Three days left until their intended wedding day, and Olli and Hannah were still waiting to see if it could actually happen or not. They had not heard anything from city hall, and they were starting to get a little worried. To take her mind off it, Hannah decided to do something she was not looking forward to, and had been putting off all week.

She regretted telling her mom she would bring the birth certificate to Finland for Kasperi to sign. It wasn't because she hated him, or was annoyed by him like she used to be- as she let Olli believe. Over the past few months she had been riddled with guilt for forcing this upon him. If she hadn't so selfishly asked Beth to stay with them almost a year ago, out of spite for Kasperi, he wouldn't have been put through all of this. She knew the toll it had taken on him this winter, and even though the official reason for sending him back to play in Kalpa was that Beau was better and Kasperi was no longer needed to play for him, Hannah knew it was because he was playing terribly. He had been doing fine up until Beth told him she was pregnant, and then things went downhill for him (although that is a bit of an understatement).

She was glad he'd found a girlfriend, and couldn't believe how changed he seemed when she saw him for that one week in July. He was happy, on top of the world, and Hannah actually started to like him, almost enough to consider him a friend. Her guilt started to fade a little, but that changed when she found out his girlfriend had dumped him.

She honestly didn't know what to expect when she called him, and as hard it as it was explaining to him that she needed him to sign the birth certificate, she didn't realize how hard it would be telling him him that she was getting married.

"Uh...yeah, I can sign it. I probably should, since I know I'm his dad, now," he sounded a million miles away.

"I heard he called you on your birthday. Sorry about that; if I'd known, I would have asked him to wait. But he called me right after you. What an odd guy," Hannah recalled her 'fun' phone conversation with Dr. Rothstein.

"I guess I can come down to Jyväskylä in a few days, or whenever that works for you."

"Actually," Hannah bit her lip and prepared for what she was about to say. "Saturday would work best."

"Okay," he thought for a minute. "Oh yeah, that's Olli's birthday. Are you having a party or something?"

"Yeah, or something." Her heart was racing, and she wasn't sure why. Calm, cool, Hannah was getting nervous just thinking about her wedding. "We're hopefully getting married."

"Oh," he sounded genuinely surprised. He knew they were engaged, but this seemed very sudden. He felt an ache in his heart he couldn't explain.

"And I'd like you to be there."

Kasperi didn't know how to respond. Should he feel honored? There were too many thoughts and feelings racing through his mind for him to think of a coherent response.

"Okay."

"Great! You should come a day early, we're having a party. We'll see you Friday," Hannah tried to sound more excited than she felt.

Over the next few days she spent her time trying to ignore how nervous she felt, and getting drunk with Olli and his friends. They spent a lot of time in the sauna, running naked to the lake when it got too hot. Hannah didn't know why she was so nervous. She wanted this, more than anything; marrying Olli was probably the smartest decision she'd ever made. Yet she couldn't ignore the knot in her stomach. She was almost hoping the guy from city hall wouldn't come through in time, and they'd have to wait. Even if it was only a few more days, Hannah wasn't sure she would feel ready by Saturday.

However by the time Friday rolled around, she had almost forgotten that Kasperi was coming. They'd been camped out in the cabin all week, and his knock on the door startled Olli and Hannah. Olli opened the door slowly, and then smiled when he saw who was waiting.

"Hey," he said and led him inside. "Grab a beer." Olli introduced Kasperi to his friends, who were all headed off to the lake or sauna. Soon it was just the three of them, but after chatting for a bit, Olli left to join his friends. Hannah wasn't quite as fond of the sauna as her Finnish fiancé and his friends, so she planned on heading down to the lake to lie in the sun. However, with Kasperi now around, she felt compelled to put a bathing suit on. She knew it didn't bother the Finns, but to Hannah Kasperi was almost as American as she was.

"I'm heading down to the lake if you want to join me," she said to him before she skipped down the back stairs of the porch. She walked the short distance to the small beach and felt the warm sunshine on her shoulders. It was apparently a warm day for Finland, around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically Hannah wouldn't have thought that too warm, but Olli assured her that it was warmer than usual. She found a patch of sand in the sun and laid her towel down before lying down. She had her arm over her eyes, shading the sun.

A few minutes later, she heard someone join her on the beach. He put his towel next to hers, but not too close, and laid down. Hannah hoped he was wearing a bathing suit, thinking back to the episode with Olli in Oregon with her parents. She peaked at him from under her arm, just to make sure. Satisfied that Kasperi wasn't naked, she closed her eyes and continued soaking in the warm rays of sun in silence.

Suddenly she felt someone brushing their fingertips along her upper arm, and she jumped. She had been so drawn into her thoughts that she'd forgotten about Kasperi. She sat up defensively and glared at him, before her countenance softened, remembering that it was just Kasperi.

"Sorry, I, uh, I was just looking at your tattoo," he looked embarrassed, yet deeply sad at the same time. Hannah's heart broke to see him like that, and she rushed to comfort him.

"No, it's fine, you just startled me." She moved closer and put her hand on his, letting him know it was okay.

"It's just, your tattoo..." he looked off into the distance, and tried to find the right words. "Is it new?"

"No, I got it last year," Hannah stared at him questioningly. She could have sworn she remembered talking to him about this...

Suddenly, Kasperi remembered the first time he'd seen that tattoo; when he'd kissed her, and then she punched him in the face. It brought back painful memories, and not just the pain of her punching him in the face. He recalled that he had loved her, or thought he had at least. Kasperi didn't learn what real love was until he met Satu. And even that he managed to mess up.

"Jӓӓprinsessa," he said quietly, and ran his fingers over the black inked words on her inner upper arm. It tickled, and she smiled. He looked like he was going to say something else, but they were interrupted by Olli and his drunk friends racing from the sauna to the lake. Hannah stared after them and laughed, eventually joining them. Kasperi watched, frozen in his place on the beach, his mind racing. As the gang left to return to the sauna, Hannah fell back onto her towel next to him, beer in hand. As she took a sip, Kasperi reached out to stop her.

"You shouldn't be drinking that," he said.

"....are Finnish brides not supposed to drink before their wedding?" Hannah asked questioningly.

"No, aren't you-" he stopped, and realized he was basing this on assumption. "I thought you were getting married so suddenly because you were pregnant. I guess I was wrong."

Hannah burst out laughing. "No, this is not a shotgun wedding," she took a sip of beer. "But thank you for being concerned."

They lay back on their towels and were quiet for a bit, before Hannah broke the silence. "You're kind of my only relative coming to my wedding. I mean, you're my nephew's dad, I guess that makes you family."

"Really? Your family isn't coming?"

"No. And it's better that way. Things are a little....crazy right now, with Beth. She left the baby with my parents, and took off with her boyfriend."

Kasperi was quiet, deep in thought. "How is he?"

It surprised Hannah that he was asking, but of course he would; it's his son, after all. "The baby? He's fine. If you ever want to see him just let me know. Talking to Beth won't get you anywhere. She's so....I don't know what she's doing any more. It's that boyfriend."

"The skinny guy I saw at your house?"

"Yeah."

"And, is she smoking now?"

Hannah snorted. "Yes. So ironic." Hannah couldn't remember the number of times Beth had told on Hannah for coming home smelling like weed in high school, yet here she was smoking and doing God knows what else. "So you're coming back to Pittsburgh again?"

"Yes," Kasperi laughed with relief, because they were changing the subject, and because he was still thrilled they actually wanted him back. "Rutherford left me a message, on my birthday, actually, so about a month ago."

"Glad to hear your birthday didn't totally suck," Hannah said, recalling that Dr. Rothstein had made the paternity announcement on Kasperi's 19th birthday. "If you need a place to stay, my old apartment is still open and pretty much furnished."

"Thanks! I'll think about it."

Hannah fell asleep shortly after, and as night fell, Olli carried her inside. He didn't even wake her up to tell her they'd gotten the documents they needed from city hall in time, and that they'd found someone to officiate the wedding. Olli didn't care if it was 'improper' to see the bride the night before the wedding. They were having the most informal wedding possible, and he wasn't going to sleep on the couch just so he could avoid seeing her before the wedding. Besides, he had a couple of friends staying at the cabin with them, and they would be sleeping on the couch, the floor, or anywhere else they could. Kasperi, one of the few sober ones in the group, opted to drive to a hotel. He promised to be back by noon the next day.

'It's my wedding day,' Hannah thought as she opened her eyes Saturday morning. It was actually happening; something she never in her wildest dreams thought would happen. 'It's actually today.' She sat up straight in bed and looked over to see Olli sleeping quietly. She kissed his forehead before slipping out of bed and making breakfast.

"Happy birthday," she said and shook him awake. "Breakfast is waiting for you in the kitchen." Olli kissed her and smiled happily before retreating to the kitchen to eat breakfast (although it was closer to lunchtime) with this friends. Hannah started with her hair, braiding it carefully and mixing in a few flowers she'd picked from the front garden. They were blue and purple, and although she wasn't sure what kind of flower they were, Hannah instantly liked them. She took a small bunch of flowers and tied them together to stick in Olli's button hole, if he had one. She had no idea what he was wearing, and for all she knew he was wearing a tee-shirt. Or nothing. Hannah giggled at the idea of getting married while stark naked. That would certainly be exciting....

Instead, she slipped into her favorite summer dress. It was a light aqua color that brought out her green eyes. She popped the earrings Olli had given her into her ears before slipping on a necklace that Olli had probably given her too (for her birthday maybe?). There was a small black box on the corner of the dresser. She knew what it was, and it gave her butterflies to look at it. It was so permanent, so real. And she really hoped they fit! Doing things last minute meant some parts got looked over, like finding the correct ring size.

A knock on the door distracted her, and she opened it to find Kasperi. He looked almost as surprised as she was.

"You look...beautiful," He looked her over, and Hannah blushed. "I just came in to sign the birth certificate. Since you'll be leaving right after the ceremony, I thought I'd sign it now."

The knot in Hannah's stomach came back like a punch. She had almost forgotten about that, and quickly found the document for him. She watched as he held it carefully, like it was some kind of poisonous animal that could strike at any moment. He took the pen she handed him and held his hand, poised to sign, over the line labeled 'father' for a minute. He took a deep breath and scratched his name across the line.

It was done. He was officially a dad. Of a baby he had yet to see.

"And I think I'll take that apartment. Saves me the hassle of trying to find one." He said as he handed the paper back to Hannah and she carefully filed it away.

"That's great! I'll get the key for you." She grabbed her keys off of the dresser and began working the spare key to the apartment off of her keychain. She hesitated when something else on the dresser caught her eye and then turned back to face him. "You know, we did this all so fast that we didn't have time to find a maid of honor, or a best man, and we need someone to carry the rings for us. Would you like to be our 'best man,' so to say, and look after these?" She held the black box out to him with the key.

His mouth opened in surprise, and couldn't find a reason not to, not one that he could explain at least. He took the box and key, and tried to smile. "That would by my honor."

When Hannah handed him the box time suddenly sped up. The next half hour flew by and she found herself walking down toward the beach, in her left hand a small bouquet of flowers given to her by Olli's mother. His family and friends were gathered by the beach, and Olli was waiting for her somewhere near the spot he had proposed to her last Christmas. He was wearing that light blue button down shirt she loved so much, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the top two buttons undone. He had a nice pair of light khaki shorts on and his favorite pair of Sperrys. Hannah looked down at her own feet, hidden inside her ratty, falling apart, black Converse she'd had since high school.

Olli's heart sped up when he saw Hannah. She looked so beautiful, but really, she always looked amazing. While Hannah couldn't believe this was happening because she'd never dreamed of getting married, Olli couldn't believe it was happening because it was all too perfect. They didn't have a fancy, expensive wedding, and just his (their) family and friends were there. She looked absolutely stunning in a light summer dress, and he guessed she was probably wearing her bikini under it. That was Hannah's style "You never know when you're going to go swimming." He remembered her saying that once when he asked her about it when they'd first started dating. But that's what he loved about her. She was spontaneous, unique, and soon, she would be his. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.

Hannah had always hated those vows, but they were traditional, and short, and she didn't want to write her own, like so many people did these days. She repeated the words, staring into Olli's blue eyes, his face stuck in a smile, and she knew she meant every one of them. Her heart seemed to explode she loved him so much, and she was so happy, she seemed to be leaking from her eyes. She laughed and wiped away a tear as she listened to Olli repeat his vows.

'Crying at my own wedding,' she thought, and mentally rolled her eyes at herself. She swallowed and braced herself for the last question.

"Do you, Hannah Eldridge, take thee Olli Määttä, as your husband?"

Everyone disappeared, and it was just the two of them alone by the lake. Hannah smiled up at Olli and, not taking her eyes from his, answered, "I do."

Kasperi stepped forward and handed off the rings, although neither Hannah nor Olli noticed him. They broke eye contact long enough to slip the rings onto each other's left ring fingers. Hannah looked back up at Olli, and didn't even hear the last words, "you may now kiss the bride," before she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down so she could kiss him. His arms wrapped around her, and picked her up. Finally breaking the kiss, she smiled, her face pressed against his, and he set her down.

Olli kissed her one last time before they headed back up to the cabin, where champagne was waiting. They had a quick toast with the guests, Hannah's new family, before they were whisked out the door into a limo to take them to the airport. Even though it had all been very last minute, Hannah made sure to book their honeymoon in Paris, the one place she'd always wanted to go with Olli. But first, they were stopping in Belgium to see the Spa Francorchamps Formula 1 Grand Prix. This was Hannah's surprise to Olli, and her wedding gift to herself.

In the back of the limo, Olli leaned over and kissed her again. "Mrs. Määttä," he said with mock seriousness.

"What makes you so sure I won't insist you take my name, Mr. Eldridge?" She teased and fell into his arms. "Määttä-Eldridge? Or Eldridge-Määttä?" Hannah looked questioningly up at him. "Or should we just keep it the same?"

"I will take whatever name you want me to." He replied with a smile, and kissed her one more time. 

A/N: Want to keep reading? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z7DW6JS?*Version*=1&*entries*=0