Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Company belong to JK Rowling. No copyright infringement is meant.
Summary: Damon and Grant get married, Marine style.
Warnings: Unadulterated Fluff. Possible Tissue Warning for the softies on our list.
AN: Here it is. The first Wolffe wedding with Damon and Gracie. We hope you enjoy.
Going To The Chapel
Major and Mrs. John Nolan Wolffe United States Marine Corps, Retired request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their son Damon Nolan Wolffe Major, United States Marine Corps to Grace Winyan Rainwalker at half past four o'clock October 14, 1955 St. Francis Xavier Chapel MCB Camp LeJeune, North Carolina
The preparations for the full Military Wedding were well underway and his mother and the Garden Club had descended on the base to look over the chapel. As far as he knew Gracie’s dress had been bought and Merlin forbid if Damon stepped into the bedroom he shared with Grant. In fact he’d been forced into the guest bedroom for the duration. He was lucky it had only been to the guest bedroom; at first his mother had mentioned him moving to the Base until the final ceremonies and he had put his foot down on that idea right quick. Luckily his father had backed him on that but it had been the last thing… the traitor.
He didn’t quite understand it but his da had weaselled out of most of the preparations for the wedding and had only been called upon occasionally unlike himself. From Marine to pack mule in just a few short months. The married men at the office had sympathized with him and then informed him that it was a right of passage and he would have to follow tradition. They would be at the chapel to show their support, even General Watson and his wife would be there because everyone had seen little Gracie and she had become the darling of the base; everyone knew who she was and that Damon was getting married to the spitfire girl.
Damon lie back on the single bed and stared at the ceiling waiting for his name to be shouted once more to do some manual labour task for his mother or Grant or any number of women that had taken over the house. His Father had escaped to some remote unnamed location for the day and he was almost ready to follow him.
The invitations had all gone out and the RSVP’s had started to come in as well as the gifts, which he wasn’t allowed to see either. He looked at the calendar on the wall and sighed. Just a few more days and it would all be over and their lives could get back to normal. Just as expected his mother’s then Gracie’s voice echoed through the house.
He mumbled a few obscenities and got off the bed and responded to their shouts. “I’m on my way!”
Marion stood in the kitchen, the phone in one hand, pressed to her chest, Gracie sitting on a kitchen chair looking ill. "Damon baby, we have a crisis," his mother said, the poor woman looked positively ready to murder someone. Gracie sniffled.
Damon frowned and walked over to Gracie then gently slid a hand over her hair. "What happened?" He bent to look at Gracie and tipped her face up. "Are you well, Pet?" He asked softly.
Gracie shook her head and laid it down on her folded forearms.
Marion cleared her throat and looked at her son. "Avery's has just called to cancel the reception and wedding supper," she said angrily, slamming the phone back on the receiver. "Something about a fire in the damned kitchen."
"What are we going to do?" Gracie whispered. "We have one hundred and eighty two people expecting a reception and meal, Damon."
Damon closed his eyes and shook his head. He hadn't realized there were that many people coming to the wedding. They had only sent out a few invitations. "How in the hell did that many people RSVP when we only sent out seventy-five invitations and what do you want me to do about it? I can't cook."
Gracie started to say something, but Marion shushed her before she rounded on her son. "Don't you sass me, boy. Invitations were sent out to seventy-five couples, which in turn mean one hundred and fifty people, that does not include your wedding party," she said as she fixed her son with a glare. "No one asked you to cook Damon, I was simply going to ask you if you knew of anywhere else that can handle this on such short notice. If not, then I need to make a list for you to get at the market and the Garden Club will do it's best."
Damon knew he should have snuck out with his father at five that morning. "Sorry, Mama." He mumbled as he rubbed his temples and thought about how to turn this mess around because having the ten women in the garden club invade the house was the last thing he needed. "Did you try the country club?"
Marion sat down at the table and pulled her notepad to her, sighing as Gracie excused herself quietly and left the kitchen. "I just called them, the entire weekend is booked," she said in a more reasonable tone. She felt sorry for Grant; none of this had been easy on the young man. With the house invaded daily, he'd had to be Gracie nearly non-stop and now just wanted the wedding over.
"Can we use the Officer's Club for the reception on base?" she asked as she began to write out an altered menu. "The only other place that is available is Walnut Hill."
She sighed and rubbed her face. "Maybe we could put a glamour on Gracie to make her look white."
Damon shook his head as he watched his lover leave the room. "No. It's been enough of a strain with him being Gracie. I won't put him through that as well." He shook his head again, remembering how badly it had frightened and angered the other man when Damon had done so in South Dakota. "I'll check on the O club and get back with you." He left the kitchen and went after Grant. "Pet!" He called out as Grant ascended the stairs. "Wait, you know I can't go up there."
Grant stopped on the fourth step and turned back around to face the Marine. "Yes Damon?" he asked as he just simply sat down on the stairs and watched the other man. He was tired, his fingers hurt from working on the monstrosity of a dress Mother Wolffe had decided would be simply 'divine' on Gracie, all he wanted was to curl up and hide somewhere.
He raised his dark eyes to the blue ones of his betrothed. "Put a glamour on me if you like, I don't care any more. It's a production, not a wedding," he said in quiet defeat, cupping his chin in his palm as he rest his elbow on one knee.
Damon chuckled and sat on the step below his lover. "Welcome to The Marines, my Own. Number sixty-nine on The Two Hundred and Nineteen Reasons To Become A Marine list... Style." He reached out and rubbed Grant's cheek. “Go wash your face and put on Gracie's best smile, we are going to see if we can't get the O club."
Grant groaned good-naturedly and leaned into Damon's hand before got to his feet to go upstairs. "Can't we just elope?" he laughed.
Upstairs, he became Gracie, washing her face and combing out her long hair before putting a nice dress, stockings, and pumps on to join Damon. Adding just a hint of lipstick, Gracie descended the stairs not much later and waited on her lover to reappear from talking to his mother.
"Mama, Gracie will pick the catering services once we get there from the menu offered by the Club ... if we can get the club." Damon told his mother once again as he heard the smaller man descend the stairs. "That's my final word on the matter. Enough is enough." He backed out of the kitchen and hurried towards Gracie. "Come on baby before she decides to tag along." He grabbed Gracie's arm and pulled her close. "Hang on we are going to the Base Apparition Room."
Marion listened to her son and watched with her mouth open as he backed away. As soon as she heard the tell tale 'pop', she began to chuckle. It was about time that boy got involved in his own wedding.
&&&&&&&&&
Gracie opened her eyes as they reached their destination and took a deep breath. "Are you sure it's alright that I'm here?" she whispered as they walked out of the room and met several Marines in the corridors. After her first visit on base, she had become very subdued on subsequent visits. There was no way she'd cause Damon that amount of trouble again.
Damon chuckled and grabbed Gracie's hand to twine their fingers. "Pet, no one is going to bother us." He smiled at the smaller man. "You made quite an impression the last time and it never fails someone always asks about Gracie when I am in the building."
Gracie blushed and bit her lower lip as she remembered the crying jag she'd been on not long ago. She held Damon's hand tightly as he led her out of the building and into the October afternoon. She looked around wide-eyed at all the goings on and smiled gracefully at the enlisted men that stopped to let them go past.
"How far is the O Club?" she asked as she recognized the building Damon worked in.
Damon pointed down the street about a block or so on the other side. The brick building was just as non descript as the rest of the buildings on the base with exception of the Chapel. He checked for traffic then led the way across the street. "From here not far. The Chapel is on the back street from it as well so you can have a procession from the chapel to the O club that afternoon if you want as well." He smirked at his husband then stopped and saluted as Colours played signalling the noon hour.
Gracie stopped to watch and then nearly jumped out of her tanned skin when a deep voice behind her spoke. Her hand to her throat, she turned with her husband to find General Watson standing there looking down at her.
"I didn't do anything..." she squeaked and attempted to hide behind Damon.
Damon chuckled and shook his head pulling her out from behind himself. "I know you didn't." He saluted the General and smiled. "How are you doing today Sir?"
Watson smiled and chuckled as well then returned Damon's salute. "What are you two doing out here today? I thought you were making the final preparations for the wedding." He raised an eyebrow and looked at Gracie. "You did talk him into the horse drawn carriage and the Canopy of Sabres, Miss Gracie, didn't you?"
Damon groaned softly and looked down at Gracie.
Gracie's eyes opened wider at the mention of the carriage and Sabres. Oh they would have something to talk about, she wanted a carriage.
"Hello General," she smiled shyly and offered her hand to the older man," and no, Damon didn't mention the carriage or anything else for that matter, Sir." She turned to look at Damon with one delicate brow arched.
Watson smiled and kissed Gracie's small hand then turned her loose. "I am certain that he had it all arranged for you." He eyed the Marine and raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" He smiled at Gracie, knowing that she'd be the one with all the details of the wedding. He'd gotten the younger man with the carriage bit but they had already talked about the Canopy Of Sabres and Watson had agreed to be at the end of the Canopy after the ceremony.
"We've just had a setback with the reception, General. Avery's apparently had a fire last night and can no longer cater the meal or host the reception," Gracie explained with a small smile. "Damon and I were hoping that the Officer's Club might be available on such short notice."
Damon closed his eyes and shook his head as the words fell from Gracie's mouth. He looked at her and Watson just grinned at them.
"Well, little lady, let's just go on over there and see what we can do for you." He held out his arm for Gracie and then looked at Damon. "Major, if you don't mind, I'll leave it to you to contact the stables and arrange the carriage. Miss Gracie and I will secure the O club." Watson didn't know why but he had felt for the young woman the first time he had met her and she reminded him of his own daughter when she had gotten married just two years ago. A fellow Marine had taken his Amanda away to San Diego and anything he could do to help the young couple he would.
Gracie looked at Damon and bit her lower lip, suddenly wondering if she had made a faux pas in mentioning why they were there to the General. She swallowed and numbly allowed the older man to take her hand and place it in the crook of his elbow. Gracie looked back once at Damon as she was led away to the Officer's Club.
"Thank you Sir," she murmured softly.
Damon watched his lover go away with his commanding officer and shook his head. It would serve the General right if Grant drove him up the wall once the man made arrangements to secure the O club for his lover and Damon had no doubts the General would. He turned and flagged down a passing Military Police car and hitched a ride to the stables.
&&&&&&&&&
Damon stood before the mirror he had conjured inside the chapel's chancel. He adjusted his sparkling white Lid and ribbons for what seemed like the hundredth time. The brass on his dark blue uniform twinkled in the lights and the sheathed sabre on his side looked properly menacing next to the Blood strip that ran down his black trousers. His shoes were shined to a spit polish and he looked at his father dressed in the exact same uniform; both Majors in the Marine Corps. It wouldn't be long before his Father would be stepping out the back of the church to bring Grant in. He took a deep breath and turned to the door as it cracked open and Captain Aaron Tyler, Damon's best man, stuck his head in. "Sirs, Mother Wolffe said it's time. She sent me in to hurry Major Wolffe Sr. along." He stepped into the room and nodded to the two men.
Damon turned to his father and gave a weak smile. "Bring me my Gracie, Da." He said softly.
John Wolffe smiled at his son and pulled him into a hug. "I'm proud of you, boy. You and Grant are going to be so happy," he murmured into the younger man's ear before he stepped back and slapped his son on his back.
"You just be at the altar when I bring her down," he chuckled as he ducked out the door and went around to find his wife.
&&&&&&&&&
Gracie sat on the low bench in front of the full-length mirror, a vision of lace and satin with Mother Wolffe behind her. The wedding gown that she and Marion had spent nearly a month sewing fit like a glove with the glamour and she was a darker complexioned angel that someone could sit atop the holiday tree.
Marion had done her makeup, it was subtle, just a hint of blush and colour on her lips, her eyes lined in a soft cocoa colour that made them seem softer and more luminous. She turned to Marion and nervously wet her lips with her tongue.
"It's time?" she asked softly as Marion brought the skullcap with three-foot veil, satin and tulle edged in pearls. Once more she wondered if the pale bluish white colour had been appropriate for her to wear. Gracie held her head still as Marion started to pin it into place.
Marion smiled softly at Gracie. "As soon as I finish pinning this into place and John shows up then it will be." She muttered through the bobby pins in her mouth. The older woman took a step back and sighed then shook her head. "Oh Gracie... honey, you are beautiful. I knew that was the perfect colour for you. Now stand up and let me look at you. We have to fluff up your skirts and straighten out the train before John takes you out to the narthex."
Gracie blushed and got to her feet as a knock sounded on the door. "I think that's John," she said softly and began to straighten her train, fluffing the yards of Chantilly. Marion held the small Bolero style jacket that went over the strapless bodice and Gracie slipped her thin arms into the satin sleeves.
Marion opened the door and let John get the first glimpse of Grace.
John stepped into the room and gasped at the vision his son-in-law had become. He smiled at Gracie in the miles of icy blue-layered French lace and satin; she looked like one of those porcelain dolls Marion collected. He shook his head and approached them. "Damon isn't going to know what hit him." He straightened his Dress Blues. "I feel underdressed." He smiled brightly and held out his arm to Gracie. "Ready, Gracie? Damon's already asked for you."
Gracie smiled at the older man and placed her hand in the crook of John's arm. "You look very handsome today. Thank you for seeing me down the aisle," she said softly and stepped out with him, Marion straightening her train and then leaving the two of them to take her seat in the front.
Her only child stood proud and handsome at the altar, waiting for his life mate to be walked down the aisle. In another breath of time the Processional was struck up and the ushers opened the double doors at the end of the chapel.
The eight bridesmaids dressed in pale robin's egg floor length gowns made their way down the aisle, carrying bouquets of baby's breath and lilies, taking their place on the right side of the altar. The eight women were wives or girlfriends of Damon’s groomsmen, all virtual strangers to Gracie except for a few brief words here and there.
Little Marie Yoder walked down the aisle, hand in hand with Shawn Dupree, both children of officers in Damon's wedding party. The little girl scattering flower petals from her basket as the little boy clutched the satin pillow that held toy rings. The little girl going to stand with the bridesmaids and the little boy going to stand shyly behind his daddy.
The Wedding March began and everyone stood as John and Gracie appeared in the doorway, Gracie's veil over her face, but unable to hide the nervous smile. In the slow, awkward gait, the pair made it down the aisle where they waited for the ceremony to begin. When asked who presented Grace, John spoke up, and placed her hand in the hand of his son before he sat down next to his wife, discreetly wiping a tear from his eye.
Damon stared at Gracie as his father gave her over to him and they turned back to the chaplain. He swallowed and trained his eyes on the man but cut his gaze over at his lover several times. He barely heard what the minister was saying and a gentle squeeze from Gracie brought his attention back to the ceremony. He stared at the priest, swallowing once more hoping he'd be able to speak when called upon.
After they had said their vows and exchanged rings, the chaplain smiled at them both before he looked up at the gathered people filling the chapel.
"You may kiss your bride, Major," he said as he motioned the two to turn to face one another.
Damon swallowed and lifted the pale blue veil to reveal his Gracie. He smiled nervously and pushed the tulle back over her head, stroking her loose hair as well. "My Injun." He murmured and leaned in, tipping her face up and pressing his mouth to hers gently.
Gracie closed her eyes and sighed as Damon captured her lips, only pulling back when she heard the applause. "My Damon," she murmured softly and let him take her hand.
The chaplain had them turn to face the people. "I present Major and Mrs. Damon Wolffe."
As the couple were presented, Captain Tyler, Damon's best man, led the other officer's out along with General Watson and Damon's father. He called out "Center Face." to get each man in position with Watson and John Wolffe at the end of each column.
The newly married couple appeared on the chapel steps in the late afternoon sun after the guests had all exited the building. Tyler winked at Damon and called out. "Bridge Swords!" to the assembled officers and retired who made up the arch.
Each man lifted his sabre, cutting edge up, so they formed the arch for the couple to walk under.
Damon smiled at Gracie and slowly led them down the Canopy Of Sabres until the very end when his father and General Watson lowered their blades crisscrossing them in front of the couple. His father's blue eyes were sparkling with good humour, as he demanded another kiss from the couple for passage.
Damon turned Gracie to where her backside was facing General Watson and he pulled her in for another kiss, this time a deep and thorough one. He broke the kiss as he heard the sabres being sheathed and looked over Gracie's shoulder at the General. A shiny, black, single horse drawn carriage pulled up, stopping just at the end of the sidewalk, waiting to take them away to the reception. He winked at his Commanding Officer.
Watson brought the sword back and tapped Gracie's bottom twice. "Welcome to the Marine Corps, Ma'am." He said loudly and smiled at her.