Title: Hasten to the Wedding
Rating: PG-13/T
Originally posted: 15th March 2018
Originally written for: Hetswap 2018 on Dreamwidth and AO3.
Notes: for klutzy_girl

"Wow, you've been busy," said Elizabeth as she descended the stairs.

Peter had already tidied up the living room, made breakfast, collected the mail, and was now feeding their son.

"Morning, hon," he greeted his wife with a smile and a kiss. "I figured after last night, you probably needed to sleep in a little, and they don't need me at the office for a while, so I just got on top of a few things."

"You're amazing, Peter Burke," she assured him, kissing him back. "Thank you, hon."

Baby Neal giggled and clapped his hands at his parents' display.

"You pour yourself some coffee and take a look at your mail," Peter advised Elizabeth. "I'll finish off here."

He went back to feeding the baby, completely missing the confusion on his wife's face as she leafed through her letters and came across an unexpectedly fancy envelope with an embossed card inside.

"Honey, we've been invited to a wedding... by Sara Ellis," she told him then.

"Sara? Who is she marrying?" asked Peter curiously, his heart lurching as he thought of who she might've married once upon a time.

"Hmm, that's weird. It actually doesn't say the name of the groom," said Elizabeth, showing him the card. "It just says we're invited to the wedding of Sara Marie Ellis on 21st July at two o'clock in... Oh my God, Peter. She's in Paris!"

There was a spark of hope in Peter's heart that he hardly dare allow to become anything more. When they got the invitation to Sara's wedding to parties unknown, in Paris of all places, he just couldn't help but wonder. Was Neal alive? Could it possibly be him that would play groom to Sara's bride. Now came the moment of truth as he and Elizabeth stood as lone witnesses in the tiny chapel, baby Neal in Peter's own arms.

Everything was so secretive. They had yet to see Sara or even talk to her, just arranged their travel to Paris and came over on a whim. Now, here they were, waiting for the reveal, as it were.

The organ music began as the priest appeared. Sara emerged into the aisle in the most beautiful white dress, and as she moved by them with a winning smile toward the altar, Peter and Elizabeth turned as one to see the groom suddenly there waiting for her.

"Oh my... Neal!" Elizabeth's hands covered her mouth as she gasped.

Peter had tears in his eyes, and even their son seemed to understand that something wonderful had happened and was about to happen, as he clapped his hands wildly in babyish applause.

The guests tried to keep their silence as the ceremony was performed, and surely no two people looked as thrilled as Neal and Sara as they exchanged rings and their very own personally written vows.

"Neal, you can't know how much it hurt when I heard what happened to you, and then to realise that you weren't really gone, that it was possible to see you again... I guess it's true what they say, you really don't know what you've got until it's gone. I knew when I finally had you back in my life I was not going to make the same mistake again. This time it's forever, Caffrey. No escape, not from me, or how much I love you."

"Sara, I never thought I could have a happy ending. Guys like me, it shouldn't be possible. I had a great life for a while there, everything I could ever want, but when you left... I think a part of me was always trying to find a way back to you. As much as I know I don't really deserve you or what we have together, I do love you, and that's why I'm so sure about us making this promise to each other. I know now that it is forever, and I'll never want anyone or anything as much as I want you."

With the ceremony concluded, Neal and Sara finally pronounced husband and wife, Peter and Elizabeth could barely stand to wait for the kiss to be over before they rushed to greet the happy couple. There were hugs, kisses, tears, and smiles as the Burkes were reunited with Neal, and their son finally met his namesake.

"I know the bride is supposed to be the focus on her wedding day," said Sara, grinning widely, "but I wanted Neal to have you here. As much as I knew it would shock you, I hoped the groom would be a nice surprise too."

"This is wonderful. All of it, it really is," said Peter happily.

"This is the best wedding I've ever been to," said Elizabeth, laughing and crying all at once. "Well, except for our own obviously."

Once again Baby Neal clapped his hands and cheered, even though he did not truly understand why he was doing it. The occasion was happy, it was all he knew, and nobody was willing to argue with that.