Emma took a moment to study the brunette fast asleep in their bed. In her sleep she had unconsciously pulled Emma's pillow towards her, spooning it as a replacement for the real live blonde standing a few feet away. She smiled to herself, happy that she was the only one who ever got to see Regina this way. She quietly set the cup of coffee down and leaned in close, brushed away a few strands of hair from her face and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"It's not going to work..." A mumbled voice sounded, startling Emma from her reverie.

"What's not going to work?" She asked.

"This wonderful, gentle approach at bribery." Regina opened her eyes fully and gazed at the blonde. She continued to snuggle the pillow, no longer embarrassed about showing her softer side to the woman staring back at her.

"I'm not trying to bribe you…exactly…" Emma pouted a little and then slid herself back under the covers, pulling Regina towards her. "I just love you and I have no idea why you are making me stay at my parents tonight…"

"As I explained yesterday, I don't want you to see my dress until I'm walking down the aisle. And tomorrow morning Roger and Katherine are going to be here first thing to help me get ready. You'll be in the way." Regina smiled up at her before shifting herself down a little so she could lay her head on Emma's stomach.

Emma started to run her hands through Regina's hair, something she'd only recently realized was a favorite of her girlfriend's. "I could just get up early and leave. I wouldn't be in the way then."

Regina frowned, but didn't look up at the blonde. The hands running through her hair and the nails scraping her scalp felt to good to move. "What's this really about Emma?" She sensed something more than just being apart for one night was bothering the blonde.

"I…I really think that I'm gonna do something to mess this up. I just feel like if I stayed glued to your side until the ceremony is over you won't let that happen. I mean seriously-I haven't had a head injury in months, neither of our lives have been threatened recently, and I haven't been regulated to the couch for the night in over 3 weeks…I'm due…"

"Emma, look at me." Regina did finally sit up, knowing that Emma needed to be reassured by her. "This wedding will be perfect because I'm marrying you. I told your father when we first started dating that I would have to get used to things not going exactly like I planned if you were going to continue to be in my life. I meant it and I've done just that. As long as you're there tomorrow morning nothing else matters."

Regina felt the blonde relax against her. "You're sure?"

"Completely. I know you're trying to give me the perfect fairytale wedding and it will be. Stop worrying so much. I've got everything planned out anyway. I don't really see how you can screw up just getting there. Wait forget I said that…I just jinxed us didn't I?"

Emma started to laugh at the look of horror on her girlfriend's face and she realized that she was being a little crazy. Regina was right, it was going to be perfect because it was the two of them, not because of anything else. "Yep, you sure did. It's okay though. I promise I will be there and you know I never break a promise to you." Emma tilted Regina's face up towards hers and kissed her lightly.

"Alright. I'll except that. Now let's get up so I can make you breakfast. I know you probably won't get much more than bird food tomorrow morning at your Mother's."

"Is that a crack about her cooking skills or her love of all things with wings?"

"Both." Regina said as she made her way to the bathroom.

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"Wait a second! How come you get to make the grand entrance? Why do I have to be the one standing up by the front waiting?" Emma was becoming increasingly frustrated with the rehearsal and she just wanted to be done with it.

"One, because you can't even walk in heels normally-let alone with all these people watching you. Two-I'm a Queen. Three-you don't even want to walk up the aisle! You told me last week that you'd just rather sneak in from the side!" Regina and Emma were squaring off while the rest of the crowd at the rehearsal watched with anticipation.

"Oh yeah. Okay. So I go stand up there, you make your grand entrance, we say our vows blah blah blah…and then we kiss. Got it. Why do we have to rehearse this?"

Regina clenched and unclenched her fists and actually stomped her foot when Emma changed her tune so drastically. "This is why! Because you are completely unable to remember a conversation we had a week ago, let alone remember a few simple instructions about when and where you start walking!"

"Geez, calm down. I got this." Emma stepped forward and started rubbing up and down Regina's arms, hoping to release some of the tension from them. "We've got this." Emma said looking into Regina's eyes.

"You are the most…." Regina started.

"Wonderful woman in the world and you can't wait to be my wife. I know. Now, let's get this rehearsal over with so we can get to the dinner part!" She pecked Regina quickly on the lips and made her way up the aisle. "Start the music Ruby!"

Regina debated whether or not it was worth tackling the blonde from behind, but after a few deep breaths she decided that since the ceremony was outside in her backyard the grass stains her clothes would suffer didn't outweigh the how wonderful it would feel to take the woman down.

When Emma reached the front of the aisle and turned back to look at her she suddenly sobered. Emma was looking at her smiling fully, the love shining in her eyes and she couldn't believe that this was her happy ending. She would be walking up the aisle and marrying her True Love, surrounded by people that had every reason to hate her but didn't. Henry stepped up beside her and slipped his arm through hers. "Are you ready Mom?" He asked.

Choking back a sob she responded, "More than you'll ever know Henry." She turned back towards the front, towards her happy ending, determined now more than ever to get this right and they took a step forward, together.

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"I am so glad that's over. Why am I so tired from just the rehearsal part?" Emma asked as she and Regina sat together at one of the tables set up in their backyard.

"I don't think it's just from rehearsing. I think it's all the planning and work that's gone into this up until this point. It's finally here." Regina said, reaching out to grasp Emma's hands in hers. "We're finally here."

"I love you. I think you're right. It has been a long road to get here huh? I wouldn't change any of it though. It all lead to this." Emma said, pulling Regina in for a kiss.

"It did." Regain said smiling. "I'm going to make my rounds and then head inside and up to bed. You need to get to your parents and get some rest too. Big day tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am. I'll see you in the morning than, yeah?"

"Yes you will." Regina slid her hands out of Emma's and reluctantly walked away. Ever the politician she smiled and shook hands and thanked those around her for coming and being a part of the ceremony. Emma watched her working the crowd for a few minutes, but she finally tore herself away, knowing that watching her much longer was going to make it even harder to leave.

She found her parents and said a quick goodbye to them before she headed to their house for some much need shut eye.

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Thump. Thump, thump. "Ooohhh…oh god right there!" Thump. "Yes Charming! Find it! Find it!"

Emma sat up not quite believing her ears. Were her parents really going at it in the room right next to hers on her wedding night? She'd only been asleep less than an hour and now there was no way she was going to be able to go back to sleep. She heard more thumps and groans, and what she hoped was Snow giggling-though she wasn't quite sure-and she knew she needed to go find somewhere else to sleep. She got up and pulled her jeans on, found a t-shirt, grabbed her leather jacket and headed out the door.

She knew she couldn't go home since Regina had been so adamant about her not sleeping there that night so she headed to the Sheriff's office. She sighed in relief when she walked in and found the single cell empty, glad that Leroy was no longer a nightly problem. It wasn't the most comfortable bed in the world but she wasn't a stranger to sleeping on it either. She was just happy it was far, far away from whatever was going on in her parent's bedroom.

Exhausted and half asleep she stumbled towards the cot, not noticing that she had pulled the cell door shut behind her, the click of the lock echoing in the empty room.