Jeremy stood quietly near the makeshift alter in Animalia's Great Hall as he looked out over the crowd of people that had come to the wedding. While it wasn't the largest crowd he'd seen at Animalia, and didn't match anything like the Super Bowl Party or the communal Thanksgiving Dinner that Animalia put on, there were a fair number of people that were there. Most of them were Dinotopians, which sort of made sense in a way. Project Mesozoic had gone public, after excitement over the program couldn't be held back any more over something that the various tests he'd helped with really couldn't be hidden anymore.
The Dinotopians that had participated as part of Horizon's tests, which often related to how big Dinotopians would be, which quickly soon proved that they fell within much of the standard measures of gaining or losing size that Animalia and Horizon had already found out with regard to modern megafauna, like the Giraffe, Elephant, Rhinoceros, and Hippopotamus Animalians. Of course, because many Dinosaurs were far bigger than any modern animal, even with the knowledge that small animals tended to get bigger to be close to Human sized and bigger animals tended to get smaller so that they weren't so oversized, that still meant that many of the larger Dinosaurs would still be huge when compared to Humans and even other Animalians.
Jeremy could see that as he looked out at the rows of chairs and benches that had been set up for the wedding. They'd been set up in rows, sort of like pews in a church. In the back rows, Andrew and Jen along with Luke and Marjorie were seated. Jeremy noted that occasionally the two sets of Sauropods nuzzled their heads and long necks together with small smiles, though Jeremy couldn't fully tell if that was out of love for each other or in comfort that the Great Hall's high vaulted ceiling in the main entryway area gave them room to let their necks stand more erect, rather than hunching them over which they often had to do in many places. They'd also sat toward the back so that Luke and Marjorie's long tails weren't at risk for hitting chairs or benches behind them.
But not everyone who had come was a Dinotopian. Closer to the front was Doctor Stein, the main human scientist that he'd found himself working with the most after everything that had happened after Heather's arrival in Lyre as a Syntixisaurus Rex and ultimately the following mess that revealed that he'd been smuggling the Animalia Virus to her. He'd known Doctor Stein from before all that, but their working relationship had never been much more than checking various numbers and nods in the hallway. After all that, at first Doctor Stein was more of a supervisory officer to make sure that Jeremy's actions were monitored and was often accompanied by security guards, particularly while Heather was under stricter security requirements, but in time it actually turned into a working partnership. By the time he became a male Syntixisaurus Rex to be with Heather, Doctor Stein would talk with him alone on projects and there was no security guards. To his left was the White family, who were there for Polly. On the other side of the aisle was Roland with his parents and Sophie's parents, who were probably there because Sophie was there as part of the bridal party.
Of course to the left of Sophie's parents was Tyra, was there for her granddaughter. Though, Jeremy also noted that Tyra was also flexing for them and likely commenting on what was nice about being a Dinotopian, which made him shake his head slightly. To Tyra's left was Countess Irena who was seated quietly.
"Nervous?" asked a female voice from behind him, making Jeremy turn to see Regina standing there.
The female Spinosaurus Dinotopian stood quietly in a modified tux that had been fit around her sail. Of course, while they'd been getting dressed for the ceremony, Jeremy got to hear plenty from her at frustration at the sail. Her shirts had to be clipped around her tail so that they'd be tucked in and her pants had to be either clipped around her tail from the other way or being strapped up over her shoulders to hold them on, but then there was a fair amount of those sort of things that Jeremy didn't mind. He'd heard plenty of Animalians voice some complaints over size issues and Dinotopians were no exception to that, though some of their more unique adaptations made for other clothing issues.
"Maybe a little," Jeremy answered, "I mean... I kinda obsessed over Polly so much in college that I never noticed that Heather was actually INTERESTED in me in that way and never figured out that many of the things she did was in hope of gaining that attention... Makes me rather sorry that I wasn't paying attention. I really don't want to screw this up with her."
Regina nodded, "Just be yourself and be there for her, and I'm sure you'll do fine."
Jeremy nodded as the larger Theropod Dinotopian smiled.
"And of course, you know this means that when I find my perfect mate, it means you'll have to be my "Man of Honor" since I'm filling in as your "Best Maid," got that?" Regina teased before playfully punching at his shoulder.
Jeremy slowly nodded with a small smile. Reuniting with Regina had been a friendly surprise, even with some of the excitement that came about when Heather found them eating together and got a bit protectively jealous. Of course it did allow for them to fill a role in the wedding, as since he'd been so "anti-social" for much of his life, it meant that he really didn't have a best man. Heather had suggested Roland or Doctor Stein as a fill in, but he didn't know Roland all that well beyond that he was Sophie's boyfriend/bond-mate and while his relationship with Doctor Stein was better now, it was still a professional relationship. Regina's arrival in Lyre and becoming a Spinosaurus Dinotopian allowed for that role to be filled, as Regina was one of the few friends that Jeremy had had growing up and going through college.
"Heather and I wouldn't miss your wedding for the world when it comes," Jeremy promised her, "after all... what are friends for?"
"I believe we're about ready," spoke the human minister who was standing near the makeshift alter.
There had been some idea of having the wedding outside, as that would allow for the Dinotopians to be free of bumping their heads on low ceilings or having heavy tails crash into church pews, but with some of the hotter temperatures coming in and the fact that some of the wedding guests were more adapted to the much colder Arctic climates, Heather and Jeremy agreed that being inside would be best. In that he then turned to the area near the Great Hall's main doors, which for the moment was out of sight as a large white curtain obscured the view, though he could note two shadows through the curtain, both familiar and one made him smile.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"You ready?" Rex said to Heather as they prepared to enter through the large white curtain that for the moment obscured them from the view of those in the Great Hall.
Heather glanced to him and then to Polly who was before her and done up in her Sunday best to be the flower-girl for the procession. Polly smiled happily to Heather on her white furred muzzle, which Heather returned. Heather then glanced over her shoulder to Sophie who stood quietly by in the dress that had been specially made for her role as "Maid of Honor" for the wedding. It symbolized how far Heather had come and represented some of the problems that she had had with regard to the wedding. It was a good news/bad news sort of thing, though to a great extent, Heather actually was happy.
The "bad news" was that very much like Jeremy, she really didn't have that many people to turn to for the wedding party. Tyra was her only surviving family even when she first became a Dinotopian and came to Lyre looking for revenge regarding what had happened Costa Rica with Animalia Ambassadoria's "Mystery Inc" act that had foiled her past schemes there, and pretty much all of her old friends had pretty much shunned her for attacking Sophie and Roland the previous fall. This meant that she had no Maid of Honor and no one to be the "Father of the Bride." When she and Jeremy were first going over the wedding plans, they'd both been frustrated with that and that lead to a lot of pacing, particularly as many elements regarding her criminal record also came into play...
However, the "good news" offset that. She had made some new friends with those to who became Dinotopians, and the biggest surprises of all had related to how much her relations with Sophie and Roland had improved. When she left Costa Rica, having Sophie Albers as her future Maid of Honor was the last thing on her mind. In fact, at the time in her anger and instinct dominated mind at the time, she was far more likely to try and eat Sophie rather than befriend her. But through all the punishments that Animalia had arranged, the counseling, and even talking with Sophie person to person, the "last thing on her mind" became reality. Heather actually saw the Pterodactylus female as a good friend and was happy to have Sophie as her Maid of Honor. It showed how far she'd come.
After that was the report that the Costa Rican government was effectively dropping all the charges related to the illegal mine and tampering with fossils that Heather had engaged in when the law enforcement there trying to track her down stumbled onto a major drug cartel HQ by accident. Heather had never even realized that she'd gone through the drug lord's land while heading north toward the US, but it had apparently lead to a bigger bust which the Costa Rican government took as a bigger victory than getting Heather. With those charges dropped and her parole reviews in the US going well, even with the confrontation with Regina being noticed, things were at a point where a lot of Heather's right to travel was legally restored, and while she had a record it wouldn't be at a point where she would have major restrictions. In this, Heather knew she would have a second chance, and after being able to openly admit she actually loved Jeremy and that he returned her affection, she wasn't going to lose it.
The only thing that really remained was a "Father of the Bride," though there, Heather supposed she'd really have to thank Tyra. Her grandmother had very much loved her greater strength and libido as a Dinotopian, and Heather was well aware that Tyra had been fairly free and open with those she flirted with. Old friends like Andrew had been first among those that Tyra had been with, but after meeting Rex Ramos Tyra had found someone that she really seemed to hit it off with. It had been more than just what happened between the bedsheets, especially with the fact that Rex had also seen a couple of Tyra's shows at the Meat Market. The two frequently ate out together and shared information, be it Tyra's life as Effie Wilcox or Rex's study into paleontology. While Rex hadn't actually proposed, yet, Heather suspected that would happen eventually and was glad that Tyra was happy. That made asking Rex to serve as the "Father of the Bride" rather easy, and Heather was happy that he said yes.
That had her set for everything. She wore a fairly modest white dress with a long slit in the back to accommodate her tail and was there her future grandfather-in-law, her best friend, and her future sister-in-law. All that was left was to go forward and say "I do."
"I'm ready," Polly declared with a smile as she looked up to Heather.
"So am I," Sophie added from behind Heather, "and I think Jeremy is waiting."
Heather nodded as the sound of a CD player actually starting to play the wedding march was heard through the Great Hall. That was the cue to go forward and she looked down to Polly and gave a small smile.
"Then let's not keep him waiting long," Heather said softly, "Lead the way, Polly."
Polly nodded and then walked forward through the curtain tossing flower petals as she walked forward so that they drifted softly to the ground in the aisle that had been set up for the wedding. Rex and Heather followed behind with Heather holding Rex's arm. She saw Jeremy waiting up near the front, and Heather couldn't help but smile. The various Dinotopians and Animalians, and even a few Humans turned to see her enter, and what Heather noted the most was that there weren't any looks of judgement and disapproval. She'd had to deal with a lot of that sort of thing at first, and some Animalians did still view her with some degree of suspicion, but things were better, and that again symbolized how far she'd come.
They made their way forward until they got up before the minister and the makeshift alter. Once there, Polly walked over to sit beside Marcy while Rex moved to stand to the left of Countess Irena. Sophie remained slightly behind Heather as Heather then turned to look to Jeremy. The two of them took each others hands and smiled to each other as they stood there before the minister.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," the minister spoke as he looked between Jeremy and Heather, "and allow each to share bonds of love that have served to let them move past and beyond mistakes and transgressions that might otherwise have claimed both..."
The minister paused to then continue to the gathered audience.
"We all know on the past mistakes of both these individuals," the minister spoke, "but while these mistakes were wrong, it can be seen that love has served as a healing and redeeming factor for both of them. This shows us on how powerful love can be as an emotion. It can bind us together and drive us to be better people in ways that anger or hatred can never do. For they require tearing things down. Love requires us to build things up, and in the joyous union of matrimony... may it forge a bond stronger than anything on Earth."
Heather quietly stared into Jeremy's eyes while the minister gave his "sermon" to the gathered audience. Feeling his hands in hers was about all Heather really needed. The wedding wasn't super long in the sense that it didn't have breaks for music and that sort of thing. To some extent, Heather was already a bit tired from all the dancing for the official opening of Project Mesozoic to the public, and while the music for the event had been nice, she was ready to say "I do" and go on a nice long honeymoon with the man she loved. In this they quickly moved onto the vows and the presentation of the rings, which Polly happily brought up to both of them as each set of vows were administered. They were rather simple and standard, but they worked Heather couldn't help but smile as they made it through.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the minister spoke as the vows finished, "May I be the first introduce you to Jeremy and Heather Green. You may now kiss the bride."
Heather happily leaped into Jeremy's arms and they managed a fairly romantic kiss. She ignored the cheers that rose from those in the Great Hall. The only thing that mattered was feeling Jeremy be close to her.