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White Roses By paxnirvana
"Y' sure `bout dis, mon ami?" "Absolutely." "Didn't know y' two even knew each other." LeBeau actually looked uncomfortable as he watched him straighten his tie in the mirror. He hated ties. But they were part of formal wear for this time and he had been requested to wear a tuxedo, so wear one he would. He looked up into LeBeau's gaze, mildly surprised to see genuine concern there. They'd worked out their differences, but he knew LeBeau was a wary one still, reluctant to allow others too close. In a way, he was flattered that he was concerned for him. But he was an adult after all. And always responsible for his own actions - and the full consequences thereof. "We know each other well enough." LeBeau had the grace to wince. "'Spose so, since she got a bun in the oven, hehn?" "Children are a blessing," he responded steadily. Not even to LeBeau would he reveal his surprise and dismay over being told he was going to be a father. It hadn't been one of his finer moments, actually. But she'd taken his outright shock well. Then he'd shocked her in return by insisting they marry. It had taken a while to convince her it was the right thing to do, what he truly wanted to do, but she had finally agreed. "Dat's the truth, mon ami. I just hope y' know what you're doing," LeBeau said, meeting his dark gaze steadily. "Dis is happening awfully fast. No time t' t'ink things out." "I thank you for your concern, Remy," Bishop said solemnly, reaching out to clasp the other man on the shoulder of his elegant tuxedo reassuringly. "But I've done all the thinking I need to on this matter. We'll do well enough together, I believe." "If you're sure den, I t'ink its time, mon ami," LeBeau said, taking one last glance into the full length mirror at the both of them. In hastily rented black tuxedoes - white vest for Bishop, red cummerbund for Remy - they made a surprisingly elegant pair. They turned and left his room, and then the mansion, heading for the lake. * * * * * Everything had been thrown together in a hurry but it had come out amazingly well. Paige Guthrie looked around in pleased satisfaction. The white rose-covered arch looked lovely set beside the lake under the dappled shade of the big trees. The two wide rows of folding chairs set to leave an aisle between were already filling with people. The ivory satin bows decorating the inner chairs that she and Jubilee had worked so hard on last night fluttered gracefully in the gentle breeze. The weather was perfect. Sunny and warm with just the soft breeze, courtesy, no doubt, of Storm, the resident weather worker. There were definite advantages to having mutants involved in wedding preparations. Even ones at such short notice. She was still reeling from the announcement and the hasty flight back up from Kentucky yesterday in the X-Men's jet. There was no way, however, that she was going to miss out on this event. Paige had designated herself bridesmaid; the bride had smiled faintly at the idea but acquiesced with grace. She only wished she'd had time to get a new dress. Looking down at herself, she brushed at her satin skirts self-consciously. The only even remotely formal dress she owned was this hideous pale green concoction with the gigantic fluffy white bow that sat right over her left hip. Leftover from a girlfriend's wedding last year, she should have burned it, but her frugal nature had balked at that. So here she was, wearing it once again. With no time for rehearsals or more elaborate preparations they were winging it. The bride was waiting patiently in the boathouse for Paige to signal that everything was ready. She looked over the assembly again. Kurt Wagner had agreed to officiate and he stood waiting under the arch. The Professor sat on the groom's side, a serene expression on his face. The various X-teams sat where they would, but most of her fellow ex-students sat on the bride's side. She traded nervous glances with Jubilee. "Ready?" "As we'll ever be, hayseed," Jubilee said with a quirky smile, cracking her gum. Paige frowned at her, then glanced down at her attire again. Jubilee was wearing a pencil-thin short bright yellow dress. The only one, she claimed, that she owned. It looked good on her, but not very wedding-like. Paige sighed. There was nothing they could do about it now, and Jubilee was too small to have borrowed anyone else's clothes. "Still can't believe it," Jubilee said, shaking her head and fiddling with the tiny bouquet of white roses she held. Paige looked down at the matching one she held, then back up into Jubilee's eyes, trying to look adult and wise but feeling faintly lost. "Me either, but it's going to happen. I've never seen her so determined." "Yeah, or him either. Not that I know him that well, but he gets this look, if you know what I mean." "I just hope they know what they're doing." "It's the whole mommy thing I'm having trouble with," Jubilee said, rolling her eyes. Paige frowned at her. "She'll make a great mother," she said reprovingly. Jubilee just shrugged and rolled her eyes again. Shaking her head, she caught sight of two tall men in tuxedoes approaching. She stifled a quick gasp. Remy LeBeau in a tux was enough to make any woman's heart stutter. But Bishop looked amazingly good as well. Bishop. She shook her head in amazement. "There they are, Jubes. Okay, let's go get her," Paige said, turning toward the boathouse. "And get rid of your gum!" * * * * * Remy watched as Paige and Jubilee – the two self-designated bridesmaids – took off through the trees toward the boathouse to fetch the bride, both of them looking rather pale and shell-shocked. Just as most of the assembled people did. Behind him, Bishop kept on radiating a kind of serene determination. No embarassment over the hasty arrangements, no hesitation at all. It made Remy kind of proud, actually. Even if they'd determined he wasn't actually going to be Bishops' adoptive father in the future, he still had a soft spot for the big grim man. "De point of no return, mon ami," he said as they approached the flower covered arch. Taped music – since they hadn't had time to hire anyone to play live – began to play in the background. Something classical and filled with violins. It was just so much noise right then. Bishop raised a brow at him in amusement as they stopped beside Kurt Wagner. They both nodded at Kurt who gave them a solemn smile in return. "I think you are more nervous than I am, Remy," Bishop said, a faint smile on his face. "Y' got dat right," Remy said wryly, then patted at his pocket to reassure himself. "But I got de ring right here, an' Paige has de other one. We're ready to go." He looked up then, straight into Rogue's shimmering green eyes, feeling a sudden squeezing around his heart. If only, he thought, seeing the thought echoed in her eyes. She looked away first, white teeth clamped on her lower lip, blinking hard. He dragged his attention back to Bishop, strangely not annoyed to see the compassion in the big man's dark gaze. Bishop raised a brow at him, but he shook his head, clapping the taller man briefly on the shoulder. "Dis your show, mon ami," he said with forced lightness. "An' it's about to begin. Dere's Jubilee." They both turned to face the end of the aisle, near the small grove of trees, looking at the broadly grinning face of Jubilee. She looked quite pretty in her glowing yellow dress, her dark hair laced with baby's breath and holding a small bouquet of white roses trimmed with a huge fall of ivory ribbon in her white gloved hands. She'd even spit her gum out. She walked slowly toward them, stopping on the far side and turning to face them. Then Paige appeared. Looking solemn and teary-eyed in her pale green and white, a matching bouquet of white roses in her hands and baby's breath weaved into her piled-up blonde hair. When she took her place at their side the music changed into the traditional wedding march. Bishop straightened beside him, tensing subtly. Remy put his hand briefly on his back, for reassurance, and felt Bishop shudder slightly. Then they faced the bride. She walked slowly toward them, alone. She had scoffed at the notion that someone needed to give her away. Radiant and serene in an elegant ivory sheath dress, a wreath of mingled baby's breath and white roses crowning her pale blonde head, Emma Frost advanced toward them, a cool smile on her face. She carried a matching bouquet of white roses and ivory ribbon in her hands. She paused only briefly in her approach, to trade hard glances with Bobby Drake. He stood beyond the row of chairs, arms crossed over his chest, face uncharacteristically grim. As Emma reached the front, Bobby turned and left. Remy had no more attention for byplay then as he stepped back, allowing Bishop to step to her side, holding his arm out to Emma with a slight inclination of his dark head. She placed her white-gloved hand on his arm, a radiant smile breaking across her face. Bishop looked into her pale blue eyes, his own expression warming, his eyes twinkling in response. Remy could scarcely believe it, but the two of them seemed to almost glow with a kind of repressed energy now that they were together. Maybe this would work after all. He said a quick, silent prayer for them, then shrugging internally. It couldn't hurt. Bishop and Emma turned as one to face Kurt Wagner, who cleared his throat and lifted his head. "Dearly beloved. . ." he began. And they were married. - - fin - - ~*~ Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to Marvel Comics and Fox. Back to Wedding Challenge Index
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