Welcome to 'Now and Forever', the beacon that will lead us into the year's biggest event; the most beautiful fairy tale wedding of all! I'd like to thank all of my readers for the tenth thousandth time, for without any of them, there would be no story at all. Plans for the wedding have been finalized, and I can imagine them clearly. I know I'll be able to put them forth through words, so all of you can see what I've dreamt of!

I've thought about creating the honeymoon, but then after I mapped everything out, I realized something; there would be absolutely no point to creating the honeymoon, for in the place of a plot would be...mwee hee hee. I'm such a naughty girl, but with our lovey-dovey couple, what would someone expect? The idea of it is rather cute, though!

Shiri was introduced in 'Dream', as the son of Mika and Tohma Seguchi. The name 'Shiri' came from the first two letters of 'Shuichi' and the last letters of 'Eiri'. The two of them decided to name their first son after their dearest friends. And I can't tell you how glad I am to know that someone recognized my favorite commercial! My idea went across perfectly! Mwee hee hee...and as for the banter between everyone's favorite priest and novelist, I remembered how they argued against each other in the manga, and decided to put a playful, affectionate spin on that.

On with the show! Please take the time to enjoy yourselves, and without further ado, here's 'Now and Forever'!

Theme of 'Now and Forever': 'Lazy Afternoons' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST, 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight?' from The Disney Songbook, 'Dearly Beloved' of Kingdom Hearts 2 OST

Since that nightmare, I've had nothing but happy dreams.

My heart has been filled with your smile for quite some time now, and I'm glad.

Even though we're apart, I can still feel you near me.

Even though we're separate from each other, I can still hear your voice whisper my name.

I long for the chance to be near you, which is soon.

On the day that I see you again, I'll tell you...how much you truly mean to me.

Night, once again, had fallen over the realm of Tokyo. The day's stream had been filled with the highest degree of excitement; every resident of Tokyo had immersed themselves in a child's fantasyland, acting as if all of their dreams were about to emerge into reality on the advent of dawn. They had spent many hours preparing for the new day's events, eagerly awaiting the arrival of golden sunlight, which would ignite the presentation of their aspirations. Every child, every man and woman had managed to keep themselves within time's frantic flow, scurrying about their day with a fervent amount of anticipation.

Every business within Tokyo had been packed to the rims, which was saying a lot due to Tokyo's activity. The land was certainly one of the world's busiest places under normal circumstances; this particular day had brought an inexplicable speed upon its residents, which drove them through even the smallest of routines with massive pleasure. They took immense pride in their duties, fulfilling them to the best of their abilities. Salons churned out customers within minutes, knowing that they had to perform like they had never performed before...and would probably never perform again. Bakeries delivered enormous orders, shopping malls dished out requests to its visitors...every establishment within Tokyo was a breeding ground of chaotic yet amusing activity, which gave the entire land the feeling of an amusement park.

The day's frantic preparations had brought on blissful silence. Many residents were sleeping, smiling like children that were immersed in the dreams of an oncoming Christmas. Others were making the attempt to sleep, curled up in their chosen bed linen, but others were far too excited to even think of sleeping. Shuichi Shindou, the angel of tomorrow's festivities, was too wired up for slumber, even though his haven was quite warm. It had been three days since his last embrace with Eiri, but he could still feel the prince against his fragile frame, holding him with all of his warm, profound strength. The songbird was like a schoolgirl living with a dream, one that kept itself clear and vibrant throughout the day...and it was a dream he never wanted to let go of.

The vocalist of Bad Luck was within a sleeping bag, silently observing the activities of his friends (who had just emerged into the house). His dearest companions had spent the entire day preparing, operating within every mission with the precision, speed and concentration of machines. Gentle sniffs were coming from two of them, but other than that, they were completely silent. The vocalist's violet eyes managed to catch a glimpse of them from under his bag, and all of them looked as if they had just emerged from a funeral instead of a wedding rehearsal.

Even Claude K.Winchester, who had taken on the role of Shuichi's loving father, had his eyes filled with oceans. Whenever he fell into a teary silence, individuals without a brain could tell that something was dead wrong. It was true that he cried during emotional roller coaster rides, but he never fell into silent oblivion. He wasn't one to feel comfortable with silence, and yet he had immersed himself in it. The others weren't too happy either.

The songbird tucked himself under his bag, still pretending to be asleep. Like a child observing the wrapping of their Christmas presents, he kept himself silent (in case one of them decided to whisper details in regards to the new day's events). Footsteps gently pricked his ears as they flowed throughout Hiroshi Nakano's house, but they came to a halt as soon as a pair entered the kitchen. Shuichi slowly peered out from under his covers as he noticed something: Suguru had managed to find a small tray of tea and small pastries (which had been made by none other than Shuichi). Shyly, the small angel kept his eyes on his friends as they stared at the little display, which had been made with love and care. Things were uncomfortably silent for two more minutes, and then Hiroshi's eyes filled with tremors of tears.

"I never thought I'd feel like this, you know." he said, smiling through an enormous wave of dewdrops. His hands were shivering from emotion, and even though he tried to control his body's shivering, all attempts failed miserably. "I never thought I'd be exhausted, energized, sad and happy...all at the same time. It's weird."

K's eyes filled with even more tears. He hadn't cried so much since their venture into Anuryn, and thought he would never overflow with tears again. However, the night he had spent with Shuichi's prince created a vow; he would never make such assumptions again, no matter what the circumstances were. "Don't think it's too weird." he said softly, also smiling through his own tears. "I feel the same way. It's not everyday that your child gains a pair of wings. I feel as though I could cry for days. And let's not forget about Eiri's speech."

The mention of his beloved prince charming struck a match within Shuichi. He had spent the seven whole days without his lover; in just a few hours, the two of them would be together...in the altar he had always dreamt of...

"It's strange..." Suguru Fujisaki said softly, after tasting a tiny pastry. The very taste of it brought tears to his eyes. He had never felt so weepy before in his life, and so it brought him a sense of discomfort. "...how people take so many things for granted. It's strange to think of how people spend their time, thinking that their lives will either stay neutral or present small changes. Tonight...I learned a lot about this thing called 'life'...and it was all because of...Eiri. I thought I knew...how important Shuichi was to him...but he proved me wrong tonight."

"Don't you mean 'last night'?" Hiro asked jokingly, making an attempt to laugh through his tears. He took a small cup of tea and almost inhaled it. "It is three o'clock, in case you've forgotten."

All three of them glanced at their watches, instantly realizing that the guitarist's words were true. Their previous day had started at five in the morning, and it had brought itself to an end several minutes ago. They had spent the entire day soaring through many activities, which included walks down memory lane. The emergence of their memories brought forth a mixture of emotions, all of which were like heavy bricks upon their souls. Their hearts weren't filled with pain, nevertheless. They were filled with sadness that came from the end of a chapter, but that sadness was accompanied by hope for the future. Nevertheless, that sadness was just as strong as that happiness...and both elements managed to sit upon their shoulders like great bags of iron.

Silence returned to Hiroshi's house as the trio slowly took in their beloved friend's treats. As soon as Shuichi Shindou's stay began, they were instantly treated to little delicacies; their vocalist had made the decision to enhance his skills as a cook, in order to prepare for his life within marriage. His first attempts hadn't been any good (sushi wasn't really sushi if it was burned, crispy rice wasn't too high in demand and pasta wasn't any good if it had been transformed into mush), but none of them broke his heart. It would have been a crime to do so, for he had tried so hard.

All of them stood within silence, each of them bearing their own thoughts...their own tears and memories. The only sounds within the house were gentle sniffs, and the soft roaring of the fireplace. Their beloved songbird allowed them to flow within silence for a few more minutes, and then silence became a merciless enemy, one that made him feel far too uncomfortable. He peered out from under his sleeping bag, beamed at his three friends and spoke, his voice even softer than a moonlit breeze.

"Do you like them?"

The sound of Shuichi's little voice caused all of them to gasp, and it also caused even more tears to flow. If the angel had been a canine, he would have been the cutest one in existence, and his tail would have been wagging with the desire to gain approval. A stranger would have assumed that his friends were horrified by the little pastries, for the looks on their faces were looks of sorrow, but the truth was present to the trio. They exchanged glances with each other, each of their faces bearing a colossal mixture of sadness, love, pride and joy. When they had failed to present the angel with a response, a small explanation appeared.

"I thought...you guys would want a little something...after your rehearsal. I know it's late and everything, but after all of that hard work you...probably wanted a little something..."

K, Suguru and Hiroshi stared at their smiling vocalist, who was beaming with the incandescence of the warm fire. Tears were also streaming from the angel's eyes, but they were happy...unbelievably happy...

"I hope they were okay. I tried really hard. It took me a while, but...I did it. I hope the tea was okay too. I learned how to make some by hand!"

Without a word, Suguru swiftly placed his cup on the counter and walked out of the kitchen, overwhelmed by a shivering wave of tears. K and Hiroshi watched their friend enter the bathroom, which was where he would probably break down and cry. Sadly, they exchanged glances with each other, and then returned their attention to the smiling vocalist (who was still wagging his tail, tongue hanging out and everything).

Hiro made an attempt to speak, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the only thing he issued was a tremendous wave of tears. Bearing a weak smile about his face, he walked over to his childhood friend and ruffled his hair, and then left the living room in silence, dangerously close to the verge of a breakdown himself. The puppy's tail ceased its wagging, but the happy soul kept a smile about his face...even though tears were pouring from his eyes.

"Dad?"

Right then and there, K wished Shuichi would have addressed him as 'K'. Being Shuichi's father came with the package of life's new chapter, and releasing the past produced bittersweet pangs. He loved being a father to the vocalist dearly, and would have done anything to keep his little cub in the warmth of a parent, but at the moment...sadness was flowing through him, overwhelming every bit of his heart's core. Being referred to as 'dad' by his vocalist meant only one thing; he had lost the little puppy he had met months ago, the aspiring lyricist that had managed to make his way into his heart instantly. He loved Shuichi, loved him tremendously...but...that little connection they had shared within the past...was now gone. His little cub had grown so much...

He felt like a parent that had to watch a child emerge from its cocoon and enter the world of adulthood. He was a father, one that had to see their son off to college, or...one that had to witness their child's baby steps...their child's high school graduation...

He wasn't little anymore. He had grown into a fully fledged angel, one that was about to truly mate with his eternal lover.

"What are you doing up?" he asked his smiling cub, earning an even warmer smile. He tried to sound cheerful, but his voice refused to cooperate with his wishes. His voice came out hoarse and immensely fragile, instantly accompanied by waves of tears. Both of them wiped away tears as they smiled at each other, wandering down the precious stitches of memory lane. "I can't go to sleep!" the beaming vocalist said, laughing through his tears. "I'm too excited to sleep. I'm sorry."

K frowned at him, annoyed by his tendency to apologize for every error he made. If the sky had fallen to pieces, Shuichi probably would have apologized for that as well. His habit of apologizing was cute, but at the same time a little frustrating. The gentle angel didn't have to apologize for every thing that went wrong. His surrogate father brought himself down on one knee, smiling with the true warmth of a loving sage. He took a hand and ran it through his child's hair, smiling through an immense sheet of tears.

"Don't be. You have every right to be excited. I know I would be, if I were in your position."

K's voice was beyond warm. He spoke the way a child would speak to the tiniest puppy, which brought an even deeper sheen to the bond they shared with each other. He had never taken on such a soft tone before, and it was extraordinarily beautiful. "You'd better at least try to get some sleep, Shuichi." he added on, surprised by his ability to speak. Tears were falling like rocks from his eyes, and yet he was still able to speak. He found that a little bizarre.

The angel's smile became even warmer, rising far beyond the silvery stars of the silent skies. His fragile voice gently infiltrated the warm air, filled his father's heart with pride. "I'll try." he promised happily as his father ran an affectionate hand through his pink hair. A small kiss touched the vocalist's forehead, and then his manager, the one he had come to love and know deeply, chuckled at him.

"Good. You'd better try hard too. You're out of here when the hand strikes seven. It's three now. Fall asleep in the next couple of seconds and you'll be fine."

"What about...you guys?"

"We're out of here in two hours."

Noticing the look of concern on Shuichi's face, K laughed at the worried songbird warmly. "Don't worry." his manager said soothingly, tucking his cub into his sleeping bag as if he were a delicate infant. "We'll be just fine. If there's anyone to worry about, it's Eiri. Your Prince Charming's pretty nervous."

"I am too..." the angel said happily, beaming through half open eyes. The soft flames of the fireplace were finally working their magic on him; his eyes were slowly being dragged into slumber, and his body was finally developing a desire for slumber. A small yawn left his lips, which brought even more affection to his manager's eyes. "Is my Eiri okay?" Shuichi asked, his voice radiant with distant rapture.

"Sure he is. He probably won't go to sleep; he's been on pins and needles all day. But he's fine. Nothing to worry about."

"Dad?"

Tears erupted within K's eyes once again, but he managed to restrain them. Unfortunately, his dam wasn't going to last very long. It was a weak one, one made out of abrupt desperation. A moment of silence passed before he replied to the smiling songbird, who looked like a child that had all of their dearest wishes granted. The golden warmth of the fire brought such a beautiful glow to Shuichi's smile, and the smile was already ethereal by itself...

"...yes, Shuichi?"

In a flash the angel threw his arms about him, smiling.

"I love you, K, and thank you...for everything."

"..."

"Thank you...for being my friend...and for listening to me. I know I wasn't easy to put up with sometimes, and I'm sorry...but thank you..."

Soft waves turned into the world's greatest ocean. Tears erupted within the officer's chest, which caused his entire body to burn with emotion. His eyes fell into chasms of fire as they emitted waterfalls, and he began to shiver from hidden sobs. Trying his hardest to hold back those sobs, he gently returned the angel (who had fallen asleep in his arms) to his sleeping bag and looked upon his vocalist's smile...and then made his way to his own bag, covered himself up and unleashed every last drop he had within his body.

As quickly as it came, the past left us.

It left behind so many memories, memories of pain and anguish...

...but memories of hope and happiness too.

So many tears were formed throughout the years, and so many dreams created...

..and in spite of the chaos, two hearts managed to find each other.

In spite of the pain they endured, two hearts managed to unite with each other...

...and tomorrow...is their time to truly form a union.

I'll miss what we shared. I'll always miss what came before the future...

...but...I can't wait to see what memories the future will bring.

The hand struck the forth hour of the new day. The skies were about to become oceans of dawn; only an hour remained before the new sunrise. Tokyo was still lost in silence, a silence it had never known before...for it was constantly filled with activity. Every heart within the realm was fast asleep, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new day's celebration. Only one heart was awake, and he went by the name of 'Eiri'. Shuichi realized this when his cell phone gently roused him from sleep with its vibrations, and then with a familiar ringtone. He had applied his very first song to Eiri's name, which brought tears to his eyes whenever it drifted into his ears.

The vocalist's manners were always on point, even if no one was around to witness them. He placed a hand on his mouth as a small yawn left his lips, and then his eyes scanned the bodies of his sleeping friends. The fireplace had been asked to simmer at a low roar, in order to keep all of them warm and comfortable...but without the vocalist knowing, they had spent an entire hour in tears, sharing their thoughts on the wedding ceremony. Bearing the most ethereal smile about his face, Shuichi opened up his phone and tucked himself under his covers, feeling wondrously warm.

"Hi. I'm glad you called. I missed you."

"Did I wake you?" came the soft, tender question. Shuichi's cheeks took on a bright shade of red.

"Yeah, but...I'm okay. I really wanted to hear your voice. I'm so happy you called me, Eiri."

"I am too." the prince said, once again eliminating all doubt. The novelist's voice was incredibly passionate, passionate enough to make even the smallest of words seem beautiful. "I can't tell you how much I've wanted to see you...but through everything I kept on telling myself that you'd be in my arms soon, and once I find you again, I'll be damned before I let you go."

Five seconds of silence ensued, followed by a wave of sniffs.

"Don't cry...don't cry, Shuchan...ahhh, you're always so quick to cry..."

He hadn't been too strong himself throughout the process of planning a wedding. He had cried at mostly everything, and he was crying now.

"I'm...I'm sorry...it's just that...you're always so nice to me...that makes me happy..."

"I consider that my strongest suit. Quite proud of it, actually."

"...thank you...thank you, Eiri..."

"...are you...excited?"

"Uh huh. Very. I'm also nervous..."

"Good. That makes two of us. We're even."

"What are you nervous about?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just everything. You?"

"The same...and I can't wait...to see you again. I've missed you soo much. And thank you..."

"For what, baby?"

"...the flowers. And the strawberries. And...the card."

"...you're welcome, Shuichi." the prince said softly, noticing that his angel was drifting away. His voice was so distant, so small...

"...are you okay?" the angel asked him, remembering what Suguru had mentioned concerning Eiri.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"...what did you say...last night?"

"...I'll tell you in a few hours. Just go to sleep, all right? I'll tell you when I see you again."

"M'kay."

Silence drifted between them for a moment. Even over the phone they enjoyed each other's presence; it was no different from being face to face to them, aside from the absence of intimacy. Shuichi tenderly broke the silence, his happy voice floating out to the delicate, moonlit skies.

"...I'll be able to see you again...after so long...today, you and I...we'll finally be...together..."

Eiri Uesugi closed his phone with a sigh, one that was composed of sadness and happiness. He covered himself with his white sheets, immersed in the warmth of his childhood friend's guest room. Being with his best man was part of a tradition; grooms were attended to by their best man prior to the ceremony, and so the prince had been given a chance to bond with his friend's son, Shiri. Through their newborn bond, he became Shiri's godfather (right along with his lover, who had become a lifelong friend of Shiri's within a day).

His phone was gently placed under his pillow, treated like a box of royal diamonds. He had awakened at two in the morning, during the previous day, and had successfully kept himself up throughout time's stream. Now he was finally feeling the desire for slumber, for he could feel the warmth of a certain body against his...even though they were in two different worlds.

Before he finally succumbed to slumber, he took one last look into the heavens, which were right outside of the window. Thoughts of certain revelations came to his heart as tears filled his eyes...

"Yes, it's true. The one named 'Shuichi Shindou' was born here, among us angels."

"Everything you said is true; I won't argue with that! I know I'm a lowdown, dirty piece of shit, but I'm NOT going to let you trample over my heart anymore! WHAT I'VE SHARED WITH SHUICHI ISN'T MEANINGLESS! HE LOVES ME AND ACCEPTS EVERYTHING I AM, DAMMIT! WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT HIM ISN'T TRUE; HE ISN'T THAT CRUEL! WHAT WE SHARE IS REAL! DON'T LIKE IT, THEN FUCK OFF!"

"SHUICHI'S WAITING FOR YOU, EIRI! DEUS DOESN'T DESERVE HIM! YOU DON'T THINK YOU'RE WORTH ANYTHING, BUT YOU ARE! AN ANGEL FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU! GO GET HIM! AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"

"I...I need you, Yuki. Please...please...don't keep yourself away from me. I'm okay, really...I'm just happy...to be back with you...with the one I love, the one I need...the one I love..."

"He spent so many hours gazing out at the heavens, hoping to catch a glimpse of a certain star. The heavens were always filled with song, piercing melodies that were radiant with the hope of an unborn eternity. You see, our skies are filled with stars, which are the embodiments of human souls. Every soul begins its journey through life here, immersed in hopes, dreams and wishes. Our dear angel found your star, my child, and as you would say in your world...well...it was 'love at first sight'."

The one that had delivered that last revelation entered his mind, bringing a small smile to his face. It was the face of another angel, one that had been responsible for bringing Shuichi into the world. It was a calm face, one that rested among the heavens...a face that had soothed his pain and fear, and one that had brought about the most beautiful discovery; Shuichi had fallen in love with far before his birth had taken place.

His eyes kept themselves within the heavens for a moment, where his angel had dwelled for so many years. Before they closed themselves, their owner whispered two words.

"Thank you."

-The 'revelations' of above were snippets taken from 'An Angel's Dream'. The last snippet came from Shuichi's real father, who was an actual heaven within Anuryn's heavens. His character was inspired by Ansem the Wise, who was played by the awesome Christopher Lee (who was also responsible for Saruman the Wise, LOTR films).

Morning is just around the corner...

...it's almost here.