Ten hours. Ten hours until his life, her life, the girls' lives…ten hours until they changed forever.

Gru stared up at his bedroom ceiling, wide awake. At one in the morning, he should be exhausted – the last few weeks of wedding planning, fixing details here and there and making final decisions, wore him out like he never thought it could. He could tell Lucy was under the same stress too, but, thankfully, they made it through without any big disagreements. Margo also proved to be a big help, assisting them in any way she could as junior wedding planner.

Gru smirked to himself. Margo and his other two girls…they were just as excited to make Lucy a part of their family as he was. After getting over his initial fear of confessing his feelings to Lucy, a new fear had trickled in the back of Gru's mind. His daughters came first – of that he was absolutely certain. If Lucy didn't fit in with how he and his girls got from one day to the next, he would have no choice. If Gru could give up the moon for his girls, he could also give up the woman he loved.

But, he couldn't believe how lucky he was…everything worked out perfectly. He was in love with Lucy, and so were his girls. And Lucy loved them back…without being asked to, she assumed the role of a mother figure so naturally. Of course, that wasn't why Gru was going to marry her…but, at the same time, it seemed like there was nothing left but for them all to live happily ever after.

So, why – no matter how hard he tried – couldn't he fall asleep? Why, the night before the most important day of his life, couldn't he get the sleep he needed? Gru groaned and tried to find a more comfortable position in his large bed, rolling over onto his stomach and closing his eyes defiantly.

No difference at all. He didn't feel the least bit tired.

Defeated, Gru rolled over and sat up, rubbing his eyes with his right thumb and index finger. He knew he couldn't just stay up all night. He knew he couldn't look tired in the morning…it wouldn't be fair to Lucy. Not on her big day.

Lucy. Gru opened his blue eyes and let them adjust the darkness of his room, as he considered his fiancé. He wondered if she was having trouble sleeping too. Maybe he should change out of his black T-shirt and boxers and go to her apartment - maybe climb up to her window - just to check up on her…

No. Bad luck and all…Gru knew Lucy wasn't a superstitious person but, still, he didn't want to ruin any of this for her.

There was no doubt in Gru's mind that Lucy wanted to marry him. That wasn't his worry. And by no means was Gru having cold feet…this is what he wanted. For them to be together forever. For them to make a family.

He collapsed back on the mattress and resumed staring hopelessly up at the ceiling. Go to sleep, what's the matter weeth you, Gru…

Gru snapped to attention as a slight creak from his bedroom door jolted him from his thoughts. Sitting up slightly, he peered through the darkness but saw nothing. That's when he heard hushed laughter from his youngest daughter.

"Hi Gru," a tiny voice chirped from beside his bed. Gru glanced over and chuckled softly as Agnes's large, brown eyes shined up at him.

"Agnes, what are you doing out of bed?" he chastised in an amused tone, leaning over to help as the five year-old struggled to climb up into the bed. Lifting her up and placing her beside him, Gru affectionately brushed her black hair. Usually, Agnes came to him in the night whenever she had a nightmare – which, for such a little girl, was typical – but Gru considered his daughter curiously. No tears, no whimpers, no trembling lip - in fact, Agnes looked like the happiest little girl in the world…at least that you could find awake at one in the morning.

"I couldn't sleep!" she giggled, now crawling into Gru's lap and turning around to look up at him.

"Excited?" Gru sighed, as Agnes placed her hands on his chest for balance.

"Mmhmm! You're gonna marry Lucy!" Gru smiled at his daughter's statement of the obvious. He always marveled at how Agnes viewed the world…with so much innocence, imagination, and curiosity. On a normal night, he would fetch her a drink, give her a kiss, and then send her back to bed – all in about a span of five minutes. But, who knows, he wondered. Maybe a talk with his youngest would help him realize just how desperately he needed sleep. After all, Agnes had a knack for tiring him out, he thought with a smirk.

"What are you most excited about?" he asked, fueling his daughter's energy. She started to hop up and down in front of him and grinned mischievously. For Agnes, it was as if Christmas morning was a few hours away.

"I'm excited to be a flower girl. I have a dress!" she exclaimed proudly, now hopping in a circle, "And I'm gonna be pretty. And Lucy's gonna be pretty. And she's gonna be my mommy! And there's gonna be a party,"

As the little girl continued to recite her list, Gru felt his heart swell. She was right about everything, of course. Lucy was always beautiful, but…oh, he couldn't wait to see how she would look. The party was going to be fun – the minions were apparently cooking up a few surprises. As long as nothing exploded, they should be in the clear. And, most importantly, Lucy was going to become part of their family…a party of four would become a party of five.

A party of four. That's when it dawned on the ex-supervillain. This was the very last time it was just him and his girls. Just the four of them. After tonight, nothing would be the same ever again...which wasn't necessarily bad. Just…different.

Agnes still wasn't done with her list (and her hopping), but Gru reached out to hold her in his arms, stopping all her movement. Amazingly, the action quieted her down, and Agnes smiled as she looked into Gru's eyes. With her tiny hand, she reached out to touch the side of his face.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" she asked suddenly. Gru blinked. He always underestimated how perceptive his youngest was…she probably noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

"Well…" he began, "a certain leettle gurl snuck into my room and woke me up maliciously!" Gru quickly pressed his fingers into her side, and Agnes laughed joyously as he tickled her. He stopped after a short amount of time – he didn't want Agnes's laughter disturbing his other little kittens down the hall.

Calming down, Agnes snuggled into her father's chest, reaching up to stroke his face once again.

"I think you're a liar,"

Gru raised a brow in mock-insult. "Am not,"

"Are too," Agnes giggled. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "You're just too excited to sleep, like me!"

"Maybe you're right," Gru sighed, leaning back into the bed. He began to rock Agnes in his arms. He loved his little girl…he would miss her and Margo and Edith more than he'd ever like to admit once he left for his honeymoon. Hours ago, when he had tucked them in for the night, he had lingered in their bedroom a little while longer...sitting by their beds and watching them sleep. He was tempted curl up on the floor beside them and sleep there himself, just to know that they're safe and sound, right next to him. Gru shook his head. How soundly his world was shaken, since those girls wandered into his life. Just the four of them.

"Are you scared?"

Gru snapped out of his thoughts and blinked at the five year-old in his arms. He shook his head again and leaned in to return her kiss.

"No, sweetheart," he stated, after pecking Agnes on the cheek, "You know I love Lucy."

"Then, what is it?" she pressed, now twisting her fingers together a little nervously. That twinge of fear that Gru would often hear in her voice at this late hour was beginning to emerge.

He sighed. "I'm going to meess you and your seesters. When I leave. That is all,"

Agnes reached up to stroke his cheek again. "We'll miss you too, Daddy,"

Gru's heart stopped. The girls didn't often call him that – it had only been about a year since their adoption, after all – but, in the moments when one of them would let it slip, there was a warm feeling that started in his stomach and crept up to his lungs, filling his heart with love.

"It'll be okay though," she continued, "Margo says you and Lucy won't be gone forever. You'll come back and we'll be a family again. All five of us…you are coming back, aren't you?"

All five of us. Gru smiled and held his daughter closer, pressing his face into her hair. His eyes suddenly started to feel very wet, and he'd do anything to prevent Agnes from seeing a display like that.

"Of course I'm coming back. I'm never letting you go, Agnes." He swallowed back some threatening tears before continuing, "Lucy and I are going to be married, and she'll be living with us, and I know theengs will be…different around here. But, I want you to know…I'm always going to love you and your seesters. That will never ever change, I promeese you."

A quiet giggle from Agnes surprised Gru. Playfully, she lifted up her tiny pinkie finger.

"Pinkie promise?"

Gru pulled back to glance at her, and then his steel-blue eyes fell on her little finger. He hooked it with his own pinkie, smiling.

"My pinkie promises,"

Agnes catapulted herself into another hug with her dad. "Thanks, Gru," she whispered, "I love you."

Gru yawned. His whole body felt warm and his eyes suddenly felt…heavy. "I love you too, sweetheart,"

Agnes blinked sleepily, rubbing her eye. "And I love Lucy too…" she sighed, followed by a squeaky little yawn.

"Me too…" Gru whispered, closing his eyes and lying down on his side, his daughter cuddled close to him. Holding little Agnes there and thinking of his two other little kittens just down the hall…Gru decided that numbers didn't matter. Four, five, what difference did it make? All he needed – all his daughters needed – was love.

In no time, they were both sound asleep.

Just a little one-shot...should I write more? Please review, I'm eager to improve my writing! Thanks for reading!