I had barely reached our quarters when familiar arms grabbed me from behind. I whirled around and Jadzia was kissing me.

“I thought you wanted to wait,” I teased her.

“I’m just kissing you,” she answered. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in days. You’ve been so busy with all the details, I feel completely superfluous to the situation. Please reassure me, Worf. Am I needed for this wedding ceremony?”

“You just need to show up,” I told her with a grin.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Jadzia sighed. “I can’t believe we’re actually getting married in two days. Are we really getting married?”

“Yes, all the plans have been made, so you can’t back out now,” I gently untangled her from my neck. “Shall we go in?”

Dax nodded, pressing the door open.

“I wasn’t planning on backing out,” she told me. “Unless you were.”

“Not after all the work I have put in,” I answered. “Besides, I owe Martok and his men a good party.”
We stepped into our new quarters and took our first look around.

“Nice decor,” Jadzia said as she noticed the lack of any furnishings.

“We have the rest of our lives to decorate.”

Dax did not answer; instead she walked through the quarters, looking over every detail.

“This should be a nice change from the Defiant,” she commented, walking back to me. We sat against the wall, my arm around her shoulders. “It’s not as cramped.”

“You’re right,” I said. “I think we will be very happy here.”

“Mmm,” Jadzia said in that tone of voice that told me she wanted to talk about something. She leaned her head on my shoulder.

“What is it?” I asked quietly. “What is bothering you?”

“Things aren’t going well with Sirella,” Dax confessed, referring to her future mother-in-law, Martok’s wife. “I don’t think likes me. She pretty much called me an alien to my face.”

This, I thought, was not a good sign.

“Should I say something to Martok?” I asked in concern.

“Give me some time. I will try to figure out a way to get her to like me.”

I tightened my embrace and hoped that yes indeed, Dax would find some way to get Sirella to agree to our marriage.

****

Of course convincing Jadzia was a little more difficult.

“I won’t apologize to her,” Dax said stubbornly as she rearranged her collection of Trill and Klingon sculptures for what had to be the hundredth time. “She hates me anyway. What does it matter?”

“It matters to me,” I said gently.

Jadzia swallowed hard and looked at me, almost in shock.

“I am sorry, Worf,” she whispered, throwing her arms around my neck. “I didn’t mean to let you down like this.”

“You haven’t. Not yet.”

“I’ve come to apologize,” Dax said softly.

Sirella’s aristocratic features did not change at Dax’s admission.

“I accept,” Sirella said finally. I could feel the tension easing out of my muscles. “I accept your apology.”

Dax’s face immediately brightened and I could tell that she had been very nervous also.

“I want you to know that I love Worf,” Dax said earnestly. “Your approval means everything to him and I really believe he would give me up if you wouldn’t agree to our marriage.”

I turned to Dax, my mouth open in astonishment, but she plunged ahead.

“I know you are concerned about your family name,” Dax said. “But know that I would never do anything to dishonor the house of Martok. I consider it a great honor that you would even consider me as a member of your house.”

Sirella then did something completely unexpected. She placed her hands on Jadzia’s shoulders.

“You were very proud,” Sirella told Dax. “I have never heard such disrespect before, but I have also never seen someone fight so hard before. I approve of your marriage.”

I could feel the tension ease out of Dax’s shoulders.

“Thank you,” Dax said, wrapping her arm around my waist. “Thank you.”

We turned to leave, our arms still around each other, when Sirella called us back.

“I was once in love too,” she told us. “I know how you feel. I just had to be sure that you were strong enough to overcome what others would say about you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Dax said. “It only matters what Worf and I think. Right?”

I nodded, “What others say or think is irrelevant.”

Sirella smiled at me and I realized that she had very nice, kind smile.

“Then your marriage should be successful,” Sirella told us.

In the hall, right outside of the airlock, Dax pushed me up against the wall and kissed me.

“Now can we get married?” she whispered into my ear.

****

Our new furniture arrived just after I had finished eating and I left the workers to their job. I decided to go see Jadzia, to make sure she was awake. Knowing her as I did, I knew that Jadzia could very well sleep through her own wedding.

After a couple of anxious chimes, Jadzia finally opened the door. Her hair was wet around her shoulders and she was wrapped only in her towel.

“Worf, you shouldn’t be here,” she said. I didn’t answer her; instead I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her soundly.

Instantly her towel fell to the ground.

“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” she murmured in my ear.

“I had to see you.”

“Impatient, eh?”

“A little,” I answered. I broke away and gave her back her towel. She wrapped it back around her. “Does the dress fit?”

“Yes, it does,” she smiled at me before disappearing into her bedroom. “It looks wonderful, Worf. Though, I don’t really think red is my color.”

“It is a traditional color for Klingon weddings.”

“Relax, Worf. That was a joke.”

I frowned; much as I loved her, I still did not understand her sense of humor.

“Aren’t there any last minute details you could be taking care of?” Jadzia called from her bedroom.

“No,” I said, settling myself onto the sofa. “They are delivering the new furniture to our quarters as we speak.”

“Oh,” Jadzia came out, dressed in her magenta nightgown. She laughed at the expression on my face. “You don’t think I’m going to wear that gown while you’re here? No, I don’t think so, Worf.”

She settled herself onto my lap, kissing me softly and then resting her head on my shoulder.

“I wish we could stay like this forever,” she whispered.

“Then we would miss our own wedding.”

“Quark has a bet going on whether we will actually get married or not.”

“Are the odds good?”

“Depends who you ask.”

“And if I ask you?”

Jadzia smiled, “Oh, they are extremely good.”

She gave me a kiss and then stood up, “Now, you go and get ready. Or we’ll both be late for our wedding.”

****

I was a little embarrassed, since I’m not given to great shows of affection in public, but Jadzia did not seem to care.

“Can you believe we are married?” she whispered into my ear, before Bashir dragged her off somewhere.

I did not see Jadzia again until it was time for our wedding feast. The main dish, of course, was heart of targ, which we sliced together. We had asked Sisko to make the traditional toast, before the meal began.

There were several cheers when Sisko said this and I shook my head, feeling the heat rise in my face.

“And as for you, Jadzia,” Sisko continued, “you have, on this occasion, exercised your wisdom and found yourself a man who is loyal, trustworthy, honorable and most importantly, he loves you as much as you love him. I wish you both a very long and happy marriage.”

Sisko sat down and everyone cheered him. Bashir stood next, holding up his goblet of bloodwine.

"I’d like to make a toast to my good friends Jadzia Dax and Worf,” he announced. “May your future be bright and all your dreams come true.”

Jadzia turned to me and we each sipped first from our own goblets before drinking out of the other’s.

“Now,” Martok stood up. “Now, I welcome my new daughter, Jadzia Dax, daughter of Kaela, into the house of Martok.”

Jadzia rose and accepted the crest of the house of Martok. As a non-Klingon, she would not be able to wear the badge and sash as I did, so the gesture was largely symbolic, but it meant a lot to both of us.

****

“Excuse me?” I frowned.

“Jadzia had her eye on you from the moment you came aboard this station,” Sisko smiled knowingly. “I’m surprised she kept her feelings to herself for so long.”

“I am too,” I admitted.

“I was worried that you might not feel the same as her,” Sisko continued. “I was quite anxious for a while. Especially when you went after Grilka.”

I shook my head, remembering how enamored of Quark’s former wife I had been. It was all very foolish in retrospect.

“I told Jadzia at that time that she had to make her move then,” Sisko said. He smiled at me and touched my arm gently. “You are a hard man to get through to, but I think you heard her loud and clear.”

“I certainly did.”

“I wish you all the best, Mr. Worf,” Sisko nodded towards Jadzia who was now dancing with Nog. “She is a handful and she is all yours.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Kira appeared and Sisko took that his cue to leave.

“I have to check on things in Ops,” Sisko told me. “We still are at war.”

As if I could forget, I thought wryly.

Kira tapped my arm gently, “Great wedding, Worf. If I ever get married, you can plan the ceremony. But it must be Bajoran, okay?”

“As you wish.”

And then Kira melted into the crowd of dancers.

Martok joined me then.

“You are a popular man, Worf,” he said gruffly. “I’ve been waiting to talk to you for a long time now.”

I shrugged, “Everyone is giving us their good wishes.”

“Everyone does wish you both the very best. Even Sirella.”

“I think she was just testing Jadzia.”

“And you,” Martok said gently.

“Me?”

“Marrying one of another species is not done often,” Martok said. “I believe Sirella was concerned that you did not love Jadzia, that you were marrying for the novelty of having an alien wife.”

“What?” I asked, unable to believe what Martok was saying.

“Not to worry,” Martok laughed. “Would you have married Jadzia regardless of what Sirella said?”

“I wouldn’t have been happy about it, but yes. I have wanted to marry Jadzia for a very long time now.”

“I think Sirella knew that,” Martok looked towards his wife. “Once she realized you were determined to marry and once Jadzia apologized, she realized that you two truly did love each other. And look, they are speaking to each other.”

I took the conversation between my wife and my mother-in-law as a sign that they had truly patched up their differences.

Martok noticed a brawl starting among some of his officers.

“Too much bloodwine,” he grumbled, nearly spilling his own bloodwine on my shoes. Odo had already moved to break up the fight, but Martok stumbled after him. Me, I just stood and watched, relishing the fact that I was finally married.

****
I found Jadzia slumped over the tongo table, gambling away what I was sure were her life savings. I tossed a dirty look at the Ferengi and helped Jadzia to her feet. I could smell the bloodwine on her breath.

“Worf,” she mumbled as we walked out into the hall. I adjusted her arm around my waist so that she had some support as we headed towards our quarters.

“Yes?”

“Is it over?”

“What?”

“The party.”

“For you it is.”

In our quarters, I settled Jadzia on the bed. She immediately fell over.

“You never could hold your bloodwine,” I told her, but she merely offered me an inebriated smile. I pulled off her shoes and then helped her out of her dress. “Here’s your nightgown.”

Jadzia took the nightgown and just stared at it, fingering the purple material. I laughed at her and she scowled at me.

“Do you need help?” I asked. She nodded.

“Raise your arms,” I told her, as I helped her with the gown.

Finally, I tucked her into bed and she immediately curled up and fell asleep. I planted a soft kiss on her forehead before getting ready for bed myself.

****
Sometime in the middle of the night, I stirred and discovered that Jadzia was no longer next to me. I saw a light on the bathroom, so I rose and fetched a glass of water.

I found Jadzia sitting on the floor, her head tucked between her knees.

“How do you feel?” I asked softly.

She lifted her head, revealing the greenish pallor of her face.

“Awful,” she muttered. I handed her the water and two tablets.

“This should make you feel better.”

“Mm, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I feel miserable.”

“You should. Too much bloodwine will do that.”

“Why didn’t you stop me?”

“You looked like you were having a good time.”

“I didn’t make a fool of myself, did I? My God, Sirella. Did I say anything to Sirella?”

“Not that I know of. You certainly did not punch her.”

Jadzia grimaced at the memory of her fist connecting with Sirella’s head at her bachelorette party.

“I suppose I should be grateful for that,” Jadzia sighed, leaning against me.

“I did have to rescue you from Quark. He did return all your money,” I said.

“Was it a lot of money?”

“Quite a bit.”

“Uh,” Jadzia pressed her hand against her forehead. “I’m never doing this again.”

“Doing what?”

“Getting married.”

“I hope not,” I teased her. “Because you are stuck with me.”

“What? This is a lifetime thing?”

“I see you’re feeling better.”

“A little,” Jadzia admitted.

“What did you like most about the wedding?”

“I really can’t remember much after Benjamin’s speech. It was a nice speech, wasn’t it?”

“Very nice.”

“It was a very nice ceremony. You planned it very well. I loved the whole thing. I liked it best because at the end, we were married. So you did a very nice job.”

“Thank you,” I said, amused at her slurred words. I noticed that she was drifting off on me so I helped her to her feet.

“Come to bed,” I told her.

“Oh, I thought you’d never ask.”

“Not tonight,” I answered as I tucked her back into bed. Jadzia pouted but did not make much of a fuss. “We’ll have plenty of time for that later.”

I smoothed her hair away from her face and she took my hand and kissed it gently. I smiled down at her and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“This is a very interesting night for you,” she murmured.

“You’ve always said our lives together would be difficult but fun,” I told her. “I did not expect marrying you to be easy.”

“No,” she sighed. “Not easy at all. But fun. Very fun.”

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