Chapter Info

Title: Almost Ready

Number: 31/34

Warnings: Slight language

Author's Note: Three more chapters. :) Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your reviews, thoughts, comments, and questions on this story!

Goldielover: Honestly I'm not sure your questions will be answered here, but IF I do a sequel (jury's still out on that one), then they will be there. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!

diamondeyes323 and marleemiller5769: I'm so glad you like it! Thanks for reading and commenting!

EclipseRosen: I definitely agree! With small towns, everybody knows everybody so even if they don't know her as well as Charlie did, they knew of her. Like I mentioned, I'm not sure your questions will be answered here, but IF I do a sequel, they'll be answered there. :) Aw, are you still not getting it? :( I'm sorry! I assumed since I was getting them again, that everyone else was, too. I'll make sure to send you PMs to let you know! Thanks for reading and commenting!

-Abigail-

It took only twenty minutes or so to go the usual hour into Port Angeles, but that was probably from Emmett driving a hundred and twenty the whole way. Not that anybody in the car or the one following complained; they all would've driven the same had it been them. But it made them early enough that they could stop for some quick breakfast for Carlie—she didn't eat human food often, preferred blood, even now that Bella and Edward were weening her towards animal blood—and then off to the dress shop that Alice had called ahead for. It was by appointment only and that told Abigail that it was fancy, really fancy, and thought about telling her it wasn't necessary, but she could see how excited her daughter was, so she refrained. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint the girl as she knew how much this meant to her.

"We'll get the bridesmaids, maid of honor, and flower girl settled and then work on yours," Alice told Abigail as she opened the door. Abigail nodded and shot a quick text to Carlisle that they arrived before following her daughter inside.

The sales assistant was named Heather and she seemed very nice. The others eyed Abigail, but she didn't feel an ounce of thirst as she shook the woman's hand and smiled pleasantly. Luckily in the car Alice had remembered to give her some contacts that would cover her red eyes and they had many more pairs as the venom would surely dissolve them after a couple hours. At least she wasn't frightening the poor girl with predator eyes.

"Have you decided colors?" she wondered as she led the group over to the bridesmaids aisle.

The store was on the smaller side, but that's because they were so exclusive. The cheapest dress Abigail noticed was around thirteen hundred dollars and she nearly choked, but knew that even back in the fifties that would've been nothing to their family, let alone now. Not only was there growing interest, but Alice was amazing at stocks. Carlisle was worth roughly thirty-four billion and she knew that the dress would be nothing but pocket change to them. And she knew her fiance would give her anything she wanted, so she swallowed back the stigma of saving and counting pennies from the last twenty-two years and just focused on the dresses.

"I'm thinking white, peach, and lavender?" she said, her voice a question as she glanced to Alice. Alice's eyes went unfocused for a moment, too short for Heather as a human to notice as the others did, but finally she grinned and nodded.

"That's perfect!" she exclaimed, bouncing a couple times and clapping. "I'll wear purple, the bridesmaids can wear peach. You and Carlisle can wear white, but we'll match the groomsmen to us. Edward in lavender; Emmett and Jasper in peach."

"Do you sell tuxes?" Rosalie asked Heather.

Heather nodded and gestured to her right. "The shop next door is ours, but it's our men's department. We have colors that match every dress in this store."

"Good," Alice said. "We can get Emmett's today," she said tapping Emmett's bicep, "and then come back with the others tomorrow or Wednesday for their fittings."

"How soon will these dresses and tuxes be ready?" Rose asked.

"Usually it takes about three to four weeks."

"That should be fine, the wedding will be in a couple months." Abigail's eyes slid to Alice for a second, but she knew her daughter could pull it off. Edward and Bella's wedding had only taken a couple months. When it came to things like this, Alice was relentless.

"Will you be back for a fitting right before the event?"

"No, the size will fit," Rosalie said simply. Abigail smiled. Now as a vampire, she would be staying the same size for eternity. There would be no need to change, though she knew they would have to get a slightly larger size for Carlie because she was growing all the time.

Heather nodded without any questions and stepped back for them to search out the colors, sizes, and styles they wanted. Turns out Alice was the pickiest and she spent almost two hours looking through and trying stuff on while Carlie was done in fifteen minutes, and the other three had theirs in forty-five.

Carlie's was white on top and peach on the bottom, and she would be wearing a flower crown of lavender flowers in her hair. Her shoes were white flats and luckily she wasn't a typical child so they didn't worry too much about her getting them dirty.

Bella and Rosalie would be wearing floor-length peach gowns that had lace shoulders and were tight to just under the bust where it flared out in pleats down to their feet. They would be wearing matching peach open-toed pumps.

Alice finally decided on a lavender dress that reached to just above her knees and was form fitting the way down, and had only one shoulder. Her shoes were matching lavender open-toed lacy pumps.

Abigail had decided that she definitely wanted lace; it was more vintage and that's what she liked, it was more her style, and not just because she originally was born in 1753. So once it was finally her turn to try on dresses, she went right for the lace ones. She also decided she likes the off the shoulder look, but didn't like the longer sleeves.

Finally she settled on a mermaid style lace dress that was form fitting until about right above her knees, and then flared out to the ground. When asked if she wanted heels, she groaned, "God, yes," making everyone laugh, so they picked out some white lace six-inch open-toed pumps to go with it.

The other vampires all thought it was hilarious she shrunk, but apparently that's what her vampiric nature wanted to get across: small, but deadly. Heather even measured her height and she was at four foot ten without the shoes, which made her pout for the next hour, until they were checking out with Carlisle's credit card, and then lead over to the men's store.

There wasn't nearly as much as at the bridal shop, but Heather easily pointed out the colors that matched the dresses that they had just picked out. Since Emmett was a groomsmen, he was trying on the peach color, and luckily they were able to find a size big enough for his shoulders and arms that he wouldn't rip through (as he did, apparently, three times during the hunt for a tux for Edward and Bella's wedding), and they could take in the waist for him.

The tuxes themselves were a medium gray color they decided that all the guys could work with. They would be wearing matching vests, but the ties would be the pop of color. The tie was a single color like the suit, and he even got some new shiny black shoes.

Heather agreed to set aside another peach ties, a lavender tie, a white tie, and three other gray tuxes for Tuesday or Wednesday when they could bring the other guys down. Eventually Jacob would need a tux, too, but she knew he would be wearing a simple black and white one. That is, if he agreed to get ordained and officiate like she wanted him to.

"Thank you so much!" Alice squealed, hugging Heather and giving her a rather handsome rip. The girl's eyes went wide and she seemed speechless for a moment before she smiled widely.

"It's no trouble at all! If you need anymore help, don't hesitate to call!"

Alice agreed and they soon all filed out and back to the cars. Luckily it was still rather gray out, but no longer raining so they didn't need their raincoats, and they also didn't have to worry about exposure. She supposed if that were going to be a possibility, Alice would've warned them as she was better than any weather man.

"How many more pairs of contacts do you have?" Abigail wondered as she climbed in the back of the BMW—ignoring the gawks from obvious car enthusiasts who passed them—and glancing at Alice. She has just disintegrated her most recent pair—she had gone through two others already—and she was glad they were back in the car. They were rather uncomfortable, telling the truth.

"Two more, why?" she wondered.

"Well, the flower shop is around the corner, and I figured we could look and order while we're here." Alice looked elated as Emmett groaned.

"Seriously? Haven't we don't enough girly shi—" He paused at the withering glare Abigail shot in him the rearview mirror. "—stuff for today?"

"Oh, Emmett, flowers won't take that long," Alice admonished, but she was smirking and they all knew she was fibbing a little. He grunted and pouted, but he pulled in that direction as Abigail shot a text back to Bella in the Mercedes telling her what they were doing.

It did take longer than Abigail expected, but clearly not as long as Alice did. She definitely wanted orchids as center pieces and decorations, both in lavender and peach arranged with a smattering of baby's breath and other greens. The bouquets for the bridesmaids were peach lilies and Alice's was lavender, while the groomsmen got boutonnieres to match. Abigail got lavender blossoms, lavender orchids, and peach lilies for her bouquet, while the petals in Carlie's basket would be from white, peach, and lavender roses. They also ordered her flower crown as well. The woman there wasn't as nice as Heather and didn't get as generous of a tip, but it was more than she probably ever for before.

Emmett got his way when they were done and they headed back to Forks. Abigail texted Carlisle again to let him know. While the day had been so much fun with her daughters, son, and granddaughter, she truly needed to be back in her fiance's arms. The longer she was away from him, the more she felt it, and it felt like she was exhausted even though that was impossible. She was twitchy and anxious and Alice wound up holding her hand most of the way back so she wouldn't get too irritable. She didn't know how she lives through almost twenty-three years without his touches; it seemed impossible. And he was without her for fifty; she could only begin to imagine what that was like. She knew their bond showed her some, but that his real feelings were a hundred times worse.

Unfortunately the Volvo wasn't in the garage and Carlisle hadn't answered her text, so she messaged Jasper who said they were almost back from Seattle where they were getting papers needed for her death sham. She still hated the idea, but it made the most sense. She couldn't just disappear. She was just glad they allowed her Charlie, because the thought of having this wedding without him made her want to weep. She needs him to walk her down the aisle and have the father/daughter dance. And she was fairly certain he would say yes.

The only bags they had to take in were the shoes, and Carlie's dress that they decided not to alter, but have Alice do so if needed once it was closer to the date.

"Now that I have the colors, I can order the table cloths and decorations!" Alice was exclaiming as she ran up the stairs. Abigail chuckled as she went to put the shoe bags on the couch, but a revolting smell behind her had her spinning. She wasn't sure what she expected, but Jacob Black standing there wasn't it.

Her lips parted in shock, hand up to her un-beating heart as he had actually startled her, and she waited for him to speak. She knew her last pair of contacts had disintegrated so her eyes were the crimson red of a newborn vampire once more. She knew she looked different in general and between that and her strength, she waited for him to make the first move. He was okay with Bella, but that was different, she wasn't his sister. For a moment she expected disgust, but his face was simply vulnerable. The others had left so she figured they were allowing them some privacy, which Abigail appreciated, and she knew Jacob did as well.

"Bunny?" His voice was soft and unsure, but the nickname he had gifted her with so long ago made her breathe out in relief and in a second, run to him. He knew vampire speed, but he looked rather shocked as she was suddenly there. It occurred to her that he just wasn't used to that with her.

"Hi, Hulk," she murmured. She paused as he said nothing. "Can I hug you or am I too gross?"

Finally a small smirk lifted the corners of his lips. "There's my Bunny," he murmured, and quickly pulled her into his arms. She was still careful with her strength as she hugged him, giggling as she was tugged off her feet like normal.

"You smell gross, too," she mumbled into his burning shoulder. He chuckled.

"At least I didn't shrink."

She squawked and smacked his shoulder, satisfied at the small, "Ow," that she received.

"Finally, I can get an 'ow' out of you instead of a patronizing laugh."

He laughed at her and finally set her down, holding her at arm's length to look at her. "Well, for a leech, you're not too horrible to look at."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "And for a mutt, you're not too... Dirty..."

He snorted and yanked her into another hug. "Good come back."

"Bite me."

"Ew, no thanks."

They both laughed and she shook her head, pulling him over to the couch. He seemed okay with the change of events—or rather the change of her—and she was thrilled. She knew she should wait and let him get more used to the idea, but they didn't have a whole lot of time. Alice would want the confirmation sooner rather than later, to know if they had to go with plan B and find a priest or not. Since she couldn't see the wolves, she couldn't see Jacob's decision.

"So I have a question," she said softly, leaning towards him slightly. She actually felt nervous and it was a disconcerting feeling after spending the last few days so calm and so sure of herself.

Jacob raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "You can ask me anything."

She smiled. "Well...I don't remember if I told you, but..." She held out her left hand. "Carlisle and I are getting married." Jacob's eyebrows went up his forehead and he shook his head to tell her she hadn't told him. He grabbed her hand to examine the ring. "It's the ring he gave me at our first wedding," she explained. "He had it handcrafted. It was 1776 and he wasn't nearly as wealthy as he is now, but he spent every last dime he had on our wedding and my ring." Her smile softened and she gently pulled her hand back, taking Jacob's much larger one in her palms. "I'm going to ask Charlie to give me away. But you? Jake, I want you to marry us. Like perform the ceremony, I mean. You can get ordained online. Please, Jake? I want my brother in my wedding."

For a moment she couldn't read the emotions on his face other than the shock. It was unfair, she knew, to dump all of this onto him. Not only was she surprising him with her new...state of living, but now with her engagement and her request of him performing the ceremony. She wouldn't be surprised if he needed time or just declined in general. She knew that he was okay with them all being vampires—at least the others, he hadn't exactly expressed his opinion on her change yet—but it was different condoning it and being apart of their marriage.

His answer to her was riding quickly to his feet, yanking her to hers, and then back into his arms. She squeaked as he spun her around, and when he pulled back, there as a large rather wolfy grin across his face. "I would be honored," he said softly.

Her grin was large and she squealed, wrapping him up in another hug. "I'm so happy!" She knew if she still could, she would be crying right then. Her undead heart squeezed in her chest and she snuggled into his burning frame. It was warmer than it had been, but she didn't care, and clearly he didn't care that she was colder as he held her close. "Thank you, Jake," she whispered.

My family is complete!