24.
*Joe*
I just couldn't keep the grin off of my face. If you had told me before I had started teaching at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women that I was going to fall deeply in love, I would have said you were crazy. I was Joe Solomon, after all. I didn't just fall in love. But I had, and it was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to me. The woman that was now my wife had captured my heart, even though I was supposed to be some big, tough guy. She had torn through every wall I'd ever built to protect myself, and I had never regretted letting her in.
I watched her sleep, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. Her dark hair had come out of its updo sometime during our night together and it splayed across the pillow in its curls. Her makeup hadn't faded a single bit, and I smiled when I looked at her pale pink lips. I remembered the words coming out of them; those words that bonded us in matrimony and made her mine. Those words that she had spoken willingly, and with a smile on her face. The words that I would always remember, for the rest of my life.
I looked down at the rings on her finger and smiled. I had everything that I could ever want. She had accepted me as a part of her life. Fate – which I felt compelled to believe in – had brought us back together. What else could it be? Luck, I suppose. Or a coincidence. Either way, whatever had happened had worked well for me. I just couldn't get over the fact that she was now my wife. Sure, maybe we wouldn't be living together for a couple of months – I had to set everything up for us to get off the radar – but we were officially married and it wouldn't be too long.
Careful not to wake her up, I got out of bed, dressed, and headed for the kitchen. I knew that she'd be waking up soon, and I intended to have breakfast ready for her. I made French toast, since it had been a whole two weeks since she'd last had it. I was just finishing when I felt her presence in the room.
I turned and smiled when I saw her, wearing my shirt that was at least three sizes too big for her. She had pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail and she seemed to glow, filling the kitchen with warmth as she walked towards me. "Good morning."
"Good morning," I replied and accepted her kiss. "Hungry?"
"I most definitely am," she agreed and moved to fill her own plate.
"Sorry that it's French toast again," I apologized as I grabbed a plate for myself.
She shook her head. "French toast is fine; I could eat your French toast every day."
I smiled. "I'm glad. Did you sleep well, too?"
She nodded and moved for the table. "Extremely well. I can't wait to make this a permanent thing."
"I know," I agreed, sitting beside her and taking her hand in mine. "But it won't be long now, love."
"Promise?"
"Only a couple of months," I promised.
She smiled, kissed me, and then dug into her breakfast.
*Katelyn*
"I don't want to go," I admitted, clutching onto the front of Joe's shirt. I knew that it was childish, but it's just how I felt. His rings had long since been stowed away and I was dressed for the flight back to my parent's house, but I simply didn't want to get on the helicopter.
"You'll be fine, love," he said, kissing my forehead. "It's just for a couple of months."
"That's a long time," I pouted, holding the front of his shirt even tighter.
He grabbed my wrists loosely. "I know. Believe me, I know. But this will work out, Katelyn. We'll make it work."
I nodded dumbly. "I know."
He kissed me gently, bringing a hand up to touch my face. I sighed in contentment when he pulled away and I said, "I love you."
"I love you, too," he replied easily. "And I'll be thinking about you every single second."
"Same here," I replied, knowing that it would be true. I'd had problems with thinking about him every second before, and we hadn't even been dating then. Now, we were married; and I knew that it was going to be a whole lot more difficult to keep him off of my mind. I'd be thinking about him every time Rider or one of my parents brought up a wedding that was never going to happen. I'd think about him more often than should be healthy.
The helicopters blades were turning behind us and I sighed. "People are so impatient these days."
He smiled and pulled me in for another long, slow kiss. By the time that he pulled away, I was almost completely breathless. Joe smirked at me and said, "I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Okay," I agreed, staring deeply into his green eyes.
He touched my face then, and his eyes were filled with love. Love for me. The same kind of love that I felt for him. "Mrs. Solomon," he murmured softly and I couldn't help but smile. I loved my new name. I loved the sound of it and the meaning; I belonged to him. And I didn't mind that one little bit.
I stepped closer and let him wrap his arms around me and press his lips to mine for one final kiss. I pulled away this time, and smiled brightly, putting on my brave face even though I felt a little bit like crying. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
And then I turned away to get on the helicopter so that it could take me far away from home. Because home, to me, was wherever Joe was. And all I could see was him standing there, getting smaller and smaller as the helicopter got farther and farther away.