Work Text:
Sabine took one last look in the mirror, smoothing her dress down with her hands and letting out a long, shaky breath. Two large hands appeared on her shoulders and Pieter’s face followed straight after, his reflection staring at hers. He gave her a smile and squeezed gently.
“You look beautiful Sabie.” He said quietly, his voice as soft as his eyes. She returned the smile and reached a hand up to cover one of his, giving one small nod of gratitude.
“Danke, Pieter.” She murmured, her voice quivering slightly.
“You’re nervous.” It wasn’t a question. She turned from the mirror to face him, her bright blue eyes wide in her bloodless face. She looked like a shock victim and if it wasn’t for her vice-like grip still on his hand, Pieter would’ve laughed. He could feel her trembling. “Sabie,” he sighed, “why are you so scared? You love her, she loves you. Nobody could doubt how much she loves you.”
Sabine shrugged. “I know…I know we love each other, and…Pieter I would die for her over and over again, I love her so completely. But…” She stopped, struggling to find the words she needed. “What…what if I can’t make her happy? I don’t think I’m enough for her Pieter. I don’t deserve the love she has for me, it’s too much!” Her head dropped down then, her eyes closing as tears threatened. Pieter dragged his best friend into a huge bear hug, kissing the top of her head before laying his cheek against her corn silk hair. They stayed like this for a long moment, swaying gently, before he drew back from her.
“If there’s one thing you deserve the most in this world Sabine Engel, it is to be loved forever, by that woman waiting to be your wife.” She gave him a trembling smile and he grinned, holding his arm out to her. She carefully dried the rims of her eyes, so as not to smudge her makeup, and then hooked her hand delicately around his elbow. They both took a deep breath and he looked down at her, waiting. She nodded once, and they set off towards the door.
***
Copper hair flashed in and out of Beca’s line of vision as Chloe fussed around the hem of her dress. She stood perfectly still, staring into the navy blue eyes reflected in the large mirror, the face peering back at her pale and solemn. Chloe straightened and turned to look at the reflection also, putting an arm around her best friend’s waist and pulling her into a gentle hug whilst giving a reassuring smile.
“Hey you, I know that look. Stop whatever downer you’re on, right now!”
Beca frowned at the redhead. “I am not-“ she began indignantly, but Chloe interrupted her almost immediately.
“Yes you are. You can’t lie to me!” She sighed. “You’re standing here thinking things like ‘Ohh I don’t deserve love, I don’t deserve that beautiful woman as a wife…I should just go hide in a cave and die alone’” Chloe intoned in a gloomy voice, then giggled as Beca scowled at her. “I’m not far off, am I?” She winked at the brunette. Beca rolled her eyes and sullenly folded her arms but said nothing. Chloe turned her around so that they were facing each other and moved her hair around a bit until she was satisfied with the arrangement. She settled her hands on either side of Beca’s face and forced her to make eye contact.
“You two are made for each other. You are perfect together and you need that gorgeous woman in your life as much as she needs you.” Beca nodded as Chloe’s pep talk penetrated her cloud of panic. Her resolve grew and she took a deep breath, then turned for the door.
Chloe beamed with pride. “Atta girl Mitchell!” She exclaimed. She slapped her behind as they headed for the hallway, winking when Beca whipped around to glare at her. “Go get her, killer.” The brunette just sighed, shook her head and stepped out to greet her future.
***
Sabine stood with Pieter behind the closed door, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet as they waited. She stared holes in the heavy wood, while Pieter chuckled. Suddenly the doors were pulled open as a swell of music rose into a vaulted ceiling and resonated through the aged stone and oak-panelled room beyond. Sabine looked up to her best friend, who smiled softly back and mouthed “relax!” at her. She nodded, gulped and took her first step forward, Pieter leading her towards the next chapter of her life.
On either side of the stone-flagged aisle, rows of familiar faces turned to stare back at her, all registering expressions ranging from awe and admiration, to joy and occasionally the odd happy tear. She smiled shyly at them as they moved forward, noting with a twinge of sadness the absence of certain individuals. It had been a long shot sending out the invites, but still, she had hoped.
As they moved further on, the music filtered into her consciousness and her head snapped to the choir they had apparently hired…
But rather than the group of ambiguous vocal musicians she had agreed upon with Beca several months before, there instead stood a wonderful amalgamation of her original Das Sound Machine crew and the Barden Bellas that had gone head-to-head with them in Copenhagen so many years before, all singing an A Capella version of her now-famous song Lullaby. She stopped suddenly at the surprise, her face breaking into a beaming smile while her eyes glittered with nostalgia. The group of singers all smiled at her and threw little waves here and there. She nodded in acknowledgment, feeling the warmth of joy spreading through her. Pieter tugged gently, urging her to continue up the aisle. As they neared the end, she finally dared to look at her bride. Her breath halted as she took in the vision before her. The chestnut hair encircled at the crown with a simple silver band dotted with pearls, the ivory satin swing dress that pinched perfectly at her waist, the silvery slip-ons on her feet and, best of all, the radiant glow shining in her smile. She made simplicity the most beautiful thing on earth. Sabine returned the gesture, causing Beca to grab her hand and brush the back of it against her lips. The blonde blushed, and in that moment Beca knew she was luckiest woman alive. She imprinted this perfect moment into her memory for the rest of her life – her wife-to-be glorious in her silk gown, strapless and clinging to her torso while flaring into a floor-length skirt that drifted in the slightest breeze and created a constant delicate cloud around her lower half. A misty veil fell from the loose chignon in her hair, all the way to the hem of her dress, held in with an enamel flower clasp that Pieter had given to her the week before – a gift from his own mother, handed down from his great grandmother. It had brought many tears and refusals but Pieter’s mother had insisted, stating that she saw Sabine as her own daughter, and had done for years, so it was only fitting. She glanced to the bench at one side of her to see the woman in question, the kind face and gentle blue eyes that were Pieter’s own. She was dabbing a hanky to her eyes and giving Sabine and Pieter a very watery smile. Pieter took Sabine’s hand from the crook of his arm, kissed her cheek chastely and symbolically passed his best friend – and adopted sister – to the woman who would be her wife before the end of the day. He stepped back, joining Chloe, and waited for the ceremony to begin.
Looking at Beca, Sabine cocked her head slightly towards the ‘choir’ and spoke under her breath. “I don’t remember booking this particular group.” The brunette gave her a small wink in response.
“I thought it might be a pleasant surprise.” She shrugged. Sabine nodded.
“You were right.”
“It’s not the first time, it won’t be the last.” Beca smirked. Sabine laughed quietly at her gall.
“Ohhh we shall see maus!”Just then, Lullaby drifted to a close and soft silence descended on the gathering.
***
Later, the wedding reception was in full swing. Fat Amy and Stacie were leading a raucous drinking game with some of their German counterparts, Pieter’s mother and brother were laughing at the top table with Beca’s mother, father and step-mother, all old friends. Beca’s little brother was shuffling closer to Chloe’s younger sister, about to throw some thirteen-year-old charm her way. Sabine sat next to her wife – how she adored being able to say that now – taking in the scene before her, relaxed and radiating happiness. Beca spent several long minutes gazing at her profile. Her eyes traced every curve and line, lingering over the adorable tilt of her nose, the strong definition of her jaw, the fine little hairs that were escaping her chignon and curling stubbornly against her long, swan-like neck. She leaned forward and pressed her lips softly just under Sabine’s ear, surprising the other woman. The blonde turned to embrace her wife, but Beca wrapped her fingers gently around each of her wrists and stood, pulling Sabine with her. A puzzled expression wound the German’s brows together, but Beca just gave her a little smile.
“I have one more surprise for you, if that’s okay?” she asked, her voice low. Sabine considered her for a moment and then nodded.
“Of course my darling. But I thought we said no gifts…?”
Beca pulled her from the reception room. “I know.” She stated over her shoulder. “But this is something a little different.” She didn’t elaborate further, only continued to lead Sabine until they were heading outside, to the beautiful gardens of the stately home they’d chosen as their wedding venue. It was crisp outside, snow lying in a glittering blanket on everything, as more drifted in heavy flakes from the dark sky. Sabine’s teeth began to chatter almost immediately, but somewhere along the way Beca had picked up a pair of warm wraps and stopped to pull one around the blonde’s shoulders before settling her own. Then she took her hand again and led her a little way further, descending the wide steps from the entrance and heading around the side of the building. When she stopped, the dark had nearly enveloped them, only the light from the mullioned windows glowing softly behind them.
“Beca…what is this all about?” clouds of frosted breath gathered as Sabine spoke. Beca’s only answer was a small smile as she dipped her head and her hands fell to her sides, enveloped in the skirt of her dress. She turned and looked to the sky, taking in the bright stars, the moon with its frozen halo…she couldn’t have planned a better night if they’d been given an eternity. Still gazing up at the sky, Beca spoke finally.
“Sabie…there’s one last very important thing that I felt needed to be done. Something to really complete our family.” There was another long silence as she tried to find the right words for what she wanted to say to her wife. Sabine felt a flutter of nervous energy move through her, but she had learned to remain silent when Beca was like this, rather than immediately jump to dark conclusions. But she couldn’t stifle the feeling.
Finally, Beca turned to face her but dropped her gaze to her feet. She withdrew something from the folds of her dress, revealing a pocket in the skirt and causing Sabine to grin a little. Of course her wonderful wife had requested pockets to be sewn into her wedding dress. She felt the need to roll her eyes at this wonderfully unique woman, but resisted as she recognised the earnestly sombre expression now on her face. She held out her hand to reveal something small and flat, no larger than one of the place cards sitting on the guest tables in the reception room. Confused, she glanced down and saw that it wasn’t a card but instead a small metal plaque. Beca held it towards her and Sabine took it slowly, tilting it so that the moonlight slanted across the surface and revealed a simple inscription.
Leander Pieter Mitchell
22nd- 30th October 2016
It was a replacement plaque for Leander’s box of ashes, the name changed to reflect her own, almost as though Beca was adopting her son. Sabine covered her mouth with one hand as tears filled her eyes and she sobbed softly. Beca drew her new wife into her arms and rubbed her back gently, rocking her from side to side as she murmured soothing sounds in her ear.
“Oh Sabie, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you, I only meant to make him a part of our family. I thought…well I thought it would be unfair to leave him out…” Sabine tucked her head against Beca’s neck and her quiet cries subsided as she breathed in the comforting scent there. She sighed against silken skin and then pulled back, dimples flashing in her cheeks from the smile that now curved across her mouth. She looked again at the inscription and gave Beca a long, slow kiss, before answering.
“Oh my sweet, darling girl. It’s perfect…you’re perfect. I…” She faltered and shook her head. “I’m speechless. I can’t tell you what this means to me. Somehow I think I will never, ever be able to tell you.” She ran her thumb over the engraved name, then held the plaque over her heart, closing her eyes. “At last I have a family of my own.” She sighed towards the sky. It wasn’t by any means the most conventional of families, but it was hers and she could feel the strength of love building in her soul. Beca brushed her fingers over Sabine’s cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear causing the blonde to open her eyes.
“Is it okay then?” She asked, staring at Sabine earnestly. The other woman just nodded, having no more words to express what she was thinking and feeling in that moment. The two embraced then, bathed in moonlight and drifting snow, feeling complete.