Gemma thought about it for a moment before chewing her bottom lip. "What about him?" she asked, tilting her head up in Dixon's direction. "Doesn't he have a girlfriend or a wife… maybe a boyfriend, whatever?"

"No," Dixon answered, his words crisp. "I have none of those."

How was she supposed to successfully make fun of him when he wouldn't even react? For that matter, how the fuck was she supposed to get married to this guy anyways? He was totally, one hundred percent not her type.

"You have to be serious about this, Gems," Brent said, his voice softening. "You can't go around telling everyone you're getting married, but that it's not real. Please, just do this for us, hmm? For your protection. We'll arrange everything; you, my dear, have nothing to worry about at all, except playing the part of doting fiancée and then wife. Okay?"

Again, Gemma was silent. Finally, she looked up at Dixon. "Why are you doing this?" she asked him, and for the first time in the conversation, she was actually serious. "Doesn't this bother you? I mean, you won't get to go out with women, men, whatever. You actually have to pretend to like me."

"Difficult as that may be," Dixon said, his blue eyes meeting with hers, "this is my job. Whatever is required of me, I do."

Gemma blinked. So here it was. She really had no choice in the matter, did she? Apparently, her life was in danger, though she wasn't exactly sure as to why that was or how, and she highly doubted her parents would disclose the information now. But what she didn't really understand was how she was supposed to pretend to be in love with this guy. She could probably be attracted to him because she kind of was. But to like him, let alone love him? He was already rubbing her the wrong way — and speaking of rubbing, were they supposed to hold hands? Touch? Kiss? Oh, goodness, how was she supposed to…. No, she wasn't going to think about it.

"Okay," she said, quiet. "I'll do it. I guess."

"Oh good, darling," Carlene said, giving her daughter a smile. She blinked, and Gemma could move comfortably again. Her mother had power with her eyes, more than her father had at his job. "I'm so proud of you. You're making the right decision. And once everything is in order and you're out of harm's way, there will be no need to go on pretending. You can go off and date whomever you want."

"As long as he has no tattoos," Brent put in, "I just don't understand tattoos." He glanced back at his daughter. "Tomorrow, we have arranged for both you and Dixon to get your pictures done, you know, for the rehearsal dinner slideshow. It's at one o'clock in the afternoon. Is that going to be all right with you?"

"Wait, Dad," Gemma said, trying to let everything settle in. "How'd you know I'd be back by tomorrow? How'd you know that Code Blue over here was going to catch me and Gillian?"

"He's that good," Brent said, a smug smile on his face.

"Speaking of Gillian," Carlene said. "You should probably have lunch with her before the pictures and introduce Dixon to her."

"She's going to be so mad at me," Gemma muttered before she could stop herself.

"And you and Dixon should get together and come up with some stories, yeah?" Brent added, and then pulled his daughter into a hug. "Trust me, pumpkin. Everything will work out, and once it does, you can go back to being normal." He paused. “Well, normal for you.”

So you say.