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"Gonna hold ya,
Gonna kiss ya in my arms
Gonna take ya,
Away from harm."

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Makkari looks to me as I frantically pace the room and Sersi leans against the door watching me be a complete scatterbrained bride.

I look to them saying "Kingo arrived safely?"

Sersi nods saying "Yes. He's with Phastos and Ben. He just got to meet Jack." I smile saying "Good.. that's good. And has anyone checked on Druig? Who's with Druig?"

Makkari grabs my shoulders steadying me and smiling. I sigh and say "I just- this needs to be perfect. I thought my last wedding would be my last but look where we are! I'm getting married all over again!"

Sersi smiles saying "Gaia, everything will go perfectly. Please relax. I will get Dane to check on Druig." I nod and say "Yeah.. please do. And tell him to not stress him out. And if Druig can't get the saree on correctly that he-"

Sersi says "I'll get Kingo to go with him. And I'll find Thena to help him also."

I nod and swallow hard as I run my hands down my face. Sersi quickly leaves to find Kingo and Dane and whoever else she can to calm me down.

Makkari signs "you're freaking out more this time than the last? What's up?"

I shake my head and sign "It's just.. the first time Druig and I got married we knew we had forever together. That as eternals we wouldn't be going anywhere. But I still lost him. And he lost me. For 70 years I was without him. It feels the same but different at the same time. I just am realizing that even as eternals we can die. I could lose him and it just makes this wedding so much bigger if a deal."

Makkari shakes her head signing "Druig is stubborn. He'll be hard to kill. Besides, he has you and I to protect him when need be."

I nod and say "Yeah."

She pushes me into a seat and fixes the remainder of my makeup as I look to her anxiously

Thena and Sersi enter and Thena says "Nerves?"

I nod and she smiles "Sersi didn't see us the first wedding. Even Gil was nervous."

I smile to her and Sprite enters smiling widely and says "hi.."

I look to her suspiciously and say "What? What is it? Run away groom? Kingo threw up? My whole marriage falling apart?! Because it feels like it!"

Her eyes widen and she approaches. She grabs my shoulders saying "No. Nothing like that. Deep breaths. Follow me okay?"

I nod and say "Fine.. but I haven't even gotten my makeup fixed yet.." She pulls my arm and says "Come on. You look beautiful Gaia."

I smile to her and I am pulled out of the room. Once I exit the room I look around shocked. I smile widely and say "Druig did this?"

Makkari smiles to me and I look to the nearly thousands of roses covering the area around us.

Kingo walks down the stone path saying "Gaia! Oh my goodness. You look stunning."

I smile to him and he says "No crying! For the both of us! You hear me? You're going to make me have to borrow your powder. I do not want to look like a tomato in these pictures."

Kingo smiles to me and I can barely see through my teary eyes. He says "Let's get you married!"

I shake my head and Makkari peels Kingo's arm off me. She signs "I get to walk her down the aisle. Not you."

Kingo says "Harsh. Considering I'm the only one here besides Karun and Gaia that know the proper Hindi rituals and speaks the language I should be the one to take the lead."

Sersi clears her throat saying "Excuse me, I had a traditional Hindi wedding."

I peer down to the roses as I smile and smell the flower. Kingo says "That was not a traditional hindi wedding. You and Ikaris aren't even Indian. I am the designated Hindi here and-"

Sprite says "Can we not argue?"

Thena says "A wedding is a wedding. Gaia didn't even decide to go with the traditional hindi wedding. It's altered to how she likes it and it's her day so take a step back Kingo."

Kingo says "Are they going to wear saree's?"

I look to Sprite, ignoring Kingo and saying "Where's Druig? Can I see him?" Dane says "Isn't that bad luck?"

I look to him as I say mockingly "I don't care if it is! Daaane. I want to see him and I will see him."

Sprite winces and says "She's a bit.. on edge."

"I am not! I would like to see my husband and thank him for this! I have every right to... oh god.. where's Phastos? Did he make it? Are Ben and Jack here? Is it too cold for Jack? Maybe we should move the ceremony inside."

Dane's eyes widen at my scrambling as I stand up straight. Kingo slaps me across the face and I scoff angrily before I slap him. He smiles and says "You good?"

I nod saying "Better. But never do that again. You could've left a mark!"

He rolls his eyes saying "No thank you?"

"Oh I can give you a thank you Kingo!" I swing my fist back to hit him in the stomach when I'm suddenly pulled away from Kingo. Sersi says "Gaia. Gaia relax."

"I am relaxed. This is me relaxed."

Makkari nods signing "She flew around the planet 8 times before I could get her into her wedding dress last time. This is pretty relaxed for Gaia."

I nod and grab a rose. I say "Did someone check on Druig? Is he alone?"

Dane says "I checked on him, he seemed fine. Not very talkative today. Phastos was with him. He's not nearly as jumpy as you though. He's very level headed."

I nod saying "He is talkative. He just doesn't like to talk to people he doesn't know. But he never shuts up. God I miss him. He's so level headed. He always is. That's why I'm so anxious. I need to see him to calm down. Oh god, why are you all here breathing all over me? Too many people. I need Gil. I need Druig. I just... I want everything back to normal. I want peace."

Dane says "You will get that. Very soon." I narrow my eyes at him saying "You're too optimistic. Sersi, I will detach his head from his body like a bobble head if I snap. You need to take him far away."

Sersi smiles to Dane as she says "We're going to find our seats, Dane. Gaia is a bit on edge. She's nicer when we get to know her."

Dane nods and says "And powerful so I am intimidated. I'm not going to lie, her fiancé is a mind reader and that's also intimidating."

I grumble and say "We're already married. This is just a—"

Sprite says "Get him out of here. Before Gaia snaps."

"I wasn't even gonna snap. I'm not that bad. God you all just have to team up against me!"

They all look to me cautiously and I say "So what if I don't handle stress well! Oh well! I am handling it perfectly fine!"

Sersi walks away with Dane and I sigh and say "He seems nice."

Kingo says "Nobody tells me anything. I didn't even know she was dating him. I also didn't even know Gaia and Druig had a kid? Why did no one tell me that?"

Sprite says "That was from another lifetime. Before a previous emergence."

I shake my head and say "All you need to know is that her name was Nina and she was smart and happy and so loving. She was beautiful."

Sprite says bluntly "But she's dead so.."

Thena pushes Sprites shoulder and Makkari signs "Come on, let's get you dressed and ready."

My hands graze the flowers and I say "He's so romantic.."

Sprite and Kingo make a face and look to each other. Makkari scoffs and signs "Yeah. Yeah. We get it. Who do you think helped him? Come on. Big day, you need to actually get into your dress."

Sprite says "Should've opted for a suit like Kingo and outshined him."

I shake my head and say "Tempting offer but I've always been more of a dress person. And I got the seamstress to put hidden pockets!"

Thena says amusedly with a smile "For weapons?"

I nod and say "Yes. And no. My phone and I haven't decided on the other thing."

Makkari pushes me back into the room as I dig my heels in. Kingo, Sprite, and Thena follow us in and in a whirlwind of people around me helping I'm ready and dressed.

Makkari pulls me out of the room and gives me a look as I frantically pull at my dress and scramble around still.

She flicks the side of my head and I bicker "Hey! What was that for?"

She grabs my chin and smushes my cheeks together as she turns my gaze towards the wedding aisle.

My eyes immediately stop on Druig and she smiles. I heave a sigh of relief as I see him nervously pulling at the sleeves of his clothes and bickering with Thena

I say "He's nervous without me too..."

Makkari nods and signs "He needs you. He needs you more than you need him."

I smile and we start walking towards the flower lined area.

Druig freezes as he sees me approach and Thena mutters "That shut him up.."

I look to the remaining eternals as I walk, smiling to them lightly as Makkari holds my arm tightly. Thena smiles to me as she stands at the end of the aisle.

Makkari gives Druig a look and the other eternals laugh.

Karun of course is in the audience beside Elijah and Sarah.

I blow a kiss to Jack as he stands near Druig with the rings in a small little square case. He smiles to me and waves.

Everyone in the audience, our audience of probably 10 or 11 people, laugh at his adorable-ness.

Druig grabs my hand and finishes walking me towards Thena.

Not before Makkari signs "this isn't me giving her away to you. This is me letting you borrow her."

Druig smiles and says "Got it. Understood." He kisses my cheek and pulls me away from Makkari. My hand slips from hers and she holds a smile as her eyes water

I say "No.. if you start crying I'm gonna cry."

Makkari nods and shakes her hand at me to continue and I say "Oh great.. god you're such a jerk for making me get more emotional." my eyes water and quickly we gather ourselves

Thena says "Gaia and Druig ever so graciously asked me to officiate their second wedding."

Druig grabs my hand and corrects the bracelet around my wrist as I smile to him. Kingo sits in the front row sobbing loudly. He nudges Karun and says "She looks so beautiful."

Ben smiles to Phastos as Phastos says "She's all grown up now." Immediate flashbacks of Gil and Thena at the first wedding

Ben chuckles and says "You're having a proud father moment?"

Phastos nods through the tears and says quietly "She's grown into such a bright individual. I'm so proud. She's not the young woman that pushed people off rafters and stole babies anymore."

Ben says "That wasn't a lie? She actually stole a baby?"

"I said babies.. meaning multiple."

Ben pats Phastos' back as Thena says "Again, do you take this beautiful woman we love dearly as your wife, Druig?"

Biased?

You betcha

He nods and says "Yes. Of course."

I feel my eyes well up with tears as everything feels right in the world again.

Thena says "Our Gaia, our sweet and beautiful Gaia, do you take the gracious and loving Druig as your lawfully wedded husband?"

I smile through my tears to him as he slowly skims his thumb under my eye and say "Yeah. I guess so. Wouldn't hurt." My hand grazes his cheek as I tilt my head to him

He gives me a look and shakes his head. "Funny.. very funny." I smile and say "I do. Again."

Thena says "You may kiss your spouse."

Druig dramatically dips me and kisses me roughly.

Sprite's hand covers Jack's eyes as Druig's hands roam my body in the slightest. Kingo shouts "Woo hoo! Newly weds!"

Sersi smiles and says "Cosmic soulmates. Ajak was right, they really are cosmic soulmates."

Druig pulls me upright and we each hold the sides of our faces. I smile to him and say "I adore you."

His smile widens and he says "Is that so? I thought you already did years ago."

I nod and he gives me a few pecks on the lips. Phastos says "Alright. Alright! Save that for the honeymoon!"

I grumble into Druig's shoulder as I turn towards Phastos and say "Uh huh... kissing. Among other—"

Druig laughs and Phastos says "Tooooo much information. Oh my god."

Sprite smiles to me as I genuinely am on cloud 9. I smile to her and quickly the wedding party moves inside.

Dane and Sersi are then caught marking lips and Sersi says "I'm so sorry Gaia! I'm—"

I smile to her and say "No. Its alright. It just reminds me of my first kiss with Druig. It was at your wedding. So, go ahead. Kiss away. Sorry to disturb you."

Makkari nudges my side as I approach her and Ben and Sprite walk towards me. Ben says "Congratulations again Gaia."

I smile to him and say "Thank you. I'm just happy to be married again."

He says "Was your last wedding as low key?"

I nod and say "We aren't huge on big public displays of our relationship. For decades we kept our relationship a secret. We had around 5 people in attendance at our last wedding.."

"Oh wow. That's very low key."

Druig nods and says "You should have heard the original plan, it was just gonna be the two of us."

Phastos says "Very private relationship still I see." as he approaches

Druig shrugs and says "I wouldn't say our relationship could exactly be very private with all the legends mentioning our relationship."

Sprite looks to me and says "Legends of the peace keepers. Druig and Gaia controlled the peace for centuries, between his human control and her control of the earth and the nurturing it needed they kept the peace."

Ben says "That's beautiful."

I nod and say "Sprite always made the most beautiful stories. She never bored anyone."

Sprite smiles to me as she squeezes my hand and I look to the young village boy watching sprite.

I nudge her and say "He's about to ask you to dance. And I believe his sister is too. Take your choice my dear."

Her eyes widen as my hand slips from hers as I turn towards Druig's voice "Oh it's a simple power, it only takes a thought to get someone like Karun to do as I request."

I give him a look and he says "But... I promised my wife no mind control for the evening."

Karun says "Well, thank goodness for the ole ball and chain. Ha.. hahaha."

My smile drops and I nod to Druig, kissing his cheek.

Immediately Karun begins tango-ing with Kingo on the dance floor. I smile to Druig and say "But no more. That's all."

He nods and says "Yes dear."

Thena wanders as we enjoy the evening, I excuse myself from the conversation, allowing Druig to give me a quick peck on the lips as I go to find Thena.

She stands in the gardens and I slowly approach. She sighs as she looks down to the plants and flowers.

"You okay?"

She looks to me and nods "Beautiful ceremony and reception. I'm glad you're back to your old self."

"Me too. It was a long 70 years. It was like I lost the other half of me."

She nods slowly and says "He'd be proud of you."

I look to her sadly and she nods with a small grin

"Really? I feel like I let him down. Maybe if I just hadn't have been so naive and follow Ajak—"

"Gilgamesh did as he always does...or did. He protected the ones he love-d.."

Using past tense is already so difficult. I loop an arm around Thena and say "We'll stay together this time, protect the ones we have left."

She rests her head on my shoulder and says "And win some glorious battles of course."

"How on earth could I forget that? That's the best part."

Silence lingers and she pushes the wind swept hair out of my face and says "You've got a husband waiting for you inside, come along."

"We don't have to go in, Thena."

"Nonsense. It's your party. You should enjoy it. Get Druig to dance with you."

I smile and say "That's a good idea."

We enter the room again and I already catch Druig watching me. I smile to him and he approaches.

I say "Ready to dance?"

"Ahh. I knew you were going to ask that. I suppose I could dance with you, just this once."

"You say that every time."

He nods and pulls me close as we sway to the music. He says "It's because you're so convincing."

I nod and rest my head on the crook of his neck as we dance in perfect peace.

He says "I'm glad you aren't my old dementia grandma any longer. I won't miss that."

I smile and say "Well, technically, Maya was younger than anyone in this room."

"Well, I prefer Gaia."

"Me too. I'm just glad I'm not bat shit crazy any longer."

He nods and says "I suppose we'll be getting that apple pie life then?"

"Sure. Sounds fun, hm?"

He shrugs and says "If that's what you want, that's what I want."

"All I want and need is you. That's all. That is all I'll ever need, and makkari. Can't live without her either."

He smiles and says "Ah, yes. Couldn't forget about her either."

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haley speaks!
Ooooooooo it's winding down!! I've prepared my cliff hanger! It's different than the others surprisingly! I've been keeping the idea forever and I'm so excited for everyone's reaction! Alright, story is winding down quickly! Sorry for the lack of updates I've been dealing with schoolwork! But the end is near! I promise!

Q&A: Favorite new phase 4 character? Or old character?