"What a beautiful ceremony," sighed Amanda, as she and Wesley left the church after Laura and Almonzo's wedding. She had been a bride's maid, and Wesley had been best man. Wesley thought that he had never seen Amanda look as beautiful as she did in her bride's maid's dress.

"It certainly was," Wesley agreed as they walked along. There was something important that he wanted to ask her, but every time he thought about it, he felt his pulse race and his mouth go dry.

"I keep wondering what my own wedding will be like," Amanda continued. "If it's half as nice as my brother's was, I'll be happy."

It's now or never, Wesley told himself.

"Amanda, I've been thinking..."

"Yes?"

"Well, now that we're both finally finished with school, and I'm working with Almonzo full time..."

Amanda continued to look at him expectantly as he struggled to find the words.

"I love you, Amanda, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Wesley knelt on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh yes, I will!" Amanda's eyes danced with happiness. Wesley stood and hugged and kissed her.

"I will speak to Reverend Alden as soon as I get the chance," he promised.


"Ah, Wesley, do come in." Reverend Alden opened the door for him. "You're the local miracle worker I've heard so much about, who saved Mary Ingalls' sight when she had scarlet fever and saved Amanda Wilder's life after she was in the fire."

"I'm no miracle worker, sir," Wesley said with a laugh. "Both antibiotics and artificial resuscitation are readily available to everyone in the time period from whence I came."

"It must be a time period of great wonders."

"Many medical and scientific advances, yes, and many new challenges also, of course."

"Well, at any rate, I'm sure you were sent to us by God for a special purpose."

"I'm just so very glad I've had the opportunity to be of assistance," Wesley said modestly.

"Well, now, what can I do for you on this fine day?"

"Well, sir, I have asked for Amanda Wilder's hand in marriage. She has accepted, and I would like for you to perform the ceremony."

"Of course, Wesley. I would consider it to be a great honor."


Wesley stood nervously at the front of the church as he watched the family members and guests file in. He was dressed in his best suit, and he had carefully arranged his hair that morning until it looked just right. He felt sad that his mother and his friends from the Enterprise couldn't be there, but he knew that he and Amanda would have had their blessing. His mother would have loved Amanda; of that Wesley was certain.

The entire Ingalls family was there, of course; Almonzo and Laura came, and so did Adam and Mary Kendall and baby Charlie. He was about a year old now, with chubby cheeks, sandy brown hair like his father, and big blue eyes like his mother. He had just learned to walk and toddled around the church curiously, wanting to investigate everything he saw. Despite his nervousness, Wesley had to smile.

At last the organist was playing 'Here Comes The Bride', and Amanda was walking down the aisle escorted by her father. Wesley, mesmerized by Amanda's beauty, almost forgot to be nervous.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Wesley Robert Crusher and Amanda May Wilder in holy matrimony," Reverend Alden began.

Solemnly, Wesley and Amanda exchanged their vows, and Reverend Alden pronounced them man and wife.

"You may kiss the bride," Reverend Alden said, and Wesley gently lifted Amanda's veil and kissed her lips.

After the ceremony, Laura was the first to embrace Wesley. "Now we really are family," she said happily. Wesley reflected on the infatuation he had felt for Laura after he had first met her, and the disappointment and jealousy he had felt when he had discovered that she had fallen in love with Almonzo. But he had fallen for Amanda very shortly afterwards, so he supposed that it had all been for the best. He loved Laura as a sister now, and knew that she felt the same way about him.

After everybody had said good-bye to the new couple and wished them well, Wesley and Amanda journeyed together to their new home. Wesley picked Amanda up and carried her across the threshold.

"Amanda, my darling, I've waited for this moment for so long," Wesley said, as he took her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Then he took her hand and led her into the bedroom, where they resumed kissing.

After a while, Wesley gently removed Amanda's clothing, and then his own. For a long time they slowly explored one another's bodies, lovingly caressing every inch of naked flesh, until their longing to become one became so great that they couldn't bear it anymore. Knowing that it was Amanda's first time, Wesley entered her ever so slowly and gently, trying his best not to hurt her. She did utter one yelp of pain, causing Wesley to pause momentarily and stroke and kiss her until she begged him to continue.

After it was over, they lay in bed holding each other for a long time, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.

"I hope that it was everything you ever dreamed it would be," Wesley told Amanda.

"It was that, and more," Amanda replied. "I never dreamed that it would be so beautiful. I feel so much closer to you now than I ever have before."

"I feel closer to you, too," Wesley said. "I never thought that I could love another person as much as I love you." He didn't tell her that it had been the first time for him as well. He wasn't ashamed of that fact, but he didn't know quite how to tell her, and he also wasn't sure how she would take it, so he thought it best not to mention it. He was sure that it didn't really matter anyway.