This is the next installment of Krista & Rizzo. Rizzo went out to Boston to help hire his new assistant coach; about two weeks later Krista packed all of her worldly possessions into her car and made the trip herself, and that's where we begin…

The drive from Minnesota had been a long one—particularly going through Ohio where the flat road seemed to stretch on for days—but she finally pulled into Mr. and Mrs. Eruzione's driveway. She breathed a tired sigh of relief as she parked the car and got out. No sooner had the car door closed than Rizzo came running out to see her.

"You made it!" he cried throwing his arms around her and lifting her in the air.

Her energy returned, and she kissed him ardently. "I missed you so much!"

"Oh, I missed you too," he told her, setting her down and brushing a finger across her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her, more gently this time, enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms. "You must be tired," he said, touching her face again.

"I am," she replied smiling, "but I feel better now."

"Why don't we go inside?" He turned and took a bag from the car and hefted it over his shoulder, keeping one arm around Krista. "How's Liv doing?" he asked as they walked toward the house.

Olivia Hutchinson was Krista's roommate in Minnesota and had made the drive out with her, in part to keep Krista company and in part to pay someone a visit.

"She's almost as happy as I am," Krista laughed. "It seems that while you and I were busy keeping each other company this summer, Livie and Silky were getting to know each other better."

"I thought Silky was playing hockey New Haven after the Olympics…"

"He was, but when he got there he realized he'd left something in Minnesota that he couldn't live without, and he came back after the season was over."

"Really? What couldn't he live without?" Rizzo asked.

"Livie," Krista smiled.

"I know how he feels," he replied, kissing her hair.

They reached the house, and Rizzo opened the door for her. Mrs. Eruzione came over and hugged her tightly while Rizzo took her bag into one of the bedrooms.

"It's so good to see you again," she told Krista.

"It's good to see you, too, Mrs. E," Krista replied. "And so very sweet of you to let me stay here tonight."

"Well, we weren't going to let you drive all the way out from Minnesota to an empty apartment," Rizzo's mother told her. "You should have someone to welcome you."

"This is a great welcome," Krista smiled.

"Well, dinner's almost ready," Rizzo said, returning. "Dad's finishing up in the kitchen as we speak."

"So the cooking thing runs in the family?" Krista asked.

Mrs. Eruzione laughed. "There's nothing better than a man that can cook."

Krista laughed with her. "Amen to that!"

After dinner, Krista and Rizzo cleared the table and washed the dishes while his parents relaxed in the living room.

"You haven't stopped smiling since I got here," Krista told him, dunking a pile of plates into the soapy water in the sink.

Rizzo, standing beside her drying a glass, leaned over and kissed her softly. "You haven't either."

"I know," she told him. "So what's on tap for tonight? Do we have any plans?"

"I figured you'd be too worn out to do anything, but if you have the energy for it, I'd like to take you over to the church."

"The one we're getting married in? I'd love to see it…"

"Okay," he replied. "There's a service tonight that's ending…" he checked his watch, "in about ten minutes. If we go over when we finish the dishes, Father O'Malley should still be there and you can meet him."

"Sounds good."

They finished up the dishes and settled a few more details of the wedding, then headed over to the church. By the time they got there it was dark out, and the building was lit up brilliantly. It wasn't overly large, but it was built in the style of the other Catholic cathedrals of its time, with a tall spire and large stained glass windows.

"Wow," she breathed as the pulled into the parking lot. "It's beautiful…"

"Wait 'till you see the inside," Rizzo smiled.

He took her hand and led her up the front steps. When they entered the church, Krista stopped and turned to him.

"It's perfect," she told him, kissing him softly. "It's big enough for both our families, but not so huge that it feels like a warehouse. And it's so gorgeous…"

The pleased expression on his face said it all. The woman of his dreams was finally with him again, and they were standing together in the building they'd be married in, which happened to be his family's house of worship. The only thing left now was to introduce her to his priest.

The pair continued on toward the altar, where lit candles from the service still burned brightly.

"Father O'Malley," Rizzo called.

"Michael," the priest replied turning around. "So good to see you."

"This is my fiancée, Kristina Collins."

"Pleased to meet you, Father," Krista said, extending her hand.

"The pleasure is mine, dear," he said, taking her hand. "Young Michael has told me so much about you."

"He talks a lot about you, too, Father," Krista smiled. "I know he's very excited to have our wedding here, and so am I."

"And I'm thrilled to be officiating. You know, I christened Michael and gave him his first communion…"

Krista smiled, thinking of Rizzo as the cute little boy she knew he'd been. "Perhaps somewhere down the road you'll be christening our children, too."

Both men smiled at that thought.

"I'd be honored to," Father O'Malley replied. "In the meantime, I have a few things to finish up here, and I know you're tired, dear," he took Krista's hand again. "So we won't talk business tonight. But you'll come by and see me in the next few days?"

"We will," Rizzo told him. "Do you mind if I show her around a little before we go?"

"Not at all, Michael. She should feel at home here."

They said their good-byes to the priest and wandered around the church for a while, getting Krista acquainted with the building. After a while she started yawning and they decided to head back home.

"Can we make a stop first before we leave?" she asked.

"Sure, where?"

"I want to light a candle."

They headed back toward the alter, but took a turn and stopped in front of the shrine to Mary with its bank of candles flickering softly. Krista crossed herself and knelt down. Rizzo followed suit, noting the pained expression on her face and taking her hand. She lit her candle silently, head bowed, looking as though she were fighting back tears.

When she was ready, she stood, crossed herself again, and allowed Rizzo to lead her back toward the door.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," she replied sadly. "I was just thinking of my brother."

He nodded. "The fighter pilot."

She stopped a moment, trying to compose herself again, and rested her forehead against his shoulder. "It was twelve years ago today that he was shot down."

Rizzo's arms went around her, stroking her back and caressing her hair. She had told him the story of her older brother, who was a Naval Aviator during the Vietnam War. He'd been shot down by the North Vietnamese and his plane recovered, but he had never been found. Rizzo didn't know what to say, so he just held her.

After a few minutes she lifted her head from his shoulder and kissed him gently.

"Thank you," she said softly.

He touched her cheek. "Maybe we can remember him someway at the wedding, if you want to."

She smiled a little sadly. "Maybe something small, just so I feel like he's there."

Rizzo smiled a little and kissed her forehead. "He'll be there, even if it's just in spirit. Do you think he'd miss his sister's wedding?"

She ran a hand over his shoulder and took his arm as they walked out of the church. "He was definitely a family man," she said. "And he'd be here if he could." She paused. "He'd absolutely want to meet you."

"Do you think he'd like me?" Rizzo asked, a little hesitantly.

"He'd love you, and he'd be very proud to have you as a brother-in-law." Krista's smile warmed a little. "You're a good man, just like he was." She rested her head on his shoulder as they walked out to the car.