Family

'The impossible had been achieved.' Akira sighed with satisfaction. "You do know it will never last."

She cast an annoyed glance at her stepbrother. "Party pooper. Though the same could have been said about Joey and Seto's truce turned friendship. Sides I don't expect them to totally get over past torture and annoyances, just a truce with Pegasus for Kana's sake."

"And yours, but this has to be one of your craziest ideas yet."

"Hey, you weren't complaining about my schemes when we were kids. Just don't forget who's truly responsible for you even to be able to join the party instead of being trapped in a nearby screen." Akira shot back.

"Yeah, your endless obsession with sci-fi." Noah retorted, "Must be why you and Joey get along so well."

"Watch it, cyber punk." Her expression turned thoughtful. "By the way, did you ever find out who had been holding Kana and why?"

He grinned then said cryptically, "It's been taken care of, Kira, consider it an engagement gift."

Akira shook her head at his evil undertones. "So maybe I don't need to know everything. Just so it doesn't bite us in the ass later. Thanks, Noah."

"No worries. Just enjoy life for a change, you've earned it and then some."

"I plan on it. Guess I should start with returning to the party and find my partner in crime."

Noah snorted as she left the stairs. "Which one?"

"I heard that!" Akira yelled then spotted her best friend who wore a dazed expression on her face. "Hey, Aya, you okay?"

"Hm?" Aya laughed nervously as she hid her hand behind her back. "I'm fine, just a bit tired I guess."

"You know, I never did tell Seto or Joey the real reason I don't compete." She studied her friend slyly then smirked at Aya's reaction to Seto's name.

"Which is?" Seto asked as he and Joey joined them.

"The same reason I remained Aki in school until I graduated and rarely speak in public." Akira shrugged. "I never saw the point of being in the spotlight unless I could share it. Which is why this party is for two couples instead of one."

"I don't know what you mean." Aya tried to avoid the meaning of her words.

A slim hand captured Aya's hidden left hand to reveal a simple solitaire. Akira smirked at their almost guilty expressions. "Some moments are meant to be shared, which I hope can include our special day."

Aya blushed and glanced at Seto. "A double ceremony would be perfect."

"And we'd only have to do the whole mess once. Please, Big Brother?" Blue eyes glistened expertly under the chandeliers light.

Seto shook his head with a laugh. "Only if you don't mind doing it before the baby is born."

Both brides-to-be smiled broadly. "Great! Long engagements are boring and overrated anyway."

"Not to mention that I hate shopping so now all we need is a wedding planner and I have a dress designer already in mind." Akira said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Joey shivered. "Not sure I like that look in your eye. Do I truly even want to know?"

"You'll see, Hun."

He shuddered at certain memories. "Now I know I don't want to know as long as it doesn't involve a trip to New York."

"Do you really think I'm that devious?" She feigned innocence.

"Yes!" They chorused.

AKAKAK

"It was a beautiful ceremony, Mrs. Wheeler." Joey murmured into her neck.

"Hmmm. Yes, Aya's cousin did a good job planning. At first I wondered at her sanity in picking Valentine originals, but it turned out fine." Akira sighed.

"Fine? You made me want to skip the ceremony and go straight to dessert." He said as he kissed a tender spot.

"Big Brother, you can't corrupt those poor babies! It's a nursery for goodness sakes!"

Joey groaned when Akira agreed. "Listen to your sister, Joey. Serenity, I never did get to thank you for coming even if the wedding did have an untraditional end."

"Yeah having your new sister-in-law go into labor partway through your vows doesn't happen that often." Serenity said sympathetically.

"Who knew my little nephew was going to be a stinker and arrive early?" She chuckled. "Ah well nothing about it was traditional since the brides wore pale blue instead of white."

"But the white lace dragon overlays were beautiful." Her other new sister-in-law sighed dreamily.

"Hey, there he is." Joey said then the girls and other family turned back to the long window.

Tears sparkled in her eyes as Seto brought a bundle wrapped in blue to the window. The proud papa had the widest grin ever seen by anyone, other than his siblings since before the orphanage. "Everyone, meet Aki Kaiba. Aki, this is your crazy family while some are crazier than others."

"I resent that, Kaiba-boy." Pegasus said as held Kana up so she could see her new cousin.

"Wow, his eyes are the same color as yours, Seto!" Mokuba exclaimed in shock as the baby studied them with a steady gaze before going back to sleep.

"Amazing isn't he? Aya's doing fine as well, she wants to see Akira when she wakes up. It was her idea to name him after his aunt."

"He's beautiful, Seto, congratulations." Akira beamed through her tears.

Joey's arms tightened around his wife as her mind drifted to another baby she had held long ago. She glanced at Kana and felt relief that there were no traces of the one who spawned her in the young child. Just like there was none in the new baby in her brother's arms. With each blessing she counted, Akira finally let go of the old, scarred past. New life was born from those scars. New hope flooded her with the joy in their eyes. Not an ending, but a new beginning with those she loved the most.

Fin

AN Thus concludes Akira's story...for now at least so I hoped you enjoyed it. I will be revisiting an old storyline of mine soon under name change and construction. As always, I don't follow each arc too closely since each character is unique and gives their own spin to the story (since sometimes they tell me what is to happen, ne). Well gotta go to choir so until next time...k