Never Told You

Marliegh

"Well...how do I look?" Brittany asked, beaming at me through the mirror.

"Beautiful, Britt." I faked a smile and she shook her head, unable to look away from her own reflection.

"I never thought I'd be here, Mar. Even after I found out I was pregnant, I always thought I'd see Milan and Rylan's wedding pictures on some puck bunny's tumblr one day."

You still might, I thought to myself as I turned to check on our bouquets, making sure they still had enough water to survive this ridiculous heat.

"I'm so glad you agreed to be my Maid of Honour, Mar. Your support means so much to the both of us."

Before I could respond, there was a knock on the door and we both glanced over at each other confused, "Who is it?"

"Mar, it's me!" Milan yelled back.

"You can't come in here! It's bad luck!" Brittany screeched and I heard Milan chuckle on the other side of the door.

"I won't come in, I just want to steal my baby sister for a minute." I glanced over at Britt and she smiled nodding. I slipped out of the door and right into one of my brothers massive bear hugs, "Thank you, so much, for agreeing to be her Maid of Honour, Mari. I don't think I could go through with this without you up there with us."

That's it! Why didn't I think of that before! I mentally face palmed myself as I smiled and buried my face into his chest.

"I love you, Milo. I just want you to be happy. If this makes you happy, I'm all for it."

***

"You ready?" I asked, helping Brittany fix her veil one last time before the ceremony started. Milan was already at the end of the aisle with our brothers, his groomsmen.

"I'm nervous. With my luck, I'll trip." She chuckled half heartedly as her father offered her his arm.

"I won't let you, honey." He smiled and she smiled a little more at ease.

"And even if you do, I'll pretend to faint, no one will notice." I joked and she laughed, nodding.

"Thanks, sis."

"We ready?" The wedding planner asked and Britt nodded, beaming, "Already MOH, show time."

I put on my best fake smile and stepped onto the aisle as the music started to play from the resorts portable speakers and everyone turned to watch. A handful of Milan's teammates, Marshy and Segs included, were scattered throughout the friends and family on both sides, filling spaces as needed.

I glanced over at Brad and he smiled, nodding as Segs smirked and winked at me, this just might work.

Milan smiled at me nervously and I smiled back, mouthing I love you trying to reassure him. Once I reached the alter everyone stood to watch Brittany and her father.

When she reached the alter, she handed me her bouquet and I smiled half heartedly at her as the minister started, "Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining of Brittany Carnige and Milan Lucic in marriage. With love and commitment, they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife. When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. Such is an impossibility, and even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand."

I smiled, glancing over at Marshy and catching him staring at me, "We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror of its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern."

I glanced back at Milan and Britt and tried not to let my nerves show, if this doesn't work, Milan may never speak to me again.

"Brittany and Milan, do you, with family and friends as your witnesses, present yourselves willingly and of your own accord to be joined in marriage?"

"We do."

"Will you promise to care for each other in the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for growth and enrichment of your life together?"

"We will."

"Two people in love do not live in isolation. Their love is a source of strength with which they may nourish not only each other but also the world around them. And in turn, we, their community of friends and family, have a responsibility to this couple. By our steadfast care, respect, and love, we can support their marriage and the new family they are creating today. Will everyone please rise?"

The guests all rose and smiled as the minister addressed them, "Will you who are present here today, surround Brittany and Milan in love, offering them the joys of your friendship, and supporting them in their marriage?"

"We will." They replied, sounding well rehearsed.

"You may be seated." The minister nodded at them before turning back to Milan and Brittany to continue.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out, shaking my head as I stepped off the alter and started back up the aisle.

"Marliegh?" Milan asked, as I turned around and faced him, fake tears welling up in my eyes, Brad's right, I did miss my calling.

"I can't do this, Milan! Everyone else may be fine standing by and watching you make the biggest mistake of your life, but I can't. We both know that Rylan should be the one you marry, and I can't stand up there and support you living a lie, Milo." I dropped my bouquet and spun on my heels, running down the aisle onto the garden path leading to the beach.

"Marliegh!" I heard Brad yell as he ran after me and I had to fight not to start laughing within earshot of the wedding when we stopped where Rylan was hiding.

"You deserve an Oscar, Meryl Streep." She smirked, hugging me tightly.

"Yeah yeah, thank me later. You have to go save my idiot brother from himself."

Milan

It broke my heart to see Marliegh crying at the thought of me living a lie. I know she's right, I should have married Rylan when I had the chance, but I doubt I'd every be able to win her back now.

I turned back to Brittany and she was near tears, clearly embarrassed by what Mar said. I gave her hand a squeeze and turned to look back at the minister.

"If there is anyone else who believes there is any reason they should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." He said calmly and Brittany squeezed my hand, cringing.

"I do." A familiar voice called and the WAGs gasped as I turned to see Rylan walk out onto the aisle from the pathway, "He shouldn't be marrying her, because he doesn't love her. He still loves me, or at least I hope he still does." She bit her lip unsure and I dropped Brittany's hand, earning another collective gasp from Brittany' family.

"Of course, I do, Rylan." I stepped off the alter and met her halfway down the aisle.

"Might I suggest you take this conversation elsewhere!" Segs hollered from the back row and Ry nodded.

"What do you say, Looch?" Ry asked and I smirked, leaning in and kissing her with everything that's been building up inside of me for the past 3 months. My teammates whooped and Brittany's father looked like he was about to kill me so I swallowed hard and smiled at Ry.

"Ready to run?" I asked and she smiled, nodding as I grabbed her hand and we took off running. She pulled me down the path to the parking lot and I stopped short when I saw Marliegh's rental care waiting curb side.

"Your chariot awaits, good sir!" She chuckled, leaning her head out of the passenger side window. Marshy leaned over from the drivers side and waved as I looked over at Ry surprised.

"You didn't think I came up with this all on my own, did you?" She chuckled, dropping my hand and running over to the car, "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet again, Lucic." She smirked as she slid into the backseat and I smiled, running after her.

"Never." I smiled, sliding in behind her and closing the door as Brad pulled the car away. I leaned over and gave her another peck on the lips and smiled to myself as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head on mine.

"Thank you." I muttered into her hair, kissing the side of her head.

"Anytime."

_________
Rylan

“What do you say, Ry?” Milan asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“I’m sorry, what?” I frowned. He was sitting across from me, holding my hand.

It’s been a few days since the wedding and though Milan and I are back on good terms, I can’t help but feel this nag at my heart. I’ve forgiven him already, but there is something that I can’t quite put my finger on.

“Will you be my girlfriend again?” Milan asked, looking really nervous. I looked at our hands, and then back up at him. I pulled my hand back.

“Milan-" I started, but he interrupted me.

“What am I doing wrong, Ry?” he frowned.

“Nothing, nothing,” I shook my head, “It’s not you-"

“Please don’t give me that.” He rolled his eyes, groaning.

“Please don’t get angry,” I said quietly and frowned, “It’s only been a few days since-"

“Rylan, we’ve known each other for almost 8 years. Don’t tell me it’s only been a few days. But if you’re gonna give me that crap, it’s been a few months, not a few days.”

“Milan, if I hadn’t stopped the wedding, you’d be married to her right now.”

“I thought you forgave me.”

“I did…I do…I just don’t want to jump into something right now. We both just came out of relationships.” I pointed out and he frowned.

“I can’t believe you dated a pop star.” He rolled his eyes.

“I can’t believe you almost got married.” I shot back, getting rather annoyed with his attitude.

“Whatever Rylan,” He stood up and started walking away, “I won’t bother you again.”

“I’m sorry! Just give me some time!” I called after him, but he ignored me and slammed the bedroom door shut, making me flinch.

Way to go, Rylan…Idiot

Marliegh

"You have no idea how much I love you right now!" Mar beamed as I held open the door to the Beluga Room at the Vancouver Aquarium for her.

"I had no idea you'd be this excited about the Aquarium!" I chuckled as I held her hand helping her down the stairs like she was 9 months pregnant, not 9 weeks.

"When I was younger and my mom was pregnant with Niki, my dad would bring me here for father daughter days all the time. My parents way of making me still feel important when I was no longer the baby. I always wanted to be a marine biologist as a kid, until I nearly failed Biology 11." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into my side, kissing the side of her head.

"It's a good thing your cute." I chuckled as her jaw dropped slightly and she hit me in the chest in protest.

"Aren't they gorgeous?" She asked, smiling widely as we stepped in front of the glass wall, the blue glow from the tank veiling her beautiful face.

"Yeah, you are." I smiled and she rolled her eyes, blushing slightly as she watched the whales swimming in the tank.

She looked like a little kid, so excited about every little move they made I couldn't help myself as I leaned in and kissed her, releasing all my nervous energy into it once she kissed me back.

"I love you, Marliegh. You are the best thing that ever happened to me," she blushed slightly as I brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled down at her, "I know now that I can't live without you, and I know I won't have to, but why don't we make it official?"

She gasped, her hands flying over her mouth as I dropped down to one knee and slid my Stanley Cup Ring out of a pocket inside my jacket, "I looked for the perfect ring, but nothing seemed good enough, so this will have to do for now. What do you say, Lucic? Will you marry me?"