Momentarily, a short line of at least five Navy drummers, men and women alike, from the North Island Naval Base came into the tent with their drums beating out a traditional military cadence similar to the kinds both Richard and William had heard in their respective service branches back in those good old days. The drumline then parted into two lines and stood silently at attention to the back sides of the tent. It was then that the curtains parted and the most exciting, and admittedly the scariest, part of this mission was revealed.
First was Ashley Miller, the soon-to-be wife of Richard Johnson, who chose to go with a short, shiny hemline dress that stretched only as far as the top of her knees, was easy to walk in without getting dragged or torn, and had her arm looped around her father, Professor Thomas Miller. Following behind in the same orderly fashion was Sophia Danes, William Roberts’ upcoming romantic partner, who wore a very similar skirt to that of Ashley but also had on an added veil supported underneath by a carefully trimmed olive branch crown, her hair was braided in a single short pigtail, and was accompanied by both her mother, Gracie Whitmore Danes, and her father, Tobias Danes. Richard and William both kept their mouths shut, but couldn’t seem to control their gazes with nearly as much restraint as they both widened their eyes with shock and amazement at seeing the women they’d become so attached to appearing in such uniquely beautiful manners. At the front of the audience, the women parted with their parents and faced their respective future husbands as the priest quietly searched for the prayer in his book.
“You’re looking...magnificent, Ashley,” Richard commented, to which his former Team Leader returned, “And you’re looking far better than I’ve ever seen you, Richard. Even the scars have healed.”
“Yeah, some of them have faded, but there are others which haven’t,” Richard returned, looking down towards his middle area. “But I guess it’s best that some of them didn’t.”
Ashley was confused by this at first, then looked down at her own middle and recalled the surgical scar from getting fixed up after her brutal fight with Stilatro nearly four years ago. It soon dawned on her that, had she not been broken and then acquired those nerves of steel, she might never have met Richard, least of all considered marrying him.
“Y’know, I always thought you were taller William,” Sophia replied with a smile, “Maybe it’s just these heels, pushing me so much higher.”
“No, no, no,” William calmly replied with a smile. “You’ve grown, and you keep reaching higher heights every day, literally. But you’ve also grown into a very strong young woman, the kind that any soldier should be humbled to be in the presence of.”
“When you’re ready,” the priest then politely advised the couples. In addition to looking at their respective partners, the brides and the grooms looked at each other before turning their focus back to their partners and silently nodding.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two,” the priest began, then paused as he looked at both couples before briefly rephrasing as, “to join these partners in holy matrimony. Let us give thanks for the life they will soon share and pray they have love everlasting.”
From here, the priest gave the couples the opportunity for them to speak their vows.
“William, Sophia, I think you should say yours first,” Richard encouraged quietly.
“You sure First Sergeant, I mean Richard?” William asked.
“Come on, it’s gonna take me a little longer to convey my feelings into the right words,” Richard urged with a smile.
“Should we, Ashley?” Sophia checked on her end, to which Ashley briefly looked at Richard and, with a pearl white grin, replied, “Permission granted. Speak your mind, Ms. Danes.”
With a deep breath, Sophia began with her feelings as she carefully slipped the ring over William’s finger.
“When I first joined the services, I didn’t know what to expect. Was I going to be respected for doing my part to protect the country I loved? Or was I going to get jeered and shuttered in the dark by soldiers who thought I wasn’t fit to join the Army? Neither came, as a matter of fact. What did come was something much more unexpected. That something...was you, William Roberts. I’ve long heard about the SEALs being the toughest men we’ve ever had in our armed services: they train the hardest, they take on the riskiest missions, all without question and all without fear of the unknown. But you were the SEAL who suddenly came out of the water and, instead of roaring at me to back off from my dreams, offered me a ride deep into the sea of battle, never gave me a chance to let go no matter how dark the water got or how fierce the currents became, but always came up to allow me a chance to grab a breath of air when I needed it. I love you, William Roberts. I promise to fulfill my duty to you as the love of your life, the girl who’s always got your back, and will make sure you stay positive and committed when life throws its hardest curveballs at us.”
After returning the favor with his own ring on Sophia’s finger, William let his feelings go.
“We say in our credo that every SEAL has been around the world twice, seen everything that any man could ever see in their lifetime, both good and bad. But there was one thing I hadn’t had a chance to see in the SEALs - a woman in the field of combat. I heard stories about them all the time, but until I met you, Sophia Danes, that was all they were to me at first...stories. When I first laid eyes on you, your beauty and upbeat personality hooked me, but your skill in the field was what caught me off guard, and that was what made me realize that women truly mean just as much to our cause in the military as the men who enlist, our sisters as well as our brothers. I’ve watched you hurdle through challenges, kick a world of hurt into hostile forces, and recently jump off planes and parachute into the highest risk combat zones I’ve ever known. And you’ve done all that without losing your wit, your humor, and your charm. I love you, Sophia Danes. I promise to fulfill my duty to you as the love of your life, the man who’s always got your back in the field, and will make sure you stay positive and committed when life throws its hardest curveballs at us.”
Now it was Richard and Ashley’s turn, and though they both still had some uneasiness finding the right words, Richard replied, “Well, let’s make sure every word counts. I guess I’ll start.”
Taking in a deep breath, Richard began with, “Of all the things we think we need as human beings, one thing I have learned in life is that the one thing we need that we rarely think about is balance. I learned that the hard way by being a very prideful and enthusiastic young Army Ranger who was nearly blown up six years ago overseas and lost three team members at the same time. And when that single tragedy on the battlefield broke my shield and blew away my pride, I didn’t know what I had left. Then, after coming to A.T.X.D. to admittedly relive the glory days of being back in the field, I realized I wasn’t the center of my world...you were, Ashley Miller. Seeing you shrug off the insults because you’re a woman who’s giving orders to the men, watching you fight back against monumental dangers to other people’s freedom and well-being, and seeing you take blow after blow and each time coming back stronger, it made me realize that if I was ever going to meet your expectations, I could no longer let pride dominate my life. You reminded me that putting others before myself is the noblest act of any person, soldier or civilian, human or extraterrestrial. You taught me to balance my ego with awareness for other people, and have thus made me a better leader in Bravo Team than I ever thought I’d be. I love you, Ashley Miller. I promise to remain by your side, to always have your back in the field and in life, and to ensure you stay strong and keep fighting as long as you have the breath and the willpower to do so.”
In response, Ashley relaxed her face and let her feelings come out in full.
“Growing up, I always knew I could count on people to help me whenever I was at my lowest. That’s probably what made me so willing to help others. But we all know that such dedication for others also makes you vulnerable, because it is easy for some individuals out there to exploit in negative ways, whether to manipulate you or to overpower you. When I became an adult and garnered full independence in life, I knew I wouldn’t have the same kind of support I used to, but I had no idea how thick and ugly the swamp was that I was wading into, especially when I took on the role of a sailor and then operative. Since then, I’ve been betrayed, insulted, used, and broken in places I didn’t think could ever be repaired. And when my demons came back to haunt me, I felt like I was going to lose the battle for good. But then, in your shaded uniform and armor, Richard Johnson, you stood there, in the cold pounding rain and told me that I had much more potential than even I believed. You gave me a reason to keep fighting, Richard; a reason to keep being the leader and the role model I have always strived to be as a woman. Your selflessness in battle gave me a model which I could use to make myself a true hero for others; to be the dauntless knight who puts their sword and shield down and extends a hand to those who need it while protecting them at the same time with the experience of being in their place and the determination to not let others suffer like we did before. I love you, Richard Johnson. I promise to remain by your side, to always have your back in the field and in life, and to ensure that you stay strong and keep fighting as long as you have the breath and the willpower to do so.”
With that, the priest asked both couples the final and most important question.
“Do you, William Seamus Roberts, take the Sophia Alice Danes, and do you, Richard Thomas Johnson, take the Ashley Katrine Miller, to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, to love and to cherish, ‘til death do you part and for the rest of your lives?”
One at a time, William, Sophia, Richard, and Ashley each said the one and true final response to that question: “I do.”
“I now pronounce these couples Husband and Wife.”
With jubilation and relief, Sophia took off her veil and jumped into William’s arms with a strong hug and kiss. Ashley, meanwhile, gripped Richard with a lovingly hard hug, raising a leg up behind. Richard returned the comforting embrace, carefully supporting his new wife and giving her a gentle kiss that flooded them both with that enjoyable and colorful romantic feeling in their bodies, all while their comrades and families clapped and cheered for their new achievements.