Disclaimer: Not mine. Really. I'm not sure anyone else wants it either.

Author's Notes: Not mine, and this is less like mine than usual!

Story Notes: um. AU? Goofy? Benny as a girl?

"This isn't exactly appropriate," Benny murmered, fiddling with the white roses tickling her cleavage. It was rather more cleavage than she preferred to reveal, courtesy of Frannie's 'just a tuck here, sis' skills and her soon to be mother-in-laws insistence on giving Benny the Vecchio family's heirloom wedding gown. "White is traditionally reserved for virgins and, as you know -"

"You want to try and explain to Ma why you won't wear her grandmother's handmade, straight from Italy, wedding dress?"

"Ah, well, put that way ...."

"Exactly."

"It's perfect." Benny agreed solemnly, smoothing her hands down the antique satin. Ray snorted but then his expression softened. Out in the main room, organ music played and Benny could hear voices - familiar voices - chattering over the sound. They were all out there; her neighbors, most of the officers from the 2-7, the Vecchio family - which had expanded exponentially at the news of a wedding and free food.

"On you, anyway, Cara."

"How would you know?" Benny glanced down the length of the heavy brocade with its seed pearls and fine lace, suspiciously. The sound of the organ music in the nave changed tempo, kicking her nervous heartbeat up a notch. Shed much rather be facing down automatic weapons than the assembled throng out there. "How many Vecchio women have worn this dress? Frannie?"

Ray rolled his eyes. "Frannie eloped to Niagara Falls because I'd have locked her in the attic until she came to her senses if I'd known she was going to marry the Idiot."

"Maria then." Benny said.

Ray shook his head. "Nope, she was already too round in the belly when she got married."

"So how do you know?"

"Because everything's perfect on you."

Benny shook her head with a sigh, breathing through her flush. "I hope you're not going to make a habit of that kind of talk. Flattery gets you nowhere with me, I'm afraid."

Ray chuckled. "What? You're already eager for me to be a slob of a husband, sitting in front of the TV all weekend and ignoring you?"

"Well, if it pleases you." Benny said primly, lowering her gaze to hide her amusement. "I'm sure I can find something to do with my time."

"What about me?" Ray spread his arms, displaying himself. There was the shadow of panic in his eyes, it had been there since theyd announced their intentions to marry and his mother had thrown up her hands with joy, while his sister had burst out laughing. "I like flattery, Benny."

Benny eyed Ray, dressed in mist gray and ice white, down to the white satin tie and the pale gray leather shoes. He'd finally given up on the lose fitting clothes he'd been so fond of when they'd first met, and the close fitting tux showed off Ray's gangly, graceful appeal in a way that made him look suave and coolly sexy. Ray's attractiveness had been something that only she had seen for so long, and it made Benny a little jealous to know that everyone would see it today. He wore a white rose in his lapel, matching the ones tucked against her breasts and a pearl tie-tack that matched the pearls around her neck. "Ray, you know I have no expertise in sartorial matters." She said soberly and the smile on Ray's mouth faded a little. "However," she said, a smile catching the edges of her mouth. "I must say that you look perfect. In everything."

"I still think you need your eyes checked." Ray said smugly.

"Well, if thats what you think, we'd best get married before I do."

"Speaking of, Cara ..." Ray touched his fingertips to Benny's chin, tilting her face towards his. Benny licked her lip, tasting the pale pink gloss Frannie had insisted on - she feared her wedding gifts from her future sister-in-law - and shivered as she felt Ray's breath on her mouth and the soft, suggestive brush of his fingertips down the side of her throat. A heavy knock on the door made them both leap back like criminals caught in the act.

Frobisher stuck his head around the corner, blue eyes wild, hair askew. "Time to take the stand, my girl. And you -" he scowled at Ray, who frowned right back. "Might want to get to the font of the line."

"It's not a line, Buck." Benny hissed and tugged nervously at her opera gloves. Despite the chilly church, and her bare shoulders, her palms were sweating. Frobisher had taken a dislike to Ray from the day they'd met and his mood hadn't improved when he'd heard that Benny wanted to marry the - any - Yank.

"I'm going, I'm going," Ray gave Benny a smile as he paused by the heavy oak door. "We'll finish our conversation later."

"Conversation," Buck grumbled. "In our day, it wasn't a marriage until you'd met the father and his shotgun." He turned to yell after Ray, down the nave, where the assembled crowd waited. "And I've got Bob's shotgun, don't you forget it!"

"Buck!" Benny groaned. "Dear god, we should have eloped!"

"Oh, we'd have found you," her father, lord, chimed in, standing beside Frobisher. "Mounties always find their ... er, woman."

"I think we'd better get this done," Benny said, setting her arm on the sleeve of Frobisher's bright crimson uniform. "Before I flee the country."

"I have tickets!"

"Dad!"

Frobisher harrumphed in agreement with his old, dead partner, but straightened his shoulders as the organ music rose up to the wedding march. Flanked by her father's ghost and her father's partner, Benny felt sweat break out at the nape of her neck as the doors swung wide and a sea of eager faces looked back to her. She fixed her gaze on Ray; waiting beyond the gauntlet of well meaning - and a few not so well meaning - whispers and took the first step forward. The dresss heavy train whispered behind her, like snow hissing across winter grass.

This was the rest of her life, she realized and stumbled. Frobisher's grip on her elbow - more suited to an arrest than a wedding - steadied her. She squeezed his arm in silent gratitude.

Among the sober mens suits and the brightly colored dresses on the Vecchio women, there were vivid blots of red serge. Turnbull was sobbing on Thatchers stiff, disapproving shoulder while Ovitz was at the end of a pew, already flirting with one of Rays second cousins. She could have worn her uniform for the wedding, and Ray his dress blues but

Im not marrying the Mountie, Ray had complained. Im marrying the woman.

Our offices and duties have framed our partnership from the beginning, Ray, shed pointed out. At which point Ray had broken down and explained that police dress blues in Chicago were polyester blend and unless she wanted a new husband covered with an allergic rash, theyd go undercover for the nuptials.

So, it was a different uniform entirely that clutched her waist, dragged at her hips and in the white heeled pumps pinched her toes. Benny stiffened her shoulders and let her RCMP review training march her serenely down the aisle. Ray seemed tiny in the distance, flanked by Gardino his best man and Willie the ring bearer. Dief was sitting near the lectern and eyeing the flower arrangement hungrily.

They were marrying in the Vecchios church and by Father OBrian, but it was not a Catholic wedding. Benny wasnt marrying Rays religion; she was marrying the man though, right now, it was hard to see the man under all the pomp and circumstance. She breathed deep, squeezing her bouquet nervously when her dress shifted across her breasts, and reminded herself that this would soon be over. It was no worse than the Musical Ride or her graduation ceremony after all. And would be, significantly more rewarding, Benny reminded herself as she drew close enough to see the wry humor lurking in Rays eyes. She didnt generally engage on a sexual vacation after most other ceremonies.

Father OBrian cleared his throat as Benny and Frobisher finally drew up to the lectern, the crowd quieted down. As Father OBrian began to speak, Benny licked dry lips and tried to remember her cues.

Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here this day ..."

TBC??