A/N: It's been a long time in the making but we're finally here. Before we get on with the chapter, there are a few details to take care of:
The song sung during the ceremony is called 'It is You I Have Loved' by Dana Glover, from the movie Shrek. No copyright infringement intended.
The readings are from The Song of Solomon, Chapter 2, and Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 5, New Revised Standard Verison.
The ceremony is an abbreviated form from the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer.
We hope you enjoy this chapter as much as we enjoyed writing it.
April 14th arrived bright and sunny in Washington, DC. Brennan woke up well rested in Jessica's downstairs bedroom. After waking up Daisy and Andie, who had also stayed over, the four met up with Jessica's sister-in-laws, Cam, Genny, and Angela in the lobby of Rainee's Day Spa at 8:00 AM. Walking through the lobby, the woman admired the open lobby area as they were led into the women's dressing room.
Coming out in fluffy white robes and plush slippers, the women were directed into the relaxation room. Sitting on the comfortable sofas, the women were offered a choice of mimosas or sparkling water along with muffins and croissants. The women sat around laughing and talking as they waited to begin their treatments.
"I'm very sorry Eleanor couldn't join us." Brennan was apologetic as she spoke to Jessica. "I left a message for your mother last night, Ms. Warren, asking her to join us, but unfortunately she never called back for directions to the spa."
"Don't worry about it, Dr. B. I do appreciate that you included her, but unless she's working, this is a little early in the morning for her, and as annoyed as she was when she left last night, she's probably trying to send me a message." Jessica shrugged as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "It's her loss…"
"I agree." Nadia shook her head at her mother-in-law's poor behavior before sipping her sparkling water. "She has made a choice, and if she doesn't want to spend time with us, that's the way things will be. However, I fully intend to have a good time. Shall we begin?"
"Of course." Brennan pulled a spreadsheet out of her pocket. "I have divided us into three groups: group A will start with facials, group B will have mani/pedis first, and group C will enjoy massages first. Genny and Nadia, each of you will have a special prenatal massage that comes highly recommended by Angela."
"They are amazing…," Angela added. "Almost makes it worthwhile to endure nine months of pregnancy."
Brennan read of the names of the women in each group. "For the next three hours, we will be thoroughly pampered. Go!"
The women dispersed to the different areas of the salon, ready to relax and be spoiled.
Oooooooooo
After enjoying the spa, the women adjourned to a small local tea room for a light brunch. The dainty floral china and Victorian decor was well suited for a group of friends celebrating the bride's rapidly approaching wedding.
"Just think, Jessica..," Daisy began as she squeezed some lemon into her hot tea. "This time tomorrow you'll be a married woman!'
"Yeah...I know." Jessica began unwrapping her flatware and she put the napkin on her lap. "It's hard to believe…"
"I'm so happy for you!" Andie smiled as she poured some dressing over her salad. "You and Aubrey are gonna make a great pair…"
"I suppose…" Not wanting to give away how nervous she was, Jessica smiled. "I mean, we already do…make a great pair, that is…" Wiping her mouth with the napkin, she glanced toward the back of the restaurant before abruptly changing the subject. "I need to freshen up."
"Sure, Sweetie...are you okay?" Concerned, Angela studied her friend. "You look pale…"
"I'm fine...just a lot of excitement, that's all. Excuse me…I'll be back in a minute." The redhead left her seat and made a beeline for the restroom.
After watching Jessica walk away, Brennan glanced at Angela, who nodded in Jessica's direction. The anthropologist cleared her throat softly. "I believe I need to use the restroom as well. Please continue with your meal. We'll return shortly."
Walking over to the ladies' room, Brennan cautiously pushed open the door and peeked inside. "Ms. Warren? Are you alright?"
The door to one of the stalls opened, and a teary-eyed Jessica stepped out. "I'm...fine…"
"Oh my...what's wrong?" Brennan pulled her intern into a hug. "I'm sorry...perhaps I planned too many activities for today…"
"No...that's not it." Sniffling, Jessica brushed away a stray tear. "I guess...I guess I'm just scared. See, Aubrey is the first man I've ever had a really committed relationship with, and I'm so afraid I'm going to mess it up somehow. I don't have any idea about how to be a wife...you know, the wife he deserves. What if I make him unhappy? What if he suddenly realizes that he made a mistake? What if…"
"Hush." Brennan smiled gently as she handed Jessica some tissue. "First of all, nobody...not even Aubrey...expects you to be the perfect wife, Ms. Warren."
"But what if…"
"Ms. Warren…," Brennan interrupted. "Jessica...you are a scientist. You know that there are always things that go 'wrong' with any experiment. Nothing is ever foolproof...no outcome is guaranteed...but it's through those mistakes that new things are learned, correct?"
"True." Thinking over her mentor's statement, Jessica nodded. "But I don't want to risk ruining my relationship with Aubrey…I've already lost him once..."
"I used to feel the same way about Booth." Brennan took Jessica's hand as she continued. "I was afraid that I would hurt him somehow, because I'd had very little luck in maintaining a romantic relationship. What I didn't factor into the equation, however, was how much he loved me. He was willing to help me learn how to be in a relationship because he wanted to be with me. We both took a risk when we made the commitment to be in a monogamous partnership, but we've reaped so many rewards."
Jessica sniffled quietly. "You two seem so perfect for each other."
"Thank you, and I could say the same for you and Aubrey." Patting the intern's hand, she smiled again. "Now, I happen to believe that Aubrey loves you almost as much as Booth loves me. He never pressured you about marriage, did he? He was willing to wait until you wanted to get married, correct?"
"Yes. He even said if I was never ready, and that if we just lived together the rest of our lives, that was okay with him." Jessica sighed softly. "I really believe he wants me to be happy above all else...because he loves me."
"And you love him as well. There will be trying times, of course, but that happens when any two humans cohabit. However, knowing that you've made a commitment to be together through good times and bad times will help you get through those situations." Brennan handed Jessica another tissue. "Trust me...being married is worth the risk…and Aubrey will be more than willing to learn things along with you as you go through life together. After all, he's not perfect,either, no matter what you may think..."
Jessica couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, believe me, I know that." Wiping her eyes, she exhaled slowly. "And you're right. As long as Aubrey and I talk to each other...and work things out together...we'll be fine."
"I agree. Now, why don't you splash some cool water on your face and join us for dessert? The orange scones they offer here are excellent…"
"Okay, I'll be out in a minute. Thanks, Dr. B…"
"My pleasure."
As she left the restroom, Brennan heaved a sigh of relief, hoping that she'd put the last of Jessica's fears to rest.
She walked back to the table and sat down, trying to ignore the anxious expressions on her companions' faces. "Things are fine. She's just experiencing some nervous indigestion. Shall we order dessert?"
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
While the women were out enjoying their morning, Aubrey and Booth had been to Hodgins' house bright and early to help set up the chairs for the wedding. That chore had been accomplished in just a couple of hours, and now, after taking a shower and having two sandwiches and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, and a large chocolate chip cookie for lunch, Aubrey was cooling his heels in Booth's family room. Bored and restless, he was stretched out on the sofa, skimming through his Twitter feed again, trying to busy himself with news about the Cubs' spring roster changes, but it was no use. Jeez, it's only 11:30. I'm gonna go crazy sitting around here, doing nothing…
Tossing the tablet aside, he pushed himself up off the couch and ambled into the kitchen to look for a snack. He muttered to himself as he opened the pantry. "What do we have in here...I wonder where Booth hides his cookies…."
He smiled when he caught a glint from a plastic package in the back, behind the canned beans. "Ah...there they are…" He was about to grab them when he heard a voice behind him.
"Okay, so Hank's down for a nap…" Booth paused, eying his friend with suspicion. "What the hell are you doing in my pantry?"
Aubrey shrugged, trying to look innocent. "Looking for a snack. I'm feeling faint-ish…"
"Get your damn mitts off my Oreos, Aubrey. Geez...we just ate lunch a half hour ago and you had enough for two people…" Booth rolled his eyes as he pulled a couple of beers from the refrigerator. "Here...maybe this'll take the edge off."
"Thanks." Taking a sip, Aubrey leaned against the counter. "This day feels like it's been three days long, you know?" He fidgeted with the bottle cap. "Maybe I should go into the office for a few hours, since Genny's off today, too..."
"No way, Aubrey...Bones would kill me. She and Angela have things timed out down to the minute, and if you got held up at the Hoover for some reason, I'd never, ever hear the end of it." Booth chuckled at Aubrey's sour expression. "Okay...so what's really going on?"
"Nothing…" Seeing Booth's 'cut the shit' expression, Aubrey sighed quietly. "Okay, look...I keep thinking about being married, you know? I mean, the only real example of marriage I had for most of my life was my parents, and we both know what hell that was like. I'm not sure I know how to be a good husband, okay? What if I screw things up?"
"Listen, Aubrey...you've already screwed things up, right?" Seeing his friend's angry scowl, Booth held up his hand to stop the impending rant. "You and Jessica broke up and then you dated Karen, remember?"
"I didn't date Karen, Booth…"
"Yes, you did, albeit unintentionally. You've also pulled some real stupid stunts during the last year, like taking a promotion to LA and then shutting out your girlfriend after talking about it to everyone else, including Karen." Seeing his friend's downcast expression, Booth continued quietly. "You haven't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, and Jessica still wants to marry you. What makes you think that once you're married you're going to do something even stupider than you've already done? I mean, if she's gonna marry you the way you are now, I think you've got it made."
"Thanks a helluva lot, Booth." Aubrey picked at the label on his bottle as he tried to explain what he was feeling. "You know what I mean. My dad was a rotten bastard, and he left my mother high and dry…with no money and a child to care for..."
"Yeah, I know, but listen to me, okay? If I felt like you were the same kind of bastard as your dad is, would I let you rent my house? Would I let you babysit my kids?" Seeing that he had his friend's attention, Booth continued. "I know it's scary, Aubrey. I've had to make a conscious effort to avoid being my dad. I've spent a lot of time making sure that I'm my own guy instead of my old man. Unfortunately, that feeling of worry never really goes away, because I know I've always got the potential to screw up big time, like I did when I was gambling again. But knowing that Bones loves me makes it a whole lot easier to overcome that fear. I'd do anything for that woman, just like you'd do anything for Jessica. Trust me...the fact that your squintern loves you and trusts you is going to be enough to keep you on the straight and narrow, because you won't want to disappoint her."
Booth took a long drink from his bottle as Aubrey nodded. "So enough of that 'poor me' garbage, okay? You're getting married in a few hours, so chill out...maybe go take a nap. We have to leave to pick up Christine from school in a bit and then we're going over to Hodgins' house to get dressed, so you might want to get some rest."
Draining his bottle, Aubrey nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Booth."
"Don't mention it. I figure the sooner you get married, the easier things will be for me. Come on...let's go see if there's a baseball game on TV that we can fall asleep to…"
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
It was one o'clock when a parade of cars pulled into the driveway leading up to Hodgins' house. Feeling refreshed and beautiful, the women dashed up to the front door, ready to help Jessica get dressed for her wedding.
"Okay, ladies…" Angela hushed them so they could hear their instructions. "We're going to get changed upstairs in my studio, far away from the prying eyes of the men. There's plenty of room, and the makeup artists are already set up, so let's go!"
Giggling loudly, they ran up the stairs to the airy studio. Upon entering, Angela pointed at a chair set up in front of a large, well lit mirror. "Okay, Jessica...let's get your makeup and hair done first."
Excited, the bride jumped into the chair as Angela pulled a jeweled comb from her purse. "Now, as you know, I lent this to Brennan when she got married...you know, so she'd have something borrowed, and we both think you should use it so you can have something borrowed, too."
"Oh, it's beautiful..." Jessica turned her head to look at her reflection. "...but will it work in my hair? I was planning on wearing it the way I normally do…."
"Watch." The makeup artist brushed back Jessica's hair on one side and pinned it in place with the comb. "See? Not too fancy, and it adds some sparkle…"
"I love it!" Jessica clapped her hands excitedly. "It adds a finishing touch, doesn't it?"
"Yes, I think so." Angela smiled as she saw how happy Jessica was. "You're going to be a beautiful bride."
Jessica took the artist's hand. "Thanks...for everything, Angela. This wouldn't have happened without you…"
Letting go, the artist patted the redhead's shoulder as she cradled Jeffrey in her other arm. "My pleasure. Okay...no more talking. Jill needs to make you glamorous…"
Oooooooooo
As Jessica's hair was styled and her makeup applied, Brennan's phone rang. She watched as her matron of honor sighed in frustration before walking out of the room. "Hello, Eleanor. Thank you for returning my call…"
With her hair and makeup completed, Jessica perched on a chair with a bottle of water, quietly watching as her friends had their makeup done for the wedding. She smiled as she saw them all being pampered by stylists, grateful that she had these amazing women in her life, including the woman outside the door conversing with her mother. A part of her did wish her mother was there with her for this important event, to share the moment with her, but perhaps, for whatever reason she missed their morning spa visit, it was for the best.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Brennan mutter as she came back into the room. "The nerve of that obnoxious woman, insinuating that I purposely intended for her to miss visiting the spa with us this morning."
Realizing what she'd said, the forensic anthropologist turned to the bride. "I'm sorry, Ms. Warren, but it seems your mother won't be able to make it until just before the ceremony."
"It's okay, Dr. B. She'll be here when she gets here." Jessica let it slide, determined to not let her mother ruin her wedding day. Going back to observing her friends, she noted how the whole scene had a rather surreal feel to it.
In just a little while, they're going to help me celebrate my wedding. I never thought I'd get married...and now I can't imagine my life without my Superman.. It's like I've gone from being a little girl to being an adult, but have I really changed that much? Maybe I'm just starting to realize my full potential. James would never want me to give up my career...I can be a wife, a scientist...maybe even a parent?
She smirked at the thought of little Aubreys running around their house. "Who knows?," she muttered. "We could end up with a whole litter by the time we're done…"
"Jessica?"
"Hmm?" She looked up to see Daisy standing in front of her. "What?"
Laughing, Daisy shook her head. "Time to come back to Earth, okay? Angela wants to take some pictures of us getting ready…you know, acting silly and all."
"Oh...okay." Shaking off her reverie, Jessica couldn't help but smile. "I'm sure I won't have any trouble acting silly today..."
"You never do.," Daisy joked.
Grabbing a nearby pillow, she tossed it at her laughing friend. "You're such a brat!"
Oooooooooo
Booth and Aubrey had both enjoyed a short cat nap before getting Hank dressed and leaving to pick up Christine from school. Arriving at Hodgins' house at 1:45, the men were greeted by the entomologist, who took a drowsy Hank onto his lap. "Step into my lab, gentlemen."
Hunkering down next to his daughter, Booth patted her head. "Okay, listen, honey...Daddy and Uncle Aubrey need to change clothes, so you can play with Michael-Vincent for a few minutes, but don't get dirty. After I change, I'll help you put on that pretty green dress that Mommy bought for you to wear today, okay?"
"Okay." Christine skipped away to play with her friend. "See you later, Daddy…"
"Now, let's me and you get ready for this production." Booth pointed down a hall. "In there…"
"What? With all these bugs?" Aubrey cautiously entered the lab. Seeing a terrarium holding two very large, very hairy tarantulas, he cringed in horror. "Booth, he's got giant spiders in here…"
"Well then, hurry up so they don't get you!" Chuckling at Aubrey's discomfort, Booth shook his head. "Jesus, how did you get to be a Special Agent in Charge?"
"I arrest criminals, Booth. I shouldn't have to fend off blood thirsty spiders."
"Whatever, Aubrey." Booth hung up his garment bag by a terrarium that housed a snake. "Now get dressed. If we're late, Angela and Bones will have our heads."
Grinning at his friend, Aubrey began to unbutton his shirt. "Yeah, I need to get a move on. Jessica said Angela wanted to take a picture of me in my wedding getup before I ate anything at the reception." He shrugged in annoyance. "It's like she thinks I'm messy or something…"
"She knows how you eat...you always dive in head first, right?" Chuckling at his friend's grimace, Booth pulled off his tee shirt and set it aside before producing a small wrapped package from his garment bag. "By the way, this is from Jessica. She said that she wanted you to have it before the wedding…"
Surprised, Aubrey stared at the small box. "What is it?"
Booth rolled his eyes. "How the hell should I know? Open it and find out."
Aubrey tore away the paper and found a small jewelry case. Peeking inside, he laughed in delight. "Millenium Falcon cuff links! Oh my God, they're perfect." He held out the case so Booth could see the silver objects. "Look at the details on these babiesl! This is so great!"
"You guys are weird." Booth laughed at his friend's glare. "Okay, okay...finish getting changed." He quickly buttoned his shirt and slipped into his trousers before grabbing his tie and jacket. "I've got to get Christine into that dress. No wandering off, okay? And no trying to sneak a peek at Jessica, either…"
"Okay." Aubrey grumbled to himself as he fastened his cuff
links into his shirt sleeves. "As many times as I've seen that woman in various states of nakedness, you'd think I would be allowed to see her before our wedding…"
"I heard that!" Booth gave Aubrey a stern look before breaking into a grin. "Come on...be a pal. You don't want Bones to be mad at me, do you?"
"No, I guess not. Okay...I promise to be good." Smoothing his tie, Aubrey exhaled. "Whadd'ya think? Do I look good enough to get married?"
"Yeah, you look great. I'll tell Angela you're ready when I see her." Booth quickly left, closing the door behind him.
Finally left alone to his own thoughts, Aubrey nodded to himself as he looked into some of Hodgins' animal cages, avoiding the spiders. I can't believe it's finally here...I finally get to marry Jessica. Wow...after everything that's happened, it's hard to believe, and yet...here we are. She's gonna make me a better man...I'm gonna be a much better husband than my dad was to my mom, and maybe someday, I'll be a better father than he was, too.
His musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Aubrey? It's me...Angela. Are you ready? I want to take some pictures…."
Smiling from ear to ear, he threw open the door with a flourish. "Let's do this…"
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Standing in the doorway of Michael-Vincent's room, Booth called out to his daughter. "Come on, Peanut...time to get dressed."
Shaking her head, the little girl stuck out her chin defiantly. "No! I don't wanna be a flower girl!"
"What? Being a flower girl is all you've talked about for weeks! Now, come on…" Booth held up the hanger holding the pale green dress. "Mommy says you need to wear this, some white lacy socks and your shiny black shoes…"
"I don't want to…" Christine began to cry loudly. "Please don't make me be a flower girl!"
Scratching the back of his neck, Booth looked at her in amazement. "Why not? It's fun, okay? And you promised Uncle Aubrey! Remember? You asked him if you could be in his wedding when he married Aunt Jessica…"
"I changed my mind!," the child wailed. "I don't want to be some dumb flower girl, Daddy…"
"I see." Hesitating a few seconds, Booth nodded. "Well, okay...but I think Aunt Jessica and Uncle Aubrey are gonna be real disappointed. I mean, you looked so happy when we practiced it yesterday, but if you don't want to, that's fine. Let's at least change your clothes, okay?"
Sniffling softly, Christine agreed, and pulled off her school clothes. Her father slipped the green dress over her head and buttoned it in back. "You look so pretty…"
She ran her hand across her cheek to wipe away the last of her tears. "Thanks, Daddy."
He gently brushed her hair and clipped it with a sparkly silver barrette. "So, if you don't mind my asking...why did you change your mind about being the flower girl?"
She regarded him with wide eyes. "It's too scary! Michael-Vincent says there's gonna be about a thousand people here, and they'll all be watching me! What if I fall over or something? I'd be so 'barrassed..."
"Oh, Sweetheart." Booth pulled the little girl into a bear hug. "Michael-Vincent made a mistake, okay? There's gonna be maybe a hundred people here at the most, and probably not even that many. Besides, you'll know most of them, like Ms. Julian and the squint squad. It'll kind of be like one of those school assemblies for second grade...the ones where they hand out awards, remember? It'll be over real quick, and then you can sit down and watch Aunt Jessica walk by in her pretty white dress..."
"But everyone will be looking at me…"
"Because you're so pretty, but it'll only be for a few minutes. It won't be scary, I promise." Seeing that she was still unconvinced, he paused, hoping for some inspiration. "I know...what if Michael-Vincent walks with you? Would that make you feel better? How about it, Michael-Vincent? Would you please help Christine so she isn't scared?"
The little boy thought things over for a minute or two. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Okay."
"There...whadd'ya say, Christine? You don't want to disappoint Uncle Aubrey, do you?"
Christine sighed dramatically. "Okay...if Michael-Vincent walks with me."
"Good!" Breathing a sigh of relief, Booth handed Christine her socks and shoes. "Let's finish getting ready.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Up in the studio, Brennan had just been zipped into her emerald green matron of honor dress. Pausing to look at herself in the mirror, she shrugged. "What do you think, Ms. Warren?"
Jessica couldn't help but gasp in awe. Brennan's flawless skin had been enhanced with a skillful application of color, and her hair had been arranged in a classic chignon. The cut of the dress accentuated her curves perfectly. "You look gorgeous, Dr. B. Booth won't be able to keep his eyes off you…"
"Thank you. Now...we need to finish getting you ready…" Brennan retrieved a small package from her purse. "I purchased this at the lingerie store…"
Opening the package, Jessica laughed out loud as she pulled the small lacy object. "My garter! Thank you!"
"Well, tradition says you need something blue for your wedding day, so I thought that would be appropriate. Put it on first and then we can help you with your dress…"
"Okay. Oh, my jewelry is in that bag…"
Angela handed it to the redhead. "Here you are…"
Smiling, Jessica put on the small pearl stud earrings and fastened her necklace, which was made up of a single floating pearl on a fine chain. "My dad gave me these earrings and this necklace last night to use as my 'something old'. They belonged to my grandmother, and she wore these when she married my grandfather at the vineyard right after World War II."
Everyone admired the jewelry, which was simple, but elegant. "Jessica, that is so beautiful." Andie said. "And I love the story behind it."
"Thank you. Okay...now for the dress…"
She stepped into the gown and pulled up the spaghetti straps. As Angela zipped it closed, the room grew quiet. Concerned, Jessica glanced at her friends. "What's wrong?"
Sniffling slightly, Brennan brushed away a tear as she smiled. "Nothing is wrong...it's just that you look so lovely… and so happy. I know it's not possible, Ms. Warren, but you seem to be glowing from within…"
As Jessica turned to look in the mirror, her heart began to race. "Oh my God! I look like a bride!" Her smile was radiant as she regarded her reflection. "Aubrey is gonna go crazy…"
"He really is," Angela agreed. "You two may not make it to the reception...he might want to go straight to the honeymoon…"
"I don't know...he's been looking forward to that wood fired pizza.," Jessica giggled.
Checking the time, Angela nodded toward the door. "Come on...I want to get a few pictures of you in your dress before the wedding."
"Okay, let me get my something new." Jessica opened a box to reveal a pair of emerald green heels. "I'm so happy I found these at the consignment shop. Aubrey's favorite color on me is green and these give that perfect touch."
"They are very cool, Jessica.,," Angela said as the two left the room. "We need to remember to put a penny in one of them…"
Left alone in the room, Daisy spoke quietly to Brennan. "Jessica and Aubrey are gonna be so happy…"
"I agree, Daisy. They are very fortunate to have found each other...and to have a good friend like you." She gave her former intern a hug. "Are you ready to go downstairs?"
"Yes, Dr. Brennan. Let's go get them married."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
The hour was approaching 3 o'clock and the wedding guests had already begun to arrive. After checking in with Andie, who was in charge of the guestbook, they then received programs from Wendell, who advised them to sit wherever they wanted.
Niki stood behind them, busying himself with the sound system, and obviously very pleased with himself. He grinned as he waved to his proud mother as she and her daughters sat down next to Gail. The girls chatted happily as they waited for the wedding to begin, hoping to get the first glimpse of the beautiful bride.
White wooden folding chairs were set up on either side of a white fabric runner which led up to the white arbor between the large oak trees. A table had been set up as an altar underneath it. Covered with a white table cloth, a large filigree silver cross stood in its center, flanked by crystal vases holding casual arrangements of orange tiger lilies, salmon roses, eucalyptus sprays, and blue freesia. Tall silver candelabras tied with white satin bows stood on either end of the table. As soft music played in the background, Michael's daughters walked down the aisle and lit the white tapers, indicating that the wedding would be starting soon.
Charlie and his nurse had been seated early to give him time to catch his breath before the ceremony. He was still fretting about how he was going to escort his daughter, but Alice calmed his fears as she subtly checked his vitals. "Jessica and her brothers have it all worked out. You'll be with her for the most important part, okay?'
He nodded. "Oh...okay."
A few minutes later a hush fell over the guests as Rodney, dressed in a flowing white and gold chausible, walked out to face the congregation, followed by Aubrey and Booth.
"Do you have her ring?," Aubrey whispered. "I forgot to ask you earlier…"
"Yes, of course I have her ring. I'm not stupid! Now, shut up and get married already. Jesus..."
"Quiet!" Trying not to laugh out loud, Rodney gave both of the men a stern look. "Act your age, fellas!, he whispered. "Save the comedy routine for the reception."
Wearing a dark green silk dress embellished with glittering beads and sequins, Jessica's mother made her entrance on Chase's arm, obviously pleased to be the center of attention. "I can't believe they're getting married outdoors in this heat!," she complained loudly as she tried to get comfortable on her folding chair. "I'm sweltering…"
Rolling his eyes, Chase sighed in frustration. "It's 75 degrees, Eleanor…"
Ignoring him, she fanned herself as she glanced over at Charlie's date, who seemed perfectly comfortable with the weather. "Hmmph…"
The soft background music gave way to the melancholy sound of a tin whistle as Christine and Michael-Vincent strolled down the aisle, both of them merrily scattering salmon rose petals. When they reached the front, after a brief tug of war over the basket, they went to sit with Hodgins, who was also in charge of Hank.
Carrying a bouquet of salmon roses and ice blue hydrangeas, Brennan came down the aisle next, well aware that she looked stunning in her green dress. Making eye contact with her husband, she licked her lips and gave him a sultry smile, which made him groan audibly. "Jesus, Bones…"
As Rodney indicated for everyone to rise, the music grew louder and the song's lyrics began to fill the air...
There is something that I see
In the way you look at me
There's a smile, there's a truth
In your eyes,
Jessica stood at the end of the aisle, flanked by Jason and Michael. They started toward the altar together, and were met part way by Greg and Jack, who continued to walk her down the aisle.
But in an unexpected way
On this unexpected day
Could it mean this is where I belong?
It is you I have loved all along.
Once again, she met two more of her brothers, as Aaron and Stephan escorted her to the place where their father was sitting.
It's no more a mystery, it is finally clear to me
You're the home my heart has searched for so long
And it is you I have loved all along.
She greeted Charlie with a smile as he slowly stood up to meet her. "Hi, Dad…"
"That's m-my g-girl." He took her arm and leaned against her as they walked the short distance to the altar to meet Aubrey, who was suddenly feeling weak in the knees.
"Oh my God, Booth…," he gasped. "I've never seen anything so beautiful…she looks...amazing...absolutely perfect…"
Rodney smiled as he looked out over the crowd. "Friends, we're making a slight change to the order of service, due to some extenuating circumstances. So I ask: who supports this woman in her desire to wed to this man?"
Standing as straight as he could, Charlie spoke proudly. "Her...f-f-family...does."
"Very well. And who supports this man in his desire to wed this woman?"
There was a beat of silence before Booth remembered what he was supposed to say. "His friends, who are like a family to him."
"Thank you." Rodney bowed to Charlie and then turned to the congregation. "You may be seated." Grinning broadly, he spoke to the happy couple before him. "I believe you two have something to say to each other…"
Jessica nodded as she glanced at Aubrey. "Yes, I do." Suddenly feeling bashful, she glanced down at her mixed bouquet of tiger lilies, blue and magenta orchids, and fragrant eucalyptus before meeting his intense gaze. "James, I...I want you to know how much you've changed my life for the better. You've given me confidence...and a purpose...and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you…"
Swallowing hard, Aubrey tried to compose himself. Exhaling slowly, he finally smiled at her. "Jessica...you've made me look at life in a completely different way, and I'm so thankful for that. Just being with you makes me so happy...and I'm so proud that you've decided to take a chance on me. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."
As he glanced at Amy, Rodney bit his lip, knowing how his friends felt. "Thank you." He took his prayer book from the table. "Let's move on with the ceremony." Opening to the correct page, he began to read the opening prayer. "Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of these people in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord, Jesus Christ, adorned this manner of life by His presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honored by all people."
He gave the couple standing before him a serious look. "Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God."
Turning the page, he continued. "Into this holy union Jessica Elizabeth Warren and James Robert Aubrey now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined, speak now; or else forever hold your peace."
A slight murmur went through the congregation, but nobody spoke up. Finally Rodney sighed loudly. "Thank God! I hate that part."
The crowd laughed in appreciation of the joke. "Okay...let's get to the point." He smiled at the woman standing before him. "Jessica, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"
Fixing her eyes on Aubrey's smiling face, she nodded. "I will."
"James, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
He nodded resolutely. "I will!"
Smiling out at the congregation, Rodney continued. "Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?"
"WE WILL!"
The priest bowed his head. "Let us pray: O gracious and everliving God, you have created us in Your image. Look mercifully on this man and this woman as they come before you. Assist them with Your grace that they may honor the vows they make before You, through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. We will now continue with the readings."
Nadia rose from her seat and came forward to read from the large volume on the plant stand. "A reading from the Song of Solomon:
My beloved speaks and says to me
'Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
And come away.
For behold, the winter is past;
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.'
The Word of the Lord."
When Nadia sat down, Gail walked forward. "A reading from Ephesians.
'Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children,and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.'
The Word of the Lord."
Rodney smiled at Jessica and Aubrey. "Good advice, right? Look, I'm gonna keep this short so we can get on to the good stuff. Here's what you need to remember, okay? We may not fully understand it, but each of us have a little bit of a divine spark in us, because we're made in God's image. So what does that mean for you two? Well, Jessica, when you're mad at Jimmy because he forgot to put his socks in the laundry hamper, or maybe, Jimmy, you're mad at Jessica because her lingerie is hanging up all over the house to dry, look for the divine spark in each other. Always remember to consider each other as a blessing given especially to you by God, and treat each other well because of it. Make that the focus of your life together instead of any petty grievances you may have. Be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Concentrate on the good in each other, and grow together into a love that becomes deeper as time goes by."
He nodded happily. "Now, please join right hands, and Jessica, repeat after me: I, Jessica, take you, James, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow."
Sighing softly, she spoke the solemn words to her husband. "I, Jessica, take you, James…
Then it was Aubrey's turn. "I, James, take you, Jessica, to be my wife…"
After the couple had repeated their vows, Rodney blessed their rings, which they then exchanged with each other.
He had them join hands as he prayed over them once again. "Now that Jessica and James have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands, and exchanging of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder. Amen."
Aubrey leaned over to kiss Jessica, only to be interrupted by the priest. "Just a minute...I get to say one more thing." Rodney made the sign of the cross over the couple as he prayed. "God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favor look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that you may faithfully live together in this life, and in the age to come have life everlasting. Amen. Okay...now you can kiss the bride, Jimmy…"
Taking Jessica in his arms, Aubrey kissed her tenderly. "God, I love you so much…"
"I love you so much…" She kissed him again. "I can't wait 'til later...:"
Clearing his throat, Rodney addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome the newlyweds."
The guests erupted into applause as the main theme from Star Wars began to play loudly for their recessional. The happy couple strode hand in hand down the aisle, beaming with happiness as they waved to their guests. Booth and Brennan linked arms and walked out behind them.
Addressing the crowd again, Rodney had good news. "Don't forget the reception at the Saoirse Finn tasting room in Bethesda. Cocktails start at 5:00, with dinner at 6:00…"
Stepping out from under the arbor, Rodney stopped to shake hands with Charlie and to congratulate Eleanor.
"G-g-good...job, Fath..pa...padre." Charlie cackled as he pretended to punch the priest's arm. "Way..to k-k-keep...things sh-short."
Eleanor dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "It was nice, I suppose...considering their budget and all…my daughter did look lovely..."
As Amy came to stand next to him, Rodney smiled politely at Jessica's mother. "Yes, Jessica was a very beautiful bride, but as I'm sure you must know, Ms. Gordon, the Lord doesn't care how much is spent on a wedding. It's the intent He cares about. You know, Amy and I spent about 350 dollars on our wedding, and that included the license, her dress, our rings, and dinner for our parents and the priest who married us." He gave his wife a hug. "We've been happily married almost ten years. I think Jimmy and Jessica had such a beautiful wedding because it was exactly what they wanted, and not because of how much they spent on it. Now, if you excuse me…"
Taking Amy's hand, he walked away, leaving Eleanor to sputter in disgust. "Well, I never…"
"Yes, y-y-you...have….a-a-all...the...t-t-time." Charlie shook his head as Alice helped him with his cane. "G-g-give...it...a...rest, el-el-Ellie. Let's...take...photos."
While Angela tried to get everyone organized so she could begin taking pictures, Hodgins wheeled up with Caroline by his side. "Charlie..,Eleanor, this is Caroline Julian. She's a federal prosecutor who works with Aubrey and Booth. Caroline, these are Jessica's parents, Charles and Eleanor Warren."
"Gordon!," Eleanor snapped abruptly before planting a fake smile on her face. "My last name is Gordon. Don't forget that we're divorced."
"My bad.," Hodgins said while trying not to roll his eyes.
The tall, lanky gentleman stood up with assistance from Alice and leaned his cane, holding out his hand. "He...heard...much...able...about...you."
"All good, I presume.," Caroline replied, as everyone but Eleanor laughed at her joke. "So...you're Jessica's mother."
"Yes. I'm an attorney with Hamilton, Banks, and Andrews. I'm sure you're familiar with us through our Washington branch."
"Oh yes." Ms. Julian sneered in disgust. "I am well acquainted with the attorneys from their criminal division."
"Yes, my colleagues at the Washington office are familiar with you, too, Ms. Julian. It's an amazing law firm and my salary leaves me quite comfortable. They only take the best of the best, you know…" Eleanor put on a face of false modesty as she once again gave Caroline the eye, noting her lavender dress and hat. "Of course, I'm sure the Department of Justice does the same thing for its employees. Too bad you were never offered a job with our firm."
Caroline wore a savage smile as she narrowed her eyes at Eleanor. "Actually, I had offers from the DOJ and three criminal law firms when I graduated summa cum laude from Tulane, including the Washington branch of Hamilton, Banks, and Andrews."
"Oh, you were?" Eleanor hid her annoyance with extreme politness.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was." Caroline smiled back. "And as for income, I knew what I was in for when I decided to use my considerable skills in the public sector, but I wanted to make a real difference in the world. That's much more important to me than money."
Surprised by Caroline's bluntness and annoyed with the admiration she was receiving from the other guests, Eleanor gave a mirthless chuckle. "Oh, and you went to Tulane?. A very prestigious law school. However, I went to George Mason University."
Caroline chuckled as the woman's attempt to shame her. "Yes, I'm aware of that, as well as your vast...experience with several different law firms in this area. Now, if you'll excuse me...I want to get a picture taken with Booth and Aubrey."
Eleanor shot daggers at Caroline as the prosecutor left to find her two favorite FBI agents. "Bitch thinks she's better than me."
"E..nough...El-el-ellie." Charlie pointed at their daughter and her new husband, who were chatting with Clark and his date. "Jessie's...d-d-day..b-b-be...nice."
Hodgins wheeled back over to his wife. "Okay, that was interesting. As you requested, I'd introduced Caroline to Jessica's parents and when we were done, Caroline asked me to tell you 'Game on', whatever the hell that means."
"Good." Looking up from her camera, she wore a droll grin. "This should be fun."
"Angie...what are you two cooking up?" He saw her smile and put his hand up. "Never mind, I don't want to know."
Ooooooooo
Once Angela had all the pertinent people together, she began taking the more traditional wedding pictures first. She put together several combinations, such as the bride and her matron of honor, the groom and his best man and the like. She was arranging pictures with the eye of an artist and directing traffic with the voice of a drill sergeant, much to everyone's amusement.
While they were waiting, Brennan approached Booth, who was talking to Rodney. "It was a lovely wedding, Father Faircloth. I must say how refreshing it is to see an obviously intelligent clergy person balancing humor with the more serious aspects of their institution's mythology."
"Bones!," Booth hissed. "Not now…"
Rodney smiled graciously. "Thank you, Dr. Brennan. That means a lot, coming from a well respected scientist such as yourself."
Unsure if she was being teased, she studied the priest carefully. "You don't seem concerned about me referring to your beliefs as mythology."
"Nah...I have faith. I know what I believe, and I'm strong enough in those beliefs to be comfortable when someone disagrees. We all have to find what works best for us."
"Oh." Somewhat surprised, Brennan nodded. "Interesting…oh, excuse me...I'm needed for a photograph…"
Jamming his hands in his pockets, Booth tried to apologize. "She isn't trying to be hateful...that's just her, you know...being her normal scientific self...'
Rodney waved off Booth's explanation. "I didn't take any offense. I've heard a lot worse in my day, including a lot of garbage from Jimmy...oh, looks like we're up, buddy…we'd better go smile pretty for Ms. Montenegro if we don't want to get into trouble."
Nodding as they took their spots in the line up, Booth patted Rodney's shoulder. "You're a good guy, Rodney. I can see why Aubrey was so insistent on having you do their wedding."
"Thanks. Yeah, Jimmy and I go way back, you know? And no matter what was going on in his life, he was always there for me. That kind of loyalty is hard to find."
"You're right. We're both lucky to have him as our friend."
Angela looked up from her camera and shook her finger at Booth. "Enough talking already! Okay, now everybody say cheeeeeese…."
Oooooooooo
Aubrey was getting restless. It seemed to him that Angela had already taken a million pictures, and he couldn't imagine why they'd need to pose for any more. He had better things to do with his time right now.
Glancing across the large lawn, he saw Jessica talking to Genny and Hunter. "Time to make a run for it. My wife and I are leaving right now...we need some time to relax before the reception."
Trying to be casual, he waved as he strolled over to the trio. "Hey, guys…"
"Congratulations, Boss." Genny grinned broadly at the happy couple. "I wasn't sure we'd ever get to this point, but I'm so happy for both of you."
Shaking Hunter's hand, Aubrey smiled. "Thanks, Genny. Hey, do you mind if I borrow my wife for a few minutes?"
Blushing slightly, Jessica giggled. "That sounds so weird…'my wife'…"
"I know, right?" He took her hand and led her away from the dwindling crowd of guests. "I think it's time we made our escape. I want us to have a few minutes alone before we have to be at the reception, okay?"
She nodded, but a look of concern crossed her face. "How? We don't have our cars here…"
He pulled a set of keys from his pocket. "I know, but Angela is lending me their Mercedes sedan. Nobody will have any idea it's us, okay? We can sneak away without being noticed."
She smirked as she arched an eyebrow at him. "You're just trying to get an appetizer before the honeymoon, aren't you?"
He grinned as he looked her over. "I'll admit...the thought did cross my mind. You look absolutely stunning…and I love those green shoes..." Exhaling slowly, he shook his head. "...but I've decided to be a big boy, so we're gonna wait until later. I don't want our first time as a married couple to be in the back seat of someone else's car."
"I'm tempted, too, as you are so very handsome in your new gray suit, but I agree, Superman. We should wait until we get to the Jefferson."
Aubrey grabbed her hand again and led her towards the backdoor of the garage. "C'mon…"
She giggled as she glanced over her shoulder. "Why do I feel like we're doing something bad?"
"I don't know...maybe because we're ducking out of our own wedding early?"
They found the sleek black vehicle and climbed in. After Jessica tossed her bouquet into the backseat, Aubrey winked at his wife and started the car. "Here we go…"
He drove the car out of the garage, and after weaving through the parked cars in the driveway, pulled onto the street in front of Hodgins' house. "Free at last…" He reached over to pat Jessica's knee. "Just you and me, babe…"
"Just you and me."
They rode in silence for a few minutes before Jessica spoke up. "So…"
"So what are we doing?" Aubrey laughed as he glanced at her. "Well, it's probably a really lame idea, now that I think about it." He shrugged slightly. "It's just that I wanted us to spend some time by ourselves, feeling what it was like to be married, you know? I mean, we'll never feel this way again, I guess...the exhilaration...the joy...it's all brand new to me. Realizing that you...Jessica Warren...you chose to marry me….it's just incredible."
Sighing softly, he grimaced. "I can't really explain it. I just wanted to share our first few moments as a married couple by ourselves, so we could enjoy them together." Getting no response, he glanced over at his wife again. "Silly, isn't it?"
Brushing away a tear, she shook her head. "No, it's not silly...not at all. In fact...I think it's the most romantic thing I've ever heard. You're right, James...this time is ours alone, and we shouldn't waste it." She paused as she admired her wedding ring. "I can't really explain how I feel...except to say that I have this overwhelming sense of serenity, and I think it comes from knowing that you're my husband. I've never felt that way about anyone else, James...you make me feel so safe and so loved...and I want to savor that for a few minutes."
"Yeah?" He smiled happily as he turned onto a quiet side street. "Me, too."
They rode on in silence before Jessica spoke again. "I do think we'll feel this way again, though...like maybe when we bring our first baby home from the hospital, or maybe on the way home from our son's graduation or from our daughter's wedding." She smiled at him as he nodded. "This is just the first of those times. I hope we have many, many more of them."
"We'll have lots of them, but nothing will ever top this day for me, Jess. I love you so much…"
"I love you, too, Aubrey." Jessica pointed at the dashboard. "Oh, look at the time. Maybe we should start for Bethesda…"
"I guess so." He smirked at her. "After all, I don't want to miss those fancy wood fired pizzas."
"Why am I not surprised? I hope I can afford to feed you…"
"Aw, c'mon...my big appetite is one of the many reasons you love me, right, wife of mine?"
She laughed as she rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, husband of mine...whatever you say."
Thanks for reading. Next stop: the wedding reception!