To My Beloved Reviewers,
Hey everyone…how are you? Well, I was doing some thinking, and I've decided to do something completely spontaneous, lol. I was thinking about doing a challenge fiction. Now, there are some things that I do not want to do, and I know that kind of puts a damper on things but I just don't like the idea of writing certain types of stories. They just make me uncomfortable, and I'm afraid that I'd eventually lose direction. If I start something I intend to finish it, but certain types of stories just cause writer's block.
While I was first trying to start writing, I came up with some ideas that, at first, were pretty good. Eventually, however, I couldn't finish the story and it just ended badly. So, I've picked up a few stipulations or rules for challenge fiction suggestions. Okay here we go:
1) No OCs that are related to the wrestlers or anyone in the WWE. If it's an OC, she/he has to be completely original with a completely blank past and no ties or friendships to any of the wrestlers, board members, etc, etc. I just can't write this type of story for some reason. It just doesn't work for me. Kudos to those of you who can accomplish what I can not. Suggestions for relationships between different wrestlers is totally fine; the story doesn't have to involve an OC.
2) I can't write slash I suck at it. I can read it, but I can't write it.
3) Please no cross-overs. Um…I just…there's no way.
4) Don't make me kill you. :0 lol. Jk. Just please be realistic and try to think of something new or original. I don't really want to do something that's already been done.
Okay, those are the boundaries. I know, what's the point of a challenge fic if you have rules? Well, I want to be able to complete it. I'm basically letting you pick what you want me to write and who you want me to write about. I know it may sound kind of foolish, but I really like all of you and I want you stick with me. I like being able to read my reviews and recognize who they're coming from, you know? I really, really do appreciate any and all suggestions/challenges. It's all good. So, with that said, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for.
Chapter Eighteen: Church Bells Ring…Are You Listening?
~Saturday, 20 March 2004~
It was the first day of Spring and the sun was shining it's brightest. Annie looked over to her maid of honor and noticed that she was being slightly quiet today. "Rose, is there something the matter? We've been at this park for thirty minutes, sitting in sun, and being QUIET! Now, tomorrow is my wedding day and you haven't even said one word. I know you're excited about being a maid of honor, so what gives?"
Rose turned toward her good friend, a contented smile on her face, "Sorry, Annie. I was just thinking…"
"Oh, speaking of Rene, how are you two?"
"Huh? How did you know that was who I was thinking about?"
"C'mon, it's only written all over your face. You're practically sighing your affection," Annie laughed.
"Shut up!" Rose gave Annie a light smack on the arm, "Everything is so…great."
"I'll bet. I don't think I've ever seen you smile like this before. I remember a few months ago when we first met. You were so sad and you seemed so lonely."
"Was it that obvious? Gosh, I don't know what happened to me. I really can't believe it wasn't all that long ago. I don't even recognize the person I used to be. I look in the mirror, and it's me…but at the same time, it's someone new staring back. I can't describe it, but he just makes me so…"
"Happy?" Annie smiled, knowingly.
"Yes. So very happy," Rose shook her head of her thoughts, "I'm sorry. You're the one getting married. How does it feel?"
"How does what feel?" Annie questioned with a toothy grin. "You mean how does it feel to know that I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with the man I love?"
"No. I'm sure you're ecstatic about marrying the man of your dreams. I was wondering how it felt to know that you're about to become Mrs. Randy Keith Orton. Or, in simpler terms, How does it feel to know you're going to become Mrs. MACHO!!" With the last word, Rose burst into laughter while Annie stared wide-eyed.
"How did you know about that? We've never told anyone about the 'Mr. Macho' thing. He'd kill me if it got around to the guys!! Who told you??"
"No one. I over heard you guys talking my first week of work," Rose laughed, "I had never heard anything so corny before," she continued to chuckle.
"Oh be quiet! You just wait until Rene starts saying weird guy stuff like that! I'm going to laugh my ass of the moment I hear you call him something equally lame. Something like…" Annie pursed her lips as she thought, then she giggled, "Something like Mr. Frenchy!"
Rose guffawed, "Hey now! He may be of French decent, but it's Canadian French, okay? If I call him anything it's going to be Mr. Canadian bacon or something manly like that!" Rose tried to keep a straight face, but a few seconds later both girls were in fits of hysterics.
"Rose, you are definitely not the same person you were three months ago."
"Well, neither are you. You're a wife and mother to be. It's a good thing you and Randy are getting married now. You're starting to show a little bit," Rose gestured to Annie's kaki Capri pants which weren't buttoned, but instead held together by a rubber band linking the button to it's hole. "Why don't you just buy some maternity clothes?"
Annie smiled widely, "Well, for one, it's a waste of money. Secondly, I really like these pants," she chuckled.
"Well, they do look good on you…rubber band and all," Rose joked, then turned serious, "Are you ready to go and pick up the dresses now? We've been here a while, you know?"'
"Yup! I'm more than ready. I just needed a short rest. Let's go get those dresses!"
"Right on. Let's go!"
With that Rose hopped up from where they sat on the ground under a large tree, and then held our her hands for Annie. Pulling her up, Rose thought about how much her life had changed, and how much she was grateful that it finally had. How long had she gone on thinking that she couldn't be happy and that no one could befriend or love her? Why had she thought that she could be happy alone? Rose had found out for herself during her time with the WWE that she was quite the people person. She loved to talk and be around people, especially Rene.
It was thoughts and days like this that made Rose feel at peace with herself and her choices. She had decided that the past was behind her, and that the future was irrelevant so long as she was happy. Life was meant to be lived in the present, and with that thought, Rose came out of her thoughts and returned to the here and now. She and Annie talked as they walked the two blocks to the tailor's where there dresses were. Stephanie would be there along with Randy's sister.
From there they would go to the Orton's home and drop off the dresses, then head over to the church for the rehearsal. Things were going well, and Rose was sure the wedding would be beautiful. It just couldn't be any other way, not for two people like Randy and Annie. No two people deserved a wonderful, blessed union more than those two people, and Rose was dedicated to make sure she did all she could to help make that wedding brilliant.
~Sunday, 21 March 2004. An Undisclosed Church in St. Louis, Missouri 10:50 a.m.~
Annie looked out the little window of her dressing room. She smiled as she saw Randy taking his place at the alter, tears of joy about to spill over onto her cheeks. He looked so handsome in his black tuxedo. She turned to face Annie, Stephanie, and Becky and wiped the tears from her eyes, "How do I look?"
"You look great, sweetie," Stephanie smiled, "but you'd look even better if you let one of us zip you up."
The four girls giggled as Becky came over and zipped up her soon to be sister-in-law's dress, "There. Now you're perfect." Becky continued to look at Annie, then she wrapped her arms around her, "Annie, I'm so glad he found you. You're everything a family could want in an in-law. I'll be proud to call you my sister."
Annie squeezed the young girl in return, and smiled, "You just had to wait until now to tell me that, didn't you? You're going to make me cry now and my mascara's going to ruin."
Rose, being her sentimental self wiped a tear from her own eyes at the display of affection between Annie and Randy's sister. "Don't worry about your mascara Annie," she sniffled, "it's waterproof."
They all laughed at Rose's sweetness, and Stephanie gave her a hug, "Better?"
They gave each other one good final once over then, at the precise moment the clock struck 10:59, they heard Randy's mother on the outside of the dressing room, "Time to line up, girls."
With that, the three bride's maids exited the dressing room and lined up next to their escorts. Randy's brother, Nathan, being the best man, escorted Rose. Rene escorted Becky, and Stephanie was escorted be her husband, Paul. When the clock hit 11:00, they marched two by two to the alter. As soon as everyone was in place, the wedding march began to play and the guests rose to their feet.
Tim beamed down at his daughter as he locked arms with her. "You look amazing," he whispered as they began to round the corner that would lead them into the sights of the wedding guests and the groom.
"Thank you, daddy. I love you. Don't forget, I'll always be your little girl."
"I know, sweetie, and so does your mama, God rest her soul."
Annie smiled as they came into view. Immediately, her eyes locked with Randy's. She felt her eyes watering as she walked at an all too slow pace toward her future. This man she was looking at, was her future. The father of the child inside her and the man of her dreams. She would happily and readily spend the rest of her days with him, raising their children. She'd willingly devote all of her love and life to that man…that wonderful, wonderful man.
Randy felt his nose tingle as she came forward. The sunlight that shone through the entrance doors outlined her form in such a way that made her resemble an angel. Her white veil hung delicately over her soft, smiling face. The strapless dress hugged perfectly around her chest (which thanks to the pregnancy, was beginning to grow larger), and clung lightly to her abdomen, concealing the very tiny bulge that was beginning to form. It came out from her waist like a bell, and it swayed lightly from side to side with each step that she took. It seemed like an eternity before she and Tim finally stood before the alter.
"Who gives away this woman on this day?" The reverend asked.
Tim smiled down at his daughter one last time before answering, "I do," he replied before bending down and kissing his beloved daughter on the cheek and taking his seat with the rest of the audience at the reverend's request.
The reverend gave a small, traditional sermon about the union of two people and their bond to one another as Randy and Annie stared into each other's eyes and silently agreed to his words. Before they knew it, the vows were being spoken.
"Do you, Breanne Elizabeth Davis, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him through sickness and health. For richer or poorer, until death do you part?"
At those words, two tears of joy ran down her face, "I do," she said as Randy was handed the ring and he slipped it onto her finger.
"Do you, Randy Keith Orton, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to lover, honor, and cherish her through sickness and health. For richer or poorer, until death do you part?"
He looked into her deep blue eyes and knew he would fulfill his promise, "I do," he smiled as she placed the ring on his finger.
The reverend then asked if there was anyone who thought that for any reason these two should not be joined together to speak now or forever hold their piece. When no answer came, he continued, "What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. I now pronounce you man and wife," he turned to Randy, "You may kiss the bride."
Randy didn't hesitate as he lifted her veil and kissed her softly, lovingly…at first. He then pulled her harshly toward him and kissed her hard and passionately as he dipped her for the crowd. They laughed against each other's lips as the guests burst out into cheers, the wrestling portion whooping with delight at their fellow superstar.
~The reception~
Randy and Annie sliced the cake and held a small piece up to each other. Randy was a perfect gentleman and fed her the piece of cake neatly and sweetly. Annie, on the other hand, surprised everyone when she smeared her piece all over Randy's face. Her laughter was cut short though, when Randy leaned over and kissed her, sharing his cake with her as he wiped his cheek off on her forehead.
Rose and Rene watched the antics of their newlywed friends before locking eyes, just as they had done throughout most of the ceremony. They got up simultaneously and moved to sit next to one another. Desperate for the others presence and in much need of a kiss and a hug.
Neither of them knew what the future held and, at the moment, they didn't care. To both of them it was the fact that they were in love and happy together. Their young hearts had found a person worth loving and caring about. They would ride this thing out, and if they were to follow in the footsteps of Randy and Annie, then so be it. They would love each other forever if it were meant to be, but this was now, and they were content to love each other in the present. They would deal with the future as it came.
Soon, the wedding DJ announced that the bride and groom would now be having their dance. The lights dimmed as Annie and Randy made their way to the dance floor as Aerosmith's 'Angel' began to play.
I'm alone yeah I don't know if I can face the night
I'm in tears and the cryin that i do is for you
I want your love let's break the wall between us
Don't make it tough, I'll put away my pride
Enough's enough, I've suffered and I've seen the light
You're my angel come and save me tonight
You're my angel come and make it alright
You're my angel come and save me tonight
~~"Annie, do remember the first time we danced to this song?" Randy whispered in her ear as they danced slowly to their song.~~
Don't know what I'm gonna do about thins feeling inside
Yes, it's true loneliness took me for a ride
Without your love, I'm nothin but a beggar
Without your love, a dog without a bone
What can I do, I'm sleepin in this bed alone
You're my angel come and save me tonight
You're my angel come and make it alright
You're my angel come and save me tonight
~~"Of course I remember. I loved you then, and I love you now. However, I wouldn't have admitted it then," she laughed softly into his shoulder.~~
You're the reason I live
You're the reason I die
You're the reason I give when I break down and cry
Don't need no reason why
Baby, baby, baby
You're my angel come and save me tonight
You're my angel come and make it alright
~~"Annie, I'm going to give you everything you deserve. I'm going to spoil you rotten. We're going to build the house of our dreams and go to Disney World every year with our children."
Annie smiled up at her husband sweetly, "Randy, do you think we're going to live happily ever after?"
Randy looked down into her eyes, and smiled warmly, "Annie, I know we will."~~
……and they did live happily ever after…
The End
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Alright, the end is here. Do you want an epilogue? I can do that, if you want one. Anyway, give me those challenge fic ideas, and I'll tell you what I choose with the Epilogue, b/c I've just decided that I'm going to do one. You guys would like one, right? I hope so.
Okay, there's one more thing I'd like to address in regard to this story. I'd just like to say that I'm not completely happy with it. I know it could have been better and I could have put in more conflict between Rose and Rene. However, a problem with that, other than the draft, is the fact that they are both so young. I mean, seriously. It would be somewhat unrealistic, in my opinion, to put them through something really serious like I did with Annie and Randy. I could have always put in an extra love interest, but then I couldn't think of it, and with this draft, man I would have been really screwed. So, I guess it worked out for the best. Well, whatever, I'll see you with the Epilogue which could quite possibly be out later tonight.
REVIEW!! MY HARD WORK DESERVES IT!! IT'S HARD TO WRITE AN ENDING TO A STORY WITH SUCH SHORT NOTICE!!! NOW GO REVIEW!! NOW DAMN IT!! COME ON!!! DON'T YOU LOVE ME??? PLEEEAAASSE!!
-Pammi