"Are your nervous?" Demi asked Tabitha as she helped her into her wedding gown.
"A little." Tabitha answered, fidgeting with her dress straps. "But I love him, so I really have nothing to be worried about. Right?"
"Of course you do not!" Demi assured her best friend. "You and Sam will live long happy lives, and Sami will have many, many brothers and sisters."
"I hope. So, how do I look?" Tabitha asked, smoothing her white gown down.
"Tabitha, you look beautiful." Demona answered, smiling at her best friend in the mirror.
The dress was very long and pure white. The color offset Tabitha's natural auburn hair, and made her face seem to glow. The dress was form-fitting at the top, and was very lose and flowed down to the ground. Her train was not overly long, but still a great deal of it trailed the ground. A belt of silver inlaid with jewels, a present from the Demona herself, was around her waist and several gold bracelets hung on each arm. Her veil was long, coming nearly to her waist when over her face, and a sheer white material.
"Mommy…you look pretty!" Sami cried from the door. Tabitha turned to her daughter and smiled at the child. Sami was the flower girl, and she was dressed in a pale purple dress. Her long auburn hair had been tied back from her face in a fancy French braid twisted with ribbons. In her hand she clutched a white whicker basket full of flower petals.
"Is everyone almost ready?" Demi asked her godchild.
"Yep! Daddy told me to come ask momma if she was ready or not. How come Daddy can't just come ask her himself?" Sami asked, fiddling with one of her bows.
"See, sweetie, it's an old tradition. It's supposed to be bad luck for the bride to see the groom before the actually wedding." Demi explained, bending to fix Sami's other bow.
"Oh!" Sami said. "Why?"
"I'm not really sure, sweetie." Demi said, smoothing her own maid-of-honor's dress down.
"Well, can we go now?" Sami asked, hoping from one foot to the next. Tabitha and Demona smiled at one another over Sami's head.
"Do you know where is Uncle Rictor is?" Tabitha asked.
"Yes, but why do you wanna see Uncle Rictor?" Sami asked, looking up at her mother in confusion.
"Well, he's giving me away." Her mother explained.
"Giving you away? Giving you away to who? I don't think Daddy would like that." Sami pointed out, her blue eyes round.
"Oh, yes, he will! Seeing as though it's HIM I'm giving your mommy to." Rictor said, coming in behind the girls.
"Ohh." Sami nodded, comprehension dawning in her eyes.
The foursome made their way down to the waiting room just outside the chapel, Sami riding on Rictor's back. They all quickly got in line, Demona and Sami finding their respective partners. Terry, Skids and Rahne, the other three bridesmaids were there already, each with their escort. Jimmy, Shatterstar, Cable and Roberto were the three ushers, and one of Sam's nephews was the ring bearer, with whom Sami was going to walk in with. Sam's oldest brother, Josh, was his best man.
The music suddenly began, and Sami and her escort slowly began to make their way down the aisle, Sami sprinkling her flowers all the way down. Tabitha drew in a deep nervous breath, and clutched Rictor's arm tightly. Demi smiled back at her over her shoulder and mouth 'don't worry' right before Roberto escorted her down the aisle. Tabitha looked over at Rictor and smiled shakily. He smiled back and squeezed her hand.
"Well, come on, bonita. Let's go get you hitched."
******
"Do Ah look all right?" Sam asked for the fifth time, adjusting his bow tie. His brother Josh laughed.
"For cryin' out loud, Sam, you look FINE! Yoah gonna knock Tabitha's socks off!" Josh assured his older brother.
"That ain't the only thing he'll be knockin' off tonight!" Bobby Drake laughed from the corner. Sam turned and glared at him. "What?"
Sam just shook his head, and went back to straightening his tux. "Ah don't know…do you really think Tabitha wants to marry me?"
This comment was met with several groans and smack to the back of the head.
"Sam! SHE WANTS TO MARRY YOU! She wouldn't have said yes if she didn't!" Roberto groaned from his perch on the desk.
"Well, Ah was just makin' sure." Sam stated in defeat.
"Hey! Is everybody dressed?" A little voice called from outside the closed door.
"Sami?" Sam called, walking over to the door.
"Hi Daddy!" She called back.
Sam pulled the door open to find his daughter standing with her hands pressed tightly over her eyes. Laughing, Sam picked her up and kissed her cheek.
"What are you doin', baby girl?" Sam asked.
"Aunt Domino said to come see if your all ready. Then she told me to ask if you were all decent and keep my eyes closed. I don't know why." Sami narrated, shaking her head.
"Um, probably worried you'd see something that you shouldn't see yet." Sam figured.
"Okay. Are you ready?" Sami asked.
"We are. Go find out if yoah momma is." Sam told her, setting her on the ground.
"Okay, Daddy." Sami promised, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. "I see you soon!"
"Bye, baby." He said, watching her scoot off.
"Time to go?" Cable asked.
"Yep." Sam said, nodding nervously.
"Then we better go find a seat. I wouldn't miss this for the world." Bobby said to Hank.
"Neither would I." Hank agreed, bounding off. Bobby waved and took off after his blue buddy.
"Good luck!" Hank called back over his shoulder.
"Come on, big brother. We're suppose to be up there." Josh laughed, slapping Sam on the back.
The two brothers stood in front of the assembled X-Men, looking out over the gathered crowd. Sam's family sat in front, Paige and her husband Angelo with their baby girl. Sam saw Jubilee and Jonothon Starsmore sitting with them, Jonothon's arm wrapped possessively around Jubilee's slight frame. Jamie Starsmore sat near the back, still attempting to keep the children in line. Professor Xavier sat smiling in the front row of the opposite side from Sam's family, with Lilandra beside him. Domino sat a couple rows back, grinning.
"So, are you ready for this, bro?" Josh asked in a soft whisper.
"Ah've been ready for this day since they minute Ah laid eyes on her. Have you got the ring?" Sam asked.
"Of course." Josh assured him.
Suddenly the music started, and the wedding precision began. Sami came first, her dress setting off her hair color. She looks an angel, Sam thought, his eyes glowing with pride.
Next, the bridesmaids made their way down the aisle. Terry came first, with Jimmy Proudstar there to escort her. Next up was Skids and Shatterstar, followed by Rahne and Cable. Last was Demona Wagner, her arm linked loosely with Roberto's.
The music then seemed to grow louder as Tabitha and Rictor stepped into the chapel. Sam's breath caught in his throat as he saw her, his eyes glowing with love and pride. She made her way down the aisle, each step slow and regal.
She stopped when she got to the foot of the slight dais and turned to face Rictor. He smiled at her, and raised her veil to kiss her cheek softly. Then Tabitha ascended the steps to her future husband.
The first part of the sermon seemed to fly by for both Tabitha and Sam. Soon, they reached the vows.
"Do you, Samuel Zachary Guthrie, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, tell death do you part?"
"Ah do."
"And do you, Tabitha Delilah Smith, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, tell death do you part?"
"I do."
"The rings please." The priest asked Josh. Quickly, Sam's little brother handed over the rings to the priest. The priest then handed one to Sam and one to Tabitha, and said, "Please repeat after me. With this ring,"
"With this ring" Sam said, staring into Tabitha's eyes.
"I thee wed."
"Ah thee wed."
"Tabitha, please repeat after me." The priest turned to Tabitha. "With this ring"
"With this ring,"
"I thee wed."
"I thee wed."
"By the powers vested in me by the state of New York, I know pronounce you husband and wife." The priest proclaimed. "You may kiss your bride."