Author's Note: You will note parallels in this chapter. These are intended. Are they too much? Let me know :D Prepare yourself for some back story as well. I may go back and edit this chapter again so please any feedback is appreciated! Enjoy!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: PREPARATIONS

Jamie Evers followed Alexander Gracie to his room in the west wing of the house. "I'm so excited that you will both be joining us this evening!" Alexander proclaimed happily as they entered his grand suite.

"Thank you so much for the idea, and the opportunity!" Jamie answered gratefully.

"You are most sincerely welcome. It's my pleasure to witness and celebrate two people in love with one another. It warms my heart to see it and furthermore to be a part of it."

Jamie smiled in response. He was beginning to really like Alexander.

"I am again sorry for the troubles and tribulations you went through this evening because of my plans. In all honesty I wasn't even thinking of you and what you might be facing. Ramsley had assured me I needn't worry about you; that he'd taken care of it. I suppose I put my faith blindly. I am so sorry for that, and I beg your forgiveness."

"Hey it's truly okay. I don't blame you; you were preparing to be reunited with Elizabeth. And obviously there was trust there between you and Ramsley. Honestly, it's none of your fault. Actually if I think about it, my curiosity is what got me in trouble in the first place so… No forgiveness needed Alexander. I can call you Alexander right?"

"Certainly," he chuckled.

"Good and call me Jamie."

The two shook hands and Alexander grasped Jamie's arm with his opposite hand. "Your suit is damp!" he commented in surprise. "Were you put out in the rain?"

"Oh ha-ha no it had stopped raining by the time I was outside… No I got wet because I lost the key in the water in the mausoleum."

"The mausoleum? What were you doing all the way there?" Alexander inquired.

"Besides getting the key, I battled zombies and spiders and ran for my life… Nasty business."

"I'm afraid you've lost me!" Alexander chuckled in surprise.

"Sorry, I guess I could be less cryptic… Cryptic!" Jamie muttered the word again to himself and laughed softly. He appreciated the irony of the word. "That letter that I gave you tonight, well Ramsley had it locked away in a trunk in the attic. Madame Leota sent me to get the key for it which was in the mausoleum. Only problem there was the corpses all suddenly came to life and tried to stop me. I accidentally dropped the key in the water. Unfortunately for me, I had to go under the water to retrieve it. And I wasn't in the mansion again long enough to dry off since I got thrown out a window by your butler… Sorry, don't mean to bad mouth him to you but it's the truth. Don't worry Master Gracie —I mean, Alexander— I'm fine. I landed on my car," Jamie explained when Alexander looked deeply concerned at Jamie's fall.

"I truly don't know what to say. I am so sorry; I cannot express the contrition I feel…"

"Again, it's fine. I'm not hurt and everything worked out; I've got Sarah back, you've got Elizabeth and the two of us are about to get married to the loves of our lives."

Alexander nodded. "Well you can't very well get married in that damp suit. Let's get it drying by the fire… Do you have anything else to wear for the wedding in case your suit doesn't dry in time?"

"I might, uh, but crap my suitcase is in my room!"

"I can have Ezra retrieve it once he returns."

"Oh don't worry I can go get it myself!" Jamie assured –not used to being waited on.

"I insist Jamie. You wouldn't want to risk seeing our brides whom I can only assume are getting themselves ready in Elizabeth's room within the same hall as yours."

"Yeah, you're right," Jamie nodded, "Okay I guess we can wait for Ezra then."

"Here, you can use this robe in the meantime," Alexander offered as Jamie pulled off his suit jacket and hung it on the decorative screen in of the fireplace. "I'll just dissipate outside to give you some privacy."

"Oh. Okay thanks. I appreciate it," Jamie expressed, accepting the robe. He held back a chuckle at the very English pronunciation of 'privacy'. He felt like he was in a movie.

"I'll be just outside then," Alexander told him and with a short bow he left the room.

Jamie hadn't realized how cold his clothes had made him until they were off and drying over the fireplace. He hugged Alexander's robe to him; grateful for its dry and clean feeling against his skin. Jamie also felt a tad bit awkward –it wasn't every day you put on another man's dressing gown.

He went and opened Alexander's door to invite him back in. "AH!" he cried as he was faced with someone standing right there at the doorframe. It was Ezra.

"My apologies I didn't mean to startle you Mr. Evers I was just about to knock when you opened the door on me!"

"Oh gosh it's okay Ezra," Jamie exhaled, "I guess my nerves are still not used to being confronted with the unexpected tonight."

"Oh Master Gracie I didn't see you out here," Ezra admitted as Alexander walked up to see the commotion at his door. "I materialized at the door; I didn't even look…"

"It's quite alright Ezra," he assured.

"Come in," Jamie directed with a gesture of his hand and the three moved to the center of the room.

"So Ezra what is the result?"

"We have a parson on the grounds and he'd be delighted to officiate."

"Excellent. Ezra can you please do us one last favor? Can you retrieve Mr. Evers' case from his room holding his clothes? We don't want to risk seeing our brides…"

"Of course sir. What does it look like Mr. Evers?"

"It's brown and it should be by the far wall I think by the bed? Thanks Ezra."

"You're welcome. I shall be back shortly," he declared before dematerializing out of the room.

Jamie took a deep breath and began pacing slowly a few steps back and forth.

"Nervous?" Alexander asked.

"Uh…" Jamie paused, "A little I suppose."

"Do you need a drink?" Alexander offered, gesturing at the table in the corner which held a decanter and several glasses.

"Oh gee no! Thanks though. I think I'm just more excited than nervous… I just can't believe that a few hours ago I proposed to Sarah and now here we are about to get married. It's… I think I'm nervous because of the spontaneity but I'm really excited because I get to commit my life to hers and there's no question in my mind that this is what I want."

Alexander grinned happily. "That is wonderful."

"How about you? Nervous?"

"I suppose a little…"

"I guess you've had over a hundred years to think about it and be nervous… I don't mean that in…in any sort of… disrespect or anything to your situation."

Alexander held up his hand; signalling that no offense was taken. "If anything it's solidified my thoughts. I've never had any doubts in my mind that I wanted to marry Elizabeth; that it would complete my happiness. But I will admit there were a few times that I doubted myself. I thought perhaps I had placed too much hope and…assurance in thinking that our marriage should and would happen as I'd wanted it to and that everything would be as it should. There were so very many times I thought that perhaps I had placed too much weight in wanting to marry her in those months; that possibly I could have waited awhile longer so that we faced less opposition and thus she never would have left this world so soon and so suddenly. I always blamed myself for that; for these two centuries. I wanted to apologize. I wanted so many things…" he trailed off, "But now that I know the truth, I am finding forgiveness for myself. It has been so hard to try and be selfless when my own selfishness had brought upon Elizabeth's death and thus my own at wanting to be with her.

But let's never mind all that now; we're going to be getting married the both of us in under an hour's time. We should be focusing on the positives and our blessings!"

"Alexander… I just want to say, um… And it kinda freaks me out to say this but… You and I are very much alike… I understand your feelings and motivations a little more than I wish to. I think had things gone differently I could easily be you and vice versa. We've both gone through very similar things despite the gap of the time periods we come from and it's weird to say this but our love for our soul-mate has brought us both to similar experiences and has now brought us here to this moment. And I'm not sure if I believe in fate and things being ordained and all that but I really think that somehow you and I are connected just as much as Sarah and Elizabeth are connected. And I'm beginning to believe that this entire night; the ups and the downs, was meant to happen to us all. I don't want to sound crazy or something but I mean…" Jamie threw his hands up in resignation, "Just the resemblances between Sarah and Elizabeth alone… It's weird. I'm done thinking about it; I'm getting a shiver up my spine!"

Alexander's face was drawn into serious consideration. He was contemplating what to say to Jamie's profession.

At that moment, Ezra knocked on the door and brought in the suitcase.

After going through it, Jamie was disappointed. "Well really I didn't pack much in the way of a wedding wardrobe," he muttered discouraged, "I suppose I wasn't planning on getting married or attending a wedding but…"

"Can I be of any assistance?" Alexander offered.

"Um… You wouldn't mind borrowing me a clean dress-shirt would you?" Jamie asked. "I think I can manage with everything else."

"Of course. Is that all you need? Please don't hesitate to ask: what's mine is yours. Truly, what you've done for all of us –not just me- tonight is irreplaceable. I want your wedding to be as perfect as it can be."

"Thanks. I think I'll be okay… So long as my pants dry over there I'll have a perfect outfit."

"With all due respect, I would really like to offer you to wear one of my suits. It's true I am slightly taller but I'm sure I have a few that will fit appropriately. It seems to me that your styles now haven't much changed from my day and if possible I'm sure I can find one amongst my things to agree with you. I won't have you going out there for your wedding in wet trousers."

Jamie chuckled, "Yeah I guess that wouldn't be ideal… I just don't want to, uh, impose on you I guess."

"Nonsense. There has to be something here in the mansion for you to wear. You may not know this Jamie Evers but the majority of my adult life was entertaining guests and making sure their needs were met while in my care at this manor. I am not going to drop my habits now and certainly not when my guest has done so much for me."

The matter was settled. They took several minutes to look through Alexander's wardrobe and finally found a pair of dark pants, a white shirt and an embroidered green and brown waistcoat to fit Jamie properly. He laughed when Alexander told him the pants and jacket he'd chosen were a set Alexander had worn in his late teens before he'd reached his current height. At first, Jamie wasn't sure about having a waistcoat but when he looked in the mirror, he was impressed with his appearance and decided on keeping it.

After brushing his tousled hair and running a cloth over his face, Jamie looked in the mirror and smiled. This was it. Tonight he was going to get married!

"Shoot I almost forgot I don't have a ring!" he declared when he'd mentally gone over a checklist of being prepared for his wedding. "Neither does Sarah in fact…"

"A ring? A wedding ring?" Alexander asked. Jamie nodded. "I'm sure Elizabeth has one that Sarah can use. You need one for yourself as well?"

"Uh, yeah… Do you have just a simple ring I can use just for the symbolism then later I'll get one made for myself."

"I'm sure I have something. Is it traditional that the groom also have a ring?" Alexander inquired as he retrieved his box holding his treasured jewellery and other various items such as cuff links and two pocket watches.

"Yeah actually. You mean, you don't do that?"

"It was a very rare occurrence."

"Oh wow. That's…neat. I thought it was always this way!" Jamie declared.

Alexander didn't have very many rings. Even then, they were slightly too small for Jamie's finger. "This is so weird: your clothes are too big but your rings are too small for me!" he laughed.

Alexander chuckled apologetically. "Wait a moment!" he exclaimed a moment later, "Perhaps my grandfather's rings will fit you. I might also have a few that were my father's as well though his are quite large. Try my grandfather's first. This one I've always wanted to wear but it has always been too big for me; it might fit your finger." Alexander held out a gold ring with a dark circular stone set in the middle of a rectangular base. It was a rather bulky ring; not meant for a wedding band, but for the sake of having something to use for the ceremony, Jamie tried it on. It fit much better than Alexander's rings though for Jamie's finger it still had a bit of wiggle room.

"And how about this one?"

Jamie liked the look of this one; it was much more a band fit for a wedding ceremony. It was also gold with intricate designs surrounding the whole piece. There was a small diamond set in the middle at the very top of the band. As he looked closer at it before putting it on, Jamie realized the designs were of two animals on each side; they looked like either lions or gryphons on first glance. This ring fit him perfectly and Jamie smiled.

"And here's one last one that I have in my room. The rest are elsewhere but I can easily obtain them."

"Okay," Jamie agreed.

This ring was similar to the first; a rectangular sapphire gem set instead of the circular onyx one, but was slightly smaller in the space it took up on Jamie's finger. He liked it and it fit rather nicely.

"Honestly I think I can use one of these rings," Jamie assented, eyeing the last two he'd tried on.

"You are welcome to."

Jamie looked over both rings carefully. He did like the colour of the sapphire but the gold ring with the tiny diamond was more appropriate for a wedding ceremony. He made his choice. "I think this one," he stated, holding up the intricately decorated band.

"My grandfather received that one as a gift on his birthday from my grandmother in England before they became engaged. Or so I was told. I always liked its renaissance design… I'm glad you'll have it for this evening. And if you want, you can have all three of these rings. In fact, yes, please keep them for yourself."

"What? No gee that's not necessary!" Jamie disagreed.

"Please. It's tradition to give gifts for weddings still?"

"Yes but…"

"But nothing Jamie Evers my mind is made up. I'm giving you these as a small gift for your wedding."

"Small? Quite the opposite!" he protested and he caught Ezra trying not to laugh at his exaggerated response.

"I stand firm. You can keep them. Besides, what am I to do with them? They've never fit me."

"I dunno but… This is part of your grandfather's legacy is it not? It seems too important to just give these to me who you've just met tonight and… You barely know me. I just feel…" Jamie shrugged his shoulders.

"Jamie Evers," Alexander addressed him, putting his hands on the young realtor's shoulders, "You've said it yourself; that the two of us are much alike. I too feel this to be true. Therefore, there is no one I'd rather bestow these upon. My congratulations and best wishes for you on your wedding."

Jamie felt absolutely humbled by Alexander's words. He couldn't argue with this Victorian gentleman; not after words like that. It just didn't feel right. "Well thank you very much," he murmured and shook Alexander's hand. "Um you're going to have to wait a little bit to get your wedding gift from me; it got lost in the mail," he joked and Master Gracie laughed at his joke.

"The mail service to this manor has definitely been lacking as of late," he chuckled, "I'm sure it will turn up eventually."

"Well I guess this is it then; I'm all ready to go," Jamie announced. Alexander agreed the same. "Well what do we do now? Wait here I suppose?"

"Everything's ready in the ballroom once more," Ezra confirmed.

"Excellent. Well yes I suppose we must wait a little longer," Alexander responded. "Let's not go to the ballroom just yet; I fear it will agitate our nerves with excitement and anticipation."

"You're probably right," Jamie agreed. "Do you mind if we make small talk then?" When Alexander established that he didn't mind, Jamie went on, "So how'd you two meet?"

"It was a party here actually. She was the daughter of the caretaker for The Manor and that time I had extended an invitation to everyone within the staff to come if they wished to share in the frivolity. The two of us were so very young then… We had an instant connection and I found her so easy to talk to and time passed us by so quickly that evening. I knew at once that she was very special. I knew she hadn't been born to privilege but she carried herself with such grace and friendliness that I knew no one could say anything against her regarding her status if they didn't know of it. As time passed, we saw more and more of one another around The Manor and eventually I offered her a permanent home here after her father passed away.

She was stubborn about my affections though. She rarely allowed me to dote upon her anything that she didn't feel she deserved or had earned for herself. I suppose I can understand her position: it could be viewed by an outsider that she was simply taking advantage of my status but it was so much the contrary.

She has always been such excellent company; my friend, my fellow bibliophile –she loved learning from books as much as I did and we spent hours in the library together. That's where I found her actually…" Alexander reflected sombrely in a quieter tone; suddenly remembering the fateful night he'd lost his beloved.

"What happened?" Jamie asked softly as he beheld both Ezra and Alexander's sad expressions.

"We had agreed that night to meet up at midnight in the library during the ball. It was a masquerade and I waited in anticipation to see if I could spot her but it was in vain. Elizabeth had told me that I should go to my room at ten minutes to midnight where I would find something from her awaiting me. The time seemed to go by so slowly. Eventually I stopped looking at the clock but I wish to God I had just looked up at it sooner because before I knew it, it was eleven fifty-four. I stole away from the party where I found the note left for me slipped under my door. She said –or at least the note said- that she could not have me throw everything away for her and that she was too proud to continue on and remain apart from me after all we'd been through together. I was led to believe she could not face the public scrutiny that would follow. She would remove herself from the picture in order for me to move on for she knew I'd be obstinate and not let her go so easily. Before the clock chimed twelve I was running to the library. I couldn't let her do this; to leave. But that damned clock chimed just as I ran down the staircase. I can still…" Alexander paused, tears glossing his eyes over as the memory played fresh in his mind. He closed them a moment and once the tears had subsided, he opened his eyes and then continued, "She'd drank poisoned wine. I was too late. She'd fallen onto the couch; I pulled her into my arms. I have never felt anything so painful as that. I would never wish it upon anyone."

"Oh my God," Jamie muttered in realization. "You mean the red couch in the library?"

"Yes. I've since rearranged the furniture so as not to remind me however I didn't have the heart to rid myself of the item."

"Oh God," Jamie repeated. It all made sense to him now; the stain on the couch was from the wine which had spilt and when he'd touched it, the uneasy feeling he'd felt must have been from the aura of the tragedy that had occurred over a century ago in that very spot.

Alexander was shaking his head slightly as his memories resurfaced to him. "I couldn't move on without her. I wanted to be with her forever but she was gone… I knew that if I lived on and eventually died I would still never see her again because she'd committed suicide. I saw only one way to be with her… I hung myself in the very same room. But instead we were all cursed to remain trapped here; in limbo. Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. Madame Leota assured us that Elizabeth would return in time; she prophesied it. So we waited. And soon, the years passed without my notice…

Oh my; here I am talking of such morbid things to you and we are about to celebrate our weddings! My apologies," Alexander offered, looking thoroughly embarrassed. "I tend to speak sometimes about a topic without realizing my tendency to continue on and on. We must change the subject."

"Don't worry about it. But uh, speaking of the library —now that you mention it— I kind of crashed my car into it…" Jamie declared slowly; feeling awful. "I couldn't get into The Manor again; the windows kept repairing themselves no matter how many times I tried to smash them open and so… Madame Leota encouraged me to try again and I realized that maybe if I drove my car through the conservatory windows I might get in… Oh God I feel so embarrassed now. I promise I will pay for all the repairs myself!"

"You crashed your vehicle? Through the windows?" Alexander muttered with raised eyebrows. He let out a chuckle of surprise. "I am honestly more curious than anything. I say we go take a look, shall we?"

Jamie felt terrible as the three of them made their way to the library on the first floor in the east wing.

But they were all extremely surprised to find that although the car was still there, the evidence of its journey through the windows into the house was missing. Everything, including the piano, was back to normal; fixed as though nothing had happened. The only sign of Jamie's struggle was the damage to the car and its windows.

"Wow I guess your house really is self-repairing!" Jamie chortled in surprise.

"Well this saves you from any expenses which I would have covered anyways myself," Alexander bemused. "I had no idea it did that…"

"Neither did I…" Ezra muttered.

"Well gee this is awkward. How am I supposed to get my car out? And where is Madame Leota?" he asked as he looked inside his car and found it empty.

"I suppose you could try driving it out the way you came in," Alexander suggested. It took some convincing but he managed to get Jamie to agree with him to do it. Alexander also insisted that he himself drive the car so that Jamie wouldn't get hurt. "I'm a ghost if you do recall. Just show me what to do and I shall do this for you. I would hate to see you get hurt should anything go wrong. Please, I insist."

Five short minutes later, the piano had been moved as well as a few other items within the conservatory and Alexander prepared to back the car out. The three men decided it would be best if Ezra went upstairs to warn the women of what they were about to do; in case the sound of the crash startled them. Once Ezra returned, Alexander started the car and after the other two backed away to the opposite side of the room, he sped the car out the window.

"Well that went well I think," he exclaimed in amusement as he rematerialized within the library just as the glass again repaired itself. "Here are your keys."

"Thanks. That was pretty cool to watch by the way. I'm trying to picture what I must have looked like coming in; I was so scared when I was behind the wheel but I'm sure it looked pretty amazing."

The other two laughed with Jamie good-naturedly.

"Well the hour's passed now and the women said they are ready upstairs. Shall we get you two to the altar?" Ezra proposed.

The two grooms looked at each other in sudden anxious excitement.

"I guess this is it," Jamie murmured.

Alexander nodded. "Lead the way Ezra. I think we're ready."

Author's Note: Okay who's pumped for Chapter 25?! I know I am! I am still in the process of writing it and it may take awhile because I want it to be perfect; the two couples have waited long enough for this moment I think I owe it to them! In the meantime please leave me some feedback whether positive or criticism! Thanks for your love and support readers!