-22-
After setting the date, it felt like forever until the day of the wedding arrived, and yet it seemed to arrive faster than anyone was expecting at the same time. Funny how those things happened, how they worked out.
They chose to have a more traditional Jewish wedding over an armed forces one, but Tom still wore his uniform of course. Slider - Ron, Sarah still had trouble thinking of him as Ron - stood with him while Karen helped Sarah get ready, along with her parents, and Tom's mother and sisters.
"Does this mean you'll still be our Auntie Sarah?" Alex adorably asked.
"It sure does - in fact, I'll officially be Auntie Sarah now," she told him proudly.
Charlie was attending, as well as Carole and Bradley. As for Pete, he was unfortunately across the world on a mission, so he wouldn't be able to join them, but he was there in spirit.
They stood beneath the chuppah with the Rabbi, barely registering anything he said for there and then there was only each other and that's all they had eyes for.
The ceremony passed by smoothly, even when Tom's youngest niece, ... baby, let out a wail in the middle of the Rabbi's speech, eliciting 'awws' and laughs from everyone, especially the bride and groom.
And then the ceremony was over, and they were married - Mr. and Mrs. Kazansky. Dr. Sarah Coleman was now Dr. Sarah Kazansky. Commander Tom and Dr. Sarah Kazanky - the original Fire and Ice, what a team.
It was about halfway through dinner when a figure entered the hall - a very familiar figure, in uniform.
Tom and Sarah flew to their feet over to him.
"Pete!"
"Maverick!"
"You're here!"
He grinned his classic Maverick grin. "Well of course I am, I wouldn't miss this for anything, for the world."
"But you were all the way across the world!" Sarah cried. "Or at least that's what I was told in the no details classified information I received."
His grin grew. "I'm just that good." He winked. "And this time not even Ice had to pull any strings."
Tom was just as surprised. "It's true."
"I know, happiest day of your lives and I just made it happier! Congrats you two, I'm so happy for you both."
"Thank you, Pete. So glad you're here and that you could make it." Sarah threw her arms around him and then he and Tom exchanged a handshake before a wingman hug.
"There any food left? I'm starved."
Sarah laughed. "Yes, come on, we'll fix you a plate."
"Great, because you know the only thing I love more than you two is free food." He put an arm around each of them.
"Right. Come on, have a seat."
After everyone was introduced to Pete and Pete was introduced to everyone, as the speeches ended, Pete got up to the podium and took up the mic. "Good evening everyone, it's me, Maverick. Ice and Sarah are very special to me, as they clearly are to all of you as well, and I am so glad we can all get together here tonight to celebrate them, which I would like to do now in my own special way."
"Oh boy," Tom murmured where they were leaning against each other at the table, making her chuckle.
Pete continued. "I've never had to do this alone before - my friend would have loved to be here if he could. But this one's for the happy couple!" He led a round of applause before holding the mic back up to his lips and beginning to sing:
"You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips
And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips
You're trying hard not to show it
But baby, baby I know it
You lost that lovin' feelin'
Whoa, that lovin' feelin'
You lost that lovin' feelin'
Now it's gone, gone, gone, whoa-oh..."
There were some cheers and applause, mostly stares. The cheers came from mostly Sarah, Tom, Charlie, Carole and Bradley.
"Thank you, thank you." Pete said to the crowd, like they were a crowd of adoring fans and not wedding guests who had only just met him less than half an hour beforehand. Mostly everyone was staring at him like 'who is this guy?' "Thank you ladies and gentlemen! I'm here all night! And to the happy couple and to all the happy couples out there, may you never lose that loving feeling!" One more round of applause, during which Sarah led a standing ovation.
"That was great," she told him as the music started and everyone either continued with cake or began to dance.
"Really?"
"Well I'm not sure your singing has really improved at all, but the intention was sweet. And-" She hugged him. "-Goose was there in spirit."
"Thank you, Sarah. And, what did you think, Commander?"
"I agree with my wife."
"Of course you do - you know, your wife really shut me down the first time we met."
Tom smiled down at her. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, I put some moves on her and she wouldn't have any of it."
"'Put moves on her'?" Tom repeated, brow now furrowed. Oh, Pete... That wasn't the way she would have put it, but, too late to take it back now.
"Yeah, like flirting."
"Not very well," Sarah added. "And you apologized later. But are you really that surprised?" she asked her husband.
"I guess not. You moved on quickly then, singing to Charlie."
"I had a bet with Goose."
"Right. Of course you did. Excuse me." With that, Tom cleared his throat and basically fled the scene.
Pete watched him go, puzzled. "Was it something I said?"
Sarah gave a slight smile and patted his arm. "Oh, Pete." She left him, and the hall, to go after her husband. She found him standing alone in the dark hallway outside the main banquet hall. "Hey, you okay?"
He'd been staring down at the floor, and now rose his gaze to meet hers. "Did he really hit on you?"
"Yes, but as I said, not very well. I wasn't having any of it. I knew what I was walking into that night: a bar full of horny, cocky pilots, one of which you were that night too, don't forget." This got him to smile, and she was glad.
"So you didn't think to give him a chance?"
"No, not then."
"And later?"
She rolled her eyes. "Tom, Pete's great and all, and I'm glad we're friends but that's all we'll ever be." Even in some other life, while she knew she could fall for someone like Pete, she would always be more drawn to someone more serious like Tom. "I was too caught up in my feelings for you and my rules anyways to think of him in that way. And besides, do you really want to be thinking about Pete and I today of all days?"
"No."
"Right, and neither do I." She held out her arm. "Come on, Husband, let's go rejoin the wedding - our wedding."
"As you wish, Wife. But first - we have this dark hall all to ourselves-"
Sarah laughed and pressed her back against the wall. "I'm glad you took notice of that as well."
Some less than innocent passionate smooches and holding each other later, arm in arm they headed back into the hall, flushed and beaming.
He leaned down, lips in her hair. "God I love you, Sarah Kazansky. I'm going to take you to the moon, I promise."
"Literally or figuratively?"
He nuzzled closer. "Both."
Sorry for the wait - I didn't want to rush the wedding chapter! ;) Thank you for all the continued love this story keeps receiving, I can't tell you how happy it makes me!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)