I think that everyone should get married at least once, so you can see what a silly, outdated institution it is. – Madonna

September – Age: three months

"Not sure I'm ready for this," Wes confessed as he passed Travis in the hallway.

It'd been a rough three months since Bryony's birth and he was just on the left side of exhausted. He thought that, by now, he'd be able to handle the people milling about him, cooing over how much Violet had grown and fussing over the new little one, but he'd been wrong. Travis was just lucky Peter and Dakota had offered up their back yard or this second wedding wouldn't be happening. Not today anyway.

"Breathe, baby," Travis said, giving him a quick squeeze of support.

"I don't know if I can," he said.

"You'll be fine. Now you'd better get back where you were before Dakota catches us together. You know how she is." Travis gave his husband a peck on the cheek before leaving him alone in the hall.

He was right, however. Dakota had this inane idea that they shouldn't see each other before the ceremony. Wes thought it was ridiculous because they'd already spent the night together and tried to tell her so. Still, she insisted. Once you get here, that's it, Wesley Mitchell. No more Travis until after the wedding. He hadn't had the heart to tell her they were already married and that it didn't matter. Sometimes, humoring the woman was easier than the alternative.

"Wes, are you okay?" The concerned feminine voice caught his ear, making him wince.

Damnit, she'd caught him out of the back bedroom. "Yeah, Dakota, I'm fine. Just…"

"Trying to catch a glimpse of your man all dolled up for the wedding?" She gave him a knowing wink. "I can't say I blame you, he's looking awfully handsome in that gorgeous silver suit of his. Looks like it's new."

Wes laughed because of course it was new. Travis Marks didn't own any suits. "Yes, it's new. He bought it just for today." And Wes had helped pick out the sky blue dress shirt and matching silver tie, too.

"Well, you won't be able to take your eyes off him," she promised. "Aside from looking like the tired new mom you are, you are looking really good post-baby, Wes."

He looked down at himself trying to figure out who she was seeing because it couldn't possibly be him. There was a roll of baby fat still clinging to his middle and his eyes were almost as dark as the raccoon he'd chased out of the yard this morning. But Dakota wasn't a judgmental person and he knew she meant what she said and that he should accept the compliment for what it was. "Thank you, Dakota."

"You're welcome, handsome." She gave him a one-armed hug of encouragement. "Just a few more minutes. The chaplain is here and ready, just waiting on a few last minute things and we're ready to go."

That made him smile for real. "Again, thank you, Dakota. For everything. Between the planning, the use of your yard, and all the help you've given with both of the girls, I don't know what we would have done without you."

She tried to shrug off his kind words and failed. "I like you two. Have since that first day in therapy. I'm just thrilled to be a part of all this and seeing you both so happy finally. Now, go sit for a few and I'll come back and get you when it's time, okay?"

He nodded, unsure of what would come out of his mouth if he opened it. Taking that as her cue, Dakota departed until it was time to parade him out in front of everyone.

Travis stood at the handmade altar Peter and Clyde had fashioned out of cherry wood and sighed at how ridiculous this all was. Not the wedding ceremony, certainly not that, but the idea that Wes was the one to be walked down the aisle like a woman being handed from her father to her new husband like a used paperback book. He'd told the women that they should walk down to the altar together, but he'd been shot down. By every last one of them. Not even Dr. Ryan had his back on this and he couldn't figure it out. Sure, Wes had given him two children, but had the circumstances been different, it very well could have worked out differently. Would he then be the one waiting in a back room somewhere? He doubted it. The girls loved treating Wes like one of their own.

The music started and Travis came back to the present. Eagerly, he watched the back door for any signs of his husband, needing now more than ever to have him back by his side. When Violet's untamable curls appeared in the entryway, he knew it was finally time.

Wes walked beside Dakota, finding that he was more nervous than he thought he'd be. Violet walked a rambling path before them, sometimes strewing rose petals on the ground, sometimes just digging in the basket she carried and eating them. He'd have stopped her but she was a stubborn child and wasn't likely to stop just because he said so. Besides, judging by the looks on the faces of the attendees, she was a hit, pink petals hanging out of her mouth or not.

Glancing up from Violet, he caught Travis' eyes. The pale blue orbs were even more hauntingly blue under the late afternoon sky. He could feel his heart react in his chest, demanding he get to his lover's side right this minute. Taking a deep breath, he checked the impulse to run and maintained a more respectable pace.

"You look amazing," Travis whispered as Wes fell into place beside him. "Even better than you did in the hall where you weren't supposed to be."

He felt his cheeks flush for some unknown reason. "Illicit meetings are always the best, aren't they," he whispered back. "And you don't look all that shabby yourself, Marks."

The chaplain cleared his throat subtly, bringing the boys' attention back to him instead of each other. When he was sure he had their attention, he began.

This second time around, the ceremony – and the vows – were much more traditional and sober. As much as the ceremony Judge Bentley had presided over had fit them perfectly, this ceremony stood on its own merits. The words the chaplain spoke resonated within him – words of love, devotion, and fidelity – reminding him of why he'd chosen this man in the first place, even if they'd taken a very roundabout way of getting to where they were currently.

He snuck a glance at Travis then, seeing the same connections forming within his husband. Violet reached up and took his thumb in her hand, standing witness with her mama on this very important day. If only Bri had been older, she could have been there, too, standing to Travis' side holding his fingers in her tiny hand. Wes was content, however, even without the little one in his arms. Just as Dakota had promised, everything was simply perfect.

Wes retrieved Travis' ring out of his pocket, smiling at how they had almost forgotten to switch the night before. That would have required some explaining, he was sure. They'd only been married a couple months, but even so, it'd felt bizarre and oddly empty not having his ring on for the last few hours. Nothing had felt better than having Travis slip it back into place with a knowing wink at the end. With an equally knowing smile, Wes repeated the words of the chaplain before sliding Travis' ring back where it belonged.

"You may now kiss your partner," the chaplain said, looking from one to the other and smiling.

"C'mere, baby," Travis grinned, pulling Wes close enough to orally assault.

Wes chuckled nervously, still not completely comfortable with such a public display of their love, but allowed Travis to press his mouth against his all the same. The world was crazy if they thought he was going to pass up this opportunity to share in this moment with his love. He balked at the slide of Travis' tongue into his mouth a moment later. Pulling back, he attempted to stop this before it got out of control as it always did, but Travis held him firm, not allowing him to run. Not now, not ever. Wes opened his mouth instead, allowing Travis inside, giving in and thumbing his nose at propriety.

And there was much celebration.

They lay wrapped around each other in bed later that evening, the party having dispersed and ended over an hour ago. Wes rested with his head on Travis' chest, eyelids half closed. It'd taken some time for him to relax and stop worrying about what Violet was getting into or if Bri was going to cry for dinner soon. It went without saying that Wes wasn't used to not having his girls around. He tensed, ready to sit up when Travis' arm tightened around his waist.

"Easy, buttercup," he murmured against his lover's blond locks. "The girls are with Dakota and Peter tonight and the Dumonts tomorrow. Tonight, it's just you and me."

Wes blew out a breath, forcing himself to let it go. "I know, I forgot, I keep forgetting... I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, baby," he said, kissing the top of Wes' head. "It means you're a good parent. I keep listening for them, too. Panicking when I don't hear them."

This admission brought a smile to his face. All the worries he'd had about what kind of a father Travis would be had all but vanished in the days since Violet had been born. He'd gotten lucky. So very, very lucky. "I love you, Marks."

"I love you, too, Mitchell," Travis replied, smiling at the use of his last name. Wes only called him that on two occasions: when he was extremely angry and when he completely, utterly at ease. Call him an optimist, but Travis was prone to believe that Wes was finally happy.

He knew he couldn't possibly be any happier himself.

Travis had gone from a good time Charlie to a stand up man and he had this guy beside him to thank for all of it. Never had he dreamed he'd be in a monogamous, long-term relationship and marriage had been out of the question. Now? Now he had a husband, two wonderful children and a home, a real home. All because of Wes.

Well, Wes and a bottle of tequila, but his kids never, ever needed to know about that.