Disclaimer: I don't own the Host.
A/N: I'm technically supposed to be working on my stories right now but I got a little stuck and decided to write a one shot for some inspiration. Anyway don't forget that you can send a request in ;)
Note: I love O' Wanda, so just read 'til the end.
Title: Only forever left to go.
Wanda's P.O.V:
Burns and I were getting married in exactly one hours, eleven minutes and fifteen, no fourteen, seconds. I was nervous, not in the I-am-getting-married way but in the I-think-I-am-going-to-throw-up way. It must have shown on my face because Melanie was at my side in an instant.
"Honey, you don't have to do this, you know." She said in a soothing voice, stroking my sweaty forehead and holding my clammy hand. Mel didn't support my relationship with Burns for many reasons but she wouldn't even tell me one. I decided to ignore her.
"Do you like your dress?" I'd made Mel my maid of honour, along with Lily and Trudy as my bridesmaids. I'd picked a knee length, champagne colour dress; it had a scoop neckline with a thin belt around the middle matched with light gold sandals – it made me wish that I was a bridesmaid and amazingly it suited all of them.
"It's beautiful, I'm allowed to keep this after the wedding right?" She smiled, twiddling the chiffon material between in her thumb and index finger.
"Of course," I laughed. "It's all yours."
"Yay!" She smiled widely. "Want some champagne? Jeb sent it in."
"Have anything with more of a kick to help me get through today?" I asked, not sure if it was a joke or the truth.
"Unfortunately not, Lily will not allow any of us to get drunk, not even a little bit. She's restricted everyone in this room to no more than two glasses of champagne." Mel shook her head in mock disappointment.
"Okay, hand me glass number one." She obeyed, handing me a clear glass of the bubbly stuff. I refrained myself from downing it all in one go and sipped it gently. I looked at the clock. Only fifty-nine minutes until the music would start playing and I'd have to walk down the aisle to a man that I didn't love. "Now help me up." I ordered.
I held the champagne glass in one hand and held the other out to Mel. She heaved me up and my white dress was revealed in full.
"Wanda," Mel gasped. "You look gorgeous."
My wedding dress had cost a fortune but Burns and his parents had insisted on the very best, I had yet to see the church interior and the wedding reception but I could guarantee that they would be posh, fancy and scream money... and I knew that I would hate it. For god's sake I hated my own wedding! I had it all planned out, simple yet memorable on a beach... but that was when I was with... someone else.
My wedding dress was extremely poofy, hence the way Mel had to help me out of my chair. It had a sweetheart neckline and was strapless. It was covered, and I mean covered, in white and silver sequins of all sorts. My hair was piled up on the top of my head and a little tiara had been placed there and my make-up looked completely natural.
"I don't feel beautiful..." I murmured as she gave me a gentle hug, trying not to crush my dress as she went. She looked up at me.
"You don't have to do this, you have a choice." She looked up at me expectantly.
"And what? Mope over a guy that I dumped for the rest of my life?" It was a rhetorical question and she knew it. "I'm moving on Mel."
"You don't have to move on this way." She tried. "There are other ways."
"Like what Mel?" I felt tears prick at my eyes. "I should be getting married to him, not Burns, and don't tell me you understand because you don't. You've had Jared your entire life, you love him and you are engaged to him with a happy, love filled life ahead."
"I know sweetie, I know. It's not fair on you." She stroked my back, making sure that she didn't pull my dress down in the process. "You're sure?" She asked one last time. I gulped and nodded. Only fifty minutes to go. "Come on then, let's go to the girls and get you another glass of champagne." She nodded towards my almost empty glass. Funny, I hadn't realised that I'd drank that much.
She led me into the room Lily and Trudy were waiting in and handed me a fresh cup.
"Wanda, this is your last glass." Lily told me after I'd started sipping it.
"Lil, cut her some slack, she's getting married." Lily met Melanie's gaze and said no more. Lily knew about, well, Ian. Ouch, it hurt to think of him.
"We have to leave in ten minutes." Trudy said quietly after the room had been silent for a while. I glanced at the clock on the table, which hold the dangerously tempting champagne. Only half an hour to go.
After I'd drained the second glass, I started to feel a little light-headed. I was embarrassingly bad at holding my alcohol. Apparently it was obvious that I was getting tipsy because I started swaying slightly and Lily rushed up to me and made me sit down.
"Someone get her some water," Lily tutted. "How did you get drunk from two glasses of champagne?" She asked me. She knew the answer so I didn't give her one.
"Here," Mel shoved a glass of cold water into my hand. I hesitated, the day mightn't be as painful if I were drunk but if I were sober, well I don't know how painful it would be.
"Drink it." Lily said with a threatening look in her eye.
"Okay, okay." I grumbled, taking a long drink from the cold water.
"Time to go!" Trudy called from outside, where the car, I mean limo, was waiting with Jeb in it. Lily and Mel took an arm each and heaved me up.
"Just a question," Lily huffed. "But how the hell is she going to get in and out of the car, nevermind walk up the aisle."
"It's a big, fancy limo, remember. There's plenty of room. As for the walking part, Jeb is going to have to drag her up there." They assisted me out to the car and then practically shoved me into the car where Trudy was waiting for us with Jeb and... Jamie!
"Jamie!" I squealed. "What are you doing here?" He grinned at me, obviously happy to see me too.
"Yeah Jamie, what are you doing here?" Mel asked, obviously annoyed by his presence.
"Can't I come and see Wanda before she walks up the aisle to get married to that rich ass-" Mel shot him a glare. "I mean that lovely, lovely man."
I sighed hopelessly. I didn't understand why nobody liked Burns. He was a lovely, kind, if not naive, man and that was why I was marrying him instead of going off with someone who didn't respect me. Why couldn't they see that? But I guess I was worse, marrying someone out of heartbreak and selfishness instead of love like I should.
"We're here honey." Mel shook my shoulder gently. Everyone got out first and then proceeded to get me out without ripping the dress. That stupid, ugly, good for nothing dress. Only seven minutes to go.
We were waiting behind the door of the church, waiting for our cue to enter which was the typical 'here comes the bride.' Only five minutes left to go.
"You don't have to do this you know." This time it was Jeb whispering into my ear.
"I know," I whispered back, swallowing my tears. "But I want to." He nodded in understanding, that was the thing about Jeb, he always understood. Only three minutes left to go.
The music started playing and the girls started to go out. Mel gave my hand a little squeeze before she stepped outside the door, leaving me alone with Jeb, deep breaths Wanda. Only a few seconds left to go.
Jeb led me up the aisle and surprisingly I was able to walk in the dress. I didn't really focusing on it though. I'd heard people say that with every step closer they were to the altar the more happy and lighter they felt. I didn't feel that, instead every step closer I was the more I felt like I was going to throw up.
Eventually, as in when we were three quarters the way up the aisle, the fact that I was concentrating more on my sick stomach than my steps, I fell over, it wasn't much more than a stumble but it was pretty obvious and everyone saw it. Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse. I thought I heard a few people murmur, "what a klutz."
When we finally reached the altar, the sick feeling was almost over-powering. Jeb put my hand in Burns' and walked off to the side, leaving me alone with Burns and the minister. Only forty minutes left to go.
I was relieved, it was getting to the part where Burns would say 'I do' and I would say 'I do' and then it would be all over and I could learn to live with my decision of marrying him. Only ten minutes to go.
"If anyone knows any reason why these two should not enter into holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace." The priest read out from his little booklet that everyone seemed to have except me – I had to look into Burns' one. I didn't expect anyone to speak up, that was why I was surprised when Melanie did.
"I object," she said. Then she turned around to the people behind her. "That is it right isn't it, I object?" When she got no response she just presumed that it was right. The priest seemed bored.
"Why do you object Ms. Stryder?" Oh yes, let Mel make sure that the priest knew her name...
"What are you doing?" I hissed as she walked up to where I was standing beside Burns.
"Making sure that you don't ruin your life," she answered simply. Then she spoke outwards to the congregation.
"I actually wasn't supposed to do this but the person who was chickened out." She glared at the crowd trying to pinpoint whoever it was. "Wanda doesn't love Burns but I'm pretty sure that he loves her and I can't believe I'm saying this but... I don't want Burns to get hurt." She shook her head as if this was something to be ashamed of. Burns looked questioningly at me but I just dropped my gaze. "Now I'm out to ensure Wanda's utmost happiness and Burns' in the long run. Now get up you wimp before I find you and drag you up here myself." She scowled, but had obviously secured this person's location in the crowd.
I looked out trying to see whoever she was talking to but failed. There was some shuffling in the pews below and then the one person I wasn't expecting emerged. Ian.
"What the hell?" I softly shrieked to no-one in particular. I was going to kill Melanie. I looked down at Ian whose face was red and he looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up. I didn't blame him.
"Umm..." He took a few deep breaths. "Wanda, please don't do this, I... I still love you." He pleaded. Oh God, I wanted to just rush into his arms right now but I couldn't because I could barely walk nevermind run in this dress. He took my contemplation as a no, which made him desperate. "Please Wanda, I missed you. I should have never given up on trying to win you back. Please, just don't marry him."
"Wanda, please tell me this isn't true. Tell them to stop these silly charades." Burns was pleading with me now.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to him, and I grabbed the skirts of my wedding dress and walked down to Mel. I ran, or rather fast walked, to Ian and hugged him, wanting it to last forever. I heard a cheer from the audience, Jamie. Shortly afterwards, there were some other cheers, all of my family.
"Aren't you disappointed that you can't have a big wedding?" Ian whispered as he held me.
"No," I snorted. "This is way OTT." I smiled and we left the building, left Burns angry family, a heartbroken Burns, a confused priest and my joyful family. Only forever left to go.
A/N: I quite like that one
Don't forget that if you have any requests, no matter how crazy, I'll probably do them.
P.S: The pictures of the dresses are on my profile, at the end.