AMERICA'S POV

I'm going to marry him today. It's the only thought running through my brain as Wanda runs a careful brush through my hair. In a few hours, we will be one. She makes idle conversation, to which I mostly respond with one-word answers. I'm just not really paying attention.

Wanda smiles at my daydream state. "Thinking about him?"

"Yeah," I say, a smile settling on my face. "It's really happening, Wan."

"I'm so happy for you. I... I never thought this day would come. When you disappeared, I thought about all of the things we'd never get to do. I didn't think I'd ever see you walk down the aisle." I turn around in my stool and give her a long, tight hug. We're both blessed to be here today, and I don't want to ever take that for granted.

"Did you talk to any of the guys about last night?" I ask her. The girls wouldn't let me talk to any of them all day in case I would accidentally run into Steve. I already got yelled at for trying to go say good morning. She giggles.

"Apparently there were drinks, pool, a movie, and a very intense game of truth or dare."

"Like what? I need details!"

"If Pietro was telling the truth, Mr. Stark jumped out of a window."

"Of course he did," I sigh, chuckling to myself. "Pietro's dare?"

"You bet." She clasps a necklace around my neck, the one Steve gave me in Washington all those months ago. "It's one o'clock now. We need to get you ready for three, the wedding's at four." I know all of this, of course. It's my wedding. But I let her run through the plan anyway. 

"Okay. Where's Nat?"

"Well, she was chewing all of the guys out for getting back at two in the morning. I forget where next. Oh! She and Clint went to make sure everything was set up for the reception. Sam went to go get the suits, Pietro and Steve went for flowers, and I told Eliza it was her job to make sure Tony makes it on time."

"Solid plan," I laugh. "I feel so lazy. I feel like I should be doing something, too."

"Be lazy! You never do that, anyway. And then in a few days, you get to go to Malibu and relax."

I've never been to Malibu. In all my years on the run, I never made it to the West Coast. The closest frame of reference I have is Miami, and I bet it's different. But I'm excited. It'll just be Steve and me, married and on adventures of our own.

Wanda twists different waves of my hair this way and that way, trying to decide what to do with it. Then she smiles as an idea pops into her head. "Close your eyes!" She instructs. I oblige, shaking my head as I do. "We could use some music."

"Hey FRIDAY, play my workout playlist," I say, knowing how Wanda still doesn't like talking to Tony's AI. My workout playlist really just consists of confidence-boosting songs, and soon we're singing along as she works on my hair. She lets me open my eyes but hides the mirror as she moves onto my makeup. The whole atmosphere of my morning is warm and lighthearted, especially when Natasha joins us and we all jam out together.

"I come home in the morning light!" I sing.

"My mother says, 'when you gonna love your life right?'" Wanda belts, continuing the pattern. Natasha grins and snatches the hairbrush from her.

"Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones!"

"AND GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!" We're all laughing in a fit of hysterics by the end of the song.

"Okay, I'm done. You can take a look." I do as my sister says and stare at myself in the mirror. She's swept my coppery hair into this loose, curly bun, with some pieces braided back and other loose tendrils framing my face. I bite my lip as I look, trying to hold back the tears.

"Oh, Wanda," I whisper. That's all I can say. I don't think I've ever looked prettier.

"Steve's going to have a heart attack," Natasha says, grinning. "In a good way."

"Thank you so much." I put my arms around Wanda and hug her tightly as a few tears escape from my eyes.

"Val, don't cry," she says, laughing a little. "The mascara's waterproof, but they all say that."

I smile and grab a tissue. "I never thought I'd be this happy."

"Well, you deserve it." Natasha puts her arms around the two of us, and no one pulls away for the longest time. Then the embrace ends, and reality comes back, but my mood persists. "Let's get you dressed."

Carefully, so as to not mess up my hair, I pull off my leggings and baggy shirt I stole from Steve. The girls help me into the dress, and Wanda buttons up the back. I slip on a pair of low white heels and look in the mirror again.

This can't be real. This girl staring back at me isn't the girl I was all those years ago. She's smiling more than she's ever smiled, and she's just glowing with excitement. I've looked at myself in the mirror for years, trying to figure out exactly who I am. And I think I just found out.

"You guys!" I say, putting a hand to my mouth. The two of them also look gorgeous in their matching dark red dresses. Wanda finishes up with the buttons and Nat snaps a picture with my Polaroid camera. We've been taking them throughout the day. I can't wait to see them all later. "This is actually happening. It's actually happening!"

Someone knocks on the door. I wonder who it is. Definitely not Steve. He knows better and wouldn't want to be lectured by my bridesmaids. "Come in!" Natasha yells. Pietro pokes his head in, looking very handsome in a black tuxedo.

"The limos are here, and- wow. Valeria, you look beautiful." I grin as he gives me a hug. "Beautiful," he repeats.

"Thank you. You clean up nice yourself," I tease. "We'll be right down. Where are the guys?"

"Already in one of the limos." He shoves his hands in his pockets. "They're waiting on me. I should go. See you at the church."

"Don't run in your suit," Wanda reminds him. He rolls his eyes.

"If we are late, sis, it's on you."

"Pietro, everyone else makes it to their wedding on time and they don't have enhanced speed," I point out. He huffs and leaves, walking at a normal-person pace. Wanda carefully places the veil on my hair.

"Let's go!" She cheers, leading the way out. Natasha follows, and I smile before shutting the door.

Hey! Here are some of the looks ;)