Not a bad thing

Matt’s POV
“Are you nervous?” Zack asked me while he was fixing my tie. “No, not at all, I’ve been waiting for this for over 5 years now, I wanted this day after 3 months” My best man chuckled “Yeah, you have been crazy about her since the beginning” I looked at myself, my black suit was custom made for me and my grey-blue tie was chosen to match Izzie’s eyes. Today I was finally making her Mrs. Sanders. “I asked her to marry me after she left me that time with Tess” Zack looked at me, questionably “You did?! Why did we have to wait so long for you to throw us a party then?” he laughed “Because she said “no” the first time....” I replied.

I looked around our bedroom, this was the exact place I asked her to marry me, 4 years ago to the day.

“Izzie? Are you home?” I called her when I got into the house. There were a few lights on in the living room, but I didn’t see her. A glimmer of light came from the bedroom. Izzie and I had been in a fight, or well, not really in a fight, but everything was strange between us. I had been trying to put together a proposal for her, but every time I almost got to it, something came up. I got Brian in to help me, but not even he could make it happen. And now Izzie was acting really weird the past few days. I had to be in the studio a lot, so we didn’t really have time to talk it out.

“Izzie?”

I quietly opened the door to our bedroom. There were candles everywhere and there in the middle of it all, was Izzie. She produced a shaky smile “I wanted it to be a surprise” She got down on one knee. I couldn’t believe my eyes, what was she doing? “Matt, in all my life, I never thought I would be so lucky to fall in love with one of my best friends...” She started sobbing, smiling through her tears “There’s a reason why girls don’t do this!” She looked up at me. I quickly got down on my knees in front of her “All right, all right! I’ll do it” I smiled at her “I thought...” I started, almost choking on the lump in my throat “ I can do this” I held her hands in mine “I thought that it mattered what I said or where I said it. Then I realized, that all that matters is that you..... you make me happier than I ever thought I could be and if you let me, I will spend the rest of my life, trying to make you feel the same way” I fumbled in my pocket, looking for the ring that had been there almost every day for the past 6 months. “Izzie, will you marry me?”

I smiled at the memory. “Come on, let’s get you to the altar” Zack padded my shoulder as we walked outside. “Wait, I have something for Izzie, can you call Tammy?” Zack called Tammy over and I gave her the present “Tammy, could you please bring this to Izzie? I really want her to have it before the wedding” Tammy smiled “Of course” She took the present from me and kissed my cheek “You look very handsome.” I watched Tammy walk over to the pavilion we build. It was the girls place today, completely off limits for us men... Well except for Brian of course.

We made an altar at the beach, a teal coloured carpet on the way to it, white chairs in the sand, giving place to all our friends and family. I walked down the carpet looking around me, my best man walking beside me, and Johnny and Arin following me. As we lined up at the altar, where the minister was waiting for us, I was getting a little nervous. I couldn’t wait to see Izzie.

Izzie’s POV
Someone knocked on the door and Tammy put her head around it “Can I come in?” I smiled “Of course you can!” I walked over to hug her, when I noticed the nicely wrapped present in her hands. She smiled “A little gift from your husband to be” I sat down and started to unwrap the present, happy tears filled my eyes when in noticed what it was. Lynn stood behind me and watched over my shoulder “Oh my, he really is prince Charming huh?” I looked at the 3D picture frame he gave me, the little notes from the week up on to our first date were framed, all of them accompanied by a big white rose, in the middle there was one red rose, next to a new note. I recognised Matt’s handwriting “I’ve been waiting so long for this day, please don’t let me wait any longer, it’s time for you to join our girls and me in our little club, Mrs. Sanders. Yours forever, M.”

My hand automatically went to my neck where my pendant was, the pendant with a picture of our twin daughters. When Matt asked me to marry him we had planned on our wedding, we started planning our day, we agreed we wanted it to happen at the beach near our house. Everything was set, but then I got sick. I was dizzy all the time, tired as hell, and my memory failed me more and more. Matt was worried crazy, so he took me to the doctor’s. I remembered that appointment like it was yesterday.

“Ismay, your symptoms already had me suspecting something, but your blood test confirmed my presumption” Matt held my hand and I squeezed it, I was so afraid something was wrong with me. The doctor smiled “Ismay, don’t worry, I think you will be happy with this. You are pregnant” Matt looked at me, the biggest smile on his face, he kissed me softly. “Wow” was the only thing I could bring myself to say. It was sooner than we had planned on, but I was happy about it. “Let’s do an ultrasound to see how far along you are and if everything is okay with your baby” the doctor said. He rolled over the machine and asked me to pull my shirt up. Matt chuckled, he said to me quietly “Remember I was joking about twins? I think one is enough to start with” He kissed my forehead as we waited for the doctor to find our baby.

We both snapped our heads to the little screen when we heard the beating of our babies heart. I started to cry happy tears. Matt held on to me, watching the screen closely “Doc, what’s that weird echo in the sound?” The doctor was studying the screen, then turned around and smiled at us “Well, Ismay, Matt, that’s no echo. That’s the second baby” I looked at Matt, shocked “We are having twins?!” I punched Matt’s shoulder. “You with your smart mouth! Now I’m having twins!” Matt smiled “WE are having twins, sweetie” I looked at him in disbelief “You seriously throwing in the “we” now? I don’t remember a new development in which men can give birth, so this is definitely a case of ME having twins”

To be honest, the pregnancy had been a breeze, well, until the actual giving birth. That hurt like hell, I think I might even bruised Matt’s hand squeezing it. But all the pre-assumptions were true, I loved my girls and in the end it was all worth it when I had little Rose and Lilly in my arms.

The girls got Matt’s last name obviously, and today was my turn to get the name too. After 2,5 years, I would finally join our little Sanders club. I was sitting in front of a mirror, all my friends doing something to contribute on my looking at my best today. Lizzy and Lynn were doing my make-up, Rye and Leyla doing my hair and Nessa was waggling around, bringing me glasses of water, seeing she was in her 8th month of pregnancy. I seriously wondered what would come of the son of Johnny and Nessa, because they hadn’t become less crazy. But I was sure of one thing, the kid would never be short of anything, well maybe except for length.

“Are you ready?” Lynn asked me. “More than ever” I smiled at her and got up. My dress was long and wavey and so were the bridesmaids dresses, but where mine was off-white, were theirs a greyish blue, just as Matt tie. I wanted all my friends there as my bridesmaids, but Matt made me choose, because he only wanted his bandmates behind him. Rye, Leyla and Tammy hugged me, before they got out of the room, leaving me with Lizzy, Lynn, Nessa and Amy. Of course Matt’s sister would be one of my bridesmaids, she was amazing, we got along great.

A little knock on the door announced Brian coming in “Should I arrange an escape or do you want to go through with this?” he chuckled. He kissed my cheek, I couldn’t be happier that he was here and giving me away “Girls, could you please leave Brian and me alone for a minute, please?” The girls nodded and walked out of the room. “I got something for you, because I love you and I love you even more for giving me away today.” I gave him the little box. He opened it and there was a brief look of hurt in his eyes, before he began to smile “I can’t believe it, when did he write this?” I looked at the frame in Brian’s hands with Jimmy’s last note to me, “Dear Izzie, please give Brian time, he’s hurt. He will come back to you. I love you! Jimmy”. “It was on my fridge the morning you left me at college, I kept it all this time. He was right. You did come back to me” I kissed his cheek and he hugged me tightly “This is amazing Izzie, thank you.” He put the frame down and hooked my arm in his, putting his other hand on my arm “You look so beautiful Iz. Come on, let’s get you married, finally”.

Matt’s POV
Finally I heard the music Izzie chose to walk the aisle. It was a piece written especially by Brian and Leyla for this moment. First I saw Lynn, Lizzy, Amy and Nessa coming towards me, with the biggest smiles on their faces. Then it was Liza’s turn as the little flower girl. I looked over my shoulder and saw Zack motioning her to walk faster, but she took her task very seriously “Liza, honey, walk a little faster to daddy” he was almost begging her. I smiled and whispered to him “Zack leave her, she is having fun”. He relaxed and stood back again. I saw him exchange a blissful look with Lizzy. Liza might not have been the first Avenged baby, but Zack and Lizzy sure didn’t waste any time in getting married.

Three months after Izzie came back to me, Lizzy and Zacky came blasting in on a Friday night, “We are getting married!” Zack and Liz sat down on the couch while I got out the champagne to celebrate. When I got back, Zacky spoke up “Iz, without you this would never have happened, would you please be my best man... uh... woman?” Liz screeched “No!! You can’t do this! Izzie needs to be my maid of honour!” They got into a bit of a quarrel, discussing who had the most right to Izzie. “Guys, cut it out! You won’t even get to your wedding if you fight about these little things!” I spoke up while Izzie was trying to keep her giggles to herself. “Now say “sorry” to each other, kiss and make up” I said in a semi angry voice, barely able to keep my smile covered. Zacky looked into Lizzy’s eyes and kissed her “Sorry honey” Liz kissed Zacky too “I’m sorry too”.

Suddenly Zacky turned his head towards us again “I have the solution!” “About what?” Izzie said, smiling. “About you being in our wedding. You need to have a role, I mean... As I said, you brought us together. This is important” Izzie giggled “The only way I can be part of your wedding is when I’m being the flower girl or the minister, both impossible obviously” Zack got his phone out of his pocket and looked for something “No it isn’t!” He said, getting up to show her something “You can get a license and marry us!”

So that’s what happened two months later. I looked over at the love of my life, speaking the famous words “Do you Zachary Baker, take this woman, Elisabeth Heron to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, forever?” That “forever” part was especially requested by the happy couple. They both agreed that “as long as they both should live” was just too short. Zack looked at Izzie and then at Liz, pronouncing a clear “I do” Izzie smiled and continued “Do you Elisabeth Heron, take this man, Zachary Baker to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, forever?” Liz had the biggest smile on her face as she stated “I do”. “By the power invested in me by the internet” Everybody laughed “I now pronounce you husband and wife. It is about time you kiss your bride, Z”

The party following that very special ceremony was amazing. Only a few weeks later, Lizzy found out she was pregnant and after 8 months and 3 days, now a little over 4 years ago, Liza was born.

Liza finally made it up to us and sat next to Zacky’s parents who were complementing her on the task she fulfilled. The music got louder and I looked down the aisle. There she was. The only one I could ever imagine marrying. The woman who was finally becoming Mrs. Sanders today. I swallowed the lump in my throat, she looked fucking amazing, she was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and she was mine.

Izzie’s POV
I stood at the beginning of the carpeted aisle that would lead me to the man who made me a mother 2,5 years ago and who would make me a wife today. I was clinging to Brian’s arm, I was so nervous. We started walking to my anthem.

A quick look around made me see all the people that were dear to me. Leyla catched my glance. She smiled at me and I noticed her hand in Adams. She met Adam playing a session with his band 6 months ago. Apparently they hit it off right away and after a few days in the studio and some late nights with only the two of them, Adam had finally kissed her. His band was about to go on a world tour and Leyla would join them, at least for a little while in between assignments. Seemed like they’ve been pretty serious.

And even though I almost had a rockstar husband of my own, I was a little star struck when Adam walked in the first time. I mean, I have been listening to Maroon 5 since they first came out with the “This love”- single and now THE Adam Levine was coming over for coffee in my house?


I smiled back at Leyla and concentrated on walking again. There was so much tension in my body, I could feel myself starting to shake.“Izzie, are you okay, you are shaking” Brian whispered to me. I nodded, trying to regain my posture. I forgot about the people sitting in the audience, the minute I glanced over to the altar, there he was, the love of my life. I could only stare at that beautiful man standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for me, and his look calmed me down. With every step I came closer to him, closer to making this life we had with our daughters official.

When we arrived at Matt’s, Brian took my flowers from me and gave them to Lynn, then he turned me towards him and looked at me “I love you Izzie, thank you for letting me do this” He kissed my cheek, shook Matt’s hand and put my hand in his.

The whole ceremony went over in a blur, it felt like it was just me and Matt at that moment. We were glaring into each other’s eyes and both almost missed the moment we had to say “I do”. After 15 minutes we were announced Mr. And Mrs. Sanders and I was pulled in a mind blowing kiss. “I love you so much, Mrs. Sanders” Matt whispered against my mouth, “Not as much as I love you, Mr. Sanders” I sighed.

The party as at full speed, when Rye and Leyla came up to our table, dragging along a little cart with a bunch of picture frames. “The music room in your pavilion still needs a little decorating, so we brought you a gift that might help” Matt and I walked around the table, getting the frames out one by one. There were two pictures of every single one of our friends. Rye explained “I photographed all of them, while listening to two songs. I told everyone to pick two songs, one that made them happy and one that made them sad. I didn’t tell them which would come first and photographed the first reaction. Music is the most important things to all of us, it connects us, this present seemed to fit for today” I studied every single one of the pictures, all the men were there, their better halves, Rye, Leyla and even Tammy and her husband. At the end of the row of picture frames, there were 4 empty ones. “Those are for you and Matt. You need to be included in this project” I hugged Rye and then Leyla “This is so amazing! I love it” Matt followed my example and thanked the girls too.

We went back to our table and I watched Rye go back to hers, sitting down next to Arin. I saw him looking at her and giving her small kisses. They looked really happy together.

The story of Rye and Arin was quite funny actually. They grew really close and everyone could see there was more to it than the close friendship that they were claiming it was, but Arin and Rye seemed oblivious to what the other was feeling. After a few months of going back and forth, Brian and Johnny had enough. They bought Arin a ticket to New York and gave him a three day `how to win the girl over´- boot camp before he needed to go.

The story of what happened next was depending on who you asked. Arin said he walked in to the gallery, saw Rye, got a hold of her and took what was his by kissing the shit out of her. Rye however, said Arin was very sweet and shy when he came over to her gallery. He had told her he liked her a lot and asked her what she felt. In Rye’s story, she took the first step in their long overdue first kiss. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, and who cares? They tried to make the long distance thing work, and they were succeeding so far.

“Can I take Mrs. Sanders for a spin?” an oh so familiar hand was put out to me. I smiled when I heard Matt say “Gates, you can only take my wife if you promise to behave” Brian chuckled “Of course Mr. Sanders, of course”. Brian took me to the dance floor and pulled me close in his arms. “Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked me with a big smile on his face “It’s true what they say, it is definitely one of the most beautiful days of my life. I have everything I need, a loving husband, the most beautiful daughters, my best friends. I’m a very satisfied woman”

“Aunt Izzie?” Brian and I looked down at the almost 5 year old boy suddenly standing beside us on the dance floor “Yes Brayden?” I smiled at him “Can I dance with you?” Brian picked the boy up “Bray, daddy is not finished dancing with aunt Izzie yet, but if you want you can join us?” The little boy nodded heavily. Brian got him on his one arm and put the other around me. If someone had told me in advance that Brian and Lynn would produce the first Avenged baby, I would have laughed, hard. But that was what happened.

Lynn and Brian had nothing to complain about. Their relationship was good and they agreed on the fact that they both weren’t ready for kids. Fate, or better said, imprudence decided otherwise. A few weeks after I came back to Huntington, Lynn told me she tested positive on a pregnancy test. The combination of unprotected sex and antibiotics gave her that result. Brian would later say he had super sperm, but well, that was just Brian.

They were over the moon and the little boy they were expecting was very welcome. In the 7th month of the pregnancy the boys had a few shows at the other side of the country. Brian was reluctant to go, but we all convinced him that he could easily go and he would be back on time. That backfired when Lynn went in to early labour at the moment the boys were on the plane back.

“Izzie! I can’t give birth now! Brian isn’t here!” Lynn was panicking as Lizzy and I rushed her into the hospital. She was put in to a bed by the nurses, she was close to hyperventilating. I sat down next to her and tried to calm her down “Lynn, you need to think about your baby, you need to calm down.” I softly stroked her hand. “Brian is on his way, they already landed, he is brought over to the hospital now.” I tried to breathe with her, getting her out of the hyperventilating, regulating her breaths. She calmed down a little, but she was glancing over to the door every other minute and everyone that came in got a disappointed look from her.

After an hour Brian stormed into the room, they had broken some speeding records, getting to the hospital. As Matt, Zacky, Lizzy and I waited for news outside in the waiting room, Lynn did an incredible job getting the little boy into this world.

I will never forget Brian’s face when he came out of the room holding a little bundle of joy “Guys, meet the little wonder that made me a daddy, Brayden”

“I’m done daddy” Brayden got restless in Brian’s arms “All right buddy, give your aunt Izzie a kiss” Brayden kissed my cheek and ran off to Liza who was playing in the corner of the tent. Brian and I looked at the little boy and girl discussing something with serious faces. After a few minutes we saw Liza put her doll down and walk over to Louise, the daughter of Matt’s old neighbours. Brayden had a satisfied smirk on his face, resembling the one his father had so often. Liza was telling the girl something with a very serious face, causing her to cry. She put her little hand on her arm for a second and then walked back to Brayden, sitting down to eat a piece of the wedding cake together.

I looked at Brian “Did she just did what I thought she did?” Brian smiled widely. “He’s 5 years old and he already needs a sniper, he just made his daddy very proud”.

Notes

Bonus points for the one who recognises the proposal! ;)