Destiny's Bitca
By Renee

PLOT - Will Willow's spell make all clear before it's too late?
RATING - PG13
TITLE - Destiny's Bitca
AUTHOR - Renee
SPOILERS - Set during season 6 but before OMWF
DISCLAIMER - Joss Whedon owns the characters and places, I own the smoochies! They're mine, mine I tell you!!!!!!

Chapter 3

The following morning things were hectic, the wedding wasn't until the evening but there were still so many things to be done. Angel had arrived late and decided to sleep on the couch rather than wake the household up. Buffy wandered down the stairs sometime around 10, she looked like a brave little toaster. Everyone else was up and dressed and were buzzing around the house finalising every detail. Buffy ran straight into Angel as she turned to enter the kitchen.

"I...I'm sorry, great way to greet your intended huh?" She smiled softly at Angel and his heart leapt into his throat. In their time apart he'd convinced himself she didn't mean as much, that it had been a crush a fascination but it was a lie, he loved her.
"Hello Buffy." His stare made her uncomfortable so she moved into the living room to distract herself. He followed and watched her carefully as she walked around the room playing with different items. He'd wondered if she was over him and her body language gave him all too clear an answer. He sighed deeply, she may not want him as a husband but he loved her dearly and if going through with all of this would keep her safe then he would do it.

Giles watched them from the doorway, he couldn't help but feel some sense of satisfaction at Buffy's response. He'd watched her fawn over that bastard for years and it had never caused her anything but pain. It was typical that just as she'd gotten over him she was forced once more to turn to him. He spun and left, a stroll was in order, perhaps it would help him to calm down a little. He walked for hours trying to burn away the pain he felt, his one true love would be married in a few short hours. He would have to stand by and watch her meld herself to another, and not just any other but one as unworthy of the thing of beauty that was his slayer, as Angel.

When he returned to the house Willow was aggitated but refused to explain why, he put it down to jitters over the spells they were to perform. The clock was counting down and it was time to begin setting up a safe barrier around the area of Breaker's Woods they would be in. They chanted and sprinkled until their throats were hoarse and their fingers numb, the sun was setting and soon it would be time to pick up the others. Giles handed Willow the keys and told her to pick up Buffy without him, he had a few finishing touches to provide. Shocked, she nodded and hurried away.

They returned an hour later, Willow, Tara and Buffy in the front, Xander, Dawn and Angel in the back. Dawn had been forced to sit between the two boys in the back to avoid any chance of a fight breaking out. Xander had made it very clear that he opposed Buffy's choice in partners and he wasn't afraid to voice it again and again. Buffy gasped when she saw the scene before her, it was like a fairytale. Two rows of candles led to an alter carved in stone. The tree's surrounding the area were aglow with twinkling lights almost like little stars. A maroon red carpet swept to the alter and was lit by chandaliers that seemed to float high above it.

The gang bailed from the car and took their positions in a circle around the alter. Buffy stepped onto the carpet and immediately a string quartet lit up behind her. She spun and began to cry.
"Who did all of this?"
"I did." Giles stepped to her side. He wore a tight pair of riding trousers and a small gentlemans waist jacket, beneath it was a white ruffled shirt. He looked stunning she thought for a moment she would faint from desire.

"Giles you look...stunning." He smiled suprised and warmed by the compliment.
"And you my dearest are a vision." Her heart began to throb, everything about this moment was magical.
"It's all perfect Giles thank you."
"You're quite welcome love." He hoped she hadn't noticed his slip, he wasn't sure where it had come from he was usually so careful.
"The only thing that would make it more perfect was if I were marrying the right man." She hadn't meant to say that aloud, she froze in fear.
His voice was husky as he whispered, "The right man?"
"Well we both know Angel isn't the right man."
"Ah right ... yes, yes we do."

He held his arm out for her and she took it gratefully. They made their way up the aisle as the band began to play. Willow bounced from foot to foot, surely they weren't so stubborn that even magic couldn't penetrate their thick heads. When they reached the alter Buffy unwillingly let go and moved to Angel's side. The others encircled them and held hands. This was wrong it was all wrong, Buffy should be his, this should be their wedding, he could make her happy, her every wish would be his command. His love was bubbling to the surface and threatened to drown him. He broke into a sweat and his hands began to shake, it was all too much, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Noooooooooooooooo!"
Buffy whirled to face him fearful, his voice was filled with unrestrained anger and pain. Her hand reached out towards him, "Giles what's wrong?"
He moved into her touch like a kitten, thankful for any attention its master would provide. His every nerve ending screamed to feel her touch, to be allowed to touch her in return. It was now or never he couldn't allow Buffy to go through with this without the knowlege that he would do anything to be her groom. That he worshipped her, loved her, lived for her.

Willow coaxed the others away from the scene about to begin before them. The spell she'd performed was merely a truth spell, something to break down the walls of denial they'd spent so long building. This was something that should be private, as much as it pained her to pull herself away she knew it was the right thing to do. Whatever was to be revealed was for their eyes only.

Giles sank to his knees and buried his head in her stomach, his arms snaked around her waist and held her to him fiercly. She held him just as tight and stroked his hair calmly, even though inside she was in turmoil. He began to weep and she knelt before him forcing him to meet her gaze.

"I love you Buffy, I'm sorry, I know it's not what you expected or even wanted but I couldn't help myself. I've loved you from the moment I first set eyes upon you, in that moment you became my everything. I...I...live everyday for you, you consume my thoughts and my dreams. I want to spend my life making you feel like a goddess, worshipping at your feet. I want to make love to you, I want to hear you scream my name and taste my flesh. I want to be your all just as you are mine, but I know that will never be. I'm content to just be your friend, your watcher, your anything, just to be by your side but I couldn't let you go through with this without you knowing the truth."

She cried unabashedly as a smile lit her face, it was as enchanting as their surroundings.
"You silly, silly man, don't you know I feel the same way? That I want all of those things too? I've loved you forever Giles, you are my everything. I want to be with you each second of each day and even then it wouldn't be enough. I want to fall asleep in your arms worn out by our endless lovemaking then wake up in them to begin again. I want to hold you and touch you and yes even taste you. God Giles, I've wanted nothing more than all of that for so long."

He stared open mouthed, amazed at her revelation. Surely it was all a dream, some cruel fantasy he would awake from and die a little more inside. She pulled him to her and held him tightly as she sobbed with happiness. Their tears mingled as they kissed and touched desperatly. His hands stroked her cheeks as he placed kisses on every inch of her face, she held the back of his head, her fingers snaking through his hair. She sighed his name over and over as he repeated I love you's between each kiss. She looked into his eyes and the happiness she saw there balmed her every wound. They kissed and giggled until they heard a throat being cleared behind them.

"I hate to break this up guys but someone needs to be getting married tonight and it aint gonna be me." Xander clamped a hand on Giles shoulder and smiled warmly down at him. Giles was a far better choice in his book than Angel could ever be. Giles raised himself to one knee and helped Buffy to her feet.
"Buffy my dearest, would you do me the honour of being my wife?"
Buffy and Willow squealed together as she yanked Giles to his feet and planted a passionate kiss on his soft lips.
"I'll take that as a yes shall I?"
"Yes you shall." She kissed him again and again until Xander was forced to clear his throat again. He liked the idea of them together but he didn't need to be scarred by visions of them getting it on.

Angel had skulked away, the sight of Buffy and Giles together was just too much for his vampyre heart to handle. He gained some small comfort in the knowlege that of anyone Giles could make Buffy happy, would keep her safe, he could take her into the sunlight. Angel took one last lingering look behind him then dissapeared into the shadows.

Giles spoke his portion of the ceremony, never once taking his eyes off of Buffy. She repeated her lines, having to occassionally sneak a peek at the ritual scroll. Willow sprinkled what looked like fairy dust over their heads and the others chanted the binding spell. Giles and Buffy rose inside the circle until their feet were dangling a metre above the earth. A ball of light appeared in their chests and began to spread throughout their bodies until it snaked down their arms and into their joined hands. When the light touched in their clasped hands their heads flew backward and they began to chant in a language neither recognised.

When the chanting was over they slowly returned to the ground as the glow began to fade. They'd been given a miraculous gift, one that wasn't foretold in any literature concerning the ritual. They didn't know how but they were positive that the powers had bestowed this gift upon them. They were now empathically joined, every emotion no matter how tiny would be felt by the other. The love and joy they each pulsed with threatened to overwhelm them. The ceremony was complete, Buffy felt stronger already. Her new power and the love she felt from her husband were more than a match for anything the forces of evil could throw her way.

"You may now kiss the bride." Willow giggled with excitement, she'd never known two people more perfectly matched than the couple before her.
Giles smiled briefly her way then stooped slowly to meet Buffy's upturned face.
"I love you Mrs Giles." Her heart melted at his words.
"I love you too husband."
Their lips met this time not in a frantic tousle of passion but a soft embrace, there was time for passion later, all the time in the world.


The End