a/n: Wha? Two updates in under a month? I don't think I've done that in almost a year. :P Anyways... I was reconfiguring and I believe I have about er... 5 chapters left maybe? Could be less... but it is winding down for sure. I hope you enjoy this latest installment. :3 Reviews = love. And a big thank you to all my readers *mwah* You guys are awesome.


Chapter 29

A Surprise To Last a Lifetime

"And we're here." Erin piped up through the silence of the car.

Emma had been quiet the majority of the ride ever since giving up trying to get anything out of Regina on where they were going or the tiniest bit of a hint as to at least what was happening. "And where exactly is here?" She questioned looking out the window, but all she saw were what looked like old abandoned warehouses by the waterfront. "Are you deciding to off me in mob like fashion or something?"

Her friend snorted out a laugh as she opened the door and stepped out. "Yeah, that's it. Darn you found us out; the bag of cement is in the trunk. We're going to off you so I can run away with lady luck in there." She rolled her eyes. "Get your ass out of the car, woman."

Emma turned to Regina. "Are you just going to sit there and let her talk to me like that? I thought this was your surprise."

"She's your friend and I believe I asked before if she came with a muzzle." Regina smirked as she stepped out of the car then turned to offer her hand to Emma, the blonde taking it in kind and emerging from the vehicle.

Emma took a better look around before fixing her gaze on her best friend. "Alright, out with it. What are we doing here? And don't make up some lame ass excuse, because I'll know you're lying."

"So I guess telling you it's a rave is out?" Erin asked back cheekily, getting an eye roll from the blonde. "I'll take that as a yes. Well that was my plan 'A'." She stood there tapping her chin as though in thought. "What about, we're going on a heist to steal some cars? No, not that either?" She added when she received a glare from the other woman. "Clearly you don't know the definition of a surprise, Em. We're not telling you." Erin stuck her tongue out and began walking over toward one of the warehouses.

Emma turned to the brunette in hopes of an actual answer but all she received was an open palm gesture to follow her friend. But she decided to stand her ground and not budge, folding her arms across her chest. Regina smirked at her fiancée's stubbornness and took the few steps to wrap her arm around her waist as she whispered in her ear, "perhaps I should have blindfolded you after all."

"Wha.. y-you were going to blindfold me?"

"I entertained the idea." Regina answered, pulling back to see the blonde's slack jawed expression. "But then I thought perhaps that was an idea best kept to the bedroom." She added, a devilish gleam in her eye as she placed her hand on the small of Emma's back and began to lead the blonde toward where Erin had disappeared.

"And what about Henry?" Emma inquired after clearing her throat, managing to find her voice somewhat steady though her heart and body had a mind of it's own after that confession of the brunette's. She looked over her shoulder toward the car just as it began to drive off.

"No worries, he's in good hands. And so are you, just trust me." Regina whispered against her ear again, her hand moving from the small of Emma's back to wrap around the woman's waist pulling her closer to her.

Emma turned her eyes upon Regina. "You know I do." She stopped them long enough to place a kiss upon the woman's lips before maneuvering to wrap her own arm around Regina's waist as they continued on their way. "It's her I don't trust." She added as they approached Erin.

"Right to the heart with you, isn't it? That hurts." Erin teased as she opened the door for the two. "Ladies first." She stated, making a grand gesture of a bow.

"Thank you, peasant." Emma chuckled as she broke free from Regina to walk through the door, the brunette following close behind. "Um, where's the light?" She tried to see through the darkness, the only light coming from a few, sparse windows up toward the top of the building.

"Oops, sorry." Erin came in behind them and turned on the main switch. Fluorescent lighting flickered on and off again before finally stabilizing.

"Wow. An empty room. Great surprise." Emma stated flatly as she looked around, still wondering what the hell the two were up to. This was definitely not a place Regina would have picked, she was certain.

"You can be really dense sometimes, Em." Erin commented, walking around them to head across the way to the other side of the building. "We're not there yet. This way, follow me." She lead them to a door at the far end.

As they entered yet another dark room, it didn't stay that way for long as strings of lights began to illuminate the room in a soft glow, one strand at a time. There at the other end stood Henry, hands folded in front of him and a beaming smile on his face. A man she hadn't seen before stood close by him, book in hand. Taking in the faces of the rest of the people in the room they began to form two lines facing one another, creating a pathway to where her son now stood.

It took a few moments for it to sink in as she became aware of what this was. Her eyes filled with tears as she turned to find Regina who was coming up next to her. "Is this…" Emma started but words failed her as she choked back a few tears. Regina reached out and wiped the blonde's tears away, a tender smile adorning her face. "I thought…" Emma went to find words once more but she couldn't.

"I know." Regina expressed her understanding of the words unspoken. "But after giving you that ring I realized...I've spent a lifetime waiting and wanting happiness." She took her hands and cupped the blonde's face. "I finally found it with you. So the only time I need, is with you." A stray tear slipped from Emma's lashes to her cheek.

Just as she was leaning in to kiss her soon to be wife, Emma felt a hand push her back and looked down to find Erin's hands separating her and Regina. "Nope, nope, nope." the woman stated as she shook her head, moving them further apart. "No more kissing until after the ceremony." Once she was satisfied the two women weren't going to go against her, she stepped back and pointed down toward Henry. "Now Regina, you go get in place. And you…" she turned toward Emma. "You, I shall be escorting down the aisle." The blonde quirked her brow at her friend. "What? I'm the closest thing you have to family here, besides Henry."

A smile came over the teary eyed blonde before launching forward and enveloping her friend in a huge hug. Erin closed her eyes and held her best friend back just as tightly. "I'm so happy for you, Em." Erin whispered in her ear before letting her go. "Now, before you go making me cry," she started, turning away a moment to brush a tear from her lashes then cleared her throat before facing her friend again. "Time to get you married to that gorgeous woman standing over there. Shall we?" She offered her arm for the blonde to take. Emma looked down the pathway of people to the woman who held her heart, their eyes connecting instantly and all the rest of the world faded from existence in those brief seconds.

Emma mouthed an 'I love you', and Regina didn't know that her heart could swell any more than it already had, but it was proving her wrong. She smiled back and never took her eyes off of the blonde as Emma walked down the makeshift aisle to her. Once she was in place all the others dispersed from their lines and gathered to witness the joining of their two lives.

The ceremony was short as the preacher went through his spiel, only stopping to ask if they had the rings. Emma gave a panicked look to Regina but the brunette just smiled and let out a small chuckle before turning to their son who held out two rings for her to take. She handed one to Emma as she held on to the other.

"Seems you thought of everything." Emma stated softly, a blush coloring her cheeks as she looked down at the ring.

"Do you wish to proceed with those vows written here in the text or do you have chosen ones for one another?" The preacher asked, looking to the two of them. "If it is the latter, please feel free to start whenever you are ready."

While Emma didn't have anything planned or written, she didn't want their words to be generic. Thinking quickly she took a deep breath and nodded in confidence as she lifted her eyes to find her soulmate . "Though I didn't know this was happening until now," Emma began with a shy smile and paused as she took a step closer to Regina, reaching out to take her hand before continuing, "the day you came into my life, you filled in the pieces I didn't know were missing." A twitch of a smile appeared on Regina's face at the deeper meaning of those words, knowing the others wouldn't understand that they had known each other far longer than anyone knew. Nor would they know of the memories Emma had had locked away due to the curse, until Regina had set them free with that first kiss. "You are my other half. And no matter what circumstances arise, whatever comes at us, we'll face it together...always."

"My days without you I wish to forget," Regina started as she tried to push down the lump in her throat to hold back the emotions that seemed overwhelming in that moment. "You and Henry have become my everything." She gave a quick look to the boy standing there, the two of them sharing a smile with one another. Henry was so proud of his mom for finally letting love in; both of his moms deserved their happy ending, and that was each other. She then looked back to Emma with tears slowly threatening their release as she finished, "and I will hold on to that and protect it for as long... as I live." She managed to get the few couple words out before her voice threatened to crack.

A few sniffles could be heard from the onlookers as silence filled the room before the preacher began to speak once more. "You may now place the rings upon one another," the preacher instructed. Regina was the first to do so, with Emma repeating the action after. "And now with the sense of incomparable joy that you have found emotional sanctuary for your heart, that you have discovered your life's true love, I now pronounce you married."

Emma took no time finding her way into Regina's arms as they sealed the moment with a kiss, everyone clapping and whistling for the happy couple. For once in her life, she felt absolutely complete, content...and loved. "Is this for real? Do I actually have the sexiest, most amazing woman in the entire world standing here now as my wife?" She touched Regina's cheek, just soaking everything in as the brunette chuckled and smiled back at her before bringing her in for a kiss. "I'll take that as a yes then?" Emma commented with a smile and a chuckle of her own.