Wedding Prep (one-shot, M/C, PG-13)

[redwinter101]

Title: Wedding Prep
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: In terms of Mick and Coraline stories, this is where it all started for me. I had no idea that it would lead to Anniversary when I wrote it all those months ago as it was only ever intended as a one-shot. But then obsession set in....

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--- Wedding Prep ---

He hadn't really wanted to go drinking with the boys but they had insisted; after all it was his last night as a free man. Thankfully, their threat to drag him to a strip joint had been nothing more than bravado and they had settled for plenty of beer, a good measure of jokes at his expense and just a touch of envy that he had convinced a woman like Coraline to marry him. Like Mick, most of them had never met so exotic a creature and they were more than a little in awe of her. He liked the admiration, and ribald speculation, that this brought.

He had watched his drinks carefully; he was determined to look his best tomorrow, to make Coraline proud to stand next to him as they committed the rest of their lives to each other. The closer the ceremony got, the more the little nagging doubts crept into his mind. She had turned unpredictability into an art and he wouldn't put it past her to stand him up. He would never admit it to anyone else but he had been astonished when she accepted his proposal. He knew that she loved him, but 'til death do us part? That thought brought a smile to his lips. A lifetime with Coraline. Now that was something any man could look forward to.

After making sure he made it safely home, Buddy, his best man, tried to give him some words of advice but considering he was significantly the worse for wear and a confirmed bachelor, none of it made much sense and Mick was glad when he had the place to himself. He moved over to the gramophone, positioned the needle over the first track and waited for that beautiful voice that sent shivers down his spine.

Couldn't sleep and wouldn't sleep
When love came and told me, I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I

Vexed again, perplexed again
Thank God, I can be oversexed again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I

The song could have been written just for him. He couldn't remember a restful night since he had first met Coraline. Marrying her still felt like a dream, a wish fulfilled; the thought of her in his bed every night, rather than just at her convenience, was enough to bring his alcohol-dulled senses to life. His mind wandered - thoughts of her scent as he held her close; the way she clung to him when they made love, their bodies finding their own rhythm; the way she held his gaze when she came, never wavering, daring him to take her further, to prove he was deserving. In truth, she was the tutor and he was the student and there were times when she made sure he knew it.

Unable to settle, he rehearsed his vows until he could be sure he didn't have to worry about fluffing his lines. The words were so familiar but they took on a whole new meaning now that he was going to be reciting them himself. He had been lucky to see a happy marriage at first hand growing up and he was now ashamed that he had once thought his parents mundane, their comfortable routines seeming safe and dull to his callow eyes. After thirty-two years together, they had an intimacy that surpassed passion and his father's words of advice rung in his ears. "Never forget that you have a duty, to provide for her, to protect her and always, always to put her needs before your own. Marriage isn't easy, son. You've found the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with and now you have to set about making her happy and hope she does the same for you. You've grown into a fine man and I'm proud to call you my son." His dad had always been a man of few words and for him this was quite some speech. They both had unshed tears in their eyes, while his mom had wept unashamedly when he said his farewells earlier that day. There was something in her eyes that reminded him of the day he left to join up with his unit and head for France. He knew she thought Coraline wasn't right for him, although she had kept her opinions to herself, but they would prove her wrong, he was convinced of that.

Mick took a moment to examine his face in the mirror. He saw a man who was drifting through life no more. He had found his anchor. Bewitched he might be, but he knew that tomorrow his life would really start.

He would be a good husband.

Coraline was taking care of her own preparations. She massaged the cold cream into her face, wiped it away with a muslin cloth and took a long moment to inspect the reflection that stared back at her. It was partly vanity and partly habit that caused her to spend so long on her evening routine. She knew she was beautiful; she had always known she was beautiful and all of her previous husbands had been only too happy to have her on their arm and in their bed. They had brought her status, wealth or security but Mick was the first who had ignited her desire for a marriage in the truest sense of the word. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him; she wanted them to be a family; she wanted to take on eternity with him by her side.

It had taken every ounce of her discipline not to feed from him before now and she was glad that their wedding night would be a union in every sense. The mere thought of his blood coursing through her caused her eyes to glaze. She needed him.

Cynthia had dismissed her feelings as a childish infatuation but she was wrong. Or perhaps just jealous. Coraline knew that the love she felt for Mick was real and powerful enough to withstand whatever the fates had in store for them.

"So why haven't you told him what you really are, if you're that convinced?" had been Cynthia's parting shot earlier that evening. And Coraline, unused to the doubts that refused to be pushed to the back of her mind, replayed the decision over and over as she combed out her hair. No, she was right. Mick would be the perfect immortal companion and it was purely practicality that had prevented her from turning him before now. He needed a legitimate reason to escape the clutches of his quaintly parochial family. What better reason that a new wife? Besides, she knew the man and once married, he would never turn away from her. She saw the doubts clouding her reflection and cursed the mirror's unforgiving power. With a petulant wave of her hand, the brush shattered the glass.

In search of distraction, she inspected the dress that hung from the back of the wardrobe door. She had never been married in white before and she was filled with a girlish excitement that belied her age. She would be a beautiful bride, even in the high heat of a summer afternoon. And then they would dance and drink and laugh and kiss; she would feel alive and he would never leave her side again. "'Til death do us part". She rolled the phrase around her mouth. The longer you lived, the more important the rituals of marking time became.

He longed for her - she could see it every time they were together and tomorrow, his longing would finally be satisfied.

She would be a good wife.

[wpgrace]

Stopped in for a Red-fic re-read to make the move here official for me...

I love the two lines "He would be a good husband." "She would be a good wife."

Bless 'em... They both did intend to be.

[redwinter101]

*hugs Grace*

Now I feel right at home...

Red

[MoonShadow]

Well done Red! Well done. You picked a pivotal moment in both their lives... I enjoyed every word.
thank you

[redwinter101]

Thanks, MS. Delighted you liked it

This led onto a multi-chapter, Anniversary. So what started out as a little one-shot, ended up a 55,000 word epic. Sigh. These characters just fill my head.

Red

[Shadow]

Love the way you give them both such heartfelt and sincere good intentions. It's so completely believable.

Wow but this story did grow! It was really interesting reading this part last.

[redwinter101]

Love the way you give them both such heartfelt and sincere good intentions. It's so completely believable.

Wow but this story did grow! It was really interesting reading this part last.

You really have done this back to front you know, Shadow. I do think they both had good intentions - sadly they were completely different good intentions - and we all know how that turned out.

Red