"Like the First Time and the Last"

Declan stood at the end of the aisle overlooking the cliffs of Ireland, where he first proposed to Anna. He had his eyes locked on Anna. When he first saw her, his breath caught in his throat at how beautiful she was in her simple white dress. In that moment he realized that he loved everything about her. Her ability to make something simple magical, her over-preciseness, the way she walks in her 4 inch heels (how she does, he'll never know), and just the way she loves.

As her father proceeded to give her away to him, he thought about how her father put Anna through so much hell growing up. Before their wedding Anna explained that during high school she would waitress during the week, and then on weekends she would work at a clothing store, which caused Anna to lose her life as a normal teenager. It also opened Anna's eyes to how unreliable her father was. He silently promised to himself that when he became a father- if he became a father- that he would be the complete opposite of Anna's father and be the most reliable, loving father.

He was snapped out of his day dream by Anna squeezing his hand.

"Hi bob," he said calling her by the nick name he gave her.

"Hi," she said with a shy smile.

"You look beautiful."

"You clean up pretty nice yourself"

He smirked at first, then grew serious, "You ready?"

"More than ever."

"Good. Me too."

The minister then began to proceed with the ceremony. The time finally came for them to give their wedding vows. "Declan," the minister stated, "please recite your vows to Anna."

"I, Declan O'Callaghan now take you, Anna Brady to be my wife. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful, loyal husband to you, for as long as we both shall live," Declan avowed as he put his mother's Claddagh ring on Anna's hand.

"Now Anna your turn," instructed the minister.

"I, Anna Brady now take you, Declan O'Callaghan to be my husband. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful, loyal wife to you, for as long as we both shall live." Anna then places Declan's ring on his finger.

"Declan do you take Anna to be your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward as long as you both shall live?"

Declan looked at her with a knowing smile and says, "I do."

"And do you Anna take Declan to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward as long as you both shall live?"

Beaming with happiness Anna said, "I do."

"Declan, you may now kiss your bride."

Declan drew Anna close for the kiss. He wrapped her arms around her frame. She put her hand on his face touching the beard she begged him to never shave. The kiss was first sweet, and loving, and full of trust and understanding. Then Declan wrapped his arms tighter, having Anna flushed against him, and kissed Anna harder. He kissed her like good ole' Frank the train conductor told him. Like it was the first, and like it was the last.

Anna then pulled away knowing things were getting a little too out of hand for this PDA. As she pulled away Declan tried to keep her there for just a few moments.

"Down boy," she whispered, "I'm not going anywhere. Besides you'll get plenty of that…Later." He simply smiled back at her.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Declan O'Callaghan," the minister said. The whole congregation stood and up and applauded for the married couple, and Declan took Anna by the arm and walked with her as husband and wife back up the aisle to walk back together to the pub where their reception would take place.

When they finally walked far enough to be away from everyone's site, Anna grabbed Declan by the shoulders and kissed him hard on the mouth. She ran her fingers through his hair, one of her favorite physical attributes about him, and gently massaged his scalp.

Declan was surprised at the sudden boldness of his sometimes uptight wife, and didn't respond at first but eventually pulled Anna close.

After a few minutes Declan pulled away with Anna wanting more.

"Not that I mind, but where did that come from," Declan questioned.

"I just thought about how much I love you, and how very dashing you look in your suit," Anna said with a smile.

"Aw well isn't that sweet. And how very wrong you are," replied Declan. Anna looked at him with confusion written all over her face about the statement Declan just said, "I do not only look dashing in this suit, but dashing all the time. Right,"?

" You're right I'm sorry I did not mention that you are always extremely sexy," she said rolling her eyes, "but you know when you look sexy the most?"

"When," he questioned.

"When you have your shirt off," she stated bluntly.

" Ahh I knew you had a weak spot for me."

"Well... maybe a little."

He smiled, "Well I guess I'll have to keep it off more often."

"Oh shut up, we have a reception to get to and I still need you to refresh me on my river dancing. And plus you need to pack still for our honeymoon," she said grabbing her Declan by the hand and lead him to his pub.

"You know, I'm not too good at weddings," he whispered with a smile as he came up behind Anna wrapping his arm around her shoulders and handing her a glass of champagne.

At first she was startled by his sudden presence, but relaxed and said, "That's ok neither am. At one wedding, I threw up from being drunk on this very handsome, Irishman shoes,"

"Did ya now? Poor fella having to deal with such a typical American. It makes me wonder about how my life will be. Will I always be havin' to rescue you, huh pukey?"

"Shut up," she said while going to grab the champagne he brought her.

"Ah ah ah, I don't think so," he said while pulling the glass away from her reach. "I do not want to have to carry you to the car and have you passed out while I am driving."

"Oh please. You are the one who has tendencies for falling asleep while sitting straight up."

"That was different," he said pointing a finger up as he was explaining, "I was taking care of girl who called me a beast and then proceeded to throw up on my handsome Irish self shoes."

"And I intended on paying for them, but you wanted the coin that you conned me with," she fired back.

"Alright, alright you win. Go start saying your goodbyes and I'll go get Louis, and then we are off. But first can I have a kiss from my wife?"

"Fine, and make sure you go pack," she said with a fake annoyed look on her face. And then gave Declan a solid kiss on the mouth.

"Always good luck to start a journey on a Friday," said Donal, one of the many old gentlemen that frequented Declan's pub.

Everyone from the reception had left about an hour ago, and all that remained where Declan's regular pub crawlers.

"Aye it is, and also to consummate a marriage" agreed Seamus with a wink, another gentlemen.

"Thanks for the words of wisdom gents, but I need to find my wife," Declan replied shaking his head in disbelief, "Do either of you have an idea where she would be?"

"Ah here comes your missus now," said Donal, "Evenin Mrs. O'Callaghan."

"Good evening Donal," said Anna with a smile coming from the back of the pub where she and Declan lived.

"You look awfully pretty today if I may say so," Donal said with a shy look on his face.

"Well thank you very much Harry," she said looking at Declan.

"Don't you think she looks pretty Deco," questioned Seamus.

"She's stunning," Declan affirmed looking into Anna's eyes. Anna blushed a little, and a silence fell over the four. "Alright, I think Anna I should get going," said Declan trying to give his customers the hint to leave.

"Yeah, we're losing daylight by the second, and we'll need to find a place to stay before it gets dark," agreed Anna enthusiastically.

"Aye we can take a hint ole' Deco. Come on Donal we best let these two love birds leave," said Seamus leading Donal out of the pub.

"Now remember gents I don't know when we'll be back, but the restaurant will be open with Aric, but I won't be here to keep the place open late for you all. So you're going to have to find some place new until I get back to get drunk and avoid your wives," said Declan smiling at them.

"Alright my boy, and remember what I told ya earlier about the consu-"

"Uh yeah thanks Seamus , will do. Take care," interrupted Declan. John looked at him with confusion on his face, but didn't try to reply.

"Alright Slán you two!" said Donal.

"Goodbye," replied Anna waving. Then the two old men walked out of the pub, and headed home to face the wraths of their wives.

"Finally, we're alone," Declan said as he gathered Anna in his arms kissing her. After the kiss, they both rested their foreheads on each others, noses touching, mouths millimeters apart, and breathing each other in. "Are you ready to go," asked Declan.

"Very," stated Anna.

"What you want to leave our wonderful pub?"

"No, I just want to spend some much needed alone time with my husband."

"What are you talking about four months ago we spend 3 whole days together."

"Ha ha ha," said Anna, "but most of the time I loathed you, you loathed me. Pretty simple."

"I guess I see your point then. I guess if you really want me to, I'll spend some time with you," he said sarcastically, "Alright let's go," he said grabbing her hand.

"Are you sure she's going to make it," asked Anna about Declan's beloved car.

"Remember she's a classic," defended Declan, "She's as good as new even after some crazy woman tried to push her off the road."

"I didn't try to push her off the road. I was scraping cow poo off my shoe, because some rude man wouldn't help her move the cows," said Anna giving her evil eye to Declan.

"Only because someone was being pig-headed and couldn't wait," he said with a look of triumph.

"Shut up," Anna said defeated. The car thankfully started much to Anna's surprise, and Declan then turned around in the driver's to retrieve a map.

"Alright where to," he asked.

"Just drive," Anna answered trying to let her hair down more.

"Alright bob," Declan said looking at Anna with confusion. As Declan began to drive down the Irish countryside Anna asked,

"Wait a minute where's Louis?" Having been found out Declan replied saying,

"Louis, uh he's fine. He's strapped onto the roof."

"You strapped him to the roof," Anna asked in disbelief, "He'll get filthy up there!"

"Don't worry," Declan reassured his wife as he put his arm around her, "We'll throw him in the wash. He'll be grand."

And then they both drove into an unforgetable adventure.

So I'm a new writer and realize that this might of sucked, but I have a dream of writing so I'm starting to work on it. So if you can just give me any constructive criticism that would be great. And I'm sorry for any mispells or grammar problems, I don't have a beta or even know what one is.