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Lacy here. Things are tying together as Don and Jess' wedding is only a week away. The happy couple are making final adjustments, getting the dresses and tuxes and Mac's in Chicago? Ok that wasn't part of the wedding plans. Have fun.
Disclaimer: Still not saying it again. Forget it. Go look at one of the first stories if you want a disclaimer. How many times must I say it???
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Don watched Jess as she finished up her paperwork. The 333 case wasn't closed, but they had closed a few other cases and Jarvis was letting them go early once they finished their paperwork since they still had a few wedding related things to attend to. Don placed the last of his files in his outbox and stretched. Jess looked at him with an amused smile.
"Tired slugger?" she asked.
Don laughed. "No, just stiff from sitting at this desk for so long."
Jess looked at her watch. "Don, we've only been sitting her for about an hour."
"That's about an hour too long for most cops, Angell." Mulligan said. "We're men of action."
Jess raised an eyebrow at him. "And for those of us who are women, Will?"
Don laughed as Mulligan looked around for help. Jarvis, who had come out to tell Jess and Don to go home, placed a hand on Mulligan's shoulder.
"Don't try Will. There is no saving yourself from that one." Jarvis said.
Mulligan nodded and wisely turned back to his desk before Jess could beat him any harder. Jess laughed and shook her head. Jarvis moved over to Don and Jess' desks.
"You two done with you're work?" he asked. Both nodded. "Good, get out of here and go finish your wedding plans."
Don and Jess didn't have to be told twice. They were out of their seats and almost at the doors when Jarvis called their names again. They turned to him.
"I don't want to see you here again until every last detail is taken care of." He said. "Your wedding is now more important then work."
Jess frowned. "What about Sinclair?"
Jarvis smiled. "You let me worry about him. Now get."
Don grabbed Jess' hand and pulled her out of the squad room.
"How are we going to survive two Flacks sir?" Mulligan asked.
Jarvis laughed. "Think of it this way Will, things will never be boring around here."
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Don and Jess were sitting outside of the bridal shop where Jess was supposed to have her last fitting.
"You can't come in with me Don." Jess said.
Don whined. "Why not Jess?"
Jess laughed at his pouting face. "Because, I'm having my last fitting for my wedding dress. You aren't allowed to see me in it until the day of the wedding."
Don sighed. "Alright, I'll wait here like a good boy."
Jess leaned over and kissed Don. "It shouldn't take too long."
As Jess climbed out of the car, Don's phone rang.
"Flack."
"Don, it's Stella."
"Yeah what's up Stel?"
"Mac's in Chicago."
Don paused. He was sure he heard Stella wrong.
"I'm sorry Stel, we must have a bad connection, could you repeat that 'cause it sounded like you said Mac was in Chicago. The week before my wedding!"
Don heard Stella sigh and knew he hadn't misheard her. "No Don, you heard me right. The 333 clues led him there and I just got a call from him saying he was in Chicago."
Don ran a hand over his face. "Remind me why I can't kill him again?"
Stella laughed. "You'd be down a groomsman and I doubt Jess would like it if her fiancé went to jail before you could get married."
"We could get married in jail."
"Yeah Don, I'm sure Jess wants a jail house wedding."
Don laughed. "Good point. Alright, what do you want me to do about Mac?"
"Well we know Sinclair isn't going to be happy so I'm giving you the heads up."
"Thanks Stel. I'll talk to you later."
Don hung up his phone and leaned his head back against the seat and continued to repeat to himself that murder was illegal and that the lab needed Mac in order to function correctly. Oh and Stella probably wouldn't be too happy if he killed Mac.
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Jess stood in front of the mirror and looked her dress over. She ran her hands down the fabric of the dress and smiled. The seamstress was working on the hem of the dress, shortening it a bit.
"You look great Jess." Sam said.
Sam had already been waiting in the store for Jess since she was the only one that didn't have to work.
"Thanks Sam." Jess said. "You think Don will like it?"
Sam snorted. "Like it Jess? Don isn't going to know what hit him when he sees you in that. You are beautiful."
Jess' smile grew.
"How are you feeling now that the big day is only a week away?" Sam asked, wondering if she was going to get an answer.
Jess took a breath. "The butterflies haven't gone away for a few days now, but other then that I'm fine. Excited, but fine." Jess laughed. "It's so weird, Liz and my mom have told me stories about what they were like before they got married and they were nervous that they got cold feet a few times."
Sam smiled. "My mom was the same way, but I take it as a very good sign that you aren't nervous, From the way Donnie boy is acting, I don't think he's nervous either."
The seamstress stood and told Jess she could change out of her dress. Sam followed her since the zipper was in just the right place where Jess couldn't reach it on her own. Jess held the dress up with one hand on her chest while Sam pulled the zipper down.
"Where is my brother anyway? I wanted to see him before the wedding." Sam asked.
Jess smiled. "He promised to wait in the car like a good boy." Sam gave her a look. Jess held up a free hand. "His words, not mine."
"He whined though, didn't he?" Sam asked.
Jess nodded. "Yeah he did. But that's ok, he wouldn't be Don if he didn't whine at least once."
"You guys going to pick up the tuxes next?" Sam asked as Jess slid her shirt over her head.
"We are. Then we have to stop at your parents house because your mom has something for me, though she won't tell me what." Jess looked at Sam. "I don't suppose you could tell me?"
Sam laughed with a shake of her head. "You know my mom, if I tell you, I'm toast."
Jess laughed. "It was worth a try."
After Jess finished getting dressed, she and Sam left the store. Giving Sam a hug, Jess headed to the car while Sam went to the subway. Jess climbed back into the car and saw the slightly angry look on Don's face.
"What's wrong?" Jess asked.
"Mac is in Chicago." Don said.
"I'm sorry, what?" Jess asked.
Don nodded. "You heard me right, that was my reaction too. The 333 clues apparently led him to Chicago so he hopped on a plane and went."
"Ok I can see getting annoyed by that, but you're angry." Jess said.
Don nodded again. "Sinclair called me about five minutes ago."
Jess frowned. "Nothing good ever comes from a call from Sinclair."
"He wants me to go to Chicago and get Mac to come home." Don said through gritted teeth.
Now Jess was mad too. "He does realize we're making final adjustments for our wedding right?"
"He doesn't care." Don said. "He wants me on the next flight out."
"Have you talked to Jarvis?" Jess asked.
"Yeah, he's going to hold off Sinclair for as long as he can so we can at least pick up the tuxes but the rest, I'm afraid you're going to have to do alone." Don said.
Jess could hear the guilt in Don's voice. "Don, don't do that. This isn't your fault."
Don sighed. "I know but I wanted to do all of this with you. I didn't want to leave you to do anything alone."
Jess smiled and took Don's hand. "Don't worry. I only have to stop at your parents then take the girls for their last fittings then I'm done. You deal with Mac. I have things covered."
Don smiled and kissed Jess. "Now when you say it like that, it doesn't sound so bad."
"It's not." Jess said. "Though if you're late for the wedding, Sinclair and Mac can count on a nasty visit from me."
Don laughed. "I think Mac is well aware of that. Sinclair however, will be in for a surprise."
Jess shrugged. "Never mess with the bride-to-be."
"Yeah, Mac should probably know that, seeing as he's been in my position before." Don said as they started towards the place where they were getting the tuxes.
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Jess walked into her soon to be in-laws house and smiled at the smells coming from the kitchen.
"Anyone home?" Jess called.
She only had to wait a few seconds before Jordan stuck her head around the corner. A smile spread across her face as she saw Jess.
"Oh good you're here." Jordan said, giving Jess a hug. "Come on into the kitchen, I have to finish something up then we can get to the real reason I asked you here."
Jess followed Jordan. "You're still not gonna tell me are you?"
Jordan shook her head. "Nope, there's no fun if there isn't a surprise."
Jess smiled. At least she knew where Don got his liking of surprises from. She walked into the kitchen and saw Jordan was baking cookies while Donald sat at the table sorting plant seeds. He looked up as they walked in.
"Hello Jess." Donald said, getting up and hugging her.
"Hi Donald." Jess said. "What are the seeds for?"
Donald looked back at the table. "Next year's garden." he looked back at Jess. "So, not that it isn't wonderful to see you, but what are you doing here?"
Jess pointed at Jordan, who was taking a sheet of cookies out of the oven.
"Your wife over there asked me to come over, but won't tell me why."
Donald laughed. "Oh get used to that dear. She does it a lot."
Jess laughed as well. "Thanks for the warning."
Jordan frowned at the two. "Are you done?"
They nodded, smiles still on their faces. Jordan sighed but couldn't fight her own smile.
"Come along Jess, I'll show you why I asked you over now." Jordan said, leading Jess out of the kitchen.
She led Jess upstairs to the master bedroom. Jess looked around. It was a nice looking room. Painted a nice tan color with pale yellow curtains and wood furniture. (A/N: Ok I just described my old bedroom from when I was younger and living in my family's first apartment. It was the first thing that came to mind.) Jess stood beside the bed while Jordan walked to the closet and opened the doors. She reached for a box on the top shelf and pulled it down. Walking over to the bed, Jordan sat down with the box in her lap and motioned for Jess to join her. Sitting beside Jordan, Jess looked at the box she was holding. It was an old jewelry box.
"Now I know from Sam that you have some things from your mother and sister-in-law that you are going to wear at the wedding." Jordan said. "And I want to add this to it."
Jess watched Jordan open the box and reach inside. What she pulled out had Jess floored. It was a silver anklet that was almost identical to the tattoo Jess had around her left wrist. Jordan noticed the look on Jess' face.
"When I first met you and saw your tattoo, I knew you would be wearing this one day." Jordan said. "My grandfather gave this to my grandmother on their wedding day. And when I got married, my grandmother gave it to me to wear. My mother had always had big ankles and it wouldn't fit her."
Jess laughed. "Oh Jordan I don't know what to say other then thank you and I'd be honored to wear this on my wedding day."
"Jess, this isn't just for you to wear on that day." Jordan said. "This is yours to keep until a daughter of yours gets married."
Jess looked at her future mother-in-law with tears in her eyes and hugged the older woman.
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That night, Jess laid in bed with the phone, talking to Don.
"How's it going over there?" Jess asked.
Don sighed. "I haven't killed him. Yet."
Jess laughed. "That's a good thing Don. We sort of need Mac."
"I know. So how did things go with my mom?"
Jess looked at the anklet that Jordan had given her that was sitting on the night stand next to the jewelry Liz and her own mother had given her.
"It went very well."
"What did she want?"
"She wanted to give me the anklet that she wore to her wedding and that her grandmother wore to hers."
Don whistled. "Wow Jess, I've seen that thing, it is beautiful."
Jess smiled. "I know and I also noticed that it is an almost perfect match to the tattoo I have around my wrist."
"Damn, I never noticed that before."
"Well I guess your mother noticed it when we first met. Or that's what she said at least."
Jess could just imagine Don smiling as she yawned. "I guess I should let you get some sleep."
"Only if you have to. It's going to be weird sleeping here without you."
"I'll be back before you know it hun. I love you."
Jess let the words warm her. "I love you too."
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I know, not much of Don but we know he follows Mac. I know it's not in this episode but since the next one is the wedding, yes, yes you're all very happy, I have Don and Mac coming back at the beginning of it. So let me know what you think, flame policy is still there and thanks for reading.
Again a thanks to Sarah for editing. And for the few things you added. They work great.
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