Looking around the room, Malia didn't recognize most of the people present at the reception. Still, they all seemed to know her and her husband. People would approach them and wished them happiness and longevity. She would thank them and smiled but all she wanted was a moment away from all these people so she could take a breath and talk with her husband.

She still didn't know anything about him other than his name: Jensen Ackles; and that, from the look he gave her when she started walking down the aisle, he also didn't want this. Malia wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not, even if he kept comforting her through the ceremony by smiling gently at her. That's why she was so keen on wanting to talk to Jensen. She wanted to know where she stands with him.

Malia took a seat at one of the many tables placed around the room, wanting to rest if only for just a few minutes. Her right leg and ankle were bothering her with the increasing lull of pain that was so familiar to her ever since she broke them a few years before. She needed those few minutes if she was going to endure the rest of the night.

Jensen took notice when Malia left his side a few minutes before with the excuse of getting another glass of champagne. Searching around the room with his eyes while talking to a guest, he spotted her sitting by a table, slowly massaging her leg and ankle. He thought she might've had hurt them at some point during the night. Jensen quickly excused himself and made his way towards where Malia was sitting, wanting to make sure she was okay.

Malia saw Jensen walking towards her, a worried look on his face.

- "Are you okay?" – Jensen asked, his eyes going from hers to her leg and ankle and back to her eyes, as he crouched down so they would be at the same eye level, noticing for the first time the scar on her leg and ankle.

- "I'm okay. Just an old injury. I just needed a few minutes off my feet."

- "Are you sure? If you want, we can leave right now so you can rest."

- "I'm sure but thank you. Besides, I'm positive that our parents would kill us if we left now." – Malia said with a smile.

- "I have no doubt about it." – Jensen answered, smiling as well, before being interrupted by yet another guest wanting their attention, forcing her to stand up.

While Jensen talked to the guest, Malia noticed how he gently and discreetly wrapped his arm around her waist as to give her a little more support so she wouldn't be putting a lot of weight on her leg and how he absentmindedly started rubbing his thumb on her waist, almost as if he had done that for as long as they both could remember. And the truth was that Malia didn't mind. It felt comfortable. It felt familiar. So, when a few minutes later, he asked her to go with him, she did so willingly.

They had been separated from each other by a female guest who pulled her aside and started happily talking about what awaited her as a married woman. Malia pretended to be very interested and took the opportunity to take a seat again. Not long after that, Jensen showed up.

- "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to steal my wife for a few minutes. Would you please come with me?" – Jensen asked, a kind smile on his face, his way of letting her know everything was okay.

- "Of course. Excuse me." – Malia smiled apologetically to the guest and took the hand that Jensen was offering.

Following him, she soon found herself in front of a side door where a waiter was waiting for them. She saw the waiter give something to Jensen and opening the door. As soon as they were both through, he closed the door just as quickly as he had opened it.

Jensen kept leading her across the empty room they were now in. She had no idea where they were going but she didn't care. If it meant she could breathe and talk to her husband without being interrupted, then it was fine by her.

They reached a balcony that overlooked the gardens of the hotel where the reception was being held, which had a small stone bench that had just enough space for two. Jensen led her to the bench so she could take a seat before turning back to the balcony and placing the bottle of scotch and two glasses that the waiter had handed him.

He poured the liquid on both glasses before passing one to her, hoping she would at least give it a try so they could raise a toast.

- "To marrying someone at first sight" – Jensen said, raising his glass, before taking a long swig while looking at Malia.

- "To marrying someone at first sight" – She echoed, mimicking his movements.

There were a few minutes of silence between them, both taking advantage of the quiet that surrounded them and eased their restlessness. Taking a sip from his scotch, Jensen turned to Malia. There was something he needed to tell her and now was a time as good as any.

- "Listen, Malia, I know this marriage isn't something either of us wanted. And we'll have plenty of time to talk about that, and what all of this means to the both of us, when we go on our honeymoon. But right now, I just need you to know that I've got your back. No matter what. I'll stand by you. If we are gonna survive tonight, and the rest of our lives for that matter, we need to stick together. 'Cause otherwise they will tear us apart, trust me. I've seen it before, and I don't want that to happen to us." – He let out a deep sigh and took another sip from his scotch as if signaling that he was done talking.

- "You're right. If we're gonna survive tonight and the rest of our lives, we need to stick together. I'm in. Everything else we'll talk later, for now all we need to know is that we have each other's back and we do, so…" – Malia finished with a shrug of her shoulders, standing from the bench, and a smile before taking a long swig from her glass.

Jensen smiled back and looked out at the gardens, taking a moment to gather his own thoughts. Just as he's about to speak again, they are interrupted.

- "What do you two think you're doing?"

- "Having a moment alone with my wife, thank you very much." – Jensen was pissed. His father had no business talking to them as if they were two school kids cutting class.

- "There are guests still waiting to greet you both and you're out here drinking."

- "It's my fault, Mr. Ackles. I wasn't feeling well, you know with the nerves and everything, so Jensen brought me out here so I could have some air and a strong drink to calm my nerves. I apologize." – Malia knew she would have to take the blame. The way Jensen's knuckles went white due to the fist he was making, she knew it wouldn't end well if she didn't speak up.

- "Well, get back in there before anyone notices you're gone."

And with that he stormed off. Jensen relaxed, his hands at least, when he saw his father walking away.

- "Thank you for that."

- "That's what we do, right? We stick by each other." – Malia answered, a soft smile on her lips.

Jensen smiled back and grabbed her hand, while making their way out of the privacy and quietness of the balcony and back into the loud and overcrowded ballroom. If any doubts remained, they were slowly starting to vanish. One look at Malia and he was now sure they would be okay. Hopefully.