Chapter Seventeen: Get Me to the Church on Time
Spike gently shook Buffy awake, "Come on luv, wake up."
Buffy opened her eyes a slit and moaned, "Go away."
"Can't do that," Spike said. "We have a wedding to go to."
"I'm not going," Buffy said.
Spike took in her pale face and pained expression, "Are you still feeling sick?"
She nodded, "I'm not going to make it to the wedding. I don't know how I'll last through the ceremony."
Spike sat down on the bed and helped her sit up. She was able to sit up, leaning against him, "You can make it," Spike said. "Once you get up and get something in your stomach you might feel a lot better."
Buffy sighed. She wasn't going to get anywhere arguing with Spike and she might as well see if his suggestion helped. With Spike's help she showered, dressed and got everything she would need for the wedding ready.
They walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Giles, Willow and Dawn were sitting at the island, eating breakfast. Giles looked up as Spike and Buffy walked into the kitchen, "Good you're up," He told Buffy. "I made breakfast. No doubt you've been eating horribly while I've been in England so I made you a proper breakfast." He gestured to the plate of pancakes, eggs, sausages and bacon.
"Thanks," Buffy said, covering her mouth and nose. "But I'm really not hungry."
Giles filled a plate and handed it to Buffy, "You need to eat something. It's going to be a long day and you probably won't get a chance to eat until the reception."
Buffy stared down at the plate and the smells became too much for her. She dropped it and ran as fast as she could for the bathroom. Spike paused long enough to glare at Giles and then followed Buffy. There he held her as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Finally she collapsed against him, "I can't do this," Buffy gasped. "Not anymore."
"Yes, you can," Spike said, wiping off her face. "You can do anything that you set your mind too."
"Not this," Buffy moaned.
Spike didn't say anything. He was starting to get concerned too. Lately it seemed like Buffy's morning sickness was coming at all hours and getting worse all the time. According to the midwife, Sarah, there was really nothing either one of them could do, though. "Come on," Spike said, helping Buffy off the floor. "Why don't we try that tea Sarah gave you? She said that sometimes helps."
Buffy nodded, "Right now I'll try anything."
When they went back into the kitchen Willow and Dawn were gone but Giles was still there, looking at Buffy with concern, "Are you still not feeling well?"
"I'll be okay," Buffy said, sitting down and resting her forehead against her hand.
"Are you sure?" Giles asked, concerned. "Maybe you should see a doctor."
"I have," Buffy said. "I'm fine."
"Here," Spike said, handing Buffy a cup with the herbal tea in it. "See if this helps."
"What's that?" Giles asked suspiciously.
"It's a tea that's supposed to help my stomach," Buffy said, taking slow sips. She picked up her cup and said, "I'm going to go finish getting ready. I'll get dressed at the church but I need to do my hair." She looked at Giles and Spike, "And there had better not be any blood on the floor when I get back." Then she walked out of the kitchen.
As soon as Buffy was out of earshot Giles turned to Spike and said, "Alright, now what's really going on here? Buffy never gets sick. Is something going on that I should know about?"
"No," Spike lied.
Giles eyed him, "Something is going on and I want to know what it is, now."
Spike sighed, "Just back off for right now. She'll tell you what's going on but don't force her too."
"Do you have anything to do with this?" Giles asked suspiciously. He was sure now that something was going on and Spike had something to do with it. He just wished that Buffy would confide in him.
"Just let her explain everything," Spike said. He knew that if he told Giles that he had somehow gotten Buffy pregnant then Giles would flip. Buffy's friends were just starting to reconcile the idea of him and Buffy together. He wasn't going to drop a bomb like that, not with so much else going on.
"Spike," Dawn said, hurrying into the kitchen. "Did you check on…." She noticed Giles standing there. "Oh sorry, did I interrupt something?"
"No," Giles said. "I have to get ready for the wedding." He glanced at Spike. "We'll finish this later." Then he left the kitchen.
"So did you check on them?" Dawn asked excitedly.
"Yes," Spike said, finishing up his mug of blood. "And no, nothing to report."
"Why not?" Dawn asked. "I can't figure out what we're doing wrong. Maybe Tara can help. She knows more about them than we do."
"No," Spike said. "No one can know about this, not yet. Buffy would flip if she knew what we were doing and Tara wouldn't want to help us either." He looked at Dawn. Her hair was curled and her make-up was applied perfectly. He grinned at her, "You look beautiful, Nibblet."
Dawn blushed and said, "Thanks, now go get ready. Buffy and Willow want to leave as soon as they get ready."
Spike groaned. He had been hoping that he could delay putting on the monkey suit that Xander was forcing him to wear but he knew that he had no choice now. He headed up the stairs with Dawn calling behind him, "If you need help with your tie, let me know!"
Spike quickly dressed, wishing for the first time in a long time that he had a reflection to help him with this bloody tie. On second thought he was glad that he didn't have to look at himself. He hadn't willingly worn any kind of suit since he'd become a vampire.
"Spike!" Willow yelled from downstairs. "Come on. We need to get going!"
Spike slowly walked down stairs, wearing everything but his tie and jacket.
"Wow," Buffy said, watching him come down the stairs. "You look great." She tried not to think about how incredibly sexy he looked in his tux. For a few minutes her attention was diverted from her queasy stomach and all she could think about was dragging Spike up the stairs, throwing him onto her bed and as Spike put it 'shagging their brains out'.
Willow gave her a strange look and whispered, "You okay?"
Buffy shook her head, trying to come to her senses, "Yeah," She whispered back. "Hormones." That was the only explanation she could think of.
"Thanks," Spike said, pleased at how Buffy was looking at him. "Now let's go. The sooner I can get out of this bloody monkey suit the better," He raised his eyebrows at Buffy. She blushed as she realized that he had read her mind.
They managed to make it to the hall where the wedding was being held. Dawn, Buffy and Willow went into the bride's room to change and Giles and Spike went into Xander's room.
"Spike," Xander said, when they went in. "Looking good."
"Watch it, monkey boy," Spike said. "There's a few demons out there who owe me a favor…"
"Okay, okay," Xander said. He decided to leave Spike alone. He was nervous enough without having to add an irritated vampire to his worries.
"So now what do we do?" Spike asked, sitting down while Giles and Xander greeted each other.
"We sit here and wait," Xander said. "We have to wait until the women are ready. Willow's going to come and get us when they are." There was a knock at the door, "And I guess they are," Xander said, with a look of panic on his face.
"I'll get it," Spike said. He opened the door and saw that it was Hallie, the vengeance demon. "Oh it's you."
"William, please," She said. "Now isn't the time."
"What. Do. You. Want. Bitch?" Spike asked, shocking both Xander and Giles.
"You're needed in the lady's room," Hallie said, trying to ignore Spike's attitude.
"Why?" Spike said, thinking of Buffy, worried that something had happened to her.
"It's your knocked up girlfriend," Hallie said. "Her sister sent me to get you."
"Why?" Spike asked, getting more alarmed. "What's wrong?"
"She won't stop throwing up," Hallie said. At these words Spike hurried past Hallie, leaving a worried Xander and a confused Giles behind.
"What were you talking about?" Giles asked. "Spike has a girlfriend?"
"No," Xander said, distracted. He was nervous enough about the wedding and now he was worried about Buffy. He knew that she hadn't been feeling well the night before and it sounded like things hadn't improved.
"Then who are you referring to?" Giles asked Hallie.
"How's Anya?" Xander asked, trying to distract Giles.
"She looks beautiful," Hallie said. She studied Xander for a moment, "You hurt her and I will wreck vengeance on you beyond your worst nightmares."
"Understood," Xander said.
Giles looked at Hallie and said, "I'm sorry, we haven't met before. I'm Rupert Giles."
"Halfrek," She said.
"So tell me," Giles asked. "What was that between you and Spike and who were you talking about?"
"It's a long story," Hallie said. "And I'll fill you in after the wedding." She looked at him curiously, "And you should know who I'm talking about."
"No," Giles said, ignoring Xander's frantic efforts to distract Halfrek.
"I'm talking about Buffy," Hallie said. "Didn't you know? William somehow got her pregnant."
Spike gently shook Buffy awake, "Come on luv, wake up."
Buffy opened her eyes a slit and moaned, "Go away."
"Can't do that," Spike said. "We have a wedding to go to."
"I'm not going," Buffy said.
Spike took in her pale face and pained expression, "Are you still feeling sick?"
She nodded, "I'm not going to make it to the wedding. I don't know how I'll last through the ceremony."
Spike sat down on the bed and helped her sit up. She was able to sit up, leaning against him, "You can make it," Spike said. "Once you get up and get something in your stomach you might feel a lot better."
Buffy sighed. She wasn't going to get anywhere arguing with Spike and she might as well see if his suggestion helped. With Spike's help she showered, dressed and got everything she would need for the wedding ready.
They walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Giles, Willow and Dawn were sitting at the island, eating breakfast. Giles looked up as Spike and Buffy walked into the kitchen, "Good you're up," He told Buffy. "I made breakfast. No doubt you've been eating horribly while I've been in England so I made you a proper breakfast." He gestured to the plate of pancakes, eggs, sausages and bacon.
"Thanks," Buffy said, covering her mouth and nose. "But I'm really not hungry."
Giles filled a plate and handed it to Buffy, "You need to eat something. It's going to be a long day and you probably won't get a chance to eat until the reception."
Buffy stared down at the plate and the smells became too much for her. She dropped it and ran as fast as she could for the bathroom. Spike paused long enough to glare at Giles and then followed Buffy. There he held her as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Finally she collapsed against him, "I can't do this," Buffy gasped. "Not anymore."
"Yes, you can," Spike said, wiping off her face. "You can do anything that you set your mind too."
"Not this," Buffy moaned.
Spike didn't say anything. He was starting to get concerned too. Lately it seemed like Buffy's morning sickness was coming at all hours and getting worse all the time. According to the midwife, Sarah, there was really nothing either one of them could do, though. "Come on," Spike said, helping Buffy off the floor. "Why don't we try that tea Sarah gave you? She said that sometimes helps."
Buffy nodded, "Right now I'll try anything."
When they went back into the kitchen Willow and Dawn were gone but Giles was still there, looking at Buffy with concern, "Are you still not feeling well?"
"I'll be okay," Buffy said, sitting down and resting her forehead against her hand.
"Are you sure?" Giles asked, concerned. "Maybe you should see a doctor."
"I have," Buffy said. "I'm fine."
"Here," Spike said, handing Buffy a cup with the herbal tea in it. "See if this helps."
"What's that?" Giles asked suspiciously.
"It's a tea that's supposed to help my stomach," Buffy said, taking slow sips. She picked up her cup and said, "I'm going to go finish getting ready. I'll get dressed at the church but I need to do my hair." She looked at Giles and Spike, "And there had better not be any blood on the floor when I get back." Then she walked out of the kitchen.
As soon as Buffy was out of earshot Giles turned to Spike and said, "Alright, now what's really going on here? Buffy never gets sick. Is something going on that I should know about?"
"No," Spike lied.
Giles eyed him, "Something is going on and I want to know what it is, now."
Spike sighed, "Just back off for right now. She'll tell you what's going on but don't force her too."
"Do you have anything to do with this?" Giles asked suspiciously. He was sure now that something was going on and Spike had something to do with it. He just wished that Buffy would confide in him.
"Just let her explain everything," Spike said. He knew that if he told Giles that he had somehow gotten Buffy pregnant then Giles would flip. Buffy's friends were just starting to reconcile the idea of him and Buffy together. He wasn't going to drop a bomb like that, not with so much else going on.
"Spike," Dawn said, hurrying into the kitchen. "Did you check on…." She noticed Giles standing there. "Oh sorry, did I interrupt something?"
"No," Giles said. "I have to get ready for the wedding." He glanced at Spike. "We'll finish this later." Then he left the kitchen.
"So did you check on them?" Dawn asked excitedly.
"Yes," Spike said, finishing up his mug of blood. "And no, nothing to report."
"Why not?" Dawn asked. "I can't figure out what we're doing wrong. Maybe Tara can help. She knows more about them than we do."
"No," Spike said. "No one can know about this, not yet. Buffy would flip if she knew what we were doing and Tara wouldn't want to help us either." He looked at Dawn. Her hair was curled and her make-up was applied perfectly. He grinned at her, "You look beautiful, Nibblet."
Dawn blushed and said, "Thanks, now go get ready. Buffy and Willow want to leave as soon as they get ready."
Spike groaned. He had been hoping that he could delay putting on the monkey suit that Xander was forcing him to wear but he knew that he had no choice now. He headed up the stairs with Dawn calling behind him, "If you need help with your tie, let me know!"
Spike quickly dressed, wishing for the first time in a long time that he had a reflection to help him with this bloody tie. On second thought he was glad that he didn't have to look at himself. He hadn't willingly worn any kind of suit since he'd become a vampire.
"Spike!" Willow yelled from downstairs. "Come on. We need to get going!"
Spike slowly walked down stairs, wearing everything but his tie and jacket.
"Wow," Buffy said, watching him come down the stairs. "You look great." She tried not to think about how incredibly sexy he looked in his tux. For a few minutes her attention was diverted from her queasy stomach and all she could think about was dragging Spike up the stairs, throwing him onto her bed and as Spike put it 'shagging their brains out'.
Willow gave her a strange look and whispered, "You okay?"
Buffy shook her head, trying to come to her senses, "Yeah," She whispered back. "Hormones." That was the only explanation she could think of.
"Thanks," Spike said, pleased at how Buffy was looking at him. "Now let's go. The sooner I can get out of this bloody monkey suit the better," He raised his eyebrows at Buffy. She blushed as she realized that he had read her mind.
They managed to make it to the hall where the wedding was being held. Dawn, Buffy and Willow went into the bride's room to change and Giles and Spike went into Xander's room.
"Spike," Xander said, when they went in. "Looking good."
"Watch it, monkey boy," Spike said. "There's a few demons out there who owe me a favor…"
"Okay, okay," Xander said. He decided to leave Spike alone. He was nervous enough without having to add an irritated vampire to his worries.
"So now what do we do?" Spike asked, sitting down while Giles and Xander greeted each other.
"We sit here and wait," Xander said. "We have to wait until the women are ready. Willow's going to come and get us when they are." There was a knock at the door, "And I guess they are," Xander said, with a look of panic on his face.
"I'll get it," Spike said. He opened the door and saw that it was Hallie, the vengeance demon. "Oh it's you."
"William, please," She said. "Now isn't the time."
"What. Do. You. Want. Bitch?" Spike asked, shocking both Xander and Giles.
"You're needed in the lady's room," Hallie said, trying to ignore Spike's attitude.
"Why?" Spike said, thinking of Buffy, worried that something had happened to her.
"It's your knocked up girlfriend," Hallie said. "Her sister sent me to get you."
"Why?" Spike asked, getting more alarmed. "What's wrong?"
"She won't stop throwing up," Hallie said. At these words Spike hurried past Hallie, leaving a worried Xander and a confused Giles behind.
"What were you talking about?" Giles asked. "Spike has a girlfriend?"
"No," Xander said, distracted. He was nervous enough about the wedding and now he was worried about Buffy. He knew that she hadn't been feeling well the night before and it sounded like things hadn't improved.
"Then who are you referring to?" Giles asked Hallie.
"How's Anya?" Xander asked, trying to distract Giles.
"She looks beautiful," Hallie said. She studied Xander for a moment, "You hurt her and I will wreck vengeance on you beyond your worst nightmares."
"Understood," Xander said.
Giles looked at Hallie and said, "I'm sorry, we haven't met before. I'm Rupert Giles."
"Halfrek," She said.
"So tell me," Giles asked. "What was that between you and Spike and who were you talking about?"
"It's a long story," Hallie said. "And I'll fill you in after the wedding." She looked at him curiously, "And you should know who I'm talking about."
"No," Giles said, ignoring Xander's frantic efforts to distract Halfrek.
"I'm talking about Buffy," Hallie said. "Didn't you know? William somehow got her pregnant."