Disclaimer: Fox owns everything.
A/N: Last chapter was a flashback, now we are fast-forwarding to Marissa and Ryan's wedding!
Also, next chapter will reveal more of the eternal valentine thing…so stay tuned!
Chapter 3: The Wedding
"If I have to do this one more time," Summer whispers in Marissa's ear, "there is going to be one unhappy photographer lying on the ground."
Summer and her rage blackouts---not a pretty sight.
Marissa and Summer had spent the last thirty minutes posing for "candid" shots of Summer buttoning up Marissa's corset-type dress. Needless to say, both girls were a bit tired and bored.
"Well, that's a wrap!" The photographer smiles cheerfully at Marissa and Summer. "You girls look great!"
After packing up her equipment, the photographer leaves Marissa and Summer alone in the bridal suite.
Marissa turns to Summer, a scared look in her eyes. "I'm so nervous, Sum. I don't think I can do this."
"Coop! Don't even say that! Most brides are nervous before their weddings," Summer pauses, and the painful memories of her once happy wedding day encompass her.
Marissa puts her arm around Summer. "You weren't nervous. You were so sure of yourself. And so sure that Seth was the one for you."
Summer squeezes her eyes shut, not allowing the tears to escape. She has done this almost her whole life. Except at Seth's funeral. There, she had cried to her heart's content, crying for Seth, but also for all the hurt she had bottled up inside her whole life.
"Marissa, that was a long time ago. Besides, once you see Ryan waiting for you at the altar, you'll know that he's meant for you," Summer gives a half-smile to Marissa which reassures her in a way that only a best friend can reassure.
"I couldn't ask for a better best friend," Marissa sniffs.
"Don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup," Summer orders. Dropping her voice, she adds, "Please don't forget about me."
Marissa turns towards Summer. "Honey, you will always be my best friend! I love Ryan, but I love you too. I'll always be here for you. You know I would do anything for you, Summer."
"I think we just had a moment," Summer wrinkles her nose.
"Well, it wouldn't be a moment unless you were there to ruin it, Sum," Marissa teases.
Cynthia, the wedding planner, pops her head in as the girls embrace. "Ten minutes, Marissa. And Summer, please join the other bridesmaids soon! They're in the Terrace Room."
She smiles and rushes out of the room.
"You're going to be fine," Summer pecks her friend on the cheek, and goes to join the other bridesmaids.
Marissa absentmindedly plays with her sparkling diamond necklace. A diamond heart set in platinum, it was given to her by Ryan on their first trip to New York. Ah, how she loved Tiffany's.
A soft tap comes at the door.
"Come in," Marissa yells.
She doesn't turn around, expecting it to be her mother or Cynthia.
Instead, two strong arms wrap around her waist. It's Ryan.
"Ryan! Get out of here, don't you know that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?" Marissa demands, but she is silenced by Ryan's kiss.
"Marissa, we've beaten all the odds. And been through so much. I don't think that there is anything that can break us apart at this point," Ryan points out.
Marissa considers this.
Ryan turns to leave. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you. See you in there."
"I love you too," she says, closing the door behind him.
Another knock on the door,
"Come in," Marissa yells, knowing this time that it will be her father. Coming to walk her down the aisle.
This is it.
"Sweetie, are you ready?" Jimmy asks.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Marissa says.
The flower girl skips down the aisle, followed by Summer and the bridesmaids. Marissa's stomach has butterflies.
The bridal march begins. Slowly, Jimmy guides Marissa down the aisle.
Ryan is waiting at the altar. He has eyes only for her. And Summer was totally right. Marissa knows now; Ryan is the one for her. Memories flood her brain. Back to the first night they met, when she thought he was a cousin from Boston. The bicycle ride, the Ferris wheel. Their first kiss. How Ryan still loved her after the Oliver incident. Vacations, holidays, and their two major breakups. One during college, when Marissa thought Ryan cheated on her, and the other when both weren't sure that they were meant for each other. But all those feelings of doubt washed away at this moment.
The ceremony flew by in an instant. Ryan and Marissa exchanged vows. Now it was time to party.
Marissa and Ryan shared the first dance. Yes, Ryan Atwood danced. And not just to slow songs. He is so whipped, Summer thought.
Summer was sitting at the table, feeling lonely, because all of the couples had gotten up to dance. She missed Seth so badly.
The song was over, and the band had stopped playing. Marissa came over to Summer.
"Don't you want to dance?" Marissa asked gently.
Summer shook her head. Luke had asked her to dance a few times, but she wasn't in the mood.
"Well if you're sure," Marissa looked doubtful. "But next fast song, you are dancing with me!"
The band played another slow song. Seth and Summer's song.
"I will remember you
Will you remember me
Don't let your love pass you by
Weep not for the memories"
Tears began to flow down Summer's face. She ignored the curious looks she was getting from the other guests.
"Remember the good times that we had? I let them slip away from us when things got bad How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one"
Summer remembered the day they chose this song to be their song. It had been one of those pouring rain days. Seth and Summer were on his bed, Summer flipping through People magazine and Seth reading a comic book. The radio was playing softly in the background. "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan came on, and Summer began singing along. "You have a horrible voice, Summer," Seth reminded her. "Shut up," Summer yelled, and began singing at the top of her lungs. Seth began to tickle her. "Stop it!" she shrieked. He cut her off with a steamy kiss. Seth and Summer had ended up doing it for the first time to this song. It was Seth who suggested that it be their song. "Since I will always love you even if we're not together," Seth said. "And since I've loved you since the first time I saw you, and I never stopped," he added.
"I will remember you
Will you remember me
Don't let your love pass you by
Weep not for the memories
I'm so tired but I cannot sleep
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep
It's funny how we feel so much but cannot say a word
We are screaming inside but we can't be heard"
Kirsten walks over to Summer and hugs her. "This song reminds you of Seth, I know."
"I just--I just miss him so much, I can't even explain," Summer admitted.
"Shh," Kirsten whispered. "I know how you feel. He was my son."
"I will remember you
Will you remember me
Don't let your love pass you by
Weep not for the memories"
Ryan had also come over to comfort Summer.
"Seth told me about the history of this song," he whispers in her ear.
Smiling through her tears, Summer laughs.
"I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light"
She will always remember Seth.
A/N: Last chapter was a flashback, now we are fast-forwarding to Marissa and Ryan's wedding!
Also, next chapter will reveal more of the eternal valentine thing…so stay tuned!
Chapter 3: The Wedding
"If I have to do this one more time," Summer whispers in Marissa's ear, "there is going to be one unhappy photographer lying on the ground."
Summer and her rage blackouts---not a pretty sight.
Marissa and Summer had spent the last thirty minutes posing for "candid" shots of Summer buttoning up Marissa's corset-type dress. Needless to say, both girls were a bit tired and bored.
"Well, that's a wrap!" The photographer smiles cheerfully at Marissa and Summer. "You girls look great!"
After packing up her equipment, the photographer leaves Marissa and Summer alone in the bridal suite.
Marissa turns to Summer, a scared look in her eyes. "I'm so nervous, Sum. I don't think I can do this."
"Coop! Don't even say that! Most brides are nervous before their weddings," Summer pauses, and the painful memories of her once happy wedding day encompass her.
Marissa puts her arm around Summer. "You weren't nervous. You were so sure of yourself. And so sure that Seth was the one for you."
Summer squeezes her eyes shut, not allowing the tears to escape. She has done this almost her whole life. Except at Seth's funeral. There, she had cried to her heart's content, crying for Seth, but also for all the hurt she had bottled up inside her whole life.
"Marissa, that was a long time ago. Besides, once you see Ryan waiting for you at the altar, you'll know that he's meant for you," Summer gives a half-smile to Marissa which reassures her in a way that only a best friend can reassure.
"I couldn't ask for a better best friend," Marissa sniffs.
"Don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup," Summer orders. Dropping her voice, she adds, "Please don't forget about me."
Marissa turns towards Summer. "Honey, you will always be my best friend! I love Ryan, but I love you too. I'll always be here for you. You know I would do anything for you, Summer."
"I think we just had a moment," Summer wrinkles her nose.
"Well, it wouldn't be a moment unless you were there to ruin it, Sum," Marissa teases.
Cynthia, the wedding planner, pops her head in as the girls embrace. "Ten minutes, Marissa. And Summer, please join the other bridesmaids soon! They're in the Terrace Room."
She smiles and rushes out of the room.
"You're going to be fine," Summer pecks her friend on the cheek, and goes to join the other bridesmaids.
Marissa absentmindedly plays with her sparkling diamond necklace. A diamond heart set in platinum, it was given to her by Ryan on their first trip to New York. Ah, how she loved Tiffany's.
A soft tap comes at the door.
"Come in," Marissa yells.
She doesn't turn around, expecting it to be her mother or Cynthia.
Instead, two strong arms wrap around her waist. It's Ryan.
"Ryan! Get out of here, don't you know that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?" Marissa demands, but she is silenced by Ryan's kiss.
"Marissa, we've beaten all the odds. And been through so much. I don't think that there is anything that can break us apart at this point," Ryan points out.
Marissa considers this.
Ryan turns to leave. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you. See you in there."
"I love you too," she says, closing the door behind him.
Another knock on the door,
"Come in," Marissa yells, knowing this time that it will be her father. Coming to walk her down the aisle.
This is it.
"Sweetie, are you ready?" Jimmy asks.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Marissa says.
The flower girl skips down the aisle, followed by Summer and the bridesmaids. Marissa's stomach has butterflies.
The bridal march begins. Slowly, Jimmy guides Marissa down the aisle.
Ryan is waiting at the altar. He has eyes only for her. And Summer was totally right. Marissa knows now; Ryan is the one for her. Memories flood her brain. Back to the first night they met, when she thought he was a cousin from Boston. The bicycle ride, the Ferris wheel. Their first kiss. How Ryan still loved her after the Oliver incident. Vacations, holidays, and their two major breakups. One during college, when Marissa thought Ryan cheated on her, and the other when both weren't sure that they were meant for each other. But all those feelings of doubt washed away at this moment.
The ceremony flew by in an instant. Ryan and Marissa exchanged vows. Now it was time to party.
Marissa and Ryan shared the first dance. Yes, Ryan Atwood danced. And not just to slow songs. He is so whipped, Summer thought.
Summer was sitting at the table, feeling lonely, because all of the couples had gotten up to dance. She missed Seth so badly.
The song was over, and the band had stopped playing. Marissa came over to Summer.
"Don't you want to dance?" Marissa asked gently.
Summer shook her head. Luke had asked her to dance a few times, but she wasn't in the mood.
"Well if you're sure," Marissa looked doubtful. "But next fast song, you are dancing with me!"
The band played another slow song. Seth and Summer's song.
"I will remember you
Will you remember me
Don't let your love pass you by
Weep not for the memories"
Tears began to flow down Summer's face. She ignored the curious looks she was getting from the other guests.
"Remember the good times that we had? I let them slip away from us when things got bad How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one"
Summer remembered the day they chose this song to be their song. It had been one of those pouring rain days. Seth and Summer were on his bed, Summer flipping through People magazine and Seth reading a comic book. The radio was playing softly in the background. "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan came on, and Summer began singing along. "You have a horrible voice, Summer," Seth reminded her. "Shut up," Summer yelled, and began singing at the top of her lungs. Seth began to tickle her. "Stop it!" she shrieked. He cut her off with a steamy kiss. Seth and Summer had ended up doing it for the first time to this song. It was Seth who suggested that it be their song. "Since I will always love you even if we're not together," Seth said. "And since I've loved you since the first time I saw you, and I never stopped," he added.
"I will remember you
Will you remember me
Don't let your love pass you by
Weep not for the memories
I'm so tired but I cannot sleep
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep
It's funny how we feel so much but cannot say a word
We are screaming inside but we can't be heard"
Kirsten walks over to Summer and hugs her. "This song reminds you of Seth, I know."
"I just--I just miss him so much, I can't even explain," Summer admitted.
"Shh," Kirsten whispered. "I know how you feel. He was my son."
"I will remember you
Will you remember me
Don't let your love pass you by
Weep not for the memories"
Ryan had also come over to comfort Summer.
"Seth told me about the history of this song," he whispers in her ear.
Smiling through her tears, Summer laughs.
"I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light"
She will always remember Seth.