Good morning, almost-husband! I love you.

I tried to bring you breakfast, but Mum is intent on the whole, "It's unlucky for the groom to see the bride," thing.

Just ten more hours. I can't wait to marry you.

Shareen and I got all the fairy lights strung up. It's gonna look gorgeous tonight.

James? Are you okay? You're not usually this quiet.

Why won't you talk to me, James?

Please don't do this.

James lay curled up on the couch as he stared at the notes from Rose. The first one had already been there when he'd woken up at 6:00. How early had she gotten up?

He hated the gradual shift from giddy to afraid. He especially hated knowing he was to blame. But each time he'd reached for a pen to write her back, something had stopped him.

"I am such an idiot." He rolled over onto his back and draped his arm over his face.

The sound of a key sliding into the lock caught his attention, but he didn't move. God, if Rose had come to see what was wrong… he didn't deserve her.

"Sit up, you bloody wanker."

James' eyes flew open. "Jackie? What are you doing here?"

Jackie Tyler crossed the room in three strides and smacked him hard on the shoulder. "I'd slap you across the face, but I don't want to ruin the wedding pictures. Now sit up and tell me why you decided to make my Rose cry on her wedding day."

James' stomach dropped. "She's crying?" he asked as he pushed himself upright.

"Well no," Jackie huffed. "She's pacing the flat, waving her arm around and asking everyone who comes in why you won't talk to her. I was gonna leave well enough alone, mind, until she asked if I thought you were gonna stand her up."

"I wouldn't… I'd never…" James rubbed at his arm, wanting to feel close to Rose.

Jackie snorted. "Well I know that, don't I? Never seen anyone more in love than the two of you." She narrowed her eyes. "But I also know Rose is right. Something's bothering you."

James rested his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands. "Rose deserves better than me," he said, feeling tears seep out for the third time that day. "I don't know how to be part of a family, Jackie."

"That's a load of rubbish, James Smith."

James looked at her and swiped at his tears. "It's not. I haven't had a family since my parents died when I was twelve."

Jackie's face softened, and she sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I know that, James. An' I can't imagine how much that hurt. But family isn't limited to the one we're born into."

James wrinkled his brow, and Jackie sighed and rubbed his back.

"Well, first there's the woman who raised you—Sarah Jane Smith. You even changed your name to match hers. And then you've got all those friends from the university. Martha and Donna and Amy and Clara."

"They're just friends, though," James protested.

"Friends who helped you plan your wedding. Donna organised it all—Rose said she couldn't have done it without her. And Amy and Clara are doing the photography and videography, and let's not forget it was Martha who talked the venue into letting us have the wedding after dark." She patted James' arm. "They're your family, sweetheart. And they've accepted Rose just like in-laws do."

James pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth as he considered Jackie's points. His friends had all been excited for him when he and Rose had finally met. And they had thrown themselves into wedding planning with a zeal he hadn't expected.

"You really think I can do this?" he asked Jackie, his voice small. "I mean, be Rose's family?"

Jackie rolled her eyes and whacked James on the back of the head. "You've been her family since she was eight years old and constantly getting ink stains on her sheets from talking to you all night," she said, her voice tart. "Now get your head out of your arse and apologise to her."

James grabbed a pen, and Jackie stood up. "Well, I've done what I came to do. I don't need to sit here and watch you write mushy love letters to my daughter, ta." She pointed at him, then at the tux hanging up on the bathroom door. "You'd better be there and ready to go in four hours."

"Wouldn't miss it, Jackie," he said, and she walked out of the flat.

James tapped the pen against his chin, trying to think of something he could say that would ease Rose's mind. He'd messed up, badly, and he couldn't just wipe it away with an apology and an, "I love you."

In the end, only one thing came to mind. He'd planned to give her these words later, but as he wrote them on his arm and felt the echo of sensation as they appeared on hers, he knew this was the perfect way to offer his vows.

oOoOoOoOo

Rose held onto her bouquet with one hand, and her mum with the other as she stared down the aisle at James. Fairy lights twinkled around the tall columns lining the walk, and overhead, the stars shone down on them.

None of it came close to the light in James' eyes when he saw her for the first time.

Wrapped in a cocoon of joy, Rose missed the first part of the ceremony, but when James cleared his throat, she snapped to attention. In the five hours since his vows had appeared on her arm, she'd already memorised the words, but she wanted to hear him say them.

There was a nervous glint in his eyes, so Rose squeezed his hands and smiled up at him. James rubbed his thumbs against hers, then took a deep breath and began.

"Rose Tyler, I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I loved you when we were seven and you first drew on my arm. I love you today, and I will love you forever. You are drawn on my heart, love, and that is why I take you to be my wife and pledge myself to be your husband. Just like the stars can be counted on to shine, you can count on me to be there for you when you need me, to love you, to honour you, and to cherish you every day for the rest of our lives."

Rose blinked back tears, and then it was her turn.

"James Smith, if I'd known at seven what I know today, I would have drawn hearts and flowers instead of that silly cat. You are my soulmate, my other half, and I can't imagine life without you. When I'm smiling, you make me laugh, and when I cry, you hold me until I can smile again. Loving you is the best part of my life, and that is why I take you to be my husband and pledge myself to be your wife. The one thing you need to get through life is a hand to hold, and I promise today that my hand will always be there for you, every day for the rest of our lives."

Rose heard sniffling in the crowd as the officiant prompted them for the rings. James pulled her ring out of his pocket, then took her hand.

"Rose, this ring is a symbol of my promise and my love for you. With this ring, I thee wed." He slid the wedding band onto her finger, and the cool weight of it made all the vows they'd given each other seem real.

Rose swallowed and took James' ring off her thumb. "James, this ring is a symbol of my promise and my love for you. With this ring, I thee wed."

James' eyes sparkled as she slid the ring over his knuckles, and Rose got lost in his smile. A moment later, he moved his left hand to cup her jaw, and she realised it must be time for the kiss.

She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as he leaned down. "I love you, wife," he whispered just before his lips touched hers.

oOoOoOoOo

Later, as they danced alone on a balcony under the stars, Rose looked up at her new husband, the soulmate she'd known almost her whole life. "Did you imagine we'd end up here, all those years ago?"

James stopped dancing and turned Rose until he was standing with his front to her back. "I imagined us so many places." He pointed up to the stars, and Rose shivered when his body brushed against hers with the motion. "I wish I could take you up there. I think I'd start with that one."

Rose turned slightly and brushed a kiss along his jaw, drawing a sigh from him. "That one?" she whispered, pointing with him.

James opened his eyes and smiled down at her. "Yeah. But you know what, Rose Tyler? Wherever we go, it is going to be… fantastic."

AN: For those of you who don't care for the Doctor and Rose having children, the story ends here. Tomorrow's epilogue will be a future snapshot of James, Rose, and their family.