disclaimer: All recognizable characters are owned by Marvel, except Jenny who is MINE! (though I have been known to share if you ask nicely.) I expect to make no money off this fic. Dammit.
Human and the Demon
by Dizi
Chapter 20
Waiting for the music to change, Jenny nervously twitched a fold of fabric in the long white dress.
"If you're not ready I'll go tell 'em to hold up." Harry offered. "Not like they can start without you."
Her hands shaking holding the bouquet and her mouth dry, she stared at him a moment while she wrapped her mind around his words. There was nothing she wanted more, but she couldn't help being nervous. "I couldn't do that to Kurt after all the waiting I've already forced on him. There's a room full of guests in there."
"Too damn bad. I'm not letting you do anything you're not ready for. If you don't wanna, you don't hafta, and that's it." he said heatedly.
"But I do want to marry Kurt," she protested, taking in his appearance for the first time. She hadn't had to fight as much as she'd thought to get Harry into a tux. "You cleaned up nice."
"Yeah, didn't think I had it in me, didja?" He preened, then frowned. "You're changing the subject, girl. Don't think I didn't notice. You ready or not?"
Jenny took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. "I'm ready."
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," she said testily.
"Fine."
"Fine."
The music changed signaling the beginning of the ceremony. The double doors opened. Jenny squeezed his arm with all her strength as they walked through.
As they walked down the aisle, Jenny didn't notice the people watching her. She didn't see Jubilee, Ororo, and Rogue standing in their places, nor did she take in Logan, Piotr, and Hank across from them. She didn't hear Zelig laugh when he saw her from Hank's arms.
The only thing, the only person, in her world at that time was Kurt smiling reassuringly as she slowly walked closer and closer to him.
Johnny, for the first time dressed for his vocation in her presence, spoke but she didn't register his words, though she must have responded appropriately at the correct times. Surely someone would have given some indication if she hadn't. The entire ceremony went by without her taking in a single detail of their careful planning.
Somewhere inside joy and relief ran through her when the cool metal band slid onto the third finger of her left hand. But the first thing she was fully aware of since the doors opened was Kurt lifting her veil and gently pressing his lips to hers.
With a sigh, she put her arms around his neck pressing her body close. The kiss deepened, changing from something appropriate for the occasion to an expression of love. They parted just before it turned embarrassingly long and Jenny found she could think again.
An impatient sound came from Zelig and, before the couple could be announced, Kurt took the child in a matching miniature tuxedo into his arms. A delighted Zelig in one arm and the other around a smiling Jenny, Kurt turned the three to face the crowd of people watching.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Fr. John Riley intoned solemnly, "I present the Wagner family, Kurt, Jenny, and Zelig."
"Thank you so much for coming, Mr. Murdock." Jenny pumped his hand enthusiastically, happy to greet someone she knew.
"Matt, please, Mrs. Wagner." The man also known as Daredevil reminded her. "Before you leave for your honeymoon, I have those papers for you to sign so the adoption can be gotten underway while you're gone. Did you ever find out where you're going?"
"I vas zinking of vhite vater rafting in Colorado." Kurt said with a straight face.
Jenny rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Matt laughed and moved on for the next person in the reception line to greet the newlyweds.
"Reed and Sue Richards," Kurt introduced, not needing to explain they were the leading members of the Fantastic Four.
"Thank you for coming," Jenny said. Though she was very excited to be meeting them, for the moment her eyes were for the young boy who was looking bored beside them. "And you must be Franklin. Artie and Leech are going to be very happy you're here. They were hoping you'd come."
"Really? They're here?" Franklin looked imploringly at his mother.
"You can go find them." Sue said and turned back to Jenny with new insight. "I appreciate that you thought of him."
"The boys wouldn't have let me forget." Jenny laughed. "They were very happy when they somehow got a look at the guest list."
A list in which she herself hadn't fully understood who everyone on it was, but she was finding out now. The guests turned out to be from all walks of life. There were teachers, scientists, nail artists, soldiers, and more. It turned out the majority of them were also heros. The superhero community seemed to be a small one in which most everyone in it seemed to know everyone else. Jenny just hadn't realized she would be meeting them all at her wedding.
"If I might ask a question?" Sue asked. "Where did you get your nails done?"
"Yes," the woman next in line chimed in. "They are wonderful. Is that free-hand?"
"Janet Van Dyne and Henry Pym," Kurt said before leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Zhey are Avengers."
"Let me introduce the two of you to Claude." Jenny waved a hand in the air to get his attention as he had already been through. "He's an artist. His boyfriend Steve did my hair."
"I was going to ask that next," Janet commented and asked teasingly, "Sue, does that happen to be a Van Dyne original you're wearing?"
"Why, yes, it is. I know the designer..."
Monet sighed. "I can't believe I am attending an event this low class."
"Better hush up, Monet, if Sean hears you'll have to leave." Paige warned.
"Oh no, let her talk, like, all she wants." Jubilee glared at Monet. "I think he's coming this way and I'd love for her to have to leave so I can have a good time."
"Please." Monet gestured at the room. "Where are the ice sculptures, the waiters with hors'd'ouvres and champagne, the orchestra, where is anything that says this is a wedding with any kind of style and panache?"
"There's Bobby, looks like he's on the decoration committee because he's making the ice sculptures." Jubilee continued glaring. "Like duh, Monet! Why would he do it sooner? Just so they'll melt?"
The other girl sniffed disdainfully.
"They're not going to have someone walking around with alcoholic beverages when they know we're here." Paige pointed out.
"Yeah, we might get a whole sip before one of the big superheros caught us," Jubilee groused, "like they got nothin' better to do."
"Jubileeee..." Paige gave her a significant look.
"Fine. Later the tables in here are going to be moved for dancing, so the food being in another room with more tables makes it easier for people to eat when they want and there's less chance of getting food on the dance floor. An orchestra was suggested and shot down because they wanted everyone to feel comfortable and not everyone would if they got too fancy." She said all this as though it were a report she'd had to memorize for school. "And Jenny has plenty of style and panache - whatever that is - they chose to be informal and friendly. It's just a different style than you would like. Are you even listening? Monet?"
"Do you know who that is?" The girl spoke with complete astonishment.
"Who? Him?" Jubilee pointed to an average sized blond man.
"Don't point! Yes, him. Do you know who that is?" Monet demanded.
Paige sighed. "Who is he?"
"That's Daniel Rand." When the other two just stared at her, Monet let out an exasperated sound. "You two are hopeless. Daniel Rand of Meachem-Rand Enterprises? Multimillionaire?"
Paige looked at Jubilee, who shrugged. "Don't ask me. I thought he was Ironfist, guess I was wrong."
"Oh my..." Monet breathed. "The king of Wakanda is here. Your friend was just introduced to the King of Wakanda and didn't even curtsy."
"Hmm, maybe that's because he looks like everyone else and probably didn't mention to her that he's, like, royalty. Not everyone cares about that sort of thing." Jubilee rolled her eyes pointedly in Monet's direction.
"Wait. Look at him." Monet nodded towards a tall older gentleman. "That is someone worth endearing yourself to. I do not know who he is, but he is poised, dignified. He has grace but also a certain bearing. That is someone I want to know." Her eyes trained on the personage she was interested in, she flounced away.
Jubilee giggled uncontrollably. "Oh, I can't wait!
"What? Do you know who he is?" Paige asked.
"Oooohhhh yeeaaahhh. I sure do." She giggled again. "He's totally all Monet said and more. That's Jarvis. He's the Avenger's butler. I can't wait until Monet finds out the guy she thinks is so great is a servant! I mean, he's cool and all, but Monet will freak!"
Both were so busy watching Monet making her way to Jarvis they didn't notice Artie, Leech, and Franklin. So they didn't see Artie's speech bubble, but Franklin's reply made it through to them.
"Wow! The place with all the roller coasters? Cool!" came his excited words, but then he sounded puzzled. "But what's a honeymoon?"
The two girls blinked at each other.
"I've heard lots rumors but you don't think they'd really... do you?" Paige asked hesitantly.
Jubilee rolled her eyes again. "Get real."
A little apprehensive but treating her distinguished guests as she would anyone else, Jenny walked among them chatting here and there, alternately laughing and snorting at the outrageous stories going around about the honeymoon. Where did Kurt come up with them all? And how did he get so many ideas out to so many people so fast? Some weren't too bad but others...
Lacy would have laughed so hard at the original way he'd come up with to tease her. She so wished she could have been here. Often she felt that Lacy was forgotten. Even she did it, she would catch herself looking at Zelig and thinking of him as her own son instead of the child someone who had loved him more than herself. How selfish was that? No, she wouldn't forget Lacy. She wouldn't let herself.
With those thoughts, she glanced at the corner with the little table memorializing their lost friend. Seeing it, or what wasn't there, she quickly excused herself from the conversation she was on the edges of before letting herself panic.
It was gone. Lacy's picture was gone! She rushed over to the table, frantically searching it and the floor.
"Chere?" Remy asked from above her, amusement obvious in his voice. "You gon' get your pretty dress dirty."
"Remy!" She climbed out from under the tablecloth in relief. "Help me, Lacy's picture is gone!"
"Non, it safe." He said soothingly. "Remy have it."
"What? Why..." Looking up, she saw he was holding out a flat shiny package. A wedding present.
"You could have just told me." Jenny quickly straightened and brushed off her dress. She had searched long and hard for just the right one. At first she hadn't really understood the appeal of paying so much money for something intended for only one day of her life, then she had seen it and known she had to have it. She had really wanted to see the look on Kurt's face when he saw it, but she had been so nervous she had forgotten to pay close attention.
"Remy t'ink it work better dis way." He smiled charmingly and placed the gift in her hands. "Dere more but dis one special and Remy t'ink you can use it now."
"Ah, liebchen, zhere you are." Kurt saw the present and frowned at Remy. "You vere supposed to vait for me."
"She not open it yet." Remy protested.
"Come, sit." Kurt led Jenny to a chair and assisted her in sitting down.
"Is it a new frame?" she asked excitedly.
"Remy not telling." He replied, his tone a little sly.
Jenny carefully pulled off the big bow without damaging the paper, slid off the ribbon with nary a wrinkle, and set about painstakingly taking off the tape. Some of the guests had stopped to watch. A few became exasperated at the wait. Others were clearly amused at her level of concentration and effort.
However those that knew her well understood Jenny took pleasure in drawing out every moment. It wasn't what was inside that was important to her but that someone cared enough to give her a present no matter the occasion. Her joy in simply opening one had always touched their hearts. Kurt's to the point that he wrapped her birthday present in box upon box upon box, Jenny giggling each time she came to more paper instead of a present. One had turned out to be completely empty and it had been a long time before she had stopped laughing.
Finally, all the tape was removed, the paper came off in one large unblemished sheet, and Jenny lifted the lid of the box, pulling aside tissue paper. The huge smile faded, replaced by utter amazement. Her hand moved as it to touch but stopped just short as she didn't want to smudge it, and instead she groped for Kurt's, squeezing tightly.
"Oh Kurt, look," she whispered. "Lacy was right, Zelig does look just like Danny."
In an ornate gold frame with leaves and vines entwined was a wedding picture. Not one somehow hurriedly made from the earlier ceremony, but one from more than a year and a half ago. A lovely picture of a radiant Lacy holding tight to a man who could only have been her Danny.
"Remy... how...?" Jenny sputtered, overjoyed but confused.
He brushed non-existent lint from his suitcoat and winked at her. "Give Remy 'nuff time, chere, an' he acquire anyt'ing."
She turned to Kurt. "You knew?"
"I did not see it, but I vas informed vhat it vas zat he had found." He admitted. "Ve zhought zat you vould like zis one better for ze reception."
"Oh, I do, I really really do!" She quickly hugged them both and jumped to her feet.
Carefully, she placed the new picture in just the right spot on the table.
Lacy wasn't forgotten. Sometimes, someone might need a reminder, but they would never completely forget her.
"Why hello, tall, light, and sometimes icy," Jennifer Walters drawled out.
"If it isn't my favorite jolly green giantess," Bobby replied with his boyish grin. "Enjoying the party?"
"It's great, gonna wear out my dancing shoes. I'm a little surprised I was invited. Not that I'm complaining," She-Hulk quickly added. "But it's not as though I'm close to the happy couple. I've been more a lawyer than a heroine recently."
"That could be why. Kurt joked that he'd sue Jenny for breach of contract if she backed out of the wedding. Though I think it was a mutual decision to put it off last time."
"Really? Why? They seem to be very close, almost like they were already married for a long time." She easily looked over the heads of the other guests to where Kurt was dancing with Spiderwoman. Ironically, Jenny was dancing with Peter Parker.
"When Zelig's mother died they both took it hard. Originally they were going to be married the week after Jenny finally agreed so Lacy could be there, but she was worse off than we realized and she died the same night." He pointed to the table in the corner. It now held two pictures, the wedding picture Jenny had received earlier and the one of Lacy holding Zelig, which was there originally. "They put the wedding off until they could get Lacy settled, but that didn't work out either. She wanted to be cremated and her ashes scattered over her husband's grave. Only problem was that they didn't know where he was buried."
"I thought it was a little morbid to have an urn at a wedding, but thought it was maybe part of someone's traditions." There was a hitch in her voice. As the She-Hulk her skin was tough, but her heart was something else. "I assume they couldn't wait any longer?"
"Not exactly." Bobby looked back and forth to make sure no one was listening. "It's a surprise for Jenny. Sometime before they come back from their honeymoon they'll take care of it. It took five months but Bishop found him. In some ways I think it's better this way, gave them time to grieve so they can start out happy. Not to mention, I don't think Jenny would have wanted to leave Zelig while he was so young."
"He's a cute little bugger." Being so much taller than Bobby she saw something he didn't and her eyes went wide. "My, my, my, she's a braaaaave woman."
"Huh?" He tried to look but couldn't see what she was talking about.
"The bride is dancing with Thing. I didn't think anyone but me was brave enough to do that. And as you can see, I'm not. I learned my lesson." She let out a short trill of laughter.
"She probably saw no one was dancing with him and didn't want him to be left out." The crowd moved enabling him to see them, and he too laughed. "I need a camera! He's not moving at all, he's so scared he'll hurt her."
"Okay, so tell me your honeymoon story and then you can ask me to dance."
"Ah, don't suppose you would believe ice fishing in Alaska?" He asked hopefully.
"You have got to be kidding." Her green brow wrinkled.
"He had to be. I mean, it sounds great to me. I was excited at first, but it didn't take long to realize Jenny wouldn't appreciate it like I would." Bobby shook his head woefully, as though wondering why anyone wouldn't find below zero temperatures fun.
"So what are they really doing? Not that I'm nosey but there's lots of stories going round." Jennifer knew she could and actually often was nosey, but right now it was natural to be curious.
"No one knows, or if they are they're not telling." Bobby offered his arm. "Shall we?"
"We shall." Arm in arm they went onto the dance floor.
Unspoken between them was the desire to get closer to Jenny and Ben so they could see his face clearer.
Sipping a glass of champagne, Jenny felt a bit silly for missing Kurt during their wedding reception, but that was easily solved.
She eased up to where he was talking to Logan, Nick Fury, and Harry. Jenny layed a hand on his arm and he immediately placed it around her shoulders. Realizing the men had stopped talking, she took another sip and said innocently, "Don't let me interrupt."
Logan shrugged. "Well, Elf, as I said if yer still plannin' ta rough it ya can use my cabin. It ain't quite livin' off the land, but it's close."
Though she tried, Jenny couldn't keep her eyes from widening. She knew neither could really be serious. She knew it, but...
Looking at Jenny out of the corner of his eye, Kurt replied, "Nein, mein freund. Zere is an airstrip near a bed and breakfast vhich advertises skydiving. I zought zat sounded like fun."
She stared at him a moment, then leaned over to softly kiss his cheek. Patting it, she said, "Baby, I haven't drank enough for that to be funny."
They all laughed, but Logan happened to look past Jenny and stopped abruptly. In a quick move, he leapt behind her, grabbing a glass from Jubilee.
"Wolvie!" she screeched.
"Nothin' doin', Jubilation, yer too young fer champagne." he growled.
"But I'm the maid-of honor," she stomped her foot. "Can't I have just a little?"
"Nope." Logan, Harry, and Jenny chorused as one.
"It's been nice to see you in a setting where the world isn't in danger." Reed Richards shook the hands of all the men in the small group.
"It's a change of pace." Steve Rodgers agreed.
"Yes, a good decision on Kurt's part, I think. He made the guestlist and didn't actually explain it to Jenny." Charles smiled, a slightly wry twisting of his lips. "She was looking a little numb as she was introduced to everyone."
"I found her to be quite charming." Stephen Strange commented. "She seems to be a very unique individual."
Charles's smile grew. "That seems to be the consensus."
"I for one want to know how they chose a date when there was no emergencies." Steve said dryly. "One incident could have kept more than half the guests away, depending on who was behind it."
"Maybe the villains of the world took a day off." Reed responded. "Just be grateful."
Breaking the following silence, Dr. Strange asked curiously, "I know it's none of my business, but is it true they're going bungee jumping on their honeymoon?"
Col. Nicholas Fury raised a brow at the big TV screen placed in a side room. "Wouldn't think the bride would appreciatiate her very own version of 'America's Funniest Home Videos' being shown at her reception."
Laughter went around the room as on the screen Jenny dumped a nasty looking concoction over Bobby's head.
A smug expression came over Logan's face. "She didn't bother ta ask what all we was plannin' ta show. Not my fault, I woulda told her if she asked, an' if she objected we coulda found somethin' else."
"Something else she'd object to, no doubt." Nick grinned, knowing Logan well. He'd probably do the same thing in his place. "So, what happens when she finds out?"
"We get somethin' new to add ta the file." Logan grinned back. "Bishop keeps copies o' all the camera files. So, me an' him went lookin' through old files fer scenes with Kurt an' Jenny in 'em. Got lots a touchy feely shit on a DVD fer 'em, but found this stuff too. It was just too good ta pass up. I cain't wait ta see Kurt's face when he sees some o' this. He been told but it's different seein' it. Fer a special few, I got copies."
The two laughed together for a while, Nick understanding both Bishop keeping security files to the extreme and Logan having a laugh at a friend's expense. Logan only felt free to do something like this to someone he really trusted and liked. Which always made him glad he lived in one of the most secure places in the world.
Once he'd calmed, Nick lifted his sleeve to signal the helicarrier hovering above. He relaxed only slightly when he received back a positive reply.
"Ya gotta quit doin' that. Yer startin' ta get me worked up." Logan growled.
"Too bad. I'm already nervous having the world's best defense and offense in one room. You realize one bomb would kill 'em all?" he demanded.
"Nah, most of 'em would live through the explosion."
"Ha. Ha. The bride and her cute kid wouldn't." He ignored Logan's menacing scowl. "How long's it gonna be before you take the kid under your wing?"
"Probably ain't." At Fury's surprised look Logan rolled his eyes, having been around Jubilee again. "I'll probably give him pointers an' such, but... he likes Cyke."
"You're kidding, right?" Nick looked out the door to where several guests were fighting for the right to hold the boy.
"Maybe it's the red glasses but if the kid don't want his parents then he wants Cyke. It ain't natural."
Both men shook their head, then Nick frowned, "Are they really going hitch-hiking across Europe? I really need to know so I can set some agents along the way."
"Are you sure you don't mind watching Zelig while we're gone?" Jenny made sure Jean's back was to the scene she had just witnessed. It was cute but she didn't want the other woman to guess her intention.
"Of course not! Everyone will pitch in and Scott's looking forward to it. It's been a long time since he had a little boy to take care of. You just have fun wherever you're going and be glad you're not spending your honeymoon in the future raising him." Jean teased before reassuring her, "Don't worry about a thing."
"If you're really sure..." Jenny said hesitantly. This was going to be easier than she'd thought.
"I'm positive. Don't worry." Jean repeated.
"Well then, why don't you turn around and look at what's behind you." Jenny suggested, obviously trying not to laugh.
Jean gave her an uncertain look before doing her bidding. "Awww, that's so sweet!"
Artie, Leech, and Franklin had stolen Zelig away from whoever had him last and made him part of their group. As such, they had also included him in their current activity. Eating large pieces of wedding cake.
Jenny thought perhaps giving him that one taste when they had cut the cake might have been a mistake. Because at the moment, he was covered from head to toe in cake and icing from the boys enthusiastically sharing with him. He did look very happy, but she hoped he didn't get sick from it.
"He's all yours." She said it with an evil grin and walked quickly away.
It took a moment for Jean to understand what she meant. She was going to have to clean him up. Wait. No she wouldn't. "Oh, Sco-ott..."
Exhausted, her bare feet propped up on a chair a little swollen, and feeling very mellow due to all the champagne she had drunk, Jenny dazedly looked around the room. She was confident she had danced with every male there, including the boys. She had eaten more cake than could possibly be good for her. Zelig had fallen asleep being passed from person to person, Charles being the last. All the legal papers had been signed, both for the wedding and the adoption. She was pretty sure there was something she could or should be doing but right now she was enjoying basking in the knowledge she was Mrs. Wagner, Mrs. Kurt Wagner, Jenny Wagner, and any other way of there was of saying she was his wife.
They had been practically living together the last five months, but actually being married felt... different. She didn't know why, it just was. As though now Johnny had said a few words and they had signed a piece of paper she was free to be herself. Which was silly because she was always herself and Kurt had seen her at both her best and her worst. Maybe she just didn't feel like she should be embarrassed if he saw her in not quite so good a light. She felt both part of something fantastic yet completely free, and she knew it was all part of being married. It was wonderful.
"Ah, and there he is now." Jenny said aloud to herself, louder than she meant to, watching Kurt walk towards her. "Isn't he just too pretty for words?"
"I assume you are speaking of me, ja?" He smiled into her eyes, wondering how much she'd had to drink.
"Hmm," she responded noncommittally.
"You are ze pretty one. Have you had fun?" He knew she had; he had carefully planned the entertainment with her in mind for that reason alone.
"Yeah, this is nice." Jenny sighed.
"Und are you ready for more?" Kurt placed her bouquet in her hands.
"Oh, yes, I'm ready." Reaching up, she ran her fingers down the side of his face, a fascinated expression briefly running through her eyes as it always did. "Can we just sneak away?"
"Nein, zhey vould catch us, but I vill protect you." He vowed, pulling Jenny to her feet.
He led her to a chair in front of the men gathering around, responding to some signal she had missed. At Kurt's indication, Jenny braced one foot with brightly painted toenails on the chair. Amid catcalls and wolf-whistles, feeling brave from the champagne, she slowly, teasingly, raised the hem of her dress revealing her long creamy leg an increment at a time until the royal blue garter on her mid-thigh was clearly visible.
The volume increased, drowning out Jenny's gasp, as Kurt with a wicked look in his yellow eyes to pay back her teasing did some teasing of his own. He trailed one finger from the top of her foot, up her shin, pausing at her knee, then gliding across her lower thigh before hooking it into the garter and drawing it down. He twirled it about his finger while Jenny demurely lowered her dress.
Without aiming, Kurt sent the bright cloth sailing over the men's head. Though they scrambled, most were laughing too hard to remember they were supposed to grab it. Narrowly missing Alastair Stewart's head, the garter smacked Quasar in the chest. He caught it reflexively, blinking in surprise and accepted the good natured ribbing that followed.
A few minutes later, Jenny stood in the chair with her eyes closed, her back to a crowd of very powerful single women, all vying for position and waiting for her to throw the bouquet over her head. Silence fell as she threw it with all her might.
The flyers in the group were off as it bounced off the ceiling, but they missed and dove into the frantic mass waiting below. All was chaos. The air was filled with shouts, screams, curses, the unmistakable - for people in their line of business anyway - sounds of bodyparts slamming into each other, and what might have been thunder but no one was really sure with all the other noise.
"I am so glad I'm not in there." Sue Richards commented to Jean.
"Me too," was her vehement reply.
When the dust settled several women stalked off to have their injuries treated and Domino stood proudly displaying her spoils.
"Are we done now?" Jenny whispered, hiding her face against Kurt's shoulder not wanting to see the carnage. "Is there more we have to do?"
He tenderly stroked a hand over the artful curls Steve had painstakingly put in her hair. "Nein, ve haf done enough if you vish to go."
"I want to be alone with my husband." Jenny ran a hand over his chest, making her meaning very clear.
"Zen ve go." Holding her close against him, Kurt doffed an imaginary hat to their guests, calling in a loud voice, "Auf weiterzen!"
As they teleported away, Jubilee shouted, "Wait! We have all that birdseed!"
Reappearing outside, Kurt quickly handed Jenny into the waiting limosine. She snuggled up against him and both ignored the chilled bottle of champagne.
"Kurt?" Jenny said in a small hesitant voice. "I-I just want to say I'm sorry."
"Vas?" he asked in surprise. That wasn't a statement he had expected at the start of their honeymoon.
"I've been so out of it the last several months and I haven't treated you well." She layed a hand on his cheek but didn't meet his eyes.
"Nein-" he started to protest.
"No, I was selfish. I almost let Lacy's death keep us from getting married."
"Nein, you did not." He said firmly. "I felt ze same vay."
"But I didn't think of that, and before then I didn't trust you enough, or maybe me enough, for us to get married sooner or Lacy could have been there. It was wrong and I'm sorry. You have been patient," she kissed his right cheek, "and kind," she kissed his left cheek, "and understanding," she kissed the tip of his nose, "and I love you very very much."
He smiled, pulling her close. "I am handsome, too."
"Um-hmm, very handsome," she agreed, playing with the buttons on his shirt.
Kurt's arms went around her and he buried his face in her hair. "Und smart."
"Mmm, a genius," Jenny grinned happily.
His lips found her ear. "Unnnnd romantic."
"Well," she giggled, "that depends on where we're going on our honeymoon."
"How about a beautiful oceanside hotel vith a jacuzzi built for two, and," he wiggled his brows suggestively, "me."
"That sounds nice, especially that last part." Jenny sighed contentedly.
"Und zat is not all. Zhere is a Renaissance fair nearby vhere ve shall join ze tournaments and feasts and I shall be ze envy of all men for my lovely vife."
"Really?" her voice rose in excitement.
"Or ve can enjoy ze opera 'Carmen' in balcony seats after a gourmet meal at a five star restaurant, and again I shall be envied for my lovely vife." Kurt acted as though he was trying to make a momentous decision.
"I have to choose?" Despondent now, she didn't know which sounded better.
Kurt laughed. "Nein, ve vill do both, I haf made reservations."
"You are a wonderful husband." Jenny kissed him deeply, stopping to say breathlessly, "Please, tell me we're going to the hotel first."
"Oh, ja, definitely ze hotel first, and zen after." Kurt tilted her head up to look meet his eyes. "Zis is only ze beginning."
"And that's the best part."
note:
BlkDiamond- I know, and I'm sorry but it was originally going to be worse. Hope this one makes up for it.
Elizabeth Robbins- Oh, yeah, Zelig was definitely there.
GothikStrawberry- Yep and that's what the whole story was actually written for! Imagine that, 20 chapters just to give Zelig to Jenny and Kurt, but that's how it started.
S- We'll see. I just might do it someday.
Shorty McGee- He was optimistic in that he kept hoping he wouldn't have to force the issue, thought a situation would just present itself. It did, but it took time.
CaptainTish- I put PotC in just for you and Jinxeh. Hah! I surprised you! And yes, this is the last chapter, but there will be more in 'Demon's Kind'.
afreddiefan- Well, Jenny had issues to work out but she got there.
Jinxeh- Wow, I made the quote section? Cool. By the way, I didn't kill Lacy to get back at you. I planned it from the beginning. I know, I'm sorry.
MeadowLark4491- I couldn't resist the entertainment thing. You should have heard me laughing at work while I was writing it in my notebook. Everyone there thinks there's something wrong with me.
Irbis- Sometimes bittersweet is just the way to go. I'd much rather bittersweet than just sad, anyway. Things have to happen but they can still touch your heart instead of simply making you feel bad. That's what I usually try for anyway.
By the way, I got an email asking about how complete Jenny's hysterectomy was because if it wasn't complete she'd have eggs that could be harvested and they could get a surrogate to carry her and Kurt's baby. I thought if one person had this question then others might too. My answer is to consider the 'care' Jenny received when she was injured as a teen, or lack thereof. I really don't see them as being competent enough to do other than a complete hysterectomy, or maybe it's kind enough. Also I had already written and planned far enough that I wasn't willing to change things to make it possible. But I really don't see that doctor as being capable enough to do it that way. Hope that explains it for those who might have wondered.
We're finally finished! Isn't it great? I still have some short-stories in mind for "Demon's Kind" as I said but they probably won't come out in a timely manner because I haven't written most of the ones I have ideas for. I will but they might straggle their way in.
For those interested, "A Friend in Need" is going to have probably a total of six chapters and I have already sent chapter 4 to my beta. Gotten to where this story intersects and it will probably be posted sometime this or next week. Hopefully I'll get more of "The Gift" done soon too. I got behind because I got a little stuck, but I'll finish it, promise. I just don't write the adult stories consistently.
Jenny will continue to be a secondary character in most of my stories and in some they will be married and in others they won't but she will still be around. Like the way she made a brief appearance in "No Place Like Home". But I think her story has been told now and she probably won't have a story of her own again. Well, it could happen, but I doubt it at this point.
My next story will probably be either a ROMY or a story for Bobby. Not sure which, but I'm feeling sorry for Bobby right now because of what happened in the book. I won't get into my true feelings on that because I have to end this sometime (fix my Jubilee, Marvel scum!) though the story - what I've written of it - will not be connected to the 'House of M' storyline. Then again, the ROMY has been started and put on the backburner for awhile now and keeps begging me to finish it. So it could be either one but will probably be the Bobby.
Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi