All righty you amazing people, I'm sad to say, it's time for this series to officially come to a close. I have loved writing for you guys, you've reminded me that it's okay to have weird ideas and you've made me feel comfortable sharing mine, so thank you. I sincerely hope you'll enjoy this final installment. You're welcome to read this if you haven't read the other parts, but I would recommend it, Some Things Never Change in particular, and appreciate it very much! I so appreciate all the support you've given me, I can't explain how good it makes me feel. I tried to include the people's POV who I'd written in before, but felt like I had more to add to or didn't sum up before. Enjoy:)
Cover Photo: Lori Wedding Dress on Mannequin. 2012. Photograph. The Estilo Moda DesignerWeb. 14 Aug 2013. how-i-work/lori-1/.
Disclaimer: I still do not, and most likely never will own House of Anubis, I only own my original story lines and characters. I also must give credit to luvme123 the Christmas idea for the story.
Nina's POV
"I propose a toast…that two of my best friends have an amazing wedding and an even better life together," Amber stated, handing a full champagne flute to Patricia, Joy, Mara, KT, Willow, and I. We had approximately five minutes until I walked down the aisle to marry the man of my dreams.
"Cheers!" the others chimed, tapping their glasses together, downing the clearish yellow alcohol in one gulp, eyeing me expectantly.
"Cheers," I managed, meekly. "I can't drink it though."
"It will calm your nerves, Nins," Amber insisted.
"Wait why not?" Mara asked, I knew she'd caught on. I felt my cheeks warm as they turned scarlet, I grinned sheepishly.
"Nina! I can't believe it!" Joy squealed, rushing over to hug me. I was excited I was, but this only added to my anxiety for the day, it was my wedding day after all.
"When did it happen?" Mara asked, signaling my mind to drift while I explained, as I watched the crisp, white snowflakes fall outside on this Christmas morning, the present faded to my memory.
*Flashback*
I felt like a teenager again, like I'd told him only hours ago when he proposed, he made me feel younger, like our love was refreshed everyday and we were still high schoolers, he completed me. For old times sake, Fabian left a note on my pillow asking me to meet him in the attic at midnight.
I couldn't resist and tiptoed all the way up there, careful not to wake the others. I opened the door to find the room looking identical to the last time we'd been up there after a farewell party, even down to the ice cream sundaes. The strands of lantern lights set a romantic, hazy glow over the blanket spread on the floor. Fabian stood on the edge closest to me, grinning as he waited.
This time, there was no dessert sharing and flirting, I was forced towards him, it was as if he were a planet and I was an object, trapped in his gravitational pull. Our lips welded together like glue. My heart raced and the flames sparked, as our hands roamed each other's bodies, we were two halves forming a whole once again.
Just like the night Laney was conceived, we couldn't stop. I let my tongue wander inside of Fabian's mouth as we shrunk to ground level together. Fabian rolled me onto my side, letting me help him pull off his shirt. His fingers danced along my skin, creeping to the back and undoing my bra, the stretchy fabric sprung apart. He guided his lips around my cheek, to my neck, all the way down to my belly button, inviting me to take off my own shirt, I sat up, ripping both it and my bra off. Fabian paused, studying my bare skin. I unbuttoned his pants, letting him finish undressing, as I did the same, tossing my pajama pants to my right and latching my lips on to his.
I didn't let what happened next bother me. No I wasn't married, but I'd been given a second chance with the love of my life and I knew we were sticking together, so I wasn't afraid to let myself go.
*End Flashback*
A loud knock rapped at the door, jolting me back to reality. "Mom are you almost ready?" Laney asked. The sound of my fourteen year-old's voice reminded me of all that I was fortunate enough to have. I was preparing to marry Fabian Rutter, the man I've never stopped loving and our daughter, our sweet, brown-haired, teal-eyed girl, the best mistake ever made, who we'd been able to reunite with and save from another Chosen One prophecy, was here, supporting us. I wasn't going to let her go ever again.
"Yes!" I croaked, turning back to my friends, Patricia grabbed my veil from the vanity, sliding it into my loose bun of natural curls, pinned in the back. The sheer fabric matched the single layer of tulle overlay, rimmed with lace that added flow to the trumpet style underneath.
"You look beautiful Nina," Mara remarked.
"Stunning," KT added, touching my shoulder.
"Just take a deep breath," Willow reminded and I did, just before opening the door to see Laney, Paige, Evie and Gemma, my junior bridesmaids who waited with Trudy, who I'd asked to give me away. The taupe flower accent on the waist of Amber's chiffon cranberry colored dress, made hers stand out from the other's all red empire waist dresses, but also brought in the mocha color of the junior bridesmaids' and Trudy's dresses. After living in Anubis and reforming Sibuna in the fall, Fabian and I decided that having a large wedding party was acceptable. The girls lined up and I linked elbows with Trudy, remaining hidden from the guests' and Fabian's sight for traditions sake, trying to shake away my jitters.
Laney's POV
The church was crowded enough, Grandma and Grandpa and their friends, Mum and Dad's other friends from school and work friends all gathered, everyone turning around at the sound of the music. We walked down the aisle in reverse order, Gemma, escorted by Duncan was tallest and went first, followed by Evie and Samuel, then Paige and Adam, and last Eli and I. I watched Dad on my way down, he looked tense, but in a good way. I knew today probably made he and Mom happier than it made me. He winked at me when I passed, I grinned back. As the tallest bridesmaid, Willow was next, walking with Alfie, then KT with Larry, and Patricia with Gilles, since Amber and Eddie would enter last, before Mom as the maid of honor and best man. After Patricia and Gilles, were Mara and Mick, before Joy and Jerome. The flower girls, Sadie and Payton scuttled down the aisle, leaving a trail of red rose petals for the ring bearers Jack and Dominic, to walk through. Finally it came to Eddie and Amber, and the entire church rose at the sight of my Mom.
I looked at dad first, his face said it all, his forehead practically read, I'm madly in love with this woman, she's the most stunning creature I've ever seen. Trudy beamed to Mom's left, thrilled to be included. I wasn't sure I'd ever seen my mom happier either, I think she was actually glowing. Her dress fit her like a glove, the style the cut, it's as if it were made for her. She floated down the aisle, I could see the tears of joy welling in her eyes already.
I studied to stone interior of the old church, it was beautiful, simple, but not too large. The stained glass windows up high allowed colorful beams of light to flicker in. The words said in the ceremony, stuck in my mind. To love and to cherish from this day forward, til' death do us part. When my parents uttered those words, I could hear the sincerity behind them, I hoped that one day I'll be able to love like that and as I looked at Eli, I wondered if maybe my Osirian would be that special person. I blushed, just looking at him, hoping that maybe he could be.
I was fondling the hem of my dress when the priest announced, "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride." It was so romantic; Dad dipped Mom and they lip-locked sweetly, just long enough for a standing ovation. They both pulled away slowly, cheeks tinged with pink, but grinning from ear to ear. I wasn't sure how much better life could get, I was finally out of harms way, as far as I knew, plus I had the perfect boyfriend, amazing friends, and now a real family.
Fabian's POV
After the ceremony, Mum, Dad, Nina, Laney and I remained at the front of the church, greeting and thanking all of our guests. It was nice, to feel so loved, like all these people cared about us and had come to support us, but I was itching for even just a moment of alone time with my new bride, my Nina.
The wedding party would take another limo to the reception, but Nina and I were able to have our own limo for the ride there. The guests, including the Anubis gang were perched outside the front doors of the church and Nina and I were greeted with hundreds of grains of falling rice as we bee-lined for our limo. Amber had insisted that the back be labeled with Just Married and have two cans dragging behind. Nina rolled down the window and we waved goodbye as we left.
"Merry Christmas, Beautiful," I whispered peering into Nina's endlessly green eyes.
"Merry Christmas," she replied, leaning in and kissing me. "I love you."
"I love you too," I told her, pecking her lips again.
"So what do I call you now? Hubby?" Nina joked.
"Only if I get to call you Wifey!" I teased, unable to repress my laughter and making Nina crack up. I stopped, just drawn in by her beauty, she paused, drawing her chin in towards her chest, and shooting me a glance that showed she was both flattered and embarrassed. "You really are incredible."
She had opened her mouth to speak, but a car honked at us because of the sign, sending us both into a fit of giggles.
My Mum and Dad had chosen a rather large, expensive ballroom for the reception. It wasn't one-hundred percent Nina and I's style, but they offered to pay, so we found ways to keep it from being overly glitzy. Some guests had already arrived before Nina and I had, and cocktail hour was off to a good start. Nina and I decided that now would be a good time to find Laney, because we wanted to give her a special Christmas present.
We found her tucked away in the empty ballroom, sitting and talking to my Dad, who sipped his usual, scotch on the rocks. "Ahh there you are!" Dad greeted, his voice a bit raspy, it was odd seeing them together and realizing that as much as Laney looks like Nina, she definitely looks like me, and therefore my dad too.
"Is everything okay?" I asked, worriedly.
"Everything is just fine," he replied calmly, standing up. He kissed his granddaughter's head, hugged his new daughter in-law, and smacked my shoulder reaffirmingly, before walking away slowly, calling "I'm a lucky man," quietly over his shoulder. I knew what he meant, he had finally gotten all that he wanted out of his family and all the important people in his life were right there with him.
"What's wrong baby?" Nina wondered, tucking a curl behind Laney's ear as she sat down where my dad had been.
"Nothing, just thinking," Laney said, honestly, with a smile.
"Okay, as long as you say so," Nina told her, trusting she was being truthful.
"We have something for you," I cut in, pulling a rectangular box, wrapped in shiny red wrapping paper, with green dots, out of my inside jacket pocket. Laney's face lit up.
"You shouldn't have gotten me anything!" she exclaimed, but Nina and I smiled at each other, knowing she was appreciative.
"It's Christmas, yes we should," I insisted, watching her carefully rip apart the paper. The box inside was a simple black, vinyl box. She flipped open the lid, it was a gold heart locket, engraved with her name.
"Well open it," Nina urged, Laney split the heart in half from the side, revealing two pictures, one of she Nina and I and the other of Sibuna. Tears spilled over the edge of her eyes, saddening Nina, "Oh don't you like it?"
"Mom, I love it," she reassured. "I've just never gotten anything so special."
"Merry Christmas Darling!" I chimed.
"Merry Christmas Dad, Merry Christmas Mom," she whimpered. "Could you put it on me?"
Nina happily pulled it from the box and hooked it around Laney's neck. "Merry Christmas," she added, pulling us both into a hug.
Patricia's POV
Amber and I were rushing around frantically, looking for Nina and Fabian. We asked the driver to take them the long way, but not this long. I was opening the doors to the ballroom, when someone grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth and pulling me into the chair storage closet.
I fought, kicking, elbowing, and trying to scream, but couldn't break free. "Ow!" a voice I knew well grunted, nonchalantly.
"Eddie?!" I shouted, when he removed the hand that was cupped over my mouth. "I'm busy Eddie, Amber needs my help to find Nina and Fabian, the caterers are ready to serve dinner."
"Doesn't it make you tired to talk so much Yacker?" he ignored me, I glared back. "Amber can find them."
"Eddie, I have to help!" I whined.
"You can…in a minute…" he told me, alluringly. I bit the inside of my lip, nervously, but when he moved towards me, I let him pin me against the wall, forcing his lips onto mine. It was steamier than I was used to, I liked it, I jerked off his jacket, my hands rustling over his shoulders, avoiding his shirt collar.
I felt him unzipping my dress, "Eddie we can't…" I advised. He pulled away, looking hurt, but quickly ran to the door, locking it and turning out the light.
"Watch us," he said, rushing back and yanking off my dress. Apparently sex in public places had become a new thing for us, I suppose it kept things interesting.
"After thirteen years, we've still got it Miller," I noted, as he moved beside me from above, he chuckled.
"And we're not even drunk yet!" he added, I rolled my eyes with a smile.
"No repeats of this later!" I warned, thinking of our kids. I stood up pulling on my dress as he re-buttoned his shirt, "You're lucky my hair was up."
He paused before starting to ramble. "You know, I was thinking, we should probably renew our vows, the kids are old enough to appreciate it now and I mean before, it was a shotgun wedding…"
"Are you saying it wasn't romantic, Weasel Face?" I teased, remembering that yes, it was a shotgun wedding, I was a high-schooler, pregnant with twins, but besides having my four amazing children, I'd never made a better decision than to marry my one and only Slimeball. His cheeks turned rosier. "I'm just kidding, I think that sounds wonderful."
"Good," he smiled, this time I pressed my lips to his.
Amber's POV
No one had seen Nina or Fabian and dinner was about to be served, but without approval, the guests couldn't go into the ballroom and be seated. I'd recruited Patricia to help look, but she'd disappeared too. I approached the ballroom, wondering why I hadn't thought to check there, but a door opened to my left and out stumbled Patricia and Eddie, looking disheveled. "Seriously?" I remarked.
"No…I…but…sorry," Patricia stammered, wide-eyed.
"Oh whatever, let's just find the newlyweds," I ordered, leading the way.
Patricia, Eddie, and I entered the ballroom, and there sat the whole Rutter family.
"Oh hi guys!" Nina chirped, as if nothing were wrong.
"We…I have been looking for you for ages. Someone has to come tell the guests they can come in here so that they can eat," I barked.
"Okay, sorry Ambs," Fabian apologized. "It's all going to be fine."
I crossed my arms, fighting the smile curling on my lips, it was hard to be mad at my friends at their wedding.
The guests piled in once given the OK by Fabian, being served an extravagant four-course meal, before toasts began. Eddie was first with an of course comical account of Fabian and Nina's high school years together, but ending on a sweeter note by saying that he hadn't seen anyone happier together than those two over the past couple of months and that reuniting at Anubis was the affirmation that destiny wanted them together and with their daughter.
Fabian's parents also had many kind remarks for the new couple and family, you could tell that they were thrilled about the addition of Nina and Laney to their lives. Patricia, Mick, and Alfie toasted to Nina and Fabian's happiness and voted for them bringing back their teenage angst before it was my turn.
I opened with the story of Nina's first day, how it was terrible, but Fabian defended her and everyone could see his visible crush on her since the first time he saw her when she ran into Patricia. It was hard not to bring up everything Sibuna related, but I stuck with just saying they'd been through a lot together and I couldn't wait to see where their new life, now with Laney would take them next. After the chorus of "Hear, hears" I also added "Tell him tonight Nina!" and pointed my finger at her sternly, she knew exactly what I meant, but Fabian sent me a questioning look.
"We would now like to invite Mr. and Mrs. Rutter for their first dance as a couple," the DJ boomed, a spotlight appearing on the dance floor at the opposite end of the room.
I scurried back to the large rectangular table used for the wedding party, and went around to the opposite end to stop and whisper "I'm ready to get married soon," to my fiancé Gilles.
"Whenever you want Princess," he promised, he was the only one I didn't hate calling me a princess because he wasn't insinuating I was a brat.
"Aww thanks beau!" I twittered, smooching him excitedly before skipping back to my seat to watch the first dance.
Fabian's POV
My Perfect Day, Nina and I's song began to play, and I held her hand as we shuffled to the empty dance floor, all eyes on us. Maybe it was cliché, but at the same time maybe it was just us. I didn't really care because I had my Nina and together we had Laney.
For about thirty seconds, we just stared at each other smiling as we slow danced, my arm around her waist, her hand on my shoulder and the fingers of our other hands laced together, it was magical. "So what are you supposed to tell me?" I finally asked, quietly, although I knew everyone was far enough away that they wouldn't hear.
Nina buried her head in my shoulder. "Please don't be mad," she said, her voice muffled.
"Why would I ever be mad at you?" I wondered, soothingly, "Nina, I love you."
"I love you too, Fabian," she replied, pulling back with flushed cheeks and a smile, seeing her everyday would never get old. "Fabian I'm pregnant."
"What?" I gasped in amazement.
"See you're not happy," she cried.
"Nina I am…I'm so happy…we're going to have a baby! We're going to have a baby!" I exclaimed, my voice growing louder with each thought.
"Shh!" Nina reminded, putting her finger to her pursed lips. "I'm not ready for everyone to know."
"Oh right, sorry," I apologized, wrinkling my nose embarrassedly. She said nothing else, so I just leaned forward and kissed her. The crowd awed.
The rest of the evening flew by, Nina had to smear wedding cake on my face, we followed all of the silly wedding traditions. Amber was thrilled to have caught Nina's bouquet and we all laughed when Adam caught the garter, hoping he really wasn't next to get married.
My parents and the Anubis residents, past and present, were planning to remain here at the hotel with Nina and I for breakfast before we leave for our honeymoon trip to America in the morning. We had also decided to bring Laney with us, who had undoubtedly seen about as much of America as I have. We once again thanked the other guests and waved goodbye as they left. There were exchanges of Merry Christmas and See you in the morning as we said goodnight to friends and family.
"Grandma and Grandpa said I can just stay in their room tonight, so…Good Ni-ight…" Laney informed, sing-songing the goodnight mischievously.
"Okay, goodnight sweetheart," Nina laughed, kissing her forehead.
"Night," I replied, embracing her hug. I waited until she was gone before turning to Nina saying, "We have to tell her."
"One step ahead of you…we'll tell her before breakfast when we tell everyone else," Nina informed.
"Perfect as usual," I agreed, scooping her up in my arms. Her legs draped over one arm and her upper body over the other. She looped her arms over my shoulders, chuckling. As I carried her out thanking the wait staff and DJ for their help, I thought about how this wouldn't be the typical wedding night, there wouldn't be a consummation of our marriage, but it was mine and Nina's wedding night, so it was even better. Amber's speech held true in my mind, I couldn't wait to see what I had left to experience with the girl of my dreams. Tonight was the beginning of forever. "So about Laney and I staying with you for Christmas..."
So, I hope you liked! Maybe I went a little crazy with the sex scenes, but the Peddie ones have kind of become tradition, they're in every single other one and I wanted to show Fabian and Nina's lives moving forward and changing. Did you guys get that she was pregnant before the attic scene, kudos to you if you did! Also, I know that roses and fancy stuff don't seem the most like Nina, but I figured, she could go with it since her wedding was on Christmas. Anyway, thanks so much for reading! Not sure if I ended up loving this, but maybe I'm just a little sad to be done? It really has been an honor writing for you all though! Thank you again and see ya later:)
