"Emma, honey, what was so important that you just had to come over so soon?" Mary said as she opened the door to her and David's new place. "We have just barely begun to unpack!"

"Trust me Mom you're going to be excited that I'm here!" Emma said kissing her mother on the cheek and making her way into the condo.

"Where's Regina?"

"She's on her way up. She's on the phone with Belle. Where is Dad?"

"He's in the bedroom. He insisted on getting this sound bar thing for our bedroom television and was too proud to let the guy from the store install it. I swear Emma every day that man grows more and more stubborn."

"Okay sorry about that," Regina said as she walked in the door. "I couldn't get Belle to shut up!"

"Hello dear, you look lovely today!" Mary said as she hugged Regina.

"Why don't I ever get compliments like that?" Emma said scrunching her eyebrows at her mom.

"Dress like that," Mary pointed to Regina, "and you will."

"Oh good grief," Emma laughed and shook her head and Regina just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay so what is this news?"

"Can we get Dad in here first?" Emma asked as she wrapped her left arm around Regina's waist.

"David! Put those damn wires down and get in here please!" Mary yelled out shaking her head. "I'm afraid he is going to electrocute himself."

The women laughed as they saw David walk into the room, sweat beads on his forehead and a smile spread across his face.

"Hello ladies, what's going on?"

"Hey Dad, can you guys take a seat we have something to tell you." Emma said smiling at her parents.

"Emma?" Mary asked immediately jumping to the conclusion that it was something bad as her and David sat down.

"It's good Mom…okay just going to spit it out...Regina and I are getting married!"

"That's my girl!" David exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair pulling Emma and Regina both into a tight hug. "Congratulations! I am so excited for both of you!"

"Thanks Dad!" Emma said as she melted into her father's embrace.

"Thank you so much David." Regina smiled into the man's hug.

"Mom, are you okay?" Emma asked as she looked down and noticed her mother hadn't moved from her spot at the table.

"I'm fine honey," Mary said softly and they noticed a tear fall from her closed eyes.

"Mom, you are not okay, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Is it too soon? We just want to do it now so that when we sign the adoption papers for Henry we will all have the last name." Emma said as she sat down next to her mother.

"No, no sweetheart it's not that…" Mary opened her eyes and looked into her daughters. "Ever since you were a little girl I dreamt about your life and what kind of woman you were going to turn out to be. You have surpassed every expectation I ever had for you. A mother always worries about what kind of person their child will find to spend their life with and when you met Ruby I was delighted at who you had chose. When we lost her I felt like I lost you too. But now…" Mary's eyes swelled with tears once again.

"Mom," Emma spoke her own eye's beginning to fill, "its okay…"

"But now Emma…this is amazing woman has come into your life and has made you happier than I ever thought you could be. I am so thankful that your paths crossed and that our family is growing…not just by one person but by two! You have just made me so proud and so unbelievably happy."

"Oh…Mom," Emma grabbed her mother and held her tight both of them crying into each other's arms. Regina found she was unable to handle the emotional moment and made her way to the bathroom.

"I love you so much sweetheart," Mary said as they released from their hug.

"I love you too Mom," Emma smiled at her wiping away the tears from her face. "And I love you too Dad!" Emma said as she stood up to hug her father once again.

"I love you too Emma." David said as he squeezed his daughter tight.

"Hey, where did Regina go?" Emma said looking around.

"I think she went to the bathroom," David answered as he bent down to hug his wife.

Emma headed down the hallway and knocked on the bathroom door. "Gina, babe, are you okay?"

Regina cleared her throat and wiped the mascara from under her eyes, "Yep, I will be out in a minute!" She said trying to sound chipper.

…

"Are you sure you're okay with a courthouse wedding?" Emma asked her fiancé as they sat down to dinner.

"Of course, it doesn't matter where it happens Emma; all that matters is that I am marrying you." Regina smiled as she placed her napkin in her lap.

"I just feel like I'm slipping in the marriage department already and we are not even married! I didn't propose properly, I'm not giving you a dream wedding by any means…"

"Would you stop it please? Nothing about our relationship has been done the "normal" way and it's been amazing. As for my dream wedding Emma you are giving it to me. You are my dream."

Emma blushed. "Well…still…"

"Stop!" Regina scrunched her nose up at the blonde.

"Okay…okay…"

"So, we should be able to break ground on the restaurant in April."

"Really? That is fantastic!"

"Yeah, I am pretty excited! It will give us time to bring Henry home and get settled before I really have to start devoting a lot of time to work."

"That's amazing babe. I am so proud of you!"

"Thank you," Regina smiled and took a bite.

"Hey…I've been meaning to ask you…have you, or are you planning to, ask your father or Bianca to the wedding?"

Regina took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know."

"Well you know I will support you no matter what you decide but I just don't want you to regret it if you don't ask."

"My father would never show up."

"What about Bianca?"

"I have no idea. I mean, she might, but eh the drama that could come along with that. I hardly think it's worth it."

"Okay babe. It's your decision. I just thought I would ask."

….

The next day Emma was at work and Regina was sitting at the kitchen table working on plans for the restaurant. She was finding it extremely hard to focus as her mind continued to drift to thoughts of her father and Bianca. She had no desire to speak to her father but she was feeling guilt about not telling him about the wedding. The last time she spoke to him was at her mother's funeral and it was very brief. She will always regret never fixing her relationship with her mother before she passed away but it was a heart attack, it was sudden and without warning and in her defense her mother was the one who chose not to speak to her. That didn't make it hurt any less.

Regina grabbed her cell phone and anxiously waited to see if the other end would answer.

"Hello?" After three rings the same stern voice that has always sent shivers down her back answered the phone.

"Dad…it's me…Regina."

"Oh. Hello."

"Hi, how are you?"

"Fine, do you need something?"

Regina gulped, "Um, no Dad, I don't need anything. Actually I was calling to let you know that I am getting married next week and I wanted to invite you to come."

"Well that is awfully short notice."

"It was a pretty quick decision…"

"Glad to see you have come to your senses."

"What do you mean?"

"You're getting married. So you realized that whole lesbian thing wasn't getting you anywhere right?"

Regina choked back tears, "Dad…no…I'm still a lesbian…it's not just something you grow out of. I'm marrying a woman."

"I see. Then why are you calling me?"

Regina bit her bottom lip and stared into the distance unable to keep the tears from flowing now. "I honestly don't know."

…

"Babe! I just talked to Diane and we get to meet up with Henry again this weekend!" Emma said as she walked through the front door dropping her briefcase on the floor and setting her keys on the table in the hallway.

"Oh that's wonderful," Regina replied less than enthusiastically not even looking up from the cutting board where she was preparing dinner.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Emma asked as she slid her arms around the woman's waist and rested her head on her shoulder.

"I called my dad today."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, well, so much for him walking me down the aisle."

Emma sighed and set the knife and vegetables down from the woman's hands turning her around to face her. "Baby, I am so sorry."

"It's my own fault. I should have known better."

"No, it's not your fault. It's his. He is missing out on having such a wonderful and beautiful person in his life."

Regina's head fell into Emma's chest and she began to cry harder than Emma had ever seen before.

"Baby…I am so sorry…" Emma felt herself start to cry seeing the woman she loved in so much pain. "What can I do to make this better for you?"

"Just hold me."

Emma tightened her grip around the woman and breathed in deep before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"I've got you. I love you. You're safe and I will never let you go."