Chapter VI

"This is killing my knee." Luna said while she was sitting on the back of a beautiful black stallion.

"How is your ankle holding out?" Bryon asked.

"My ankle feels fine. Apparently, the doctor we went to yesterday, said the type of crack I have in my ankle are not always as painful and it is easy to just brace it and go." Luna said and she petted the stallion. "Which is why he recommended custom-made cowgirl boots, especially for the wedding, and said I can ride as long as I wear that other soft brace Chase bought me before we came on the road trip. He said the torn ACL was more of a problem than the fractured ankle when it came to horse riding, but that is why I have a very good sports physiotherapist, and especially one who specializes in recovering riders."

"So how does it feel to be able to get around without crutches?" Bryon asked.

"Pretty good, but as soon as I get off here, I'm going back to that." Luna said.

"Well its time you get off. Mom and dad just arrived." Cory said. "Which also means your bridesmaid gowns arrived, and that means."

"Okay, I get it." Luna said. "I'm kinda stuck. Colt, go find Chase."

Colt looked at her and then jumped off the hay bales and he ran around the house.

Luna smiled and she took another lap around the coral and smiled when Chase came in.

"Hey." Chase said and he patted the hay bales for Colt to get up before he went to Luna.

"I'm stuck." Luna said.

"I figured." Chase said and he took her injured leg out of the stirrup and then went around to the other side. "This getting onto the horse from the wrong side, young lady, really needs to come to an end."

Luna giggled and she threw her left leg back over the stallion's back to get off and went into fits of giggles when her good foot got stuck.

Chase pretended to shake her out of the stirrups, and he ended up laughing with her when she was finally free. "You are such a crazy girl."

"I'm a crazy cowgirl." Luna said.

"Ready to become my crazy cowgirl forever tomorrow?" Chase asked.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Luna said and she rested her hands on his chest when he kissed her. "I love you."

Chase smiled and he claimed her mouth again and gave her quick hungry kisses. "I love you more."

"Luna, come on. Mom and dad are here." June called.

"Duty calls." Luna said softly.

"Seems like it. Have fun." Chase said and he kissed her again before handing her crutches to her. "Ice it."

Luna nodded and she whistled for Colt once she had left the coral and then went into the house and she hugged her parents.

"Someone definitely found her sparkles again." Jeremy said.

"The fresh clean country air has done her the world's good." Sephira said and she kissed the young woman's cheek.

"Cory, dad, out." June said.

"June." Cory said. "I want to see."

"Out." June said and she pushed him out the door. "Don't bug us."

"Hey." Cory said.

"You can see later." June said and she closed the door behind her when her dad left as well.

Luna giggled and she sat down on the couch and took her boots off before she placed her injured food on the footstool that was there with a pillow on. She took the ice bags from Faye and placed one on her knee and one on her ankle before she hugged the preteen. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." Faye said.

"This is Joy's, this is Sarah's, this is mine, and this is Faye's." June said going through the boxes and handing them out.

"Try them on so we can see if they need alterations." Rachel said.

The young women nodded, and it wasn't long before they were all wearing the beautiful flowy aquamarine gowns and their cowgirl boots.

"It feels a little empty around the middle." Joy said.

"Catch." Luna said and she tossed her a rolled-up belt. "Try that."

Joy unrolled it and then put it around her middle and looked at the simple but elegant pattern punched and engraved in the leather.

"That just completes the look beautifully." Sephira said.

Luna smiled and she handed the other belts out and smiled when the girls pulled their hair into quick buns. "Go call Chase."

"Can't we surprise him?" June asked.

"No, why?" Luna asked. "He helped find them online, I think it is just fair that we show him how well it really looks."

"Okay." Faye said and she ran out and before long she was back with her brother. "See."

"Now that really looks beautiful." Chase said and he sat down next to Luna. "So what do we still have to do?"

"Those party favors and the barn décor, but we are only doing the barn tomorrow." Luna said.

"And?" Chase asked.

"The girls had their nails done, I just need mine done because I had doctor's appointments and stuff, and hair and makeup are done here for the girls, mine I'm going out for." Luna said. "I don't think there is anything else to do other than the party favors and barn which isn't immediate wedding prep."

"I would still like to know what the cake looks like." Rachel said.

"No one knows." June said. "They are being secretive. So much so, that when the guys doing the cake arrives, no one is allowed back into the barn except them."

"Why the secret?" Rachel asked.

"Why not?" Luna asked. "And it is to avoid any unwanted little monkeys messing around in the barn when they shouldn't. The cake will only be arriving just before the reception starts in any way as to give everyone who arrives time to put their food in the barn."

"What are you guys doing in line of photos?" Rachel asked.

"We have a couple of good photographers in the family." Chase said and he smiled when Rachel immediately had a facial expression change. "So we have agreed that most of our pre-wedding photos will be done by them, and we do vlogging and stuff, so that will be thrown in as well."

"But we did hire a professional photographer, who did some engagement photos for on Tuesday so we could see if we liked her work, and she is amazing. She and her husband run their own little studio, so they will be doing a few photos before the time, but we hired them mostly for the wedding, the photos after that and a few at the reception, but they also belong to the ranching community so they will be attending the reception in anyway, so they said we are only paying for the wedding and the photo shoot after." Luna said.

"Nice." Rachel said. "I should probably go meet the rest of the family."

"Probably." Chase said and he stood up. "And you girls need to get out of your dresses."

"Shoo." Jet said and she tried to push him out.

Luna smiled and she watched as her fiancé left with her mom. "I just realized that I am getting married tomorrow, and neither of my parents have seen my gown yet."

"Keep it that way. Mom is dying to know, but I think keep her curious." June said. "You are not going to get into your gown now for five seconds and take it off again just to pull it on again tomorrow. It is clean now, it just got back from the lady who did a fantastic job to make sure it was all clean for you, so don't make a mess of it again."

"Good point." Luna said and she helped Faye to get out of her gown. "I think the nerves are busy catching up with me."

"Relax." June said.

"I'm trying." Luna said and she took a deep breath and then got up carefully and pulled her shirt over her head before turning around to show them the quote on her right shoulder. "My dress doesn't cover that."

"Okay, so?" Sephira asked.

"I had this done before we got engaged, and I haven't even told Chase yet." Luna said and she folded her jeans over. "This one says 'victim' and the date my PTSD started, and..."

"Relax." Joy said and she laid her hand on Luna's shoulder. "You have gone through a hard patch in life."

Luna nodded and she took a deep breath. "Fighter is the date Chase gave Colt to me, and I want to add a flying or soaring one with tomorrow's date."

"And that alone is beautiful." Sephira said and she pulled a racer back top on for the young woman. "So you want to show him before the wedding?"

"This one, I have been contemplating it." Luna said touching her shoulder. "But I didn't have a shirt to wear. All my shirts are open on the left side. The cold shoulder tops I have don't show the whole thing. My dad is probably going to freak out because I have had the bottom one since about a week of counseling after I got Colt."

"Dad can freak out if he wants." June said. "And yes, maybe I won't go ink myself, but this is beautiful, and it reminds you of the fight you fought, and the fight you are winning."

Luna nodded and she pulled her jeans right and then took a deep breath. "There are little angel wings between my shoulder blades, I don't know if anyone saw them."

"I noticed." Sephira said.

Luna smiled and she looked at Chase when he came in.

"That is a pretty cute top." Chase said.

"Well I am glad you like it." Luna said. "I ordered a couple of this style that range anything from like a gown-like style all the way up to you know, just short enough to be teasing, for when we are alone of course, because a very good friend of mine is already looking for apartments and stuff."

"Nice." Chase said and he kissed her softly. "Why did Faye say you want me?"

Luna searched his eyes and then pulled her hair over her left shoulder and turned around.

"There is no happiness, without tears, no life without death, and no true love without heartbreak." Chase read. "Now that is beautiful, and so true."

Luna smiled and she turned to him and kissed him softly. "There is a tiny one between my shoulders and another one low, but you need to wait to see them."

"Fair enough." Chase said and he kissed her softly. "Were you afraid I would be mad about it?"

Luna gave a slow nod and she felt the stress melting away when he kissed her softly but with a passion she has never felt.

"You are going to be my wife tomorrow, and you need to understand one thing." Chase said softly. "I don't get angry easily, and the times I do get angry, I know how to let it lose when I am on my own. My grandfather taught me to save my anger for times when I need it, go to the gym and expel it there, use it in a horse race. He taught me since I was young that I should never go home angry, I should never go to bed angry and I shouldn't wake up angry."

Luna nodded and she laid her head against his chest and relaxed against him. "You just seemed so strong in your Faith, so I wasn't sure how you would react."

"I understand that, but I was broken at one point too." Chase said and he kissed her head. "And it is the biggest reason why I became a police officer."

Luna looked up at him and she touched his cheek when she saw he was deep in thought and then kissed him softly before she turned to June. "Just get everyone started on the party favors in the kitchen. We have a lot to do."

"Okay." June said and she ushered everyone out and closed the door behind them.

Luna laid her head against his chest and smiled when he just held her close.

"Eric and I were playing at their house, which was actually an apartment, his mom never married, and we were about fifteen, and suddenly there was this ear-piercing heart-stopping scream that resounded in our ears and Eric grabbed his phone and called the police because we didn't know what to do else, and they told us locate the scream and see, maybe it was just a lady who fell but we should investigate so long, a car was on the way. Eric stayed back so that if it was people breaking in or something, he could stay safe and still get help, and there was another scream, but muffled, so something told me, it was a girl in serious trouble, and it was coming from next door, so I ran back into Eric's apartment and grabbed his mom's pistol, which she leaves at home when we are there alone, and I mean, my dad is a police officer, he wasn't chief yet, but I had the training and everything, so I grabbed it and up to this day I don't know how I just broke the door of the apartment next door and this guy was wrestling the girl to the floor while threatening her with a knife and his intentions were very clear, so I mean, I'm the one standing with the gun, and I feel like jelly. Long story short, a fight breaks out between me and a nineteen-year-old. Turned out to be her ex-boyfriend who came to get revenge on her because she dumped him, and it made him turn to drugs and alcohol." Chase said. "When I realized I didn't have the guts to pull the trigger because firstly, he is busy trying to beat me up, I just broke free and threw the gun out the door and I mean then I had my hands free so I was able to give him some of his punishment until he lunged the knife into my side. The pain was beyond what I could've ever imagined, and I just lost strength, completely. I think a bag of potatoes had a better chance of staying upright then me, and I blacked out, completely. I woke up in hospital with my dad sitting next to me looking like he hadn't slept in a year, and it like instantly vanished when he realized I was awake, and then I found out that I had been resuscitated three times in a matter of twelve hours, five times in a matter of twenty-four, and they had started to dread brain and other organ damage, and I had been out for five days before the fever broke, and I had just started showing signs of recovering after I woke up, when the wound got so badly infected that I couldn't even breath. They had to put me on full on breathing machine, I just stopped breathing, I actually refused to breath no matter how much my mom begged me, so they had like what, three minutes to get me on a breathing machine. Did that, put me under anesthetic because now it meant surgery and all the gore that went with that, I don't even want to know, they transported me to a children's hospital, the very one I took you too I think, and I was monitored around the clock. When I say I got sick of someone checking up on me, I mean it. They were in like every hour, just checking that the wound didn't start to bleed or anything. By this time a three inch gash became a five inch gash which was stitched up, and I looked like an alien because I was still on a full on breathing machine because they couldn't keep me under anesthetic and it was hurting so much, I still didn't want to breathe on my own. I was in and out of hospital for a year, mom and dad put me into a special school for the rest of my school career because I was behind but I was a little smarter than the average kid, so the special school allowed me to go at my own rate, and because I was enrolled there while I was in and out of hospital, the friends I started making there would be allowed to visit me and bring me my schoolwork and one of them a day could stay a little past visiting hours if I felt like it, and help me get it done. At the end of that school year Eric transferred as well because he got PTSD from that, so I have had exposure to it long before I met you."

"Which is why you noticed that I wasn't really as okay as I said I was that night at the hospital." Luna said.

"Exactly." Chase said. "And I mean with Eric being in the same school as me, we were even more inseparable. I had been for counseling and I was okay. I had the physical scar, he had the emotional and once the wound finally healed up properly life went on and we decided we were going to become police officers because what we did felt natural. Eric works in dispatch and I work on the floor, and we would spent every spare minute at the station with someone showing us something, and by the time we graduated from high school, we could keep up with the police officers in a pushup dual and just about everything, until my dad called one night, around eleven I think it was, I was done with school and we finished half a year early so mom agreed that as a reward, I could go to sleep late as long as I don't disturb the little ones, and she didn't mind because when dad was out Austin would give her grief going to bed, so because he didn't have school yet at that stage, he would sit on my lap and we would race cartoons or play a Disney video game, anything just to keep him busy and keep his attention on something so he can quiet down, and so dad calls. He is fine, he just went to a call out and he thought I should know, the girl I nearly died to save, just committed suicide. After I was downed the day the guy got right what he went for, and she got pregnant, and it turns out that the morning before she committed suicide the social services took her almost two-year-old away because she wasn't a good enough mom, and it killed her on the inside. I just lost it, I freaked out completely and I was fighting everyone and everything, I didn't sleep or eat for a week, and then my dad managed to get me to the hospital and they literally had to strap me to the bed and keep me on the strongest calming agent they had just to be able to tube feed me and I got to a point where I just didn't want to breath. So kind of back to square one, I literally felt physical pain that made it hard to breathe and I spent two months in hospital until a middle-aged man approached my dad and said he had a ranch that he turned into a rehabilitation center for kids who suffered major trauma in their lives, or had mental instabilities and so forth, and he was willing to take me on free of charge and get me back to being able to go on with my life. So I went there, and I slammed shut like a clam. I didn't speak to anyone, and I didn't show any emotions, but the dogs that were there, they were my little piece of heaven. I don't know how many times I slept in the barn with the dogs and how many times they were like oversized super fluffy tissues. So instead of letting me work with horses, which I was good at, they moved me to training their puppies to become herding dogs, anxiety dogs and so forth, I loved that, and that was where I found healing up to the point where I was able to speak to a counselor, and I mean in that time I would stand up and walk out if someone mentioned Christianity and after supper it would be time for devotions, I had a prior arrangement that I wanted nothing to do with it, and if they were going to force me to sit there, I cannot promise that I won't be a distraction, so after supper I would walk out and go play with the dogs. When everyone went to church, I was allowed stay at the truck and read a book or do some studying, because I went back into studying law when I started feeling better, so Sundays I would spend the day studying, until I went home three months later. Mom and dad respected my wish to not want to go to church so they allowed me to sleep in and I would continue using Sundays to study but any other day I would go with my dad to work or I would go sit in on a law study at a local college until I started college. I hung out with the wrong crowds, and one night I went to a party and it felt oppressive, so I just needed an escape and soon found myself amidst girls getting screwed up. Guess what, I freaked out, again. I landed up in hospital, again, but I realized that if I kept hanging out with the crowd I had hung out with, I would become my own nightmare, so I began seeking counsel and trying to find out why things like that freaked me out and one day I rounded a corner and slammed into one of the geeky boys, and I knew he was Christian, but suddenly he didn't seem so 'scary' as he felt before, so I mean I helped gather his books and on the front of his social studies book was this text, if whatever you do, is not done with love, then whatever you do, is in vain' and this flashback happened, again. I was getting sick of this flashback, but instead of giving into it, I began fighting it, and I probably spent two hours sitting in the hallway fighting this fear of ever having to go through that again, and this guy kneeled next to me again and he asks if I would like to go to the movies with him, he got some movie tickets but his friend was too sick to go, so I went. It was just a DreamWorks animation, but we ended up chatting after the movie and going out for a milkshake, which I bought this time, and we became friends. Two days later I saw the book again and I asked him about it, and he explained it to me and invited me to church. I declined. It took me three weeks of lying awake at night every Saturday night before I finally went and my life felt like it started getting back on track and I ended up getting to the point where I would study my bible just as much as I studied to become a law enforcement officer. I've been studying it for almost five years now, and I still can't even say I am close to having my college degree."

Luna smiled and she kissed him softly. "But you are strong in life and in faith now."

"That I must agree." Chase said and he kissed her softly before he pulled his shirt off and turned around. "And that is why this is done on my side."

"At the scar." Luna said. "One Corinthians thirteen-three."

"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." Chase said. "I didn't have space for one to three."

Luna smiled and she touched it softly. "And that is what you live by."

"Yeah." Chase said. "And that is why I am also careful about what I do."

"And it is also why your family haven't been on vacation since Austin was just more than a baby?" Luna asked.

"I would probably lie if I say no." Chase said. "Dad got promoted to chief in that time, Sarah had the twins, Joy got married, and yeah, life happened, but most of it was because of my flashbacks and hospital visits and stuff, and you will see when Faye would like to start dating, he will trust my instincts more than what he trusts his own, and I don't want to be a Grinch..."

"But June is your little sister too." Luna said.

"Yeah." Chase said.

"Good." Luna said and she kissed him softly. "After the bad experience I had, I don't think I will just easily trust my dad when he agrees to a guy for my sister."

"I don't think Cory will either." Chase said. "By the way, why is he named Cory?"

"His name originally, is Corinth." Luna said. "I called him Cory when he was little."

"Right." Chase said and he kissed her softly before he pulled his shirt on. "We should go and help with the last of our wedding stuff."

"We should." Luna said and she took a deep breath. "My parents haven't seen these yet."

"The angel wings?" Chase asked.

"No." Luna said, and she bit her lip. "I had them done the day my baby was originally due, but because I had changed my work schedule once I got back to work after the accident, my dad didn't know exactly what my schedule was, so that day I had the night shift and he had just came in from night shift so I left the house claiming I needed some more meds and that I would get out of the house so he could sleep, and I went and had the tattoo done and then went to work, and since I don't wear anything other than t-shirts or tops that usually cover my shoulders and stuff, and rarely have my hair up, they haven't seen it yet. I only had this one on my shoulder done about two days after I fell. Cor knew about it, I asked him to take me and he agreed because to him he saw healing in doing it, and again, I had it done just after I had to go for a checkup. The one on my lower back I did after I started counseling after you gave Colt to me, and he basically helped pull me out of the ashes and into life where I felt able to go to counseling even though I did group counseling and spent about a week just sitting in the group, not saying a word. I had basically shut myself off from the world and felt like I was in a soundproof glass cage where I could hear everyone else, but no one could hear me. I felt trap, and my parents weren't trying, they thought if they just let me deal with it, I would talk when I was ready."

"And that is the worst you could do." Chase said. "I know, I was there, and my parents tried, and it didn't help, but I don't want to know where I would be if they didn't try."

"Yeah." Luna said. "I cracked the night at home after your mom asked me if I was okay, and I said yes, and she asked if I was sure I was okay, and I said I don't know, and she told me that if I ever needed to talk, I knew where to find her. I said thanks and I went home and I just cracked, because I felt like, maybe the world can hear me, and maybe they just don't want to hear, but your mom wasn't like everyone else, and the next morning I went to counseling and we got a new member in, so when we were told to introduce ourselves and say what we were there for, I was able to say my name, very softly and I was able to admit that I was suffering from PTSD and anxiety as a result of verbal abuse after a car accident, and that changed my life day by day, because no one judged me, and the lady sitting next to me even hugged me, and she would hold my hand every time I had to speak and I suddenly felt free, and it kind of felt like when you had a band aid on and you peel it off slowly, it hurts but the oxygen and the air makes the place feel alive again, and I know I am not done healing yet, and I have had setbacks a couple of times this week, but when I asked your mom about it, she told me that sometimes emotional healing only comes along when someone proves to us that they are not the same and she gave me this statement. If not now, then when. If I don't feel ready now, when will I be ready, if I don't take that first step to saying yes I am hurting but I am willing to try, then when will I be willing to take that step and say okay, let's try it. She said it is like with my leg. It hurts, but the physiotherapist said I need to start using it, I need to start stepping on it, but I need to be careful because even though my ankle doesn't always feel sore, I can damage it more by trying to fix my knee, which is why horse riding is such good exercise for my knee."

"Sounds like mom." Chase said and he kissed her forehead and then held his pinky out to her making her giggle. "Never too old for pinky promises. One day at a time, okay?"

Luna nodded and she took his pinky with hers and then held her head up for a kiss and got just that. "Every time I feel like my dad is going to hate me for getting inked, I am reminded of this saying, the most judgmental people sit in church pews and clear skin, and the most compassionate people sit in the bar covered in tattoos."

"That is true." Chase said. "But not at our church, and I can promise you that, because there are even a couple of bikers in our church and yes, they are the most amazing people to hang out with, and yes, I have gone to bike runs with them, as have my dad, and yes it scared the crap out of them the first few times."

Luna giggled and she kissed him softly. "Moments like these make me really glad I found you, Chase Colton, or was it you who found me?"

"Let's just say it was all Jason's fault, the little monkey." Chase said and he smiled when she giggled. "And you know what, I hope your wedding dress exposes this, and I don't care what anyone of our friends or our family says about it."

Luna smiled and she climbed on his back. "I am so ready for some of your moma's amazing ginger beer."

Chase smiled and he piggybacked her to the kitchen and then kissed her after she was on her own feet again. "We have party favors to make."

"I need ginger beer first." Luna said.

Chase smiled and he poured them each a glass and then sat down next to her and enjoyed laughing with his cousins and his siblings.

"If there are only two girls in the family, why are there four sets of cousins?" Luna asked after a while.

"Josie and Peter are semi-adopted." Sephira said. "Leah is my biological sister, and Josie and Peter moved in with us when Josie was seventeen and Peter was nineteen, but Peter wasn't adoptable since he was over eighteen, and Josie was so close to it when we found them, that dad said it wouldn't be worth the time of money, but they were ours. Peter runs the Bison farms in Oklahoma and Josie and her husband took over two of dad's ranches, and Leah and her husband took over two of the others, so dad is only running two of the eight he used to have."

"Ahh." Luna said. "So half of these are cousins, but actually not cousins."

"Yeah." Faye said and she hugged her cousin. "But mom told us that family isn't only by blood."

"That I definitely agree with." Luna said and she smiled at Chase before they carried on with the packets, and by nine she was fast asleep on his lap while he was helping some of the young adults finish up the last couple of party favors.

"You need to go and put her to bed." Sephira said softly at his ear at nine-thirty.

"She is comfortable right here." Chase said softly. "We are almost done, mom."

"Okay." Sephira said and she placed the mug of hot chocolate next to him and kissed his head before she went back to the older women.

Chase smiled and he helped his cousins and two sisters to finish up and then packed the last ones into a box. "Thanks guys."

"You are welcome, but if I have to tie raffia around another piece of cellophane within the next six months, I might yell." Hannah, Chase's cousin one year younger than him, said.

"We will do ribbons next time we want so many." Chase teased.

"Sure." Hannah said and she stood up and took her hot chocolate. "I will bid you all goodnight and sleep well. I'm out of here."

"Sweet dreams." Chase said and he stood up carefully with Luna and then went upstairs with her and put her to bed, glad to see that June or Faye had turned the covers back when they came to bed. He tucked her in and then kissed her temple before he left the room, closing the door behind him. He went and said goodnight to his family and then went straight to bed.

Luna woke up when the rooster crowed, and she stood up carefully and got changed into her jeans and a nice top and then pulled her cowgirl boots on and went down the steps with her crutches. She placed them at the back door and then did her best to walk as naturally as possible to the stable and she petted the beautiful stallion and then saddled him carefully, grateful that he was trained as a physiotherapy horse when he lay down so she could get the saddle on. She secured the saddle once he stood up and then put the bridle on and she led him out and to the hay bales stacked outside meant for décor for the reception. She climbed up carefully and then pressed with her injured knee on the saddle before throwing her other foot over. She took a deep breath and then allowed her injured knee to slide out under her so that she landed in the saddle and then put her feet in the stirrups and petted the stallion. "Sorry boy, you are probably not used to such rough mountings."

"He has had worse." Richard said from inside the stable making Luna screech.

"Grandpa." Luna said and she took a deep breath. "You scared me."

"Sorry." Richard said and he went to her and petted the stallion before he moved the bridle a little bit. "There is nothing like a morning ride to clear away the cobwebs of yesterday, just don't go too far."

"Yes sir." Luna said and she let Colt jump up with her and she secured him and then enjoyed the ride across the countryside, feeling like she was riding into the most beautiful sunrise she has ever seen. She stopped at the cliff and just enjoyed the song of nature as it woke up with the colors of the morning everywhere, and then gasped when it began raining. "Oh come on."

Colt shook his head and let his tongue hang out while looking up at her.

"Okay, fine, I will enjoy it." Luna said and she held her face up to the rain and just allowed it to wash the dust of the ride away until she felt much better. "Time to go home, boys."

Colt licked her chin and then settled down again.

"Good boy." Luna said and she allowed the stallion to ride back home, smiling when the sun came out shortly afterwards. "Just enough for a morning shower."

"You know, it is much easier just showering in the house." Chase said when Luna came back into the yard.

"You couldn't have told me that sooner?" Luna asked and she giggled before letting Colt jump off. She walked to the hay bales with the stallion and then tried dismounting by herself before she landed flat on her back when her injured knee just buckled under her, and she burst out in giggles. "Now I need another shower. This is embarrassing."

Chase smiled and he helped her up and kissed her hungrily. "That is why you should not try and dismount on your own just yet."

Luna smiled and she petted the stallion. "Would you mind drying him off?"

"He is dry already." Chase said. "Or dry enough. If we rub them too much, the oils in their skin gets compromised. A little early morning summer shower is nothing. Leave him in his paddock and he will be happy, but I will take his saddle and bridle off for you so that you can go and shower, again."

Luna giggled and she kissed him before she went back into the house.

"You are a mess." Rachel said.

"Okay, so I went riding and I fell halfway off the horse, into the only puddle left on the yard." Luna said.

"You went riding with a broken ankle and injured knee?" Jeremy asked.

"Dad, relax." Luna said. "I've been riding all week, and the movement has helped the blood flow which has helped my knee and my foot get better."

"We did team her up with one of the best horse rider sport physiotherapists in Texas." Richard said. "In a week's time the stitches are out, you can barely see the scar and the orthopedist around here said he cannot believe the injury only happened three weeks ago, in both her knee and her ankle."

"Yup, even though he wouldn't take me off my strong anti-inflammatory and painkiller, I don't count down the hours until supper time anymore." Luna said. "And my knee feels better than it has ever felt since the accident. I'm not a four-year-old anymore, dad, just let me make my own decisions."

"Just be careful." Jeremy said.

"I know, dad." Luna said and she kissed his cheek and then went up the stairs and she went to the bathroom adjoined to her room. She opened the taps and added some of the bath salts, bubble bath and the bath bomb one of the girls on Chase's side had gotten her and then she had a quick rinse off in the shower before she got into the nice warm fragrant water and sighed when the door opened.

"Breakfast will be ready at eight." Jet said sticking her head in. "Can I borrow June to be my sister when you are married? Chase said she will be his sister then, but I want to borrow her."

"Sure." Luna said and she smiled when the little girl just said thanks and then left, closing the door a little hard. She petted Colt and then enjoyed soaking in the water. She gave her hair a rinse when she saw it was seven-thirty, and then climbed out carefully and sat down on the toilet and dried off before getting dressed. She rubbed lotion over her arms and face and then applied special cuticle oil to her nails before she went downstairs.

"You should have seen Jet earlier." Joy said. "She came barging in and told Chase you said she could borrow June as her sister, because she is his sister, and brothers and sisters have to share. Poor Chase had no idea what she was really talking about, and then she was like, and that means June is my sister tomorrow, not yours."

"I was thinking something like that would happen." Luna said.

"Well luckily I had the camera rolling because I want to capture some last family breakfast footage before we go to Kenya, and so that I can show the kids that side." Leila said. "I will do a copy of that part and send it to you guys."

"Thanks Lei." Chase said and he kissed his fiancée's cheek and then helped her get seated.

"Where are the kids?" Luna asked.

"The little ones are in the living room. Mom made them some waffles, bacon and boiled eggs for breakfast, and Jess was upset because her Shimmer and Shine was on, and so we agreed to let them break the rule of no TV during meal times, because there is also not enough space in the kitchen for the adults and the kids." Bryon said. "Titus and Kayla are watching them, they said they still feel a little young for so much adult talk."

"Okay." Luna said and she bowed her head when everyone bowed their heads, and then tucked into the feast the women had created while talking with their families. "Time to get the barn decorated."

"And here are more guests." Chase said when they heard a honk.

"Is Eric and Cam." Jet squealed running past and outside.

"And the front door is still locked." Richard said.

Luna smiled and she stood up and went outside with Chase and hugged the two men who came to them with overnight bags. "You guys are just in time to help climb up ladders and string fairy lights."

"As long as I don't have to help paint nails and do makeup." Eric said and he handed Chase a box. "Mom found a bunch on some sort of clearance and I tested them and they all still worked, so I didn't know if you still needed any."

"Where have you ever heard of too much fairy lights?" Luna asked. "Thanks."

"You are welcome." Eric said.

"Let's grab some coffee and then we can get started." Chase said. "I am glad you guys could get away."

"One shift's leave." Eric said. "We were supposed to be on today, and I was smart and just handed the invite in with our leave forms. So it wasn't really that hard."

"I am glad." Chase said and he gave Jet's ponytail a tug. "Is your breakfast done?"

"No." Jet said, and she squealed when that got her a smack on her bum before she ran off.

Luna smiled and she went in with them and found the next hour to be just introducing people to each other.

"Barn now." Richard said at ten. "Luna, you have appointments."

"Yes sir." Luna said and she fetched her bag and then went to the truck and she smiled when Cory climbed in.

"Chase wanted to drive you, and his grandfather said no because the two of you discussed how it would be done, and we are currently running a little low on time." Cory said and he reversed out and drove to the spa. "Call me when you are done."

"I will. Thanks little brother." Luna said and she went in, spoke at reception and then went for her spa treatments. She gave Cory a missed call when she just had to go and pay and smiled when he came into the reception just as she entered it.

"Hey, I had to come into town to get the passion fruit cordial and the platters we ordered for a light lunch." Cory said. "So I planned it for more or less the time Aunt Seph said you would be done."

Luna smiled and she paid and thanked the ladies before she went out with Cory and climbed in.

"You look stunning." Cory said.

"Thank you." Luna said and she petted Colt when he sniffed her ear. "Down boy."

"I know you are nervous because you don't want Chase seeing you." Cory said. "The men are already in the tack room, and they can't see you, because the photographers have arrived already, so he is making sure no one sees out of the window."

"And everyone else?" Luna asked.

"Everyone else is at the mini maple forest already." Cory said. "You don't have to see anyone except me and the girls before you walk down the aisle, okay and dad."

Luna let out a sigh of relief and she smiled when her brother placed a packet of mint gum in her hand. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." Cory said and he handed her one of her little capsules. "I stopped by the clinic and the doctor gave me two mild tablets that won't react with your other meds but that you can take if you feel like you need them before supper. He said you just have to drink a glass of milk or have a few cookies or something before you do."

"You know what, you are the bestest brother I could ever have asked for." Luna said.

"Well I might have to pull Jet's tricks and borrow one of your new brothers once in a while, although they are all younger than me, but hey, I always wanted a baby brother, right?" Cory said and he smiled when she giggled.

"Well you are welcome to do so, and you also know that Uncle Bryon and Aunt Seph are going to 'borrow' you and June as often as you guys want to. I feel like our family is rich in money, but their family is definitely much richer in love than ours." Luna said.

"That is no hoax." Cory said. "I mean, I was a little skeptical about all the little kids around us in such a confined space and stuff, but the kids are generally upstairs playing and they respect our privacy, especially if we are wearing earphones or say we don't want to be bothered."

"I know what you mean." Luna said and she played with her ring. "I am a little more scared about spending the rest of the road trip married, because there is barely a curtain separating us from the world."

"Don't stress about it." Cory said. "Apparently we are going to be spending a few nights in motels because there is a heat wave coming through so by lunch time we are going to stop and move into air-conditioned rooms and have a pool at our disposal, because we are going to be at risk of dehydration in the bus because the aircon in the car won't make us realize we are losing so much fluid, so we are going to do early nights and early mornings to get as much driving as possible done."

"That is a little more of a relief." Luna said and she giggled when he chuckled. "Let's just get to the ranch so I can get married and kill at least half of these 'what ifs' in my head?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Cory said and he smiled at her and stopped for coffee for her before he drove to the ranch. "I will see you later."

"You will. Thanks little brother." Luna said and she hugged him before she climbed out and then went into the house and up to the main bedroom where they were being told to get ready.

"You look stunning." June said when she saw her sister.

"Thank you." Luna said and she went to the bed and flopped down on it.

"Come on, you need to get changed." Joy said.

Luna nodded and she sat up and looked at her friends and sisters. "You girls look nice."

"Thank you, now stop stalling." Joy said and she pulled Luna's shirt carefully over her head.

Luna gave her a pout and then took her brace and her jeans off. She rubbed lotion into her skin and then put the brace back on and looked at her toenails. "I never even realized they did my toenails, was probably while I took a nap during the facial."

"Probably." June said and she put her earrings in.

"Scoot." Joy said when her sisters and June was done. "We will do a couple of photos together outside once the men have left."

"We will go and get the bouquet's ready." Sarah said and she ushered the two little ones out.

Luna smiled at her best friend and soon to be sister-in-law and then pulled her dressing gown on and went to the mirror. She watched as the makeup artist added some very fine mother-of-pearl glitter hearts with a stencil to the corner of her eyes before a silver swirl went through between them.

"That is beautiful." The photographer said and she smiled at Luna and then handed her a soft white hoodie with elbow-length sleeves. "Pull it on and then turn your back to me."

"Without anything else but my undies on?" Luna asked.

"Yup." The photographer said. "Just because it is your wedding photos, doesn't mean everyone has to see it. The men are told not to do anything too weird, because I do the editing."

Luna smiled and she took her dressing gown off and pulled the hoodie on and then looked at the back in the mirror. "I love the faux jewels spelling out Bride."

"And it exposes this down here." Joy said touching the lettering. "You should add two more?"

"Why two?" Luna asked.

"Number three, the day you felt ready to let go, and number four, today's date." Joy said. "And maybe, just maybe, add the date you have a baby."

"Good thing I started it higher than what I had originally planned." Luna said and she took a deep breath.

"Look over your shoulder, but not entirely over your shoulder." The photographer said. "I want to catch the effect of your makeup and your hair, and I will do you a photo where I just crop the bottom out so no one else will know it was done in undies and your hoodie. Sound good?"

Luna nodded and she did as she was told and then changed into her gown when the photographer gave her the go ahead. "I don't miss that we had the sleeves taken out. I would have fainted from heat."

"I love what you did with the gown." Joy said. "My brother will fall for you all over again."

Luna smiled and she waited while her friend tied up the back before she pulled it completely right at the skirt. "I might just start feeling excited."

"Good." Joy said and she took the boots and veil. "We are doing a couple of photos outside."

"I want my boots." Luna said.

"Nope." Joy said. "We are doing a photo with them first."

"Okay." Luna said and she did a couple of photos in the room before they went downstairs and out to the stable. "Well at least the ground dried up again. Where are the girls?"

"Henry has them in the front yard." The photographer said. "Your matron of honor is only here because of your injured foot."

"Right." Luna said and she enjoyed doing some photos in the stable and with the stallion before she pulled her boots on and then took her cowgirl hat.

"Now I want you to pull a bold trick, but it should look amazing. Gather your skirts up and then lift your leg up like toes on the ground heel up." The photographer said. "And dip your hat, but don't make it look like you are holding your skirt up."

Luna did as she was told with some help from Joy and then smiled at her friend when they got joined by the rest of the girls for a couple of photos before they were ready to go to the maple orchard.

"Girls, on the back and bride in the cab." Joy said and she fixed Luna's veil and then took her to the truck. She helped her in and then closed the door before she made sure the girls all had their sit with the flowers and the cute little boards Jess and Jason were going to carry. She got into the driver's seat and made sure Luna and Colt were okay before she pulled away and drove down to the maple orchard. "I honestly cannot wait for my brother to see you."

Luna smiled and she petted Colt and then kissed his muzzle before she watched as they headed down the little trail to the orchard. She smiled at her dad when he opened her door for her and then climbed out and handed the leash to Austin. She moved out of the way and smiled when the young boy got Colt out of the car and made sure Jason was okay with taking the leash.

"Good boy. Stay here with Aunt Luna, I am going to go and stand with daddy, okay?" Austin said.

Jason nodded and he waved at Austin who ran around the crowd to get to his brothers.

"I can't remember the lineup." Luna said.

"And you don't have to." Joy said. "Jet is going just before the twins, and Jess is the last one to go before you. The rest you don't have to worry about."

Luna nodded and she watched as Faye took her bouquet from Jess with a kiss to the toddler's cheek and then went down the aisle, followed by June, and she felt very proud of her sister.

"She is becoming a beautiful young lady." Jeremy said.

"Have you told her that, dad?" Luna asked.

"No." Jeremy said.

"Well then it is about time you do." Luna said and she kissed his cheek. "Give her the affirmation she is craving, before she goes and looks for it somewhere else."

Jeremy nodded and he smiled at her and then watched the young women going down the aisle.

"Your turn, Jet." Luna said softly when Joy was halfway down.

Jet waved at her and then went through the curtain and she sprinkled rose petals everywhere before taking her place in next to her sister and she giggled when Jason had to pull Colt the first two steps.

Chase watched his nephew and then gave a low calm whistle which had Colt stop giving the little boy so much hassles. He gave the dog a treat from his pocket and then patted his head and smiled when everyone just went 'awww' when Jess came down the aisle with her board hanging from one arm while she had a teddy under the under arm, looking completely scared out of her wits. "Joel."

Joel smiled at his brother-in-law and then went and stood in front of the aisle and he held his arms open to his daughter, making her whole face light up and she did a little run-walk to her daddy before getting scooped up. "Good job."

Chase smiled at his niece and then turned his attention back to the curtains when 'Fight Song' began playing.

"For those of you who do not know, Luna was married for six months before her ex filed for divorce after she was in a car accident while he was in Portugal because the doctors didn't expect her to get up out of the bed and walk within a week like she did, because she had suffered a traumatic brain injury, and his real reason isn't for me to tell, but what the family knew the day in the hospital, was that he wasn't willing to stick around and have to put his career on hold for his wife, and he had to move to Portugal because his grandfather was sick and on his deathbed, last we knew." June said into a microphone. "And today we not only celebrate the fact that my sister found new love, this time we believe it to be true and real, but we also stand as witnesses to how far she had come from two years ago, and everyone who is here today who got invited by Luna, without even asking Chase, and there are a couple, my parents, and Luna, and especially me and my brother, would like to thank you guys for never giving up on her, and for also never giving up on us, because a lot of people told me and Cory that we shouldn't feel the way we did, because it was her life that got messed up and not ours, but I want to say to everyone here who is married, who is getting married and especially to those who might be contemplating divorce, it isn't just about you and what you want and what your partner want. You are breaking a family apart, you are hurting families, your kids, your siblings, your parents, your grandparents, even your friends. So please, stick to your vows, stick it out with your wife or your husband. The only time it would be for the benefit of your family if you get divorced, is if your spouse is cheating on you and if your spouse is abusive, verbally, emotionally, physically or sexually. And we have heard people say that sexually is physically, but there is a difference. You can beat a person up, and it's not sexually, or you can abuse them sexually, and not leave one physical mark on them, so know the difference, and find help if that is what is happening to you or to a friend, but don't just leave your spouse because they are working on your nerves. My brother works on my nerves some days, and I have no choice but to work it out with him, because well obviously I cannot divorce him, but I also cannot give him a legal paper that says he isn't my brother, but also because I love him, he is my brother, as much as I've hated him a couple of years ago, I wouldn't want to live my life without him, and that is the type of love you want. So just think about it before you do something that 'doesn't affect other people' because I know that is a lie. Yes, I did ask to do this before the ceremony because I wanted to get this done, and it also explains to everyone the significance of this song as my sister's wedding song, and that means I am not doing a speech at the reception. So if everyone will please stand with us, and yes, my sister did break her ankle and then decide to do her wedding three weeks later, so just keep that in mind if anyone wants to hug her or anything later on. Thank you."

Chase smiled at the young woman when she climbed off the stage and then turned his attention to the front, and he placed his hand over his mouth when he saw his bride looking beyond stunning. He smiled when some of the police officers who has been walking the path with them and some of Luna's friends from the hospital whistled when the chorus started. He went down from the stage when she reached the front with her dad and then kissed her forehead before he took her hand and shook Jeremy's hand.

"I made a mistake once, do Not be the reason I feel like I made it a second time." Jeremy said.

"Not in a million years, sir." Chase said and he smiled when Jeremy hugged him before he looked at Luna and took a deep breath making her smile.

Luna kissed his cheek and then wiped the tears that had made their way down his cheeks before she turned to the pastor and laid her head against Chase's shoulder.

Chase kissed her finger after the opening prayer and then just enjoyed the ceremony with his bride, and he slid the ring onto her ring finger after his vows and then kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you more." Luna said softly and she placed her hands over her mouth when he showed Cory and June to join them.

"I am going to do this because I know how hurt these two got because not only are these three siblings close, but they were in the hospital room both times their ex-brother-in-law verbally abused their sister by telling her she was worthless and unworthy and anything demoralizing you can think of telling a young woman of twenty-one." Chase said after taking the mic from the pastor. "And some of my cousins knew about it, I had to work really carefully for them not to know it, and they were asking why, because you know, I am marrying their sister, not them, but it's not about that. This isn't about who I am marrying or not, this is about making a promise to two very special young adults, that no matter what life throws at us, I will not toss their sister to the curb and demoralize her and tell her she is trash. It is about making sure that they know, and I mean that they really know, and have a symbol to remind them that I will be an example to them as the older brother they both see me as, on how June needs to be treated as a young lady by other men, and for Corin to know how to treat any other lady, his future wife, his sister, the outcast at college, the Ms. Popular at college, any girl wherever he goes, because just maybe, if we taught our sons how to treat a girl, and taught our daughters how to be treated, and to expect nothing less, then just maybe we can drop the child suicide rate of our country."

Luna smiled and she laid her one hand on June's waist and the other on Cory's shoulder.

"I was going to get you a necklace, but I decided that if you do sports and so on, it could be annoying, so I got you a ring and it is meant for your left hand, but I made it for your middle finger, because I am not proposing to you or marrying you." Chase said and he showed June the dainty silver ring with an infinity sign on. "I promise to always love your sister the way I should, and to resolve any issues we have, the proper way, whether it be counseling or whatever, because she is important to me and you guys are important to me, and I don't want to hurt her or you guys, because that is not what families do, and I really hope that I am an example of what you should expect from men, and I know this is your dad's job, but remember, I am not your dad, so if you don't know how to talk to your dad, then I am always there, and I will even go talk to your dad with you, and nothing you do could ever make your sister hate you. She will always love you, and it will be my job to make sure that I never allow anything you do, to put a rift in our relationship, because let's face it, you are both still very young and you are going to make mistakes, and sometimes the pettiest mistakes get seen the wrong way the easiest."

June nodded and she watched as he placed the ring on her left middle finger and she giggled when Cory stuck his hands into his pocket and did an innocent whistle, and she wiped her cheeks. "Thanks Chase."

"You are welcome." Chase said and he hugged her and then held a solid silver ring with black trimming out to Cory. "Yours is engraved with an infinity sign inside, and both of you have the engraving 'always and forever' inside, and whoever you date and one day want to marry, will need to accept this because this doesn't affect their position in your life."

Luna smiled and she took the ring and placed it on her brother's left hand before she kissed his cheek.

"You are the bestest brother ever." Cory said.

"What am I supposed to say?" June asked. "You are my brother, and Chase is my brother."

"Well I was mean to you a couple of years ago, for an extended period of time." Cory said. "So I won't be too upset if you said he was the best, but I guess this is where Luna's dark times matured us as well, because we have only gotten closer since it happened, but you are still not allowed to date anyone, unless he likes video games, respect mom and dad, don't ever tease you, that's my job, and never criticize you. Oh, and he needs to agree that he will be the baby brother in the family, I don't care if he is twenty or a hundred, he will be the baby brother in the family."

"Wow." June said and she leaned closer to his ear. "Can I steal Jordan?"

"June." Cory said.

"Okay you two, later." Luna said and she gave Cory a firm look. "Shhht."

"Fine." Cory said.

"One last thing, and then we will continue on the traditional path." The pastor said and he took a wooden box from the table off to the side and opened it before he handed each of them a vial of colored sand and then took a glass pitcher out.

"I know we agreed on this, but I decided to let Cory and June join us, because this means we give them permission to keep us accountable, and it means we reserve the right to get offended if they take us on about something." Chase said.

"What haven't you thought about?" Luna asked.

"Hopefully I didn't miss something." Chase said.

"So to explain to everyone the meaning of this. They will pour their sand into the pitcher and mix it up and if they ever want to get divorced, they need to be able to separate each and every single grain of sand into its color. Only once they have accomplished that, are they allowed to get a divorce. I had a couple come up to me once after having done this, and they were adamant they were going to get a divorce, so I kept them to this, and they sat down and began working on it, and a week later they came to me and said they wanted a renewal of vows because they were so frustrated while trying to sort out the sand that everything just came out and they were really letting the other one have it, and when they realized they actually both felt the same way and had communicated, they decided to try and make it work. I agreed to that, but they had to go through marriage counseling first. They have been married for thirty years this year. They just have this thing that as soon as they get fed up, one of them takes the vial, pours it out on a tray and say, we are sorting out the sand, and the communication happen, and they make up." The pastor said. "And I am not saying it will work for everyone, but it might."

"You guys don't ever have such heavy fights; I hate sorting things, and the finer the thing, the more I hate it." Cory said making everyone laugh.

"We will try." Luna said and she smiled at Chase and then poured the sand into the pitcher with him and her two siblings, and she smiled when the two of them had a ball shaking it up and making sure it was properly mixed.

"That looks kind of pretty." June said.

"We will pour sand back into the vials after the ceremony." The pastor said taking the pitcher. "Thank you, guys."

"You are welcome." June said and she went back to the other bridesmaids when Luna gave her a nod.

"By the power vested in me, I now have the privilege of pronouncing you husband and wife. Chase, you may kiss your bride." The pastor said.

Chase smiled at his wife and then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her intimately, yet mind-blowingly softly while the chorus of 'Fight Song' began playing above the applause of everyone. He smiled at her when they pulled away and then kissed her again softly before he turned her to the crowd once she was ready for it.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Chase Elijah Richard Colton." The pastor said and he applauded with everyone and then showed them to settle down. "We still have the signing to do, but while they do that I have been asked to tell you guys to start moving out and the bridal party will be waiting at the curtains to give all the ladies a little aquamarine and black bracelet made from little leather straps and all the men will get a little leather key chain. Chase's cousins made them, and they have an infinity sign charm on and that is for you to keep, and then the little ones have a silicone bracelet with the words, 'keep fighting, you are not alone' embossed in them. That one is for you to give to someone else who you know is fighting a mental disorder, it could be PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, anorexia, you name it. With the little card in with the bracelet, it will show you what the color is for. Aquamarine is PTSD awareness, and no the wedding wasn't done in those colors because of it, it just so happens to be Luna's favorite color. So the leather bracelet is for you to keep, and the silicone one is for you to give away. Later when everyone has gotten a bracelet, Faye and Austin will be going around and you can exchange yours if you have a specific person in mind, or you can just grab another one to give to someone else. So everyone has to go through the middle."

"And there are bubbles." Jet said.

"And please don't forget to take some bubbles from the twins." The pastor said making everyone laugh.

Luna smiled up at Chase and she went to the table with him and sat down before she looked at the fancy pen.

"Those are pa's very expensive Parker pens that he only takes out for the specialist of occasions." Chase said. "The very first card I wrote for my gran for her birthday the year I turned seven, I was allowed to write with one of these pens, and apparently I am the only one who has had that privilege."

"Wow." Luna said and she signed where she got told to sign and then laid her head on his shoulder while their dads were signing. "Power nap time."

Chase smiled and he kissed her fingers and then had communion with her and the pastor before he helped her up. "How about a piggyback ride?"

"In my wedding dress?" Luna asked and she jumped on his back when he nodded and then kissed his ear. "I like you, I think I'll keep you."

Chase chuckled and he took her down the aisle and then carried her past everyone and put her down on the ground once they made it past the last guest. He kissed her softly and then hugged his family and friends.

"Let's do the group photos and then we can go get a snack." The photographer said. "But we will do it in two groups. Colton family goes with Henry, and Stone family comes with me, but because of Luna's injury we will leave her at one spot and move the groups around her. So to start with, Chase is going to do photos with all the men in both families and his friends, and Luna will do photos with the women, once that is done, we will do mom and dad and then the siblings before we do one big photo, and Henry will be using the drone for that as well, and then snacks will be made available and we will do odds and ends photos before we whisk them away for their own photos."

"That sounds like a very good plan." Luna said. "Before we start that, I quickly want a photo of me, Chase and my two siblings with the rings."

"Okay." The photographer said.

"I have the perfect idea for that." Chase said and he caught the leather jackets he got tossed and handed them to each of the three siblings after checking stuff.

"Now this, is stylish." Luna said while pulling it on.

"I am going to change it a little bit though." Chase said and he pulled Cory to stand behind June and then placed the young man's arms around his sister's shoulders. "Now put your hand on his arm, June."

"Stunning." The photographer said after she took the photos. "You guys join them with the exact same pose."

Luna smiled at Chase and joined her siblings and she smiled when they turned around and she could see the back of their jackets that read 'bride protection services'. "Now that is cool."

"Let's make it spy-style." Titus said and he took two sunglasses and handed it to the two.

"You guys." Luna said and she smiled at Chase. "You planned all this."

"Of course I did." Chase said and he kissed her softly.

"I want some serious poses from you two spies, and you two non-spies look up at each other." The photographer said. "Cross your arms over each other and put a foot out or even turn a little to the side like you are going to be leaning against a wall."

Luna smiled up at Chase and she enjoyed the few photos with her siblings before they did other group photos without the leather jackets and sunglasses. "This was fun, now I need some food."

Chase smiled and he took her to the tables set up under the trees and they got some finger foods before going off on their own little photo adventure.

"My leg hurts now." Luna said softly when they were getting ready to go back to the barn after having been in the stable for photos.

"I just want one more quick photo, but you are welcome to carry on." The photographer said and she changed some stuff. "Leave Colt here for a second."

"Colt, stay with Chase." Luna said and she kissed her husband before she moved on.

"Go down on one knee and make him give you a fist bump or a high-five." The photographer said. "Something that says, we did it, because I have heard the story."

Chase smiled and he went down on one knee and then held his hand up for Colt. "High-five, buddy."

Colt looked at him and then held his paw up before he pressed it against Chase's hand.

"Good job." Chase said after the photo was taken and he petted the beautiful dog before they went to the barn. "The cake is still a mystery it seems."

Luna smiled at him and she was more than happy to sit down on the camping chair outside.

Chase kissed her softly and then went to Joel and Eric who were speaking to the side. "Hey."

"Hey." Joel said.

"We are just making sure everything is set inside, and the cake guys ran a little late, so they are just setting up as well." Eric said.

"Great." Chase said. "The amount of walking is catching up with Luna, so she is tired, and her leg is sore, so just sneak a chair in under the table for her leg."

"Okay." Eric said and he walked off.

"I loved what you did with Cor and June." Joel said. "It spoke books to both of them, but I could see that Cor was very close to tears."

Chase nodded and he checked to see where the young man was, and he smiled when he saw both young adults were walking around with their jackets on and the sunglasses on their heads.

"They have been loving the attention it got them." Joel said.

"I can imagine." Chase said. "I am going to go and sit with Luna."

"Have fun." Joel said.

"Thanks." Chase said and he went to Luna and sat down next to her and enjoyed the stories that went around until everyone was called to gather around. He helped Luna up and then took her to the barn doors and smiled when June and Cory appeared next to the floor manager whom they met from Cinnabon.

"Good evening everyone, I am Quentin, and I am a floor manager at Cinnabon. I met this lovely couple at Cinnabon the day after they got engaged, and it slipped out that they just got engaged the day before, so I did a little something for them to congratulate them, and our lovely bride said she might do Cinnabons for her party favors, but they ended up doing something different with the party favors, and with Cinnabon. I am here to tell you that their wedding cake was done courtesy of Cinnabon, and thus it is not actually an actual cake, and in my personal opinion, the best cake substitute I have yet seen. The cake isn't standing on the same table as all the other food, so please, just keep your kids away from that table until the bride and groom have had their first portion of it." Quentin said. "So without further ado, welcome to the Colton Wedding Reception, and may you have a wonderful evening, but don't eat too much."

Chase smiled at Luna and he smiled even more when she gasped softly when the doors opened, and she could see just how awesome it really looked. "There is no other light in here than from the fairy lights and the candles."

"Wow." Luna said softly and she went in with him and got their seats. "This is amazing."

"I am glad you think so." Chase said and he kissed her fingers and then laid her hand on his lap.

"Good evening everyone, I am Eric, and I am Chase's best friend and usually the voice on the other side of the police radio, and sometimes it is hard if you can hear he is getting a little tense, knowing his history, but that is meant for later. I am also the best man, and thus you will probably hear and see a lot of me, but for now, I will not keep anyone in suspense any longer, because I am starving, so let's say grace and then we can eat, but on request of the family, the elderly folk go first, then the family and then everyone else. Quentin and his assistant are there to make sure no one messes with the gorgeous 'cake' table, and he does have big knives, so don't mess with him." Eric said and he bowed his head and then said grace. "Bon Appetit."

"What would you like, angel?" Chase asked.

"I don't know, anything that looks good." Luna said. "But definitely some of Lei's cream puffs and some of pa's smoked BBQ chicken."

Chase smiled and he kissed her and then went to the tables with their plates and he waited while the elderly folk got food and then got some food for him and Luna. He went back to the table and placed her plate in front of her and sat down next to her. "Your parents look a little out of place."

"That won't surprise me." Luna said. "I can't remember when they went to a barbeque with friends, let alone a church one."

Chase nodded and he tucked into his food and just enjoyed the evening with his wife and their family.

"Hi everyone, I am Cory, Luna's brother. I am not much of a speech maker, so I am not going to say much." Cory said and he played with his ring. "Our family went through a really rough time in the last two years, and then we met the Colton family about six months ago, if that far back, and Chase gave Colt to Luna, and invited her to join his police shift for basketball games and she went because she felt accepted among them and slowly she began getting out in the world again, but there was still something missing, and it really bugged me, and then Uncle Bryon invited us on this road trip with them, because my mom and dad are busy doing a bit of traveling of their own, and are not taking us 'kids' with, so we agreed because when Chase was at our place for a coffee or a something usually because he brought Luna home after a rough day at the hospital, he included us, and so we came on this road trip, and that was when it hit me, this is what family was, and my parents did an amazing job raising us, but after Luna's accident and the divorce, mom and dad got distant from us, we didn't know how to say how we feel, and they didn't want us to feel like they are prying, so as siblings we became close, because somehow we could relate to how the other one felt, but we felt distant from our parents, and when we came on this road trip, we were included even on our distant days we were still pulled in over supper time, included in the conversation and just made to feel like family. And I just want to thank my parents for letting us come, or at least for letting June come, Lu and I could've come without their consent, but for letting June join us, and then I also just want to thank Uncle Bry and Aunt Seph, and everyone else in the Colton family and Grandpa Richard and Gran Lila for including us so easily and making this probably one of the best summers yet, and the best thing is, the summer barely started."

Luna smiled and she applauded with everyone and hugged her brother when he came to them.

"You and June are both easy to include." Chase said. "But you are welcome."

Cory smiled at him and then went back to where the bridal party was sitting.

"I am not going to go into a lot of details people, but remember this, be kind to everyone you meet, because you don't know what battles they are fighting, and that is very true. Chase and I had probably the most heroic and defining moment in our lives when we were fifteen after something that happened right next door to us, and it nearly killed Chase a couple of times, and it definitely left me scarred emotionally for more than a year before I found the counselor who treated the cause, and not just the symptoms. Chase took a little longer, he found his 'medicine' in the average high school nerd and lots of bible study. I think I will just show you guys the presentation I compiled, but before we do that, there are some sensitive photos for the kids, but the adults should be okay with it, but if you consider your sensitivity to be that of a child, the ranch hands are outside and will be playing some campfire songs for the kids and the teenagers, but the adults are welcome to join them from time to time, and so I will give everyone five minutes to do that while I make sure this thing works." Eric said and he went to the soundman and checked the computer and the screen and then sat down at the bridal party table and he waited until Chase gave him a nod before he started it. "These photos go back from kindergarten where we first met, and up to the point where I got an engagement photo."

Chase smiled at Luna and then watched the presentation and he smiled when everyone burst into applause when it was over.

"That is our life story as best friends." Eric said. "And the moment in time that defined who we became, and although a new chapter has started for Chase and Luna, I know that this will stay the defining moment in his life and it is also why I can say with boldness that this marriage will last because Chase never does something halfway, and from what I understand from the other side of the family, neither does Luna. She just gave up on the last marriage, because you need to learn which battles to fight, and which to surrender, and from the way she got hurt before she even knew there was a battle, I cannot blame her for just surrendering. This is going to sound very medieval-like, but here goes. A toast of victory to the battles we won, the battles we are fighting and the battles we are still going to fight, because we know who is fighting for us, and last I checked, He was still undefeated."

Luna smiled when everyone cheered around them before the toasts were done.

"According to my schedule, we are doing Joy's speech as matron of honor, Luna's best friend and Chase's sister next, and then some other formalities before we will start dancing." Eric said and he handed the mic to Joy and then went and sat.

"Evening everyone, I am also a police officer, but I promise my reason to become one isn't as action filled as that of my brother. Just daddy's little girl who wanted to be just like daddy and who made it happen, but we are not here to talk about me." Joy said. "I met Luna when she got introduced to me by my brother because he took her to the station from the hospital because he didn't feel she was okay to drive after an anxiety attack while she was on duty, remind me to one day thank my nephew when he can understand it better because he was the reason Chase was at the hospital that night. I told her to call me if she ever needed a friend, and boy, did she take me up on that once she started opening up. At one point I felt like, Lord how does she manage all this because I can barely handle hearing all of it, but we got through it, and yeah, so far it seems I am surrounding myself with people who suffer from PTSD, my brother has PTSD attacks when the right thing triggers him, it has been about two years since he last had an attack, my brother's best friend has PTSD attacks if he is awake for longer than fourteen hours, my best friend and now sister-in-law has PTSD attacks, usually just randomly, but especially if someone raises their voice, and who knows who else will cross my path that has PTSD, but it made me think, what would happen if I had to go through what they went through? Will I do it as 'graciously' as they did, or will I become as cold as the ice in the North Pole? And just as soon as I think we managed to get through something and that Luna is now just in remission, if I can put it that way, something else comes out, and I feel like, really? Why? How much more does this amazing girl hold locked up inside of her? And since I am married as well, I have realized why the bible says we should get married, because I have had times when I go to bed after talking to Luna where I feel like I got clobbered, and Kaylo picks it up so he wants to know if I am okay, and at first I was reluctant to tell him, but as we have built a relationship with Luna, he doesn't even ask if I am okay anymore, he just asks if I spoke to Luna again and then says we should pray about it, and we do, and then I feel ready for the next session, and that is why we need to get married, and it is also why we need to have friends, and I am blessed with the strongest of them all, and I have one thing left to say, and it is for both of you, but mostly for Luna. Psalm twenty. May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call! This is from the NIV, it's not my preferred translation, but it is the best I could find in a hurry."

Luna smiled at her sister-in-law and gave her a hug when she came to them and then laid her head on Chase's shoulder.

"We are not doing any throwing of any sort, and we are also not doing the first dance, sadly, so we are quickly going to explain what the envelope on your plates are for. The kids and teens under sixteen did not get one for a reason." Eric said. "When you open up your envelope, you will find a little card with an inspirational quote on, and on the back is space to write. So find a pen and write a prayer or a citation on and when you are done return it to the envelope. Once you are done, you may remove the other little card that is in there, that is for you to keep from the sponsors of tonight's dessert, and when you get up to get your dessert, you need to place the envelope in that large Cinnabon box next to the table, otherwise you cannot have dessert. I'm only kidding, they won't be watching everyone. We are going to start some line dances now so that everyone has time to write without feeling like they are being pressured if it is dead quiet in here. The next time you will hear from me, is when I say it is time for cake."

"I am going to abandon you for this." Chase said and he kissed his wife. "I love you."

"I love you more." Luna said. "Who has my meds?"

"I will find out." Chase said and he went to Eric and then joined everyone who was in the middle.

Luna watched them and she enjoyed laughing when some of them looked completely dumfounded.

"Hey." June said and she sat down next to her sister and handed her the little capsule and a glass of water. "How is your leg feeling?"

"It has felt better before." Luna said and she drank her medicine. "Thank you, and on the question, it has definitely felt worse before."

June smiled and she looked at her ring before watching the group in the middle for a while. "Okay, I am going to go and try that. Wish me luck."

"Don't break something." Luna said and she giggled when her sister shook her head.

"One of us on crutches is bad enough." June said and she joined the group for the next dance.

Luna watched her sister and then looked up when Chase joined her again.

Chase kissed her and then sat down next to her. "I told Eric we will do the cake after this. We are tired, it is already nine and I am sure everyone still wants to be able to dance off some of the sugar."

Luna nodded and she watched as everyone finished the dance before she got up and went with Chase to their very unique 'cake' when they got told to go. She took the knife from Quentin and waited for Chase to put his hand over hers before they cut the top piece that looked like an actual cake, which resulted in caramel sauce and cream cheese glaze oozing out. "Now that looks amazing."

"I am glad you guys like it." Quentin said. "It took some planning to get it flat enough on top and larger than the normal size."

"I appreciate every ounce of effort you and your staff have put into this." Luna said and she took her plate. "Now I am going to go and enjoy this."

"Please do." Quentin said. "And congratulations."

"Thank you." Chase said and he went with Luna back to their table and enjoyed the soft cinnamon bun with the caramel and cream cheese glaze, and the occasional pecan piece in.

"Do I have to share the rest?" Luna asked.

"With me, yes." Chase said and he kissed her cheek. "But no one else, promise."

Luna smiled at him and finished her piece before she got up. "I am going to go and change, because I want to spend some time visiting with our friends and family, and this gown doesn't allow me to use my crutches, unless I want to tear it."

"Go ahead." Chase said. "I will have some coffee when you are back."

"Yum." Luna said and she kissed him before she went out and back to the house.

"Hey, where are you going?" Joy asked.

"I am going to change." Luna said. "I am done sitting still on my bum, and it probably won't be long before everyone else starts heading off."

"These barn dances can last well up to midnight." Joy said and she went with Luna. "Go into the guest bathroom. I will grab your gown."

"Thanks." Luna said and she went into the guest bathroom and kicked her boots off and then took the braces off and rinsed her leg and foot.

"Here is your towel and your gel." Joy said coming in and she handed the stuff to Luna.

"Thanks." Luna said and she dried her leg off and rubbed the gel on before putting the braces back on. She pulled the clean socks on that she got handed and then stood up carefully and waited while Joy undid the back of her gown. She slipped out of it and then pulled the white dress on that was the same style skirt as her bridesmaid gowns but with a halter-neck bodice and open back. She pulled her cowgirl boots on again and then touched up some makeup and stuck some stray hairs back into place before she looked at Joy. "What do you think?"

"You look amazing." Joy said. "Much more practical, but amazing."

"Thank you." Luna said and she took her crutches and then went out with her friend and she waited while Joy went and put her wedding gown away before they went outside and back to the festivities. She enjoyed being more mobile again and visiting with her friends and family, and then went to Chase when he called her.

"Are we taking whatever is left of dessert into the RV?" Chase asked. "There is about six large boxes left."

"Sure." Luna said. "Leave a box for your grandparents if they want."

"I already asked." Chase said. "They declined."

"Okay." Luna said and she laid her head against his chest. "I want to go to sleep."

"We will go to bed shortly." Chase said. "And because breakfast is happening early due to Keaton needing to be on the airport by eight, I have arranged for us to sleep in the RV already, so if you are still lights out by then, we do not have to disturb you, because dad wants to be off by seven."

"Are you going to duct tape the rooster?" Luna asked.

"No, the poor thing." Chase said and he kissed her forehead. "Start saying your goodbyes so long."

Luna nodded and she went around hugging everyone she knew and saying goodbye to them, and she smiled when Lila gave her an extra-long hug.

"I do wish you guys stayed an extra night." Lila said.

"I did to, but with the heat wave messing up our driving plans, we have to leave a little sooner so we can make up for lost time." Luna said. "But thank you for everything. I couldn't have pulled off a better wedding, except maybe not having the brace, even if I had planned it for the next year."

"Hopefully next time we see you and Chase, you can go for the mountain rides." Lila said.

"Hopefully." Luna said and she hugged her again and then hugged Richard before going to Chase when he held his hand out to her.

"Thank you for coming everyone, and we would just like to thank the family who helped make this happen on such short notice, and our thanks goes out to Quentin and his team for the amazing dessert they catered for us. Quentin, as our thanks to you, we are sending a bunch of the mini s'mores kits with you for you and your staff, and as soon as we get our photos back, we will definitely be sending you guys a few for your shop, as well as a very big thank-you letter." Chase said.

"It was our pleasure." Quentin said.

"Cory has your gifts, and we will definitely try and make the weekend drive for some of your special Cinnabons every now and again." Chase said.

"It will be our pleasure to serve you." Quentin said and he shook their hands before going to his staff.

"That is it from us, people, goodbye to everyone we won't see in the morning, and goodnight to everyone whom we, or maybe just I, will see in the morning." Chase said and he kissed his wife's head and then said a last few goodbyes while she was heading out before he took the boxes of Cinnabons from the table and went to the RV. He placed the treats in the fridge and then fetched their luggage and got it stowed away on his bed. He put the safety net on that they installed earlier the week and then drew the curtains and locked the RV after making sure Colt was inside. "It is sad to be leaving tomorrow already."

"I know." Luna said and she went to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind and laid her head against his back. "Let's just enjoy tonight, okay?"

Chase smiled and he took her arms from around him and turned before he kissed her softly. "I think you should change and get into bed."

Luna nodded and she took her boots off and then took her socks off before she undid her hair. She brushed it out and then used a detangling spray and thermal protector on it before she began combing it out while running the straightener through it behind the comb. She shook it out once she was done and then tied it back into a ponytail and cleaned her face up before rubbing some night cream into her face. She got up carefully and turned her back to him and moved her hair out of her face. "Please help."

Chase went to her and he undid her gown and then helped her to get out of it before he hung it over the hand railing. "There is one thing I am dying to do."

"And that is?" Luna asked.

"Okay, make it two." Chase said and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck possessively, but in a soft caring way and he moved up onto her ear.

Luna laid her hands on his arms and rested back into the strength and support of his body, enjoying his lips on her skin.

"You need to get off this foot." Chase said softly on her ear and he moved a little back and helped her to get on the bed before he joined her and then smiled at her and kissed her softly before it slowly built up through soft talks and they began taking advantage of the night. He rolled over her in a certain way to immobilize most of her body and he searched her eyes at the point when he felt ready to just pass out before he kissed her softly and then moved off and turned her on her side with her back to him. He wrapped his arms around her and felt relieved when she rested into his arms with a pillow clutched to her chest and just about instantly fell asleep. He kissed her neck softly and then closed his eyes and fell asleep, and it felt like he was barely sleeping when the rooster crowed. He groaned softly and moved to get up before he stilled when Luna stirred in his arms. He kissed her neck softly and then stood up carefully and got dressed before he went outside, using the front passenger door since it made less noise in the back of the bus and grabbed the rooster standing right in front of him by his neck and carried him away from the RV. "Rocky, if you crow again, I will stick a cork in your mouth and duct tape it close."

"Someone had a late night." Richard said coming outside with two mugs of coffee. "Spare the rooster and have some coffee."

Chase took the mug and gave the rooster a glare before letting him loose. "Thanks pa."

"You are welcome." Richard said. "Where is your girl?"

"Hopefully still sleeping." Chase said. "She was still sleeping when I left."

"Good." Richard said. "She got her meds later than usual, and she wasn't able to crash at ten like she normally does."

Chase nodded and he grabbed the rooster when he began crowing again and held him by the neck while drinking his coffee.

"Someone seems to be thinking how to make KFC out of my rooster." Lila said coming outside.

"That obvious?" Chase asked. "I'm used to be awoken by alarms at weird times with weird hours of sleep, but if he wakes Luna up, I won't be held responsible for my actions."

"Just put a diaper on for him and let him loose in the house." Josh said coming to them with a mug of coffee. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Richard said. "How is Lacy doing?"

"Pretty good." Josh said. "She was eating oats when I was there just now, poor ol' Anderson is crashed out on the hay."

"Go wake him up as soon as a couple of muffins are ready and send him to bed." Richard said.

"Yes sir." Josh said.

"Josh, have you actually let the rooster loose in the house?" Chase asked.

"About ten times." Josh said. "Your grandfather has hosted horse riding therapy camps, hence why we have two perfectly trained therapy horses. The best way to wake up ten kids who has been abused in different aspects of life, is to let the rooster loose with a diaper on to avoid messes."

"You are kidding?" Chase asked.

"Nope. Have a good day, Chase. It was nice seeing you again." Josh said and he walked off.

"He actually did that?" Chase asked.

"He did. The last couple of times he just placed Rocky in the bathtub, he cock-a-doodle-dooed until someone rescued him and took him back outside." Lila said. "Works like a charm for adults and children alike."

Chase chuckled and he took the rooster back to the pen and showed him the sun that was busy coming up. "Crow again, and I might just really find the duct tape. You can make a noise all you want when we are gone."

"Chase, stop threatening the rooster and go see if your wife is still sleeping and if I need to set a place for her too. Breakfast is about ready." Lila said.

"Yes moma." Chase said and he went back to the RV and checked in on Luna. He kissed the nape of her neck softly and then closed the windows just enough that a breeze won't destroy her dignity. He tucked the duvet in just above her hips at the back and then petted Colt. "Let's go and get you some breakfast, boy."

Colt jumped off the bed and then sat and watched as Chase cleaned up and secured the curtain before running out with him.

Chase went into the house with the beautiful dog and fed him before he sat down at the table when he saw nearly everyone has gathered already.

"Where is Luna?" Rachel asked.

"She is sleeping." Chase said. "Her meds probably still have her crashed out as she only drank it after seven last night and we only headed out of the barn close to midnight."

"Which is also why she said goodbye last night already, and why you guys slept in the RV. Now it makes sense." Leah said. "And in that case, we will not bother her."

"Thank you." Chase said and he bowed his head when Richard cleared his throat. He tucked in after his grandfather had said grace and smiled at his gran when she placed a couple of flat containers next to him and one higher one that had muffins in. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." Lila said and she kissed his cheek. "You definitely need to find time to visit more often."

"I will try, moma." Chase said and he finished eating and then finished his coffee before he excused himself. "I need to get these into the RV and take Colt for a run before we get into the RV."

"Go ahead." Richard said.

"Thanks pa." Chase said and he took the containers and then whistled for Colt before he went into the RV. He placed the boiled eggs, bacon and sausages into the fridge and then left the others on the table in the basket before he checked in on Luna and then took Colt for a run around, stopping at the stables to greet the horses before going back into the house and saying goodbye to everyone else. He helped get the luggage put away in the RV and then went into the RV when he heard Austin and Jet squealing at the bottom, and he took their arms. "What are you doing squealing like that right where Luna is sleeping?"

"Sorry Chase." Both kids said sheepishly.

"Chase." Bryon said. "Let them be, they are just excited."

"Dad, I don't mind them being excited, but they can go make a noise upstairs." Chase said and he let the two kids go. "I am trying to keep Luna asleep for at least another two hours."

"You should go back to bed, little brother." Joy said from where she was busy packing meat into the freezer.

"Joy." Chase said.

"Don't even try a but." Joy said. "The last week has been stressful for you both, you had an early morning yesterday, a super late night and then another early morning. Go back to sleep. Kaylo will take over from dad if he feels he needs to take a rest, because he probably had the most sleep since he fell asleep in the house with Jason while trying to get Jason to sleep for Joel and Sarah after you guys did the cake thing."

Chase nodded and he went outside and hugged his grandparents before he climbed back into the RV and pulled his shirts over his head. He hung them up and then went in behind the curtains before he climbed on the bed and curled up with his wife again. He kissed her shoulder softly and then turned the aircon for that part of the bus on and went to sleep shortly after.