Yes, I realize I am using Jericho's father, Ted IRVINE, yet Chris is referred to as Jericho.  Please suspend your disbelief, ok? :)

Thank you to Maria and Mari for all the help, Maria telling me how exactly to work out the nitty gritty details, Mari threatening me for this and helping out with some locations

Thank you to everyone who encouraged this series so far, without your feedback I'd never have gotten this far :)  Thanks also to Bliss, for posting the "First Date" challenge that started this series.

A cautious wave should go out to Lady Jackyl.  I tried to make this story as unique as possible, but there are some similarities to "I Do" that I couldn't help, including how this fic is split up.  These were not intentional (especially the splitting up, that was done due to my lack of time and proper planning) and I really hope nothing here makes you angry.  The same goes for Bliss and any others who have written wedding fics.

I know next to nothing about civil unions and I haven't been to a wedding in about 5 years.  Therefore, please excuse any factual errors I have made, all I was going on was the information from  http://www.sec.state.vt.us/pubs/civilunions.htm

If you'd like to see or read about the place where I imagine this taking place, you can go here http://www.sinclairinnbb.com.   Please, for your own amusement, take note of the town where the lovely place is located * g *

Now that the notes are long enough to be a story themselves, on with it :)

Title: Right There (1/3)
Disclaimer: I don't own them.  The song "Always Be Right There" belongs to Bryan Adams.

"Have I said already what kind of shitty luck this is?"  I hopped on my crutches so I was facing Joanie.  "I mean...how am I supposed to walk like this?  This is the most important day of my life, and I'm on crutches like a damn cripple...."

Joanie set her hand gently across my mouth, and I resisted the urge to bite her.    "Calm down!" she ordered.  "Everything will be fine, we worked this out already, remember?"

I took a deep breath.  "Yeah......so?  We worked out that this is really shitty luck."

Joanie rolled her eyes.  "Look, you can either bitch all through this thing or you can think about the fact that regardless of your leg, you have someone who loves you and you can shut up.  Your choice."

I sighed.  "I just wish we could get ON with it.  It's the waiting that's killing me."  I leaned against the wall, trying to keep my weight off my leg.  Fuck, it was sore.  I didn't mean to be such a bitch to her, but what's the odds on that kind of timing?  We'd been planning this thing for three months now, everything was going fine, and then BAM I'm on crutches because of my damn quadricep.

Joanie nodded in what I guessed was sympathy, looking around the small garden to make sure everything was set up right.  I let my eyes follow hers.  The assorted guests were all sitting properly in the benches, the flowers were all where they should be, the Justice of the Peace stood near the podium...all seemed to be in order.  She glanced over at Chris, and his father nodded from where he was quietly trying to get him from playing with his tie.

Taking a deep breath, she signaled Eddie to hit the play button on the stereo.  Immediately, the cheesiest rendition of "Here Comes The Bride" known to man came blaring out.  I could see Shawn Michaels start to fight laughter in the audience.  Thanks Shawn, I love you too.  Damn, why did we choose to use that damn song again?

After considering all the options, including marriage in Hawaii and just signing the damn civil union without a ceremony, our parents and Joanie had forced us into a traditional type of wedding.  We had talked them into letting us have it outdoors, but we were still stuck with the customary flower girls, ring bearers, and other ceremonies that would at least make the parents happy.  The only concession that we had been made to our unique circumstances was that both of us would act as the "brides", with Joanie giving me away (something I'm sure she's been waiting to do for quite awhile) and Chris's father giving him away.

Joanie nudged Noelle Foley to start with the procession.  The seven-year-old began her walk down the aisle, flinging rose petals every which way.  Her nine-year-old brother Dewey followed close behind with the rings.  I offered up a silent prayer that he didn't drop them.

Once they were at the end of the pathway, the "bridesmaids" and "ushers" started.  Billy and Jesse practically skipped along, while Sean and Kane followed much more sedately behind them.

And now...now...the sound of the music faded away from my ears as the butterflies began playing golf in my stomach.  You'd think after doing thousands of promos I'd be used to this, but no such luck.  Joanie slips her arm though mine as I begin to swing my way down the aisle, cursing the crutches the whole time.  Luckily, Joanie is patient and helps me along the not altogether solid ground.  Just in time, I remember to smile for all the picture-takers.

As I walked, my eyes searched the benches of wedding guests trying to find my parents. Poor folks, they're trying to be as supportive as they possibly can, but I can tell it freaks them out that their son is marrying another man.  I finally found them sitting in the back.  My mom smiled weakly at me, while my father stared over at Chris and his father.  I was confused for a moment, then realized he was trying to figure out what the hell a professional hockey player was doing at a gay marriage.  I snickered to myself and kept hobbling.

Finally, I reached the end of the aisle.  Joanie helped me to turn and face...oh God, he was so beautiful.  Chris was grinning at me, his smile brighter than the sun.  "How's your leg?' he mouthed.

I rolled my eyes comically.  "Just fine," I mouthed back.

Then, the Justice cleared his throat, and we both looked at him attentively.  "Ready to start?"  he whispered to us.  We both nodded and he began.  "Dearly beloved, we are here today to witness the union of Hunter Helmsley and Christopher Jericho."  I glanced over at Chris and he gave me a nervous grin.  I think it was just hitting him too, that this was it, the big day, what we had been preparing for for months.  The Justice continued on.  "If anyone has reason while this couple should not be joined, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."  I could see Sean getting up to be a smartass, but Kane grabbed him around the waist and held him in his lap.  The Justice smiled a bat at the antics.  "The couple has decided to write their own vows."

I suppose that's my cue.  I swallow and stare into Chris's eyes, trying to remember the words I had written the night before.  He smiled at me encouragingly and I finally worked up the courage to start.  "My life used to be a mess.  I was breaking up with my girlfriend, my career was beginning to look less promising, and I thought love had abandoned me.  Then, my best friend," I smiled briefly at Joanie, "set me up on a blind date.  One year ago today, I took a chance.  I went through with that date and that night, I got to spend time with the most beautiful person I have ever known."  At that, Chris blushed and looked away.  I tilted his head back up.  I wanted to be watching him while I said this.  "The months that followed weren't always easy, but they proved to me one thing.  I was meant for this man and he was meant to me."  I took a deep breath.  "I, Hunter Helmsley, promise to you, Christopher Jericho, that I will take you as my spouse, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, and I will love, honor, and protect you, and accept and adore the love, honor and protection that you bring to me, for the rest of your life and the rest of mine."

By the end of this, I was trembling and Chris was blushing a deep shade of red.  He tucked a lose strand of hair behind his ear, trying to steady himself.  Finally, he began to speak quietly.  "Trust is the most important thing in a relationship.    To build trust after you've been hurt isn't easy and takes love deeper than I could ever imagine prior to last year."  His voice got a bit louder.  "Hunter and I both came into this relationship with a lot of baggage.  With his constant love and support, Hunter made me trust him.  One year ago today, a man came into my life who became my support, my rock, my bridge over troubled water. That man is Hunter.  I, Christopher Jericho, promise to you, Hunter Helmsley, that I will take you as my spouse, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, and I will love, honor, and protect you, and accept and adore the love, honor and protection that you bring to me, for the rest of your life and the rest of mine."

Tears shone in his eyes and I found myself sniffling a bit as well.   I brushed my fingers down his face and he gave me that huge grin again.  I moved my hand down to grip his in mine.  A slight bump at my waist caused me to see Dewey standing there with the rings. The Justice smiled at him, picking up the smaller of the two rings, which he handed to me.  "Place this ring on Christopher's finger and repeat 'with this ring, I thee wed'."

I slid the ring onto Chris's finger.  "With this ring, I thee wed."

Chris took the larger ring.  I could see the tears sliding down his face now.  "With this ring, I thee wed."  His touch on my hand was shaky and I could feel my own tears starting.

The Justice smiled.  "By the authority vested in me by the State of Vermont, I hereby join you in civil union."  His smile turned into a grin.  "You may now kiss your respective spouses."

Slowly, I took Chris's face in my hands, tracing his cheekbones with my fingers, wiping his tears away.  Then, our lips moved together, and we sealed our bond, just as couples have done since the beginning of marriage.

The moment, of course, had to be broken by Eddie's scream of "Woo!  Now we can par-tay!!!"