up about. Buffy took his much larger ring and did the same to him. As she slid the ring onto the third finger of his left hand, their gazes locked for a second. The material of her wedding dress felt too constrictive to her, as she held on to his hand longer than was necessary...

Spike looked towards the front again, but she continued to study him. What had gone so horribly wrong in his life that he needed to buy himself a bride? He was gorgeous, any number of women would be happy to marry him and for keeps. Why resort to a stranger?

Her heart beat wildly in her chest as the priest announced that they were man and wife. Father Michael looked at them both expectantly. "You may now kiss the bride," he urged.

"Wha-at?" asked Buffy.

Ethan came up behind them with a digital camera. "Come on Kiddies you know the drill. We just need a few pictures for authenticity," he smiled at them both.

If it got anymore bloody authentic, they would be asking them to consummate the marriage next Thought Spike as he looked at Buffy She looked adorable beneath her white covering and before he knew what he was doing, he lifted her veil and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Buffy bit her lip as she looked at those lips coming closer to her own. They looked strong, the sort that could destroy a girls reason in just one touch. Did she dare?

The decision was taken from her as his lips brushed against hers in the lightest touch before claiming them in a strong all enveloping kiss, like none she had ever experienced before at the hands of her previous boyfriends. Not that there had been many. As soon as they had known there was a younger sister in tow, for whom she was responsible, then she might as well have been a single mother of ten...

"Ahem,"

Buffy barely registered the sound.

"I think I have enough shots of the kissing couple," drawled Ethan behind them.

Spike pulled away, almost regretfully as he looked at Buffy. Her expression was unreadable through lowered lashes. He sighed, took her hand, and led her down the aisle to the doors of the church where they assembled outside for more pictures. Both of them were surprised as they were showered with rice and confetti. This was all becoming all just a little too real for her, and she wondered how much longer she could hold herself to together before the cracks started to show.

After that, the priest led Spike and Buffy to an inner office where they would sign the register. It was the last time that she would sign her self as Buffy Summers; she was now by law Buffy Sutton. Well at least her initials hadn't changed she thought brightly.

Angel had remained silent during the couple's absence, having nothing in common with Ethan and his cronies. However, he had a couple of questions he was burning to ask Spike when they had a moment alone. He had never seen total strangers look at each other with such longing expressions on their faces. He had had enough casual encounters to know it just didn't work that way. None of his willing partners had ever looked at him in that way and for some reason that thought made him bitter.

"Well thank you one and all, that went rather well wouldn't you say?" asked Ethan cheerfully.

"A moment alone if you please," Spike demanded rather than requested as he reappeared with Buffy.

"Of course dear boy, but time is money so make it quick,"

Spike took Ethan by the arm and led him back inside the church. Buffy smiled at Angel, he must be Spikes friend or he could be another of Ethan's accomplices

He walked over to her and held out a hand, she shook it firmly.

"Hello, I'm a friend of Spike's. Angel's the name,"

Didn't any of these people have normal names, but then again who was she to talk with a name like Buffy she mused.

"I'm Buffy,"

"That was kind of a given. I was at the ceremony remember?" he drawled.

Buffy blushed anew, if the truth were told the only one she had noticed was Spike. Which really was not of the good She reminded herself. Her attention was taken up by the sound of raised voices coming from inside the chapel, Spike and Ethan's.

"I thought I made it clear when we entered this little scheme that it was anyone, but her," Snarled Spike.

"Yes, but time was running out. Beggars can't be choosers at times like these. She needed the money and you needed a wife or have you forgotten?"

"How could I when you never let me for a moment?" asked Spike. "But I told you I didn't want it to be her,"

"A bit late for that now after the deed is done. No one forced you to go through with it,"

"Would I have gotten my money back if I hadn't?" asked Spike.

Ethan stared at him steadily, giving him all the answer he needed.

"I thought not, lets conclude this farce and go our separate ways," replied Spike as he walked out of the church.

As Spike went outside, he saw his new bride talking to his friend. She laughed at something Angel said and Spike felt as if a knife had twisted in his gut. She had never looked up at him or laughed with him like that. He didn't like the feeling he got when he saw them together. He strode over to the pair.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Buffy looked at Spike, before looking away. She was mad at him, she had heard every word of the conversation between him and Ethan and to find out that the idea of marriage to her had been so abhorrent to Spike had gotten her all riled up.

She ignored his question and smiled warmly at Angel. "It was nice meeting you," she held out his hand and instead of shaking it, he raised it to his lips. Buffy pulled away almost immediately. Finding herself comparing his kisses to Spike's and finding him wanting which just caused her ire to burn all the stronger.

Spike was scowling at the pair. Why did he feel as if he would like nothing better to do than punch the other man in the gut and wipe that smug smile off his face?

Buffy turned to Spike. "Well thanks for everything, but I have to be back at work in about half an hour and I think I would get tongues wagging if I show up as bridal Barbie, don't you?" she asked.

She put out a hand to Spike, he took it and held on for several seconds longer than was necessary.

"Spike give the poor girl her hand back," Angel reminded him.

"Have a nice life," Spike said softly as he looked into her eyes.

Buffy bit her lip, before she disgraced herself and burst into floods of tears. She nodded, unable to speak before walking back into the church to change.

Spike stared after her.

"Come on, let's get changed out of all this and go out for a couple of beers," suggested Angel.

Spike looked down at his plain gold wedding band. It would take a lot more than a couple of beers to dull the ache that settled in the region of his heart at that moment, but anything was better than how he was feeling right now...

TBC