A/N: Finally the wedding chapter! yay it's an important and sweet moment so i hope you guys like it *o*

Song: If I knew - Bruno Mars ( /watch?v=9YZpng2PL34 )

XVII. If I knew

Darren stopped the car, but they didn't go out immediately. He told her he had a little surprise he was keeping for that moment. Lauren looked at him, he could tell she was trying to hold her curiosity and excitement. He grinned.

"First close your eyes." He ordered softly.

She did it so; he leaded his hand to the pocket of his tuxedo, grabbing a tiny packet from it. He took out a delicate shiny necklace from it. He carefully put it around Lauren's neck, and tied it. She gasped quietly, feeling the cold silver on her skin.

"Done." He announced.

Lauren looked at it and a big flaring smile appeared on her face. She grabbed the pendant of an owl that was hanging from the necklace to examine it. It had big, a little scary eyes.

"It's beautiful, Darren, I love it. Thank you." She finally said, and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Owls are a symbol of protection." He commented. He obviously didn't pick just any necklace; he chose that one for a reason. "They can still see when it's dark." He explained.

Darren sighed, looking at her up and down. She was truly stunning. She was wearing a red satin dress, Marilyn Monroe style, long to her knees, and the color combined with her lipstick just made her even prettier.

"You look gorgeous. Happy birthday." He complimented her with a smile.

Lauren felt a burnt on her cheeks, she was surely blushing. Darren got out of the car and opened the door for her. The ceremony to the wedding, although they didn't attend, took place that evening; so the party was at night, including a dinner. The place of the event was very nice and fancy; it was indoors but they had a huge garden with paths, trees and benches. Darren took her hand and they walked to the entrance. A few bodyguards were standing defiantly on the front door.

"I think I know that guy." Lauren whispered to him, referring to one of the bodyguards.

He gave his invitation to the guy with the list of guests; and while he was checking his name, the other one whispered something they couldn't hear. Darren pulled of Lauren's hand to enter to the building, but the arm of one of the big guys stopped him.

"What's happening?" Darren asked, confused.

"I'm afraid we can't let you two in." The guy with the list replied, looking a little uncomfortable.

"What? Why?" Darren frowned, upset.

"We have orders about what kind of people are admitted in here." This time the other guy who responded with his grim loud voice.

Lauren suddenly let go his hand.

"My invitation says I can bring someone with me." Darren intervened, his voice was loud as well. Yes, he was mad.

"You'll see…" the men tried to give and excuse, but he cut him off.

"No, she's a lady and you're disrespecting her. I want to talk with someone who's actually in charge here." He snapped, disposed to fight back every single one of their accusations. They were not going to ruin that night. Not that one.

But as he was too busy leading with them, he didn't realize Lauren was walking away to the place where the car was parked again. She rested her back on the car, putting a hand on her face. She didn't want to relapse but she knew she was about to do it. They ruined it, they fucking ruined it. She was crying now.

Darren took out his phone and called Brian, telling him to see if he could fix the mess from inside. He replied he'd do it immediately and that he had nothing to worry about, that it was probably a misunderstood. But Lauren was gone.

"You make me sick." He spit out , grossed out, at the bodyguards, as he walked to the car.

He mostly ran to the car to find Lauren sobbing quietly.

"Lauren, they have no idea what they're saying. They're assholes." Darren assured, approaching her, trying to comfort her. But he stepped back when he heard her screaming back.

"You know, I'm trying to get over this since months ago, and it seems that every time I want to step further, the past comes back! Don't you see it?! I am condoned to be kicked out of any nice place!" She was shouting, but she was crying as well. He didn't get mad at her. He realized she couldn't hold it anymore.

"Don't say that…" Darren replied sweetly.

She burst on sobs; so he pulled her into a hug. He felt her shaking on his chest, so he just held her tighter. He wanted to kill those bastards who made a tragedy of her perfect day.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. He knew that with the life she had been carrying, none of her birthdays could have been very joyful. And he wanted to change that for her, but he couldn't.

"No… I'm sorry. I was ranting to you. It's not your fault." She whispered with a broken voice.

He softly stroked her back, and felt how she cuddled closer, placing her nose against his neck, enjoying his warmness.

"Go and enter in there, Darren. I will catch a taxi, okay?" Lauren continued, confident of her words, but he wouldn't do that.

"No." he cut dryly.

"At least go and say hi, and I'll wait in the car."

"I'm not going to leave you here. I want you there with me. We both enter or we both go. Okay?" He took her hands and rubbed them softly.

She smiled slightly. Even though her makeup was kind of ruined, she still looked beautiful.

A voice approaching them distracted their attention. It was Brian.

"Darren! I'm so sorry about this, you guys can come in now." He announced.

They entered to the building; it was beautifully decorated. Darren noticed some details were even planned when Mia was still with him, but he didn't say a thing. The bride and the groom were already in the party, sitting down in the center table, which was larger than the others and they were surrounded by their family and closest friends. Brian went to one of the amount of tables on the sides, where the rest of the guests were having their dinner. The center of the salon was obviously a dance floor prepared for later in the night. There was a rock band playing some background music on the back; but next to them was also a DJ probably, so the band wouldn't stay the whole night. Garlands, wreaths and colored ribbons were everywhere, giving the place a gorgeous landscape.

When Brian left them to sit down with Meredith; Darren held Lauren's hand tighter. He looked at her, grinning, and she nodded. He didn't even need to express with words that question. So without letting go her hand, they walked to the newlyweds' table. When they approached the couple, Joey was the first one to spot them, and stood up quickly. He was already smiling, but when he saw Darren his smile widened more in an amazingly way.

"Congratulations, man." Darren said smiling, and he even gave him a big bro hug.

He felt good. In that moment, he could only think of the good times they had together, all the adventures they shared and the times they helped each other out; and seeing how happy Joey looked when he appeared in there, meant that he obviously still cared about him too. And, what the hell, he even felt proud of him when saw him wearing that black fancy suit.

"This is Lauren, my girlfriend." He introduced them, and Joey smiled, leaned his head down a little like a way to show his respect, and then shook her hand. Lauren just smiled back and accepted his hand. She could already see that he was a charming, friendly guy, and understood why it was hard for everyone to believe the reason Darren and him weren't friends anymore. However, that same charm and kind of flirty ways made her understand why he used to be such a good friend of him. She could easily picture him, Darren and Brian hanging out and being Casanovas.

Mia showed up behind him. She looked gorgeous in her wedding dress, and you could just see printed on her face that was the best day of her life, as it was supposed to be. All the fears and doubts of last night were way back behind. Hugging her to say congratulations was probably the hardest thing of the night for Darren. He didn't think it'd be but it was. Seeing her as the bride, and having her face and smell so close to him brought back too many memories. He made that hug the shortest he could to get away from her; before he would start to over think and make something stupid. But before she went away, she whispered to him:

"Thank you for last night."

He just shrugged, letting her know it wasn't a big deal. She met Lauren before he could even introduce her.

"Nice to meet you." Mia said and smiled widely. She thought of Lauren as the luckiest girl in the world.

Lauren just nodded and smiled too. She was being utterly shy right then, but Darren could easily understand her reasons to be uncomfortable with those people. So he held her hand again; and wishing the best to the couple, they went to the table they shared with Brian and Meredith.

The dinner was delicious; the catering and service was obviously good and expensive, that was probably the reason they were making a deal when they showed up at the entrance. Luckily they quickly forgot that incident. Lauren went to fix her makeup to the bathroom; and chilling immediately with the music, the chatting and the food, it was a comfy environment, nobody noticed that something had happened.

While Brian and Meredith were talking, you could tell they had something to say but they were waiting for a special occasion. Just when Darren was about to ask, they couldn't hold it anymore, and Meredith threw it out with a big bright smile:

"We're engaged."

"Oh my god!" Lauren exclaimed, her jaw dropped in surprise but she looked happy for them too.

"Congratulations, dude." Darren bumped fists with Brian as he nodded slowly.

"Let me see it!" Lauren asked excitingly. Meredith stretched her hand and Lauren took it to see the shiny delicate ring on her finger. "Aw, it's really beautiful. Congratulations. To both of you."

"When will you two jump off the hop too?" Meredith said, arching her eyebrows at them. Brian grimaced, looking somewhere else, trying to hide his Ouch face.

Lauren and Darren looked at each other immediately, both of them mumbling without saying a single logical word.

"Oh, no, we haven't-" Lauren tried to explain, shaking her head.

"We haven't thought about it yet." Darren cut her.

"Yeah, exactly. That's why." She agreed, and emptying her glass of wine from one shot.

"Oh, that's cool, no need to rush anything. But hey, that remembers me of something. You guys never told me how you met!" Meredith asked, really curious.

Darren and Lauren both suddenly became speechless, and looked at each other (again), mumbling and wondering what to make up. The real story wasn't an option. Luckily, Brian was faster than them and saved the situation this time.

"I introduced them." He explained, finishing his dessert. "Actually, I was their mutual friend."

"So, it's all thanks to you?" Meredith asked, impressed and proud. She dedicated a sweet smile to him.

Brian shrugged. "I guess I'm kind of a cupid after all."

After all he was.

Meredith kissed him quickly on the lips, before punching him softly on the shoulder and pointing at the dance room.

"They're going to dance the waltz!" she announced, excited. It was true, the band stopped playing and the DJ put romantic classic waltz music on.

The married couple was indeed on the center of the dance floor, and some of the guests were gathering fast around them, drawing a big circle around Joey and Mia. After they danced with each other for a while, they'd switch partners with people who wanted to share that special moment with them. Brian and Meredith walked to join the circle, but Lauren and Darren stayed a moment sitting at their table.

Lauren looked at him. She was grinning slightly but had a special bright on her eyes.

"Darren, you can go dance the waltz with her if you want. Really, it's okay." She said sweetly.

Darren let out a little smile too, but then he shook his head. He didn't need that.

"But, I have to admit." Lauren continued, looking at the couple dancing at the rhythm of the music. Mia was twirling gracefully managed by Joey's hand. "I understand you now. She's really beautiful."

Darren softly put a lock of hair behind her ear, causing she looked at him again. Then he added, "Not even half as you are."

Lauren smiled and placer her hand on his lap. It might was Mia's big night but it was Lauren's as well. And he was the one in charge of it.

He grabbed her hand and dragger her to the garden, outside. They ran through the path until they found a three in which they could hide behind to kiss and talk. That part of the place was probably forbidden for guests, so there wasn't any kind of light except for the moon and the stars to guide their way. Lauren started to shiver, so he softly placed his coat on her shoulders. She closed her eyes, feeling the powerful smell of his clothes. They messed around and talked (and kissed) until their mouths were dry and begging for water. When they walked indoors it was late and most of the people were dancing to the modern rhythms of the music the DJ was playing for them. The lights were pretty dark, focused on the dance floor, switching from color to color. They couldn't spot Brian and Meredith anymore.

The music changed from sudden, and a slow song they knew very well came on. If I knew started playing, and Lauren threw her head back, smiling.

Oh, oh I, I was a city boy, riding to dangers

Where I'd always run above and is hurt

I wouldn't have done all the things that I've done

If I knew, one day you would come

"Listen." She whispered. She obviously loved the song.

"Dance with me." Darren asked, tending his hand to her.

"Dare, I don't know how to dance." She shook her head, amused.

"Great, because me neither." He observed, dragging her around. But they didn't go to the crowded dance floor, with people screaming and those annoying lights. They walked where the tables were pretty much deserted, the light was dark and nobody could disturb them.

Now baby, now baby, now baby

Oh, oh I, I know it breaks your heart

To picture the only you wanna love

In somebody's else's arms

But I wouldn't have done

All the things that I've done

If I knew, one day you would come

Darren put his hands on her waist, under his coat that was still hanging over her shoulders; and pulled her really really close. Her arms hang from his shoulders and she rested her head on his chest, feeling his heartbeat as if it was her personal lullaby. She could listen to that rhythm endlessly. They began to sway slowly, the movement really didn't matter to them; they just wanted to enjoy each other's presence and warmness.

Darren was so happy to have found her. It took them a million of coincidences to get together; and even though they felt like if they were at the same time just meant to be. In that moment, he couldn't imagine his life with anyone else. Not even being in those ironic circumstances. He didn't want to have anyone else, he wanted Lauren. He heard her breathing slowly, and he knew that after meeting her for the first time, hearing someone else's breath so close, that just wouldn't have been right.

Now baby, now baby, now baby

Oh, baby please, let's leave the past behind us

So that we can go where love will find us

Yeah, will find us

I know once girls would leave me

But I know that you believe me

"You know," Darren muttered, being Lauren the only one that could hear him. But he sounded very confident of himself. "it's really incredible how important you became to me in so little bit of time." She had her eyes closed and was still resting on his chest, so calmed and beautiful she seemed like an angel that just landed between his arms. And he knew that was the moment. A lot of opportunities presented for both of them before; and whether they couldn't, or didn't have the courage to say it or something happened, but it wouldn't that time. He let out a sigh and continued, this time with a soft, but strong voice. "I love you, Lauren. Happy birthday."

Lauren's head rose when she looked up to his eyes. She looked surprised, but an answer didn't make him wait.

"I love you too." She breathed, before gathering their lips together.

Lauren couldn't help but smile during the kiss, accidentally crashing her teeth against his. Her fingers played carelessly with the back of his shirt, and she wondered how she had got so lucky to have him. Right then, she couldn't stand the thought of being away from him. It'd drive her insane. But his quick heartbeat, his words and his arms protecting her, they assured her something.

Baby I, I wish, we were seventeen

So I could give you all the innocence

That you gave to me, no, I wouldn't have done

All the things that I have done

If I knew one day you would come.

He wasn't going anywhere.