Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

50) The Wedding

The morning of the wedding, of course, dawned bright and clear. The service was beautiful - short but sweet - and the guests chosen well. Tony and Pepper had opted for a quieter event and so the only guests were the Avengers, Happy, some of Pepper's closest friends and family, Director Fury, Agent Coulson and Agent Hill. It spoke volumes that Tony classified the Avengers as his family.

But, although it was a happy day, Loki couldn't help thinking of what he'd lost. Daniel, a bright young man, lost to violence. All he'd ever wanted was to help people. And Libby, Alejandro and Uriel... Libby had returned to Canada to be with her family. As far as Loki knew, she had found a nice man and settled down, and Loki knew from Tony that she spearheaded the Canadian branch of the Stark-Walker charity for terrorist relief. It was the least they could do. 

Uriel, loyal as ever, had remained in Mexico to help keep the hospital running. The explosion had been some years ago and staff had come and go but it was something that he would never forget. Finally Alejandro... Loki hadn't heard directly from Alejandro. However, he had found out that Alejandro had left the hospital and changed career. The last news suggested that he was founding his own company. Loki had sent him a large cheque, anonymous of course, in the post but it was returned. Alejandro wanted no help from him.

When the service was over, there was a wedding luncheon. A long table had been set up in the little grove beside Malibu Point and the table was adorned with all kinds of food: sandwiches on platters, all kinds of meats, fancy tapas food, and even pizza slices for people like Tony. Then it was time for the speeches. Tony had chosen to go first.

"If you'd told me when I was eighteen that I would be married in a few years, I'd have been disappointed."

Here the audience chuckled.

"I wanted nothing more than to have fun for the rest of my playboy days, no matter how short that time was. But then I met Loki and obviously it was love at first sight."

The audience laughed again and Loki, Tony and Rhodey all grinned.

"There's something that a genius god can do that ordinary mortals can't. Loki reshaped me, my business, the entire world. His selflessness has turned me into the man I am now. If Fate hadn't given us Loki, the world could have been entirely different. Terrorists would have won and evil would have ruled. But we haven't let that happen."

He punctuated each word with a little rap on the table.

"Anyway, I should probably address my lovely wife right about now."

Pepper smiled.

"If Loki was a lifesaver then Pepper has been my redeeming angel. Without Pepper... I never could have made it out of bed some mornings. Sorry Platypus but your voice doesn't get me out of bed quite like Pepper's does."

Rhodey shook his head ruefully, amused.

"Pepper has organised everything, my life, so that even I can't make a mess out of it and that is one quite amazing achievement. So, here's to an eternity of happiness, my lovely Pepper."

Tony finished, sat down and was treated to Pepper giving him a fierce, passionate kiss. Rhodey awkwardly stood.

"While the bride and groom are having their 'moment', I thought I'd say a few words. I wasn't meant to but when have I ever stuck by the rules?"

Loki grinned.