The Best Feeling In the World

"’Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.... Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom’," the red head quoted vehemently, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

Cordelia stood up and looked around the large room. Her gaze lingered on each of her friends. They were dear to her, though she was careful not to show it. She shook her head, eyeing two of them in particular. They were stubborn and proud, unyielding and strong. They’d spent so much time denying themselves...she found it quite sickening. And now everyone was looking at her, as if they expected her to say something. Well, she wouldn’t let them down. "Yeah. What she said. I have to say, I agree with Willow. For once. I can barely remember a time when it wasn’t ‘Angel and Buffy’ or ‘Buffy and Angel’. And even when you’re not together it’s impossible to hide the love the two of you share. I should know. You’re my boss," she directed to Angel. "Anyway," she sighed and blinked quickly, telling herself she only had something in her eyes, "when it comes down to it, you two know each other better than anyone else in the world. What you have is real. And you’re stupid to have taken advantage of it for so long. I can only hope I’m lucky enough someday to find the same kind of love that you have." Her dark gaze was both angry and sad as she looked at them. They’d lost so much time, time that they would never get back. Cordelia hoped they realized that.

Xander stood quietly to the side of Angel. Willow had asked him to say a few words to them, to make them understand his own feelings. But he didn’t know if he could. He didn’t like the fact that Buffy was still in love with Angel. Didn’t like the fact that he’d waltzed back into their lives. Yet he couldn’t deny the fact that he wanted Buffy to be happy. They’d decided it was time to let her know that they’d stand beside her, no matter what.

But he hesitated too long, and Spike shuffled past him. "You two deserve each other," he said without preamble. "I don’t know two people who are more annoying or boorish or...broody. I swear, Angelus, from the minute you left the Slayer, she’s never been as much fun. She doesn’t even try to stake me when I walk into the room anymore." A smile flashed over his lips when Buffy chuckled, but he hid it well. "I just have to say..." he faltered. "Well, you two might as well just stick it out. It’d save a lot of poor fools some trouble...and suffering...over her," he said, watching Buffy. "Besides, nobody else would ever have you, Poofkins." He tried to brush past Angel, but the older vampire laid a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

Buffy looked around, tears forming in her eyes. After so many years of loss and unhappiness, she’d never imagined they’d step forth like this. Perhaps they’d seen the slow path to destruction she’d been heading on. Or perhaps they finally saw what she’d always known...that Angel was the only man she would ever truly love. Yet doubts fluttered through her mind like butterflies. She looked around the dimly lit room of the mansion. So many things had happened here. So many memories...good and bad. Could she give up the past for the future? And would there truly be a future with Angel, or was she just fooling herself? She turned to him and raised her gaze to his. She could read the same thoughts, same hopes, same doubts, running through his mind. Funny how she’d never lost that ability. Slowly, she reached out a hand and he accepted it, squeezing it gently in reassurance.

"They’re right," Buffy whispered softly so that only he could hear. "I never stopped loving you. Never wanted to." Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer to him. "You’re my life, Angel. Through good and bad...and worse...you’ve always been by my side. You’ve been my friend, my lover, my protector.... We’ve laughed and cried and fought...and fought other things," she said with a grin. "And through it all, I’ve loved you...and I will love you until the day that I die."

Angel looked down at his golden angel and her words warmed his undead heart. He lifted his free hand to caress the smooth skin of her cheek, the other still holding hers. "You are so beautiful," he whispered. "I’ve lived...a long, long time," he said. "And yet, when I look into your eyes, I never cease to feel that my life meant nothing before you. You’ve been my purpose, my guide, and my strength. But more than that, you taught me to love." He smiled wryly. "I thought I’d seen everything before I met you. Nothing could have been further from the truth." He lowered his voice, so that only she could hear him. "I’ve had my soul for a hundred years now, but you...you are the true goodness inside of me. I’m lost without you," he admitted. "And I will love you...until the day that I die. And with any luck, far beyond that."

At his nod, Spike stepped forward again. Angel took an unneeded breath and let it out, his hand trembling slightly as he took the golden ring from his "best man" and slipped it onto her slender finger, marking her as his own. He saw the first few tears begin to roll down her cheeks as she looked up at him in awe. He’d never forget that look.

Buffy sniffled and looked around at all of her friends...her mother...and Giles. The soft light from the many candles lighting the large room cast a golden glow on the full white satin of her wedding dress. She’d never imagined anything more perfect than this.

The minister stepped forward after hearing their self-proclaimed vows and smiled at the handsome couple. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. What God has joined, let no man put asunder." He smiled, a teasing gleam entering his eyes as he gazed at the virile groom. "You may kiss the bride."

Angel gazed down at his wife...his wife...the thought stunned him. He could see it reflected in her wide, luminous eyes. And then she smiled her brilliant smile, and Angel leaned down, his lips brushing lightly over hers.

"C’mon, mate. Even I know you can do better than that," Spike cajoled.

They held each other’s gazes as the smiled at Spike’s words. "I love you," he whispered, but there was no reason to utter the words. It was there in his eyes, as surely as he’d pledged his life to hers. "And I love you," she murmured back before engaging him in a deep kiss. Her lips parted beneath his subtle advances and she shivered at the cool invasion on her mouth. A warm blush stole over her cheeks when, amidst the haze of their kiss, she heard the gang cheering. They broke apart and Buffy turned around, not protesting when Angel wrapped his arms around her. He may have been legally wed to her, but there was no way he was letting her go. One by one, her friends stepped forward to give her a hug and congratulate the happy couple.

"Will?" Buffy said as her friend turned to go get things ready for their "reception".

"Yeah?" Willow asked as she turned around, wiping away tears of happiness.

Oz held her hand in his and squeezed it lightly.

"Thank you," Buffy murmured. "For...for getting the guys together and doing that. When...when I told you I wanted you to say a few words at my wedding, that wasn’t quite what I had in mind," she smiled. "It was perfect."

Willow leaned forward and gave her best friend a kiss on the cheek. "Well, we thought it was time we let you know that your happiness is important too."

Buffy nodded gratefully and turned to hug Xander. He looked a bit uncomfortable. "I know you don’t approve -" she started softly.

"No," Xander interjected with an apologetic smile. "It doesn’t matter, Buff. Not this time. All that matters to me as that you’re actually happy. It seems like it’s been so long since I’ve really seen you smile," he said shyly.

Buffy smiled and leaned up, still enfolded in Angel’s embrace, and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you too, Xand."

Xander nodded and looked over her shoulder, to her new husband. "She loves you. And if you ever hurt her, I’ll be happy to kill you...Dead Boy." He loped off with a grin, not hearing Angel’s soft growl.

But Buffy did. And it sent a shiver down her back. "Don’t do that," she admonished.

"Why not?" Angel asked playfully.

Buffy caught her mother’s look from across the room and smiled. "’Cause it makes me wanna skip our dinner and start a party of our own," she told him under her breath. She felt him tense against her as he weighed the possibility. "It’s not gonna happen," she laughed.

Joyce took her daughter’s hands in her own and looked down at her. She was so beautiful. "You’re happy?" she asked. It was all that needed to be said.

Buffy nodded. "More than I’ve ever been in my life, Mom."

Joyce smiled tearily. "Then that’s all that matters to me, baby." She leaned down to hug her daughter, but thought better of it and enfolded both of them in her arms.

When she walked away, Buffy turned in his arms. "So...how does it feel to be Mr. Buffy Summers?" she asked playfully.

Angel leaned down and kissed her gently. "It’s the best feeling in the world, Buffy, the best feeling in the world."