Chapter Twelve

          Rachel heard the music change from Für Elise to the Bridal Chorus and felt a quick flutter in her stomach as she marched alone down the aisle. She spotted Chris, handsome and nearly clean-cut in his tuxedo-his braids were tied back away from his face-through her veil at the end of the aisle next to the priest and felt tears sting her eyes.

          She kept her eyes on him, completely forgetting about the other people around her, until she neared the front of the aisle. She lowered her eyes briefly to blink away the tears and when she glanced up, she froze in the aisle. For sitting in the front row, on the bride's side, were her parents. She looked through tears at Chris, who smiled, held out his hand and bobbed his head toward the makeshift altar.

          She slipped her hand in his and joined him at the altar, handing her bouquet off to Madison. Chris lifted the veil over her head and took her hands.

          "How did they-?" she whispered.

          "I tell you later."

          After the ceremony Chris and Rachel hid in a room in the reception hall, waiting to be announced.

          "Chris, how did they-when did they-?"

          Chris took both of her hands and pressed them to his chest. "I went to your parents' house yesterday to talk to them." She blinked. "I went to ask them one more time to come to the wedding for you. Because you love them and I love you and I wanted this to be the happiest day of your life."

          "You are so amazing."

          He nodded then made a face, lowering their joined hands between their bodies. "You may not think so when I tell you the rest."

          "Why? This is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me."

          "Well...during our discussion, there were some...conditions I may have agreed to."

          Rachel frowned. "Conditions? What conditions?"

          "Well, only two of them." Rachel took her hands from his and planted them on her hips, an eyebrow raised over one eye. Chris grinned. "Firstly, I promised them that you would still go to college."

          Her eyebrow lowered and her arms fell to her side. "But I don't want to go to Berkley. Your house-my house, my home is here."

          "I know, babe. There are schools down here you can apply for. They know that you've decided to take a year before starting school so you can go out on the road with me. And they're cool with it, as long as after that year is up, you start courses."

          She crossed her arms. "This is what I had planned."

          "It is what you had planned. And I told them that. The second thing is..." he smiled goofily and laughed nervously. "I promised no babies for at least a couple of years."

          Rachel's brows drew together and her eyes closed briefly. "You what?"

          Chris stifled a giggle. "I promised no grandbabies. Not yet."

          She laughed. "You-you promised that?" He nodded. She stepped forward, cupping his clean shaven cheeks and kissed him, giggling. "Oh, Christopher, I love you."

          "I love you." He kissed her back, long and hard, and continued to do so when Justin banged on the door.

          "Hey, newlyweds! You better not be consummating the marriage yet! We got people out here waiting for you."

          Chris and Rachel laughed.

          "We're on our way!"

          "We're coming!"

          "Ladies and gentleman: please put your hands together for Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Rachel Kirkpatrick!"

          The surprisingly full room of guests ranging from a few of Rachel's relatives and Chris' family to many of the famous friends Chris had made over the years applauded as Madison and Lance pulled open the white double doors that led Chris and Rachel into the room. They headed straight to the dance floor, expecting their first dance song to start when Justin spoke into the microphone by the DJ.

          "Whoa, hey, Chris and Rach, hold up."

          They paused, in each other's arms, and turned to the small stage where Justin and the DJ were. Justin waited as Madison joined him on the stage and going to his side, took his hand.

          "We got a little surprise for you. See, uh, this little birdie told me that your first dance was going to be to At Last." He glanced at Madison and she smiled widely. "And, you know, that same nosy, gossipy little-ow!" Madison slapped a hand across his chest and he laughed, as did the entire room. "Sorry. Anyway, that little birdie also shared with me that, you Rach, had a fondness for a relatively new rendition of this particular song."

          "Oh my god..." Rachel pressed a hand to her mouth.

          "So, ladies and gentlemen, Christopher and Rachel, please give it up for Miss Christina Aguilera.

          "Oh my god!" Rachel said gripping Chris' arm. The guests applauded as the diminutive singer walked onto the stage giving Justin and Madison hugs as they walked off. Christina stepped up to the mike stand, lowering it considerably, as her accompanist set up his keyboard behind her.

          "Thanks, Justin. Chris and Rachel, congratulations and I hope you enjoy the song." The beginning notes started and Christina's powerhouse voice came through the speakers as Chris and Rachel started to sway together. As Christina finished the tune with her signature style, the room filled with cheers, whistles and applause. She blew Chris and Rachel a kiss, took a bow and left the stage.

          "I can't believe she was here!" Rachel squealed to Chris. "Did you know about it?"

          "No, I had no idea."

          "Hey, hey, lovebirds." Justin popped up behind Chris, wrapping his arms around his much shorter friend from behind and lifting him off the ground. Madison walked around the two and hugged Rachel.

          "Bug!"

          "Boo! You're married!"

          "Move over," Justin said nudging between the two girls to hug Rachel.

          "Justin, how'd you get Christina Aguilera to come here?"

          He shrugged and slipped an arm around Madison's waist. "Called her up and asked. She owed me one. I saved her at this gig we played at after her. One of the Backstreet Boys had her cornered so I went over and pretended she had blown me off for a dance."

          "Such a hero," Madison said cupping his chin.

          "Well, thank you so much. She's my favorite."

          "Don't thank me. Thank this one. It was her idea."

Rachel and Madison smiled at each other then Madison glanced at Chris.

"You guys looked so good up there. Even you, Chris." He made a face at her. "You clean up pretty good."

"Thanks. I think."

Justin brushed him off with a wave of his hand. "Eh, don't let him fool you. He turns back into that ugly little leprechaun we all know and love at midnight."

"Shut up, man. It's my wedding day; you're supposed to be nice to me."

Justin lifted his shoulders. "Sorry, bro. I didn't get that memo."

Madison reached out a hand, running it along the satin skirt of Rachel's dress. "Boo, you're dress is so gorgeous."

"Thanks." She smiled at Chris.

"Uh-oh. Come on, baby. I don't want you getting any ideas." Justin lifted Madison off of her feet and dragged her away, holding her close as he started to dance with her.

Rachel slipped her arms around Chris' neck and they, too, began to sway to the music. "Do you think they'll make it?"

Chris glanced in the direction of Rachel's gaze at Justin and Madison. She was giggling at something he whispered in her ear then playfully bit it. "I don't know. I just hope they don't screw up the friendship." He turned his face back to Rachel's and, as he always did, roamed his eyes over her face. "They'll ever be as hot as us anyway."

Rachel laughed. "Oh, really?"

"Oh, yeah." Chris had just pressed his lips to Rachel's when he heard a throat being cleared behind him.

"Sorry to interrupt."

Chris turned and his face fell when he saw JC standing beside him. "JC..."

JC smiled and held out his hand to Chris. "Congratulations, bro." Chris took his hand, letting out a small laugh when JC pulled him close and gave him a quick hug.

"Thanks, man."

JC turned to Rachel. "Rachel, you look beautiful," he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you."

"Christopher! You took the plunge, man!" Joey yelled crashing into Chris' arms, both of them laughing.

"Joseph! I knew you couldn't resist a party," he said when Joey pulled back.

"Yeah, you know me: music, dancing, champagne and chicks. I'm so there." Joey looked at Rachel and grinned, reaching out to give her a tight hug. "Whew. Look at you."

"Hi, Joey."

He slipped an arm around her waist. "Now, if this boy ever gets out of line, you make sure you come and tell me. And I'll kick his ass and come take care of you." Rachel batted her eyes playfully.

"Hey, stop hitting on my wife." Chris playfully nudged Vinnie back and grabbed Rachel protectively.

"Pshh...fine, keep her. I'm a-go find me Christina. Later."

Chris turned back to JC. "C, man...I can't tell you how much I-"

"Hey," JC cut him off and clamped a hand on his shoulder. "We always back each other up, right?" Understanding, Chris nodded.

"Hey, stranger," Lance said to JC as he approached, shaking his hand. "Rach, this is Ken." Kennedy James, a raven-haired young woman, reached out her hand, covered in silver rings, her nails short and black, to Rachel, with a commercial perfect smile on her lips.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Rachel. And congratulations to both of you. It was a beautiful ceremony."

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you, too."

Kennedy turned her emerald eyes to Chris and took his hand, leaning over to press her lips lightly to his cheek. "Chris, you must be a pretty special guy. How'd you get a girl so gorgeous?"

"They don't call me Lucky for nothing, Ken. You remember JC?"

Kennedy smiled at JC. "Yeah, hi, I haven't seen you since the last meeting with all of you."

JC glanced anxiously at Chris. "I've been...busy."

"JC's getting hitched himself in a few months," Lance explained to Kennedy.

"Wow. Two weddings and a tour. Ya'll don't take things easy do you?" They all laughed.

"Hey, Ken! Come here!" Kennedy frowned at Justin and excused herself from the small group.

"Hey, uh, Scoop, you think it's a good idea to be on a date with our new stylist?" JC asked watching Justin introduce Kennedy to Madison. Lance snorted.

"It's not a real date, dude. She's here, I'm here, and we don't want to look like losers so we just tell people we're here together. Besides, she has a boyfriend. Travis something or other. He's a model." JC shrugged, his attention focused on the photographer aiming his camera randomly around the room. If Olivia knew he came to the wedding she'd throw another fit. He put it from his mind, reminding himself he was here for his oldest and closest friend and that was all that mattered.

"Is there an open bar?" JC asked Chris.

Lance laughed. "Come on, lush, this way." Lance dragged JC away and Rachel snuggled up to her husband.

"I can't believe he came," she said softly. Chris turned to face her, holding her close.

"I can. I knew he would."

Rachel smiled softly. "How did you always know?"

He angled his head. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "You always said if we were happy and everyone saw that, we'd be okay. Even after your fight, you knew JC would be here. No one imagined we would make it. How did you always know?"

"Because, my love, I had faith: in you, in us, in JC." He smiled to himself. "I think I fell in love with you the moment I set eyes on you. And there wasn't anyone or anything that was gonna stop me from being with you."

"You must be lucky," she said with a laugh.

"Why?"

"With all that stood between us: the age difference, you're famous, my friends, your friends, my parents. Did I mention you're famous?"

Chris rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm Justin."

She smiled. "I mean, the chances were so unlikely that we would ever be...together. We're really lucky."

"No," Chris laughed and hugged her tightly. "We're a miracle."