John looked over at her and smiled before kissing her again and getting himself together. He couldn't believe that she was going to be his wife. A part of him was thrilled but another part of him was worried. He knew that her brothers would never let them get married in peace. He looked over at her again and saw her smiling at him. He wondered what was running through her mind. Nothing prepared him for what she was about to say next.

"Let's get married tonight."

"Tonight? Are you sure?" He knew how important her family was to her and he didn't want to deny her the big wedding that they had planned almost four months earlier. He knew that he would fight her brothers if he had to. But he didn't care. He wanted her and he was going to do whatever he had to do to make sure that she was his."I mean don't you want your family there?"

She sighed deeply. She would love to have the family wedding. Her father walking her down the aisle in her beautiful white dress and her brothers all there smiling and happy for her. But her brothers were less than accepting of John and she knew that the only way they would get over this was for them to get married and then tell them. Then they would have to accept John.

"I would love that. But that isn't going to happen. I love you John and I want the rest of our lives together to start now. We've already lost all this time and I don't want to lose anymore. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And what better time than now?"

He nodded his head and leaned over to give her a kiss before he started the car and drove toward the one all night wedding chapel that was in town. He was a little nervous. He had no idea how her family would react to the fact that they'd run off in the middle of the night and gotten married. He could imagine that they would be less than pleased. They stopped the car in front and he looked over at her as she fixed her hair and makeup. In just a few short minutes, they would be husband and wife. He got out of the car and opened her door for her when he was sure she was ready. They walked into the chapel arm and arm and asked the elderly clerk at the desk about getting things underway. She smiled at them and directed them into the room that was the chapel.

She excused herself to get her husband and came back a few minutes later and pulled Arianna away to get ready. John looked at the elderly man in front of him and the way he looked at his wife. They had to be in his seventies but they still looked so much in love. He knew that he and Arianna would be like that one day.

Arianna came back in a few minutes later with a simple bouquet of roses and a veil. She never looked more beautiful. She walked over to John and looped her arm through his smiling. They turned their attention to the man in front of them and he began the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in matrimony. Why don't you each say a few words to each other?" John nodded not really knowing where to start.

"Ari, you are the most important thing in my life. I love you more than I thought I could ever love anyone. You and Alyssa are my life and I promise that I will spend the rest of my life making sure you know just how much you mean to me." He slipped the ring he'd bought while she was getting ready on her hand.

"John, things haven't always been easy for us. But if things had been easy I don't think we would be here right now in this moment. I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. I love you so much." She slipped the matching ring to hers on his finger.

They turned their attention back to the elderly man and he smiled at them.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. Son, you may kiss your bride." John breathed a sigh of relief before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. She was finally his wife and he knew that they could survive whatever was thrown his way as long as they were together.

They went back to the house and spent most of the rest of the night making love. He knew that he'd have to face her family in the morning. But he didn't care. Arianna was his wife and he loved her more than anything in this world. This was the happiest he had ever been and he'd fight to keep that happiness if he had to.