Epilogue

AN: This is the end of I Wanna Know What Love Is. Thank you so much for your loyal viewership as I go on to hopefully write things that shall interest you in the future. This is a little sad, saying goodbye.

I dug through the drawer for the photograph I hid underneath my clothes. I only took it out on special occasions, and today was one of them. Today was my wedding day. The frame was childish, with stickers of cartoon characters dancing around the wooden surface. It was of Bella at thirteen and me at ten. Her hair had recently been cut to her shoulders with bangs, and she was wearing a sleeveless white shirt with frills on the sleeves and jeans despite the Arizona heat. My blond hair was close to my head and almost boyishly short, and I wore cutoff shorts and a striped tank top. We were sitting under the tree back in our Phoenix house.

I traced the outline of my sister's face. I hadn't seen her since she married Jacob, since she couldn't live without a man. Other vampires around made sure that they were out of the country that the Cullens were in after what would immortally be remembered as the Volturi Incident.

I had invited her to the wedding, but I never got an RSVP. I knew that at least Jasper and Alice could make it, even though they were coming from Charleston, South Carolina. Jasper's new job as a tour guide at Fort Sumter was going well, and Alice had gotten promoted to manager at the touristy shop she worked at. It was nice to know that they were doing well despite the constant heat and sunshine, but turns out glittering was a seller for the travel business.

I'd decided that Leah would be my maid of honor, and Malcolm was Patton's. The rest of the groomsmen and bridesmaids were the entire Apollo cabin and Roman Apollo kids. Otherwise, we had a small ceremony going, just our families and a few friends.

We didn't need many people, and our lives were going just fine. I was halfway through medical school, and Patton was in the plumbing industry. Dirty deeds, but it paid well. I'd finally said yes to his proposal after we were on our feet.

"You miss her?"

Patton's standing the doorway before Leah and my half-sisters get up to chase him out.

"Bad luck to see the bride," Leah informed him, as he stared at me, as we communicated without words as we often did. He exited with an encouraging smile before Leah shut the door, giggling as she often did after her engagement with Michael.

"Let's get you ready," she said. Minimal makeup, all of it natural except for the golden eyeshadow Patton adored on me, said it made me look like a sun goddess. Red lips, too, since that was tradition for a wedding.

"You never told us what the dress looked like," Joanie, my Grecian half-sister said. "Show it to us."

I smirked. I hadn't told or shown anyone what I was wearing to the wedding, or even what color the dress was. Patton thought gold. Mom thought it would be blue. Charlie was thinking more along the lines of white.

I pulled the garment bag out of the closet and made a big show of taking the bag off of it, and revealing the V-neck gauzy white dress reminiscent of the Greeks, but with modern twists, and only one slit from the knees down on my left. My shoes weren't too high, golden paint on the platforms, with white laces up to my mid-calves. I pulled out the accessories I'd picked out on my own, golden cord to braid into my hair, golden bracelets around my upper arms, and a braided belt with a giant sun on it. My earrings were more traditional, with pearl teardrops.

I stared at myself in the mirror, right before they'd put the veil on, a surprise by them, and the peonies we'd agreed on would be stuffed into my hands and I'd walk down the aisle. I looked breathtaking. If only she were here.

"Alright, let's get a move on," Leah chirped. "Don't want the groom thinking you stood him up."

I managed to laugh, and one of my Roman half-sisters, Tory, pulled the veil of the box. Careful embroidery of Greek and Roman monsters alike, delicate little white tapestries of the Olympic family's history down the entire sheet. Tears came to my eyes at the thought of how much effort it must've taken.

"Thank you so much," I said, and I turned around and hugged them. I put it on, and then they helped me adjust it. I was ready to get married.

Charlie was to send me off, so he came in, and gave me yet another hug.

"It's amazing, seeing you all grown up as well," he said. "You and that boy. . . You'll have many adventures together, I just know it."

"That means a lot, coming from you, Charlie," I said.

"Well, we better get going," he said after a silence and he held out his arm. I hesitated.

"Is. . . She here?" I asked. Her name was still painful to say when I remembered how she betrayed me and continued to betray me.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I was late, and there was barely any time-"

"It's alright," I said as I fought to hold the tears back. "She'd just make it about her, anyway. Today's about Patton and I."

"That's the spirit, Mara," he said warmly, and I accepted his arm this time.

It was amazing, walking down the aisle of the small church. There were just a few decorations of Queen Anne's lace, but nothing too fancy, we wanted to wait for the reception for that. I could see Patton, with that nervous grin on his face, fiddling with his tie as Malcolm gestured for him to quit it.

Up at the altar, my heart pounded at what I was about to do. This was going to be one of the happiest days of my life. It all went so fast. We were exchanging vows, sliding the rings, and then there was the kiss. A kiss I will always remember.

The reception was great as well. We stood at the receiving line when she arrived. She was last, and eyes were on her. She hadn't aged a day, naturally, and was on Jacob's arm. Both were dressed in expensive clothing. Nessie had aged a lot, and wore a fluffy pink dress.

She was quiet in the lantern-lit garden, but it was alright. Her being here was enough. Patton took me by the arm, and we went out to dance to our song.