"Hey," Levi grabbed his best friend by the elbow, "are you nervous?"

"A little bit, I guess." Aura let out a nervous giggle. She was dressed in all white, all ready to walk down an aisle and take Erwin Smith to be her husband.

If she was to be completely honest with herself, she felt guilty. She was scared to death about Erwin finding out all the truth from sources other than herself. She just didn't know how to tell him, without causing significant damage in their relationship.

The last week had been the most perfect week she could dream of. The chemist, who was invited by Hange, had come in and formulated pills and ointments from the spinal fluid culture batches. When applied on Erwin, he had not shown any signs of side-effect.

In fact, he often complained about itches near his wound site, evidence of the fact that tissue growth was induced. While Hange had to train with her squad, Sherridan accompanied Aura while shopping.

They had been finally convinced by Queen Historia about taking the Royal Hall as the wedding venue. Everything seemed to be turning out just fine.

"It's okay," Levi tried to comfort her, "we can stay here for as long as you want to. As long as you need to, okay? Anyone raises a question, I'll break their nose. Come on, talk to me."

"It's nothing," she said, adjusting her veil in the reflection, "just.. I feel like.. I'm betraying him. You know, marrying him, while keeping this big a secret from him. I feel selfish."
"Then, tell him everything."

"You know it'd shatter him, Levi. I can't marry a man and tell him that I'm going to die in 12 years, just be ready. Yeah, I'm gonna leave behind a child to keep you company, but you'll have to take on the burden of being a single parent, in about a decade. Thank you very much for agreeing to marry me."

Levi let out a huge sigh. It had moved him too, to know that Aura would not live any longer than 12 years. It was new Titan information for him and Sherridan, but they had decided not to disclose it to Hange or Erwin or anyone else. At this point, he really wished Sherridan hadn't forgotten her glasses at the lab and discovered everything. He would have very much liked being in the dark with everyone else.

"He'll definitely know one day," he told her, "you wish to participate in the Shiganshina expedition, don't you? You think he'll just let you tag along with us?"

This was something Aura had decided by herself, without allowing either of her friends to convince her otherwise. In fact, she had put forth logic and reasoned her way into convincing Levi to help her go to Shiganshina with the Scouts.

"Levi," Aura's eyes watered up, "I can't think about it right now. I don't wanna mess today up, okay? I just wanna go out there, say my fucking vows and marry the crap out of the man I love. You were supposed to tell me positive things before we went out, weren't you?"

The wedding bells chimed outside, booming through the palace, signifying that the Maid of Honor was walking down the aisle. Levi gave Aura his hand and said, "listen, brat, this man loves you the way you are. You are not perfect, never will be. I am sorry, but that's the truth. But to him, you're the most beautiful woman alive. You're the one flame of hope in his otherwise miserable life. You're the yin to his yang and you must spend the rest of your days together, 12 years or more or less. I have seen him without you, and you without him. And, those are not pretty sights. Let's just go out, let me walk you down the aisle and, fucking give you over. My eyes are getting misty, I don't like that."
Aura smiled a little and gave him a quick hug. "Thanks, Levi, for everything. I love you."

"I love you too," the Captain sniffed, pulling her veil down over her face, "let's go."

He gave her his arm and led her out. The hall, the corridors were all decorated with peonies and lilies, the favorite flowers of the bride and the groom. Aura's eyes watered up as she and Levi stood at the threshold of the hall. Her groom stood under a canopy of pink and white peonies, holding a bouquet to give to her, as was tradition.

Standing in the ravishing white suit, Erwin Smith was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. "Oh my God, I'm gonna cry," she whispered to Levi. "Tsk.. I'm done with your bullshit, okay?" he replied, "I see one tear and I'm gonna leave, get it?"

As Aura composed herself, the wedding bells chimed again and Erwin looked up at the doorway to see his bride. His breath caught as he tried to hold back tears of joy. He could not believe his luck.

"Moblit," he spoke to his Best Man, "could you hold this for a while?" Handing over the bouquet, he desperately pinched the top of his nasal bridge to prevent himself from crying.

He chuckled a little, as Mrs. Lena Tubrey from the first row of guests smiled at him. He was elated beyond expectation. His heart both fluttered and felt gripped at the same time, and all his emotions now seemed to channel out through these tears.

"Oh my God, he's crying," Aura whispered to Levi as they neared the end of the aisle, "and, smiling at the same time." "Yeah, now imagine when you tell him about the baby," he whispered back, "it would be ten-folds."
"You're such a terrible person, Shorty."

"Congratulations, Commander," Levi shook Erwin's hand before handing Aura's palm over. Her mother, who had come all the way from Ehrmich, stood up to hug her daughter and give the to-be couple, her blessings. Aura's sense of guilt struck her when she looked into her daughter's eyes. She gave her a little smile and patted her cheek. She turned away quickly. Her daughter's burden was hard for her to see and tolerate.

Erwin looked at her once, and looked away as soon as their eyes met. He turned to retrieve the bouquet from Moblit and gave it to her. "Thank you," she whispered, smiling, as her cheeks turned the colour of Mikasa's scarf.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Priest's voice calmed the cheering crowd down, "and, Your Majesty, we have all gathered here to witness the joining of two loving souls in holy matrimony. I, on behalf of the betrothed, thank you for coming out in support of their love. May Maria, Rose and Sina have no objection with their marriage and bless them with happiness, warmth, wealth and health, until death parts them. Now, I believe that the Commander and the Doctor have prepared their own vows?"

Hange, the Maid of Honor, handed Aura her cue cards and took away the bouquet. She had been a very attentive Maid of Honor and had done a great job with the Bachelorette party. She and Sherridan had made sure the arrangements were just the way Aura and Erwin wanted.

While Sherridan had helped the bride during her bridal shopping spree, Hange was the one who looked after her for two days before the wedding, when her anxiety would be peaking. She became one of the three people to know about the pregnancy when she found Aura spilling her drinks during the bachelorette party on purpose.

"The bride may continue," the Priest urged Aura to read out her vows.

She let in a huge breath and looked up to meet Erwin's eyes. Her face split up into a huge smile as she started to say,

"Erwin, until I met you, I was never sure of whether I held significance in anyone's life. My own life was nothing but a series of heartbreaks and constant inability to trust. But, it all changed when you befriended me. I learned to trust you before I fell in love with you, and when I did, I knew I could never stop. And that is what I vow to do. I vow to love you for as long as I live, even on those nights when you steal my duvet."

The Commander laughed out as she continued, "I vow to support your reasonable decisions and to constructively criticize the ones that sound awful. I vow to protect you from all the stress you keep bringing on yourself. And, I vow to always trust you because I know I can. Until death parts us, my love."

"Aura," Erwin followed soon after, "all my life, I had tried to avoid falling in love. I had only been with people who had agreed to be with me. But, my love for you was different, and was beyond the earthly pleasures of possession. Well, not all pleasures! Anyway.."

The entire crowd let out muffled chuckles in unison as he pretended like he didn't even say it. "Aura, you're not only my lover, but you're my best friend, my confidante, and the only family I have. Your love for me has made me a stronger person. A person I never thought I could become. I wish to never have to be separated from you. I vow to always be by your side, in sickness and in health. I vow to protect you with all I have. I vow to cherish you and hold our love sacred, over any God, any truth and humanity itself. Now and forever. Even if death parts us."

"Wow," the Priest looked genuinely amazed, "never heard that before. Well.. as per custom, I must ask. Erwin Smith, do you take Aura Tubrey to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," he answered. His eyes had not left her even for a second.

"And, Aura Tubrey, do you take Erwin Smith to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," she answered, with tears in her eyes.

His vows had moved her. The last line kept ringing inside her head. Never before had she felt so treacherous. She couldn't stop wondering what would happen when he would find out about her secret.

"You may kiss your bride now, Commander," the Priest smiled at the couple. So did everyone else, as Erwin lifted Aura's veil over her head and took her in his arm. Smiling down at her, he quickly filled the void between their lips, declaring himself to be hers forever.

When they parted, her face was wet with tears that she quickly tried to wipe away. "Is everything okay?" Erwin asked, caressing the side of her face. "Yeah, yeah," she whispered, looking up, "I'm just too overwhelmed, I guess."

"I love you," he breathed out those words softly, kissing her forehead. "I love you too, Erwin," she replied, finally smiling a little.

Clink! Clink! Clink!
"May I have your attention please?" Levi Ackerman tapped a spoon against his glass of whiskey, seeking everyone's attention for the toast that was expected of him.

"So.. congratulations, Commander Smith. And, Aura. I tried writing down things to say.." he said, fumbling through the cue cards Sherridan helped him make, "yeah.. so.. you guys are perfect for each other. And.. I'm lucky to have been able to.. umm.. observe such phenomenal love from so close. And.. tch.. fuck it!"

"Listen, Erwin, you're lucky this woman stayed put with you for a decade and now even agreed to marry you. Hell, she decided to ask you to marry her. You're lucky you have her. Now you keep her happy for the rest of your lives and, if I see her unhappy for even a second, no matter what the reason, I'll remind you of the time you and I first met. And you, Doctor.." He took in a huge breath. "..congratulations on the baby."

He had decided to do this the day he was asked to raise a toast at the reception. He knew he was going to be stepping on some boundaries, but he didn't care. He wanted to do everything that was in his power to stop Erwin and Aura to take part in the Shiganshina expedition.

He sat down, his eyes not leaving Aura's baffled ones for a second. Her palms rested on the sides of her mouth, as she kept looking at him and Sherridan for an explanation of some sorts.

As the rest of the crowd started murmuring speculations, Erwin turned to her for a clue. "What baby?" he asked, his huge palm resting on her thigh. He had a confused smile on his face - exactly the look that Aura wanted to avoid.

"Umm.." she hesitated still, "so.. I wanted to tell you later, when we were alone. But, I guess this is a pretty good opportunity too." She looked around once before pouring it out. All curious eyes were on her. The Queen, Commanders Pixis and Zacharly, the 104th Cadets, members from her family, the other veterans - she could feel all of their eyes penetrating her skin, looking for answers like they all deserved one.

"We're gonna be parents," she said, not quite looking at him, "I'm.. I'm pregnant."
Erwin's clueless expressions started to slowly change. His eyes filled with tears as a wide smile spread across his face. "Really?" he whispered, his voice clogged with all sorts of emotions, "you're not kidding, are you?"

"No, silly, of course not," she replied. Smiling, she put a hand on his cheek. His radiant happiness caught her off-guard, and as their friends and family broke into a hoot of plaudits, he kissed her again.