Three Months Later

I hear the music change and move my eyes away from scanning the crowd to the back of the church, where my eyes find her. I gasp slightly as I am once again accosted by her spectacular beauty. I still can't believe that this incredible woman is mine, I think to myself as she makes her way down the aisle towards me. Dave pats my back beside me and whispers in my ear "she looks amazing, Aaron."

"She always does," I reply, completely unable to take my eyes off of her now that I finally get to see her. The past few months have been hard on us, trying to plan the wedding in such a short amount of time, both working in separate cities, trying to figure out where we're going to settle down. But despite my thoughts to the contrary, it all came together in the end. Everything worked out for the best.

Even despite the beginning of our relationship where we had to hide our feelings, despite her leaving me, despite everything terrible that happened when we were apart, we figured it out in the end. Seeing her look this happy and knowing that I'm going to be with her every day of my life and try my hardest to make her this happy every day, makes everything we've been through worthwhile.

When she finally reaches me at the altar and takes my arm, I am overcome by how lucky I have gotten and how excited I am to start our life together.

Two and a Half Years Later

"Happy birthday, munchkin!" I say as I see Brienne round the corner, running towards me, reaching out for me to pick her up. I see Penelope coming down the hall behind her, wearing a party hat and beaming at our 2 year old daughter. She plops down into the seat behind me and I join her once I have Brienne in my arms.

"Phew," Penelope says, "I'm glad that's over."

"Me too," I reply. "Did you have fun at your party, sweetheart?" I ask Brienne who is now curled up against me, probably moments from falling asleep, but finds the ability to nod slightly despite her exhaustion. "Well, I thought it was a huge success," I state quietly to Penelope who looks like the spitting image of her daughter, slightly slumped against the couch, slowly falling towards me, her hand protectively covering her stomach, also moments away from sleep taking her. She too nods, despite her tiredness, and a huge smile erupts on my face at the similarities between my two girls.

Every moment with the two of them beside me makes me happier than I ever thought possible, and I continuously realize just how lucky I have gotten in my life.

Eleven Years Later

"I can't believe Brienne is starting high school!" Penelope states, entering the kitchen.

"I know!" I reply. "And Jaime's going to be in middle school."

"Before we know it, they're going to be off to college and we're going to have the house all to ourselves," Penelope states, moving towards me and taking a seat in my lap, rubbing her hands up my chest to my shoulders where they loop around and pull me to her for a heated kiss. A heated kiss that is way too quickly interrupted by a sound of disgust coming from the hallway.

"Mom, dad, can you please stop making out all the time?" Brienne asks, moving into the kitchen once Penelope and I have separated.

"Doesn't sound likely, honey," Pen responds, smirking at me while Brienne pretends to vomit from behind her. "Before too long, sweetie, you're going to find someone yourself and then you'll understand the way your father and I feel about each other."

"Not likely, mom."

"Whatever you say," Penelope responds with an air of eternal rightness in her voice.

"Are you excited for your first day, Bri?" I ask, ready for a change in topics.

"Yeah, I am. A little nervous, but I'm excited."

"Good! I was all nerves on my first day and I don't remember anything about it," I respond.

"Really?" Pen asks. "I can't imagine you that nervous about something like high school."

"I was so terrified. Maybe the second most nervous I've ever been."

"What was first?"

"Our first date."

"Really?!"

"Yep. I was so terrified that it wasn't going to go well and you weren't going to feel the way I felt about you."

"Wow. I still learn so much about you every day, Aaron Hotchner."

"Can you guys stop please?" Bri asks. "Jaime and I are going to be late for school."

"Alright, let's head out," Pen responds, giving me a kiss before ushering Bri out of the kitchen and leaving me once again to think about how lucky I've been having Pen in my life, having our two beautiful children, being together all this time. It makes all of the trouble I went through while teaching worthwhile. Pen makes everything worthwhile.