He watched her from the fence of the ranch, ignoring the horse next to him as it bumped it's nose against his shoulder. She had her hand wrapped around his and was dragging him towards the carpenter's. Vaughn. He'd thought they were only friends. He'd been so happy. So disgustingly happy that she'd found someone else to get along with. He knew she had trouble with that sometimes.
And then he saw them. They'd been kissing. It wasn't a sweet kiss, not like he saw Joe giving Katie. It was demanding. Harsh. Fiery. Everything Gwen was. Everything he ever wanted. Everything he'd never have. But he smiled. Because she was happy.

He might be something of an idiot, but he could tell when the woman he loved was happy.

If she hadn't been, he'd have gone to her defense without hesitation. He'd have made whatever was making her unhappy go away. That's what he'd always done. He wasn't about to stop, either. He'd never stop.

He always promised himself he'd get stronger. He never voiced why he wanted to be stronger, always stronger, strong enough to protect the people he cared about. Carl, Katie, Joe, Kurt... but most of all her. Gwen.

And yes, it hurt to see her with someone else. But if she was with him, she wouldn't be so happy, and he couldn't stand it if she was unhappy, even if it meant her being with him.

So when she dragged him - Vaughn - over to the fence to tell him the news - that Vaughn had finally, finally given her a blue feather... he smiled. His face felt like it was cracking. But he still smiled.

"Gwen, I'm so happy for you, that you're happy right now. I'll be the maid of honor, right?" His voice cracked slightly on the word 'honor.' He chuckled, his eyes scrunching shut to hide the wateriness of his eyes. Gwen laughed at his joke, assuring him that yes, he would most definitely be the maid of honor, and Vaughn grimaced.

And then days passed. He stopped finding joy in what he did, because everywhere he looked were traces of her. And it hurt. He'd sometimes find himself sitting down in the middle of mucking out the stable, or brushing one of the horses and just crying. Not loud violent sobs. Quiet tears that made his throat hurt and swell with the pain. And his horses would nudge him, because that had always cheered him up before, but no longer. Their whinnies became mournful for their owner, their constant caregiver.

And then came the day of the wedding. It wasn't long in coming. He adjusted his suit, trying to straighten his tie but only making it messier as he headed into the room that held Gwen and the rest of the bridal party. She saw him in the mirror when he came in and shooed everyone else out as she stepped off the stool, grinning up at him.

He could feel his heart cracking. But he smiled.

"Gwennie, you look... radiant."

And it was true. Nothing shined quite so brightly as she did. She was everything brilliant, everything good and strong and true.

She started forward to give him a hug, but he stopped her, smiling a bit sadly.

"Now, now, Gwennie... you look beautiful in your dress... I don't want to ruin that."

That was his excuse. The real reason was that if he hugged her now, she might hear his heart while it broke.

So he handed her the bouquet and led her out to where Woody was waiting for her before heading down the aisle, a broken heart and a smile on his face.