Disclaimers: Nothing's mine, except Alex
AN: I'm sooo sorry! This chapter took so long, nearly two full months. RL's been real busy and no inspiration. sigh Please review It's the reviews that really keep me going.

Lots of thanks to WarmTea (I'm glad I made your morning a little happier:)), Imzadi (glad you like this Lindsey, just for you I'm gonna write a bit more of Lindsey in coming chapters. Hey, what about suggestive Lindsey/Faith smut?), Regan, reader, ba4eva, buff, goddessa39 (ruin Faith's wedding? The woman will prolly have my head),Kastia (sorry, I'm liking the mystery..prolly cuz I know what's going on..lol). You guys are great, keep up the reviews!

Chapter Fourteen

In the midst of all the planning and moving, Saturday arrived a lot faster than they expected. Although Buffy had met most of Lindsey's family who came all the way from Texas to LA for the wedding at the wedding rehearsal and dinner, she felt a little overwhelmed on the day of the wedding greeting another huge flux of Lindsey's extended family. Compare to Lindsey, Faith's side of the church had little family but she more than made up for it with friends from all walks of life. It was quite amusing to see Lindsey's second cousin, the pig farmer and Faith's friend Lorne, a trendy karaoke club owner with the flashiest tux deep in discussion over the past, present and future of Nashville.

"Buffy!" Faith shrilled, she circled small room reserved for the bride's preparations, "Is Lindsey here?"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "He's the groom, he's here way before you did."

"Oh, yeah."

"Where's Alex?" Buffy frowned, her son was nowhere in sight in the little room where concealment is impossible. The ceremony's about to start, the ring bearer cannot be missing!

One of Lindsey's many nieces, a cute little girl named Maura, being the flower girl was recently in close vicinity of the ring bearer volunteered what she knows, "He said he's gonna have The Talk with Uncle Lindsey." She paused and wrinkled her cute little nose, "What does that mean?"

The two elder women looked at each other with amusement, decided to let that little bit of information go.

"How do I look?" Faith started to pick at non-existent particles off her dress.

"Beautiful, Gorgeous!" She lowered Faith's lace veil, "You're glowing."

"I'm nervous as hell." She took a deep breath to calm herself, checking her ensemble in the mirror for the millionth time. "Did you see him?"

Buffy shook her head.

"Well, don't you worry, I'm here."

Buffy arched her eyebrows, "No! You're the bride today! Nothing is more important than you. If it comes to it, I will take care of Angelus. End of discussion." She added as Faith tried to speak up.

Alex finally re-entered the room, looking a little flushed; he paused at the doorway when all conversation came to an end and eyes focused on him the moment he stepped through the threshold.

"Where were you?"

"Nowhere." Alex flashed a charming smile at his mom and aunt, the only person who appeared distracted is Maura, who firmly attached herself to his arm silently declaring the desire to never let go.

"Are they ready for us?" Buffy lets that slip and focused on the wedding.

"Yup."

"Alright, let's go."

The ceremony was beautiful and warm, full of well-wishing family and friends. Buffy's eyes became red when the bride and groom exchanged their vows. The bestman held out his handkerchief for Buffy and was thanked with a warm though quivering smile.

As the minister proclaim them wife and husband, the church ring out in cheers, a rambunctious group of cattle ranchers, lawyers and artists. Faith's face glowed with love as she glided down the aisle with her husband.

Buffy followed them with her arm looped in the bestman's arm. She puts on a big smile for the well-wishers, it froze when she saw someone in the back. There he was, standing amongst the others in a black tux, still devastatingly handsome. She couldn't see his face or his expressions because she reflexively turned towards the other side of the room, smiling her big smile. She must have held on to the bestman's arm too tight because he looked down at her in concern, and perhaps partly in pain. She flashed her sweetest "nothing's wrong" smile at him and they continued to follow the bride and groom to the car and headed for the reception.

Angelus slipped unnoticed except by his neighbours into his seat after the toast had already been delivered and the guests seated, dinning under a big white canopy set up on the garden-terrace of the luxurious Hyperion Hotel.

He's placed among Lindsey's colleagues at Wolfram and Hart and some of his other clients seated at a distance from the main table but it offered him a good view of the bridesmaid. Disregarding others at his table, he marvelled silently at how different she seemed after so many years, a new-found ease amongst strangers, more sure of herself. He watched the wedding party chat with guests, many of whom Buffy obviously have never seen before. He saw how the bestman grinned at her and introduced her to Lindsey's family. He watched her converse with Faith and the little boy next to her, joy is obvious in her laughs and as she watches Faith and Lindsey, he pressed his lips together tightly.

He thought back to their wedding, it had been a quick trip to Vegas which he persuaded her to have. He didn't want all the trappings of a big society wedding, which is most likely what he'll have to have if his publicist and other people he does business caught wind that the consummate bachelor is thinking of marrying. Buffy had no close family in the states, her father was in Spain and her aunt in Illinois, and she had no contact with either since her mother's funeral. And Faith at the time was in New York for a shoot. Buffy was hesitant at first, but at last, gave in to Angelus' will. Now, he looked at her, wondering if she had regretted that decision and wondered if at such an early stage, their marriage was doomed.

Buffy was conscientious of Angelus' staring as she tries to listen to Lorne chatting about the musical arrangement for the reception. She nodded absent-mindedly and Lorne noticed her distraction, he patted her cheek indulgently and engaged the other guests in conversation to give Buffy the moment of lapse she needed from her bridesmaid duties. It was not quite what Buffy wanted though, so she devoted herself to Alex.

Soon, the live band started to play and Lindsey led his bride on to the dance floor to start the dancing.

"May I have this dance?" Mark, the bestman came to claim her hand. She smiled and let herself be led onto the dance floor.

"So, where have you been in the stream of woman Lindsey and Faith have been trying to set me up with?"

"I just came back from a long trip."

"Oh, really. Where did you go?"

"Just places."

"Places huh? Elusive woman. And are you here to stay?"

"Yes. My son's starting elementary school."

"I remember, the ringbearer right? Alex?" He looked towards the little boy sitting next to his niece Maura, "He's a handsome boy, his father must be pretty good looking."

"Yes he was." She smiled in remembrance. The song had ended and the two of them started walking back to their table.

A man intercepts them as the band struck up another slow dance. "May I have this dance?" Not waiting for a word, he swept in and held tight to Buffy's hand and took her away from Mark.

"What are you doing?" Buffy lowered her voice but it didn't keep the angered tone out of it.

"Dancing with you." She pulled back to draw her hands away but he tightened his grip on her hand and waist. "Just one dance, I'm giving you the divorce, you can't just give me one dance?" His tone when mentioning the divorce was bitter and Buffy was further enraged by it but not wanting to make a scene, she relented and followed him in the steps.

Love me tender,
love me sweet,
never let me go.
You have made my life complete,
and I love you so.

Love me tender,
love me true,
all my dreams fulfilled.
For my darlin' I love you,
and I always will.

Between their silence, the lyrics of the song rings louder and reminded them both of a bittersweet past that is so far away.

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed."

Under the plastic flower arch in an Elvis-approved wedding, the same song played over and over again at their wedding. Ironically, it played here again after nine years. They both seemed alerted to the fact yet remained quiet.

Love me tender,
love me long,
take me to your heart.
For it's there that I belong,
and we'll never part.

Love me tender,
love me dear,
tell me you are mine.
I'll be yours through all the years,
till the end of time.

(When at last my dreams come true
Darling this I know
Happiness will follow you
Everywhere you go).

As the song ended, Buffy pulled away from Angelus and this time, he let go without a word. It was only then that Buffy saw his claddaugh ring, turned in, glistening in the candlelight. She looked up into his eyes and stunned by the emotion in his eyes making them a shade darker. She looked away in haste and returned to her table.

Pulled away for a moment by Alex's inquiry of the man dancing with her, by the time she looked back, Angelus was on longer in sight.

Finally, the reception dwindled by the departure of the newlyweds on their way to the airport to Rome. Buffy and Alex climbed into the backseat of Lorne's sedan, "Mom!" Alex's voice rings out in the nearly empty parking lot. In a distance, out of sight, a flicker of cigarette ash landed on a man's shoe as he watched the car pull out and into the street traffic.

TBC…