Willow looked in the mirror, wondering if she was merely imagining the soft glow in her cheeks. She smiled, her green eyes sparkling with happiness and unshed tears. Unconsciously, her fingers began to turn the ring now displayed prominently on her ring finger. She was married. The weight of that statement still made her slightly dazed. Not only was she married, but she was married to Spike. Had been for the past twenty-five minutes. She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. It was like a dream really. Her relationship with him was unreal. He knew her more clearly than she even knew herself it seemed. Of course, she knew him just as well. They had been together for a year that day. Married on the anniversary of their first time together. In fact, Spike had made the Justice of the Peace delay the proceedings so that they could kiss at the exact moment he had entered her that night a year ago. She hadn't explained the reasoning to the others, already red faced enough from him having whispered every detail of that night to her in front of the justice of the peace and her friends. By then, her breathing had been erratic and she'd wanted nothing more than to toss him to the ground and ride him until she collapsed in a sweaty heap. He'd merely winked at her and smiled that knowing little smirk as he chatted with the justice of the peace about the weather until a few minutes before that time. Then, he'd looked into her eyes and repeated the vows with sincerity in his eyes. He'd leaned over and kissed her, claiming her in front of her friends in the traditional way.

The wedding had been beautiful and unique. It had been decided that it would be held outside, strangely enough in the gardens of the mansion on Crawford Street. It was such a pretty place and Angel had allowed them the use of the mansion. Willow knew it held bad memories for several of her friends and even her lover, so she had insisted that be the place. What better way to forget bad memories than to replace those images with good ones? Angel had come up from LA, taking the part of best man to the surprise of her friends. They assumed that Spike hated the dark haired vampire with the passion of detest that he spoke of. Willow knew that the history between the two was more clouded than she could ever understand so she didn't try. She had watched them speak in several times over the past year, knowing that a friendship of sorts was beginning to build. For that, she was glad. Spike needed a friend, especially since he seemed to barely tolerate most of hers. She knew though that he did like her friends. He would have killed them by now if he didn't.

To the surprise of the others, she had chosen Xander to be her man of honor, as she called it. She knew that traditionally it was a maid of honor, but Xander was her best friend and had been since way before she had ever met the others. She wanted him to be the one standing beside her as she gave herself to the man she loved. She had to smile as she realized that she had often dreamed of the day she and Xander would stand side by the side at the altar. Only, this time, reality was far more satisfying than the fantasy had been. She belonged with Spike. There was no doubt in her mind that they were meant to be together. Anya and Buffy had been bridesmaids after realizing she was serious about Xander being the man of honor. To hell with traditions, Willow had decided. Marrying a man that had been dead for well over a hundred years didn't really fit with tradition anyway. Willow had to smile as she remembered the pride she had seen in Giles eyes as he had given her away, taking his place as father in her strange family. He had been more of a father to her than her true parents had been, so she had insisted he be the one to give her to Spike. He hadn't objected, touched by her offer.

Willow heard the creak of the door and looked up, a smile crossing her face as she saw Buffy peaking into the room. "Hey you."

"Willow, you look so beautiful," Buffy said, moving into the room and closing the door. She had paths of wetness on both her cheeks from the tears she had cried during the ceremony. She had never thought she'd see the day she'd willingly allow her friend to marry a vampire. Not even any old vampire. Spike of all people. But, she wasn't blind. She could see the obvious love they felt for each other. She envied their bond in a way, but she was happy with Riley.

"Really?" Willow giggled, her face flushing slightly. She felt beautiful.

"I was sent to check on you," Buffy said with a smile. "Your husband has been pacing around the living room wearing a path in front of the fireplace. He seems to think you've run away. I told him you couldn't have gotten that smart in just a few minutes but that I'd check just to make sure."

Willow laughed, "I'm sure he loved that."

Buffy laughed, "He threw one of the sofa cushions at me and growled out some of the usual threats, but I could see that he really was worried. That ignorant blond twit still thinks you might leave him."

"To be so old, he's pretty dumb isn't he?" Willow said, rolling her eyes. She had noticed the last week or so that Spike had gotten worried about the wedding. He seemed to be afraid that she'd disappear. She knew this was a very big step for him, admitting his feelings and opening himself up to hurt again, but she loved him. He knew she loved him. She smiled, "I'll have to do my best to make sure he knows that he's never getting rid of me."

"Then come on, Mrs. Forsyte," Buffy said, still finding it odd that Spike actually had a last name. Well, one that he had picked from many she assumed.

"Mrs. Forsyte?" Willow smiled, "That has a nice ring to it."

Buffy looked at her friend, seeing the obvious happiness in the redhead's eyes and smiled, "Yeah, it does."

"You don't look any different," Anya said, her eyes studying Willow's pretty face.

"Excuse me?" Willow asked, looking at the ex-demon with curiosity.

"You're married now, but you still look like Willow," Anya clarified. "I thought you'd change or something."

"Ey, she's not growing another head or anything you insipid twit," Spike muttered, wondering again why he hadn't had Willow's friends killed. He'd married his little redhead more than two hours earlier and still the irritating humans sat around chatting. Did they not realize that he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her tight warmth? He'd been keeping himself under control since he had first seen her walk down the pathway towards him, her hair framing her face, her eyes shining with love and trust and happiness and lust, her lovely body covered with soft lace and silk. He was a vampire, damn it. He shouldn't have to put his urge to claim his mate on hold because this silly humans wanted to talk. If they didn't leave soon, he'd bloody well take her there in front of them. Hell, they'd probably get their jollies watching. His lips curled in distaste as he imagined the slayer watching him take his redhead. No, he'd wait. The nightmare image faded as Willow's hand squeezes his upper thigh. He smiled as he smelled her obvious arousal and knew she too wished they'd all just leave.

"Honey, being married doesn't change a person," Xander said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, what's the purpose then? If no one knows they've been married, why marry? You can't see any change in her," Anya asked, thinking it a rather archaic and ridiculous tradition.

"She's wearing his ring. Besides, they know they're married. They've joined together in love. That's what it's all about. To be with the person you love in the eyes of God and everyone else," Buffy said.

"Rather silly if you ask me," Anya said, not coming any closer to understanding humans.

"Just wait," Xander said with a slow smile. "When we get married, you'll get it. It will all make sense."

"What-ever," Anya said, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, she sat up and looked at her lover, eyes narrowing, "When we get married? I don't remember ever being asked, much less saying yes. Did you ask me when I was half asleep? Xander Lavelle Harris, so help me, if you asked me to marry you and I don't remember it, I'm going to kill you!"

Xander smiled, "I haven't asked you, yet. But, I know one day I will. When I do, you will say yes. Then, it will all make sense."

"If you keep acting so damn smug, I wouldn't count on me saying yes to anything," Anya said, glad that she hadn't missed a proposal during a sleepy moment. She smiled suddenly as she realized Xander must really love her to even be thinking of marriage. She looked at him closely, "I might say yes, but that whole richer and poorer thing gives me a moment of pause."

"We'll deal with that when it comes up," Xander said, leaning over and kissing her. He did love Anya and could see them getting married, just not then. In a few months or even a year maybe.

"Don't even think it," Buffy said, looking at Riley.

"I was just going to say that I love you," Riley said, knowing Buffy's view on marriage. She was the slayer. She would probably not live past her twenty-first birthday, the age in which she could retire and hand the slaying over to someone new, that being more than two years than any slayer on record. According to Giles, as the slayer aged, they became more weak. So far, she was stronger than she had ever been though, so Riley had hope she'd again defy tradition. Until then, she would not even consider marriage until she retired.

Buffy smiled, "I love you too."

"I think I may be ill," Angel muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Ahem."

"Yes?" Xander asked, pulling his lips away from Anya and looking at his former enemy.

"Spike and Willow have left the building," Angel said with a soft chuckle, knowing full well how hard it had been for the blonde vampire to wait that long to claim his new bride. "Willow said she'd call you tomorrow. Spike on the other hand said she would call you sometime next week when he let her out of bed."

"Why am I thinking how sweet but also ew?" Buffy said, leaning back against Riley's arm.

"Because, there are some things that are just...well, ew. Spike and Willow shagging like rabid bunnies? That's an ew," Xander said, making a face.

"Well, I think we need to start cleaning this place up," Buffy said, looking around at the plates and food.

"Can't have the honeymooner's coming back to a messy house," Anya said, thinking it rather nice of Angel to give the two his mansion as a wedding gift.

"Maybe we should decorate it for them?" Buffy said, smiling. She had not had much input in the wedding ceremony, Willow having decided it would be simple and private. She could, on the other hand, decorate the entire house for them.

"Uh, no," Riley said, giving Xander and even Angel a worried glance. He knew Spike would pitch a fit if he knew the slayer had decorated the mansion.

"Bad idea," Xander said, shaking his head. "Such a bad idea."

"Spike's taste tends to run in a different direction than yours, Buffy," Angel said patiently. "I think you should let him and Willow decide how to decorate the mansion."

Buffy glanced at Anya and smiled as she saw the glint in her friend's eyes. "Oh, yeah. You're right. We'll let them do it," she winked at Anya as she mouthed tomorrow, noon to the ex-demon. She couldn't wait to surprise Willow and Spike with a decorated mansion. She glanced at the living room, thinking maybe something yellow and cheery.

***************

"Spike!" Willow whined, moving her foot away from his hand.

"Yes, honey?" he smiled innocently, his fingers following her foot, dancing across the arch in a gentle sweeping motion.

"Quit that," she said, giggling softly as he touched a sensitive spot.

"Quit what?"

She glared at him as best she could laying nude and exhausted from hours of making love. She narrowed her eyes at his innocent expression, not buying it for a minute when she saw the spark of lust and humor in his eyes. "You know that I'm ticklish, so stop it."

"You are?" he gave her wide-eyed dismay. "Really?"

"Spike!" she gasped as he pounced, his fingers dancing against her rib cage as she began to laugh. She moved under him, his hard body nude over hers. She could feel his erection against her leg, its length hardening as she continued to writhe against him. "Stop."

"You know, luv. You're taking that obey vow a bit to heart," he said with amusement as he leaned down and began to take soft nips on her neck. "I'm merely trying to cherish you."

"Spike....." this time the name was said in a hiss as his fingers moved down her stomach, brushing against the wetness between her legs.

"Thought the little death do us part bit was a wee much seeing as death won't keep us apart," he continued in a conversational tone as his fingers entered her wetness.

"It's....tradition," she managed to get out as his lips and fingers continued to tease her.

"Tradition," he said, snorting. "What a bloody dreary word. Traditionally, I'd be nothing more than a pile of old bones."

"Um, honey, that's not really a nice image at the moment," she said with a wrinkle of her nose.

Spike laughed, capturing her mouth in a deep kiss. He loved kissing Willow. The taste of her, the feel of her soft lips, the sweep of her tongue into his mouth. He could spend hours making love to her mouth. He pulled back, catching her eyes as he moved his cock towards her entrance. "Willow, I love you. I can't really promise to obey you and mean it. I can promise to love you forever. Eternity is ours, pet. Together, well, we have an endless future to look forward to. Nothing will ever come between us. You are mine as I am yours."

"The obeying thing is negotiable," she said with a soft smile as she moved her hand up to brush against his cheek. "I love you, Spike. I have since that Christmas last year. I mean, what other girl can say that the man of her dreams actually turned fantasy into reality for her?"

"Remind me to thank the damn slayer for giving me to you last Christmas," he said against her lips as he entered her.

Willow's eyes widened as she remembered something Xander had told her. "Um, honey. You know when I talked to Xander earlier? Well, um, he um..."

"What?" Spike asked, stopping his movements and frowning at her.

"Well, it seems that Buffy decided to decorate the mansion for us. She's gotten Anya to help," Willow said in a rush, moving against him slightly in an attempt to get his mind back on sex.

"What?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing. "That little meddling bitch.

I'll kill her. That's our place, not her's. How dare she interfere...."

"Honey, you were going to thank her," Willow reminded, knowing full well that whatever Buffy did to the mansion would not be what either she or Spike really wanted.

"Now I'm going to kill her," he said, thrusting deep into her. His hands moved down to her hips as he roughly tightened his hold on her.

"No killing," Willow said with a soft smile as she felt his fingers digging into her flesh. She moaned as she tightened around his cock, always enjoying it when things got a bit rough. "Forget the slayer and fuck me."

Spike arched an eyebrow as he looked at his blushing bride. Blushing? Ha, that was a joke. The little wildcat had kept him in bed all day. Deciding that the slayer's death could wait until after he saw how she destroyed the mansion, he smiled at Willow. This was his honeymoon after all. He shouldn't be thinking of Buffy or any of those other twits. He had much more important things to do. He thrust deep into her again, leaning his mouth down to her ear. He whispered two words before continuing to love his wife, "Yes, dear."

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