Title: Yesterday to Tomorrow: Chapter Forty-eight, Given Away To
Rating: NC-17 [violence, swearing, nudity, sexual situations]

Summary: Chris and Alyssa visit with the Cardinal. Afterwards Chris re-gifts Alyssa with a very special necklace.

Previous Chapter Canned Floor

Current Chapter Given Away To

Next Chapter Set the Scene

The door opened and for a moment, a bare moment, Chris felt like he was back in school, about to be ushered into the office as if he had done something wrong. But he hadn't. He merely wanted to marry the woman he loved, the woman he had always loved.

Alyssa jumped to her feet, rushing to embrace the man Chris had sworn he had never seen before. However as they spoke in hushed tones, he regarded the man's features. He was familiar, really familiar. And he couldn't quite place the man....

"Chris," he held out his hand, smiling gently, "It's so much better to see you under much better circumstances. I will be the first to admit, those weeks in the hospital were very trying for all of our souls."

Hospital. "Ah yes. This is a much better circumstance. Marrying is much better than worrying."

"Very true. Please do come in," he motioned to his office.

Alyssa's hand slipped in Chris's, squeezing his reassuredly as she lead him into the Cardinal's office. The office was decorated with the perfunctory Catholic emblems, books, and other such things. It was fairly stark, lacking personality. At least at first glance.

Slipping into a chair next to Alyssa, facing the Cardinal's desk, Chris glanced around a little more. A few vestiges of who the man really was peeked out from leather-bound volumes of Church writings. Here and there monkeys of wood, ceramic, or metal peeked out. Somehow Chris didn't think monkeys went well with Scripture, thus deciding it was Roger's personality that brought those into the sacred office.

As the Cardinal settled into his seat, no decorations of his office upon his clothing, just a man in a suit, Chris's eyes flicked briefly to him. Catching the older man's eyes for a moment he wasn't entirely comfortable in holding his gaze and looked down at Alyssa's hand, playing with the engagement ring on her finger.

"Has Alyssa told you much of our relationship?" the Cardinal asked.

Chris shook his head, "No, Father, she hasn't."

Roger smiled gently at the title, "Her father and I attended school together so very long ago. We kept in touch even when he moved to Seattle. I was in attendance at her parents' wedding and I baptized Alyssa."

He glanced at his fiancee, a little surprised at the news, "You mean the priest I met in Seattle didn't...."

"He married my parents. But Roger baptized me," she declared, with a slight smile.

"I do regret I was unable to attend Harold's funeral," he frowned. "I visited him as often as I could get away. He was a good man."

Chris shifted some in the chair, not entirely sure what to say.

"Anyways, that's how I know Alyssa," Roger explained. "That is why she asked me to marry the two of you."

He nodded slowly in response, "I've been married twice before."

"I know. Which is why you are not having a Church wedding, is that correct?"

Chris nodded again.

"You do know that the Church will not officially endorse this union because of that?"

He nodded again, "We don't need the Church's endorsement."

Roger smiled, "Which is good, since they won't care much for me marrying two outside of the Church either."

Chris hadn't considered that at all. At the Cardinal's word, his eyes snapped to Alyssa. They really didn't need to risk a man's career to be married.

"Which is precisely why I will perform it without the trappings of my stature," Roger declared. "But this is only if you consent, Chris. If you are uncomfortable with me marrying you, I understand."

His green eyes went back to the Cardinal, "It's just... I don't want our wedding to seem like something it is not. And that would be a Church wedding. We're not a part of the Church."

"I appreciate your honesty, Chris," Roger nodded. "Think some more on it. I will keep the day open."

"Thank you, Roger," Alyssa grinned. "I really do appreciate you taking the time to speak with us."

"You're very welcome, child," he smiled at her, standing so that he could embrace her before they left. "You know my door is always open for you, Alyssa."



Slidding into the car, she watched Chris walk around and sit behind the wheel. For a moment they just sat there silently. The tension was a thick as a communion wafer and as easily broken.

Alyssa giggled, "Oh just say it, Chris!"

"He looks like your dad," he stated seriously.

Her eyes snapped to him, "You think so?

He nodded, "Yeah. He does. I understand now."

"You do?" she smiled slightly.

"Yeah. Let's have him marry us, Lyss," his eyes met hers. "Besides the Church won't like it. And that kinda balances out the fact the Cardinal is going to marry us."

She grinned, "Silly love."

"When do we have to pick the kids up?"

Her eyes drifted to the clock in the dash as he started the car, "Another hour. Why?"

"There's something I want to give you at home. And I would rather do it without the kids around," he claimed.

Alyssa eyed him suspicously, "That has to be the most odd request for sex I've ever gotten."

Chris laughed, backing out of the parking space, "This has nothing to do with sex, Lyss."



Seated on the couch, Alyssa tapped her fingers on the soft arm rest. Having promised to not move was beginning to grate on her nerves. Sitting still had become as problematic for her as it was for the kids. Especially when waiting for Chris to gift her with something.

When he finally entered the room, she pratically pounced on him. Those minutes he left her waiting had felt like ages. He chuckled, prying her arms off his neck to guide her back to the couch.

Nestling on the couch, Chris looped one arm around her. In his other hand he held a small velvet box. Her eyes went to it immediately, wondering what it could be. She already had a ring.

"Chris?"

"I don't want you to get mad that I've had this for some time. Because... well I have. I just wanted the best time to give it to you," he declared, offering the box to her. "I think now is appropriate."

Accepting the box, she looked at it for a moment. It certainly wasn't a new box. That she could tell by the feel of the velvet, the lack of sheen on it. There were no jeweler's marks on the exterior either. She had no idea what to expect and therefore did not hesitate a moment longer to crack it open.

Her chocolate eyes dropped to the cushioned jewelry inside and she gasped. Her eyes danced over the sparkling curves of the diamond-covered heart pendant. Her fingers reached in, touching the place in the point of the pendant where a diamond was missing and she smiled slightly.

"Daddy said he bought it that way, because the one who completed my heart would be the one he would give me away to," she commented softly, fingers tracing up to the chain to remove it from the box.

Chris smiled, moving to take the pendant from her to fasten it about her throat, "I was going to have that stone replaced when I had it cleaned, but I wanted to make certain you knew it without me explaining it. That was more important than it being perfect."

"Oh but it is," she breathed, looking down as it settled against her skin. "Where did you find this, Chris?"

"Your father gave it to me when we visited him. I didn't know what it meant until you mentioned it after his death," he claimed.

Tears glittered in her eyes, "He gave me to you."