Throw Me to The Wolves & I Will Return Leading the Pack
Summary:Morgan, the newest member of SVU hasn't had much luck with men, but her new partner might just be the one for her, if only she could let Sonny Carisi know. Men come much easier to her friend Riley, who's maybe not prepared for the challenge that Peter Stone provides.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Law and Order SVU, Morgan and Riley however are all mine.
Chapter 22:
A growl erupted from her throat so loud that she figured Peter had probably heard it from the room down the hall. When he came jogging into their bedroom, she knew she had him on high alert but it honestly wasn't that big of a deal.
"You good?" He asked, casually leaning against the door frame.
Riley dropped to her knees and pulled the skirt of the bed upwards, poking her head under the edge of it and looking for her shoes, the very shoes that she had worn to the gala all that time ago.
"I'm late." She ground out, taking one last look under the bed and seeing nothing of interest. When she sat back on her knees, she peered over her shoulder at him. "And I can't find my stupid shoes."
"You mean the shoes you set at the front door last night?" Peter prompted and her face fell. Oh yes, the very shoes she had taken down to the front door the night before so that she wouldn't forget them on her way to Sonny's mom's house. "Those shoes?"
Slowly making her way to her feet, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a shy nod. He chuckled at her and pushed himself away from the doorframe, making a move to head back into the spare room where he was getting his own stuff ready for later. The groomsmen were all going to be getting ready for the wedding at their house and Riley was heading over to get ready with the bridesmaids at Sonny's mom's house.
She ran up to him and sidled up next to him, stopping him in his tracks and drawing his attention to her. When his arm banded around her waist, she let out a soft sigh and tried not to let the stress of this particular day get to her. She had Morgan's wedding dress to take with her, as well as her own Maid of Honour dress, plus her shoes (which were at the front door), she just didn't want to forget anything.
"I can't believe she's getting married today." Riley whimpered and Peter drew her into a full-on hug, holding her tight and offering her comfort that she was clearly seeking. "My little Mo is a grown ass woman today."
"Well I don't know that today is…yeah, you're right. But she deserves to be happy."
"Yeah Sonny definitely makes her happy." Riley nodded her head. "And she's going to look so pretty in her dress."
"She's like you, she'd look pretty in anything."
Riley scoffed at his clear attempt at sweettalk but she wasn't so sure he knew what he was talking about. She had outfits she didn't feel as pretty in, but how would he know that.
"Big old white wedding dress." Riley shook her head with a smile.
"You going to wear one for me one day?" Peter pressed and she took her bottom lip in between her teeth in thought.
Was she going to wear a wedding dress one day? Or was she going to push for a courthouse union without having to go through all the trouble of finding a gown for her special day? It wasn't like Peter had a lot of family they'd have to invite, in fact, she didn't have a lot of family she wanted to invite either, but did that mean she'd forfeit the idea of a wedding completely.
"I'll have to get back to you on that. Plus, white wedding dresses are associated with things like virginity and innocence." Riley snorted. "I am neither a virgin or innocent."
"Thank god for that." Peter teased, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze.
Riley smirked up at him but shook her head, getting her mind back on to the task at hand, "shit, I'm late."
"You mentioned that."
Riley ripped herself away from him and took off like a bat out of hell, running across the hallway to the room that was her office. She grabbed both dresses by the hangers, the two of them were hanging on the back of the door, and she continued on her way down to the front door, where her shoes were waiting.
Peter stood at the top of the stairs watching her and once her shoes were on her feet (there was no sense taking an extra pair) she paused, felt the dresses that were hanging over her arms and let out a sigh.
"I will see you at the church." Riley called out to him, and he took a few steps down the stairs, giving her a better look at him.
"Have fun."
She rolled her eyes, yeah, okay, she was way too worried to have fun, she had to get to Morgan at Sonny's mother's place with everything she needed without forgetting anything and then, maybe she'd feel a little better. Until then though, she would be on edge.
"Bye Peter." She shot him a wave and disappeared out the front door, leaving him all alone in the house where he would wait for Sonny and the other groomsmen to show up.
Riley bounded down to the driveway and threw open the back door of their newest addition to the family, a lovely little SVU, gently tucking the dresses into the backseat and slamming the door shut. She hopped into the driver's seat and started the car, backing out onto the road in front of their house.
She made quick work of getting to Sonny's mother's house, pulling into the driveway behind one other car. Huh well, she was expecting more people to be there already seeing as she was technically late, but oh well, they still had plenty of time to get ready.
Riley nabbed the dresses out of the car and headed right for the front door, Sonny's mother standing there with the door wide open for her. Riley tossed her a smile as she entered the house, pausing to catch her breath. She made it, and she was one of the first ones here, maybe today wouldn't be so stressful after all.
"Morgan's upstairs." Sonny's mom directed and Riley gave a nod of thanks, heading up the stairs in search of her best friend.
She could vaguely hear soft music coming from one of the rooms and Riley knew that's where Morgan would be. When she was standing just inside the doorframe to the room where Morgan was currently sitting at a small table, she couldn't help but smile. This was her best friend, she was getting married, and she was going to look so beautiful on her special day.
Lifting her one hand up, she knocked gingerly on the door, catching Morgan's attention. Morgan stood up and wandered over, taking her dress from Riley and hanging it up on the back of the door there. Riley carried her dress inside and laid it on the bed.
"I can't believe you're getting married today Morgan, fuck." Riley sighed as she flopped down onto the bed in one of the bedrooms in Sonny's mother's house, thankful that Morgan had been playing music or else she would've had to look harder to find her.
The wedding was in a few hours, and it was slated to take place in the Catholic church that the family attended most Sundays. Riley wasn't as concerned about it as she had been at her own house considering that she was here with Morgan, but it was clear that Morgan was hoping that everything was going to go off without a hitch- but if Morgan was honest with herself, she was figuring on something going wrong, she just didn't know what.
She just hoped that whatever that something was, it wouldn't affect her or Sonny being officially married. She wanted to be his wife, she wanted him to be her husband, it all sounded too nice and she prayed that at the end of the day, they'd be Mister and Missus Carisi without having to go through too much trouble to do just that.
With Riley being the first one here, the two of them were just waiting for the rest of the bridesmaids to show up, as well as the ladies that were supposed to do their hair and make-up. Morgan wanted to get ready, she wanted to be ready, she wanted to walk down the aisle to Sonny and profess how much she loved him.
"I'm so excited." Morgan gushed and flopped down on the bed next to her friend. She let out a hum and turned her head to face Riley, who was already looking in Morgan's direction, a smile plastered on her face. "So freaking excited."
Her dress was hanging on the back of the door almost taunting her, and while the two girls waited patiently, they could hear noises from down the stairs. When the first sister- Bella- came waltzing into the room, the lady Morgan brought in for their hair was right behind her. A few seconds later, the make-up girl lugged her cases into the room too.
"You're going to be part of the family!" Bella squealed and Riley took over guiding the two ladies to where they could set up.
Morgan nodded her head in understanding and relaxed into the bed. She was only waiting for the other two remaining Carisi sisters to arrive at Sonny's mom's house so that they could all start to get ready. Her nails had been done the previous day but there was no way she could've gotten her hair done, no, it had to be perfect, which meant it had to be done the day of the wedding.
Oh god, the wedding. Morgan was excited, she was scared and nervous but she knew that Sonny was the one. She couldn't wait to have his last name, to make it official. Walking down the aisle couldn't come soon enough and tonight, they'd spend their first evening together as husband and wife. It was perfect, everything was perfect.
"I'm getting married." Morgan whispered and lifted her left hand up into the air, looking carefully at the engagement ring that Sonny had put on her finger ages ago. It never ceased to amaze her but today, today there would be another ring joining it. "Married you guys."
"I know." Riley breathed the words out. "I'm so happy for you."
"To my brother." Bella grinned. "I think you probably could've picked someone better but he's an okay choice."
"He's a good guy." Morgan agreed.
"I can't believe you're actually getting legitimately married though." Riley looked at her friend, baffled by the concept. "You're going to spend the rest of your life with this guy, how is that not terrifying?"
"I don't know, it's just not." Moragn shrugged. "I can't wait though. I get to put on my gorgeous dress, I get to walk down the aisle to meet my wonderful husband, can you believe it Ry?"
Morgan peeled her eyes away from the ring on her finger and turned to look back at Riley, who was watching her friend carefully.
"I can." Riley nodded her head with a smile. "Sonny is the luckiest guy alive."
Morgan broke out into a smile of her own and she let out a soft sigh. Before she had a chance to warn Riley, she sat up on the bed and ran her hand through her hair, sucking in an anxious breath. Riley cautiously followed her lead and set her arm across Morgan's lower back, leaning her head against her shoulder.
"I'm glad you're here with me." Morgan confessed in a low tone and Riley hugged her tighter, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You're going to be the best Maid of Honour ever."
"Yeah, you can return the favour when it's my turn." Riley joked but Morgan looked at her, her eyes narrowed and a serious look on her face. Okay, maybe Riley's teasing was lost on her friend, but it was going to happen, one day maybe, when she finally decided if she was even going to have a wedding of her own. Riley wasn't sure because it wasn't like her and Peter had a lot of people they wanted to invite.
Maybe their wedding would just be small, or maybe they'd just go to the courthouse and get hitched there. She still wasn't sure what she wanted.
Morgan sucked in a huge breath and leaned forward, making her way to her feet. She stood up and stepped away from the bed, wandering over to the door, the very door where her dress hung from. It was zipped away in a plastic cover but the beauty of it wasn't lost through the clear plastic. The dress was amazing, and Morgan knew it was the perfect garment for her.
Her mind wandered to the day that she had picked it out, with the help of Riley, Bella, Amanda and the other two sisters- well they hadn't really helped much at all, but they had been there so they got a bit of credit for that.
She brushed them off for the time being and grabbed the bottom of the zippered bag, undoing it and releasing the lacy skirt part of the dress. Fingering the material, Morgan let out another soft sigh and felt her entire body relax at the thought of finally being able to say 'I do' to Sonny Carisi.
"Who's going first?" The hair lady asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. Morgan looked to Riley, who nodded her head yes and moved over to sit in the chair in front of the woman.
"Braid crowns." Morgan reminded her and the stylist smiled in understanding.
"I'm ready for make-up." The other woman announced and Morgan was quick to look at Bella. She wanted to admire her dress for just a little longer before she had to sit still and let the two women do their work on her.
Her mind drifted to Sonny and she couldn't help but smile. She was so happy with him and there wasn't a damn thing in the world that would change that. When he had proposed to her, she never would've imagined being this excited to marry him, but here she was. There were no cold feet, no second thoughts, it just felt right to her and Morgan looked forward to their life together.
Sonny was nothing short of amazing, he'd give her the world if he could, and Morgan knew it. He always made sure she was okay, he never went to bed angry at her, not that they fought that much to start with, but suddenly it felt like everything was falling into place. Sonny was the one and Morgan wasn't having any second thoughts at all.
There was no one out there better for her than Sonny.
"You're going to look so beautiful in your dress." Riley murmured and she settled in while the stylist began brushing and gathering her hair. She shot Morgan a smile but didn't move another muscle, remembering a time when she had been scared for the time when she would have to let go and pass Morgan off to Sonny. Yes he was gaining a wife but Riley was giving him her best friend.
"That's the goal." Morgan chuckled and stared at the elegant lace material. "I can't wait to put it on."
"I'm excited for that too." Riley beamed at her friend.
A silence fell over them all and it wasn't until the stylist was nearly done with Riley's braid crown that the last two remaining bridesmaids decided to show up. They walked into the room with their dresses hanging from their arms, the same plastic covering as Morgan's surrounded theirs, but the looks on their faces were almost joyful.
Well honestly, Morgan was not expecting that, she was expecting them to be bitchy and scowly.
"Sorry we're late." Gina confessed and Bella, who's make-up was now complete, stood up and greeted them with hugs. She whispered something in Gina's ear and Gina nodded her head, which only served to intrigue Morgan.
What would they be whispering about?
"I can take someone else." The make-up lady said, Morgan immediately sat down, not wanting to wait any longer to get herself pretty. A couple of minutes later, Riley stood up from her seat in front of the stylist and sat down on the bed instead, letting Bella go next, that way she could be done and ready, except for having her dress on of course.
A good chunk of time later, each and every girl in the room was made up and had their hair done, all that was left was to get the dresses on and go. Morgan sat on the edge of the bed and merely waited until the last possible minute to put her dress on.
She wanted to wait because she didn't want anything to happen to her beautiful dress and the less time she gave for bad things to happen, the better she'd feel about it. When Riley freed it from the hanger though, Morgan knew it was time. Everyone else was decked out in their black dresses that looked so elegant and gorgeous.
This was going to be a great day, and Morgan could feel it in her bones. Each girl was made up and their hair was done in a fancy braid crown, they were wearing their dresses and hell, even Gina and Theresa were smiling at Morgan. Whatever Bella had whispered to Gina earlier must have had something to do with that because honestly, she was expecting a lot more bickering and fighting than what she got, which was none.
"Oh my god." Bella whisper-hissed and Riley undid the back of the gown, giving Morgan a grin.
Morgan stepped over to her, stripped down to her underwear and stepped inside of it, letting Riley dress her as much as she could. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and once it was hugging her body, she stood stalk still, waiting for Riley to do it up. It even felt perfect, not uncomfortable or constricting but still making her look gorgeous.
Once Riley was done, she gave her a small pat on the shoulder and Morgan wandered over to the other side of the room, looking into the mirror that hung on the wall. She couldn't help but beam at the image of herself in her dress, all made up and everything. Riley wandered over with her veil and tucked it into the up-do that she had going on, which simply completed the look.
"Gorgeous." Riley murmured.
"I can't believe I'm getting married." Morgan stated, a permanent smile plastered on her face. "Seriously."
"Well believe it, because that's exactly what's happening today." Gina stated, but there was a total lack of malice in her tone. "Speaking of, we should probably get heading over to the church."
"Where I will erupt into flames." Riley teased, eliciting a laugh from Morgan- it was just what she needed at that moment. "Let's go."
The five of them walked out of the room and down the stairs, heading out to the driveway where a limo was waiting for them. The driver was none other than Sonny's uncle, who was doing him a favour on his special day. The girls all piled into the backseat, Morgan sandwiched in the middle and constantly smiling at the fact that she was going to be a married woman by the end of the day.
The limo moved quickly through the streets and when it pulled up to the church, Sonny's uncle opened the door for them and the five of them all headed inside, giddy from excitement. Morgan was immediately led into a room off the main hallway where she would wait until it was her turn to walk down the aisle, her bridesmaids getting comfortable in the room with her.
"Look, I just want to say that I'm going to behave today." Gina started, breaking the silence first. "I can put my animosity aside, especially on a day like today."
Morgan looked at her curiously and Riley snorted, "who threatened you?"
"No one." Gina shook her head at Riley's accusation. "Honestly. I just don't think today is a day where anyone needs to be bitchy."
"You swore in a church." Bella giggled and Gina rolled her eyes.
"I'm inclined to agree." Theresa said with a sigh. "If you're the woman Sonny's going to marry, the least we can do is not mess up your wedding day."
Morgan still wasn't sure she trusted what was going on, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. She smiled at them, not even bothering to care if they were being honest or not. Riley had her back here and now, and Barba would be very present later; at least if they were trying to lead her into a trap, she'd have reinforcements to help her out.
"Well thanks." Morgan bowed her head and a box containing their bouquets was carried in by Sonny's mother. She doled them out, handing Morgan hers last and giving her future daughter-in-law a kiss on the side of the head.
She was a proud mother, and she liked Morgan, it was definitely nice to have another decent mother figure in her life, seeing as her own was questionable at the best of times.
"We're almost ready." Sonny's mother stated, her eyes locked on Morgan. "Let's get you girls lined up."
XxxxxxXxxxxxXxxxxxX
There was a sense of electricity in the air and Sonny was thankful that today was a nice day. Yeah it didn't matter if it was raining because the wedding was inside a church where no one could get rained on or weathered, but still, the sun was out, the weather was perfect, it was just a nice consolation prize.
He was extremely nervous though and found himself feeling hot, even if it wasn't hot outside, the importance of the next few hours of his life was weighing on him. He was waiting at the altar, which was, when it was broken down, just a sturdy hardwood floor with a fancy red carpet over it. Peter was right next to him as his best man, Gina's husband was next in line followed by Bella's boyfriend and Rafael Barba.
Riley was standing across the way as Morgan's Maid of Honour, Gina, Bella and Theresa were next to her. Everyone had already come down the aisle, now they were just waiting for Morgan herself to join them so that Sonny could finally make her his wife, something that very much excited him.
When the wedding march played out over the speakers, which were set up along the walls on either side of the church, Sonny's body tensed. This was it; this was the moment he had been waiting for ever since he had dropped down onto one knee and asked Morgan if she'd be his wife. He loved her so much, with every bit of his heart, and he was filled with excitement at the prospect of spending the rest of his life with her.
When Morgan stepped into his view, he swore to god his heart stopped and Sonny felt the breath rush out of his lungs. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't draw in any air, no, she was just so¸ so beautiful in her wedding dress and Sonny was thankful that she was all his. He caught her mouthing the words 'I love you' as she was led down the aisle by her father, who was wearing a black suit, a gold coloured flower pinned to the outer jacket to match those decorating the venue, which were black and gold as well.
His eyes never left Morgan as she got closer and closer to him, stepping along with the music and when Morgan and her father made it to the front of the seating, she stopped and grinned at her father. Sonny barely heard the minister ask who gave her to him and when Morgan was passed to Sonny by her dad, he faltered, nearly stumbling as he held her hand and helped her get into position.
She stood in front of him and his jaw fell open as he took in the view of her up close. Her dress was simply breathtaking, the material looked soft and lacy, it hugged her in all the right places…it was just perfect. He had tried to imagine before he had seen her what Morgan might look like at this very moment and even his fantasy hadn't compared to the real thing. She was everything he wanted, and more.
"Hi." Sonny chirped, his voice catching in his throat. She smiled at him and he nearly had a heart attack, his heart skipping another beat. God, she looked amazing, she looked absolutely gorgeous.
"Hey." Morgan giggled back at him and he took hold of her other hand, rubbing his index finger over her ring finger, catching his nail on the diamond of her engagement ring.
"We are gathered here today…"
Sonny could just make out the words that the minister was saying, his eyes too busy looking at every god damn inch of the woman who was going to be his wife. She looked flawless and the longer he looked at her, the more he started to wonder if this was just a dream. It didn't feel like a dream, but everything was just too good to be true.
He was marrying Morgan, the love of his life, and his newest best friend. What more could he ask for? What the hell could he possibly want in addition to the woman standing in front of him, willing to promise him her life?
"Do we have the vows ready?" The minister's voice pulled Sonny back to reality and he fumbled with Morgan's hand, letting it go momentarily as he produced his hand written vows from the inside pocket of his jacket. He unfolded the paper and held it in front of him, watching as Riley handed Morgan a piece of paper of her own. When Morgan had hers ready, and Sonny held his firmly in his hand, the minister carried on. "Morgan, would you please recite your vows?"
"Sonny," Morgan paused and sucked in a breath, fighting back the urge to cry. He knew they were happy tears and at the sight of her eyes welling up, he felt his heart swell. This was the girl he was going to spend the rest of his life with and he didn't want anyone else. "Sonny, from the moment I first laid eyes on you, I always prayed that you would be my husband. As I stand in front of you at this very moment…"
She paused in her speaking and swallowed back a sob.
Riley reached out and ran her hand down Morgan's arm, giving her the support she needed, while Sonny gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"I'm just so blessed that that dream came true. We've shared so much together, so many important life goals with one another and from this day forward I promise to care for you through the good and bad times, be loyal to you always, and share happiness and laughter with you. Most of all though, I promise to give you my love and support, and to cherish and respect you throughout our life together."
A small 'awe' sounded out from in the crowd and even Sonny couldn't contain the smile on his face. He loved her so damn much and hearing her speak those words just solidified his decision that she was the right girl. They were in this together, forever and always.
"And now, Sonny, would you please recite your vows?" The minister urged him on and Sonny sucked in a breath.
He held it for a few seconds and tried to will his heart to stop pounding but it didn't, it merely continued to thrum in his chest, threatening to burst right out of him.
"Morgan," Sonny breathed her name out and sucked in another breath, hoping he could make it through without crying, which was going to be hard considering Morgan was already standing in front of him with tears running down over her cheeks, "The day that we met, I knew that you were special. We faced some hard things together, we made it through the tough reality of working together but nonetheless we managed to find one another, and fall in love."
Again, a chorus of 'awes' echoed from the crowd and Sonny smiled, his eyes never leaving the page where his vows were written. He feared that if he looked at Morgan, he wouldn't be able to keep himself composed, he just needed to make it through his vows, then he'd meet her eyes and face the music.
"Somehow, the stars aligned though and we made it work. I made a promise to you, a promise that as long as I'm alive you will never be alone, you will never question if you're beautiful, you will never doubt that you are worthy, and you will never wonder if you are loved. You are my love, my soulmate, my best friend and I believe you were brought into this world, destined to be loved by me. I will love you Morgan, always and forever."
"And now, for the rings." The minister spoke up and Sonny turned sideways, handing Peter the sheet of paper with his vows. He then looked right at Morgan and held his breath, wondering how he had managed to land someone as perfect as Morgan.
Sonny could only hear his heart pounding in his ears as the man marrying them said whatever he was supposed to say. His fingers fumbled and his hands shook as he took the ring from Peter and slipped it on Morgan's finger, reciting the words after the minister spoke them.
When Morgan went to put the ring on his finger, he noticed that her hands were shaking just as bad as his. Oh good, she was just as nervous and excited as he was, that was a really big relief for him. How lucky was he, how absolutely amazing was it that he had managed to find Morgan in his lifetime?
It wasn't until the minister announced that he could 'kiss the bride' that Sonny snapped out of his daze yet again and without hesitating for a second, he closed the distance between them, hauling her forward and holding her tight against his chest as he kissed her for the first time as her husband.
When they pulled away, Sonny could hear the crowd clapping and cheering, many of them on their feet. He glanced past Morgan and spotted Riley, smiling wide at him and giving him a nod, tears welling up in her eyes too. Without putting it off any longer, Sonny looped his arm through Morgan's and began leading her back down the aisle, music sounding out behind him.
He didn't stop moving until they were out of sight, hidden at the wall of the church where he quickly backed her up, pressing her against the wall before kissing her again. She let out a giggle and held on to him, letting his lips trail down over her neck and across her collar bone, his hands gripping her hips hard.
God she loved this man, and she wasn't going to let go of him, ever. They were married and Morgan couldn't have been any happier.
XxxxxxXxxxxxXxxxxxX
"Everyone welcome Mister and Missus Sonny Carisi!"
The DJ's voice echoed through the speakers and the crowd gathered in the hall erupted into cheers and applause. Morgan looked nothing short of breathtaking in her wedding gown and while she clung to Sonny's arm, a giant smile plastered on her face, it wasn't hard to see that the woman was truly happy.
The ceremony had gone smoothly and all that separated her and Sonny from a great night was an uneventful reception, and so far, nothing had gone wrong. Even if it did though, Morgan wasn't the type of person who would get up in arms over the littlest thing going wrong, she was much too laid back, much too happy to be married, finally.
Loud, bass laden music began to play over the same speakers and Morgan reluctantly peeled herself away from Sonny, merging with the crowd of people and starting to mingle with the guests. There weren't all that many people as it hadn't been a huge wedding; close friends, Sonny's family and their plus ones, and a few family members of her own, which included her dad and her mom. It was an intimate affair and Morgan was glad that she was now Missus Carisi.
She loved Sonny with all of her heart, and she was glad that they were going to get the chance to be husband and wife. There wasn't anything more that she could've asked for in the world and as she moseyed her way through the crowd, hearing people laughing and having a grand old time, she felt herself relax. This was her day, and she was happy, happy to have Sonny, happy that he loved her so much, and happy that they were going to be married for a long time to come.
"Mo!" Morgan spun around at her name and immediately locked her eyes on Riley, who was trying to make her way through the crowd, getting closer and closer to Morgan, who stopped moving and merely stood still, waiting for Riley to reach her. When she finally did, Morgan immediately moved in for a hug and Riley held her tight, basking in the feeling of her best friend being right there with her.
"Hi Ry." Morgan giggled and peeled herself away from Riley, but she locked her hand on Riley's wrist so that they wouldn't get too far from each other. She just wanted a minute with her best friend before the night really took off.
"God Mo, you look amazing, for real. You are the most beautiful bride ever." Riley smiled at her friend and Morgan matched it with one of her own. She was thankful to have Riley in her life. That's what best friends were, they were there when they needed each other and they made it through the tough times.
"Thanks." Morgan beamed at her and ran a hand across the front of her dress, feeling the lacy material against her skin. "I love this dress."
"Yes, it looks amazing on you, honestly when I heard you wanted a lace dress, I was picturing my grandma's tablecloth." Riley teased but paused, cocking her head to the side and pondering what she had just said. "But when I saw that dress on you in the store, I knew it was perfect, and nothing at all like a tablecloth."
Morgan narrowed her eyes in on Riley and shook her head at her, "not even the slightest bit."
Riley shrugged her shoulders in response and gave Morgan another hug before slipping her arm through hers. She didn't want to let Morgan get away from her, no, she was way too glad to see her friend so ecstatic to be married, so much so that part of her was maybe a tiny bit jealous. Would she ever get a wedding like Morgan? Did she even really want one?
The more she thought about it, and the longer she saw the excited smile on Morgan's face, the more she was starting to think maybe she wanted a wedding of her own, even if it was just a small one.
"We should go mingle." Morgan suggested and Riley held her breath before giving a reluctant nod of agreement. "Just for a little while, then we can sit down at the head table and just enjoy the night."
"Sounds like a plan." Riley added with an amused snort. "Also, I want a drink so bad."
Morgan turned her head towards Riley and slowly her lips curled upwards into a devious smile. It was a wedding, an Italian wedding at that, there was wine freaking everywhere she looked; on the tables, on serving trays, literally every which way she turned there was someone offering up wine.
"We can definitely have a glass." Morgan said in a low tone, her smile still very evident on her face.
"Hot damn, I was thinking we could have a shot of tequila, or maybe even a Jaeger bomb." Riley teased and shook her head in amusement. "Kidding, I can deal with wine, especially after your bachelorette party."
Morgan giggled at Riley's statement and proceeded to lead Riley towards the bar, which was set up near the back of the hall they had rented. The two of them got close enough to the bartender but didn't need to say a word to him as he had already set out a bunch of glasses of wine. Morgan nabbed a glass of white while Riley grabbed on to a glass of red and the two of them turned around, peering out at the party.
Morgan lifted the glass up to her lips and took a small sip, savouring the alcoholic beverage as she swirled it in her mouth. Riley followed her lead but she sucked back nearly half of the contents of the glass, swallowing it without hardly even tasting it, Morgan chuckling at her actions. Riley forced a smile onto her face and let Morgan take the lead, walking back out towards the core of the party.
Morgan could feel her body tight with excitement and when she peered sideways at Riley, her friend beamed at her. There was a reason they were best friends, they were inseparable and there wasn't anything that Riley wouldn't do for Morgan, or vice versa.
They were the sister's that the other never had and there wasn't anything that would ever get between them.
"You sure you don't want a Jaeger bomb?" Riley offered from beside her and Morgan let out a loud, obnoxious bark of laughter. "I'll take that as a no."
"I'm good Ry." Morgan let out a soft sigh but when Riley peered over at her, she took note that Morgan was grinning.
"We could do some shots with Bella, she's the fun sister." Riley teased.
"Riley," Morgan's attempt at scolding her held zero conviction and Riley kept her eyes locked on her, giving Morgan her undivided attention, "thank you."
"For what?" Riley scrunched up her nose in confusion.
"For being my friend."
"Well I'm lucky to have you." Riley countered and peered back at the bar. She shook her head and focused her attention on the group of people just a few feet in front of them, one of whom was Sonny.
Morgan bowed her head without saying anything else to her best friend. Riley slipped an arm around Morgan's back and moved along in step with her, the two of them closing in on the group not all that far away. People were laughing, conversing, generally having a good time and when they reached the edge of the small crowd, a server approached them with a tray of finger foods but neither girl made a move to take one. Morgan politely shook her head no and the server moved on, leaving the two of them alone to wander through the guests.
When Morgan spotted Sonny just up ahead, who was talking to Peter and Barba, as well as a couple of people from his side of the family, Riley stopped walking and forced Morgan to still as well.
"What's up?" Morgan asked in a murmur.
"Nothing." Riley responded in a low tone. "You-"
"Okay, what's up?" Morgan cut her off and gave Riley a slight glare.
"Nothing." Riley said defensively and when Morgan raised her eyebrows at her, she threw out a laugh. "I'm just enjoying being here with you, that's all, plus you're the prettiest girl in the room, why would I not want to be hanging off your arm."
"I see how it is, you're not ready to let me go just yet?" Morgan smirked. "Look though, Peter's right there, maybe he can entertain you while I go and say thanks to everyone else. Ry, just because I'm married, doesn't mean I still won't be your best friend."
Riley's lips curled upwards into a smile but she shook her head. Morgan was absolutely right, she was her friend, married or not, and that wasn't going to change. There was just so much on Riley's mind that she wanted to tell Morgan but she didn't know how. Everything was moving too fast; now that Morgan was married, how much longer until she had kids of her own?
She'd be happy for Morgan, obviously, but she knew it would hurt her too. Why did having kids have to be something hard for her?
"It's okay, you go, I'm going to grab another drink." Riley suggested and Morgan narrowed her eyes in on her friend, who raised her hands in surrender. "I just want something a little stronger than wine, that's all, I promise I'll come find you soon."
After giving Riley a quick once over, the girl took off, leaving Morgan on her own. She moseyed on over towards Sonny and set her arm across his back, leaning against his side as he lifted his arm up and rested it on her shoulders. Morgan sent a smile in Peter's direction and jerked her thumb in the direction that Riley had just wandered off in.
"Where'd you disappear to?" Sonny quipped, readjusting his arm on her shoulders ever so slightly, just so that it was more comfortable for them both.
"I was just chatting with Riley." Morgan answered, letting out a soft sigh of contentment. She curled into Sonny's side further and let her eyes fall shut as she simply basked in the moment, loving the fact that she was his wife, and he was her husband. They were married, they had vowed to love each other forever, it was just too good of a feeling.
"You look amazing Mo." Sonny remarked and she beamed with pride. "That is the most amazing dress I've ever seen."
"Thanks." She grinned. "You don't look too bad yourself Sonny Bunny."
"Truly, you look amazing." Peter added in.
Morgan felt like a queen in her gown, but still, she wasn't about to turn down some lovely compliments. Sonny was everything to her and suddenly she knew why Riley seemed a little down. She was losing her best friend, yes, Morgan was moving on, Morgan was going to be spending less and less time with Riley now that she was married but surely it wouldn't be all that different seeing as they already moved out of their apartment months ago.
"I should go find Riley." Peter announced and Morgan shook her head no. "No?"
"She just went to get a drink, I'm sure she'll come back this way." Morgan answered. "Plus I like you and Sonny feeding me compliments on my dress."
"A drink…" Peter dropped his eyes downward but he didn't make a move to leave. Riley had gone to get a drink, it seemed innocent enough, but he knew Riley was dealing with some deep issues lately, which were more than she was willing to share with Morgan. "It's definitely your dress, you look amazing."
"Yes, no thanks to Sonny's sisters, they tried to get me into some tacky chandelier looking thing." Morgan teased. "Thank god Ry put a stop to me trying that on as soon as she saw it."
"My sisters aren't Morgan's biggest fan." Sonny pointed out, just to clear the air. "I can't picture you in anything else Mo, you really do look like my perfect bride."
Peter tossed them both a smile and raised the glass in his hand, "Well congratulations are in order."
Morgan grinned at him and gave Sonny's chest a gentle pat. She wouldn't have wanted any other man to share her life with and now that Sonny was officially hers, she was ecstatic, a permanent smile stuck on her face.
This was one of the greatest days of her life and she didn't want it to end.
When she peered up at the small stage a mere twenty feet away, she spotted Riley talking to the DJ who was perched near the side of it. Before she could figure out what her friend was doing, the DJ handed her the microphone and the music slowly faded away to nothing, leaving Riley standing in the centre of the stage looking out at the crowd.
"Hey everyone." Riley plastered a smile on her face as she addressed the crowd, but her eyes were glued to Morgan. "It's time to get started on speeches and as the Maid of Honour, the best friend to the bride, I volunteered to go first, so, without further ado, here we go."
Riley hesitated for a second and sucked in a breath, her index finger moving slightly against the side of the microphone.
She continued to hold Morgan's eyes and breathed out, "Morgan, you're my best friend, we've known each other a long time and there isn't anyone else on this entire planet who I would want to take your place, not even Aaron Judge, the Yankees outfielder, as cool as that would be. You have been my better half for as long as I can remember and I appreciate the fact that you've put up with me for this long. I love spending time with you, I love being your friend, your confidante, and the girl that you trust the most. I love how badass we think we are when we're together, but most importantly, I love that you've managed to find someone who makes you as happy as Sonny Carisi does."
Morgan lifted a hand up and pressed it against her chest, directly over her heart. She turned her head and peered at Sonny, who looked down at Morgan with a smile on his face.
"Sonny, you are good for Morgan, you are the perfect match for her, and you make her happy. I think you two will have a wonderful life together and I, for one, cannot wait to see what you do with it. Congratulations you two!"
The crowd erupted into a fit of applause and Riley waited on the stage for someone to follow her. Sonny's mother was quick to get to her feet, rather spry for an older woman. She gingerly took the microphone from Riley's grasp, smiling as Riley made her way off the stage and into the crowd, immediately heading in Peter's direction.
His mother hesitated but lifted the microphone towards her lips, "thanks so much for coming to share in the joy and joining of Sonny and Morgan."
She paused, letting the crowd applaud her greeting. Morgan couldn't help but smile at her mother-in-law, Sonny's grip on her tightening ever so slightly as he watched on too.
"As a mother, one of my proudest moments was when I had Sonny, my charming little prince. His birth brought so much joy, peace and sense of belonging. My mind goes back to when he was a baby and several times at night, I'd wake up and look into his beautiful, smiling eyes and be completely overwhelmed with a sense of wonder, joy and responsibility for my extraordinary child."
Morgan let out a small 'awe' sound and leaned into Sonny's arms further. She was proud of him too and watching his mother up on the stage, she knew she was as well. He was a great man; Morgan would never deny that.
"I must admit that raising you and your sisters hasn't been a smooth ride at all, just look at my hair if that doesn't tell you something. Each day came with its own challenges but I was determined to lay down my life for you kids so you could become successful. Today is the day to rejoice in knowing that my dreams for you have come true, today is the day to rejoice in knowing you are married to this beautiful woman."
Sonny took a slight step towards the stage, a smile gracing his face and his eyes welling up with tears. Morgan reached up and pressed a reassuring kiss against his cheek, reminding him that she was right there and she was listening just as intently as he was to his own mother saying some of the sweetest things she'd ever heard a mother say.
"Morgan, thank you for being there for Sonny. I love you and want to thank you for bringing out the best in him. I admire your sense of honesty, empathy and integrity and I trust that you are going to be an amazing wife. I'd like to welcome you and your family into our hearts and home. We love you so much! I wish you well and may God bless you both!"
The crowd erupted in gracious applause and Morgan reluctantly peeled herself out of Sonny's grasp, moving to stand in front of him, her eyes locked on his. He couldn't stop smiling and when she tipped her head back, he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers.
When he pulled back, he cocked his head sideways at the sight of Rafael Barba giving his mother a hug as she exited the stage. What? No, no his best man was Peter Stone, who would be much more gracious with his words than Barba. Okay, so maybe this would be good, it's not like he couldn't use a laugh on top of everything, right?
"Before I begin, I must admit that Sonny and Morgan have asked that I remove anything resembling innuendo from this speech. I've promised if I come across anything even slightly risqué, I'll whip it out immediately." Barba joked and the loudest laugh came from Morgan herself. In a room full of Catholics, it was a miracle he managed to get a laugh at all, then again, Morgan wasn't Catholic. "I do have to say just how lucky Sonny is: he leaves here today with a wife who is warm, loving and caring. And Morgan, how lucky you are as well: you leave here having gained a lovely dress and a wonderful bouquet of flowers."
Morgan snorted at his words and even Riley's laughing was getting louder. Soon enough a good half of the guests were chuckling, whether it was out of politeness or because they were actually finding Barba funny though, that was up in the air.
"We all know Morgan is a wonderful lady who deserves the perfect man, it's too bad you don't always get what you deserve." Barba carried on and he paused for a second, dropping the microphone away from his face before getting a better grip on it and lifting it back up. "In all seriousness, I've known Sonny for a long time and in that time, he's become like a brother to me. I'm so glad Sonny found someone who makes him as happy as Morgan does. May you have a long and prosperous marriage."
Barba let out a sigh on stage and looked out into the crowd. Morgan followed his gaze and cocked her head sideways at the sight.
When Morgan spotted her dad heading up to the front of the stage, she furrowed her eyebrows. He didn't hesitate though and took the microphone from Barba's hand, who let it go without a fight and walked off to the side, hopping down to the floor and watching as Morgan's dad began to speak, following his speech with one of his own.
Morgan was a more than a little bit shocked when her dad made his way to the stage; hell this could either be really good for her or go terribly wrong; it wasn't like she had heard her dad say that much about her as a child, and she knew what her mother thought of her. Holding her breath, she prayed that this wouldn't be a catastrophe. Sonny extended his hand to Morgan and she took it, squeezing it in her own as the two of them looked up at Morgan's father, who was tearing up on the stage just in front of them.
"My baby girl," He paused and sucked in a nervous breath, "when you were little I always knew you deserved the best, you needed someone who would love you with all their heart, who would take care of you when the time came and who would protect you from the dangers of the world. I believe, wholeheartedly, that you have managed to find that with Sonny."
He paused and turned to the side of the stage, clearly trying to gather his composure. Morgan was shocked, clearly underestimating how much her father actually cared about her. She hadn't realized how hard it must've been for the man to have given up his baby girl, to hand her over to some other man to look after and take care of; but that's what he had done. His words were beautiful but unexpected.
It didn't matter though, it was clear that he wanted Morgan to be happy, and that's exactly what she was.
"You will always be my little girl, but now, now you have someone who I am confident will take care of you better than I can, and ever could. Sonny, you know how precious what you and Morgan have is and there isn't another man that I would ever feel comfortable with handing my little girl off to. May you have a long lasting and wonderful marriage together."
Before the man could hand the microphone off to anyone else though, the DJ waved his hand at him and motioned for him to come closer. Morgan watched carefully and moved closer to the stage, dragging Sonny behind her. She knew what was about to happen and she couldn't wait for her first dance as husband and wife.
When the starting chords of their song sounded out from the speakers, Morgan turned to face Sonny and curled herself into his chest, letting him hold her against him.
"Ladies and gentleman, Morgan and Sonny Carisi taking their first dance as man and wife." Her father announced and James Arthur's 'Say You Won't Let Go' played through the air.
Morgan tipped her head back and peered up at Sonny, taking her bottom lip in between her teeth. He used his right hand to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, all the while the tune of the song lulled him into relaxation and the lyrics reminded him of how truly lucky he was to have Morgan as his wife.
"I love you Sonny." Morgan whispered and rested her head against his shoulder.
"I love you too Morgan."
"Mrs. Carisi." Morgan grinned and set her palm against his chest, drumming her fingers against him.
"God do I ever love the sound of that."
XxxxxxXxxxxxXxxxxxX
It was late by the time the reception party died down and by the time Riley wandered through the front door of her house, it was nearly three in the morning. Peter trailed along behind her, following her until she was inside their bedroom, where she quickly flipped off her high heels and bent down to grab them. He took them from her hand and moved to the closet, placing them inside with the rest of her shoes.
"How'd you get out of making a best man speech?" She asked, closing in on him and turning her back to him. "Can you unzip me?"
His fingers gingerly trailed down the zipper and he leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "I made a deal with Barba."
"Yeah, no I got that."
"He wanted to do it. I just made him promise that he wouldn't just roast Sonny the entire time." Peter laughed. Riley slipped the dress down her arms and let it fall to the floor, heading for the bed and grabbing her sleep shirt off her pillow. She pulled it on over her head and then, with her body covered, she freed herself from the strapless bra she had worn for the wedding. "He knows Sonny better than I do, definitely longer."
"Pfft." Riley reached up and tried to pull the bobby pins out of her hair without using a mirror. She managed to find just a couple before giving up and stepping in front of the mirror mounted on the wall behind the dresser. "You know him well enough to say nice things about him, hell, even I could've given a best man speech: Sonny, you are a great man, a great ADA and a great cuddler."
"How would you know if he's a good cuddler?" Peter leveled her with a glare and she threw her head back in laughter.
"I just assume that; before they started dating, he'd wind up sleeping with Mo in her bed, innocently enough because they were both fully clothed, but like obviously a man like that has mad cuddle skills." Riley explained and leaned forward, looking intently into the mirror as she gently prodded at the braid crown. "And he's got gangly arms, they're probably perfect for wrapping around girls."
"Is this really stuff you think about?" He asked with a smirk.
She shrugged at his question, knowing that he probably already knew the answer. She was an awkward girl sometimes and yeah, she thought about some things that normal people might not think about, but what did it matter? It's not like she was thinking about Sonny in a romantic way, more of a 'is he a good candidate for my best friend' way and she had easily concluded long ago that Sonny Carisi was perfect for Morgan.
"When your best friend tells you that she likes a guy, you obviously look into him." Riley snorted.
"Look into him?"
"That sounded…" She trailed off and turned her attention towards Peter, who was still smirking at her. "I wasn't going to let her date an ugly guy."
"Even if said ugly guy was in fact, a really nice guy?"
With a glare in his direction, she grabbed hold of the actual braid and started to pull on it, trying to loosen it enough to get the bobby pins in her grasp. When she tugged a little harder, she felt the braid come free from against her head and easily began picking the pins out of her hair.
"No." Riley shook her head. "Some really attractive guys are assholes, I know that first hand."
"Is that supposed to be a dig at me?" Peter asked with a chuckle and she immediately shook her head no. When she met his eyes, she wasn't even remotely amused at his question.
"You're not an asshole at all." She pointed out. "Like at all. You're pretty much the nicest guy ever who also happens to be super attractive."
"Pretty sure some of the people I've faced in court would disagree."
"You've never been an asshole to me." She corrected. "Honestly, you're like the most patient person ever. I'm not easy to deal with and- hey I don't even think I've ever seen you mad."
Peter, who had taken off his suit jacket, was working away at the buttons on his shirt but he paused as she studied him. Surely he had been mad in front of her before? But wait, maybe…she had a point, it took a lot to make him full on mad and maybe she had never seen it before. It's not like Riley would've been in court all that much to witness him, but even then, it wasn't like he was constantly mad.
She freed her hair from the braid and ran her fingers through it, grabbing the last few remaining bobby pins before setting them on the dresser with the rest of the ones she had picked out. She then grabbed a brush and ran it through her locks, which were wavy from being in a braid for most of the day.
"You're just not an angry person in general." She offered. "It's a good thing, especially for me because, like I said earlier, I'm not easy to deal with."
"You're fine." He stated, but there was a hesitation to his voice. Was she a difficult person to deal with? Honestly, he didn't find her difficult. Sure there were times when she was all over the place, or maybe her ideas had been misguided, but there was never a time when he questioned why he was with her. He loved her, it was that simple.
"I think we just work really well together." She grinned. "Like Mo and Sonny Bunny."
"Definitely helps that you don't call me Peter Rabbit."
"Well that would be weird." Riley nodded, stepping away from the dresser. She closed in on him and took over unbuttoning the last few buttons on his shirt, while he merely stood in front of her, studying her face. "You're just Peter."
"And you're my Thumper." He chuckled and she lightly slapped his chest. "We go at it like a pair of rabbits-"
"Are you complaining?" She cocked her head sideways and finished with the last button, letting him shed the shirt, dropping it to the floor. "Because I can slow down."
"God no."
"Yeah, that's what I thought." She grinned once again. "Come on, get your pants off and join me in bed."
He let out laugh and watched as she disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. He loved her, a lot, and this whole wedding thing had gotten him thinking, he just wasn't sure how to breach the subject.
Did he want a wedding? Honestly, he did, even just a small one. He wanted to watch her walk down the aisle in a beautiful dress, he wanted to spend the evening celebrating their marriage, he wanted to eat cake and have a great big fancy dinner to share with their family and friends.
But he didn't want to force her into having a wedding if she didn't really want one.
By the time she wandered out of the bathroom, her hair in a loose ponytail, he was wearing nothing more than a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. She hopped onto the bed and sat on top of the covers, looking at him as he disappeared into the bathroom to do the same things she had just done.
"Can you believe they're going to Venice for their honeymoon?" She called out to him but waited a few beats for him to finish brushing his teeth. When he stepped back into the bedroom, she made her way onto her knees and met him at the edge of the bed. "How romantic right?"
"Where would you go?" Peter asked.
"For a honeymoon?" She countered. "I don't know. Paris, but that's sort of cliché. Maybe Ireland or Scotland, I hear they're pretty nice."
"Well do you want a honeymoon?"
"Actually, I think I do." She nodded her head and set her hands on his shoulders, meeting his eyes, which were locked on her. "And I think I want a wedding, mostly because I want a wedding dress and new shoes."
"A dress and new shoes, that's what you want from a wedding, not to proclaim your undying love for me?" He baited and she drummed her fingers against him.
"I would love to stand up in front of everyone and tell you how much I love you." She smiled softly. "So long as I had a bitching dress and sexy new 'fuck me' heels to wear when I did so."
Lifting a hand up, he set it on the side of her neck and ghosted his thumb across her jaw, "then we go to Paris, or Ireland, or Scotland and-"
"Fuck each other ten ways to Sunday." She finished with a snicker. "Is that what you want?"
He shook his head in amusement at her but nodded his head. Yes, that was exactly what he wanted and he wanted it all with her.
"You'd get a white dress right?" He pressed.
"Uh even though I'm not virginal or innocent? Is that allowed? Am I allowed to wear white?" She quipped. "I'd consider it but honestly, white, off white, whatever, I don't even know what I'd be looking for in a dress- no wait, not true, I want a big ball gown, with lots of sparkles."
"So do it."
She stared at him, cocking her head sideways, "we don't have a date or anything picked out."
"Do that too."
"You do it." She scrunched up her nose at his demand.
"October seventeenth."
"What?"
"I pick October seventeenth." He stated casually. "You said do it, I just did it."
Riley dropped her head but let out a low laugh at him. She lifted her chin and let out a soft sigh, not entirely sure what she was supposed to do at this point. She wasn't opposed to October seventeenth, not even a little bit, but was he expecting her to just agree? Was that what he was hoping for.
"Okay." She nodded.
His eyes widened ever so slightly, "really?"
"I feel like this probably isn't the most effective way to plan a wedding but yes really." Riley stated. "While we're at it, what about colours?"
"Blue and silver?"
"Navy blue, like Yankees blue."
"Not Cubs blue, agree."
"Morgan's obviously my Maid of Honour."
"Sonny as best man."
"My mom will totally give me away."
"Venue?"
"October is usually cooler, so inside, uh, I don't know if I like the idea of a church but I'm open to whatever."
"Are we really doing this?" He pressed, moving his hands to take gentle hold of her wrists, keeping her palms flat against his chest. "Is this really how we're going to plan our wedding?"
Riley let out a laugh and shook her head with a smile, "my lord, there's way more details to figure out but we have a starting point."
"Good." Peter gave a firm nod of his head. "I feel like we've done everything backwards."
"What?" She cocked her head sideways.
"We moved in together, we're trying to have a baby, all before we're married." Peter pointed out. "Backwards."
She shook her head, not even caring if he believed they did things backwards. She liked where they were and she was excited to marry him. She wanted a big fancy dress, she wanted to walk down the aisle to him and see his face when he laid his eyes on her. She wanted it all, so long as it was with Peter Stone.
"Backwards is more fun." She laughed. "Definitely more fun."