Disclaimer: I do not own the characters affiliated with WWE, I do own Nicole Michael's however. This story is completely AU! This is my first fic so be gentle, reviews are welcomed! This is not the last chapter, there will be one more!
Note: Thank you to cenaluver87 who helped me with ideas for this chapter! Your ideas really helped me and I am so grateful for your help.
The vestry was as cold as ice. Nicole's grandmother circled her checking that every stitch on the dress was in place, that her makeup was perfect and her hair held up right.
"You look beautiful," her grandmother said clapping her hands together. Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. "You are going to take Adam's breath away."
Nicole smiled; it was perhaps the first compliment her grandmother had ever given her. She looked around the room to see her bridesmaids Torrie and Maria beaming at her. They looked beautiful in their burgundy bateau neckline sleeveless dresses, their long hair in low ponytails, accentuated with white lily bouquets.
"You look incredible," Maria said kissing her on the cheek. "The Vera Wang was a great choice."
Nicole smiled gripping onto her lily bouquet. The dress was beautiful. The strapless scoop-neck accentuated her small breasts, the A-line design made her petite figure seem a little bit taller, the draped skirt and veiled French tulle made her look like a princess. She wore her great-grandmother's pearl necklace and earrings, her long blonde pulled into a bun.
There was a knock at the door.
"Is everyone dressed?" Shawn called from the other side. Nicole's grandmother motioned for one of the servants to let him in. He looked at Nicole and smiled proudly. "You look amazing." He hugged her. "You make a beautiful bride."
"Thankyou daddy," she said as he pulled her away at arms length.
"Are you ready?"
"Absolutely," she said linking arms with her father. Torrie and Maria followed them out of the vestry and into the warm sun. They walked around to the front of the church and got into formation.
"Are you sure about this?" Shawn whispered into her ear as Torrie and Maria started their march.
"Yeah," she said looking him in the eye.
Pachabel's Canon started their cue to enter the church. Nicole hated this piece but what Adam wanted Adam got. She let her father lead her into the church. The congregation were standing, Maria and Torrie at the end of the aisle. Adam stood next to Randy and John, his best men. She had to admit they did look good.
Adam smiled, God she is stunning and soon she will be all mine. I'm glad we chose a short ceremony; it means I'll get her out of that dress and into my bed sooner.
Nicole stood beside Adam and he kissed her gently on the lips.
"Dearly beloved," the priest spoke, "we are gathered here today to witness the joining of our good friends Adam Copeland and Nicole Small under the eyes of God. If anyone were to object to this joining please speak now or forever hold your piece."
No one spoke and Nicole felt her heart drop. He's not coming. He's gone forever. The priest continued to speak to the congregation of the importance of marriage, but Nicole could feel her head ache. She bit back the tears.
"Wait!"
Everyone turned around to see a dishevelled Jeff Hardy standing in the doorway. Nicole couldn't hide her smile.
"You cannot marry him," he said running to her. "Leave with me."
"Nicole is marrying me not you," Adam snapped. "Now I suggest you leave before someone does or says something they'll regret."
"No. She doesn't love you she loves me," Jeff snarled at him. "Please Nicole; you don't have to be afraid anymore. Keeping this a secret is just hurting you more."
"I suggest you leave," Shawn said moving towards the trio. "Before someone gets hurt."
"I'm not leaving you," Jeff said turning to Nicole. Her heart was torn.
"Nicole, tell him to leave," Adam said turning to her.
The three men started to argue, Nicole felt her heart beating louder and louder until she should her chest would explode.
"ENOUGH!" she screamed. The silence in the church was deafening. "I can't marry you Adam."
"Do you want me to tell your father?" he growled into her ear.
"You won't have to," she said and turned to her father. "The reason I'm marrying Adam is because he's been blackmailing me. He knows something about me that I never wanted you to find out."
"Nicole, what are you talking about?" her father asked her, the concern mounting in his eyes.
"Do you remember when I was in Europe and you rang me up saying you didn't want anything to do with me?" he nodded. "I was really upset and I slept with Shannon Moore."
"The punk little kid?"
"Let me finish. We'd been dating for years and when I left he came and visited. I got pregnant." She could see the angry faces of the people in the congregation, her grandmother stuck out of them all. "I lost the baby. I slipped into a depression and I started sleeping around and taking drugs."
"You're not my baby girl."
"You're right, I'm not daddy. I haven't been your baby girl in a long time. I tried to right my wrongs, but you've never loved me for who I was."
"No granddaughter of mine will behave like a common whore," her grandmother snarled storming up to Shawn. "If you wanted to embarrass our family again you have succeeded."
"I never wanted to hurt you; but I am not this perfect little princess. I'm human; I'm flawed and I am imperfect. And Jeff is the only one who has loved me for who I am. You two," she said turning to her grandmother and father, "wanted me to be your perfect little trophy. Shannon put me on a peddle stool thinking I was the best thing in the world, thinking that I could be this perfect person all the time. He left when I messed up for the last time. I cannot live with and I cannot live without you."
"You stupid bitch," Adam snarled grabbing her. "You ruined everything! If I can't have you no one can."
Bang!
Nicole turned around to see Maria with a gun in her hand shaking violently. Adam grasped his shoulder and held out his hand to see blood. He started to cry out in pain.
"Oh shut up," her grandmother snarled throwing him her handkerchief. "It's just a shoulder wound; we'll have that out in no time." She turned to Nicole and said, "You have a choice," her grandmother spat at her. "Him or us? Marrying Adam will guarantee you a safe life; money, success, happiness and everything will be forgotten. Isn't that what you want? If you leave with Jeff you will live in fear. You will never be allowed back in this family."
She couldn't believe her grandmother was giving her an ultimatum when her sister had just shot her fiancé. Nicole looked between her father and Jeff. Jeff had sacrificed so much for her, but family was important. She felt her heart tear looking into her grandmother's cold eyes. Her father was so angry. She looked to Maria who nodded her head. She knew what she had to do.
"I'd rather be on the run, risking my life and be happy than live in world where I cannot be who I am," she said to her grandmother. She turned to Jeff and pulled him into a searing kiss. "I choose you," she said looking into his eyes.
"You have two hours before I find you and kill you myself," her grandmother snarled at the two. "This will never be over."
Jeff grabbed Nicole's hand and they ran out of the church. Randy and Maria followed closely behind as they ran to Jeff's truck. Maria and Nicole clung to each other.
"What are we going to do?" Nicole sobbed. "They're going to be after us! They're going to hunt us down?"
"Our flight to Paris leaves tonight," Maria said pulling away. Randy handed Jeff two tickets. "Come with us."
"What?"
"We'll be safe there. Aunt Jane organised a house for Randy and I, but you and Jeff could stay as long as you need."
Nicole looked at Jeff confused.
"Maria helped me," Jeff said taking her hands in his. "She helped me get away from the McMahons and Nash and booked our tickets to Paris."
"What if I hadn't forgiven you?" Nicole asked.
"I would have thought of a way to make you."
"We need to get out of here," Randy said. "We need to get to the house before anyone gets back."
Nicole looked around her room for the last time. She looked over the photos. Happy faces- one big lie. The wedding dress that lay on the bed spattered with blood. There was no time for second thoughts or self doubt. She fought back the tears and left her room. She let Jeff take her luggage down the stairs.
She followed him down to where Maria and Randy waited by the truck. They looked at the Marble House one last time.
"There's no going back now," Randy said looking over his three companions. "We need to get to the mainland."
"They'll find us," Nicole said.
"No they won't," Jeff said pulling her into a hug.
"Yes they will. Paris is the first place they'll think of."
"Sweetie," he said holding her tighter, "we'll be fine. We've got it all figured out."
The private plane drifted over the clouds. Nicole looked to see Maria and Jeff sound asleep, Randy flying the plane.
"Hey baby," Jeff said waking up. "Everything will be ok."
"What's the plan?" she asked.
"We've left documentation and evidence suggesting we were flying to Paris. This plane will return to Newport once we've landed and will blow up before it reaches the airport. There will be no record of our landing there."
"They're going to think we're dead? You told me we were going to Paris."
"They might have been listening. We're going to start a new life in New Zealand."
Nicole nodded and kissed him passionately. "I don't care where we are as long as I am with you."
P.S. If you want to see Nicole's dress and the bridesmaid's dress designs send me a message and I can send you the links!