Disclaimer: Jason, Elizabeth, Audrey, and Sarah, aren't mine, they are
being misused on GH. The others though come from my own little mind.
Feedback: Well let's put it this way I'm not holding my breath, but please surprise me.
Author's Notes: This idea came to me driving home one night. It is a shorter and fun little piece, featuring some characters that are on GH right now. The only character's history I've really changed is Elizabeth. Try it I think you might like it. Please let me know.
Bride on the Loose
Part I
~Bridal Chamber~
"Oh Lizzie you look so beautiful. I can't believe the day is finally here." Sarah Webber gushed, snipping a stray thread from her sister's dress. "I can still remember the day you two first met. You came home and announced that you'd met the guy you were going to marry. You were only 15 so it was easy to ignore your vow."
The tall brown-eyed blonde circled her more diminutive brown-haired sister, eyeing her appearance critically for any flaw. On a normal day Lizzie tended to be mussed up more than she was pristine. But this wasn't a normal day, this was the day her baby sister, Elizabeth Webber, was getting married.
"Now look at you, 7 years later, 4 months out of college and you're about to marry the man you have been in love with since that warm summer's evening." Sarah flicked a tear from her eyes before it had the chance to run and smear her mascara. "I'm so happy for you Lizzie and envious too."
Lizzie was quiet while she observed her appearance in the three-sided mirror, but as usual Sarah didn't notice.
"Here's your something blue and new." Sarah held up the typical blue garter. "Gram is taking care of the old and borrowed." She glanced down at her diamond-crusted watch. "She should be here by now. I know Gram is always late but I thought she would at least be on time for your wedding."
On cue the door opened behind them and the noises of the church beyond filtered in the small room. The coughing and muted sounds of conversation were evident, until the sound of an organ drowned them out.
"Gram close the door," Sarah hissed. "We don't want anyone to see Lizzie before her grand entrance."
Immediately the door closed the sound vanished, and silence descended again. Audrey Hardy knew the silence was supposed to be respectful, after all they were in a church. But to her it felt like the silence of the dead or the damned, she was never sure which.
"Gram you look," Sarah faltered then went on gamely. "Lovely."
Audrey Hastings nee Webber, Rogers, Little, Erickson, Hardy, smoothed the skirt of her fire engine red dress out so it fell to just above her knees and stepped farther into the room. "Thank you Sarah." She didn't offer the same fake compliment.
The pale green taffeta dress did not sit well on Sarah. It washed her out so much that she looked like a walking green bean, with her blonde hair being the butter on the top. The dress and color scheme were no doubt Claire's suggestion. Her daughter-in-law tended to have color fetishes and Elizabeth's wedding had fallen during her green period. They could only be grateful that it hadn't fallen during her pink stage, or the church would no doubt look like it had been doused in Pepto Bismal. As it was the church looked like some forest motif out of a Shakespeare play. Audrey half expected Puck or Oberon to come charging up the aisles, somehow she didn't think she would get that lucky.
Audrey shook her head and moved closer to her granddaughters. She loved them both, she really did, but at times she didn't like them both. Sarah was a constant do-gooder, the ultimate yes woman. She knew Sarah was the person that other parents held out as examples to their kids.
Audrey always thought it was a bit ironical that the perfectly pure Sarah had come from Claire Westlake. After all Claire had been voted most likely to have a venereal disease by age 19, by her senior class. Her son had thought he was marrying a nympho because of that and instead he had gotten the ice queen. She couldn't help but laugh when she thought about that, in a lot of respects Jeff had gotten what he deserved. Jeff was her only child from her ill-fated first marriage, that marriage was the last time she had ever listened to her parents.
.."so I was telling Lizzie that you were taking care of the borrowed…"
Sarah's high-pitched voice caught her ear and she hid her wince. The child was even beginning to talk like Claire now. The Boston, upper crust, society voice was annoying and fake, considering Sarah had grown up in Colorado, while Claire was born in Indiana.
"Gram are you listening, we don't have much time. If you forgot what you wanted to give her," Sarah eyed the sparkly red dress with trepidation and hoped she had. "Or changed your mind," please god. "I have something else we can use."
"Sarah isn't it time for you to take your pill?" Audrey asked dryly.
"What?" Sarah's mouth dropped open.
"That means I'd like a moment alone with Elizabeth." Audrey grabbed the blonde by the arm and began to propel her to the door.
"But Lizzie…" Sarah tried to stop, but Audrey's grip was firm, and her heels slid on the hardwood floor.
"We just need a few minutes." Audrey opened the door. "You should check on the Reverend, I believe I saw him sipping from a flask. We wouldn't want a replay of your brother's wedding now would we?"
Sarah was horrified at the suggestion. The image of the Reverend propositioning the bride during the ceremony was one memory that would never leave her. "I'll get right on it." She cried and was gone with a swish of green ruffles in her wake.
Audrey closed the door and turned back to Elizabeth. "Can I clear a room or what?"
"She means well Gram," Elizabeth countered.
"So do poodles, but their still annoying as hell." Audrey moved up behind her granddaughter. It wasn't right to have favorites, but of all her children and grandchildren, Elizabeth had a special place in her heart. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine."
Audrey's shrewd blue eyes saw the fake smile and trace of fear that was vivid in the younger woman's blue eyes. She recognized the look in those eyes from her own past. The day of her first and only loveless marriage was the last time she had seen those eyes. The Webbers had continued to try to suck the life out of her after the wedding, but in the end she had fought them off. "Are you sure about this Elizabeth?"
"Why do you keep asking me that?" Elizabeth asked. "How many times have you suffered, having to listen to me plan my wedding to him? Now that the day has finally arrived I would think you would be relieved, not asking if I've changed my mind."
Audrey picked up the heavy veil from the table and began to pin it into Elizabeth's dark curls. "Sometimes it turns out what we think we want, what we spend years dreaming about, isn't what we really want at all. You picked the man of your dreams at 15 and haven't even let yourself glance at another man. I suppose most people would congratulate you for your single- mindedness, but I have to wonder why you're afraid to look. Why it is that your eyes got wider and wider the closer you got to the wedding. That when anyone began to talk about the wedding lately, your eyes start darting to the door, or a window." She put another pin in place. "I can hear the wheels turning in your head, plotting ways to escape."
"That's not true Gram, I love him, why would I want to escape him?"
"If you love him what's the rush?" Audrey pressed. "After our trip this summer I thought you had decided to wait a year before getting married. That you were going to take a year for yourself, your first without school or being married, to discover who you really are. What the world is really like. To actually experience some life, before getting married."
Elizabeth's eyes slid away from the mirror and the all too probing gaze. "The invitations had already gone out. Besides if we marry now, before he starts his residency, we'll have time to ourselves, later on we won't."
Audrey snorted at that line. Those words might as well have come out of Claire's mouth, they certainly weren't Elizabeth's. "Are you sure? Because I happen to know a back way out of this place. We could be on a plane before Sarah can get the flask from the good Reverend."
Elizabeth smiled at the joke. "This is my decision Gram. It's my promise to keep."
Audrey huffed out a breath in disgust, she was afraid that was going to be Elizabeth's answer. She had wanted to spare her granddaughter the pain and unhappiness that she was walking into. But she wasn't surprised that Elizabeth wouldn't let her, it seemed she was going to have to learn the hard way. "Well then I supposed you're going to need this." Audrey pulled a purple velvet jewelry box from her purse and held it out.
"What is it?" Elizabeth took the box and opened it herself too impatient to wait for the reply. "Oh Gram," she whispered when she saw the necklace.
Audrey was sure that Sarah would use the word tacky to describe it, but it wasn't at least not to Audrey. "Steve gave me that the night of our first date."
Audrey pulled the necklace free. "He took me to a carnival and spent about $80 bucks trying to win me this necklace at the shooting gallery. He was supposed to knock over these little ducks, but he couldn't hit even one of them. I think the Carney finally decided that he had milked enough money out of Steve, not to mention humiliated him enough," she smiled at the memory. "Steve was there for over two hours, and had attracted quite a crowd."
Elizabeth smiled at the image Audrey was creating.
"But the expression on his face when that last duck finally fell, was what made me fall in love with him. I had just lost Kurt, about 7 months earlier and had no plans to love and lose again. But that was before I met Steve, and ran into his stubborn streak." She moved around to fasten the necklace.
"He was so sweet." Elizabeth lifted the back of the veil so she could hook it.
"Yes he was. He could have bought the necklace at the next stand, or bought an even better one for less money than he spent, winning me this one. But that wouldn't have been Steve, and it wouldn't have meant as much to me. The chain is gold plated and always turned my neck green if I wore it for more than 12 hours, but it's perfect." Her eyes met Elizabeth's in the mirror and she reached for the tiny charms that were hanging from the necklace. "He told me he would give me the moon and the stars and he did."
Elizabeth looked at the tiny crescent moon and the three stars that were hanging from the end of the chain, and her eyes filled. "It's perfect."
Audrey nodded and blinked back her own tears brought on by the memory, of her sweetest husband. "Here is your borrowed and old," her voice went unaccustomedly sharp. "You shouldn't settle for less than the moon and the stars Elizabeth. If you do you will never be happy." Audrey kissed her cheek and headed for the door. "And if your not happy no one around you will be."
Elizabeth Webber studied herself in the mirror, long after the door closed. She couldn't seem to recognize herself at the moment. To tell the truth she hadn't been able to recognize the woman in the mirror, for days now. The only person she saw in the mirror was Lizzie. Lizzie always agreed with people, Lizzie always smiled at the right places, and spoke at the right time. Lizzie loved her fiancé and the thought of marrying him was all she ever wanted. And Lizzie was someone Elizabeth didn't like very much.
"Just breathe Webber."
The order was loud even to her ears. Where had this blinding fear come from? After all she was the one who had pushed to get engaged, pushed for a wedding date to be set. She was the girl who had bought Modern Bride and every other Bridal magazine, religiously every week since she was 15 and had first met him. She was the one who had meticulously planned her wedding day down to the last detail, and had it on laminated cards ever since she was 17.
"That's right Elizabeth you have wanted to be married to him forever now." She tried to smile again.
"Two minutes Lizzie." Sarah's oh-so perky voice accompanied by a woody woodpecker knock, came through the door. "I'll be up with daddy and the others."
"Okay," Elizabeth managed a croak.
"T-minus 2 minutes and counting."
"Its' just nerves, every bride has those. Every bride gets jitters at some point or the other." She tried to buck herself up. "I'm sure every bride at one time or the other has eyed a second story window as her last chance for freedom."
She turned away startled to find herself at that window and moved quickly to the table where her bouquet sat. She loved him, he loved her. Everyone said they were perfect for each other, and she had wanted him to be her husband since the moment she had met him. He was tall, blonde and perfect, the image of Prince Charming, most girls dreamed of. Resolute in her decision she lowered the veil and headed for the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason Morgan paused at the crossroads and pulled off his helmet, resting it on the gas tank in front of him. He hated wearing the helmet, but he happened to be in a state that it was required. Since the last thing he wanted was to deal with the cops, he wore the helmet.
He had been traveling for months now, just heading where the wind wanted to take him, no clear plan in mind. He never seemed to stay in one place for very long, the pull of the road called to him. Right now that particular call had been calling him rather loudly. So loudly in fact that he had left Denver at 6:00 in the morning and had found himself in this sleepy little town. Something was compelling him to move, and now he had come to a crossroads, and didn't know which way to head. As such he pulled a quarter from his pocket, to use his standard method of decision.
He flipped the coin in the air and sun glinted off of it before he captured it in his hand once again. He could hear the sounds of church bells in the distance and it was the first sign of life he had heard in this small little hole in the wall town. He studied the coin and the eagle looked up at him. He tucked the coin back in his pocket and hit the right turn signal, more out of habit then need, put his helmet on, and took off.
He had only gone about 10 yards when a flash of white burst from the bushes on his left and caught his attention. He turned his head automatically at the flicker on his peripheral vision. He had time to register a white dress and veil before braking hard to stop before hitting the woman in white who had come to a halt in front of him.
Jason pulled the helmet off and looked back automatically at the bushes she had emerged from, expecting someone to appear, someone who was chasing her. But when no one did he focused on the still out of breath woman in front of his bike. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." Elizabeth managed finally.
The heavy gauzy material of the veil obscured her features, but he could place her mouth by the indentions that were being made in her veil, as she sucked in air. "Did you need some help?"
"What kind of help could you give me?"
Jason frowned at the unexpected question. "Did you need a ride to the church or something?"
"Now why would I want to go back to the church when I've only just climbed out of a window to get away from it?" Elizabeth gestured with the bouquet that was still in her hand. "Going back now would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it?"
"I guess so," Jason agreed.
"Do you like motorcycles?" In an attempt to change the subject Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and tried to study the man astride the motorcycle. The gauzy material was diluting his features, but his voice sounded good. "Does it go fast?"
"Yes." Jason answered automatically.
"Yes to what?"
"What?" Jason tapped on his helmet. He was beginning to wonder if the woman was hurt.
"Yes to what question?" Elizabeth drawled slowly putting a hand on her hip. "How fast does that thing go anyway?"
"Fast enough." Shaking his head at the inane conversation he shifted on the bike.
Elizabeth shifted her hand, and it caught on the veil, yanking at her hair. "Ouch. Why the hell do you wear veils anyway? It's an archaic tradition don't you think?" She thrust her bouquet at him.
Jason took the flowers automatically, dubiously looking at them before looking at her again.
"They did it originally because of all the arranged marriages. They didn't want to take a chance of the groom seeing what the bride looked like before the wedding and backing out." She began to work on the veil trying to get it off her head. "That's kind of a double standard don't you think? I mean the woman would see what she was going to be stuck with, but not the men. If you think about it the whole giving the bride away is pretty sexist too, right?"
Jason was beginning to get a headache, but something told him not to try to answer her question. He had a sense she didn't want him too.
"I mean giving implies ownership. Back then I suppose father's owned their daughters, that was why they sold them into marriage for land or money. But you would think that we would get away from that custom in this day an age wouldn't you?" She bit back a curse as a stubborn pin refused to let go of her hair.
Jason glanced over at a semi that was passing them, in time to see the grin and thumbs up from the driver. The blast of the horn sounded drowning out some of the girls talk, and he couldn't help but shake his head. This had to look a little strange. A biker in the middle of the road talking to a woman who appeared to be lost inside a white wedding dress.
"But no we keep that in there, along with taking the husbands name. Why should a woman have to give up her name? I mean why should I have to give up my name?" Elizabeth demanded as the last pin finally gave way and she began to pull up the veil. "I hate my middle name and would gladly give it up, but I like my other names. Elizabeth Webber has a nice ring to it," she pulled the veil free and quickly reached out and grabbed the other end so it wasn't trailing on the ground anymore. "I mean what is so special about the name Elizabeth…" she trailed off when she finally focused on the man she had speaking to for the last five minutes.
Gorgeous was the first description that came to her mind and it certainly fit him. His light brown hair was spiked at the top and had blonde highlights. Judging from the tan on his face, the highlights were from the sun and not a beautician. The angles in his strong looking face melded together to form one of the most interesting faces she'd ever seen either on or off screen.
His sky blue electric eyes, matched his T-shirt and were focused on her so intensely that she felt her mouth dry up. She didn't think she'd ever been looked at in quite that way before, like what she was saying was the most important thing he'd ever heard. He was wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and boots completed the image of pure wild male at its best. She couldn't see much of his body, but she could tell he was lean. He shifted back on the seat then, stretching the T-shirt tight over his well-defined abs. Muscular was another word to describe him, at that thought her eyes drifted to his hands.
Hands were her secret weakness. She could spend hours studying a man's hands. His were strong looking, tan, with long fingers. Her hand would no doubt be lost inside his. She would bet that there were calluses on his hand, he probably used them a lot, no manicures for this guy. She also bet they wouldn't be sweaty, and if she ever did hold his hand, it would be warm and secure. One complaint she had about her otherwise perfect fiancé was the fact his hands were cold and clammy. Needless to say they didn't hold hands very much, which was a pity given her obsession.
"Are you okay?" Jason was now convinced that she had been injured in some way. She hadn't said anything since she'd removed her veil and he had a feeling that was a strange occurrence for her. She was younger then he'd thought, and smaller. The heavy veil and full dress made her seem larger then she really was. She was also very pretty.
Her deep blue eyes were very striking, especially in her creamy white face. The blush that was beginning to cross her features under his close scrutiny was very becoming as well. He felt his body begin to react to her prettiness and he clamped the brakes on that emotion by pointing out the fact that she was dressed in a wedding gown.
"I'm," she cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm fine." She was trying to think of something else to say to this beautiful man on the bike, but for once her mind was empty.
"Okay then." Jason held out the bouquet at the same time the ringing of the church bells stopped.
Elizabeth reacted to the lack of noise in her typical way, she began to panic. She dropped the veil on the ground and moved to the side of the bike.
"What are you doing?"
"Going with you." Nervousness over his proximity quickly gave way to her overwhelming need to get away.
"Who said you can go with me?" Jason asked sharply.
"Please I need to go," Elizabeth put a hand on the empty seat behind him. "They'll be looking for me and I need to think."
"Is someone trying to force you to get married?" Even though he didn't want to be, he couldn't help but be drawn into those expressive eyes of hers, especially as she stood there and began to nibble on her bottom lip, sending another jolt of awareness through him.
"No one is forcing me to get married, at least no one but me."
Jason rubbed a hand over his cheek, she had lost him again. "Then tell him you changed your mind about marrying him." He stated what he thought was obvious.
"Who said I changed my mind?" She shot back.
"Look Elizabeth," he started slowly and patiently.
"How do you know my name?" she interrupted eyeing him suspiciously.
"You said it during your babble. Elizabeth Webber, you liked that name, but not your middle name." He saw her relax slightly and an unusual impulse to tease went through him. "What is your middle name anyway?"
"That's privileged information. If I told you I'd have to kill you." She darted a look back at the way she had come. "So can you give me a ride?"
"Where too?"
"Anywhere but here."
He didn't want to get involved. Pretty or not she had trouble written all over her. She must have seen the refusal in his eyes because she hurried on.
"Please." She touched his arm and then dropped it immediately when she felt a jolt at the contact, and her mouth dried up again.
Jason frowned down at his arm surprised at the feeling that all to brief contact awoke in him.
Elizabeth knew she was running out of time and fumbled with the clasp on her diamond tennis bracelet. The bracelet had been a gift from her soon to be mother-in-law, but right now she only saw it as a chance for salvation. "Look take this for gas and your trouble."
Jason looked down at the bracelet in surprise.
"Please," she swallowed hard and took his hand. The jolt came again but she forced the bracelet in his hand. "Good I'm so glad we've agreed." She focused on the bike, then looked at her skirt, how the hell was she supposed to get on?
She bit her lip and eyed the poofy full skirt. "You know I never saw the point in bustles or petticoats, did you?" She began to work off the petticoat from under her skirt. "I didn't even want this Cinderella dress." Stunned at that she hurried to correct that admission. "I mean of course I wanted the dress I designed it when I was 16 after all."
Jason watched in amusement as the full skirt gradually slimmed down and a pile grew by where he thought her feet were. Elizabeth reminded him a lot of Carly. She did the talking while his only job was to listen at nod in agreement at times. He suddenly became aware of the silence and realized that this was one of those times. "I guess so."
Elizabeth smiled. "Right." Finally free she stepped out of the pile. Her heel caught on one of the ruffles and she pitched forward. Jason steadied her immediately and he kept his hold on her while she stepped free and kicked the layers of her skirt away from her.
"Thanks." She raised her head and realized his face was only a few inches from hers. Those eyes of his were even more amazing from close range. His hands were strong and warm and they were still on her waist. "What's your name?"
"Jason." He kept his voice low and was a little surprised to find out how reluctant he was to let her go. Her waist was so small that his hands easily spanned her waist. His eyes were drawn to her mouth when she began to nibble on her bottom lip again, and his eyes darkened in awareness.
"Jason." Her voice was equally soft and remarkably steady. "Will you take me with you?" She was stunned at her question but her gaze never wavered as his eyes locked on hers again.
The woman was probably no more than 5'2" and if she weighed more than 115 lbs even in the monstrosity of the wedding dress he would eat dinner with the Quartermaines. And he also knew without a doubt that she was going to bring him nothing but trouble. And quite frankly he was tired of women causing him trouble so he opened his mouth to refuse.
"Watch out for the muffler on the side, it could burn you."
Her smile was brilliant and it brought a reluctant answering smile to his face.
"Thanks Jason." Giving into the temptation that her family believed she was cursed with she hugged him.
"Hey man you got the bride now get the church." The call came from behind her and was accompanied by a horn. Startled she drew back and turned in time to see a convertible full of guys go by. All were yelling and giving the thumbs up sign. "Forget the church find a motel."
Jason ignored the taunts and watched a very flustered Elizabeth step away. "Are you sure you still want a ride?"
Resolute Elizabeth nodded. She bent down and picked up her skirt, rolling it in her hands, exposing first a shapely calf, and onwards up over her leg, until he could see the edge of a blue garter high on her thigh. She gripped his arm and before he could speak, used his leverage to swing her leg over the seat.
Jason waited until she bunched the skirt of the long dress underneath her before turning slightly to check that it wasn't touching something it shouldn't. His eyes lingered on her legs a little longer than necessary, before he finally set the open faced helmet on her head. "Strap in and hold on." Jason ordered turning away to start the bike.
"Okay." She obeyed automatically wrapping her arms around his waist, slipping them between his open coat to rest on his soft T-shirt. Those muscles of his, tensed slightly under her touch.
Jason started the bike with a little more force than necessary, when she pressed herself against his back. "Oh man."
"What?"
"Nothing." He picked up the bouquet off the gas tank and tucked it in her hand "Your flowers."
Elizabeth turned to look as the sound of a loud horn and roar of a powerful engine came blaring down the road towards them, her eyes widened in distress when she recognized her sister's Porsche. "Go." She turned back. "Go, go, go."
With a shake of his head he put the bike in gear and they took off, the white of her wedding dress flapping in the breeze.
Elizabeth heard the horn blare again and let go of Jason long enough to toss the bouquet over her shoulder and in the direction of the car horn. Then she wrapped her hands around Jason again and held on as the wind began to whip past them.
Feedback: Well let's put it this way I'm not holding my breath, but please surprise me.
Author's Notes: This idea came to me driving home one night. It is a shorter and fun little piece, featuring some characters that are on GH right now. The only character's history I've really changed is Elizabeth. Try it I think you might like it. Please let me know.
Bride on the Loose
Part I
~Bridal Chamber~
"Oh Lizzie you look so beautiful. I can't believe the day is finally here." Sarah Webber gushed, snipping a stray thread from her sister's dress. "I can still remember the day you two first met. You came home and announced that you'd met the guy you were going to marry. You were only 15 so it was easy to ignore your vow."
The tall brown-eyed blonde circled her more diminutive brown-haired sister, eyeing her appearance critically for any flaw. On a normal day Lizzie tended to be mussed up more than she was pristine. But this wasn't a normal day, this was the day her baby sister, Elizabeth Webber, was getting married.
"Now look at you, 7 years later, 4 months out of college and you're about to marry the man you have been in love with since that warm summer's evening." Sarah flicked a tear from her eyes before it had the chance to run and smear her mascara. "I'm so happy for you Lizzie and envious too."
Lizzie was quiet while she observed her appearance in the three-sided mirror, but as usual Sarah didn't notice.
"Here's your something blue and new." Sarah held up the typical blue garter. "Gram is taking care of the old and borrowed." She glanced down at her diamond-crusted watch. "She should be here by now. I know Gram is always late but I thought she would at least be on time for your wedding."
On cue the door opened behind them and the noises of the church beyond filtered in the small room. The coughing and muted sounds of conversation were evident, until the sound of an organ drowned them out.
"Gram close the door," Sarah hissed. "We don't want anyone to see Lizzie before her grand entrance."
Immediately the door closed the sound vanished, and silence descended again. Audrey Hardy knew the silence was supposed to be respectful, after all they were in a church. But to her it felt like the silence of the dead or the damned, she was never sure which.
"Gram you look," Sarah faltered then went on gamely. "Lovely."
Audrey Hastings nee Webber, Rogers, Little, Erickson, Hardy, smoothed the skirt of her fire engine red dress out so it fell to just above her knees and stepped farther into the room. "Thank you Sarah." She didn't offer the same fake compliment.
The pale green taffeta dress did not sit well on Sarah. It washed her out so much that she looked like a walking green bean, with her blonde hair being the butter on the top. The dress and color scheme were no doubt Claire's suggestion. Her daughter-in-law tended to have color fetishes and Elizabeth's wedding had fallen during her green period. They could only be grateful that it hadn't fallen during her pink stage, or the church would no doubt look like it had been doused in Pepto Bismal. As it was the church looked like some forest motif out of a Shakespeare play. Audrey half expected Puck or Oberon to come charging up the aisles, somehow she didn't think she would get that lucky.
Audrey shook her head and moved closer to her granddaughters. She loved them both, she really did, but at times she didn't like them both. Sarah was a constant do-gooder, the ultimate yes woman. She knew Sarah was the person that other parents held out as examples to their kids.
Audrey always thought it was a bit ironical that the perfectly pure Sarah had come from Claire Westlake. After all Claire had been voted most likely to have a venereal disease by age 19, by her senior class. Her son had thought he was marrying a nympho because of that and instead he had gotten the ice queen. She couldn't help but laugh when she thought about that, in a lot of respects Jeff had gotten what he deserved. Jeff was her only child from her ill-fated first marriage, that marriage was the last time she had ever listened to her parents.
.."so I was telling Lizzie that you were taking care of the borrowed…"
Sarah's high-pitched voice caught her ear and she hid her wince. The child was even beginning to talk like Claire now. The Boston, upper crust, society voice was annoying and fake, considering Sarah had grown up in Colorado, while Claire was born in Indiana.
"Gram are you listening, we don't have much time. If you forgot what you wanted to give her," Sarah eyed the sparkly red dress with trepidation and hoped she had. "Or changed your mind," please god. "I have something else we can use."
"Sarah isn't it time for you to take your pill?" Audrey asked dryly.
"What?" Sarah's mouth dropped open.
"That means I'd like a moment alone with Elizabeth." Audrey grabbed the blonde by the arm and began to propel her to the door.
"But Lizzie…" Sarah tried to stop, but Audrey's grip was firm, and her heels slid on the hardwood floor.
"We just need a few minutes." Audrey opened the door. "You should check on the Reverend, I believe I saw him sipping from a flask. We wouldn't want a replay of your brother's wedding now would we?"
Sarah was horrified at the suggestion. The image of the Reverend propositioning the bride during the ceremony was one memory that would never leave her. "I'll get right on it." She cried and was gone with a swish of green ruffles in her wake.
Audrey closed the door and turned back to Elizabeth. "Can I clear a room or what?"
"She means well Gram," Elizabeth countered.
"So do poodles, but their still annoying as hell." Audrey moved up behind her granddaughter. It wasn't right to have favorites, but of all her children and grandchildren, Elizabeth had a special place in her heart. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine."
Audrey's shrewd blue eyes saw the fake smile and trace of fear that was vivid in the younger woman's blue eyes. She recognized the look in those eyes from her own past. The day of her first and only loveless marriage was the last time she had seen those eyes. The Webbers had continued to try to suck the life out of her after the wedding, but in the end she had fought them off. "Are you sure about this Elizabeth?"
"Why do you keep asking me that?" Elizabeth asked. "How many times have you suffered, having to listen to me plan my wedding to him? Now that the day has finally arrived I would think you would be relieved, not asking if I've changed my mind."
Audrey picked up the heavy veil from the table and began to pin it into Elizabeth's dark curls. "Sometimes it turns out what we think we want, what we spend years dreaming about, isn't what we really want at all. You picked the man of your dreams at 15 and haven't even let yourself glance at another man. I suppose most people would congratulate you for your single- mindedness, but I have to wonder why you're afraid to look. Why it is that your eyes got wider and wider the closer you got to the wedding. That when anyone began to talk about the wedding lately, your eyes start darting to the door, or a window." She put another pin in place. "I can hear the wheels turning in your head, plotting ways to escape."
"That's not true Gram, I love him, why would I want to escape him?"
"If you love him what's the rush?" Audrey pressed. "After our trip this summer I thought you had decided to wait a year before getting married. That you were going to take a year for yourself, your first without school or being married, to discover who you really are. What the world is really like. To actually experience some life, before getting married."
Elizabeth's eyes slid away from the mirror and the all too probing gaze. "The invitations had already gone out. Besides if we marry now, before he starts his residency, we'll have time to ourselves, later on we won't."
Audrey snorted at that line. Those words might as well have come out of Claire's mouth, they certainly weren't Elizabeth's. "Are you sure? Because I happen to know a back way out of this place. We could be on a plane before Sarah can get the flask from the good Reverend."
Elizabeth smiled at the joke. "This is my decision Gram. It's my promise to keep."
Audrey huffed out a breath in disgust, she was afraid that was going to be Elizabeth's answer. She had wanted to spare her granddaughter the pain and unhappiness that she was walking into. But she wasn't surprised that Elizabeth wouldn't let her, it seemed she was going to have to learn the hard way. "Well then I supposed you're going to need this." Audrey pulled a purple velvet jewelry box from her purse and held it out.
"What is it?" Elizabeth took the box and opened it herself too impatient to wait for the reply. "Oh Gram," she whispered when she saw the necklace.
Audrey was sure that Sarah would use the word tacky to describe it, but it wasn't at least not to Audrey. "Steve gave me that the night of our first date."
Audrey pulled the necklace free. "He took me to a carnival and spent about $80 bucks trying to win me this necklace at the shooting gallery. He was supposed to knock over these little ducks, but he couldn't hit even one of them. I think the Carney finally decided that he had milked enough money out of Steve, not to mention humiliated him enough," she smiled at the memory. "Steve was there for over two hours, and had attracted quite a crowd."
Elizabeth smiled at the image Audrey was creating.
"But the expression on his face when that last duck finally fell, was what made me fall in love with him. I had just lost Kurt, about 7 months earlier and had no plans to love and lose again. But that was before I met Steve, and ran into his stubborn streak." She moved around to fasten the necklace.
"He was so sweet." Elizabeth lifted the back of the veil so she could hook it.
"Yes he was. He could have bought the necklace at the next stand, or bought an even better one for less money than he spent, winning me this one. But that wouldn't have been Steve, and it wouldn't have meant as much to me. The chain is gold plated and always turned my neck green if I wore it for more than 12 hours, but it's perfect." Her eyes met Elizabeth's in the mirror and she reached for the tiny charms that were hanging from the necklace. "He told me he would give me the moon and the stars and he did."
Elizabeth looked at the tiny crescent moon and the three stars that were hanging from the end of the chain, and her eyes filled. "It's perfect."
Audrey nodded and blinked back her own tears brought on by the memory, of her sweetest husband. "Here is your borrowed and old," her voice went unaccustomedly sharp. "You shouldn't settle for less than the moon and the stars Elizabeth. If you do you will never be happy." Audrey kissed her cheek and headed for the door. "And if your not happy no one around you will be."
Elizabeth Webber studied herself in the mirror, long after the door closed. She couldn't seem to recognize herself at the moment. To tell the truth she hadn't been able to recognize the woman in the mirror, for days now. The only person she saw in the mirror was Lizzie. Lizzie always agreed with people, Lizzie always smiled at the right places, and spoke at the right time. Lizzie loved her fiancé and the thought of marrying him was all she ever wanted. And Lizzie was someone Elizabeth didn't like very much.
"Just breathe Webber."
The order was loud even to her ears. Where had this blinding fear come from? After all she was the one who had pushed to get engaged, pushed for a wedding date to be set. She was the girl who had bought Modern Bride and every other Bridal magazine, religiously every week since she was 15 and had first met him. She was the one who had meticulously planned her wedding day down to the last detail, and had it on laminated cards ever since she was 17.
"That's right Elizabeth you have wanted to be married to him forever now." She tried to smile again.
"Two minutes Lizzie." Sarah's oh-so perky voice accompanied by a woody woodpecker knock, came through the door. "I'll be up with daddy and the others."
"Okay," Elizabeth managed a croak.
"T-minus 2 minutes and counting."
"Its' just nerves, every bride has those. Every bride gets jitters at some point or the other." She tried to buck herself up. "I'm sure every bride at one time or the other has eyed a second story window as her last chance for freedom."
She turned away startled to find herself at that window and moved quickly to the table where her bouquet sat. She loved him, he loved her. Everyone said they were perfect for each other, and she had wanted him to be her husband since the moment she had met him. He was tall, blonde and perfect, the image of Prince Charming, most girls dreamed of. Resolute in her decision she lowered the veil and headed for the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason Morgan paused at the crossroads and pulled off his helmet, resting it on the gas tank in front of him. He hated wearing the helmet, but he happened to be in a state that it was required. Since the last thing he wanted was to deal with the cops, he wore the helmet.
He had been traveling for months now, just heading where the wind wanted to take him, no clear plan in mind. He never seemed to stay in one place for very long, the pull of the road called to him. Right now that particular call had been calling him rather loudly. So loudly in fact that he had left Denver at 6:00 in the morning and had found himself in this sleepy little town. Something was compelling him to move, and now he had come to a crossroads, and didn't know which way to head. As such he pulled a quarter from his pocket, to use his standard method of decision.
He flipped the coin in the air and sun glinted off of it before he captured it in his hand once again. He could hear the sounds of church bells in the distance and it was the first sign of life he had heard in this small little hole in the wall town. He studied the coin and the eagle looked up at him. He tucked the coin back in his pocket and hit the right turn signal, more out of habit then need, put his helmet on, and took off.
He had only gone about 10 yards when a flash of white burst from the bushes on his left and caught his attention. He turned his head automatically at the flicker on his peripheral vision. He had time to register a white dress and veil before braking hard to stop before hitting the woman in white who had come to a halt in front of him.
Jason pulled the helmet off and looked back automatically at the bushes she had emerged from, expecting someone to appear, someone who was chasing her. But when no one did he focused on the still out of breath woman in front of his bike. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." Elizabeth managed finally.
The heavy gauzy material of the veil obscured her features, but he could place her mouth by the indentions that were being made in her veil, as she sucked in air. "Did you need some help?"
"What kind of help could you give me?"
Jason frowned at the unexpected question. "Did you need a ride to the church or something?"
"Now why would I want to go back to the church when I've only just climbed out of a window to get away from it?" Elizabeth gestured with the bouquet that was still in her hand. "Going back now would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it?"
"I guess so," Jason agreed.
"Do you like motorcycles?" In an attempt to change the subject Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and tried to study the man astride the motorcycle. The gauzy material was diluting his features, but his voice sounded good. "Does it go fast?"
"Yes." Jason answered automatically.
"Yes to what?"
"What?" Jason tapped on his helmet. He was beginning to wonder if the woman was hurt.
"Yes to what question?" Elizabeth drawled slowly putting a hand on her hip. "How fast does that thing go anyway?"
"Fast enough." Shaking his head at the inane conversation he shifted on the bike.
Elizabeth shifted her hand, and it caught on the veil, yanking at her hair. "Ouch. Why the hell do you wear veils anyway? It's an archaic tradition don't you think?" She thrust her bouquet at him.
Jason took the flowers automatically, dubiously looking at them before looking at her again.
"They did it originally because of all the arranged marriages. They didn't want to take a chance of the groom seeing what the bride looked like before the wedding and backing out." She began to work on the veil trying to get it off her head. "That's kind of a double standard don't you think? I mean the woman would see what she was going to be stuck with, but not the men. If you think about it the whole giving the bride away is pretty sexist too, right?"
Jason was beginning to get a headache, but something told him not to try to answer her question. He had a sense she didn't want him too.
"I mean giving implies ownership. Back then I suppose father's owned their daughters, that was why they sold them into marriage for land or money. But you would think that we would get away from that custom in this day an age wouldn't you?" She bit back a curse as a stubborn pin refused to let go of her hair.
Jason glanced over at a semi that was passing them, in time to see the grin and thumbs up from the driver. The blast of the horn sounded drowning out some of the girls talk, and he couldn't help but shake his head. This had to look a little strange. A biker in the middle of the road talking to a woman who appeared to be lost inside a white wedding dress.
"But no we keep that in there, along with taking the husbands name. Why should a woman have to give up her name? I mean why should I have to give up my name?" Elizabeth demanded as the last pin finally gave way and she began to pull up the veil. "I hate my middle name and would gladly give it up, but I like my other names. Elizabeth Webber has a nice ring to it," she pulled the veil free and quickly reached out and grabbed the other end so it wasn't trailing on the ground anymore. "I mean what is so special about the name Elizabeth…" she trailed off when she finally focused on the man she had speaking to for the last five minutes.
Gorgeous was the first description that came to her mind and it certainly fit him. His light brown hair was spiked at the top and had blonde highlights. Judging from the tan on his face, the highlights were from the sun and not a beautician. The angles in his strong looking face melded together to form one of the most interesting faces she'd ever seen either on or off screen.
His sky blue electric eyes, matched his T-shirt and were focused on her so intensely that she felt her mouth dry up. She didn't think she'd ever been looked at in quite that way before, like what she was saying was the most important thing he'd ever heard. He was wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and boots completed the image of pure wild male at its best. She couldn't see much of his body, but she could tell he was lean. He shifted back on the seat then, stretching the T-shirt tight over his well-defined abs. Muscular was another word to describe him, at that thought her eyes drifted to his hands.
Hands were her secret weakness. She could spend hours studying a man's hands. His were strong looking, tan, with long fingers. Her hand would no doubt be lost inside his. She would bet that there were calluses on his hand, he probably used them a lot, no manicures for this guy. She also bet they wouldn't be sweaty, and if she ever did hold his hand, it would be warm and secure. One complaint she had about her otherwise perfect fiancé was the fact his hands were cold and clammy. Needless to say they didn't hold hands very much, which was a pity given her obsession.
"Are you okay?" Jason was now convinced that she had been injured in some way. She hadn't said anything since she'd removed her veil and he had a feeling that was a strange occurrence for her. She was younger then he'd thought, and smaller. The heavy veil and full dress made her seem larger then she really was. She was also very pretty.
Her deep blue eyes were very striking, especially in her creamy white face. The blush that was beginning to cross her features under his close scrutiny was very becoming as well. He felt his body begin to react to her prettiness and he clamped the brakes on that emotion by pointing out the fact that she was dressed in a wedding gown.
"I'm," she cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm fine." She was trying to think of something else to say to this beautiful man on the bike, but for once her mind was empty.
"Okay then." Jason held out the bouquet at the same time the ringing of the church bells stopped.
Elizabeth reacted to the lack of noise in her typical way, she began to panic. She dropped the veil on the ground and moved to the side of the bike.
"What are you doing?"
"Going with you." Nervousness over his proximity quickly gave way to her overwhelming need to get away.
"Who said you can go with me?" Jason asked sharply.
"Please I need to go," Elizabeth put a hand on the empty seat behind him. "They'll be looking for me and I need to think."
"Is someone trying to force you to get married?" Even though he didn't want to be, he couldn't help but be drawn into those expressive eyes of hers, especially as she stood there and began to nibble on her bottom lip, sending another jolt of awareness through him.
"No one is forcing me to get married, at least no one but me."
Jason rubbed a hand over his cheek, she had lost him again. "Then tell him you changed your mind about marrying him." He stated what he thought was obvious.
"Who said I changed my mind?" She shot back.
"Look Elizabeth," he started slowly and patiently.
"How do you know my name?" she interrupted eyeing him suspiciously.
"You said it during your babble. Elizabeth Webber, you liked that name, but not your middle name." He saw her relax slightly and an unusual impulse to tease went through him. "What is your middle name anyway?"
"That's privileged information. If I told you I'd have to kill you." She darted a look back at the way she had come. "So can you give me a ride?"
"Where too?"
"Anywhere but here."
He didn't want to get involved. Pretty or not she had trouble written all over her. She must have seen the refusal in his eyes because she hurried on.
"Please." She touched his arm and then dropped it immediately when she felt a jolt at the contact, and her mouth dried up again.
Jason frowned down at his arm surprised at the feeling that all to brief contact awoke in him.
Elizabeth knew she was running out of time and fumbled with the clasp on her diamond tennis bracelet. The bracelet had been a gift from her soon to be mother-in-law, but right now she only saw it as a chance for salvation. "Look take this for gas and your trouble."
Jason looked down at the bracelet in surprise.
"Please," she swallowed hard and took his hand. The jolt came again but she forced the bracelet in his hand. "Good I'm so glad we've agreed." She focused on the bike, then looked at her skirt, how the hell was she supposed to get on?
She bit her lip and eyed the poofy full skirt. "You know I never saw the point in bustles or petticoats, did you?" She began to work off the petticoat from under her skirt. "I didn't even want this Cinderella dress." Stunned at that she hurried to correct that admission. "I mean of course I wanted the dress I designed it when I was 16 after all."
Jason watched in amusement as the full skirt gradually slimmed down and a pile grew by where he thought her feet were. Elizabeth reminded him a lot of Carly. She did the talking while his only job was to listen at nod in agreement at times. He suddenly became aware of the silence and realized that this was one of those times. "I guess so."
Elizabeth smiled. "Right." Finally free she stepped out of the pile. Her heel caught on one of the ruffles and she pitched forward. Jason steadied her immediately and he kept his hold on her while she stepped free and kicked the layers of her skirt away from her.
"Thanks." She raised her head and realized his face was only a few inches from hers. Those eyes of his were even more amazing from close range. His hands were strong and warm and they were still on her waist. "What's your name?"
"Jason." He kept his voice low and was a little surprised to find out how reluctant he was to let her go. Her waist was so small that his hands easily spanned her waist. His eyes were drawn to her mouth when she began to nibble on her bottom lip again, and his eyes darkened in awareness.
"Jason." Her voice was equally soft and remarkably steady. "Will you take me with you?" She was stunned at her question but her gaze never wavered as his eyes locked on hers again.
The woman was probably no more than 5'2" and if she weighed more than 115 lbs even in the monstrosity of the wedding dress he would eat dinner with the Quartermaines. And he also knew without a doubt that she was going to bring him nothing but trouble. And quite frankly he was tired of women causing him trouble so he opened his mouth to refuse.
"Watch out for the muffler on the side, it could burn you."
Her smile was brilliant and it brought a reluctant answering smile to his face.
"Thanks Jason." Giving into the temptation that her family believed she was cursed with she hugged him.
"Hey man you got the bride now get the church." The call came from behind her and was accompanied by a horn. Startled she drew back and turned in time to see a convertible full of guys go by. All were yelling and giving the thumbs up sign. "Forget the church find a motel."
Jason ignored the taunts and watched a very flustered Elizabeth step away. "Are you sure you still want a ride?"
Resolute Elizabeth nodded. She bent down and picked up her skirt, rolling it in her hands, exposing first a shapely calf, and onwards up over her leg, until he could see the edge of a blue garter high on her thigh. She gripped his arm and before he could speak, used his leverage to swing her leg over the seat.
Jason waited until she bunched the skirt of the long dress underneath her before turning slightly to check that it wasn't touching something it shouldn't. His eyes lingered on her legs a little longer than necessary, before he finally set the open faced helmet on her head. "Strap in and hold on." Jason ordered turning away to start the bike.
"Okay." She obeyed automatically wrapping her arms around his waist, slipping them between his open coat to rest on his soft T-shirt. Those muscles of his, tensed slightly under her touch.
Jason started the bike with a little more force than necessary, when she pressed herself against his back. "Oh man."
"What?"
"Nothing." He picked up the bouquet off the gas tank and tucked it in her hand "Your flowers."
Elizabeth turned to look as the sound of a loud horn and roar of a powerful engine came blaring down the road towards them, her eyes widened in distress when she recognized her sister's Porsche. "Go." She turned back. "Go, go, go."
With a shake of his head he put the bike in gear and they took off, the white of her wedding dress flapping in the breeze.
Elizabeth heard the horn blare again and let go of Jason long enough to toss the bouquet over her shoulder and in the direction of the car horn. Then she wrapped her hands around Jason again and held on as the wind began to whip past them.
