Spencer & Caleb's wedding

Spencer woke up at 6 am Saturday morning to a text message from the wedding planner. Cori was replying to some last-minute question Veronica had after the rehearsal dinner. Spencer rolled over and covered her head with the pillow. All the stress of the wedding planning had reached a tipping point the previous morning. Spencer was frustrated with Caleb not having his things packed for the trip back to Rosewood. During the middle of frantically trying to get everything in the car and make sure nothing got forgotten, Melissa called to ask where they were. Spencer wasn't sure exactly why she answered, other than she felt like she was supposed to. Spencer always held a cool exterior by the past few weeks she'd been feeling like a puppet. Nothing about this wedding was what she wanted – it was all about everyone else, especially her mother and sister.

"Jesus fucking Christ, we haven't even left yet!" Spencer yelled. At hearing his fiancé finally losing her cool, Caleb whipped around. He'd sensed Spencer get pushed to her limits the past few weeks. She'd been intense, which for Spencer was essentially hulk mania.

"Spence, it's fine! Everything is packed and ready to go. Just grab your purse and we'll be on our way." Caleb tried unsuccessfully not to sound exasperated. He watched as Spencer pulled the phone away from her ear, squeezing it in her fist, and put his arm out gently to prevent her from throwing it. Things were about to hit the fan.

Spencer took a deep breath and smiled at Caleb before putting the phone back to her ear. "…it's not too late Spence. Caleb is not going to magically change overnight after you get married. You don't have to go through with this."

Caleb saw Spencer's eyes go wide, her nostrils flared and she threw the phone across the living room before he could even register what was happening. The clay vase Aria had made as part of their apartment-warming gift fell to the ground and shattered. Spencer dropped to the floor, arms around her knees, holding her head in her and and started hyper-ventilating. The air was heavy, damp, suffocating. If she moved she was afraid of what else she might break.

Her fiancé sat next to her on the floor with a reassuring hand holding her slender shoulders. He had to give her credit, Spencer was actually trying to get along with Melissa – despite Melissa being an awful human being. "Everything's going to be OK Sweetie, I promise. What do you need me to do?" Caleb asked softly as he reached out and put her stray hairs behind her ear, caressing her cheek.

"Strangle Melissa. I don't want her anywhere near me this weekend," Spencer said through gritted teeth. "She basically just told me not to marry you," she looked hard at Caleb. He could see the venom in her eyes. There was only way this could end without bloodshed – if Melissa was nowhere near Rosewood.

Spencer got up, thanked Cori for her response and brewed herself a cup of coffee. Her room at the Radley, the wedding suite, which Caleb would not step foot into until after the wedding, had a balcony. Knowing how stressful the day would be, Spencer had come prepared. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the flask of Jameson, pack of cigarettes and lucky purple lighter.

When the single-size coffee pot beeped, Spencer poured in a healthy dose of whiskey and took her pack of smokes out to the balcony. The sky was beginning to lighten but the sun had not yet breached the horizon. The high-strung bride-to-be sat on the big wicker chair, put her feet up on the little wicker table, and lit up. No one really knew Spencer smoked, and it wasn't often, but nothing quite beat the buzz from the first puff of a cigarette after 4 months of no nicotine. The caffeine and alcohol further calmed her nerves. After about 20 minutes of drinking, smoking and enjoying the view it was time for Spencer to shower and get ready to get ready.

Meanwhile, across the hall, Aria woke up to Jason placing soft kisses across her chin. Her brown eyes found his blue eyes, each losing their self in the other's. It's awfully hokey to call eyes the windows to the soul, but in Jason and Aria's case, that is exactly what they were. Aria rolled to her side, leaning in to capture Jason's lips in hers. He responded by slipping his hands behind her head while slipping his tongue into her mouth. Aria's hands traveled down Jason's naked torso as she lifted herself on top of his groin. She moaned as she slid her silk panties up and down his growing erection.

"God, baby, you're so fuckin hot," he moaned as Aria turned herself around and pulled his boxers off with one quick tug. As she closed her mouth around his stiff prick, she slid her ass down until she was positioned above his mouth. Aria's head bobbed up and down as Jason slipped his tongue through her wet folds. Jason expertly found her clitoris and moaned as her wetness dripped down his face. Aria's head moved quicker as she felt Jason getting closer, which caused Jason to move quicker as well. The two were nearing mutual climax and neither could control theirself. The pair exploded in ecstasy, falling into a pile of limbs, slowly floating back down to earth.

The bridesmaids met in the lobby of the Radley at 9:15. Their hair and make up appointments began at 9:30. Hanna, Mona and Emily walked in together, Hanna carrying what appeared to be an entire case of champagne. Robin and Lilly were sitting at a table drinking coffee while Aria was pacing and trying to whisper into her phone. Spencer was nowhere to be seen.

"Is everything OK?" Emily was the first to speak. "Spencer's not here and Aria is near panic. Did something happen?"

"No, no, everything is OK. Spencer is on her way down and Aria is trying to run intervention. She's on the phone with Toby trying to figure out the best way to keep Melissa out of town," Mona said. "Mike's with Toby." She held up her phone as proof of her insider knowledge.

Aria hung up the phone and walked back into the lobby as Spencer emerged from the elevator. "Good morning, Spence!" Aria said a little too excitedly. "Whoa, rough morning?" she asked upon smelling whiskey and cigarette's on her friend's breath first thing.

"Fan-fucking-tastic!" Spencer replied, mustering all the enthusiasm she could. It wasn't like she didn't want to marry Caleb, it was more she didn't want the spectacle of it.

The rest of the bridal party stared at each other wide-eyed. "Oh shit," Hanna and Emily said in unison.

Mona took charge. "Well, I'm parked out front and Hanna's behind me. Half can go with me, the rest with Hanna. I'll stop to pick up breakfast and meet you at the salon." Spencer and Aria got into the car with Hanna and Emily while Robin and Lilly went with Mona.

After 3 hours and 6 bottles of Champagne, the girls returned to the hotel to get dressed for pictures. The photographer met them in the lobby and followed Spencer up to her room. "What the fuck?" Spencer belligerently asked about the man's presence.

"The bride getting ready is an important part of the wedding," Brian replied. "Don't worry, I'm not going to take pictures of you in your skivvies."

No sooner than Spencer had gotten into the limo that was ready to take her to the church, Aria's phone rang. The maid of honor grimaced as she answered. Spencer heard Veronica's frantic voice screech through the phone, her mother yelling incoherently.

"Melissa, oh my god! The wedding – no! It can't happen today. Why this? What have you done to my baby girl?" Aria had to hold the phone away from her ear to not go deaf. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Toby's name pop up in the screen.

"I'm sorry Veronica, I have to go!" Aria yelled before switching to Toby and putting him on speakerphone. "What the hell is going on with Melissa? What sort of crazy stunt did you pull to keep her out of Spencer's hair?"

"Ha ha Aria, none of us are responsible for putting Melissa into the hospital. She had a rough night last night. Me and the guys saw her out with Alison and Nicole down at the Elephant and Castle," Toby began. "They all seemed pretty lit up, then I caught a glance at Melissa walk into the bathroom with a tall goofy-looking guy. We all kind of got caught up in shots and I didn't see Melissa leave with Alison and Nicole."

"…And…did Melissa get raped or something?" Aria needed Toby to hurry the hell up with the story.

"Possibly. Probably. The bar staff found her slumped over the toilet around 4:30 am and called the ambulance. I guess she got to the hospital and they pumped her stomach. Blood tests showed Xanax, Ativan, morphine and cocaine in her system. Not exactly a date-rape cocktail, but who the hell knows what happened. It's not like they had video cameras in the bathroom stalls. Veronica is on the war path about….I don't even know what anymore," Toby finished.

"Oh my fucking god, are you serious?!" Spencer exclaimed.

"You're on speaker phone incase you didn't know," Aria chuckled despite the situation.

"I figured," Toby replied. "Veronica just got off the phone with Cori. Thank god there is a neutral party here that can take charge."

An intense hour later, Spencer was waiting in the lobby area of the church. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her dad's arm as she smiled at him. Peter was doing his best to hold back tears but wasn't entirely successful. Spencer lead off down the aisle as the acoustic guitar player strummed the opening bars of Stairway to Heaven. Caleb stood at the front of the church, surrounded by all their closest friends, feeling like his heart might burst at any moment. Spencer looked radiantly gorgeous. The love between them was palpable throughout their vows. The wedding party strutted out to the tune of White Wedding by Billy Idol.

It was nearly 11 pm by the time Aria plopped down on the bed, while Jason was in the bathroom. Apart from the Melissa in the hospital drama, the day went fairly smoothly. Probably better that Melissa was in the hospital rather than running amok at the wedding. Toby's story sounded a little suspicious, but there were other witnesses able to corroborate it.

Hanna got too drunk and Emily practically had to carry her out. Barney spent most of the evening courting Ashley Marin, and in the end was successful. Lilly and Marshall slipped out of the reception early, despite two trips to the single bathroom. Ted struck out left and right, until after the reception when he broke out the red cowboy boots and strutted into the Radley bar. Mike and Mona danced the night away, as if no one else in the room was there. Toby and Robin spent most of the evening talking, but ultimately each went home alone. Spencer was floating on air all night and Caleb had eyes for no one but Spencer.

"Hey Aria," Jason called out from the bathroom.

"Yes honey?" she replied, not really having the energy to move.

"Can you come in here? I dropped my contact on the floor, and can't find it," Jason replied.

Aria groaned as she sat up. "I'll be right there," she replied. When she walked into the bathroom, however, Jason was not looking for a dropped contact. Instead he was holding a rose.

"What the fuck? Where did you get a rose? Why?" Aria was immediately on edge; her head suddenly felt like it was full of fuzz. Jason was not holding that rose when they came into the room. It was not there when she had used the bathroom. Was her mind playing tricks on her? Things had definitely gotten to the point of surreality. The room felt like it was spinning, and she was ready to fall off. Maybe she got some of the cocktail Melissa succumbed to the night before. Maybe it was in the water.

"Aria Marie Montgomery, will you marry me?"

A/N: Sorry if this ending seems a bit rushed. I've strung this story line along for too long, never deciding which way to go. The story was going to cross lines with another story I started called Viewed Through a Broken Mirror. But then I got overwhelmed with ideas and chaos then ultimately lost interest in PLL fanfic. I hope you have enjoyed reading this, and I sincerely appreciate each and everyone of you. Much luv!