Avalanche

bonus chapter: | the wedding |

It had only been a few months since Jake proposed to me, and I had said yes.

We were still in our honeymoon phase, just blissfully happy.

Even the wedding planning seemed to be going smoothly. Natasha was my maid of honor, obviously.

Me and my sister, Stephanie, talked willingly for the first time in a while. We had hard conversations, but eventually we made up. She had felt jealous because it looked like dad had liked me more, and I hated that there wasn't as much pressure on her versus me.

Her two daughters were going to be my flower girls. I figured out my bridesmaids, while Jake figured out his groomsmen. Coyote was going to be his best man, while Bob, Rooster, Fanboy, and Payback were the rest of the groomsmen. My cousins finished up my bridal party.

I had invited Maverick to the wedding, he was my godfather. We went out to lunch, where we talked about everything that had happened in the last couple of months. Penny and him were going pretty smoothly, I felt happy for the old man.

I told him about the wedding, and how we had everything planned out except the minister.

Maverick then joked he would get a marriage license and marry us.

And what better way to include the instructor that brought us together for a mission than having him as the wedding officiant?

I told Jake, and he cringed, remembering how he had thrown Maverick out of the Hard Deck. But Mav had forgiven him a long time ago.

We had even sent a wedding invitation to Jinx, just to add more salt in the wound. Oops.

The night before the wedding, we were separated. It was hard, and I had a bad night's sleep.

Natasha came early in the morning, and dragged me out of the bed. We weren't behind schedule, but Tasha sure acted like we were.

I got in the shower, and shaved. Face masks and nails were done, and my hair had a billion products loaded into it for a perfect stay. It was exhausting, more than the ceremony itself would be.

Natasha was strict, keeping everything in place like a general.

I ordered a juicy, fat, hamburger to the room while she was in the bathroom. I had paid the deliverer, and had taken a bite when she opened the door.

She looked straight at me, "You ordered a hamburger."

I whined, "I'm not going to eat until after the ceremony."

"And pictures." She added.

I double checked, "Pictures too?"

"Zoe..." She began.

I said back, "Natasha..."

"Put it down." She sighed. "You can't eat it in your dress. What happened if you spill?"

I shake my head, "I won't spill. And I don't want to put it down."

"You have to fit into the dress." Natasha warns me.

I sigh, "I know. But I'm hungry."

Natasha compromises, "Finish half of it, and save the rest for later. I'm going to get into my dress and then we'll finish you up."

I nodded, finished half of my burger, and then ate the fries that came with it. Natasha didn't have to know.

Natasha wore a blue satin dress, like the rest of the bridesmaids. She helped me get into the dress, which luckily, fit perfectly.