Jessica woke up the next morning, Ivan still beside her. He was looking at her with a warm smile.

"Good morning, future Mrs. Fjeldsted," Ivan said, a grin overtaking his face.

"Good morning, future husband," Jessica said, matching his grin, pulling him in for a kiss.

"Can you believe today's the day? It feels like we've waited an eternity," he said.

"I still half expect to wake up and find out all of this was a dream. I'm so happy I get to marry you, Ivan. I can't think of anyone else I would want to be with."

She could see Ivan's eyes were misting.

"Oh, don't cry, darling. You'll make me cry," she said, taking his head in her hands and kissing his forehead. "What time is it?"

Ivan checked his watch.

"Eight-thirty. So we have six hours. What would you like to do?"

"Well, I would say rehearse for the wedding night, but there's no point in giving in now," she teased.

Ivan gave a hearty laugh.

"No, no there isn't. Plus, we'll get to that. Not soon enough, but still."

They stayed in bed, flirting with each other, until they decided it was time to get up.

"Now remember, I'll need an hour or so before the wedding to get ready. Bad luck for you to see me beforehand... Aaaand I mainly just want to surprise you," she said.

"I'm looking forward to it," Ivan said, giving her a smirk.

"I'm more excited for our wedding, but our wedding night is an extremely close second. I already have my lingerie and all that picked out. I want to look absolutely perfect for you," she said.

"You look perfect to me all the time," Ivan said dreamily.

Jessica blushed and looked down at her feet.

"Thank you, my love."

"You're welcome, darling. Why don't we have breakfast and tea; before you know it, it'll be wedding time!"

"That sounds perfect."

They sat down to a breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, and tea, discussing their plans for the day.

"Marriage license?"

"Check."

"Tux?"

"Check."

"My dress and makeup are definitely checked. Tatianna will be here soon, and I assume you'll be with Adam until it's time for the ceremony, so we're all good to go. What time do you think you'll start getting ready?"

"Probably around twelve-thirty, but I'm leaving now. It won't take me an hour to get ready, I'm sure, but I do have some things to see to before the ceremony."

"Can you believe we're so close?," Jessica asked giddily.

"I can, and I'm beyond happy. I never thought I would share my life with someone else after all of the trauma with Linda, but I can't think of anyone else I would rather have by my side."

'How did I end up with such a sweet man?,' she asked herself.

"Well, I'm going to get going. I'll see you in a few hours, my love," Ivan said, getting up and giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Alright, dearest. I'll see you soon," she replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

Ivan gently shut the door on his way out, leaving Jessica alone in the apartment. Tatianna was due to arrive soon, so she decided to veg on the couch with a book and a cup of tea.

An hour later, Tatianna arrived.

"So, getting excited?"

"Very! Should I do my hair first or my make up? I'm just so anxious to see him! I want to look like I stepped out of heaven! How do I even do that?," Jessica rattled off nervously.

Tatianna put her hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.

"Jessica... You need to relax. Getting all hopped up now will just make you stressed. We can't have a nervous strung out bride, can we?"

"No, I suppose not. I'm just so excited, I can't keep it in!"

"Why don't we turn on some music and we'll get some of your hyperness out? We'll do your makeup first. Go with soft neutral colors, you'll look absolutely angelic," Tatiana calmly explained.

They sat on the couch talking for a while having coffee, when Jessica's alarm on her phone went off.

"One o'clock, time to be getting dolled up!," Jessica exclaimed.

Jessica sat at the vanity in her room talking to Tatianna as music played in the background and she began to take out her makeup supplies. She gathered up brushes and sponges and got to work.

She did a brown smokey eye and dabbed a glittery taupe color onto her lids, followed by a dusting of blush, a light coat of mascara, and a swipe of neutral pink lipstick.

Next, Tatianna helped her with her hair. Jessica did some loose curls, then Tatianna pinned them in place to give her an updo. Next was the dress.

"Look straight up and stand very still," Tatianna instructed her.

She slipped the dress on over her head, and Tatianna pulled it down the rest of the way for her. Jessica ran her hands down her sides and her tummy, making sure there were no wrinkles. She poked her earrings in place while Tatianna clasped her necklace in the back.

Tatianna stood back and gave her a once over, giving her a nod of approval.

"Close your eyes, and I'll turn you around to look in the mirror."

Jessica obeyed, closing her eyes with a smile. She felt Tatianna spin her around.

"Okay... open."

Jessica opened her eyes, and tears sprang to her eyes. She blinked them back to keep her mascara on, but she let out a small cry, one of her hands flying to her mouth.

"I... I feel like I'm actually starting my life. Holy sh*t, I'm getting married!," she cried.

Tatianna felt her eyes begin to moisten as well, letting out a few sniffles.

"You look breathtaking, honey. Ivan is one lucky guy. Oh! We need to get going! Your wedding starts in twenty minutes!"

Jessica felt iron butterflies in her stomach at that realization. Tatianna picked up the back of her dress, and they wound their way down the stairs to Tatianna's car.

"I just realized something."

"What's that?"

"I was the one who brought you to Ivan the first time you met. Now I'm the one who's taking you to be his wife," Tatianna said with a teary-eyed smile.

At that, Jessica couldn't stop the torrent of tears from coming. She quickly held up a napkin under her eyes to catch the streams of black.

They hugged and calmed themselves down.

"We'll have plenty of time to cry after the ceremony; for now, we need to worry about getting to the courthouse on time."

"Right, off we go."

The whole ride to the courthouse, Jessica felt the fluttering in her stomach ebbing away. She knew she would be happy with Ivan and that he would take care of her. And she was determined to make him happy and care for him as much as she could.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to the building. Jessica let out a long breath as Tatianna came to her side of the car and opened the door. She took her hand, and when she was standing, Tatianna closed the door and picked up the back of her dress. As they approached the doors, Jessica felt a grin stretch across her face.

They walked into the building, pausing at the double doors for a moment. Jessica took a deep breath as Tatianna pushed the doors open. Ivan was facing the officiate, Christoffer between him and Adam. When he heard the doors open, he turned around to see his bride.

He hadn't mentally prepared himself for how lovely she was going to be. Her hair done up, soft colors that brought out her striking blue eyes, and perfectly shaped lips; she was angel-like. Ivan felt tears dropping down his face uncontrollably as she neared.

Adam placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

As Jessica neared, she looked Ivan up and down, giving him a nod with a seductive grin. He wiped his eyes and hid a smile behind his hand.

Jessica finally stood in front of him a moment later; they stared at each other with big goofy smiles.

The officiate cleared his throat.

"You know, most people just wear semi-formal clothes for these things."

'Wow, what is it with people who serve the public in this town?,' Jessica thought.

But she paid him very little mind. She was too busy ogling her soon-to-be husband, whike Ivan was drinking in the image of his fiancee.

"You look absolutely stunning," Ivan said softly.

"As do you, darling," she replied.

They joined hands, and the officiate began his speech.

"We are here today to join Ivan and Jessica in marriage. Marriage is our oldest and most noble institution, put in place by God himself. It takes a great amount of love to decide to devote your life to another person. Now you will feel no rain, for you will be a shelter to each other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth for the other. Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other. Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. Soon you will go to your resting place, to enter into the days of your togetherness. May your days be good and long upon the earth. Now, Ivan, repeat after me: Jessica, I take you as my wife, with your faults and your strengths, as I offer myself to you with my faults and my strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life."

Ivan repeated the vow, not skipping a beat.

"Now, Jessica: Ivan, I take you as my husband, with your faults and your strengths, as I offer myself to you with my faults and my strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life."

Ivan felt his heart clenching and started getting choked up. He looked into her eyes and saw nothing but genuine love shining in them.

Ivan couldn't hold it in anymore. He grabbed Jessica and buried his face in her shoulder as he sobbed. She wrapped her arms around his back and held him to her. He cried for a moment before Jessica leaned her head back and whispered in his ear:

"Don't cry, darling. We need to get to the "I do's" so you can have your way with me," she whispered with a chuckle.

Ivan let out a small laugh, and with one final sniffle, he straightened back up. He saw that Tatianna, and even Adam, had slightly wet eyes.

The officiate continued.

"Ivan, will you have this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Ivan said with a shaky voice.

"Jessica, will you have this man to be your husband, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Jessica said, with a warm smile.

"Then, by the power invested in me by the province of Københavns, I pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss your bride."

Ivan wrapped his arms around Jessica's back as she wrapped her arms around his neck; he lifted her off the ground and crashed their lips together, Jessica's fingers burying themselves in his hair.

Tatianna and Adam looked away awkwardly as Ivan and Jessica kissed. Their eyes momentarily met. They stared at each other for a moment before Adam nodded to her with a smile, which she shyly returned.

Ivan and Jessica parted and rested their foreheads together giggling.

Tatianna cleared her throat. Ivan and Jessica abruptly turned and looked at their guests.

"Do you mind?," Jessica said with mock indignation, earning a couple laughs from the others.

"Actually, it's picture time," Tatianna reminded her.

"Oh, yes. Adam, Tatianna is going to take some pictures for us, but we're all meeting at The Runway to have dinner together. So we can either meet you there or you can come along.

"I think I'll come along," he said, giving Tatianna a smile.

She gave a shy smile.

"Excellent! Let's get to the park then."

Ivan and Jessica hopped into the church's van and Adam rode with Tatianna.

"I'm so happy we're married, Ivan. I've dreamt about marrying you since I was sixteen!"

"And I knew from the moment you fell asleep on me on the loveseat that I would either be a long-suffering man with an unrequited love, or we would end up together. I'm glad it ended up being the second one," he laughed.

"Me too," she said, entangling their fingers.

Ivan turned back to the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road. Jessica put her hand on his thigh, giving it a light squeeze. Ivan grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips as he drove.

They arrived at the park, seeing Adam and Tatianna sitting on a bench laughing, seemingly enjoying themselves.

"I bet Adam's next," Jessica said.

Ivan let out a loud laugh.

"Hard to say, but it looks like he has a sporting chance."

They exited the car, Ivan coming around to Jessica to give her his arm.

'Such a gentleman,' she thought.

As they approached Adam and Tatianna, the pair straightened up abruptly.

"Where would you like to start?," Tatianna asked.

"How about by the trees? Then by the pond?"

"Sounds good to me," said Ivan.

Tatianna started posing them.

"We need at least one shot of you two kissing, so pucker up," Tatianna said teasingly.

They did as they were told, hearing the shutter of the camera. They did formal and casual pictures all throughout the park, barely even noticing they weren't alone until Tatianna would stop them in picturesque spots.

An hour later, they were finished. They dropped Christoffer back off at the home he was staying in, and from there they went to the rectory to change into different clothes.

Jessica changed into a knee-length satin white dress with a bateau neckline along with her black lingerie ensemble and black lace stockings paired with white shoes, while Ivan opted for a navy suit with a tie and brown leather shoes.

Tatianna and Adam arrived soon after.

As they were looking through the shots Tatianna took, they came across one that suited them perfectly.

They were standing on the waterfront near a forest, Jessica's arms wrapped around Ivan while looking at the camera, and Ivan hugging her to his chest looking down at her with a smile.

"That's going on my desk in my office," Ivan announced proudly.

"Good choice," Tatianna said.

"Well, now that we're done here, where to next?"

"The Runway?," Ivan asked.

"Agreed," the others said.

They filed into the van and drove to the restaurant. Adam and Tatianna talked the entire drive, while Ivan and Jessica silently observed them, exchanging sly smirks at how well Adam and Tatianna were hitting it off. Tatianna told Adam about how she met Jessica and brought her to stay with Ivan on a trial basis.

"We see how that ended," she said with a laugh.

Adam then told her his story of how he was working on redeeming himself after being a white supremacist, his story keeping Tatianna on the edge of her seat.

"And after some of my old Nazi acquaintances showed up and gave us all a scare after attacking Ivan, it just hit me like a lightening bolt that everything I believed in was, for lack of a better word, evil," he told her.

"Well, you seem to have made great strides in a short time. I can imagine the violence you saw was quite traumatic."

"It was, but also, if it weren't for me witnessing how horrid people with that belief system can be, I probably would never have changed."

"You're doing well. You should be very proud," Tatianna said with a warm smile, which Adam returned.

They arrived at the restaurant twenty minutes later.

They hopped out of the van and clambered through the doors to the reception area. The restaurant was completely packed.

"Good thing we reserved a private room," Jessica said.

Dinner was fairly uneventful; a bottle of wine, casual conversation and well wishes, and a quaint meal. Before long it was evening. They made their way back to the enclave and said their goodnights.

"I'm so happy for you both! Thank you, Ivan, for letting me stay in Jess's old dorm."

"Not a problem. Sorry about all the boxes ahead of time. We haven't finished moving her into the apartment yet."

"It's quite alright. I'm more worried about being across the hall from Mr. Flirts-a-lot here," she said, looking at Adam.

Adam looked down, trying to hide the fact he was slightly blushing.

"No shame, Adam. It means you're trying," Jessica teased.

They all shared a laugh.

"Well goodnight, all. We'll see you later."

"Have a goodnight, guys. And once again, congratulations!"

"Thank you, sleep tight," Jessica said as she and Ivan went to leave.