Summery: Buffy returnes home and to Angel after a month in the mental institute. And she's ready to try again, and ready to get some real answers.
AN: Explainations in this one to the events of Part 3. and this one is more fluffy because I know the last one was a bit depressing for some.
Rating: 14A version
To read the NC-17 version of this fic click here
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Ever since Buffy got out of the center, they had concentrated soully on planning the wedding. They had everything picked out and planned and all of it was perfect. Febuary 25 was the day they set and it was only another week away. Right now she was standing in front of the mirror in the dressing room at the wedding shop. Her mother and her best friend waited outside. She adjusted the halter top type strap and fluffed the skirt part. Then she walked out. "So, what do you think? Is it too much?" she asked. The dress was already bought and paid for, they were just checking details and making sure she still fit it after a the weight she lost.
"You look beautiful, honey. I think you've gained some weight, I was getting a little scared at how thin you looked when you got back." Joyce told her daughter. Buffy didn't know what to say. "Anyway, Willow, what do you think?"
Willow gave two thumbs up. "Good think we went out for donuts every day." Willow teased.
"gee thanks guys." Buffy joked, rolling her eyes. "Okay, so. I'll go change and then we can go for ice cream and discuss the music, I've made a few changes." Buffy said.
"Whatever you want, honey. Cost doesn't matter to me." Joyce told her daughter. Buffy smiled in thanks at her mother and went to change back into her street clothes.
While she was in the dressind room she eavsdropped on her mother and Willow. "So, is everything set for the wedding shower? Angel told me that he wants to surprise Buffy." Willow whispered to Joyce.
"Everythings good. Everyone is set up at the house. Buffy is going to love it." Joyce gushed.
Buffy smiled, she knew that Angel was up to something. He was acting really secretive at the rehearsal dinner. Gosh, did she love that man, and it hurt so much she had come close to losing him again. When she was done changing she stepped out of the dressing room. "Ok, let's go."
They walked around the mall with their ice cream cones as Buffy explained the changes in the music. She had heard a song that she wanted to make at the first dance song and also she wanted to get rid of all the depressing songs she had no idea why she okayed. Must have beena temporary insanity as Cordelia would say.
Finally they all desided to head home. "So, are you excited about the Bahamas, Buffy?" Willow asked. That was where Buffy and Angel were going for their honeymoon.
"Oh yeah! I can't wait to get there. hell, I can't wait until the wedding, never mind the honeymoon." Buffy said with a laugh. "By the way, how are the plans going with your wedding?" she asked her friend.
"Good. Oz and I want to wait until after your wedding to starting planning seriously. I thought it would be kinda rude if we were planning while you were."
"Nonsense. It would've been cool if we were planning together, then we could compare notes and stuff." Buffy said. "Even if we wouldn't get much time together."
"yeah, if me and you were planning at the same time, it would have been too hectic." Willow pointed out.
"yea, I guess." Buffy agreed. Then they pulled into the drive way. "Why is Angel's car here?" Buffy asked, but knowing the answer.
"I don't know, maybe he wanted tosee you. that's not uncommon considering he loves you." Willow said quickly.
Buffy supressed a smile at her rabbling. "Hmm, I wouldn't say no to seeing him." she said, getting out of the car. The trio walked up the steps and Joyce opened the door. Buffy stepped into the dark house. She looked around at the darkness, then Willow flicked on the lights.
"Surprise!" All her friends yelled. Buffy stummbled back in shock. They must have worked so hard at decorating the living room. Angel move toward her and gave her a quick kiss.
"Welcome to your wedding shower." He said. She giggled and kissed him.
"Thank you." she said, then all her friends came up to her and each one hugged her. Including her mother and Willow. "You guys are the best." she told them.
Xander shrugged. "We try." he had his arm around his girlfriend Anya.
"All of it was Angel's idea." Anya said bluntly. "He did all the planning, we just helped him set it up and I iced to cake." she said proudly.
Buffy smiled and nodded. "Thank you Anya."
Cordelia spoke up. "I think we should get to the presents, do you guys?" She asked.Everyone agreed. They all sat around the coffee table where all the presents were placed. "Open mine first." Cordelia said, handing the wedding decorated gift bag.
From her place on Angel's lap, Buffy took the gift and pulled the tissue paper from it. She gasped when she saw was was inside. It was a little ornament of a couple that were dressed in wedding wear. the girl had blond hair and the guy had brown. It was obvious that they were supposed to look like her and Angel. She pulled the glass ornament out of the bag and held it. "Thank you Cordelia." Buffy said. She handed it to Angel.
"Am I really that fat?" he joked. laughter erupted in the room. When it died down. Anya handed her the present from her and Xander. Buffy carefully ripped off the wrapping paper. it was a mug that said Smile It's Your Wedding Day and the date that hers and Angel's wedding was going to take place. Buffy giggled and showed it to Angel. "Thanks guys. Very cute." he said.
When all the presents were opened Buffy ended up with three ornaments, a coffee maker, a mug, and a candle that said CONGRATULATIONS on it. "thank you everyone." Buffy said. "Now let's have cake!" she said.
"Yeah!" they all said in unision. While they all ate their cake they talked about memories. "Oh, do you rememeber when Giles fell down the library stairs during one of his important speeches?" Xander asked.
"Oh yea, that was hilarious." Cordelia said. "And when the mayor turned into a snake and Wesley got knocked down three seconds into the fight?" she said laughing.
"Hey!" Wesley chimed in. "I seem to remember when you wanted me." he told her smuggly.
Giles made a coughing sound and everyone laughed harder. "Wesley, I remember when you first got here you whined like a moron when Balthazar kidnapped us." he said flatly.
When the laughter died down Xander and Anya got up. "Well, we should get going, it's getting late." they grabbed their coats and Buffy walked them to the door.
"Thanks for coming guys and for the mug it was really cute." she thanked them.
"You're welcome. Take care." Then they left. Buffy joined the group in the living room again. "What do you say we watch a movie or something." she asked. the group agreed. She popped in one of the movies that was laying on the tv stand, A Knight's Tale. Then returned to her place on the couch and snuggled up with Angel.
As the movie progress, her friends left one by one. Angel's friends from L.A. went to sleep, since they were staying the night there and Joyce went to bed. Soon Buffy and Angel were the only ones awake. "let's go outside." Angel said.
"okay." Buffy agreed and they walked out onto the porch and sat on the swing. "Is this where I get my gift from you?" she asked. He smiled. "I take that as a yes." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long velvet box.
He handed it to her. "I hope you like it, I'm not that great at shopping for jewelery." he said, handing the box to her. She took it. Then she pulled out a little black box. "You got me something?" he asked.
"Do you think I'd forget the gift exchange before the wedding?" she asked handing him the box. "You open yours first." she said. He did so. It was two gold cufflings for his tux.
"thank you sweetheart. He gave her a quick kiss. "Now you." he said. She smiled and opened the necklace jewelery gift box and gasped. "You like it?" he asked.
She pulled the golden cross necklace out of the box and held it, it was gold with a single diamond in the middle of the cross. "It's beautiful. thank you." she said, then put their gifts aside and straddled his lap. Their lips met and fused. When they broke the kiss she said, "Thank you for the shower party, Angel. I loved it."
"You're welcome, love." he said, then their lips met again.
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It's finally here. The day of her wedding. The day that she becomes Angel's wife forever. She stood in front of the full length mirror. She looked beautiful in her dress. She felt her heart pounding in her chest when there was a knock on the door. She looked at the clock and it told her that only twenty more minutes remained before they started. The door opened and her mother stepped in. "Mom." Buffy said happily.
"Hi, honey. You look gorgeous." Joyce complimented and hugged her daughter. "Are you nervous?" her mother asked.
"A little bit. But at least I don't have to worry about marrying the wrong guy. I know Angel's the one because it was prophecied." She said, feeling like she was just gushing with happiness and it showed through every pore of her skin.
"I'm so happy for you. Anyway, I was sent in here to make sure you were ready, because we're starting earlier than planned." Joyce told her soon to be married daughter.
Buffy's eyes widened. "What? But it's not supposed to start for another fifteen minutes." Buffy said, shocked by how early they were going to start.
"Well, they have a lot of other weddings to get through today. Everyone's ready, let's go, Giles is waiting to take you down the aisle." Joyce smiled knowing that Giles had been a very good father figure to her daughter.
Buffy nodded and checked her reflection again briefly, then followed her mother out of the room. They walked down the hallway and down the stairs. For Buffy it was all happening so fast. Soon the music was starting and Cordelia and Gunn headed down the aisle. Then went Anya and Xander, then her maid of honer, Willow and Angel's best man, Wesley. Then the Brides entrance song came on and everyone stood up.
Buffy's heart was going a million times a minute as she walked down the short aisle, her arm linked with Giles's. All the flowers looked wonderful and made the room smell sweet and relaxed her a bit. She looked around at her family and friends, then to the front of the aisle, and she couldn't help the huge grin that came to her face as she locked eyes with her husband to be, her Angel. 'I love you' she mouthed, which he returned with a 'I love you too'.
When she and Giles reached the altar he lifted her veil and kissed her forehead, then replaced the veil. The music cut out and the Priest spoke on cue. "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" he asked as tradition.
"I do." Giles told the priest then he moved and sat down in the front row.
Buffy and Angel smiled at each other and linked arms, stepping up toward the priest. Everyone sat down and was completely silent. "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If any man can show a just cause as to why these two should not be joined together, let him speak now, or forever hold their peace." everyone was completely silent. "Fine. Let's us begin." the cerimony went on like clockwork, perfect. Then it came to the vows. "Do you, Buffy Anne Summers take this man as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" the Priest asked.
Buffy grinned brightly. "I do." she said looking directly into Angel's eyes.
The Priest repeated the vows to Angel, who replied, "I do." Also smiling into his very soon to be wife's eyes.
"May we have the rings please." the ring barer walked up and presented the two platinum wedding bands. Buffy and Angel both took one. "Buffy Summers, repeat after me. With this ring..."
"With this ring..." she repeated.
"I thee wed."
"I thee wed." Then she slipped the ring on his finger.
Then it was Angel's turn. "Angel Richards, repeat after me. With this ring..."
"With this ring..."
"I thee wed."
"I thee wed." Then he slipped the ring on her finger and it clinked with the engagement ring she already had on her finger.
"Then by the power invested in me by the state of California.." here it comes Buffy and Angel both thought simultaniously. "...I now pronounce you husband and wife." Buffy felt tears stream down her face. "You may kiss your bride." the Priest told Angel.
He stepped forward and turned her veil back, then leaned in and touched his lips to her. The groups on onlookers burst into joyous clapping and whistling. Buffy and Angel broke apart and smiled at each other. Then turned toward the congregation. "For the first time ever I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Angel Richards."
The air then filled with confetti.
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After the ceremony, everyone cleared the church to head to the party hall where the reception was being held. Buffy changed into her white party gown and took her hair down for the reception so she wouldn't ruin her wedding dress. Now all the guests were talking and laughing in the large room, snacking on the treats and sipping the champagne. Soon it came time for the first dance.
"Ladies and Gentlemen." everyone stopped what they were doing and looking at Xander Harris. "Thank you for you attention." he looked over at Buffy and Angel who were and said, "Congrats you two, I always knew you'd make it." Buffy smiled at her friend then at her husband. "But before our newly wed couple starts to grope, I believe it's time for bride and groom to have their first dance." Then he clapped his hands and everyone moved off the dance floor and sat in their chairs. "Come on, don't be shy, it's your wedding day." Xander urged.
With shy smiled on their faces, Buffy and Angel made their way to the center of the dance floor. As the song began, they stepped toward each other and assumed the same dance position as the prom.
~~I had planned my life,
to the last detail.
With a story book of romance
to fill my days.
But the funny thing, About answered prayers,
Is they come to you in unexpected ways.~~
The guests looked on as the just married couple went to their own little world. No one had any doubts about if this couple would make it. It was clear that nothing could ever come between them that would separate them indefinitely. All the things that they had been through was proof of that.
~~How could I plan of forever.
When I never planned on you.
Someone to fall for,
To love for all of, eternity.
Baby, let's plan on forever.
And watch all our dreams come true.
You're who I live for,
Who I can give forever to.
My destiny, is you.~~
Buffy lifted her head and looked into his eyes. Her husbands eyes. Finally he was hers in the legal sense. The rings on their fingers said it all to any person who seeked to destroy them. They were here for each other, forever.
~~Because you danced with me,
And the earth stood still.
My heart can't believe how right
This feels.
When your in my arms
The truth of us, is better than the rest of all
My dreams.~~
Angel gazed down at his wife, his beautiful wife. As he held her in his arms, his eyes flickering over her face and finally ending up looking into her eyes, he knew, like he always had, that she was the one as he was never letting her go again, he wouldn't have the strength even if he wanted to.
~~How could I plan of forever.
When I never planned on you.
Someone to fall for,
To love for all of, eternity.
Baby, let's plan on forever.
And watch all our dreams come true.
You're who I live for,
Who I can give forever to.
Sometimes the one, you are right for
Is standing too close to see.
But you saw the light and never gave up on me.~~
Buffy returned her head to this chest and moved deeper into his embrace. She felt so safe and loved. She couldn't wait for their wedding night, then the next morning they were heading off to the bahamas for a whole week of honeymoon fun. She was glad she packed that bikini she bought a while ago, he hadn't seen it yet. She smiled, thinking what his reaction would be.
~~Baby, let's plan on forever.
And watch all our dreams come true.
You're who, I can give forever to.
now I see, my destiny
Is you.
My destiny Is You.~~
The faded out and the guests burst into applause. "Now, without further adue. The Bride and Groom will cut the cake." Everyone sat quietly as they rolled out the cake. Buffy smiled at all the gasps when the cake was unveiled. She really had made an excellent choice. Her perfect wedding.
The End