Hannah Sinclair was five feet, five inches of exotic, otherworldly beauty. Encased in tight ivory satin with an overlay of intricate lace of the same shade, the young women surrounding her drew a collective sigh of both appreciation and admiration as her mother placed a delicate necklace about her neck.

"This was your grandmother's," Sarah Sinclair jaggedly whispered as she fastened the spider web thin silver chain to Hannah's swanlike neck. Her eyes lingered on the carefully tattooed words on her daughter's caramel shoulder.

To Thine Own Self Be True. Sarah took a breath. Like Tara before her, she couldn't believe this day had arrived. Hannah released her thick, jet black hair and allowed it to fall in perfect waves down her back. The innocent ivory of her gown was a stunning contrast against her devilish dark hair and sinfully sweet brown skin. She was the perfect mix of coifed and undone, of hippy and fashionista, and Sarah Sinclair was very proud of the woman she'd raised.

"My brother is one lucky man," Lala teased. "Look at that body!" Hannah's gray eyes snapped open as she blushed and giggled. Sarah rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Hannah had been dating Adam Morgan for seven years. He was a good, strong boy, and he came from an amazing family. The relationship she and her husband had formed with Eric and Elizabeth Morgan was a good one.

Sarah Sinclair didn't know Eric and Elizabeth were Jax and Tara. In her world, the world married to Silver Spring's most well-known physician, things like the Witness Protection Program didn't exist, nor was it a secret Jax or Tara felt comfortable sharing with anyone. Jax had only entrusted it to Chibs, and he'd come from Charming. He'd dwelled in the hell they'd escaped. For Sarah, a picture-perfect housewife and mother, it was not a world she'd ever needed or wanted to know.

"That sure as hell ain't no teacher's body," Opie whispered in her sister's ear, and Lala couldn't help but laugh. They were dressed in the same shade of navy that their brothers and father wore, but their dresses were identical fit and flare that ended just below their knees. Both sisters had the height to pull off the look, and for the first time since Kindergarten, they enjoyed matching one another. The only contrast was between their hairstyles. Opie's fiery locks had been coaxed into a high, slick, glossy ponytail. She looked almost sophisticated, while Lala favored a demure chignon. It was strange for both of them to see the other look so—grown up.

"You look gorgeous, honey," Sarah smiled as she dabbed at the corners of her dark eyes. Like Hannah, she sported a natural dark tan. Like Tara, she'd chosen a golden frock, but hers was a stunning, rich brocade that ended just above the knee. Standing only five feet tall without her sky-high heels, a long gown like Tara's would overwhelm her. A tight, half-sleeved lace bolero covered her otherwise bare shoulders. Her long, golden hair was piled high on her head. She was pure class and dignity, but everyone expected that of the doctor's wife.

"You do baby," a dark baritone bubbled over the hen party surrounding Hannah. Her eyes widened as her father, Dr. James Sinclair, entered the room. Opie and Lala both practically swooned as he passed. Dr. Sinclair was one of the most handsome men in town. If there was a woman within a foot of either the good doctor or Jax, and she'd be hard-pressed to decide who was hotter. Standing just under six feet tall, James Sinclair was raven haired and dark eyed, with a beautiful square jawline, which he kept cleanly shaven.

Unlike Jax, James looked more than comfortable in his expertly tailored navy suit. He opted for a tie, even though Hannah insisted he didn't need to. He wore them so much in his professional life that he felt naked without it. As he passed the twins, it was everything Lala could do to not stare. He was definitely old enough to be her father, and she reasoned, it would be in bad taste to hit on your brother's married father-in-law.

"You are stunning," James whispered as he beamed in Sarah's direction. Lala sighed. Even if she made a pass, nothing would come from it. It was obvious by the stare the married couple shared that the love was still strong. "Both my girls are just—beautiful." Sarah smiled beautifully back at her husband.

"I have one more surprise before we head out," James whispered. He didn't say anything as he broke away from Hannah and walked towards the door. In one fluid motion, the doctor opened it, and the room fell silent. A tall, uniformed Marine stood in the doorway. Opie watched as all color drained from Hannah's face as she stared ahead. Her lips trembled and her eyes flooded with tears. To Opie's amazement, the tears stayed firmly lodged in Hannah's eyes.

"Victor?" The bride's voice was barely a whisper, then it became a cry. "Victor!" Opie heard Lala's breath catch as recognition dawned in her brain. Her brother. That's Hannah's brother.

Almost five years Hannah's senior, Victor Sinclair joined the Marines at eighteen. Hellbent on serving his country, he was deployed more than he'd been home. He'd joined just two years after Hannah had come into their lives. Neither Lala nor Opie really remembered him. If he visited, the time was short-lived, but Abel had always been there in some capacity, but the extended family hadn't seen much of the Sinclair's rogue military son since he'd left.

He was his mother's image: tall, tanned, and dark eyed. Beneath his hard framed white service cap was a cleanly shaven head. His smile was brilliant as he scooped Hannah up and swung her around.

"I don't know how I'm not crying," Hannah happily cried as Victor carefully placed her on the floor.

"You're a true Southern Belle," Victor replied. "Nothing's gonna make you a mess on your wedding day. Not even a crazy big brother!" Hannah giggled. James and Sarah came up from behind and hugged their son. Lala and Opie felt strange intruding on the family moment. They didn't even realize they were holding hands as they watched the mini-family reunion.

"How did you-?"

"We have plenty of time for questions after the wedding, darlin," Victor said quietly.

"You could always ride—"

"I have a car," Victor countered smoothly. Hannah, so shocked by her sibling's presence, didn't question anything else.

"We'll talk after," she said excitedly. She reached out and grabbed her brother's hand. "I'm just so glad to see you. I didn't think you'd be here." She stood on tiptoe and kissed her brother's cheek. Opie watched as the older Sinclair blushed deeply. The color was attractive on him.

"Why wouldn't he be here?" Lala whispered in Opie's ear. Opie shrugged, just as perplexed by the presence of the new, unknown Sinclair as Lala was. The air around the SInclairs had tensed, and that tension was palpable as James turned to Hannah.

"Are you ready, baby?" he asked. Hannah nodded.

Without being asked, Opie sprang to action and grabbed Hannah's bouquet. As she pushed it into her soon-to-be sister-in-law's hands, the older girl met her eyes. Hannah smiled gratefully as the tightly bound spray of blood red roses were all but shoved into her hands. Opie's lack of tact spread to her actions; she was raw and unfiltered, but she would give her heart so freely.

"Love you, Op," Hannah's voice trembled.

"Love you, Hannah Banana," Opie almost cried. Images of a sixteen year old Hannah and she and Lala as eleven year old twins flooded her. It all went too fast, she thought. Can we just slow down? Opie looked at Dr. Sinclair, her gray eyes questioning.

"Go ahead, Cait," he chuckled. "Hannah looks like she needs a hug right now."

Without asking the bride's permission, Ophelia took her future sister into her arms. She felt Hannah relax immediately. Out of the twins, Hannah loved both, but Opie just held a special place in her heart. There was no tough-girl façade like Lala. While Hannah knew Lala loved her like blood, she also knew Opie would be the girl that would jump in harm's way just to save her. She could tell Opie things she'd never tell Lala.

"Alright y'all," Sarah gently pried them apart with her sweet Southern lilt. "We gotta get to the vineyard. The sun is gonna set soon." Reluctantly, Opie broke free from Hannah and carefully wiped her tears away. She turned to Lala, who looked like a mixture of sad, hurt, and slightly jealous. The dark-haired twin recovered quickly, not wanting Opie to see any emotion.

The next seconds bled into minutes, and Hannah Sinclair couldn't even focus. Everything was a blur: the careful walk down her parents' stairs, the ushering out to the limo, the ride to the venue. She knew it should have all taken around forty-five minutes, but when the car came to a halt, Hannah's stomach dropped. The bridal party left the car, then her father, then her mother. The butterflies in her belly threatened to smuggle her away as she stepped out of the car. Opie and Lala made quick work of adjusting and fixing Hannah's gown, and as everything fell into place, a calm flooded Hannah.

"Oh God, Hannah Banana." It was Lala's turn to gush. "You're just-everything."

Tears filmed over Hannah's eyes as she clutched Lala's hand. "I love you, Lala. I can't wait to be a part of your family." She smiled openly as she hooked her arm into her father's. The bridal party advanced towards the entrance of the vineyard Hannah and Abel had chosen. A rustic, but beautiful old chateau nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Brandenburg Winery was a stunning, small jewel amidst the rolling hills. It was the perfect setting for the small, completely non-traditional wedding.

The sound of heels clicked across the stone walkway, but as they clacked away, Opie saw Hannah suddenly stop. It was as if fear had paralyzed her, rendering her unable to move. The small crowd of guests was almost too much for her to handle. Hannah always hated standing in front of people, no matter what the size of the group. She couldn't explain it, but it was a real, visceral fear. The thought of talking in front of all of them made her heart flutter uncontrollably. Her body shivered as she walked towards the stone corridor where the rest of the group waited.

"Baby, we gotta get you in position," Sarah, ever the hostess, said quietly. "You're gonna be okay. Adam won't let anything happen to you." The soaring lilt of fiddles, guitars, and banjos playing Pachelbel's Canon filled the air. Sarah's eyes filled with panic. That meant that the groom's side was in the process of being seated. Luckily, the entrance wasn't far. She grabbed Victor's hand and tried to lead the way, but Victor pried his hand out of her grasp. He followed the group to the small stone alcove where everyone was waiting. The groom was safely at the altar as people walked down the aisle. Jax and Tara were already seated.

Just on the other side of the stone corridor were a handful of close friends and family. No more than forty guests had come to the wedding. The kids wanted it that way. Neither Hannah nor Abel wanted their marriage to be a town spectacle. The vineyard was just isolated enough, and it was chosen for that reason. In the beginning of the wedding planning, Sarah had been quite upset by that. She wanted a lavish, crazy party. Now, standing by her son, she was grateful she'd listened to her daughter's wishes. Seeing Hannah quake with fear made her realize that anything more than forty would have been a mistake.

"I'm glad you could make it, son," Sarah said softly. She didn't look at him. She kept her eyes staring forward.

"I'm only here for Hannah and Adam," Victor returned. "I'll be on the next flight to California by tomorrow night. I'll play nice for her sake, not for yours."

A knot lodged itself within Sarah's throat, but she didn't allow herself to cry. Instead, she just focused on the music and the walk ahead. As she prayed that no one else heard his words, they began the walk to her seat.

Lala and Opie went into position. They stood side-by-side, just as Victor and Sarah had; neither one of them wanted to walk alone. Hannah loved the idea of them walking together. She'd balked at tradition to have two bridesmaids to her groom's one groomsman, and now she was messing with the status quo once more by allowing her bridesmaids to walk together. Slowly, the twin beauties walked forward. Before Hannah knew it, they were at the end of the aisle, and it was her turn.

"You ready, darlin'?" Dr. Sinclair asked the bride. With a disarming, shaky smile, Hannah nodded.

"I got this," she murmured. Hannah's father nodded and locked arms with her. The strains of Here Comes the Bride swelled, bluegrass style, into the night. Hannah and her father rounded the dimly lit stone corridor and made their way out to the courtyard.

The sight took Hannah's breath away. The first thing she saw was a sea of candlelight. Ivory candles of all shape and size illuminated the gray stone of the courtyard. Strings of golden lights crossed overhead between the rooftop of the chateau and the massive stone fountain at the end of the aisle. Her eyes rested on the guests as she walked; she wanted to save her groom's face for last. Smile after smile greeted her, and Hannah felt overwhelmed by the love she felt.

As she neared the end of the aisle, her eyes locked with Tara's and Jax's eyes for a moment. Both of them returned her gaze with pride. She smiled broadly and turned her eyes to her mother, who was making a valiant effort not to cry. Victor stood by her side, but his gaze was unreadable.

They stopped. Hannah turned her stare to Abel. He'd never looked more handsome. His eyes beamed with adoration as she took her place by his side.

"You look incredible," Abel whispered. A single tear rolled down his cheek, and she reached up to wipe away.

"Who gives this woman away?" the minister asked aloud. All eyes fell on Dr. Sinclair.

"Her mother and I do," James calmly stated. Satisfied with the answer, the minister motioned for everyone to be seated. James pivoted on his heel and took his place with his wife.

"Hannah and Adam want to thank all of you for coming tonight." The minister's voice echoed. "Their love is precious, and that is what they wanted to focus on." The bride and groom shared a glance. "And in the spirit of that, they have chosen to write their own vows. Hannah will begin."

Opie leapt forward with Hannah's vows. Shakily, the bride opened them, and as she looked down, her hands shook more.

"Adam," her voice trembled. "I have loved you since that first day in homeroom. At sixteen years old, I knew that you were the one. I know it sounds crazy—it's absolutely crazy. You're not supposed to meet your soulmate in high school, but I did." Tears filmed over her eyes, and while it appears that Hannah was a bride overwhelmed with love, Abel knew better. Her eyes held sheer terror.

"Sounds like us," Jax whispered in Tara's ear. She reached out and intertwined her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand, and she rested her head on his shoulder. It was the most comfortable place in the world, after all. Hannah looked up from her paper and caught her beloved's eyes. There was barely a sliver of space between them, and all she wanted was to fall into Abel's arms. She hated speaking in public. It terrified her. Abel, knowing this, reached out and gently grasped her hand.

"I met you when I was a kid," Abel interrupted. He watched as the fear in Hannah's eyes eased. She lowered the paper, written vows forgotten. "And I knew too. This wasn't some fling or high school romance. This is the real thing. This is forever. I promised you that on your mama's porch swing on prom night, and I promise you now: I will love you until I die, Hannah Sinclair. Beyond that too. I promise to be fair, to be spontaneous. I will witness and appreciate your beauty every single day, both inside and out. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to soon say you are my wife."

"And I promise," Hannah interjected with , "To be your cheerleader and your biggest fan. I will hold you up when you need it. I will try to remember we are both fiercely independent and fiercely stubborn, so I will let you hold me up too, even when it's hard for me to be weak. I will cherish that just as much as I treasure our loving hearts and our twin souls. You are my best friend, my lover, my love, my one and only constant. One day, you will be my baby's father, and I know that, if I go first, you will be the one holding my hand so I'm not alone. I treasure you and promise to love and honor you, every single day of my life, my husband."

The bride and groom didn't notice the sea of tears they'd caused amongst the guests. They only saw one another as the minister went on with the ceremony. He spoke of the symbolic meaning of the rings, and as he called for them, both Opie and Thomas stepped forward. Opie carefully handed a black titanium band to Hannah, while Thomas handed Abel a delicate plain platinum band. Within seconds, the couple had placed the rings on one another, before the minister had time to tell them to do so. This caused a ripple of laughter through the small crowd. Tara couldn't help but remember her own rushed brothel wedding. How different this is, she thought. But the love is just the same. Of that she had no doubt.

"Well, it looks like the bride and groom beat me to the punch," the minister joked. Abel smiled at his bride, and she sparkled back. With a good-natured eye roll, the minister said aloud, "I can't even believe I am asking this, but do you just want to skip the rest?" Abel and Hannah eyed one another, and it only took a mere second for them to nod. The crowd laughed harder. Even Sarah Sinclair giggled. The love on the couple's sweet faces just couldn't be denied. It was infectious.

"The vows are read, the rings are exchanged. I guess that's all we need, right folks?" the clergyman asked the crowd, who buzzed in agreement. "Well, then, without further ado," he bellowed. "Dear Adam, kiss your bride already!"

The crowd cheered as Adam carefully took Hannah's face in his hands. Tara's breath caught. It was like she was watching a slow motion video of her and Jax twenty-three years ago. It was the same careful, passionate kiss her one true love had given her, and chills raced down her spine as those same lips touched the side of her neck now. As Abel kissed his bride, Jax kissed his, and emotions overwhelmed Tara's soul. I am so unbelievably lucky.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, Adam and Hannah Morgan!" Another thunderous applause reigned as the happy couple broke their kiss and sped down the aisle as husband and wife.

The chairs emptied, and everyone followed the happy couple to reception room down the hallway. As the outdoor space emptied, no one noticed the tall, leather clad Scotsman standing in the shadows, and they certainly didn't see the tears in his eyes. Chibs thought it better to be a silent presence. He never wanted to raise any questions, so when Tara and Jax explained that the wedding would be a night one, he was grateful for the cover.

The strings and the fiddles rang throughout the vineyard, and Chibs leaned against a stone wall. His cover had been a little too good, because no one, not even Jax and Tara, could truly place where he was. That's why it was a shock to be grabbed from behind. Who knows I'm here?

Chibs didn't even have time to react to the massive, too strong arms that pulled him away from the vineyard. The large arms ended in larger hands that clamped over Chibs' mouth. He had even less time to react to the silencer pressed against his skull. With a quick prayer for his beloved Althea, Kerrianne, and his boy, John, the only thing he could feel as the bullet passed through the gun's elongated barrel was the love he'd just witnessed and the love he had for his woman and his kids. It was, for all intents and purposes, a quick, merciful, and almost beautiful way to die. As the old Scot fell to the ground, draped in the blackest of shadows, the truth that remained wove into the happiness that erupted down the hallway. After decades of lying dormant, Mr. Mayhem had come to the Tellers, and the lethal altercation with Chibs was only the beginning of the madness.