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Warring Hearts, Part 15
Leigh touched the bouquet of flowers in her hands. She sighed as she rolled her head back against her shoulders. She looked over at Jonathon as he stood over where Chris was. He looked so handsome in his tux. She looked over at Kellie, who was being fussed over by Noin and Hilde. She had been picked as a bridesmaid since her and Kellie had both run cross-country at Saint Augustines and there had been more groomsmen then bridesmaids. "Everyone younger then me is getting married," she sighed as she smoothed her one hand down the royal purple silk of her dress.
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Jonathon was watching her out of the corner of his eye. She looked breathtaking. He watched her adjust the short train on her dress. The slim fitting silk dress flattered her gently curving figure. His palms tingled slightly as he thought of all the times that he had run his hands over every inch of them. He knew how soft her skin was and how she tasted against his mouth.
"Not thinking of something you shouldn't while you're in Church, are you?" Chris whispered as he nudged Jonathon with his elbow.
Jonathon flushed a little. "No."
Chris smirked at his response. "Liar." He looked over in Leigh's direction. She was talking to Victoria, who looked just as beautiful in the royal purple silk. "I know I am."
"You would be," Jonathon snorted as he raked his hands though his chestnut hair.
"At least I admit it. I know you're thinking about Leigh. It's written all over your face."
"Will you shut up?" Jonathon grumbled as he looked away from Leigh and back at Chris.
Chris smirked again. "There's no crime in that. Although you're probably not the only one thinking those kind of thoughts. I bet David is."
"What makes you say that?"
"Since he's been celibate since he started dating Kellie. And now that he's marrying her, he won't have to be anymore."
"You're mind was always in the gutter," Jonathon remarked dryly.
"So is yours," Chris replied, grinning.
"David is probably too nervous to think about anything. We almost had to tie him to a chair this morning," Jonathon pointed out. "And we made sure there was no way he would be able to get out of the Church."
"That's true. For the first time in his life, David is scared out of his mind," Chris chuckled. "I bet you would be too, if you were marrying Leigh."
Jonathon choked hard, making his eyes water.
Chris rolled his eyes and pounded on his brother's back. He noticed that Leigh was looking over in their direction. He knew that she had been casting looks in Jonathon's direction since she arrived at the Church with the other bridesmaids. Since he had caught them in the locker room after his match a week ago, he knew that something had to be done.
"Why the hell would you say something like that for?" Jonathon hissed as he regained his breath.
"Because I know you would marry her if you had the chance to," Chris said knowingly.
"Well I'm not! I won't get the chance to!" Jonathon whispered sharply.
"Who knows what can happen. You never know," Chris said benignly.
Jonathon glared at his brother, but said nothing. "One of these days I'm going to strangle my older brother for being so damn observant."
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Leigh looked away from Jonathon as she caught Chris's eyes on her. He saw way too much. Victoria did too.
"You were staring at him again," Victoria mentioned as she pushed back an errant curl away from her face.
"I wasn't," Leigh protested.
"You were so. Don't lie. I caught you at it. I know you still love him. There is no way to hide it. I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at him."
"Is not!" Leigh protested softly.
"It is. And I know what happened between you two in the locker room last week after his match. Chris told me."
"I
thought I told him not to!"
Victoria laughed quietly. "Chris knows better then to keep things from me. He doesn't like to sleep on the couch."
"You haven't told anyone?"
"No, and I'm not going to," Victoria said gently. "I know you don't want anyone to know. Your secret is safe with me."
Leigh breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
Victoria smiled at her friend. She looked up as the wedding coordinator started putting people in their places. "Well time to get this show on the road," she said as gave Leigh another smile. She made her way to the back of the line. She was the matron of honor.
Leigh sighed a little as she slipped her arm through Zach Merquise's arm. She watched as Hilde slipped her arms through Jonathon's and Chris's arms and start down the aisle with Duo following. Her eyes misted a little. She looked over her shoulder at Kellie, who was resplendent in her bridal satin. Zechs looked slightly nervous, but Kellie looked calm as usual. "I don't think I could be that calm," she said to herself. She took a deep breath as her and Zach started down the aisle.
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Jonathon watched her from his spot on the altar. Chris and him both stood there silently. "God she looks beautiful. I love her so much." His eyes caught hers as she took her place. He could see the feeling in them. "I love you Leigh."
She met his gaze as he continued to look at her. His eyes were communicating all he felt. "I love you Jonathon. God help me, I still do." Her eyes turned to the one side of the aisle where Ling sat. He smiled at her. Her heart twisted a little. She had earned the love of two men. One who could admit it, the other one who could not. She returned his smile with a slight one of her own.
He could see Ling from where he was standing at the alter. Jealousy was gnawing on his stomach, making it churn. His eyes then fell on Wufei on Kellie's side of the aisle. He still felt like choking the life out of the older man. He knew his dad still wanted to. Wufei paid him back in tenfold for hurting Leigh. He never could have imagined Wufei being that calculating and ruthless just to make him as miserable as he had Leigh at different times. The lengths that man had gone through were mind boggling because they worked so efficiently and effectively. He had wanted Leigh out his reach and succeeded. "Damn the man." His eyes went to David, who was trying not to fidget at all in front of the three hundred guests. "Poor sucker having to do this in front of so many people. There is no way in hell that I'm going to put myself through the hell that Chris and David went through just to get married. I'd rather shoot myself than have this many people at my wedding."
Leigh's eyes wandered out over the massive congregation. She shuddered inwardly at the sheer number of people looking back at her. It made her uncomfortable. "There is no way I want a wedding of this size. Something small would do just fine." She was pulled out of her thoughts as the wedding march began to play. She smiled as she saw Kellie with her arm tucked through her father's. She felt her eyes get hot, but she pushed them away as they slowly made their way down the aisle.
Jonathon grinned as he saw David's expression. He looked back at Kellie and whistled softly so only Chris would hear. "David is one lucky guy." His eyes went back to Leigh and like the other bridesmaids; she was trying not to cry. A soft smile crossed his face.
She felt his eyes on her and she turned hers towards him. She saw the look he was wearing and returned a soft smile of her own before she returned her eyes to Kellie and Zechs.
His eyes rested on her as the service finally began. He barely heard a word the minister was saying since he was looking at Leigh. He saw her touch her fingers to her eyes as David and Kellie said their vows. He lowered his head some. "If only."
Leigh stole a glance at Jonathon from under her lashes. His head was bent as the minister pronounced David and Kellie husband and wife. A lump formed in her throat, but she smiled as the newly married couple made their way down the aisle. She slipped her arm through Zach's, as it was finally their turn. She could see Jonathon up ahead with Veronica.
Jonathon wanted to look over his shoulder at Leigh, but he forced himself not to. He looked at Veronica as she walked beside him, her arm through his. He sighed as he thought about the rest of the evening. "This is going to be a long, long night," he mumbled under his breath.
At the reception…
Jonathon watched her over his tumbler as she danced with Ling out on the dance floor. He sighed as he put the glass down. He glanced over at Morgan, who was talking to Kellie and Victoria. "Morgan, would you care to dance?" he asked as he got out of his chair. He bowed slightly before the three women.
"Of course you may," Morgan said, smiling up at him as she took his hand. Her butter colored slip dress enhanced the warm cream tone of her skin and the soft curves of her body. She rested her hand on his shoulder. She could see his eyes on Leigh and Ling. "You should stop that," she chided gently.
He looked back down at her. He gave her a faint smile.
"Well, who am I supposed to look at? It looks like you have Dominic's eyes on
you. He's been staring over at you for the past hour and a half."
She shook her head. "I came here for you and to be with you, not Dominic."
"Morgan, Morgan, always doing what's best for me."
"You need someone to look after you or else you'll self destruct."
"I would rather you be happy with someone who isn't a basket case."
"You're not a basket case Jonathon."
"I am. The woman I want is with someone else. More
then likely she'll marry him and then maybe I could put myself out of my
misery."
"You would be more miserable if she married him," Morgan pointed out.
A tell tale flush crept up his cheeks and he looked away from her probing gaze. His eyes fell on Wufei, who was smiling smugly, like he knew something the whole world didn't. He knew why Wufei never liked him dating Leigh. It was because he never bowed and scraped before him in order to go out with her in the first place. He wasn't going to humble himself before a man that had known him as a child. That was humbling enough. It was also because of his reputation with women. He didn't fully blame him for that. That was a given. He sighed and returned his eyes back to hers. "And the more miserable I am, the happier that man over there would be."
She looked over at Wufei. She frowned and looked back at him. "You're letting him get to you, you know."
"I know, but what he did just to keep me away from Leigh was…"
"Reprehensible and cruel. Not to mention that he's the reason you smashed your hand through security glass."
"Wufei's had it in for me since the day I stared chasing after Leigh. And there were a lot of reasons for why I smashed my hand through glass. He's one of them, but not the sole reason I almost sliced my hand into pieces."
"You were the one who lost his temper. You always react before you think," Morgan sighed.
"I thought about it. It was him or the glass. I chose the glass, even though sometimes I wish I had broken his nose instead," Jonathon grumbled. His eyes went over to Leigh and Ling again. "And I wish I could wring Ling's neck every time I saw Leigh with him."
A sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head. Her eyes went to his left hand that was holding hers. The scars were apparent on his tanned skin. They were the outward manifestation of what he had gone through in the past year. He had been mentally shredded and it broke her heart because she cared about him so much. He was her closest friend and there wasn't much she could do for him except be there. It made her feel helpless. "The more you look the more it'll hurt you," she said softly as she looked up at him again.
He turned his eyes back to her again. He could see that concerned look she had, flickering in her golden brown eyes. A faint smile crossed his lips. "I know you worry Morg. It's just hard sometimes."
A smile touched her lips. "I understand. Today I would, especially. You would want nothing more then to marry Leigh. I can see it in your eyes. I saw it there in the Church as I see it there now. But don't lament on something that's not going to happen."
Jonathon lowered his head and pressed his forehead on the top of her head. "Just let me for one more night."
She moved her head so their foreheads were touching. "One more night," she echoed as she pressed a kiss on his cheek and slipped her arms around his neck.
He linked his arms around her waist, letting his head rest on top of hers once again. He closed his eyes to block out Leigh and Ling and to really think of her as his, one more time.
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Leigh's eyes went over to Jonathon as he danced with Morgan. She hadn't asked if he was seeing the pretty brunette. She didn't think she could handle the answer if it was yes. She looked over at Kellie and Victoria as they sat talking at the main table. She smiled ruefully as Victoria held Rhys on her lap as Chris was "dancing" with Alex in his arms on the dance floor. She could see David talking to Miles and his beautiful fiancée, Cristal. She spotted her brother being tugged out onto the dance floor by Isabella Barton again. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the newly engaged Zach and Quatrina, dancing as well. Everyone seemed happy.
Ling looked down at her as they danced. She was looking around her at everyone else. A sad smile was crossing her lips. "Are you all right Leigh?" he whispered softly.
She cast her eyes up at him. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just been a long day."
"You looked beautiful up there," he commented as he pressed his cheek against her temple.
"I was only a bridesmaid, not a bride."
"You could be."
She leaned away from him startled. "What do you mean?"
He looked over at Wufei, before looking back at her. "You'll see," he said as he let go of her and pulled her over to where there was a microphone set up. "I asked David beforehand. He gave me the go to do this."
"To do what?" Leigh asked, her voice shaking slightly.
"Only this," Ling said as he took the mike off the stand. He nodded at the deejay, who stopped the music. "I have an announcement to make."
"What are you doing?" she asked again, panic lacing her voice.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a box.
Leigh thought she was going to faint.
Jonathon blinked as he pulled Morgan forward to see what was going on. His eyes fell on a box in Ling's hand. His stomach tightened.
Ling smiled up at Leigh as he got down on one knee. He flipped open the box with one finger. A huge diamond solitaire glittered in its platinum setting. "Chang Leigh, would you give me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Her heart stopped beating in her chest. Her eyes centered on the ring in the box and then back at his face. She felt like she was going to hyperventilate. And what was worse, she had an audience of three hundred, staring at her.
Jonathon looked at Leigh. She was standing motionless. He felt sick. He felt the need to run because he didn't think he would able to take it when she said yes. He yanked his hand out of Morgan's and pushed through the crowd running. The door of the ballroom slammed behind him.
Leigh's eyes went to Jonathon. She saw his eyes
widen several degrees before running. Her heart twisted as the door slammed.
Her eyes went back to Ling. "Ling…I…I…"
Morgan turned on her heel and went after Jonathon. Chris, Randy, and David followed her.
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Duo's eyes turned glacial as they fell on a smirking Wufei as he looked on. "I'm going to beat that man within an inch of his life."
Hilde cast a look at her husband. Apprehension filled her as she noted his expression. It was the one that he used to get when he was fighting in the Deathscythe. Someone was going to meet his maker. She looked over at Sally, who looked ready to explode at her husband. "Oh no," she said worriedly. ******************************************************************************
Leigh was confused. She didn't know what to do. She looked over at her father, who was nodding his head with approval. She could see her mother's furious expression directed at her father as well as the killing one that Duo was sending him. Her eyes went back to Ling, but Jonathon's expression filled her mind. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go through with it anymore. She couldn't hurt him in the worst possible way. "Ling…I…I…can't," she said tearfully as she pulled her hand out of his and started running in the direction that Jonathon had gone.
Ling was shocked. Surprised. He went after her.
Wufei followed, frowning.
Duo followed, murder intent in his eyes.
Sally ran after them both.
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"Jonathon!" Morgan yelled as she ran after him.
Jonathon walked rapidly down the hall. His blood was thundering in his ears. "Leave me alone Morgan!" He threw open the front door.
"Jonathon!" she yelled again as she continued to follow him outside. She could see him getting into his truck. "Jonathon!" she screamed.
He peeled out of the driveway. He wanted to die inside. He wanted to be alone. He didn't pay attention to her screaming.
Morgan let her hands fall to her sides. "Jonathon," she said softly, defeated. She felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. She looked up at Chris.
"I don't think that we could have stopped him. He would have punched David or me to get away," Chris stated as he watched the taillights disappear.
"I had no idea that was Ling's intent. If I had known, I wouldn't have let him. Dammit!" David hissed as he raked his hand through his hair.
"It's not your fault David. It's no one's fault. Not even Ling's because he never knew about Jonathon and Leigh," Randy said sadly as she shook her head.
"Come on, let's go back inside," Chris said as he turned on his heel before looking out where his brother disappeared to. His face turned grim.
Inside the mansion…
Ling pulled Leigh back as they reached the hall. She
turned her eyes towards him. "I can't Ling! I can't marry you."
"Why not?" Ling asked as he searched her face.
"Because I can't! I can't do this to myself! To you! To him!"
"To him?"
"To Jonathon! I never told you that I dated him on and off for four years. I was in love with him, but he never told me that he loved me back! We broke up last year again when we had a pointless argument! I told myself I wouldn't go out with him again! And my father," she laughed mirthlessly, "my father set me up with you in order to keep Jonathon away."
Ling's eyes widened. He looked towards Wufei, who had just entered the hall. "Is that true? Did you set me up with her to keep someone else from being with her?" His eyes went back to Leigh. "And how come you never told me?"
"I never told you because I didn't want you to know," Leigh said sorrowfully as she looked at the tiled floor under her feet. "I didn't think it was important for you to know that I had already had my heart broken by him. And my dad didn't want you to find out that I had been in love with a womanizer. He thought it would taint me."
His eyes returned to the older man's. "Is this true?"
Wufei shook his head. "Its true. I was only doing what was best for my daughter. My first marriage was arranged. I should've done it with both of my girls but Sally insisted that I didn't. It would have been better off in the end. She wouldn't have fallen for some…"
"Chang, you're ass is mine this time!" Duo yelled furiously as he marched into the hallway. Hilde was following.
Sally turned and looked at him. He looked like Hades. She paled.
Wufei glared at Duo. "And what are you doing?"
"I'm going to beat the living daylights out of you that's what! Death is way too good for you! I think I'll just torture you some!" Duo growled menacingly.
"Duo don't!" Hilde protested as she held onto his arm, trying to hold him back from committing homicide.
"Maxwell, you wouldn't be able to," Wufei scoffed.
"Wufei!" Sally yelled angrily.
"STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!" Leigh screamed. She looked at her father. "I'VE HAD IT! YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! YOU'VE HURT JONATHON ENOUGH! I'VE HURT HIM ENOUGH! HE MIGHT HAVE CAUSED ME ENOUGH PAIN TO LAST ME A LIFETIME! BUT I LOVE THAT IDIOT!"
"Leigh you don't know what you're saying," Wufei said sharply.
"I KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT I'M SAYING! YOU MAY NOT LIKE HIM FOR WHAT HE'S DONE TO ME, BUT I LOVE HIM! HE WAS MY CHOICE! AND HE LOVES ME!" she countered, her eyes flashing brilliantly.
Ling watched the exchange in disbelief.
"AND FOR YOU TO USE LING IN YOUR SCHEME TO MAKE SURE THAT JONATHON HAD NO CHANCE WAS MALICIOUS AND DECIETFUL!" Her eyes filled with tears. "How could you do this to me? I was sacrificing my own happiness because of you. I thought that was what you would do for me. I know you wanted nothing but the best for me, but Jonathon was the best for me because he loved me unconditionally. And I loved him. And I still do."
Duo lowered his arm and stared at her as she broke down in tears.
Hilde's eyes fell to the floor.
Sally gave Wufei a fulminating look.
Ling watched as Leigh covered her face with her slender hands. A sympathetic smile creased his lips as he put the ring back in his pocket. He pulled out a handkerchief and walked over to her. "Take this," he said softly.
Leigh looked up at him and took it. "Thank you," she whispered as she wiped her tears away with it. She looked back up at him. "I'm sorry for leading you on all these months. I'm sorry if I hurt you."
He shook his head. "No need to apologize Leigh. I understand now. I sort of knew that I never had your whole heart." He touched her cheek briefly with his fingers. "Go after him. Go after the man you really love."
She smiled tearfully at him. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug before releasing him. She turned on her heel and ran.
Wufei watched as Leigh left. "Silly onna of mine going after a man that couldn't…"
*CRACK* Sally's hand exploded against her husband's cheek. "Stop it right now Wufei Chang or I swear, I'll tell Duo to kill you," she hissed.
He stared at the woman that was his wife. His eyes turned towards Duo, who was glaring at him malevolently. He didn't say anything.
"You've done it for the last time Chang. I swear, by God, if you ever mess with my son like that again, I will slit your damn throat in a heartbeat," Duo snarled as he went over to the shorter man. He looked down at Wufei for a moment before balling up his fist. He took a deep breath. "You're not worth it," he muttered as he turned to his wife.
Hilde shook her head and ran her hands on Duo's forearms. She looked over at Sally. "You think Leigh will be able to find him?"
"She'll know," Chris said as the rest of them came inside. "Because I guarantee that's where he went."
"Where?" Hilde asked quietly.
"To Mermaid's Sound," Morgan replied, smiling thinly. "It's secluded. It's quiet. And very few people know about it. And it's Jonathon's favorite place to go when he wants to be alone. I know because he took me there once. And as far as I know, Leigh's the only other person he's taken there."
"You think it'll turn out all right?" Hilde asked worriedly.
"I don't know. It might be too late," Randy, said in a low voice.
"Let's hope not," Sally replied as she shook her head.
"We can only hope," David said quietly as he walked past them, back towards the ballroom.
And one by one, they followed him back to the ballroom, except for Ling and Wufei. The two men stood silently for a moment.
"You shouldn't have," Ling said finally. "I wouldn't have pursued her if I knew about Jonathon and how she felt towards him. You should have let her go to the one she loved Wufei. I know I would have," he said softly as he bowed his head and let himself out of the house.
Wufei stood there alone in the hall with his cheek burning from his wife and a threat from the God of Death. He bowed his head. "Forgive me," he whispered.
A/N: Were any of you expecting that twist? Can't wait to see what happens? Well stay tuned for more coming soon! The dramatic conclusion is almost at hand! XOXO!!
