Vows and Promises
Part Two
By Susan
lilichild@aol.com

ARCHIVE: Sure, just tell me where
TIMELINE: Well, this part takes place in the summer before season 7 and goes from there, the other parts will take place later, it’ll make more sense once you read the fic.
SPOILERS: I don’t read ‘em. You shouldn’t either J That said, anything that I didn’t beyond the latest aired episode is pure speculation.
DISCLAIMER: The story is mine, the characters aren’t. They belong to Warner Brothers, don’t waste your time suing, I have no money
NOTE: This is part one of a series and is my first fic, be kind J Comments welcome
PREVIOUSLY: In Seattle, Doug and Carol made their engagement “official”

He was one lucky bastard.

That was the first thought that came to him when he awoke the next morning. He was one lucky bastard. He had everything that he had always needed but didn’t know he needed. Two beautiful little girls asleep down the hall, a great job, but most importantly, Carol. Carol was with him and they were going to get married. He still was getting used to that idea. When they were apart, he had so many dreams during the night that she was with him and was bitterly disappointed when he woke up alone again. He kept expecting it to all be a dream, that he couldn’t be this happy, this lucky. It was beyond second chances, their relationship was somewhere around a fifth chance situation. He glanced at Carol who was asleep upon his bare chest. Her dark curls cascaded against his chest and the pillow and she wore nothing except the key necklace he gave her last night and the engagement ring on her left ring finger that he had given her on that Christmas eve almost three years ago. Carol awoke then and looked up at Doug.

“Good morning” He said to her and greeted her with a good morning kiss.

“I was afraid it was all a dream” Carol said when they finally parted. “I was afraid that I had only dreamt yesterday and I was going to wake up alone.”

“Well, you’re wearing this” He chuckled fingering the necklace, “So I guess it all must be real”

“True” Carol mused “Besides you feel even better than you do in my dreams” She stroked his bare chest.

“You certainly don’t compare to my dreams either, Carol” Doug agreed.

They began to kiss again. Suddenly they were interrupted by a loud cry on the baby monitor by the bed.

“We’re being summoned.” Carol said with a sigh getting out of bed, reaching for a robe.

“Think it’s they have an anti-sibling radar?” Doug joked tying the belt on his robe.

“That or they’re just hungry” Carol responded as they walked down the hall to the nursery. By now, both girls were crying. Doug headed to his left and went to check on Tess, while Carol checked on Kate.

“I’ve got one very unhappy girl with a wet diaper.” Carol said of Kate. “How about Tess?” She asked.

“I wish she was just wet.” Doug responded of Tess after sniffing her diaper. “Wanna trade?”

Carol laughed. “No, I think Tess wants her daddy, what do you think, Kate?” She said lifting Kate onto the side by side changing tables. Doug joined her and put Tess on the other table.

“Whoa, that’s a scent I’ll never get used to” Doug exclaimed as he opened Tess’s diaper.

Carol chuckled, at the face Doug made. “Wuss.”

“So” he started trying to change the subject and simultaneously cleaning up Tess, “When are we getting married?”

“Huh?” Carol asked, sure they were officially engaged and all, but this was a surprise especially coming from former commitment phobic Doug.

“Well, Carol. I believe that is the next step after getting engaged” Doug began

“Yes I know that, Doug” Carol responded.

“So, when do you want to get married?” Doug asked

“It doesn’t really matter” Carol stated

“What?” Doug responded confusion evident in his voice. “You said you wanted to marry me, you’re changing your mind now?”

“No, no, of course I want to marry you Doug” Carol assured him “I just meant it doesn’t matter because we’re not going to have a ceremony.”

“We’re not having a ceremony?” Doug asked in wonder “Why on earth not?”

“Because I’ve had one before and you know how that turned out” Carol said indicating her almost marriage to Tag.

“Yes, but I’m not Tag and I will show up” Doug reasoned “You’d have to lock me up to keep me away.”

“I just don’t see the point of a big wedding.” Carol said honestly. Sure, every little girl dreams of a big wedding, but Carol had had a try at it and wasn’t that impressed with it.

“The point is” Doug began “That we and everyone we know has been waiting forever to see us get married and since we took so damn long they’re going to be expecting some dazzle”

Carol laughed as she dressed Kate. She smiled knowing that Doug was using their friends and family as an excuse.

“You’re full of it, Doug” Carol smirked “You want a big wedding”

Doug nodded “And what’s so wrong with that?”

“Well isn’t that supposed to be a girl thing, Doug” Carol questioned “I mean, next thing you know you’ll start reading bride magazine.”

Doug remained silent and blushed slightly

“Oh my God!” Carol exclaimed “You are reading them aren’t you?”

“Well, just one or two” Doug shrugged. He had kept the magazines hidden in his sock drawer. He had picked up the first one when Carol decided to move in with him. It took all his restraint not to propose to her when he first saw her that day she showed up at his house, now their house, but he was willing to wait, to wait for Carol.

Carol laughed. Even she would never have expected Doug to read bridal magazines. She decided to bust him just a little more

“So, are you going to wear a dress?” Carol asked innocently

“Very funny” Doug made a face and buckled Tess’s little shoe. He headed for the kitchen with Tess in tow.

“Doug!” Carol exclaimed following him with Kate in her arms. She had gone a little too far this time. It was her turn to reassure him. Of course, she wanted to marry him, and it’s not that she was totally against big weddings.

She found him preparing bottles in the kitchen.

“Doug” she said trying to explain her feelings

He meanwhile pretended to ignore her.

“Okay” she said quietly. She would settle for any wedding as long as it was hers and Doug’s.

“Excuse me” Doug said turning around “What did you say?”

“I said okay.” Carol said louder, “If you want a big wedding that’s okay with me.”

“But you hate big weddings” Doug responded. Even after all the years they’d known each other, Carol still managed to surprise him.

“Yes, but I love you” Carol explained “And I don’t hate big weddings per se”

“Okay a compromise” Doug said placing Tess in her high chair. “We’ll have a wedding but we won’t make it too big”

Carol placed Kate in the high chair next to Tess.

“Works for me” she responded. “When?”

Doug smiled and took Carol in his arms

“Can we be ready by after Thanksgiving?” Doug asked

“That’s only a few months” Carol said unsure if the time would be enough

“Yes, but we can hold it here” Doug reasoned “And we can keep it smallish”

“Here” Carol thought aloud “We can hold it overlooking the water, and rent a tent…”

“What do you say?” Doug asked pulling her closer

“Yes, that sounds great” Carol grinned

“Here that girls” Doug said to the babies gurgling in their high chairs “Your mom and I are getting married!”

The twins gurgled in approval and waved their little arms

“See they like it too” Doug told Carol

Carol laughed and kissed Doug

Then the timer sounded for the bottles…