Come Heaven or Hell
Part 1: Everything Changes

"No pun intended, but how in God's name can you spend all day looking at wedding dresses, Bell?" Faith asked, throwing her head back. "You're making me wish I'd gone somewhere else on vacation. Hell, I could have stayed in L.A. with Angel and the Fang-gang and had more fun!"

"I have to agree with that, sis." Urd looked dangerously bored. "I still don't see why you're marrying him at all. White Knights are not that special."

"Just what does 'White Knight' mean, anyway?" Buffy asked. "You keep using it to describe Xander."

"It's a human expression used as a reference to someone with a major hero complex. They are normally people who are willing to risk everything, even give their lives, to do the right thing," Belldandy explained as she looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in yet another prospective wedding dress. "Then again, assigning colors like black and white to good and evil is stupid. Father owns several black suits he has made by a tailor in London, and I've seen Hild dressed in white on more than one occasion."

"And you think Xander's a White Knight?" Faith asked.

"I know for a fact that he is," Belldandy smiled. "And considering some of the 'men' my sister has dated in the past, I don't think she is in a position to question my choice."

"I'm just worried that you're rushing into this," Urd looked genuinely concerned. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No!" Belldandy glared at her older sister.

"Could that even happen?" Buffy asked. "A human and a goddess…"

"It can and has, just not very often," Urd nodded, picking up a magazine and flicking through the pages. "The word used is 'demigod'. They tend to be more powerful than a human and all but immortal, but not on a par as a full god or goddess."

"So are you and Xander going to have kids?" Willow asked.

"We've talked about it, but it a bit of a grey area," Bell looked somewhat distant for a second. "That's strange…"

"You felt that too?" Urd dropped her magazine. "Something's going on, but I can't make out what…" She headed for the door. "I'll go phone the systems administrator's office… see what they say."

"I'm coming with you." Faith followed her friend. "It can't be any more boring than this…"

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"I'm not sure what to say." Giles took off his glasses and started to clean them franticly. "I'm sure there must be someone else, someone closer to your own age…"

"The only male friend I've got who's close to my own age is Oz, and I'm not even sure he's going to come as Willow and Tara are going to be there," Xander shrugged. "I'm certainly not asking Spike, Angel or Reilly. Giles, you're the best man I know, in more ways than one."

"Yes, but Best Man at your wedding? Wouldn't your father be a better choice?"

"You have met my father, right? That alcoholic son-of-a-bitch is barely even aware that I'm getting married! There is no way in hell that I want him involved in any way."

"And Belldandy's family?"

"Her farther is going to be there, giving her away. That's one of the reasons we've opted for a Buddhist ceremony. It's hard to talk about 'in the presence of God' when he's the one giving the bride away."

"Yes, it would be a little, unusual…"

"Giles, there's no need to freak out about this. Just treat him like you would any other man, with respect."

"Yes, but He's the Creator, the one who is called 'I AM'. What should I call Him?"

"That's something you'll have to ask the girls when they get back from shopping. Personally, I don't see the problem. Belldandy would look stunning in an old sack."

"Hardly the appropriate wedding attire for a goddess."

"True."

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A small black cat was lying in the sun outside the temple when Faith and Urd arrived. It opened its large yellow eyes when they approached and meowed at them.

"What are you doing here?" Urd asked, a slightly confused look on her face.

"This your cat?" Faith asked.

"He's not anybody's cat: he's Kuroneko, the 'Lord Black Cat', an agent of my father. He can get anywhere unnoticed and hears everything. If he's here than there must be something important going on…"

"Couldn't your dad have just phoned and told you directly?"

"Doesn't work like that. The deal he made with my mother means neither of them is allowed to directly intervene with the earthly realms without the other's consent. Sending Kuroneko is his way of telling us that something is up, without saying it."

"Meow?" The cat sat up and looked at the two young women, its head tilted to the side.

"Knock it off!" Urd snapped. "I'm guessing he's the disturbance Bell and I detected." She looked at her watch. "I have to go pick up Skuld from school. Can you go tell Bell it's a false alarm?"

"Not a problem." Faith bent down and stroked the cat, making it purr. "Who's a cute little kitty then?"

"Please, you'll just make him worse…" Urd rolled her eyes as she walked off.

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The entire conversation was watched with interest from the top of a nearby tree. "So, the Three Fates have linked up with the Slayers, and little Miss Sweet-and-innocent is getting married." Mara, demon first-class, unlimited smiled to herself. "This is going to be even more fun than I anticipated…"

"Meow!"

The sudden sound startled Mara and she fell headfirst out of the tree, landing in a heap on the ground below.

"That was uncalled for…" She groaned as she looked up at Kuroneko, who just sat on the branch and matched her stare with the infinite patience that only a cat can muster.

"Meow."

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"It's coming!" One of the terrified monks ran through the last door and closed it, bolting and locking it as securely as he could. "Is the spell ready?"

"Yes, but it is more complicated that we anticipated." Another monk looked a little worried. "It must be good enough to fool the Three Fates of the Norse Parthenon, not just the Slayer and her friends…"

"We don't have time!" The first monk protested as something hit the door with enough force to send dust raining down from the ceiling. "We can not allow her to get the Key. We must do it now!"

The air seemed to grow thicker as the two monks started to chant in front of the glowing ball of green energy that filled the center of the room. The chanting grew louder, taking on strange harmonics that defied the acoustics of the room. The ball of energy started to rotate, spinning faster and faster as the air around it started to glow. The light became blinding, and then disappeared with a flash.

Less than a second passed before the door exploded inward, crushing one of the monks against the far wall. Something moved in the doorway…

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Urd felt her head spin slightly, forcing her to lean against a tree as she waited outside the school. The feeling lasted only a moment, and she was at a loss to understand just what had happened.

"I can't believe you turned him down!" a loud voice exclaimed from round the corner. "He's one of the cutest guys in school!"

"Yeah, well he's not my type," a second voice replied. "And can you imagine what my sisters would say if I told them I had a date?"

"Bell's not that bad, but I can see were you're coming from with Urd…"

"HEY!" Urd pounced on the two young girls. "I'll have you know that I am a veritable cupid when it comes to romance." Her face dropped suddenly. "Who's asking my kid sister out?"

"Busted!" Dawn laughed at Skuld's dark expression.

To Be Continued…