Chapter 29

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Summary: Will the proud music teacher eventually find love with the beautiful kindergarten teacher or will he forever come second to the football coach? Rated M.

A/N 1: My favorite chapter is here – the wedding!

Disclaimer: None of these characters belongs to me except for any OCs found wandering. I own nothing save for this computer.


Friday morning dawned wet and gray but inside the Hudmel household, it was warm and bright. Carole had woken Burt up earlier than he would have liked; she was filled with the jitters… and it wasn't she who was getting married.

"Come on, sweetheart, settle down," Burt groaned for maybe the fiftieth time. His wife, her hair fluffed up and her face pink from scurrying about the house, simply waved his words away.

"It's today, Burt. Kurt's wedding day! Oh," she paused to grin as Kurt trudged drearily up from the basement suite and joined them in the kitchen. Carole grabbed a mug and poured a generous serving of coffee, sliding it toward her almost comatose stepson.

"Thanks, mom," Kurt muttered and buried his face in the steaming mug. His moan was almost indecent and the caffeine did its job and he started to feel half-way human.

Carole and Burt watched him with matching grins on their faces, waiting for the moment when it hit Kurt… and there it was!

Kurt's head flew up, his eyes widened and he leapt from the stool at the counter to dash back out of the room. Burt and Carole started to laugh and then suddenly Kurt came skidding back into the kitchen.

"Oh, my God! It's today already!" and he dashed back out the kitchen door.

The laughter in the kitchen was raucous because Burt had spluttered that his son looked just like the cartoon characters he used to watch as a kid. Carole wrapped her arms around herself and laughed harder, imagining Kurt freaking out in his basement.

Kurt heard his parents laughing but he didn't mind. He realized he must have looked pretty silly dashing about like a chicken with its head cut off. Right now, though, he had a spa date planned with Carole and the girls and he might just have overslept!

Carole left Burt to have a leisurely breakfast and then went to get ready for the spa. Winter always took a toll on her skin and when Kurt told her Marcy had suggested this spa date to pamper and relax before the big event, she had leapt at the opportunity.

Half an hour later found Finn and Rachel arriving; Finn would hang out with Burt for a while and then Puck would join up with them at the barbershop in the mall. The guys would do their thing while Kurt, Carole, Sarah, Rachel, Marcy and Judith would head over to Westerville to a day spa they'd heard good things about.

Right now, Judith was with Sarah, who promised to pick up Marcy and meet Kurt, Carole and Rachel at the spa. Kurt had settled down a bit by the time he left with his ladies and even good-naturedly accepted the teasing from his stepmom and sister-in-law.

"Yeah, well, you can't blame a guy for being nervous on his wedding day!" Kurt laughed as he listened to Carole describe, yet again, the way Kurt's eyes had got huge and he'd dashed out of the kitchen when he realized what day it was.

The drive to Westerville wasn't far at all and when they pulled into the parking lot of the expansive building, they saw Sarah's car. Kurt parked and they went to join the others before they all trooped into the building.

Kurt approached the front desk when they entered the beautifully laid out space and he took a second to inhale the gorgeous fragrances wafting throughout. Then he smiled at the receptionist and announced, "The Hummel party for the Signature Service…"

She glanced through her book, flipped a page and then pointed her pen at a spot on it before smiling back at him. "Oh, yes, party of six – you're having the facials, wax treatment, mani-pedi and hot stone massage?"

Kurt nodded and he heard Judith behind him going, "hot stone?" He grinned and told the receptionist, "Five of us are having that but one special little lady is getting the regular massage and mani-pedi."

The receptionist glanced down at Judith who was staring back at her with wide eyes and winked, smiling at the little girl. "Okey-dokey! We can see to that. In fact, there's a special area for our special young clients. I'll call Mandy to come and see you folks, okay?"

Kurt and he women nodded and they moved off to take seats in the reception area while Mandy was paged. Kurt loved the look of the place; they even had some New-Age sounding music playing and the whole ambiance was, indeed, relaxing.

Soon Mandy came to escort them to the 'service' area – Kurt thought it sounded rather like he was coming to get a lube job and his tires rotated – and there they met a bouncy young person who Mandy introduced as Casey.

"Casey will take care of our young guest here; they won't be very far, just in the other room but it's designed with the kids in mind."

Sarah said she wanted to look at the room and she and Judith left, the little girl waving vigorously as she was led away.

Kurt grinned as he watched her; she was such a sweet, bright kid, he was glad they had included her in their spa day. Within a minute, though, Sarah came back grinning.

"Wow, they sure didn't have spa areas like that when we were kids!" She described the space to the others, telling them that the next generation of young girls was going to be the most spoiled kids ever.

"They have their own masseuses, a juice bar, music they can select themselves and flat screen TVs and video games in there! Judith could hardly wave 'bye' when I left!"

The others laughed and Mandy led them to their 'grown-up' section that Kurt knew was not going to be as much fun as Judith's. Still, he felt himself relax at the thought of being pampered for the next few hours and he smirked as his mind wandered to the other guys.

He was going to rub it in later that the oh-so macho guys missed out on a great morning of being waited on hand and foot. They were lucky if they got a hot-towel treatment at the barbershop they were going to at the mall!

This particular spa's special Signature service was rated the best in the U.S. and by the time the Hummel group left, they had been immersed in an experience that left them all with glowing skin, perfect cuticles and huge, satisfied smiles.

Judith held Kurt's hand as they exited the building, smiling all over her face and squinting into the early afternoon sun. Kurt glanced down at her, his heart swelling as he thought: I'm going to have a daughter!

Suddenly, Judith frowned and put one perfectly manicured little hand – complete with pale pink nail polish – and announced: "My tummy is empty!"

Kurt widened his eyes at her and then exclaimed, "Oh goodness, we can't have that, can we? Now, where do you think we should have lunch?"

The others piped up with various suggestions but Kurt looked at Judith and waited. She cocked her head to one side and then, "I think I want pancakes with banana eyes and smiley mouth!"

Kurt grinned at her; he just knew she wanted to go to IHoP again and he nodded. "Okay, guys, Miss Judith has a hankering for her special breakfast so off we go!"

The others agreed that they wouldn't mind some of the mouth-watering items the restaurant was famous for and Judith decided she wanted to drive with Kurt. Sarah gave her a mock frown and asked, with her hands spread dramatically, "So what am I, chopped liver?"

Everyone laughed at Judith's wide grin up at her aunt and then Kurt smirked to himself. She didn't know he'd got a car seat for her and waited to see her expression when she beheld it.

"Well, let's get you settled in, sweetie," he said and opened the door for her. Judith bounced towards the backseat and started to climb in, only to pause with her little jaw dropped.

"Mr. Kurt! You got this for me?" Judith's eyes were big and shiny as she stared at the new child seat.

Kurt laughed and lifted her into the seat, helping her to buckle in before dropping a little kiss on her nose. "Well, I don't see any other cute little girls named Judith Puckerman!"

"Yay! Thank you! The pink is sooooo pretty!" She slid her little arms around Kurt's neck and hugged him tightly. Kurt felt his eyes prickle but he chuckled and said, "You're very welcome, sweetie."

Carole and Rachel looked on with suspiciously moist eyes, knowing that, in Judith, Kurt had a champion for life. Rachel in particular looked somewhat wistful; it wasn't the first time she'd watched the interaction between Kurt and Judith and had her thoughts wandering to the future. She was beginning to think it was time she and Finn started a family.

Kurt glanced up just in time to glimpse the look in Rachel's eyes and smiled softly at her. Judith would make anyone want to have kids, he thought, knowing exactly what was in his sister-in-law's mind.

They finally got underway, Sarah following behind with Marcy and, as it was Christmas Eve, Kurt turned the radio to one of those all-Christmas carols stations and they sang along at the top of their lungs. The relaxing spa experience and now a hearty lunch was going a far way to ease Kurt's pre-wedding jitters – not that he would admit to having them. However, his family knew him well and Carole and Rachel were kind enough not to tease him – at least, not too much.


Burt watched as Finn and Noah chatted while they waited their turn in the barber's chair. The place was packed to the gills with clients and staff and the mood was pretty festive. Finn had blurted that it was Noah's wedding day and the owner of the salon had announced she would be giving them a nice discount.

Burt had smiled, introduced himself and Finn and Noah had watched as he charmed the woman, elbowing each other like the teenage terrors they used to be. Well, mostly Noah but Finn had done his fair share of stupid stuff, too.

Now Finn and Noah chatted quietly as they waited their turn. It turned out that the wedding special – which included the discount the owner had spoken of – consisted of the hot-towel facial, a bit of manscaping if necessary for the more hirsute client and a manicure. Noah had smiled, thinking about his hands later on Kurt's beautiful skin. He had calluses on his fingers from years of guitar-playing and he knew Kurt didn't mind them but if the folks here could do something to soften them, Noah wasn't about to complain.

Later, having got their wedding package service and leaving feeling refreshed and oddly relaxed, Finn suggested stopping to eat.

"Hey, what about Breadstix. I love their breadsticks," Finn declared and Burt and Noah rolled their eyes simultaneously. Seriously, it was as if Finn were stuck in high school mode. Nevertheless, Noah agreed and raised his eyebrow in inquiry at Burt who simply shrugged.

"Listen, if I can get a decent steak sandwich without Kurt hovering and counting every calorie in every bite, I don't care where we eat!"

The younger men laughed and they piled into Finn's car, chatting casually as they headed to the familiar eating spot. As they drove, Finn spoke up from the back seat.

"Hey, Puck, no offense, but – how can you guys afford to have the wedding at that fancy place I heard about?"

Noah had been expecting something like this; Finn was one of his oldest friends and he knew that whatever came to his head usually just came out of his mouth – no filter. He shrugged, glanced at Burt and then glanced at Finn in the rear view mirror.

"Let's just say that the songwriting business has been pretty good to me, dude. Also, because Burt here is friends with the manager, Simon, we got a serious discount."

Burt grinned and nodded, adding his piece. "Yeah, and Simon says that was because Noah and Kurt are allowing them to tape the wedding and use portions of it on their website and the photos as well in the hotel's brochure. They're saving a lot of money doing it this way."

Finn made a little humming sound but after a brief silence, asked, "How are they saving money by helping you guys save money?"

Noah smiled and Burt chuckled. "It's a case of one hand washing the other, actually. Simon says they would have had to pay a pretty penny to an advertising agency to set up the next year's publicity for both their website and brochure. With the material from the wedding, they don't have to use an agency that would have had to hire models, photographers, etc. D'you get it?"

Finn grinned and clapped a hand on the back of Noah's seat. "Yeah, I get it. You guys sure lucked out, dude. I hear that place is great!"

"Yeah, Carole says it's got a five diamond rating which I hear is the highest. Fantastic-looking place, too, and I'm definitely looking forward to later." Burt flicked a sly little glance at Noah and then laughed aloud as he saw the way Noah's face got a slightly pinched look. "Hey, son, you aren't beginning to get nervous, are you?"

Noah threw him an exaggerated frown and scoffed. "Pfft! Me, nervous; this isn't the first time for me, remember?"

Burt smirked at him, glanced at Finn with a little grin and then turned back to Noah. "It mightn't be your first wedding but it's the first with Kurt," and laughed as he watched color come up in Noah's face.

Thankfully they reached Breadstix just then and turned into the parking lot, slowing down as they looked for an empty spot. Still, Noah tried to look as if the thought of standing there in front of all those people as he and Kurt exchanged vows was not intimidating.

Finn, jumping out of the back seat after they parked, put a hand on Noah's shoulder consolingly but he grinned hugely as he said, "Dude, I get you. Kurt is pretty special; it's okay to be nervous."

Burt burst out laughing as he watched Noah roll his eyes and walk away from Finn, muttering under his breath about doofuses. He followed his stepson and future son-in-law into the restaurant, chuckling as he realized he was having fun with the two younger men, his family. If he were being honest, he never thought his little family of just him and Kurt would have grown to include a new wife, a stepson, a daughter-in-law and soon, a son-in-law and step-granddaughter.

Life was good.

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oOo

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Noah arrived at his old home before Sarah did and let himself in with his keys. His suit was in his old room and Judith's dress was hanging in Sarah's old room. Sarah had taken their mom's room when she'd passed on and now Noah poked his head in the door to get a peek at his sister's dress. He knew Kurt had helped her pick it out and he couldn't wait to see Sarah all decked out.

As he looked appreciatively at the dress in it's clear plastic covering, he thought how much he wished his ma were still around to see him happily married. Oy! He rubbed a hand up the back of his neck as he realized his ma would probably have smacked him for marrying a shiksa like Donna in the first place.

Donna. He frowned as he left Sarah's bedroom and went into his, thinking about her implied threat the week before. If she decided to cause trouble for him, he was not going to hold back. Judith was his daughter, he'd got custody of her and there was no way in hell he was going to let Donna take her back to New York even for a vacation.

Noah threw himself on the bed, his mind going over all his options, all the courses of action he could take and gradually drifted off to sleep. The last thing on his mind, though, was that with Kurt by his side, Donna would never succeed in any of her plans. Kurt was his talisman, he thought muzzily, and he'd be a better parent to Jude than Donna had been.


Burt hung up the phone and turned to Carole with a big smile on his face.

"That was Carl; he's at the hotel with Anson and they're settling in."

He came over and joined his wife on the couch in the family room. The TV was showing one of the dozens of Christmas movies that flooded the airwaves from two weeks before but they weren't really watching it. They were simply relaxing until time to get ready to leave.

Carole had showed Kurt the dress she'd brought that he'd helped her decide on and she was so looking forward to dressing up, going to the wedding and enjoying what would be the most special Christmas Eve ever.

"Oh, good; I like Carl and Anson. They're such a cute couple, with the way Anson always tries to bully Carl into exercising and eating right. Hmm," she smiled at Burt and elbowed him gently, "remind you of any couple you know?"

Burt raised one eyebrow at her and picked up the TV remote. "I have absolutely no idea what you're on about, woman," he said, but the twinkle in his eye gave him away. They laughed quietly together and she snuggled down beside him, her eyes getting a faraway look.

"Who would have thought Kurt would have been the one to give us the first grandchild, huh?"

Burt tilted his head slightly away to glance at her face and then he looked back at TV. "Yeah, that Judith is a peach. I kinda hope Finn and Rachel will step up to the plate, soon."

Carole jerked her head up, stared at her husband a second and then burst out into soft chuckles. "Burt Hummel, really! Step up to the plate, indeed. You men and your sports references or whatever!"

They laughed together and the sound drifted through the door and down the stairs to Kurt who was relaxing in his basement. In fact, he had just picked up the phone and was dialing Noah, whom he had spoken with the whole day. He felt as if he were starving and needed his Noah-fix.

The phone rang only twice before Noah answered, sounding a little breathless. "Kurt, babe, you okay?"

Kurt chuckled. "I'm very okay, sweetie. I just miss you, that's all."

There was a brief silence and then… "I miss you, too, babe. If we were together right now, I would_"

"Hey, hey, hold up, mister. No phone sex on our wedding day!" Kurt laughed as Noah huffed out a little disgruntled sound. "But I know what you mean. I haven't felt your hands on me in hours and I swear my skin is starving."

He heard Noah catch his breath and felt his body tighten. He hadn't meant to say that last bit but it was true. He knew he would never get tired of Noah touching him, loving him and making him feel beautiful day after day.

"Kurt…" Noah breathed, and Kurt could almost picture him saying it with his eyes closed. "Kurt, I've never wanted to marry anyone as much as I do you. I love you, baby."

Kurt couldn't help the little sniffle although he was smiling fit to split his face. "I can't wait for tonight, sweetie, when everyone's gone and it's just us, married… I love you so much, I can't breathe sometimes when I think how lucky I am."

They listened to the silence at the other end of the line and then Noah whispered, "See you later?"

Kurt whispered back, "Count on it," and hung up. He threw himself onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, the phone resting on his chest and then he closed his eyes. A tune from way back, a song from a musical, wafted into his mind and he hummed it softly, the words bringing a soft smile to his lips.

Tonight, tonight
The world is wild and bright
Going mad
Shooting sparks into space

Today, the world was just an address
A place for me to live in
No better than all right

But here you are
And what was just a world is a star
Tonight

Good night, good night
Sleep well and when you dream
Dream of me
Tonight

He turned over, put down the phone with the alarm already set and settled down for a nap. He was going to look his best ever tonight if it killed him, he snarked to himself. Nevertheless, when he dozed off, it was with a tiny smile hovering at the corners of his mouth.

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oOo

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Kelly stood at the entrance to the ballroom, her palms slightly damp and her heart pounding with excitement. This was the first wedding she had ever planned and the place looked absolutely fantastic, even if she said so herself. She kept a professional, friendly expression on her face but inside she was flipping, high-fiving herself and just thoroughly being obnoxious in her pride in her accomplishment.

She felt a presence behind her and turned to see her boss, Simon, looking about the room as well. When he looked at her with a vaguely impressed look on his face, she could not hold back the huge grin that blossomed.

"This is really beautiful, Kelly, you did a wonderful job and Kurt and Noah will love it." Simon was not one to stint on praise, just as he didn't pull any punches when anyone fouled up. The ballroom, though, looked like something out of a fairy tale and even though he knew the Christmas decorations had a lot to do with it, the nuptial décor also added an ethereal quality to it all.

"Thank you," Kelly squeaked out and she would have been embarrassed but for the fact that her boss was laughing with her and not at her. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I know they'll love it because I've kept in touch with Kurt, sending him photos of changes and he loved everything."

Simon nodded, proud of how well his staff was performing up to their and the hotel's reputation. It took dedication and pride to get and maintain such a high standard and they were all more than up to the task.

They moved aside as a couple more guests arrived. "Whoops, we're blocking the door!" He grabbed Kelly's elbow and they stepped to one side just as two men approached them.

Simon immediately held out his hand and exclaimed, "Congressman Wallister, welcome. I'm Simon Burkowski. I'm sorry I wasn't here to greet you earlier!"

The tall, stocky gentleman had a ruddy complexion within which his smile seemed even whiter. He shook Simon's hand vigorously and then moved slightly to show an equally tall but slender, dark-skinned man waiting with a small smile. Congressman Wallister smiled and said, "This is my husband, Anton Reddish."

Simon and then Kelly shook hands with both men and then the Congressman looked around the room admiringly. "I gotta say, you have a beautiful place here. This is my first Christmas Eve wedding, too."

Anton smiled at him and then said to Simon and Kelly, "Our wedding was in the Dutch West Indies, a tiny island called Saba."

Carl slipped an arm around Anton's waist as he nodded. "You know the Dutch had legalized gay marriage and they pushed for their island colonies to do the same. I'm glad they did because it's beautiful there."

Simon grinned at the two men, so different in physical appearance but their body language left non one in doubt as to their connection. He said now, "I've never been to the Caribbean but I plan to remedy that soon."

The three chatted on and Kelly excused herself to go and keep an eye out for the wedding party and family. The guests were already filling up the ceremony area and she felt a burst of pride as she watched them looking around and admiring the space.

Finally deciding to go out into the foyer and wait, she glanced at her watch and saw that there was only twenty minutes to go. She didn't think they'd be late because Kurt didn't seem the type to arbitrarily keep people waiting so she took a deep breath to calm herself.

Within minutes of making the decision to relax, the first limousine pulled up under the hotel's huge portico and she watched as the doormen hurried down the steps to assist the occupants.

First out was Noah and he was handsome as ever in a beautifully-cut tuxedo; she signaled to the waiting photographers to start snapping away. She noted the slight start he made but he didn't react any further, just turned to the car to help someone out.

Kelly immediately went 'awww!' as a little girl jumped down out of the car, looking absolutely adorable in her beautiful Christmas frock. She grabbed Noah's hand and Kelly saw the resemblance; Kurt had mentioned that Noah had a daughter but it was pretty obvious from the resemblance.

Next out of the car was a stunning woman in midnight blue velvet and she, too, was obviously related to Noah and after her was another, shorter woman in a slimming sheath that did wonders for her figure. Kelly had no idea who she was but she certainly loved the fetching pair of shoes she was wearing.

The photographers were snapping away professionally, calling soft instructions to look their way or to move together and the group responded well. They were then allowed to ascend the steps into the grand foyer where Kelly greeted Noah with a grin and a hug.

"You look wonderful, Noah; that was definitely the right place to send you, yes?"

Noah laughed, although his cheeks were faintly red and he thanked her for the compliment before introducing the others. "This little princess is my daughter, Judith," whereupon Judith smiled shyly and gave a tiny hand wave. Then Noah looked to the right where his sister had come to stand and smirked, "and this gorgeous gal is my sister, Sarah. This is Kelly, guys; she helped with the decorations and stuff."

Sarah greeted Kelly and smacked Noah on the arm, muttering, "and stuff" and then she introduced Marcy. Kelly and Marcy smiled at each other and then Kelly led everyone inside, ignoring the curious glances from the many guests who were there at the hotel because it was Christmas Eve. A number of groups were having parties in various locations on the vast property so it was a pretty busy night for the hotel's topnotch staff.

She got the group settled, Simon taking over the special care and then went back outside to wait for Kurt and his parents. The photographers were back in position and when the second limousine pulled up, she took a deep breath and held it before releasing it slowly. She tried to wipe the grin off her face but she didn't think she was successful.

The doormen once again surged down the steps and opened the doors of the limousine. Congressman Hummel was the first to exit the vehicle and he assisted his wife out. Kelly almost gasped because Carole looked absolutely beautiful in a Dior-red wool jacket over what looked like a white satin camisole. The white skirt, long and gauzy as it was, had a beautiful red pattern along the hem that peaked at intervals almost half-way up the voluminous skirt. The material swirled around Carole's ankles, giving the occasional glimpse of strappy red sandals. Beautiful, Kelly thought, and Burt looked justifiably proud.

Next out was a couple that Kelly had not previously met: a short, dark-haired woman with big eyes and a distinctive nose who was holding onto a very tall, good-looking, athletic man. They must be family or close friends Kelly thought as she moved forward, waiting for the photographers to do their thing.

Burt smiled as he turned back to the limousine and then out stepped Kurt.

The camera flashes had already given the whole thing an air of this being a red-carpet event and now when Kurt stepped out alone from the car, the flashes seemed to increase. More likely it was the glow he gave off that made it seem that way, Kelly thought as she stared at him.

The tuxedo Kurt was wearing was a different design from Noah's, she could see that quite clearly but while Noah wore his with a silver paisley print waistcoat and white ascot, Kurt was wearing a silver paisley print cummerbund and matching bow-tie. The white carnation in his lapel was the perfect finishing touch and Kelly clasped her hands as she stared at him. He really looked wonderful and no one could doubt that this was a man in love.

The flashes sparked off his blue-green eyes and his cheeks and lips were flushed pink. He laughed softly when he saw the small crowd of hotel patrons that had stopped to watch the proceedings and he walked sedately up the steps to join his family and to greet Kelly.

She held out both hands to Kurt and grasped his, holding them out so she could admire the fit of his tuxedo.

"Kurt, welcome, and you look amazing!" She leaned in to air-kiss him, brushing her cheek against is and she heard him chuckle.

"Thank you, sweetie, you look fabulous in that… is that a Siriano original?!"

Kelly laughed and nodded, quite pleased that Kurt recognized her designer-chic outfit. The dress was made of a very soft, delicate leather that hugged every curve and cut right across her breasts. It was almost daringly low but her modesty – and professionalism – was saved by the attached lacework that went up to her neck and made up the three-quarter length sleeves. Her pale creamy skin gleamed through the lace rather enticingly and the splits that began at the knee and extended to the ankle-length hem were paneled with lace as well. It was an unusual, striking but conversely modest ensemble.

Burt said something to his wife and distracted Kelly and Kurt from their mutual admiration society and then Carole introduced her son and his wife, Finn and Rachel. Rachel was wearing a lovely forest green dress in a curiously old-fashioned style but it suited her very well. Her husband smiled shyly and Kelly was struck again by his looks; he too looked striking in his tuxedo with a cummerbund that matched his wife's dress. Kelly could see a theme here and she just knew that Kurt had a hand in coordinating everyone's outfits.

She ushered them all inside, once again ignoring the rubbernecking of the other guests who were quite intrigued apparently by all the photographers about. They must be wondering if these are celebrities, Kelly smirked to herself as she led them all towards the ballroom. As they reached the doors, though, she turned to Kurt, detaining him while the others filed inside.

Kurt knew what she was going to say but he listened anyway; going over the arrangements was always a good thing.

Kelly smiled at him, noting that the color had not receded from his cheeks. "Okay, we'll begin in about ten minutes… is that okay?"

Kurt nodded and took a deep breath but he smiled, "Yes."

Kelly nodded and then looked straight into his eyes to see if there were any lingering signs of nervousness. Satisfied that he really was okay, she continued. "Okay, you're going to wait in that alcove over there," and she pointed to it. "Then I'm going to get your Noah but he won't see you."

Kurt nodded because they had planned and discussed and tweaked everything so they all knew their parts. Kelly nodded again and asked, "Who has the rings?"

Kurt said his brother, Finn, had them.

"Fine; I know you and Noah spoke briefly with Dr. Harris," and Kurt nodded, "good so you have your vows sorted."

Kelly was going through a mental checklist as she hated the thought of walking around with a clipboard or big, ostentatious notebook like some wedding planners she'd observed over the years. She had a mind like trap and she never forgot anything so it was all good.

She took a deep breath and Kurt was almost tempted to believe she was more nervous than he was. He watched her scurry away and then he went over to the alcove, settling himself in one of the comfortable chairs there and waited for his dad to join him. He ignored the photographers snapping away because they were part of everything.

When Burt came to join him he smiled and held his hand. "Are you nervous, dad?" He wondered because his dad had a funny look about his eyes.

Burt shook his head 'no'. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly… and then Kurt understood. He simply tightened his grip on his dad's hand and smiled. "I know, daddy."

He watched his dad struggle to hold back his tears and smiled when he was successful. If his dad had started, no telling how Kurt himself would have looked. He could not walk up that aisle toward the man he loved with a tear-splotched face!

Burt finally was able to get out, "Your mother would have been so happy… I kinda wish she was here, y'know." He blinked the moisture away and smiled bravely at Kurt who took a deep breath and nodded.

"I believe she is, dad; I really do." They smiled at each other until suddenly Kelly was there at the entrance to the alcove looking unbearably excited. She flapped her hand at them and Kurt and Burt looked at each other, laughed and got up to join her.

"Oh gosh," she blurted out. "Noah just went up the aisle with his daughter holding his hand. I don't think I've ever seen anything so cute!"

Kurt felt his heart squeeze and then swell. It was time. He turned to his dad and Burt nodded, moving off towards the door of the ballroom. Kurt could hear the strains of Bach's Air on G String from his Third Orchestral Suite and tried hard to suppress his grin. He took a deep breath, turned to grasp his dad's elbow and then the doors were opened. The part he hated was here – everyone turned to look at him and his smooth, serene mask fell into place … or so he thought.

They walked up the aisle toward Dr. Harris, the Unitarian minister that Burt's congressman friend, Carl Wallister had told them about and Noah standing there with Judith. Kurt glowed, hardly seeing anyone but his fiancé and when he glided to a halt beside Noah, it was all he could do not to devour him with his eyes, he looked so good.

Suddenly he felt a tug on his hand and he looked down into Judith's eyes. He smiled, smoothed her hair and then turned towards the minister.

Kurt thought something was wrong with his hearing because later he could only remember snatches of what the minister said or what other people said, if anything. He remembered his dad responding to the question, "who gives this man, etc., etc." and the next thing he heard was the minister asking Noah if he wanted to say anything. Kurt stared into Noah's eyes and he held his breath.

Noah stared at Kurt, everything fading away as he looked into the blue-green eyes that had fascinated him for years. He cleared his throat and began speaking the vows from his heart.

"Kurt, we've known each other for years… and though we didn't start out as friends, you were always someone whose strength I admired." He watched as Kurt's eyes widened; he couldn't believe he'd never told Kurt that before. He nodded in a slightly exaggerated manner now and chuckled and around him were soft chuckles as well.

"Oh, yes, you didn't know but I admired the way you never let anyone else define who you are. Some of us weren't always so nice to you," and he grinned when Kurt narrowed his eyes at him playfully but continued, "but by our senior year in high school, I knew just how special you were."

He took a breath, looked down at their joined hands and then back up into Kurt's eyes. "I started falling in love with you then but I was still a bit of a jackass and didn't figure it out until it was almost too late."

He glanced at Judith and smiled then turned back to his future. "No matter what happened in my life, I could never forget you. I grew a pair…" and there were snorts of laughter from the assemblage and he grinned at them before looking back to Kurt, "and when I came back here and saw you again, it was all over but the shouting."

Again there was laughter and the minister shook his head slightly, smiling before raising his eyebrows as if asking if Noah was finished.

"Kurt, you are exceptional; you are beautiful and talented, the sweetest, kindest, most generous person I know. How I know? You forgave me and all those other knuckleheads who made your life a misery in school. The other thing I know for sure, too, is that you love me. Thank you."

He nodded, smiled at Kurt and then glanced at the minister to indicate that he'd finished. He tried to ignore the sniffles coming from the guests and as he smiled at Kurt he could see tears hovering on Kurt's lashes.

The minister turned to Kurt. "Kurt, do you have something you want to tell Noah?"

Kurt nodded, took a deep breath and glanced at the guests, Judith and then Noah. He gave a little huff and then began: "Noah Puckerman, when I was sixteen, you made me madder than I'd ever been before. You tormented me and teased me and when we became sorta friends, you intrigued me." He glanced shyly down at their joined hands and then looked apologetically at his dad before continuing. "I used to dream about you," and he paused as some of the guests chuckled but he didn't want to look at his dad or Finn.

"Noah, you came back into my life like a whirlwind and although some may think we're being foolish to marry so soon, I know there is nothing I want more than to marry you. I love you… and I love Judith… and I want you to be my family. In time, we may want more but right now, you two are the most important people in my life," and he broke off to look at his dad and say, "sorry, dad!" and which everyone laughed with Burt shaking his head but smiling.

"I don't care if it's six weeks, three months or eight years; Noah, we were meant to be together, you and I and Judith. I love you," and he leaned forward to press soft lips against Noah's.

There was definitely some 'awwws' and one or two wolf-whistles whereupon the minister cleared his throat sternly and told them they were jumping the gun. Again there was laughter and the two lovers separated, Noah pressing one last kiss to Kurt's plump lips.

Then came the exchange of rings during which Finn performed admirably and when the minister wrapped their beringed hands together with his stole, Judith placed her little hand on top of theirs. Dr. Harris smiled at the little girl and when she smiled back, her whole face glowing, he continued with the words that would bind the two men together.

Kurt and Noah had eyes for no one but each other and as Dr. Harris read the famous words and blessed them, all Kurt heard was… "I pronounce that you are married!" After that, Noah wrapping his arms around his waist and Kurt sliding his arms around Noah's shoulders were the most important thing. The kiss went on until Burt's voice pulled them apart.

"Hey, hey, save some for later!"

Kurt blushed, pulled his mouth away from where he'd just nipped Noah's full bottom lip and frowned at his dad. Burt held up his hands in surrender before Kurt could say anything and then the newlyweds were swamped by well-wishers wanting to hug, kiss and just generally congratulate them. The noise ballooned in the room as the music started up again and Kurt was red-faced and laughing by the time Kelly came up to them.

"Congratulations, you two! Oh, you made me cry – those speeches were so beautiful!" She hugged Kurt and then Noah before grabbing Kurt's hand and tugging him along behind her. Kurt was still holding Noah's hand so he came too. They were shown into a small side room where the necessary papers were signed and witnessed by Finn and Rachel and Dr. Harris affixed his signature to them and gave a copy to the newlyweds.

"Congratulations, Kurt, Noah," he said. "I was truly moved by your words to each other. I wish you all the best life has to offer." He shook their hands and they all left to rejoin the revelers. And boy, were they reveling!

Waiters were going around with trays of wine and canapés and the music had changed to lively Christmas tunes. Some of the folks were standing around, chatting and laughing as they ate and others were seated at the tables doing the same. Kelly appeared seemingly out of nowhere and took Kurt, Noah and their families plus Marcy to have their photographs taken.

At this point Simon came up to introduce Kurt and Noah to Congressman Wallister and his husband Anton. Kurt expressed their gratitude for their help in finding Dr. Harris and Carl waved their thanks away.

"There are good people out there who don't judge others by some outmoded and hypocritical standards, Kurt. I've known Dr. Harris and his wife for many years and you couldn't find kinder people."

They chatted while the photographers took their pictures, sometimes asking them to stand in different groupings or different areas of the ballroom. There were also the customary family pictures and Kurt especially loved taking one with Judith.

Her arms had gone around his neck as he had crouched down to be on a level with her and just when the picture was about to be taken, she planted a kiss on his cheek. They laughed together at his surprise and then she hugged him tighter, whispering, "I love you, Daddy Kurt."

Kurt was oblivious to the photogs snapping away as he hugged the little girl to his chest and nuzzled her hair, replying, "I love you, too, sweetheart, very much."

He knew his eyes were wet but he leaned back and stroked the hair from her face and said, "I love your daddy more than words can say. Do you understand?"

She nodded, her love for her favorite teacher evident on her little face. Kurt kissed her on the forehead and the rose smoothly to his feet. He held her hand as he moved over to join Sarah for a picture and as he stood there, his eyes found Noah's and he smiled.

'I love you.'

'Me too.'

.

TBC


A/N: I hope you liked the wedding, everybody. The reception is next up with a bit of Daria/Nick drama as well.

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