House of Cards Series # 3 One Shots (QoS, KoH)

June the 2nd, 4 o'clock

Although it was the second day in June, and temperatures thus far had been swealtering and sticky, it rained on Maddison's wedding day. As her Irish heritage made her a little more supersticious than most people, Mad knew that rain on her wedding day was actually a good omen, but she could hear West swearing in Spanish out in the hall. Although over the last two years she had not actually become fluent in Spanish, she had picked up enough of the language to understand when he was being a lothario and when he was being a pirate. Today was a pirate day but she loved it anyways.

"West, it's not a big deal." Mad called out to her fiance. She wanted to go out and try to calm him down, but both of them were adamant that the groom not see the bride until she walked up the aisle.

"How can you be so blase Angel? We're supposed to be having an outdoor wedding!" West fumed and Maddison could picture him pacing in her mind.

Maddison rested a hand against her stomach, a grin spreading across her face as felt the abdomen still being a slender as ever. Not for much longer as the doctor so recently told her. Not a bad wedding gift, Maddison admitted, finding out two days before your wedding that no, you don't have an ulcer, you have a baby. She was planning on telling West tonight, after the I do's were all out of the way. She knew that he'd be thrilled, and the only other people to know at the moment were doing a d*** good job of keeping it under wraps.

Alice knew, in fact she'd been the one to suggest the possibility and taken Maddison to the doctors to prove her hunch right. Considering the fact that Alice was the proud mother of the adorable little Nathaniel Vega who was acting as Maddison and West's ring bearer (with papa Malcolm helping of course), and was currently five months pregnant with their second child, Ace had the bun-dar. Like a gay-dar but for detecting buns in the oven.

 "West, if I have to marry you in the d*** gymnasium I will." Maddison called out instead, unable to wipe the grin off her face. The only other person who knew she was pregnant was her own mother, and that had caused a fit of rampant weeping. Maddison's mother was thrilled that she was going to be a grandmother, and just as thrilled that Maddison was going to be married before the baby came.

A flutter of nerves hit her as for a second she wondered if West would be thrilled, but then she shook it off. Although they hadn't planned on trying to have their own kids yet, she had seen West with Nate often enough that there were no worries in her heart that he would be happy at having a baby himself.

West's concerns were laid to rest when the rain stopped before it was time for everyone to be outside. A series of large tents had been hastily set up so that even if it started to rain again, they could stay outside and dry. He stood at the altar, feeling dry mouthed and nervous as the bridesmaids and grooms men walked up the aisle, grinning at him as if this were some kind of joke. He wanted to glower at them, this was his wedding day, not some kind of funny show. But for some reason, the more he tried not to glower at his best man Malcolm, or Romeo who was going to be the next man on the chopping block, and yet both of them just grinned at him as if they were aware of his sullen mood. How either of them could be so bright and happy after the bachelor party they'd thrown last night when West felt like he'd gotten mugged by an elephant made no sense.

The song for the bride started and West suddenly felt like his tuxedo tie was too tight. It'd been fine a moment ago but now he felt choked up and close. And then Maddison was walking down the aisle and West felt like he'd been shot again. She looked amazing. Most brides went with a strapless dress, but Maddison chose one with short sleeves and a v neck that did something damaging to his concentration. He knew that it was wrong to be oogling his bride's cleavage but West couldn't help it, she was amazing and he felt intimidated by her for a moment. And then he saw how nervous she looked and he stepped forward, ignoring the surprised stutter of the priest as he stepped down to meet Maddison and take her from her amused father's arm. Mr. Avery seemed to understand West's need to claim his bride and stepped graciously to the side. A few of Mad and West's friends laughed as they recognized the Cubano's typical possessiveness. But it made Mad smile and lose the nervous glint to her eyes and they smiled at each other, almost oblivious to the crowd watching them.

The couple turned and the priest did his thing, and before anything could go wrong, Maddison and Wesley were married. Alice cried and didn't bother wiping the tears away as little Nate slept in her arms, sucking his thumb. Malcolm chuckled at her weeping and thumbed the tears off her face while West kissed his bride.

####

The reception was well underway and West was finally able to sneak away with Maddison. A crazy theory had popped into his head and he wanted to talk to her without a million people listening. But West's father was a high important man and that meant his only son, illegitmate even, getting married was a big deal. There had been speeches, the ones from real friends and family were touching or hilarious, but then there were the grovellers and that had gotten a little ridiculous. West had simply stood up, taken the mike away and told everyone to eat already. After that it had been fun. But he'd noticed that Maddison looked a little green and spent most of the evening worrying.

Their first dance he'd asked her if she was alright and she gave him a brilliant smile. She reassured him that everything was amazingly alright and he started to think about it carefully. But then her father stole her for a dance, then Malcolm and a line of friends after that and West never got a chance to ask without witnesses. They left the party while everyone was up dancing and having a good time, but the newly weds wanted to get out while they could.

Laughing as West drove Arnie away, streamers and washable paint saying Just Married, Maddison held her skirts around her and smiled at her husband. Two years ago she'd hooked up with him while drunk, was his teacher and got pulled into a world where gangsters had nearly killed her and him with fire and guns and murdered his grandmother. Now they were married and going to have a baby. Her heart fluttered with anticipation for the chaos her life was about to become.

"Are you pregnant?" West asked out of the blue and Maddison turned to stare at him in shock.

"How the h*** did you know?" Maddison asked, voice high pitched in surprise.

"You're pregnant. Holy s*** you're pregnant!" West swore, face going slack in his shock.

"Are you ok with that?" Maddison asked, voice going soft.

"What? Of course I am. Angel, we're going to have a baby. Voy a ser padre." West kissed Maddison and they both laughed when the tough as nails Cubano started to tear up from happiness. (I'm going to be a father).

"You're such a suck." Maddison laughed at West.

He grinned at his new bride and kissed her still flat stomache. "I'm a family man." he stated proudly and she laughed, hugging his head to her belly.

"Yes you are Westly. Our family." Maddison agreed, teary eyed herself.