[AN: lemons in this chapter. Enjoy.]
Gaara had finished packing everything he needed and got himself ready. He still felt like he could do more to make himself presentable but he had to make due. Kankuro actually didn't have his cat suit on but he still had the face paint, he was in formal attire, a purple shirt with a black vest that had long sleeves, silver cufflinks, black pants, a white belt, purple designs dashed across the pants that mocked his face paint and his puppet strapped to his back.
"What's the occasion, Kankuro?"
"Family Reunion."
They shared a smile. Temari ran out of the room in a long black dress with a red sash, it looked like her everyday dress except it had red designs on it like little dragons and intricate swirls, she also managed to get her hair into one spiky bun with lacquer chopsticks in them, and her giant fan was in her hand as well.
"Gaara-oni-san! Wait for me!"
"Hurry up Temari, we haven't got all day."
Gaara felt butterflies eat away at his stomach wall as they were off to Konoha. He was nervous, and scared. What if she didn't love him anymore? What if she didn't want to see him? Did she even know it would be him she was meeting? The sand Trio went off but as they flew in the air, Gaara snatched something in the blink of an eye. It was a little pink desert rose that he tucked away in his breast pocket. He would give it to Hinata and explain to her that she didn't need to fear for the demon wasn't in him anymore. Perhaps…maybe….they could have a normal life together, the kind he often dreamt of. They arrived and it was just as he remembered it, flowers everywhere, people dancing, singing, playing, food vendors trying to get you to buy their food, parades here and there, music coursing through the air. His eyes wondered down a familiar corridor where he saw the ghostly image of his younger form, Hinata's younger form and his siblings' younger forms. He saw the younger Gaara try to force the young Hinata to eat the roasted newt.
"Come on and try it," the little Gaara's voice echoed eerily.
He smiled as the image vanished before him. He turned and saw another image. The image of Hiashi, Hirmori with the little baby Hanabi, little Neji and the small Hinata, cowering behind the safety of her mother's dress. A small Gaara surrounded by his siblings in their preteen form, his father in his Kage robes and his uncle. Seeing his uncle's foggy, ghost-like image made a twisted, glass shattering feeling in his soul. The images disappeared more and more until Gaara found himself standing in his father's place with his siblings flanking him. Just like the good old days. In front of him was the new Hokage, who he heard about and saw at meetings. She took the place of where the last Hokage stood, where Hiashi stood was Neji, who Gaara glowered at from behind the darkness of his Kage hat. Taking place as Hiromi was a beautiful woman, more beautiful than Hiromi. It was Hinata.
Hinata's hair had been pulled halfway up in three delicate loops and the rest was left down, silky, smooth and shiny with the scent of olive oil. In her hair were two red chopsticks with golden balls on the top and hanging from that were beaded tassels with tiny white flowers and lots of large plastic flowers weaved through the top of her hair. Her kimono was lavender with pink, white and golden designs on it. Tiny butterflies and flowers danced on the lavender surface. Her obi was gold with white swirls on it and on her feet were socks and high wooden lacquer shoes. In her delicate hands was a white parasail with many colored flowers on it, her makeup consisted of light pink lips with light pink and white eye shadow. She looked downcast as the Hokage presented her to the Kazekage. She spoke in a delicate, beautiful voice that was so soft it could be used as a pillow.
"I expect you to show our esteemed guest how wonderful and beautiful Konoha is. Well, we will be off. Come, Neji."
Neji turned to walk with the Hokage but felt like he shouldn't trust a Kazekage who didn't show his face or speak. His two accomplices looked familiar but he couldn't place it, it was as if they were from a far off dream, too foggy to remember.
"Kazekage-sama I want to show you everything Konoha has to offer at the spring festival. I do hope you find everything to your liking."
She still hadn't looked up, as if she was being forced to come here. She was melancholy and it broke Gaara's heart.
"Why do you look so somber? Please smile…I've missed your smile."
His voice. It was so familiar. Did he say he missed her smile? She looked up at found herself frozen in place. He tilted his hat up to reveal his face which was wearing a large grin on it.
"You look gorgeous, Hina-chan."
"G-G…..g-g….g….g…"
"You're still stuttering I see. I've missed you so…"
"GAARA-KUN!"
Instead of running to him and hugging him like he thought she would when she dropped her parasail and headed for him, she slapped him across the face, tears staining her eyes. Kankuro and Temari gasped.
"BAKA! Why didn't you come get me? Why did you leave me all alone in the darkness to die? Do you have any idea what happened to me? How dare you come to me now? After what I've become….I hate you! I HATE YOU!"
She grabbed him and cried into his shirt. Gaara held his beloved to his heart so she may hear the sound it was making. It was broken, it was empty, it needed to be fixed and filled, only by her. He knew she didn't hate him as she bawled, staining his Kage robes with tears. He caressed the back of her head, soothing her with gentle sighs.
"There, there…I didn't come all this way to see you cry, my Hinata-seme. Don't be cross with me. I haven't forgotten you for a minute. I still wear the ring."
He looked at Hinata's small fingers to see her ring was missing. Was she truly so mad with him for letting her go and never coming after her that she chose to take off the ring? In the place of the ring was a silver ring with a large diamond on it. A wedding ring. His Hinata was married? To whom? She had….replaced him?
"Hinata…you don't love me…do you?"
"Gaara…how can you say such things? I'm sorry I slapped you but you deserved it after all the pain I suffered through without you, but my feelings have transcended through time. I still love you, now more than ever."
"Then why are you married? Who took my place in your heart?"
Temari's eyes widened as she heard the words. Hinata, married, to somebody who wasn't Gaara? How could it be?
"Gaara…it was a forced marriage. It was arranged before I was born. I'm married to Neji, but not by choice. I don't love him, I despise him and often times I feel he feels the same way."
"Ugh! Neji is your cousin! That's disgusting!" Yelled Kankuro.
"Kankuro-sama! You're here? Temari-san, you too? Then…we are all together once more. Life will go on for me now, now I can feel my heart is beating again. I am alive. It is true, it is morally wrong to marry and bed with one's cousin but it is the way of the Hyuga. When we first met I was betrothed to him. There was no escape from the bond that was made as I lay in the womb, after I was born, and now."
Temari swore she just heard "bedded with" and "cousin" in the same context. She shuddered in disgust. She could throw up right there but she didn't. Gaara heard it to and clenched his teeth in anger. She was forced into a marriage that held no love, no feeling, and no compassion and was forced to have sex with her own cousin. Somebody took what was supposed to be his and his alone. His Hinata's purity and innocence was for him to claim, not her cousin! The thought made the bile taste of disgust creep up into his mouth and the heat of anger bubbled in his core. How would it feel now to bed his Hinata? Would it feel hollow and empty, like a lie? Just a dark space with no end, no barrier that had to be broken, just a sheath for his sword. Would it be like he imagined or would it feel sickening and wrong? Would she be cold now or would she still have preserved her feminine heat for him? His mind was swirling all too fast as he felt Hinata touch his face.
"I wanted to be for you," she whispered softly, "Only for you but I had no choice in the matter, it wasn't in my hands. I feel ashamed of myself and I know you can never love me or have me…you must be revolted."
"Yes, but it's not your fault. Had it been a man that wasn't related to you I wouldn't be as….well dismayed…but since it is I find myself trying to hold back from throwing up. I still love you, even more so now that ever. I'll take you away from him, away from everyone. You will live safe ad happy with me."
Hinata smiled then kissed Gaara passionately. Their kiss deepened with the pent up, long term love and passion they held for each other. Temari and Kankuro turned around to give them some privacy but they couldn't fight their own smiles. Gaara pressed Hinata closer to his body, continuing the kiss with even more fervor. Tears that had been suppressed for over six years were released and traveled down Gaara's cheeks. His beloved, his reason, his only, was here in his arms kissing him. All their cares melted away, all their fears and pain, all of it slipped away into the nothingness of the world. Nobody and nothing else mattered except the two of them. Kankuro gently nudged Gaara who begrudgingly gave up his beloved's sweet kiss.
"Do you mind explaining….what the hell you're doing?"
"Baka, it's time to go."
"Go where?"
Kankuro smiled at Hinata.
"Heyo, Hinata, what's up? Long time, no see. Where's my hug?"
Hinata detached herself from Gaara, leaving him feeling cold, to glomp Kankuro to which Temari joined in yelling; "GROUP HUG!" Temari squeezed both Kankuro and Hinata, making the poor girl turn a little blue.
"One big happy…oh come on you sour puss, join the hug fest."
"No thanks…I'm not much for hugging."
"Liar! You love hugs!"
Temari snatched Gaara and dragged him in the middle of the hug barrage, squeezing the life out of him.
"Ah okay okay enough hugging please I'm dying here!"
Temari let go with a big smile.
"Wow Hinata look at you, you've really grown!"
"Hai! You too, Temari-san."
"It's Temari sensei now."
"Really!? Kankuro, I barely recognized you without the…cat suit."
"I decided to be formal today. You look beautiful Hinata, you've grown up well."
Hinata smiled happily. Gaara assessed Hinata. He knew she was beautiful indeed but it seemed he hadn't even glanced at her body. She had indeed grown. Her body was blessedly curvaceous with her large, round, perfectly perky bosom pressing against the top of her dress, curiously peeking out. Gaara's eyes couldn't leave the exposed flesh of her cleavage and his eyes traveled from there up and down her neck. He longed to nibble and kiss it, to mark his place there with his teeth. He longed to feel her soft skin again and to claim her for now life, and Kankuro, had taught him what to do and what that meant.
"Oh, I still owe you a tour Gaara, I mean, Kazekage-sama."
Gaara snapped out of his lust filled daze to smile wistfully.
"Just Gaara."
"Okay, just Gaara."
She giggled and Gaara froze. Where had he heard that line before? Déjà vu. That's right! Matsuri said the same thing…Matsuri. He looked at her but didn't see her. He saw Matsuri take her place. His sight was going blurry. He closed his eyes and shook his head and when he opened his eyes it was just Hinata. What was it? Were Matsuri and Hinata connected somehow? He shook the thought away and kept walking with Hinata holding his hand. They came across the very same vendor they did last time except she was much older and her daughter was running the stand. Gaara ordered what he did last time and Hina got a strawberry pastry. She plucked a syrupy strawberry off the pastry and licked it slowly. Was she teasing him? He leaned over and licked it too, ever so slowly, not breaking eye contact with her. He whispered;
"It's sweet…but my pallid requires something warmer and perhaps more…wet."
His tongue lapped off the syrup from the strawberry then licked his lips.
"I believe you would be sweeter, my Chīsana ichigo."
Hinata's face turned redder than the strawberry watching Gaara toy with her sexual emotions. Since when did he become such an expert in her arousal? How did he know this turned her on? Hinata finished her pastry before Gaara could assault her mind with subliminal messages about him eating her. She would get him back for that sexual torment for a pool of wetness was forming in between her legs and she would not stand for it.
"Oh hey look they have rides. Kankuro let's go ride on some rides!"
"What? Why would I want to ride anything with you?"
"Because it will be fun! Or look they have some swimsuit models over there."
"Did you say swimsuit models?"
"Mhm. Busty models all covered in water."
Kankuro started drooling.
"Come on Temari don't fuck with me."
"Well fine I'll just-"
"TAKE ME TO THEM!"
"Kay! But we're riding rides first!"
"What you said nothing about that! Temari slow down I can't keep up! Temari! Waaa I just wanted to see naked women."
Kankuro, being dragged by Temari disappeared into a crowd of people.
"Nothing has changed. They are still as hilarious as ever. Gaara…I'm proud of you, you became Kazekage."
"Yes but it comes with its faults…like all the damn paperwork."
"Must be stressful."
"Thinking of what you've always told me has gotten me through."
"I'm glad I could help! So…what should we do next?"
Gaara's face broke into a mischievous leer. Hinata felt like he could see through her…she knew this look too well.
"Gaara?"
"You know…Konoha is beautiful…but I think I've seen more than my share of it. However, if I may, I'd like a tour of something even more beautiful."
"What would that be?"
Gaara leaned in so his mouth was close to Hinata's shell of an ear.
"You."
His extremely sensuous voice caused vibrations throughout Hinata's body. His fingers traced up and down her neck ad he nibbled on her ear playing with the small pearl that was there. She gasped lightly. His hands felt colder than she remembered but they made her feel so hot.
"Ah, koibito, will you allow me to enter the gate to your secret garden? Allow my serpent to corrupt you."
Hinata shuddered and he licked her neck playfully.
"I've waited all too long for you, Hinata-seme."
His voice was heavy with lust as his pointer finger trailed up and down her neck. He knew the mark he left wasn't gone and it was a little below that. He was teasing her again.
"Take me, Gaara."
Gaara smirked a sensual, seductive smirk and carried his lover bridal style. He had rented out a hotel room the whole week he would be staying here with Hinata as his guide. It so happened to be the very same hotel room but this time he got the master suite, a more luxurious abode for somebody of his stature. The room was locked, closed, and a sign was put on the door before he could lay his precious little love of his life down on the red and gold bed. Hinata grabbed him and pinned him down.
"I want you to watch me, Gaara."
Gaara laid there on the bed, shocked at Hinata's actions. No longer was she the shy, timid, fragile girl but something all too enticing and erotic. The first thing she did was let her hair down, which came cascading like an indigo waterfall down her back. All the little hair ornaments were put aside making a beautifully click as they hit the table's surface. She slowly let her clothes fall which made a wonderfully noise of shuffling and rustling as it hit the floor, exposing her under garments which were lacy and light blue. Gaara wouldn't dare tear his eyes off his beautiful woman for she had become a skilled seductress and he was unable to deny those eyes. Her bra came off in one fell swoop as if it was never there to begin with and with it came a heavenly sight. The perfectly round breasts that belonged to his Hinata with the almost lilac colored nipples. Hinata smiled but didn't blush, and he expected her to. She twirled around trying to give him a 360 view of her body.
"Do you like what you see?"
Gaara nodded for he was speechless…for now. Her body belonged to a goddess and her face was an angel's. Was it a sin to be born so god damn beautiful? She left her panties on at his request for her wanted to take them off himself. She fell onto the bed making it creak under her weight.
"Your turn."
He sat there above her, viewing the angelic beauty beneath him. His lips connected with hers as his hands found his clothes to take them off. In a moment too fast for Hinata to comprehend while kissing him, he was completely naked. Gaara was more than impressive, especially compared to her cousin, the only man she had seen naked at all. Gaara didn't have abs, just a flat sandy colored chest, which she liked because Neji was built from all the training and she didn't like muscular men at all. Her hands curiously felt all of his chest to locate his beating heart.
"Hm….you're excited."
"We both are. All three of us."
"Three? You don't mean the demon?"
'That's right…I haven't told her yet.'
"Hinata….the demon got extracted out of me a long time ago but I was brought back to life by a girl named Matsuri."
"I want to meet her and thank her personally! I'm so glad! But…the three of us?"
He grabbed her hand and placed it on top of his hardened member.
"The extension of myself that wants to be inside you is also excited."
Hinata gulped. Her bare hand was on top of his exposed erection. He was normal, standard size for a man but it was bigger than Neji's. Perhaps it was his attitude and training that gave him such a small…unit. She stroked it lovingly, causing him to moan slightly. If he hadn't touched himself every now and then he would have lost all control, even so, it was HER hand this time.
"Then you better make it four of us, because if a body part of mine is aroused it must be what your pallid seeks, my warmth."
"Ah…so it's excited as well? Hmm…interesting…explain."
Hinata wiggled uncomfortably on the bed, blushing slightly.
"I'm all...wet."
Gaara growled an animalistic, desire-filled growl. He wanted to pounce on her and take all of her right then and there but he couldn't and wouldn't. He wanted the first time to be slow and soft, like classical music.
"I would remedy that…but first…"
His tongue flicked over her perky nipple causing her to moan lightly. His eyes widened slightly. She was reacting already? He hadn't expected her to make that noise just yet but still, it aroused him and he let his curiosity be sated when he tried it on the other nipple. She let out a small, soft moan. He continued to play with her, his tongue flicking and lapping the area, his thumb rubbing on it, his mouth claiming it to suckle on it. All with her rewarding him with gasps, cries, and little moans.
He soon realized as he kissed down her soft stomach, that the reason she was so reactive to even the gentlest touch, was because her unloving, harsh, cold cousin was just that….cold. He didn't pay the least attention to Hinata or her wants. So every part of her was untouched save for her virginity. This gave him hope, he could tell that a man who could not devote himself to his wife could not make love that was worthy of an angel's moans. Hinata didn't know pleasure; at least, that's what Gaara assumed. He would awaken her to it tonight and every night after.
He released her womanhood from its lacy, cloth cage to spread her legs ad gaze at the wonder. She wasn't kidding when she said she was wet. The sight of her wetness was tempting. The scent was arousing and causing his nose to feel tingly. He wanted to taste her more than anything. He didn't mind the little indigo curls that were laden with moisture from Hinata's warmth for he too, had hair in between his legs, as he let his salivating tongue caress the pink, sensitive area. Again, she was over reactive. He smirked and she could feel him smirking down there, enjoying his actions while he made her twist and turn with each twist and turn of his wide tongue.
"Ah, may I ask you something?"
"H-Hai, what is it?"
"Neji…he never licked you here, has he?"
"N-no."
'So it's true then…he never took the time to wonder what Hinata wanted. What a selfish prick.'
Hinata grabbed the sheets as Gaara continued his assault on her. She traded in the silver ring for the plastic one. She preferred that one anyways because it came from somebody who loved her and it had a past, no matter how cheap it was. Hinata couldn't think anymore thanks to Gaara sucking on the tender, sensitive nub. He swapped between sucking on it all licking on the wet walls of her womanhood. She tasted like a plum and a pear mixed with a slightly salty taste that zipped on his tongue. He enjoyed it thoroughly and reveled in the noises she made for he knew she enjoyed it too. He continued licking the fleshy, wet, delicious area surrounding her center and even ventured inside it with his tongue.
"Mmm Hinata-seme, you taste so good. Ah, so sweet and I usually don't like sweet things…however, I am addicted to you and I will devour you whole."
Hinata tossed her head back as he inserted two finger's into her core. She was hot in there, not just warm but hot and tight, which was curious since she had been broken multiple times. Hinata moaned and moaned as Gaara sucked, lightly nibbled and rapidly tongued her sensitive area while his two fingers shoved in and out of her steaming, wet core. He thrust them in and out faster and faster causing Hinata's moaning to get louder, begging him to not stop. He licked her one last time, regretfully, before stopping.
"Ahh…w-why did you…s-stop?"
"Because I love to tease you."
Hinata whimpered when his fingers left her warmth. He looked at the glistening substance and licked it off his fingers, rumbling happily at the taste.
"I-I taste good?"
"Hmmmmm…Kami, yes. Ah, my poor Hinata-seme hasn't felt this, has she? Forgive me for being such a tease…but I find I can't wait any longer."
Hinata noticed her wetness clinging to his lips and chin, she also noticed his eyes were burning bright with lust. She spread her legs wider.
"Then wait no longer, take me, I'm yours."
A guttural, animalistic, demons growl rumbled from Gaara's throat as he pounced on his lover, nay at this moment she was his prey, and jammed himself into her. She almost screamed, not accustomed to Gaara's size but that didn't stop the heat emanating from her core, and her tightness, to swallow him whole. It felt good, this heat, this tightness enveloping him. He enjoyed it all the moment when her body rocked in rhythm with his and they became one. He pounded into her back and forth, in and out. It was sweet music, her moaning, groaning, sighs, and cries and sexy little mewls but he craved screams.
"Ahh ah mmmm oh Kami…G-gaara don't s-stop! Ahh…G-gaara f-faster."
He could not deny his lover anything, if she wanted faster, he'd go faster. He grabbed her waist and thrust deep and hard into her, going faster than she could fathom. He had wanted this for years, she had wanted it for years, now they were both getting what they wanted and in the unusual silence of the hotel two distinct moans and screams were heard accompanied with the rhythmic squeaking of a bed.
"Mmm Ahh Oh oh Ohhhhhh Gaara!"
Every time she screamed his name he went insane and simply couldn't take it anymore and shoved all of him in her harder and faster while screaming her name back. Her tightness was suffocating him but it felt like heaven, being inside her. He started sweating but he didn't care as he looked down at the perfect angel beneath him, writhing with pleasure. Over and over again he thrust into her, over and over again she called his name, over and over again she clawed his back, he bit, kiss, and licked her neck and lips, she threw her head back, she orgasmed, she screamed, he screamed, he called her name until finally, it seemed, he was done. He had successfully made Hinata orgasm more times than she could count on one hand. He lay panting, sweating, huffing and puffing next to his beloved who was panting and sweating with him. He held her close to him and took in all her smells and what just happened. He had just made love to Hinata. He had finally claimed her, sexually, as his. Gaara ran his fingers through her long indigo hair with a smile of satisfaction. She wore the same kind of smile but she seemed amazed, speechless, her mind had been blown.
"Hinata…I love you, oh so much. I never want to leave you and I'm sorry I didn't come for you it's just-"
"You don't have to explain yourself. Besides, you just made up for it, believe me."
"Heh. Am I….better than Neji? I mean like-"
"Shut up Gaara. He's my soulless, heartless, cold, brutal cousin. You're far better. You love me and I love you. "
Gaara wiped away some tears, trying to keep cool but her words touched him. She loved him and it was enough to bring him to his knees.
"Darling don't cry now."
"I'll be alright, hun. It's just…I want to be with you forever…but you're married…"
"Don't you worry…we will find a way."
"Yeah….I need to stop being so pessimistic. It's not good for my role as Kazekage."
"You look sexy in your robes, by the by."
"Hah! Says you and every fangirl that comes strolling up to me."
"Oh, the great Kazekage has fangirls? I'll beat them off with a stick."
"You'll need more than that, darling. They have fangs and claws."
"Yeah, so do I and I need to sharpen them on a few idiots who try to get my Gaara-kun."
Gaara sealed the little distance they had with a kiss.
"You're so beautiful ad strong-willed, intelligent, graceful, and powerful. I'm a lucky man to have you."
"I think I'm lucky to have you. You could have replaced me easily with your looks, brains, power and position."
"I didn't want to. I loved you and only you and will always love you. Besides they're all sluts…every last one of them. Except Matsuri…she's different. Sure she's like a groupie, always tagging along and encouraging me a little too much, but as annoying as she can be she knows my boundaries. Sometimes she even….oh never mind."
Hinata raised her eyebrow but Gaara nibbled her lip playfully.
"Don't worry about it. You should sleep."
"I'm not tired yet…I'm not done with you."
"Oh really?"
Hinata positioned herself on her knees, her perfect little lips close to Gaara's erected manhood. She proceeded in licking it. Gaara tilted back into blinding pleasure as the sucking vortex of Hinata's mouth engulfed his member. He threaded his fingers through her glossy hair as her head bobbed up and down. Her tongue swirled on his tip making him cum in her mouth but she swallowed it up.
"There, now we're even."
"Ahh…Kami Hinata…hmm…"
Gaara slid his fingers in between her warm, wet folds with a smile.
"Mmm…you're still wet…"
The foreplay lasted an hour before Gaara plunged into Hinata's core again, claiming her again and again with each thrust. They kissed as Hinata and Gaara reached the momentous peak of their orgasmic pleasure at the same time. The two lay in each other's arms, tired beyond compare. Hinata kissed Gaara's chest to which she was curled against.
"Hinata…you haven't…had kids with Neji, right?"
Hinata looked away with tears rolling down her beautiful face. Gaara kissed them away.
"Hinata-seme, don't cry. If you have its okay."
"The truth is I could of….but I got abortions every time. I feel so ashamed of myself. Every time I did it I wish I could die, but I simply couldn't give birth to his child."
Gaara felt his heart shatter and the pieces became lodged in his throat. He kissed her forehead.
"Hinata, I understand. Don't sully that pretty face of yours. Leave him and be with me, be happy. I can't stand to see you suffer. Smile for me?"
He gently tugged at the edge of Hinata's lips, causing her to smile then he tickled her stomach, feet and palms before she finally uttered an adorable giggle.
"Hey stop that! Alright I'm smiling, see?"
"That's better. Hey Hinata…do you ever think of having kids…with me?"
"Yeah…all the time. They would have a lower chance of having my curse but also they would have your beautiful red hair."
"Or your lovely indigo hair. Or my eyes."
"Perhaps looks will skip a gene and they will look like their departed grandmothers. Blonde hair, like your mother, or have a kind smile like my mother."
"Our children…so that means…you'd want a future with me someday?"
"Whenever you propose, just know the answer will always be yes. I love you forever, my love knows no bounds. We are destined to be like this forever."
"I love you, my reason. I will never let you go or leave you ever again. I was a fool for doing so."
"You were just trying to protect me."
Gaara grasped Hinata tighter, their bodies molding together.
"I will protect you, from now until forever, you are still my very reason for existence, do not forget it."
The two fell asleep like that, in each other's loving embrace wrapped in love, caring, and everlasting devotion waiting to welcome the brand new day that awaited them tomorrow.