It had taken three weeks and one very uncomfortable mediation session with a local judge before Haley and Nathan's lawyers were able to finally ensure that the state of North Carolina officially recognized them as divorced in the eyes of the law. It had been a bittersweet moment watching her scrawl her name on the bottom line – one that marked both an ending and a beginning of a great love. Neither of them had said much really, only offering a soft smile of apology and understanding. It wasn't an easy place to be, but it was where they had ended up. Nathan had Peyton and Haley had Lucas. As it was in the beginning, things had ended up how they were supposed to be.

That night, Nathan had surprised Peyton with a candlelight picnic on their bedroom floor, complete with the sappy music that she loved and the expensive imported beer that he liked. They had celebrated together, talking animatedly about all the things they could do now that they could truly be together like they wanted to be. Afterwards, once the food had been put away and the blanket stowed in the hall linen closet, they had made love for hours until they were both completely spent. Nathan had gone to sleep that night with a brilliant smile on his face, not questioning where the future would take him for once but knowing confidently that the best was yet to come.

The next morning, he woke up and reached his arm across the bed for Peyton. Without opening his eyes, he felt the unsettling coolness of bare sheets and an empty bed beside him. Not again, he thought to himself as his fingertips brushed against a piece of paper. Nathan took a deep breath and opened his eyes so that he could sit up and read what words she had left him with this time.

Nathan Royal Scott,

I know that as soon as you woke up without me there and found this letter instead, it all came rushing back to you. Remember what I told you that first night in L.A.? Don't worry – you can't get rid of me this time. Go to the desk.

I love you (always),

Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer

Nathan grinned to himself as he walked across their bedroom to the desk. He pulled open the top drawer and found a velvet box. Somewhere between making love and talking all night, he had showed her the box. They still hadn't made any definite plans to get married, much to his disappointment. Always practical, she had insisted that they both needed time after the divorce to process what had happened. He had fallen asleep a few minutes later, right around midnight. She had left him soon after to go outside and think, and that was the last thing he could remember about the night before. Flipping open the box, he was relieved when he found another box.

Nathan,

Did you notice the ring missing? I guess that means that this is really going to happen, doesn't it? The thing is, I can't wait to marry you. I kind of lied last night. I don't want to wait. Check out the closet.

Your future wife,

Peyton

He didn't even attempt to mask the wide grin that infiltrated his face as he threw his hands in the air in victory. Jogging across the room, he threw open the doors of the closet to find a box wrapped in elegant white paper. Attached to the silk ribbon holding it closed was a simple note card with yet another inscription from Peyton.

Nate,

Inside the box is the only thing you need to make our dream come true. Get dressed and meet me at our spot. It's time.

In anticipation,

Peyt

Nathan carefully untied the ribbon and removed the paper. Inside the box was a black suit, classic in its designer detail. His heart raced a million miles an hour as thoughts tumbled around in his head. Everything was moving so fast all of a sudden, but he knew that this was right. In record time, he was dressed and jogging down the stairs toward his car. His hands shook as he turned the key in the ignition and started the motor. A few blocks away from the rest of his life, he realized. Nathan grew more and more restless with each passing street. He was ready for everything. His only regret was that they had waited this long.

Finally, the bridge came into sight. Looking at himself in the rearview mirror one last time, he adjusted his tie and headed toward the place they'd come to so many times before. A beautiful day awaited him outside, the unusually warm North Carolina sun shining over the water that flowed below. From far away, he could see her standing there. She had a simple white dress on and a bouquet of dark red roses in her hand. She was talking to a preacher when she spotted him. Smiling brightly, she tugged her finger through her loose blonde curls before raising her hand to wave to him.

As he came down the pathway, which sloped gently before rising back up to the stretch that led to the bridge, he saw a row of people sitting on both sides of a carpeted path in the middle of the bridge. Seated in white folding chairs were their friends and family. On the left side, her father sat along with her brother, Brooke and Mouth. Jamie was standing up front next to Peyton, dressed in a suit that matched his father's, holding a small satin pillow. To the right, sat his mother, his father, Karen, Skills and a few of the guys from the basketball team. There were two empty chairs on the front row between Dan and Karen.

"Mom!" he exclaimed in surprise as Deb raced to meet him. She threw her arms around him as he looked at Peyton over her shoulder. Jackson nudged his way between the two before Nathan scooped him up into an embrace. "I'm so glad you're here," he whispered to his mom as he kissed her on the cheek. His father came over shyly. Age had changed Dan Scott more than anyone could have predicted. He shook his father's hand before turning to Peyton's father. Once he had shook Larry's hand, he turned to Skills, Brooke and Mouth.

"You're here."

"Where else would we be silly?" Brooke asked as she hugged him. He noticed a smaller bouquet like Peyton's in her lap. "Besides, she had to have a maid of honor."

"Congratulations, Dawg," Skills laughed as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

Mouth grinned as he pulled a boutonniere from a box beneath his seat and helped pin it on the lapel of Nathan's jacket. "Yes, congrats."

"Thank you both so much," Nathan said. He wanted to go to Peyton but he needed to ask Skills something. After he had stopped speaking to Lucas, Skills had been the closest thing to a brother Nathan had had the past two years. "Well, since she has a maid of honor, I guess I need a best man. What do you say?"

Skills nodded and revealed another boutonniere that was already pinned to his jacket. "She knew you would ask me."

Nathan laughed and then looked up at Peyton. She smiled at him and mouthed a declaration of love, utterly taking his breath away without even trying. Then, he noticed her eyes shift behind him and he turned slowly. Haley and Lucas were standing there together at the foot of the path. Haley pulled Lucas behind her. It had taken a lot of convincing, but she knew that Lucas would forever regret it if he wasn't here. Although the pain was immense of both of them and completely fresh, it had to be done.

"Congratulations, Nathan," Haley managed awkwardly.

Lucas looked down at his best friend and then at his younger brother. "Yeah, man," Lucas echoed as he reached out to shake Nathan's hand. "Congratulations."

"I can't believe you're here – that you actually came," Peyton smiled in disbelief as she walked down to meet the trio. "This means so much to me."

"To both of us," Nathan corrected, looking into Lucas' eyes.

In that moment, something shifted. It would take awhile for true forgiveness to begin, but in that instance, it didn't seem as unrealistic as it had just a few minutes before. "You didn't think I'd let you do this without me, did you?" Lucas joked, trying to break the tension of the moment as best as he could.

Finally, the preacher interrupted the strained reunion. "Are you ready?"

Nathan looked over at Skills, who nodded in understanding. "Almost," he called before turning to his brother. "Look, Luke, I know that I don't really have the right to ask you this, but you're still my brother. I can't imagine anyone else standing up there with me as my best man…I mean, you are the best man I've ever known. I know it's not fair to ask, but do you think you could anyways?"

Lucas nodded silently before laying a kiss on Haley's forehead. She closed her eyes at the sensation before going over to sit next to Karen. Finally, when the preacher asked if they were ready again, Nathan looked down at his beautiful bride-to-be. "This had been more than twenty years in the making, I think you could say we're more than ready."

Peyton took Nathan's hand as he held her down the aisle. At the last minute, before the preacher began to speak, she turned to him and giggled. "We're getting married."