A/N: Thanks to slaymesoftly for the beta! You can read a meta post inspired by this fic here.

*****

Buffy stared at the neatly lettered calligraphy and wondered briefly if she’d lost her mind.

There was no way he would come.

She’d gotten the address from Angel, and from the resigned tone of his voice as he recited it, he was obviously expecting her to use it for a very different purpose. But then, he’d been unconscious for several days after that battle in the alley, and so he’d missed the arguing and the accusations. Somehow, everything with Spike always ended up in a fight, and things had been said that they couldn’t take back, until there was nothing left to do but exchange sullen goodbyes and go their separate ways. She didn’t know how often Angel talked to him – well, often enough to have a current address, at least – but clearly they never talked about her, or Angel would realize how frigid their relationship was now.

There was no way he would show up. Not after the things they’d said to one another. He’d probably take the invitation as an insult, as her rubbing salt in the wound. “Come witness my perfect day. I invite you to be on the outside looking in on my shiny, happy, normal life.”

But maybe, just maybe, he’d see it for what it really was.

*****

He hadn’t RSVPed. But then, who RSVPs for a wedding reception when they plan to interrupt the ceremony and abscond with the bride before the vows are exchanged? Did she really expect him to write that on the card, right under the little boxes to check for steak or pasta?

It didn’t matter. He would come if he loved her. He had to. He’d fought so long and so hard for her love, he couldn’t – wouldn’t – let it end like this.

*****

“So, are you excited?” Dawn asked, fiddling with Buffy’s curls until they were arranged just so. The way she was practically bouncing off the walls made it clear how she felt about her sister getting married.

“Nervous, mostly,” Buffy admitted.

She knew it was a long shot. She knew there was a decent chance Spike would misinterpret her gesture and not show up at all. But somehow she’d managed to work herself up to believing that he’d be there, that he would understand how mere words could never suffice to fix everything between them. She needed the grand gesture, needed him to realize that he couldn’t live without her.

It’s not like she wasn’t prepared with her own grand gesture. She was filled with giddiness at the thought of rushing down the aisle and being swept into his arms, forsaking her not-yet-taken vows to ride off into the sunset with him. Figuratively, of course, unless he’d gotten one of those cars with the sunlight-proof windows that Angel rode around in these days.

“That’s just the pre-wedding butterflies,” Dawn assured her. “You’ll be fine once you’re out there.”

Seated at the vanity, Buffy gave her reflection a hesitant smile. “I hope so.”

*****

Her eyes met Giles’ briefly as the wedding march began, and her grip tightened around his elbow. Slowly, they made their way down the aisle, a broad smile permanently affixed on her face. She could see her friends already assembled around the altar, Willow, Xander, and her sister, all beaming proudly. They wanted so much for her to be happy, to finally find the everlasting love that had eluded them all for so long, living on the Hellmouth.

And she wanted to be happy, too, wanted to want this so badly. Taking her place next to Michael, she felt a frisson of excitement, and for a moment, she thought maybe Dawn had been right. But as the minister droned on, she found herself trembling in anticipation of one particular line.

“If anyone knows of any reason…”

He will come for me, she thought, channeling Buttercup in her calmness and her certainty that her love would arrive in time to save her. Granted, this wasn’t exactly a “marry me or die” situation; she’d accepted Michael’s proposal willingly. And why shouldn’t she? He was good and kind, and he made her laugh, and the sex was decent, and he didn’t care that she could bench press three times his weight. And he loved her, and she’d never gotten that right, not once in her entire life, but this time she would do it. For once in her life, she would commit to someone who loved her.

But she couldn’t stop hoping.

“…why these two should not be wed…”

She braced herself for his grand entrance, crashing down the aisle bellowing about how she could never marry this limp sod standing next to her, because her heart burned with a fiery passion for him and him alone.

“…speak now or forever hold your peace.”

She held her breath, waiting.

Silence.

As the minister proceeded with the ceremony, she wanted to tell him to wait, that Spike was never on time for anything, but instead she hollowly repeated the vows she was expected to recite. The words “I now pronounce you man and wife” echoed in her ears, but there was only one thought in her mind.

He hadn’t come.