The title of the chapter comes from Blue Eyes Blind by ZZ Ward (same as chapter nine), that's the first song Samara dedicated to Emily, the song they both sang in the last Samara's chapter. Just felt like, at least for this chapter, I had to say from which song the title comes from.
Also, I really love RED, okay? That last album is me.

Part Two

Better In Time

Chapter XIII

But you saw more,
you saw my deepest part
With the light of a thousand stars,
you saw them, awake in me
And through your eyes, you showed me everything
You woke me up inside, brought back to life
I lost myself, but now I breathe again

(The Ever, RED)

"Breathe, honey, you don't want to be blue in every picture you'll be in today, even if that would be a funny story to tell my grandkids one day."

You keep your eyes on Emily, you don't think you could ever look away, as you nod and do as your father says. He's right, you don't want that, the thought alone makes you cringe. They must be perfect – just as Emily is. You've been told that the sight would have taken your breath away and they weren't lying, no. She's absolutely stunning, she always is – in the mornings when she refuses to open her eyes and her hair is messy, and you just can't resist ruffling them some more, making her groan and lay her head on your stomach so you can cuddle; in those moments she freely dances and sings at the top of her lungs around your apartment in a messy ponytail and baggy clothes, making you laugh when she winks at you before you join her; in those nights she comes back from work so tired that she just wants to sleep and gets grumpy when she isn't able to fall asleep, blaming you for being such a distraction; in the nights she insists to watch horror movies and she squeezes your hand so hard that it almost hurts when a particularly scary scene plays, and you spend all the time with your head hidden in the crook of her neck and you just know, you just feel that she's smiling and that she's so beautiful in that moment even without looking at her – but there's something different about her and you can't understand what, you could swear she gets more and more beautiful as each day goes.

"Think of all the stories I could come up with, I'll be the best grandpa ever! Don't tell Wayne though, we already placed some bets."

"It will be our secret, dad, don't worry."

He chuckles as you smile, stroking his arm. It's beautiful hear that sound coming out from his lips, it's getting an increasingly rare occurrence as time goes by and you're getting more worried. You mentally sigh, you've promised him that you wouldn't have this thoughts today, and you hug him tightly. Grandfather. You know this is one of his greatest desires, only comparable to the one he has to see all his children happy – someone could say he was almost happier than you when Emily proposed, proud that his younger kid was the first to 'Start that wonderful and terrible journey that wedding is'. His words weren't exactly encouraging, but you simply smiled and thanked him, assuring him that you and Emily were ready to face whatever life throws your way, good and bad. You and Emily talked about it and this is one of the reasons, the main that you both can't wait to be mothers, you decided to have a baby as soon as possible. You slowly pull away and scowl at him when you see tears in his eyes, but he just assures you they're happy tears and, when he smiles, you can't control your own.

"No, no. Don't cry, honey, your mother will yell at me if I am the reason you ruin your make up."

You manage a shaky laugh as he gently and carefully wipes the tears out with his thumbs, he's right, your mother would definitely do that. You're a perfectionist and so is she, you had to take it from someone, but you're nothing compared to her. While you accept that things can't always be as you wish them to, your mother doesn't. Settle for nothing less than the best, that's one of the lessons you and your siblings grew up hearing constantly, one that caused many problems and too much self-doubt for all the three of you over the years, but one that she never imposed, always trusting you knew what was best for you and supporting every choice any of you made. He kisses your forehead and smiles at you one last time, stroking your cheek, before taking his place beside your mother and you turn towards the altar. Emily smiles at you and offers her hand for you to take, and you take a deep breath before smiling back and taking her hand. It's time to start the journey.

"Now sit and don't exhaust yourself, please."

"It was just one dance, honey, and I'm fine. It was this or singing and Wayne and I agreed we would spare you the pain."

You laugh together as you thank him, both for the surprise, one they shouldn't have done, you and Emily said that there weren't any mandatory dance, but one that left the two of you speechless and emotional, and for the generous thought, they're both terrible at singing. You still remember the first, and last, time you went to a karaoke bar all together and they, after having one too many, insisted they had to sing together to 'Strengthen the bond between our families', somehow managing to involve your mothers, and, even though you were a bit surprised, you and Emily had been relieved to see them getting along so well. He interrupts you after awhile, saying it seems that Emily is looking for you, and you smile when he uses the term wife. Wife, you like it. You turn into the direction he's looking and you smile when you see that, indeed, she's looking for you from the other side of the dance floor and you wave at her, smiling again when your eyes meet and she waves back.

"Go, this is your day."

You smile at your parents and you quickly make your way to Emily and your friends, intertwining your hands together and meeting her halfway when she leans in with a smile on her lips, you then try to understand what they're talking about and she fills you in, telling you that Leah has already managed to spill a drink all over Arizona's dress, and you laugh because that's so Leah. While you managed to thank Bianca for her speech, the same can't be said for Spencer and you take the moment to do that when the laughter dies down.

"Originally it was much longer, but Hanna made me cut a few parts, so I'm really glad you enjoyed it."

"It was like one of those long and boring essays she wrote back in high school, I almost fell asleep when she made me read it. There's no need to thank me."

You all laugh again, all but Quinn, as Spencer rolls her eyes and reminds her that she didn't seem to mind when she needed help and Hanna simply shrugs, causing more laughter. Emily often likes to share their high school (mis)adventures and you can't help but laugh each time, imagining how the scene could have played out and how hilarious it must have been. You're glad she had them during those times, that even now, even after different obstacles she still has them.

"Shannon and Steve wanted me to thank Emily at the end of mine for taking one for the team and marrying this dumbass. Their words, not mine."

"Not that we don't agree."

"Whatever", you pretend to be offended by Emily's words, "You all love me."

"Some more than others."

You melt and smile at the sweetness and firmness in her voice, slowly leaning in. You peck her lips a few times as Hanna makes gagging sounds, causing Spencer and Bianca to laugh – not Quinn, who appears to be in a world of her own, you noticed that. You shrug apologetically when you pull apart, squeezing Emily's hand, and laugh when David comes and asks Bianca to dance, assuring her that their daughter, Amber, is playing safely in the area you and Emily set up for the kids, leading her to the dance floor between Hanna and Spencer's teasing eye rolls.

"It's getting too sappy here, I need a drink, or two. Spence, you coming?"

She doesn't wait for an answer before starting to make her way to the bar, fully knowing that she will follow, and you smile as Emily shakes her head, amused by her friends' behaviour, before focusing your attention to your best friend. You follow her gaze, smiling as you see your sister and Jennifer laughing together, just to see she's been staring at Zoey the entire time. You softly sigh, wondering what happened – something must have, and it must be something really important for them to act like this, they've never avoided each other for too long and they've been acting strange this morning. You may have been focused on your personal drama, but that didn't stop you from noticing what was going around you. You're about to approach her when Emily squeezes your hand and you look up, her thoughtful eyes already staring into yours. You look at her confused and she simply tilts her head, and you turn your eyes in the direction she's pointing before nodding slowly. She looks at you concerned you might have changed your mind, that this is something you don't agree with anymore and you nod again, giving her the reassurance she's seeking, and she softly kisses you again before heading towards the balcony. You watch her go, sighing deeply, hoping this is going to somewhat help the both of them, before turning your attention back to Quinn.

"You should go and talk to her."

Sometimes you find it funny how easy it is to scare her and you often do that willingly, just to laugh when she curses you under her breath, but not this time. This time, when she jumps and then curses you, you apologize. You've never seen that look in her eyes, you've seen love and longing, guilt and shame, but never heartbreak – and that, that breaks your heart. It's hard to hurt Quinn, she's this hardened person who constantly keeps her heart guarded, not in fear of getting hurt, but of hurting someone else. Protecting the ones she loves is a duty she has taken upon herself and you don't remember a time when she didn't assume that role. Even when you were children, she was already driven to fix and protect, inspired by whatever hero she worshipped at the time, and, as every hero, she had to be alone – even if there was a time you were something more than a sidekick. You wish she could understand that she is allowed to love and be loved, that she deserves that kind of love, that's what you've been wishing for in the past ten years.

"I've already said what I needed to."

"And have you listened to what she needed to say?", her silence is an answer and you shake your head, sighing, "Maybe you should have, you should do that now."

"The choice is made, Samara. And maybe it's better this way, she deserves so much better than me."

"And tell me, whose choice was that?"

She clenches her jaw and again you have your answer. You knew as soon as she said it that it wasn't a choice they both made, but a choice she made for the both of them. She tends to be careful with the words she chooses to use, being fully aware of the weight that words can have and of the power they hold, of the way they could be interpreted, of how easily they could be twisted. That doesn't mean she doesn't speak her mind, because she always does that, never afraid of the consequences, but she considers what approach to use depending on her current goal. She knows what words to use, how to say them, what kind of tone she should use, when she has to make a pause to let the words sink in and she knows how to make you feel better, but she also know how to break you down in a few words. You don't even try to imagine what she could have said to Zoey, you're not sure you want to know. And you don't even try to contradict what she said, you've being trying to do that for the past years and she never understood it. You don't look away, you simply stare and she shivers under your cold gaze, looking away and snorting.

"This doesn't concern you, so you don't have to worry."

You can see by how much she struggled to articulate the words that she's trying to be polite, but you can read through the words. Mind your own business. You ask her if she's really sure of what she's doing and you sigh as she simply repeats not to worry. She's not, but this is her choice and you can't do anything about that. You look over to Zoey, only to find her already staring at you and you try to smile, earning a sad one in return – she must have understood what you were talking about. She then points to the dance floor and a real smile appears on her lips when you nod enthusiastically, you turn to Quinn who only nods, having witnessed to the brief exchange, and you make your way to Zoey. You know she won't tell you anything, but that won't stop you from being there for your best friend.

You are talking to one of your mother's aunt when Emily finds you and, with just a quick glance at the expression on her face, you know that her conversation with Paige didn't go as she hoped. You immediately excuse yourself, earning a wide smile and a nod from your aunt, and you take Emily's hand, kissing it softly before leading her to the dance floor. You stay quiet as you dance and you try not to stare at her, only stealing a few glances now and then to understand what she's feeling. You can't exactly pinpoint if it's frustration or anger, could it be both? What happened?

"It didn't go well, but we can discuss it another time."

"But you're distressed now", you say softly, stroking her cheek, and then, when she doesn't seem convinced, you try to joke, "And you know me, I'm a worrier."

That gets her to smile, "You are."

You simply smile at her and say no more, you don't want to push her to talk, but you just wanted to let her know that, if she wanted, she can do that. You know why she's hesitating, she feels like she let Paige influence the day more than she should have, but you don't mind, you know how important this is to her. You don't push her, you only focus on getting the steps right since, for once, you're the one leading, Emily lost in her thoughts. You aren't a bad dancer, if you get to say that about yourself, but you're not that good at following instructions. So you focus on that, because, what if you miss a step? The perfectionist in you couldn't accept that and you absolutely don't want to do what Leah did at her own wedding – to this day, you still wonder how Arizona thought it would have been a good idea to let her lead, but as you watch them dancing now you see that she learned that lesson. You think you're doing good, but you're relieved when Emily takes the lead nonetheless. Somehow, dancing comes so easy to her.

Your eyes meet and she looks for reassurance into yours, and you give her that, nodding with a small smile on your lips. It takes awhile for her to start talking and you can't shake off the feeling she's debating with herself whether or not to tell you something and you can't help but wonder what it is, her jaw is clenched and that's happens only when she is angry – but at what? Is she because it didn't go well or because of something that Paige said? You have your answer when she starts speaking, she wouldn't have gone straight to the point as she wants to make you believe. You look at her confused as to why she doesn't want to tell you the truth and you understand it's not because she doesn't want to tell you, but because she doesn't want to think about it, so you let it go – she will tell you when she feels like to. You simply listen and nod in acknowledgement, as a confirmation that you're actually listening, as she tells you that she was right, that she stills is to her what Paige used to be for her, that she didn't need her to explicitly tell her that to know. You freeze for a moment when she tells you that Paige refused her offer – you're not surprised she rejected it, but because Emily offered in the first place – and you wait for her to finish, not wanting to interrupt her, for her to take a deep breath and recompose herself before asking.

"I thought you decided not to know."

You are confused and surprised and now you need to know. When, a few months ago, Spencer said she needed to tell you something she wasn't completely sure about whether to say or not, you were worried, neither of you had ever seen her so nervous and unsure. You listened to her quietly and you were so focused on staring at Emily, at her rigid posture, at her lips pressed in a tight line, at the coldness in her eyes that you didn't even notice when she raised her hand to stop Spencer – at the time you already knew that, when Emily found out Hanna and Paige were still in contact and were friends, she had asked her former best friend the reason Paige left, Emily herself told you that when you were talking about their relationship even before the two of you got together, you knew that Hanna refused to tell her, but offered to be a bridge between them so they could talk about it, earning a stern refusal from her. At that point she looked at you, really looked at you, and asked you if that was something you wished to know and you were sincere when you told her that you didn't care, but that you would have supported whatever choice she was going to make and you could see it in her eyes that she was sure of it when she told Spencer that she didn't want to know, and you're now confused as why she told Paige she could tell her the reason she left.

"You know that I don't care about knowing why anymore, she made her choice long ago and I made mine", she stops to be assured that you actually know that and you simply nod, because you know it, "I just thought that it could have helped her, you know? One less weight on her shoulders", she sighs, "But she made her choice once again and I'm done trying to understand her. I did what I could, I can't help who doesn't want to be helped."

"And how do you feel?"

"A little frustrated, but good. Thank you for letting me do this, I know you didn't exactly love the idea."

You simply smile as you shake your head, that's right. You didn't like it, but it's not like you had to. It was simply what Emily needed, to finally close the book that she discovered was still open for Paige, and there was no way you would have ever disagreed with it – it meant something to her, too. You respect what they had, what they meant to each other, what they still, but in a different way, mean and probably will always mean to each other and you absolutely respect that. Not doing that would be like disrespecting Emily, refusing who she is by not acknowledging what made her who she now is, who you now love.

"I love you, wifey."

You roll your eyes at that, but you can't stop the smile forming on your lips. Of all the cheesiest and lamest nicknames she could have chosen, of course she had to choose this one. You don't say anything though, you know that it would only encourage her to come up with others and you already have too many, and you wraps your arms around her neck as you lean in.

"I love you, too, wifey."

"I can't believe it!"

"Oh I know, aunt Maribel has always been a bit…"

"Not your aunt, love. Quinn."

Emily looks at you confused and you just point towards the bar where Quinn seems to be in the middle of a argument with Ashley and Paige, and her eyes darken. You don't have any doubt about what they're arguing about and neither does Emily. There was only one thing you've asked Quinn and Spencer to do, to stay away from Paige, and only the latter has actually listened to what you said. Emily stares at you with a stern look in her eyes and you know what that means, she's angry, but it doesn't compare to what you feel right now. In twenty years, she never broke any promise, she always kept them, and that is what hurts. Emily's eyes soften at the sight of the hurt covering your face and she squeezes your hand, but you just look down. You can't believe it, you don't want to.

"Meet me at the entrance in five."

"Don't you want to stop them?"

She looks at them with the corner of her eyes and then she shakes her head, "My primary concern is you."

A small smile escapes your lips at those words and you nod, Emily smiling radiantly back at you. She kisses you briefly and tells you not be late before quickly leaving, a mysterious smile on her lips. You simply watch her go, confused and curious about what her intentions are, but then you smile, you'll let her surprise you. You turn again towards the bar, where they're still arguing, and you feel your blood boil. As if she felt your cold gaze on her, Quinn turns into your direction, quickly followed by Ashley and Paige, and your eyes meet. You're too far away to see the tension and the panic in her eyes, but you can read them in her stiff posture. You simply shake your head and, with that, you're gone.

You don't have to wait much for Emily to arrive and you smile when you see her, before noticing the bag she is holding and the two beach towels over her shoulder and you simply look at her confused. She simply gives you a mischievous smile, giving you the time to figure it out, and her smile just grows wider when realization hits you. Before you can even try to protest that you can't leave your own party, she silences you with a firm kiss and whispers that nobody will notice you're gone.

"I even brought cake!"

She says that excitedly, as if cake is supposed to be a deal breaker – and it usually is, but you were already sold when she kissed you – and you simply nod, matching her enthusiasm, and lean in again. She smiles brightly and takes your hand, leading you outside and towards the beach, and you smile to yourself, Emily and her love for sunsets. She's so cheesy sometimes. As you help her set up the towels, you can't help but wonder where she found them. Unless, unless she had this already planned. Your smile just widens when she smiles guiltily and rubs her forehead, trying to explain herself. You still find endearing how cute she is when she stumbles over her own words.

"I just knew it would have been a busy day and that we wouldn't have spent that much time together, you know, only the two of us. And I wanted that, to have you only for myself, just for a while."

You simply laugh as you pull her in for a kiss, softly thanking her for the sweet gesture, and she smiles into the kiss before gesturing you to sit and you quickly oblige. You watch her with a small smile on your lips as she takes everything out from the bag and your smile turns into giggles when she struggles to open the bottle, earning a glare in return that only makes you laugh harder. She looks at you and winks victoriously when she finally manages to do it and you simply laugh at her antics. She then pours it into the two glasses she brought and hands you one, and you softly cheer together to yourselves. You sip it slowly, laying your head on her chest, and stare at the horizon. You're really glad she thought of this, the view is really beautiful and you keep your eyes open as you relax into her arms. This is peace.

"I can't wait to leave tomorrow. You and me, I couldn't ask for anything better."

Emily kisses the top of your head and hums, a tender smile on her lips. You just stay that away for a long time, playing with each other's hands, sharing a few kisses every now and then, staring into each other's eyes and smiling. No words are needed, you just enjoy the moment in a blissful silence. You really like this kind of moment, where you simply stay quiet and everything around you feels like peace. You would like to stop time, to frame this one single moment and just live it over and over again. This is the fondest memory you will have of this day. This is the moment you're going to remember when the sea grows rough and you and Emily will have to swim as hard as you can to stay afloat, when the sea grows rough and you'll have to remember you are each other's harbour. This is the perfect moment, one that painters would never be able to capture with their colours, one that singers would never be able to really tell even if they poured their hearts out, one that writers would never be able to find the words to describe its simple and pure essence.

Thing is, perfect moments don't last forever. One way or another, they come to an end. Actually, perfect moments aren't the only ones to end. Everything, in this world, meets its fate. Sometimes these moments simply meet their course, sometimes they are broken, interrupted before they do. You don't know if this is some kind of a blessing or of a curse, and you think you'll never find an answer for this question. But there's something you are now sure of, and that's you can't escape fate. It will chase you and catch up with you, no matter what, and it will destroy everything in its way, shattering every conviction you may have. You've always thought that once a choice was made you would have to live through its repercussions, but that nothing could ever erase them. You never believed in the idea of right and wrong choices, it has always been a foreign concept to you. There's choosing for yourself and there's letting life choosing for you, that's what you always thought. Right and wrong, they are black or white concepts and there's no black or white choice. There's no making the right or wrong choice, but there's simply making one and they matter – at least, you thought so.

You really used to believe in that, but in the moment a man comes over to apologize after a ball lands on the bottle, knocking it over and spilling its content, causing Emily to freeze and for her smile to die, you realize you've been wrong all along. Choices. They don't matter.

They never do.

Author's note: I'm sorry I didn't manage to update earlier, but you already know I'm kinda stuck, so writing comes slower. Thanks to those who are helping me pushing it through - no names, they know who they are.

To the guest who reviewed the last chapter: I'm quite tall, actually. Joking aside, I know I am. I simply like to focus on specific scenes, not to lose the goal I'm trying to achieve in every scene by going to great lenghts to write something I don't really care about - if that makes sense, I don't know. I hope it does.