Note: Thanks for the responses to 'Love at Comic Con'! So this story first popped into my head when a picture of a new wedding dress in the store window appeared a couple of weeks ago. And then when Colin and Jen were discussing the dress that was behind them while they kissed in the finale and Jen mentioned that maybe Emma should go shopping, I knew I had to write it. Oh and if the store name has been mentioned on the show before, then I missed it so I just made it up. Hope you enjoy it! ~Steph
... Say Yes to the Dress: Part 1/1...
Emma and Snow walked down the sidewalk, as Snow pushed Neal in his carriage.
"So I was thinking dinner at Granny's tonight. How does that sound?" Snow asked, as she turned to Emma.
Her brow furrowed as she found the spot beside her vacant.
"Emma?"
Snow turned around and spotted Emma a few feet behind her, stopped in front of the Bippity Boppity Boutique. She was staring at the new wedding gown they had just put in the window.
Snow smiled as she backed up and came to stand beside her daughter.
"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" she said.
Emma nodded, her eyes remaining transfixed on the dress. "It is."
The dress was princess style with white beading on the bodice. There was a beaded scalloped floral lace design on the hem of the dress and some matching appliques on the skirt. Two straps crisscrossed at the neck to make it unique.
Snow's eyes scanned her daughter's face. "You would look amazing in this gown, Emma."
Emma let out a laugh and finally tore her eyes away from the dress to look at her mother.
"Thanks, Mom, but I think it's a little dressy for my daily life of battling villains."
Snow shook her head. "No, I meant it would be the perfect wedding dress for you."
Emma's eyes grew wide. She held up her left hand to her mother and wiggled her ring finger. "Uh, in case you've forgotten, I'm not even engaged."
Snow offered her a little smile and a tilt of her head. "Not yet you aren't."
"Mom, Killian and I just moved in together. Let's not rush things."
"Emma, you went to the Underworld for the man. Marriage is the next logical step. Don't you think you and Killian have lost enough time?"
Emma sighed. "I just got him back. I'd like to take a moment and enjoy just being together, enjoy the fact that the future I thought was lost to us forever is possible again. We're true love and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with Killian. And I think when the time's right, we'll know it."
Snow gestured to the window. "But by then this gorgeous dress could be gone. This boutique only carries one of each design you know.
Emma returned her eyes to the dress, as her voice grew low. "There will be other dresses."
"But what if this is the one?" Snow asked. "Why don't you just try it on?"
Emma's head whipped in her mother's direction. "Try it on? Are you crazy? Only crazy women try on wedding dresses when they aren't even engaged yet."
"It's not crazy. It's practical. You're thinking of the future."
Emma shook her head firmly. "No way, Mom."
"Come on, Emma. What could it hurt?"
"You know how this town is. All it takes is for one person to see me trying on a wedding dress and gossip will spread like wildfire."
Snow peered inside the boutique. "There's no one else in the store." She tugged on her daughter's arm. "Please, it will be fun. When do I ever ask you to do anything?"
Emma cocked an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right? I spend my entire life fighting villains and curses for you and the rest of this town."
Snow shrugged. "Okay, but when have I ever asked you to do anything like this? I missed out on all of those ball gown fittings you would have had as a teenager, Emma. Let me have this one thing. Please."
Emma sighed heavily. "Fine. But you get ten minutes and that's it."
Snow practically bounced with excitement.
...
The boutique was run by a fairy godmother, Fanny. She was a woman of about seventy, with white hair piled up in curls atop her head and tiny glasses perched on her nose. She was one of those women who always seemed to be smiling for no apparent reason. And she always had a measuring tape hanging around her neck.
"Snow!" she said, rushing to the woman and enveloping her in a hug. "So good to see you!"
"You too, Fanny," Snow said.
"And Emma," she said, releasing her mother and embracing her.
Emma stood stiffly as the woman she barely knew hugged her. She lifted her arm and awkwardly patted her back.
"Hi, Fanny. So nice to see you again."
Fanny pulled back. "So what can I do for you two?"
Snow and Emma opened their mouths to reply, but she waved a hand at them. "No, no, let me guess."
She brought her forefinger to her cheek and tapped it as she eyed them both. A smile spread across her face as she looked at Emma.
"That's it! You have that glow! You're getting married!"
Emma shook her head. "No, I'm actually-..."
"Congratulations!" Fanny said, as she hugged Emma again, so hard she thought her ribs might crack.
Fanny pulled back and grabbed Emma's hand to examine it.
"Let me get a gander at your ring," Fanny said. "A pirate knows treasure, so I bet he knows his way around an engagement ring."
Snow sighed and shook her head. "Emma's not engaged, Fanny." She paused and then added, "Yet."
Fanny pulled back. "Oh, goodness me. I'm sorry. What are you looking for then?"
"Well," Snow began. "Emma and I were admiring the beautiful wedding dress in the window and we thought that maybe Emma could try it on. You know, for future reference."
Fanny nodded. "Oh yes, she's a beauty, isn't she?"
"Yes," Emma said, her eyes gravitating back to the dress.
She couldn't deny that she had immediately been taken by the dress. As soon as she saw it, an image of her walking down the aisle towards Killian in it flashed in her mind.
Fanny moved to the window and pulled the dress off the figure. "As you know, I only have the one. I have a way of working my magic to make any dress fit any figure though."
She held the dress up to Emma.
"This looks as if it will fit you like a glove."
She handed it to Emma.
"Go on, dear. Holler if you need help."
Emma hesitantly took the dress and disappeared into the dressing room.
...
She reappeared a few minutes later and Snow literally heard the breath leave her lungs when she saw her daughter.
"Oh, Emma," she said. "You look absolutely beautiful. Like every bit the princess you are."
"Your mother's right, dear. Like an angel on Earth."
Emma felt her cheeks redden under their gazes. She moved to the full length mirror. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of herself. She did look amazing. Fanny was right. The dress fit like a glove, like it was made just for her. Emma didn't grow up going to balls and had only had occasion to wear a gown a few times. She didn't usually feel very comfortable in them, but there was something about this dress that was different.
Snow came up behind her daughter and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"What do you think?" she said.
"I...I.." Emma's voice trailed off.
"It's the one, isn't it?" Snow said.
Emma shook her head, snapping out of her dress-induced reverie. "There is no one, Mom. I'm not engaged. So, therefore, I'm not looking for a wedding dress."
...
Outside the boutique, Grumpy and Dopey were walking down the sidewalk. Grumpy stopped abruptly as his eye caught sight of something in the window. Her pressed his face to the glass and brought his hand up over his eyes.
"Is that Emma? Trying on a wedding dress? Did I miss an engagement announcement?"
Dopey shrugged. Grumpy turned around and crossed the street to Granny's, with Dopey on his heels. He walked inside, his eyes immediately landing on Killian and David sitting in a booth eating lunch.
They walked to their table and Grumpy slapped Killian hard on the back.
"I guess congratulations are in order!"
Killian's eyes widened as he looked up at Grumpy. "What the devil are you talking about?"
"You and Emma are engaged," he said.
"You're what?!" David said, as he nearly spit out his soda.
Killian's mouth fell open. "What in bloody hell are you talking about, dwarf?"
Grumpy pointed across the street. "I just saw Emma with Snow trying on a wedding dress. So I figured you were engaged."
"You and Emma are getting married and I have to find out from a dwarf?" David asked.
Killian held up his hand and sighed in irritation. "We are not betrothed."
David sighed in relief. "Thank God."
Killian cocked an eyebrow and offered him a lopsided grin. "Yet."
David pointed at him. "Well, when the time comes, make sure you remember that there are certain traditions that must be upheld. Namely, asking for my daughter's hand in marriage."
Killian nodded. "Noted."
David gestured at the window. "If you're not engaged, then what is Emma doing trying on wedding dresses with my wife?"
Killian jumped out of the booth, nearly knocking Grumpy over in the process.
"Only one way to find out," he said, as he headed toward the door.
David followed after him.
...
Killian and David entered the boutique. Killian stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Emma in the gown. Her back was turned to him, but he could see her breathtaking figure in the mirror.
"Swan," he breathed. "You look stunning."
Emma heard his voice before she saw his reflection in the mirror. The awestruck look on his face said it all. She slowly spun around to face him, a shy smile upon her lips.
"Thank you," she said. Her smile faded a moment later. "What are you two doing here?"
Killian gestured with his hook toward Granny's. "Seems Grumpy saw you trying on the gown and made the rather reasonable assumption that we were betrothed."
Emma felt her cheeks redden. "Oh."
Killian stepped forward, coming to stand before her. "What are you doing?"
Emma dropped her eyes. "This is so embarrassing. My mother caught me looking at the dress and convinced me to try it on."
"Where is my wife?" David asked.
"In the back with Fanny looking at crowns," Emma said.
A moment later, Snow appeared. "David, Killian. What are you two doing here?"
"We heard Emma was trying on a wedding dress and the assumption was made that she and Hook were engaged." David gestured to his wife and daughter. "You might want to be a little more careful in the future. You never know when a dwarf might be lurking nearby."
"Grumpy, right?" Snow said.
"You got it," her husband replied.
Suddenly, Snow's eyes widened in panic. "Oh no, this is not good. This is not good at all."
She rushed toward Killian and clamped her hand over his eyes. Killian's brow furrowed in confusion.
"What in bloody hell are you doing?!"
"You can't see the bride in her dress before the wedding. It's bad luck! And Heaven knows we don't need anymore of that."
Emma sighed heavily. "Mom, there is no bride and there is no wedding, so that ridiculous superstition doesn't apply."
"But there could be a wedding and this could be your dress, Emma. Why tempt fate?"
Killian pulled Snow's hand away from his eyes. "I don't subscribe to such superstitions anyhow."
Emma shrugged. "It doesn't matter. It's just a dress anyway. It's not like I'm going to buy it right now."
Fanny shook her head. "Doubt it will be around much longer. I've already gotten several inquiries about it."
Emma looked down at the dress. Women always say when you find the right wedding dress you just know. She wasn't even looking and she knew it as soon as she laid eyes on it. This was the one.
"If the time comes, then there will be other dresses," she said softly.
Killian licked at his lips and took her hand in his. "When the times comes, love." Emma smiled. "And, Emma, I believe this gown was meant for you. I think you should get it."
Emma's eyebrows peaked. "Killian, that's crazy. We're not even engaged."
Killian smiled as he brought his hand to her cheek. "If it were up to me, I would have asked you to be my wife the moment I returned from the Underworld. Well, perhaps I would have waited until after we left the cemetery."
Emma felt her heart begin to race. "Really?"
"Aye, but I knew you weren't ready. I know you need to do things in your own time, Emma. And when the time is right, we'll both know it."
He leaned forward and placed a kiss to her lips.
He pulled back and said, "But this gown will surely be gone by then."
Emma looked down at it, her lips curling into a frown. Her heart was now set on one day marrying Killian in this dress. But she couldn't make peace with the idea of buying a wedding gown before they were officially engaged.
She met his eyes and smiled sadly. "Like I said, there will be other dresses."
Snow opened her mouth to speak, but Emma turned away and walked to the dressing room.
...
One week later, Emma lay in bed, as the warm sunlight fell upon her face, beckoning her awake. She smiled as she reached out to the spot beside her, expecting to find Killian's body next to her. Waking up to his gorgeous face and baby blues was just about the best thing in the world. And his morning kisses could wake her like no coffee ever could.
But instead of finding his warm body beside her, she felt hard edges. Her brow wrinkled, as her eyes flew open. Her gaze landed on a large box occupying the spot Killian normally did.
She sat up in bed and pulled the box onto her lap. It was tied with a big, blue satin ribbon. Her name was written across the top.
"Open it," she heard come from the doorway.
Emma turned to face him, a smile upon her lips. "What's the occasion?"
Killian came to sit beside her on the bed, as he leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips. "No occasion. I needn't one to surprise my true love."
Emma's smile widened. "What is it?" she asked.
Killian chuckled. "Swan, that question can easily be answered by opening the bloody box."
Emma laughed as she brought her hand up to the ribbon and undid the bow. She pulled it free and then took the top off the box. Emma's eyes widened in shock as her gaze landed on the wedding dress.
Her eyes shot up to meet his. He had a sly grin upon his lips.
"You bought it?" she breathed.
He nodded. "Aye."
"But why?"
Killian took her hand in his. "I don't want you to feel pressured, Emma, but as soon as I saw you in that gown I knew you were meant to become my wife in it. Much like this house was a promise, so is this gown. It is a promise for our future. It will be waiting for you when you're ready and the time is right."
Emma felt tears spring to her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.
She then threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She tossed the box aside and then climbed onto his lap so she was straddling it. Her mouth moved to his neck. Killian laughed as he pulled back and met her eyes.
"If that's the kind of thank you a gift earns me, then perhaps I should consider waking you with one every morning."
Emma cocked an eyebrow and brought her hands up to settle on his face, as she shook her head.
"Nope, I have everything I need right here," she said.
Killian chuckled. "Perhaps that's for the best. Fanny didn't seem too keen on accepting doubloons as payment and from what I've gathered from my time here in Storybrooke, other shop owners seem to feel the same."
Emma laughed. "Probably."
Killian smiled as he pressed a kiss to her lips and whispered, "I love you."
"I love you, too," she said. She paused and met his eyes, as she found his hand and entwined their fingers. "You know I do want to marry you, right? You know I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Killian. I don't want you to doubt that."
He offered her a grin. "Aye, I know. We're true love."
Emma shook her head sharply. "No, I knew long before that, Killian. And if we had never confirmed that we were true love or if we had failed that test, then it wouldn't matter to me. It wouldn't make a difference. I would still know that you are the man I am meant to spend the rest of my life with. You are my happy ending. And no one is going to take you away from me ever again."
"I rather like the sound of that," he said softly. "Love, you will look breathtaking in that gown when we wed. But, honestly, you could wear a burlap sack and still be the most beautiful bride in all the realms. It matters not what you wear when we pledge our lives to each other. All that matters is the promises we make on that day."
Emma smiled, as Killian stroked her face and then pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She placed her head on his shoulder as she felt his strong arms wrap around her.
And she knew in that moment that he was right. It didn't matter what she wore on the day she pledged herself to this amazing man. All that mattered was spending their lives together and building a future that was once lost to them.
...The End...
Read the follow-up: Say Yes to the Dress: The Proposal
Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate any feedback you'd like to give. ~Steph