"I'm here because I can't live without you, Millicent Huxtable, and I don't want to anymore," Mouth said, the look on his face completely sincere.
She kissed him, thinking to herself that she would spend the rest of her life with this man.
Whenever Millie thought back on the best moments of life, that one always stuck out. She had known she loved Marvin for a long time, but that was the moment when she finally realized that she would give anything to be Millicent McFadden, no matter how strange the name sounded.
They'd both made plenty of mistakes since then, but they always found their way back to each other. Now, sitting in a dressing room inside the chapel, everything seemed perfect. She was wearing the beautiful white gown that Brooke made for her, sitting as still as possible as Alex, her maid of honor, fixed her hair.
"So, you're really gonna marry Melvin, huh?" Alex joked.
"No, I'm gonna marry Marvin," Millie answered, sticking her tongue out at Alex.
"All finished," Alex announced. "You look beautiful, Millie."
"Thanks, Alex. And thanks for helping with all of this. I could not have done it without you."
"Hey, that's what best friends are for. I love you, even if you are marrying a guy who goes by 'Mouth.'"
"I love you, too.
Alex kept talking for awhile, but Millie wasn't listening. She was busy thinking of her best moments with Marvin: playing 'Ninja, Bear, Hunter' at Tric, their first real kiss while watching ballet at the news station, water gun fights with the river court guys, the first time they slept together; more than that, she lost herself in the daydream of what was to come.
Later, waiting outside the double doors that led to the altar, it seemed to Millie like it took Brooke and Alex an extra long time to walk down the aisle. When it was finally her turn, she couldn't contain her smile, nor could she make herself walk at the slow pace the music was setting for her. She speed-walked down the aisle, drawing laughter from the crowd, practically threw her bouquet into Alex's hands, and turned to face the man who would soon be her husband.
In that moment, everything faded away. She was vaguely aware of Brooke and Alex behind her, Skills (the best man) and Lucas standing behind Marvin, and Haley standing between them as the minister, but all of her attention was focused on those green eyes that she loved to look into. She didn't even really pay attention to Haley's speech, which she was sure she'd regret later, but it didn't matter. That moment was perfect. Alex finally nudged her out of it, handing her the ring.
"Come on, Boots, get with it."
"Sorry. Uh, Marvin – I am so grateful that, after everything, we've made it here, because when I'm with you, none of the bad stuff matters; none of the pain hurts, and everything feels right. When I look at you, I don't just see a man, I see my future, I see love, I see joy, and I feel safe, because no matter what life throws our way, I know I'll have you by my side. I love you." She slipped the ring on his finger, trying her best not to cry.
"Millicent Huxtable, you are the single greatest person I've ever had the fortune of meeting. I absolutely don't deserve you, yet here you are, promising to spend your life with me, and there isn't even a word for how much that means to me. You make all of my worst days okay, and you make the best ones even better. I love you so much, and I can't wait to start our life together." He quickly put his ring on Millie's finger and, without thinking, kissed her, both of them crying openly.
"Uh, I guess you may kiss the bride!" Haley laughed.
And so Millicent Huxtable finally became Millicent McFadden, and she and Mouth went on to live their life together just as they had always dreamed.