The rehearsal had gone surprisingly well. Ira had scowled throughout, and Sheila had looked similarly unimpressed, but they had said nothing. Xander had had a moment of panic when told that this was where he produced the rings, and Giles had waited a couple of minutes before reminding Xander that he hadn't given him the rings yet. As Xander calmed down, and Willow struggled to keep her giggles under control, Giles had merely smiled, and expressly forbidden Xander to touch the rings. Ever. Now Willow and Giles were attempting to have a private moment before separating for the night. This was proving difficult, however, as their friends and relatives had formed a small crowd of onlookers, unashamedly watching the two lovers.
"Tomorrow can't come soon enough," Willow whispered as she tried to avoid her parents' disapproving gaze.
"Just what I was thinking," Giles buried his head in her hair, feeling his cheeks redden as Buffy muttered something about them being sweet.
"Do you mind?" Willow snapped at them all. Xander opened his mouth to make a comment, and abruptly shut it again after seeing Willow's expression. Together with the rest of the group, he turned his black slightly, giving them a modicum of privacy.
"Now, I believe we got distracted," Willow smiled up at Giles.
"We did? Did we?" Giles gave her his most innocent smile. Willow responded by reaching up to pull him down to her for a goodbye kiss that was both tender and passionate, and more than a hint of what was to come.
"Ahem!" Buffy coughed loudly, before turning back to face Willow and Giles, her hand covering her eyes. Her fingers were spread wide, allowing her to see everything. "We really should be going," she said to Willow.
"I suppose so," Willow reluctantly untangled herself from Giles.
"'Till tomorrow," Giles kissed her hand, before crushing her to him.
"Tomorrow," Willow answered breathlessly.
Willow found herself being pounced upon by Buffy, Anya and Cordelia as soon as she entered Buffy's house. Joyce had made herself scarce for the night, electing to spend time cataloguing a new batch of paintings, before spending the night with a friend. Willow had wondered, briefly, if Joyce was disappointed that Giles was getting married, before dismissing it something she really didn't have the time to worry about. Now, as she found herself being smothered in face pack and various lotions, she realized that this was what she really should have been worrying about. Buffy and Cordelia arguing over her beauty regime. Not a pretty sight.
"Buffy, what are you doing?" Cordelia stood with her hands on her hips.
"Putting the face pack on?" Buffy answered, phrasing it as a question.
"But it's a mud pack," Cordelia explained, as if that made everything obvious.
"I know that," Buffy resumed attacking, or as she preferred to call it, helping, Willow.
"Not the night before the wedding!" Cordelia grabbed the tube. "Mud brings out the impurities. Not that Willow has as many as you or anything..." Cordelia trailed off as Buffy gave her a murderous look. Willow, meanwhile, felt oddly pleased at the 'compliment'.
"Oh, and what do you suggest?" Buffy asked Cordelia as she snatched the tube back from her.
"Cucumber," Cordelia reached for the tube again, just as Buffy pulled her hand back. The cap flew off, and as Buffy squeezed the tube, the contents spurted out of the top, managing to simultaneously hit Buffy in the face and land in Cordelia's hair. The outraged look on both of their faces proved too much for Willow, who burst into hysterical giggles. Anya, however, had the presence of mind to whip out her camera, capturing both of them on film. The flash was a giveaway, however, and led to more howls of outrage from both girls. Just as Anya was about to be attacked by an extremely annoyed Slayer, aided and abetted by an equally angry ex-cheerleader, there was a knock at the door. Deciding that escape was a good idea, Willow slipped from the room and down the stairs. She flung the door open, shock evident on her face when she saw who was waiting outside.
Christopher.
"Shouldn't you be with Rupert?" Willow asked, having finally found her voice. "Has something happened?" She added, worry clouding her features.
"Not as far as I know," Christopher told her.
"Then..." Willow let the word trail off, watching as he fidgeted nervously.
"I had to see you," Christopher explained, looking at her just a little too intensely.
"Why?" Willow had her suspicions, but she kept her tone even.
"I love you," Christopher continued to stare at her.
"Have you been drinking?" Willow was certain that she could smell scotch.
"Just one or two. Courage you know?" Christopher took an uncertain step towards her.
"Go home," Willow took a step back, intending to close the door.
"But Willow, I love you!" Christopher stuck his foot in the doorway, halting the door.
"You don't love me," Willow protested. "You've only known me for a few days."
"It seems like a lifetime, " Christopher sighed.
"I love Rupert." Willow slipped into her resolve face.
"You haven't given us a chance." Christopher brought his hand up to cup her face.
"I don't want to give us a chance!" Willow shouted, slapping his hand away.
"Willow?" Buffy called from the top of the stairs. Seeing the front door open, she ran down the stairs, still wiping the mud pack from her face. "What's going on?" She asked as she came to a stop next to Willow.
"You see, don't you Buffy?" Christopher asked her, his eyes never leaving Willow.
"See what?" Buffy found herself more confused than usual.
"That Willow should give us a chance," Christopher explained.
"Give us a chance?" Buffy's expression got even more puzzled.
"Willow and I," Christopher reached put to touch Willow again, but her expression convinced him that it wouldn't be a good idea.
"Willow and you?" Buffy looked from one to the other. "You are kidding, right?" Buffy laughed uncertainly.
"He's drunk," Willow offered, in a stage whisper.
"I am not," Christopher protested, drawing himself up to his full height, and advancing on the girls.
"Of course not." As Christopher reached out a hand for Willow, she stepped back and to the side, causing him to overbalance. He landed flat on his face.
"Want to tell me what's going on?" Buffy looked from Willow to Christopher and back to Willow. Given Christopher's present state, she decided that Willow offered the best chance of getting a semi-coherent answer.
"Not really," Willow stepped over Christopher and into the living room, with Buffy close on her heels. Christopher remained on the floor, occupied by the patterns on the carpet.
"I think you should," Buffy insisted, standing over Willow. "You and he haven't been doing the nasty, have you?" Buffy grimaced.
"Buffy!" Willow shot up from her seat on the couch.
"I take it that's a no?" Buffy took an involuntary step backwards as Willow advanced.
"Of course it's a no!" Willow shrieked, making Buffy flinch and Cordelia and Anya come running down the stairs.
"What's going on?" Cordelia asked, breathless.
"Why's is Giles's brother on the floor?" Anya added.
"Willow?" Buffy prompted.
"He...er...he...kinda has some...feelings..." Willow stared at the floor.
"Feelings?" Buffy repeated, looking from one to the other.
"For me," Willow explained.
"But you don't have any for him, right Will?" Buffy looked panicked. "You don't, do you?"
"No, I do not!" Willow raised her voice once more.
"Yes she does!" Christopher called from his spot on the floor.
Willow groaned. It was going to be a long night.
Part 22
"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed as she flung open the front door. "Am I glad to see you."
"Where is he?" Giles didn't stop to acknowledge her presence.
"In the living room, with Cordelia and Anya." Buffy allowed him to pass.
"What about Willow?" Giles paused before entering the living room.
"Upstairs. He was too drunk to listen to her, and she didn't want to see you." When Giles gave her a strange look, hastened to add, "'cause, y'know, superstition and all that?"
"Ah, yes, superstition," Giles replied absently, watching his brother from the doorway. Christopher was sitting on the couch between Anya and Cordelia. Both of the girls seemed slightly unsure about what they should be doing, Anya for once thankfully quiet.
"Rupert," Christopher might have been drunk, but he knew enough to be afraid of his brother.
"What have you done?" Giles stood in front of his brother, hands clenched into fists. Brother or not, it was taking all of his self-control not to lash out. He might have been drunk the last time they had had this discussion, but the rage remained even now he was sober. Especially when his brother had been foolish enough to pull a stunt like this after promising he wouldn't.
"I had to make her see," Christopher explained.
"See what?" Giles questioned.
"That I love her," Christopher said simply.
"Ahem," Buffy coughed in the doorway, and began making signs to Cordelia and Anya. Eventually they got the hint, and excused themselves from the room.
"That was just getting interesting!" Anya complained.
"It's okay," Buffy reassured her, "you can hear everything from here." Buffy pushed them further down the corridor.
"You promised me that you wouldn't do anything like this," Giles reminded him.
"I had to try," Christopher protested.
"How much did you have to drink?" Giles asked, smelling the alcohol on his breath as he came closer.
"You're not one to lecture about alcohol, Rupert," Christopher taunted.
"Perhaps not," Giles responded evenly, keeping his temper for Willow's sake. "I do, however, have enough experience with the morning after to tell you that you will regret this." Giles sat next to his brother, silently adding 'I hope' to his former statement.
"Will I? Or would I regret it if I hadn't told her?" Christopher mused.
"Willow doesn't love you," Giles reminded him.
"No, I don't suppose she does," Christopher conceded. "Although after polishing off a bottle of scotch, I was very nearly convinced that she did."
"You seem to have sobered up remarkably quickly," Giles commented.
"Rejection does that to a man," Christopher told him. "Seeing the woman you love run from the room in tears, whispering that she loves your brother over and over again tends to clear the head."
"In tears?" Giles's eyes narrowed. "You made her cry?"
"Not intentionally," Christopher added quickly.
"Go back to the hotel, Christopher. You've done enough damage." Giles stood and walked towards the hall.
"That's it?" Relieved as Christopher was to avoid a confrontation with Ripper, he was slightly suspicious that Rupert was allowing him out of the house without a broken limb or two.
"Much as I'd like to beat you black and blue, again," Giles began, keeping his back to his brother, "I have Willow to consider, and unlike you, I don't like to see her upset." He turned just in time to see Christopher flinch.
"Rupert..." he entreated.
"Save it, Christopher," Giles held the door for him. "If tonight is an indication of your behaviour towards Willow and I, perhaps it would be better if you gave tomorrow a miss."
"Miss your wedding?" Christopher sounded shocked.
"The very one you've been trying to wreck, yes," Giles shot back.
"I am sorry, Rupert," Christopher said as he disappeared into the night. Giles shut the door behind him, and smiled slightly as Buffy came up to him.
"Should I?" Buffy pointed to the door, and Giles understood immediately.
"Perhaps it would be for the best," Giles answered, tiredly. "Make sure he gets to the hotel in one piece?"
"Right," Buffy disappeared back down the hall and pulled a reluctant Cordelia and Anya back with her. As she pushed them out of the door, she turned to Giles. "Superstition or not, she's upset, so why are you down here?" She whispered. Giles stared at her for a moment, before bounding up the stairs two at a time.
"Buffy?" He called as he reached the top. She stopped on her way out of the door, and turned to face him. "Thank you."
"No problem. That's what Slayer's are for." She smiled brightly. "At least I think so." She ran to catch up with Cordelia and Anya, a confused look on her face.
"Willow?" Giles tried the door to Buffy's room and found it locked. "Let me in, please."
"No. It's bad luck." Willow's voice caught as she spoke, and Giles could tell that she was still crying.
"Bad luck is when the grooms brother professes his love for the bride," Giles said gently. "I don't think you and I seeing each other the night before the wedding is going to have much of an effect."
"You never know," Willow countered.
"No you don't," Giles conceded. "But you're upset, and I want to be with you." Giles sighed in relief as he heard the lock being undone. The door opened slowly to reveal a red-faced, and puffy-eyed Willow. To Giles she had never looked more beautiful. "Darling," he whispered, the term of endearment bringing fresh tears to her eyes.
"Rupert, I'm so sorry," Willow flung herself at him, burying her face in his jacket.
"You don't need to be sorry," Giles hugged her to him tightly, at the same time maneuvering them backwards into Buffy's room.
"But you and Christopher hate each other, and it's all my fault." Willow continued to cry.
"We don't hate each other, Willow," Giles assured her. "You mustn't blame yourself. It's not your fault that you're devastatingly beautiful."
"Oh, Rupert," Willow smacked his arm. Giles had seen her smile however, and knew that his mission had been accomplished.
"I blame my mother," Giles told her.
"Your mother?" Willow was confused.
"She gave him everything he wanted," Giles explained. "He's always been a bit spoilt."
"So he thought he could have me?" Willow squeaked.
"He's not used to not getting his own way." Giles kissed her hair. "But he'll have to learn, and today he had his first lesson."
"You didn't...hit him, did you?" Willow asked anxiously.
"No, I restrained myself." Giles smiled at her. "I know your abhorrence of bloodshed."
"I love you," Willow hugged him tighter.
"I love you too," Giles shifted them both back onto the bed as he felt her yawn against his chest.
"You shouldn't be here," she protested feebly.
"We've already seen each other, so I can't imagine it making any
difference."
"Well, if you put it like that," Willow smiled, and reached up to kiss him. He broke it off as she yawned again, and settled her back into the pillows.
"Sleep," he commanded.
"Yes, sir," she smiled sleepily, before giving in and closing her eyes. Within ten minutes both of them were asleep.
They were still entwined together in their sleep when Buffy returned an hour later. Smiling at them, she retrieved her pajamas and walked along the hall to her mother's room.
Part 23
When Willow finally forced her eyes open, a quick peek at Buffy's alarm clock told her that it was already past eight. Groaning, she attempted to sit up, only to find herself restrained by an arm. A well-muscled arm that she knew belonged to Giles. Willow gave into temptation and rested her head back on the pillow.
"Morning," she yawned, snuggling down further into Giles's arms.
"It is not morning," Giles protested.
"It's after eight," Willow informed him. "You're usually awake before me."
"I couldn't seem to stay asleep last night. I woke nearly every hour."
"You're excited too?" Willow asked.
"Excited? About what?" Giles teased.
"The wedding!" Willow slapped his arm before twisting around to face him.
"Ah, that." As Willow opened her mouth to protest, he silenced her with a finger to her lips. "The wedding that takes place in aproximately ten hours, thirty two minutes and 20 seconds?"
Willow removed his finger from her lips. "So you are excited."
"Of course I'm excited. And terribly nervous."
"Nervous?" Willow questioned. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?" She asked worriedly.
"No. I love you and I want to marry you. I'm just worried that you'll take one look at me tonight and run screaming from the museum." He confessed, an unconvincing smile on his lips.
"More like I'll take one look at you and run towards you," Willow assured him.
"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you." Giles pulled her closer. "In fact, I'm fairly certain that I don't."
"You love me," Willow told him. "That's enough for me." Just as Giles reached down to show her exactly how much he did love her, there was a knock, and the door swung open to reveal Buffy.
"I've brought you some coffee..." she began, trailing off as she saw them wrapped in each others arms. "Not in my bed!" She shouted.
"Buffy, we weren't...you know...doing anything," Willow protested.
"I am, after all, fully dressed," Giles added.
"Well, that's alright then." Buffy set the coffee down on the nightstand, and sat on Willow's side of the bed. "I can just about deal with you two being together, but in my bed? That's definitely the quick way to therapy."
"I suppose we had better get up," Giles stated.
"That might be a good idea, you are getting married in less than twelve hours." Buffy made no move to go.
"Actually, it's ten hours, and..." Willow trailed off as Buffy gave her a look. "Rupert knows exactly how far away it is as well!" She protested.
"Right," Buffy looked to Giles, who smiled sheepishly.
"Your own wedding will have you just as..." Giles began.
"Strange?" Buffy supplied.
"I think excited was the word Willow and I had decided on," Giles finished, and Buffy had the good grace to look slightly abashed.
"So, are you guys getting up?" Buffy looked from one to the other.
"Perhaps if you were to give us some privacy..." Giles motioned towards the door.
"Oh, right." Buffy jumped off the bed and moved towards the door. Just before passing through it, she turned back to the couple in the bed. "Remember, not in my bed!" She warned, pulling the door shut behind her.
"I don't suppose you know how long to the honeymoon?" Willow asked, wistfully.
"Well..."
Part 24
Willow stared at the mirror, attempting to reconcile the woman looking back at her with the desperately insecure teenager she had been when she had first met Giles. Now, as Buffy and Cordelia brushed and pinned her hair, and Anya did a last minute check of the dresses, Willow said a silent thank you to that girl for having the courage to grow.
"So, I said to Wesley..." Willow was brought back from her thoughts by Cordelia's non-stop chattering.
"What did you say to Wesley?" Buffy wondered as Cordelia fell silent.
"Uh?" Cordelia snatched a hairpin from Buffy and caught an errant strand.
"Wesley," Buffy prompted. "You were saying something to him."
"Oh, right. I said that he had buy me a new top. Demon slime just does not come out." Cordelia finished.
"Tell me about it!" Buffy exclaimed, jabbing a hairpin in just a bit too enthusiastically for Willow's liking.
"Ow. Stop with the stabbing," Willow raised a hand to her head, only to have it slapped away by Cordelia.
"Sorry, Will." Buffy managed to look contrite.
"I knew I should have had a hairdresser," Willow grumbled.
"I once had a hairdresser who cut my ear," Buffy told her.
"So, I should be grateful that all you're doing is stabbing me?" Willow asked.
"Yes," Buffy answered automatically, before taking a second to think about it. "Well," she began.
"The dresses are perfect," Anya interrupted.
"Great!" This time it was Cordelia who jabbed the pin into Willow's head.
"How about we just leave it loose?" Willow suggested, but by now, both Buffy and Cordelia had abandoned her hair to gawk at the dresses.
"Shouldn't you be ready by now?" Xander asked nervously, one eye on Giles and the other on the clock.
"We're not getting married for another three hours," Giles informed him.
"But we have to get there," Xander insisted.
"Which takes about fifteen minutes," Giles explained patiently.
"We are going in your car?" Xander asked, just a tad sarcastically.
"You may be walking," Giles threatened.
"Okay. Observe me shutting up," Xander sat down on the couch, and whipped out a sheet of paper covered in his distinctive scrawl. As Giles attempted to peer over his shoulder at it, Xander hid it from view. "You know, If I wasn't shutting up, I'd tell you that this is my speech."
"The one where you say the bridesmaids look lovely, and make no jokes whatsoever?" Giles asked.
"That's the one, G-man," Xander smiled. "With just a few slight differences," he muttered under his breath.
"I'm too old for this," Giles commented, as he moved into the kitchen to put the kettle on.
"What time is Christopher due?" Xander asked, innocently, unaware of the events of the night before.
"He won't be coming," Giles said tightly.
"Oh, is he meeting us at the museum?" Xander kept on digging.
"No," Giles concentrated on making the tea.
"Am I missing something?" Xander asked, his best 'do I smell something' look on his face.
"You usually are," Giles mumbled, before grabbing two cups and the teapot. "Tea?" He asked, aloud.
"Why isn't G-man junior coming?" Xander persisted.
"It's complicated," Giles began.
"He's still in love with Willow, isn't he?" Xander guessed.
"Apparently, not that complicated," Giles took a sip of his tea.
"Well, our Willow just does that to people," Xander told him, missing the slight growl that came from Giles at Xander's possessive tone.
"Quite," Giles responded.
"I mean, I remember when I saw her in that Homecoming dress," Xander carried on obliviously. "Man, did that bring about all kinds of thoughts, and naughty touching." This time Giles's growl was definitely audible, and Xander abruptly shut up and sipped his tea.
"I'm going to get changed," Giles decided to remove himself from the room in general, and Xander in particular, before he did something Xander might regret. Xander waited until Giles had gone upstairs, before crossing the room and picking up the phone. He carefully dialed the number on the pad next to it.
"Can I have room 314 please?" He asked into the phone. When the connection was made, and the phone picked up, he sucked in a breath. "Christopher? It's Xander."
Part 25
"Willow, the car's here," Buffy called from the bottom of the stairs.
"Just give me a minute!" Willow responded. She stood in the middle of Buffy's bedroom, her wedding gown swirling around her ankles. She had finally settled on a dress that made her look much less like a cream cake than the one Buffy had picked out for her. At the moment she was composing herself. Today was the end of life as she knew it, and the start of something much more fulfilling. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped out onto the landing. Buffy was waiting by the door, and immediately began fussing around the dress, helping Willow hold it up as she descended the stairs.
"Willow, you look beautiful," Joyce whipped out her camera and nearly blinded Willow with the flash. She had returned home earlier to change for the wedding, and had surprised Willow by seeming genuinely happy for her.
"Thanks." Willow blushed at the compliment.
"We should be going," Buffy smoothed the skirt of her own dress.
"I'll see you both there," Joyce kissed her daughter on the cheek, and hesitated briefly before reaching over and repeating the gesture with Willow.
"Did the car come for Anya and Cordy?" Willow asked as she made her way out to the waiting car.
"About five minutes ago," Buffy told her, as she struggled to hold up both of their dresses.
"So, everything's going to plan?" Willow slid into the car gracefully, whilst Buffy almost tripped, regaining her footing at the last minute, and making it into the car in one piece.
"Just perfect," she muttered, both in answer to Willow's question, and as a criticism of her own clumsiness.
"Well, I suppose this is it, then," Willow rubbed her hands together nervously as the car pulled away from the Summers' house.
"Are we going now?" Xander was bouncing on the balls of his feet, either through excitement or nervousness, or perhaps a combination of both.
"In a moment, Xander," Giles stood in front of the mirror, attempting to straighten his tie. He appeared calm and collected, but the way his hands shook showed that he was, in fact, just as nervous as Xander.
"Willow's going to be there before you," Xander warned.
"Well, let's get going then," Giles exited the bathroom and grabbed his keys, just as Xander reached for them.
"What are you doing?" Xander questioned.
"Getting my keys," Giles answered patiently. "It's a little hard to drive without them." Although not impossible, he added to himself.
"You can't drive to your own wedding!" Xander was appalled. "You shouldn't even be going in your own car," he added, shaking his head.
"You are not driving my car," Giles protested. "I wish to get to my wedding in one piece."
"Then we really shouldn't go in your car," Xander muttered under his breath. "We probably won't get there at all."
"If you keep this up, you won't," Giles promised him as he opened the door and waited for Xander to pass through.
As the car pulled up in front of the museum, Cordelia yanked open the door just as the driver went to do the same.
"Giles isn't here yet," she announced.
"Why not?" Buffy asked.
"How would I know?" Cordelia shot back. "Just go round the block, or something," she ordered.
"We can't wait inside?" Buffy raised an eyebrow.
"Willow's parents are in there," Cordelia responded. "Your dad is complaining because he didn't ride in the car with you, and your mom thinks you've been abandoned," she said to Willow.
"We'll go round the block," Buffy ordered, and the driver slipped back behind the wheel without saying a word, as Cordelia slammed the door shut.
"Will?" Buffy placed a hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"
"Why isn't he here?" Willow blinked back tears.
"He will be, Will." Buffy hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. "He's probably just running late."
"I told you so," Xander stated, matter-of-factly.
"Yes, and I told you what would happen if you said that," Giles responded, in an only- slightly-menacing voice. Xander, however, got the hint and swallowed the other smart remarks that were threatening to spill from his lips.
"Damn car!" Giles kicked a tire and almost screamed as the wing mirror fell off.
"Cab?" Xander suggested.
"Cab," Giles confirmed as they took off down the street at a run.