"The Wedding"

Summary: Adam attends a family wedding as himself for the first time and brings Fiona as his date. – Post-"How To Save A Life"; Future fic!; Fiona/Adam pairing; Eli/Clare/Alli friendship.

Author's Note: The first two chapters after largely from his cousin's point of view. She only knows him as Gracie.

Categories: Family/Romance/Friendship/Humor

Rating: T (updated rating...)

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi.

1-

"Your cousin is weird."

Gia Calderón momentarily paused in the mirror, her dark brown eyes staring back at her wide. She had been applying eyeliner. "What?" she said distantly, ignoring the knot in her stomach. She quickly resumed putting on her makeup.

"She never wants to try on makeup or come with us when we go shopping for clothes. She's always hanging with your brothers playing video games," her best friend declared. "I guess it's fine when you're young, but she's a freshman in high school now."

Gia bit her lip. She was protective of Gracie. She was a sweet girl with a big heart. She always wanted to make people laugh. Sure she wasn't like the other girls but she didn't like Shauna's tone. Gia and Shauna Thompson had been best friends since grade eight, but she had known Gracie for fourteen years. Family was everything.

"She's still a kid, Shauna. Leave it alone," Gia told her.

Shauna shrugged. "I'm just saying, how is she going to find a boyfriend if she's acting like one of the guys?"

"Not everyone is as boy crazy as you!" Gia laughed. Her friend was so self-involved it was comical at times. It rendered her incapable of seeing things from someone else's point of view.

Shauna smiled. "Fine. I'll give you that," she relented. "But I don't understand why she won't let me give her a makeover. I know she recently cut her hair, but I have an amazing style in mind that I want to try out."

Gia shook her head and put the finishing touches on her eyeliner.

Suddenly they heard two quick knocks on the bathroom door before it flew open. Gracie came bouncing through.

"Aunt Sarah told me to tell you guys that dinner is almost ready," her cousin rushed out in a bored tone. Gracie stood with a hand on the doorknob, clearly not thrilled to be here. She wore a deep purple sweater with blue jeans and black converse sneakers. Her medium brown hair, which was too short for a ponytail, was parted down the middle and the sides were tucked behind her ears.

"Thanks Grace," Gia told her. "What do you think?" she stepped away from the mirror and fully faced her.

Gracie studied her, unsure if the pink blush complemented Gia's olive complexion, but the eyeliner looked nice. "The eyeliner is perfect."

Gia grinned, knowing that Gracie had been bored out of her mind while they spent an extra twenty minutes at the drug store in the beauty aisle this afternoon. "Great!"

"Okay, see you at the table," Gracie told her and turned to leave.

"Gracie, wait!"

Gia gave Shauna a warning look, not sure what she was up to.

Gracie held back a groan and turned around. "What?"

"I like that sweater," Shauna said sweetly. "I really think purple is your color."

Gia could tell that Gracie was thoroughly annoyed but gave a polite smile. "Thanks."

"You know, I have just the right shade of eye shadow that will complement it!" Shauna said excitedly and reached into her purse.

Gia and Gracie shared a look.

"It's fine," Gracie dismissed her.

Shauna pouted. "But don't you want to look pretty?"

Gracie sharply shook her head. "No."

Shauna raised an eyebrow. A perfectly manicured eyebrow.

"Shauna," Gia said exasperated. She already told her Gracie didn't want a makeover. "We'll meet you in the dining room."

Gracie nodded and walked off.

Gia felt bad. She could see that the exchange had made her cousin uncomfortable. "Do you always have to be so stubborn?"

Shauna looked at her innocently. "What? I was only trying to help."

"I already told you to leave it alone!" Gia argued.

When they got to the table everyone was already seated. On one end sat her mom and Greg, her mother's boyfriend, along with Aunt Audra and Uncle Omar. On the other end sat the kids. Her younger brothers were sandwiched between her cousins. Carlito took a seat next to Gracie, Mateo was next to Andrew, and Filiberto sat in the middle.

Gia and Shauna took the two remaining seats. Gia rolled her eyes as Shauna sauntered next to Andrew with a smile.

"Jailbait," she mouthed. They were seventeen. Andrew was fifteen.

At the head of the table sat Abuela Lucia, her paternal grandmother. Aunt Audra and her late father, Miguel, were siblings. The table grew quiet as Abuela Lucia said a prayer. The moment it was over the table overflowed with conversation and laughter.

Gia was in heaven as she took another bite of Aunt Audra's yellow rice and beans. She locked eyes with her Aunt. "This is delicious!"

Audra smiled at her niece. "That was always your favorite dish of mine," she grinned.

Gia nodded.

"Actually, I didn't make it this time," she revealed. She looked at her younger child. "Gracie made them."

All eyes turned to Gracie. Her cheeks grew flushed.

"Really? You did an awesome job, Grace!" Gia complimented her.

Gracie nodded. "Thanks."

"Grace is an excellent cook. I've had her in the kitchen forever, but I've really been impressed over the last couple of years," Audra praised. "Ma, I'd say she has about twenty percent of the family recipes down."

Abuela Lucia smiled at her granddaughter. "Muy bueno a mi nieta!"

"Now Drew, he could use some work," Aunt Audra joked. Everyone laughed.

Gia grinned as Andrew shrugged haplessly, playing the part.

"Well, he is a boy so it's not that important," Greg said lightly amused.

Gia watched as Gracie stiffened. She glanced at Andrew and noticed his expression had grown more somber.

"It's still important for men to know their way around the kitchen," Aunt Audra countered. Uncle Omar nodded his head.

"But, when Andrew gets married his wife is going to cook," Greg argued. Gia rolled her eyes at his narrow views. Greg wasn't a bad guy and she knew he made her mother happy. After her father's sudden illness, it seemed like years since she smiled. However, he really didn't get it.

"Greg," Uncle Omar spoke up. "Si eres Latino?"

Greg smiled awkwardly. "Um, no?"

Gia looked at Gracie. They both struggled not to laugh. Both girls had been speaking Spanish since birth.

"It's doesn't matter if you're male or female. Food is love, life, and tradition. Without tradition family means nothing," Uncle Omar declared.

Greg looked away sheepishly.

"No, it's alright," Uncle Omar continued, showing that no offense had been taken. "But my children will continue the tradition," he smiled.

After dinner Gia and Gracie found themselves on dishwashing duty. Gia sighed bitterly. For all the talk of gender equality earlier, she felt the boys had gotten off pretty light. All they had to do was gather the dishes. It had only taken a few minutes, whereas twenty minutes later she and Gracie were still in the kitchen.

"Are we almost done?" Gia asked. She wanted to sit down already.

Gracie shook her head. "We have few more to go."

They continued in a companionable silence.

"Thanks for washing," Gia said after a long moment. The moment chores were divvied up Shauna opted to go home. Cleaning dishes wasn't glamorous and both girls had recently gotten manicures. She was thankful Gracie had graciously offered to do the washing, letting her dry the dishes and save her nails!

"No problem," Gracie smiled.

"So, are you guys are driving back tonight?" Gia asked making conversation.

"Yep. Looks like it," Gracie confirmed.

"Well, in three hours you'll be able to sleep in your own comfy bed," she said, taking account of passing through Customs at the US and Canadian border. They were in Buffalo, NY and the Torres family lived in Toronto.

Gracie shrugged, but Gia could tell she was looking forward to it.

"Anxious to get back to real life?" Gia questioned. It had been a full house over the three day weekend.

Gracie smirked. "You could say that."

Gia studied her. "There's something you're not telling." One thing she was fairly certain of was that Gracie's clothes seemed handpicked by Aunt Audra.

She saw Gracie blink and redouble her focus on the dishes.

"Hmm, any boys you're anxious to see?" Gia teased.

Gracie briefly grimaced before smoothing her features. "No."

Gia looked at her curiously. "Are there any guys that you like?" she pressed.

"Sure," Gracie nodded. She then added, "But as friends." She handed Gia the last dish.

"Is there anyone you like?" Gia asked quietly. The question hung in the air for several seconds. Gracie didn't turn around. Instead she kept her eyes trained on the running water in the now empty sink.

"Are you girls done with the dishes?" a voice called from the other room.

"Yes, I'm drying the last one," Gia answered. Gracie glanced up and Gia gave her a warm smile. "Come on, let's go."

As they left the kitchen she wrapped an arm around her cousin's shoulder. She had been happy to spend time with her. Though the two girls were very different, they had always gotten along. She viewed her almost like the younger sister she never had, even though Gracie fit right in with her brothers.

Gia had no way of knowing this was the last time she would see Gracie at all.

.

tbc

A/N: Reviews = Awesome :D