The Fourth of July dawned fair and clear with the promise of being a wonderful day. Katherine had provided coffee and the makings for a continental breakfast for the residents of the city who had stayed on the beach all night. Katherine and Connor left short thereafter to attend the early chapel service, while their friends prepared a flower arch near the water's edge for the Handfasting. As the time approached a large crowd began to gather on the beach waiting for the ceremony to begin, chatting excitingly to amongst themselves. When Father Alec appeared in his clergy robes, a hush started to fall on the crowd. The priest smiled at the crowd, then turned his attention back the way he had come.

Someone turned on the sound system and the faint sounds of bagpipes started to fill the air, and Connor MacLeod was seen marching towards the beach, dressed in full Scottish pomp and circumstance in a formal dress kilt. More than one lady in the crowd sighed in appreciation of how handsome he looked., His hair, newly cut for the occasion, shone in the sun, and the look of happiness that glowed on his face looked like it was giving said sun some serious competition.

The Highlander turned and walked onto the beach, as the crowd parted to allow him entrance. He walked up to Father Alec and stood beside him in front of the flower arch and then turned to look down the street as the music continued to play. Sarah Jo and Duende Duncan were next to appear. Duende looked absolutely devastating in his full dress kilt as well and Sarah Jo, barefoot and dressed in a long ivory dress with her McInnes clan tartan pinned to her shoulder caught the attention of quite a few of the men who were watching. As Doc Adams watched her walk down the aisle between the onlookers, his heart swelled with pride as he thought of how beautiful she looked; much more beautiful than she ever had in her nurse's clothes!, he thought with a chuckle.

Giving her a tender kiss on her freckled cheek, Duende and her separated when they arrived at the arch and took there places beside it. Connor glanced over at his kinsman and gave him a quick smile before turning his attention back to the street. A different song was playing now and all eyes turned to watch as John Clayton, Lord Earl of Greystoke, escorted the beautiful Crystal MacLeod onto the beach. He too was dressed in full Scottish regalia and looked absolutely magnificant. Crystal wore a lovely off- white dress with the MacLeod tartan proudly pinned to her shoulder with badges that honored her rank and position. As beautiful as Crystal looked in her "street clothes", she looked a bit like a goddess herself, in that simple, elegant dress. As Lord Greystoke walked at her side, he knew he was the envy of every other man there. (Well, maybe except for Connor, who only had eyes for his bride!)

The music changed again and this time it was Toni and Paul Racine who approached the beach. The handsome Clim was wearing a well made suit with a tartan tie and had his dark hair slicked back. But all eyes were mainly focused on the blushing lady he was escorting onto the beach. Though she had become good friends with Kat, Toni had never thought she would be asked to be an attendant at her wedding! As she nervously walked at Paul's side, trying very hard not to trip on the long hem of her dress, the same style and color as the others with the exception of the tartan and badge of her clan, the Haydens. There were two very special, and very proud, men who watched her from the sidelines. Fitz was fairly bursting with brotherly pride as he watched her walk, giving her an encouraging smile when she happened to glance his way and catch his eye, and as she saw the love for her in Methos' eyes as he also softly smiled encouragement, she lost a little bit of her nerves, and managed to complete the walk to the end of the aisle with no problems

Once again the music changed, and the sound of the bagpipes was replaced by a hauntingly beautiful melody played on a flute. A soft sigh ran through the crowd as Katherine appeared. She was dressed in an long ivory dress as well, with a tight low cut emborderied brocade bodice and the Keith tartan draped over her shoulder and cascading down her back. It was pinned on with a rank badge depicted her status of being the granddaughter of a Scottish Lord. Her only jewelry was a simple pewter cross that hung from her slender neck that Connor had made for her over 400 years ago to celebrate her 16^th birthday. A crown of flowers and ribbons framed her delicate face as she slowly approached the beach, her bare feet making no sound as she glided gracefully towards them. There were several audible gasps from the crowd-as lovely as the attendants were, everyone later agreed that Kat was one of the most beautiful brides they had ever seen.

Katherine turned and paused at the edge of the beach, a radiant expression on her face as she and Connor made eye contact. Then Giles stepped out from the crowd, formally dressed for the occasion in tartan boxers, an expensive vest and tie and nothing else. She raised an eyebrow at him in appreciation of his apparel and slipped her tiny hand into the crook of his arm. Giles then escorted Katherine down the path in the sand that the others had made, and handed her over to the waiting Connor. The crowd shifted a bit as everyone tried to move in and watch the ceremony without actually crowding the happy couple, and when everyone had settled down again, the bride and groom, who could have been standing there alone for all that they noticed their audience as the gazed at each other.

Father Alec cleared his throat and began to speak, his charismatic voice easily audible to all. "Ladies and Gentlemen. We are honored to be here today to witness the pledging of these two very special people to handfast themselves to each other in the eyes of both God and all of you present," he said with a smile for the happy couple.

"Lady Katherine Patricia Ann Dixon of the Clan Keith, do you come here of your own free will, desiring to pledge yourself handfast to Connor MacLeod?"

"I have so come," Katherine said solemnly in reply. The priest nodded and then turned to Connor.

"Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, do you come here of your own free will, desiring to pledge yourself handfast to the Lady Katherine?" he asked, his voice ringing out clearly. The Highlander turn and smiled tenderly at the lady standing beside him.

"I do so come," he said firmly.

"Then please join your hands," the priest asked them. Connor reached out and took her right hand in his right hand as she reached for his left with hers, forming what from above would look like an eternity symbol.

"I Connor MacLeod, promise you Katherine, that I will be your husband and the father of your children from this day forward. To love and respect you. To support and to hold you. To make you laugh and to be there when you cry. To celebrate your joys with you. To softly kiss you when you are hurting. To be your companion and your friend, sharing all that I am with you as we make this journey together, my hand in yours." Connor's intense eyes glowed as he committed himself to Katherine.

"I Katherine Patricia Ann Dixon, promised you Connor, that I will be your wife and the mother of your children from this day forward. To love and respect you. To support and to hold you. To make you laugh and to be there when you cry. To celebrate your joys with you. To softly kiss you when you are hurting. To be your companion and your friend, sharing all that I am with you as we make this journey together, my hand in yours." The joy that was in her heart spread throughout the crowd as the little empath pledged her hand to his in return.

Father Alec reached out and tied a ribbon around their hands, and then raised them so all could see, "Connor and Katherine have pledged themselves to each other before you all, so witness now that they are bound together now before the eyes of both God and man." He lowered their hands and untied the ribbon, and said with a broad smile on his face. "You may now kiss your bride!"

As Connor leaned down to claim his bride's mouth, a loud cheer went up from the audience gathered, and as they walked back through the parted crowd, they were liberally pelted with rice, a few sniffles even being heard as they went past the more emotional souls in the crowd. The music began again, this time a joyous melody with all the traditional Celtic instruments as the gentlemen who had stood with Connor took the hand of the lady they had come in with in their arms, smiles of happiness on all of their faces as they followed the happy couple out into the waiting crowd.