Spike sat on the couch holding Buffy close to him, "The girls do seem happy, don't they?"
She looked at him love shining in her eyes, "Yes they are happy, I knew they would be." She tried to cover a yawn. It was late and they had made several phone calls to announce thier news.
"I'll go, you're tired." He kissed the top of her head.
"Can I just sit here beside you awhile? It's nice, you're a great pillow." She closed her eyes as she cuddled against him.
He laughed softly, "Sounds good to me." He made himself more comfortable and he watched her sleep. Thinking about the earlier reactions from friends and family.
Dawn had screamed excitedly so loudly he could hear her from where he sat. Angel had quietly accepted the news with sincere congratulations, Xander and Willow were both surprised yet supportive and Giles....Giles had sighed and then wished them the best. They had all promised to be there for the wedding.
***
As the sunset, the bride walked into the garden behind the Dixon Gallery, she was preceded by
Brenna and Tierney in matching pastel blue dresses they threw white rose petals down the pathway and both of them grinned up at Spike while they stood to the side. Buffy dressed in an ivory lace tea lengh dress, her hair up, a small bouquet of white roses and baby's breath in her hands she joined Spike in front of the Justice of the Peace.
The vows were simple and sincere. The "I do's" said with such love and sincerity that Willow and Dawn sighed and teared up. Even Xander and Giles had to smile at the look of complete happiness on the couples faces.
A small reception was held at their house, where family and friends congratulated the happy couple and caught up with each other's lives. Buffy and Spike kissed Brenna and Tierney goodbye before leaving for a short honeymoon. Dawn was staying with the girls.
Buffy pulled the satin robe tighter around her as she stood on the balcony of their hotel room, a glass of champagne in her hand while she stared at the full moon. Spike joined her in his matching robe, the robes were gifts from Dawn. He wrapped his arms around her lying his head on her shoulder. "Happy?"
"Ecstatic." She murmured as she sat the glass down and turned into him, lying her head on his chest, "Tell me it's going to be perfect like this all the time." She smiled against him.
"Can't do that, luv. We promised to be completely honest." He smiled back at her, "I can however promise that even when things go off and imperfect, I'm going to be there trying my best to make them right again."
"That's fair enough." She ran her hands under his robe and on to his smooth chest, placing small kisses on the exposed skin.
The rest of the night was spent in perfection.........
*****
Epilogue
*****
Years later.........
"Spike, honey, you need to talk to her. Explain how you feel." Buffy kissed his shoulder.
"Won't change her mind, she's still going." Spike replied sullenly.
"No, it won't change her mind." Buffy smiled at her husband, "But it might make it easier for her if she knows why you don't want her to go. You really don't want her to go off to college with the two of you at odds, do you?"
He turned around to face her, "No, I don't. I want to know why you are so calm about this? You who have dealt with blood and guts, fainted when she broke her arm. But she can go a thousand miles off to college and you're okay with it."
"I'm calm because one of us has to be. I'm going to miss her but I know in my heart this is right, she's worked so hard for this scholarship and she's going to be a wonderful doctor. She wants to do cancer research and who knows maybe she'll make a huge breakthrough someday. In your heart you know it's the right thing too, you just don't want your little girl here where you can keep an eye on her." She leaned up and kissed his cheek.
"I'm going outside for a minute." He kissed the top of her head, "Be right back."
"Okay. Don't take too long, we've got to leave for the airport soon." She patted his arm as he left.
****
Spike stood against the farside of the garage as he lit the cigarette. It glowed red in the dusky darkness. He felt before he heard the small footsteps coming around the corner, "I said I'd be in
in just a minute." He really hated for Buffy to catch him smoking, he didn't do it very often anymore only when he was under stress and sending Brenna off to North Carolina for college counted as stress.
"It's me." Tierney raised her eyes at him she saw the cigarette.
"Oh, you've come to nag at me?" He grinned at the teenager in front of him. She was a pretty sixteen year old, petite like her mother with golden blond hair hanging down her back.
"No, not to nag, but just to tell you Brenna wants to talk to you." Tierney leaned against the garage wall, "She's been crying...she thinks maybe you'll never forgive her."
"She's crying?" His voice softened, couldn't stand to see any of his girls cry.
"Yes, I told her you were just being 'daddy' though. You just hate letting us out of your sight. Scared something might happen to us out there in that big bad world." Tierney sighed.
"You're going to miss her too, aren't you?" Spike asked ruffling the girls hair the way he had done when she was little.
"Yes, I am. But Brenna's smart she'll be okay. Are you going to be this bad when I leave?" She asked seriously.
"Depends, where do you plan on going to college?" He asked raising his eyebrow.
"Oh...I don't plan on going to college, think I'll just find some guy in a rock band and be his groupie, write you postcards from around the country." She gave him a smirk worthy of himself and then burst into giggles.
"You are a cruel child." He laughed along with her, "You know I love you and Brenna and just want the best don't you?" His tone was serious again.
"Yes, daddy, I do. Now go talk to her, her bed is covered with her luggage so she's crying on 'my' pillow!" She gave him a gentle push towards the house.
"Fine." He ground out the cigarette and carefully picked up the butt putting it in the trashcan.
"Why do you do that? Mom knows you smoke sometimes, she just lets you think you're getting away with it." Tierney shook her head at the relationship between her parents, she hoped someday to find happiness the way they had.
They went into the house, Buffy smiling at Tierney and mouthing "Thanks" as she watched Spike walk down the hall to Brenna's room.
***
He knocked lightly on the bedroom door, he could hear her sniffling as she called out, "Come in."
"Hey." He called out as he entered the room.
"Hey." She answered as she sat up and wiped her eyes.
"I guess I'm responsible for those tears?" He asked softly as he sat beside her on the bed.
She just nodded and looked at her fingernails.
"Brenna, I'm sorry. I know I've been hard on you lately. I just........I just hate to see you go so far away. I'll miss you and I'm gonna worry so much." He sighed as he ran his hand through her dark hair.
"I know you'll miss me daddy. But I'm going to be fine. Mom and you have taught me what I need to know. You did your job well you should be happy!" She gave him a small smile.
"Part of the problem is that I still want you to be the little girl that drew this," He opened his wallet and pulled out a yellowed paper and unfolded it, in childish scrawl was written 'Happy Father's Day, love Brenna' she had drawn a stick figure with bright yellow hair.
"You still have that?" Brenna asked in surprise.
"Of course," he smiled at her and then touched the charm bracelet on her wrist, it had several links added to it through the years but she still wore the bracelet faithfully, "You still have this."
She smiled at him her eyes brimming with a different type of tears now, "Of course I do. You and mom seem to think that somehow it's a miracle that you two found each other again. Me....I've known since I was four years old you were going to be my daddy so really it's because of me you're together!" She laughed softly, " I love you...but I really do have to do this, I have to go."
"I know you do sweetheart, I've been stubborn. I just want you to be careful and it would probably be a good idea to stay away from men while you're there." He tried to keep his expression serious.
"Daddy!" She exclaimed as she hugged his neck tightly.
"I'm serious, if you go near one I'll be able to smell him, when we visit." Spike warned her with a grin.
"Mom is so right, that vampire smelling thing is gross." Brenna pulled away from him. She and Tierney had first been told about Spike's "sun allergy" when they were very young, when they were a little older the whole truth was revealed. Both little girls loved their daddy so much that this little twist never bothered them.
"I'll help you carry your bags out now." He stood and grabbed a suitcase.
Buffy and Tierney were waiting in the livingroom, Buffy smiled as she watched Spike coming down the hallway, suitcase in hand. The trip to the airport was one of the hardest trips the parents had ever made. After a tearful goodbye to Brenna, they dropped Tierney off at a friends house and went home to the quiet house.
"She's going to be fine." Buffy told him as she settled into the bed next to him, "Are you?"
"Yeah, I'll be okay." He turned to her gathering her up in his arms till her head rested on his shoulder, her arm across his chest, "I love you, you know that?" He smiled as he played with a lock of her hair.
"Yes, I do." She snuggled even closer, "I love you too."
And through the coming years....graduations and weddings and births and loss of loved ones. Their love is what sustained them....at times Spike worried how he would get by when Buffy's time ended and he was left behind but he knew he would find a way to go on for the children and the grandchildren and as always it would be "For Her".
THE End
She looked at him love shining in her eyes, "Yes they are happy, I knew they would be." She tried to cover a yawn. It was late and they had made several phone calls to announce thier news.
"I'll go, you're tired." He kissed the top of her head.
"Can I just sit here beside you awhile? It's nice, you're a great pillow." She closed her eyes as she cuddled against him.
He laughed softly, "Sounds good to me." He made himself more comfortable and he watched her sleep. Thinking about the earlier reactions from friends and family.
Dawn had screamed excitedly so loudly he could hear her from where he sat. Angel had quietly accepted the news with sincere congratulations, Xander and Willow were both surprised yet supportive and Giles....Giles had sighed and then wished them the best. They had all promised to be there for the wedding.
***
As the sunset, the bride walked into the garden behind the Dixon Gallery, she was preceded by
Brenna and Tierney in matching pastel blue dresses they threw white rose petals down the pathway and both of them grinned up at Spike while they stood to the side. Buffy dressed in an ivory lace tea lengh dress, her hair up, a small bouquet of white roses and baby's breath in her hands she joined Spike in front of the Justice of the Peace.
The vows were simple and sincere. The "I do's" said with such love and sincerity that Willow and Dawn sighed and teared up. Even Xander and Giles had to smile at the look of complete happiness on the couples faces.
A small reception was held at their house, where family and friends congratulated the happy couple and caught up with each other's lives. Buffy and Spike kissed Brenna and Tierney goodbye before leaving for a short honeymoon. Dawn was staying with the girls.
Buffy pulled the satin robe tighter around her as she stood on the balcony of their hotel room, a glass of champagne in her hand while she stared at the full moon. Spike joined her in his matching robe, the robes were gifts from Dawn. He wrapped his arms around her lying his head on her shoulder. "Happy?"
"Ecstatic." She murmured as she sat the glass down and turned into him, lying her head on his chest, "Tell me it's going to be perfect like this all the time." She smiled against him.
"Can't do that, luv. We promised to be completely honest." He smiled back at her, "I can however promise that even when things go off and imperfect, I'm going to be there trying my best to make them right again."
"That's fair enough." She ran her hands under his robe and on to his smooth chest, placing small kisses on the exposed skin.
The rest of the night was spent in perfection.........
*****
Epilogue
*****
Years later.........
"Spike, honey, you need to talk to her. Explain how you feel." Buffy kissed his shoulder.
"Won't change her mind, she's still going." Spike replied sullenly.
"No, it won't change her mind." Buffy smiled at her husband, "But it might make it easier for her if she knows why you don't want her to go. You really don't want her to go off to college with the two of you at odds, do you?"
He turned around to face her, "No, I don't. I want to know why you are so calm about this? You who have dealt with blood and guts, fainted when she broke her arm. But she can go a thousand miles off to college and you're okay with it."
"I'm calm because one of us has to be. I'm going to miss her but I know in my heart this is right, she's worked so hard for this scholarship and she's going to be a wonderful doctor. She wants to do cancer research and who knows maybe she'll make a huge breakthrough someday. In your heart you know it's the right thing too, you just don't want your little girl here where you can keep an eye on her." She leaned up and kissed his cheek.
"I'm going outside for a minute." He kissed the top of her head, "Be right back."
"Okay. Don't take too long, we've got to leave for the airport soon." She patted his arm as he left.
****
Spike stood against the farside of the garage as he lit the cigarette. It glowed red in the dusky darkness. He felt before he heard the small footsteps coming around the corner, "I said I'd be in
in just a minute." He really hated for Buffy to catch him smoking, he didn't do it very often anymore only when he was under stress and sending Brenna off to North Carolina for college counted as stress.
"It's me." Tierney raised her eyes at him she saw the cigarette.
"Oh, you've come to nag at me?" He grinned at the teenager in front of him. She was a pretty sixteen year old, petite like her mother with golden blond hair hanging down her back.
"No, not to nag, but just to tell you Brenna wants to talk to you." Tierney leaned against the garage wall, "She's been crying...she thinks maybe you'll never forgive her."
"She's crying?" His voice softened, couldn't stand to see any of his girls cry.
"Yes, I told her you were just being 'daddy' though. You just hate letting us out of your sight. Scared something might happen to us out there in that big bad world." Tierney sighed.
"You're going to miss her too, aren't you?" Spike asked ruffling the girls hair the way he had done when she was little.
"Yes, I am. But Brenna's smart she'll be okay. Are you going to be this bad when I leave?" She asked seriously.
"Depends, where do you plan on going to college?" He asked raising his eyebrow.
"Oh...I don't plan on going to college, think I'll just find some guy in a rock band and be his groupie, write you postcards from around the country." She gave him a smirk worthy of himself and then burst into giggles.
"You are a cruel child." He laughed along with her, "You know I love you and Brenna and just want the best don't you?" His tone was serious again.
"Yes, daddy, I do. Now go talk to her, her bed is covered with her luggage so she's crying on 'my' pillow!" She gave him a gentle push towards the house.
"Fine." He ground out the cigarette and carefully picked up the butt putting it in the trashcan.
"Why do you do that? Mom knows you smoke sometimes, she just lets you think you're getting away with it." Tierney shook her head at the relationship between her parents, she hoped someday to find happiness the way they had.
They went into the house, Buffy smiling at Tierney and mouthing "Thanks" as she watched Spike walk down the hall to Brenna's room.
***
He knocked lightly on the bedroom door, he could hear her sniffling as she called out, "Come in."
"Hey." He called out as he entered the room.
"Hey." She answered as she sat up and wiped her eyes.
"I guess I'm responsible for those tears?" He asked softly as he sat beside her on the bed.
She just nodded and looked at her fingernails.
"Brenna, I'm sorry. I know I've been hard on you lately. I just........I just hate to see you go so far away. I'll miss you and I'm gonna worry so much." He sighed as he ran his hand through her dark hair.
"I know you'll miss me daddy. But I'm going to be fine. Mom and you have taught me what I need to know. You did your job well you should be happy!" She gave him a small smile.
"Part of the problem is that I still want you to be the little girl that drew this," He opened his wallet and pulled out a yellowed paper and unfolded it, in childish scrawl was written 'Happy Father's Day, love Brenna' she had drawn a stick figure with bright yellow hair.
"You still have that?" Brenna asked in surprise.
"Of course," he smiled at her and then touched the charm bracelet on her wrist, it had several links added to it through the years but she still wore the bracelet faithfully, "You still have this."
She smiled at him her eyes brimming with a different type of tears now, "Of course I do. You and mom seem to think that somehow it's a miracle that you two found each other again. Me....I've known since I was four years old you were going to be my daddy so really it's because of me you're together!" She laughed softly, " I love you...but I really do have to do this, I have to go."
"I know you do sweetheart, I've been stubborn. I just want you to be careful and it would probably be a good idea to stay away from men while you're there." He tried to keep his expression serious.
"Daddy!" She exclaimed as she hugged his neck tightly.
"I'm serious, if you go near one I'll be able to smell him, when we visit." Spike warned her with a grin.
"Mom is so right, that vampire smelling thing is gross." Brenna pulled away from him. She and Tierney had first been told about Spike's "sun allergy" when they were very young, when they were a little older the whole truth was revealed. Both little girls loved their daddy so much that this little twist never bothered them.
"I'll help you carry your bags out now." He stood and grabbed a suitcase.
Buffy and Tierney were waiting in the livingroom, Buffy smiled as she watched Spike coming down the hallway, suitcase in hand. The trip to the airport was one of the hardest trips the parents had ever made. After a tearful goodbye to Brenna, they dropped Tierney off at a friends house and went home to the quiet house.
"She's going to be fine." Buffy told him as she settled into the bed next to him, "Are you?"
"Yeah, I'll be okay." He turned to her gathering her up in his arms till her head rested on his shoulder, her arm across his chest, "I love you, you know that?" He smiled as he played with a lock of her hair.
"Yes, I do." She snuggled even closer, "I love you too."
And through the coming years....graduations and weddings and births and loss of loved ones. Their love is what sustained them....at times Spike worried how he would get by when Buffy's time ended and he was left behind but he knew he would find a way to go on for the children and the grandchildren and as always it would be "For Her".
THE End