Disclaimer: The Characters of BTVS and ATS are the property of Joss Whedon and various other people/entities. I am only using them for fun and entertainment only. This is the sad reality that hits me when I wake up from my naked Spike filled dreams.

Author’s note: Some Dialogue taken from ‘Hell’s Bells’ Once again many hugs and thanks to the great, fantastic, fabulous, wonderful Bloodytearsoflife for the beta. Thanks to Steph, kim, vladt, Opal, akarinacj, wulfie and mary perk for the great reviews
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Chapter 28: The Wedding from Hell

Buffy and Spike walked hand in hand into the reception hall. Whether it was the rain outside, the mood of the guests, the silent cries for vengeance coming from the human guest, or the beyond green dress Buffy was wearing as a bride’s maid, she knew this day was not going to end well.

The rehearsal dinner had been a disaster after Dawn’s emotional outburst, which Liz blamed on ’those wacky teenage hormones’, and the entire vengeance demon population of the restaurant had to sit on their hands and try to think of other things to do while Dawn’s calls for vengeance fell on their ears.

Buffy had glared at them all, including D’Hoffryn. Dawn was a child, which meant the wish was hers.

Of course the best moment of the evening was when Krevlin’s sister granted a wish to Jessica Harris for her husband to embarrass himself. Buffy had laughed out loud when Mr. Harris barfed in Liz’s purse.

Now the wedding day, Buffy and Spike followed in behind D’Hoffryn, her green dress protected by the umbrella Spike was holding. She wasn’t fooled by his apparent attentions. He’d been all gentlemanly and polite. It was very much a William type act he was portraying. It was cute, but she didn’t trust it. She’d known him for too long.

“Ah. Hymen's greetings,” D‘Hoffryn greeted Dawn, holding his gift out to the girl.

Buffy smiled, demon face on, at the teen supportively from behind her boss.

“Hy - what?” came the articulate response, Dawn staring with her mouth open in confusion.

“Hymen, the God of Matrimony. His salutations upon you. May the love we celebrate today avoid an almost inevitable decline,” continued the Master of Arashamahar.

Dawn shrugged. “Cool.”

“I brought a gift. I suppose there's a table,” noted D’Hoffryn, drawing attention to the box which, in Buffy’s opinion was hideously wrapped.

Buffy bit her tongue trying to keep her comments to herself. It wouldn’t do to tell her boss that his choice of wrapping colours sucked big time.

“Dawn!” Buffy smiled, reaching out to give the teen a hug. “You look lovely!”

Dawn blushed and looked down at the greener than green dress that was wearing. “You are just saying that because we are all doomed to wear the hideousness that are the bride’s maids’ dresses.”

“Well there is that,” Buffy admitted.

Spike appeared behind Buffy, now free from coats and umbrellas.

“You brought Spike? As your date?” asked a now jubilant teen, practically bouncing. “That’s so sweet. Not that you need pity or anything. I’m glad you two are talking to each other again. I’m babbling, let me take that, for you,” segued Dawn, taking D’Hoffryn’s gift.

“Thank you,” replied a glad D’Hoffryn as Dawn took the package. “Uh, careful, it's, uh...”

“Fragile?”

“Squirmy.”

Just at that moment, whatever it was that D’Hoffryn had decided to give Anyanka and the Harris boy for a wedding gift, poked one of its tentacles out of the box, causing Dawn to squeak. Dawn held it at arms length and sped away eager to get rid of the box. D’Hoffryn turned towards the couple that stood behind him.

“Do you really think it’s wise for you two to be together here?” he asked bluntly.

Buffy stared back at her boss, her mouth wide. “Huh?” came her response.

“Just why the bloody hell shouldn’t we be together here?” asked Spike, standing up straight and tall, glaring at the ruler of Arashamahar.

D’Hoffryn ran his hand down his beard and sighed. “One of you in Sunnydale seems random...but two raises suspicion. According to the wish, he can’t do anything to one of them. But there are two now...one of them is in danger while you stay here,” he explained as if he was talking to children. For that is what Erixel was to him. His child, his creation and she was too good for this half breed vampire.

Buffy gulped while her eyes sought out Dawn’s form at the gift table. “I just found them, D’Hoffryn!” she whispered, digging her fingers into the leather of Spike’s duster.

D’Hoffryn shook his head sadly. “This is not the time to be explaining to me what I already know, my dear. You are my greatest accomplishment, since Anyanka lost her pendant, and I can’t bear to see you cry. So stop it! It’s a wedding, you don’t cry until you see Anyanka bind her life to that moronic man with the large upper arms.” D’Hoffryn sighed again. “She’s always had a thing for dark haired men with large upper arms didn’t she?”

Buffy turned to Spike, her tears threatening to spill down her face. “I...I have to go...I thought I covered my tracks...I thought I’d...I have to go!” Buffy stepped away only to be caught by his strong arms, preventing her escape.

“Not like this. Not without giving the Nibblet a way to find you. She’s already lost a lot of people. You can’t run out on her. Liz may not want you, but Dawn does. After the wedding. After the wedding you can tell her good bye, if that’s what you have to do,” Spike whispered against her ear as he held her close.

“He’ll find them!” she hissed.

“He’ll think you are here for the wedding, nothing more.”

“William...”

“And I still want my dance at the reception,” he ordered jovially, pushing her gently towards the seats, and like most things, she couldn‘t resist him.
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Buffy sat down in her seat, the front row on the bride’s side, only to have her date excuse himself and leave her sitting there. It wasn’t as if he needed to go to the bathroom or anything, vampire after all. D’Hoffryn sat down beside her and took her hand.

“I had thought you had gotten over him,” observed her boss sadly. “He’ll leave you again, just like all the other times...”

Buffy nodded slowly. “I’m not going to give him the option this time. After the wedding...after I tell Dawn goodbye, I’ll leave. I can’t put her in danger.”

“And what about the Slayer? She’s yours too...” he continued to say but stopped as Buffy shook her head.

“She can take care of herself. She’s surpassed the age I was when the council tried to kill me... She’s made it clear she doesn’t want me here or ever wants to see me again.”

D’Hoffryn nodded. “Any idea where you’ll head next?” he asked.

“I told everyone that I’d gone to Australia...I’ll probably head there,” she sighed.

“I’d like you to keep an ear out for Anyanka though,” started the grey demon. “I don’t feel right about this whole marriage she’s getting herself into. There may be a need for vengeance later. I’d like you do be there for her.”

Buffy agreed as D’Hoffryn patted her hand. The conversation in the hall reached a new level of intensity as the assembled guests had all been seated and the scheduled time for the marriage ceremony had passed. Aside from herself, the wedding party was nowhere to be seen. Buffy excused herself from D’Hoffryn’s side and went in search of answers.
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“Hello, Liz.”

Buffy heard Spike’s voice in the lobby and saw a familiar shade of green. Buffy stopped her approach and ducked behind some flowers. It wasn’t nice to eavesdrop, but she was a demon and sometimes she allowed herself to do the impolite thing.

“I heard you were here,” responded Liz, her tone harsh. “Also heard you brought a demon as your date.

“More like she brought me. And she’s not just some demon. You know who she is...”

“A liar, a demon and oh ya, she’s corrupting Dawn!”

“She’s not corrupting the nibblet!” countered Spike. “She just wants what’s best for the both of you.” Spike looked from side to side watching to see if anyone was eavesdropping, besides Buffy. “She’s family, pet.”

“Bull shit!” the Slayer exclaimed, looking very much like she wanted to throw a fit.

“Then explain why you look so much like her?”

“I don’t know! She’s a shape shifter or something.”

Spike scoffed.

“I don’t know what’s worse, you making puppy dog eyes at me all the time, stalking me, telling me that I belong in the dark, or taking her defence. She’s a demon Spike.”

“So am I, Liz. Something you throw in my face on a daily basis and I’m sick and tired of hearing it!” he snarled, before taking a deep breath and starting again in a low voice. “I’m a demon, she’s a demon. I’ve known her a hell of a lot longer than you, Slayer. Just so you know, I’m more inclined to trust her. She‘s not been beating me for kicks. I came out here to ask you to let her see Dawn. ‘Course now I realise just how much of a waste of time that was. Enjoy the wedding.”

Spike stepped away from Liz with purpose, catching Buffy’s eye as he walked towards her. Turning around the corner he caught her arm gently and led her back towards the seats.

“Been spying on me, love?” he asked smugly, smirk in place.

“Was wondering what was holding up the wedding,” she responded truthfully. “I didn’t intend to spy... But thank you for what you said, what you tried to do. Thanks for standing up for me. Not that it matters anyway. I can’t stay here, with them. Liz...She’s...“ Buffy sighed. “It’s going to be like Christopher all over again. With Dawn. Isn‘t it?” Spike had no answer for her except a grim smile.

They reached their seats, sat and waited for the wedding to start. Buffy sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she felt the stares from the assorted demons lighting on the pair of them. It was all she could do to keep from relaxing into her human face.

The noise was getting gradually louder. Buffy’s ears picked up the conversations around her. A demon couple a few rows back was talking about D’Hoffryn’s Vengeance Demon conference, how the Master of Arashmahar was recycling themes. Who wouldn’t after thousands of years? Krevlin was talking up his next party; he’d acquired some rare demon heads he was going to juggle. And then there was a group of vengeance demons at the back that were openly talking about Erixel and how low she’d sunk.

Buffy perked up her head and caught Spike’s eye. He’d heard it too.

“You pay them no mind, love,” he said encouragingly.

Buffy nodded. Suddenly the music started and Liz walked by, trying to shush the quartet. She watched intently as Liz spoke with the minister and then walked back down the aisle.

Vampire ears were better than Vengeance Demon’s.

“Sounds like the whelp has run out,” whispered Spike, so low that only Buffy could hear.

“I’m worried about Anyanka,” commented D’Hoffryn, as if he’d heard the whispered comment too.

Buffy felt a tear trickle down her cheek. Anya didn’t deserve this.

Liz came back down the aisle and stood in front of the microphone. “So who here’s from out of town?”

Buffy rolled her eyes.
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“What do you mean Xander's missing?!” Anya’s voice rang out through the hall.

Buffy turned in her seat, and looked at her friend. It was heart breaking. Anya hadn’t gotten to the point of vengeance yet, but all around her Buffy could sense that the other vengeance demons were looking to get a piece of the action.

The silence escalated into an all out brawl. Buffy leapt to her feet and looked into the crowd for Dawn.

“Your crypt,“ Buffy said to Spike, disappearing in a puff of smoke only to reappear next to the frightened girl standing in the middle of the fighting. Buffy grabbed her hand and opened a portal, tugging Dawn through, just as a member of the Harris family flew at them.

Buffy stepped into her Arashamahar lair with a sigh.

“Where...where are we?” asked a slightly frightened Dawn. One minute she was about to be clobbered and then, poof! She was somewhere she’d never been before.

“We’re in Arashamahar,” Buffy stated. “This is the place which all Vengeance Demons call home. This is my room actually.”

Buffy watched as Dawn stepped tentatively about the room, her hands reaching out to touch things, pictures, clothes that were scattered about the room.

“Everything is so...”

“Old?” finished Buffy.

“I was going to say delicate, but I’ll go with old too,” continued Dawn. The teenager reached out for a photograph in a brass frame next to the bed. “Is this your son?” she asked.

Buffy took the picture from Dawn’s hand and lovingly touched the glass. She nodded. “My beautiful boy. So much like his father. Too proud for his own good. He had a good life, a good wife and a wonderful family. I was so sad when he died. I didn’t know that I could go on. Somehow I managed though.”

“Like I did when my mom died,” agreed Dawn. “Liz isn’t going to let me see you anymore. Kidnapping me from the wedding isn’t going to help.”

Buffy nodded. “I know. We should get back.”

“To the wedding from hell? Nuh uh.”

Buffy took Dawn’s hand and opened a portal again, this time connecting to Spike’s crypt.

“This’ll make Liz even madder,” noted Dawn looking around the place where the portal opened.

“Dawn, we need to talk,” sighed Buffy looking her great-great-great granddaughter in the eyes.

“Conversations are never good when they start with that. Are you leaving? Please don’t leave. Don’t make Liz drive you away. I like you! You pay attention to me. You’re fun to be around. Please don’t go,” whined Dawn with her best puppy dog eyes.

“I can’t stay,” Buffy said around the lump that was forming in her throat. “If I stay, the demon who wants to sacrifice my offspring? He’ll find you. D’Hoffryn’s already said as much that he’s on to where I am. I can’t stay here and lead him to you. I want you to know that I love you. It doesn’t matter that I’ve only known you for a few weeks. You are my family Dawn.” Buffy reached up and brushed away a tear that rolled down Dawn’s face. “I’ll always have an ear open for you. You need anything, a quick escape, a vengeance wish, the need to get away from your sister. Just call out my name, okay?”

Dawn nodded and wrapped her arms around Buffy in a hug.

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Anya?” asked Dawn, pulling away from the hug.

“I won’t have to Dawnie. I can feel her cries for vengeance already. The wedding didn’t go through. If D’Hoffryn has any say about it, Anyanka will be back occupying her lair in Arashamahar.”

“She’s going to be a demon again?”

Buffy shrugged her shoulders, turning as Spike appeared from the basement level of the crypt.

“Your sister will be missing you,” stated Buffy, opening another portal and grabbing Dawn’s hand. She reached out and took Spike’s hand as well leading them both through the portal and back into her lair.

“You’ll visit though right?” asked Dawn.

Buffy smiled sadly. “Of course I will! Family!”

With another quick hug, Buffy opened a portal again and sent Dawn through, and back to the wedding.
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tbc...