I apologize for the delay! This one took me a while to bang out. It just wasn't coming out right. But here we are finally! And I promise, the hurt and strife we've had with these two will be worth it...
Thank you for your continued support, and all the love! It means the world! :D
Tony and Pepper walked through the doors, to be greeted by his parents, and her father. Tony's attire quickly transformed into a dark suit, his usual designer wear, complete with matching pocket square and tie, in a crimson red. Pepper smiled at how handsome he looked. He noticed, and smirked back at her. "Not bad, huh?" he asked. "I figured I should spiff things up a bit." Then he sighed heavily. "It is a wedding after all," he muttered to himself, sadly.
Maria was holding a veil and a bouquet of white roses. Her eyes were tear-stained, and she hugged Pepper tightly. "I'll always love you as my daughter," she murmured. "Always. No matter what."
Pepper smiled weakly through her tears at her mother-in-law. "Thank you," she whispered. "I won't ever forget you."
Maria smiled gratefully as she handed Pepper the bouquet, and gingerly clipped the veil into her hair.
"I've got this part, Ma," Tony said, stepping in to pull the outer veil over Pepper's face. He delicately lifted it over her head, gazing into her eyes as he slowly lowered it to cover her face. She looked into his eyes sorrowfully, silently.
"There. As beautiful as ever," he said, trying to put on a brave smile, as a tear spilled over onto his cheek. He hastily brushed it away, his father clapping him on the shoulder from behind, and squeezing it affectionately. But Tony didn't take his eyes off of his wife.
Pepper's father stepped to her side, and smiled kindly. "Ready, darlin'?" he asked her softly, offering her his arm.
She took a deep breath, and blew it out to calm her nerves. "As ready as I'll ever be," she said, her voice weak, as looked at Tony longingly.
He winked at her, and smiled, trying to be positive. Pepper tried to smile back, but couldn't. So she just pursed her lips.
The chapel doors were slowly opened and Pepper walked down the aisle on the arm of her father toward Mark, who was the only one standing at the alter. She had naturally assumed there would be someone to officiate the ceremony, but then quickly reminded herself that this wasn't Earth, and nothing had turned out to her expectations. Including my happiness, she thought sadly.
Tony stood frozen at the door, watching the only woman he had ever truly loved walk down the aisle to marry another man. Howard stepped to his side, and looked at him with concern.
"Son?" he said. "You gonna be okay?"
Tony slowly shook his head, keeping his eyes trained on Pepper. "I don't think I can do this, Pop," he murmured. "How can I be expected to hand her off to someone else? She's the love of my life. I can't just..."
"Tony," Howard warned. His son slowly tore his gaze from Pepper to meet his. Howard smiled at him sympathetically. "You know this is how it has to be. It's been explained to all of us. She's not yours any more. You're going to have to accept that."
Tony clenched his teeth, and his nostrils flared at his father's words. His chest began to heave, and he jerked his attention back to Pepper, who was nearing Mark at the alter. He then flicked his eyes back to Howard. "Would you?" he countered.
XxXxXxXxXx
Pepper and her father had made their way mostly down the aisle, and she had begun trembling more and more with each step. Once they reached the alter, Pepper's father kissed his daughter's cheek softly. "It won't be long now, honey," he assured her. "You'll see."
He then gently lifted her hand from the crook of his elbow, and gave it to Mark. "I present to you my daughter," he said, giving Mark a small reverent bow.
Mark smiled and bowed graciously back. "Thank you," he told Pepper's father. "For everything you've done."
From beneath her veil, Pepper closed her eyes as she felt Mark take her hand. Tears leaked out of her eyes, and ran down her cheeks. She felt Mark lift her veil to expose her tear-stained face, and she quickly opened her eyes to meet his gaze, a sheepish smile gracing her lips. "I'm sorry!" she whispered. She shook her head. "I do love you, Mark. But I can't do this! We were together in life because we needed each other! For shoulders to cry on, and for hand-holding. But that's over now! Please! You have to understand! I..."
"Ginny," Mark said, holding up a hand to stop her. "I know," he assured her.
Pepper stopped talking, and looked at him curiously. "You...you do?" she asked.
Mark smiled. He patted Pepper's hand in both of his. "Honey, I'm not here to take you away from anyone," he explained.
Pepper shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand," she said.
XxXxXxXxXx
Pepper's father had left his daughter's side, and made his way back down the aisle toward the chapel entrance. Tony was still seething, fighting the urge not to run to Pepper, sweep her up into his arms, and whisk her away from all of this. Rules be damned, he thought. He'd suffer an eternity in hell for it, too, he resolved, if it meant he didn't have to watch this.
Just when he didn't think he could contain himself any longer, Pepper's dad came to stand in front of him. He smiled sympathetically at his son-in-law. Tony just looked at him curiously, staying silent.
"You poor fella," he said, shaking his head. "I know it's been tough."
Tony frowned. "Tough doesn't begin to cover it," he replied.
The jolly man clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder, and looked into his eyes intently. "Then go get 'er back, hmm?" he said, with a mischievous smirk.
Tony's eyes widened. He glanced down the aisle at Pepper, who was listening intently to Mark, and then back to her father. "Seriously?!" he gasped. "I can do that?!"
Her father chuckled. "Rules are rules, Tony. You just have to do things by the book, and be patient sometimes, to get what it is you truly want."
XxXxXxXxXx
Mark smiled at Pepper, gazing intently into her eyes. "I'm here to release you," he told her.
Pepper gasped. "Release me?" she repeated, her eyes hopeful.
Mark grinned and nodded. "Nothing can destroy true love. Not even death. So once I've officially put you back into Tony's arms, I can have Maggie back in mine," he explained.
Just then, Pepper felt someone step to her side, and pull her from around the waist. A set of very familiar lips suddenly fell on hers, kissing her solidly, lovingly. She melted into the kiss, letting her bouquet fall out of her grasp to the floor as she wrapped her arms around the owner of those lips, pulling herself further into their arms. Slowly, the kiss broke, and she opened her eyes, to find Tony beaming at her.
"Well, hello, stranger," he purred, smirking. "Care to spend the next eternity with me?"
Pepper giggled, grinning. Then she gave him a sly smirk back, and shook her head. "Not quite," she said.
Tony cocked his head, and looked at her curiously.
Pepper pecked his lips again. "I want an eternity plus one," she purred in reply.
Tony chuckled, and yanked her closer to him from around the waist. "You got it," he growled playfully, and they both giggled softly, their eyes sparkling with blissful happiness.
"Well, kids," Mark said, smiling kindly at the happy couple, and clasping his hands in a gesture of finality. "That's that. So if you'll excuse me, I'm off to meetup with my bride, now."
Pepper turned her eyes to her former fiance, and smiled at him happily. "How wonderful!" she cooed. "I'm so happy that you and Maggie can finally be together!" She shifted her gaze back to her husband. He smiled at her in return. "There's nothing like knowing you'll never have to be apart again," she said, gazing lovingly into his eyes.
"As I'm about to find out," Mark replied, grinning.
Tony quickly freed a hand from around Pepper's waist and extended it toward Mark. "Before you go, I at least owe you a thank you," he explained.
Mark scoffed bashfully, and shook Tony's hand before he gave him a wave of dismissal.
"No, really," Tony continued. "You took care of her when I couldn't be the one to. I owe you a lot more than a thanks for that. So if there's ever a way I can repay you..."
Mark held up a hand in protest. "Just enjoy each other," he said. "You two deserve to be happy together. So make the most of it, huh?"
"And you, too," Pepper said, extending a hand out to him. "Maggie is a lucky woman, Mark. I want you to know that."
Mark accepted her hand and raised it to his lips, giving it a gracious kiss. "Thank you, Ginny. I won't ever forget you," he told her.
"And I won't forget you," Pepper replied.
Mark smiled, and bit them both farewell. They watched as he walked down the aisle and out of sight, and then Tony turned back to look at his bride. "So, about what he said," he began. "About making the most of it."
Pepper looked at him curiously. "What about it?" she asked.
Tony shrugged. "Does that include the possibility of getting a second wedding night with you?" he asked, trying to maintain an innocent expression.
Pepper giggled, and smacked his shoulder.
Tony flinched and giggled back.
"Some things..." she began.
"What? Never change?" Tony finished, cocking an eyebrow. They both chuckled again, and then Tony eagerly kissed his wife once more, a happy, and very relieved, moan escaping his lips.