SNIP
Two hours before Chris arrived at the church.....

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8:15 AM Brides room
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Lexi stood looking in the full-length mirror at her reflection. The past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind. She was ready to call off the wedding the day before yet somehow Toby convinced her to think about it and she had. That was all Lexi had done was think. Toby said he had forgiven her and could not blame her for the actions of a raving lunatic. He had even spent the day catering to her every whim never letting her out of his sight. The attention could have been romantic if there wasn’t the nagging thought in Lexi’s head Toby was just making sure Chris would not try to see or talk to her. This reaction was reasonable on some level. Toby was her fiance. Chris had laid him out. Things were over between them. The screaming match in the halls of the hotel, her sprained wrist, and Chris checking out of the hotel all but confirmed he was gone from her life for good. The issue was Lexi needed to see Chris. As she fiddled with the lace on the sleeve of her dress, Lexi thought about regret.

“How can you not be itchy with all that lace and beading,” Aubrey fidgeted moving her shoulders back and forth. “I swear my dress feels like you swaddled me in wool but not the soft kind. The kind of wool that is scratchy and itchy. Like the really cute wool sweater, you bought but never wear so it sits in the back of your closet because it was pretty and expensive…just like this dress is going to.”

Lexi stopped arranging her dress in the mirror and cast her sister a side glance. Her sister normally complained a lot but today she seemed ramped up on the ‘this sucks’ tirade. It had started from the moment they had gotten up. Her hair, her nails, Toby’s parents, their own parents, the weather, now the dress: If there was a topic, Aubrey had found something negative to focus on. After two and a half hours of her opinionated sister, Lexi was at wit’s end.

“What,” Aubrey acted innocent while wearing a guilty expression. Her sister knew what she was going to say next. Aubrey wanted to throw in about how a bridesmaid dress was a total waste of 250 credits because contrary to popular belief there was never going to be another time you could wear it no matter what the store clerk said. That was the silent scam all brides and wedding boutique owners plotted against the women that agreed to stand with their friend at the altar. You will wear this again.

“What,” Lexi mimicked her before looking back in the mirror adjusting her veil. Even though Lexi loved Aubrey, at times her sister could be a pain in the arse

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8:15 AM Hotel Rivera — Room 408 —
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“So let me get all this right? You come here and stay for the past 72 hours just to knock her fiance’ out yell at her and leave? Are you mental? You can just pack it all up and vanish… again.” Ian said in a harsher than normal tone as he stood in front of the entrance to Chris’s room, looking at him the man he called his best friend with a bruised eye from the two nights before when he went to stop Chris from making an even bigger mistake by assaulting Noah, which failed horribly. Ian always seemed to be stuck in the middle of these two, and the yells he overheard from last night made it clear whatever chance of the two realizing they were both being fools and just embracing each other had long past.

Chris looked behind his shoulder at Ian as he kept packing, putting his clothes back into his suitcase piece by piece before coming to the last item he had brought. It was a book, a yearbook to be exact. Class of 2387 was written on the front in gold lettering with the Starfleet chevron emblazoned upon it.

Sitting on the bed Chris looked at the cover, not answering Ian for a moment as he took in a deep breath before bringing himself to look up. “Yeah, that’s the plan. She had every chance to say pick me, I love you last night… or every night for the last eight years. One might few years ago I thought it was there, but I was wrong as always. I am always wrong when it comes to what I think that woman wants.”

“You coward, you always run. That can’t be your go to reaction all the time… things hurt they get hard but you can’t keep bailing… not on her… not this time.” Ian retorted in an angry huff, this was just like two years ago, and eight years before that. Chris seemed to always leave Ian to fix Lexi’s, broken heart.

“You know what Ian I think I have had it just about up to here with everyone telling me I am a coward, she didn’t pick me. Not everyone can get so lucky to find their love in some kink resort like you did. Some of us have to fight and bleed and sometimes we just keep coming up short, and I am sick and tired of coming up short.” Chris said with a bitter angry tone to his voice as he looked at Ian. His eyes seemed to have that same look right before he struck Noah and Toby as he took a deep breath as he sat on the bed.

“The only person leaving you alone… is you. That woman for some reason loves you a million times over, or at least she did. I don’t have a bloody clue why she does anymore and maybe she doesn’t… maybe you finally got your wish Robins and you pushed everyone away who give a damn about you.” Ian said as he turned leaving the room with every part of him screaming. It took all his calm not to tell Chris more, Ruth and the whole past of everything. He loved Lexi, she was his kid sister he saw in many ways and he couldn’t betray her trust. He knew though he couldn’t be Chris’s friend anymore, sometimes you just couldn’t forgive someone for their actions.

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8:45 AM Brides room
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“You are wearing blue,” Toby said waltzing into the room. His face bore a smile of a man excited and happy until he saw her in the dress.

Lexi could feel Toby scrutinizing everything about her. She was on the fence enough the last thing she needed was for him to give her more doubt. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s bad luck to see me before the wedding,” Lexi smile. “Since you have though, what do you think.?” She doubted the dress was what he would have picked out but wasn’t the groom supposed to say you were beautiful even if you were wearing sweatpants and at the justice of the peace on your wedding day? Lexi clung to the hope that Toby would at least lie and say yes even if he hated the dress.

“Babe,” Toby took a deep breath not sure how to tell her she wasn’t going to wear that dress. Thankfully he had predicted she wouldn’t get it right and had a solution.
“Luck has nothing to do with it. Don’t be silly buuuuuut,” he drew the word out, “if you really want to play the superstitious card why a blue dress?” He was hellbent on not fighting with her again. He would guide her like he always did to the right decision.

“Do you hate it,” Lexi felt her smile falter even though she worked hard to keep it in place. This day was a disaster. She had woken up pushing all her reservations aside with the hope that as the day went on, Lexi would have that one moment where she looked into Toby’s eyes and remembered why she agreed to marry him in the first place.

Placing his hands on either side of her cheeks, he guided her lips to his. The kiss was soft and gentle. It was not filled with the hot rush she always had with Chris yet was she just imagining that. She and Chris had one night fueled by alcohol and lust, love, or what had Chris called it…anger banging. Had Chris spent the night with her because he just always wanted it or was it to prove to Noah he could get Lexi for once. Her thoughts were focused on the conversation with Chris still trying to make sense of it rather than the man she was about to marry. Only when Toby broke the kiss and spoke did Lexi snap out of her flashback. “I don’t love it but I love you,” Toby kissed the tip of Lexi’s nose. “You are just lucky I am a problem solver,” he winked at her. Moving to the closet he pulled out a garment bag. Once unzipped it revealed a sleek contemporary dress. It was pure white with a plunging neckline designed to show off her ample assets. A slit ran up the side which would accentuate her long legs as she walked down the aisle. The dress also had a bead encrusted choker which would negate the need for the jewelry she was wearing.

“You got me a dress, she looked at him with a stunned expression. She would have said more but words were escaping her.

“I got you the dress. I can only take so much of this blue thing you got going and I had a few suspicions,” he pulled it from the bag carrying it over to her on one finger. “I felt bad about our fight so the girls and I went out the day of the rehearsal party, scoured the town and found this. Don’t get me wrong. That dress is pretty but baby it is not a wedding dress. It’s more of a party type thing,” he wrinkled his nose slightly.

Lexi cast a glance at her sister who she just realized was the only other person in the room with her besides Toby and Ruth. The heavy stare from Aubrey bore two white-hot beams of light into her forehead.

Ruth who had been playing on the ground looked up at the dress her mommy was holding. It looked nothing like hers and that was why her mommy bought her dress. So that she and her mom could be wonder twins. Her mommy had said it every time she put Ruth in the frilly dress so Ruth had no idea why Lexi was holding this white dress.

“Toby,” Lexi moistened her lips. She had no idea how she was going to Toby it was a no go but she needed to. The dress he was holding was not anything she liked.

“Oh for the love of all that is holy do not,” Toby raised his voice, “fight me on this Alexandra. You look like some Disney wannabe princess. What is wrong with this,” he demanded. Dealing with Lexi this past week was taking its toll. He had given her carte blanche for the wedding and ended up having to change everything last minute. His patience was at its limit with his future bride. She had never been this high maintenance when they dated and would need to tone it down after they said I do.

Ruth saw the side glance her mom gave to Aunt Aubrey. Shee also didn’t like how Toby was making her mom frown. Ruth wasn’t as strong as Chris or Uncle Ian but she was just as brave. No no no no, she babbled wagging her finger. When no one paid attention to her, Ruth did the only thing she thought would make Toby look at her. Chris had picked her up when she tugged at his pants so Ruth pulled Toby’s pant leg hard enough and long enough that it allowed her the leverage to stand.

“Because I don’t like it,” Lexi crossed her arms over her chest taking a stand.

“Well, I hate that,” Toby swirled a finger at Lexi. “If you insist on wearing it guess we can get the photographer to bleach it out in the photos.”

My mommy is beautiful, Ruth babbled loudly. Feeling so mad, she acted on instinct and bit down on Toby’s leg. She had seen this in cartoons all the time. It stopped the bad guy and let the hero run away. She would have hit him as Chris did but she knew she was not as strong.

“Oww Ruth no,” Toby yelled reaching down picking her up under her arm pits. Raising her to eye level, he glared at her. “You are bad. You are a bad, bad girl,” Toby snapped bellowing out a dose of verbal discipline.

Ruth did not like the way Toby was holding her. Her feet were dangling and there was nothing to hold on to. Still she had to protect her mommy. No, no, no no, Ruth waved a finger at him as her lip started to shake. Even when she was in trouble with her mom, Aunt Aubrey or Uncle Ian they were not this scary. No....no…no, her babbling became slower and her finger-wagging less pronounced.

“Toby. Leave her alone,” Lexi hollered at him stepping off the dias near the mirror. “Give me my baby.” This was the last straw. No one was going to treat Ruth like this.

“She bit me, Alexandra,” Toby yelled back still holding Ruth out from his body at eye level.

Without a word, Aubrey moved from the corner of the room she had been eavesdropping to Ruth’s side. This was not a moment for a snarky comment. This was the only positive thing that today just happened. Hopefully, it was enough to end this farce. If it wasn’t, Aubrey knew what would. Taking her from Toby’s arms, she left the room with Ruth in tow.

“So we are going to excuse that,” Toby belted back looking down at his leg. “She left teeth marks!”

“She left two marks. Ruth only has four teeth,” Lexi bent down to inspect the spot.

“So we let your kid grow up to be a beast because you don’t want to tell her no or discipline her,” Toby wore a shocked expression, “because if it is we really should have a discussion on this topic.”

“Toby this is not going to work,” Lexi sighed shaking her head. “You and I, my kid, your kids, Toby you can’t even say her name. This is not going to work. Get out,” Lexi pulled the veil from her hair.

Anger coursed through Toby. She was making a fool out of him in front of his family and friends all because he said something to her little brat. Grabbing a nearby vase he flung it at the wall. Glass shards littered the room as Lexi stared at his display of anger speechless. “And what do I tell everyone…huh. Lexi, you can not just call off a wedding,” Toby ranted pacing the room.

“Wanna bet,” she shot back hotly. “Get out,” Lexi pointed to the door. Toby didn’t make her repeat herself a second time. Slamming the door as he left Lexi stood looking in the mirror at her reflection. Never had she felt so lost and alone. Ian had dressed her down, Aubrey had complained about everything, and Toby walked out. The latter she cared little about. It was the first two people whose opinions mattered. Moving to the door, Lexi knew she needed some time to think. There was only one place no one would find her.

Back of the Church

Aubrey needed to get to Chris but had no idea where he was. She also didn’t have time to dork around with the personal communicator game. Only one person would know where the man was and at least Aubrey knew where to find Bordeaux. Kicking open the doors with one foot with Ruth still screaming on her hip, Aubrey scanned the room. “Ian Bordeaux,” she yelled like a lunatic. Her voice echoed through the room bouncing off the walls and floor as if searching for its target.

“Oh my god the whole family is crazy,” Margo Hershaw tossed a lock of her hair over one shoulder. “Toby is going to have his hands full with that crowd.” Sabrina and Andrea agreed with a series of haughty snickers turning around like everyone else in the church to watch the newest round of drama associated with the wedding.

“Be nice Margo. Toby is our friend and even if Alex and her family are a total embarrassment we have to support him,” Sabrina said sharply. “Until he smartens up and divorces her and her little misbegotten child that it is.” Sabrina’s comment drew more than a few smirks from Toby’s side of the church.

“You’re just jealous because she is hotter than you Sabrina,” Liam winked at the woman who promptly flipped him off.

Meeting him a quarter of the way down the aisle, Aubrey unceremoniously shoved Ruth at Ian. “Where is he,” she demanded.

“Hotel Rivera room 408,” Ian said without missing a beat taking Ruth from Aubrey.

Uncle Ian, I want my mommy, Ruth sobbed hard on his shoulder. She had no idea what had happened only that she was the cause of it and she made her mommy cry. Pushing off Ian hard, Ruth struggled not knowing what to do. So many people were staring at her. None of them looked happy and everyone seemed to be talking at once to her as the murmurs from the crowd created a white noise that echoed along with her screams.

“Settle down baby doll. Why what’s happened,” Ian struggled to multi-task the situation. Ruth demanded his attention but so was Aubrey.

“What’s wrong,” Kelly said coming up behind Ian with a concerned expression on her face. She had joked that maybe she should have called the Atlantis to orbit and sent down a security patrol last night. Now it seemed not to be so funny of a joke.

I want my mommy, Ruth squirmed harder seeing more and more people coming at her from all directions. The faces she knew but everyone seemed mad and was either yelling or crying.

“Sweetheart what’s wrong,” Lexi’s dad asked Aubrey approaching the growing crowd in the aisle. He and his wife had just left Lexi an hour ago. It made no sense to have this much commotion an hour before the service started.

“Alex and Toby are having a quiet moment, Dad. You need to leave them alone. It will be fine. With any luck, they will call off the wedding. Just make a few excuses for a minute,” Aubrey asked with a slightly pleading tone to her voice.

Kelly barely knew these people but so far Aubrey had only every been sarcastic. This sweet, soft side was either an act or she was really in need for them to do something. Obviously they didn’t want the parents involved which again was weird. “Ian, take the baby into the hall,” she placed a hand on his back as if to urge him in the right direction. At least in the hall, they had a shot at calming down Ruth and figuring out what was going on.

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8:45 AM Hotel Rivera — Room 408 —
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The light breaking through the windows left Chris sitting alone on the bed, his hands still grasping the yearbook as he looked down at the book as he titled his head. This was the last good year for Lexi and Chris, before it all fell apart. If he had known what he knew back then he would have done so many things differently, but that was the wishes of a child. He wasn’t the 18 year old with a broken heart finding the one girl who could repair it hanging from a tree stuck and wanting down.

“Computer, start Garfield/Robins playlist Alpha.” he said as the music back to play as he opened the book.

‘And I’d give up forever to touch you
‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be
And I don’t want to go home right now’

Chris paused for a moment as the lyrics began to play, this song was something he remembered from his sophomore year. He and Lexi had been drunk in a bar doing Karaoke songs. She wanted to sing something for him, the song wasn’t at all what he expected but he was dumb and naive’ back then. If he had thought harder he might have seen this as an invitation, instead he merely saw it as a friend wanting to be silly and let loose after a tough exam.

*** Sophomore Year - The Lux ***

“I have never… in all my years… seen anyone get booed at Karaoke night love.” Chris said as he couldn’t help but laughing at the whole ordeal. “You are horrible… like… no… don’t do that again.”

Not one to back down, Lexi to a swig of Chris drink as she stood up, as she grabbed his hand pulling him back on stage. “Let them boo, I paid for two songs… come on hero you’re not afraid are you?” she said as she got on stage as she made him sit on a stool. There was no other mic as Chris sat and watched her sing her heart out.

‘And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
And sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t wanna miss you tonight’

*** Present Day - Hotel Rivera Room 408 ***

Chris couldn’t help but smile at the memory as he kept going through the book slowly as he saw all the faces in the front, from academy activities and clubs. He brought the book to help remember some names as Lexi seemed to have invited half their graduating class to this wedding. “You still didn’t bring in Anastasia, can’t say I don’t blame you… she was a right bitch.” he said with a small chuckle to himself. After her peanut allergy expose’ he doubted Lexi would ever forgive that woman.

Coming to one of the pages he could see a picture of Lexi, Ian and himself with a Noah and Kylie seemingly shoved off to the side. The shirts he remembered well that they trio wore, *** Three Musketeers *** in aquamarine. Everyone always wondered why only they had anything written yet Kylie and Noah were on their team. In some ways it was inevitable Kylie and Noah got together. They pushed them aside so often how could they not find some solace with each other.

*** Bowling Tournament - 10 Years ago ***

“I am not losing to those Klingon’s!” Lexi shouted as she looked past Chris broad shoulders, it was a moment of pride to beat them as her competitive streak was never one to let anyone get the best of her.

“Settle down there pint size… I think they could take you if you physical here.” Chris said as he put his hand in front of her to hold her back as he looked over at Ian. “Wanna play get help?”

“No… no no no no… I refuse.” Ian said as he looked past Chris at the group of Klingon’s, they were well built, more than a match for just Chris and Ian and it served no purpose.
“Come on… once more before they ban us from this place, she needs this win.” Chris said as they both looked at Lexi who of course was looking as cute as she could, knowing full well Chris would do anything for her and Ian would always follow his friend into battle.

“Fine… but I get to throw you this time.” Ian said as he looked at Chris taking in his friends sheer size. Ian was tall, but Chris was taller and also had a good 50 more pounds of pure muscle on him.

“Nope, I’m throwing you come on.” he said as he stomped on Ian’s foot which made him haunch over as he put his hand over his shoulder walking towards the Klingon’s

“Help, my friend needs help!” he said as he came close enough to them before tossing Ian into three of the guys knocking them down as Chris threw a bunch at the Klingon as Lexi began to bowl, completely free to put any score she wanted down.

*** Present Day - Hotel Rivera Room 408 ***

Smiling widely at the memory as the song seemed to go on, each lyrics seem to pierce him as he sat there feeling the weight of all his past falling on top of him.

‘And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know you’re alive’

Looking at the photos in the book there seemed to be some writing under the picture from the debate team photo Ian had forced the three of them in. Chris had never seen this, it wasn’t in a location he normally would have looked for as he felt a small sense of wonder at what it said.

‘Dear Chris…’ were the first words he saw as he continued to read only finding the words as he could tell instantly the writing. “Lexi…” he muttered under his breath as he

‘Dear Chris,

Never forget who I am.

I am your wonder twin forever.

Lexi.’

Chris began pushing through the book, finding small passages littered through it all as he kept taking in each puzzle as it felt like years of confusion seemed to be clicking into place.

‘I don’t want to graduate but sooner or later it was bound to happen. I don’t think you understand. Without you I think I will be broken. I just want you to guess who I am? (page 10)’

Every unsure feeling of doubt that he had seemed to find an answer in this book as he heard the next line of the song play, his stomach seeming to fall as he felt goose bumps begin to form on the back of his neck.

‘And I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand’

‘Tomorrow moment of truth arrives. Why isn’t it like the movies? Aren’t I supposed to be happy. I just want you to know who I am? (page 26)’

Chris kept flipping, it was as if he couldn’t stop as each page brought him more of his Lexi, closer to the woman he never knew he had.

‘I’d give up my future to hold you. ‘Cause I know that you feel something for me somehow. You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll reach. And I don’t want to graduate right now. Do you to know who I am? (page 39)’

‘I don’t want the world to see me. ‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand But with you I don’t feel broken. I just want you to know who I am (page 51)’

Chris felt stunned, the song seemed to keep going perfectly matching the tone of the words as he felt all the air from him leave. It was like drowning and suffocating all at once as every part of him began to feel numb.

‘When everything’s meant to be broken
I just want you to know who I am’

Getting to the end his eyes fell wet as it took every moment to choke back the tears he felt. He had been a fool, for so long he had been the words biggest full.

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9:00 Starfleet Academy
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Lexi stepped out of the car and walked up to the entrance of Starfleet Academy. She had told Chris yesterday he had come full circle. Maybe coming full circle was what she needed to get her head straight.

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9:00 AM Hotel Rivera — Room 408 —
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Chris sat there quietly as the song kept going as he felt everything seem to blur and fade as moments seemed to pass before him. After what felt like an eternity he heard the page at his door as he seemed to snap out and realize he had been utterly still for so long as he looked up, his eyes red and wet. “Enter…” he said, unsure who it was but wanting anything but to feel what he felt right now.

Christopher Robins

Lt. Lexi Garfield