You're Not Alone (XXI)
About Six Months Later
They had wanted a small wedding in Central Park; immediate family, close friends. Why would that ever be the case? As soon as Colleen had mentioned her youngest daughter was getting married, the entire O'Hagan family flooded in from all corners of the United States and from Ireland. After that there was no stopping the Novaks from the Czech Republic from coming to New York to see Casey get married.
The grand total; 289 members of Casey's extended family alone, 74 of their friends, including SVU, the whole BAU team, the Lightman Group, and people from the DA's office, zero people from Silas' 'family'. His staff on his estate down South couldn't even come up, because it was the middle of tourist season.
Just going over the numbers in his head made Silas queasy. The only reason he made it through the night with Casey's immediate family was because he was completely plastered. Unfortunately, as the groom he couldn't get hammered today.
"You ok there, mate?" Silas looked over at his best man, Cal Lightman.
"No." But Cal already knows that. "I feel like I'm going to throw up."
"Now that wouldn't be good, with all of these people here." Cal motioned over the sea of people, about 75% of them on Casey's side.
"Yeah." Silas swallowed back some bile. "Especially since I need to meet all of them later."
"That sucks." Cal clapped Silas on the shoulder, and gave him a shake. "Look, wave to Emily!" he said waving to his daughter.
Silas gave his goddaughter a small wave; Emily was sitting next to Lena Petrovsky, and both women thought he was waving to them, so both waved back. "Who's that looker?"
"A Judge." Silas said. "I don't think we even invited her…"
"Oh yeah, she looks like a party crasher."
"Good God, can't we just get this thing started…" Silas smoothed out the lapels of his jacket; in typical Shag fashion, he was dressed in an expensive suit, tailored exactly to his shape, with a jacket that brushed his knees. Cal wore the exact same thing, and if Cal was a few years younger and a bit taller they could have been brothers.
"Just look forward to the honeymoon." Cal said. "Where are you going anyway?"
"Italy." As soon as Garcia had divulged from Casey where they were going for their honeymoon, she begged Hotch to give them their private jet to take them overseas; It would get them there in a little over five hours, winds permitting. Erin Strauss, still technically his boss, gave him clearance to use it, so as in the words of Garcia, 'to not look like a bitch'.
"Going to the Vatican?"
"Yes-"
"Be sure to bang her somewhere in there."
"Jesus, Cal!"
Cal waggled his eyebrows. "Erotic huh?"
"Not really!" Silas looked at all of Casey's family; they were all loud, half speaking in Czech, the other half speaking with such thick Irish brogues that Silas couldn't understand any of them. "Please stop talking about how I'm going to screw her on our honeymoon…" Silas said lowering his voice.
"Oh, so you already had the Vatican thing planned?"
"Cal, that's not what I-" Before Silas could finish his sentence, the priest came and stood under the arch above them.
"Mr. Shag?" He was a small man who was balding a bit. "Are you ready to begin?"
Silas swallowed. "Let's do this."
The priest motioned towards the string quartet, which began playing. The bridesmaids, accompanied by groomsmen, walked down the aisle; Morgan and Garcia, Elliot and Olivia, Munch and JJ, Reid and Emily, and Hotch and Gillian (Silas was a bit surprised that Casey had chosen Garcia, JJ, Emily, and Gillian as bridesmaids, but they had about three or four girls' nights since they met, and Casey really liked them so he didn't complain).
Next came Mary Clark as the maid of honor; like Silas, Casey had asked her longtime mentor and friend to be there next her when she got married. Silas had only met Clark a few times, most notably during the investigation against a toy-mogul, Billy Tripplie, who was accused of molesting a young boy named JJ, in which Clark had been appointed to represent the boy; she seemed like a nice lady, and she and Casey were close, like him and Cal.
In speaking of Cal, he seemed to like Clark too; he gave her a wink, and that Lightman mysterious smile. Silas surprised to see her smile back. If they hooked up, it would be what Silas and Casey would be like in twenty years or so.
The string quartet started to play 'Cannon in D', and everyone stood up, blocking Silas' view of the aisle. He didn't want to make a fool of himself and crane his neck around everyone to see her, so he just leaned over just a bit to see…
Silas had check to make sure his mouth wasn't hanging open like an idiot when he saw Casey. He felt Cal give him a little elbow in the ribs. "Stop drooling. You look like a buffoon."
She looked beautiful as always, yet even more than usual. Her dress was simple but elegant, strapless, nothing to poufy, that showed off her goddess-like body, accenting curves. Her strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back into an intricate chignon with a stray loose curls falling to frame her face. They made eye contact, and simultaneously grinned at each other.
Silas stepped forward a few paces; Carl Sr., who had walked Casey down the aisle, shook Silas' hand, and then joined his and Casey's. Silas then led Casey up to the minister.
"Hi." He whispered.
"Hi." She whispered back.
"You're beautiful.
"And you've been well groomed."
"Aren't I always?"
Casey chuckled a bit as they reached the minister. "We are gathered here today to join Silas Atticus Shag and Cassandra Nicole Novak here in holy matrimony…"
The ceremony dragged on forever, it seemed. Finally they were about to exchange vows.
Silas went first. "Casey, when we first met, we didn't really get along that well, and if you have told me we were going to get married two years later, I would have laughed. But now, I see how much of a wonderful, caring person you are. I love you, more then you'll ever know. You're my best friend, my partner, my soul mate."
Casey went next, tears in her eyes. "Silas, I didn't give you a chance when we first met; I wish I had so we could have spent more time together. You are one of the bravest people I have ever met. I love you, and I wouldn't trade our relationship for the world."
The priest looked at Lightman. "The rings?"
Lightman looked at him like he was crazy, and Silas' heart skipped a beat; if Cal didn't have the rings, he might just kill him right then and there. "Oh, yeah, here they are!" Lightman pulled them out of his jacket's pocket, and handed the rings over.
Silas took Casey's, a simple ring with silver band and a single diamond set in it, and slid it on her finger saying; "Casey, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
At that moment, Casey was glad she had decided to go with waterproof mascara. She picked up Silas' ring, another simple silver band, and slid it onto his finger. "Silas, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
"Silas, do you take Casey to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do."
"And Casey, do you take Silas to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
"Then by the power invested in me by the Lord, our God, I now pronounce you man and wife." The minister looked at Casey and Silas, who were still holding each other's hands, and smiled. "You may now kiss the bride."
Silas did not need to be told twice. He took Casey's face and kissed her. He could hear cheers and whoops, and he could see flashes going off, but they were far away. Right now it was just him and Casey.
XXX
Le gasp! Ranowa! *attempts to revive* Don't die on me like that! Glad you enjoyed Cal last chapter, this chapter, and when he gives his speech at the reception next chapter…
VampirePrincess, if you didn't already figure it out by Ranowa's uhh… reaction, Lie to Me is a fantastic show, as is Criminal Minds. Those two, along with SVU are basically the only shows I watch.
And last but not least, 7Seven7, I can't even tell you how much I hate loopholes… *tosses cookie* Here ya go.
Maybe once I finish writing this, I'll do a cross-over with SVU ad Criminal Minds where we get to see what both the ladies and the guys do on their GNO and poker nights, respectively. (PSssSST! Lemme know if you like that idea!)
Now review! Or there shall be no drunken tomfoolery during the next chapter!