"I will not let anything take away, what's standing in front of me."
"Han?"
Jerking her head up, Hanna sees her mother standing behind her in the reflection of the mirror. Ashley's eyes are glassy as she puts a hand over her mouth to cover up a gasp.
"You look so beautiful."
The quiet sobbing starts for the second time that morning when Hanna walks back to her mother.
"Mom, stop, you'll ruin your makeup." Fixing a smudge in her mom's makeup, she shakes her head. "I can't take you anywhere." She jokes.
Ashley chuckles before nodding at her daughter. "You're right, you're right. I'm walking you down the aisle, I can't look terrible." Hesitating, she continues. "Are you sure you want me to walk you down the aisle?"
"Do you not want to?"
"I do!—Sorry, that's your line. It's just...this seems like something your father should do."
Hanna licks her thumb and wipes away a smear in Ashley's lipstick. "If I wanted him to do it, I would've asked him. But, I don't. You were both parents to me for a really long time. This is for the both of us, Mom."
Issues among issues arose during the wedding planning, sine concerning Tom's placement in the ceremony. Hanna did want him there, but not reaping the benefits of something he did not sow. Her decision to have her mom walk her down the aisle did not come without (of course) a huge blowout argument.
In the end, it took Hanna standing up and telling everyone at the rehearsal dinner that it was her choice who would walk her down, and she chose her mother. And if anyone had a problem with that, they could stay home. Then she took her seat, and resumed eating her strawberry shortcake.
Ashley pulls Hanna into a tight hug, after kissing her cheek. "I'd better go if I'm going to pull it together enough to get down that aisle." Blowing one more kiss, Ashley walks out the door, leaving Hanna alone.
Falling back into a heap of white dress on the couch behind her, Hanna lets out a groan of frustration, and forces last night's dinner back down her throat.
She refused to throw up, again.
Unable to hold anything down, Hanna skipped breakfast that morning, and opted for a hot coffee and an Advil. Wanting to cry, but knowing better, she tilts her head up as her stomach gurgles. She knows she isn't pregnant, because she checked. Many, many times. She summed it up to anxiety.
Anxiety about her wedding day.
'A', 'B', whoever it was, was long gone. But, she still feared that something would happen to ruin the good things that she had worked so hard building up. The aftereffects of a second cyber-killer was evident in her life, the nightmares, fear of going out after dark, but it never stopped her from pushing past it.
She and the girls worked past it together, refusing to let this draw them further apart, like time or the dollhouse had.
Moments later, a dressed Emily steps into the room, surveying Hanna's appearance.
"You look like hell, Han." She steps over, taking a seat next to her on the couch, worry lacing her expression.
"Thanks, I just got back." Groaning again, Hanna clutches her stomach. "Can I bring a barf bag down the aisle?"
Patting Hanna's head, Emily sighs. "You're sick?"
"Some type of it."
"Nervous?"
"I guess so. This is the happiest day of my freaking life. But, I can't enjoy because my head's been in the nearest toilet every 15 minutes." Hanna fans out her dress and picks off imaginary lint.
"Have you seen Caleb?" Emily wonders, thinking she's found an answer.
"Not since last night." Hanna replies, trying to ignore the rumbling in her abdomen. "Wedding dress thing, remember?"
She had followed one tradition, and tucked her dress tucked away from Caleb until the ceremony. But, it was hard without his encouraging murmurs or reassuring squeezes.
Pushing back on to her feet, Emily exits the room with out another word, and shuts the door behind her.
"Thanks, Em. Such great help, glad I chose you as my maid of honor!" Hanna calls out into the empty room.
She actually had chosen a maid of honor instead of deciding to not bring it up. Out of all her friends, she knew that she and Emily had the closest bond. Even though they argued easily and sometimes constantly, Emily's always the first person she calls when she feels lonely, when nightmares wake her up and Caleb's not home. Emily had trusted her first, with her biggest secret, and Hanna gladly opened her home to Emily. None of her other bridesmaids, Mona included, put up any fuss about her decision.
Then as she readied herself to hurl again, and just let it all go, the door opened once more. In walks Caleb, with a pink scarf tied over his face, hands stretched out cautiously in front of him.
"Caleb! What are you doing? You're not supposed to see me in my dress!" Moving as fast she could in her gown, Hanna hides behind the huge mirror next to the couch.
Feeling a wall, Caleb speaks. "I really can't see much of anything right now, Han." Stepping out from behind the mirror, Hanna realizes that he actually can't see, and takes care in guiding him down to the couch, and they take a seat together. "Emily says you're nervous."
"I am, I was." Yet, the grumbling in her belly has stopped, and her breath has finally caught up with her.
"You aren't anymore?" He turns his head in the direction of her voice, groping her gently for her hand. "What happened?"
Laying her head on his shoulder, she interlocks their fingers. "I guess I just missed you."
After they had gotten back together, they spent nearly every moment they had with one another, relearning each other's bodies and healing old wounds. Hanna took her time, apologizing constantly for leaving, curling herself into him at night. Caleb was insistent, reminding her how much he loved her, pulling her body into his.
There was a night where Caleb came back late after helping the Hastings' campaign in a crucial moment, and she sat awake the entire night, waiting for him to come back home. When he did, she quietly let him get undressed and slide into bed next to her. Then, she rolled into his arms, and quickly fell asleep.
She found it hard to sleep when he wasn't there, and he found himself craving her near him at any point. The fear of losing the other was evident and never waned, and it only seemed to draw them closer.
"I missed you, too." Caleb draws mindless patterns on the back of her hand with his thumb. "And I know you look hot that dress." His comment caused Hanna to burst out into laughter, the sound ringing out in the room. "That's what I like to hear. Now, I've got to go, I'm getting married in a little bit."
"Yeah, you've go to go, my fiancee would kick your ass if he knew you were in here calling me hot." Hanna chuckles.
He trails his fingers up her arm, until he finds her cheeks; then, doing his best with no vision, he presses a kiss to her cheek. "I'll see you in a little." Hanna does her best to guide him safely to the door without hitting anything. He exits slowly, and she wills her body not to follow after him. She leans back against the door, exhaling and praying to every God there is, that nothing will ruin this.
Mustering up her strength, she walks out the door, bouquet in hand, seeing her mom impatiently waiting by the doors. "Ready, baby?" Strutting slowly, Hanna only offers a smile as they hear the Wedding March begin to play. "Wait." Ashley kisses her forehead before throwing the veil over Hanna's face.
The wooden doors swing open as the multitude turns back to look at her. Claudia and Jamie smile back her, Tom's eyes are glistening, and nearly all of her bridesmaids are crying already. Clutching her pastel roses, Hanna takes a deep breath.
Ashley links her arm through Hanna's, starting the walk down the aisle.
Hanna makes sure not trip over her dress as she glides, kicking out the bottom as she steps. The tulle of her dress trails behind her, the beads encrusting the bodice of her dress sprinkles down into the wide skirt. She actually feels like Cinderella in her ball gown. The length of her veil covers her open back and bare shoulders, the satin tickling her skin. Her blonde hair falls into free waves underneath it because she refused an up-do on her wedding day.
She thinks back to the months of dress shopping and preparation, the frustration she endured when she didn't think she would find a dress in time. She was able to find the bridesmaids dresses within days, the pale red color flattered everyone's skin tone, and flared skirt was an easy pick. But, when it came to her own dress, she didn't seem to find anything good enough.
Then, after an uplifting call from her last boss, who told her to "grab life by the neck and choke it until she got what she wanted", (then told her if she needed anything, ask her), Hanna decided to design her own dress. Then sent the design back to her former boss, who gladly had it made and promised there would be nothing like it.
And when Caleb came back after his two day trek for the perfect bra, she realized everything would be okay.
So, walking down the aisle with her mother, she can't fight the grin that fills her face. At the end of the aisle, Aria is sniffling, red-faced, Spencer is beaming at her while resting one hand on her round belly, Mona's cheeks are wet but somehow her makeup is still perfect, and Emily is holding a knowing smirk at Hanna's expression.
Toby, Ezra and Lucas stand next to a smiling Caleb, and Hanna's heart jumps in her chest. They've reached the end before she realizes it, and her mom gives her a somber kiss on the back of her hand before taking her seat.
Caleb's expression when she finally comes to stand in front of him after handing off her bouquet to Emily is nearly priceless.
"Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining of Hanna Marin and Caleb Rivers in marriage..."
The minister is speaking but Hanna is admiring how damn sexy Caleb looks in his jet-black suit, his black bow-tie (and it's not even crooked!), and the pastel colored flower fastened to his jacket was especially for her.
Trailing her eyes back up to his, the light dancing behind them makes her want to laugh. She'd give anything to know what he's thinking in that moment. Then he mouths one word to her.
"Hot."
A giggle remains trapped in her throat as he gives her a devious smile and she returns with a small wink. They seriously could not get enough of each other.
Even throughout her hellish high school years, he stuck by her side, usually pressing kisses to her neck. It never ceased to amaze him how many times he could make her fall apart in one night, how her body never stopped responding to his touch. After they had gotten back together, he was slightly shocked to see that nothing had changed. She still trembled when he nibbled on her collarbones and gasped when he blew hot air on her thighs. The sound of her whimpers took them into the next morning on multiple nights.
It was, in fact, one of those 'oh so beautiful' morning afters that he proposed to her. Her hair was a mess and she was just about to back to bed after washing her face and brushing her teeth, when he pulled the box from under the pillow. Standing in front of him she covered her mouth in shock as he scratched the back of his neck, getting down on one knee he gave it a try.
"I've been holding it for a while now, and I wanted to do something special, 'cause well, it's you Han." He began, taking her hand in his own. "But, there's probably nothing special enough for you, that could match up to you so...here. I love you, Hanna Marin and I would like to spend the rest of my life with you."
She had barely even looked at the ring before squealing out a yes. He slipped it on her finger, and she planted kisses on his face. It took quite a while for them to get out of bed that day.
And now, she's standing in front of him, getting married to one of the few people she trusted with her life and her cellphone.
"The couple has prepared their own vows, which they shall recite now." Hanna's drawn back into the ceremony just in time.
Clearing his throat, Caleb takes Hanna's hands in his. "Hanna Marin, you are my girlfriend, my fiancee, and after today you'll be my wife. You're my best friend, the closest thing I had to family for a long time, and the first person I've ever really loved. I promise to be faithful and honest. I promise to never, ever let you go to sleep mad at me, even if it means you have to get the last word. I promise to make you laugh as often as I can, and not to get angry when all your hair products take up space in the bathroom. I'll stay by your side, even when you get sick and your nose gets red and you kinda look like Rudolph. And when we're old and I promise to change your diapers 10 times a day. But, at 11 you're on your own."
The congregation chuckles, and Hanna feels the tension leave her nervous body.
"Caleb Rivers, you truly are my sunshine, you bring me warmth and joy. You make me feel safe at night and happy in the mornings. I will always support and respect you. I will forever cherish you, and I'm so glad that I have you because—" Her voice breaks, and it's so damn cliché, but she can't help it, and through her veil, she can see his eyes glistening.
"Because I don't know if I'd be okay spending the rest of my life without the love of my life. I will call you beautiful not only because it makes you blush, but because it's what you are. I won't get annoyed when you're clacking on your keyboard while I'm trying to read. I'll gladly wash all of the beanies you think you've hidden from me. And I promise to try and downsize on the amount of bathroom space I take up and give you some room in there. I will change your diapers, but if I just got my nails done, you're on your own."
More laughter erupts from the audience, but Hanna's crying and thanking God for waterproof makeup.
The minister nods in agreement. "The rings."
Caleb turns back to Toby who hands him Hanna's wedding ring, while Emily gives Hanna Caleb's ring.
Sliding the ring on Hanna's finger, Caleb tries to blink back the tears gathering in his eyes. "With this ring, I wed thee, Hanna Marin, I give you an everlasting promise to love you until the end of time, I will give you all that I have."
Hanna tries not to let her lip quiver as she slips the ring on Caleb's finger, and swallows thickly. "With this ring, I wed thee, Caleb Rivers, I give you an everlasting promise to love you until the end of time, I will give you all that I have."
"And now, by the power vested in me by the State of Pennsylvania, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Lifting the veil over Hanna's face, he grins at his wife. He takes her tenderly in his arms, pressing his lips against hers. She smiles into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. Pulling back, he pecks her twice again before holding her gaze.
Everyone's clapping and cheering, but they're too enveloped in each other to care.
"I love you." She whispers, tears freely falling now.
"I love you, more." He brings her in for a hug, bodies shaking and tight. She combs her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck once more, and he squeezes her hips before releasing her again.
It's truly happened, after years of hell and heaven. They're finally at the place that they've always wanted to be and it couldn't feel better. Of course, she'll have trouble making room in the bathroom, and he'll still type while she's reading, but it's something they'll grow to be okay with. She promised him forever, and he promised to give her that and a minute more.
I've always wanted a Haleb wedding !
If you've been looking at my page, then you'll realize I haven't done much of anything for a good while, and this is also kind of my first story back. I'm just dealing with something and hopefully I'll be okay.
I love y'all very much, and thank you for reading!
P.S. I didn't really edit this, like at all, oops sorry.
XOXO, Minnie (yessssss, this is truly my name)