My leg bounced nervously while the jury continued to debate our case. It had been a nerve-wracking day of being examined, cross examined, accused, and having to face Mark face to face. After he’d lost his temper the first time and been held in contempt, his lawyer seemed to get a handle on him, but it had definitely helped swing things in my favor.

Hopefully.

Jeremy rested his large hand on my knee and pressed down. “Relax,” he murmured.

I tried to focus on the breathing exercises the counselor had given me. They helped a little. I was so glad Darius had been available to watch Laura and that Simon was in school. Two less worries on my plate. Mom and Grover had been present as witnesses.

It helped that just a few days before, in a completely separate proceeding, the divorce judge had granted me a dissolution of marriage. I was legally free from Mark. The separation of our assets, which I didn’t care anything about, and the custody agreement, which I cared desperately about, would be decided next month, and I was clinging to the results of this trial to use as proof that Mark should never see Simon again.

I jumped to attention as a door snicked open and the jury filed back in. The judge waited for them to take their seats and then said, “Will the jury foreperson please stand?”

A tall, dark skinned woman stood. I was on the edge of my seat. Jeremy kept telling me there was no jury in the world that could find Mark innocent of assault--not after the surveillance footage and the photographs they’d taken of my bruises. But I just couldn’t believe it until I heard the words.

“Has the jury reached unanimous verdict?”

I didn’t notice I was chewing on my finger tips now, my nails completely bitten away.

“Yes, your honor.”

A short man stepped up to the woman and she handed him a paper, which he then handed to the judge. The judge read it silently and read it to the clerk.

“Come on, come on,” I muttered. Jeremy squeezed my knee.

I felt as though the universe paused as the clerk opened his mouth. “The jury finds the defendant guilty.”

I collapsed against Jeremy as the judge said, “The jury is thanked and excused. Sentencing will be scheduled next week. Court is adjourned.”

Jeremy wrapped me in a bone-breaking hug, and Mom and Grover leaned over the railing to congratulate us. I heard Mark yelling, but the hustle and bustle of the courtroom scrambled his words, and I didn’t have to hear the specifics.

It didn’t matter. I was free, and next month, when we went before the judge to plead for full custody of Simon, I would have the proof to back me up. Tears of relief streamed down my face.

The others were talking a mile a minute as we walked through the courthouse, heading for the exit. I was in a daze, but a sign caught my eye: marriage licenses.

I stopped in my tracks, pulling Jeremy with me. Grover and Mom took a few more steps before they realized we weren’t with them.

“What is it?” Jeremy asked me.

“Let’s get married,” I said, feeling the rightness of the idea blooming inside me.

Jeremy laughed and grabbed my left hand with his, twisting our hands to display our matching rings. “I think I already asked you.”

“No,” I said, my lips stretching with a giant smile. “Right now.” I pointed at the sign.

Jeremy’s brows drew together in confusion, then lifted in surprise. “Are you sure.”

“I’m legally single, the two most important people in our lives that aren’t our children are here, and I want to celebrate by doing the one thing I want most in this world. We can have a fancy party later, but I’ve already done that, and it didn’t make a lick of difference to my actual marriage.”

Jeremy drew me into an embrace and kissed me on the head. “When you put it that way…”

Thirty minutes later after the briefest, most meaningful ceremony I’d ever taken part in, we had said I do, the paperwork was signed, and we were married.

I was free, I was married, and I was filled with more joy than any human had a right to. I suspected Simon would pout if we didn’t have a small family ceremony, and my mom was dying to make Laura a dress, but that would all be icing on the cake.

Jeremy’s eyes rarely strayed far from me as Grover drove us home, our hands constantly touching, the chains of our pasts finally cast off, our hearts open to each other and the future.

Before, infinity had seemed a burden. Now, it seemed like the greatest adventure.

We had two beautiful children, a lovely home, and no more and no less than we needed in life. He hadn’t just saved me, we had saved each other. I looked down at my wedding ring, then over at his matching one. Infinity. Saving wasn’t a one-time show. It was a daily act, two broken souls joining to become one whole, working constantly to become more than we were the day before.

For so long, Jeremy had resisted the idea of being a superhero. He saw himself as the bad guy, as the beast. But he’d never been a villain to me. He’d been my Prince Charming, swooping in to save the day. But we weren’t a fairytale, and our story didn’t end with a kiss.

It was so much better.