Hitch

started: 3/27/2012

Summary: Strange things start happening when Serenity opens a door.

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AN: Some notes that you'll pick up right off. This is a period piece. Not as far back as some stories that I've written, but more 17-18 hundreds England. Somewhere in there at least. They are also upper class nobles, all about the same in funding. So it is not a typical story where one is better off than the other and impresses the other with their wealth. Though they might try and some might succeed. Haha.. At any rate, the words won't be so colloquial. I am not going to go research and pepper it in. Some might slip out if I get carried away or other phrases that aren't of the period, but I'll try to watch it. I don't want to bog the story down with things like that that might not fit or roll off right. It's like an 80 year old trying to use modern day slang. There are many problems with that, I'm not going to go into it. So those are some notes.

Disclaimer: Any offensive things in here, blame on what I believe they would be thinking or saying at that time. Not any way the views of your author. (There is a fair amount of texts that would back up some of the stances, they're actually rather funny with the modern lens.)

AN2: So we've had Mina be the best friend in several stories. Ami in one. Lita in one. Rei in another few. Anyone else you would like to see? Any thoughts for the future? As for this story, we're going to go with one that hasn't had a lot of limelight in quite some time. Molly! She's just a better fit at the moment. I've given the role over to Andrew even a few times, so this is justice for the redhead. Especially after all the redhead bashing in Under the Rags. I apologize for that. I have nothing against reds. I just thought it was interesting to have so many different kinds of reds and most of them were the villains. (Or at least in some form they had red hair.) Anyways.. story time!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . One door leads to another.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Once you open one, you can't go back,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . you must go through to the next.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whatever happens happens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and there is nothing you can do about it.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A chill went through Serenity as she read these words on the outside of a church. What were things like this doing upon a church door anyway? Wasn't this a place of worship, where people came to be relieved of their burdens and be comforted? This wasn't the place to be putting up warnings and scaring people off.

"Come on Serena! Nobody's supposed to stop and read what is written. It's a church for goodness sake! You're told what you're supposed to know and not look in too deep." Molly glanced at the words Serenity was staring at but hardly took them in before she was tugging Serenity up the path with her. Molly's education was vast, for a woman's education. Though that didn't lend to her being as well read as some of their undereducated male counterparts. Molly could read the words and just look at them as just words. She wouldn't see the foreboding that slithered to Serenity's core. They'd be understood individually, but nothing more.

Molly wanted Serenity to come through the doors with her that the very church was warning them against doing. Molly pushed open one door and Serenity winced, waiting for something bad to happen. Perhaps God to strike them down where they stood for daring to touch His church. Nothing happened and Molly turned to Serenity with a huff at Serenity's sudden reluctance.

"We're going to be late for the wedding!" It was just great that Molly was now laying that at Serenity's feet when it was Molly who had been the one to delay them from the very start. Molly was in the wedding for heavens sake! Serenity had been forced to sit around waiting for her friend while she finished pampering herself and making her look perfect. She was probably more done up than the bride!

Er- Serenity's thoughts slid to a halt on that one. Maybe not, knowing the bride. How on Earth had she managed to secure a husband? And so quickly! They hadn't even been courting! "It's your sister's wedding. You're in it. What are you waiting on me for?" Serenity asked stepping through the frame and into the church. She hadn't opened the door, so what did it matter if she went through it?

"Miss Molly!" A man appeared. "You're very late!" He took her arm and started hustling the girl down the hall. "Everyone is worried and waiting for you!"

Molly looked back at Serenity, wanting the blond to go with her and Serenity laughed. "Go on! I'll see you inside. You look beautiful! Best wishes-" Molly was just out of sight as Serenity yelled that last sentence and she laughed as it saved her from saying something inside the church that God would know to be a falsity. He really would smite her then.

"You have a beautiful laugh."

Serenity jumped a mile high as she hadn't realized she was no longer alone. When she returned to her feet she spun around and the combination had her feet going out from under her. Large hands caught her about the waist as he stopped her painful descent.

"Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?" He looked down at her impossibly high heels and wondered if she'd twisted an ankle. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Serenity's breathing was getting back under control and she managed it enough to answer him. "I'm all right. You should really announce yourself in a more proper way when you are coming up behind a lady." She lifted her eyes from his chest, even with the high heels she was still on eye level with his body below the neck. Her eyes found his and her heart skipped a beat.

"I do apologize. That had been my attempt at announcing myself. I didn't realize it would scare you. I had come upon you quite unexpectedly. All the other guests are inside."

Serenity straightened to her full height. "I accept that apology. I had thought the same, so I could only imagine a ghost or God speaking to me himself when you caught me off guard. It is all right for you to let me go, by the way. My legs are quite strong despite their earlier showing to the contrary."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He quickly let go of her and she felt the instant cooling of where his hands had been. "I seem to be apologizing a lot to you."

"Let's not make it a habit." She smiled up at him and then took in his outfit. "Are you part of the wedding party?"

"I am."

"Won't you be needed inside?"

A twist came upon his lips, as if he was unsure if he wanted to scowl or smile. "I will be, but now I am not so sure I want to be in attendance. You see this was not my idea to start with."

"I am sure there will be plenty in there that will miss you though if you do not go through with it." Serenity heard music start to keep the guests entertained. She knew the tunes that would herald the beginning of the wedding procession, and this wasn't it, though it was a reminder of the need for guests to start seating and how she too were late.

"I feel like I'll be missing you if I go through the back door and join the rest of the men."

"You shall see me afterwards. I'm not going anywhere. You won't have a chance to miss me." Serenity was vastly amused. He was handsome and kind and courteous. He was also feeling the attraction between them and wasn't being anything but a gentleman about it, but also refusing to let it slip by him. Serenity enjoyed his approach more than all of the other men who had tried.

A light frown did cross his features then but the music started just when he was about to say more. "I must get going if I am to do as you say."

"Remember to save me a dance later."

"You are rather enchanting. I wish I had met you sooner." He lifted her hand and gave it a quick kiss along the back. "After all of this plays out then."

He disappeared back the way he must have come and Serenity tried to sneak in with the bridesmaids and to the side. She was too late to get in there ahead of them, but hopefully if she timed it right nobody would see her. So three bridemaids in, Serenity walked just behind her and then ducked into the closest pew. She breathed heavily as if she ruined this wedding, she'd never hear the end to it. Molly looked to her as she passed and Serenity gave a thumbs up. Molly rolled her eyes since Serenity was so far back and looked forward again before she stepped on anything or anyone. Her hand went through an attractive chestnut-colored male's arm and they went to the front together. Serenity was enjoying watching all the maids walk down and to see how dolled up they all were.

Her mother and father were sitting up near the front, one of the scared spots at a wedding and her mother once all the bridesmaids had passed and the flower girls, was giving her a dirty look, having witnessed Serenity's shenanigans. It was one of her less offensive ones, so Serenity didn't respond to it. All rose as the music changed once more. Then the bride started walking in.

Dressed completely in white, her red hair stood out, but instead of being gaudy it looked beautiful as it came down in loose curls and accented the bride and the dress well. Her green eyes took in all that she passed by and they landed on Serenity for a moment, deep seated scathing crossed them for just a moment before she smoothed out her expression and even forced upon her face a demure look. She didn't want to smile, that would mean she was pleased by what was about to happen and she wasn't supposed to feel that way.

Serenity's eyes followed the bride all the way down to the end of the alter for the first time since she got through the doors. There at the end was a man standing in front of the pastor, and Serenity thought for a moment that he was the best friend. Then Serenity realized with a start that the man Molly had linked arms with had been the best man. The man standing there was the very same man that Serenity had met in the hall just moments ago. Unease rose up in belly, almost choking her as she realized that he was the man Molly's sister was to marry.

Serenity felt sick as the feeling rose to her throat. He was looking at the bride for a long moment and then his eyes turned to her and stayed, even while he stepped forward to take the bride's hand and lead her to the alter. The gaze left her only long enough to bring her to the front and then step and stand so he was facing the crowd mostly again. His eyes weren't on his bride, but had instead returned to Serenity. He had to do something, didn't he? He didn't want to marry this woman. He had been intending on cutting out earlier but chose to stay because Serenity said something to him.

Feeling like her stomach was in her throat ready to gag her at any moment, Serenity sat heavily when they were allowed to once more. She'd either faint or throw up and she didn't want anyone looking at her if she did either. What could she do?

He was standing at the end of the alter, intending on marrying her best friend's sister. She had pushed him unknowingly back towards this very fate. This was all so crazy, she had just met him. None of it meant anything, did it? She couldn't be in love and even if she was, she'd get over it, it was nothing more than a strange meeting that had stirred up these feelings. But... even if it had nothing to do with her, she couldn't let him marry the witch. She'd destroy his soul, his very essence of goodness in a week. He couldn't have known her before agreeing to this, he said so himself, it hadn't been his plan. When he had been faceless, she could accept it, thinking perhaps he was as bad as she. Now that she knew just how good he was, she had to do something, but what?

"Dearly Beloved, we are gather here today-" It was too late, the ceremony was already started.