Title: Happy Beginnings beta'd by The Cat Whispurrer

Language: English

Rating: T

Genre: Friendship/Family/Romance

Published: 20 July 2015

Words: 1513

Notes: A sequel to 'Welcome Back, Watson'

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan.

It was her wedding.

And she looks beautiful as any other bride (and maybe more than others, some might say) on her wedding day.

Radiant. Lovely. Gorgeous. Practically all the adjectives in the dictionary that'd describe a bride on her wedding day. The glorious enchanting-fairy-tale-like day.

The theme was silver and green, despite the bride's favourite colour, red, which would go well with gold, creating the ever royal setting. Perhaps, it was to appease the groom? She wouldn't know. She didn't really bother with the details of the event. It wasn't why she was here. Not even close.

Haibara Ai's eyes roamed the reception area, taking in the atmosphere, cheery and bouncy. Definitely something she wouldn't be caught dead in. Sighing for the umpteenth time she made her way to her rightful 'position'.

Why did she even come?

She smoothed her dress, a blush in pink dress. She would have never chosen this dress, but the bride insisted that she looked great in it. She guessed maybe she should give in this time, just this once, after all, it's her special day. The special big day.

The bride was nervous, her hands were sweaty holding that bouquet of red roses. She bit her lip and her eyes kept looking down to the marble floor. Somehow, she even managed to tap her foot in anxiety, under that heavy 'skirt' which has how many tulles? She can't even imagine the weight of it, why can't brides wear something more simple? Something lighter perhaps?

However, again, it wasn't her decision that mattered in this little charade.

Her train of thoughts were rudely interrupted by the music cue, her cue. She had to move forward when the doors ceremoniously opens to the single lane covered by a red carpet with some flower petals covering it. Admittedly, somehow the red suits the theme of silver, green and white. Leading a few other ladies that she had only met today, she felt their eyes staring right through her back.

Why is this dress bare-backed again?

She walked down the aisle, her eyes looking straight ahead, the priest was there giving her a soft smile that she couldn't help but return...

Despite her acute senses, she failed to notice the awe in the guests' eyes when they saw her walking down the aisle, elegant and gentle as any Queen would ever be. Her strawberry blonde was pinned up, but some rebellious strands still managed to fall out of the otherwise neat hairdo. Those strands framed her delicate face, perfectly. Her eyes were lined with a basic eyeliner, and if they went over that limit, they would be safer selling their souls to satan.

Her cheeks were untouched, as she was naturally rosy, making her face look radiant and lovely as a fresh lily.

Gripping her bouquet of white carnations, she sigh deeply in relief. She made it to the end. Now, lining along in front of the wedding guests (she was supposed to be among them, but well, things didn't go according to plan at times). The piano then played, the song, the ever traditional walking-down-the-aisle song.

In spite of her jitters, the beloved bride smiled brightly through her thick lacy veil, enhancing every inch of her. Her steps were nervous at first but then her stride became more confident. She glided along the lane, letting everyone be enamoured by her presence.

The innocent princess, about to be married to her prince. Finally, her happy ending or one could say, beginning.

However, Ai's eyes were not attracted to the beautiful bride, but instead the one who linked his arm with hers. The 'little brother' of the bride, a man with striking cobalt blue eyes, also, her partner.

His smirk was like a permanent scar on his face, but his eyes were serene. Happy and peaceful. His ever messy hair was successfully slicked back by some hairdresser, she forgot the man's name. Although she remembered all to well on how he was all over Edogawa. It was such a scene.

His eyes were looking straight ahead...but, she felt as if he was staring directly through her. Curse those blue eyes.

Her breath hitched, ever so suddenly. Her pulse quicken and she felt her cheeks warming up.

Her heart skipping a beat, after seeing a vision. It was something she never asked for.

They reached the end of the aisle, and he stood by the groom's side, the best man was at the other side. The men stood proudly.

She couldn't hear them, but it was easy enough to read their lips. The bride and groom looking so besotted with each other, it was not that hard to guess.

"Hey."

"Hey.."

"You look gorgeous."

She doubts that either of them were even listening to the priest. They seemed to be in their own world. Maybe they were.

"This is probably the best birthday I could have ever asked for."

"I don't think so, wait till we get kids."

She giggled, a twinkling sound to her ears.

"What? I think that's about right, right?"

"I love you."

"I love you."

"Araide Tomoaki, would you take Mouri Ran as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Mouri Ran, would you take Araide Tomoaki as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

They said it without hesitation, eyes only on each other's. It seemed like nothing could stop them, nothing could break them apart. It seemed solid.

"You may now kiss the bride."

The bride's best friend was supposed to be here, right on the spot she's standing at that moment, but she had to be whisked away to elsewhere, she didn't bother with the specifics (yet again).

Hattori-kun and Kazuha-chan were late, probably by a case they ran into on the way to the wedding.

Her parents weren't present at that moment.

The flower girl, Ayumi-chan's niece, was having a stomachache.

Their ring bearer, Araide's stepbrother, almost lost the rings. Almost.

The cake was supposed to be three-tiered chocolate cheese, but somehow it got mixed up with some other order, A four-tiered Vanilla Kiwi cake.

But all of the above didn't matter, not to the bride, not from what she could tell from the bride's radiant expression. The warmth of her happiness was radiating from her very being.

Her eyes were for her groom, never leaving his. Their smiles seemed to last for an eternity even when they shared a chaste kiss on each other's lips. Not once, did those smiles falter. Not once.

And just like that, everyone applauded. It sounded like a huge storm.

Despite their previous absence, they're there then.

Mouri Kogoro and his wife, both had huge grins on their faces as they clapped.

Kazuha was shrieking with joy, "AHHHHH!" and Heiji threw his cap to the air. "GO NEECHAN!"

Sonoko was there wiping tears that seemed to kept on falling, her cheeks were red by her attempts to wipe them off. Beside her was her ever loyal and sturdy fiancé, Kyogoku Makoto holding her in his strong-looking arms.

It was a brief moment, everyone cheered and laughed. The just-married couple walked down the aisle together, heading towards the banquet that was awaiting their presence.

Everyone was sitting down, raising a toast to the happy just married couple.

The cake was cut, and mouths were fed. Well, there were more mishaps than one could ask for, someone almost initiated a food fight session if it weren't for Mouri Kogoro. It was a wild start to the very end.

"How come you escorted her? Isn't it supposed to be Mouri-kun?"

"Ah, the old drunk was caught in some traffic when he picked up Kirisaki-san."

"Ran-san must have been devastated."

"On the contrary, no. She was quite okay with it, not happy but, I guess at this point, nothing could faze her. It's her day."

"He is one lucky man."

"Agreed, unless he decided to be stupid and anger her, triggering all her karate reflexes. Yeah, I think he's a lucky man."

"What a statement."

"A lovely one, I suppose?"

"How was it for you?"

"How? As in how I felt about attending a wedding but then I got pulled aside to be dressed in this dress, not saying it's horrid, because it's not. But it's just not what I'd wear, to be the Maid of Honor. Kudo. I did not sign up for this when I tick 'plus one' and scribbled my name in the stupid blank space."

"Right. So, you had fun then?"

"Were you even listening?"

"Yeah, and it seemed to be that you did enjoy the rush of everything. Thinking of getting married any time soon?" said he, with that stupid playful smirk.

The guy was kidding of course, but the vision flashed through her mind again, and she felt her cheeks warmed up.

"Please, Kudo. I don't believe in holy matrimony." Do I?

"Well now I know that part of you never changed." I wouldn't be too sure about that...

"Pleased?"

"What's with the tone? C'mon you're here as my date, smile a little."

"For you? Never."

But there it was, hardly a smile but it was something they're both are too familiar with. Similar smirks played on their lips.

Maybe some things never do change, huh?

Hope you enjoyed this short drabble of mine :)

It is honestly the sequel to 'Welcome Back, Watson', read it if you have the time!

Happy Eid Mubarak for those who celebrates it!

Don't forget to leave a review (I don't mind constructive criticism!)