Look to make up for the last month of no updates I've put up two in two days!
"Kitty!… Cat, darling… you need to get up" Cat groaned and buried her head in her pillows as her mother's voice sounded and her hands shook her daughter. "You need to get up sweetie"
"Go away" Cat mumbled
"Catherine, get up!" Cat sat up in surprise and turned to look at who had spoke, it was Alice. Alice's short black hair was not in its usual spiky do – it was smoothed into sleek pin curls around her pixie face, which wore a contrastingly businesslike expression.
"What are you doing here?" Cat slurred
"It's Bella's wedding today, we need to go and collect her from her house and get her ready" Alice reminded her
"And you need my help?" Cat muttered lying back down
"I need your help with the garden, remember" Alice hinted, Cat groaned
"Right" she muttered and raised her head to look at the clock on her bedside table. "Jeez Alice, it's six o'clock!" she complained
"We need to be at Bella's in only an hour!" Alice explained
"Go wake Sophie up" Cat waved them away
"She's already awake" Caren informed her
"Of course she is" Cat muttered annoyed
"Now get up, we're leaving in half an hour!" Alice said stubbornly
"You said we didn't need to be there for an hour" Cat remembered
"Yes, but the more time we get the better" Alice crossed her arms. Cat rolled her eyes and yawned before dragging herself out of bed and to her bathroom
"I'll be down in a few minutes" she waved them away and shut her bathroom door.
"Has she ever been a morning person?" Alice wondered
"No. One of the many things that makes her and Sophie different" Caren smiled before leaving the room, Alice sighed and followed her down the stairs. Sophie was in the kitchen preparing herself, and Cat for when she needed it, breakfast.
"Did she actually get up?" Sophie asked surprised
"Yeah" Caren nodded
"At this time?" Sophie double checked
"Yep" Alice nodded "She had too" she shrugged, Sophie smirked and rolled her eyes.
"Would you like something to eat or drink Alice?" Caren offered
"No thank you, I already had breakfast" Alice said sweetly
"Alright" Caren smiled, she made two coffees before walking back up the stairs to her and John's bedroom.
"So what's the plan?" Sophie asked sitting next to Alice at the bench while they waited for Cat
"First, we need to collect Bella, then I'm going to get Cat onto doing the garden while you make sure Bella is washed, cleaned and prompted for me to begin on her" Alice instructed
"What about Edward?" Sophie wondered
"He, Emmett and Jasper left for his bachelor party last night, they aren't back yet, they wont be back till a few hours before the wedding starts." Alice assured her
"As long as they're not late" Cat said walking down the stairs and taking the plate of breakfast Sophie had prepared for her.
"While Cat and I are making Bella look stunning, I need you, Sophie, to go and make the food with Esme" Alice ordered
"Alright" Sophie smiled
"You need help with Bella?" Cat asked, her eyebrows raised
"I only have two hands" Alice said, almost disappointed "About an hour or two before I need you two to get into your dresses and Rose and I will get your make up and hair all done" Alice continued
"We can do it ourselves you know" Cat reminded her
"But it needs to be done perfectly, one little mess up could ruin everything. As long as I do it I know it's perfect" Alice explained, the twins sighed "You two should be done by the time the guests arrive and I need you to stay out of sight unless Esme needs your help"
"Really? We're going to be seen eventually, it'll be suspicious if we aren't" Cat tried to convince
"It'll be fine. Now I need the boys there before the guests, so make sure they get there early and you're to stay out of each others sight's" Alice ordered
"Alice, that's not going to happen, will you clam down, please" Cat asked seriously, Alice glared at her, not at all changing her mind. The twins sighed and Alice checked her watch
"Alright, come on, let's leave" she ordered standing up. Cat placed her plate beside the sink and Sophie grabbed her keys before the twins proceeded down to the garage and Alice walked out the front door to her yellow porsche. The twins followed Alice down the road and to Bella's house, parking in front of it. They waited in the car while Alice raced to the front door and knocked. Bella opened it and Alice grabbed her wrist, dragging Bella from the house, turning her head and waving over her shoulder as she shouted a "Hey, Charlie" over her shoulder. The twins waved to Bella with a smile before Alice forced Bella into her car.
"Jeez, she's going over board" Cat muttered
"She has been spending the last, what? Three months planning this?" Sophie reminded her
"Still" Cat sighed as Sophie started the car and followed Alice toward the Cullen's mansion.
"Do we know where Bella's going for her honeymoon?" Cat wondered
"You don't" Sophie answered
"And you do?" Cat asked surprised
"Turns out Alice and Edward trust me more to keep it a secret" Sophie smirked
"Where are they going?" Cat questioned
"I'll tell you when they've left" Sophie decided
"Well that's not fair, I'm great at keeping secrets"
"Sometimes, this one isn't as important as the other so you might not do as good a job at keeping your mother shut" Sophie smiled
"Thanks" Cat muttered. They arrived at the Cullens' house to see that Alice had reused her graduation decorations. The driveway was decorated with twinkling lights, all thirty metres of it, the difference was that Alice had added white satin bows to the lights. Cat's phone suddenly began to sound, she answered it to find Alice on the other end.
"I need you to go in and decorate the house too" she said suddenly
"Have you got a plan for me?" Cat asked
"Yes, I'll tell it all to you in a minute" and Alice hung up
"Alright" Cat answered before putting her phone back into her pocket. They pulled up at the house, Alice parking her car in the garage, they all noticed that Emmett's jeep was still missing.
"Cat, I need your help with some fragrances" Alice said and she dragged Cat out of the car and into the house. "Sophie, make sure Bella stays there" Alice ordered
"She's not a dog" Sophie crossed her arms as Bella leaned against Alice's porsche
"Do you know why she doesn't want me to see the decorations?" Bella asked
"Do you know why she wants to keep Cat and I hidden?" Sophie answered with question. Bella sighed
"Shouldn't have put her in charge" Bella shook her head
"You wouldn't have a wedding if you did that" Sophie reminded her
"Good point" Bella muttered.
"Now I have a plan" Alice said when the two were inside
"Alright, explain it" Cat nodded
"I want the house to smell amazing, but I'm not as good of an expert in flower scents as you probably are, so I have a few samples and I'd like you to tell me which ones are right. Then we can move to outside" Alice explained
"Sure, show me the flowers" Cat smiled. Alice lead Cat into the lounge room were there were several bouquets of flowers. Cat gapped at them all
"You said a few samples"
"This is a few" Alice said, her arms crossed.
"Question, why can't Bella se the non-decorated house?" Cat wondered randomly
"I need to get the decorations up first because all of our sense of smell is stronger then a humans, Bella's gonna be the first human here so I need her to test the smell when she first walks in" Alice explained, Cat rolled her eyes and walked up to the first bouquet. It had a bunch of roses, fuchsias, vanilla and orchids. Cat inhaled the scent twice before wriggling her nose
"It's nice but there's something off about it…" she thought for a minute and took a sniff "I think it's the vanilla"
"Alright," Alice grabbed another Bouquet without any vanilla in it "How about this?" she wondered. Cat sniffed the next one
"Roses and fuchsias aren't working together, you got one without both?" Cat asked Alice collected a few more and Cat repeated her sniffing. "That's better, roses and freesia go perfectly," she eliminated the bouquets that didn't posses those two flowers and sniffed, she removed the extra flowers from her original, creating a brand new bouquet. She sniffed the flowers again "We need more…" she thought and sat back for a minute "What goes well with roses and freesia?" she wondered to herself "Lilic" she realised, she looked at Alice, "Got any?"
"Of course" Alice smiled, she took another bouquet and Cat took the lilic out of it and put it into the one in her hand.
"You know Alice, with your sharp nose I wouldn't think you'd need my help" Cat admitted
"When it comes to plants I need the best opinion there is and that happens to be yours" Alice explained
"Right" Cat smirked. She smelled her bouquet again before pausing, sniffing the air and looked around "What's that…" she muttered before standing up and walking to another bouquet. She pulled out some orange blossom and added them to her newly made bouquet "Now that is beautiful" she smiled, Alice came up to her and sniffed Cat's bouquet
"Wow, you're right"
"Course I am" Cat grinned.
"Orange blossoms, freesias, roses and lilic" Alice listed taking the bouquet
"It's not something you'd expect to work" Cat shrugged.
"It's perfect"
"Do you have enough to decorate the house?" Cat wondered
"Can you make some?" Alice asked hopefully
"Of course" Cat smiled
"Good. Esme" she called, Esme came out of the kitchen and Alice explained to her about the flowers.
"Alright, come on dear" Esme took Cat's hand and lead her outside to a plain patch of grass. Cat got to work on growing the flowers, each growing within seconds instead of months while Esme went though and cut the flowers off and Cat grew more. It didn't take more than a few minutes before Alice, Esme, Cat and Rosalie, who had joined them, had decorate the house in the flowers.
"Alright, now we can bring Bella in" Alice allowed before rushing outside. Cat rolled her eyes before she heard a bunch of talking come from the other room
"It smells wonderful!" Bella admitted. It was almost intoxicating, but not at all over- whelming, the balance of the different fragrances was subtle and flawless. "Orange blossoms... lilac... and something else – am I right?" Bella asked, guessing, Alice smiled at Cat as she walked up to them. Alice had her hands clamped over Bella's eyes as she guided her through the house.
"Very good, Bella. You only missed the freesia and the roses." Alice informed her
"You have a good sense of smell Bella" Cat told her
"Cat, you're nose is amazing if you put this together" Bella admitted
"Yeah, nice job" Sophie said walking in.
"Thanks, it is one of my specialties" Cat shrugged. Alice didn't uncover Bella's eyes until they were in her oversized bathroom. The girls stared at the long counter, covered in all the paraphernalia of a beauty salon, Sophie sighed, not really looking forward to this at all while Bella began to feel her sleepless night weighing on her.
"Is this really necessary? I'm going to look plain next to him no matter what." Bella thought. Alice pushed her down into a low pink chair.
"No one will dare to call you plain when I'm through with you." she said confidently
"Alice, don't forget about the back yard" Cat reminded her
"Oh yes, I need you to go ad take a look at all the decorations and decide what would be best, then, after you've done it, come and get me" Alice ordered
"You are going to let me make the decision?" Cat asked, her eyebrow raised
"You're the expert on the outdoors" Alice reminded her, Cat shrugged and left the room, "Wait, Cat!" Bella called, Cat poked her head back around the corner "Think you could put me to sleep?" Bella wondered
"How am I meant to do that?" Cat wondered
"Can't you do something to my brain with your electric stuff?" Bella wondered, Cat thought for a minute
"Maybe, I've never done it before, cause of that we probably shouldn't try. Sorry" Cat admitted biting her lip
"Practice makes perfect" Bella pouted
"Not on your wedding day it doesn't. Alice has enough to do as it is, lest not add de-frizzing to the list" Cat smirked before disappearing and walking back down the stairs. Bella huffed and sat back into the seat and closing her eyes, trying to get some sleep the natural way.
"Soph, give me a hand?" Alice asked
"Sure" Sophie nodded and the two got to work. Cat stood outside and examined everything, several images of what would look perfect flashed through her mind before she raised her hands and decided on something. The trees moved gracefully and long thing branches grew down from the canopy. White blossoms grew from the stems, creating a white canopy celling over the entire reception. Vines grew up the tree trunks and more white blossoms bloomed from them along with a little moss. The arch at the alter was immediately covered in flowers as the vines weaved their way around the arbour, the river in the background topped off the scenery behind the reception. Several of the same plant grew out of the ground at the end of each row of seats, more white blossoms blooming to decorate the isle, the stems sprouting straight upwards. The biggest flower bloomed at the top, the green from the plants just topped off the look. Several flowers dropped from the canopy, immediately being replaced by new ones so that the canopy didn't look incomplete, the beautiful mini flowers covered the isle floor which was in turn was covered in a blanket soft moss. The flowers worked perfectly with the long lines of white gossamer ribbons, the bowery canopy and the rows of satin-draped chairs. Cat smiled at the work as the vines twisted there way around the door where she, Sophie, Alice, and most importantly, Bella, would be entering from. She heard a gasp and turned around to see Esme standing at the entrance
"Cat, it looks beautiful" Esme complimented
"Well, it still needs the Alice approval" Cat shrugged looking back at it
"It works perfectly with everything, no way could she say no to it" Esme placed an arm around Cat's shoulders and squeezed them a little
"Time to find out" Cat smiled and walked back into the house. She walked up into Alice's bathroom. Bella was sitting in the low seat still, looking very asleep as she had a mask on her face
"I'm done" Cat smiled, Alice looked up at her and left the room, Sophie winked at Cat before Cat crossed her fingers and followed Alice down the stairs. Alice had stopped in the doorway, her mouth hanging open as she looked at the scenery.
"Well?" Cat asked
"It's perfect" Alice managed to say before going back to admiring it all
"Wow, you seem surprised…" Cat noticed
"I can't see your future, so I actually had no idea what you were going to do" Alice reminded her
"Well, it's nice to have a surprise once and a while" Cat smiled
"You are a genius"
"I'm not that good" Cat shrugged "I just know what works"
"Which makes you a genius" Alice nodded, finally tearing her gaze from it all
"What ever, come on, I'm sure you're not done with Bella yet" Cat reminded her
"Not even close, she might as well have stayed up all night from the look of her eyes. She just doesn't know how to make my job easy does she?" Alice complained as they walked back up he stairs.
"She can't help it if she gets a nightmare" Cat shrugged
"She could try" Alice grumbled
"When was the last time you had one again?" Cat wondered, Alice sighed but didn't answer, getting Cat's point. Alice got back to working on Bella, she buffed, and polished every surface of Bella's body. While waiting for Bella to be ready to move on to the next phase of her make up, Alice working on the twins a little, making sure they were as perfect as they were allowed to be without out shining Bella. It was after lunchtime when Rosalie glided past the bathroom door in a shimmery silver gown with her golden hair piled up in a soft crown on top of her head.
"Oh my god, Rose, you look amazing" Cat complimented
"Thanks" Rosalie smiled at her
"It's got to be a crime to be as stunning as you" Sophie joked and Rosalie smiled at her before turning to Alice.
"They're back," Rosalie said, Bella looked at her with realisation; Edward was home.
"Keep him out of here!" Alice hissed
"He won't cross you today," Rosalie reassured her. "He values his life too much. Esme's got them finishing things up out back. Do you want some help? I could do her hair." she offered. Bella's mouth flew open in surprise, she had never been Rosalie's favourite person in the world. Then, making things even more strained between them, Rosalie was personally offended by the choice Bella was making now. Though she had her impossible beauty, her loving family, and her soul mate in Emmett, Rosalie would have traded it all to be human. And here Bella was, callously throwing away everything Rosalie wanted in life like it was garbage.
"Sure," Alice allowed. "You can start braiding. I want it intricate. The veil goes here, underneath." Her hands started combing through Bella's hair, hefting it, twisting it, illustrating in detail what she wanted. When she was done, Rosalie's hands replaced hers, shaping Bella's hair with a feather-light touch while Alice moved back to Bella's face. The twins were adding little touch ups to themselves, occasionally earning a scolding from Alice for doing so. Once Rosalie received Alice's commendation on Bella's hair, she was sent off to retrieve Bella's, Cat's and Sophie's dresses and then to locate Jasper, who had been dispatched to pick up Bella's mother and her husband, Phil, from their hotel. Downstairs, Bella could faintly hear the door opening and closing over and over. Voices began to float up to them.
"Alice do we really need to stay here?" Sophie asked as she combed through her hair
"Yes" Alice ordered
"But we've seen everything" Cat shrugged
"But they haven't seen you" Alice reminded them, talking about the guests
"I don't see why it's such a big deal" Sophie sighed
"We're doing this my way, so stop complaining" Alice snapped, the twins rolled their eyes and waited for Alice to finish with Bella and play with their hair. It didn't take long and Alice finished the twins hairstyles in a flash, doing them both identically the same and adding a few white blossoms to it. Alice made Bella stand so that she could ease the dress over her hair and makeup. The twins wriggled into their own dresses, helping one another and zipping up the backs. Bella's knees shook so badly as Alice fastened the long line of pearl buttons up Bella's back that the satin quivered in little wavelets down to the floor.
"Deep breaths, Bella" Alice said. "And try to lower your heart rate. You're going to sweat off your new face." Bella gave her the best sarcastic expression she could manage.
"I'll get right on that."
"Bella, you'll be fine" Cat assured her
"You look gorgeous and everything is perfect" Sophie smiled while Alice began to prod at the twins dresses
"Just look for Edward and keep your eyes one him" Cat smiled.
"I have to get dressed now. Can you hold yourself together for two minutes?" Alice wondered looking at Bella cautiously
"Urn... maybe?" Bella muttered, trying to calm her breathing. Alice rolled her eyes and darted out the door.
"Deep breath Bella" Cat said, standing in front of the bride
"It's meant to be your perfect day" Sophie remembered "Nothing can go wrong, I promise" this didn't seem to help Bella's situation. She concentrated on her breathing, counting each movement of her lungs, and stared at the patterns that the bathroom light made on the shiny fabric of her skirt. Bella was afraid to look in the mirror – afraid the image of herself in the wedding dress would send her over the edge into a full-scale panic attack. Alice was back before she had taken two hundred breaths, in a dress that flowed down her slender body like a silvery waterfall.
"Alice – wow." Bella breathed
"It's nothing. No one will be looking at me today. Not while you're in the room." Alice assured her
"Har har." Bella said sarcastically
"It's true you're absolutely stunning" Sophie complimented, Bella seemed to get her head on straight long enough to look at the twins
"You two look beautiful" she complimented
"Thanks"
"Nothing compared to you" Cat shrugged "I'm actually jealous" she admitted with a sigh, Bella rolled her eyes and didn't believe her.
"Now, are you in control of yourself, or do I have to bring Jasper up here?" Alice wondered
"They're back? Is my mom here?" Bella wondered
"She just walked in the door. She's on her way up." Alice informed her. Renee had flown in two days ago, and Bella'd spent every minute she could with her – every minute that she could pry her away from Esme and the decorations, in other words. As far as Bella could tell, she was having more fun with this than a kid locked inside Disneyland overnight. In a way, Bella felt almost as cheated as Charlie. All that wasted terror over her reaction… Renee rounded the corner and squealed before she even entered the room.
"Oh, Bella!" she walked quickly up to her daughter. "Oh, honey, you're so beautiful! Oh, I'm going to cry! Alice, you're amazing! You and Esme should go into business as wedding planners. Where did you find this dress? It's gorgeous! So graceful, so elegant. Bella, you look like you just stepped out of an Austen movie." Renee's voice sounded a little distance away to Bella, and everything in the room was slightly blurry as she began to panic a little. "Such a creative idea, designing the theme around Bella's ring. So romantic! To think it's been in Edward's family since the eighteen hundreds!" Alice, Bella and the twins exchanged a brief conspiratorial look. Bella's mom was off on the dress style by more than a hundred years. The wedding wasn't actually centred around the ring, but around Edward himself. There was a loud, gruff throat-clearing in the doorway and they turned to see Charlie standing at the door way in a tuxedo.
"Renee, Esme said it's time you got settled down there," he said.
"Well, Charlie, don't you look dashing!" Renee said in a tone that was almost shocked when she saw him. That might have explained the crustiness of Charlie's answer.
"Alice got to me."
"Is it really time already?" Renee said to herself, sounding almost as nervous as Bella felt. "This has all gone so fast. I feel dizzy."
"That makes two of you" Cat muttered to Sophie who nodded
"Give me a hug before I go down" Renee insisted to Bella. "Carefully now, don't tear any- thing." Renee squeezed Bella gently around her waist, then wheeled for the door, only to complete the spin and face Bella again.
"Oh goodness, I almost forgot! Charlie, where's the box?" she asked. Charlie rummaged in his pockets for a minute and then produced a small white box, which he handed to Renee. Renee lifted the lid and held it out to Bella. The twins gasped as they admired it with her.
"Something blue," Renee said.
"Something old, too. They were your Grandma Swan's," Charlie added. "We had a jeweller replace the paste stones with sapphires." Inside the box were two heavy silver hair combs. Dark blue sapphires were clustered into intricate floral shapes atop the teeth. Bella's throat got all thick.
"Mom, Dad... you shouldn't have."
"Alice wouldn't let us do anything else," Renee said. "Every time we tried, she all but ripped our throats out." A hysterical giggle burst through Bella's lips and the twins tried to hold in their laughter also. Alice stepped up and quickly slid both combs into Bella's hair under the edge of the thick braids.
"That's something old and something blue," Alice mused, taking a few steps back to admire her. "And your dress is new... so here – " She flicked something at Bella. She held her hands out automatically, and the filmy white garter landed in her palms.
"That's mine and I want it back," Alice told her. Bella blushed. "There," Alice said with satisfaction. "A little colour – that's all you needed. You are officially perfect." With a little self-congratulatory smile, she turned to Bella's parents. "Renee, you need to get downstairs."
"Yes, ma'am." Renee blew Bella a kiss and hurried out the door.
"Charlie, would you grab the flowers, please?" Alice asked. While Charlie was out of the room, Alice hooked the garter out of Bella's hands and then ducked under her skirt. Bella gasped and tottered as Alice's cold hand caught her ankle; she yanked the garter into place and was back on her feet before Charlie returned with the four frothy white bouquets. The scent of roses and orange blossom and freesia enveloped them in a soft mist. Alice handed one each to the twins, the biggest to Bella and kept the last for herself. Rosalie – the best musician in the family next to Edward – began playing the piano downstairs. Pachelbel's Canon. Bella began hyperventilating.
"Easy, Bells," Charlie said. He turned to Alice nervously. "She looks a little sick. Do you think she's going to make it?"
"She'd better." Alice said seriously. Cat rubbed Bella's free arm while Alice stood right in front of her and gripped her wrists in her hard hands. "Focus, Bella. Edward is waiting for you down there." Bella took a deep breath, willing herself into composure. The music slowly morphed into a new song. Charlie nudged her.
"Bells, we're up to bat."
"Bella?" Alice asked, still holding her gaze.
"Yes," she squeaked. "Edward. Okay." Bella let Alice pull her from the room, with Charlie tagging along at her elbow and the twins walking in front. The music was louder in the hall, it floated up the stairs along with the fragrance of a million flowers. Bella's feet shuffled along the floor as she walked. The music of Wagner's traditional march surrounded by a flood of embellishments. The twins went out first with a little nudge from Alice to remind them of their cue.
"It's my turn," Alice chimed. "Count to five and follow me." She began a slow, graceful dance down the staircase. Everyone was standing as the twins and Alice walked down the isle, Edward stood at the end, Carlisle next to him and Angela's father, the minister, standing behind them. Everyone's gaze was immediately torn from the three girls when Bella came into view at the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes scanned the crowed, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks as she noticed every eye was on her. Everyone watched as Bella seemed to have trouble keeping her pace to the rhythm of the music, her eyes locked with Edward's. Bella finally reached the end of the isle and Edward held out his hand, Charlie took Bella's hand and, in a symbol as old as the world, placed it in Edward's. The vows were the simple, traditional words that had been spoken a million times, though never by a couple quite like Bella and Edward. They'd asked Mr. Weber to make only one small change. He obligingly traded the line "till death do us part" for the more appropriate "as long as we both shall live." In that moment, as the minister said his part, Bella didn't realise she was crying until it was time to say the binding words.
"I do," she managed to choke out in a nearly unintelligible whisper, blinking her eyes clear so she could see Edward's face. When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious.
"I do," he vowed. Mr. Weber declared them husband and wife, and then Edward's hands reached up to cradle Bella's face, carefully, as if it were as delicate as the white petals swaying above their heads. Edward bent his head toward Bella's, and she stretched up on the tips of her toes, throwing her arms – bouquet and all – around his neck. The kiss lasted for such a while that the audience began to clear their throats and were tittering at them. They broke apart smiling at one another and the crowd erupted into applause. Edward turned their bodies to face their friends and family, though Bella didn't look away from his face to see them. The twins clapped with a smile, Sophie almost in tears as they threatened to spill over her eyelids.
"Alice, can I set off some fireworks? Please?" Cat wondered
"How about when they're leaving?" Alice suggested "I can't have any fires"
"I'm the controller of fire remember" Cat smirked, but Alice wouldn't allow it. The crowd surrounded the happy newly weds, Renee getting to them first and flinging her arms around her daughter's neck. The twins stood back and waited for the opportunity to congratulate the two while Bella was handed from embrace to embrace.
"You look stunning" someone breathed in Cat's ear, she turned and hugged her werewolf, giving him a kiss.
"Thanks" she stepped back to look at Jacob in his tuxedo "You look very nice" she winked
"Feels a little weird"
"That's just cause you're not used to wearing clothes" Sophie teased, Jacob and Cat looked at her a little surprised by her comment before Embry came up and kissed Sophie's cheek
"I know the bride's meant to be the centre of attention, but man, I couldn't get my eyes off of you" he told her
"Thanks" Sophie said sweetly before they shared a kiss.
"So aren't you gonna congratulate them?" Jacob wondered, Cat looked over at the new couple surrounded by people
"Later, when I can reach them" Cat nodded
"Smart, don't wanna go climbing through all that" Embry thought
"Specially not in these dresses" Sophie agreed.
"My don't you two look stunning" the twins turned to see their parents walking towards them
"Mum, it's not about us, it's Bella and Edward's day" Cat scolded her
"I'm allowed to admire my two daughters, plus we've just congratulated them" Caren assured them
"And Charlie" John nodded, Caren placed a hand under both the girls chins, tears welling up in her eyes
"You both look gorgeous"
"Thank Alice, she picked everything out" Cat shrugged
"She wouldn't even let us do our own hair" Sophie nodded
"And we thought we had it bad" Jacob muttered to Embry who nodded
"You all look gorgeous, John, get the camera out" Caren ordered and John rummaged through his pockets to do so
"Really, mum? Pictures?" Cat asked
"It's not everyday you get to be a bridesmaid and look this gorgeous" Caren said taking the camera from John. They forced the two couples to have separate photos, then one together and then both girls had a picture with their parents, separately and all together.
"Jacob, where's your father, I simply must get a photo of us all" Caren insisted
"Mum, it's not our wedding" Cat repeated
"It's alright, Alice wont mind" Caren assured them
"I'm pretty sure she will" Sophie muttered. Eventually, Bella and Edward were released from the crowds grasp and the twins were able to approach them
"Congratulations" Cat said hugging Bella
"Thanks" Bella said before she hugged Sophie
"You did great, and you were freaking out" Sophie rolled her eyes and Bella blushed
"We knew you'd be fine" Cat smiled. Bella smiled and nodded before Edward lead her through the glass back doors and to where the reception party was being held. The wedding and the party had flowed together perfectly, proof of Alice's flawless planning. It was just twilight over the river; the ceremony had lasted exactly the right amount of time, allowing the sun to set behind the trees. The lights in the trees glimmered as they entered the outside
"Wow, I didn't know there were lights" Sophie admitted
"Me either, must have put them up after I was done" Cat said looking at it all
"It looks gorgeous, you did a beautiful job" Bella complimented
"Thanks, I'm glad you like it" Cat said, giving her a sideway hug. Things slowed down, relaxed as the mellow August evening surrounded them. The little crowd spread out under the soft shine of the twinkle lights, and Edward and Bella were greeted again by the friends they'd just embraced.
"Seth" Cat beamed and walked up to embrace the tall boy
"You look amazing" Seth complimented
"Aww, thanks" Cat smiled
"You know Jake couldn't keep his eyes off you" he smirked
"You didn't tease him did you?" Cat frowned
"Narr" Seth assured her "I teased them both" he grinned, Cat rolled her eyes
"You know you're gonna get clobbered for that right?" she said, Seth shrugged
"It was funny"
"That's mean" Sophie said coming up behind Cat, Seth chuckled
"My bad" he looked at Sophie "It's amazing how alike you two look now"
"Thanks" they chorused.
"Cat, Sophie" the twins looked up to see Billy rolling towards them with Sue
"Billy" Cat leaned down to kiss Billy's cheek and give him a hug
"You two look stunning" Sue complimented
"Thanks"
"Mum was looking for you, look out she wants to take heaps of photos of us all" Cat warned, Billy chuckled
"That sounds like Caren" Sue smiled
"Oh, better go talk to the couple before they're whisked away again" Seth decided, and he walked up to them
"Congrats guys" he called as he approached them, Sue quickly went after them, tensing up as she approached the vampire, Billy followed with Cat and Sophie. Seth leaned toward Edward, arms extended and Edward returned the hug with his free arm, the other was wrapped happily around Bella.
"It's good to see things work out for you, man," Seth said. "I'm happy for you."
"Thank you, Seth. That means a lot to me." Edward pulled away from Seth and looked at Sue and Billy. "Thank you, as well. For letting Seth come. For supporting Bella today."
"You're welcome," Billy said in his deep, gravelly voice, and Bella was surprised at the optimism in his tone. Perhaps a stronger truce was on the horizon.
"He's not the only one that came" Sophie smiled as the two boys came up behind them
"Congrats guys" Embry said, he was a little tense, but not as much as Sue
"Thanks Embry" Bella smiled, Jacob walked up to Bella and picked her up, swinging her around
"Wow, never really thought about you getting married, well done for getting through it" he smiled, Bella smiled back happily. At first Jacob hadn't wanted to come to the wedding at all, but after a while, with Cat and Sophie and Seth all trying to convince him, he realised he was being stupid and come anyway.
"You guys are making me wish I was getting married" Cat smiled looking at it all, Jacob raised an eyebrow at her and she winked at him, earning a sigh. Everyone laughed before they noticed that a bit of a line was forming behind them
"Well, we better not hold you up to much" Cat decided and took Jacob's hand "Good luck" she winked. Seth waved goodbye and wheeled Billy toward the food. Sue kept one hand on each of them, while Sophie took Embry to the dance floor. Once Bella and Edward were done will all their, second confrontations with the guests, Alice ordered cake time. All the standard traditions were kept. Bella was blinded by flashbulbs as they held the knife over a spectacular cake – too grand, for the relatively intimate group of friends and family. Everyone took turns shoving cake in each other's faces; Edward manfully swallowed his portion as Bella watched in disbelief. She threw her bouquet with a typical skill, right into Angela's surprised hands. Emmett, Jasper, Embry and Jacob howled with laughter at Bella's blush while Edward removed her borrowed garter very carefully with his teeth. With a quick wink at Bella, he shot it straight into Mike Newton's face. And when the music started, Edward pulled Bella into his arms for the customary first dance; Bella surprisingly went willingly, despite her fear of dancing, just happy to have Edward holding her. Jacob pulled Cat to the floor after the music changed and Charlie went up to Edward and traded places with him to dance with Bella. Caren and John entered the dance floor also, along with Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett and Carlisle and Esme. Bella was forced, by Alice, to dance with every male at the wedding, Jacob went last while Cat danced with Emmett, the two were laughing most of the time. Sophie and Cat switched for a dance with almost everyone they knew also.
"Cat, Sophie," Esme said when they all had a spare moment "I'd like to introduce you to the Denali clan, our closest relatives" she introduced "This is Tanya," Esme introduced the one with the strawberry tint in her blond curls "Kate" she had pale blond hair, straight as corn silk "And Eleazar and Carmen" Esme pointed, both black-haired, with a hint of an olive tone to their chalky complexions. The twins shook hands with them each
"Wow, that's quiet a warm hand" Eleazar commented on Cat
"Yes, well, we're not exactly normal" Cat shrugged
"Just as normal as you are" Sophie smiled
"The twins are elementals" Esme explained "Meaning they can control the elements"
"How fascinating" Eleazar muttered, the twins smiled at them. They talked for a while longer before the Denali parted from the twins. As soon as they had the wolves came up behind them.
"Friends?" Jacob wondered
"New friends, they're counted at the Cullens' cousins" Cat explained, looking up at him
"Esme insisted on us meeting them, she kind of counts us as part of the family" Sophie said as the Denali clan disappeared amongst the crowd.
"So are you two enjoying all the food?" Cat teased, they grinned
"It's really good"
"Thanks" Sophie smiled
"Soph helped make it all" Cat explained at their confused expressions
"You did a great job" Embry smiled
"Not as good of a job as Cat did on the decorations out here" Sophie said looking up
"You did this?" Jacob wondered
"Well who else did you expect to do it?" Cat wondered "You were here three days ago and these flowers weren't here, how'd you expect them to bloom and grow so fast?" Jacob sighed
"Sorry for not noticing"
"Apology accepted" Cat smirked causing Jacob to roll his eyes. John walked up to them at that point
"So, which daughter do I get the honour of dancing with first?" he wondered smiling, Cat looked at Sophie who nodded and Cat went first, dancing across the dance floor gracefully, smiling as her father turned her. Sophie went next while Seth came up and took Cat away from Jacob again, he danced with Sophie before the twins were returned to their wolves and they had another dance. After about four songs Alice's voice sounded
"Bella! It's time!" the twins looked up, they'd promised to help Alice out
"We'll be right back" they muttered before walking up to Alice. Bella and Edward on the other hand ignored them
"We need to get Bella changed" Alice said before looking back at them, the happy couple was sharing a kiss. Alice walked swiftly across the dance floor to them, the twins following.
"Do you want to miss your plane?" Alice demanded, right next to Bella "I'm sure you'll have a lovely honeymoon camped out in the airport waiting for another flight." Edward turned his face slightly to murmur,
"Go away, Alice," and then pressed his lips to Bella's again. Cat rolled her eyes
"Bella, do you want to wear that dress on the airplane?" Alice demanded. Bella didn't really seem to paying much attention to her, it seemed that, at the moment, she simply didn't care. Alice growled quietly.
"I'll tell her where you're taking her, Edward. So help me, I will." Car smirked and Sophie gapped at Alice's serious tone. Her threat effected Edward though as he froze. Then he lifted his face from Bella's and glared at his favourite sister.
"You're awfully small to be so hugely irritating."
"I didn't pick out the perfect going-away dress to have it wasted," Alice snapped back, taking Bella's hand. "Come with me, Bella." Bella tugged against her hold, stretching up on her toes to kiss her new husband one more time. Alice jerked her arm impatiently, hauling Bella away from Edward. There were a few chuckles from the watching guests. Bella gave up then and let Alice lead her into the empty house.
"Don't worry Edward, she'll be back in a minute" Cat winked, earning a sigh from Edward before they followed Alice and Bella. Alice was looking at Bella annoyed
"Sorry, Alice," she apologised.
"I don't blame you, Bella." Alice sighed. "You don't seem to be able help yourself." Bella giggled at her martyred expression, and Alice scowled at her
"Come on Alice, you know how it is" Cat nudged her and Alice rolled her eyes.
"What did you think?" Sophie asked Bella, Bella smiled
"I loved it" she turned to Alice "Thank you, Alice. It was the most beautiful wedding anyone ever had," she told her earnestly. "Everything was exactly right. You're the best, smartest, most talented sister in the whole world." That thawed Alice out; she smiled a huge smile.
"I'm glad you liked it." Renee and Esme were waiting upstairs. The five of them quickly had Bella out of her dress and into Alice's deep blue going-away ensemble. Bella was grateful when someone pulled the pins out of her hair and let it fall loose down her back, wavy from the braids, saving her from a hairpin headache later. Bella's mother's tears streamed without a break the entire time.
"I'll call you when I know where I'm going," Bella promised as she hugged her goodbye.
"I'll tell you as soon as she's safely away," Alice outdid Bella, smirking at her wounded expression.
"Don't forget to tell me too, it's annoying me that everyone else knows but me" Cat complained
"Didn't they tell you?" Bella asked
"No, they thought I'd gave it away, right cause I don't know how to keep a secret" Cat rolled her eyes
"No, you don't" Sophie smirked, earning a glare from her twin
"You have to visit me and Phil very, very soon. It's your turn to go south – see the sun for once," Renee said to her daughter
"It didn't rain today," Bella reminded her, avoiding her request
"A miracle."
"Everything's ready," Alice said. "Your suitcases are in the car – Jasper's bringing it around." She pulled Bella back toward the stairs with Renee following, still halfway embracing her.
"I love you, Mom," Bella whispered as they descended. "I'm so glad you have Phil. Take care of each other."
"I love you, too, Bella, honey."
"Goodbye, Mom. I love you," she said again, her throat thick. Edward was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Bella took his outstretched hand but leaned away, scanning the little crowd that was waiting to see them off.
"Dad?" Bella asked, her eyes searching.
"Over here," Edward murmured. And he pulled her away from the guests; they made a pathway for them. They found Charlie leaning awkwardly against the wall behind everyone else, looking a little like he was hiding. The red rims around his eyes explained why.
"What are we going to do without them, everything's going to be so boring" Cat realised
"We'll have to remember how to entertain ourselves" Sophie nodded
"… I don't think I remember how" Cat muttered
"We'll find something for you to do" Alice assured them "Like helping clean up at the end"
"You need our help for that?" Cat wondered
"Well I need you to put the garden back to normal" Alice explained
"Aww, don't you like it like that?" Cat frowned
"I do, but it's special, not for everyday" Alice thought, Cat sighed. The guests made another aisle for the couple as they left Charlie. Edward pulled Bella close to his side as they made our escape. The twins walked up to them just before they left
"Have fun" Cat winked
"And we'll see you soon" Sophie said as they took turns to hug Bella
"Thank you, for what you've done" she said smiling
"Bella, we'll see you again" Cat assured her
"Yeah, this isn't goodbye" Sophie smiled, Bella hugged them both again before Edward lead her away.
"Aww, I miss her already" Cat whined. Everyone applauded when Edward kissed Bella on the doorstep. Then he rushed her to the car as the rice storm began. Most of it went wide, but someone, probably Emmett, threw with uncanny precision, and Bella caught a lot of the ricochets off Edward's back. The car was decorated with more flowers that trailed in streamers along its length, and long gossamer ribbons that were tied to a dozen shoes – designer shoes that looked brand new – dangling behind the bumper. Edward shielded Bella from the rice while she climbed in. Cat, standing at the back of the crowd, raised her hand and several fireworks set off as the two climbed into the car. Edward climbed in the drivers seat and, with a final wave the car raced off down the driveway, leaving them.
It took about half an hour for all the guests to leave and file away. The Cullens, the twins, the wolves and the twins' parents were all that was left at the end.
"Mum, dad, you don't have to stay, we'll be home soon" Sophie assured them
"Yeah, we kind of need to help clean up" Cat sighed, John chuckled
"I'm glad you're so optimistic about the task"
"Can't get more optimistic then I am right now" Cat said sarcastically
"Alright, we'll see you later" Caren smiled, kissing their foreheads before Jasper brought their car around for them. The twins waved before the car disappeared out of sight
"Right, lets get out of these dresses" Cat decided, the two raced up to Alice's bathroom and threw the dresses onto the chair that stood waiting, before pulling their original clothes on. They walked down stairs and Sophie headed for the kitchen to help clean up while Cat headed to the back yard to fix the plants. It only took them about half an hour to put the entire house back together, all of them racing around at high speeds except for the wolves.
"So where have they gone?" Cat asked when they'd finished
"Rio de Janeiro" Sophie smiled
"Rio? Why?"
"They've gone to Isle Esme" Alice explained
"Isle Esme?" Cat asked again
"Yeah, it was a gift from Carlisle" Esme smiled at Carlisle who kissed the top of her head
"Wow, awesome"
"He gave you an island?" Embry asked surprised, Esme nodded
"What's so surprising about that?" Cat wondered
"It's an island" Jacob repeated
"So? Mum and Dad gave Sophie and I an island for our tenth birthday" Cat admitted, the boys looked at her surprised
"Seriously?" Seth asked
"Yeah" Sophie shrugged "We've never used it though"
"It's somewhere in the south pacific off the coast of Chile" Cat said thinking, she looked at Sophie "That's right isn't it?" Sophie nodded with a disappointed look on her face at her sister's lack of knowledge. Cat suddenly yawned
"Well, time to go home" she muttered "Today's been way to long"
"Glad to see the darkness has caught up to you" Sophie rolled her eyes
"It's not my fault" Cat defended, Sophie raised her hands in surrender. Esme walked up to them
"Thanks for helping out so much" she smiled, giving them both a hug
"Well, we were kind of forced…" Cat began
"We're bridesmaids, it's the least we could do" Sophie cut her off, hugging the vampire. Cat yawned again and waved at the Cullens
"See you next time" she muttered before she, Sophie, Jacob, Embry and Seth left the house
"Who's got patrol first?" Cat wondered
"I do" Seth grinned
"I feel bad for you" she pattered his shoulder in sympathy before getting into the back of Sophie's porsche. Seth chuckled and shook his head before saying good bye and disappearing into the trees while Jacob got in next to Cat and Embry sat in the passenger seat next to Sophie. Sophie drove them back to the twins' house and the boys disappeared around the side before Sophie pulled the car into the garage. Their parents had left the lights on for them before going to bed and the twins climbed up the stairs to their rooms. Cat collapsed on her bed, not even bothering to change into her pyjama's while Sophie was more awake and got in properly before being joined by Embry. Jacob sighed when he saw Cat and forced her to get changed before he hugged her close and the two fell asleep in one another's arms.