A/N: A short one-shot I wrote. It occurred to me that in a couple of months it'll be 20 years since "Falling in Love" first aired. Then this idea came to me. It's not as angsty as it sounds and is very AU as Michael is alive.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Some anniversaries were joyful, some were sad, some were even bittersweet, but this one was sobering.

Today would have been Jackie's 20th wedding anniversary to Brian. And she wouldn't have imagined she'd be spending part of it in her loft. Not that she'd thought about what life would be like 20 years later, she'd been busy trying to ignore her doubts about the wedding.

She had cared for Brian but marrying him was definitely one of her big regrets.

Jackie didn't dwell on Brian often, there was never much need to as he had been a chapter in her life that had been closed long ago. But this was a special day and throughout it, her mind had kept coming back to him.

Which was why she was in her loft. After their divorce, Jackie had gotten rid of just about anything that had reminded her of their relationship.

Including that awful wedding present the team had bought her.

The gift had been bemusing at first, then she'd gotten irritated when she learned that it had been Heather who had bought it. Not that she'd had anything against Heather, she had liked the woman. But they were the least close, and it had hurt a little to know that the others hadn't put much thought into it. Not that it mattered now, anyway.

All she had left of Brian were some photographs, Jackie had considered getting rid of those too, but it hadn't felt right. She may have regretted the marriage, but she had never wanted to try to forget that it had happened.

She was especially glad that she'd held onto them now that he'd died. Brian's illness had been a shock and seeing him in his final days had been one of the hardest things she'd had to endure.

Jackie was just grateful that the one person she'd needed had been there for her. Sometimes it felt like Michael had been the only thing that had got her through those days.

A rueful smile crossed her face as she finally found the pictures she'd been looking for. Jackie slowly looked through them as she thought back on her relationship with Brian. There had been some good times, and their marriage had started well.

Until the cracks had started to show, and she realised how ill-suited they really were. At least they had been able to part on amicable terms.

And those events had brought another realisation, she had been in love with someone else, and truthfully, always had been. It hadn't taken long after the divorce for the two of them to finally come to their senses.

But whenever she thought of Brian there was always a little guilt. Her life had been wonderful after the divorce. But Brian's death meant that he had never really got the chance to find the happiness that she had been able to discover.

Coming to the end of the photographs, Jackie stored them away. She unconsciously smiled as she regarded her engagement and wedding rings. They were a constant reminder of the love she had.

She may as well go through some other stuff, she decided. It would help to look back on happier times. Jackie fondly smiled as she spotted some baby things. It had been a long time since there had been need of the items, but neither Jackie nor Michael wanted to part with them.

Jackie went over to a box and found a photo album that she'd put together before her marriage to Brian. She flicked through the pages and smiled as she spotted one with her and Michael. It had been taken shortly after she'd joined the team.

It didn't seem like over 30 years since they had first met. But it was, and they had come a long way since then.

Marrying Michael had been the best thing she had ever done. And their relationship had resulted in so many great things. Most importantly, their children.

Speaking of which, the voices of her family pulled Jackie out of her reverie. Deciding that she should join them, she put the photo album back and left the loft.

Jackie paused at the doorway to the living room as she watched Michael with one of the kids. Michael caught her eye and smiled at her, she smiled back before she went over to join them.

A while later, Michael and Jackie were sat on the couch. He regarded her for a moment before he spoke, "Are you okay, love?"

She knew why he was asking. Jackie had felt his watchful gaze throughout the day, silently telling her that he was there if she needed him.

Jackie nodded, "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought of him today. It's hard to believe it's been 20 years."

"I know," he said, reflecting on his own bittersweet memories of that day.

"I suppose it's been more sobering than anything else. But it's not been too bad." She smiled, "I've also been thinking of my wonderful family."

"That's good to know," he smiled before he put his arm around her, and she put her head on his chest.

They were quiet for a long-contented moment before Jackie spoke, "You know, in a few years it'll be our 20th wedding anniversary."

"Aye. We should do something to celebrate that," he said.

"Just as long we don't ignore the other anniversaries before then," she smiled.

"Of course not," he said before he planted a kiss on her head.

"Still…in your old age I wouldn't blame you if you didn't feel up to it by then," she teased.

"Cheeky," he said amusedly. He leant forward to put his mouth near her ear and whispered, "I might be 60, but you're not too far behind me."

She looked up at him and was about to reply but stopped as she regarded her husband. The man she had always loved with her heart and soul.

How did she get so lucky?

"I'm really glad I married you," she said finally.

"Funnily enough, I'm glad you married me too," he grinned before their lips met in a kiss.

No, she would never have imagined 20 years ago that things would have turned out this way. That her marriage with Brian wouldn't last, that she would end up with Michael and that they would have a family together.

Jackie would always be grateful that she'd been able to get things right the second time around.

Yes, life was perfect.

The End

A/N: Not how I imagined my first attempt at writing married Michael/Jackie to go, but hopefully it works. I was deliberately vague on their children, I'll let you decide on the ages and genders, etc.