Chapter Text
“I have to tell you something.”
Lena sat beside Jack the morning before their wedding, twisting her engagement right on her finger nervously.
“What is it, love?”
“It’s…it’s about Kara. We…well, I wanted to surprise you and get some pictures taken of myself, so we met yesterday to do a boudoir shoot. But we um…we got a little carried away and I um….Jack I…I had sex with Kara.”
Jack’s face turned a shade of gray that Lena could only describe as ghostly. He didn’t move or speak, nor did he turn to look at her. She knew he would speak eventually, or at least she hoped he would, so she sat quietly and allowed him to take in her confession. Nearly an hour went by of the two of them sitting in silence on the couch before he finally spoke.
“Ok.”
“Ok?”
“Ok. What’s done is done. I understand you getting carried away during something like that. And I know you love me. So if you can promise me that you still love me and want to be with me, then I can forgive you and we can move past this.”
“Jack I…”
“I love you, Lena. That’s all that matters.”
“I love you too.”
Jack slid his hand between them and took Lena’s hand into her own, gently squeezing it. Neither of them spoke for several minutes, not knowing what to say.
“Do you love her?”
“I love you.”
“I know you love me. But do you love her too?”
“Jack…”
“Please, Lena. I need to know.”
“I…I don’t know. I think a part of me does. I’m just so confused by it all.”
“Do you still want to marry me?”
Lena paused. This was her chance. Jack was giving her an out. But as she looked at his tear stained eyes, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t hurt him more than she already had.
“Yes.”
“Then it’s settled,” said Jack standing to his feet. “Tomorrow we will stand in front of all of our friends and family and make our vows and then we will leave for our honeymoon and start our lives together as husband and wife.”
“And Kara?”
“What about her?”
“Jack, she and Alex are still our photographers. It’s too late to hire someone else.”
“Why would we hire someone else? Lena, she’s still your friend, and a phenomenal photographer! I’m hurt, yes, but I understand. I’m not going to make you choose between us.”
When she decided to tell Jack, she knew he would be hurt. She also knew, however, that Jack was a kind and forgiving soul. No part of her expected him to be this ok with it, she’d fully expected him to want to hire a new photographer or go without one. She’d never have known it to look at him, but Jack’s heart was breaking inside his chest. He’d seen the way Lena had interacted with Kara from the beginning and knew that he’d have to share her, at least on some level. Even if it killed him to do so.
As Jack and Lena stood and embraced, Kara pulled into the driveway and walked up to the door just in time to see them kissing through the windows. Her heart sank as she realized that she’d missed her chance, and she turned and ran back to her car and drove away.
The rehearsal dinner and ceremony that evening went as smoothly as one could hope for. Kara - who had gone home and cried for the better part of the day - and Alex were both in attendance, speaking very little to anyone other than each other. Kara struggled to keep her composure as she photographed Jack and Lena, telling herself that it was for the best. That Lena was happy with Jack. When the rehearsal was done, Kara and Alex packed up and briefly spoke to Jack and Lena about the plans for the wedding. Lena tried to talk to Kara on many occasions, but Kara - knowing she couldn't talk to Lena without breaking down - avoided eye contact and spoke mostly to Jack, who was observant enough to see that Kara wasn’t the only one hurting.
As much as he would like to have believed otherwise, he knew where Lena’s heart was. She may have agreed to marry him, but he knew she’d never look at him the way she looked at Kara. Even still, he kept this realization to himself as they said their final goodbyes to those in attendance. Jack went back to their home and Lena went to stay with Sam for the evening - they wanted the next time they saw each other to be at the altar. While Jack went home alone and had a few drinks to calm his nerves, Lena stayed awake with Sam most of the night, trying to convince herself that she was making the right decision.
