big bang part 3
Title: Red and the Headcase: The Wedding
Author: Twisterdrag04
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, and places - are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Ambrose has regained his memories and his past love and it's time for their future but all doesn't now ease on down the road so smoothly.
Author's Notes: I must thank my Beta cleo1969 and my test reader matilda36 for their constant support and encouragement.
Characters: DG, Azkadellia, Wyatt Cain, Jeb Cain Ambrose/Glitch, Lavender Eyes, Ahamo, OMC, OFC
Pairings: Ambrose/OFC, Hints of DG/Jeb
Fandom: Tin Man
She really should have known better. The fact that DG and Azkadellia wanted to talk to them about the wedding should have been the first warning. As soon as Ambrose and she sat down at the table, the princesses started talking one hundred miles a minute. Layla quickly became overwhelmed. She was still recovering from her emotional upheaval with the Queen and this was too much. The more they talked, the more Layla pulled away. This wasn’t what she wanted, but that didn’t seem to matter anymore. She wasn’t even sure why she was even at the table. They seemed to have everything perfectly under control, all decisions had been made what was there left for her to do besides show up. She abruptly pushed her chair away from the table and left without a word, Ambrose quickly stood and apologized to the princesses before going after Layla.
“Do you mind telling me what that was all about?”
“I didn’t think that I was needed anymore. You three seemed to be doing fine without me.”
“It’s hard to plan a wedding without the bride.”
Layla rolled her eyes and started to walk away. Ambrose grabbed her by the shoulder which she quickly pulled out of.
“What is wrong with you? I am trying to give you a wedding this kingdom hasn’t seen before.”
“How about the wedding I want? Did you ever stop and think about that?”
Neither one of them had noticed that DG and Azkadellia had joined them, drawn to the room by the argument.
"I'm just trying to give you the best like you deserve.”
Layla laughed, and it was such a bitter laugh it made everyone’s heart in the room break a little.
“What I deserve? I don’t deserve any of this. I don’t deserve living here, having the responsibility that I have, I am not even certain that I deserve to be breathing right now. I cause chaos, death and destruction to everyone and everything I touch. What I deserve, is to
take the place of my friend’s wife.”
She turned on her heels and left, ignoring Ambrose’s protests and the pale faces of those nearby as she walked away. Wyatt and Jeb were standing by the stairs. They had heard the argument all the way in Wyatt’s office. She pushed past them; then again they really did not put up that much of a fight. They both knew from experience she was not a woman you stopped and asked questions of when she was angry.
Layla pushed the door open and disappeared in a gust of wind, slamming the doors shut in her wake. Everyone stood in stunned silence for a few seconds. Wyatt nodded to Jeb, who left to search for Layla and talk to her. Wyatt sighed and made his way back up to his office. He had a headache developing and there was a bottle of strong alcohol in his desk that was the cure. DG talked to her sister before following Cain up the stairs. She had some questions for a certain Tin Man who more than likely had the answers.
“Was she always this way?”
Cain looked up from his paperwork to see DG standing in the doorway of his office.
“Was who always this way?”
“Layla. Was she always this…hard? I think I remember her, but I’m not sure if I am thinking of the same person.”
Cain sighed and put down his pen. He didn’t know how much DG knew about Layla and what happened to her and it really wasn’t his place to tell her stories. But this was DG, the woman who saved him from the suit and was still trying to figure out how to fit into her family. He motioned DG to come in and sit in a chair in front of his desk. He was quiet for a few moments, trying to figure out how to explain the mystery that was his closest friend.
“Well…the easy thing to say would be no. She wasn’t always this way.”
“What happened to her to make her this way? I mean Glitch loves her more than anything and so do you. I don’t think you two would if she was as harsh as she seems.”
Cain sighed and ran a hand down his face. DG gave him a concerned look, which he waved off. Someone had to tell the story, and honestly he would rather it be him than have Layla live through all of it again.
“Well…I think it all started when her mother was killed. There was a man who was very interested in Layla, obsessed really, and when she turned him down he broke into their home and killed her mother out of revenge. He had even left a note for Layla telling her it was all her fault. At another time this same man had stabbed her in the back and almost killed her.”
“You mean Zero.”
“Yeah, princess I do. I don’t have to tell you what he did to my wife and son. He did that because I had him arrested for what he did to Layla. He thought he could bribe his way out of the charges but I wasn’t going to let that happen. Because of him she has carried all that guilt with her all this time. She thinks she’s a curse to the people who love her.”
“Then, why is she getting married? Why is she here with the rest of us if she feels that way?”
“Because as much of a curse she thinks she is, she feels that no one can protect us like she can.”
Cain rubbed his eyes and wasn’t surprised to find his fingers wet. His heart ached for his friend. She carried so much on her shoulders that she didn’t have to. She deserved to be happy like the rest of them did. If only she'd fully let herself believe that.
DG had nothing to say to that. What could she? All she could do was stare with sympathetic understanding into Cain's overly bright blue eyes. She reached over the desk and put a hand on his arm before leaving. Cain sat still for a few moments before going back to his paperwork, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in his gut.
***
There was a gust of wind and Layla appeared. She was in a field not that far from the palace. She started to walk. She wasn’t certain where she was going, she just had to move. She just needed to be alone, she needed to think. The more they talked about the wedding the more she had felt like she didn’t belong, like she was a big fake. Why did they have to have a ceremony for the public in the first place? She had spent most of her life avoiding the attention brought on by being a noble and a member of the royal family. Attention was a bad thing. It cost her parents their lives.
She stepped on a twig and the snapping sound drew Layla out of her thoughts. She looked around and saw that she was in the royal cemetery. She started walking again, looking for the marker for her parents’ grave. When she’d first heard of her father’s death she practically had to beg Wyatt to tell her where they had buried him, afraid that he hadn’t been buried next to her mother. He was worried she would spend her free time talking to them. Well, he was half right about that.
Layla sat in front of her parents’ grave, never in her life as unsure about things as she was right now. She longed to speak to her father, to ask for his advice. She yearned for the warmth of her mother’s arms, telling her that everything was going to be ok. She ran her fingers along the cold stone, feeling the roughness of the marker as tears streamed down her face. He wouldn’t love her now, how could he? Especially after all the terrible things she’d said.
“Father, mother, I need you so much right now. I don’t know what to do. I love a man more than anything in this world, but I don’t deserve him. He’s so smart…and so brave. He would give me the world if I asked him. He even gets along with Wyatt, if you can believe that.”
Despite everything she smiled slightly as she wiped her eyes. There were some dying flowers lying against the headstone. She used her magic and brought the flowers back to life, playing with the petals as she gathered her thoughts.
“So much destruction was brought down upon the people that I love the most. So much death, it’s like everyone I touch is doomed. I should be where you are instead. So many things would be better…”
“Name one thing that would be better?”
She didn’t move as a body sat down next to her on the grass and placed another set of flowers on the grave. As he settled on the ground, he slipped a jacket around Layla’s shoulders. She wrapped the jacket around herself, trying to replace the cold feeling in her heart with the jacket’s warmth.
“What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you the same question.”
“You are just like your father.”
“I’ve been told that a time or two…think it was by you.”
Layla chuckled and wiped her eyes.
“Your father sent you to find me Jeb?”
“What he’s the only Cain that cares about you?”
She looked over at him. He looked so young, but all you had to do was look into his eyes and you saw that he was older than his years.
“You didn’t have to come here…”
“I wanted to. I know how guilty you feel about everything that’s happened, especially my mother. I know you have talked to my father about this and I want you to hear it from me. It is not your fault. I don’t blame you and neither does he. You have to let the guilt go.”
“I don’t know how. I’ve carried it so long.”
Jeb sighed and put an arm around her shoulder. He smiled softly when she leaned into him slightly.
“I know about carrying emotions for too long. When we had Zero back out our camp, I wanted to kill him. I had so much hate in my heart for what he did. I had my sword, ready to just stab him.”
“What happened?”
“My father talked to me. Talked to me about carrying hate in my heart and how it was going to destroy me and it was not what mother would have wanted me to do. He got me to calm down. Instead of killing him father showed me that he’d stuck him in a suit before we attacked the castle. I thought that was something she would have approved off.”
Layla nodded her approval. They sat in silence for a few moments before Jeb started to talk again.
“Layla, he loves you. A blind man could see that. Just let yourself be happy. Your parents would want that and I know my mother would. Out of everyone here, you deserve it the most.”
She looked over at him for a few moments before nodding. Jeb stood up and held out his hand to help Layla up. She put her hand on the grave marker for a few seconds before turning to Jeb.
“You know, even with everything that’s happened I know your mother would be so proud of you. You turned out to be everything she ever would have wanted.”
Jeb gave her a small smile. It meant a lot to hear that from someone who actually knew his mother before everything happened. Ever since the incident with Zero he had been worried what his mother would think about him. His father never said anything else about the incident after that day. He knew now that if he ever had any doubts about himself he could go to Layla for reassurance. He always wanted to think that his mother was proud of him, but it meant so much more to hear it from someone else.
“Come on, I’m certain the advisor is driving everyone crazy with worry.”
Layla nodded and they walked back to the castle.
“I’m glad it was you that came out here. I know what your father and my brother would say. It’s nice to see that someone else cares about me.”
“I care Layla.”
Jeb wrapped an arm around her shoulders as the castle came into view. She took a deep breath and Jeb squeezed her shoulder.
“He loves you. He’s not going to care what you said or that you left. He’s just going to be
happy that you came back.”
She nodded and carefully pushed the door open.
***
She was coming back. She had to come back. He wasn’t sure he could function properly without her. He would give her whatever kind of wedding she wanted; they didn’t even have to get married, if she would just come back. He found himself sitting on the steps by the palace entrance, waiting for her. It didn’t matter how long he had to wait for her. He would be here
as long as it took.
Ahamo walked up behind him and sat down next to him on the steps.
"The first time I set eyes on my wife that was it but I knew we couldn't be together really. We were both from two totally different worlds, literally. It wasn't all hearts and roses on the way to the altar but in the end we made it there and the only regret I have is the time we were apart during the Witch's reign."
Ambrose nodded slightly while his eyes stayed fixed on the door, as if she would appear just by his will alone. Ahamo sighed to himself as he watched their advisor just stare at the door. He remembered himself not that long ago waiting to be reunited with his one true love.
“What if she doesn’t come back?”
“She will.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I have watched the two of you orbit and move toward each other from the beginning I see how your eyes light up when she enters the room. I have seen her let down her guard just for you because she feels you are the only person she can trust and feel safe with showing who she truly is to. I have seen the complete love you have for each other, and that is not just going to go away because of a minor disagreement.”
Ambrose finally tore his eyes away from the door and looked down at his hands. He should have listened to her more. He should have thought about what she wanted more. Bay had even warned him about what she’d like. He really should have listened more.
“She has every right to be mad at me. I became caught up in the grandeur of what I could do for her rather than thinking about what she actually wanted. I should have known she would not like a big affair.”
“I am not saying that the two of you will not fight. There is nothing worth having that does not come without a bit of work. But you both will make it through.”
The front door opened. Ambrose’s eyes snapped instantly to it, his heart filling with hope.
When Jeb Cain stepped in his heart fell. It stopped when he saw Layla step in after him. Her eyes met his, and his heart broke at the sight of those beautiful blue eyes blood shot and a little swollen from crying. It was his fault. He had never felt more ashamed of himself in his entire life. Before he could really think about it he was up and heading to his lab. He needed to have some time to himself to think.
When he entered his lab, he saw it on the table. The present he had spent so much time working on and perfecting, was staring right at him. He looked at it for a few moments before deciding that this was worth fighting for. He was going to get her back. He grabbed one of the green coins and decided to make a memory of his own to show her.
A bit later Ambrose found himself standing in front of Layla’s room, steeling himself. He wasn’t sure how this would turn out, but he had to try. After he recorded his memory, he searched for her. After inquiring to a few people, and completely avoiding Bay and Cain in case they wanted to harm him, he heard she had went to her room.
He knocked on her door, hoping that she really was in there. The door opened and his fear melted away when he saw her standing there. They stood there, looking at each other for a few moments in complete silence.
“Ambrose I’m…”
“Layla please…”
They both tried to speak at the same time, and despite everything Layla started to laugh. The sound was pure music to his ears. Layla moved away from the door, motioning for him to come in. From there they almost seemed to work on automatic. Ambrose went and sat in his chair by the fire while Layla poured him a glass of water. She set the glass on the table next to him before sitting in her own chair. She started to talk again but he cut her off.
“Please…I have to say this. I’m sorry. I should have asked you what you wanted before I planned everything. I just love you so much I want the entire world to know it, but I will give you whatever kind of wedding you want. I just need you to forgive me.”
The silence was palpable as Layla just looked at him for a few moments. She got up from her seat and made her way over to him. Before he could blink Ambrose found himself with Layla curled up in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. He relished having her close as he wrapped his arms around her, securing her tightly against him.
“All I need is you. I don’t…need all the glitz and glamour of a royal wedding. I just need you and the people most important to me.”
“So you still want to marry me?”
Layla shifted and looked him right in his eyes.
“Of course I still want to marry you. Just because we fought doesn’t mean I stopped loving you or wanting to get married.”
Ambrose kissed her on the forehead. He would fix everything in the morning. Right now he just wanted to be near the one he loved more than anything in this universe or any other. When she went to settle back down she felt something hard in his pocket.
“What’s that?”
“Oh. It’s something Bay and I were working on.”
Ambrose reached into his pocket and pulled out the device they had been working on. Layla gently took it and looked over it carefully, trying to figure it out. Ambrose chuckled to himself before handing Layla the coin with the memory he just recorded. He showed her how to put the coin in and waited for it to play. He bit his lip and waited while the memory played. He decided to show her when they first met.
He was walking to a meeting when she ran around the corner and ran into him, knocking him to the ground and scattering his paperwork everywhere. As he gathered the papers she knelt down to help him, muttering apologies the whole time. He looked over at her, and fell instantly in love. He could tell she was different from the other girls in the castle. She wasn’t above helping someone of lesser status or apologizing. He was instantly intrigued and knew he had to know as much as he could about her as soon as possible.
He smiled when she blushed and turned to look at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the silk bag with the rest of the coins in them.
“I know how much you miss your parents, especially now. Your brother and I recorded some of our favorite memories of them so you can watch them. So you can see them and hear them once more. I know it won’t replace them but…”
The rest of his sentence was cut off by Layla wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She buried her face against his neck, muttering thank-yous in between her tears. He ran his hands down her back trying to soothe her. He kept it up until he felt her breathing even out as she had fallen asleep. Since he was far too comfortable and he did not want to disturb her rest, he snuggled deeper into the chair. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and fell asleep.
***
The day had come that Layla and Ambrose were going to get married. Wyatt was going around the castle, making sure everything was going as planned. He would be damned if something happened that would ruin his friends’ day. He was heading to a meeting with the Queen when DG ran up to him.
“Cain!”
“What’s wrong princess?”
“Layla’s locked herself in her room. She isn’t letting anyone in.”
That wasn’t what he needed to hear. That meant one of two things. Either Layla decided to run away, which he highly doubted, or she was having second thoughts.
“I’ll talk to her.”
“How?”
“I’ve got my ways and if those don’t work, I’ll make her talk to me.”
Wyatt made his way to Layla’s room and tried to open the door. It really was locked. It didn’t take him long to pick the lock and open the door. He slipped into the room and closed the door. Layla was standing next to an open window.
“If you jump I’ll have to jump out after you.”
She didn’t jump at the sound of his voice. In fact she chuckled slightly, which made him happy. She had been expecting him, and if she was expecting him she knew he would try to talk to her.
“I can turn into air…you can’t.”
“Not the first time I’ve gone out a window. It’s not even the first time I’ve gone out of a window for you or because of you.”
She chuckled again and sat down in a chair by the window. Without really any thought Wyatt sat down in the chair next to her. They sat in silence for a few moments, Layla’s fingers almost absentmindedly running along the necklace Ambrose had given her when he proposed.
“Should I get married today?”
The question came so suddenly Wyatt couldn’t think of anything to say for a few seconds before regaining his composure.
“Rumor has it you should.”
“As my friend…best friend and pseudo big brother. What do you think?”
The first thing to go through his mind was a sarcastic remark, and then he looked at her, really looked at her. That was when it hit him. Everyone had been telling her that she should get married because Ambrose would make a wonderful husband. Had anyone told her she would make a wonderful wife? Had he ever told her what he thought of them being married? Gently he grabbed her chin and turned her face so she was looking directly at him. He gently wiped the tears that started to spill out of her eyes. He bent her face forward so he could kiss her on the forehead before moving it back to where it was before.
“Layla, I have known you as long as I can remember. I can still remember when you were five and you punched that boy who was picking on me in the face. You have had my back since then as much as I have had yours.I’d follow you anywhere. Trust me when I say this…you are so very good for him. I know you will make him happier than anyone else here could.”
Wyatt was never good with words. That was always his wife’s specialty. He just hoped that he had managed to get across what he wanted to with her. Of course she would make a good wife. All she had to do was love him, and she so clearly did. The smile she gave him and the tears that started to fall told him that even though he hadn’t said a lot, he had made his point. He kissed her on the forehead again.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him.
“Red, I would do anything for you. You and my son are all the family I have left. I would not let you do something this big if I had any doubt about the other person. I know you, and I know him. He is crazy about you, and you haven’t been this happy since your mother was alive. Trust me when I say this, you should put on that dress and get married.”
He wrapped her into a tight hug, despite the slight discomfort for them sitting in chairs. She rested her head against his chest and they were silent for a few moments, both feeling a weight being lifted.
“Least this talk went better than the one we had before you got married. You were so dramatic.”
“It was raining and your brother lost the ring. Plus there was that drink your brother brought me to ‘calm me down’.”
“First off when will you learn to stop taking drinks from Bay? Second I stopped the rain and he found the ring. You were going on about bad signs. You want a sign you come talk to the one who has the visions alright.”
Wyatt couldn’t help but laugh. There she was. His Red was back again. He messed up her hair and smiled when she batted his hand away. She wiped the remaining bits of tears off her cheeks.
“I know the princesses are out there waiting for me. Better send them in before DG breaks the door down.”
Wyatt got up and made his way to the door, content that he had done his job as her friend and protector. He knew she really didn’t need protected, but he still felt that it was his job to make sure she was ok. He was just about to open the door when he thought of something.
“Red?”
“Yeah, Wyatt?”
“If he hurts you…I am head of security around here. I know where all the good hiding places are.”
A rolled up towel to the head was the response he got. He opened the door and let DG and Azkadellia into the room, both of their arms full with supplies for the wedding. One last smile at Layla and he closed the door.
With one crisis averted he continued on to his meeting with the Queen. Now if he could only find Bay and figure out what this plan he was talking about was, he might actually get a chance to enjoy his friends’ wedding.
Cain stepped out of the Queen's office, satisfied everything was going to plan. Now he could go back to finding Bay and figuring out what his secret plan was. He rounded the corner and saw Bay standing outside of Glitch's door. Well that was easy. Bay looked up and saw Cain, relief clear in his eyes.
“Oh, thank heavens it’s you. He’s nervous and as the bride’s brother I can’t talk to him without sounding like I think he’s not good enough for my sister.”
Cain’s only response was to raise an eyebrow at Bay. What made him think Cain would be a better choice? He was Layla’s best friend and co-protector. Bay rolled his eyes and grabbed Cain, dragging him into the room. Ambrose was pacing, muttering to himself. He hadn’t noticed the company until he ran into Cain during his pacing. Ambrose yelped and stumbled back.
“Cain!”
This couple was going to be the death of him, he was almost certain of it. He pointed to a chair and looked at Ambrose. When he didn’t move Cain glared and pointed again. Ambrose got the hint and sat down. Cain turned to leave, thinking that his job was done. Bay stopped him and pushed him towards the chair. Cain glared at him, but being like his sister, Bay was used to the glare and was unimpressed. He sighed inwardly and walked towards Ambrose. He sat down next to his friend and waited for him to start speaking.
“I want to marry her, before you and Bay decide to throw me out the window. I do. I can’t think of my life without her. Even when I couldn’t remember her I knew something was missing from my life.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“What if I start glitching again? What if something I did during that time comes back to haunt me? I couldn’t live with myself if I put her in danger.”
Cain resisted the urge to roll his eyes. That wouldn’t help the situation.
“Ok first, you don’t have to worry about putting Layla in danger. She does that enough on her own. She likes danger.”
It brought the briefest of smiles out of Ambrose before the somber look on his face returned. What was with these two? Couldn’t they have their freak outs on separate days? Cain wasn’t sure if he could work his way through another serious talk today.
“If you start to glitch, we will deal with it. Your memory always comes back afterwards and she’ll be there to help you. She knows what you have been through. She’s seen it in her visions. If something happens you two will deal with it together. She loves you. She knows what she is getting into.”
It seemed to work and Ambrose seemed to relax more. Cain was proud of himself. He had managed to do it again. Adora would have been very proud of him. Then again she probably would have seen them coming and figured out how to stop both incidents before they happened. Cain stood up so that Ambrose could get dressed for his wedding. He motioned for Bay to follow him out. Bay closed the door to give Ambrose some privacy.
“Well that went well. Where have you been hiding those skills?”
The only response Cain gave him was a raised eyebrow, daring him to continue this conversation. They walked down the hallway in silence.
“You did a good job in there...and with Layla too.”
“How did you know about Layla?”
“Ah...twin, remember? I feel her emotions. She was nervous and scared then she was calm. I wasn’t talking to her and the only other person it could have been was you.”
Cain shrugged and tried to play it off. Bay nudged his shoulder and Cain gave him a little shove in return.
“I mean it. You have been a good friend through this Cain. You are usually just the person we go to when we need to vent. I’ve known you just about all my life and you haven’t exactly been known for your advice. It’s a good side of you to see.”
“It’s Layla’s wedding. I’m not going to let anything ruin this day for her. Not nerves and not whatever plans you have so just tell me, what you are doing?”
Bay just shrugged as he stopped by his room to grab a ring box from a dresser.
“Almost forgot the rings.”
“Now that will get you tossed out a window. You didn’t answer me about your plan.”
Bay just grinned as they walked outside and headed towards the field were the wedding was taking place.
“Now if I told you it wouldn’t be a secret. Plus Layla would find out.”
“I wouldn’t tell her.”
Bay laughed and threw an arm around Cain’s shoulder as they came upon the tent for the wedding was set up.
“There is one person you can’t lie to and you can’t keep anything from, and that is my sister. It’s ok though, I can’t either.”
Cain rolled his eyes and pushed him towards a curtained off area.
“Get changed already will you. The wedding is going to start in half an hour.”
***
Wyatt raised his hands to get everyone's attention, "Ladies and gentlemen. I'm proud to introduce to you the long overdue newly wedded couple, Ambrose and Layla."
Layla blushed when Wyatt introduced them as she and Ambrose walked into the reception their friends and family stood and clapped. She even glared when someone wolf-whistled and it suspiciously sounded like it could have been her brother. The innocent look he gave her when their eyes met confirmed it for her. She turned to say something to Wyatt but he had already merged with the shadows around the room watching over everyone. She would catch up with him later. He couldn’t hide from her forever.
Before Layla could say anything DG launched herself at Layla, wrapping her in a hug. DG let her go and bounced happily for a few moments while Layla hugged Azkadellia, who was waiting next to her sister.
“Thank you two so much. Everything is so beautiful.”
“Of course it wasn’t a problem besides you are family. “
Layla kissed both of them on the cheek before moving on to some of the other guests. When she reached the royal couple, she felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. The Queen smiled at her and hugged her.
“You look radiant my dear.”
“Thank you…for everything.”
The Queen ran her fingers through Layla’s hair, straightening it out for her. Her smile seemed almost sad, and Layla knew who she was thinking about. She knew because it was the same woman she was thinking about.
“She’s watching you…and she is so proud of you.”
Layla must have started to cry because the Queen wiped a few tears off her cheeks then kissed her on the forehead. Layla bowed slightly showing her respect and greeted some more guests. She turned to see where her new husband was and smiled when she saw him being pounced on by DG and getting the same treatment she had.
She turned her attention to the man hiding in the shadows making sure everyone was protected, Wyatt. She knew he was trying to act like he wasn’t affected by the celebration, but the tears Layla saw in his eyes told her otherwise. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the crowd.
“Dance with me.”
“I don’t dance Layla.”
“It’s my wedding and I want a dance.”
He glared at her and she glared right back. After a few moments Wyatt relented and let Layla pull him into the crowd. He put his arms around her waist and led her in the dance.
“You are the only woman other than my wife that I have danced with.”
“If I remember right you danced really well.”
He nodded slightly and spun her around to the tune of the music.
“Well, I don’t have the moves your new husband has but I do try.”
Out of the corner of her eye Layla could see Ambrose dancing with DG, both of them laughing. She couldn’t help but smile at them.
“I hate to tell you my dear Wyatt, but no one is like him.”
The music ended and Wyatt bowed slightly to Layla. She knew it was just for show but she appreciated it. He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek before returning to the shadows to watch. A hand tapped her on the shoulder and it was Jeb, holding his hand out for a dance. She smiled graciously and accepted the hand. After her dance with Jeb there was another offer followed by three more. It was becoming a bit overwhelming for her.
When the music stopped Layla saw it as her opportunity to slip away and have a bit of quiet time. She walked a bit past the crowd and out towards the lake. She knew Wyatt had seen her leave and would abandon his post in the shadows to follow her, but she had hoped that he knew her well enough to know she just needed a break.
She sat down under a tree by the lake, watching as a mother swan glided across the lake with two of her children. She could still hear the celebration going on, happy that the people who meant the most to here were enjoying the night.
“Brides don’t usually disappear after they get married.”
Bay sat down next to her, smiling softly when Layla almost instantly curled into his side. They sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying each other’s company. From their position, they could hear bits and pieces of conversations going on. The queen was talking about their parent’s wedding, which brought a few tears to their eyes. DG and Azkadellia were walking around talking, saying how they made a good team and should plan all the royal events. Then there was Wyatt, searching for Ambrose to have a talk with him. There was no way that conversation was going to happen without an intervention from one of them. Bay kissed his sister on the head before sliding a box onto her lap.
“What’s this?”
“My wedding present to you, congratulations my sister.”
Layla took the box and carefully opened it. There was a beautiful bracelet in it. She took the bracelet out to take a closer look at the detailing. When she turned it over, it hit her. She had seen this bracelet before. She had seen it in pictures of her parents wedding. It was her mother’s bracelet.
“Bay…”
“Before you get excited, it’s not the original. It’s a copy. I tried finding mother’s real bracelet, but no one seems to know where it is.”
Layla put the bracelet on and hugged her brother tightly. He hugged her back.
“Now go back there and save Ambrose from Wyatt. I just married him and I really don’t want to have to hurt someone on my wedding day.”
Bay laughed and dropped another kiss to her head before heading back to the party to find Wyatt. Besides, it was a little late for that talk when Ambrose and Layla were already married. Layla leaned against the tree for a few moments, running her fingers along the bracelet. She looked up at the sky and saw two stars shinning brighter than the rest. She smiled.
“I love you two. I miss you so much.”
Layla gave the sky one last look before she walked back to the party. She saw that her brother had indeed saved Ambrose from Wyatt.
“Wyatt, I thought you said you were going to behave.”
“He’s my friend too Layla. I can talk to him and have it not be about you.”
"But he's my husband and as such," Layla turned a bright smile on her husband. "I demand a dance with him."
"There she goes...always demanding something," Bay quipped from behind. "She is very needy," Wyatt added. Layla playfully pouted which caused Ambrose to laugh.
"Alright you two quit picking on her. If a beautiful woman asks me to dance, I am not going to be a fool and deny her a dance."
Ambrose held his hand out to her, which she gladly accepted. He walked her out and began to lead her in a dance. Everyone watching them could see the happiness that caused them to practically glow. Not that either one of them noticed. They were wrapped up in their own little world. Wyatt turned to say something to Bay, but he had slipped away. He looked around to find out where when he noticed DG had disappeared as well. There was no way that was good.
Fireworks suddenly exploded in the sky, much to the delight and surprise of the guests. Well that answered where Bay and DG had gone off to. He wanted to be mad. He hated it when he was out of the loop, but then he saw the delight on Layla’s face as she watched the show. He couldn’t help but smile. He was going to find the two of them and make them think that he was angry. He couldn’t let them have all the fun now could he?
Ambrose wrapped his arms around Layla as she leaned against him, watching the fireworks. It was the perfect ending to their perfect wedding. He kissed her on the head and leaned down and whispered into her ear.
“Are you happy my love?”
Layla turned around so she could look him right in his eyes as the fireworks still went on holding everyone else’s attention. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head closer to hers. She whispered her response before pulling his lips to hers in a kiss.
“More than you’ll ever know.