'John' hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. He'd slept for nearly two hours, his body no longer adjusted to cope with the lack of sleep. He was groggy, though not for long as he enjoyed a few cups of coffee. Always sweet, with extra sugar, just the way he liked it. 
       Currently, Sam sat across from the brunet as they drove across the bridge. They had 25 minutes to ensure everything was set up, and it would take 20 just to get through traffic. "Son of a bitch," Sam complained. He, too, had not slept much. But 'John' had been well aware of who the wedding was for. He'd been advised to play dumb, and was told that it might be easier. 
       Rick still struggled to remember much of him, as well. Gary had done exactly what Sam had, going through and removing any trace of the brunet. Granted, Rick had gotten angrier, according to Sam, though he refused to go into detail.
       "Finally!" 'John' remarked, pulling into his spot in the church lot. He had roughly 7 minutes to adjust everything and pull his robes on. "Sam," he called as he hopped from the vehicle, "get it all ready, would you? I need to get into my robes." 'John' watched the ginger laugh as he always did at the mention of the robes before he was heading down a separate pathway. 
       'John' emerged from the small cry room shortly before he paused in front of a mirror. 
       He had a bit of scruff going on, and his eyes were darker. His hair had recently been cut shorter, and his features were slightly more defined. He hardly looked like Morty anymore. He looked like John Schelan. That was most comforting. He was the only pastor available to perform the ceremony, though he figured Gary was up to something. He could only hope Gary understood that neither of them would really remember their time with the other, and that Rick was getting married to somebody else today.
       'John' sighed, walking away from the mirror and heading up to the altar. He had to open the bible. He was the only one in the church with enough authority to do so. As Sam stepped down and bowed, 'John' stepped up with a bow, opening the bible to the required page and skimming over the small print. 
       "They're here," Sam pointed out. 'John' could see the other bouncers arriving, only recognizing two. The others were different. However, there were more individuals arriving, and 'John' sighed in relief when he saw the same men he used to work with pile out of the same vehicle. He wondered if they still worked there, or if Rick had hired new bouncers. The new men, plus Jeff and Gary, seemed to be the only ones with earpieces that 'John' could see.
       "Sam," he questioned, bowing and stepping from the altar. "Would you pray with me?" The ginger nodded, knowing it always comforted the brunet. Only recently did he come to understand and find his own faith, and Sam sure wasn't going to take that from him.
       The two knelt in front of the altar and 'John' began his silent prayer, trying to ignore the unsettlingly familiar voices. He heard Gary politely shush the others, hearing the room fall silent as he and Sam continued their silent prayer. 'John' stood after a moment and made the symbol of the cross over himself, as did Sam, and called out an audible 'Amen'.
       Instead of instantly spinning to face the others, 'John' took a moment to admire the image of Christ on the cross, sending a final silent prayer, asking for forgiveness and assistance. In all honesty, he was afraid. 
       Slowly, 'John' spun around to greet the others. He smiled politely, nodding at each one of them. He saw the men he recognized do a double take, staring at him in wonder. "Good morning, gentlemen," he called. "It's nice to see you all gathered here to bear witness to a wondrous ceremony. I'm Pastor John Schelan. It's a pleasure meeting you all." 'John' smiled politely, catching an anxious smile from Gary. 
       "Nice to meet you," was called out in scattered voices. 'John' was very aware of the bride being in the back room, having been there since before he'd arrived. She was getting ready, and 'John' could only hope she wasn't a bridezilla. He'd witnessed those before, in other ceremony's he'd held, and it was not pretty.
       "I suppose I'll go meet the bride," 'John' announced with a smile. He walked past the gaping bouncers he'd known long ago, seeing them all crowd around one another and converse. "Sam," he spun further down the aisle, "when the groom arrives, please escort the gentleman to the room facing the west." 'John' smiled as Sam nodded in understanding, making his way towards the room facing the east. 
       He knocked lightly upon the door, hearing a permittance of entry. "Good morning," he greeted, finding the bride and her mother. "Morning, father," the mother greeted. "Good morning," came the bride's frustrated reply. "Is everything going well?"
       "Oh, yes. But, since you're here, could we borrow your hands?" the mother joked. 'John' gave a nod, finding the bride eyeing him curiously. "You look familiar," she announced. "Oh, you wouldn't believe how often I hear that." 'John' shrugged it off, helping the mother with the bride's hair. 
       "I'm John Schelan. Pleasure to meet you two," 'John' announced, holding a few locks of hair in place for the mother to pin. "Oh, thank you father. I'm Bethany, and this is my daughter Amber. Her father would be here, but he's talking to the groom currently." Bethany shook her head with a sigh, "That Rick man is strange, but I guess he makes her happy." 'John' nodded in a manner that represented understanding.
       "Did you ever hear of a 'Morty Smith'?" Amber asked, facing the pastor once her hair was finished. "Yes," came 'John's simple response. "Thank you for your help, pastor. Her hair's beautiful. Amber, dear, do be careful. You're all ready, and you have time yet."
       Amber seemed to ignore her mother, though she sat carefully on a window seat and faced 'John'. "I swear, you actually are him. You're the spitting image, if I'm not mistaken. My... well, I guess husband to be had shown me pictures he had on his phone, and a video of him dancing. You have got to be him."
       "Oh, well, surely you're just confused. I've had many individuals come up to me just to say the very same," 'John' assured. "I've come in to meet you before the ceremony. You're a very lovely woman, Amber, and you, too, Bethany." 'John' gave a polite nod and a smile to each, unable to shake the uneasy feeling he got while under Amber's heavy gaze as he wandered from the room.

       "Pastor John!" he heard, spinning to face the small group. "I'm sorry, but could you come here a minute?" 'John' nodded, walking towards Nic, the still-thin man he once knew. "Yes, sir?" he questioned with a smile. 
       "I apologize, but could you just stay there a second? We're trying to figure something out." 'John' shrugged. "Certainly. But I assume the absence of Sam means the groom has arrived, correct?"
       Nic nodded, though gave no response as he addressed the small group of three other men around him. "Alright, guys, who has the best picture of him?" 'John' watched in wonder as they all showed a screen to Nic, 'John' catching a glimpse of different images of his past self on their phones. "That one," Nic stated, taking the phone from Jeff. 
       "Alright, I'm just gonna hold this up here real quick. Sorry if we're taking your time, pastor." Nic apologized once again. 'John' smiled politely, watching as they all seemed to judge the similarities. He let them have their fun, knowing he's made it this far with people questioning him. He could survive.
       "Wow," Nic breathed, pulling the phone away. The other men smiled almost in disbelief as the phone was returned to its owner. "You're the spitting image of him." Nic muttered. "Sorry, you must be confused. We'll let you be." Nic smiled in thanks and gathered his group of friends together elsewhere, 'John' seeing others file in and assume seats on either side. 
       

       "Pastor John, the groom's in his room if you're ready to bless him." Sam announced, walking up to 'John'. "Okay," he responded. "I'll take care of that in just a moment, and then we'll begin the ceremony."
       "Alright," Sam assured, walking now to the group of conversing ex-bouncers. With a heavy sigh, 'John' made his way down the side pathway, heading towards the room facing the west. He knocked lightly upon the door, hearing a quiet 'come in' before he pressed the door open. 
       "Hello," he greeted, finding Rick sitting in the only chair in the room. "I'm pastor John Schelan. Feel free to call me what you're comfortable with." 'John' introduced himself, standing in front of the door now. He watched Rick sigh and shove his phone away, the man doing a double take that made 'John' want to laugh.
       "Holy shit," he muttered, looking like he was standing before a ghost. "Sorry, pastor, I didn't mean to cuss," he quickly apologized. "No, it's quite understandable, I assure you. The others out there did the same. Everybody seems to have stories about a man I look like in this town." 'John' gave a laugh, smiling warmly at the man who looked like he was reaching for answers. 
       "You look exactly like him," Rick whispered, his stare never lessening. "Yes, well. From what I heard, he lived a pretty interesting life. That's the dividing line between us, I suppose." 
       "I swear, you could be him," the man pressed. 'John', at this point, was more than a little nervous. There were so many people here that recognized him, and here he stood, in front of the one he'd been hiding away from for five years. 
       'John' gave a light laugh, shrugging it off. "Well, I suppose I should give you the blessing before the ceremony starts without you," he joked. Rick nodded, "Yea, go right ahead, uh, pastor." 
       Piercing blue so beautiful it could draw you in followed 'John' all around the room as he smiled to himself, at least able to remember what shade his eyes were now. "You have a very beautiful bride," he announced, grabbing his bible and standing before the man. He heard a halfhearted 'yea' and wondered what that could mean.
       'John' held the bible to his chest with one hand and held his right out. "Bless this man," he drew a cross in the air over his forehead, "bring him peace and good fortune," he drew a second, "and grant him much prosperity. Amen." He finished it off with a third and final symbol in the air over his forehead, bowed, and set the bible back on the small counter. 
       "Thank you," Rick muttered, standing from his chair and apparently silencing his phone. "Now, let's have you out there and waiting for her to walk down the aisle. I guarantee you'll enjoy your forever with her." 'John' nodded, motioning for Rick to follow him. He heard a light sigh from behind himself and gave one of his own, having Rick stand in his place before the altar now. Everybody had been here a short while. There was a nice looking family on the bride's side, with wonderful men and their wives, children, or husbands on the groom's side. Personally, 'John' preferred the groom's side to the bride's. Those people looked stubborn and stuck up while the bouncers were happy and content, watching their boss find his own glee.

       Soon enough, the organ began playing, 'John' happily nodding at Cathy as she sat on the bench before the instrument. He watched Gary, Rick's best man, smile almost sadly at the brunet, sending him a confident grin back. He'd managed to get away with being passed off as a doppelganger of sorts, still confusing the bouncers and Rick. It must have been the scruffy beard he had going, the shorter hair. He looked more like a man now, less of the baby-faced brunet he used to be. He was 27 now, far too old for a life like that anyway. He had gotten his reprieve, Rick was happy with a fiery woman, and Gary was forever going to feel guilty for no reason at all.
        'John' watched Amber walk down the aisle on her father's arm, finding the man to be extremely intimidating. However, even he seemed to recognize 'John'. The pastor sighed quietly, waiting for the auburn haired wonder to stand across from Rick now. The two held hands, facing inwards as 'John' spoke, forever eyeing their linked hands. 
       "Friends, family, we are gathered here today to bear witness to a miraculous union. Amber DeJurde and Rick Sanchez are to become one; one of mind, one of soul, and one of heart."
       'John' ran through the usual introductory, continuing though his mind was elsewhere. He ran on autopilot as he continued his memorized speech, finding that nobody could get over how much he 'resembled' Morty. The brunet smiled politely at the end of the introductory, having the two face him now. 
       "Thou shalt vow to love one another wholly, so answer 'I do'." He waited for the unison response from the two. "Thou shalt promise to cherish one another, so answer 'I will'." The two responded slightly out of sync. "Thou shalt vow to love one another as long as you both remain, so answer 'I will'." Once more, the two responded, though Rick was steadily becoming less respondent, speaking quieter.  'John' drew a cross in the air, between the two, watching Gary eye him closely.
       "Amber DeJurde, Rick Sanchez, please face one another," 'John' requested, as was expected of this particular ceremony. The two held hands once again, facing each other. He watched as the ring-bearer, a small boy in a suit, took his cue from his father, walking down the short aisle. He stood across from 'John', proudly presenting the rings. 
       "If there is anybody in this room that objects to this marriage, holding reason as to why these two should not be united, speak now or forever hold your peace." 'John' watched as many shuffled, none speaking up. He was mildly upset that Gary had seemed to want to, but said nothing in the end. 'John' gave a nod, smiling at the two before him before he continued the ceremony.
       "Amber DeJurde, do you vow to cherish this man, to love him in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
       "I do." 'John' nodded, smiling as he saw her grin at the man across from her.
       "Rick Sanchez, do you vow to cherish this woman, to love her in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
       The man was met with expectant glances, yet the room remained silent up until the man sighed. "I.. can't. Amber," he visibly winced as he looked fully up at her, dropping her hands, "I just can't. This whole thing is ridiculous, it's too much. You don't love me, and you've made that clear these past four years. I was led to believe I found somebody that made me happy, but that person was never you. I'm sorry, Amber, I just can't marry you."
       Several people on the bride's side moved in odd manners, Rick glancing over his shoulder at every man on the other side. And that's when it hit 'John'. Every person, except for him, and I mean every person, was carrying a weapon.

       That was the day all hell broke loose in a church just outside of a little town in Miami.

       "You son of a bitch," Amber sobbed. Her makeup began to run slightly as her mother ran to her side, ushering the poor bride from the room. 'John' watched as her father stood, followed by everybody else. His eyes were wide as they tried to comprehend the number of firearms that were just revealed, everybody standing now. 
      Carefully, while all eyes were off him, 'John' snuck around the altar table and ducked down behind it, knowing he should call 911 but going against it anyway. He knew these people, somewhat. There was no point in calling emergency services. However, he could enjoy what must be his final moments as he listened to the argument. 
       "A deal's a deal, Sanchez," he heard a gruff voice ring out. "A deal with you means nothing. Do you really want to do this in a church?" 
       "There isn't a holy figure around. Your pastor ran off, my wife's taking care of my daughter. We're gonna have us a good ol' shoot-out."

       "Don't think I'm ever gonna send you off to one of those. If I can help it, you're never gonna so much as hear about one."

       'John' sat behind the altar, glad they at least hadn't seen him run off, didn't know he was hiding right there. "Still," Rick growled, and he could hear the man lighting a cigarette, hear the lighter igniting a flame. "I suppose you never were a holy man, though. Neither was I." 
       "To hell with it. Somebody kill this sumbitch!" 'John' heard, jumping at the abrupt noise filling the air. There was shooting, obviously, mingled with shouts, orders, begging, pained cries. The air was filled with the pungent scent of gun-powder, 'John' finally remembering. 
       "What's the matter, Sanchez?" 'John' heard as the air silenced for a minute. "You can't hide from me." 
       "Pretty sure I just did," 'John' heard, listening as the roar of gunfire started again. He winced at several loud shots, hearing them grow closer. He saw a man approach the altar, his eyes falling on 'John' before his body hit the floor. He watched blood ooze from the man, hearing the air fall dead-silent this time. Carefully, 'John' peeked over the altar.
       "Oh no.." he whispered. Amber's father had Rick surrounded, only by himself and one other man. He had no idea where the bouncers from the club were, but there were dead bodies from Amber's side lying all over. 
       'John' found Gary a minute later, and the rest of the bouncers, new and old, being ushered back inside. There were now three men, each shoving the bouncers to their knees and disarming them. Rick was the last, kneeling on one end of the row. They were lined up in the same spot the children were last week when they sang 'Jesus Loves Me' in Spanish, just in front of the altar. The three men had their backs to 'John' and the altar, standing before many kneeling men. Quickly, the brunet ducked down before he was seen. 
       "Go ahead, Rick. Give me some sass. I thought you were good for it." The man bit out. 'John' heard a low growl, knowing Rick was beyond pissed. He stared at the weapon the man beside the altar dropped. It was a foot away, to the right of the altar. Somebody would see him if he picked it up. Not one of the other men, one of his old friends, but that didn't matter. If they saw him, the jig was up. 
       "Always a pansy." 'John' heard a gun cocked, breathing heavily now as he faced a dilemma he hadn't seen in a while. The gun was right there, and his friends were about to be executed one by one. His life or theirs. His life or theirs. His life or theirs.
       Slowly, 'John' made what he figured had to be the worst decision of his life. Carefully, he crawled over, ensuring the other men weren't watching him. He glanced over, catching a few pairs of eyes from the bouncers, and grabbed the gun, slipping back behind the altar now. 
       "You were supposed to marry my daughter today," the man announced. 'John' checked the magazine. He only had one bullet. "Shit," he whispered. Carefully, while the man continued to explain why he was murdering somebody today, 'John' crawled back over, searching the man's pockets. He found a magazine in one, fully loaded, and had the attention of the club's old bouncers once again.

       God, forgive me for what I'm about to do. I am and always have been your faithful servant, but I cannot stand by. I accepted my eternal damnation before, and I'll do it again. Three lives to save thirteen. If the price be my own soul, take it. I'll not stand by. God forgive me.

       'John' rose to his feet carefully, after silently loading the magazine into the weapon. He was breathing heavily, cocking the weapon quickly as the man still had their backs turned. He had eight shots in this one, and he would need them. His aim was atrocious at this point. Quickly, he glanced over at Gary, mouthing, 'I'm sorry'.
       'John' aimed at the man on the left, drawing a sharp breath and kissing his cross from Gary. He held the object in his left hand and the gun in his right, pulling the trigger. It took two shots for him to hit the man, the other two turning to face him now. He got the other on the right in three shots. He had three left. 
       "Where the hell did you come from?!" Amber's father screamed. "Doesn't matter. I'll meet you back there." 'John' had to fire twice, the first shot only hitting the man in the chest before the second hit him in the head.
       "I'm so sorry," he called, throwing the gun and running for the exit. "So sorry," he cried over and over again.
       "Hey!" he heard, running to his car. He unlocked the vehicle and jumped in to the drivers side, shutting his door quickly. "I'm so sorry!" he cried, tears welling in his eyes. He watched the bouncers pool out of the church, Rick already having been chasing the brunet. He shook his head, quickly leaving the lot. 
        "Hey!" he heard again, now at the end of the short drive. He saw Sam asking him what the hell was going on, stopping just long enough for the ginger to climb in. "Take the wheel," 'John' demanded, letting go of the object and quickly removing his robes. The material landed in the back seat and he took control of the steering again. However, it took a single minute for 'John' to catch sight of a baby blue mustang swerving through traffic, searching for him.
       "Sam, please just hold on," 'John' begged, on the verge of tears. He took a deep breath and jumped lanes, slamming his foot down on the gas. "Shit!" he heard, watching Sam grip the bar above his window. 'John' looked in the rearview mirror, finding the vehicle practically right behind him now. He pushed his car faster, the speedometer pushing 210 as he fought to keep control. He focused on avoiding cars, weaving through the road, Sam screaming every time he blew a stop sign or ran a red light. There was nothing that could stop 'John' from getting away. He had to run again. 
       He kept going until there was nothing but a long stretch of open road. He kept going, keeping his focus on not swerving, as the vehicle caught up to him, pulling around and in front of him. He shrieked as Rick slammed on his brakes, forcing the brunet to do the same. When they came to a full stop, he threw the car into reverse, going back down and turning the vehicle around before Rick could do anything else. He continued back down, heading the opposite direction and thanking everything Rick didn't know where he lived as he sped down before the blue car had a chance to find him again.