How? Why? Bloody Hell, Yes!

Chapter 2 - Visiting Friends

He tried to come at least once a month. Just to talk. He wanted to
make sure she knew what was happening in their lives, and how
much they missed her.

He always replaced the flowers in the small vase they kept by the
marker. They'd usually wilted and browned weeks before he got
there. Unless Dawnie or Wills had come by recently. He knew each
of them had their own visiting cycles. Even Spike occasionally
stopped by.

"Hey Buff." Xander sat cross-legged on the ground. "How are things
in the great beyond?" He asked as he got comfortable. It was almost
always his first question, just to break the ice.

"I've got some pretty big news this time Buff. Last night was my three
year anniversary with Spike. Did you know that? You probably didn't.
Why would you? It's not like you wrote down the date or anything.
Besides, how would you even know what day we chose to celebrate
as the beginning of our relationship?" Xander mused. "It was the day
Willow's spell went wacky by the way. It's not like we could really
pinpoint any other time that we actually started 'dating'." Xander did
the air quotes around the last word.

Xander sighed and fingered the empty space on the ring finger of his
left hand. "I asked him to marry me last night." The words were
spoken quietly and followed by a self-deprecating chuckle. "Can you
believe it? Me." He pointed at himself. "Mister commitment phobia,
and *I* asked *him* for forever...well relatively speaking."

For some inexplicable reason Xander felt it necessary to lean forward,
as if Buffy would hear him better. "But I did it. And I know what
you're thinking." He leaned back once again and sighed. "I know you
never approved. Oh...never outright disapproval or anything, you
were always really good about that by the way. But I know you
always wondered 'why Spike?' But if you could just see him now Buff.
If you knew how much he'd changed. How much he's made me
change. How *good* he is. And how muchlovelove each other. I
know you'd understand." Now he looked up toward heaven. "I h
yo
you do understand."

Xander sat quietly for a few minutes. Then gathering himself up he
stood to go. He placed a soft kiss on two fingers and then gently laid
them on her headstone. "We miss you Buffy. I hope wherever you
are you get to laugh, and love, and be happy for change. You
deserve it." Then he turned and walked out of the cemetery toward
home.

He never noticed the bleached blonde vamp step out of the shadows
toward the grave. Placing a small spray of wildflowers in with the
arrangement Xander had brought, Spike nodded a greeting. "Slayer."

He sat down on the grass in the same spot his lover had just vacated.
"The boy's right you know. You do deserve that much, at least. But if
you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it."

"Bit's doin' alright. Had that talk I told you about last time. Her grades
are starting to go back up again. And her fightin' skills are definitely
improving. Not that I'd let her take on anything really dangerous mind
you, but just in case yeah?" Spike always liked to make sure Buffy
knew that Dawn was safe and cared for. The last promise she'd
extracted from him before her fall.

Spike leaned back, resting his weight on his down turned palms. He
let his gaze travel over the night sky as he spoke. "Guess you
already know the whelp proposed last night. For a minute I didn't
know what to make of it. Didn't know what to say. It's still hard
sometimes. To believe that he loves me. That he'll keep loving me."
Spike shook his head. "Bloody ponce I am."

"And then he goes and does this." Spike stopped his perusal of the
heavens to stare at the headstone before him. "He says he wants
everyone to know. Wants the world to know that we're mates. That
he's mine. That I'm his." Changing position once again, he leaned
forward. "Whatever else you think...I want you to know that I do love
him. Told you once I was love's bitch." He smirked. "Guess now I'll
just be Xander's."

Abruptly he stood, his duster swirling around his calves. "Gotta go.
Meeting the whelp at the witches." And he strode off into the night.

***

"Oh my god!" Both Dawn and Willow excld atd at nearly the same
time. Dawn jumped up to hug both boys, grinning from ear to ear.

"Finally! It took you guys like forever." She admonished them.

Willow on thher her hand felt as if everything was happening too fast.
She walked slowly up to Xander throwing her arms around him, and
then stepping back to look him over. "My little Xander. All grown up."
She gave him a watery smile.

"Don't cry Wills." Xander gave her another hug and then looked
around her to the blonde witch still sitting on the couch. "Tara?" He
prodded her gently. "What do you think?"

"It's wonderful Xander, Spike. Anyone can see that you two belong
together." She gave them each a shy smile.

"So Red when are you and Glinda gonna tie the knot?" Spike teased.
"Maybe we can have a double."

"Spike!" Willow slapped him on the arm. "Tara and I are very happy
just as we are." She turned toward her lover. "Right baby?"

"Right sweetie." Tara's smile widened when faced with Willow.

"Now stop changing the subject." Willow turned back to the boys. ve yve you thought about the ceremony? Who's gonna do it? Where
are you going to have it? Have you set the date yet?"

"Woah! Slow down Wills." Xander motioned for them all to sit. "I just
asked him last night. We haven't had time to make all the plans yet."
Xander looked over at Spike and gave him a loving smile, before
turning back toward his best friend. "But I do know who I want as my
best man, er...person." He gave Willow a querying look.

"Eee!" Willow squealed. "Of course I'll do it!" Then her brow
scrunched in concern. "You are asking me right? You weren't talking
about someone else right?" She babbled.

Xander couldn't resist leaning forward and giving her a quick peck on
the cheek. "Yes, you wacky wicca. I was asking you."

"Goodie." Willow answered.

"Ahem." Spike wanted to get everyone's attention. "I know who I
want to be my best...person also." He turned toward Dawn as he
spoke.
?!" ?!" The word was squeaked out. And then Dawn was across the
room, throwing her arms around the vampire. "I'll make sure you're
not sorry! Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"OOOH! Does this mean we get to plan the bachelor parties?"
Willow exclaimed.

"Bachelor parties?" Xander repeated.

"Well, yeah of course." Dawn answered. "I can plan Spike's and
Willow can plan Xander's."

"Why can't we just have one party for the both of us?" Spike asked.

"That's not how it works!" Willow rebuked. "You can't go against
tradition."

Spike smirked at her. "Pet, I think the fact that Xan's marrying a man,
that also happens to be a vampire, may already be doing that." He
smiled at his lover, who smiled back one of his goofy grins.

"Doesn't count." Willow stated absently, already working on ideas for
the party. "Now you two shoo. Dawn and I have some major
planning to do."

The boys were ushered out of the house, finding themselves standing
on the front stoop before they knew what was happening. Shrugging,
they shared a brief kiss before heading home.