Here is the second chapter. I tried to stay true to the characters and incorporate their special moments into their vows. I hope I made it work.

****WARNING! TISSUES MAY BE REQUIRED! WARNING!****

Get Me To The Church On Time

Standing before the altar, Joss cast a nervous look at the double doors of the Church. "Where is he?" she asked and bit her lip. She shifted the bouquet from one hand to the other and smoothed the skirt of her cream coloured lace dress.

"He'll be here, Joss. Maybe he got caught in traffic," Zoe comforted.

"Maybe," Shaw chimed in, but her tone gave no comfort. Joss was half-tempted to jump in a car and find her groom. But she couldn't, so she paced.

"Mom! Please stop pacing," Taylor ordered. "You're making me nervous."

Mila Grant laid a comforting hand on her daughter's arm. "It's okay, dear. I'm sure he's just caught in traffic. It does get busy on Wall Street during this time of day, you know."

Joss gave a weak smile. "Yeah." Finch tried to find something to say, but gave up. Shaw's eyes met with Zoë's in disbelief and surprise. Bear gave a pitiful whine before lying down on the cold marble floor.

Shaw was taken aback by Mila's comment. "You think John -"

"Could be working late?" Zoe interjected and gave a slight elbow to Shaw's side. "It's possible."

The preacher looked at his watch, then cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but is the groom showing up? Because I do have another appointment."

"He's on his way," Joss pleaded passionately. "Just another five minutes. Please."

The preacher mulled the request over. "Five minutes. That's all."

"If he jilts Joss, I'm starting with his fingernails," Shaw spoke under her breath. Her tone was as deadly serious as her look. It was bad enough that Reese was late, but she was wearing a lilac print dress and holding a bouquet for crying out loud! Yeah, she reasoned, the fingernails were going first.

"I'm giving him back his taser," Zoe returned in the same low tone. "In ten-fold."

Finch stared nervously at the doors, then at the group. Why had he sent John out on the number, he wondered to himself. But it was too late to turn back now. Eyeing the EXIT, he formed a plan to slip out and get to the library to have The Machine track down the groom before the glorious day went sideways.

A moment later, Bear suddenly jumped to his feet and ran in bounding leaps to the double doors that suddenly flew open. His happy barks echoed off the sanctuary walls as Reese ran inside and down the aisle to the altar and his waiting bride.

"Sorry I'm late," Reese apologized. "I got held up at work." He looked at Joss and had to catch his breath. Literally and figuratively.

"You look beautiful, Joss," he complimented with his heart in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Joss' fingers lightly touched the faint beginnings of the bruise on Reese's cheek. Any anger she felt was replaced with the tug on her heart that John had been hurt.

"It's nothing. Just a work hazard I couldn't avoid."

"I thought you worked on Wall Street, John," Mila narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her future son-in-law.

"Got caught down on the floor during a busy trading day. Apple stock is going thru the roof," he added for effect.

"Oh." The answer seemed to placate his future mother-in-law. Reese breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm just glad you're here," Joss whispered, her voice thick with tears.

"May we begin?" the preacher inquired.

"Wait!" Fusco called out breathlessly as he half-ran/half-trotted down the aisle to where his friends stood. Tie askew, hair mussed, the detective tried to draw in a breath as he took his place beside Shaw. The preacher raised his eyebrow toward the motley crew standing before him. He shook his head.

"You look like hell, Lionel," Shaw observed with something that resembled a smile.

"Yeah. The next time Wonder Boy gets lost, you can be the one to go retrieve him."

The preacher cleared his throat. "Are we ready to begin?" Reese nodded they were. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of John and Jocelyn in holy matrimony. If anyone has just cause as to why they should not be married, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

The silence was deafening as no one spoke or breathed - including Bear.

"Who gives this woman to this man?"

Standing tall and proud, Taylor raised his hand. "I do." Then he took his mother's hand and gave it to Reese. He gave Reese a smile and nod.

"I was told that the couple wanted to speak their own vows. John?"

Reese held fast to his beloved's hand. "Until you have traveled down the dark road of hell, you can't begin to understand the fear and loneliness that can take hold and cause you to doubt yourself. And when you lose everything…the pain is almost indescribable. I almost gave up…until that one fateful morning I met you. Maybe you don't remember our eyes meeting across the room, but I do. And I knew the moment you smiled at me that I wanted to live again. I wanted to make something of myself and make a difference. Your faith and trust in me has managed to keep me on the straight and narrow…but if I veer off course, I know that you will be there to give me the swift kick I deserve."

Reese had to swallow around the lump in his throat before continuing.

"I meant it when I said that you changed me for the better. And with any hope, you'll keep making me better for the rest of my life. I also meant it when I said I couldn't lose you, and I promise that I always be there to protect and defend you. That night in the hallway when you were willing to lay your life down for me was when I realized how much one person could love another unconditionally. And the way you held on to me is the way I want to be held for the rest of my life." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"I love you, Jocelyn. I've never told this to any woman before you, and I promise you'll be the last."

Fusco heard a small sniffle. He looked over at Shaw. "Are you crying?" he whispered with feigned annoyance.

"No. I have something in my eye."

"Yeah. Sure you do." Fusco pulled out the blue pocket square and handed it to her. "Here. Take it. Just in case."

Discreetly, she wiped her eyes. Then she passed it to Zoe who blew her nose and handed the square back to Fusco. "Thanks," he muttered under his breath and shoved it into his pants pocket.

"Jocelyn," the preacher prompted.

"The Man in The Suit." She gave a little snort. "You sure gave me a run for my money as I chased after you. If only you knew how many times I prayed to find you so I could handcuff you and throw you in the back of my cruiser… But I guess you were born under a lucky star because you always managed to evade me - until that one night. I know you forgave me, but it still hurt that I almost lost you. I meant it when I told Donnelly that you were good people - and it's not just because you save me and Taylor; you are my guardian angel.

"We've had our ups and downs, and moments where we came close to losing one another, but I would like to think all of that brought us here. I think I loved you from the first moment I met you. I'm not really sure. All I know is that you threw me for a loop I couldn't foresee, and though our relationship has been nothing short of a roller coaster, I can't wait to see where we go next. I love you, John. And I will for the rest of my life."

For a long minute the soothing strains of Johan Pachelbel's Canon in D, was the only sound in the room.

"Who has the rings?" the preacher asked finally breaking the silence.

"I do." Finch stepped forward and handed the white gold bands over. The preacher handed the smaller band to Reese.

"John, repeat after me: As a symbol of my love and devotion, with this ring, I thee wed."

With a steady hand, Reese slipped the ring on Joss' finger. "As a symbol of my love and devotion, with this ring, I thee wed."

The preacher handed the ring to Joss. "Jocelyn, repeat after me: As a symbol of my love and devotion, with this ring, I thee wed."

Her hand shook ever so slightly as she slid the cool wide band on to Reese's left hand. "As a symbol of my love and devotion, with this ring, I thee wed."

"What God has brought together, let no man tear asunder. John, you may kiss your bride."

Cupping Joss' face in his hands, Reese took a long moment to look into her eyes. Everything he ever wanted and wished for was staring back at him, and for a brief moment it scared him.

"What's wrong?" Joss asked. She had looked too many times into Reese's blue eyes to know when something was troubling him.

"Remember when I told you that you were stuck with me?"

Joss nodded. Tears filled her big brown eyes that shown with love. "Yes."

The love Reese felt in his heart suddenly filled to overflowing. He blinked quickly, but the tears raced down his cheeks.

"Well, you are. For better or worse."

One tear broke free to race down Joss' cheek. "Funny you should say that, because you're stuck with me too. For better or worse. Now kiss me."

Reese brushed the tear away with his thumb. "Is that an order, Detective?" he smiled.

"Yes."

Dipping his head, he covered her lips with his and sealed their vows. Forever.

The End