Chapter 56: Love You All My Days
The weekend had gone by too quickly, but on Sunday night, Buffy and Spike were walking home. Spike carried their things, and Buffy looked around, scouting for vampires. So far, the night was quiet and calm. Spike was quiet too. Too quiet.
“What’s wrong?” she finally asked him.
“Hmm?”
“You’re quiet. Are you ok?”
“Sure.” He sounded too positive at that point. “Just not ready to go home quite yet.”
“I know what you mean,” Buffy pouted. “But I guess the weekend had to end sometime.”
“Doesn’t mean the honeymoon’s over, right?” Spike wondered. Buffy furrowed her brows. “What?”
“Nothing. Just…that was a funny way to say it.” Spike shrugged at Buffy’s comment, and he looked down at the ground.
“You called Willow and Tara before we left, didn’t you?”
“Sure. Wanted to see if they’d already gone out patrolling.”
“Did they?”
“Yeah. Said the cemetery’s quiet. Looks like the Slayer gets a break tonight.”
“Good,” Buffy breathed. “That’s a relief.” She sighed and let out a slow breath. Her hands wandered to her tummy, and she smiled at the feeling of her skin, slightly-stretched, under the fabric of her flowing, blue blouse.
Spike couldn’t help but stare at her now. She looked so beautiful when she smiled like that. She smiled like she was the only person in the world that could feel what she was feeling just then. And she probably was. Slayer pregnancies were very rare, and who knows how different pregnancies could be or feel for Slayers as opposed to regular women.
“God, look at the moon,” Spike murmured, eyes toward the sky. Buffy followed his gaze.
“It’s huge,” she agreed. “And here’s a plus. No werewolves. I don’t hear them, anyway.”
“Think we’re safe from them tonight, pet.”
“Good. I just wanna go home and soak in the bathtub for about three hours.” She giggled as Spike’s hand moved to her lower back and his fingers brushed the skin exposed under her top. “Tickles.”
“Sorry, luv.”
“It’s ok.”
“You remember that dress?”
“What?”
“That dress. That night…we were walking, and you saw it in the window.”
“You remember that?”
“’Course I do,” he chuckled. “Your eyes lit up when you saw it. Tell me what you were thinking about.” Buffy shrugged her shoulders.
“Nothing much.”
“Go on. Tell me,” he urged. Buffy smiled sadly and looked down.
“I was just thinking about us…you know, getting married. If we could. But it was just a silly fantasy.”
“Isn’t silly, pet.”
“Yeah, well…” They turned onto Revello Drive. Spike peered down the street a ways, seeing the candles flickering in the back yard. He took her hand and hoped he could keep her attention from the house for a few minutes.
“If we could get married, you’d…you want to?” Spike cocked his head to the side as he glanced at her. She smiled a little and ducked her head.
“Why not? I mean, we’re family now. We’re…we’re bonded, you know?”
“Even though it’s only been a few months?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she breathed, dreamily looking up at the stars. “When you have the burden of saving the world on your shoulders, time doesn’t really matter anymore. Nothing’s too soon, I guess you could say.” Spike felt his hopes rising the more she spoke.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“So if we could get married, if I got down on my knee right now and asked you, you’d say yes?” Buffy laughed a little, biting her lower lip and bringing her hand up to let the ring he’d given her at her birthday sparkle in the moonlight.
“Why not? I mean, I already have the ring, so…yeah.” Her smile faded a little. “It’s a nice thought.”
“Hmm,” Spike agreed with a little nod, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips. They managed to make it to the front of the house without Buffy noticing a thing. He unnecessarily held his breath as they made their way up to the porch. He saw someone flee from the window, and with his advanced hearing, he could hear feet scurrying along the wooden floors inside.
They made it up the steps and stopped at the front door, and instead of reaching for his keys, Spike put their belongings down and turned to Buffy, taking her hands in his. Wrinkling her brow, she looked up at him, and when she saw the way he was looking at her, her heart skipped a beat.
“Spike?”
“You meant what you said, then?”
“Of course I meant it, but…Spike, what’s going on?” She looked down at their hands joined together. She looked back up into his blue eyes, searching them for answers.
“Buffy, I love you. You’re everything to me. You and this baby. I’m not the same man I once was. Maybe I’m turning into a sappy bloke, but I don’t really care. You love me, and I see it in your eyes every time you look at me. Maybe I can’t give you a marriage in writing, but I want to give you the wedding you deserve.” He reached for the door knob, thankful to find it unlocked. He opened the door, and awaiting them inside was a path of lit candles and shimmering, white decorations. Buffy felt a gasp rise in her throat, and the tears immediately stung her eyes. “Buffy Summers, I don’t know how long we have together, but each day I’m with you…it’s a blessing. I will love you all my days.” He swallowed hard when he saw her lower lip quiver. “Marry me, Buffy.”
She’d never felt so many emotions at once. None of them bad. None of them making her want to turn and run away. Her knees felt as if they’d turned to jelly, but even if they hadn’t, the only direction she’d have wanted to run was forward.
“Spike,” she whispered, brushing away a tear that fell. “You really want to marry me?” Spike chuckled and nodded his head.
“Either way, I’m gonna be here. You’re kinda stuck with me, pet. The claim and all.” Buffy giggled a little. “Even if it weren’t the case, yeah, I’d want to marry you, and—” She was kissing him before he could finish the sentence. Her arms were tight around his shoulders, her lips were hungry against his, and he responded in kind, letting her know just how much he loved her; how much he needed her. When she finally pulled back, she nodded.
“Yeah, Spike. I’ll marry you.” Spike’s smile widened, and he scooped her up, kissing her softly. He couldn’t help but think that the man he’d been before he’d fallen in love with this amazing woman would have scoffed at him and called him a giant poof for being so mushy and sweet, but he didn’t give a damn. He had the most beautiful thing in the world in his arms right now, and that was a hell of a lot better than anything his old life could have offered him.
When he finally put her down, he kissed her forehead and then looked into the house.
“She said yes!” Then, all of the wedding guests, Willow, Tara, Giles, Xander, Anya, and Dawn all came into view. Buffy’s jaw dropped.
“You were all in on this?!”
“Well yeah,” Dawn laughed. “Ok, so Willow was first.” Buffy looked at Willow, wide-eyed, and then back at Spike.
“So that’s what you were really planning.” Spike shrugged his shoulders and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Evil!” she laughed. But she kissed him again. Then she looked at her friends, who were all dressed up. She looked down at herself, clad in khakis and a blue top.
“Don’t worry, Buff. We’ve got just the dress for you,” Willow promised. “Come on!”
“Now?”
“No time like the present, luv,” Spike breathed, leaning in to kiss her once more. She smiled up at him.
“You…you are…”
“Go on, pet. I’ll be waiting for you at the end of the aisle.” Buffy’s heart leapt again, and she followed her friends into the door, not wanting to leave him. But when the girls were gone, Giles and Xander stepped out onto the porch. “Bloody Hell.”
“You alright, Spike?”
“Never been so nervous in my entire life.”
“Well you claimed her. That was a marriage of sorts. You weren’t nervous then.”
“No, because I was doing something I’m good at,” Spike muttered. He cleared his throat. “I mean…”
“Details are of the bad, Spike,” Xander reminded him. Spike nodded.
“Right.”
“There’s a suit waiting for you in the dining room. Should fit you.”
“Thanks,” Spike breathed, clearing his throat. Xander led the way into the dining room, and Giles was right behind him. Xander drew the curtains to prevent any of the ladies peeking in. Though he was pretty sure Spike didn’t exactly care about modesty.
Spike dressed in silence, and both Giles and Xander shared surprised glances. This was the quietest they’d ever seen Spike. But once the vampire was dressed to the nines, looking all suave and James Bond-y in the tux, Giles cleared his throat. But Spike held a hand up.
“Look, Rupert. I know you don’t approve. I’ve been a right bastard. I mean, I did try to kill the woman I’m about to marry.” At the stern look from Giles, he realized this wasn’t helping. “All I can say is that…maybe I’m still a bastard. Maybe you hate my guts, but I’m ok with that. But this is her night.”
“I agree,” Giles replied quietly. “I never had any children, and Buffy’s…well…I’ve grown to think of her like a daughter, and she should be happy. She has enough problems in her life to deal with, and clearly, you make her happy. Sometimes I don’t see how, but you do. And you’re not a bad person, Spike. Not anymore.”
“This doesn’t mean we’re going to be sharing heart-to-hearts and exchanging grilling tips from now on, does it?” Spike asked, making a face.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Giles muttered.
“Good. So we’re on the same page.”
“Right,” Giles chuckled. He patted Spike on the shoulder, much to the vampire’s surprise. Spike glanced at the hand that was placed there and then back at the ex-librarian. “But I’d like to warn you that if you ever do anything to hurt Buffy, you won’t be coming to me to help fix things. That’s something you’ll have to do on your own.”
“Right, Rupert, like I’d come to you for relationship advice.” Giles folded his arms across his chest sternly, and Spike nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “Ok, then. Good talk, Rupert.” Giles nodded and left the room. Spike went to leave too, but Xander was in his way, arms folded too.
“Oh, not you.”
“Nope. Not gonna say anything. I just wanna say that…I didn’t expect something like this out of you.” Spike raised his eyebrows. This was definitely a new tune. “I was skeptical. But you’ve been doing things right, Spike. I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time. As long as Buffy’s happy, I’m happy. Got it?”
“Got it, Harris.”
“Good. See you outside. We’ve got, um…let’s just say…a surprise.” Xander walked out of the room, and Spike took a moment to let his head stop spinning from the fact that neither Giles nor Xander had threatened to kill him if he stepped out of line. That was progress. He felt closer to them somehow, in some weird, twisted way. Unless, of course, the surprise that they planned to stake him just before Buffy said ‘I do.’
Finally, he made his way out of the dining room and out onto the back porch. They’d done a pretty impressive job. The aisle was a soft, white carpet rolled out from the bottom deck step to a little flower-covered arch about twenty feet away. A few chairs were placed on one side of the aisle. I was a small set up, but it was fit for a royalty. All he had to do now was wait for his princess.
***
“I can’t believe this,” Buffy murmured, looking at herself in the full-length mirror. “It’s perfect.”
“Yeah, perfect fit,” Tara smiled.
“It’s lovely, Buffy. It’s good you didn’t wait any longer. Another week, and there’s no way that dress would’ve fit,” Anya commented, giving Buffy a once-over.
“Thanks, Anya. You look nice too.” Anya smiled happily and stepped up to help Willow put the finishing touches on Buffy’s up-do.”
“Here,” Dawn called, walking into the room. “These are for you. They’re new and we had them tinted blue just for you.” Buffy took the roses into her hands and brought them to her nose. With a smile, she felt the tears coming forward again. “Hey! Don’t do that! Your mascara!”
“Waterproof,” Tara reminded her.
“Oh. Ok. Well…wow. I can’t believe my sister’s getting married. I know it’s not…you know, a real wedding or anything, but…”
“It’s real to me, Dawnie. I don’t care what a piece of paper says.” Buffy shrugged. “I’m marrying Spike.” The words rolled off of her tongue, and she just smiled. “I can’t believe I’m actually saying that.”
“Pre-post-mortem Buffy never would have said that,” Anya noted. “But it’s about time. Even before you knew you loved him, it was so obvious that you two were going to get together.”
“You think?” Buffy murmured, daydreaming.
“You guys are perfect for each other,” Dawn assured her sister. “He’s the reformed bad boy with a soul, and you’re the Slayer. Both of you are strong, powerful people. You’re the girl that made him change his evil ways. If I wrote novels about the two of you, I’d totally be the next Danielle Steele.” Buffy laughed at that.
“Spike’s definitely changed,” Willow remarked. “I mean, besides the having a soul thing. He looks at you and for a second, it’s like he’s not a vampire. He’s this love-struck guy. You totally have him wrapped around your finger.”
“Mmm, well, not for long. When this baby gets here, it’s gonna have its daddy’s undivided attention.” Willow and Tara exchanged a glance.
“Speaking of the baby,” Willow pointed out, clearing her throat, “we have something to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
“Tara and I…as soon as we find an apartment…we’re moving out.”
“What?! No, you can’t!” Buffy exclaimed, spinning around to face her friends.
“Buffy, you’re gonna need the room when the baby gets here,” Tara explained. “You shouldn’t have to cram all the baby’s stuff into your room too. It’s your house. It always has been.”
“But…you guys…you made it home for me, you know? The both of you and Dawn. When I came back…it felt…you know, it didn’t feel so empty when I came home.”
“But it’ll be a different kind of home now. You and Spike and Dawn…and then the baby. And we’ll come and visit every day.”
“I know, but it won’t be the same.”
“You sound like your sister,” Willow teased.
“Yeah. I told them they can’t leave, but they’re pretty set on it,” Dawn pouted.
“You don’t have to move out, guys. Really,” Buffy urged. “We’ll figure something out.”
“Maybe, but it’s better this way. You guys need time to get adjusted and everything. It’ll be a little less chaotic. But we’ll be a phone call away.” Buffy sighed, knowing they were right. It had just been nice to have her friends so close by since she’d returned from the beyond. It was a comfort thing, knowing they were there if she needed them.
“I think you’re ready,” Anya noted, walking around Buffy a couple of times. “Here. You can wear this. I wore it at my wedding to Xander.” She handed Buffy the white garter.
“Anya…are you sure?”
“Go on. You’re the one that should’ve caught it. You’re the only one of us getting married next.” Buffy grinned and chuckled at that.
“Thanks, Anya.” She quickly slipped the garment on and pulled the skirt of her dress back down. Giving herself a last check in the mirror, she headed to the door. She froze and turned back toward her friends. “Oh my God.”
“Buffy?”
“I’m…I’m getting married, guys.” The ladies giggled collectively, and Dawn rushed over to hug her sister.
“Yep. No turning back now, Buffy. He’s waiting for you, and somebody’s gotta meet him at the end of the aisle. I’m pretty sure he’s dead-set on it being you.” Buffy smiled and nodded.
“Right. Ok. I guess…wow, ok. It’s time.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm the swarms of butterflies in her stomach. “Ok. Let’s go.”
***
Spike stood anxiously at the end of the aisle, waiting for the bride to make her grand debut at the kitchen door. Spike and Giles were gawking secretively at one another, and Spike was about to ask them what the bloody hell was going on, but when a familiar face came out of the shadows, he was even more confused.
“You remember Reverend McFarland, don’t you, Spike?” Xander asked.
“He’s the bloke that married you and Anya.”
“Yeah,” Xander said with a nod. “Turns out, he specializes in not just human weddings, but demon weddings too.”
“What?” Spike asked.
“Come on, you didn’t think I’d let my best friend get married only to have to get caught up in legal tape down the road, did you? That’s just a headache for everyone,” Xander admitted. “We all got together, scraped up some cash, and thanks to Mr. McFarland here, you’re officially an undead American.”
“Why would you…what?”
“Didn’t do it for you, fang-boy,” Xander chuckled. “Did it for Buffy. I mean, she’s been through a lot. She’s died for God’s sakes. She deserves her perfectly legal, wedding and marriage. Even if it is to a vampire.”
“Gee, thanks Harris.” It wasn’t really sarcastic at all. He looked down at the envelope in his hands.
“You’re William Pratt, born August 20, 1974 in London, England. But, you moved here as a teenager, and you became a citizen,” the pastor explained.
“Congratulations Spike,” Xander said, punching Spike in the arm, “you’re an undead American.” Spike couldn’t really believe what he was hearing. He looked up at Xander and then at Giles. Surely the younger of the Scoobies couldn’t have come up with that kind of cash.
“Consider it a wedding present,” Giles offered.
“For Buffy, right.”
“Yes. For Buffy. If she’s going to get married, she should at least do it the right way.” He couldn’t believe this. It all seemed a little far-fetched. Too good to be true. But when he sifted through the papers, it all looked pretty legit. Why would the Watcher go through all of this trouble for him? Sure, he did it under the pretense of wanting to give Buffy something real, but why with him?
Giles realized Spike was running everything though his head, trying to piece together this scenario that was full of plot holes.
“Don’t ask questions, Spike. Just do right by her or you’ll have me and a very sharp stick to answer to,” Giles reminded him. Spike swallowed hard and nodded his head.
“Oh…k…”
“You know,” Xander offered, “he only decided to help to make sure you’d have to suffer through the painful process of paying taxes.” Spike shrugged and looked toward the house.
“What’s money when you’ve got that to look forward to every morning for the rest of your life?”
“Or hers,” Xander breathed quietly, as Buffy and the girls emerged onto the deck from inside the house. She was a vision in white. She was his vision in white. Her eyes met his from twenty feet away, and she smiled that bright, glittering smile that made his un-beating heart turn to mush.
The girls all headed down the aisle, and instead of standing up with the bride, sat down with Xander and Giles. Buffy looked at the pastor and then at Spike. He leaned in and whispered, “I’ll explain later.”
“Ok,” she murmured, too happy to care. Flying demons could be flying over head right now, and she couldn’t have had a care in the world.
The ceremony went by quickly, and Spike never took his eyes off of Buffy. She looked amazing, and as corny as it sounded, she was glowing. Her green eyes sparkled in the candle light, and her the moonlight bounced off of her pearly white dress, creating a white, fuzzy glow around her as she stood up in front of her friends with Spike.
Two gold bands were exchanged. Hers, a more delicate band, fit perfectly with her diamond ring. His, she had to push a little to get it past his knuckle. But once it was on, it was a perfect fit.
By the time the pastor pronounced them man and wife, he was so ready to kiss her that he didn’t want for the cue. He scooped her up and brought his lips crashing down upon hers. She gasped and melted into the kiss, while Dawn clapped excitedly and stood up, cheering. Whether the rest of them joined in or not, Buffy and Spike didn’t notice, as they were still wrapped up in each other.
“Hey, Spike? Buffy needs to breathe sometime,” Willow teased. Spike pulled back and smiled at her, shaking his head in amazement of what the past five months had done to them. Hell, in the past year, he’d gone from the pain in Buffy’s ass to the one thing she seemed to constantly crave. He wasn’t going to complain one little bit about that, either. He just hoped that he could make her happy and not screw it up. Despite the fact that she loved him like crazy, he could still make some pretty stupid decisions that could piss her right off. That was the last thing he wanted. Right now, he just wanted to keep that smile on her face.
***
“So you’re telling me…”
“You’re legally married,” Pastor McFarland announced. “As soon as the ink dries on your marriage certificate, that is.”
“I don’t understand,” Buffy mumbled.
“Seems your Watcher and the rest of the gang decided that you deserved a real husband, because of all the…tape or something,” Spike said with a shrug.
“Oh my God,” Buffy breathed, turning to look at her friends, who now stood on the deck, talking quietly amongst themselves. “You guys…you did this?”
“Hey, you’re just lucky we knew a guy. He gave us a good deal.”
“Us?” Giles asked. “I don’t seem to recall you shelling out much in the way of money.”
“Well, I helped come up with the idea, didn’t I?”
“Whoa,” Buffy yelped, holding her hand up. “You’re seriously telling me that I’m actually married? And not just in an ‘I promise to be yours for the rest of my life’ kind of way? In a legally binding, ‘til death or divorce parts us’ kind of way?”
“That’s what we’re saying,” Tara said with a smile.
“That’s what you wanted, right?” Willow wondered.
“Well, I mean, not…I wasn’t planning on that. I didn’t think I could have it that way. You guys…you really didn’t have to do this.”
“Yes we did, Buffy,” Giles spoke up. “The Council has no problem killing demons and the like, but Spike is a citizen now, and for the Council, while not entirely problematic in executing the plan, it would cause grievous amounts of paperwork and corners to cut.” Buffy shook her head and turned to Spike.
“Did you know?”
“Not until just a few minutes before, pet,” he assured her.
“Oh my God,” she murmured. “We’re…we’re married Spike.”
“That was kinda the point, luv,” he chuckled, holding her close.
“I know. But I mean…we’re really married. You’re…you’re a person.”
“Undead American,” Xander piped up. Buffy glared. He shrugged. “Well, if you wanna be P.C., he kinda is.”
“Wow. Ok. So…we’re married,” Buffy gasped, looking up at Spike with wide, frightened eyes. But she smiled and leaned in to kiss him. “Right, Mr. Pratt?”
“I think so, Mrs. Pratt,” he chuckled.
“Hey, picture time!” Dawn called.
“Think this might be a bit awkward. He won’t show up, will he?” Xander wondered.
“Actually,” Willow thought quietly, “you know, we’ve never really tried the whole picture taking thing with vampires before, have we?”
“No,” Buffy said slowly. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she let out a little gasp. “But there were pictures of Dru!” Buffy’s eyes widened and she looked up at Spike. “Come on.”
“Luv?”
“Just wanna try something,” she urged, smiling sweetly at him. He couldn’t say no to that gorgeous face.
Spike pulled his arm around his new bride, and everyone gathered around for the wedding photo. The pastor took the picture and handed the camera back to the bride. Buffy pushed a couple of buttons before the picture flashed before her eyes on the back screen. She grinned and looked at Spike who stared in awe of seeing himself next to her for the very first time.
“Well, look at that,” he said quietly.
“You look so handsome,” she giggled.
“I do, don’t I?” he laughed. “But you look brilliant, pet.” He kissed her softly. “This one’s for the grandkids, eh?”
“Come on, guys. Let’s leave the Pratt’s alone,” Willow grinned, ushering everybody into the house. Buffy shook her head and wrapped her arms around Spike’s neck.
“This has been the craziest, most amazing day of my life,” she whispered against his lips.
“Funny,” he agreed with a little nod. “Mine too.”
“Tell me it’s not a dream, because that would just suck.” Spike shook his head.
“No, pet. I think this is as real as it gets.” He kissed her softly and pulled her into him, so her head was resting on his chest. He closed his eyes, taking in the scent of her flowery perfume, relishing the feel of her body pressed against his. He’d never thought he would be here in this moment with her, but here he was. And all the while, he couldn’t stop the funny nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him that any minute, he was going to wake and it would all have been a dream.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Author's Note: Ok, here we go folks. This is the chapter that I've been worried about, and it's ultra fluffy, so if it gives you a cavity from all the sugar, please don't send me your dental bills, because I'm a poor, unemployed college grad with no money and health problems of my own. ;) Anyhoo, leave me a comment after you're done reading! ;)
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think! Not sure if the next update will come tomorrow or not. My health issues are flaring back up, so I might get more written later if I'm feeling better. Anyway, cheer me up with some feedback! Or tell me how much you hate the story or how ridiculous you thought this chapter was. LOL...whatever you have to say, say it, 'cause I'd love to have something to read when I check my e-mail next time! ;)