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Part 1
It was a glorious night, full of bright gleaming stars and a beautiful full moon. It wasn't chilly at all; instead there was a pleasant warmth to the evening air. It was in essence the perfect setting for an outdoor wedding.
It was held by the gazebo in the Sunnydale Recreational Park, with only a small crowd in attendance. A red velvet carpet had been placed on the grass for the bride to walk down when it was time, with rows of metal folding chairs placed on either side for the guests. Wreaths of roses had been hung on the columns of the gazebo, adding a sweet fragrance to the air. It all looked so perfect.
The wedding party itself was just as magnificent. The three young bridesmaids walked down the aisle with grace, and people hardly focused on the fact that two of them were very much pregnant. They wore matching cream-colored dresses, their hair styled up in French braids. Each was beautiful in her own way: Cordelia with her caring brown eyes and slightly pouty lips, Willow in her usual refined manner, and Stefanie with her blue eyes that spoke of wisdom and faint sadness.
Across from the three girls stood Xander. He also appeared quite happy, as Stefanie saw him exchange a loving look with Willow. Despite some problems in their marriage a few months back, these two were still going strong, and their first child was due any day now.
Meanwhile, the groom, Angel, looked positively overjoyed. Stefanie glanced at his handsome face a moment, truly happy that he and Buffy had come this far. In just a little while, they'd finally be husband and wife, with an eternity ahead in which to love and remain devoted to each other.
Stefanie sighed again, sneaking a glance at her swollen stomach and thinking of her own baby. How would it be, she mused, to raise a child alone? Much to Stefanie's regret, the father, a young man named Jared, wanted nothing to do with her and the baby.
Briefly, Stefanie's thoughts wandered to Rhys, the first man she had ever loved. She had met him nearly two years, but it was a romance that had been doomed to fail from the start. Stefanie wished he were still around, that he were the one she was starting a family with, but such hopes could never happen.
She was distracted from her thoughts when the piano player they had hired began to play the melody of 'Here Comes the Bride.' All the guests rose and turned to look, while all those at the makeshift alter looked on in awe and anticipation.
Buffy glided slowly down the aisle, accompanied by Giles, her ever-faithful British Watcher. He was dressed up in a tuxedo instead of his usual tweed outfits for once, looking very composed and proud with what lay ahead.
The Slayer, on the other hand, looked ravishing in her white sequined wedding dress, a wreath of violets nestled in her long blonde hair. Provided he had a need for oxygen, Stefanie was sure Angel would have lost his breath at the sight of her. Within seconds, Giles and Buffy reached the alter, then he made the announcement to give her away and took a seat next to Jenny and Ivory.
With a broad smile, Buffy carefully climbed the steps of the gazebo to stand next to Angel. She exchanged a loving look with him, then turned towards the minister, feeling equally ecstatic. And, just a split second before the organ music stopped, Angel leaned slightly closer and whispered, "I love you."
Buffy smiled, sending him a telepathic message in turn. *I love you.* Then, she let out a breath, relaxing herself for the ceremony that lay ahead. It was performed quickly and with zero vampire activity, as if the ranks of the undead knew better than to crash this occasion.
She and Angel each made short speeches of wedding vows they had written ahead of time, then slipped matching gold Claddagh rings on each other's fingers, appropriately enough. And it wasn't long before the preacher reached the part of the ceremony that Buffy had always loved, the words that would bind her and Angel together permanently. "Do you, Angel, take Buffy to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, until death do you part?" the minister intoned.
Angel smiled, in such a way that it made Buffy's heart melt just to see it. "I do," he replied, his eyes never leaving hers.
The minister turned to her next. "And do you, Buffy, take Angel to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, until death do you part?"
Her heart was screaming 'Yes' so loud, she was sure everyone in attendance could hear it. But outwardly, she somehow managed to keep her cool. "I do," she said softly, gazing up into Angel's loving brown eyes.
"I now pronounce you man and wife," the preacher concluded, a trace of happiness in his voice. "You may kiss the bride."
With a thrill coursing through her, Buffy took a step towards Angel, sliding one arm across his shoulder blades. However, she let him make the first move, barely able to contain her joy as his lips pressed against hers. The kiss was long and passionate, and was only interrupted when a chorus of cheers and applause rose up among the guests.
With a blush, Buffy pulled away, wearing a coy little smile. An instant later, Angel was escorting his new wife back down the aisle, one arm wrapped protectively around her. Along the way, she noticed the glee in everyone's eyes; even Ivory was looking fairly pleased, bouncing up and down in Jenny's arms and making cooing sounds.
The only downside was that there could never be any wedding pictures to remind them of this day. As vampires, neither Buffy nor Angel were prone to show up on film. But it was one privilege they could do without, just as long as the memories remained.
The reception was held at the Bronze, which Giles had rented for the night as he had when he and Jenny got married. It lasted well into the evening hours, during which everyone involved had a great time. Before long, all the guests had left and the only ones who remained were Buffy and Angel and their close knit group of friends. But the one thing that stood out the most in everyone's minds afterwards was the toast Stefanie made.
Midway through the final meal, before the group of friends dispersed to go home, Stefanie stood, holding up a wineglass filled with water. "To Buffy and Angel," she said, catching their attention. "Who are two of the most selfless loving people I have ever known. For years, I was nothing more than a lost soul with no hope of forming emotional ties. Then, through a twist of fate, my path led me to two special friends who helped reawaken me." She paused a moment, trying to gather the right words, then said, "I guess what I want to say is... May you continue to touch the lives of the people you meet and may you live a long, happy life together. I cannot think of anyone who deserves less."
There was moment of silence, then Buffy smiled, putting one arm around Angel and raising a wineglass with the other. "To happiness," she agreed, watching and listening as her friends began clinking their glasses together around the table. Turning to Angel, she added, "And eternal love." With those words, the newlyweds linked their free arms together, taking careful sips of their drinks.
Angel leaned over and kissed her, savoring the taste of red wine on her lips. Then, he pulled back and smiled at her. "Well, we finally made it," he said. "Who would have thought that when we met all those years ago, that we'd come this far?"
"Mmm," Buffy purred. "Ours is a love that has definitely withstood the test of time." A pause, then, "So, how does it feel to be Mr. Angel Summers?"
He laughed at the reminder. Rather than settle for the title he had been given back in the 18th century, Buffy had insisted that they break tradition and have him take HER last name. "I could get used to it," Angel teased, kissing her once more and nipping gently at her lips.
Moments later, they were getting up to leave, knowing that the sun would be rising soon. Buffy went to her sleepy daughter, who was nestled in the stroller, and gave her a quick kiss before departing. "Goodbye for now, my darling Ivory," she whispered, wearing a smile, even though this would be the second to last time she would see her little girl for the next week. (Giles and Jenny would be taking care of her while Buffy and Angel were on their honeymoon.)
She and her new husband made their way back to their apartment within moments, tangled in each other's arms seconds after shutting the door behind them. However, Buffy put an end to the kissfest before it got too out of hand. "Just give me a few minutes to change and I will give you a day you will never forget," she promised Angel, her emerald eyes gleaming.
He grinned. "Don't be long," he answered, allowing her to duck into the bathroom.
Once she was alone, Buffy looked into the mirror a few seconds with a smile, hardly caring now that she couldn't see herself. Then, she carefully removed her wedding dress, anticipating what would soon follow...
They lay peacefully in each other's arms hours later, both completely spent. With a sigh, Buffy cuddled close to Angel, resting her head on his chest. "Where do we go from here, do you think?" she asked softly. "After we get back, I mean..."
Angel looked down at her blonde head, stroking her bare shoulder. "Well, you did say that you'd like to continue slaying for a few years," he reminded her. "That hasn't changed, has it?"
Buffy paused, then said no. "I'd like to see all the vampires in the world destroyed," she replied. "Present company and Cordelia excluded, of course... And after that, maybe we could research a way for both of us to become human again... And I'd like for Ivory to have a brother or sister someday." She paused. "Do you think any of that could ever happen, Angel?"
He gave a slight smile. "If you want it badly enough, it could," he assured her. "But we have a lifetime or two to ensure that it might."
She smiled also. "Just what I needed to hear," she whispered. "And, with most of the elder vampires out there already vanquished, the first part shouldn't be a problem."
Angel remained silent a moment. "And it would also help if you could get another Slayer to fight alongside," he responded. Since Buffy had been turned into a vampire, she was technically considered dead, which meant that a new Slayer had already been activated elsewhere.
Buffy considered this, then shook her head. "Nah! It would be too weird... I mean, it was fine working with Stefanie, but... I don't think I could get used to another partner. Besides, I have you, and that's good enough."
Angel wasn't really sure where his next words originated from, but they would prove to be a foreboding later on. "What if someday, I'm not enough?"
Buffy tilted her head up to look at him. "Depressing much?" she teased.
Angel laughed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I don't know where that came from." He sighed as she returned to resting her head on his chest, wrapping one arm around her. "I am so lucky to have you, Buffy," he whispered as he began to doze off. "I love you."
"Mmm, I love you too," she purred, nodding off herself. It wasn't long before she fell asleep, soon lost in the world of dreams...