Although one important decision had been made, neither Kendall nor Zach was in any hurry to return to Pine Valley and face what they expected would be staunch opposition. However, knowing that the time was soon coming when they must inevitably leave for home, Zach arranged for a special cruise on the Seine. He bought out the entire tour, and the large boat as well as its staff was exclusively at their disposal. Since Zach was not given to grandiose gestures, Kendall was completely impressed. He enjoyed showing her the sights they had visited on foot, and pointing out places that they had not had the opportunity to see together. He had not spent so much time touring the city since his youth, and had thoroughly enjoyed introducing Kendall to a part of himself that he thought he'd lost forever. Toward the end of the cruise, however, he was feeling nervous about the favor he had decided to ask of her. This might very well change her mind about everything, but he was determined to take the risk.

"Zach… are you alright?" Kendall asked. She had noticed his breathing quicken and the palm of his hand holding hers was sweaty… and she didn't think it was possible for Zach to become ruffled by anything.

"Uh… ahem… yeah… I'm… I'm fine," he managed to stammer out. Get hold of yourself, man, he thought, or this is never going to happen. "Kendall… um… have you had a good time?"

She laughed into the breeze, "I've had a wonderful time… not just this cruise but everyday that we've been together in Paris. Bianca was right to make us come."

"I'm… uh… I'm glad you feel that way. We're friends, aren't we? I mean really friends now?" he asked somewhat hesitantly.

Kendall looked at him in confusion, wondering what worried Zach so much that he was showing his feelings like this. She had come to count on Zach being calm and collected in every situation and wasn't sure she liked this side of him, "Of course, we're friends. What's wrong Zach? I didn't think anything could make you act this way."

"Neither did I… but I've never wanted anything as much as I want this…" he replied, confusing her even more.

"What is it? Please tell me, Zach… you're scaring me," Kendall said in alarm.

"I'm sorry… oh, hell…" Zach said as he got down on one knee and took her hand. "Kendall… will you marry me?"

Kendall looked down at Zach in complete shock… sure that he was joking but not liking it one bit. "Get up! Get up quick! Everyone is looking!"

Zach looked at her with sad eyes before standing as she requested, certain that he had destroyed the fragile beginnings of their relationship by his urgency. She pulled him by the hand onto a bench as far away from the prying eyes of the boat's staff as possible. Then she turned on him, anger flashing in her eyes, "What has gotten into you? How could you do that to me? And here I thought you cared about me… and then you mock me like that!"

Zach realized what Kendall had been thinking, and relief flooded through him, "No… no… I wasn't mocking you… it was… it was a serious proposal."

"Serious? You can't be! You've lost your mind!" Kendall ranted at him as he laughed. He could handle her anger, now that he knew he hadn't driven her away.

"Very serious… please… just listen to what I have to say," Zach said. "I've been giving this a lot of thought… and I think we have a chance… I mean, we have no illusions… we're not 'in love' with each other, but we like each other… that's more than most couples have."

Kendall listened to him quietly, her mind in turmoil at his words. She nodded and he continued, "We're going to have a baby… together… and we want to be the best parents possible to her…"

"Or him…" she interjected.

"No… her… I'm absolutely convinced that it's another Kane woman," Zach said with a smile. "We enjoy each other's company… we're obviously compatible in the bedroom… and we have no one else in our lives."

"But… what about love?" Kendall asked him quietly.

"We've both had our great loves… and look how they turned out… I think it's overrated. What we have is much more real, we like each other and we understand each other… and I'd rather do that in the same household than sharing custody across the courtyard. So… will you marry me?" Zach finished.

Kendall looked at Zach in amazement, and felt her head nod assent and her mouth open to say, "Yes," before she consciously realized what she had decided.

Zach smiled broadly and pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately… in a way she had only experienced once before in her life. She wound her arms around his neck and answered him with the same ardor… no longer concerned about the boat's observant staff.


At dinner that evening, Zach and Kendall announced their engagement to Bianca and Maggie. Both women beamed at the couple, thrilled to see that they had resolved everything… and certain that the growing affection they had been witnessing was much more than the friendship that both Kendall and Zach claimed. Bianca was wise enough, though, to realize that she shouldn't voice her opinion and Maggie was more than willing to follow her friend's lead.

"Since a long engagement is out of the question… would you two consider marrying before you go back to Pine Valley?" Bianca asked them.

Zach and Kendall looked at each other, neither one of them having considered the possibility. Zach had actually assumed that they would marry in Vegas before returning to Pine Valley, and realized that it was very inconsiderate of him not to ask the bride what her preferences were. He waited quietly for Kendall to speak.

"Well… sure… why not?" Kendall answered. "Everything else important seems to happen here… maybe it's meant to be. Is that okay with you, Zach?"

"I love the idea… except that we'll need to marry in Italy," Zach said. "France has a residency requirement, but I know of a place in Italy that would be bellezza, a small lake in Northern Italy, Lago d'Orta. It's about an hour from Milano, and a civil ceremony can be arranged there easily."

Kendall rounded on him, "And you know this because…"

"…because I was best man at a wedding there many years ago, when my name was neither Alex nor Zach," he answered with a smile. "And you'll get no other information about my past until you're my wife… and can't testify against me."

Kendall laughed and looked around the table, "I'm ready for an adventure if you'll join us…"

Everyone around the table nodded, and Zach said, "Good… I'll make the arrangements."

"No… I think we'll be taking care of that," Bianca answered with a smile. "You take care of the honeymoon."

Zach smiled broadly, "With pleasure."


Less than a week later, the small wedding party departed on the Cambias jet for Milan, Italy. It had quickly become apparent that Zach's facility with the languages made it much easier for him to organize the wedding and the honeymoon, while Bianca, Kendall and Maggie concentrated on their attire. While Zach attended to the arrangements, the women spent their time selecting gowns and attending hurried fittings with their favorite designer. Zach was determined to give Kendall a wedding that she would never forget, but it would be a very unusual wedding party. Kendall had naturally asked Bianca to be her maid of honor, and Miranda was to be the flower girl. However, Zach was completely without a best man, and he and Kendall preferred to keep their marriage quiet for the time being. After giving it much thought, Zach asked Maggie to stand up for him… and she laughingly agreed.

The limousine ride from Milan to Lago d'Orta was comfortable, although Kendall's stomach rebelled a couple of times as the streets wound tightly through the foothills of the Alps. They had arranged for rooms at a luxury hotel and were to be married at midnight in the Sala di Matromonio.

After checking into their rooms, Zach was left to himself while the women prepared for the wedding. He found himself wandering the picturesque town, roaming the cobbled streets, and thinking about what the future held for him and his bride. Marrying Kendall Hart had to be the craziest thing he had ever done in a life of taking crazy chances. As he stood at the edge of the lake, he took a moment to remember his time with Maureen and how he followed her to Pine Valley hoping to rekindle their love. As he reflected on their relationship, he admitted to himself that none of it had been real. It was easy to fall in love when there was no past or future to consider… this time there was too much of both… but he was determined to make a good life for Kendall and their child, and wondered whether he was capable of living up to the commitment he was making that night. Checking his watch, he returned to the hotel and changed into a suit he had purchased especially for their wedding… and laughing to himself at the fact that he had been coping with his own hurried fittings. He checked the box that held the rings he had purchased, and left early… choosing to walk to the Sala and wait there for his bride.

Upon entering the building, he was pleasantly surprised to find Maggie waiting for him dressed in all of her finery. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and she smiled before answering, "I knew that you'd want to meet here… its funny what you can learn about someone after sharing an apartment for a few weeks."

Zach laughed and pulled her into a warm embrace before saying, "You look lovely, Maggie. Let me ask you something… is Kendall as terrified as I am right now?"

"Zach Slater terrified? Quick, alert the news media!" Maggie said with a laugh.

He looked at her with a smile, but didn't reply to the comment. Instead he said, "I need to speak with the Maiore. Have you ever been to a matromonio civile before? It is quite different than in the States, I hope you like it."

"Thanks, but I don't think I'll understand a word that they say," Maggie answered.

"Don't worry… we'll have an English translator… and the midnight ceremony is truly beautiful as it's done completely by candlelight. Shall we?" he said, offering Maggie his hand.

They entered the room where weddings were performed and Zach spoke to the mayor and introduced Maggie. He noticed that the flowers and candles were all in place as had been arranged and that a photographer was standing unobtrusively in the corner. He had arranged for a photographer already in his employ to take pictures… not trusting anyone else with the secret of their wedding, but not wanting to deprive Kendall of the full experience.

Zach and Maggie stood waiting in the marriage room when the harpist started to play, and he looked toward the back of the room when Bianca entered holding the hand of her tiny daughter. Miranda had been walking for a couple of months and they were both beautiful in their complimentary gowns. Zach smiled lovingly at the small girl, and crouched down holding out his arms for her to enter his embrace. He pulled her close and kissed her before the music changed and he stood to await the entrance of his bride.

Kendall was a vision of loveliness in an elegantly simple gown of white, with tiny jewels scattered in her curls. She carried a small bouquet of gardenias and Zach held his breath as she walked towards him. He had never felt such affection for her as he did at the moment that he realized that she was to become his wife, and soon the mother of his child. For her part, Kendall had been feeling nervous and shaky as she entered the room, but the expression of admiration in Zach's eyes as they caught hers took away the last of her fears and she smiled warmly to him.

The civil ceremony was brief. They quickly exchanged vows and rings and were signing the marriage certificate before many minutes had passed. The photographer posed them for a few pictures with candles and flowers, and then the mayor excused himself. Kendall and Zach had not exchanged personal vows… they decided to leave that for another time when they might renew their vows before Kendall's family and friends in Pine Valley. They had made no plans for a dinner or reception, feeling that they had already kept Miranda up too late. As Bianca, Maggie and Miranda returned to their hotel… Zach and his bride were ensconced in a horse-drawn carriage for the short trip to the villa where they would spend their wedding night.

Kendall had been enchanted by the fairy tale likeness of their wedding, and the obvious attention to detail with which Zach had tried to make it perfect for her. On a night like this, it was hard to question her choice to marry for friendship rather than love... when he had put so much caring into every aspect of the evening. As they rode in their carriage, pulled by a matched set of white horses, she glanced up at her husband and felt suddenly shy. Zach sensed her feelings and pulled her close, gently caressing her bare arm with his fingers and placing feather light kisses along her jaw and the nape of her neck. She shivered not from cold, but from the desire that he was igniting with his touch... amazed that she could still recall with such clarity their one night together in Paris.

When the carriage stopped before the villa, Zach assisted Kendall out of the vehicle and into another aspect of her fantasy wedding. The room was filled with fragrant flowers and illuminated by hundreds of candles. The bed was invitingly placed in the center of the room. Zach stood back and allowed Kendall to absorb the beauty of the setting while he admired the beauty of his wife... enjoying every graceful movement she made as she examined the room. She turned to him with a smile of pure joy, and he quickly joined her... pulling her into his arms and kissing her with all the passion he had held back for so many weeks. Their clothing was quickly removed as they rediscovered the delights of their bodies, and gloried in the passionate release.

As the candles burned low and began to extinguish themselves, they lay entwined in each others' arms and drifted into a contented sleep. Kendall woke during the night and raised her hand to stroke the cheek of the man she had pledged to share her life with, and could not find any regret in her heart or her mind. He shifted in his sleep, tightening his arms about her as she sighed and snuggled closer against him. He kissed the top of her head and then gently caressed her to new heights as they loved each other thoroughly.

The morning light streamed into their room, and Kendall roused to find Zach watching her sleep, as he had the first time they had woken in the same bed. She looked up at him and they kissed long and lingeringly, both feeling satiated and happy from their night of passion. After a while they rose and bathed together before being served breakfast in the comfort of their room. After making love once again, they took a short nap and rose in the late afternoon to get dressed and meet the limo that would return them to the plane in Milan. In two days time they would be returning to face their new life in Pine Valley, but neither of them chose to think about that future for very long.


Edited to remove song lyrics.