Complicated

Chapter Thirty Four: Today Was A Fairytale

Can you feel this magic in the air?
It must have been the way you kissed me
Fell in love when I saw you standing there
It must have been the way
Today was a fairytale

Taylor Swift – Today Was A Fairytale

Marriage was a big thing to Don Flack. Ever since his teenage years he had proclaimed whenever the topic was brought up that he wasn't the marrying kind. He had spent decades playing the field moving from one gratifying, short-lived relationship to the next. He had never imagined a day that he would end up standing before a judge holding the hands of a woman who was so awe inspiring that it simply took his breath away.

Don knew marriage had never been on the cards for Grace before this either. Years ago she had told him she didn't believe in it. She hadn't seen the point considering forty percent of all marriages in the U.S ended with divorce and the others, considering the amount of domestic abuse calls the NYPD got weren't much of a foundation to place your trust upon.

Yet here they were in the middle of a ceremony taking the vows that both of them had so venomously contested in their earlier lives and the whole thing felt so right it was hard to believe the two of them shouldn't have partaken in this event a long time ago.

Grace looked so breath taking standing there before him. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. This was the woman that has stood beside him through thick and thin, who'd calmed his temper and soothed his nightmares, who battled his fears and cheered for his triumphs. It was hard to believe that the two of them were really here, that this wasn't some crazy dream he was having.

Grace's thumb trailed lightly over the arch of his knuckles bringing his attention back to the ceremony. Her expressive grey eyes were on his and in them he could see every want, need and desire he had ever had fulfilled. She was his sanctuary, the safe place he went to after an unbearable day, in short she was home.

When he was wrapped in her arms or simply standing close by he was overcome with a sense of peace. There was a serenity in her that he could never have imagined existed until he experienced it and now that he had, Don knew he could never let it go.

This was the moment the two of them had fought for. Don expected to feel nervous but instead he was plagued by excitement. Grace was still here, she hadn't changed her mind at the last minute or withdrawn her offer on the steps the way he had suspected she might. She was the impulsive one in their relationship and he was born from logic.

Being here with Grace made sense to him in a manner he could only understand to be fate. Today was the day. There was no purpose in waiting any longer. Their world was filled with uncertainty and he needed to take a step into the future.

"This is it." he whispered in a hushed tone only she could hear. "Any final words?"

"I do." Grace said out loud, quirking an eyebrow in challenge as she slipped the thick silver wedding band over onto Don's finger.

He knew what she was saying with that one look. She had made her commitment, she was all in. The question she was raising in the silence in between them was reflected in her gaze as she studied him with an intensity she reserved usually for their cases.

"Do you Donald take Grace to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, to cherish and to love? From this day forward, forsaking all others? Until you are only separated by death?"

He could tell she was waiting with bated breath. The two of them were laying down all the obstacles between them, they had strived so hard to get to this point and it was hard for her to believe that this moment was finally here, that were was finally someone willing to take everything she had to give and turn it into something beautiful.

"I do." he said fiercely taking hold of her third finger delicately and sliding the smaller circle so it sat just above her engagement ring.

"You may kiss the bride."

And that was exactly what Don did.

They had been husband and wife a grand total of two hours by the time the two of them ended up outside Reilly's Bar still clad in their attire from the wedding. Danny had returned the favour by texting each of them a nine one one text informing them to arrive at the bar at exactly five pm.

In the time in between Grace had taken Don to the little Italian place nearby where they had shared their first date. They had recounted that experience over coffee and canollis, Grace admitting the sheer extent of her nerves that day when she had turned up for their date.

"I can't believe that Adam put our wedding pictures on Twitter." Grace uttered, holding up her phone to show Don as they lingered outside of the bar, fingers entwined.

"I can't believe how great they turned out considering he took them on his Iphone." Don commented, tilting his head to get a better look. "Things would probably go over a lot smoother with your mom if you put one in a frame when we tell her."

"I like the way you say it like that, 'we'." Grace informed him, snapping her phone shut and slipping it back into her purse.

"Till death do us part doll." Don responded, waiting patiently for Grace to stop fumbling with the zipper on the cream bag. "Although your mother's reaction is probably gonna fall in the for better or worst category."

"I've heard of bridezilla before but the whole thing with the wedding made her into momzilla. She's one of the reasons I was so reluctant to start spreading the news of our engagement. She was practically planning the whole event for us. Pops just gave us both a bear hug and a congratulations, that's what I love about my father. For mom it's all about the wedding like what comes afterwards in the marriage doesn't really matter." Grace explained as looped the strap of the miniature bag around her wrist before seeking out his hand again.

"You are her first born and her only daughter. She just wanted to make it special" Don pointed out, clasping her hand snugly in his. "Although I will admit that thirty minute phone call discussing dress blues last week made me want to slam the phone down."

"I don't even know the majority of people she was putting on that preliminary guest list. I thought some of those family members were dead, and the others she wanted to come over from Ireland wouldn't have lasted on the flight over." Grace remarked darkly, pulling a face that made Don snigger.

"You are awful, you know that right?" Don informed her, using her hand to tug her to a halt as they reached the doorway of the bar.

"Please." Grace drew the word out as she rolled her eyes. "Isn't that one of the reasons you married me? You need someone to keep up with you, whose not afraid to speak their mind."

"It helps that you make great coffee and you look sexy wearing my shirts." he told her, as Grace 's fingers grasped the labels of his suit jacket drawing him closer.

The two were within inches from each other. Don's hands came to rest upon his wife's hips as he tilted his head down to look into her dazzling grey eyes. Wife, he liked the sound of the word in his head and on his lips. Grace leaned in just that little bit closer, making him groan as her lithe body rubbed up along the length of his tall frame. He had been itching to consummate their marriage since they had left the restaurant. Knowing that she was his wasn't enough, he wanted to spend the evening making her whimper his name over and over again until it was too much for either of them to stand.

"You know I married you for your charm and of course the deliciously wicked things your hands and mouth can do when their left unoccupied." she murmured against his lips.

"Keep talking like that and the two of us will be consummating this marriage out here on the side walk." he informed her, feeling himself starting to stir.

"You know I am always open to new ideas." Grace said with a teasing lilt as she drew away, rising her eyebrows suggestively.

"You are going to be the death of me woman." Don accused with a groan, grasping her hand as she tried to step away.

"But wouldn't it be a wonderful way to go." Grace pouted before pushing open the door to the bar and tugging him in behind her.