ONLY HOPE

AUTHORS NOTE: AFTER WATCHING THE EPISODE IN WHICH LILY CALLS OFF HER WEDDING, AND JORDAN IS ACCUSED OF MURDER, I DECIDED TO WRITE ABOUT HOW I THINK THE CANCELLATION OF THE WEDDING COULD HAVE GONE MORE SMOOTHLY. (IN WHICH THERE ARE NOT MURDER ACCUSATIONS)

LILY/BUG (OFCOURSE!)

ENJOY!

It was close to 11pm when the karaoke machine hit the bar in which Lily and Jeffery were holding a party for their friends the night before their wedding. In attendance were Nigel, Woody, Lu, Macy, and of course Lily's best friend Jordan. Bug showed up as well, though not very happily.

"Okay! Here it is!" Nigel announced as he pushed the karaoke machine towards the front and center of the room, after his fifth drink.

"Oh … no!" Woody and Macy groaned.

"Oh…" Jordan chuckled. "Oh yes…"

"Nigel!" Lily busted out laughing. "What are you thinking?"

"What? I just thought we should all have a little fun!"

"I think it's a fun idea, don't you honey?" Jeffery poked Lily in the ribs, causing her to roll her eyes. Bug just watched with a straight face.

"So who's going to go first?" Lu asked, slurring her words. Obviously she'd downed one too many apple-tinis. Bug rolled his eyes this time. He came to support Lily, and he would, because he would support her in anything she wanted to do; but he didn't have to enjoy it while doing it! Frankly, he didn't think Jeffery was good enough for his dearest Lily. However, he didn't think anyone was good enough for her. He wanted her for himself, but he still thought himself the least worthy of them all.

"Yeah ... who?" Nigel looked around the room and settled his eyes on Jordan.

"What? ME?! No way…" Jordan's eyes became big.

"Come on!" "Yeah!" "Please?" The room became a chorus of encouragement.

"Yeah, please?" Lily pleaded.

"Oh... fine. But only because the bride-to-be asked me!" She gave in. She made her way to the front of the room and attempted a rendition of "1000 Miles" by Vanessa Carlton. After breaking the ice, the microphone made its way around the room.

As it neared 1am, the group had heard everything from Lu's try at "9 to 5" and Woody's attempt at "Wonderwall". Even Jeffery embarrassed himself with "New York, New York." It seemed, the only one who hadn't gotten the guts up to do so, was Lily, the bride herself! Bug kept his himself quietly hidden in plain sight. He sad in a chair, at a table by himself, with a drink in hand.

"Come on Lily, the party is starting to diminish and you're practically the only one that hasn't sung yet!" Nigel prodded.

"So?!" Lily asked.

"Come on …" Nigel begged.

"Just once …" Woody begged along.

"Yeah, go ahead honey." Jeffery prodded.

Reluctantly, Lily agreed. "Fine!" She muttered as she stormed the front of the room and picked up the mic. She clicked through a list of songs she didn't know, then through a list of songs she didn't like.

"Hurry up!" became the catchphrase of the night as people whined for Lily to get on with it. Finally, she picked the only song she could find that she didn't despise.

As the piano chords began to lazily escape the speakers Lily mumbled a short sentence.

"I guess this one's for Jeffery…" Her eyes began to dart around the room, her brow began to sweat as she became slightly nervous, she couldn't remember the last time she sang.

Bug, for the first time all night, took notice to the karaoke machine. He looked from the speakers to the woman with the microphone. He found himself sitting up to take notice as Lily began to open her mouth.

There's a song that's inside of my soul.
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold.
But you sing to me over and over and over again

The group had to strain slightly to hear her nervous voice.

So, I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope.

Lily had been looking at Jeffery throughout the first bout of the chorus. She looked at him, and with all her heart wanted this chorus to match the love they shared. However, it didn't, causing her voice to diminish in volume.

As the piano solo led the next verse, Lily look slowly scanned the room. Her eyes locked with another set as she opened her mouth once again.

Sing to me the song of the stars.
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again.
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again.

Her quite voice began to rise. She felt a new sense of confidence, and allurement that she hadn't known or felt before.

So I lay my head back down.
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours,

She let her eyes slip away and look once again at Jeffery. She felt the words loosing their meaning and her voice falling once again as she looked at him.

I pray, to be only yours
I know now, you're my only hope.

"Come on … Lily!" Bug whispered as he felt her voice fall.

"What?" Jordan leaned towards Bug once she heard him say something. He shook his head, still hypnotized by the beautiful woman with the wavering voice.

I give you my destiny.

Lily blinked a tear away as she realized how little she felt about Jeffery. She took a breath and looked back to her inspiration. Seductively she continued.


I'm giving you all of me.

She walked gracefully towards Bug.


I want your symphony, singing in all that I am

With clarity she sang the next notes that were easily an octave higher than the rest, as she slipped off her engagement ring.


At the top of my lungs, I'm giving it back.

Catching the motion, Jeffery eyed her and found her standing only 2 feet away from Bug.

So I lay my head back down.

Spur of the moment, Lily took a step towards Jeffery and handed him the ring, all the while staring into Bug's eyes.


And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours, I pray, to be only yours

Standing directly in front of Bug, with everyone staring, mouths a gap. Bug, shocked, let his eyes fall towards the floor, afraid that this was all just a crazy figment of his imagination.


I pray, to be only yours

Wanting to assure him of her actions, she slipped her hand under his chin and brought his eyes to meet with hers. Her voice ran thick, meaning every word about to escape her lips.


I know now you're my only hope.

Closing her eyes slowly and opening them again, she found him still staring at her. With his feet apart, she stood between his knees as he brought his arm around her waist and brought her close to him, resting his forehead on her beautiful stomach.

With one hand on the back of his neck, she bent down to hum in his ear.

Hmmmmm, hmmmmm, oooooh.