Cassie sat with her legs neatly crossed, staring at herself in the mirror of her room. She felt Lillian's fingers tangling through her hair as she pinned half of Cassie's hair up. Her hair was still warm from when her mother had curled it. Cassie reached up to twirl her finger in one of the corkscrews before glancing down at the mirror on her lap.

"How does that look?" Lillian asked as she moved her hands aside.

Cassie held up the mirror. She rarely did anything with her hair, but Lillian had made it look beautiful.

"I love it. Thanks, Lillian," Cassie said. Lillian was dressed up herself in a light blue dress as one of Cassie's bridesmaids. Of course, Cassie had chosen Diana as her maid of honor. She was in the bathroom with Cassie's mother getting ready herself.

Mitsuki had stepped out of the bathroom to admire Cassie's hair. She walked over, slinging her arms around Lillian's neck and leaning forward to gaze at Cassie.

"Looking good, Cassie. Can you do my hair, too?" Mitsuki asked, glancing down at Lillian.

"Yes. But first, get up and do a twirl, Cassie," Lillian suggested.

Cassie stood, smoothing out her long white dress. She had picked it out herself with her mother and sister before the wedding. It was a strapless dress with a silky texture that went out at Cassie's hips. She had not yet put on her heels, so the dress was lightly touching the ground as she stood up and twirled in front of the mirror. She felt ten years older in her wedding dress.

"You look beautiful!" Lillian exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Cassie smiled slightly. "Thanks," she said as she sat down again. Her hands were shaking in nervousness, though she didn't know why. It was just Marc. She had never felt this uncomfortable around him before.

While the others moved about her room to get ready, Cassie sat motionless, realizing how quickly her life was about to change. Soon after the wedding, they would officially be parents to Elijah and would move into their own house. She would start up school again, Marc would get a job, and they'd be a little family. And maybe one day, she'd have her own children. The thought of the future scared her, but it relaxed Cassie that she was experiencing normal life again, a life free from the suffering of the Preservers.

"Have some water," Jane Black interrupted Cassie's thoughts, passing a glass of water toward her. "You look like you're going to pass out."

"I'm fine," Cassie argued, taking a few sips.

"I know you are. I just want to make sure you don't faint at your own wedding," her mother said. "Are you nervous?"

"Yeah," Cassie said quietly.

"You'll be overjoyed when you're out there. I know I was when I married your father," her mother said quietly. She grabbed onto Cassie's hand and squeezed it. "You deserve this after everything you've been through."

"Thanks," Cassie replied.

Diana had stepped out now, looking beautiful in her own dress. She wandered toward Cassie and squeezed her hands excitedly.

"I'm so excited for you!" she exclaimed.

Cassie smiled gently at her sister. Her sister's smile seemed to grow wider and wider each day. Diana had finally been able to attend school again in the fall. In fact, she was attending the same community college Cassie would be in the coming spring. Cassie was glad Diana was back in her normal social sphere, ready to interact once more with that bubbly personality of hers.

"Thanks for being my maid of honor," Cassie said.

"I expected no other title," Diana teased.

"Are we about ready?" Jane Black asked. "The wedding is going to begin soon."

Cassie took a deep breath and stood, slowly slipping on her heels. The others were staring at her happily, calming Cassie's spirits slightly. She exited the room, knowing the others were already waiting outside. It was a beautiful autumn morning where the dew was fresh on the grass and the leaves were reflecting their colors in the golden sunlight.

Cassie's mother helped her walk carefully down the staircase. Her father was waiting near the porch door, his eyes glistening slightly with fresh tears already.

She walked over to him and threw her arms around him. Cassie's mind flashed back to when she had thought her family would never return that summer, when she had thought Lynch had taken them away for good. She was glad they were all alive and well on her wedding day.

"We'll see you up there, Cassie," Diana said, touching her arm slightly as they headed out.

Cassie nodded and took a deep breath. The wedding was small, but the chairs were filled. She shook a little, though her father's grip on her arm steadied her.

"Are you ready?" Virgil Black asked.

Cassie nodded, ready to meet Marc. Even though she had woken up next to him in the morning, she felt like she had not seen him in years.

"Then, let's go," her father said, opening the porch doors.

All eyes turned to Cassie as she began walking down the porch steps and onto the lawn. She wanted to turn away in embarrassment, but her eyes instead fell to Marc waiting near the flowery arch.

He was tearing up, she realized, which made her throat grow chalky as well.

She held her head up with a little more confidence and walked toward him proudly, anxiously waiting to finally be able to call him her husband. They were coming close now, only feet away. Virgil Black's arm unhooked from his daughter's, and he turned to give her a hug and kiss her on the cheek.

"Thank you," Cassie whispered before stepping close to Marc and grabbing his hands. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," Marc replied. "You look beautiful."

Cassie felt her cheeks grow red. She hadn't acted this embarrassed around him since when they had initially started dating. She was about to comment on his handsome appearance when the officiant began to speak.

...

Cheers, laughter, and clapping filled the air as Cassie walked back down the grassy aisle with Marc, her arm hooked around his. She glanced down at her glittering wedding ring. Elijah had been their ring bearer, which had made him a fan favorite of the wedding.

Cassie glanced up at Marc and smiled at him. He smiled back at her, radiating pure joy. The day was not over yet, though, as the reception was still to follow. They only had a few minutes' break before Cassie was back outside, sitting at a long table next to Marc while person after person came up to her and congratulated them both.

Cassie thanked them all, exchanging loving glances with Marc every now and again. Soon enough, Elijah had somehow found his way to their table and was sitting on Cassie's lap, drawing with crayon on sheets of blank paper. Cassie ran her fingers through his hair.

"Guess what?" she told him.

He looked up at her curiously.

"Soon, Marc and I will be your official Mommy and Daddy," she whispered.

His eyes widened. "Really?!"

Cassie nodded. "You're going to get to live in our new house with us. We can pick the color of your room and choose what toys to bring and what sheets you can have for your bed."

"Yay!" Elijah exclaimed, leaning farther into her. She wrapped her arms around him and planted a kiss on his forehead. Was this what unconditional love felt like?

Soon enough, the food was brought out, and the afternoon drew on. Some of the adults were already a bit buzzed, though it only made the reception more fun. The dancing was starting up, and Marc grasped onto Cassie's hand, leading her out onto the lawn.

It was awkward at first, being the only ones dancing, but soon, the others joined in, and Cassie felt at peace again. When a slow song came on, Cassie wrung her hands around Marc's neck and stared deeply into his eyes.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

"Of course," Cassie replied. "I'm exhausted though."

"Me too," Marc said, laughing a little.

Cassie leaned closer into him, resting her chin on his shoulder. His arms squeezed her tighter, and they moved quietly and slowly. It was hard to imagine she had not even known Marc five years ago, and now she was married to him. There was a lot that she had failed to imagine five years ago, she realized.

As the music broke off, Cassie turned to look around, finding her family dancing , Cherie chatting happily with Wyatt, Lillian playing with Elijah, and Mitsuki and Eiji conversing with one another. She even caught Conny snatch a quick kiss with Carly in the corner.

"Everyone looks so happy," Cassie murmured.

"That's because we all are," Marc said. "You helped us defeat the Preservers, Cassie. Everyone is grateful to you."

"But I didn't do anything," Cassie admitted. "It was all the Guardians."

"But you let them work through you," Marc pointed out. "You decided to become a spiritkeeper, even though it frightened you. You could have walked away when they appeared, but you didn't, because you saw something in us. You're the least selfish person I know."

Cassie's cheeks reddened. "Well...I..."

Marc leaned forward to kiss her once more. Cassie pulled him closer to her and molded her lips to his. When they broke apart, she leaned her forehead against his and stared at the orange sky. It was truly the most beautiful autumn sunset.