Reality Sets In Ch. 20

I Disclaim

I want to thank everyone who replied to my story; I had a blast writing it. It could be found in it's completed at my page, http://pub84.ezboard.com/bnamjrsfanfics along with my other fics.

Thanks for all your support.

Cole

~~

A Year and a half later

"Now why exactly are we locked in a broom closet."

"Because our mother's are under the insane assumption, that it'll be bad luck if we see each other before the ceremony." Shawn buried his head, in his wife's neck just enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

" To be fair, there was Colin's shooting at the last wedding we tried to have, and even when we tried to go back to Vegas there was that horrible storm." Chloe played with his hair and laughed when he pulled back groaning.

" Are you ever on my side?"

" I'm on your side every night."

" Sexual innuendos aside…" She leaned in and gave him a kiss that left them both breathless and demanding more, but a knock on the door stopped them.

" CHLOE. SHAWN." Jason banged on the closet door, while he looked around to see in anyone was watching." Come on guys, your moms are looking for you." He listened for movement and started knocking again when he heard laughter on the other side." If you're not out in two seconds, I'm calling your moms."

Inside the closet both smiles where wiped off the couple face at the thought of their mothers finding them together. Shawn began to fumble with the lock, while Chloe straightened her dressing gown. " We're here.

Chloe and Shawn emerged just in time to be caught by Jack as he entered, the older man looked rushed and hurried, and at the sight of his sister and her husband he looked panicked. " Are you delusional?" Jack looks around the hallway for any sign of Nancy or Hope. " They catch you and we're all in the hospital." Grabbing his sister he rushes down the hall toward the dressing room where all the women are dressing. " Now just act natural." Jack gave her a simple nod, and burst through the doors grinning like a fool. "Good morning Ladies, fabulous day for a wedding, and I just happen to have brought the bride."

Nancy grabbed Chloe's hand and pushed her into the chair in front of the mirror and glanced back at Jack with hostility and annoyance." Bout time Davereau, I hope you weren't infecting her with any of your 'wisdom', we don't have time to deprogram her before the service."

" Mom, it's a happy day, and you agreed not to pick on Jack." Chloe turned to catch her brother's eye in the mirror and gave him an understanding smile. " Jack hasn't done anything but be a great big brother."

Nancy meet Jennifer's eye and they both shook their heads and shared and audible scoff.

" Okay time to get the bride ready." Mimi bounced over to the able and set down a make-up bag.

" Yes yes, and on that note I must handle a last minute errand nothing to worry about big brother is on the case." Jack gave a wide smile and thumbs up sign as he left through the door.

" Am I the only one worried by that statement." Jennifer asked the room and was heard various synonyms for no.

~~~

Another part of the church

" Craig." Jack stopped just outside the door the groom was using and stared at his sister's father with curiosity. " What are you doing at this side of the building."

" I just came to have a little talk with Shawn, you?"

" Same."

Craig nodded and pointed toward the door. " So should we team up good cop, bad cop?"

"Ohhhhh…can I be the bad cop?"

Craig sized him up and shook the vision of Jack as a bad cop from his mind. " No."   

~~~

 Knock Knock

Hope looks up from the hemming Chloe's skirt and looks at the door." I wonder who that can be I thought everyone we knew was already here."

" I got it." Mimi ran to the door and threw it open and let her mouth drop at the visitor." Belle, hey." She steeped back and let the women enter the room, and looked around at the stunned faces. " Look guys it's Belle."

" Hi everyone." Belle nodded to the others in the room, and stopped to met Chloe's eyes." Hey Chloe uh… I was wondering if we could have a quick word."

" Sure." Chloe nodded and them looked at her mother and motioned toward the door. "Mom."

" Okay honey, we'll just give you two a minute." Nancy shooed the others out the door, and had to pull Mimi along side her, but couldn't stop the young woman as she shouted out." No blood shed."

" You look nice Chloe." Belle said with sincerity before taking a sit by the door. " I should apologize about what happened in Vegas, I should have apologized months ago, and not just for that." She wiped at her eyes, trying to stop the moisture that began there. " I should have been a better friend to you when things happened with Brady, at least as good a friend to you as you were when I ended things with Shawn."

" Belle it's okay, I owe you an apology too… we all could have handled things better." Chloe gave a lopsided smile and shrugged her shoulders." The ignorance of youth."

" Well I'll say it again. I'm sorry Chloe I was an idiot."

" Well I'm sorry too."

" Yeah well you should be, you kicked my ass at the reception." She looked angry, but for the first time in a long time Chloe saw a smile in her friends eyes.

" You deserved it, you slapped me."

" I gave you a small love tap on the cheek…"

" Yeah while you were wearing about 3 pounds of jewelry." Chloe meet Belle's eyes and lost all the humor in her voice. "  Are you staying for the wedding?"

" Well I don't know I really wasn't invited…"

" And if the bride and groom ask you specifically…."

" Well then I could make arrangements to stay." Belle took and the first step, and soon found herself in Chloe's arm crying. " I missed you Chloe."

" I felt the same, and I know that Shawn missed your friendship too."

" Hey guys any one dead?" Mimi stuck her head through the door and small white handkerchief waving in one hand. " If we're all still speaking to each other we have to finish getting ready." Mimi fell into the room with Nancy, Hope, Jennifer, and Jack right behind.

" Oh Belle, you got her crying." Mimi sat Chloe, opened the make up bag, and started to work her magic.

" Now baby sister, it's very important that you know that if at ANY time you want out, I have a car gassed up and ready to go." Jack Davereau leaned over his sister's shoulder, and looked at her in the mirror, sincerity, and love clearly seen in his blue eyes.

" Jack shut up." Jennifer pushed him out the and gave Chloe a pitying look." Ignore him."

" I'm serious." The tuxedo clad man puffed out his chest, and refused to back down from the glares the women gave him.

" You're seriously diluted." Nancy shook her finger at him." The entire town is outside waiting for this wedding, including the man she happens to love, why would she want to run."

" Maybe she wouldn't feel comfortable getting married while sober and without Elvis officiating." Mimi shrank back into her seat at the looks Nancy and Hope shot her." Sorry, wrong group for that joke."

" I thought it was funny Meems." The bride to be tuned her head giving her friend a bright smile.

" You would." Nancy gave both daughter and friend a chastising look, and shook her head.

~~~

" Alright man you know we can leave if you want." Jason meets Shawn's eyes in the mirror and pales at the look he received. ' It was a joke."  

" Two things, first nothing is going to stop me from marrying Lanie, and two they isn't a place on earth I could hide from Craig or Jack if I left, but since I'm not going to so let's not even joke about that." Shawn turns and looks at his Dad and Uncle. " I want your promise that you'll shoot anything that seems like a threat to this wedding."

" Shawn calm down." Bo nudged his brother who was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh. " Nothing will happen."

" Dad I'm serious." Shawn turned to Jason." As my best man it's your job to ensure that this day goes perfectly nothing, not a shooting, not a storm, nothing but the end of creation will stop this wedding." He turns and straightens his box tie again, and feels the sweat building on his forehead; he fingers his left hand ring finger and closes his eyes. They gave the rings to Jason and Mimi last week to get them engraved, which was a shame because right now he could really use the security that the ring gave him. " Okay Let's go." Shawn follows the guys out, but stops at the door when he hears a small buzzing sound. " Be right there." He takes out his cell phone packed in his overnight bag, and smiles at the when he sees he has a text message.

I love you Shawnie :)

Shawn sends back a quick response, and turns his phone heading out toward the altar. He smiles at his friends and family as he passes them and waits for his bride to arrive. A song starts playing that Shawn can't recognize, and just shrugs it off, probably something operatic that his wife picked out and just ignores it as his brother walks down the aisle carrying the rings followed closely by Abby in her peach flower girl dress.

While in the foyer Mimi gives Chloe a kiss on the cheek and smiles at Craig before starting down the aisle.

" Ready sweetie?" Craig grasped her hand, gives it a reassuring squeeze, and wraps it around his arm.

" Yup." Chloe's nod signals the pianist that begins to play the notes of the Wedding March.

All in attendance stand and smiles at the sight of Chloe gliding down the aisle on the arm of her father, whose eyes tear up as he places her hands in Shawn's before sitting down to comfort his crying wife.

Father Moore waits for the guest to sit before he gives the couple a smile and begins. " Ladies and Gentleman we are gathered here today…"

" And then what happened Uncle Jack?"

Jack look down at his nephew, C.J.'s inquisitive nature was an obvious genetic trait handed down from both side of his family. " Then a small fire started in the basement triggering the fire alarm, but your parents were adamant that the service continue, which is why the Fire Chief is in your parents wedding picture." Jack looks over and sees that his son and niece were fighting to keep their eyes open. " Well now it's time for guys to go to bed." Taking Caleb in one arm and Shawna in the other he motions for his nephew to follow.

 He tucks them into their respective beds and gets ready to turn the light out when a small voice stops him.

" But Uncle Jack you didn't finish the story." The miniature version of Shawn Douglas Brady whined at his uncle.

Jack turns and furrows his brow, not understanding what else there is to say, until the cloud lifts, and he smiles at the little boy. "Sorry." He walks back over to his bed and kisses his forehead. " And they lived happily ever after."