Alex smiled at herself in the mirror and smoothed her skirt out as she thought back to the last few months that led her to where she was standing right then. Olivia had made her the happiest woman on earth by proposing to her. Once Alex had learned that Olivia had never seen herself getting married because she figured no one would want her, she decided to give Olivia the wedding of a lifetime. She had spent the next few days hiring the best wedding planner there was and securing a venue, which would make the royal couple jealous, for their wedding.
When she began to approach Olivia with the different items such as the flowers, cakes, and guest lists, Olivia had dutifully sat down with her and discussed each aspect of their wedding as if nothing was wrong. It wasn't until Olivia began having temper flair ups again and breaking her glasses, she began to wonder if it was putting too much stress on her. Keeping with true Olivia fashion, she assured her that the planning of the wedding was not it and there was no need to cancel anything when she had confronted her with it.
It wasn't until Olivia had slammed her fist through their bedroom wall and then ran out of the house that she called Dr. Mathews and conferred with him over what was happening. He had informed her that he would gladly fly back and perform another FMRI if that was what she wanted, but, in truth, it sounded as if everything was becoming too stressful for her and that was causing her anger to flare up once again. Once she had learned that the stress of planning the wedding was the cause of Olivia's stress, she quickly called and canceled everything and decided to marry Olivia in the judge's chambers like she had wanted to relieve her stress. It may not be the wedding she had always wanted, but she would gladly do it as long as it was Olivia saying I do.
When she shared the news with Olivia, she could see the tension leave her body and asked why she hadn't said anything sooner. Olivia had wanted her to have everything she ever wanted with the wedding, especially since she knew she was already sacrificing some of her dream wedding for her as it was. Alex tried her best to explain to Olivia that what made this wedding the perfect wedding and the wedding of her dreams was the fact that she was marrying her. Someone who loved her unconditionally and never once judged her.
They had once again sat down and discussed their wedding, but this time on a much smaller scale. Olivia knew and understood Alex's desire to be married in a church, so she had refused being married in a judge's chambers. Upon hearing Olivia's determination for them to marry in a church, just for her, made her fall even deeper in love with the brunette. Granted, she may not attend church or follow her faith as closely as she should, but still being married in a church meant more to her than anything else in the world. Olivia, who had her own beliefs but rarely attended church, understood that and together they had found a small chapel in Astoria which was perfect for them. They had downsized their flower order drastically and dropped the guest list down to about twenty people plus one.
"Are you ready?" Langen asked pulling Alex from her thoughts as he walked into her room.
"I'm beyond ready," Alex answered turning and smiling at Trevor, "How is she? Is she okay?"
"She is probably the calmest I think I have ever seen her since the head injury."
"You're not just saying that to calm my nerves, are you?"
"Alex, listen to me," Trevor said taking the woman's hand who he viewed as a sister in his own, "Olivia is doing fine and actually seems relaxed at the moment, something that you need to do as well. If you don't try to relax some, Olivia is going to be able to sense it the second you walk through the door to walk down the aisle and we both know how that will end."
"Yeah, I believe we all do," Alex said with laughter in her voice.
"Great, then," Trevor said exhaling as he stepped back and smiled at Alex, she looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress, "Now, take a deep breath, try to calm yourself a little more, and let's walk out there so you can marry the woman of your dreams."
Alex took one more look at herself in the mirror before she followed Trevor out to the closed doors. He smiled at her as she nodded and opened the doors so she could walk to Olivia.
Olivia looked up and felt the air leave her body when she heard the door opening. Alex looked stunning in her cream colored skirt and shirt to match. Though the outfit resembled one of her many power suits she wore for court, but it was uniquely Alex. She allowed her hair to flow freely and loosely so that it framed her face like a halo.
Alex smiled at the waiting brunette and quickly made her way to her. She ignored the laughter when she reached Olivia and pulled her in for a kiss. She was overcome with so much emotion when she saw Olivia waiting at the end of the aisle for her that the only thing she could think of was making her way to her and kissing her.
"Ladies," The preacher said with laughter in her voice. She would have to admit she had never seen a couple so in love as the two women in front of her and there was no doubt in her mind that they would make it, "Are you ready?"
"We are," Alex answered as she pulled away reluctantly.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join these two women in holy matrimony. If there is anyone who objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace," The preacher said looking out over the guests for a few seconds before continuing with her speech, "Marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, who trust each other, who honor one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend rest of their lives with each other. It enables the two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, joys and sorrows, and to help each other through all uncertainties of life. Marriage is also a commitment to take that joy deep, deeper than happiness, deep into the discovery of who you most truly are. It is a commitment to a spiritual journey, to a life of becoming - in which joy can comprehend despair, running through rivers of pain into joy again."
The preacher stopped what she was saying and smiled at the two women before her before continuing, "And thus marriage is even deeper than commitment. It is a covenant - a covenant that says:
I love you. I trust you. I will be here for you when you are hurting, and when I am hurting, I will not leave. It is a covenant intended not to provide haven from pain or from anger and sorrow. Life offers no such haven. Instead, marriage is intended to provide a sanctuary safe enough to risk loving, to risk living and sharing from the center of oneself. This is worth everything."
Olivia attempted to choke back the tears that was starting to fall from her eyes but failed at it.
"Olivia, will you take Alex, to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love, comfort, honor and protect her; forsaking all others to be faithful to her until death do you apart?" The preacher asked pulling Olivia from her thoughts.
"I do," Olivia whispered so softly that only Alex and the preacher heard her.
"Alex, will you take Olivia, to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love, comfort, honor and protect him; forsaking all others to be faithful to him until death do you apart?" The preacher asked turning toward Alex.
"I do,"
"Olivia," The preacher said turning back to face her, "Please repeat after me."
Olivia nodded, not fully trusting her voice.
"I, Olivia, take you, Alex, to be my wife, and my better half. I will take care and cherish our relationship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will always be open, honest, and faithful to you. I take you for my wife, to have and to hold from this day on, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish for all the days of my life and until my last breath."
Olivia swallowed hard and with a shaky voice repeated her vows, "I, Olivia, take you, Alex, to be my wife, and my better half. I will take care and cherish our relationship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will always be open, honest, and faithful to you. I take you for my wife, to have and to hold from this day on, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish for all the days of my life and until my last breath."
"Alex, please repeat after me," The preacher said turning to face Alex, "I, Alex, take you, Olivia, to be my wife, and my better half. I will take care and cherish our relationship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will always be open, honest, and faithful to you. I take you for my wife, to have and to hold from this day on, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish for all the days of my life and until my last breath."
"I, Alex, take you, Olivia," Alex said with a voice full of emotions, "to be my wife, and my better half. I will take care and cherish our relationship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will always be open, honest, and faithful to you. I take you for my wife, to have and to hold from this day on, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish for all the days of my life and until my last breath."
"Can we have the rings please?" The preacher asked once Alex had finished her vows.
Michelle, Erica and Sarah's daughter, stood and walked toward the preacher holding the pillow that held the rings with a death grip. The preacher smiled at the young girl as she reached down and took the rings from the pillows and held them up for everyone to see.
"This ring, which has no beginning and no end, symbolizes the love and trust between the two of you that will never cease. May its presence on your hand be a constant reminder of your love for each other and a visible sign of the promises which have been made to each other," The preacher said as she handed a ring to Olivia, "Please take this ring and slide it on Alex's finger while repeating after me, With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed," Olivia said as she slid the ring onto Alex's finger then brought her hand to her lips and kissed it as if sealing the vow with a kiss.
"Alex, please repeat after me as you slide the ring onto Olivia's finger," The preacher said handing her Olivia's ring, "With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed," Alex cried as she slid the ring onto Olivia's finger.
"Until now, Olivia and Alex have spent each moment of their lives as separate individuals. But from this day on, and every day after this day, shall be shared and spent as one," The preacher took a deep breath and smiled as she continued, "By the power enthroned in me, by the state of New York, I now pronounce you married. You may now kiss your bride."
Pulling the blonde roughly against her, she claimed her lips in a bruising kiss blocking out all of the whistles and cheers they were receiving from their friends. Olivia felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders hearing Alex being called her wife. Until that moment, she was sure that something would happen to make Alex change her mind or prevent them from marrying but now, now they belonged to each other and no one or nothing would ever come between them.
A/N: Wow its hard to believe that this story has come to an end. I never saw this story going as far as it did and it has truly amazed me when it did. When I sat down to write this one I never saw it past forty chapters max and here we are 124 chapters with an Epilogue to go. I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me during all the ups and downs of this story and the gaps in updating. Most importantly to my reader who had helped me so much with the medical portion of this story. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge on TBI's with me for this story. Thank you to LadyBugsMomma who has the pleasure of trying to correct someone who is hard-headed and set in their ways when writing. Now for the disclaimer. All the wedding speeches and vows was copied and paste from Google.