Title : The Wild Child’s Christmas Wedding

Rating : PG-13 (for a couple of curse words)

Summary : Following Spike’s proposal to Buffy in the last chapter of The Wild Child, the pair set the wedding date for Christmas Day, can their day turn out as perfect as they planned? This is for everyone wanting a sequel and/or wedding fic for The Wild Child, and anyone else wanting a happy Spuffy Christmas story.

Disclaimer : Joss still owns all the recognisable characters from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel The Series.

Part 1 of 3

"’S bloody typical, ain’t it?" Spike sighed as he found his fiancé in staring out of the large windows at the countryside, "Plan your wedding round the promise of a white bleedin’ Christmas, and the soddin’ sun decides it should be Summer" he said as he walked over to Buffy and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"It’s not like we’re having a heatwave or anything" she smiled as she leant back into his embrace, "It’d be much hotter than this if we were getting married in California" she told him, eyes still staring straight ahead, out of the window.

It was about eighteen months now since Buffy Summers had been sent from her home in LA to stay with her Godfather, Rupert Giles, in the English countryside. There she’d met a man that would change her life and on whom she would have a similar effect. She and William, who was now more commonly known as Spike, had got engaged at the start of the Summer, and after hearing there was a good chance of a white Christmas this year, had immediately planned their big day for December 25th.

"You wish you were there?" Spike asked the blonde as he held her tight, "Back in LA or whatever?"

"Sometimes" she admitted a little sadly, turning in his embrace, "But only if you were there with me" she assured him as her arms slid around his neck and she pulled his head down, "I wouldn’t wanna go anywhere without you" she promised, kissing him to reinforce her pledge.

"Bloody relieved to hear that" Spike smirked when they broke for air a moment later, "’Specially since you’re gonna be Mrs William Giles in about... 91 hours" he told her as he checked his watch for the date and time.

"That’s a little scary" she admitted, though she smiled when she said it, "But the best thing in the world too, cos y’know I love you" she said, eyes flitting to the floor and back. It still felt strange to say those words and really mean them, and even stranger when she heard Spike say them back, knowing for sure that his feelings were as real and true as her own.

They were kissing again when Willow tapped on the door and let herself in. She turned away when she realised what they were doing and coughed loudly till the pair broke apart.

"Coasts clear Red, you can turn round, luv" Spike told her with a smirk, Buffy still in his arms, "You need us for somethin’ or what?"

"Actually it’s just Buffy I need" Willow admitted, "Your dress is back, all altered and fixed up. I thought you’d wanna try it on, make sure it’s okay now?"

"Absolutely" Buffy nodded, grinning widely. Of all things connected to the wedding, the blonde loved her dress the most. Her dreams of being a princess and having a fairytale wedding were finally coming true, and the beautifully traditional white dress was, in her opinion at least, perfect.

Planting one last kiss on Spike’s lips, she hurried towards the door, and went upstairs with Willow to try on her dress for what should be the final fitting before her big day. They met Drusilla on the landing and the brunette smiled, grabbing for her soon-to-be-sister’s hand.

"The fairies are singing" she said brightly, "They wove the rainbow into your skirts, dear sister, and now you shall be the princess on my darling brother’s dreams"

"That’s right, Dru" Buffy nodded, "They brought my dress back, and it should fit perfectly now" she agreed, being able to decipher Dru’s ramblings as well as anyone else in the house by now, "You wanna come see me try it on?" she offered and the pale young woman smiled wider.

"Yes, please" she nodded clapping her hands together, "I’d like that very much"

The three girls headed down to Buffy’s bedroom where her wedding dress was laid out on her bed. The sight of it brought tears to her eyes all over again, just as it had the previous three times she’d laid eyes on it. Of course her husband-to-be had another four days to wait before he would see her in it, but she’d played the scene over in her head so many times, Buffy knew exactly how he would react, how stunned he would be but in a good way to see her looking so beautiful. She smiled to herself as she slipped out of her own clothes and Willow helped her get fastened into her dress. Minutes later she was staring at herself in the full length mirror, feeling stupid because she just wanted to cry, she was so happy.

"Buffy, it’s beautiful" Willow told her as she stood to one side, and Dru to the other.

"A perfect picture of a princess" the brunette giggled, clapping her hands together wildly, "Shame your faith won’t hold til Christmas" she sighed, suddenly looking forlorn. Buffy’s eyes shifted from the mirror to the girl beside her, and she frowned.

"What do you mean, Dru?" she checked. Though Spike’s sister was often prone to talking nonsense, a lot of what she said did turn out to have real meaning underneath it all somewhere, and it was just so strange that she’d mentioned Faith. Buffy had been thinking of her cousin just a little while ago, moments before Spike had found her by the window. Though she loved her life here in England with her new family, she occasionally missed LA and her cousin that lived there still.

"Sometimes I think all my hair will fall out and I’ll be bald" Drusilla said thoughtfully, winding her brunette curls around her fingers.

"Dru, sweetie, can you tell me what you meant before?" Buffy asked her, trying to get the girl to focus, by holding onto her hands and looking her straight in the eye, "Something about Faith?" she urged her as Willow looked on, wondering why Dru’s words had bothered her so much.

"The naughty little pixie wants a playmate" Dru giggled, "but the sun is too black across the pond for the princess to go back and drown" she sing-songed as if it were a nursery rhyme or some such she were singing.

Buffy frowned as she tried to figure out what the other girl mean, and Willow assured her it was probably nothing.

"Ah William" Giles smiled as he almost literally ran into his nephew in the main foyer, "I was about to come and find you" he admitted, "I confess I am having some trouble with this speech I am to prepare" he sighed, removing his glasses and cleaning them on a handkerchief, "It is quite preposterous, as you know I am quite adept at giving speeches but I do believe it is impossible to sum up both yourself, Buffy, and your relationship in just a few short paragraphs" he shook his head.

"You’ll do fine, Giles" Spike smiled, "Got every confidence in you to do us proud"

"Be that as it may" Giles sighed, "I do wish I could forego the formality of the speech. Whilst I am perfectly happy to give Buffy away, indeed it is an honour, I am most uncomfortable giving a speech that ought to be made by her father"

"He’d have a bit of trouble doin’ it himself" Spike pointed out, "Unless you know a bloody good psychic or a necromancer of some sort" he rolled his eyes.

"Really, William, that is not at all appropriate humour" Giles snapped and Spike had the decency to look a little shameful.

"I know" he agreed, "Just my nerves making me a thoughtless sod I reckon" he sighed, "Buffy’s up there right now, tryin’ on that damn dress of hers" he said, glancing up the main staircase in the general direction of where his fianceé was right now, "Caught her day dreamin’ about home before, back in LA. Stupid as it sounds, Giles, even this close to the big day, as much as I love and trust her, I keep thinking..."

"That she might run out on you?" Giles guessed.

"Right git for even considering it, ain’t I?" Spike sighed as he stared at the large Christmas tree by the stairs. He smiled as he thought of Buffy and how she went on and on about the dress she would wear for their wedding. He imagined she would look not unlike the angel on top of the tree, and he hated himself even more for giving way to such thoughts of her running away.

"William, it is perfectly natural to be nervous you know" Giles told his nephew, "Yourself, and Buffy, have both been through some difficult times, and despite the fact your adoration for her is obvious I have no doubt she is equally as agitated about your big day" he assured him, giving him a fatherly pat on the back.

"Maybe you’re right" Spike sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking towards the stairs once again as he thought of Buffy, "Not like she’d have anywhere to run even if she wanted to" he smirked, "Every buggers coming here for Christmas"

It was true, in fact. Any friends of Spike and/or Buffy that meant anything to them at all were coming down to Giles House over the next couple of days to stay for the wedding and the Christmas period. As Giles had said, it was pointless for them to all travel down the night before and stay in hotels when there was more than enough room for everybody in the veritable mansion of a house.

"Speaking of which, I do believe your first guests might be here" Giles commented as he heard the heavy front door being open and closed.

As the two men looked expectantly towards the door, they got the shock of their lives as a skinny brunette came strutting through the internal doors with an almost nervous smile on her face, Xander right behind her looking both stunned and worried.

"Hey, Spike, how’s tricks?" Faith asked as Giles removed his glasses and looked heavenward and the bleached blond’s mouth dropped open in cartoon like fashion.

"Bloody hell" he exclaimed, "Talk of the devil, and she appears"

To Be Continued...

A/N : Sorry this is so short, but the other two chapters should be longer. In the meantime, reviews are always of the good :-)

Chapter 2

"You think anybody would notice if I just wore this all the time?" Buffy joked about her wedding dress that she adored.

"Might look kinda suspicious in a nightclub" Willow told her with a smile.

"Okay" the blonde sighed, taking one last look in the mirror, "Besides I can’t see Spike while I’m dressed like this, not til Sunday" she said with an excited grin as she reached for the fastening at the back of her dress. With their backs to the door neither she nor Willow noticed a figure appear there.

"Well, if it ain’t Princess B of Castle Giles" Faith smirked, attracting the attention of all three girls in the room. Dru had appeared to have fallen asleep but was now instantly awake, not wanting to miss a thing.

"I’m the only princess" she snapped, almost angrily and Faith’s eyes shifted from her cousin to the pale skinned girl on the bed.

"Is that right?" she checked and Willow looked worriedly between all three of the other girls.

"Um, I think maybe I should get Dru back to her room" she said, encouraging Spike’s sister to get up and manoeuvring her past Faith and out the door, muttering something about Tara being worried by now, and it being time for Dru’s meds.

"Faith" Buffy said as she stared at her, "It’s been a while" she said flatly, though deep inside she was really quite pleased to see her cousin.

"What, no hug?" she smirked, holding out her arms as if she genuinely expected it.

"In this dress?" Buffy smirked right back, "No way!"

Faith laughed her trademark filthy laugh at that and Buffy couldn’t help but do the same. She really had missed her, even though most memories of her ‘past life’ as she now called it were not so great.

"Uh, you wanna help me out of this?" Buffy gestured to her wedding dress and the array of tiny buttons and catches on the back that she couldn’t unfasten herself. With a nod Faith gestured for her to come over to where she was sitting and she helped out as she was asked.

In minutes the blonde was back in a tight T-shirt and jeans and carefully zipping her wedding dress into it’s protective cover.

"Bet that thing cost more than I can drink in a night" Faith smirked and her cousin looked thoughtful for a moment before smiling.

"Maybe" she said, "If you were having a slow night"

"Been plenty of those lately" Faith said, almost sadly, looking down at her hand as it fiddled with the strap of her boot, "Kinda weird going out on the town alone"

Buffy frowned at that, putting dress firmly away in the closet and moving to sit down next to her cousin.

"C’mon Faith" she said, shoving her playfully, "You’re never alone for long, are you?"

"I’m not talkin’ about stallions, B" she rolled her eyes, "I mean, please, like I can’t get a guy if I got an itch that needs scratching, that ain’t a big deal, not with this body and the moves I can bust" she smiled as she thought of a few special guys she wouldn’t mind seeing again, but her grin soon faded as she turned and looked at Buffy.

"I guess I’m just feelin’ a little out in the open without my gang" she shrugged, "What with you over here gettin’ all loved up with Blondie, and Angel... well, we both knew we were gonna get bored some day... I dunno what I’m sayin’, I just..."

"Faith" Buffy interrupted, getting her attention, "I missed you too" she said with a hint of a smile and the brunette smiled back, just slightly before she laughed and looked away.

"Yeah, right" she scoffed, "Whatever" pretending it all meant nothing. She didn’t share feelings or show affection, and did a good impression of a person that wasn’t bothered what anyone thought or if nobody liked her. Buffy knew better. She herself had hidden her true self for a long time, and could now see the facade Faith was hiding behind, and beyond it.

"So, this what they teach you in good old England?" the brunette joked, leaning back on her hands and staring up at the ornate mouldings on the ceiling, "Good manners, how to dress right, and share your feelings, or what?"

"Not exactly" Buffy shook her head, "You do know this is real life, and not some stupid play about a common girl and a Professor, right?"

"At least they let you keep your sarcastic mouth, B" Faith smirked at her for that, "I guess you didn’t change so much after all"

"You don’t think so?" Buffy frowned slightly. She thought she’d changed quite a lot, and for the better to, and yet here was Faith who had known her the best of anyone before she came to England, and she was saying she was almost exactly the same.

"Sure, you dress fancy, and you maybe don’t have the ‘tude and all but, that stuff was never you anyway, cous" Faith shook her head, "You were all dressed up in big sisters clothes with not a clue what to do with ‘em or why you were there in the first place" she explained, "This was always what you wanted. The princess dream, the handsome knight to sweep you off your feet, and the castle in the sky, where you can live happily ever after"

Buffy looked thoughtful for a while before she answered.

"Maybe" she sighed, "You have no idea how happy I am right now" she smiled, feeling a little silly for admitting it, especially to Faith who she didn’t really expect to understand, "Spike is... he is everything to me, and knowing we’re getting married, we’re going to be together forever... as scary as it is, it’s going to be the best day of my life"

"You know me, B" Faith replied, "Not one for the settlin’ but I think it’ll suit you just fine" she smiled, "And hey, if it don’t pan out, you can always come runnin’ back to LA. Always some floor space for you to crash on, y’know?"

"I know" Buffy nodded, glancing at Faith then at the carpet, "I kinda wondered how things were with you, I thought about inviting you to the wedding but I didn’t know if you’d want to come, I mean, I thought maybe you were pissed at me when I stayed here"

"Nah, not even for a second" Faith assured her, "I knew this was the life you shoulda had, and I knew I didn’t fit in it, same as you never really fit in my world either" she shrugged.

"Not for the lackage of trying" Buffy smiled, "Sometimes when I think about the stuff we did, it doesn’t even seem like me. Other times I wonder where that girl went, and who I am now..."

"Now, you’re who you’re s’posed to be, B" she smiled at her accidental illiteration, "Before... hey, we had a good time, but in the end..."

"It was just a ride, right?" Buffy quoted a phrase her cousin so often used for all the one night stands the pair of them had. Of course, ‘ride’ had a whole other meaning in that context, but the phrase applied. Life was one long rollercoaster trip, and that chapter would always be the crazy Faith years in the book of Buffy’s existence was one hell of a ride. As tough as some of it had been, as much as she regretted parts of it now, she wouldn’t trade it in. If she could live her life over again, she’d let it happen as it should, no matter how hard that was. She might never have ended up so happy with Spike, if she hadn’t been forced to suffer before.

"Y’know, your guy wasn’t exactly thrilled with my entrance" Faith told Buffy, wanting to break an awkward silence any way she could, "Giles either. Poor guy polished his glasses so hard, I thought he was gonna snap ‘em in two" she laughed.

"Giles is great" Buffy assured her cousin, "A little old fashioned maybe but, he’s been like a father to me. As for Spike... it’s not you he isn’t thrilled about so much as what you represent"

"Your sordid past that he’d rather forget?" Faith guessed and Buffy looked away.

"I guess, kinda" she admitted, "On some level I think a part of him is waiting for me to run away again, and I can’t blame him for that, but I’d never leave him. I can’t live without him" she said sincerely.

Faith always thought she hated this mushy stuff but hearing Buffy talk this way, about her new life and the man in it that she loved so much, it wasn’t an urge to vomit she was fighting, it was an urge to cry. She hid it well of course, she was an expert at putting up walls and barriers, some that even her cousin couldn’t see through, no matter how well they knew each other.

"Y’know I had no idea you guys were gettin’ hitched for Christmas" she said, needing another subject change if she was going to get through this conversation, "I just had nothin’ better to do, and swingin’ by here to check on my favourite cousin seemed like an idea"

"Favourite?" Buffy made a face, "Yeah, that’s flattering Faith. I’m your only cousin!"

"Yeah, and where’s my invitation to the wedding of the century, huh?" Faith shot back as they both laughed until a sharp knock come on the door.

"Er, Buffy?" Spike called through, the door open just a crack now, "You still wearin’ that wedding dress, luv?"

"Nope, coasts all clear" she assured him and he opened the door, smiling at her as he did so.

"Just wanted to check everythin’ was alright with you two" he said, then off Buffy’s expression he added, "And I’m a bleedin’ paranoid and nosy bugger who wanted to know what was goin’ on" he smirked.

"Don’t get so hot under the collar, Spikey" Faith told him as she hopped off the bed, "Like I told you before, I just came to see B was okay. Now I know all’s good in the land of the luxury-lovin’, I can head home a happy woman"

"Head home?" Buffy frowned, "But I thought... well, since you’re here and it’s my wedding and all..."

"Hey, I was kiddin’ about the invite, cous" Faith interrupted, waving her hand in a negative gesture, if only because the look on Spike’s face told her she wasn’t welcome, "’Sides my flight heads out tomorrow night, this was strictly a flyin’ visit"

"Oh" Buffy looked almost tearful over Faith’s departure so soon after she’d come back into her life.

Eighteen months they’d been apart and they’d genuinely missed each other, even if Buffy was the only one who would properly admit it, but life had moved on and Faith was right, they didn’t belong in each others worlds anymore.

"Hey, Spike" the brunette said, holding out hand to him, "Good luck, bro, you’re gonna need it marryin’ anyone out of my family" she winked as he shook her hand, "Sides you screw up you know I’ll come lookin’ for you"

"Wouldn’t expect your services to be required on that score, luv" Spike told her as he put his other arm firmly around Buffy’s shoulders, "Can’t hurt her, don’t know how. Just love her, like you wouldn’t believe"
Faith nodded that she did believe him as she looked at Buffy and smiled.

"You make sure you get that happy ever after, B" she told her, "Cos you deserve it. I’ll see ya" she said as she backed up out of the door and stalked down the hall the way only Faith could as Buffy went into her fiancé’s arms and hugged him tight.

Spike hugged her back, not entirely surprised as he felt his shirt become damp from her tears. His hand rubbed her back as he kissed the top of her head and sighed. It really wasn’t Faith’s fault that Buffy’s life had been torn apart when she was young. Though the brunette had taken his girl down the path of near-ruin with her, Faith herself had only become this person because of the abominable way her parents had treated her. She was probably a decent girl underneath it all, though one would have to dig a lot deeper with her than he had with Buffy, Spike suspected.

Still, it was clear the blonde in his arms was more than a little upset to have her cousin, and former-best friend, walk back into and then out of her life so fast.

It was their wedding in a matter of days, and though the two people who Spike knew would be top of Buffy’s wish guest-list were her parents, the first on a more realistic list would be Faith Wilkins. Too bad she was headed home so soon.

To Be Continued...

Part 3 of 3

When Buffy awoke on Christmas Day she was initially disappointed to realise Spike was not there with her, then she remembered why and a smile filled her face. Today was their wedding day, and in traditional style they had refrained from spending the night together. They’d traded one gift each, late on Christmas Eve and kissed each other goodbye until the ceremony the following day.

Buffy hopped out of bed, wrapping herself in a silky robe as she went over to the window and pulled back the drapes. She gasped as she looked out at the landscape, a thin layer of white all around. A couple of days ago the weather had started to turn colder but still the reports had said there was only a slight chance of a white Christmas. Still, here was the snow, making the grounds around Giles House appear like a seasonal card, and still falling from the sky at quite a rate.

"Perfect" Buffy said to herself, watching the snow a moment longer before hurrying to get her wedding dress from the closet along with the matching shoes and accessories. She had no doubt Willow would be along at any moment to help her get ready, the red-head was chief bridesmaid after all, even though Dru had also been allowed to believe it was her. Little Dawnie from the hotel, and Tara who had become as much a part of the family as anyone were to make an even four bridesmaids.

"Hey" Willow grinned as she entered the room, already wearing her dress, and carrying a tray with breakfast on it for her friend, "I thought you’d be up by now"

"I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep at all" Buffy admitted, "but I was tired enough I got a few hours. Oh Will, did you see outside" she enthused and Willow nodded.

"I guess you got your fairytale setting for your fairytale wedding" the red-head smiled as she unzipped the cover of the wedding dress and carefully eased it out, "I guess you should eat and wash up and everything, since it does take a while to get you into this dress" she urged, when Buffy again became transfixed by the beautiful view from the window.

"Oh yeah, I guess" the blonde replied, shaking herself out of a dreamy daze. Today was going to be perfect, she just knew it. She was marrying the man of her dreams on Christmas Day, with snow falling outside her window, and family and friends all around her. The only thing that spoiled her perfect mood was her thoughts as she was fastened into her wedding dress. She glanced towards the door almost as if she expected Faith to appear again like last time, but of course she didn’t.

Buffy apologised to Willow when she realised she’d spoken to her, and yet she’d heard not a word of the sentence. The smile was soon back on the blonde’s face as she showed her friend the beautiful bracelet Spike had given her last night to be her ‘something new’, but nothing could completely eradicate the feeling of disappointment deep down inside when she thought of her cousin, and Faith’s absence from her big day.

"This is bloody ridiculous" Spike cursed as he attempted to tie his tie for the fifth time, "I’ve been tying these bleedin’ things since I was a nipper and now..."

"I think it’s called nerves" Wes pointed out with a smirk as he helped out his friend and tied the tie for him, "Though I really don’t see you have anything at all to worry about"

"I know" Spike sighed, "Can’t help it though, just want to get up to that altar and hear my girl say ‘I do’. I don’t care after that, I just want this to go off without a hitch y’know?"

"I know" Wes nodded, checking his appearance in the mirror one last time and glancing at his watch, "Another half an hour and it’s all systems go, so to speak"

"In more ways than one" Spike smirked as his cell-phone rang into life on the table, "Hello, luv" he smiled as he took the call, "Everythin’ okay?"

The voice on the other end was so loud that Wesley could almost hear what the young woman was saying from across the room, and she didn’t sound entirely happy.

"C’mon, pet, you know the deal" Spike reminded her, "You said you could do this, and you know what it’ll mean to Buffy"

The girl seemed to give in at that point and her volume dropped a few decibels as she spoke again.

"Right, see you soon then" Spike said eventually before ending the call and turning to his best man, "That’s the main surprise sorted out, now I just need to track down that Uncle of mine"

"Last I saw him he was reciting his speech to the statue in the main foyer" Wes explained with a hint of a smile.

Spike rolled his eyes, and exited the room to go in search of Giles. In the absence of his own father (which he was entirely glad about) he felt like he needed a quick word with Giles, before the older man did his duty as acting-father of the bride.

Buffy was alone in her room, counting the minutes, the seconds even, til she could go downstairs, see Spike, and become his wife. It was all she wanted and yet as the time drew nearer her legs started to feel unstable and yet at the some time as if they wanted to run. She was nervous as hell at the prospect of the wedding ceremony and petrified of what it really meant. Though she knew it was ridiculous, deep down she was still worried about losing Spike somehow. He’d never leave her, she was certain of that, nobody could love her as much as he did, and she knew she’d never love anyone quite the way she loved him. Still, sometimes people were forced out of your life, given no choice in the matter, like Buffy’s parents.

The blonde smiled sadly as she stared down at the picture by the bed. Joyce and Hank Summers, her wonderful parents, who’d been cruelly torn from her when she was just eight years old. It wasn’t fair.

"I so wish you were here" she said softly, picking up the framed photograph, "I keep telling everybody this is my fantasy wedding, but it can’t be truly perfect without you" she said, fighting tears so as not to ruin her carefully applied makeup, "I hope you’re watching from somewhere, and that you know how happy Spike makes me. He means so much to me, he’s what I was waiting for, even if I didn’t know it" she smiled, kissing her fingers and placing them on the picture, before putting it back on the nightstand.

Willow came into the room just then. She’d gone to check all was okay with the arrangements downstairs, where one of the old ballrooms was being transformed for the wedding ceremony and another for the reception. All was well, and everything was ready. All that was needed was the bride. Willow had been about to barge into Buffy’s room two minutes ago but waited outside the door when she heard her talking as if to her parents. She smiled to herself as she finally went in to the room. Okay, so Joyce and Hank couldn’t be at the wedding, but it only strengthened the argument that Buffy would be so pleased by one extra addition to her wedding party.

"Hey" the red-head smiled, "You almost ready to go?" she checked.

"Ready as I’ll ever be" Buffy replied, checking in the mirror that her make-up still looked okay and her veil was attached properly.

"Don’t worry" Willow told her, "I just saw Wesley, and Spike’s kinda shaky nervous too. It’s a big deal, you getting all big with the I do"

"Thanks for reminding me why I should be panicking, Will" Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I didn’t mean to..." Willow began apologising and the blonde was about to tell her it was fine when someone else did it for her.

"Hey, she’s messin’ with you Straight-Laced" Faith rolled her eyes, "Stuff might’ve changed with B, but that sarcasm don’t ever fade"

"Oh my God" Buffy gasped at the sight of her cousin. Whilst her presence was shocking in itself, the thing that stunned her most was that Faith was standing between Drusilla and Dawn, and wearing a dress in the same colour and style as the other two brunettes. As long as she’d known her, Buffy was sure she’d never seen Faith in such an outfit. Though she was prone to wearing dresses when they partied sometimes, they were always black, short-hemmed affairs, with plunging necklines, and not even enough material for a handkerchief. This was a full length pale coloured silky bridesmaids dress and she looked very uncomfortable in it.

"Oh my God!" the blonde gasped again, rushing at her cousin and hugging her tight, consequences be damned..Though she never said a word about it, Willow was almost certain she saw tears in Faith’s eyes in that moment.

"Geez, B, anyone’d think you were pleased to see me or somethin’" the brunette smirked as the two young women parted and Faith wriggled awkwardly in her dress, "Y’know you’re marryin’ one hell of a guy. I still don’t know how he talked me into hangin’ around, and I’ll be damned if I know how I ended up in this dress"

"You have no idea how perfect you just made today" Buffy told her with tears of joy in her eyes that she fought to hold back for a while longer, "All of you, you look great and..."
"And you need to get your butt in gear, girl!" Faith interrupted, "Got a guy down there waitin’ to get hitched to you"

"She’s right" Dawn agreed, "Don’t wanna keep Spike waiting"

"The prince of cups expects a picnic, and today is his birthday" Dru grinned, apparently agreeing with the rest.

Buffy just smiled and took a deep breath as her bridesmaids led the way out the door, and they found Giles outside on the landing, waiting for them.

"Oh my dear" he gasped when he saw her, "You truly are a vision Buffy. Indeed, all of you look wonderful" he told them, as the bride took his offered arm and the group of people made their way towards the main staircase and down to the room where the guests, and more importantly Spike was waiting.

The soon-to-be-wed couple were stunned by the sight of each other, but pleasantly, as Buffy was led down the aisle by her God-father, towards the man she would marry - he was the only person she had eyes for in the whole room, and he for her.

"Hello, pet" Spike whispered as Buffy reached his side and the music ended.

"Hey" she replied, "Thank you so much" she said quickly and quietly, "For Faith"

"Wanted it to be perfect as it could be" he smiled, so glad to have pleased her.

They were forced to be silent then as the ceremony began and the registrar talked of love and commitment, checked nobody objected to the marriage and helped Spike and Buffy through their vows and the exchange of rings. Tears were shed by many, as well as meaningful looks that said this would not be the only wedding amongst these at Giles house. Before the the night was out, Wesley hoped there would be an engagement ring on Willow’s finger, but that would have to wait until this event was over.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife" said the registrar, "You may kiss the bride" he told Spike, who wasted no time in showing the world how much he loved his new wife.

A cheer and a round of applause went up amongst the large congregation and thought she would deny it to her last breath, even Faith had to try very hard not to shed a tear.

"I love you" Buffy whispered, smiling widely when she and Spike parted for air.

"Love you too, Mrs Rayne" he smirked, holding her to him, "Merry Christmas, luv"

Buffy continued to grin, staring at the man by her side as he took a hold of her hand and they turned to walk back down the aisle.

Those few words he had just said might be the best she’d ever heard in her entire life.

The End

A/N2 : And that’s the end of that! All that’s left to day is Merry Christmas, Happy Holdidays, and Seasons Greetings, to all:-)