Author's note: I was planning three chapters for this but it might end up being four… oh well!

The seeds of this particular chapter were sown in my story Step Forward, so feel free to check that out if you haven't already.

Thanks as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting.

Chapter 2 – This Time

At the front of the chapel, the service was moving ahead as planned, but in the third row a covert operation was taking place as Wolf tried to execute his and his wife's exit as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

From her position at the side of the altar, Kat Nolan's attention was drawn in three directions at once. She couldn't help noticing the Taylors leaving, Wolf holding Hope close and supporting her as they eased out of the side door of the chapel, but she was trying to keep her focus on the couple getting married. What made that so difficult was Ray Diaz, standing on the other side of the altar from her, watching her with an intense look on his face.

Lissy was speaking now, making her vows to Aaron, her voice strong and clear as she smiled up at him. Kat envied her friend sometimes, she was always so certain of what she wanted. Then again, Kat figured she got that from her dad. Mike Slattery stood close to the couple, having refused to sit after giving his daughter away, a mingled look of pride and worry on his face as he watched intently. It had taken a lot of persuading for Mike to agree to give Lissy his blessing to marry so young, and they all knew he still had some concerns about it.

Kat's gaze was soon drawn back to Ray though, she just couldn't help it. Since she'd been transferred back to St Louis after the mission she'd been on with Sasha Chandler in California, she'd spent time with him - they lived on the same military base after all - but she never quite knew where she stood.

He'd come to get her when the California mission had been FUBARed, going against orders to do it, but he'd refused to talk about his feelings, feelings that she'd started to suspect didn't actually exist. She and Ray had kind of dated for a little while before she'd joined up, but then she'd met Ruth and got caught up in the intensity of training, and when Ray suddenly appeared at the worst moment of her life, he'd told her she wasn't ready to hear what he had to say. And since then, he'd been around as a friend but he'd never spoken to her again the way he had that night; and now he was staring at her, in her stupid too tight, too short, dress, and she couldn't look away.

She felt like she was sleepwalking as she approached him and let him take her arm to walk her back down the aisle behind Lissy and Aaron, forcing herself to break eye contact and focus on not falling over in the stupid heels Lissy had made her wear. As soon as they were outside the chapel she went to move away from him, but he kept his arm tightly locked with hers.

"Photos, Kitkat." She risked looking at him again, and saw that although he was smiling, his eyes still held the intensity that they had in the chapel. "Smile." He ordered, nodding towards the camera, and she did so automatically.

"Ray-" She started, but as the photographer moved away he dropped her arm and strode off. She hesitated for just a second, before reminding herself that she wasn't a sixteen year old kid anymore, she was a badass United States Marine, and she was done with Ray Diaz fucking with her head.

"Ray!" She strode after him, rounding the corner of the chapel and entering the small garden that the church maintained. "What is with you?"

Ray sighed and turned, his face bearing the blank look that drove her crazy. Ray was so self contained when he wanted to be. "Go take care of Lissy, Kitkat. I'll be there in a minute."

Kat stood her ground. "Aaron can take care of Lissy, that's the point of today, and you can tell me what's with you."

"I told you in California, you're not ready-"

"-to hear what you have to say to me," She interrupted, "Yeah, I remember, and I'm so done with you being cryptic. Whatever you think I'm not ready for, I am, actually, ready. Lay it on me."

Ray made a noise halfway between a laugh and a snort, "Christ Kitkat, you can't stand there in that dress and talk about me laying on you, because-" He broke off abruptly and ran a hand over his hair in frustration. "Seriously, Kathleen-"

But Kat's skin had started to tingle all over as she registered the meaning of his words, and everything seemed to click into place. "You told me," She said in a voice that wasn't quite steady, "That when I was ready, you would show me what you need. I'm ready now, Ray. I'm ready."

He looked at her, his eyes searching her face as she tried to breathe normally, but thankfully he must have seen what he wanted because in two strides he was right there in front of her, his hands grasping her upper arms.

"You want to know what I need? What I want?"

Kat swallowed but she nodded, and as she opened her mouth to speak, Ray covered it with his own.

It wasn't a sweet, romantic kiss, but Kat had never had a kiss that felt as right as this one. Ray's hand was tangled in her hair, her fingers gripping his waist as he tilted her head and thrust his tongue into her mouth, eliciting a moan from her that she would have been embarrassed by if she wasn't so completely convinced that this was exactly what she wanted.

She stroked his tongue with hers, sliding her hands around to his back so she could press closer to him, and it was Ray's turn to groan as his free hand spanned the small of her back, pressing her closer still.

"That damn dress," He panted, breaking the kiss but keeping his tight hold on her, "Took away all my self control."

Kat couldn't help a grin spreading over her flushed face, "This stupid dress?"

Ray's eyes widened in disbelief. "Stupid? Kitkat, there is nothing stupid about that dress. You look..." He shook his head slightly, "I don't love you because of how you look, but I'm never going to forget how you look in that dress."

His words hit Kat like a round to the chest, but she managed to keep her eyes on his. "You... love me?"

He gave her a half smile, "Yeah, Kitkat. Since we were kids."

"Admiral Slattery says we're still kids," She commented stupidly, and Ray laughed.

"You feel like a kid?"

She shook her head slowly, and then bit her lip just as he leaned in and kissed her again, softly this time.

"I love you, Kitkat. That's what you weren't ready to hear in California."

"But you never..." She took a breath and tried again, "You always seem like nothing bothers you, like you don't need anything, and I..." She trailed off again, trying to marshal her thoughts, and he stayed quiet and let her. "I never thought you cared that much."

"Kitkat, you're the toughest, most badass girl I ever met." He stroked his thumb along her cheekbone and she shivered, "I never thought you cared that much either." He gave her that half smile again, "And you did kind of dump me for someone else."

She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again when she realised he had a point.

"But I'm here now Kitkat, telling you I care. Telling you I love you. Is that enough?" His smile had gone, and she saw the genuine apprehension in his dark eyes as he waited for her answer, and that made her sure.

"It's enough, Ray." She couldn't say she loved him yet, she was completely sure if she did, but she knew she wanted this.

And judging by the way Ray pulled her tight into his arms and kissed her, that was enough for him too.