Okay, does this still count as a fanfiction? Well, it's more like a fanfic for my fanfic . . . Oh, well, I've had this idea in my head forever.

Imagine twenty years into the future after It Should've Been Me and it's Evi's wedding day . . . Yeah, I know, a bit extreme, but—again—I've had this idea for so darn long.

Oh, and I know you've realized by now, but I write Matt out of all the scenes a lot so here, finally, he has a bigger part like promised! (and he's more different than either you or I imagined—or rather you imagined, I always thought he'd grow up this way.)

By the way, beware out-of-character-ness. I know, it's been 20 years, but still. Out-of Character-ness.

III. To Marry

Her eyes glanced up at their reflection, but before she could see it, her eyes had focused on her hands again. Part of her didn't understand the sudden avoidance, but the other half of her knew it all.

Taking another risk, she let her eyes slide up, catching on the color opposite. Her eyes didn't have a chance to hide because she had started studying that face across from her.

The deep russet of the eyes, the thick of curled lashes, fullness of a small mouth, the smoothness of the fair skin, even the deep auburn of the soft waves that cupped her face . . . It was all hers. Even though she couldn't personally remember, the image fuzzy in her mind, she knew who she looked most like.

With a soft sigh, she lightly ran her fingers through the hair that only ran up to past her earlobes—now adorned with pearl diamond earrings that shone in the soft light. Her fingers ran across her bare neck, wishing she could find a necklace to fit.

She looked down, eyes washing over the silken ivory that draped her, and in her mind she could imagine the one that had sat there before her. It sent a chill down her spine just thinking about the possibilities.

A familiar voice pulled her from her reverie.

"Knock, Knock," a tentative grin came from the cracked door. "Can I come in?"

"Dad!" She flew to her feet at his voice and intruding figure. He stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do next. The shocked surprise in her voice told him to go away, but the beaming smile that adorned her face called him closer.

With a soft grin, his hand found his neck.

"Yeah, I know they say it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, but I figured since I'm not the one getting married today that it'd be okay."

"Of course it's okay," she assured, unable to keep the bright smile from her lips. Him being there . . .—Everything seemed all the more possible. The young beauty kept smiling. "I'm just fixing make-up and such. Come, close the door."

With a partially relieved breath, the man moved closer, walking into the brighter light of the window. His hair was neat, black tux perfect—it seemed all the more unnatural.

"How you doing, Evi?" He asked, partially out of breath. "All right?"

"I'm fine, Daddy," Evi laughed, calming his nerves. "It's one of the happiest day's of my life. How could I not be?"

Mu sighed again in even more relief, feeling the aging lines all the years had given him melt off his face. They were only really noticeable when he was worried. That Evi had just started to notice.

Mu stepped closer, sliding a long black box from his pocket, grin brightening his face even more.

"I want to make your day even better," he told her, holding the gift before him, before his daughter.

"And how can you do that?" She subtly teased, daintily taking the box from him. It felt light in her hands, but was weighted down with her unnoticeable fear.

"Well, I can make the impossible possible, if that's what you mean," Mu teased back, making Evi laugh lightly at the memories as she pried the long box open.

She gasped.

Mu's eyes washed over his daughter, taking in the image of her, never wanting to forget it.

There she stood, fully dressed in her satin wedding dress. His daughter . . . getting married. Her short, cropped hair that resembled Murrue's so much was even pulled back slightly but pieces too short expertly framed her face. There was a slight pink to her rose cheeks, something more than the rouge she'd brushed on earlier. Thin fingers shook gently over her painted mouth and her eyes . . . In her eyes, the deep russet shone, Mu surprised to see the beginnings of tears there.

"How . . ." She whispered, staring down at the ornate diamond necklace he'd passed on to her. She'd seen it before—countless times. Oh, if only she'd counted how many times she'd stared at that photograph . . . for then she'd know how many times she'd wished for it.

Mu softly broke the silence.

"I gave this to your mother for her birthday, but she wore it on our wedding day. I don't really remember her wearing it again after that—but I didn't really focus on her necklaces either. . . ."

"Dad . . ." Evi had to force herself to speak, the loss of air from her chest keeping her quiet. She blinked back un-Evi-like tears as Mu looked on, smiling softly.

"I know she would've wanted you to have it, Evi," he murmured, matching the mood with his quiet tone.

She looked up at him, tears shining through her unstoppable grin. Without any more hesitation, she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around her father's neck. She hung there in suspended joy, letting tears slowly run down her cheeks. Evi softly cried.

"Oh, Daddy . . ." Mu's light hold on her tightened as she hugged him. ". . . Thank you."

Mu went to pat down her hair, but froze, past familiarity rushing back.

"Evi," he croaked slightly, her tight grip helping the air to rush from him. "Evi . . ." His hands around her waist pulled her away.

"Huh?" The young woman cocked her head, soft auburn hair falling from the place behind her ears.

Mu grinned.

"C'mon. We don't want your make-up to run, now do we?" He smiled, lightly wiping away crystal tears. "You want to be more beautiful than usual on your wedding day, right?"

Realization blinked into Evi's face as she sheepishly pulled away from her father.

"Oh, oh, yeah . . ." She walked back to the vanity and sat down, checking the tear damage in the mirror. "It's not that bad, is it?" She wondered, trying to find where her make-up had run like her father said. But her head was so muddled in the moment—she didn't realize she'd never had any make-up on to start with.

Mu's attention was caught else where. The necklace that had made Evi cry, the one Murrue had worn, the one he'd given to his daughter . . . It was missing from Evi's dainty hands. His eyes searched the room, spotting the long black box resting on one of the ornate wooden stands. It rested as if forgotten.

"—ad? . . . Daddy?"

"Hm?" Mu broke from his arresting thoughts to see his daughter looking back at him from her seat on the vanity, face half done-up.

Mu held in his surprise at her face.

Evi's one joyfully tearing face was now covered in worry. Her troubled stare didn't lessen as it stared back into his crystal eyes. It only seemed to intensify.

"Dad, is something wrong?"

Mu blinked back even more shock. "What? No! I was . . . I was just thinking is all."

"About what?" She subtly challenged, russet eyes flashing. In that moment, Mu couldn't help but see Murrue glaring back at him. He turned his face away, clearing his throat.

"We were married here you know, your mother and I?"

"Yep, I know," Evi smiled, softly brimming in delight. "That's why he and I chose this place after all. . . ."

Playful wonder erupted into Evi's face and tone. She lightly clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh—Mom was already going to have me when you two got married, right?" She over-played a wink at him, knowing full well what it meant.

Mu turned his face away, slight pink to his cheeks at the sudden awkward turn in the conversation. It was an awkward conversation to start with, but this—This was his daughter.

"Wow," she softly muttered to herself, wild challenge rushing in her eyes. "Wow. You two must have either been really bored or really busy. . . ."

"Evi!" Mu flushed a deep red as he shouted back at his daughter.

She couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Daddy," she smiled, hand daintily pushing his distress aside. "I mean," she continued, "we are both mature adults after all.—Couldn't say the same about Matt, though."

Mu wanted to laughout loud at the 'mature adults' part, but held himself back. He had steadied himself, blush subsiding.

"Oh, really?" He scoffed back, quickly regaining his edge. "Well you'll find out exactly how uncomfortable a conversation this is when you take it up your daughter—or son, rather."

Evi's face turned so red, the light rouge to her face paled greatly in comparison. She tried to speak between the thin fingers she'd pressed across her mouth.

"You know?" She strangled her whisper, russet eyes trained on her now whole-heartedly laughing father.

The tables had turned.

"Of course I know, you kidding?" He laughed, waving her heart-stopping surprise aside in mocking victory. "I've got connections."

"But—But he doesn't even know yet," she stammered, flushing in her father's over-casual manner on such a topic.

"You gonna spring it on him?" Mu asked, eyes mischievously twinkling.

"W-what?" Evi's blush deepened at the sudden change of subject.

Mu, though, turned on a more tactical, lecturing approach.

"Are you gonna tell him when he's still your fiancé or your husband? Personally, I'd go for husband—or better yet, tell him after you two have—"

"Dad!" Evi suddenly burst,blush deepeningeven more. She began to literally push him towards the door as a last resort. Mu could have fended off the pushing, but Evi was amazingly strong for her petite form.

"Out!" Evi shouted, blushing.

"But, Evi—" Mu whined, grinning.

"NO!" She gave him one final push out the door, him almost toppling from the suddenness. Turning back to face her, he saw her bright red in embarrassment, but there was laughter to her shimmering eyes and tone.

"I have to get ready, you know!"

The door slammed.

Mu stood out in the hallway alone, sheepishly running his hand across the back of his neck and through his hair.

Their conversations ran over in his mind.

He smiled, but then . . .

"God, Murrue," he muttered to himself. Mu knew his late wife would come up with Evi more and more throughout the day. It was on those certain special days like this—Days when you expect that somebody to be there—But they're not, they can't be.. . . It was on those 'certain special days' that itturns outyou cant ever seem to stop thinking about them.

"Hey!" Someone called for him down the hall, breaking him out of his quiet thoughts. "Dad! Hey!" Mu, looking up, could easily notice the other part of his family quickly jogging up to him, grin splashed across his face. "Hey, Dad," Matt laughed, finally pausing before his father. Mu looked on, forcing down his own laugh.

Matt had grown up nothing like expected. He used to be the quiet one, with the dark quality—But, as blonde Evi grew up to be like Murrue, Matt took on his father's appearance.

His blue-grey eyes hadn't changed, though they laughed more than stared, but everything else . . . Matt's short dark auburn had somehow shifted to a really dirty blond that the young man kept to his shoulders but pulled back into a short ponytail. There was a light stubble of hair growing across his chin, and for his personality . . .

It seemed as if Matt had become the loudest man in every room.

He reminded Mu a lot of his younger self, but one completely lacking in tact.—And to Mu that was a very . . . scary thought.

Matt slapped his father heartily to the back. "You just see the bride?" He grinned.

"Yes actually." Mu clipped his words. "And she threw me out."

Matt deflated.

"Aw, so that means she'll really throw me out too." Mu's ears pricked up in interest. Matt went on moping.". . . Man, and I wanted to see . . ."

"See?" Mu cocked his head interested. "Her dress?"

"No, Dad," Matt sighed in annoyance. "I really wanted to see it. Evi crying—it's so rare for me to see after all. And they say that before going through with it, all these brides nowadays are bawling their eyes out in pain."

Mu didn't hesitate in smacking his son up the back of the head.

"It's 'crying their eyes out in joy', you idiot." Mu spat with a grin. "And it's not true."

"Well, for some people maybe," Matt grinned back, challengeing. "But, trust me,Evi's definitely pegged down for my kind of crying."

"Now, if you aren't the most considerate brother I've ever seen . . ." Mu shot coolly, sarcasm thick in his voice, arms crossed. Matt cocked his head, looking back at his father.

"Hey, don't gang up on me. I'm not against it or anything. They are perfect for each other, but . . . But I am the confirmed bachelor in the family. I've got my reasons for not liking these sort of things."

Mu faintly palmed his face.

"That makes no sense," He mumbled."Oh, and, Matt?"

"Yeah?"

Mu looked up,grinning."Don't forget. . . .You're the only bachelor in the family."

"It doesn't change the fact I'm never gonna do it," the young man smiled in taunting return, waving his finger in his father's face. It made Mu grin—his expert roguish grin.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're gonna change your mind either . . ." Mu sighed.

"Huh?" Matt was taken off guard by his father's words, but before he could retort, Mu was busily pushing his son down the hallway.

"Matt, don't you have somewhere to be? Oh, like say . . . beside the Groom? As his Best Man?"

"Yeah, that's another thing I don't get. Why in hell did—" Matt started, quickly silenced by Mu. He wasn't going to let Matt ruin his sister's wedding by mouthing off about the groom's choice.

-----

It was time. Everybody was waiting anxiously for the music to begin. Everybody was anxiously for the bride to make appearance. But Mu knew for sure that he was the most anxious—with the exception of the groom, of course. Mu tried to calm his nerves by glancing around, eyes instinctively shifting down the aisle.

He could see the groom, dressed all up in black and everything. It wasn't hard to make out Matt standing casually beside. His shaggy, dirty blond, almost clashed with the groom's longdark locks. The two seemed quite a pair, but . . . Mu thought he was only imagining it—it was impossible from such a distance—but he could just feel that man's piercing emerald stare right on him.

He lightly sighed—he'd never find out why she'd chosen him. Mu could neversee what ever it was she'd seen in him. Why'd it have to be him?

Running his fingers lightly through his thinning hair, Mu took a deep breath. The waiting was getting to him, but he knew he could wait forever. Somewhere in his heart, Mu knew he didn't want it to happen. . . .

His daughter . . . taken away.

The music began—the universal chord that singled the bride's appearance. He numbly watched as each bridesmaid met with one of the groom's men and walked slowly down the aisle. To Mu, the long procession didn't matter. What did was what followednext.

Evi came out, allowing the world to witness her beauty, but . . .

Mu saw her first.

A thin veil shielded her face, but Mu could easily see the smile radiating from her every look. The long ivory of her dress flowed with every strong step, bouquet of white and red roses grasped meaningfully in her hands. She met up with her father at the end of the long aisle, and lightly rested her hands on his arm.

He looked her over one more time and the air filed from him in utter surprise.

The silver diamond necklace he'd given Murrue who'd thenworn it for their wedding . . . The silver diamond necklace he'd then given to Evi . . . It was wrapped about her neck, a necklace worn for her wedding.

And it was aperfect fit.

A smile was shared between father and daughter, a signal of mutual love,a signal to start walking.

As Mu led his child, his first born, his love, his life, his pride, his joy, his daughter . . .his Evi down the aisle, nothing was spoken between the two. Nothing could have been.

Mu's mind was too busy being blank yet running over with incomprehensible thoughts at the same time, and Evi's . . . She was too overcome.

As they reached the end of the long aisle, and the time had finally come, Evi stopped him.

Without waiting for an invitation, Mu lightly pulled back Evi's wedding veil. Her sparkling eyes were easier to see that way. Mu leaned forward and placed a light kiss to his daughter's cheek.

"Love you," he softly muttered.

Mu went to pull away, but Evi held him back.

"Do you think Mom's watching?" She whispered grabbing his hand tightly. She'd obviously been thinking about it—long and hard.

"What do you think, Evi?" Mu asked back quietly, squeezing her hand in return, reassuring,as she broke out in the brightest of smiles.

"Yes!"

She was overjoyed, Mu realized, the best day of her life indeed. But . . . it was one of his worst.

The time had come to let her go. His little girl had grown up and was getting married. Their hands clasped together was all that kept her by his side. And suddenly he never wanted to let go.

But she slipped out of his hold so easily, her hands eagerly finding his replacement—the groom's. She was gone.

Mu almost numbly stepped to the side, the ceremony starting before his eyes. He felt like the happiest person on Earth as well as the most miserable at the same time—a new and quite awkward feeling. He looked on smiling, inside grinning and breaking.

A thick hand placed itself upon his shoulder. Looking over, Matt was standing there, some smile to his strong face.

The rest of the ceremony went as planned. Mu struggled with his emotions when they said their vows, exchanged rings . . . kissed . . .

When they did kiss, Evi and her dark, handsome, groom, the entire place burst with clapping and cheers.

At that moment, the smile on Evi's face . . .

Beautiful.

-----

Outside, as the long limo drove away carrying the newlyweds, Mu couldn't resist his old familiar grin.

He could only imagine what was going on inside that car.. . .Mu froze, straightening himself out, blue eyes wide. The full weight of it all had suddenly become real.

He . . . he was going to be a . . . a grand-father.

'Yes, that's right,' a familiar voice sounded faintly in his mind. It'd been too long since he'd heard it.

Mu smiled. Sure, he knew he was only imagining it, but that voice was settling, even after so long.

The wind blew, faintly pushing some rogue hair before the man's eyes. As he went to re-set it, another feeling came, a light weight to his shoulder—so light he thought his mind was running away with his heart again. His fingers dashed across his empty shoulder as the soft pressure traveled lightly across his cheek.

'Don't worry,' the wind's whisper blew softly. 'I am watching. So don't worry.'

The breeze shifted, and the angelic pressure that had faintly wrapped itself around his shoulders . . . it was gone.

Mu's fingers touched his cheek, tracing where he'd felt it. He knew that feeling.

He'd never forget it.

Murrue . . .

"Hey, Dad!" Matt hailed from across the way. To no surprise to his father, Matt was leaning from another limousine that had pulled up.

Matt called again. "Dad! Reception time! Let's go party!"

Mu's shoulders sagged in exasperation, he couldn't believe what Matt had said. He was just sohappy Evi wasn't there to hear. It sounded like his son was only happy about the reception, caring nothing for the fact it wasone of the biggest days in his sister's life.

As he walked over to where his son was laughing it up with friends, Mu came up palming his face.

"Matt . . ." He softly groaned. "One day . . . I swear one day . . ."

"Hm?" The young man cocked his head, but didn't get an answer, and instead broke out in a huge grin. "C'mon, Dad!"

Without another word, Mu was being yanked into the long car. Matt threw him into a seat set beside him. The rest of the car . . . it was surprisingly empty.

Matt had wanted his father in first.

But after that, others started eagerly rushing in. Mu settled himself in his seat as the people filed in around him. He glanced over at his son: already kicking back, laughing away and having a hell of a time.

A thought crossed his mind: Should Matt know that he's going to be an uncle?

Mu smiled, settling himself in for the rowdy ride to the wedding party.

Nah. . . . That can wait. . . . Matt'll probably get drunk and then he'd open his big mouth to everybody anyway . . .

Mu grinned.

Besides, a little Father-Daughter secret isn't such a bad thing, is it?

AN:This both came out like I wanted and not like I wanted so I'm only half satisfied. . . . Hmmm.

Oh, and looking back on it, I think Older Matt's like an odd mix between Mu, Dearka and Murdoch (with some other characters lightly tossed in). Why I think that and why I did that . . . I don't know.