Disclaimer: If I owned Degrassi, would I really have time to write fanfictions? I would currently be spending all my time on making season 5 if I owned Degrassi… which I don't.

Summary: One-shot. It's Emma's special day, and someone is having trouble letting go.

Letting Go

Emma Nelson took a deep breath. Sometimes, she never thought they would make it here, but deep inside, from the very moment she had met him, she knew they would.

She held her breath as her mother zipped up the back of her sleeveless white dress, and turned to look at the reflection in the mirror. Her blonde hair was left long and loose, flowing down her back. As she looked in the mirror, her mom placed the crown of white flowers on top of her head.

"Are you nervous, honey?" she asked, as she wiped a tear from her eye with the back of her hand.

"A little." Emma replied, with a small smile.

"It's normal to be nervous. I was so nervous, I got sick." Spike said, and reached up to put her arm around Emma's shoulders.

"Mom, that was morning sickness." Emma said as she made a face, then smiled again as she continued to look at the reflections in the mirror.

Mother and daughter were reflected there – one tall and blonde, the other small and dark. The mother looked at her daughter and more tears began to flow.

"Why are you crying, mom?" Emma asked.

"You just look so beautiful, Em." She replied as she took a tissue out of the box on the nearby stand to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Mom…" Emma said, but was interrupted by the opening of the door.

Manny came in the room and closed the door behind her. She paused as she saw Emma standing there in her white dress.

"Oh Em…" Manny said. "He is going to die when he sees you in that dress!" she exclaimed.

"I hope not." Emma said with a smile. "I don't want to kill him. I just want to marry him." Emma said.

"Aren't you nervous, Emma?" Manny asked, as she stood in the doorway in a blue dress, a bouquet of white roses in her hand.

Emma smiled, and laughed.

"Mom just asked me that." Emma said.

"I would be totally nervous if I were you." Manny said.

"I'm a little nervous." Emma replied. "But not about getting married." She added. "I'm nervous I'll trip over these shoes," she stated as she lifted the hem of her long white dress to show her dainty feet encased in a pair of white high heeled sandals "and fall flat on my face in front of all those people."

Manny and Spike laughed.

There was a light knock on the door, before it opened slightly to reveal Snake peeking his head in.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Sure, Dad." Emma said with a smile.

He opened the door more completely and came in the room.

"Emma, you look beautiful." Snake said, as he looked at his daughter in awe.

"Mom, Manny… I don't want to rush you guys, but isn't it time for you guys to go out there and get ready?" Emma asked.

"Sure honey, we're going." Spike replied, and hugged Emma again. "I can't believe you are all grown up." She whispered in Emma's ear before releasing her.

"Good luck, Emma!" Manny exclaimed, as she followed Spike out, leaving Snake and Emma alone in the room.

"Should we head out, too?" Snake ask, and offered his arm.

"I wanted to talk to you, first." Emma said as she took his arm.

Snake looked at Emma expectantly, waiting for her to speak.

"I just wanted you to know that, even if Shane would have been capable of being here…" she paused for a moment upon mentioning her biological father's name, "I would still want you to walk me down the aisle."

Snake smiled, and started to lead her towards the door, but stopped as Emma spoke again.

"You're my dad." She said. "I may not have always acted like it, but you are my dad, and I would not have anyone else give me away on my wedding day."

Snake looked at the girl that was his daughter. Although he wasn't biologically her father, she was his just as much as Jack was his son. To him, she would always be that gawky young girl, tall and skinny, with braces and an innocent smile. Even as he looked at the beautiful young woman standing in front of him, part of him still saw the girl she once was – the girl she would always be in his heart. Today he would have to give her away – give away the girl who had become his daughter in so many more important ways than biology.

"I've always wondered why they say "giving the bride away"". Snake said. "I would never give my daughter away."

"It does sound a little cruel, doesn't it?" Emma said. "Like you'll never see me again or something."

"How about we just say that I'm letting you go to him?" Snake asked.

"That sounds a little better." Emma replied.

"Although I'm only letting the beautiful young woman in front of me go. The young girl with the innocent smile that stole my heart… she belongs to me – I'm having trouble letting her go." Snake said, with a smile.

Emma started to cry and smile at the same time.

"Now, none of that." Snake said. "You'll mess up your make-up." He said, as he handed her a tissue.

Emma looked at Snake for a moment, the remains of tears in her eyes.

"I love you, dad." She said, as she placed her arm in his again.

" I love you too." He said, as he began to walk her out the door.

They walked out into the hallway and up the stairs in silence. They stood silently, watching as the others walked up the aisle and took their places.

Then her music started to play. She looked out, and saw him standing there, watching and waiting for her to come down to aisle to him.

"This is it." Snake said, and smiled at Emma.

Emma turned head towards him and looked up at him and smiled back.

"This is it." She said.

"Time to let me go." She stated, with tears in her eyes. "But dad?" she added.

"Yes Emma?" he asked.

"The young girl always will belong to you." She said, with tears streaming down her cheeks as they began to walk up the aisle together.

The End

A/N This is a one-shot, meaning this is the end of the story. As to the question I'm sure some people are asking –who is she marrying—I left that out on purpose. I know who I'm picturing in my head, but I'd prefer it if you picture who you want it to be in your head ( a main character, someone new, ect.) Because who she is marrying isn't important – the story of this fiction is basically Emma and Snake's father daughter relationship on her special day.