Author's note: We're cruising right on through towards the end. I don't know exactly how close, but almost there. Thank you for sticking with me through this.

Happy reading!

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Me pretty, Dad?" Katherine asked as Dave pulled down the skirt of her dress.

"You are beautiful, Katie." He kissed her cheek and stood.

"Mel pretty, too." She said, looking up at the woman across the room.

Mel turned and grinned. "Thank you, Katherine. Do you like your dress?"

She nodded. "You's too."

"Yours." Dave corrected. Not that it mattered much. She was just a couple months shy of two and he was surprised she talked as much as she did.

"Want Jimi." She said, looking up at her father.

"We'll see Jimi soon, sweetie. The ceremony's about to start."

"Daddy?"

"Him too."

She sat down on the floor and crossed her arms. "Daddy." She said adamantly.

Dave took out his phone and dialed. "Your daughter wants to talk to you."

Sebastian chuckled. "Okay, put her on."

"Here, Katie." He handed over the phone and pulled her onto his lap.

"Daddy?"

"Hi, Katie-bug."

"Love, Daddy."

"I love you, too, my sweet girl."

"Me pretty, Daddy!" She announced.

"I bet you are. I can't wait to see you."

Dave said, "Tell Daddy bye."

"Bye-bye, Daddy!"

He took the phone back. "How's Jimi doing over there?"

"Good. We've been playing. Want to talk to him?"

"Yes."

"Here, Jimi, Dad wants to talk to you."

"Dad!" The boy exclaimed.

"Jimi! Are you having fun?"

There was silence and then Sebastian said, "He can't hear your head nodding, buddy."

"Yes. Fun!" Jimi said into the phone.

Dave laughed. "Good. I'm glad."

"Yes."

"I love you, Jimi. And I can't wait to see how handsome you are."

"Yes, Dad." He was definitely the less talkative of the two. "Bye now!"

"Bye, sweetie." But the line was dead. He went to put the phone back in his pocket when it buzzed with a text from Sebastian.

"See you in a few, baby."

"Not soon enough." He turned off his phone. "So, what's left?"

"Lining up." Mel said with a smile.

Emily picked up the basket of flower petals from a chair in the corner. "Do you remember what to do with these, Katie?" She asked as she handed the basket to the girl.

She nodded.

"Good. You go in with Jimi after your Daddies walk in together. Right before Aunt Mel, okay?"

She nodded again.

"Okay." She stood.

"I'll go see if they're ready." Dave said, stepping out.

Katherine started after him. "Dad?"

"Stay with me, pumpkin." Emily said as she took hold of the girl's free hand.

Dave quickly returned. "All ready."

Mel let out a nervous breath. "Here goes nothing."

Katherine and Jimi both fidgeted as they stood outside the doors. Dave leaned down and straightened Jimi's tie.

"It's ridiculous how much they look like you these days." Dave said to his husband as he stood.

"It's frightening." Sebastian agreed.

They took their spots behind the Emily and a relative of Gregory's that served as a groomsman. Sebastian slipped a hand into Dave's.

"No, Kate!" Jimi said loudly.

They turned to see Katherine trying to hold onto her brother's hand.

"Katie, you need to be able to drop the flowers." Sebastian explained.

"Daddies hands." She pointed.

He smiled. "But not you, sweetie. Katie flowers."

"Jimi rings!" The boy announced, holding up the pillow.

"That's right."

Mel said, "Sebastian, Dave, your turn."

They looked up to see Emily and her escort were quite a way up the aisle and started walking.

"Remember to drop the flowers, Katie." They heard Mel say.

"I don't like all this pomp and circumstance." Dave mumbled. "I'm glad we did what we did."

"Me too, baby." He looked over his shoulder. "I want plenty of pictures of that."

Dave smiled. He kissed Sebastian's hand before they parted and then watched their children with pride. Katherine was all but skipping as she happily dropped the flower petals on the ground. Jimi walked along beside her, his face in deep concentration as he tried to keep the ring pillow up.

"Daddy, shoes." He said, lifting up his foot when he was almost to the front to reveal his shoe had come untied.

The guests laughed.

Sebastian chuckled and waved him forward. He quickly tied his son's shoe. Katherine looked into her basket to see she still had several petals and turned the basket over before running up and grabbing Dave's hand.

The music changed and all eyes turned to the back of the room. The doors opened and there stood Mel in all her glory. Gregory let out a soft gasp and beamed in pride as he watched her make her way to him.

Katherine danced from one foot to the other during the ceremony.

The preacher asked for the rings. Jimi said, "Rings!" He held the pillow up high.

"Thanks, Jimi." Gregory said as he took them off and placed them on the preacher's Bible.

Dave sniffed and Katherine looked up to him. He smiled and squeezed her hand as he wiped his cheeks with the other. She turned her face back to the couple as they shared their first kiss.

Katherine giggled and Jimi made a gagging sound. Everyone else cheered. The couple walked down the aisle as the noise continued. Dave and Sebastian each picked up a child and followed holding hands.

There were pictures after that. Dave was surprised both the twins stood still for each of the shots they were in.

At the reception, Jimi quickly shrugged out of his coat. He pulled at his tie and begged, "Dad, off!"

Dave loosened the tie, but left it on.

"No! Off!" He demanded.

Dave sighed. "Don't be so demanding." He removed the tie. "Just like Daddy."

Jimi smiled. "Daddy!" He looked around and held up his hands. "Daddy?"

"Here, my boy." Sebastian said. "With food for you and Katie." He looked around. "Where's Katie?"

"She's with Tabby." He looked around and pointed across the room.

"Who might try to get her another plate of food. I'll get her."

"Wait." Dave grabbed his arm as he tried to walk away.

"What?" He asked, looking his husband up and down.

Dave smirked and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Sebastian cupped his cheek. He kissed him again and then moved away.

Later when the dancing started, Katherine was in the middle of it. Jimi sat on Dave's lap and refused to get up.

Sebastian wrapped an arm around Dave's waist. "Come dance with me?"

"Jimi is being clingy."

"He can dance with us. What do you say, buddy?"

The boy smiled and nodded.

"So dance with me, baby." He stood and tugged on Dave's arm. "Both of you."

Jimi continued to hold onto Dave's neck as Sebastian wrapped his arms around them both. They swayed to the music.

Katherine ran over and tugged on his pants. "Daddy, me."

Sebastian lifted her up and held her close between them until the song ended. The next one was a fast one. He stepped back and put her on the ground. He spun her around and around. She shook her little body all over the place, laughing happily.

"Are you having fun?" He asked, scooping her up into his arms once more.

She nodded. "Fun, Daddy."

"Me too." He kissed her. "You should dance with Dad for a while. Let me dance with Jimi."

Katherine turned and reached out her arms to Dave. "Dad!"

"Baby switch!" Sebastian announced. He took Jimi, who was starting to look even more exhausted from the day's activities.

He rested his head on Sebastian's shoulder. "Tired, Daddy."

"Yeah? Well, come over here. There's a bench with your name on it, buddy." He put the boy down. He shrugged off his coat and laid it over him. He kissed Jimi's temple. "You sleep as long as you need."

"Love you." He said before he closed his eyes.

"I love you, my sweet boy." Sebastian combed his fingers through the boy's hair for several minutes. He watched the room

Dave and Katherine both made the rounds of the dance floor. It was getting late and they really should get the kids home and into bed. But today was a special day. They could stay out a little longer.

"He didn't make it." Mel said from beside him.

Sebastian looked up and grinned. "Nope. I'm about dead on my feet myself."

"You have one more dance in you? Because you haven't danced with me yet. And I'm the bride, so I should dance with whoever I want."

He chuckled. "True." He stood and held out his hand. "May I have this dance, Miss Melly?"

She smiled. She spoke with a horrible Southern accent, "Why, Mr. Karofsky-Smythe, I thought you'd never ask."

He laughed and walked with her out onto the dance floor as a song started playing. He laughed. "I love this song." He sang along.

I've had a little bit too much, much
All of the people start to rush.
Start to rush by.
A dizzy twister dance
Can't find my drink or man.
Where are my keys, I lost my phone.

Mel laughed and sang the rest of the song with him. Dave and Gregory joined them.

As the four danced together, Katherine ran over and tugged on Gregory's pant leg. "Dance?"

He picked her up and swung her in a circle. "You are so cute, Katie!"

She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. When the song was over, Gregory looked down to find the little girl asleep. He tapped Sebastian's shoulder. "What do you want to do about her?"

"Aw, baby girl." He lifted her out of his arms. "I hate to poop the party, but we should probably get these two home."

"Don't worry about it. They deserve their beds." Mel kissed Katherine's temple.

She opened her eyes a little and smiled. "Mel."

"I'll get our stuff." Sebastian rubbed his daughter's back and then passed her to Dave. "Just hang with them."

Dave grinned. "Such a hardship."

"Yeah, I'm sure." He squeezed Dave's shoulder and then walked away. He stopped a few times along the way to speak to people.

"Thank you for today." Mel said, wrapping an arm around Dave's waist. "You're a great friend."

"You too, Mel. We've all had a lot of fun today." He smirked and leaned close. "You should get out of here soon so you're not too tired for boring married sex."

"Isn't that the point of being married?" She asked. "Being so tired that you either just do it and get it over with or don't do it at all?"

Dave laughed. "It's not a giant change after as before. It's just sanctioned by a sheet of paper."

"I'm very happy for that sheet of paper." Gregory said, pulling Mel to him and kissing her hard on the mouth.

She laughed, "Me too."

The party was slowly starting to break up by the time Sebastian came back. "I pulled the car closer." He picked Jimi up and gathered their coats. "Ready when you are, baby."

"I'm ready. I need to put her down." He kissed Mel's cheek. "Have fun this week. Don't stay in the hotel the whole time."

"We won't."

"We'll try." Gregory contributed. "Drive careful. And give those kids extra kisses for us every night until we're back."

"We'll do that." After one more farewell, they finally left.

The twins slept the entire way home and through getting changed into their pajamas. Dave and Sebastian climbed into their bed and were out before their heads hit the pillow.

They were awakened a short time later by a pair of voices by the bed. "Dad?" one said. The other whispered, "Daddy." and poked Sebastian's shoulder.

"Climb on up." Dave said as he moved away from his husband enough to let them in between.

Katherine curled herself into a little ball against Sebastian's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her gently.

Jimi, on the other hand, laid flat on his back and his limbs spread out. Dave whispered, "You're taking up all the room, Jimi."

He looked at his father a moment and then rolled closer to Katherine. Dave closed the rest of the space and stretched an arm out over all three of them as they all drifted back to sleep.