One Year Later

AJ heard the music and smiled, almost holding his breath as he waited to see her coming down the aisle.

Lacy smiled as she saw Ellie walking down the aisle. She looked beautiful.

Normally, a bride would be thinking about smiling at everybody at this point and just focusing on her groom...don't get her wrong, she was thinking about AJ...cause GOD DAMN...he looked good right now. She was more worried about tripping, so she gripped onto Matt's arm tighter and then stopped thinking about it for a minute and smiled at AJ.

Matt felt Ellie tighten her hold on his arm.

"You keep doing that I'm going to lose feeling in my arm." Matt joked to Ellie, trying to ease her nerves.

"Sorry." she chuckled as she loosened her grip.

AJ smiled. Ellie looked gorgeous. He didn't see anyone else in that church but her. He looked more beautiful now than when he first met her. She looked breathtaking and it took him everything he had not to scoop her in his arms and take her away.

"You're going to be okay, don't worry. If you can do this once before you can do it again." Matt said.

"I know." she smiled. "Thank you."

"Anytime sis." Matt said with a smile.

They made it to the end of the aisle and then Ellie waited as the priest asked who was giving her away.

"Her older sister and I do." Matt said.

AJ smiled, his eyes never leaving Ellie and he looked at her with nothing but love.

The priest nodded. "Very well." he said. Ellie kissed Matt's cheek and waited for AJ to take her now.

AJ took her hand and squeezed it lovingly and reassuringly.

She smiled at him and squeezed his hand as well as they stood in their positions. The priest did his usual ceremony and all that, then asked AJ to do his vows.

Lacy smiled at the two as AJ started his vows and looked over at Phil and Brandon, Brandon was beginning to fuss a bit. A small frown took over her face as she shook her head 'no' at Brandon, and Brandon blinked before going back to fussing in Phil's arms. She shot her husband a desperate look.

Phil saw Lacy give him a look, so he looked down at Brandon and started to rock him gently. He (luckily) had one of Brandon's pacifiers in his pocket, so he gave it to him just so he could bite on it.

Lacy sighed in relief as Brandon calmed down and sucked on his pacifier.

AJ took a deep breath. Then after calming down a bit, he began his vows.

"Ellie...I can't believe it's already been a year. We've had a lot of ups and downs...and when we've had ups...we've never been happier...but when we were down, it was some of the more difficult hardships we'd ever had. I did the one thing I promised I wouldn't...I took you for granted. I almost lost you and Maddie...the two most important people in the world to me. Those 3 months we were separated were the worst in my life. If I hadn't known it then, I definitely know now that I can't lose you. I won't. I won't ever be that stupid again. You're the most beautiful woman in the world, inside and out. You made the luckiest man in the world so many times over. I can't even name all the times that you've made me feel that way. The first time we met...the dinner date we went on the first day...the first time we told each other we loved each other...the day we found out you were pregnant when those doctors told us you'd never be able to have a baby...the day you accepted my proposal...that fateful trip to Vegas when we decided to get married...and every day in between. I'll never make you feel neglected or unappreciated ever again. I love you so much. I, Allen Jones, vow to always love, honor, cherish, appreciate, and protect you with all that I am. This may be our first anniversary, but it's the first of so many. I can't wait to grow old with you...watching Maddie grow up and have children of her own. I love you, Ellie. I always have and always will." he said sincerely.

Now it was her turn.

"The past year has definitely been a roller coaster for us. While we had plenty of wonderful moments together, with the good, comes the bad. Our life has been pretty hectic, but we made it. I may have been close to leaving you for good, but my love for you was always there, no matter what. I couldn't do it because my love was so strong for you and I knew we could work it out. I always pictured my life with someone who would care for me, love me, marry me, give me children of my own and just be there for me. What I got was ten times better than I ever imagined. I was given the most amazing, handsome man I've ever met in my whole entire life and I wouldn't trade you for anybody else." she smiled. "I absolutely admire you for being able to manage anything and everything related to work, dealing with your insane wife and your beautiful daughter, who absolutely adores you to no end. You have proved to me that you are an amazing boyfriend, now husband and an amazing father. I know you would do anything for me and Madison, which is all I could ever ask for." she said. "I promise to try and continue to be the best wife, friend and companion you could ever ask for. I'll show you how much I love you everyday, respect, appreciate and support you with any decision you make. I, Ellie Hardy, who is going to be Jones again..." she said with a chuckle. "...promise to love you for the rest of my life. I'll be there for every moment in not just our life, but Madison's as well. We've been blessed and I'm lucky to have you in my life."

Katie felt tears in her eyes as she heard the vows.

"This is so beautiful." Katie muttered softly to herself.

Matt looked at Katie and shook his head.

"Women and weddings." Matt thought as he continued to watch the ceremony.

AJ actually teared up and had to wipe at his eyes. Once she was done, they turned to face the priest for the next part.

Lacy found herself wiping away a few tears at the vows and turned to look at them.

Ellie shook her head in amusement and chuckled at Lacy and Katie.

"Now the rings." he said as they were handed to them.

He took the ring for Ellie's hand. "With this ring...I forever wed." he smiled.