Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this

One step closer

The day had finally arrived. Emma's wedding day. She was staring at herself in a full-length mirror while her mother flitted around her, pulling at the bottom of her dress and laying it out on the floor in just the right way. Snow had tried her hardest to get Emma to wear a ball gown, but Emma absolutely refused. Maybe she was technically a princess, but the look wasn't her, and she chose something A-line instead. The dress came down in a V to show just the appropriate amount of cleavage, and it hugged her natural waist before falling loosely around her, all white and delicate lace. It was pretty, and she couldn't believe she was actually wearing it.

"You look beautiful, Emma," Snow said as she looked her daughter in the eyes by way of the mirror. Emma could see that she was trying not to cry again.

"Thanks, but I just…I don't know if I can do this." All morning, all she could think about was if she had the courage to walk down that aisle and marry someone. She hadn't ever thought after Neal that she would get married. It didn't seem like it was in the cards, but then she met Killian, and everything changed.

Snow knew Emma was having a hard time accepting the fact that she was about to be married, and she'd been trying to ease the nerves, but they just kept coming back. "Honey, you're going to be fine, just-"

"I need to see him," Emma interrupted, feeling like she was going to hyperventilate. The closer the time of the wedding came, the worse it got, and she already had barely eaten breakfast because she was afraid she might throw it all back up.

"You can't see him before the wedding!" Snow had insisted they stick to the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before she walked down the aisle, Emma and went along with it because she wanted to make her mother happy. Especially after not going with a poofy princess gown.

"Then let me talk to him. I just need to talk to him."

The look on Emma's face was all Snow needed to see to realize that her daughter wasn't going to be okay until she spoke with her husband-to-be. "Okay, I'll go get him. Just breathe, okay?"

Snow disappeared into the hall, closing the door behind her and running into Charming when she turned around. "Oh, good you're here. Can you go get Hook?"

"Why? What's wrong? I thought they weren't supposed to see each other?" Charming asked, obviously confused.

"They're not going to see each other. Emma's just freaking out, and she really needs to talk to him."

"Freaking out? Is she okay?" The protective father in him couldn't do anything until he knew his daughter was fine.

"Yeah, I think it's just nerves. You know he'll be able to calm her down."

Charming nodded, looking at the door that his daughter was behind for a moment before turning to go fetch the groom.

I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

"Do I look alright, lad?" Killian asked, turning to face Henry after straightening his tie. He'd never worn a tuxedo before, but he was enjoying the formal attire quite a bit.

"You look great. My mom's gonna die when she sees you." Henry had the biggest smile on his face. He had nearly keeled over with excitement when Hook showed him the ring and told him of his intent to ask his mom to marry him. Charming was also told in advance as well, but telling Henry had been much, much more fun for the pirate.

Killian smoothed his hands over his jacket, the nerves creeping up inside of him as well. It must have been evident of his face because the next thing he knew, Henry was asking what was wrong.

"I, ah, I'm just a bit nervous, I guess." No harm in telling the boy how he felt. "What if she changes her mind?" That had been the thought on his mind all day. He couldn't wait to marry Emma, but he kept worrying that she might decide it wasn't what she wanted anymore.

"She loves you. There's no way she'd do that."

A knock on the door sounded before Charming entered the room, looking straight at Killian. "Emma needs to talk with you."

"What, now? What's wrong?" Of course, his mind immediately went to his worst fear, thinking she was about to call the whole thing off.

"I don't know. I think Emma just needs someone to calm her down."

Well, if she needed him, then he'd go to her. No question.

Snow was waiting outside of the door, holding a hand up. "You're not allowed to see her, but you can talk through the door. Got it?"

She really was a stickler for the whole bad luck to see your bride before the wedding thing. "Yeah, got it." He tried to keep the impatience out of his voice, but he was freaking out about what was wrong with Emma.

Apparently, that answer was good enough for Snow because she walked away toward the room Henry and Charming were in.

"Emma, I'm here. Are you okay?"

As soon as she heard his voice, she moved toward the door, feeling like her heart was going to explode out of her chest. "Yeah, no…I don't know."

There was silence on his end because he didn't know what to say to that. He almost asked if she was reconsidering, but she spoke up before he could, thank god.

"I just needed to hear your voice." She rested a palm against the door, her engagement ring gleaming in the light. Her mouth had practically fallen on the floor when he showed it to her for the first time. The diamond was huge, and it was way more than she'd been expecting.

"Are you nervous, darling?" As if he knew, he put his hand against the door, too.

"Yeah," Emma admitted, letting out a breath.

"So am I."

"Really?" Somehow that made her feel better.

"Of course I'm bloody nervous. Do you know how many people are out there?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Emma laughed, feeling like she might cry as well, but if she ruined her makeup, Ruby would kill her.

"Killian, I don't know if I can do this."

"You don't want to marry me?"

The question broke her heart. She didn't mean she didn't know if she could marry him, she was just freaking out about walking down that aisle and reciting vows and keeping herself from crying at the sight of him.

"No, no, that's not what I meant. Of course I want to marry you. I'm just freaking out. I don't know what I'm saying!" The speed her words flew out of her mouth always increased when she was nervous.

"Emma, I love you, and you're going to be fine. We're going to be fine."

She swallowed another lump in her throat, wishing she could turn the door handle and just rush into his arms. But she couldn't. Not yet.

"I love you, too," was her response when she finally got around to speaking again.

"I can't wait to see you." Killian knew she would look beautiful, because she always looked beautiful. It was killing him that he hadn't seen her for almost twenty-four hours.

"It's almost time," Emma murmured, looking over at the clock.

As if on cue, Charming and Snow appeared in the hallway. They stood back, just letting Killian know that it was time for him to go stand at the altar.

"I have to go, love. Do you feel any better now?"

"Yeah, thank you." She stared at the door like she could see his face through it, smiling and finally feeling ready for this wedding to happen.

"I'll see you soon." Killian was smiling as well as he walked away from the door and back toward his fiancée's parents, nodding his head to let them know Emma was okay now. He walked away with Snow since Charming had to hang back to take his daughter's arm.

"Emma, it's me. Are you ready to go?" Charming stood outside the door now, waiting impatiently to see his daughter. He hadn't seen her in her dress yet, and he knew he was going to lose it.

"Yeah, just a second!" she called, giving herself one last look in that mirror. Her blonde curls fell around her shoulders, and she had managed not to smudge any of her eye makeup. Everything looked the way it should, and there was no more time left anyway.

When she opened the door, Charming's eyes widened, as did his smile. "Sweetheart, you look beautiful." He would have pulled her into a hug, but he knew better than to mess up all the hard work Snow and Ruby had put forth that morning.

"Thanks, dad." Emma didn't always call him dad, so when she did, it always meant a lot to him.

"Hook is a lucky man."

"Will you ever call him Killian?"

"Probably not."

Emma rolled her eyes, linking her arm with her father's as they walked toward that final stretch. The doors were closed, but soon they would open, and that would be it. No turning back.

"You're shaking," Charming whispered, looking down at her. "Relax, it'll be fine. I promise."

She took a deep breath, and then the doors swung inward, revealing rows and rows of chairs filled with fairy tale characters from all sort of stories, and Emma couldn't believe how surreal it was.

She immediately looked straight ahead, locking eyes with Killian, who actually looked like he was about to cry himself at the sight of her. And in that moment, she knew this was exactly what she had always wanted.

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

One step closer