A/N: This idea was not my own, but I was allowed to put my own spin on it :)
Disclaimer: If I owned Wildfire, I would have given krisfurillo at least one more season
"Congratulations," Kerry began as he popped the cork off of the champagne bottle, "on being the best jockey in the world."
Kris rolled her eyes as she watched him pour the wine into her flute. She only won the Breeders, not the Triple Crown! That, and Jean gave her enough praise at the party after the race that she could handle for one night. Despite that, Kerry insisted on taking her to a romantic dinner. And Kris had to admit, it was lovely. Fancy restaurant, romantic music, and now champagne. He really was pulling out all the stops, and it made her a bit suspicious.
"C'mon," she pleaded, "what are you up to?"
Kerry raised an eyebrow as he set down the bottle. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."
"You hardly went to any trouble when I won any of my other races, why is it different for this one?"
"Winning the Breeders is no laughing matter," he explained.
Kris rolled her eyes again. "Yes, the Breeders is a big deal. But it's not the Kentucky Derby; it's not the Triple Crown. What is all of this for?"
Kerry looked down at the table and nodded. "Well, you're right. I'm up to something."
"And that would be?"
Kerry stood up from his chair and walked over towards Kris. He took ahold of her hand and got down on one knee. "Ever since I first met you, I felt as if a void in my life had been filled. I look forward to seeing you every day; I miss you even after I leave you for five minutes. Kris, will you marry me? And if you will, we can have the best time in Europe together; not just as manager and client, but as husband and wife."
Kris' eyes widened at the question. It took her a while before she said anything, but she finally was able to say, "Yes!"
As Kris wrapped her arms around Kerry, she felt much happiness bursting through her chest. However, as the two walked out of the restaurant, a cold sensation worked its way through her stomach, and no matter what she did, it wouldn't go away.
OoOoO
"No, Dani!" Junior growled as he made his way into the kitchen. "I'm not going!"
Dani trudged after her brother. "You already said you were going to be there," she nagged.
Junior shook his head as he opened the refrigerator door. "Why do you even care if I go to her wedding or not? You know the reason why I don't want to. And do I need to remind you that you're not exactly the number one fan of me and Kris being together in the first place?"
She placed her hands on her hips and faced him. "You're right," she spat. "I never liked you two together. But right now, I'm not sure which is worse: you moping around the house because she's getting married to someone else, or you two being together." Once she finished her sentence, she turned on her heel and headed out of the room. "Go, before I change my mind!" she shouted back to him.
Junior let out a frustrated breath as he let the refrigerator door slam shut and placed his balled fists onto the counter. He really didn't want to watch Kris get married to another man. How could he just sit there and let it happen? But… if I were marrying someone else, would Kris still be there for me?
He let the thought float around his brain for a while before the answer came to him. Yes. She would.
With that, Junior forced himself upstairs and got ready for her wedding. Three hours, he thought as he began buttoning his dress shirt. Three more hours until she's gone… well, at least she'll be happy. Which is all I ever wanted for her.
OoOoO
Kris looked out the window in Jean's bedroom and watched the orchestra start to tune their instruments. Only a half hour left until she was getting married. Part of her couldn't believe it. She never thought that this day would come, yet here it was. However, part of her was having serious doubts on whether or not marrying Kerry was the right thing to do. She had been ignoring this cold feeling that gripped her stomach which she had felt these past few months. It's only cold feet, she thought. Right? Everyone feels like this. As much as she tried to convince herself that it was normal, something in the back of her mind was telling her that she should be feeling like a princess, not experiencing regret.
"Excited?" a voice said behind her.
She turned around and saw Jean standing in the doorway, smiling at her. Kris returned the smile and looked back out the window. "Yeah… I guess…" she trailed.
Jean approached her and placed a hand on Kris' shoulder. "That answer doesn't sound all that convincing to me. Is everything okay?"
Without looking back, Kris asked, "You never did like Kerry and me being together, did you?"
Jean sighed and shook her head. "No."
"Why is that?"
"Because… you didn't really act like yourself. It was all Kerry's decisions that influenced your life, not yours. And that's not a good way to live."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Kris wondered aloud.
Jean shrugged. "Because I was hoping that you knew what was best. So, is this what you really want? To marry Kerry?"
Kris' eyes scanned over the people congregating near the tent she and Kerry were to be wed under. She really wasn't sure anymore; she thought she loved him but now…
Her eyes stopped once she found one person standing off to the side of the main crowd. Junior. Kris's heart leapt up into her throat, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe.
Everything that they had been through these past two years flooded to the front of her mind. Their short, but great, relationship, him always being there for her, helping her find Wildfire numerous times, coming to her aide when Flame was being born, and giving her Flame!
Tears began to fill her eyes as realization hit her. She couldn't go through with this. As much as she tried to ignore it, her love for Junior Davis was too overwhelming. And if she didn't step in now, she would be making the biggest mistake of her life.
"Jean," she gasped. "I can't go through with this! I just can't! It's wrong!"
Jean's eyes widened as she watched Kris break down. She led Kris over to a nearby chair and took ahold of her hand to offer her some comfort. It was a few minutes before Kris had calmed down enough before Jean said anything else. "What do you want to do?"
Kris wrung her hands. "Can you go get Kerry for me? I have to tell him."
She nodded and headed out, leaving Kris all alone once again. Kris looked down at her wedding dress as she stood back up, and then gazed outside at all the decorations, the food, and everyone that had come. Everything that was done to prepare for this day was about to go to waste. But it's better to tell him now than after the ceremony, Kris kept repeating to herself. She knew it was going to hurt, but it would be best for the both of them in the long run.
After a few minutes, Kerry finally entered the room, his shoes clicking on the hardwood floor as he approached her. "Hey, is everything alright?" he began. "Cause, you know that seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck," he joked.
Kris didn't respond to his words, she simply looked at him. She bit the inside of her cheek and gathered her courage. "Kerry, I can't do this."
Kerry raised an eyebrow. "Can't do what?"
"What do you think?!" Kris responded as tears began to fall from her eyes again. "This is my home, and I can't leave them. These are my friends and they've given me everything –"
"Okay," he interrupted as he held his hands up in defense. "We won't go to Europe. There are still several ways to strengthen your career here."
She shook her head. "Would you let me finish?" Kris asked. "I can't marry you, Kerry. I just can't. I'm sorry."
Kerry took a step back as if he had been struck across the face. "What?"
"Exactly what I said," she explained. "I can't marry you. It's wrong."
Kerry stood in front of her for a few minutes, not saying anything. "Fine," he finally said, then turned on his heel and left.
OoOoO
When Junior first heard that Kris called off the wedding, he was a bit shocked. He thought for sure that she was going to walk out of his life… well, in that regard anyway. But the reason she called it off wasn't really known. She hadn't told anyone, and she wasn't talking either, despite that her almost wedding was over a week ago.
Junior shook his head as he continued to walk through the back fields of Davis ranch. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going, which explains the yelp he heard near his feet. Junior jumped back a few feet and looked down to see the source of the shout. His eyes met Kris'. He brought a hand to his chest to try and settle his racing heart. "Kris, are you okay?"
Kris shifted her focus back to the ground and shrugged. "I guess."
Junior plopped down beside her and gave her a half smile, trying to see if that would cheer her up a bit. It appeared to work a little, for he saw the corners of her mouth curl up a bit. "You don't sound too convinced at that."
She shook her head as her smile began to fade. "You sound like Jean before…" she trailed.
"Before the wedding that wasn't," he finished for her.
"Yeah."
The two were silent for a while before Junior decided to chance it. "Can I ask you why you decided to call it off?"
Kris let out a sigh as she grabbed a handful of grass. She needed to tell someone what happened that day at some point. "Because he wasn't the right one."
"And yet you said yes when he proposed to you?"
She shrugged. "I thought the feeling of regret was just cold feet and that it would go away, eventually."
"Hesitation, yes. Regret, no," Junior explained.
"Well, I get that now."
There was another pause before Junior spoke so he could gather his thoughts. He didn't want to set Kris off by wording his question wrong, but there weren't that many variations in what he wanted to ask. "How did you know he wasn't the right one?"
Kris bit her lip. She was a bit hesitant at saying the main reason why she called off the wedding, but he was going to find out at some point. "Because I'm in love with you."
Junior's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"
She nodded. "Yeah. I am. But I need some time to recover from… everything. Is that okay?"
Junior kissed the top of her head. "Anything for you."