Chapter 17

Sienna could practically hear the birds chirping the wedding march as she wakes up on the day of her wedding.

Her heart is thumping loudly in her chest as she looks over at the time on her phone – 8 am.

 she stands up and yells to the girls all scattered around the room.

"It's my wedding day!"

They all groan and wake up one for one.

"Happy wedding day sister in law" Gabby hugs her, "you girls ready for breakfast?"

"Hell yeah" Maggie yawns.

**

Sienna sprays on perfume as Gabby continues doing her makeup. Her hair has been curled to perfection.

"Okay, I'm done." Maggie smiles, "I'm a nurse not a make-up artist, so no judgment."

Sienna laughs as she walks to the mirror, "If I remember correctly, I asked you to do my make-up since you're better than any make-up artist." She beams as she checks herself in the mirror, "I was right. Not to sound full of myself but I look amazing. Thank you Mags"

"You are welcome" The nurse hugs her.

"Let's get you into your dress" Erin and Natalie walk forward. Champagne is flowing; music is pumping as the girls get ready for the wedding,

She's getting married in exactly two hours.

As the girls help her pull on her wedding dress, Gabby walks in accompanied by Jay, the detective's eyes soften at his best friend.

"Hey ladies, the photographer is outside. Let's give these two a moment, okay?" Gabby murmurs, "The photographer wants pictures of the bridesmaids."

They all walk out to pose for the photographer while Jay walks closer to her.

"You look beautiful" He whispers kissing the top of her head, "He's a lucky man"

Sienna smiles, "I feel bad for leaving you"

He frowns, "Are you moving to another city?"

"No" She splutters, "But I am moving in with him"

Jay rolls his eyes with a teasing gasp, "A married woman is moving into the same house as her husband, wow, shocking"

"I love you Halstead. So much"

Jay hugs her tightly, "I love you too. Only half an hour until you're Mrs. Dawson"

She looks him up and down, "You do look handsome with your tux."

He smirks "So handsome I'll sure get lucky tonight"

"Erin looks beautiful, don't you think?" She presses ignoring what he said, "I've put your names together at the same table."

Jay laughs, "You're meddling"

"I know" She smirks, "You want to have your picture taken with me?"

"Sure" His smile is light, "Only because you're the bride."

"I know it's because you love me"

He chuckles, "I do. Let's go"

**

The photographer takes a few pictures of Sienna with Jay and then her bridesmaids when Becky finally comes back from doing whatever a wedding planner does.

"It's time Si, let's get you married."

Sienna's heart beats loudly in her chest, it's time.

"Let's line up." Becky starts, "Gabby, you're up first as the maid of honour, followed by Maggie; Natalie and Erin. Then, when the wedding march starts you'll come in with Jay. Let's do this everyone."

**

It's finally time for her to walk in, only a few more minutes before she'll finally be Mrs. Dawson.

Her intention, when she came back from Chicago, was never to fall in love, yet she did and now she's getting married. She's finally getting her happily ever after.

"Before we go in" Jay turns to her, a smile is dancing on his lips. His eyes are shining in pride and joy for his best friend – his only family.

"I'm so happy for you, Si. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be where I am now. We both lost so many men – our brothers. I know they would be so happy for you if they were here. Thank you for being my family."

Sienna smiles at him as she tries to blink away unshed tears, "I might get a husband today, but you'll always be my family. You always say I saved you, but the truth is you saved me. You continue saving me. I love you, and I always will."

"If he hurts you I'll beat him to a pulp"

Sienna chuckles, "Not if I do it first"

Jay chuckles as Sienna presses a kiss to his cheek. "You ready?"

"Let's do this"

The wedding march rings in her ear, so many faces – all smiling at her as she walks down the aisle but the only one she could see is Antonio standing so tall and proud at her ending destination.

The guest sits down as soon as the bride and the groom are connected. "Who gives this woman to this man?"

"I do" Jay smiles; he kisses Sienna on the forehead and shakes Antonio's hand, "Treat her right" her best friend whispers.

Antonio nods his head but his eyes are trained on Sienna. Jay takes his place next to Mark, the best man. Matt; Mark; Jay and Chris are all standing proudly next to Antonio. Her girls are next to her in their blue bridesmaid dresses, each of them holding a bouquet of lilies.

Too entranced in Antonio, the entire ceremony whirls by her, she snaps out of her dreaming when the priest tells Antonio to give his vows.

Antonio's eyes shine with love and joy as he grabs her hand. She can feel the nerves plaguing him so she squeezes his hand in reassurance.

"My entire life" He starts, clearing his throat, "I've always wondered about true love and if I'd find it. Then I met you and I knew I had found it. I fell in love with you because you put effort into me. I fell in love because nobody has ever loved me this way. I love you because you always make me feel that I am worth something. You make me smile, you make me laugh. You've been my rock since the day I met you. I knew on our first date that you'd be 'my someone special' and I was right. Thank you for loving me, for choosing me."

Sienna smiles as tears threaten to pour over her cheeks

"Sienna, you go" The priest encourages.

She gives him a bright loving smile, "Antonio. I always thought it would be difficult to find someone who will love me when I'm always scattered in a thousand pieces. It's like trying to complete a puzzle when you don't have all the right pieces, but then you showed me that every piece doesn't have to be in place to create something beautiful. Love can exist in the most imperfect lost and broken people. You make me feel so loved. You bring me peace in all the chaos, love in all the cruelty. I love you, I always will."

Erin's watery eyes linger on Jay. The oblivious smile on Matt's face makes Gabby cringe. Both girls are in love with the groomsmen but neither one of the men has made a move yet.

Mark hands Antonio the diamond ring Sienna will wear for the rest of her life while Maggie does the same.

"Antonio, do you take Sienna to be your lawful wedded wife, in sickness and in health, until death parts you?"

"I do" Antonio beams sliding the ring on her finger.

"Sienna, do you take Antonio to be your lawful wedded husband, in sickness and in health, until death parts you?"

"I do" Her voice trembled but her eyes shine in certainty. She slides the band on his finger.

"Antonio and Sienna, I now declare you husband and wife in the state of Illinois and the Church. You may kiss your bride, Antonio"

The detective smiles, "finally"

He seals their love with an earth-shattering kiss as the Church thunders with congratulatory hoots and claps.