The Second In-Between

8| The Day Of

"Make way for the bridal party!" Clint called out to an empty house.

Bruce and Natasha had decided to have their wedding on the island at sunset, with a dinner reception and everybody back off the island at home by the morning.

Natasha had Clint, Melina, Maria, and Alexei part of her group of chosen few.

Clint was her Man of Honour, though he'd be walking with Tony instead of with Laura as they had previously planned. Melina and Alexei were walking her down the aisle, one on each side.

Alexei had grumbled about wearing blue, but he and Natasha had compromised with him having a small red star on his lapel.

"Are you ready?" Clint asked Nat, grinning. "I remembered when I was marrying Laura, my palms were sweating and I thought I was going to faint."

"I remember Fury telling me that." Natasha sighed. "I'm ready. I look ready. I feel ready. I'm ready."

"You are not ready," Melina said, coming in with the garment bag. "Come, come, let's get you dressed."

Natasha rolled her eyes and followed her mother into her bedroom.

Melina unzipped the bag. "I was very surprised when you called me about this, you know," she said, pulling out the dress. "The dress. I didn't know why you wanted one like mine." She shook the gown out.

"Sentiment," Natasha replied, staring at the dress. "I spent three years staring at you and Alexei's wedding photo. I knew it was fake, but still... I liked it. The idea of it. Besides, I didn't take it anyway. I studied it and made my own."

"And it is very nice." Melina unzipped the back. "Now we have to put you in it."

"Hm." Natasha sent her mother a wry smile. "It's easy." She slid it over her slip and let the chiffon layers float down before zipping it up. "Happy?"

Melina looked her up and down. "With the dress, yes. Your hair, no. Sit down. I need to fix it."

"My hair isn't broken."

"Shush."

There was a silence as Melina dressed up her hair in very long and complicated braids across the back of her head, weaving in some stems of baby's breath inside them and letting the rest of her hair fall down in dark red waves.

Natasha let Melina clip in the cape and watched it fall on her back in the mirror.

"Now you are ready," her mother said, stepping back proudly. "Beautiful."

"Thanks." Natasha slid on her shoes. "Let's go."

She and her mother stepped out into the hallway, where Maria wolf-whistled at her.

"Looking good, Romanoff," she said with a grin. Maria held out a box. "Don't forget the necklace."

Melina clasped the chain around Nat's throat.

"My daughter," she said, stepping back and looking at Natasha proudly.

Natasha looked around the room, smiling at her family. "Thank you," she said, stifling the urge to tear up and eat ice cream on the couch about time moving fast. "You all look nice."

The bridesmaid dresses were a pale teal hue, with Clint, the best man, wearing a suit ensemble in the same shade. Melina was dressed in a similar fashion as the bridesmaids, though a little more conservative, with a darker blue. Alexei's blue was the darkest, adhering to the navy blue Natasha wanted, a red star pinned over his heart.

"Bouquets," Maria said, passing the bundles around.

Natasha smiled at the flowers and steadied herself. Today was the day. She was getting married.