"Hey, Daddy, sorry we're late," Rachel said as she went to hug her father that had just stood up from the chair he was sitting in.

"It's ok, baby," he replied, giving Ross a nod as he came out of the hug with Rachel.

"Dr. Green. How are you?" Ross asked reaching out to shake his hand.

"Very good," he answered, not bothering to ask Ross how he was. "Here, sit here, sweetheart," he continued as he pointed at the chair next to his.

"Gosh, things have just been so crazy. I had Emma ready to go and then she decided to get pudding all over her clothes. We were fifteen minutes late getting out the door and getting her to Phoebe's," Rachel explained as their reason for being late.

"I wish you had brought my little princess," Dr. Green groaned.

"She wanted to see you too. But we wanted to go over some stuff with you tonight and figured it would be best for her to stay home tonight," Ross said.

Rachel tilted her head and gave Ross a "not yet" look after he had made the previous comment.

"Go over some stuff?" Dr. Green asked in a confused manner.

"Oh, well, I guess there's no use in not telling you know," Rachel cut in.

She grasped Ross's hand that was resting on top of the table.

"Daddy, Ross and I, we're…..we're getting married," she revealed slowly, squinting her face hoping that she would get a good reaction.

Ross nodded slightly in anticipation as well. Dr. Green observed them both for a moment with a look similar to that when Rachel revealed she was pregnant.

"Gellar, don't you think you should have asked my permission first?" he finally said.

This was not the reaction either had hoped for.

"I, uh. I guess I didn't think I needed…." Ross tried to defend himself.

"You didn't think you needed to ask my permission to marry my oldest daughter?" he exclaimed.

"Dad," Rachel interrupted. "Come on, enough is enough. Can't you just be happy for us?

"You two are such children sometimes you know? Bringing children into this world out of wedlock. Getting married when you are drunk in Vegas. Living under the same roof without being married. And then when you finally decide to get married, you can't even do that right," he whined.

"Sir, I don't think that…." Ross said before he was cut off again.

"It has always been important in my family for a man to get permission before proposing. Gellar you still know how to mess everything up."

"Jesus Christ, Dad! Please just stop!" Rachel hollered as she stood up. "We came here tonight hoping to have your blessing and discuss your part in helping with our wedding, but I guess this is just another way I've disappointed you," she cried, running away from the table leaving Ross and her father staring at each other.

"You know, over the years I've put up with your banters and problems with me. But this isn't about you anymore. This is about us and how we want to devote ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives. Now I love Rachel and yes we've been through some tough times, but can't you just see past that and try to accept me as a part of her life?"

Ross grabbed his coat and went to find Rachel at the front of the restaurant. He found her waiting by the door with a look of agony on her face. This wasn't supposed to be this way for her. He wanted everything about planning their wedding to be what she had always wanted.

"Hey gorgeous," he said, trying to cheer her up.

"Hey," she replied, giving him a soft smile as he took her hand and played with it.

"I'm sorry that we can't seem to get along with each other. I really want him to like me."

"I know, honey. Me too," Rachel replied as she pulled Ross to her for a hug.

Her eyes were closed as he gently stroked her back.

"Hey guys, I'm sorry about the way I responded," they heard Dr. Green say after a few moments.

Rachel opened her eyes to find her father apologizing. Ross released her from the hug and turned around to face him.

"Please come back and have dinner with me so we can discuss this. I want to help you with your wedding," Dr. Green tried to apologize again. He reached out his hand to Ross.

Ross looked at Rachel and then back at Dr. Green. He reached out his hand to accept the handshake, hopefully putting an end to their long feud.

"My daughter is very lucky to have someone like you. I'm glad she has found someone that cares about her as much as I do."

"Thanks, Daddy," she sniffled as she hugged him. "Now we've just got you and Mom to be able to get along for at least one day and we'll be in business."


"Oh, Rachel, I think that's it," Monica chimed as she admired Rachel in a long, off the shoulder, wedding dress.

It flowed gracefully down her swanlike body. Snug at the top, but then moving away from her body starting at her waist.

"Momma is pretty," Emma added as Monica ran her hands through the little girl's hair.

"It really is amazing, isn't it?" Rachel asked.

"I think I'll be a little jealous once I compare your wedding pictures to mine," Monica said.

"No, you were beautiful on your wedding day, Mon. But I'll admit. I'm glad it's finally my turn," Rachel confessed.

The turn she had been waiting for all these years. While she had technically had two weddings already, when she almost married Barry and her drunken stupor with Ross, this was the one that was going to count and be forever. It was finally their turn.

It was the end of January, and the engagement had only happened about one month before. Things were happening quickly as they had decided to get married on May 6. It would be one year to the day that they had gotten back together. While things were feeling very rushed, they knew that was the day they wanted. It would forever be their day, and neither couldn't think of any reason why they shouldn't get married on that day. In fact, the whole weekend was going to be a huge celebration. The twins' first birthday would be on May 5. Monica and Chandler agreed to have their party the day after the wedding, and Ross and Rachel could leave for their honeymoon right after.

Keeping with the girls' tradition, Phoebe was going to be Rachel's matron of honor. Chandler was going to be the best man, with Joey once again officiating a wedding for his best friends.

After a hectic day of dress shopping, Rachel returned to the apartment with a sleepy Emma to find Ross on the phone booking something for the big day.

Rachel gave him a smile as she passed him and went straight to the bedroom to put Emma down for a nap.

"I'll get you up for dinner, ok, sweetheart?" Rachel said as she tucked Emma under the covers.

Emma was so close to being asleep that she could hardly answer her mother. Rachel smiled and ran her hand through Emma's hair. She couldn't believe how fast she was growing up. She would be three soon, and it secretly scared Rachel that her little girl wasn't going to be little forever.

Rachel quietly closed the door and went back to the living room to find Ross finishing his conversation.

"Yes, that's for Friday, May 6 at 7:00. Hmm-hmm. Great thank you so much. Bye," Ross finished as he flipped shut is cell phone.

"Hey you," Rachel greeted him, wrapping her arms around his waist and lifting her feet to her tip toes so she could kiss him firmly on the lips.

"Well hey to you too," he replied after the kiss.

"Who was that on the phone?" she asked as she kept her arms around his waist.

"Well, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but…." Ross trailed off.

Rachel looked at him nervously.

"We got the band!"

"Are you serious?!" Rachel exclaimed.

"He's ours if we want him," Ross replied, giving Rachel a kiss on the side of her neck and burying his face in her hair.

"How did you even?" Rachel asked as they made their way over to the couch.

"My dad's friend knows the manager. I mean it's gonna cost a pretty penny, but I don't care."

"Me either," Rachel confessed as she positioned herself on Ross's lap. She gently ran her right hand through his hair.

He had just booked a band they had seen open for the Counting Crows at a concert a few months before. Rachel fell in love with some of their songs, and when Ross mentioned he might have a connection to get them to play at the wedding, she was giddy like a child.

"What would I do without you?" she asked as she gazed into his beautiful eyes.

"Well I guess you could've found a sissy French boy to eat cheese and drink wine with all day," Ross joked.

"Well, when you put it that way, maybe I could do without you," she flirted back.

"Oh yeah, you like lots of cheese with your men do you?" Ross asked.

"And berets. And little curly mustaches. You should grow yours back out, you know?"

"I don't think so," Ross said as he laughed.

"I could twist it with my fingers," Rachel giggled, stroking the skin under Ross's nose with her index finger.

"So, you going to tell me how your day was? Did you buy anything in particular," Ross insinuated, as he knew she had gone dress shopping with Monica.

"Well, I did in fact," Rachel said smartly.

"And would you like to tell me what you got?" Ross sarcastically replied.

"Maybe I got something white to wear for when I walk down the aisle with you."

"Is it something I'll be able to rip off you easily?" Ross laughed.

"No, mister. It must be handled with care," she answered shyly.

"Hmm, like these?" Ross asked as he squeezed her left breast.

"Stop that!" Rachel laughed as she swatted his hand away.

Ross and Rachel smiled at each other like they were two nervous teenagers on a first date. It was a moment similar the "eye contact" they had shared after Emma was born. Sometimes neither could think of the right words to say so they let their non-verbal actions do it for them. This time just looking at each other, they could each tell the other was thinking "I love you."