"Fitzgerald, I really think you ought to consider my proposal."

"Dad we're done talking about this. I've only been home for two months, I just got hired at Georgetown, we just bought a house, and I'm getting married in the morning. Running for anything isn't in the cards for us right now."

"I still think you should talk to Olivia about it."

"When I'm ready to, we'll talk. But right now all I want to do is teach my classes and spend time with Liv."

"Ok ok I understand, as long as you keep it in the back of your mind."

"Trust me dad, it's there. It's been there since I started kindergarten."

"You were a natural. You dropped our hands and walked right up to Ms. Smith, shook her hand, and introduced yourself."

Mrs. Grant walked into her living room, joining her husband and eldest son. "It truly was the cutest thing, minus the part where you walked away and never looked back."

"I'm here now aren't I?" He flashed his mother a charming smile. She raised her eyebrow and gave him a questioning look. He laughed and took a sip of his scotch.

"You're not fooling anyone Fitzgerald. You're only here because Olivia kicked you out of the house for the night and you already got rid of the apartment."

"Guilty as charged." He paused for a second and continued. "So you guys got any good advice for me? You know, like what stupid things did dad do that really pissed you off that I can avoid?"

"Son, I think you're trying to ask how to better understand the great enigma that is the female psyche. And I hate to break it to you, but there is no understanding it because irrationality cannot really be grasped. It's like trying to understand why two plus two equals four. It just does. Don't question it."

Fitz watched as his mother walked over to her husband and playfully whacked his arm. "Well for starters, you can avoid saying anything of the sort in front of your wife."

Fitz's brothers walked into the living room dressed to go out.

"And where do you two think you're going?" Mrs. Grant questioned as if her children were still curfewd teenagers.

"Out. Grab your coat Fitz. Let's go."

He looked between his brothers and his parents. When he didn't move fast enough for John's liking, he grabbed the coat for Fitz and threw it at him. "Move your ass," Will added.

"Hey hey watch the mouth in front of your mother." Will gave his mom an apologetic smile before the three moved toward the door.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. Just sit back and relax." Fitz climbed into the back of his brother's car and pulled out his phone to text Olivia. Half way though the message John turned around and stuck his hand out. "Hand it over. No fraternizing with the enemy tonight. You have plenty of time for that in the next fifty years." Fitz sent the half composed message, turned off his phone and reluctantly handed it to his brother.

When they pulled into the bar across town, Fitz was confused. "What are we doing? John's not old enough to go in there."

"Tonight he is." And both of the boys got out of the car leaving Fitz behind. He caught up to them as they made it to the door. They casually walked inside and Fitz immediately knew it wasn't just another night at Cantina. He saw all of his friends, some from high school, others college or law school, and even a few of his Navy buddies.

With a drink in hand, Fitz quickly forgot that he emphatically requested no bachelor party. He caught up with old friends, revisited old memories, and laughed about past experiences. Although he was enjoying the night with his friends and brothers, his mind kept wondering to tomorrow. He kept picturing Olivia walk down the aisle, radiant in white. He thought about his vows and wondered what she had come up with. He longed to hear those five coveted words and take her in his arms and kiss her forever. He wanted to dance with her and shove cake in her face and spend the rest of his life showing her just how much she meant to him.

Olivia sat on the couch in their new home wrestling with her conflicting emotions. Her bridesmaids had long since retired to their guest rooms, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She sipped her wine slowly, staring at the dying flames in the fire place.

She thought back to the first time she had laid eyes on Fitz. And how his dumbfounded expression had taken her breath away as she tore him apart in front of their class. She thought about the day he had finally worked up the courage to ask her name, though she had a feeling he had asked around about her. She thought about their accidental first date and then their real one. About their first kiss and the way he just blurted out her three favorite words. She spent the rest of the night replaying their last six years together and dreaming about the next sixty.

"Fitzgerald, my boy, you look very handsome today."

He blushed. "Thank you Mrs. Pope, but I'm sure Livvie will steal the show in a few minutes."

She padded him on the back, "if not the whole show, definitely the rest of your heart." He wanted to follow her back to the room where Olivia and her bridesmaids had gotten dressed. It had been almost a full twenty four hours since he'd seen her. He wanted to see her, to look into her eyes and have her calm his nerves. But instead he made his way to the front of the church and waited for the ceremony to begin.

Music started and one by one each woman made their way down the aisle. His eyes were fixed on the back doors, waiting for her. He loved Olivia in white, and he just knew this would be his new favorite outfit. The music picked up and everyone in the small chapel stood. She stood at entrance to the chapel, on her father's arm, in a simple, elegant dress that fit her body perfectly. His breath hitched and he was frozen, never breaking eye contact. She gracefully made her way toward him and he was lost. Lost in her beauty, lost in his love.

He was so mesmerized and captivated by her, by this moment, by the overwhelming emotions swirling through him. He was finally broken out of the spell by her gentle squeeze on his hand and a small laugh by the crowd.

"Huh?"

The minister repeated himself. "Olivia and Fitz have chosen to write their own vowels."

"Oh, right." He quickly recovered and he smiled at her, looking her directly in the eye.

"Olivia Carolyn Pope, my Livvie, I have loved you since the day I met you. Since the first time I heard your voice, looked into your eyes, and sat back while you publicly eviscerated me. I love you for you kindness and compassion, for your warmth and strength, for your loyalty and laughter, for your popcorn addiction and obsession with politics. I love you for your intellect and stubbornness, for your sarcasm and playfulness, for your competitive spirit and apolitical mind. I love you for your beauty; but not your physical beauty, I love your inner beauty: your grace, and poise, and elegance. These past six years with you, they've been the best years of my life. Everyday I fall deeper and deeper in love with you. You've captivated my heart and soul. I will not only tell you, but I'll show you just how much I love you until my dying breath. I love you Livvie, more today than yesterday, and more tomorrow than today."

The minister turned and looked at her, signaling that it was her turn. She took a deep breath, fighting her tears, and took the folded up paper Em was handing her.

"Fitzgerald, Fitz, I wrote you this letter the night you left for the Navy. I knew we'd get here someday, and now that we're here, I'd like to read it to you." She unfolded the paper and looked down at the tear stained words. "My dearest Fitz, you've only been gone for a total of seven hours, but to me if feels like an eternity. I took the long way home and drove by the little park down by the water. I keep thinking about the night we ended up there, watching the stars. How we raced down to the swings and sat there together for hours, looking at the sky. How you just blurted out your love for me for the first time. And how I couldn't say anything, much less what I was actually feeling. I should have told you how much I loved you. How you'd changed my life and stole my heart. How I couldn't breathe without you. How you made me feel confident and strong and beautiful. And today, I should have told you the same things. But I didn't. So instead, I'm telling you now, in this letter. I love you Fitz, more than words can describe. You turned my life upside down and stole my heart and my soul. I cannot breathe without you, you breathe life into me everyday. You make me feel confident, and strong, and beautiful. I love you Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, and you better fulfill every single promise we talked about last night. I want a wedding, and kids, and everything. I want a lifetime, a lifetime with you. Please stay safe and come home to me so we get a lifetime. I love you. Love, Livvie."

She folded up the paper and handed it back to her sister. "Fitz, I asked you to come home to me, and today, I'm promising to always come to you, because you are my home."

The minister began talking again, but they weren't listening, not really. They slid rings on each other's fingers and he dipped her back and kissed her. They heard clapping, but none of it registered.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III."

He lifted their connected hands in the air and both smiled as they made their way back down the aisle. She leaned up and whispered in his hear. "I love you Fitz."

"I love you too Mrs. Grant. Now and forever."