Title: Yesterday to Tomorrow: Chapter Sixty-two, Everything Settled
Rating: NC-17 [violence, swearing, nudity, sexual situations]

Summary: All the wedding planning is complete.

Previous Chapter Twelve Days

Current Chapter Everything Settled

Next Chapter Every Day is Dream

Turning around to offer Nick a toy to keep him from fussing, Alyssa didn't notice they had passed their turn, until she saw it out the back window. Keeping her curse to herself, she turned to face forward again.

"We needed to turn left three streets back," she stated calmly. "You'll need to find some place to turn around."

Judith frowned, "Easier said than done."

"I know, I know," Alyssa nodded. "You can just park somewhere soon and we'll walk back to it."

"You sure about that?"

"Sure am. The kids are used to it," she replied.

Pulling into the next parking garage, Judith guided the car into parking space. Instantly the kids started to wiggle about, Lily undoing her seatbelt and moving to help her sister out of her seat. Alyssa was out of the car a moment later, slinging Nick onto her hip. They did own a stroller, but Nick refused it, screaming and flailing about whenever he so much as looked at the stroller. So Alyssa had become accostomed to carrying him everywhere.

A few blocks down the street they headed, Toni holding onto Lily's hand who was holding Judith's. The youngest girl would stop and pick up things like leaves and candy wrappers, causing the whole line to stop. That is until Alyssa crouched in front of the girl and explained to her that things on the ground were dirty and needed to be left where they were. Toni seemingly understood and didn't stop again.

"This is it," Alyssa commented, before ducking into the showroom.

Everyone followed in, Nick squirming in Alyssa's arms excitedly. Just like his daddy, he loved this particular shop, probably because Chris did. It was one of the few places Alyssa never worried about taking him, knowing he wouldn't scream once in the store.

"A Harley? You're giving Chris a Harley?" Judith asked, following Alyssa towards the back of the store.

"Not just any Harley. It's completely personalized. They've been building it from scratch for months," she declared.

"Doesn't he already have one?"

"Yes. But his custom one is a one seater. So I can't ride on that one. He's two seater is just a stock bike that Vicky gave him," Alyssa explained. "This one is... oh, she's beautiful."

"Hey, Lyssa," a tall man wearing a leather Harley vest greeted her. "Come to check on the baby?"

"Considering she's due in a week, yes," she flashed him a grin.

"I'm very glad you came by, we're putting the last touches on the paint job today and I wanted to make sure it was all right for you before sealing it," he proclaimed, moving towards her.

Nick reached for the motorcycle guy, who easily swung him into his arms, "How's the little guy?"

"Yay!" Nick grinned, swept up onto the man's shoulders.

"Oh before I forget, Jack this is my sister, Judith. Judith, this is my motorcycle god, Jack," she proclaimed, motioning to the woman who still held the girls hands.

"Nice to meet you, Judith. You can let the girls roam about. They know what not to touch here," he claimed.

Letting go of Lily's hand she shook his hand, "So tell me how this bike is more special than what you have here in the showroom."

Jack grinned, "Wait until you see it. Then you'll know."

They were lead out of the showroom, the girls trailing behind. Lily wanted to see 'Daddy's new toy' as much as Judith did, having been told about it by Alyssa. Into a private showroom of sorts they were lead. A single Harley waited there. Based upon a 2006 Dyna Low Rider, the motorcycle gleamed with chrome and dozens of customisations. A dark pearl red finish was the background to other graphics. On it's gas tank, the Audioslave flame danced. Rather than the standard wheels, the Harley was set with custom chrome wheels, the Audioslave emblem etched into those as well.

Alyssa barely hesitated as she moved towards it. Jack grinned, seeing her fingers twitch to touch it.

"Go ahead and sit on her. She's beautiful," he stated.

Throwing her leg over the black leather seats, embossed once more with the same emblem, Alyssa reached for the handles. Her hands caressed the chrome before settling on the handles. While the dimensions were built for Chris's build, even Alyssa felt comfortable at the helm of that bike. Looking down at the gas tank's top, she grinned. Airbrushed on the deep red gleam was 'Chris ♥ Alyssa/And unlike the times before/From yesterday comes tomorrow/When life comes alive the past moves aside/No regrets and no remorse'. Her fingers traced over the lettering.

"Can you add a little more silver to this?" she asked. "I want it to pop out a little more."

Jack nodded, "I was thinking the same thing. Or maybe even using some of the same gold from the flame to do something similiar?"

"Oh that's a good idea," Alyssa nodded. "And she'll be ready in time?"

"I'll personally deliver her myself on Friday," he claimed. "The rehearsal dinner venue, correct?"

She nodded again, before moving off the bike, "And the helmets?"

He moved over to a cupboard, pulling out two helmets. Nick reached for one, giggling when Jack handed it up to him. The other he held out to Alyssa. She turned it over in her hands, inspecting it's corresponding decorations.

"Perfect. You're amazing, Jack," she grinned, handing it back and plucking the other from Nick's hand before he slammed it on the top of Jack's head.

"He doesn't know you've been taking lessons either?" he returned the helmets to their storage.

"Nope. Not at all," Alyssa couldn't help her smile. "And that makes this all the better."



Seated at the table, Alyssa slowly worked through the guest list. In her pretty calligraphy, she wrote each individual's name on a place card. Toni coloured on discarded cards with crayons with 'Alyssa ♥ Chris' inscribed on the wrappers at the opposite end of the table. Judith wrapped deep satin ribbons imprinted 'Chris ♥ Alyssa' around the small boxes containing the wedding favours of heart-shaped silver measuring spoons or silver heart-shaped mirror magnets. Lily sang to herself as she dropped heart-covered bears, little kid heart-sunglasses, and heart-shaped bubble wands into small cellphane bags covered with deep red hearts. Nick was the only one not involved in something having to do with the wedding, as he was just playing with a stack of blocks in his playpen.

The door opened and Chris entered the house. He didn't even think twice to figure out where his fiancee and children were, heading instantly to the dining room. Slipping in behind Alyssa, he waited until she finished the name she was working on before kissing her forehead.

"I have something," he declared.

"Oh?" her eyes glittered on his.

"The rings," he pulled a box out of his pocket.

"That's why you stole my engagement ring this morning," she replied, pivoting in the chair.

"Had to make sure the wedding band and it fit together," Chris stated, opening the box.

Inside the small velvet box were three platinum rings. One was Alyssa's diamond solitaire engagement ring, which she quickly plucked off the pillow and slipped back on, feeling weird without it. The smaller remaining ring appeared as a floral vine, a space curling in a rose-like pattern that would settle around the diamond of Alyssa's engagement ring. The larger platinum band was etched with a similiar design, though sported no jewels at all.

"Chris, they're..." she reached to touch them, causing Chris to snap the box much like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. "...beautiful."

"I'm glad you like," he grinned, slipping the box back into his pocket. "And I'm proud to say I didn't have anyone help me choose them."

"Beautiful, love," she repeated.

"So what are we working on now?" Chris glanced over her head at the table.

"Reception stuff," Alyssa answered. "We've got to drop off favours and placemarkers to the site director tomorrow, so we're all working at finishing those up."

"Anything I can do?" he asked.

"Actually if you would call the caterer and confirm with him that we have seven hundred and thirty-seven attending, forty-eight of those children, that would be lovely," she replied. "Also, how are your vows coming?"

"Done," Chris stated.

"Really?" her eyes went to his again.

"Yep," he nodded. "And honeymoon is all taken care of, all the hotel rooms for our out of town guests double-checked, the champagne flutes and cake cutter thing all engraved and picked up, dropped off our list of good songs and bad songs to the DJ, and I picked up my tux and Nick's outfit."

Alyssa stood, kissing him quickly, "What a good husband you'll make."

"And!" Chris grinned. "I confirmed with the photographers. So he's got a list of all the shots we talked about. I think he said he was bringing in like four other photographers with him that day, just so they're everywhere. He also said he'll be around for rehearsal day, like the two of you discussed, at no extra charge."

She grinned, "Fabulous. Can you believe we're only a week away?"

He kissed her again, "It seems like a lifetime."



Cuddling on the couch while Judith bravely took the kids shopping for wedding gifts, Alyssa's fingers traced over Chris's muscles. Both had lazy smiles on their faces, a brief flickering of contentment flashing every now and then.

"It's all done," Alyssa declared. "Everything."

"With time to spare," Chris pointed out.

"And money. We came under budget," she claimed.

"You had a budget on this?" he teased.

"Sure did. I think I'll spend the extra on something really pretty to wear to bed our first night," Alyssa grinned.

"I'd rather you wear nothing," he stated seriously.

"Oh I know. Besides I already purchased that stuff. Had to have the right undergarments for the final dress fitting," she said.

"Of course. I should have thought of that," Chris chuckled.

"I don't know what to do with myself for the next few days," she admitted. "These past six weeks have been all wedding. I ... hey, you should play the new album for me. I've not really been able to focus on it."

"That can wait," he kissed her temples softly. "You'll have plenty time to concentrate on it while we're on tour."

"Oh that's true," she nodded. "Wow, complete and utter downtime, with no kids around. What should we do?"

"You know my answer to that," Chris replied.

"Yes, and you're still waiting until we're married," Alyssa met his eyes. "Besides the kids could come home any moment."

"Yeah, I know. Just sitting here with you is wonderful," he declared.

"Now you're trying to charm yourself into my pants," she teased.

Chris shrugged, "Can't blame a man for trying, now can you?"

"Not this one, no," her head pivoted to rest on his shoulder again. "You still sure about not signing a pre-nup?"

"Yes," Chris answered seriously. "I'm fighting this marriage forever. We're not going to part."

"You sure?" she pressed.

"Absolutely, Alyssa. You and I are forever. No pre-nup needed. And don't tell me it's too optimistic of me. We've already been together for ten years. I've seen your bad, you've been here for mine. And our best is yet to come. I have no doubts at all," he stated.

"And you're all right with me not taking your name?"

There was a long pause, "If that's what makes you happy."

She poked him in the side, "I'm taking your name, silly."

He smiled easily, "Good. Neither Su—"

"Susan nor Vicky did. And both women were damn fools for not holding onto you," Alyssa proclaimed. "But all the better for me."

His lips touched the top of her head, "I cannot wait until next week. Everything finally seems so perfect. No emptiness in my soul at all now."