Finally the wedding day is here! I don't know if the stated NJ law is true for NJ, but I do know that some states have that law. It's not a common law marriage, but something similar, since a wedding certificate and witnesses are needed. Anyways, as is par for me, I put off writing my intro paper draft for psych class in order to do this. Seems writing fanfiction cures my academic writer's block...
Anyways, here it is. And to let you know, next up will be first days back and baby talks...though I have no idea when I'll actually post them. Still, enjoy!
"Ready for this, babe?" Allison turns to find Angela, Ashley, Elliot and Lisa standing behind her. The three younger women are wearing wine red dresses, though they are each designed in a manner befitting their different body shapes.
Cameron turns back to the mirror and studies her reflection. Her dress is a simple strapless gown with a beaded lace overlay on the top half. In place of a veil, her hair is twisted around the sides of her head, collected in the rear and allowing the rest to hang freely with her natural curls. Miniature roses are strategically placed in the twists. Ashley steps forward and pushes in one of the miniature silk roses adorning the twists in her hair, pulling Allison out of her reverie. She turns to face her bridal party when Angela poses her earlier question once again.
"Ready, Allie?"
"Ready." Cameron takes a deep breath and accepts her bouquet of red roses from Elliot when the younger woman steps forward.
"Remember…Greg has been in love with you since your interview," she speaks softly. "Today is just a formality in stating your feelings for each other." Elliot winks conspiratorially at the older woman, each remembering the previous night:
"Elliot, what are we doing out here?" Allison follows her colleague through the hospital grounds toward the courtyard that her wedding will be held at the following morning. Cameron isn't looking where she's going, and winds up crashing into the woman when she doesn't notice her stop at the edge of chairs set up for tomorrow. "You're starting to make me regret asking you to be my maid-of-honor."
"Sorry, Allison, but I promised I wouldn't say anything."
"Say anything about what?" Allison looks toward the alter at the front of the chairs and sees House and Wilson standing there. She grins at Elliot and follows her down the aisle until she's standing in front of her fiancé.
House simply grins and hands her a red rose, kissing her softly on the cheek.
"Greg, what's going on?"
"Did you know that in the state of New Jersey, a couple doesn't actually need an officiary for a wedding ceremony to be considered married? Merely they need to state their commitment to each other in front of two witnesses - preferably the witnesses on the marriage certificate - adding to, they also need the certificate."
"No…I didn't know that. But what are we doing out here? Our wedding is in-" Cameron consults her watch, "-Nine hours and seven minutes."
"Really?! Then we'd better hurry." House's voice turns serious. "Allison, I promise to love you, honor you, cherish you, and be completely and entirely honest with you about every aspect of my life with you from this moment forward. Your secrets are my secrets, your hardships are my hardships, your happiness is my happiness, your life is my life. From this moment forward, I promise to love you unconditionally, with every fiber of my being. My life goal from this moment on, is to make you happy." Greg bows slightly at the end of his speech, and when he looks up, he sees tears forming in her eyes, which he gently wipes away. "Now it's your turn." House whispers to her.
"Ditto. Everything that you said - ditto. I couldn't say it any better. I love you."
"Good to know." House leans forward to kiss her and pulls her in so that she's flush against his body, her arms wrapped around his neck, returning the kiss with everything in her.
They are so absorbed in each other that they don't notice the discreet coughs coming from the two people standing behind them. When the finally do break apart, Wilson is the one to shatter the moment,
"Okay, you two, it's currently 11:59, and your mother scares me, Greg, so we'd better get going. Say goodnight to your bride, you'll see her again in nine hours."
"That's too long." Allison murmurs, her forehead connecting with House's.
"I agree."
"Greg," Elliot tries to separate them her way. "Do I need to call your father-in-law?"
That threat pulls them apart. House places one last kiss on Allison's lips before pulling away, whispering an 'I love you' her way as Wilson pulls him off. Just as they're out of sight, the alarm on Elliot's phone goes off, denoting the midnight hour, she shuts it off and goes to put an arm around Allison's shoulders, embracing her as the older woman leans into her.
"If we're technically married, then why do we have to separate for the next nine hours?"
"Do you want to tell your mother and Grams that you gypped them out of the wedding that they've been planning for the past six months?"
"No," Allison reluctantly states.
"Cheer up, nine hours will pass before you know it." Elliot turns her away and leads her back in the direction that they came from.
"Did you-?" Allison starts before Elliot cuts her off.
"It's the one on top." Elliot motions to the rose at the top of the bouquet, much to the curiosity of the other women in the room. Behind them, the other women rise after the finishing touches they've made to their hair and make-up. The bridal party turns when Wilson pokes his head through the curtain opening on one side of the tent the female half of the bridal party is using.
"It's getting to be that time, ladies." He winks at Allison and disappears, only to be replaced by her father.
"About ready, baby?" There is the shadow of tears in his eyes as he gazes upon his daughter. Allison steps up and gently wipes them away.
"No tears, Daddy. This one's gonna last longer than six months. There's no need for tears."
"I've giving my baby away to be loved by another man, I'll cry if I want to."
"I thought I was your baby?" Ashley tries to lighten the mood from her perch at the vanity.
"And when I hand you off to Tyler next year, I'll be saying the same thing."
"'Daddy's love is forever', remember?" Allison whispers to her father. "I'm always going to need that." She breathes deeply to stave off her own tears. Taking her father's arm, they step aside for the others to pass and be led to their seats.
Eventually only her sisters and Elliot are left, and they leave when Wilson, Adam and Alex appear, pairing off with their partners for the walk down the aisle - Wilson with Elliot, Alex with Angela, and Adam with Ashley. The men's dress shirts match the ladies' dresses in color and the shirts are tie-less and open-necked worn with a simple black suit.
Once the three couples have taken their places at the alter, the music changes to the wedding march and father and daughter make their own way towards the man of her dreams.