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Summary: On Zu's wedding day, Liam and Chubs recall on how they got where they are now.

AN: In this chapter, Zu is 21. Therefore, Amelia and Finn are 3 and Ruby is 26.

Clink clink clink.

"Attention, attention folks." Liam's voice rang throughout the spacious room over the clinking of a fork on a wine glass filled with champagne.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of two wonderful people, Suzume and Quinn." Liam spun with his champagne glass in hand, quirking his head in Suzume and Quinn's direction.

Zu's wedding was 1920s themed, meaning that she and her wedding planners (Vida and Ruby) had really gone all out-from decor to makeup, even helping Zu find a beige flapper-style wedding dress.

Zu's hair was styled in curls that hug her chin, classic "Jazz Age" hairdo. A simple brown headband wrapped around her heart-shaped face, a single white and grey spotted feather standing out in contrast to her inky black hair. A fawn, silky flapper dress tumbled just past the knee, cream beads adorning the dress. Cream flats were slipped onto her feet, completing the look and showcasing Zu's natural beauty, which had blossomed over her teenage years. Quinn's shock of orange hair was done up in a slight quiff, his face shaven clean with sprinklings of freckles and silver eyes a flash against his fair skin. Fingers entwined, tattoos peeked out behind the cuff of Quinn's tuxedo.

"I've known Suzume for longer than I can remember. I knew her before I had kids," Liam motioned to his two four-year-olds squirming impatiently in their seats. "before I got married to my amazing wife," Ruby grinned from her seat next to Vida and Zu. "and even during those days, The Darkest Days." Liam's expression flashed dark for a moment as he referred to what the world now called the Psi Days.

"But I've seen her grow and bloom into the beautiful young woman she is today, and I'm grateful she's found someone to take care of her when I can't."

Everyone clapped and hooted, and Zu brushed a couple of tears out of her eyes.

"I'd now like to invite Charles Merriweather to help me tell the tale of how these two lovebirds came to be."

Chubs made his way to Liam's side, taking the microphone someone handed to him.

"It all started about four years ago…"

FOUR YEARS EARLIER

"I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Quinn. He's a red." Zu said nervously.

Quinn stood beside her, devil-may-care expression on his face, thumbs hooked in his jean pockets.

Chubs gave him a once-over, a face of pure scrutiny on his face, reproach evident in his dark eyes framed in wire glasses. Liam was more open, reaching forward and offering a handshake.

Quinn regarded the hand for a moment too long, and Zu elbowed him in the side. Begrudgingly, he shook Liam's hand in a handshake.

"Where's Vida and Ruby?" Zu asked, trying to break the tension that had built in the room.

"Dress shopping." Chubs replied flatly, criticism plain across his features, as if I DON'T LIKE YOU was stamped in bold letters across his forehead.

"Zu, would you mind grabbing us some water please?" Liam asked in polite, clipped tone.

"O-of course." Zu stumbled on her words, and rushed off to retrieve some drinks in the kitchen.

"So, Quinn," Chubs started, emphasizing his name. "I see you're dating Suzume."

"Yup." Quinn answered nonchalantly, keeping on the bored bad-boy mask he projected. "What you gonna do about it?"

"You listen here Mister, I've seen assholes like you before, and if you think for one second that I'll tolerate you treating Zu like anything less than the lady she is then I swear to God I will-"

Liam put an arm to stop Chubs from where he began to stand up from the couch, levelling him with a glance that made him settle back into the couch and cross his arms across his chest with a humph. Quinn was trying to maintain his mask, but it was obvious he was now extremely wary.

"Listen Quinn, what Chubsie is trying to say here is that Zu is very, very, important to us and we won't let her get mistreated any more than she already has been. We are not afraid of you or whatever powers you possess as a red. If you do or say anything that even inadvertently hurts Suzume, we will not hesitate to take action. Understand?" Liam's voice was fierce and stern, no room for joviality.

Quinn nodded his head, struggling to maintain his "no cares" attitude.

"Hey I'm back. Sorry it took so long, I had to find a tray to carry all the waters." Zu said, carefully handling a tray with four glasses stacked and a water pitcher. She immediately recognized the tension in the air, sending a suspicious glare to Chubs and Liam, the former staring daggers at Quinn.

A phone dinged, and Quinn pulled a smartphone out of his back pocket.

"I gotta go Suzume, my sister needs help at her house." Quinn said, standing and tossing his leather jacket over his shoulder. He planted a brisk kiss on her forehead, as he was nearly half a head taller her. "See you."

"Bye. See you soon." Zu said as she walked him to the door.

Once the door clicked shut, Zu turned around slowly.

"Zu?! Explain please!" Chubs demanded.

"What?" She asked, feigning innocence.

"A bad boy? Really?" Chubs said disapprovingly.

"He's not bad! I swear!"

"He wears a leather jacket and has tattoos. I'm pretty sure he classifies."

"What Chubsie here is trying to say is," Liam cut in. "we don't want you getting hurt Suzume. I've met guys like that before-they'll leave in heartbeat for 'adventure' and 'freedom' and other shit like that. You deserve better."

Zu sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Quinn's not like that. He hides behind masks and facades to make sure people don't get in. You just have to give him a chance, guys. Please?"

Liam and Chubs have faced dangerous enemies and yet they were still no match for a puppy-eyed Zu.

"Fine." Chubs groaned. "But if he ever hurts you, he's dead."

"Thank you."

A few months later, Ruby and Liam's wedding was just around the corner, and everyone had to attend the run-through to ensure that all the kinks were sorted out.

As the run-through progressed and everyone grew increasingly more tired and irritable, tensions ran high as Quinn and Chubs' personalities clashed. As they approached the last couple hours of practice, the two finally had a falling out.

"Maybe if you stopped dressing like you belonged with the Greasers in The Outsiders I might take you seriously."

"Says the scholar from Slytherin."

"Why you little-"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Zu commanded, raising her voice. Everyone stilled. "Quinn, come here."

Zu pursed her lips as Quinn i/shuffled/i over to her, head slightly tilted down, as if in embarrassment. She dragged him over into a nearby room, where muffled talking was heard.

"What happened?" Ruby questioned, walking over to Liam and Chubs.

"Chubs and Quinn aren't getting along too well." Liam responded.

"Where are Quinn and Zu now?" Vida queried.

Liam thrusted his thumb towards the room they went into.

"Let's eavesdrop." Vida said devilishly, rubbing her hands together. When everyone was about to voice their "no's" Vida interjected. "What, you don't want to hear if they're going to break up?"

Everyone's jaws snapped shut, and they tiptoed to the door, peering in, on top of one another.

"-you can't just say that! You know how he'll get set off by that kind of stuff!" Zu whispered angrily.

"I know, I know." Quinn whispered back, the most sincere they had heard him. "I'm sorry."

Zu sighed. "I know you are. But they're the only family I have left, and I want you to get along."

"I'll try harder. I promise." Quinn said.

"Quinn, look at me." Zu said. Quinn looked anywhere but her face, stormy grey eyes, skidding around her face. Zu placed a small hand under his chin, and despite her being much shorter than him, forced him to look at her. "Quinn, you need to let people in. I know you might not trust them, but you need to give them a chance. How are they supposed to open up to you if you won't let them in?" Zu stroked his cheek with her thumb, the person in front of her looking vulnerable and younger than anyone thought he was capable of looking.

Quinn placed a hand on Zu's hair, carding a hand through the dark locks. "You're right. I promise, маленькая птица." Quinn kissed Zu's forehead tenderly, then rested his chin on her head.

Vida, Ruby, Chubs, and Liam slipped away, all silently agreeing to see this boy in a new light.

Moments later, Zu and Quinn stepped back out, masks in place.

"Dance?" Quinn asked Zu next to the dance floor.

Liam rolled his eyes. If he was going to give this guy a second chance, he was going to teach him how to be a gentleman in public. Whispering something to Ruby, she nodded and crossed the floor in her wedding dress. Liam strode over to Zu and Quinn.

"Do it like this," Liam said. "'Zu, may I please have this dance?' Go on, you try."

Quinn rolled his eyes, although there was a slight smirk dancing on his lips. He bowed deeply. "Milady, I humbly askith of thee, mayith I have this dance?"

Zu smiled and took his hand. "Of course my knight." The two strolled off to the floor.

Liam shook his head, and then he realized that he was smiling too.

Chubs' trust took the longest to gain. It wasn't until Quinn showed how much he was willing to risk for Zu did Chubs trust him.

Everyone had taken a winter trip to London and were crossing the Thames when a rather large group of drunken men came from the other side of the bridge. They recognized the group as Psi ability Americans. Many people of other countries were wary of Americans-some hate groups had popped up, but most were harmless and too small in number to be of any worry.

"Hoy! 'r you 'ellas Psi 'Mericans?" One man slurred.

"We're not looking for any trouble." Liam said.

"You brou' trouble when you c'me 'ere!" Another called.

As if a switch was flipped, the group of men charged at the group, stumbling with raised fists at the group. Liam and Chubs immediately started tossing some of them back, and Vida knocked a pair into each other. Ruby was taking them down in hand to hand combat, and Quinn was setting their jackets aflame.

In the scuffle, Zu ended up fighting several men at once, and not wanting to kill any of them, tried her best to fend them off with her own power. Despite her strength, she was much smaller than them, and one of them snatched her up from the front of her coat and dangled her near the edge of the bridge. No other option, she shocked his hand.

"Ya little bugger!" He howled pushing her backwards.

Zu tumbled off the bridge and into the Thames.

"Zu!" Quinn cried, punching (and breaking) the nose of the last man fighting him. He threw off his coat and, without hesitation, dove into the water below.

The rest of the gang finished up with the drunken men, most unconscious with the beating and the amount of alcohol they consumed. Vida whipped out a phone and called the police, while the Chubs, Liam and Ruby ran off the side of the bridge to the edge of the riverbank.

For a second nothing. No bubbles, no bobbing head, no body.

Nothing.

Quinn's orange hair resurfaced, followed with the rest of his head, gasping for breath. He made his way to the riverbank, where he and Zu (whom he had dragged) were rescued onto dry land by Chubs and Liam.

Zu and Quinn coughed up water, shivering in the chill and clothes plastered to their shaking forms.

The paramedics arrived, checked them over, and gave them bright orange "shock blankets." They told them to change into something dry and warm up before hypothermia set in. Tea voluntary but recommended.

Along with the paramedics were the police, who came to arrest the men.

"Mr. Stewart, I'm Detective Inspector Lestrade." A man with greying hair came up to meet Liam and the group. "Thank you for taking down these men-they've been a menace for a long while."

"No problem, detective."

Detective Inspector nodded once more, before turning back to his police force. "Alright, Anderson, Donovan, I want those men shackled up and shipped off to the station before they're sober."

On the car ride home, Chubs, Liam and Quinn took one car, and the girls took another.

"Why would you do that?" Chubs asked in the mostly silent ride home. "You could have died."

"I-it w-was for her." Quinn stated plainly, teeth chattering slightly.

That was all Chubs needed to hear.

By the time the tale had ended, half of the room was crying or laughing, or a combination of both.

"One of the biggest things I learned was that family stays together. I'm glad to welcome Quinn into the family."

Liam raised his glass. "Let this couple love and hope for years to come."

Everyone clinked their glasses together.

The difference between the stars and sparkling champagne was lost to the night.

Bonus notes: Quinn's family is originally from Russia and moved to the U.S. before Psi, and Quinn knows Russian. He says "little bird" in Russian if anyone was wondering.

Anyone notice Sherlock references? Comment below!