It was with a small sense of trepidation that Kira sat in the small dressing room at the chapel once again. The meeting with Mal had gone…well she wasn’t sure how it had gone. She sensed that she wasn’t quite what he had wanted. She wasn’t sure exactly what it was he wanted, just that she wasn’t it. She also wasn’t sure that she could ever be that person. She was an international level rider that was about to compete in the biggest event of her life. She wasn’t a stay at home mom. In fact, she wasn’t entirely sure she could be a mom at all. The thought itself scared the wits out of her, more so than Crash did in his moments of pure insanity.

Kira smoothed the dress she had chosen, straightening out the wrinkles. It was simple and white and graceful. Her hair was pulled back in a clip with tendrils around her face and the length spilling down her back. The shoes, a pair of simple white heels completed the ensemble. As she made her way out of the dressing room and across the lobby to the great double doors that she had stood in front of what felt like a thousand times before, she felt her brain go into overdrive. What if he didn’t show? What if he did and at the last second decided this wasn’t right and walked away? She wasn’t sure which would be worse. Even if he explained why, it wouldn’t make the rejection feel any better.

Any minute now those great big doors, doors that seemed to lead to perpetual heartbreak for her would open, revealing whether or not he was even there. Of course, then they had to make it through the ceremony. And even that wasn’t any guarantee that their relationship would last any longer than the others had. She took a deep breath and sighed as the doors opened, briefly wondering if she should have gone back to Italy instead of throwing her name in the ring for another round.

Today was a big day for the Scott's. Mal was getting married, and the kids were hopefully getting a new mother that would love them as much as they had been loved by their own mother. Heaving a sigh, Mal straightened his tie in the mirror, smiling a little bit when Nate echoed his movements from beside him. The little guy looked exactly like Mal's brother, and more than anything, that made Mal a little sad. He didn't have any family here, besides Nicola and Nate. Nobody to tell him that they were proud, nobody to give him a reassuring pat on the back and tell him that he wasn't making a mistake by doing this. Patting his pocket, he found the jewellry box holding the ring that he was going to give Kira, before pulling it out, and kneeling down so he was on face level with Nate. A serious expression on his face, he handed the box to his nephew. "This is a very important box okay? You keep it safe for me till I ask for it." Nodding solemnly, Nate squeezed the box to himself before getting distracted with a few more things in the room. Now it was Nicola's turn. She was standing there with a little bit of a peevish expression as she tugged at her dresses. 'Uncle Mal, it's itchy!' she complained. Stifling a smile, Mal reached towards the table, and picked up the small bouquet sitting there. "This is for you, sweetie. Every flowergirl needs a pretty bouquet." Staring at the flowers before tentatively taking them, Nicola finally smiled. 'They're pretty! Jeana will be so jealous!'

Mal smirked a little, watching Nicola and Nate bounce off to do their own thing. He wasn't doing a terrible job. They were adjusting well, or so he had been told. Still, some nights Nicola cried, and sometimes Nate forgot and asked when his dad was coming home from work, but for the most part, they seemed happy. Oh god, were those fucking tears pricking at his eyes? Shit. The whole sappy wedding thing was getting to him. Taking another breath, Mal left the room, his ring bearer and flowergirl on either side of him. Moment of truth. Holding their hands was keeping him from bolting away from this Chapel, away from the responsibility. But there was also curiousity besides the panic. What would being married to Kira Morgan be like? And she had never even met the kids, today would be the first time. Entering the chapel, he smiled at the few people there he recognized. A few parents from the school, a couple guys he had met in town.

One face was missing. But he couldn't think about that. Not her, not right now. In the absence of a best man, and groomsmen, Mal wanted Nicola and Nate next to him. Tugging at the collar of his shirt, Nate looked like he just wanted to get this over with. Me and you both, bud. Mal thought, as he waited. Waited for the doors to open and reveal the woman he was going to marry. The organ swelled, and the doors opened, and there she was. She looked beautiful. Nervous, but just as beautiful as she had been on the first day they had met. Flashing her a quick smile, Mal waited for her approach, before taking her hand. "You look great." he said, a little clumsily, as the priest began the ceremony.

The day wasn’t just her wedding day (again), it was also the day she was meeting Nicola and Nate, Malcolm’s niece and nephew. There was more pressure for this one to go well, just by virtue of there being children involved. Their lives had already been messed up enough recently; they didn’t need a woman coming into their lives only to fade away. The fact that it wasn’t just all on her, Mal was going to be responsible too, did little to comfort her. There was so much societal pressure for women to be mothers that she was afraid if this failed, the brunt of the blame would be pushed onto her. It would be her fault for failing those kids. She was somewhat sure that Mal wouldn’t feel that way, but other people were another story. And this town was just small enough for rumors to take root and flourish until they became some semblance of truth.

As the doors open she felt a wave of relief was over her; he was there. She laid eyes on the children for the first time and found herself smiling at Nicola in her pretty dress and Nate in his adorable suit. She took a deep breath as she started walking down the aisle, remembering the things that Michel had told her on the phone the night before. He had, like he always did, made her feel better. She played his words through her head over and over; You are kind. You are sweet; you have the patience of a saint. You can teach them things no one else can – about the horses, about Italy, about your home. You’re a good person. You will be fine. She’d barely gotten four steps when she felt someone at her side and looked up. Michel’s bright, brilliant green eyes were smiling down at her ”Surprise.” The relief she had felt when the doors opened spread. Having at least one person on her side helped so much, something only Michel would know. Once again she was grateful he was her cousin.

When they had finally reached the end, Michel lightly kissed her cheek, nodded a quick hello to Malcolm and then took a seat in a pew. As her hand slid into Mal’s she smiled back ”Thank you, so do you” She nodded at the kids ”They’re adorable.” Then the priest was beginning the ceremony and soon it was time for her to repeat her vows, vows she had asked the priest to tweak for her slightly. She didn’t just vow to honor, cherish and love Mal, like the normal vows said. She also promised to honor, cherish and love Nicola and Nate; to watch over them, protect them and raise them to the best of her ability. She was surprised to find that her voice didn’t shake, it was clear and betrayed her intentions to stand by the words she was saying. They weren’t just for show, to impress Mal, or the people that were there for him that day. She meant them, with every fiber. The passion and drive she threw into her riding and her career would be the same passion and drive she threw into this.

For his part, Mal hadn't heard any of the rumors about Kira, hadn't been in town long enough for their poisonous talons to take hold. Sure, he had kind of gotten the vibe that Kira was wary of the kids, but what woman wasn't going to be wary? Having to connect with a future husband was hard enough, but connecting with the whole fucking family? Now that was something Mal wasn't exactly sure that he could do. From his understanding, Kira hadn't had any family in town, and it was with some surprise that he saw a man taking her hand and walking her down the aisle. And from the looks of it, it had made Kira extremely happy. Who was Mal to begrudge her that? It must have felt amazing to have family there with you, on your wedding day. Once upon a time, Mal had imagined being married with his parents and brother around him, but then his parents had passed away, and his brother had followed suit. It had left him so alone. So fucking alone, that he didn't think about it anymore. What was the point on dwelling on the past? There was none. No fucking point in thinking about the fact that for some reason, he was being punished. Having his family taken away from him, piece by piece. That maybe the reason he had agreed instantly to custody of Nicky and Nate was that he needed them as much as they needed him.

Doing the manly nod thing that men did towards the man escorting Kira down the aisle, his smile widened when she mentioned the kids. They were fucking adorable, weren't they? "Don't let them hear you say it. Their heads will grow about fifteen sizes bigger than they already are." he joked, winking at Nicky who stuck her tongue out at her uncle before continuing to ogle at Kira's dress. Women. Mal would never understand. Turning back to the look at the priest who had begun the ceremony, Mal waited for the right moments, for him to repeat the words after the priest. His seemed to go well enough, and he was quite proud for not messing up any of the words or forgetting to say something.

But Kira's. Those threw him for a moment. Freaked him out a bit, he wasn't going to lie. It was just hitting him that this was a legitimate committment. He had promised to love, honour and cherish her. He couldn't just back out now because he was getting cold feet. As heartfelt as her vows were - hell, he appreciated the fact that she was making such a huge effort - it didn't do anything to assuage his fears that he was making a huge mistake. He wasn't fucking ready for this. Wasn't ready to be tied down with someone. And the fact that Kira was so ready for this committment? Freaked the shit out of him too. What if he couldn't deliver? What if he was the fucking worst fucking partner ever? Fuck.

'Do you, Malcolm Scott, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?'

The words that Mal hadn't been ready to hear. Trying to swallow, he blinked rapidly for a few moments. "I do." Who the fuck had said that? Because Mal swore the words hadn't come out of him. But they had.

If Kira was giving off the idea that she was ready for this, she wasn’t sure where it was coming from. She wasn’t ready; she was scared out of her mind. She was committing not just to him, but to his niece and nephew. That was beyond scary, it was flat out terrifying.

”Do you, Isabella Kira-Rose Morgan-Carlito, take this man, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Shit. She hadn’t told him her name was nearly as long as the great wall of China. ”I do.” She’d just promised to do things she wasn’t entirely sure she was completely capable of doing. And then the priest, quiet happily, said ”you may now kiss the bride!” Kira nearly froze. She had to kiss him. She hadn’t thought about that. She hadn’t even begun to contemplate that. She’d had one night stands before, there was absolutely no reason she couldn’t kiss the man that was now her husband, no reason at all. So before hardly any time at all had passed, she leaned forward and very lightly kissed his lips. It was quick, sweet, and awkward. All things the situation called for.

She smiled softly then looked down at Nicola before kneeling down in front of her. ”Hi, you must be Nicky, I’m Kira, these are for you.” She offered the little girl the small bouquet of roses she had been holding, hoping she would take them. She hadn’t been planning on carrying a bouquet initially, but the thought that Nicky would like them had changed her mind. From the few things she had asked Malcolm about the kids, she had determined that Nicky was a very typical girl. She liked pink, frilly things and butterflies. Kira knew she could handle all of that, easily. Nate would be harder. He liked dinosaurs and he was a boy. And she almost nothing about little boys. Sure, she’d grown up with Michel, but he was closer to Mal’s age then her’s.

She had taken what little knowledge she had about them though and created two bedrooms and a playroom that she hoped they, and Mal would like. That would come later though. For now she turned her attention to Nate and smiled softly at him. ”Hello Nate.” She did know enough about little kids to know they didn’t always like to be touched by strangers so she didn’t try to shake his hand, just in case. Once she felt she had properly introduced herself to the kids, she stood up again, to find Michel standing just a couple of feet to one side of her, he’d moved nearly silently from his spot.

”Malcolm, this is my cousin, Michel Carlito. Michel this is my…husband, Malcolm.” She stumbled over the word a bit, unused to saying it, at least when referring to Mal. Oh well, there was plenty of time to adjust to that, later. Hopefully before she left for London; hopefully by then this would all seem normal and perfectly sane. Because at the moment – she wasn’t entirely sure that marrying a man with custody of two children had been her most sane idea.