This chapter is dedicated to the most loyal, loving, funny and kind hearted man I've ever known. Forever in our hearts Nicky...we will never forget...

March 2nd, 2002

'Momma! Momma! Wedding Day!' was the scream that awoke Carol the following morning. Immediately after she was pounced on by Kate, who was wearing nothing but her pyjama bottoms, her brown curls wild with excitement.

'I know, Squirt!' Carol replied with a laugh, hugging the toddler to her.

'Mommy! Pretty dress time!' was what Tess exclaimed as she followed her sister into the bedroom. At the side of the bed, she extended her arms in a silent demand to be lifted onto the bed.

Carol reached over and pulled Tess up beside her. Though she missed Doug's presence upon wakening, having her girls either side of her now helped immensely.

'Carol, quick! Out of bed! There's so much to do!' Carol's mother fussed, entering her daughter's room behind her granddaughters.

'Mom, there's loads of time, just calm down,' Carol said, though she moved out from between the twins and got out of bed. Her dress hanging on the closet door at the other side of the room caught her eye and she smiled. Only a few more hours she thought.

Down in the kitchen, there was a celebratory atmosphere as Erin, Jenna and Carol's older sister Maggie had already opened the champagne. When Carol entered the room, Erin and Jenna squealed and handed her a glass full of the bubbly stuff.

'You guys are excited,' Carol said with a laugh.

'Aren't you? Carol, it's your wedding day!' Erin exclaimed, picking up Tess who had just arrived in the kitchen. She tickled the toddler's stomach until Tess was giggling with glee and then started singing, 'Mommy's getting married!' to which Tess gladly joined in.

'Oh she's just used to it, that's all. Second time you've done this, right little sis!' Maggie added to the conversation. She only seemed untouched by the electric atmosphere that morning. Erin looked up in curiosity at Maggie's comment.

'Oh, you're just sore because you're still not married and you're little sister is doing it before you!' Jenna told her, laughing.

Just then, Kate entered the kitchen at high speed, still wearing only pyjama bottoms and heading straight for the double doors leading out to the garden. 'Daddy's outside!' she screamed.

She had just reached the doors when Jenna grabbed her back and swung her upwards. 'You daddy can't see your mommy yet, Mischief, so he'll just have to stay out there!' she told her niece. Kate pouted, but then the door beside her opened and three year old Luke entered and she immediately forgot about her father and ran off to play.

'Okay, breakfast's ready!' Helen announced and they all sat down to eat.

......

'Deep breath,' Erin told the nervous bride.

They were outside the church now, and Carol felt like a herd of elephants were trampling through her stomach, let alone butterflies. She nodded to tell Erin she heard her advice because she didn't think she should open her mouth right then.

She never guessed she'd be this nervous and honestly couldn't understand why. She couldn't wait to officially be married to Doug, she was just being silly.

Come on Carol, pull yourself together! All your family and friends are in there waiting and your just standing here being stupid! she told herself.

With one more deep breath, she turned to Erin. 'I'm ready,' she said.

Erin grinned and stuck her head in the door to pass along the message. Soon enough, music struck up within the church and Jenna was directing Tess, Kate and Luke to head off up the aisle. Carol watched the cute trio, Tess and Kate in matching white satin dresses, their curly hair pinned up and little flower baskets in their hands. Luke as wearing a tiny tuxedo, which matched Doug and Tom's, his blonde hair nicely spiked and a huge smile on his face.

A few seconds after they started walking, Jenna followed, then Maggie, then Erin, leaving just Carol and Helen in the little porch.

'Carol, I want to say something,' Helen said, unexpectedly, then hurried on. 'I know I didn't approve of Doug when you first came here. Well, I didn't really approve of him before then either but since I've got here, I've seen how wonderful he is with the girls and with you and how happy he makes you. I'm so happy for you now, and for the girls, and even for Doug. And I'm so proud of you.'

Carol smiled at her mom. 'Thank you for saying that. It means a lot. And thank you for giving me away today. Love you, mom' she replied, wrapping her arms around her mother's shoulders.

When the women broke apart, both had tears in their eyes. 'Right, well, let's get you up there,' Helen said rather huskily. Carol smiled, took her mom's hand and headed up the aisle towards the love of her life.

......

'So...' Doug said quietly, as he danced Carol around the large marquee that was venue to their wedding reception.

Carol raised her head from his shoulder to look up at him and replied, 'So what?'

'How does it feel to be Mrs Ross?'

Carol beamed with happiness in response to her new name and Doug took that to be his answer.

'Yeah, I'm pretty psyched too, to finally have all four of us with the same surname,' he said, as Carol replaced her head on his shoulder. She giggled slightly, with elicited a chuckle from Doug.

Many couples were dancing around them now. Among them were Tom and Erin, Jenna and Adam, the young med-student from the hospital, who looked slightly spellbound by Jenna's beauty and his own luck to have gotten the chance to dance with her, and Maggie and her long-term boyfriend Rick, who seemed to be receiving yet another lecture from the oldest Hathaway. But the one couple that stood out most, but only through their absence, was Mark and Elizabeth.

Carol had tried not to worry about them, but had failed badly. The same niggling thought just wouldn't go away, that there was more to their non-attendance than Elizabeth had told them. And, of course, the mystery of Elizabeth's absence from the house whenever they called.

'Carol, stop...' Doug said, firmly but quietly, never halting their dancing.

'Stop what?' Carol questioned, looking up at him once again.

'You're driving yourself mad! Mark and Elizabeth have been through, and are going through, a rough time. Things are bound to be a little weird. Imagine yourself in their shoes, Ella almost died. That's going to have a big effect on all of them... Just stop worrying yourself needlessly. I'm sure that if we could help, we would've already been asked. Both Mark and Elizabeth know that we are here for them, okay?'

Carol was silent as she considered what Doug has said, then slowly nodded. 'Okay, I guess you're right.'

Doug smiled. 'I always am.'

Carol scoffed, loudly. 'Oh I don't think so,' she teased, a more light-heart atmosphere settling over them.

And for the rest of the night, Mark and Elizabeth were pushed to the back of their minds.