(Beta by Oracleholly)

 

Buffy stood at a window gazing out onto the beautiful gardens that filled her view before her. The view was so breaking that was fighting hard not to sigh and swoon. The sound of her betrothed’s voice whispered in her head reminding her not to get all dreamy eyed. Spike feared that her non-characteristic display of romance would bring out his inner Nancy Boy Ponce.
 
However, it was far too late for Buffy not to romanticize this occasion. Still trying to make up for his past behavior, Rupert had called in every favor England owed The Council to ensure that his surrogate daughter and Slayer of ten years received nothing but the very best on her wedding day. From the very moment Buffy and Spike announced their engagement, Rupert had sequestered himself on the telephone not relenting one iota in his quest for Sudeley Castle to be the location of the wedding.

 

At first Spike thought Rupert had gone mad. Surely the task was impossible and Rupert would not be able to book such a prestigious location for their wedding. But much to his shock, the deal had been sealed and before he could say ‘usher list,’ the small band of expatriates were making arrangements to travel to the heart of the Cotswolds for the first ever Slayer wedding.
 
Still gazing upon the gardens from the window of her changing room, Buffy smiled to herself as she reflected on the past few days.  Spike and Buffy arrived two days before everyone else did to scout out which of the ten gardens would be the place they exchanged vows. Finding the most secluded yet beautiful garden in their opinion in the entire estate, they sealed their decision with a bout of passionate lovemaking and renewal of their claim.
 
Buffy lovingly touched the side of her neck. For so many years those marks had represented evil, hate, anger and darkness, but now when she brushed her fingers against them all she could feel was complete and total love. Her hand wandered down her stomach slowly rubbing in small circles very much the way Spike often did since first hearing the tiny thumping of a heartbeat after his bizarre dream.
 
She never thought for a moment that her life could be anything like this. Children…love…and now marriage. Buffy had always thought she would meet her end only dreaming about these things. 
 
Yet here in the beautiful backdrop of Cotswold Hills, at a castle that was once home to Queen Katherine Parr, and her husband Sir Thomas Seymour, Lady Jane Grey, and King Charles, Buffy Anne Summers was about to become Mrs. William Samuel Kennicot,
 
The sound of her two twins barreling into the room snapped Buffy out of her reverie. She smiled as her maid of honor, bridesmaid and wedding priestess followed her now walking twins into the bridal suite.
 
“You ready Willow?” Buffy asked.
 
Willow nodded excitedly, “I can’t believe I am performing your wedding ceremony. Gosh, I hope I don’t screw up.”
 
Buffy squeezed her hand, adding, “You’ll do fine.”
 
Buffy and Spike decided they wanted Willow to perform the ceremony almost immediately. Both of them were still haunted by the memory of Caleb adorned in his minister’s cloak as he tried to extinguish their lives and help bring forth the Apocalypse.
 
Willow smiled and resumed helping Dawn get the twins ready.
 
Faith looked at her fellow Slayer in her wedding dress and smirked, “Damn B, so can’t believe you are taking the plunge.”
 
Buffy shrugged her shoulders.  She teased, “Well Faith, you know thanks for getting in a bridesmaids dress for me.”
 
“You know B it’s, five by five.”
 
Buffy cocked her head to the side, “What exactly does that mean anyways?”
 
Before Faith could answer Buffy they both heard the distinct screech of Buffy’s daughter.
 
Dawn was trying to comb back her honey blonde hair only to have Joyce shake her head messing up the nearly done hair do for the fourth time.
 
“I told you before you should have let her get ready with Spike. It seems as if lately he’s the only one she will sit still for.” Dawn groaned.
 
“Can you see Spike doing a her hair?” Buffy said suddenly panicked.
 
Being immune to wedding day jitters, Faith just smiled but then suggested, “What if Lil’ Sis takes the pint size one to Spike maybe the little hell cat can sit still long enough to make the top of her head look like something besides a rat’s nest.”
 
“I have to help Buffy get ready.” Dawn groaned.
 
“I can go.” Willow offered.
 
Seizing upon this option, Dawn handed the rambunctious toddler to the red headed witch and watched them hurry out of the room.
 
****
 
“Oh someone put a stake in me!” Spike yelled as his cufflinks hit the floor for the seventh time, “These bloody things are broken!”
 
Xander Harris walked over trying to contain his amusement. Nothing was wrong with the cuff links except perhaps maybe that the hands trying to affix them to the crisp black shirt were shaking uncontrollably.  He knew angering the vampire would cause him nothing but pain. At this state of the game it would be probably the physical kind.
 
“You know a few years ago I made that offer too bad you didn’t take me up on it then.” Xander teased picking up the cufflinks and helping the ‘coming apart at the seams’ vampire by placing them through the small holes and snapping them on with ease.
 
Spike sighed mumbling, “I don’t know why I am so nervous.”

 

Xander smiled to himself hiding his own anguish.
 
Spike picked up on the young man’s emotions.
 
“She would have been proud of you.” Spike offered
 
Xander shrugged his shoulders trying to shake off his sadness.
 
“Anya would be so tickled. I am actually going to make it through a wedding without cutting out.” Xander choked out.
 
“She knew Mate. That you loved her. I know that much.” They both heard.  Both Spike and Xander turned to see standing in the doorway none other than Rupert Giles looking every bit the part of the father of the bride.
 
He brushed off the sleeves of his jacket and smiled smugly at the two men in front of him.
 
“Shouldn’t you two be almost finished by now? We have an entire school of Slayers and the Council waiting for a smashing event.”
 
“If Buffy hears you use the word smashing, bang up or bloody in reference to her wedding you’ll be looking for a new job.” Xander threatened.
 
Spike smirked.
 
They heard a light wrap on the door.
 
Spike crossed the room and opened it only to be greeted by the failing arms of his daughter.
 
“DA!” Joyce squealed in delight.
 
Spike took her in his arms and looked down at her hair. He gave Willow a bewildered look.
 
“Just sit,” Willow demanded directing Spike to a small velvet ottoman.
 
Knowing that resolve face, Spike obeyed the command and sat down with a now docile Joyce perched contentedly on his lap. As Willow began to wrangle the mess that was Joyce’s hair, Spike kissed the top of his daughter’s head.
 
“Giving your Mum a hard time again.”
 
He watched as Willow diligently worked the tangles out of Joyce’s hair. She set down the silver comb and began to place small barrettes in the toddler’s hair.
 
Spike stroked the small silver comb. It was part of the present he had picked up for his children that day he and Dawn went to Hamleys before the ‘terrorist’ incident. That day he had picked up two sets of pewter cups, rattles, combs, brushes and teething rings. Something that had been a tradition in his family for centuries. It was a silly gesture, but for his mother and the man he once had been he would continue the Kennicott tradition.
 
Spike took a deep breath never taking his eyes off his daughter, he asked, “This isn’t all part of some mojo you have me under is it Red? I’m not going to wake up alone in a hole of an apartment in L.A. ready to tear out my heart because I dreamed all this up am I?”

 

Willow gently placed a small red rosebud in Joyce’s hair and smiled, “No, Spike I promise you this is all real. You deserve it. Sacrificed yourself, saved the world. You two deserve all this.”
 
“The Big Poof was right though. I didn’t do it for the world. I did it for Buffy.” Spike said.
 
“It does not matter.  The end result was that we are all here now. And you did it for the world. Your world. It took all of us a long time to accept it, but she is your world Spike.” Willow said with a wisdom that made Spike smile down at her.
 
Who knew the quirky teen-age girl he kidnapped and attempted to turn would become so wise and enlightened.
 
“You all right Red?” Spike asked, noticing she seemed a bit sad.
 
Willow blinked.
 
“I was just talking to the Whelp. He was thinking about Anya. Only natural I suppose. It must be twice as hard for you.” Spike surmised.
 
Willow shrugged her shoulders.
 
“I miss Tara so much sometimes I feel like all the air is getting sucked out of me. Kennedy was different. I miss her but I knew she and I would have never worked out. It just wasn’t there. I think that’s what makes me feel so bad.” Willow explained.
 
Standing up, Willow added, “I think I will leave her here with you. No telling what she is capable of if she is not with you.”

 

Willow began to walk out of the room when Giles stopped her.
 
“Willow I am sorry for not telling you sooner, but The Council invited all of operatives in the field today.”
 
“Yes I know,” Willow replied
 
“He was not sure until recently if he would be able to attend…”
 
The door opened…Willow’s eyes got as wide as saucers as a short man walked into the room.
 
“Oz!!!”
 
****
 
Staring at ‘His Wife,’ Spike stood there gobsmacked. Currently, they were thanking and seeing off the last of their wedding guests. He still could not believe it. It really happened. Buffy The Vampire Slayer had actually married William The Bloody.
 
When he first saw her coming down the garden path, the only thing he could think of was a line from the enchanted song he had sung to her one night in Sunnydale, “If my heart could beat it would break my chest.”
 
All the poetry he had read and all the god-awful prose he had tried to create could not compare to the site of Buffy at that moment.
 
Her white lace dress clung to her as she glided down the aisle. Her hair framed her face, as a delicate lace veil seemed to float on top her head. His children lead the way. Spike rocked on his heels for a moment nearly hitting Xander standing beside him.
 
Nothing prepared him for the tsunami of emotions he felt during the ceremony. The world seemed to tilt at an axis for a moment then right itself. The vows were exchanged, tears were shed and a simple kiss sealed their vows.
 
Now as they stood greeting their guests and watching over their children running around the garden estate, Spike’s face clouded with anger. In the distance, he saw a figure heading toward them stumbling and talking a bit too loudly.
 
“Bloody Hell.” He muttered.
 
Buffy looked over and saw Angel approaching them. Her brow creased with worry.  This was her happy day.
 
Spike out his hand up. “I’ll handle this Luv.”
 
Spike crossed the garden just as Oz and Xander had made their way to Angel grabbing him by the arms.
 
“What are you doing here Mate?” Spike grumbled.
 
“Her fur de weedin’” Angel slurred his breath reeking of alcohol.
 
Spike closed his eyes.
 
“Don’t even think about ruin this day for Buffy,” Spike said.
 
“Com’ on. Lest let me kiss da bribe. Seein’ as I got to furst,” Angel sneered.
 
Spike tried to contain his anger, honestly he did. But the site of Angel did something to him. He did not feel himself shift. Did not even feel himself tackling Angel to the ground. But still there he was rolling around on the castle grounds trying to throttle his former Grand Sire.
 
Buffy was going to have his head.
 
Buffy ran over instructing a few lingering potentials to watch their children. As she ran toward them he saw Angel gain the upper hand straddling Spike.
 
“Think your all that huh? Think you have a soul. A wife and kids. Now your human? Well guess what.” Angel sneered ripping the Gem Amarra off of Spike’s hand.
 
“You still burn in the sun!”
 
“SPIKE!!” Buffy screamed.
 
Spike began to scream out in agony.
 
Suddenly Buffy whole world went black.
 
**
 
Buffy heard voices all around her. Whispered voices laced with concern swirled about her head.
 
‘This did not happen,’ she thought to herself, ‘I’m going to open my eyes and it will have all been a bad dream. Spike won’t be gone again. I will wake up next to him in our bed. He won’t have burned up in flames again.’

 

She knew it was all lies. She could feel the scratchy material of her veil against her neck. She could smell the faint scent of the roses from the garden beneath the window of the room she had readied herself in hours before.
 
The sound of Spike screaming still lingered in her ears.
 
He was gone again. It wasn’t a nightmare.
 
“Buffy open your eyes.” She heard.
 
“Pet please.” She heard.
 
“Pet.”
 
Buffy’s eyes shot open. There staring down at her was her husband. Void of any burns or wounds.
 
Spike wrapped his arms around here.
 
“I was so worried. Are you all right Luv?” Spike asked.
 
Buffy clung to Spike crying, “Me what about you? I saw Angel pull the ring off of you. I thought I had lost you again.”
 
Spike closed his eyes stammering, “I did too but something funny happened.”
 
“What?” Buffy asked.
 
“Nothing. I didn’t burn. I didn’t feel any pain. I was fine.” Spike said.
 
Buffy looked at him confused. She lowered her head listening for a heartbeat but heard nothing.
 
“Sorry Luv still a member of the undead society.” Spike commented.
 
“So what’s with the ability to get a sun tan?” Buffy asked.
 
Spike looked up at Rupert.
 
“The only good thing about inviting the Council of Wankers to the wedding was that they were able to high tail it back and try to help us suss out what happened.”
 
“So what did they figure out?” Buffy asked.
 
“Well they weren’t able to do anything for us. So we brought in the big guns.” Spike said pointing at Faith, Xander, Oz, Willow and Dawn sitting calmly at the table.
 
Buffy smiled. “What did you guys find out?”
 
Faith hopped up on the table inching a bit closer to Xander. A move that was not lost to anyone in the room. Xander stayed in his place obviously not disturbed by the close proximity of the women that took his innocence.  It was apparent to everyone something was stirring between the new Watcher and The dark Slayer.
 
“Well after I helped Oz and Xander beat the crap out of Angel, we noticed Spike was all right. We all thought Red here did a spell to save him.”
 
“But, I didn’t. So we figured it was something else.” Willow said.
 
“We did the research thing just like the old days.” Oz said looking wistfully at Willow, who began to blush madly.
 
Rupert cleared his throat.
 
“It seems it has to do with a legend of sorts.” Rupert said bringing a book over to Buffy.
 
Spike laid his jacket over Buffy’s lap knowing if the dust from the book got onto her dress there would be hell to pay.
 
Buffy read carefully.
 
“One who has met death twice with one who has meet death thrice shall become one. In their solitary state power welded by one shall be held by the other. Thus making them the earth’s eternal champions.”
 
Buffy looked at Spike for a moment.
 
“Rupert thinks it is talking about us. Makes sense. I started to have bloody prophetic dreams. Can sense vampires now they same way you can. Now it seems as if I can take a walk in the bloody sun.” Spike said.
 
Buffy looked at Spike trying not to panic.
 
“My eyes become yellowy when I get angry. I don’t crave blood or anything like that; so what else am I going to get?” Buffy asked.
 
Rupert looked at Buffy. He replied, “Buffy, we think, what I am trying to say is, well.”
 
“We think you can’t die Luv.” Spike whispered.
 
Buffy sighed in relief.
 
“God I thought it was going to be something horrid.” Buffy whispered.
 
Spike looked at her shocked, “You’re not afraid or upset?”
 
Buffy smiled.
 
“No, my stupid vampire, I get to be with you forever,” she whispered.
 
Spike chuckled in amazement. She was happy that she was stuck to him for eternity? Of course she was. She loved him!
 
Buffy loved him!!
 
Spike and Buffy kept staring at each other.  Neither one of them heard the Scoobies and Giles disassemble.
 
They however did hear the sound of a two sets of tiny feet running across the room. Spike picked up his son, while Buffy dragged her daughter onto her lap.
 
Spike felt watched his family still amazed that this wasn’t all a dream.
 
“Slayer dreams?” Buffy asked.
 
“Any idea why we name her Erin?” Buffy asked patting her stomach.
 
Spike laughed and nodded, “Figured it out Luv.”
 
He kissed the top of his son’s head then his daughter’s. He then leaned forward giving a soul-searing kiss to his wife.
 
“Her name means what I feel right at this moment.” Spike whispered.
 
“What’s that?” Buffy asked still a bit breathless.
 
Spike still holding his son dropped his head laying it on his wife’s chest.
 
“Peace…”