Battle Scars

I Thee Wed

Melissa could not believe when she got the message to get her ass to North Padre Island immediately.  She had packed her bag in record time and called in to work.  Matt, Stella, and Riley pulled up in front of her place not long later.  She was still a little miffed that Matt found out yesterday what was going on, but on the flip side it wasn't Sarah who had told him.  It had been Kakashi earlier in the day when he had asked him where he could get a ring.  This was before her best friend had been attacked in her home.

Melissa absently played with the little boy next to her.  He was such a cute kid.  He looked more like his mother and favored her coloring of blond hair and blue eyes; yet, the shape of his eyes was completely his Daddy.  He was happily watching the portable DVD player and she thought she would go crazy if she listened to the Baby Shark song one more time.  

She did her best to tune out the song as she allowed her mind to wander.  She was convinced that Anakin was involved in the attack some how.  Why couldn't the bastard just leave her alone?  Hadn't she suffered enough from him?  Melissa would never forget how she looked in the hospital after the brutal attack.  It had been hard enough when she would see her and she would show her the bruises from an attack but that day... She was barely recognizable as battered as she had been, her head was swollen up so much because of the gunshot wound to her head, and the almost dead look in her hazel eyes.

Melissa had stayed close to her in the months following, even sleeping over a few times when the look in her eyes had not been good.  She had been terrified she was going to kill herself.  She never fully opened up to her about how she was doing.  She had put on a mask of "everything is okay" in the time following but Melissa knew better.  Every so often a dark shadow would cross her eyes and she knew she was triggered somehow, yet her friend had kept silent.

She was happy that something good finally had come to her friend.  Melissa knew that Kakashi would take care of Sarah for the rest of her life.  He would never hurt her, betray her, or break her heart.  She was abundantly showered with a blessing the day he had arrived.  Kakashi wasn't a stupid man, he knew he had a good woman in Sarah.  She smiled slightly then got a bit of wistfulness as she thought about Iruka.  Oh if only he would come here, she'd rock his world.

Stella turned in her seat and looked at her with a slight smile.  "This is all so exciting, isn't it?  Matt only just told me about who he really is.  It is still mind blowing.  I mean, I met him and didn't even put it together.  I just thought... wow this guy is really good looking."

Matt glanced over at her, "What now?"

"You want me to lie?" Stella asked him with a humored expression.

Matt sputtered slightly from the question before he said, "Yeah, I'd prefer to not think my own wife is attracted to my friend!"

Stella laughed hard, "He's not the only one."

"Oh God..." Matt groaned.  "I don't want to know!"

She snickered then reached over and pinched his cheek.  "No worries, love.  You'll always be my number one."

Melissa howled from the backseat and received a glare from the rearview for it.  She leaned forward and gave Stella a little shove.  "That was awesome.  Who else is cute?  Are they single, I need to start seriously looking or be the odd man out!"

Stella opened her mouth to say something and Matt cut in, "Don't. You. Dare."

Both women laughed hard at the words.  Stella then looked back at her, "I'll tell you later."

It was not much longer before they arrived at the Hotel that Kakashi and Sarah were staying at and parked in the guest area.  They checked in before heading up to their rooms, which were on the same floor as the soon to be newlyweds.  Melissa ditched her bag before heading down the hallway to the room number Sarah had given her.  She rapped hard on the door and a moment later, it cracked open.

Kakashi gave her a slight smile before opening the door fully for her.  "I'm glad you were able to come.  Sarah's out on the balcony.  Is Matt here yet?"

"Yeah, they're in 506," Melissa answered.

"Good, I need to talk to him," he said before slipping past her to leave the room.

Melissa glanced back as the door shut and then joined her friend out on the balcony.  Sarah had her legs curled up to her chest and was holding a soda in her hand.  She smiled as she saw her friend then wiggled the ring in front of her.  "Isn't it beautiful?"

"He's definitely got good taste," Melissa responded.  "Never thought you'd get married again."

"Neither did I," Sarah chuckled.

Melissa winced as she saw the dark bruises on her neck but remained silent.  This was supposed to be a happy day.  "Well, where are you getting it done?"

"On the beach," Sarah grinned.  "We found a Justice of the Peace willing to come out to do it.  Did Stella and Riley come too?"

A knock on the door sounded and Melissa hurried over to open it.  Stella and Riley came in.  The little boy caught sight of Sarah and went running to her.  She laughed and pulled him into her lap to snuggle him.  She breathed in deep the scent of his hair.  God she loved that child so much.  Stella grinned at her.

"So... The Kakashi Simp pulled the actual Kakashi," Stella chuckled. "By the way... I brought my wedding dress.  I thought you probably wouldn't have time to get one and I want the photos I'm going to take to be absolutely gorgeous."

Sarah's eyes watered, "Thank you, Stella.  That's... beyond awesome!"

A few hours later, Melissa stood silently to the side of Sarah as she stood across from Kakashi.  Matt was off to his other side.  Riley was standing very close to Sarah, holding a pillow where they had tied their two rings to.  He was starting to look bored as the Justice of the Peace spoke over the couple.  Stella was moving about with her large camera, taking several shots as the vows were exchanged.  Melissa had slipped her phone out and was recording.

Kakashi knelt in front of Riley when it was time for the rings and untied them from the pillow.  He smiled at the boy then ruffled his hair before straightening, passing his ring to Sarah before taking her hand in his own.

"I Kakashi Hatake, take thee Sarah, to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore."

Sarah's eyes burned at his words, his gray eyes were so soft as he looked at her as he slid the ring on her finger.  She cleared her throat before saying her own vows.

"I Sarah De'Arr, take thee Kakashi, to be my husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore."

"Unless anyone objects..." The older Justice of the Peace said in a very thick Texas accent, "By the powers vested to me by the great state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You can kiss your bride."

Kakashi did so with such a flourish that Melissa and Stella both started laughing.  Riley looked up at him like he had grown two heads.  Matt was grinning big at the display.  The Justice of the Peace laughed loudly before saying, "Save some of that for tonight, son!"

Stella moved forward, "Before you go, sir, I'd like to get a good shot of you with the two of them."

"Absolutely little lady, be my pleasure," he responded.

Melissa ended the video and barely restrained the tears that wanted to flow.  Damn, she was the last one to be single.  She was definitely going to get that list from Stella now.