It takes us two weeks to recover fully from our ordeal, but we decide to hold off on our wedding ceremony for a whole week after that as we get nothing but rain and snow, the nights just cold and dreary. Other than being kept inside the compound most of the time, it's fine though, and the seven of us treat it all as a true vacation.

There's a remarkable difference between living in the compound on the defense and relaxing. Once the swelling around my eye from Peter's slap goes down, I enjoy going to town every day with Katrina and Andrea. We go shopping, we hang out as friends and sisters, and generally, I feel like a normal woman.

“Hey 'Lissa,” Andrea asks after we leave the Asheville Police Department one morning when the weather is fine and we feel up to it. We had to give statements about my kidnapping, since while there was no video, there was a report of gunfire. Thankfully, the local cops didn't connect the dots, and they were willing to accept that the whole issue was an accidental discharge, and that I had a panic attack that required us all to leave. With a confirmed history of anxiety attacks and treatment by shrinks, the cops don't like it but let it go. According to them, no harm, no foul. “I had a question.”

“What's that, Andrea?” I ask, climbing into the truck. Today's the day, and the weather looks perfect, clear and beautiful, exactly what I want for my wedding day. “Hey, what about some cheesecake?”

“You're asking a pregnant woman if she wants cheesecake,” Katrina notes, chuckling under her breath. “As if that was even up for debate.”

“Cheesecake sounds good,” Andrea agrees, starting the truck. “But what I wanted to ask was, our cover story was you had a panic attack. But, the best I can remember, you haven't had a single panic attack in weeks.”

I think back, and nod in amazement. “You're right. The last thing I can think of was... well, I had a nightmare the night after Nathan and I told you guys about our engagement, but it was a small one. Since then... I don't think I've had a single anxiety attack. Close once or twice, but never full-on.”

“And no nightmares,” Andrea adds, turning right. There's a little country cafe up ahead, a place Katrina found during one of our earlier trips to town, and it has some delicious cheesecake. “If you ask me, I think you're pretty much done with those.”

I smile, looking at my sisters, nodding. “Maybe. I'm sure I'll have some nightmares in the future, but I know that from now on, I've got plenty of people that can help me, and people that love me. By the way, after this, I'd like to go by Dr. Jackson's clinic.”

“What for?” Katrina asks, and I blush. “What?”

“What I stayed behind for was a pregnancy test,” I admit shyly. “I left before he could tell me the results.”

Andrea stops the truck and hangs a U-turn, heading the other direction. “To hell with the cheesecake, we can have that afterward.”

* * *

“Really?” Nathan asks, his face filled with joy and happiness. “You really are?”

“Really, my love. Dr. Jackson says he thinks I'm just about six weeks along now, so it's too early to say anything more than we're going to be parents.”

Nathan's face is streaked with pine tar, he and Jackson have been cutting down a tree, and I think for Nathan, it was a good way to get the last of the kinks out of his neck and shoulder. His smile is pure and genuine, and he steps forward, pulling me close and kissing me tenderly, his hands resting on my jeans. “I can’t believe it.”

“Well, you better,” I hum, kissing him back. “Come on, we've got time for this later. Besides, I’d rather not have pine tar in my hair.”

Nathan pulls his hands off my hips, the light stickiness making us both chuckle, and he looks at his now black and slightly fuzzy palms. “Yeah, I guess I should clean up. I’m glad the water heater is strong, this is going to take forever to get scrubbed off.”

I smile and kiss him on the cheek, and ruffle his hair. “And don't forget the streak on your forehead, too. I'll see you at sundown.”

It's part of our plan, the ceremony of our double wedding. Other than breaking the news of my pregnancy to Nathan, we haven't seen each other all day, Katrina acting as the girls' chaperone while Jackson keeps Carson and Nathan busy. There were a lot of jokes last night over dinner about bachelor and bachelorette parties, but neither Andrea or I could think of anything 'naughty' we wanted to do. After our cheesecakes, we did a little shopping, stopping by the mall and making only my second purchases ever from Victoria's Secret that didn't involve simple cotton panties and t-shirt bras.

Now I'm in my room looking down at the lacy white lingerie, and I'm still shocked at how beautiful it is. Katrina's with me, Andrea saying she's good until it's time to help with her hair. Katrina's over by my dress, checking that all the tags and other things are off of it. “Hey, you okay?”

“Just... wow. I never thought an underground wedding would be so expensive,” I say and chuckle, thinking about the things we bought today. “What did you and Jackson do?”

Katrina laughs and shakes her head. “We had sex, and then exchanged personal vows while still sweaty and naked.”

I laugh and shake my head, picking up the bra and fingering the satin and lace. “I should have known. But I think the pendants are enough for us. So when are you and Jackson going to put yours on?” I ask. I put the bra down and pull my t-shirt off, getting ready for my shower. The compound has two showers, so today one is the 'girls' bathroom' while the other is reserved for the guys. “I still can't believe everyone insisted on us still using them after my screwup brought Isis to us.”

“They're beautiful works of art from a beautiful person, and I'll be proud to wear it the rest of my life,” Katrina reassures me, checking one last thread on my dress. “Well, you know what I mean.”

* * *

The night is clear and there's still a lot of chill, but the bonfire that Katrina and Jackson built bathes the entire area in light and warmth, and standing here in my knee-length dress, I glance at Andrea, who looks as excited and as nervous as I do. She's nearly my mirror image, her dress a light pale pink she says is the same color as sakura cherry blossoms, while mine is a pale ghost gray, lighter than my eyes but close enough. “Ready?”

“I'm ready,” Andrea says, holding Carson's pendant in her hand. Nathan's is in mine, and I'm reassured by the weight in my palm. Maybe there's a reason why I made ours slightly bigger than the other sets, feeling that reassuring weight all the time. “You think they'll be handsome?”

“They always are,” I say, taking Andrea's hand. “Andrea, before we do go out there, I wanted to tell you... I never could have gotten here without you. I don't know what the future holds for all of us, how our children are going to end up or anything like that, but I want you to know that if you and Carson are okay with it, I'd like it if maybe we can still live together after all of this. At least for a little while.”

“We're going to need a bigger house, but let's talk about it. Because I'd like that, too,” Andrea says, giving me a quick hug. “You look beautiful tonight, 'Lissa. Nathan's a lucky man.”

“And Carson's a lucky man as well.” We walk out together, and for a moment, my feet freeze, seeing Nathan dressed and waiting for me by the fire. I've seen him in his black suits so many times before, I thought I'd be used to it, but seeing him in all white, he's heart-stopping. Jackson and Katrina are standing next to Carson and Nathan, Jackson dressed in a black suit while Katrina, for maybe the third time since we've met, is wearing a dress. Visible on her pale skin is the gleaming glow of her pendant, and Jackson is wearing his outside his suit for now, smiling as Andrea and I come closer, and I reach for Nathan's hand. Andrea takes Carson's hand, and I look in Nathan's eyes.

“There's nothing more important than the bonds that unite us,” Katrina says, taking the lead. It makes sense, this all started with her, and while Nathan might be the leader of this family on the battlefield, she's as much our leader as he is. “Eleven and a half years ago, I gave up on institutions. Instead, I put my faith in good people. This is the key to our lives, to this path we've chosen to walk. So Nathan, Carson, do you promise to love, respect, and partner with your chosen one, to be honest and forthright, for as long as you live?”

“I do,” Nathan says. Before Carson can add his assent, Nathan continues. “I promise to protect, to give every fiber of myself to you, Melissa. You are my redemption, my heart, and my love.”

Carson echoes for Andrea, adding his own words.

Jackson speaks up, clearing his throat. “Melissa, Andrea, do you promise to love, respect, and love these men, for as long as you live?”

I nod. “I do. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and maybe I'm just a big child, because I've felt like it's taken a team to bring me out of the nightmare of where I was. Carson, Andrea, even Jackson and Katrina... but most of all you, Nathan. You awoke the woman inside me, and for that I will always love you. I’m honored to be your wife, and to be the mother of your child.”

Nathan's eyes are filled with happiness, and we exchange our pendants, Nathan carefully clasping the chain around my neck even as I attach his. We turn to Andrea, who is already crying in happiness, and she turns to look up at Carson.

Andrea says her vows, and they exchange their pendants, and all six of us hug, BA in her baby carrier on the edge of the circle, dressed warmly since it is still late winter. Seeing her family hugging, she raises her arms to us and calls out. “WABU! Wabu-wabu!”

Indeed, love.

* * *

“They didn't have to take the van down the mountain,” I say wistfully as the taillights disappear down the hill. “Really.”

“They wanted to give us our privacy,” Nathan says, kissing my neck and sending a shiver down my spine. “It's sweet. Besides, I think they're going to enjoy the hotel room for the next two days, kind of a mini-second honeymoon for them.”

“Mmm, those kisses of yours are just as sweet,” I reply, turning and putting my arms around Nathan's neck. “What about Andrea and Carson?”

“I have a feeling the gym in the chapel is exactly what those two want and desire for tonight,” Nathan says, chuckling. “While you girls were down in town, I helped Carson install some... equipment that apparently he and Andrea have discussed for a while. Nothing too strenuous, but things they can’t do at home.”

“Anything you want to use, my husband?” I ask, thrilled to feel the words on my tongue.

Nathan shakes his head, smiling at the words. “No, my beautiful wife. I’ve got everything I want.”

“Then let’s not waste any time,” I urge him, kissing him deeply. The fireplace is glowing, and we make our way to the center of the living area, where we've spread out blankets and two mattresses, side by side. It's our wedding bed, and I couldn't be happier. “I love you, Nathan.”

“I love you, Melissa,” he says, before chuckling. “You know, we're going to have to discuss the whole name thing. Hart, DeLaCoeur, Sands...”

“And Black,” I add, reaching for the zipper on the side of my dress, the one that gives me enough wiggle room to pull it up over my head. “Melissa Black. I'm proud of that name.”

“Then we can keep it that way,” Nathan says, reaching for the hem of my dress. He's already taken off his suit coat, and I run my hands over his chest, rubbing the firm muscles and smiling at the feeling underneath my hands.

“Good. Can I ask you something? Why the white suit?” I ask, raising my arms over my head and letting Nathan lift my dress over my head. His eyes widen as he takes me in, and I feel sexy, striking a little pose with my arms behind my back, my breasts thrust forward for him to inspect. “Do you like it?”

“You... you’re the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” Nathan whispers huskily, brushing a strand of my hair and tucking it behind my ear. “As for the white, it’s because of you. You’ve helped me feel clean, purified, and I wanted to show that tonight. Maybe when I meet my end, maybe there's still a spot in hell reserved for me, but with you, I feel like I’m clean again. Like I have a chance in heaven.”

We kiss again, and I help him take off every piece of his clothes, relishing the feeling of his skin underneath my fingertips. It's really the first time we've had sex where there's been enough light for me to see everything about him, from his tattoo on his left shoulder, the crossed arrows with a dagger and scrolled ribbon of the Special Forces, to the scars that adorn his body, the one on his butt being the thickest. I kneel down, smiling up at him as I ease his underpants down his legs and run my fingers up the backs of his thighs. “Let me give you a present,” I whisper, reaching around and taking him in my hand. “My first.”

His cock is hard, and just the right size for me. I reach out with my tongue and lick. Nathan sighs at the sensation of my tongue on his cock. I lick him all the way down and then up, circling around the head before opening my mouth and carefully sucking him in.

As he spreads my mouth open, I'm amazed at how good it feels, seeing him enjoying what I'm doing, and I remind myself to keep my teeth out of the way. I worship his cock with my lips and tongue, slowly sucking and kissing him until I'm rewarded with the tangy sweet taste of his delicious precum. “So sweet,” I say softly, licking the tip. “Want me to finish?”

Nathan smiles and strokes my cheek, shaking his head. “Another time.” That’s my man. A man of few words.

I smile and nod, turning around and pushing my panties down. They're soaked through, I've been slowly rubbing myself as I sucked him, hoping that’s what he'd say. I bend over, showing myself to him. “Can we try it this way?”

I look over my shoulder as Nathan kneels down, his cock gleaming in the light of the fire, and I shudder in anticipation as he reaches forward and unfastens my bra, letting the straps hold it on my shoulders. He slides forward, the head of his cock slipping between my lips but not entering me, instead rubbing over my clit, electricity crackling up my spine as he does. “Mmm, you’ve unlocked the woman inside me.”

“It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me,” Nathan whispers in reply, bending down and kissing my back, his cock still rubbing against my clit.

He pulls back, and this time his cock fills me, joy jolting up my back and squeezing my chest before releasing in a happy groan. Nathan slides all the way in, his hips nestled against mine and I push back, sitting up some to turn my head and kiss him tenderly while he pulls back and thrusts again, slow and sensual. Our tongues taste each other, and he reaches around, cupping my breast, teasing my nipple. I'm being assaulted by sensation, and I reach back, running my hand through his hair, our kiss deepening until I can't breathe and have to gasp.

His strokes are perfect, sliding in and out of me with just the right speed, each one sending ripples of joy through my body. We are in total harmony, happy and in our place, the fire crackling and warming my body even as his pumping cock builds the fire inside me. I put my head back down, unable to contain myself anymore as I begin to push back, Nathan holding himself still while I ride back and forth on his cock, letting my passion build.

“Nathan... oh God,” I gasp over and over as my body squeezes and rides on him. “You feel so good.”

He puts his hands on my waist and I stop, Nathan taking over as we rise, higher and higher. My body is alive, electricity crackling through every nerve of my body as his cock fills me over and over, and I feel every touch of his skin against mine. I lower myself more and more, just my hips in the air as he goes faster, I can't even understand which direction he's going anymore. It's all blended up into one massive ball of energy and joy deep inside my body. I'm trembling, gasping and squeezing the sheets underneath me, my head filled with nothing but desire to feel Nathan inside me. “'Lissa...”

“Yes, yes!” I cry as Nathan speeds up, his hips slapping mine softly. He's so close and I want to feel him, I squeeze him, milking his cock as I hold my orgasm off, wanting to feel the ultimate pleasure of coming together with him. Nathan's breath tears through him in harsh gasps and his fingers tighten, not painful but firm, and he's there. I let everything go, the amazing energy inside me erupting even as he fills me with his own eruption, my mind expanding, our energies in perfect harmony. It's the world that I see in my art, but made even better, just Nathan and I, and our family.