*Sigh* Don't ever say I don't love you, dear readers. I wasn't planning to write any sort of epilogue for this monstrosity of a story. However, enough of you wrote in demanding one that, just this once, I'm going to allow myseof to be swayed by my reviews. So, without further ado, here it is. The last and final installment ot "Too Hot To Touch." Thanks to Christina S. for emailing her suggestions; I've sort of used the first one.
Too Hot To Touch
by FoenixFyre
Disclaimer: I'm not Naeko, and I'm not Nora. Only the words belong to me.
Epilogue
The sun was shining. Mina glanced through the lace curtains at the clear blue sky, then back at her sister. She smiled, an expression full of joy and pride. "You look perfect, Serena."
Standing in front of the tri-fold mirror, Serena looked over her shoulder. If anything, her smile was even wider then Mina's. "I'm a little nervous," she confessed. Her reflection in the mirror was a work of art. The romantic concoction of white silk and lace cascaded down her body, transforming her into an earthly angel. Her hair was pulled back in a very simple twist to offset the elaborate gown. A finger-tip veil attached beneath the silvery-blond mass, falling over her pale shoulders. A bouquet of ivory roses and lavender arum lilies rested in its box on a near-by table, ready for her to carry it down the aisle.
They weren't in Vegas, but in a church near Darien's -and now Serena's- home outside New York City.
"What's there to be nervous about?" This came from Raye in the corner, slouched comfortably in an armchair. "It's a simple ceremony, then you and my big brother fly away to Bermuda and spend a week romping around naked on the beach and having more sex then you can shake a stick at!"
"Says the woman who feared a big wedding so much she actually did drag her fiance off to Vegas," laughed Serena.
Raye smirked and glanced -again- at the ring gracing the fourth finger of her left hand. "It was fun to run off and get married by Elvis." Plus, she added to herself, it meant she could escape the planning nightmares of her mother..
"Shut up, rude girl. And sit up. You're going to wrinkle that tiny thing you call a dress." Lita glanced up from where she nursed a beautiful baby girl. "You pissed your mother off something terrible. She really wanted to be there when you actually married the right guy. Now she's taking it all out on this affain."
And it was true, sort of. Serena and Darien were starring in the splashiest wedding of the year. Mrs. Chiba had flown home from where she and her husband were touring in South Asia, met Serena, and immediately begun to make lists.
Raye laughed unashamedly and straigtened in her chair, smoothing the wrinkles from her body-hugging gown.
Serena had not wanted uniformity in her bridesmaids. Each had chosen a color, and then a style. Mina was dressed in a stylish fall of peach satin, Lita in a suit of green sub-silk. Raye's flame-red gown had nearly given Jad a heartattack when she brought it home.
"Is everyone ready?" The final female member of the bridal party peeked her head in before slipping through the door. Amy, Zoicite's new wife, was a quiet little woman with three Ph.D's whose short cap of black hair and delicate features made Serena think of a pixy. She was wearing a gown of deep blue satin that draped down to her ankles and dipped low over her breasts. Over the year since she and Zoi had moved to the U.S., Amy had become a very close friend to Serena and the others.
Serena took a shaky breath. "I think so. Mina, you want to go cue the chamber group?"
"Of course. Raye, Lita, make sure she doesn't try to run away!"
Minutes later, Malachite slipped inbeside Mina, who stood waiting to presede Serena down the aisle.
"Mally, what are you doing here? You should be up there!" Glaring at her lover, Mina nodded her head towards Darien, who stood before the alter, alternating shades of white and dusky red flushing over his face.
"I know, I know. I just needed to ask you something, and this struck me as the right time." Malachite fingered nervously at his bowtie. Funny, how he had never before realized how constricting the damn things were. And was it hot in here?
"Well, ask me, then get your butt back where it's supposed to be. You screw this up and I'll kill you."
Standing there, looking at the woman he loved, Malachite suddenly began to reconsider the question that had been running through his mind. He'd thought it would be a sweet idea to ask here and now, something Mina would appreciate. But would she?
"Mally, is somethine wrong?"
"No." He took a deep breath, then bowed down on one knee. "Mina, your sister is about to marry my best friend. I thought that here, before they exchange your vows, I would ask you to, um, consider sharing them with me." He fumbled the little box out of his pocket, and held it up to Mina, who was having trouble keeping her mouth closed.
"Mally, you want me to marry you?"
"Yes!"
The room was spinning around Mina. Her entire world had shrunk to contain herself, Malachite, and the diamond and amber ring he was offering her. Everything else had simply disappeared. She was having trouble breathing.
"Mina!" The loud whisper shook her out of her shock. Raye was leaning back from her position beside Jad, ready to walk down the aisle. "Congratulations! Now put the damn ring on and get over here! You're up next!"
Yes, she certainly was. She looked at Malachite, her throat dry, unable to speak. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
"Mina!" Serena was beckoning, her smile even wider than before.
Malachite stood swiftly. His own smile was a little crooked. "Look, I need to get back. Think about it, all right? You can keep the ring, just in case you feel the need to put it on." He leaned over to place a soft kiss on her still-slack mouth. With the economical type of movement she loved in him, he turned and walked away.
Mina took her place in front of her sister, who kissed her cheek. "Mina, that's wonderful!. Close your mouth."
"Uh, yeah." And with that, she began to precede Serena down the aisle, toward the men they loved. When she reached the alter, Mina remembered to signal the chamber music.
The classic "Here Comes The Bride" music began to play, lofting over the attending guests by cello and violin. Everyone rose and turned expectantly toward the back of the church. Right on cue, Serena appeared, pausing for a moment to take it all in. As her father had passed away years ago, she had elected to take this journey on her own, flaunting tradition. While someone behind her messed quickly with her train, she looked up from her bouquet, and locked eyes with Darien.
Darien Chiba.
In the end, it all cam edown to the two if them, the business man who had been too busy, too successful to take the time for real love, and the artist who had been too afraid of love to fall. No one could call their relationship easy, but it was the only thing now that she could ever imagine for herself.
The weeks following their reconsiliation had been difficult. Even though she had accepted his apology and love with all her heart, what he had done to her had left scars. It had been difficut to resume the level of trust she had felt for him, and him for her. At times, she had felt that even the beautiful ring on her finger would not keep them together.
But now, almost a year from that day Darien had drvien to her sister's house and tried to carry her off, Serena felt no hurt, no mistrust insid eof her. The own emotion welling up inside her heart was love, with a bright tinge of excitement. This was the first day of the rest of their lives, and she couldn't wait for the rest.
She reached the end of the aisle, and handed her bouquet to Mina, then turned to face her beloved. He smiled at her, and they faced the minister together.
The words spoken were ages old, often enough said that everyon eknew them almost by heart. Mina relaxed her mind and, instead of focusing on what was said, focused instead on what was, more importantly, being felt. She looked at her little sister and the man she was marrying, and felt only joy. She looked across at the men who stood behind Darien, and flet the love they each felt for the women beside her.
And finally, she looked at Malachite. Did his proposal make her nervous? Oh, yes. Did she love him? Without a doubt. When she was with him, she no longer thought about his first wife, secure in his love only for her. Did she want what he offered?
The answer was surprisingly simple, amazingly clear.
Of course she did!
As Darien slid the platinum band onto Serena's left hand, symbolically binding her to him until death did them part, Mina smiled at Malachite, who watched her. With a small movement unnoticeable to the audience, she slid his ring onto her own hand. His smile was like the rising sun. Together, they turned and laughed with joy as their best friends, their family, were declared forever Man and Wife.
Serena kept her eyes open as Darien bent his head to kiss her. It didn't seem possible that so much happiness could fit inside her heart. Just as his lips hovered over hers, Darien paused. Gazing tenderly, lovingly into her eyes, he whispered, "For ever and always, Serena-mine."
"Forever and always, my love."
And they kissed.