Chapter 17
A Near Run ThingThe light flared for half a second before it became a tiny swarm of bright pinpoints that spun around the room like flurry of incandescent snowflakes. There was a sense of waiting.
“I ask you to mark all magic brought past thee to impede a true union,” Tara said in a clear voice.
The sense of waiting faded. Dawn yawned and that started Buffy as well.
“It’s keyed to us, right?” Willow asked.
“Yes,” Tara said frowning.
“What’s wrong?” Buffy grumbled.
“I don’t know,” Tara said looking around the room.
“Honey, it’s not quite six o’clock in the morning,” Willow pointed out fighting off her own yawn. “You know how casting when you’re tired makes you…unhappy.”
“Right,” Tara said giving in and yawning. “Unhappy.”
“Magic at sunrise would make me unhappy,” Dawn said tiredly.
“Can we get a bit more sleep now?” Buffy asked. “It’s going to be a long day.”
“Am I really going to be able to see magic?” Dawn asked as the four women headed out the door
“We all will,” Willow explained as the door closed behind them. “It’ll look like an outline of light. The redder it is the more dangerous it is.”
Inside the Bison Lodge a potted plant was slowly suffused with a crimson glow that faded with the first touch of sunlight.
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Hours later Tara hurried up the stairs to her dorm room. She had forgotten the blue charm she’d made for Anya and her earrings. Miss Kitty yowled at her as soon as she opened the door. Tara petted the cat briefly and managed to keep feline help to a minimum until Miss Kitty leapt and batted an earring under the bed. Five minutes later Tara was back at the car. Buffy looked at her and smirked.
“Cat playing keep-away?” Buffy asked.
“How did you know?” Tara wondered suspiciously.
“The dust bunnies in your hair.”
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Willow was on her second pass through the checklist. Two bulging soft-sided totes, five covered dry cleaning bags, one oversized garment bag, and her laptop were ready to go. Tara knew the redhead was distracted when she didn’t even get a peck on the cheek. Buffy took the clipboard out of Willow’s hands.
“Hey!” Willow snapped. “I need that!”
“You need that more,” Buffy said pointing at Tara.
“Hi,” Willow said looking a bit abashed.
“Hi,” Tara said kissing her.
“Okay, back to being organizers,” Buffy said handing Willow back her clipboard. “What goes on this trip?”
“All the bags, Dawn and Giles,” Willow said looking at her list. “You pick up Carol and Karen on the way there. Tito and Ollie have been called and are on the way to the Lodge. That finishes Phase One,” Willow looked up from her list. “Phase Two is the cake. It’s getting a magical escort from Tara and me. Then Giles and Tara pick up Anya for Phase Three.”
“Right,” Buffy said as Dawn and Giles arrived in the kitchen. “Head’em up and move’em out.”
“It’s like driving with John Wayne,” Dawn muttered.
“Let’s mosey along then,” Giles said grabbing the dry cleaning bags. Dawn gave the totes a measuring look.
“I’ll leave those to the chauffer,” she said as she theatrically swept out the door with the garment bag.
“You’re in back,” Buffy called after her. Then the Slayer picked up the totes. She gave Willow a raised eyebrow. “They’ll probably have a sink there.”
“You can never be sure,” Willow said solemnly.
Tara closed the door behind the Slayer. Then she turned to Willow.
“Two of us for the cake?” she asked.
“Yeah, and I want to make sure you’re calm for this,” Willow said as she gently pushed Tara against the wall.
“And just how do you propose to calm me down?” Tara asked.
Willow showed her.
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Xander looked around his apartment and wondered how anyone ever got married without eloping. Uncle Rory was at least sober, but that meant he would be doing practical jokes. Xander looked at his uncle as the older man picked up a knife and looked at Krevlin. The warty demon was one of Halfrek’s cousins, if Xander remembered correctly. The demon popped open the fridge and looked inside with a disappointed shake of his head.
“Xan, you’ve got to get more low carb choices,” Krevlin sighed.
“There’s nothing wrong with toast,” Rory said looking into the toaster. “Unless it gets stuck.”
With that the old man plunged a butter knife into the toaster. He started to shake.
“Don’t worry!” Krevlin shouted. “I know CPR! Time for the breath of life!”
“Whoa!” Rory shouted. “It’s unplugged!”
“Gotcha!” Krevlin chuckled. Rory punched Krevlin on the shoulder and joined in the laughter.
Xander sighed.
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Anya stared at the mirror with worried eyes.
“This is all wrong,” she muttered.
“It looks fine,” Giles said looking at his watch.
“Just a second,” Tara said concentrating. She carefully wrapped a scarf around Anya’s hair and the soft bending curlers therein.
“You don’t think my eyes are too puffy?” Anya asked. Behind her Giles pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Why don’t you bring the beauty mask?” Tara suggested. “You can wear it while we get you into your gown.”
“Perfect!” Anya chirped.
“Just doing my duty as maid of honor,” Tara said with a smile.
“You’re the best!” Anya insisted as she hugged Tara.
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“Great Caesar’s ghost!” Burns snapped recoiling from the plate before him. “What’s that?”
“Gravnak,” Saunders replied.
“No it’s not,” Burns insisted. “I’ve had Gravnak. They’re great fresh. This is like Gravnak that’s been bled out and frozen.”
“Exactly,” Saunders said.
“Yuck!” Burns spat.
“The blood is now part of a decorative chamaedorea cataractarum in a pot inside the doors of the Bison Lodge,” Saunders explained. “Any spell cast by Tara Maclay, given her power and magical heritage, will resonate with the now contaminated living plant. The Gravnak you ingest will let you slip by her spell.”
“You know this broad?” Stewart Burns asked suspiciously.
“We have a file on all Miss Summers’ associates,” Saunders replied. “Miss Rosenberg is more powerful but she is currently recovering, unfortunately, from an encounter with an old client of our West Coast branch. There are some disturbing abnormalities in the castings done about Miss Maclay.”
“So to get me past the witches spells connected to the whatever it is I have to eat this crap?” Burns asked poking at the meat in front of him.
“Yes, and the plant is commonly called a cat palm,” Saunders said. “Is revenge on Anyanka worth it?”
“Pass the ketchup.”
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“This is so unfair,” Buffy groused.
“Sorry,” Willow said.
“That didn’t sound like you’re not sorry at all,” Buffy said looking into the mirror. “Don’t you think it would be a good thing to join us in the misery of bridesmaidhood?”
“I don’t think that’s a word,” Willow replied looking to the mirror. “But it should be. Hurry up. You’re late for Phase Four - Meet and Greet.”
“I’m in this teal monstrosity and you’re doing Marlene Dietrich one better,” Buffy complained.
Willow smiled as she looked in the mirror. She had bought the Dana Cote D’Azur tuxedo suit on a whim at a thrift shop for a Drama project that had never been finished. It had taken Buffy’s jealous questions to understand what she had. The white shirt Willow wore with the short standing collar closed by an onyx button had been Dawn’s find. The suit’s black slacks came down just perfectly to her black low-heeled pumps that had never looked this good before.
“You’re loving this, aren’t you?” Buffy asked.
“Oh yeah!”
“Fine,” Buffy pouted. “You go reinforce Dawn and I’ll check up on the soon to be wedded couple.”
“People are going to eventually see you in that dress,” Willow said with a grin.
“Shoo!”
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“Just go get ready,” Anya said to Tara in her gentlest voice. “Giles can help me get things out of boxes and bags and then you can concentrate on me and the wedding.”
“Okay,” Tara said taking her dress without hesitation.
As she left Tara looked at Giles and gave him a reassuring smile. Giles turned back to carefully laid out contents of the totes. He stopped when Anya’s hand touched his.
“I really wanted to say thank you,” Anya said quietly.
“It’s an honor,” Giles replied with a wistful smile.
“Not just for the walking me down the aisle and the-the dowry,” she explained. “I mean even for breaking my amulet. Well, that wasn’t technically you since it was a pocket dimension with a split timeline that collapsed but really it was you in the ways that mattered. If you hadn’t done that I never would have met my best friend, let alone be getting married to him. I know we haven’t always meshed perfectly but you gave me responsibility in the marketplace and a lot more.”
“You’re worth it,” Giles said. Then he kissed her forehead and gave her a hug. He took Anya’s return hug without a sound.
“You’d better go check on my future husband,” Anya said releasing him. “He knows tool belts, not tuxedos.”
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“What’s wrong?” Saunders asked as he drove Stewart Burns to the Bison Lodge.
“The Gravnak could have used a bit more ketchup,” Burns said covering his mouth. “Don’t quit your day job and open a restaurant.”
“I’ll take your advice to heart,” Saunders replied dryly.
“Lawyers have hearts?”
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Xander stared at his opponent and had to admit defeat. His hands rose once more to his throat. This had to be perfect. He looked at the diagram again. It was less than helpful.
“Bloody complicated things those bow ties,” Giles said behind him. “I thought there might be a problem since you’re too sensible to have wasted time on such an arcane art form.”
“Please tell me among your many accomplishments you’ve mastered this art,” Xander pleaded. “I left my staple gun at home.”
“Look straight ahead,” Giles said. “I can’t do this unless I’m tying it in the mirror.”
Xander watched Giles as the older man concentrated and managed to get the black silk to form a fairly neat bow.
“I might be able to do a better job,” Giles frowned.
“Not unless you’re real name is Bond, James Bond,” Xander said touching the bow and smiling.
“Hardly,” Giles smiled.
“I’m doing the right thing, aren’t I?” Xander asked suddenly as he turned to look at Giles.
“I believe everyone is expecting you in a tuxedo, yes,” Giles replied.
“No, I mean-I mean what if I’m not good enough for Anya?” Xander asked in a rush. “I know I’m a good carpenter but what about slow times or if there’s a drop in the housing market or…”
“Do you think you should wait?” Giles asked quietly.
“Maybe, but its a bit late now,” Xander shrugged.
“I waited,” Giles said steadily. “I met someone, a divorcée in fact, that I first tolerated, then admired, and finally became friends with. There might have been more, but I waited until the time was right. Then she got sick, and that wasn’t the right time I told myself. She got better and I told myself I’d wait until she’s recovered to tell her how I feel.”
“Then Joyce died,” Xander said in a whisper.
“Yes,” Giles said as he closed his eyes.
Xander turned to the mirror one last time. He saw the scene in the park, Warren lifting his pistol and pointing it at his best friend and Willow. Xander remembered how he’d felt in that instant.
“I’m not waiting,” he said calmly. “Let’s go. I’m getting married.”
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“Mom? Dad?”
“Hi honey,” Sheila Rosenberg said brightly.
“You look like a million bucks,” Ira Rosenberg said proudly.
“Where’s Xander?” Sheila asked holding up her camera. “I’ve got to get a picture of him all dressed up.”
“Where’s the present table?” Ira asked.
“Over there,” Willow said in a stunned tone.
“Now don’t get out of that outfit too fast,” Sheila said. “I want a picture of you and Tara too. Oh! Stanley! Hello-excuse me dear. Ira, Stanley’s here.”
“She got Tara’s name right,” Willow said after a second in a shocked voice. “She got her name right.”
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“Welcome, sir,” Dawn said politely to the multi horned demon.
“Hymen’s greetings,” D’Hoffryn declared.
“Thank you,” Dawn said hoping it was the right thing.
“Oh,” D’Hoffryn said brightly. “Have you studied the god of matrimony?”
“I’ve been reading a lot,” Dawn said going with the moment.
“Excellent, excellent,” D’Hoffryn nodded. “Too many young people these days are wrapped up in the Internet and video games. Oh, forgive me, I brought a present.”
“How pleasant a gift,” Dawn said sweetly as the box rocked in her hands. “Is there any reason it can’t go in the ‘ensorcelled’ gifts pile?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” D’Hoffryn said quickly.
“The spell on the box?” Dawn said easily. She kept smiling as she felt a tentacle touch her lightly.
“Oh, I know he’s not housebroken but he was the last one of the litter and they were going to send him to the pound,” D’Hoffryn said in an embarrassed tone. Dawn looked in one hole as a puppy’s muzzle came out. “His first transformation!” D’Hoffryn said happily. “Who’s the best wuggums? Oh-ah, sorry.”
“You know they’re going to be on a long honeymoon?” Dawn said quickly. “I’m sure you know how much that first few days with a new owner means in…their development.”
“True…” D’Hoffryn said looking wistfully at the box.
“Besides, do you really think Anya and Xander are mature enough to do a good job raising him?” Dawn asked in a soft, conspiratorial tone.
“Well…now that you mention it…”
“What he needs is a mature person to bring out his best,” Dawn said using her most innocently hopeful look. “Somebody who has a big enough heart to take the last of the litter.”
“You’re right,” D’Hoffryn said decisively. “But I’ll need a present now. Can you watch over Teddy until I get back?”
“Sure,” Dawn said.
“I hope Anyanka won’t object to money,” D’Hoffryn sighed. “It’s just so impersonal.”
“She’ll understand,” Dawn assured him.
Dawn realized Karen was watching as D’Hoffryn swirled away. Before she could say anything Halfrek came over.
“How did you do that?” Halfrek asked. “That spur of the moment empathy thing.”
“I’ve been counseled enough times,” Dawn said with a sidelong look at Halfrek. “By real counselors.”
“Okay, running up the white flag,” Halfrek said waving her hands. “I give.”
“Cool,” Dawn said. “Anya’s still getting ready.”
“Believe me, that’s no surprise.”
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“Take a deep breath,” Tara said carefully.
“I know, I know,” Anya sighed. “It’s a size too small.”
“It’s the buttons, sweetie,” Tara replied. “I thought they were cute in the shop. Now I think they’re on the evil side of frustrating.”
“Need help?” Buffy asked as she poked in her head.
“Thank goodness,” Tara said. “We need a really strong fashionista.”
“I resemble that remark,” Buffy replied. “What’s the problem?”
“Hold the dress there and there,” Tara said pointing. “Anya, hold your breath.”
Anya let out a slight whoop as Buffy pulled the dress into shape. Tara’s fingers flew down the row of small buttons. Finally Buffy let go and Anya took a deep breath that stopped short of fullness. Buffy stepped back and looked at the bride in her dress.
“You’re beautiful,” Buffy said blinking.
“I still need make up,” Anya said looking in the mirror as Tara guided Anya to a chair and began working on getting the soft curlers out.
“I’ll take that as a challenge,” Buffy said opening a voluminous make up kit.
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Xander felt his pulse race as his father entered the hall with Jessica on his arm. They headed straight for their son.
“You’re looking all right,” Alexander said steadily.
“You look so handsome,” Jessica said blinking back tears.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Xander said tightly.
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In the corner of the room Willow let out a breath.
I might have been a bit tense, Willow admitted to herself.
Problem? Tara sent with a touch of worry.
Definitely a tense girl confirmation.
Willow let the calming touch of her lover sweep over her before she replied. She looked on in shock as the older Harris put his arm around his son’s shoulders.
No, Willow sent. I don’t believe it but no. I don’t know how much longer it will last though. Ready?
Just a couple of-what’s that?
Willow felt the faintest glimmer of wrongness. The power that brought her that feeling was almost exclusively Tara’s soft blend of steady magic with the familiar overtone of connectedness that Willow had never been able to match. Willow looked over at Dawn and saw the teen looking around anxiously. Willow looked back to Xander and his parents only to see both parents speaking with Carol. Xander was nowhere in sight.
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Stewart Burns smiled as he felt the spell slip over him and let him in with all of his parts and no alarms screaming. He smiled inwardly. These witches were going to be no problem. He looked for his prey.
Edited by: maudmac 
at: 6/10/04 7:05 pm
My thanks for your many observations. One of the brief scenes deal with the true horror of a single guy getting too close to a marriage, some will be explained, and some can only be explained once we teach manatees to talk.
BWR 
Alcy 
and
and 
should pretty much express my feelings to u.