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Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just borrowing things for a while and I promise I'll put everything back exactly how I found it when I've finished. Well, almost exactly how I found it. ;)
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW
"Are you sure all of the invites have been sent?"
"Yes, Sam."
"And the cake?"
"Has it been sent?"
"No, you goose, has it been ordered?"
He smiled. "Yes, Sam."
"And the rings. You have the rings, don't you?" she fretted.
He gave in and laughed out loud. "Yes, Sam, everything is in order."
Sam glared at him. "This isn't funny, Andrew! You only get married once, you know."
"Well, that's not strictly true..."
"Well, I only plan on doing it once," Sam replied primly.
Andrew smiled again. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Now, what about the other things?"
"What other things?" he asked as he stretched in the chair.
"Flowers, dress, suit, vicar...the usual things one has when they get wed," Sam replied.
Andrew held his hand up. "Flowers, check." He put a finger down. "Dress and suit, check." Two more fingers. "Vicar...of course we have a vicar, Sam!"
She grinned at him. "Just seeing if you were paying attention and obviously you weren't! This is serious, Andrew."
"I know it is, Sam, but I think you're worrying unnecessarily," he told her gently.
"I'm allowed to. Now, we have four important things we haven't discussed."
Andrew had the good grace to look slightly panicked. "Go on."
"Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue."
He sighed in relief and rolled his eyes. "Actually, we have discussed all those at some point, you just didn't realise it."
"Really?" Sam didn't look impressed and folded her arms. "Go on, then. Something old."
The corners of Andrew's mouth twitched and he could hardly stifle a laugh before he said, "My father."
Sam looked shocked. "Andrew!" she admonished him. There was a second of silence before they
both cracked up completely, tears rolling down their faces as they grabbed their sides in a fit of hysterics. "I am so glad he didn't hear that!"
"So am I," Andrew said as he gasped for breath, a broad grin on his face. "But I couldn't help it."
"Yes, well, now you have that out of your system, let's be serious."
He continued to grin. "I was being serious!"
"Andrew, you're impossible!"
"Yes, I am, but you still..." He broke off.
"Love you? Yes, I do," Sam told him matter-of-factly. "Now then, something new."
He suddenly blushed and looked away. "I've taken care of that."
Sam's eyebrows shot up. "Really? What is it?"
"A surprise."
"Andrew, we need it for the wedding," Sam said, knowing if she worked on him long enough, she would get an answer from him. "Tell me."
But he shook his head and folded his arms resolutely. "No. It's a surprise. You'll just have to wait until Saturday."
"But that's three days away!" she moaned.
Andrew laughed. "Patience, my dear Sam."
She muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'patience, my foot' but he couldn't be sure. "Fine. Something borrowed."
"Your wedding dress."
"Oh, gosh! I had forgotten about that."
"You're allowed. This is an important event in your life."
She smiled at him. "And finally, something blue. I know that one: your uniform, which I hope will be clean and pressed for Saturday."
Andrew shook his head. "I hope you don't worry this much once you're married."
Sam smirked back. "You'll find out in three days, won't you?"
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW
"Does my hair look alright?"
"It looks fine, Sam."
"Is my dress wrinkled?"
"No, Sam."
"Do I have dirt on my face?"
Andrew took hold of her hands and stopped her from pacing for a moment. "You look beautiful, Sam, even more so than normal and I didn't think that was possible."
She smiled at him. "Flatterer."
"Just telling the truth."
"It's suppose to be jolly bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, you know," Sam said after a few moments.
Andrew looked at her for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Sam, you are precious sometimes."
"It's no laughing matter, Andrew," she said primly, then her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Only sometimes?"
He laughed again. "I give up."
"Oh, good! I do enjoy winning. Speaking of which..." She gave him the special 'Sam' look, one she knew he wouldn't be able to resist. "What is my surprise? My 'new' thing?"
Andrew sighed. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret until after the ceremony. "It isn't much, Sam..."
"Andrew." There was an undercurrent of steel in Sam's voice and he held his hands up in surrender.
"Alright. It's a crib."
Sam's eyes went impossibly wide. "A crib? You made a crib?"
Andrew nodded. "It isn't very good, I'm afraid. I think I need more practice, but..."
His voice was muffled by Sam, who had thrown herself rather unceremoniously at him, regardless of her dress and her hair. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you!" she said between her sobs.
"Don't cry," he told her, panicking a little bit. "I can't have you going into the church with red eyes, now, can I?"
"It's such a lovely gesture!" Sam replied, pulling back and kissing him firmly on the cheek.
Andrew looked down and shuffled his feet as he blushed bright red. "Yes, well..." He sounded so much like his father that Sam began to giggle.
There was a knock on the door and Milner entered, smiling. "It's time," he said to Andrew, then noticed Sam's red eyes. "Are you alright?"
"Oh, tickety-boo," Sam replied with a bright smile. "Andrew has just given me 'something new'."
"Oh?"
"A crib he made," she said proudly, while Andrew looked as though he wanted to disappear into the floorboards.
Milner smiled. "That's a very thoughtful present." He glanced at his watch. "You really need to get out there if we want to be on time."
Andrew nodded and then took Sam's hand, kissing the back of it. "See you in a few minutes."
"Nervous?" Milner asked Sam as he stood near the door.
"Paul, sit down," she ordered, and he smiled at her 'little mother' antics.
"So?"
"A little," Sam admitted. "But it's the right decision."
"I never doubted it," Milner replied, smiling again.
"Did you feel this way before you got married? If you don't mind me asking, that is," she added quickly.
Milner nodded. "I think everyone does, Sam. It's natural."
"Even the groom?"
"Especially the groom. But I'll tell you a secret. As soon as you walk out of these doors and start down the aisle, every trace of nervousness and anxiety will disappear and you'll feel as calm as anything."
Sam's expression was hopeful. "Really?"
He took her hand and squeezed. "I promise." He glanced at his watch and stood. "It's time."
Sam stood slowly, smoothed her dress down and took a long, deep breath. "I'm ready. Am I...?"
"Perfect," Milner told her sincerely. "And if he doesn't think so, I'll happily make him see differently."
Sam laughed and tucked her arm into Milner's. "No violence on my wedding day," she replied, secretly pleased at his protective attitude. He was so quiet and unassuming, yet so much like a big brother to her, and she was incredibly proud to have him as a friend.
As the main doors opened and they began their slow march down the aisle, Sam felt an immense calm descend on her, and she smiled, squeezing Milner's arm as best she could. He glanced sideways ever so slightly and winked at her. Drawing strength from her new-found serenity, Sam lifted her chin and gazed down to the front of the church, her eyes coming to rest on Andrew, who smiled back at her. But she didn't stay looking at him; her eyes shifted to the left slightly to her husband-to-be.
They had been fortunate, in many ways. Their friends and family had accepted their relationship without question or comment, even when Sam said she had be married as soon as possible. How Foyle had blushed over that particular comment. But now, watching her walk up the aisle towards him, he didn't regret his decision for a moment, especially with Andrew beside him as his best man. And, of course, Sam's father in front, ready to marry them happily.
As Sam reached Foyle, Milner relinquished her hand to him and both men shared a look, one that said 'take care of her' and 'I will'. "You look beautiful," he said quietly, enjoying the blush that spread across her cheeks.
"You look very fine yourself," Sam replied with a smile.
Reverend Stewart cleared his throat. "When you two have finished," he whispered, before continuing louder, "Dearly beloved..."
FIN