Deserving by Mel Part of The Jess Chronicles

"Do you Jessica Rebecca Rebadow take Vincent Henry Tanner as your lawfully wedded husband...?"

The words echoed in Vin's mind as he watched his bride across an expanse of lawn. The reception was winding down and this was the farthest he'd been away from her since they'd been pronounced man and wife. It took his breath away to see her, chatting with her family members, making her way toward him, easily maneuvering the ponderous hooped skirt of her wedding dress around the picnic tables elegantly decorated for a wedding.

Their wedding.

Jessica Rebecca Rebadow was his wife.

Vin didn't think his heart could stand it.

Jesse met his eyes across the dozen yards and Vin winked at her. She grinned back at him, her veil dancing in the warm breeze coming off the lake. In the background someone's CD player filled the air with Jesse's favorite love songs. Vin caught the slight sway of her body to the music as she held her hands up to him, and in an instant he was at her side and she was in his arms.

They didn't kiss, Jesse knew this was too public for Vin, to kiss in front of all of his friends, and most of her family. He'd had a hard time kissing her during the ceremony. She rested her head on Vin's shoulder and his arms held her tight and tighter, and he closed his eyes against her soft hair, breathing in the roses that decorated her veil and didn't do her justice.

"Love you Tanner..." she whispered so only he could hear it.

"Love you too Reb..."

"Take a walk with me?" she lifted her head to ask.

"Through hell and back if need be." Vin answered, his voice and meaning so serious that tears came to Jesse's eyes, and she tucked a quick, loving kiss on his lips before leading him off.

+ + + + + + +

Chris watched Vin and Jesse steal away toward the crumbled remains of an old stone wall at the top of the grass lawn overlooking the beach. He looked around, taking count of the groom's side: he and Mary, Nathan and Rain, JD and Casey, Ezra and Li, Buck, and Josiah who was escorting Nettie. Then Chris looked over the bride's side, and didn't even try counting. They were outnumbered. Ten to one easy. Buck came over to stand with Chris under the huge old black walnut tree.

"What did you say happened to Arielle?" Chris asked, accepting a cup of punch from Buck.

"Aww, she had to fill in for a friend a'hers at the hospital...full moon y'know ...babies don't wait for time nor tide..."

"I remember..." Chris agreed. "Vin seems real happy, doesn't he? Never thought I'd see him this happy."

"The boy did himself real good...couldn't ask for a finer woman, not for Vin. He doesn't hide himself around her. She's got a real good mix of needin' and offerin' strength. Wouldn't have thought he had it in him to win such a prize...he's come a long way since the first time I laid eyes on him."

Chris nodded and his eyes searched the party again for Mary. She stood knee deep in aunts and cousins, lost in conversation. "A good woman will do that for you." he said.

+ + + + + + +

Jesse tucked up one of her hoops and sat on a level edge of decaying stone wall. Vin sat down next to her, had to actually sit on yards of moiré taffeta just to be near her. He took her into his arms again, and this time gave her the kiss he couldn't in front of everyone. They kissed awhile, lost in love and each other. When they parted, Vin found he couldn't keep from looking deep into her eyes.

"I can't believe you married me..." he said. "I can't believe that I'm married to the most beautiful woman in the world."

"Well Babe, I'm giving you seventy five, eighty years tops to get used to the idea..." she leaned in to kiss him again. "...but not a minute longer..." After a few seconds she pulled back to grin. "I think it's about time we blew this fracas...what d'you say?"

+ + + + + + +

They intended to slip off quietly, but Jesse took a minute to say goodbye to her sister, and Vin wandered over to Chris. "We're headin' out..." he said it shyly, and turned to watch Jesse again, gathered with her sister and now a few female cousins under another massive tree.

"I'm real happy for you Vin...proud of you too."

Vin smiled at Chris. "Thanks..." More and more cousins came over to wish Jesse well and goodbye, and she hugged them each enthusiastically, catching a moment to shine a smile at her beloved. "I don't deserve her." Vin said suddenly. "What made me ever think I deserved her?"

Chris looked at Vin. He was serious, not just the serious question of a man who couldn't believe his luck, but the seriousness of a man who feared his luck. "She is a beautiful woman..." Chris agreed. "Smart, got steel in her spine that's for sure, talented, generous, successful..." he gave Vin a nudge to make him turn. "She deserves you..."

It took a few seconds for the meaning behind the words to make sense to Vin. He grinned at Chris and thumped his shoulder. "See you Cowboy!" and made a straight line for Jesse. He plowed right through the growing throng of family saying goodbye, and swept Jesse up in his arms.

"Come on woman - daylight's burnin'!!" he growled and carried her to his truck fifty feet away. He set her on the hood and - in front of God and everybody - Vin Tanner gave Jessica Rebecca Rebadow a kiss that took her breath away.

END