Author: Raven Shadowrose

Title: The Ties That Bind

Rating: M

Pairing: Hannah/Dixie, ?/?

Summary: Sequel to Moving On, Hannah and Dixie are about to get married, what events will follow?

Disclaimer: I do not know or own any characters or parts you may recognise from the TV show Casualty, all original characters and the story are mine and I do not give permission for them to be used.

A/N: There will be some femslash in this story, if you do not wish to read it then by all means leave the way you came, other than that, enjoy. I think there's a Casualty episode that is called the ties that bind, this story is nothing to do with that episode. Reviews are welcome :)

Chapter One.

Jeff saw Dixie as she arrived in the ambulance station for their early morning shift, he closed the doors of the ambulance that he had been checking and stocking up and then turned his attention to her as she stopped in front of him. 'Hey princess, someone is a little later than normal, did you have trouble getting out of bed this morning?'

'Don't be so crude Jeffrey.'

'I'm not being crude, I'm just saying that usually you're here earlier than everyone else and doing paperwork or stocking up for the day ahead. This morning I'm here first and doing the stocking up, it's like the world is coming to an end.'

'Maybe I had a little cuddle with Hannah before we got out of bed this morning.'

'That's so sweet Dixie, does that mean the days of you being in work earlier than you need to be are over? Will you be spending more time snuggling the fair Hannah before work?'

'What are you getting at Jeffrey?'

'Nothing, I'd like to know if I'm going to be scheduling in me checking the ambulance at the start of every shift from now on.' Jeff saw the unimpressed look that Dixie gave him and he smiled at her. 'I'm only teasing you princess, you know that I'm happy for you. Where is the lovely woman that has turned my best friend into a domestic goddess?'

'Hannah is parking the car, she'll be here soon.'

'How are you feeling?'

'I'm fine, why?'

'It is two weeks until the big day after all.'

'Don't remind me.' Jeff noted the worry that came through in Dixie's voice.

'Dix, what's wrong?' Jeff was worried, Dixie looked and sounded stressed. 'Come on princess, talk to me.' Jeff ushered Dixie towards her office, he wanted to find out what was wrong with her and why she suddenly looked and sounded so worried about getting married to Hannah.

Dixie closed the door behind her when she got into her office. 'Right then princess, what's the matter?' She heard the concern in Jeff's voice, he was worried about her. 'Is everything ready?'

'Yes, don't you worry about a thing Dix, we've got it all under control.'

'I can't help it, I just want the day to go well, I feel like something is going to go wrong.'

'Relax princess; the venue and registrar have been booked and they've confirmed that the place is ours for the day. You and Hannah have registered your intent to join in Civil Partnership and have been given the go ahead. Cyd is organising the cake, James is going to do the pictures, the catering has been organised, the clothing is ready to go, as are the flowers. Polly has sorted out a band and everything is on schedule, just as it should be.'

'That makes me feel so much better. What about the invites?'

'The invites have been sent out and everyone has replied.' Dixie started fiddling with her nails and Jeff took her hands in his. 'Trust me princess, everything is going to be fine. On the day I will help you to do your hair and make up.'

'Thanks Jeff, I just can't believe that it is real, that it is so close. I don't want anything to go wrong.'

'The day will be perfect, I will make sure of it.'

'What about the rings?'

'Dixie, you know as well as I do that the rings are safe in my room.'

'Okay, that's good.' Dixie sat down in her chair and sighed in relief, so far everything for the wedding was going to plan, she just wanted everything to be perfect when she married Hannah.

Jeff went over and sat on the edge of Dixie's desk. 'What's bothering you princess?'

'I don't know, the closer it gets the more I feel as if something will go wrong or that Hannah will change her mind.'

'Wedding jitters, that's what you've got. I know just the cure.'

'Which is?'

'Come here princess.' Jeff held his arms out to Dixie and he enveloped her in a big hug when she got close enough. 'I want you to listen to me, Hannah loves you and she won't change her mind about marrying you. Nothing is going to go wrong on your wedding day because I won't let it. Trust me, everything is going to be just fine sweetheart.'

'Thanks Jeff, that makes me feel so much better.'

'Good.' Jeff stroked Dixie's hair as he held her, she was his best friend and he wouldn't let anything happen that would spoil her big day. 'Do you remember when I said to you that your relationship with Hannah would work out?'

'Yeah, I do.'

'It has, you deserve this princess, stop worrying, everything will be just fine. We've got it all under control and what matters is at the end of this you will be married to the woman that you love. If you manage to do that then your wedding day was perfect.'

'You're right.'

'Do you want to repeat that so I can record it?'

'Don't push it Jeffrey.' Jeff heard Dixie's smile come through her voice, he knew that his little speech had worked. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her. 'Come on princess, I'll go and finish preparing the ambulance and you can get yourself ready.'

'Thanks Jeff, I couldn't do all of this without you by my side.'

'You're not going to have to do this without me, don't worry all right'

'I'll try.'

'Good, that's my Dixie.' Jeff opened the door to the office and went back out into the garage. He vowed to keep his promise that Dixie and Hannah's wedding day would be perfect for them.

Polly hugged Hannah when she came into the locker room. 'Hello Hannah, I am so pleased to see you, I've found the perfect dress for the wedding, I can't wait to wear it on the day. I've got everything planned out, the room is going to look so romantic when we're done with it. I can't believe it is so close, I'm so excited and happy.'

'I know, it is very close. It has crept up on me, one minute it was six months away and now it is two weeks until it happens.'

'Are you looking forward to it?'

'Yes, very much so, even if I am nervous about falling over the hem of my dress.'

'Are you really that nervous?

'I am, I know that I want to marry Dixie but that doesn't mean I didn't get butterflies the minute that I said yes.'

'Don't worry, me and Jeff have got it all under control, we're going to make sure that it all goes perfectly for you both. Nothing is going to spoil the day for you.'

'Thanks Polly, you're so sweet.'

'You and Dixie are my best friends, I want everything to go so great for you.'

'I know you do.' Polly saw Hannah smile and she linked arms with her.

'Are you ready for another day?'

'Of course I am, you know that I always look forward to working with you.' Polly looked up when Dixie came into the locker room and she went over and hugged her. 'Hello Dixie, I've just been telling Hannah all about my dress for the wedding.'

'You've found one that you like then?'

'I have, I'm so looking forward to the day.'

'That's nice sweetheart.'

'I know, it is going to be a wonderful day. I'm going to get a coffee, I'll see you both outside.' Polly left the locker room, she knew that Dixie liked to have some time with Hannah before the shift started and she wanted to give them some privacy.

Hannah sat herself down on the bench in the locker room and talked to Dixie as she got changed. She liked to spend this time with Dixie as sometimes they barely got to see each other all day. 'Hannah, I know I say this every day, but, be careful out there.'

'I will, I promise. You be careful too Dixie.'

'Of course I will, come here beautiful.' Hannah went over to Dixie and hugged her, in the time that they had been together it had become a ritual that they would start every day the same way. They would promise each other that they would be careful when they were out on shouts. Hannah wanted to put Dixie's mind at rest, she knew that Dixie worried about her sometimes and Hannah wanted to make Dixie feel better. 'I love you Dixie.'

'Love you too beautiful.' Hannah smiled into Dixie's hair and then lifted her head so she could look at her.

'Is everything all right?'

'Yeah, it is. Jeff says that I've got wedding jitters.'

'He's probably right, it is only natural to be nervous about these things.'

'Are you nervous Hannah?'

'A little bit, but, unless my mother turns up then I think everything will be fine.'

'She's not going to turn up, she's in prison where she belongs.'

'I know, that's a good thing. Now I just have to worry about falling over my dress.'

'I could always check it out, make sure that you won't get any injuries by falling over it.'

'Nice try Dixie, you're not seeing my dress until the day.'

'Come on, just a little peek, please.'

'No, you'll have to be patient.'

'I don't wanna be patient.' Hannah chuckled and Dixie pulled her tongue out at her.

'You'd better be careful Dixie, one day your face might stick like that.'

'No it won't.'

'Then someone might bite your tongue off.'

'I'd like to see them try.' Hannah laughed again, Dixie had a strange sense of humour but Hannah loved it and the woman that it belonged to.

Dixie didn't mind that Hannah wouldn't let her see the dress until the day, she was quite looking forward to being surprised and she knew that Hannah would look beautiful in whatever she wore. 'Hannah, I can't wait to marry you.'

'I know how you feel Dixie, marrying you means everything to me.' Dixie went over to Hannah and hugged her.

'Thank you for making my life perfect.'

'Are you getting sentimental on me Dixie?'

'Maybe a little bit.' Dixie leaned in and kissed Hannah, her hand moved to Hannah's waist and she pulled her close until their bodies touched. She concentrated on the feelings that kissing Hannah raised within her; mostly love and contentment when it was slow and gentle like it was at this moment. Dixie thought over the more passionate kisses that she had shared with Hannah, it was those ones that led to heat and the need for more, the need for physical love and passion. She came to the conclusion that she liked both types. Dixie felt Hannah pull away and she opened her eyes. 'I wish we weren't at work Hannah.'

'I know you do, you're insatiable Dixie Dixon.'

'Only when it comes to you.' Dixie kissed Hannah on the head. 'Come on beautiful, we have work to do.' Dixie saw Hannah nod her head in agreement and she took her key out of her locker, there was time enough for more kisses with Hannah later on.

Jeff and Polly sat in the rec room, their shift had officially started and they were just waiting for a shout to come in. 'Jeff, what are we going to do about the hen night?'

'I don't know, Dixie says she doesn't want one.'

'Hannah said the same. Wait a minute, I've got an idea.'

'Which is?'

'Do you remember when we had that sleepover?'

'Yeah, we all slept in the lounge just after Dixie and Hannah got engaged.'

'Why don't we do it again? We'll get some pizza and lots of junk food, we have some time off at the end of this week so we could do it then. I'll even bring my chocolate fountain.'

'I know you're excited about this Polly but we have to get the brides to agree first.'

'True, wait one moment.' Jeff watched Polly run off and he smiled, if anyone could convince Hannah and Dixie to have a little hen night then it was her.

Polly came back a few minutes later with Hannah and Dixie and she waited until both of them were sat down at the table. 'Hannah, Dixie, me and Jeff think that you should have a hen night. I know you've said that you don't want one but hear me out. We had a sleepover to celebrate you getting engaged, we could do it again, if we all bring our pyjamas and then we can watch films and eat lots of junk food.' Polly noticed Hannah and Dixie share a look between them, she really wanted them to say yes. 'Please, it will be just me, you two, Jeff and Cyd. Please Dixie, we just want to celebrate the fact that you two are getting married.' Jeff watched Dixie carefully, he knew that Polly was wearing her down and that Dixie could very rarely say no to Polly.

'Okay, we will have a party.' Polly ran over to Dixie and hugged her.

'Yay, thank you, I can't wait, it is going to be brilliant. You'll see. We can do it at ours at the end of this week, I have lots of ideas.' Jeff saw Dixie smile as she hugged Polly, he knew that she was pleased the younger woman wanted to celebrate. Dixie loved her friends dearly and she liked to make Polly happy.

Hannah looked at Dixie after Polly had dragged Jeff off to start planning the hen night, she'd known that Dixie would give into Polly's pleading. Polly had used her best sad voice and expression and Dixie couldn't say no to her when she did that. 'I knew that you would let Polly win you over in the end.'

'I can't help it, she's had such a horrible life at times and if throwing us a hen night makes her happy then I can't say no to that.'

'I understand, besides, it does sound like fun.'

'Yeah, it will be nice to spend time with everyone.'

'Of course it will be, it is just going to be us and our friends.'

'It is a bit unconventional but I think I'm past the clubbing stage anyway,' Dixie said with a smile.

'I never got into the clubbing stage, this suits us better.'

'Yeah, definitely.' Hannah rested her head on Dixie's shoulder as they sat together in the rec room, she was quite looking forward to the sleepover when it came around.

Dixie put her arm around Hannah and she smiled, Jeff and Polly were working so hard on the wedding to make it a success. It pleased her that they were happy for her, she'd found the woman that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and she wanted all of her friends involved. She still had some of her nerves and jitters from earlier but Jeff's words had helped her feel a lot better. Dixie smiled, Jeff might drive her nuts at time but he was her best friend and she could count on him to cheer her up whenever she needed it. He always knew what to do to help her and make her feel better. Dixie was glad that Jeff had agreed to be her best man and stick with her as she was going to be very nervous when the ceremony started and probably all of the way through too. She had something special that she wanted to ask Jeff, something that only he could do for her. In her mind Jeff was the only person fit for the job, he was important to her and she wanted him to do this for her. 'Dixie?' Hannah's voice broke into her thoughts. 'Have you asked Jeff about what we talked about yet?'

'No, I'm just finding the right time to do so.'

'He won't say no, I think he will be honoured.'

'Yeah, I hope so anyway.'

'Of course he will be.'

'Maybe I'll ask him at the final fitting.'

'That sounds good to me.' Dixie smiled again, Jeff was the only man that she wanted by her side when she was going in to the room where she would be marrying Hannah.