If Destiny Wills (20/23)

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx]

Hi ya'all
So here's the thing, this was betaed and ready last week. I was forced
to take a little vacation in Doctor-Land and my beta reader went a head
and posted these, but since they didn't know about all the lists it went
to and so missed some. I'm sending it to all the lists so if this is a
repost, sorry.
K? So here goes.

Thanks for your patience.
Alex
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Title: If Destiny Wills (20/23)
Author: Alex P.
Feedback: Please any comments or suggestions to: keeper444@xxxxxxxxx
Archive: Whatever or whoever Just tell me
 Summary: Sequel to A Higher Power
Spoilers: Starts where Next Illogical Step leaves off. Still in college 
Still near future. 
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy Willow Giles and any others from 
BTVS are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc. No
infringement of any kind intended and no money made. 
Warning: Contains scenes of a loving relationship between two consenting
women. If you have a problem with that (why are you here?) or it is
illegal where you live (I suggest you move to my end of the
gutter...quickly) then PLEASE DELETE THIS NOW !!!!!
Rating: PG
Pairing: B/W
Notes: This wouldn't be here if not for my beta Ralf, thanks bunches.
Also a big thanks to all of you that continue to send feedback, it keeps
the motor running. ~A~
   <>thoughts<>
   *****flashbacks****
++++++++++++++++ 
Title: If Destiny Wills (20/23)
Author: Alex P. 
++++++++++++++++ 
Buffy woke slowly, her eyes protesting painfully at the brightness of
the sunlight that flooded their bedroom. She felt the comfortably
familiar weight of her lover on her chest. The still groggy blonde
opened her eyes and looked down at the red-head that was sprawled out
over her covering her body. 

On an impulse Buffy buried her face in the tousled red hair inhaling
deeply, enjoying the intoxicating scent of her beloved witch. 

<>This has got to be what Heaven is like.<> she mused happily. <>I have
no idea what I've done in my life so right that gives me the chance to
be with her, but I will thank whatever god is responsible for this every
minute of everyday for the rest of my life, and it still won't be
enough.<> 

Buffy pulled her head back, sighed softly and found herself looking into
of the most beautiful sleepy eyes in the universe.   

"Hey." Willow said sleepily.   

"Hey yourself, sleepyhead." Buffy answered, smiling down at the
substitute blanket, amazed at how just the sound of Willow's voice
turned her on. "You ready to get up?" 

"Don't wanna get up." The sleepy red head pouted. "Feels too good right
here." 

To make her point Willow snuggled into Buffy causing their bodies to
rub, eliciting a moan from the already aroused Slayer's throat. She let
a hand slowly slide down her lover's side, so that it just grazed her
skin raising goose bumps over Willow's skin. 

The tiny blonde brought the hand around to cup a soft breast and began
teasing the already hard nipple with her thumb, forcing a sensual growl
from the red head. 
Willow smiled sexily up at her lover and began licking and kissing any
of Buffy's exposed skin she could reach, enraptured by the taste. 

The highly aroused witch gently grabbed some of her lover's skin between
her teeth. Buffy growled and pulled Willow up to her until their lips
met, gently at first then more passionate, more insistent. 

Buffy lightly nipped at her lover's lower lip demanding entrance. The
witch's lips parted obligingly allowing the impassioned Slayer's tongue
to enter and explore freely the depths of her mouth. 

Buffy devoured Willow's sweet mouth as both lovers let themselves sink
into the pleasurable sensations washing over their bodies, bringing
their every nerve ending to life. They shivered as chills of excitement
ran up and down their spines. They finally pulled back from the kiss,
forced by lack of air. 

"Gods I want you so bad it hurts." the Slayer moaned, and began licking
and nipping at Willow's neck. 

Buffy slid her hands down Willow's back relishing the feel of the
muscles flexing and relaxing under the soft smooth skin. Then grasping
her lover's taught rear, Buffy pulled her witch tighter against her
enjoying the heat radiating from the red head's body. 

Willow opened her eyes and saw the clock next to the bed and with a
groan of disappointment reluctantly pushed away from her persistently
grasping blonde lover. 

"Buffy, we gotta stop baby." Willow told her already over aroused
Slayer. "I'm sorry hon, but it's already nine and our wedding is today,
in case you forgot." 

She had forgotten in the heat of the moment, but wasn't about to admit
it to Willow. With a loud growl of frustration Buffy tried to pull the
red head back into the embrace, but the determined witch wasn't giving
in. 

"Come on lover we can't, there's not enough time." Willow insisted,
pushing on Buffy's chest. "Do you really want Cordelia or worse one of
our mothers to come barging in here in the middle of us making love?" 

The visual of Willow's mother walking in and finding Buffy nestled
comfortably between her daughter's legs, happily lapping away while
Willow writhed and moaned (or screamed as she normally did) effectively
put the damper on the Slayer's lust. 

With a final roar of total frustration, Buffy released her lover and
quickly got out of their bed.   

"Real nice visual Wills." The Slayer growled in frustration, her voice
thick with pent up lust. "You win this one, but just remember my smug
little witch, I'll get you back. You just wait Willow Rosenberg. You'll
get yours." 

"Ooo, I can hardly wait." Willow purred seductively, as she headed for
the bathroom with an exaggerated sway to her hips. "I'll settle for your
promises for now, but later I expect you to live up to every one of them
Chosen One." 

With a giggle the red head was through the door before Buffy could
react. The bride to be laughed and shook her head at her lover's
behavior. She slipped on her robe and began getting things together for
later. 

"Oh man." the Slayer muttered to herself. "I'd better conserve my
strength. I've got a feeling that a certain red-head isn't going to take
'I'm tired' for an answer tonight." 

Willow returned wearing only a towel and using another to dry her hair.
Buffy looked at her and a wistful smile lit up her face. 

"I've never seen anyone look that good wearing a towel." the blonde
sighed. "Those super models got nothin' on my Wills." 

Willow blushed shyly at this unexpected compliment, turning her lover on
even more. 

"You know." Buffy purred, as she took a step toward the object of her
desire. "It wouldn't take all that long if we..." 

"Don't even go there, Miss Overheated Slayer." Willow said, holding up
her hand to stop her approaching paramour. "We don't have time to do it
right and if we can't do it right, I don't want to do it at all." 
Faced with that kind of logic, Buffy had no choice but to retreat. 

"Oh all right." the blonde mumbled, as she walked toward the second
bathroom seriously pouting. 

Willow thought her lover was so adorable she almost gave in, but was
stopped by the ringing of their door bell. 

<>Whew!<> she thought relieved. <>Talk about saved by the bell.<> 

"Cheer up Slayer." the witch called to her partner's retreating back.
"Soon you'll be too busy to be horny." 

"Yeah right!" came the answering growl. "Wanna bet?" 

Cordelia, true to form was the first to arrive and instantly took
charge, rushing the two soon to be weds all over the house, while
handling all the last minute details that could only be done the day of
the wedding and any last second emergencies that occurred. 

The girl was a wonder. Several of the people from the wedding suppliers
asked if she was interested in party and wedding planing professionally.
Cordelia was flattered and promised them she'd think about it. 

"Just think Cordy." Both of her friends told her when they heard of the
offers. "It's the perfect career. You get to push people around, spend
their money and get paid for it. It's the perfect job and you'd be the
best at it." 

Their friend blushed at their half serious teasing. But before she could
say anything, Cordelia saw one of the florists trying to bring in the
wrong flowers and was off in a flash to pounce on the unsuspecting
miscreant. 
****** 
Around noon Willow headed for her parent's house. Even though neither of
them were speaking to her mother, Willow's father insisted they still
hold the ceremony in his huge back gardens. 

So with Xander driving she prepared to face the dreaded mother monster,
while 
Joyce and Cordelia took Buffy to her mother's house to get ready under
the intensely close supervision of Cordelia and Joyce. 

Being a normal mother Joyce had tried to put in her 2 cents worth over
the wedding plans. But unlike Sheila Rosenberg, Joyce Summers knew when
to just back off and let her daughter take care of things. All of them
were hoping for the best but expecting the worst. 

Four o'clock that afternoon found a very nervous Willow standing in
front of an altar in her parents beautifully landscaped back garden,
fidgeting, with Xander unobtrusively rubbing the small of her back
trying to soothe her ragged nerves. 

"Hey Will." Xander whispered. "What's the matter, afraid the Buffster's
gonna run off with Cordy and leave you standin' at the altar?" 

Willow glared up at her life long friend and saw his brown eyes
sparkling with humor at her expense. 

"Shut up Xander." the witch growled with mock jealousy. "If I recall
correctly it wasn't all that long ago that your girlfriend was making
comments about my fiancee's cute little rear end." 

"What!" Xander blurted out, shocked at his friend's comment . 

This time it was Willow with the mischievously evil smirk. Xander more
felt rather than heard the red head's chuckle. 

"Ha ha very funny." he muttered under his breath. "Nothin' worse than a
witch that thinks she's funny." 

Thanking the Goddess for her best friend and his overactive sense of
humor, Willow also took the time to send her thanks to whichever Gods
were responsible for the perfect weather, so that they were able to have
the outdoor wedding they had both wanted. 

The witch's thoughts were interrupted by a commotion at the back of the
assembled guests. She looked back wondering what was going on when she
was struck breathless by the sight that met her eyes. Giles looked
positively handsome in his new Armani tux and Cordelia was a regal
vision in her light blue gown (the color inspired by Willow's "Xander in
a blue tux" remark) but they all came in a pale second compared to the
heart stopping revelation on the librarian's arm. 

Buffy was the quintessential beautiful bride, not that she didn't think
the petite blonde was beautiful all the time, but now on this day at
this place she was far beyond anything as mundane as beautiful. 
In fact Willow's vocabulary failed her. Words like gorgeous, etherial,
and magnificent were somehow inadequate to describe the vision that
filled the red head's very being with unbearable joy. 

She was so affected by the sight she forgot to breath until the burning
of her oxygen starved lungs reminded her. 

"Come on girl, breathe damn it." Willow told herself. "By the Gods,
she's so beautiful it hurts." 

"Whoa, you got that right." Xander whispered in answer, surprising his
friend who hadn't realized she'd spoke out loud. 

When Buffy saw her beloved looking at her and recognised the look in the
awestruck witch's eyes, the Slayer smiled shyly dazzling her intended
even more. 

"Will, you're gonna be alright." Xander whispered in her ear, causing
her to realize her whole body was trembling at the sight of her bride. 

<>Breathe, Willow, breathe.<> she told herself, while nodding to
reassure her best man. <>She'll kill you if you pass out now and that
would sure put a damper on the old wedding night.<> 

Xander gave his witchy friend a strange look when he saw her blush, then
heard her chuckle under her breath. 

Willow lost all contact with her surroundings, her eyes were captured
and held by the most beautiful creation in the universe. The Slayer
seemed to glow with a pure white light that eclipsed the sun itself. 

She felt her legs go weak and her knees threatened to buckle, but by the
strength of her resolve not to embarrass her bride kept upright. 

"I can't believe she wants me." the red Head whispered to her best man.
"If all these people weren't here you'd see the world's happiest happy
dance." 

Xander couldn't help himself and blurted out a loud laugh that he tried
unsuccessfully to disguise as a cough. 

For just an instant all eyes were on the terminally embarrassed best
man. 

Then the organ began and the spectators turned to see what Willow had
already seen, the petite blonde's presence transcended any possible
written definition or phrase leaving everyone stunned by her almost
supernatural beauty. 

The sound of the collective gasp was nearly deafening. 

Willow watched mesmerized as Giles and Buffy walked slowly down the
aisle toward her, she could feel the nervous perspiration beading on her
upper lip and without thinking licked it off. 

Once they were standing next to her and Giles placed the Slayer's hand
into Willow's they looked into each other's eyes. 

Buffy gave her lover one of her patented 300 watt smiles and suddenly
the only thing that mattered to the red haired witch was spending the
rest of her life making this Goddess in human form happy. 

At Buffy's prompting Willow remembered where they were and that there
were others there also, they turned to face the Rabbi that had consented
to officiate the unorthodox ceremony. 

She smiled at the two young women facing her and could see the
overwhelming love that radiated from the couple and smiled reassuringly
at them. 

She had known Giles since his 'Ripper' days and was fully aware of the
significance of what was occurring and her part in it. 

Turning her attention to the gathering behind the couple it was apparent
that not everyone was as enthusiastic over this occasion as others. 

"It is my great honor to have been asked by these two young people to be
here today." the Rabbi began, surveying the crowd and letting her
piercing grey eyes settle on each less than happy face out there resting
the longest on Willow's mother. "This is the most important time of
their lives and if there are any here that cannot share the joyful
spirit in which it is intended they should leave now rather than allow
their negativity mar this otherwise perfect day." 

Pausing to allow any that wished to leave to do so, the Rabbi smiled at
the two women facing her. When no one moved the Rabbi continued. 

"Now that we are all agreed to share their joy." the Rabbi restarted.
"And as the unusual nature of this occasion is somewhat outside my
training, it is my belief that Buffy and Willow have written their own
vows. At this time I turn it over to them. Willow, I believe you are
first." 

Willow turned to face her beloved and gazed into the two brightest
points of light in her universe. Gulping hard then clearing her throat
she began. 

"Buffy, I don't have the words to adequately describe my feelings for
you." the trembling Wyccan began. "You are the sun that lights my days
and the moon that blesses my nights. 
Without you I'm empty. I'd be wandering aimlessly through life with no
direction no goals never knowing the true meaning of friendship, life,
or love. 
Because of you I have purpose. I have a reason to believe that tomorrow
will be worth living and that no matter what all my tomorrows bring they
will be better for your having been with me. 
Without you the universe makes no sense and there is no reason to go on.
You are the rest of me. 
You are my strength and my courage. 
You are more to me than life itself because you are my spirits guide. 
When I am frightened you protect me.. When I am hurt you care for me.
When I am lost you give me direction. 
I promise to be at your side no matter what we face we shall now and
forever face it together." 

Both women were weeping uncontrollably making it impossible for Buffy to
read the things she had written and so she decided to "wing it". 

"Willow, my Wills." Buffy began, letting herself get lost in the
fathomless pools of her lover's eyes. "I still can't believe where we
are. 
My greatest fear is that I'll wake up and find this is all just some
wonderful dream. I remember the day I met you and asking who is this
beautiful soul and why does she appear to like me. 
I think even then my heart knew you, that my soul felt the pull of your
soul, but being young and naive I simply chalked it up to friendship. 
I was right, but over the years since that day you have redefined that
term until without either of us realizing it our feelings past beyond
friendship into the realm of true deep lasting love and respect. 
Now we have at last come to that point where we must stop denying the
truth that we both know. 
It is time to leave the half truths of our childhood and start on the
interwoven path that our destinies have laid before us. I can't do this
alone. 
I need my Willow to be with me. 
You are the rock that anchors me. 
Your goodness keeps me from go over to the darkness that has nearly
claimed me many times. 
You are my other half, the soul that completes mine. 
Without you I'd have lain down and died long ago. 
I love you with every fiber of my being. I give you my heart, my mind,
my body, and my soul. 
Do with what you will but I beg you to love them and hold them near your
heart because that's the only place I truly want to be. " 

Unable to continue, the two teary eyed young women turned to face the
Rabbi. She smiled down at these two bright loving faces and was struck
once again by the deep abiding unquestioning love they had for each
other. 

The sight brought tears of hope and happiness to the older woman's eyes.
She looked out over the gathering and saw that there was not a dry eye
in the place. 

During this she had Xander and Cordelia give her the rings, the Rabbi
looked at the two identical silver rings and gasped quietly as a jolt of
unknown power shot up her arm. 

She held her hand that was holding the rings to the couple and could
feel a powerful vibration filling the air as lightening shot across the
cloudless sky. 

"The rings symbolize the strength and depth of your commitment to each
other. By giving them you are inviting your partner into your life and
by accepting them you are pledging to love and respect them to the
exclusion of all others." the Rabbi said quietly, almost as if the words
were meant solely for the couple being joined. 

Once the two had given and received their rings the Rabbi reached and
took their joined hands into hers and when they looked at her she spoke.
"The path the two of you have chosen to follow is a path less travelled. 
The days ahead of you will hold many trials as well as joys and the two
of you have chosen to face them together. 
That is a good thing in this world. 
Just be sure to be there for each other. Let no day end without showing
and telling your partner what their love and support means to you. 
Your life will never be the same. But remember you are no longer forced
to face your trials and tribulations alone and that you have the
unwavering love of each other to rely on." 

She smiled and looked out to the spectators and turned to the two that
were now one and smiled. "As much as these two young people have pledged
their commitment to each other in words and symbolically with the
exchange of rings, by the power afforded me both by my beliefs and those
assembled I declare these two souls joined and would introduce them for
the first time as Buffy and Willow Rosenberg-Summers." 

Both Buffy and Willow were beaming and blushing as the gathering stood
and cheered theirs union. 

Xander leaned in and whispered into Willow's ear. "Come on Will, you're
supposed to kiss her or something." 

Willow took her new wife's chin in her hand and gently turned the red
faced blonde's head to face her, then softly pressed her lips to Buffy's
giving her a chaste loving kiss, not wanting to embarrass her or any of
the others. 

Buffy figured out what she was doing and wrapped her arms around
Willow's neck and proceeded to kiss the red head passionately not
releasing the kiss until the lack of oxygen became an issue. 

"Wow!" was all Willow could gasp out when her lover finally released her
. 

"That should hold you till tonight my little witch." Buffy told her with
a wicked smile. 
"Now let's go. Cordy's got a party planed and the sooner we get there
the sooner we can get started on the Honeymoon." 

Buffy grabbed her new wife's hand and led the still partially stunned
woman back up the aisle to the limo Willow's father had gotten them. The
Slayer dove into the back of the long black vehicle and pulled a very
willing red head in with her. 

As the chauffeur shut the car door, nearby guests could hear a giggling
Slayer say. 

"To the party Jeeves and step on it." 

++++++++++ 
End 20
TBC 
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