"The Roses Were Pink"
Author: A. Price
Email: andramichelle@yahoo.com
The roses were pink and they were everywhere. At the front of the church on the ends of the pews, pink, pink roses. He didn't even have to inhale to capture the sweet scent. Everyone around him was whispering about how lovely the flowers were, how very happy they were for the couple about to walk down the rose strewn aisle and join their lives together.
He had come because they had both asked him, Spike had always been a thorn in his side but since that day two years ago that he had landed in LA, bedraggled and scared, with questions about why he was alive - literally, they had come to an understanding. They were tenative friends, both wanting the same thing for Buffy. Her happiness.
He watched as the male portion of the wedding party took thier places. Xander Harris took his place as Best Man, he still wasn't sure exactly how that had happened. A skinny kid named Andrew was the groomsmen. The Groom appeared to be oblivious to anyone else in the room as he watched the aisle for his bride. Spike had a ridiculous grin on his face, and Angel thought that if the guy could have burst with happiness they would have been cleaning him off the ceiling of the chapel. Ah well, he supposed after all this time and everything he'd gone through he deserved it.
He turned to watch Willow walk down the aisle first, followed by Dawn. The Wedding March began to play and all eyes were on the bride. Buffy had chosen a simple dress but there was nothing simple about the happiness that exuded from her as she walked down the aisle on Giles arm. As cliched as it was, she glowed, she was like human sunshine walking down that aisle and in her hand she clasped a bouquet of pink roses.
For the briefest moment he wanted to take her by the arm and run out of the chapel, yelling, "She's mine, she's mine." But he knew that was no longer true, she had once told him that Spike was in her heart, but in reality she loved Spike with all of her heart.
He watched as Spike caught her eye the look they shared was so full of tenderness, so intimate that Angel alomst felt that he was intruding on them.
The vows were spoken with such sweet sincerity that no one in the room could ever doubt them. There weren't alot of dry eyes left after they exhanged the rings and kissed. The smiles on their faces as they were presented as Mr. and Mrs. could have melted the coldest heart.
The happy couple could not keep their hands off each other during the reception, holding hands constantly. Before they left Buffy threw her bouquet, Dawn caught the pink roses.
Two Years Later
He arrived at the hospital two hours after the birth of Emily Joyce. She was a beautiful baby with her mothers pert nose and her daddy's brilliant blue eyes. Buffy looked tired. but he had never seen her look so content as she did with the precious bundle held against her. Spike sat on the bed beside his wife and daughter, awestruck at the life he and Buffy had created.
Over the next four years Angel made the trip to the hospital twice more as a little boy and another little girl were added to the happy family. He watched as Buffy and Spike grew closer and more in love as their family expanded.
There were flowers in the hospital room. They were pink roses.
Fifty Years Later
Angel had made so many visits over the year he had lost track, births, graduations and weddings. Buffy and Spike had many, many happy years together, they had three children, many grandchildren and even a couple of great grandchildren. Their lives had been full of happiness and also their share of sadness, but their love had seen them through it all.
Angel decided that this would probably be his final visit, it hurt to be the last one. He knelt by the heart shaped stone that sat on the double grave. Spike had passed six months ago, Buffy had followed eight short weeks later. He thought that it was because she just couldn't bear being without her husband. The stone was new, he felt a tear slide down his cheek as he ran his hand over her name. He had to smile when he read the simple epitaph etched under their wedding date, "They Loved Long and Well".
Before he stood to leave the cemetary he placed a bouquet of flowers on the graves.
The flowers were pink roses.
The End