Sam watched Skye balancing on the kitchen stool, her hands deeply buried inside one of the cabinets in her kitchen. "Are you sure you should be doing this?"

"Yes," she muttered. "You don't know what a skillet is. You call it a frying pan."

"But it doesn't look very safe." As he said this, his eyes involuntarily moved to her stomach.

Even if she was almost four months pregnant, it didn't show. She just looked as if she'd had a good meal. If Sam hadn't seen the ultrasound and the baby himself, it would be so hard to believe that someone was growing in there.

Skye straightened on the stool and gave him a skeptic look. "Sam, I'm pregnant, not disabled."

He nodded, since they'd had this conversation before. Plus, he was close enough to catch her if something went wrong.

"Why do you feel the need to impress this Lucy anyway?" he asked, leaning his back against the island. "You don't need a broken leg five days before the wedding."

She grinned down at him, pulling out what looked exactly like a frying pan. "Stop worrying, Snowflake!" Once she was back with both feet on the floor, he actually could. "I don't want to impress her per se, but I haven't seen her in so long. She's my best friend after all." She put the frying pan on the stove and hoisted her jeans higher to hide the very small protuberance of her belly.

Sam couldn't believe how hot her body still looked, delicate and thin. If Lucy wasn't coming over, he would've interrupted her cooking for a quick bedroom session.

"Don't," she said, after just one look over her shoulder.

"Don't what?"

"Don't give me bedroom eyes. We don't have time before they get here." She hesitated a moment and Sam really hoped she'd changed her mind. "Just as an FYI, Lucy is really beautiful, so try not to stare."

"Seriously? You're insecure?"

She let out a short laugh. "No. At least not about my looks. I'm Just warning you because she'll notice and call you out on it. Though..." She nibbled on her lower lip in thought.

He smiled. "What?"

"I'm about 99.9 percent sure she hit on Tom on the way over already."

His smile only broadened. "Understandable."

"Yeah, can't blame her either. You tend to be incredibly hot." She pinched his cheek lovingly, but then her mood suddenly dropped. "Speaking of your twin, did you hear back from Angie?"

Sam's smile also faded and he fought a grimace. "No. She confirmed getting the invitation and said she'd get back to me, but nothing else."

"It's five days away," Skye muttered. "Don't get me wrong, if she doesn't come I'm totally fine with it. I just wanted to know if I can include her in the wedding or not. Lucy has a lot of surprise plans."

From Skye's stories about her maid of honor and former college roommate, Sam could bet she did. And Skye might not mind that Angie was giving them the silent treatment, but Sam did. She'd been gone for almost four months, only texting Kay a couple of times to assure her she was alive and kicking.

It was like Jessie all over again, except this time, there was no trigger, no secret life to fix. Just Angie's ever-present impulse to run whenever things got rough. He'd thought, hoped, that being there on the most important day of his life so far would trump that.

He'd hoped she cared about him more.

"Hey." Skye put her hand on his cheek, her eyes filled with tenderness.

He placed his hand over hers, realizing her mood drop was because she didn't want to upset him, not because of Angie's failure to RSVP. She knew him so well, better than anyone ever had, and it just made him love her more.

"You know I'm upset about it, but I'm not going to let it get to me." He forced a smile, and after a while, it felt genuine. Because, after all, he had no reason not to be perfectly happy.

He would be marrying the woman he loved in five days and they were having a baby together. And on top of that, the rest of his brothers would be coming to New York the very next day to rehearse their part in the wedding. There was a chance Jessie would even pull Jimmy out of the Agency medical facility and fly him over for the occasion.

"Good," Skye said. "Because I want to check your guest list again. Just to make sure we booked enough rooms at the hotel."

"That's easy. Kyle and Kay, Jerry and Sarah, Jessie, Tom, my mother, my two grandmothers, my uncle Max and his family, Lisa and her boyfriend, Herrison and Steve Turner from the Agency. And Kyle's band which is another six people. And maybe Jimmy and Angie."

Skye ticked the names off her list as he spoke. "So this is it. No one else?"

He narrowed his eyes, reading behind the innocent question. "What do you mean?"

"I've been thinking if you'd want to invite Harry."

"Hell no." The words were out before he could filter them. 

Yes, it was stupid, because he'd technically made up with his former best friend, but Sam still couldn't get over the fact that he'd slept with Christine behind his back.

"Okay, just checking." She shrugged and returned to the list. "You said you already invited Ron, but he can't come and you don't want your other uncle to come."

Sam nodded. No way in hell was he inviting Bill to anything. He sucked at family gatherings. A painful knot twisted in Sam's stomach at the thought of Billy. Even if it had been almost four years since his supposed death, Sam still refused to think about it, consider him dead. And every time a family event presented itself, he couldn't help but miss him.

"When will we know about Jimmy?"

"Later this evening. Kyle flew over to California to help Jessie with the paperwork."

Skye raised an eyebrow. "Paperwork?"

"He bangs his fists on tables louder than Jessie."

"Right," she said with a fond smirk.

"But anyway, if he does come, he'll stay with Jessie, so no extra room needed."

"Yes, makes sense."

They treated the matter as it was, both of them refusing to acknowledge how screwed up what was happening to Jimmy was. Things hadn't improved in the four months he'd been committed. He walked, talked, breathed and ate on his own, but continued to show complete disinterest towards who he was or who everyone else was. Sometimes, when the drug trials were getting a bit too much, the serum would take over and they'd have to lock him up in a padded room to avoid him destroying everything he got his hands on.

Jessie told them every dirty detail in a voice filled with determination, but devoid of hope. And yet, as Sam and Skye's wedding approached, it was her who volunteered bringing Jimmy, even if he'd be mostly sedated.

As selfish as it was, Sam agreed, actually wanted his brother there, even if it wouldn't mean anything to him. It would to Sam. It would mean the world actually. And he knew Jessie would feel horrible abandoning her surveillance duties, even if just for a few days. So he really hoped she and Kyle would get their point across.

"Angie, on the other hand..." Skye said, redirecting his thoughts away from Jimmy. "It's not like I can bunk her up with Tom if she changes her mind."

"Definitely not."

She hummed, leaning against the counter and drumming her fingers on it.

Sam's phone started ringing, and for a second he was convinced it was Angie either confirming she'd be there or letting them know she wasn't coming. But once he pulled the phone out of his pocket, a bitter taste settled on his tongue.

"Who is it?" He turned the phone towards her and she said, "Ah."

Christine. Even if they'd technically stayed friends, Sam had avoided getting into conversations with her over the past months. They stuck to platitudes in phone conversations that never lasted more than a minute, and he continued dodging her suggestions to hang out. He knew it was stupid, that she'd find out anyway, but he couldn't tell her he was getting married. He was sure she'd take it personally, and an angry Christine was not something he wanted to deal with.

"Did you tell her about the wedding?" Skye asked, reading his mind as always.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because when she called the first time, I just didn't want to, and the next time, it was too late."

"She will find out," Skye said, glancing at the phone in his hand, which was still vibrating.

"I know. I should get this or she'll just keep calling."

She narrowed her eyes. "Okay, but put it on speaker."

That was a rather odd request since Skye let him have his privacy, so he obeyed. She probably had a plan or something.

"Hey, Christine," he said, he's voice neutral, more focused on Skye who was scribbling something on her guest list.

"Hi, Sam, how have you been?" She sounded normal, a little joyful even, just like every time she called.

He'd never initiated it so far, but he believed it was a big step forward that he actually talked to her. Maybe in time, they could actually be real friends.

"Pretty great, actually."

"I saw that there haven't been any attacks in months and I'm grateful that the Agency is giving you some time off."

She said that every time, as though wanting to remind him that she was in on his secret life. And yet, there was so much she didn't know. Not about space, not about the last jewel that wasn't there. Not about Jimmy.

"It was needed," he answered as he always did. "How have you been?"

"A little confused, actually. There are these crazy rumors flying around."

Sam's stomach tightened. This was new and probably the real reason she'd called. "Really? Like what?"

"Like that you've disappeared from town for the past two weeks."

He let out a breath of relief. Yes, that was true since he'd come to New York with Skye to take care of the wedding preparations and hang out with his in-laws. It was weird to have parents who actually liked him for a change and didn't consider him a threat for knocking their daughter up. Of course, they hadn't exactly told them yet, but Sam didn't think it would be a problem.

"Yeah, I'm in New York. Have been for the last couple of weeks."

"Oh." Her voice was a little deflated, as if she'd expected him to deny it. "Vacation?"

"Sort of." He glanced at Skye who held up a paper to him. On it she'd written Do you want her to come to the wedding? Sam frowned. What kind of question was that?

"It's not just that," Christine pressed on. "One of the tabloids claims you're getting married there."

Well, shit, there it was. Honestly, it was a miracle they'd managed to keep it out of the press for as long as they had.

He took in a deep breath. "That's also true. I'm getting married in five days." The evil was out. And Skye raised her eyebrows, the written question still up.

"She won't want to come," he mouthed to her.

"Yeah, right," Skye mouthed back

Christine stayed silent for a few seconds in which Skye shook her head as though pitying Sam.

"What?" Christine finally asked. "Are you serious? Who are you even getting married to?"

"Skye." Duh! But he left that part out.

"You're marrying your therapist?"

Okay, it sounded wrong if she said it like that, but it didn't change anything about the way he felt about Skye. So all he said was, "Yes," and expected her to hang up and never speak to him again.

Instead, there was more silence and Skye raised the sign again, making it dance on the counter for good measure.

"And you didn't think of telling me?" Christine asked, her tone laced with muted anger. "Of inviting me? Or is this whole attempt at friendship a waste of my time?"

Sam cringed. She had a point. If they were supposed to be friends, he should've told her and actually invited her. And for the first time, he seriously considered Skye's question.

"I thought it might be a bit... painfully," he said to win more time as he pondered.

Did he mind her being there? The distance and her attitude towards him made it a lot easier to put behind him what had happened. Unlike in Harry's case, she'd apologized and offered to stay friends, then actually put some effort into that.

"Don't you think I at least gained the right to decide that for myself?" Christine said between her teeth. "I wouldn't have necessarily said yes, but finding out like this when I thought we were trying for an honest friendship?"

"Of course not." And now he felt bad about not actually asking.

Skye came next to him and decided he needed help. "Hi, Christine. Look, it wasn't in bad faith. Sam just didn't think you'd be interested."

"Oh, hello," Christine said, a little hesitant.

"So, if you want to come, of course you're invited," Skye went on, her tone polite and joyful. "Like Sam mentioned, the wedding is in five days, in New York. I'll send you all the details if you decide you want to participate."

Even if Skye had basically steamrolled him, Sam felt lighter. He really didn't mind Christine turning up and it could actually be a stepping stone of friendship for him as well.

"Yes, of course," he said. "And sorry for being insensitive and making the decision for you."

"Just let us know as soon as possible so we can make necessary arrangements." Skye picked up her guest list again and started scribbling on it.

"Oh, I'm coming," Christine answered unexpectedly.

"Lovely," Skye said, not missing a beat. "Will you be bringing a plus one?"

Sam actually gave her a nudge and she raised another paper on which she'd already written What? It's a legit question.

Christine was quiet for a moment, then said "I would like to bring Tina as my plus one, if that's okay. I'm sure she'd want to see you all."

"Yeah, sure. It will be fun," Sam said, his eyes darting to the next sign Skye held up which read Moron.

"Thank you, Christine," Skye said. "We'll see you in a few days."

"Yes, goodbye." Christine still sounded confused, but she hung up and that was the end of that.

"Why the moron sign?" Sam asked the moment the call ended.

"You shouldn't have greenlighted Tina without talking to Jerry first. Maybe he really doesn't want to see her."

Oh, right. In hindsight, that had been a terrible decision. But Jerry was civil and had never had a problem with seeing Tina before. Before Sarah. Sam groaned.

"At least give him a heads up," Skye said.

"I will. But how'd you even predict I'd do that?" He would've never guessed that Christine would accept their invitation, let alone drag Tina along.

"I didn't. I was just sure you'd do something stupid." She hooted with laughter and danced out of his reach.

"Speaking of stupid things, are you sure inviting Christine was a good idea?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Why? Don't you want her there?"

"Want is a strong word. She's still my ex and also a schemer so it could get weird."

Skye narrowed her eyes. "Is there anything she could do or say to change your mind about the wedding?"

"No." The answer was out instantly. 

In the months she'd insisted on becoming friends he'd thought about all the fucked up ways in which she could mess it up. None of those had even the slightest chance of changing his mind.

"Then I think both of you need this. You to determine whether friendship with her is actually possible, and her to get her closure."

He quirked an eyebrow. "So that's actually it. You want her to see it."

Skye shrugged. "Seeing is believing."

"I didn't think you were jealous."

"I'm not. I just have a family to protect.'

He strode to her, took her face in his hands and kissed her. She kissed him back, her fingers tightening in his hair.

He loved this, their domestic bliss, spending entire days together. It was all they'd been doing since they came to New York, but it was about to end and he hated it.

"Are you sure you want to stay with Lucy instead of me," he muttered into her skin as he trailed kisses down her neck.

"It's not a matter of want, Snowflake," she whispered, the breathlessness in her voice sending him up the wall. "I think a break from seeing each other before the wedding will make things more exciting."

She had a point and it would stop them from unloading nervous energy on each other. But he still hated it, hated being without her. At least he had Tom for company since he'd flown over early for his best man duties.

But he felt the need to make up for it. Their kisses grew deeper, more desperate as she seemed to want to get as much of him as possible before he'd leave.

"Sam," she whispered once his hands reached under her t-shirt. "We should stop. Lucy and Tom could walk in at any moment."

He groaned and pulled away from her. "Can't we lock the door or something?"

She laughed and nudged his chest. "It's better that we wait a while. And don't worry, with all this wedding stuff, the days will just fly by."

"Right, wedding stuff."

He'd barely taken a step away from her when the doorbell announced the presence or their guests. With a sigh, he walked down the hallway and opened up.

Tom waited on the other side together with a beautiful woman with strawberry blonde hair and smokey eyes who had to be Lucy. She was tall and lean, wearing an off-the-shoulder dress and high heels.

"Hey," she said. "You must be Sam. I'd be impressed by how good-looking you are, but I've had the pleasure of meeting your twin first." She gave Tom a light nudge then let herself in.

"Hey, Lucy," Sam mumbled. "Do come in."

Tom smirked and came in as well. Sam shut the door behind him and the two joined the girls in the kitchen.

"I have so many great ideas," Lucy was already saying, dropping her humongous purse on the counter. "Unfortunately for you, most of them are surprises."

"I'm sure it will all be great," Skye said with a smile, then walked over to hug her.

Sam held his breath, a little worried that Lucy might feel Skye's tiny bump and figure things out, but there was none of that and Lucy pulled away all smiles. Even if she was a little taller than Skye and held a statuesque beauty which unpleasantly reminded Sam of Christine, he couldn't help but notice how Skye was the one lighting up the room, the one in control. It only made leaving harder.

"I missed being here. Missed hanging out with you. And I can't believe you're getting married before me." She threw Sam a glance over her shoulder as she said this. "Don't you boys have somewhere to be?"

"Not really," Sam said with a shrug.

Tom snickered once Lucy glared daggers at him. "He's just kidding. We'll be right out of your glamorous hair."

Lucy gave him a dazzling smile which made Sam sure Skye had been right and she'd heavily flirted with his twin.

Sam sighed. Might as well get it over with. So he walked to Skye while Tom called Lucy over to ask something secret and wedding related. Sam knew he only did it to give them some privacy and he was grateful.

"Don't look so down," Skye whispered the moment she wrapped his arms around her. "We'll still talk every day."

"I know. I'll still miss you." As subtle as possible, he snuck one hand between them and placed it on her belly. "I love you. Both of you. If you need anything, let me know."

She nodded, her eyes a little misty and gave him a lingering kiss.

"Hey, save it for the wedding night," Lucy said with a laugh.

Sam just wanted to thump her, but he broke away from Skye and joined Tom by the door.

"Before I forget," Skye said. "Tom, do you need a refill or are you good for the next few days?"

Sam's muscles clenched involuntarily at the mention of his brother's medication. 

A couple of weeks after Angie left and they'd returned to Chicago, Tom had collapsed.

Her leaving combined with Jimmy's state and how they'd lost their sample of funky water which made it impossible to find out who tried to poison them had plunged Tom into a deep depression which culminated with him almost driving his car off a bridge just because he couldn't be bothered to turn.

A few sessions with Skye later, they both agreed to try some medication. And it had worked great. Tom's mood had improved and for the past month, he'd been himself again, bad jokes and excessive energy included.

"Actually, I wanted to ask if I could stop taking them," Tom said.

Skye frowned. "Why?"

"I need to get off them at some point. And I'm feeling pretty good right now. The wedding got me hyped and optimistic."

Sam nodded, because he could feel it, too. He really was okay. Unless it was all the meds.

Skye didn't look very convinced, but she sighed. "Okay then. But if you start feeling off, let me know."

"Will do." Tom winked and gave her a two finger salute.

"Bye girls. Have fun without us," Sam said.

"Don't get too wild with your bachelor party," Lucy wished them back.

Once out of the apartment, he shook his head and heaved a sigh.

"What?" Tom asked.

"Am I the only one who finds Lucy annoying?"

"She's not that bad, you know. She's just really nervous about her ideas and if you and Skye will like them."

"Is there anything awfully embarrassing?"

"No. Her ideas are actually nice. It's going to turn out great. And she really loves Skye. Don't let the fake Christine vibes fool you."

Sam nodded and glanced at the apartment building over his shoulder as they made their way towards the hotel. He felt a lot more at ease knowing Skye was in good hands.

"Speaking of Christine, Skye actually invited her to the wedding."

"No way." Tom stopped and turned to him. "Why?"

"Because healing and closure and... Actually Skye wants her to see us getting married so she can't pretend it didn't happen later."

Tom huffed. "As much as I admire her motivation, it's a bit too much."

"I'm sure she's going to behave perfectly civil."

"What about me? Will I behave perfectly civil?"

A chill ran down Sam's spine. "You still have it in for her?"

"She does play a small part in ruining my life and I'm not as forgiving as you."

Right. Because if Christine hadn't grabbed Angie's phone, she wouldn't have left without it and Tom wouldn't have gone crazy, broken up with her and slept with someone else.

"I'm sure you'll manage it," Sam said instead.

Tom groaned. "I might need some pills after all." He stayed silent for a few moments as they continued their walk. "What about..."

"She still hasn't confirmed or denied," Sam answered, knowing full well what his twin meant.

Tom huffed again, the bitterness much more evident. "Typical. Takes her forever to decide on anything major and when she does, it's usually too late."

Sam wanted to point out he was being mean, but Tom was actually right. Over the months, Sam had actually wondered whether this need Angie felt to keep running wasn't an aftermath of some deep seeded fear of commitment to anything.

He didn't like thinking about it or the dark cloud above his twin's head, so he decided a change in subject was in order.

"What do you think of Lucy?"

"She's cool," Tom answered automatically.

"Skye said she'd hit on you."

He grinned at this. "Yeah. You should've seen her at the airport. I thought she'd trip over her jaw when she saw me." The satisfaction on his face was a little evil. "Which I'm grateful for because I admit I was a little impressed, too."

"She's not bad on the eyes at all."

"Not at all. And then in the car she was so excited to tell me her plans and see if I liked them. Nice to get attention from some sane people for a change."

Sam couldn't agree more. Which made New York awesome. They weren't nearly as famous here as they were in Chicago, so they could actually walk down the street without incident.

Life was sweet. And despite everything, at that moment Sam was sure everything would turn out okay.