FicWad

Love Garden:

Simone's Notes:

Marriage is a personal union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is called a wedding and the status created is sometimes called wedlock. Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships are sanctioned with governmental, social, or religious recognition. It is often created by a contract or through civil processes. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution, in accordance with marriage laws of the land. If recognized by the State, by the religion(s) to which the parties belong and/or by society in general, the act of marriage changes the personal status of the individuals in the eyes of those authorities that recognize it. People marry for many reasons, but usually one or more of the following: legal, social, and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love; or to obtain citizenship.

Steven had it all planned out. The wedding was going to be a small one. The last time he had a big one, the marriage ended in divorce. The col. was determined to make this marriage work. He learned from his last mistakes. Walker was going to do right this time. He had everything ready. Steven picked up his suit earlier in the week. He booked the priest and selected the location. Paul was going to be the best man. Malachi would be the ring bearer. Steven even made a little list of what to get for the wedding. He had everything. Every detail was planned down to the last detail. This was going to be the perfect wedding. However, there were a couple of little hang-ups. Yasmine didn't know about this wedding. It was just Steven expected. He was planning to surprise her with it. That problem was solved with that resolution. But there was another problem. Steven hadn't decided on a date yet. No day seemed right just yet. Yasmine was too busy. She was up to her ears in missions. Syd seems to be working her to the bone. Steven noticed that his woman hadn't been sleeping well because of it. Concerned, he turned to Paul for help.

"What can I do?" he asked his son. "Yas hasn't been getting much sleep and I'm worried about her."

"Have you talked to her about it?" Paul asked.

"Yes," the col. replied. "She keeps saying that she's just fine." Paul thought about that for a moment.

"Have you got a date for a wedding?" his son asked.

"No," Steven replied. Paul thought about that for a moment. Then an idea came to him.

"I've got it!" he said. The col. looked at him with big eyes.

"Got what?" he asked. Paul smiled at him richly.

"Come here," he said. "I've got just the thing." Steven leaned in and Paul whispered his plan to him. Steven's eyes lit up brightly after hearing those words.

"Sure it will work?" he asked.

"Trust me!" Paul said. His father just smiled. Then he headed out to his office. His son was confused.

"Dad," he called. "What are you going?"

"To check my calendar!" the col. shouted. "I have a wedding date to set!" Paul smiled at him kindly. "Good luck on this one, dad!" he thought. "Don't mess it up this time!"

Plans went smoothly as Steven had hoped. Yasmine still didn't know a single thing. She was too tired to even notice. Steven, Paul, and Malachi were now really worried about her. This morning at breakfast, Yasmine could barely keep herself awake at the table. The boys were wondering if she was asleep.

"Sweetheart," Steven lightly called to her. There was no answer.

"Yas?" the col. asked. Still no answer. Steven lightly reached forward to touch his soon-to-be wife on the arm. Paul looked on nervously.

"Are you sure you want to do that, dad?" he asked his father. Steven didn't listen.

"Sweetie!" he said to his girlfriend. Yasmine jerked awake and struck her boyfriend hard. Steven yelped out in pain.

"Ow!" he yelled out loud. Yas looked up quickly. She looked really worried at him.

"Oh my god!" she called out. "I'm sorry!" Steven looked up in pain.

"Damn it, woman!" he yelled out. Malachi and Paul kept watching. Yasmine reached over to try and help him. Steven backed away quickly.

"Don't touch me!" he yelled. Yasmine slowly withdrew her hand. Steven glared at her and left the table. The hunter deity turned to her other two boys. They seemed worried. Yas calmed down some.

"I'm sorry guys," she said to them. "I didn't mean to act like that." The boys just kept silent. They seemed afraid that she would snap on them too. Yasmine sighed out loud.

"I have to work now," she said softly. Then, the hunter got up from the table and headed after Steven. The boys only hoped it would work out just fine in the end.



Molly and Alphonse were walking down the hall that same morning when something caught Molly's eye. Alphonse noticed her smiling.

"Molly?" he asked. "What is it?"

"I have fans already!" she replied. Al looked ahead. He saw Amy, Bev, and Carrie all staring at a copy of her map on the hall bulletin board. The journalist had placed it up there last night hoping to add more to it. Al was getting slightly worried. His other bunnies seemed upset. But, Molly kept smiling.

"Shall we greet the fans?" she asked.

"I don't know..." Al answered.

"Great!" Molly replied. "Let's go!" Then she headed down to the girls. Sweat drop on Alphonse's head "Did she even listen to me?" he thought. He just sighed and followed after her. The pair made it to the other "bunnies." The girls turned around to see Molly and Al standing before them. Amy had a serious look on her face. Bev and Carrie looked a little confused. The journalist just smiled at them.

"Can I help you, ladies?" she asked. Amy pointed over at the map on the bulletin board.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked sharply. Molly just lightly shrugged.

"A little map of the relationships here," she replied. Amy still didn't look impressed.

"Why?" she challenged. Molly stepped forward.

"Because," the journalist replied. "I believe that everyone is or was in a relationship."

"And why do you believe that?" Amy asked.

"Because," Molly replied. "Everyone is!" They all were silent after that. Molly had won the argument.



Days went by. Steven's plans were going smoothly. He just Yasmine's dress measurements down just right. The dress had just come in this morning. Steven picked up his suit the same morning. Now, everything was almost set. The wedding was to take place at seven tonight. But how to get Yasmine to the chosen location? That is where Paul comes in. The morning started out normal. The deity hunter headed off to her latest mission.

"I'm off dear!" she called to Steven.

"Have good day!" he said to her. Then Yasmine headed out the door. Steven waited until he was sure that she was gone. He then dialed Paul's cell phone. He waited with his heart racing.

"Hello?" the boy asked on the other line.

"Paul!" Steven said quickly.

"Dad?" his son asked. "What's wrong?"

"I need you to do something this evening," Walker replied.

"Okay," Paul replied. "What do you mean?" Steven carefully told his son the plan.

The day flew by as usual. Yasmine came home in the late afternoon and she had a light dinner with her son and boyfriend. Her boys just couldn't help but to smile at each other.

"Sweetie," the deity hunter spoke up. "Where is Paul?"

"Swimming practice," Steven replied innocently. "It's Tuesday night." Yas looked confused.

"Is it really?" she asked.

"Yep, mommy!" Malachi said aloud. Yasmine thought about for a moment as if to question if it was true or not. The two boys watched and waited. The deity finally smiled cheerfully.

"Okay then!" she chirped. The boys relaxed.

"So how was your day, then?" Steven asked her. Yasmine sighed.

"A nightmare," she answered. "This virus is spreading quickly. If this keeps up the incubi and succubi will start reproduce with the humans and we'll have half-breeds on our hands!" Steven looked at her slightly confused. Yasmine stopped herself just in time.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "You still don't understand everything just yet..." Steven lightly held her hand. Yasmine looked up at him quickly. Her boyfriend smiled at her.

"It's not that..." he said. "You're stressed and you haven't been sleeping well. I'm really worried about you." Yas looked at him innocently.

"But... but..." she stammered out innocently. "I have to save everyone from destruction!" Steven just lightly smiled at her.

"Everyone will be safe right now, I promise!" he insisted. Yas gave him a little pout.

"You mean it?" she asked in a small child-like voice. Steven smiled as he nodded. Yas relaxed some.

"Okay," she replied.

"Very good," her boyfriend said. Then, they went back to their dinner. Then, the phone rang. Yasmine was about to go answer it when Steven stopped her.

"No," he said. "I've got it!" Then he rose up from the table and answered the phone. Yasmine turned to Malachi who was smiling at her. He looked as if he had a little secret. The deity studied his little face. "Hm?" she thought to him. "What exactly are you and your daddy up to?" Malachi just kept smiling at his mommy. He was starting to hear thoughts, but they were still too soft for him to understand. Steven returned to the table with the phone in his hand. Both mother and son looked up.

"You have a call, Yas." Steven spoke up. The deity rose to her feet and answered the phone.

"Hello?" she asked. The woman went on talking. Steven and Malachi pretended to keep eating so they could listen. The conversation was short and quick. Yasmine turned to her boys. Steven smiled at her when she was done talking on the phone. She had a serious look on her face.

"A man named Isaiah Hall called," she said. "He said that there were some succubi victims out in the Orange Gardens. I have to go and investigate!" Steven looked at her disappointed.

"But what about dinner?" he asked sounding crushed.

"I can't stay!" Yasmine said aloud. "It's urgent! I have to go!" Then she rushed over to her boys and lightly kissed them.

"Be good, Malachi," she told her son. Then, Yasmine headed out the door. Once she was gone, Steven turned to Malachi smiling.

"That was a good job," he said to his step-son.

"Do I get cake now?" the boy asked.

"Not yet," Steven said. "The game's not over! We have to get there to the Orange Gardens and meet your mom and Paul there." Malachi smiled at him.

"Okay!" the boy said.

"Good," the col. said. "Now, let's go get dressed. This is the dress-up part of the game." Malachi's little eyes let up brightly.

"Okay!" he said. Then the boys headed to the bedroom to get dressed for the wedding.

Yasmine was driving along the back roads to the Orange Gardens. These were the dark woods of the city. Anything could go out in the darkness. Yasmine had her headlights turned on bright tonight to see well. So far, nothing was in sight. But, the deity hunter kept her eyes wide and open. The fallen ones looked to play tricks on the mind at night. The woman determined not to fall prey to one of those tricks tonight. She was driving along when a man stepped out in the road flagging her down. Yasmine slammed on the breaks of her truck really fast. She looked through the windshield long and hard. The man was dressed in the finest priest robes. Yasmine looked closely even more. Her face was filled with confusion. She recognized the man right away. The hunter slowly rolled down the window.

"Pastor Jimmy?" Yasmine asked aloud. "What are you doing out here?" The pastor ran up to her.

"Miss Yasmine!" he yelled to her. "I'm so glad I found you!" Yas stepped out of her truck confused.

"What's wrong, pastor? "she asked. Jimmy looked right at her. He grabbed her by the hand.

"There is no time!" he said. "Just come on!" Then the pastor dragged Yasmine down the road in a rush. Yasmine was still confused.

"Wait!" she yelled to Jimmy. "Where are you taking me? What is the problem?"

"You'll see in a moment!" the pastor replied. They kept hurrying down the road. The two came to the Orange Gardens. Yasmine was in for a complete surprise. The gardens looked like something out of a storybook. Beautiful flowers were arranged everywhere. A wedding arch was propped up near the marble fountain. Water lilies with candles were floating in the water. Candles were brightly lit all around as well. The deity hunter was amazed. "What is this?" she thought. The pastor walked ahead of her. Yas's eyes followed him up to the arch. Up ahead, Steven was waiting for her. He was dressed in his finest tux. He was smiling at her richly. Yasmine was really surprised now.

"Steven?" she asked aloud.

"Welcome to the wedding," he said. Yasmine was really happily surprised.

"You did all of this for me?" she asked.

"Yes," Steven said. "I wanted to surprise you. We never seemed to have the right date to get married. So, Paul, Malachi, and I plotted the wedding here."

"And the call here was a way to get me here?" she asked.

"Yes," Steven replied. The pastor drew out a wedding dress for her to wear. Yasmine didn't know what to say. Happiness was deeply in her eyes.

"Oh Steven!" she breathed out. "You don't know how much I love you right now!"

"Yes," her soon-to-be husband replied. "Yes, I do." Then, Yasmine hurried over and got her dress from the pastor. The pastor and the groom both smiled. The hunter went off to change clothes. In a few minutes, Yas came back in her white silk sleeveless wedding gown. A pearl and flower trim was on the waist and bottom of the skirt. The pastor and Steven smiled at the beautiful bride. Yasmine was at a loss for words.

"I... never really felt this pretty before in my life!" she gasped out.

"You're always pretty to me!" Steven called to her. Yasmine headed over to the arch. The col. reached forward and lightly undid her long black ponytail. His soon-to-be wife's hair fell loose gracefully. The pastor put a crown of white daisies on her head and headed a white rose bouquet. He smiled at the young couple. Yasmine looked up and saw her other two boys behind Steven. Paul and Malachi were dressed in their best tuxes. The little boy had a light purple silk pillow with his and hers white gold wedding bands on them. Yasmine was pleasantly surprised.

"You look beautiful, mommy!" Malachi said aloud.

"Aw," his mother said. "Thanks sweetie!" Then, Yas turned to Paul.

"And you're Isaiah Hall?" she asked him smiling.

"Why yes ma'am I am!" Paul said in his fake country accent to her.

"Thanks, Mr. Hall," his soon-to-be step-mother said to him.

"No problem!" Paul said still in the country accent. Then, the wedding began. It was nice little ceremony. Yasmine and Steven were joined together as husband and wife within minutes. The other two boys were really proud. The couple were finally getting what they had wanted.

"I now pronounce you man and wife!" the pastor said. "You may now kiss the bride!" Steven and Yasmine shared their first kiss as husband and wife. The wedding may have been sweet and beautiful, but the virus and Manami's reign was now taking a turn for the dark evil side of pleasure.

Next Night

Next Time: Jakob and Riza spend their last night together before Jakob goes off to ASRS.