Disclaimer located on Part I.
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Part Seven
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Part VII: Bronze (gee, guess you know where the reception is.)
"I can't believe you didn't put on your shoes, Selena!" Rose exclaimed.
"Well, I didn't know where they were," Selena replied. " Where's the cake?"
"Do you think of anything else besides food?" Rose asked.
"What else is there to think of?" Selena asked, puzzled.
Rose rolled her eyes, and shook her head. Even at that tender age, she did resemble her cousin.
"So, where were they?"
"Um...under the altar," said Selena, turning a little red.
"What were they doing there?"
"Like I said, I don't know." She sounded innocent.
"You were trying to climb up there, weren't you?"
"Yep."
"Have to thank Grandma for this," Selena said, glancing at her new outfit, which was actually the same one. Joyce had cut a stright slit in the loose gown almost up to the waist, and quickly sewed up the edges of each side, so that the gown was turned into a still one-piece shirt and pants. The cape was left, since Selena had insisted that she liked it.
"Your grandmother sews really fast," Rose agreed, glancing at her friend.
"Well, Mommy said that was a good thing, 'cause Graggle needs his clothes sew up a lot," Selena explained, taking a loud sip of her Coke.
"*Sewed*, not sew," Rose corrected. " And how come your grandpa needs his clothes sewed up a lot?"
Selena shrugged. " Maybe he rips them up a lot climbing trees."
"Your grandpa? Nah."
"Could be. And he's Graggle, not Grandpa. Grandpa's my Mommy's biologal daddy, Graggle's my Mommy's step-daddy."
"Whatever," Rose said. " And it's *biologigal*, not *biologal*."
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is *not*!"
"Is *too*!"
"Hey, hey, what's the fuss, kiddies?" Xander asked, looking at the two verbal opponents.
"Tell her it's *biologal*, Uncle Xander," Selena said.
"No, it's not, it's *biologigal*," Rose insisted.
"I think you two mean *biological*," Xander said, trying not to laugh.
The two girls stared at him in disbelief, and then continued their argument, ignoring his answer. Shaking his head, Xander walked over to Cordelia.
"Can you believe those two?" Xander asked his fiancée. " Fighting over a scientific word! Boy, kids grow up fast these days!"
"You just realized that now?" Cordelia said.
"Aw, come on, Cordy, you gotta admit, it's a little strange," Xander protested.
"Maybe," Cordelia said. " In the meantime, could you get me a non-fat double latte?"
"Cordy, we're right next to the bar," Xander said. " Why not order it yourself?"
"Because I like it better when you get it for me."
Slightly flattered, Xander said," Oh, all right. But expect a very...busy night ahead." Cordelia just smiled at him.
"Oz, go meet your woman," Devon said.
"Dev, look, it's okay, she won't mind-"
"No, but I will," Devon said, then he smiled, and added," come on, enough with the lovey-dovey looks. Go down and have a good time, man."
Oz nodded in thanks before handing his guitar over to a replacement, and jumping off the stage. Dingoes Ate My Baby was the band playing tonight. Over the years, they had really improved, and were almost ready to sell their first album.
"Hey, Will," Oz greeted his girlfriend with a kiss.
"Oz!" Willow hugged him like she hadn't seen him for a year.
"I must have done something very good today," he commented.
"No, it's just for being you," she said.
Up on the balcony, Giles and Hank were holding a conversation. Strangely, the two men got along well, mainly because they both liked to talk about Buffy.
"It's hard to believe she's so grown up, now," Hank said. " It's almost enough to make you want to turn back time..."
"Yes, I imagine it does," Giles said, softly, while cleaning his glasses. " How's Leslie?" He was referring to Hank's new girlfriend.
"Oh, she's away on business in Japan," Hank said, absently. " We make a pretty good couple, actually. We're both workaholics."
Giles chuckled," Must lead to good conversation in the quiet hours after the...deed."
"Why, Rupert, I never would've believed you to be a man who would talk of such matters," Hank said, feigning shock.
Then, he grinned, and admitted," Yeah, it does, sort of. Still, you can't help but wish for something more sometimes...hey, I'm gonna go down and get a drink. You want one?"
"No thank you," Giles said. " Joyce warned me not to touch alcohol tonight, since this is the first night Selena will be staying over our house without her parents. Honeymoon, you know."
"Ah," Hank nodded, sympathetically, and headed down the stairs.
As he stared at the people talking and laughing on the ground floor, Giles found himself wishing for the old days when he'd been that young and lively. Then again, it was all that black magic that constituted the" lively" part.
Unexpectedly, he noticed something that took his attention off the reverie.
In the meantime, Buffy and Angel had something important to do.
"May I have this dance?" Angel asked, in the velvety tone that he knew she loved, and holding out his bent arm.
"As you wish, my lord," Buffy said, demurely, though her eyes twinkled. She linked her arm through his, and they walked out onto the middle of the dance floor. People immediately made way for them; even though the Bronze was still open to those who weren't wedding guests, pretty much everyone knew these two were newlyweds.
Angel slipped his arm from her grasp to join its twin around her waist. Instinctively, she put her arms around his neck, and rested her head against his shoulder.
"Do you know what day this is?" he whispered in her ear, as they danced slow and close. Eyes in the crowd shimmered at the beautiful sight, even the hired musicians seemed to play more softly, in awe.
"Besides our wedding day?" she asked, in a hushed tone.
"It's exactly seven years after the day I first met you in person," Angel answered. " It's why I asked you if we could have an autumn wedding. That meeting certainly brings back memories."
"Yeah, it does," Buffy said, then added, in a teasing tone,"including one of a certain, handsome, if somewhat aloof, stranger who I knocked on his ass."
"And what would you do if that stranger were here right now?" Angel said very softly, as he gently lifted her face towards his.
"I'd kiss him," Buffy breathed, and did just that. The kiss was long and intense, and more than one person found themselves looking away, unable to bear the sight too long.
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