Three months later…

A long awaited wedding is finally taking place. This time, the so-called bachelor party has taken place in the small bar below Bass' loft. The bride had declared that she wasn't letting her groom out of her sight—especially with the immature idiot that he's named as his best man. The very same man who always seems to be leading her man into one scrape or another.

The one church in town that has survived the blackout, the Andover Clan and the Patriots alike has been decorated with mums and late summer roses. Every possible door is propped open to allow the late morning breeze in. So far, it's had kept the temperature at bay, but the priest is starting to worry that if they don't get this show on the road soon, it will become unbearable.

Bass glances over at Charlie. She wears a simple dress that her mother has picked out for the occasion. He's never seen her in one before and so far, he likes what he sees. It's was long and dyed light purple—the cloth a product of the plains. The linen skirt billows with the breeze blowing down the nave from where the Narthex doors are open.

With the sun shining through the stained glass, casting colorful beams of light all around her, she looks beautiful and it takes his breath away. Her hair is pinned up, something he knows she hates. She'd griped, but she's done it all the same. Today isn't about her and so she's been bathed, polished and dressed like a lady—and looks radiant. In her hands, she holds a simple bouquet of three roses. She fidgets with it every so often as she waits with feigned patience.

Charlie feels Bass' eyes on her and so she looks up. He too, has put forth some effort for the occasion. As far as she was concerned, he doesn't clean up half bad, either. He'd at least made an attempt to tame his unruly curls—with mixed results and he's even trimmed his beard.

With full suits being a thing of distant memory, he's managed to find a pair of decent slacks that aren't too horribly worn and has donned the post-blackout version of a dress shirt. He's even given in to Miles' badgering and is wearing the tie that had been forced upon him. The only thing he hasn't backed down on was boots—but at least he's cleaned them up a bit.

Charlie smiles at this. She has her own boots hidden beneath her skirt. She'd tried the sandals her mother had gotten for her—really. She hadn't been able to make it across the bedroom without tripping, and so had tossed them into the back of the closet and has worn what was comfortable.

The breeze catches her skirt and lifts it a little. The smirk that Bass offers her tells Charlie that she'd been busted—not that he won't have figured it out eventually. After all, he'll probably be the one to remove her dress later.

At last, the piano begins to play. Miles slowly makes his way over to where Bass stands. He's a bit unsteady, but he's been coming back little by little. He works with Gene every day at rehabilitating his body after weeks of disuse and has even been sparring with Bass for a few minutes here and there when his strength allows.

The music changes and everyone turns so they can watch Rachel make her way down the aisle on her father's arm. Throughout the ceremony, the best man and maid of honor share stolen glances, all the while doing their best to pay attention to the priest's words.

The best man has a secret burning a hole in his pocket. He's waited until Miles had at least half a chance of breaking his nose before asking permission. Fair was fair, after all. After convincing him to go on that stupid raid, it was the least he could do.

Much to his surprise, Miles hasn't even tried. Instead, he'd clapped him on the shoulder and told him that if he could actually manage to get his independent niece to say yes, then the couple has his blessing. That and they were the ones that would have to convince her mother and grandfather to accept it. He's refusing to touch that with a ten foot pole.

Bass has decided that a united front was needed for that one, so he plans on asking her later tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough for them to rally themselves for that battle. He wants her to enjoy the reception later on and then he'll wait for the right moment.

The vows are spoken, the union is blessed and the groom is finally told that he may kiss his bride. Bass and Charlie follow them outside, hand in hand. In a moment of wickedness, Charlie sticks her hand in his pants pocket, intending on copping a quick feel—just to mess with him, of course.

Instead, she feels something else. Not knowing how to react, she pulls her hand out as if it's been burned and looks up at him. He can read the question in his eyes as if she'd said it aloud. The gathering is distracted for the time being, and so he whisks her off to the side. At the top of the church's stone staircase, there is a small alcove garden. It is simple—just a shrine to the Virgin Mary, a bench and a few small trees and flowers. It does offer them privacy, however.

"Will you?" he asks and then holds his breath. Bass' heart pounds in his chest and he's suddenly lightheaded (probably from the fact that he's not breathing) He'd had this whole thing he'd wanted to say—he'd been working on it for almost two weeks, but for the life of him, he can't remember a single word of it right now.

Charlie nods, looking equally nervous. Bass sucks in a breath. "Holy shit... You said yes," he murmurs in disbelief. He kisses her. As he does so, Charlie slides her hand back into his pocket and works the ring onto her finger with one hand. She also manages to touch something else and now she has no doubt as to how happy her answer had made him.

Their mouths tangled, he pushes her deeper into the alcove and up against the stone wall of the church. Her hands come up to cup his face, her new status as a bride-to-be now shining in the light filtering down through the trees above them.

They are interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat. The break apart and slowly turned to see the disapproving frown of the priest. His arms are crossed over his chest, his robes only making the expression he wears seem more severe.

"Sorry, Padre," Bass says as he tried to keep a straight face. Maybe it was all those years of being forced to go to Sunday School, but the annoyed glare he's just received is more than enough to cool his ardor—for now.

"The reception is that way," the priest says, jacking a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the way they'd come. "Please make sure to see me for confession—and to reserve the church for the wedding—sooner, rather than later, preferably."

"Yes, Father," Charlie says and then purses her lips to fight the bubble of laughter that threatens to escape. She grabs her fiancé by the hand and lets him lead her out of the alcove so they can hurry up and catch up with the others. Everyone is already at the bar for the reception and they will be missed if they don't show up soon.

They manage to sneak back amongst the wedding guests before the festivities start. No one has been the wiser to their absence. Well, no one other than the priest and Miles.

The end…