AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing - I sometimes think I am hooked on your comments. And also feel free to comment if there is anything I can improve. Today - a shorter wedding chapter as it seemed like a separate entity.


"I told Rory," Celeste admitted to Jess in the middle of their dinner the same evening, which they were having at the Lebanese restaurant for a change, having gotten quite enough of cooking after Thanksgiving.

"Huh," he reacted, somewhat unsurprised by the fact. The way she seemed to be talking with Rory exceeded his expectations, and in a way he admired their ability to look past their rather unusual history. Above all he was just glad she had a friend, hoping she was feeling less lonely these days when it came to friendships.

"I assume they're coming then?" he asked, thinking a few steps ahead.

"Is that okay? I mean if you want to have Aidrian or Luke or anyone there, that's fine. It sort of came up and I don't know, it just felt right that they should be there….I just don't want to start deciding on the time based on when everybody is available," Celeste blabbered, having started feeling a little bad for offering an invite without discussing it with Jess first.

For a moment he did consider that maybe he'd just invite some people, but he knew that if he invited anyone who were actually related to him that would leave others who found out later with hurt feelings.

"I think I'm good," he replied after some contemplation. For most of his life it had been him fending for himself, and while the people who had shaped him had a place in his life and he did care about them, ultimately he was that lone soldier type. And while he did understand Celeste's need to surround herself with friends, to hold onto them strongly, to him there was little significance in the presence of other people in this. It was between him and her.

"You're sure?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, studying him closely.

"I am. All I need is you," Jess assured.

"You got that date thought out?" he asked practically, after taking a sip of his IPA.

"I got the dress," she added with a secretive smile. He was going to see the dress before the wedding anyways, the two of them going in together, but still the idea that it was something she had picked out for him, and her, had it's value.

"So you just tell me the day you can come to the City Hall with me to get the licence and once we have that, then…," she shrugged smilingly. After that it really was - whenever. Soon. She couldn't wait. Neither could he.

"Well alright then," Jess sighed with determination. There wasn't much question what they'd be doing the following morning.


The weekend in between, the earliest they could in fact get married was Monday, December 3rd, Jess taking a day off by working some later nights and a little in the weekend to make up for it, not wanting to ask for special favors or take out any more holiday days before Evie was born.

They were past the traditions - arriving at the Brooklyn Marriage Bureau together. There had been something alternatively ceremonious about getting ready together - Celeste helping him choose the best shirt and the best tie, Jess zipping her up, helping her decide between earrings, each gentle touch playing its significance. He wore his dark blue fitted suit, along with a classic white shirt. They'd picked a tie that matched her flowers, a single large white rose with eucalyptus. She'd settled for a low pair of comfortable heels, not that they showed much from under her dress, and weaved a fishtail headband braid into her hair, Jess actually helping her in securing it into place. He'd cut his hair the day before, knowing how she liked it a little shorter than he often let it grow. As a gift, she'd given him a pair of cufflinks that would match their future wedding bands, simple brushed gold, with nothing excess. He adored her dress - elegant and innocent, feeling the silkyness of it under his palm as he touched her.

They were there by 11 AM, expecting a bit of line, but for a day this important, they didn't want to have to wait outside, arriving before they opened either. As they arrived they could already see Logan and Rory from the distance, having dressed up for the occasion as well. In a way it was good to see a pair of friendly faces, even Jess felt it.

"I'm so sorry, the nanny called in sick this morning," Rory said, apologetically, as she turned, carrying Finny in a baby carrier on her chest, who for now wasa sleeping peacefully. "If he cries, I'll just slip out real quick," she added. Having a nanny had in fact surprisedly boosted her confidence in taking Finny along with her if she needed to, having taken the nanny along a few times first and then learning from her how she seemed to handle any situation, anywhere, with grace. There was still a lot to learn, but she was getting there.

"It's okay, Rory," Celeste calmed her. This was going to be perfect, with or without a few whimpers from Finny, she wasn't going to let her be bothered by that - but at least they were there - they were their witnesses.

"You look great, the dress looks a lot more like you...," Logan said to Celeste, their pretend wedding flashing briefly in front of his eyes. He felt regretful that the whole thing had happened and for the way it had, but he knew that she knew, so did Rory and probably also Jess.

"Thanks," Celeste said, clinging to Jess' arm as they waited.

They'd gotten a last minute photographer, the Monday time slot proving to be beneficial in this case, who snapped a few photos of them along the process. They got lucky - the entire waiting took no longer than 20 minutes. Celeste and Jess spoke very little as they waited, feeling as if everything was said or not needing to be said, their looks doing the talking for them.

They said their "I do-s" without hesitation, holding hands, hardly registering the rest of the room. Jess had taken care of the rings - matching simple brushed gold bands, nothing excess, but still with a touch of that hand-made imperfection in their form. The kiss that sealed their union still made her stomach flutter. The intensity of the kiss was evident, making Rory and Logan exchange glances towards each-other, as Finny slept right through the short ceremony, recalling how much they too missed that intimacy with each other, the baby having taken almost all of their attention in the nearly past two months.

As Logan and Rory headed off after congratulations, the two took to Brooklyn Heights promenade for some photos, and despite it being a little chilly and not particularly sunny that day, the photos of them curling up to each other, created some incredible photos - Jess' protectiveness of her, of his girls, radiating outwards. Just as they were finishing, large platelets of snow began to fall - it was as if the world was throwing confetti at them, the photographer snapping a few photos for free saying how nature could not be timed.

They had a romantic lunch at one of the restaurants nearby, getting a private dining room to avoid the lunch hour rush, but other than that, they did not really crave any luxuries.

They'd contemplated whether they wanted to have a special hotel wedding night, Logan having even offered them his house in the Vineyard if they wanted. But frankly, they just didn't feel like flying, nor staying somewhere new - it came down to wanting to feel the most comfortable, down to the little details such as having Celeste's body pillow at hand and their own bedroom standing up to a lot of professionally designed ones, without having to think about anyone else.

"Celeste Mariano," Celeste said out loud, as she laid in Jess' arms in their own bed later that afternoon, looking over the set of rings on her hand. She liked the way that name sounded - liking it a lot more than she had liked 'Celeste Martin' in fact, somehow the name seeming a lot softer, actually having a character.

"Is it weird that just hearing that name turns me on?" Jess chuckled, having just barely finished catching his breath from the last round.

"Hey, you've had sex with me under three different names by now, I know too well that name has nothing to do with how turned on you are," she laughed back, turning to her side, wrapping her arm around his chest.

"And you've been amazing every single time," Jess said, kissing her forehead.

"Did you ever think that our first time was… I don't know… cheap? Slutty of me?" Celeste wondered, briefly drifting off to that time, which seemed like a lifetime ago.

"No way - you've always had all the power - you want something, you ask for it, you make it happen - I love the fact that you were upfront and honest about it, not playing any games," Jess commented.

"Well it was good that you sent me that book, you know. If you hadn't, with the complexities of my life at the time, I probably wouldn't have ever dared to contact you myself," Celeste said apologetically. She still had the picture of Jess' phone number from the corner of that Financial Times saved on her phone, and no matter how good, electric, that first time had felt, she just hadn't been in that place in her head, to even seriously consider it.

"I guess it's good that I like a bit of a chase then," he smirked.

"And now that you've caught the prey…," she began, unsure how to finish that sentence without turning it into anything too depressive. That was not the mood she was aiming for, she was just liking the word play.

"Oh no you don't," he scolded, kissing her fiercely. "The way you make me feel, is better than any chase," Jess added as the kiss broke, causing her mouth to curve upwards and a single tear of joy to drip down her cheek.