Part II

When the rain is falling in your face

And the whole world is on your case

I could offer you a warm embrace

To make you feel my love

A little bit past five, when Lily's foot met the ivory walkway. There was a sound that swelled and filled the air. The noise became clearer as she stepped out of the gliding doors. There was a singer off to her far left of the backyard playing the piano and she was accompanied by a class of violins players creating a symphony that made her eyes water as she looked around.

The space that it filled took her breath away, this was really happening. It wasn't a dream anymore, and the very thought alone was replaced by something luxurious and rich fare. Everything that she'd assumed that she would never have or even deserve to have.

She clutched to her father as she nears closer, shyly smiled as the crowd rose to her presence and stills when she lifted her eyes to his. The certainty that she met in them tells her that she warrants everything that she sees and much more.

There's a calm in him that settles each and every nerve in her and stills their stare and spreads and cracks an anxious smile across her painted lips and resumes a walk that her wedding dress was worthy of; a sure walk one that said she was a grown, soon-to-be-married, and extremely loved by an amazing man. One man that took all of this in, and grinned like he could jump outside of his skin as she met him at the other end of the isle. When they did, Neil placed his daughter's hand in Cane's. He passed the young man a glare that says he would make his life painfully miserable if he dared to go against a single vow. He patted the threat pleasantly onto Cane's clasped hand, as he kissed Lily's temple and takes his seat along with the rest of the wedding party.

Reverend Simmons offered a smile that spreads across the crowd before gracing the couple. She says a prayer before saying her dearly beloveds and ends by offering them both a chance to their testimony's. Cane was the first.

"Lily, when I first met you I had no idea that you would change my life," he laughed before squeezing her hands, who was he kidding. "I had no idea that I would even let you, but I did ... and you, you changed my entire life. There I was, not wanting anything to do with anything or anyone, and you just showed up," he smiled as his knuckles grazed her chin "you opened up yourself to me and gave me a little bit of your heart every step of the way when I couldn't even do that for myself. I admired that; Lily, you've taught me that being brave is so much more about what you can give than the things that you can take. You make me want to be a better man and I am so grateful that I have you in my life – and will continue to have you in it. I love you, and you're not just the love of my life, which means I carry you in my heart. You are my everything which means I carry you in my spirit. I can't predict the future; I don't know what's ahead of us but I can tell you I'm gonna screw up and big sometimes," the crowd shared a laugh, "what I mean is, I can't promise you that every day is going to be a good day for us but ... you can rest assured that I will love you each step of the way and we'll see it through."

"Cane," her voice wavers. A tear falls, the first of many, and she rolls her eyes. Only she could blubber like a baby at her own wedding before she even said anything remotely emotional. "I can't even begin to describe in words how much loving you and knowing you has done for me. You know, it's really funny how you say that I changed your life, but you've really changed mine and you don't even realize it. When I first met you I honestly thought you were a scrub, I kind of had no interest of even getting to know you or even talk to you but then one day ... I was having the worst time, just gotten through with a divorce and my mom had just passed away and I bumped into you and you completely changed my mind about you. I was at this standstill where I thought no one would ever be able to understand me and you did." What was once a light snickering of the crowd traced by their smiles was replaced by a calm, a silence that settled over a scene of rarities between two people. All of this of course went unnoticed to Cane and Lily who for that moment nothing mattered except for their hands fitting tightly together and their eyes and souls set on a vow. "I opened up my heart to you because you made it easy for me to be able to; I was brave enough to give myself to you because you made me believe that I could be. Cane with you I've learned so much, grown so much, experienced so much ... and I owe you everything for being a part of my life," she'd memorized more but as her voice hitched and more tears fell her full heart tells her that this was more than enough. With a brush to the corner of her eyes, she managed the finish with, "and as your wife, lover and friend I will spend the rest of my days trying to give to you everything that you've given me and so much more"

When the evening shadows and the stars appear

And there is no one there to dry your tears

I could hold you for a million years

To make you feel my love

Closer than when they had began, at the small hitch in her voice Cane placed both of his hands at the side of her face and rubbed the way the slight beginnings of a flood of tears. Trying to hide behind joy he smiled away the shine that was growing in his eyes and the tingle that stung his throat and when the blur in Lily's eyes began to clear he kissed her lips strong.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Reverend Simmons playfully chastised, as the crowd shares a light laugh and the couple separates "We're not at that part yet,"

Just watching, there was a palpable emotion that sweeps over the crowd of their small wedding party. So strong it touches those who refuse to be touched and breaks through their forced barrier. At the sight of Jill's gushing tears of pride and joy, without allowing her eyes to move from the sight Kay gingerly places her hand over the hand of the daughter she knew, pats it lightly and waits and because she had always wanted it there. For today, Jill didn't cease to move it, or even see the act as offense she simply placed her own hand over her lost mother and squeezes for dear life.

Not even Billy could roll a disdainful eye at his Dudley- Do –Right half brother. The fact of it didn't elude the main point that he hated the guy, but deciding to be sensible, he concluded that in the grand scheme of things Cane deserved to have an ounce of happiness, and even more he realized that he deserved to have that with Lily; it was just too bad that he couldn't get a quarter of that happiness in his own miserable life.

Devon simply smiled, a slowly transformed pull of his lip, which was less of a curt response to not being able to understand whatever was going on between them and finally being able to understand what they truly meant.

Mac stilled herself at the arch of everything leaning, trying to be unseen. She had debated even showing up at the wedding considering the fact that she barely knew who Cane Ashby was, apart from being her displaced relative; and obviously the fact that she couldn't stand having four sets of eyes belonging to Billy and the new Chloe Abbott burning holes into her back. Nevertheless, something compelled her to jump into her hybrid until she found herself like an outsider looking into the most intimate of May weddings. She didn't know Cane or Lily very well but she was touched, and as a tear of her own trailed down the sides of her face, unknown to anyone, she realized why.

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue

I'd go crawling down the avenue,

No there's nothing that I wouldn't do

To make you feel my love

The reverend smiles and continued " at this time the couple has written their own vows for each other,"

"I join you in marriage, Cane, to make you my husband for the rest of my days. I will listen when you speak. I will care for you when you're sick. I will comfort you when you cry, and I will join your laughter with my own. I will always trust and respect you and always look for the good in you and delight in the person that you are becoming. And whatever lies ahead for us, good our bad, I will be your soft place to fall. Your love will be my only love, and I will give myself to no other. So with joy and certainty and as a symbol of my promise, I give you this ring."

"I join you in marriage, lily, to make you my wife for the rest of my days. I will listen when you speak. I will take care of you if you ever get sick. I will comfort you when you cry. I will join your laughter with my laughter. I'll cherish and I will protect you. I'll always see the good in you, and I will delight in the person you are becoming. And whatever lays ahead, good or bad, I'll always be your soft place to fall. And your love, it will be my only love, and I'll give myself to no other. With joy and with certainty and as a symbol of this promise, I give you this ring."

Reverend Simmons looked from now husband to wife and smiled as she placed her hand upon theirs. "With all the power vested in me and the state of Genoa City Wisconsin, along with all of those who hold you both dear. I now pronounced you husband and wife," before ending the officiating, she gave a pointed stare to an impatient Cane "you may now kiss your bride, again."

And at that point that was all that mattered. The small validation that would be the transition between something that was already there, to something that will forever be. In all the excitement of the first brush of his lips on hers, and his arms encircling her overjoyed form, Cane willed himself to close his eyes for just a moment to take it all in, the smells, sounds and the feeling of it. Laughter, freshly cut grass, the lilies, the first brush of his lips on hers and the encircling of their arms; All things that would silently reside in his fondest memories.

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true

Nothing that wouldn't do, go to the ends of the earth for you

To make you feel my love...