A/N: Wee! The Final Chapter! Thanks everyone for reading and for writing your reviews. I hope you enjoy the end! More LaurWalk fics to come!

Your name has echoed through my mind
And I just think you should think you should know
That nothing safe is worth the drive
And I will follow you follow you home

Four months passed quickly, and Joe was becoming his old self once more. His mind only drifted to Lauren if he saw something that brought a big memory, no longer any smaller ones. He did wonder how she was doing, but other than that, he was content. Though he was still single, he was no longer getting around like he had before. She came into his mind again when he and Joey were making the drive into Michigan together for Brian & Meredith's wedding. The two hadn't seen each other as much since Joey had moved in with Jaime.

"Back in December when I saw Lauren…I told her about the wedding. Gave her all the info and stuff…" he said, as though a passing comment.

"You think she'll come?" Joey asked, taking their exit into Traverse City, Brian's hometown.

Joe laughed. "No way in hell would she. She's probably off at one of those stupid roadside attractions like the World's Biggest Ball of Twine, or the final resting place of Archduke Franz Ferdinand."

"Sounds like her, alright." They pulled into the parking lot of the park in the center of town where the wedding was being held, and walked across the street to Brian's home where everyone was.

In the next few hours, everyone was gathered in the park, patiently awaiting the bride. Joe and Joey were two of Brian's groomsmen, and were standing with him.

"You ready, man?" Joe quietly asked Brian as guests were coming in.

"Yeah, of course. Are you?" Brian replied.

"What?"

"Uh, never mind."

Joe would've said more, but the wedding march began. Jaime was the first down in the aisle, in her light orange bridesmaids gown. Out of the corner of his eye, he could a smile grow wide across Joey's face. Then came Julia, and then one of Meredith's high school friends. The next person who walked down the aisle almost made Joe fall over.

It was Lauren.

His eyes were wide, and she smiled softly at him as she joined Jaime.

His mind spun as Denise, who was the Maid of Honor walked down next and joined the other two. Then, the guests rose for Meredith, who floated down the aisle, her eyes only on Brian. They all watched as they made their vows, and said "I Do" and had their first kiss as husband and wife. And soon, it was over. They all made their way back down the aisle, it lining up so that Joe was next to Lauren.

"Hey, I know you," she said so that only he could hear.

"I think I may know you too," and he looked down at her with a smile. "Lauren. Why are you here?"

"We'll talk about that later, let's enjoy the wedding right now, okay?" She said as she left to go with Meredith and the rest of the bridesmaids to start pictures.

Joe looked over at Brian who was smirking. "That's why you asked if I was ready."

"I thought you knew she'd be here!" he said with a laugh. "She showed up here about a month ago. She said that you told her everything about the wedding, and she made to be sure she didn't miss it. And you know Meredith. Made her a bridesmaid right there. It's been a while since we've all seen her. She seems different, though."

"Yeah…" Joe didn't finish his thought, however.

A few hours later, when they were well into the reception at the newlyweds home, after their first dance, a particularly slow song came on. Joe stood up and walked over to Lauren, and asked her to dance. She smiled and obliged, taking the hand he had held out for her.

They walked out to the dance floor, and Lauren wrapped her arms around Joe's neck and pulled him close. He did the same to her waist and leaned over to whisper something in her ear.

"You look beautiful tonight, by the way."

"Awh, you're full of it."

"No, you do."

"Well, thanks, Walks." She looked down at the floor, and then raised her eyes slowly to meet his. "About that night at your parents…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started on you like that," he said with a shake of his head.

"No, I shouldn't have left you in the first place, Joe. I could've…"

"You could've what? You wanted adventure, I just wanted to settle down."

"Anything would've been an adventure with you, Joe."

He looked down at her, slightly stunned. But before he could reply, she spoke again. "I wish I had realized that. See, a week before I left I was looking for something in our room and I…"

"You found the ring, didn't you?"

"Yeah. It scared me. And now, I've been thinking, why didn't I just stay? Things could be better. In the past few years…I've seen some things…" she shook her head. "Tell me, how were you going to do it?"

"How was I going to do what?" he murmured, brushing a tear that had begun to make it's way down her cheek. "Do you want to go outside?"

She nodded and they walked out of the yard, and back across the street to the park, where they sat under the trees.

"How were you going to propose?" she asked, laying down and looking up at the stars.

"I was gonna do it on New Years Eve. At exactly midnight. The start to a new year. And new life." He chuckled. "That sounds corny as hell, now."

"I think it sounds perfect."

"It would've been." He sighed and pressed his head in his hands. "I wish you hadn't left, Lo. I really do. And I should hate you for doing it. But I can't."

"Hey," she said, moving his hands away, and holding his face with her own. "That's perfectly fine. I'd prefer if you don't." And with those last words, she brushed her lips against his for a quick second.

They both smiled at each other for a second, as if it was one of those teen movies where everything worked out in the end.

"Come on," she said after a few minutes. "Let's go back to the party. People are gonna get suspicious if we're gone too long."

"From now on, I'm going wherever you go, Lo."