Chapter Two

Kairi had grown bored sitting in the front pew of the church by herself, wondering where Sora had wandered off to, and decided to explore the back rooms in hopes of finding her absentee boyfriend. Somehow, she managed to find her way to the bridal suite, and after a bit of prodding she finally got Cera to tell her the rather amusing story of her engagement to Reno. She laughed especially loud as Cera told her how she and Reno had managed to get his father to agree to let them be married. In a way, it made perfect sense for them to make up something like that. She could still remember the numerous times Cera and Reno had wandered off from their camp to 'investigate,' only to come back some time later with their hair and clothes all disheveled. In fact, she often wondered if that hadn't been what they'd been up to when she and the others first met the two of them.

“Of course, Reno's father couldn't stand the thought of his son having an illegitimate child,” Cera continued, speaking in an overly-dramatic tone. “How would that look to the public, after all? So, he finally shut his fat mouth and decided to let us get married. He may not be happy about it, but that's the way it is.”

“So... Are you?” Kairi asked once her giggling had subsided.

Cera tried to hide it, but the younger girl caught the small smile that was barely present on her lips.

“Wait,” Yuko said, placing a hand on Cera's shoulder. “Seriously?”

Cera bit her bottom lip and nodded slightly. “I wasn't when we told him I was, but I am now.”

“Why didn't you tell us, you brat!” Casia added, slapping her playfully in the shoulder as she laughed, then pulled the bride into a hug. “That's wonderful news.”

“I only found out last week,” Cera replied as she hugged her old friend back, then pulled away slightly so she could look at everyone in the room. “Reno doesn't even know yet.”

“Probably a good thing, too,” Yuffie interjected. “Boy's been panicking more than that chicken in the story where the sky's falling down.”

Cera nodded in agreement. “That's why I decided it would be best to wait until after the wedding to let him know.”

“Geez... Reno's having a kid,” the ninja mused, shaking her head. “Scary.”

Cera smiled to herself, looking down and smoothing her dress over her stomach. “I think he'll be a wonderful father.”

“Yeah,” Yuffie replied, drawing out the word in disbelief. “He's a fun guy. But can you imagine what it'll be like when he has to actually change a diaper?”

Cera sighed, her eyes falling closed as she shook her head slightly. “I'm sure he'll have his moments in the beginning, but once he's gotten used to everything that comes with being a parent he'll be...” Her voice trailed off, and she sighed softly once more.

“Wonderful?” Kairi provided.

“Yeah,” Cera said, turning to look at her with a smile, laughing lightly. “I can't believe it, really. I'm just so happy... and all of it because of the apprentices.”

“What do you mean?” Yuffie wondered, cocking her head to the side.

“Well, think about it: If the apprentices hadn't sent the heartless to attack Balamb, Reno and I never would have both ended up hiding in this church, and therefore would have never met.”

“Ohhh,” Kairi said in realization. “That's why you're getting married here, instead of on Midgar.”

“It was Reno's idea, actually,” Casia informed her.

“Who knew he could be such a romantic?” Yuko remarked with a laugh.

Cera shrugged in reply. “He has his moments.”

A knock sounded at the door and all five women turned as it opened and Devalin stepped inside, dressed in full décor. Yuko had asked him if he would be willing to give Cera away at the wedding, since her father had died in the invasion on Balamb, and he had agreed – not just as a favor to Yuko, but because the girl's father had been a friend of his many years ago. He smiled when he saw them all: the bridesmaids in their matching lavender dresses, and the bride in her simple, yet elegant gown.

“You all look very lovely,” he told them, grinning proudly as he looked Yuko and Cera over once more. “If I ever had a daughter, I wish she could have been as beautiful as all of you.”

Yuko approached the man and playfully punched his arm. “Stop flattering us and let's get going. I mean, you are here because they're ready for us, right?”

“Not exactly,” Devalin said with a sigh. “It seems the groom is having cold feet. He's not even finished dressing yet.”

“Oh for the love of...” Yuffie exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. “Want me to go beat him up for you, Cera?”

“No, thank you,” Cera replied, lifting up her skirt and making her way to the door. “I'll go talk to him.”

“But it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding,” Kairi protested, stopping her in her tracks.

“I'll go,” Yuko offered. “After all, I got him to pick your ring. This can't be nearly as hard. I mean, he already knows who he wants to marry.”

Cera gave her a small smile and Yuko patted her on the shoulder before excusing herself and leaving their room to go to the one down the hall where the groom and his attendants were getting ready. She could hear the sound of voices as she approached, one of which sounded distinctly like Zell yelling at somebody. She strained her ears, trying to make out what was being said on the other side of the door, but could only just barely distinguish the muffled voices from one another. Riku appeared to be involved in the argument, as well, though his voice was more subdued than Zell's, and there was a third voice she didn't recognize.

Sighing deeply as she wondered what she was about to walk into, Yuko opened the door and took in the sight before her: Zell and Riku stood on one side of the room, holding back an infuriated Reno. The redhead had his teeth bared and his hand clenched into fists at his sides as he struggled against the other two men, attempting to lunge himself at a young, blonde man standing on the other side of the room who couldn't be much older than sixteen or seventeen. The younger man was smirking at Reno, arms crossed over his chest to further accentuate his smugness.

“You fucking take that back, yo!” Reno demanded through clenched teeth, once again attempting to break free of the hold Zell and Riku had on him.

“Hey,” Sora greeted her, and Yuko turned to see him sitting on a small bench next to the door. He was holding a tie in his hands – apparently Reno's – and simply watching the entire charade unfold before him.

“Why aren't you in there?” Yuko asked, hooking a finger toward the argument as Reno yelled more obscenities at the blonde man.

Sora shrugged. “Saving the world is one thing, but family disputes... Those I try to stay out of.”

“Family disputes?” Yuko echoed, turning to look back and forth between Reno and the man he was trying desperately to pummel. After a moment, something clicked, and her eyes widened slightly. “That's Reno's brother?”

Sora nodded.

“And why is Reno trying to kill him?”

Sora sighed, standing up and shuffling his feet a bit, keeping his voice low as he spoke so that Reno wouldn't hear him and get even more riled up.

“Reno was saying how he wasn't sure he could go through with the wedding. You know... the usual, last-minute, cold feet type stuff. Rufus told him that it was a good thing he was reconsidering, since Reno would probably just end up screwing around after the first month of marriage, anyway.”

“That's a pretty rude thing to say,” Yuko remarked, turning to glare at Rufus.

“That's not all, though,” Sora continued with a sigh. “Rufus also said that since Reno was having second thoughts, perhaps Cera should terminate her pregnancy and spare the world from having to accommodate another poor, ignorant bastard child.”

Upon hearing what Rufus had said about Reno and Cera's unborn child, Yuko wasted time in walking right up to the younger man and slapped him hard across the face. The action surprised everyone into silence, including Reno, and Rufus merely gaped at her.

“Your family's snobbish, elitist attitude disgusts me,” she told him in a quiet, menacing voice. “Today is supposed to be the happiest day of your brother's life, and instead of encouraging him, you're here putting down both him and the woman he loves. And you,” she added, spinning around to face Reno. “I should have known you would pull this sort of crap when I went with you to pick out Cera's ring. Well, let me tell you something, Reno: This is not something you get to be indecisive about. If you are not one-hundred percent sure you want to marry Cera – even after all the fighting you two had to do in order to just be together – I suggest you say so now, so I can personally beat your face in.”

Reno blinked at her, fear shining in his wide, blue eyes as he remained frozen to the spot. A moment later, a soft knocking sounded at the door, followed by the sound of Cera's voice calling his name.

"Babe!" Reno called back, making a beeline toward the door. Yuko side-stepped in front of him, blocking his way just as he was about to grasp the door handle.

"Cera, I thought you were staying in the room?" she asked through the wooden barrier. "Bad luck, remember?"

"I know," came her reply, slightly muffled through the door. "I just wanted to talk to him, though. He doesn't have to see me to talk, right?"

Yuko seemed to consider her logic for a moment, then conceded with a slight nod of her head. Pushing Reno aside, she opened the door just enough so that Cera could be heard clearly, placing her foot against it to keep the over-anxious bridegroom from pulling it open the rest of the way.

"Reno?" Cera called again, sliding her hand through the small space between the door and its frame. Reno reached out and took her hand in his, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Yeah, babe... I'm here."

"I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"But you don't want to marry me?" Cera asked him, her voice barely concealing how hurt saying the words made her feel.

"Huh?" he asked, confusion written on his face. "What are you talkin' about, babe?"

"You're having second thoughts, aren't you? That's why you're not even ready yet."

Reno laughed a little, shaking his head and giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Nah, that ain't it."

"Then what's the damn problem?" Cera demanded, her voice suddenly taking on the no-nonsense quality it often had when she had to deal with Reno when he was being particularly troublesome.

"I'm just nervous, yo," he answered in a quiet voice, looking a bit embarrassed that Yuko was still standing next to him, and thus able to listen in on their conversation. After a moment's deliberation, she gave him a somewhat apologetic smile and stepped aside so that they could have a bit more privacy.

"Look," Reno continued, still speaking quietly as he moved closer to the door, "I'm just scared, alright?"

"You? Scared?" Cera wondered incredulously. "Since when?"

"Since I... Since after today, we're always gonna be together, y'know?"

"Oh, I see... so you're getting cold feet because you'd rather be out screwing random chicks." She began pulling her hand away from his, but Reno held tightly onto hers.

"You know I would never cheat on you, Cera, and that you're the only one I want. I'm just scared that I'm gonna fuck up somehow. That I won't be able to make you happy, yo."

"You already do make me happy, Reno," she assured him, maneuvering her other arm through the slight opening of the door and blindly reaching out until her hand made contact with his face. Reno sighed as she caressed his cheek, closing his eyes and nodding.

"Alright."

"Are you okay now?" Cera asked him, pulling her arm back out through the door.

"Yeah," Reno answered, grinning.

"Good. Now get your ass in gear and let's get married, already."

Reno couldn't help but laugh as he kissed the backs of her fingers before letting go of her hand.

"You got it, babe."