AN/
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH. We made it! The last chapter! 100 chapters and over 120k words! This is crazy and incredible. Never written anything near as long or committed as this and i'm so proud of myself. But I couldn't have done it alone and I TRULY mean that. Without the readers and reviewers this wouldn't have made it. I love and thank you ALL.
Quick notes:
Laura and Avery scene request: Sequel will include both of them and I was already planning on having them in proximity. So while I can't tell you exactly where in the sequel they will be, they will be together and spending time as step-granddaughter and step grandmother. But I threw in a lil something here at the reception.
The sequel already has a planning write-up. I'll be re-reviewing and tweaking it to be best it can before writing any. I still plan on having it up sooner than later. I'd expect sooner than later. Can't give exact date though.
Sequel will be based on Nava and Friz with some different stories and includes a lot of characters involved here as well as some new ones. It'll take place a few weeks in the future from this story.
-End of AN-
"I'm so happy for you guys!" Liz exclaimed later approaching the couple, reaching her arms out to offer hugs.
"Thanks, Liz." Nikolas told her, accepting the hug watching as his newly wedded wife hugged Franco beside them. "That means a lot."
"There's something me and Franco wanted to ask you actually," Liz informed the couple.
"Sure, what is it?" Ava asked her slowly, gravitating to her husband again from breaking their hand-hold to hug them and placing her hand back in his. "Is everything okay?"
"No, it's something good." Liz smiled. "We wanted to know how you two would feel about being Lauren's godparents."
Ava's mouth automatically opened in shock, but the good time. She'd never been asked to be a god parent before but she knew it was a huge honor. And to the little girl she'd helped deliver herself. To the baby who held her daughter's name? It was even more of an honor.
She looked at Nik, not wanting to accept without gauging his reaction. She knew it was clear on her face that she wanted to say yes. Just to make it super clear though she nodded as she looked at him, as to persuade him to say yes. He didn't need it though.
"Liz you are one of my oldest friends, and I know Ava and Franco go way back too. Of course." Nik told her.
"Yes of course!" Ava beamed exchanging smiles with Liz and Franco. Liz was more giddy than Franco however letting out a small 'yay'.
As Franco and Liz walked off leaving the couple to be Ava turned to Nik giggling with excitement. "Wow, Liz musta pulled some string to get Franco to say yes to you."
"Ha. Ha." He said playfully sarcastic. "I don't think it hurt that we are kinda a package deal now."
Ava loved hearing that. She reached up to kiss him. Sweet and gentle, something intimate without being wild. Something rare for them, but perfect in the moment.
Later the pair along with others ended up dancing, a normal wedding activity. Neither were the best dancers, but they could care less. Some of their friends were no better, especially when they could hear Franco and Elizbaeth laughing about who stepped on the others toes more.
Suddenly though, Nik could feel a tug on his pant leg that made him look down to be met with a pair of huge brown eyes looking up at him.
"Avery!" Laura called out after her. "Avery, I told you to wait for me if you wanted to see your mommy, she was dancing."
"It's okay, mom." Nik told her as Ava nodded in agreement.
Laura stood behind Avery, pulling her hair back from the mess it got in from running towards the couple. She'd been watching Avery a lot of the night when Ava and Nikolas wanted to spend intimate wedding time together, enjoying the time with the young girl who she could now call her granddaughter. She found the young girl to be so sweet and a bit shy socially. She warmed up to her quickly however only for Laura to discover Avery is also very determined as in determined to go to her mother and new stepfather.
"What is it, Avery, sweetie?" Ava asked, smiling down at her daughter.
"I wanna turn!" She cried out.
Ava's smile grew as she realized what her daughter meant. She too had spent her younger years admiring disney movies depicting dancing at a ball. A Princess fantasy even her daughter all these years later shared with her. Avery was also going to get her wish too as her new stepfather was a real prince in a real castle.
Nikolas also realized this and couldn't help but offer himself to his new step-daughter for a dance. "Would you care to dance, Miss Avery?"
Avery instantly stepped in and took her mother's place and Ava had never been less bothered to be cut in on. In fact getting to watch it was a wedding present in it's own as she watched Avery's tiny feet balance on Nik's shoes.
"He's so good with her." Ava admired next to Laura who also watched in enjoyment.
"You guys are gonna be the best family." Laura told her. "I'm so happy for you. All of you guys."
"Thanks, Laura." Ava said hugging her new mother-in-law who would always be more of a friend than a mother. "Now if you'll excuse me there's something I have to do."
Laura easily excused her, not needing to hold her up for anything on her wedding day. Ava looked back one time and captured the moment of her husband and daughter once more before turning her back to it. If Nik was going to be so kind to her daughter so often without her even needing to initiate it she needed to do the same. Not that she hadn't been itching all evening to go speak with Spencer one on one.
"Is this seat taken?" She asked as she sauntered up to the table Spencer was sitting at, sipping on a drink she assumed was club soda from the bar.
Spencer shook his head and she took it as her cue to sit down beside her new step son. She couldn't read him, no matter how good she normally was at reading people. Was he upset? Was he okay? Was he upset but trying to appear okay? Knowing Cassadine men I'd be more complex.
"How long had you known about this?" She asked him, knowing Nikolas clearly told Spencer prior. In fact she's sure he cleared it with Spencer too, not wanting to put something like this on his son so soon after coming back if it were to be an issue.
"A week or so." He told her. "It was quick."
"You're telling me!" Ava laughed. "I didn't even know it was happening until it was happening."
A moment of silence fell between the two of them before Ava spoke up again.
"Thank you." She said.
"What?" Spencer asked unsure he heard her correctly.
"Thank you." She reiterated. " I know you and me aren't on perfect terms by any means and even so with your father. You being okay with this? Being here and supporting it? That means a lot to me, and I'm sure it means the world to your dad."
She couldn't help but look back over at Nik and Avery who was now spinning Avery as she laughed giddily. She got lost in it for a moment, only being pulled out by Spencer's reply.
"You make him a better person." He told her. "And that's what I want. The father I knew back. I think i'll be able to find him again. I think I'll be able to have him back. If you can do that, that's worth more than the money I might have gotten from the settlement."
Ava smiled, so relieved. She felt like she could take a huge weight off her shoulder. That things would be okay with Spencer for her and Nik. Spencer always was wise beyond his years, and this showed his maturity level.
"Ava!" Nina called out from the bar, waving her over with a napkin in her hand.
Ava stood up to go to her, but responded to Spencer first. "I just want you to know that that is gonna be an impossible wedding present to top."
Ava's eyes lit up as Nina had a martini ready for her, her exact order. She was impressed and gladly took the drink from the blonde's hand. "A Martini? You know me well."
"Let's toast!" Nina exclaimed.
"Okay. To what?" Ava asked her, holding her drink out to ready the glasses clinking and drinking.
"To getting what we wanted from our perspective Cassadine men. Even if what we wanted changed along the way."
Ava smiled and clinked the glasses. "I'll cheers to that."
They both drank from their drinks and placed them down on the bar counter. Ava looked around and Nina was right- things were a lot different. She still got the castle and the money and all the perks but she had something else too. Something she didn't expect. Something that crept up on her and managed to hang on even through the toughest times. Through stormy nights and blood red daggers. She had love.
