"Hey, Bart. You want your usual?"

Bonnie smiled at him kindly as he slid onto a bar stool and nodded. He had come into Alice's every day since New Year's to keep her company during her shifts. It was really sweet. Slowly, but surely she was starting to depend on his being around. He was one of the good ones.

Bart waited happily for his drink. The past few weeks had eased his nervousness somewhat, but there were still huge flutters in his stomach every time he came in to see her. She knew he was only coming to spend time talking with her and, luckily, he knew that she enjoyed his company.

Best of all, she had kissed him! A little more than a month ago, right in this very bar he had kissed Bonnie Lockhart, or was it Horton? He was still uncertain of the state of that affair, but it seemed fair to say that it wasn't going to last much longer, right?

She slid him his drink and started wiping down the bar with a rag so that it looked like she was busy. In reality, she was making sure that no one would interrupt their conversation. It was a habit he probably noticed by now and hopefully it encouraged him a little.

"So, are you going to Lucas and Sami's wedding tomorrow?"

Bart had been practicing this for awhile now. If she said that she hadn't been invited he would ask her to be his date. If she said that she was, then he would just ask if she wanted to stick together. They would sit with each other and possibly spend the whole reception together as well.

"Yup, me, Mickey and Maggie are going as one big threesome. It'll be our last big event as Salem's own bigamists."

He was distracted from the path his question had originally intended to go down by that startling revelation, "What do ya mean?"

He held his breath in anticipation. This could be the sign that things could finally be going his way. He, Bart Biederbech could finally get the gal. He could be the suave, smooth hero in his own 50's gangster movie. Well, maybe not suave, or smooth, but Bonnie seemed to think he was cute and that was something.

"I mean, that I have agreed to have an annulment. I guess, after awhile ya have to know when to bow out gracefully."

Really, these past couple months Bonnie had had an epiphany, so to speak. Mickey was head-over-heels, always and forever, soul mates kind of in love with Maggie. She was slowly realizing that she didn't want to interfere with that. Karma was a bitch and if she did interfere, that kind of lovemight not come for her. She was beginning to think it was possible, too.

"Wow," his heart was beating a mile a minute and he could hear the blood rushing through his veins, "You really signed the papers n' everything?"

"It'll be official in a week or two."

She, of course, felt a little sad at the end of a marriage to a man she had actually respected. Her children's father had never given her any reason to respect or admire him. Mickey was a whole different story. But, this was a new beginning and, if the goofy grin on Bart's face was any indication, she may have just found the pick of the litter.

"I'm happy for you. Uh, I mean… it's real sad that you're getting' annulled and all, but this could be good for you."

He didn't want to hint too big, how was he supposed to know if she'd want his attention?

Bonnie could see his fear and hesitation. The poor guy was tongue-tied around her, but really, who could blame him? If she wanted this man, she would have to be the aggressive one. Not that she had any problem with that.

"Ya know, maybe you could keep me company during the wedding. I wouldn't want to be stuck with them by myself. What do ya say?"

He knew there was a reason he liked this woman. She was bold and fearless, things he wasn't. She could see what he wanted to say and helped him along, "That'd be great."

………………………………….

Sami stretched next to Lucas, completely exhausted. This was the last time they could spend any time together before the big wedding. In a unanimous vote, they had decided to spend the day in bed. It would help fight the urge to sneak to each other during the night. At least that was her reasoning.

Lucas pulled her a little closer with that satisfied smile that always seemed to grace his face when he had his way with her. He really was adorable and the butterflies in her stomach started beating faster every time he looked at her that way.

She was getting married. She was actually getting married. She would be Sami Roberts this time tomorrow. It was amazing, beyond amazing. This one was actually going to happen.

Lucas lazily ran a hand down her hair over and over again. Sami had the most amazing hair; he could run his fingers through it all day. He still had trouble believing this was real in moments like these. She really was his Sami and she was actually going to be his wife.

Absently, she trailed a hand over his bare chest, "I'm going to miss you."

He didn't move or open his eyes, "Am I going somewhere?"

"You're not going to be here tonight. I hate it when you're not here."

"We could forget the silly superstitions. Would it really be risking that much?"

"Only our marriage and our future. No, I don't want to risk this one. We're better safe than sorry."

He was about to argue the benefits of risk taking when the phone rang, "Who would want to disturb our limited time together. Do they know nothing?"

He was only half-joking. This was the last time he would hold her for almost twenty four hours, and he was seriously considering giving the person on the other end hell for disturbing his peaceful afterglow.

"We might as well answer it. They're not going away."

Grudgingly, Lucas reached behind him and picked up the receiver. Sami kept her body cuddled close to his, only partially listening to his side of the conversation. He went from calm, to scared and intense, to pacified, in a matter of minutes.

He sat up to put the phone away, not quite sure how he was supposed to feel. He watched Sami sit up next to him. Worry was etched into her every feature. With her hand safely tucked away in his, he answered the question she hadn't voiced.

"That was Rex. He, uh, called to tell me that Philip's on his way home," before she could ask any of the millions of questions in her mind, Lucas continued. "He's been injured. It's not bad, just a broken leg and some other minor things, but he was allowed to come home to recover before he could go back into active duty.

'Apparently, this happened a few days ago, but he wouldn't let them call us. Now he's on his way home with one of the nurses that treated him. He's going to be here really soon."

Sami rubbed his arm comfortingly, "Do you want to meet him at the airport? 'Cause we can go right now."

"No, Rex said that Phil wanted to meet up later. He's going to come to the thing the guys are doing for me."

"Well, you know, if he's up for your bachelor party, I'd say he's fine."

"It's not a bachelor party. They just wanted to celebrate, Jen's doing the same thing for you." he groused. The familiar teasing was easing away his worry. She was right, Philip was fine.

"I know, which reminds me. We have to get up and get dressed."

Lucas snuck a sly glance at the clock and then pulled her to him, "We still have a little more time."

Surprisingly, Sami dodged his advances and avoided his mouth, "Nope. This is now the beginning of our abstinence."

"What?"

"There will be no more making love, kissing or even touching until tomorrow, after we're married."

Now he was thoroughly confused, "I don't get it."

"I want tomorrow to be special. So, we are going to keep our hands and lips to ourselves. They say waiting builds the anticipation."

He pouted now, "So I can't even hug you?"

"Put away that lip, Mister. You'll thank me later," Lucas's puppy face grew even more exaggerated and she couldn't help laughing, "Okay, fine. One goodbye hug, then we will wait until tomorrow."

"I guess I can live with that."

All the more reason to look forward to tomorrow.