Forever & Always

Preparation

"Wow. Lucy. For the first time in your life you look-."

Lucy cuts off Amelia with a finger lift, dress flopping over her shoulders, "Don't say another word."

"Very frilly."

"Where's Riley? She needs to see to understand- I mean I have to explain in great detail why this isn't working," she heads for the staircase.

Violet lays a hand on her shoulder, meeting Lucy halfway, "Do not go up there right now, she's freaking out."

Amelia stands behind Lucy, "Why is she freaking out?"

"Natasha."

"Shoot! She's not back yet?"

"No."

"What did Bruce say?"

"Uh..."

"You didn't text him?"

"Violet did. He doesn't have an updated ETA."

"Okay,' Lucy shrugs, 'so my problem will amuse her."

"I wouldn't," Violet wants half-heartedly.

The Jameson girl knocks on the bedroom door and clears her throat, "Riley? Do you wanna build a snowman? Hey! You know I'm ordained right? If you need a replacement?"

"What have I missed?" Izabella meets the group at the door, brushing her curled bang.

"Oh my god,' Lucy snorts, 'I forgot you have eyelashes! I never see them because they're so blonde-."

"Okay,' she narrows her eyes, 'thank you. I think..."

Antonia laughs as she joins, stuffing her face with taffy, "Are we going to talk about how ridiculous Lucy looks?"

Amelia lifts her hand, "That's what I said!"

"What the frickin hell," Riley groans as she swings open her bedroom door, dressed in a modernized hanbok ivory gown.

"Woah," Anna mumbles before going completely silent.

Violet swallows, "Wow, Riley."

"Do not utter your sentimental thoughts, Vi. Save it for the toast," she lifts the tulle of the bottom of her ballgown skirt to step forward and reaches for the bannister, "Mom?"

Anna takes another bite, "She's getting her makeup done."

"What do you need Riley? I'll tell her," Violet offers.

"Nothing," the bride nervously hits the bannister with the side of her fist.

"If it's about Nat-," Amelia starts.

"Shh!" Izabella snaps.

"You know,' Lucy pivots, 'I wasn't kidding about being ordained. There's a black suit I could change into real fast-."

Riley grimaces, "Shut up, Lucy!"

"Yes boss."

"That's...unnecessary information but if it comes down to it, yes."

"To the suit?! To ordinationaling?"

"Both. Izzy! If I ask you to warp Natasha."

"If she's working, that could get tricky,' Izabella folds her hands, 'I might accidentally bring someone we do not want in attendance."

"I have no sense of loyalty to your organization and would be honored to warp your officiant," America states plainly.

Riley points, "That was the right answer. Izzy? You're fired."

"Oh,' she tucks her head, 'okay."

Lucy pushes Izabella, "You're not gonna take that."

"Take what," she stands taller.

"You're going to tell her to respect you."

"I'm not going to tell her- no! It's her day! She's allowed to be temperamentnyy suka-."

"I can,' Riley holds her head, 'HEAR YOU! Both of you!"

"I'm here with flowers or some shit,' Clint stumbles through the hall with boxes, 'Jesus Lucy, who put your dress through the shredder?"

Lucy lifts her hands, feeling validated, "Thank you!"

"It's not shredded! It's a style," Anna takes a box from off the top of Barton's stack.

America takes the next.

Clint wraps an arm around Riley and kisses her cheek, "You alright, kid?"

She nods, patting his back mid embrace, "I'm good. How's Garrett?"

"Put together, I hope. Need anything?"

"Ear Plugs if I'm going to be around this bunch all day."

Anna coughs. Violet grimaces.

"You picked us!" Amelia gestures before face palming.

Clint clears his throat and stealthily leaves a shooter in Riley's grasp;

"I guess I should get dressed huh?"

"He's in sweats for context," Violet mutters.

Riley finally laughs, "Oh, I'm aware. That shirt felt much too soft to be a tux."

"Zip it, daughter," he gestures two fingers across his lips before heading to the staircase.

Maria waits at the bottom with a hand on the hip of her slim keyhole dress, "The hell are you wearing?! Promise me you aren't about to go fishing."

"Fishing?" Riley questions her group at the top of the staircase.

"He got bored and went fishing at Uncle B's and Aunt Nat's wedding," Lucy crosses her arms and answers.

"He caught a bass," Izabella adds with her eyes focused on nothing as she recalls the details, "Didn't you make a campfire, Lucy?"

"Really?" Riley tries not to laugh.

"I thought Clint caught a trout?" Lucy looks over at her friend.

Izabella shrugs, "Maybe it was."

Linda arrives in a turquoise suit with her own stack of trays as Clint passes, "Who needs caffeine?"

"Oh! Come on. Really?!" Lucy scowls, "Why does Linda get to wear pants?"

Linda looks her over, cheeks puffed as she loses her laugh.

"Don't speak," Lucy shuts her eyes and snaps.

Riley uncaps her shot and knocks her head back to down it, handing the empty container to Violet;

"The photographer is here."

"Hi Darcy," Violet waves to the next guest.

"Photographer? But I thought you were-," Izabella lowers her eyebrows.

"I am,' Darcy drums her camera, 'but y'know, student loans."

"Yes,' she sighs, 'yes I do."

"Alright! Inside, outside? Where are we doing this?"

Antonia steps forward as if she were born for this, "If you stay inside, the lighting is best off the kitchen. Anything you shoot up here is going to need some serious editing."

"Anna. My my, how you've grown. Aren't you the cutest flower girl?"

"Ugh!" She throws her entire head back and then around, "Follow me, I'll show you what I mean."

Riley snaps her fingers, "Linda, Vi and mom are first. Then mom and I are going to take ours while we're the freshest. Supposedly it matters. As long as the audio recorder works I'm happy."

"You are beautiful honey,' Maria hugs her, 'I'm proud of you."

She hugs her back, "Thanks mom."

"Why do you smell like...is that vodka? That's from Clint isn't it?!"