It was the morning Kate had been waiting, and praying for for three long terrible years, the morning of her wedding. She rolled over and gazed lovingly at the man she adored who soon to be her husband. His quiet sleeping face in the morning's light filled her with delighted wonder. A lock of his hair had fallen across his eyes while he slept. Kate reached out and ever so carefully brushed it off his face, taking great care not to wake him. Kate luxuriated in the soft comfort of their bed, wrapped in his loving arms, one draped across her shoulders and the other across her waist. Kate had not felt more safe, more alive than she did at this moment, curled up in bed, next to the man she had longed for waited for dreamed of for three long agonizing years.

I think this part of the day is the best. She thought.

She reluctantly peeled herself from Rick's loving embrace, careful not to wake him. Upon extricating herself, she quietly dressed for her early morning run.

As she left the bedroom she was met by Alexis who had been up since dawn, double checking all the arrangements. Alexis looked up at her and a beaming, almost mischievous smile came to her lips.

"Hi, Mom! Out for a Run?"

"Yes Alexis, just because I'm getting married doesn't mean I let myself get fat and lazy."

"I don't know about lazy but you could do to put on a few pounds!" Alexis giggled.

Kate rolled her eyes, as she stretched and began to warm up for her run.

"What? Not you!" Alexis screamed over the headset.

Kate smirked and ran off leaving a fuming Alexis in her wake. Soon she heard the foot falls of two other runners catching up to her, Alice and Callie, out for a run of their own.

"Fancy meeting you two out here, what a pleasant surprise." Kate beamed at them as they fell into place alongside of her.

"Yeah I have way too much pent up energy, so I snatched my maid of honor from her fiancee's bed and hit the road."

Alice blushed.

"Where's Alex?"

"He's still asleep. It's weird as he's usually up with the sun, military training and all. But this morning, I swear a bomb could go off and it wouldn't wake him."

Kate nodded her head and smiled. It would seem that Alex was beginning to pick up some of his brother's sleep habits. They seemed more like the twins they were with each passing day.

"Callie, I love my mother's wedding dress! Please, thank your mom for me. She did an excellent job restoring it!" Kate added, beaming, she had actually spent an hour staring at it, tears in her eyes imagining what her mother looked like wearing it.

Callie nodded her head as she kept pace, noting the sad look that crossed Kate's face, knowing she was thinking of her mother, and how she would never see her in it.

"Alice, it's good Alex takes so good care of you!" Callie said, changing the subject.

"Yeah it is great. I had no idea such a wonderful man existed!"

Kate smiled as she thought of the man she had left in their bed, and the new man that Alex was quickly becoming.

"Yeah it is mind blowing how alike the Rodgers brothers really are."

Soon they were finished with their circuit of the compound and found themselves back in the kitchen, doing cooldown exercises.

Meredith was in the kitchen. Seeing Alex and Rick together had stirred her feelings for her fallen William, the time they had lost and now would never get back.

"William was so gentle and kind. I miss him so much." Meredith started to weep thinking about the man she had loved and lost, who had been taken from her in such a cruel way, only to die alone poisoned in a Florida swamp.

Kate, Callie, and Alice rushed over to console the grieving Meredith. Kate had once seen her as a rival for Rick's affections, but now saw her as the tragic figure she truly was. The Admiral had done to the poor woman what he tried to make Alex do to her and Rick. Her heart was filled with compassion.

"Meredith, remember the good times. It will help." Kate said softly, speaking from experience, as thoughts of her mother once again entered her mind.

Meredith, looked at Kate, her eyes filled with tears, "Whenever I looked at Rick, all I ever saw was my poor William, it's why our marriage fell apart, why it was doomed from the very beginning. I left Alexis with him because whenever I looked at her, I thought of the children I would never have with him. Excuse me..." and she fled to her room, sobbing uncontrollably.

Before Kate could move to follow, Holly appeared with Martha and her father in tow.

"Hey little one you have a good sleep?" she asked, brushing away the single tear she had shed for Meredith, trying to put on a happy face for her daughter.

Holly nodded her head and told Ellie what she wanted for breakfast.

Jim Beckett sat at the table with a cup of coffee and began to read the paper.

"Martha, when is the Admiral supposed to arrive?" Kate asked, unable to keep a small hint of spite for the man out of her tone

"I don't know, dear one you'll need to ask Alexis, she's handling the itinerary." Martha replied, the resentment for what her ex husband had done to her sons and her nephew was barely hidden by her considerable acting talents.

"No that's okay," Kate replied, "Alexis seemed to be very angry at someone on the phone earlier and I'd rather not disturb her over such a mundane question."

Kate kissed Holly on the head, received a similar kiss from her father then headed toward her bedroom for a shower.

Rick was sitting on the end of the bed, waiting when she walked in the door.

"Oooh, Sweaty Kate! I woke up just in time!"

Rick still in his night clothes rose from the bed, wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her in for a kiss. The razor stubble on his face scratched her as the kiss deepened, but Kate didn't care as she totally relaxed into Rick's arms.

"Ok," she squealed, "enough! I need to shower and so do you!"

"Lead on, Ms. Longworth I'll be right behind you." Rick replied, as Kate added an extra sway to her hips to get him motivated.

They showered together, taking an extra long slow time of it. Their bodies lovingly intertwined, both of them knowing that this would be the last time they saw each other before the ceremony, neither wanting it to end drawing this moment out as long as they could, so the thought of it could last them the whole day.

Greatly refreshed, Rick dressed and was lead away from the bedroom by an impatient Holly, Mommy had to get ready and she was single minded in her pursuit of her father's full attention that morning.

Kate smiled at how insistent her little girl was in getting Rick out of the room.

As soon as Holly did her job the room filled with all of the women of both bridal parties Martha, Gynethe, Lanie, Callie, Alice and eventually Meredith. The only person missing was Alexis, strangely noted for her absence. A knock at the door revealed the Beauty consultants and Hairdressers. Many portable stands were brought in. The room was transformed into an exclusive beauty parlor. The primping and pampering had just begun.

Meanwhile in Alex's cottage Alex, Kevin, Javi, Jim Longworth and Jim Beckett had gathered, Rick was the last to arrive, pulled along by a single minded and persistent Holly.

"All done Papa Jim! Daddy is here and I need to go! Bye Daddy!" she shouted on her way out the door as she ran back to the main house, not wanting to miss anything.

Rick was greeted by the rest of the men and got ready for the event. Jim Longworth was beaming! Alex had a strange look on his face. Both Kevin and Javi were killing time playing pool.

"Welcome, brother to the Man Cave." Alex said, half joking.

"Great digs Alex I think this the first time I was here since Alice moved in." Rick said, noting the feminine touches in the place.

"Yeah, Brother well what do you think?" Alex was practically beaming, Rick had never seen him smile so much.

"I am impressed! Brother your styles work well together."

Shortly thereafter, the grooms and their groomsmen were dressed and stationed on the beach to escort the assembled guests to the wedding.

Rick was under the canopy which was billowing slightly in the breeze. The scene before him was perfect in its simplicity. The water was a brilliant shade of blue, the white surf was mild in its contrast. The canopy's blue and white stripes blended perfectly with the setting.

Alexis had exquisite tastes. She should do this for a living. Rick mused as the assembled guests appeared. In a flurry of military precision, the Admiral made his grand entrance, his aides flanking him. Even on this, the happiest day of his life, his so-called father could make bile rise in his throat. Alex noticed his brother's unpleasant expression upon their father's entrance. Alex himself felt a bit of the same revulsion seeing the old man here. It felt...wrong to him.

Owen, resplendent in his full dress whites stood next to the Admiral. They were the last to be seated before the music started. First down the aisle was the flower girl, Holly, cute as a button in her yellow and white dress. She was followed by Callie's cousin James, acting as ringbearer. There were two sets of rings placed on the pillow he carried as he strode stiffly down the aisle.

Next the bridesmaids made their grand entrance, each in a different pastel color, Callie's entered first (Rick had insisted on it) one cousin in pale pink, another in pale yellow and followed by Alice, her maid of honor in shimmering aquamarine. Alex snapped to attention at the sight of his beautiful fiancé.

Next were Kate's bridesmaids Lanie in Deep Red, followed by Gynethe in Deep Blue and finally Alexis in Deep Purple.

The music shifted to Wagner's "Bridal Chorus". Callie, supported by her dad was splendid in a pale amber dress and walked with her head erect, Jim Longworth's eyes locked immediately on hers as they approached the altar and her father handed her off to him. They were smiling at each other barely believing this day had arrived.

As the wedding march continued, the guests took in a breath as Kate appeared on her father's arm, absolutely stunning in her mother's wedding dress and her four inch heels, walking erect, a huge smile on her face. Jim Beckett was smiling and winked at Holly as they passed.

When Rick's eyes met hers time seemed to stand still, all of the sappy love songs ever written suddenly made sense. Kate was glowing as she approached and Jim handed her off to Rick, and moved to take his seat. From that moment on their eyes never wavered from each other. "Bam, said the lady..." he thought to himself.

"Dearly beloved, We are gathered here in the sight of God and before these witnesses to unite Jim and Callie, and Rick and Katherine in the bonds of holy matrimony..."

Alex studied the two happy couples as they stood side by side at the altar. Mostly he studied the interaction between his brother, Rick and his beautiful bride. He looked at the way they complimented and drew strength from each other. The absolute love in their eyes as the ceremony continued on. They gazed lovingly into each others eyes as if the last three years had never happened.

The three years he had stolen from them.

An act he could no longer look into a mirror and tell himself was justified. He knew that twisted old man far too well now. He knew now it had just been another damned game on his part a test of his loyalty. His actions three years ago filled him with self loathing. The vulnerability in Kate that he had taken advantage of on that dark day brought him nothing but shame. He knew from this day forward, that he would spend the rest of his life seeking to atone for it.

His eyes turned to Alice, splendid in her aquamarine bridesmaid's dress, her beautiful golden locks artfully coiled atop her head. The same love he had seen between Kate and his brother was beamed at him from her shimmering blue eyes. He knew now how wrong that twisted old man had been. How much of a crime it had been to force those two lovers apart. He knew that now, because he had finally found it for himself. She didn't care what he had been before, or the shameful, terrible godawful things he had done.

"She loves me, with her whole heart, she loves me." He thought to himself, and his own heart soared at the prospect.

The old Alex, the one who's loyalty to his father had been blind and absolute, would have laughed at him and mocked him for his weakness. That Alex was long since dead, buried with poor William.

It equal parts thrilling and terrifying for him to fathom how the very idea of true love, something father had so long scoffed and derided as a pathetic weakness, was now the driving force which sustained him. Alex shook his head as the ceremony continued. He owed his brother a debt he could never repay for giving him back his soul.

Rick did not hear the priest so he had to say the question again.

Alex pushed Rick a bit so that he was not so dazed when the question was asked again.

"I do" He said loudly for all to hear.

Kate was faster than Rick and said her "I do" before the priest could even finish question.

Katie is awful anxious to get this service over. Jim Beckett mused to himself. So like her mother. as a single tear for his beloved Johanna slowly crept down his cheek.

Martha sobbed quietly into her handkerchief. She always cried at weddings.

Jim Longworth and Callie opted for the traditional verses too. Neither missed their marks. Kate turned slightly to smile at Jim, the man who had kept her sane over the past three years, when she thought she'd lost everything. Her eyes once again locked with her husband's. She had waited so long for this day. Suffered so much for it the past three years. Part of her was glad that that conniving old man who had conspired to keep them apart for so long was here to see this.

"By the authority vested in me, by God and the state of Florida, I now pronounce you husbands and wives. What God has now united let no man put asunder.

You may now kiss your brides."

Jim and Callie were faster on the kiss but Rick and Kate were slower and much more thorough with theirs.

At that moment the honor guard of FDLE officers stood up and crossed swords so that both happy couples could walk underneath. Kate was so surprised over this part which Alexis had carefully organized for their benefit.

Birdseed was thrown at the couple as they ducked under the crossed swords. To the tune of Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March"

As they headed back up the aisle toward the family pavilion, there was not a dry eye in the place. Except, of course, the Admiral. He could care less about Rick and Kate, they were irrelevant to him and his plans now. "I'll soon have what I came for." he mused darkly to himself, a satisfied grin crossing his face.

Owen, however, had other plans.