Rachel and Micky had sat down and Micky was holding Rachel’s hand.

“I’m so glad you cut off the awful ponytail,” Rachel was telling him. Micky grinned.

“You didn’t like it huh?” He asked. Rachel shook her head.

“No sorry babe I really didn’t, the amounts of times I almost called you just to yell at you to cut it off!” She told him. Micky’s wild curls from the sixties had gone; instead he had straight slicked back hair, which was beginning to thin on top. Micky laughed.

“Well I would’ve done it years ago if I know you didn’t like it” He told her “Anyway, come on, tell me everything. I want to know what you’ve been up to all these years. I heard you moved back to England”.

“Yeah I did, not long after Robert died, I’ve got a great job and the greatest friends. Life is good”.

“Great I’m so glad. What about relationships? Are you seeing any body back home?” Micky asked.

“No! I’m not seeing any one, I’m too old to date”

“Hay I’m older then you and I’m getting married!” Micky protested.

“Sorry honey. Anyway I don’t really want to date, I had the love of my life and he was taken from me. I don’t want James to feel as though I’m replacing Robert”.

“You’ve said it yourself already, it was thirteen years ago. I’m sure James doesn’t want you to be alone”.

“I’m not alone. I have my friends and James and now I have you again. No matter how hard you try I’m not gonna let you get away from me again”.

“You have nothing to worry about, I ain’t going no place” Micky said, quoting a line from one of Rachel’s favourite Monkee episodes. Rachel laughed.

“Thank you, anyway I doubt anyone would want to date an old thing like me” She replied.

“Are you crazy! A guy would be insane if he didn’t want to be with someone as stunningly beautiful as you” Micky told her, caressing her cheek with the back of him hand.

“Yeah well you have to say that, you’re the best friend, it’s in your job description” Rachel told him, but Micky shook his head.

“I’m saying it because it’s true, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known” Micky told her.

“Thank you again” She looked at him for a moment then said “How on earth did I manage to live the past fifteen years without you?” She asked. They stared at each other for a few moments, Micky was still brushing his hand against her cheek and Rachel was enjoying the attention. She had missed Micky so much and was glad to be able to have him sit next to her again. Micky was so grateful that Rachel was there he had missed her and cursed himself almost everyday for being stupid enough to lose her. They were so wrapped up in there own little world that they didn’t even notice the vicar approach him.

“Mr Dolenz we are ready to begin, she has arrived” The middle aged man told Micky.

“Who has?” Micky asked. The vicar looked a little confused.

“Um…Miss Robinson, the bride!” He replied. Suddenly Micky remembered why he had been sitting in a church in the first place. He was about to get married! He quickly pulled his hand away from Rachel’s face.

“Oh yeah right of course! Sorry please continue” Micky said. The vicar walked away casting Micky a troubled glance over his shoulder. Rachel stood up.

“Well I better go find Peter, I am his date after all,” She said.

“I’m right behind you” Came Peter’s voice. Rachel turned around, and he was indeed right behind her.

“So you are,” She said. Peter and Rachel were about to walk away when a woman about the same age as Rachel came over to them. Rachel recognised her immediately as Lily Dolenz, Micky’s sister.

“Mick, just a quick stop to wish you good luck”.

“Thanks Lil” Micky said and kissed her on the cheek. Lily noticed Peter.

“Hi Pete who’s this lovely…holy crap it’s Rachel Lockhart!” She said in total shock. Rachel laughed.

“Hello Lily, it’s good to see you,” She said.

“You too Rachel, how are you? How’s that son of yours?”.

“We’re all great thank you, James is here somewhere. Nats dragged him off somewhere”.

“Those two are like peas in a pod aren’t they” Lily said with a small laugh.

“They sure are, so how are you? Are your girls here?” Rachel asked.

“As much as I’d like to stand around and chat with you two I am about to get married you know!” Micky told them.

“Sorry Micky” Lily and Rachel said in unison.

“That’s fine just go,” Micky said with a grin.

The doors to the church opened and Denise Robinson appeared just in time to see Micky kiss a complete stranger and embrace her in a long hug before she hurried off with Peter and Lily to sit with Natalie and a young man she didn’t recognise. That was not the way Denise had expected to start her wedding, by seeing her fiancé kiss some woman she’d never seen before in her life. She was about to start her walk down the aisle when someone rushed pasted her.

“Sorry Denise, I’m late” Denise recognised the woman as Jennifer Wyatt, Micky’s first wife and mother of his daughter Natalie. Jennifer sat near the back so as to not to disturb anyone any further and Denise, at last, began her walk down the aisle.

When the music started everyone stood up and Rachel turned to see Micky’s bride for the first time. She had never met Denise before but she already hated her. Denise was taller then Rachel and her blonde hair *From a bottle!* Rachel sneered mentally, was pulled back into a tight French twist and a few wisps of hair hung lose, framing her face. She wasn’t wearing a veil but a small tiara rested on her head. The dress was a simple white strapless cannon gown and was absolutely beautiful and, although Rachel hated herself to admit it, so was Denise. She had a very small resemblance to Jennifer when she was that age, which Rachel figured must be early to middle thirty’s. Rachel could see why Micky had fallen for Denise, she was exactly his type and absolutely nothing like Rachel at all. Rachel felt a slight pang of jealously as Denise swept past her, which surprised her a little. She had been fine when Micky had married Jennifer and then Kathryn, so why did this one bother her so much? It’s not like she had feelings for Micky...did she? She thought about this then shook her head, *no of course not you’re just jealous of her age that’s all* she tried convincing herself, but herself wasn’t convinced at all *you do have feelings for him, you just won’t admit it* the little voice in the back of her head told her. She tried not to listen to herself and was glad of the distraction when something moving in the back of the church caught her eye. She turned her head to see Michael Nesmith creep in and stand at the back. He looked straight at Rachel and seemed almost as surprised to see her there as she did him. Rachel nudged Peter in the ribs and when she had his attention, jerked her head in Mike’s direction. Peter turned his head and almost yelped in shock when he saw his former co-star and band mate standing there. Peter knew Mike had been invited but never in a million years did he expect him to show up.

continued