Changes
By: Heather
Disclaimer: Joss owns the characters, but the plot is mine.
Summery: Buffy's father doesn't approve of her relationship with Liam so he tells them that if she spends 3 years abroad he'll not stand in their way if they want to get married when she gets back. Both agree, but things happen. Can they overcome them? Or will the odds beat them?
Pairings: B/L, D/L, C/D, W/O, A/X, G/J, K/G
Rating: PG14
Distro: Lemme know where.
A's Note1: No beta'r, mistakes are mine.
A's Note2: Should I continue or not?
'It's definitaly weird being back on american soil again after being away so long. I wonder what all has changed back home. I guess i'm going to find out shortly.' She thought as she saw two of her friends from school standing at the gate waving excitedly at her.
She waved back at them, happy to see them after so long. She had missed them so much while she had been away.
"Buffy!! I'm so glad your back!" Willow Rosenburg cried as she hurried to hug her friends.
"Hi Will. Hey Cor. Thanks for being here to meet me." Buffy replied as they turned and headed towards the baggage claim.
"What are friends for?" Cordelia Chased asked as they got her friends luggage.
"Man, it is so weird knowing i'm in the states again after so long." Buffy sighed as they headed towards the front of the airport to leave.
"I imagine it would be. You've been gone for three years, it has to be incredibly weird knowing your allowed to come home now. Everyone is so excited to see you." Cordelia said before she and Willow exchanged a look that the other girl caught.
"What's with the look? What's happened?" Buffy asked, a feeling of trepidition coming over her.
"Well, Buffy, we thought it would be best if you heard it from us before running into them." Willow started as they got to the car and put her bags in the trunk.
"Heard what? Who's them?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy, Liam got drunk one night a few months after you left and ended up with Darla. She got pregnant. He married her. They've been married now for over two years." Willow watched her friend's face fall and tears swim in her eyes.
"Oh." Buffy looked down at her clasped hands and tried to swallow the tears threatening to fall. "So. I guess my father was right. It wasn't meant to be."
"Oh Buffy. We're so sorry." Cordelia replied as she too watched her friend fight her emotions.
"My father said that if I went away for three years and had no contact with Liam then at the end of those three years he wouldn't stand in our way if we wanted to get married. So we agreed, even though that's what neither of us wanted. So I got shipped off to Europe, flung into places where I had no friends, no one I really knew for the man I loved. I stayed away, I did what my father wanted. And instead of getting the man I love, he gets drunk and ends up getting another woman pregnant and marries her. And I went away from everyone I knew and loved for what ends up, as no reason at all." Buffy finished in a whisper.
The two girls hurriedly gathered her into their arms and held her tightly. Her breathe hitched in her throat and came out as a sob. They just sat there holding her while she cried.
*************************************************
The girls dropped Buffy of at her parents house and helped her with her bags. Once in there the butler took her bags to her room while she went in search of her mom and stepfather.
"Giles. Where's mom at?" Buffy asked as she stood in the door to her stepfather's study.
Giles rose to give her a hug in welcome. "Welcome home, Buffy. Joyce has been stuck in traffic trying to get back from Sacremento, she called a little bit ago."
Buffy hugged him before stepping back and looking down. "I think i'll go up and lay down for a while."
"Are you allright dear?" Giles asked in concorn.
"No. No, i'm not. Did you know?" Buffy asked as she looked up at him with tear filled eyes.
"About Liam? Yes, I heard shortly after it happened." Giles replied, "It is probably for the best Buffy. It obviously wasn't meant to be."
"Not meant to be. You didn't think it was important to tell me? You *knew* that I was still in love with him! Yet you didn't say anything. You let me come home thinking that you were going to stand back and let me marry the man I have been in love with since I was 14. It was up to my *friends* to tell me. Do you know how that made me feel?"
"Buffy...." Giles started but she interrupted him.
"Do you know what it did to me to realize that I *could* have came home if you had just *told* me? That you didn't *want* me to come then? You've always been my father, but now, now I just don't know. If it weren't fo you, I wouldn't be hurting this bad. Because you KNOW he wouldn't have done this if I had been able to stay." By the end of her speech tears were rolling down her cheeks. He tried to take her in his arms but she stepped back.
"Don't. Just don't touch me. I'm going to my room, to lay down. Please, leave me alone." She turned and hurried out of the room.
************************************************
Buffy had been home for almost a month before she ran into the last person she wanted to see.
She was browsing threw magazines when she got bumped into. She turned around and looked up at the same time the last person she wanted to see turned around and looked down.
The words of apology died on Liam's lips as he saw Buffy standing there before him. "Buffy. W.." he cleared his throat as he stared at her, "when did you get back?"
Buffy took a small step back and tilted her head up at him. "I got back over a month ago. I uh...hear congratulations are in order for you. Well, late congratulations since I only found out at the airport."
"Oh god. Buffy, i'm so sorry. I never meant for that to happen with Darla." Liam said as he took hold of her hand.
Buffy stiffened up as she felt Liam touch her. She jerked her hand away and blinked back the tears that sprung to her eyes. "Don't touch me. Look, things obviously worked out for the best for you, so i'm going to go." She turned and hurried out of the store.
Liam followed her out and caught her arm as she started across the street.
"Dammit, Buffy, let me explain." Liam knew how the news of his marriage must have hurt her, and all he wanted to do was make things right.
"How can you make them right Liam? How? Can you reverse time so that you never got drunk and got with Darla? So that she never got pregnant? So that you never married her? So that she never had your baby? HOW?" She asked as tears spilled out of her eyes.
He groaned as he crushed her resisting form against his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and rocked her gently. "Shh baby, please don't cry. When you calm down, we need to talk. There's things you don't know. That no one knows."
"Like what?" she asked as she sniffled and shifted against him. Loving the feeling of being in his arms after so long apart.
"Let's go have lunch, and i'll tell you ok? Please, Buffy, let me explain."
Buffy sighed as she stepped away from him and wiped at her face with a handkerchief. "Fine. I think we need closure." She mumbled as they took off down the street.
********
They waited till after their food came before they started on the reason they were sitting there.
Liam looked over at the woman across from him. The only one he ever wanted to become his wife. He sighed before putting down his fork.
"A few months after you left, I had a run in with your father. I ran into him at my father's office and we exchanged words. I don't really remember what was said, I just remember I was so angry that I wanted to get drunk. So that night Will and I went to a bar and got drunk. Apparently from what people told me about that night, Darla came up to us, and was flirting with me. I don't remember her coming up, I don't remember her taking me home, I don't remember having sex with her. But three months later she told me she was pregnant. I hadn't seen her since the morning after when I told her I didn't mean for whatever happened to happen. And that it wouldn't happen again. She got angry then and left."
"So then three months later she came and told you about the baby?" Buffy asked as Liam took a drink of his coffee.
"Yes. I felt horrible at what happened, knowing I had cheated on you, even though I didn't remember it. Then to find out that she became pregnant, I couldn't believe it. I wanted so badly to call and hear your voice, but it wasn't allowed, and I didn't know what to do. So I did the only thing i could think of at the time. I married her. Only to realize I was duped."
Buffy looked up sharply at that. Her questioning gaze was resting on Liam's handsome face as he answered the look in her eyes with one of his own.
"She lied, Buffy. She hadn't been pregnant. She just wanted to marry me. I don't know why. I didn't have anything that she would want. My heart wasn't even mine to give her, you've always had that. Only you, beloved." He whispered as he stared across at her.
Her indrawn breath caught his attention as he slid her hand into his.
"So what happened when you found out that she hadn't been pregnent? Wait...Will and Cordy told me that she had a miscarriage."
"That's what everyone but a few think. The only ones who know the truth are my parents, Will and Doyle. I tried to get her to agree to an anullment but she wouldn't. And we've been fightin over a divorce ever since. We don't live together, we haven't since I found out she wasn't really pregnant. She states that she's been in love with me since we were teens, and she won't accept that I don't feel that way about her. That your the *only* woman i've ever loved."
Liam watched Buffy, knowing what he was telling her was a lot to take in.
"Are you divorced now?" She asked in a small voice. She felt like she could barely catch her breath, and her hands were shaking a little.
"She won't sign the papers. And the statute of limitations for an annulment ran out a year after we were married. I'm technically married."
"Oh Liam." she pressed her hands to her face. "I don't know what to say."
"Say you'll give *us* another chance. And that you'll forgive me for being so stupid." He got up and knelt on the floor beside her.
She turned towards him and placed one of her hands on his cheek. "I love you. I have always loved *you*. No one, but you. I was so hurt and upset when I found out you were married. I went away from everyone to be able to be with you, and then I couldn't. Now that I can, I am in shock. It will however take a while before I can get over the fact your married to her. But I love you." She wrapped her arms around him as they were suddenly kissing.
"Elizabeth Anne, what are you doing with *him*?" came a voice from beside them, making them jerk apart.
**********************************************
Buffy and Liam slowly pulled apart and looked over at the owner of the voice.
Joyce Summers-Giles was standing there with her arms crossed staring at her daughter and her ex-boyfriend.
"Mom." Buffy said, as colour flowed into her cheeks.
"Mrs. Giles." Liam stood up and offered her his hand. After they shook hands he held a chair for her to sit down. "You'd like an explanation right?"
"Well, considering how my daughter hasn't seen you in three years and she's been miserable since she's found out you are married, why yes, i'd like an explanation as to why your kissing her in a public resteraunt. Well, at all for that matter. Does your wife know your here with my daughter?" Joyce asked as she watched him carefully.
"Mom!" Buffy gasped as she stared at her mother in shock.
"Mrs. Giles, i'm going to have to tell you everything from the time your daughter left. It might take a while." Liam said as he glanced at Buffy who took his hand into hers.
"I'm sure we all have time." Joyce replied.
"A few months after Buffy left for Europe, I went to my father's office to see him about something. I ran into your husband. We exchanged words. No, I don't remember what was said, all I remember is that I was so angry I wanted to get drunk. So that night Will and I went to a bar and got smashed." He took a sip of his coffee before he started again.
"By the time Darla came up to me, I was pretty well gone. I don't even remember her coming up to us. I don't remember talking to her, letting her take me home, or anything. But I found out later from other's that she did all that. I woke up the next morning to find her laying beside me. I had no memory of what happened, if anything happened. But from our state of undress, I had to assume that *something* did happen. I woke her up, and she was clingy and talking about our being together and everything." He was gritting his teeth at the memory even now.
"So I told her that whatever happened, wasn't supposed to have happened. And that I hadn't meant for it to. She was angry when she left. I didn't see or hear from her for three months when she suddenly came to see me to tell me she was pregnant. I was so shocked, I didn't know what to do. And after a few weeks, I did the only thing I thought I *could* do. I asked her to marry me. To give my child my name and a stable home."
"That's very noble of you." Joyce murmured. Buffy looked over at her before looking back at Liam.
"Go on Liam." Buffy encouraged him.
"It was about two months into our marriage when I suddenly got suspicious of her. She wasn't gaining weight, she had no morning sickness like my mother said she should have had. All sorts of little things weren't adding up. So when I confronted her about it, she admitted she wasn't really pregnant. That she had just me to marry her." Liam held on tightly to Buffy's hand as he finished.
"Oh my. She tricked you into marriage. Are you still married or divorced now?"
Joyce asked.
"Unfortunately still married. She refuses to sign the divorce papers. Which means we're going to have to have a court ordered divorce. And a more than likely ugly court battle."
"She always was a manipulative bitch." Joyce said as she glanced at the couple across from her. "I take it that your both in this together then?"
"Yes. I still love Liam very much mom. You know that." Buffy answered as she glanced at the man in question. She smiled warmly at him before turning back to her mother.
"Yes, I love your daughter very much. I've never loved anyone but her. Forever." Liam stated quietly.
"Well, good. I'm on your side then. So long as my daughter doesn't get hurt any more. And don't worry about Rupert, i'll take care of him if he doesn't like this." Joyce said as the trio smiled.
***********************
Darla Tierney was walking threw the mall when she caught sight of someone she hadn't seen in more than three years. She stilled before deciding to follow the girl to make sure that was really her and not someone her imagination was playing tricks on her with.
She followed her into Victoria's Secret being sure to stay out of her line of sight. Darla waved off a sales woman so not to draw attention to herself.
The girl was looking at a series of new bra's that the store had just started to carry when Darla got another huge shock. Her husband, her estranged husband, walked into the store and straight up to the blonde.
She watched Liam walk up to Buffy and put his arms around her waiste from behind and kiss her neck softly. She watched the other woman smile up at him as he made a comment about the bra's to low for Darla to hear.
She walked out of the store fuming. 'So, the bitch is back in town and she has my husband. Not for long.' Darla vowed as she left the mall.
************************************
Buffy and Liam entered Phillipe's and smiled at the maitre' d before they saw their friends in the dining room.
"We're with the Spencer party." Liam told the older man who smiled and nodded motioning for them to pass.
"Hi guys." Buffy said as Liam pulled out her chair for her. She kissed him on the cheek before sitting down.
Their friends smiled. They were all happy the couple had gotten back together and were trying to make it work.
In the four months since Buffy had been home, she and Liam had been back together for three of those.
They had been sitting around discussing the weeks events when Willow and Cordelia stiffened up.
"Um....guys?" Willow got everyone's attention.
"The wicked bitch is headed this way, and she doesn't look happy." Cordelia said as Buffy and Liam stiffened as they sat waiting for Darla to come up and spew venom at them.
They weren't disappointed and they didn't have to wait. She came storming up to their table with her narrowed gaze on the couple.
"Well, well. Look what we have here. *My* husband and his mistress." Darla sneered in anger.
Buffy stiffened and glared up at the hateful woman.
"Only your husband till the judge declares otherwise at the trial next week Darla. And Buffy is *not* my mistress. She's my fiancee'." Liam said as he felt Buffy relax at his side. "She's my future wife and will be the mother of my children. Two thing's you've never been."
"How dare you? I have been your wife for three years." Darla snarled angrily.
"Only because you tricked him." Cordy spat out.
"You know, if I had to lie to a guy to get him to marry me, I would be to ashamed to look at myself in the mirror." Willow joined in.
Their friends were letting both the couple and the shrew know they were behind them. No matter what.
"It really is sad when you have to trick someone into marriage. And she's obviously *not* been looking in the mirror, I mean look at her." Faith snidely replied.
"He didn't even sleep with me, so who is the stupid one?" Darla blurted out before realizing what she said.
She turned her horrified gaze to her husband.
Buffy tightened her hold on Liam's hand as she stared in shock up at the woman.
"You *lied* about having sex with him knowing he was so drunk he wouldn't remember. And here I only thought you were disgusting and vile for pretending to be pregnant. But now I think your the worste sort of whore there is." Buffy glared at the Darla angrily.
Liam turned his shocked gaze on his fiancee, he didn't expect her to say anything to Darla, and especially not that.
Darla was shocked. Everyone could see she was completely floored by Buffy's speech. She turned and left the resteraunt in a huff.
"I didn't have to marry her after all. Even if she *had* been pregnant it wouldn't have been mine. But she would have passed the baby off as mine anyway." Liam muttered still in shock.
"You couldn't have know baby. She knew you wouldn't know whether you slept with her or not, so she decided to take advantage of that fact. She's a whore, Liam, nothing more, nothing less."
Buffy said as he smiled slowly at her, coming out of his shock.
"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" he whispered as he gave her a gentle kiss.
"I love you too." she replied.
*************************************
The couple were standing in the courtroom talking to their friends a little before Liam's divorce hearing was to begin.
Their friends all took the day off work to be able to be there for the hearing, and to celebrate with them afterwards.
Buffy was wrapped in Liam's arms as the courtroom doors suddenly flew open to reveal Darla and her lawyer, Lilah Morgan strolling in.
Darla's gaze narrowed as she caught sight of *her* husband and his goody two shoes rich bitch.
Liam sighed as he saw the look Darla gave them.
Buffy tightened her grip on his waist and smiled up at him. "In a while it will be all over. And she'll be out of your life for good."
Liam looked down at the woman in his arms and gave silent thanks to the powers for her forgiving him and for continuing to love him. "She'll be out of our life, beloved. We have an announcement to make after this is over at dinner remember?"
"Of course I remember. Like i'd forget something like that." Buffy huffed playfully.
"Angel, the judge is coming." Lindsey McDonald said quietly as he turned from the table to face his long time client.
"Ok. Wish me luck." Liam said as he kissed Buffy on the forhead.
"You don't need luck. She's a lying vindictive whore. The judge will see that." she replied as she sat down on the bench.
***********
The trial went on for almost two hours, as both lawyers gave their clients side of the marriage.
"I think i've heard more than enough." Judge Clayborn stated as she banged her gavel on the wood stand. "In all my years in the judicial system, whether it was as a lawyer or a judge, I can honestly say I have never heard anything this preposterous. Seeing a man that was apparently very intoxicated, and deciding since you had wanted him for a long time, you talked to him, took him home, and staged that the two of you had sex. Then when he apparently wanted nothing to do with you afterwards, you faked a pregnancy to ensure you would, in the end, get what you wanted. Only to have it blow up in your face when you finally told him that you staged your pregnancy. So, instead of Mr. Tierney doing as you had hoped, and saying, "oh that's ok, we'll make another one" he kicked you out of his house. And then started to attempt a divorce. Which you have dodged for three years, am I correct so far, Mrs. Tierney?"
Darla glared at Lilah before turning and looking at the judge. "Yes, judge, that's correct." she replied, albeit grudgingly.
"I am granting Mr. Tierney a full divorce. I am throwing out, everything that you have asked for. You don't deserve alimoney, you don't deserve the house. You don't even deserve to keep his name, but since I can't order you to revert back to your own name, I will leave that alone. Case dismissed. Mr. Tierney, your a free man."
Judge Clayton laughed as she watched Liam turn around and pull Buffy over the railing and spin her around. She walked out of the courtroom with a smile on her face.
********
The gang were surprised to find that they were all having dinner at the Giles residence. They were even more surprised that upon entering onto the terrace, they saw Liam's parents Jakob and Lisette.
Liam stood in the middle of the gathering with his arm thrown around Buffy's waist. He smiled at the assembled group as they all stood around the couple.
"Thank you all for joining us to celebrate tonight. And thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Giles for letting us celebrate here." Liam started as the butler came and passed out glasses of champagne.
"Please, call us Rupert and Joyce. We're almost family now after all. That goes for all of you." Rupert replied as Buffy smiled happily at him. He felt his heart warm at her smile.
"Well, as you all know, my divorce from Darla," Liam said as Buffy snorted slightly. He looked down at her grinning slightly, "is now completely finished. And since this is such a joyous thing to celebrate, Buffy and I decided we would tell you all our news while we're in the same place. Since that doesn't happen often."
"And what's that? Come on you two, spill." Faith called out from Will's arms.
"We are getting married on the 10th of next month." Buffy said as the girls all screamed in happiness.
All of a sudden there was lots of hugs, well wishes and congratulations going around.
Suddenly Cordy stiffened and glanced at everyone. "That's only THREE WEEKS away!! We need to hurry! We have dresses to get, tuxes to fit, food to order, a place to reserve."
"Calm down Cordy. The wedding and reception will be here. Mom and Lisette are taking care of the food. Liam and the guys will take care of the tuxes, so that leaves us with the flowers and the dresses." Buffy replied.
"Ohhh! LA shopping trip!" Cordy squealed as everyone laughed.
*************************************************
"Oh my goddess! I can't believe you Faith!" Willow screeched as she stared in stunned amazement at the stripper that was gyrating in front of a highly embarrassed Buffy.
"What? It's her bachelorette party, Will. Every girl should see at least *one* stripper perform at them. Sides, he's hot." Faith replied cheekily as she laughed at everyone's expressions.
When the stripper, whose name Faith informed them was Marco, went to bend down in front of Buffy and shake his cheeks at her she jumped up and away from the chair.
"Um....er...goodness, it's hot in here." she stuttered as Joyce and Lisette agreed as they to fanned themselves.
********
"Will, I had better not find out this was your idea!" Liam cast a glance at his best friend as the stripper jiggled her breasts near his face.
"Who me? Why would you think that?" Will laughed as the woman sat in Liam's lap and leaned back while trying to pull his head into her ample chest.
"Because I know you, that's why." Liam groaned as he tried to keep his neck stiff.
"Well just be glad they said no to the porn movies, pal." his friend returned. Liam glanced at him sharply and laughed at the dejected look on his face.
**********
Buffy looked around at the presents laying on the table and shook her head slightly. She knew some of them Liam would love, while other's, well, they were a bit risque for her.
Cordy had gotten her a very small white bikini that would go wonderful with her tan for the honeymoon.
Willow had gotten her a see three black nightgown with a matching thong.
Her mother had gotten her a white silk nighty and matching robe for her wedding night.
Lisette had given her an antique ankle bracelet passed down from the women in her family for generations. She told Buffy she had always been her daughter, now it would just be official by the marriage to her son.
Anya gave Buffy a leather corsette with matching thong. And handcuffs. Her explanation was much to Buffy's embarrassement, "In case you ever wanna be bad."
And Faith's gift to her was a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret so she could pick out her own lingerie. And a small whip. She explained she had gotten it as a joke since she went with Anya when she got Buffy's present.
She thanked them, and they partied till the early morning.
********
The men all got drunk and partied after the stripper left. No mishaps or odd occurances happened, much to their relief.
*************************************
Jakob Tierney smiled as he walked into the room where his sons wedding party was.
He glanced at the three groomsmen and the best man and checked to make sure they looked ok. His wife would have his head if anything happened to ruin this day for his son and his soon to be daughter-in-law.
He then glanced over at his son who was pacing anxiously around the room.
"You ok, son?" Jakob asked as he stood in front of him so that he had to stop.
"Yes. In," Liam glanced down at his watch and checked the time, "ten minutes and twenty-two seconds, Buffy will be my wife."
Jakob laughed slighty not surprised at all that Liam knew the time down to the second. "Congratulations son. I know i've already told you, but I am happy you and Buffy found your way back together and are getting ready to cement your life together."
"Thanks dad. That means alot to me." Liam hugged his father tightly. "Where's mom?"
"Went to check on Buffy and the bridesmaids." Jakob replied.
*********
"How do I look?" Buffy asked as she turned around to face everyone.
The girls gasped as did her mother and Lissette.
"Oh, honey, you look beautiful." Joyce exlaimed as tears sprung yet again to her eyes.
"Please, don't cry, Mrs. G." Willow sniffled in reaction.
"Yeah, you'll have us all ruining our make-up and we've only got around ten minutes before it starts." Cordelia said anxiously.
"Ok ok. Sorry girls." Joyce apologized as she shared a look with Lisette.
Buffy's dress was a strapless white dress with blue flowers embroidered over it. Cordelia had put her hair up in a neat chignon so that her headband and veil would showcase it. Her headband was encrusted with diamonds. *pics are below*
"You look gorgous, Buffy. I'm so happy you'll be my daughter today as well." Lissette wiped her tears away with her handkerchief and smiled at Buffy.
Buffy hugged her soon to be mother-in-law and her mother before she straightened her shoulders and gave everyone a huge smile. "Only five minutes left. Then i'm Mrs. Liam Tierney." She giggled softly as she swirled around happily.
"I'm going to check on Liam and the boys. I'll see you at the wedding, dear." Lissette said before she went out of the room.
********
Liam smiled as he saw his mother enter the room. He held his arms open and she hurried into them.
"My baby is getting married. I'm so happy for you Liam." Lissette sniffled softly as her son rubbed her back gently.
Liam kissed his mother's forehead before answering. "Thank you mom. Would part of this happiness be the fact that you've always considered Buffy to be your daughter?"
"Yes it is. But it's also because she makes you so happy. And that's all your father and I have ever wanted for you."
"I am. Believe me I am." He whispered as he kissed her cheek.
"Come on, son, it's time." Jakob poked his head through the door and smiled.
"Let's go get married." Liam said happily.
************
The men took their places beside Father David as the music started to play. The wind was gently blowing as the bridesmaids started to come out of the house in their light purple spaghetti strapped floor length gowns.
After Willow took her place at the altar the music changed to the bridal march.
The guests all stood up and turned towards the house. They gasped as they saw Buffy being led out the patio doors by Giles.
Buffy smiled at the guests before her eyes locked onto Liam's. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed at him in his tuxedo. He looked absolutely gorgous. And she knew, by the way he was looking at her, that he was thinking the same thing about her.
Giles looked from his daughter to his soon to be son-in-law and saw the love shining in their eyes, for everyone to see. "Buffy, i'm sorry for sending you away, I never realized how much the two of you loved each other. I'm happy for you, Buffy. I love you, your my daughter in everything but DNA." Giles said quietly in her ear.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and gave him a watery smile. "I love you to Daddy. And it's ok. We needed this time apart. We grew to be who we are now. Thank you. For everything." She whispered as she kissed his cheek lightly.
"Who gives this woman to this man?" Father David asked as the couple reached the alter.
"Her mother and I do." Giles replied as he slid her hand from his into Liam's. The two men shared a smile before he turned and sat down.
"Elizabeth and Liam have requested that we don't use the traditional vows. They told me their road to get here was bumpy, and tradition was never them to begin with. Willow will start the first part, Will will do the second and I will finish." Father David stated as the couple turned towards each other.
Willow
"Elizabeth, please face Liam, and hold his hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life.
These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he too, feels his child stir within your womb.
These are the hands that look so large and clumsy, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.
These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief rack your mind.
These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you."
Will
"Liam, please hold Elizabeth's hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands that are smooth, young, and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.
These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurts, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it's time to let go.
These are the hands that will massage tension from your neck and back in the evenings, after you've both had a long hard day.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
They are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick or console you when you are grieving.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and chrish you through the years,
for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope, each time she tells you that you are to have another child; that together you have created a new life.
Perhaps these are the hands that will comfort you when you are told you cannot have a child, and will convince you that together you will create new life in other ways.
These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together, as a team, everything you wish for can be realized."
Father David,
"Dear Father, bless the hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring, and devoted to reaching for your perfection. May Elizabeth and Liam see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter, and guide.
We ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you now and forever, Amen.
"May I now introduce, Mr. and Mrs. Liam Tierney."
The gathered guests stood up and applauded as Buffy and Liam kissed.
They turned towards their guests and smiled happily before Liam picked up Buffy and spun her around.
"I love you, Mrs. Elizabeth Tierney." Liam said as he pulled back a little.
"I love you, Mr. Liam Tierney. Always." Buffy replied as the crowd cheered again.
END.