Gabi was trying to desperately find the other pump that would complete her transformation to bride to be. She was running around all over the place, throwing cushions off couches, flinging clothes to try and find the missing shoe. She had finally given up and asked Vanessa to go back to Surf Central to see if she had left the shoe there. Gabi stopped for a moment and thought to herself. How could I lose a shoe? She smacked her hand on her head as it finally dawned on her where the shoe was. It was on her left foot. Gabi looked down and slowly started to chuckle. The chuckles turned into outright hysterics as she fell onto the cushionless couch, laughing wonderfully at her stupidity and nervousness. As she calmed herself, Gabi once again became serious as she reflected back on the past year. She and Ricardo had managed to form a friendship after he had returned from Miami. It was not easy for either of them, but they had been able to work side by side at the police station, each of them exchanging glances when they each thought the other wasn't looking. She found it extremely difficult to not run to him whenever she saw his handsome face and throw her arms around him or tell him just how much she loved him. But she had to contain herself. Ricardo had made it clear that he was not looking for anything serious, especially with her. He had not mentioned that to her but she knew that is what he had meant . They had casually gone out here and there with friends from the station and gradually began to feel comfortable around each other again. Then one day it happened. One late August summer night, five months after he had returned to Sunset Beach, Ricardo had kissed her on the cheek after a beach party. He had grazed the edge of her mouth and as he brought his head up slightly, their eyes met and they gazed for what seemed like an eternity before Gabi finally caved in, unable to control her emotions for him and kissed him passionately. He had carried her off to the corner of a sand dune. They were unable to hide or control the love they had tried to keep buried within themselves any longer. Then the two made love. Gabi had awakened the following morning, as the sun was rising over the ocean. She remembered the ocean with a golden film over it and she felt the warm sun on her body. Ricardo was sitting, watching the sunrise. Gabi had never seen him look more peaceful and she would never forget just how much she had loved him at that moment. She held him in her arms as he cried, making her cry in the process. He had forgiven her and was once again giving her the chance to be trusted. That had been the happiest day of her life. They spent the remainder of the day talking and crying, coming to the conclusion that they did not and could not spend their life apart from each other. And now, as Gabi sat there in the bridal chamber, a smile slowly crept to her face as she was about to marry the man of her dreams. The man she was completely devoted to and nothing would stand in their way again. Gabi breathed a sigh of relief as she wiped the small tears that had run down her face. She got up and walked over to the desk to grab her earrings. As she put them on, she heard the door open and thought it was Vanessa, coming to tell her that she had not been able to find her shoe. "It's ok Vanessa, I found my shoe." Gabi began to chuckle again. "It was on my other foot! Can you believe I did something so----." Gabi had turned around and was not confronted by Vanessa, but by someone else.

"Hello Gobbie." Carmen was before.

Gabi merely stared at her. Carmen had apologized to her for everything she had done but deep inside, she was still against Gabi being with Ricardo, she always would be. They had learned to tolerate one another for the sake of the family. It was the only way both of them could be a part of the Torres family. As Gabi stood there, she forcefully placed a small smile on her face. They had gotten past the hurtful events of the past two year, but these two women would never be friends. " Buenas tardes, Senora Carmen." Gabi was being polite, as she had taught herself to be throughout the past year.

Carmen stood there uneasily. Her eyes wandered back and forth from Gabi to wherever she could transfix them next. She had felt it was right that she visit Gabi before the ceremony, if only to try and bless the union with her son. " I only wanted to stop by and…." She was finding it hard to find the right words to say to Gabi. She sighed as she couldn't get the right words out and decided she had made a mistake by coming. "I'm sorry…I don't know why I came. I will leave." Carmen began to head for the door.

"Senora, wait." Gabi also didn't know what quite to say. They had hurt each other in ways they never had thought possible and there was no feeling of anything between the two, but they did have one thing in common and that one thing would always bind them. Gabi walked over to Carmen and made her look at her. "Carmen, you and I will never be friends, I think we both can agree on that. " Gabi stopped for a moment as she tried to remain at ease despite the thick tension in the room. "But one thing we have in common, one thing we will always share is our love for Ricardo. We don't have to like each other but we do have to deal with each other because of Ricardo. There is no way of getting around that. I can respect you as his mother if you can respect me as his wife. I'm willing to try, but you are going to have to meet me half way." Gabi was hopeful. There was nothing else left to say to Carmen. There was nothing else she really wanted to say to her.

Carmen looked directly into her eyes and knew she was right. They would never be close nor did either woman want to be close to the other. But Ricardo was always going to link them and that they had to deal with. Carmen nodded her head in agreement. "Si, I agree with you. I only ask you this Gobbie and I will only say it once." A stern look passed Carmen's face as she became almost menacingly serious. "Love my son with your whole heart. If you do that…….then you will never have a problem from me." She meant it and would always remember the words she had used on Gabi that day.

Gabi could understand Carmen's lingering fear. Gabi loved Ricardo with all her heart. She had known that for quite some time. She would always love him. But she knew convincing Carmen would still be difficult, so she chose the words that would finally erase all doubts from Carmen's mind. With shear determination in Gabi's eyes, she spoke her words, "Carmen I love your son Ricardo with my whole mind, body, and soul. If I falter again, may my soul burn in Hell forever." Gabi knew her words struck home as the severity and power of what she had said sent chills up her own spine. Carmen smiled devilishly, satisfied beyond a shadow of a doubt that Gabi was now telling the truth. She walked out of the bridal chamber, relieved…..

People were finally seated as the ceremony was about to begin. The music was playing softly in the background as Casey, Michael, Antonio and Ricardo walked out in front of the altar, each in their places. Ricardo was smiling brightly as he awaited the arrival of his bride. He couldn't help but still feel a little nervous and apprehensive. He would feel this way until he saw Gabi at the doorway of the church, ready to meet to him. Antonio was also beaming. He kept looking to his left at the woman who had finally won his heart over. His love for her was beyond anything he had ever imagined. He couldn't help but wonder if one day she he would be in Ricardo's place, waiting for her to walk down the aisle to him. She looked onto him as well. With adoring eyes, she knew she would one day be Antonio's wife. Karen smiled at the thought. The two continued to gaze upon each other until the bridesmaids began walking down the aisle. Then finally the wedding march began and everyone stood. From the corner of the door, Gabi appeared, looking absolutely radiant in her beautiful white wedding dress. She stood there smiling as everyone's eyes were on her. But Gabi saw only one person. Ricardo was looking at her with the most loving eyes she had ever seen. She returned his gaze with even more love revealing in her eyes. Gabi had literally taken Ricardo's breath away. She had never looked more beautiful to him in his life. His fears vanished as he could only stare into the eyes of the woman he loved……the woman who loved him deeply in return. Their hands trembled as she reached Ricardo. They could not take their eyes off of one another. The room in which they were standing held only them. No one else was present in their eyes. Ricardo and Gabi drowned in the pure essence of each others gaze. They were mesmerized and completely in awe. They each mouthed "I love you" to each other before the priest finally began the ceremony…..