Tender Moments

"Oh Quistis! I can't believe today is the day!" Marluxia rose from his chair in front of the vanity, turning to face his soon to be step daughter. Quistis stood there, bouncing her one year old son on her hip, praying that Hayner would not spit up on her pale green, strapless, baby doll bride's maid dress. "I'm so happy that you and your brothers are accepting my girls and I into your family."

Quistis just smiled, "Well, after Mom died, I never thought that I'd see Dad so happy ever again. He had fallen into such a deep depression that, Vaan and I began to worry that he would never come out of it. Then you blossomed into his life and changed him into the man that he is today."

Marluxia's bright blue eyes grew wide and began to glisten with tears as he began to fan himself while saying, "You know, you aren't suppose to make the bride cry on his wedding day! Besides, your brother Kain's home coming after all these years of believing him to be dead did wonders for Vexen as well."

Their emotional moment was disrupted by a loud bang from the door slamming open, followed by an ear piercing wail of "Daddy!" As Marluxia's youngest daughter Vanille came careening into the room attaching herself to the tails of her father's light pink tuxedo jacket.

"Aww, Vanilla Bean, what's wrong?" Marluxia questioned with a small smile as he lifted the young girl into his arms, stroking her soft loose hair.

"Vanille was throwing her petals all over the kid's room, so I took them away from her," Lightning tattled on her baby sister, holding up the small white wicker basket that was now only half full with pale pink petals, "And I think that someone gave her some freaking sugar; probably that stupid Zack boy."

"Now, Lightning," Marluxia scolded his oldest as he straightened the light green flower girl's dress that Vanille wore, "What have I said about that F word?"

Lightning just shrugged, "At least it wasn't the fuck f word," she replied indignantly, much to the amusement of Quistis who just giggled.

Trying to hide his giggles behind his hand as to not let his daughters see his amusement, Marluxia composed himself just enough to look over at Quistis with a pleading look in his eyes and was relieved to see the blonde woman smile and a nod. "Lightning bug, where's Serah Bear?"

"In the room with big brother Vaan and all the other stinky boys and icky babies."

Smiling at Lightning's acceptance of her step siblings, Marluxia was once again forced to hold back his tears. "Why don't you and Vanille go and rescue her? Quistis will come help you three finish getting ready."

"Alright, Daddy. But only if Vanille promises to stop being a baby," Lightning said as the blushing bride to be set his youngest back down on the floor.

"I'm not a baby, Ling!" Vanille cried in her three year old voice, "I'm three!" she exclaimed, holding up six fingers as she pulled free of her father's arms, giving chase to her big sister down the hall.

"I guess I'd better go make sure that they actually get there in one piece," Quistis laughed, adjusting a now sleeping Hayner on her hip.

"Wait, Quistis. Before you go, there's one last thing."

Slightly curious, Quistis turned to face the man her father was about to marry, "What is it?"

"I really wanted to say thank you again for truly accepting my girls as your younger sisters. They really need a female influence in their lives, and I can't think of any one better suited to that then you." There was a sweet smile on the pink haired man's face that reflected in his shining blue eyes.

Now it was Quistis' turn to hold back tears. "That means so much to me, Marluxia," she smiled, "You know, I was just wondering. Do you have you four things?"

"Four things?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"You know, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?"

Marluxia stopped to think for a moment, "Well, my jacket is new. The shoes I've had for ages," looking down, he noticed something. "Oh, and the ribbon on my boutonnière is blue." Pondering for a few seconds, Marluxia took into account everything on his person, coming to a startling realization. "Oh no! I have nothing borrowed! What should I do?"

Quistis just offered a small smile as she reached down the front of her dress, "Here."

"What? Oh, no honey. I might be gay but I don't need a bra," he said, shaking his head in amusement.

Laughing outright at the comment, Quistis pulled her hand out from between her breasts, "No, I was going for this."

In her now open palm laid a small silver pin in the shape of two hearts joined together.

"What's this?" Marluxia questioned curiously.

Quistis just smiled, "It's your something borrowed."

Marluxia looked down as the trinket was pressed into his hand.

"It was my Mom's. She wore it when she married Dad. I'd like to think that it brought them good luck throughout their marriage. I hope with all my heart that it will bring the two of you the same kind of happiness," she told him with a smile.

"Oh, my," Marluxia took in a deep breath to fend off the tears as Quistis helped him attach the pin to the right lapel of his jacket. "I really, truly don't know what to say, Quistis. Thank you."

"Thank you will do nicely," she laughed, giving her soon to be step father a tight one armed hug and kiss on the cheek. "Now, I really do have to go so I can check on the kids, and also to make sure that Xigbar hasn't drunk all the booze at the open bar already. I know that you'll be fine."

"Thank you again," he smiled as he watched his newest daughter make her way towards the door with a sense of pride and happiness.

"You're very welcome, Marluxia."

"Call me Marly."

Author's Notes:

That turned out much sappier than we intended to…still LOVE IT!
And that was the story of GrandPaMa.

If you like this story please check out some of our other stories from our Family Tree Universe in our archives :) And as always, if you would like to see where the pairings and family lines came from please go view our deviant art page, http :// crymsonpahoyhoy . deviantart . com /, minus all of the spaces ;) The deviations are called FF KH Family Tree.

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