A/n: This chapter has a small appearance by real tattoo artist Kat Von D. from the Discovery Channel show "Miami Ink", just a heads up.
The next day came and Syd was psyched about getting started on the plans for Kathleen and Sky's wedding, although Kathleen and Sky didn't know what Syd was up to yet… Kathleen was too busy thinking about the bride's maids and Maid of honor. Sky was trying to figure out who his best man should be.
Kathleen sat down with her mom to talk about some important matters having to do with the wedding.
"Mom, I wish I knew what I was getting myself into" Kathleen said
"I know, it is challenging, but Kathleen, you know Sky, you love him, and you'll get through this to find that amazing things await you"
"I hope so" Kathleen smiled "Mom, I'm so glad I have you here for my wedding, that makes it so much easier."
Kat said very little just hugged her daughter near. "I'm glad you feel that way"
Kathleen returned her mother's embrace
"Mom, I never knew what I was missing until I found you… I would never dream of having this wedding without you"
For Kat, knowing that her daughter wanted her involved in the wedding, she hadn't been very involved in her daughter's life, she couldn't be involved as she thought her little girl was dead, now to see her happy, healthy and getting married warmed her heart.
Sky watched Kat and Kathleen from a distance and then left the room
'I wish I had someway to know what she needed from me' Sky thought
"Cadet Tate, I need to speak with you" Cruger said
"What is it, sir" Sky said and followed Cruger to the command center.
"Sky, you realize this has nothing to do with SPD and everything to do with the fact that you're getting married…" Cruger paused "Sky, I want you to know that if you need to talk I'm here, I've been in you're place, getting ready for a wedding isn't easy, but you're not facing this alone."
"Thank you sir, you don't know how much you're help makes this seem easier"
"Believe me, Sky, I'm happy to help,"
Syd was looking at bridal magazines in the rec. room when Kathleen walked in.
"Syd, what are you doing?" Kathleen asked
"Just looking at wedding dresses" Syd said
"Why? You aren't the one that's getting married, I am" Kathleen said
"Just trying to find dresses you might like" Syd said innocently
"Syd, let me handle that, it's my wedding!" Kathleen said in aggravation "And besides how do you know what I might like, you barely know me!"
"I thought you wanted my help?"
"I do, but let me pick out the details!" Kathleen said in suppressed aggravation.
Syd didn't give a comeback, Kathleen had a point she was getting too involved in Kathleen's big day.
Kathleen collected up the bridal magazines…
"I have an appointment at a dress shop in a couple weeks" Kathleen said finally calming down enough to have a civilized conversation with Syd.
"You haven't even picked out your bride's maids yet!" Syd said
"If you had paid attention, you would know that I had… you're one of the brides maids"
"What, I'm just a bride's maid, who's the maid of honor?"
"It's between Z and my cousin, Katy… but I'm really thinking of having Z be my maid of honor" Kathleen said "this is so hard to do, make these decisions it's overwhelming"
"Don't worry, you aren't alone" Syd smiled
"I know I'm not alone, but there is a lot of pressure on me" Kathleen sighed "I'm going to talk to my fiancé about when the wedding should be, and where"
Kathleen left and Syd sighed, she knew that she should watch how involved she got in Kathleen's wedding as Kathleen had a temper only rivaled by Anubis Cruger.
Kathleen found Sky sitting outside under a shade tree.
"Sky…" Kathleen said
"Yes?" Sky asked
"Is something on your mind?"
"Yeah, this whole thing, the wedding, our future…" Sky replied
"You're right, this is a big deal… well, if you want a laugh, I caught Syd looking at bridal magazines"
"She would be" Sky chuckled "what did you do"
"I got mad at her, I told her that I did want her help but I wanted to pick out the details." Kathleen sighed and sat down beside her fiancé. "I have a feeling I may have to teach Syd the meaning of the term Bridezilla before this wedding is over"
"Let's hope not" Sky said and put his arm around her.
"That doesn't sound reasonable to hope, this is Sydney Drew we're talking about, she never gives up!"
"True"
Kathleen sighed and leaned against her fiancé, she couldn't wait to get this wedding over with.
Her fiancé didn't know that she had a tattoo, it was an 'in loving memory' tattoo… it was in memory step-aunt's goddaughter who died at three of a rare form of Leukemia… it was a portrait of her with her name underneath it.
"Sky, I want to show you something that my last commanding officer detested deeply and wanted me to have removed…" she said "will you come with me".
They headed into her room and she locked the door. Then removed her SPD jacket.
"What are you showing me?" Sky asked
"My… tattoo"
"Wait a second, isn't that against regulations?"
"It's subject to the commander you're dealing with"
"Does Cruger know you have it?"
"Yes, Schuyler, he knows, and he knows it isn't just a tattoo" Kathleen paused as she pulled her tank top off and revealed the portrait tattoo "it's in loving memory of a girl that was like my little sister, she died at three of a rare form of Leukemia, where her white blood cells started to read her red blood cells as being foreign and attack them"
The portrait was in black, white and gray.
"So I take it that is a picture of 'Michaela'"
"She was two in that picture… that tattoo was made by a woman named Kat Von D. a wonderful female tattoo artist, I'll never forget her talent and compassion… I found her at a tattoo place called 'Miami Ink' a few years ago, I got this tattoo on my eighteenth birthday."
"Can you tell me the story?"
"Sure…"
Flashback:
Kathleen walked into Miami Ink with my best friend on her eighteenth birthday and Kat Von D. greeted her at the counter.
"Hey, can I help you?" she asked
"My name is Kathleen I wanted to get a memorial tattoo… I watched my aunt's goddaughter grow up from the time she was three months old and she died a couple years ago of Leukemia" I paused "I was thinking of getting her portrait"
"Okay, do you have her picture?"
"Yes" she pulled out a picture of Michaela and handed it to her. "I'm the youngest in my family so she was like my baby sister"
"She looked so angelic" Kat paused "do you want this in color or black and gray?"
"Black and gray to give it the impression of being old… and I wanted to put her name under the picture" I paused "her name was Michaela"
"Can you write that for me, there are multiple ways to spell that name and I don't want to spell it wrong."
"Sure" Kathleen wrote the name and handed to Kat
"I'll draw this and show it to you"
"Okay, thank you so much"
The next day Kathleen went back to get her tattoo and she was blown away by what she had to show her…
"I hope you don't mind, my friend likes to draw people, candidly, and he wanted to watch you while you're tattooing me" Kathleen asked "His name is Trent"
"Go ahead,"
"Okay, just thought we'd ask first" Trent said
Trent grabbed an extra chair and turned to a clear page on his sketch pad as Kat got started. Kat and Trent talked back and forth as they worked until Kat finished.
Kathleen's other friend was laughing.
"I expected her to be a baby." Alex said
"Can it Alexander!" Kathleen replied "I'm not going to take your crap today it's my birthday"
"Well, happy birthday" Kat said "let's wipe this down and you can see it…"
"I'm finished too" Trent said "It's just a pencil sketch, but here"
He showed Kat the sketch
"Whoa, nice… I'll color it in tonight and bring it back so you can see the finished product."
"I want it when you're finished"
End Flashback
"I have a copy of that picture…" Kathleen said
"Whoa, does you're mom know that you have this tattoo"
"No…" Kathleen said hesitantly
"When are you going to show it to her?"
"I don't know"
"Does anyone on this base know?"
"Alex, Felix, Commander Cruger and you" Kathleen said "but I'm supposed to go sunbathing with Syd and Z, they'll see it when I put my swim suit on as it's a two piece." (A/n" It is summer)
"Okay" Sky said and put his arms around her waist "I can't wait to marry you"
"I can't wait to marry you either" Kathleen laughed "they're trying to talk my mom into going with us to the beach!"
"I wish them the best of luck"
"Me too" Kathleen smiled
The next day came and Kathleen was getting ready to go spend a day at the beach with Syd and Z.
"So Kathleen, how do you feel about getting married?" Z asked
"I feel great, but I'd feel even better if you'd be my maid of honor…"
To Be Continued…
A/n: The character Michaela is pattered after my great aunt's Goddaughter Michaela A. who passed away Halloween 2002 of Leukemia "R.I.P. Michaela and may God rest you're young spirit you were like the baby sister I never had.-me" (I'm an only child)
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