"TWO HOURS, ELISE. Nervous yet?"

With a smile, Elise shook her head at Cece and assured that she was more than fine. Admittedly, she had been a mess before but now, on the day of the wedding, she felt surprisingly calm and she was willing to go through anything, just to be with Schmidt in the end. After getting her light, but stunning makeup ready, Cece was questioning her well-being and making sure she was still fine with getting married in only a few hours, but Elise seemed just dandy. She was happy and relaxed, despite having a chaotic bunch of relatives and friends worrying for her, but she had promised not only Schmidt, but herself to be calm and cool. So far, she was succeeding quite well, too.

"Are you trying to freak her out?", Emma teased from aside and nudged Cece before taking a seat next to her sister, who was more than glad her family had made it to Los Angeles safely. Elise wanted them all to attend, from her mother to her father despite their divorce, and of course, they had showed up to give their daughter all the support they had to give. Emma and her husband had even helped Elise and Schmidt with finding the venue, and now, they were preparing the couple for an outdoor wedding in a stunning garden before heading indoors to a cozy barn they had decorated beyond beauty.

Elise laughed, and shook her head at both Emma and Cece, who smiled at the bride happily. "Don't worry, I'm okay. No more nervous breakdowns for me. Besides, I bet Schmidt is just as calm. Now, shouldn't we get started on my hair soon?", Elise returned the smile, and all three laughed before calling May to do Elise's hair like she had promised.

However, Elise was a bit wrong on one thing. Because Schmidt was the opposite of calm.

Whilst Elise remained relaxed, Schmidt was losing his mind in his own room and Nick, Winston and Coach were trying their best to calm him down. But instead of succumbing to their attempts, Schmidt was screaming and running around the room whilst Nick chased him with a tie, still wondering whether to help Schmidt get dressed or strangle him with it. All the men had expected Elise to have a meltdown, just because being nervous and anxious was a part of her personality, but instead, it was Schmidt who went crazy and tried to run out only to be stopped by one of the guys.

"C'mon, man! You want to marry Elise, don't you?", Winston tried, but Schmidt ignored him coldly and continued to pace back and forth the room, tugging on his collar to cease the feeling of terrible discomfort swallowing him whole. His forehead was covered with beams of sweat and his breathing had grown rapid, along with his heart that was this close to bursting through his chest, unable to handle the pressure. Schmidt had lived in the belief that he was going to be fine, and getting married would be a dream come true but right now, he was strongly reconsidering everything due to the fear that had built within him ever since the situation in the wedding dress shop. He had calmed Elise down, but since then, he had started to doubt if he could do it.

Frankly, Coach had had enough and confidently, he walked up to Schmidt and stood in front of him. Stopping in his tracks, Schmidt looked up to Coach and opened his mouth to say something but he didn't have the time, when Coach had already slapped him across the face. Gasping due to the sharp pain that spread out in his face like a wildfire, burning him to a point where he crouched and groaned out loud, Schmidt was unable to believe that his friend had actually slapped him, but he couldn't fight back when Coach had already spoken up with a sense of determination.

"Listen, bitch. I haven't known Elise for very long, but she seems amazing and you obviously agree — you proposed to her, and now, you're going to marry her. If you think I'm going to let you walk away from this, from her, and leave her heartbroken, you are wonderfully mistaken. She trusts you and loves you, and you love her, so you're going to put on that tie and smile and go out there and get married, you hear me? You're going to get that girl, Schmidt", Coach yelled, surprising everyone by maintaining the loud tone throughout the entire speech, but he hadn't earned that nickname for nothing, right?

Schmidt swallowed thickly and looked down at his feet, ashamed for ever even thinking about walking away from everything he had, and forced a nod. Coach was right, and he knew that so there was no point in trying to argue or fight back. He did love Elise very much, and he wanted to marry her, so he was going to. Schmidt looked back up at Coach, who broke into a careful smile, causing Schmidt to do the same.

"Thanks man. Was the slap really necessary, though?", Schmidt asked quietly, but Coach had no time to respond when Nick had already done so from behind the two.

"Yes, it was! Now come over here, you big idiot. You have a woman to marry, Schmidty", Nick laughed and lifted the tie he had been trying to get on Schmidt for an embarrassing amount of time. Grinning, Schmidt approached his best friend, who thanked him for finally offering his cooperation and then helped him with the tie. Winston and Coach sighed with relief, and while they sat behind, the other two engaged in a quiet conversation as Schmidt smiled shyly and gave thought to what was about to happen.

"I bet she'll look beautiful", Schmidt mumbled quietly, sighing in adoration as he allowed himself to imagine how gorgeous Elise would look in her dress, with that adorable smile on her painted lips. Merely the thought of seeing Elise and being able to be in her presence gave Schmidt the confidence he needed in order to walk out of that door once his hair was styled and his tie was straightened.

And so they went. Schmidt was ready, so he found himself at the end of the altar before the eyes of their relatives and loved ones, and once Elise was ready, she was escorted by her father through the aisle created between the chairs in the garden. Shyly, Elise looked down at her feet and prayed she wouldn't stumble due to the high heels she wasn't used to wearing, but once she glanced up, she could see how truly touched Schmidt seemed to be by the sight of her. Lips parted and an evidently adoring, fond gaze shining in the green of his wide eyes, Schmidt was downright shocked by the unconditional beauty Elise carried with each careful step she took to the rhythm of the song that was leading her towards him.

If Schmidt hadn't been so amazed by her, so overwhelmed by the amount of love that was filling his heart until it damn near exploded in his chest, he would have cried for sure. But when he was unable to do so, it was up to Elise to get emotional and let a few tears roll onto her cheeks as she walked up to Schmidt, and let go of his father. Giving an approving nod to Schmidt, Walden stepped away and let the two hold hands as they stood in front of their families, united and about take the step they had both been dreaming about since they first met. Elise looked incredible in her dress, with the lace sleeves and the veil that was covering her beautiful face, and frankly, Schmidt was already excited for the second he could lift it and place his lips on hers.

It was just what they had dreamed of. The whole ceremony was full of love, with a bit of Jewish traditions and hints of that princess vibe Elise had imagined as a little girl. It was Schmidt and Elise, and it was full of admiration towards each other — from the emotional, incredible vows made of promises and smiles, to the loving, dreamy kiss at the end of the ceremony. In the collision of lips, neither could stop smiling at each other, just beyond happy that they were finally here, with rings on their fingers and their loved ones cheering for them.

"I love you", Schmidt whispered and cupped Elise's cheeks, holding the woman close and making her blush slightly, but for the first time in ages, she didn't try to hide. She looked at Schmidt bravely, smiled and leaned closer in the pure happiness he had brought her since day one.

"I love you too."

Since day one — they had been awkward, but kind towards each other and there was an undeniable attraction between the two. It was easy to see how much they cared of each other, for everyone but them, and it had taken them too long to get here but they were finally married. Elise would no longer have to draw hearts around his name in her notebook and dream of being with him, because now, she had that every day. They could declare their love every day, they could kiss and hug every day, they could hold hands, talk, cuddle and laugh together every day. She wasn't just some lame comic book girl anymore, well, perhaps she was — but on top of that, she was his wife. Her dream had come true.

And Schmidt felt the same way. At last, he could call Elise his, his wife, and that made him beyond happy. Their journey had merely begun, and there was so much more waiting in the future and truthfully, they couldn't wait for all the things they were bound to have eventually, slowly.

After the two broke the Douchebag Jar together by stepping on it in the traditional way, they headed out hand in hand, towards a shared life and a future that was destined to be full of happiness and undying love towards each other. Finally, after so many days of adoring one another, Schmidt and Elise were married.

»

The aftermath of the incredibly beautiful, emotional ceremony was just as wonderful. Schmidt and Elise were seated by their very own table, and when they weren't dancing around the wedding venue or hugging loved ones to accept their support and thank them for their presence, the two were holding hands, eating cake together and being adorable in general. They had loved each other for a very long time, but now that they were officially married, their feelings had only grown stronger and the bond between the two seemed to be unbreakable and impossible to wound.

Elise finally got to meet Schmidt's mother — two of them, actually — and even his father, who hadn't been invited at first but somehow, Schmidt had changed his mind and asked for him to be there. They seemed like good people, even if Schmidt's father hadn't been the ideal kind, but what Elise focused on was that at least he was there now. In return, Schmidt exchanged a few words with Elise's family, and between both families, there seemed to be a connection that signified something great. They would all get along well, Elise was sure of that.

Their first dance was to the Queen song Schmidt had proposed with, and after that, he actually sang one of Metallica's biggest hits which made the woman blush, giggle, and cry a bit — obviously. Jess kept the wedding together and had come up with entertainment, and for that Elise made sure to thank her once she found the time to do so. Winston danced Elise around the floor too, whilst Nick and Schmidt did the same and made the rest of them laugh at the sight, but it wasn't mocking by any means. Elise had always admired the best friend bond Schmidt and Nick had, to be honest.

It was all just perfect. Since her younger years, Elise had dreamed of being a superheroine with a princess wedding, and in a way, she felt like she had achieved just that. She wasn't a badass agent, and she didn't have a sword either, but she did have her moments. She had stood up to Thomas, she had her own shop, she had grown somewhat braver thanks to her friends, and she had her very own superhero by her side. She was the hero of her own life, and she had taken care of the bad guys pretty well. And although her story wasn't anywhere near the end, it seemed to have a happy ending nonetheless, because just like she had dreamed, she was in a gorgeous dress, eating the best cake of her life, and by her side, she had a loving, amazing husband. So she was definitely doing well.

"What are you thinking about, Mrs. Schmidt?", Schmidt teased Elise and nudged her carefully, making the woman laugh lightly. With a happy sigh, she looked around and broke into a smile at the sight of her loved ones, gathered to celebrate what was most likely the best day of her life. Slowly, Elise returned her gaze to Schmidt and leaned in to press a gentle kiss on his cheek, earning an equally happy smile from him as she took his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Back at that wedding dress place, I felt like Cinderella before her fairy godmother showed up, but now? I feel like Cinderella at her happiest, with her beloved Prince Charming. I am so lucky and happy to have you, Schmidt. I love you", Elise rested her head on Schmidt's shoulder and squeezed his hand slightly, almost on the verge of tears in the joy he brought her every day. He made her smile and feel like the luckiest woman alive, and perhaps she was. At least he had the best husband in the world, that was for sure.

"Ellie, babe. You're better than all of the princesses together. And all the superheroes, too", Schmidt kissed the top of Elise's head, and with a chuckle, he added, "And, I love you too, way more than you can imagine, wifey."

It was quiet for a while, the two of them just smiled and enjoyed the peace and the sight of their friends and relatives having fun and dancing around the barn. But there was still something bothering Elise, and therefore, she sighed again and broke the silence despite her wish to do otherwise.

"I think breaking the jar was a mistake."

»»»

and the tears stream dOWN MY FACE

i'm so proud of my babies omg and i love love elise i'm 100% not ready to let go but ?? this is the end, guys! well, there's still the epilogue left so yay, more tears (: