The End

Five years.

	The time feels so long, yet so short.  On that day, you exchanged words that would bring you closer together.  Words that broke through your respective defenses and left you both full exposed to the one you would trust with your life.  The moment still feels like a dream that you wish would never end; all this time spent together with the kindred of your soul.  In that time, the two of you have drawn closer and closer, savoring each moment that came by with an enthusiastic zeal.  The good times were celebrated in joy and delight; the bad times were confronted with support and comfort.  In spite of the various ups and downs, it seemed like there was nothing that Fate could do to change the bond between you two.

	But not everything is constant.  As much as the thought remained pushed back in the corner of your mind, you know that things would have to change eventually.  The days of you living together as boyfriend and girlfriend would soon come to an end.

	Your head is killing you; something that appears to be constant on this particular date, almost like clockwork.  Your mouth feeling dry as you try to shake off the sharp pain in your temple.  However, you force yourself to endure it all in lieu of a more important sensation that seems to have taken hold of you.  All this physical pain seems to appear more dull when compared to the here and now, your body having to steel itself in anticipation of the action you were about to make.  The action you must make before her, the woman who has stood by your side through thick and through thin.  The woman who is now standing before you.

	She stands dressed in white, much like the dress she had on when her first relationship came to an end.  You remember her being bothered by it for some time into your own relationship with her, to the point where getting her to wear it again proved to be more taxing than you anticipated.  Even when you bought her a new one, she still seemed a little apprehensive at first.  You naturally felt guilty about it at first, but it soon passed as she started wearing it more and more, almost as if it suited her.  But the dress is in the past; nothing more than a mere chapter in the book the two of you have been penning up to now.

	You've become distracted by your own thoughts again; allowing them to take you away from the present to some nostalgic theater of the past.  For the time being, you cut yourself off from these memories to focus on what is going on.  You can feel your throat tighten as your gaze falls upon her own.  Her radiant features contrast sharply to her eyes, quivering with what appears to be either fear or anticipation.  In spite of her normally stoic facade, you can tell that she's clearly as nervous as you are.  Understandable, considering what is about to happen.   The weeks leading up to this have been pretty tense, but you felt it was something that needed to be addressed.

	You felt it coming for some time now.  Without either of you realizing it, things had become increasingly more passive in your relationship.  Days spent going out became days spent staying in.  Your respective workloads became lighter and lighter in recent months.  The promise you made to her, despite your best efforts, remained unfulfilled.  Yet in spite of this potential dulling, not one word was ever uttered, complaint or otherwise.  You would continue to be by one another without dissent.  Reunions would be met with smiles; traumas would be met with comfort.  The decision seemed to already have been made, but you wanted to be sure.  You needed to clear the air.

	For the past few years, the two of you have been together, facing whatever life threw your way.  Today, however, is when everything changes.  Mustering up whatever strength you have, you speak your peace.  The words launch from your mouth like an arrow from a bow, piercing her to the core.  You can tell your words have made a strong impact as her facade shatters like broken glass, her eyes spilling forth with tears unlike anything you've ever seen before.  Yet in spite of your own preparations for this moment, you still find yourself left shaken as her own lips part to deliver her own declaration in a voice quivering in heartfelt delight.

"I do."

	The coming proclamation serves as a sort of starting gun, the two of you launching towards one another for an embrace tighter than ever experienced.  Holding her close, your own cheeks begin to moisten from her tears as your lips press together in a tender, passionate kiss.  After what seems a lifetime, your lips finally part long enough to gaze back into the face of your Beloved.  The tears from her eyes provide a heavenly glaze to her features as she beams in bliss from the day's events, her eyes returning your gaze with a loving stare of her own.  She grips your arm as the two of you make your procession through the crowd of witnesses composed of your friends and family, making your first walk together as husband and wife.

	As the accolades continue for the newlywed couple, you manage to exchange a whisper to her that you've been desperate to share with her since the day began.

	"Thank you for everything, my love."

	And with a voice that can barely mask her own joy, she responds in kind:

	"Thank you for coming into my life, my angel."