Thank you to everyone that has read this story. This last chapter is long over due and I admit it could be written much better. I knew I needed to put an ending to this story, but perhaps with my need to give it an ending, it lacks in some proper writing and story telling. I am beyond thrilled that Lexi Ainsworth has made it back to GH. Maybe someday Nathan Parsons with come back and give this couple the true story that they always deserved. I'm also thinking I may start up another story with these two characters that I love so much. Time will tell. Sorry for all the time that has past and the diminished writing skills that showed at the end.
Ethan noticed his knees were popping up and down while he was sitting down on the concrete bench. He tried to hold them down with the palms of his hands, but nothing seemed to be helping. He stood up and unknowingly traded one form of anxiousness for another by pacing back and forth.
"Careful there, Dodge. Father Leo won't be too happy if you make a dirt trail where his lovely green grass used to lay."
Ethan finally stopped moving to look over at his father. "What?" He countered, unaware of the trail he'd been making.
Luke studied the lost look on his son's face and realized he was in need of much more than the normal wedding jitters pep talk. "Dodge, why don't you come over here and take a seat with me? Tell me what's got you so worked up."
Ethan made his way to the bench that Luke had now taken possession of, but his legs wouldn't give in to let himself join him. So he stood. "I don't know what's wrong, Luke. It's like my whole body just can't stop shaking." He tightened his hands into fists.
"Do you not want to go through with it? Kristina is one hell of a woman, but if you want to jet out of here, I can sneak you into a car out back and have you on the next flight to Egypt if that's where you want to go."
"What?" He shuddered at the thought of actually leaving. "No, I don't want to leave. Though I'm sure if you give that option to Kristina, she might take you up on that."
Luke stood up and put his hand on Ethan's shoulder. "You know I have never been too good at this marriage stuff son, but I know one thing for sure. Kristina is absolutely smitten with you and always has been. You can't tell me that after everything the two of you have been through that you're doubting her love for you now?"
Ethan finally found it in himself to sit agian. "No, it's not that. I know Kristina loves me. It's just…"
"What?"
"I don't know, what if she wakes up one day and turns over to look at me and finally realizes that she's made the biggest mistake of her life?"
"I'm not sure what you're getting at."
"Look, Kristina is caring and sweet, funny and smart. Not to mention she is absolutely gorgeous. What if she finally figures out that I am nowhere close to even being in the same league as her?"
"Dodge, don't you dare talk down about yourself. You are a damn good man. I know it, your brother and sister know it, and the whole damn town is sure that Kristina knows it. I mean, you might not ever lead a corporate office, but it's not because you can't, it will only be because that is not who you are. Kristina knows everything that you are and she loves everything that makes you you. And that, my boy, is what makes her happy."
Ethan intertwined his fingers and brought them to his chin. "But what if it's not enough?"
"It is today and that's really all that matters. Look, Dodge, no one knows what the future holds. What matters is the here and now. You loved that woman enough to ask her to be your wife and she loved you enough to say yes, so just let all that other stuff go. Live for today and wake up every morning with the intentions of making your lives together the best that you can. That's all that you can do."
Ethan closed his eyes and let out a breath that had been held deep down in his chest. "I just want to make her happy…"
"Well if that's what you want, then I suggest you start making your way back into that church and plant yourself at the end of that altar. You're guests are starting to rush in and having the groom follow the bride in will not get you off to that great start of wonderful wedding bliss."
Kristina sat at the vanity, lost in her own thoughts as she stared back at herself in the mirror. Sam was putting the finishing touches on her curl twisted up do while Molly and Maxie were having a conversation with Alexis in the back ground. Kristina could hear the three of them laughing and carrying on while Sam was obviously talking to her, but all her words seemed to be coming out as a language Kristina had never heard of. She looked down at the glistening palms of her hands and tried to wipe them off on her long, purple satin robe. She looked back at the woman in the mirror and noticed that her chest was starting to move in and out much faster than normal.
Sam could see the distraught look in Kristina's eyes. "Hey Krissy, are you okay?"
Kristina finally heard her sister's words and her eyes looked past herself to Sam's though the mirror. No words of her own would come out, so she just shook her head no.
"Mom!" Sam hollered to Alexis.
"Yes?" She turned away from Molly and Maxie with a smile on her face that quickly faded away when she saw Kristina's panicked expression reflecting back at her. "Oh my god, sweetie, what's wrong?" She rushed over to her flushed daughter.
Kristina fought to find words. "I don't know. I feel really hot. My heart is racing. Mom, I think I'm dying. Am I dying? Mom, help me!"
Alexis wrapped her arms over the shoulders of Kristina "No, baby, you're not dying. You're just having an anxiety attack. Girls, can you give Kristina and myself a minute alone, please? Maybe go out and make sure everyone is settling in ok."
"Yeah, sure. Krissy we will be back in a few minutes, okay?" Sam kissed softly on her sister's forehead before leading the other two out of the room.
"Okay, Kristina, walk with me out to the balcony so you can get some fresh air." Alexis continued to hug onto her daughter's shoulders as she guided her through the double glass doors.
As soon as Kristina's face hit the welcomed air, she drew in a deep breath, allowing her to smell the sweet scent of the flowers all around them. "Mom, I'm scared."
"Scared of what exactly? Getting married?"
Kristina moved over to the ledge of the balcony and rested her arms on it. "I love Ethan more than anything in this world mom and I know that he loves me just as much…"
"Honey, that's nothing to be afraid of. That's actually a good thing, you know."
"Ethan is spontaneous and loves nothing more than to live life to its fullest. The way that he looks at the world, like nothing could ever stop him from getting what he wants, amazes me. He is truly unafraid of anything."
Alexis narrowed her eyes on her daughter. "Yes, those are all great things about Ethan. Kristina, forgive me, but I am still not understanding how any of this is a scary thing."
"Well, what if somewhere down the road Ethan thinks that I can't keep up with him? You know I would follow him around the world if he wanted, but what if one day he realizes that I am a drag compared to his idea of adventure. I just don't want to let him down."
"Oh, honey, you could never let Ethan down. He is over the moon in love with you."
"But he is always ready to take off on a moment's notice."
"Kristina, do you not remember sneaking off to be with that man when he went to the Dominican? And I'm pretty sure there are many other spontaneous things that you did to get his attention that I don't know about."
Kristina thought back to all the little adventures she had set up so that she would run into Ethan somewhere. "Yeah, I guess I have it in me a little bit."
"The love that you have for that man is all you need to start this marriage. Everything else will just fall into place. You two are a lot alike in so many ways and in the ways that you are not, help balance the other one out. You found the man that makes your life happy and he has found an absolutely amazing woman to share his life with. I couldn't be more proud of you. I love you, sweetheart." Alexis spoke with tears welling up in her eyes.
Kristina smiled and met her mother for a heartfelt hug. "Thanks, mom, I love you too."
"Now, it's time for you to get married. Let's get that beautiful dress on you already, huh?"
Kristina looked back through the door to the white, custom made dress hanging in the room. Her head nodded up and down and her smile said everything that she was feeling. She followed her mother back into the room.
Ethan took his place at the altar. His best man, Lucky, beside him along with Johnny and Dante. As he looked over all the people that had attended, he could feel his nerves starting to get the best of him again. He smiled anxiously as Sam, Maxie, then Molly made their way to the brides side of the altar. They all looked beautiful, but the woman he wanted, better yet needed, had yet to make her way around the corner into his view. He put both hands into his pockets and stared down at his black dress shoes. As anxious as he was, it was like it feet were cemented into the ground. He took one last deep breath in when he heard the crowd sound off with elation. His head pulled up and he immediately locked eyes with his soul mate. Her beauty captivated him. "Kristina…"
Her nerves vanished when she witnessed her named escape the love of her life's mouth. Her smile was the purest as she took the first step toward Ethan, while her father held gently under her arm and clasped lovingly onto her hand. She was completely aware of everyone around her, but her eyes were fixated on Ethan. He was her one and only destination. When they were only a step away from joining Ethan, the priest asked. "Who gives the woman away?"
Sonny looked to his daughter and for the first time, Kristina turned away from Ethan to her father. The reflection of the over head lighting showed all of Sonny's emotion. His words were choked. "Her mother and I do." He lifted his daughter's hand and kissed softly on it before handing it over to Ethan.
Sonny took a step back and made his way over to his awaiting seat. Ethan guided Kristina so that she was standing directly beside him. The priest began speaking right away, but Kristina was lost in the energy around her to hear much of what he was saying.
"And the bride and groom have decided to share with all of you their own personal vows. Kristina, would you like to go first?"
She glanced quickly at him and answered. "Yes, I would."
She tightened her hands into Ethan's. "You sir, were a hard one to get on board with this in the beginning." She giggled, while the guest knowingly chuckled along with her. "From the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were the one for me. You were always there for me when I needed you. You became a friend to me when I needed someone the most. At the lowest points in my life, you somehow made me believe in myself again. You gave me what I needed to stand above my fears and look at what I thought were flaws and see them as strengths. You have always made me feel safe and protected. Ethan, I always knew that I wanted you, but the truth is… I need you. The love that I have for you as I stand here before you, is something that can never be shaken or broken. You are what makes me complete. You are my love, my light and my protector. I love you.
Keeping their hands intertwined, Ethan brushed away a glistened tear from Kristina's cheek. "My love… yes it may have taken me longer than you to get here, but I am so thankful for the journey… or adventure as it may be." He smiled down at Kristina as she pressed her lips. "I came to this town not knowing where my place was in this world. I prided myself on not caring enough so that if need be, I could leave and not have any regrets. And I tried, believe me, I tried so hard. But there was always one person on my mind. No matter how hard I tried to shake you and tell myself that there was nothing between us, my heart would never let me move past you. For most of my life I thought of myself as someone who would not know the meaning of true love, what it meant to have someone stick by them through their darkest and happiest times. Kristina, you showed me that I am worthy and capable of giving and receiving the kind of love that many men only dream of. I promise you that I will stand beside you and be the man that you deserve through whatever comes our way. I will be the best husband and father to our children that you could ever hope for. You are my everything, Krissy. I love you.
With the exchange of I do's the ceremony was concluded with. "And I know pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride." The guests stood and applauded as Ethan took his bride's face in the palms of his hands and met his lips with hers.
The evening of food and drinks with family and friends had come to an end and Ethan and Kristina were finally alone back at their apartment. Kristina made her way to the bathroom as Ethan took to the bedroom and began to remove the cuff links from his shirt. "I can't believe that the night is over all ready. All that craziness with the planning of our wedding for it to be over in a blink of an eye."
Kristina emerged from the bathroom and showed herself to Ethan in the doorway of their bedroom. A simple white satin negligee fitted perfectly over her body. Ethan's breath was taken away. "The night isn't over yet." She whispered.
He held out his hand and she took it. He glided one hand down her neck and let it follow down over her shoulder, taking the thin strap down with it. Ethan slowly turned his bride around so that her back was before him. "You're beautiful." He whispered. Kristina's head tilted slightly when she felt his fingers slide under her one remaining strap. She pulled her arms out when the fabric hit her waist. Ethan used both of his hands to assist in getting the gown to fall the rest of the way to the floor by having them caress her hips and outer thighs. He pressed his lips on one shoulder and continued to kiss her body as he made his way across to the other side.
Kristina turned herself around while Ethan stood staring into her eyes, she began to undo the buttons on his shirt. When she looked up into her husband's eyes, they both connected as one and several years of their history together went flashing before both of them.
He held her hand on the dance floor as friends. She let out an elated giggle…
"What?" He asked with his lovable grin.
"I'm going to marry you someday." She looked back at him with her big brown eyes shimmering against the lights.
He let out a hearty laugh. Not because he found her comment to be unimaginable, but because he actually found it possible…