Author's Note: Words cannot express how much I appreciate the support I'm getting. Special thanks to all those who submit ongoing reviews, it means the world to me. Thanks also to those who checked out my first oneshot, even if you didn't review.
In Nick's wedding vows, the italics are the minister, and regular font is Nick.
So, I decided to tell you all what they say at the end of 'The Sounds of Silence', for those of you who are curious. Grissom says his mother lost her hearing when she was eight. Grissom, who loved swimming, once asked her what it was like to be Deaf, and she told him it was like being underwater. Grissom says that his mother taught him that being Deaf does not make one inferior to others, and that being Deaf can be a blessing, to which Dr. Gilbert replies that she teaches her students the same lesson. After that, the camera gets too far away for me to see.
To Your Spell-Binding Lover: Guh. I hate Donald Trump. Actually, I love to hate him. Selfish idiot/jerk. We definitely wouldn't have a poverty problem if we all just (hippie time) learned to share the wealth, baby. I have no idea how much it would weigh, but just imagine it weighs too much for a pregnant woman to lift!
To MollyMKS: Funny that it reminded you of your friend. Hmmm…scarring Greg for life. Now there's an idea…Thanks for reviewing!
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: If we seriously need to go through this, we're in trouble. I wrote the more personal wedding vows, but the formal one and Nick's "formal" one I borrowed from about dot com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday: One More DayCatherine and Warrick had flown down together. Nick and Sara borrowed Michele's car and went to go pick them up at the airport, and it was immediately clear to both of them that something was different between the two. They were friendlier towards each other. When they got to the Stokes' ranch, Nick took Warrick to his room and Sara took Catherine to hers.
"You have to show me your wedding dress!" Catherine exclaimed.
"I can't," Sara replied. "It's too heavy for me to lift by myself."
"Well, then, let's go to your room and get it," Catherine suggested.
A bit embarrassed, Sara replied, "I don't know where it is. Michele hid it so I wouldn't be overcome with an urge to show Nick before the wedding. She said it was tradition in their family to hide the dress, so I figured, okay. According to Michele, hers was missing for three months."
Catherine was dying to see the dress. "Argh! This is killing me!"
Sara laughed. "I can tell. But, I do know where your dress is. We have to go to the tailor's to see it, because you have to try it on."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
The pair walked down the staircase and Sara borrowed the keys to Michele's Mustang.
At the tailor's, Catherine was wearing her dress and admiring herself from all angles. Miraculously, it fit perfectly. Apparently, Warrick was good at measuring as well as kissing. The dress was strapless and black, which gave her a fair appearance and set off her hair beautifully. Her shoes were also black, but nowhere near as strappy as Sara's. She looked great in it, and they both knew it.
Meanwhile, Nick and Warrick were at another tailor's, and Warrick was trying on his suit. It, like Nick's, was black with an ivory waistcoat and shirt and a black bowtie. Nick's was made of a nicer material, though, and had longer tails than Warrick's. Warrick didn't look as good in black as Catherine did, but it did set off his green eyes quite nicely.
Sara had slowly met all of Nick's family, including his cousins, and, needless to say, it was daunting. Almost everybody had red hair, and the amount of twins didn't help at all. Still, she was sure she knew about half of them, and was confident that they'd understand if she couldn't remember.
Now all they had left to do was call the caterer and make sure everything that needed to happen was happening and make sure that there would be a minister there to marry them tomorrow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wedding DaySara and Nick had slept in separate rooms that night, so they didn't see each other on the day of their wedding, as was custom.
Sara woke up feeling sick. She wasn't sure if it was anticipation of the wedding or morning sickness, but all she knew was that she needed to throw up. She raced to the bathroom and threw up, but all she wanted was Nick to be there with her, rubbing her back and soothing her like he always was. She realized they weren't supposed to see each other, and was disappointed.
The bathroom was in between Nick's and Sara's bedrooms, and Nick could hear her throwing up. He wanted nothing more than to go in and comfort her like he always had, but he knew they weren't supposed to see each other. Thank God their wedding was in the morning so he could be with her longer.
Michele, who'd been sleeping at the Stokes' ranch instead of her house for the last few days, also heard her throwing up and knocked softly on the bathroom door.
"Who is it?" she heard a weak voice answer.
"It's Michele. Can I come in?"
"Yeah."
She opened the door and came in quietly, shutting the door behind her. Sara was grateful that she cared, but honestly, she just wanted Nick right now.
Michele asked gently, "Morning sickness or cold feet?"
Sara sighed. "I don't know. I really wish Nick was here," she admitted.
"I know you do. Just think, in three more hours, you'll be Sara Stokes, and you'll have him all to yourself."
The thought was comforting to Sara.
Michele said, "I'm going to go get your dress. I'll meet you in your room when you're ready, okay?"
Sara nodded. A minute later, she stood up and went to meet Michele in her room.
Michele, as promised, had gone to get the dress, but the smell made Sara want to throw up all over again. "Ugh! Where was that?"
Michele grinned. "The barn. Where else?"
"It smells horrible!"
"Don't worry, the smell is only on the bag, not on the dress. Mine was hidden in the barn too, and so was Stephanie's and Silo's."
That reminded Sara. "Why do you all call her Silo?"
Michele grinned mischievously. "She'd kill me if I told you this, but I'm going to tell you anyway. When she was four, she managed somehow to get into to silo out back while we were playing hide-and-seek. We searched and searched and searched for her, but we couldn't find her. Nobody even bothered to check the silo because it was always locked, so we all figured there was no way she'd be in there. Well, we started to get worried. Now, you can't really hear anything out there, so naturally, she didn't hear us yelling, 'Ollie Ollie oxen-free'. We yelled it over and over and over, but she never came out. My dad was about to call the police, we were so worried. Just then, in she walks, and says she fell asleep in the silo. We still don't know how she got in or out. Anyway, ever since then, she's had a knack for disappearing, and every time she did, we would always say to check the silo. The name just stuck, I guess."
Sara laughed. "And why is Nick called Poncho?"
Michele bit her lip, contemplating. Slowly, she said, "Now that, he'll have to tell you."
Sara pouted. There was no way he was going to tell her, and she knew it. She decided not to press the matter, and became content to have Michele help her into her dress. She still needed to get her hair done, and Nick's sister Flora was coming over to do it any minute.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warrick and Bill stood in Nick's room, trying to pump him up for the huge plunge he was about to take. Little did they know that he was already as pumped up as he was ever going to be. Today he got to marry the girl of his dreams, and there was no way anybody had ever been more excited than he was. Finally, he stopped them.
"Look, Warrick, Cisco, this isn't doing anything for me. I could never be more ecstatic than I already am," he said, smiling.
"Okay, then," Bill said, backing off. "If that's what you say."
Nick and Sara didn't know it, but they each wanted to see each other more than they ever had. Sara was giddy; she couldn't wait to finally marry the man of her dreams, as cheesy as it may sound. Nick felt the same way. He was in love with the most amazing woman on Earth, and what made it even better was that she loved him back.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, it was time for the wedding. Nick stood at the altar, fidgeting as he had when he'd proposed, but this time he'd been smart enough to leave out the cufflinks. Warrick and Catherine walked up the aisle together, arms linked, and separated into each side.
Nick was ready to bolt down the aisle and go find Sara; he wanted to see her so badly. Thankfully, just then, the flower girl, Nick's niece Lisa, who was six, rounded the hedges. For a six-year-old, the walk up the aisle was relatively uneventful. She'd only become distracted by somebody twice and lifted up her skirt once. Nick felt he couldn't contain himself any longer, and not a moment too soon, the traditional song "Here Comes the Bride" came on and everybody stood up for Sara.
Nick saw everything in torturously slow motion, but she finally rounded the hedges that had blocked his view, and he quickly decided that she was simply drop-dead gorgeous in her dress. It hugged her in all the right places, gave her a tan appearance, and the gloves simply made it that much more elegant. She held a relatively small bouquet in her hands, made up of only ivory roses to match her dress. Catherine beamed. It was an absolutely gorgeous dress; there was no doubt about it. It looked as though it had been designed with Sara in mind; it was so perfect for her.
Sara approached the altar and faced Nick. He mouthed, "I love you," and she mouthed back, "I love you too."
The minister began, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of this woman and this man in the act of matrimony…"
He continued on, and soon it was time for the wedding vows. They turned to each other and took each other's hands. Nick went first.
"Sara, from the day I met you, throwing dummies off a hotel roof, I wanted to be your husband. Even though I wrecked my favourite shirt that day with stupid Meyer's roof dust, it was the best day of my life. Did you know that I still have that shirt? I can't wear it in public, but I like to take it out every now and then to remember the day we met. I've ruined three shirts the same way since then, and they all ended up in the trash. That shirt is special to me. I love you so much, and I can't wait until this wedding is over so I can get on with being your husband." Everybody, including Sara, laughed. He continued. "I promise that I'll always bring you a double Americano when you're sad, I'll always be an ear when you need one, I'll always be there to celebrate with you in your successes, and I'll always be there for you when you fail. Sara Sidle, I love you with all of my heart and then some, and today, I'm telling the whole world. Or at least half of Dallas," he joked, nodding his head towards the sea of Stokes and smiling at her.
Sara thought she was going to laugh and cry all at the same time, but she restrained herself from crying, although she gave into the laugh. Nick understood, though. He was close enough to her to see her eyes well up.
Choking on her words at first, and then regaining her composure, Sara began her vows. "I love you, Nicholas Stokes. If there's nothing else I have learned from you, it's how to love again. But we both know that that's not all I've learned from you, because now I can successfully flip a pancake without a spatula." He laughed. They were the only ones who got the joke. "I've learned that belting out country music that you don't know any of the words to makes for great comic relief. I've learned that there's nothing better than finding somebody you want to spend the rest of your life with, and that person is you. I promise to always take care of you when you are sick, always be the one person who will smile at you every day no matter what, to love you forever, no matter how many times you leave the toilet seat up or adjust the thermostat when you really could just put on a sweater." Everybody laughed. "Today, I get to marry my best friend and my one true love. I am officially the luckiest woman in the world." She decided to add one last impromptu line after hearing Nick's vows. "And I really can't wait for this wedding to be over, because these are the most uncomfortable shoes I've ever worn."
Nick smiled at her, knowing full well that that wasn't the only reason she wanted the wedding to be over. She wanted to get on with being his wife just as much as he wanted to get on with being her husband.
They'd both agreed that Nick's personal vows would come first, then Sara's, and then they'd go right into Sara's "official" vows, and Nick would do his second. Thomas, another of Nick's many nephews, came up holding the pillow with the rings on it. Sara picked up Nick's.
"I, Sara, take you Nicholas, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live." She slid the ring onto his finger and looked deep into his eyes, conveying that she loved him more than anything.
Nick now had a surprise for Sara. She'd told him once that her favourite author of all time was Dr. Seuss, and so he'd written some vows that he knew she'd love and hate all at the same time.
"Will you answer me right now,
These questions, as your wedding vow?"
"Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow."
Sara rolled her eyes, and yet loved that Nick had remembered how much she loved Dr. Seuss. It was such a silly yet charming thing that was so typical of Nick.
"Will you take her as your wife?
Will you love her all your life?"
"Yes, I take her as my wife,
Yes, I'll love her all my life."
"Will you have, and also hold,
Just as you have at this time told?"
"Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
As I now take her as my wife."
"Will you love her through good and bad?
Whether you're happy or sad?"
"Yes, I'll love through good and bad,
Whether we're happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold,
Just as I have already told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!"
"Will you love her if you're rich?
Or if you're poor, and in a ditch?"
"Yes, I'll love her if we're rich,
And I will love her in a ditch,
I'll love her through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love all my life
This woman, as my lawful wife!"
Sara's grin was getting wider by the stanza.
"Will you love her when you're fit,
And also when you're feeling sick?"
"Yes, I'll love her when we're fit,
And when we're hurt, and when we're sick,
And I will love her when we're rich
And I will love her in a ditch
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love for my whole life
This lovely woman as my wife!"
"Will you love with all your heart?
Will you love till death you part?"
"Yes, I'll love with all my heart
From now until death do us part,
And I will love her when we're rich,
And when we're broke and in a ditch,
And when we're fit, and when we're sick,
(Oh, can't we get this finished quick?)
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold,
And if I might now be so bold,
I'll love her my entire life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!
"Then if you'll take her as your wife,
And if you'll love her all your life,
And if you'll have, and if you'll hold,
From now until the stars grow cold,
And if you'll love through good and bad,
And whether you're happy or sad,
And love in sickness, and in health,
And when you're poor, and when in wealth,
And if you'll love with all your heart,
From now until death do you part,
Yes, if you'll love her through and through,
Answer with those specialwords."
"I do!"
"You're married now! So kiss the bride,
But please, do keep it dignified."
Nick, grinning his trademark heart-stopping grin at his new wife, pulled her into a passionate embrace. She gladly complied and they shared their first kiss as a married couple.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to write the wedding vows? It didn't help at all that I was listening to Another One Bites The Dust by Queen the whole while. (Great song, by the way) Anyway, let me know how I did in a review! The reception is next chapter. Maybe. Depends on my mood.