In The Land of One Thousand Years

A/N: I am so sorry that I didn't get this out sooner but…well…life happened.

Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it. It's a little shorter than usual (sorry!) but I think it's lovely all the same. Keep in mind that several months have passed between Chap. 6 and this. I haven't got any idea of the actual time line but if the last scene took place in January…hmm… I'd guess that this would be June or July.

One more warning I have to add. After this chapter, I'll be changing the rating to M. I wrote a honeymoon scene in chap. 8 because I think it will be an important step for Rose and Emmett. Chap. 9 will be considered T, however, so if that kind of scene bothers you, feel free to skip chap. 8 altogether.

Thanks for being an awesome set of readers! Keep up the great reviews!

Rosalie wrung her hands, but smiled to herself as she watched the rivulets of rain drip down the window from the Bride's room. Esme patted the last stand of hair in place, and bent to kiss her forehead like a mother.

"You look like an angel."

Rosalie looked up, into the woman's eyes, and was reminded that her real mother would be missing the day Rosalie had always wished she would get to see. Her mother deserved to know that she had found a bit of happiness, at least.

"Thanks." Rosalie kept her voice smooth and steady, remembering - with a twinkle in her eye – who was waiting for her just a short walk down an aisle from now.

Esme held the door to the Bride's room open, touching Rosalie's shoulder gently as she walked past. Esme closed the thick wooden door quietly behind her and pushed through the next set of doors – leaving them propped open – making her way into the chapel. Edward began to play, and she heard Esme and Carlisle sit in the front pews. The chapel was empty except for her family and the minister and Emmett was breathing heavily at the altar.

She stood, fixing her train behind her so it dragged gracefully. The delicate material rustled and she heard Emmett catch his breath. She looked down, and the ring that he had placed on her hand so long ago was there. She let a tiny hum of contentment escape her lips.

The doors at the back of the chapel were still open, and when she caught Emmett's eyes, she melted. He was grinning, wide and cheerfully, a 1000 watt smile. His hands were in his pockets, and his hair was mussed a bit in the front, where he had run his hands through it nervously.

She smiled back at him, and started up the aisle, the wrong song playing because she started too early and rose petals getting caught under the voluminous skirt of her dress as she walked up the stone floor. Her heels made soft clicks and clacks against the hard cobblestones, and they echoed softly in her ears. Her breath soon joined the rhythm.

The walk seemed to take a lifetime, and indeed, she had waited more than her natural lifetime to have it.

She tried to think of how she would have felt had it been Royce at that altar, and she couldn't even imagine it. There was only Emmett, this look on her face and these nervous butterflies in her stomach were only meant for him.

He was the only person who would ever make her feel this way, and she reveled in this gift that she could give to him, one part of her love that hadn't been damaged, one part of her that would always belong to only him.

He reached out his hands, and she took them.

There was a step up to the altar, and they took it together. She glanced only once at the minister, reluctant to tear her gaze away from Emmett's for even a moment. This was the beginning of them as one person, their life together from now on. She didn't want to miss a single moment of it.

"Dearly beloved," The minister's voice was thick, strong. It seemed appropriate. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Rosalie Lillian Hale and Emmett McCarty Cullen."

Emmett winked at her and her stomach twisted pleasantly. They had decided not to complicate things, and they would both be Cullen's for the time being. He had been slightly disappointed, that she wasn't taking McCarty as her name, but he had nicely agreed that them being together was what mattered in the end.

She squeezed his hand in hers.

The words were mumbled, time flying by so quickly and all she knew was that Emmett was there and they were getting married. She was lost in Emmett, watching every expression flash across his features and every feeling registering in his eyes with a spark. The minister prompted her twice, and Emmett nudged her discreetly before she flashed her smile towards the minister and began to say the vows that she had memorized months ago.

"I, Rosalie Lillian Hale, ask you, Emmett McCarty Cullen, to be my husband," there was rain falling down the window behind his head, and it seemed to sparkle – entirely pure and clean. "As my friend and my love. On this day, I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed," She was distracted by the gentle rubbing of his fingers on her palm. Everything, every touch and every sound seemed to carry the entire essence of him inside of it. "Looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it." They had time, at least. So much time.

"I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and health, in failure and triumph." These vows seemed to fit her perfectly, so much more so than the vows she had been planning on saying with Royce. These vows were part of her soul, part of his soul and the words mingled together above them with perfect peace. "Together, we will dream, will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity." Her voice faltered a little on humanity but, like he had told her, she had humanity. She wanted to be loved, and wasn't that the most human trait of all?

"I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we shall live, freed and bound by our love." Freed and bound, and it sounded so much like her. Being with Emmett was a commitment, but it felt so very much like a privilege.

Her eyes stung with the absence of tears, and she released his hand for just a second, to put it up to her face.

Emmett cleared his throat as the minister looked his way. "And you?"

--

"I, Emmett McCarty Cullen, ask you, Rosalie Lillian Hale, to be my wife, as my friend and my love." His hands were large, covering hers and she looked so delicate in her wedding gown. He wanted to always be there, always protect her. "On this day, I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it." He let the grin that she had held back at the idea of the future spread across his wide face. They had all the future they needed.

"I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph." Emmett tried to think of a time when they might be in want, or sick, or failing, and he was glad that he struggled to come up with an example. "Together, we will dream, will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity." He had so many dreams for them, more than she had, he knew. He wanted to take her everywhere, share every new experience with Rosalie, because everything would be better with her by his side.

"I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we shall live, freed and bound by our love." He was so entirely overwhelmed by the idea that being bound to Rosalie could free him that he staggered slightly. Her hands tightened on his, holding him with her, and he knew that it was going to be all right.

Esme was gasping softly in the front row, and Emmett took a moment to grieve the loss of his own mother, who he knew, would have wanted to see her child so entirely happy. They hadn't talked about it, but Emmett was sure that his mother would have adored Mrs. Hale.

The minister reached for the rings, and Edward handed them over, standing behind Emmett as if he had been there the whole time, and they glinted only dimly in the light that shone grey from the cloudy skies outside the windows.

The ring, gold, surprisingly small, felt heavy and significant in his hand.

He placed the ring on her finger, and it slid smoothly into place, just where it was supposed to be all this time.

A matching ring fell into place on his finger, and he looked down at the two hands, joined and adorned with the signs of eternal love for each other.

They caught each other's eyes as they looked up, her veil getting stuck on her eyelashes.

"With the power vested in me by the United Methodist Church, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The minister was practically glowing with happiness and pride. "You may kiss your bride."

Emmett lifted the veil, ever so delicately, and his hand found its way under the mass of curls at her neck to bring her head to meet his. His arms were around her, and he debated never letting go. She fit so well.

Edward coughed, no doubt hearing his thoughts and the not so appropriate places they were headed, and Carlisle and Esme laughed. They broke apart, Rosalie smiling ridiculously wide and holding her face between her palms. Emmett took one of her hands, and they walked back up the aisle, kicking leftover roses at their feet. The car was waiting, over decorated with paint, flowers and tin cans. Emmett nodded thanks to Edward and graciously opened the door for Rose.

The hotel was not far away, but he had trouble keeping his eyes on the road while they drove there, especially with Rosalie getting more quiet the longer they drove.

"Rosalie?"

She turned, hair rustling. "Emmett?"

He couldn't stop the words that were running through his head from coming out of his mouth. "You are so…perfect."

He knew that she needed to hear something completely different, and internally cursed himself for being so inept.

But she touched his arm with her delicate fingers. "How much longer?"

Emmett blinked. "Five minutes."

"Can we make it three?" She giggled.

They were there in two.

Emmett dropped the keys with the valet, grabbed the single bag they had in the back, and all but dragged her through the hotel doors.