*Hey, guys! So, some have been requesting a smut scene of Corrin and Kaden in my fanfic "Everdream". I don't think I'll do so there, so I'm doing a separate one all of its own. I hope I am able to satisfy, as there SERIOUSLY needs to be more love for Kaden out there. Enjoy!*

She held the kaleidoscope in her hands that were close to her chest, anxious and excited. Jakob entered the treehouse and smiled at her, his eyes on the object in her hands.

"Are you ready, Lady Corrin?"

She gave a single nod, but he could sense a subtle apprehension. He made his way to her and put his hand on top of her hands, feeling her shaking. Other than Azura, Corrin was the only person he was exceptionally gentle to.

"What is wrong?"

"What if..." she looked up into his eyes, "Jakob, what if I'm not good enough?"

Jakob let out a slight chuckle. "Whatever would make you suppose you weren't?" When her eyes fell away from his, he knew at once. "I see." He sat down on the bed, patting the area beside him, where she joined him. "You have lived such a secluded life, which is in no way your fault. What choices the both of you have made before now should hold no consequence if you both love each other, and I know you do."

Corrin rubbed the kaleidoscope gently. "It doesn't matter. But..."

Jakob shook his head. "Let me ask you this. Do you suppose Kaden is thinking upon previous matters such as what you are worrying about? Today of all days, or any day before?"

His question made her eyes widen as she stared down at the kaleidoscope. "I wouldn't know..."

"I can answer that for you," he smiled. "Of course not. You are the person he has chosen to spend the rest of his life with. Any other women he may have shared his bed with prior means nothing."

She bit her lip. "It was only one. But they had been close, childhood friends even."

"And what happened to that relationship?"

Her head jerked up, her heart skipping a beat. "Jakob!"

"It is rather obvious she is not here today. I surmise it was more of a trial to see where the relationship would go once they had taken that route." He smiled at her again. "Am I correct?"

She let out a sigh. "Infuriatingly so, like always."

"There you have it," Jakob said, rising to his feet. "Now, Kaden is waiting for you at the temple. I do not believe we should make him wait any longer, as he seemed quite impatient to see you."

Corrin giggled as she saw Jakob lowering his hand, which she took so he could pull her to her feet. "Thanks, Jakob."

They started toward the door when Jakob noticed she was still holding onto the kaleidoscope.

"Shouldn't you put that away?" he asked.

"Oh, no," she answered. "This is needed. Trust me."

They made their way to Lilith's Temple, various members of the Hoshidan army congratulating her on her momentous day. Not everyone could fit into the temple, and the ones who could were her family, Jakob and Azura, and Hayato, Kaden's best friend. Nearing the temple, she felt her footsteps lighten, the butterflies in her stomach going away, and her heart racing. She had loved Kaden for such a long time, perhaps shortly after his arrival to the army. While he was somewhat narcissistic about his appearance, he made her feel as if she was the only woman in the world, and that his beauty was shadowed by hers. She never felt particularly attractive, finding her appearance rather plain, but when he would tell her how he found her beautiful, his opinion was the only one that mattered. Not only did he express to her his thoughts on her beauty, but also on how much he loved her as well. Big or small, whatever he did, it was apparent of his love for her, and she only hoped that she was able to show him just how much he meant to her. As she thought about this, she felt a tinge of guilt for ever doubting him.

Inside, Takumi and Oboro, Silas and Hinoka, Ryoma and Kagero, Azura (Jakob joining her side), Sakura and Hayato, and Kaden and Lilith were waiting, all with smiles on their faces. Ever grateful to Kaden for his aid in repairing Corrin's and Takumi's relationship, they welcomed him into the family before he had even proposed to her. When Kaden saw her, his eyes lit up, his ears perked up, and he gave her the most magnificent smile she had ever seen him give. Sure, it wasn't the wedding everyone expected, but in the middle of a war, they took what they could. Lilith took on the role of marrying off everyone gracefully, making each ceremony personal to whomever was wed. Clutching the kaleidoscope closer to her chest, she smiled back at Kaden and stood before him, her eyes locked onto his. He chuckled and smiled ever wider, giving her a wink before they turned to Lilith.

"Lady Corrin, must I say that I am so happy for you!" Lilith spoke happily. "This is a day I have been waiting for ever so long, and now that it is here... Oh, do forgive me if I cry!"

Corrin laughed. "It's fine, Lilith. I'm really happy that you could be here for me."

Lilith did a backflip, her tail swishing as she did. When she settled, she nodded. "Let us proceed. Kaden, are you ready?"

His answer made everyone laugh to themselves and Corrin blush. "You bet! Let's get this show on the road!"

"Yes, sir!" Lilith giggled. "As customary in Kitsune culture, the promises of the heart is to be exchanged while both the bride and groom are holding onto the object used for proposing. Corrin, do you have the object?"

"Yes," Corrin nodded, holding up the kaleidoscope.

"Very good. Now, Kaden, put your hand under the kaleidoscope, as Corrin will put her hand on top of it." They did as she instructed. "Clasp your hands together, enveloping the kaleidoscope in your holds." Corrin could feel Kaden's fingers on her skin, his warmth spreading through her hand. "This signifies the unbroken bond, for though their hands may not always be together, their promise will hold true. The kaleidoscope is a testament of their wishes and promises, and as long as it remains with one, no matter how far life may take them astray from one another, their bonds will be true. If you would please face each other, not breaking the link you have on the kaleidoscope."

They turned to face each other, both holding back a laugh when they saw how red their cheeks were. They heard Takumi laugh from behind Kaden.

"Hey, Kaden. Your tail is gonna make you fly off if you don't slow it down," he joked. This made Kaden blush even deeper and the rest laugh, even Corrin and Lilith.

"Kitsune tradition dictates that when wed, it is for life," Lilith continued. "Kaden, do you promise to dedicate your life, your heart, your soul to Corrin?"

Kaden's hold on the kaleidoscope and Corrin's hand tightened. "I promise."

Lilith turned to Corrin. "Corrin, you are not of Kitsune blood. However, since you are here with Kaden, I will address you as a Kitsune. Will you yet proceed?"

"Yes," she answered effortlessly.

"Corrin, do you promise to dedicate your life, your heart, your soul to Kaden?"

"I promise."

"As part of Kitsune tradition as well, the kiss of oath is not for witnesses to see, but is sacred to the bride and groom, to be shared only between them. This was a choice by both Corrin and Kaden."

"Oh, c'mon. We don't get to see the juicy kiss?" Oboro sighed, slumping over slightly.

"At least not the bonding one," Corrin laughed.

"Lame. Well, you'd better show us some smoochin' later!" Oboro winked. "Gotta see some of that public display of affection!"

"Oboro, please..." Takumi groaned, hiding his blushing face behind his hand.

"As of now, you are no longer a separate entity, but as one soul shared. Let this day be forever ingrained into your memories. So let it be written," Lilith finished. Then... "Congrats! You're married!"

Outside, they could hear cheers, and inside became lively as well. Lilith hovered to Corrin's side and nudged her face on Corrin's cheek, her scales smooth. "Sorry! I couldn't hold it back any longer! I had to be myself for just one second!"

"You did marvelously, Lilith," Corrin praised, raising her other hand up and scratching Lilith's head. "Thank you."

"Thanks a lot!" Kaden beamed.

XXXXXX

When night fell and the celebrations over, Kaden and Corrin returned to the treehouse. Lilith had provided simple, silver rings for them to wear as a symbol of their union, and once inside, Corrin put the kaleidoscope on a bookshelf behind the bed, within sight and touch when needed. Kaden excused himself for a brief moment, only to return with towels in hand.

"I asked for a favor. We have the hot springs to ourselves," he informed, handing her a towel. She took it in her hands and blushed, looking at it.

"O-Oh."

"Of course, if you'd like to go on your own, that's fine, too," Kaden smiled.

"N-No! I'd love to go with you!" Corrin stammered, her face turning hot. "It'll be the first thing we do as a married couple. I'd like it very much."

In the springs, she turned her back once Kaden started undressing. She had seen him shirtless before, when he was wounded not too long ago during a battle. He had nearly died, and she had lost it, killing every enemy she could as well as getting injured herself; had it not been for Hayato bringing her back to her senses... It was a scary memory, but one that also made her realize just how much she treasured Kaden.

She heard the water being disturbed by Kaden's entrance, and she was confused. He had entered without her, and he had said not a word about her removing her clothes. He was giving her time to adjust and make choices on her own. At any moment, she knew she could excuse herself and return later, and Kaden wouldn't be bothered one bit. That was how he was. Everything was her choice, her stride. He knew she wasn't experienced at all, and her apprehension would be extremely high. Although, he wasn't exactly thoroughly experienced himself, with one moment he shared with a friend his only occurrence. With shaky hands, she began to remove her clothes until she was fully nude. When she turned around, Kaden's eyes were not on her, but on the wall in front of him. He would look only if she allowed. Still nervous, she waded into the springs, the hot water and steam on her skin. She sat down in front of Kaden, her back facing him.

"Feels good," she sighed.

"I could live here, really," Kaden agreed. "This was one thing I missed traveling around so much."

"I'd say so. When we're battling and out for days, I remember to never take hot baths and food for granted."

She felt his finger trace the outlines of her shoulder blades on her back. "Did I ever tell you about the first time I saw magic?"

"Oh, that's right! Kistune don't use magic!" she gasped. "I bet it was a shock, huh?"

"A shock? I was scared senseless!" Kaden laughed. "It was when I was at the village where those people had taken me in when I was injured. They don't have a healer, but they have mages. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

He was still tracing her shoulder blades. "They can only do the small stuff. Cast fire, stuff like that. I saw one cast fire to cook with, and I ran and hid in the bushes."

Before she could stop herself, she laughed. "Sorry, that shouldn't be funny, but I can't imagine you being scared of anything."

"Believe me, I was. And there's some stuff I'm scared of. Everyone is scared of something, yeah? Anyway, after that, I was curious and had him cast it again." He stopped tracing her shoulder blades, and she leaned back onto his chest, feeling more at ease. "It wasn't until I met up with you guys that I saw the crazy stuff. Do you know how hard it is to keep my fur from getting burnt and stuff during battles? My poor tail has taken some hits in its days."

She laughed again. "I can't tell. Your tail has always been so soft and pretty. I guess because you take such good care of it."

"Thanks! I try. What's a Kitsune without his ears and tail, after all?"

She kept on laughing until he joined her, and she reached up and put one hand behind his neck, looking up and back to see his eyes shine. They stopped laughing, but kept the smiles on their faces.

"I guess we'd better bathe, huh?" he awkwardly suggested. "I'll wash your back if you wash mine!"

"Deal."

XXXXXX

When they returned to the treehouse, they were surprised to see that Jakob had left them tea. They drank it, Jakob's brew as delicious as ever, talking about anything and everything. It was so easy for her to talk to him, and she was grateful for that. Once they finished, she thought of something and bit her lip, hesitating to bring it up.

"Kaden?"

"Hmm?"

"We haven't kissed yet."

"That we have not."

"How come?"

He neared her and took her hands into his. "I want to make sure you're ready. That you know fully what it means..."

She smiled warmly. "I know what it means, Kaden. And I'm ready."

He released one of her hands then brought his hand up to her cheek, his fingers gracing over the skin until her cheek was in the palm of his hand. His face neared hers, their lips close. "Then tell me."

Without having to ask, she knew. "I love you. Now and forever."

She could feel his lips tracing over hers as he spoke, "With this kiss, our souls are one."

Soft, gentle, their lips connected. Her body burned, her lips tingled, and she wondered what he was feeling, too. He started to pull away, but she stopped him, her free hand reaching up and grabbing onto the hand that was on her face, to which he pulled away just enough to speak.

"Corrin... we don't have to do this tonight."

"I want to," she whispered, kissing him again. "Kaden... please?"

With that, Kaden lifted her up and carried her princess-style to the bed, laying her down gently. They were in their relaxing clothes, and she was thankful that they weren't in their full attire. He then positioned over her, his hands on either side of her head, his cheeks reddened but a loving smile on his face.

"As you wish."

He started kissing her again, the heat between them building. She reached up and put her hands on his back, feeling the muscles through his shirt. She opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to enter and tangle with hers, a light moan muffled from her. Kaden's hand cupped her cheek, his thumb skimming over her skin that brought chill bumps all over her body. He was always gentle with her, but this was different. The longer they kissed, the more she felt a strange sensation taking over her. Love, lust... His lips parted hers, placing gentle kisses along his path to her neck, where he planted a firmer kiss then licked her skin, making her gasp and pull his shirt up slightly. With a chuckle, he pulled away from her and tugged his shirt off, tossing it aside on the floor. She had seen his sculpted torso dozens of times, as his attire normally was opened just enough to see his chest and some of his stomach, but now that she she was looking at him in this situation, she felt her heart race. But then, she saw his scar... the scar he received saving her from the arrow. Tender fingers touched the scar, then moved to grip his shoulder and pull him down to her, where she resumed kissing him with fervor. In a moment, he parted, both panting as he shook his head.

"Slow down..."

She raised an eyebrow, confused. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No," he laughed. He then kissed the scar across her nose. "I just... I don't want to go too fast, you know?"

"I see," she smiled. "What do you want me to do?"

"Whatever you want or feel comfortable with," he answered. She then took off her own shirt, braless since they had been preparing for bed. His breath hitched in his lungs, resisting every urge he had. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, him feeling her chest on his as she started kissing him again. His hands went to her hips and held her in place, the grip becoming tighter the longer their lips were connected. She felt him leave, then his lips ghost down to her chest, taking a pert nipple into his mouth, his tongue rolling over it. The new sensation made her moan and arch her back slightly, his other hand pulling her closer.

"K-Kaden..."

Hearing his name in her voice made his ears flick, and he moved his mouth to the other breast, her gasps, breathing, and moans becoming more frequent. Without breaking away from her, he moved her backwards to lay down on the bed again, his hand moving from her hip to her stomach, tracing his fingers over the skin there. She felt almost like a spark, her hips involuntarily bucking to his touch. He smiled to himself, gliding his lips from her breasts to her mouth again, his hand inching lower and lower to the edge of her pants. Her hands grasped onto the sheets, feeling his fingers going lower than she was ever used to, but she dared not say a word. He moved his lips away, trailing his face on down to his fingers, his tongue gliding on her skin that made her give a sweet moan, one hand leaving the sheets and to her mouth in her efforts to try to silence herself. Where his fingers were, his tongue took over, just above the waistline, his fingers taking hold of the fabric and pulling it off, underwear included, leaving her completely exposed. In an instant, she wanted to cover herself, one arm over her breast and the other over her womanhood. At her hesitation, Kaden leaned up, his eyes ever so gentle.

"You okay?"

"I feel weird..." she muttered.

"We can stop."

"No," she shook her head. "You're the only man who has ever seen me this way. Even when I was wounded, Azama never saw me. It was Sakura who changed the bandages." Her arm felt the scar on her hip from the fire attack she had received the same battle Kaden was nearly killed. Kaden leaned down and kissed the scar.

"I'm honored, then. Truly. You're the only person more beautiful than myself, you know."

This made her giggle. "Then, I should be the honored one!"

He laughed, too, his breath ghosting on her hip. "Permit me to show you that I honor you?"

"You may."

He reached and took her hands away, taking in the sight of her fully nude body. He bit his lip. "You're beautiful. I mean it." With her smile, he kissed her hip again, his lips moving more inward until... Parting her legs with his hands, he leaned down, kissing again until his lips found her folds, his tongue moving inside. The feeling made her gasp rather loudly, her hands hastily finding Kaden's head but one accidentally pulling one of his ears, making him yelp slightly.

"Sorry!" she breathed. "I wasn't... That-"

"It's fine," he winced. He then flashed her a mischievous grin. "Pull my hair all you want, just try to be easy on my ears, please."

"Okay," she chuckled.

"Can I?"

"Oh." She blushed. "Y-Yes."

His tongue resuming its work, she eased back on the bed, taking handfuls of Kaden's hair but just running her fingers through it... at first. As he licked, his hands explored her body, soft, supple, but also muscular from war. She was so strong, but also so fragile, being hidden away most of her life, being thrown into the fray of two families she only wanted to be united. Usually with a smile, she hardly complained, and the first time she broke down on him nearly destroyed his soul. All he wanted was for that smile to remain, never to be removed by sadness. If there was anything he could do to retain it, he would do it in a heartbeat.

His ears tickled her thighs slightly, but the overwhelming sensations she was experiencing overshadowed that feeling easily. One of his hands moved to her nub, his fingers massaging it as his tongue continued to lick her core. Her vocalizations of pleasure were becoming all the louder, but she was simply too caught up in passion to care. Fingers no longer running through his hair, they gripped it, her legs shaking as she felt a pressure in her lower region start to rise. Her hips were bucking ever slightly, moving to the rhythm of his tongue, her hands pulling him closer and closer. His name almost a mantra by now, and he knew she was drawing close. He slid his other hand down, inserting a finger into her; her head threw back, her back arching and her legs wrapping around his head, her arms now up above her head and gripping the pillows so tightly, he thought she would rip them apart. He moved his finger away from her nub and sucked on it softly; her sounds, smell, taste... it was almost too much for him to bear. He felt the tightness in his pants, but he wasn't concerned with that. Not with her this close. Watching her was a sight he blessed the gods for, and was grateful he had her all to himself. Writhing, his name and incoherent words spilling from her lips, she was nearly undone... She was wiggling away, his free hand placing on top of her waist and pinning her to the bed until finally...

"Kaden! Kaden, oh gods!" she cried out as she came. He kept up his assault on her womanhood, letting her ride out her orgasm, feeling her body contort and spasm in ways he knew she had never experienced. When she began to come down from her high, he moved away from her and kissed her, her tasting herself. He watched her face and moved her sweaty bangs from her forehead, a soft smile on his face. Breathing hard, her eyes closed, she gathered herself for a moment before she finally opened her eyes and looked at him. She blushed and looked away, embarrassed at what she had just done.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was loud."

This made him laugh. "That's a good thing. Means I'm doing it right." He then leaned over her, kissing her forehead. "Whenever you're ready..."

She nodded. "I'm ready... but..."

He nodded as well. "When it hurts, just hold onto me. And be honest. I don't want to hurt you more than what is necessary."

He took himself in his hand and positioned it at her entrance, her wetness coating him already. Completely mast, it was almost painful, but he wouldn't hurry at all. The thought of hurting her ached him. He slid it inside bit by bit, her face scrunching in pain... then felt a barrier. She grunted, and he stopped, taking one of her hands into his. Verbally expressing his love for her, in one movement, he broke through the barrier, a cry erupting from her and her hand squeezing his hand tightly. He dared not to move in fear of hurting her more. He glanced down at the sheets to see spots of blood, and when he looked back at her face, tears rolled down her cheeks and her eyes were closed, her other hand over her mouth as she muffled a sob.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered. He peppered her face with kisses, consoling her. Her eyes opened in moments, and he wiped her tears away. "Corrin?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Try moving."

"Are you sure?" He saw her nod once, so he pulled out, a hiss filling his ears. "Bear with me..." He moved back in and out slowly over and over, letting her get used to the feeling. In time, the pain faded away, a pleasurable feeling arising. The hold on his hand loosened, and a moan was heard from her, letting him know she was all right. Still, he was slow and tender. It was new to her, her body having to get conform to the situation. When her noises grew, his tension eased. "You okay?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Oh, gods, yes."

"Good to hear," he smiled. He kissed her again then kissed her neck. One of his hands started massaging her breasts, and she moaned at the contact. Within minutes, her hips were moving in timing with his, and her hands were placed on his shoulders, her legs crossing behind him and bringing him in.

"Kaden... all of it," she begged. He hadn't entered her fully yet in fear of hurting her, being of more than considerate size and girth. "Please..."

"I don't wanna hurt you..."

"Please..."

Biting his lip, he lifted her hips up and inserted himself to the base, a pained and pleasured cry coming from her. She then sat up into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as she started to ride him. He started sucking and licking her breasts again, his hands all over her body. She could hear him moan or sigh every now and then, and when she pushed him down and started riding him harder, his eyes closed as he threw his head back, a somewhat louder sound escaping his lips. His hips bucked up with her movements, and he was amazed at how fast of a learner she was. Seeing her on top of him, her eyes clouded with love and lust, almost set him off completely. Checking himself, he put his hands on her hips, helping her to move. It was all surreal, and he swore if anyone or anything interrupted them, he would destroy their world.

"Kaden... I love you..." she breathed. "I love you... I love you..."

He moved one hand to her nub and started rubbing it, eliciting an excited gasp from her. She moved all the more, her hands in her hair as the feeling was overwhelming once more. She felt another hand rub a nipple, taking her breast in it as his calloused fingers worked her over. Her thighs burned, but she only picked up her pace- Kaden rose up quickly and pushed her backwards, lifting her legs up at the bends of her knees with his arms, driving into her in a much better way. He felt bigger, deeper, and the cries that were coming from her were driving him wild. Sweat dripped from his chin as he looked at her face, her eyes lidded over and one of her hands to her cheek, the other above and clenching the headboard, her breasts moving with each thrust that was only getting more forceful. One arm still hooked at her leg, he dropped the other leg and gripped the headboard as well, the thrusts powerful. He kissed her hard, and the cry that he heard from her and the feeling of her walls convulsing let him know that she had reached climax again. However, he felt a rougher spot, making her cry again and her back arch, and he knew at once he had found that special spot. Repeatedly, he thrust into her, her hips rolling against his as her fingers clawed into his back- at this, he instinctively bit her shoulder hard enough that he tasted something metallic, and she moaned loudly, her nails digging into his skin.

"K-Kaden! Gods, Kaden, yes!" she nearly screamed. "Kaden!"

Hearing her cries, he moved his hands then flipped her over, reinserting himself and pressing his hands into the small of her back, bending her down. Nearly beside herself, she grabbed the sheets, her moans and breathing echoing off the walls. He reached one hand in front of her to her nub and began rubbing again, then licked her pointed ear, almost immediately gaining another release from her. His bangs stuck to his forehead in sweat, and he didn't even want to think about how tangled up the hairs on his tail were, not that he cared. It was all too much, and he could feel it coil in the pit of his stomach.

"Corrin... sorry..." he breathed. "I..."

"It's okay," she panted. "I'm ready."

Those words alone nearly set him over, and within a few thrusts, she felt him release inside of her, a loud moan from his throat filling her ears. He thrust several times until he was empty, then pulled out, the both of them collapsing on the bed in breathlessness and drenched in sweat. She glanced over at him then unexpectedly laughed, catching him by surprise.

"Wh-What?" he stammered, still trying to catch his breath.

"I'm starting to hurt."

"Huh? What? Where?" he panicked.

"Where you bit me."

He looked at her shoulder to see small trickles of blood from his bite. He started to lean up, but noticed his back was stuck to the sheets. With a wince, he pulled off the sheets to see streaks of blood on them from his back.

"Oh, okay. To be fair, take a look at my back."

He turned to let her see, and she gasped. "Oh. Oh gods, Kaden... I'm sorry!"

He turned back around, a playful smile on his face. "I'm not." He then kissed her shoulder. "Sorry about that. I think... I got a little too rough on you."

She laughed again as she shook her head. "Maybe, but I'm not made of glass. I thoroughly enjoyed it."

His ears picked up. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah," she said, sitting up with him and leaning her head on his shoulder. "In fact, I'd like to do it a lot more often."

"It was your first time!"

"Exactly. More often."

He laughed. "I can do that."

She wrapped her hand around his, staring at his silver band. "You know... I was scared."

This statement caught him by surprise. "Scared? About this?"

"Not about this, but... that I wouldn't be good enough."

"Corrin, are you kidding? You were great."

"I mean..." she hesitated. "I know you had someone else before me... and I was worried about not meeting her standards."

He jerked backwards then took her face in his hands, making her look into his eyes. "Her standards? You mean my childhood friend's?" She nodded. "Corrin, that was a one time deal. There were no standards for you to make. I just wanted you. That's all."

"I know that now," she pointed out. "I even talked to Jakob about it. I think he likes you, because he spoke in your favor."

Kaden beamed. "I'm a likable guy, what can I say?"

Corrin giggled and gave him a playful slap. "Sure, sure. Just be glad he does. You don't know how he can be to people he hates."

They laid back on the bed again, feeling sluggish and weary. Corrin placed her head on Kaden's chest, hearing his steady heartbeat and feeling his fingers glide up and down her back.

"I'm glad."

She glanced up at him to see his eyes closed, but a smile on his face.

"Huh?"

"I'm glad that you fell for me," he spoke. "I'll show you over and over again just how much I love you. I promise."

She smiled and closed her eyes, too, cuddling up closer to her husband. "A lifetime waiting, huh?"

"You bet."