"Then you will hand him the rings, Mr. McGee."

"Got it," Tim replied as he mimicked giving Nick the rings as he would the following day. "Easiest job I've ever had."

The wedding party had set themselves up for an impromptu rehearsal once the priest—an elderly Vietnamese man by the name of Father Francis—had shown up. The tables had been pushed aside to make way for an aisle and the processional party—two bridesmaids, two groomsmen, and a flower girl in the form of Nick's cousin's three-year-old daughter—had practiced walking as they would the following day. Tim, as the Best Man, was escorting Katharine, who Leanne had asked to be her Maid of Honor.

"I don't have any close female friends," Leanne had confided in Tim. "For some reason I tend to get along better with men. They're not so high-maintenance." Tim had resisted the urge to point out that the outfit Leanne was wearing had cost more than most people spent on a car, opting instead to smile and nod politely.

"And then we will continue on with communion from there and finish it with the 'Ave Maria,'" Fr. Francis concluded. "And then we will complete the mass and you will be on your merry way."

"That's the part I'm looking forward to," Nick commented, shooting Leanne a broad grin.

"Save it for tomorrow night," Tim said in a loud whisper.

"You're just jealous," Nick shot back good-naturedly.

"Well, unless anyone has any questions, I think we're finished here," Fr. Francis continued. "I look forward to seeing you both tomorrow, and congratulations. I'm sure you will both be very happy."

"I know we will," Leanne affirmed, snaking her arm through Nick's possessively. She replaced the small vase of flowers she'd used as a makeshift bouquet on one of the tables. "I almost want to say let's just do it now and get it over with."

"Soon enough," Nick assured her, patting her hand gently.

"I still say you guys should have just eloped," Donny said. "Would have been a hell of a lot less complicated."

"Maybe, but I want tomorrow to be a special day. One that we'll remember for a long time. You're worth it, Leanne."

"Okay," Tim said as he intervened, "enough of the mushy stuff. You're going to give us all toothaches."

"Amen to that," Katharine added.

Nick rolled his eyes, but obliged, as he lead their priest to the door with a hearty thanks. The rest of the guests dispersed through the room, picking at the remaining food and refilling their glasses. A couple of them even began moving the tables back into place.

"So how does it feel?" Katharine asked Leanne. "I mean, knowing that tomorrow you'll be a married woman."

"It's almost unreal," Leanne said with a broad grin. "I don't think I'll even be able to sleep tonight, I'm so excited."

Katharine offered up a small smile, one that Tim could see wasn't completely genuine. "Well, I'm really glad you and Nick are so happy. I'm sure we'll have a long time to get to know each other."

To her shock, Leanne responded by gathering her up into a tight hug. "Oh, thank you! I've never had a sister, but I hope we'll be close."

"Sure," Katharine replied dubiously. Tim could tell she was trying to appease her future sister-in-law, but she still had her doubts. "I know you and Nick will be leaving for your honeymoon the day after tomorrow, but I should be back in town for Christmas. We should all go out to eat sometime."

Leanne nodded enthusiastically before she was called away to talk with other guests. That left Tim, Katharine, and Donny to make small talk. Tim couldn't help but notice that Donny seemed to have an ever-present rain cloud hanging over his head.

"So are you older or younger than Leanne?" he asked.

"Older."

"How many years apart?"

"Two."

Well, this was like pulling teeth, but Tim pressed on. "I've got a younger sister. Much younger. I mean, not that much younger, but eight years younger. Definitely a bigger age gap than you guys."

Donny didn't respond. Tim noticed his eyes were fixed on Leanne and Nick as they talked with other guests. He didn't look pleased at their showy displays of affection, but Tim assumed no brother liked to see his sister in an intimate position with someone.

"I know I don't even want to think about my sister getting married yet," he continued. "I guess I'm protective that way."

"You and Nick both," Katharine said. "I remember when my date showed up for my senior prom. Nick convinced him that he'd put a tracking device on me and he'd be able to tell if we went anywhere other than the prom."

"Knowing him, he probably had." Tim hadn't been the only one with a propensity for electronics. "But I've got to say, if there is any guy I trust in the world, it's him. He'd never hurt a fly."

"Just my Barbie dolls," Katharine added impishly.

"Oh, get over it," Tim replied with a playful shove.

Donny ignored them, though, and walked off toward the exit, clutching a half-empty beer bottle in his hand.

"I get the feeling he doesn't much care for Nick," Katharine said with a frown.

"Maybe," Tim agreed, "but he is her older brother. I'm sure when you settle down Nick is going to scrutinize your husband-to-be too."

"It's not just the scrutiny, though. It's like he's angry that Nick and Leanne are even getting married. Like he doesn't want any guy with her." She downed her glass and placed it on the tray of a passing waiter. "Or maybe I'm just being paranoid. He just gives me the creeps. Do you think I'm being too judgmental about my future in-laws?"

"Yes," he said as they made their way toward an empty table, "but you're a sister. You're allowed to be a little judgmental now and then."

She sighed. "I just feel like this would be easier if mom and dad were still around."

"They're here," Tim assured her, placing his hand over her own and giving it a small squeeze. "Now, I've been here all night and I've been so focused on Nick that I haven't even asked you how your life is going. How's the Peace Corps? Nick tells me you've been in Ethiopia."

At that, Katharine's demeanor morphed from one of concern to one of delight. Her blue eyes alit and a smile brightened her face. "Yes, and it's so exhilarating! I don't think I've ever felt as alive as I do there."

"What kinds of things are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm working at the orphanage, treating the kids. We mostly work with HIV and AIDS treatments, but we'll do anything else they need as well. And the kids there, they just really brighten my day. I mean, it's sad and all and so many of these children probably won't live into their teens, but you'd never be able to tell from the way they run around me every day. They really manage to keep their spirits high in the face of everything. It really makes you count your blessings, especially when you come back here and encounter spoiled little brats who think their life is over because they can't get an iPod," she added with more than a little bitterness. Catching Tim's confused look, she explained, "On the plane ride I got seated next to some teenage kid who kept whining about not getting an iPod for his birthday. It was kind of pathetic. I wanted to smack him, but I didn't."

"That's probably for the best."

"Anyway, the kids," she continued, "are just so wonderful and…and…vivacious! This one eight-year-old boy—Berhanu is his name—whenever he sees me coming, he runs out and flings himself against my leg. Then he'll say 'Kata! Kata!'—that's what the kids call me—and he'll just start talking to me. I don't have the heart to tell him I don't know most of what he's saying, so I just smile and nod and that seems to make him happy."

Tim grinned. It pleased him to see his friend so content with her work and her life. "Is he…well…I mean, does he have…?"

"AIDS?" she supplied, finishing the question he was obviously uncomfortable asking. "No, Berhanu doesn't, but he has sickle cell anemia which needs treatment. It's not as fatal as HIV or AIDS, but it still calls for close observation, especially for a child in his condition. Medicine every day, sometimes shots. It's unfortunate, but he keeps a stiff upper lip about it."

"Katharine!"

They turned and saw a middle-aged couple beckoning Katharine over. Tim remembered Nick introducing them as his Dad's brother and sister-in-law.

"Family duty calls," she said with a sheepish smile. "I guess I need to make the rounds and hear everybody say the usual family stuff."

"You go on," he said.

In a moment of tenderness, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. "Thanks for being here. I really needed a friend."

"Anytime," he assured her. "Now go on. I think your aunt and uncle are getting impatient."

After she'd gone off to do her duties as niece, Tim checked his watch. It was nearing eleven-thirty. The wedding wouldn't be until one the next day, but he knew that Nick would be a nervous wreck in the many hours leading up to then. Nick was a morning bird, the kind of guy who couldn't sleep past nine in the morning if he tried. He was always up and refreshed by that point, no matter how much drinking and revelry he'd taken part in the night before. Tim, however, didn't have that luxury; every drink and late night marred his face and body the following morning like some sort of battle scar. He needed to be alert and ready for anything tomorrow morning. He knew Nick would be counting on him for support.

He sought out Nick amid the crowd and located him near the front, speaking with two of his business partners. Leanne was not with him.

"I think I need to head back to my hotel room," he said, politely pulling his friend away from the group. "Don't want to be tired and bleary-eyed when I'm standing up there tomorrow."

"Yes, go get your beauty sleep," Nick teased, giving Tim a gentle shove.

"Where's Leanne? I wanted to tell her goodbye."

"Donny was leaving and she went to make sure he was okay to drive. He was hitting the bottle a bit hard."

"She definitely got the cheeriness in that family," Tim said, almost immediately regretting it.

To his surprise, Nick nodded solemnly. "He's kind of gruff, but I figure that with what he and Leanne went through as kids, it's understandable. It might be some sort of defense mechanism for him."

"Well, when she gets back, let her know I said goodbye and good luck."

"Thanks, man," Nick said, pulling Tim in for a hug, similar to the way Katharine had. "It's really nice to have you here."

Tim left Nick to his guests and searched the room for Katharine, wanting to give her one more goodbye for the night. He spotted the aunt and uncle who had called her over earlier, but she wasn't in sight. He knew she hadn't gone out the front door because he would have seen her, so he thought he'd give the back door a try.

He slipped through and found himself in a small hallway. There were various locked doors on all sides, each with a sign proclaiming it off-limits to non-employees. Directly opposite him was another door marked exit. He pushed it open and peeked out.

"Let me go!" he heard someone—a woman—screech. She screamed again, but it was muffled this time. Then, she went silent altogether.

Jumping into work mode, Tim kicked the door open and jumped out, ready to fight whatever villain stood there. The night was pitch black, but a lone lamp hung on the building wall, providing some illumination in what was essentially a back alley. He saw a large man standing with his back to Tim, holding another body in his arms, this one lanky and feminine. He didn't need to see her face to know it was Katharine.

"Hey!" he bellowed, silently wishing he had his gun with him. "Let her go!"

Everything went black as something hard connected with his head.