TO KNOW THE HUMAN HEART
Summary: It is the ‘big day’ and is seen through a number of different POV’s!
A/N: My daughter felt ‘odd’ about posting a picture with this, so I let her off the hook. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.
Chapter 20: ‘Weddings’
Andrew looked like a mannequin from a bridal shop in his rented tux. The proper black tux, with the peach colored cumber bun, had been altered to fit his slight frame. He was nervous, of course, as nervous as a young man could be who was in charge of walking the bride down the aisle and giving her away.
Buffy, Andrew’s step- sister, was the bride in question and it was up to him to say those traditional words at the right time.
Buffy was as cool as a cucumber in her white sheath dress, surrounded by her younger sister, Dawn as maid of honor. Dawn wore an off the shoulder peach taffeta concoction; as did Willow and Cordelia, Buffy’s other bridesmaids.
Jennifer Calendar, Rupert Giles’ bride to be was attired in a simple peach colored sheath dress; shaded to match the hue of Buffy’s bridesmaids. There would be no escort to walk Jennifer down the aisle to her awaiting groom, Rupert Giles. She had been married before and felt it was unnecessary to go through that impractical tradition.
William Giles and his father, Rupert, waited for their respective brides at the end of the somewhat long aisle. The bridesmaids and groomsmen had decorated the aisle and the entire surrounding courtyard earlier that morning.
Wesley and Fred’s lovely winery arbor and courtyard had been transformed into a beautiful floral masterpiece. Complete with white and peach roses and carnations that adorned the wedding aisle and courtyard; along with streamers of the same colors.
A beautiful buffet had been assembled in the courtyard, next to the where the weddings would take place. Rupert and his son had hired the best caterers in Sunnydale to complete their wedding feast.
Buffy had hired the foremost wedding planner and caterer in Sunnydale; one Lorne Deprieve. Lorne and his younger sister, Amelia, were the best at what they did, in Sunnydale that is.
“You want peach roses?” Lorne had gushed excitedly when Buffy and Spike had stopped by his office some weeks before.
“I can do peach roses!” Lorne squealed in delight. “I can’t wait to do peach roses for you, cupcake!”
Lorne had gone to school with Buffy; just two years ahead of her and her friends. He was always a bit avant-garde in the students’ eyes, but this would prove to be a coup for Buffy in the end. She got her ‘peach’ roses thanks to Lorne’s ingenuity and talent!
Dawn stood foray of Fred and Wesley’s home, nervously pulling the peach dress over her slightly protruding tummy. Buffy’s younger sister thanked God silently that she was not ‘showing’ yet, at least not so much. The twice altered bridesmaid dress she wore still managed to fit; mostly hiding the growing child within her.
Connor and Dawn had celebrated their own marriage, just a few weeks before in Las Vegas. Dawn had insisted that they marry, with close family and friends only in attendance in Vegas.
The ceremony had been simple but sweet; Buffy giving away her sister in lieu of their absent father, Hank. Connor and Dawn had insisted that they do the whole wedding thing in a very low key manner. Mainly, it would seem, so that Buffy’s own wedding would not be overshadowed by theirs.
Now, Dawn continued to readjust her dress and Buffy’s simple, yet elegant head piece. Buffy’s ‘veil’ consisted of a headband of white and peach baby roses with a very short, sweet delicate lace material that dipped over her face. The blond bride wore her hair down, slightly curled at the ends, just like her groom loved it.
Buffy peeped out of the Wes and Fred’s front room vestibule and surveyed the medium sized gathering of extended family and friends. The guests at the double wedding were seated randomly in the rented chairs; there were no separated sections for the wedding couples’ guests.
Buffy giggled outright when she spied her ‘guest book’ attendee, Anya Jenkins double checking the big white book she was in charge of. Apparently Anya was making sure she had all the guests’ names properly entered in the fancy embroidered tome.
Anya’s duties as guest book attendee had turned out to be a bit more of an undertaking then anyone could have guessed. Xander Harris, Anya’s date, had hovered about her and the book the entire time before the wedding, apparently unable to leave his date’s side for a moment. It turned out that once Xander had started dating Anya, the couple had become nearly inseparable.
It did Buffy’s heart good to know she had initiated the Harris/Jenkins budding romance. She had always known that Xander and Anya would hit it off famously and it delighted her to know her little plan had worked.
Buffy was so incredibly happy that she had nearly forgotten all about her ‘talk’ she’d had with Cordelia Chase only a week earlier.
Buffy, still being the somewhat insecure young woman she was, had began to feel some cold feet symptoms a couple of weeks before her wedding. Fortunately, it was Cordelia Chase that came to the rescue and straightened her one time high school nemesis out.
{Flashback to a week earlier}
“I guess I’m just worried that even if we marry,” Buffy began cautiously shooting a dubious glance at ‘the’ Cordelia Chase. “I’m afraid that I won’t match up. You know with William and his whole background,” Buffy added dramatically. “I mean, I don’t want William to regret marrying beneath him and…..”
“Oh for God’s sake,” Cordelia grunted in an unusually unladylike manner. “Sit down Miss Buffy Summers and let me, Cordelia Chase give you the ‘411’ on a few things!”
Buffy frowned in confusion but allowed her friend to settle her down into a plush lounge chair. The ‘girl’s were at the Chase house, planning Buffy’s upcoming wedding, and the Rupert/Jennifer Calendar wedding. For some reason, Buffy had become a bit skittish about the whole thing.
Jennifer Calendar was there, with Buffy and Cordelia, keeping tactfully quiet in this situation. However, Cordelia was anything but quiet and silent on the matter.
“First off,” Cordy began abruptly, “you are anything but beneath William Giles!”
Buffy shrunk back from her friend, a bit stunned by Cordy’s vehement demeanor.
“Look,” Cordelia continued with a weary sigh. “I’m not even supposed to tell you this,” she shot a quick frown at Jenny and focused back onto Buffy.
“Angel will kill me if he knows I told you this, Buffy, so you have to promise not to spill, right?” Cordy asked Buffy with a slight scowl on her pretty mouth.
“Ri..right,” Buffy stammered shyly in reply.
“Okay, it’s like this. You know all about that skank of an ex-fiancé that Spike was shackled to, right?” Cordelia couldn’t keep the hint of disgust from her tone.
“Yes, Drusilla Masters, back in New Hampshire. She…” Buffy began nervously, her green eyes staring at the Rembrandt on Cordelia’s parlour wall.
“Well that bitch showed up here with her ‘daddy’ and tried to blackmail Spike into coming back to her and….” Cordy began, but Buffy interrupted.
“She what!” Buffy nearly screamed in instant jealous rage. “What’s this about Cordelia? Jenny,” the little blond turned to glare at her soon to be mother-in-law.
“It’s true,” Jenny responded in her low, calm voice that Buffy had instantly found soothing and motherly. “Rupert told me, but William asked us not to tell you. The ‘boys’ didn’t want your special day ruined and you upset at all, Buffy. They had your best interests at heart.”
“They did, but they told my Angel all about it. Mainly because that skanky loony tune, Drusilla and her smarmy father told Spike that if he didn’t return to New Hampshire, without you, I might add,” Cordy snorted at this ridiculous thought. “Anyway,” she continued matter-of-factly, “the gist is that Spike told his father to tell that ‘ho’ and her daddy to ‘ef’ off. Sorry Jenny,” Cordelia shrugged at the cool, collected older woman.
“That’s okay Cordelia,” Jenny giggled like a young girl, turning to face Buffy again. “William never even allowed Drusilla or Rafe Masters to speak to him personally. Rupert was sent with the uhm, er message to deliver himself. Oh, Buffy, honey, Rupert was so proud of William!”
“Proud?” Buffy asked in confusion. “Why? That William gave up his most promising career to marry me and….,” she halted her question for a moment, allowing this information to really sink in.
“Look,” Cordelia interrupted Buffy’s silent musings. “Spike’s obviously so much in love with you, knucklehead that you are, that he doesn’t see this as giving up his career. Besides,” the brunette chuckled, “Angel snapped Spike right up and offered him that position as head of the cardiac ward. Buffy, please understand, Spike loves you more then anything and he doesn’t see this as a sacrifice.”
“That’s right,” Jenny gushed, “you’ve had such a wonderful influence on William. Rupert said so. My Rupert says that William has finally found his heart and his soul in ‘you’ Buffy. William told his father that you are twenty times the woman Drusilla is or ever will be,” she finished sincerely.
“That sleaze, Drusilla and her father left straight back to New Hampshire, the next day,” Cordelia continued with another hearty chuckle. “Tails tucked between their legs no doubt,” she added with a smirk. “Can’t stand the little bitch. Did you know that when Spike was still engaged to the little tramp; that Drusilla tried to seduce my Angel!”
Buffy stared at Cordelia in shock, and then her whole demeanor changed in an instant.
“That conniving little bitch!” Buffy exclaimed as she stood up and began to pace back and forth in the Cordelia’s parlour. “I can’t believe she’d try and take ‘my man’ away from me by…..”
“I wish I’d have known this sooner,” Buffy muttered harshly. “I’d have gone over and kicked the skank’s lily white ass and….”
“Wow!” Cordelia cried gleefully. “I’m glad I told you this,” she laughed heartily. “I like this ‘slayer’ mode Buffy!”
{Back to the big day!}
Spike watched, in awe, as his bride marched down the aisle to his waiting arms. His heart raced a mile a minute and he felt his throat tighten up in anticipation of the vows he and his bride were about to take together. Buffy was a vision in a white sheathed dress made of silk and lace. The peach and white rose veil piece glowed like jewels in her golden hair.
He had to smile, widely, when he saw that his Buffy had worn her hair down, just for him on this special day. Spike had been so nervous, but his own father had alleviated his fears; making sure his son would be able to calm down and actually enjoy his own wedding day. Spike had nervously fidgeted for what seemed like hours in his rented black tux. All of ‘that’ however, seemed to fall away when he finally had Buffy in his arms.
“You look amazing baby,” Spike whispered to Buffy after young Andrew had finally had his fifteen seconds and said the words he had practiced so diligently.
“Her family and friends give our Buffy to this man,” Andrew had squeaked nervously. The whelp had pulled it off, however, like a pro, Spike felt. Spike was touched when Andrew kissed Buffy’s cheek lightly, and then placed her slim arm into his own. Andrew then affectionately patted Buffy’s arm that lay on top of Spike’s and sat in the seat next to Jennifer’s mother.
“You look pretty amazing yourself,” Buffy grinned up lovingly at her groom.
Reverend Caleb Montgomery considered himself to be a lucky man indeed. He was a well respected member of the Sunnydale community with a loving wife and three beautiful children. The icing on the cake, for him, was that he was asked to perform the wedding ceremony for Elizabeth ‘Buffy’ Summers and her William Giles. Add to that, the fact that Dr. Giles’ own well respected father had asked him to perform his own wedding ceremony? Life was good; that was for sure.
After Reverend Montgomery had performed Rupert and Jennifer Giles’ simple, traditional wedding ceremony, he prepared to say the words for Buffy and William.
William and Buffy had planned to recite their own wedding vows, after Caleb said the short version of the traditional ceremony.
“Buffy and William have asked to recite their own vows,” Caleb boomed in his best church voice.
Buffy handed her white and peach bouquet to Dawn, her matron of honor, and allowed Will to take her hands in his. She felt the emotional strength just sing within her when he squeezed her small hands with his large strong ones.
“William,” Buffy began softly, “I love you so much. You came into my life and made me feel things that I truly have never felt before. I never thought I would find this happiness that I have today. I’m not sure if I ever thought I truly deserved this much joy in my life.”
“You do, always,” Spike whispered as he gazed into Buffy’s lovely green eyes.
Buffy smiled and continued her memorized vows. “You came into my life, William, and made me truly believe that I ‘do’ deserve this joy. That I truly do deserve the real happily ever after that I so wanted for myself. Thank you Will; you ‘are’ my heart.”
Spike leaned down and gave his bride a chaste, gentle kiss on her soft warm cheek.
“Buffy,” he began, trying to cover the emotional hitch in his voice. “You are everything to me,” he continued. “I was a lost man before that night I saw you, caring for you babies. The moment our eyes met, I knew you were the one for me. I want you with me always Buffy; for all eternity. You are my heart and my soul forever.”
A tear slipped down Buffy’s cheek and Spike immediately reached out to tenderly wipe it off. He kissed her again, causing the Reverend to clear his throat and remind the couple that the ‘kiss’ came at the end of the ceremony; not the middle.
This elicited polite laughs and chuckles from the guests in attendance.
“Right then,” Spike mumbled shyly, a red blush on his handsome face. “There’s more, Buffy sweet,” he continued evenly. “Even though I’ve fancied myself a poet,” he grimaced briefly, “I didn’t think I could actually put my true feelings into a right appropriate poem for you. I….” his sentenced trailed off momentarily.
“I know you wanted a special song for our wedding day; one that it turns out, isn’t available on recording,” Spike murmured as he watched his bride’s reaction. “Turns out my dad here knows some interesting people and all. Well, Princess, I’ve called in a favor and asked this bloke to come and sing the song for you in my place.”
“This is for Buffy, from William,” came a strong, almost tender voice from the back of the aisle.
“David Grohl!” Dawn gasped in delighted shock when she saw the long haired man with an acoustic guitar.
“Oh my God!” Buffy joined in with her sister as the man began to strum his guitar and sing the verse she had longed to have played at their reception.
“Everlong” by the Foo Fighters
‘Hello
I’ve waited here for you
Everlong
Tonight
I throw myself into
And out of the red out of her head she sang
Come down and waste away with me
Down with me
Slow out you wanted it to be
Over my head, out of my head she sang
And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I’ll ever ask of you
You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when
She said.
Breathe out
So I can breathe you in,
Hold you in.
And now,
I know you’ve always been
Out of your head, out of my head I sang.
“Oh Will!” Buffy exclaimed and burst into tears when David had finished his song. She threw herself into Spike’s arms and wept for joy while the ‘audience’ clapped and cheered.
A/N: Ah, the sap runneth over! I wanted to make this chapter mostly about Spuffy and I hoped it succeeded. Just another chapter or so and this fiction will be finished.
Thank you for reading and please review, spufette.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you for reading this and thanks to the lovely reviews I have received for it.