Chapter 23: Wedding

Libby was unsurprised that Cindy had turned to her to help with their wedding planning. With her hubby-to-be busy running a multi-billion dollar company, not to mention the fact that he was entrusting his fiancee with the details anyway and with completely no budget at all, the two had dug out their old information they had stored away during the high school sleepovers for this very moment. Between that and all the information from Libby's wedding, even states apart, the two had most of the planning finished in months.

Parts of the planning were obvious. As chief designer for Oscar de la Renta, it was not at all surprising that Libby was in charge of the dresses. The bridesmaid dresses for her and Elkie had been simple enough. A simple satin cocktail length dress with beaded embroidered lace on the side in a deep red. Cindy had approved the style overnight and with those sized, sewed, and ready to go, Libby was free to focus her time on Cindy's handmade dress.

Cindy's wedding dress was a project for her eyes only. She spent hours on it, Cindy flying up on the weekends so that Libby could get every detail, every measurement exactly right. The off the shoulder straps, the A-line skirt that flowed into a long train at her feet. The handmade soft white lace overlay for the dress. Cindy had cried when she had put the finished product on in the showroom. It had fit her perfectly, and Libby had never seen her best friend look more gorgeous.

The dresses were done, the tuxes ordered. The flowers were picked (yellow roses of course), Jimmy's stamp of approval was on the dinner menu, and the guest list had been cut down to a proper size and was more difficult to get into then the Victoria & Albert restaurant in DisneyWorld. Everything down to the T was planned. The only thing missing was an actual wedding location. The original plan was to get married in their hometown of Retroville. As much as Cindy despised the place, it made sense for the two to get hitched on their old stomping ground where they had met, grown up, and got engaged. But that plan quickly fell through with the small Texan town not being able to handle the craziness that their wedding day would provide. Libby spent a month of her time on the phone with her best friend, trying to help them find the perfect spot for the ceremony.

The two women spent every spare moment that they could on the phone with each other, going through different places around the globe where Jimmy and Cindy could get hitched. The plan proved to be quite a momentous task however, as Cindy wanted a small private ceremony but the amount of security that would be needed to keep out party crashers and the paparazzi was monumentous. So far, Libby was pretty sure that they had crossed out half the globe. "So-" the brunette said as she stared at the world map that hung in her design room that had marks all over it. "What's still in play here?"

"Ireland." Her best friend declared as she looked at her identical map that hung in her DA office. "Australia."

"What did Jimmy say about Africa?"

"He didn't say anything, but by the look on his face, I think we can mark it off."

"Alright. Anything on the East Coast? Or are you still pulling for Ireland?"

"It is gorgeous. Where was that castle that you did your photo shoot at again?"

"Up north past Dublin. Its a beautiful space. Its called the Castle Leslie, up in Glaslough.

It'd be absolutely perfect!" She could picture it now, the beautiful gardens and the three lakes. She had remembered the estate a few months ago when she was going through past photoshoots and had brought up to Cindy as a possible marriage location. It was beautiful, slightly remote, and she was certain they'd be able to get married there without all the prying eyes.

"I did love the pictures." Her friend admitted, "I'll bring it up to Jimmy again."

It was late in April when she got the call. "I think we've decided on Castle Leslie. Can you and Sheen get away next weekend to come look at it? Jimmy will provide the jet."

She and Sheen boarded the NeuCo jet the following weekend and were surprised to see that neither Jimmy nor Cindy were aboard, but Carl and Elkie were. "What are you guys doing here?" Both sets of couples asked in surprise.

"We're going to check out a possible wedding location for Jimmy and Cindy."

"Impossible!" Carl said, "Jimmy told me that he wanted to show us an acreage we could acquire for another llama farm!"

Sheen let out a humph and seated himself on the captain's chair. "Well as long as there's food, I'm down with everything!" He muttered as Carl nodded along.

Elkie caught Libby's gaze and both women smiled at each other. Libby had a hunch and the only thing she could do now was wait and see if she was right. They were greeted at the small airport by a waiting limo, with no Jimmy or Cindy in sight and brought into the lobby of the Castle Leslie. Standing in the foyer, shifting from one foot to another was Jimmy's heads of security, Zacks and Derek.

"Miss Liberty, Miss Elkie, this way if you please. Gentlemen, if you could follow Mr. Derek." Zacks said as he ushered the two of them to a small room down the right hallway. Both gasped when they crossed the threshold as there, dressed in the Oscar de la Renta wedding dress, hair done and makeup in progress, was Cindy.

"I knew it!" Libby screeched, her thoughts in the plane confirmed. "Oh, girl!" She cried as went to hug her best friend.

Cindy flushed as she hugged Libby back and turned to hug Elkie as well. "It wouldn't have worked any other way." She confessed. "This way, everyone we want is here and nobody else. Now," She gestured to a French Style Lattice in the corner. "Your bridesmaid dresses are in behind the curtain and then Cheryl and Maurice will handle your hair and make-up."

Although it was close to an hour, it seemed like only seconds before Sheen popped his head in the door to inform the ladies it was time to line up. The quickly took their place in line, first Libby and Sheen, then Carl and Elkie, followed by Cindy who elected to walk herself down the aisle. The music started playing, the doors to the hall opened and the whole wedding party gasped.

The church seemed to come alive as the light reigned in through the stained glass windows that lined the walls. The chairs were simply, yet elegantly lined with bouquets of yellow and white roses, the way to the altar lined covered by a plush white carpet. The rows were filled with people, Jimmy's parents, the parents of the entire wedding party, familiar faces from their school-age days such as Ms. Fowl and Principal Wlloughby, as well as Jet Fusion. Several of NeuCo's top board members were there as well as three of Cindy's best friends from law school. None of Cindy's actual family had come, Libby was sad to see, but Jimmy's family more than made up for it, as his Grandma Neutron was beaming in the front row next to Judy and Hugh as well as a row of cousins sitting behind.

Taking her place on the raised stage, Libby took in the sight with a sense of pride and wonder. It was simple and beautiful and she couldn't help but tear up as the bride started to walk down the aisle. How fitting, Libby couldn't help but think, that Cindy was walking down the aisle solo to be met by the only man that she could ever bring herself to rely on. The tears started flowing harder when Jimmy met Cindy at the second row to offer his arm and lead her the rest of the way. She smiled as the groom leaned down to whisper to something into his bride's ear, something that only the two of them would share.

Libby caught Cindy's eye when the latter reached over to hand her bouquet of yellow roses to her so she could say her vows and they two exchanged smiles. As the two repeated their vows to each other, Libby was positive that only the wedding party could hear the faint tremor of fear that underlined both the bride and the groom's voices. But through it all, they never once looked away from each other's gazes. Finally, the priest turned to Jimmy and told him that he could kiss the bride, to which the groom smirked, pulled his new wife into his arms and responded, "Gladly!" before kissing her deeply to the hoots, hollers, and cheers of their friends and family.

Taking in the Irish countryside air and enjoying her drink, Libby walked around the yard, greeting her familiars and chatting with old friends. Finally, she spotted Cindy, a glass of water in hand over by the buffett. Walking up to her, she gently took her best friend's elbow and steered her to the walking path that went around the lake by the trees.

"It was perfect."

The blonde smiled as the walked along the path until they were well out of view, sitting on a bench overlooking the water. "It wasn't what I had expected. But, you're right, it was still perfect."

"So how much are we selling the wedding pictures for?" Libby joked.

Cindy burst out laughing. "I don't handle that part, I just show up. But I think I'd like to keep them to myself. Just for a little bit."

"I don't blame you one bit." She reached over and took her hand. "I'm so happy for you Cin. I always knew it'd be Jimmy."

Cindy smiled at that. "Thanks Libs. Glad you be apart of it."

Before she could respond, two different voices started shouting their names. Both women stood and watched the path expectantly as the groom and best man came into view. "There you are!" Jimmy exclaimed.

Libby smiled at the two men. "Just borrowing her for a breather." She said with a grin patting her friend's knee.

"Well, I'm gonna have to steal my wife back. We need to do pictures."

Both women giggled and the best man merely shook his head in amusement at the way the genius' face light up when he said that. "Like calling Cindy your wife do you Neutron?" Libby giggled.

Another grin. "Absolutely. Been waiting a long time for it." He offered his other half his hand and pulled her gently to her feet. "Shall we my dear?"

"Lead the way."

Back up the path they walked where they spent the next hour taking pictures before reconvening for cake and a champagne toast. Libby couldn't help but laugh at how willing Jimmy was to kiss Cindy whenever a guest would start to tap their glass with a utensil. It had been a wonderful time and she was glad that the two were finally married.

Which was why all of them were back together at Castle Leslie. Since it had been a year since the two were married, they decided to have a mini reunion back in Ireland with just the wedding party. Five days of the 6 of them back together, taking in the sights, looking through wedding pictures, laughing and just enjoying each others company. No one could have wished for anything more.

A/N: In case you haven't guessed it, Cindy's wedding dress is based on the La Renta dress warn by Amal Clooney at her wedding! And how about a hint for the next chapter? You know how the rhyme goes "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes…"