Kat's blue eyes were on Spike as he moved gracefully. He was sparring with three of the mini Slayers, the others all watching like he was a gladiator and they were in Rome. She always loved to watch him fight, it was mesmerizing to her. He was taking it easy on them of course. They were Slayers but they were mostly inexperienced and this was a chance for them to learn new moves and get some practice in.
"I don't know if I can do this, Buff," she sighed, folding her arms over her chest as her eyes didn't leave Spike. Buffy was standing next to her, watching the fight with rapt interest too. She would always make mental notes so she knew which Slayers needed training in which area. Kat wasn't sure how she kept it all organized in her head. At her words though, Buffy turned to look at her.
"Of course you can. You're a strong independent woman," she smirked, making Kat snort and roll her eyes.
"I'm nervous, what if he says no?" Kat huffed, pouting slightly.
"You're kidding, right? He won't say no. Just go ask him already," Buffy said firmly as she gave Kat a gentle shove in the direction of the door to the training room.
"Alright, alright… I'm going," Kat chuckled, slipping out of the room and leaving the fight behind. She started to make her way to the library, or Giles' office as they all called it. He'd claimed a small corner of the large library where he had a desk and everything. Kat was surprised the man didn't just set up a bed in there too and have it as his bedroom. She dragged her feet, the journey taking her way longer than it should have given how it wasn't that far from the training room. But she was nervous.
She pushed open the heavy doors to be greeted with the peaceful silence of the library. The main part, full of bookshelves and some tables and chairs, had a few Slayers dotted about and Tara and Willow were chatting to Dawn, all of them giving Kat a wave as she went past. She waved back, walking to the far end of the library where Giles was nose deep in a book.
"Hey, Giles," she smiled anxiously, making him look up from his book.
"Katherine, I thought you were training," he mused with a warm smile. After everything had gone down with her lack of soul, the two people she felt would judge her the most would be Xander and Giles. Xander with his general distaste for the vamp folk and Giles just being Giles. The man would always be a Watcher. But neither of them treated her any differently. She feared Giles would look at her with disgust, even if he tried to hide it. That he'd see her differently. But he didn't and she was thankful for that.
"I was but I decided to come see you," she gave him a sheepish smile.
"Do you need my help with anything?" he asked, closing the book in front of him as he set it to the side with a larger pile of old looking books.
"Kind of. I wanted to ask you something," she murmured, picking at her black nail varnish. He gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite his desk and she complied.
"So…" she trailed off as nerves twisted her stomach and she nibbled on her lower lip.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, sounding concerned. She blew out an unneeded breath with a nod.
"Yeah, I just… You're the closest thing I've had to a dad since mine died, and I don't think I've ever told you how much that means to me. You've always looked out for me. Buffy and Dawn too. I'm really glad I have you in my life and I know my dad would be happy that I have you," she started, her voice wavering a little. Giles looked taken aback by her words, clearly not expecting this conversation to take such a heavy turn. He cleared his throat, removing his glasses and keeping them in one hand. His eyes were slightly misty as he looked at her.
"I don't quite know what to say," he chuckled tearfully, hurryingly wiping his eyes as she smiled at him. "You girls are like daughters to me. I never really cared to have children of my own, but I seemed to have gained them anyway and I wouldn't change it for the world," he admitted sincerely as he reached over the desk and took her hand.
"I wanted to ask if you'd walk me down the aisle," she breathed, looking at him hopefully. She knew realistically that he probably wouldn't say no, but there was still a chance and she wasn't sure how she'd deal with a rejection like that. She knew he loved her but she also knew his feelings about Spike. He let out a surprised but happy laugh as he squeezed her hand.
"Of course I will. Did you really think I'd say no?" he asked incredulously.
"I mean… I wasn't sure. With Spike and everything," she admitted with a sheepish smile.
"I may not be Spike's number one fan, Katherine. But you'd have to be blind not to see how much he loves you. And while I never thought I'd quite say something like this, I think you're good for each other. You make each other happy and that's all that matters," he implored, making a lump form in her throat as she gave him a tearful smile.
"Besides, I can't exactly argue with a soulmate bond, now can I? You were fated together for a reason. I certainly won't stand in the way of that. Even if he can be an insufferable arsehole at times," he smirked ruefully at her.
"Giles!" she gasped with a laugh, always finding it funny when he cursed. He chuckled and shrugged at her.
When she got to her room, she felt happy with how her talk with Giles had gone. She let herself into the room, kicking her boots off before making her way to the bed. She stood next to it, grabbing her pajamas. She felt the hairs on her neck prickle up with her back to the ensuite and she smirked to herself. Then she felt arms grab her from behind and she didn't react at all.
"Really? Not even a little gasp?" Spike scoffed, turning her around to look at him. He glowered at her petulantly and she snorted. She'd still never told him that she could always sense his presence. It was something that hadn't changed, even after she'd died.
"You're just not that scary anymore," she shrugged teasingly, making him pinch her side. She squealed before moving away from him, moving to sit on the bed.
"How did it go, then?" he asked, sitting next to her.
"Really good. He said yes," she grinned. He gave her a smile, clearly happy because she was happy.
"That's good, pet," he murmured, taking her hand in his.
"It's your turn now," she sang playfully, snorting as his face fell.
"Do I have to?" he muttered like a child.
"You know you don't. You're acting like I'm the one that came up with the idea, but it was you. You suggested it," she prodded with a knowing smile. He nodded, blowing out a sigh.
"I know… It's just weird, ain't it? He'll probably laugh me right out of his bloody office," he huffed. She wouldn't deny that it was weird. When Spike had suggested it to her, she'd been stunned into silence for a long while. But she liked his idea and it made her feel happy.
"You know he won't. You've just gotta rip it off like a bandaid. I did and I feel better," she smiled softly at him. "I'll give you the same pep talk Buffy gave me. You're a strong independent woman and you can do this," she grinned cheekily at him, making him gape at her for a moment. Then he tackled her and he was on top of her on the bed.
"Got half a mind to put you over my knee for that," he growled playfully. She grinned up at him, storking her hand through his hair.
"When you get back," she smirked, raising her brow at him. A sly smile spread on his face then and he got off her, groaning for dramatic effect for what he was about to do.
"If he laughs at me, I'm tellin' him it was your idea," he muttered and she shook her head with a laugh.
"Mhm… move your ass, Willam," she teased, earning a two finger salute from him as he left the room.
Spike sulked as the elevator went up, half torn between just going back home and also just getting it over with. When the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, he decided he wasn't a sodding coward so he sauntered out of it like he had all the confidence in the world.
"Spike, you can't just walk in there!" Harmony yelled as he strode to Broody Pant's office.
"Watch me," he smirked, not even looking at her as he shoved the door open and slammed it shut before she could even get to it. Angel was at his desk, scribbling something down. He looked up at Spike as the door slammed and gave him an exasperated look. Before Spike could even sit down, Harmony burst through the door.
"I'm sorry, Boss. He just walked right in, he didn't even listen to me!" she whined, giving Spike a dirty look. He just grinned at her, flopping down into the chair and raising a brow as if daring her to try and kick him out.
"It's fine, Harmony," Angel sighed, dismissing her. She scoffed but left, shutting the door far more gentle than Spike had.
"What do you want, Spike?" Angel asked, already sounding done with him. Spike couldn't blame him too much though. The amount of times he got bored with the estrogen fest over at HQ and came over here just to wind the git up, he wasn't surprised Angel was fed up with him.
"Got a question to ask," he shrugged, acting nonchalant about the whole thing.
"Which is?" Angel asked impatiently. Spike shifted in his seat, sitting forward and leaning his arms on his legs.
"Want you to be my best man," he blurted. He wished there was a more antagonistic way of asking him but he knew it wouldn't be the best way to get him to say yes. Angel looked at him for a long moment like his brain couldn't quite understand the question.
"You want me… to be your… best man?" he repeated slowly. Spike rolled his eyes and moved to lean back in the chair.
"What I said, ain't it?" He was feeling awkward now. He hoped the idiot would just say yes so he could leave the office and act like it wasn't weird to ask him.
Kat had been shocked too when he brought it up. He hadn't even thought about the wedding party and who'd be in it if he was honest, not until Kat had already gone around asking the girls. Buffy and Dawn were her maids of honor, with Willow, Tara, Anya, Cordelia and Fred being her bridesmaids. He'd reluctantly agreed to have Xander as a groomsman, even though he'd commented he'd be better suited as a bridesmaid in a dress. The trade off had been Kat having Fred as a bridesmaid. She wasn't as close to Fred as he was, he'd come to see the girl like a sister in his time floating around as a ghost. Fred had been shocked when Kat asked her to be a bridesmaid given the fact the pair didn't really know each other that well and they'd been spending more time together to get to know each other better before the wedding. They got on like a house on fire and that made Spike happy. And he knew he wanted Gunn as another groomsman as they'd become friends too. Wesley was going to be officiating the ceremony and Spike was glad as he really didn't have it in him to ask the tit to be a groomsman. Kat had asked Lorne to do the music for the wedding and the reception, which he'd been over the moon about. He could have asked Clem to be his best man, since he was the closest thing he had to a best friend. Kat had asked Angel to track the demon down using all of his resources as she missed him. Wolfram and Hart had taken him on and Kat was happy she'd get to see him more. But something didn't feel right about asking Clem, he'd have him as a groomsman instead. There was always tension between him and Angel, too much water under the bridge to ever really be forgotten. But they'd gone through hell together. He'd spent a massive chunk of his unlife with the big lump and he had to begrudgingly admit that Angel knew him better than most people. He also knew how much he cared for Kat and Angel had been a big help in getting her right again and in helping her when she'd been turned. Asking Angel to be his best man was weird but it also just felt right.
"I uh… Yeah, I'll be your best man," Angel nodded, a small smile playing on his lips as his words broke Spike from his thoughts. He was a little shocked. Figured he'd drag it out a bit, torture Spike for a little just because he could. But he was glad for a straight answer out of him and he felt an uncomfortable warmth in his chest that he'd agreed at all.
"That's… good. Alright then, I best be off," Spike muttered as he stood up, feeling far too weird about the whole thing. Didn't want to stay and have some kind of heart to heart with Peaches. Angel cleared his throat with a nod, looking like he was thinking the exact same thing.
When he got back home, Kat was sitting up in bed reading. She put her book away when he walked in the room.
"What did he say?" she asked eagerly. He knew she'd really wanted him to say yes, she wanted him involved in the wedding too.
"Said yeah," he said simply, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. He started stripping down to get ready for bed.
"I told you," she grinned smugly, making him glare at her and he climbed in bed beside of her.
"No one likes a know it all," he huffed, not really meaning it and he smiled as she moved to lay her head on his shoulder.
"You don't have to be mean just 'cause I know your big secret," she pouted playfully.
"And what big secret's that, pet?" he asked, amused.
"That you and Angel are best friends," she smirked impishly, looking up at him.
"You take that back!" he scoffed in outrage, grabbing her shoulder and pushing her away from him a little, offense coloring his face. So what if he'd asked Angel to be his best man, didn't mean anything. So what if he did have some fond memories with the git. So what if Angel had been more of a sire than Dru had to him, taking him under his wing a bit before he started acting like a right wanker. So what if Spike had looked up to him and it had stung when Angelus treated him like crap. None of it mattered. She started laughing at him and he couldn't even be mad about it when her eyes were alight with mischief. He loved seeing her so happy.
"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me," she smiled, making him melt a little. The girl could stake him and he wouldn't be able to be mad at her about it.
"You're bein' a naughty girl, Kitten," he growled, his eyes darkening.
"I'm still waiting on you putting me over your knee," she replied with a coy grin. His tongue darted out, swiping over his canine as he raised a brow.
"Don't think it counts as a punishment if you enjoy it, luv," he smirked.
—-
"Isn't red just a little… obvious?" Kat asked wryly. The whole gang, plus Angel were in the meeting room around the table doing some wedding planning. Angel and Buffy had just started officially dating again and Kat was overjoyed about it. The guys had grouched about why they had to be here for this, but Buffy had promptly threatened them all and they'd closed their mouths. Kat didn't really want to be here either. She didn't care about color swatches and all of that nonsense, but when she'd asked Buffy to just pick for her, she'd also got a stern talking to.
"It's the best bloody color there is," Spike huffed, leaning back in his chair.
"Red it is, then," Kat snorted, pushing the mountain of color swatches away from her, glad to be over with it. She wasn't even sure where Buffy had gotten them all from. There were so many shades of the same color, it made her brain hurt.
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked, collecting the swatches in a neater pile than Kat had left them.
"Yep," she shot her a toothy grin, even at Buffy's look as she knew what she was doing. She let it go though.
"So, when you guys get married, will it be legal?" Dawn asked curiously, looking between her and Spike. She was eating out of a tub of icecream and looking more like her teenage self than Kat had seen in a while.
"I wish it was. But with us both being dead and Spike being a billion years old-" Kat started with a sigh.
"Hey!" Both Angel and Spike protested at the same time, glaring at each other for a moment. She knew Angel wasn't offended on Spike's behalf. It was because he was even older than Spike.
"I know someone. They could make up some documents to make it legal. Well, I mean it's forgery so technically it's illegal, but legal, you know?" Willow grinned.
"Really? You can do that?" Kat asked hopefully. She knew it didn't really matter in the end, but it would be nice to have on paper that they were really married.
"Of course! And hey, you'd even be able to change your last name… if you wanted to, that is," Willow rambled with an awkward smile. Kat hadn't even thought about that since she'd known it wouldn't be a legal marriage. But now with Willow's help, it was possible.
"Mrs Spike," Dawn giggled, ice cream around her mouth as the others chuckled.
"Mrs Katherine Pratt," Kat mused softly, a wistful smile on her face. She liked the sound of that. She turned to look at Spike who was looking at her with wide eyes like he'd never considered she'd take his name.
"What do you think?" she asked him shyly. He swallowed thickly, taking her hand.
"I love it," he murmured with an awed smile, looking a little emotional. The girls all chorused with an 'aw' at that and he turned to scowl at them.
"Bugger off," he huffed, but she could see he wasn't really mad. Just a little embarrassed.
Kat tapped her fingers on the table for a moment. She knew they'd all be leaving to go do whatever it was they wanted to do, but she wanted to bring something up before they did and she had no idea how it would go down.
"So… I kinda wanted to invite someone to the wedding," she murmured, glancing around the table.
"It's your wedding, Kat. You can invite who you want," Xander snorted.
"I know… It's just… none of you will like it," she admitted sheepishly. She got a bunch of weird looks for that one.
"Who is it?" Spike asked, curious and wary. Her mouth floundered for a moment as she toyed with her hands on the table.
"Drucilla," she muttered quietly. The table fell into a shocked silence for a moment.
"You bloody what?" Spike asked incredulously.
"Dru?" Angel asked, sounding equally as shocked as the table erupted in murmurs about how it was a very bad idea.
"Look! I know, I know she's soulless and all of that crap. But… She's family," she shrugged, scrunching her face up a little, not having a better way to describe it. Because with that logic, Spike was her dad and Angel was her great grandad and it was all weird.
"You want Dru… at your wedding?" Buffy asked slowly, like she was talking to a child.
"I do. I know it's weird but I bonded with her. When we were together, she really looked after me. Even without my soul, I'd get sad about Spike and she'd always try to make me feel better. She'd brush my hair, sing to me," Kat shrugged. She purposely left out how she also made her feel better by giving her 'fun' things to do because she knew it wouldn't go down well. "I know she's not exactly on the good side, but it's not really her fault she's so crazy," she added, shooting Angel a guilty look for bringing it up. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat at her words.
"And how do we know she won't just try to murder everyone?" Giles asked carefully, his tone neutral even though she knew he wouldn't be on board with it.
"I think she'd listen if I asked her to behave. She'd really wanna be here for this," Kat murmured softly. She turned to look at Spike then, wanting his opinion on it.
"What do you think? It's your wedding too. I won't invite her if you really don't want her there," she asked. He looked deep in thought for a moment and she knew it would be weird for him, Dru being his ex and all. She wasn't sure why she felt so connected to Dru. Even back in Sunnydale when Dru had kidnapped her, she'd told Spike not to kill her. She couldn't explain it.
"I don't mind. If you want her there then invite her," he answered her with a small smile. She felt relieved, even if the others still weren't sold on the idea.
"How will you contact her, do you know where she is?" Anya asked, not seeming too bothered about inviting the soulless vampire.
"I gave her a cell before she left. I still check in from time to time," she admitted sheepishly.
"You still talk to her?" Angel asked, shocked.
"Sometimes," Kat murmured, feeling a little like a scolded child. She never said anything because she knew their stance on things. She was scared they'd find her and put her down. In the end, everyone relented because it was what Kat wanted, so she was happy about it. She couldn't wait to tell Dru.
Back in their room, once in bed, Spike finally brought it up. She knew he would and she'd been expecting it. She was surprised he hadn't sooner given his general impatience with just about anything.
"You never told me you still speak to Dru," he murmured quietly. She'd been lying with her head on his chest but moved to lay facing him. He rolled over so he could look at her.
"I know… I just… I didn't know how you'd feel about it. It's not like I talk to her all the time. Just like once a month, see how she is," she admitted guiltily. She never really saw it as hiding it. She pretty much forgot about it after she'd contacted Dru and just never brought it up, but now she was worried he'd see it like she'd been lying to him. His hand reached up to her face, tucking some of her hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek.
"You never have to hide anything. Not from me," he said firmly. He didn't look mad, his blue eyes shining with the usual warmth they held for her.
"I know, I'm sorry. I just knew it might be weird for you," she sighed.
"You and Dru really bonded then?" he asked, sounding a little curious about it. She knew it was strange.
"Yeah. I know it's weird and we did some bad things together. I can't really explain it. I care about her. And I know you still care about her too," she said softly. He looked guilty for a moment then and she reached up and put her hand over his on her face.
"It's not like that. Not anymore," he rushed out, looking worried about what she thought about it.
"I know it's not. You really think I'd invite her to the wedding if I thought you were still in love with her?" she snorted, making him relax instantly. "But like I said, she's family," she added with a smile. Spike nodded in understanding and she was glad he wasn't mad at her for not telling him. He understood how she felt. Sirelines were weird that way. Even Angel still cared for Dru, even if he hated the stuff she was getting up to and the fact he'd made her this way. There really was a family-like connection with them all. Kat wondered if her soulmate bond to Spike had her feeling that connection to Dru before she'd even been turned. There wasn't really a reason why she'd felt connected to her back then as a human when she knew she was evil and all the things she'd done. She felt sorry for Dru in a way because of her mental state. She really hated Angelus for what he did to her. Not Angel, he was a completely different person as she'd learned herself when she'd lost her own soul. Not everything was black and white in this world. Spike had been the first person to show her that.