Three Weeks Later

Rachael stood in her bedroom, brushing her hair slowly over and over trying to think of how to put it up. She'd had three weeks to figure that out, but hadn't gotten anywhere near getting it right. What she needed was someone to do her hair and make-up for her, but that person was a thousand years into the future. She set her brush down and sighed deeply.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Courtney whispered softly from the door. Rachael looked in her vanity mirror at her sister-in-law's reflection. Courtney was beautiful, her dark brown hair was piled neatly on top of her head with small whisps falling around her face in small curls. Her oddly colored violet eyes were sparkling extra bright against the soft lavender of her dress. Rachael sighed.

"I miss Bronwyn."

"You two got very close." Courtney said softly. "And what would your wedding be without her?"

"Exactly." Rachael muttered, putting her head in her hand and shifting her legs. She was wearing only a white silk slip, before she put on her mother's wedding dress.

"Then why didn't you invite me?" A loud voice asked indignantly. Rachael sat up straight and saw the reflection of the blonde in her mirror. She spun around and ran to the door and embraced Bronwyn tightly. She pushed Rachael into the room and back to the vanity and sat her down. "And I brought the cavalry!" She grinned widely. Jen and Katie poked their heads in and Rachael jumped up to hug them both tightly. She saw Courtney attempt to leave out of the corner of her eye.

"Courtney!" She called and grabbed her hands. "I want you here." Courtney tilted her head but smiled and followed her back into the room. "Now, music and let's do this."

"You got it! This is your bachelorette party I guess." Bronwyn laughed. "Oh, Lucas and Trip are downstairs with Wes and Eric." She grinned.

"I still can't believe you and Eric are getting married." Jen said from where she sat on the bed. "Last I knew you didn't' like him much."

"Things happen." Rachael shrugged and a light blush lit up her cheeks.

"Well then why are you marrying him so fast?" Katie asked questioningly, starting to attack Jen's hair. Rachael spun and stared at Bronwyn.

"You didn't tell them?" Her voice squeaked.

"I thought you would want to." The blonde replied, setting down the brush on the vanity. Rachael turned to the others and starting wringing her hands.

"I… well…" Jen and Katie were watching her curiously, exchanging a confused look. "I'm pregnant." Rachael breathed out, biting her bottom lip. Both Katie and Jen stared at her in shock while Bronwyn and Courtney tried not to laugh.

"Wow." Jen said in surprise as Katie jumped up and pulled Rachael into a bone crushing hug.

"Thanks Katie." Rachael laughed and caught Jen's grin. The five women started talking up a storm after that, Courtney sliding right into the conversation. In a half hour they had Rachael standing in her long off white wedding gown. The dress was a huge piece of material, with only two thin straps holding it on. At her waist a silver sash pulled the dress in to accentuate her waist, which wasn't going to look like that much longer.

"Are you sure you're pregnant?" Katie asked with a grin, looking at the perfect figure.

"Nine weeks." Rachael sighed, picking up the bouquet of white roses with its red and purple bow. Her hair was curled around her head and only a half ponytail kept it up but her bangs fell in her face with a veil attached to her tiara, and she looked gorgeous.

"It's time." Courtney said softly. The other girls slipped out of the room with quick hugs for their friend. Alan slipped through the door before it closed and stopped at the sight of his daughter in her wedding dress.

"You look like your mother." He whispered softly, and pulled her into his arms and held her. When she pulled back he reached into his pocket and grabbed a small black box. "This was hers, she wanted you have it." He opened the box to reveal a silver necklace with a single diamond in the shape of a teardrop on its center.

"Dad, it's beautiful." She whispered as she turned to let him slip it around her neck.

"You're, beautiful." Alan kissed her cheek gently and smiled. "I don't think we should keep him waiting." Rachael grinned and slipped her arm through his and they left her room and descended the stairs.

Every time he saw Rachael, she took his breath away, but this time, Eric wasn't sure he could stay standing. Everyone in the front entryway of the mansion looked up as Rachael and Alan descended the stairs, all eyes on the bride. When they approached the minister they stopped and Rachael smiled softly at Eric.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" The middle aged minister said kindly.

"Her brother and I do." Alan grinned and Wes chuckled lightly. The father kissed his daughter's cheek again and gave her hand to Eric, who took it and stepped up to the makeshift alter together. Rachael didn't really notice the black suit and dark crimson tie Eric was wearing, but the look in his eyes drew her completely in.

"Eric please recite your vows."

"I Eric, take thee Rachael, to be my wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore." He repeated looking right in her eyes without looking away from her face.

"Rachael." The minister turned to the bride.

"I Rachael, take thee Eric, to be my husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore."

"Now the rings." The minister said and Wes handed over the two rings he was carrying. The man handed on to Eric. "Please slide this ring on Rachael's finger while reciting this message. 'Rachael, with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life.'"

"Rachael, with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life." The minister handed Rachael Eric's ring and repeated the same line.

"Eric, with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life." Rachael couldn't stop smiling as their hands were intertwined between them.

"And now by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you, man and wife. You may kiss your bride." The minister grinned. Eric leaned forward and kissed Rachael gently on her lips, the first time anyone in the room had seen them kiss. "And now, it is my great honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Myers."

Their friends cheered as Eric and Rachael turned to them and stepped down from the alter into the small group of people who embraced them tightly. Grace and her husband and flown in from Florida with their four kids and Rachael bent down to meet them all.

"This is Caydence, Alexei, Melody, and the littlest, Joel." Grace smiled at her new sister-in-law as she hugged each of the four kids. They ran off to play and Rachael went right over to hug Trip and then Lucas, both looking dashing in their black suits.

"Congrats Lucas, we'll be there for you and 'Wyn in November." She promised and he grinned at her. After a while of the talking and catching up between the ranger team, Eric broke away from Grace's husband and wrapped his arms around Rachael from behind. She turned her face to him and grinned. "We did it." She whispered.

"You don't mind being married to just me?"

"Just you?" Rachael turned to him with an amused grin. "I think I'd rather be married to you than anyone else. I love your little house." She moved her face closer to his and he grinned.

"You mean 'our' little house." He kissed her but loud whooping cheers broke them apart to grin at Wes and Lucas.

"Alright, let's go eat." Eric scowled at Wes, but grinned as they all went outside on the lawn to eat under the stars and the lights they'd spent all day putting up. The garden was gorgeous, the lawns perfectly manicured and the one large table had a long white table cloth with purple and dark red ribbons and flower petals scattered along the table.

Morning

It felt like it had been a wonderful dream, one he didn't want to wake up from. So as Eric lay in his bed, he kept his eyes closed tightly, knowing that he was already awake, but not wanting to face the reality of an empty house again. But movement next to him caused his eyes to open in a flash, settling on the beautiful face of the person lying next to him. A large smile lit up his face as his brain recognized it hadn't been a dream, it was a magical reality, Rachael was his wife. Her face was peaceful in her sleep, and unable to resist her, he leaned in and kissed her forehead gently. She didn't stir from her sleep, but nestled into his arms, curling herself against him. Eric wrapped his arms tightly around her and pressed his cheek to her head, his nose burried in her hair.

Their wedding was simple but elegant thanks to her father, and here she was, lying in his arms, carrying his child. Sometimes he wished they'd come together in a more socially acceptable way, but Rachael walked with her head held high, proudly wearing the ring he'd given her, not caring what anyone said about her. He could only wish their child got her self assurance instead of his own doubts. Rachael was the love of his life, he'd known that since he met her all those years ago, and even when they were at odds arguing, he still loved her. When she was lying in his arms, peaceful in her sleep and as beautiful as ever it almost felt like he was even more in love with her if that was possible.

After a while she stirred, opening her eyes and meeting the sight of his bare chest at her eye level and a smile spread onto her face immediately as her eyes closed. She looked happy there, and it made him smile right back.

"Morning Mrs. Myers." He whispered against her hair and felt her back stretch in his arms and she smiled again.

"Morning." Rachael murmured softly and her hand pressed against his stomach. "I haven't slept that well in a while." Her eyes closed again and she pressed herself against him. "It's like last night was a dream, but here I am."

"Thank God you are." Eric murmured into her hair and she tilted her head up to look in his eyes, closing them again when he gently pressed his lips to hers.

"I love you." She smiled again and sighed contentedly. "Let's not get up today." She laughed at her joke and tucked her head back under his chin, enjoying the rumble of his laughter through his chest. But he was only happy to oblige, it wasn't like he had to work, Alan Collins had given him a week of paid vacation for their honeymoon which would start tomorrow when they were to fly to Miami and spend a few days on the beach. Today they had planned to just spend it together at home, relax for a few hours before going to Florida.

"Aren't you going to get hungry?" He murmured into her ear and she laughed against him.

"I can manage if you can." She pulled away from him and leaned over him, pressing her lips to his as his hands slid to her slim waist. What a lucky man he was.