A/N: Hello my lovely readers! Here we are finally at the end. I am sad and happy to be here with you. I have enjoyed writing this story so much and have totally fallen in love with my characters and even though I don't know some of you I love you, my readers, writers, and reviewers of fanfiction as well because you have supported me and read my story. So this the final chapter of my first fanfiction is dedicated to you. Thank you so much. It means a lot. I'll express my gratitude further in my ending Author's Note but first I have a story to tell. Welcome to chapter 16 the final chapter of Turning Pages. *smiles, takes a bow and lets the screen fade to black*
I sit there restless. I try to sleep but none will come to me. I toss and I turn then realize that sleep is not going to come to me tonight. I get up and go to the one place that makes everything better for me. I sit in my chair in the library and think about the events to come. I'm going to have to get up tomorrow and marry someone I don't love. The thought causes an instant pain in my chest. I see a stray tear fall onto the back of my hand then another and soon my vision clouds with them. I quickly wipe my tears away and take a few deep breaths to compose myself. I'm out of options. This thought pulls my further into despair. I sit and with all my brain think of a plan but every time I think I've found one I always hit this wall in my mind and then the plan fails. I look to the drawer in front of me and I remember something of value that is kept there. I pull a pin from my hair and start to work on the lock. I hear a click and open the drawer to find Aaron's notebook with the vows inside. I haven't even thought about mine, I think to myself. I let it go as I begin to read.
Page, from the moment I saw you I knew you were special and I had always hoped that we would end up here together. I began to fall even more in love with you when we would sit together in your library and read to each other. I loved listening to you read to me and you were always so patient with me even though I'm not the best reader. I'm so happy that I get to enter into this new story with you. Today I affirm my love for you and take you as my wife. As your husband I promise to love you with all that I am. I promise to love you every day of the forever that we will have together. I will strive to be the best of myself while accepting who you are and all the changes you may make. I promise to be there for you when you need me. I vow to be honest, caring and faithful to you for as long as we both live. I love you, Page and I can't wait for our forever.
I shut the book and shove it back in the drawer. I plop down in my chair in disgust. I hate how he vows to be honest and yet he's telling nothing but lies. I stare down at my ring and think of Vincent. I'm glad he won't be there tomorrow. I wouldn't want him to see it. I stay in the library for a few moments and read to myself. I find the black book Vincent made for me and go through it one more time. I smile at all the poems written there. I remember when he first gave it to me. It was and still is the most beautiful and treasured thing in the world to me. "I now and forever will always devotedly love you," I read to myself. Those were the words that changed my world. I couldn't dare go back to how things were then. I take the book with me as I go back to my room and lay down to sleep with it next to me. I close my eyes and begin to drift away.
I am in the garden on a bench next to a wall in the maze. When I look down I am wearing the dress from Vincent's painting of me. I touch my hair and feel the rose sitting there behind my ear and my hair is down and his book is in my hand. I smile and know that this part was definitely his idea. I gather up my dress and move throughout the garden in search of him. It was then that an arm pulls me back and I am face to face with the one I was searching for.
"Hi," he says casually.
"Hi," I reply. "Vincent, I…"
"Don't even mention it," he interrupts. "I'm well aware of our new situation. Ash and I talked about it. He was watching you the entire time and so was I. There wasn't much to tell in the end I guess. I wanted to be there if you got hurt again."
"Oh! Wait, you mean to say you heard everything? Even…"
I don't have to continue because he smiles and nods at me. "I love you too, Page. I feel like I won't get to say that soon."
"No! Don't say that. I don't know what else to do now. We could run. I mean we might get caught but…I know we could at least last a few days on our own before they catch us."
He smiles and says "What happened to not wanting to run away from your problems."
"Well I tried facing them but then everything I tried back fired. So do you want to run away with me?" I ask. I am out of options and I would hate to leave my brothers but I have no choice now.
"I would but I couldn't get you out of the castle. Tomorrow there will be nothing but guards around and they won't take their eyes off you. I'd only be able to get to you after the wedding was over."
"You're not coming right?" I ask.
"I don't think I will be able to get in. Even with my status I know for a fact the Queen would not want me there."
"Good because neither does the Princess. I don't want you to see that," I say.
"I don't want to see it. I'll just get sick to my stomach and maybe do something I'll regret later," he pauses for a moment and then says "Page, he's not going to let you see me after tomorrow and maybe he'll try to take your ring from you but I want you to wear it still. Hide it somewhere he can't get to it and then put it on every night. Come and see me, please. I don't want to be without you."
"I don't want to be without you either. I'll come every night."
He stares at me for a few moments and our world is filled with silence. "You know I never heard you talk about me that way. The way that you did when you were talking to Aaron," he says bringing me close to him. "I knew you loved me of course but…I didn't think you…I mean…I was surprised but it was a pleasant surprise."
"I was just trying to get him to understand what love really was and the only description I knew was about the way I feel about you."
He nods and says "I'm going to show you how much I love you but not now. It will be soon though. Speaking of which, I don't want to talk about how you're going to marry someone else tomorrow. Tonight, I want you to just be my fiancé. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Fantastic. I wrote something else for you but this time it's a song. Do you want to hear it, Page?"
"Of course," I say excitedly.
"Okay. Keep in mind I have never written a song before but I thought the lyrics were too much to just be a poem. It had to be something more."
"What do you call it?"
"Our Love is a Crime"
"I like it. Play it for me."
"As you wish," he says as we sit on the bench together and he pulls out his guitar and begins to sing.
"You make me feel I'm outta my mind
And like our love is some kinda crime
Little did you know that feeling is so sublime
'Cuz when I'm looking at you and you're looking at me
Staring through the bars in our orange jumpsuits
You make it sound like our love is some sorta crime
And I don't know why
Yeah I don't why-I-I-I-I
They always told us we'd never get out
So when we did all they could do was shout
So temporar-ily we r free
Free-e-e
'Cuz when I'm looking at you and you're looking at me
Staring through the bars in our orange jumpsuits
You make it sound like our love is some sorta crime
And I don't know why
Yeah, I don't know why."
"Wow," is all I say.
"You don't like it?" he says a look of worry crossing his face.
"No! I mean yes, I love it. It's a good song," I say truthfully. "I didn't know you played the guitar."
"I'm just a mysterious guy," he says teasing as he flips his black bangs and smirks at me.
I laugh and say "I bet."
He looks up suddenly to the sky above us and when he brings his eyes back to me he says "You're going to wake up soon, Page."
I look to the sky and see nothing but its blueness. "How do you know?" I ask.
He shrugs. "I just do. I knew our time today would be short." He puts his hand gently on my cheek and says "Tell me that I'll see you again, in person. Promise me that you won't let him take you away."
"I wish I could promise you that but I can't. He plans on taking me to the Summer Court for some time. I can say that I will come back and that I will find you. I can promise that."
From the look on his face I could see that it wasn't the answer he wanted. He simply smiled and said "I'll take what I can get. I love you, Page."
"I love you too." Suddenly the world begins to shake and the colors starts to bleed away. "I don't want to go just yet! Can I stop it? Can I stop anything?!" I yell frantically.
He takes me back my shoulders and looks me in the eyes as he says "I'll see you soon." He kisses my lips and says once more "I love you more than anything."
Then everything goes black.
(The Wedding Day!)
I wake up feeling drained. I get married today, I think to myself. I roll over and think about how today might go if I just didn't get out of bed. Just as I thought this I heard a knock at the door and the maid asks to come in. I can't avoid today after all. I get up and usher them in. I bathe, put on a robe and sat at my mirror as they work their magic. They fuss over how I cut my hair.
"Oh great Princess now we have to make a new plan for your hair," said the one who is often in charge of my hair.
"I was feeling spontaneous," I say smiling up at her. She grins and shakes her head as she thinks for a moment and then continues to work. I watch as her careful fingers gently pull and tug at my hair. I wonder what it will look like when she finishes.
Soon another group of maids bring in a large tan box. I already know what's on the inside. I look away from it. I'm sure it's a beautiful dress; probably one of the finest things I will ever wear and I have to wear it on the most horrible day of my life. I watch my stylist do my hair. She makes loose braids that tie around my head until they come together in an intricate low bun. She stops to take a look at her work. "It needs something," I hear her whisper to herself. She snaps her fingers as she unties my hair and begins again. She brushes my hair then starts braiding again but this time she weaves white and light blue flowers into the braids so that they form a crown that sits just above my intricate bun. She looks at her creation, smiles and steps aside to let my makeup artist come.
She does a very simple style with a silver and black smoky eye and butterfly eyeliner and mascara. She tops it all off with red lipstick and blush. When I opened my eyes I smiled at my reflection. They did a fantastic job. I see my makeup artist smile in satisfaction and ask "Do you like it, Princess Page?"
"Yes. You two have done a wonderful job. I love it," I say which makes them practically beam and walk away to their other duties for the day.
Then, the unavoidable came. I was happy with my makeup and hair because then I could pretend today was an average day. I could say it was just another ball that I had to attend but once I turned around those thoughts could not be had. I looked upon the mass of white fabric sitting on my bed with scorn. I walk over to it and brush my fingers across it. I wish I could tear it shreds or freeze it in a block of ice but none of those things would stop today. In the hour another dress would be had and I would still be married to Aaron. I pick it up and hold it in my arms to give it a once over. I call my maid to help me put it on. It's a large ball gown so it's heavier than any of my other dresses but not uncomfortably so. I grow curious about what I look like so I turn to face my full length mirror. I gasp at my reflection. My dress is long with a full chiffon skirt that has climbing lace leaves sewn into it with crisscross bodice and crop jacket style quarter length lace sleeves. I looked wonderful. I spun around in it once. I watched my dress blooms around me and then falls back into place. I feel bad for hating it because it looks so good on me. It's not fair! I think to myself. How can something so beautiful be made for a day so horrible? I stare at it for a moment longer before I hear a knock at my door. I turn to see Ash and Sage come in.
"Everyone out," I order my maids who are still lingering around my room. They scurry about like ants under a magnifying glass before they all exit the room. I am relieved when it is just me and my brothers.
"You look amazing, Page," Ash says first and Sage nods in agreement.
"Thanks guys. I appreciate it. I love the dress but hate the occasion."
"We hate it as much as you do. If it was up to us this wouldn't be happening today," Sage says wrapping an arm around me.
"Unfortunately, we can't stop this anymore than you can," Ash finishes as he come to stand beside me.
"I know guys," I say hugging them both. "You've done your best for me and I will never be able to repay you for that. For now just continue to be the amazing brothers you are." I stare at them for a moment. I really am grateful to them. I couldn't ask for better siblings. "I love you two."
"We love you too, Page," they say in unison. I smile cheerfully as they hug me back and make their exit. I sit alone for a few more moments to think to myself. I take a deep breath and prepare myself for today and then every day after that. I suppose I will go back to how things used to be. I'll rebuild my old walls and hide behind them. I remember the day they were knocked down. I thought I was going crazy when a certain Fey came and asked me to dance and soon after I saw cracks in its foundation. A kiss later it was completely destroyed. What was I to do? I didn't know then so I went pass my wall and there were things on the other side I had never dreamed about, things that had never even crossed my mind. I don't want to back to the ruble that lies there now. I'd have to make it ten times as thick to prevent myself from trying to claw my way out. The first time I built it I did it to hide and keep myself safe now all I want is to find a way around it. How do you go back to darkness once you have tasted sunshine? How do you rebuild a wall that took you so long to build the first time? How do I go on without him? That was my real question. How to go on without the one person who gives you life? So many questions I ask myself today and none have very good answers. Some I know have no answer at all. I am brought out of my thoughts when I hear another knock at my door.
When I go to answer it I see it is the last person I expected to see at my door today. It is none other than my mother, Queen Mab. I blink a few times not really accepting the image before me as she says in an annoyed tone "Are you just going to stand there dumbfounded or are you going to let me in?" I realize then that it is her and silently open my door to let her into my room. I don't believe she has ever been in before by the way to casts her glace over everything in the room before her dark eyes finally fall on me.
"So…" I start. It's not that I don't want her in my room but….never mind it's exactly that. Her presence makes me uncomfortable even today when I have every reason to be angry with her. She simply stepped inside and the temperature go at least thirty degrees colder if not more. I don't like it so I'm going to get her out as quickly as possible.
I think she's sees it written on my face as she says "I feel that as your mother I should at least come and say something about marriage to you."
"What would you know about it?" I say in a sharp tone. I know I can't intimidate her out but I could at least show her that I don't want her here.
"I suppose you have a point but it doesn't matter. I just want you to be strong. We both know that you're much better than him and I'm sure he'll see that too if he doesn't already. I want you to be a great Queen when and if that time ever comes. I don't plan on going anywhere soon though. I know you don't like him. That doesn't matter either. You can have whoever you want after this I just need today to happen and all my work will have an end. I want you to understand that I did this because I thought it best for everyone. I promised them a wedding today and a wedding they shall get."
"I'm glad that you put everyone else's happiness over your own daughters," I spat at her.
She didn't even flinch. She stared at me and changed the subject as she said "You look beautiful."
"Thanks and so do you," I say following her lead. There was nothing more to talk about. I could enjoy how little my mother and I talked but when we did it was always amusing. That's how I have to look at. If I didn't I might get a little bitter and bitterness is an awful thing. My mother did look beautiful as always. She doesn't wear dresses often and today was no exception. She wore a classy white power suit with black heels. Her hair is still long and the darkest shade of black I have ever seen as she wears it in s high pony tail. I couldn't help but think of how different we were then. My dark skin and her pale skin. My chubbiness and her lean physique. I have someone I love more than anything and I don't know if she has ever loved. I like to think that she had but then if she did someone why would she make me do this today.
"Well good luck, Page," as she says this something strange happens. Queen Mab, my mother, actually hugs me. I flinch at this act not really understanding or knowing how to respond. After a few moments I hug her back. When she lets go she looks at me deeply. I give her a small smile. The look in her eyes in peculiar. I wonder what she sees in me. I wonder who she sees. She leaves then without another word. I watch the door for a little while after she leaves and shake my head at it. I sit in my room for a few more moments and then finally work up the nerve to leave. Welcome to the rest of your life, I think.
I gather my dress as I hop into the carriage that is to take me to my wedding. I requested that they have Johnathan lead it. I'm fonder and fonder of my horse friend by the day and am glad that he's here with me today. I stare out the window watching the trees go by until I can see the venue in sight. When the carriage stops so does my heart. I want to run out the other door and just keep running forever and ever. My fat ass wouldn't make it five feet! I think to myself. My little self-hate brings a smile to my face. If anyone can hate on me it's me but making a joke of it makes it all better. I decide running isn't a good idea. My door opens and I step out into the light of the NeverNever.
I see Aaron standing at the alter in a black suit with a gold sash across his chest and a smile on his face. He looks royal standing there. He looked like a real Prince Charming. I, however, am not the princess for his fairy tale. I'm handed my bouquet of white and tinted blue roses. I smile at them because that seems to be the one wedding choice that got put through. When I look up I see all the Fey standing and looking at me as I make my way down the aisle. I'm half way down when an arm suddenly jerks me back. When I turn I see Vincent smiling at me. He takes me in his arms and holds me close.
"What are you doing?" I ask starting to panic as I listen to the Fey gathered begin to stir and whisper.
"Being your Prince. Aren't Princes supposed to save the princesses from disaster?" he asks.
"Well yeah but…how did you get here?" I ask my heart beating a mile a minute.
"Your brothers snuck me in," he says as if they answer were obvious.
"Vincent I…" I can't finish because he cups my face in his hands and looks me deep in the eyes.
"It's alright. But you owe me," he says calmly as he winks at me.
"What are you talking about?" I say confused.
We are interrupted by Queen Mab saying "What is the meaning of this?" Her commanding voice stops the murmuring and all is quiet.
I see Vincent takes a deep breath as he says "I'm sorry my Queen, but I can't let Princess Page marry Prince Aaron."
"And why can't she?!" Titania spits out furious.
"She owes me for saving her life once and the only way she can repay that is by marrying me," he says smiling at me. I return it remembering that day with him in the garden. The first time we kissed.
"Isn't there something else that could pay for the debt instead of you marrying her?" King Oberon says his voice booming across the ceremony.
Vincent blinks a few times and says "No. The only compensation for it would be if she were to marry me."
"Vincent please," Aaron says. "Today has to happen. A lot depends on it." Aaron flashes him those puppy dog eyes and I smile because I know they won't work.
I try to wiggle out of Vincent's grip but he pulls me back. "What are you doing?" he whispers so that only I can hear.
"Cashing in on a favor. Trust me," I say as I scoop up my dress and walk to Aaron. He looks hopeful for a moment but it vanishes as I say "I'm not going to marry you today. I don't want to marry you today. I haven't wanted to marry you since the beginning of this whole mess. I wouldn't make a good wife for you and you wouldn't be a good husband for me. We do however make good friends," I say taking his hands in mine. "You owe me a favor anyway. All I want is for you, Aaron to be my best friend. I don't have many friends but I know that no friend would be better to me than you."
He smiles widely and I think he is going to except until he says emotion welling up in his eyes "Page, you know well why I wanted this to happen today."
"Remember what I told you about my love for Vincent. Think about that for a moment. Do you really think you and I could have that?" I whisper to him. "Aaron I care about you. I want you to be happy and the best way for us to do that without both of us being in an unhappy marriage is for us to be friends."
He is silent for a moment. We all just sit waiting in an uncomfortable silence. I can hear the questions running through the other Fey's minds. Will he say yes? Will they be friends? Will she marry the Prince or not? I know because I am thinking the same thing.
"Will you come and visit me?" he says timidly. I smile widely and nod.
"I will be the best friend you have ever had," I say. He smiles and takes me into an embrace.
"I won't accept this!" yells Titania. "Queen Mab you gave us your word! You promised a wedding!"
My mother smiles and says "Yes, I did promise you a wedding and a wedding you shall have. Unfortunately, it seems like the one you expected isn't going to happen. However," She turns to look at Vincent and says "Well you pretty much risked death or worse to come here so I give this relationship my blessing."
King Oberon looks to Mab and says "I won't forgive you for this."
"I'm sure you won't Elf King," she says as she turns to me and winks.
I walk towards her and say so that only she and I can hear, "You knew about this. You could not have planned it better. Why were you so hard on me if this is what you wanted?"
"I'm a Fey remember. I've been alive a long time and I've always loved a spectacle of sorts," she says smiling like she won. I guess she did. I won a little too though. I walk away from her to stand next to the alter feeling happier than I ever have in life. Aaron steps aside to sit with his still shocked parents and he looks happy as well. Vincent comes down the aisle to me clad in his black suit and blue tie.
"No green today?" I ask teasing.
"I would have but then I remembered that your favorite color was blue," he says his smile brighter than I have ever seen it. He takes my hand in his and our wedding finally begins.
I never did write my own vows for my wedding with Aaron. I was expecting to lie off the top of my head. Today I don't need something written if I was really to tell how I felt about Vincent all I had to do was look into his beautiful dark grey eyes and then look inside myself and I would see everything that I loved. So we said the things that we had been wanted to say to each other for what seemed like ages. We promised each other eternity and whatever else would come after that. We promised love and faithfulness. We would be there for each other. We would laugh, cry, and fight together. The world was ours then. When there were no more Courts to battle, no more laughs to be had, no more poems to write, to more pages to turn there would always be us and our love floating among the few things in this world that would always last. I felt all of that then for him and when I felt his hand in mine I knew he could feel it too. When we said the things that had to be said we kissed and our life together as well as every promise ever made was sealed then. There was no going back and all I wanted to do was run straight into my future because I knew Vincent would be there and where there was Vincent I knew there was happiness.
"It's so strange, Page. I get to be seen with you in public," he says as we dance our first dance together.
I laugh and say "You're right it is. I like it."
"Are you paying attention to the song?" he asks. I nod when I notice that it's the music to "Won't Stop" by One Republic.
"How did you get them to play that?" I ask smiling at him.
"I just gave them the sheet music I made. I had to feel for the tune based off how you sang it. Did I come close?"
"Yeah you're perfect," I say kissing him.
When we finish our dance everyone claps and smiles at us. We smile back and I'm happy because I've never smiled and laughed this much in my entire life. The rest of the night goes on about the same way. I dance with my brothers and Aaron, Vincent and I cut out cake then as we feed it to each other we both get icing all over our faces and laugh hysterically about how we look. It was wonderful.
In all the fun Aaron comes over to me and Vincent and asks "Page, can I talk with you for a moment?"
"Yeah, of course," I say as Vincent kisses my cheek and we walk to another corner of the room.
"What is it?"
"I just wanted to say thank you," he says.
"Thank you? For what?"
"For…everything really. I had a very…interesting stay here. I thought I was staying to get married but I got a best friend out of it. I also found out a lot of things about myself and about love. I realize that I want to feel the way that you feel about Vincent. You ended up teaching me a lot about love, Page. I thank you for that."
"I'm sure you'll find someone, Aaron," I say honestly. "Just be yourself."
"Of course," he says. "Well I know you will miss all this handsome walking around every day but I must be off," he says running his fingers through his hair and smiling down at me.
I laugh and say "Shush up. I will miss you though."
We hug one last time and he whispers to me "Come and visit me okay. I'd love to show you my world."
"I will. I told you, I will be the best friend you ever had." We let go and he walks over to his departing parents who are talking with my mother.
As Aaron walks away Vincent comes over to me and says "What was that about?"
I smile and say "Nothing just a goodbye. We should visit the Summer Court soon. It will be my first act as the best friend of the Summer Prince."
"Agreed. I've never spent much time Arcadia so that should be interesting." We stood there in silence for a moment taking in everything that had been. "It's really over, Page. It's still strange to be here with you," he says taking my hand.
"What? You didn't think we would get here."
"No. I mean I always hoped but that day seemed so hopeless. I only wish I thought about the debt you owed me earlier. I guess I dismissed it because I never planned on using it against you. I guess everything happens for a reason."
"Yeah. Well I always knew we would be together. Even if it wasn't in the way that we wanted. I knew I would have you." He smiles as me then. It was the warmest and brightest one of them all.
"Do you want to go?" he asks then a peculiar look in his eye.
I pause for a moment, wrap my arms around him and say "I would go anywhere with you."
"Good." We make our escape then. We ride out together on Johnathan to the garden. I know now that this magical place can never have the same effect on me that it once did. Nothing was stopping my happiness now. At the end of the night we lay down together in his room staring at the ceiling covered in flowers all a bloom. I in a pair of his PJ's that smell exactly like him. He rolls over to me wraps his arms around me as he whispers the most beautiful words ever said "I will now and forever always devotedly love you."
The End
A/N: So there you have it. The end of Turning Pages. What do you guys think? I'm fairly happy with what I have done here and I hope you guys like it too. I do think that I need a really good major edit. So some major plot changes may come and if you have been reading this with me the whole way you can always review what you think of my new edits when they come. I'm going to make all the changes at once but they won't be for a long time because I start back school this week and that will take up all my time. Leave a review and let me know what you think of this chapter and the story as a whole. Did you love it? Did you absolutely hate it? Any constructive criticism is welcome. (P.S. To those in The Fault in Our Stars fandom notice how in some of the chapters Page and Vincent often quote the famous John Green book. Here's a hint: Okay?) I also want to take this time to thank all those who have faithfully reviewed. First I would like to thank izaria who was my first review ever! Then I would like to thank my writing buddy Shiori 07, my Special Reviewer whose reviews always make me smile and laugh and lastly my lovely writer friend Alex Wolfe whose song "Our Love is a Crime" I used in this chapter. I love all you guys because you have made this story worth writing for me. Thank you to all those who are reading this. I love you guys as well. There are now 1,000 + views and visits, 3 follows, 3 favorites and 33 reviews for this story and that has brought me a joy I cannot explain. I love writing and I'm so glad that you guys have enjoyed what I have been putting on here. If you want more stories from me I have a Sword Art Online one shot called Akihiko Kayaba's Dream: My Castle, and a Grimm story that will taking up all my time called Why Won't You Love Me? So if you are in either of those fandoms please check them out. You can also check out my tumblr fandom blog at lookingforliyah on and my second blog for fanfiction writers called for-fanfiction-writers. It is a blog dedicated to the promotion of fanfiction and tips for writers. So check it out! Again to my wonderful readers thank so much I really have loved writing for you, my readers, writers and reviewers of . This is my first fanfiction and I think it has gone way better than I ever expected it to. Keep writing everybody! Thanks from Maria, Page, Vincent, Aaron and all those lovely Fey in the Never Never. Seen you soon!