AN: Thank you for the reviews, here is the next chapter. Some emotional speeches coming up, so continue at your own risk.

Chapter 3: Welcome to the family

After the newlyweds had walked back down the aisle, the everybody grabbed their dinner plates and started filling them up with food before sitting down at the round tables they had set up on the deck, and while they ate, speeches were made, some were heartfelt and warming and of course other's were jokes, but all of them ended with well wishes, then after 10 minutes the microphone was placed in the hands of the guests that they were closets to.

Mr. Marshall stood from his seat, looked at the newlyweds table and spoke with emotion. "First off, C.J. welcome to the family, I don't think I could have picked out a better man for my daughter than you, you've made her light up like I've never seen her before, so thank you for that." The guests said aww as C.J. smiled while raising his glass of champagne in honor of his speech, then Mr. Marshall looked at his daughter and continued. "And Brenda, I don't think I could have gotten any luckier to have a daughter like you in my life, you fought through some hard times and you've come on top, now look at you. I also don't think I've seen you this happy before. Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm proud of you and I love you, good luck in your future."

Brenda sniffled and said. "Thank you, daddy, I love you too." Mr. Marshall smiled while he watched C.J. squeeze her hand in comfort, and before he sat down, he handed the microphone to another speaker, which was Christy.

"I don't really have that much to say, but I felt that I had to say something." Christy cleared her throat before continuing. "Brenda, I'm so happy that you are part of the family, and now it feels like I have an older sister. Thank you for making my brother so happy."

Brenda smiled with tears in her eyes and replied. "You're welcome sweetie, and I've always wanted to have a younger sister, now I have two."

Christy smiled as she looked at her brother. "C.J. I love you, and thank you for honoring your word."

As brother and sister looked at each other, she was wondering if he remembered the talk they had that night when she found out Brenda had moved away.

Which he did, and smiled with a nod. "Well I did say I would try, didn't I?" Christy nodded with a smile of her own, and as she passed the microphone to Kyle, C.J. speaks again. "And I love you too, squirt." Christy smiled again as she looked down, a little embarrassed that he still called her that, but a part of her still loved it.

After Kyle had cleared his throat, he started speaking. "After a few weeks of moving into my family's house, which if you know my history you would understand what I mean, I heard there was this girl that's been in my brother's orbit for a few years, but he had never had the courage to talk her." C.J. shook his head and closed his eyes as he realized where his brother was going with this. "And I found out rather quickly that if he liked someone, then she would have to be pretty special, because C.J. was pretty special himself, so I couldn't wait to meet her."

Kyle looked at his new sister-in law and continued. "And when I did meet her, I realized I was right. She was special, but she was also totally in love with my brother, even if she, or he, weren't aware of that feeling yet." Brenda looked down blushing a little as Kyle spoke again with a smile. "I tried to give her the confidence to finally say what she wanted to say to him for years, and when she did, my brother almost lost her and accused me of taking her from him."

They all chuckled a little as C.J. said with a smile. "Come on Kyle, are you going through our full history?"

Kyle held up his hand and said. "Relax bro, I'm almost done."

"Then carry on."

Kyle cleared his throat again before finishing. "Anyway, after I heard she forgave him for making a mistake and they got together, I got to see their love grow into something pretty amazing, and I can say with certainty that I've never seen, outside of a few people I'm closest too, two people more in love than those two. They belong together, I'm so happy for them today and I love them both. Welcome to the family, Brenda."

C.J. squeezed his wife's hand again as she smiled at Kyle with tears in her eyes again. "Thank you Kyle."

Kyle nodded with a smile before looking at C.J., which he nodded with a smile, telling him it was ok, then Kyle looked at his parents and said. "I do have one more thing, but this time it is addressed to my parents." Calleigh and Horatio looked at their son with confusion as Kyle continued. "By this time next year I'm out of the army, so how do you feel about me staying with you guys for a few months before I get back on my feet?"

Calleigh and Horatio looked at him shocked before Calleigh started to have tears in her eyes. "Really? You are coming back to Miami to stay?"

"I am, I'm ready for something new, so what do you think?"

Calleigh and Horatio stand up, walked up to their oldest before Horatio brings him into his arms. "Welcome home, son."

Kyle sighed in relief as he wrapped his arms around his father and replied. "Thank you."

After they pull back, Kyle gets into Calleigh's arms while the rest of the family smiled, very happy about the news of Kyle coming back home, to them it was about time.

Once mother and son pull back, Kyle hands his father the microphone before sitting down at the table, along with Calleigh.

When his wife and son were sitting down, Horatio cleared his throat as he looked at his second oldest and new daughter-in law. "Sorry about that, guys." He didn't want them to think that they were trying to steal the thunder from them.

But C.J. just waved it off. "Don't worry about it. Sharing good news will always make the day better."

Horatio smiled. "Good point." C.J. nodded while Horatio continued. "I'll make this short. What Kyle said about those two belonging to one another, I agree without a doubt in my mind, neither one could have picked better partners to help them through the tough times that life will no doubt throw at them, so Brenda, I too welcome you in the family."

Brenda smiled as she wiped a tear away. "Thank you dad."

Horatio and Brenda had talked before the wedding and Horatio told her, just like Mr. Marshall told C.J., that she could start calling him dad if she wanted, and she wasted no time in agreeing since in a way he always felt like a father to her.

Horatio smiled with a nod, then turned to his wife after she had stood up from her chair again, and after a kiss on the cheek, Calleigh grabbed the microphone from him before he sat back down.

She took a moment to look at her son and daughter in-law, then she cleared her throat before speaking. "I also watched these two fall in love, and let me tell you, it was and still is a beautiful thing to witness." She watched C.J. lean over and kisses his wife on the cheek before she continued. "Brenda, you have given my son so much joy and light in his life, I don't think I've ever seen him as happy as he is when he is with you and Chris, and that alone makes me love you as if you were my own, so I am in total agreement with my family, welcome."

Brenda continued with her water works as she wiped more tears away from the wonderful things the Caine family had said, then she cleared her throat and said. "Thank you mom, I love you too."

Calleigh smiled as she looked at her son. "C.J., I am so honored to have watched you grow into this wonderful young man. I know that your mother is looking down at you smiling, because honestly, who wouldn't? I'm so proud of what you have accomplished and I can only imagine what else life has in store for you, but I do know that wherever it takes you, you picked the right woman to be by your side." C.J. nodded with tears in his eyes as she finished. "Enjoy a happy and loving marriage, I love you both so much."

After she had walked up to the table C.J., Brenda and Chris were sitting at, she kissed their cheeks before handing the microphone to Brenda and walking back to the table that she was sitting at with her husband and other kids.

Once she sat down, Brenda stood up and cleared her throat before speaking. "Those were some wonderful speeches, thank you everybody." They all nodded as the bride continued. "Growing up I have to admit that I've thought about my wedding day a few times, especially where it would be and who I was lucky enough to find."

She looked toward the horizon before looking down at her husband, which he was looking up at her as she continued with love in her eyes. "But none of the images in my head came to close to the real thing. I never thought I would end up marrying my first crush, my first love, my first everything, and I just hope I can make him as happy as he made me all this time."

C.J. stood up as he saw his wife sniffle, then after wiping her tears away, Brenda looked at the Caine table and said. "Mr. and Mrs. Caine, my new mother and father, you two have done an excellent job with him, and I promise you, I'll make sure he has the best possible life from here on out, I'll always be supportive of him. I can assure you, he's in good hands now." They nodded with tears in their eyes, which everybody did at this point, as she looked at her husband and finished. "I love you C.J., thank you for marrying me and giving me a beautiful son."

For the umpteenth time tears started to come out of her eyes and she tried to shake them off this time but she couldn't, so he took her in his arms and kissed her head while calming her down, and everybody could see the care/comfort he was giving her.

When he pulled back, she sniffled. "Sorry, I guess I'm a little over emotional today."

C.J. smiled as he wiped her tears off her cheek. "Hey, it's your wedding day, you can be as emotional as you want, I'm still going to love you at the end of the day."

She nodded and sniffled again before clearing her throat. "Ok, you can speak now, but there is no guarantee that I won't be tearing up again."

Everybody chuckled as C.J. shook his head. "That's ok sweetie, because I'll be there to wipe them away."

This time they said aww as he took the microphone from his wife, then he started to speak as he cupped her cheek. "I don't doubt that you feel pretty lucky, but I have to say that I'm the lucky one, thank you for marrying me and giving me a wonderful son." He looked at their son before looking into his wife's eyes again. "You and Chris are everything that I could have asked for, and I'm going to continue to do everything I can for you two, that's a promise."

After kissing his wife on the lips softly, he moved to her other side so he could kiss the top of his son's head, then he looked out at the guests and continued. "I would also would like to thank all of you guys, I had help being who I am and some of the credit goes to you, especially my mom and dad." He had tears in his eyes as he finished. "You guys didn't have to bring me in your home, you didn't have to raise me, and you didn't have to love me, but you did, so thank you from the bottom of my heart, I love you guys." The parents nodded as the guests once again started wiping their tears away.

C.J. took a moment then looked at his father in-law. "Mr. Marshall, also known as dad now." Mr. Marshall smiled at him as he C.J. continued. "Like me, Brenda had help becoming who she is, and all the good qualities that you have, had showed up in your wonderful, beautiful daughter, so thank you for her."

Mr. Marshall nodded as he spoke with emotion in his voice. "You are welcome son."

Brenda kissed C.J. on the cheek as he wrapped his arm around her waist and continued. "I told you I'll take care of her, and I'm giving you that promise again."

Mr. Marshall nodded as C.J. sniffled, then as Brenda ran her hand up and down his back to give him comfort, he cleared his throat and said. "There is one more person I have to thank, but she isn't here today, and hasn't been with me since I was five. She gave me life, she's the reason I'm even here today, she did everything she could to keep a roof over my head and food on the table, and I bet there were times when she didn't feel she was ready to be a mother, but she never gave up on me and stuck through the choices that she made. She was the first person to show me unconditional love, even though I was too young to fully understand, and I still love her very much." He looked up and said. "Thank you mom, I miss you."

When he finished everybody's eyes were misting again while some of the women wished they had brought extra Kleenexes, and not for the first time today, amazed by this young man, then Kyle stood up with his champagne glass and said. "To love, family, and the future. To Brenda, Chris, and C.J.,congratulations." After everybody repeated what he said, they took a sip of their drinks, then he sat down, and after a pause, everybody started talking quietly at their tables.

After C.J. sat down next to his wife, he looked over at her and said. "I hope I didn't over do it."

She shook her head with a smile as she slipped her fingers through his. "You didn't babe, it was very beautiful."

He smiled, and after kissing her hand, he released it before they started eating their dessert.

When it came to the first dance for the newlyweds, they danced it in silence while looking at each other with love in their eyes and smiling the whole time as the guests watched them in awe, and when the song ended Brenda did the traditional father/daughter dance before the next song where the rest of the guests that wanted to dance had their chance as she danced with her father-in law and C.J. danced with his mother.

As each song ended and a new one began, the guests changed dance partners or sat out watching others dancers, then after the latest song ended, C.J. walked up to his wife and Kyle, then said. "Can I have this next dance?"

Before Brenda could speak, Kyle removed his hands from Brenda before turning to his brother, getting closer to him as he replied. "Sure, I would love to dance with you Bro."

Brenda chuckled as C.J. pushed him away and said. "Sorry Kyle, but you are not the one I was looking at."

Kyle acted like he was disappointed, then said. "Oh well, maybe next time."

Before C.J. could speak, Brenda walked up to her husband and wraps her arm around his waist and said. "Sorry Kyle, but he's mine now and I don't think I'm willing to share anymore."

Kyle smiled as he nodded. "Well if I have to give him up, it might as well be you." The newlyweds smiled, then Kyle kissed Brenda's cheek before giving his brother a handshake. "Congratulations you two."

They both said thank you as Kyle walked away, and once the music started, they were in their dancing stance and started moving their feet.

After a few seconds of silence, he speaks. "If I hadn't said it today, you look very beautiful."

She was in a traditional wedding dress with short sleeves that went down to her ankles, her hair was in a French Braid, and even though he had always thought she was beautiful in her glasses, she was wearing contacts today.

She smiled and replied. "Thank you, you don't look bad yourself."

He smiled in return for a few seconds before losing it and saying. "I'm sorry about your mother not being here."

"It is what it is." Brenda sighed before continuing. "I don't mean to sound indifferent or act like I don't care or it doesn't bother me that she couldn't show up today because of business, which isn't the first time she put her career in front of her family, and I love her because she's my mom, but what she did was a huge blow and it still kind of hurts, and I don't need to be reminded of that today, this is our day, a very happy day."

He nodded with a smile before speaking, like he was in awe of her. "You are amazing you know that?"

She looked at her husband curious on where that came from. "Why do you say that?"

He removed one of his hands from her waist and cupped her cheek. "When kids see their parents' marriage break apart, for whatever reason, it tends to make them run away from love because they are afraid that their parents fate would become theirs, but you didn't do that, you didn't run and hide from our love, in fact, I think you held on to it tighter."

She nodded and asked with emotion. "Do you know why?"

"No." He ran his thumb up and down her cheek as he continued. "Tell me."

He had always wanted to know everything she thinks and feels, because getting to know all of her makes him fall in love with her more, and he knew he had a lot more years to know her inside and out, he couldn't wait.

She looked into her eyes of her husband and replied. "Because not only do I believe in the love that we have for each other, but because of them."
She looked over his shoulder and saw some of the greatest couples that she's had the privilege to know and have been around in her life. "My dad found love again and he's happier than I've seen him in a longtime, your Uncle Dan and Aunt Natalia have been married for 12 years and they are still going strong, your Uncle Grissom and Aunt Sara have been married for 20 years and I still see love in their eyes every time they look at each other." Then she looked at the couple that she admired the most before looking at her husband with tears in her eyes. "And your parents, well they still act like they are newlyweds after 19 years, so all of that makes me believe in long-lasting love."

As he wiped her tears away, he spoke in that awe voice again. "I stand by what I said, you are amazing." Before bringing her closer to her him and pecking her on the lips, then wraps her in his arms so he could hold her and whisper. "Those long marriages, I'll try my hardest to make it happen for us too."

She ran her hand up and down his back as she whispered back. "I know you will, and I'll be right there trying with you, I love you C.J."

He sighed in content before whispering again. "And I love you, so much."

As they were holding on to one another, a couple of dancers away from them, Calleigh and Horatio were watching, then they looked at each other and he asked with a smile. "So what do you think, sweetheart, they got what it takes?"

Calleigh smiled too. "Yes, I believe they do."

He leans down and kisses her forehead before whispering. "Me too, sweetheart."

After he pulls back a little, she steps closer to him so he could wrap his arms around her and she could lay her head against his shoulder, then they both sighed in content as the last song of the day started playing, today was a wonderful day and they were happy to be a part of it.

AN: Hope you liked it. Last chapter is next. Please review.