By the way, this includes the episodes of the Ski Trip and the Hunted so basically, both Jake and Rose knew who they were. Anyway, remember when Rose transferred schools? Well, after a few years of thinking about everything that happened, she went back to New York and back to Jake…

And another thing, what you are about to read are just selected events in Jake's life before he got married

---

16 year old Jake Long was watching television, flipping channels using the remote without really paying attention to what he was watching. He sighed.

It's not that he was bored, well maybe he was, but it was the thought of knowing that it had been exactly three years since Rose had left New York, left the school and left him. He really missed her. Even though she was one of his enemies, he loved her and still couldn't believe she left him. He sighed again when his mother came in the living room.

"Jake, a letter came for you" she said, holding out an envelope. Jake slid into the couch, no doubt he knew who it was from.

"Do I have to mom?" he whined. "Can't you tell grandpa I'm busy or something?" he said grouchily, still flipping the remote with a thumb.

"Now, now, Jake" his mom began sternly. "You're the American dragon, you're the-"

"Protector the community of magical creatures secretly living among the masses in New York and it is my responsibility to follow whatever my dragon master says or tells me to do" Jake said, as though reciting something from a book. "Yeah, yeah, I know" he muttered.

Mrs. Long walked towards him and sat beside him. "I know it isn't easy but please understand… I know you do" she said softly. "Besides" she continued more cheerfully. "It's not from dad, if it was him, he would have used a mail pixie" she said, handing her son a beautiful green colored envelope. Mrs. Long stood up as Jake stared at the letter. "I'll be preparing dinner now" she said then walked out the room.

Jake held the envelope in his hands then ripped it open. His eyes moved quickly as he read the letter. He gasped, "Rose!"

---

Now, Jake is 21 years old and looking quite handsome in his white wedding suit. With him were his two best buds in the world, Trixie and Spud. Both of them were really happy for their best friend but the person in front of the mirror looked like he was about to puke.

"I'm not ready for this, am I ready for this? What if I'm not ready for this? What was I thinking?" Jake said with a note of hysteria as he stared at himself. "I mean… she and we and… what if-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Jakey. Slow down" Trixie said. "Look, you're going to be just fine. I mean, like hello? You've been together for four years"

Jake slowly nodded. "Yeah… you're right. We're perfect for each other…"

"That's right, Jake. I mean, what can go wrong?" Spud said.

Jake took a deep breath and left the room with the two.

---

It was the real thing now. Just minutes after he had left the room…

He was standing near the altar, it was about to begin. He looked around; there weren't many people but not that little either; his parents were sitting on the front seat. Both of them were really excited about their son, his mom had a camera in hand, even though she had hired five cameramen for the occasion. He smiled at them weakly; two rows behind them were, of course, Trixie and Spud grinning at him; and a few rows farther, he saw his grandfather and dragon master, Lao Shi and the gray Shar-Pei known as Fu Dog. Fu Dog waved at him and grinned but his grandpa merely stared at his grandson, fully knowing who he was about to marry.

Then, the music started. Beads of sweat ran down Jake's head as he waited.

Two girls in pink dresses came in, carrying baskets of flower petals and throwing them around. Then, two bridesmaids, one of them of which is Jake's 15-year-old sister, looking really pretty in her pink gown and her long black hair tied into a ponytail. She gave Jake a thumbs-up before going to her seat. After, other people came in whom Jake didn't know. It was, after all, his mom who put everything together with most probably a little help from Fu Dog, he wouldn't be surprised if some of the people were magical, he even saw one of the cameramen hiding a pointed ear.

Then, it started. The wedding music. Jake gulped as heads turned towards the door. There, stood a very beautiful woman. She was wearing a very pretty white wedding gown, her blond hair tied up together by a small white tiara on top of her head and she was carrying a bunch of pink and white roses. Their eyes met as she started to walk down the aisle.

Rose smiled at Jake as she arrived beside him. "Shall we?" she said softly.

Jake smiled and clutched her hand. "We shall" he replied, squeezing her hand.