The Wedding Day
It was a beautiful day in Sunnydale. Xander and Anya were in separate rooms getting ready. Willow and Tara were with the bride.
Buffy was with the soon-to-be husband.
"Well then, let me practice my vows," she said.
She started walking around in her wedding dress.
"Xander, I promise to honor and cherish you. No. I promise to be your sex poodle. To always be there for you. To always be ready to have sex."
Tara and Willow gave her a look. She stopped.
"What?"
Willow spoke.
"You probably shouldn't say anything about sex or sex poodle in your vows."
Back in the husband-to-be's dressing room, Buffy was straightening out his tie for him.
"There. Done," she said, looking at him when she had finished.
"How do I look?"
"You look great."
A few minutes later, the former vengeance Demon and the Zeppo stood by the doors.
"Alright then. Let's get married," Anya said with a smile, grabbing his hand.
"Anya," he said.
She let go and turned to face him, as he spoke the truth.
"I-i'm not ready."
She looked at him sadly.
"I'm sorry," he finished.
She watched as he left her at the altar.
She walked down the aisle to the front.
She sadly said, "Things have changed. We're not getting married. He's not ready to. You can all go home."
She then left.
She went home, packed her bags, and drove off to LA, knowing she would find some comfort there. She knew from Willow and Angel that the Queen Bitch had changed a lot. But how much? She didn't know.
L.A., CA; Hyperion Hotel
It was a beautiful night. Cordy was at her desk filing papers away. Harmony was typing data into her computer. Gunn, Wesley, and Fred were talking amongst themselves. Angel was in his dungeon like usual.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Nobody ever knocked. They knew that.
Cordy looked up to see who it was. Anya in a wedding dress.
She stood up and opened the door for her.
"Come in. What's wrong, Anya?" She said.
Everybody went over to them.
"Who is she?" Fred asked.
"Is she from Sunnydale?" Gunn asked.
Wesley looked at Anya.
"You must be Xander's new girlfriend, Anyanka," he said.
"Wes, she prefers Anya. Not Anyanka. And guys, Wes can tell you who she is. Looks to me that her and I need alone time. I'm going home," Cordelia said.
L.A., CA; Chase Residence
It was a dark night, as they sat on her couch.
"So tell me, what did Xander do this time?" Cordy asked.
"We were going to be married. We were so happy. I thought marriage would be best. But apparently not. He told me at the altar that he wasn't ready."
"Anya, I hate to tell you this, but not all guys are meant to get married. I think Xander does want to get married. He's just scared to."
"Scared of what?"
"To lose you. To get his heart broken a fourth time. A person can only get their heart broken so many times."
"But Cordelia, I'm ready to be married to him. I love him."
"I'm sure he loves you too. Anya, I don't think he's trying to hurt you, even though he did. I think he's trying to protect his heart. He probably thinks that night over and over again, regretting what me and Oz saw. I regret asking him his side of the story, but I don't try to dwell on it. It's a memory, but I can change that memory. He can, too."
"You really do know him better than anyone, don't you?"
"Yes. I do. And i'm proud of it. Just not in the bitchy way."
She hugged Anya in comfort.
"Everything will be okay. I promise."
"Really?"
"Yeah. He still loves you which is a big plus."
"I know it is. So Cordelia, how have you been?"
"Not that good. My visions have been more painful than they used to be."
"Visions? Cordelia, you really shouldn't keep those. Give them to someone who isn't a human."
"I can't. As long as I have them, i'll never forget Doyle."
"Cordelia, if you keep them, you'll die. Now come on. Let's go back home. I don't want to go home alone. I don't know if I could face it."
"Why not. Of course I'll go home with you."
Sunnydale, CA; Magik Shoppe
It was a beautiful day, as Anya and Cordy walked into the Magik Shoppe.
"Cordelia?" Buffy questioned.
"Did you have a you know what?" Willow asked.
"No. I didn't," she replied.
"Anya, you're back," he said.
"Of course I am, Xander."
Xander and Anya hugged.
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