A.N - Well, after 170 reviews - thank you for all of them by the way - and many alerts and appearances on many favourite lists, this story is finally finished.
I hope you enjoy this last chapter.
Epilogue
6 Months Later.
Suze peered at her reflection in the mirror inquisitively. Her kohl-rimmed, green eyes glanced up and down every inch of her white dress covered self.
She was getting married. Properly this time. And not in her High School's Christmas Dance, torn from gallivanting around in the past, dress. A real wedding dress!
Her hair was piled up on top of her head in extravagant curls with ringlets finding their way past her tiara.
"Susie!" Her mom exclaimed happily, tears in her eyes. "You look so grown up. I can't believe it! My daughter's getting married."
"Mom," Suze replied. "I've been married for six months now."
"Oh, I know that," her mom waved her hand as if to brush away the sentence. "But this time I'm actually here to see you walk down the aisle."
Suze smiled widely as her mom pulled her into a hug.
"You look breathtaking, sweetheart," Suze pulled away as she heard her dad's voice.
"I'll just go," her mom said. "I really only came to check on your progress. You look beautiful, Susie."
"Thanks Mom," she whispered as her mom gathered up a small collection of flowers and left the room to start handing them out to the bridesmaids.
Suze had three bridesmaids - CeeCee, Gina (her best friend from back when she lived in Brooklyn) and Josefina (Jesse's sister). Jesse's family had took an instant liking to Suze when they had first met but it was Josefina who Suze got along with the most.
"Dad." Suze said tears welling up in her eyes. "You're here?"
"Of course I am," her dad looked shocked at the suggestion he wouldn't be. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."
A tear escaped Suze as she ran to hug her dad.
"Hey now, kid," he whispered. "None of that. Can't ruin you're make-up."
"I'm so happy that you're actually here."
They stayed hugging until they both heard the strains of the age-old tune fill the hall area of the Mission - where they were getting married.
"Dad," Suze began as she pulled away from him. "Would you do the honour of giving me away?"
Her Dad looked confused.
"I thought that Andy was doing it?"
"He is," Suze agreed. "But he's not my real dad. I'd love it if you were there too."
Mr Simon had tears in his own eyes now.
"Of course I would, Sweetheart," He whispered giving her hand a squeeze. "I'd love to."
Smiling up at him, Suze quickly placed her veil on top of her professionally done hair, checking herself in the mirror once again before gathering her bouquet and going to meet Andy.
"Are you ready?" He asked her, taking her arm in his own.
"Uh-huh." Suze nodded confirming that she was as her Dad took up his place on her other side.
Then the doors swung open and suddenly at least one hundred people all turned to stare at her.
But Suze only had eyes for her husband. He was standing at the altar, with Father Dominic in the middle of where the two of them would finally be stood, and Adam at his side as best man. Both boys were dressed elegantly in matching tuxedos.
Slowly, she began her walk up the aisle, revelling in the attention that was cast upon her - the attention that she hadn't received during her actual wedding.
Jesse cast his gaze from his wife to the glowing person standing at her side. The person only he, Father Dominic, Susannah and Paul who was somewhere in the audience, could see.
Susannah's dad looked at him and winked as he stepped to the side allowing Andy to kiss his daughter's cheek and let go of her hand as she turned to face Jesse.
"You look amazing," he admitted softly as he lifted up his wife's veil.
"Thank you." she smiled. "You look good too."
Jesse smiled widely and took her hand in his own as they turned to face Father Dominic.
The mission had been extravagantly decorated for the event - the Ackerman's had spared no expense. Small bunches of white tulips and pink roses were tied together with a pink ribbon and hung from each row of pews.
Day-lily petals had been scattered up the aisle by the bridesmaids as they had made their own journey to the altar.
The ceremony only lasted half an hour, but it was long enough to make most of the women present dab their eyes with handkerchiefs.
Next came the reception which was to be held at a nearby hall which was also decorated with ribbons and streamers hanging from every available surface.
"I love you, Mrs de Silva," Jesse whispered into his wife's ear as they shared their 'first' dance together as man and wife.
"I love you too, Mr de Silva."
Wedding leaflets lay crumpled on the ground as the guests at the wedding dropped them in favour of dancing.
'Mr and Mrs Ackerman invite you to the renewal of wedding vows of their daughter Susannah de Silva and her husband Hector de Silva.'
The message screamed happily from the page.
As their dance finished, the one meant for father and daughter began, and Andy came over to the couple to claim it.
Jesse stepped aside gallantly and kissed his wife on the cheek before walking over to where Susannah's biological dad was sitting.
"I really wish I could be the one dancing with her," he admitted to Jesse. "I am her father."
"I bet she wishes it were you as well Mr Simon." Jesse offered.
Susannah's dad turned to him with a smile.
"I'm glad she has you now, son." He told Jesse. "She's happy with you."
Jesse nodded and looked away.
Suze had caught the whole exchange from where she'd been dancing, having looked over Andy's shoulder.
"I love you Dad," she mothed at him with a smile on her face and tears welling up in her eyes.
"I love you too," he said back before smiling at her and starting to shimmer away.
Her dad had finally moved on.
"Are you okay?" Jesse asked her later as she was finally released from the many people who claimed her for a dance.
"I'm fine." She told him. "Never better."
Jesse smiled and kissed her, fully, on the lips.
"Have you seen Paul today?" Susannah asked her husband.
"Yeah," Jesse smiled. "He's out back dealing with a few ghosts."
"Ghosts?" Suze asked worriedly.
"I told him there were some out there," Jesse shrugged innocently. "He really is scared that we're going to go to the police about what really happened."
"He should be!" Exclaimed Susannah. "Although," they had begun dancing again by now. "If he hadn't have pulled that stunt, then we might not be here today, getting married."
"True," Jesse agreed. "We would have just waited until after college."
They had only just graduated from High School the month before.
"Who said I would have stayed with you that long?" She teased.
"You did, Mrs de Silva," her husband teased her right back. "When the words 'I do' left your mouth. Both on December 24th and June 5th."
He paused for a moment.
"When do you plan on celebrating our anniversary anyway, querida?" He asked. "Today or at Christmas?"
"Hmmm," she paused before smiling wildly. "Both days?"
Jesse laughed as he pulled her in for a kiss. He'd give her everything he could.
Because he loved her. They were married, had everyone's blessing and were moving into an apartment together close to the college they were both attending.
Life didn't get any better then this.