Title: A Change of Scenery (11/13)

Author: Romantique

Email: dolph1n

Classification: Raylan/Rachael Hurt/Comfort, Friendship

Rating: T

Summary: Raylan's inability to sleep reaches the breaking point. (Takes place after 'Fever Dreams' which is rated M for language and violence.)

Disclaimer: I wrote this fic immediately following the end of Season 3.

Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Raylan stood outside Judge Mike Reardon's chambers, in the hallway of the Court House in Lexington. Standing with him were Art, Rachael, and Tim. It was after work on Friday, and the good Judge had agreed to arrange his schedule to marry Raylan and Winona at the end of the work day, so that all of Raylan's team from the Marshal Service could attend the civil service. Judge Reardon's clerk directed Raylan to sign some paperwork on a clipboard which included the marriage license. Art served as his witness.

After all the paperwork was completed, Raylan glanced up at the wall clock, down the hallway. He couldn't help but notice that Winona was late. Never good at waiting, he soon became fidgety and began to pace up and down the hall in an attempt to burn off his excess, nervous energy.

"You're not worried, are you?" Tim asked, knowing that, from her history with Raylan, if ever there was ever going to be a 'runaway bride,' it could very well be Winona.

Raylan shoved his hands into the pockets of the pants of his best navy suit and continued to pace. He answered Tim's question with one of his own. "Now, why should I be worried?"

Despite his bravado, Raylan wasn't doing a very good job of hiding his feelings. A small white boutonniere adorned Raylan's lapel, and he decided to forgo his hat for this solemn occasion. He suddenly felt silly, being all dressed up like this. Just as suddenly, he felt a twinge of foolishness for allowing himself to be put in this position with Winona, again. She could literally leave him there waiting at the Alter, looking like a chump. Then, he thought, no. She would never do that. Or would she? This was, after all, Winona. Then, the thought occurred to him: They should have driven to the Court House together. But no, Winona convinced him that her sister, Gayle, had to be there ... and that she should wait for her sister to drop her kids off at daycare.

With all these conflicting thoughts swirling through Raylan's mind, he let out a heavy sigh of frustration.

"Maybe she's just tryin' to rub it in a little," Art tried to make light of the situation. Leaning against the wall, he watched as his marshal paced back and forth in front of him. "You know, to remind you who the boss is, in this relationship?"

"Oh, she's the boss," Raylan raised his eyebrows and gave a nervous smile. "Always has been. She knows that. Everyone knows that."

"I'm glad to learn that there is someone out there who can boss you around," Rachael chided.

"Here, here!" Art chuckled, "Because I sure as hell can't."

"I'm so glad I can amuse you all," Raylan's eyes narrowed, as he responded in a condescending tone, "at my expense."

It was about that time that Gayle rounded the corner coming from the elevator. A very pregnant Winona walked about eight paces behind her sister. Winona was wearing a deep-blue, sleeveless silk sheath dress that perfectly set off the blue in her eyes. Her hair gently cascaded past her shoulders and around her face in soft, wavy tendrils. The mere sight of her literally took Raylan's breath away. When their eyes met, it was almost as if there was no one else but the two of them in that hallway. All Raylan's nervous feelings of being left at the Alter immediately dissipated.

Finally, Raylan glanced over at Rachael, who was holding a small white bouquet of fragrant jasmine, Winona's favorite. Raylan had bought the flowers for his bride, and Rachael handed the bouquet over to him. He walked over and took Winona's hands in his and placed the bouquet in hers. They never said a word and just smiled at one another.

Soon, the clerk reappeared and asked Winona to sign the same papers previously signed by her groom. Gail witnessed her signature on the marriage license, on the line next to Art's.

After Gail signed the license, she walked over to Raylan. In a low voice, she said, "Look, I know we've had our differences in the past." Then, she looked up sheepishly at him with eyes that were the same shape as her sister's, but were different in color. "I just want you to know that Winona had a long talk with me this week, and she explained a lot of things I didn't know."

Raylan stopped her right there. "You love your sister," he smiled down at her. "And I'm so glad you do and that you're here today."

Then, he opened up his arms and offered Gayle a big hug. She took him up on his offer.

"It's gonna be alright," he whispered into his former and almost future sister-in-law's ear. "We don't know how we're gonna make this work, but it's gonna be alright."

Gayle squeezed him tight around the shoulders. After all these years of knowing Raylan, Gayle honestly caught a glimpse of what Winona saw in him. It was obvious he loved her baby sister very, very much.

Then, he added, "You are gonna be a wonderful aunt to our little girl. And you're the pro here. Winona and I don't know much about little babies. We're gonna need you, Gayle. We're both gonna need you ... a lot."

"Thank you, Raylan." Winona's older sister truly was grateful. "I'm not going anywhere." Sure, Gayle had been protective of her sister during this hard time between her and Raylan. She felt somebody had to be in Winona's corner. But she felt pretty foolish after Winona explained everything. Gayle had no idea about Gary and the money and a lot of other things. How could she have known? Still she was grateful and genuinely impressed with Raylan's gentle sincerity on this day. It was a side of the lawman he didn't let show very often.

Then, he turned to speak to Winona. In a voice as slow and as smooth as an expensive Kentucky bourbon, he declared, "You are absolutely stunnin'."

"You look real good, yourself," she smiled. Her blue eyes sparkled.

It was about that time the clerk opened the door to the Judge's chambers and waved everyone inside.

"You ready to do this again?" Raylan smiled at Winona and offered his crooked elbow to her.

"Yeah," she smiled, wrapping her arm around his. "I'm ready."

The clerk then motioned to everyone as to where to stand. Raylan and Winona were in the center, flanked on either side by Gayle and Art. Tim and Rachael took seats directly behind the bride and groom. A few moments later, the Judge entered the room from a side door. Everyone was relieved to find the Judge was wearing pants under his robe, something that was not to be taken lightly. Gayle was the only one in the room who was not aware of that particular issue that thankfully would be a non-issue on this day.

Winona handed her bouquet to her sister.

Judge Reardon shook his head and smiled at Raylan. "See? I told you if you'd wait and be patient, this one would return to you. Now, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did," Raylan answered, returning the smile.

It was then that the Judge first noticed Winona's very pregnant form. "It looks like this marriage couldn't have waited much longer." Next, Judge Reardon turned his attention to his former Court Reporter. "Now you," he spoke in his firmest Judge voice. "This is a good man you've got here. Heck, if I wasn't heterosexual, I might marry Raylan myself. You need to lighten up and not give him such a hard time. You could go easier on yourself, too. Right?"

"I might lighten up ... a little," Winona smiled at her groom.

Then, Judge Reardon proceeded. "Since you two have done this before ... and with each other, no less ... let's dispense with all the flowery foo-foo and just cut to the chase. Join hands, please."

Raylan took Winona's hands into his, and they gazed into one another's sparkling eyes, smiling at one another with closed mouth smiles. These were the kind of smiles where they tried to contain their happiness during this solemn occasion, for fear they might burst. Their stifled smiles spilled over, all the way up their faces and into the corners of their eyes.

"Winona, do you take this man, Raylan, to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the Judge's voice slightly echoed.

"I do," she said, absolutely beaming.

"And do you, Raylan, take this woman, Winona, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the Judge recited.

"I do," Raylan said, effortlessly emoting love through his eyes.

"Do you have the rings?" the Judge asked.

Art and Gayle each handed Raylan and Winona a ring.

"Winona, repeat after me and then, place the ring on Raylan's finger," the Judge began. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Winona repeated the, never breaking her gaze. Then, she slipped the platinum band on Raylan's left ring finger.

The Judge then gave the same instruction to Raylan, who repeated the line and slipped an antique diamond on her petite left hand.

Then, the Judge proclaimed, "By the authority granted to me by the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

There was a burst of applause in the room.

"Deputy Marshal Givens, you may kiss your bride," Judge Reardon proclaimed.

Raylan leaned forward, with Winona's growing baby bump between them, unable to passionately take his bride into his arms the way he did when they were married the first time. Instead, he kissed her tenderly, and she mirrored his kiss.

"Okay, that's enough. Get a room!" Tim dryly chided from his nearby seat, as he thought the decorum of the ceremony had already been somewhat compromised by the bride's fastly expanding situation.

Tim's remarks were just enough to break their kiss.

It was as this point in the ceremony that Judge Reardon then added with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, for the 2nd and hopefully the last time, Mr. and Mrs. Raylan Givens."

(To be continued . . .)