Wedding Day
A/N: Time for it all to be pieced together! Enjoy, if you can. Big chapter.
"Who's getting married today?" Thea called, walking into the bridal suite in the hotel where Jude was getting married, holding her dress which she had picked up on the way there.
"Me!" Jude called excitedly, sitting over by the window getting her hair and make-up done by Kirsty.
"Who's already started drinking?" Cassie called from the couch, "Me!" She raised her glass of champagne up.
"Yeah, don't rub it in." Thea tapped her head as she walked by the couch to hang up the wedding dress on the rack, "How'd you sleep?" She asked Jude.
"I didn't." Jude laughed a little, "I'm nervous. I really don't know why. It seems so ridiculous." She shook her head.
"It's not ridiculous. It's your wedding day." Thea smiled, "And it's gonna be great." She nodded, "Where's mom?" She asked.
"In the bathroom." Jude said, "More nervous than me, I think." She laughed a little, listening as Mirren sat in her play pen, throwing one of her toys out like she'd been doing all morning for everyone's attention.
"Hey, you." Thea smiled in a funny voice, walking over to the playpen and lifting eight month old Mirren out as Jude watched with a smile. Her daughter and what she had with her little family was way more important than any wedding day, nothing was bigger or better than having her baby girl and raising her with the man she loved. This just felt like a really amazing extra. And a day to celebrate that love and her family.
"She's been throwing toys out all morning." Jude smiled, watching Mirren grab onto Thea's hair. She had her own little personality and character, a mixture of both her and Sean, and that was amazing to see.
"Are you excited for mommy and daddy to get married?" Thea asked Mirren, "Or you just wanna nibble on my hand?" She looked on at Mirren biting her.
"She's teething." Jude nodded.
"Poor baby." Thea kissed her head, "Look at your pretty dress, oh you're gonna be so beautiful." Thea nodded to the eight month old, "And you're pretty hairband." She looked on at Mirren's outfit all laid out.
"Why does she wear hairbands?" Cassie wondered, "She has like four strands of hair." She laughed a little as Jude rolled her eyes.
"Because they're cute as hell, that's why." Jude answered.
"I left Dominic in charge of getting the kids ready. Sofia's dress will be on backwards and James' shirt won't be ironed properly." Thea tutted as Jude smiled.
"Don't underestimate him just yet." Jude said as Thea smiled.
"Ok, who is next for make-up?" Kirsty asked.
"Me, I got here first." Cassie stood up, making her way over to the chair with her champagne as Jude smiled.
"Are you still bringing a date today or has that been cancelled?" Jude asked her.
"Cancelled." Cassie nodded, "I realised I'm just not ready for that yet." She admitted. She had been planning to ask a date to her sister's wedding, but she found it so tough. She didn't want to admit it to anyone, but the reason she had been using dating apps and hooking up was because she really didn't know where her head was at. The thought of dating, even entertaining it, it didn't feel right.
"That's ok." Thea assured her as Cassie nodded with a smile.
"Hey, I thought I was next." AJ came out of the bathroom, noticing Cassie getting her make-up done.
"Too late." Cassie smiled as AJ shook her head.
"Your make-up is beautiful, Jude." AJ noticed as Jude smiled, looking in the mirror at her subtle make-up, courtesy of her best friend.
Everything was going to plan so far, and as the time ticked by, she definitely got more nervous.
A few hours past where the girls got ready, helping one another with make-up, hair and dresses, particularly Jude of course. The wedding was fast approaching and Jude was getting more nervous, locking herself in the bathroom to calm herself down.
Meanwhile there was a knock at the door as AJ went to answer it, opening it up to see Punk standing in his suit.
"Oh, hi handsome." AJ smiled, leaning up and kissing him.
"You look gorgeous." Punk looked at her in awe, watching her turn around to give him a full look as he nodded, "Mhm." He nodded as she chuckled, letting him into the room, "Don't you all clean up well." He smiled, looking on at his two daughters and Kirsty.
"We should get going." AJ nodded to Thea and Cassie.
"Yeah, ok." Cassie nodded, holding Mirren in her arms.
"Ok." Thea nodded, making sure she had everything with her, "She's super nervous." She told her father discreetly as she walked by, watching him nod.
"Ok, you all look great." Punk nodded, "Especially you, little one." He smiled, tickling under Mirren's chin as she giggled, causing Cassie to smile.
"Ok, we'll… see you out there." AJ smiled nervously as Punk nodded, watching them leave the room, leaving him and Kirsty behind.
"Jude, your dad is here. I think… we're ready to go." She smiled, calling into the bathroom.
"Ok." Jude said, looking in the mirror and taking a deep breath. There was an inner voice that still shamed her. That still deemed her not worthy of moments like this. Moments of loving herself and feeling worth the love she had around her. But therapy over the years had taught her how to tell that voice to shut the fuck up. And that's exactly what she did.
She opened the bathroom door, lifting her dress at the front as she walked out, looking over at her father who smiled immediately.
"Jude, you… you look beautiful." Punk smiled whilst Kirsty clasped her hands over her mouth, so happy for her best friend.
"Good, cause it was all expensive." She nodded as he smiled, "Between us three… I feel like peeing my pants right now." She admitted as Kirsty smiled.
"Best not to do that." Punk advised.
"Yeah." She took a deep breath, looking over at him as she smiled.
"You ready to go?" He nodded. He'd already walked Thea down the aisle at her wedding, but he knew each time would be different. He was sure when it was time for Cassie's wedding, it would feel different again. Because he loved his daughter's just the same, but he shared a different bond with all of them.
"Yeah, let's do this." Jude took a deep breath.
"I'll get the back of your dress." Kirsty said, "Here take these." She said, handing Jude the small bunch of flowers for her to hold, making sure she had everything.
They left the hotel room, making their way to where the ceremony was taking place, standing outside the doors until they were ready to go.
"There seems like a lot of people there." Jude gulped.
"Just a few." Punk said calmly, "You got this." He assured her as she looked up at him and nodded.
"Thank you." Jude nodded to him as he kissed her head, feeling her link her arm through his and nodding to herself, watching as they opened the doors, beginning to make her way down the aisle.
It was very overwhelming having everyone looking at her, but then she caught her eyes onto Sean standing at the top, and suddenly no one else existed in the room.
Punk walked her all the way down, pausing once reaching the end of the aisle as Jude turned to him with a smile. All he hoped for all his children was that they could be this happy. It was everything. But, as a father, it was still very hard to let go.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek as she smiled, about to remove her arm from his as she felt him hold onto it tightly. She tried pulling her hand out from around his arm as he found it hard to let go.
"Dad." Jude whispered awkwardly.
Punk let go of her hand, coughing awkwardly and looking down as Jude laughed a little, watching him wander over to his seat beside her mother. She hoped he knew he'd always be her number one guy.
She turned around, looking on at Sean who gulped nervously, in awe of how beautiful she looked.
"Hi." Jude smiled.
"Hi." Sean smiled back.
"Shall we begin?" The officiant asked as Jude and Sean nodded.
The ceremony proceeded all the way through to the vows, which Sean and Jude had made themselves. Jude voiced hers, touching as many hearts as she could as she declared her love for him. But she was just as nervous to hear Sean's as she was saying her own.
"Jude, you are without a doubt the strongest person I know. And will ever know." He began as Jude looked at him, "I remember the very first day I saw you when you walked into the police station. I thought you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. You still are." He nodded, "But… what was on the inside was just as beautiful. I love the way you love. The way you talk about art. You always make me believe anything is possible and I couldn't think of a better person to spend my life with." He said, "When we first started dating, things weren't… the easiest." He nodded, "But it's what made me fall in love with you. Because I've never saw someone so strong, so herself in everything she does." He said, "I remember when we hiked the grand canyon." He said as she smiled at him, "And I watched you look out when we got to the top. It was then I realised I no longer felt like me, without you." He nodded, "I feel so lucky to know my daughter has the most amazing, strong and powerful mother to look up to. With you, I know she'll never feel unworthy. With you, I know she'll feel like anything is possible, and that's all I could hope for." He nodded as Jude smiled, drying the tear under her eye, "I love you. Nothing is ever gonna change that." He said, sliding the ring on her finger as Jude smiled.
"Well…" The officiant said, "I can now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." He nodded.
"Thank God." Sean shook his head as Jude chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he leaned down, kissing her passionately as he placed his hands on her waist.
"This is ridiculous." Dean scoffed, sitting beside Punk, drying his tears as Punk turned to him.
"Hey, you ok man?" Punk laughed, wrapping his arm around him as AJ shook her head with a smile.
Thea walked over to Jude and Sean with Mirren, congratulating them both tearfully as she passed Mirren over to Sean who was in her little dress.
"Look, mommy and daddy are married." Jude smiled, showing her rings to Mirren who looked away, interested in the busy room, "Not interesting, huh?" She smiled as Sean chuckled, leaning down and kissing her whilst holding Mirren in his arms.
"I love you." He said as she nodded.
"I love you too."
"Come on, I wanna dance." AJ begged Punk, later that night at the after party. Tables set up all around the room to cater for all the guests, music playing through the generations, allowing people to get up and dance.
"I can't dance." Punk frowned.
"Come on, this is our song." AJ tugged on his hand.
"Brown eyed girl is your song?" Cassie asked, sipping on her drink through the straw.
"Yeah, when we were young." AJ nodded, "Come on." She pulled Punk up who gave in, standing up and following her to the dancefloor to dance with her as Cassie smiled, turning around where Dominic and Thea were sat beside her, kissing and whispering to one another as she rolled her eyes.
She looked around the hall, getting eyes on Sean and Jude standing by their cake, squashing some against each other's faces, kissing and embracing, rightfully so.
"Well… don't I feel single." Cassie mumbled, looking at her empty glass, "Time for another drink." She concluded, leaving the table and heading over to the bar.
"You can totally dance." AJ shook her head as Punk spun her around, pulling her back into him by the waist.
"I can chair dance." Punk nodded to her as she shook her head.
"No, you can shake that ass, Phil Brooks. I know you can." She nodded as he laughed, spinning her around again and pulling her into him.
"You gon give me some tonight then?" He whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist as she chuckled.
"Maybe, if you behave." AJ chuckled.
"I always behave." Punk defended as she smiled.
Meanwhile Cassie was stood at the bar, deciding to have her drink there, looking around at everyone having a good time. She was so happy for her sister, to see her smiling, overjoyed with happiness, it was the greatest thing.
She watched as her parents finished dancing, messing around on the dancefloor and heading back to their table. The song change immediately pricked her ears as it changed to Love really hurts without you. A song that reminded her of Theo and the time she spent with him.
She sighed to herself almost painfully, turning back to her drink, not even interested in drinking it, feeling tears in her eyes as she heard the song playing loudly. She abandoned the bar, walking past people around the dancefloor and room, headed out into the hotel reception area and towards the toilets.
"So much for not being able to dance, dad." Thea chuckled as her parents returned to the table.
"Oh, he can dance." AJ assured them, sitting down at the table as Punk noticed a piece of paper sitting on his seat folded up. He took it, sitting down and opening it up, "Where are the kids?" AJ asked Thea.
"Oh, they're playing with some other kids. They've made friends." Thea smiled, looking over at the kids in close eye sight playing together. It was beautiful.
"So sweet." AJ smiled, feeling Punk nudge her under the table as she turned around, looking at him and looking down at what he was holding.
She looked at the piece of paper which had 'Come to the basement. Rob.' Written on it, alarming both of them as they looked at one another.
"We're not." Punk shook his head quietly as Punk took it from him.
"Where was this?" AJ asked him.
"On my seat." Punk said quietly, "Must have put it there when we were dancing." He said as AJ looked around the room.
"He's here?" AJ questioned worriedly as Punk looked around discreetly, looking on at Jude and Sean dancing on the dancefloor, getting eyes on his grandchildren, Thea and Dominic, Dean and Renee joining the dancefloor… noticing someone missing.
"Where's Cassie?" Punk felt his heart starting to beat rapidly.
AJ looked around, getting a nervous feeling in her stomach as she turned to Punk, "Let's just go." She said as Punk nodded, both of them standing up from the table and leaving the party, rushing through the reception area and towards the rooms, finding stairs to go down to the basement.
The basement appeared to be one large stock room cupboard which they'd walked into. Punk kept AJ close to him, completely anxious upon this. He wasn't sure if it was legit or someone trying to get under their skin, either way, he had a bad feeling.
"What the hell is going on?" AJ worried, walking further into the room.
"Hey, April." Rob, her brother smiled, standing at the door as Punk and AJ turned around.
"Rob?" AJ shook her head.
"Phil." Rob chuckled, looking over at Punk who kept AJ close to him, "Long time, no see."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Punk spat.
"I wish we could catch up, I do. But… I don't really have time." Rob nodded as AJ looked across at him. She barely recognised him. She didn't know him. He was just as good as a stranger.
"Rob, what are you doing?" AJ shook her head, watching suddenly as he slammed the door shut, listening to a lock turning as AJ ran over to the door, trying to open it up desperately, "Hey! What are you doing?!" She yelled, trying to open the door desperately as Punk ran over.
"He locked it?" Punk asked, trying to open the heavy door.
"Why would he do that?" AJ shook her head, "What the hell is going on?" She questioned as Punk shook his head with confusion.
"Help!" AJ yelled, banging on the door of the basement closet.
Cassie was in the bathroom, standing at the mirror and fixing her make-up after spilling a few tears. She felt ridiculous about it. To still be upset over a guy she barely even had a relationship with. A guy who had passed on almost a year ago. She was desperate for him to get out of her head now.
She washed her hands at the sink, watching at the corner of her eye as the cubicle door behind her opened up. She grabbed some paper towels to dry her hands, turning around and noticing who it was coming out of the toilet.
"What the hell-" Cassie dropped the paper towels, looking across at Janet, her grandmother.
"Hi, Cassie." Janet smiled, "Figured I'd give you a break from the calls. Thought I'd drop by in person." She nodded.
"What are you doing here?" Cassie questioned worriedly, "Huh?"
"It's a family occasion, isn't it?" Janet asked, "My invitation got lost in the post I reckon-"
"You have no invitation." Cassie spat.
"I also have no husband." Janet hissed, "You didn't think I was gonna go back home and grieve in peace, did you?" She smiled a little as Cassie gulped.
"Whatever you're doing, stop." Cassie said, "It's not gonna end well for you." She said, inching her way around the bathroom, trying to get close to the door to run out.
"It is gonna end well for me this time." Janet assured her, "Your dad took something very important from me." She nodded as Cassie looked across at her. The cop in her was telling her to get out of the bathroom and run for help, especially as she noticed Janet holding a knife.
"Whatever you're planning, don't. You can stop. Your husband was going to kill all of us." Cassie said, trying to edge her way to the door, "My dad had no choice. He was protecting us."
The cop in her was telling her to run, and then there was the human instincts that told her to fight and defend herself. She looked at the knife in Janet's hand, figuring out how to get it from her.
She quickly tried to grab Janet by the arm, wrestling her for the knife in the ladies bathroom.
Meanwhile back at the party, Thea was sitting with Dominic at their table, leaning against him.
"It's not important." Dominic shook his head as she looked at him.
"I should have at least told my mom or dad." Thea said, "I just… I didn't want anything to ruin Jude's day." She said, looking over at her sister on the dancefloor with her new husband.
"You said you didn't even know if it was really her." Dominic said.
"I know, but I'm sure it was." Thea said, "It looked like her."
"If you told Jude, it would have spoiled her day, made her worry about things. Don't worry so much about it." Dominic nodded to her as she smiled.
"Yeah." She agreed, "I highly doubt she could cause any trouble anyway." She shook her head, "Old bat." She scoffed as Dominic chuckled, kissing her cheek as she kissed him back on the lips.
"You gotta let me go to the bathroom." Jude laughed, standing with Sean who refused to let her go, "Or I'll pee myself." She warned as he laughed.
"Ok, but… don't be long." He smiled.
"Have you seen this dress? I'll be back in about ten songs." She said as he chuckled, watching her leaving the room with a smile.
Jude left the party hall, walking through the hotel reception and heading for the bathroom, holding her dress up to avoid tripping on it, looking up suddenly when she clashed with Cassie who was almost leaning her weight against her.
"Cassie?" Jude questioned with confusion. It wasn't a sisterly hug, it was a collapse, like she couldn't stand properly.
"It's… it's ok." Cassie nodded, holding her side as she stumbled past Jude, almost tripping up as she headed out the hotel entrance, keeping her hand on her side.
Jude shook her head with confusion, not thinking too much about it. Maybe it was the champagne, or the adrenaline. She was about to carry onto the bathroom when she noticed her clean, white dress was not so white, noticing the blood that had appeared down the front of it where Cassie had fell into her.
She gulped, not believing what she was really seeing, listening to the ladies bathroom door opening, looking up and watching as Janet walked out, holding a bloody knife. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, watching as she walked past her casually.
"Happy wedding day, sweetheart." Janet croaked with a smirk, walking past her as Jude watched her in shock as she headed into the party.
Janet made her way into the party, looking around the room filled with happiness and good spirit. She figured the perfect time to celebrate her husband's wake was to start another one elsewhere.
She looked around the room, noticing Thea and Dominic, walking over to them as Thea quickly spotted her.
"Dominic." Thea grabbed him worriedly as Dominic turned around, watching as Janet approached them, holding a bloody knife.
"What-What are you doing here?" Thea asked worriedly as they both stood up in defence right away. She couldn't comprehend what she was seeing.
"Do you mind if I just…" Janet extended the bloody knife towards Dominic who flinched, watching as she rubbed the blood from the knife on his white shirt.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Thea grabbed her by the neck, digging her nails into her skin as viciously as she could as Janet winced. Dominic glanced over at the kids who was dancing with Kirsty, turning back around to Janet, "I don't know what the hell you're planning or what the hell you're doing here, but you better back the fuck off." Thea made clear.
"It's not really a plan anymore." Janet chuckled as Thea pushed her away as she stumbled over the table a little, spilling some drinks.
"What's going on over here?" Sean asked, walking over to the table as he saw a confrontation happening, spotting the blood on Dominic's shirt and the knife in Janet's hand, beginning to recognise Janet, "Hey, what the hell are you doing here?!"
"I'd go check on your wife." Janet nodded, backing away through the guests of dancing people, escaping out of sight whilst Sean ran out of the party, passing Kirsty on his way who had Mirren in her arms.
"Take her back to the room. Now." Sean said protectively as Kirsty looked on with worry, watching Sean run out of the party.
He ran through the lounge area and straight into the ladies bathroom.
"Jude." Sean burst into the ladies restroom.
"I… I can't get it off." Jude said, hands shaking as she tried rubbing the front of her wedding dress, lashing the water from the faucet towards her, cold tears running down her cheeks, not that she could feel them.
She couldn't comprehend what was going on or what was happening.
Meanwhile Cassie had stumbled outside, leaning over a guests car in the car park of the hotel, not sure where she was heading, slowly losing her consciousness bit by bit, leaving a trail of blood behind her, struggling to stay up as she finally collapsed on the ground.
Her eyes opened and closed, suddenly feeling someone pick her up into their arms, opening her eyes as wide as she could, not believing what she was seeing, assuming it was the side effects of dying.
"Hey, you stay with me." Theo said desperately, his hood up, keeping his hand on her side, pressed tightly as opened up the car he had access to, "Cassie, stay with me."
