Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 19:02:26 -0700
From: Dan Kirk <dkstories@cox.net>
Subject: Phone Call-It's Never Easy 15

Legal Stuff: I don't know NSYNC or any other celebrity mentioned.  While
real people are the basis of characters, they are characters here and do
not represent the real lives, thoughts, or feelings of the real people.
Again, these are characters based on them, not the real people themselves.
If you are too young, or live in a location where it is illegal to read
stories that include love between men, read no further!  Like that would
have ever stopped me...


It's Never Easy -- Chapter 15

The Wedding


The plane landed in Toronto, Canada, and I got my first look at this place
that would forever serve as the place I got married to James.  It was a
nice looking city, and the fact that the Mayor met us as we exited the
plane didn't hurt either.  He was a very excited man and welcomed us
warmly.  He even presented us with our marriage license instead of having
us make a trip to City Hall, and he proudly announced that the City of
Toronto was waving the usual fees.

I couldn't help but be cynical.  His city was making a HELL of a lot of
money from this.  On the flight I'd read a magazine that was talking about
our wedding.  Not even counting the half-million we were dumping into the
event, they were projected $2-$3 million in revenues for Toronto.  Our
guest list included 2,000 people, many of them among Hollywood's elite.
The Queen was in town with her son and grandsons (William was actually on
the plane with us) and that was drawing in even more tourists since they'd
scheduled some public appearances while they were here.  You couldn't get a
hotel room in town that week, nor a room anywhere within a hundred miles.

We managed to ditch the Mayor at the hotel where we would be staying.  The
limos came to a stop and I noticed that it was a good thing the police were
there.  They were holding back about a thousand screaming people.  James
and I waved to them as we led our family inside.  The desk clerks were all
over themselves getting the access keys for our rooms distributed.  The
hotel manager himself came out to greet us and calmly informed Prince
William that his grandmother and father were scheduled to arrive later in
the day.

We knew that already, but the man was trying to be helpful.

We went upstairs via a special elevator.  All the other elevators to our
floor had been modified so they could not access that floor. There were
British security service agents there who nodded at us as we boarded the
elevator.  More agents watched us get out of the elevator on our floor. I
was glad we'd taken the same hotel as the Royal family.  They were paying
for all this security and we got to enjoy its benefit for free.

Yes, I'm still a bit of a tightwad at times.  I remember Papa saying "Why
pay for something if you don't have to?  A penny in your pocket is a penny
more than you would have after spending it!"

It took us about an hour to get everyone settled into their various rooms.
Our suite was filled with Nathan and Misha (who I had flown out the week
before.  The distance since our return to the States had only increased
their emotions for each other.  I actually started to think Nathan had
finally found his man.  It had been a pain getting Misha his Visa to enter
the U.S.  The State Department balked for the longest time.  I ended up
calling the Russian President and pulling a few strings.  I no longer have
any qualms about pulling strings when it comes to making my family happy.
Enough strings were pulled against me, that pulling them for my benefit
only seems fair now.

Once everyone was settled, it was time to head off to the church.  Our
limos arrived and we all piled out and walked up the steps of the large
building.  The Reverend Forrester met us in front of the huge doors.  He
was dressed in a casual black outfit with white collar and his smile looked
genuine.  His physical appearance was striking.  Tall, lean, and with a
shock of white hair he made a regal figure even dressed somewhat casually
as he was now.  While he escorted us to his office, several other church
officials began conversing with Nanny and Grandma regarding the actual
plans for the wedding.

"I want the two of you to know just how happy I am that you chose us for
your wedding." Rev. Forrester said as we took seats in his office.

"We appreciate your willingness to perform the ceremony." James said.  "I
just hope that you aren't getting too much heat for doing this."

"None at all." He said with a smile.  "Although I must be honest with you
that I do have some concerns I'd like to address with the two of you.  You
see, we normally have couples go through counseling for a few months before
we marry them.  I do not like marrying two people and seeing them divorce
later in their life.  I prefer them to be prepared for married life, and
for each marriage I perform to be permanent."

"We couldn't agree more." I said with a grin.  "Which is why we've been
talking with a marriage counselor in LA for a while now.  We also see her
for advice and help in raising our children."

"That's good to hear." He said, leaning back and smiling.  "Too many people
these days think that love by itself is enough to make a marriage last."

`There has to be more." James said, smiling back at him.  "We're not just
lovers.  We're best friends as well.  We know that we are constantly
changing as we grow and we know that if we don't keep communicating with
each other, we risk growing apart instead of growing together."

"I haven't heard it put better than that." Reverend Forrester said with a
smile.  "That takes care of my biggest concerns.  Now, let's talk about the
ceremony itself."

We spent several hours in that office talking with the man about how we
wanted the ceremony to go. Grandma and Nanny got to handle the pageantry,
the decorations, the catering, all those details.  We got to handle the
actual service itself and we both wanted a specific mix of the traditional
and the non-traditional.  By the time we were done, and after the Reverend
having added several good ideas, we were ready for lunch.

We all returned to the hotel and ate in a private section of their dining
room.  A desk clerk arrived just as we were starting dessert to announce
that the camera crews we were expecting had arrived.  James and Justin
joined me as we met the crew and took them up to our suite.  Within a
half-hour, they had everything set up and we were ready to go.  There was a
live transmission from New York coming in on a monitor, and a camera
recording the three of us.

What were we doing?  Oh yeah, I haven't told you about this have I?
Remember a few months ago when James and Justin had Punk'd me with Ashton?
Remember how they had tricked me with a fourteen year old supposedly being
my kid?  Well I was getting my revenge Punk now.

Not settling for just anyone, I was Punking Ashton himself, with the help
of MTV.

Ashton had been seriously doing his best to get invited to our wedding.
Last month, Justin had called him to say that some of the invitations,
including Ashton's, had gotten mixed up and were delayed.  Justin also told
him to go ahead and make hotel arrangements etc. and not to worry because
he would be invited.  Ashton had made his flight arrangement and hotel
reservations all without having received the invitation.  This last
weekend, he'd been burning up the phone lines to Justin trying to figure
out why he didn't get the invitation.  Justin assured him it was a mistake
and that an invitation was being sent to him at MTV on Monday.

Of course Ashton didn't know his buddies were filming most of his frantic
phone calls.

Monday had arrived and I watched the monitor as Ashton was working with his
crew on the set-up for some planned Punk they were doing on Linkin Park.  A
messenger arrived with a package for him, and Ashton got all excited about
the invitation finally arriving. He even shoved it in the faces of some of
his friends and co-workers shouting "I got INVITED!"

Then he opened it.

The expression on his face was priceless as he read what I had written on
the invitation.  It said "Did you think I'd really want you at my wedding
after the stunt you pulled?  Forget it, bud.  Oh, and stop bugging Justin."
I swear he was nearly breaking down in tears at that point.  I almost felt
bad for him, but I remembered how he'd gotten me.

When the messenger came back in with another package for him, Ashton opened
it with a great amount of care, like he was afraid what was inside.  He
opened the small envelope and pulled out the real invitation.  His face
showed his confusion as one of his buddies turned on a monitor.  Although
it was out of my view through my own monitor, I knew my face and voice
would be on there.

"Hey Ashton." I said, watching him turn suddenly to face the monitor.  "How
does it feel to be PUNK'D, BUDDY!"

"You BASTARD!" Ashton roared, his face showing his utter surprise.  "I
CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FUCKING PUNK'D ME ON MY OWN SHOW!"

The camera that was on me panned back so that he could see Justin and James
breaking up in laughter with me.  All three of us were laughing so hard
that we couldn't speak for a few minutes.  When we finally got ourselves
under control, we almost lost it again when we realized he was still
ranting and raving.  He finally calmed down some and we told him we'd see
him in a few days at the wedding.  The producer that had come up with the
film crew then cut the connection and we filmed the narrative parts that
Ashton usually did.  Since he was the subject though, James, Justin and I
took his part.  When we were done, they rushed out and headed for the
airport.

MTV wanted to run a special the day of our wedding.  They were showing the
Justin Timberlake episode, the episode of me, and then they would show this
one of Ashton getting his own.  I made a note to beg them for a tape of it.
It sounded like it would be hilarious to watch as a group.

I'd also have to call Ashton about setting up James for his own Punk'ing.
It was his turn.

The afternoon was spent at the reception hall (actually the convention
center ballroom) meeting with caterers and florists and all those other
people that are involved in weddings.  That night was a big party at a
local nightclub with a bunch of our friends that had already started
arriving.

Tuesday was spent with us at the church helping the decorators mark out
their floor plan.  The afternoon was spent with our various Personal
Assistants going over seating charts and the script for the reception.
Wednesday was our big walk-through at the church.  We practiced the entire
wedding four times that day, finally getting it right.  The Royal family
had arrived, and Wednesday night was a formal dinner with them, and with
the political leaders that had arrived for our wedding.  Five hundred
people were seated at that dinner, and it was quite boring.

Thursday dawned bright and clear.  We headed over to the church for our
dress rehearsal, which went flawlessly.  Most of the decorations for the
church had been completed, and it was looking fabulous.  The ballroom at
the convention center was completed and looked just as fantastic.  The
caterers provided us lunch with samples of the food they were preparing and
I was very pleased to note that everything was far above the caliber of
normal `event' food.  I wanted our guests to leave saying they'd never
tasted food so good at a wedding.

Instead of a bachelor party for us, we had talked the guys into hosting a
reception for our wedding guests that night.  It was in one of the other
rooms of the convention center and we soon realized that we would need to
expand the room as most of the two thousand invited guests showed up, and
then some.  My hand was raw, and so was James' after shaking the hands of
everyone who walked inside.  The table behind us was groaning under the
weight of all the gifts, even though we'd asked people not to bring gifts.

Still, it was a very fun night.  Towards the end of the reception time,
just as James and I were getting ready to head to our table, a last guest
came in.  I was extremely surprised to see the man, and shook his hand a
little hesitantly and welcomed him.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Secretary." I said to the US Secretary of
State, Colin Powell.

"It is an honor to be here, Mr. Young." He said, smiling.

"We didn't expect you, sir." James said as he shook the man's hand.

"Well, the White House received your invitation and decided that with so
many leaders and the Russian Foreign Minister attending we should send
someone.  Obviously, the President was unable to adjust his schedule, so I
volunteered.  I've actually been interested in meeting you two for a
while."

"You have?" I asked, not able to keep the skepticism from my voice.

"Yes." He replied with a smile.  "After your...incident...in Chechnya I had
a look at your service record.  Quite an accomplished record it was."

"Thank you, sir." I said, nodding my head slightly.

"It caused me to do some thinking, and I did some research." He said,
smiling at me.

"What kind of research?" James asked.

"I looked at the service records of other men and women who had been
discharged under the `Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy as well as some other
service members."

"And what did you find?" I asked, not able to help being curious.

"That I think I've been wrong in opposing service by gay and lesbian
soldiers." He said softly.  "Your records prove that the overwhelming
majority of you have served with distinction and are among our best
soldiers and sailors.  We're ignoring a valuable resource by keeping you
out."

"Why don't we discuss this some more?" I said, totally surprised.  The
discussion at our table that night was lively and instructive for all of
us.  I was surprised by this man, although not as much as I would have been
if I'd never read his biography.  I was happy he had attended.

The evening's entertainment was top quality.  Of course private concerts by
Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Elton John, and Madonna are guaranteed to
be spectacular.  I think Madonna was a little miffed though at not being
seated at the main table.  However, with the Queen, Princes Charles,
William, and Harry, the Canadian and Australian Prime Ministers, the
Russian Foreign Minister, and the US Secretary of State, there wasn't even
room for our own kids at the table.  They were sitting with Grandma and
Nanny until after Madonna sang.  Then it was off to bed for them.

The party lasted well past midnight, but most of the political figures left
before the bell struck twelve.  Harry and William stayed, as did most of
the entertainers until James and I left at 2:30 in the morning.  The party
started breaking up then, but I later learned that people were there until
four or five in the morning.

We just climbed into bed, totally exhausted.  I would have been happy to
sleep for twelve hours at that point, but it was not to be.  Friday, the
day of our wedding was extremely busy.  Luckily, Nanny and Grandma got to
handle most of the emergencies that came up.

James and I just had to handle our cases of cold feet.  We managed to warm
them up in the bath though.  When it came time for the wedding, our Best
Men split us apart into different suites to get ready.  Yes, we were
getting ready in the hotel.  We would arrive at the church in separate
vehicles and get out there.  There were cameras everywhere, including in
the church and we had learned that several major networks were carrying the
event live.

Yes, our wedding had gotten that big of a media event.  MTV was running
specials all day long on NSYNC, focusing on James, and on me as well.  I
was alone in the room with Manuel, and my nervousness was beginning to show
as I fumbled getting dressed in my tuxedo.  However, Manuel was doing worse
than I was.

"I can't do this!" Manuel, my best friend, and Best Man said angrily after
the fifth time he tried to get his shirt tucked in correctly.

"Manuel, it's just a shirt." I said, slightly exasperated.

"No, I mean being your Best Man.  I can't do it!" He answered.

"Why not?" I asked him, stunned.  "I thought you supported me marrying
James?"

"Oh, I do." Manuel said with a wave of his hand. "It's going out there and
standing by you in a GAY wedding that I can't do.  Everyone's going to look
at me and they're going to see me and I'll forever be marked!"

"Jesus Christ!" I shouted.  "Manuel, you've already been on the cover of
numerous tabloids kissing Josh.  It's not like people don't know already!"

"Fuck that!" He snarled.  I knew I should have gotten a girl to bring as my
date!"

"Manuel, I though you were in love with Josh?" I asked him.

"I am." He murmured.  "But I just don't want people labeling me as a fag."

"So what?" I asked.

"What?" He snapped, jerking his head back.

"I said `so what?'" I replied.  "Who fucking cares what people think?
You've got your own business now, and you are doing damn good work.  People
aren't going to care who you sleep with as long as you keep putting out
good work.  Hell, you live and work in HOLLYWOOD!  It's an asset being in a
relationship with a guy!"

"You think so?" He said.  "I don't know..."

"Manuel, how many of your clients do you know to be gay?" I asked him.  He
thought about it for a moment.

"75% or so." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Now, do you really think they'll get pissed and pull their business from
you because you're sleeping with a guy?"

"You have a point." He said, then his face got a pensive look.  "I love
him, Davey, and it scares me."

"I thought so." I said with a smirk.  "This isn't about people knowing
you're gay, is it?  You're more scared of something else."

"Yes." Manuel replied, his shoulders slumping.  "I want us to get married,
too.  I never thought I'd find someone that I cared this much about, and I
want him to be in my life forever.  I'm just worried that he'll meet some
guy or some girl he likes better."

"That's why you've been breaking up with him so much." I stated.

"Yeah." He murmured.

"There's only one thing you can do, Manuel, and that is to ask him." I
said.

"What if he says no?"

"Then you know for sure and can move on from there."

"But it'll hurt." Manuel groaned.

"Life isn't easy, my friend." I told him.  "But if you don't risk, you'll
never know."

"Okay, okay!" Manuel snorted.  "I'll ask him soon."

"You guys ready!" Nathan's voice called out from the door.  We told him
it'd be a few minutes and we finished getting dressed.  Soon enough, we
were dressed and I opened the door to find Nathan and Misha looking
absolutely adorable in their tuxedos.  We went downstairs and met the rest
of my wedding party.

Standing there in their black tuxedos and blue cummerbunds stood my closest
friends and family.  Manuel was my Best Man, but Nathan would be standing
next to him.  Robin Williams would walk down the aisle with me in place of
my father.  Prince Charles would stand next to Nathan, and Chad Allen would
stand next to him.  Tyler would act as the ringbearer, walking down the
aisle with ring on a cushion and delivering it to Manuel.

I got very nervous at that moment, until Charles started recounting the
story of his own wedding and a horse from the Horse Guard that would not
calm down.  After that, our little wedding just did not seem so
overwhelming.  That lasted until we pulled out of the hotel and there were
actually people lined up along our route, taking pictures.

That was when I almost started crying.

Luckily I wasn't allowed to sit next to a door or I might have opened it
and ran off to hide in the crowd.  Now Manuel was laughing at me.  Everyone
else was polite enough to limit it to smirking, but Manuel was letting out
a full-bellied laugh.

We finally arrived at the church and I got out after Prince Charles.  There
were crowds of people here as well, and they cheered as we got out.  I
joined Prince Charles in waving to them, although I'm sure most were
cheering for him.

James and his group were standing in the foyer, waiting for us.  He looked
so beautiful in his black tux and red cumber bund and bow tie that I almost
drew him to the side for a quick one.  Instead we just kissed passionately.
Around us, our wedding parties lined up.  James would walk on the right
while I was on the left.  On my left, Robin Williams stood in place of my
father, as James' father stood on his right.

Yes, he had been working on reconciling not only with his mother, but all
of his family. Their participation in this wedding was a sign that things
were really healing.  I think they realized that saying no would have only
resulted in James' cutting them out again.

Tyler would lead the way on the left, with Kaliann on the right.  Each held
our wedding rings on cushions that matched the colors of our respective
parties.  A deep midnight blue for me, and a dark green for James.  Behind
the kids, Manuel and Josh would walk, our respective Best Men.

Yes, there was a lot of symmetry in that.  Josh was James' ex-boyfriend,
while Manuel was my ex.  Each was now our best friend, and they were
together as a couple.  You can't get much more symmetrical than that.

After Manuel and Josh, Prince Charles walked on my side, while his son
William walked on James'. Nathan and Justin followed them respectively.
Then came Chad and Joey, followed by Drew and Chris.  A few feet behind
them, James and I would enter with our fathers (Robin in my case).

When we were ready, one of the ushers signaled into the chapel, and we
could hear the boys choir change to the tune we would march down the aisle
with.  It had taken a lot of time to decide on what the tune would be, but
we finally decided on something simple.  "Hallelujah".

Walking down the aisle with James at my side, and two thousand eyes focused
on us almost caused me to break out in a sweat. A sideways glance at his
calm face changed that though.  I even managed to ignore the cameras.  The
main chapel was swathed with blue, silver, and green banners that swooped
down from the ceilings and fell to the floors near the windows on each
side.  Flowers decorated every surface.  They were the reds, yellows,
blues, purple, and white flowers that blossomed in the Arizona deserts and
looked absolutely beautiful.

I just hoped everyone with allergies took their pills.  As we proceeded
down the aisle, I began to pick out people I knew among the guests.  My
co-workers from Phoenix were all there, as were the cast and crew of my
show.  Studio Management was there.  As we approached the altar, and our
wedding parties took their positions on each side of us, I got a look at
the front row.  Nanny and Grandma sat there on either side of the Queen.
Our two remaining kids were sitting next to them.  The political figures
flanked them, and all were smiling.  On James' side, his entire family sat
in the first row and I saw a smile cross his mom's face.  Maybe there was
hope for the bitch yet.

Oops.  Shouldn't think like that.  Calling my mother-in-law a bitch isn't
good.  It isn't unusual either.  Damn woman.  Last week she'd actually said
"Oh Davey, at least you have a mother again!"  It's a good thing James
loves her.

Why? I don't want to go to jail for killing my mother-in-law.

Can you tell how nervous I was at that point?  You should be able to
because I'm doing nothing but rambling here and my mind was on everything
but the Reverend standing before us.  He was smiling and as our eyes met, I
knew he could tell how freaking nervous I was becoming.  I mean really,
what's the big deal anyway?  Male couples had been married in Canada before
us.  Here I was getting the wedding my parents had always wanted for me.  I
was going to be promising my James that I would be there forever with him.
What's there to be nervous about?

What if he says no?  Why would he do that?  But there's all those stupid
movies about guys who do that.  I mean Xander left Anya at the altar didn't
he?  Jesus!  That was a television show!  Wait, I make a television show
and I know how much of it is based on real life events.  Does that mean...

"Friends, family, honored guests." Reverend Forrester said, his voice
booming out, and his eyes somehow meeting James and mine at the same
moment.  His gaze, and the confidence in his voice seeped into me, calming
my nerves.  I could breath again, and I felt the panic receding.  When he
continued to speak, I hung on every word, but realized I was forgetting the
last word as he spoke a new one.

"We are gathered here today to witness one of the greatest events that can
ever occur in the lives of two people.  We have standing before us, David
Ray Young and James Lance Bass.  They are here today to enter themselves
into that most sacred bond: matrimony.

"Canada, and this church has not recognized the union of two men in
matrimony until recently, but that does not lessen the magnitude of what
they are doing here today.  Marriage, regardless of the genders of the
participants is an event that should be taken seriously, and cherished
forever.

"We see before us two individuals.  They have walked most of their lives
down separate paths.  Now they are preparing to walk their lives down one
path, two parts of one being.  I asked Dave how they met, and his answer
surprised me.  He told me that James had called him at his work to
complain.  He invited James to his office to meet him and to show him why
he was being delayed in moving into the home James had just bought.  Their
discussion turned into dinner, and from there they built a friendship and a
relationship.

"Their relationship took on new meaning when Nathan came into their lives
following several tragic events.  Through their struggles to keep Nathan in
their home, their relationship was stressed.  Where many couples would have
fought and argued, they succored and supported each other.  When David's
sister died, they decided to take in her children and raise them as their
own.  Again, they acted together and grew together instead of growing
apart.

"They understand the most important truths about life.  They understand
that we, as humans, are always growing.  They understand that this is what
God wants.  They also understand that they can choose how they grow.  By
their actions, they have chosen to grow together and are here today to
express that commitment before you.

"Make no mistake about this union, it is as real and as holy as any other
union between two people.  I have spent time with them this week, and I
state now that they understand the commitment they are about to make.  From
this day forward they will be two people joined together by holy bonds,
destined to walk a united path together.  I believe they are ready and able
to make this lifelong commitment.  Is there any here who would claim
otherwise?"

Now was the moment in the ceremony I dreaded the most.  It became so quiet
that you could hear a pin drop in the back of the audience, but there was
no sound.  As the priest smiled and continued, you could hear the
collective breath of two thousand people being released back into the room.

"Hearing no objections, let us continue." Reverend Forrester said with a
smile for us.  That was our cue, and we turned to face each other.  I lost
my breath at the sight of James.  He was so beautiful!  Sunlight from the
stained glass windows was streaming down on him, and it seemed like he was
glowing as he tremulously smiled at me.  I returned his smile and we both
reached out and took each other's hands.  I vaguely noticed that his were
shaking like mine.  I don't know how long that moment lasted, with us being
lost in each other's eyes, but it was both an eternity and the smallest
fraction of a second.

"David Ray Young." Reverend Forrester said slowly.  "You have come before
us today to commit yourself in matrimony to James Lance Bass.  Do you
pledge yourself to him, and to him alone?  Do you pledge yourself to love
and care for him in sickness or in health, for richer or poor, until death
do you part?"

"I do." I breathed huskily, feeling the tears form in my eyes.

"James Lance Bass," he continued.  "You have heard the promise of David.
Do you likewise pledge yourself to love him, care for him in sickness or in
health, for richer or poor, until death do you part?"

"I do." James said, his voice husky as well, and his eyes wet.  The priest
asked for the ring and Manuel handed him the first one.

"The ring is a symbol of this union." He said in his melodic voice.  "It
symbolizes the completeness of the person who wears it, the completeness
they enjoy as one half of a loving couple.  It stands for the vows that
will be exchanged over it, and the bonds that will hold these two together.
David, take the ring and place in on James' finger."

I took the ring and stared at it for a moment.  It was a platinum band,
almost three quarters of an inch wide, with a large sapphire set in the
middle.  Around the sapphire were five diamonds.  The sapphire represented
me, and the diamonds our children.  It was a shaking hand that slid it on
to James' hand, and I began speaking as I did that.

"Take this ring as a symbol of my love for you. Every time you look into
the sapphire, remember my eyes looking at you with all of my love.
Remember this day, and all the days that have come before and will come
after.  Take this ring as a sign also of the bond that now exists between
us, and the commitment I have made to walk the roads of life at your side.
I love you."

"The other ring?" Reverend Forrester said, and I almost laughed as Josh
fumbled for a moment.  The sequins he'd sewed on the lapel of his tuxedo
were refracting light like mad and I could feel Manuel's silent groan
behind me.  Finally Josh got the ring into the Reverend's hand.  He held it
up for a moment and then gave it to James.  James' fingers were shaking as
bad as mine had been before, but the ring sliding over my finger made
shivers travel throughout my body.  For a split second I felt something
shift inside of me, and as James began to speak, I felt like we truly were
two halves of one person now.

"David." James began, then had to clear his throat.  "Until I met you, I
never truly dared to dream of this moment.  I never dared to dream that I
would stand here and commit myself to one person in marriage.  I never
imagined that I would be sharing the raising of such wonderful children.
Life is never easy, and this past year has proven that point with a
vengeance.  However, it has also proven that love really can conquer all.
The love between us has proven to me that together we really are stronger
than alone and nothing can stand in our way.  Take this ring, and let the
emerald remind of you the love and care you find in my eyes.  Let the
diamonds remind you of the children you have brought into my life, and the
love you have given me.  Let the platinum remind you of the strength we
have together.  I love you David Ray Young."

"Honored guests." Reverend Forrester said in his booming voice, turning us
to face the audience.  That was when I noticed that just about every woman
there was crying.  The Queen even had a single tear slipping down her
face. James' mother had a handkerchief out and was furiously dabbing at her
eyes.  Hell, there were several men with their handkerchiefs out as well.

"I am honored to present to you David and James Young-Bass!" Reverend
Forrester announced, his voice booming even louder.  "Gentlemen, you may
share a kiss!"

He didn't have to tell us twice as the audience broke out into a round of
clapping and cheers.  James reached a hand up and caressed my cheek as I
did the same.  We didn't move in for the kiss so much as we were pulled by
magnetic forces until our lips touched in the most gentle caress I have
ever felt.  I came so close to shooting in my pants at that barest of
touches that I moaned load enough for the microphones to pick up.  It
didn't matter, though, because James had done the same.

Manuel came up then and gave me a hug, much to my surprise.  Josh was
bawling his eyes out at that point, but still managed to hug James.  We
were led down the aisle, stopping to have the Queen place her hands on our
shoulders and whisper her own best wishes, then hugging Nanny and Grandma.
We made it outside only to be greeted by even more shouts and cheers, as
well as a virtual wall of sunflower seeds.  We made it into the limo, and
it sped off for our rendezvous at the convention center's ballroom.

We told the driver to take the long way then rolled up the divider.  That
kiss had been electric and there was no way either of us were going to wait
until that night for our first round of sex as newlyweds.  What we didn't
count on was the wedding parties behind us that had told their drivers to
follow our limo.  From the way I was calling out James' name, I knew our
driver could tell what was going on, but at that moment I wouldn't have
cared if the President was hearing us.

Or either of my grandmas.  Hell they were probably used to it by now.

We finished after a while.  Neither of us was wearing a watch so we had no
idea how long it had been, but neither did we care.  As we lay there on the
seat, wrapped in each other's arms, James reached out and toggled the
intercom to tell the driver we were ready to arrive at the convention
center.  He just laughed and said we'd get there in 10 minutes.

By the time we arrived, we'd managed to get cleaned up and re-dressed
before the driver opened the door.  Let's just say the inside of the limo
smelled and I laughed as he wrinkled his nose.  James held my hand as we
got out and that was when we noticed the line of limos pulling up behind
us.  Josh, Manuel, Justin, Chis, Joey, Kelly, Nathan, William, and Harry
all got out of the first one and ran over to us.  Their jibes about
following us on our tour of the `whole damn city' were a little
embarrassing, but Nathan's repeating what I'd yelled during the sex was too
much.  It seems he'd called our driver to ask what was going on and clearly
heard us through the divider.

James walked back over to the driver and handed him a $200 tip for having
to put up with the noise.  The man just smiled and said it was no problem.
There was a huge crowd of people lining the front of the convention center,
and the press had cameras all over the place.  We smiled and waved at them
as we went inside.

The center was packed with people, and we were stopped several times on our
way into the grand ballroom.  By the time we got there, about a third of
the tables were full.  We went into a corner of the room where the
photographer took pictures of the wedding party.  Then we headed to the
front of the room, where the Queen was being seated along with the
politicians at the main table.  The rest of the wedding party joined them,
and the room began filling fast.  When most of the tables were full, Prince
Charles stood up and thanked everyone for being there, and announced lunch
would be served.  An army of servers appeared, and soon everyone was
eating.

I enjoyed the seared prime rib and lobster tail.  James did too since he
ate more from my plate than his own.  Lady Camille had joined Charles at
the table and was laughing at some story that Justin was telling.  I'm sure
I didn't want to know about it since it involved Nathan.

As the meal was finished, Josh stood first to make the best man's toast.
Fresh champagne was handed out and he instantly had everyone's attention.
He smiled as he raised his glass and turned towards us.

"I must admit that I once dreamed it would be me Lance was marrying, but I
can't think of another person who deserves his love more than David does.
When we first met, Lance and I were not speaking to each other because of
some major mistakes I made.  It was David that encouraged Lance to give me
a chance, and to renew our friendship.  Ever since I've known him, David
has always looked for the best in people, and sought to bring that out in
them.  He's always out there in the front lines, fighting the good fight.

"James isn't so forward.  But he is more supportive.  He's always there
when you need a hug, he always knows the words to say to shore up your
feelings, and he's always willing to be leaned on by his friends.  Together
they make a team that is unstoppable.  While I may have dreamed of one day
marrying Lance, I know that there can be no union of two people more suited
for each other than that of David and Lance.  May the years bring the two
of you the happiness and joy you have earned!"

Josh's toast was met with a lot of applause and shouts of `here here!'
Manuel stood next, and looked across us at Josh with a weird look in his
eyes.  I noticed as he raised his half-empty glass that his other hand was
deep in his pocket.

"The bad, or good, thing about two guys getting married is you get two
toasts from the Best Men." Manuel said, getting everyone to laugh.  He
looked surprised at that, and I realized he'd never really spoken to an
audience of this size.  The fact he wasn't stuttering or blushing was a
good sign.

"In this case, you can be assured that it really is the BEST MEN giving the
toast."  More laugher greeted this comment. "Most of you know that David is
my best friend, just as Josh is Lance's.  Many of you also know that Josh
and Lance dated each other for a while.  What only a few have known is that
David and I were together as a couple for two years before I broke up with
him.  Since then, we've been the best of friends, and really we are much
better suited as friends than lovers.

"Many months ago Josh and I got caught kissing outside of a venue and it
hit the tabloids.  Believe it or not, I was the person most upset by that.
I've always been afraid of people knowing I liked men because I didn't want
to be treated different.  I didn't want either positive or negative
reactions.  I just didn't want people to know at all.

"So what do I do?  I fall in love with a Pop Star.  David always did say
some village was missing their idiot."  That one got a whole lot of laughs.
"If you want to stay in the closet, dating a pop star isn't the way to do
it.

"However, I've learned something and I don't think I really accepted it
until I watched David and Lance exchanging their vows today.  Of all the
people I've known, they truly don't care about perceptions.  They will do
what they must to achieve their goals, and they are so strong about it that
misperceptions are hard to hold on them.  It's not that they don't care
what people think, but rather they don't let the biases of others stop them
from achieving their goal.

"I'm sick and tired of living in fear of what others might think.  David
and Lance have shown me that it is possible to be happy even when people
know.  That is why I'm going to ask Josh a question now.  I know it's not
really tradition, but I can't wait any longer."

Josh stood up at that, and Manuel moved towards him, then sank to one knee.
Everyone gasped as he pulled a gold ring from his pocket.  He took Josh's
hand in his and slipped it on the finger.

"Joshua Chasez, will you marry me?" Manuel asked, then he winced as he
waited for the answer.

"God YES!" Josh shouted after a moment, grasping Manuel into a deep hug.
James and I raised our glasses to them and emptied them in a big gulp.
After kissing for a few moments, the two returned to their seats, with Josh
staring at the ring on his finger and tears dripping out of his eyes.
Manuel just had this smug grin on his face.  Everyone was clapping for a
long while before I stood.

"It's about damn TIME!" I said in a loud voice to my best friend, who was
looking at Josh with goo goo eyes.  It was almost...scary seeing Manuel
look at someone that way. Grandma signaled the caterers to roll out the
huge cake that was our five-tier wedding cake.

Tradition held that the newly married couple would feed each other the
first piece of cake.  Now many couples took this opportunity to spread that
cake liberally on their new spouse's face.  James and I decided that we
wouldn't do that to each other.

I should have known better.  James smiled as I took the bite of cake from
his hands, and he bit the cake I held to his face.  He smiled, his hands
moving quickly and smearing my face with the white-frosted cake.  Everyone
was laughing at my outraged expression, but my anger faded as he kissed me
deeply.  The cheers trebled at that point.  Then it was time for dancing.

The band struck up Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You".  The diva
herself moved onto the stage near the main table and began singing the song
as James and I danced.  We'd discussed what song we would call our song,
and we'd finally decided on this one.  As we moved across the dance floor,
locked tightly into each other's arms, I stared down into his eyes and
wondered how exactly I'd earned this wonderful moment.

No matter what life brought next to us, I knew we'd always face it
together.

The reception continued after that with a lot of dancing.  I even danced
with Diane, and we had the nicest conversation yet.  Eventually, though,
the time came for us to be leaving.  We had a flight to catch for our
honeymoon.  We gave all the kids long hugs goodbye, reminded them to obey
Nanny and Grandma, then said farewell to as many guests as we could.  Once
more we were bombarded with seeds as we made our way to the limo, which was
now festooned with cans, condoms, shaving cream and soap messages.  The
other four members of NSYNC were cracking up at our faces, but we got in
without even speaking to them.  I think they thought we were really pissed.

We were just horny and wanted to have another round of sex in the limo
while it took us to the airport.

The flight was longer than I would have preferred, and we barely had time
to change into more casual clothing before it took off.  Luckily, first
class was almost empty and we snuggled into each other's arms.  The flight
attendant woke us before landing and James looked at me groggily.  We got
our bags and found the driver who was waiting for us.  The limo ride was
shorter and we just snuggled in peaceful silence as the limo pulled into
the driveway.

I got out of the limo and looked at the house in front of us.  I couldn't
help but to smile at the cause of us meeting.  What better place could
there be for us to celebrate our wedding than the house James had bought in
Phoenix?  James joined me in smiling at the house and hugged me close as
the driver got our bags.

"Buying this house was the best decision I've ever made in my life." James
said in a soft voice.

"I can't believe we're finally married." I whispered back to him.

"C'mon husband." James said, smiling even wider.  "Let's go initiate the
wedding bed."

"You got it, stud." I answered, following him inside.  I couldn't wait to
sign my new name for the first time.  Mr. Young-Bass just had a certain
magic to it for me.  As we made it into our bedroom and our lips met in a
passionate kiss, I knew that from this day forward, we would meet life
challenges together.

Forever.

***

Well, folks that's it.  I almost titled this story "The Year of Hell" but
that had already been used by a certain television show.  I've got some
more ideas for a MUCH lighter story to continue the life of James and
Davey.  Let me know if you want to see it.

Take care and ENJOY life.

dk