Chapter Eighteen: Keep Your Wits About You

Spike opened the door of the lady's room and hurried inside. Buffy was leaning against one of the bathroom stalls, Willow and Dawn hovering over her. Spike pushed them aside and knelt down next to and pulled her into his arms, "Hey luv, you okay?"

Buffy shook her head, "I was doing okay but then suddenly…." She pulled away from Spike and leaned over the toilet. She gagged up their was nothing left in her stomach to bring up.

"Platelet, go see if you can find something to settle her stomach," Spike told her. Dawn nodded and hurried out of the bathroom.

"I hate you," Buffy said, even though she was leaning against Spike again. She looked at Willow, "And I really hate Tara too."

"I'm sorry," Spike said. And he meant it. He hated seeing her like this, knowing that it was his fault and there was nothing that he could do to help. He was just lucky that there wasn't a stake nearby or his life wouldn't be worth much. He helped her to her feet and said, "Come on, I'll take you home."

Buffy shook her head, "No, no, I'll be okay."

"Ah luv, you can hardly stand. How are you going to make it down the aisle and through the ceremony?"

"I can do it," Buffy said.

"Buffy," Willow said. "I'm sure Anya and Xander will understand if you can't make it."

"Well I won't," Buffy said. "I'll be fine," She looked at Spike, "Just help me to the bride's room."

Spike exchanged a look with Willow. He thought that Buffy should go home and get some rest and it was obvious that Willow thought the same thing but Spike knew this was one argument he wasn't going to win, "Okay," Spike said. He and Willow helped Buffy to bride room. There Tara was just finishing buttoning up Anya's dress.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked, concerned.

Buffy nodded as she sank down on the couch, "I'll live."

Just then the door opened and Dawn hurried in with a packet of crackers and a can of Sprite, "Here, Xander's cousin said that this should help." She looked at Anya and said, "Who's that weird short guy out there?"

"What weird short guy?" Anya asked, studying herself in the mirror.

"The one, who's going around telling women that he'll grant them a wish in exchange for their first born," She looked at her sister, "Stay away from him, Buffy."

Anya's eyes lit up, "Rumpy? He made it? I didn't think he would."

"Who?" Dawn asked.

"An old friend of mine," Anya said, adjusting her dress. "He's a kind of wishing demon. He grants wishes but they have a price." She studied herself, "Okay, I think I'm ready."

"Do you have everything?" Tara asked. "Something old, new, borrowed and blue?"

"Let's see," Anya said, thinking. "I just bought these earrings so they're new." She looked around frantically. "But I don't have the rest. I forgot this tradition. Oh no, it's bad luck, the wedding's going to be ruined."

Spike exchanged a look with Buffy, and said, "I think I have a solution." He grabbed Buffy's purse and pulled out his mother's necklace. "This was my mother's so it's old. The stones are blue and Buffy wants it back."

Anya stared at it, "It's beautiful." With Willow's help she put it on.

"I want it back," Buffy said. She wasn't sure why that necklace meant so much to her but it did.

"So are you ready to start?" Dawn asked, eagerly.

Anya looked around, "Where's Hallie? I can't have a wedding without my maid of honor."

"Come on Red," Spike said. "We'll go get her and let the let monkey boy know that you guys are ready." He looked at Buffy and said, "You gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine," Buffy said.

Spike studied her for a minute and then nodded. He and Willow headed down the room where Xander, Giles and Xander's cousins were waiting. Just as Spike and Willow reached the door Hallie came out.

"What does it take to get rid of you?" Spike asked, annoyed at the sight of her.

Hallie ignored him and said, "I think something's up with that old guy. What's his name, Giles?"

Willow was immediately alarmed, "What happened to Giles?"

"I don't know," Hallie said. "I just mentioned that William had gotten Buffy pregnant and he got all weird."

"Do you set out to ruin everything for me or is it just a gift?" Spike asked.

"I thought he knew," Hallie protested. "Everyone else seems to know so I just assumed that he did too."

"Well you know what they say about assuming," Spike snapped. He stared at the door, wondering if it was safe to go in but then he started forward. He was Spike a.k.a. William the Bloody, he'd killed people on every continent, been tortured by a god and had hung out with some of the most feared vampires ever. He could handle a ticked off librarian, right?

Spike slowly opened the door and went inside. Xander was nervously pacing, Giles was sitting with a shocked expression on his face, cleaning his glasses and two of Xander's cousins were standing around awkwardly, waiting to fulfill their duties as ushers. They all looked up as Spike and Willow came in.

"Everyone's ready," Willow said. "Ready to get married?"

Xander gulped and nodded. Spike sighed, irritated, took out his flask and handed it to Xander, "Here," Spike said. "Take a drink of this."

Xander obeyed and then looked at Spike, "What is this stuff?"

"Very strong bourbon," Spike explained. "If that doesn't calm you down then nothing will." He carefully avoided any eye contact with Giles. Maybe he didn't believe what Cecily had told him and everything would be okay.

"Let's go then," Xander's cousin said. They all stood up and headed out the door. Xander went to the front with the judge who was performing the ceremony while everyone else waited in back for the bridesmaids to join them.

"I best go sit down," Giles said. As he headed into the main room he passed by Spike and said, low enough so that only they heard, "You and I need to have a little talk later."

Spike didn't get a chance to answer because just as Giles sat down the bridesmaids showed up. Spike looked at Buffy. She was pale and it was obvious that she wasn't feeling well but she had that stubborn look on her face that told Spike that she wasn't going anywhere. One of Xander's cousins took her arm and eyed her appreciatively.

"Spike," Dawn said, taking his arm. "You can't hurt him until after the wedding."

"I won't hurt him," Spike said, thinking of the searing migraine that he'd have if he did. "I just want to make it clear that she's taken."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Come on." She and Spike took their places in line and began to walk down the aisle.

Spike didn't pay much attention during the ceremony. He hadn't been to very many weddings when he was human and since then the only time he's seen a wedding had been when he'd seen them on TV. He hadn't found them very interesting then and he didn't find them very interesting now. He was more interested in watching Buffy.

She didn't notice that he was watching her. She was too busy watching the ceremony. Spike thought she looked beautiful, despite the way the green dress reflected off her pale complexion. He noticed that she seemed to be holding her breath a little, too but she did look beautiful.

With a start he realized that the wedding was over and he had to escort Dawn back down the aisle, "They actually went through with it," Spike whispered to Dawn.

"You didn't think they would?" Dawn asked.

"Can never be sure with humans," Spike said.

As soon as they got to the reception hall Dawn abandoned Spike to go talk with a demon she'd met at the rehearsal dinner so Spike went to find Buffy. He found her leaning against a pillar, watching people dance.

"Feel like dancing, luv?" Spike asked, slipping his arm around her.

She leaned against him, "No."

"Want to go home?" Spike asked.

She shook her head, "No, I promised Anya I'd stay at least until she throws the bouquet."

"I never understood that tradition," Spike said. "Catching a bunch of wilted flowers doesn't mean that you'll be the next one to walk down the bloody aisle."

"I know but it's her wedding day," Buffy said. "And I can last until then."

"Are you feeling any better?"

She shrugged, "I'll live. No one told me morning sickness lasted all day, though."

"Why don't you try and eat something," Spike suggested. "It might settle your stomach a little."

She shook her head, "No, I couldn't keep it down. "

"You need to eat something," Spike said, remembering all the times he'd said that to Dru.

"There's no point in eating if I can't keep it down," Buffy pointed out.

Spike started to object but then he noticed Giles, looking very unhappy, dancing with a female vengeance demon, "Something you should know, pet. Your ex-Watcher found out about us."

She glared at him, "There is no us, Spike. We're having a baby, that's it."

Spike sighed, irritated, "Well he knows about that too."

"How?" Buffy asked, alarmed. "What did you do?"

"I didn't tell him," Spike said. "I don't have a death wish. That vengeance demons did," He rolled his eyes, "That bloody bitch had real talent for turning my life upside down."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing," He said. "Anyway, she just blurted out to Giles that I was responsible for your present condition."

Buffy shut her eyes, "No, no, this is not happening."

"'Fraid it is happening, luv," Spike said. "He's headed this way.

Buffy opened her eyes and saw that Giles had gotten away from the vengeance demon and was making his way towards them.