"How can I love him? Can I marry this damaged man? A wedding in La Jolla".
A/N: AU. This is a fictional story, in a fictional Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Mike. Characters borrowed with love and appreciation for the great team who brought us "JAG"; may your following careers blossom.
A/N: AU: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any fictional character created by myself". See Phase One of this story for the whole disclaimer A/N. Feel free to PM me if you spot any typos - my goal is 100% error-free. Feedback and comments are also welcome; I see plenty of followers and visitors to this story. Your opinions, critiques (and requests as PMs) are always helpful - and welcomed.
A/N: AU: Just a twist on the relationship and marriage stories which often appear here, especially after the broadcast last night (29-Sep-2019). See what you think.
A/N: Allusion to canon: "JAG: San Diego" (S10Ep17) first broadcast 11-Mar-2005; "Unknown Soldier" (S10Ep20) first broadcast 15-Apr-2005
A/N: Publication date: 30-Sep-2019.
Characters from FFNET - OC - will post later
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"A wedding in La Jolla"
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Friday 15th April 2005 – 21:45hrs EST
On the road, somewhere within the Continental USA
She looked back across their working life together.
The long journeys had been exhausting, but they had built a grudgingly respectful working relationship pretty quickly once the JAG had thrown them together. Tracking down the family mysteries and retrieving the various artefacts had kept them busy as the miles added up.
She had known that he harboured some sadness - those soulful eyes hadn't popped into the world that way, because someone or something had caused his hurt. Curiously, it was when she guessed, almost out of the blue, what had happened to him, he had retreated into his shell as he confirmed her supposition.
That had been the moment that she actually fell in love. A chaste night spent in the same bed had convinced her that this was a man with whom she could spend the rest of her life.
She couldn't admit it for a while, but he steadily moved across to occupy the position, front and centre, locking up her heart in the warmth of his smile.
When he stopped trying to be someone who he wasn't - when he stopped trying to outgrow the little boy inside - she found that she loved him the most.
They had sparred over sports cars - she had loyally driven him around on that case, clocking up the miles as they had traced the evidence and finally packaged up the case. She saw how, despite his bravado, he was actually loyal to his chosen woman (she just needed to make sure that he kept his roving eye focussed on her, however she reckoned that she had a method to achieve such devotion). Slowly she build her love around him, taking away his pain and building him up as a potentially very useful husband.
The little church in La Jolla was ready to seal their union.
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Saturday 23rd April 2005 – 12:00 noon PST
Church of the seas, La Jolla, California 92037-USA
She walked slowly down the aisle of the church, her bouquet of flowers held before her. She enjoyed the snugness of the fitted bodice of her dress, and was glad that she had chosen a wedding dress which showed off her calves - these shoes *had* to be seen and admired!
Like most women of JAG, she was pleased to have achieved "a great job, a good man and lots of shoes - in her case both comfortable, uncomfortable and silly-in-between!
She looked ahead as she walked. He stood at the altar, nervous as a rabbit in the headlights with his best man supporting him. She knew their history and she had assured him that today was the day that he would be placing a wedding ring on the finger of the woman who had grown to love him, who had worked with him, who would put up with all his "crap" and would grow old with him, surrounded (she hoped) by their children. She smiled to think that her wedding ring, placed upon his finger, would mark him out as committed, devoted and unavailable.
His past lay behind him; he was ready. He had wanted to make the commitment, publicly, bringing an end to all the lustful female conversations in powder rooms whenever the women of JAG came together to review the available JAG menfolk. He was now spoken for and she was the one who had taken him off the field of play.
No other Washington influencers, insecure lawyers or attractive, flighty females would have him now. She was very content to allow him to go and flirt – in the knowledge that he had made his commitment and he would always come home to her.
Friends and family looked on at her as she proceeded up the aisle. There were plenty of uniforms and a number of suits. The wedding announcement had caused ripples through JAG when the two of them had broken the news, yet within a couple of days there had been universal acceptance (along with a view, from the female colleagues, that "well, if anyone can tame him and love him for life, it's you").
So here she was. She walked the final steps to the altar, took hold of the hand of the man who would shortly become her husband and then, at the bidding of the priest, she began her marriage vows.
"I, Catherine Ariel Graves, take you Gregory Vukovic to be my lawful wedded husband..."...
The "guy-atus" was over!
** END of "How can I marry this damaged man? A wedding in La Jolla"
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