A/N: This story is based entirely on the lyrics of Carrie Underwood's "What I Never Knew I Always Wanted". If you haven't heard it, look it up, because it's a gorgeous song. I don't own the song, or Warehouse 13, or the associated characters, but the love for all is strong.
Never was the kind to think about dressing in white...
She was on the verge of having a panic attack. As she took in her reflection in the mirror, she felt her heart rate start to accelerate, and the butterflies that she'd had fluttering in her stomach all morning all suddenly seemed to take full-fledged flight. Swallowing hard against the constricting tightness in her throat, she raised a shaking hand to reach for a lock of her hair to nervously tug on. Before her fingers could reach their destination, however, they were smacked away.
"Claudia, stop it," Myka scolded gently. "We don't have enough time to fix your hair again."
Claudia shot Myka panicked look as she pressed her palms against the corseted bodice of her dress.
"Myka, I can't breathe," she squeaked out, her eyes wide with terror. "I can't do this. This is insane!"
"Claud, sweetheart, just relax," Myka soothed, reaching out to grasp Claudia's hands in her own. "It's just the jitters talking. It's normal. You're ok."
"Jitters?" Claudia yelped. "Myka, this is not jitters! I'm going to pass out!"
"Claudia, look at me," Myka snapped authoritatively, and gasping for air, Claudia attempted to focus on her friend's face. Myka gave Claudia a reassuring smile as she squeezed her fingers.
"Remember last year, when I was freaking out about marrying Pete?" she asked gently, and Claudia gave her an affirmative whimper as she nodded. "What was it that you told me to get me to calm down?"
"That you and Pete were meant for each other," Claudia finally managed to squeak out, the panic already starting to fade from her eyes as she spoke. "That you loved him, and you were the reason I believed in love at all. You guys were, are, destiny."
"Now, do I need to repeat all of that back to you?" Myka asked, a smirk playing on her lips. Claudia rolled her eyes as she let go of Myka's hands and turned back to the mirror.
"No," she muttered, a blush settling over her cheeks. "You made your point, as always."
Myka gave her a satisfied grin.
"I didn't think it was possible, but I think you two might be even more in love than Pete and I are," she murmured, watching as a dopey grin took over Claudia's face.
"Yeah, who would have thought?" Claudia commented softly, studying her reflection again in the mirror. If she'd have been told a year ago that she'd be dressed in white, and about to marry her best friend in the whole world, she would have told everyone that they were crazy. Of course, Steve had always been right by her side, and Claudia had no doubt that they'd always be together, which is why it didn't seem at all unusual to her that he'd joined her in taking full advantage of the open bar at Myka and Pete's wedding. They had giggled their way through too many shots, and several glasses of champagne, and then had progressed to stumbling around the dance floor, spinning and laughing and jumping around goofily until Artie had quietly hinted that the pair might be better off calling it a night. Still sniggering, Claudia had taken Steve's hand and dragged him towards the elevators, snagging a half full bottle of champagne off of the bar on the way past. The pair had staggered down the hotel hallway, Steve's arm slung around Claudia's shoulders as they giggled together over words that weren't even funny. As they reached the end of the hallway, Claudia dropped the champagne bottle they'd drained on the way upstairs as she tripped over the hem of her dress, and she suddenly found herself pinned against her hotel room door, Steve's hands braced either side of her head. Their foreheads were almost touching, and Claudia let out another drunken snigger as she looked up into Steve's perfect crystal eyes. She could smell tequila, but she honestly wasn't sure if it was on her own breath or Steve's.
"Hey Jinksy," she murmured, half-greeting and half-enquiring.
"Yes," Steve answered her, the last letter slurring as he chuckled. His hand crept sideways on the door, his fingers reaching to twist into Claudia's hair. Claudia bit down on her lower lip.
"Jinksy, will you do something for me?"
"Anything," Steve said huskily. Claudia let out a shaky breath.
"Kiss me," she whispered. Steve didn't even hesitate before he leaned forward and placed his lips on hers. To Claudia, in that moment, the whole world seemed to pause, and all she was aware of was Steve's closeness and the feel of his lips and the way he tasted. She actually let out a whimper when Steve finally pulled away from her.
"What was that?" she gasped, hesitantly touching her fingers to her lips. "Steve, did you feel that?"
Steve answered her question by taking her face in his hands and kissing her again. What followed to Claudia was still a blur of hastily opened doors, frantic kissing and the pair of them breaking apart only long enough to shed their clothing and fall onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and gasping breaths. Claudia woke up the next morning when the sunlight streaming in from a gap in the curtains hit her eyelids, and immediately felt her heart start to race as a quick assessment revealed that a very naked Steve was snoring softly beside her, and that she too was in a similar state of undress. She was lying there with the bed sheet gripped to her chest, trying not to cry out loud over the fact that she'd very likely just destroyed her relationship with the best friend she'd ever had, when a hand reached out and turned her face so that her eyes met a set of beautiful blue ones. Steve stroked a thumb across her cheekbone as he stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, and then with a soft smile, he whispered that he loved her, that he always had, and that he was all in. It was all so simple, and just like that, Claudia found herself with a man that was not only her best friend, but the love of her life. They may have been inseparable as friends, but as a couple, Claudia and Steve were never apart. Their relationship was a giddy ride that Claudia could never quite believe that she was on, and time flew by so fast that it seemed to Claudia that they'd only been together for a couple of months when she turned around one day while doing inventory on the Warehouse floor and found Steve down on one knee with a diamond ring in his outstretched hand and a hopeful look in his eyes. Claudia had been so flabbergasted that the only reason she was sure she'd given an affirmative answer was that Steve had delightedly swept her into his arms and kissed her enthusiastically before sliding the ring onto Claudia's left ring finger. Having never been the kind of girl who had sat around imagining that one day she would be engaged, Claudia had no idea what she wanted when it came to weddings, so she'd left a lot of the planning to Steve and to Myka, and it wasn't until her wedding day arrived that it dawned on Claudia that she was actually getting married. Now, panic attack averted, she couldn't stop staring at her reflection in the mirror.
"You look beautiful, Claud," Myka told her warmly, resting her hand on Claudia's shoulder.
"I'm pretty, but I don't look like me," Claudia said softly in reply. "Is it too late to get my Chucks and jeans back?"
Myka chuckled as she cocked her head to the side.
"Something is missing though," she mused.
"I believe that I can help with that."
Both Myka and Claudia whipped around at the familiar low and steady voice that came from behind them. The owner of the voice gave them her own version of a satisfied smirk.
"Agent Bering," Mrs Frederic murmured by way of greeting. "Miss Donovan. Or should I take to calling you Mrs Jinks?"
Claudia gave a hesitant laugh.
"Turn around," Mrs Frederic instructed softly, and Claudia obeyed, jumping slightly when Mrs Frederic reached around her and then fastened a string of pearls around her neck. Claudia put a hand to her throat as she gaped at her own reflection.
"You're giving me your pearls?" she asked incredulously. Mrs Frederic grunted in amusement.
"Loaning," she corrected. "Now you have your something borrowed, in line with the old traditions."
"Of course!" Myka chimed in. "Now all you need is something blue -"
"Uh, hello?" Claudia interjected, waving at the neon blue streak worked into her hair. "Blue is covered. And my dress surely counts as something new."
"So, we just need something old then," Myka shot back as she good-humouredly rolled her eyes.
"Geez, what a pity we didn't think of that, you know, when we were back in that giant place full of ancient stuff where we work," Claudia snarked.
"Ladies, I believe that I might be of assistance," came a voice from the doorway, and Claudia felt her heart start to pound. It may have been her wedding day, and having Steve think she looked beautiful was important, but to Claudia, only one man's opinion really mattered. Slowly, she turned towards the doorway, and felt a blush start to creep across her cheeks as Artie's mouth dropped open.
"Oh, Claudia," he managed to croak out.
"Artie, do I look ok?" the redhead asked hesitantly, twisting her engagement ring around her finger as had become her nervous habit. She watched as Artie stepped into the room, his lower lip wobbling.
"You look like royalty," Artie said thickly, tears brimming in his eyes. "My girl, you are a vision."
Claudia let out a whimper as she swallowed hard against the lump that had formed in her throat.
"Damn it, Artie!" she whined, fanning at her face with her hand. "Don't make me cry!"
Artie sniffled even as he chuckled, and beside Claudia, Myka pressed her fingers to the corners of her eyes to stop her own tears. Even Mrs Frederic looked emotional. Artie looked as though he was about to launch into a speech, so Myka deliberately flicked her eyes towards the clock on the wall before she spoke.
"You were saying, Artie, about having something old for Claudia?" she prompted, and Artie blinked before he rummaged around in the pocket of his jacket and finally presented a velvet jewellery box. He cracked it open, revealing a set of pearl and diamond teardrop earrings.
"These were my grandmother's, and my mother's after that," Artie explained. "They were given to me, to be passed on to my daughter on her wedding day." He paused to give Claudia a wobbly smile.
"You're the only daughter I'll ever have," he croaked, gazing at her proudly. "I'd be honoured if you would wear these."
Claudia was already hastily removing the costume jewellery studs in her ears, pressing them into Myka's outstretched hand before she took the vintage earrings from Artie. Once they were firmly secured in her ears, she stepped forward and wrapped Artie in a hug.
"You're the best father I could have asked for," she murmured in his ear. Artie huffed out a sigh against her shoulder before he pulled out of her embrace.
"Shouldn't I be walking you down the aisle, or something?" he grumbled, straightening his glasses. Claudia glanced up at the clock and let out a sudden squeak.
"Oh sweet goddess!" she yelped, panic crossing her face again. Myka forced a bouquet of lilies into Claudia's hands.
"Claud, honey, there is literally no time for me to talk you down again," Myka said in her no-nonsense tone. "You need to pull yourself together, this instant, you hear me?"
Her Bambi eyes wide, Claudia glanced from Myka to Mrs Frederic to Artie, all the while trying to calm her breathing. They all looked back at her, their faces all reflecting reassuring smiles. Her heart still racing, Claudia held out a shaking had towards Artie.
"Ok," she whispered, not quite believing herself as she spoke. "I'm ready."
In the end, it turned out all that she really needed was Steve. As she paused with Artie at the end of the aisle so that Myka could walk on ahead of them, Claudia looked up and found herself staring directly at the man she loved, who was staring back at her with an elated grin plastered on his face. In an instant, Claudia felt all of her fears fade away, and a smile to match Steve's tugged at her lips. Claudia barely remembered the ceremony itself, only the strong grip of Steve's hands, the fact that his eyes never left hers, and the feeling in her heart that she was finally whole. Later, at their reception, as Steve led her in lazy circles around the dance floor, Claudia let out a contented sigh as she rested her cheek against her new husband's shoulder. Steve chuckled softly as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
"You ok there, Mrs Jinks?" he murmured.
"Donovan-Jinks," Claudia corrected, lifting her head so that she could smile at him. Steve laughed again as he kissed her gently.
"That's going to be a mouthful for our kids," he commented with a grin.
"Whoa, easy tiger," Claudia shot back with a nervous laugh. "We have a long way to go before we have to worry about that."
"Of course," Steve replied, even though the smirk on his face made Claudia think that her new husband supposed otherwise. She rolled her eyes at him, and Steve kissed the tip of her nose.
"Are you happy, my love?" he murmured questioningly, and Claudia's whole face softened as she looked up at him.
"Insanely," she told him. "I didn't know I could feel like this." She rested her cheek back on Steve's shoulder as they continued to sway back and forth.
"Jinksy, are you happy?" she whispered after a moment. Steve didn't even hesitate before answering.
"I love you," he told her. "You've always made me happy. I'll be happy for the rest of my life, as long as you're beside me."