Fam Away From Home

I'll Wed You in the Golden Summertime

Astra swore she could get lost in those eyes. The music started and she was half prepared to walk down the aisle just her and the Doctor until Damon and Elena made their way to them. They looked very rumpled, with mussed hair and several stray pieces of hay stuck in their hair and clothes. Astra scoffed as they entered. With an eye-roll, she commented shrewedly, "Well, I hope it was worth it."

Elena picked some straw out of Damon's hair. The man smirked smugly. "Actually..." 

Wrinkling her nose in disgust, the brunette turned away. "Ew, gross! Don't ever tell me. Have you seen Bonnie or Matt?" she asked Elena. 

The fellow brunette looked worried, turning to her in alarm. "They're not here yet?"

Astra bugged her eyes with a loud huff. "Ohh, just go," she swatted them out the door, "go. Go, go, go."

The pair arranged themselves, linked arms, then walked down the aisle. 

Astra sighed with a hand on her forehead. She turned and accidentally bumped into the Doctor. 

The blonde took her hand, smiling encouragingly. "Breathe," she ordered. 

With a breathy sigh, chocolate eyes met hazel once more and a faint smile drew to Astra's face. 

Amused but impatient, Jo surged forward. "Okay, not again. Go." 

Laughing, the women got in formation and walked at a sedate pace. They split at the end, right by the altar, and moved to sit in the front row of Jo's side of the seating area. Ryan and Yaz sat on the other side while Graham sat behind them. 

Jo walked, escorted by her father, and everyone turned to watch them. They met the altar and Joshua handed his daughter off. He moved to sit on Ric's side, by his wife.

The lady Reverend, not Doctor, regarded the group. "Welcome, family and friends, on this magical evening to the wedding of Alaric Saltzman and Josette Laughlin. Josette and Alaric have prepared their own vows." She looked at the two of them. 

Jo handed off her flowers, turning to her partner with her hands out. Ric stumbled out a cough, taking his to-be wife's hands. "Ahem. Neither one of us should be here right now. We've spent our lives dodging fate and beating the odds. But, because we did, I got to meet you, the most beautiful, hilarious and intimidatingly brilliant woman I have ever known." 

A warmth encompassed Astra's naturally cold hand and she turned to face the blonde holding it. She squeezed the still-henna-stained hand with a faint smile. 

"You inspire me, you've shown me that happiness is actually something that I can have in my life. And so..." He turned to take the ring from Tyler. "I promise to be with you, and love you, and to dodge fate with you..." He slid the ring on the teary-eyed woman's finger. "...for the rest of our lives.

"Josette?" the Reverend prompted. 

Jo jerked to look at her before dabbing her cheeks with the back of her hands. "Oh god, that's a tough act to follow." The entire room laughed. "Here it goes: Alaric Saltzman, you are..." She smiled faintly in her momentary breath. 

She then suddenly flinched, standing straight in pain. Her eyes fell shut and she couldn't open them. 

"Jo..." Ric mumbled in confusion. 

Jo jerked as if injured from the back. No one around her reacted to stop or help, not understanding. Astra stood, stepping into the aisle. She reached the alter as Ric stumbled over his words. Kneeling by her mom, she found blood staining her stomach from the back. Looking at the blank space, she flung out her hand, wrist turning. Another energy met hers, shoving her into her grandfather.