Chapter 2: The Reception
Xander stayed on 'Keep Buffy and Spike from running off and shagging in a dark corner duty' until everyone arrived at The Bronze. A few times, Xander thought he'd lost them. But he found them no matter where they tried to hide: Near the stairs, by the utility closet, on the upper level. Finally, they resigned themselves to the fact that they couldn't be alone until they left to catch their flight to Hawaii.
Buffy and Spike would have gone with the 'Dingoes' playing at the Reception, but since Oz was a member of the wedding party they didn't want him to have to work all day. Instead, they hired a DJ. The stage was still set up for a little live music--Spike wanted to perform a song for Buffy. At the appropriate time, Spike and the Dingoes planned on belting out a song dedicated to the bride.
The Bronze was decorated, courtesy of their friends, with white streamers, white paper bells and balloons. A big, glittery banner that read, 'Congratulations Buffy and Spike!' hung on the wall behind the bridal table.
"They did a great job with the decorations, didn't they, baby?" Buffy asked, hugging Spike around the waist.
"Yeah, everything looks lovely." Spike smiled, looking at Xander.
"I made the banner!" Xander said puffing himself up, sounding like a proud child.
Buffy laughed and patted him on the head. "You did good, Xan. Thanks."
"Let's check out some of the other decorations, pet." Spike took her hand and started leading her away.
Xander tagged along with them.
"Xander, we don't need a chaperone," Spike said with irritation. He wanted to get Buffy alone.
"Nope. Sorry. I'm supposed to stick to you like glue," Xander said.
"Geez, you'd think we're some kind of sex maniacs. They think they have to put Xander on 'keep them from shagging guard'." Buffy said with a sly smile, despite her annoyance.
Spike smirked back. "They know us too well, pet."
He put his arms around her.
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After all the guests arrived, the party went into full swing.
Everyone came up and congratulated the couple. Buffy was squeeing with happiness at the heaps of gifts on the gift table. She couldn't wait to tear into them when they got back from Maui.
The wedding party sat at the long table that had been set up for them specially. Before they started on their meals, Xander tapped his champagne flute with his knife to get the room's attention.
"Bloody hell..." Spike whispered to Buffy. "Xander's going to make his toast. He said he'd packed it with jokes..."
"Oh?" Buffy smiled nervously at Xander. He wouldn't make any--inappropriate or just plain bad jokes... would he?
Everyone looked to their table, waiting for Xander to begin. He was smiling broadly.
"I always wanted to do that," Xander said, to the chuckles of the guests. "I was 'chuffed to bits' as the groom would say, when Spike asked me to be his best man. You know the trouble with being the best man? You never get to prove it. Kidding! I kid, because I love. Seriously folks, I've known Buffy for a long time, she's one of the sweetest, kindest, most beautiful people--inside and out--that I know. She deserves only the best."
Buffy smiled up at Xander and held Spike's hand.
Xander continued. "Now, when I first met Spike, I wasn't sure what to make of him. Here's this dude with bleached blonde hair, a British accent and a lot of swagger..." Spike narrowed his eyes, not knowing where Xander was going with this. "But, I gave him a chance. And I'm glad I did. It turns out that he's one of the best friends I've ever had. Many a male-bonding session was spent watching action movies, playing video games, complaining about chicks and beating on our drums in the forest. Well, we haven't gotten to the drum beating yet, but we do have a camping trip planned in a few months." Xander grinned at the laughs he got.
"I couldn't be happier for you guys--I mean that. You two have been through a lot together. Sometimes it's been really rough, I know. But you came through everything good as gold, your bond stronger than ever. All of us who are close to you can see how much you love each other, and it's inspiring."
Buffy sniffled, her face twisting up in an attempt to keep from crying.
With the more serious part of the toast out of the way, Xander relaxed a little more. "And finally, may the happy couple lie, steal and cheat." They looked at him with furrowed brows. "May they lie in each other's arms, may they steal away for a blissful honeymoon, and may they cheat time to live as long as possible." Spike smirked and shook his head. "Congratulations, Buffy and Spike." Xander raised his glass. "May your love guide you through life and echo in eternity."
Buffy, Spike and just about everyone else there stared at Xander in surprise.
"What? I can't say cool stuff like that?" Xander said in mock-offense. "Ok, Giles helped me come up with that one, but--the sentiment is there."
Everyone laughed and clinked glasses. Murmurs of 'To Buffy and Spike' came from around the room.
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After lunch, Buffy and Spike went onto the dance floor.
"Now Buffy and Spike will trip the light fantastic to their first dance as a married couple." The DJ announced.
'Maybe I'm Amazed', the song Spike had sung for her at the Prom began playing. He took his bride in his arms and swayed to the music. Buffy put her arms on his shoulders and smiled up into his blue eyes.
"So far, so good," Buffy said. "I haven't done anything dumb yet."
"Everything's been perfect." Spike grinned and kissed her lightly.
Once the first verse was over, other dancers joined them.
Buffy put her head on his shoulder. "I still think 'Wind Beneath My Wings' would've been a good first dance..." she teased. She knew his distaste for the song.
"I know, pet. The DJ said he'll play it before we leave. We can still dance to it."
"It's a perfectly good song."
"Yes, I know..." Spike said.
"You're humoring me, aren't you?"
"Maybe a little..." He smirked.
"I'm happy with this song too. Very happy." She beamed at him. "I'll never forget when you sang for me at the Prom. That was the most romantic moment of my life."
"Hmmm, you mean I can't hope to top that?" Spike asked with a sexy smile.
"There have been so many--I can't pick a favorite anymore." Buffy said. "But you're welcome to try and top yourself any old time you want. The rest of that night was pretty memorable too--with the candles and flowers...the satin pajamas..."
"I have some wicked plans for you later, Mrs. Summers-Giles," Spike whispered.
"Oooh, I like the way my name rolls right off the tongue, Mr. Gi-" Buffy stopped. "Ick, I can't call you Mr. Giles. That's what I used to call your dad."
"Right. I'm just Spike, William when you're especially pissed or just 'Tiger Drawers'." Spike grinned.
Buffy giggled against his chest. "You don't wear 'drawers', tiger or otherwise."
"Hmmm, you're right. That nickname wouldn't be appropriate. I hadn't thought it through, obviously."
"That little fact is always in the back of my mind." Buffy smiled. She leaned in to whisper to him. "It's so sexy...knowing there's only a thin layer of material at all times between me and 'Little Spike'..."
Spike groaned quietly. Feeling her hot breath on his ear was making him wicked horny. "God, I can't wait to get you alone..."
"A few more dances...then we'll sneak off somewhere quiet," Buffy said conspiratorially. "Hang in there, big boy..."
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A bit later, Willow walked up to Xander and Cordy at the bridal table.
"Have you guys seen Buffy and Spike? They're supposed to cut the cake soon." Willow asked, looking around.
They shook their heads.
"Uh-oh. You don't think they're..." Xander trailed off.
"I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did. Those two just can't keep their hands off each other," Cordy said, munching on a ladyfinger cookie.
"What are we going to do?" Willow whispered. "We're on a schedule here. We're supposed to do cake, Spike sings, the throwing of the bouquet, then they have to leave to catch their plane. They're going to throw everything off!"
"Don't worry, we'll find them." Xander stood up. "There aren't that many places--"
"Do you hear something?" Cordy asked.
Xander and Willow listened, not hearing anything out of the ordinary.
"No, I--" Xander started to say.
"Shhh!" Cordy waved a hand at him and concentrated. She looked behind the table at the wall. "It's coming from that vent."
Willow and Xander went closer. Now, they could make out some low moaning.
"Ok, either the place is haunted, or someone is--doin' the nasty near an air vent," Xander said, listening as the moans became louder, accompanied by some thumping.
Willow's eyes bugged out. "Oh no! They're doing it again in the utility closet! Geez! They couldn't wait until tonight!?"
"Huh?" Xander asked, then his eyes widened too. "Again--you mean that was them...that time?"
"Come on!" Willow grabbed a bug-eyed Xander by the arm and pulled him behind her. "We have to stop them before everyone hears them!"
"I'm not missing this," Cordy said brushing the powder from her cookie off her hands, then following them.
Willow stopped outside the utility closet, her hand poised to knock.
"Go on," Xander said.
Willow bit her lip then rapped on the door. "We can hear you through the vent out there!" she whispered against the door. "Stop it!"
Spike came up behind Cordy. "Hey Cordy, what's so fascinating?" he asked with a creased brow.
"Hi, Spike. We're--" Cordy stopped and turned around, looking thoroughly puzzled. "Spike? What are you doing out here?"
"Where am I supposed to be?" he asked.
Buffy joined them, linking an arm through Spike's. "We need you guys out in the main room. We're going to cut the cake in a minute."
Xander and Willow turned to stare at the newlyweds.
"I--how did you get out here?" Xander asked.
"What are you talking about? We were on the upper level chattin' with some of Buffy's cousins," Spike said.
"Sounds--Cordy heard sounds coming from - we thought it was you guys..." Willow said. "Ooops! Someone else is--doing it in there! Let's get out of here!" Her face colored and she tried pushing Xander to make a quick getaway.
The door creaked open.
Joyce slipped through the opening fluffing up her hair. The others stared at her with open mouths.
"Umm--I--I thought this was the bathroom," Joyce chuckled. "Boy, is my face red!" She shifted from foot to foot. "Hey, this is a party, right!? Let's go out there and dance!"
Joyce tried shuffling them away from the door.
"Mom, who was in there with you!?" Buffy asked with her hands on her hips. She refused to move from the spot without getting to the bottom of this.
"Uh--no one!" Joyce said quickly. "Just me! All alone..."
A moment later, Giles came out of the small room smoothing back his hair. He jumped when he saw everyone looking at him.
"Oh--except--except for Rupert...he thought it was the--uh--the bathroom...too..." Joyce finished lamely.
"Erm...what's--uh...hello..." Giles mumbled, straightening his slightly askew glasses. They were also a bit fogged up.
"Oh my God! Mom, you and Giles!?" Buffy asked, her mouth dropped open in shock.
Joyce and Giles blushed and looked away.
"Bloody hell..." Spike and Giles said at the same time.
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Somehow, they were able to get on with the festivities. Buffy and Spike had been thrown for a loop by their parents' unexpected fling.
The tiered wedding cake was cut, the couple did the obligatory feeding cake to each other bit. Lots of pictures were snapped, lots of merriment was had. Spike had teased Buffy earlier, saying that he was going to 'really let her have it' with the cake. But he had behaved himself, feeding her a tiny piece to nibble on. The little plastic couple on top of the cake had been modified. The groom figure was given blonder hair, a little scar on his left eyebrow, the eyebrow had also been redrawn to give it an arched appearance - now it looked more like Spike.
"We're almost done here," Buffy whispered to her husband. "I can't wait to be Maui bound."
"Me either, pet. Would you rather I skip the song so we can leave sooner?"
Buffy looked horrified. "No way! I want my sexy, oh-so-delicious hubby to sing me a song."
Spike grimaced. "I hate that word--hubby..."
"I think it's cute, hubby!" Buffy giggled and kissed his cheek.
"You're going to drive me round the bend yet." Spike smiled.
"Speaking of being driven nuts...what are we going to do about our parents?"
"What is there to do? They want to be together, there's nothin' we can do about it...or should do about it. We had our own little struggles to be together, pet..."
"I know...but...they were--" She leaned in and whispered, "doing it in the closet! My mom doesn't do stuff like that!"
"Well, neither did my Da. He's as straight-laced and proper as can be." A devilish smirk twisted up on his lips. "Maybe there's just something that happens when a Summers woman and Giles man come together...some irresistible force that makes them...do things they never thought they'd do..."
Despite the gross-out factor, Buffy couldn't help but smile. "Maybe...but they were in our closet!"
Spike hugged her close. "We'll have to re-christen it when we get back from Hawaii--make it ours again..." Spike said in his best orgasmo-voice.
Xander walked over. "The band's set up, Spike. You ready?"
"Yeah, I'm ready." Spike gave his wife a tender kiss then went up on stage with the Dingoes.
Spike and Oz strapped on their guitars, the rest of the band didn't look they were going to participate. They were just sitting back to watch.
"I'm going to play a song for my bride, my beautiful Buffy. She knows everything about me, yet loves me just the same," Spike said into the microphone, smiling down at his blushing bride. "This is a song I've always loved. Whenever I'd hear it, I would always think how nice it would be to meet someone that I could feel this way about - and now I have, and I made sure I bloody well married her! Wasn't gonna let this one get away." He smirked.
The guests chuckled.
Buffy grinned up at him proudly.
"Alright, 'Time in a Bottle' by Jim Croce. This one's for you, pet," Spike said to Buffy then started to play.
Oz and Spike's acoustic guitars were the only instruments playing. The light sounds combined in a most ear-pleasing way.
He looked down into Buffy's sparkling eyes. Spike's soft, deep voice began:
"If I could save Time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
'Til Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you"
"If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you"
"But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with"
Buffy and Spike smiled adoringly at each other during the instrumental part. Oz and Spike plucked at their guitars. Buffy loved watching his long fingers dance over the strings and frets, he made it look effortless. She was torn between looking at his hands and his beautiful lips as the words were pushed past them by his talented tongue. He had to be the world's most romantic man--she was so lucky.
"If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory
Of how they were answered by you"
"But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with"
When Spike strummed the last chord, the guests cheered loudly. Buffy sniffled, wiping a tear of happiness from her eye. Spike knelt down on the stage and leaned over the edge to kiss his wife soundly. Buffy took his face in her hands and kissed him back enthusiastically.
The guests said, "Awwww!"
"That was beautiful, Spike. Thank you." Buffy gave him a watery smile.
"My pleasure, pet."
Spike pulled back then stood up.
"Thank you." He smiled at the crowd. "That was from the heart. I'd like to do one more song dedicated to Buffy. This one's a little livelier...I would have liked this one to be the song that she walked down the aisle to, but..." Spike shrugged.
The other band members picked up their instruments and prepared to play. Spike exchanged his acoustic for an electric guitar, Oz strapped on his bass. An excited Xander even joined them on stage and took up his trusty tambourine. He waved at a smiling Cordy.
Buffy looked at Spike, perplexed. He didn't say he was going to do two songs. She wondered what the next one could be, he'd already made her melt into a big ol' puddle of goo with the first song. What was he trying to do, make her do a 'Wicked Witch of the West' and dissolve right out of her dress?
"One, two, one, two, three, four..." Spike counted.
Buffy blinked at the loudness level of the guitars starting off the song, it was a jolt after the soft, sweet song he'd performed.
Spike jumped up into the air when the drums kicked in, doing an air split then hopped up and down to the heavy rock beat, bobbing his head.
He leaned into the microphone and started singing in a rough, raw voice (a sharp contrast to his voice just a minute ago), his face scrunched up with intensity:
"She was a fast machine
She kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman that I ever seen
She had the sightless eyes
Telling me no lies [Spike winked at Buffy]
Knockin' me out with those American thighs
Taking more than her share
Had me fighting for air
She told me to come but I was already there"
"'Cause the walls start shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and you--"
Spike pointed at Buffy. Xander leaned over into Oz' mic and joined in singing the chorus.
"Shook me all night long
Yeah you shook me all night long"
Buffy was stunned. She mouthed to her grinning husband the words, "I'm going to kill you!"
She put her hands over her face, giggling and blushing like crazy despite the fact she wanted to kick Spike's cute ass for this. Willow and Cordy stood on either side of her, poking her in the sides and laughing. Buffy peeked at him up on stage between her fingers--he was lucky he was so hot, otherwise she might just have dragged him off and beat him to death.
"Working double time
On the seduction line
She was one of a kind, she's just mine all mine
She wanted no applause
Just another course
Made a meal out of me and came back for more
Had to cool me down
To take another round
Now I'm back in the ring to take another swing"
"'Cause the walls was shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and you - "
Spike smiled and pointed down at Buffy again.
"Shook me all night long
Yeah you shook me all night long"
"And knocked me out and then you
Shook me all night long
You had me shakin' and you
Shook me all night long
Yeah you shook me
Well you took me"
Spike pursed his lips and played the guitar solo. He strutted back and forth across the stage, doing his best Angus Young impression. His guitar wailed. The guests were bopping and dancing to the spirited rendition of the song. After some showboating, he ran back to the mic to finish up the song.
"You really took me and YOU
Shook me all night long
Ahh-ahh-ahh you
Shook me all night long
Yeah, yeah, you
Shook me all night long"
"Your really took me and you
Shook me all night long
Yeah you shook me, yeah you shook me
All night long!"
The crowd roared their approval, clapping and shouting for more. Spike bowed at the waist melodramatically, then put down his guitar. He jumped off the stage in front of Buffy, waiting to be kissed or strangled by her.
Buffy narrowed her eyes, glaring at him for a moment before breaking out into a fit of giggles. She threw her arms around her somewhat sweaty groom.
"I am so going to kick your ass later for that..." Buffy whispered, then bit down hard on his earlobe.
"Ow!" Spike grunted. "Not so hard, pet! You can spank my little botty later for my transgressions..."
"Oh, I will, mister--count on it." Buffy gave him an extra hard pinch on said botty.
Spike yelped and jumped away from her, to the laughs of the guests.
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At long last, the time for Buffy and Spike's big exit came.
Buffy tossed the bouquet. There was a mad scramble for it by the single women. Her cousin Dawn came up the winner. The 16-year-old shouted in triumph, jumping up and down in excitement. She batted her eyes at Adrian. The swarthy escort (who bore a striking resemblance to Antonio Banderas) smiled at the fawning girl.
"You make sure your friend Adrian stays away from Dawn..." Buffy whispered nervously to Spike.
"No worries, pet. Ade likes older women, 40-ish and worldly. The Nibblet doesn't stand a chance. She does seem quite smitten with him."
They said their goodbyes to their guests, gave their parents hugs and then headed back to their house accompanied by Willow and Xander. The couple would have preferred to be alone, but they needed help loading up their luggage and a ride to the airport. Sex would have to wait just a bit longer.
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