(A/N – Hey everyone! Jack and I hope you had a great holiday! I am so sorry about the mishap with the story, but I fixed it! Bwaha! And plus, my student directing duties (yes, I am a student director now!) started and last til at least 6 every night! I'm about to be buried up to my neck, but I will continue to update, don't you worry! And I'd appreciate it if you had time to go back and check out chapters 3 and 4… I rewrote them from memory and changed a few things, so let me know how I did on those, too.)
What'd you Reviewers all get for Xmas this year?
x) Sentinel Sparrow – Hey now! LoL. The series may end here, but the madness shall not! I am a miracle worker, my friend, and I answer prayers! I might do a little fic about Isabelle going to the Caribbean with us… It's a striking suggestion! So look for another update after this! I still have many loose ends to tie within the next three or four chapters and epilogue. So enjoy it! And thanks for the review!
x) Norma Jean – pulls up bed skirt There you are! LoL. Man, Stewie is gonna FREAK when she finds out, haha. Finnish Indy Day? SWEET! LoL. I'm so glad you liked the chapter, and hopefully you'll like this one, too! Thanks so much for your review! Love ya!
x) wayunlucky13 – Sure sequels! This is the third story, but as I told Sentinel Sparrow above, I could maybe do a little thing where Isabelle somehow gets caught in tha Caribbean with us. I could have fun with an idea like that, LoL. But I will never stop writing or thinking about writing more PotC, never! It's in me blood to do so, and do so I shall! Haha… Anyhoo, thanks for the review! Hope you like this chapter!
x) Kenny! – Holy crap! Dotz! Yes! LoL. If you can't tell, I am in a good mood…the concert choir's little choir (the Blenders, lol) did so well at the concert! Levi topped it off with an awesome piano solo, so he sort of stole the light, but we don't mind. Everyone who didn't know who he is now does. He's like the greatest pianist in the school, LoL. Thanks for the dotz and the review, and I'll be looking for your update, missy! Hehe… No pressure here, I love you guys to death! Just enjoy the last of this story, k?
.: I got a digital camera! happiness :.
CLE – "A Moment Like This" by Kelly ClarksonDisclaimers can kiss it…
Claimers can party at my house!
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: "You may kiss the bride."
Jack and I walked together back upstairs to the little room in which Lindz, Stewie, Paige, Thomas, Kourey, Robbie, Will, Ana, and Marietta waited. I opened the door and looked at them all; I hoped my eyes weren't really red and puffy or anything. I could tell they noticed, but like good friends they didn't dwell too much on it.
"See you all in the ceremony," Jack said, leaving me at the door. I stepped inside with a big sigh and looked around at them all. I realized Anamaria was missing, but that's probably just so that she could put whatever her plan was into action. Suddenly, a familiar face popped out from between Thomas and Stewie's heads. We smiled at one another.
"Josh?" I asked. "What are you doing here? When-? How-?" Then I sighed. "Boy am I glad to see you," I laughed finally.
"Yeah," he said. "My mom said you called about coming to a wedding. I had nothing better to do, so I thought I'd come."
"And not at a better time!" I said. "You do know that you're in the wedding, right?"
He looked around for a moment. "I am?"
"Yes. You're just walking down the aisle and standing with the guys," I said. "Nothing big."
"Oh," he laughed. "Good. Who's getting married, by the way?"
"Um… you remember Jack from school on Friday, don't you?"
"Yes," he said, laughing again.
"Well, he is," I said.
"He is?"
"Yeah," Lindsay cut in. "To the new history teacher."
"You mean Miss Garrett? My homeroom teacher?" Josh asked.
I nodded uneasily, but he just started laughing. I emitted a grim chuckle myself, seeing nothing at all funny about the given situation we were in.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCKKourey opened the door, and one of the usher guys peeped his head inside. "Ladies and gentleman of the wedding party, if you would follow me to the back of the church to take your positions," he said politely.
We followed him back, my angst level rising and my nerves going haywire. I could not do this. Jack? Getting married? Come on! I'm starting to laugh and this isn't funny! Hysteria must be setting in now… that's it. I'm done for. I'm just gonna end up going psycho in the middle of aisle, collapse, have a seizure, and be branded as a loon the rest of my life.
Hey…
It would stop the wedding…
No, I couldn't possibly be that mean…
But then again…
"Erica!"
I snapped out of my plotting, looking around. "What?" I asked wildly.
"Get behind Marietta!" Stewie said, pointing to the gap I was supposed to fill between Marietta and Lindsay. I walked into my space and looked over at Josh, feeling as sick as I ever had.
"Are you okay?" he whispered to me.
I shook my head. "Not really."
Then it came: The Wedding Marche. I froze, and everything was suddenly in slow motion. I couldn't hear anything except faintly, and the scene being played out in front of me was crystal clear instead of a blur. It was odd – like a dream.
But this isn't a dream. It's as real as ever.
I looked up and saw Isabelle and her father smile at one another genuinely before taking their first step together down the aisle toward the minister and Jack at the altar. Jack had a smile on his face I could tell wasn't of pure happiness or excitement; it was moreover a forced and stretched smile that didn't hold much care for the situation.
I stared at him for a while until Marietta and Will began to move in front of me. I then gasped my bouquet insecurely with the sweaty palms of my hands and swallowed the huge lump of worry and fear in my throat so that it fell into my empty stomach with a hard jolt. I felt so weightless like I do in a dream, but then again I felt shackles holding me to keep me here. Invisible ones mind you.
I couldn't hear my footfalls or feel them; I was so oblivious to it all. I just stared out in front of me as the standing congregation smiled at us all and the women dried their eyes with tissues and that. If they didn't stop crying, I was going to start. I was allowed. It is a wedding after all. But no. I'd break down and everything. I couldn't do that to Jack, even if he has been a major jerk lately.
The walk lasted for a long time. I almost bumped into Marietta again as I had at practice the night before, but something inside of me made me stop. We took our places up by the altar as did the guys, and Isabelle was left standing in front of Jack with her father next to her. I sighed.
The whole thing was being done right in front of me. I waited impatiently for Anamaria to show up with whatever great plan of action she had to set in motion, but she wasn't coming. I was panicking, especially when the dreaded line was spoken:
"You may kiss the bride."
I looked around with wild eyes at every single person in the congregation. You stupid retards! Speak up! Come on! This is all wrong and you know it! Oh, Ana... I am going to-
"Oi! I've got somethin' to say."
The entire church spun around upon hearing the shout from the back of the church, and finally let all of my worries out in a huge sigh. Well, most of them – how was this going to turn out?
Anamaria, anger apparent in her expression, marched down the aisle ignoring all of the family and friends that had come as witnesses of the wedding. She strode all the way down, never taking her eyes off Jack. All of us girls except Marietta leaned forward to see the expression on Jack's face. He was holding Isabelle's hands lightly as he looked at Anamaria in total disbelief, his mouth open in surprise and everything. Finally, Ana reached the floor in front of the altar steps and stopped, folding her arms.
"Well well well," she said, looking daggers at Jack. "Captain Sparrow's decided to take a wife, has he?"
Jack didn't respond; he just stood there.
"Well, according to the Code, you forfeit your captain duties upon marriage. And since Gibbs is a blubbering idiot of a first mate, I guess that leaves the Pearl to me."
"It most certainly does not!" he shouted to everyone's surprise.
"Yes it does," Ana, said right back. "It's my ship now."
"My arse," Jack said, shocking the spectators even more.
"Jack, what is all this about?" Isabelle asked. "I didn't know you had a ship."
That's because you weren't supposed to, I said inwardly.
"Nothing, darling, just-"
"Tell me, Captain," Ana said loudly, cutting him off. "Since when do pirates fall in love?"
Jack stood there in shock, mouth still open. He turned to Isabelle and smiled politely, patting her hand and letting them go. He then started walking down the steps sending more spirals in people's heads.
"Even if that myth were true," Jack said, stepping down from beside Isabelle, "you couldn't call yerself a pirate either, now could ye?" He stopped right in front of her with a huge grin of triumph on her face as I went to cover my mouth. I just wanted to stop a wedding! Not embarrass anybody!
Ana glared at Jack a half a moment before shooting right back at him "And you could?" she asked loudly. Jack's smile then fell, and he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Erm, no," he said in embarrassment avoiding her eyes. Then they looked at each other again. Ana was seething with anger, but Jack looked almost apologetic. I was mentally biting my nails waiting for the next crazy thing to happen. And it did.
"So!" Jack said loudly, popping back into his usual mode. "Since neither of us are pirates anymore and there's no code that applies to us, why don't we just get this over with?"
My mouth hung open like everyone elses. He held out his arm with a seductive sneer on his face, and Ana looked at him suspiciously for a second before she took it.
- At the Reception – 2 hours later -
I was sitting at the wedding party's long table next to Marietta and Lindsay eating the last of my chicken in the front of the hall we had decorated. Stewie and Paige were flicking peas at each other down on the end of the table, and I was quiet until one hit me.
"Okay! You're gonna die, Stewart!" I said, setting down my fork.
"It was Paige! Honest!" she laughed, slinging another one at Paige while she wasn't looking. I smiled to myself and returned to my plate.
I took a drink and looked at the dance floor in front of me where some people were dancing after finishing their meals. I saw Jack and Anamaria dancing in the back where it was a bit darker and laughed to myself; heaven forbid anyone saw Jack Sparrow, brave and feared captain of the seas, dancing.
Isabelle was sitting with a group of her family and friends at a nearby table. She respected Jack's decision to all of our amazement, and she also gave Jack and Ana her best wishes. Most of her family still came to the reception, which was really cool. It was nice to know there was no grudge or anything and that Miss Garrett and Jack Sparrow would remain friends for a long time.
I looked back out at the dance floor as I sat my drink down. Marietta had somehow slipped passed me and was dancing with Isabelle's brother Clarke. Then Kourey and Josh came over to see us, another pea hitting Kourey. I laughed.
"Jessica! Stop it!" Lindsay said, grabbing her spoon from her.
"No! Mine!" she laughed, clawing at her for it.
So they got into it, Lindsay got up and ran to another part of the hall, and I laughed with Paige.
"So, what exactly happened back at the church there?" Josh laughed.
"Yeah, we sort of are confused," Kourey, said.
"Something that doesn't usually happens, I can tell you that," I said as the song ended in the background. It was quiet a moment until the DJ came on over the huge speakers.
"Alright, I will now ask all guests to move off of the dance floor and allow our bride and groom to step forward."
We watched Jack and Ana walk into the center of the room with huge smiles on our faces. It did all work out. For the best, thank god. And Jack didn't hate us! Yay! Well, at least he didn't look like he'd hate us. We hadn't really spoken since the big fiasco, but speaking in body language like Jack so infamously does, something tells me he's happier with us than he has been in a while.
Anyways, let's continue.
"We will now begin the song reserved for the wedding party, so would those members of the party please step in front of the table and pair up in order please."
I took the last bite of my chicken and quickly stood up, taking Josh's arm as we walked around the table with everyone behind us except Will and Marietta. The song started that the group of us had picked out for them (see CLE, lol), and the lights were dimmed. I smiled as the whole room watched them. Jack was a good dancer to my amazement, but then again, being a pirate and having to do all the things he does, dancing with a lady doesn't surprise me that much.
"Mr. William Turner escorting Miss Marietta Quills," the announcer said. The stepped onto the floor next and began dancing, and about twenty seconds afterwards myself and Josh went on. In intervals of twenty seconds, Lindsay and Thomas, Paige and Robbie, and Stewie and Kourey were added to our group. The majority of the song had yet to be played, however, so us couples talked in low voices and such.
"This is weird," Josh laughed, looking over at Jack and Isabelle.
"Weird doesn't even begin to describe it," I said, thinking 'if only he knew.'
"Is Paige really your step-sister?"
"No," I said. "She came from the same place Jack did. Same place as Will, Elizabeth, Anamaria, Thomas…"
"Whoa. Will they go back? How will they go back?"
"Of course they'll go back," I said. "And how they do it is with this magic ruby of some kind that shrinks when you use it til there's nothing left. It's very small now, about the size of a marble. It was as big as a tennis ball when we first saw it."
"Wow, that's cool," he said. "So there's not much time left, is there?"
"Not really," I sighed. "If they don't go back in two weeks after the ruby's use, it will disappear. They had to use it a lot when we didn't see each other for a year, but as a transporter instead of a time traveling thing."
"You mean it's both?"
"Heck yeah it's both."
"How long have they been here?"
"Not even a week, but I have a feeling they're going to want to leave," I said sadly. "And the ruby is so small, it very well may be the last time we ever see each other."
- 10:30 pm -
It was such a wonderful night that took place in the Monarch Fire Hall that will be remembered for a long time to come. We all danced and ate and had so much fun. I got to dance with Jack, too, and he was happy that things turned out as they had. He was actually glad we had interfered, which is very unexpected. But I was so happy. Everything was how it should be, and everything (for once) felt completely right.
When the tossing of the bouquet and garter came, the oddest couple on the planet go paired up, and it was so – hysterical. There are many pictures on my digital camera, I assure you. You wanna take a guess? Try this: Lindsay caught the bouquet, and yes, Will, William Turner, caught the garter. I had never seen Lindsay that red in the face before. Man, being as it were when we first met them, with the huge wall between Liz and Lindsay and the fighting about Will, this was priceless. Honestly, you mention one thing about that wedding, and I will crack just thinking about Will putting that garter clear up Lindsay's leg. I think those two have an understanding now. At least Jack and Ana get fifty-two years good luck (two years per inch up the leg, haha).
And right after that, we had a little occurrence… Isabelle's older brother Clarke proposed to Marietta. Isabelle told us that for the longest time they had been in and out of relationships, and I had to smile. That's not quite a fairytale ending, but it's still so sweet.
Stewie at some point managed to knock over the chocolate fountain and start a food fight at the same time, but it was short-lived. Isabelle was having a blast, despite all of the circumstances. She did dance and she did have a great time, and she even thanked us.
"I don't think I'd like to be responsible for coming between two people that were meant to be," I recall her saying to us four girls at the wedding party table during a slow song that Jack and Ana shared. "Thanks for making us realize our mistake."
And the best part of the whole dumping-Isabelle-at-the-altar-and-her-not-caring-and-just-laughing-it-off thing: she was sincere when she said the things she did. That was the coolest thing about the night.
Besides Jack accidentally missing a step carrying Ana outside and falling on top of her in the snow and then having her chase him which led to a full blown snowball fight for everyone, I mean. Now that was cool.
But now that the snowball fight's over and everyone is completely soaking wet for being bombed and pelted with snow, the guests started to leave. Isabelle did come from a good family because her family was just as sincere and kind as she was when they gave Jack and Ana their best wishes. Robbie and Josh left, too, and of course we thanked them on coming on such short notice. Those guys are lifesavers. So is Kourey, but he stuck with us for a while.
As for the rest of us, Lindsay, Stewie, Paige, Thomas, Kourey, and I were bunched together around the back of Isabelle's cousin Grant's pick-up truck waiting to go home. Thomas, Paige, and myself were seated on the edge of the truckbed while the others stood around in the silent snowfall.
"So now what?" Kourey asked, rubbing his arms and looking around.
"We wait for the others," Lindsay sighed. We looked back at the door as Jack and Ana thanked the last few guests for coming. Will and Elizabeth came out around back and joined our little group.
"Well," Will said, rubbing his hands together before placing them in his pockets, "how about that wedding?" Laughter was emitted around the circle.
"I think it was beautiful," Elizabeth said.
"I think 'interesting' is more of the word you're looking for," I said.
"And if that's the word you're using, better apply it to the whole night and not just the wedding," Stewie laughed.
"Yeah, that's true," I said.
Lindsay laughed. "Well let's see. We had Ana march down the aisle and steal Isabelle's groom and then Isabelle just laughs about it, I caught the bouquet and Will, you went pretty far up my leg with that garter," – Will looked at the ground rubbing his forehead and started laughing as hard as Lindsay momentarily – "we had a proposal, a food fight, a black eye to the bartender, a Cha Cha Slide dance movement that over half the people participated in, a dropped bride, and a snowball fight." She had done all of this counting each event on her fingers.
"Don't forget when the archway collapsed on Isabelle's grandparents," Kourey said, making us all laugh again.
"And when Liz and Thomas got into the punch-throwing," I said. No, not fists, punch. The drink. Come on people; is violence all you ever think about?
"He started it," Elizabeth said, giving him a glare.
"Well thank you, Elizabeth," Thomas said. "I had several people compliment me on my pink shirt."
"What's wrong with that?" Stewie asked.
"Jessica! Where have you been!" Lindsay asked, squeezing her face together and letting go. "He's got punch all over it! That's why it's pink!"
"Oh…" Then Stewie just laughed.
Then finally, we heard Jack and Anamaria coming over to us talking. Yes. I was going home. Sleep! Huzzah!
"Yeah, and you just wait til I get you out of that ridiculous suit," we heard Ana say before bursting into laughter (our minds being weird and all). "I hate it."
"And I love it?" Jack asked sarcastically, joining us. Then he stopped, looking around at us all. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, Jack," Elizabeth said. "Ready to go?"
"Sure," Jack said. "But we're not going back to the house tonight."
"But Jack! I'm tired…" Stewie whined.
"Ye'll get to sleep in a bed in twenty minutes," he said, walking towards the limo. "Promise."
"Yeah, whatever…"
On the way inside the limo, Ana nudged me and Paige, and Lindsay and Stewie joined in on instinct. Ana smiled slyly.
"How was that for a diversion?"
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Well guys, there's a nice little twist for ya! No, you don't have to go back and reread it, Jack married Anamaria. That simple. I'm sorry! I've had that leaving-Isabelle-at-the-altar scene all planned out since I even ever figured out the story! Or who the other girl Jack was going to be married to! Basically, the story was shaped somewhat around that one part, and I'd say it turned out okay, wouldn't you? Anyways, I hope you liked it. Don't like, shoot me or anything. At least not til I'm done with the musical mid-March!
Please Review!