Thank God I Found You
Part 14
By Cari
cxcarleo@naz.edu

Ok all, this is part 14...

This story has been really tough to write mainly because I have written a wedding story before and it was a struggle to find a way to make this different, not like a Doug and Carol wedding with new faces.

I like this story a lot more than I did when I first started writing it, but still do not feel that it was one of my best. I knew that it was necessary in order to get to Part 15, which is already written. Some of you may think that other events overshadow the wedding, and I tend to agree, but I needed something to make this different.

Note: Those of you who read the earlier version will notice that I changed Mark and Elizabeth's wedding song. I think this new song is just perfect for them.

Note: Mark's dad is still alive

Please e-mail me with any feedback at cxcarleo@naz.edu

Songs used in this piece:

"When I Said I Do" Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black

As usual, I do not own any of the characters except John Laroya and make no money from their use

It is April 11th, and Carol, Susan, and Elizabeth are at Carol and Susan's house. It is about 7 PM and they had gotten in from work around 6:30. Elizabeth was spending the night there so that she would not see Mark on the morning of the wedding.

Carol and Elizabeth are in Carol's kitchen looking at some take out menus, trying to decide what they wanted to eat. It seemed that Susan should have been finished tucking in Suzy by now, yet she hadn't come back downstairs as planned, and they also didn't hear footsteps upstairs.

Carol picked up the telephone and dialed Susan's number, yet to their surprise, she did not answer the telephone.

Carol said to Elizabeth, "That worries me. I'm going up to check on her."

"I'll come with you," Elizabeth said.

They entered Susan's apartment to find Suzy asleep in bed. As they walked past the master bedroom, they heard muffled sounds of crying. Quickly, they entered the room and sat on the bed on either side of Susan. Elizabeth gently rubbed her back while Carol asked gently, "What's the matter? Is everything ok?" She was a little puzzled because Susan had seemed all right at work and on the drive home.

Susan sat up and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, but they kept coming. "Cry if you need to," Elizabeth said.

After a few minutes, Susan calmed down enough to talk. "I got this today in the mail," Susan said, handing Carol a large manila envelope. The return address was the Seattle Police Department.

"As a result of the charges you pressed against Alan?" Carol asked.

"Just read it," Susan said softly.

Carol took out the pieces of paper and read the one on top which said:

Mrs. Rodgers:

On Monday May 1st one of our officers went to Dr. Rodgers' home after he did not come for a required court appearance relating to the charges you filed against him. After getting no answer, we obtained a search warrant, which allowed us to enter the house without his explicit permission.

Upon entering the house, we found Dr. Rodgers in the kitchen, unconscious. We attempted resuscitation but it was too late. The ER doctors pronounced him dead of an apparently intentional drug overdose. His parents handled the burial. He left the enclosed for you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions.

Detective John Laroya

"Oh Susan, I'm so sorry," Carol said.

"I don't know why this is affecting me so much. He was such a mean bastard, but..." Susan trailed off as she started to cry again.

Putting her arms around her, Elizabeth said, "I understand what you mean. My ex was an asshole to me, but he was a big part of my life, and I'd be upset if I heard that he had died."

"Part of me is also angry-I wanted him to have to face what he had done. But part of me is glad to know that he cannot ever do this to anyone again. I'm, I'm afraid to read the note that he left for me."

Carol said, "Read it when you're ready..."

A few minutes later, Susan returns from the bathroom where she had gone to wash her face. She said, "Thanks guys."

"What are friends for," Carol said with a smile as she gave Susan a hug.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth," Susan said. "This was supposed to be a celebratory night. I didn't mean to ruin it."

"You didn't ruin anything. Some things are just more important than others are. And we can still celebrate a little if you're up to it."

"I could use a drink right now," Susan said with a laugh.

By the time dinner was delivered, Carol, Susan, and Elizabeth were each nearly done with one drink, and were into telling remember when stories from various parts of their careers at County. What made this more interesting was Susan could tell stories from before Elizabeth came that she had not heard about before and Elizabeth could tell stories that happened after Susan left. Carol had, of course, been around when most of these stories happened, or had at least heard the stories, but they still gave her a good laugh.

Susan asked, "Do you remember the time that we put Carter's leg in a cast while he was asleep?"

"That was funny," Carol said with a laugh.

Elizabeth added, "That was one of the first stories I heard when I came to the hospital-they had me afraid to take a nap at all during my shifts. I was afraid I would end up in a cast. You know what one thing that amazed me that I remember?"

"What?" Susan and Carol asked. "As much as Doug drove Kerry crazy-it was a few weeks after he left, she said she missed being able to count on at least a laugh every once in awhile. She said she'd try to look mad but it was hard to keep from laughing."

Susan added, "He really keeps things interesting at work. You guys must really have missed him when he left for Seattle."

Carol said, "I almost quit. I had worked with him for so long, it just wasn't the same without him there."

"I always wondered..." Elizabeth started, but stopped.

"Wondered what?" Carol asked.

"Never mind," Elizabeth said. "It might not be the best question to ask."

"It's OK, I won't get upset, if that's what you're worried about."

"OK. I just kind of always wondered why you did not go with him. It was so obvious how much you loved each other."

"Oh that's an easy one," Carol said with a laugh. "I was stupid, and stubborn. I wanted to make him stay for me."

"Do you know what you would have done had he not come back this fall?"

"I would probably have gone crazy. I cannot imagine raising Emma alone, or dealing with mama's death. I probably would have gone out there by now."

Susan said, "When I came back, I was surprised to see that Doug had gotten married just because the Doug Ross that I knew and marriage were as much of an oxymoron as you could get. But when I found out you two had married, I was not that surprised. I had always hoped that you would get back together. You two were the only ones who didn't see the love between you two."

Carol admitted, "I was always denying it, but I knew I loved him. I was just afraid that he would not love me. But when he took me back after...after I did what I did, I knew we were going to last."

"And I'm glad you did..."

Susan said, "I have a question for you Elizabeth, if you don't mind."

"Of course not. This is kind of like grown up truth or dare," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"When I came back, and said that I wanted to see Mark and meet you, how did you feel about that? Did everyone warn you about what happened between Mark and I?"

"Mark never hid anything about it from me. He has a picture of you and him together at a carnival and one of the first times that I was over at his apartment, I asked who it was in the picture and he told me the whole story. Then when you came back, the night after we came to see you, he asked if I minded if he stayed close friends with you. I of course told him no, that I would like to get to know you too. I am not a jealous person. Later, at work, people tried to tell me that I should feel threatened, that Mark would probably dump me for you, but he assured me that he wouldn't."

"I wouldn't want him to. I see how happy the two of you are together. All I want for him is to be happy. I honestly cannot even see him in a romantic sense anymore. He is like a brother to me. I am so happy for the two of you. Tomorrow is going to be beautiful."

"I can't wait," Elizabeth said. "I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. Is that normal?"

"Of course," Carol said. "It's one of the best days in your life. You saw how I was the night before my wedding. I was upset about my mom, yet happy and..."

"If you had told me a year ago that I'd have been getting married, I would have said you were crazy. If you think back, Mark and I did not even get together until almost the end of May. I was in such a funk after the previous relationship and dealing with Romano, that I wasn't even looking for a relationship. It just happened."

"That's how the best ones do," Carol said. "Doug and I just happened, every time. You know the story of our first date, don't you."

"Yes," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

Susan asked, "Was your previous relationship with someone at County?"

Elizabeth laughed and asked, "You haven't heard about that one yet?"

"No, should I have?"

"OK, who is the person you'd least expect it to be?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, I would have guessed Romano, but you were saying you had trouble with him in addition to your relationship, so I know it's not him...Well I don't know when any of these new people got here? How about Malucci?"

"No. Peter Benton."

"Wow!" Susan said. "It's just hard to see him in a relationship even though I knew about him and Jeannie."

"He's very different away from work. He is a great guy and I still consider him a friend. We just weren't going to work as a couple."

"That's always something that's hard to learn."

"I learned later that Mark had his eye on me for some time, but wasn't sure after that relationship because he saw that Peter had hurt me."

"He's always been a caring person. When I lost custody of Suzy to Chloe, he came over and took care of me that night."

"He told me that story. That must have been so hard for you."

"It was, but my friends helped me get through it. I was devastated by what happened to Chloe, but I am glad I have Suzy again. She is what helped me get through the past few years." Susan choked up a little, and said, "I can't believe he's dead. It feels so strange."

"That's normal," Carol said. "It's a big part of your life that you can't just wipe away."

"A few times I said that I wished he were dead, but now that it's true..." Susan started to cry harder, so Elizabeth and Carol just comforted her as best they could.

Cut to show time lapse. It is now the next morning, and everyone was getting ready. Carol and Susan did Elizabeth's hair. The sides were pulled back with small barrettes, and they placed dried flowers in her hair. It was simple, yet beautiful. Suzy was sitting in front of the TV playing with her doll while wearing her flower girl dress.

The limo picked them up around 11:30 and got them to the church around 11:45. Luckily, it was nice out, so they could line up outside as planned. A few minutes later, Doug joined them outside. "The four of you look beautiful." Giving Carol a kiss, he asked, "What did you guys do last night?"

"Talk about you, what else?" Carol said with a laugh.

"Ha ha," Doug said. "That's because you miss us so much and can't stand to be apart." With that, he stuck his tongue out at Carol.

"What did you guys do?" she asked.

"We didn't get off until almost 11, so we watched some of the Bulls game and then went to bed."

Just a minute or two later, the minister came out and asked, "Is everyone ready?"

They were, and within another few minutes, The Wedding March began, and the procession into church started. Suzy went first, followed by Susan, and then Carol. Finally, came Doug and Elizabeth.

When they reached the front of the church, Doug gave Elizabeth a quick kiss on the cheek and then took his place next to Mark. From the front row, you could hear Mark's father say, "That's my boy."

This brought tears to Mark's eyes as he thought about his relationship with his dad. Elizabeth stared at the empty seats where her parents should have been, and bit back tears. "I won't let this ruin my day," she thought to herself.

The wedding seemed to go by in a blur, and before they knew it, the minister was asking Doug for the rings.

"Repeat after me," he said to Mark, "With this ring,"

"With this ring."

"I thee wed,"

"I thee wed."

And Mark placed the ring on Elizabeth's finger.

"And now you," the minister said to Elizabeth. "With this ring,"

"With this ring."

"I thee wed,"

"I thee wed."

She put the ring on Mark's finger with a little difficulty because her hands were shaking so much.

"You may kiss the bride," the minister said.

They kissed and said, "I love you."

Cut scene to show a few hours later at the reception. Doug is standing to make his toast. "Well Mark... I have known you for more years than I can count, and I have seen you through a lot. But never have I seen you as happy as you have been in the past year or so that you and Elizabeth have been together. You have really been your old self for the first time in a long time. I am so glad for that. Elizabeth, I have not known you as long, but I did notice a change in you when you and Mark got together. I am so happy for the both of you. I look forward to an exciting future filled with even more adventure. Let us toast."

Deciding to be a little different, Elizabeth threw her bouquet before anything else happened.

There were not that many unmarried women there, only about 15, and the one to catch the bouquet was Kerry Weaver. She blushed, but seemed very happy.

A few minutes later, Mark and Elizabeth took the dance floor for their first song as man and wife. The song was "When I Said I Do."

These times are troubled and these times are good
And they're always gonna be, they rise and they fall
We take 'em all the way that we should
Together you and me forsaking them all
Deep in the night and by the light of day
It always looks the same, true love always does
And here by your side, or a million miles away
Nothin's ever gonna change the way that I feel,
The way it is, is the way that it was

When I said I do,
I meant that I will 'til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind when I said I do

Well this old world keeps changin', and the world stays the same
For all who came before, and it goes hand and hand
Only you and I can undo all that we became
That makes us so much more, than a woman and a man
And after everything that comes and goes around
Has only passed us by, here alone in our dreams
I know there's a lonely heart in every lost and found
But forever you and I will be the ones
Who found out what forever means

When I said I do, I meant that I will 'til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind when I said I do

Truer than true, you know that I'll always be there for you
That's what I had in mind, that's what I had in mind,
When I said I do


Elizabeth said, "I really never thought I'd find someone who treats me as well as you do. I didn't think it was possible."

Mark said, "I didn't know if I'd ever be happy again. But you gave me reason to be."

"We'll take care of each other," Elizabeth said.

Scene fades out as they continue dancing...