A/N: I know I lied I said I would have another chapter before Christmas but I got a writers block and didn't know what I wanted to do but then the episode from season 7 "We Do" helped me along so just so you know that some of words that will be coming out of the characters mouth will be from scenes so please don't give me any credit. I'm sad because I've decided to make this chapter and the next three a little bit longer than normal since there is a lot I want to cover before I start writing my sequel. I've decided that I want to write at least 4 chapters of my sequel before I post it that way it will give me time to write some other chapters so please don't be mad if you only see one chapter at a time being posted.
A/N: I'm also going to start working on my other stories again. I have had them on the back burner for so long I know it's not fair to any of you whom liked them so much but I think I lost interest in them when I lost my beta Betsy whom has worked on this story with me since the day I started to write it. I promise I'll have "Because of You chapter written and posted sometime this weekend if not the beginning of next week"
A/N: By the way. I didn't have any creativity left in me to write the words to the vows so if you see some scenes being repeated please no slams. I just didn't feel like doing anything LOL.
A/N: Read the disclaimer on the front chapter and u will understand why I'm not rich and why The WB is!
A/N: I'm in love with reviews as much as I like George Stults. So please review nicely and you might be able to see your name in one of my author notes! As always critiquing my work is what makes me a better writer. So if you feel the need to please be kind or else I will flame you in my author notes.
2 hours later…
The church had started to slowly fill up with friends, family and people from the congregation. Even though Lucy and Kevin agreed to let people from the church attend they had one stipulation…that the reception would be a private and intimate gathering with close friends and family.
While Matt, Kevin and Ben were waiting around in Eric's office watching some sideline shots of yesterday's football game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers the girls who were in an empty Sunday school room were running around trying to finish everything up.
"I can't find my other shoe" Ruthie gripped getting down on her knees and looking underneath the old blue couch that was in there.
"Where did you last see them Ruthie?" Annie asked as she grabbed the extra large can of aerosol hairspray and sprayed Lucy's hair one last time to make sure that all the hairs would stay into place.
"I don't know all I know is when we got here I had them and now they aren't here" Ruthie yelled out in frustration.
Lucy picked up a compact and opened it up and started to apply a bit more blush to her cheeks before rolling her eyes towards the large mirror. "Ruthie I think you left your other shoe out by the door. The last I saw you wearing them you were trying to scuff them so you wouldn't slip on the tiles for the reception" she told her younger sister turning around in her chair.
Ruthie thought a moment before racing towards the door and peeked her head out and grabbing her shoe before shutting the door behind her.
"Have you seen Mary yet?"
Annie shook her head. "No, she said that her and Wilson would come just before the ceremony started because they wanted to finish getting the hall decorated and she said she wouldn't be late as the maid of honor" Annie replied smiling a little knowing that all three of her daughters were going to be in the wedding together.
Lucy turned her attention back towards the mirror and started to re-apply some makeup that had started to fade while Annie helped Sam and David get ready as the ring bearers by helping them tie their dress shoes.
"There you go boys" Annie told them as she tied David's shoe the last. She looked at both of her youngest children and smiled. "Why don't you guys go and check up on Kevin and them for a while so I can help Lucy out okay?" she asked them as they ran out of the door and headed upstairs towards their dad's office.
"Almost done there Luce?"
Lucy nodded "yep, I just have to get my dress on and then wait for Mary to get here"
Annie stared at her daughter and for a moment she could of sworn she saw Lucy transforming from the daughter she saw now to the little girl she was.
"I hate him I hate him I hate him" 15-year-old Lucy screamed at her mother.
"Lucy Michelle Camden" her mother scolded her. "Hate is not a word we use in this house. You may dislike Jimmy Moon but you may not hate him"
Lucy rolled her eyes and started her way up the stairs from the kitchen before she turned around "What would you know about boy's mom? It's been ages since you went on a real date" and huffed up the stairs leaving Annie looking perplexed.
"Mom it's just not fair" Lucy sobbed into Annie's chest.
"I know it's not fair sweetie but that's what life is about. You'll make more friends and as time goes on you might even have a new best friend" she explained to her 9-year old daughter as she held her tighter.
"But why do they have to leave now? I thought we were going to go to Middle School together"
"I know things didn't turn out like you planned Luce, but you and Patty-Mary can still stay best friends. She can come and visit us during the summer and you can do the same" Annie comforted her daughter.
"Okay" Lucy sighed.
Annie had been in the kitchen trying to get a snack together for 3-year-old Simon while he was busy concentrating on coloring a picture, when she heard the front door slammed shut.
"Eric?" she called out towards the hallway. Hearing no answer she glanced behind her and saw Simon busy coloring a picture for his dad so she knew he wasn't going to miss her while she ran into the living room.
Walking down the hallway she first peaked into Eric's office and saw no one was in there, so she continued to walk farther down the hall when she stop in front of the door frame where the living room was and found Lucy sobbing hard on the couch.
"Luce? Sweetie what's wrong? Did something happen?"" she asked walking over and sitting at the end of the couch rubbing her back.
"N…NNO" she sobbed harder into the pillow.
"Luce, you can't cry for no reason so please sweetie tell me what's wrong"
"Kevin"
"Kevin what?"
"Kevin told me he loved me" she managed to get out before more tears started to flow.
Annie took one look at her 6-year-old daughter and started to laugh. The poor girl was only 6 and someone already claimed her as their own.
"Lucy, Kevin didn't mean that he's only 11 and your 6 he was just kidding around with you" Annie replied giving Lucy a hug of reassurance.
"But mommy he has cooties, even Mary said so" Lucy told her mother with tears still dripping down her cheek.
Annie tried hard to stifle another laugh before she rubbed the top of her daughter's head.
"Lucy I don't think you have to worry about cooties for a long time" she told her patting her on the top of the head before standing up to enter the kitchen to see how Simon was doing with his picture.
"Mom? Earth to Annie?" Hello are you paying attention to me?" Lucy kept asking her mother as she was waving her hand in front of Annie's face.
Annie smiled at Lucy. "I'm here Luce I was just years away. Did you need something?"
"Yeah, I just realized that I don't have something borrowed or something new"
"What do you have that's old?" Annie asked with curiosity in her voice.
Lucy hesitated before she reached down the front of her button down shirt and revealed an old necklace that belonged to her grandmother Jenny. Annie had given it to Lucy when she turned sixteen the same age that Annie had been when Jenny had given it to her.
"Oh Luce" Annie whispered softly. "I had forgotten about that necklace. I remember when your grandma Jenny gave it to me. My 16th birthday was the next day and your grandpa Charles was in Sacramento on business and my mother wanted to cheer me up because he wasn't going to be home in time for my birthday. So she walked into their bedroom and came back with this beautifully wrapped present with a pretty pink bow and handed it to me and told me that she wanted to wait until tomorrow but since my dad wasn't going to be home until the day after my birthday she wanted me to have this a day early. So me being a little depressed and excited at the same time I tore into the box and pulled out that necklace slightly disappointed that it wasn't the Ricky Nelson record that I had asked for. Your grandma Jenny knew I was disappointed but when she told me that her mother had given it to her when she had turned 16 as well, so I knew deep down that it was something special that she had given me. She took it out of my hands and unclasped it and hooked it around my neck and told me that since she had passed it down to me that when I have children someday that I can pass it down to them." Annie sighed as looked into Lucy's eyes. "I knew the moment that I saw you the day you were born there was something special about you Luce. I knew the moment that I held you in my arms that you were the one that was meant to have the necklace" Annie choked up and started to get teary eyed.
"Oh mom" Lucy started to get choked up to before she threw her arms around Annie and hugged her fiercely.
"Knock, Knock" Mary rapped on the door of the Sunday school room.
"Mary!" Lucy squealed as she broke the embraced and sprinted towards her older sister. "God, I've missed you" she whispered as she wrapped her arm around Mary's waist and smiled for the camera that Annie was holding.
"Ruthie, stand in between Mary and Lucy I want a picture of all three my girls" Annie said proudly as she pressed the button down capturing the photo of all three girls smiling proudly together.
"Did you get the hall done?" Lucy asked as she helped Mary into her bridesmaid dress.
"Yep, you should see it I'm so proud. Wilson did most of the work but I supervised." Mary replied giving Lucy a devilish smile and turned around to look at herself in the mirror. "How much more makeup do you think I need to apply?"
"Just a little blush and I think you need a touch up on your mascara" replied Lucy who looked in the mirror and dabbed underneath her eyes and grabbed the tube of mascara and unscrewed it opened and started to reapply.
Annie snuck outside and walked down the hall where she was met by her husband. "Eric! What are you doing?"
"I came to see if everyone was ready to begin"
Annie nodded. "Mary just got here and she's finishing the touch up on her makeup and Lucy well I think is about as ready as she will ever be"
"Mom? I…" Lucy walked out of the sunday school room "Oh I thought I had heard voices. Hi daddy" she smiled as she kissed Eric softly on the cheek.
Eric placed both his arms on Lucy's shoulders and took in the girl that stood before her.
"Reverend Camden? Would you like to see your daughter now?" the nurse asked him as they were finishing wiping of the infant.
Eric nodded and turned to Annie who was still sweaty from the 18 hours of labor that she had been in. "Have you seen her yet?" she asked him still breathing heavily. Eric shook his head no.
"They are still cleaning her up but when they are done I'll bring her in the room" he told his wife as he kissed the top of her forehead and watched as they wheeled her out of the delivery room and into her own private room.
"Reverend Camden? We are done here if you'd like to hold your daughter we can wheel the bassinette into the room if you'd like to carry her" the nurse explained. Normally for other patients it wasn't something that was done but since Reverend Camden was known in the community and was always volunteering at the hospital they (as in the hospital staff) would bend the rules for someone that was a familiar face.
Eric looked at the tiny bundled that was wrapped up in a soft, pale pink blanket. Her tiny face was sleeping peacefully as he walked down the hall towards the visitors waiting room so he could show Matt, Mary and the Kinkirks who had graciously offered to stay and take care of the two other siblings even though Karen had just given birth to the Kinkirk's third child Patty-Mary 6 days before was at home while Paul and brought Kevin and Ben to the hospital.
Erin walked slowly and reached his destination and looked up and saw both Matt and Mary asleep lying down on one of the benches. Paul looked up from his magazine and gave Eric a big grin. "It's a girl I take it?" he asked noticing the pink blanket. Eric nodded.
"Did you guys pick a name yet?" Paul asked standing up and walked over to where Matt and Mary were sleeping and picked them up and placed them on his shoulders. "I'll bring them into the room and I'll make these guy's walk" he chuckled talking about his two sons who were half asleep on two different chairs. Paul walked over to his two sons and touched their shoulders and woke them up and followed Eric and the new baby towards Annie's room.
"Annie? I brought Matt and Mary back with me along with Paul and his kids" Eric told his wife as he placed their baby girl in his wife's arms. "What are we going to call her?" he asked bringing one of the few chairs over to her bedside.
Annie looked down at the little bundle and brushed away some of the fabric of the blanket. "What if we called her Lucy? It means Bringer of light" Annie suggested.
Eric smiled. "Lucy. I like that name. Matt, Mary meet your new little sister Lucy" he introduced them as they each rubbed their eyes as they were just waking up you see.
Paul placed them on top of Annie's bed and pulled his camera out of the diaper bag that he had been carrying around with him. "Here let me take a family picture" he suggested to the Camden family as they all huddled around the new baby smiling. Paul snapped a few photos and then Matt and Mary who were so full of life since their nap was interrupted by the birth of their new little sister they started to run around the room.
"I think it's time for us to go" Paul said nodding his head towards his two sons and the screaming 4-year-old and 2-year-old. Eric nodded and said a murmur of thanks for taking care of his two other children. They were intently talking and didn't seem to notice the elder of the two Kinkirk boys stand up and walk over to Annie's bed.
"Mrs. Camden? Can I see the baby?" Kevin asked as Annie seemed surprised at the request herself cleared her throat which caught the attention of Paul and Eric. They watched as Annie lowered the tiny bundle down towards Kevin's height as low as she could go and Paul lifted up his camera and looked through the lenses somehow he knew this was going to be a Kodak moment. He watched through the lenses as the little 5-year-old boy placed a tiny kiss to little Lucy Camden's head and said so softly to the sleeping infant that no one, not even the adults that were in the room could hear him "I love you Lucy Camden"
"Lucy Michelle Camden! I thought I told you to stay put!" Eric heard his wife yell at their youngest daughter as he walked up the front steps to the porch of their home. Eric could only imagine the things their two year old daughter was doing when he opened the door and was greeted by a green like creature running toward him.
"Daddy!" Lucy screamed as she was running towards him, throwing her arms around his legs and getting the green goo over his clean suit.
Eric saw Annie, Matt, and Mary come tearing out of the dining room all covered in green goo as well and he started to laugh as he picked up his daughter. "Luce what did you do?"
"Painted mommy"
"I see that but I also see that you painted Matt and Mary"
Lucy shook her head. "No I painted mommy" she told him again crossing her arms and looking mad.
Annie sighed. "She's right. She did paint me alright, along with the table, the chairs, Matt, Mary and even her high chair. I thought I was doing something fun and relaxing for the day" she told her husband as she gave him a kiss on the lips and placed her hand on her protruding stomach.
"Don't worry about the mess Annie I'll clean it up and I'll clean Luce up to. Why don't you go lie down on the couch for a while and I'll have Matt and Mary go get cleaned and then when I'm done we'll go out for dinner?" he suggested.
Annie smiled. "That sounds like a good idea" she agreed heading off towards the family room, while Matt and Mary headed upstairs towards their bedrooms so they could each take a shower and get the smell of the green goo out of their hair.
"Miss Lucy Camden, I am here to make you clean again" Eric told her as he walked her into the kitchen and set her down by the kitchen sink and grabbed a clean sponge from underneath the cupboards.
"Daddy"
"What is it sweetie?" Eric asked as he started to fill the sink with luke warm water so he could start to rinse her hair out.
"I wove you" Lucy said with a smile as she gave him a butterfly kiss on his lips and a big hug around his neck"
"It's all my fault" she screamed at everyone in the hallway.
"Lucy, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything" Eric tried to sooth his daughter as he edged slowly towards her.
"You don't understand. If they hadn't been on their way to pick me up she wouldn't have died. It's all my fault" Lucy screamed harder as Ruthie covered her ears and scooted closer to Simon who looked at Kevin who put his arm around the both of them.
"Luce…" Eric started to say when he touched her shoulder.
"NO…don't touch me. Anyone who touches me will die and then it'll be my fault" she sobbed as she fell hard to the ground crying.
Ruthie started to whimper and Simon started to back away from the emotional scene. Kevin picked them both up and lead them towards the room that they shared.
"Luce, it wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault. If was her time to go. Nothing you could of done would have saved her. Just thank god you weren't in that car yourself. You could of gotten hurt or even worse killed and that" Eric started to choke up. "That would have hurt us the most Lucy."
"Daddy…I'm sorry. Oh god daddy what did I do?" Lucy asked him as tears were streaming down her face as she clutched tightly to her fathers back as he gently stoked her back.
"Dad?"
Eric smiled and put his attention back on Lucy. "Did you ask me something Luce?"
"I said what do you think?"
"I think you look beautiful sweetie" he told his daughter.
Lucy and Annie gave each other a weird look and started to laugh. "That's not what I asked you about dad but that will work" she replied still laughing. "Are we all set to go?"
Eric nodded. "Yep, I'll see you at the church"
"With Kevin?"
Eric smiled. "With Kevin"
Lucy stared at her father for a minute before she was satisfied with his answer and smiled back at him. "Okay dad I'll be ready in 5 minutes will you tell Kevin something for me?"
"Sure"
"Tell him I'll see him at the end" Lucy replied walking away giggling as she entered the Sunday school room. Annie and Eric looked at each other in confusion but figured it had to be some kind of inside joke between both Lucy and Kevin. They kissed each other before they parted and went their separate ways.
At the alter...
Kevin waited nervously as he watched the last of the guest arrive. "How do I look?" he asked Ben who had just came back from the bathroom.
Ben rolled his eyes. "You look fine and if you asked me that again I'm going to tell you look like a women. Now stop asking me" he replied scanning the crowd to see where Eryn was sitting. When he spotted her, he flashed her a quick smile and she waved at him. "Oh yeah I wanted to tell you something"
Kevin frowned. "What's that?"
"I asked Eryn to marry me this morning" Ben told Kevin.
Kevin went to open his mouth but the music started to play signaling that the wedding was about to begin. He watched as Reverend Camden walked down the aisle following Simon and Annie, followed by Sam and David. Then Ruthie walked down since she was the flower girl. Mary was next after Ruthie. If Kevin had been paying closer attention he would have noticed how intently Ben was staring.
Then the music started to play "here comes the bride" and everyone in the congregation stood up and watched as Matt and Lucy appeared in the doorway. Kevin lost his breath at the sight of Lucy in her wedding dress. With her hair slightly curled at the ends she could almost be mistaken as an angel if you just glanced at her.
Matt escorted her slowly down the aisle and everyone ahhhed and oohed at her dress which was a strapless satin A-line gown with beaded crystal bodice with the train that draped at least 12 inches behind. Lucy and Matt arrived at the end where Kevin was waiting.
Matt turned and lifted the veil up and over Lucy's face and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and walked towards his spot next to Sarah and took her hand. Eric stepped down and took Kevin's left hand and Lucy's right hand and put them on top of each other and faced the congregation, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.
"I don't know of two people who don't deserve to be standing here today then these two do" Eric started the ceremony. Lucy and Kevin faced each other and smiled, while Eric continued on "Kevin and Lucy have chosen to write their own vows instead of repeating the traditional vows that we are use to hearing" Eric nodded toward Kevin who let go of Lucy's hand and nervously reached for two small note cards and glanced at them for a moment before putting them back into his tux pocket.
Kevin cleared his throat. "First and foremost, Lucy, I love you. I've loved you for a very long time. And even though it seems like we went through unbelievable lengths to get to where we are, I wouldn't change a bit of it. Everything that happened, all the pain, all of it was worth it -- just to be with you." Kevin paused briefly just before continuing on. "I love so many things about you. I love your laugh. I love that you aren't ashamed to cry at movies. I love that you have names for all the squirrels that live in your parents' backyard. I love that you throw your passion and energy into everything you do. I love that when you walk into a room, it's like the rest of the world goes blurry and all I can see is you. Lucy, I love everything about you. You are my happiness, my joy in life. And I can't imagine spending a single day of the rest of my life without you beside me."
Kevin tilted Lucy's face up just enough to see her eyes "As of today Luce my family is you and I and I'm all in" he told her. He could see tears starting to prickle at the sides of her eyes.
"Lucy now it's your turn" her father told her turning his attention towards his daughter" Lucy nodded and took a deep breath.
"There is a song that I want to say the lyrics to because they represent the way I feel about us and about how I feel about you" she told Kevin and she began to speak:
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is but a song
At last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
You smile, you smile
And then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last
Lucy finished the lyrics and looked up at Kevin and smiled. "Kevin you are everything that I have ever wanted in my life. You have been there when I needed you the most and even when I didn't need you. I want to let you know that as of today my family is you and I and I'm all in too" she told him.
Eric stepped over to where Sam and David where standing and picked up the two rings that were sitting on the pillow and stepped back into place. "It is often said that the ring is a circle, a shape with no beginning and no end, to symbolize the unending love and commitment pledged by the wedding vows.
Eric hands one of the rings to Lucy. "Lucy, please repeat after me. Kevin, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment"
"Kevin, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment," she says as she places the ring on Kevin's finger.
Eric then hands the other ring to Kevin for him to place on Lucy's finger. "Lucy, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment."
"Do you," Eric looked at his daughter, "take this man to be your husband?"
Lucy looked tenderly up at Kevin. "I do," she said softly.
Eric turned to Kevin, "Do you take this woman to be your wife?"
"I certainly do," he said confidently with a grin.
Lucy and Kevin had turned to face each other and were looking deeply into each other's eyes while holding each other's hands, oblivious to everyone around.
"I now pronounce you man and wife," he paused. "You may kiss your bride," he smiled at his new son-in-law.
Kevin placed his right hand under Lucy's chin and gently lifted her lips to his. Before meeting, though, Lucy heard him utter a very soft, "I love you."
As they parted, Eric introduced the new couple, "I would like to introduce all of you to Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Kinkirk," he said proudly as the couple intertwined hands and walked down the aisle and headed outside into the warm California sunshine.