REPLAY



Author: Heather Martin (SinisterChic)

Rating: PG13

Spoilers: Season 6, Season 7, Angel season 5

Summary: S/B, Learning of Spike’s resurrection Dawn and she venture to LA in search of him. But they are too late. . . Or are they? Is there a way to fix things before they began to get dark?

Archive: Just let me know where







Chapter 21- Going to the Chapel And . . .



“Is it too small?”



Buffy stood behind Xander. She fumbled with his cummerbund.



“It’ll fit,” Buffy declared with confidence.



“Aw, man, what if it doesn’t?” He gazed into the mirror. “What if I can’t wear my cummerbund? And then the whole world will be able to see the place where my pants meet my shirt. Buffy, that can not happen! I must wear das cummerbund!”



A slight smile tugged at Buffy’s lips. She couldn’t help it. He was so cute. She gave the cummerbund a tug. Oh, she got it! Her smile grew into a triumphant grin.



“And so you shall!”



“Hey, you got it!”



“Slayer strength.”



“I’ve been meaning to lay off the habit forming oxygen.”



Buffy stepped back and admired him. Willow hadn’t lied. Xander wore formal wear well. He looked very grown up and handsome.



“You look great,” she announced. “Mr. Ready to get married. You are ready, right?”



Please don’t let my attempts be in vain? she silently pleaded.



He nodded. “Very ready.”



He seemed sincerely happy. She began to fight with the bowtie. Ugh, she still couldn’t get it right.



“If only Willow wasn’t off flirting with Tara,” Buffy mumbled.



Xander glanced down at her. “She told you about her plans?”



Caught off guard, Buffy said, “Uh . . . yeah.”



It took great effort but Buffy was able to get the bowtie. She knew exactly where his shoes were this time, which was definitely a bonus.



“All done. You look ready to get married,” she told him.



His eyes roamed down at himself. “I think you’re right.”



There was so much to do, but together Dawn and her worked it out. She had the most important job: keep tabs on Xander at all times. Dawn’s duty was to try and keep order. If that became too much, which was very much a possibility, she would go for help.



Xander and Buffy headed down the hall. Dawn suddenly came into view. The teen practically bounced with energy.



“Spike is here!” she squealed. “He’s looking for you.”



A glow spread across the slayer’s face, which wasn’t lost by Xander or Dawn.

Buffy ran a hand over the hideous green dress. She wished she had something gorgeous to show off to him. Maybe one day she’d have her chance, but in a flowing white . . . Oh, she was being a silly girl now, off in her own daydreams. She remembered those from when she had been with Angel: marriage, children, and a little house with a picket fence away from the forces of evil. Things just didn’t work out that way. There was no way she was ever going to get married to Spike. Not that she didn’t want to. She did very much, but vampires and slayers just didn’t get hitched. But then again, they had never followed conventionality.



A nudge hit Buffy in the arm. “Buffy, are you off in la la land?” her sister asked.



Buffy blinked, coming back to the here and now.



“Go on, Buff, be merry. I better go meet and greet,” Xander said.



She was surprised. Xander was encouraging her to go talk to Spike?



Buffy found Spike aloof from the crowd. She took a moment to look back and make sure Xander was still in sight. He was shaking hands with one of the guests. She turned back toward her boyfriend.



He smirked and went up to her. “You look lovely. All glowing.”



“That’s because the dress is radioactive.”



They both laughed as one.



“I love seeing you happy,” he told her.



She sobered. “You make me so.”



He pressed his forehead against hers. “Is that right?”



Her arms slipped around his neck. “I love you.”



“Oh, pet . . . You know I love you back. Save me a dance?”



“I’m all yours.”

When Buffy turned around she had to search the crowd. She even made her way through it. It was useless . . . Xander was gone.



+ + +



Willow confirmed Buffy’s belief. Xander had fled the scene. The witch offered to go search while Buffy stalled. Buffy agreed, but with a heavy heart. She was finally happy. Why couldn’t Xander and Anya be as well?



It was all a disaster. She watched as Tara hurried after Anya.



“Anya, wait up!” Tara called.



“This bride waits for no one. If the minister isn’t here yet then we’ll just get married without a minister,” Anya said.



Buffy stepped off stage, abandoning the microphone. Spike appeared next to her side.



“Has the whelp flown the coop?”



She glared as a response. That made him shut-up.



Anya turned toward Buffy. She put her hands on her hips. “Where is Xander?” she demanded.



Buffy opened her mouth, not sure what to say. Chaos erupted throughout the guests. Anya stood there, about ready to cry. Tara rushed into the brawl in an attempt to maintain order. Dawn came over.



“I’m sorry, Buffy, I tried,” the smallest Summers apologized.



“It’s okay,” Buffy said. No, it really wasn’t.



“Who’s that?” Anya pointed to an old man.



Buffy’s eyes grew large. She knew him. She walked over.



“Hey, you! You weren’t invited!” Buffy accused.



“I saw you talking to Xander,” Anya said, coming up behind Buffy. “What did you say to him?”



The man remained stoic. “Really doesn’t matter now, does it? It’s done.”



“Oh, it matters,” Buffy said. “It matters a lot.”



Buffy tore the bottom of her dress. She readied herself for a fight. “Show who you really are.”



The man dissolved, growing into a monstrous demon. He had gray skin, yellow eyes, and spikes on his head. Buffy kicked him in the leg. He howled.



Just then Xander burst in.



“Anya!” he yelled.



“Xander.” His fiancé ran into his arms.



“I'm so ... I'm so glad you're here. It was all lies, what he showed you ... it wasn't true, he just wanted to break us up,” Anya explained.



He watched Buffy and the demon. “It doesn’t matter now.”



Buffy looked over at Spike. “Can you grab that?” Buffy pointed to the veil on the mounted bison head.



The vampire snatched up the material and handed it to her. Buffy used it to wrap around the demon’s neck. It sputtered and struggled. Xander grabbed a pillar and smashed it into its head. Finally the thing went limp.



“It’s dead,” he declared.



“Yep,” Buffy agreed.



Cheers and applause came from the crowd. Buffy stared in bafflement.



“Is anyone else waiting for it to go poof?” Willow said. She stared down at the corpse. “Maybe we could cover it with flowers.”

Anya barked orders at the people. They sat back down in their seats. Buffy noticed Xander’s state. He was sweaty and shaking. She pulled him away from the mess.



They stood in the corridor for a moment in silence.



“Xander?”



His head shot up.



“What happened?” She made her voice soothing.



“It wasn’t real,” he muttered.



“No.”



“But it could be.”



She touched his arm.



“No. I know you, Xander. I know you’ll make Anya happy.”



He shut his eyes. “I was so much like ‘him’. I hated myself.”



She didn’t have to ask for clarification. Xander’s worst nightmare had been shown. He had become his father.



“There is only the here and now. You can make the future into whatever you want. Make the decision to not be like that.”



He opened his eyes. She was getting through to him.



“Life is full of chances,” she went on. “You can’t spend your entire life standing in one place.”



Xander reached out. He hugged her harshly with emotion. They didn’t pull away for a long while.



“I don’t want to hurt Anya,” he said.



“Then don’t.” It was such a simple answer.



Xander didn’t move for a moment. Then he nodded.



“Okay.”



Okay? Okay!



She sighed in relief. She’d done it. Xander was getting married.



“Let’s get to it then,” she said with a smile.



They turned to go back to the others. Buffy stumbled. She put a hand to her head. The world spun around her. What was going on?



“Buffy?”



Xander’s voice was far away. Things went out of focus and then faded entirely. She didn’t even feel herself hit the floor.



____________________________________________



This is the turning point, guys. : ) Don’t be too panicky when you read the next chapter. Have faith. Sounds vague, I know, but you’ll know what I mean when you start it.