The sun glared cruelly from behind the windows. Somehow, someone last night had forgotten to close the blinds and now Lucky was being faced with waking up way too early. Blinking, he rubbed his hand across his face, wondering if this was his father's sick idea of an alarm clock. He wouldn't put it past him; after all he was fairly sure his mother had threatened bodily harm if he arrived late today. Not that he was planning on it. Today he was marrying Elizabeth and nothing was going to get in his way.
Lucky smiled as he noticed the fresh layer of snow that covered the ground and trees. She had never said anything specifically, but Lucky knew Elizabeth. Ever since she had decided on a Christmas wedding, she had to have been hoping for snow. Seeing it laying there, it was a good sign. Everything was going to go as planned.
"I don't see Elizabeth, so I'm assuming that stupid grin on your face is for something else." Patrick interrupted, chucking Lucky's tux at him.
It was on the tip of his tongue to say something about the reception, but Lucky decided against it. Revenge, after all, was a dish best served icy cold. "I seem to remember you wearing a dumber one not that long ago."
Patrick matched his smirk with one of his own. "Get up. Your mother and my wife have been calling for the last thirty minutes."
"I'm awake. It's Cruz we need to worry about." Lucky pointed out, gesturing towards their friend still passed out on the floor.
"Good point." Patrick reached for the water bottle on Lucky's nightstand, unscrewed the top, and poured a few mouthfuls of water on top of Cruz's greasy head.
"What the hell?" Cruz sputtered as he sat up.
"Rise and shine sunshine." Lucky laughed.
"Don't want to." Cruz moaned, rolling over.
"Too bad. If we're late because of you I'm totally telling Robin and Mom."
"I'm up." Cruz muttered into the carpet.
"You look it." Patrick threw back, adjusting his tie. "I already took my shower." He gestured to his hair.
"Good. Now the rest of us have a chance to use the mirror." Lucky pointed out as he made his way towards the bathroom.
"It's probably your father with another bottle of whiskey." Cruz groaned, making his way slowly down the stairs.
"Or Mom checking to make sure we're up." Lucky yelled back. "Just answer it."
"Is this welcome going to include angry policemen?" Cruz teased, leaning in the doorway.
"No." Lulu laughed as she adjusted her navy blue bridesmaid gown. "But I do come with a chaperone." She motioned to the unfamiliar woman standing just to the side of her.
Cruz spotted a much older redhead only after she was pointed out to him. She just seemed to blend in with the primary color of the foyer. "Come in. Your brother's probably fallen asleep in the shower."
Walking in slowly, Lulu smiled. It seemed as if she hadn't been here in years instead of a few weeks. Of course it probably didn't help she could barely remember the last time she was at her brother's house sober. "I'm guessing Patrick is hogging all the mirror time?"
"I wouldn't know. I just woke up."
Giggling Lulu leaned against the banister and called up the stairs. "Oh Patty Pancake. Better come down."
"One day that's not going to work." Patrick said as he hurried down the stairs. He stopped just before reaching her. "How are you doing kid?"
"I'm good. Well not good yet but on the way there. Does that count?"
"Of course it counts. Hello." Patrick awkwardly waved at Lulu's chaperone. "Um, do either of you want something to drink?"
"No I'm good." Lulu smiled.
"No thank you." The chaperone said briskly.
"She's not real big on conversation." Lulu joked.
"Well look at that. You dressed yourself and everything." Cruz teased Lucky when he noticed him approach the top of the stairs. "Everyone clap."
"Fuck you." Lucky said coolly before he stopped in his tracked. "Little Sister? What are you doing here?"
"Like I would miss the only chance to see someone willingly marry you." Lulu smiled as he made his way closer to her.
Pulling her into a hug, Lucky shook his head. "Did Mom and Dad know you were doing this?"
"Dad yes. Mom no. Dad's convinced she wouldn't have been able to keep it quiet."
"The man has a point." Lucky sighed as he released her. She looked good, a hell of a lot better than when she left for the clinic. "You better go over to the hotel or else it will upstage the bride. I hear that's wrong."
"I will. I just wanted to see you and Patrick before all the craziness started."
"Gee thanks." Cruz laughed, handing her a glass of iced tea. "I knew you said you didn't want anything, but..." No matter how many times he looked at her, he couldn't get the image of her being dragged out of Cameron's bedroom out of his mind. It was one of the reasons he hadn't been able to visit her during her rehabilitation. The last thing he needed was another haunting memory.
"Thank you." Lulu smiled.
*****
"I was the flower girl at my mommy and daddy's wedding." Kristina told David as he tried to tie the pink ribbon of her dress into a bow. It didn't have to be perfect, but his last three attempts had been crooked and fallen apart before she even walked away.
"So you told me." David said as he tried in vain to struggle with the ribbon while dealing with a little girl in perpetual motion.
"Why did we have to wake up so early? My mommy and daddy's wedding was at four o' clock. I remember because Maxie gave me a Barbie watch the night before."
"Because this wedding is earlier." David sighed impatiently, trying to catch Sam's eye over her sister's head. This was all her fault. She was the one who volunteered them for this. Alexis was just fine with watching the kids, but Samantha wouldn't hear of it.
He had always been slightly curious about their use, handcuffs that is. When they ran out of bad guys, exactly what purpose did they serve then? Get your mind out of your pants, a strict voice ordered.
"Did you hear what I said?" Kristina asked, hands planted firmly on her hips.
"I did. I did." He promised her.
Sam caught his annoyed stare and then glanced away, looking uncertain. Majandra started to whine so Sam pressed the button on the baby bouncer and whispered quietly to her. "Where are the boys? And the twins?"
"What was that?" David asked her. Kristina was finally satisfied with his inept attempts at ribbon tying and had run off to the bathroom for one more look to make herself "look pretty."
Cameron and Morgan brushed past them so fast; they were little more than a blur. They were both holding onto something, but Sam had to squint to be certain of what it was. Each boy had their ties latched around the front of the twins' carriers and were dragging them around like stage coaches, giggling all the way.
"Weren't you supposed to be watching them?" David asked pointing in the direction they had run off in.
"Oh, so this is my fault? Watch the baby." Sam jumped to her feet and ran after the boys. She grabbed each of their wrists and jerked them to a halt, using the toes of her shoes to stop the car seats from tipping over. "Okay, just what do you two think you're doing?"
"Racing." Cameron said simply. "I was winning."
"You were not." Morgan countered. "Gracie and I were beating you."
"No way. Jake and I were winning."
"It doesn't matter. You do not drag around little babies." It took a minute, but she was able to loosen the ties and take the twins out of their carriers. When Nathan's cry was loud enough to filter downstairs, she handed the twins to David and went to see about him, ignoring her boyfriend's obvious distress. "Help them put on their ties please." She added as an afterthought, taking the stairs two at a time.
"Don't your dads know about clip on ties?" David asked as he knelt down to their eye level.
"Why do we have to wear ties anyway?" Morgan pouted.
"Daddy said that's what we do at weddings." Cameron recited.
"Shut up." Morgan griped, trying to break free of his current torture.
"I just saying." Cameron shrugged his shoulders.
"Stop wiggling." David told Morgan. "It will go faster if you stay still for just a few seconds."
"You're not doing it right." Morgan argued, folding his arms.
"How am I supposed to do it?"
"It shouldn't take this long." Morgan went on.
"Well I'm sorry but I don't wear ties all that often. I have to get Samantha to help me with mine."
"You let a girl dress you?"
"When you get older, it's not such a bad idea. Much less arguments. Ask your dads. They'll tell you."
Sam paused at the foot of the stairs, watching the scene in front of her with quiet awe. David glanced up at her and she hurried to explain. "He felt left out."
"With such a fun party I can't imagine why."
"You all look very spiffy." Sam told them, watching Kristina finally emerge from the bathroom. "Okay, are we ready to get this show on the road?"
"Yeah!" Cameron and Morgan cheered in unison.