A/N: I really have to thank you guys to for reviewing much appreciated. I remember someone wanted to know how long the vacation is. Months... haha, because that's how long it will take. I said that in the first chapter, I think.

CHAPTER: The Bridesmaid and the best man

PART I: The Best Man

Before Robert even knew what it meant to exist he knew Natalie and Nathan. He couldn't even remember what it was like not being friends with them because he been his entire life. There was so much about his relationship with the pair that he loved and others that he hated… or rather, wanted to improve. The main part he wanted improve on was his relationship with Natalie.

There was a point when they were growing up when there wasn't much distinction between Natalie and Nathan. They were both his best friends and they all played together. In fact their parents used to joke and call them triplets because they were always so close. There was never an issue that Natalie was not a boy; she played with them all the same and everything was fine. That was before it became very obvious that she was not a boy at all. They were nine years old and Natalie and Nathan were still sharing a room. He would sleep over sometime and share a bed with whose ever he fell asleep on. No one had a problem with this.

Some night Nathan was fast asleep and he stayed up talking with Natalie about carnival they had just been to. They were listing what rides they would go on when they were old enough and Natalie got quiet for a moment. "What's the bother," he asked her.

"Nothing," she said but he could still tell something was bothering her so he urged her to reveal it. "It's just that… Jessica says a boy kisser her so she's prettier than me, do you believe that?"

He didn't even know that she worried about such things but had a sister and knew what he was supposed to say. "No, anyone could get a kiss from a boy."

"I haven't."

He didn't know what to else say but he wanted to reassure her. He leaned forward and kissed her on her lips. It would have been fine if her mother was not walking by at the very moment.

Then everything changed. Suddenly, Natalie couldn't play with them anymore and she had to get new friends, girls around her age. Suddenly, she couldn't share a room with Nathan anymore and her father had to clear out a spare room they would usually rent and give it Natalie. And suddenly his father wanted to talk to him about what love was and what was right for people in love to do and what was not right.

His father looked at him, his eyes as a watery blue. "Do you understand son, you can only fully understand what it means to love someone when you're older." But Robert did understand what he meant by it and he knew what it was to love someone. He didn't know why he should have to wait until he was older to come to a conclusion that he loved someone he knew as long as he knew himself. If he said it was okay for people who loved each other to kiss then why was it such a big deal that he kissed her. Why was it that she couldn't hang around him and Nathan anymore? It just didn't make sense to him. The separation was painful, sometimes he felt like he felt it more that Nathan.

By the time he twelve and he finally understood what the fuss was about, Natalie had come to realization a two years before. She and her friends would lock up in her room and talk about boys. When Nathan was bored he would break in her room and read her diary. Robert was forced to sit and listen to all the boys she thought were cute and all the boys she wanted to kiss. It was frustrating because she never expressed a desire to kiss him again. The only time he was mentioned was when she noted that one of her friends was keen on him.

He began to wonder how he could get her to want to kiss him again. The only way he could think of was to kiss other girls and hopefully it would get back to her. He kissed a lot of girls that year and it she still never wanted to kiss him again, in fact she picked up a boyfriend, one who would sometimes tell him about how he kissed her and did other things with her. He had to control himself… he wanted to kill him. As he had been her first kiss he wanted to be the first everything and he felt like she should be his first. But she wasn't his first. His entire teenage years he spent playing catch-up with Natalie and he would have to duplicate and elaborate everything she did. By the end of it he had kissed or went out with or slept with almost every girl around their age and still she didn't notice him.

After her parents died there was a time when they were getting closer. Some times they would stay up late and talk about her worries and he would try to reassure her like he always did. He wanted to make everything right for her, he wanted to be the hope that she was looking for. He was so certain that he was the one who would have her at last. He had seen her give her heart to one unworthy man after another and it would always kill him but he felt that was what she wanted so he had no choice but to want what would make her happy. He felt like the time had finally come when she would want him to make her happy. He would lay awake and think about it at nights. His heart would race, his palms would sweat and he would find himself smiling in the dark… alone… waiting for a time when it would be okay to share a bed with her again.

Then there was Arthur.

He never thought a man who was practically a senior citizen would come and steal her away from him… just like that. It just wasn't fair. Everyone around him was finding happiness and he was the only one who was miserable. Even Nathan was settling down. He met Kathy and fell in love with her in asked her to marry him all in one year. Yet, he who had been in love with the same person for 21 years could not even make as much progress.

Sometimes he wanted to scream at her, "I'm the one who wants to be with you."

But that wouldn't do. That wouldn't make her want him. She still wanted that old, long nose snob who didn't even care about her. He had known her for five years and paid no attention to her, yet a woman whom he just met he was falling all over himself for. Why couldn't she see this?

Robert sighed and pinned the flower on his black tux and turned around and looked at Nathan who was grinning to himself.

PART II: The Bridesmaid.

"Care for a dance," a gentleman with startlingly red hair asked her. She looked at him and smiled but shook her head. "I think I had too much wine, I can't stand straight." But she didn't have too much wine and she could stand up perfectly straight. The truth was despite promising herself over and over again that she was going to have fun she was having a miserable time. She danced with stranger after stranger but she never got to dance with who she really wanted to dance with. Severus had never even showed up for the wedding. Martha came and left with Jane and Severus still hadn't shown up. She knew that Martha was not a fan of hers but she had no choice but to ask her if she he was coming. She said that he gave her no indication that he intended to. So basically he lied to her. He told her that he would come. Granted she had to beg him to agree to it but in the end he made a promise, and now he was breaking it. She didn't know what she was more upset over, the fact that he broke his promise to her or that fact that she didn't have as much hold on him as she had imagined.

It was a disappointing night.

She took up her class of wine and took a little sip. She hadn't drank much out of it because she was too upset to drink or eat anything, at least in an emotional sense.

She looked around the room again hoping a catch a glimpse of him coming in but it was in vain, he definitely was not coming.

"Molly, why do you look like someone stole your favorite knickers."

"What?" she said and she turned to find that Robert was standing behind her chair. Somehow that didn't surprise her; he was the only one who would ask such an insane question. "Hello Robert,"

He took a seat at the table and looked over at her. "Why aren't you out there shaking your bum?"

He got her laugh, which was surprising since she was so miserable. "I'm not in the mood," she said.

"Not in the mood or it is that he's not here."

"Who are you referring to," she said with a sigh. He raised a brow at her. It was no secret now anyway so it made no sense continuing the act. She sighed and looked at him. He acted like his cheerful self but she could sense that something was weighing on him. He seemed to have a defeated appearance. He was looking at Nathan and Kathy dancing in close and slowly together to a song that was not slow at all. He had pained expression on his face. "Don't you want this some day?" she asked him.

He looked at her as if surprised then shook his head. "Nah, it's not really my thing."

She doubted that he even convinced himself of that. It was obvious that despite of his playboy lifestyle, a married calm life was exactly what he wanted. She had this feeling before that there was not much to Robert that he was a simple person but as she looked at him, with his sad expression that he was trying so hard to hide she began to see that there were complexities to his character that he tried to avoid showing.

She sighed and looked at the direction he was now looking. He was staring at Natalie so intently that he could set her in fire if he wanted. She was dancing with some school friend. He was probably watching how everyone was enjoying themselves except him. So they were in same boat. "Robert, do you want to dance."

He looked at her and smirked. "Are you sure you want to dance with me… I mean I'm just Robert, I can never be… King Arthur."

"Well, I'll have to settle." She got up and took his hand in hers. And they walked to the dance floor. The song had changed to a slow song so he held her closer and put his hand around her waist. They danced in silence for a moment which was awkward because she thought he would have been the type to prattle on and on. It was obvious he was thinking about something else. "What are you thinking?" she asked him.

"Nothing," he replied. She egged him on to say what was on his mind then he finally sighed in resignation. "I was just wondering what it is about Arthur that you tow like so much. I mean I don't get it at all."

It was a question that was sort of out of the blue. She was now sure that Robert was not interested in her at all she so couldn't quite understand why he was asking it but she still wanted to answer him. "I can't speak for Natalie but for me… it sort of just happened. I was not expecting it but… like I said it happened."

He sighed. "Is he good to you? I mean is he like he always is."

He sighed. "He has his ways but being close to him can be very rewarding."

He let out a labored breath. "All than in month," he whispered to himself.

She let her chin rest on his shoulder until she could see beyond him…. And there he was… Severus in the same seat she had vacated earlier. He was looking directly at her and he gave her a nod when he saw that she was looking at him. Her heart leapt and could feel a smile coming on her face. She didn't want to go rushing to him like some sort of sick puppy. She would punish him a bit so she continued to dance with Robert. She closed her eyes and moved to the music, knowing that he was looking at her. She leaned in close to Robert's ear and whispered something to him. She didn't even know what it was she said but she knew it achieved its purpose. Severus had crossed his arms and knitted his brows. She grinned at him and continued to dance with Robert.

She was desperate for the song to end but it seemed like it would go on forever. She was just about to give up when the track changed again. She moved away from Robert and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she parted from him. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Severus was there and rolled his eyes. "I forfeit you then."

She walked over to him slowly and she could feel her cheeks aching because she was trying so hard not to smile. He bit his lips as he watched her approach and stood up to greet her. He didn't say anything he just leaned forward and kissed her on her cheek. He pulled out a chair for her and sat and then he sat. He looked at her and smirked. "I heard you were asking after me," he said

She rolled her eyes. "Just wondering where you were. You did say you would be here after all."

"And here I am," he said in his low tone and she could still here him over the music.

She smiled and shook her head. "You're late."

He looked at her in her eyes. "Better late than never."

"Better never than late," she replied and folded her arms.

"Do you believe that," he said. She nodded. He didn't seem to take her seriously. "Walk with me," he said. He got up and held out his hand she felt like she had no choice but to take it. They got up and waked to outside of the hall. The night was dark and cold but he led her further out to the unlit garden. They walked until they were standing under a tree. It was almost pitch black the braches had blocked out all the moonlight. "Severus why are we here," she whispered.

"This is a nice spot," he said, then leaned against the tree.

"Why?"

"Well we can see everything but no one can see us." He replied. She felt his arms go around her waist. She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. He took one of his hands and began to run his fingers through her hair. "You're wearing my favorite color Nymphadora."

She laughed. "I thought it would have been black."

"Yes well, you managed to change my mind."

"I convinced you. There are three other women wearing the exact same dress as this."

"But it's only my favorite on you." That was definitely a compliment. She rewarded him with a kiss that happened to be on his neck. "Aim higher," he said. His voice rang through her like a noise from a Chinese symbol. His tone was soft, demanding and there was slight tinge of desperation in his voice. It made her just as desperate to fulfill his request. She moved her kisses up his neck until she kissed his cheek and finally moved across to his lips. She just let her lips brush against his for a moment. Then in the same desperate manner he reached out to her and kissed her himself.

This was a side of him that she hadn't seen before. She felt like he was releasing everything onto her, all his hopes, his desires and his frustration about his situation… everything. She felt like it was plea for her to save him… he didn't mind being weak just then. He didn't mind showing her that he was desperate for a rescue and he felt that she could provide him with that. She wanted so badly to tell him that everything was going to fine, that she could give him that salvation he wanted but there was no way. The only thing she could do was hold him and she held onto him with dear life.

She didn't know how long they would have stood there just holding each other if Robert hadn't come calling her. She didn't want to leave him, she could hold onto him forever but the more Robert called the more he became comfortable with the idea of releasing her, until the calling got so loud and persistent he had to beg her to go.

She left him standing alone in the dark under the tree and walked back to the hall. She was apparently wanted to take some photos with guest… there were many guest. Picture after picture she took and she began to feel nauseous because she was desperate to get back to him. When the pictures were finished they were ready to throw the bouquet and Robert practically forced her to try to catch it so she could take Arthur off everyone's hands. In the end Natalie caught it and she was finally released. She didn't know how much time had gone by… she knew it was a lot. She walked back out the spot where she left him.

He was gone.