Chapter 22 Nerves and Lace
"Stop fussing will you? Everything will be just fine." Chris told his predecessor as Ryan yet again fussed with his bow tie.
"I know, but is my hair ok?" Ryan tried to glance in a mirror in the corner of the room they were using for preparations.
"Gees Ryan you'd think you were the groom." His friend teased the brother of the bride.
"Yeah but my little sister's getting married I just want everything to be perfect." And he knew it would be, it had to be. After all Dana would finally have her day.
"Well, if you choke yourself with that thing it won't." The sky cowboy told him and adjusted it for him.
"Funny Joel." Ryan muttered in mock annoyance at his friend.
"I try." Joel cocked his infamous grin.
"How bout you man, you ok?" Chad asked as he looked over Carter. The red ranger looked calm he was just adjusting his hair in the other mirror in the other corner.
"Hmm? Oh yeah fine." Carter glanced at the second married member of the original team. He looked calm; Carter wished he felt like that. He was so nervous he had been afraid he'd be ill. Now he hoped Dana was ok, if she got too upset…
"You sure, you looked a million miles away." Brian asked joining them.
"Yeah, I was just wondering if Dana's ok." Carter admitted.
"She'll be fine." The red ranger smiled at him. Marie and the girls would keep Dana calm.
"Yeah you act like she's ready to have the baby any minute." Brent teased.
"I know it's just with how she's been feeling…" Carter looked at his feet he hoped she'd not have complications.
"And I thought Captain Mitchell was a worrier." Brent shook his head.
***
"Ok, something borrowed, something blew, something old," Ash as she spoke Dana double checked the items she had to have. "And that's all of it." Dana said and swallowed anxiously. Then she began fretting about her attire. The Cathedral Length Vaile seemed flat, or was she losing it? Not to mention the finger tip sleeves, they just seemed too short and…
"Um hello!" Marie waved the bouquet in front of her friend and Dana blushed. Taking it from her with trembling hands the blond watched as the other women made sure they had everything.
***
"Places everyone." the specter watched as Lillian Grayson called and the music began. William Mitchell smiled as he watched one of the last of his dreams for his daughter come together. Although he'd left his flesh and blood form behind. a long time ago he still felt ass nervous as if he were truly there. He'd worked so hard to see that this day happened, inviting Carter and the others to the dinner after her graduation from medical school, nudging her into taking the job despite her fears. That had been a feet for he'd already been dead some time. It hand't been easy to tamper with the radeo either or help Dana find that child in the fire. Still it had all been perfect, now Carter and Dana were going to have children and be married. the only thing left for him to do was see to his son.
***
"Stop fidgeting you look incredible." Marie told the bride as she made one last adjustment to the?"'S vale.
"He better like it." Dana muttered but she was relieved that they were finally doing this. It had only been a week since they'd found out about the baby but with all of the arrangements for both the upcoming war and the wedding it had seemed much longer.
The men appeared followed by Donna's father.
"Are you ready sis?" The Ryan asked his little sister and he couldn't believe this was happening; she was going to no longer just be his sister but both a mother and wife.
"I hope so." Dana replied timidly and he forgot all about her makeup or gown or even his suit as he pulled her in for a hug. He had been worried; he could remember leaving the galley as Carter had serenaded Dana, going to his quarters and plopping down onto his bed. He'd felt so lost, staring at the photo album. .
The image of the laughing blond child seemed a world removed from the woman who was now his sister. Then she'd played with dolls, now she'd be buying them or dump b trucks for her own children.
The shot of Dana blowing out birthday candles on her 13th birthday was removed from what she would be now. True he'd not known her then, however knowing Dana he could imagine how she'd been. She'd be trying to please Dad no matter what it took, yet trying to figure out her place in the world. Now though she had that place, a doctor, and soon a wife and mother… It was odd but he kind of felt as if he were losing his little sister.
He gazed at one of he, Dana and Carter in the playing Frisbee in the park. He remembered that It had been taken sometime after his return. He knew too he'd been very glad to have the peace of mind of having his best friend and sister there together.
He turned to yet another photo, it was of her standing at the sight of the car accident, her blond hair blown back from her face. He'd cone to the sight to take a picture of the place where his life had both ended and begun once more. She'd come to seek answers to her own thoughts and fears.
The knock on the door had him looking up and he called a come in.
"You left." Came his sister's quiet voice and he saw the concern in her soft eyes. It struck him he was even luckier now than he had been three weeks ago, he'd not just have her but a niece or nephew to dote over, one that might have her soft hair or Carter's eyes. Yes, he'd be an uncle.
"I needed a little time to think." He said truthfully.
"Oh? About pictures?" She asked coming further into the room.
"Hmm? Oh yeah, I was thinking about how lucky I am." He said only partially lying.
"You were?" She asked coming further into the room to take a seat on the bed beside him.
"I thought maybe you were feeling like you might be losing me." She said quietly and he found her eyes were warm and sympathetic.
"And you say I'm smart." He laughed a little.
"Well, we are family and family are alike." She pointed out with a little smile.
"Yeah, yeah we are." He grinned and messed her gold curls.
"You know, when dad died, I felt like I lost everything." She confessed after a moment more of that and he frowned.
"You did?"
"Yeah, for 18 years he was the driving force in my world, then…" she said staring into space a moment.
"Yeah," his hand reached over and touched hers. When she refocused her eyes on him he went on. "But you went on."
"Because I had love." She said and took the hand still on her arm. "The same way you do."
"Yeah." He smiled at her words, he'd heard them before, once a long time ago, but he couldn't remember where. Either way they were Dana and he knew that meant they were true.
Just as she was truly getting married now. He once more took in her golden tresses piled high atop her head, her still slender form clad in the snow-white gown and smiled. She looked like a princess, and he knew she was, one of the ranger type but a princess at heart.
***
"Well, ready?" Brent asked as they all lined up.
Angela looked over each of the formally clad young people and nodded. Like the Bride and groom the group was very ready for this. It was just a day long overdue.
"Well Mrs. R, shall we start this show?" Brent asked his friend and she smiled taking his arm. Next Came Chad and Kelsey, followed by Gina and Heath.
"Smile." Marie whispered as she took her boyfriend's arm. They set The stage for the bride and her brother.
***
From where she sat beside her husband Kendrix smiled as she watched old and new rangers making their way down the isle. It was all perfect, just as their won wedding had been. She was happy that Dana and Carter were also having a baby, they're children would be born around the same time so maybe they'd play together during their trips home.
Leo's eyes were on the groom and he could see the nerves on his friends face. Heavens' he could remember how it had felt waiting for his own wife to make her way down the isle to him. He'd been half afraid Trakeena would appear and blast Kendrix to bits. The second they're eyes had met he'd known all would be well though and it had.
Beside them Kai and Karone stood, hands held and smiles on their faces as they watched the earth custom. Their own wedding had been in the Mirinoian custom of fasting and then a day atop a mountain alone. They'd picked it so they'd not have to choose between either of their own cultural ceremonies. Now they both watched the majesty of the prelude to the bonding ritual.
On Kendrix's other side sat Mike and Maya, the newly weds having just made the trip from their own bonding.
Two rows back sat the Oliver and Scott clans, each smiling as the maid of honor and her escort completed their walk. Kat and Kimberly exchanged winks at the way their little plan had come out and. They'd been the ones to find out about carter and force the issue out into the open. The pregnancy had just been an added catalyst. Now as they waited for the Bride to start the march they were quite smug.
Carter couldn't believe how much like a princess she looked her gown was a mix of styles, the front was Ante-bellum, and the skirt was full, coated with small seed purls. He'd listened to his mother talk about that for the last two days as she
Finished the preparations for today. Now though he knew it was definitely worth all of the extra work. Soon, the goddess in the yards of satin and lace would be his, in name as well as every other way.
Beside him Joel shifted and spotted his own wife taking her place in the line of the brides maids.
***
Dana felt as if her body were trapped in a thick fog, the steps taking forever to bring her to the man she loved, and yet in no time she was thee, smiling at him even as Ryan gave her away, as her hands were clasped in Carter's, as they exchanged rings…
"You may now kiss the bride." The minister said and Carter saw the same emotions accompanied by nervousness. After a brief Kiss the minister spoke again.
"I give you Mrs. and Mr. Carter Grayson."
The End
***
And who said I never complete anything I start? *smirks*That 's my gram's fav thing to say to me, LOL.
So what do you think? Was it a good ending to this one or should I have left it at the end of 21? PLZ let me know.
by the way be sure to keep your eyes pealed for the sequel, "Wildest Dreams: coming soon.