An Angel at The Altar

(Soooo remember the malicious Aldrick Fabien? He's baaaacccckk and he's a bit paler if you know what I mean)

The familiar ridge where Aurora had taken her very first photo of Forks and its glorious sunrise set the stage for Carlisle and Aurora's wedding. When Aurora tried to reason with Alice, that there was no way any kind of ceremony could be held in such a small and cramped area, not to mention the fact that her haute couture dress would be caked with mud – it took the Cullen clan all of five minutes to solve all of Aurora's misgivings. Emmett easily carried thousand-pound boulders and decades-old tree trunks from the area, making room for the hand-carved cedar benches for guests that Jasper had ordered from a local carpenter who also gifted the couple a marriage chest – which was meant to place the newlyweds most precious items. Alice procured enough rose petals to weave a floral carpet that would cover the entire space.

"It's perfect!" Alice cried. "I mean – this is where it all started – if you hadn't gone that day to take that photo in that spot, you wouldn't have fallen on your face and had to go get patched up by Carlisle!"

Aurora shook her head.

"Correction – I didn't fall on my face because of the sunrise," Aurora countered. "Jasper spooked the stag and that's why I fell. And it's not like I did a faceplant into the mud you know."

"Aurora you're not focusing! Can't you see – this is fate – this is where your wedding will be!" Alice said with determination.

/

She put one foot in front of the other, trying to remember what Alice had told her about walking in the stilettos on dirt. Her dress and her veil trailed behind her, softly moving over the ground and the petals. Robert slowly walked his daughter towards her future.

Aurora's hands tightly clasped her father's arm, her palms sweaty and clammy as they wrapped around his forearm. Her other hand was wrapped around the bouquet of lilies of the valley. Aurora felt with each step and each heartbeat closer to her destiny.

Her face was half-hidden by the veil, while soft curls fell around her cheeks, but Carlisle could still see her eyes. He inhaled slowly. That scent of hers, always changing, and yet always making his mouth water. As she walked towards him, he was reminded just how exquisite Aurora's eyes had looked that fateful afternoon in the emergency room, the way her eyes glittered, as if he were staring into two emeralds, the way her long lashes fluttered, the way soft dimples appeared on her cheeks as she smiled that alluring smile. It was as if he were reliving that moment every day since he met her, as if each time he looked at her, it was the first time. As Aurora approached, Carlisle could just barely make out the ghostly outline of the feather tips of her wings. When he blinked, they were gone, and yet somehow, he knows they were always there, and they would always be there. Aurora's father stopped as he reached the altar. The Cascades of white roses and lilacs that were woven into a rustic arch framed the groom and bride, while at their feet, tea-colored rose petals covered the ground. Robert turned to his daughter, taking both her hands in his.

"Aurora, my lamb, my little girl," he whispered, his mustache quivering in joy, tears squeezing at the sides of his eyes. "You will always be our girl, our little angel. And I know this man right here, he is truly meant for you."

Robert smiled at Carlisle, as Carlisle took the man's hand, shaking it firmly. Robert led Aurora up the steps to the raised altar, allowing her hand to pass into Carlisle's, passing his only daughter to her future husband. Carlisle squeezed Aurora's hand as they both faced the minister. Carlisle, leaned to the side, lowering his head to Aurora's ear.

"All the angels in heaven envy you at this moment," he whispered.

Aurora felt herself blush hard, warmth rising up her neck. She bit down on her lower lip to not giggle. She winked at Carlisle, realizing no matter how many times she had stared into those honey-colored eyes, they still took her breath away and made her feel as if she were floating on champagne bubbles.

"We are gathered here today, to bear witness to one of the most sacred and the most miraculous of human nature's gifts – love," said the minister in a harmonious voice.

He motioned for the groom and bride to step forward, while the guests rose from their seats. Carlisle took Aurora's hands in his, as Emmett and Rosalie stepped forward from behind the bride and groom with the rings. Rosalie placed the ring in Aurora's hand, clasping it. She looked into Aurora's eyes.

"I love you Aurora," she breathed.

Aurora felt a tear threatening to ruin the make-up Alice had worked on for hours.

"I love you Rosalie – my sister," she whispered back.

Carlisle took his ring from Emmett, who as always, had a wide, playful grin on his face.

"Now then, the bride and groom shall repeat after me," the Minister Boomed.

He turned to Carlisle.

"Do you Carlisle Cullen take Aurora Clara Francise to be your wife, to love him for who she is, and for who she is yet to become?"

Carlisle inhaled softly as he watched Aurora through the veil, the crystals catching the light, tracing soft rainbows on her skin. Since he had become a vampire, since that fateful night in the sewers of London, he never thought he would find love, the kind of love that not only promised redemption but delivered it. Standing before her, he realized that his love for her was so because she quenched not only his thirst for blood, she accepted it. Her love for a damned being, for Carlisle, was the true thirst that she had quenched. Carlisle exhaled.

"I do," he said.

"Do you pledge to remember that all things between you are rooted in love?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to nurture her dreams and help her reach them?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to share your whole heart with her, and to remember to show you how deeply you care for her, no matter the challenges that may come your way?

"I do."

"Do you promise to love her loyally and fiercely—as long you both shall live?"

"I do."

Carlisle slowly slid the ring on Aurora's finger. The beaming Minister turned to Aurora.

"And do you Aurora Clara Francise take Carlisle Cullen to be your husband, to love him for who he is, and for who he is yet to become?"

Aurora felt as if the world had slowed down just for her. Each heartbeat, each sound, each fluttering of a flower petal seemed to last hours. She looked into Carlisle's eyes, admiring for the millionth time how deep and how enigmatic they were. And yet, Aurora could decipher the enigma. Before her, was a man that was willing to sacrifice his happiness and deny his true self just so others may be happier so that others could have what he had denied himself. He was courageous and thoughtful, yet passionate and spontaneous. He had saved her life more than once, never questioning it, though it could have cost him everything. And for all the times he was convinced he was damned, Aurora knew he was dead wrong. For a being that considered his very existence a curse, Aurora realized, that it was a gift, and she was lucky enough to share in that gift.

"I do," she said.

"Do you pledge to remember that all things between you are rooted in love?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to nurture his dreams and help his reach them?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to share your whole heart with him, and to remember to show you how deeply you care for him, no matter the challenges that may come your way?

"I do."

"Do you promise to love him loyally and fiercely—as long you both shall live?"

"I do."

Aurora slowly slid the ring onto Carlisle's cold finger.

The Minister turned to the crowd.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride!"

Carlisle slowly lifted Aurora's veil, watching her smile while tears rolled down her cheek. He hooked his finger underneath her chin.

"My angel," he breathed.

He lowered his head, kissing her as if it were the first time. Aurora closed her eyes, as his cold lips enveloped hers. The crowd erupted into cheers and claps as Carlisle embraced Aurora, snaking his hands around her hips and dipping her low as he continued to kiss her.

The Cullens had never seen Carlisle happier, and in his centuries of existence, this was truly the happiest he had ever been. Every fiber in his body radiated with sheer joy as she clasped his bride's hand kissing it, leading her down the altar. Aurora beamed at her husband as she walked with him down the aisle towards her family. Aurora's mother and father who had both been crying were smiling through tears, as her mother dabbed her eyes with a hanky, her father slapping Carlisle on the back. Rosalie and Alice encircled Aurora.

"Well, Alice was it like your vision?" Aurora whispered into Alice's ear.

"Even better," Alice grinned.

The crowds circled around the newlyweds, offering congratulations and wishes for a healthy and happy marriage for the next few centuries. There was such a happy and chaotic commotion as the bride and groom made their way down the path to the reception near Aurora's home, that no one paid much attention to a guest who was keen on keeping his distance. He was, in fact, the only one that didn't join in on the banter, well one of two people who didn't join in on the banter.

Edward had gone ahead and invited Bella after a particularly long talk with Aurora, who had said she liked Bella and didn't want her to feel like the odd man out. Aurora had even offered to take Bella dress shopping, to Rosalie's horror. Rosalie demanded that Aurora explain how exactly the wedding would like if everyone, as per Alice's instructions were to wear ivory, white, or powder blue, and then there would be Bella, wearing some god-awful cheap neon pink or red prom dress. Aurora reminded Rosalie that at one point she had also not been exactly keen about her and Carlisle either and that it was Edward who had supported and prompted his father to pursue Aurora, therefore it was only fair that Aurora stand behind Edward. Rosalie promised Aurora she would put on a good face, but that in Rosalie's words, she wouldn't hide her fangs altogether if Bella aggravated her.

Bella, who to Rosalie and Alice's relief had chosen a demure cream-colored maxi dress, was awkwardly waiting for the crowd to clear so that she could offer her congratulations to Aurora and Carlisle. She wasn't comfortable getting into the joyous hubbub, though Edward had nearly dragged her into it. She yanked on his hand and pulled him back as she spied Rosalie clucking over Aurora, constantly fussing over the wedding dress and veil, elbowing people, making sure they didn't trample the bride's dress.

"I'm not really part of the bridal party," Bella said softly.

Edward gave her a funny look, but when he saw Rosalie buzzing around Aurora, he realized why Bella was suddenly shy. Bella prompted Edward to go and join in.

"Edward, it's your father," she said supportively. "He needs you there."

Edward relented, kissing Bella's hand. Bella hung back, playing with the ends of her hair. She shot a side-glance at the stranger, who also made no move to join the crowd either.

"Bride or groom?" Bella asked.

She expected the man to say groom – since he seemed to have the same pale cold skin as all the Cullens. The man looked at Bella with steel-blue eyes, while an eccentric smile played on his lips. His hair was slicked back and tied into an immaculately neat ponytail at the base of his neck. Bella observed, he seemed to be very fashion conscious as he had an impeccable three-piece suit on. He exuded elegance and refinement, and with that smile, arrogance as well.

"An old friend of the bride's," he said in a cold tone, though he continued to smile.