Author's note: Just a couple of minor revisions this chapter.

Crash and Burn

Chapter 30 – We Are Gathered Here Today

It was a while before they actually made it out of the bathroom to the bottle of champagne, which they each drank a glass of before heading for bed.  The mess in the bathroom became nothing more than a distant memory until the following morning, when Bicky's voice floated in through the bedroom door.

"Uh, Ryo? I think the bathroom's flooded. You might wanna come and take a look. You're gonna go mad; everything's soaked."

Ryo's head shot up from the pillow, wondering why Bicky was back and then recalling that he'd asked the boy to get home early since they had such a busy day ahead. His eyes widened as he realised they'd forgotten all about the mess they'd left behind and he hastily tried to think of good reason that would explain why their bathroom looked like it had been under several inches of water for the last twelve hours.

"Um… er… it's okay, Bicky," he called back, knowing the boy would be waiting for an answer. "The faucet was leaking but I fixed it last night. I just didn't get round to cleaning up the water."

"Oh… okay," he heard Bicky say dubiously before his footsteps faded away.  The ensuing silence was quickly replaced by the sound of Dee sniggering into his pillow.

"Shut up you," Ryo said, swatting the back of his head with his hand. "It's your fault I had to lie so the least you could do is back me up."

"Sure thing," the other man replied, propping himself up on his elbows and grinning. "I just hope he doesn't realise that you don't actually own any tools to fix a leaking faucet."

Ryo contemplated this for a moment, mentally cursing that he hadn't thought of a more plausible excuse.

"Relax," Dee yawned, sinking back into the pillow and attempting to drag the other man with him. "He's probably done worse with Cal."

"Dee!"

"I meant in a water fight or something," the dark haired man replied innocently.

Ryo shot him a sceptical look, his arms folded across his chest crossly. Dee saw the look and the body language and rose to the challenge as he sat up and moved to straddle his lover, smirking down at the blond man, determined to get him to capitulate and smile.

Almost two hours later, Ryo dropped the last of the bags by the front door.

"Okay," he said, turning back to the people assembled in his living room. "Are you all sure you've got everything?"

Dee, Bicky and Cal exchanged glances before furnishing the blond detective with simultaneous nods.

"Positive?"

"Ryo, we're not idiots," Dee said in annoyance, "Well, with the exception of Bicky perhaps."

The dark haired man successfully avoided a swipe from the teen as Ryo opened the door and grabbed as much of the luggage as he could manage. They carried it down to the car together; Bicky grumbling because Dee was given the lightest bag since he needed to keep his other hand free for his cane. Once their bags were loaded into the trunk of Ryo's car, they set off, Dee in the front next to Ryo with the directions to their hotel that was situated only a block from the church Carrie was due to get married at later that day.

The two hour drive passed quickly; the glorious weather and relatively light traffic complementing the good atmosphere inside the car. When they reached the hotel, Dee checked them in as Ryo called Elena to let them know they'd arrived safely. His aunt sounded both excited and nervous as she relayed what everyone was doing and how they were feeling as the minutes counted down. The wedding service was at two o'clock, giving Ryo and Dee chance to relax out in the hotel gardens as Bicky and Cal went off to investigate the nearby arcades.

"Just make sure you're back in an hour," Ryo instructed as he waved them off. Once they'd gone, he turned to look at Dee, smiling at the sight of his lover basking in the sunshine, fingers laced behind his head, face tilted upwards.

"Happy?" he said, unsure where Dee was looking with his beautiful green eyes hidden behind dark glasses.

"Very," came the reply, accompanied by the wide roguish smile that Ryo adored.

They ordered drinks and a light meal, talking and laughing and just watching people coming and going. As Dee excused himself to go to the bathroom, Ryo used the quiet moment to reflect on what a long way they'd come from the unhappy existence they had occupied for the last couple of months. He was infinitely proud of Dee and everything that his lover had come through, despite a couple of setbacks along the way. He was still immersed in warm thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Dee had returned.

"What you thinking about?" the other man asked as plonked back into his seat.

"You actually," Ryo replied with a smile. "How wonderful you are and how much I love you."

Dee grinned. "Well the feeling's entirely mutual, I can assure you." He reached across and took hold of Ryo's hand, caressing the smooth skin gently with his thumb as they gazed at each other lovingly.

The hour passed quickly and when Bicky and Cal returned, they all retired to their rooms to start getting ready. With a little persuasion, Ryo had agreed to let Bicky and Cal share a room although it was he and Dee that were behaving more like teenagers once they were alone together. As a result, the two teens were ready and had been waiting a good five minutes before Dee and Ryo emerged from their room, both dressed in similar coloured suits.

"Where've you been?" Bicky grumbled, rolling his eyes as he tugged at the collar of his smart shirt. "We've been waiting for ages."

"Sorry," Ryo replied, blushing slightly, "Dee took longer in the bathroom than I thought."

"Hey!" Dee protested, about to explain that he wouldn't have taken so long if Ryo hadn't pounced on him the moment he stepped out of the shower, before an elbow connected squarely with his ribs. "Uh yeah…" he said in the end, glancing at his lover and noting the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "My fault entirely."

They arrived at the church at quarter to two, parking and heading to where the other wedding guests were standing around chatting. There were quite a lot of people that even Ryo didn't know; leading to the assumption they must be either friends of the couple or members of Carrie's fiancé's family. They smiled and nodded a greeting at some of the people Ryo did recognise before they were asked to go inside as the start of the service drew near.

"Well, I guess I'm officially 'out'," Ryo whispered to his partner as he caught a woman he recognised as a distant cousin looking his way as they settled into their seats.

"Are you bothered?" Dee asked as he laid his cane at his feet, concerned that his lover's day would be ruined by gossipy relatives.

"No," Ryo replied with a genuine smile. "Should I be?"

"Guess not," Dee grinned back.

Any further conversation was forgotten as the organ music started up and the congregation stood to await the entrance of the bride. Craning around, they soon caught sight of Carrie, making her way up the central aisle on her father's arm, smiling happily at the many faces turned her way.

"Doesn't she look gorgeous, Dee?" Ryo whispered, seeing Dee, Bicky and Cal all gazing at his cousin and smiling. Dee nodded as Ryo caught Carrie's eye and she gave him a little wave.

The wedding service was beautiful as they sang hymns and listened to the readings before Carrie and her fiancé Brad made their vows to each other. As the powerful words were spoken, Ryo felt Dee reach across and give his hand a quick squeeze. He smiled at his lover before he noticed that Bicky was looking at Cal with a similarly contented expression, letting slip his usual mask of teenage brashness to display his obvious feelings for the pretty girl by his side. Ryo also noted how happy Dee seemed to be by being in church. He knew the importance of religion in his lover's life but the reverence on the dark haired man's face as they uttered the words of The Lord's Prayer made him realise just how significant his faith was. Ryo smiled, touched that he saw facets of Dee's personality that others probably didn't think existed when they failed to look beyond his brassy exterior.

When the service was over, everyone moved outside for the photographs. As the photographer went about setting up his equipment and checking out the best locations, Carrie took the opportunity to hurry over, having seen her beloved cousin hovering at the back of the large collection of guests. As she approached, Ryo smiled and held out his hands for hers.

"You look wonderful, Carrie," he said, drawing her in for a kiss. "Really beautiful."

"Ran, you'll make me blush," she said with a shy smile that reminded Dee of Ryo almost straight away. "I have to say, you're looking pretty special yourself."

Ryo chuckled as he turned slightly to the man at his side. "Carrie, this is Dee, my partner. Dee, this is Carrie, my cousin although I guess she's more like my little sister."

Dee smiled and kissed her politely. "Hi Carrie and congratulations. Ryo's right; you look beautiful."

"Thank you. It's really good to meet you and if anyone was right then it's my mother," she said winking at Ryo and leaning in conspiratorially. "He's gorgeous!"

Ryo smiled proudly as Dee cleared his throat, looking uncharacteristically embarrassed by the compliment. Not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable, knowing what he had been through recently, Carrie smiled and touched his arm affectionately. "No really, Dee. It is great to meet you. You make a really nice couple and it's great to see Ran so happy."

Dee grinned at his lover, instantly liking the young woman that was so at ease with their relationship. Carrie then noticed Bicky, stood off to Dee's left and her eyes widened at the changes in the boy she had met once or twice in the past.

"Hey Ran," she said jokingly, "I thought Bicky was coming with you but instead you've brought this handsome young man."

The small group laughed as Bicky blushed furiously. "Hey Carrie," he said, staring down at his shoes. "Congratulations." His awkwardness was deflected as Ryo introduced his cousin to Cal, who immediately gushed about how beautiful a bride she was.

"You're going to hear that a lot today," Ryo chuckled as they became aware of someone calling Carrie's name. She turned to see her new husband beckoning her over; the photographer now ready to start taking pictures.

"Well, I guess I'll see you guys later," she said with a smile. She started to walk away, before she paused as something occurred to her. "Oh and Ran? When the photographer asks for the bride's family, I want you all in the pictures. No arguments, okay?"

Ryo nodded his agreement, relieved that Carrie had thought to clarify what could be a potentially awkward situation. When she had gone, he turned back to his partner to see Dee smiling as he watched Carrie walk away.

"She's great," Dee said, knowing Ryo would want to know what he thought. "She reminds me a lot of you."

"You think?" Ryo asked. "I'm guessing that's a good thing, right?"

"Of course."

As Carrie had requested, the two men and two teens appeared on the family photos. There were a few raised eyebrows and a few hushed inquiries as to who the men were from those that didn't recognise them from the media circus of the last few months. Many watched the limping dark haired man smile warmly at the blond at his side, making their own judgments from the looks and subtle touches they exchanged. For the most part, Ryo genuinely didn't notice, but the few times that he did, he just reminded himself how lucky he was to have Dee at all after everything the other man had been through. That simple reminder was enough to keep away any embarrassment he was tempted to feel when he knew people were staring at them.

Later on, as they sat in the gardens of the country club where the reception was being held, Ryo took the opportunity to ask his lover something that had occurred to him during the church service. They were alone; Bicky and Cal having long since disappeared with some of Carrie's similar aged relatives.

"Dee?" Ryo said suddenly, breaking the contented silence that had settled as they gazed out onto their beautiful surroundings. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," the other man replied with an easy smile. "Ask away."

Ryo didn't speak for a moment as he tried to compose what he wanted to say without it sounding critical. "I know you attended church because of where you were raised but… well, I don't understand how you can be religious when it's a sin to be homosexual." He looked up from where he was twisting the stem of his wine glass, brown eyes meeting green. "I remember when I first met Penguin, she told me it didn't matter whether it was two men or two women but if two people needed each other then it wasn't bad or wrong but still..."

"Yeah," Dee said with a smile. "She was always good like that but I understand what you're saying. It took me a long time to admit to her that I was attracted to boys as well as girls." He paused and chuckled at the recollection. "I thought she'd have me saying 'Hail Marys' until I was old and grey just for thinking such things but she was great about it. She told me there were lots of different ways to interpret the teachings of the Bible but so long as I understood the fundamental issues like 'doing unto others' and trying to be a good and honest human being then God wouldn't be angry with me for who I chose to love. Besides, it's from the English translation of the Bible that people have decided homosexuality is such a sin. Penguin says the Hebrew and Greek versions don't necessarily read the same way. If a partnership demonstrates mutual love and compassion then it will be blessed by God," he said finally, quoting the nun that had raised him.  It was a phrase she had used to reassure him when he was troubled by the potential consequences of his own instinctive desires. He spoke with such certainty that Ryo had to smile.

"You've got it all straight, haven't you?"

"'Bout the only part of me that is straight!" Dee laughed before he reached across and gave Ryo's hand a quick squeeze. "There'll always be people, religious or otherwise who'll think what we have is wrong but that's just the way of the world. If we're happy then what does it matter?"

"It doesn't matter," Ryo replied, smiling happily. "I'll never regret loving you, Dee."

"Me neither," Dee said gently, his green eyes twinkling with sincerity as his watch bleeped, the alarm set to remind him about his insulin. "I'll be back in a minute," he said, putting down his drink and taking up his cane. He went to the main desk at the entrance to the country club and retrieved the small leather zip up bag that Ryo had handed in earlier that morning. The evening reception was in full swing and he smiled at the sight of everyone dancing as he passed, looking for a quiet room to administer his medication. The preparation of his insulin was beginning to feel more routine and his mind stayed firmly on Ryo as he loaded the syringe after checking his blood sugar levels.

Their bond was so strong but there was just something more that he wanted to give. He had wanted to give it several months back but the circumstances had been all wrong. Now, as he glanced through the partially open door and saw Carrie and her new husband dancing cheek to cheek, smiling lovingly at each other, he knew that the time was now right, providing of course the offer was still open. As he was tucking his shirt back in, he saw a familiar streak of blond pass by the door. Calling the boy's name he waited several moments until Bicky's head appeared around the doorframe.

"Hey lunkhead, Bicky said in greeting, wondering why Dee was in an empty room by himself. "Watcha doin?"

"Drugs, the usual," he replied with a smile, showing the boy his insulin case. "Come here, I want to talk to you about something."

Bicky frowned in curiosity but did as Dee had asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down opposite the dark haired man. "What's going on?" he said suspiciously.

"You're not in trouble," Dee assured, reading the other's mind. "I just want to ask you something."

Ten minutes later, Dee returned to the gardens to find Ryo where he had left him. The blond looked around as he heard him approaching. "Is everything okay? You were gone a while…"

"Yeah, fine," Dee replied with a dismissive wave of the hand as he sat back down in his chair. "I just got to talking, that's all."

"Oh," Ryo said with a relieved smile. "I was getting a little worried."

Dee returned the smile, warmed by the knowledge that his lover cared so much. "Well, there's no need to worry," he said before his face did a contortion as a sense of nervousness overcame him. "Uh, Ryo? Since we're on the deep and meaningfuls, there was something I wanted to ask you."

Ryo noticed Dee's sudden awkwardness and put down his glass to look straight at the other man. Several times, Dee opened his mouth to say something and stopped, frowning as if the words wouldn't come. As he wrung his hands together nervously, Ryo would have laughed if he hadn't looked so troubled.

"Dee…" he started to say before the other held up his hand to stop him. He watched as the green eyed man took a deep breath before reaching across and taking one of Ryo's hands in his.

"What I er… want to say is… well… a few months ago you asked me something… and I said no. Well er… you see, the thing is, that I, well, I want to say yes," he paused and breathed again. "I wanted to say yes back then but... well it doesn't matter now, so what I'm trying to say is... well I want to say yes now, if of course the offer is still open, that is…" When he stopped, he rolled his eyes. "Jeez, Dee, that was real smooth."

Ryo however was paying no attention to his lover's bout of self castigation. All he'd heard was the first message, mixed up in the ramblings of a nervous man.

"Dee, are you…?"

"Asking you to ask me to marry you again?" Dee said, pausing to check that the last part had made sense. "Yes, I am."

Ryo looked blank for a moment as the words sunk in.

"I- I'll understand if you don't want to," Dee said quickly, letting go of Ryo's hand and sitting back. "I mean; I know I turned you down before…"

"Dee," Ryo said shaking his head, cutting into the other's response. "Shut up."

Green eyes went wide as Ryo slipped off his seat onto one knee, a broad grin splitting his handsome features as he took Dee's hand. "Dee Latener, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"

Dee grinned back. "I'd love to," he replied, bending forward and planting a kiss on his lover's smiling lips. "Nothing in this world would give me more pleasure."

Ryo closed his eyes, enveloped by a powerful feeling of elation. "I love you so much, Dee," he whispered.

"I love you too," Dee replied, gazing into his lover's eyes as they opened to look at him.

As Ryo retook his seat, a thought suddenly occurred to him and he looked anxious. "Hell… I never said anything to Bicky. I hope he'll be okay about this."

"He was ten minutes ago," Dee replied before reaching for his wine and taking a sip. As he swallowed the pleasant tasting liquid, he saw Ryo was waiting for him to elaborate on the comment. "I saw him before and talked to him. I told him we wouldn't do anything if he was unhappy about it."

Ryo looked relieved and then guilty. "I should have spoken to him," he said.  "It shouldn't have been up to you to say anything, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Dee replied, "I told him he had to like it or I'd tell all his friends he still slept with a teddy bear."

"Dee!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! No seriously, he was cool about it. At first he didn't believe that we could get married but when I explained that we could, he said it was fine by him."

Ryo relaxed at the information and was about to say something when his attention was drawn by his Aunt Elena approaching. She smiled broadly at the two men as she came to sit across from them.

"Not coming dancing?" she enquired, kicking off her shoes and giving her tired feet a rest.

Dee waved his cane. "I'm afraid my dancing's a bit limited at the moment," he chuckled.

"Ah well," she said, "It's certainly a beautiful night to sit out here. Have you both had a good day?"

"It's been fantastic," Ryo replied as Dee nodded his agreement. "A wonderful day."

"It's been really good to see you again, Ryo, and meet you, Dee," Elena said, fixing them both with a warm smile. "In fact, we'd love you to come and visit us properly after the wedding. You could even stay a few days if you like."

Ryo looked across at Dee. "We'd love to come and visit you," he said, still beaming. "We'll let you know when we're free as we're going to be a little busy soon."

Elena raised an eyebrow, sensing something being silently communicated between the two men. "Busy? Meaning…?"

"Meaning…" Ryo said, taking a deep breath as he prepared to make his aunt the first person they had told about their good news. "Dee and I have decided to get married, so I guess we'll be busy because we've got a wedding to organise!"

They were both quickly enveloped in hugs of congratulations by the blonde woman; overjoyed to see that her nephew had clearly found the happiness that he and his handsome partner so richly deserved.

"That's wonderful!" she gushed, thrilled for them both. "You just say when, and we'll be there. Is it okay if I go and tell Carrie?"

"Go ahead," Ryo replied, knowing that his cousin would be similarly pleased for them. The two men watched as Elena dashed back towards the building, her shoes dangling from her hand. They both estimated that they had a matter of minutes before the bride emerged, wanting to offer her congratulations, just like her mother had done.

"Well," Dee said, raising his glass and gesturing for his lover to do the same. "To us and our wedding!"

"Us and our wedding," Ryo repeated, clinking glasses before they simultaneously took a sip.  Neither could remove their broad smiles of happiness, contemplating the union that was sure to set the seal on the lifetime bond of love and devotion that they had for each other.

End.

On to the epilogue…