Disclaimer : I don't own the characters !
Wedding day !
Street
He'd slept for six hours, yet he didn't have dark circles under his eyes. Perhaps the excitement of the day was the cause. He got up at seven in the morning, put on a pair of jogging pants and went for a good hour run on the beach. He needed to evacuate all this excitement but especially the anguish. He knew Chris wouldn't plant him at the altar, that wasn't her type and she was just as determined as he was to get married. No, he was worried about crashing himself. Not knowing what to say when the time comes. He hadn't written his vows, and it wasn't for lack of trying. Every time he wrote something, he automatically crossed it out. It was pathetic. You will know what to say, his colleagues and friends kept telling him. He hoped so. He hoped so with all his heart.
When he got home, he was sweating and badly needed a shower. His best men as well as Deacon were seated over breakfast.
"Ah, here you are !" Luca said standing up. "Do you know you're getting married in three hours ?"
"Given that it's my wedding, I would say yes." scoffed Street. "Relax, we have time. I'll take a shower."
When he joined them, cleansed of all traces of perspiration, he had put on a simple tracksuit and a tank top. He still had time before he put on his tuxedo.
"I hope you're hungry." said Hondo, who placed a plate of scrambled eggs in front of the groom.
"Yes thanks !" he said.
"Coffee ?" Luca offered.
"No thanks !" Street said. "I'm already excited enough as it is."
"Aren't you nervous as the ceremony approaches ?" Deacon asked, sitting to his left.
"A little, but it will be better as soon as I see Chris."
He attacked his plate, calming his hungry stomach. A beep was heard. Luca took out his phone and sighed as he read the message he had just received.
"A bad new ?" Tan asked.
"You can say that." replied Luca, who tapped his phone for a few moments before putting it back in his pocket. There he looked at Street. "It was Ally, I have orders to block Chris's cousin from approaching you."
The future groom rolled his eyes and concentrated on his plate.
"Care to explain ?" Hondo asked.
"Ah, yeah, you don't know.é Street said, wiping his mouth. He washed down his last bite with a long sip of orange juice. "Let's say that Lucia tried to jump on me one day when we were at Chris's aunt's house, and my darling was not kind to her cousin."
Thinking about it, when Chris had pinned Lucia against the wall after the latter had tried to kiss Jim, the young man felt a searing desire to take possession of her, but which he managed to control.
"And she resents him for not being chosen as a bridesmaid."
"Ally just told me that she and Nichelle were going to take care of her." Luca said. "Knowing Ally, this might not be much fun for Lucia."
"She will have deserved it." Street said. "Let's talk about something else. I hope you haven't lost Chris's wedding ring, otherwise I'll kill you by running over you with Black-Betty."
"Calm down buddy, the wedding ring is in my nightstand, and I will have it on me when I leave for the ceremony." Luca reassured him. "We're going to start getting ready, and we're leaving to be at the scene at ten o'clock, and welcome the guests."
"At your command, 22-David !" Street teased him.
With the exception of the young man who was already washed, the four members of S.W.A.T took their shower turn by turn. With the breakfast table and kitchen clean, Street went to his bedroom and picked up his phone, unplugging it from the charger. There was a message from Chris.
[From Chris]
I'm suffering in the hands of these fools, just to be beautiful for you, so you better be there when I walk down the aisle.
Smirking, he replied.
[From Street]
Courage My Love. And you are still beautiful. I'll be there when you walk towards me in your beautiful white dress that I can't wait to see. I love you.
"You're okay ?"
Street looked up at the doorway to his bedroom to see Deacon there.
"Yeah, that was Chris. It's a torture for her to be dolled up."
"I was talking about you." Deacon said, going to sit next to him on the edge of the bed.
"Yep, I'm fine." Street assured. "I promise you."
"And your vows ? Still don't know what to say ?" Deacon asked.
"There are so many things I would like to say to Chris, but I will keep it simple." Street said. "Were you nervous on your wedding day ?"
"You have no idea how much." Deacon confessed. "But all men are nervous the day they marry the woman of their life. All your nervousness will fly away as soon as you see Chris walking towards you, and you'll be husband and wife in no time."
"You know, she asked me if, the day we had children, if I would ask her to stay home to take care of them." Street told him.
"What did you say to her ?"
"That I would never ask her to do that." Street said. "I understand that she wanted to know, but it's not something that crossed my mind. We can both do S.W.A.T. and raise kids. Unless I take my wishes for realities."
"You just have to find the right balance." Deacon told him.
Knock Knock !
"Deac, the bathroom is free." Luca told him, who was dressed in a nice cape, a very simple tuxedo, and a bow tie that was not entirely made. "Your tuxedo is in my room."
"OK, thanks !"
Standing up, Deacon patted Street on the shoulder, letting him know with that simple hug that everything would be fine.
"Come on buddy, it's time to get dressed." Luca said showing him the cover that contained his own tuxedo.
Twenty minutes later, the five of them were gathered in the living room. Street's tuxedo fit him as well as it did on the day of the fitting. Hondo made sure everything was perfectly in place.
"Come on, Tan fire the engine outside, gotta go." Luca said.
"I'll join you later. I'm going to pick up the kids from Annie's mother, and make sure they're ready." Deacon said.
"The ring ?" Street asked.
"Relax, buddy !" Luca took a black box from the inside pocket of his jacket, opened it and revealed the wedding ring. "Here it is !"
A gold ring on Chris's size. Annie was in charge of keeping Street's ring, identical to this one.
"Take a deep breath." Hondo said, as Luca put the box back in his pocket.
Hicks
There was nothing in the S.W.A.T rules that forbade two co-workers from dating. Before Chris, there had only been men who were part of the elite police unit, but even then Hicks thought it could very well have happened between two male colleagues. He would never have bet that the two youngest members of the team would get together so seriously. They were both part of the same squad, and that could have been a problem. Hicks would have had every right to separate them in order to keep everything together, but they had proven to everyone that they were more than capable of working together. That was their strength.
"Dad ?"
Geez, what was Molly doing at home ?
"Molly ?" He walked out of his room, dressed in an elegant charcoal tuxedo, with no tie or bow tie. "We weren't supposed to see each other until tomorrow, I think ?"
"True, but I was wondering if we could have lunch together at noon ?" asked the young lawyer, who noticed the way her father was dressed. "Do you have a date ?"
"Molly !" Hicks sighed. "It's Jim and Chris's wedding today."
"Oh !"
Secretly, Molly had always hoped that Street and Chris relationship wouldn't last because of their jobs. For her, it was doomed. They were doing the same dangerous job, and she had thought in her heart that her father was angry with the young man for breaking up with the young girl. But no ! She was the bad guy.
"I know what you're thinking, and it would be nice if you stopped immediately." his father told him. "You have to turn the page, it's time."
"If you had supported me a bit by asking Jim to forgive me…"
"Are you kidding me ?" her father cut her off. "Molly, we've had this discussion dozens of times. You were wrong. Jim has moved on and is happy with Chris. They're getting married today, and you can't change that."
"He should be with me." Molly said.
"It is not with this attitude that you will be able to move forward." Hicks sighed. "Okay, I have to go. We'll see you tomorrow at noon, as agreed. And please stop clinging to a man you betrayed. I'm telling you again, it's time for you to move on with your life. Without Jim Street."
He kissed her on the forehead and left.
Chris
Once the hair and make-up session - which had taken place at Annie's - was over for the future bride as well as the bridesmaids, Nichelle and Ally, they all got into the cars, heading for the private garden where a dressing room had been planned for Chris. Annie, Erica and Bonnie all sported a gorgeous sheath dress with one right shoulder, floor length and navy blue in color. Their long hair was wavy and tied to the side.
Ally had her blonde hair slicked back, and wore a gorgeous emerald green cocktail dress that hugged her curves, flared above the knees. Thin straps, a neckline that would not fail to make Luca lose his head, and black pumps on the feet.
As for Nichelle, she wore a splendid long red backless dress. The sweep of the dress covered low-heeled pumps. Her black curls were fastened with a brooch.
"Chris, we're going to join the guests and make sure your bloodsucker cousin doesn't come near your future husband." said Nichelle.
Chris stepped out from behind the screen, which had been set up so she could put on her dress. If the bridesmaids had already seen the young woman in her wedding dress, this was not the case for Nichelle and Ally, who were captivated. Chris was unrecognizable. Princess marquise type with a V-neck, wide embroidered and satin sleeves, and which continued in the back. Her black hair, which she had let grow for the occasion and at the request of her future husband, was styled in a low bun fuzzy.
"Wow !" Ally breathed.
"Chris, you are beautiful." said Nichelle.
"Jim is going to lose his mind." Ally said. "Okay, let's go join the rest of the guests."
"Breathe, and relax, okay ?" Nichelle told her. "There are twenty minutes left before the ceremony starts."
Twenty minutes that turned out to be torture, for Chris. Hell, she knew she'd be stressed out when the time came, but not this much.
"So, your dress is new, and we painted your nails blue." Annie said. "All that's missing is something old and borrowed."
"We don't have to follow tradition." Chris said.
"Oh yes we do !" Bonnie said. "We agree not to throw the bouquet and the garter, which you have decided not to wear. You can give the bouquet to whoever you want, but at least leave the rest to us."
She untied the bracelet she had on her wrist, and attached it to Chris's.
"Something borrowed."
"But, it's a present from Victor for your birthday." Chris said. "No I can't..."
"Yes, you can." Bonnie assured her. "I know you will take care of it throughout the ceremony."
"As for something old, your aunt gave me this." Annie came forward with an embroidered white handkerchief, which Chris recognized. "It belonged to your great-grandmother."
"Yes, all the women in my family had it on their wedding day." Chris nodded. "Where am I going to put it ?"
"We will carefully wrap it around your bouquet."
Annie joined the action to the word, and delicately tied the handkerchief to the bouquet. A bouquet that Chris hadn't really seen. It was a surprise from her bridesmaids, and when she saw it, she smiled, moved. It was a bouquet of white lilies mixed with forget-me-nots.
"Painting my nails blue wasn't enough, apparently." she amused herself.
"We didn't want to take any risks." Erica said.
"Your dresses are blue." Chris reminded them.
"At least we're not letting anything go." Annie said. "Are you ready ?"
She handed him the bouquet. Chris took it. Yes, she was ready.
Nichelle and Ally
The private garden that Chris and Jim had chosen for the ceremony was truly magnificent. An arch covered with white roses had been erected. Chairs were scattered on either side of a white carpet that led to the altar, where Jim and his best men stood, chatting with the Pastor who would officiate. The two young women were relieved to see the future groom occupied and surrounded. The guests had arrived and were being greeted by Chris's aunt, who told them to sit where they wished. There, a few steps from the arch, where there was a piano, Nichelle and Ally spotted Chris's cousin.
"Have you seen that dress ?" Ally grimaced.
"I especially see that she does not take her eyes off Jim." said Nichelle. "Let's introduce ourselves !"
"Good idea !"
Lucia Alonso wore a purple dress that was way too tight for a wedding, and let's not talk about the cleavage.
"Hello, you must be Chris's cousin." Nichelle greeted her with a smile.
And flattening herself in front of her, blocking her view that she admired. What a bitch, Ally thought.
"Yeah !" Lucia raised her eyebrows. "Can I know who you are ?"
"My name is Nichelle, and this is Ally." She gestured to the young blonde next to her. "You should go sit down, the ceremony will start soon."
"Thanks, but I'd like to talk to Jimmy first, so…"
"Oh no, I'm sorry but you won't be able to talk to him." Ally cut her off. "Anyway, you won't be able to approach him, his best men will prevent you."
"I have the right to speak to him." Lucy said.
"Why ?" Nichelle asked. "To try to convince him to leave your cousin for your benefit ? Sorry, that won't work."
"And I advise you to come and sit with us." Ally said. "Unless you'd rather we call your mom and tell her you're trying to ruin your cousin's wedding ?"
A glint of fear flashed in Lucia's eyes. Ally smiled, and moved away to motion for the young woman to join the rest of the guests. So she sat in the front row, but with Nichelle and Ally on either side of her.
"The first row is for the family." Lucia told them, who wanted to get rid of these two girls who were getting on her nerves.
She didn't like being stopped from going near Jim. She hadn't given up on the idea of stealing Jim from her successful cousin, and this was her last chance.
"You will never be able to separate them." Ally told her.
"I didn't ask your opinion, and what I do or who I want to do is none of your business." Lucia replied.
"You know, there's a word to describe how you feel." said Nichelle. "Jealousy, and it's not good to be jealous of a family member."
"And I told you the front row was for the family." repeated Lucia.
"Nichelle, Ally !"
Chris's aunt, who was wearing a gray dress, approached the two women and shook hands affectionately.
"My God, you are absolutely lovely." she complimented them. "You still are, but those dresses are fabulous."
"Thank you !" smiled Nichelle.
"You will wreak havoc on your companions."
"That's the idea !" Ally said.
"Mama, I kindly told them that the front row was for Chris's family." Lucia interjected.
"There is enough room for everyone." her mother said, waving her hand in the air. "I will make sure everything is ready, there are only five minutes left."
"But, mom !"
But she had already walked away. Ally and Nichelle exchanged a knowing smile.
Street
He had felt Lucia's insistent stares, but he had ignored them. Nothing and no one could make him deceive Chris. He could never do that to her. There was no other woman in the world for him than the one he was going to marry.
"We're shielding, don't worry." Tan had assured him.
"Uncle Jim !"
Lila, who was wearing a pretty pink dress, walked over to the quartet near the arch, and wrapped her little arms around Street.
"How do you like my dress ?"
"It suits you very well." he said to him. "Are you saving me a dance at the reception ?"
"I promise not to step on your toes." she told him, smiling.
"I'm sure you dance better than me."
"Alright…"
Chris's aunt clapped her hands several times to get everyone's attention.
"Take your seats, it's about to start !"
Lila joined her father in the front row on the right. Street stood next to the Pastor, his best men by his side.
More chapters next sunday *-*
