The Wonders of Fate

A/N: And so the story continues... Thank you all who have helped me *hugs to Row and Rogue* :)
============

Ah, there is nothing like a little cafe to meet a person over a simple lunch, Cat, herself, had been the first to arrive to the meeting spot on this particular day. Today, she was due to meet Ivy for a late lunch. In fact, this had been a rescheduled plan, given that plans had been postponed for roughly a week, given some occurences on Ivy's side. Catrianna understood. Everyone had their affairs and issues in life.

The day of the rescheduled meeting had come, and Cat had been the first to arrive, having arrived roughly ten minutes early. She had gotten the two a table, and had ordered a cup of coffee while she waited. Just as the waitress had been serving her the cup of coffee, Ivy had arrived, right on time. "Hey, sorry if I'm late, traffic was completely insane!" she greeted her, as she settled down at her seat. Cat laughed, looking at her watch. "Actually Ivy, you showed up three on the dot. Good timing, if I don't say so myself."

Ivy offered a faint smile, thinking in the back of her mind that she might have to adjust the clock in her car, which was seemingly running five minutes fast. At the same time, she looked a bit preoccupied, as if witholding some heavy burden within her mind. "Well, at least that's clarified." She glanced at the menu for a moment, before looking back at the waitress. "I'll have a coffee, thanks." She let her gaze linger on Cat for a while. Why had she asked her to meet for lunch like this, out of the blue? Perhaps this question could distract her from the actual heavy blow she had taken earlier today.

As the waitress brought back the coffee, Ivy asked the question that had preoccupied her from her other thoughts. "Cat? Was there something you were meaning to say to me? I mean, you seem like you really wanted to talk that one night..." Cat looked up from her own daze, and nodded. "Right, sorry... I just want to bring up..." Cat paused as she absently drew invisible doodles on the surface of the table. "I think I owe you an apology. I mean, throughout that entire court proceeding and what happened afterwards. I admit perhaps I should have been more aware of those trying to offer comfort. I heard you were. Just, I guess things got a little crazy, myself being the craziest thing of all."

Ivy fixed her gaze on Cat, listening as she explained herself about what had happened in the wake of the miscarriage incident. Once she had finished talking, it was Ivy's turn to respond. "In all honesty, no apology was necessary, though I am relieved that the lack of communication had been because of that, and no ill feelings about my behavior during the course of the case."

Cat laughed, holding up a hand, waving the mere thought of that off. "No, that wasn't it at all. Just, it's a good thing that Pete survived that period of time without some set of broken balls or anything worse for that matter." Ivy gave the other girl a meek grin, shaking her head. "I can personally vouch for him, balls are perfectly intact. In fact-"

"Should I start bringing up Ryan's package now?" Cat suddenly spoke up with a devious little grin. Ivy about choked on her coffee, coughing a bit as she shook her head. "Please, no. I think I want to eat," she replied, clearly edging off the topic of her lover's package deal. Mind you, it was a pleasant package....

Soon enough, the waitress had returned to take their order. Once that had been underway, the two of them had wound up talking more, pretty much filling each other in and catching up. Surprisingly, each girl found that she had much in common with the other one. Insane, how come they hadn't really interacted with one another before? Each associated with Rebecca though. Now, perhaps it could be like a Three Musketeer type of shmeal.

Cat had been finishing the last bites of her food before she took a sip from her water, glancing up at Ivy. Hmm, the opportune moment. "Ivy?" Ivy looked up, just about finished with her meal as well. "Yeah?" Cat's gaze met Ivy's. "I know that love is somewhat a touchy subject for you, and that perhaps the wedding environment might not be easy. But, would you like to be a bridesmaid at Ryan's and my wedding?" Ivy inwardly felt a pang of saddness at the mention of marriage, given the news that she had received just prior to this meeting. Though there was this trait of Ivy's that was both a gift and a curse. No matter what the case was, if she willed, she could mask any sense of emotion whatsoever. It had made her an ace in the art of theater. And, she had been pleased to be included within the wedding party. "I'd be honored."

Catrianna beamed, actually getting up. "Bloody fantastic!" she gushed, tightly embracing her. Ivy gasped at how tightly the Brit had hugged her. "Can't breathe," she gasped out, to which Cat sheepishly let go. "Right... Sorry." Once Ivy was able to to breathe again, she grinned at Cat. "So...finished here?" Cat laughed. "Pretty much. But yeah, now you get to go wedding shopping with me and the rest of the girls next week. Spare me, my mother is coming along." Cat gulped, looking quite frightened at this thought. Ivy found that expression on the girl's face hilarious. "Oh come on, she can't be as crazy as my mother." Cat rolled her eyes to this, but casually moved away from the topic.

Pretty soon, both girls had departed their own ways, and Cat had returned to find Ryan asleep on top of his desk, journal open. Of course, he had been again at it, writing lyrics. Catrianna smiled fondly at her fiance and kissed him lightly on the forehead to which Ryan reacted by sleepily blinking before waking up. He returned the kiss, grazing his lips above her own. "Hey, have a good lunch with Ivy?" he asked, sitting up, yawning and stretching. He rubbed the back of his neck, given that that position had made him pretty tense.

Cat responded by gently kneading the tense muscles on his neck. "The lunch went fine. Ivy is going to be a bridesmaid." Ry grinned, looking up, before he managed to pull his fiance onto his lap, kissing her. As he pulled away, he stroked her cheek affectionately. "Good to hear, because Pete is already down as groomsman. We can pair them up." Cat grinned, tweaking his nose. "That was the plan." Ryan wrinkled his nose as she tweaked it and merely shifted a bit on his seat. "Um yeah, what say you, care to sprawl out on the couch to watch a movie?" Cat nodded, sliding off his lap to give him the chance to get up. "Sure, just stick in whatever you have in mind."

Ry shrugged, picking out some random movie out of the pile. Lo and behold, it turned out to be Nightmare Before Christmas. Cat laughed, knowing that it clearly hadn't been 100% luck of the draw, given that this was one of his all-time favorite movies. Then again, she enjoyed the music as well. It was most amusing how the two had the tendency to sing to the music. There came a point of the movie, where it went to the song of 'Sally's Lament.' Ryan turned to Cat. "You know, you have a good voice, right?" Cat shrugged, looking at the floor as her cheeks flushed a shade of pink. "Nothing wonderful. I'm ordinary in a crowd of extraordinary."

Ryan paused the movie right then and there. Tilting her chin up, he put her gaze at the level of his own. "You are extraordinary. From the moment I met you, I completely came to life." Tears sprang to Cat's eyes as she flashed him a watery grin. Ry always had a special talent for his words. "Bloody allergies," she commented, sniffling a little. Ryan smirked, knowing she was covering it up that she had gotten all sentimental. Rather than bringing it up any longer, he kissed her, deeply and ever passionately. With the movie still kept in pause, the two had wound up making love, right there on the couch.

The two had been fast asleep just as Becca, determined to surprise the boys with news of her own, figured she ought to use the spare key to enter to completely startle the hell out of them. Though, she hadn't expected to find the two in the midsts of their action. "Ahh my eyes!" Ryan and Cat looked up, and Cat squeaked, hiding behind Ryan. "Oh thanks a lot, hide behind me, where am I supposed to hide." Cat raised an eyebrow. "Use a pillow, love, here..." Ryan took the pillow, covering an area just so he wouldn't wind up flashing the already horrified long-time friend. "Nice of you to drop by," he muttered, hardly able to meet Rebecca's gaze.

Becca giggled, putting a hand over her mouth, and Cat had succeeded to wrap a couch throw around her waist. "Something funny Becca?" Becca shook her head, unable to speak. Though it was here when Ryan noticed the ring on Becca's finger. "So Becca, Patrick finally popped the question." Becca nodded walking towards the computer to inspect something. "Yes." Cat squealed, clinging onto the throw with one hand, embracing her friend with the other. "Bloody Brilliant!" Rebecca had no time to respond as she was busy laughing her ass off.

"What's so fun-?" Cat's face blanched as she stopped mid-question, staring at the computer, with a webcam going on, with a comment saying: ....Man, it's called turning off your webcam. Thanks for the memory, I think I'm blind now.. She turned to Ryan hardly saying something as she clutched the throw around her. "Love, who were you having a webcam chat with today?" Ryan's eyes widened as his cheeks reddened. "Pete..." he gasped out, knowing that this is something that Pete would tease him for life about. In a house not too far away from the apartment, Pete Wentz was staring at his turned off computer, nearly catatonic and horrified at what he had just seen. "My innocent mind, my poor innocent mind..."

A/N: *giggles* random end- I know... Enjoy the chappie.