It felt as if it was barely a day or two since their trip to Sunnydale, everything just started to seem awfully hectic, but in reality months had passed. Every piece of garment Buffy owned before the trips to various maternity departments, she had no chance in getting into no more. She looked like someone had put an average sized beachball under her stretchable shirt. At the moment that was all she had to show for, which she was gartefull for, especially her and Angels visits to various grandparents.

Angels mothers mom, was very free of speach and had give Buffy almost graphic descriptions on how all her limbs swelled, as if they were filled with water, making her look twice as big as if she only were to swell in the stomach region. Leaving her future grandmother in law, she had started to dread what was coming. But she, like her own mom had been very lucky so far. Only thing that had swell except her stomach were her breasts, gaining a full cup-size. At least one pregnancy aspect she didn't mind.

After notifying all family members of both sides, the wedding plans were set in motion, this was where the trouble entered. It seemed that once getting used to the young couple getting married all family members had their own opinion on how it should be. Some wanted traditional, but small, others wanted the most pompus ceremony ever, which of course Hank objected to with all his might. One set of grandparents on each side expected a church wedding, while the other two pairs were more leaning towards a liberal ceremony.

Before she managed to say anything, Buffy had been dragged to three different bridal stores, trying out gown after gown. Angel's uncle were persuaying him to wear a green tux to the wedding, to sport his home country's colors. He was soon joined by Angels grandparents from Galway, who flew in two weeks earlier, combining a vacation with the wedding preparations.

Soon the family members on each sides were so meddled it was hard to see which sides they really were on. Buffys grandparents on her mothers side were playing hosts for Angels Irish relatives, meaning his bachelor uncle and the grandparents on his fathers side. Her grandparents on her fathers side played host for Faiths mother , Lillian and her brother, seeing as Faith and Spike were putting down Xander and Anya. Angel were putting down Doyle and Cordelia and Amy and Tara had Willow and Oz as guests. Angel's parents on the other side were residing with Buffy's parents, making a perfect opportunity for all four of them to discuss wedding costs and how they all were to support her and Angels baby.

Everyone were in town, everyone were helping with decorations, with food for the rehersal dinner and apparently ceveral things Buffy was out of the loop about. Everyone were awfully busy with different tasks here and there. Angel had taken two weeks off work, for wedding preparations and their honeymoon, which was due to cost, the coming baby and her having difficulties travelling, were going to be spent at their appartment.

Today she was ordered out of the house by everybody, she had a small suspicion on why, but didn't ask. She was sent on a girls day out with Willow, Amy and Tara. Even though she had maternity clothes to last for a while, the clothes departments were the first spot they hit. She had her dads credit card with her, which no matter how much she had objected he had insisted on her using for this particular trip. Of course he had set a specific limit for what she was to spend, but the limit was way more than she had expected to get from him on any shopping trip.

She left with a nice black dress that she had decided to wear at the rehersal dinner. She did have the whole feeling of "not looking good in any clothes while pregnant" going on, but Willow, Amy and even the usual silent Tara insisted on her looking stunning in it.

- Y-you really do, Tara insisted again.

- Honestly, Buff, Amy continued. - If I weren't so sure on mine and Taras relationship I'd be jealous by now.

That was what closed the deal, Buffy walked out less than five minutes after with it nicely folded in a bag, and was dragged on to the baby compartment, where they walked along 'ooh'-ing and 'aah'-ing at all the cute little things, everything from cribs and other practical things, to stuffed animals and toys. Buffy kept pointing out things she planned on getting when she and Angel were going to go baby-shopping, which was of course set to be closer to when the baby was due.

The trip continued to jewelry stores, record stores and so on and so on, now and then one of her friends disappeared for a while. Willow insisted she had left her wallet at the previous store, but encouraged the others to go into the bookstore without her and she would meet up with them, once she found it. She returned half an hour later. Tara excused herself to the bathroom, returning fourty-five minutes later. Then it was Amys turn to 'loose' her wallet, she on the other hand used only twenty minutes. Buffy of course didn't believe for one second that any of them really did what they claimed they had.

Practicly exhausted from the days event, Buffy was ready to just go to her bedroom to slumber for a bit, but once she was inside of the house door, she was met by a choir yelling:

- Surprise!!!

She saw a very nice "Congratulations, Buffy" banner, some balloons hung from the corners of the living room, and the room was filled by her female friends and relatives. Faith got up from her seat in the couch and gave Buffy a big hug.

- Just so you know it, she muttered, halfway flushed. - I didn't know the grandmothers were joining in on the party.

- Huh, Buffy muttered.

- You'll see...

Her mother was next to get up, giving Buffy a great hug, before playing hostess.

- Seeing as the usual bachelorette tradition involves drinking and your age and condition says no to this, we decided to throw a mixture of a bachelorette party and a baby shower for you, congratulations sweetie.

It was then she spotted the table filled with parcels, these ones looking bigger than the ones she had seen at her surprise birthday party. Joyce put her hands at her shoulders moving her towards the recliner in the middle of the room.

- While planning this we made on rule, Lillian announced. - Everyone were to bring two gifts, one gag-gift and one baby-gift. That meaning all of us, from the youngest to the oldest.

She heard a chuckle from Angels seventy year old grandmother, who was the oldest one in the bunch.

- Allright, now before we do any eating or even snacking, you have some gifts to open, Joyce said.

Lillian seemed to have taken charge of the gift table. Buffy were not to get up at any account, everything was brought to her.

- Which gifts is she to open first, she asked the crowd.

- Gag-gifts, gag-gifts, a choir of replies said.

- Allright, lets see, here's a silver-star parcel.

Buffy now saw that half of the gifts were decorated with a gold star and half with a silver one.

- There's no name on it, she muttered.

- None of us put on a name, it's part of the game, Amy explained. - We're to guess who it's from, judging by the content. Also each participater of this party brings a set of gifts each, me and Tara have brought different ones, allbeigh it, a bit smaller than everybody elses...

Buffy made no more objections and unwrapped the parcel she was given, pulling out a pair of black handcuffs.

- Faith, Amy insisted at once.

A loud wave of laughter errupted as Faith nodded. Some stares went her directions, some in Lillians.

- Hey, I believe in being more open about the bees and the birds, she said, semi-blushing.

The next parcel contained a white blonde garther, which came from Buffys own grandmother.

- It's a tradition for the man to take it off after the wedding and throw it to the bachelor, just as it's a tradtion for the bride to throw the bouqet, she explained, though semi-red with the whole gag-gift thing.

Ten minutes later, Buffy had unwrapped a set of black lacey underwear for when she got back to her usual size, two sets of seethrough teddies for the wedding night, a book with very artistic photos of the male body, she had gotten to an other book-like parcel, from which she pulled out a copy of the "Kama Sutra", which of course caused an other wave of laughter and a few blushing faces, including Buffy's own.

- Me and Xander have enjoyed this very much, so I figured you would enjoy it too... Not this exact copy of course, Anya corrected, seeing Buffys stare.

Buffy continued unwrapping more gag-gifts, she opened a day planner, but not a regular one, but each day had an erotic tip of the day, either suggestion of a toy or a position, food to try out or places to try out. The bachelorette guests tried in vain to figure out which one of them had given Buffy this, but noone ever suspected Angels Irish grandmother to be behind it.

- I dooooon't wanna know, Buffy merely said, causing the elderly woman to laugh hard.

At the end she had landerey to last her for months, some more toys or inspirations for a flurishing sex-life, then the actual baby-shower presents were due.

These parcels were wrapped with cards on them, from her mother and father she got a baby crib, one she had actually seen and pointed out to the girls while going on the shopping trip earlier that day. She looked suspiciously at her friends.

- You caught us, Amy laughed. - While we pretended to go various placed we went to buy our own gifts as well as tell your mother and the various people she had with her, what you had pointed out and such...

She got a few baby garnments, some were in traditional pink and blue, even though they didn't know what sex he baby would be.

- In worst cases, you can always take them back to the stores and change them into more appropriate colors, Rose assured her.

Then she got a little collection of stuffed animals, bottles and infant toys, then the last, but biggest gift was due, this one from Anya and Xander. A large wooden chest.

- Xander thought it would be very usefull, Anya said. - Probably for clothes and toys and such.

- Or to hide away everything that would give you embarrassing questions, Amy muttered, causing everyone to laugh really hard.

The door bell rang. Joyce got up answer it, to see a pizza-man.

- I didn't know we were having pizza, she called into the living room.

She showed the pizza guy in, but before she managed to get her wallet to pay for the food, the guy took out a cd-player out of the pizza-bag. Looking over her shoulder at the more mature women of the guests, Buffy blushed, remembering Faiths words to her when she had arrived.

- You didn't, Faith, she heard Lillian say.

Faith buried her face in her hands, trying to get the attention away from her. Before anyone else could make a comment the stripper started his show.

Buffy felt as she was still blushing when she got up the morning after. The stripper ordeal hadn't really shocked the elderly women as much as she had expected, so luckily there were no heart attacks to deal with, but it had been embarrassing enough anyway. It seemed that everyone was out of the house for various errands, as she heard the phone ring three times beforem aking her way down. At the fifth ring she picked it up.

- Hello?

- Buffy, where is everyone?

- Dawn? Have they installed phones at Luna or something?

- Of course not, I'm at the train station, I thought someone was gonna pick me up, but I can't see anyone here. Didn't you guys get my letter?

As if he was cued, Onix flew in the window, carrying a letter. Buffy grabbed and opened it.

"Dear mom and dad,

I talked to Ms Calendar and she helped me get a week off my classes, bringing my homework home, of course. So I can come home for the wedding. The train will be there tomorrow at 11, please come pick me up. You remember where it's at.

love,
Dawn"

- I think you should learn Onix to be more precise, he just flew in the window right now.

- Damn it...

- Allright, just go to the McDonalds near the train station southern entrance, I'll come at once. Do you have any regular money with you?

- A couple of bucks.

- Get yourself a soda or something else, while you wait. Don't talk to any strangers.

- How stupid do you think I am?

- Sorry, but I'll be there as quick as I can.

She hung up and then quickly dialled Angels number. Fifteen minutes later Cordelia pulled up at the house.

- Thanks, Buffy said, fasting her seatbelt.

- No problem, Cordy said. - I take any excuse I have to drive.

- Good thing at least one in the gang has a licence, Buffy muttered thankfully.

When they arrived at the train station, Buffy found Dawn with her trunk, sipping to what seemed to be her third milkshake. Dawn hurried up, giving her older sister a hug and then she insisted on feeling the baby kick. Cordelia helped Dawn with the trunk, seeing as Buffy weren't allowed to do any heavy lifting and took them straight back to the house. Dawn did make a furious squel seeing all the stuff occupying her own room, but Buffy calmed her down, suggesting that she could sleep in her room instead.

After eating an easy lunch with storemade sandwiches, they got busy getting ready for the rehersal dinner, it wasn't until they came to get Buffy for the rehersal dinner Joyce and Hank found out that Dawn was home. In the car on the way to the dinner, Joyce insisted on hearing about everything that was happening at Luna. Dawn told her all about the latest Charms club activity and her stepping in for the Ravenclaw keeper in the match against Hufflepuff, which she had done two good savings. When telling Joyce that she of course assured her mother than it was just a one time event, nothing more.

The rehersal dinner went by quickly, there were about twenty toasts or speaches made. Buffy and Angel were after that sepparated again, not to see each other before the ceremony.

The following day, the wedding day itself was majorly hectic. All the girls gathered at the Summers recidence to help Buffy getting ready and the guys gathered at soon-to-be Buffy and Angels appartment to help Angel getting ready. Buffy's dress wasn't an usual weddign dress, she didn't really dream of having a traditional dress on her, instead she had looked around various stores, where she in the end spotted a really nice light yellow silk dress, which she made arrangements to be swen out to fit her pregnant state. Angels grandmother had brought with her a beautiful vail that she claimed she had worn in her own wedding and insisted on Buffy wearing it at her wedding.

Willow hurried down to the chest of secrets, as they had nicknamed the wooden chest she got form Xander and Anya and fetched the garther.

- Lets see, she said, when she got up, the vail is old and borrowed, the garther is new, but do you have anything blue?

- I saw this silk ribbon on one of the gifts downstairs, Dawn said. - We could tie it with a bow around the bouqet.

As it was a small and intimate wedding, Buffy had decided not to have flower girl or bridesmates, this also meant her friends wouldn't hate her for picking out hideous dresses or anything, she thought it was a silly tradition anyway. But as Angel had decided to keep the best mate tradition, choosing Doyle, Buffy decided to have a maid of honor, choosing Faith.

Buffy looked at herself in the mirror and had to admitt to herself that she didn't look bad at all, she did notice her hand and that she still had the promise ring on her finger, three rings were just too much, so she took the silver ring off, but then fetched a silver chain from her jewelry box and put the ring in the chain around her neck.

Then Hank came driving, to get the girls, all the guys had been driven to Buffys grandparents house, which had a great big garden. They had decided to have the wedding there, if it were to rain they had a tent ready, but the weathergods were kind to them, giving them nothing, but sunshine. Group after group the other girls were driven, when it in the end was just Buffy left.

As the car came up the driveway, Buffy saw the little path of petals from various flowers, leading around to the great big garden behind the house. Hank opened the door for her and helped her out. Now she felt the wedding jitters wash all over her. As they rounded the corner she saw Angel in his tux. He had managed to come to an agreement with his Irish relatives to have a regular black tux, but with a clover in the buttonhole to honor Ireland. The idea seemed to have pleased them. He looked just amazing, where he was standing there, waiting for her to join him.

Everything happened so fast, the judges speach, the vows, the exchange of rings. Before she knew it his lips captured hers and the judge presented them as Mr and Mrs O'Conner. The first dance was to "Everything I do, I do it for you". Doyle made a nice little speach and Faith merely did a toast. Then came rounds of congratulations, before they left for the hotel where they were to spend their wedding night.