Chapter Text
7 years later……
They were once again sitting in the familiar pews of the same church. This time a very different event.
It was Gregory and Lucy’s wedding. They had checked with Colin that it was ok to use the same church as his failed wedding. Colin waved them off sighing that it was absurd to even ask him. Greg had wanted to get married in the place where they had first seen each other, very romantic, props to you Greg, Colin thought.
He and Penelope walked through the doors they had once exited very dramatically seven years ago. Everything looked a bit different now.
They had married six months after that night in the park, at Aubrey Hall, naturally. They took extended leave from their jobs to take an extended honeymoon. As Colin had put, “I simply must show you the world Pen” and so they set off. 23 counties in 5 continents. Truly the time of their lives. They returned to London, to their newly renovated 5 bedroom townhouse that was perfect for them. Big windows, lots of light and a library, a library!! Penelope was thrilled.
A few months later, after a suspected bout of food poisoning that never seemed to end she found out she was pregnant. She told Colin, he cried, she cried and they fell into a wonderful bubble of joy that they hoped never burst. 9 months (and quite a few days later to Penelope’s ire) Agatha Violet Bridgeton was born. Eyes matching her father and hair identical to her mother. Just like Colin had dreamed.
A couple of years after that Thomas Edmund was born the exact opposite of Aggie in terms of colouring, he had bright blue eyes and rich chestnut hair. Penelope was also currently pregnant with their twins, a boy and a girl. It was perfect, he couldn’t have written it any better.
The family had expanded in other ways too. Daphne and Simon now had Caroline and David. Anthony and Kate had Miles and Edmund. Kate was also currently pregnant with their 3rd. Her and Penelope had been quick to form an alliance with each other, their husbands grateful that they had someone to talk though things they could never understand. Eloise and Phillip had married a year after Colin and Penelope, and they had welcomed their first little girl 4 months ago, little Penny. A surprise to everyone as Eloise was “never going to have children” but that statement had waned over the years as each new niece and nephew had arrived. Benedict was now engaged to Sophie after 2 long years of searching for her, Francesca was now married to Michaela and lived in Scotland for half the year. Even Hyacinth was dating Lady Danbury’s grandson, they had just finished university and moved in together. Violet and Edmund were as happy as ever, they loved watching each of their children so happy, it is all they could have wished for and more.
Gregory had got his wish of Anthony as his best man, the rest of the family sitting in the seats facing them. Colin mused at the thoughts he had the last time he was here about joining the ‘married’s” of the group. There had been other weddings, but being back at the scene of the crime (for want of better words) he had it all. His children weren’t climbing all over the place, Aggie sitting on his knee playing with the flowers in the buttonhole of his jacket, Thomas was fast asleep in Penelope’s arms. Thankfully there were no rowdy guests, maybe at the reception he though to himself, some light entertainment.
The music started and Lucy began to walk down the aisle, arms linked with her older brother. But Colin, he couldn’t stop watching Gregory. His eyes shining watching the love of his life walk toward him. Colin turned to Pen, finding her already looking back at him. When the vows started he took her hand, reminiscing about their own silently. They were pronounced husband and wife to enthusiastic cheers and everyone began to exit the church behind them. Colin pulled Penelope back from the crowd leaving. Thomas and Aggie now with their grandparents momentarily.
“Colin, what are you doing?”
“What I should have done years ago”
He pulled her to the front where the bride and groom had been moments ago and kissed her deeply, kissed her like it was their last day on earth.
Pulling back slightly, foreheads resting on each other
“I love you Mrs Bridgerton”
“I love you too, Mr Bridgerton”
They turned, hand in hand and walked down the aisle that they had run down all those years ago, the action that had started their forever.