The Love We Found. [A.H]

27. end

Months after the wedding, I'm trying to decide who my maid of honor is going to be. Me and Aaron are only going to do maid of honor and best man with no bridesmaids or groomsmen. I sigh and I'm trying to choose Emily or JJ. Aaron already has his, it's going to be Morgan. I rack my brain before deciding Emily. “Aaron I've got it” I say walking out to the kitchen. “Emily?” He asks and I nod. I've been struggling to figure this out for months now and I've finally chosen. Me and Aaron also aren't going to have Astrid or Jack in the wedding.

Today is also the day of my wedding dress shopping, and I've taken the girls, including Astrid, to come with me. I walk out in one and they shake their heads. I go through almost 5 before I find one I absolutely love, and when I walk out Astrid's eyes light up. “I really like this one” she says and I smile. “Good because I like it too,” I say. It's a gorgeous floor length dress that has embroidered leafs around the waist and top of the bodice, with mesh see through shoulders with the same leads with tool arms that flare at the bottom. It's simple but elegant. It's the dress. They take my measurements and we leave to get lunch. “So I've made a decision on my maid of honor” I say. “Miss Emily Prentiss, will you be my maid of honor?” I ask and she laughs. “Of course, of course” she says and I smile.

More and more planning and lots of other cases. October 15th is the perfect time for a wedding, at least for us. Emily has been helping me get ready, JJ and Penelope have gotten the kids ready for us, which is greatly appreciated. I take a deep breath as I look at myself in the mirror. My hair is half up half down and curled, my vale in the up part, and I look stunning. But my nerves are eating away at me. Emily places her hands on my shoulder and looks at me. “Isabella rose drâgos, you are the most brilliant I know, you bounce back after everything, if anyone can walk down that aisle looking like a goddess, it's you, and that's what you are going to do” she says with a little punch and I laugh a little bit. I hear a knock at the room door and Emily goes to open it. “Darek is waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs” I hear David say and she nods and leaves, he walks in and smiles softly. “mamma mia, bella, sei bellissima, sono fortunata a poterti chiamare figlia mia anche se non siamt true.” he says in Italian. And I smile.
(my my, beautiful, you are beautiful, I am lucky to be able to call you my daughter even if it is not true.)
“Thank you” I say. We walk down the stairs and wait until Aaron is done walking and then we stand in the doorway. I take a deep breath before me and David start to walk down. I see Aaron, the usually cold and closed off Aaron, start to tear up when he sees me. This is our first look. I see the team split up between the sides watching, I see Astrid and Jack. I smile as I start to tear up. We stop at the end of the aisle and David kisses my cheek before sitting down, I walk up to the altar, me and Aaron face each other as the officiant starts talking.

When it gets to us being able to exchange our vows I see him pull out a small note card, like the ones you'd use to memorize stuff in school. “Isabella, for the past however many years from when you joined the team to now have been some of my happiest years. You have shown that even though you struggle and get hurt it always gets better, when you constantly stepped up for both me and Jack during the hardest part of grief, to be able to watch you, Astrid and Jack together, I knew I wanted to marry you, and even though we disagree and get mad we have just proved that we are always stronger together” he says and I feel a tears rolling down my cheek. I clear my throat and Emily hands me my paper with my vows. “Aaron, you have just proven time and time again that we all go through hardships but always get to the other side. You have been there through some of my hardest and not proudest moments, and have always been one of my biggest supporters. The way you have stepped up to be a father to Astrid has always stood out to me, you took her in, you helped both me and her and I thank you for that, we have faced hardships as a team, and gotten through them as a team, and that's the way I want it to continue” I say and he smiles as he wipes away his tears. “Oh and not to mention the thousands of other things I couldn't write because I didn't have enough room” I say and he chuckles. We exchanged rings and gave a dramatic kiss. We walked down the aisle together, happy. The reception was like Reid's just without a proposal. Party, drinks, pictures, food, dancing, and laughing.

“Astrid hurry up, we are going to be late for papa's dinner party!” I yell from the entryway. It's been almost 7 years since we got married and Astrid and Jack are 18, me, Aaron, David, Morgan and Reid retired. Morgan and Savannah got married and had a son. Spencer and Maeve had a beautiful little girl, JJ and Emily adopted a baby girl. Astrid rushes down and puts her shoes on. “Sorry mom” she says and I just nod.

When we arrive at Davids we get hugs and kisses from him. This has become a monthly thing. Dinner at Davids with everyone, catch up on how everyone is doing. It's fun. “Auntie Bella!” I hear Hank, Morgan and Savannah's son say. “Hey little guy” I say. He's actually 6 so not that young but not that old. I'm still a fan favorite with the kids. Astrid and Jack go to talk with Reid. As Miss Astrid Hotchner-Drâgos got into Yale! And yes she decided to hyphenate her last name. Jack is going to duke for soccer! Very very proud of both of them. “You're going to my favorite school!” I hear Spencer say excitedly. I laugh a little bit. Jack and Astrid are still very close, Jack has a girlfriend named Josephine or Josie for short, and Astrid has a boyfriend named Johnathan, both are very good kids so we have no problem with them.

Life with the bau has never stopped, we might have retired but we are teaching what we know to this next generation, me and Reid teach classes at the same college. We might have left the bau at different times for different reasons but our bond with each other has never faulted, we have moved and gotten married but we are still the same team just way older. I could never be any more happy with my life, with the love of my life, my kids, my family, my team, we are the BAU team that has changed the history to come, we left our mark.

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So I finished the book, it's done. I wasn't sure what I was doing when I wrote this, and I've learned a lot through writing this. I might make more books, or might not, not sure yet. Anyways I hope you like this, and had some laughs, thank you for the support!