A bit cheesy, I'm afraid. After this chapter I'll skip some years and the next chapter will be about Jamie leaving for Harvard, I guess. Just so you be warned
Thanks so much to all who have reviewed, you make me going on!

Rain poured down as if it wanted to wash the whole city away. It had started in the evening, now it was about four in the morning and it hadn't gone better. If the circumstances were different, Joe and Jamie would have started an argument with their grandfather now – after all, in nights like these police officers could peacefully sleep in their beds while firefighters were out on the streets and worked their asses off – Jamie probably not with these words, but with the same intensity. As much as he adored his grandfather and the whole police corps he couldn't understand why Henry had such a low opinion of firefighters. And it would take a long time to get the story out of his grandfather: how grandma Betty's father had been one, and how he had drunk on duty and off duty and sometimes overslept his shifts so when Betty was about fourteen he had been – guess what – fired. Which had led him to drink even more, and then he had started hitting Jamie's grandma, and… worse. But right now was not the time he could ask his grandfather about it.
It was, actually, not the time to ask grandpa anything.

Betty hadn't made it to the wedding. Ten nights ago she had died. Whether she had simply not woken up or had been wide awake as death had come - nobody knew. Henry refused to talk about the last minutes of his beloved wife, the mother of his only son. And though they didn't understand the secrecy they all knew they would have to accept it. Still it left many open questions, and a big empty hole that at Betty's very soon organized funeral almost got Frank, Henry and Linda collapsing.

Both Linda and Danny had offered at once to delay the wedding in order to have time to grieve and honor Betty, but Henry wouldn't hear it. So today it was.

Danny sat in his old bedroom and stared out of the window into the dripping night. If the rain didn't stop he had no idea how to get all the guests into the church, and then to the hotel they had organized the feast at. He wasn't even sure if the church would be open then, standing right in one of the highly floodable areas. And would people even come if they had to expose themselves to such weather conditions? Would Linda in a few hours still want to marry him? And why had grandma had to die right now?

One floor below Henry couldn't sleep either. He sat in the kitchen, staring out of the window into the dripping night. He felt betrayed by God somehow – he had insisted on hurrying with Betty's funeral, insisted on keeping the wedding exactly the way it had been planned. And now the weather would probably ruin it all. What for had he tried to be brave? What for had he played like the world was still moving on? He had spent forty-three years with his wife, two thirds of his life. And right now he would give all of it away to just speak to her one more time.

"Grandpa?"
Henry turned to the little boy at the door. "Are you still afraid of storms, Jamie?"
Jamie shook his head earnestly. "And it's only rain, no thunder at all. I'm more afraid about tomorrow. Well, today." He made a step forward, then stood still for a while. "Can I come here?" he eventually asked shyly.
Henry nodded quickly. As Jamie sat down he had to stifle another sob. Every time he saw one of his grandchildren he realized again what Betty was missing now. What she would have liked to see so much but would not see ever again. And he realized how much he missed talking to her, hearing her version of what was happening.
Henry closed his eyes. Yes, she had been five years older than him, but did that mean she was supposed to go earlier? There was still so much to live!

"Grandpa?" Jamie's eyes were full of sympathy, and a deep seriousness none of his siblings had. "Are you thinking of grandma?"
Henry nodded. "I wish she could be with us today, Jamie. I know how much she longed for this day. She wanted to see her grandson married, she… she wanted it more than anything else now. And I couldn't give it to her. It was her last wish" he whispered, daring for the first time to vocalize it, "and I couldn't give it to her."

Jamie bit his lips. "But you know she will see it, don't you?"
Henry frowned. "Jamie, she…"
"And I bet she's got the best sight." Jamie looked up, obviously through the ceiling and up into heaven. "I'm sure she'll see it, and she'll see us, too. I just wish she could sit with us so we could talk to her. And Danny does, too." He looked at his grandfather. Henry, fighting against new tears, couldn't speak.

"I think Danny's afraid it's too early now" Jamie whispered, "I heard him and Erin talking about it."
"Oh, you did?" Henry cleared his throat. A harsh tone was easier to get than an understanding one. "And how do you know what your siblings were talking about privately?"
Guiltily, Jamie stepped back. "I'm sorry, grandpa. But he's really worried, and I saw light in his room when I came, so… can't you please go up and talk to him? And tell him that grandma knows he loves her and will never forget her, and will talk about her to all the guests so they will remember her, too? Please!"

Henry gave up the fight. His eyes flowed over and he could hardly speak. "I think it's better you go telling him", he murmured in a stifled voice. "Just go."

Jamie went – but not without hugging his grandfather tightly. "I love you, grandpa. Don't think you're alone now, okay?"

A shy knock tore Danny out of his meditation. Right, out of the panic attack he was suffering from. "Come in!"
"Hey, Danny. I saw the light in your room."
"Hey, Jamie. Come here." This night Danny didn't ask why his baby brother was still – or again – awake. He was just thankful for it. As Jamie sat down next to him he wondered how it had gone so fast. Almost eleven years ago he had held a baby in his arms, a little bunch of human being, unable to do more than sleep and smile. When had Jamie become a young man? When had he started to get independent? He was so big already, and so serious and intelligent. It was strange how time was running. Eleven years ago he had not thought about women. Even four years ago he had not really thought about them, he had just slept with them sometimes. But none of them had ever been worth a second thought, they had been young and crazy and altogether waiting for real life to begin.

Now it would begin for Danny. As he wrapped his arms around his brother he realized that in eight hours he would be a husband. A man with responsibility, who would protect his wife and soon – hopefully – his children with his life. He would make Linda smile everyday and make her presents, and he would keep his work away from home. In eight hours his life would have changed completely, and it would be the best change it had ever had.
"Thanks to you" he ended the thought loudly, "Jamie, did I ever thank you for pushing me to ask Linda if she would marry me?"
Jamie frowned. "Did I?"
"Yes, you did." Danny looked at his little brother earnestly. "Too soon, too loud, but you did. Thank you, kid."
Jamie shrugged, embarrassed by the praise. "Pure egoism" he said, one of his new favorite words, "I like Linda. And from all the girls you brought here once or twice she's the only one remembering all my teddy bear's names. That was when I still played with them" he added, blushing.
Danny chuckled. "Well, it's not that long ago, is it?"
Jamie shrugged again, looking to the floor.

"Danny?"
"What is it?" He had almost fallen asleep.
"When you're married… you're stil brother, right? And when you're a father, you're also still my big brother!"
"Of course I am, kid."
"Just don't forget it, okay?" Hopefully the little one looked up. Danny felt his heart melting, and suddenly he had tears in his eyes. How had he deserved all that? Such a woman at his side, such a family? And why, when he had everything, had God decided to not even give his grandmother those fifteen days till she had seen the wedding? Why had she had to die now? And would… he took a deep breath as he caught his thoughts running in circles.
"I will not forget it, Jamie. Things will change when I have my own kids, yes. But you'll always be my little brother, and I'll always be your big brother. I'll always be there for you and protect you, no matter how many children we'll have. It's just that when I'm a father, you'll be a big uncle. That sounds good?"
Jamie frowned. "Me? Big uncle? I guess… but I'm just eleven!"
Danny smiled. "You'll at least be twelve, I promise you."
"As if that would change much" Jamie murmured as he slipped off the bed. "You should sleep now or you will fall asleep during the mass" he warned him.
"Oh, and grandpa told me to tell you that Grandma is up there and will see everything and that she knows you love her."
The tears rolled down Danny's face now, too. "Thank you, Jamie."

"Say thanks to grandpa. But only after you slept!"

It had stopped. Nobody knew exactly when, but the rain had stopped. It was still chilly and the streets were wet, and there was no sun, but – who needed sun?
As Linda walked down the aisle her smile lighted up the whole church. Erin cried and laughed hysterically, with Jack trying to calm her down. For once Joe didn't argue with his sister's boyfriend. He stood next to his big brother as his best man, and had enough problems not to cry himself.

Danny was lost in Linda's eyes. He had no idea of the people around him, he didn't hear one single word the priest said.
She was here. After all they had gone through together she was here with him, ready to say yes. Ready to follow him where life would lead, ready to put her life and luck into his hands.
As the vows were spoken, Mary leant into Frank and cried. Henry held Jamie's hand, and they too had tears in their eyes.

"I promise you to do my best to make your life as beautiful and rich as you deserve. Every day of my life I will live for you. You are the one who understands me completely, and you made a better man out of me, better than I ever thought I could be. I promise you that from this moment on I will strive to stay that better man, though I… though I know that no matter what I do… I'll never deserve you. But I promise, Linda, I promise… I will do everything I can. Everything. To… to…" Red alert in his brain.

Through the fire and the haze around him Danny realized he was forgetting his speech, caught up in Linda's glowing face.

"I can't promise you very much, but the one thing I know, one thing I can promise you, I can assure you of is… that I love you with all my heart, soul, and every piece of me. And will always love you, Linda. I will always love you. So take this ring…"

Linda cried so hard her hands shook as Danny put the ring on her finger.

"Danny, I… god, I wanted to do this well. But I should have known…" She swallowed down some tears, but there were still so much in her heart. Tears of joy and gratitude and sadness.

"Truth is that sometimes you find words that I can't find. And when my world breaks down and I stand alone in front of the nothing, you're here. You're the most annoying person I've ever known but I wouldn't miss one second of it. You make me laugh when I want to cry, and when I should cry but am too shocked you find the way to unlock my heart. I don't know why I got so lucky, Danny, but… I am. And now I'm standing here and… see what we have and… thank you so much! Thank you for being my life, thank you for every day that will follow. You complete me, Danny, and I love you so much. And always will. Take this ring as a sign of my love and truth, in good times and in bad times, in health and illness, till death do us part."

"I hereby declare you husband and wife. You may now…"
"Danny, you gotta kiss her!"