A little oneshot for all you lovely readers out there, to pass the time. Hope you like :)

And yes, I know Reid’s missing an ‘ne’ off when he speaks to Ryanne.

Remember poll on my profile :)

.disclaimer.

Enjoy!

Dresden Lace

Sincerely Yours

The trees were black lace against the red sky, the clouds dark violet and protecting. The soft burble of the stream floated in the air, sighing contently with the warm air of twilight. The waves from the beach down below were whispered hums.

Soft hums of piano keys took up a blissful ballet, dancing with the silk ribbons and ivory tulips that were loose across the small meadow that was set back from the quiet beach. A grand piano sat on a small wooden stage, played by Tyler’s mother, her beautiful melodies relaxing the world.

Red and white roses were scatted deliberately across the meadow, creating a slim pathway towards an arch with ivy and more flowers spiralling up the slender beams.

It was empty under the arch, a small space ready for someone to fill. But he wasn’t there. He was at the small cottage by the meadow, standing outside a bedroom door, his hands shaking as he pressed them up against the wood.

“Ryan, baby,” he pleaded. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

Inside the room, Ryanne was sat at the vanity, baby Addyson in a crib playing with a teacup talking to herself. Ryanne was wearing her Babylon wedding dress, chosen after hours and hours of searching through the most beautiful and jaw-dropping gowns of the country. Her hair had grown over the course of her journey, and was now pinned perfectly back off her face with one curl lose against her throat, a dark red against the paleness of her skin. Her makeup was pristine and she looked so much more older than she really was, and definitely a lot more stunning than in reality.

Ryanne was getting married.

Or, at least, she was supposed to be.

She hadn’t had one second of doubt up until this moment. She hadn't been worried, scared, nervous or pessimistic at all. In fact, there was rarely a time that she was sad, a wide grin serene across her face. For a few short weeks, the world had been a better place. Safe. Warm. Happy.

Even when her dress had been tailored disastrously, her cake ruined and her shoes ordered in the wrong size, she had managed to see the bright side and keep a cool head. A few expected tears had fallen but were quickly dried off, a reassuring gesture replacing them, and everything had been sorted out.

And then, minutes before the ceremony, she had felt everything crumble to pieces. Everything. Nothing had survived her sudden inner catastrophe.

There hadn’t been any tears (a feminine instinct to protect her makeup had made sure of it) but a fierce and distinct panic had taken over. A heavy fear that had gripped her heart and her mood, dragging her under.

She had never felt so open before in her life.

Before Ipswich, Ryanne (and the others certainly) had built up, brick by brick, a thick wall that had helped them do one thing: survive. Keep it strong, keep it tough, keep it high and you will survive. People can only hurt you if you let them. And Ryanne had learnt not to let them.

Until Reid came along.

And now she was getting all beautiful and dressed up so he could shove his hand into her chest and rip out her heart. She would be more open than she ever had been. More vulnerable than ever. There would be nothing he couldn’t do to her that she wouldn’t let him. And she wouldn’t even see it coming. Not until it was too late.

But he wouldn’t, would he?

Ryanne knew Reid, knew him like she knew her own heart.

But she knew mankind so much more.

“Please baby, talk to me, please...” Ryanne had heard him come running as soon as Daniela told him that she was having a breakdown: one the brunette had been banned to see. Everyone had been pushed out of the room, made to leave by frantic, demanding shrieks until there was no one left.

“Reid...” she whimpered, her voice very quiet; Reid still heard and pushed himself further into the door, imagining it breaking to pieces so he could see his beautiful bride.

But it was bad luck to see the lady in white before the vows.

“I’m here Ryan, what’s the matter? Are you okay? Do you want me to come in?”

“N-no,” she sighed, struggling to gain control of her breathing. Her hands clawed delicately at her hair, careful not to wreck the masterpiece upon her head; her mossy eyes had a thin sheen of water but the tears did not fall.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Reid asked again, his voice desperate and weak, sounding as if he were to cry any minute too. He was scared... no, terrified that Ryanne no longer wanted to be with him, no longer loved him. Had she finally realised what a mistake she was making marrying a stupid addict like himself? Maybe she was making her plans to run off with Jace – Reid knew that Jace would be more than willing to steal the thunder from him.

“I... please don’t hurt me...” Reid was shocked, stunned, and it took a few seconds for him to form coherent words.

“What? Never, of course not! I wouldn’t... I couldn’t hurt you, as much as I could rip out my own soul. You know that, right? Oh god, please tell me you know that?”

“I... I know...”

“You also know that I’m not forcing you to do anything, right? You don’t have to get married to me, you don’t have to do anything. Whatever you want to do... or not do... is fine with me, okay?”

Ryanne sighed again, her hands suddenly cold, her heart thudding viciously in her heart, each beat more and more impatient.

Did she want to get married?

More than anything.

But this was going against everything she had trained herself to do. It was like building up the most protective safeguard, then leaving the door unlocked. It just didn’t seem right, it didn’t seem natural.

“Ryan, do you trust me?” The question took Ryanne off guard, because she didn’t know how to answer. To say ‘yes’ was automatic, because she felt that she did... or at least had – but now she was sat asking herself questions and making assumptions that showed she clearly didn’t trust Reid at all.

“You don’t, do you.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. It was as if he could read her mind; his voice was flat, a trace of submerged agony underneath the words. Ryanne felt so incredibly guilty: she had hurt him, more than she could know, all because she couldn’t see what was before her eyes.

“Reid... I’m so sorry-”

“No, no. Don’t be. It’s fine.” It most certainly wasn’t fine.

What had she done?

Ryanne heard him start to walk away and leapt from her seat, banging her hands against the door in her urgency to get to it.

“Where are you going?” she demanded frantically, fearing that if he walked away now, he would never return.

“To call off the wedding.”

“What? No, don’t do that! Please, Reid, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean... please I’m okay, I do trust you...”

“No, you don’t. You don’t trust me. You love me, but you don’t trust me.”

“I’m sorry, please Reid, I’m sorry... I just... I can’t... just don’t leave me, please...”

“What?” His voice sounded surprised and Ryanne paused, waiting. “I’m not going to leave you!” He was closer now, against the door, and Ryanne sighed, her eyes closing as she leant against the wooden door.

“Ryan, it’s okay. You don’t trust me... and I understand. You don’t trust anyone, not anymore. It’s okay, but we need to have a talk, a long talk, and we can’t do that with the ceremony waiting.”

Ryanne could see it happen before her eyes. People’s exasperated and angry expressions as they were told they had come all this way for nothing. Money wasted. Time thrown away. Of course it would be because of that silly bride, the newbie girl that just barged into their quiet lives and threw everything into the air. Couldn’t even decide whether she wanted to marry someone or not. Pogue would probably blame Reid for pushing her into it, and they wouldn't be allowed to be together. Her and Anna had finally started to coexist (more through Addyson than anything) but this would tip the scale dangerously off balance. Caleb and Kate already didn't like her very much, and Daniela would most likely get protective and shut Reid out.

She didn’t want to be that girl. The one that hopped around her feelings and everyone else’s, scared of making a decision, wanting someone else to do it for her.

“No, don’t do that... I want to get married to you, Reid, I really do.”

“But how can you marry me when you don’t trust me to not hurt you?” There was a panic in his voice, not an accusation which calmed Ryanne minutely as she took on the reassuring role, one that she could handle.

“Reid... I expect everyone to hurt me. Everyone. It’s a natural instinct, reflex, whatever, but it’s there. I know not everyone will, but it means that if I expect them to and they do, then it won’t hurt as much. ‘Cause I was just waiting for it.

“Thing is, you haven’t hurt me. In fact, you’ve done the complete opposite. You’ve lifted me higher than I could ever think to go, and now I’m waiting for the fall.”

“Ryan, sweetheart, I will never do that to you. Never. I swear on the power that keeps me alive, I swear on the love for you that keeps me sane, that I will never do anything to hurt you. I couldn’t. It’s not in my power. I am simply not able to. It's a natural instinct, reflex, whatever, but it’s there.”

Ryanne smiled as her own words were thrown back at her, and looked up to the heavens, wishing that she could just sort herself out. Here she was, presented with the most amazing gift of all: love, and she was throwing it away because she was scared. Talk about cold feet.

“Reid, I did warn you this would happen. That night, on the bench when you first told me you loved me... I warned you how completely unrealistic, ridiculous and stupid I would be. That you would regret the moment you let those words slip from your lips. Do you?”

“Never in a million years.” Ryanne paused, a calm smile on her lips.

“Then let’s go get married.”

"I do."

And suddenly, everything was right again.

Ryanne fiddled with the ribbons tied around her's and Reid's hands, letting the pieces fall to the grass below their feet. The sun had set now, a cool dusk breeze blowing through the trees as the couples and guests danced to the soft beat of the music, echoed by the vibrant stream through the side of the meadow, the waves beating tenderly against the sand dark against the sky.

"Well, Mrs Garwin. How's married life doing for you so far?"

"Amazing."

Reid smiled down at his bride, his wife, kissing her deeply and passionately, the taste of her lips lingering on his lips long afterwards. They were dancing softly, holding each other in their arms, Ryanne's head resting on Reid's shoulder. The world was quiet and happy, the sky watching with a content eye at the newly weds.

"You see that moon?" Reid asked Ryanne who nodded. "That's my heart. It orbits around yours, for now and forever."

"And you see that tide?" Reid's eyes flicked away for a second before resting back on the most beautiful pair in the world. "I'm tied to you the way the tide is tied to the moon."

"You're my gravity."

"And I'm sincerely yours."

Review, please? You don't want them to divorce do you?

:P

(L)