The Wedding

By: Blondenhot and Angel422

Tommy's POV:

I glanced around the large tomblike room with trepidation— watching the doors of the church as people milled around it's entryway and I wanted to scream—mostly because I couldn't seem to picture myself here now doing this again with Portia. We hadn't worked before, and I didn't think we'd work now. The only thing that seemed to cement the deal was Amber. She was reason we were doing this—the reason I had agreed to this madcap scheme to begin with. I felt like I was at a funeral— encased suddenly in a mausoleum as people cried around my coffin. Should a person feel that way at a wedding? Jesus this was more than cold feet. I had friggin' blocks of ice encasing my toes.

"You look sick, man." Derek, a recent friend of mine commented as I just nodded absently. I just needed to close my eyes for a minute and concentrate on Amber. It wasn't that hard to remind myself of the reasons why I was doing this. Anyone who had sat at my dinner table when I was growing up would chalk this up to psychology. A shrink would have a field day with me if I would shuffle over the money for something like that, but the only thing I wanted right now was a stiff drink and a cigarette.

"I'm fine." I finally mumbled as I tried my damndest not to concentrate on why we were all here. And then I saw her and I froze as I peered out into the vestibule at the figure that entered the church inbetween Sadie and Kwest. A small smile was playing on her lips, despite the situation.She was a vision dressed in black— almost as if she were in mourning and I felt almost kindred to her. Was that color something she had picked on purpose or was it just because it happened to reveal every curve on her slender body? It made me go numb suddenly— that dreaded feeling that will come over you when you suddenly realize you're on the spot— like trying to make a speech in front of hundreds of people. It paralyzed me as I watched her take her seat— scooting along the aisle as she apologized to people she had to step over and then she looked up and our eyes met. When had the chemistry between us become so palpable— like the beating of that incessant heart in the Edgar Allan Poe tale. It was haunting enough to be written by the legend of mournful literature. I closed my eyes to break the connection. I had to.

Jude…

I looked up at him a moment— letting our eyes connect because I knew I needed the closure too. It wasn't as if I couldn't see the torment in his eyes— as if I couldn't picture something similar to it in my own head. I felt like my neck was inside a guillotine and I was just waiting for the right moment for the blade to fall—to end it all. I listened as the church music began— listened as people started to rush towards their seats in anticipation of the event. And I watched— watched as Kwest moved up to the front of the chapel to shake Tommy's hand and to stand next to him as his best man because that's what best friends do even when they didn't like someone else's decisions. I saw a few other guys next to Tom— men I didn't know and right now, men I could care less about. The only man that garnered my attention was Tom— the blue-eyed devil from Hades—the man that had stolen my heart. I listened again as more people entered—as people chatted about the nuptials and I wanted to fall into the floor—to lose myself in the cement beneath my feet.

"You didn't have to come." Someone said from behind me and I turned suddenly in dread to find Tommy standing there—leaning against the pew where I was sitting in that all too casual manner of his—that devil may care suaveness. I just shrugged.

"Maybe I didn't, but I felt like I owed myself this much—felt like I needed to see this to the end. I did get an invitation." I replied in a low tone as Tommy looked back up at the front of the church.

"That doesn't mean you have to stay." He reiterated as I just looked up at his face quietly— feeling the anger I was trying to suppress bubble up in my blood.

"Are you afraid you won't be able to go through with it Tommy if I'm here. Here, I'll make it easy on you. I promise I won't cry." I announced stoically as he turned to look at me again. I felt ice wrap around my body.

"What if I wanted you to? Would that be wrong of me?" He asked almost in a whisper as I just frowned. He wanted me to hurt? Did he like the idea that I would long for him? I just shook my head. This was crazy.

"Go get married, Tommy." I finally stated flatly as I looked straight ahead— up into Kwest's worried eyes as he watched us from the front. I closed my eyes to drown out the room.

"You're wearing black." Tom said suddenly as if the color of my dress was something important. I just cringed. The music changed suddenly— became more insistent. I kept my eyes closed.

"That's your cue." I remarked as I listened to him move away. Despite my best efforts, I felt part of my heart go with him.

Tommy's POV:

Even once the ceremony had progressed, I still couldn't get the thought of her in that dress out of my mind. She had looked so good...like an angel in black. The preacher was going on and on about the treasure of being wed. Quit frankly, I couldn't care less about this wedding... I did care though that Jude was here. She said...she had gotten an invitation...but who did she get it from? I didn't send it to her.

Nervously trying to distract myself from this all to painful event, I looked out into the wave of people looking for a familiar face. I searched the pews for someone I might know...someone who could understand that I didn't really love Portia and not hate me for it. The sad thing about this wedding was that I didn't even know half of the 3,000 people that had been invited. Neither did Portia. It was just something we had to invite anyone who was anybody to. As I continued my search for a face I recognized, my thoughts slowly drifted back to Jude. How good she had looked when she turned around to look at me in surprise. Then suddenly, I saw her. She was sitting there, her head slightly drooped, her eyes squeezed together in a sad attempt to keep the tears from pouring out. She was trying to be strong.

It wasn't working.

Then, as I was looking at her realizing what a freakin idoit I was for breaking her heart over and over again, her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked straight at me. Her eyes grew wide and her head snapped up. She hurridly tried to wipe her tears, embarresed. Needless to say, she hadn't kept her promise. What a jerk, Quincy...

"-your bride?" the preacher had finally quit rambling about the silly things, and had seemed to have turned his attention over to me. I had been to busy looking at the woman I trully loved to let what he had been sying register to me.

" In a distracted voice I muttered, " Yeah." When he started saying the same thing to Portia, the enormity of what I had just done cut me like a steak knife. I was married. To PORTIA. Ugh.

I looked back at Jude fleetingly, scared to see her facial expression. Her jaw had dropped, her eyes wide with disbelievement fresh tears cascading down her plae cheeks. The pain jumped from her eyes to mine even through the distance. She hadn't expected me to go through with it. Hell, I didn't think I'd be able to either. And that was BEFORE Jude showed up.

" I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." the preacher said beaming at the both of us. Portia and Tommy Quincy. As much as I hated to, I leaned over and gave Portia a small, cold peck on the lips. Portia's eyes widened with hurt and surprised.

OH MY GOD.

Portia had been misled. She thought I had married her because I loved her back.

Hey! It's blondenhot and Angel422. This is our chapter, The Wedding. Please don't hate us for this! We are Jommy fans as well and we promise we will try to make up for it in later chapters. Thanks for everything Angel422. Half of this was your chapter too and I couldnt have done it without you! Much LUV to all of you! Please please review. Can we try 32 reviews? I know thats a lot but I'm gonna chance it. Thanks! luv!