One of my favourite chapters :').

xx

SSC

After waking up on the couch by herself, Elise rushed to get dressed. She didn't know how she had managed to over sleep. Even with the room being freezing cold, she felt surprisingly warm.. She didn't even think she was that tired from the day's events.

Deciding to leave the investigative questions for later, Elise rushed to Susan's bedroom. She found Alicia and Susan in bath robes. Susan was sitting in front of her vanity with Alicia on the edge of the bed, opposite the dresser. They simultaneously looked up when Elise barged into the bedroom.

"Oh there you are." The bride sighed in relief. Eli grinned in response but then her stare fell on Valerie.

She was standing beside the vanity, rifling through the many make-up and hair apparatus she had brought with her. At Eli's appearance guilt immediately clouded her dark eyes.

Elise bit the inside of her lip. She had forgotten that Valerie was the dresser for Susan, Elise was the one who had suggested her and Susan agreed.

Resisting the urge to frown, she averted her stare back to the blonde.

"Sorry, am I late?"

"No, we got time. Valerie was just helping me with the make-up." She said with a bright smile on her face, Elise nodded stiffly.

"Right." She said and turned her attention to the closed bathroom door "I'll just brush my teeth then."

"Liz." Susan called again, Elise paused mid walk to the toilet before looking to her.

"Yeah?"

"You got a Crunchy wrapper stuck to your hair." She said, gesturing to the back of her head. Elise mimicked her movements and felt the smooth surface that crinkled at her touch.

"Oh. I fell asleep on the couch last night." She said and plucked the wrapped out of her hair and crumbled it up in her fist.

"Alone?" Alicia inquired curiously.

"Yeah, why?"

The blind woman smiled and Susan gave a secret glance in Alicia's direction.

"Oh no reason." The Invisible woman said as she waved at the air around her dismissively. Elise would have felt inclined to ask more questions to Susan and Alicia's sly smiles. But she didn't want to be in the same room as Valerie until she absolutely had to.

Johnny began to hastily throw on his tux. He had slept in and was thirty minutes late to pick up Natalie, he wouldn't have minded if she hadn't constantly hounded him about it.

He had slept in. Just thinking about who he woke up to made him feel all warm inside. Johnny hadn't been able to stop thinking about Elise's serene face as she slumbered, even as Natalie stroked his thigh flirtatiously in the car on the way back.

Sighing dreamily, Johnny made his way into the kitchen. He began to button up the cuffs of his long white sleeves when he saw Alicia and Ben in the kitchen.

"Hey, Johnny."Alicia greeted abruptly, startling him.

"Wow" He laughed in amazement "Does that amaze anyone else? How did she know it was me? I didn't say anything!"

Alicia slowly stepped away from Ben to pick up the flower on the counter beside her. The skirts of her deep purple bride's maid dress squished around her.

"Well to be honest, you kind of smell like ash." She said, making her boyfriend laugh.

"You're late." Ben pointed out as Johnny began to button up his ebony vest.

"Oh let's not make this about me, its Reed and Sue's big day." Storm murmured dismissively "Let's give them the attention for a change."

"OW!" The Thing shouted with false pain, he received a annoyed thump on the shoulder from Alicia.

"Don't do that!" She scolded before beginning to smooth out the crinkles of the suit on his shoulders.

Johnny watched them with a slight squint to his eyes. Paying attention to their closeness, their intimate smiles and especially the way Ben watched her, like she was a goddess visiting earth.

"There, you are perfect." She praised softly. Ben smiled and placed a hand gently on the curve of her waist.

"You are perfect." He insisted lovingly and began to pull her in. Alicia's smiling lips descended down on to Ben's rock like mouth.

Johnny shivered, perturbed and awed by the sweetness of their kiss. Alicia leaned away, grinning like school girl.

"I'll see you upstairs." She said, leaving Ben's arms to make her way to the second exit.

"Bye, Johnny." She said on her way out. Johnny waved at her back but then realized she couldn't his actions and stopped.

Ben was sighing dreamily, staring after Alicia's retreating form. Johnny couldn't help but ignite a conversation.

"So, seems like you and Alicia are doing well." He noted, he flatted his hands on the marble counter and began to swing his upper body back and forth "Annoyingly so in fact."

"Yeah, I am a lucky guy." The astronaut responded with smug shrug of his shoulders.

"Yeah you are."Johnny muttered, more to himself than Ben. He shook his head, he was thinking about her again.

"Question for you though." He announced grabbing the man's undivided attention.

"How do you guys um?" Johnny bit his lip trying to form words and only managed a sneaky grin and a click of his tongue, while gesturing his open palms animatedly.

Understanding the meaning behind his roguish smile and glittering eyes. The orange pebbles around Ben's eyes that were shaped like eyebrows, squished together furiously.

"That's none of your business!" He exclaimed taking a stomping step in the Human Torch's direction.

"Alright, okay I am just concerned." Johnny confessed. His arms rose up defensively while taking massive strides back to form distance.

He began to inch back slowly to the door behind him.

"I would hate to wake up one morning and find out she was killed in a rock slide." He said hastily before pivoting and dashing out the door.

"I'LL SHOW YOU A ROCK SLIDE."

Johnny took detour towards the living quarters to avoid Ben's wrath. Grinning wickedly he made his way to his room to pick up his overcoat.

His long legs moved hurriedly as he shrugged on his coat. He needed to be at the top floor in time to give Susan away. Immersed in his thoughts he swiftly made a bend at the corner of the corridor, only to bump into an unexpected figure.

Johnny froze when the woman stumbled back on her high-heels. One hand shot out to the wall to her right. But her focus was on her dress. Sighing in relief she looked up sharply to meet his gaze.

Johnny was taken aback by Elise's emerald eyes that glared up at him. He was frozen in surprise unable to believe his eyes.

Elise was in a dress, her bride's maids dress.

The deep reddish purple chiffon gown hugged every curve of her body. The dress was pretty on Alicia, but in Johnny's eyes. It was drop dead gorgeous on Elise Adams.

His tantalized stare traveled down from her piercing jade eyes to the smooth, bronze lines of her shoulders to the sweet heart neckline of the dress. Her inky black hair was pinned up in loose curls with a few spiraling strands dangled freely. The hairstyle showed off the clean line of her jaw and the graceful arc of her olive neck.

He felt his breathing deepen just at the fierce look in her eyes. Johnny's began to wonder if his suit was tailored properly because his pants felt tight in that moment.

"You are so lucky I didn't fall, because you would be limping down the aisle otherwise." She snapped threateningly, Johnny was immediately turned on by her feisty tone.

"From all the rough sex?" He asked with a devious upturn of his mouth.

Her gaze narrowed, in amazed bafflement "How-how do you do that? How do you make everything so crass?"

"I might make things crass but babe." He took a dramatic pause give her figure a slow once over "You are wearing that dress."

"Obviously." She uttered with a charmingly pompous flick of her wrist.

Elise took a paused and her gaze skimmed him in turn. Johnny was thrilled at the sight of her jade eyes that darkened to smoky, appreciative green.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She mused. Johnny gave her a look that seemed to say 'I know' before he smirked. She was about to return it when something on the lapels of his jacket had caught her eye.

"Where is your flower?" She asked, considering she just handed Kevin's his a moment ago.

"Oh I lost it a while back in Glenville high." He responded in casual wit before slanting a smile at her "You?"

Elise was stunned for a moment allowing his words to sink in, when they did. She was fighting the urge to smile; the last thing she wanted was to encourage his inappropriate wit on his sister's wedding day.

His blue eyes squinted at her all knowingly and he began to take slow steps towards her.

"Come on." He cooed "You know you want to laugh."

"No I don't." She said firmly then began to press her lips together stubbornly.

He swiftly poked the deepening dimple on her left cheek.

"Liar." He whispered, leaning towards her. Elise's tortured stare followed the straight line of his nose to his chestnut brown eyebrows.

"Find your own flower."

"Can't I just use yours?"

"You wish you had my flower." Johnny laughed at her sassy tone, Elise grinned.

She had emerged from Susan and Reed's bedroom, feeling moody. Valerie had apologized for her misbehavior at the bachelor party while applying Elise's made up. She had said she forgave her, but Elise wondered if she actually meant it. It felt like Valerie had been messing up and a lot lately and Eli was always quick to forgive.

She was making her way to the elevator to get to the ceremony when she had bumped into Johnny. He always managed to ease her tension, one way or another.

"You two are still discussing floras right? Because I can come back." Kevin's appearance surprised them. He was in his tux with a white rose pinned to the left lapels of his jacket. The man was grinning in amusement from having witnessed Johnny and Elise's teasing banter.

"Don't encourage him, he only gets worse." Elise warned her turning to her friend before giving Johnny a disapproving glare over her shoulder.

"Fuel to fire is literal with you huh." The brunette mused to Johnny while adjusting his black tie.

"Liz!" Elise groaned in response to Susan's voice that called her. She gently touched Kevin's shoulder, grabbing his attention.

"I'll meet you at the entrance okay?"

"Sure thing Eli."

She turned away from her friend and looked to Johnny. He was watching her intently.

"See ya, Smiles." He said as she hurried past him. The familiar scent of apricots brushed under his nose, consuming him in a wave of longing all over again.

"I think it bothers you, to see him so happy and in love. I think you are jealous." Alicia commented—in response to Johnny's reasons behind his constant teasing of, Ben. They were alone in the waiting hall, patiently expecting Susan to appear.

"You think I am jealous?" Johnny echoed mockingly walking up to stand beside her.

"Have you seen the women I've dated?" He said before taking a swing of his glass of champagne.

Alicia contentedly smelled the bouquet of roses in her hand until his question stilled her.

"No." She stated flatly, Johnny gave her a guarded tight-lipped smile. Alicia giggled picturing his guilty face in her mind.

"You can only fool yourself for so long, Torch."

He wanted to come up with some witty response but he was tongue tied. Fool myself? He didn't get long to ponder Alicia's wise words when Ben suddenly appeared, with Susan clinging to his arm.

"Ta da!" His voice boomed within the walls. Susan was blushing under their unwavering stares.

"Hey it's the bride of stretchy man!" Johnny exclaimed teasingly.

"Don't start." The bride whined, awkwardly shifting her weight from one heel to the other.

Elise and Kevin walked in seconds after, instantly grabbing Johnny's eye. He watched her walk in, oblivious to his stare because she was engrossed in her own thoughts.

Something was wrong, he could tell from the way her nose was slightly crinkled. Kevin didn't look happy either; Johnny saw the tightness in his jaw. His curiosity had peaked.

"Eli!" Her head shot up at the sound of her uncle's voice beckoning her "Come on, we are on."

"Right-o." She mumbled pulling Kevin's arm behind her. She fell in line behind Ben and Alicia with Kevin at her side. Elise tried to focus her attention on the white doors that were about to open and not on the oddly silent friend beside her.

What the hell was that? She asked herself, having witnessed an argument between Kevin and Valerie near Susan's bedroom. Even though she didn't hear the words that were exchanged between the two, she had never seen Kevin so livid and Valerie almost in tears.

Their voices were in hushed tones in order to not attract a scene, Elise felt unfortunate to have passed by when searching for Susan's veil. She didn't want to pry, not when they were about to precede the way for Susan.

The doors opened and the violins began to play, remembering not to haste her footstep she walked calmly. One hand gripped gently at the crook of his arm while the other kept her flower bouquet poised in front of her, to perfection.

"Just don't send her off by being well...you."

Elise's words from the night before randomly drifted into his subconscious, as he took in the sight of her sister in her wedding dress. Susan was always his elder sister, even if she was wearing a penguin suit Johnny wouldn't have noticed anything different.

But today wasn't one of those days. Susan was glowing in her strapless white dress. She was shifting uncomfortably and avoiding her brother's gaze. She was nervous; Johnny suddenly felt the need to assure her.

Drinking the last remains of his champagne he settled the glass down on a table behind him.

"You know you don't look completely ridiculous in that dress." He commented. She shot him a sardonic look at his words.

"Is that obnoxious brother talk for you-look-kinda-nice?"

He stared plainly before a genuine smile curved at his lips "You look beautiful."

She was surprised by his words and stood silently for a moment to absorb them. Then she smiled shyly and uttered a barely audible "Thank you."

Johnny took slow steps towards her, his smile widening all the while, the sudden happiness he felt left his lips in a chuckle. He stopped in front of her, gathering his sister's slender hands in his.

Susan waited with patient solicitude as her little brother gathered the words his wanted to say. He looked down at their interlocked hands for a moment before raising his gaze to her veil and then to her.

"Dad would be proud." He said, resolutely. It hurt Susan knowing that even after all these years, mentioning their father was difficult for him. But her heart melted at the love in his eyes and the smile slipped on easily.

"I know." She whispered back, blinking back tears before gathering her brother in his arms. He hugged her tightly in a solid affection.