Author's Note- This is a Venice fan fiction. It is AU. We do not own Venice and no pay will be received for writing this story. It is for entertainment only.

This first chapter was written by Sharon.

Chapter One:

Guya had never owned something this beautiful…Gina had designed it for her…it was her wedding gift, hand crafted right down to the last detail. It was hard for her to imagine that this day was really here…that she was actually going to marry this amazing man.

"You look beautiful," Gina said. "Absolutely beautiful."

"Thanks to you," Guya replied..

"Oh you give me too much credit; I just supplied the dress; you're the one who's going to take Brandon's breath away. You deserve this okay? Tell me you know that."

Guya took a deep breath as she faced her niece. It had taken a lot of years and the love of a good man but she did know that…she believed it. "It just feels so surreal you know? I used to think I didn't want this anymore…I mean how could I ever trust myself again…"

"You did nothing wrong okay…it was him…he just took your beautiful heart and he crushed it…but you know what? Look at you now…you look like something out of a fairytale and you're marrying the love of your life…I mean; he is the love of your life right?"

She almost wanted to smack her for poking fun of the fact that she wasn't one of those girly girls…and she would almost certainly never be caught in a moment where she was speaking of things like love and marriage…but for today, she would make an exception.

"He makes me feel things I never thought I would feel again…things I didn't think I wanted. But hell Gina, I want that. I won't go so far as to say I want that white picket fence but…"

"Oh hell no," Gina said.

"But I want those things that other people have…those long walks during the day, the long talks well into the night, making love till dawn…I want a life with him…a life that just might include babies and…"

"Hold it right there
…Is there something you aren't telling me," Gina joked.

"Maybe," she said…" But you'll be the second to know when I know for sure."

Gina hugged her aunt enthusiastically as she fixed her veil. Now she was crying. "I'm so happy for you. You deserve this. You really do."

"You know, I'm pretty happy too…I just wish that my son could put aside his misplaced feelings for your brother to be here for me on the happiest day of my life. It hurts you know? That he hates your brother more then he loves me."

"He'll regret it someday. You know he will. You can't let that ruin your day. He made a choice aunt Jane."

"I know he did…and even if I still wish he was here, I'm not going to let it keep me from marrying the love of my life; Yes, Gina, he is the love of my life…And I can't put my life on hold waiting for my son to decide if he wants me in his life or not…it hurts but I don't really have much of a choice

"I'm so proud of you, you know? You might not have Van here with you, but Owen and I love you. We'll always be your family. "

"Is Ani here too," Guya asked? Gina smiled at her Aunt. She was still trying to play matchmaker on her wedding day.

"So Subtle," Gina joked. "But because I love you, I will tell you that she is. She's sitting with the Colonel and Sarah…"

Guya smiled when she looked at Gina. "I'm glad they came." Gina knew that Guya was trying to avoid saying what she meant…that she was glad to have Gina's daughter at her wedding. Gina had accepted Sarah's decision because she knew how much it meant to her aunt…and she would do almost anything for her aunt.

"Let me see where Owen is so he can walk you down the aisle…Time to get you hitched."

"I can't wait," Guya said as Gina walked out the door. This too was a new feeling…that all-consuming, butterflies in your stomach, feel like fainting feeling…She knew they were symptoms of love but could they possibly be symptoms of something else too?

She instinctively placed a hand on her belly as she waited…soon she would be a wife…possibly a mother again…It was the happiest day of her life and she couldn't wait to get started.

++++

Owen was helping a nervous Brandon fix his tie. He had never seen the man so rattled before.

"Hey relax man," Owen said. "She's not going to bail okay?"

Logically he knew that, but there was still that part of him that was waiting for her to leave…just like everyone else he dared to love, always had. He crumpled the letter in his pocket and handed it to Owen.

"This is a letter from my father…I haven't spoken to him in over twenty years…now he sends me this…from prison."

Owen was shocked that Brandon was sharing this part of himself with him…he considered that a sign that he really loved his aunt…enough to want to be open with the people closest to her…he imagined in a way, to protect her.

The words on the note were ugly and cruel…he now understood why Brandon had spent his whole life trying to outrun the sins of his past by becoming a cop. He had become a police man so he wouldn't turn out exactly like his father.

The letter read: The apple doesn't fall that far from the tree boy; how long do you think you can hide behind the disguise of your uniform? One day you will see exactly why your mother had to die; when you do it to your own wife. We're exactly alike son. Don't you forget that."

"Shit," Owen said. "Shit, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"I shouldn't have read it. I spent years listening to those same words in my head… that's why I was on my own before I was eighteen. I wanted to be free from him…from the murderous legacy he left when he killed my mom. The thing is…he didn't have to tell me I was worthless for me to think it…it wasn't until your aunt came along that I really started to question the validity of that…she made me believe in something I never thought I could…myself."

"You are not your father Brandon…I've seen the way you love her…you aren't going to hurt her. You need to tear this thing up and forget about him. My aunt is counting on you to be ready to marry her…"

"You better not be bailing," Gina said, appearing at the door frame. "my Aunt is so ready to marry you. Don't you daredisappoint her like that son of a bitch she married before you…"

"Wouldn't dream of it Gina," Brandon said. "I can't wait to make her my wife. She's the best part of me...the other half of my soul. I didn't even know love like this existed."

"Then let's go get you hitched so you can tell her all of this," Gina said.

"It's going to be okay Brandon," Owen said. "You've got the best woman you could ever imagine waiting to marry you. Now let me go walk her down the aisle and then I'll join you right here to pull off my best man duties."

"You're a good man Owen. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Owen and Gina left and Brandon took a deep breath as he waiting for his bride to appear at the alter…this was the happiest day of his life…he couldn't wait to start it.

++++

The wedding march began and he watched as Gina walked down the aisle first…he also didn't miss the way Ani was watching Gina. He hoped those two stubborn kids would stop being so stubborn someday. Then Owen appeared at the alter with his aunt on his arm. God she looked beautiful. He couldn't believe he was about to marry her…that she was his for eternity. Brandon felt like the luckiest man alive in that moment.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man, "the preacher asked?

"My sister and I," Owen said.

Guya smiled and kissed Owen on the cheek. He walked her to her groom and placed her hand in Brandon's before joining him at the side of the alter across from his sister.

"Hi you," Guya said.

"Hi back," Brandon said. They were looking at each other with so much love it was hard not to be envious.

"Are you ready," The preacher asked?

"Ready," they said in unison. But before the wedding could get off the ground, there was a very loud slamming of a door…and Guya's face suddenly turned pale white…

"Dan," she said, with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Hello Jane," he said. "You didn't think I'd let you get married without me, did you? "

"What the hell are you doing here? Did your wife spend all my money," she spat? She knew there was only one reason he could possibly be here… it wasn't because of any residual feelings he had for her…he just wanted more money.

Owen and Brandon were blocking the stairs of the alter, trying to prevent him from coming any closer…Gina was holding on to her aunt, trying to keep her calm …but it was too late…she was already passing out in Gina's arms.

"I need a doctor," Gina was yelling. "Someone get a doctor right now."

She forced herself to hold back those final words…she wouldn't betray her aunt's confidence…Guya wanted Brandon to be the first to know if there was anything to know. Dear God let her be okay, Gina was thinking. Please let her be okay.

The world seemed to stand still as everyone waited for Guya to open her eyes…and then pandemonium broke out.