Chapter 3

Serah could feel the heavy stare of Lightning's eyes boring into her. Vanille was also looking at her with an expectant look on her face.

"Well, are you ready?" Vanille asked again.

Serah looked at Vanille and then at Lightning. Lightning was staring straight into her eyes - internally asking the same question. Serah had no choice - she had to do what she had to do. "Yes," she finally said. "I'm ready."

Vanille smiled widely as she extended out a hand to help Serah up. Lightning stood in the corner of the room with her arms crossed across her chest. She looked at Serah and Serah looked back at her as she and Vanille walked by the area where Lightning was standing.

Vanille noticed Lightning brooding in the corner, "Come on Light!" she called out. "We can't have a wedding without big sister there to walk Serah down the aisle!"

Lightning only smiled and nodded. Serah wouldn't look her in the eyes as they passed by her. Lightning sighed and followed close behind.

As Vanille walked with them to the exit doors, she bid Serah congratulations and good luck to the both of them. She then went through the doors to the ceremony set up outside. Serah and Snow had decided to hold the wedding on the beach of Bodhum where Snow and Serah first met. Lightning could see a pretty significant amount of people seated in rows facing the altar where Snow was standing - shifting his legs back and forth nervously. Lightning looked down to see Serah looking out at the ceremony and at her future husband waiting for her. She thought she saw a sad look flash across Serah's face, but wasn't sure. Serah eventually looked at Lightning with tears in her eyes. Her eyes had a pleading, help-me look, but Lightning couldn't do anything to dissuade her - it was up to Serah on what she wanted. They didn't say a word to each other when suddenly the gentle tune of the wedding march rang out from the piano being played by Hope. Lightning saw the crowd turn around to get a good look at the star of the show - the bride. She also noticed Serah jump slightly from the sudden attention. Lightning saw how distraught and scared her sister was and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Serah's frightened eyes softened at Lightning's soothing touch. She gave Lightning one last longing look before she started to move forward toward the door. Lightning followed her step-by-step with Serah's arm grasped tightly around hers. The sunlight hit them softly as they exited the building into the glow of the warm, summer morning.

Lightning looked around as she escorted Serah to the altar and she could see the smiling (some crying) faces of her friends, Serah's friends, and Snow's friends. Snow was beaming from ear to ear, his hair finally without his trademark skullcap, and slicked back cleanly. He was trying his best to hold back tears as he first laid eyes on his lovely bride. Lightning couldn't help but feel sad even though she was surrounded by such happiness. She looked down at Serah and could see she was evidently nervous. Serah's grip on her arm was tightening by the second and she was trembling slightly. Lightning felt her heart ache at her sister's anxiety and wished with all her heart she could just whisk her away from all this.

When they finally reached the altar, Lightning had to practically pry Serah's arm off of hers before she took her place on the side of the altar. From there, Lightning caught a good look of Serah's face and she saw tears falling down her cheeks. She couldn't tell if they were happy or sad tears. Snow was ignorant to Serah crying because he was too preoccupied with what the priest was saying. Serah then turned her gaze towards Lightning, making Lightning freeze. Serah had on the most saddest look on her face she ever saw her have. Lightning wanted desperately to stop the ceremony, but it wasn't up to her.

Serah stood by Snow's side as the priest yammered on. She was torn between stopping the ceremony or fulfilling a commit she had already made with a man she did love. She looked towards Lightning for help, but Lightning only stared back helplessly. Serah knew it was up to her to either end it now or to go on with the wedding, but she knew if she did what she really wanted - everything would end up a disaster. The wedding she had planned for so long with Snow and the people who loved her enough to come to her wedding, would only be appalled by the truth. So Serah did what appeared to be right. She remained motionless and listless as the priest carried on.

Lightning knew Serah had already made up her mind. She was going to get married to Snow. Lightning felt a pang of pain hit her heart at the sudden realization of forever losing her sister.

The priest was now coming to the conclusion of his speech, "Do you, Snow Villiers, take Serah Farron, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death do you part?"

Snow turned to gaze adoringly down at Serah. Lightning could see the love he had for her sister shine in his eyes as he said, "I do." A tear descended slowly down his cheek and fell onto the ground.

Lightning felt awful at what she had done with Serah, but then why did it feel so right? Her heart justified her gnawing guilt.

The priest then turned to Serah and repeated the same vows. Serah looked at Lightning quickly before she looked up at Snow's smiling face. Snow had always been her hero before and she loved him for all he has done for her, but it wasn't until recently, Serah realized who her true hero was - and that was Lightning. But they were too late. If only Lightning had shown her true feelings earlier, Serah cursed in her mind. Serah's voice quavered slightly as she softly said, "I do," sealing her fate.

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as Snow and Serah sealed the deal with a kiss. Serah was too scared to look towards the direction of the altar where Lightning stood. Lightning stood in the shadows with her head down - trying her best to hold back the oncoming flood of tears. Nobody noticed Lightning crying quietly on the side of the altar as they continued to cheer for the matrimony between Snow and Serah.

Snow and Serah walked hand-in-hand towards a futuristic vehicle with the words "Just Married" sprayed onto the rear window. They walked together in the middle of two rows of people throwing grains of rice and flower petals at them while cheering things like, "Good luck!" and "Congratulations!" Lightning was the last person at the end of the line. She was also the only one standing idly with a sad smile on her face. Serah caught a glimpse of Lightning and they locked eyes for a second before Snow escorted her into the vehicle. Snow gave the crowd one last wave before he too, entered the vehicle and closed the door behind him.

As the car drove off, towards her new life, Serah took one last look at the crowd and saw Lightning standing in the middle of road, one hand in her pocket, and the other waving sadly.