Title: The Big Day
Author: meagan <nutmeg@serv.net>
Summary: Well, what do you *think* it's about? Sequel (*gasp* *faint* *Meagan*, do a *sequel*?) to "A Return" and "Getting to Know You."
Spoilers: Um, _Angel_ and the stories.
Disclaimer: Of *course* they belong to someone else. I could never come up with characters like this. Specifically, they belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, WB (even though they really don't deserve it after what they did to us this season), and anyone else I forgot.
Rating: G, I think.
Distribution: Please ask.
Feedback: Yes, please, of course.
Notes: Warning: Extremely sappy fic ahead. I just saw _The Blair Witch Project_. I was left with the serious need to see happy things happen to people named Heather, Mike, and Josh. Especially Josh. And I needed happy things to happen before I went to bed. As a rule, I hate weddings. Give me a quick trip to the justice of the peace or Las Vegas (preferably Las Vegas. I *love* Cirque du Soleil). But this seemed necessary. But if you want details, you're on your own. Hey, I know! Write your own version of it! And there are a couple of images in the movie that I needed to turn into something happy. Once you see it, I hope you will be able to figure out which images those were and why they disturbed me so greatly (and then tell me how disturbed I am to be able to work them into something like *this*).
Dedicated to the complete stranger who sold me his ticket for the sold-out 7:30 show five minutes before they started seating. If he hadn't done that, I would probably be standing in the rain right now waiting for the midnight show. Instead, I'm in my nice, dry apartment listening to the Pixies (by the way, I realized that I took Mariana's name from their song "Wave of Mutilation," in case anyone was wondering) and trying to get certain images out of my head by writing this story. And dedicated to JoJo even though that request for another sequel was a joke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She sighed. Again. If she didn't stop brooding, he was going to have to kick her out.

And there she went. "Cordelia, *what* is your *problem*?"

"Angel, how do you do it? I mean, stay away from Buffy even though you love her?"

Ah. That explained it. She had started on this kick after she had returned from Sunnydale. "Well, I have to. No choice in the matter. If my being around her didn't hurt her so much and if the curse wasn't an issue, I would have never left."

"Oh." Then silence.

Now he sighed. "Cordelia, do you want to leave? Go back to him?" She nodded, face pointed at the floor, avoiding his eyes. "Then go."

That got her attention. "But work..."

He shook his head. "You came here to escape a problem. Now that problem has been resolved, so there's no need for you to stick around here any more."

"Are you sure?"

"If it makes you feel any better about leaving, I could fire you."

"That's okay. I know when I'm not wanted." She smiled to let him know she was kidding. "Thank you, Angel."

~~~~

It was a hastily-arranged affair, but no one could tell from the results. Josh was best man, of course. Willow was matron of honor. On one hand, it was odd considering their history, but on the other, it wasn't like Cordelia had tons of female friends in Sunnydale. Or tons of male friends. Or, if truth be told, any kind of friend anywhere. She and Xander did very little planning themselves. They had gotten as far as deciding to close the restaurant for a particular weekend. Then people noticed the sign on the door announcing the impending closure. And they started asking why. So they were told why. And suddenly, Xander and Cordelia were being informed that this person would take care of the flowers. That person would take care of the cake. Oz called in a favor from a photographer buddy. And, of course, all of the kids demanded that they be invited. And the original plan had been an elopement.

The day finally arrived. Cordelia hadn't seen her finished dress until that morning. She had been in for fittings, but there had been some final detail work that hadn't been completed until the night before. She hadn't been told what the detail was, but she had been assured that she would love it.

So she carefully pulled it on. It was a very simple dress -- off the shoulders, long fluffy skirt. She felt like a very tasteful, understated princess.

Then she saw the detail work in question.

The skirt. Handprints. Dozens of them, in every color imaginable. Small handprints. From hands that belonged to, say, the kids in the day camp that came to the restaurant for lunch on Fridays.

She sat down on the bench and burst into tears. Willow walked in at that moment. "Cordy? Are you okay?"

"Willow, what did I ever do to deserve this?" She stood and moved to the mirror, smoothing the bodice of the dress. "I mean, I found a guy I adore. Who forgave me for messing things up -- big time -- for ten years. Who everyone else thinks is as fantastic as I know he is. Who has the town's children so wrapped around his finger that they demanded to be part of his wedding. Who has the kids' parents so enthralled that they're giving us the most stress-free wedding in history." She stopped her list there.

"You forgot something." Cordelia turned to her, confused. "Who adores your every move."

Cordelia sat down again. "What if I disappoint him?"

"Um, no offense, but what could you do that's worse than refusing to give him a chance to apologize to you and then running off with the guy he hates most in the world, disappearing for ten years?" Good point. The matron of honor sat down and hugged the bride. "Right now, the only way you could disappoint or hurt him is to not go out there and pledge your undying devotion to him. He's going to do the same for you. And then you'll live happily ever after and give Vin some playmates. Okay?"

"Okay. I might as well since we're here and I have the dress and everything." Cordelia looked around the room. "So where are my flowers?"

Willow laughed. "Well, you *have* changed. Look in the mirror." Cordelia obeyed. And saw someone with no lipstick.

~~~~

"Who gives this man to this woman for marriage?"

"I do." Mariana released the groom's hand, but not before shooting Cordelia a stern look. Stern, but not cold. Cordelia smiled. She had definitely picked the right guy.

~~~~

Cordelia noticed him first. A small blond boy Mariana's age, standing in the corner of the reception hall. Facing the wall. She watched him for a few minutes. He would turn and look around the room. Then he would smile shyly and turn quickly back to the wall. Curious, she followed his eyes. And realized just who he was watching.

"Hey, Xander, could you do me a favor?" He nodded. Quietly and with hidden hand gestures, she explained what she wanted.

Now he smiled broadly. "That I can *definitely* do."

~~~~

"Hey, there. May I have this dance?"

Mariana smiled at him. Then she looked at Cordelia. The bride smiled back and waved her hands in a "go ahead" motion. "Okay."

He picked her up, twirling her around just as he had the day Cordelia had first laid eyes on the girl. "I need you to do me a favor."

She nodded gravely. "An offer I can't refuse?"

Now he laughed. "Well, not quite. Has Josh been teaching you movie lines again?" She nodded again. "Well, that explains it. Here's the deal. See that boy in the corner?" She followed his finger and nodded. "You're a popular person. And it's the responsibility of the popular people to make sure that the unpopular people have fun at things like this. So your job is to go talk to him. Get him some cake and punch. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah. Time for cake!" She bounced out of his arms and across the floor.

~~~~

"Josh, I have to break up with you."

He hung his head. He knew when he had been beaten. "If you're sure there's no hope for us."

Mariana shrugged sadly. "I've found someone else."

"Well, he'd better treat you well. I'll be watching."

"Okay." She kissed him on the cheek. "'Bye, Josh!"

"So you're the famous Josh." He turned to see a girl his age with cropped dark brown curly hair, sparkling blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and plump lips. And a smile that started in her eyes. "I'm Heather. Mariana's sister. Well, half-sister. She' just goes on and on and *on* about you."

"She's never mentioned you before."

She laughed. "Yeah, well, she was probably too busy flirting with you. I was staying at my mom's over the summer. I just got back in town last week. I live here during the school year."

"Really?" Between studying and working at the restaurant, he hadn't managed to make any friends his own age. Or any age. Oz and Willow didn't count. And sitting in class and hanging out were two different things. And here was someone standing in front of him, possibly waiting to get to know him. A very pretty someone. "I just moved here a couple of months ago, but I haven't had time to see the sights. Maybe you could show me around some time?"

"More like 'sight.' But, yeah, I'd like that. If you're not still on the rebound from my sister, that is."

A small blond boy was hauled over to them and presented for inspection. "This is Mike." Mariana's announcement was made in the tone of voice that indicated that all conversation not centered around her should cease immediately. "He's my new boyfriend."

Heather looked at her sister, eyes narrowed. "Don't you *ever* wait after getting rid of one guy before getting another? A mourning period or something?" Mariana just stared, confused. Heather rolled her eyes. "Never mind. We'll have this conversation later."

"Okay. Come on, Mike!" The little girl skipped away, the little boy following in her wake.

Now Josh laughed. If Heather's attitude on first meeting was any indication, he was really going to like Sunnydale.

Or maybe just her.

~~~ the end ~~~