Title: Yesterday to Tomorrow: Chapter Sixty-four, Gifting
Rating: NC-17 [violence, swearing, nudity, sexual situations]

Summary: The couple exchange gifts at the rehearsal dinner.

Previous Chapter Every Day is a Dream

Current Chapter Gifting

Next Chapter It's Wedding Day

With the kids playing fairly peacefully near the stairs, which included Tim's two kids, the adults stood in the centre of the Grand Hall at the Los Angeles Music Centre. Staff from the Centre were already in the process of setting up the seven hundred and some white chairs for the ceremony. The large circles imbedded in the white granite floors marked where the aisle runner would be. Alyssa wouldn't actually enter the building until the ceremony began, using the doors at one end for her entrance. It was a horribly long distance to go from one end to the other and she had no intentions of walking the stupid one step-two steps wedding walk. No need to make everyone wait an hour just for her to reach the end.

Everything from the reception centrepieces to the aisle flowers were to be delivered that day. Meaning it was a long day before the rehearsal dinner. Chris's head was beginning to spin already, making him look for some sort of an escape from the wedding frenzy. This meant when Alyssa went looking for him, he was sitting on the floor with the kids, colouring and stacking blocks.

For a moment she just watched him, a smile teasing the corners of her lips. She hadn't yet told him of something she was including in the ceremony, something for his kids. And from Judith's earlier reaction, she had the indication the kids were going to do something during the ceremony as well. Alyssa knew she was marrying the kids as much as she was Chris. And she loved them nearly as much.

"Love? I hate to interrupt whatever you're building," she spoke up, causing his eyes to flick to hers, "but I could use your input right about now. That and a kiss."

He jumped up and swept her into his arms, his lips pressed against hers quickly, "I think I can manage that."

"Mmm, good," she replied, kissing him once more, before pulling away.

Chris's arms slipped around her waist, his chin on her shoulder, "So what are we deciding?"

Alyssa leaned back on him, her hands covering his, "I think we should turn around for the ceremony."

"What do you mean?"

"Granted the back of my dress is beautiful, but I think it would be nice if people could see us during it, you know? Rather than just our backs," she explained.

He nodded, "That sounds like a good idea."

"And I've added something else to the ceremony," Alyssa claimed.

"That is?"

"I bought these lockets for the girls and a pocket watch for Nick, not that he's old enough to understand it," she said softly. "But part of the ceremony is me marrying them as well."

For a long moment he was silent. Alyssa could feel the tension in his body as he was pressed to her. She knew it was a good tension, Chris trying to not be overly emotional in his response.

"I think that's..." he managed to mutter, his arms tightening around her slightly.

"I'll show them to you when we get home tonight," she declared. "You're okay with that, right?"

"Of course I am, Lyssa," Chris replied, kissing her neck softly. "I'm very touched by it."

"Good," she pulled away from him enough so that she could pivot in his embrace and kiss his mouth. "I'm not just promising forever to you, Chris, but your kids as well. Forever."



"I'm hungry!" Xavier whined, hands on his hips.

"We'll eat soon," Tim declared, ruffling his son's hair.

"I'm hungry now!"

"Xavier, I said—"

Alyssa stepped between the two, holding out small bag of baby carrots, "We're almost done, Xavier. Thank you for being such a good boy today."

He looked up at her, smiling, "You're welcome, Lyssa. We eat after we leave here?"

"Yep," she nodded. "We're going to have dinner with all the important people. And hand out presents."

"PRESENTS!" he grinned.

"Yep," Alyssa mimicked his smile. "Roger should be here any minute, then we'll go through with what we've been practicing with him a time or two. And then we're all done here for today."

As if on cue, the glass door opened and the cardinal stepped into the Grand Hall. He wore no trappings of his rank, or really any indication that he was a holy man, just a simple button up shirt and slacks. Though that set him apart from the wedding party, all who were wearing jeans and a white or black shirt denoting their role in the wedding printed across their chests.

Alyssa headed directly over to him, grinning and picking up a running Nick before he ran into a chair, "Glad you could make it, Roger."

"Of course, Lyssa," he smiled, embracing her, his arms looping around Nick as well. "Everything is already looking lovely."

"And tomorrow when the flowers are delivered, it will be perfect," she grinned, shifting Nick to her hip. "We've pretty much run through most everything a time or two. The kids are anxious to get out of here and go eat. Six hours cooped up in here is killing them."

"I'm sure it is," Roger nodded. "Let's make this quick and painless as possible. We've already discussed the order of everything, so if you just want to do a run through?"

Alyssa nodded, "I'll gather everyone up."



Fingers intertwined with Chris's, Alyssa slowly made her way to the restaurant. It wasn't too far from the wedding site, so she had opted to walk rather than ride with everyone else. Chris seized the opportunity for some alone time with his bride. Both had small smiles on their lips, almost as if they were privvy to a grand secret.

"This time tomorrow we'll be married finally," she commented, glancing at his eyes. "It seems very surreal."

"It's been a long journey to get here, that's for certain," Chris stated. "But that makes the destination all that much more sweet."

She paused to steal a quick kiss, "Sure you don't want to elope tonight?"

He chuckled, "No, my sweet. Tomorrow we host the event of the year. We mustn't let everyone down."

"Oh screw them," she grinned. "It's all about us."

"It certainly is," he agreed, starting to walk again. "I still can't get over the fact you're including the kids in the ceremony."

"I don't see why that's such a surprise. They're a very big part of our life," Alyssa pointed out.

"I know. It's just... unexpected."

"Well I'm glad I'm still surprising you after all these years. I would hate you to be bored already," she teased.

"Lyss, I don't think I could ever tire of you," Chris proclaimed. "If I had known how much you would change my life when we met twelve years ago... I probably would have... I don't know. Thought whomever was claiming such was a damn fool."

"Yes well... you're weren't supposed to know right away. I had to fully become me before I could be a part of us," she replied. "And now forever we'll be."

He was silent for a few more strides, "You know, people think I'm going through a mid-life crisis."

"Because you're marrying someone more than a decade younger than you?"

Chris nodded, "Yeah."

"Well I think that's bullshit. You and I both know we love each other. And that's all that matters. Let them think what they want," she proclaimed. "Now if you suddenly dump me for say an eighteen year old, then I'm definitely crying 'midlife crisis.'"

He laughed, "No need. I've got no need for anyone but you."

"You sure?" she asked, stopping just outside the restaurant where both of their families and everyone else involved in the wedding waited.

"Absolutely."

"Good. Remember that. Because we're about to get a taste of what tomorrow will feel like. Our families are going to mob us," Alyssa declared, before leading him into the restaurant.



After making the perfunctory rounds around the restaurant to speak with everyone, Chris and Alyssa managed to sneak a few bites in with the kids. For a few minutes they were just a little family, enscounced in a crowd of relatives.

And then Nick erupted into a fit of giggles, his eyes seeing someone across the room before Chris did, before Alyssa did. For a moment Alyssa was confused as to why Nick was giggling and babbling, but then she followed his gaze and grinned.

"What's Jack doing here?" Chris asked.

"I invited him," she replied, standing. "And I think it's time we get everyone's attention."

"All right," he said cautiously.

While Alyssa went and greeted Jack, making certain he had brought her gift along with him, Chris stood and did the obligatory silverware to crystal goblet. Alyssa was back at his side as soon as the gathered crowd quieted.

"First and foremost," he began, "we would like to thank all of you for being a part of this wedding. Not only because a wedding is better with family, but because it shows your support of our union. Alyssa and I thank you for that."

"As is fitting, we have gifts for the wedding party and our families," she spoke up. "A little token of our appreciation for all that you've done this past year."

Lily pulled the box of wrapped gifts out from under the table. Carefully removing each present from the box, she read the tag and instructed Toni and Xavier whom to give the packages to. Each of the bridesmaids were gifted with Tiffany bangles, a silver and gold flower in the centre of them, and a matching pair of earrings. The groomsman and Andrew received simple, elegant watches, their initials etched on the back's of the faces. The kids all received silver yo-yos with their names engraved on them as well as a book appropriate to their status in the wedding, such as '10 Neat Things About Being a Flower Girl' or '10 Cool Things About Being a Ring Bearer'. Chris's parents were gifted with two round silver Tiffany frames, one with a picture of Alyssa and Chris, the other with the entire family. A rectangular frame with three photographs held within went to Chris's siblings and grandparents as well as Alyssa's grandparents, who were shocked to be presented with such a thing, having only met their granddaughter a day before.

With all of the attendant and family gifts dispersed, Chris stood once more, bringing attention to himself, "Traditionally wedding gifts are given on the day of the wedding. But Alyssa and I both decided today would be a more appropriate day, knowing full well tomorrow quiet times will be hard to find. With that in mind, there's a little background to my gift to Alyssa to share.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a narrow velvet box. Alyssa's eyes left his only for a moment to glance at it, not entirely sure what he had for her.

"When Alyssa turned thirteen, her father gifted her with a very special pendant," he began, cracking open the case. "It's a simple silver chain with a diamond heart on it. The most notable part of the pendant, is that a diamond was missing from the very tip of the heart. Howard explained to Alyssa that the one who completed her heart was the one he would give his daughter to."

Her brown eyes filled with tears, dropping from his to look inside the open box, before returning to his gaze.

"During one of our last visits with Howard, he pulled the necklace out. When Alyssa left her parents' house for college, the necklace was left behind. He held onto it all these years, waiting for her to return to him, to introduce him to the one that was meant for her. In a moment when Alyssa was out of the room, he explained the necklace to me in his broken speech and made me promise to take care of his daughter for the rest of our days," Chris's voice wavered some. "I could do nothing else."

His fingers slipped into the case. Slowly he pulled the necklace out. The heart glittered on the chain, no setting left unfilled. However instead of a matching white diamond, the empty setting contained a very rare red diamond. Alyssa barely had to glance at it to know it wasn't a ruby, not from how it glittered. Her fingertips caressed the heart against her skin while he fastened it about her throat.

Chris wanted to say more, but found his voice failed him. And so he merely kissed her lips, tasting her tears on his own mouth a moment later. Her arms wrapped around him, embracing him tightly, another kiss shared.

"Somehow I feel that my gift to you won't compare at all to this," she muttered.

"You're all the gift I need," he replied before kissing her once more.

Alyssa grinned, wiping her tears as she pulled away, "Be as that may, I do have a special gift for you, my love."

Leaving Chris at the raised table for the moment, Alyssa hurried through the crowd. Jack followed her out, slipping the keys into her hand. As she had already cleared it with the restaurant owners, Alyssa strapped on her helmet, started up the custom Harley, and eased it into the restaurant. The crowd parted for her, Chris's wide green eyes meeting hers. A wary smile graced his lips before he made his way to her side.

Turning the hog off, she swung her leg over and dropped the keys in his hand, "Now I know you already have two bikes. But this one is... well... she's built from the ground up, all to my specifications."

Chris walked around the bike, eyes taking in every detail, the Audioslave insignias, the chrome, the deep pearly red, the extra helmet with his name airbrushed on it strapped to the second seat. Stopping opposite Alyssa, his eyes went to the inscription on the gas tank. A moment later he grinned.

"Lyss, this is..."

"And that's not it," she claimed, reaching into her pocket and pulling something out.

Accepting the small card she held out to him, Chris chuckled, "You're a licensed motorcycle driver now."

"Now don't get it into your head that this means you're off the hook from taking me, well everywhere. It just means I get to drive sometimes now too," she flashed him a grin.

He leaned over the bike to kiss her, "It's perfect, love."

"Good. Because it's also how we're leaving the wedding tomorrow," Alyssa commented.

Chris eyes sparkled, "No wonder you wouldn't let me handle that."

"Wasn't about to ruin the surprise," she replied. "Now all we need is a sidecar for the kids and we're set."

He laughed, "Let's just keep the bikes to ourselves."

"Suit yourself," Alyssa kissed him again. "Now I promised I wouldn't leave this in here long. Care to go for a little ride before dessert?"

"I'll go anywhere with you."



Snuggling against Chris, Alyssa wondered for a moment if she should have stayed in a hotel instead. But she had promised to always wake beside him. And she was certain she wouldn't have gotten any sleep if she didn't have his breath dancing on her skin. He was as much her comforter as she was his.

That and staying in a hotel away from the kids didn't seem that great of an idea either.

Which was proven not much later as Toni crept into the room, crawling over the blanket to lay on top of Alyssa. Shifting so that the girl was nestled between her and Chris, Alyssa kissed the top of the girl's head. A few moments later Nick's cries erupted in the baby monitor, causing Chris to roll out of bed to calm the boy a few rooms away. Returning with his young son still fussing in his arms, he smirked, seeing that Lily had crawled into the bed in his abscence. Nick quieted the moment he was embraced by Alyssa.

"Seems we have a full bed tonight," Chris stated, slidding back under the blanket.

"Dada?" Toni asked, looking up at him.

"Yes, Toni?"

"Is two weeks long time?"

Lily, who was on the opposite side of Alyssa, replied, "Yeah. Remember when Daddy and Lyssa went away and brought back the pretty flower dresses?"

The toddler nodded, "That was very long time."

"That was two weeks," the oldest sibling said.

The little girl's eyes went to her father's, "Dada, I no want you to go."

He smiled, brushing his fingers across her forehead, "Lyssa and I need some alone time. And then we're all going to travel around the world together."

"Lily too?" she asked.

Chris looked to Alyssa, unsure of how to answer the question.

"Lily has to go back to school," Alyssa began. "But she'll come and spend time with us on tour too."

"Goodie!" Toni chirped. "I like Lily."

"I like you too, Toni," the older girl said, her head resting on Alyssa's stomach, Nick having wiggled down between Toni and Alyssa, his thumb in his mouth.

"Mommy?" Toni's big eyes turned to Alyssa.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You're not going to go 'way, are you?"

"Never."

"Good. I don't like Dada sad," she declared, her eyes closing as she was seemingly content with those answers.