A/N: I'm going to put up links on my profile that show the dresses for the wedding. Also, I'm sorry it's taken me this long to update.
Paige and Phoebe were out and about, shopping in Bodega Bay during one of their mutual breaks from college. Paige had found a phenomenal dress by Sue Wong, a long seutache embroidered gown with beaded accents and a floating cascade panel skirt in a soft peach color. It was out of this world and had a certain 1920s flapper feeling. The bridesmaid dresses were also Sue Wong designs, though Prue, Piper and Phoebe had chosen different dresses.
Prue had chosen a strapless bandeau sheath dress that stopped well above her knees in a beautiful pale ice blue color with embroidered flowers on the skirt, while Piper had chosen a similar strapless sheath dress with a draped bodice and ornate beading at the waist and along the skirt in a similar color. Phoebe had decided to stay in the same color scheme and had chosen to wear a sheath dress with an empire waist that had the same seutache embroidered flowers as Paige's gown.
Paige had decided on the 1920s theme due to her recent past life screenings. She had discovered that she and her sisters had spent their last lives as cousins, with Piper and Prue as one set of siblings and Paige and Phoebe as another. Paige had also learned that Henry had been the investigating detective in past Phoebe's death, and that he had helped the cousins cover up their crime. Since then the manor was being prepared to turn back into the speak easy it had once been and Quake had been contracted to cater and bar tend for the night.
Sam and Patty had since met Paige's fiance as well as his parents who were absolutely thrilled by their son's choice in a wife. While they still wished the couple would wait they had joined in helping prepare for the upcoming nuptials. Only close friends who were aware of the sisters' secret were invited, such as Andy and Susan, Daryl and Sheila, and some of their friends like Wendy, Piper's best friend and Glen, one of Paige's old boyfriends.
Walking into Gourmet Au Bay, Paige and Phoebe moved around looking for the bottles of wine on the list Piper had drafted up to stock the bar for the wedding. Prue would be taking care of the portraits, Piper the catering and decorations, and Phoebe had found the entertainment; a college friend that sung in concert choir would be performing popular songs from the roaring twenties accompanied by the jazz band. This was one of the last tasks before the ceremony tomorrow. The manor had been guarded by spells and enchantments to ward off evil and protect their guests. Small tables often found at clubs had been set up to create a cabaret feelings and all of the linens and center pieces were out for tonight's rehearsal dinner.
After that the men would leave for Henry's bachelor party and the girls and their guests would have an adult slumber party playing bridal games, sipping champagne and watching old black and white movies to inspire them for the next days performance. Father Austin would officiate as he already knew the families secret and wouldn't be surprised about the appearance of certain guests like Penny Halliwell, and then Henry and Paige would orb to Italy for their week long honeymoon.
"Can you believe it," Phoebe asked her. "You are going to be the first one of us to get married!"
"It's not like Piper and Leo, and Prue and Brendan won't be following soon," Paige said. "We're having a wedding for just about every season. Me and Henry in the summer, Prue and Brendan in the fall, and Piper and Leo this winter. All we need is for Coop to find you someone and we might have our spring wedding," Paige said.
"I know, but Coop and I have discussed it and I really want to move slowly about this. I fell for Cole so fast and I just want to be prepared and make sure that when I do meet someone I'm with them for them and not to be alone."
"Good for you, Pheebs. Still, you and Coop have been working together for months. It's been almost a year since I vanquished Cole, and I'm not saying you have to move on because it will happen in its own time, but you will find love. I mean, it was alternate universe Phoebe who told us that you weren't meant to be alone forever."
"I know, but I feel like I'm finally on track for once and I like that. I'm still young and I have years before I have to worry about getting married and starting a family. I think for now I want to settle into figuring out what I want to do with myself before I focus on becoming a couple. I'm kind of glad Coop hasn't started making any matches yet."
"I bet you are," Paige said with a sly grin. "Is he still coming as your date?"
"You know it's not like that, Missy Paige!"
"Um hmm."
Prue was helping piper set up the parlor, conservatory, sun room, and formal dining room for the ceremony and reception the next day. The furniture had been switched out for their Great Aunt Pearl's satin settee and small, round tables for two. A small stage had been erected near the piano with an old fashioned microphone for the singer and jazz band, as well as old fashioned oil lamps for mood lighting all throughout the lower level of the house. The old bar and been put together after Leo, Henry, Daryl and Andy had dug it out of the attic; dismantled after the speak easy had gone out of business after prohibition had ended.
She was still nervous because her fiance hadn't shown up yet and Prue barely got to see Brendan because of his training. He had reacted great to the news of the baby and the Elders had assured them that whatever powers their child had inherited from Brendan's warlock nature would not corrupt their child, whom the Elders said had a very special role to play and an important destiny; as if that were something new in her family. Butterflies continued to make her stomach uneasy as she moved from table to table making sure everything was prepared, as well as the antique camera equipment from her previous life that she would be using. Everything was ready. So why couldn't she fight the unease she was feeling?
Piper plated the food and removed her apron, allowing the waiters to take the dishes from her into dining room. The manor looked enchanting and Piper took a moment to appreciate it all before taking her place next to Leo. In six months time this would be their rehearsal dinner and her sisters would be there supporting them.
Piper may have thought that she and Leo were moving fast but she had known from the moment she laid eyes on him that he was the one she had been waiting for. Glimpses into her past lives had reassured her, as she learned that they were constantly involved in a romantic triangle with themselves and Piper's ex boyfriend Dan. Seeing herself as Constance, a young Scottish highlander and the daughter of a highland king -one of her first lives- in the early fifteenth century, then as Astrid; an English woman in the 1600s, Patrice in the 1920s as well as all of her lives in between as the Warren line moved closer to America and settled into their family estate in California had only proved to Piper that she and Leo were meant to be as battles and mini-dramas were fought in the pursuit of their love.
Leo took her hand in his and looked down into her eyes before kissing her softly. Piper knew this was the beginning of their lives and their happiness. The ultimate battle had been fought, and while she knew attacks would still take place, Piper and her sisters were finally getting their story book endings. Tomorrows wedding would be the first day of the rest of their lives.
The guests were seated and the jazz band started playing while Sam ushered Paige down the staircase, through the foyer and into the conservatory. Paige's dark brown hair was down and hung loose on her shoulders in a wave, parted to the side and one side was pulled back into an ornate, crystal studded clip. Her lips were painted stop light red and her eyes popped under her smoky eye shadow. Her bouquet was made up of pink peonies and she glided as she made her way to Henry.
Everyone looked on as the two exchanged vows and suddenly the manor became alive with gossip and energy as it became a party. People danced and lined up to be a part of the portraits Prue was taking that would make their way into the wedding album, and Paige and Henry were glowing and gushing over each other. Phoebe was giving free readings and Piper moved around making sure that their guests were taken care of.
Brendan appeared behind Prue. Dapper in his black tuxedo and his hair slicked back in a good old boy kind of style. "May I have this dance," he asked.
Prue turned and kissed her fiance. "I'd love to," she answered and he led her to the makeshift dance floor near the stage. She put her head on his shoulder and they danced in silence until she finally looked him in the eyes and asked, "are we going to be okay?"
