This is for Brie, who made my day when I found a mention of this fic on the "best fan fic" thread on the OHS BB. That was so sweat of you.

Two nights later at dinner, Connor presented Duncan with an envelope.

"What is it?" Richie asked around a mouthful of bread.

"Why don't you wait until I open it?" Duncan teased him. He pulled out three tickets. "Connor," he laughed. "A Ceilidh?"

"What's that?" Richie asked, after swallowing.

"I thought you'd like it," Connor answered, ignoring Richie.

"In Glenn Finnan, no less," Duncan continued chuckling. "How did you pull this off?"

"I bought the tickets when I made all the arrangements for getting here."

"Tickets for what?"

"I can't believe you, old man."

"Do you want to go?"

"Of course!"

"Go where?" Richie was getting agitated. It was bad enough he couldn't understand people who tried to talk to him, not being able to understand his own friends was just mean. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

Duncan smiled. "A ceilidh is a big party," he explained. "A huge one, people come from all over for the dancing, the food, the music, the games…"

"You'll like it," Connor promised him. "There will be lots of girls there."

Richie smiled. "Cool."

"Consider this your bachelor party," Connor added to Duncan. "I expect you to enjoy yourself."

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've been to a ceilidh?" Duncan mused to himself.

"How long?" Riche asked expectantly.

"I haven't been since I was in my twenties… not much older than you."

Richie's jaw dropped. "They've been going on for that long?"

"Sure they have," Connor answered. "Ceilidh means 'gathering'. "

Richie smiled. "Gathering? As in…" he waved his knife in the air.

"Hey, stop that," Duncan clapped his hand over Richie's. "Not that type of gathering. As far as you're concerned, it means big block party."

Early the next morning, they ate a quick breakfast and piled into the rental car to drive two and a half hours to Glenn Finnan. Once they arrived, and woke Richie from his nap in the back of the car, they set out for a walking tour of the town.

"Hey, can we stop?" Richie asked as they passed a small café. "I'm hungry."

"We just ate!" Duncan laughed.

"I'm hungry again."

"Just get something small, it's nearly lunch."

After Richie's appetite was under control, they continued to explore the shops around town. Duncan stopped at an antique store to look around and chat with the proprietor, while Connor looked through a bookstore, and Richie stayed outside to casually pose and posture for a group of girls window shopping across the street. They giggled and waved and him, and giggled harder when he smirked and jerked his chin in their direction.

"Well done," Connor said as he walked past casually, not wanting to interrupt the flirting.

"Thanks," Richie answered, not looking at him, but running his fingers through his hair as the girls pushed one of their own into the street to investigate the new kid.

Connor entered the antique shop and found Duncan looking over a jewelry display.

"What do you think?" Duncan asked, pointing to a silver broach in the case.

"Handsome."

"I never got Tessa a proper engagement gift."

"Then a luckenbooth would be a good choice."

"I think I will." Duncan gestured the owner over and haggled what he felt was a fair price for the broach.

Richie was waiting for them outside, alone, when they came out.

"What happened to your groupies?" Connor teased him. "You looked like you had a done deal."

He shrugged. "No chemistry."

"You couldn't understand their accents and they lost interest," he translated astutely.

"Pretty much."

Duncan chuckled and put his arm around Richie's shoulders. "Looks like you're stuck with us."

"Wish Nicolas could'a come."

"We aren't that boring, are we?"

"A little."

"You'll have fun at the ceilidh. I'm sure you'll find some people your age to hang out with."

"When does it start?"

"We'll get going in a bit. It'll start early afternoon and go all night."

Richie smiled appreciatively. "Now that's a party." They walked down the street a few more stores before he noticed the bag Duncan was carrying. "What's that?"

"A present for Tessa."

"What'd you get her?"

"A broach."

"You mean, like, those ugly pins grandmas wear?"

Connor chucked as Duncan's cheeks burned. "Here, take a look and tell me what you think?" He handed the bag over.

Richie dug though the tissue paper and extracted a small box. Inside was the broach. It was silver with two hearts intertwined with a five point crown over them. "That's actually kin'a pretty," he admitted, snuggling it back down on the cotton in the box.

"I'm glad you approve," Duncan teased. "That reminds me. I suppose I need to give you the wedding ring when we get back to Paris, so you can take care of it for me."

"Me?"

"That's part of the best man's job," he reminded him.

Richie stopped walking. "About that…"

Duncan frowned and looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I should be the best man anymore."

"Why not, Rich?" he asked, pulling Richie out of the way of a few walkers by.

"Its not that I don't want to… I actually think it's pretty awesome that you asked me…I just think maybe… Well, I'm sure you want Connor to do it."

"Rich, I asked you."

"But, I kinda backed you into it. You never had a chance to ask anyone else before I muscled my way in."

"Richie…"

"Besides, you guys are family. And you've known him longer. And you're better friends. And… and I just want you to know that I understand if you want him to be the best man. No hard feelings."

Duncan shook his head fondly at the teen. "You are impossible. I'll tell you what. I'm leaving it up to you two. You talk it out and decide."

"But, Mac…"

He held his hands up and took a step back. "I trust you two. It's in your hands now."

Defeated, Richie looked at Connor. "I'll wrestle you for it. Winner gets the title."

Connor smirked. "Seems a little rigged."

He puffed out his chest and stood up tall. "I'm tougher than I look."

"We'll see."

After two days of trains, Duncan, Connor and Richie arrived back in Paris, where Connor rented another car and they drove back to the château. They weren't greeted particularly warmly when they arrived, but they were let in, which was a nice gesture. Richie went up to his room to pack his things to go stay with Connor in the hotel.

"Where are you going now?" a familiar voiced asked, as Richie shut his suitcase.

Richie grinned. "I bustin' outta here," he answered turning around. "Hey, wow," he whistled between his teeth. "You look great, Tess… did you do something to your hair?"

She smiled and gave him a hug. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, I have no idea what you did…. But it looks good."

She sat down on the bed and pulled him down next to her. "How was your trip?"

He thought for a moment. "I ate haggis!" he told her brightly.

She laughed. "How much did they pay you?"

"They didn't… see we went to this party called a kaylei or something like that… and there was this big buffet, with turkey, ham and what I thought was sausage. But it was really haggis. No one pointed it out to me 'til I had had some."

"What did you think?"

He shrugged. "It was alright, I guess. Don't really want it again, but if it was on the table I wouldn't puke."

"I'll take your word for it. What else did you do?"

"I met this really cool girl named Brie at the party. She taught me a few of those dances… or tried to at least."

"I would have paid to see that."

"It was quite funny," Duncan said from the doorway. "Why is my fiancé alone in a room with another man?" he teased her, moving in for a kiss.

"I thought you'd be in here with him."

"You look great," he told her. "That spa must have been a lot of fun."

"You knew I was going?" she asked.

"Of course, Odette had to make sure you weren't coming with us."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.

"It was a secret." He smiled at her. "Remember that present I promised you?"

She smiled back. "Yes?"

He took the small box out of his pocket. "It's a bit of a tradition for the groom to give the bride…" he opened the box and showed her the broach. "It's called a luckenbooth."

"Oh, Duncan!" Tessa breathed. "It's beautiful. I love it!" She kissed him. Richie quietly got out of the way as Duncan moved to sit on him, not taking his lips off of Tessa's.

Richie stood silently in the bedroom until he heard one groan, which he took as his cue to leave. He finished zipping his bag and found Connor waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Said your goodbyes?" he asked.

"They'll figure it out," Richie told him.

Connor nodded knowingly and they made their way out of the house.