Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing, all is Joss Whedon’s.
 
Thanks again reviewers!
 
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Universal – Chapter 6
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Buffy stood in the lobby of City Hall on Monday morning, tapping her foot and waiting for Spike to arrive. Where the heck are you? she asked, projecting her thoughts to see if he was in range.
 
Right behind you, he shot back, as he stepped in from the stairwell. As promised, the basement of City Hall connected to the tunnel system, and there were few enough people on that level that Spike was able to make his way up unnoticed.
 
Buffy turned and pointed meaningfully at her watch, causing Spike to look exasperated. Buffy finally stopped teasing him and asked, “Do you have the stuff you need?”
 
“Hope so,” he said, holding up an envelope. He hoped that the passport, birth certificate, and green card that he had paid an inordinate amount of money for would stand up to scrutiny. Otherwise he was going to have to remove a few appendages off a certain demon he knew.
 
“Well, let’s go then. Third floor.” They boarded the elevator and rode up in seeming silence, holding hands. Do you notice how few windows there seem to be in the public spaces? Place seems designed for vampires, Spike commented.
 
Given that the mayor was a giant demon snake who employed them, doesn’t surprise me, Buffy replied, shuddering a bit at the memory of the mayor and her graduation. The doors opened on their destination and they stepped out. They stood in line behind two other couples waiting at the marriage license counter. Buffy’s hand was sweating as she held Spike’s.
 
Nervous, love? Spike inquired, looking down at her tenderly. Not getting cold feet, are you?
 
Just having one of those panic moments. What if your documents don’t work? Or what if the others find out and decide to go after you again?
 
Relax. You’re gonna drive yourself mad if you keep this up. We’ll just take it as it comes, ok?
 
Buffy wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into him. Sorry. Between the hormones and the regular resurrection side effects, I’m pretty jumpy these days.
 
‘S okay, pet. I’ll keep you anyway. Pretty sure you’re over the legal limit, he ribbed her, which provoked a smile at last.
 
“Next”
 
Taking simultaneous deep breaths, they stepped up to the counter.
 
*********************
 
The bell jingled over the Magic Box door as Dawn entered. She had come over after school to consult with Anya about possible wedding gifts. Although Buffy had wanted to keep things quiet, Dawn figured that Anya could be trusted. Besides, Buffy spoke to Anya fairly regularly, so it didn’t seem right to keep her in the dark. “Hey, Anya! How’s business?”
 
“A little slow today,” she sighed. “I don’t know what it is about Mondays that keeps people from shopping. I mean, shouldn’t you celebrate the beginning of the work week with a ritual spending of your capitalist gains?”
 
“Um, yeah, I guess.” Dawn didn’t always know what to make of Anya and her business related ramblings. Just as Dawn was about to bring up the reason for her visit, Xander came up from the basement with a large box.
 
“These are the last of them…” he began, stopping when he noticed Dawn. “Dawnster! Haven’t seen you around in a while.”
 
Dawn felt a little uncomfortable. She had always liked Xander, and missed him. But the clash of personalities between Xander and Spike made for a touchy situation, more so now that Spike was going to be her brother-in-law. She smiled noncommittally and said, “Just stopped in for some browsing. How have you been?”
 
“Pretty good,” he said. “We’ve really missed you guys.” Maybe Dawn could get Buffy to give us a chance to start over.
 
“I know. Buffy’s still having some adjustment issues. She gets panicky over little things. Spike has really been helping her cope though,” she added, hoping Xander would get the subtle hint to get over the Spike issue.
 
Xander caught a meaningful look from Anya and bit his tongue. “Well, it was good to see you. Say hi to Buffy and… Spike for me.” He ground out the words as if it caused him pain to wish anything other than a dusty end to the vampire. “I’ll go take all those empty boxes to the recycling center for you, hon,” he said to Anya.
 
“Thanks, Xander,” Anya said, kissing his cheek. Xander headed out toward the alley door, where he had parked his car so he could load it up with all the empty packing boxes that had been stacking up. He opened the door and was about to leave when he remembered. Need to ask Anya if we need anything from the store. The door slammed as he turned to go back into the main room.
 
As soon as Dawn heard the door slam she said, “Anya, I need some help but you have to promise me to keep it a secret!”
 
Xander was about to enter the main room when he heard Dawn’s excited voice. Curious, he paused out of sight to hear what she was so excited about.
 
“What’s the big secret?” Anya asked.
 
Dawn leaned in conspiratorially. “Buffy and Spike are getting married next week Friday!”
 
“Married?” gasped Anya. “When did they decide this?”
 
“They told me and Tara the other night. They’re at City Hall today applying for their marriage license. They’re just going to get married at City Hall, nothing fancy. But I really want to get them something nice for a present. Problem is, what do you get a Slayer and a Vampire? Especially when you’re a high school kid with next to no money who will gladly scrub floors in order to help pay for it?” Dawn added with her most ingratiating smile.
 
“Hmm. I might be able to cut you a deal, since it’s Buffy we’re talking about. Maybe some enchanted candles for romance on their honeymoon…”
 
The girls moved over to investigate the possibilities on the shelves. Xander quietly crept back to the door and held it so it would close silently. He got in his car and drove to the recycling center, mulling it over. Buffy is marrying Spike. How can they even do that? How do you get the state of California to issue a dead man a marriage license? Did she come back completely insane? Should we really be ignoring this? Xander was at a loss for what to do with this information. Finally, as he neared his destination he decided, I should talk to Willow, maybe it’s another spell. I know Anya said to let it go, but… married? Xander shook his head in bewilderment at the very idea.
 
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Xander hurried to answer the door when the bell rang. “Willow, hi, come in,” he said.
 
“What’s the emergency?” she asked. Xander had called her saying he needed to see her, in person, right away.
 
Xander led the way to the living room and sat down on the couch. Willow took her place on a nearby chair and looked at him curiously. Xander took a deep breath and said, “Willow, have you been casting any spells lately?”
 
Willow looked taken aback, and a little hurt. “I told you – I’m really working hard at getting away from too much magic. I’m doing everything I can to fix my relationship with Tara. How could you even ask me that?”
 
“I’m sorry, Wils,” Xander said apologetically. “It’s just that, I overheard something in the Magic Box today that gave me a sense of déjà vu. Remember that whole ‘your will be done’ incident?”
 
“Hard to forget, since people seem to need to keep bringing it up,” Willow commented with a frown.
 
“Well, like I said, I was in the Magic Box today. Dawn was in there, and was asking Anya’s help in finding something for a wedding present for Buffy and Spike.”
 
Willow’s jaw nearly hit the ground. “Wedding present? Is this some kind of joke?”
 
“I don’t think so,” Xander said. “Dawn said they’re getting married next week Friday. That’s why I wondered if this was some sort of spell gone wrong.”
 
Willow shook her head. “If it’s a spell, it’s not mine,” she said. She felt completely floored by what Xander had said. “Married? Can they even do that? I mean, can they do it for real with Spike being, well…”
 
“Dead?”
 
“Yeah,” Willow said. She had no idea what to with this information. She got the fact that Buffy liked having Spike around, but married? “Is she having a ceremony and all that?” Willow asked finally, not knowing quite what else to say.
 
Xander shrugged, “Dawn said it was just going to be at City Hall, with just Dawn and Tara invited.”
 
Willow bit her lip, thinking. “It’s kinda hard to know that she didn’t invite us.”
 
“Willow she is marrying a vampire! And you’re worried that you’re not invited?” Xander yelled, getting up to pace the room. “Shouldn’t we be doing something to stop this?”
 
“I don’t know, Xander,” Willow responded doubtfully. “As far as I’ve heard from Tara, she’s really happy, and finally adjusting to being alive again. I’m not sure what’s going to happen if we go in there and try to break things up.”
 
Xander paused, with his arms crossed, looking at the rug. Anya’s advice to say nothing echoed in his head. “I don’t want to hurt her anymore either,” he said finally. “But it just seems awful sudden. I mean, she’s been back for only a few months, and she’s marrying Spike? How do we know he’s not doing something to coerce her or something?”
 
“I wish Giles were here,” Willow sighed. “He always seemed to be able to figure out what to do when it came to Buffy.”
 
Xander stopped pacing. “Why don’t we call him?” he proposed. “Maybe he can call Buffy and get some more information or give us some advice on this situation. In any event, he should know. He’s practically like a father to her – he should know if she’s getting married.”
 
Willow considered. “Do you think Buffy’s going to get upset with us if we call him?”
 
“She can’t be any more upset with us than she is now,” Xander reasoned. “Besides, we can explain the situation to him and ask him to be tactful. Just try to find out what’s going on.”
 
“I guess that makes sense,” Willow conceded. She checked her watch and did a quick mental calculation. “It’s about ten in the evening there. Should we try calling him now?”
 
“No time like the present,” Xander agreed as he picked up the phone.
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The Kratash demon stood nervously in the hall of the Ruler of the Dwak Dlam. The Kratash were known for having two fundamental qualities. First, they had the ability to leap easily between dimensions. Whereas most beings could only leap through magically generated portals or during specific times, the Kratash were essentially interdimensional beings, who could hop between worlds on a whim. Their other key feature was that they would work for anyone provided they were well paid – they had no scruples, and no particular loyalties. Furthermore, they were shape shifters, with an ability to blend into any world they arrived in. They were physically weak, not a warrior people, but they had adapted by becoming the most sought after spies in the demon realms.
 
The Ruler of the Dwak Dlam was in need of a spy. She towered over the Kratash and fixed him with a cold stare. “I have a mission for you. You will be paid handsomely.”
 
The Kratash gulped and said, “Tell me of the mission, great one.” He had learned that deferring to the larger demons was a way to stay alive longer.
 
The Ruler glowered at him. “Do not waste my time with flattery, spy,” she hissed. “I need you to go to the human realm. We are looking for a pregnant female.”
 
“A pregnant female?”
 
“A child has been foreseen. One who will wield great power and who could destroy us. If this child is sacrificed at the appropriate time, this power will be ours.”
 
“What is your bidding then?” asked the Kratash, silently wishing she would get on with it so he could leave this oppressively dark place.
 
“There is a rent between the worlds. Our Seer has been told that the child will be born near there, to a creature of light and a creature of darkness. You will locate this couple and watch them. You will inform us when the birth of the child is near. We will issue further instructions as is warranted.”
 
The Kratash said, “You wish to find an unusual couple, expecting a child, who live near a Hellmouth. Am I correct?”
 
“You are correct, Kratash,” said the Ruler. She leaned forward, her beetle-black skin gleaming evilly in the torchlight. “If you are caught, they must not learn that it was we who sent you. If they do the penalties will be… severe.”
 
The Kratash swallowed nervously. “I will send agents who know only what to look for. They will report to me, and only I will report to you.”
 
“That is acceptable,” said the Ruler. “Go now, and find what we seek.”
 
The Kratash bowed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the arrogance of the Ruler, and left at a pace that was just slightly faster than strictly necessary. Outside the door, he breathed a sigh of relief. He murmured the incantation that would take him to his home world, where he could recruit some help to narrow down the search. As he faded from sight, he grinned to himself. If I succeed, my future is certain.
 
*******************************
 
Giles was staring at his phone again.
 
For two days now he had been staring at the phone, trying to decide what to do. Xander and Willow had called two days prior, telling him what Xander had overheard. Buffy and Spike were planning to get married. He had been disappointed at the immaturity Xander had exhibited by eavesdropping. But he was even more disappointed in his Slayer. He kept going over and over it in his mind, and could find no possible, logical reason why Buffy would do such a thing.
 
The Buffy you knew wouldn’t have done such a thing. But do you really know her now? Giles took another sip of whiskey as he thought about it. Buffy had not wanted to see him when she got back from the dead. She was angry at him having left Dawn, and had made it clear that she was relying on Spike for support. He had called her a few times, but she seemed to have little to say. It was clear that Spike was living with her, and that she would not discuss any other alternative. She had never mentioned marriage in any of her conversations, but then it was like pulling teeth getting her to talk anyway. He tried to grasp what it must be like, to have been pulled out of heaven, to be forced back into a world she had thought herself finished with. But to shut out him and the others and then marry Spike seemed an overreaction.
 
Finally, after belting down one more shot of whiskey for courage, he picked up the phone. It was about noon in California, and he hoped Buffy would be home and willing to talk. He listened to the ring and groaned inwardly when a familiar British accent said, “Hello?”
 
Giles almost hung up but gathered his courage and said, “Yes, good afternoon, Spike. It’s Giles. Is Buffy there?”
 
“Rupert!” said Spike. He always detected a slight uncomfortable note in the Watcher’s voice when he answered the phone rather than one of the ladies. He rather enjoyed toying with Giles as often as he could. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
 
“I just realized I hadn’t spoken to Buffy in a few weeks and was wondering how she was getting on,” Giles said.
 
“I’ll see if she’s available,” Spike said. Half covering the phone he yelled, “Oi! Slayer! Watcher’s on the line.”
 
In his London flat Giles winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. He could swear that Spike did that on purpose to be annoying. She can’t really be marrying him, could she? Good lord. After a few moments the phone made a few clattering noises followed by Buffy’s voice saying, “Hi, Giles, what’s up?”
 
“Hello, Buffy. I was just calling to see how you were doing.”
 
“I’m doing fine, Giles,” Buffy said noncommittally. She was torn. She saw Giles as a father figure, but she still felt hurt and betrayed about the fact that he left them. She wanted to share her happiness about her impending wedding, but didn’t want the day ruined by disappointment and accusations.
 
“Anything… unusual going on in Sunnydale?” Giles asked in what he hoped was a nonthreatening tone.
 
“Not really,” Buffy responded. She made up her mind then and there to tell Giles after the deed was done. Hard for him to argue about it then.
 
“I was thinking of coming for a visit soon,” Giles said. In truth, he had just decided that he must visit the Slayer and see her with his own eyes as soon as humanly possible. He had always harbored some doubts about whether she might have come back somehow defective or wrong after Willow’s spell.
 
“When?” Buffy asked. “I… I need to know if I’m going to have a house guest.”
 
“Well, I was considering flying out next week,” he said. “Would that be alright?”
 
Shit, thought Buffy. Aloud she said, “Well, I am going to be out next Friday and Saturday. But I could be available Sunday night if you needed a ride from the airport or something.”
 
“Let me take a look at the airline schedule and then I’ll let you know,” said Giles. He felt slightly hurt that she was not more enthusiastic about his visit. Something must truly be wrong with her.
 
“R…right. Okay Giles. I, um, have to go right now. Talk soon, okay?”
 
“I’ll call soon. Take care, Buffy,” he said.
 
“You too, Giles,” Buffy replied as she hung up the phone.
 
In London, Giles hung up the phone and stared at it for a few moments. Then he picked it up and dialed his travel agent. “Hello? Yes, I need to get to California by Friday morning of next week…”
 
TBC