**Nothing from Charmed or Supernatural belongs to me.**

Chapter Eleven

*One Day Until The Wedding*

Dean smiled as he lay in the bed. He'd unplugged the alarm, and sunlight was just beginning to peek through the slits in the curtains at the window. He was propped up on an elbow, watching Melinda as she slept. Her hair was fanned out over the pillow, her face calm and relaxed. Her lips were barely touching, looking so incredibly kissable that Dean couldn't hold back anymore. He'd been watching her for about an hour, soaking in how beautiful she was and the fact that this was the last time he'd lay in the bed with her without being married to her. He leaned over, gently pressing his lips to hers. He pulled back, watching as her eyes fluttered open, smiling when she saw him. He smiled back, speaking softly.

"Sleeping Beauty."

She made a little noise of contentment, reaching up to wrap her arms around him. He bent back, kissing her again, before lying down to put his head on her shoulder. She smiled, running her hand through his short hair, reaching her other hand down to link her fingers through his.

"It's Friday, Mel."

She took in a deep breath.

"Wow."

He leaned up to look at her, and felt the unexplainable feeling she was feeling. Fear snaked around his heart, squeezing tightly, until Melinda's eyes opened and she looked down at him.

"Oh, Dean, no! No, I'm not …"

She smiled.

"Honey, I'm not having second thoughts. I'm not going to back out. I just … We're getting married in like, 24 or so hours."

Dean just looked at her, and Melinda reached over to take his face in her hands.

"Dean Winchester, there is nothing in this world that I want more than to marry you. Don't you ever, for one second, believe that that's not true."

She leaned in, pressing her lips to his, until she felt him relax a bit. He rolled over and she followed him, laying her head on his chest.

"I'm so excited. I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve, like I just can't wait until tomorrow. I am nervous, but not about whether or not I'm making the right decision. I know I'm making the right decision. It's just …"
"I know, babe. I feel it, too."

Melinda nodded, moving closer to him. Dean wrapped an arm around her, holding her hand with his other. Melinda sighed and smiled.

"This is the last time we'll be together like this. The next time we're here—"
"It will be as husband and wife."

They both started laughing, neither one really understanding why. When they had calmed some, Melinda sat up. Dean propped a pillow up behind him as he did the same. Melinda looked at him.

"So, tonight?"

Dean smiled.

"Sam and Bobby and I are going to a bar, I guess. And any of the guys who want to come can tag along, too."
"Or all the guys. We're totally having a very girly slumber party here."

Dean smiled.

"Okay, then. Sam got us a hotel room."

Melinda nodded. The last time the brothers would be just brothers together. From tomorrow on, Dean would have Melinda, and for the first time in Dean's life, someone else's happiness and well-being would be ahead of Sam's. Melinda reached and took Dean's hand, and he smiled as he squeezed it. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. Melinda smiled.

"So you and Sam and whoever will have breakfast, and—"
"We'll be here around lunchtime?"

Melinda nodded.

"We'll get ready, and at six o'clock—"
"You'll finally be my wife."

Melinda laughed again, reaching over to take Dean's face in her hands, bringing him close and kissing him. The bedroom door flew open, and Dean and Melinda looked to see Kate standing in the doorway.

"Tomorrow is the wedding!"

They laughed, and Kate came into the room, climbing up onto the bed, moving to sit in between them. Dean laid a hand on Kate's head and Melinda leaned to kiss her cheek.

"You excited, Katie?"

She looked to Dean with a huge smile on her face. She nodded, then looked to Melinda.

"So tonight is the … what is it again?"

Melinda smiled.

"The rehearsal supper."
"Right. And what does that mean?"

Melinda laughed and Dean ran his hand over Kate's hair, making her turn to look at him.

"That means we're going to pretend like we're having the wedding, so everyone will know what they're supposed to do and where they're supposed to stand."

He bent down, whispering to Kate.

"That's so I don't look like a big doofus tomorrow."

She giggled and Melinda smiled over at Dean. He brought his eyes to hers and winked. Kate looked back to Dean with a big smile.

"I have a new dress to wear tonight. It's green."

Dean smiled.

"Did you know that my favorite color is green?"

Kate's mouth fell open and she smiled. She turned to Melinda, who smiled back as she held out her hands. Kate settled in the bed, scooting down, and Melinda and Dean did the same. A knock sounded at the door, and they turned to see Piper standing there.

"Um, have we forgotten that we have lots of stuff to finish up today? There is no time for lounging around in bed!"

Dean, Melinda, and Kate exchanged a glance, then threw the covers over their heads. Piper shook her head at the giggles that sounded from the bed, unable to do anything but smile.


The day, surprisingly, went really smoothly. Melinda and Dean were, understandably, no help at all, but everyone pretty much ignored them. Piper and Leo noticed, that if Melinda or Dean were starting to panic, which, again, was understandable, they would seek out Kate. They didn't even realize they were doing it, but the little girl would calm them down. Leo just smiled when he passed Dean and Kate, coloring at the kitchen table. Piper smiled as she passed Melinda and Kate, practicing tossing flower petals.

At 4:00, Melinda and Kate disappeared upstairs, to begin getting ready for the rehearsal. Piper had been cooking all day, with help from Paris, Phoenix, and Jenny. Leo and the guys had been putting the finishing touches on the arch, bringing it inside and helping set up, under Phoebe's command. Paige, Anna, and Peyton finished setting up the final decorations before they all dispersed to prepare for the rehearsal. Phoebe and Coop went to their apartment, Paige and Henry went to their house, Anna and Jenny to their apartment, and Matt to his place. Sam, Dean, and Bobby went to their hotel rooms, Phoenix and Paris to their apartment, and Peyton went upstairs, after Piper and Leo. Wyatt and Chris went to their grandfather's apartment, and he would be coming back with them.


Melinda sat on her bed, wrapped up in her bathrobe, looking out the window. Her hair hung in dripping blonde ropes down her back, and she stared out the window. Piper knocked at the door, gently, but Melinda didn't even hear her. Piper walked in, stopping when she saw her daughter. She smiled, then cleared her throat. Melinda glanced back and smiled.

"Hey, Mama."
"Hey, you."

Melinda slid the door shut and Piper smiled, picking up a hairbrush as she walked over, taking a seat on the bed behind Melinda. She started gently brushing, and Melinda closed her eyes. Piper sighed.

"Sweetheart, what is it?"

Melinda shook her head.

"I don't know, Mama. I know I'm doing the right thing. I love him so, so much. But I … I don't understand why I'm feeling this way."

Piper smiled.

"Honey, no matter how much you love him, and I know how much you do, this is a big step. I know we've been kind of playing it off, but this is a life-changing thing, Mel."

Melinda let out a breath, and Piper went on, still brushing.

"You are about to become Dean's wife. You're not going to be just Melinda anymore. You won't just be my daughter. You will belong to Dean, and he'll belong to you. Someone else is going to be putting you first, and you'll be putting him above yourself. It is scary as hell, but it's worth it. Oh, it is so worth it."

Melinda nodded, and Piper set the brush down.

"Hey. Turn and look at me."

Melinda did, and Piper took her hands.

"I went through this same thing when I married your dad. And you've heard the stories about that, so you know how my day went."

Melinda nodded and let out a laugh. Prue's astral self had taken over, and amid motorcycle riders, a murder charge, and Piper's own fears, the wedding had still occurred. Just instead of the mid-afternoon wedding, Piper and Leo had gotten married as the clock struck midnight. Piper smiled.

"And I wouldn't change a thing. It is scary to think about, and it's all right to be scared. It's all right to be nervous and worry. But if it happens for you the way it did for me, when you see him tomorrow, all of that will melt away. He's what's important, not the wedding or the ceremony or anything like that. And honestly, honey?"

Melinda met her mother's eyes, and Piper blinked back tears.

"You already belong to him. This is just a technicality."
"Oh, Mama."

Melinda leaned over, and Piper wrapped her in her arms.

"I love you, Melinda. You have made my life so worthwhile. I am so proud of you and the woman you've become. You have saved the world so many times, and I know you're just getting started."

Piper leaned back, running a hand over Melinda's cheek and holding it there.

"I can see how much this boy loves you. I know for a fact that he'll be good to you, because if he doesn't, there is a line of people ready to kick his ass."

Melinda laughed through her tears, and Piper smiled.

"Try not to worry, okay? Everything will work out, one way or another."

Melinda nodded, a genuine smile on her face. Piper reached up to wipe her tears away, then smiled.

"Now. Who's in charge of your hair and makeup?"
"Peyton."

Piper turned around, yelling for Peyton, who came to the doorway in her own robe. She smiled, walking in with an arsenal of makeup and hair products. Melinda walked to sit at her vanity, letting Peyton get to work.


Dean leaned over, gripping the back of a chair, letting out a long breath. Sam looked up from his laptop, shooting Bobby a glance. Bobby let out a sigh, standing up and walking over to Dean.

"Hey."

Dean turned his head to look to Bobby.

"You good?"

Dean sighed.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Sam coughed at the table, and both men turned to look at him. Dean blew out a breath.

"Shut up, Sam."

Sam smiled, reaching over to take a drink from his bottle of water. Bobby let out a sigh, walking over to the window. He set his hands in his pockets, speaking softly.

"You know, when I married Karen, I was a nervous wreck. I honest-to-God never thought she'd agree to marry me when I asked her. But she cried and acted like I was giving her the moon instead of that little ring."

A soft smile crossed Bobby's face. Sam leaned back in his chair, listening as intently as Dean was.

"She wanted to get married in June. So we waited 'til then, and I let her do everything. She was in her element, let me tell you. She had the best time planning that wedding, and I just showed up when she wanted me to. 'Course, I would have been just fine doing it at the courthouse, but she wanted a wedding."

Tears were in Bobby's eyes, but he blinked them back.

"Not too many people came. I've never been one to have a lot of friends, so that wasn't exactly a surprise. I remember standing at the back of this church, tugging at my tie because it was choking me."

He let out a laugh then.

"And Jim walked in."
"Jim?"

Bobby nodded as he glanced over at Sam.

"Well, you know him as Pastor Jim."
"Pastor Jim did your wedding?"

Bobby nodded to Dean.

"Karen knew him, and she introduced us. The hunting stuff came later."

The boys nodded, and Bobby went on.

"Jim walked over, slapped my hands away from the tie, and he re-tied it. He looked me in the eyes and said, 'Bobby, stop being an idiot. You love her, don't you?' I told him I did, and he said, 'Then what the hell is the problem? She wants to marry you, for some reason only God understands. Get out there and marry that girl, and you take care of her for the rest of your life. If you don't, I'll kick your ass so hard, you'll never be able to forget it.'"

Bobby and the boys shared a laugh, and Bobby glanced back to them.

"Jim wasn't one to mince words, you know."

Dean and Sam nodded, having been on the receiving end of a few lectures themselves. Bobby looked back out the window.

"I followed him out the door, and I stood at the front of that church for what seemed like years. Then, the doors opened and there she was. The smile on her face …"

Bobby shook his head as he smiled.

"I'll never be able to forget it. She looked so damn happy, and I guess I won't ever understand why. And I realized, when she walked up that aisle and took my hands, that all the shit I was worried about earlier didn't mean a damn thing. All that mattered was Karen, and I promised her right then that I would do whatever it took to keep that smile on her beautiful face."

Bobby turned away then, the heartache evident on his face for just a moment. He looked over to Dean and cleared his throat.

"You love her?"

Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I do."
"Then what the hell is your problem?"

Dean smiled, glancing over to Sam, who nodded. Bobby stepped forward, setting his hands on Dean's shoulders.

"You go marry that girl, and you take care of her until you breathe your last. And if you don't—"
"I know, Bobby."
"Just so you do."

Dean smiled, and Bobby wrapped him in a hug.

"Don't be such an idjit, all right? Stop worrying. Everything's going to be fine. You'll see tomorrow, when you see her walking to you."

Dean nodded, and Bobby gave him a push.

"Now go get in the shower. We can't be late for this."