Chapter 12: The Wedding

Dana stood in her room with a nervous look on her face. At last, at long last she was going to marry Carter Grayson. Kelsey came in the room with a smile. "Hey, Day, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"Do you really have to ask?" Dana asked.

"Butterflies huh?"

"The worse."

Kelsey placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't you worry about a thing. Carter's going to make you so happy," she assured her.

"Yeah, I'm just afraid that Laura girl's going to show up and ruin my wedding," Dana sighed.

"If she does, I'll see to it personally that her life will end," Kelsey teased.

Dana laughed slightly before sitting down.

She was wearing white shoes, a white dress, her mother's diamond necklace, the diamond earrings Kelsey lent her, and the tiara Carter bought for her. Her hair was tied up in a bun and the tiara sat in her hair.

Her dress had spaghetti straps, made of silk, it had flower imprints going through it, a three foot long back, and it zipped up.

She took a deep breath feeling a bit more relieved that she was finally going to marry Carter. Captain Mitchell came in with a smile. "Dana," he murmured. Dana stood up with a smile. He walked over and held her hands. "Twenty years ago I was holding you in my arms. Now here you are, a full-grown beautiful woman getting ready to get married," he murmured. He then touched her face. "When I look at you, I see your mother," he told her.

"I wish I could remember her," she sighed.

He lifted her chin up and smiled at her. "Dana, your mother is with you. She lives within you," he told her. Dana smiled and hugged her father. He hugged her back wit ha sigh. "You chose a great guy to marry, Dana. You've done some wonderful things. I'm so proud of you," he whispered.

"Thanks, dad," she whispered back.

Captain Mitchell then pulled back and touched his daughter's face. "Let's get you married," he murmured. Dana nodded and Kelsey handed her, her bouquet of red and pink roses.

(Carter's Room)

"Carter, sit down or you're going to get yourself sick," Ryan insisted. Carter stopped pacing and looked at Ryan.

"Do you have the rings?" He asked.

Ryan had a panicked look on his face and then he laughed as he held the rings out to Carter. "Carter, you have to calm down. You're more paranoid than I was when I married Kelsey," Ryan laughed. Carter glared at him before finally calming down. Each man was wearing a tuxedo, however, they had ties that were the colors of their old Ranger uniforms. Joel then came in.

"Carter, there are two people out there claiming to be your parents," he informed.

Carter sighed and stood up. He hadn't spoken to his parents ever since they started speaking bad things about Dana. He decided to go talk to them nonetheless.

He closed the door to see his parents standing there.

Mark Grayson had sandy-blonde hair cropped short, brown eyes, he was wearing black shoes, black dress pants, a white button down shirt, a black jacket, and a black tie.

Caroline Grayson had shoulder-length brown hair, blue eyes, she was wearing white high heels, a violet colored dress, a white button up sweater, the buttons were undone, and her hair was pulled back in a bun.

"What are you guys doing here? I didn't think you'd want to come to my wedding since I'm marrying a selfish girl," Carter snarled. Caroline touched her son's shoulder.

"Carter, we didn't mean those things we said about Dana. We just can't believe that the mother of your children ran off without even telling you that she was pregnant," she stated.

Carter shrugged her hand away. "Mom, Dana was upset with me. She caught me in our apartment with another woman," he stated. Caroline looked at her son in disbelief.

"Carter James Grayson," she scolded.

Mark grabbed his wife's arm and stood in front of her. "Carter, we just came to say we're sorry. Captain Mitchell explained everything to me earlier. I'll have to talk to my soon-to-be daughter-in-law later. That is if we're allowed to come," he stated. Carter sighed and nodded.

"Fine, you're able to come. Not a word about Dana running away," Carter instructed.

Mark nodded before leading his wife away. Carter walked back into the room. "What a nightmare," he sighed. Chad placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You okay, Carter?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go," Carter replied.

The rest of the guys nodded before leaving.

(In the Church)

Carter stood at the altar waiting for the love of his life to come down the aisle. He watched as Ryan and Kelsey came down the aisle. Then came Joel and Angela. Finally came Chad and his girlfriend, Carrie. Everyone stood up as Captain Mitchell escorted Dana down the aisle. Carter's eyes widened at how beautiful his soon-to-be wife came down the aisle. Once Dana and Captain Mitchell stopped at the altar, Carter walked down the two steps and held his hand out to Dana. Captain Mitchell placed Dana's hand in Carter's and held them both in his. He looked at his daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law with a smile. "Take care of each other and love each other to no end," he instructed. Carter and Dana nodded before he let their hands go. He sat next to Caroline and took Callie into his arms.

"We are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony, Carter and Dana. If anyone here thinks that these two should not be wed speak now or forever hold your peace," the minister started.

All was silent in the church and the ceremony went on. Carter looked at Dana with a smile. She looked so beautiful and he couldn't believe that he was finally going to make her his wife. Dana smiled back at Carter before looking out over at their guests. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Laura standing all the way in the back. Carter then had her look at him and they both ignored Laura. "Do you, Carter James Grayson, take Dana Leigh Mitchell to be your wife? To have and to hold from this day forward? Will you love, honor, and cherish her from richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, and until death do you part?" The minister asked. Carter looked at Dana with a gentle smile.

"I do," Carter replied.

Dana smiled as the words were repeated to her. "Do you, Dana Leigh Mitchell, take Carter James Grayson to be your husband? To have and to hold from this day forward? Will you love, honor, and obey him from richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, and until death do you part?" The minister repeated.

"I do," Dana replied.

Ryan then handed the rings to the minister and the minister handed one of the rings to Carter. "Carter, as you slip this ring onto Dana's finger, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed," he instructed. Carter slipped the ring onto Dana's finger while feeling a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders.

"With this ring, I thee wed," he vowed.

Dana then took the other ring and held Carter's hand up. "Dana as you slip this ring onto Carter's finger, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed," he instructed. Dana slipped the ring onto Carter's finger with a smile on her face.

"With this ring, I thee wed," she vowed.

The minister grinned at the couple before saying his final word. "By the power invested in me in the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the minister announced.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Carter murmured.

Dana giggled as she wrapped her arms around Carter's neck as she kissed him. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Carter James Grayson," the minister announced. Everyone was clapping for the newlyweds as they walked back down the aisle.