Ruby Redfort: try not to scream

Chapter 47- How It Ends

Six months later:

Clancy was flapping eccentrically. Today was the day that he and Ruby Redfort would be married. Dan was his best man and constantly tried to keep him calm. Ruby herself was also terrified. Hitch and LB were waiting outside her room, waiting for her to be ready. Ruby had asked her father if it would be alright if Hitch and LB walked her down the aisle instead to which he said yes. She had asked LB to be her maid of honour and was dressed in a long, gold coloured gown. Neither of them had seen Ruby's outfit although she had told them that the whole occasion was anything but traditional. Hitch was grinning from ear to ear; he had never once been so excited. Ever since he had met Ruby and Clancy, he knew that they were made for each other.

Inside her room, Ruby grinned. Although she had never been a dress person, she knew that this one was perfect. Spectrum had made it for her and she felt beautiful in it. It was long with a skirt that flowed widely around her legs and it was red. She smiled. Ruby Redfort was anything but traditional so it was perfect that she wore red. When she opened her door she saw two smiling faces. Hitch shook his head.
"You never liked doing anything by the book, did you?" he grinned.
"Never," she grinned.

Blacker and Froghorn were running around making sure everything was perfect while Clancy slipped into his suit. In one hour, the ceremony would start. Ambassador Crew, Mrs Crew and Brant and Sabina Redfort were cheersing champagne glasses and grinning spectacularly. They had been waiting for this day for a long time. Dan was talking into his watch, making sure everything was going smoothly. He dashed around the different tents making sure all was as it should be. To everyone's surprise there was a very special guest in attendance. Ruby had insisted that, although he must be guarded at all times, Victor Von Leyden had to be there. He entered the main tent surrounded by a huddle of guards, smiling. Clancy ran over to him to say hi.
"Thanks for coming," he said, shaking The Count's cuffed hands.
"Thanks for a glimpse of the sun," he joked.

Ruby herself was by then in the car and driving to the location. She was squeezing Hitch's hand and laughing with LB.
"I still can't believe you're getting married," sighed Hitch.
"I know. I still feel like I'm thirteen," smiled Ruby.
"And you're wearing a dress by choice. Who are you and what have you done with Ruby?"
"Hey, I'm still me. Look at my shoes," Ruby lifted up the bottom of her dress to reveal a pair of white and black sneakers. Hitch and LB laughed when they saw them.
"That's my girl," smirked Hitch, ruffling her hair.

An hour later and the music started to play. All of the guests took their seats as Clancy and Dan walked to the front of the tent. Ruby, who was standing outside, grinned. She took Hitch's arm and held onto LB's hand tightly. The boss, the bride and the butler.
As here comes the bride started, Ruby smiled and entered the tent. Several gasps came from the guests to see a bride wearing red but Ruby simply grinned. Clancy's mouth gaped open when he saw her and Dan had to give him a nudge to stop him from losing focus completely. Ruby looked at the floor nervously and Hitch squeezed her hand. She grinned up at him and smiled over at her mom and dad. When they reached Dan and Clancy, LB let go of her. Ruby hugged LB tightly.
"Good luck Redfort," she said. Ruby smiled and hugged Hitch who planted a kiss on the top of her head. While she wasn't looking he gave Clancy a look that said I'm watching you.
"I love you kid," he whispered as she let go.
"I love you too Zach,"
Ruby walked towards Clancy, hugging Dan quickly when she passed him.
The priest started the ceremony.

When they got to the 'I do's', Ruby bit her bottom lip and smiled shyly at Clancy.
"Clancy Crew, do you take Ruby Redfort to be your..."
"I do," Clancy cut him off.
"Ruby Redfort do you..."
"I do," grinned Ruby, cutting off the priest once again.
"Well then, by the power vested in me by the city of Twinford, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," The priest smiled as Clancy picked Ruby up and kissed her.
Ruby giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Ok, ok," sighed Dan, laughing slightly. "That's enough of that,"

Ruby had never seen Hitch cry before but that day at that moment, tears streamed from his eyes. Even LB was breaking down. Ruby turned her focus to Victor Von Leyden who had a single droplet of water on his cheek. He smiled at her and she ran over to him. The guards gripped his shoulders but Ruby still hugged him all the same. He laughed happily and patted her back. She turned around to hear Hitch and LB's conversation.
"Pull yourself together, Zachary," whimpered LB wiping a tear from her cheek.
Hitch laughed at her and ran over to Ruby. She hugged him closely and kissed his cheek.
"Hello, Ruby Redfort Crew," smiled Hitch. Ruby squealed in excitement.

They danced all night, drinking and clapping. Ruby couldn't stop hugging her friends and her, Dan and Clancy laughed all night. At one point, Dan went to stand with Hitch.
"Is this what it feels like?" he asked.
"Huh?" asked Hitch, looking down at him.
"Being the third wheel," sighed Dan. Hitch laughed.
"Pretty much kid. But hey, it's not so bad. You live on the other side of the world, I lived with Bradley for a while. It sucked," sighed Hitch.
Dan groaned.

And there never was a happier couple. One year later, they had their first child together. They named her Loveday Kekoa Crew. Another year later and they had twin boys, Bradley Myles and Zachary James Crew. Hitch lived with them until he retired and moved back into his own flat and LB handed Spectrum 8 over to them both to run as a pair when she left. Ruby loved this job, because it meant she could boss the potato head around. And so Ruby Redfort and Clancy Crew grew old together and never once felt any kind of unhappiness with one another. What happened to The Count you may ask? Well he died at the age of seventy in jail of natural causes. His last words were to Ruby.
"I never once thought of you as anything but a miracle,"
They buried him next to Bradley Baker in the Spectrum Cemetery. His grave read:
Victor Von Leyden. A genius who was too great for his time.
Believe it or not, Hitch never got married. He said it was because he 'preferred being alone' and he died a happy death three months after his ninety first birthday. He was buried beside LB and upon his grave, several poppies grew.
His stone said:
Hitch. Some butler, some agent and some friend.
How do I know all this you may ask? It's because I am the one they called Daniel Zayn.

Ruby Redfort lived a long life and a charmed one at that. So let's visit the moment where this all started. Where seventeen year old, Ruby Redfort knew who she was:

She stared out the window, gazing at the people of Twinford as they passed her house on Cedarwood Drive. As she pondered the world around her she picked up her notebook and began to write a list.

Things I know:
The Count eyes are brown not black
Hitch is the best god darn butler ever to exist
Froghorn doesn't actually hate me
Blacker always knows what to say
LB used to look just like me
Dan is part of the double-o program
Clancy Crew loves me

Things I don't know:
How I didn't realise these things before

Ruby Redfort