Chapter Eight
"Wanda, are you okay? You look a little pale," Pepper said when Wanda emerged from the bedroom with her hair damp and dressed in her pyjamas, her pregnancy now evident by the size of her belly.
"I'm fine Pep; I think I am just a little nervous. I am getting married after all," Wanda answered sitting at the kitchen table. Pepper raised her eyebrow. "Okay, my feet are so swollen that I cannot fit into the shoes I bought, my breasts are aching, and there is this weird feeling in my belly."
"Does it feel like butterflies?"
"Yes."
"Honey, I think that might just be the baby moving. It might have to do with the serum Steve was injected with."
"That would make sense," said Wanda rubbing the top of her bump only to be greeted by a soft kick. "Oh. I think it kicked." Wanda moved her hand to double check and then it kicked again. Now it felt real. It felt like there was a human growing inside her and it slightly scared her a little. It was now becoming too real but she wanted to focus on getting married.
"Well there is something you can tell Steve later. Right, hair, makeup, dress."
"What about the shoes?"
"We'll work something out. Right now we need to start getting you ready."
"Okay, do your worst."
"Trust me I never do my worst." An hour later, Pepper had finished Wanda's makeup and hair and had pulled out some white ballet flats from her wardrobe. Pepper was a shoe size larger than Wanda but since her feet were slightly swollen, it would not have mattered. "Okay, there is your something borrowed."
"My what?"
"You have never heard of the phrase something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?" Wanda shook her head. "It is just a wedding tradition. It just refers to some items or gifts that the bride had. You've borrowed my shoes so that is one down."
"Well, I was thinking of wearing the charm bracelet my brother got me. It has some blue beads. Does the baby qualify as new?"
"I suppose. Anything old?"
"The only thing I have is a necklace that my mother made that I have had since I was a kid. It isn't much but it is still the only thing I have left of her." Wanda went into her jewellery box and pulled out a fire-orange stone that was attached to some black string. "As I said it's hardly Tiffany's standard but when I was about seven and had no real jewellery it was the best thing I had. Mom made this for my birthday and she said it was supposed to represent wisdom, bravery and fertility."
"Was your mother a fortune teller by any chance?"
"No, why?"
"It sums you up pretty well at this moment."
-o-
Steve stood at the front of the rows of chairs tapping his hands against his legs nervously.
"Will you relax?" Tony hissed.
"Hey this is the day that changes my life. I'm allowed to be nervous," Steve hissed back.
"Do you expect her not to turn up after you got her pregnant?"
"She did agree to marry me before I got her pregnant. Way before."
"Well get a grip."
"Sorry, I'm just worried something will go wrong."
"Nothing is going to go wrong."
"As long as she turns up, you have the rings, and we get on the plane sober, it will be alright," Steve told himself.
"There you go." Tony reached into his pocket to check on the rings. However, he could not find the purple velvet box. "Um … Capcicle. I need to step out for a few moments. You'll still be here when I get back?"
"Sure."
Tony made a mad dash from the alter and to his car. He drove off before Steve got wind of what Tony had done. It was not a far drive to Stark Tower, where he was absolutely certain that is where he left the rings. He even had JARVIS to help him locate them. However, the AI was not being helpful.
"The rings are not located in the building sir."
"JARVIS they have to be somewhere. Did you check the lounge?"
"Three times."
"The bathrooms?"
"Again, three times."
"The runway?"
"Sir, the rings are not in the building. Do you remember where you kept them last?"
"I had them with me last night. Rogers said to hold on to them and then we had a few drinks to celebrate his last night of freedom."
"And where was that?"
"At the bar three blocks … away." Tony realising that he could have left the rings at the bar made another mad dash to his car and drove furiously down the three blocks to the bar where he, Steve, Thor and Bruce spent the previous night on a last guys' night.
"Ah Mr Stark. Back for another drink," asked the bartender.
"Have you seen a small purple velvet box containing two rings that I had last night? It's the wedding today and it might be my funeral in a week if I don't have them," Tony asked in a panic.
"Were they white gold bands?"
"Yes."
"Here you go. You should be more careful Mr Stark. Anyone could have picked these up." The bartender gave Tony the purple box and the billionaire thanked him with a hug, proclaiming that he owed the guy big time. "It's no problem, but the wedding starts in about twenty minutes doesn't it?"
"Shit yes. I'd better get back or else it really will be my funeral next week." One last dash from the bar and he was greeted by a missing car. "Oh no."
-o-
"I still don't know what took you so long," Bruce said sorting out his tie while in the back of Jane's car with Thor and Jane in the driver's seat.
"We were trying to figure out this new Sat-Nav that S.H.I.E.L.D had installed to reduce the amount of time to take to get to the register office. However, it just kept denying me access because I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D," Jane explained trying to focus on both the road and the Sat-Nav. "Ah, we're here."
"We're here in one piece at least, unlike when Thor tried to work the Sat-Nav," Bruce murmured
"The talking map was not responding to any instructions I was giving it," Thor said exiting the car.
"Well, you got there eventually and you entered the postcode correctly."
"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked Bruce looking at the building.
"Dr Banner, I know how to listen to instructions from a Sat-Nav. This has to be the right place," Jane said walking towards the door.
Once the four had entered the building, they tried to look around for anyone they recognised. "Where the hell is Stark?" asked Bruce scanning the room.
"Surely he must be here, he's the best man," said Jane.
"Where is Steve for that matter?" asked Bruce.
"I was thinking that myself," Thor said blankly. "To be honest I don't think that is Wanda either."
"What do you mean?" asked Bruce.
"We're at the wrong wedding aren't we?" asked Jane. "I think we better go."
Unfortunately, the guests had turned their attention to the three. They looked awkwardly at each other before shuffling out quietly, not before Thor boomed, "A toast for the happy couple and their ancestors." Jane and Bruce pulled him away before he caused a riot.
Once they were back in the car, Bruce said, "I think we need to get going now. It starts in about ten minutes."
"Right," Jane said starting the car. "Forget the Sat-Nav; let's try to find the damn registry office. What was it called again?"
"Brookside," answered Bruce looking at his invitation and phone. "According to the GPS it is on the other side of Manhattan."
"We're not going to make it," said Jane. "Unless we switch drivers. Thor switch with me and put your foot down."
Thor really put his foot down and Jane was certain that he was going to get a very hefty fine for driving too fast, running past about ten red lights and about nine speed cameras.
"How long do we have?" asked Thor driving pulling onto a road he recognised, meaning they must be close.
"Three minutes," answered Bruce.
"Is that Stark?" asked Jane.
Thor rolled down the window and called out, "I thought it was human custom for the best man to be beside the groom."
"I forgot the damn rings and I have only just got them when some punk stole my car," Tony called back.
"Get in. With Thor's driving, we might stand a chance of getting there in time," said Bruce opening the back door.
"Why are you three not at the wedding yet?" Tony asked jumping onto the backside and shutting the door.
"We drove to the wrong wedding," answered Bruce. "It turns out S.H.I.E.L.D Sat-Navs are useless."
-o-
All four managed to get to the church with literally thirty seconds to spare, with Tony literally jumping out of the car in a bid to get to the alter before Wanda did. Thor did not even make an effort to park the car correctly, which considering that amount of driving related laws he had broken was the least of his problems.
"Where have you been?" asked Steve just as Tony arrived panting.
"Long story. It's pretty amusing but I might tell you some other time," he answered straightening himself up. "Still feel nervous?"
"Not now," said Steve seeing Wanda walk up the aisle.
The service went without so much of a hitch and the rings were placed on each other's fingers, with Tony breathing a sigh of a relief that they were the right rings. Steve had placed his hand on Wanda's belly, only to be greeted by a kick. His eyes flew open and Wanda nodded.
The reception was a little chaotic in that they everyone came up to talk to them, wish them luck and give gifts. It was not as though they had any relatives aside from Pietro that could come to the wedding, but S.H.I.E.L.D agents do not know when to shut up. It was only near the end when the Avengers, Pepper, and Jane managed to get a table together.
"Okay, is someone going to explain why you four were only there just as we were pulling up?" asked Wanda.
"Tony I thought you were there long before," said Pepper.
"By the way, your little jump out the car was the most amusing thing I saw today," Wanda added.
"I heard there were some problems. Apparently, there was some idiot driving at 120 miles an hour passing every red light on the way," Steve said. Thor avoided looking at anyone. "It still doesn't explain why Stark left in a hurry."
"I had to get your wedding present," Tony said throwing a silver envelope onto the table towards Wanda and Steve. "You said that you hadn't thought about your honeymoon so Pep and I took the liberty of sorting that out." Wanda opened the envelope, which contained two first class tickets to Rome.
"Oh my God," Wanda exclaimed. "Tony this is… Thank you."
"Have fun and try not to get her pregnant."
"Tony it wasn't funny the first time you said it," Pepper said.
