Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to all the ATWT fans who are still able to tolerate what is being displayed on their television sets. I have officially become one who cannot. I'm done; done with the writing, done with the pimping of characters that have no basis for being a so called "lead", done with the bringing in newbies via revolving door while ignoring veteran actors who are the faces we fans know and love, done with producers and head writers ignoring huge fanbases just because they think the viewers will stick around anyway even though the declining rating prove otherwise, and I'm so very very very done with the horrible treatment that Maura West and Michael Park are getting. This story became my outlet for my frustrations with the show back in Novemeber when I started it and a full seven (SEVEN) months later, I'm more horrified than the day I first posted.

*deep breath*

Sorry for my rant, it just literally hurts my heart to know what could be and what actually is for our beloved duo and the show I used to run home to watch. Here's hoping that we see something like this next chapter before it's too late to make a difference. All my love...enjoy!
~JP

True North
By Jaclyn Parker

"I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance, a church filled with family and friends. I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for; he said one that would make me his wife."
~Unknown
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When Jack shifted in front of the makeshift altar, in the transformed conference room designated for the ceremony, for the fifth time, Holden finally couldn't take it anymore. Placing a calming hand on his cousin's shoulder, he sighed and leaned forward.

"Relax, dude, it's almost time." Holden whispered and Jack tossed him a look that was a mixture of excitement and, what was probably, a bit of nausea.

It wasn't that Jack nervous about marrying Carly again; he was actually positive that he had never seen so sure of anything in his whole life. But planning a secret wedding in barely three weeks time, for a woman who he hadn't even been sure would say yes, had created a little bit of anxiety as one could imagine. And now, all that pent up apprehension was threatening to spill out causing Jack to adjust the collar of his police officer dress blues, before fretfully moving on to straighten the pair of white gloves at his shoulder.

Holden sighed again and looked towards Lee and Brad, who were standing nearby talking, for some help. The two men also noticed Jack fidgeting and this time it was Lee who rolled his eyes and leaned in.

"I swear, mate, if you don't stand still I'm going to ask one of the fifteen other police officers in this room for a pair of handcuffs and chain you to a chair!"

"Whoa, let's not get kinky before the wedding night. That's Carly's job!" Brad said and at Jack's glare he held up his hands in a request for forgiveness. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry! Bad joke!"

Jack's eyes couldn't help but dart to his right following Brad's statement to where, a few feet away, Reverend Luke Jamison was getting his things in order at the podium.

He was a personal friend of the Snyder family, having not only having performed Eliza's christening, but also Robby and Emmy's joint one a few weeks after Carly and Emmy had come home from the hospital.

A stocky man in his late sixties, he had a quick smile and easy manner that suited his calling perfectly. When Jack had approached him and asked him to do this ceremony two weeks ago it had been during his office hours at the little church on Woodrow Street. Reverend Jamison had sat in complete silence for about a minute before inviting Jack back to his home to discuss the matter. As Mrs. Jamison had bustled around their small homey kitchen, preparing tea and blatantly eavesdropping, Jack described the situation and the manner in which the last minute wedding had come about. At the end of his story it was Mrs. Jamison, with romance novel stars in her eyes, who had agreed on her husband's behalf before the poor clergyman had even gotten a chance to open his mouth.

As Jack's eyes roamed around the pretty full room at all the people, dressed in their finest eveningwear, he was happy that the Reverend and his wife weren't the only ones who had accepted the surprise wedding invitations on such short notice.

Bob and Kim Hughes were in full conversation with John Dixon about some sort of hospital matter. Therefore it was no surprise that Dr. Adams, Dr. Maynard, Helen Hudson, and Dr. Schiller were involved in the discussion as well, as their respective spouses talked amongst themselves. It was more than obvious that they were all used to being excluded from the "shop-talk".

Abigail, who had just barely caught a flight in from California in time due to a crisis with one of her social work cases, was introducing Brayden to Emma. The Snyder matriarch, in true Emma fashion, gave Brayden a warm smile before immediately hitting the poor boy with a very intense round of twenty questions.

Paul, Tom Hughes, Will Munson, and Derek Coburn were having such a deep and heated discussion that it could only be about some type of sport, most likely football.

A few chairs away Margo sat chatting with Dallas and the aforementioned fellow police offers, also in their dress blues, while Jessica Griffin chimed in now and then to argue whatever it was they were discussing from the judicial point of view. Yet, however into the topic she appeared to be, Jessica also kept a tight grip on the hand of her husband, Dr. Ben Harris, who had just returned from an absurdly long medical sabbatical studying new neurosurgery techniques in Paris. Ben looked content to just be there, among friends and family again, as he charmingly held his own conversation with the husband and wives of the preoccupied officers.

Situated on the other side of her step-father, Jessica's daughter, Bonnie McKechnie, was just as animatedly talking about some upcoming party at Metro to Henry and four of Carly's closer employees. Henry had, in fact, had brought Jess, the hostess from the club, claiming that Vienna had a horrible "headache" and couldn't make it. His fiancee's medical status didn't really seem to bother Henry very much, however, as he happily waved across the aisle in the direction of Katie, Gwen, and Meg who were, undoubtedly, talking about their children.

Lucinda Walsh and Lisa Grimaldi stood in the back of the room by the guestbook, talking low, as they kept a watchful eye on Faith and Natalie. The two girls were scurrying around the room making sure the little details, such as the flowers, the candles, and the aisle runner, looked perfect while also occasionally asking people to please take a seat.

At the sound of a loud whisper calling his name, Jack was brought back from his observations and looked towards the doors where he saw Molly's head peeking in. She flashed him a smile and a thumbs up before disappearing again just as fast.

"Okay, let's get this show on the road." Brad exclaimed having seen Molly's signal as well, unknowingly saying the same thing his nephew had said only moments ago and several floors up.

When Holden, Brad, and Lee were lined up in order behind him, Jack gave Reverend Jamison a nod who, in turn, nodded to the corner where his wife stood by the sound system.

The soft melodic strings of a classical song floated out into the room and the doors in the back opened up to let the processional enter.

Mattie moved smoothly down the aisle first, followed by Lily and then Molly. Sage came next, the smile on her face so wide that it looked like it might actually hurt the young girl. When she reached her place at the end of the small bridal party line at the front of the altar the music subtly changed and swelled with Pachbel's Canon in 'D' surrounding everyone as they rose to their feet.

Carly appeared in the doorway, bordered on either side by Parker and J.J., with her bouquet held primly at her waistline. Her blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of so many people in the room, but then her gaze landed on Jack and there was no one else in the room but them.

She honestly didn't realize that she had walked the entire way down the aisle until she suddenly found herself directly across from Jack. She accepted small kisses on her cheeks from their sons as they quietly, yet firmly, answered the reverend's question as to who gave her away today.

Carly's eyes roamed over him, soaking up the image of him in his dress blues, freshly groomed, and with the same idiotic happy grin that she knew was on her face as well.

'Hi,' she mouthed to him, but all he could do was smile and blink back at her.

He would have attempted to say hello back except Jack was pretty sure that he had stopped breathing entirely, the moment that he had spotted her gliding down the aisle towards him looking like something sent straight from heaven.

"Please be seated." Reverend Jamison said and as soon as the soft rustle of cloth dissipated he began.

"Carly and Jack, your lives have been joined together for many years now, whether through the bonds of marriage or not. You have learned much; you have loved much. You are two separate people and yet, you are one. Your hearts and minds are more deeply connected now than you could have ever imagined they would be all those years ago when you first met. You know one another – as friends, as lovers, as parents, as adversaries, and as comrades. You can finish each other's sentences and anticipate each other's wants or needs."

Reverend Jamison looked up at the two of them and smiled then glanced out over the audience, who were listening with rapt attention.

"It is a privilege and honor that you have allowed us to witness this re-birth of your relationship and as you renew your vows, I urge you to recall the things that have been present during its times of success; the self-giving, the patience, the making of space, the forgiveness, the encouragement, the prayer, the telling of the truth in love, and the willingness to accept and trust one another and to give thanks to God for how he has blessed you. If you would, please, join hands."

Carly turned slightly and allowed Molly to take her bouquet. Their similar blue eyes met and a silent expression of mutual adoration was exchanged, before Carly turned back her full attention to Jack. Their hands connected to entwine themselves as Rev. Jamison began speaking again.

"Today, Jack and Carly, you take a significant step in your relationship by declaring once more, in spite of difficulties and hardships of life, that with God's help, you will continue to love and be faithful to one another. You again commit yourselves to a love for one another that involves the total giving of yourselves. Do you promise to accept each other entirely, creating a safe and loving space for each other to grow as individuals and partners, as well as creating that same space for your children and family? If so, please answer 'we do'."

"We do." Carly and Jack repeated together and Reverend Jamison clasped his hands in front of him.

"Now comes the exchanging of your own personal vows to each other. Who wants to go first?" The minister looked with kind, twinkling eyes between the two of them. "Carly? Jack?"

"Oh, um, I didn't prepare anything." Carly said, her eyes widening in momentary panic but Jack just smiled.

"We didn't prepare anything any of the other times we got married. Why mess with tradition?" He said and she relaxed instantly, laughing softly along with the rest of the audience. "How about I go first?"

At Carly's grateful nod, Jack sighed and became thoughtful.

"Some people say that things happen for a reason. So, I guess, they would say that you and I happened for a reason. But…I don't believe that. I think it's much simpler when it comes to you and me. Basically, you are the reason, Carly. The reason that my world turns every day and why I know I can accomplish just about anything, as long as you are by my side. Yes, we will have ups and downs, good days and bad days, just like any other married couple. And, granted, people will have doubts about us as they have always done. Heck, as much as they are here to support us, people in this room right now have doubts about what we're doing tonight. But I, Carly, am not one of them and I never will be again. Because what I am doing right now as I stand here, holding your hands to take you as my wife again, is the only thing that is real to me. The only thing that matters is us…you and me together with the rest of our beautifully crazy family. And I finally understand now, after being pretty much conked on the head with it over the years, that it has always been the only thing that mattered."

Carly didn't even have to reach for Jack's handkerchief as he was already waving it in her direction as she sniffled across from him. Taking it, she looked up into his knowing and slightly smug gaze and rolled her eyes.

"Wise-ass." She muttered before shooting an apologetic look at the minister. The man grimaced slightly but for his part he just gave a small smile and nodded at Carly.

"Hmm, your turn, my dear."

Carly nodded back and took a deep sigh like Jack had before speaking.

"You, Jack, have given me four of the most precious gifts anyone could ever receive and I'm not talking about the ones you think I am. Although I thank God, and you, for our children every day of my life, I am talking about the gifts that I never really had before I knew you. The gift of a real family; the gift of a home; the gift of true happiness and acceptance; and the gift of receiving the missing piece of my soul that I know I would have never been complete without. Um...the third times the charm, right? Isn't that another one of those things people say? I don't know how, or why, but something inside of me tells me that this time we finally got it right. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the other times weren't special or didn't mean as much because they did, Jack. I meant every word I said to you on those days and I still mean them. But if the past year has taught me anything, it's that our lives are a sum total of all of our experiences. One moment cannot change destiny and we were destined to be together, Jack. Today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives."

When she finished, Jack and Carly went towards each other to kiss but the minister leaned forward also and cleared his throat just before their lips met. They looked at him and he gave them a dry smile, shaking his head.

"Not…yet." Reverend Jamison said and everyone chuckled, as Carly and Jack stood straight up again, smiling sheepishly.

"Now, at this time, I believe that Jack and Carly's children have something they would like to recite." The minister said and waved his hand over at them.

Parker and J.J. stepped forward to the stand as did Sage, after handing her flowers to Mattie to hold. Carly looked at Jack but he shook his head at her, just as surprised as she was.

"Um, if you couldn't tell by the looks on our parent's faces, they didn't know we were going to do this. Although, technically, Mom didn't know about any of this so I guess this isn't really that much more of a surprise." Parker started and the room was once more filled with soft laughter. He cleared his throat and spoke again. "We were looking online the other day and found something that we felt was a great guideline for our parents to hear today, in order to help start our family off right. It's a poem by Wilfred Peterson."

At this point Parker let Sage take his place and she bent the microphone to accommodate her height before speaking.

"The little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, 'I love you' at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through all the years."

Sage finished and quietly stepped back as J.J. slid in where she had just stood.

"It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy."

J.J. paused a moment and looked directly at his parents before bending his head and movingly reading the next paragraph.

"It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have the wings of an angel. It is not looking for perfection in each other."

Parker placed a hand on J.J.'s shoulder and sighed inaudibly before taking his younger brother's place to finish.

"It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding, and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the Spirit. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual, and the obligation is reciprocal."

Parker lifted his eyes from the paper before him and spoke the last words from memory, never breaking eye contact with Carly and Jack.

"It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner. This is 'The Art of Marriage'."

As soon as Parker concluded the poem, all three children stepped away from the podium and directly into the arms of their parents, who were both barely keeping back tears. They all held tightly together for a long moment before J.J. wiggled out and pointed towards Rev. Jamison.

"Uh, I don't think he's done yet." J.J. said and accompanied by more laughter, the kids retreated to their previous positions to watch the end of the ceremony.

"We're almost done." Reverend Jamison said, smiling over at J.J., who ducked his head but grinned at his feet.

Turning his attention to Holden and Molly, Reverend Jamison nodded for them to hand him the rings. Once they were placed on the bible in his hands he said a quick prayer and then held them out towards Jack and Carly.

"Upon exchanging these rings, you will pledge to take each other in marriage again; to laugh with each other in joy, to grieve with each other in sorrow, to grow old with in love, and to go together wherever life may take you after this day. Jack, you will go first."

Jack respectfully took the ring from the open bible pages and held it to the tip of Carly's finger, his eyes locking with hers as he repeated the next words from Reverend Jamison.

"I, Jack, give you, Carly, this ring as a symbol of our continuing love and the renewal of our life together, that we vow on this day."

Sliding it on, the thin band of diamonds matched her new engagement ring perfectly, making Carly smile. Taking the other ring off of the bible, Carly held it close to Jack's outstretched hand.

"I, Carly, give you, Jack, this ring as a symbol of our continuing love and the renewal of our life together, that we vow on this day."

Jack's ring slid on like it was meant to be there from the beginning of time and, who knows...maybe it had.

Reverend Jamison came around to stand in front of the podium to place his hands over Jack and Carly's combined ones, holding them firmly in his grasp.

"Before God and this company, Carly and Jack have committed to each other and their family, by the saying of vows and exchanging of rings. Therefore, I declare, by the power vested in me by the Lord, and the blessed state of Illinois, that they are now husband and wife…again."

He stepped back and grinned at them, letting go of their hands and motioning between them.

"Now, you may kiss the bride!"

They didn't need to be told twice as Jack immediately gathered Carly to him at the same time that she threw her arms around his neck, their lips coming together in a zealous kiss. Thirty seconds later cat-calls and whoops of delight surrounded them, effectively bringing them back to reality after what seemed like not nearly enough time in their special moment.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Snyder!" Reverend Jamison said and as Parker, J.J., and Sage rushed to hug them he laughingly added, "And family!"

When they all moved through the congratulating crowd and out into the hallway, the wedding party and its guests found themselves being pointed in the direction down the hallway to the smaller of the Lakeview's two ballrooms. The group meandered down the hall, the bridal party occasionally waving back and accepting congratulatory comments from people passing by.

Carly paused a moment, slipping off to the side of the hallway with Jack in tow, and tugged on his lapel in order to bring his mouth down to hers. The two kissed gently, murmuring endearments against each other's lips before hearing their names being called loudly.

"Hey, Cuz, no lolly-gagging behind." Molly said as she and Lee walked by. An overly ecstatic and giggly Sage waved in their direction from where she was being carried under Lee's left arm in a football hold.

Molly laughed as Lee threw his other arm around his fiancée's shoulders and guided her towards the doors where the rest of their party was vanishing into.

She turned her head and called back, "This is only the beginning!"

"You know what?" Jack said and watching them disappear into the ballroom, he slipped his own arm around his new wife's waist. As Carly beamed up at him in sheer happiness, he leaned down to rub his nose against hers before they followed everyone else's example. "I couldn't have said it better myself."