No excuses for the wait. Just been focused on my other stories. I'm really sorry and I don't know when the next update will be. I just had this written and thought I'd give you guys something because it had been so long and you're all so great.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

Enjoy even though it's short.

Words: 2,152

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The wedding is getting so close. That's what Ryder thinks with a deep breath, the nerves running all through her body calming on slightly as her brown eyes roam the dress in front of her. Her wedding dress. It felt surreal. She's getting married. Ryder honestly never thought this day would come. Well, not until she met Spencer.

"Breath, okay," The woman whispers to herself before zipping up the dresses cover, turning it back on the rack in her closet. Bella's dress and the bridesmaid dresses were in, so were the tuxes. Hers was the last clothing item needed. Emily, JJ, Penelope, and Natalie were given their respective dresses to keep. And the tuxes were given to the groomsmen. And Steve who would be on the brides side, walking and standing with Natalie.

The guest list wasn't huge. It was the perfect size, Ryder thinks. She didn't want a big wedding but she did want people there. She was marrying the love of her life, she wanted to celebrate that with people.

Spencer agreed with her for the most part. He tried to hide it from her, but Ryder knows every time it comes up, he thinks of Gideon, who had yet to let them know if he'd be there. Then there was William, Spencer's father. After much debate, and many emotions, Spencer decided to let the man come. It wasn't necessarily a happy invite, more of just letting him know when and where.

Roy, Lyla, and Bella would be there. Bella was the flower girl, Roy and Lyla have a place in the front on the bride's side. Ryder wants her father there, but she still hadn't known him long, they weren't close, like a father and daughter should be. Tommy would be the one walking her down the aisle.

Her brother's slightly off behavior hadn't escaped Ryder's attention. When asked, he said everything was fine. He almost looked tired when the subject was brought up. Ryder decided to drop it, he'd tell her when he could.

But Ryder couldn't think of that right now, she was late for a doctor's appointment. It was still too early to tell the baby's gender, for which she was sad and relieved. She wanted Spencer to be there for that and he was away right now. Natalie was going with her though, so she wouldn't have to be alone. Ryder would forever be grateful for her friends.

"What's the hold-up?" Nat questions jokingly when Ryder slides into the passenger seat of her car.

"Lost track of time." Ryder sighs, resting her bag on the floor by her feet.

"Were you looking at your dress again?"

"It's just so pretty." Ryder doesn't bother denying it, her friend would know she was lying away. "I'm excited."

"Me too." Nat chuckles, checking both ways before making her turn. "Your dress is the most beautiful, but I love mine too. I look great in red."

"Ha, Steve said the same thing." Ryder laughs with a shake of her head. "That he looks great in red. Though, I'm sure he'd agree that you do too."

"Oh, I know he thinks I look good in red."

"Okay, okay," Ryder waves her hands around with a grimace. "I do not need to hear more of that."

"I barely said anything." Nat mumbles with a smile. "I changed my mind, by the way, I'm back to boy. Steve still thinks girl."

"I can't keep up with who thinks what anymore." Emily was the only one stuck with her decision of a girl. Everyone else keeps changing their minds. Especially Garcia. Not that Ryder minds, she loves watching them guess and is even more excited to tell them when they know.

"You won't have too much longer." Natalie says as she parks the car. "Just a few short weeks and I'll know if I'm getting a niece or a nephew."

"You mean a godson or goddaughter?" Ryder asks slyly, smirking when Nat turns her wide eyes to her. "Did you really think it would be someone else?"

"Ah!" Nat squeals, leaning across the middle console to hug her friend. "Yes, yes, yes." The woman chants over and over, literally bouncing in her seat. "I'm gonna be the best godmother any child has ever known."

"I have no doubt." Ryder snorts as she opens her car door, stepping out into the sunny day. "Means you gotta help set up the nursery."

"Like I wasn't going to do that anyway." Nat says, opening the door for her friend, allowing her to walk in first before they sign in and wait until her name is called.

Spencer hated that he couldn't be there. He already missed the first time but Ryder assured him it was fine. She hadn't even known for sure she was pregnant then and now, it was just one appointment and Nat was with her.

When the two friends finally make their way outside, Ryder has a new picture of their unborn child to show him later.

"Food." Ryder drawls out over the roof of the car to her friend, waiting very impatiently for her friend to unlock it.

"Yes, ma'am," Nat chuckles, grumbling at the endless pit that is her purse. "Food for the soon to be mother."

"Mazel tov." The new voice makes Ryder jump and spin around. Natalie looks up from her bag to see who had spoken, furrowing her brows in confusion at the unfamiliar man.

"Mark-" Ryder cuts herself off, restraining herself from flat out asking "what the hell?" She hates to admit, but the last few days, with last-minute wedding planning and baby stuff, she had nearly forgotten about him. Before she'd told herself it wasn't a big deal, maybe he was a little hung up on the past, he definitely acts weird, but now she knows it's something. Why else would he be here? She couldn't come up with a good reason, and the exact moment she's here as well? Coincidence that big just didn't happen.

"Do you know what it is yet?" He asks, moving closer to her. The question was so casual, but Ryder moves her back to the car, her eyes never straying from him.

"No," She answers, her voice coming out harsher than she'd meant. Couldn't this dude take a hint and back the hell off?

"Ry?" Nat questions from the other side of her vehicle.

"We have to go." Ryder ignores her friend's question, her hand gripping the door handle behind her. "Nat, unlock the car."

"Why the rush?" Mark questions, still slowly coming closer with his arms spread beside him as Nat hurries to find her keys.

"Honestly?" Ryder doesn't move her feet, but leans forward towards him, leveling him with her hardest look. "I don't want to be around you. You make me uncomfortable." Maybe if she tells him straight up, he'll get it and finally leave her alone.

Just then, as Ryder notes the clench in Mark's jaw, the twitch in his eye, the car unlocks loudly, and Ryder wastes no time opening the door and jumping in with her friend. "Drive, please."

Natalie listens to her friend's order and moves the car a little faster than normal out of the parking lot. "I see what you mean," The model says while releasing a breath. "Dudes a creep."

"Yeah," Ryder nods, biting her lip as she wrings her hands together. "I mean, that was a little more than just running into someone on the street."

"Yeah, no," Nat scoffs, keeping her attention on the road. "That was definitely on purpose. I'd bet the other times were too." She didn't want to freak her friend out, but if it was true, something had to be done.

"I'm starting to think the same thing." Ryder agrees with her friend, looking at the parking lot that is slowly disappearing behind them. "But what am I supposed to do about it?"

"Um, get a restraining order." Nat looks over at her friend like she's gone crazy when they stop at a light.

"How? He hasn't actually done anything illegal."

"I'm pretty sure the point of a restraining order is to prevent that from happening in the first place." Natalie says with furrowed brows, her eyes back on the road.

"Yeah, but I don't think I can just take one out against someone when the only things that's happened is we've run into each other a few times." Ryder would love to get a restraining order against Mark. The guy gave her a bad feeling, but really, what has he done other than speaking to her in a not very nice manner? Last time she checked, freedom of speech was still a thing.

"You and me both know he sent those flowers." The blonde continues to argue. Maybe she was a little biased. Stalkers weren't an unknown subject for her. "That means he knows where you live."

"We have no proof it was him."

"Please, we've asked everyone you know and it wasn't any of them. You're in denial."

Sighing, Ryder looks down at her lap before back to the scenery passing outside her window. "I'll talk to Spencer when he gets back, okay?"

"That's as good as I'm going to get, isn't it?" Nat questions, glancing over just long enough to see her friend nod. "Okay, I'll take it. But you're staying with me tonight."

********

Ryder didn't argue with her friend. Not that it would've helped. When Natalie wants something, she usually gets it. The night ended up being exactly what Ryder needed though. Spending quality time with her best girl friend, it was very relaxing.

She shared her nightly phone call with Spencer but left out the whole Mark thing, much to Natalie's displeasure. She'll tell him when he gets back, Ryder doesn't want him to worry. And besides, she's staying with people until he gets back, what could happen?

Natalie smacked her arm when she asked that question out loud.

It's only a couple of days later that Spencer arrives back home. Ryder had known he was on his way but was still surprised when he walks through the door, literally dropping his things before sweeping her into a tight hug.

He breathes deeply, closing his eyes, feeling his fiancée wrapped securely in his arms.

"Is everything okay?" Ryder asks after a moment but neither pull away.

"Yes," Spencer shakes his head, burying his nose in the crook of her neck. "Just missed you."

"Well, I miss you too." Ryder chuckles before the light, fuzzy feeling settling into her stomach is replaced with something else. "Spence, I need to tell you something."

Fast forward ten minutes later shows Ryder sitting on the couch with her feet folded under her, watching Spencer pace in front of her. His phone is pressed to his ear, his gaze shooting over to Ryder occasionally, as if to make sure she was still there.

"And?" Ryder almost hesitantly questions when Spencer hands up with whoever he was speaking with.

"Restraining order successfully filed." He responds while sitting down next to her. "It'll be served to him later on today, hopefully."

"I'm sorry," Ryder sighs, dropping her hands into her lap.

"No," Spencer shakes his head and grabs her wrists. "Don't be, this isn't on you. But, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because..." Ryder trails off with another heavy sigh and shakes her head. "I don't know. You were working, I didn't want to bother you. I can't just put all my problems on you and expect you to drop everything to help me." Ryder's voice rises in volume and Spencer squeezes her hands to calm her.

"Okay, okay," He says gently, pulling her closer to him. "It's okay. Just...I need you to tell me these things. You're my fiancée. You'll be my wife soon. I will always drop everything to help you." Closing his eyes, Spener shakes his head. "I can't- if something were to happen to you-"

"Nothing's going to happen to me." Ryder cuts him off, cupping his cheeks in her hands. "Nothing, okay? I'm fine, we're fine. I'll...work on my communication skills." Spencer huffs a laugh at that, nodding his head but stops when Ryder leans forward to connect their lips.

"Nothing will happen to either of you if I have anything to do about it."

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That Mark is a real creep, huh?

I'm pretty sure you gotta go to court and all this stuff to get a restraining order but...Spencer got connections man. He gone protect what's his.

Thanks for reading! I'm trying to get this going again but with other stuff I got going on right now it's difficult. Thanks for sticking with me!

'-'