HUGE SPOILERS FOR JAKE AND AMY'S WEDDING – read at your own risk.
It's not what they planned, not what she imagined it would be and yet in a sense, it's everything Amy ever wanted.
It's not the beautiful Hogwarts-like mansion with its professional kitchen, private library, seven bathrooms and outdoor reception area. It's not the rec centre and its basketball court and only one working bathroom in deep Staten Island. It's nothing of the sort. But it's a lot better than that.
It's the place where she and Jake met – the place where it all started; their partnership, friendship, relationship – from the first shake of hands to the first case they worked on together, to their first kiss then him bending on one knee almost seven months ago leading to that moment right now: her going down to the aisle.
(There's no real 'aisle,' though. Jake's simply waiting at the other end of the street, with Terry by his side, who's been assigned to officiate the wedding.)
It's their colleagues-become-friends-become-family all gathered together and smiling at her with true happiness in their eyes as she slowly passes by their seats, walking on a carpet of shredded papers from old files of cases the couple worked on together along all the years.
It's Rosa's face as lit up as she's never seen it before, holding hands with her girlfriend next to her as she nods at her. It's Charles already deep in tears of joy. It's Gina filming the scene with her phone for them to remember later.
It's Terry's hand on Jake's shoulder as they both have their eyes glued on her, and Captain Holt's arm hooked with hers, leading her towards the love of her life.
And, most importantly, it's him – it's Jake looking at her as if she's one of the seven wonders of this world, mouth half-open in awe and salty pearls prickling at the corner of those eyes he can't seem to take off of her while each new step she makes takes her closer to him. Closer to their bright shared future of husband and wife.
Today's been a long, stressful, full of unexpected events day, but here they are now. Here she is now, in front of this precinct that became so much more than just her workplace over the years; in front of those detectives who became so much more than just her colleagues over the years (she's marrying one of them, for world's sake), and nothing could top that, no matter what they had in mind in the first place.
She didn't know what she agreed for when Jake offered to screw it and get married right here, right now, but she has to admit… this is everything. Everything they need and want. It's her future husband and her and their Nine-Nine family. Just them.
Eventually she reaches his side, and her boss lets her go with a gentle squeeze of her hand and a pat on her fiancé's shoulder before joining his place beside his own love. "Hi beautiful," Jake locks his blurry orbs with hers as he greets her and it's all it takes for a tear of her own to fall down her cheek.
This is it. The moment she's been waiting for since he popped the question (and even before that), the moment Charles weirdly predicted all those years ago.
(Tell 2009 Amy that weirdo was right, in the end, and she'd laugh at you for being so stupid.)
(Who's stupid now, huh?)
Her heart is pounding in her chest and she barely listens to what Terry, standing between them, is saying. She replays her vows in her head, over and over, as if she hasn't repeated them constantly for the past month already. In front of her, Jake is grinning at her, with a smile she's sure is matching her own on her face.
But then suddenly, everything falls silent around her – and in her mind – when the Sarge invites him to begin with his own vows. He rubs his hands together before he starts, and she knows him enough to understand he's nervous. She offers him a reassuring look in return, and he takes the floor.
She's crying within a few seconds of his speech.
For a man who used to struggle replying to a simple 'I love you,' he truly knows how to talk about his feelings now. "Someone told me once that the good thing about being an adult is that you can create your own family," he turns to Holt, nodding at him in understanding.
(It might have been four years, he's never forgotten that piece of advice.)
"And I already knew at the time that the Nine-Nine was that new family, but I didn't think someone would officially become it. Now, thanks to you… it is real. You're my family, Ames, and I can't wait to see it grow."
He goes on, and she remains speechless for a while when he's finished talking, just to process everything, letting every beautiful word he let out sink in and warm her soul. It's hard to go after him. There's nothing strong enough to express how much she cares about this man, to be honest. But Amy still tries.
"You put so much fun and laughter into my life. Getting married in front of that precinct wasn't part of my plans," she chuckles, "but falling in love with my partner from that said precinct wasn't either. And yet, it's the best thing that ever happened to me. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. And I can promise you I won't ever let you go."
When she's done, she puts the wedding band on the hand she's been holding all along. After that, Terry speaks again, making them say their 'I do's then inviting Jake to kiss the bride. And, as their lips meet, sealing their union for good and everyone cheers them (and Charles lets out a huge sob), one thought occurs to Amy's mind.
It's not what they planned, not what she imagined it would be but yet in a sense, it's the best wedding ceremony she could have asked for.
It's the place where they met, it's her colleagues-become-friend-become-family gathered all together, and most importantly, it's her husband's hand in hers and their wedding rings shining in the setting sun as they make their way all back from the aisle.