Bonus Chapter: Meeting Aqueela (Part 1)

Three years later...

Sarah's POV:

I'm up before the alarm on my phone can go off. It's as if my body has an alarm clock of its own. I yawn, aware that today's going to be a long day for all of us. I stare up at the ceiling and run a hand through my long hair.

I really don't want to get out of bed.

I glance over to my side and see Lan facing me, still fast asleep. I take in the sight and smile. I hate waking him up. He always looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. I don't like being the one to take that away from him.

"Landon," I say softly and rather reluctantly, "come on, it's time we get up."

I know he hears me because he wraps an arm around my waist and tugs me against his chest, refusing to let me go.

"Lan," I repeat, nudging him this time, "c'mon, I don't want to let Emma down today."

My words seem to get through to him. I've learned which plays work with him – pretty much anything related to his sister.

He opens his eyes and sighs aloud. "For once, I want to let Emma down, especially if it means that she doesn't end up with that idiot for an eternity."

He still hasn't quite accepted the fact that his baby sister is marrying his worst enemy today.

I smile and trace his jaw with my fingertips. "Landon...you've got to let her go."

I love how protective he is over Emma but he will struggle today. He's not exactly ready to see his sister grow up.

Landon frowns at me. "Whose side are you on?"

"I'm always in your corner, Landon," I tell him, removing my hand from his face. "You know that."

"Yeah," he admits, "I do."

"I just want Emma to be happy and if that takes Xavier, then so be it," I explain to him my view on the matter. "Xavier loves her; it's obvious by the way he treats her. You may hate him but your sister's in good hands. I don't doubt that."

"Well, if she ever ends up in bad hands, I'll break those hands," he responds before closing his eyes again.

I stifle a laugh. Landon's never going to change.

"Now, let me just hold you and sleep away all my resentment for that moron my sister loves," he mumbles before getting comfortable again.

"Landon..." I drawl hesitantly, "don't make me hit you."

He laughs, highly amused. "Please...I know you well enough by now to know that you're not even capable of thinking of hitting a person."

It's true.

"Don't make me get up, Sar," he adds tiredly, his eyes fluttering open again. "You're so warm and soft and I don't feel like facing the day."

I know why this is day is already proving to be so difficult for him, aside from the Xavier thing.

"Is this about your parents?" I ask cautiously -- I know this isn't his favorite topic.

He meets my gaze and pauses before nodding. "I guess it's because..." he trails off without finishing his thought.

I stare up into his eyes and wait patiently.

"I guess," he starts again after first composing himself, "that it just never occurred to me that my sister and I wouldn't have either of our parents at our weddings."

I can't even begin to imagine not having my parents at my wedding someday. The mere thought hurts.

"Lan..." I sigh, empathizing with him and his sister, "I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault, Sar," he replies before releasing me and dragging himself out of bed.

I sit up. "You're getting up?"

"Might as well, right? The day's ruined anyway," he states in nonchalance as if he doesn't care but I know he does.

"Your dad would be here if he could," I tell him quietly. "I hope you know that."

As expected, Landon doesn't reply to that. I don't need him to, I just want him to know.

"Hey, guys," Dean suddenly barges into our room out of nowhere, "what should I do with my hair for the wedding? Windswept or gelled back?"

"Dean!" I gasp and cover myself with the blankets. I'm only wearing a tank top and pajama shorts. I'm barely clothed. "How did you even get in here?"

Dean laughs, finding my reaction comical. "Oh, Sarah..." he laughs again, "I thought that, after three years, we'd be passed such silly questions by now."

I glance over at Landon for help, still in shock.

Landon glares fiercely at Dean before throwing a pillow at his head. "Get the hell out, you useless lug!"

Dean places his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm going," he says in defeat. He's about to leave but stops to look over his shoulder at us once more. "I'm taking it that the pillow tossing means you guys like my windswept look."

This time, I throw the pillow at him.

*~*~*~**~*~*~*

"These things are so uncomfortable, Sarah," Landon whines for the hundredth time, dramatically pulling at the collar of his shirt as if trying to get air back into his lungs.

"Stand still," I order and do his tie for him – he's a hopeless case. "You can bear the tie for one day."

We're crunched for time and I don't want us being the reason why Emma's late to her won her wedding. Landon's already changed five times because, apparently, all the suits I picked out for him are too 'uncomfortable'.

"Do you think Ryan's going to be there?" I ask as a way to fill the silence.

Landon shrugs, uncaring. "If he's still with Nancy then probably. She seems to always be wherever Grey is."

I don't know if Ryan is with Nancy for Nancy or to get to me. I've seen them together and he pays her even less attention than he paid me. It's also pretty clear that Nancy has a thing for Grey.

"And you're okay with that?" I ask gently.

He nods, unfazed. "I don't really care either way."

He's better at forgiving than I am. I still can't seem to get over what Ryan said to Landon. It's petty but I can't help it.

He notices my silence and arches a brow at me. "Does it bug you?"

I nod, admitting to it. "Yeah. I don't like the way he spoke to you after my crash."

He sighs in response. "I told you, Sarah, his words don't mean anything to me."

I drop the subject just as Emma appears in the doorway. "Morning," she greets us with a big smile.

She looks gorgeous in her simple but beautiful wedding dress. The tomboy is not looking so tomboyish today.

I return her smile, truly happy for her. "Hey, Emma." I step forward and hug her lightly, careful not to crinkle her dress. "On a scale of one to ten, how ready are you?"

"One thousand," she answers with another huge smile, pulling back from me.

I take in her appearance a second time. "Emma, you look so beautiful," I tell her in awe of her. Her make-up artist has done a fantastic job in glamming her up while still keeping her looking natural.

"You do," Lan agrees with me; that's the most Emma will get out of him and she seems to know that too.

"Thank you, guys," she replies, sincere.

A brief silence falls over the room. I watch Emma shift nervously. I open my mouth to ask her what's wrong but my boyfriend beats me to it:

"Em," he drawls in contemplation, "what's up?"

"I know I said that I'd be fine walking down the aisle by myself but...uh..." she stutters, unable to finish her sentence.

"I'd be happy to, Sis," Lan tells her, making it easier on her.

"But you're Xavier's best man," she points out, concerned about messing up the arrangements.

"Not by choice," he reminds her. "You made Sarah your maid of honor and I felt obliged to agree to this crap."

I roll my eyes at him. "As if you ever feel 'obliged' to do anything."

"I can do both, Emma," he insists. "I'll walk you down and then I'll try and give you away and then I'll stand by Xavier with a knife."

Em frowns up at her brother. "Landon."

"Fine, without a knife," he says with a deliberate sigh.

He's learning to self-correct; I couldn't be prouder.

"And what do you mean by 'trying' to give me away?" Emma asks him, placing a hand on her hip.

He shrugs. "Look, Em, I can't guarantee that I'm going to let go of you," he answers her truthfully.

"I kinda need you to guarantee that though, Lan," Em replies through a laugh. "I know he's not your first pick for me but he's mine."

"If I were you, he wouldn't be a pick at all," Lan jokes, teasing her.

I love seeing him interact with his sister. I love how much he loves her.

Em ignores her over-protective brother and turns to me instead. "I'm ready for you to do my hair now. Everything else is done."

I nod. "I'll be there now."

"Oh," Em turns back to face us, "I keep meaning to ask, when did Dean move into my old room?"

Emma moved in with Xavier not too long ago. It wasn't official or anything, she just kind of stopped coming home in the evenings and we got used to seeing her less and less.

I furrow my brows, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

As far as I know, we've kept Emma's room the same. I haven't been in there for a while; we keep her door closed.

"I just saw him. All his stuff his everywhere," Emma informs us, confused by how confused I am.

I shoot Landon a look.

He touches the side of his head in frustration, catching on. "I'll go kill him."