Silver Cloud, Bitter Lining (13/?)

Author- Midnight Faith

Spoilers- BtVS 'Hell's Bells.'

Distribution- FF.net, AOH anyone else just ask :)

Pairing- Lilah/Lindsey, Lilah/Gunn undertones. Some potential Lindsey/Cordelia and Lilah/Spike.

Rating- R

Summary- It's the day before the wedding…

Disclaimer- not mine… yadda, yadda

Notes- sequel to 'Southern Comfort.' You'll probably want to read that first…

"How are things in there?" Lindsey asked Lilah as she dropped down onto the sofa next to him.

It was Friday and the day before Xander and Anya's wedding. Anya was in the Summer's kitchen going a little nuts over catering arrangements.

"Crazy," she told him, "The cold food has to be put together in the next two hours and Anya still hasn't decided between prawns with chilli dressing or chicken and peanut dip for the entrée."

"It's all so superficial," Lindsey mused around, "When I get married I just want a simple registry office…" he trailed off.

"But you're still coming tomorrow right?" she asked him, quickly changing the subject.

"I borrowed a tux from a relative of Xander… have you met them yet? They're weird…"

"If you think they're strange at least they're human. Apparently most of Anya's family are demons or officially 'circus people.' One of them has six legs…"

"What's it called? A hextapus?"

"I think it's a mixed breed…"

"So what time are you headed for the church tomorrow? Because I figured maybe since you don't have a car… and I… do maybe I could drive you… we could kind of make a date out of it…"

"Actually I already have a date… not really a date… but someone to walk me to the church anyway…"

"Who?"

"Spike."

"Spike? As in William the bloody? As in vampire?"

"Back off, Custer. Buffy set us up… and he's not… dangerous in the strictest sense of the word. You’re probably more dangerous than he is… I think you should ask Cordelia to go with you… she doesn't have a ride to the church yet…"

"Me and Cordelia? On a date?"

"What's so strange about that? Cordelia's beautiful… and nice… and I know you like her."

"I like her… as a friend. But I'm not looking to date her…"

"Not anyone right now?" Lilah asked him.

"No," he told her shyly, shifting a little closer to her.

She didn't move away from him, the image of Gunn in full vamp face flashing through her mind and Gavin's voice telling her to get revenge.

She gently reached out for his hand as he ran his thumb gently over hers, looking carefully into her eyes. He saw pain there, and a vague sense of dulling vulnerability and naiveté, threatening to bury deep within her conscience and never surface again.

Feeling the need to salvage that purity he leaned in gently to kiss her but she moved backed sharply, her hand flying to her stomach.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, arm around her shoulders instinctively.

"I… I felt something," she told him, "Like a flutter. I felt the baby move…"

He tentatively laid his hand across her stomach and felt a gentle shiver beneath her skin.

"Do you feel it?" she asked him.

"Yeah…" he told her.

"Ours," she reassured him, running her hand over his.

"This is all a little…"

"Scary?" she finished for him, "This is really happening."

"I wish I could see him or her," he confessed.

"We can find out at the next scan… if you want to… if it's a boy or girl,"

"I want a surprise…" he told her, "and I don't care. As long as you and the baby are OK…"

He leaned in again to kiss her but she pulled away, another sorrowful image of Gunn gleamed before her eyes.

"I guess we should go and see if they’ve made a decision about food yet…" she told him.

"Lilah…" he said, as she got up.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "I just got a little caught up… friends?"

"Friends…" he said, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek before following her into the kitchen.

"Did you decide yet?" Lilah asked Anya.

Willow shook her head indicating 'no.'

"What's with the happy?" Dawn asked Lindsey, indicating the smile on his face.

"It's nothing…" Lilah told her, "I just… I think I felt the baby move… that's all…"

"Isn't that like half way?" Dawn asked.

"Half way," Lilah mused aloud.

"What did it feel like?" Buffy asked her.

"Frenetic," Lilah told Buffy.

"For those of us who's first language if English it means kind of like a butterfly." Willow concluded.

"And back to my wedding that's happening tomorrow… Anya said impatiently, "Will you ask the child if it wants chicken or prawns…"

"Or grapes wrapped in Stilton and cream cheese rolled in walnuts…" Dawn said.

"But I want to go with brie dip baked in a pastry shell with fresh raw vegetables and tortilla chips…" Buffy said, handing the caterer's list to Lilah.

Lindsey leaned over her shoulder with the pretence of reading the inventory, his hands resting gently on her hips.

"I'd do with the quail's eggs and celery salt," Lilah told Anya.

"Lindsey?" Dawn teased; noticing the only thing he was studying was Lilah's face.

"Go with the salmon and cream cheese pinwheels," Lindsey said, reading the first thing his eyes rested on from the list.

"Tomorrow should be fun…" Lilah said with a brittle smile, "I'm looking forward to it."

Lindsey couldn't help but feel an obscure sense of impending doom…