Thank you to Team Harpy.

Pretty sure you don't want to hear from me right now. See you at the bottom.

**E**

"Where are we going now?" My soon to be bride asks me. Her voice is all happy and breathy. "Is anything even open for this to happen?"

"I have my ways." And lots of money.

"I can't believe we are doing this."

"Have you changed your mind?" I ask her anxiously.

"No. I haven't." She leans against me and rests her head on my shoulder. We're mostly silent for the drive and our driver pulls up to our venue.

"This place isn't open, Masen."

"It is for us. Come on." I grab her hand and a bag that was sitting on the floorboard. I lead her through the entrance and pull out my phone to shoot a message to the officiant inside.

The door is promptly opened. "Good to see you again, Sir. This must be your Bella."

Bella blushes a little.

"Please come here so we can get the paperwork out of the way. Miss Swan, do you have your identification?"

"Oh! Yes." She reaches into her purse and after rummaging through it, she produces it and hands it over.

He looks it over and writes a few details down and hands it back. "I already have yours, Mr. Cu..."

"Call me Masen. Yes. Everything should be in order." I interrupt.

"Well, almost everything. The bride has to sign."

Shit. I forgot about that.

He's pointing to where he needs her signature so to appear helpful I place my hand over my name and 'hold the paper still' while she signs.

He takes the certificate and looks it over. "I'll be right back and we can get started."

I try not to let my anxiety show while he's gone. Bella looks as nervous as I do but for completely different reasons.

I try to distract her.

"Okay, so we need a few things to make this more… real." I pull out a bouquet of gerbera daisies.

Her eyes and smile widen in delight.

I put down the bag and grab the little black box.

"And of course no marriage is official without a ring." I open it and her mouth drops open.

I did my best to rein in my desire to go expensive. But the ring still cost over a thousand dollars.

"Masen." She breathes. "This is too extravagant. You can't afford this."

"Yes, I can. Besides, this is the ring that will adorn your finger for the rest of our lives. You deserve a little extravagance."

She takes it out of the box and turns it around. "This is a lot of diamonds."

"Yes, it goes on forever. Never-ending. Just like us. It goes on forever." I'm nervous.

"I love you." She says.

"I love you." Fact.

"We're ready. Follow me."

We follow the officiant out to the gardens. Bella gasps. It's all lit up in pinks, yellows, and oranges much like the colors in the bouquet she is clinging onto for dear life.

We all get into place.

"We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in matrimony. Marriage should not be entered into lightly but with involved thought and discussion between the two parties."

I notice Bella stifle laughter and I wink at her.

"Do you, Masen, take Bella to be your wedded wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold, forsaking all others for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." This is the most honest I have been since I met her. The irony is not lost on me.

"Do, you Bella, take Masen to be your wedded husband, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold, forsaking all others for as long as your both shall live?"

"I do." Her soft voice says the sweetest two words I've ever heard.

"May I have the rings please?"

"Oh no. I don't have a ring for you." Bella gasps.

"It's not like you knew this was happening. I didn't know this was happening until this morning. We will rectify that later." I assure her.

"Please place the ring on Bella's finger and repeat after me. You are more precious to me today than yesterday, and you will be more cherished tomorrow than you are today. Please wear the ring as a symbol of my eternal love for you and a love that transcends all our yesterdays, all our todays and all our tomorrows."

I repeat dutifully and slowly slide the ring on to my Bella's finger not breaking our eye contact.

"Then with the power invested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Masen, you may kiss your bride."

Bella lets out this little squeak when I pull her forcefully to me and kiss the breath out of her.

"Hold that pose." Bella freezes a little then we both look at the woman holding a camera.

"It's part of the package you paid for, Sir. You do want photos to commemorate this day right?"

"Yes, thank you," Bella says.

We allow her to pose us and take a multitude of pictures. She's quick and she knows her stuff. All too soon, she's done and she exchanges information with me to email the prints in two weeks.

The photographer disappears and the officiant is nowhere to be found.

"This day has been a whirlwind," Bella remarks.

Then the music starts playing out of nowhere. We both recognize the opening strands of I Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley.

I sweep her into my arms and we dance while I sing into my wife's ear.

Wise men say only fools rush in

But I can't help falling in love with you

Shall I stay?

Would it be a sin

If I can't help falling in love with you?

"I hope it's been a good whirlwind."

"The best. I can't believe you planned all this. I'm not complaining but why so fast?"

"I realized that I didn't want to spend one more day without you being my wife."

"I'm Mrs. Bella Whitlock. We're Masen and Bella Whitlock."

"That we are."

"So now what? Are we keeping things like they are? Are we moving in together?"

"For now, I say we keep it the same but we can look for a place. Maybe halfway between Tacoma and Port Angeles. We have our whole lives to work it out. For now, I just want to enjoy being married and knowing you're my wife."

"You're my husband. I have a husband." She's blissed out then her expression changes. "I have a husband."

"Bella, what's wrong?"

"I wish you were bulletproof."

"What, why?"

"Because we have to tell my parents we got married. Without them."

Shit.

***E***

"You did what now?"

Bella's nervous but she's doing a decent job of hiding it. Renee is wide-eyed and looking at her husband whose tone is quickly sliding into hostile territory.

"We got married!" Bella thrusts her left hand out to her parents.

"When?" Her mom asks.

"Why?" Is Charlie's response.

Bella shoots him a look and sits down, dragging me into the seat beside her.

"Last night after we left you. Ma, he had it all planned out. He proposed over at the Red Rock Amphitheater and you should have seen the view. Fabulous. Then we went to the Botanical Gardens and we got married amidst all the lights. It was amazing."

Renee chances a hesitant look towards Charlie who is obviously unhappy.

"Why?" He repeats.

"Pops." Bella begins.

"I'm talking to him." His eyes bore into me. "Why?"

"I love Bella."

"But why marriage?"

"So, I'm not good enough to marry, Pops?"

"Baby Girl, you are more than good enough. It's not your worth I'm questioning."

"What your father is trying to say, I think, is that you haven't been dating very long. What was the rush? You're not pregnant, are you?" Bless Renee and her need to smooth everything over.

"This again? No. Kids are a long way off." Bella informs both of her parents.

"I wasn't going to let your daughter get away." I explained.

"Was she going somewhere?" She's confused.

Bella and I both laugh nervously.

"What made you change your mind?" Charlie steers the conversation back on track.

"Well, actually, I never did change my mind. I made up my mind. There's a difference."

"Call it what you want. The last time I conversed with Masen Whitlock, he was an uncommitted man. Now he is. How did this happen?"

"I love her."

"I love her too, I don't want her hurt. Don't disappoint her, don't disappoint me."

"Pops…"

"When I say I love Bella, I mean I love her more than I have ever loved anyone in my whole entire life. And I'm privileged that she loves me. And I will do anything in my power to make her happy. I think she believes that." I look in Bella's eyes then back at her father. "I only hope you can too."

Charlie looks at both of us, then to Renee. He nods. "Okay. Then welcome to the family, Masen."

The waitress comes over then so we order our food. Charlie surprises me by asking for a bottle of champagne.

"So romance and spontaneity aside, where are you gonna live?" Charlie asks.

"We've got it all worked out. I'm keeping my place and Masen is keeping his."

"But you're married now." Renee points out.

"Yes, I know, but he isn't ready to give up his day job yet. And if I recall, that's the first thing you liked about him- a steady paycheck."

"This is commitment?"

"This is the 21st century, Pops. Plenty of people have commuter marriages. Besides, we each like our own space."

"Your own space is on your side of the bed and your side of the closet."

"Charlie, this is their marriage. Let them do it their way." She places a hand on his to calm him down.

The waitress comes with the champagne.

"Oh, Pops, can you do the toast? Please?"

"Charlie is the Swan family toastmaster," Renee informs me.

Charlie takes the champagne. "Usually, I have time to prepare. Some people plan the wedding for months."

"Some people are rooted in convention." Bella points out.

"That's definitely not her problem." I point to Bella.

Charlie laughs as the cork finally pops and he starts to fill our glasses.

"I have no problem. I am the happiest woman in the world right now."

"I'll drink to that because that is all your mother and I have ever wanted for you. And I propose this toast to Mr. and Mrs. Masen Whitlock. To their continued love for one another. To their future and to their eventual children. Salut."

"Salute. Thank you, Pops." Bella smiles at her father before we clink our glasses together.

Charlie drops all arguments and we have a peaceful meal. Then back to the hotel to pack before hitting the airport.

Looking at her, sleeping so peacefully on my shoulder- the only time she is ever still- as we head home hours later, I can only hope I get to keep her.

I only know that one way or another, I have to.

Playlist:

Marry You- Bruno Mars.

Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley.

Recently went back and added Last Name- Carrie Underwood. Thank you Karen for the suggestion

So, that happened. Now what?

See you Sunday.