Serena and Gambit's Wedding (December 2014)

The day of the wedding had finally arrived. When Serena awoke that morning she looked out her window and saw that it had snowed the night before and everything as far as she could see was covered in a blanket of white. Snow was still lightly falling giving everything a romantic look. It had been strange sleeping alone the past few nights. She was used to Gambit's arms around her while she breathed in his comforting scent, but after today she hoped to never spend another night without him beside her. She smiled as she looked over at her wedding dress and hoped that Gambit hadn't gotten into too much trouble at his bachelor party last night.

Everyone else was putting the final touches on the interior of the mansion for the ceremony. A large Christmas tree had been brought in a week ago and decorated and a fire had been built and was blazing in the large fireplace. Two rows of chairs had been set up with red ribbon tied around each one with a bow in the back. Serena's bouquet was of crimson roses and there were touches everywhere to complement those flowers. Hank was going to be performing the ceremony.

Isabella and Tony were still upset that Serena and Gambit had turned down the island and Serena had even paid for her wedding dress herself. However, even with the tensions between them all they were still there in attendance and Tony was going to walk her down the aisle. Tony and Gambit had apparently talked the night before during the party, but Isabella had not been able to get Tony to tell her what was said between them. Kate and Steve and Natalya and Logan were there as well and Logan was currently showing Natalya around the mansion.

Storm had just finished putting the final touches on the chairs and she stood back and smiled.

"Well, I think we are ready."

Colossus nodded to Storm’s assertion. He had been putting up the high decorations that no one else could get to. The room looked fabulous like professionals had decorated it. The red with the white was going to be gorgeous and a great compliment to Gambit who loved the color red.

In his room Gambit debated. Tony had told him about Peter’s recovery and though Gambit loved Serena more than anything he was concerned that she had been hasty in letting Peter go. This feeling was all do to his long discussion with Tony however and not what he felt in his heart for Serena. IN that discussion Gambit asked no ‘told’ Tony to leave them alone. Not a notion Tony was used to and they had nearly come to blows over it. Gambit had not backed down though and would not even if all of the avengers tried to separate him from Serena. Serena was ‘his’ and after today there would be no more attempts by them to try and tear them apart. First Isabella on Serena and now Tony on Himself. He decided to keep what happened from Serena. He was afraid that she would go apeshit on Tony and maybe her mother as well and he didn’t really want that right now. But if he did keep it from her likely she would be even more furious if she ever found out. He sighed and decided to talk to her.  

His tux had lines of red on the edges of the lapels and also at the hem of his coat. He would wear a red bow tie and a red rose pinned to his left breast pocket. As he ran his hand down the fabric he thought about the bachelor party. It had happened after his ‘discussion’ with Tony and as a result he was unable to really enjoy himself. The others seemed to have fun though and that was good enough for him. In his anteroom Nightcrawler and Scott were there. “Nightcrawler, can I ask you a favor?” he said. “I want you to go to Serena’s room and tell her that I need to speak to her. Tell her its important,” he said. Nightcrawler was surprised by the request but he simply nodded then Bamfed out into the hall then up the stairs and then down the hall to where she had slept last night in the guest suite. He knocked on the door. When he heard her ask who is it he opened the door and stuck his head in.

“It is I Serena. Gambit wishes to have a word with you...he says it is important,” he said with a look that he knew it was unusual. “I can get you to him with little exposure to anyone. Shall we go?” he asked as he smiled at the silk slip she had on.

Serena had just been about to put on her dress when Nightcrawler came to her room and told her Gambit wanted to speak to her. She frowned at that and worry began to creep into her heart. Why did he need to speak to her? She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

“Alright,” she finally said and she put on a robe. She then let Kurt take her to Gambit’s room. She looked at Gambit. “What’s going on?”

Gambit smiled when he saw her. Her hair was up and she had her face done as well. His happiness was muted however when she asked him what this was about.

“Peter’s been...healed,” he said. “Apparently Kitty Pryde was able to remove the last vestiges of Venom from his mind. He’s clean and now only has the memories of what Venom did. Like you do. And yet Tony says that he is still heartsick over you Serena. Tony said quite alot about what happened. And we...argued...nearly coming to blows,” he said with a wince. “I didn’t want to argue with him Serena but he seemed certain that I would back away from you. I don’t know why they are doing this but I told him that I wouldn’t,” he said as he put his hands on her arms. “So I will ask you one last time. Are you certain about how you feel about you and Peter? What we do today is forever...I hope. Not only until the road gets bumpy. I love you Serena and no matter what, I always will. Peter is in love with you too though and I need you to be absolutely certain that you will not have regrets,” he said as he looked into her beautiful dark eyes.

As Serena listened to Gambit he would see her beginning to tense up. By the time he reached the end of what he wanted to say she looked...angry. She was completely flabbergasted by his question.

“Your questioning my love for you? Seriously? I can’t believe what I’m hearing! We’re supposed to be getting married in less than an hour and your bringing this up now?! I’m so tired of everyone questioning MY decisions and treating me like I’m a child. Do I love Peter? Of course I do! How could I not? I will always love Peter and I have told you that but your the man I wanted to marry. However, if you can’t trust in my feelings for you then we shouldn’t do this. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life being guilted and questioned by my parents and by you Gambit.”

“No, your NOT putting words in my mouth Serena! Will you STOP blowing up long enough to listen!?” He said loud enough to talk over her. “I did not ASK you how you felt about me. I KNOW how you feel. I ASKED you if I was going to have to SHARE your feelings with someone else. Because I don’t want to share you. I want you...for myself,” He said and at the end very softly and his red eyes glistened with wetness. “I just want it to be you and I, just you...and me,” he said as he looked at her. “If that makes me a selfish man than so be it. I gave you up once, I can’t do it again,” he said. “I won’t do it again, you belong to me,” he said as he took her face into his hands.

Serena was clearly still upset, but she stopped yelling and didn’t pull away from Gambit. Tears came to her eyes. She hated being angry at him and it showed. “Did my father say something to you last night?”

Gambit looked at her as if she were being dense. “Serena, we almost got into a fight over what he said to me last night. And it doesn’t matter. We’re going to get married and then its just us for 2 whole weeks. Just us, no one else. I told you so I didn’t hold anything back from you though I thought about it because I knew you’d get upset,” he said as he used his thumbs to brush tears away from under her eyes. “We are a united front you and I and I want to marry you today,” he said. “If you make me ask you again I will,” he said with a grin. “Please marry me Serena,” he whispered. “Please be my wife today,” he said sweetly.

Serena was emotionally exhausted from the past few months and that showed in her eyes. She was tired of her parents trying to manipulate them and stop them from being together. No one was going to stop them...not now...not ever. She couldn’t lie to Gambit and tell him that she didn’t still love Peter, because she did, but she loved Gambit more and she hoped he would understand that. Peter had been apart of her life for so long. He had been her best friend and she wanted him to remain in her life.

She was trying not to cry because she didn’t want to ruin her makeup. She finally smiled at him and kissed him. “I will marry you,” she said before kissing him again. She then sighed as she thought about what her father had done.

“I don’t think I want him to walk me down the aisle anymore.”

“Whoa there Pocahontas, I think if you calm down, if everyone calms down we’ll get through this just fine,” he said. “Your their only daughter babe. Let them be overzealous if they need to. It hasn't changed anything. Let him walk you down the aisle and give you to ‘me’,” he said with a smile. “And then for 2 weeks...oh the things I plan on doing to you Serena,” he said then shifted and pointed her toward the door. “Nightcrawler can take you back,” he said then opened the door and as she stepped through it he slapped her bottom hard then shut the door behind her quickly. The guys outside heard something but only looked at her. Nightcrawler stood up and smiled at her. “Is everything alright?” he asked see her makeup running.

Serena still was angry at her father, but decided to continue to let him walk her down the aisle. She returned to her room and fixed her makeup and then put on her dress. Just before the ceremony was to begin her father came to her room to retrieve her. She opened the door and let him come in and was quiet a moment before addressing him. “I trust that you and Mom aren’t going to say anything during the ceremony?” She was clearly angry and upset at him and he might assume she had learned what had happened the night before.

“Well we gave it our best shot so here is where we are,” he said as he shrugged. She would always be his little girl no matter what she did or how old she got. He decided not to wisely invoke Peter’s name right then.

“If your doing this than let’s be about it ok?” Tony asked not answering her question. He couldn’t ask her any of the things he wanted. ‘Did she really love him?’ ‘Was it the smart thing to get married so young!’ And other things as those that might bring up her ire.

“You know we love you Serena,” Tony said.

Serena sighed and shook her head a little and then looked back at him. "I know, and I'm not going to let you ruin this day for me. I'm going to be happy and I am going to marry the man I love no matter what anyone says. And if you have to know, yes I do still love Peter and I will always love Peter, but I don't love him as much as I love Gambit. I still want Peter in my life and apart of my life and I will always care about him, but he's not the man I'm supposed to be with. I know this in my gut. It just took me a while to figure it out. I never wanted to hurt him and I'm sure he hates me, but I can't force myself back into a relationship with him. Can you understand that?"

“Serena I do understand you. And I know your mother and I have not been particularly supportive. We never said we were perfect. We only want our daughter to be happy and safe,” he said. “If you love Gambit then marry him. I already gave him my blessing. But I don’t have to like it,” he said.

Serena was about to bring up the fact that Gambit had told her that her father had nearly hit him last night, but she held her tongue. If she brought that up she was just going to get upset again and she wanted this day to be about Gambit and herself. She took a moment to breathe in a few deep, cleansing breaths before she was ready to go. She took her father's arm and they headed downstairs and then to the area where she was to wait for a moment. Kurt was in charge of the music and when she was ready he hit play. As the music started to play Serena walked out with her father. Her dress was floor length with long sleeves and a floral lace pattern overlay. It was cut up to her collarbone with a medium length train. It was modest by some standards, but on Serena it looked incredible. Her hair was pulled back into a loose, low messy bun with some pieces loose around her face. Her makeup was not overdone, but her lipstick matched the crimson red roses in her bouquet. Her eyes met Gambit's down the aisle and all of her anger and frustration vanished. The moment that they had been fighting for had finally arrived.

The anticipation ate at Gambit. He had waited so long for the day, for this moment. He had let Serena go and she found her way back to him. He earned her in every way he knew how. He loved her in every way he knew how and he knew she loved him. He felt it into his bones. Logan was the only one he had standing up for him.

Once he heard the music begin, he was already sweating profusely, his gaze shifted to where he knew she would be. The moment she came into view there was a collected sigh from all in attendance. Gambit brought his hand and tested it upon his heart. Serena’s beauty was almost elemental and he was afraid his heart
Might burst from just seeing her. His heart was beating so fast he could feel it through his coat. He smiled at her but his eyes had gone moist.

A wave of happiness came over Serena as she saw the look in Gambit's eyes when he saw her. She had no doubt in her mind that she had made the right decision...as difficult as it had been. For the longest time she had only imagined herself marrying Peter, but now she couldn't picture herself marrying anyone but Gambit. She had hung onto Peter, like he had to her, for so long because he was what she knew, but Gambit had taken her out of her comfort zone and really helped her to become the woman she was today.

As they reached the front of the aisle Serena hugged her father and then turned to face Gambit with her undying love and devotion for him shimmering in her eyes.

“Gambit, Serena,” Hank intoned. “Please join hands,” he said. “We are all gathered here today to celebrate the union of two amazing people,” he said. As he continued on about what marriage really meant beyond a contract Gambit looked into Serena’s eyes. ‘Your Beautiful’ he mouthed.

Hank continued but all he saw was her. The redness of her lips, the few freckles near her nose. Her large, dark eyes that called to him in his dreams. She was his dream and he was living it right now, with her. His love for her swelled and it filled him up to bursting.

“Gambit, do you have the ring?” Hank asked and Gambit just kept looking at her. He smiled a warm smile. Logan appeared and he handed Gambit his ring. Gambit took the ring and hovered it above Serena’s finger. “I believe Gambit had his own vows he wanted to present?” Hank said. Gambit loved the bulge of her eyes as he hadn’t discussed giving their own vows until now. He still found ways to turn her head around in circles and he loved that.

“Serena, I gave you back to the world once and the world gave you back to me. I will spend the rest of my life to honor that debt and to honor you as my wife, my companion and the love of my life,” he said then slid the ring fully onto her finger.

Serena had not prepared vows and she gave Gambit a surprised look when he suddenly began to recite vow that he had prepared. She gave him a look and a smile that told him that she really wan't angry at him. What he said brought tears to her eyes and as he slipped her ring onto her finger she had to fight to keep them from falling.

Rogue was actually there with Serena. Serena had asked Rogue to be her maid of honor and she had been pleasantly surprised when Rogue had agreed. Rogue gave Serena Gambit's ring and Serena took a little breath before looking at him.

"Gambit, you still find ways to surprise me," she said and everyone chuckled. "But the biggest surprise of all was when you came back into my life when I needed you the most. You make me feel desired, loved, and incredibly special and my life is certainly never boring with you. I hope you keep surprising me Gambit because there is no one else in this world that I love as much as I love you," she said before slipping his ring onto his finger.

Hank dabbed at his own eyes then continued. “Gambit...Serena, the vows that you’ve given to one another are your promise and proof of your devotion to one another. You have made a choice to forsake all others in this promise and you are forever bound by your oaths of the eternal love between you. Gambit...Serena, I pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride!” He said and as Gambit kissed her the crowd stood and clapped. Isabella was crying and Tony handed her a handkerchief. As Gambit took up he hand in his They turns and faced the crowd. As he began to step through them everyone began to shower them with playing cards. All jacks of spades and queen of hearts.

The reception was also in the mansion but Gambit closed the door to an adjacent room behind them to give them a minute to calm down. He was breathing hard just like she was and he moved to take her into his arms. He laughed with her and he lifted and spun her around. “God it finally happened!” He said surprised.

Serena's heart felt like it might burst with happiness as Gambit picked her up and spun her around. She laughed and hugged him and then kissed him again...and then again. Tears of relief came to her eyes. "I love you so much Gambit and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life being surprised by you."

Gambit laughed. “If you wanted boring and predictable man did you fuck up,” he said and laughed as he held her. He kissed her again and he smiled down at her. “Now we gotta get through just a little more before we head to Monte Carlo,” he said excitedly and finally got his breath back.

Serena smiled and kissed Gambit again before lowering her voice to a sexy whisper. "I bought new panties just for our honeymoon." She grinned when she saw the feral look that started to come into his eyes. She stepped out of the room with him and into the room were the reception was going to be held. Everyone cheered and clapped when they saw them, which caused Serena to blush.

Storm immediately brought them each a glass of champagne and the toasts began. First, Charles spoke, and then Hank, and then Logan. When Serena then saw her father move to speak she tensed up slightly because she didn't know what he was going to say.

“Once I asked Isabella for a boy and a girl and instead she gave me a Serena,” he said and several people chuckled. “Being a family like ours, being the people we are and living this life makes Moments like this one far more important for us all,”

“From the moment Serena was little we both knew she was different. And as she grew she quickly outpaced the other children. While they played with block and dolls Serena played with legos and erector sets. She dismantled my favorite clock at age 5 and at age 10 rebuilt the engine in my 1976 Lamborghini countach,” he said then pointed at her and held up two small bolts. “And to this day I don’t know why you had parts left,” he said and everyone laughed.

“At age 15 she was ready for college but she begged us to hold her back so she could be with her friends. And now she’s married to a good man,” he said then gestured toward Gambit. “At least I hope so because she’s your problem now Gambit,” he said and everyone laughed again.

“But seriously, out of all my inventions, innovations and breakthroughs, you Serena aremy greatest invention. And I will always love you,” he said. Then blew her a kiss.

As Serena listened to what her father had to say she slowly relaxed and fresh tears came to her eyes. She was grateful to be wearing waterproof mascara and eyeliner as a few tears trickled down her cheeks. She felt Gambit's hand on her back and he began to lightly rub it in a comforting manner.

After he had finished speaking she walked over to him and hugged him and then her mother and they all spoke quietly for a few moments and by the end they all were crying.