It's 24 hours before the wedding, all the last minute preparations have been taken care of and Emma's feeling restless again and continues to feel uneasy throughout the afternoon.

She knows it's not because of pre-wedding jitters or cold feet; technically, she and Killian are already married but tomorrow, they will make it official in front of her family and the whole kingdom. The whole kingdom part might be what is actually making her nervous but Emma knows it's deeper than that. She's attended balls before, met with different royal dignitaries and that always made her nervous but it isn't the same kind of nervousness.

And then it hits her: tomorrow after she and Killian marry, that evening will be their wedding night. She knows what's it like to be laying naked in a bed with him, that doesn't even scare her, intimacy didn't phase her because they've been intimate on several different occasions on his ship.

And...after tomorrow night, the countdown to the curse will begin.

Until they find a way to stop it, or at the very least, save her daughter, then everyone she loves will be doomed.

Emma tries to shake it off and even changes her clothes for a quick horse ride, walking confidently to the stables when Red finds her. "You going out alone?" she asks, grabbing hold of the reigns.

"I don't know what it is but I've been feeling restless all morning; I think a horse ride is all I need to help shake it off, whatever it is,"

Red smiles at her thoughtfully. "Pre-wedding jitters maybe?" the older woman teases. "Not that you would have any reason to be nervous, this will be your second official wedding,"

"I'm not nervous about marrying Killian. I love him and look forward to making things official...I just have a lot of other things on my mind,"

Red glances at the horse and then to her goddaughter. "I know something is wrong Emma. You used to confide in me when there was something you couldn't tell your parents, but you know you can trust me," she says.

Emma sighs, looking at her. "Do you think it's possible for someone to see the future?" she wonders.

"Maybe," Red muses, "Magic is everywhere; things we can't explain...magic is often the answer. Why?"

Emma steps behind her and helps herself onto the horse, looking back at Red. "Don't worry: I'll stay away from crazy old ladies with apples this time," she promises.

"I'm not worried about that," Red admits, "but I hate that whatever's bothering you, you won't talk to me about it,"

Emma sighs and looks around the stables. "Grab a horse and keep me company then?"

Red readily picks out a horse and leaves the stables with her. "You know we have to be back early tonight for your engagement dinner," she says.

They find a spot to rest not far from the castle with a stream for the horses. Red smiles, watching Emma relax out in the open, away from the stress of court and wedding preparations. "Your mom used to love this, being out here with nature," she says, "I taught her how to track and hunt,"

Emma used to wonder why her mother chose to suppress her old self, the Snow White who could fight, hunt in the wilderness and wasn't afraid of a little adventure but Emma quickly realizes, being a mom, changes priorities.

Emma sighs, noticing some white flowers growing nearby and plucks one, twirling it between her fingers. "Mom still keeps these planted in the garden, right? I didn't know there were any out here. Then again, until I was kidnapped, I had never really ventured outside the castle walls,"

Red walks over the batch of snow drops. "One of these would look beautiful in your hair," she comments.

Emma smiles thoughtfully and then frowns, looking back at her. "About a month ago, when my engagement became official, I had a dream except it wasn't really a dream; it was a vision of the future," she starts.

"A premonition?" Red questions, "what did you see?"

"Killian and I were married and I was in labour, giving birth to a baby girl," Emma remembers fondly, "but that's not the end of it. There's darkness coming Red,"

"I know," she muses and Emma looks at her curiously. "Your mom is really bad at keeping secrets but I wanted to hear about it from you,"

Emma sighs. "There's more: I lose my baby; I don't mean miscarry but after she's born, I beg Killian to take her to a wardrobe," she says.

"A wardrobe?"

"I know, sounds really silly when you question it aloud like that," she reasons, "but that's what I saw,"

Red studies her curiously. "You don't seem all that worried about it now," she observes.

Emma shrugs. "I am worried but then I realized, maybe I can change the future and I don't have to be alone,"

"That's a good attitude," she compliments, "The future isn't written in stone. It can be changed; not everything is inevitable,"

"That's right. If there's something evil coming, we'll fight it and we'll keep fighting until we kill it. Because destiny is another word for inevitable and nothing in inevitable as long as you stand up, look it in the eye and say, 'You're evitable!'" Emma reasons.

Red smiles at her, laughing a bit at her statement. "It's better to be optimistic about the future than pessimistic," she agrees before looking up at the sky and noting that it's starting to get darker and looks back at Emma.

"We should start heading back, your engagement party will be starting soon,"

Snow thought it annoyed her when her husband would pace back and forth nervously, but seeing her daughter's fiancé do the same thing is making her nervous. "She'll be here Killian," Snow soothes him, "Emma will not miss her engagement celebration,"

"Of course, she'll be here," he muses and then stops, hearing footsteps coming down the hall. Red hugs Emma before parting ways with her and she walks the rest of the way to Killian and her mother.

"I told you she would be here,"

"And pray tell where were you today, love?" he questions.

"Out with Red but I'm back, and on my way to change out of my riding clothes in time for our engagement party," Emma says, looking at Snow.

"You had us worried," Snow adds.

Emma bites her lip. "Sorry but Red was with me the whole time and I stayed away from ugly witch's with apples," she says.

"Oh Emma," Snow sighs, hugging her, "Come, I've already picked out a gown for you and Starkey volunteered to help with your hair,"

Emma smiles and kisses Killian on the cheek before leaving with her mom.

"There you are finally Emma!" Starkey cries, taking her hand and sitting her down in front of a mirror dresser. "We only have so little time before your engagement shindig begins,"

"She needs to get dressed first and then, Starkey, you can work on her hair," Snow says, leading her away.

Starkey sighs. "As you wish m'lady," he says and Emma gets dressed.

When Emma finally finds Killian later, her hair is blond again but tucked into a bun with loose curly strands framing her face and wearing a blue gown which is perfect because Killian's wearing a blue vest for tonight's festivities.

"You look beautiful darling," he notes, kissing her cheek, lingering a moment. "I know this only formality but if we didn't have to worry about tonight and tomorrow's events, I would ravish you right now,"

A deep blush creeps into Emma's cheeks and she bites her lip. "I know I wouldn't protest," she teases back.

Killian smiles, kisses her cheek again and backs away, offering his arm. She laces her arm through his and they walk to the banquet hall. He whispers something else into her ear, she blushes again before they greet their guests. Charming and Snow stand, everyone else following suit, looking at the couple.

Charming clears his throat, raising his glass and smiling happily. "Friends, guests, I would like to introduce you to our celebrants tonight: my beautiful daughter Emma and her fiancé, former Captain Killian Jones,"

The whole room applauds them and Emma smiles back at her father before walking over to him, hugging him. Killian comes over to Emma and her father, extending his hand to the Prince.

Charming looks at him curiously. "A handshake, really?" he asks, "We're going to be family very soon Killian. A handshake is so impersonal,"

Killian starts to say something but Charming doesn't let him, embracing him. Emma can't believe her eyes, watching her father openly accept Killian. She looks to her mother and Snow smiles at her thoughtfully, knowing the significance of the gesture.

After a moment, Snow taps her glass and Charming backs away, turning to his wife. Snow continues to smile at Charming before stepping forward and hugging the former Captain too. "See, happy endings do happen Killian. You need only have faith," Snow whispers and turns to her husband. "I think we can start dinner now,"

Emma can't help herself and hugs her father, tears swelling in her eyes. "Thank you daddy," she cries, "You have no idea how much it means to me for you to accept Killian,"

Charming pulls back and looks at her thoughtfully. "You're my daughter Emma; I love you and your happiness means everything to me," he says.

Emma hugs him again, wiping away a happy tear before taking her seat beside Killian. As she gets settled, she recognizes more familiar faces around the room: Starkey and Smee, Red, Pinocchio and her godfathers. She breathes a little easier than she did this morning, forgetting why she was so tense.

Her father has finally accepted her fiancé and tomorrow, she will be marrying Killian again.

Emma is the happiest she's ever been and suddenly, the dark future she envisioned doesn't seem so dark.

First course passes without incident, second meal doesn't seem so bad and dessert certainly does not disappoint (chocolate mousse topped with chocolate shavings and chocolate syrup). The castle chefs are a godsend.

As soon as she's finished eating her chocolate mousse, savoring every bite the way chocolate should be enjoyed, Killian stands and turns to her. "Darling, dance with me?" he asks.

"I would love too," she purrs, wiping her hands before placing her left in his as he leads her to the center of the room. Killian bows before her and Emma curtsies, and then Killian places a hand around her waist as Emma slips a hand around his shoulder.

Musicians start playing a slow song which Emma doesn't mind at all.

"You really look beautiful tonight my love," he purrs.

Emma blushes again. "I hope I didn't make you too worried today about my sudden absence," she says. "I just had a lot on my mind,"

"I know love," he soothes, twirling her and bracing her hand. "Tomorrow, with our wedding, it will set off a chain of events leading to your vision,"

"Does it make you nervous?" she asks.

Killian sighs and Emma can feel him tense. "It does but I refuse to let knowing the future spoil our wedding tomorrow, or our wedding night for that matter," he reasons.

Emma smiles at him thoughtfully and twirls away from him, going back to her former dancing position. "Good, because I feel the same way," she declares.

He smiles at her. "I'm glad Emma. I love you sweetheart and want our wedding to be perfect and joyous for all. No worries about curses, visions or witches. Tomorrow is about us, no one else,"

"I was worried about tonight but seeing you and my father embrace, put my last worry to rest," she admits.

"I think your mother had something to do with that, than anything else," he admits, "Worrying about your father accepting me is probably the least trivial problem we have to worry about, but I'm glad it's not an obstacle anymore,"

"Me too," she agrees, dancing closer to him, looking into his blue eyes. "I don't want to talk about worrying anymore. Tonight is ours too, Killian and I intend to enjoy every minute of it,"

He smiles at her seductively. "If your vision is true, then we will be very busy with each other for the next several weeks after the wedding," he whispers teasingly.

"You'll have no argument from me," she laughs.

tbc