Hi, this is a really old fanfiction that I dug up because I received some requests to post older ones. I reworked it a little bit but it's pretty much in its original form. It's kind of a total rewrite of that horrible final episode of the series which made no sense whatsoever except that the producers didn't know at the time whether or not the show would be picked up for another season. Same characters for the most part, some other ones thrown in. And it's kind of got a plot.
I hope you enjoy it. I hope it makes some sense and thanks for reading.
"He's really considering giving up his detective agency," Chris asked, loading some small pots of irises in her cart.
C.J. pretended she didn't hear her co-worker and friend as she sought out the Passionflora vines and found a bunch of them sitting in the corner. She knelt down and began separating the plants' vines from one another, pulling gently on the tendrils which bound all of the individual plants into one huge flowering mass of green jungle.
"And people wonder why they call them passion vines," she said, "It's really because they can't wait to grab hold of one another and never let go like people in love."
Chris rolled her eyes.
"C.J., did you hear me," Chris said," Matt's thinking of quitting his investigative work."
Her friend looked up at her, casually brushing her shoulder length mahogany hair off of her shoulders.
"I heard you," she said, "And Houston gave me the news earlier today."
She returned to easing one potted plant away from the others but the others had wrapped their vines particularly tight around it like twine so that it barely showed beneath the green began uncovering it and to her delight found out that it bore two brightly patterned flowers. She held the plant close to her.
Chris folded her arms, gazing at her friend in amazement.
"It doesn't bother you?"
C.J. picked up another plant and examined it. Most of its leaves had been eaten away, most likely by the larva of the Gulf Fritillary butterflies that hovered around the corner not bothered in the least by her presence. She put it in her cart and looked at the others.
"I think this one will grow back out again," she said, "the ability of the pink passion flora to rebound is just remarkable."
"C.J…"
Exasperated, C.J. looked up at her friend finally.
"If I did bother me, what difference would it make," she said, putting her hands on her thighs where she sat, "You know how stubborn Houston is when he's made his mind up."
"You didn't say anything in response to him, did you?"
C.J. steeled her jaw and didn't look at Chris for a moment.
"Like I just said, his mind was made up," she said, "He knows that Elizabeth will never be happy if he brought danger and unpredictability into her life. He just wants to make her feel safe around him."
"But that's like giving up a big part of who he is," Chris countered,"Doesn't she care about that?"
C.J. eased herself up to her feet, brushing off her jeans.
"It's something that he's willing to do for her," she said, "if not for anyone else. There's nothing wrong with her reading it as that."
"But you could talk to him…"
C.J. cut her off.
"I'm not going to do it, Chris," she said, "It's no use. He's getting married tomorrow and then he's going back to being a nine to five businessman who picks up his dry cleaning after work and goes home to his wife."
Chris shook her head.
"That's not who he is," she said, "He's not going to be happy for very long. In a few months, he'll want to start investigating cases again."
C.J. shrugged at her words, knowing that she spoke the truth but that it didn't matter.
"It's his choice," she said, "If it's not going to bring him happiness, it's up to him to figure it out."
Roy watched his nephew as he wore out the carpet near the wet bar inside the penthouse suite by pacing again. Not that there weren't worn parts of the carpet already, but Roy sat there trying to figure out why Matlock was working on unraveling another section of carpet on the day before his wedding to Elizabeth.
"You're wearing my eyes out watching you Matlock," Roy said, finally, "What's bothering you?"
Matt stopped moving and turned around to look at his uncle who looked at him, concerned. He went to get a glass and pour himself some Scotch.
Roy raised his brow.
"It's a bit early in the day for that don't you think?"
Matt looked at his glass.
"It's been an unusual day," he said.
Roy nodded.
"The wedding arrangements."
"No, Elizabeth and her friends are handling them," he said, "That's just it, Uncle Roy, I feel like this wedding's being planned around my life."
"You know that it's usually the women's job to plan weddings," Roy said, "It's giving Elizabeth some pleasure, let her have that."
"I think it's great that she's doing it," Matt said, "Besides, I've been so busy including today."
"Your day hasn't been that busy," Roy noted, "One stakeout, a couple of invoice payments. Both C.J. and Chris took off early…"
Matt sighed and his uncle wondered what he had said that elicited that reaction.
"Did I say something?"
Matt took a drink from his glass and slammed it on the counter, harder than he had intended.
"No, you didn't," Matt said, "I was thinking…"
"Clearly," Roy said, "About what?"
"Just a conversation I had with C.J. earlier," he said, "about how things wouldn't change just because I was getting married."
"Ah, I see," Roy said, "Was that before or after the conversation you had with her, Chris and I about how you were thinking of hanging up your hat as an investigator and shutting down the agency?"
Matt looked away, chagrined. Roy knew the answer to his own question already but he wanted to get at the root of what was troubling his nephew. He thought he knew the answer but wasn't about to say anything about it. It seemed a bit obvious to him but then again, he enjoyed some distance from the situation and could see it more clearly.
"After," Matt said, finally, "and that's what's wrong now."
Roy paused, pouring his own glass with juice before he sipped it, savoring each drop of the pungent flavor of guava fruit and pineapple blend.
"And why is that?"
"Because I love Elizabeth, I mean I asked her to marry me," Matt said, "but I love being an investigator and helping people too."
"Why can't you do both," Roy asked.
Matt paused and finished up his scotch. Roy thought he'd go for a refill but Matt fingered the rim of his glass instead.
"C.J. asked me that question too."
"I'm not surprised," Roy said, "She cares about you as her friend and she knows what your work means to you."
Matt nodded.
"She does," he said, "I only wish Elizabeth did."
"Didn't you tell her why you started Houston Investigations?"
Matt went for another glass of Scotch. Roy watched but wisely remained silent as he poured it.
"I tried and I think she does understand," he said, "But she wants a husband who's home at night, sitting at the dinner table and that she can sleep next to at night."
"What's wrong with that," Roy asked.
"Nothing," Matt said, "It's what I want but I can't always be there if I keep the firm going. I travel a lot and when I don't, there are stakeouts and late nights at the office…"
"You've got people to help you Matlock," Roy said, "You can always hire more employees."
Matt sighed.
"I don't want my agency to lose its personal touch either," he said, "I really enjoy seeing the expressions on people's faces when I find a lost relative or a missing heirloom or sometimes, save a life."
Roy smiled and patted his nephew on the back.
"That's what C.J. said when I asked her what she'd miss if you closed shop," he said, "but then she said even if you quit, she'd keep doing the work."
That surprised Matt.
"She did?"
Roy studied his nephew.
"Does that surprise you," he said, "In a lot of ways, she's just like you and if she wanted to, she would have enough money to buy you out."
Elizabeth sat at the café with her friend, Ginger.
"You're excited about the wedding tomorrow?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"I can't wait," she said, "A beautiful ceremony with all our friends and family there and then flying off to Tahiti for a week…"
Ginger stirred her drink.
"Sounds exciting," she said, "Are you sure he doesn't have a friend? An older brother?"
"He's an only child," Elizabeth said, "That's why he wants lots of kids."
Ginger frowned.
"But I thought…"
"I could get used to that," Elizabeth said, "I can't wait to be married. It's just that…"
"What," Ginger asked.
Elizabeth picked at her Chef's salad.
"I asked him to give up the agency," she said, "and he's agreed."
Ginger raised her eyes.
"You did that," she said, "He must really love you if he's willing to give up his career for you. How romantic."
Elizabeth frowned, running her hand through her curly red hair.
"I don't know if I should have asked," she said, "I think I went too far."
Ginger sighed, grabbing her friend's hand.
"He would have never agreed if he didn't think you were worth it," she said, "How wonderful he sounds."
Elizabeth smiled. That much was true.
"He's everything I've wanted and more," she said, "and tomorrow we'll be man and wife."
"So who's your maid of honor," Ginger asked.
"His associate, C.J. Parsons," Elizabeth said.
"That's interesting," Ginger said, "Why didn't you pick someone you knew better?"
"I wanted to make him feel better by including his best friend," Elizabeth said.
Ginger looked doubtful.
"Elizabeth dear," she said, "Men and women aren't best friends unless there's some...benefits involved?"
Elizabeth shook her head.
"They're not sleeping together," she said, "They really are just friends."
Ginger pursed her lips.
"So then how exactly good a friend is this C.J. to your fiancée?"
Elizabeth's forkful of salad didn't quite make it to her lips.
C.J. punched some numbers at the office. She had returned to her desk straight from the nursery after she had dropped her new passion flora plants at her house to get acquainted with one another. She had thought about staying home and taking dinner out on her patio and had headed to the refrigerator to see what was inside it. Before she pulled the handle, she felt pangs of guilt after remembering that she had promised Matt to finish the accounting work before he and Elizabeth left for Tahiti. Then on the drive to the office, she got angry with herself while stuck in traffic at why once again, she put everything aside to help her best friend. The same man who was about to walk away from his agency with his new bride without looking back at it or…her. Then she laughed inside, because she couldn't stay irritated with him for very long. By the time she got off the elevator and walked into the elaborate penthouse suite, she had calmed down enough to start crunching numbers.
Now, she had her spread sheets arranged in front of her and had studied the numbers and punched the digits on her calculator until she grew dizzy and they merged into each other in front of her. She sighed and went to the wet bar to get something to drink. She collided right into Matt. He grabbed hold of her to keep her from falling. She let him hold her for a few seconds and then pulled away. If he noticed her attempts to put some distance between them, he didn't say anything.
"What are you doing here," she said surprised.
He just looked at her, noticing she still wore her three piece grey business suit with a pearl necklace accenting it.
"I should ask you the same thing," Matt responded, "We've got the rehearsal in a couple hours."
She nodded.
"I see you're dressed for it," she said.
Matt looked down at his worn jeans with mud stains on the knees and a shirt which looked like the one he had worn when he painted his beach house last month.
"I just got back from a stakeout with Roy," he said, "I'm about to change and then head over."
C.J. smiled and played with her necklace.
"I'm about to finish up the books here so they'll be done…"
"C.J., if you're not done by tomorrow, it's fine," he said.
"I promised you that these cases would be closed out by the time you and Elizabeth left," she said, "I meant it. If I'm not done, I'll come in early tomorrow."
Matt put his hand on her arm.
"You don't have to do that," he protested, "You've done enough work already."
She shook her head but didn't shy away from his grasp.
"Matt, if you're going to close down the agency, we've got to close out the cases we've completed," she said, "I've already started a letter to send out to your outstanding clients."'
He ran his hand through his hair.
"I'm not sure I'm going to do that yet."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You told us that you were," she said, "You told Elizabeth too."
He started pacing a bit.
"I might just take a break until we settle down," he said, "I'm not sure I can walk away from it forever."
C.J. felt her irritation broil up but kept it in check.
"Houston, you told us and you promised her that you were walking away," she said, "Are you going back on that?"
"What does it matter to you if I change my mind," he said.
"It doesn't matter what I think," C.J. said, "It's what Elizabeth is going to say if she learns you've reengaged on your promise."
"Why are you taking her side," he asked.
She looked less confused than she felt.
"Who's taking sides. We're on the same side," she said, "but I am her maid of her honor."
"You're my best friend," Matt said.
C.J. sighed, mostly at the expression on his face.
"I don't need to be reminded of that," she said, "but you told her you were going to go back to being a businessman and now you're telling me you changed your mind again."
Matt looked conflicted.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," he said, looking at his watch, "but I'm going to make the rehearsal of my own wedding."
C.J. nodded.
"I'll see you there," she said before turning her heel and walking away.
The minister stood and looked at his watch, waiting along with Elizabeth and Ginger for the groom and the rest of the bridal party to show up.
"They did know they were supposed to be here at 6 p.m.," Ginger said.
Elizabeth stood there in her print dress and holding a fake bouquet of flowers.
"He promised me he would be here on time," she said, "I don't know what happened to C.J."
Roy arrived, dressed in his customary neat suit with a red carnation in the lapel.
"She was in the office finishing the books," he said, "Mattlock said he'd be here after changing his clothes. The stakeout got a little messy."
Ginger sighed, but put a comforting arm around Elizabeth.
"Then we'll be ready to go, right?"
Elizabeth smiled.
"Of course we will," she said, "I know Matt will be here because this wedding matters more to him than anything."
Matt cursed at the elevator panel, and then he pounded the buttons again.
"Won't work," C.J. said, standing right next to him.
"I can see that," he said, but he still pressed the whole array of buttons hoping one of them would work magic on the obstinate elevator.
"I knew we should have taken the stairs," he said, "How late are we?"
"We were late before we even got stuck in this elevator," C.J. said, "Didn't you know that pressing more than one button at once would cause an antique bucket like this to get stuck?"
He glared at her.
"You could have warned me," he said.
She gazed at him wearily, before blowing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Yeah, I could have," she said, "if I didn't already have a million things on my mind about this wedding."
His face softened.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I know this hasn't been easy for you, agreeing to be Elizabeth's maid of honor."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Why do you think it would be difficult," she said, "It shouldn't be. You're my best friend. She's the woman you've asked to marry and I guess she didn't have anyone else to ask."
"She's estranged from most of her family," Matt said, "and that's partly my fault."
C.J. shook her head.
"No it's not," she said, "and I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just not been a great day."
Matt looked at her sideways from the button panel.
"I should have been clearer about my plans for the agency," he said.
"That again," she said, as softly as she could, "I think you need to be more clear and more honest with yourself and what you want before you tell the rest of us."
She expected some backlash in response but instead he nodded slowly.
"I think I need to be honest with myself about a few other things."
She thought she hadn't heard him right.
"What do you mean," she asked.
"About the agency, about the wedding," he said, "That's for starters."
"Houston, are you having second thoughts about marrying Elizabeth?"
He looked at her and read the compassion in her eyes but saw something new within her expression as well. And from deep inside him, some part of him responded.
"I…."
The elevator dinged and then the doors opened with a groan and a thud. Both of them looked out into an empty hallway. They exited the elevator before it could change its mind and trap them again and headed to the rehearsal hall.
Matt walked in and saw relief show up on Elizabeth's face.
"I'm sorry I'm late," he said after they embraced and kissed, "I…C.J…we got stuck…"
"It doesn't matter Matt," Elizabeth said, "Now that you're here."
The minister cleared his throat and they all looked at him.
"Perhaps we should get this show on the road," he began.
They all looked at each other and so it began.
C.J. drank a glass of wine before heading to bed, thinking about the rehearsal. It had gone smoothly despite the late arrival of Matt and her. Elizabeth had been a bit chilly to both of them until they rehearsed the "I dos" in front of the minster and then she seemed to have gotten over it. C.J. did notice that Elizabeth scrutinized her more carefully than she had earlier, at the dinner that followed. She hadn't learned why until she had gone to the restroom at the restaurant and ran into Ginger who was reapplying her lip stick in front of the mirror.
"That rehearsal went well don't you think," Ginger said, making a pout.
C.J. nodded, taking out her brush.
"Don't they make a great looking couple?"
"I suppose so," C.J. said, running the brush through her hair carefully, "They seemed happy enough."
"Why wouldn't they be," Ginger asked, applying another layer of color to her mouth.
C.J. caught a reprimanding tone in her voice.
"What do you mean," she asked.
"I mean they are a couple who are in love who have found each other," Ginger said, "That's a rare thing, don't you think?"
"Not really," C.J. said, "Most people end up with someone who makes them happy."
"Like you?"
C.J. smiled.
"A time or two," she said, "But I never married."
"You broke up with them or they dumped you," Ginger pressed.
C.J. smiled and put her brush down.
"Not that it's really your business, but one of them was murdered."
"And another one's in prison," Ginger finished.
C.J. looked at her shocked.
"How do you know," she said.
"I read about it in the newspaper," Ginger said, "Not the daily times but he was a news anchor who manufactured his own rise in the profession through committing kidnappings and murders."
C.J. sighed.
"Look, is there a point to this trip down memory lane?"
Ginger pointed the lip stick tube at C.J.
"I care about my friend, and I don't want you to do anything that's going to hurt her."
"That wasn't in my plans," C.J. said, "Look, I don't know her well but I'm her maid of honor."
"As a favor to her fiancé right?"
C.J. looked her straight in the eye.
"Because I care about both of them," she said, "And I want my best friend who's only my best friend to be happy and if Elizabeth is the woman who does that for him, then I am happy for them both."
Ginger looked doubtful.
"Uh huh," she said, "Yeah right, but I'll be watching."
C.J. shrugged.
"So watch," she said, "and what you'll see is two people getting married tomorrow."
C.J. sipped her wine not willing to admit to herself that the other woman's words had grated. Not that she really didn't wish Matt all the happiness he so richly deserved but she did remember her confession to him that she worried that his marriage to Elizabeth would change his relationship with her. Then she remembered back even further to her admission to Matt that she loved him. Sure, the situation had been dire, as both she and Matt crouched to the ground after dodging bullets so sure they were both going to die. And before that happened, he had to know how she felt so the words came out, surprising both of them.
Only they didn't die. Yeah, she got shot but it was a simple shoulder wound that once she ended up in the right hands, had been deftly repaired by a surgeon only leaving a pitted scar as a reminder of more than just the wound. Then she had fallen in love with Robert Tyler, the homicidal reporter with a career that soared with each crime he committed. She knew she really loved him, she just didn't know why. The revelation that he had lied to her and caused friction between her and Matt had made its mark, causing a lot of pain but she got over it.
She looked out into the darkness, making out the outlines of the new passion flora plants that she had purchased earlier that day. Already, their tendrils were drawn to each other as each vine sought the best pathway towards growth. She knew it was only a matter of times until the vines embraced one another but she couldn't bear to separate them and stop something meant to be.
Matt woke up with a sweat, with Elizabeth still sound asleep behind him. His face flushed with what he had just envisioned inside his head as he slept. Himself and a very beautiful woman wrapped up in each other's arms totally lost in one another, leaving the world behind. Even now, he could feel the tingling that her touch had left on his skin and smell her scent on the gentle breeze which blew through an open window.
He had steamy dreams in the past when in relationships and he had plenty about Elizabeth but she hadn't the star in this latest one. Instead, his arms had been around a woman with a shapely figure sure, but the hair which flowed through his fingers had been wavy brunette rather than a mane of tight coils of red hair and those eyes... By the time he had been awakened, he couldn't be sure where she left off and he began. As the feelings faded away, he felt guilt rush through his body at the thought that he wasn't dreaming about his future wife the night before his wedding but instead...
Still, dreams were never literal and didn't really mean anything, did they?
He looked at his clock and saw that morning still remained hours away. He then saw Elizabeth move next to him, murmuring in her sleep. She lifted her head up, gazing at him sleepily.
"What's the matter," she said, "You can't sleep."
He put his hands on his head, still sitting there.
"I just woke up," he said, "I thought I heard something."
She looked around them, but saw nothing but darkness and quiet.
"It seems normal to me," she said, "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"
He looked back at her.
"No, I'm not," he said, "About 24 hours from now, we'll be on our way to Tahiti and you'll be my wife."
She sighed.
"Sounds like paradise to me," she said, closing her eyes and drifting off into restful slumber.
Matt laid back down next her but sleep didn't come. If it did, it might bring back more visions of the brunette woman who was his very best friend and he couldn't have that the night before marrying the woman who slept beside him.
The phone rang and a sleepy C.J. fumbled to pick it up.
"Hello?"
"C.J., this is Roy."
She sat up in her bed in surprise.
"What's the matter," she said.
He hesitated.
"I came back to the office before heading back home," he said, "and found something."
"What did you find?"
"A threatening note by an unsigned party," he said.
A chill raced through C.J. and she felt completely awake now.
"Who do you think sent it," she said.
"I don't know, but it sounds like someone who has a grudge against my nephew and plans to disrupt his wedding."
C.J. thought quickly, running through a mental list of suspects that she kept inside her mind any time she or Matt received any type of threat. A couple names topped the list. But which one was responsible? Was it someone else? Her mind worked frantically, yet she remained within control. For Matt's safety, she would keep her own fears at bay and do whatever it was to find out who wanted to harm him and Elizabeth.
"C.J., I just thought I'd call and let you know…"
"Have you told Matt?"
"Not yet," Roy said, "I don't want to upset him unless it's absolutely necessary."
C.J. pushed the covers off of her and jumped out of bed, still holding the phone.
"I'm on my way to the office, as soon as I get dressed," she said, not waiting for a response. She knew Roy wasn't waiting for one.
She dressed quickly in jeans and a Harvard sweat shirt and looked for the keys to her car. She knew that when she arrived at the penthouse suite of their office in Century City, Roy would be there waiting and warming up Baby, their special computer to shop for a list of suspects. Unfortunately, the list of people with grudges against Matt wasn't a short one but some suspects were more obvious than others and needed to be examined and eliminated first. That is, if they could be ruled out at all.
She drove down the relatively quiet streets which were customary in L.A. after midnight and reached the building in short time. The whole way, she wondered which face she would connect with the threat and hoped that some of the worst enemies Matt had faced that were still alive could be eliminated from consideration quickly. She sighed as she pulled into the parking garage into her designated spot. All she could do was hope and get the best information she could coax out of their super computer. A surrogate child of sorts belonging to her and Matt, she thought smiling despite the circumstances. But right now, that computer might be just what was needed to save him from harm.
After she parked, she got on the elevator and rode it to the suite. After the doors opened, she saw Roy waiting for her still wearing his suit, which looked a bit rumpled.
"Roy, you never went home," she said.
He showed her the note. She handled it carefully, and then handed it back to him.
"Did you call Lt. Hoyt?"
Roy shook his head.
"I thought we'd try a computer search first and then call Hoyt later once we received more information on whether this is something to be concerned about or not."
C.J. walked towards Baby.
"I think on its face, it's something potentially dangerous," she said, "This person clearly means business."
"Could it be an old girlfriend that was upset when she read the society column about the wedding?"
C.J. pursed her lips.
"I can't think of any," she said, "There was one woman he dated briefly who went insane but she's locked up in a mental hospital as far as I know."
"We'd better check to make sure," Roy said, going to the phone after she gave him the name.
C.J. started stroking keys on Baby, going through her mental list. To her relief, most of the serious enemies were still locked away in prison or had died and been buried in some grave. Still, she and Matt learned the hard way in cases like that involving Castanos, the deranged and until recently, immortal madman and a pair of Duvals, father and son, who kept terrorism within the family that sometimes professional hit men were hired to wreak revenge even from beyond the grave. Roy joined her on the sofa handing her a cup of hot coffee. She thanked him and continued searching for any link to anyone who was out there looking to harm Matt.
"Thanks for the coffee, Roy," she said, "It's going to be along night."
"I called the hospital and got the night manager," he said, "That girl, Erin is still locked up tight and has been catatonic since she was committed."
C.J. breathed a sigh of relief.
"Most of the others are accounted for too," she said.
"That's good news," Roy said, "but it makes our job a lot harder because now we have to look at the less obvious people including some newer faces."
C.J. put her head in her hands. Roy looked at her.
"You're really exhausted," he said, "You might want to think about getting some rest."
She got up off the couch to get more coffee.
"Not until we find out who's responsible and wants to hurt him."
"I know you really care about Matt," Roy said, "But he can take care of himself."
"He doesn't even know he's been threatened," she said, "so that makes him vulnerable."
Roy sighed.
"We'll tell him in the morning."
She nodded, her hair falling across her face.
"Okay, but in the meantime…"
"We'll keep looking," Roy said, his face turning back towards the large computer screen which bore the faces of dozens of people, anyone capable of threatening harm on his nephew.
Matt walked into the penthouse suite and saw her sleeping on the couch, her hands underneath her head. She looked peaceful so he left her there while he headed to the bar to pour himself some juice. He drank some which quenched his thirst and then joined her on the couch. Roy entered the room just then to join him.
"Uncle Roy, you're still wearing the same clothes," Matt noted, and then he looked at the computer screen and saw some familiar faces from the past.
"I didn't make it home last night," Roy said simply.
"What about C.J.," Matt asked, looking at her again.
"She came on over from her house," Roy said, "Rushing over here in the middle of the night to help me."
Matt frowned.
"Help you with what," he said, "What's going on here?"
He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer on any day, let alone the one where in a matter of hours, he'd be walking down the aisle.
"Matt, last night I received a threat against your wedding," Roy said, slowly, "C.J. and I spent all night trying to narrow the source down from a cast of hundreds."
Matt looked at the screen again.
"I can see that," he said, "Why didn't you call me?"
"We didn't want to worry you," Roy said.
Anger filled Matt.
"Why not," he said, "What if this person actually harms someone, Elizabeth or anyone else?"
"We thought about that," Roy said, "So that's why we decided to tell you."
"Hours after the fact," Matt said, raising his voice angrily.
C.J. began to stir on the couch.
"Oh you're here," she said, looking up.
Matt looked down at her and his face softened. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and he found himself doing it for her.
"Houston…what are you…"
He pulled his hand away and she looked puzzled.
"What are you doing here," she asked, "You shouldn't be at the office today."
Matt sighed.
"Uncle Roy just told me about the threat," he said.
C.J. sat up quickly.
"We were going to tell you in the morning," she said, "We thought you needed to have a good night sleep before your wedding. You and Elizabeth."
"She's at the beauty parlor right now," Matt said, "What is this about?"
C.J. and Roy looked at each other.
"We don't know who sent the threat," Roy said, "We don't have any idea."
Matt got up and started pacing.
"I knew that walking away from my career wasn't going to be enough," he said, "We'd still be impacted by the decisions I made and the cases I worked on."
"That's the nature of the beast," Roy said, "You knew that going in."
"I know that Uncle Roy," Matt said, "It's a lot harder when the reality of it comes to your front door. Not that I'm worried about my safety but what about Elizabeth."
C.J. looked down at her hands.
"We're doing the best we can to make sure nothing happens," she said, "But you might want to think about hiring body guards."
Matt pointed his finger at them.
"No, I can't do that," he said, "If Elizabeth sees them, she'll know that something's wrong."
C.J. sighed.
"She'll know the truth Houston," she said, "that loving you means loving all of you and everything that comes with it. That's something your family's learned."
He looked at her closely, trying to read her eyes but the full meaning of her words eluded him.
"And you too," he said, "and I'm sorry about everything that's happened because of it."
C.J. snorted.
"Sorry for what," she said, "Everything happened for a reason and we all knew the risks going in and we chose our paths. I don't regret mine."
Matt's eyes remained on her.
"Even the times when you got shot because you worked with me?"
She folded her arms.
"Not even then," she said, "I love working for the agency, doing what we do and I love working alongside you."
He smiled.
"The feeling's mutual," he said, "You're one very incredible woman, Ms Parsons."
She sighed, looking away. His eyes narrowed.
"What did I say wrong," he asked.
She looked at him a minute, taking in the features she knew so well, the features she loved and then shook her head.
"Nothing," she said, linking her arm in his, "Come on, let's get some breakfast before we work on finding out who's threatening you on the most special day of your life, and why?"
Elizabeth leaned back in her salon chair as a woman worked on whipping her nails into shape for her wedding day. Another woman styled her hair after weaving in some high lights. She wanted her hair and nails and all of her to look their best on this most special day. Ginger sat in a chair next to her, sipping her latte and nodding approval at the work being done on her.
"Not bad," she said, "The highlights…very creative, yet subtle."
Elizabeth beamed.
"I always wanted to do something with my hair," she said, "I'm sure Matt will be surprised when he sees me walk down the aisle."
"I bet," Ginger said, dryly, "You look very pretty."
"Thanks," Elizabeth said, "I've spent a fortune but it's worth it. I want this day to be special."
Ginger paused.
"Me too Elizabeth," she said, "but are you sure you're ready to get married?"
Elizabeth gave her friend a long look, while the woman working on her hair combed it into sections.
"I've been ready," she said, "I'm just not as sure that Matt's ready."
Ginger put down her latte and leaned closer.
"What did he do," she said.
Elizabeth sighed as the manicurist filed her nails.
"Nothing," she said, "He seemed awfully quiet at breakfast this morning, a bit distant."
"Did he say anything?"
Elizabeth paused.
"No…but he took off in a hurry," she said, "Said he had business to finish up at the office. What would be so important?"
Ginger pursed her lips.
"Nothing I can think of,"she said or no one…"
Elizabeth caught the tone in her voice.
"Why would he be thinking of someone else," she asked, "He's going to marry me later today."
"I know," Ginger smiled, "But he's a man."
Elizabeth tried to turn around in her chair but felt her hair pull away from her scalp.
"Of course he is," she said, "but he wouldn't have asked me to marry him if he didn't mean it."
Ginger nodded.
"I agree, but he was late to the rehearsal yesterday after being stuck in the elevator with his partner," Ginger pointed out, "and he dashed out to his office this morning to conduct some business that I bet involves his partner."
Elizabeth's face flushed.
"She's his best friend and his professional partner and nothing more," she said, "and she agreed to be my maid of honor."
"Good strategy on your part to choose her," Ginger said, looking at her own nails and nursing a broken one.
"What do you mean, strategy?"
Ginger chuckled.
"You know the saying; keep your friends close and your rivals closer."
Elizabeth pursed her lips.
"Now you're talking nonsense," she said, "I asked her because I have no female relatives who will speak to me and as a favor to Matt to include his childhood friend in the most important day of our lives."
Ginger shook her head.
"I don't think he's even aware that he views her as more than his best friend," she said, "but I know men pretty well and that's just an observation."
"Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because you're my friend and I care about you," Ginger said, "But before you walk down that aisle, think long and hard about whether it's where you belong."
Matt and C.J. sat eating brunch on the patio of one of their favorite haunts. Roy had gone for seconds at the buffet, hitting the Belgian waffle station. The other two didn't do more than pile their plates high with food they just picked at.
"C.J., I don't want to get married surrounded by a wall of bodyguards," he said, finally digging into his omelet.
She sighed, looking at her own breakfast.
"They don't have to be visible Houston," she said, "It's just to keep you and Elizabeth safe at your own wedding."
"We don't need body guards to do that," he said, "I can take care of her."
She read the expression on his face and proceeded cautiously.
"I wouldn't forgive myself if I let anything happen to you," she said, smiling, "I want this to be the best day of your life."
He scrutinized her face; saw her eyes betraying a trace of moisture. He fought the temptation to brush any tears away with his finger. Suddenly, visions of his dreams from the night flashed in front of him. He coughed, placing his napkin over his mouth. She looked over at him concerned.
"Are you okay," she asked.
"I'm fine," he reassured her, "What about you? Did you get any sleep last night?"
She smiled.
"Some," she said, "I might take a nap before I change at the office."
He nodded.
"You look beautiful anyway," he said, "even when you're tired."
She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes.
"What's gotten into you," she asked, "I'm wearing old clothes. I'm surprised they even let me in here."
Roy returned to the table and Matt looked up at him.
"That's because Uncle Roy here has some connections," Matt said, "I'm not exactly dressed out either."
C.J. laughed.
"You look great dressed in anything," she said.
Matt had a response to that but he kept it to himself.
"Did you want to say something," she asked, watching his face.
"I see whatever I have is catching," Matt said, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
Her face grew serious again.
"I'm worried about the wedding," she said, "What if whoever this is gets past the guard?"
"We won't let that happen, C.J.," Roy said, "Just because we don't know who he or she is, doesn't mean we can't effectively stop them in their tracks."
"It'll be that much harder," C.J. said, frowning, "Maybe we should look harder…"
"If we let him detract us from the wedding, then he's already won," Roy said, "I already called Hoyt and he's going to station extra police…"
He caught the expression on his nephew's face.
"Out of sight," he continued, "You won't even know they are there."
Matt shook his head.
"I wanted so much to give Elizabeth a normal wedding day," he said, "I wanted to have a normal wedding, not one surrounded by guards."
C.J. bit her lip.
"I know you want that," she said, "But we want you two to have a safe wedding."
Matt looked at C.J.
"You didn't seem that enthusiastic about my wedding a couple days ago," he said, "when you said you had misgivings."
She looked at him, perplexed.
"I was worried about something else," she said, "and you reassured me that everything would be the same and then you dropped the bombshell that you were considering getting out of the investigative business."
He glared at her.
"What are you trying to say," he said, "that I'm not sure of what to do?"
She leaned forward, fire in her eyes.
"Are you Houston," she said, "Because it doesn't sound that way to me. One day, you promise it will be business as usual, the next, you want to shut it down and start a new professional life after your wedding."
"Why are you bringing this up now," Matt said, "It's my wedding day."
C.J. took a deep breath and counted to ten.
"Because I'm worried about you," she said, "I'm worried that you're giving up who you are to try to make someone happy and it seems to me that a woman who loves you would accept you for who you are and love you more for it."
He looked at her funny.
"Are you talking about Elizabeth," he said, "or you?"
She looked taken aback. What in blazes was he talking about?
"This has nothing to do with me," she said, "It has to do with you and Elizabeth and the life you're choosing to live together. Which doesn't seem to be your life at all."
Roy sat back and ate his waffle, watching the two of them go at it. He watched a while then finally shook his head at his headstrong nephew.
"Matlock, why are you arguing with C.J.," he said, "She only wants the best for you like I do."
Matt thought about what his uncle had just asked and the truth was he didn't understand why these words had come out of his mouth. Why he felt torn about giving up his career as an investigator to make his fiancée happy, because frankly, what C.J. had just told him made more sense. That he should remain true to himself and not try to become what he wasn't just to try to make a marriage work. Still, he loved Elizabeth and wanted to make her happy and he knew that being away from here for hours on end in an unpredictable lifestyle which exposed everyone around him to danger would create an insurmountable obstacle towards doing that. He also found it difficult to argue with his best friend because he agreed with her.
It didn't help that half the time he watched her argue with him, he was thinking about his dreams last night. Visions of his arms around her and not Elizabeth; his lips brushing her skin and not that of his fiancée. He tried to shake his dreams away and write them off as merely symbolic representations of his conflict over losing C.J. as a business partner when he gave up his agency. Surely, that's what the dreams that had haunted his slumber meant.
C.J. looked at him expectantly.
"I just want what's best for you," she said, "and for you to be happy."
He snapped.
"Are you sure that's what you really want," he said, "and that this concern isn't really about your jealousy towards Elizabeth?"
C.J. tossed down her fork.
"Jealous," she said, "I'm not jealous of her. Why would that be?"
"Because she's the one I chose and not you," he said, before thinking.
After he let those words slip out, he watched the expressions play out on her face until one of them, fury, took center stage.
"You pompous ass," she said, "You think this whole thing is about you and it has nothing to do with my feelings about you. It's about your safety."
"Are you sure about that," he asked.
Her napkin joined her fork.
"Hell yeah," she said, "Do you think that if I did have these…feelings for you that you think I have, I would have agreed to be Elizabeth's maid of honor?"
He looked at her stunned.
"What did you call me?"
Her eyes flashed.
"You heard me," she said, "You think every woman is just there for your enjoyment, that we're all dying to get into bed with you. How long have we known each other anyway?"
Matt looked at her uneasily but answered.
"Since we were kids."
"How many times have we slept together?"
He looked away.
"None."
She nodded.
"Damn straight, and yet after all this time, it all comes down to me wanting to throw roadblocks for your wedding because I want to get it on with you."
Matt blanched at her language, wondering if she had known about his dreams. He wished he knew so he would know how guilty to feel about his own subconscious's wanderings.
Neither of them noticed Roy sitting there watching them bemusedly, so caught up they were in their own argument.
"I don't need to be attracted to you," C.J. said, "I've great relationships with men and enjoyed myself fully."
"I'm aware of that," Matt said, pulling on his collar.
"So let's get that nonsense out of the way and focus on the fact that I just don't want to see you get hurt or killed because you took the wrong threat lightly."
"I'm taking it seriously, C.J.," he said, "I would never let anything happen to ruin Elizabeth's day."
"If that's true, then you'd better be hiring those body guards," she said, "and watching your back and when Elizabeth notices what's going on, you'd better tell her the truth."
"I'm taking it seriously," he said, "I just wonder if we're both talking about the same thing."
She reared up.
"Get out of my way," she said.
He moved his legs and she walked angrily out of the restaurant without a second glance.
Roy watched her go and turned to look at Matt.
"You handled that well," he noted.
Matt sighed.
"It could have gone better," he said, sipping his Bloody Mary.
"Why did you attack C.J. like that Matlock," Roy said, "Frankly Matlock, I never pictured you for taking low blows."
"I don't why I said those things," Matt said, "I should know that she's just worried about me."
Roy nodded.
"Yes you should," he said, "That woman's taken bullets for you. All she's ever wanted is for you to be safe and happy."
"That's all I've wanted for her," Matt answered.
Roy studied his nephew closely.
"Are you sure about that," he asked.
Matt tossed down his napkin.
"Of course," he said, "what else would there be?"
Roy casually took a bite of his waffle.
"I seem to have hit a nerve," he said, watching the second member of his dining party walk away from the table inside of two minutes.
C.J. paced in her office, during the time she had promised Matt she would take a nap before the wedding later that day. She showered and laid out her bride's maid dress before lying back on the couch and trying to rest.
Damn Houston for pushing her buttons. He hadn't known that's exactly what he had done but it hit her the same way. Despite what she said, she knew that a small part of her didn't want Matt and Elizabeth to marry and each time she reminded herself of that, her conscience would chastise for not being happy for her best friend. She really felt happy for him, didn't she?
They had never been physically involved during the entire time they had known each other but she had wondered what it would be like. Any thoughts in that direction soon were tempered by the impact that it would have on their long-term friendship. In the meantime, they had seen each other through many a broken relationship and C.J. knew that the tougher episodes of her life would have been much more so without him by her side. Romances came and went, began with a spark but inevitably flickered out but friendships could last an entire life.
She smiled at that as she nodded off to sleep until she started dreaming about him.
Matt returned to his beach house and ran smack into the bride-to-be. She tried to hide, insisting that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.
Matt frowned.
"I thought that was only if they were in their wedding dress," he said, "I think the dress designers made that rule up."
"Or protective fathers," Elizabeth said, "But since I'm still in street clothes which I won't be walking down the aisle in, we're both safe."
Matt's eyes closed at the mention of that word and he knew he couldn't keep his concerns to himself any longer.
"Elizabeth…"
She turned to face him.
"Yes Matt?"
He hesitated, reaching out to stroke her hair. She blocked his hand.
"Oh not before the wedding Matt," she said, "I just got it styled."
He nodded, and then took a deep breath.
"We might be having some extra guests at the wedding," he started.
She smiled.
"Oh, some long-lost family members you didn't tell me about?"
He put his hands on her arms.
"No, body guards and some officers from the LAPD," he said, "I got a threat last night."
The smile melted right off of her face and it became cold. She rubbed her arms as if to ward off the chill, pushing his own away.
"Oh Matt, you promised me," she said, "You promised that we'd get married like two normal people. Having an army of guards at your wedding isn't normal."
"They won't be visible," Matt said, "I told them to keep out of view of the guests."
Elizabeth started pacing.
"But I'll know they're there," she said, "and having to pretend that they're not just makes it seem like a charade."
"It's not a charade, it's our wedding," Matt said, "and all I want is for you to be safe."
"Safe," she said, loudly, "Is it always going to be about keeping me safe, or keeping yourself safe?"
He watched her pace.
"Not always," he said, "I'm sure after the wedding…"
She spun around to confront him.
"Are you sure this creep doesn't want to harm us on our honeymoon?"
Matt didn't have an answer.
C.J. woke up slowly, her face flushing at the vivid dreams about her and Matt. They seemed so real, she woke up half-expecting to see her body intertwined with his own. Fortunately or not, she saw that she still lay alone on the couch inside the penthouse suite. She started to sit up and stretched her arms. She looked at her watch and saw that she had just enough time to get changed and style her hair before heading over to the ceremony.
She changed into her lavender dress and softened the curls in her hair, sweeping them back over her shoulders with some clips. Looking in the mirror, she liked what she saw. She started with her makeup, thinking the whole time about the wedding. But her thoughts drifted back on the future of the investigative agency if Matt turned his back on it. She knew enough about herself that she liked her work enough to keep doing it. She had little desire to return to the corporate world.
Suddenly, she heard a noise and put her lipstick down. She crept to the door of the bathroom and looked out. All she saw was an empty hallway, surrounded by silence. She shook her head, knowing that she was the only person in the suite and was just getting ready to leave it. She went out to look for her purse but it wasn't on the wet bar where she thought she'd left it before napping.
Confused, she tried to think of where she could have misplaced it when she heard him laugh. Her body froze as she recognized the source of that laughter and she willed herself to turn around.
"It's me, C.J.," the voice said, and she turned around to face him.
"Robert Tyler," she exclaimed in shock, "I thought…"
He walked from where he had stood near the Jacuzzi and she instinctively stepped backward.
"You thought I was in prison where you and Matt put me," he said, "Let's just say, one of my biggest viewing fans had a lot of power and influence and he pulled a few favors and got me furloughed."
"You got furloughed?"
He grinned.
"While the boundaries of my travels are limited to this state, it did leave me with the option to revisit some old friends."
He walked to the wet bar and poured himself a Scotch and tonic.
"Would you like something to drink, C.J.?"
She shook her head.
"You need to go, before…"
"You call the police," he said, "I don't think so. I'll make you a martini and you can watch me lest you think I might poison you or something."
"Robert…"
"What my dearest," he said, "Time has not robbed you of your exquisite beauty."
"What are you doing here," she asked.
"I'm here to pick you up," he said, "I've got a wedding of an old friend to attend and you're my guest."
C.J. crossed her arms.
"I'm the maid of honor," she said, "They're expecting me and I'm running late."
"Aw yes, what a nice touch, to serve as the lady in waiting for the woman who's taken the man that you really wanted all along."
"What are you talking about," C.J. said, "You can't crash the wedding…unless you were the one who sent the threat."
Robert shook his head.
"Tsk, tsk my dear," he said, stroking her arm, "I merely RSVPed the invitation that I'm sure got lost in the mail."
C.J. flinched at his touch.
"Prison mail being so unreliable," he continued, "I'm even dressed for the occasion."
She saw that indeed he wore white tie.
"And who knows, if things rekindle between the two of us, maybe it will be a double wedding," he said.
C.J. recoiled at that.
"You're crazy," she said, "I would never marry you. You kidnapped and killed innocent people just to get an anchor job on some network."
"Not just any network," Robert said, "One of the big three. I had my life all mapped out and it was falling into place like a well-oiled machine…until you and Matt stopped me."
"Robert, you can't murder people and not think you're going to pay the price for it," she said.
His face briefly showed anger.
"Matt was supposed to help clear my name," she said, "We had been friends since college but he came after me instead because I had you."
C.J. shook her head.
"There's nothing between Houston and me," she said, "I was in love with you and I would have married you even if you were a cub reporter on a cable station."
The picture she painted made him recoil.
"Oh God, I'd rather die than relive those days," he said, "and speaking of dying, we've got a wedding to attend."
He reached to grab her arm and she pulled away and started running. He pursued her as she looked for a place to escape. If she could just get to the helipad and get in the chopper…
He blocked her way.
"No you don't," he said, "You're going to stop this nonsense and come with me."
"And what if I refuse," she said.
Robert reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun.
"I've got other ways to motivate you."
Matt fidgeted as Roy helped him with his bow tie.
"Stand still," Roy chided, "This brings back memories of your childhood."
"Thanks," Matt said.
"Don't you know how to fix your own ties?"
"C.J. usually helps me," Matt said, "but she's not here yet."
"She probably ran into traffic on the way," Roy said.
"Probably," Matt said.
Hoyt walked in dressed in his suit.
"Are you almost ready to get this gig going?"
Matt sighed.
"The minister's still got to get ready," he said, "and C.J.'s not arrived yet."
Hoyt patted his friend's arm.
"I'm sure she's…"
"Stuck in traffic," Matt finished, "I know, I just wanted to talk to her before the wedding."
Hoyt raised a brow.
"Any last minute regrets?"
Matt smiled.
"No, just an apology."
Elizabeth paced the dressing room, trailing her veil behind her. Ginger rushed to pick it up so it wouldn't attract dust.
"Where is she?"
Ginger sighed.
"You mean your maid of honor?"
Elizabeth picked up the folds of her wedding dress and walked back to her chair.
"Yes, I mean my maid of honor," she said, "She told me she would get to the church on time."
Ginger shook her head.
"Maybe she had second thoughts," she said, "about going through with this."
"Second thoughts," Elizabeth said, "She said she was happy for Matt and me."
Ginger paused.
"When was that," she asked.
Elizabeth paused to think.
"Several days ago," she said, "But she would never just not show up at my wedding. She wouldn't do that to Matt."
"Where's he by the way," Ginger asked.
"He's with Hoyt and his uncle getting ready," Elizabeth said, "I checked."
"Maybe you should give her a call and see where she's at," Ginger said.
"I can't, if she's on her way here," Elizabeth said.
Ginger handed her friend a flask. Elizabeth wrinkled her nose at that.
"What's that," she asked, handling it carefully.
"Consider it something borrowed," she said, "and the gin's pretty old."
Elizabeth put her hands on her hips.
"I can't drink before my own wedding," she said.
Ginger snorted.
"You don't think your groom is downing a couple shots right now," she said, "It will help relax you."
Elizabeth eyed her friend's gift warily, then took a sip.
"Not bad," she said, taking another sip.
"Elizabeth, you've been under so much stress with all this wedding planning," she said, "You just need to relax a little on your big day."
Elizabeth nodded.
"You're right," she said, taking just one more sip.
Ginger looked at her.
"I better take it back," she said, "You don't want to get sauced or anything like that and totter down the aisle to your beloved."
Elizabeth surrendered it reluctantly.
"Thanks, I feel better already," she said, tossing her veil back, "I'm ready to go down the aisle."
When C.J. saw the gun aimed at her, she knew she couldn't fight him. If she got shot, it would ruin Matt's big day, she decided so she surrendered and he grabbed her arm dragging her to the elevator and then down to where he had parked his car.
He opened the door.
"Get in," he ordered, still aiming the gun.
"Robert, you don't have to do this…"
He shook his head, slamming the door after her.
"Shut up sweetheart," he said, "We're on our way to see our friend get married."
C.J. sat in the car, mentally thinking of all the different ways to escape but once the car picked up speed, she knew that jumping out into oncoming traffic wasn't an option. Besides, she had to stop him from reaching her destination and wreaking some sort of twisted revenge on Matt and she couldn't do that if she got herself killed.
"Do you know where you're going," she asked.
"I got directions to the church from one of the organizers," he said, "I posed as a relative of the bride."
"If they'd known that Elizabeth wasn't on speaking terms with most of her family, they never would have fallen for that one," C.J. said.
"I guess they didn't receive a copy of the family tree," Robert said, "No matter, it's all about destiny bringing us back together. I know when Matt realizes that he'll agree to allow us to share in his happy day with some happiness of our own."
"I turned down your engagement ring," C.J. said, "and told you were to go."
"Details, details," Robert muttered, "Must you always get wrapped up in details?"
"They do matter Robert," she said, "especially when one minor one was that I refused to accept your marriage proposal before they carted you off to jail."
He aimed the gun back at her.
"I would say that you'll accept my latest proposal considering the alternative."
She fired a look at him.
"I don't know, I'm thinking that any alternative is looking better all the time," she said.
He glowered.
"I could have made you so happy," he said, "if I landed the lucrative top anchor position in New York City and you had joined me there and we'd gotten married…"
She shook her head.
"It wasn't ever going to happen, Robert."
Suddenly his nostalgic feelings turned to rage and he struck her with the gun. She tried to dodge him but he struck her forehead, knocking her out on the seat beside him.
"That's better sweetheart," he muttered as he continued driving to the church.
Matt paced the hallway.
"Where the hell is she," he asked.
Roy and Hoyt looked at each other.
"She should have been here by now," Roy agreed.
Hoyt nodded.
"I'll call in and have them put out an APB," he said.
Matt ran his hand through his hair.
"She would never not show up to something this important," he said, "It must have something to do with that threat I received."
"But it was against you," Hoyt said.
"It was against my wedding," Matt said, "That was more the impression I got when I read it. So maybe I and Elizabeth aren't the targets after all"
"Or whoever is behind this is using C.J. to get to you," Roy said, "Wouldn't be the first time."
Matt took off his blazer and handed it to his uncle.
"I've got to find her," he said, "I've got to stop whatever this maniac's got planned."
"But…"
Matt had already left the room.
Elizabeth collided with him in the hallway, caught in her wedding dress.
"Where are you going Matt," she said, knowing the answer.
"Something's happened to C.J.," Matt said, "No one knows where she is and…"
She looked resigned.
"You've got to go find her."
Matt nodded.
"I want to marry you but if she's in danger, I've got to find her."
Elizabeth picked up her dress.
"Then go," she said, "and I'll be waiting when you get back."
As it turned out, Matt soon discovered he didn't have far to run at all to find C.J. His eyes widened as he saw her being dragged into the hallway, and his face froze in shock when he saw who stood next to her.
"Robert," he said, "I thought…"
"I know, I was still in prison," he said, "You should have known that I wouldn't be there long."
"Let go of C.J.," Matt said, reaching for his gun.
Elizabeth went ashen when she saw it in his hand.
"You were planning on packing to meet me at the altar on our wedding day?"
Matt ignored her and drew it.
"If you're mad at me, then deal with me," he said, aiming his weapon at his former friend, "Let her go."
C.J. looked at him, smarting from the wound on her forehead and she feared for Matt because he might not know how crazy Robert had become since their last encounter with him.
"I won't do that Matt," Robert said, drawing her closer, "But I will ask you a favor."
"What favor," Matt asked.
"That you and your bride allow me and my fiancée to share in your special day," he said, "by allowing us also to become man and wife."
Ginger had wandered into the fray.
"Your maid of honor is engaged to this lunatic?"
Elizabeth turned to face her.
"No, she dumped him when he was arrested for murder and kidnapping," Elizabeth said, "He was supposed to be locked up in prison. I don't know what he's doing here."
"Sounds like she has the ultimate thing for bad boys," Ginger purred, approvingly, "Who would have thought."
Robert looked at Elizabeth closely, taking in her features.
"I have to say you chose well for yourself old friend," he said, "She's quite an attractive woman, not as beautiful as C.J. but then we can't share her."
"I knew it," Ginger exclaimed, "A sordid triangle. I see your fiancé's past is spilling out at just the wrong time."
Elizabeth glared at Robert.
"I am not the rebound girl in this equation," she said, "Matt chose to marry me. He doesn't love C.J. At least not in that way…"
"I'm sure that's what he's told you every time you've asked him about it," Robert said, "but he'll just have to face the fact that I won this time around."
"Let her go, Robert," Matt said, with his gun still aimed.
"I will, if you'll agree to allow us to share our special day with yours," Robert said, "We're all dressed up, I'm sure there's a minister waiting around here somewhere, why not have a double ceremony?"
Matt looked at C.J. who looked both angry and scared.
"C.J., you really getting married to this guy," he asked.
She laughed, without humor.
"What do you think," she said, "He's going to kill both of us if I don't and maybe everyone else here too."
"You don't have to do it," Matt said.
She stared back at him, sadly shaking her head.
"Let's just get it over with," she said, "where's the minister?"
Ginger jumped up.
"I'll go get him and the rest of the guests."
They watched her go. Elizabeth sidled up to Matt.
"Are we really going to have to have a double wedding," she asked.
Matt looked at her.
"He laid out his terms and C.J.'s agreed," he said, "if just to save our lives."
"Not exactly something to build a marriage on," Elizabeth noted, "so maybe we should at least get them off to a better start by letting them borrow our minister."
"If he puts the gun away," Matt said.
"I will if you will," Robert responded.
Matt nodded and both men put their weapons away. Ginger came back in the hallway followed by Matt and Hoyt and a very perplexed minister.
"I hear there's been a change in the ceremony," the minister said, "There will be two weddings now?"
"I and my fiancée just couldn't wait any longer," Robert said, then squeezed C.J.'s arm, "isn't that right, darling?"
She nodded slightly.
The minister smiled, hesitantly then nodded.
"Let's get this show on the road," he said, "I have a skydiving wedding to preside over tonight and the plane takes off in several hours."
"I'm ready," Robert said, "Maybe we should get married first and then we'll serve as witnesses to Matt and his bride when it's their turn."
"Hey, you can't go first," Ginger said, pulling her flask out of her dress and taking a sip.
Elizabeth tapped her foot and looked at her.
"Hey, being held up at gunpoint always makes me nervous," she said, "I need a little something for it."
Matt agreed and Elizabeth did, somewhat reluctantly, hoping that her special day could still be salvaged.
Ginger took one look at C.J.'s attire.
"She needs a veil," she said, "You can't get married without one."
C.J. smiled.
"I don't need one," she said, "I'm fine."
"You do need to clean up your face," Ginger said, "You look like you've been in a fight."
C.J. reached up to touch the blood from her wound which came off on her hand. Matt walked over and took out his handkerchief. She winced as he gently pressed it against her forehead.
"Are you feeling okay," he said, gently.
"As well as can be expected," she said, "I'm sorry about this."
He frowned, putting the handkerchief down and drawing her into a hug.
"What do you have to be sorry about," he said, "No one's ever gotten married to someone just to protect my life before. I wish you'd reconsider."
She shook her head.
"I can't," she said, "I love you."
She said the words so softly that only he heard them. They warmed his heart and he smiled. He placed his hand beneath her chin and raised it to look at him.
"It's going to be fine," he said, "Just trust me and follow my lead."
He walked away and she looked at him, puzzled then nodding slightly.
Robert waited for C.J.
"Come along dear," he said, "We don't have all day. I have a honeymoon trip all planned."
C.J. grew sick. Well, first things first, and that was dealing with the wedding. The rest would have to wait.
Matt moved to stand next to Elizabeth who grabbed his arm.
"Are you okay," she asked.
He nodded absently, never taking his eyes off of C.J.
Roy took C.J.'s arm to walk her down the aisle. She looked up at him, smiling despite her fear.
"Thank you," she said, as they waited for the organist to start playing the music.
The organist looked them all over, shook her head and then started stroking the keys and playing the wedding march. Everyone stood much straighter.
C.J. started walking down the aisle with Roy, slowly and he squeezed her arm in reassurance. She tried to avoid looking at Robert who stood there smiling on the other end, so she focused on her best friend whose eyes never left hers. He smiled, as she approached them.
The minister cleared his throat and proceeded with the ceremony, while C.J. tried to keep her distance from Robert who made that difficult. She couldn't face him when she repeated her vows so she looked at Matt as she said the words. She hoped that he would give her some clue of anything he might have planned to abort Robert's plans.
The minister cleared his throat and started speaking down.
"Let anyone who objects to this marriage of these two individuals speak now or forever keep their peace"
Suddenly someone did.
"I object," Matt said.
Everyone looked at him and then looked at C.J. who suddenly pulled her groom down over her leg and kicked him onto the ground. He tried to spring up but she jumped on top of him and tried to pin him down to the ground, searching for his gun.
Elizabeth started screaming and Ginger pulled out her camera and began taking pictures. Her friend glared at her.
"I might be able to sell a few of these to the magazines," Ginger said, snapping away.
Matt reached down to grab Robert off of C.J. and both of them flipped over backwards until they collided with the sound system. The organist who had seen them both coming had jumped to safety behind a curtain as the organ began to topple over with a crash and one final B-Flat chord.
Robert and Matt wrestled on the ground while C.J. looked for Robert's pistol. To her horror, she realized it was still tucked in his pants. She got on the ground, crawled over to where the two men were fighting and tried to grab for it but every time Robert turned or twisted his body, the gun eluded her grasp. Finally, she grabbed it and Robert tried to take it back, knocking her to the ground. A shot went off, the minister jumped behind the broken organ and everyone dove for cover as it struck the chandelier and brought it crashing down on top of Matt and Robert.
"Oh Matt, what's going on here," Elizabeth said, as she narrowly dodged being knocked over by one of Robert's flailing arms. C.J. finally wrestled the gun out of Robert's hand and then jumped to her feet.
"Stop moving or I'll shoot you," she said, pointing the gun.
He turned to look at her in shock.
"But C.J., all I wanted was for us to get married and have a happy life, the one Matt stole from us," he said.
She shook her head and kept her aim steady.
"Isn't going to happen," she said, "Our engagement and these nuptials are officially over."
"You can't be serious," he said.
She put some pressure on the trigger.
"Let him go," she said, "You're not going to hurt anyone least of all him."
Robert laughed derisively.
"As if no one hadn't figured out that he had stolen you from me," he said.
She sighed but didn't relax her hold on the gun.
"You lost me all by yourself by your actions," she said, "Houston's the one who helped me put my heart together again as a friend."
He smirked.
"Yeah right," he said.
"Let him go," she said, aiming the gun.
Robert finally did and Matt got up on his feet.
"Nice work Ms Parsons," he said.
She nodded.
"Don't let me ever be one to stand in the way of true matrimony," she said, "Hoyt, if you can get some of your guys to haul this creep away back to prison, we can get this day back on course."
Hoyt smiled and spoke in his radio for backup. Since some of them were hiding out of sight, it didn't take long for several to come over and handcuff Robert.
"Furlough's over, Mr. Tyler," Hoyt said, waving goodbye as they dragged him off.
C.J. walked over to Matt and brushed off his suit.
"Come on, it's time for you to get married," she said.
He smiled but he grabbed his hands.
"I need to know if you're okay first," he said, gazing into her eyes.
"I'm fine," she said, uncomfortable beneath his scrutiny, "Let's get going here."
Elizabeth looked at Matt.
"Matt, the minister doesn't have much time left," she said, "and someone's got to find him."
Ginger volunteered.
"I will," she said.
Elizabeth turned towards Matt.
"So much for our perfect wedding day," she said, "Once again, your career…"
C.J. put up her hand.
"Hold on, Elizabeth," she said, "This time, it was my past that reared its ugly head and I'm very sorry about that."
"But his lifestyle still put us all in danger," Elizabeth said.
"His lifestyle is a big part of who he is and what he's become which is the most amazing of men that you'll ever find," C.J. said, "and if you're smart enough to know that, you won't be walking down that road, you'll be running."
Matt looked at his best friend. Her face flushed and she turned away.
"Go on," she said, "I see Ginger's found the minister."
He hugged her tightly.
"Thank you, for being here," he said.
She nodded, trying to force the moisture in her eyes back. This time, he reached with a finger and brushed her tears away. She smiled and took his hand.
"It's time to get this show on the road," she said.
Hours later, C.J. stood on the helipad outside the penthouse suite sipping her juice. Robert had been shipped back to prison and the minister had assured her that their interrupted nuptials had no legal or religious standing whatsoever. She looked out into the darkness at the miniscule lights blinking and moving below her.
She didn't expect company but she hoped he would come anyway.
"May I join you?"
She nodded without turning around and Matt stood next to her sharing the view.
"It's amazing how small the world looks from up here," he said.
"What are you drinking," she asked.
"Scotch on the rocks," he said.
She nodded.
"What about you," he asked.
"I think it's some of Uncle Roy's guava juice," she said, "I'm not sure."
He chuckled. She wondered how deep his laughter went.
"Are you okay," she said.
Matt looked at her, looking sideways at him.
"I will be."
"I know that you loved her, Houston," she said.
"I do," he said, "but I love my life and what I do with it as much. When push came to shove, I don't think I would have been happy giving that up."
"She just had a hard time accepting that part of who you are," C.J. said, sipping her juice, "But it's one of the best parts of you."
He raised his brow.
"One of the best parts?"
"One of many good parts," she corrected, "Don't ever give it up."
He gazed into her eyes, which looked at him so seriously.
"I won't," he said, "
"So how's Elizabeth," C.J. asked.
"Her friend Ginger's flying her out to the Mexico Riviera as we speak," he said, "which leaves me with an all expense paid trip for two to Tahiti for a week."
"I heard that it's lovely there this time of year," she said, "so maybe you should just take off and enjoy your honeymoon."
"Alone?"
C.J. cleared her throat.
"I'm sure if you go through your Rolodex, you'll find plenty of women willing to go with you."
He frowned.
"I don't have a Rolodex."
"I didn't mean that literally," C.J. said, "Every guy's got one inside his head.
He looked at her, standing there still dressed in her lavender gown and with her hair coming loose from the clips which could no longer hold it back. Thinking he had never seen something so beautiful in his life.
"I've got an even better idea," he said, "Why don't you come with me?"
She looked taken aback.
"Really," she said, "You're inviting me to go off to some tropical island."
Matt nodded.
"I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend that week with than my best friend," he said.
She thought it over.
"I'm not going to be one of those rebound girls…"
He looked at her, his eyes serious.
"You will never be that to me," he said, "Come on, it will be fun…"
She looked at him carefully for any hesitation then nodded.
"All right," she said, smiling, "Just let me get packed. What time's the flight?"
He looked at his watch.
"We missed it," he said, "but I could get the jet ready."
"That sounds like a plan," she said, "So what are we going to do there for a whole week?"
"Sit on the beach, relax, forget about this place for a while, follow our dreams," he said, raising his brow, "and then we'll come back home and get right back to work."
She smiled broadly.
"I'd love that," she said, "See you in a couple of hours."
"I'll be waiting," he said.
She meant to kiss him on the cheek as she often did, but found his lips instead. She kept it casual because he was her best friend. He allowed his lips to linger because after all, who knew the future held?
After he let her go, he watched her run to go home and pack. Smiling, he looked back out towards the horizon, wondering what lay ahead.