Saturday morning dawned to find Marie alone in the mansion's kitchen enjoying a cup of coffee. She'd barely gotten any sleep the night before; her thoughts were in such turmoil. In fact, Marie was so deep in thought; she didn't notice Scott come into the kitchen.
"Ah, the beautiful bride," he greeted clearing his throat, "Couldn't sleep?"
"No," Marie replied, "Want some coffee?"
"Yeah, thanks," Scott said, sitting down, "I know professor Xavier is going to want to talk it you in a minute, but I'm glad I have a chance before it gets too crazy here."
"I'm glad too, Scott. Everyone here's become like family to me," Marie replied.
"I know and you're like family to us, Marie and it's because of that I'm saying this," Scott began, "Don't do anything today because you feel like we expect it of you. Don't make a decision based on what Ororo wants, on what Cliff wants, on what Logan wants. You do whatever it is in you to do. You decide what you really want in your heart, and I'll support you."
Marie knew where Scott was coming from, she knew that he never fully trusted Logan or Cliff and he wanted her to know he would back he decision to call the wedding off, "Thank you, Scott. I appreciate that, really. But its my wedding day, I should be a little nervous."
"Nervous, yes, but petrified, no," Scott replied. "Listen, go see Professor, take a shower, none of us will think any less of you if you decide not to walk down that aisle."
With that final comment, Scott took his coffee and headed for his room again. Marie stepped in the direction of Professor Xavier's office.
"Come in, Marie," the Professor called before she knocked.
"Scott said you wanted to see me?" Marie greeted.
"Yes, Rogue, have a seat," the Professor invited, "I won't keep you long, I just want to give you an early wedding gift."
"Ah, Professor," Marie blushed, "You didn't have to get me anything. You've done more than enough."
"Well, this is not a material gift, Rogue. Jean and I have been working on discovering a way for you to control your power yourself. We're still going to need to test that with you, but for now, I believe I've discovered a way for me to psychically disconnect your power," the Professor explained.
Marie smiled broadly, "You mean you can make it so I can touch?"
The Professor nodded, "Yes, I believe I can. Would you allow me to try?"
Marie nodded vigorously, so the Professor closed his eyes and concentrated on flopping the mental switch in Marie's mind that controlled her power, "Go ahead," he held out his hand, "try it."
With trepidation, Marie reached out and touched the Professor, skin to skin. There was no chill, no pull…It had worked.
Marie squealed with delight and threw her arms around the Professor's neck, "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed gleefully, "I can't wait to tell everyone."
Professor Xavier chuckled, "Then don't wait. Go on, tell your friends."
Marie bounded for the door at a run, but paused once before leaving, "Thank you so, so much, Professor. You have no idea what this means to me.
She was turned around again and left the room before the Professor could say quietly, "Yes, I do."
For the remainder of the morning, Marie rejoiced in her new ability to touch her friends free from fear of harming them. It was a dream of hers that the Professor made a reality.
Before anyone realized it, it was just after noon and time for Marie to begin getting ready for the big event.
Ororo laid out her handmade gown, Kitty and Jubilee fussed with Marie's make-up, while Jean fussed with Marie's hair. By 2:30, Marie was ready to leave for the church. Her gown was on and its white lace folds accentuated Marie's figure perfectly. Her hair, still sporting a white streak was piled on top of her head, and adorned with a lace line veil and floral piece.
Ororo gave her a hug, "I'm never seen a more beautiful bride," she said "You still nervous?"
Marie nodded, "A little, but I can't back out now, can I?"
"It's just your jitters, honey," said Kitty, "You don't want to back out for real."
Marie sighed and Scott knocked on the door, "Ladies, the care have arrived," he announced, "Wow! You all look…"
Jean smiled and crossed the room to kiss her husband, "I thought you weren't supposed to outshine the bride?"
"Oh, stop," Jean laughed, "Where's Logan?"
"Here," Logan answered appearing behind Scott, dressed in a full tuxedo complete with cummerbund and bow tie.
"Good" Ororo answered, "The bridal party will go ahead in the first car, Logan, you and Marie follow."
Logan didn't even hear Ororo. All he saw was Marie in a bridal gown ready to marry another man. She was a vision in her white lace gown with flowers in her hair.
"Logan," Marie smiled, "Are you all right?"
"Mmhmm," he replied, "Just looking at how beautiful you look."
"Thank you, Logan," she blushed as she moved toward him, "Let's get this show on the road."
Both Logan and Marie were quiet on the drive to the church. Neither had spoken to the other since the ill fated conversation at the rehearsal supper on Wednesday. Finally as they approached Our Lady of the Lake church Logan broke the tense silence, "Listen, Marie, before we go in, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about the other night. I was out of line. All I wanted…no, all I thought about was my own happiness, when I should have considered yours." He studied his hands in his lap.
"Logan, the things you said the other night were very sweet. I've dreamed of hearing words so sweet from you for two years and I'm sorry I reacted like I did I know I hurt you and I didn't want to hurt you. Please say we can still be friends."
Logan held her hand up to his lips and kissed the bare skin, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy that Marie would be able to freely touch, without fear, another man, "Of course, we're okay, Darlin'. I love you, in so many ways, that won't go away because we don't share the same feelings."
Marie smiled and briefly leaned her head against Logan's shoulder, "I'm sorry, Logan."
"What do you have to be sorry about?" he asked.
"I don't know," Marie sighed, "I guess I'm sorry about never getting to know what might have been."
Logan dropped a kiss on her forehead and gave a small laugh, "Well, just think, I age very, very slowly, so you probably will too with the part of my power, you "borrowed" so I figure I'll get another chance in 20 or 30 years."
Marie giggled and kissed Logan's cheek, "It's a date."
The other bridal party members were all ready at the church when Logan and Marie arrived.
Ava, the forever hyper wedding coordinator heaved a visible sigh of relief, "Excellent, the beautiful bride, now we can begin. Paris, let the quartet know we're starting," she said into a wrist radio, "All right, ladies. Line up, just like we practiced it. It's show time, let's go."
One by one the girls fell into him and counted in their heads as the first strains of canon in D began to play. Logan couldn't help but feel a state of pain in his heart as he watched Marie's bridesmaids disappear towards a beautifully decorated alter where Cliff waited. Finally the doors closed, the music changed and it was time to give Marie away.
Marie delicately placed her hand through Logan's arm and walked at his side slowly down the aisle. Everyone rose for her as she seemed to float down the long hallway to the alter where Cliff waited. When they reached the alter, Logan remained at Marie's side, waiting to speak his only line of the day. If only he could remember what it was?
"Dearly beloved," the preached began, "we are gathered here today, in the sight of God and this company to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Marriage is an honorable estate and sacred union, and should not be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but thoughtfully, reverently, deliberately, and in fear of God. It is into this holy estate that thee two people, Clifford Henry Welmont and Marie Catherine Roubillard come to be joined. Who among you presents this woman in marriage?"
Now it was upon him. He could feel every eye looking at him. Logan cleared his throat and spoke, "I do." He then quickly lifted Marie's veil, kissed her cheek, a light brush of his lips across soft skin, and took his seat.
The preached continued, "If any man present can show just cause why these two people may not lawfully be joined together, let him speak now or forever hold your peace."
Again, Logan felt all eyes upon him warning stares from Ororo, an encouraging stare from Scott…he held his tongue and kept silence.
"Come together, please and join right hands," the preached instructed. When Marie presented Cliff her bare hand he hesitated slightly, "It's okay," she whispered winking at the Professor. Cliff gingerly took her hand.
"Clifford Henry Welmont, do you take Marie Catherine Roubillard to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in the holy bonds of marriage. Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all other remain faithful only to her for so long as you both shall live?"
Cliff ran his hand over Marie's hand, "I do."
"Marie Catherine Roubillard, do you take Clifford Henry Welmont to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in the holy bonds of marriage. Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all other remain faithful only to him for so long as you both shall live?"
Marie paused, she had to catch her breath a little, before saying, "I do."
"The rings, please," the preached asked. Ororo and Cliff's brother, George handed him the rings, which he held in the palm of his hand, "These rings are an outward symbol of the unending circle or love and the vow you've made to each other. May these rings remind you each day that true love has no beginning, no end, no giver and no receiver, for true love, as we read in 1 Corinthians, is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And it my prayer for you, Clifford and Marie, that these rings which you where, remind you of the gift of true, everlasting love, which is yours from the other."
The preached handed Cliff Marie's ring, "Clifford, place this ring on the fourth finger of Marie's left hand and repeat after me, Marie, with this ring, I thee wed."
"Marie," Cliff repeated, holding Marie's hand, "With this ring, I thee wed."
"And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow," the preached spoke.
"And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow," repeated Cliff.
"And thereto art I thee my troth," the preached concluded.
"And thereto art I thee my troth," Cliff finished squeezing Marie's hand gently.
"Now, Marie, please place your ring on the fourth finger of Cliffords left hand and repeat, Clifford, with this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed," Marie said softly, a gentle hitch in her voice, "and with all my worldly good, I thee endow, and thereto art I thee my troth," she finished without the preachers guidance. She'd been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl.
Logan watched this exchange with pain in his heart and a solitary tear in his eyes. Marie seemed so eager, so happy as she repeated the words that would forever join her to another man. The preacher spoke again calling Logan's attention.
"Now that Clifford and Marie have expressed their love before God and this company by the giving and receiving of rings and by joining hands, I pronounce, by the power invested in me by God, and the law of the state of New York, that they are husband and wife. Those whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder. You may kiss your bride."
Cliff hesitated again fro a moment, the gladly took Marie's lips in their first real, unobstructed kiss. Marie got a jolt from the feel of lips on lips, a feeling she missed.
"Ladies and gentleman, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Welmont."
The church broke into applause and the recessional music began to play. Logan watched as the bridal party followed Cliff and Marie to the back of the church. As he uttered half hearted congratulations to the happy couple, Logan had only one though in his head, not of regret, but of relief.
Scott who saw the look on his face, clapped him on the back, "What are you thinking, Wolverine?"
Logan sighed, "I'm thinking, praise the powers this day is half over."
Scott laughed, and walked out of the church with Logan, "Come on, there's beer at the hall."
End Wedding Day Part 1
