Dancing in the Dark
Chapter 3: Unchained Melody
A/N: This is the happily ever after they so deserved. :') Last one in the series. It's a little exposition heavy in my opinion, but I wanted to keep the length about the same as the others, so I glossed over a few important plot points rather than dragging them out. Normally, I prefer to be dialogue heavy, but… c'est la vie. Some of this was inspired by a favorite line of mine from "Cowboy Like Me," by Taylor Swift. It goes: "Forever is the sweetest con." Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Not only do I not own Lost or these characters, but the song is by The Righteous Brothers (and many others who have re-done it over the years) and is called Unchained Melody (probably one of my favorite songs ever).
P.S. - I did not specify who the guests were, but they are a combination of island and non-island people. I just didn't quite know how to list them all out without listing them all, you know? Ok, continue….
—-
"Kiss me, James…" Juliet said with a laugh.
James smiled back, feeling like his heart was going to burst. "You got it, Blondie." And so he did. He kissed her and felt his hands go numb and his legs turn to jelly. He'd waited for this moment for years. He'd somehow lived without this woman, the missing part of his soul, for years. How he'd done so was completely beyond him.
They were both laughing, and shaking, and he was kissing every inch of her face. Her giggles were infectious and James had never felt more alive in his whole life. And how ironic because, he was pretty sure he wasn't even really alive anymore.
"Marry me…" The words were out of his mouth, breathless and desperate, before he could even think about what he was saying. "Marry me, Juliet."
Juliet's laughter subsided, she pulled back and stared into his eyes. Her mouth gaped open slightly and her arms still clung to the back of James' neck.
"What?" she asked gently, clearly confused.
"Marry me," James said again. "I had a ring for ya. I hid it under the floorboards. I don't know why I never gave it to ya, though. Just never found the right time, I guess. But God, I wanted to. I'd give anything to go back and do things different, Juliet. That being one of 'em. I love you so much. Only you. Ya gotta believe me." James was clinging to her lab coat at her lower back. The desperation was plain as day on his face. Juliet could read the pain in his eyes as they bore into hers. She started crying again, just imagining the torment he must have gone through after she died.
She'd have said yes. Had he asked back then, she'd have said yes. She was certain.
"Yes…" she answered him. "Of course."
James' face lit up, and a tear slid down his cheek. "You will? Seriously?" he asked, incredulous that she'd agreed.
"I'd have said yes then, too," she whispered, lips inches from his. He pulled Juliet as tightly against him as he could, not wanting to leave even an inch of space between them, before capturing her lips with his once more.
—-
James reflected back on that memory as he lay awake in Juliet's bed two months later. Or was it their bed now? He was still getting used to that. She was curled up against him, still fast asleep. No wedding day jitters for her, I guess… James thought to himself. He could hardly believe the day was finally here. It had only been a couple months, but it had arguably been two of the best months of his life (afterlife?).
He and Juliet had spent their time catching up and getting reacquainted (ahem ahem, very reacquainted; frequently and thoroughly). Once they had adjusted to the reality that they were… somewhere else… they realized they couldn't possibly meet everyone at the church just yet. They just knew it was the next thing to do, but after reuniting with Jin and Sun that same day at the hospital, Juliet realized what was going on. Meeting up with everyone else meant moving on, and he and Juliet had just too much unfinished business to do that yet. Neither of them were ready. After all, wasn't this place (dimension?) meant for them to find one another again and finish what they started? That's certainly what it felt like to James. It felt like a second chance. And this time, he was going to do things right.
So, after discovering this 'church' existed outside of the conventional confines of time, and that people wouldn't be just sitting around waiting for them, James and Juliet decided to savor this experience instead of rushing over there. Item one on the bucket list was accomplished in Juliet's office ten minutes after he proposed to her and five minutes after running into Jin and Sun on the way to Juliet's office. Item two (for her, at least) was for James to fill her in on everything that had happened after she died, which they did over coffee. James didn't want to relive those experiences but given that he'd (finally, in his opinion) died, he found it easier than expected to talk about it with her.
After that, things got a bit complicated. Turns out, Juliet had had a son here, with Jack of all people. But the crazy thing was, he wasn't real. He explained this to Juliet after she and James had returned to her place from getting coffee. He'd been a manifestation of the thing she'd never gotten the chance to do, but yearned to do, and the thing Jack had needed in order to work through his own issues he'd had with his father. Juliet cried for a few days, but as her memories of this young man faded, her pain and loss faded with it. Eventually, she came to terms with what had occurred and moved on.
Rachel though… that had been another huge deal. Juliet had cried the first time she talked to Rachel after 'waking up,' and begged her to come over. Though the two had seen each other not even two weeks ago (in this timeline?) Juliet had needed to see her again, needed to hold her. Before thinking about what the consequences could be, Juliet spilled the beans about wherever it was that they were and how none of this was real (or was it?). Rachel hadn't believed her at first, until James was introduced. He'd been biding his time in Juliet's bedroom, trying to give them their privacy. Rachel felt like she knew James, but she couldn't figure out why. Once James proved he knew Rachel through shared memories and facts about her that only Juliet would know, she had finally remembered everything, too. He'd been the link to her dead sister, and the two had remained in contact years after Juliet's death. James had left out everything about time travel when explaining to Rachel what had happened to Juliet all those years ago, but it all came spilling out once she figured out who he was. Juliet wanted full and complete honesty, no matter how Rachel took it. And though it took two days, eventually Rachel came around and believed what they had to say, much to James' dismay.
She immediately asked to plan their wedding (to give them more time to enjoy just being with each other, she had said), to which James and Juliet wholeheartedly handed it over like it was a hot potato. They wanted all the fun and none of the fuss. So if Rachel wanted to take on that task? Fine by them! Juliet knew Rachel was just a romantic deep down and wanted to plan it to satisfy her own interests, but she didn't care. The last several weeks had been a whirlwind, but Rachel had kept her promise: she wasn't going to share any of the details and she wasn't going to ask for advice. The only thing Juliet had to do was provide two things: her checkbook and the guest list. She had done both of those things, and had spent the last two months on sabbatical from work and screwing James' brain out. James had gotten himself put on administrative leave by admitting to letting Desmond escape. He got a slap on the wrist mostly, but thankfully (or did it even matter?) he wasn't fired.
At first, Rachel had scoffed at the concept of planning a whole wedding in two months. She'd claimed it was impossible. But Juliet insisted on the date: December 6. It was their anniversary, and even though they couldn't quite figure out how many years they'd celebrate with the time travel and all, the date was still special.
Now the day was finally here and James could hardly believe it. He'd barely slept at all last night, content to just watch Juliet's chest rise and fall with her steady breathing. Once, she had awoken briefly before rolling over and snuggling her face into his neck before falling back asleep. James almost died a second time. He couldn't believe how happy he was and he'd be lying if he said he'd be ready to 'move on' after the wedding. He'd live here (wherever they were) forever if it meant staying together like this.
As the morning light filtered into the room, Juliet finally began to stir. She rubbed her eyes before lifting them to gaze at James. "Hey there, stranger," she said, sleep deepening her voice slightly. "I don't know what we did last night but you better get out of here before my fiance finds you." She smiled cheekily before reaching over to pre-emptively turn off her alarm.
"Hardy-har. Startin' the day with jokes, are we? Glad you're in a good mood and not one of them bridezilla creatures I hear so much about," James chuckled and kissed her forehead lovingly.
Juliet stretched out before running a hand along James' bare chest. "Nope. Gotta ensnare you with the wedding first, then I can be crazy afterwards and you'll already be stuck with me," she giggled.
"Ahh, learnin' the cons from the best, I see." James tried to run a hand along Juliet's back but she rolled over and stood up from the bed, stretching again. "Eyy, where ya goin'?"
She flashed him a smile over her shoulder as she walked towards the bathroom. "Are you just gonna lay there all day or are we going to go get married?"
"Baby, it's not even 8 a.m. We ain't gettin' married til 5. We got plenty of time." James groaned, sitting up on his elbows.
"We have breakfast with my parents, Rachel, and Julian at 9:00. We still have to shower and head to the restaurant. We can't be late." Juliet was naked now, poking her head out of the bathroom door.
James smirked and followed her, shedding his boxers as he went. She turned the shower on before stepping inside. James followed her. It took only moments of him kissing her neck and stroking her back for her to concede. "Okay, maybe we can be a little late…"
—-
The rest of the day was busier than James thought it would be. Even though Rachel planned the whole thing and was taking care of most of the coordination, there was always something he and Juliet had to be doing. He had to pick up his tux and the flowers, she had to meet the officiant and get her hair and make up done at a local salon. For some reason, he thought he would get to spend the whole day with her, but after brunch, he didn't see her again until she was walking down the aisle. This didn't help his nerves. He'd expected to do this with her, which he knew would keep him calm. But an hour before the ceremony was set to begin, James found himself pacing in the courtyard of the gardens where the ceremony was to be held. His hands were shaking and he was starting to sweat.
What the hell was he doing?! This was Juliet, the love of his life, the woman who died in his arms, killing a part of him, too. Why was he so fucking nervous? Well, he knew why, but still - James could put on a face better than anyone and he didn't expect his nerves to be making him feel this sick. He wasn't going to pretend his way out of this, he soon realized.
"What are ya doing out here, man?" Miles asked. James almost jumped out of his skin. He hadn't heard Miles approach.
"What does it look like I'm doin'?" James growled. He ran his fingers through his hair and over his face, almost (but not quite) regretting jumping down Miles' throat.
"Looks like you're freaking out."
"No shit, Sherlock. Of course I'm freakin' out. It's my goddamn wedding day and I feel like I'm trickin' my bride into marryin' me," James said in one breath. It had burst out of him, like he'd been desperate to say the words out loud, like they'd been just sitting on the edge of his lips for the last few hours. He cringed internally, wishing he hadn't said anything.
"You think that woman is stupid enough to be tricked into something she doesn't wanna do? Jesus, do you even know Juliet at all? She's the smartest one outta all of us and you know it." Miles scoffed, rolling his eyes at James' inadvertent confession.
"I ain't talkin' about her brains, ya moron." James stopped pacing to face Miles and put his hands on his hips. "Is it even possible to just pick up where we left off? Huh? She died in my freakin' arms and I kept on living. I slept with other women, and I …" James couldn't say the words.
"What?" Miles prompted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I did some bad shit, Miles. Shit I ain't proud of. She… well, she always saw the best a' me. But… what if I don't deserve her anymore?" His voice cracked and Miles' face softened. He didn't think he'd show up here and have a heart to heart like this. Neither did James. But deep down, James knew he needed to get this shit out in the open and off his chest. It was eating him alive inside and one of the reasons he couldn't sleep the night before. He'd tried to tamp it down, and just pretend pretend pretend all day, just to get through it. But without Juliet by his side, it was easier for the doubts to slither back in.
"Of course you kept living, you dummy. It's what she would have wanted for you to do. She wouldn't have wanted you to sit around boo-hooing over your loss. If she accepted you for all the awful shit you did before she died, then she accepts you now. Hell, you freakin' killed people and she loved you anyway. Now get over yourself. She could definitely do better than the likes of you, Juliet's a good freakin' person, man, but she chose you. So put on your big boy pants and let me marry the two of you so I can start drinking."
James was dumbstruck. "Wait a minute - you're marryin' us?"
"Hell yeah! I got ordained just for this, so quit your whining and let's go get ready." Miles turned to leave but James was rooted to the spot. "Jesus Christ, are ya coming or not? Do I need to tell Juliet you're bailing on her?"
James' face hardened and he took a deep breath. He shook his arms out from his side, trying to loosen his tensed muscles. "Miles… you're alright," James muttered. "Thanks." He tried to sound earnest, but it still came out gruff and unfriendly.
"Whatever, man. Just come on and stop dicking around. We got places to be."
James huffed a laugh at Miles' attitude and followed him out of the courtyard, feeling much better than he had been feeling before.
—-
"I thought you said you were getting your makeup done? And you only have like a few curls in your hair, why?" Rachel asked, confused. She was looking all over Juliet's face and fussing about (much to Juliet's annoyance). They were in the bridal room at the botanical gardens. Juliet had slipped into her dress while Rachel gave updates on the schedule, but she was only half-listening. It wasn't until Rachel started criticizing her simplistic look that she finally started paying attention.
"What's wrong with my hair and makeup?" Juliet asked, slightly offended.
"Well, it's just… simple." Rachel shrugged.
"Yeah, and? Have you met James? He likes simple. So do I." She inserted one of her earrings, a single diamond stud. "Plus, we only have like twenty guests, Rach. I don't need to go all out. From what I've seen so far, you've already made this way bigger than he or I expected." She inserted the other earring.
"Hey - you knew what you were signing up for, getting me to do this." Rachel leaned into the doorframe, crossed her arms across her chest, and stuck her tongue out.
Juliet whirled around, eyes widening. "What? You asked to do this. I did not ask you to."
Rachel let out a harrumph. "I think it's going to be amazing. Just you see." She stuck her tongue out once again for good measure.
Juliet rolled her eyes and smirked. "I think it will be too. But I think a simple hair style and a simple makeup look pairs well with my simple dress. Besides, the lace of the dress is fancy enough. Aaand, the venue is gorgeous - you really outdid yourself - but this is how I want to look. I did the big to-do with Edmund, I don't need to do it again." She cocked her head to the side, smiled at her sister, and pulled her in for a tight hug. "And thank you, for all this. It really is going to be fantastic. I mean that."
"Aw, shucks. Ya big softie. Yeah I totally should have done this for a living. This was fun. I tell ya though, my favorite part of the day? It's gonna be seeing James see you in that dress. You got currvvess, baby sis. OW OW!" Rachel smacked her sister on her ass on their way out the door. Both women laughed and held hands as they left the bridal room behind. Rachel, because she couldn't believe this was finally happening, and Juliet, because she needed her sister's help to stop from shaking. The excitement and nerves were almost too much. But she did agree with Rachel on one thing though: seeing James' face was going to be the most memorable part of her whole day. She could hardly wait.
—-
James was tapping his foot. He'd been standing at the altar all of two minutes and he was already tap-tap-tapping. Miles elbowed him, silently telling him to knock it off. He elbowed back, just because he could.
Then, the music started, and James knew it was time. He thought he was going to throw up. As much as he'd yearned for this, he was still his grouchy self who never felt like he was worth anything. He certainly wasn't worthy of her, he knew that, despite what Miles said. He wondered what the hell she saw in him. He wondered what he had done to earn her affection. But most of all, he wondered if any of this was real; this life. And even if it wasn't, did it even matter?
As soon as he saw her turn the corner and start walking towards him, Rachel leading her, nothing else mattered to James. Nothing. The only thing he could see was her. He felt the breath leave his body, felt his jaw practically dislocate, and felt the tears prick the back of his eyes. He'd never laid eyes on something so beautiful in his entire life (all two of them).
Her hair was curled slightly, but not overly so. Her eyes were accentuated but otherwise he couldn't even tell if she had makeup on. Her dress… God, her fucking dress… it accentuated every curve of her body and highlighted all her best assets. She held a bouquet of purple flowers, her favorite color, and was grinning so wide by the time she got to him, he couldn't help but match her and smile right back. He couldn't do anything but smile. He couldn't speak, he couldn't tear his eyes away, he truly couldn't even breathe.
Juliet knew, the moment she turned that corner, that she'd blown James' mind. She could see the slump in his posture as his jaw dropped, taking in every inch of her. She almost laughed, because if this were a cartoon, his eyes would be bugging out of his head and he'd been shouting, "awooo-gah!" She laughed a little at the mental image. His eyes never left her body as she approached, and she felt her own mouth go dry seeing him in his tux, hair combed neatly back and stubble nicely trimmed. She wondered if she'd ever seen him look so sexy and 'James-Bond-esque.' Traipsing through the jungle with his shirt undone was sexy, sure, but this? She would never, ever let this image of him escape her brain, that she was certain of.
Miles cleared his throat before beginning. Clearly, Rachel and Miles must have collaborated on the ceremony because it was full of quotes and references from their favorite books, her favorite poems, and even an anecdote or two from their time living together. Finally, it was time for the vows.
Juliet went first. "James, we didn't meet under normal circumstances; whether it be two months ago, or even on the island. It certainly wasn't love at first sight." Some members of the crowd chuckled. "But over time, you grew to be my best friend, and it wasn't long after that I realized you were my soulmate." Juliet started to get choked up, and Rachel handed her a tissue. "I don't know how I knew then, but I certainly know now. I truly believe that nothing can keep us apart; not even death. Fate brought us together, here, and now, and it will continue to bring us together for the rest of eternity. I vow to never leave you ever again, and to spend the rest of forever making up for lost time. I promise to always remind you of what you're worth, and to always, always give you all of my love." A strangled sob escaped Juliet's lips, and James brought both of her hands up to his lips to kiss. He used the heel of his hand to wipe away his tears, turning away from the audience so no one would see. Miles clapped him on the back in encouragement, but James could feel his whole body trembling as he tried to keep his emotions at bay.
"I believe it's the groom's turn now?" Miles nudged.
James took a shuddering breath, sniffed, and looked into Juliet's eyes. They were all he needed. She steadied him with her bright blue gaze alone. "I ain't great with words of the heart. I'm more of an action guy." The crowd chuckled and Juliet resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Leave it to James to reference sex in his wedding vows, Juliet thought to herself. He cleared his throat and continued, "I won't be able to say anything as movin' an' delicate as Juliet. She's everything I ain't." He sighed. "Juliet… you're everything I wanna be an' more. I wanna do anything and everything in this life, as long as you're by my side. You're the best friend I ever had." Miles cleared his throat loudly, and the crowd laughed. "Oh shove it, Miles, you know I love Juliet more than you," he hissed before smiling at Juliet again. "Like I was sayin'... Blondie, you make life worth livin'. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. I promise to love you forever, to always put you first, and never, ever let you go." He paused, seeing the sadness reflected in her eyes. She squeezed his hands tightly. He refused to conjure the image of her falling. He swore to never let himself see that image, ever again. "Hell, if I even make you a fraction of how happy you make me, I'd call that a success. You're the only one for me, baby. I ain't never gonna let you forget it." This time it was her to bring his knuckles to her lips to kiss, and James felt light as air. How the hell did he get so damn lucky?
Miles swallowed a few times before he could go on. He was clearly just as choked up as everyone else was. But he announced it was time for the rings, and for James and Juliet to say 'I do.' They did, smiling so much their faces hurt. Neither had felt this level of happiness, this unbridled joy and optimism, in a long, long time. Throughout their time in Dharmaville, they were always waiting; waiting for the others to come back, waiting to get caught in their lies, waiting to get back to their own time. Once Juliet died, James never felt a modicum of joy like this again. The closest experience was the day they found one another again, but even then there were so many unanswered questions and unearthed insecurities that lingered like a black cloud over their reunion.
But this moment? This was pure, unadulterated, impenetrable happiness. Complete, absolute passion, not overshadowed by anyone or anything; untainted by the island, missed opportunities, or what-ifs. James and Juliet felt unstoppable, and when it was finally time for their first kiss as husband and wife? No feeling could compare. They came together like opposing sides of a magnet, latching on with certainty and ease; puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together.
The crowd cheered, but they hardly noticed. They were in a bubble, just the two of them, and they'd finally, finally made it.
—-
"And now, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. James and Juliet Ford!" Miles announced. It was time for their first dance as husband and wife. Their guests sat at small tables that surrounded the dance floor in a semicircle, and all eyes were on guests looked on and clapped enthusiastically as James and Juliet walked out hand in hand, but the couple hardly noticed. The lights were dim over the dance floor, enshrouding most of the guests in shadow, and the sun had just set. Juliet couldn't help but think how beautiful this had turned out; Rachel really knew what she was doing.
James and Juliet pressed up against each other once they reached the center of the dance floor, eyes locked together. They were both smiling and recognized the song the moment it started up. They swayed to the music, locked in a close embrace. Every so often, one would kiss the other; on the cheek, on the forehead, on the stubbly chin, simply because they didn't think they could stop.
~Woah, my love, my darling. I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time. And time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much. Are you still mine?~
James could understand why Rachel chose this song. For one, it was a classic, and she knew how much he and Juliet liked the classics. But he also resonated with the lyrics on a whole other level. He'd spent many, many nights missing Juliet so badly after she died that he'd sought any blonde out, dim the lights low, and pretend she was still there with him. He was ashamed of it, but he did it out of such profound loneliness, he thought he'd never recover. Every day without her was like a fatal wound that refused to heal. He had so many regrets… but he liked to think that none of that mattered now. Now, they were together again, and they had another shot at this. He had another shot at this; To do right by her, to love her unconditionally, and to never let another day go by without telling her he loved her.
~I need your love. I need your love. God speed your love to me. Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea, to the open arms of the sea, yeah. Lonely rivers sigh, "Wait for me, wait for me." I'll be coming home, wait for me.~
Juliet spent countless hours over the last two months feeling immeasurable guilt over what her death had done to James. She regretted going along with Jack's plan out of spite, and she regretted not being more careful about her surroundings when everything metal was being sucked down into the hole. She regretted how she reacted to Kate's appearance and how jealous she became, she regretted how coldly she treated James over it, but most of all she regretted the fact that, through no fault of her own, she had to die in James' arms. She knew how much pain that had caused him and how traumatized he became because of it. As if he didn't already have enough trauma in his life. All she wanted was to spend the rest of their lives trying to give him new, positive, loving memories, and make up for all that missed time. She wanted to let go of her own pain and regrets, and just love him and be loved by him; the way they both deserved. They'd waited to be reunited long enough, and now she never wanted to be apart ever again.
~Woah, my love, my darling. I've hungered, hungered for your touch a long, lonely time. And time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much. Are you still mine?I need your love. I need your love. God speed your love to me.~
"I don't know how you let me con you into marryin' me, Jules." James whispered in her ear with a chuckle.
Juliet grinned. "Well, James, I don't know about you, but I think forever is the sweetest con there is. I wouldn't have it any other way," she whispered back.
The song ended, and yet the couple did not yet disconnect. They shared one last kiss, said their 'I love yous' one last time, and smiled at each other before finally facing the crowd of their family and friends, as well as their bright future together, head on.
—-
A/N: God I wish this had been real. Like I said, it's more exposition heavy than I am used to but I hope you enjoyed! I enjoyed writing it! Please leave a review, they make me happy. Thank youuuu!
