Here is the Prologue to Almost, hope you enjoy.

Summary: Ray and Mariah have been happily married for four years. They have a beautiful baby girl as their first surprise, but what will be their second?

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.

"Blah" – talking

'Blah' – thinking

Change of place/time

Prologue

"I do," happily smiled a pinkette of average height, as she stared into her lover's amber eyes, tears of joy gathering in her own.

"And do you Ray Kon; take Mariah Chen to be your lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do you part."

"I do," smiled the dark haired neko-jin equally as happy as his wife to be.

"Then I declare you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."

Ray stared at Mariah; he started at her feet and looked up still amazed at how beautiful she looked in her wedding dress. He then lifted up the veil to reveal her smiling face. He then lent forward, feeling her hot breath on his face as he kissed her, Mariah asking for and entrance straight away and Ray didn't hesitate to say yes.

Everyone in the church stood up clapping, cheering at the top of their lungs.

At the Reception

After everyone was seated, the groom stepped up to the microphone to say a few words to everyone. "Thank you to everyone for coming, it means a lot to me as it does to Mariah. Well I've known Mariah since we were, well, babies I guess. She's been there for me all the times that I've needed her, just like I've been there for her. But Mariah is not just a wife who I love so much she is also my best friend, and because of this I'm very much looking forward to spending the rest of my life with her. Thank you." Everyone clapped again and when they had finally died down he again began to speak. "And now I hand the microphone over to my best man, Kai."

Again they all clapped and cheered as Ray sat down and as Kai got up.

"I would like to thank Ray for making me his best man. And also I thank everyone for coming to see these two lovely people get married. I know it might not really sound like me, but I was really pleased when Ray asked me to be his best man. I've known Ray since we were about twelve, thirteen years old. I have to say out of our team; Ray was the first one I started to like because he was closer in age and mentality than the others. Also the one who kind of understood me and told the others to just give me my space and that I'd come round in the end. He was right I guess, what can I say they grew on me. Anytime there was a tournament or we met up with the White Tigers, I would always see a spark between Mariah and Ray. Sometimes at the end of the day I asked if there was anything going on between them, of course Ray would always deny it, his face all red. But I know from talking with Ray and seeing how he is with Mariah he loves her very much and will do anything in his power to make sure she is happy. And because of the love they have for each other I know that they will be able to withstand the trials and tribulations that come with being married. Now I would like everyone to raise their glasses to Mariah and Ray, wishing them many years of happiness. Thank you."

Everyone in the hall smiled as they shouted 'campai' while knocking their glasses together. After taking a sip from their glasses they all clapped as Kai sat down. When everyone had stopped clapping an announcement was made that they could start eating, and attention was then turned to the buffet on one side of the room.

Soon after most people had finished eating, music started to play. Since the guests knew that the first dance was saved for the bride and groom, they sat and talked with the people around them. While a few children played and talked in one corner of the room.

As Mariah sat down, after changing from her wedding dress into a red qipao, she looked around the room a smile on her face, glad that everyone seemed to be having a good time. It was then she noticed that even though the music was now playing, and most people had finished eating no one was dancing. It then dawned on her that they were waiting for her and Ray to start dancing first. The pinkette turned round to say something to Ray, but his amber eyes were already on her.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked a smile on his lips, Mariah just nodded smiling as well as they stood, some people turning to look at them.

Once on the dance floor Ray placed his arm around Mariah's petite waist, while her hand was placed on his shoulder; and their free hands were intertwined. Then their song; Soba Ni Iru Kara started to play. The two of them slowly moved across the floor holding each other, as everyone just watched them, smiles on their faces.

After the newlyweds had finished dancing, and the next song started playing more people made their way to the dance floor, their partners following them. Kai just sat there talking to Tala as they didn't really have anyone to dance with, not that Kai really wanted to dance in the first place. Kai looked over at the dance floor again, and now he could see Mariah dancing with her father, while Ray was dancing with his mother. Kai then noticed that Tala was looking over in one direction for quite a long time. So he turned his line of vision so it was facing the same as Tala's, a small smile coming to his lips. His redheaded friends had been staring at the side view of a woman; who was sitting two tables away from them with shoulder length jet black hair, wearing a red bustier tight fitting dress. Kai sighed and leant back in his chair, knowing that in a few moments Tala would be gone.

"Hey you don't mind if I go and dance with that girl over there do you?" he asked, Kai just shook his head as Tala smiled and got up. Kai then saw them walk towards the dance floor arm in arm.

Soon enough Kai was aware of a presence next to him; he turned to look to see a familiar brunette standing there. She smiled at him, and he slightly smiled back.

"Kai how come you're here by yourself?" she asked sitting in the seat Tala has occupied not long ago.

"Well Tala was here, but he went off to dance," he replied.

Hilary nodded, "Kai you know that the best man and maid of honour are supposed to dance together right?" she asked smiling. Kai just shook his head looking at her, but then he got what she was saying. So he stood up and held his hand out to her, and she gladly took it.

They then started to dance just like everyone else, while Ray and Mariah, who had stopped dancing for now, stood at the edge of the dance floor watching them. Suddenly the bride remembered something. She left go of Ray's hand and ran off somewhere. He looked in the direction she had just gone wondering where she was going.

Mariah came back moments later carrying her bouquet of red and white roses which symbolised good luck, and the garter from around her leg.

"We almost forgot to do this," she smiled handing him the garter.

"I know you have to throw the bouquet but why do you have that as well?"

"The bride throws the bouquet to see which female is going to get married next. While the groom throws the garter to see which male is going to get married next," she smiled. Ray just shrugged and went up the DJ asking to use the microphone.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" They all stopped dancing and turned round to face the couple. "Thank you, on the right can I have all the unmarried and single women, and on the left the unmarried and single men thank you." Everyone looked at each other before doing what they had been told; a few couples going off the dance floor.

Mariah stood in front of the women while Ray stood in front of the men. They looked at each other smiling Mariah going first shouting 'catch' as she did. All the women ran towards it wanting to catch it. The pinkette waited until all the footsteps had stopped before turning round, a smile on her lips. There stood Hilary holding it a smile of triumph on her features.

"Hilary caught it, and it is thought that whoever catches it gets married next," she smiled. Hilary just nodded not thinking it very likely.

Now it was Ray's turn, and as soon as it left his hands he could hear them all moving around. When the moving has stopped he turned round he saw that a surprised Kai was holding it. This also surprised Ray, as he thought Kai would have stayed well away from it.

"Kai caught it, and like my wife said, it is thought that whoever catches it gets married next," he smiled.

Mariah looked at her husband and smiled Ray smiling back, knowing exactly what she was thinking. After everyone had started dancing again Ray went up to Kai, and it looked like Tala was asking him lots of questions by the look on his face.

"Wonder who you're getting married to?" asked Ray sitting next to him.

"Don't you start as well, I've already got him asking me who's this secret woman I'm keeping from him, and don't I trust him enough to tell him," sighed Kai.

"Tala it doesn't mean he's going to get married this year after us, it could be anytime like in the next five years."

"Oh, but by then I could have found a girlfriend and married her," said Tala.

"Yea right," said Kai leaning back in his chair.

Ray sat talking with them for a little while before going off to find his wife. She found her talking to Hilary, and it looked like they were talking about Hilary's wedding by the look on Mariah's face.

Soon after Ray had left Kai got up and silently crept out of the room. Tala was the only one who noticed this but left him even though he had a bad feeling about it.

Tala then started to look for that dark haired woman again, realising that he had never asked her for her number. A banging noise from outside caused him to turned his attention to the door. He turned round to look at all the people dancing, and wondered if it was just them. Then he heard it again and this time he definitely heard someone's voice. So the redhead quickly got up and walked over to the door.

Ray and Mariah were sitting at the head table and had seen Tala quickly walk towards the door, and they wondered where he was going.

"Ray you don't think he's leaving do you?" she asked hoping that he wasn't. Ray shook his head.

"No, but stay here I'm just going to go see if he's alright," he told her getting up.

Not long after he had left Hilary came over, and they started talking. The worry that something was wrong was still there at the back of her head. In the end she voiced her thoughts to her maid of honour.

Once Tala was in the reception he couldn't see anything, and wondered if whoever was here was gone. Then the sound of someone shouting outside caught his ears. He ran towards the exit only to see Kai leaning against the wall breathing heavily.

"Hey you alright?" he asked worried. Kai looked up at him, and Tala could see a couple bruises on his face and his lip was also bleeding. "What happened?"

"I can't tell you right now, but I promise you I will. I've got to go now Tala. If Ray and or Mariah ask you where I went just say I was called away by a family emergency, and that I will contact them as soon as I get there," he told him standing on his own two feet. Tala just nodded, now knowing what it was about.

Tala just stood there as he watched the bluenette walk away, hoping that he would be okay whatever was going on at the moment.

Ray walked into the reception, but there was no sign of the redhead. So he went through the already open doors to find Tala leaning against the wall just as Kai had been moments ago.

"Why'd you come out here so quick?" he asked as Tala got off of the wall.

"I uh felt a little sick, just came out here for some fresh air," he lied, glancing back in the direction Kai had gone.

"Oh okay, how do you feel now?"

"Better I was just about to come back in," he said tearing his eyes away from the end of the car park to look at Ray. Ray just nodded and walked in, Tala soon following going to look for Bryan, Spencer and Ian.

Kai had now changed out of his suit and was now wearing dark blue cargo pants and a black short sleeved shirt, with a firework going off on the back.

I hope you enjoyed.

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