Title: Yesterday to Tomorrow: Chapter Sixty-five, It's Wedding Day
Rating: NC-17 [violence, swearing, nudity, sexual situations]

Summary: The day has finally arrived.

Previous Chapter Gifting

Current Chapter It's Wedding Day

Next Chapter Until Death Do Part

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Toni shook Alyssa.

"Just a minute more," she grumbled, folding her arm over her eyes.

"Dada!" she launched onto Chris a moment later. "DADA, GET UP!"

"What is it, Toni?" his eyes barely opened to look at his daughter.

"IT'S WEDDING DAY!" she giggled.

He chuckled, "Yes. Yes, it is."

"GET UP, Daddy," she shook him. "We have lots to do."

"What time is it, sweetie?" he asked.

Her eyes went to Lily, whose hands had just dropped away from rubbing her eyes, "It's nine, Dad."

He nodded, "All right. Why don't you kids go get dressed and we'll go out for breakfast?"

The girls instantly wiggled out of the bed. Lily reached for Nick, helping the sleepy toddler out of the large bed. A few moments later, the three kids had vacated the room.

Turning over, Chris's arm slipped over Alyssa's covered stomach. He kissed her shoulder before stretching to kiss her mouth gently. She smiled crookedly, her arm remaining over her eyes.

"Seems someone is excited about today," he commented softly, remaining where he was for the time being.

"Of course she is. She gets to wear a princess dress today," Alyssa replied. "Getting her out of it, may be the issue."

Chris chuckled, his soft laugh a dance on her skin, "I'm sure Mom will manage."

"She probably will," she said. "Suppose we should get up and get dressed, huh? You promised them breakfast."

"Yeah," he slowly pulled away from her, rolling out of the bed. "We do have a wedding thing going on today they seem to be excited about."

Flipping the blanket off, Alyssa stretched before sitting up, "No big deal. Just the beginning of the rest of our lives."

"MOMMY!" Toni came bolting back into the room, wearing her 'Flower Girl' shirt and a pair of light-coloured jeans. "You have to wear the shirt that goes wif mine today!"

"Only if Daddy wears his," she replied, smirking at Chris.



The small family sat in a corner booth. The kids happily coloured on placemats while Alyssa leaned on Chris's shoulder, his arm looped around her. As promised, Alyssa wore her white tank top with 'Bride' emblazoned across her chest while Chris wore a complimentary black one with 'Groom' on his. The girls white tees read 'Flower Girl' in pink, while Nick's claimed him to be a 'Ring Bear', even if he wasn't officially in that role for the wedding. Every now and then, Toni would look up from her colouring and grin at the couple, before returning her attention to her scribbles.

"Lyssa?" Lily asked, setting her crayons down.

"Yeah?"

"Are you and Daddy going to have a baby?"

"Some day, probably," she replied. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Lily answered. "You should have another girl."

"Why's that?"

"Because she would be just as pretty as you," she proclaimed.

Alyssa flushed some, a small smile on her lips, "Thank you, Lily."

The girl grinned, "You're welcome."

Before the conversation could continue, their plates of breakfast food was delivered. This required Alyssa to sit up and cut everything on Nick's plate into small, finger-sized pieces. With the kids happily munching away, Chris snuck a kiss in, a moment after Alyssa popped a strawberry into her mouth.

"Mmmm. Just the way I like you," he teased. "Nice and sweet."

"Ewwww, Dada. No kissy at table," Toni declared, her nose scrunching. "That's gross."



After breakfast, they stopped off at the wedding site. Everything was coming along swimmingly well. The site coordinator assured Alyssa that everyone had been contacted and everything was running on time. Flowers were being delivered and set in place. The tents had been erected in the Plaza, velvet ropes cordonining off the area. Even the security detail was nearly set in place. Everything was running smoothly.

With everything checked, they piled back into the car. Alyssa and the girls were to be dropped off at Hilton Checkers hotel, where Andrew, Judith, Selene, and Aleece waited with one photographer to document the preparation of the bridal party. Chris and the guys were going to go into the studio for an hour, figuring jamming was the best to alleviate their tension before heading to Chris's house to get ready and pick up anything the girls left unwittingly at the house. They too would be trailed by a photographer for the day.

Jumping out of the car to help the girls out, Chris moved around it and pulled Alyssa to him without warning. He caught her in an excited, surprised kiss. Unknowingly their photographer just happened to be outside taking a walk, returning to the hotel at the precise moment, able to take a few shots of the surprise attack.

"Until this evening, my bride," Chris muttered, his lips touching hers again.

"Until this evening," she replied back, kissing him again before pulling out of his arms.

With a kiss on Nick's forehead, Alyssa took the girl's hands in each of her own and headed up to the bridal suite. Toni of course had to push the buttons in the elevator, wanting to push them all. Instead Alyssa managed to limit her to three, two of which were floors above their destination. Skipping with the girls down the hall, she didn't even notice the photographer along for the ride.



The primping and pampering was almost over. Three hours of gossiping, hair and makeup artists, and visiting places in the hotel to keep the girls from being too bored had passed. The time to get dressed had come. Andrew had it easy, as he merely had a suit to slip into, without having to worry about messing up his hair and makeup. In accordance with such, he merely changed out of his jeans and blue polo into his black tuxedo pants and deep red silk shirt. He would leave the vest, tie, and jacket until later.

The bridesmaids' dresses were simply sleeveless, a-line dresses in a deep garnet. A white satin ribbon marked their natural waists. Simple strappy shoes, dyed to match their dresses, peeked out from under the long skirts. They wore no adornments in their hair, though each did wear the gifted bracelets and earrings from the previous night.

With any food item that could stain the dresses put away, Alyssa relented to allowing Toni and Lily to put their dresses on. The bodice of the girls' dresses was the same deep red as the bridesmaids' dresses. From there a fluffy white tulle skirt blossomed, deep red silk rose petals suspended between the layers of tulle. Both girls wore glittered, red mary janes. The girls each had a circlet of red silk roses. Originally they were going to wear simple cornets, but the girls hadn't wanted to take them off after purchasing them, so those were now a part of their dress up clothes instead of their wedding ensembles.

Disappearing into the large bathroom with Judith, Alyssa stared at her reflection. The day had finally come, a day she had dreamt about for... ages. She didn't even recognize the woman in the reflection, even though she was very certain it was herself. Her makeup was natural and light, the largest difference being the smudge of red upon her lips. Her long brown hair had been swept from her face in large loose curls, held back by simple garnet satin headband, behind which her long cathedral-length veil would be pinned.

"Gosh, Jude, I never thought today would happen, not even with the year of planning," she proclaimed.

"Surreal, isn't it?" she asked, hugging her sister from behind, her chin on her shoulder. "But it's going to be so very perfect. You and Chris... you guys are just amazing together. Your father would be proud. I think Mom would be too."

Alyssa's eyes teared slightly at that, "Now don't you get me started now. I don't need to test this makeup so soon."

Judith chuckled, "Then let's get you in your skivvies so we can get that dress on and get you to the wedding!"

With Judith's help, Alyssa removed her bride tank top and then stripped off her jeans and undies. From a satin bag, Judith pulled out a lacy white corset and matching thong. Carefully she rolled on her thigh his, snapping the stays from the corset onto the nude nylons.

"You know," Judith began, "I think I'll go ask Andy to step out for a moment. Until we get you in your dress. He's likely to freak out seeing you in this sexy outfit."

Alyssa laughed, "If you think it's necessary, by all means."

She disappeared a moment later, leaving Alyssa to think on the day by herself for a few moments. While she had another rubdown earlier that day to relieve tension and make her smell like the honey and vanilla from the body scrub, she was naturally nervous. Not marrying Chris, that didn't make her nervous at all. Everything going off without a hitch was. Though she had complete faith in not only her site coordinator but her husband-to-be, since he and the boys were to arrive at the site two hours prior to the ceremony to put out any fires. She had even given the book to Chris for reference. So maybe she was a little nervous about the actual marrying. No reason to be, afterall how many girls got to marry their best friend?

The door opened again and Alyssa was pulled out of her introspection into the hotel room proper. Selene whistled upon seeing her lingerie. Toni made some comment about not going out in public naked, making everyone laugh.

Holding a towel to her face, Alyssa stood very still while the dress was pulled on. It took two people to dress her, as the skirt was full and cumbersome to manuever alone, especially without messing Alyssa's hair and makeup. Remaining as she was, she felt someone, Judith she thought, reach around her and straighten the dress before pulling the stays on it tight. Waiting until she was no longer jerked about, Alyssa dropped the towel to the side, her eyes going to those gathered in the room.

"Alyssa, you're...." Aleece breathed.

"Mommy, you're BEEEEEEautiful!" Toni exclaimed, scrambling off the bed to embrace her. "Prettiest princess ever."

Andrew stepped back into the suite just as Alyssa swept Toni up into her arms, kissing the girl's cheek as both giggled. For a moment he just stared at her, not sure what to say, or if even his voice would work. Coming to his senses he continued into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Gorgeous," he commented. "Chris is a damn lucky man."

Her eyes flashed to him, "You think so?

"I know so," Andrew nodded.

Judith reached around Alyssa's body, the heart pendant in one hand. Fastening it about her throat, she smiled, knowing it how important that necklace was. Alyssa's fingers moved up to caress the heart, smiling softly to herself. Diamond heart-shaped earrings dangled from her ears, a gift from Andrew earlier in the day. The veil would be attached on site.

"Well ladies, let's go get 'em," Andrew declared, slipping his tuxedo jacket on, after tying the wide black tie and tucking it into his vest.

"Where are the bouquets?" Alyssa asked.

The room was silent. Completely silent.

"Phone," she requested, holding her hand out.

Quickly dialing Chris, she waited three rings before hearing a shaky, "Hello?"

"Are you nervous, darling?" she teased.

Chris chuckled, "No. Not at all. What makes you say that?"

"Your voice."

"Are you?"

"Of course. I have a long way to walk in a dress," she replied.

He laughed again, "I can imagine that could be a little nerve-racking."

"Anyways, besides calling to say I love you, I wanted to ask if the bouquets were delivered there with the flowers?"

There was silence on the phone for a moment, "Um, no, sweetie, they weren't."

"Shit. Okay. I'll call the florist. Thanks, love. See you soon."

"I can hardly wait."

Just as she was dialing the florist's number a knock sounded at the door. Aleece opened as she was the closest and grinned.

"Lyss! Flowers are here!" she proclaimed, causing Alyssa to hang up quickly and return the cell phone to Judith.

"I apologize for being late," the floral designer proclaimed. "Had a few issues with your bridesmaids' bouquets, but everything is just as you imagined."

Alyssa moved towards the door, peeking into the boxes as they were opened. The bridesmaids' bouquets were simple white and red rose arrangements, no more than nine roses per bundle, the stems wrapped with red and white satin ribbon, braided together. Both Toni and Lily would carry white satin baskets with red rose petals. Alyssa's bouquet was far more intricate. A single red rose was the centre, around which rose petals were arranged carefully to make heart-shape, white petals marking the edge of the arrangement.

Deciding the flowers were safer in the boxes for transport to the ceremony, the girls and Andrew headed out of the suite. Taking two elevators, as Alyssa's dress took more room in the elevator than anything, they headed to the two limos waiting. Alyssa would ride in one with Toni, Lily, and Andrew. The other three women would ride in the other, with the flowers. The girls giggled excitedly as they settled in the car.

"Mommy?" Toni's eyes looked at Alyssa.

"Yes, sweetie."

"I love you."



Even though it was his third wedding, his third marriage, Chris was far more nervous than he had been at the previous two. It wasn't even the scale of the wedding. It was who he was marrying. Alyssa was his everything and it was a very big thing to finally marrying her.

That and knowing how important the day was to her.

He almost felt as if two hours prior to the ceremony hadn't been enough to put out fires at the site. First the aisle runner had been placed upside down, which took some work to get it turned over and straightened out, after all it was some length. Then there was the issue of one of the aisle bouquets flowers falling out, pratically dry and crunchy. Some kids had ignored the barriers set up in the Plaza and the security detail, choosing to go skateboarding around the fountain and knocking over chairs and a table. And Nick disappeared more than once, looking for Alyssa.

When guests started to arrive, starting with Chris's and Alyssa's family, things actually calmed down. Nick stayed close to Chris when not held by his grandparents. All the little things seemed to resolve themselves the closer they got to the arrival of the bride, his bride.

Heading into a small room with his son and the grooms party thirty minutes prior to the ceremony, Chris removed his jacket and paced about. He wore a black silk shirt with a deep red tie, no vest. The groomsmen wore similiar, though they also wore a red vest, complementing the different colour scheme of Andrew's attire. The ring bearers and Nick wore white pants, white short-sleeved dress shirts, red vests, and red bowties. Only Xavier, the oldest of the three boys, would actually carry the white satin pillow with the rings affixed to it was red satin bows. The other two were just there for moral support, so he wouldn't feel so shy walking down the aisle alone. And Alyssa was pretty certain Nick would want to be a part of everything, even if he was only almost two years old.

Brad reached out and stopped Chris's pacing, "Take a breath, Chris. No need to be worried. You've waited for today all your life. It's natural."

"Vows. What if I forget my vows?" he asked.

"They're from your heart. You won't forget them," Tom offered. "And we each have a copy of them in our pockets, Chris."

"Oh, right. That," he nodded.

Just as he was about to pace again, his son embraced his leg. With a smile, Chris scooped him up, kissing his cheek.

"Mama love you," the boy declared.

Chris's smile increased, "I know. And I love her."

The door opened and Tim stepped in, "Bride's arrived, Chris. It's showtime."