All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.

This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.

The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.

AN: Thank you all for the reviews! Would like more! Kudos to my idea-Beta Gaby...used another of your ideas in this chapter!

Chapter Four

Marc was working hard not to laugh as he watched his sister practically bubble over with excitement, the sound of slamming car doors having everyone shush each other, the living room packed with friends and family as they waited for Tia Rosa and Tio Seth to walk through the front door.

He wrinkled his nose, realizing it just didn't sound right calling him Tio Seth. He had wanted to give it a try but to him, the word brought to mind endless night's of patient care despite obvious uncertainty about their nature.

Back then, Marc had tried not to get attached when he could tell she wasn't sure of him –of them –or of her ability to love them as they were.

He had somewhat succeeded, coming off as being cold –sometimes even mean –and she hadn't been able to tell that in reality, he loved her unconditionally.

How could he not when he had felt his mama's love for her little sister from the moment he was conceived?

And although he was able to contain himself better than his sister, he too was excited to see his Tia after two long weeks…

Would she be just as excited to see them?

Vivi covered her mouth with both hands to silence an involuntary squeal as they heard Uncle Seth's –okay, that sounded much better –voice just outside the door, Paul and Collin snickering under their breath at what he was saying, "I know we already live together in the house, baby, but this is where we enter as a married couple so I need to carry you over the threshold…it's not like I'm gonna drop you, Rose!"

Hushed chuckles as Paul whispered to Collin, "What a dork," a hand over his mouth keeping Rachel –who stood in front of him –from hearing, Collin's snickers turning into a soft groan as Lyn's elbow met his ribcage.

Shaking his head at their silliness, Marc turned his attention back to the front door as it opened, Vivi jumping up and down at Tia's gasp of surprise as everyone shouted:

"SORPRESA!"

"Oh my," Tia's surprise morphed into joy as Uncle Seth –he looked goofy with that big grin on his face –let her down to stand on her own two feet, "What is this?"

"A welcome home party," Leah said with a smile that Marc could hear in her husky voice, "It was all Vivi's idea."

Tia Rosa's eyes were bright as she looked away from one of the many pictures hanging on twine they had criss-crossed from one side of the living room to the other, smiling down at Vivi before turning her smile his way.

"I missed you two," her voice was soft and slightly choked as she got down on one knee, opening her arms to them.

Vivi ran across the short space, wrapping her skinny arms around her neck as Marc took a more sedate pace, surprised as a tight sensation across his chest released when her arm wrapped around him to pull him into a tight hug.

Her hair was soft against his cheek as he leaned his head against her chest. The mixed scents of her hair, skin and breathe along with the steady beat of her heart gave him comfort he hadn't been aware of needing.

"We missed you too," Vivi pulled back to smile into her eyes, small fingers touching her sun-kissed face, "You got a tan! Is it all over?"

Everyone laughed at Rose's blush, Vivi moving out of her arms to jump up into Seth's arms, "I missed you too, Tio Seth!"

"Same here, Ladybug," Seth swung her up, buzzing Vivi's cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her laughter making Marc smile.

Kissing his forehead, Tia ruffled her fingers through his shaggy hair, "You're in need of a haircut, Marc."

He nodded, wishing he could stay in the safe haven of her arms a little longer but it was getting harder to fight back the saliva and venom pooling in his mouth.

Stepping back, he swallowed hard before looking up at Seth, "I missed you too, Uncle Seth."

Seth's face brightened with a smile as he reached down to rest his hand on Marc's head, Gabe scrambling off the couch where he had been playing tickle with Andrey –the baby was cuddled in Granma Sue's arms –to join the small huddle, "He's my uncle, not yours."

"Gabriel," there was obvious displeasure in Leah's voice, the shame that crossed Gabe's face making it obvious he realized he'd done something wrong, "That was not nice. Besides, now that your uncle Seth is married to Marc's aunt, it means he's also their uncle…and they're your cousins now."

Gabe's eyebrows lowered in displeasure as he looked up at Vivi in Seth's arms before turning to look at his mother, "Vivi's my cousin now?"

"Yes. So is Marc."

Marc couldn't hold back a pleased smile as Gabe looked at him, leaning forward to whisper in a smug voice, "And cousins can't get married."


"I give it three days before you two start fighting."

"What," Rose and Seth looked over at Paul in surprise, Seth shaking his head as he stated snobbishly, "We don't fight."

"Unless you're being a jealous idiot," Rose looked down at him with a smile, an arm around his shoulders –she was sitting on his lap being the chairs in the kitchen were limited.

"Hey," Seth looked up at her, his frown not lasting long as she gave him a big grin, "Not nice."

"But true," Rose kissed his mouth before looking over at the remaining guests –Collin and Lyn still had a few weeks of schoolwork to go before graduation, Daisy had lesson plans to prepare and Sue headed home to make dinner for Charlie –all of them staring with big smiles, "What?"

"You two are so cute," Leah said as she leaned back into Rick's arms, his chin resting at the top of her head, "Still in the honeymoon stage."

"Aren't you and Rick still in the honeymoon stage," Rose asked seriously, giggling at the blush that stole over Leah's face as Paul scoffed, "Are you kidding? Those two are on the baby making stage."

"No way," Rick shook his head, giving Leah a stern look as she turned her face up to his, "Not anymore. We've got five already, we're done. Let someone else start making babies."

Leah didn't say anything, simply smiled as she kissed his lips before turning to look at Rose, her new sister-in-law giggling at the discernible twinkle in the slanted brown-green eyes.

Rick really needed to get to know his wife better –Rose was certain six or seven months down the road would bring an announcement for baby Laskaris number six…she could almost bet on it.

"I really hate it when you ignore me for another boy," Paul glowered at his wife from where he was leaning against the wall between the window and back door, "It's almost impossible for me to recuperate from that kind of treatment."

"Not my fault," Rachel looked up from the bright blue eyes she had been smiling into, shrugging as she explained, "Every once in a while, a girl needs a bit of flirting and since you've slacked off on that department, I gotta get it wherever else I can."

They all laughed, Alyx reaching up to pat Rachel's cheeks, his chubby legs pushing against her stomach as she kept her hands secure under his armpits.

"Right, Alyx," Rachel leaned forward to touch her nose to his, laughing when he gave her a toothless grin, the dimple on his right cheek deep enough to dip a finger into it, "You know how to treat a pretty girl, don't you?"

Gurgling as he waved his arms, he slipped his small fingers into Rachel's mouth, his giggles sweet as she nibbled on them.

Paul shook his head as he scrunched his nose, Alyx looking over Rachel's shoulder at him with a big grin, giggling as he stuck a small fist into his mouth, "You need to learn not to flirt with married women, Alyx. It'll get you in trouble when you're older."

"You should know, right," Seth looked over his shoulder at Paul, his eyes catching something taped under the corner of a frame behind Paul's head, "What…the hell…is that?"

Paul grinned as he moved to his left until the door was behind him, "Just something-something to help Rose get revved up."

Seth urged Rose to her feet, standing up to pull the glossy four by eight picture from the wall, Paul already halfway out the door as he turned to glare at Rachel, "What the hell is wrong with your husband?"

"Nothing," Rachel laughed as Alyx cuddled into her chest, a sigh escaping him as he closed his baby blue eyes, "My husband has a very hot body –I don't mind giving out a sneak peek or two."

Seth shook his head, tossing the picture towards the trash can before heading out the door at a full run, Paul's laughter coming from the forest as Seth yelled out, "I'm going to kill you, you sick bastard!"

Rose bend down to pick up the picture from the floor where it had landed, her face turning red as the rest of the people in the kitchen laughed.

It was a close up picture of Paul's –according to him and Rachel –abdominals, the muscles defined, tapering down into a vee, low slung jeans keeping the picture from being truly revealing, "Rachel!"

"Hey," Rachel shrugged as she rubbed Alyx's small back, the baby sucking on his fist occasionally, his small head snuggled in the crook of her shoulder, "I kept the really raunchy ones…just thought, since you're branching out to this kind of photography, you might be interested in another model besides Seth."

"What!"

Leah, Rachel, Emily and Kim laughed, their husbands shaking their heads with a chuckle as Rachel looked over at Leah, "Did I not tell you! I knew her lighting up like a roman candle when she mentioned photo paper back in December involved risqué pictures of Seth."

"My goodness, Rose," Leah shook her head, tongue in cheek as she gave Rose an arched look, "I never thought you had it in you to be so…perverted."

Rose's face was turning a deep red, everyone laughing as she placed the photograph upside down on the table, letting out a sniff, "He's my husband and I can do whatever I want with him."

"That's the spirit!"


Gabe wiggled his toes as he stretched his legs, tugging his pajamas down to his ankles as he listened to his sister's giggles, Daddy's voice deep and low coming from the bathroom where he was giving her a bath.

He knew the twins were already asleep in mama and Daddy's room because they had an earlier bedtime but she still needed to put Zaky in his crib so he knew he would be able to ask her a very important question.

Letting out a huff as he fell back onto his bed, he stared at the ceiling, trying to find the stars mama had stuck up there to make a sky but with the lights on, it wasn't easy.

"Time for bed, Zaky," mama called from the living room, little feet padding down the hall.

Turning to look at the open door, he smiled as Zaky ran in, wearing nothing but a diaper, his hair still wet from his bath as mama ran in behind him with his pajamas in one hand.

"I got ya," mama crowed as she swept him up into her arms, Zaky laughing as she buzzed his cheek, twirling him around before she placed him on his back at the end of Gabe's bed, the little boy turning onto his stomach to push himself up on his feet.

Gabe sat up, crossing his legs as mama picked up Zaky to lay him back down, his little brother smiling as he kicked his legs, making it hard for mama to put on his footie pajamas but mama always won.

"What's got you so quiet, baby," mama asked him as she slipped the blue pjs over Zaky's diaper, leaning forward to blow a raspberry against his round tummy, Zaky laughing as he patted her head with his small hands.

Gabe bit down on his bottom lip, looking over to the door to make sure Daddy hadn't heard her before turning his blue eyes back to his mama, "Is Vivi really my cousin?"

"Well," mama took one of Zaky's arms, tickling his armpit before slipping it into the sleeve, "She's not your cousin-cousin like Bailey. Why?"

Gabe let out a sigh as he watched mama finally zip up Zaky's teddy bear pajamas, his brother standing up on the bed to throw his arms around mama's neck, "Cousins can't marry each other, right?"

"Right," she stood up, moving towards the rocking chair on the corner near the crib where Zaky slept, "Why do you ask?"

"I want to marry Vivi when I grow up," Gabe tugged at the hem of his pajama bottoms, his little shoulders slumped in dejection, "But she's my cousin so I can't marry her."

Gabe watched mama blink a few times before she smiled at him, rubbing Zaky's back as he settled his head on her shoulder, the teddy bear face on his bottom stuck up in the air as he tucked his knees under his tummy, "Vivi is your cousin by marriage which means you don't share blood so, if you still want to marry her when you're both all grown up, you can."

"Really," Gabe straightened his back, a smile spreading across his face as he watched mama slowly rock back and forth.

"Yes," mama nodded as she gently patted Zaky's bottom, "Why do you want to marry Vivi?"

"'Cause she's pretty," Gabe moved to get on his knees so he could grab his sheet –which was covered in consterlations –from the bottom of the bed, sitting back on his bottom as he pulled the sheet over his legs, "And she's smart and funny too. She told a really funny joke at school the other day. Wanna hear it?"

"Sure," mama smiled as she slowed down her rocking and Gabe knew his little brother was asleep –the rocking chair always did the job.

"This elephant walks into a room full of people," Gabe looked up at the ceiling as he tried to remember what was next, a smile breaking across his face as he looked back at mama, "And everyone looks at him but they don't say anything. After a long time of no talking, the elephant says, 'Is no one gonna say anything 'bout me being in the room?'"

Mama laughed, Zaky jerking awake for a few seconds before turning his head to settle back to sleep on mama's other shoulder, his little hand kneading the side of her neck.

"It's funny, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," mama nodded as she stood up, gently placing Zaky in his crib, leaning down to kiss his forehead before she spread the soft blue and brown blankie over him.

"What does it mean?"

Mama chuckled as she moved to kneel next to his bed, Gabe wiggling down to rest his head on his pillow as mama spread the sheet to tuck him in, "You don't know what it means?"

"Nope."

"Then how do you know it's funny," mama brushed back his hair, smiling into his blue eyes as he reached up to touch her cheek.

"Miss Annie laughed so it must be funny," Gabe moved his fingers up to her eyebrow as he smiled at her, "You're pretty, mama."

"Prettier than Vivi," she asked with a smile as she leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

"Yes," Gabe wrapped his arms around her neck to give her a hug, giving her cheek a smooching kiss, "But you're already married to Daddy."

"True," mama laughed softly as he let go, leaning forward to turn on the nightlight next to his bed, "I suppose you'll have to win Vivi over then."

"Why," Gabe's eyebrows lowered into a vee, "I asked her and she said yes."

"Ah, I see," mama leaned her elbow against his mattress, placing her chin on her fist, "Even though she said yes, you still have to win her over. There's lots of time between now and when you're grown up –what if some other boy comes along and does nice things to win her over?"

"That's not gonna happen," Gabe said with a frown as he thought over what mama said before telling her in a self-satisfied tone, "I told her she can't play with other boys."

Gabe knew he was in trouble 'cause mama was giving him that look, "Gabriel Michael Laskaris. You have no right to tell Vivi who she can and cannot play with. Do you understand?"

"But mama –"

"No buts," mama reached out to cup his chin, not letting him look away, "It's wrong to tell someone who they can be friends with."

"But what if she likes another boy," Gabe asked as he reached up to wrap his fingers around her wrist, feeling her heartbeat against his fingertips.

"Then you'll have to find a way to have her like you more," mama leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his forehead before running her fingers through his hair, "The only way to win someone over is to love them completely, with no excuses or conditions. Does that make sense?"

"Some," Gabe lifted his shoulder before slipping his hands under his pillow, laying on his side as his eyes started drooping, "The rest will make sense when I'm older, I guess."

Mama laughed softly as she tucked the sheet up around his shoulders, giving him another kiss, "I guess so too…Daddy will be in to kiss you good-night, okay?"

"Uh-hu."

Several minutes passed after mama had left the room to go tuck Emmie in, Gabe's eyelids getting heavier as he slowly sank into sleep, a warm hand touching his cheek as he heard his Daddy whisper, "Good-night, kyrio."

"Daddy?"

"Yes Gabriel."

He forced his eyes open to look at his father, "How did you win mama over?"

Daddy smiled as he kneeled down beside his bed, "I picked her flowers –a whole field of them. Then I made her angry. After that, I bought her some ice cream, kissed her, took her out to dinner and dancing. I told her I loved her, bought her a ring and this house, asked her to marry me and here I am –the luckiest man in the whole world because she's mine."

"That's a lot of stuff," Gabe yawned, rubbing a fist over his eyes as he flopped to his back, "I don't have enough money to buy Vivi a house, Daddy."

Daddy laughed softly as he leaned forward, running his fingers through Gabe's hair, "You can start with the flowers, Gabriel. Make her smile, play with her, be nice to her. Sometimes, when we think we've won, we forget that we can still loose."

Gabe nodded as another yawn escaped him, not really understanding what his Daddy meant but he was too sleepy to ask…he'll just do that tomorrow.


The blood was everywhere, bright red and wet, covering his hands, down the front of his shirt, in a puddle around his feet.

His lungs hurt from holding his breath but he did it because he didn't want to breathe in the smell of it because if he did, his throat will burn and his mouth will water and he will become the monster he hid deep inside himself.

He fought hard against his need to breathe, closing his fists as his small body shook with the effort, his eyes screwed shut as he tried to picture himself somewhere else.

But even with his eyes closed, all he could see was the blood –bright red and so beautiful…like silk…red silk slipping through his fingers.

He knew it would smell so good if he would just breathe in…if he would just touch the wet thickness to his tongue, flavors he'd never tasted before would explode across his tongue…it would completely quench his thirst, satisfy his hunger.

But he wouldn't do it –he wouldn't because he was strong…he wasn't going to become the monster within…he wasn't going to be what his father had hated the most.

The burning pain in his lungs was too much as he gasped in air, his eyes flying open wide as the back of his throat felt like it was on fire, the sweet smell of the blood thick in the air as he saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

Turning his eyes to the left, he felt his chest grow tight, "Please…help me. I don't want to be like this."

"But you are like this," Tia Rosa's pretty eyes were sad as she looked at him.

He choked on his own venom as it pooled in his mouth, his breathing harsh as he watched Seth walk out of the shadows behind Tia Rosa, her sadness disappearing as she smiled up at him, slipping her hand into his as blinding light swallowed them up.

"No," he whispered, his watering mouth making it hard to scream the way he wanted too, "Please don't leave me."

A movement on his other side caught his attention as he turned to look into Vivi's gold-brown eyes, his breath squeezing out of his chest in wheezing pants, "Vivi…Vivi, please. Help me. I'm not a monster."

"But you are," Vivi's eyes filled with tears, his heart breaking as one escaped to run down her cheek, "You never really tried to be human…not like me."

"Please," he gasped as the intense pain at the back of his throat increased the painful parched feeling as the venom slipped between his razor sharp teeth.

He watched as Gabriel stepped out of the shadows behind his sister, a smile spreading over her lips as she looked up at him, the blinding light swallowing them up as he took her hand, "No! Please don't leave me alone…please…"

His words evaporated into the darkness as the shadows creeped in, slowly swallowing him whole, pushing out the light inside him as he opened his mouth, feeling the silky thickness of blood coat his tongue as his teeth sank into soft flesh.

"NO!"

Marc jerked up in bed, breathing hard as his heart raced, his eyes wild as he looked around his dark bedroom, a soft whine finally catching his attention.

"Einstein," he patted the bed with a shaking hand, "Up."

The blue tick hound hopped up onto the bed from the side where he had been sitting, watching his boy toss and turn for the past half hour.

Marc wrapped his arms around his puppy's neck, sniffing back a sob as Einstein licked his wet face, placing his paw on Marc's small shoulder in a show of comfort as he whined.

Drawing his knees up, he tried to get his heart to slow down, telling himself it had just been a dream but his mind kept replaying it, over and over, hearing the hunter's words echo with every scene.

You are everything your father hated about himself.

"No," Marc whispered as he stared into Einstein's brown eyes, "My father loved me…he taught me that good always wins…there's good in me…there is."

Einstein snuffled his cheek, licking his ear and neck as he wiggled into Marc's lap.

Lying down on his side, Marc curled around Einstein –the puppy snuffling as he rested his head across Marc's neck –and closed his eyes as he tried to will himself to sleep but minutes passed slowly before he gave up.

Sitting up, he tossed his navy blue comforter aside, slipping out of the bed, Einstein jumping to follow him out of his bedroom, their footsteps nearly silent against the wooden floor as they made their way down to the kitchen, Marc's eyes able to see clearly despite the darkness of the house.

Opening the fridge, he looked at the contents.

He was hungry, his stomach cramping with it, but nothing in there appealed to him.

Giving up at finding anything he could keep down, he closed the fridge, pulling a chair across the floor to set up against the counter, taking down a glass from the open cupboard to fill up with cold water, Einstein sniffing around his feet even though he couldn't smell anything.

"Want a treat, Einstein," Marc asked softly, the puppy sitting back on his haunches, his floppy ears perking up as he cocked his head to the side, his tail wagging exuberantly.

Smiling down at his puppy, Marc set the half empty glass on the counter beside the sink before climbing down from the chair and pushing it to the side to open the cupboard where Tia kept the dog food and treats, pulling out the box of milk bones.

Shaking it, he frowned as he opened the top, reaching in to find it empty –darn it. He'd forgotten to add dog treats to the grocery list and Tia already did the shopping.

Looking over at an expectant Einstein, he scratched between his ears in apology, "Sorry, buddy. We're all out –I'll get you some tomorrow, okay?"

Einstein whined, tilting his head as he watched Marc toss the box into the trashcan beside the refrigerator, his dark brown eyes following his boy as he climbed up the chair to get his glass of water.

Marc slowly sipped the cold water as he looked out of the garden window, his eyes glued to the moon hanging low in the dark night sky.

A soft bark was all the warning he had before the sound of a crash had him spinning around, his glass slipping out of his hand to shatter on the floor.

He watched as Einstein pawed the empty treat box, stuffing his muzzle into the opening, "Way to go, Einstein."

"Marc?"

He looked up as the kitchen light came on, scrunching his eyes for a few seconds before getting used to the brightness as he focused on Seth.

"What happened," Seth took in the broken glass, looking down at Einstein as the puppy sat back, his face displaying doggie innocence despite the trash spilt across the floor.

"I was thirsty," Marc crouched down on the chair, one hand holding on to the edge of the counter, the other the back of the chair, "Einstein wanted a treat but there wasn't any. I threw the box in the trash but I think he wanted to see for himself."

Seth stared at Marc for a few seconds before quietly saying, "Don't get down from the chair, there's glass everywhere and I don't want you to cut yourself."

"But I need to clean up Einstein's mess," Marc sat back on the chair, dangling his feet as he watched Seth go into the utility room, coming out with a broom and dustpan in one hand and a box of milk bones in the other, "Where'd you get those?"

"I threw them into the cart when I went grocery shopping for your aunt yesterday," Seth set the box on the table, a smile tugging at his lips as Einstein reared back on his haunches, his front paws in a begging position as he whined, "You've taught him well."

"If only I could teach him to clean up after himself," Marc muttered under his breath, smiling as Seth chuckled, watching the big man sweep up the glass on the floor, taking one of the hand towels Tia kept on small hooks beside the stove to wipe up the water, "Is it safe now?"

"It should be," Seth tossed the towel into the sink as he set the broom and dustpan aside, "But just to be sure –"

Marc realized why Gabe enjoyed being tossed around by the pack members as Seth picked him up and set him next to Einstein in one fast move, his stomach flipping once before settling.

No words were spoken as Seth helped him pick up the trash, Einstein occasionally sticking his nose into the bits on the floor as they tossed it all back into the can, Seth taking the wet Swifter from the utility room to sweep the entire floor before putting everything back in its place, Einstein happily munching on the milk bone he had taken from Marc's hand.

"Well, then," Seth washed his hands, Marc standing in the chair beside him doing the same, "I guess we should go to bed. Are you still thirsty?"

Marc shook his head, taking the towel Seth gave him to dry his hands as he took a deep breath, "Uncle Seth?"

"Yes Marc."

He stared up at him as seconds turned into minutes, feeling like a stupid baby but "I don't want to sleep alone tonight."

Seth reached out to stroke his hair, cupping the side of his face with his big hand, "Did you have a nightmare?"

Marc nodded, knowing they hadn't heard him scream because his room was soundproof.

"Want to talk about it?"

Marc shook his head, wrapping his arms around Seth's neck as he picked him up, taking the chair in his other hand to return it to the table.

"My mom always told me that saying bad dreams out loud will keep them from happening," Seth snapped his fingers at Einstein, the puppy immediately getting up from the floor, his half chewed milk bone in his mouth as he followed behind Seth, Marc reaching out to flip the light switch off.

"I know my nightmare won't happen," Marc whispered, pushing away the small niggle of doubt trying to worm its way into his heart.

"Do you want to sleep with your aunt and me," Seth moved down the hall, keeping a tight grip on the boy, thinking how much lighter he seemed than Gabe even though he was a bit taller.

"I can't sleep with Tia Rosa," Marc whispered, certain he would see hate and disgust in Seth's eyes but he kept explaining, "It's too hard because she smells so good."

Seth reached out to cup his cheek as he gave him a smile, "Yeah, she does. How about we crash in the office then? I can tell you one of the stories my dad told me when I was your age."

Marc nodded as they walked into the office, the light staying off as Seth stretched out on the couch, Marc settling on his broad chest as Einstein curled up under the coffee table.

Seth placed a hand on Marc's back as he slid his other one behind his head, his breathing even and deep as he began the story, "The first chief of the Quileutes was a great man –brave, strong and wise…but he was missing one thing…a woman that would show him gentleness and love, who would care for him.

"He decided to go to the chief of another tribe, to seek among his many daughters for he'd heard they were all beautiful, sweet and submissive…but when he got there, the chief told him that to marry his favorite daughter, the most beautiful of all his daughters, the Quileute chief would have to win her through tests, fights and competitions."

Marc let out a soft breath as he closed his eyes, Seth's rhythmic words slowly weaving into dreams of glory and honor, of everlasting love.