When The World Stops | Completed

Chapter 27: Dresses and Dreams

We managed to get a date only 10 months away, so everything had to move quickly. Between cases and planning, Spencer and I were constantly active, until even my dreams were full of spreadsheets and wedding plans. We'd had several long cases, but when I finally managed to have a couple days off, I dragged my bridesmaids out with me to find a wedding dress.

I tried on a few styles, deciding I liked a lace-up bodice (similar to my corset) and sweetheart neckline. We'd gone through a few skirt designs too, finally finding a beautiful princess skirt flaring out at my waist, but I refused to have a million layers of tulle. Instead, I found a circle skirt with only a couple layers on top, and no train.

"It's tradition!" Garcia complained, "You have to have a train."

"I can't chase an unsub in a train." I countered.

Emily laughed, "You think there's going to be an unsub at your wedding?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," I shrugged, "Remember that serial in Minneapolis who busted into weddings and killed everyone but the bride and groom? Yeah, no thanks."

"Honey if a murderer comes into your wedding what makes you think you can stop him?" Jenna had one leg slung over the arm of her chair, sipping champagne.

"I'm going to have a gun strapped on my leg, and I'm not taking any chances." I said firmly, "No train."

"Okay, but you have to try tiaras." Garcia said.

Jenna perked up, "Yes! Tiaras can't stop you from chasing an unsub and you'll look amazing!"

I looked at JJ desperately, but she shrugged, "They are fun."

I agreed and all the girls clapped, excited. As the assistant helping us went to get some options, I tried to sit down, failing several times.

"Oh, hell no." I said, "We have to find a different dress. I'm not enduring dinner in this."

"How picky can you be?" Jenna groaned, "If you went with layers, you'd be okay sitting, but no, you have to have a circle skirt and no train, and now you're changing it again?"

Emily spoke up, "You could change dresses between the ceremony and the dinner."

The woman helping us, Ruby, returned with a small book, quickly catching onto the conversation. "That top actually is designed to be able to swap skirts, so we can look at other options if you'd like."

"Let's look at tiaras first, I'll think about it." I said.

Ruby offered me the book, and the girls crowded around me to look. I didn't think I'd find one I liked, but one caught my eye. A simple jeweled tiara with a small peak and flower engravings on the sides.

"Can I try that one on?" I asked, pointing to it, and Ruby nodded, rushing away to get it.

"Yes!" Penelope said happily, "You're going to wear a tiara!"

"Let the poor woman try it on first," Emily chided, but whispered to me, "I think Garcia might be the killer at your wedding if you don't wear it."

I laughed, spotting Ruby coming over with the tiara. She offered to put it on and I accepted, knowing she'd be able to place it better than I could.

"Look in the mirror," she said, smiling at me, and I turned to see myself in the mirror.

I looked amazing. The tiara sparked gently, making my face look gentler, and my eyes sparkled looking at it.

"She loves it!" Jenna called, "I can see it, honey, you are totally in love with it."

"Yeah, okay, I totally love it," I smiled.