The reception moves to the ballroom, still somehow managing to spill out onto the lawn. For the first time in decades, the mansion is filled with music and laughter. Children racing, crying babies, couples flirting and friends gossiping fill the amazing room, relaxing under the shade of giant umbrellas on the tables around the gardens or sitting on the veranda.

Sonny likes to picture the mansion absorbing all the positive energy, all the way into the dark corners of the rooms he keeps locked.

"Sonny." Abi lays a hand on his arm. "May I have this dance?"

"Did someone murder Chad?" He leads her out on the floor. "Because that's the only reason I'd know of that he'd let you be even a foot away from him. He kisses her on the cheek before taking her into his arms. "Not that I blame him. When the most beautiful woman in the room is also your wife, you don't let her go."

"Oh, Sonny." She rests her cheek on his. "If I wasn't head over heels in love with my husband, and you were straight, I'd scoop you up lickety split."

"If you ever change your mind, give me a call."

"I just want to thank you again for everything you've done to make my special day perfect. I know my mom, brother and I have been driving you crazy over the past few weeks."

"Has it really only been a few weeks?" Sonny laughs. "I say it was worth every hour I had to spend hiding so you guys couldn't find me."

"I'm so, so happy, and I love you. I love everything about today." Abi says with a laugh. "Sonny, there's something unfinished about this mansion. I don't think I even believed in that stuff, but...I can feel it. Whenever I'm here, I can feel it. I can feel it right now."

Sonny can feel her trembling against him, rubbing a hand over her back to help her relax it away. "You don't need to think about it today. You don't need to think about anything today."

"I'm scared for you. Something...is really not finished. And part of it, I just know it, it's somehow my fault."

"Your fault?" Sonny eases back so he can see her face, pulling her toward one of the corners. "What are you talking about?"

"I wish I knew what I was talking about. I just know how it feels. I did something, or I didn't do something for you. It doesn't make any sense at all, but it feels so strong. Knowing I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most. I guess I'm scared something bad's gonna happen all over again if something isn't put right. So, as crazy as I know it sounds, I just want you to know how sorry I am, so unbelievably sorry for whatever bad thing it is I did."

"It's okay." Sonny kisses her forehead. "There's no way you could've known. Whatever you did, you couldn't have known. And really, this isn't a day of regrets. It's all about moving forward."

"You're right. Just...be careful." she says, right as Chad walks up and pretends to swing a punch at Sonny.

"I believe that's my wife you're hiding from me. Go find your guy."

"Good idea."

He tracks down Will, finding him in a cluster of people. The red of the boutonniere is like a red beacon over his black tuxedo. He imagines his reaction to Will, transmitting clearly enough that he can see that knowing look take over Will's eyes as Sonny steps towards him.

Sonny turns slightly, holding out a hand to Will's grandma. "Marlena, would you care to dance with me?"

"I'm never one to turn down a dance with a handsome young man."

"You look beautiful." Sonny tells her as they take the floor.

"Weddings make me feel so young. I had a wonderful talk with your mother."

"Oh did you?"

"You were wondering." she says with a chuckle. "I can tell you we got along just fine. And she was definitely happy when I told her I saw you were brought up right the first time I ever met you. And then she won me over by telling me the same thing about Will. Then we just gossiped, about boring stuff women talk about at weddings, with the exception of when we agreed you are a very handsome young man. And men should find more excuses to wear a tuxedo."

"I could become a butler. But the best ones get better tips when they act snooty, and I'm pretty sure I couldn't stoop that low."

"Then I'll just have to wait until I'm officiating your own wedding to see you all dressed up."

"Yeah." Sonny looks past her head, but Will's already moved on. "This one worked out just fine. I did panic just a little last night over the storm, worried it was gonna mess everything up."

"What storm? There wasn't any storm last night."

"Yeah there was. A really strong one. You can't seriously tell me you slept through it."

"I was up all the way to midnight." She watches his face. "Finishing the work on this ensemble. Then I got up again around four when I couldn't sleep. I saw the light on here then. Wondering what you were doing up so early. It was a clear night, Sonny."

"I...guess I had to have dreamed about a storm. Pre-wedding jitters." But he wasn't up ar 4. He wasn't up at all, as far as he knew, after midnight--when he was walking through the mansion to turn all the lights off before going to bed.

Dreams, he thinks. Wind and rain, lightning flashing. Fire in the fireplace. Pain, sweat, dehydration. Blood.

A woman's hands, a woman's voice--Abi's?--giving comfort, encouragement.

He remembers now, so clearly, and stops right in the middle of their dance.

He'd given birth to a baby. He'd actually experienced the miracle of childbirth.

Oh. My. God.

"Hon? Sonny? Come outside." Gently, Marlena guides him off the floor. "Let's get you some air."

"Yeah. Women love to swoon, don't they?"

"What?"

"Nothing." He's completely embarrassed, in awe, at what had happened to him in his own dream. Inside, he supposes, his own memories.

"You can go back inside." he tells her. "I'm just gonna take a walk, clear my head."

"You remembered something, didn't you?"

"A complete miracle." he murmurs. "Do me a favor and remind me to get my mom the biggest present. I have no idea how women are able to do it even once. She did it twice. Incredible." he mumbles, then heads down. "Fucking incredible."

Sonny walks all the way around the mansion, before finally coming back inside for a tall glass of icy water. He uses it to wash down three extra-strength aspirin, hoping to cut back on the pounding headache that had appeared the second he remembered his dream.

He can hear the music spilling out from the ballroom. He can feel the vibrations under his feet where everyone is dancing.

He should really get back, performing his duties as best man and host. All he wants to do is face plant onto his bed, close his eyes, and slip into sweet unconsciousness.

"Sonny." Will comes in through the bedroom door, shutting it behind him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Headache."

"You've been gone for a whole hour. People are asking questions."

"I'll come out." But all he does is sit on the edge of his bed. "In just a minute."

Will crosses over to him. "How bad is it?"

"I've had way worse than this."

"Try lying down for a few minutes."

"I'm not napping on my best friend's wedding day--not unless you plan on keeping me company."

"Very tempting. Seeing a guy in a tux always makes me want to take it off of him."

"Butlers must love you."

"See, you just made a dumb joke, so you can't be feeling that bad."

"Considering I gave birth less than 24 hours ago, I'd say I'm freaking fantastic."

Will purses his lips. "How much have you had to drink already, Sonny?"

"Nowhere nearly as much as I plan to. Remember your theory about how I'm Alice Horton? I think you might actually be onto something. I dreamed last night I was in that room a few doors down, in that bed I keep seeing in there--the one that doesn't exist. I wasn't seeing Alice on the bed, right about to give birth. I was living it, and I can tell you with 100% certainty it's no picnic. Anyone who doesn't go for an epidural is completely insane. No amount of medieval torture can ever compare."

"You were dreaming about being Alice, and you--."

"It's wasn't a dream, Will, and I think I was in that room when I had that--flash, or hallucination, or whatever we're calling it. I remember the storm--how it sounded, being so terrified, how all my focus was on birthing that baby."

Sonny pauses, replaying the words. "Jesus, that sounds so weird."

"Yeah, it did." Will sits next to him.

"I heard other voices too. Other women trying to help me. I could see their faces--especially the really young one. The one close to my age--Alice's age. I can still feel the sweat on my face, and the indescribable fatigue. Then that feeling, at the very height when it felt like I was being ripped apart. Bearing down, then feeling so relieved, so numb, the wonder of bringing a baby into the world. And the flash of love and pride when they put that beautiful boy into my arms."

Sonny looks down at his hands, while Will keeps staring at him. "I can still see that baby, Will, clear as anything, I can see him. All red and puffy and really mad. Dark eyes, blond hair. A tiny mouth. Tiny, skinny fingers, and i remember thinking: There's ten of them, and he's perfect. My beautiful Bill."

He looks at Will now. "William "Bill" Horton, your great-grandfather, the one you're named after. Bill," Sonny repeats. "Our son."