As cliché as it sounded, I found myself standing in front of a long, oak cheval mirror, staring at the woman reflected back at me. The woman was wearing a simple white cocktail dress, and a pair of white heels. Her hair had been twisted up in an elegant French twist and there were two small, white roses tucked into it. Her make-up was perfect, yet there was a fear in her eyes that spoke volumes about how she felt.

Though I looked beautiful and perfect, inside I was terrified. Four months had passed since I found myself sitting across from the man I once called my father and listened as he showed no remorse for trying to take my life, as I listened as he threatened to finish the job if he ever got free, and I didn't doubt for a second that he would. A week later, I found myself standing in front of the judge, trying to voice the way I felt about my father as tears flooded my eyes and the words struggled to leave my throat. I wanted to love my father again, to be able to look at him without cringing from the hate pouring off of him, but I couldn't. Charlie Swan was no longer my father, so when the judge asked me how I felt, I simple said, "I don't feel anything for him anymore."

Charlie and Esme were each sentenced to total of sixty-seven years in prison, meaning that they wouldn't be seeing the light of day ever again. Alice, though she hadn't personally been involved in the attack on me and Carlisle, was sentenced to twenty-two years, to be served after her sentence in Washington. She would be spending a very long time behind bars.

And now, after months of waiting until the moment was right, Carlisle and I were getting married.

"The first time I saw you sitting in the library," Jasper said, causing me to shift my attention off of myself and onto him through the mirror, "you were surrounded by a pile of books, but you weren't really looking at them. You'd turn the pages, but I don't think you were really studying. I sat there for almost an hour just watching you. And you left, and I thought I wouldn't see you again. But then the next night you were back and the night after that and the night after that, and I found myself so intrigued by you. But do you know why I came and talked to you?"

I shook my head.

"Because I saw myself. When I came to Yale, I was . . . Well, I was terrified. I was hundreds of miles from home and all by myself. Boys from Texas, especially gay boys, don't go to Ivy League schools. I almost left a dozen times in my first week, but then I stumbled into James's Diner, and he and Laurent bought me some coffee, talked me about everything. They became my friends, and I knew I would be okay. So, when I saw you sitting there, lost and scared and alone, I had to be that person for you, Bella. And you became my sister, my best friend. I love you, Bella. I love you so fucking much."

"I love you, too," I whimpered. "You saved me, Jas."

"No, I didn't," he argued, walking up to me and wrapping his hands around mine. "You just needed a friend, and I was that person."

"Are you happy, Jas? With Edward?" I asked.

Jasper smiled. "I am. Being with him is easy. He's like Sunday morning cartoons, or late night conversations. You know, the kind where you're honest and open. He's the best man I've ever known, and I love him so much, Bella. So much."

"I'm glad," I murmured. "You deserve to be happy."

"So do you." He brought his hand up to my face. "You're a beautiful bride, Bella."

"I'm scared, Jas," I admitted. "What if we get married and everything changes? What if he stops loving me? Or, I don't know, realizes that I'm not worth being his wife?"

"Shh," he soothed. "Things will change, darlin. You're going to be his wife, and he'll be your husband. There will be times when it's hard, when you'll get angry, and you'll lash out at him. And he'll do the same, because even though he's not the same man who left in the middle of the night, whose wife beat him, he is a man, and we're idiots."

I laughed though my tears.

"But he loves you, Bella. He loves you so much that he made the decision to change his life. You can be scared, but don't let your fear keep you from marrying him. Because, darlin, he's a good man, and you deserve a good man."

"If you weren't gay . . ." I laughed.

"Yeah, well, even if I wasn't gay, you'd still be in love with him. He's your soul mate. Now, are you ready to get married?"

"I am." And I was. After almost a year and half with Carlisle, I was ready to be more than his mistress, more than his girlfriend. I was ready to be his wife.

Jasper wrapped my hand around his arm and led me out of the room where I'd been waiting. Both Carlisle and I agreed that a big wedding wasn't right for us, seeing as neither of us had any family, other than the handful of people who'd already been at our side for the last several months, or any friends. So, we set a date and made an appointment at the Justice of the Peace's office, and invited those we loved the most to join us. Everyone was here: Emmett and Rose, James and Laurent, Jasper and Edward, Garrett and Peter, who turned out to be gay. He and Garrett had been seeing each other for a few weeks, but I had a feeling they were very much in love. Phil and Renee had also come up from Florida to be here, which meant so much.

Jasper led me down the hallway to courtroom three, pausing to open the door for me. Carlisle was standing in front of the judge's desk, wearing a black suit and looking devilishly handsome. He had a huge smile on his face, and that alone gave me the courage to walk into the room. As Jasper walked me down the short aisle, I couldn't keep the tears from falling, and I wasn't one hundred percent sure why I was so emotional.

Emmett and Edward were standing behind their father, both of whom had given us their blessing, while Rose, Renee, Phil, Garrett, James, Laurent, and Peter were scattered on either side of the aisle, all of them showing us their support. Jasper and I stopped next to Carlisle, who reached his hand out to me. My hand was shaking as I lifted my hand off Jasper's arm and placed my finger on the palm of his hand.

"Breathe, Bella," he laughed. I did as he said, biting my lip as he pulled me into his arms. His free hand came up to rest against my cheek. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you," I whispered. "You look pretty good, too."

He smiled. "I clean up okay."

"Are we ready to begin?" the Justice of the Peace asked, drawing our attention to him.

"Yes," Carlisle and I said together, and the man chuckled under his breath.

"We're gathered here today to unite Carlisle Cullen and Isabella Swan in holy matrimony. If there are any here who wish to speak against their union, do so now, or forever hold your piece."

I held my breath as I shifted my eyes around to everyone, almost expecting Emmett or Edward to declare they couldn't stand there and watch as their father ruined his life with me. But they didn't. They simply smiled.

"Carlisle and Isabella have written their own vows." The Justice of the Peace looked at me. "Isabella."

I blew out a heavy breath as I shifted my eyes up to Carlisle's. "I've thought a lot about how we got here. We've faced a lot of adversity together, a lot of people who told us we were wrong to be together. But through it all, we came out stronger, and I hope and pray that the rest of our lives will be full of laughter and love and joy. I love you, Carlisle. You're my heart and soul."

"Carlisle," the man before us said, getting toward my lover.

"Last week, I was working a shift in the ER, when this elderly gentleman was brought in by ambulance. He was a very sick man, but his wife never left his side. She held his hand and reassured him that he'd be okay." Carlisle paused. "You've been by my side from day one. You've held my hands when I didn't deserve you, when I struggled against what my heart told me and what my head was screaming. You never let me go, never stopped holding on, and as I stand here today, I promise to be the man you deserve. I love you, Isabella. You're my heart and my soul."

"Carlisle," I whispered, through my tears.

"I know, baby," he murmured.

Clearing his throat, the Justice of the Peace drew our attention back to him. The man smiled as he said, "Isabella, do you take Carlisle to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, until death due you part?"

My lips trembled as I whispered my shaky reply, "I do. With all of my heart, I do."

"And, Carlisle, do you take Isabella to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, until death due you part?"

"Yes!" he uttered immediately. "I do. With everything I am, I take her as my wife."

The Justice of the Peace laughed under his breath at our enthusiasm. "May I have the rings, please?"

Emmett placed one hand on Carlisle's shoulder while he reached around his father and held the two wedding bands we'd picked out to the Justice of the Peace. As Emmett moved to step back into his place, his eyes met mine, and he smiled and tilted his head toward me. There was a time that Emmett hated me for tearing his family apart, but somehow, through everything, he'd been able to forgive me.

"These rings, like your love, are never-ending and unbroken," the Justice of the Peace said, causing me to look at back at him. He held out the white gold band I'd picked out for Carlisle. On the inside of the band, I'd had the words, 'A love that survives the darkest of Hells.' Our love had done just that, and now, we were going to face the rest of our lives together. "Isabella, take this ring and place it on the fourth finger of Carlisle's left hand."

My fingers shook as I lifted the ring from the palm of his hand and placed it on the tip my lover's hand. Then, shifting my eyes up to Carlisle's, I slide it along his finger. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he murmured.

"Carlisle, take this ring and place it on the fourth finger of Isabela's left hand."

And just as I had, Carlisle carefully picked up the white gold band with diamonds encased around the edges, and placed it on my fingers. A tear slipped down his face, and I reached up and wiped it away. Carlisle's eyes closed as he leaned against my touch.

"It's my pleasure to announce you man and wife," the Justice of the Peace declared. "You may kiss your bride."

Carlisle's eyes opened as he reached up and placed his hands on my cheeks. Slowly — almost to the point of being painful — he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. My husband, my lover, the man who'd fought through the pits of Hell to be with me, and the man who'd changed his life for me. I once was an innocent young girl, who'd been lured into a forbidden affair. I may not be innocent anymore, but now, I was strong — strong in the arms of the man who'd loved me.