Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.
"Can somebody get the door, it's probably the cake!" Kitty yelled from the den.
"You had me at cake!" Jubilee squealed, rushing down the stairs.
"No peeking or I'll whoop you! Your big day or not!" Kitty threatened to the bride.
Throwing the door open Jubilee looked to find no cake, but instead a man with unkempt auburn hair, eternal five o'clock shadow and glossy ebon glasses hiding his eyes. Looking him from top to bottom, he looked road dusted and weary in that Steve McQueen way, but that wasn't the thing that had her attention as she rushed past him with her mouth agape.
"Bonjour, Remy LeBeau..." Remy said watching her run off.
"Holy Shit that's an Indian!" Jubilee gasped rushing up to the bike.
"Oui, won it in a game." Remy chuckled, walking down and dangling the keys.
"You're shitting me, oh my god can I?" Jubilee asked, jumping on the bike.
"Maybe," Remy purred taking her hand in his and leaning down to kiss it.
"For fuck sake Remy you're not even here for five minutes and you're already hitting on the bride!" Kitty growled from the doorway spying the scene below.
Offering Jubilee a rakish grin as he passed off the keys, Remy turned to sidle up to Kitty and offer her his best look of apology he could muster, tilting his glasses low so she could stare into his red on black eyes. Glaring back at him Kitty startled at the sound of the bike roaring to life as Jubilee took it for a lap down the drive, alone as they were in that moment she turned her attention back to him to find him hovering so near with the scent of some spicy scent mixed with leather.
"Well, she be blushing now no?" Remy teased, stealing a kiss.
Surrendering to him feeling she deserved some guilty pleasure just then, Kitty threw her arms about him and gripped his hair painfully tight to drag him off her after the kiss had dragged on too long. Sporting the same self assured smile of his as always, she savoured one last kiss to then let her grip fall free.
"In my defence I only kissed her in the most gentlemanly of ways." Remy whispered.
"I know where that leads, it starts with a kiss and smile, then it leads to a touch and a drink and before I knew it we were in some room overlooking Canal Street." Kitty purred.
"My night with my little bead bedecked kitten..." Remy said softly, stroking her ear softly as he lost himself to her hazel eyes.
"As far as mistakes go...you weren't that bad Remy..." Kitty said with a kiss, resting her head on his shoulder to watch Jubilee tear past towards the garage on the bike.
"So, the bride, she appreciates the finer things in life I see...the groom be a lucky man..." Remy chuckled, looking after his pride and joy.
"C'mon, you look like you need a shower." Kitty said leading him off.
"I seem to remember you saying that once before, that lead to some fun last time non?" Remy said sweetly as he was lead on.
Showing her playful side Kitty looked up to him with a saucy smile and a promise in her eyes, trailing off to her room to snatch up his luggage that had been sent ahead before vanishing off to the loft to borrow the bath and the privacy it offered.
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"I look like an idiot." Logan growled staring at himself in the mirror.
"The word you're looking for is sexy, and you're doing it in spades." Marie purred, walking up dangling a strip of fabric between her fingers.
"What's that?" Logan asked with a look and nod to her hand.
"It's your tie." Marie said sidling up to him.
"That's a bow tie Darlin'..." Logan stated with a step back.
"Didn't you hear? Bow ties are cool..." Marie purred, slipping her arms about him and drawing him near.
Though he was ready for a fight, staring down into her eyes he found himself distracted as her fingers danced with the fabric feeling her breath brush against his lips. With a dainty tug it was done, a kiss shared before she turned him to the mirror for inspection. Like so many men dressed to the nines he couldn't resist a bit of posturing, turning this way and that admiring himself in the mirror. As she slipped her arm through his, though still dressed in jeans and a T he imagined her dressed as she would be just then.
"I look like some Bond wannabe." Logan chuckled, earning himself a sharp elbow to his side.
"Sound of things you were a genuine article even if you'd ask for what's on tap over a martini." Marie teased, disentangling herself to fold his red silk handkerchief to slip into his jacket pocket.
"So what am I supposed to do now?" Logan asked, trailing a finger through her hair.
"You're his Best Man, go and help Pete do meet and greet and all that jazz." Marie instructed, turning him about with a playful swat on his behind.
"Just what are you goin' to be up to?" Logan asked over his shoulder.
"Gonna get myself all gussied up and help Jubilee, Kitty's the Maid of Honour so she's busy yelling orders at everyone. Last I saw her she was with Kurt going over the ceremony one last time." Marie replied as she fetched her dress from the closet.
"Well, I guess I'll leave ya to that and go see about findin' Pete." Logan said heading off with one last glance, catching her wave goodbye with her fingers.
Walking down the halls he ducked and dodged the students all dressing up in their best, a parody of his own encounter with so many girls helping the hopeless boys with their ties. The aroma of coffee hung in the air, looking down on the foyer to see the door thrown open with guests filing in. Some chatted, others hugged as if not having seen another for years, picking out those he knew from those he didn't. Taking a breath and summoning his courage, Logan joined the fray and found Pete out by a convoy of black SUVs pulling up.
"Logan my friend." Pete greeted, the two embracing in a hug with just enough slapping of one's back to make it manly.
"What's all this?" Logan asked with a nod to the trucks coming to a stop.
"Sort of a wedding gift, Fury helped with the travel arrangements for Pete's side of the family in Russia. Way I hear it you had your own ideas on that but this one's a bit more on the level." Clint said walking up dressed in his own suit.
Natasha wasn't that far behind, lingering off by a flowerbed by herself dressed in the classic little black dress with her hair primped. From the house the Alexandra came out with Nikolai in tow, rushing off to her son with a hug and a kiss for him. The doors to the trucks opened, men, women and children escaping to the drive looking off at the school and the estate itself. Introducing her son to his Grandmamma, a gasp was heard from within the crowd. Alexandra turned to the woman walking through the crowd with eyes for Logan alone.
"Pitor, this is your Great Auntie Kaleena, Uncle Fedyenka's wife..." Alexandra said when she noticed.
"You...how can it be you..." Kaleena asked full of wonder in her own Russian.
Staring at her, the years vanished in the blink of an eye as a woman years younger stood before him. Reaching out to take her hand, Logan shook his head in shock as brief memories of a past denied to him for so long surged forth. Climbing out of some rusted wreck of a truck at the very edge of a farm Fedyenka meet him at the door. He was dressed in uniform then with the aroma of a meal wafting out into the night. With a word of thanks Logan walked back to the truck to open the passenger side door, helping a child down and promising her she'd be safe.
Brought back to present by the sound of sorrowful crying, Logan turned to find Kaleena gone with all eyes behind him. Turning to look, Natasha stood with the old woman wrapped up in her arms. Tears fell with her usual reserve shattered, stroking her fingers through Kaleena's hair trying to bring some calm to her.
"It's really you, our little gift they stole from us..." Kaleena cried, taking Natasha's face in her hands to admire her.
"It's me, it's really me...I can't believe..." Natasha started, her words cut off as she was pulled into another hug.
Watching the scene play out, Logan felt his heart pained as it all came back to him, staring in silent awe of the impossible reunion. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he turned to find Clint there nodding off to the garage. A glance to Pete gave all the permission he needed, walking off to collect his thoughts and share a moment in quiet with the man who had ultimately saved the child he had failed. Pillaging the fridge for a couple of beers, he passed one off and did his best to fight the habit to lean against the grease stained workbench.
"My Russian's a little rusty." Clint remarked after a sip of his beer.
Rubbing his eyes and pressing the chill bottle to his brow, Logan looked off to where Natasha was being lead off among Alexandra's side of the family. A conversation came back to him from years before then, when Fedyenka had still been a young man with a blushing bride his own. It had been of the sad revelation that no matter how they tried they never found their home blessed with a birth of a child of their own.
"Black ops mission, right when the whole world was changing as the Union was still fallin' apart. Cleaning up messes and taking care of dangerous things before they could fall into the wrong hands..." Logan whispered, wetting his lips with a sip.
"Dangerous things like..?." Clint asked with a glance to the crowd.
"Like little girls raised to be assassins. Little girls like the one I thought I got out, like I had taken to someone who deserved her." Logan said filled with regret that clutched at his throat.
"But somehow they still got to her, finished the job and sold her to the highest bidder. Right up until I was sent to take her out..." Clint mused, pounding back a thirsty swig.
"When instead you offered her a chance to get out for good, a chance she took." Logan finished, meeting eyes with Clint.
"Looks like she's getting another second chance." Clint laughed without any humour as he shook his head in disbelief.
"I get the feelin' she could really use one." Logan nodded.
Clinking their bottles together they pounded back their last swallows in silent toast, they left them on the workbench behind them heading off to join in the celebrations.
-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-
Standing up with the rest Marie never felt more nervous yet elated in her entire life, looking to her friends up there with her all holding their small bouquets. More than once she leaned out just enough to see Logan standing next to Pete, fit and trim in a suit of black and shirt of dazzling white with that bow tie he had complained about. Looking shower fresh just as she loved him, when their eyes met she felt her heart skip a beat for the unbound admiration she saw there.
Pete stood serene with Kurt, a young cousin of his mothers side standing dressed in a small matching suit to his own. Out in attendance of those gathered there was no side for one family or another, the Rasputin's and Mihaylov's mingled in with the rest that made up the family and friends of Bride and Groom alike. Nearby a small orchestra had been rallied of any who could play, their melody joining the quiet murmur that ran through the crowd as everyone told tales and got to know another all the better throwing off the stigma of stranger and becoming friends.
All around vivid sculptures of ice stood entwined in vines of roses of white, yellow and red. Looking through the crowd for the man who showed his own artistic side, she found Bobby sitting with Layla holding hands. Of the rest she smiled at the sight of Alexandra with her Nikolai dabbing at her eyes, Sean with Moira and Rahne both ladies looking resplendent. Hearing whispered threats again, a glance showed Kitty glaring daggers at the roguish Remy LeBeau making some inappropriate conversation with Betsy, though it seemed she would have none of it as she completely ignored his advances.
Kurt stood at the podium dressed in, if it were ever to be said, his Sunday Best. The surprise at his visage that many had suffered upon meeting the pious man soon forgotten after his introduction, warmly welcoming them as they were all seated. If he were nervous he didn't show it, standing calmly and quietly as they all waited for the moment that would herald the coming of the bride.
"If you could all please stand and look towards the school." Kurt asked of them, taking a step forward holding his bible.
Thinking she was to be coming from the leaded glass doors that lead to a small veranda, as the dazzling motes of light lifted from the pooling light at the very end of the red carpet that ran through the isle Marie had a hand rushing to her lips in surprise knowing what was coming. All around a gasp rippled through the gathered as the light grew more dazzling as the radiance rose in streamers dancing into the azure sky, silhouettes of four standing bathed in its beauty. As the glow dimmed Jubilee stood with Ororo, Abby and Illyana dressed alike holding baskets.
Petals of white roses were littered over the velvet red as they walked in time to another with the melodic march played by violin and cello. Joining the wedding party at last, Illyana stood with her young cousin and threw a few petals at him, Abby joining the bridesmaids standing before them to cast the last of her basket to the breeze. Cameras were heard to be capturing the moments, but as Ororo and Jubilee took their first step a hush fell over the crowd with their whispers quieted. Once more the moments were captures with every step that brought the Bride closer to her Groom, Pete taking a step down to stand ready to take her hand that was offered once the bouquet had been passed to Kitty.
"My friends, we are gathered her today to witness the union of Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin and Jubilation Lee as they embark on the most wondrous journeys that two who love another can take." Kurt began, taking his place behind the podium again.
"When Pitor, though many of us know him as Pete, came to me one day not long ago looking nervous and asking for a moment of my time I could have never known just then the honour he hoped to bestow upon me and upon us all. It is with much pride I can tell you that this is the first union I've been asked to bless as many of you clearly have have been." Kurt carried on, looking through the crowd to see the husbands and wives among them, the couples that looked another in endearment.
"Piotr told me then that wished to ask his love for her hand by the moonlight overlooking the lake where he had realized his love for her. I'm told it instead became at a hammock she had been napping on, the days to that full moon just too many for him to suffer. That we are all here today hints at her answer, but we live in a marvellous age." Kurt recalled.
With a wave, what had looked to be nothing more than veils of lace and silk fell to reveal a screen. Both Bride and Groom looked up in surprise with most of the wedding party themselves, only Kitty and Kurt looking nonplussed at the turn of events.
"While I am a servant of the Lord and a Shepard to his flock, I hope you do not fault me for my sense of theatrics from my youth. On this day of their union I give to you all the moment that brought us here that we can call another friends and family." Kurt said, taking a step back as the video started to play.
"I've come to know you as one I trust above all others, to love you as both family and as the sole woman who holds my heart." Pete's past voice called out.
Of those that didn't have their attention raptly watching the sweet moment shared anew, those that still watched the Bride and Groom holding hands with eyes only for another would see Pete say again the words he spoke that day. Somewhere through it all though a microphone found it's way near enough to overtake the reflection of the past bringing the moment to the present.
"I am sad I will never get to know the people who welcomed you to my world, but I freely give you the people who welcomed me into yours. Jubilation Lee, will you marry me?" Pete recited again, pausing after it all to realize everyone had eyes on him.
Looking around Jubilee saw them all waiting for the answer she had given before, finding among them the family that a single utterance would truly make them her own. Alexandra sat with Nikolai breathless, Illyana staring up at her with her glacial blue eyes urging her on. Turning back to Pete she smiled, a glance to Kurt who gave a nod of assent down to the ring bear.
"Yes, forever and always yes." Jubilee said, tears falling without pain as she smiled up to the man that had become her world.
Waiting for that moment, Illyana guided her young cousin off to stand before both Bride and Groom. The rings were offered and taken, Pete sliding the wedding band on his Bride's finger just as she did her Groom. Stepping down to join them Kurt rested his hand with theirs and looked to the expectant crowd.
"By the powers vested in me, it is my genuine pleasure to now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Kurt said as a revelled cheer went up.
Standing on her tippy toes Jubilee reached up to wrap her arms about his broad shoulders, their lips meeting to ravish another. Just as their first kiss they carried on until needing a breath before parting, hoots, hollers and whistling rippling from many after the display of the now truly blushing bride. Giving Jubilee the bouquet, Kitty looked up to Kurt who beamed in pleasure and pride.
"It is my honour to introduce Mister and Missus Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin. I believe the Bride has an invitation she'd like to share." Kurt said, helping to urge the suddenly shy Jubilee on.
With tears falling down her cheeks as her eyes fell to the bouquet, Pete gently took her shoulders in his hands and leaned in to whisper again those words to her she never tired of hearing. Blinking her eyes clear she looked around to the gathered and drew a shaky breath.
"We thank you all for being here today, you have no idea how happy it makes both of us. But we have a few others we'd like to thank and we invite all of you to join us." Jubilee sniffled, closing her eyes and finding strength in the trailing of Pete's fingers running along her back.
Bride and Groom leading the way, Ororo took Kurt in arm and followed after them. Out of the crowd Remy found Kitty, Marie finding her own man with the two flower girls trailing behind them. Slowly those gathered filed out in a procession of a different kind until all stood in silence before the three memorials to those that couldn't be there on the blessed day. Standing with them, Ororo brushed at the tears that lingered in Jubilee's eyes, tears she gladly joined in shedding herself.
"Piotr and Jubilation have asked me to introduce to those of you who don't know the people that in a very real sense made this day possible, the man whose dream has come another step closer today. Charles Francis Xavier, Jean Grey and Scott Summers were friends and mentors to many of us, and though they are no longer with us they are not forgotten. Jubilation?" Ororo asked of the bride at last.
Plucking three of the white roses from her bouquet, she passed one to Pete and another to Ororo. Kneeling together they placed them down at the memorials, a word of quiet thanks said between them all. Rising to stand before the gathered, Pete walked his bride a few steps ahead to address them.
"We welcome you all to join us in the garden for our wedding photos, and we welcome you to our home to break bread with us and share wine and company." Pete announced.
Joining together the wedding party wandered off to the garden with those looking to share in the photos taken to commemorate the day that would be looked back on in fondness for years to come.
-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-
The tables were scattered about the lawn with everyone seated to enjoy the meal to come, the wedding party gathered at the head table. Music more festive played, favourites of the wedded couple chosen for the time. The cutting of the cake would come in time for dessert but for now it was that time to break bread and tell tales, Logan elbowed and nudged along until he rose from his seat to carry on the duties of the Best Man.
"Well, what can I say about Pete but he's the first fella I ever came to call my best friend and a more stand up guy ya sure would be pretty hard pressed ta find. I know a lot o' us are all happy ta call him son, brother, friend...and now husband." Logan said looking through the crowd picking people out, from the Rasputin's sitting together to the bridesmaids and finally Jubilee herself.
"Pete was one o' those kids ya noticed, not just because he's about the last person ya'd wanna walk inta when yer not lookin but because he's got this quiet way o' himself. Whenever he had something ta say, well you'd just shut yer trap and listen cause he wasn't one for flappin' his lips like some. He's always got a hand to offer when ya need it, or an ear when ya just gotta get something off yer chest." Logan carried on, seeing the way so many nodded at the words that rang so true.
"Pete, here's to you and best wishes to ya both." Logan said raising his glass of beer in lieu of wine for a toast.
Cheers and whistles were had, cutlery tapped against glasses calling for a kiss that was eagerly embraced between the two. Finding his way back to his seat Logan leaned in to his own love and dared to outdo the newlyweds with his own passion that stole her breath. Staring into another's eyes it was only as they heard Kitty cough in their direction that they realized the Maid of Honour had risen up for her own words.
"Jubilee, I'm not sure if you ever heard the whole story, but some of us thought you were an imaginary friend of Theresa's at first." Kitty started, looking down to the Irish lass who once again had her face loose it's freckles for how red she had gone.
Laughter rolled around the crowd, Pete leaning in to kiss his bride with a whispered word at her clear surprise while Bobby did much the same with Layla. Holding hands, Logan and Marie waited for Kitty to tell the story as everyone waited filled with curiosity.
"Of the first of us to come here when the Professor started teaching again was Bobby, Pete, a jerk who shall remain nameless, myself and Theresa as the baby of the bunch. Well, the worldly thirteen year olds we were we thought we had it all figured out. So when Theresa, only ten then, started disappearing at night to meet with her friend we just didn't think much of it." Kitty related.
Jubilee reached out to Theresa across the table to take her hand and give it a squeeze, the two sharing fond memories in whispers. Kitty smiled at the pair and turned back to the crowd to recall the rest of the tale.
"Now of course we figured she was a little old for imaginary friends, but Theresa always has had this innocence to her and just this right kind of sweetness. Well, as long as you don't piss her off because I've met her father so I know who she got her temper from. Anyways when she started talking about meeting a friend who only came out at night, it all sounded a little odd because as far as we knew we were the only students here." Kitty added, looking off to Ororo then who hid a smile behind her hand.
"Bobby thought maybe she had a pet or something she was hiding, or maybe her own ET in a closet. I thought maybe she just was using it to be alone when she wanted, as she'd been sneaking off out of bed at some pretty late hours of the night. Well, one night we all had enough of the guessing game and when you snuck off Terri we waited out in the hall for you to head off to the kitchen." Kitty remarked, laughing lightly thinking of that night.
"Well, the four of us managed to sneak on down and that's no small feat what with three boys trampling down the stairs, let me tell you. We all rock papered for who would be the one to peek in, Bobby lost out. Reason for that is Theresa has quite the set of lungs so the rest of us had our fingers in our ears incase she got startled. Bobby, what did you say again?" Kitty asked out into the crowd.
"Holy crap she's real!" Bobby yelled out, Jubilee guffawing at it.
"That's how at least some of us first met Jubilee, sitting off at the kitchen table with Theresa while the two of them polished off Miss Grey's rocky road. Turned out Jubilee had been a bit of a special case as far as joining the school went, so she was staying up in the Loft with Ororo while she got settled in. But those of you that know her know she's a slave to her sweet tooth, even back then sneaking out in the dead of night when most of us were fast asleep to satisfy it when one night she ran into our little Irish lassie and made friends. So Theresa, we're sorry we thought you were crazy and we're sorry we didn't think you were real Jubilee." Kitty giggled, walking down to give the two a warm hug.
The ringing of glasses called for another kiss that was joined by many more couples, the courses of the dinner coming out to be shared with good company and conversation. Through the meal more came up to share tales of both with many of the Groom's side coming up to welcome the Bride to their family with stories and words of wisdom and best wishes.
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The cake had been cut in the sparkling flash of cameras, a piece saved for the anniversary to come of the special day. With the sweet tooth known to many and spoken of before none were surprised to witness two pieces vanish in quick succession compliments of the Bride even before the first five had been handed out to the guests. Dessert had come and gone with the setting of the sun, strings of light banishing the darkness on the dance floor set up with a student playing DJ.
"Okay, we've been informed before we can have the first dance that there are some ladies out there looking for their chance at this beautiful bouquet. So if you could all get your butts out here now!" Jubilee called out standing with Pete.
Marie rushed up to the head of the pack with Kitty and Theresa joining her along with Rahne and a reluctant Natasha. A song by Beyonce became the battle hymn, the ladies so intent on claiming the trophy that they missed out on one girl slipping in among them with mischief in her eyes. Feeling herself pushed ahead just a bit, Marie didn't think anything of it watching Jubilee turn her back to them and give a couple practice hoists of the flowers getting ready to throw them.
"Ready, set, go!" Jubilee cried out in time to her very lasts hoists with the last letting the flowers fly through the air.
The world seemed to slow down as Marie watched the bouquet fly, the light behind her a distraction she wouldn't succumb to as she jumped up to snatch it and scream in giddy glee. Turning to look to the rest who had lost out the chance she found herself alone, a distant cry telling the truth behind her unhindered success.
"Illyana you brat!" Kitty screamed, leading the pack of women chasing after the young girl.
With most too busy laughing at the scene, it was the priest who came to save the mischievous maiden with a Bamf and a cloud of sulfurous stench hanging in the air after his passing. Helping hand or not Marie looked to Logan as he walked out to the dance floor and took her into his arms, bending her back for a kiss that had her toes curling.
"Guess I gotta catch the garter now..." Logan whispered, his love standing there with weak knees.
"You better mister..." Marie giggled, heading off to the side as more single men filed out for the honours.
Jubilee sat on a lone chair in the dance floor as Pete knelt before her, laughter and some teasing calls rippling from the crowd as he worked his hands up her stockings to find the garter beneath her dress. Easing it off her slowly with a blush burning on her cheeks, Pete leaned in to kiss her before turning to face the men longing for their prize.
Logan stood at the head of the pack in the company of Sean, Bobby and Remy who all eyed the man with a promise of no easy fight. Many more stood behind them, waiting for that moment when Pete would toss the garter free. With more than his honour on the line Logan felt a rumbling growl roll from his chest in anticipation, crouching ready to make a dash for it. Pete didn't draw it out, winding up for a pitch and letting the balled fabric fly. The yells and cries behind him were meaningless, snatching it out of the air and turning in triumph to the rest.
Expecting to find a press of men behind him, Logan realized what the thud he had heard was seeing Bobby standing his ground that had iced over leaving the rest fall and be lain low by another dirty trick. Bursting out in laughter though Logan didn't care, walking off to his love to dangle it before her thinking of another tradition just then.
"Way I hear it, I get ta slip this on the lucky lady who caught the bouquet..." Logan growled throatily as he knelt low before her.
"Funny, I thought I heard something about that." Marie purred, offering her leg up to him.
Slipping it on slowly, he trailed up her calf with trailing fingers as they tenderly worked their way up until the band of lace and silk found it's home around her thigh. Holding the bouquet as she looked down to him, she imagined just what it would be like to have it play out differently with him bent low before her on a knee as he was now. Trailing his fingers down to place her shoe back upon her in some playful moment mirroring a fairy tale, she settled for the kiss as he rose.
"Also hear that means yer next in line..." Logan whispered with their lips hovering closely together.
"Guess someone has to make an honest woman outta me..." Marie whispered back, stealing his lips in hers.
"Guess we'll just have ta wait and see now won't we." Logan chuckled.
Standing together swaying in tune to the song that played, they watched as Pete and Jubilee had their moment out on the dance floor with all eyes on them. In time the song ended, more couples called out to join them next. Their world became the time between songs as they lost another in their eyes, Marie resting her head against his chest as they slow danced. Without any need to say it they both knew it'd be a moment they'd forever treasure, slipping off after a time as more raucous music played to liven up the mood of the celebration.
And a celebration it was, the heavens painted in eruptions of gold and silver, blues and reds as fireworks not of the Bride were blasted skyward from some safe distance down across the lawn. The tang of black powder hung in the breeze as the white of the wedding was painted in the rainbow of colours flaring in the night sky.
-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-
"Looks like Kitty has some competition." Marie teased.
Out on the dance floor Remy was doing his best to show up Bobby as they danced with Illyana and Abby, the two girls cutting in on another never seeming to make up their mind of which they wanted. Wrapped up in Logan's arms off to the side, she sighed contentedly feeling his laughter rumble from his chest to tickle her back. Beside them Pete sat with Jubilee, the two tuckered out from all the dances to take a moment to catch their breath and rest their feet.
"Oh, looks like Kitty's up to the challenge." Jubilee giggled, watching her cut in to reclaim her beau.
"And there's Layla collecting her man too." Logan commented.
Elizabeth May was out with her husband looking sweet herself, Alexandra and Nikolai nearby lost to another looking as loving as ever. Few were out now, the wedding having wound down with many bidding their best wishes and a farewell before taking their leave.
"So when are you two sneaking off?" Marie asked of the newlyweds.
"Honeymoon? Tomorrow." Jubilee smiled letting her head loll back sleepily.
"I'm almost jealous, getting sent across Europe on Betsy's dime." Marie said, lolling her own head back against Logan.
"Paris, London, Rome...I'm gonna be fighting for my Pete here against all those museums and art galleries and stuff." Jubilee groused, her beau eliciting a giggle from her though with a tickle of her sides.
"Just where are ya two shackin' up tonight?" Logan asked with a waggle of eyebrows.
"Uh...weird as it sounds, loft, bed...sleep. We'll consummate on our first stop in Paris...can't resist that." Jubilee said sleepily, yawning.
"Sounds beautiful, take pictures. Of Paris I mean, not you two doing...argh forget I said anything!" Marie cried out, suffering the looks of those gathered.
"We will, I think I better carry my bride over the threshold as it were. Thank you both for being here." Pete said softly, easily picking up Jubilee to lead her off to the mansion.
Left alone, Marie felt the evening weighing on her too, trying to find her way to her feet only to be helped in the end. His shirt collar was unbuttoned, his bow tie dangling undone looking his usual rough and rugged self despite the suit he wore. Guiding her off, Logan lead the way on through the very edge of the estate that lead off down to the lake.
"Where we going?" Marie asked with a yawn.
"Lil surprise for ya Darlin'." Logan answered without much fuss.
"Does this surprise have a bed?" Marie laughed, leaning against him for support.
"Matter o' fact it does." Logan chuckled.
Strings of light dispelled the darkness as they neared the lake, the lapping of waves against the dock joining the nightly symphony of the denizens of the night. Out at the very end of the dock a blanket was laid out with an ice bucket holding a bottle of champagne. Shocked by the scene, Marie took it all in and smiled up to Logan as he lead her to gently lay her down.
"It reminds me of the cabin..." Marie said looking around at the scene.
"S'funny, happened to think o' that myself one night not long ago." Logan confessed.
With no glasses, the bottle was popped and passed between them, holding another close in the late eve taking in the heavens above and the twinkling stars. Pressing kisses to her neck as he held her, Marie had so lost herself to his tender ministrations that she didn't realize something else had been pressed to her hands instead of the bottle being passed. Looking down to it, she gasped with a hitched breath at the small baby blue box she found.
"Logan...what's this?" Marie asked with a shaky breath and trembling fingers.
"Why don't ya open it and find out..." Logan whispered, reaching down to take her hands in his to reveal within the velvet of the Tiffany box a simple gold band with a sparkling diamond.
"Yes! Yes, always yes..." Marie cried, tears falling freely.
"Didn't even give me a chance to ask..." Logan chuckled, kissing her cheek.
"You didn't have to, because I'm already yours..." Marie whispered.
Slipping the ring from it's box, Logan slide it along her delicate finger to its rightful place and admired it thinking it had never looked more beautiful than it did now. Twisting in his arms she spun to lay atop him, ravishing his lips with the surge of passion that filled her. Everything else unto the day he had just promised her would be but a formality, one he pressed just the same as their lips parted.
"Marie, will you marry me?" Logan asked with his voice ragged.
"Always...yes..." Marie answered again between kisses.
Once again beneath the stars they embraced surrendering to their passions, the fire burning hotter this night than ever before with the trials they had endured that only tempered their love for another. Bound by the fateful meeting years before, neither could have known then just where that lonely road in the Canadian wilderness would take them so many years later.
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End Act One
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Author's Note : Thank you everyone who has enjoyed this story right along with me, never could I have known where that first chapter would lead. All the kind words, the reviews, favourites and follows have helped me to get here to this end that I hope you can all enjoy.
But though What Are Friends For has come to an end, it's only the end of the First Act as there is still much story left to be told. The sequel The Heart Wants carries on the tale.