A/N: Thanks for everyone's patience. I am working on two stories for Bones and one in the beginning stages for Big Bang Theory and this one so it's been nuts. I'm going up north next week but will try to post if I can.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Waltons. Too bad.

Monday morning came quickly and everyone ate their breakfast before they left to start their week. Ben and Jason were upstairs getting ready still while the other children were still at the table.

"Momma is it okay to wear Grandma's dress to marry Curt even though I was going to wear it to marry David?"

Olivia, surprised by the question, turned around from washing dishes. "Since you didn't actually marry him, I don't see why not. Do you still want to?"

"Of course I do" Mary Ellen replied as she took her breakfast plate to the sink. She gulped down her milk. "It was Grandma's dress. I could get another one, but I really want hers for my wedding."

"Why not, Mary Ellen?" John Boy said. "It's your wedding"

Olivia smiled at her eldest son before looking towards her eldest daughter. "John Boy's right, Mary Ellen. You wear what you want. If Corabeth or anyone else says anything, just ignore them"

Mary Ellen smiled. "Thanks, Momma. I better get going. Mrs. Brimmer is coming in at 8:30 and Curt needs his coffee before seeing her, or any patient for that matter. Oh, he's coming by tonight. Can he stay for supper?"

"Sure"

"Thanks Momma" she kissed her mom goodbye. "Bye, Momma"

"Bye, dear" As soon as the front door slammed, Olivia heard Erin's grumbling.

"Momma, Curt's always eating supper with us. Doesn't he have a kitchen of his own?"

John Boy looked up from his plate. "That's an unkind thing to say about Curt, Erin. What's he done to you?"

Elizabeth looked up from her breakfast. "What's wrong with Curt coming to eat with us? I like him because he doesn't talk to me like a baby. Yesterday he showed Aimee, Miss Margaret, and I his patient room and his tools. It was really fun."

"I just think that he can eat at home sometimes, that's all"

Olivia turned to Elizabeth, Jim Bob, and John Boy. "You two get upstairs and finish getting ready for school. John Boy, finish your breakfast at work."

John Boy took the hint as he picked up his plate and glass of milk before walking out the front door. After Jim Bob and Elizabeth ran up the stairs, she turned to Erin. "Erin Esther Walton, Curt has been nothing but kind to you. He's done a lot for this family for next to nothing without complaining so he can eat supper with us anytime he wants. We talked about this last week and you said you would be more respectful about Curt and Mary Ellen."

Erin knew she made a promise but thinking about Curt and Nora made it almost impossible. "But, Mom—"

"One more comment, one more display of rudeness, or anything of the sort we will have having this discussion with your father as well. If we have to, we will keep you home except for work and that involves no time with G.W. Do you want that?"

Erin knew she was beat. "No"

"Then we will not be having this discussion again. I won't tolerate disrespect of a member of our family in this house, either to their face or behind their back. Do you understand?"

Erin felt her face grow red. "Yes, ma'am"

"Now go upstairs and get ready for school" She watched her daughter go upstairs and then slammed her towel against the counter. "What is the matter with that child?"

Friday came around and six o'clock found Curt and Mary Ellen doing final details before closing the office for the weekend. He had come out of the exam room at the same time that she locked the ledger in the drawer. "All set?"

"All set Doctor" She embraced Curt as he did in turn before engaging in a kiss. They broke apart smiling.

"So, how does dinner and a movie in Charlottesville sound?" Curt said.

"I think it sounds good. If we get back early enough, we may be able to have some time to ourselves" Mary Ellen smiled. "Or we could now, Doctor Willard"

Curt had been itching to get her out of her nursing uniform all day. "Now sounds good Nurse Walton. Come here"

The couple stumbled out while stopping every other step to kiss. Just as they hit the residence, they heard a frantic knock on the door, followed by a frantic Sissy Tucker. "Doctor! Come quick. I need you"

Curt quickly let go of Mary Ellen and ran over. "Sissy, what's wrong?"

"It's Yancy. He says he think his heart is going out again"

"Good grief. Probably his bubonic chili. Okay, let me get washed up" Curt turned to Mary Ellen with an apologetic face, which she replied with a smile.

After he left with Sissy, the young woman stood around for a few minutes, disappointed that their evening plans were ruined. Getting her sweater, she decided to go home and try to wait up. If he was done at a decent hour, he would try to come by and see her.

Olivia woke up and saw the time on the clock, ten thirty. Checking on all the children, she noted Mary Ellen wasn't in her bed. Going downstairs, she saw her sleeping on the couch. She knew she was waiting for Curt, but knowing him, Yancy had him on a tear with his heart and was probably still there. Not having the heart to wake her, Olivia took the afghan off the back of the couch and laid it on her sleeping daughter. Turning the light off, she went back upstairs.

Twenty minutes later, a tired Curt got to the Walton's driveway. Of course, Yancy's heart issue was indigestion, again. He then had other complaints that kept him out there for way too long. He hoped against hope that Mary Ellen may still be up. When he pulled in the driveway, he was disappointed that he was too late as all the lights were out. Sadly, he pulled out of the driveway and headed home.

The following afternoon found Mary Ellen and Curt in bed enjoying the afternoon together. All was quiet except for the rain outside beating on the window. After a few moments, Mary Ellen started talking.

"So, I was talking to Reverend Fordwick and he asked when we were going to set the date. What do you think, Curt?"

"Well, I like summer because it's blue skies and sunny." He mentally calculated. "What about June 12th? It's a Saturday and it will give us time to plan."

Mary Ellen smiled. "I think it sounds good. I'll talk to him tomorrow to make sure that the church will be available"

Curt frowned as he realized he had other ideas for the wedding. "Mary Ellen?"

"Hmmmm" Mary Ellen said as she closed her eyes in contentment as she laid her head on Curt's chest.

"I don't want to be married in the church"

Her eyes opened suddenly before she lifted her eyes and looked at him. "Don't want to be married in the church? Why?"

Curt looked right back. "Why on earth would I want to be married there? Seriously"

"It's my family's church. I don't want to get married anywhere else. I won't"

Curt's ire was touched. "So I'm just supposed to say 'Okay, Mary Ellen. Whatever you want'"

"No, but I can't believe you don't want to be married in my family's church. You're not an atheist. To not be married there would go against tradition"

"I would like some say in the matter. I don't think that is too much to ask"

Mary Ellen got off Curt and sat up holding a sheet to her. "I don't see why you have an issue with this"

"Really Mary Ellen? Really?" Suddenly the phone rang in the office area. Quickly finding his boxers under the covers, Curt put them on and ran to his phone. Mary Ellen could hear the call and realized it was about the Monroe family. As she listened, she was getting dressed. Curt headed to the bathroom for a quick shower when she was almost done. She stood and waited for Curt to come into the bedroom and continued their argument as he dressed.

"Curt, I want to be married where my family has been married"

"Mary Ellen, I want us to start fresh. I don't have time to argue with you right now. I guess the Monroe kids may have chicken pox now so I have to get up there before dark. Are you ready?"

"Yes"

Both walked out of the house and got into the van. It was a ride of silence and anger. The rain had stopped by the time they arrived at the Walton's house. Curt pulled up as close as he could for Mary Ellen to get to the front porch. When she slammed the door shut and stormed into the house, he drove to his house call, upset.

One hour later, Mary Ellen was in bed crying when she heard a knock on the door. "Mary Ellen, can I come in?"

"Yes, Momma"

Olivia came in and shut the door. She went to the bed and started to smooth her daughter's hair back. "Honey, I didn't push when you came home, but I'm going to now. What's wrong? Did you and Curt have a fight?"

Mary Ellen sat up and put her head on her mother's shoulder. "He says he doesn't want to get married at our church. It's our family church, Momma. We was a bad fight. It only stopped because he got another house call to the Monroes"

"What's wrong with that family now?"

"Possible chicken pox" Mary Ellen wiped her tears. "Curt is being unreasonable, right? We always get married there. I don't understand what the issue is."

"He's not being unreasonable, Mary Ellen, you are"

Shocked, she moved her head until she was looking at her mother. "Momma, our family worships there. Why shouldn't I get married there?"

"My thought, it's because you didn't ask what he thought about it before assuming and also because you were going to commit to another man there. Sometimes, a couple needs to have a clean slate of their own. There's no law that states you have to be married there. Reverend Fordwick marrying you elsewhere doesn't change the vows or the meaning, does it?"

"No, I guess not, Momma"

"How would you have felt if Curt wanted to marry you in a parish where he was going to marry another woman? Or he just declared that was where you were getting married without asking how you thought about it."

"I would be hurt and upset" She turned to her mother. "What do I do?"

"Decide on a place together that has meaning for you and Curt. The vows mean the same whether they are said in church or at…..Ike's" Olivia said as the two laughed. After a moment, she saw Mary Ellen's eyes light up. "I take it you have an idea, already?"

"I do. I hope Curt likes it, too. I think he will" Suddenly, Mary Ellen got up. "I have to wash my face. Momma, I need to wait for him at his house. I'll try to be home when I can. I just don't know when he will get back."

Olivia stood up and put her hands on her child's shoulders. "I trust you Honey. You love each other and Curt respects you. If you get home late, you get home late. I know you're safe with him."

The way her mother looked at her, Mary Ellen realized something. "You know that we, well, that we made love, don't you? How?"

Olivia didn't want to embarrass her daughter, but also wanted to be honest. "The way you two looked at each other when you got back from fishing on your birthday. The grass stain on your dress was another hint. Do you think you're the only two young people in love that ever existed in this world?"

Mary Ellen had realization flood over her. "Did you and Daddy…?"

"Your father and I did many things together while courting and after we were married. There are some special things that will stay between your father and I and there will be some special things that will be just between you and Curt. Just like we did, you won't tell Grandma" Both laughed. "Just have Curt take you home when you're ready"

The ladies hugged. "Thanks, Momma. Can I ask for your help for a few minutes before I go to Curt?"

"Of course, Mary Ellen. Come on"

The ladies left the bedroom and headed downstairs.