The Reign Of Vause

Alex's gift to Piper

(Piper's POV)

"Here." Alex said grinning and handing me a flat-ish little square gift wrapped in red shining wrapping paper tied with a gold ribbon and a note stuck to it. I felt it to see if I could guess what was inside and I felt a small circular lump and that was about it.
I gave Alex a very confused look and she grinned even more as she stayed standing opposite me. I guessed it was to see my reaction better.
"What is it?" I asked.
Her grin turned into a smirk.
"You'll just have to open it and find out." She said teasingly. I could see my family and Larry and Vanessa watching us on tender-hooks also wanting to know what Alex had gifted me. But first, like Alex did with my gift, I read the note she'd written,
"To my beautiful wife,
Merry Christmas.
I love you.
xxxxxx
Al.
Wow babe, you're not giving anything away are you?" I asked once I'd read the note.
"Nope." She smirked.
I smiled at her shaking my head as I undid the ribbon and neatly tore away the sellotape and a ring slid out. This confused me even more?
"A... ring? But we're... we're already married Al." I asked her, confused.
She still stayed standing in front of me although her smirk had turned into a very shy smile as she nervously clasped her hands together in front of her.
"That was your original engagement ring Pipes. Remember when I asked you in bed one morning if you thought we'd ever get married and you said you wanted to be a Vause? Well, I'd already had that made for you and was fishing for your thoughts on the idea. That's also why I was so busy and never around in the months coming up to the end of our first relationship. I was working and secretly planning to propose to you at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, at night, on your birthday. I had the diamond surrounded by your birthstone, Alexandrite and when Pierre made it, my jeweller at the time, I couldn't believe your birthstone had my name in it and couldn't help but think that we really were meant to be because I mean come on, how can you top that? Then my mom died and you left and I forgot all about my proposal to you so kept the ring as a necklace myself until now. I thought it'd make a good gift." She confessed.
My eyes had filled with so many tears it was untrue. I knew a few had leaked from my eyelids and were running down my face. Her confession about planning to propose to me when I left broke my heart and made me feel even guiltier.
"Oh Alex, I'm so, I'm so, babe I'm so-" I started but started to choke up and couldn't continue.
She took my hand and had me stand with her as she wiped my tears away with her thumbs.
"Hey don't cry. I've got you now. You're mine forever Mrs Vause." She laughed which cheered me up. I gave her back the ring and held out my left hand. She knew exactly what I meant so grinned and slid off my current engagement and wedding rings to slip this new/old ring onto my finger as if it'd been there first. Which it should've been. Once she'd placed all three rings on my finger, I immediately wrapped my arms tightly around her neck and kissed her deeply.
"Awwww." My family cooed. Vanessa and Larry stayed silent. Of course they did. Vanessa was an old bully and Larry was my ex who hated Alex.
"Oh Alex that's beautiful." My mom sniffled.
I pulled away, confused again.
"If that's my gift, what's the popcorn and wine for?" I asked her.
She smiled again,
"Because it's not your only gift." She said so I went back to my gift and pulled out a disk that said "Alex & Piper: Our Wedding Day".
I grinned.
"Oh Alex!" I squealed and hugged her tightly, covering her face with kisses.
"I'm guessing you like it." She laughed.
"No. I love it!" I exclaimed.
And at that, she uncorked the wine and poured all the girls a glass while the guys had their beer, handed me mine as we got back to our original sitting position with her arm around my shoulders and my arms wrapped around her, snuggling into her with the bowl of buttered/sugared popcorn on my lap. Just the way I liked it.
She pressed play and we were greeted by Alex.

"Hey Pipes baby. Well, this is our first Christmas together as a married couple soooo, my gift to you is a reminder of our wedding and it's shenanigans that we can watch together every year if you want. It can be our Vause family tradition. I love you, so much, enjoy and Merry Christmas babe."
She said into the camera then blew a kiss. I smiled up at present day Alex as she smiled back down at me.
The title screen came up with the same title that was written on the disk,
"Alex & Piper: Our Wedding Day" and a few of our wedding photos transitioned one after the other then went straight into our wedding ceremony and us saying our vows.
"You looked so beautiful babe." Alex whispered.
I blushed and looked up at her again,
"Have you seen you? So did you." I smiled.
It then transitioned to Nicky and Polly saying their bridesmaid speeches and Alex and I cutting our cake together then feeding it to each other.
Our first dance came up next and present day Alex and I watched as we squeezed each other's hands, remembering that magical day.
Then, like at any other wedding, the wedding shenanigans came on and the romantic ambiance turned into a funny one.
The first shenanigan was when our prison gang tried to gang up on us and throw us both into the hotel's swimming pool as newlyweds. Alex and I won that battle though. Everyone laughed at this.
Then Cal popped up as he was tucking into our wedding cake. Present day Cal protested.
"Okay, which one of you guys secretly filmed that?!" He asked and my Dad raised his hand in such a care free way it was hilarious.
"Dad!" Cal protested.
"What? I was a proud father, it was my little girl's wedding day, of course I'm going to have my video recorder out." He defended himself. Again, everyone laughed as Cal pouted.
The next one showed Alex and I making out in a dark corner. Even Alex was surprised at seeing this. We thought no one knew where we were or what we were doing.
"Okay, own up." I addressed my family as I turned increasingly pink. No one did so Alex and I looked at each other then said together,
"Nicky."
The next showed Larry doing the worm on the dance floor and everyone in the room turned to stare at him as he hid behind his hands.
"Yeah that one is on me, sorry Bloomer." Cal confessed.
"Ugggh, why do we have to watch this?" Larry groaned and Alex glared at him for this.
Vanessa being her usual suck up self then said,
"Because our wedding is tomorrow honey! It'll be great to get ideas on how it's done." I rolled my eyes in true Alex style. My wife would've been proud if she'd noticed.
The next clip then showed Alex and I slow dancing and in the background Larry could be seen at the bar, ogling me. This didn't go unnoticed by either me or Alex as we turned to look at him for this. Me not caring too much but Alex once again glaring at him. Vanessa hadn't noticed and was merrily watching the clips as they came on. Larry awkwardly squirmed until the next clip came on.
Boo was in the middle of the dance floor as we were all clapping her on.
Another showed one of my Aunts getting bothered by a seagull during the wedding ceremony and we all laughed at this.
The next one showed our prison gang with Polly doing shots and laughing.
A lot more transitioned then to finish, a clip of Alex and I slow dancing again came on and the director of the clip had zoomed into us as we kissed and said 'I love you'.
That gift was beautiful. Both gifts were beautiful and I had the perfect way to thank Alex for them.
"Babe. I don't know what to say. I love them both. They're so wonderful and so thoughtful and so... Oh Alex!" I said and kissed her deeply again. She chuckled into the kiss and broke it.
"You're welcome babe. I'm glad you like them." She laughed.
"Alex that was such a thoughtful gift. They both were." My mom said as Dad and Neri agreed.
Alex smiled at them then me and said "Thank you."
"Yeah, it looked great. I'm sorry I couldn't be there sis. And sis in law." Danny said addressing me then Alex.
"Yeah thanks Danny for missing your only sister's wedding." I said feigning hurt.
"Hey I tried! Honestly! There was a patient that needed urgent attention right away that day and apparently no one else could perform the procedure but me. I'm sorry!" He defended and I broke my charade and smiled at him, telling him he was forgiven.
Suddenly there was muffled music outside so we all gathered to the front door of the house and went outside to see what was going on.
It was carol singers and it was snowing. This just topped off the Christmas mood to a great Christmas Day. Neri and Cal held hands as they listened, Mom put her head on Dad's shoulder, Larry and Vanessa stood with Larry's arm around Vanessa, Danny being the divorced singleton that he was stood with Mom and Dad and Alex and I stood with my head on Alex's shoulder as she stood behind me with her arms wrapped around me with our hands intertwined and her head on my shoulder.
"Merry Christmas Al." I whispered to her.
She smiled and planted a kiss on my cheek.
"Merry Christmas Pipes."