Almost Bliss

Miranda let out a content sigh at the finger lazily trailing up and down her spine. She rolled her head to the side to see Peter propped up on his elbow peering down at her through lidded lashes and a light smile pulling at his lips.

"Hey," she whispered.

Peter brought his head down and pressed a kiss to the base of her shoulder. "Hi," he murmured against her skin. He nuzzled his head into her neckline and let out a breath, pulling her close.

Miranda glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "Peter, you have to get up."

"I am up," he teased, nibbling on her ear lobe.

She giggled and rolled over to face him, running her fingers through his hair. "Out of bed," she stressed.

"Well, I'm sure that could be arranged as well. Shower, counter top, chaise lounge-"

She silenced him with a slow kiss and then rolled to the end of the bed, plucking his robe from the floor and sliding it on. "You're going to be late," she scolded. "It's the last show before the wedding, Pete; the least you can do for them is be on time."

"Right, I'm the one getting married, shouldn't they be doing things for me?" he quipped with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah," she smirked, "I made them promise not to kill you."

"C'mon, Randi, I'm not all that bad. You've made a new man out of me." He sat up allowing the sheets to pool at his middle.

She chuckled, "You, Mister Vincent, proposed to me; and you're still the same cocky, arrogant, cheeky bastard you've always been."

Peter rolled his eyes, pulling on his shorts and making his way out of the bedroom and out to the bar. Liquor for breakfast, some things would never change. He grimaced before swallowing and set the tumbler down, narrowing his eyes at Miranda who was now standing with her hip propped against the wall beside him.

"So why'd you agree then? Hmm?"

Miranda shook her head at his bull headed-ness and smiled softly. She stepped over to him, wrapping her arms around his middle. "Because, Peter, you're my cocky, arrogant, cheeky bastard." She placed a kiss to his chest. "And you have the most adorable bed head." She reached up and ruffled his hair and joined her fingers behind his neck.

"Adorable? Miranda, I am not-"

She pressed up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his mouth. "Shh, yes you are," she whispered. "Now, go, get ready, before you're late."

The intercom buzzed and Peter let out a groan. "Who the fuck is that at this hour?"

"Peter it's nearly noon." Miranda scampered off and went to get dressed, she had people coming over to finish fitting her dress today and she didn't want to be prancing around in her underwear and a robe when they arrived.

"Yeah?" she heard Peter's gruff voice call.

"Mr. Vincent, there is somebody down here who is insisting that he comes up." The new security guy, Randy, was decent enough, a bit young, and Peter often got impatient with him (just like he did with everyone) but Miranda liked him just the same.

"Well who is it? The fucking milkman?"

"Be nice, Peter!" Miranda called from the other room.

"Actually sir, he says he is here to see Ms. Cooper."

Miranda stuck her head back out into the living room and pressed the intercom button on the wall. "I'm sorry what?"

"Oh, good morning Miran-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she rattled off, she thought the kids crush on her was cute but she didn't have time for his chit chat. "Who exactly is down there, Randy?"

"Oooh, now look at who is being mean," Peter said with a teasing smirk, polishing off his tumbler of midori and crossing the room. He pressed a kiss to her head, "I'm taking a shower, then I'm off, yeah?"

Miranda nodded and the intercom clicked back on. "Some foreign guy, tall, dark hair, says his name is…Dimitri."

Miranda raised her eyebrows and was about to press the button when Peter's hand shot out and covered it completely.

"NO!"

"Peter!" Miranda hissed. "I thought you were taking a shower."

"That…thing is not coming up here, Miranda," he scowled.

"That man, Peter, saved our lives. If he's here obviously it's important."

"Mi-ran-da-" he drew out with a slight whine, "He practically drools over you."

"Oh, so you're jealous?" she chuckled.

"No." Peter looked away with pink cheeks.

"See there, adorable." She pressed a kiss to his blushed cheek and squeezed his hand. "I'll go down there, okay?"

Peter gave her a single nod but his frown remained.

"I'm marrying you, Peter. My, Peter Carlisle, whom I fell in love with when I was just a teenager; and now I'm going to go down there and say hello to the guy who helped us put down his own brother so we could be together. Okay?"

He bent down and captured her lips with hers, his arms pulling her tightly against him as his tongue gently tasted the remains of mouthwash on her mouth. She sighed and fell into him.

"And now, you're late."

"It was worth it," he muttered, pulling her back to him for a second go around.

Miranda giggled and managed to pull away before he managed to drag her back into the bedroom. She gave him a playful push and told him to "get a move on." She pressed the buzzer, knowing full well that Dimitri was still pacing down in the hotel lobby.

"Randy?"

"Yes, Ms. Cooper," his excited young voice replied.

"I'll be right down."

.

Dimitri was leaning against the security desk, his dark hair falling in front of his dark green eyes and a smirk playing on his lips when Miranda stepped off of the elevator into the lobby. He ignored all the flirty looks and giggles from the girls that passed and kept his gaze strictly on her.

Miranda scolded herself for thinking about how good he looked. Cocky smirk and all. Why did she have the need to be associated with egotistical men? She sauntered up to him, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head upward.

"Dimitri."

"Hello, Miranda," his slick accent purred. He held his arms out to his sides. "What no hug?"

She glanced back at the elevator, half expecting Peter to walk out at any given second even though she knew he was still getting ready. "Yeah…no, I don't think that'd be wise, all things considering."

"Ahh, yes, your boy tends to run a bit on the jealous side, don't he," he quipped. "Lunch then? My treat."

Miranda sighed. "Okay, but we stay here. I have an appointment at three."

"Wedding planner?"

"Dress fitting."

Miranda's mind suddenly sparked, she hadn't said anything about the wedding, in fact it was all pretty hush, hush around here. Peter Vincent the magician and her Peter were two different people, she intended to keep it that way. Unfortunately this meant Peter Vincent's bachelor status still had to remain such that, or at least be the illusion of one.

"I never told you I was getting married," she said quietly through narrowed eyes.

Dimitri cast a look back at Randy behind the desk, "Security isn't so secure after all." He swooped up her left hand in his and ran his thumb over the ring on her finger. "I believe congratulations are I order," he whispered.

"Thank you," she whispered, her cheeks turning hot as she averted his lush green gaze.

"Now, let's get some food. This being human thing means I actually have to eat." He offered out an arm to her and she tentatively slipped her own through. He patted her hand and smiled down at her. "See there, not so bad."

"I never said you were bad, Dimitri," she chuckled, "I'd just rather not deal with a pissy Peter, I like the charm your pants off Peter better," she added with a bounce of her eyebrows.

They sat at across from each other at the hotel restaurant, Miranda sipping on a glass of wine, eyeing the man opposite of her that was scarfing down an impossible amount of food. Apparently four hundred years of sucking blood and then going back to normal will build quite the appetite.

"So, why are you here, Dimitri?"

"Just wanted to stop in and say hi," he mumbled out in between bites.

"Don't play coy with me, it's been well over six months and all of a sudden you want to say hello?" She raised a pointed finger at him as she swished her glass.

Dimitri scoffed, wiping his mouth with his napkin before tossing it down on his plate and folding his fingers together beneath his chin. "Okay, so maybe there were intentions behind my visit."

"What kind of intentions?" Her dark eyes narrowed.

"A while back a bunch of cattle started to go missing in farming communities in New York."

"I'm aware." She recalled the news articles she had opened just before she and Peter had left on their getaway and Peters disconcerting look when she assured him she was only looking out of curiosity.

"I assumed it was some sort of veggie thing. All the houses there are close knit and don't prey on humans."

Dimitri laughed, "Ha! That's what they wanted you to think."

Miranda was getting impatient with his beating around the bush. She tugged at her hair and leaned forward against the table. "Who, Dimitri?"

"Blood runners," he whispered, the corner of his mouth lifting over his teeth.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Ohhh, Miranda, don't tell me you're that far out of the loop. I thought you were good at what you did," he scoffed.

"I know what they are, asshole," she snarled, "They simply don't exist anymore. They put an end to it when they started taking human slaves and…" Miranda paused and scrunched up her face, "breeding them to make the most desirable outcomes. Of course that was the genius of it, they lived in plain sight, never killing, only bleeding the captured until they were in a weakened state and building them back up again. And they paid good money out for others to care and bleed the ones they worked so hard on. After all, good quality blood is hard to come by."

"Blood like yours," Dimitri said in a hushed tone, licking his lips at the memory. He might have been human but he could still remember the feeling her fluid had given him.

"So I've been told." She finished off the wine in her glass. "So, I repeat, what do you want?"

Dimitri leaned closer to her, "There's a nice bounty on that crew, Miranda, with blood running being frowned upon and all. Especially in veggie land."

Miranda scooted back in her chair, "No! Absolutely not! I'm getting married in a week, Dimitri; I promised Peter I was done."

"For Christ's sake, Miranda all we'd have to do is cross the border! Your blood is enough for them to take interest. Think of the money!" he hissed.

The waiter came over and she placed an order for a sandwich to go for Peter. Somebody had to make sure he ate during the day.

"I don't need it!" she snapped.

"Then think of the hunt, you know you miss it. There was a fire in your eyes the night you almost took me out, you were born for this," he egged.

"No."

"Children, Miranda, they are taking innocent children and bleeding them close to death just to get a tasty drink." He cocked his head and waited for her response.

"K-kids? They are using kids!?" She had to restrain herself from yelling.

"They heal faster," he shrugged.

Miranda fisted her hands in her hair and tugged at her scalp. She was going to regret this. Peter was going to be furious and in a pissy mood for lord only knows how long. Why couldn't she have a normal life? Oh, right, her life hadn't been normal since she was seventeen.

"Fine. But it's an in and out job," she said flatly.

Dimitri reached out and grabbed her hand in his, squeezing firmly and giving her a nod.

"And Peter is coming as well."

"He'll be a distraction, Miranda," he warned.

Miranda shook her head, "I don't care, where he goes I go. Understand?"

Dimitri scowled but gave her an affirmative nod.

Miranda scooped up the now delivered sandwich and crossed over to his side of the table. She gently squeezed his shoulders, bending down to whisper in his ear. "You better not fuck this up, Dimitri; I fought too hard to get him back." She quickly pecked his cheek. "Thanks for lunch!" she called over her shoulder, briskly walking away from him and in the direction of the theater.

.

She shouldn't have been surprised to have seen Peter marching around the stage with a series of fuck's streaming out of his mouth at anyone that passed by him. He had always had a short temper and the thing with Dimitri stopping by was obviously still mulling under his skin.

"Hey, Tom," she sighed, as she approached the side of the stage.

"Here to perform a miracle, Randi?" he replied dully, watching a leather clad Peter yell at the makeup girl.

She clapped him on the back, "I'll see what I can do."

Miranda climbed the steps, sandwich behind her back and carefully made her way across the stage, receiving welcoming nods from the crew.

Coming up behind him she cleared her throat, "Mr. Vincent," she said, laying the sweet on real thick.

"What!" he spun around, his hardened look instantly softening (though not by much) when he realized it was her. "Done already?" he quipped, side stepping her and making his way back stage.

"Brought you lunch," she said softly, walking quickly to catch up to his long strides. "Peter, cut the shit! You don't like him, I get it, but he still saved your ass when he could have just walked away."

"Because you asked him too," Peter replied dully, slowly turning to her.

"Yes, I did." She stepped closer to him, running her hand past that ridiculous fake goatee and letting it. "Because I love you."

He sighed, running his hand up her arm and curling his fingers around hers before turning his head and pressing a kiss to her palm.

She brought up the Styrofoam container and wiggled it in front of him. "So…lunch?"

His smiled with a nod and started to lead her out the side hall door.

"Hey!" Tom yelled from across the stage, "Where the hell are you going? We still have four hours left!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Peter muttered under his breath, starting to turn around.

Miranda gently put a hand on his chest and held a finger up, brushing past him and over to Tom.

"Look, you wanted a miracle, I said I'd work on it, give me a half hour."

"Twenty minutes," he retorted.

"Tom-"

"Look, Randi, we have a lot of changes that he is still getting used to, I can't afford any longer than that."

Miranda nodded, "Twenty minutes."

Peter was already crouched on the ground, half way through his sandwich when she walked through the side exit doors. She sat down beside him, letting her head fall back against the wall.

"Better?"

"Mmm, getting there." He licked his fingers and casually brushed them on her jeans.

"Hey!" she scolded, earning her a giggle from him and he pulled her into his side, resting his cheek on top of her head.

"Don't you have that dress…thing today?"

"Later, right now it's just you." She threaded her fingers with his, "For the next fifteen minutes."

Peter moved so he could look down at her and raised an eyebrow, "You don't say?" He quickly moved in front of her, slinking an arm around her back and pulling her forward so he could gently lie her down until he was hovering over her. "We could do plenty in fifteen minutes." He pulled off his wig and tossed it aside before bringing his mouth down onto hers.

"It takes you longer than that to put those blasted pants on, Peter," she chuckled.

He began to press feather light kisses down her neck as a hand moved to the button of her jeans. "Well, then," he growled against her skin, "We'll just have to work on your pants instead."

She all but whimpered when his fingers slipped beneath the waistband, her hands fisting in his hair as their lips met and his tongue swept in over hers.

"Peter," she panted, "we can't, not here, not now."

Peter bit down gently on her collar bone and she buried her head in his shoulder to muffle her small cry. "You're not putting up much of a fight, Cooper," he said gruffly.

"Yeah, well you're making a good argument." She moaned again when his hand wiggled inside her jeans and his fingers danced across the surface of her panties. "Peter," she breathed.

"Yeah?" his dark lined eyes were staring down into hers.

"Times up."

"S'not," he murmured against her neck, pressing his fingers in a little deeper, causing her to squirm.

"Pe-TER!" she cried out, "Peter, stop, oh god, just…"

He removed his hand and looked down upon her with a heavy smirk. "Yes?"

"Later," she breathed, pulling his forehead down to hers, "And we won't have to rush."

"Oh, I never rush, Miranda, I'm a very patient man."

She didn't even bother to hold back the scoff that built up inside of her, "Like hell you are, Pete."

He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her hair, letting his fingers trail until they rested on her chin and he slowly brought his lips down to hers. "With you, Randi, I'll always, be patient." He kissed her again. "For you."

He walked her back to the theater main doors, stupid wig back in place and ready to continue on with his day and in a much better mood than he had been prior. She still had a couple hours before the dress people showed up, she'd probably go upstairs and take a well needed cold shower…or make use of that Jacuzzi tub, he thought with a wry grin.

"So do I get a preview photo?" he asked with a wink.

"That's bad luck and you know it," she scolded him lightly, complete with a small swat to the shoulder.

"Seriously, Miranda, look where we are," he grinned.

"And look who we are, Peter," she retorted, "We don't have the best of luck as it is."

"Do I at least get to see mine?"

She had managed to talk him into letting her pick his as well. She allowed him to tag along for the fitting but that was the end of it, the rest was not to be seen until the day of.

"Yeah, next week." She pressed up on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to the side of his mouth. "I'll be waiting," she whispered lowly into his ear before returning to floor level and taking in her lower lip in a flirty smile.

.

The dress was fit to perfection, oh, and she knew he would agree with out a second glace. Even though she felt he would take many glances indeed. The white satin clung to her body and began to flow out at her hips into a chapel train. The top had embroidered black lace overlay and was corset style, lacing up with a thick black ribbon. Around the bottom were more embroidered lace flowers flowing around it.

Yup, perfection.

She did a twirl in the full length mirror and couldn't hold back the grin from spreading on her face.

"Oh my god, I love it!" Miranda turned to the Barbara, the dressmaker who now stood behind her in the bedroom smiling back. "It's beautiful!"

"He's going to eat you alive," the older woman chuckled.

The intercom buzzed and Miranda swished over to the door way to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Cooper, there is a Christopher Chapman down here wanting to see you. He's claiming to be your father," Randy's young voice came over the speaker.

Miranda backed up against the wall and started to slouch down; her eyes wide with…shock? Fear? She didn't know what it was.

"Hey, now, cut that out, you'll get all wrinkly!" Barbara scolded, attempting to lift her to her feet.

"Miranda?" Randy's voice came back into the room, "What would you like me to do?"

She shakily reached her hand up and pressed the button, "I-uh-s-send him up, Randy."

Miranda wasn't ready when the elevator dinged and it opened to reveal her father. His jaw dropped open when he saw she was standing there in her wedding gown and he immediately took her hands in his own and pressed a swift kiss to her cheek.

"You look amazing, Sweetheart."

"Thank you, daddy," she blushed and stared down at the floor tiles. "Why are you here?"

Christopher's eyes were warm when he smiled. "Is it not customary for the father of the bride to give his daughter away at the alter?"

Miranda tilted her head, "Well yes, but I assumed you were…I don't know," she shrugged, "angry."

He set his hands on his daughter's shoulders, shooting a pressing look into her eyes. "I might have been, but damn, Randi, I've always known you've loved that cocky bastard."

She laughed at his choice of words.

"What?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"I called him just that this morning," she laughed.

Christopher shook his head. "Does he at least make you happy? Because I swear to god, Miranda-"

Miranda nodded quickly, batting the tears in her eyes away with her hands before they could fall to her dress. "Yes, dad, I'm happy. We're happy." She bit back a chuckle. "He's going to be scared shitless once he finds out you're here, but we're happy."

Christopher leaned in and hugged her gently, and was suddenly being swatted away by an angry Barbara, scolding him "to get his grubby man hands off her hard work!"

"I'm staying in town for the week, if you want to see me beforehand that's great, if not…" he held up his palms in submission, "well, I know how it is."

"Daddy, stop, of course I want you there. I'll tell Peter tonight and we can have dinner sometime before rehearsals. It'll give him time to chill out."

"I'd like that."

Miranda smiled, "Me too." She hugged her father one last time, despite Barbara's hard stare and gently shooed him back toward the elevator. "I hate to rush you out, but I need to get out of this dress and go over some things."

Like think of a way to tell Peter your here, she thought.

He held up a hand in mock surrender, "Oh know, I'm far too familiar in how you girls get with wedding foolery, lord knows your mother drug me all around town for nearly two years for ours." Christopher stepped into the elevator and gave her a small wave. "See you soon, sweetheart."

Miranda nodded. A smile on her face while her mind was running through a million situations. The door sealed shut and she let out a held breath along with a very loud "FUCK!"

"Such a pretty face and a foul mouth," Barbara came up behind her and started to unlace my bodice. "You two are a match made in heaven."

"You have no idea," Miranda replied, dragging a hand down the length of her face. "No idea at all."

.

A/N: So I don't know where all this new fic love came from recently but to my new guest reviewers...holy mother of Moses, THANK YOU! lizz, Amber, and Ashley and my unnamed guest you are all fantastic! I heart you so heard right now. So I only intended on writing a wedding wrap up, but then Dimitri's sexy self whispered sweet nothings into my ear and...yeah...So It's gonna be left open after the Wedding. I may do a sequel, if I am still motivated, I certainly gave myself a plot to do so. For those of you who want to see Miranda's dress it is a combo of these

www .wedding -flowers-and-reception-ideas images/ black-and-white-wedding-dress-0001. jpg

www. coralsbridal 1049-2679-large/an414-black-accent-a-line-ball-wedding-dress. jpg

remove spaces and all that jazz. So let me know your current thoughts on our situation and let me see that love!

Shelly!