A/N - I just wanna thank childatheart94 for being a very lovely person and encouraging me to expand on this idea. This very beginning part in italics is after One Hand, One Heart... I know it's not accurate.

"Even death won't part us now…"
Maria's voice cracked on the last word. She looked down and back at Tony before walking toward him and folding herself into his arms. She wiped the tears from her face and put it in his chest.

"How will you do it?" She murmured into Tony's chest.
"What?" He asked, looking beyond Maria's at the multitude of wedding dresses.
"Stop the rumble…"
"You know I can do it, Maria."
"No," she pushed his chest away from her. "I don't know. What if-"
"Maria," he turned away from her. "You said you trust me. So trust me."

She came behind him and gingerly put her hand on his shoulder.

"Tony..." She said, her voice thick. "Look, we have ten more mintutes before I need to be home. Please stay."
"Fine," He sat down on the floor where he was. He looked around and back at Maria. "What are we going to do with ten minutes?"

She sat down carefully in front of him. Her big eyes stared beyond him.

"Can we just talk-" She started.
"Maria, no. You have to trust me if anything is going to work."
"Why can't we run now?"

Tony looked at her, incredulous. "Wh-what about Riff? What if-?"
"He's a big boy, Tony..."
"No, he's counting on me! Look, I'll see you after all this." He got up to his feet and looked down into Maria's eyes. "It'll be okay."

He smiled and ran away before Maria could say anything else.

"Ugh, why do they fight?" Maria forgot just how many people she asked that question. This time it was to Rosalia, who was extremely early for their sleepover party.

"They're silly," Her eyes, usually vacant, glowed as she laughed. "They probably think that they're making themselves look tougher."

Maria grunted in response then looked up quickly at her friend; she meant to laugh politely like she usually did. Rosalia looked back at her and flashed a smile.

"Oh, Chino..." She mused. "Maria, he really is cute! Give him a chance!" Rosalia jumped on Maria's bed, making it creek.

Maria grunted again.

"What, Maria?"
"I'm worried..."
"Oh, ¡qué lá!" Consuela interjected as she waltzed into the room with Fernanda. "Tonight's a night for us! Quit worrying, mama!"

Fernanda ran up to Maria, giving her a hug. "Relájate." She murmered before pulling away. "Now what's wrong?"

Maria laughed, trying to think on her toes. She wasn't exactly too fond of Fernana.
"Absolutely nothing! Tonight is my wedding night!"

Maria took in a sharp breath before running to her closet and pulling out the nicest dress she could find: one she stole from the shop, one that Bernardo would disapprove of. She pulled off her nightgown to throw on this new, fluffy dress. It was low-cut and filled with frills. She retrieved her nice heels from the closet and spun around in her improvised wedding clothes.

The three girls giggled. "How do you feel, bride-to-be?" Consuela called out.
"Pretty!"
"Any last words before you're bound to Chino?"
"Chino? Oh, not Chino!"

"What?" Rosalia yelled.
"Not Chino! I have a new man!"

"Oh, Maria's gone mad!" Fernanda jokingly told Rosalia.
"No! I feel pretty! Oh so pretty! ¡Tan graciosa que puedo volar!"