A/N: Okay first off, Paint You Wings hit 1 million reads this week! Holy crap. That's absolutely insane and I'm still overwhelmed by it. I never thought I would get 100 reads let alone 1 million. Thank you thank you thank you. I love you so much.

In addition to this, Sugarscape mentioned Paint You Wings in their 10 5sos fanfics to read in February. I don't even know how they found my story or why they chose to include it with those amazing fanfics, but I'm so happy! This is so cool and I'm still in shock by it.

Luke's POV

I lean back against the wall of the elevator once the last person steps off on their floor. I patiently wait for the doors to close on their own before I continue my ascent to my hotel room.

I need to remind myself that whenever I get married I will never have as large of a wedding party as Natalie's. Does she really need six? I can understand four or five but six bridesmaids and groomsmen is pushing it. We look like a fucking conga line walking down the aisle.

I didn't have to be a groomsman. I could have told Jack to tell Nathan that I decline his offer, but of course, my altruism got in the way. I blame Mum for raising me to be such a nice person. However, it has gotten me out of trouble for the most part.

For the most part.

I forgot how stressful weddings can be. Not just for the bride and groom but for the wedding party as well. Natalie has always been a little bossy, but she's even worse in 'bride-mode.' During the wedding ceremony rehearsal she kept getting after me for walking too fast and constantly reminded me to shorten my strides because Colleen, her best friend, couldn't keep up with me. Jack had trouble containing his laughter whenever I was scolded, and I had to restrain myself from flipping him off because the ordained minister was overseeing everything and I didn't want to be rude. It's not my fault Colleen's legs are as short as a turtle's. However, I should take some of the blame because I couldn't keep in time with the music playing as we practiced walking down the aisle. Even so, Natalie didn't have to bark at me.

I'm not thrilled that I have to walk down the aisle with my arm hooked with Colleen's. We weren't really close as friends before we moved and I have nothing against her, but she just reminds me of all the girls I've been dating recently. Clingy and unwilling to commit. During the rehearsal dinner, she sat as close to me as possible, her knee brushing against mine. I had to scoot my chair away from her several times until she finally took the hint to stay back. Maybe I'm being too judgmental. She not a completely terrible person; she has a sense of humor. It was funny hearing her curse at Natalie under her breath for making Myra the maid-of-honor and not her. But that's the extent of her good qualities in my eyes.

All this wedding stuff is making me tired and I cannot be happier that there's only two days left until this is all over with. When Jack had his wedding, it wasn't nearly this stressful. He and Myra handled all the arrangements without breaking a sweat or having a break-down. Not to mention Myra was much nicer than Natalie. They may be sisters but they couldn't be more different.

The elevator comes to a stop and I shove my hands deeper into the front pocket of my hoodie as I step off. The piece of metal that I've been carrying for a few weeks brushes against my hand, and I wonder if today will be the day I return it. I fiddle with it between my fingers as I walk down the hallway. I turn the corner and begin to reach into my back pocket for the room key, but I stop when I see Emmie and Ashton stepping into mine and Michael's room. I jog towards them and catch the door before it slams shut.

"My mum always said holding doors open for others is the polite thing to do," I joke, and they finally turn around and acknowledge me. My smile slowly falls when I don't see a look of despair on Ashton's face. That may have sounded a bit cynical, but he just spent two or so hours with his daughter and he looks like he just got back from an amusement park.

I'm assuming everything went well seeing that neither he nor Emmie called or texted me with a code red. I would have checked up on them but the rehearsal kept my hands tied.

I shift my gaze to Emmie who's holding the lemon margarine pie Natalie's mum gave her the other day. I focus first on her wrist and then up to her face. She displays the opposite of Ashton. She may be wearing a smile but it's not hiding anything. I like how she's struggling to hide her emotions. Again, cynical, but I can't get over how transparent she's become. It's a good thing. She has fully opened herself up to us.

Ashton plays along. "Your mum also said to dress for the occasion," he says, pointing to my hoodie. "That's some classy wedding attire."

I shrug. "I shouldn't have to get all dressed up for the rehearsal," I say. "It's not the real thing. And I'd rather not have to put on a tie until the actual wedding."

"Can't argue with you there," he says.

We step further into the room, interrupting Michael's Skype call with Lola and Calum and Julia's conversation about wanting us all to hang out together as a group before we leave on Sunday. Ashton sits at the foot of Michael's bed, and no one pushes him for answers about his afternoon with Reina just yet. It's as if they're waiting for him to speak about it when he's ready. Emmie sets the pie on the mini-bar. Lacking the proper utensils, she cuts the pie with a small spoon and then serves the slices on the tiny teacup plates sitting next to an electrical kettle.

Michael ends his call with Lola once Emmie hands him his slice of pie, and I take the one she gives me to the couch where I move to sit. Despite the question of 'what the hell happened while Ashton was out' running through our minds, our conversation remains casual. Emmie laughs when Calum tells a stupid joke his sister told him earlier, Michael freaks when Julia accidentally drops her cream-covered spoon on the duvet, and Ashton just shakes his head in amusement.

I give a brief summary of the wedding rehearsal and the torture I was forced to experience. Then, I give the details of the bachelor party that I'm also forced to attend (Jack made the decision for me before I could deny), and I force them to come with me.

"Jack's hosting it at his place," I say, dropping the spoon onto the plate when I finish the pie. "It'll be pretty laid back. Pizza and beer—can't get any better than that."

"No strippers?" Calum asks, which Julia quickly responds to with a glare. "I mean, good, no strippers. That's tacky." Julia knows he's only joking but that doesn't stop her from pushing him off the bed and taking his pie to eat for herself.

"Nathan didn't want to do anything over the top," I say. "Which is probably a good thing since we'll all have to be prepared for the wedding the following day."

"Who has their bachelor and bachelorette party the day before their wedding?" Julia asks.

"I asked the same thing," I say. "The only reason they're choosing to have their parties tomorrow is because of a scheduling issue. Normally the rehearsal is the day before the wedding. Today was the only day the venue could schedule the ceremony rehearsal, so there wasn't much of a choice."

"At least it'll keep up from getting wasted," Michael says. "Natalie and Nathan have another responsibility to care for so it's probably for the best."

Ashton's smile falters and he stands up to put his empty plate on the mini-bar. His change in demeanor doesn't go unnoticed and our silence speaks for us, urging him to talk. I'd scold Michael for striking a chord in Ashton, but I'm way too curious to hear what Ashton has to say.

"I'm not going to stick around and be Reina's dad," he says hoarsely, turning around and gripping the edge of the bar. "I'll be in her life but not actively. She has Nathan to take care of her. I'll never be able to take his place."

I knew he would say this, but it's hard to hear because I can tell from his voice that he's hurting. How can he not be? His daughter, my niece—he's leaving her behind. I look over to Emmie who has her head down and she's poking at her half-eaten pie. Ashton isn't leaving her, but she still looks sad.

Calum doesn't look upset with Ashton unlike Michael. If anything he looks relieved. "Are you going to tell your mum?" Calum asks.

Ashton waits a few seconds before nodding. "I'll tell her before we leave. If Dad knows she has a right to as well."

Michael's eyebrows are drawn together and he keeps moving his lips as if he wants to oppose his decision. He chooses to stay silent though.

Ashton goes on to tell us about Reina and how they are so much alike. His smile returns and grows as he relays their afternoon together to us. He speaks so highly of her. I feel guilty for acting so coldly towards Reina. That's my best friend's daughter and I was a total jerk. It's like I'm angrier than him about this situation. He's figured out how to accept it all while my bitterness has prevented me from doing so. I need to work on concerning myself less in other people's lives.

Our conversation slowly transitions back to casual once we start watching a movie on TV, but we barely get halfway through it before Calum makes the decision to go back to the restaurant in the lobby to order ribs again. He better soak up all this place has to offer because once we leave, the closest he'll get to luxury barbeque will come from the small indoor grill we have at the house.

Julia, Emmie, and Michael tag along with him. I stay behind because I already ate during the rehearsal dinner, and Ashton stays because he's exhausted and ready to take a nap. I don't doubt him because those bags under his eyes are pretty convincing. Once they leave, Ashton tells me to follow him back to his room and I comply.

"Do you have any extra condoms?" is the first thing he asks when we enter his room.

"At the moment, no," I say, sinking down onto the couch. "Haven't really needed any lately. But I know Calum bought a box the other day."

"I'll have to steal some from him. I need to start using them again."

I cross my arms over my chest. "Wait, you haven't been using condoms with Emmie?"

He shakes his head. "She's on the pill and it hasn't really been of much concern. We're both clean, but I want a little more protection now."

"Because you don't want to risk getting her pregnant."

He looks almost ashamed for wanting to use condoms again. It's not that big of a deal and I'm more than sure Emmie will be fine with it. "One kid is enough for me right now," he says.

"Speaking of your kid," I start, "Are you sure this is what you want?" Part of me thinks he's an idiot for choosing to give up his daughter, but the other part thinks it's what's best for him.

He sits down on the bed and starts to unlace his boots. "I made my first parental decision today," he says, kicking one shoe off and then the other. "I wouldn't have made it without Reina's best interest in mind. It may not be what I want but it had to be done."

"Emmie seems upset about it."

He looks down to his now clasped hands. "She is. She has strong family values and due to the circumstances I'm going against them. But she understands and isn't holding it against me. I think she's more upset for me than anything else."

"I'm not surprised." I kick my feet up onto the coffee table. "Besides you, she they most empathetic person I know. I wouldn't go as far as to say she's taking it just as hard as you, but it's affecting her too."

"I know." He rises from the bed and steps into the bathroom. I'm assuming he's brushing his teeth because I can hear the faucet running. I sort of want to get after him for not turning the faucet off while he's brushing his teeth, but then I remember we're not at home and don't have to pay the water bill here.

He glides his hand down his mouth when he walks out, and he sits back down on the bed.

"You're okay with coming to the bachelor party?" I ask.

"Yeah. I don't really want to be cooped up in the hotel while you guys and the girls are out having fun. Plus I'll be able to see Jack and actually talk to him this time. Do you remember when we were trying to plan my bachelor party?" he asks, grinning at the memory. "You guys were going to go all out."

"Bar hopping, strip clubs, girls popping out of cakes, lap dances, the whole shebang," I say. "You were against the entire thing. Remember when Calum started calling strip clubs for reservations months in advance?"

He laughs. "I was ready to tackle him right then and there. Strippers weren't my thing; they still aren't. I'd like to think I'm classier than that."

"I honestly think you'd have the most unappreciative, repulsed look on your face if a stripper were to shake her ass in your face."

"She'd be invading my personal space," he says.

"That's funny coming from someone who has a knack for invading the personal space of a certain someone."

He smiles tiredly. "She's different."

"You'd let her shake her ass in your face."

"The only thing Emmie would shake is her finger at that idea," he says, and we both fall into a fit of laughter.

"Two more days," I say once we calm down. "How're you holding up?"

"Well I've only cried maybe three or four times total, so I'd say I'm doing okay. I still wouldn't mind a nap."

I rise from the couch. "Is that your way of kicking me out?"

"You catch on quick," he jokes.

I head towards the door and just as I reach for the doorknob Ashton calls me.

"Can you do me a favor?" he asks. "Don't be a dick to my daughter. She deserves to have a good uncle."

I chuckle. "I know. I'm working on it."

"One more thing. When do you plan on giving Emmie her bracelet back?" he asks. "You got it fixed for her weeks ago but never gave it back. How long are you going to hold onto it for?"

"How'd you know I still had it?"

"I see Emmie every day. I know when there's something missing from her."

I reach into the pocket of my hoodie and grasp the bracelet in my hand, but I don't pull it out. "She hasn't said anything or even noticed I still have it. It's like she's forgotten about it."

His lips fall into a straight line. "You know she loves that bracelet."

I face the door and turn the knob. "I'll give it back to her soon," I say before exiting.

Stopping in the middle of the hallway with two take-out containers from the restaurant in her hands, Emmie watches me as I step towards her. My eyes fall to her bare wrist again.

"We were just talking," I say, feeling the need to explain myself for coming out of their room. "Why aren't you eating with the others?"

"Ash hasn't eaten and I wanted to make sure he does," she says. "Do you think I'm worrying too much?"

I crack a smile as I shake my head. "No, you're worrying just the right amount. He'll be okay. He has you."

She smiles sheepishly before brushing past me to her room.

"Hey Emmie?" I say, and she stops to turn back to me. I reach for the bracelet, gliding my finger along the links, but I can't bring myself to pull it out. "Nevermind. It can wait."

She cocks her head. "You sure? I have time."

I nod. "It can wait."

____

A/N: I'm sorry it took a while for me to update. I have a lot of schoolwork and essays to write so expect slower updates or shorter chapters like this one.

I wanted to give everyone a break from the feels and add Luke's POV again because it bothers me that I've only written in his POV once. This may or may not be the last chapter in Luke's POV. I haven't decided yet.

The bachelor and bachelorette parties will be next in these coming chapters so if you would like to suggest anything, I may add a few of your ideas into the chapter!

Thank you all! –Rebecca xoxoxoxo