Originally posted by Renee85Christmas Carols
Renee85~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine.
Summary: Wedding Plans, Giles comes to New York, Caldwell’s Christmas, and the Christmas Wedding all in one. This one is a big one people!! So please reply!
Christmas Carols might be nearing its end, I’m not too sure yet. The other updates will just pull them all together, it doesn’t feel like it should end yet because things are still unresolved but we’ll see what happens after they tie the knot. It feels like its run its course after the wedding but we’ll see what happens after.
This one is a big update so I’d be thankful for feedback.
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Here's a few thanks, the ride has been fun.
Kerrison20: Thank you for the kind words and I’m glad you’re looking forward to the wedding, I am too and I hope I write it so you are not disappointed. I want it to be romantic and beautiful because Willow and Tara deserve it.
Sam darls: Thank you for the feedback, it means a lot to me. And I’m happy that you are awaiting the wedding, everyone should...it’ll be great! Hopefully.
Snuggle79: I missed this story too! I’ve been too wrapped up in the other one that I forgot about this and now that I’m wrapped up in this one, I’m bound to forget about the other one. I really shouldn’t have written two fics, I should have waited until this was over before I started another one but I was just too eager. :-)Their day will be wonderful as I will have a blast in writing it. I want to thank you the most for the feedback because you have been the one that has continued to reply on both my fics, you don’t know how much that means to me. It truly means a lot and I hope you know that.
Kresent: The wedding will be great, I’m sure of it. But I want to take my time and make sure it’s written well, maybe tomorrow. The whole bra in the toilet idea was just to keep in the spirit of the fic, Christmas Carols has always been a comedy/romance story and that’s no surprise since I’m been borrowing ‘Friends’ scenes throughout the fic. I personally hate bras and the toilet thing was just what I want to do, but please don’t try to flush it, it’ll clog your drain. Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it immensely.
Tempest duer: I personally hate bras and the toilet thing was just what I want to do, but please don’t try to flush it, it’ll clog your drain. Thank you so much for reading and replying, it means the world to me. This fic has been a joy to write and I’m glad you like it. Thanks for the feedback, if it weren’t for people like you, I would’ve given up on the writing a long time ago.
Washi: I’m glad it made you all happy inside, all with the aww’s. Willow and Tara fics should do that and it should also be happy and chirpy and everything else. But, angst is good too, that is of it ends with our girls happy and alive. Which they always are. Thanks for the feedback; it’s what I live for.
Allykat: I can’t wait for the wedding either, it’ll be a joy to write. I’ve personally never been to a wedding so I’m not sure if I’ll write it accurately, but you cares? Anything can happen on fan fiction and Willow and Tara can get married in a week and at Rockefeller Center if I want them to, so that’s what’s going to happen. Thanks for the replies and feedback, on this fic as well as Spreading Wings.
Everyone else, thank you for reading and for the feedback on all the other updates as well.
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Immediately Continuing: Tara’s blue eyes never left those of Willow’s green; they stared intently into each other’s deep depths for the longest time, absolutely captivated. They were always captivated but right now was something different, they were both looking forward to getting married and having that dream white wedding that they just couldn’t look away.
They hardly even registered the constant stream of words that were flowing through Anya’s lips about how she thought their wedding should go, right now that just wasn’t important, it will be important later on, but for this moment all they could see was each other.
“Remember what I said about the burlap, well I really believe that it’s the right way to go now I know it’s a bit unconventional but it’s very effective and useful, not to mention the different colors it comes in.” Anya continued to babble on and on and was completely oblivious of the fact that Willow and Tara weren’t even listening to her, the ex-demon’s words faded away the moment it left her lips.
“But there really are a variety of colors in comes in, but being in New York I’m not sure if you can find all of them but I do have a few friends that I can get a hold of.” Anya persisted in her babbling.
Willow and Tara were still staring at each other like it was the first time they had seen each other’s eyes.
“Now brown is the original color but it comes in several others as well.” Anya continued to babble on. “There’s pink and purple, there’s also polka dots but that just isn’t flattering on either of you.” She stuck out her tongue and shivered at the thought of Willow or Tara wearing giant polka dot burlap dresses, it just didn’t look right for a wedding. “But maybe the smaller polka dots might work considering its subtlety.”
Anya was nonstop, while Willow and Tara were still gazing into bottomless depths.
“What do you guys think in terms of color and style?” Anya asked but didn’t wait for an answer, she continued her blathering. “There’s one with shoulder pads and I know you guys didn’t want to have that in your wedding but just think of the advantages!” Anya kept on and on.
Willow and Tara were still enwrapped in each other’s embrace.
“Willow could wear it and show everyone at the ceremony that she’s the butch because broad shoulders just show that.” Anya stated matter of factly. “That is unless Tara wants to wear the broad shoulders and Willow could pretend to be the non-butch, but who could really believe that?” Anya giggled to herself, shaking her head at the absurdity of it all.
Buffy, Dawn, and Xander all tried to stifle their giggles as well.
“Am I right?” Anya asked to the two girls but wasn’t rewarded an answer, at least not right away. “Guys?” she asked again, this time frowning when she realized that her words probably never even registered, she stomped her foot and gave Willow and Tara an angry glare. “Have you witches even been listening to me?!” Anya demanded as her hands were on her hips in an irritated scowl. “I’m over here explaining how things should go and all my suggestions and you two aren’t even listening to me!”
Xander, Dawn and Buffy watched the scene in quiet amusement as they saw Willow and Tara finally snap out of their spell and turn to face an angry ex-demon; both girls’ eyes were a bit wide as they tried to think about what Anya was telling them.
Willow racked her brain and tried to muster an answer while Tara was attempting to do the same, but no words could escape their throat.
“Well?” Anya waited for an answer, her hands still on her waist. “What was I talking about?” she challenged Willow and Tara, her eyebrow raised in question. “If you were really listening you should be able to tell me.” She stated matter of factly. “In full fledged detail and everything.”
“Umm...” Willow started to say. “You were talking about…” the redhead trailed off, she then turned to Tara for help who really tried to come up with an answer just as she was, she could tell by the small wrinkles on her forehead. “She was talking about…” she swallowed as she continued to think of an answer.
Tara turned to the rest of the gang who were behind Anya, and out of the ex-demon’s view, and gave the three of them a pleading look.
Dawn was sitting at the edge of the bed but got up and gestured at her pants in an attempt at helping Tara without saying any words. Dawn wasn’t wearing a dress but it was clear with the combination of her hand gestures and the fact that Buffy was pointing at the ring on her thumb that they were talking about a wedding dress.
Tara smiled as she finally deciphered what the gang was trying to say, she saw Xander give her a thumbs up, a thumbs up that Anya never registered, and then she turned to the angry ex-demon who was still awaiting an answer, her hands over her hips and her foot tapping against the floor.
“Dresses!” Tara blurted out. “You were talking about our dresses!” she smiled in triumph.
“Our wedding dresses!” Willow clarified with a smile, throwing her index finger in the air. “That’s what you were blathering about.” She coughed and changed her words. “I mean, talking about.”
“You WERE listening!” Anya smiled and rushed to Willow and Tara’s side, squeezing herself between the two girls and hugging them into her arms. “What do you girls think about the polka dots?” she asked the two engaged witches. “I was thinking about going a bit smaller in the scale of it all, maybe little tiny dots rather than large splotches might work.” She tuned to face Willow and Tara and gave them a large smile. “Thanks for listening, nobody ever listens.”
“Of course we were.” Tara stated softly and then gently patted Anya’s back, she turned to her fiancée and caught her gaze, Willow merely rolled her eyes and shook her head, silently saying that Anya will be Anya and they should just nod their heads and pretend to listen.
But the ex-demon did truly seem that she cared about them and the wedding so they cut her a break. “But I think I already have a dress in mind.” She patted Anya’s back once more.
Willow lifted her head and gave the blonde a questioning look. “You do?” she asked surprised. “How does it look?”
“The bride is not supposed to see the bride’s dress until the wedding.” Tara smiled and gave Willow a quick kiss; after she pulled back she softly trailed a slender finger over Willow’s lips and then smiled her half smile when she saw Willow frown at her. “Baby, it’ll be fine...” She assured.
“Do you have the dress now?” Willow look panicked. “You didn’t stick it in the luggage did you?”
“I don’t have the dress now.” Tara rolled her eyes at her lover. “I just said that I had one in mind, I didn’t say that I had it now.” She stressed carefully.
“Yeah, Will.” Xander added into the conversation, he had been eerily quiet the entire time. “What kind of person stuffs a wedding dress into a bag of luggage anyway, I mean hello…dumb much?”
Tara just giggled.
“Which one of you is going to go down the aisle?” the ex-demon asked. “The one going down the aisle has got to be extra pretty, that’s the rules.” She pointed out and hopped a bit as she was looking forward to dressing the bride. Well, both of them will be the bride, but one of them had to walk down the aisle.
“Oooh!” Dawn squealed as she jumped a bit on her heels in excitement. “I want to know that too!” she clapped her hands just once and hopped again. “I was thinking that Tara seems the obvious one to go but I don’t want to assume anything.” She brought her hands into the air in defeat as she studied the engaged couple and soon to be wives.
“Well, I haven’t discussed this yet with Willow, but I was thinking that both of us go down the aisle.” Tara shrugged and gave her lover’s shoulders a gentle and tender squeeze. “Wouldn’t that be great Willow?” she locked her eyes to green. “You can go first; maybe have Xander or someone by your side and then me.”
“I never even thought of that.” Willow eyes caught the blonde’s blue ones. “Baby, I want you to go down the aisle…I think it’ll be wonderful and you always said that you wanted to.” She pointed out gently as she took of Tara’s hands into her own.
Tara merely smiled, her blue eyes sparkling.
“But I’m glad I get to, too.” she smiled softly, wanting nothing more than to see her blonde goddess with her whiter than white dress, walking towards her carrying a beautiful bouquet of roses and her beautiful half smile, deep blue eyes beaming brightly and sparkling luminously under the soft dazzling clear lights of Rockefeller Center’s famous tree.
The Wedding would be at night, she thought.
“Do you know how beautiful you’d look walking down that aisle?” Willow caught Tara’s blue depths. “Like an angel, Tara.”
“You really want me to?” Tara questioned softly as she went back to staring deeply into olive depths, a small dazzling smile gracing her lips as she took in how gleaming and bright Willow’s eyes were as she mentioned how great it would be if she were the one to hold the bouquet of flowers.
“You want we to be the one to hold the bouquet of flowers?” she gently pushed away a strand of her fiancée’s crimson tresses that were shielding her view of the redhead’s emerald orbs and then smiled again. “You could hold one too.”
“I want nothing more than to see you walk down that aisle.” Willow beamed brilliantly. “I want nothing more than to wait for you.”
Tara gave her lover the most desireful and caring look and then suddenly pounced on Willow’s lips, kissing her deeply, pulling her closely.
Willow’s words warmed her soul and she couldn’t wait another second the ravish the redhead, it didn’t even matter that the Willow moaned aloud as she returned the kiss, immersed in the tender and passionate embrace.
The two lovebirds continued on, Willow backed up a bit but never left the hold, her grip on Tara’s back never loosening, Tara on the other hand moved forward and gently shoved her fiancée onto the door behind her, pressing her lightly against the oak wood.
Tara dove back in and kissed her more feverishly, her slender hands pushing at Willow’s shoulders.
Anya stood there and watched with a beaming smile as did Dawn. Xander was now sitting up on the bed and nervously pulling at his ear while Buffy was staring at her lap, trying not to look.
After a few long moments of staring at her hands and lap she finally looked up and saw that Willow and Tara were still at it.
Buffy sighed loudly and shook her head, trying not to smile but not being able to control herself. Willow and Tara truly had a unique kind of love and she wasn’t about to interfere with that, when they started to act like they were going too far, that’s when she was going to stop them.
Willow and Tara continued to kiss, it was passionate yet gentle. And it seemed, at least to the rest of the gang, that they were momentarily forgotten in the exchange. The only people that existed in the girl’s eyes were each other.
Buffy sensed that it was time to pull them apart, she didn’t want to physically do it but maybe asking them a question might be a discrete way to accomplish that without touching them, they had a right to kiss but get a room much?
“Did you guys call Giles yet?” Buffy asked the two kissing girls. “Guys?” she asked again when Willow and Tara hardly flinched. Tara had Willow pinned to the door and Willow seemed to be enjoying the pinning very much. “Guys?’ she tried again, but knew she’s fail.
“You guys!” Dawn tried to get through to them as well, but to no avail.
Willow and Tara continued kissing; Tara’s lips met Willow’s again and again. As the redhead’s lips opened briefly, Tara took that opportunity to slip her tongue inside, deepening the already deep kiss.
Willow’s back was comfortably pressing against the oak door behind her and her hands were now buried deeply inside Tara’s blonde hair, pulling at her so she could kiss her lover even more feverishly.
“I love you.” Willow mumbled between kisses, her breathing rapid.
“I love you more.” Tara responded, her chest heaving up and down in the same way Willow’s were. Tara opened her eyes and Willow did the same at the same exact time and they both seemed enthralled.
The blonde took one more deep look into Willow’s eyes as if they were talking to each other telepathically, as if they were reading each other’s minds, as if their souls were silently communicating something that words couldn’t. “I love you more Willow.”
Anya rolled her eyes at the two girls and turned away, this was going to be awhile. She turned to the rest of the gang and then frowned when she smelled something strange in the air. “Do you guys smell that?” she questioned, her brow furrowed. “It smells like…”
Dawn turned around and sniffed the air as well; she frowned immediately when she sensed that she too smelled something strange.
It smelled sort of like charcoal, or wood, kind of like a kitchen when Buffy was trying to cook but her sister usually burned everything that she attempted to make so that didn’t make any sense. Why would anything be burning in a hotel room? There weren’t any candles anywhere; there was only a Christmas tree with…
“Oh my god!” Dawn exclaimed when she turned to the Christmas tree. “The Christmas tree is on fire!”
Xander got off the bed immediately, Buffy sat up from the floor, Anya looked like she was going to faint, and Willow and Tara finally pulled apart and both turned their heads to the smoking tree.
“Oh, shit!” Xander cried out and took a few steps towards the tree; he then took a few more steps away from it and looked just as panicked as Anya was. He didn’t know what to do. “Fire, the tree is on fire!” he called out as if there was a fire station living nearby.
“Holy crap!” Buffy yelled and waved her hands in fear. “Dawn, so something!” she turned to her sister and shoved her towards the smoky tree.
“Me?!” Dawn was bowled over. “Why me?”
“Oh, goddess!” Willow and Tara exclaimed simultaneously as they registered the scene in front of them, the two witches looked shell-shocked, their mouths hanging open; utterly flabbergasted at the smoke filled scene.
“Somebody grab fire extinguisher!” Willow yelled and ran into the bathroom as quickly as she could. She searched the small room and saw nothing of a fire extinguisher but she did see a small cup, Willow stood there and didn’t know what to do.
Finally, after long seconds, Willow filled the blue container with water from the sink and then came back carrying a carrying the cup of water with both her hands and threw the liquid onto the smoky spot.
The smoke didn’t diminish, is anything a small fiery small erupted and spread at the base of the tree, the fire was spreading rapidly.
“Will somebody do something?!” Anya stomped her foot, and waved her hands frantically at the smoking tree. “My tree is on fire and everyone is just standing there and watching it like it’s some kind of porn movie or something!” she exclaimed in the loudest shriek she could muster.
“What kind of Christmas destiny is this?!” Anya was hysterical. “Will somebody get a fire extinguisher?”
When Tara finally shook her head from her initial shock, she spun around on her spot near the door and frantically searched for a fire extinguisher.
Her blue eyes darted throughout the room until she finally spotted the crimson colored tank sitting idly at the base of the door; Tara rushed to grab the fire extinguisher and finally put out the growing fire.
Tara sprayed the tree a couple more times just to make sure.
“You got it?” Anya nearly yelled; leaning a bit to make sure all the fire had been put out. “Is the fire gone?”
“I think so.” Willow nodded. “Baby, why don’t you spray it again to make sure?”
“Okay.” Tara nodded her head and complied, spraying the dead tree once more in order to ensure that the tree wouldn’t burst into flames suddenly, like it always did in the movies. “I think that’s it.” She put the fire extinguisher on the floor and ruffled her hair.
“Thank the goddess.” Willow sighed in relief.
Dawn and Buffy carried the same face of relief as well, as did Xander.
“That was close.” Tara sighed and turned back to catch Willow’s emerald gaze; the redhead merely smiled and nodded her head in pride, Tara smiled back and the two girls were back to square one. They stared at each other the way they were before they started kissing.
The tree forgotten in the moment.
Buffy, Xander, and Dawn all noticed this and rolled their eyes. These two were unbelievable, a fire in the hotel room and everything and they were still captivated by each other’s eyes, eyes were eyes damn it! What’s the big deal anyway? Anya, on the other hand, was hysterical; she was near tears on her knees beside the tree, extremely upset.
“My tree…” Anya whimpered. “It was supposed to fulfill its Christmas destiny and instead it gets burned alive…” Anya sniffled.
“Anya, honey…” Xander put his hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder. “It did fulfill its Christmas destiny, at least for a while.” He said softly. “We decorated it with twinkly lights and everything.” He smiled.
Anya looked up and sniffled.
“And hey…we have another one in our room.” Willow tried to lighten up the mood, placing a hand on Anya’s shoulder as well. “We could bring it over here and decorate together, but maybe we shouldn’t put any Christmas lights…that’s probably the reason it burst into flames in the first place.”
“You’d do that?” Anya got up and turned to Willow, still sniffling a bit. “For me?”
“What can I say?” Willow put an arm around Tara and pulled her close, smiling. “I’m in a good mood.”
“She sure is.” Tara smiled and gave Willow a quick kiss, which eventually turned to an even deeper one. Willow pulled Tara from behind her neck and then kissed her even more passionately; Tara opened her mouth and allowed entrance for Willow. This time it was the redhead who gently shoved Tara to the door, ravishing her on the spot. “Kiss me Willow.”
“Shouldn’t you guys be calling Giles?” Buffy questioned loudly, trying to break the moment before it got out of hand. “He’s all sitting in Sunnydale, waiting for us to come there and you haven’t even called him to tell him you aren’t coming back.”
Willow gave Tara a few more loving kisses before pulling away.
“I can call Giles!” Dawn exclaimed excitedly and reached inside Buffy’s bag for her cell phone. “We really shouldn’t have left him there in the first place.” She pointed out as she dialed the number.
“I want to call him!” Anya exclaimed and grabbed the phone from Dawn’s hands.
“Hey!” Dawn yelled. “Anya, give me the phone!” the teen rushed after Anya but the ex-demon hopped onto the bed and stood up, the phone still in her hand.
“Oh my god.” Dawn was shocked. “Can you believe that Buffy?” she turned to her sister and gave Buffy a questioning glance, pointing at Anya who was still standing on the bed. “You see what I keep telling you?”
“Hello, Giles?” Anya asked through the receiver, ignoring Dawn.
“Anya?” Giles questioned on the other line. “Anya, is everything allright?”
“Yeah, geeze!” Anya shook her head in exasperation. “Every time someone calls that’s what you ask first.” She shook her head again, hopping a bit on the bed. “We have some news for you.” She stated in a sing-song voice, smiling. “Willow and—”
“Willow and Tara are getting married!” Dawn hopped onto the bed and grabbed the phone out of Anya’s hands, pushing the ex-demon off the bed. “So you have to come here Giles and help us plan the super fast wedding planning thing.” She finished weakly, not knowing how to explain. “Since we’re having it here.” She frowned. “I mean, they’re having it here.” She corrected. “I’m not getting married, Willow and Tara are.”
“Hey!” Anya exclaimed, stomping her foot. The ex-demon tried to grab onto Dawn’s feet, but the teen managed to squirm away. “Damn it, Dawn!”
“What on earth are you blathering about, Dawn?” Giles sighed through the receiver and pinched his index finger and his thumb over the bridge of his nose, shaking his head at the obvious sounds of an angry Anya in the background. “I thought we agreed that you all were to come home for Christmas, I specifically said…”
“Oh, c’mon Giles!” Dawn rolled her eyes. “Willow and Tara are happy and they want to do it here.” She explained, dodging Anya’s hands who were still trying to pull at her feet, Xander and Buffy had to pull her back. “Plus, New York is really great and you’ll have a blast here!” Dawn continued, not caring about Anya’s mood. “Anya and I can teach you how to ice-skate.” She smiled. “Well, I can teach you how to ice-skate since, well…you know.”
Anya’s face lit up at that and she roughly pulled at Dawn’s feet, catching the cell phone before it fell to the floor. “Dawn’s right!” Anya smiled through the phone receiver, nodding her head enthusiastically. “I know how to ice-skate now.” She declared proudly.
Dawn jumped off the bed and then roughly snatched away the cell phone from Anya’s hands. “No she doesn’t Giles, she crashed like seven times.” The teen laughed as she remembered the exact moment Anya crashed into the far wall of the ice-skating rink, over and over again. “Over and over again.”
“I did not!” Anya defended, stomping her foot. She turned to the rest of the gang who were all quietly listening on. “I really didn’t.” she said softly, shaking her head. “I didn’t.” she insisted again. “Xander, tell them!”
“So, Giles…you need to come down here and we’ll figure out the rest later.” Dawn explained. “Sounds good?”
“Yes, Yes.” Giles nodded. “May I talk with Willow and Tara, I’d like to congratulate them.” He stated.
“I missed you, Giles.” Dawn said gently, her voice soft.
“Miss you too.” The older man replied though the receiver, his voice just as soft. “Um…Willow and Tara?”
“Oh, right!” Dawn remembered, she turned to the gang and was welcomed by Anya who was about to snatch away the phone, thinking that Giles wanted to talk with her. Dawn merely smiled and handed the phone to Tara. “Giles want to talk to Willow and Tara.” Dawn stated with a satisfied grin, sticking out her tongue at Anya, which only enraged her even more.
Anya huffed angrily and stomped to Xander’s side, clutching onto his arm.
“Hello, Mr. Giles?” Tara asked from the other line, her other hand was holding on to Willow.
“Yes, Tara…you’re not coming back home I assume?” the older man questioned, already knowing the answer. “I have a tree here waiting and everything.” He chuckled.
“Sorry, Mr. Giles.” Tara replied through the other line, she looked to Willow and saw gave her a small smile. “It’s just so great here and…I don’t know, it just seems right for some reason.” She explained. “Willow and I really want to this and we hope you could come, it wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“I’ll be there.” Giles smiled, his hands playing with the rim of his glasses. “But I have to say, Tara… planning a wedding takes months to arrange. I don’t think you or Willow understands the longevity of it all, how in the world do you propose assembling and organizing all of this in such a short amount of time?” he softly inquired, concerned. “When do you plan on getting married?”
“In a few days?” Tara stated meekly. “Is that bad?”
“Put Willow on the line?” Giles suggested his voice controlled and gentle. Willow and Tara were really aiming high but a wedding was a big event and it takes a really long time to have it all arranged, just to find a place to get married alone will take forever. He didn’t know if the girls really understood that. Giles felt Tara hesitate and made way to assure the blonde. “Tara, I just want to hear what Willow thinks of it all, congratulations by the way.”
“Thank you.” Tara smiled and handed the phone to Willow who was enthusiastically took it.
“Hi, Giles!” Willow beamed brightly, her smile as radiant as the summer’s sun. “I take it you heard?” she noted brilliantly. “Tara and I are finally going to do it, and it’ll be great too…I have all the ideas in my head and I know for a fact that everything is going to go great!”
“Hello, Willow.” Giles answered with the most gentle and soothing voice. “And I’m sure you’re right.”
“You are?” Willow lifted an eyebrow. “No skepticism? No fatherly, everything might not go well speeches?”
“Tara says a couple of days…” Giles’s voice was adamant and strong. “And we’ll get it done in a couple of days.”
“You seem really adamant about that.” Willow smiled. “Is this going to be like mission impossible or what?”
“It’s going to be a mission, that’s for sure.” Giles chuckled. “I’m taking the first flight out and I’m hoping to get there by tomorrow, you girls start on the planning now, have Xander, Buffy, Dawn and Anya help you and when I get there…” Giles smiled and cleaned his glasses, his eyes filled with confidence and determination. “Well, when I get there all bets will be off.” The watcher voiced in conviction. “I have you know that I am an amateur wedding planner.” He stated proudly, his brown eyes shining.
“You never told us that.” Willow was surprised. “A watcher and a wedding planner.” She voiced proudly. “I’m so proud.” The redhead said in a sing-song voice, acting as if she were a proud mother of a child that has just started to walk. “Well, we need all the help we can get so get your ass down here ASAP.” Willow stated adamantly. “And bring some money with you.” She joked, smiling.
“With me there, I’ll get it done in no time.” The adamant watched proclaimed. “I’ll see you soon?” he made sure, his voice still soft. “And congratulations, Willow. I’m nearing my fifties and you and Tara are already getting married before the age of thirty, how do you do it?”
“I met Tara.” Willow smiled. “If I hadn’t, I’d probably still be alone and I thank her and the goddess above for that everyday.” She said softly. “You just have to find the right woman who could make your heart soar to the sky and all be good.”
“I did find her.” Giles stated sadly. “I just couldn’t keep her.”
“I’m sorry, Giles.” Willow voiced softly. “You know that I loved her too, she shouldn’t have died.”
“Yes, well…” the watcher shook his head away from his thoughts, not wanting to think about that right now.” I guess I’ll be going, I’ll hope to see you soon.”
“Call us when you land.” Willow nodded. “We’ll be waiting at the airport, you might want to try to get a room since Xander and Anya’s is crowded.” She mentioned. “That is unless you want to stay with Tara and I.”
“Will do.” Giles smiled. “And if I might say again…congratulations, I’m sure that you and Tara will be very happy together.”
“Bye, Giles.” “And thanks.”
Dial tone.
“What did he say?” Anya leaned forward towards Willow and raised her eyebrows. “Is he coming?”
“He’s coming.” Willow smiled. “And he’s going to help us with the planning and everything!”
“That’s great, sweetie.” Tara smiled as well, going behind Willow and gently bringing her hands over her lover’s shoulders and tenderly massaging the muscles there, kneading into the flesh in soft strokes. “Did he say anything else?” she questioned quietly, still massaging her fiancée’s shoulders. “When do we pick him up from the airport?”
“By tomorrow.” Willow stated matter of factly; her eyes closing in bliss at Tara’s tender touch. “He said he’d call so we should both keep our cell phone on so we know when he’ll be coming down.” She added. “He also said that we should start planning right away so I guess we should do that right now.”
“Right now?” Tara asked, frowning. Her hands stopped its kneading. “You want to start the planning right now?”
“That’s what Giles said.” Willow turned her head back and gave her lover a small smile. “But I guess it’s kind of late, huh?”
“Kinda.” Tara nodded. “But first thing tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah!” Anya was excited; she took Tara by the shoulders and gave the blonde an encouraging squeeze. “Tara and I can go down and try out some the wedding dresses.” She exclaimed enthusiastically. “I hear they’re having a fifty percent off sale.”
“I actually know what dress I want; I have a picture and everything.” Tara silently confessed, biting her lip shyly. “So we can head there tomorrow.”
“You know what dress to get?” Willow turned to Tara and raised her eyebrows. “Since when?”
“Since now.” Tara smiled and gave her lover a quick kiss.
“Great!” Anya smiled. “I’ll have Dawn come with us.” She hopped up and down. “What do you think Dawn?” the ex-demon asked the teen.
“I’ll be there.” Dawn smiled. “Let’s just go to sleep.”
The whole gang nodded. Willow and Tara retired to their hotel room while Buffy, Xander, Dawn, and Anya went back to where they were before the two girls barged in, to sleep. Tomorrow they were going to pick up Giles. Tomorrow would be the first day of the wedding plans and the first day of the mission to get the wedding arranged as quickly as possible, with the help of all the scoobies and Giles, they were sure they would get it done.
Day one: The whole gang were waiting at the airport for Giles, Anya carried a huge sign that read ‘We missed you Giles’ while the rest of the scoobies waited for the watcher alongside Anya, standing there patiently. Dawn left for a while to grab a soda from a nearby vending machine, and when she came back she saw that Giles was there, and with lighting speed the teen rushed to the older man’s side, hugging him tightly.
Giles squeezed Dawn tightly, followed by Anya, Willow and Tara, Buffy and a manly handshake from Xander.
“So?” Giles stated after a moment of greeting. “Let’s get started.” He smiled. “I heard Willow say something about Rockefeller Center and I can get that done in a rather small amount of time… I know some people there so that shouldn’t be a problem.”
“We just want a small wedding.” Tara voiced through the group. “All we need is a dress, someone to perform the services, a few bouquets of flowers and a place to eat.”
“And we can get all that done, I’m sure of it.” Giles nodded. “You girls just get that dress in.”
[Cut to the front of the dress store. Tara, Anya, and Dawn are at the front of the shop along with dozens of other women, everyone is in a frenzy] “All right, listen up. There is usually only one dress in each size so when they open those doors, fan out. Now, this is what you’re looking for! Tara holds up a picture of the dress she picked out. “ Memorize it! When you locate the dress, blow on these. All right?” She passes out whistles to them. “ Three short blasts, when you hear it. Come running.” Tara told the other girls, making sure they understood.
“Okay.” Dawn nodded, absorbing it all, she placed the whistle around her neck.
“Got it.” Buffy smiled.
“I got it too!” Anya exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “I bet I’ll find it first.” She smiled.
“All right.” Tara simply said, preparing herself. “Everyone, be careful…theses women can trample you.”
A worker comes to open the door and the horde starts to press forward.
“Here he comes!” A strange woman says, pressing her face flat against the glass. “Hurry!”
“Oh they’re pushing!” Anya cried out, almost trampled under the horde of women that passed through. “They’re pushing!!”
“Hey!” Tara grabbed Anya by the shoulder, her eyes hard. “Don’t be a baby!”
“Well I…” Anya stammered her mouth opening and closing unconsciously. “I just…”
The door opens allowing the horde to charge in, knocking Anya out of the way and to the ground, really hard.
“Let’s go!!” Someone says, almost stepping on Anya who was on the floor, her face messy.
Dawn comes out and roughly pulls at Anya “Hey! Anya! Come on!!!!”
Tara is frantically looking for her dress.
“No. No. Not it. Not it. Not it.” Tara checks another rack and another woman tries to reach around her. To the woman “Don’t crowd me!” Tara says roughly, very out of character. The blonde searches some more.
“This is it! This is the dress! Oh my God, it’s perfect!” She takes it off of the rack and someone has a hold of it on the other side of the rack and tugs on it. “I’m sorry, this one’s taken.” Tara says, shaking her head and tugging at the hanger of the dress. The other woman tugs harder pulling Tara through the rack. “Hey!”
“This is my dress, I’ve got it by the hanger.” Tara states calmly, hoping the other woman would understand.
“No!”
“Yes it is!” Tara tugged harder. “I have it by the hanger, which makes it mine.” She insisted, looking around the room for Buffy and her slayer strength.
“And now you’ll see me buying it.” The other woman insisted stubbornly. “Boo hoo.”
“What? You freak!” Tara was pissed, and she was never pissed. This was the dress she wanted, she had it by the hanger and she was sure that Willow would love it as well.
"Look, you don’t want to fight me."
“Maybe I do! I’m pretty feisty!” Tara the signal on the whistle.
[Cut to Dawn in another part of the store.] Dawn, hearing the signal, rushes to Buffy’s side. “I’m coming! I’m coming!” the teen exclaimed, trying to follow the sound. She takes off towards the signal and almost knocks another woman over.
“Hey!” she says, an angry scowl on her face.
She hears another signal in another direction.
“Okay!” Dawn runs that way and hears another whistle blast. “ Hey!” she heads the other way and hears another blast. “What do I do?!!” the teen runs in the second direction and finds that the whistling is coming from inside a rack. She moves the dresses out of the way to find Anya curled up in a fetal position frantically blowing on the whistle. “What are you doing?” Dawn frowned, confused.
Anya doesn’t stop.
“Did you find the dress?” Dawn questioned.
Anya won’t stop so Dawn pinches her nose shut which causes her to spit the whistle out.
“Did you find the dress?” Dawn asked more loudly, shaking her head.
“No! You gotta get me out of here, Dawn!” Anya got up and held her whistle tightly in her hands. “These bargain shoppers are crazy!”
“I—We gotta get Tara.” She starts to leave.
“No!” the ex-demon grasped tightly onto Dawn’s shoulder. “You gotta hold my hand!!”
“Oh my God!!” She grabs Anya’s hand and drags her towards Tara. “Excuse me! Excuse me!” She’s knocking women and veils out of the way as she moves.
Dawn and Anya gets to Tara where they see Buffy with the dress balled up in one hand and is sitting on the woman who was trying to take Tara’s dress, the woman was sprawled out on the floor, completely exhausted.
Tara takes the dress and runs the the register.
“Go! Go! Go!” Buffy says to Tara and the other two girls, her grip on the other woman loosening.
by snuggle79 » Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:15 am 
Love sammi xx 
Tara decides to rush the engagement and marry on a whim under the snow of New York and the giant Christmas tree where they were engaged at, but they need to plan everything first before they do so. May they have a happy Christmas Wedding on the next update. 
WooHoo, I'm first....I'm first
Wonderful update. I'm glad the girls are getting married soon. This is a fantastic story and I can't wait for the next update.
. Lovely update. love sammi xx 
