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What If....? by Lilachigh
 
Chp 2 Wedding Bells
 
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What If? By Lilachigh


Chp 2 Wedding Bells



Willow stared at her friend, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Cancel the wedding! Buffy, it’s in two days time!”

Tara carefully put down the cup she was holding. Her expression was softly concerned, her eyes gentle but worried. “Buffy, it’s quite normal for you to have nerves before getting married. Lots of girls do. ”

“This isn’t nerves. I just can’t marry Riley.”

Xander’s mouth was still open, reaching in vain for the pizza slice that was dripping cheese on the floor. He groped for the words that were eluding his brain. “Has he done something? Said something? He’s probably nervous, too. Hey, wedding, commitment, big day, commitment, rings and things, commitment.”

Anya gave a very unladylike snort. “Why do you men always worry about commitment? Don’t you think we women have to commit as well? But I must admit, Buffy, that it’s usually the men who don‘t turn up at the altar on their wedding day. I’ve spent many years raining down vengeance on individuals who did that. But please don’t cancel the wedding. We’ve spent such a long time on the seating plan for the reception when Xander and I could have been doing other, far more interesting sexual things.”

Buffy bit her lip and worried a fingernail to death. How could she tell them the truth? That Spike had kissed her, she had kissed him, there had been a whole lot of kissing going on and it had shown her, in half a heartbeat, that she could never marry Riley.

“It’s nothing to do with Riley. Will, I don’t want to go through with the wedding. ” She took a deep breath. “I won’t!”

Horror dawned in the witch’s eyes. “Buffy! You don‘t want me to tell him? I can’t. He’ll be devastated?”

“Count me out, too,” Xander said hastily. “I would lay down my life for you, Buff – Ouch!” He winced as Anya’s elbow caught him in the ribs. “But I’m not telling a perfect specimen of male marinehood that he’s toast.”

Tara gazed at Buffy’s face. “We need to listen to Buffy.”

“That’s the problem,” Buffy said, getting up and pacing round the kitchen. “I’ll have to tell him, but I don’t know how. I don’t want to hurt him. I’m fond of Riley, I might even love him, but I’m not in love with him! But he won’t listen, I know he won’t. ”

“Your dad’s arriving this evening,” Willow squeaked. “Maybe he could – ”

“No, he isn’t! I rang him first thing and told him the wedding had been – well, I said postponed because I so didn’t want a long inquisition about why and when. He’s cancelled his trip.”

She tried not to notice their glances at each other, knowing what they were thinking. That her own father couldn’t be bothered to come and visit her, not unless he was playing a leading role as father of the bride.

God, this was all Spike’s fault! Why had he kissed her? What did it prove, except she was some sort of slut? To have a reaction like that to a dead thing, there had to be something wrong with her, surely?

But there was no point in denying it to herself. His lips had touched hers and every nerve ending in her body had jumped with joy. Her mouth had opened under his and their tongues had danced. The feel of his arms holding her, the pressure of hard muscled legs against hers, the knowledge that whatever she did to him he would just laugh and not break, everything sent just one clear message – you’re home. The circle is complete.

At that moment she’d known that any relationship between her and Riley was now dead and buried. Deader even than Spike, she now thought.

She didn’t understand why her memories of Angel hadn’t provoked the same emotions? He’d been her first lover. Why hadn’t she compared her reaction to Riley to him? None of it made sense. All she knew was that when Spike had kissed her, the world had fallen away and she’d never wanted him to stop.

Willow and Tara were whispering; Buffy was tempted to interrupt them, ask, “Remember that stupid spell you did on me and Spike when you were grieving for Oz? Remember Oz? Do you reckon it could have had icky sorts of consequences? Because, hey, he might be cold but he makes me hot!” That would end the whispers.

The phone ringing stopped her. She was aware of the others watching her as she said, “Hi” and “Yes” and “No” and “Oh” in various combinations.

They were still staring at her when she hung up. “That was Riley.”

Xander pulled a face. “I didn’t notice a lot of “Hi darling, don’t bother turning up for the wedding, there isn’t going to be one.”

“He’s just been told the Initiative want him to go to Cleveland directly after the wedding. There’s a new Hellmouth opening there. They think it’d be the perfect place for us to live. He’s thrilled. We’ll be working together.”

“Buffy!”

“He sounded so happy. It didn’t seem fair to tell him he’d be going on his own.” She stared out of the window at the back yard. In just two days time it would be full of happy people, all eager to see her marry Riley Finn….

“Willow!” She turned a desperate face towards her best friend. “I can’t marry him.”





Two days later, on a dull, chilly evening, Spike stood behind a bush at the back of the Summers’ yard. He was chain-smoking, his eyes hard and bright with anger and despair.

He still couldn’t quite believe that Buffy was going through with this mockery of a marriage. She’d told him she wouldn’t bloody well marry Riley. The sparks and connection between them had been so great, he was sure she’d realised that whatever her future was, it did not lay with the soddin’ farmer’s boy.

“Just shows you what a conceited idiot you are,” he muttered angrily to himself. He peered through the branches. People, lots of happy people, sitting on little chairs. A big arch covered in white flowers. No sign of the Scoobies, but there was Riley with his army pals, all togged up in their best gear, shiny buttons and boots.

Spike felt himself flare into game face. He could leap out right now, cause mayhem, slash and maim. OK, he’d get the headache from hell and probably end up staked for his pains, but it would worth it. He couldn’t just stand here and watch her throw herself away.

He tensed, about to jump, when music started and there she was and he felt his heart snap in two, just like that. She was holding the whelp’s arm; obviously Mr Summers hadn’t thought his daughter’s wedding important enough for a visit.

The witch was standing on her other side; and behind her came Dawn, Tara and Anya in pale yellow dresses. Dawnie was giggling helplessly and Tara was trying her hardest to shush her.

Spike felt the packet of cigarettes shred into nothing between his fingers. He stared at his girl, his eyes burning; she was wearing the white dress she’d admired for so long in the shop window, her hair was swirled up in a fancy style and she was holding a bouquet of pink roses.

And she looked so bloody happy! That was what hurt so much. He watched as she marched towards Riley, smiling widely and wondered just how he could go on with his unlife without her in it.

Riley took her hand and the minister stepped forward. Spike turned away. There was only so much pain a vampire could take.

And she was standing behind him! Wearing old jeans and a tight T-shirt, her hair tied back from her face with a red ribbon. In the weeks to come, he always fervently denied he’d been about to faint, but Buffy never believed him.

She stood with a finger to her lips, as from the bridal group came her voice, bright, cheerful and determined. “I, Buffy Summers, take thee Riley Finn – ”

“He’s marrying the Buffybot!” Spike’s voice was a strangled groan.

“They’ll make a lovely couple,” Buffy whispered. “Willow’s reprogrammed her to love Riley and to fight at his side but let him win more than her. They’re off to Cleveland tonight.”

“He’s marrying the Buffybot!” Spike‘s brain seemed to be stuck in gear.

Buffy sighed and held out her hand, her eyes suddenly mischievous. “I’m going to patrol. Wanna come?”



The end






 
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