She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, she glowed everyone said and it was true, she had a Hugh around her. She was unbelievably happy, and he could see them spending the rest of their lives together. She walked toward him her arm wrapped in Jake's. He watched his dad shed a tear, probably thinking that he would have been doing this for Lilly, but Jake was so proud of Rachel and Duncan. He loved her like a daughter and he always loved watching her with his son.
They got to the bottom of the stairs as Rachel smiled at all her friends, Meg, Georgia, Mac and Kelly were her bridesmaids and were decked out in wine red plain strapless gowns. She turned to the other side and smiled at the groomsmen, Casey, Wallace, Cassidy, and Blake all in their fetching tuxes.
She turned to Jake and gave him a kiss on the cheek as a tear streamed down her face. "I want you to know, I love you like a father and I am so happy you are here" she said through a whispered voice.
Jakes voice cracked as he suppressed the flood of emotions he wanted to express and smiled "Take care of my boy now you hear?" she nodded and walked up taking Duncan's hand. She turned and smiled at Veronica as she passed over her bouquet to take both of her husband's hands. Then over Duncan's shoulder she smiled and winked at Logan who was now grinning like a fiend.
"Who gives this woman today?" asked the priest.
"I do" Jake replied before taking his seat and grabbing Celeste's hand.
Celeste actually looked 'Happy' Rachel never thought she would get that kind of reaction from her. She was taking away her baby boy and when she looked at Celeste she could feel herself choke up again. She turned and looked into her husband's eyes. She was lost in them. She cannot remember the Ceremony very well but watched contently as he read his vows.
"Rachel, before you entered my life, I was a mess. You saved me, you saved all of us. You reminded me how much I need others for support, you reminded me how to love, how to care. You got me to start talking to my best friends again" he said looking over his shoulder a Logan, then over to Veronica. "you are my everything, you are my sky, my sea, my wind, my world. You have given me the greatest gift anyone could ever receive, you" he finished and she was softly crying letting the tears stream down her face.
"Duncan, Growing up I am not sure I even knew what love was, having never felt it before I guessed I was just not privileged enough to feel it. Then one day I met this goofy boy" she said with a smile and a small chuckle from the crowd. "And I realized just then that I needed to know who you were. When I was with you I felt my whole life change, you chased away my demons and replaced them with angels. Then I started getting this feeling and I was scared it was so foreign to me, but then I knew what it was. I was in love, with a goofy little boy who watched me dance in the supermarket, who used to make a mess trying to make me cookies because I was having a bad day. You gave me the greatest thing I could ever ask for a family." She ended patting her stomach.
They slipped their rings on each others fingers and watched as the priest named them "Man and Wife" and before he could finish Duncan grabbed Rachel and dipped her back into the most dazzling and breathless kiss they had ever had. They were snapped back into the world by applause as they made their way down the isle. Before they reached the door Rachel turned around and yelled "LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED!"
They took pictures outside of the church as the guests filed their way out and walked over to the hotel across the way. The Reception hall was amazing, elegant with a twinge of childish flare. Very becoming of the occasion due to half the guest list were high school students. They walked in announced by the DJ and took their places for their first dance. "Ready Mr. Kane," she asked with a smile.
"Ready Mrs. Kane?" he replied and watched her giggle at the sound of it.
"Rachel Rose Kane" she said, then giggled like a little school girl who had a crush and repeated all the ways to combine their names. "Rachel Kane, Mrs. Duncan Kane, Mrs. Rachel Kane." She went down the list and he just laughed mesmerized in how beautiful she looked.
They sat down to dinner and someone got to their glass tapping the sides to start the toasts. Logan stood up and looked over the crowd and then at Duncan and Rachel.
"Wow man, didn't expect to be here so soon" he said with a laugh and everyone joined in. He looked out to the crowd and continued "I have known Duncan since I was twelve, He stood up for me when I was new, he took care of me, and I would never be the person I am today without him. Now I know we have had our rough times, a lot of them. But we remained friends and I owe a lot of that to Rachel. Now when I first met Rachel I thought oh god another prissy actors daughter" he said with another laugh. "But that girl punched me straight in the nose." She was pink with embarrassment. "and I deserved it, we were inseparable ever since, wreaking havoc on every movie set we were together on. And she is still wreaking havoc today. And I am betting that little person growing inside will be in the future. To my best friend and my partner in crime, I love you both…..to the bride and groom" he said raising his glass and the crowd followed.
Veronica stood up, she was not the best at social speaking as Logan was but as she looked at Rachel's smile she calmed a bit. "Well who would have thought our little Duncan would be getting married." She started and the crowd took the cue to laugh. "I knew Duncan since we were 10, I knew him as Lilly's dorky little brother. But soon I saw him as a friend, one of my best. When Lilly died we were all wreaks but soon time goes on and some other huge event happens to take your mind off it. I met Rachel at the beginning of the year. I was a bit pissed to find that Duncan had been keeping her to himself all summer. Because she in his words and mine is "Perfect." She has the ability to light up a room, without having to do or say a thing. She has been a true friend to me and she is Duncan's other half. I believe these two will do great things, together, and always." She said choking up on the last part as Duncan and Rachel stood up to give her a hug.
Keith came up behind and took the mic they had been passing around. "As all you know Duncan is one of the nicest, smartest kids in Neptune, I look at him as a son. Rachel is rambunctious, sweet and funny, she will keep you on your toes and a smile on your face. When I first met her she came in the door and without a second thought said "What's up 00daddy" and I could tell I was not going to be rid of her soon." He said with a smile. "I love you sweety, and if your Dad was here I think he would be so proud of the two of you" he added giving her a hug.
She took the mic and looked over the sea of people. "Oh my, I doubt I have any mascara on anymore" she said wiping her eyes. "Thank you so much for being her, and celebrating with us. A year ago I didn't have anyone in the world, then I met my husband. Now I have parents in law, friends, and the love of my life, and baby makes three" she said rubbing her stomach. "Thank you." She ended falling into Duncan's lap and giving him a long kiss, earning them some 'ohhh' and 'ahhs.'
They laughed and ate and as tradition may have it eveytime someone taps a glass the married couple had to kiss. This made it hard for the two to talk to family and friends and enjoy their meal. So they made the announcement that they were only going to kiss if people came up and sang a song with the word 'love' in it. Three little flower girls, cousins of Duncan came up and took the mike. As everyone got their cameras ready for the Kodak moment. They sang the chorus of 'can you feel the love tonight' from the Lion King. And Duncan and Rachel smiled taking their cue at the end to kiss before leaning in and engulfing the girls in big hugs.
The night went on with Dancing and one of the drunk underage friends taking the DJs mike and singing off key to the music. They played everything from 80's to hip hop and danced until they got tired. Rachel's dress was applying too much weight so she sat down and watched everyone dance for a bit. She watched Duncan twirl the two little girls and watched their skirts puff out as they giggled. "He is going to make a great dad" a voice broke her concentration. It was Logan as he sat down next to her and smiled.
"Yeah" she said looking back at Duncan.
"Be good to him, I mean you need to cook and clean, and for gods sake bring him his pot pie woman!" he joked.
"You're a great friend." She said giving him a kiss on the cheek.
He got up and pulled her on the dance floor as they danced to the music. Veornica and Duncan were talking and dancing and Rachel could tell that they were probably talking about the same thing.
The time came were they fed each other cake and Duncan pulled off Rachels garder belt with his teeth and flung it across the room. Logan caught it and gave a wink to Veronica who blushed.
The Bouquet was thrown and Georgia got it and did the same subtle gesture to Wallace. He pulled at his collar as a joke and she smacked him on the arm before giving him a kiss.
The night ended and they made their way to their apartment, they had moved their things in a week earlier and were finally able to call it home. He opened the door and picked her up in his arms walking her through and laying her on the bed. They made love that night, and fell asleep in each others arms, now as husband and wife.