Author's Note: Some of you noted that I accidentally added the wrong chapter for 91. It should now be fixed. So as soon as the site updates you can go back and read it.

Chapter 92: Something Blue

Buffy is walking through U.C. San Francisco commons. She stops when she sees Riley across the way, helping some pretty girls who struggle to tack a banner under one of the archways. Buffy can't quite make out what the banner says as Riley climbs on the step ladder they have set up and they hand him one side, he tacks it up as one girl holds the other.

Riley comes off the ladder, looks to make sure it's straight. "There you go. Looks good."

Buffy moves closer and sees that the banner is announcing the monthly meeting of the U.C. SAN FRANCISCO LESBIAN ALLIANCE. Buffy takes this in - smiling at Riley's easy, well-meaning rapport with the girls.

Riley finishes helping them, then turns and sees Buffy standing nearby. He's pleasantly surprised. "Hey Buffy."

"You have something to tell me?" Buffy says, teasingly.

"What?" Riley asks. "Oh. Yes, I am a lesbian."

They start to move together through the bustling commons, more interested in talking to each other than in where in where they are going.

"It's good that you're open about it. How are your parents dealing?" Buffy says.

"They just want me to be happy. Oh hey! You know we were talking about having a picnic; I was thinking, do you ever hang out at Ruggs Field? It's beautiful there. Usually not that crowded either. I thought maybe we could have a little spread, sandwiches, maybe some ants." Riley says as they stop. "Could be fun."

"We were talking about having a picnic?" Buffy asks.

"Oh. Um, okay..." Riley says, thinking. "... so was that a conversation we actually had or just one I was practicing?"

"Practicing." Buffy says, grasping the concept.

"Okay, yes, I have been known to do a little prep work before our conversations. It's not easy, you know. Talking to you, sometimes, it's like an oral exam." Riley says.

Buffy smiles, "And that's just what every girl longs to hear."

"Well you're tricky!" Riley says.

"Like an exam." Buffy says, smiling wryly.

"I never know how you're going to react to something. That's why I like you so much. You're a mystery." Riley says as he laughs. "Probably every beautiful girl in the world has some jerk telling her she's a mystery, but I swear you really are. There's a lot about you that needs puzzling out." For a moment they just stare at each other. "I lose you somewhere?"

"Right around "beautiful"." Buffy says.

Another smile beat. Riley gamely offers, "Say. Don'tcha just love a picnic?"

That evening Buffy, Piper and Willow walk the graveyard, in patrol mode. Buffy's still wearing that goofy smile. "It's just different, you know? A picnic - first of all, daylight, kind of a new venue Buffywise... and the best part, he said he'd bring all the food. All I have to do is show up and eat – two things I'm really good at!"

"So he's nice." Willow says.

"Very very." Buffy says.

"And you like each other?" Piper asks.

Buffy nods, "Oh yeah. He's just got - have you looked at his arms? Those are good arms to have. Riley is... I really like him. I do..." She's becoming pensive.

"But?" Willow asks.

"I don't know. I love being around him, I think he cares about me, but... I still feel like something's missing..." Buffy says.

They think for a minute. Then Willow offers, "He's not making you miserable?"

"Exactly!" Buffy says. "Riley seems so solid. Like he's not the type to give a girl grief."

"Get out. Get out while there's still time." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "I know. I gotta get over the whole bad boy thing. But then I can't help thinking, isn't that where the fire comes from? Can a nice safe relationship be that intense? It's nuts, but part of me believes that real love and passion have to go hand in hand with lots of pain and fighting-"

Piper shakes her head about to say something as a vamp leaps out in front of them. With barely time to growl, Buffy throws a fireball dusting him. "Buffy it's not always like that. Look at me and Leo or Phoebe and Cole. We have our moments sure, what couple doesn't. But we have more love and passion than the other."

Buffy sighs and nods, "Then there are my parents. Before the divorce they were always fighting. Sometimes I wonder if he was like Uncle Victor and knew about magic. And if that was what drove them apart. Look at Aunt Patty and Uncle Victor. They split up too. And from what we know it was over magic."

Piper nods, "I don't remember them fighting all the time though. But remember what Dad said the day of my wedding? Looking back on his life the years he spent with Mom was some of the happiest years of his life."

Later at Giles Apartment in his bathroom, Spike, pale and disheveled, is chained up un the tub.

Buffy leans wearily against the wall next to him. A small TV, off, sits on the counter. "You saw their faces, but you can't describe them."

"Well... They were human... two eyes each, kind of in the middle." Spike says.

"Uh-huh. And the lab...?" Buffy asks.

"Underground. I came out through an air vent, I don't know exactly where. I'm done. Put the telly on." Spike says as Giles enters and hands a mug to Buffy. "'Bout time. Hope you got it warm enough." Buffy winces as she holds the mug. Spike drinks greedily. "Don't know why you're so dainty all of a sudden. You've done this for Angel. You must've." Buffy pulls the mug away, sets it aside. "Hey! Give it!"

"That's it. The invalid amnesiac routine is over. Kitchen closed 'til you tell me something useful about the commandos." Buffy says.

"I'm trying to remember. It was very traumatic." Spike says.

"How long are you going to pull this crap?" Buffy asks.

"How long am I gonna live once I tell you?" Spike says.

"Spike, we've no intention of killing a harmless creature. But we need to know what's been done to you. We can't let you go until we're sure you're impotent." Giles says.

"Hey!" Spike says.

"Sorry. Poor choice of words. 'Til we know you're..." Giles says.

"Flaccid?" Buffy asks, jokingly.

"You're one step away, missy –" Spike says.

"Giles, help! He's gonna scold me!" Buffy says as Spike tries to lunge but the chains hold him back. "You know what? I think you don't want us to let you go. Maybe we made it too comfy here."

"Comfy? Do I look comfy? I'm chained in a bathtub drinking pig's blood from a novelty mug. Doesn't rate high in the Zagat's guide." Spike says.

"You want something nicer?" Buffy asks as she leans over Spike, baring her neck to him. "Ooh... look at my poor neck, all bare and tender and delicious..." Spike strains at his chains, wanting it... "All that blood just pumping away..."

"Giles, make her stop!" Spike says.

Buffy sits back, "You wanna start again?"

"You're inhumane." Spike says.

Sighing powerless at the impasse, Giles exits into the living room and finds Willow cross-legged on the floor, a number of books spread out on the coffee table before her. Piper sits on the couch.

"If those two don't kill each other, I might lend a hand." Giles says.

"What about a truth spell? I'm not positive it'd work on a vampire, but we could try. Make him fess up." Willow says.

"Of course. A truth spell. Why didn't I think of that?" Giles asks.

"'Cause you've got your hands full with the unread English patient." Willow says.

Willow hands Giles a book, he looks at it. She stands, starts to gather her stuff. "Yes, worth a go..."

"Looks pretty simple. I'll stop by the magic shop tomorrow." Willow says.

"Excellent." Giles says.

"I'll be back in the morning with donuts and motherwort." Willow says. "Buff, I'll see you later!"

"Bye!" Buffy says.

"Great. Thank you, Willow." Giles says.

Willow exits, and then Giles hands the book to Piper.

Piper looks it over, "It might work. I know there is a truth spell in the Book of Shadows. Prue used it a couple years ago. Only thing is that it has a nasty side effect. Anyone you talk to would be compelled to tell the truth till the spell ended. And it was a 24 hour spell."

Giles nods, "Is it the same one in that book?"

Piper looks at the book and shakes her head, "No. We might try this one first and see what happens. If all else fails we can go with the one in the Book of Shadows."

Giles nods as Piper gets up and walks back to the bathroom. She pokes her head in.

Buffy and Spike are glaring at each other as she feeds him his blood.

"Willow may have had a helpful idea." Piper says. "She seems to be coping better with Oz' departure, don't you think?"

"She's still got a way to go, but yeah - I think she's dealing." Buffy says.

"What are you people, blind? She's hanging on by a thread." Spike says. "Any ninny can see that."

Later that evening back at the Manor, Buffy is on the phone with Willow. She can hear that Willow is crying when she speaks.

"Devon said he sent for his things. I guess this means he's planning on settling down somewhere. Else. Not here." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Guess so."

"I feel like I've been split down the center. And half of me is lost." Willow says.

Buffy knows this feeling all too well. "I know. It feels like that now..."

"Oz is gone." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, feeling helpless.

The next day Buffy and Riley, are kicking back, sharing their lunches... Enjoying each other.

"Driving." Buffy says.

"Yeah." Riley says.

"You seriously drive for fun?" Buffy asks.

"Not four-wheeling or anything. But yeah. Don't you?" Riley asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't do it for fun, just to get around. Before I graduated high school I was an avid pedestrian. I didn't get my license till just before graduation. I didn't get my car till after Prue died. Piper asked Phoebe and I if we wanted Prue's car. We both said no. Turns out Prue had other ideas. She had amended her will about the time I got my license. I guess she thought if something happened to her I would like to have her car."

"You know you have an amazing family. One cousin is giving you her club when you turn 21. Another gave you her car. They gave you a place to live when your mom died." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "I know. I have the most loving family in the world." They notice just that that Willow was standing just off their blanket. Shoulders slumped. Face grey. "Will. Hey."

"Hi Willow." Riley says.

A pause as Willow waits for more. Notices their uneaten sliced apples laid out on a napkin. "I interrupted. You've got apples. My mistake." She turns to leave, obviously distraught.

"Wait." Riley says, and Willow turns back. "Sit. Plenty to go around."

Buffy regards her, concerned. "What - did something happen? What's wrong?"

Willow sits on the blanket, takes an apple wedge. "Nothing Everything's fine. Same."

"Oh." Buffy says.

Willow takes an apple slice. "Your apples are... they're turning brown. The way they do."

Riley nods, "Yeah, guess they do that."

"Yeah." Buffy says.

Willow sighs, "Yeah."

Buffy and Riley look from each other to Willow, to the blanket. Buffy tugs some grass from the ground. Riley twists a thread in the blanket. Conversation has come to a big old halt.

That evening at Payson's P4 Buffy, Xander and Anya are sitting in the alcove.

"Jeez. You mean Oz just sent for his stuff and didn't even call her? That's pretty harsh." Xander says.

"I only wish I had my powers back. I'd liquify his entrails for her." Anya says, kindly.

"That's sweet." Xander says. "God. Poor Willow. No wonder she's... having a wonderful time."

Anya and Buffy follow his look to the dance floor where Willow is with a group of people, cutting the rug happily. Needless to say – Buffy, Xander and Anya are a little surprised.

"Wow. Way to rebound." Buffy says, perplexed.

"I believe that is the dance of a brave little toaster." Xander says.

Willow notices them watching her - bops over. "Hey! Come on you guys - this music is great!"

"Nice to see you brought your boogie shoes tonight, Will." Xander says.

Willow nods, "Yeah - I know I've been a party poop lately. So I said to myself - "Self" - I said "time to shake and shimmy it off!""

"Sounds like a good policy." Buffy says, bemused.

"Yep. And it works too..." Willow says as she reaches for her coat. :I just figure in the grand scheme of things, we're all –"

CLINK-CLANK! A beer bottle falls from under the coat and clatters to the ground

"- drunk?" Buffy asks.

Willow snatches the bottle off the floor and hides it again in her coat. "Drunk is a pretty strong word. Kind of an Anglo-Saxon word. Guttural. "Drunk.""

"Will, not loving the drowning of the sorrows." Xander says.

"Not drowning. Wading." Willow says as she flashes the beer. "See? Light. No big."

Buffy frowns, "Actually big, Will. The club could loose it's license for serving you that. Since Piper's name is on the deed she could go to jail if anyone found out. I'm going to have to talk to the bartenders and remind them to check for the stamps."

Xander nods, "How's about you give me the beer."

Willow gets defensive - just shy of actual belligerence. "No! Why should I? I've got pain here. Big time, legitimate pain-"

"We've all got pain, Will-" Xander says.

Willow cuts him off, "Like what? Poor me, I live in a basement? Oh, yeah - that's dire!"

Xander's genuinely stung by this.

Buffy moves to Willow, takes her by the arm and leads her slightly away from the others. "I'm taking you home now."

"I don't want to –" Willow says.

"You'll thank me when you still have a friend left in the morning." Buffy says.

Willow looks at her, softens. The hard exterior melting a bit. "I just can't stand feeling this way. I want it to be over."

"And it will be. I promise. But it's going to take some time." Buffy says.

"That's not good enough." Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "I know. But that's how it is. You have to go through the pain."

"Isn't there some way I can make it go away? Just 'cause I say so? Can't I make it go poof?"

Buffy regards her, helpless.

Later in Willow's dorm room. Buffy decided to crash there so that Willow wouldn't be left alone. She quietly sleeps.

Willow, however, is hyper awake. She looks over at her alarm clock, reading 3:34 a.m. Willow looks to the sleeping Buffy, and silently crawls out from under her covers. Goes to her chest and opens it grabbing some stuff and she makes her way down the hall. And into the women's bathroom.

Moments later Willow sits cross-legged in the middle of the tile floor. A circle of white candles around her. She speaks softly, not wanting to waken anyone. "Harken well ye elements. I summon thee now. Control the outside. Control within. Land and sea, fire and wind."

A small wooden pentagram rests on the floor in front of her. Beside it three small bowls of seeds, leaves and powder. Willow begins to sprinkle the bits on top of the pentagram...

"Out of my passions, a web be spun. From this eve forth, my will be done." Willow says as her hair blows in a slight breeze. She opens her eyes and looks around. The candles glow brighter. A little frightened, but mostly invigorated, she takes a deep breath, and pours from the chalice. "So mote it be!"

CRACK! Bright white lightning forks outward along the floor in all directions, from under Willow, to the circumference of the circle. The candle flames shoot skyward. Willow is jolted backward. Then she's illuminated, as if she glows from within. Her breath is sucked from her lungs. Hair whipping in a wind that strikes in every direction. She suppresses a scream.

The next day Buffy's at Payson's P4 talking to the bartenders and the wait-staff, Piper stands beside her. "Last night one of you sold beer to a minor. I'm not going to ask which one of you did it. You need to check the stamps people. Unless you really want to be out of a job. If the cops had come in last night and saw one of you selling alcohol to a minor they would have shut us down. Everyone here would have lost their jobs. On top of that we would have lost our liquor license and since Piper's name is still on the deed she would have likely been the one the police arrested as she is responsible for all the alcohol that is sold here. Check the hand stamps everyone. If Piper or I find out one of you sold to a minor again. That person will be out of a job."

Later Buffy returns to Willow's dorm room to check on her. Willow is cleaning Amy's cage on the floor. Amy runs loose on the bed behind her.

"I mean, I'm going through something, and I just don't see why he was getting down on me." Willow says.

"Giles just worries. You know as well as I that magic can't be taken lightly. It doesn't mean he thinks you're a bad witch." Buffy says as she looks at Willow and thinks, 'When you're feeling better I'm going to have to remind you about personal gain.'

"I am a bad witch." Willow says.

"No, you're a good witch!" Buffy says.

"I'm not kidding anyone. If I had any real power I could've made Oz stay with me." Willow says.

Buffy sighs and thinks, 'Yep have to talk to her about personal gain.' "Yeah, but you don't want him to stay because you –"

"I didn't have the guts to do a spell on Veruca, my "I will it so" spell went nowhere, the only real witch in here is fuzzy little Amy and you!"

Buffy sighs, "You're being too –"

"She and you have got access to forces I can't even invoke! I mean she's a perfectly normal girl..." Willow's eyes flash and POOF! - behind them on the bed – Amy becomes human! She's naked, sitting with her legs pulled up to her chest. A wave of relief washes over Amy - can it really be? "... then POOF! - She's a rat."

POOF! Amy's a rat again. Neither Buffy or Willow saw her.

"I could never do something like that." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow, I will admit that was a good spell. But it has personal gain written all over it. As you know personal gain spells always have consequences. Amy being a rat is hers. It will take some powerful magic to restore her. Which reminds me I should talk to Piper and find out if we could use the power of four to change her back."

The PHONE RINGS. Buffy picks up. "Hello... Uh-oh. Right. I'm there." She hangs up. "Spike escaped."

"So you're going? Right now?" Willow says, meekly.

"Sorry. Duty thing." Buffy says.

"But - what's the rush? I mean. Spike can't hurt anybody, right? I figured, seeing as how I'm kinda grievey, we could have a girl night. You know - eat sundaes and then watch Steel Magnolias and you could tell me how at least I don't have diabetes-" Willow says.

Buffy sighs, "Willow. I can't hang with you until I get Spike back to Giles'. You know that." Willow shrugs. Buffy, feeling badly, backs out. "I'll be back soon. Promise." She leaves.

Willow grumbles after her. "I don't see the big. He's probably just standing out there, you'll find him in two seconds."

Buffy hurries outside and sees Spike, indeed standing out there. "I thought that was going to take longer."

"Me too - I musta got turned around." Spike says. "Hang on... this..." He rabbits off to a nearby patch of grass. Buffy follows. "This is it! Wait. No. Yes!" He spins around.

Buffy grabs him by the arm. "What are you talking about?"

"The lab. Commando lab. Door was right here. Where I escaped." Spike says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so."

Spike jerks out of her grip, gets down on his knees and starts scraping at the grass, yanking up clumps of it. "Open up! I'm going to kill you!"

"Spike, there's nothing here." Buffy says.

"Let me in! Fix me!" Spike yells, hopelessly.

Buffy pulls him up, "Drop the act."

"Get off me!" Spike says as he pulls his arm free.

"That's it. I'm gagging you." Buffy says as she grabs him and he catches her with a punch in the nose.

Spike recoils with chip-induced searing head pain. "Aaaarrr!" Followed -WHAP- by a blow from Buffy's fist to his nose. "Oowwww!"

Later at Giles apartment Buffy pushes Spike into the living room - arms already tied.

"Watchit!" Spike says.

"One more word out of you and I swear –" Buffy says.

"Swear what? You're not going to do anything to me. You don't have the stones." Spike says.

"Oh, I've got the stones. I've got a whole... bunch of stones." Buffy says.

"Yeah, you're all talk." Spike says.

"Giles! I accidentally killed Spike! That's okay, right?" Buffy calls out.

"Just a minute..." Giles calls back.

Buffy and Spike are nose to nose now. Teeth gritted, tension high.

"I get this spell reversed, they'll be finding your body for weeks." Spike says.

"Make a move. Please. I'm dying for good slay." Buffy says.

Giles enters from the hall. "Now if you two can remain civil long enough to –" He stops, blinks a couple times when he sees... Spike, untied, down on one knee.

Buffy before him, trying to hold back tears. Spike is holding her left hand. "It's just so.. So sudden! I don't know what to say!"

"Just say yes, and make me the happiest man on earth." Spike says.

"Oh, Spike! Of course it's yes!" Buffy says.

Spike stands and pulls her to him, into a long passionate kiss.

Buffy turns to Giles. "Giles - you'll never believed what's happened!"

Giles goes into the kitchen and picks up the phone and dials. "Piper, it's me. Something's happened and... I need your help. I...I can't see very well. Everything's a blur. I'm certain it must be some sort of spell, because, uh well there seems to be something else going .. wrong." He looks over to Buffy and Spike.

"What?" Piper asks.

Buffy is just handing Spike a hot mug of blood. She sits on the arm of the chair, curls up next to him. "Here you go, Sweetie. Ninety-eight point six."

Spike gives her a quick casual kiss.

"Horribly wrong." Giles says.

"Like what?" Piper asks.

"Just get here quick, Piper. And you might stop by Willow's and bring her also." Giles says.

"Okay, we're on our way." Piper says as Giles hangs up.

Buffy consults a hand written list. "Ceremony, guests, reception... there's so much to decide. Ooh bridesmaids. Who's going to be my maid of honor. I have to choose between Piper, Phoebe and Paige. Now I understand why Piper kept putting that decision off. I don't want to hurt someone's feelings."

"Well, first thing, I'd say we're NOT having a church wedding." Spike says. He crosses an item off the list as Buffy runs her fingers through his hair.

"How about a daytime ceremony in the park?" Buffy asks.

"Fabulous. Enjoy your honeymoon with the big pile of dust." Spike says.

"Under the trees. Indirect sunlight only." Buffy says.

"A warm spring breeze tosses the leaves aside and, again, you're registering as Mr. And Mrs. Big pile of dust." Spike says.

"Okay, stop it! This is our wedding and you're treating it like a huge joke!" Buffy says.

Giles pours himself a large glass of Scotch. He brings it with him to the sofa. Buffy pouts, frustrated with her fiancé.

"Ooh. Pouty, look at the lip. Gonna get it. Gonna get it." Spike says as he lurches forward and bites her lower pouty lip. Tugs gently and lets go.

Buffy giggles. "Stop!"

Giles sits on the couch, resting his eyes. "Yes, please stop."

Buffy moves to sit on the couch next to Giles. "Giles? Did you see my ring?"

"Thankfully, not very well." Giles says as he rests his head on the back of the couch, eyes still closed.

"Giles, I... I'm not crazy; I know you probably don't approve... and my Dad and Uncle Victor's not that far away, I could probably get one of them... but this day is about family, my real family. And I want it to be you that gives me away." Buffy says.

Giles looks at her, mouth open, honored, "Buffy, I... That's so... Oh for God's sake! This is nonsense! Something is making you act this way! Don't you realize what you're doing!?"

Buffy looks to Spike, "Living the dream."

"He's going to have to take a bit of time to get to used to it, pet." Spike says. "So will your cousins for that matter."

Buffy moves back over to Spike. "I guess they all will. They weren't crazy about Angel at first."

"You weren't going to say that name." Spike says.

"Sorry. Let's talk about where we should register." Buffy says.

Piper walks in, "Ok Paige and Phoebe are looking for Willow. What's going on?"

"Where would Angel want to register? And can we get the photographer Angel would have wanted and the flowers Angel would have liked?" Spike says.

"Hey, you think the shadow of Drusilla isn't hanging over me? That I won't be wondering if you're thinking about her on our honeymoon when you're making sweet love to me?" Buffy says.

Giles makes a pained noise and reaches for his drink, but misses it badly, knocking the glass to the floor with a crash.

"Giles? Are you okay?" Piper asks.

"I rather think not. I seem to be rather… rather blind. Completely, in fact." Giles says.

Piper and Buffy rushes to him.

"What? How could that happen?" Buffy asks.

"A spell, I believe." Giles says.

"We'll fix it, don't worry." Buffy says.

"A spell?" Piper asks. "You mean someone cursed you?"

Spike is already at the bookcase, going through Giles' books. "What you need is a general reversal spell. Gonna need supplies."

"You're going to help me?" Giles asks, suspiciously.

"Well.. It's like you're almost my father-in-law, innit?" Spike says.

"See, this is how it'll be from now on. Spike'll even take care of you while Piper and I are at the magic shop. From now on, he's family." Buffy says.

Piper frowns, "Giles what's wrong with her?"

Giles thinks about that... and rises as he says, mostly to himself... "It's all right... I have more scotch..."

"Giles!" Piper says.

"I think she's under a spell also." Giles says.

Later Buffy and Piper exits the Magic Shop, black plastic bag in Buffy's hand. On a mission to get back to Giles'. However. She sees something - something that makes her stop dead in her tracks and her eyes go big and round. It's... A bridal shop.

With long, flowing, beaded and sequined dresses on mannequins in the display window. Buffy rushes up to it, places her hands on the glass like a child a candy store. "Oh! Look..."

Piper moves beside her and shakes her head. "Buffy."

"Which one do you like, Piper? Have to make sure all the bridesmaids wear something nice." Buffy says. "Oh I've been meaning to ask you. How did you decide between me, Prue and Phoebe on your maid of honor."

Piper sighs, "That was a hard decision Buffy. But it was actually decided by Prue and Phoebe. They thought you would like the honor of being my maid of honor. Especially since we had grown so close last year after your past lives deal."

They don't notice Riley walk up behind them.

"Hey, Buffy . What's up?" Riley asks.

"Riley - look!" Buffy says. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Riley looks at the dresses. As uncomfortable as any new beau would be at this question. "Um, yeah, they're nice. A little dressy, maybe, for school, but..."

"Riley…" Buffy says.

"Buffy..." Riley says.

Piper moves over to Riley, "You must be Riley Finn? I'm Piper Halliwell, Buffy's cousin."

Riley shakes Piper's hand, "It's nice to meet you…" he looks at her ring finger, "…Mrs. Halliwell."

Piper smiles, "And you. My sister, Phoebe is getting married. And of course Buffy and I are to be her bridesmaids along with my other sister Paige. And we were checking out the dresses we might like to wear so we can give our opinions to Phoebe."

"Ah." Riley says as he has look of relief.

"What are you talking about Piper?" Buffy asks. "We stopped to look at dresses for my wedding, not Phoebe's." She looks to Riley. "I'm getting married. Can you believe it?"

"I don't think "no" is a strong enough word." Riley says.

Piper frowns and looks at Buffy.

"It's crazy, I know, I mean we've been fighting for years and then – sometimes you just look at each and you know, you know?" Buffy says.

"No." Riley says.

"I think maybe we fought so much because we didn't know how to admit what we felt." Buffy says.

"Can we start again?" Riley asks.

"I really think you'd like him. Well, nobody really likes him..." Buffy says.

Piper shakes her head, "Buffy shouldn't we be going. We have to take this stuff back home." She holds up the bag that Buffy had set down. Buffy looks to Piper and the bag, then remembers Giles and nods. "Riley you should come by sometime. I'm a wonderful cook. I'd love to have you stop by for dinner sometime."

Riley looks at Buffy unsure of what to say, "Thanks, but I think I should pass on the offer. I'm going to go, you both have a good evening." He goes.

Buffy watches him with regret - then turns excitedly to the dresses.

Later back at Giles apartment Buffy hops a tiny blonde bride and groom along a table top. "Dum-DUM-de-dum! Dum-DUM-de-dum!"

Giles reclines on the living room couch with a folded towel over his eyes. Wedding etiquette books and wedding-dress fabric swatches are spread out on the coffee table. Spike watches as she plays with the little couple. "So the plan is to cure my total incapacitating blindness tomorrow, is it?"

"They were out of Taggis Root. They'll have more tomorrow. I'm completely on top of this." Buffy says. "Aren't they a perfect little us?"

Piper is on the phone, "Leo are you sure there is none of this Taggis Root in the cabinet?"

"Yeah, Piper. I'm sure." Leo says.

"Okay thanks, Leo." Piper says.

"What's going on?" Leo asks.

"Someone's cast spells on both Giles and Buffy." Piper says. "I had to spend 30 minutes in a bridal shop while Buffy talked to the saleslady about her wedding."

"Wedding?" Leo asks.

"Yeah, hence she like Giles are under a spell. Giles is more insidious. He's been blinded." Piper says. "If Phoebe and Paige call in tell them I'm at Giles apartment."

"Will do." Leo says as Piper hangs up the phone.

Spike takes the little couple, looks at them. "I don't like him. He's insipid. Clearly human."

"How about red paint... we can smear his little mouth - the blood of the innocent." Buffy says.

"That's my girl." Spike says as he grabs the back of her head and yanks her in for a hard, deep kiss.

"Stop that! Right now! I can hear the smacking." Giles says.

"I have to agree with Giles, Buffy." Piper says.

Buffy sighs and rolls her eyes at Spike. Back to the planning. "Honey, we have to talk about invitations. Do you want to be "William the Bloody" or, like just "Spike"? 'Cause either way it's gonna look majorly weird."

"Whereas the name "Buffy" gives it that touch of classic elegance." Spike says.

"What's wrong with Buffy?" Buffy says.

"Such a good question." Giles says.

"Well, it's a terrible name." Spike says.

"My father picked that name!" Buffy says.

"Your father. Yeah, he's a genius." Spike says. "I like the one your mum picked out better, Payson."

Buffy smiles, "You do?"

BAM! The front door flies open and Xander and Anya run in.

"Board up the windows! Barricade the doors!" Xander says.

Piper moves to Xander, "What's going on?"

"Demons. They keep coming and coming!" Anya says.

Xander and Anya struggle with the mirrored stand by Giles' door, trying to move it in front of the door.

"I think we lost them. I didn't see –" Xander says as he sees Spike and stops. "Spike! He's all untied! You probably noticed."

"Xander, calm down. If you lost them, we have a little time to figure this out. Maybe it's related to Giles being blind." Buffy says.

"Giles is blind?" Anya asks.

Xander goes to Giles, waves his hands wildly in front of Giles' face.

"Stop whatever you're doing. You smell like fruit roll-ups." Giles says.

"This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed." Spike says.

"Spike's right. We have to get organized." Buffy says.

"Why are you holding hands?" Anya says.

Xander turns, eyes them.

Piper frowns, "Great you would have to notice. I had hoped to have this all straightened out before anyone noticed."

"They have to hear it sooner or later..." Spike says.

Buffy nods, smiling, "Spike and I are getting married."

"How? What? How?" Xander says.

"Spell, Spell, Spell." Piper says.

Buffy and Spike have gotten caught in the loving snare of each other's eyes.

"What are you looking at?" Spike asks.

"The man I love." Buffy says, intimately. She kisses Spike, big time.

"Can I be blind too?" Xander asks. "Wait. Married. I know something. What is it? This is all so familiar. Work, brain, work. Oh! Oh-oh! Willow!"

"You've seen Willow?" Piper asks.

Xander nods, "Something about Willow and her grief-y poor-me mood swings. So, so tired of it."

"You mean I don't have to be nice to her anymore?" Anya asks.

"We're all tired of it, but what's it have to do with what's going on?" Buffy asks.

"She told me I was a demon magnet. And.. And she said you two should get married." Xander says.

"And that I didn't see anything." Giles says.

Piper shakes her head, "Willow cast a spell. And this must be the consequences. Whatever it was must have been personal gain. I thought we had taught her better than that."

"Yes, to have her will done. Whatever she says is coming true." Giles says.

Piper nods and goes over to the phone dialing. "I'll call Phoebe and Paige and tell them get a move on. We need to find Willow."

Buffy nods, "And both you guys were affected. I probably only escaped it because I'm the Slayer and a Charmed One. Some kind of natural immunity."

"Yeah. Right. You're marrying Spike because you're so right for each other." Xander says.

"Xander..." Buffy says.

"That's it. You're off the usher list." Spike says.

"Phoebe it's Piper." Piper says. "Willow cast a personal gain spell. The consequence of which is effecting Buffy, Xander and Giles. Find her quickly. We have to get her to reverse the spell." She hangs up the phone. "Okay People... Willow's still out there, and she probably has no idea what she's doing."

"We've gotta find her –" Xander says.

Buffy nods, "Before someone really gets hurt."

Later Piper, Buffy, Xander, Anya and Spike rush down the hall towards Willow's dorm room.

"Why does he have to come?" Xander asks.

"Xander, Spike is going to be my husband. I want him included." Buffy says.

"I think I agree with Xander here. Seems like a lot of work for people who aren't us." Spike says.

"Spike, these are my friends. And, by the way, this is kind of my job." Buffy says.

"For now." Spike says.

"What are you saying, you want me to stop working?" Buffy asks.

"Let's see, would I like you to give up killing my friends? Yeah, I've given it a thought!" Spike says as they reach the door.

Piper shakes her head, "Never gonna happen, Spike. Just like once we get this deal with the spell fixed you won't be marrying my sister."

Buffy enters first. The others follow. She flicks on the light. A black circle mars the floor. Buffy looks at it. "This was burned."

Anya joins her, a look of recognition on her face. "D'Hoffryn - the bastard - he opened a portal here."

"Who?" Piper asks.

"D'Hoffryn is one of the lower beings. He made me a demon eleven hundred and twenty years ago." Anya says.

"Why would he attack Willow?" Buffy asks.

"I don't believe he did." Anya says.

"Why not?" Piper asks.

"If I had my guess. He's trying to recruit her." Anya says.

Later they are moving fast through a graveyard.

"I'd been dumped, I was miserable. Doing a few vengeance spells - boils on the penis, nothing fancy." Anya says.

"Please skip ahead." Xander says.

"Please do." Piper says.

"The lower beings got wind of me, they offered to elevate me." Anya says.

"Meaning?" Buffy asks.

"They made me a demon." Anya says.

"Oh god, Willow... so you can summon the demon from this crypt place? Get him to stop - hey, wouldn't this make a pretty back drop for photographs?"

"I'm not posing for chuff-all." Spike says.

"Hey! Demon!" Xander says.

They turn to follow Xander's gaze. A demon in the near distance. Advancing steadily.

Piper and Buffy steps up to meet it.

"Listen, we're gonna do this without destroying the foliage." Buffy says.

No time wasted, she kicks him in the head. He makes with the pummelling, but she's a blocker. Fighting, fighting. He's stunned. He bolts.

But then Piper spies two more demons advancing from the trees ahead of them.

"Let's go!" Piper says as they all follow Anya to the crypt. Xander yanks open the heavy door. They make it inside, slamming the door with a millisecond to spare.

Spike grabs a tomb lid, places it against the doors to help.

Anya is already kneeling on the periphery of a hastily drawn circle in the dirt floor. "Blessed be the name of D'Hoffryn. Let this space be now a gateway to the world of Arashmaharr where demons are spawned."

Buffy moves by the window as a demon hand is shooting out and grabbing her neck through the bars. She screams in pain.

Xander and Spike are holding the doors, but demons are pounding at it and it's a losing battle.

"Buffy!" Spike and Piper says as Buffy wrenches free.

"We're not doing well here..." Xander says.

"You think." Piper says, sarcastically.

Anya is still chanting... "We come in supplication, we bend as the reed in the flow of... no wait, we come in the flow of the... gnyah! Blessed be the name of D'Hoffryn..."

Buffy has joined them at the door:

"They're strong, and I can't fight. If they get in, I don't know if I can protect you." Spike says.

"You think you have to protect me?" Buffy says, bristling.

"Buffy, now is not the time." Piper says. "Anya quicker the better."

BOOM! The door smashes open, Spike, Xander and Buffy are thrown as two demons get in. Buffy fights one, the other goes for Anya. Piper and Xander try to fend it off while Spike holds the door.

Xander is trying to fend off his demon with a candelabra. Not doing great. Piper is on the ground, groggy. Anya has stopped her spell and is trying to help Xander.

The demon still outside hits hard enough for the tomb lid to fall over on top of Spike...

"Honey!" Buffy says as she kicks her demon brutally, puts out of commission as she rushes to Spike's side. Takes the lid and flips it back up, hitting the entering demon square in the face.

Buffy's foe is rising again, Xander's closing on him.

"Little help here!" Xander says.

"Spike, are you okay?" Buffy asks as she takes him in her arms on the ground.

"Slayer…" Spike says and they kiss, passionately.

Willow materializes in a crack of lightening.

Piper getting back to her feet sees Willow's arrival. "Willow you have to reverse your spell."

Willow looks to Piper and then nods, "Let the healing power begin. Let my Will be safe again. As these words Of peace are spoken, let this harmful Spell… be broken."

The entire crypt is engulfed with light.

A moment later, natural light resumes. The demons are gone. Buffy and Spike freeze, lips still touching. They register the change, pull back and look at each other. Instant nausea. They push away, disgusted and hating each other fully.

"Euwww! Oh bloody hell!" Spike says.

Buffy spits repeatedly. "Spike lips, lips of Spike…"

Xander and Anya are shaken, but all right.

Willow stands, sheepish. Sorry. "Hi guys."

Buffy spits again.

Piper shakes her head, "Willow were going to have a refresher lesson on personal gain. That spell was nothing but."

Willow sighs and nods.

The next day at the Manor Paige watches Willow transfer hot fresh homemade cookies from a baking sheet onto a plate.

"How long are you going to keep making these?" Paige asks.

"Until I don't feel so horribly guilty. I figure, about a million from now. Also I have to detail Giles' and Buffy's cars." Willow says as she carries the plate into the living room.

Piper, Phoebe and Buffy are sitting on a couch. Giles and Xander are talking. Spike is tied to a chair. Anya hovers next to Xander, her arms wrapped around him.

"Time?" Xander asks.

Paige walks over to the couch and sits on the arm next to Buffy.

Giles looks at a clock on the wall. Darn happy he can see it's... "Five past two! Clear as day!"

Willow holds out the plate of cookies to Xander and Giles. "Look, cookies! A very non-evil thing I did. Oatmeal."

"Tricky girl! They're chocolate chip. I can see them." Giles says, "Still need glasses, though. Guess you couldn't be more specific and given me twenty-twenty."

Xander, Giles and Anya each take a cookie. Willow walks her cookies over to Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Buffy.

"Eat a cookie, ease my pain?" Willow says.

Buffy takes a bite of one. "Better?"

"Well, baking lifts at least thirty percent of my guilt. But only seven percent of my inner turmoil." Willow says. "That'll take a while, I guess."

"It'll happen." Piper says. "Just give it time." She takes a cookie. "These are good, Willow."

Buffy smiles at her friend, forgiving all. "Piper would know since she's a chef."

"Don't I get a cookie?" Spike asks.

"No." Buffy says.

"I gotta have something. I still got Buffy taste in my mouth." Spike says.

"You're a pig." Buffy says.

Spike nods, "Yeah, well I'm not the one who wanted "Wind Beneath My Wings" for the first dance."

Buffy rises, completely embarrassed. "That was the spell." She crosses to the kitchen.

Willow follows - pausing to slip Spike a cookie - and joins her. "Did I mention about the sorry part?"

"We may be into a forgetting spell later. I loved him. We were betrothed." Buffy says.

"At least you were getting along..." Willow says.

"We weren't! It wasn't even nice. The bad boy thing? Over it. I get it now. I'd be really happy to be in a nice relationship with a decent reliable oh my GOD Riley thinks I'm engaged." Buffy says.

"What?" Willow asks.

"Riley. He saw me and Piper... and.. What the hell am I gonna say to him?" Buffy says. "Piper! Why didn't you just freeze, Riley."

"Oops." Piper says.

Later Riley and Buffy are mid-explanation as they stroll. He has that same baffled, mildly shocky on his face.

"You thought I was serious?" Buffy asks.

"Well... no. I mean - you weren't serious?" Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh , God. Right. I'm marrying a guy named Spike."

"Maybe. We haven't known each other that long." Riley says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, no... It's just - I saw that fear in your eyes when you caught me and Piper looking at wedding dresses, and I had to give you a hard time."

"What? I didn't have fear in my eyes." Riley says.

"Yes you did. You were looking at me like I was a cartoon ball and chain." Buffy says.

Riley laughs. There's some truth to that. "So you decided to tell me you were getting married."

"Uh huh..." Buffy says, wondering if her lie is working.

"So... you're insane." Riley says.

Buffy nods, "Uh huh..."

"But you're still single." Riley says.

Buffy smiles. As does he. "Yes."

"Okay then. Just another piece of the Buffy puzzle." Riley says.

"You've got a lot to learn about women." Buffy says.

Riley reaches out and runs his hand through the back of her hair, cradling her head and bringing her close to him, firmly but entirely gently. She looks at him, startled but engaged. Their eyes close. He says simply. "You're gonna teach me."

"By the way. What Piper said about Phoebe was true to an extent. Phoebe is getting married. I was kinda dreaming of what it would be like. But I have no plans to do it anytime soon." Buffy says.

Riley moves away suddenly, walking away without another word. Buffy watches him, suffused with feeling.