Violins And Heartstrings - Chapter 29

Buffy arrived at the park in Westchester five minutes early, walking along the narrow winding path through the trees she felt like the butterflies in her stomach were starting to set up a permanent residence.

Coming out of the trees, she looked at the trees in front of her--there were tiny lights dotted in amongst the leaves and it made each of them twinkle like a tree shaped constellation of stars. Walking around the edge of the lake, she looked at the paper lanterns that were floating on it, the candles flickering softly in the gentle breeze.

Buffy wrinkled her nose up as she looked at her surroundings; there was an empty stage up ahead of her and she wondered if there had been some performances recently--it was the only reason she could think of for a stage and the lights being in a park.

Curiosity setting in she walked towards the stage and looked down at her feet, on the grass were some tiny foil stars and they twinkled in the pale light coming from the trees. Frowning she looked at the floor of the stage--there were silver stars scattered all over it.

Under a spotlight on the stage was a stool and Buffy could make out a small box sitting on it. She looked around before stepping up onto the stage, looking down at her feet again she could see large stars were painted on the floor of the stage, they were glowing where the stage was dark. Buffy found herself smiling at them.

Walking tentatively over to the stool, she saw the stars below her twinkling and it felt like she was walking in heaven. Reaching the stool Buffy picked up the little velvet box and read the tag.

Put it on

She frowned and flicked the lid open, staring her in the face was a ring, it twinkled under the single spotlight. Buffy looked around herself again as she toyed with the ring, her heart was beating hard against her chest and she couldn't stop her smile from widening into a grin.

Just as she turned her eyes to the lake, a familiar voice drifted into her ears.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds, admit impediments."

Buffy turned slowly and paused when he appeared from the back of the stage. Her heart leapt into her throat, he looked amazing--dressed in a dark suit with his hair gelled and tousled.

"Love is not love, which alters when it alteration finds…" Spike took a deep breath and slowly weaved his way towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. "Or bends with the remover to remove. Oh no! It is an ever-fixed mark…"

Buffy watched him approach, his words soothing her stomach as she played with the ring held tightly in her fingers.

"That looks on tempests and is never shaken; it is the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken." Spike looked down at the floor and then up at her shyly as she gave him a smile that could light up the darkest place. "Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks, within his bending sickle's compass come: love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom."

Buffy felt like she couldn't breath as he finally reached her, he caught her hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes.

"If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved." He smiled at her and watched her eyes sparkle at him, her fingers still holding the ring.

"Spike…" She blinked up at him and he pressed his finger to her lips.

"Not finished yet, love." He moved his hand to cup her cheek and sighed into her eyes. "You're an angel and I'm only a man, but I'll do anything if you'll say you'll be mine."

He paused and stepped backwards slightly so there was a tiny distance between them.

"Steal the stars from the sky and lay down them at your feet, if you say you'll be mine." He swept his arms downwards and she smiled down at the stars, then he looked up at the moon and Buffy followed his gaze. "Make the moon full each night, if you'll say you'll be mine."

Spike stepped back towards her and closed the gap; he held her hands tightly in his and raised them up as he looked down at the ring. Closing his eyes, when he opened them again he was looking straight into hers.

"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, just say you'll be mine and I'll prove my love for you each day, if you'll be my always."

Buffy breathed in shakily and felt her fingers trembling in his.

"Marry you?" She blinked up at him.

Spike stared at the ring in her fingers and noticed how badly she was shaking.

"Be mine, always."

"Oh god, yes…" She watched Spike suck in a sharp breath and then grin wide as he put the ring on her finger.

Buffy threw her arms around him and held him tight as she giggled then kissed his cheek. Spike let his arms encircle her waist and span around with her as he kissed her neck, closing his eyes tight he sighed into her hair.

Spike let Buffy's feet touch the floor again and stared into her eyes before kissing her tenderly. Buffy let her fingers play in his hair as she kissed him back, savouring the moment and still giggling inside. As he kissed her Spike felt like his world had just fallen into place, he was complete when Buffy was in his arms.

He felt something tugging on his jacket and ignored it at first, when the tugging became more impatient he pulled back and frowned at Buffy. She shook her head innocently and smiled into his eyes.

"What are you doing to my mummy?" A small inquisitive voice drifted up to him and Spike widened his eyes as Buffy giggled.

"You think you're the only one who gets to give surprises?"

Spike looked down at the little blonde ballerina with pigtails, she was looking up at him and smiling. He looked at Buffy with an air of disbelief before letting go of her and turning to look at his daughter. His hands shaking and his heart racing, Spike knelt down in front of her and smiled warmly.

Willow looked deep into his eyes and Spike could see the resemblance to his own. As Spike tried to figure out what to say to her, he saw her smile turning into a frown as she mirrored his pensive expression, and then cracked a wide grin.

"Hello, daddy."

As he registered her words they went straight to his heart like a bullet train--his little girl knew who he was.

"Hey, little girl." He pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and let his fingers stroke her cheek. "Naughty of your mum not to mention you were here."

Buffy smiled down at them.

"Very pretty here, like a fairy land. Are there faeries here?" Willow looked deep into Spike's eyes and cocked her head to one side.

Spike pointed to the lanterns on the lake and whispered by her ear.

"They're everywhere, love, behind every rock and in every tree."

"Really?" Willow breathed in fascination with wide eyes.

"Yeah." Spike sighed at her then looked up at Buffy. "Must be magic."

"Don't they get cold? In Paris I built them a house." Willow smiled at him and Spike felt like he was melting inside.

"Faeries don't get cold." Spike took his jacket off. "But little girls do."

Buffy heaved a sigh as she watched Spike slip Willows arms into his jacket.

"Better?" Spike smiled at Willow.

"Very." Willow smiled back at him and watched him straighten up and look at her mother.

"It's time I got you two home. Come on Willow." Buffy held her hand out but Willow didn't move--she just looked from Buffy to Spike to Buffy again.

"Can I go up there?" She pointed at Spike.

Buffy smiled at him. "She wants a piggy back."

"I see." Spike narrowed his eyes on Buffy's tenderly and smiled at her, she blushed over the warmth of his look. Crouching down, Spike let Willow climb onto his back, his suit jacket still dwarfing her. "Hold on tight. Don't want to drop you."

"Okay." Willow locked her arms around his neck as Spikes hands hooked under her knees.

Buffy giggled at the sight of their daughter's arms choking Spike, he smiled foolishly at her and rolled his eyes.

"Strong little ballerina." He choked out as Willow held onto him tighter.

"Yeah, she wouldn't leave home without me letting her wear her ballet outfit. She wanted to look pretty for you."

Spike grinned at Buffy as they started walking towards the studio car park. "I think you're both very pretty."

Buffy blushed again.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, little bit?" Spike felt Willow grip loosen slightly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Why's your hair a funny colour?" Willow closed her eyes and smiled, Buffy smiled too.

"Once upon a time, I was doing this job…for…a fairy director…kinda like a king only he just thinks he's that important. Well, he got mad at me and made me sit in the sunshine for a whole summer, I didn't move and I didn't eat and my hair went this colour."

"Mommy?" Willow looked at Buffy.

"Yes, sweetie." Buffy smiled up at her warmly.

"Daddy's silly. I think I like him."

"You and me both, Willow, you and me both." Buffy slipped her arm through Spikes and let her head rest against his arm as they walked towards the cars. Spike dipped his head and kissed the top of Buffy's before resting his head against Willow's cheek.

Six years of waiting, six years of tomorrows and he'd never thought that when tomorrow finally came that it would be this perfect. Like everyone kept telling him, it was like that movie he did and he'd finally won the girl, a daughter and the life of his dreams.

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