Author's Note:  Well, here we are, at the end.  Thanks to everyone for your awesome feedback- it means so much to me!  Thanks for reading!

Many would not imagine the scene playing out in the backyard of the suburban family home to be a common one.  The yard was decorated with daisies and ribbons, brightening the already sunny day.  About fifty people sat in white foldout chairs, set in rows on the grass and every head was turned to the ceremony taking place in front of them.  A woman stood at center stage and she wore a long robe and was reciting something to the two figures standing in front of her.  One of the figures was fair, broad shouldered, and wore black pants, and a white dress shirt, tucked in but unbuttoned at the top and with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.  The other was slightly shorter, slightly leaner, and dark.  He wore black pants as well with a tailored black dress shit, un-tucked, and open at the top.  The two men were facing each other.  They were holding hands.  They were looking into each other's eyes.  They were in love.

"… and now, Jack and Doug would like to exchange the vows that they wrote for each other.  They have chosen to do this by expressing their promise and their love to one another through a single sentence.  Jack …" the woman nodded to the darker man.

Jack looked at Doug quietly a moment before he spoke.  "You are like a vital organ to me so I can't live without you and I will do anything and everything to protect you, to keep you safe, to make sure that you stay out of harm's way."

A gold ring was handed it to him and Jack took his time placing the ring ceremoniously on Doug's left hand.  The band was simple but Jack knew that the inscription inside reading Jack and Doug 20/06/2016 … One heart distinguished this gold band from the rest.

The smile on Doug's face and the passion in his eyes told Jack that his lover approved.  But Doug cleared his throat and pulled himself together quickly.  "You are the air I breathe, the water I drink, the food that I eat, and most importantly, the sunshine that lights up every moment of my life."

Doug took his turn sliding the ring onto Jack's finger and when the minister said the word, they exchanged their first kiss as husband and husband.  The ceremony was not official in the eyes of the government or any church but it did not matter to them.  It was official in their own eyes and they truly felt themselves to be linked together in a different way.

The reception took place in the backyard as well and the newlyweds danced the night away with their friends and family, drinking in their new marital status.  Laughter and silliness reigned freely through the party into the dark hours of the night and only beginning to fade as the sky slowly lightened in the oncoming dawn.

Later that day, when everything had been cleared up and all the guests had gone, Jack and Doug sat down on their back porch.  They watched their daughter as she played in the backyard and both smiled contentedly.

"When you think about it," Jack said, "it seems almost ridiculous for us to get married."

Doug raised his eyebrows as he looked at Jack.

"Don't get me wrong- I am very happy about all of this but do we really need a ceremony to prove that this is forever?  Look at this," Jack waved his hand around their property, "we have a beautiful home, we have a perfect little girl, and we have each other.  Christ, you nearly died, Doug, and yet here we are.  Few married couples ever have half of those things.  How could there ever be any doubt?"

"It's not about doubt.  It's about vowing our love for each other officially and in front of the people we love."

"Yeah but it's not like we have anything to prove.  They know we're going to be together forever better than half the married couples in Capeside."

Doug smiled.  "If we're better than half the married couples in Capeside, it's all the more reason for us to get married!"

Jack laughed a bit.  "You're right."

Doug wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulder.  "I'm always right."

Jack poked him in the stomach.  "Watch it."

They laughed and kissed.

"Ew!" came a cry from the yard.  "Don't do that mushy stuff in front of me!"

The married couple laughed as their hearts soared.  Jack slipped his hand into Doug's.  "I could hold your hand forever."

Doug looked at him.  "You will."

Oh yeah, I'll tell you something,
I think you'll understand.
When I'll say that something
I want to hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand.

Oh please, say to me
You'll let me be your man
And please, say to me
You'll let me hold your hand.
Now let me hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand.

And when I touch you I feel happy inside.
It's such a feeling that my love
I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide.

Yeah, you've got that something,
I think you'll understand.
When I'll say that something
I want to hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand.

And when I touch you I feel happy inside.
It's such a feeling that my love
I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide.

Yeh, you've got that something,
I think you'll understand.
When I'll feel that something
I want to hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand,
I want to hold your hand.

-I Wanna Hold Your Hand

by The Beatles