Chapter 1: I Do

~ March 24, 2034 ~

It was late Friday night and as the thunder rolled in the background of her home in Phoneix, Arizona Chloe Donovan was glaring daggers at her long-time fiance, Jackson Fuller. As he stood in the living room of their three-bedroom home she could not believe that he had the nerve to give an ultimatum. Or at least she considered it an ultimatum. Jackson had left on an assignment for his company on February 11th and was due back by March 3rd. That was three weeks ago. For three long weeks, Chloe worried something terrible had happened to her fiance. On day 18, the longest Jackson had ever been overdue Chloe waited till after dinner, and then she picked up her cell phone, dug out Jackson's emergency contact number, and dialed the phone. The woman on the other end was even more clueless to Jackson's whereabouts, a fact that ticked Chloe off not because she wasn't helpful, but because Jackson should have been in contact with her for other reasons by this point in time. As Chloe stood in her purple see-through nightie she closed the robe and tied it at the waist as her emotions over this situation bubbled to the forefront.

"I can't do this anymore Jackson... I can't just sit at home wondering where you are and what you are doing. We are supposed to be getting married. We are supposed to be life partners. You are keeping things from me and I can't handle it any longer!" Chloe screams.

"Chloe..."

"No!" The irate girl yells. "You either tell me what I want to know right now or we're through," Chloe states as she raises her left hand and motions to pull off her engagement ring.

"Stop!" Jackson says. He can see the seriousness in her face and the fact that she is about to pull off her ring tells him that he is moments away from losing her. Since the moment Jackson slid the ring onto her finger Chloe has only taken it off a handful of times. Jackson quickly runs through every scenario in his head and they almost all come to one conclusion, he is about to lose Chloe. "Please sit down, try and calm down." Jackson implores. He knows what he has to do but he needs to defuse the situation so that he can get them back to stable ground. Knowing he truly only has one way to do this he exhales and says, "Let me go make a phone call." Jackson pleads.

Chloe says nothing, she looks at him as she thinks about his requests. Jackson watches as she moves over to their couch and sits down watching her fiance intently. Jackson sighs at her concession and he walks over to his office and closes the door. Chloe sits patiently as she hears Jackson talking to someone for a good twenty minutes. There is a pause Chloe notes before Jackson is talking again, but this time the conversation is only five minutes. When the second conversation is over Chloe starts a timer and fifteen minutes pass before Jackson re-emerges from his office. Chloe doesn't know why but when her fiance emerges from his office he looks like a great weight has been lifted off of his shoulders.

"Do you love me, Chloe?" Jackson asks sitting down beside her, his knee touching hers, his hands holding hers.

"You know that I do," Chloe replies with a heavy sigh. That was a very true statement, love was not their problem, it was the secrecy.

"I need you to give me until tomorrow to answer your questions. I just got off the phone with your mother, we are taking a little trip. I know you are not in the mood for more secrets, but all I'm asking for is a little more patience and I will give you what you want." Jackson explains.

Chloe looks into Jackson's pleading eyes and can see the sincerity in them. "Fine." Chloe gives in but adds, "Tomorrow. No second chances."

"Tomorrow." Jackson acquiesces.

"Make yourself comfortable, until I get my answers your still not forgiven," Chloe replies as she drops her robe on the floor and strolls off to the master bedroom. Jackson watched as she sauntered off knowing full well that she was flaunting the fact that she was mad at him and this was part of her way of getting even. As Jackson's head hit the back of the couch he sighed as Chloe had won this round.

Jackson woke Chloe up at 9 AM the next morning with a kiss on the cheek and breakfast in bed. As she stretched out she noted the steam from the bathroom implying that Jackson has already cleaned himself up and changed into his clothes. As she stretched and rubbed her eyes Chloe quickly realized that Jackson was pulling out all of the stops after her threat to walkout yesterday. As she cut the pancakes on the tray in front of her she had to admit that she was glad that Jackson did not force her to follow through with calling off the wedding. Jackson was her true love, her soulmate. But after talking with his mother and realizing that Jackson was just one big walking secretive individual that might never change his habits she just had enough.

After breakfast, Chloe took a soothing shower and once she was dried off went about getting dressed. She opted for a simple red summer dress and a pair of black Brazilian-style panties. She stepped into strappy sandals and walked out of the master suite to the living room to find Jackson sitting on the couch awaiting her arrival. Jackson was in a pair of slacks, a gray short-sleeved polo shirt, and had his sunglasses in hand.

"I feel a bit underdressed," Chloe announces as she takes in her fiance's appearance.

"You look amazing. Besides, you can change once we get to the hotel." Jackson tells her.

"Wait... what hotel?" Chloe asks but Jackson just ignores her question as he collects a garment bag from the closet and another carry bag and heads for the garage.

"No time to talk, we have to go get your mom. We have a long trip." Jackson says from the garage.

"Wait... my mother?" A bewildered Chloe inquires but Jackson was already inside their SUV waiting for Chloe. The exasperated girl moved between Jackson and her car and carefully climbed in.

Jackson gunmetal gray Honda Pilot was on the left side of the garage (from the driver's perspective) and once they were comfortable the pair fastened their seat belts and Jackson pressed the button to start the power to his vehicle. The pair sat in silence as the garage door opened and once the vehicle was in gear cleared the garage. Jackson stopped and pressed the button for the garage door and once he verified it was shut pressed the remote to arm the home security system. The pair drove ten minutes to the home of Claire Donovan who was sitting outside her home with a small luggage bag to her right. She was wearing a very lovely white summer dress. You would never know looking at Claire that she had an adult daughter by her looks. Jackson has seen numerous guys trying to pick up the Donovan sisters only to find out that they were mother and daughter (and the daughter was taken).

"Good Morning Claire," Jackson says once the rear hatch is open and she has put her bag in besides Jackson and Chloe's.

"Good morning Jackson, good morning sweetie." Claire greeted her future son-in-law and then her daughter. Jackson pressed to button to remotely shut the rear door while Claire walks to the passenger side rear door and climbs in. Leaning forwards she kisses her daughter's temple and then over to Jackson to do the same.

"Shall we?" Claire rhetorically asks as she puts on her sunglasses. Jackson has already done so and Chloe follows suit.

Five hours later and Chloe is not sure if she is annoyed or intrigued as Jackson drives the trio through the streets of Las Vegas. The situation itself is not lost upon her, Jackson promised to tell her his secrets but as he stated, they had to be married. She could actually feel herself flush as Jackson pulled their SUV in front of one of the lavish hotels that Vegas was famous for. When Jackson shifts into park he hits the button for the rear hatch to open. Claire is the first out of the vehicle and once the door is closed Jackson leans over and whispers, "Please trust me." He then kisses her cheek and shuts down the engine so as not to set off the alarm when the key fob leaves the vehicle.

Chloe lets out the breath she was holding and exits the vehicle behind her fiance. Jackson has collected all of the bags and the trio makes their way to the front desk. A young woman in her early twenties Jackson would guess, that reminds Jackson of Peyton List is at the counter. Her nametag reads Tracey and the young woman smiles and says, "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hello, reservation for Jackson Fuller," Jackson says.

The girl punches the name into the computer and replies, "I see you have four rooms reserved."

"Yes. Our additional party will be checking in shortly, they had a longer drive. Can you give me a set of the co-joining room keys please?" Jackson asks as he presents his reservation and credit card. The young woman quickly codes four room keys and hands two of the keys to Chloe and Claire and another pair to Jackson.

"Why don't you ladies go up to your room, freshen up after our drive, and change. I will be up shortly." Jackson tells his driving companions. Chloe is about to ask a question but her mother takes her by the hand and leads her to the elevator bank. "Miss, can you please let me know when my guests arrive," Jackson asks sliding the young woman a fifty-dollar bill.

"Oh... of course sir." The young woman replies taking the bill and pocketing it quickly.

With the keys to his room in hand, Jackson picks up his bag and makes his way to the elevator.

It was an hour later and mother and daughter were standing in front of the elevator waiting to travel down the main floor. When the doors opened a young man is waiting to step out. "Excuse me." A polite young man said to Chloe and Claire as he stepped off the elevator. The young man was very dapper and in his mid-twenties if Chloe were to guess. Mother and Daughter stepped apart as the young man made his way to the left hallway.

Chloe and Claire stepped into the elevator and Chloe pressed the button for the lobby. "Do you really not know what's going on?" Chloe once again asks her mother as they step into the elevator. Chloe is wearing the same purple evening gown that she wore for her anniversary dinner the night Jackson proposed to her. Chloe's mother was wearing a very fetching v-neck black cocktail dress that was knee length. Her dark brown hair was straight and she wore only a minimal amount of makeup.

"No honey. As I've told you for the last hour, Jackson called me and said that the three of us needed to go out of town today. That everything would be explained today. He told me you were prepared to end your engagement and this was how he was not only going to save your relationship but prove how much you meant to him." Claire explained.

The elevator ride was quick and when the doors opened mother and daughter found themselves in the lobby of the hotel. Per Jackson's instructions, they made their way to the hotel's dining area. The huge area had multiple sections and when the two ladies reached the maitre'd they gave their party name (Fuller) and the sharply dressed man led them around the right side of the room to one of the side rooms. Jackson was wearing navy blue dress pants, a white button-down dress shirt and on the arm of the couch was a matching navy suit coat. Per his style, Jackson did not wear a tie and left the top two buttons undone.

"The two of you must have turned every head on your way here." Jackson says walking up to Claire first and kissing her cheek followed by Chloe."

"I didn't notice," Chloe replies. She was promised answers and she is getting very annoyed at all of the delays.

Jackson stood nervously by his fiance and her mother. Claire noticed that Jackson was almost fidgety, a mood she had never seen on the young man in the three years that he has been with her daughter. Jackson's phone chirped and he took a quick look at the screen before he put it back inside his coat pocket.

"Something important?" Chloe asks looking at her fiance's face.

"Very," Jackson replies.

On cue the door to their private dining area open and in walk five people. An older gentleman, a couple that are obviously husband and wife as they enter holding hands. Behind them are two younger men, the older of the two Chloe recognizes from the elevator in passing. Jackson steps away from his lady and her mother and the woman rushes to Jackson and hugs him. Chloe can see her carefully applied makeup is starting to run from the tears in her eyes. The two are very still for several long minutes until Jackson pulls out a remote from his pocket and presses a button. Jackson smiles as music fills the room, Chloe recognizes the 80's song as Chicago's Hard to Say I'm Sorry plays.

Jackson takes the woman's hand and the two move to the music. It takes Chloe several long moments but she finally realizes not only what is happening but who the woman in question is. Chloe feels her eyes tear up as the lyrics say,

After all that we've been through,

I will make it up to you, I promise to.

The pair dance for the entirety of the song with Chloe and Claire noticing the elation on the older men's faces. Claire and Chloe were so caught up in the reunion unfolding before their eyes that they failed to notice that the pair were now only steps away from them. As the last notes play the pair stop right in front of the mother and daughter.

"I'm sorry. Jackson tells the woman and kisses her on the cheek. "Ladies, I have a long-overdue introduction to make." Jackson takes his fiance's right hand and his partner's left and leads the group of ladies over to the gentleman several feet away.

"Ladies," Jackson says talking to Chloe and Claire, "allow me to introduce you to Danny Tanner, my grandfather." Danny politely greets the pair. "Steven Hale, my stepfather." Steve likewise politely greets the ladies. "Maxwell Fuller my younger brother." Max does a little bow as he says hello. "And this strapping young man is my youngest brother Tommy Fuller Jr.," Tommy says hi.

Jackson then takes a step back. "Donna Jo Hale, allow me to introduce you to Chloe Grace Donovan... my fiance."

Chloe's face now matches Jackson's mother as the two women close the distance and embrace one another for the first time. The tears of joy are falling as the two tries and maintain some sense of composure but that is long gone. "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Claire Donovan, Chloe's mother," Jackson says as the two women besides Claire finally manage to wipe the tears from their faces and rejoin the group.

The party of eight sit together at one large round table. Jackson and Chloe are against the back wall to Chloe's right is DJ, besides her is Claire, next is Steve, then Danny, followed by Max and Tommy. The waiter came in and took everyone's order and the room soon broke out into small talk.

The one subject Chloe and Claire seemed to note that Jackson's family wanted to ask but none had is where he has been. Likewise, the pair were waiting for Jackson to give Chloe her answers. All through the meal, Jackson was being his usual stoic self not saying anything more than was being asked of him. The food arrived in short order and everyone ate while still making small talk. It was only after the meal was over and the wait staff had cleared everything that Jackson turned to Chloe.

"Chloe Donovan... I promised you answers and this gathering is a start to those answers. However, in order to pass my mandatory polygraph test on Monday, I need you to marry me this weekend. Now, before you say anything, please hear me out. I want to tell you the truth, I really do. So, to pass my test, please marry me now. I will give you your answers and after I take and pass my test we will annul this ceremony and we will have our big family affair in September." Jackson says.

"You would really go through all of this just to keep me and not break your contract with your company," Chloe asks her fiance.

"I would do anything for you, Chloe. I love you and want to spend my whole life loving you." Jackson tells her in front of their whole family.

"Ok, Jackson. I will marry you tonight." Chloe agrees.

To Be Continued