Raina stood in front of the mirror, dressed like a beautiful, blushing bride.

She wore a floor length, lace, Bardot style dress, with a mermaid style skirt. Her hair was styled flawlessly around the headpiece that Yva had gifted to her. She looked perfect.

So why was she so scared?

Her stomach was in knots and she had vomited twice. Her hands were shaking, and her eyes were threatening to release the tears that she was holding back.

Why was she so fucking scared?

She had been waiting for this day. To marry the love of her life and spend the rest of her days by his side, secure in his arms and his love.

But still, she was scared!

All of that emotion broke free and she sobbed into her hands.

She didn't know how she was supposed to do this.

Dukat sat on his bed, fully dressed in his dress uniform. He twirled a small silver band around his finger; the band that would be on his wife's finger in less than an hour.

So why was he so scared?

He was Gul Skrain Gailan Dukat! He doesn't do scared. He was marrying his dream woman and the mother of his children. She was everything and all to him. He could boast and brag that he was married to the most incredible woman to ever exist.

He shouldn't be scared.

But he was. He was terrified and he couldn't explain why. He had to see her, to hold her and kiss her. He had to see her.

He left his room unseen by the others as he sneaked across the estate to Raina's room. He knew he would get passed the women, so the window was the only option. He climbed up to the window and caught sight of his love crying on the bed.

Raina jumped at the sound coming from the window. But it soon turned to relief when she saw her husband clumsily climbing through. "Skrain!" She cried, rushing to the window to help him through.

Once in the room, Dukat scooped his love into his arms, holding her closely as she cried. "I had to see you."

"I'm so scared, Skrain." Raina sobbed into his chest.

"I am too." He admitted. "We don't have to marry, if you're having second thoughts."

Raina pulled away, her eyes wide and hands trembling. "No!" She stated firmly. "This is my fucking wedding day and I'm fucking terrified. I have no idea why."

"Is it me?"

"No, not you. Never you." The tears fell from Raina's eyes again. "We've been through so much to get here and I think that I'm waiting for something to try and ruin us."

Dukat kissed her gently as he took her hands in his. "Raina Rose Cavendish, do you take, Skrain Gailen Dukat to be your husband?"

"I do." Raina smiled as he wiped away her tears. "Skrain Gailen Dukat, do you take, Raina Rose Cavendish to be your wife?"

"I do." He whispered against her lips before he claimed them for himself. He would kiss her forever if he could. There was nothing the feel of her lips on his couldn't cure. "Now we're married."

Raina chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "We still need to do it officially."

"I should go." He pressed a kiss on her forehead before he made for the window, but he stilled, turning back to her. "Before I go. You look…exquisite."

Raina beamed ear to ear and a blush formed on her cheeks. "Well, you look downright sexy and I'll enjoy disrobing you later."

Dukat winked at her suggestively before disappearing from sight.

A knocked rapped on the door, pulling Raina from her thoughts. "Come in."

Hannah, Raina's cousin walked in looking mightily suspicious. "I heard a man's voice in here."

"It was Skrain." Raina rolled her eyes.

"Have you been crying?" Hannah asked concerned. "Did he make you cry?"

"No." Raina huffed. "He was scared, like me. Can you help me with my makeup?"

Hannah hugged her cousin. "Of course."

Raina sat down and allowed Hannah to fix her makeup, so she wouldn't look like the bride of Dracula while walking down the aisle. "Did I see you flirting with Julian yesterday?"

Hannah blushed. "He's gorgeous and available, sooo…."

"He's a lovely man and he'll treat you like a queen." Raina smiled. "But he's important to me. Don't hurt him!"

"You never thought about going for Julian?"

"Yeah, briefly."

"Until Dukat came along." Hannah and Raina shared a chuckle. "You know that Dukat worships the ground you walk on?"

"Yeah, he does give me that impression."

Another knocked rapped on the door. "Can I come in?" John called out through the door.

"Come in, dad."

John walked into the room, stopping dead when he got the first glimpse of his daughter. Tears pricked at his eyes and he desperately wiped them away. "Look at my Rosie. You look beautiful."

"Thanks, dad."

"OK, I think this is a father/daughter moment." Hannah gave Raina a kiss on the cheek and hugged her uncle before leaving them to their special moment.

"Stand up and let me see you."

Raina stood up and immediately rushed to her father's arms. "I love you, dad."

John wrapped his arms around his daughter. "I love you, Rosie. Your mother is so proud of you."

"I wish she was here." She sobbed into his shoulder.

"I know." John reached into his dress uniform pocket to pull out a small box. "But, I have a gift from her. She wore this on our wedding day and it's only right if you have it. Then in time, it will go to Talyn. It's what she wanted. "

Raina felt the tears threatening to spill over again. She remembered her mother wearing her silver star pendent on special occasions. Eleanor had told her daughter it would be hers one day. "Put it on me."

John secured the necklace around her neck, so grateful he had this moment. In time, he'd lose a lot of what he is and get less and less able bodied. He still hadn't told his children of his illness and he would in time. But there were a lot of happy times ahead for his family. With Raina's wedding and Andrew becoming a father for the first time, he didn't want those moments to be ruined by news of his slow decline. He wanted to bathe in every happy event he could and not think about being ill.

"How long have you got left?" Raina asked suddenly.

It took John by surprise, but he should have known she would find out. He could never keep secrets from Raina. "Doctors think I could make it to 90. I'll start to have memory lapses before that, and I'll lose mobility of my limbs eventually."

"I've discussed it with Skrain, and we have space for you to come to Cardassia, so I can look after you. The boys wanted to offer the same, but as I'm more settled they agree it would be best if you come to me."

John stilled, desperately holding in his tears. While he didn't want to burden his children with what he would become, he knew they wouldn't take no for an answer. He would love nothing more than to spend his final years with his family. "I'm going to give it another year or two, then I'll retire. If I can spend what years I can fully functioning, then I want to spend them buried under my grandchildren."

"I want to take care you, dad. For all the years you took care of me." Raina turned to face her dad, wiping away his tears with her thumbs. "I know that our time together has a time limit now, so we are going to make the most of it."

"Come on." He took her hand and kissed it. "You've got a groom waiting for you."


"Are you ok, Son?" Yva asked as she escorted Dukat to the grounds where the wedding was taking place.

"Raina was crying earlier. I thought I was the reason."

Yva chuckled. "When I married your father, I sobbed my eyes raw. I wanted nothing more to marry your father and the idea that it was happening overwhelmed me."

"I make her happy, don't I?" Dukat hated feeling insecure but he couldn't help it.

"You make her very happy, son."

"There's a lot of people here." Dukat grumbled.

"Raina is a very popular person." Yva gave her son a hug, sensing he needed it. "You picked a wonderful woman, who loves you. She'll make you happy and Cardassia will flourish."

"Thank you for being here, mother." He hugged her tighter, grateful that she was there for him. She always had been, he just didn't want to see it.

"I would never miss my only child get married."

Dukat stood at the altar with Macet by his side, waiting for the music to start. He had agreed to a mostly Human ceremony because Cardassian weddings were more like a business transaction.

They did agree on having the Pledge as part of the wedding. Each couple made each other a pledge in front of their parents only. If the pledges are accepted by the parents, the couples are right hands are bound together while a symbol is tattooed on the index finger to symbolise an eternal bond.

The music started up causing Dukat's heart to thump wildly in his chest. He turned towards the back to see Talyn and Jacen walking towards him. He smiled at his children. It amused him at how Talyn was starting to emulate Raina. Even the boys had picked up some of Raina's mannerisms. He knew that the triplets would be just like her too.

Mekor escorted Hannah up the aisle, looking every bit the young man he was turning into. Dukat would miss Mekor when he went the academy. It wasn't confirmed yet, but he was a Cavendish, so his place was almost guaranteed.

He caught sight of his bride at the back preparing to walk down the aisle with her father. When their eyes met, she smiled that smile. The smile that had stolen him from that very first meeting. He knew when he met her in Odo's office that he was done for.

Raina walked up the aisle, with her father on her arm. He couldn't have looked anymore proud then he already did. All her friends and family grinned as she walked past them. She caught sight of Yva who blew her quick kiss, which Raina returned.

The Bride and Groom shared a look that told everyone in attendance just how in love they were.

They decided not to make vows at the first part of the ceremony, deciding to make the vows part of their pledge to each other.

Once they were declared husband and wife, Dukat turned to his new wife. With a whispered, "I love you," he wrapped his arms around her, and his lips found hers. Briefly, everyone else disappeared as they shared their first kiss as a married couple.

Raina giggled against her husband's mouth as she felt his hand squeeze her backside. Before she knew, she had developed a full body laugh. She kissed him again despite her laughter, melting into his embrace.

Once the first part of the ceremony was over, they were led to a special room with John, Yva and someone who could be considered a Cardassian priest. The priest instructed them to kneel before each other and hold hands.

Dukat spoke first. "Raina, I love you and all I want is the privilege to love you for the rest of my life. My love, life, heart and loyalty are yours."

"Skrain, I am yours for life. Your wife, lover, friend and confidant. I'll be your biggest supporter, if when your are wrong. We belong together."

"Yva Dukat, do you accept this pledge?" The priest asked.

"I do."

"John Cavendish, do you accept this pledge?"

"I do."

The priest order Dukat and Raina clasp their right hands together while the priest bound them together. "Bound hands will always find each other in the darkness." The priest then pressed a device on both index fingers, tattooing a small black symbol onto the skin. "An indelible symbol of your eternal devotion."

Raina noticed Dukat watching her intently. "What?"

"Just admiring how beautiful my wife is." He purred and the reaction in Raina was immediate.

Raina waited until the others had left the newlyweds alone before she replied. "I know what's on your mind, sexy man."

"Oh." He questioned. "What would that be?"

"Sex. But you'll have to wait until later. I have a special outfit for later."

Dukat help her to her feet, kissing her forehead. "I suppose we should make an appearance at the reception."


Once people were feed, the party got into full swing with the music and copious amounts of alcohol.

Raina had slipped away to change into a more dance friendly outfit. As she walked back, she was accosted by Gul Toran, who wore what could only be described as a "shit-eating grin."

Toran checked her out, his eyes roving over her body. "You Humans really do enjoy showing a lot of skin."

"Look if you must, Toran but you wont ever get to touch."

"So you didn't call out my name while fucking your own husband?"

"My husband asked who I'd like to fuck while fucking me against a door. You're the first one I thought of." Raina scoffed. "Don't let it feed your ego. You're an arsehole and I don't like you."

"But you'd still let me play?"

"Noooooo. I'd rather have sex with a Klingon." Raina strolled away. She's was going to find that Husband of hers and give him what for. She found him sitting chatting to the other Cardassian guests. She sat down on his lap, almost giving his friends a preview. "You're in trouble, sexy man."

"What did I do?"

"You told Toran about last night." She drawled. "I think that is worthy of punishment."

"What will be my punishment?" He slipped his hand up her leg, only for it to be swatted away.

"Not saying. But it will involve you being tied up and me playing with myself." Raina squealed as she broke free of Dukat's grip and she ran off.

Dukat shook his head. "Excuse me, gentleman. I need to stalk my sweet little Human." Dukat went in search of this wife, eventually finding her down by a lake. "You made me chase you here, didn't you?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I thought maybe you'd dance with me if were alone."

A song Dukat recognised started to play in the distance. He knew the song as he had heard Raina singing to get the babies to sleep. He took her hand in his and pulled her close to him. "For you, I'll dance."

Together they moved in perfect rhythm. They didn't speak, instead a happy silence settled between them. It was bliss. The music played and the lake reflected the moonlight upon them as if the universe itself wanted to see their love.

Raina rested her head on his shoulder and letting his arms keep her warm against the cooling night air. "Before I join DS9, I contemplated suicide. I was so broken and lost at the time. I'm so glad I got on that ship."

Dukat held her tighter in an almost instinctive desire to keep her safe from her past demons. "The first moment I laid eyes on you, I knew. That smile changed me that day."

Raina pulled away slightly to look at him. "I love you, Skrain. Being in your arms, our beautiful family."

"I love you, Mrs Dukat.