Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers. Just writing for fun.

Chapter 154: An Avenger's Wedding Part 2

When Zoe came out of her room and into her wedding dress to look in the mirror, she had absolutely no clue how she was going to react. She looked at the full-length mirror in front of her and swallowed hard when she took in the view of her wedding gown.

She still couldn't believe it. Today, she was getting married in New Church, New York City with her close friends and family. Her twins would be apart of it too. Her little boy would be a ring bearer and her little girl would be the flower girl.

Steve had his best men picked out: Sam, Bucky, Clint.

And Zoe had her bridesmaids: Ava (Maid of Honor), Wanda, Pepper.

The wedding had almost turned into a disaster. Between Thor replacing the minister, trying to find a decent venue on short notice, Zoe wasn't sure if getting married to Steve was such a good idea after all.

She worried that maybe she'd been right all along and that these were signs saying don't marry him. But Wanda had told her numerous times that they were perfect for each other and that she wouldn't have it anyway. She might even have to influence her own power on them if they didn't go through with it, which was the ultimate push for Zoe to get into her wedding gown.

Still, something just felt off about today. Maybe it was the lack of Tony Stark and the lack of her favorite assassin, Natasha Romanoff. Maybe it was the lack of her own parents not being here today with her. Though she had her family, her avengers and everyone else that were going to be here at the church today with her, she just missed them.

She missed them a lot. It wasn't fair. Tony could be there for her fake funeral, but he couldn't be here for her wedding. Zoe shook her head. She had to stop thinking like that. He gave up his life to save the world…worlds. As did Natasha.

There was a knock on the door behind Zoe. "Hey, it's Ava. Can I come in?"

Zoe let out a deep breath as if she'd been holding it for a long time, and ran her hands down the sides of her dress that hugged her curves tight. It was the perfect size. That never happened. Ava did a marvelous job on finding this dress. It was exactly what she'd imagined. Vintage and modern. V-neck top, straps, white sheer. Flowers embroided on the sheer fabric that stooped low and ended at her abdomen with a small belt like fabric that went around her waist and tied at the back. Her train was white and pure sheer with the same type of flowery embroidery in the front and some dazzling across the tulle folds of her gown that flowed around her feet.

Her hair was up in a messy bun with dark brown curls, complete with a beaded white headband.

Ava stopped mid-way into the room. She almost dropped to the floor at how gorgeous her sister was in her wedding dress.

"Oh my…" she breathed out. Zoe blushed at that. "Steve's going to…"

Zoe smiled. "I know."

"He's going to be totally flustered," Ava grinned widely at her sister.

"Like I don't know how he'll be able to stand on his own two feet flustered!"

Zoe giggled unable to help it and she nodded. "I know!" She hadn't felt this giddy in a very long time.

"Um, so we have a slight tiny problem," she cleared her throat after she calmed down.

Zoe inhaled sharply and let it out. "Ok. What is it this time? Does the Church hate us too?"

"No. No hate from the Church….it's uh…well, it's Fury. He had to go away on assignment last minute," Ava cringed at how bad that sounded. "So…he won't be able to make it to give you away."

She took a step back, waiting for the fury of Zoe herself to come out, but after a minute or two, nothing did. Zoe half expected something like this to happen. It seemed to be a curse.

"I'm so sorry Zoe," Ava said apologetically. "Do you want to see if I can find someone else? Or, I could do it," she gave her a small smile.

Zoe shook her head. "No. And you've done enough already for this wedding. It'd be too much. Just um, give me a minute okay?"

Ava nodded. "I'll stall the wedding. Guests are arriving any minute."

Zoe nodded, and watched her sister depart the room, leaving Zoe to fall to her chair by the vanity table adjacent to the changing room. Of course Fury would go on assignment. Same with Hill. They were always working around the clock, and didn't have time for silly things like weddings.

They were a shadow government after all.

But out of all the people in her life, she was really looking forward to having him one last time. Guess she should have known better.

She could hear the girls outside her room, Wanda and Pepper, but Ava was trying to get them to go to their places up at the altar. Bless her sister for Zoe wouldn't know what to do without her right now. She was entirely grateful for her existence.

Zoe didn't know what to do. She felt lost. She felt like canceling the wedding. She'd strongly considered it. But there were people that had traveled very very far to see her and Steve get married.

At the very least she could go up there and be brave and go down the aisle alone. Like she's always done for most of her life. She could do it again. It'd be tough and hard to face all those people inside the church, wondering why a girl was walking down the aisle alone with no one to give her away like tradition.

"You know, I am a little bummed that I didn't get asked to be in the wedding, but I get it, I'd have to fight for my best man title between two pretty strong guys…and, well…I don't wanna beat them to a couple of bloody pulps. I'd feel bad for Steve."

Zoe looked up at the familiar voice and her eyes widened.

"Bruce!" she exclaimed in shock. "But I did invite you."

He grinned at her. "I know,"

"Hey, you're human again. How'd that happen?" she asked, after they hugged one another.

"I got angry again," he replied with a shake of his head. "You look beautiful by the way."

"Thanks," Zoe blushed bashfully and looked at her almost see through dress.

"What are you angry about?" she asked.

"It's a long story," he said.

"No," she poked his side. "You're going to tell me."

"Can't I tell you later? We have a wedding to go to."

Zoe shook her head. "Not anymore. I'm running through that window. That's my escape plan," she pointed to the window that was open, letting out the cool spring breeze of New York City air.

"You mean this window?" Bruce asked, and walked over to it. Zoe nodded and he slammed the window shut. Zoe's mouth dropped open and he locked it. He turned around and lent against the window, crossing his arms. "Sorry pal, no can do. You wanna jump, you're going to have to go through me."

"Ok, no offense, but I miss the Other Guy."

Bruce chuckled darkly. "The Other Guy would drop you on your head and then you'd have a concussion. Trust me Zoe, I know."

Zoe sighed. "No good choices, huh?"

"The only choice I see right now is you walking through that door and down the aisle," Bruce said. "That's your best choice. Sides, that dress is too pretty to let it go to waste."

Zoe chewed her bottom lip. She wanted to cry right now. She just wanted to crumble and cry. Why did Bruce have to be so right all the time? He was really good at that. He was good at putting her in her place just like old times.

Zoe felt her body slid down into her chair by her vanity table and looked into her hands as they folded lamely together. "I just wish Tony was here."

He nodded. "I know. Me too."

"I miss him. And I miss Nat. God, I miss them all, Bruce," Zoe said, almost shaking. "It just hurts. Sometimes I just wish the pain to stop. Like, I should be feeling fine and perfect and amazing on my wedding day, but with everything that's gone wrong so far…I just…I feel empty. Drained. Tired. Like I don't matter. I wish I could do what you do. I mean if I tried throwing a knife at a robot, it'd just get crushed."

Bruce shuddered. "Ultron. Don't remind me," he held up the palm of his hand and Zoe winced.

"Sorry."

"Sides, no you don't Zo. Right now is the perfect time for you and Steve to get married. I'd never seen the man happier in my life, and I hear the girls talk about how all smiles you are. I've seen how good you and Steve are together. You're made for this Zo. All that fighting and saving the world…all that build up has come to this. You're creating a new life, a new family, and I'm thankful that you get to share it with us. I know we all miss Tony and Nat, but they'd want this for you and Steve too. You deserve to be happy. It's about damn time if you ask me. So, what are you waiting for? The shoe to fall off the other foot? I've seen you fall off of buildings and get back up again. What did Tony tell you in the park?"

Zoe licked her lips and let out a deep breath that she found herself holding, listening to Bruce's kind words. Kind but also true words.

"That I was an avenger."

He smiled at her and pushed himself up off the windowsill, and walked over toward her. "One of the strongest, I know," he held out a hand for her to take. "So, Zoe. It would be my honor to give you away at the wedding today."

"Really?" Zoe asked. "You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for my favorite information specialist," he smiled. "Dried pineapples and all."

"There's actually some pineapple on the menu today for the reception," Zoe said. Bruce smiled widely as she stood up and grabbed his hand.

"Can't wait. Hey, uh, do you have a something borrowed yet? Ava mentioned you have a something new, something old, and something blue…but what about borrowed?"

Zoe shook her head. "I have my locket, something old, something blue…is well, can't tell you, cause it's definitely for Steve's benefit…" she blushed. "And something borrowed…um…"

Bruce pulled out something from his pocket and started to wrap it around Zoe's small wrist. Zoe looked at it in shock. "It belonged to Nat's. One of her Black Widow bites."

"You expect me to wear it on my wedding day?" Zoe asked skeptically. "You're not expecting an ambush are you?"

Bruce chuckled. "No, but you and Steve are going on a honeymoon right?"

"Yeah…" Zoe was blushing madly at the thoughts rolling around in her head. "But I'm sure it will be fine."

"Just trust me on this. Nat would want you to wear it. It's just like any other bracelet you'd wear on your wedding day. I just made it into an actual bracelet with her bite in between the silver diamond links," he explained. "Nobody would be able to tell the difference if it was a diamond bracelet or a Nat bite."

"Unless Steve gets shocked. And if he does," she pointed at him.

Bruce grinned. "Could use it in a game of-"

"Bruce!" Zoe said hotly. "Shhh."

He chuckled. "Okay, okay. Are we ready?"

Zoe let out a sigh and she nodded, looking around her room. She had everything now. She should be good to go.

She took in another deep breath and smiled at Bruce. "Thank you Bruce."

"You're welcome," he said, and held out the crook of his arm toward her. She took it in her hands and walked out of the room.

Everyone was at the altar waiting. She could feel everyone's nerves prickling their skins. Hell, she had the same nerves.

She inhaled another deep breath and let it out. She was trying not to let the anxiety hit her now. "It's okay for you to hold onto me, I won't let you fall," Bruce whispered in her ear, and she nodded, trying to keep her tears in. She didn't want to cry. She'd ruin her makeup.

The doors opened, and somehow when Zoe peeked inside, the crowd seemed ten-fold. She saw everyone there. Dr. Strange. Wong. Hope. Scott. Starlord. Mantis. Gamora. She saw her girls at the altar. She saw Steve's best men on the other side of the altar. Steve was up there, waiting patiently for her to walk down the aisle and head towards him.

Oh God… she thought, and tightened Bruce's arm. She could feel her stomach tighten in nervous waves. The music started and she closed her eyes, then opened them again.

She finally found herself walking down the aisle with a little help from Bruce. Her heart was beating wildly, she could hardly contain it. It was finally happening.

She was getting married to the love of her life.

And before she knew it, she was at the altar. Bruce turned her around and lifted the veil up and out of her face. She smiled warmly as he pulled her in for a kiss on the cheek, and handed her over to Steve up on the steps and underneath the altar where Thor stood, holding out a book with a large smile on his face as he watched the exchange between two of his friends.

"My dear family and friends," Thor began after Bruce took his seat in the front next to Scott, Hope, and Cassie. "We've all gathered here today under happy matrimony to bring our two favorite people in the world, Zoe Sawyer and Steven Rogers together. Finally. You may exchange vows. Zoe?"

"Steve," she said, holding out his hands. She gave them a gentle squeeze and he squeezed back, smiling brightly at her. "Before I met you, I was a mess. Sure, I had a job, and everything, but I didn't know who I really was until I met you. I may have been the one to guide you through monsters, magic, and the twenty-first century…" she said, and a chuckle from a few avengers erupted in the church. She bit back a smile and looked out at them but then at Steve who was blushing a bit. She gave his hands another squeeze. "But I wouldn't be who I am without you today. I owe you everything. My heart, my soul, and my love is yours forever if you'll still have me."

"Heh. Of course I will," Steve smiled. "Uh, may I?" he asked Thor and Thor nodded. "Zoe. You don't have to give me everything, just your friendship, and love of course I already know you love me with all your heart and so do I. I believe in us and that we can do this together. You and me just like before, except this time…we have each other, and we have our twins, Natasha and Clinton," he motioned a quick nod at the flower girl and the ring bearer. Zoe smiled back at her little ones and she nodded, trying so much not to cry. "You're my family, and I will love you till the end of time."

"Ah, now the rings, please, Mr. Ring Bearer," Thor said in a booming voice that made Clinton almost jump. He gave the God of Thunder a look and he winked at him. Clint offered the pillow to his parents. Zoe and Steve took the rings from him, thanking him, as he stepped back with his sister, who was all smiles in her little flower crown on top of her head.

"Steven Rogers, do you take Zoe Sawyer to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, protect her, forsaking all others and holding only to her forevermore?"

"I do," Steve slipped the wedding band on her ring finger. Zoe felt a slight shiver as it slipped onto her finger.

"Zoe Sawyer, do you take Steven Rogers to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, protect him, forsaking all others, holding only to him forevermore?"

"I do," Zoe nodded, and slipped on Steve's ring onto his, unable to help but smile as she did so.

"Well then, by the powers that have been entrusted in me thanks to the state of New York, I now pronounce you, Zoe Sawyer, and Steve Rogers, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," Thor said.

Steve and Zoe turned to face one another and held each other's hands tight. He stepped forward and pulled her gently towards him in for a deep kiss. Zoe's smile widened within the kiss as she kissed him back feeling all the butterflies fly up within her body and soul, her mind racing a million miles a second until the kiss finally ended.

He leaned his forehead against hers and grinned. "We did it," he whispered. She smiled and felt her shoulders shrug up with happiness and joy that she felt all over.

"We did," she nodded.

The church erupted into applause. Clint and Natasha ran up to their parents. Zoe picked up little Natasha in her arms, while Steve picked up Clint and hugged them both in their arms.

She was now Zoe Lynn Sawyer-Rogers. It certainly has a nice ring to it.

~*A*~

A/n: Oh my gosh you guys. I'm so sorry this took so long to get out. Every time I thought about it, it didn't seem right, and I don't know, I'm just terrible at writing weddings, lol. So if you want to see the dress I picked, it's called Galatea Embroidered V-Neck Tulle Wedding Dress and the music for the wedding walk and drama, I chose, 'Wedding Andate' by Roy Todd. I looked up stunning entrance wedding music. Lol. It was kind of fun. I felt like a wedding planner, and then I kept getting teary-eyed while writing this chapter. Ugh. Anyway. I may write the reception with everyone afterwards if you'd all like that. Just let me know! Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and the reviews of this story! I love you all!