Work Text:
Walker Keel clapped his friend Jack Crusher on the back with a grin. “You ready to marry Bev?”
“Absolutely. Thanks for being my best man. And, Johnny? Thanks for being Bev’s ‘man of honour’ or whatever she’s calling you.” Jean-Luc chuckled.
“Bride’s best mate, I think.” Jack laughed and sobered quickly when Melissa Keel came running up to the group to grab Jean-Luc’s arm.
“Johnny, Bev needs you.” Jean-Luc nodded and waved to his friends.
“Duty calls.” He left Missy behind and he made his way up the lift to the suite Beverly and her friends were getting ready in. He wondered what she needed when he was going to be meeting her in twenty minutes to escort her to the wedding location and why she hadn’t just contacted him on his comms unit. Jean-Luc knocked on the door and a harassed friend of Beverly’s who Jean-Luc could never remember the name of opened the door slightly and peered out. She sighed with relief when she saw it was Jean-Luc and opened the door.
“Bev’s in the bathroom. She won’t come out.” Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows and headed for the bathroom door and softly knocked on it.
“Bev, sweetheart? It’s Jean-Luc...can I come in?”
“Okay,” came the muffled voice. Jean-Luc glanced at Beverly’s bridesmaids and smiled at them.
“Wish me luck, ladies.” He turned the knob and entered the bathroom. Beverly was perched on the closed lid of the toilet wearing her bra and panties with one leg inside a stocking. He took in the scene and grinned.
“Well, this is a nice picture to walk in on.” Beverly threw her other stocking at him and he deftly caught it.
“Jean-Luc...tell me I’m doing the right thing.” Jean-Luc knelt on the rug in front of her and picked up her foot. He delicately slid the stocking onto her foot and up to her knee.
“Beverly...you love Jack.”
“I do, but....” Jean-Luc slid the stocking up higher and attached it to the clips hanging from the belt. He stood and held out his hands to Beverly, who took them as she stood.
“What do you want me to say, Bev?” He reached for her dress and held it near the floor for her to step into. “Do you want me to tell you that I love you and you shouldn’t marry Jack but should marry me instead?”
“Uhm....” Beverly didn’t know what to say. Yes, she wanted him to tell her that he loved her. She loved him too. But she did love Jack. Did she love Jack more than she loved Jean-Luc? Enough to marry him? She let Jean-Luc tug her dress up her hips and she finished pulling it up her torso and held it in place while he began to button the long line of buttons down her back. He resisted the urge to kiss her back. He gently turned her around to face him and he cupped her cheek.
“Sweetheart, you’re not going to lose me. I’ll always be your best friend. Is that what you’re afraid of? I’ll suddenly go away if you marry my other best friend?” Beverly nodded. She heard stories of men and women who had been friends up until one married someone else and then they never spoke to each other again. Jean-Luc leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. I promise.” He looked around the small bathroom. “Where are your shoes?”
“Out there,” Beverly pointed at the door. Jean-Luc nodded and wrapped an arm around her to turn her towards the mirror.
“Are you ready to go back out there and see the rest of your friends? You look beautiful, by the way.” Beverly frowned.
“I hate this dress.” Jean-Luc grinned.
“Well, you still look lovely.”
“Jean-Luc?”
“Yes, Bev?”
“Don’t leave.” He nodded and reached for the doorknob.
“Come on, let’s get your shoes and get you married.” Beverly’s friends all exchanged glances when Beverly and Jean-Luc exited the small bathroom and Beverly was dressed. They had thought it was funny she allowed Jean-Luc into the bathroom while she was still in her underwear and a few wondered if Beverly and Jean-Luc were having an affair, while another wondered if Jean-Luc wasn’t attracted to women. Jean-Luc led Beverly over to a round cushion and had her sit while he retrieved her shoes. Beverly smiled and held out her left foot and laughed when Jean-Luc fumbled to buckle the delicate sandal. He repeated his actions on her right foot and stood.
“Jewellery?”
“My....my necklace. The one you gave me.” Jean-Luc smiled and held out his hand for it. It had been a graduation gift for her, just a silver star on a chain, but Beverly had loved it and despite Jack offering to buy her something with more bling, she had insisted on wearing the star from Jean-Luc. He fastened the necklace and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“There. You look perfect.” Beverly took Jean-Luc’s arm and glanced at the two of them in the mirror and her heart gave a jolt. They looked perfect together. She glanced at Jean-Luc’s face in the mirror and he winked at her. She took a deep breath. She was doing the right thing....right?
Her bridesmaids lined up and one passed her a bouquet of flowers and they all filed out of the room and headed down the hall to where the ceremony was taking place. Her bridesmaids walked in one by one and when it was her turn, Jean-Luc gave her hand a squeeze before he dropped it and held out his arm for her. The trip up the aisle seemed to take forever, and Beverly still had thoughts in her head about leaving and running away with Jean-Luc. They had kissed a few months ago, and both had felt a jolt go through them, but they wrote it off as just an accident. They were all close to one another and it wasn’t odd for Walker or Jean-Luc to give Beverly a quick kiss in greeting or parting....but her stomach never flipped when Walker kissed her. Beverly glanced at Jean-Luc and he flashed her another encouraging smile. Was she really doing the right thing?