There are a lot of great things about getting married. The fact that you've found your special someone who chose you of all people to spend the rest of their life with, the gathering of all your friends and family to celebrate you and your true love coming together, and the fact that you'll be bringing two families together and starting one of your own too. But, one of the most fun parts before the wedding... the bachelor and bachelorette parties!

A party on the bride and groom's final day of being single.

Mila was super excited to see what Mirabel came up with for this party. Most brides-to-be liked to have parties at the beach, a spa day, or going drinking. But for Mila, Mirabel had something extra special she would love.

Mirabel guided Mila as she was blindfolded, which Mirabel promised she would signal her when to take off.

"Mirabel, I've been blindfolded for ten minutes! Where are you taking me?" Mila sang, really eager to open her eyes.

"We're almost there, Prima." Mirabel said, and then she stopped. "Okay, Mila. You can open your eyes now."

For this bachelorette party, Mirabel got some help from the other girls and when Mila removed the blindfold...

"Surprise!" every girl shouted.

For this party, everybody wore lab coats and safety goggles like scientists. Mila loved science, and for this party, there were all kinds of science themed decorations. Constellations, pretend molecules, plants of all different kinds, and the party games all had some kind of scientific them to them. There were special kits to dig for pretend fossils, sparkly star crafts to create new constellations, and a game where players poured in random amounts of special ingredients into a pretend volcano before it exploded glitter all over the place! Padme even got a couple of droids to deejay some music for dancing.

Mila felt happy tears come to her eyes when she saw how Mirabel and the others made the whole room look like a big science lab filled with things from all kinds of sciences. She loved being a scientist, and one thing she always wanted to do was show other people what she loved about it so much and how fun it could be if one gave it a chance.

"Gracias, Mirabel. Gracias, everyone!" Mila smiled. She hugged her cousin tightly. "Let's have a fiesta!"

And so the fun began!

___________________________________

Tech, on the other hand... planning his bachelor party was a little trickier since he wasn't always the best around big crowds. But, with four of his brothers working together, they came up with something Tech would like. It had to be something simple, but at the same time something fun. With the girls at Mila's house for her party, they had the palace to themselves. And... they decided to have a slumber party.

All the guys got into their pajamas for this party. Tech, being the groom-to-be, was given a brand new set of comfy pajamas that resembled a tuxedo. It was super comfortable, and the setting was nice too. They kept the party small so he would be comfortable. Just the male members of the royal family, the Madrigal men, the male horses, and his brothers. R2-D2 and C3-PO set up several video games as an activity for the party. Since Tech liked to be on his tablet in his free time, they thought it would be fun for everyone to have different kinds of video games to play.

Tech seemed pretty happy playing a video game at this slumber party. At first glance, he thought video games didn't make sense with the random looking characters, strange stories, and how logic didn't always apply to certain worlds of the game, but once he started, he didn't wanna stop.

"Not that way! This way!" Tech said excitedly. He and Camilo were playing Mario Party, and having a lot of fun doing it.

"I'm trying!" Camilo said. "We don't exactly have these things where I'm from."

Uh oh. Looks like Camilo is getting addicted too.

Anakin took a glance as he and Carmine were competing in Dance, Prance Revolution.

"Looks like everyone's getting their game on."

Wrecker really looked like he was having a good time playing Guitar Hero.

"I'm a rockstar!" Wrecker cheered, pretending to rock out on his controller.

"Get it! Get it!" Crosshair exclaimed quickly as he, Felix, and Qui-Gon were playing a game of Whac-a-Mole, and those little moles kept popping out like lightning.

"Eat the dots! Eat the dots!" Hunter said, playing Pac-Man, only to run into a ghost. "AGH! I got dead again! This game stinks."

"You just need more practice." Boba said, starting it up again.

___________________________________

Of all the great activities at the girls' party, Mila couldn't decide if her favorite was Sweet Chemistry, or Squishy Pal Building.

In the Star-verse, there was this popular trend going around of making slime with all different colors, oftentimes throwing extra things in like glitter or tiny balls, and squishing it around and playing games with it. It proved to be surprisingly soothing too, and helpful to students stressing before a big test, adults dealing with stress at work, and even something for little kids to keep them entertained with very little. And in some cases, people made friends out of this slime that kept its shape even after you stretched and squished it.

"Look, Mom! I made a squishy puppy." Gabby said, holding up her finished squishy toy.

"That's adorable, Gabby." Padme said. "What are you making, Omega?"

"Right now, a big mess." Omega said, amid the pile of glitter on her squishy.

"Wow!" Gabby said. "That's a sparkly squishy."

"It was only supposed to have a little, but the top popped off."

Meanwhile, Mila loved Sweet Chemistry. In that activity, it was a chemistry experiment with soda, milk, ice cream, and every sugary treat everyone could find to make mocktails, sweet soda combos, ice cream sundaes and floats, and see what new flavors they could create.

"Here come more gummy bears." Comedia said, dumping another box of gummy bears.

"Where did you get so many gummy bears?" Isabela asked.

"My dad has at least a truck load of them under his bed and in his closet. Don't tell him I said anything, but I think he may have a problem."

To make working with the sweets even more fun, the girls even got some test tubes and beakers to mix the liquids and stuff, and they even used a bunsen burner to roast marshmallows for s'mores.

Mila was having so much fun at her bachelorette party. Making sweet treats, making lots of squishy toys, and getting to share her love of science and all kinds of experiments with everyone... It felt so wonderful.

At a bachelorette/bachelor party, some might say it's the bride or groom's last day of freedom, but anyone who knows what marriage is really about knows that's just not so.

As everyone put together their sweet chemistry cups, Mila tapped hers to get everyone's attention.

"Buenas noches, everyone. First, I'd like to thank everyone who came tonight, and especially my cousin and maid of honor, Mirabel. Ever since I was little, I've loved science and smarts, but for the longest time thought no one cared about it and I would have to do it alone. But, not only am I marrying a man who gets me in my love for science, but tonight, I saw how hard everyone worked to make this possible and made the thing I love almost as much as I love all of you a fun, memorable night I'll never forget."

Everyone raised their cups to Mila's little speech.

"So, are you and Tech going to have any kids?" Luisa said.

"You can count on that." Mila said. "Tech and I already have names in mind. For a girl, I really like the name Kalista, but Tech wants to name a girl Sofia. And I wanna name a boy Mateo. Tech can't decide whether we should name a boy after him or one of his brothers. Hopefully we either make up our minds soon, or we have a lot of kids so we only have to decide which kid gets which name."

"When my mom and daddy named me," said Lamenta. "They named me after Mommy's grandma."

"Aside from taking care of the baby," said Carousella. "Naming is probably the hardest part. When my parents named me, they chose it because I look like a horse you'd see on a carousel, and my horn always made carousel music."

"My parents didn't name me. My cousin did. All she had to do was say I was a little comedian, and then my parents lied, saying my name was Comedia. Basically the first thing that popped in their heads."

"What do you think they would've named you?"

"I don't know. Jester? They always said I act more like a jester than a royal. But luckily Cousin Reigna's always been better at coming up with names. And I like my name. Or they might've just named me Adira if I weren't a silly-corn. Adira was my great-great grandmother's name. A very noble ruler, she was."

Soon, everyone was making a speech to honor the bride-to-be.

"Mila, I think I speak for everyone when I say I'm so happy for you." Mirabel said. "You deserve the world, and... you got a man from a world of many worlds. You've always supported me, and so many other people. I hope Tech supports you and cares for you the way you deserve."

Padme went next.

"I've been married for five years, and let me just say, Mila. You're in for a ride. Marriage has its happy times, but also its hardships. You and Tech may face times where you disagree, where you argue, and forget to get along. But, a big part of marriage is communication and compromise. It's not made to be easy. But in the end, if your love is truly as strong as you believe, and you always remind each other of that special bond you two share, you'll make this marriage work. And I pray you'll both be very happy together for many years to come."

"No matter what happens," said Caroline. "Your love is the most important thing you'll have in this marriage. Beware when you have kids, though. That's likely going to be scarier than the wedding part. Carmine and I know that all too well. But, remember in your vows, it's for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. If you both put in the effort, you'll make it work no matter what life throws at you."

Isabela had quite a bit to say for Mila.

"Mila... ever since you were born, you've always been a little different. I once acted like I was all fine and perfect, but to be honest, you were one person I was jealous of. You were always doing well in school, you can build anything, and you're living proof you don't have to choose between brains and beauty. But most of all, your heart is probably the only thing bigger than your brain. You're always telling us about famous scientists who make great discoveries, but no matter how much of a brainiac your groom claims to be, he'd have to be truly dumb not to believe you're the best thing he's ever discovered."

Luisa's speech was pretty short though.

"I'm happy for you, Mila. Tech seems like a good guy, but I'll be sure to let him know if he breaks your heart, I'm gonna break him."

Mila loved that Luisa cared so much, but although the latter was typically a gentle giant, Mila had to admit that her older cousin scared her sometimes.

Mila felt so many emotions running through her at this point. Happiness, enthusiasm, but also nerves. I mean, what bride doesn't feel nervous on the night before her wedding day? She never thought this day would come. She never even thought she would have a real boyfriend. But then, she met Tech and she was smitten the moment she witnessed him being so smart. He was considered a bit of an oddball by his family, but so was Mila. The smart ones and the creative ones in families are most often considered the weird ones, but that kept things interesting.

The moment Mila and Tech kissed for the first time, she knew he was the one for her, not just because they both learned Tech was a better kisser than he would've imagined, partially because he literally never kissed anyone even on the cheek, or been kissed. Before Mila, the only time he'd been kissed was when he hurt his shoulder and Gabby kissed his cheek to heal him. Every date they went on, they only grew closer, and they never got through a single date without a kissing sensation.

Unlike other girls, Mila didn't care if the date was fancy, big, or flaunting anything. The only thing she cared to flaunt was how much she loved Tech and how he loved her enough to step out of his comfort zone and try new things with her. As she always told him, "Great discoveries can only be made by charting uncharted territory."

Now, tomorrow she and Tech were going to seal their vows in front of their friends and families, and start a family of their own. She'd always wanted to be a mom, and she just knew she and Tech would have a wonderful family. She only hoped she wasn't the only one nervous about this whole thing.

___________________________________

After a while, the guys needed a drink from all the game playing. Tech, however, sat down, his leg tapping like he had the jitters or something, which he actually did. He had a lot on his mind.

"Tech, are you okay?" Anakin said. "You seem nervous."

"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Bruno said. "Because if you leave my Mila at the altar-"

"No, my feet are perfectly fine. The rest of me, however... is feeling odd. I do want to be at the altar with Mila. The only problem being I feel worried about the outcome, as though I were conducting a chemistry experiment."

Anakin heard a lot of Tech's speech and the riddles in some of the books Gabby liked to read. He was able to decipher that although Mila and Tech had great chemistry, it was what came after the wedding that worried him.

"Tech, are you nervous about getting married?" Anakin said.

"Yes." Tech admitted. "I was prepared to ask Mila to marry me, and I am mentally prepared to support her and care for her. But, I somehow feel like I may not be as prepared to give her everything she deserves, much less to be a father."

"You got Mila pregnant already?!" Bruno said, looking ready to strangle him.

"No! No. We haven't even..." Tech noted the presence of children in the room. "Bonded that way yet. We both agreed to wait until after marriage."

Antonio was confused, being only a child who didn't yet know everything about where babies came from.

"Childcare is not something I grew up learning about, and I worry about how I may do as a parent."

"You've looked after the younger kids lots of times." Boba pointed out. "You even look after me and Omega. So, I think you got looking after teens covered."

"Except most of the time, I am with my brothers, and your parents have done more raising you than I ever did myself. You've seen me faint trying to change a diaper."

"I think a lot of us do the first time, and in some cases the first time in years." Carmine chuckled. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get used to changing diapers and late nights again after the twins and then Charlotte were born?"

"Mila is very intent on having children, and I want to be able to give her that, but what if I cannot? What if I cannot even conceive a child due to my genetic mutation?"

"Now that I think of it," said Hunter. "Now I'm curious if any of us can do that if we wanted to."

Tech thought it might be a good idea to see a doctor about that, or better yet, see what he could find on his tablet. He had done quite a few studies on his and his brothers' mutations for a number of reasons, but fertility was not one of them. Maybe it was time he found out.

"Hey, even if you can't conceive," said Pinto. "There is always adoption. I mean, look how happy every adopted kid we know is. And there are a lot of little ones who need loving people who want families to take them in."

"It's true." Boba said. "Take it from me. I did time in an orphanage, and there were more kids in need of families than I could count, and more came in almost every day. I mean, when I first got adopted, so many kids had the same look of disappointment I did whenever adoption days came and no one picked me. A lot of those kids spent years there before finding a family."

"But, adopted or biological." Anakin said. "The most important thing is that you and Mila show your future kids unconditional love, and neither of you will be alone in the adventure."

"Plus, you got us to help take care of them." Wrecker said. "Kids love me!"

"It's true. You think it was easy for any of the fathers in this room when they started out?" Hunter asked.

Truth be told, none of the fathers in the room found it easy. And it wasn't just fathers; big brothers had a lot to learn about caring for a little one too. Taking care of kids was no easy task. Even after they outgrew wearing diapers and needing to be rocked to sleep, kids just ended up being more work. They start running around, climbing on stuff, being wild, they don't always listen to what grownups tell them, and sometimes their natural curiosity lands them in trouble. And once they hit puberty, they get a bit of an attitude, which may only grow when they journey through the teen years. But ironically, as tiring as they are, although first-time parents probably can't wait for their kids to grow up and be able to take care of themselves so they can relax, they quickly realize they want to keep their kids little forever.

You gotta admit, once you've had at least one kid, or at least a student who learned a lot from you, and looks up to you even after they grow, it makes you wanna keep doing it, because even for people as smart as Tech or Mila, there's still so much they can learn. Maybe becoming a husband and a father would be a good learning experience for Tech. And he realized the others were right; he wouldn't be doing it alone. Mila would be there to be the children's mother; they were a team. And Tech had faith his brothers would be a big help too. After all, his future kids were going to need protective and fun uncles like them to teach them things their parents couldn't, especially since they wouldn't have grandparents on their father's side. Tech was definitely going to need to work on how he would explain to his future kids that he and his brothers didn't come from a mother's tummy like them. But first, he needed to get through the wedding.

"Perhaps I am overreacting," said Tech. "While I am hesitant about a few parts of parenthood, it is a relief to know I won't be doing it solo."

"Just be ready for a ride when and if Mila does get pregnant." Carmine said, remembering when Caroline was pregnant for the first time. "She's gonna be hungry and cranky all the time. But it'll all be worth it when you see your baby for the first time. That's where love at first sight truly exists. And when you hold them for the first time, there's no going back."

Tech sighed. That was one ride no amount of research could prepare anyone for. He'd seen when Caroline was expecting Charlotte. Just watching Carmine take care of Caroline tired everyone else out, and she was cranky all the time and craving funny food combinations. But, it was just one of the responsibilities that came with marriage.

Tech had faced many dangerous missions where he got shot at, thrown against hard surfaces, chased by humongous monsters, and survived falls from high places. How hard could marriage be? Tech figured. And tomorrow, he was going to take the biggest step of his life.

"My dear Mila... you deserve the galaxy. I will provide that to you in any way I can, and to our future offspring as well."

For now, Tech was about ready to get a good night's rest, and so was Mila. But neither half was sure they could sleep; they were both excited to see each other again, as they were not allowed to until the ceremony.