Rush
Chapter Two
Buffy sat stunned "And you're sure?"
"I triple checked" Willow winced a little
"So that's it" said Buffy rising from her seat "There's no spell, so she really is in love"
Buffy paced for a moment as Willow looked on "Are you okay?" Willow asked her
"Yeah" Buffy tilted her head up to stop the tears "It's just I dunno, I still saw her as this kid y'know and she's grown up now… I wish my mom was here"
"Oh Buffy" Willow hugged her friend "You've always protected her, but it's time to hand her over to Jackson"
"That's just it, how do I hand her over to a guy I've never met? How do we know we can trust him?" asked Buffy
"We have to trust her judgement" said Willow
Faith burst through the door "B the Brat's new beau is here" she told her
"Maybe we should stop calling her Brat?" Willow rolled her eyes
"Oh c'mon it's a term of endearment" said Faith
"Sure" said Willow unconvinced
"Are you coming? He looks actually quite normal, adequate lookin' too" said Faith
"I'll be there in a minute" said Buffy collecting her thoughts and fixing her make up in the mirror
XXXXX
Dawn and Jackson sat hand in hand nervously on the couch in the common room area of Slayer Central. He was handsome, his eyes were a clear chestnut brown, which paired perfectly with his chocolatey hair adorably coiffed. Dawn couldn't help but stare at him.
"Are you nervous?" asked Dawn
"A little" Jackson admitted
"Don't worry, her bark is worse than her bite" Dawn smiled
"She's the Slayer right? How can her bark be worse?" he asked
"Good point" Dane stuttered "I'm sure it will be fine"
Buffy entered the room followed by Willow and Xander. The new couple rose from their seat and Jackson reach out his hand to Buffy "It's so great to meet you, Dawn has told me all about you"
Buffy look at his hand before eventually shaking it "All good things I hope"
"Of course" Jackson stuttered
"This is Willow… and Xander" she introduced her fiancé to them "and this is Jackson"
"Nice to meet you" said Willow
"Hey man, how are you doing?" said Xander
"Well let's sit" said Dawn
The rest of group sat around the couple with Buffy sitting in front of them "so Jackson, you wanna marry my sister"
"I do" he said turning and looking at Dawn adoringly "With your blessing of course"
"Where did you meet" said Buffy coldly
"Through friends" said Jackson
"Where did you grow up?" asked Buffy
"Mostly Ferndale" he replied
"Mostly?" asked Buffy
"I went to school in Berkeley" he answered
"That's a great school" Willow chimed in
"And what are your intentions with my sister?" asked Buffy
"I just want to make her as happy as she makes me" he replied
"Okay, great" said Buffy "You ever been in jail? Summoned a demon?"
"What?" He asked exasperated "No"
"How do you feel about the vampires, demons thing" asked Buffy
"They're not my buddies or anything. I totally appreciate your mission" he told her
"The mission is what matters" said Buffy
"I couldn't agree more" he smiled sadly "I lost my sister two years ago. It was a vampire attack"
Dawn squeezed his hand gently.
"I'm so sorry" said Willow
"That's rough" said Xander
"I'm sorry for your loss" said Buffy
"Thank you" he smiled gratefully
XXXXX
Andrew had been cooking up a storm in the kitchen all day. He was overly excited to meet
Dawn's fiancé. They all sat down for a family dinner and made the usual small talk.
Faith sat next to Buffy with her plate "So what do you think?" she asked
"He seems nice" said Buffy
"I still think we need to do a background check… want me to run it?" Faith asked
Buffy looked over at Dawn and Jackson they looked so happy. Dawn was practically beaming "No… I think we need to trust her on this one"
"Lemme know" shrugged Faith
"Uh Buffy?" Jackson asked from across the table "Could I have a moment? Just me and you?"
"Sure" said Buffy putting down her fork and following him out of the room. "We can go to my office"
She started down the hallway and opened one of the doors "Take a seat" said Buffy gesturing to the chair that sat in front of her desk.
Jackson sat nervously as Buffy sat behind her desk and stared at him "What did you wanna talk about?" She asked
"I know what you're thinking… woah who's this guy that wants to marry my sister after a few weeks of knowing her. It's crazy I know! I'd feel the same if this was about Emily, but I love Dawn" he told her
"I was in such a bad place since I lost my sister and then I met Dawn and it's like the world came rushing back. She brought me back to life. I can't imagine my life without her"
"Why the rush? Why can't you just date?" asked Buffy
"If there's one thing I've learned it's that life is so incredibly short, we wanna enjoy every second of it" said Jackson
Buffy nodded "I get it… you'll take care of her?"
"Always" he smiled
"Then you have my blessing… but you mess this up and you're gunna wish you'd never met her" ending sternly
"Buffy I can promise you will never have to worry about Dawn. Ever" he told her
"I hope not" she responded
The telephone on Buffy's desk began to ring
"You go ahead I'll catch up" she told Jackson
He nodded and made a swift exit
"Hello?" said Buffy holding the receiver up to her ear
"Just what the bleeding hell is going on?!" A familiar British voice bellowed through the phone
"Hello Spike" said Buffy
"Don't hello Spike me! Why did I just get a sodding email inviting me to Nibblet's wedding? I just saw her a few weeks ago she never so much as even mentioned a boyfriend" said Spike
"Not nice to not be kept in the loop huh?" said Buffy
"What?" he asked
Buffy rolled her eyes "Nothing… It was a shock to us all. I tried to call you a few days ago"
"Oh...sorry, I guess I didn't get the message" he softened "But what's going on Slayer? Who's the bloke?"
"His name is Jackson he's 24, he's from Ferndale. Went to Berkeley" Buffy reeled off
"I'm as pissed as you, she's only known him for four weeks"
"I do need to come over there and talk some sense into her?" He asked
"Be my guest" she sighed
"I'll catch the next flight over… might see if Peaches can get me a jet" he laughed
"Okay"
"It's okay I'm coming right Slayer?" he asked
"Sure"
"I don't want us to be at each other's throats…" he told her
"I'll play nice" said Buffy
"See you in a few days" said Spike
XXXXX
Buffy sat and looked on at the chaos that was happening around her. The meeting room had become wedding central, there were magazines strewn across the table with samples of material in a variety of colours mixed in between. Dawn and Willow were fawning over florist samples that had just been dropped off. Jackson looked overwhelmed as Dawn asked his opinion of every little detail.
"Hey Buffy" said Dawn sitting down next to her "So I have something I wanna ask you"
"Alright…" Buffy answered tentatively
"So you're my sister and I know you're still not a hundred percent in this, I really appreciate that you're giving it your all to be okay with this" Dawn rambled "So I wanted to ask if you'd be my maid of honour?"
Buffy smiled "Of course" she hugged her younger sister tightly
"I love you Buffy" Dawn hugged her back
"I love you too" Buffy told her as they parted "I am happy for you and Jackson is a good guy"
"He really is" Dawn gushed
XXXXX
Spike entered Slayer Central and bounded down the hallway to the meeting room almost taking the door off its hinges as he opened it.
"Nibblet!" He exclaimed
"Spike!" Dawn grinned "You're here!"
"Course I'm here! Where's the bloke?" He asked
"Uh that would be me Sir" said Jackson raising his hand
Spike went over and stood in front of Jackson sizing him up "So you're him"
"Yes, uh Jackson Williams. Pleased to meet you" he stuck out his hand.
Spike looked down at the young man's hand then back up at his face
"Play nice Spike" Buffy warned
Spike smirked a little "What are your intentions with my Nibblet?"
"I just want to make her happy" Jackson stuttered
"Dawn are you happy?" Spike asked looking over at her
"The happiest I've ever been" she told him
definitively "Spike, he's a good guy. I love him"
Spike looked at Dawn she was grinning from ear to ear just looking at her fiancé. Spike thought for a moment "You hurt her or make her cry even once, I'm coming for you"
The room fell silent
"So anybody going to throw a bit of O neg in the 'crowave for me?" asked Spike "Long trip"
Buffy rolled her eyes "Follow me"
Spike smiled and followed the Slayer out of the room.
"Did you have to have to be so aggressive in there? His sister was killed by vampires and there we are talking about how you're not an ordinary vampire and here you are strolling in showing fangs!" Buffy scolded him as the walked to the kitchen.
"I didn't show any fangs" Spike sighed
"Well you could've!" Buffy faltered "I expected you to come in and play the big brother part and instead you just make some lame threats and ask for some blood?"
"I can't do right for bleedin' wrong here" Spike threw his hands up in mock surrender. As Buffy tossed him a pack of blood. "No mug?"
Buffy sighed "They're in the cupboard behind you"
"Cheers luv" he said spinning around and taking out a mug and putting his blood inside it "Struggling with all this?"
"Its the shock is all" she shrugged
He put his mug into the microwave and started it up "You're not the only one luv"
"I'm her maid of honour" she said hopping up and sitting on the kitchen counter
"Another hideous bridesmaid dress" Spike laughed taking his blood out of the microwave and gulping it
"Hopefully not this time but who knows" she told him "And I wouldn't make with the chuckles just yet buster, she's asking you to walk her down the aisle"
Spike choked on the blood in his mouth "She is?" he croaked "I thought Rupert would be the one to do that"
"Apparently not" said Buffy
They stood in silence for a moment.
"So how's your girlfriend… what's her name again?" she asked
Spike sighed "Don't start Slayer"
"Start what?" She asked innocently
"I know what you're getting at" he told her "She fine, she's whatever"
"Hmm sounds like a great girl" said Buffy
"Do we really have to talk about her?" He asked
"Well considering I didn't know she existed until the other day…"
"I don't ask about your boyfriends or whomever you happened to be shacked up with" he reminded her
"Nothing to tell, and I was just making conversation. I didn't want this to end in a fight" she sighed
"Didn't want it to end in a fight luv but brought up a topic that would most certainly end in one" he turned to face her "Anna is great, she's a nice person and she makes me happy"
"Good" she said softly "That's good, that's all I want for you"
"Feelings mutual Pet" he smiled "Now excuse me luv, I've got Nibblet's suitor to interrogate" he drank the remaining blood from the mug and walked out of the room.
XXXXX
Spike sat in the chair in front of Dawn. Spike wanted to interrogate Jackson but Dawn wouldn't allow it so Dawn suggested they had a catch up instead
"What are you doing Dawn?" Spike asked
"Save the lecture okay?" Dawn roller her eyes "I'm a grown woman now I can marry whomever I want"
"I'm not disputing that, but you barely know him" said Spike "He could be some demon posing as the all American boy!"
"He's not! God why does everybody always go to that? 'It's a spell' 'he's a demon' maybe just maybe I found somebody who loves me is that so crazy?" Dawn yelled jumping up from her seat and pacing the room
"I'm not saying that" Spike said softly
"He's a great guy, in the last few weeks I've spent almost every waking moment with him. We talk, we laugh and I feel safe with him. He's not a monster, he's just… Jackson a sweet guy from a small town in California who loves his dog and taught me how to fish" Dawn told him "I love him Spike, this is real"
"Okay" Spike nodded "But what happens in a few weeks when things aren't all new and exciting?"
"Then whatever problems come our way we will face them together" said Dawn "I know you guys think I'm just being young and naive but I'm not, I've never ever felt this way before about anybody"
Dawn sat beside Spike "remember how you felt about Buffy?"
"Nibblet…" Spike shifted uncomfortably
"No, remember how much you loved her? You'd go to the end of the earth for her, that's how I feel about Jackson" said Dawn
"I don't really think you should compare me and your sister with you and small town boy" said Spike
Dawn nodded "Yeah you guys were… intense"
"Yeah we'll go with that" said Spike
"So you get it?" asked Dawn
"I get it" he told her "Doesn't mean I'm thrilled about it but you're talking to loves bitch here Nibblet"
Dawn smiled "Good, because I wanted to ask you if you'd walk me down the aisle"
It was like the air had been knocked out of him, if his heart could beat it would've skipped a beat in that moment "I'd be honoured" he said giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze
"I know we've had our moments but you are the big brother I never had" she smiled
"And you're the little sister I never wanted" he laughed
Dawn slapped his arm playfully and giggled "So how's Hannah?"
"You mean Anna?" he asked
Dawn shrugged
"She's…" Spike shrugged himself
"Not Buffy?" Dawn finished for him
"No definitely not Buffy" he sighed "It wasn't really that serious, just passing the time"
"Is she coming to the wedding?" asked Dawn
"No" Spike said emphatically
"Maybe Buffy could be your date" Dawn said hopefully
"Maybe pigs might fly" said Spike
"Stranger things have happened"