Over The Top Chapter 30, a twilight fanfic

Another chapter, another apology for being late to post. I hope you'll think it was worth the wait.

Twilight belongs to another; but the ceremony is all mine.

-o-

Edward

I wake in the morning, feeling deliciously sore and perfectly satisfied. Last night, the night Jasper agreed to become my husband, was the best night of my life. Better than the night he agreed to take me back; better than the night we first made love again after we reconciled. I am happy – completely euphoric.

I stretch my stiff muscles, rolling towards Jasper's side of the bed. To my surprise, he is still fast asleep. He is an early riser, and he's always up before me. He must be completely exhausted. I lie beside him for a long time, just watching him sleep. He sleeps on his stomach, clutching his pillow; his face turned towards me. He's so fucking beautiful, with his blonde curls and his gorgeous, perfect mouth. I want so much to capture that top lip and suck it into my mouth.

Instead, I gently kiss the ring that now resides on his finger; and I get up, letting him sleep. It's Saturday morning; we don't have to go anywhere or do anything if we don't want to. I figure a celebratory breakfast is in order; and carbs be damned, I decide on waffles and sausage – one of Kas' favorite breakfasts. After the coffee is brewing and the sausages are cooking, I pull out my Belgian waffle maker and start it heating up.

Half an hour later, I have a stack of waffles keeping warm in the oven; maple syrup, whipped cream and fruit; sausages perfectly browned; and a steaming pot of coffee. I debate whether to bring it to him in bed; but finally decide just to bring him the coffee and tempt him out of bed with that.

I place the coffee cup close to his face and waft the smell towards him. As I thought it would, the elixir opens his eyes – he can't resist the aroma of fresh coffee. He sees me close to him and inhales deeply; his eyes close again, but I know I've got him.

"Mmm," he murmurs. "Smells good…and do I smell…sausage?"

"You bet," I reply. "I've got a breakfast feast waiting at the table…waffles, fruit, sausage…all your favorites."

"I could get used to this," he says with a sleepy smile.

"You should," I reply, and lay a kiss on his lips. "Come on, sexy; let's eat."

A few moments later he joins me at the table, and we dig in. Throughout breakfast I catch him staring at the ring on his finger. Sometimes he tries to be discreet about it, but he spends most of the meal looking at the smooth band with its glittering diamonds. He looks as happy as I feel; I smile indulgently each time I notice him checking out his ring.

"So what are our plans for today?" I ask.

"My plans are to stay at home and snuggle up with my fiancé," he says smugly. "Actually…I suppose we have some calls to make. My parents…your parents…your sister. I should call my parents now before Rosie and Em leave…"

"Your parents already know, angel," I admit. "That is, they knew I planned to ask you once we got home."

"Really? You told them?"

"I spoke to them about it Thursday night after dinner," I tell him.

"Ohh," he says, recognition dawning on his face. "That's where you went to after dinner."

"Yeah," I nod. "I was telling them about the ring – I didn't take it with me to Austin – and then I asked them."

"You asked their permission?"

"More like I asked for their blessing. You're an adult, Jasper, and that whole 'asking for permission' idea has always seemed bizarre to me – you know, from back when women were property and weddings were a business transaction. But I know you would never be happy without your family's support. Fortunately, they were thrilled. We have their blessing."

He smiles broadly. "And do Rosie and Em know?"

"No," I shake my head. "I thought I should leave someone for you to tell."

"What about your parents?"

"Oh yeah, they know. They were absolutely beside themselves when I told them I planned to ask you. They adore you – you know that." He smiles broadly. "My mom put me in touch with her jeweler. He doesn't work with titanium, but directed me to the person who did. That guy created the ring I had envisioned for you."

"Wow, you designed this yourself?" His eyes widen as he gazes at the ring yet again.

"I had a very specific idea of what I wanted." I take his hand, lifting it to examine the ring again. "He brought it to fruition."

"It's perfect…it's…" He gazes at it. "Just perfect. That's the only word." He pauses, then asks, "This guy that did the ring…where would I find him?"

"Why?"

"Because now that I'm wearing an engagement ring, I think it's only fair that my fiancé wears one too."

-o-

Our families are thrilled; nearly as happy as Jasper and I are. Harry and Anneliese have expected our call, knowing that I planned to ask Jasper when we returned home to Seattle. Rosalie and Emmett are still there, and she answers the phone. When Kas tells her the news, I can hear the scream from across the room. He winces and holds the phone away from his ear, grinning broadly at me. "She's happy," he mutters. "Either that, or she just saw a spider." His parents each get on the phone to talk to us; then Em. As we speak to each of them, we can hear the others in the background, including the little boys. The whole group is abuzz with happiness, and the love reaches us even through the phone lines.

My parents, too, have been waiting for it to be official. They invite us over to celebrate; and on Sunday evening we visit, Alice joining us as well. My dad brings a bottle of champagne up from the wine cellar, and the five of us toast to a lifetime of happiness.

-o-

Our news is welcomed by all whom we've come to consider our loved ones. Outside our family, this includes Kathleen, as well as Ashton, whom she's been dating officially since the spring. It includes Jack, who has become a close friend to both of us. It includes Jacob and his partner Nathan; Jacob was ecstatic to find out that Jasper had found the love of his life. The circle of acquaintances Jasper made when he returned to Seattle – Eve, Rachel, and Liz; Gareth and Lily, and their new daughter Sarah – has bloomed into a wonderfully vibrant group of intelligent and trusted friends, to both of us. They too share our joy.

Outside of that group, I have made my first actual friend in years – Luke, an art critic. Jasper and I were introduced to him during the summer when we attended an art opening with Gareth and Lily. Gareth knew Luke from the academia world; and when we started chatting, it turns out Luke and I had attended SFAI at the same time, though in different programs. We clicked as friends almost immediately; and now that we've been friends for a while, our conversations are lively and stimulating. Luke is always fun to hang out with.

The first time he meets our friend Rachel, they are instantly taken to each other – the spark is nearly audible when their eyes first met. This time it's our turn to smile and wink at each other as we watch them get to know each other; and I whisper to Jasper later that it looks like we'll be spending a lot more time with Rachel.

-o-

In early December, we toss around some ideas for the wedding; but Jasper suggests that we relax and enjoy the holiday, and then get down to hardcore planning in January. It seems like a sensible plan, and I agree. We'll be celebrating the holiday here in Seattle with my family, since we spent Thanksgiving with Kas' family. Despite his excitement about spending our first holiday together, I know he's fighting off a bit of a funk because he's never been apart from his family on Christmas.

I've been racking my brain trying to think of the perfect gift to get him; and then one day in the second week of December, it hits me. I immediately put in a call to Rosalie, who adores the idea. Within two days I find myself on a plane to San Diego, with all my photography equipment in tow. Twenty-four hours later, I am making the flight back to Seattle, exhausted but satisfied with my accomplishments in California. I'm sure that Jasper, as well as the rest of his family, will love and appreciate this gift; and I hope he won't be upset that I didn't tell him the absolute truth about the job I was doing in California.

I edit like a demon while he's at work, to finish my part of the project; and then I deliver it to where the next phase will be completed. A few times I wonder whether it's enough – I know he'll love it, but it's not a really expensive gift. I could buy him just about anything – an expensive watch, any number of electronic gadgets, a trip to just about anywhere – but those are just things. When the item is finished and I go pick it up, I know I've made the right choice - it practically screams his name. I actually get a lump in my throat thinking about what his face will look like when he sees it.

On Christmas Eve, we decline invitations to spend the evening with friends or family, deciding that the night before Christmas will always be just for us. We make love on a blanket on the floor beside the Christmas tree. Afterwards, we lie, Jasper spooning me, looking at the fire that burns in the fireplace before us. Jasper pulls me close to his chest, snuggling his face into my neck, and then he reaches into the small drawer in his coffee table. He places a little black velvet box on the floor, about a foot in front of my face. It is wrapped with a gauzy silver ribbon. I recognize this box – it's from the jeweler who created Kas' engagement ring.

"This is not your Christmas gift," he whispers, "but the jeweler called me yesterday to tell me it was ready, and there was just no way I could wait to give it to you." He releases me so we can both sit up, facing each other, still completely naked. I hold the box in my hands, looking at it, slowly turning it over in my fingers. I have no idea what kind of design he has picked out, or whether his matches mine – he has refused to give me even a hint. I look up at him and he is gazing steadily at me, his eyes shining as they reflect the lights from the Christmas tree and from the fire.

"Aren't you going to open it?" he murmurs.

I smile softly and pull the ribbon, which falls off into my hands. I open the hinged lid, and there it is – my engagement ring. The band is identical to Jasper's, but instead of having three square diamonds set into the band, it has one round diamond in a bezel-setting, raised slightly from the face of the band. I love that it is unique, slightly different from his, but still has the same band. I stare it in wonder for a few moments, tilting it one way and then the other; the many facets pick up the lights from around the room, reflecting them as though a fire burns within the diamond itself.

It's perfect.

Which is why I hand the box back to Jasper. He looks at me, his mouth open, in shock. Before he can speak, I ask, "Would you do the honors?"

The look on his face is pure relief as the misunderstanding is averted. "Of course," he smiles. He holds my hand in his right hand and with his left, he places the ring on my finger. "I can't wait until you're my husband," he says, and leans forward to press his lips softly to mine. Even though the question has already been asked and answered; and though I knew this ring was coming, now that I'm actually wearing Jasper's ring on my finger, I can't help the tears that come to my eyes.

As we pull apart, I raise my hand, tilting it as I did the box, to catch the light in the diamond. "I love it," I breathe, and Jasper catches my hand in his again, tipping it so he can see the ring on my finger.

"It suits your hand," he remarks. "Very masculine."

"I never thought I'd ever wear an engagement ring," I laugh. "For one thing, because I'm a guy; and for another thing, because I'm a gay." We both laugh at this. "And then, I never dreamed I'd find someone so completely perfect for me…"

He smiles and kisses me again, and we return to our previous position, him spooning me on the floor. His left hand rests over mine, each of us wearing our commitment to each other on our hands. I doze there until he picks me up and carries me to bed.

In the morning, we wake reasonably early. Our plan is to exchange our gifts and then head to my parents' house for the day. I insist that Kas open his first, telling him, "I already opened a present last night."

His gift is tall and wide, but not deep. He carefully removes the bow and ribbon, then the wrap, to expose the large plain-white box inside. He opens the end and slides out the gift inside; then he gasps, clapping one hand over his mouth.

The gift is a very large black poster frame, and beneath the glass are numerous custom-matted 4" x 6" photos of Brandon and Gabriel – some together, some separately. In each of the photos, they're laughing and playing on the beach in San Diego. The smaller photos surround one large 8" x 10" photo, the only one where the two are posed together, each wearing a t-shirt that says, "I love Uncle Jasper." I seldom do this sort of work, but for my beloved, I'll do anything.

He sits, speechless, examining each photo. This time he's the one with tears in his eyes. I move to sit beside him on the couch, and slip my arm around his shoulders. He looks at me and whispers, "How did you do this?"

"Yeah…when I went to California two weeks ago? It wasn't to LA. It was to San Diego," I admit with a grin. "I stayed with Rosie and Em, which was why you could only get me on my cell."

"Edward, this is just…beautiful. Thank you for knowing this would mean so much to me. I love you," he says, his voice thick with emotion.

"I love you too, angel," I murmur before pressing my lips to his. We look over the pictures for a few more minutes and I tell him a bit about the photo shoot that day, before he finally says, "Okay, your turn."

I have no idea what he's gotten me, and can't think of what I need or want, in fact. Everything I could help for has already been given to me - my wonderful partner, and our life together – which he's agreed to make permanent. What else is there that really matters?

Kas pulls a wrapped gift out from under the tree. Oddly, it is much the same shape as the gift I gave him. He says, "Okay, this might be a little ironic." But he will say no more, encouraging me to go ahead and open it.

After I've gotten through the wrapping and the box, I too, am holding a photo frame in my hands. It's an Ansel Adams, "Unicorn Peak, Thunderclouds". Kas knows it's my favorite photo by the man who established the photography department at my alma mater. "I ordered it from the Ansel Adams Gallery," he says as I gaze at the photo of the massive thunderhead that makes one feel tiny and insignificant, even holding a print of this size. "It's not a reproduction – it's a print made from…"

"From his original negative," I finish. "This is amazing."

He smiles. "Someday I'll get you an original, beautiful."

"I love it – completely. Thank you. I love you, Kas," I tell him, and lean in to kiss him. "Merry Christmas, angel."

"Merry Christmas to you, beautiful."

---

True to his word, when Christmas and New Year's are over, Jasper throws himself into planning the wedding. He sits up looking at magazines, looking online, trying to choose colors and catering and music…then a wrench is thrown into our plans.

We've chosen October 23 as our wedding date; but Jasper's father won't be able to get away from the office that week. He could come just for the weekend, but what a whirlwind trip that would be. On the other hand, we really don't want to change our date – we've both already become attached to it. For a few days we toss around different ideas; Jasper is stressed out, and it's not a great time.

Finally I say to Kas, "You know, angel, maybe we're going at this the wrong way. Who says your father has to be here?"

Jasper looks shocked for a moment, then he sputters, "My father is going to be at my wedding!! I can't believe you'd…"

"Wait," I interrupt. "Let me explain. We've been looking at this as though the only way to get married is in Seattle. But if your father can't come to our wedding here, why don't we have the wedding there?"

"In Austin…?" he says slowly, mulling the possibility. "I just assumed we'd have it here. It never even occurred to me to have it in Texas…"

"But wouldn't that solve our problem?" I continue. "No matter where we do it, we're going to have a group of people travelling to it, because our friends are in three different states. Assuming it's all the same to my parents, and I'm sure they'll be fine with it, why not do it there? Besides – the weather will still be nice in Texas in October, right?"

"Yeah," he agrees. "Late October – it'll have started to cool down by then. You know…my parents' close friends live on Lake LBJ – it's about an hour and a half west of Austin. They have this huge property right beside the lake. When Rose was planning her wedding, they offered to let her hold it on their lawn; but Rosie decided on a California wedding. Maybe we could do it there…?"

"That sounds nice – outside, by the water. We could do it at sunset, surrounded by all our friends and family? It sounds perfect."

"And then we could have a tent for the dinner and the reception…" he muses. Suddenly I can't believe we didn't think of this earlier. I'm almost certain my parents will be supportive – they'll understand what prompted this decision. Of course, now we'll be coordinating a wedding long distance. But Anneliese will help out tremendously, I'm sure; so will my mother, for that matter.

Once we've decided to go ahead with Austin, all the plans fall quickly into place. Jasper's parents are thrilled with the plan to get married there, and they're very grateful that we've made this change to our plans so that Harry can spend more than twenty-four hours with Jasper. My parents are understand completely. The Whitlocks' friends, Jim and Barb, are happy to open up their home for the wedding.

In Texas, our union will not be recognized by the state; but nor would it be if we got married in Washington. Since we aren't having a legal ceremony, we're not required to have two witnesses; instead we decide that whoever performs the ceremony will charge all those present to be our witnesses and to support us in our union.

The months fly past. Jasper's lease expires in February; and rather than renew it for another year, he gives up the apartment and moves in with me. I'm thrilled, of course; but ask him to consider carefully before he gives up his apartment. "Are you sure? You don't want us to live there? It's got a den, and a fireplace…"

"I do love this apartment. But you own your place," he reasons, "and I rent. Plus…I'm not ready to give up the place where we spent our first night together."

So we pack up his apartment and take on the task of blending two households. With some creative rearrangement of the large open living space in my loft, we manage to create two separate sitting areas. His bedroom furniture goes into storage, for the future when we will eventually get a place with a second bedroom.

Winter turns into spring, and spring to summer. The wedding plans are gelling perfectly. With some suggestions from our moms and our sisters – we have taken to calling them our Wedding Women, as they are all more than willing to voice their opinions on the planning of this event – we have decided upon a color scheme that is beautiful but still masculine. Since we're getting married outdoors, the whole wedding will be relaxed and casual; we just want people to have a wonderful time and celebrate our joy with us.

Jasper and I pick out our wedding rings. They are identical to the bands each of us wear, minus the diamonds. We each decide on our clothing for the wedding; we agree not to tell the other what we've chosen, but each of us lets the Wedding Women know our choices, so that they can be sure the whole thing will coordinate. Apparently we do well, because they all approve; neither of us has to make any changes.

As the time passes and the wedding draws closer with each day, I continue my therapy until the day my psychologist says to me, "Edward, I don't think you need to come see me anymore."

Her words catch me off guard. "What? I—what if—?"

"It's okay, Edward. I'm not going anywhere, and if you feel like you need to talk in the future, I'm always here. But you have come such a long way from when we first met last year. That man was heartbroken and terrified. He didn't have the tools to have an adult relationship with anyone, let alone an intimate relationship. Edward, you're not that man anymore. You had an argument with Jasper two weeks ago, and what did you do?"

I recall the argument. It pains me still, as it was the first real argument we'd gotten into since we moved in together. We were both tired and stressed – Jasper had been going through budget hell at work, I was on my way out of town the next day and really didn't want to leave. A conversation about boutonnieres, of all things, set off a ridiculous argument between us; all the stresses and worries we'd had over the week overwhelmed us both, and we ended up sulking in separate rooms – me in the living room, Jasper in our bedroom.

"I told Jasper that I loved him, and that I was sorry, and asked if we could just let it go and enjoy the last evening we had together before I had to go away," I answer her.

"You made the first move to make up, Edward," she points out. "You love Jasper, and you're willing to concede your point on the things that don't truly matter in the grand scheme, to make him happy and maintain your relationship."

"Yeah," I nod thoughtfully. "That's true."

"Plus…you're in a relationship where your biggest difference of opinion is about lapel flowers," she chuckles. I join in her laughter, recognizing how lucky we are that this is our greatest problem. "I'd say you're doing pretty well."

So we decide to discontinue our regular weekly appointments, with the understanding that both Jasper and I are welcome to call her in the future if we feel we need some help; in fact, she encourages me to call if there are problems, rather than allowing them to compound. Before I leave she tells me, "I want you two to succeed. I am very excited for your future, Edward. I believe you're going to be very happy; you have the tools to get through life as an intelligent, loving person. I wish you all the best."

-o-

Finally, the week of the wedding arrives. As of the weekend prior to the wedding date, I am off work for a month. Jasper is off for three weeks, but his holidays start three days before the wedding. I fly down to Austin first so I can oversee the last-minute details – Jasper is stressing about the weather, the tent, the set-up for the ceremony space, so I call and check in with him a few times a day. I want to do whatever I can to allay his fears and make this day perfect.

During one of my calls home, he mentions that we have again each received a letter from the sexual health resource centre. His letter is his most recent STI test results; I ask him to open mine. We have both agreed that this will be our final test; if nothing has shown up by now, we don't see any reason to continue to test every six months. In all honesty, we could very likely have stopped testing a year ago, but I have insisted that we extend this period, and we've continued to use condoms. I know I've likely been unreasonable, over-cautious; and that any infection would almost certainly have shown up within a six-month period. Still, given the number of people I've been with, I must be absolutely certain that I can pose no risk to Jasper – it's vital to my peace of mind.

There is a pause; I hear paper ripping as he opens the envelope. "You're clean, beautiful," he says. "And so ends another phase in our lives – the biannual poke-and-pray." I laugh with relief and happiness; I am happy to say goodbye to that part of my life.

When Jasper arrives in Austin on Wednesday afternoon, he has brought our honeymoon luggage as well. As he made the honeymoon plans – insisting on surprising me, he hasn't told me a single detail about where we're going – he also had to pack the luggage. He stores it in his parents' bedroom – "So you won't be tempted to peek," he says with a grin. I simply smile back at him, thinking of the surprise I've arranged for him.

The night before the wedding, we have a family dinner at an Austin restaurant, a chance for both families to relax before the big day. We don't bother with a rehearsal, as there isn't a great deal for us to rehearse – Jasper and I have been to the ceremony site together and decided where and how everything will proceed.

Tonight he is to sleep his parents' house, and I will stay at the hotel. Each of us has plans to spend the morning with our families tomorrow, and then have photos taken with them after getting dressed. After our families say goodbye to each other and head off in their own directions, he and I have a quiet drink together in the hotel bar. We don't say a great deal – we just sit on a comfortable couch and enjoy the quiet of simply being together.

When the time comes for him to leave, I walk out with him to the street where he hails a cab. He opens the door, and then turns to me. "In less than twenty-four hours…," he murmurs with a smile.

"I know," I reply. "Next time I see you, we'll be getting married."

His smile expands to that beautiful, impossibly-wide smile that first made my heart skip a beat all those months ago. "I can't wait," he enthuses. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kas," I whisper. I caress his cheek with my hand before leaning in and kissing him softly. "Six o'clock sharp – don't be late."

He gets in to the cab and closes the door, then puts down the window. "Good night, beautiful," he says as the cab pulls away. I wave and watch till the cab disappears around a corner.

In my room, I take a quick shower and then collapse into bed. I'm exhausted from the flurry of activity over the past several days, and my last conscious thought is that this is my last night as a single man.

-o-

The next morning is relaxed and enjoyable. I go out for breakfast with my parents and Alice, and we laugh and reminisce. Over the last year and a half we have come to a place where we are as comfortable together as if the estrangement never happened. Once in a while, though, I find them referring to something that happened while I separated myself from them, and they have to stop and explain the situation to me. Those times make me sad, realizing how much time I sacrificed over my stupid pride – over a decade spent essentially without them. I can't change the past, though. All I can do is look to the future and make sure I never let anything like that happen again.

After breakfast, my mother hands me an envelope. My name is written in Jasper's hand; and inside is a note.

You have an appointment with a handsome, sexy man with absolutely magical hands…but before that, please go with your mother to the spa, where I've booked you a massage.

See you in a few hours—

Love Kas

Mother and Alice are also booked in at the spa, for their makeup and their hair, and I'm sure something that involves nail polish. As we say goodbye to my dad, he grins, "Have fun, ladies." I manage to shoot him a dirty look before Alice catches my arm and drags me off to our appointments.

An hour later, every knot and ache in my body has been dissolved away, and my muscles are so relaxed they feel molten. The masseuse – not masseur – dismisses me, wishing me the best at my wedding. I make my way up to my room and have a shower, washing away any residual greasiness from the massage oil.

I carefully style my hair and then I dress in the clothes I've carefully selected for this most important day of my life. A white dress shirt – I leave the top couple of buttons undone, and roll the sleeves up to my elbows. Chocolate brown dress pants, and a vest that matches. Brown dress shoes. And the boutonniere, the catalyst for the argument from several months ago. I can't get the damn thing pinned on myself, at least without ruining it; so I leave my room and walk down the hall to my parents' room. I knock, in case one or both of them is in a state of undress. My dad opens the door.

I adopt a childish stance and a small voice. "I need help."

My dad laughs and says, "Come in, then." He is dressed and ready for the wedding. No amount of teasing from us could convince him to skip wearing a tie today; so along with his black pants and vest that are much the same as mine is a champagne-colored silk tie. The color has been selected to match…

…my mother, who at this moment steps out of the bathroom. Her hands are engaged in fastening her earrings, but she is otherwise ready. She looks absolutely stunning in a long champagne silk dress. The dress has a fitted wrap jacket, with sleeves that come just below Mother's elbows. Both Dad and I stop what we're doing and gape at her. Dad says, "Darling, you look…" at the same time that I give a low whistle.

She beams at us, and says, "Thank you, gentlemen. And may I say, you both look rather handsome yourselves." She already has her green cymbidium orchid corsage pinned to her jacket, and seeing me with boutonniere in hand, she says, "Shall I do that for you, dear?"

"Yes, please." I give it to her and she pins it easily to my vest. My boutonniere is a green orchid and a white calla lily, wrapped with brown satin ribbon. Dad gets in line, with his boutonniere in hand; his is much like hers, but a smaller orchid. Harry and Anneliese will each wear flowers identical to the ones my parents are wearing.

Just as Mother gets Dad's flower pinned to his vest, their door bursts open and Alice joins us. She is wearing a sleeveless chocolate brown satin dress with a soft chiffon overlay; a green sash is tied at her waist. She, too, has a corsage pinned to her dress. Hers is a white & burgundy orchid, with a cream-colored rose.

She hugs me gently, careful not to crush our flowers or hair or otherwise muss our appearance. "You look gorgeous," I tell her. "Absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you," she smiles. "I think we're all looking pretty sharp.'

The four of us spend the ride out to the Lake trying to stay as relaxed as we can. We ride in a limo from the hotel to Jim and Barb's property, about an hour away. Mother and Dad joke and smile with each other, Alice joining in at times; but by the time we're about fifteen minutes out, I'm starting to feel jittery. We still have pictures to do when we get to the lake; and I will have to remind myself to let the photographer do his job – that today my job is a different one. Still…I hope he'll understand if I ask about the light meter readings once in a while.

At the house, we are greeted by Barb, who is very gracious as she meets my parents for the first time. She and her husband Jim have gone above and beyond the call of friendship this week as we've been tying up the last minute preparations. She has kept us supplied with iced tea and lemonade; suggestions when minor problems arose; and a voice of reason when our nerves became a bit frayed. I already feel like she's one of the family; and my parents thank her profusely for opening her home for this tremendously special day.

We have our family photographs taken under the tall trees that border one section of the property, looking out across the lake. I'm actually impressed with the photographer's suggestions for composition – the shots he suggests aren't the same hackneyed poses that have been used for decades. He has some interesting suggestions, and he humors me when I ask for light meter numbers mid-session.

When the photos are done, it's time to go back in the house – I'm not supposed to be outside when the guests are arriving. I excuse myself, asking for a few moments by myself before the ceremony; and I watch from an upstairs window as the chairs on the lawn below gradually fill with our friends and family. Rather than having the seats all face in a single direction, they are arranged in a circle, facing in toward where we will say our vows. The circle is dissected by two aisles that cross each other, cutting the circle in fourths. Three of those sections have rows of chairs. The fourth section has a low stool, against which an acoustic guitar leans; a microphone; and, a little ways off, the PA system into which these items are plugged. These will be used by the musician we've hired to sing and play during the processional.

The grouping of chairs is set so that Jasper and I will be standing about twenty feet from the shore during the ceremony. The shoreline faces west, and the sun will set behind us as we swear our lives to each other.

This thought makes my stomach quiver – from nerves and excitement and lets-just-get-this-show-on-the-road. I check the clock every thirty seconds; until finally my mother softly knocks on the door of the bedroom where I've been waiting. "Jasper and his parents have arrived. It's time, my darling," she says with her gentle smile. I step out into the hall, and my dad is behind her.

"I love you both, very much," I tell them, giving them each a final hug and kiss.

"We're so proud of you, son," my dad replies. "We wish you all the happiness in the world."

"He's the one," my mother adds. "You two are meant for each other."

I take a deep breath and say, "Okay. Let's do this thing." We walk downstairs to the back doors where Jim waits. He grins at me, and then signals the musician that we're ready. A moment later, the song begins.

For you, there'll be no crying

For you, the sun will be shining

'Cause I feel that when I'm with you

It's all right

I know it's right

And the songbird keeps singing like they know the score

And I love you, I love you, I love you

Like never before

To you, I would give the world

To you, I'd never be cold

'Cause I feel that when I'm with you

It's all right

I know it's right

And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score

And I love you, I love you, I love you

Like never before

As the young woman with the lovely clear voice plays the guitar and sings Eva Cassidy's Songbird, my parents and I step out of the house and onto the lawn. Across the lawn, Harry and Anneliese are standing, flanking Jasper as my parents are me. Each of these two groups begin to walk towards the grouping of chairs. The path I take will lead me up one of the aisles; Jasper will walk up the other, and we will meet in the middle, where the circle is open. Our parents are accompanying each of us to the place where we will be joined. It's such a fitting metaphor for the journey that has brought us to this place.

I try to savor this walk; try to pay attention to the way it feels to walk with my arms linked in my parents' arms; try to remember who I make eye contact with as I pass the guests. But all I can see is Jasper, as we make our way towards the place where we will begin a new walk, linked in each other's arms.

He looks so beautiful, in a light-colored linen suit and a white shirt that, like mine, is unbuttoned at the neck. His curls, always beautiful, have been trimmed in the last couple of weeks; but they still frame the face I love so much. His face is serene, very calm, as we take the last few steps and emerge from the aisles into the center of the circle, only steps from each other now.

Each of us gives our parents a hug and a kiss, and then they take their places in the seats; my parents beside Alice, the Whitlocks in the row in front of Rosalie and Emmett and their little boys. Jasper and I turn to face each other, and the calm disappears from Jasper's face, replaced by a thousand-megawatt smile. I know my own face is reflecting that same expression as I reach out and take his hands in mine.

"Hi," he whispers.

"Hi," I whisper back.

"You look gorgeous."

"You look like an angel."

The officiant we have chosen for the ceremony now steps forward, and asks that our guests be seated. Katie is a friend of Jasper's from San Francisco. She isn't a minister, nor does she need to be, as this isn't recognized by the government or any church. She is simply a warm, well-spoken friend who has done us the great honor of writing and performing our ceremony.

"On behalf of the Whitlock and Cullen families," she begins, "I welcome you, and I thank you for joining us here on this glorious fall day as Jasper and Edward commit their lives to one another.

"Jasper and Edward, you have expressed your desire to blend your separate lives into one, to bind yourselves to each other for the rest of your days. I encourage you to look around you as you stand, surrounded by those who have supported each of you in your lives until this point. Your parents, your family and your friends – all have contributed to making you the men you are today. And so I charge all gathered here, to witness this union and to freely give your support to these men in the days and years to come; to guide when needed and love them always.

"Edward and Jasper, you each take this step being fully aware of the other's strengths and weaknesses; of his moments of greatness and his moments of fear. From this day, your partner's triumphs will be your triumphs; his sorrows will be your sorrows. You will have days that are filled with bliss; and days that make you wonder what the heck you signed on for." We both grin at this, and around us we hear soft laughter from our guests.

"But no matter what life brings to you, remember this equation: sorrow shared is sorrow halved; but joy shared is joy doubled. In every situation, consider your partner; every day, express your love for one another; be kind to each other; and always communicate your joys, your frustrations, your fears, and your hopes and dreams to your partner. Remember that you are taking this step today because you want to build a life together. Every day, strive to make choices that will strengthen that bond.

"We have several readings that you have selected; the first reading will be shared with us by Edward's sister, Alice Cullen."

Katie steps back and Alice takes her place in front of us. In her clear, high voice, she speaks.

"The first reading is from The Velveteen Rabbit," she begins.

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"Thank you, Alice," Katie says. "And now, Rosalie Whitlock, Jasper's sister, will share a reading with us."

Rosalie steps up to where Alice stood. She, too, is dressed in a rich chocolate brown dress, her long blonde hair cascading in curls down her back.

"The second reading is from Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainier Maria Rilke.

For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us, the ultimate task, the final test and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation. Loving does not at first mean merging, surrendering, and uniting with another person - it is a high inducement for the individual to ripen, to become something in himself, to become world, to become world in himself for the sake of another person; it is a great, demanding claim on him, something that choose him and calls him to vast distances.

"Thank you, Rosalie," Katie smiles.

Now comes the surprise – the part of the ceremony Jasper has no knowledge of at all. I watch his face while Katie speaks. "Edward and Jasper have prepared their own vows; but before they make these vows, Edward has arranged for a special musical gift for Jasper. So I now invite Kathleen Sullivan and Ashton Byrne to come up and present that gift."

He gasps softly, and Kathleen and Ashton make their way to where the guitar and microphone await. Keeping this from him has been nearly impossible, especially since he sees Kathleen every day at the office. "What did you do?" he asks, his face still portraying his shock. In answer, I simply smile, and turn to Kathleen and Ashton.

Kathleen's voice is clear, sweet and beautiful; and Ashton's acoustic guitar with its nylon strings is the perfect accompaniment. Before Jasper and me, and all our loved ones, they perform a much-simplified version of Beyonce's "Halo". I can see that Jasper is beyond moved that I've arranged to have this song be part of our ceremony. Kathleen puts so much feeling into those words, knowing the song means a great deal to us.

Remember those walls I built
Well baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make a sound
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standin' in the light of your Halo
I got my angel now

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
Its the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm lookin' now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your Halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your Halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo…
I can see your halo…

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't begin
To pull me to the ground again

I can feel your halo…

As she sings the last few notes, she reaches up to brush away a tear that has begun to trickle down her cheek; and I notice the tear isn't the only thing sparkling in the setting sun. Kathleen is wearing an engagement ring.

I file that away to ask her about later, and return my attention to my Kas, whose eyes are brimming with tears. He grins at me through the tears; then as our troubadours return to their seats, he hugs Kathleen and shakes Ashton's hand, thanking them both. I give Kathleen a kiss on the cheek and pat Ashton's shoulder; then turn back to my beloved, taking his hands in mine once more.

"Now," continues Katie, "Jasper, please make your vows to Edward."

Jasper laughs, a short nervous burst. "I wasn't supposed to cry before I started my vows," he blurts; and we all join in his merriment and joy.

He takes a couple of deep breaths to steady his voice, and begins.

"Edward, thirteen years ago when I was a gawky, uncoordinated math nerd, I met a boy. I didn't know him well, but he had a significant impact upon my life. Simply observing and admiring him from afar opened my eyes to some pretty profound truth about myself. After a couple of years I moved away and lost touch with that boy, but the memory of him, and the lessons he taught me, remained with me.

"That boy, as you know, was you.

"Eighteen months ago, I returned to Seattle and we met again. My love, it wasn't easy at first, but any rough seas we've encountered have been merely cloudbursts upon a vast, calm ocean. The storms cannot sink us, because we will always hold each other up.

"Today, we blend our lives into one. In front of our loved ones, I promise to love you, to be honest, faithful, and patient. I promise I will listen when you speak; I will be supportive of your dreams and goals, and I will remain by your side when our journey takes us through sad or difficult times."

We both have tears in our eyes as he ends with the phrase he and I agreed upon together – we will both end our vows with it:

"Until the end of our days, I commit myself to you. This is my vow."

"Edward," prompts Katie, "please make your vows to Jasper."

I have to clear my throat a couple of times and take a few breaths before I can speak clearly.

"Jasper, before your love shone its light upon my life, my world was a cold place; without passion or real happiness. The night we met, I told you that you were dangerous and subversive. Your quiet, faithful persistence transformed me, and the walls I'd built to shut out the world, couldn't stand against the immutable strength of your love.

"You create for me a place of calm. No matter what the world throws at me, I come home to your peaceful love, and nothing can penetrate that protection. You've taught me to appreciate and enjoy so much, and I am grateful that you've consented to allow me to return that love and happiness to you.

"Our parents have provided both of us with a gold standard example of how a happy, loving and respectful marriage is built and sustained. I am so blessed to stand in their presence, and surrounded by our family and friends, and declare that I will spend the rest of my life joined to you. With you I will share my love, my life, my joys and my sorrows; my truth and my fears; my strength and my weakness. Together we will weather whatever life brings to us.

"Until the end of our days, I commit myself to you. This is my vow."

Jasper pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket, and dabs my eyes with it; then produces a second one for himself. "I came prepared," he whispers; loudly enough that those seated closest to us hear him and chuckle.

"May I have the rings, please?" asks Katie, and each of our fathers steps forward, as the people who have held the rings until the appropriate moment. "We have come to the point in the ceremony when Jasper and Edward will exchange rings, and for these they have chosen traditional vows. Jasper, please place the ring on Edward's finger, and repeat after me." She gives him the ring that will rest on my finger.

"Edward," says Jasper, "I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow; and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you." He slides the ring onto my finger, and then quickly lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. I then repeat the same vow, placing the ring on his finger. We clasp both hands again, standing close to each other and holding an intense gaze, for what comes next.

Katie continues. "Edward and Jasper have declared today before these witnesses, their love for each other, and their intention to spend the rest of their lives together, keeping themselves only for each other. They have also taken legal steps that bind together their worldly possessions. Therefore, I affirm that, in the eyes of those who love and respect them, they are married." We both sigh with relief and gratitude as she says those words; and smiles light up our faces.

"Gentlemen, would you like to seal that with a little suck-face?" Katie beams, and those around us burst into laughter. Jasper and I each raise a hand to cradle the other's face, and lean in to seal our union. We don't, in fact, suck face; but having discussed this beforehand, we do manage to slip a little tongue – church tongue, as Jasper says – before separating. Jasper doesn't release me; we keep our arms around each other for the next part.

"It gives me tremendous pleasure," Katie exclaims, "to present for the first time, Jasper and Edward Cullen-Whitlock!" Our family and friends break into applause and cheers as, hand-in-hand, we turn to face them. We are, indeed, surrounded by those we love best; everywhere we turn, we are met with nothing but joy, love and the blessing of these people who have done so much to support us.

From the sound system in the nearby tent, joyful music plays. We each turn to our parents, embracing them and exchanging kisses and joy; then trading – me to Harry and Anneliese, Jasper to my parents. Our siblings and nephews are next – they're my nephews now, too – then Jasper picks up Gabe and I take Brandon's hand as we walk hand-in-hand back down the aisle amid the continuing applause.

We continue to walk a short way from the grouping of chairs, then stop. An informal receiving line forms as each of our guests passes by us, offering their congratulations; then breaking off into small groups across the lawn.

So many have come to Texas to be with us for this occasion. Kathleen and Ashton, of course; Jack; Luke and Rachel; Gareth, Lily and their daughter Sarah, who is now running everywhere and keeps her parents on their toes running after her; Eve and Liz. Jasper's former boyfriend Jacob and his new partner Nathan have come from San Francisco, along with Katie and some other friends he made while there. Several couples to whom my parents are closest have travelled from Seattle; and of course, Anneliese and Harry's best friends as well. We joyously greet each of them, receiving their love and their best wishes with utmost gratitude.

When we have spoken to each of our guests, they are invited into the tent where cocktails and hors d'oeuvres await; for us and our families, it's time for photographs. The session passes by in a blur; despite the flurry of activity around us, I can only focus on the beautiful creature I can now call my husband. The two of us have not yet spoken a word to each other since the moment Katie affirmed our marriage. Throughout the session we exchange gazes of wonder – the moment we've waited for has finally come and gone; and now, we're together for the rest of our lives.

Finally the list of photographs is exhausted, and our family all start toward the tent. Jasper is about to follow them when I hold up my hand. "We'll join you in a few minutes," I tell my dad, and he nods in understanding. Wordlessly, I lead Jasper into the house and upstairs to the bedroom where I waited before the ceremony.

There is a small sofa in the bedroom, and together we sit. I burrow under his arm and groan a deep sigh. Every emotion I've felt today has been highly intensified; and the result is that my nerves have been wrung to an almost unbearable extent. I burst into tears, from the sheer need to release some of the tension that has built. Jasper holds me tight, kissing my head, and we reconnect, bringing our focus back to each other; for a few moments blocking out all the extraneous distractions and demands that are necessary today.

Finally, feeling much better, I am calm. I lift my face to Jasper, and he smiles gently. I whisper, "I love you so much. Thank you for marrying me today."

"I love you, beautiful. For the rest of my life." He kisses me tenderly, caressing my face. "I guess we should rejoin our guests soon?"

"Give me a couple more minutes to just be with you," I ask, and he nods, kissing me again.

"Jasper Cullen-Whitlock," he murmurs, trying on his new name. "I have to admit, I love it." Neither of us had a doubt that we each wished to carry the other's name, and it made sense for us to hyphenate them the same way. Of the two options, Cullen-Whitlock flowed more easily than Whitlock-Cullen.

For a few more moments we sit in the peaceful quiet of each other's presence, then I concede that it's time to return to the party. We embrace once more before Jasper leads me back downstairs and out onto the lawn. The DJ sees us making our way toward the tent; as we re-enter, he announces us to our guests. Again there is a burst of applause and cheers. Jasper and I pause to give each other a kiss, flash great smiles at our guests, then make our way to join our parents at one of the round tables that surround the dance floor.

While waiting for our entrance, our guests have been enjoying the hors d'oeuvres and champagne. The DJ has been instructed to play laid-back, jazz lounge standards; right now Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" is playing. One of the servers brings Jasper and I each a glass of bubbly, along with a plate of hors d'oeuvres that has been reserved for us. We're both pretty hungry, as neither of us has eaten since we each had a snack this afternoon. We munch on the tasty tidbits, chat with our parents, talk to the guests that stop as they pass our table, and generally just relax for a bit.

I look around the tent, taking it all in – the beauty of the décor, the color scheme we selected…everything has gelled to make this night simply gorgeous. Our table centerpieces are wide, heavy, round crystal vases; inside, green and white orchids nestle against calla lilies so deeply red they're almost black. Tea lights flicker in groups on every table. At one end of the space, near our table, sits the cake table and the guest book. The cake is beautiful in its simple elegance. Nothing flashy or overdone; just two round tiers, white icing with tiny dots grouped together across the surface, and several orchids on the top.

Overhead, swags of gauzy material are strung with twinkling white lights, casting a soft glow throughout the space as the sky outside darkens from deep blue into black. And throughout the space, the happy sound of joyful voices – the voices of the people we are closest to in this world. This is everything I could have requested from this day; and it just keeps getting better.

Soon, Emmett rises to take the mic from the DJ. He is acting as our master of ceremonies this evening, and before he introduces the first speaker, he shares a few anecdotes about his own introduction to the Whitlocks, and what it means to marry into this family. He finishes by assuring me he has my back, and offers a toast to Jasper and me; in which all the guests join.

Each of our fathers gets up to speak. Fortunately, both are very comfortable speaking to groups. My dad talks about how thrilled he and my mother are to see me so happy, and that they are delighted to welcome Jasper into the Cullen family. There isn't a dry eye, including his, when he tells Jasper, "We're not losing a son – thanks to you, Jasper, we've regained our son and added another." Jasper and I both get up to hug him and my mother. Next Harry tells of the first time they met me; how quickly they realized that I was in Jasper's life to stay. He offers a few words of wisdom to us before raising his glass in a toast as well.

Soon, it is time for Jasper and I to speak. We have given thought and discussion to this beforehand, so as not to neglect to mention anyone. Jasper begins, thanking our guests, particularly those who've travelled many miles to be with us. He thanks Kathleen and Ashton for their beautiful performance during the ceremony, taking a moment to remind Kathleen that she still works for him and not to get used to keeping secrets from him – drawing laughter from everyone. He praises and thanks Katie for the lovely ceremony she created.

When the mic comes to me, I thank our mothers and our sisters for the many tireless hours they have all put into helping us make the day perfect. I thank Jim and Barb for allowing us to use their home. Jasper and I present to them a drawing we've had commissioned, as a gift of thanks. They both have a playful style and a good sense of humor; the drawing is a whimsical rendering of the two of them standing in front of their home, their grandchildren playing in the yard behind them. It's clear from their faces that the idea is a hit.

Finally, each of us takes a few moments to thank our own parents. Jasper's voice quavers when he tells Harry and Anneliese that the sense of family he has is because of their example, their love and guidance. To them we give a tabletop statue of a group of people, standing with arms around each other to form a circle. The people, though abstract, vary in stature and poise; and it is obvious that this is a family circle, inclusive and complete. They both stand up to hug us again; and as Anneliese embraces me, she says quietly, "You know you're one of the people in that circle now, Edward." Unable to speak, I simply nod and kiss her cheek.

It is time for me to address my parents, and I need a moment before I can take the microphone from Jasper. He pulls out another handkerchief from his pocket – I must remember to ask him later how many he started out with – and hands it to me, prompting sympathetic laughter from our guests. After a moment, I turn to my parents.

"Mother and Dad: The last year and a half have been the best months of my life. Not just because I fell head over heels for Jasper; but because I have reconnected with you both, and with Alice. The support you have given me, after…" My voice breaks, and I can't continue; my parents are both crying as well. Jasper pulls me close to his side, whispering encouragement to me until I can go on. "Regardless of the errors I made in my youth, your arms were always open wide to me. The moment I realized that was the moment I learned what unconditional love means. It is the most important lesson I have ever learned; and we both thank you for that." We present a statue to my parents as well. It is an abstract couple, carved from a single piece of marble. The permanence and strength of the stone reflect how I regard my parents' relationship and their love for me.

Our speeches over, I hand the mic back to Emmett. He announces that we are about to dance our first dance as a married couple. To the first strains of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," by Roberta Flack, I lead Jasper to the dance floor.

The song is slow, sweet and beautiful. It's Jasper's favorite, and he really wanted to have it as our first song. I was happy to concede on that point, especially since I snuck in the surprise performance during the ceremony. His arm is wrapped around my shoulders; my arm is around his waist. I pull his other hand to my chest and close my hand atop his, over my heart. I have instructed the photographer to take pictures of us during the second song, but not the first. For the entire song, I look nowhere else but at my husband's face, so near mine. We float together in our own world, murmuring endearments, gently pressing our lips together again and again.

When the song is over, there is applause from around us. The second song, "Angels" by Robin Thicke, is my choice; and our parents and siblings are called to take the dance floor with us. Alice, who's not seeing anyone, has arranged with Jack that he will dance with her; they've become friends as they each hang out at our place a lot. During this dance, the photographer draws our attention several times; we smile, and then immediately return our attention to each other.

The rest of the evening passes in a whirlwind of laughter, best wishes and dancing. Brandon, Gabriel and even baby Sarah dance their little socks off until they finally conk out, sleeping on little kid-sized sleeping bags that Barb has offered to Rosalie and Lily – how they can sleep through the noise of the reception, is beyond me. Jasper and I manage to nail down Kathleen and Ashton; Jasper demands that they dish on the sparkler she has on her left hand. Beaming at each other, they admit that Ashton proposed last night. They didn't intend to tell us this evening, knowing that today should be about us; and they make us promise to keep it to ourselves for a couple of weeks – Kathleen hasn't even told her parents yet.

Shortly before eleven, I find myself saying goodbye to my parents' best friends, Sue and Charlie, before they head back to their hotel in the city. As I turn from them, I scan the room for Jasper. Within fifteen minutes or so, the caterers will be ready to serve the late-night buffet we've arranged for our guests; but I've decided that, as wonderful as this day has been, I'm ready to escape the crowd and be alone with my husband.

I catch Jasper's hand as he turns away from chatting with Nathan. "Hey, angel," I murmur. "What do you say we run away together?"

He smiles. "I was just thinking that myself. May I have one more dance with the groom before we go?"

We send Emmett to the DJ booth to announce our last dance. Our guests surround us in a close circle as we finish out the evening by dancing to the first song we ever shared – "It Never Entered My Mind".

When we're done, we're inundated with hugs from everyone. We finally make our way out the door of the tent and across the lawn to where the limousine waits to take us back to Austin, where we will spend our wedding night.

There is no bouquet or garter to toss, but plenty of kisses to be thrown as the car pulls away. We wave as long as we can; then when we're out of sight, we relax back into the comfortable seats of the limousine and settle in with each other for the ride back to Austin. We have about an hour and a half – it's a bit of a drive, but this is why we arranged for a car and driver.

In the back of the limo is an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and some bottles of sparkling water. I lift the lid of a smallish tray to find cheese and crackers and fruit cut up for us. Jasper opens the champagne and pours us each a glass, handing one to me. He raises his own, and says, "Thank you for making this the happiest day of my life, beautiful. Here's to us." I touch my glass to his, and we drink.

For the rest of the drive back to Austin, we are wrapped up in each other, emotionally and physically. Having doffed my vest, and Jasper his coat, we are relaxed and comfortable, snuggled together on the soft leather seats; trading kisses, discussing the day, sharing our favorite moments. Jasper chuckles when he tells me that Brandon informed him this morning that he intends to marry his best friend Arthur when he grows up.

"Rose and Em are raising him well," I grin, lifting my champagne glass to salute them.

Eventually we see the glow of the Austin city lights on the horizon, and soon we're back in the city, speeding along the Mopac Expressway, until we turn onto East 5th Street. Several blocks later we turn onto Brazos Street and pull up in front of the Driskill Hotel. We are booked into the Renaissance Bridal Suite – one of our gifts from my new in-laws. My parents, Alice and I all stayed at this hotel last night; and before I left the hotel for the wedding, I checked us in to the honeymoon suite. Friends of the Whitlocks were recruited to bring our luggage from Anneliese and Harry's house to the hotel before coming out to the wedding, so everything will be set and waiting for us.

The desk staff smile at us as we pass, wishing us a lovely evening. Upstairs, I unlock the door to our room. Jasper is about to step in when I put my hand on his arm. He looks at me questioningly.

"I think there's a certain protocol to this, isn't there?" I ask. He tilts his head to one side, not catching my meaning. Instead of answering, I bend down, putting one arm behind his knees and the other under his back, lifting him off the floor. He throws his head back and laughs, locking his arms behind my neck.

"You're absolutely right." He kisses me softly on the lips as I step into our room. Our lips are still busy when I set him gently back on the floor. When we finally pull apart, we look around us, and in unison, we gasp.

The room is incredibly opulent, with hardwood floors, high ceilings and soft white tones throughout; a huge wrought-iron four-poster bed, draped with rich white fabric; a set of French doors that open onto a private balcony; and yet another bottle of champagne chilling beside a silver tray of strawberries. Wide-eyed, we wander around the suite, into the bathroom. Marble is everywhere, surrounding the Jacuzzi and lining the multi-head shower. I've stayed in many, many hotels in my lifetime – none of them compared to this.

"Remind me to thank your parents," I murmur, turning to Jasper and beginning to unbutton his shirt.

"Well, aren't you anxious," he smiles; but he doesn't stop me.

"Actually, I thought we might take a shower first – it's been a long day, and this shower looks like it will fit two very comfortably," I grin, pulling his unbuttoned shirt out of the waist of his pants. "By the way, if I haven't mentioned, you looked fucking amazing today – so sexy, so handsome. When I saw you walking up the aisle towards me, my knees almost went out from under me."

It's his turn to peel my shirt from me, then he goes to work on my belt. "I loved your vest – the way it rested at the top of your ass…I wanted to just slide my hands in under it and squeeze."

"Jasper Cullen-Whitlock," I tease him, "were you having thoughts of an impure nature before we were married?"

"Before…during…after…" he admits, and then his lips find mine. Our hands continue the job of removing the impediments to our closeness, until we're bare and standing in the midst of the spray that comes at us from numerous directions. In the shower, though, we only kiss; long, slow, probing kisses, that travel down necks and across shoulders and chests. Kisses that don't stop when I squeeze body wash into my hand, work it into a lather and gently cleanse Jasper's body. I pull him tight to me, his slick skin giving no purchase as I slide my chest across his. He does the same, tenderly lathering my body, then rinsing the suds from me.

"You're beautiful," he murmurs in my ear, holding me close in a tight embrace. "You're beautiful, and you're mine. My husband. I love you."

"I love you too," I sigh. He reaches to the faucet and turns off the shower, then grabs us each a huge, fluffy towel from the towel rack. He tosses his over his shoulder, and holds mine in his hands, lovingly drying me off. He wraps the towel around my waist and turns me in the direction of the bedroom, whispering in my ear, "Meet you in there."

On my way to the bed, I reach into my shaving kit to grab a bottle of lube. Beside the bed, I set the lube on the night table. I run the towel over my hair, soaking up some of the drips, and toss it over the back of a chair. Completely naked, I climb into the middle of the high bed, reclining back on to the pillows that are piled at the head; and there I wait for Jasper.

Fortunately I don't have to wait long – he strolls out of the bathroom wearing nothing, not even the towel. The muscles in his long legs ripple as he walks toward me; his broad smooth chest glistens with a couple of missed droplets of water. His curls are darkened with the dampness; but his eyes glimmer their usual green and the dimples pit his cheeks when he smiles at me.

He turns down the lights in the suite, leaving a couple of small lamps casting a soft glow. He kneels on the bed beside me, just looking into my eyes for a moment before his mouth finds mine. Our kiss is deep and passionate, but unhurried. Tonight is not about urgency and racing towards a finish. It's about savoring, sharing, feeling – especially since we're about to do something neither of us has ever done before.

His body moves to hover over mine, his knees on either side of my hips. He moans into my mouth when my hands drift down across his muscular back to stroke and squeeze his ass. His mouth leaves my lips and kisses my neck, my chest, down my stomach; and then follows the vee from my hipbone to my groin. When he gets to my balls, he takes each of them into his mouth one at a time, sucking and massaging them with his tongue. I sigh, letting my body respond to the sublime feeling of his mouth on me.

After he releases my balls, he licks up the underside of my shaft, and captures the little drop that glistens at the tip. "Mmm," he hums, before taking the head into his mouth. He sucks me; every stroke of his warm, wet mouth over my rigid cock reminding me that I will have this – I will have him – for the rest of our lives. In my life every day, in my bed every night, and in my heart forever.

He feels so good that I must bid him to stop. I roll him onto his back and pull his knees up so that the soles of his feet are resting on the bed. It's my turn to go down on him, and I do. I go down, past his cock…down, past his balls…down, to his ass. When I dip my tongue into that sensitive spot, he squirms beneath me, grinding his hips against my face. Moving up, I work over the perineum, massaging it with my tongue. North again, and I'm at his sac, sucking just the sensitive skin of the underside into my mouth and tugging gently. Licking up the tender channels where his thighs meet his groin.

Before I open my mouth to his cock, I put some of the lube on my fingers. While my fingers carefully lube his ass, massaging and relaxing him, loosening him for me, my mouth descends on his cock, slowly, torturously. He is positively writhing when I finally pull away.

"Are you ready, angel? Are you ready to do this?" I ask.

He moans, "Ungh, beautiful, I've been ready since the day I laid eyes on you. I've waited so long – please don't make me wait any more. I want all of you."

His words are all the assurance I need. I grasp my bare cock, slicking it with the lube, and push into his beautiful, tight hole. God, it feels fucking miraculous to be skin-to-skin with him, sharing our whole selves in this long-awaited act of intimacy. As I slide in and out of him, the magnitude grasps me by the heart. The trust he has in me, the faith that I will not put him in danger – they are overwhelming. He doesn't only trust me to protect his emotional health, but his physical health as well.

My heart swells with love and pride at the responsibility for protecting him. It's honestly the easiest request I could ever grant. Carrying his heart – it doesn't even feel like an obligation. It feels like a privilege and a pleasure. And entrusting him with mine? The easiest and most natural thing I've ever done.

Our bodies establish a slow rhythm, rocking together, moving in unison. Jasper is always vocal when we make love, and tonight he murmurs expressions of his love, his passion and devotion. I am lying on him, our chests pressed together; my fingers are laced through his, holding his hands above his shoulders on the mattress. I am looking directly into his eyes, watching his beautiful face as the intensity builds. His cock, captured between us, is squeezed and massaged by our sweat-slick bodies as we writhe together.

He wriggles his fingers to pull his hands free from mine, and wraps his arms around my back, pulling me as close as we can be. "Fuck, I love you," he moans. "I can't wait to take your load in my ass. I'm going to have part of you to keep inside me after we're done. No one has given that to me, baby," he pants. "Only you. I want it from you, so fucking much."

"Ungh, fuck," I groan. His words are pushing me so close to the edge. I slow down for a moment, shuddering, trying to stave off the release that threatens to incinerate me.

Kas realizes what I'm doing and thrusts his hips at me, begging, "Come on, baby. Please. I need it – fill me, please. Fill your husband with your hot cum." As he speaks, his left hand flops onto the bed beside his head. On his third finger are two rings. Two rings. I glance at my own left hand, wrapped around his shoulder…two rings on the third finger there, too. And then the point is completely driven home. I am this close to giving the most exquisite, the most intimate pleasure, to my husband.

And that is it. The thought that erases all rational thought, grasping me and sending me spinning through space, the way a wrist flicks a Frisbee. Together we soar, tumbling, crying out, a blend of sweat and tears and semen and whatever life force keeps us in this universe. I give my husband what he's craving; and his own spunk floods between us, creamy and hot.

We shudder together as our souls return to our bodies. I don't want to leave my place, enshrouded within his body; I want to stay nestled there forever. My softening cock makes it impossible; instead I lie half on him, my head resting over his left breast, hearing his heartbeat slowly return to normal. We cuddle that way for a long time, despite the fact that we are utterly exhausted from the long day and the nerves and the busy sequence of events. Even though it's well after midnight, I feel like if we don't go to sleep, it'll still be our wedding day. It's been the most wonderful, perfect day of my life; and I just can't let it go.

Even so, I must eventually get up. I warm a washcloth to clean Jasper off, and then myself. I return to bed and Jasper has crawled under the covers. Joining him, he rolls over to hold me, spooning me from behind. "I'm exhausted, but I don't want the day to be over," he murmurs, voicing my thoughts as though reading them from my head.

"I don't either," I reply, stroking my fingertips along his forearm where it wraps across my chest.

"Of course, if today never ends, then tomorrow can never begin; and, well, I've gone to quite a bit of trouble to plan our honeymoon…"

"Does that mean you're going to tell me now where our honeymoon will be?" I prompt.

"Yes, I think it's time to tell you," he muses. "Remember you telling me that you had turned down a job right around the time we got back together, because you didn't want to go away for so long right at that time? And you said that if you ever did travel to that place, you'd want me to be with you…"

"Italy?" I gasp. "We're going to Italy?"

"Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany…" he names. I fairly spin, turning over to look at him. He is tired, but his smile still beams at me. I kiss him repeatedly, thanking him for planning our honeymoon to take place in the country I've wanted to visit for as long as I can remember.

He returns the kisses warmly, then pulls me tight. "Think of all the places we're going to make love over the next two weeks…" And he is asleep almost before he finishes the sentence.

I lie awake for a while longer, the events of the day replaying in my mind. My favorite memory, though, is the one that stays in my head as I drift off to sleep…

Jasper, his face looking earnestly into mine as we repeated our vows. In that face, I see everything that stretches ahead of us in the years to come, all the things I never knew I wanted.

And most important, the love of my life with whom to share it.

-o-

As if I haven't already been self-indulgent enough with this chapter (13,884 words without the author's notes, bbs), I'm going to just continue right on with the extensive verbage.

If you enjoyed the chapter, please drop me a review and let me know. I have been so touched by all of the people who have said that they are excited for the wedding, but sad that the story is winding down. Me too, my darlings. One hundred per cent.

Several people to thank at this juncture: Diane, aka faite-comme-moi, for being such an amazing help with finding these two a place to get hitched. Her suggestions and guidance set the tone for this wedding – thank you so much, Diane. :) She also suggested the virtual reception, which should find a good number of OTT fans reading this chapter with cake and maybe some champers in hand. Exceptional idea!!

Shannon and Val – there are no words. Trust me – I would know if there were.

Beth, aka EJ Santry, who, in addition to my regular preview team, pre-read this chapter for me; and who was my date to the wedding. Love you, Bethie. Also, remind me to give your panties back to you – they're in my purse.

Thank you to all the readers who post on the Over The Top thread, which is found in the Alternate Universe-All Human thread at Twilighted. I read the thread over the past couple of weeks chuckling to myself and wondering if someone had gotten their hands on my "wedding plans" doc, because so many of the things I'd already planned were suggested by you! What can I say? Great minds. I hope I did justice to what you envisioned.

It was also at the suggestion of the above-mentioned OTT thread-ites that "Katie" performed the ceremony for Jasper and Edward. They were quite insistent. It was actually kinda cool to write myself in (I did mention the self-indulgence, yes?); I *never* would have thought to do that if you hadn't suggested it.

Congrats and well-done to Snappher, who guessed the Italy honeymoon plans, unprompted!

And in a final act of dissipation, I'll be adding a couple of posts to the blog with umpteen pictures of what I've tried to describe about the wedding – flowers, outfits, etc., and the music from the ceremony and reception. starfish422(dot)blogspot(dot)com