Lay Down In My Arms - Niall Horan Fanfiction (Trilogy to If I'm Louder)

Chapter 17 - The Wedding

"Do you, Katie, take Niall to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the minister asked. He smiled at the girl that was nearly in tears.

"I do," she squeaks. Her voice was high. It cracked at the end. The guests chuckled. I smile just a little bit wider.

"Niall," she started before taking a deep breathe. "Hold on! I need a minute!" she shouted, taking her hands from mine and drawing them to her face. To cover those gorgeous hazel eyes that stole my heart. She bowed her head as the guests laughed again. Even the minister chuckled.

Eventually, she let out a deep breath, raising her head and taking my hands. "Niall," her voice was almost normal again. "I love you. You may be a big... dumb... weird inner child," I grin at her words, "but I love you. I don't know how you did it, how you ever managed to become my best friend, then make me fall completely head of heels in love with you, then get me to agree to go out with my best friend, while I was still hurting from my past but you did it. And I'm glad you did. Here I was thinking, I can't ever date another best friend, can't date Niall, and then you made me the happiest I have ever been in my entire life and I actually thought I couldn't ever do it again, no matter the circumstances. I guess... I want to thank you for never moving on after that first time I said no. I have no idea how I could have made it this far in life without you. It's like life dumps a half of a ton of crap on top of my shoulders and you're the only thing holding me together. You make everything better. And now, I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you and I can honestly that... that makes me completely ecstatic. Knowing I get to wake up to that face every morning from here on out. I love you, Niall. And I'll be damned if I'll ever let you go again," she grinned playfully all of a sudden, "whether you want to stay or not," she teased causing a laugh to pass my lips. The guests found her joke amusing. I begin to shake my head as I smile.

"I won't," I whisper to her.

"Where are the rings?" the minister asks. They're handed to us. "Katie," he began, "Say, 'With this ring, I be-wed," he told her. She looked at my hand as she repeated his words, slipping the ring on my finger. He told me to do the same.

I took her left hand, placing it at the tip of her ring finger, past her fingernail before I look up at her to find her gaze. I push the ring on the rest of the way. The stare between us was intense.

"I now pronounce you man, and wife. You may kiss the bride."

I don't know why, but that triggered something in my bones. I sprung forward, grabbing her waist and pulling her close. My lips met hers anxiously. The guests clapped. The best men whooped. The bridesmaids congratulated us.

She's my wife now. That made me indescribably ecstatic.

She smiled against my mouth, taking her time to lace her arms around my neck.

*

~Katie's P.O.V.~

I look around The Rainbow Room. Soft music played as the guests chatted amongst themselves. Caroline did a wonderful job on putting this wedding together.

My finger traces the rim of my champagne glass. A smile took up my face.

A hand entwined with mine underneath the table snapping me out of my gaze. I look over at Niall to see a heartwarming smile. "Penny for your thoughts? Couldn't help but notice you zoned out?"

"I'm just thinking."

"'Bout?"

I grin, turning towards him in my chair.

"I'm your wife now. You're my husband. We're leaving for our honeymoon in five hours. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you and start a family with you," I say making his eyes twinkle in excitment. "THIS IS FUCKING FANTASTIC!" I whisper shout causing him to laugh. An idea pops into my head. "Hey," I begin, "let's sneak away. For a quickie," I whisper in his ear causing him to burst out laughing.

"Oh my God!"

"C'mon, you're killing me in that tux," I laugh softly, grasping my glass before bringing it up to my lips to take a sip.

Then, everyone began to ding their forks against their glasses. I look up to the stage thinking, "The best men have already said their speeches," then I see Brian standing up there in a tuxedo, holding a champagne glass.

"Oh no," I whisper, covering my mouth. "Shit." I swear to God if he embarrasses me, Lord you'll have to give me all the strength you have.

"For all you who don't know me," he smiles, "I'm Brian. I'm... I guess you could say, I'm like Katie's brother. I've known her since her eighth birthday. Her father had invited me, as I was working with him. He was the head chef at a restaurant where they felt sorry enough to hire me as a trainee chef," he laughed. "Let me tell you, it's hard to get a job as an awkward seventeen year old boy," the guests laugh while I continue to blush.

Niall pried my hands from my face and whispered that it would be okay before entwining our fingers.

"I've been with Katie through some of the hardest times of both her and her families lives. I'm so glad that they welcomed me into their family. But Katie... knowing your father. He didn't approve any of the boys he met, whether they were just your friend or your boyfriend... he hated thinking that you were growing up. It took a lot for those boys to be approved of just being around you. You were his baby girl. He always talked about you as if you were an angel sent from heaven. And after Steph passed.... he was afraid he was going to lose you.

"Katie, he was such a protective father, and you know that. Nine out of ten of the most respectable, responsible men on Earth wouldn't have passed his test. But Niall's a good guy.

"No, he may not be the smartest or the classiest or," he chuckles, "the coolest-"

"Hey! What'd I ever do to you?" Niall whined causing the guests and I to laugh. His cheeks were red. I giggle and kiss his cheek causing him to smile at me.

"My point is... Niall's not perfect. That's why you fell in love with him. But to your father... He treats you like a queen. He comforts you when you cry. He'd never cheat on you, never hit you. He's been through hell and back through that very complicated relationship of yours. He stayed with you all of those times you pestered the hell out of him, just because he loves you. He doesn't do drugs. He doesn't have a criminal record. He doesn't smoke. He doesn't mistreat you. That's your father's perspective of the perfect man for you. And I knew, that if your father was here today," he lets out a deep breath before smiling once more, "he'd say that you picked a good man. Hell, Niall'd probably be the only man on the face of the Earth that he'd approve of but.... he'd approve of him. So I want to raise my glass," he grinned, holding the glass up, "to Katie and Niall on their special day. You really did pick a good man, Katie."

"AW! You're so sweet," I shout, standing up and taking a sip. "And I would also like to thank you for saying that I'm an idiot."

The guests laugh. Niall was dying beside me. "What?! How did you get that from what I said?!" Brian screeched.

"You said, 'picked him.' I would NOT have married him if I thought he was some inconsiderate jack ass. Hell no. When I said yes, there was no picking," I state, reaching over for the champagne bottle before I stop. "Wait, this is an open bar, right?" I ask Avery who sat beside me.

"Yeah," she laughs.

I grin widely, setting the glass down. I lift my dress up, walking across the room. I stop as everyone stares at me.

"What? Can't a married woman have one whiskey and a water on her wedding day?" They laugh, amused at my face. "That's what I thought." I retrieve my drinks and a beer before going back to my seat. I wave the beer in front of Niall's face before a thought came to mind.

"Damn, I'm already getting beers for him. I thought we'd at least have a few more years before that happened," I sigh causing the table to laugh.

"Thank you, baby," he coos with a childish smile. He took it in one hand and popped the top off with the other. Damn, he's strong.

He leaned over to give me a kiss before taking a sip.

The guests chatted. I sneak peeks at Niall as he spoke to Greg, laughing.

***

"And now it is time for the groom and the bride's first dance as man and wife," Caroline chuckles into the microphone.

I grin to myself, as Niall held his palm out to me taking a bow. "M'lady." Once I placed mine in his, he kissed the back of it. I allowed him to lead me out to have I first dance together.