Title: Big Changes

Author: meagan

Summary: Xander and Angel get hitched, and some other good things happen.

Follows "A Shopping Trip." Part of the Reversal series.

Distribution: Please ask.

Spoiler: None for the show aside from the fact that Angel and Buffy were an item at one point. Otherwise, the whole Reversal series as well as "What Wasted Looks Like" and "The Bed."

Rating: G/PGish

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 I'm still irked about what they did to us last season), and anyone else I forget.

Feedback: Oh, yes, please. Unless you're just going to tell me how incredibly sappy this is. 'Cause I already know that. I just got hit with a mood today.

Notes: I've been debating whether to write this part for quite a while (I hate weddings, so I tend to avoid dealing with them whever possible, even in fic), but there were certain things that I wanted to happen, and this seemed to be the best way to do those things. Plus someone wanted happy X/A. So here it is. Also, since I started this series before I knew what was happening with _Angel_ (and while I was still hoping Max Perlich would be back), Whistler is still around.

Reversal 17: Big Changes
By meagan

"I really, really hope everything's okay." He nervously straightened his tie yet again.

Cordelia sighed. They had been over this a hundred times, but her reassurances did nothing to calm him down. Next time, she would sedate him. Or just kill him. "Xander, it will be fine. There's no way anything can go wrong."

He frowned. "But Angel canceled the rehearsal at the last minute. What if it's a sign -- an omen of things to come?"

"It's okay." Cordelia had a secret -- a couple, actually -- and she wasn't about to share with him. That was the whole point of having secrets. "Think of it like a dress rehearsal for a play. If those are disastrous, it's a sign that the show will be a success. Trust me?" Finally, he nodded. Now she frowned.

"What?"

"What did you have for dinner? You've got gunk on your cheek."

"Huh?" Dinner? As if he had been calm enough to actually eat something. He turned back to the mirror. "Oh. That wasn't me. It was Gillian. Her Uncle Oz got a little too bouncy right before handing her over to me after her feeding. Fortunately, she missed my hair."

She handed him a baby wipe. "Ah." She smiled. "He needs a kid of his own so you can return the favor."

~~~

Xander stood at the altar, visibly shaking, Cordelia at his side. He tried to keep his eyes focused on one thing -- *any* thing -- but instead found his gaze darting from one spot to another. Something was going to happen. Something big. He just *knew* it.

Willow cleared her throat. Oh, yeah. The reason he was there. She was going to perform the ceremony -- assuming Angel made it to the hall. It was a modified version of traditional vows (after all, they had to ditch the "this man and this woman" and "'till death do we part" things), Xander knew, but he didn't know details. Willow, Cordelia, and Angel had worked together, keeping Xander out of the loop. All he knew was that Oz and Spike were watching over the babies. It was a very small gathering. Aside from the Slayerettes and offspring, the only guests present were Whistler and Vinnie. Vinnie was videotaping the event, and Whistler was watching her. With a start, Xander realized Giles was standing on the other side of the altar. So the former Watcher was Angel's attendant.

Now the doors at the back of the small hall opened, revealing two figures that made Xander's heart stop and simultaneously jump into his throat and sink into his stomach. He turned to Willow. She was beaming. Then he turned to Cordelia. Her expression matched Willow's. No. This could not be happening. This was a nightmare. He would wake up right when someone was killing him -- strangling him, stabbing him, something similarly painful and horrifying. He could only stare as Buffy walked down the aisle on Angel's arm.

"Who gives this man for marriage?" Willow's words were faint over the pounding in his head.

"I do." With that, Buffy turned to Xander. "Take care of him. I know where you live, and I *can* kick your ass." He nodded, still unable to speak. She kissed him on the cheek before placing Angel's hand -- the one she had been holding during her warning -- in Xander's. And then she turned to Angel. "The same goes for you."

Angel nodded. "Thank you."

Xander and Angel were only dimly aware of Willow's voice performing the ceremony.

~~~

"You did it." The roar in his head had subsided, and he was finally coming out of his shock. He realized Buffy was speaking to him. "It's funny. I thought I would be upset or jealous or something. But I'm not. Well, okay, a little, but not for the reason I thought." She cupped his face with her hand. "You make him happy in a way I never could. And now that I've seen the two of you together, I realize that he's much better off with you. And your kids." Now she frowned and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. "Um, Xander? Anyone home? You're awfully quiet."

He blinked. "Yeah. Shock, I guess." His eyes were drawn to the other dark-haired figure in a tuxedo, currently talking to Spike. Angel. His husband. Xander was married. To Buffy's ex-boyfriend. A man -- well, vampire -- who had adopted Xander's children and went to great lengths to make sure the mortal found out about them even though the mother of the children had planned on keeping the whole thing a secret. Oh, yes, let's not forget the fact that Xander was a father. And Buffy was here telling him how happy she was about the whole thing. Twilight Zone time.

"Ah. Big changes, huh?" He nodded. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I mean, you've made it this far, right? You made it through my big comeback. And I'm only half-joking about that."

"Xander? Can we talk to you for a minute? Alone?"

He turned to see Willow, Oz, and Giles, all clearly anxious to speak with him without Buffy. "Um, sure." Bewildered, he turned to the Slayer. "Talk to you later?" She smiled and nodded before walking away to talk to Whistler. He turned to the small group before him, concern crossing his face. "What's wrong? Is someone sick?"

Oz smirked. "Kind of." Willow elbowed him in the stomach. "Oh. Sorry. Tell him now before I say anything else."

She turned to Xander. She was beaming. Okay, so someone is 'kind of' sick, but she's glowing. And she had been staring at Spike -- cooing at Sasha -- earlier. And both Oz and Giles were currently huddled protectively around her, hands on her abdomen.

Oh.

"You know, sometimes I can actually *see* you figuring something out." She hugged him, whispering in his ear, "Don't worry. It's not Oz's."

"What?" The shock from earlier was back. Giles cleared his throat. "Oh."

"Yes, 'oh.'" Giles finally allowed a smile to overtake his features. And then he started bouncing. Xander stared.

"Xander? Are you okay?" Willow's voice was filled with concern.

The newlywed blinked. "Will, he's *bouncing*. Like Tigger. Do you have a camera so your baby will be able to see its father acting like an idiot?"

"Right here." They all turned to face Spike, holding Vinnie's video camera. "What, you thought I would let this moment pass without getting it all on tape for future reference? No way."

Finally, Xander came out of his daze and pulled Willow into his arms. "Congratulations. So who else knows? I mean, is this public knowledge?"

She shook her head. "You're the first person we've told. Well, I had to tell Cordelia. I threw up on her shoes a few days ago, and she started to get furious until 'morning sickness' was mentioned. But Angel is clueless. He was too busy worrying about you and this wedding to be able to think about anything else."

"Are you talking about me again?" Strong arms wrapped around Xander's waist. A softer voice -- carefully controlled so only Xander would be able to hear it -- continued. "And can the discussion continue some other time? We have some unfinished business. Remember, no reception for a reason. And it wasn't because we wanted to keep this simple."

Xander smiled, running his fingers over Angel's wedding band. "Okay. But first, Willow has something to tell you."

Angel remained standing behind Xander, narrowing his eyes and resting his chin on the shorter man's shoulder. "Okay, Witch. Tell. I have plans. You're disrupting them."

But his attempt at a stern expression was unsuccessful. She burst out laughing. Finally, she calmed down enough to tease him with hints. "Remember Cordelia's suede shoes?"

"The ones you puked on last week?" His brow creased in confusion.

"Yeah." She waited, but he did not catch on as easily as Xander had. "And remember when we made you go get kalamata olives, potato rosemary rolls, turkey jerky, and cherry Kool-Aid?"

"Uh-huh." He paused. "Wait. I thought you just had the munchies."

"Nope. Wanna guess again?"

Now he pulled away from Xander and stared at Spike. He had turned the video camera over to Whistler and was now cooing at Gillian. Angel turned back to Willow, back in the arms of Giles and Oz. "Oh." He blinked. "Oh, *wow*."

She grinned. "Hey, Spike, I thought you said we'd have to draw him a picture."

Spike pulled his eyes away from the infant in his arms with great effort. "And what do you think I'm doing right here?"

"He's right." They all turned to face a sheepish Angel. "I've been so obsessed with planning the wedding that it didn't occur to me to wonder why Willow and Cordelia have been wrapped up in 'girl talk' whenever I've left them alone or why Cordy didn't get mad when her shoes were ruined. Congratulations, you guys. It's a wild ride." He pulled Xander back to his body, lowering his voice once again. "And speaking of wild rides, when can we ditch the pregnant chick and her entourage?"

Xander grinned. "How about now?" He turned back to his friends. "Well, see you later. He's getting cranky again. I think he needs a nap." He jumped as Angel's hands found the clasp on his cummerbund. "Or something else involving a bed. Gotta go. Now."

He heard everyone laughing at him, but he didn't care. He had a bed to warm and someone to keep him awake while in it for the rest of his life.

~~~ the end ~~~