The Wedding
"How's she doing?" Nate asked Sophie as she came walking out of the hotels suite.
"This is the first time I've actually seen her nervous." Sophie smiled as she smoothed out the front of her lilac dress, she had been in charge of most of the wedding details and was glad things had turned out so beautifully. When she had asked the couple what they wanted she hadn't received more than a shrug of the shoulders and a declaration of something simple. The only thing Parker had specifically requested was the color purple and the freedom for her and Eliot to dress as they wished.
"Eliot's just the opposite, it's Hardison who's got the jitters. By the way he was bouncing around earlier you'd think he was the one getting married." Nate had to yell at him twice to get dressed and had cut off the soda after what he counted to be the fifteenth liter.
"Did you check on the setup downstairs?" She had left specific orders before she excused herself to help Parker dress and she would not be happy with anything less than perfection.
"It looks like the beach was created just for them Soph, even the water's sparkling." Nate offered as she straightened his collar, the casualty of the ceremony causing him and Hardison to forgo ties. The suits they had picked were a light tan with a near creaminess to them, leaving Sophie to find shoes since the ones they had brought back had not been to her standard.
"Great, I'm going to make sure everything is set and you get Parker going. Their guests should be arriving soon." Sophie hurriedly checked him over one more time brushing away some non-existent lint before making her exit.
"Parker?" Nate lightly knocked on the door he knew led to her room before pushing it open slowly.
"Come in."
Slowly entering Nate was surprised at himself for being shocked at Parker's appearance. "You look absolutely beautiful." She was currently placing a clip that had been made with cream roses and purple hydrangeas over the top of cascading curls that had been intricately swept to the side and over the shoulder.
"Thank- you" She was almost shy about the compliment, sure she had been dolled up before but this was the first time it had been willingly and as herself for herself.
"I mean it Parker you are stunning. Eliot doesn't even know how lucky he is getting." She was wearing a simple ivory dress that was elegantly beaded right beneath the sweetheart bust and flowed seemingly weightless to the floor from there.
"Do I keep this on or..?" She was fingering the engagement ring Eliot had helped her "obtain" ignoring Nate's flattery as she was unsure how to answer it.
"Yeah Parker you can leave it on, you've yet to tell me the history behind this diamond though." Nate remembered Sophie's exact reaction to the news and Parker and Eliot's hesitance to admit where it came from.
"Ask Eliot after the ceremony." Parker laughed, that had been one of her favorite heists but she didn't think Nate would approve of their actions.
"You ready to go?" He had been shocked when she asked him to walk her down the aisle and he could tell she was clearly uncomfortable but he had agreed. Now he knew it would have been a mistake to deny her the pleasure, he had never seen her as happy as now and he'd like to think a little of the credit for the shimmer in her eyes belonged to him.
"Not really, but I think I'll manage." He was talking about the ceremony but her eyes were set on the future, their future.
Offering his arm Nate smiled at the slight shake he felt as Parker gripped it, he remembered that feeling well and knew she'd remember it too. "I bet you Sophie cries."
"Ha, I bet you Hardison cries." With that they left, echoed by their own laughter.
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"If you insist on looking like a hippie, at least put shoes on." Hardison had been chosen as best man and now he couldn't help but stare at Eliot's feet as they waited for Parker at the alter that had been made on the islands beach.
"It's symbolic." Eliot rolled his eyes as he shifted on his feet. He was wearing khaki colored slacks with a thin white button down, leaving the first few unbuttoned.
"Of what, having no money? We all know that's a lie." Hardison teased with no real malice, he had already given Eliot hell about his hair, which had a small braid coming from behind either ear holding the rest of it back where the two were connected and pinned, knowing the normalcy of their banter would calm them both.
"Parker isn't wearing any and she asked if I'd do the same for her. If it's got meaning to her than it's meaningful to me, so stuff it." Eliot warned as he gave a reassuring smile to the few people that had been invited, they had kept it extremely close and there couldn't be more than twenty.
"Not even married yet and you've already got your tail tucked-" Hardison began but didn't finish as music cued.
Watching his niece toddle towards him with her basket full of flowers Eliot found himself smiling, the same smile growing as Sophie came next arm intertwined with his brother-in-laws. After that came one of Parker's closest friends, a girl he was surprised to learn had been her first, best, and only friend for nearly ten years, accompanied by Luke, a man he had met what felt like life times ago, one that he considered a brother and would do just about anything for.
"There's your girl." Hardison whispered as the music changed and everyone stood.
Eliot had no answer for that to focused on trying to regain the breath he had lost, the only word he could come up with was angelic. She was absolutely glowing, the brightest smile on her face one he was returning full force, yes she was definitely an angel.
"You nervous?" Nate whispered as Parker fiddled with the bouquet she was carrying.
Nope. All it took was one look at Eliot and all her butterflies had vanished, he was there waiting for her and she knew that would never change. "Excited" They had nearly reached the end and Eliot had moved closer.
"You'll make it." Nate nodded his approval to them both as he received a hug from Parker and a smirk from Eliot.
"Hi" It was probably dumb but all other words had abandoned her at the moment.
"Hi" He whispered back laughing at the smoochie face his sister had sent him as he turned with Parker fingers intertwined.
"Before we start the groom has asked to say a few words." The preacher announced to the newly sitting bridal party."Eliot"
"When we first met I thought you were absolutely insane," He paused as he smiled to let Parker know he meant no harm and everyone else laughed. "and I still do but I understand it now, I understand you now. You've shown me that it's okay to be different, how it is to just express yourself without caring about judgement from others. You have taught me so many other things too, ...things I would have never taken the time to bother with before and I just want to thank you for that." Looking down at the delicate fingers that were squeezing his he tried to think of everything he wanted to say but knew even if he continued on for hours it wouldn't be enough time to find the right words. "You'll become my wife today and that still amazes me but I want you to know that you were my friend first,... you are my best friend and that will never change. That will be what keeps us together forever darlin'."
"Do you have anything you'd like to add?"
"I'm counting on that Sparky." She was never good with words but knew she had gotten them right when Eliot's eyes only brightened and the grip on her hand tightened.
"So am I."Eliot whispered trying not to laugh at the sniffling he was sure was coming from Hardison, but when Parker gave in he couldn't help himself.
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"You're not so sane yourself Bubba." The ceremony had ended right before sunset and after a few pictures on Sophie's insistence the outdoor reception had started.
"Never said I was." Eliot murmured against her head where she had tucked it between his chin and shoulder. They had started off their first dance a bit reluctantly but Parker had quickly molded herself to him and now a few hours later and who knew how many dozen songs they were still lazily swaying in each others arms.
"True... you're more like a bear though, a grumbly teddy." She pulled him closer content with the warmth they had created.
"Baby, Let me be your teddy bear...put a chain around my neck and lead me anywhere ... just wanna beeee your teddy bear." Eliot softly hummed knowing Parker would understand.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather be a lion or tiger?" She asked playfully, automatically recognizing the corny song and the joke behind it.
"Positive." He laughed as she used the same lyrics against him.
"We haven't been very good hosts." Parker murmured as she pressed soft kisses to the side of his neck.
"You're the only person I care about entertaining right now Sweetheart." Eliot had noticed that over half of their guests had disappeared but he honestly couldn't bother to care. He had just been promised to this beautiful woman and he planned to make the most of every moment they had.
"It's been a really good end to the night though." She lifted her head to look him in the eye, their noses nearly touching as he continued to thumb patterns on her back.
"Parker it's only the beginning." With no more words to be found he engaged a soft yet sensual kiss that mirrored all the love and passion he felt. The others' applause and cheering ignored as they lost themselves in the moment.
E/N: This will be updated with other milestones from our favorite couple as the ideas hit but every "story" will have a proper ending unless it's done in parts and should always be considered done until the next update. Also all updates will follow the same story line but they may not all be in order, if that is the case I will let you know where it fits, for instance I could possibly do missing scenes from certain chapters, example: the reception from the teams point of view or Nate's talk with Eliot about Parker's ring. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing and I'd love to hear your thoughts!