Chapter 2- wedding day

When Lisbon woke the next day, it took her a while to figure out why she felt so angry and upset. Then she remembered her encounter with Jane the previous evening. How dare he miss the most important day of her life. Wasn't he at all happy for her. She rolled over in bed and saw that Marcus was still asleep. She didn't wake him up; instead she merely gazed at him for a while. This was her future. This was going to be it for her- forever.

She wasn't sure why she was more nervous than excited. Perhaps the wash of anxiety sweeping over her right now was drowning all other emotions out. Lisbon sat up. It was a while before she realised she was clenching her fists so hard it hurt.

She couldn't get back to sleep so she got out of bed and got dressed despite the early hour. After cleaning her teeth, she gazed into the bathroom mirror. Her face seemed much older and much more lined than yesterday. She just wanted to get this wedding over with so that she could leave and forget about everything she cared for. It was painful enough for her to be saying goodbye to Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt (who were also attending the wedding) and even Kim, who she'd struck up a close friendship with over the past couple of weeks nevertheless bidding farewell to Jane was a whole different situation.

'Is something wrong sweetheart,' yawned Marcus as he joined her in the kitchen later that morning, 'you weren't in bed at half past six.'

Lisbon shrugged, 'just couldn't sleep.'

'Yeah,' Marcus smiled, 'it's hard to think of little else now the wedding is so near. Wow, at the end of today you're going to be Mrs Pike. Teresa Pike.'

Lisbon snorted, 'we'll be the Pikes.' Somehow, she wasn't fond of the name Teresa Pike, but that could be down to her reluctance to get married to a man she'd known for only a few weeks.

Marcus walked up from behind her and wrapped his arms teasingly around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. Huh, Jane had placed his hand on that shoulder only twelve hours ago.

'This is pretty big, huh,' whispered Marcus in her ear.

'I guess,' she inhaled deeply, 'well, I better get going soon. I'm going round Grace and Wayne's hotel because Grace said she'd help me with getting ready and everything.'

Marcus folded his arms, 'we're not getting married until midday. You really need to go now?'

'Yes,' said Lisbon bluntly, 'I'll see you in church.' She kissed her fiancée swiftly on the cheek before grabbing her coat and her bag.

Once out in the fresh air she looked around at the sky. It was cloudy and grey- it sort of reflected how she was feeling: pessimistic and apprehensive.

Grace was very helpful and, within a couple of hours, Lisbon was dressed and ready to go to the wedding which wouldn't be happening for another three hours.

'Sure you sure you're okay?' Inquired Grace for what felt like the hundredth time as she yet again spotted Lisbon's less than happy expression.

Lisbon nodded, 'yeah, yeah, course I am. Why wouldn't I be.'

'Well it's a pretty important day. It's okay to be a little nervous.'

'Were you nervous when you and Wayne got married?' Asked Lisbon eagerly, glad of an opportunity to forgive herself for feeling this way about her marriage.

Grace bit her lip, 'erm, no, not really. But only because it was such short notice and I knew it was meant to be. Wayne and I, we were sort of made for each other and, everytime we kissed, we could just tell it was going to lead somewhere amazing.'

'So you're saying that Marcus and I don't have that?' Challenged Lisbon, putting her hand on her hip rather like an irritated mother would normally do to a four-year-old child who'd just said something out of place.

'No, of course not,' Grace shook her head, 'every romance is different.'

'Sure,' Lisbon fidgeted uncomfortably.

As Grace made herself busy with perfecting Lisbon's hair by curling it one more time, she queried, 'so, you gunna tell me what's bothering you?'

'It's nothing,' said Lisbon earnestly, 'honest it's not important.'

'What is it?'

Lisbon took one shuddery breath before admitting, 'Jane isn't able to make it to the wedding.'

'You're kidding,' said Grace, 'whyever not?'

'He says it's work stuff,' sighed Lisbon, trying not to sound as upset as she really was.
Grace nodded before saying, 'have you considered that the reason he's not going is actually, well, that it's you.'

'What do you mean? Lisbon frowned.

However Lisbon didn't get to hear Grace's reply for that second, Rigsby's voice sounded from the room next door, 'you both decent? I need to come in and get something.'

'Yeah you can come in,' replied Grace in an offhand tone, much unlike how she'd sounded when talking to Lisbon. The awkwardness and uncertainty had vanished and Lisbon was pretty sure that she was glad of a reason not to talk about Lisbon and Jane.

Jane was at the FBI, sat on his usual comfy couch.

Kim walked in wearing a bright red and, when she spotted him, frowned, 'aren't you going to get going soon, the wedding will be starting in an hour.'

Jane shook his head, 'I'm not going.'

'What?' Kim's eyes widened, 'you're kidding. Out of everyone who'd going, you mean the most to Teresa. Why aren't you going.'

'You want the truth?' Jane mumbled.
Kim folded her arms suspiciously and sat down beside him, 'please.'

'Well,' sighed Jane, 'if you must know I can't stand to see her go. Today will be the last time I'll see her and I think it's better if I just stay away.'

'Wow I had no idea you felt like this,' said Kim, 'what's brought all of this on?'

Jane didn't answer straight away though eventually, he answered, 'what the hell now she's leaving it's not like I have anything to hide. The reason I can't stand to see her go is that, I've got used to her. For the past six years she's been there for me. Ever since my family died. She's become family to me and if she goes, I don't know how I'll survive.'

Kim's mouth was open a little,' I had no idea you felt like this. Why don't you tell her?'

'Because,' pressed Jane, speaking like Kim was being stupid, 'it's her wedding. If I tell her I'll just ruin everything. No good can come of it. She's happy now, marrying Marcus.' He said the last word in an evidently bitter tone.

Kim merely shook her head and said stubbornly, 'well I think she'd want to know. I've seen the way she looks at you when she thinks no one is looking. I'm telling you everything you feel about her, she feels about you.'

'What about me though?' Whispered Jane, sounding earnestly distressed, 'I can't just watch her walk up that alter and say yes to him. It'll kill me.'

'I think going to the wedding, perhaps getting a little drunk, will be much better for you than sitting all by yourself here, regretting everything you might have said, or might not have said, to her. Just my opinion.'

She then walked out the room, saying, 'the cab's leaving in five minutes. You'd better get a move on.'

Jane watched her go. He knew his gut instinct was telling him to go- but would he really be able to stand it?

'Hey, wait!' Jane ran out of the building but, to his dismay, the cab was already driving away. How was he going to get there now? He knew the address of the church where Lisbon was getting married but there was no way that he could drive there himself- he'd get lost and wouldn't turn up until the very end of the wedding. He had to find another cab, and quick.

'I can't believe he didn't come,' sniffled Lisbon as she peeked through the door at the church which was now full of all of the guests. There weren't many: only the closest family and friends of the bride and groom.

'It's time to go now,' said Cho, who was giving her away.

'But, Jane…' said Lisbon, her voice trailing away feebly.

'You already said, he's not coming,' said Cho. They linked arms and, much too soon, the door opened so that they could go in and she could walk down the isle.

She walked down, staring at the floor, refusing to let her eyes wander to the Jane-less crowd. When she stood side by side with Marcus, he gave her an encouraging smile which she returned however it looked more like a grimace.

The priest marrying them seemed to take forever nevertheless, when he asked Marcus, 'do you take Teresa Lisbon to be your lawfully wedded wife,' Lisbon felt her eyes sting, and she didn't know why.

'I do,' replied Marcus, beaming.

'And Teresa,' he turned to Lisbon, 'do you take Marcus Pike to be your husband.'

Lisbon found that her mouth was very dry. She was about to reply when the door opened and someone came in, panting.

She looked around to find that it was none other than Jane, 'sorry,' he said, 'traffic's a nightmare. You two just carry on.'

Lisbon felt a smile stretch across her face and, for a split second, he met Jane's eyes.

'Lisbon?' whispered Mike.

'Hm?'

The priest repeated, 'do you take this man to be your husband?'

Lisbon nodded and said, 'I d-'

However she never got to finish her sentence…