Chapter three: The Wedding

Haven Forest was more beautiful than it had ever been on the day of Keira and Errol's wedding. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping happily, and the butterflies flew about while the furry woodland animals hopped merrily. It was the worst day of Jak's life.

He straightened his small black tie. It was strange for him to see himself in a tux since he hadn't ever worn one before and he was only accustomed to wearing casual clothes. He vaguely wondered what Keira was going to look like in her dress, or without it… He snapped himself back into reality. If he was going to get through this agonizing day, he couldn't think about that night…

Daxter's familiar and quite annoying voice disrupted Jak's thoughts as he strode proudly through the door to the men's dressing room, "Check out the new threads!" he said while striking a pose to show off his ottsel-sized tux.

Jak chuckled to himself a little when he saw his furry friend. He never thought he would see the day that Daxter would be able to wear a tux, or would want to. "Cool right?" Daxter said looking triumphantly up at his noticeably taller friend.

Jak turned back around to look into the mirror again. "Yeah…Sure Dax."

"Tessie picked it out for me. I guess it turns her on." He said slyly as he moved his orange eyebrows up and down. Jak smacked him playfully on the back of his head like he had to do so many other times when he would hit on either Keira, Ashelin, Tess, or just some random girl that they passed on the street. Daxter had never changed, and Jak figured he never would.

Errol entered the room with a couple of other guys as they were in the middle of a conversation. Errol commented loud enough so that Jak could hear, "Yeah I can't wait until tonight! Keira gets wild and frisky with me all the time! There has even been a couple of times where I've had to push her off of me!" he said while laughing falsely and grinning cunningly in Jak's direction.

Jak clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger. He knew that Errol was lying; he knew that he was Keira's first and only intimate partner, but he couldn't stand to hear Errol lie about her like that. "Just keep it cool Jak," he told himself even though he wanted to kill Errol right then and there. "You can't go around killing you're best friend's fiancée. Keira would hate you forever and the day after. Just keep calm…"

He walked out of the dressing room and strode down the hall to Keira's dressing room. He gently tapped on the oak, wood door. "Keira? It's Jak. Can I come in?"

Her phony, cheery voice came back to him, "Sure."

It made his stomach wrench to hear her trying to put on a happy face just so that he wouldn't feel bad about what they had done the other night.

When he stepped in, what he saw made his heart sink. She was more beautiful than he could have ever envisioned in her long, white, flowing gown. It was strapless and had beaded flower designs trailing down the side and across the top edge. As she turned, her aqua hair bounced slightly because it was now in loose curls and also had a white see-through veil draped over it.

She smiled happily, but he could see a definite trace of sorrow concealed in her emerald eyes. "Do you like it?"

"Of course I like it… I love it." he said as he walked closer to her, "You're beautiful…and I don't just mean the dress." He gave her a genuine smile.

She met him in the middle of the room and pulled him into a warm embrace. "Thank you Jak…thank you so much…for always being there for me no matter what…and for always being my friend…and…you know…for everything."

He could hear her beginning to cry so he pulled away from her. "Hey…come on… Don't cry Keira. This is your big day. She looked away from him and brushed a few tears from her cheeks.

"You're supposed to be happy." She looked back up into his eyes now, but that only made her want to shed more heart-breaking tears.

Jak continued to attempt to make her feel better even though it seemed bleak. "Smile!" he said optimistically as he took her cheeks and forced her to smile. This made her laugh a little despite her absolute misery that had been brought on by this fateful day. God how he had missed that laugh… That was one of the many things that he had always loved about Keira, her ability to make any seemingly hopeless situation seem better, just by laughing. Jak only wished that her enchanted laugh could make this situation better, but he knew it wasn't at all possible.

She wiped her eyes once more then and returned her gaze back to him. She smiled on her own now. "Thanks. You always know how to make me feel better Jak."

"But I'm sure Errol will be better than me at making you happy." She looked towards the lushly carpeted ground. He reluctantly turned from her and started out the door from which he had come in and he forced himself to say, "You'd better get out there. Wouldn't want to keep your groom waiting." He said this with the utmost sincerity before exiting and shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah," she murmured to herself, "I just wish I wouldn't have to make the man I love wait…" She sighed hopelessly and turned back to look in the protracted mirror in front of her and another tear rolled helplessly down the side of her cheek.

Everyone took their places in the church and the procession of bride's maids and groom's men had already begun. Jak had seated himself in one of the back rows, away from everyone else. He had to keep telling himself not to feel sorry for himself, but to think about how happy Keira was going to be now. That was all he ever really wanted: for her to be happy, even if it didn't include him.

Keira stood with Samos in the hallway that led to the sanctuary. Her father could see the fear and sorrow that was plastered across her smooth, delicate features. "What's wrong honey?" he asked although he was sure that he already knew the answer was about Jak.

She let out a deep sigh. "I don't know…" she lied as she looked away from him to stare aimlessly at the floor as she fidgeted with the bouquet of lily flowers that were strung together with a white ribbon.

She was never really fond of lilies; her favorite flower was the red rose. But Errol didn't know that, so he ordered the lilies. Jak knew about her favorite flower, he had left one on her pillow that morning. But then again, Jak knew about all of her favorite things, he knew everything about her. Somehow, Keira was glad that Jak knew so much about her, and that she knew so much about him. That way, they would always have a little piece of each other to keep in their hearts. Well, another little piece, they already had the other's first love and virginity. How on earth was she supposed to forget him?

Her father's warm words snapped her back from her pleasant thoughts, to the harsh reality that she was going to have to face in a moment. "You should be happy."

Keira shook her head slightly in disbelief. "That's what Jak keeps saying."

"You're just nervous." He assured her while patting her gently on the arm. "And Jak's right. If your marring the man you love, you should be overwhelmingly happy…" Samos thought over his previous words and asked intently, "You are marring the man you love…aren't you?"

She shook her head more firmly this time and struggled to hold back tears. "The man I love will be sitting in the audience…"

His daughter's words somewhat shocked him, even thought he already knew how she felt. "So…you don't love Errol?" Samos knew all too well what the answer would be but he hoped that if Keira could hear herself say that she didn't love Errol, but that she loved Jak, maybe she would back out right then and save her and Jak both some heart ache.

She took another deep breath and said. "I've already made my decision. I'm going to marry Errol." She said while trying to convince not only her father, but also herself. Samos looked away, knowing that he couldn't change her mind now; it was useless.

When the rest of the bride's maids and groom's men were standing beside the alter, the organ began to play the 'Wedding March' song and everyone stood to look towards the door where the bride would be entering. Jak stood a little later than the others, for he suddenly felt sick.

Keira bit her quivering lip and put on her best smile as she stepped out into the sanctuary's long isle. Jak's stomach wrenched; to him, she had never been more beautiful than at that moment. Perhaps it was because he couldn't have her, it was much too late now. She was gone….

As the minister began to speak, Keira drifted off into a daydream about that one, wonderful night that she had spent with him…the way he had kissed up and down her neck…how he had gently nibbled on the edge of her ear…and how he kept pulling her back down underneath the covers, just when she thought they were done, always making her giggle…but most of all, the sweet things that he constantly whispered into her ear, throughout the entire night… She could not, and would, forget those things that he said…because she knew that he meant every last bit of it with all of his heart…

There was a tugging within her heart as she came back into reality and heard Errol saying almost proudly, "I do." and he grinned haughtily at her. The minister repeated the vows, this time to her, and she began to breathe more heavily and she could feel her heart rate increase rapidly.

At the ministers next words, "…until death do you part." Keira looked up to Errol's dominant expression that was plastered on his face. She was suddenly at a great loss of words. She stammered and chocked on her words. "I- I…" She spied an almost frustrated look flash in Errol's eyes that was most likely caused by her stalling. His expression urged her to finish the vow, but her tongue refused to spit out the words.

By this time, Jak had already risen from his seat and was headed towards the nearest door. He had thought that he could endure this difficult experience, but now it had gotten just too much for him to handle.

Keira saw his movements out of the corner of her eye and abruptly turned and shouted loud enough so that Jak, who was in the very back of the room, could plainly hear her words. Consequently, the entire audience in the sanctuary could hear her call to him, "Jak wait!"

Jak stopped instantly, even though his slightly shaky hand was already placed on the golden door handle. He turned rapidly to look down the lengthy isle to meet her intent gaze. He couldn't help being slightly embarrassed since the whole audience was now turned around in their seats, staring at him. Samos grinned; he knew this was going to happen.

Errol was angered further now. He grabbed her forearm and turned her around so he could whisper in her ear in almost an angry hiss, "And just what the hell do you think you're doing!"

Keira spoke hurriedly at normal volume as she smiled genuinely at Errol for the first time. "I'm sorry Errol, but I can't go through with this." She freed herself from his firm grasp that he had on her arm. "I can't marry you." She said while almost chuckling under her breath. This was the first time that she had been truly happy, besides that night that she had spent with the man that she really loved.

Errol was so aggravated now that he practically shouted at her so that the entire room could hear his rage induced words. "And just why the hell can't you marry me!"

She smiled again and looked away from the man beside her and directed her gaze back to Jak's now-joyful sapphire eyes. "Because I don't love you Errol, I love Jak!"

Errol finally erupted in fury. "WHAT!"

Neither Keira nor Jak paid any attention to his public display of his utter antagonism. Keira was too busy lifting up the edge of her gown so that she could sprint down the isle to meet Jak in a passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and he did the same to her.

Since they were in public, the kiss wasn't as intimate as the ones that they had shared before, but this kiss meant so much more. It meant that Keira had given up everything else for Jak, and that he had done the same for her. It meant that now, nothing was going to ever stand in the way of their love again, that they were going to have each other for not only the rest of their lives, but for and eternity after that. They were madly love with each other, and nothing, and no one, was ever going to come between that, no matter what.

Errol stomped out of the church furiously, slamming doors behind him; but no one paid any attention to any of his actions. They were all too consumed in sighing happily for the couple that was sharing an affectionate lip-lock in the middle of the room. Even as the crowd began to applaud for the happy ending, this didn't faze either of the two lovers. They were floating on Cloud 9, and they weren't going to come back down any time soon.

Three Months Later

Jak stirred softly in his sleep while being gradually awoken by the golden rays of sunshine that gleamed through the bedroom window. He sighed softly as snuggled closer to her warmth so that he could take in the sweet aroma of her aqua hair that fell gently over her bare shoulders. When his eyes finally crept open, he gazed down at the beautiful woman that slept silently next to him. He took her left hand that had previously been resting on the edge of a Flut Flut feather pillow. As her smooth, delicate hand rested gently in his much larger hand and courser hand, he fixed his eyes on the small white gold ring that had a perfectly sized light-eco crystal embedded in it.

He was particularly happy that, since he had found the crystal when he and Keira were fifteen, when he first channeled light-eco at Gol and Maia's citadel, now he didn't have to spend all that much money on Keira's wedding and engagement rings, he had more money to spend on their honeymoon, which they were currently on. Yeah, it was a good thing to have enough cash to spend on the 'deluxe' suite, seeing as the deluxe suite, which they were currently staying in, had an indoor hot tub, and a huge bed. These luxuries were good for 'many' things that Jak was 'interested' in 'doing' while on their honeymoon.

Jak moved down to kiss her lightly on her forehead and Keira moved slightly as her sleepy eyes fluttered open. He smiled down at her and she smiled back before raising herself up a little within the comfort of their warm, cushiony bed to let her lips meet his. It was amazing to both of them that even though they had done way more than just kiss, every time that their lips met it still gave them small tingly feelings like the first time that they kissed when they were just fourteen.

Keira allowed the silk sheet to fall away from her bare chest and she smiled when she saw Jak's eyes widen quite a bit while looking directly down upon her now, uncovered torso. She giggled a bit before kissing him again. He leaned back to gaze into her eyes while whispering quietly, "I love you Keira…Mrs. Mar." He grinned and she returned it with her own angelic smile. Their marriage was still almost like a wonderful dream to both of them so it was quite strange for Keira to hear someone call her 'Mrs.' as well as having it be attached to Jak's last name. She gave him another gentle kiss and replied "I love you too Jak Mar…" she said while snuggling closer to his warm, comforting chest. "So much."

The End

(A.N.) Yes, I am sad to say that it is finally finished. Sorry little fanfic, but all stories have to come to an end some time. I know I neglected this story for a LONG time, so I am sorry loyal my readers and reviewers. Hopefully now I can finish my other fanfic "Together" now that this one is done. Please review and let me know what you think of the ending.

Your procrastinating fanfic writer,

-Punkiemonkie