Disclaimer: I don't own Trixie Belden! A big thank you to all the Dear Readers who have this story on alert and who have reviewed! I am so far behind, but trust me, I really do appreciate the time you take to let me know your thoughts.

Competition Epilogue

"Trust Trixie to make everyone traipse up here," Mart groused to his older brother, as they straightened the chairs on the freshly mowed lawn. "Why couldn't she just get married at Crabapple Farm?" The question was, of course, rhetorical. Why did Trixie ever do anything she did?

Brian pulled at the collar of his tuxedo. "Ah, it's her wedding day, Mart. At least she didn't turn into some kind of bridezilla like those ladies on television." He glanced at the scene unfolding before him. It was just so totally Trixie and Jim, he couldn't find fault with it. Not that he was all that thrilled about his baby sister marrying his best friend. Their glowing, blissful faces when they faced the families at the Farm made up for any doubts the rest of the Bob-Whites had about such a large step for such a young couple. It was simply meant to be, like the sun setting in the evening or the moon rising at night.

Brian glanced across the manicured lawn to the area where Dan was expertly directing traffic. Thank God Trix and Jim didn't want a big society bash. Their wedding was small, with just the people who mattered the most to them. Thinking ahead, Brian realized if he and Honey, and Mart and Di continued the trajectory they were on, an intimate wedding like today's would simply be out of the question for the two couples. Of course, that was in the future. The way, way off, nebulous future.

A small white tent, erected for the wedding, held the bride and her attendants, as well as both mothers. A town car, driven by Tom Delanoy, heralded the arrival of the groom and his father. Inside the car, James Winthrop Frayne II silently viewed the charming chaos before him.

Brian and Mart were seating the guests as they arrived from the parking area. A long white runner led from the tent to the concrete slab that was all that remained of Ten Acres to the end of the center aisle. The foundation. Even after the fire, and all the years in between, it was solid and smooth. The flower-bedecked altar stood silently, awaiting the minister and the happy couple that would transform it from a piece of wood to the sanctuary of God's words. Words that would finally bind he and Trixie together for all time.

For a brief moment, an overlay of the dilapidated mansion shimmered in front of his eyes. Ten Acres. Where it all began, and where it was all beginning again. Of course, it was Trixie's idea. She pulled him up there, up onto the cement slab, and held both his hands as they faced each other. "I want to get married here, Jim," Trixie said quietly, taking him by surprise. He was sure she would want to get married at Crabapple Farm, in her mother's wedding dress.

In fact, he would have bet on it.

"Are you sure, Trix?" He stammered out. "It is kind of out of the way."

His blonde-haired angel scuffed the slab with her sneakered foot. "See that, Jim? Ten Acres stood here for a long time. All the good things and bad things that happened here…your uncle, finding you, Jonesy, the fire. Yet the foundation is strong, uncracked." Her sapphire eyes arrowed into his green ones. "I want to start our life on this foundation that was built out of love. Sure, it went through some bad times. I'm sure we're not going to have all roses and moonlight – or should I say orchids and moonlight – in our marriage. Yet if we build our foundation strong enough, like this one, it will withstand anything."

If he didn't love her before then, he would have fallen in love with her as she spoke those words. His strong arms pulled her close as he laid his head on top of those soft golden curls. "I love you, Trix." Those words couldn't convey the wealth of feeling he had for this woman, as they stood on his property and made plans for their future.

"Jim? You ok?" Matt Wheeler examined his son, who appeared to be in another world. Of course, Jim would be nervous – but he wondered, just a tiny selfish piece of him, if Jim was regretting the fact that Matt stood in for Winthrop Frayne. Intellectually, he knew he and Maddy could never replace Jim's biological parents, but there were times during the past five years that he forgot all about the word 'adopted' and just remembered the word 'son.'

"Yeah, Dad. Just woolgathering a bit."

Matt looked into Jim's intense emerald gaze. "I'm sorry that Win and Katie aren't here to see your big day," he stumbled out, completely misreading Jim. "I hope you know that we couldn't love you more if you were our biological child." Matt's big hand patted Jim's knee.

"I wish they were here too, Dad." He sighed a bit. "It was not meant to be. But I have you and Honey and Mother now, and soon I'll have a whole 'nother family." He grinned. "So, I'm luckier than most! I'll have three families instead of two. Although," he confided in a stage whisper, "I'm not so sure about being related to Mart Belden by marriage is such a good thing. Enormous appetite, no job…" Jim gave a fake shudder.

Both men burst out laughing, and that's how Brian found them when he knocked on the darkly tinted window. "Let's get this show on the road!"

She should have been nervous, Trixie thought. All the television shows and movies and books, even her own beloved Moms and Mrs. Wheeler, regaled her with stories of bridal jitters. But she wasn't at all nervous. She was…happy, Excited. In love.

She glanced over to the other side of the tent, where Di and Honey were putting the final touches to their hair and makeup. Both, in the pretty bright colors of summer – Di in her beloved lavender and Honey in bronze. The dresses were simple – strapless with a tiny matching jacket, hem hitting a bit below mid-thigh, in an A-line style that was figure flattering. Each had a matching wreath of summer flowers in her hair.

She didn't know it, but Jim had one thing right…she was going to wear Moms' wedding dress. She giggled inwardly at the memory of Moms and her, standing in front of Moms' full-length mirror. The dress was beautiful, but the waist was miles too big and the bodice much too tight for Trixie's more ample cleavage.

Instead, Moms was lowering Trixie's prom dress – now wedding gown – gently over her hair and freshly made up face. When she went to her prom with Jim, she wore the black dress again. Who cared? She would have gone in sneakers and jeans and an old ratty t-shirt if Jim asked her to.

Her dress was thin white cotton, strapless, with a tight bodice encrusted with white, glittery beads. It was caught underneath her breasts, empire-style, by a charming blue ribbon in Trixie's favorite Caribbean blue, and tied in the back. The tails trailed almost down to the hem. The dress skimmed and emphasized her curves, falling softly down to just above her ankles.

Trixie examined her reflection as Moms zipped her up. Her curls were pinned up in the back, with just a few wisps surrounding her beautiful face. A wreath of white daisies and white orchids took the place of a veil, also entwined with the same blue color as the ribbon of her dress. Little sparkly 'diamonds' were scattered in the curls, catching the light. A touch of mascara widened her big blue eyes, making them look even bigger and bluer. And a secret she held to herself…watermelon lip gloss, Jim's favorite!

Helen Belden's eyes filled with tears as she viewed the reflections of her daughter and herself. She always thought her daughter was lovely, inside and out, even if Trixie snorted her disbelief of that. These past few weeks, awash in Jim's love and now, in her wedding dress in preparation for her marriage, she crossed over the line to beautiful. "You look great, Trixie," she choked out. "Simply gorgeous. Are you nervous?"

Trix turned to face her beloved Moms. "You know Moms, not at all. I'm actually marrying the man I love. I feel…dreamlike." The hardest part would be leaving Crabapple Farm, and her family, especially Moms. After the honeymoon, they would return to the Manor House and a third-floor suite until the apartment was ready. Her room at the Farm was packed with boxes to go into the attic, other boxes to go to the apartment; the things she needed for life in the Manor House were already up there, waiting their return. "I love you, Moms," she whispered.

"And I love you, baby." Helen straightened her shoulders. She could get through this. She would get through this. Honey and Di approached, so pretty and flowerlike in their dresses.

"Do you have everything, Trix?" Honey asked. It was finally here. The day Trixie would become her sister legally as well as her sister of the heart. Honey couldn't help tearing up at the picture Trixie made. Who would have thought the rambunctious thirteen year old girl who barreled into her life would grow up to become a stunning beauty?

"Well, I think so! I have my locket, that's something old," she started. "Something new is my shoes. I borrowed a slip from Moms."

"And I have something blue," Di added with a flourish, stretching the blue garter like a rubber band to be shot off. "Here ya go Trix."

At that Trixie blushed, her mind's eye already painting the picture of Jim kneeling before her, sliding those extremely talented hands of his up her leg to retrieve the little blue object.

Maddy came over, trying hard not to sniffle. "All of you look wonderful. So bright and pretty." She handed the two attendants their bouquets – white daisies and blue forget-me-nots. Trixie's bouquet was a mix of white orchids, roses and daisies, interspersed with the same forget-me-nots. "We're getting the high sign that it's all about to begin." Impulsively, she embraced Trixie. "Where would we all be without you, Miss Belden," she whispered softly in her ear. "I couldn't love you more if you were actually my child."

Straightening her shoulders and throwing her head back, she marched over to the slit in the tent, being guarded with enthusiasm by Terry and Larry Lynch, and their co-conspirator, Bobby Belden. Her topaz gaze, so like Honey's, found Matt sitting on the groom's side. The groom's side. She couldn't say that Jim's nervous declaration at brunch a few weeks ago that he was going to marry Trixie, this summer, was entirely a surprise. He'd been head over heels for her since, well, since forever.

She stood as sentry, waiting for the signal that the groom's mother was to be seated. She discreetly tucked several tissues in her little bag. She had a feeling she would need them.

Dan's date was the last to arrive; whether by choice or nerves, he didn't know. He was just this close to getting worried. After all, it wasn't everyday a man got to bring the sister of the other point in a lovers' triangle to the wedding of the lucky pair. But he couldn't resist the ravishing Kaitlin McCourt; and she apparently had no qualms about attending the wedding either.

Stepping out of her little VW bug, Kaitlin slapped a beaming smile on her face and tried to bury the nerves that had been building in her all day. She met Dan a few weeks ago at Mr. Lytell's while she was dropping off some packages for her mother and Dan sauntered in to buy some coffee. One thing led to another, and before she knew it, they were sitting in a booth at Wimpy's.

Alone.

Talking.

Talking so much, and so at ease with each other, her mother called her, worried. It had been two hours since she left home.

They exchanged numbers, and Dan called her a few days later. She was now in the surprising position of seeing Dan Mangan socially. Nothing too heavy, nothing too intense, just some nice friendship with the occasional friendly kiss. Taking it slow, something she really needed to practice.

So here she was, Kaitlin McCourt, smiling up at a dashing Dan Mangan, attired so dreamily in a tux. She sighed. He really looked yummy.

"Does Trixie know I'm your date?" the words fell out of her mouth as he escorted her to the seating area. She was a bit uncomfortable. Aidan, after all, was her brother. He was clearly moping around, although he had seen Leigh Michaels a few times. But she could tell he was just looking for a temporary diversion. Having been the recipient of more than one broken heart, she knew that it would take time.

"Of course she does, Kait," Dan assured her. "You know how Trix is. She would've invited your brother – as a friend – too. She's got a stretchy heart."

As they reached the seats, she turned to Dan and brushed his shoulders. "You look very handsome, Mr. Mangan." Her smile was bright and reached her grey-green eyes.

As Dan's chocolate brown gaze melted into hers, for one moment, it just seemed like the two of them. His world tilted, and then righted as Mart tugged on his sleeve.

"Hi Kaitlin, let's GO, Dan." Shrugging helplessly, he let Mart lead him to the altar, where Jim, Brian and the minister were standing waiting the high sign. "I'm starving!"

Waiting at the altar, the young minister turned to Jim. "Nervous, Jim?" He may not have officiated at very many weddings yet, but the ones he did preside over were fraught with the groom's nerves. He supposed it was the same for the bride.

Jim turned his clear green gaze on the minister. "Are you kidding?" he said. "I've been waiting for this day since I was 15 years old."

Peter Belden stepped inside the tent for the first time. "Ok ladies, get in line!" He was a bunch of nerves. Was he doing the right thing? Were Trixie and Jim doing the right thing? They were awfully young.

And then he saw her, his princess. And she took his breath away. Striding to her side, he whispered, "You look beautiful, Princess. There's ah, still time to call it off, if you desire," he half-joked.

Trixie threw back her head with a dazzling smile. She may have looked every inch the elegant bride, but the snort that worked its way past her pert nose was pure Trixie. Unconsciously echoing her groom's words, she said quite astringently, "Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this day since I was 13 years old."

Dan appeared out of nowhere to escort Maddy Wheeler to her chair as the mother of the groom. In a few moments, both Mart and Brian had the pleasure of escorting their mother to her place of honor.

Bobby hit the boombox, and the strains of "Storybook Love" from The Princess Bride began to softly play. Di took a deep breath, and began the long walk up the aisle.

Honey turned around and gave the widest, most happy smile to Trixie. "Love you, soon-to-be-sis!" Then, it was her turn to glide up the white runner. Di was waiting up there for her, and the minister. Her brother gave her a smile and a wink, and mouthed to her, You look lovely.

There were a few beats of silence, and the congregation stood for the entrance of the young bride and her father.

As Trixie and Peter Belden stepped onto the long white road, the mellow tones of Frank Sinatra softly sung "Someone to Watch Over Me."

The bride and the groom stared into each other's eyes, snapping sapphire blue to emerald green fire. Their world narrowed to the intense gaze they shared. They neither heard the romantic music, saw the people watching their every move, or felt the gentle sunlight caress their faces. All they could see was each other and all they could feel was the spell they were under.

Jim and Trixie, so carefully circumspect and reserved about their public displays of affection were laid bare before their friends and families. Every naked emotion was reflected on their unguarded faces, holding the congregation in thrall.

Trixie was lost in the frank emotion tumbling out of Jim's emerald gaze and engulfing her. Her father helped her up onto the concrete slab, and answered the minister's question. She felt Peter put her slender hand in Jim's and kiss her cheek, before he turned to take his place with Helen.

Jim was drowning in the sapphire blue seas of Trixie's remarkable eyes. No one had ever looked at him like she did. Like he was the only thing in her world. He could feel the pinpricks of heat on his exposed skin that her eyes were generating in him. Suddenly, she was there in front of him, Peter Belden murmuring something and then Trixie's hand in his. The shiver, shudder of desire, of love coursed through his body like a bolt of lightning.

"You're so beautiful Trix. I love you," he whispered.

She smiled at him and responded in kind. "I love you too. Let's get married, college boy."

The ceremony was beautiful but brief; Brian produced the wedding bands on cue. There were not many dry eyes as the bride and groom repeated the age-old vows. The minister pronounced them married, and invited Jim to kiss his bride.

He turned her and smiled his big, goofy, lopsided grin. Instead of taking her in his arms, his right hand shot out. "Shake. My name's Jim. What's yours?"

Those clear blue eyes smiled right into his as she put her left hand into his. A lot was different from that first meeting right here in Ten Acres. The house was gone, they were older, and the hand she put so carefully into his carried his rings upon it.

She wrinkled her nose at him and responded. "I'm Trixie Belden Frayne. And home," she said softly as he drew her to him, "Home is wherever you are, Jim."

And much to the delight of their friends and family, they sealed the deal with a kiss.

The End

A/N: What! I can hear my perfectly perfect readers saying now. What about all those photographs being surreptitiously taken? What about the letter Trixie received when she got Jim's first flower delivery? Will Dan find happiness and love with Kaitlin? What about Aidan? To discover the answers to these questions, and ride along in the hunt for the serial killer known as The Dollmaker, join me in my next story coming very soon….Tabloid Trix.

As ever, my very special thanks to my lovely and talented editor Mylee, without whom I would never had had the courage to publish this!