I recommend looking up Etta James' "Stop the Wedding" and listening to it. You don't have to hear it to understand the story, but it's a heck of a song. Lyrics are in bold italics.

Chapter 1

Preacher: "If there's anyone here

Who knows why these two people should not be joined together,

Let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."

Carly heaved the heavy mahogany doors open just in time to hear those words resonate through the sanctuary. The wedding guests—dozens of them—sat in silence. Carly's heart thudded in her chest, and her mouth went dry. She gasped for air after her frantic sprint to the church. She was so afraid of what she was about to do, but one look at the couple standing at the altar gave her the strength to press on. She gathered her courage and found her voice.

Wait, Wait! Stop the wedding!

All eyes turned toward her, watching her in stunned silence, and she felt her confidence wane. She pulled in a steadying breath and marched toward the man whose love she had never appreciated until she lost it—the man whose heart she would give anything to recapture.

His deep brown eyes widened as she approached. His face was a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite decipher, but she was pretty sure anger was there in abundance. He was stunningly handsome in his crisp tux. She stole a glimpse of the bride, looking like a fairy-tale princess in her satin and tulle, as she approached. Next to her, Carly felt like a toad in her faded jeans with her sweat-soaked hair and runny makeup. "Wendy," she mumbled apologetically. Wendy glared at her in silence.

"Carly," Freddie whispered, still clasping Wendy's hand, "what are you doing?"

You're just marrying her for spite.
If she knew the inside story,
She'd tell you what you're doing just ain't right.

"No, Carly," Freddie replied coldly, "you've got it all wrong. You need to leave."

Carly felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

I know you don't wanna hurt me,
So stop this madness before it starts.
Revenge will only cause you regret,

So don't do it, don't do it.
Don't break two hearts.
(Don't break two hearts.)

"It's not about revenge, Carly," he said, forgetting to lower his voice this time. "I love her, and she loves me. You never did!" He was nearly shouting by now. His brow creased in fury, and he glared daggers at her. "What makes you think you can come in here and just…?"

Carly's tears rolled freely down her cheeks, taking what was left of her makeup with them. She clutched Freddie's arm and pleaded with him, not caring that the entire crowd heard her every word. Her broken voice rang out from the speakers and reverberated off the rafters.

Cuz you belong to me, Oh Darlin.
And I belong to you, and deep down inside me now,
I know you feel that way too.
So baby, don't do it (don't do it).
Don't do it (don't do it). Don't do it (don't do it).
Oh, Don't you break two hearts. (Oh don't break two hearts.)

"Leave now, Carly," Freddie hissed at her. He shook his arm free of her grip. "You're not welcome here."

Carly's heart broke, yet again, at the hatred she saw on his face. She fell to her knees and reached up to grasp the hem of his jacket.

No, No, No, Baby! Don't do it (don't you do it).
Don't do it (don't you do it).
Stop the wedding (don't you do it)!
Oh, Don't you break, don't you break two hearts (oh don't break two hearts).

Spencer approached from the line of groomsmen and pulled Carly to her feet. He placed an arm around her waist and tried to turn her away from Freddie, but she wouldn't budge. "Come on, Carls," he whispered. "You're embarrassing yourself. Let's go."

Carly refused to move, forcing Spencer to pull her down the aisle by her waist. She saw horror, disgust, and pity on the faces around her—Mrs. Benson, Gibby, Principal Franklin, Sam—but the only face she cared about was covered in pure rage. She screamed for him as Spencer dragged her out of the room.

No, No, No, No, Don't do it (Don't you do it).
Don't do it (don't you do it).
Stop the wedding (don't you do it)!
Oh, don't break two hearts (oh, don't break two hearts)!

Spencer pushed her outside and stood in the doorway. "Carls, you can't do this to him, not now. He's happy with Wendy. If you wanted him, you should have told him years ago. He was miserable over you for years, but now he's moved on. Don't ruin it for him." Carly gave him a pleading look, and he considered letting her back in. He placed a hand on her shoulder and sighed. "Go home, Carls," he said softly. "I have to be here for Freddie right now, but I promise we'll talk when I get home." With that, he disappeared back into the church, closing the door behind him.

Carly tried the door, but found it locked. The man she loved more than anything was on the other side of that door, soon to be lost to her forever, and she couldn't get in. She pounded on the door and wailed. She slid to her knees, sobbing.

No, No, No, No, Don't do it (don't you do it).
Stop the wedding (don't you do it)!
Oh, Oh Don't you break two hearts.
(Oh, don't break two hearts.)

Okay, so...a big THANK YOU to the folks at the Creddiefans forum for putting this challenge together. I've already read a few of the entries, and they are GREAT! I can't wait to see what the other authors out there come up with for this challenge. I have a couple more chapters in store for you, so I hope you'll stay tuned to see if Carly will get her happy ending with Freddie! Reviews are love!!! :)