Chapter 45: Plans
Despite his pleading, Spike didn’t manage to convince Buffy to simply elope and escape Anya’s hellish planning. In truth, though, he didn’t really care about the ‘when’. The simple fact that Buffy had gone along with Anya and picked up the preparation right where they had left it a few days before was strangely heartwarming to him, a proof, if he needed one, that everything was getting back to normal. After a little discussion, and with Anya’s lengthy input, they decided on a date, of a week later. Enough time for the ex-demon to get planning-happy, but close enough that she wouldn’t make them completely insane with her fussing. They decided on a location, too, and that question didn’t require much thinking. Anya looked a bit puzzled by their choice but merely commented that she needed to see the place as soon as possible for reasons Spike didn’t even want to try to comprehend.
Giles arrived in the middle of the afternoon, and Spike could have sworn he saw tears in the man’s eyes when Buffy tentatively went to him. A short talk followed, apology and forgiveness, reassurances that Buffy wasn’t to blame for her alter-ego’s words and deeds. Then his Mate asked her Watcher something she had already asked, long ago, when they had been under Willow’s spell. This time, he didn’t protest and heartily accepted to be the one to give her away. Giles had news of his own, which was that he had just been named Head Watcher, and would be leaving the next day for London, yet again. He assured Buffy, however, that he would come back in time for their wedding.
A little while later, the two Slayers and their Watchers arrived. Manon seemed rather upset when she came into the shop, but she apparently was sincerely glad when she saw that Buffy was back to being herself. For a change, it was Travers who apologized to Buffy for what her father had done instead of the other way around. Hearing that the wanker was dead felt like justice to Spike, and he could admit to himself that this one human he would have felt no guilt about killing. The other Watcher and Slayer both seemed slightly uneasy to be formally introduced to Buffy, and even more so when she proposed a round of training to the bint. Without Giles intervention, the new Slayer might have refused the offer of her elder, and Spike began to guess why his soulless Mate had disliked Chloe. He didn’t follow them to the back room – the last thing he needed now was to risk another kid taking a liking to him if he spent too much time with her. There was an interestingly heated discussion when Travers tried to have Manon join her fellow Slayers and only received unyielding refusal. The kid had taken a seat on the mezzanine, just like the day before, and she wasn’t coming down. The Watcher finally gave up and joined the others in the back room.
For a while, Spike ignored the kid as he played with an unlit cigarette, very aware that Anya would stake him if he even looked like he was going to light it, and actually amused by the pointed looks she was throwing at him from behind the counter. In the end, he put the fag back into its package and just gave in to his curiosity.
“So, kiddo, what’s up with the attitude?”
Manon looked at him, her face as void of emotions as her voice when she said:
“Andrea ne veut pas me laisser rentrer en France. “
That was it? She was homesick and her Watcher wouldn’t let her go?
“Did you ask Giles? He’s the big guy, now. I’m sure he’ll…”
“Ils sont amants,” she interrupted abruptly. “Ca m’étonnerait qu’il la contrarie pour moi.”
Spike couldn’t help raising an interested eyebrow at that. Old Rupert had finally made his move, then? He wondered how the kid knew. But he couldn’t believe she was right when she said Giles wouldn’t allow her to go home, he had to see that Manon’s presence wasn’t really needed here, and no one could force her to do Slayer things if she decided to go on a slaying strike. He let the subject drop, however, and made a mental note to say a few words to Giles in private before his departure.
“Anyway… I wanted to thank you. For helping Buffy. It’s good that she wasn’t alone.”
“I didn’t do it for her.”
Mentally, Spike cursed himself. That would teach him to be polite. What was he supposed to answer to that? He might have to go back to dirty tricks and be just plain mean to her until she left. He was saved from starting right away when Willow and Tara entered the shop, their gazes sweeping the room, obviously looking for someone.
“She’s training,” he supplied helpfully.
They came closer and he exchanged a few words with them, mostly about how Buffy was feeling and what they could do to help. His opinion was that they just needed to be themselves, and, above all, honest. Lying to Buffy about their feelings would only make things more complicated in the long run, and they seemed to agree about that.
Before they could go to the backroom, Anya caught their attention and all three of them locked themselves in the office. Despite his efforts, Spike couldn’t hear a word of what they were saying, so they must have been whispering in there, which made him even more curious. His plan to sneak up on them was however stopped by the sudden, although not unexpected, appearance of Xander. For a second, he seemed alarmed at finding the store empty save for Spike and the kid Slayer. Although playing with him might have been fun, the vampire informed him of the location of his wife, and Xander visibly hesitated about going in there. In the end, he came by the research table, hands buried deep in his pockets.
“So, how are things going, Fangboy?” he asked companionably.
“Just peachy,” Spike replied on the same tone.
“Buffy’s OK, then?”
“Fine. A bit of the guilty side, but working on that. She’s training right now, if you want to see her.”
A small smile graced the human’s lips as he briefly glanced at the backroom’s door.
“I suppose Anya made her cookies demand?” he asked, clearly amused.
Spike only nodded in reply, still laughing inside at the unexpected request.
“How about you?” Xander asked suddenly, this time more subdued.
“How about me what?” Spike shot back, now on a defensive stand.
“Are you alright? I suppose it hasn’t been any easier on you than it has been on us. Worse, with the vampnapping bit in the middle.”
The genuine concern in the human’s voice and expression left Spike speechless for a few seconds. He hadn’t expected the brunette, or any of them for that matter, to worry for him. Blame him for almost having taken Buffy away, yes, but not actually care that the adventure hadn’t been particularly pleasant for him either.
“I’m fine,” he finally said with the best cocky smirk he could manage.
Just as Xander was giving him a short nod, the three women came out of the office, still whispering softly, and wearing identical conspiratorial grins. Apparently as puzzled as Spike felt, Xander went to them and kissed Anya’s cheek. The ex-demon whispered something in his ear, but this time Spike could catch what was being said, and a small smile fluttered on his lips. Pretty soon, Xander and the two Wiccas were walking to the door, the man now sharing the same grin as them.
“Hey, wait,” Spike called to them. “Why don’t you guys take Manon with you? She’s getting bored here.”
The three humans looked at each other, before giving a collective OK.
“Je ne veux pas…” Manon started, sullen.
“Go with them and actually do something fun,” Spike interrupted her sternly, “or stay here and fight with Travers when she wants you to go patrol. Your choice.”
Her eyes shot daggers at him, but she did jump down from the mezzanine and joined the Scoobies. Anya looked at him as they left, both with curiosity and annoyance.
“You heard?” she asked. “Are you going to tell Buffy?”
“Tell Buffy what?” he replied innocently, and Anya smiled at him.
*****
For an hour or so, Buffy sparred with Chloe, and it was quickly apparent that the new Slayer was trying to prove something. Though it wasn’t clear whether she was trying to prove it to herself, to Buffy, or to the three Watchers present. It didn’t matter, however, because it was Buffy who made her point, repeatedly. Even if she had been training for years before actually being called, the girl wasn’t as good as she wanted to believe. On the contrary, being under the Council’s thumb for so long had narrowed her vision to a world of black and white that held no place for vampires fighting alongside her. She would have to get used to it, Buffy told her after deciding the lesson had lasted long enough. Training with her and Spike, learning from them about surviving was possibly the best chance the girl had to last more than a few years. If she couldn’t accept that, she might as well go back to England and leave the Hellmouth to Buffy’s care.
After Chloe and her Watcher had left, Buffy returned inside the shop with Giles and Andrea, and discussed with them what had to be changed in the Council as far as she was concerned. The instruction given to the potential Slayers about demons, for one thing, was severely lacking in her opinion, although she might have been slightly biased by the fact that now she was one herself.
She was surprised and disappointed that the rest of the gang had not showed up, she had truly wanted to see them and know whether their friendship had been altered by the last few days’ experience. Anya simply said that her husband was working late and that Willow and Tara had prior engagements. She was surprised, also, but not as much as Andrea, that Manon had left. The kid hadn’t seemed very well, earlier, and Buffy had hoped for a little private time with her.
As night fell, Anya insisted on visiting the place they had chosen for the wedding right away. She had a brief discussion with Giles in the office before they left the store, and the two Watchers soon declined to accompany them. Anya was really being very jealous of her prerogatives as wedding coordinator, Buffy mused as Spike drove them along the same streets she had been running through just the night before.
When the ex-demon had asked them earlier where they wanted to get married, Buffy had looked at Spike, and known immediately that he was thinking the same thing as she was. Once more, not a typical thing, more a place that vamps avoided as much as they could, but neither of them cared. It was the one place where, twice, they had opened their hearts and souls to each other, more so than ever before despite all they had shared. So what if it happened to be a church?
Buffy was a little amused when they walked past the heavy wooden door to see Anya pull out a notepad and start to take notes and measurements. She left her to her own devices, listening distractedly as Anya made comments about candles, decorations and flowers, and simply enjoyed the feeling of Spike’s arm at her waist. Tonight, they had come here with a purpose, not to simply escape their inner demons, and the quiet serenity of the place was soothing. For the first time, Buffy took a good look around her. It wasn’t very elaborate, just bare stone walls, a quantity of small flickering candles, wood benches, and that large cross she couldn’t look at without flinching.
“With a little work,” Anya announced after a few minutes, obviously satisfied with her inspection, “I can make this a suitable place for a wedding. Now we need someone to actually pronounce you husband and wife.”
“I believe that would be me.”
Buffy and Anya were startled by the appearance of an old man, a priest by his demeanor, from a door to the side of the altar. Glancing up at her Sire, Buffy realized that he had probably noticed him before he spoke, for he didn’t look very surprised.
“It would be a nice change,” the priest continued as he slowly came closer to them. “It seems that all that ever happens here is funerals. But do not worry, I still remember how to celebrate a wedding.”
There was a calmness emanating from him, along with a quiet joy, that somehow made Buffy feel immediately at ease.
“That’s very nice of you,” she said with a smile. “I am Buffy, and this is my fiancé Spike and our friend Anya.”
“I am quite pleased to meet you,” the priest replied, beaming. “I am Father Michael. When do you want to celebrate your union?”
“A week from now,” Anya chimed in.
The old man nodded slowly. “A week it is, then. After nightfall, I assume? The sanctuary is very beautiful when it is lit by candles, you’ll see. Oh, and I suppose we could cover the cross, if it would make you feel more comfortable.”
At the suddenly baffled look on Buffy’s face, that was mirrored by Spike’s, the priest let out a quiet laugh.
“Not all of Sunnydale’s population is in denial about the existence of demons,” he said with a hint of mischief in his voice. “And for someone who has learned enough not to walk outside at night without a cross and a bottle of holy water, it isn’t hard to notice that demon’s don’t only hunt but are also hunted.”
He paused for a second, and his tone was more serious when he continued.
“Voices travel well, in here, and I am afraid that I have overheard from my office conversations that were meant to be private…”
Buffy nodded, understanding what he was saying he had heard.
“I’d be honored to be the one to marry you, my children,” he added at last, smiling again.
The two vampires exchanged a look, communicating wordlessly with an eyebrow raised questioningly, a small smile, a nod. Buffy supposed that Spike didn’t feel any more comfortable than she did at the idea that a man they had never met before knew who and what they were, but he seemed trustworthy.
“Alright,” Anya said suddenly, ticking off something on her notepad, seemingly oblivious to the tension that was now subsiding. “We have a day, a place, a minister, I have a few ideas for decoration, we still need a dress, a tuxedo, rings…”
The list seemed to go on and on, and from the determination in Anya’s voice, Buffy wasn’t really certain any more if Anya remembered for sure which of them would be the one walking down the aisle…