Chapter 20

I moved to get out of bed, pulling on a clean dress, and I tugged my hair into a loose messy braid. Glancing around my room, I smiled, seeing Terrence asleep on the couch. I walked over, sitting down on the couch next to him watching his chest rise and fall for a moment. I hated to wake him from such a handsome state but I knew he would still look just as good. My hand traveled up his arm and to his shoulder rubbing it with my thumb softly. His eyes opened slowly and I smiled at him.

"You didn't have to sleep on the couch." I said looking at the blanket and pillow. "In fact I would have loved some company last night to keep me warm." I said biting my bottom lip.

"I didn't mean to, I stayed up reading and fell asleep." He said looking at the floor, I saw the old tattered book and smiled softly.

"I've already forgiven you" I said. He laughed, sitting up, I felt his hand slip from my side to my back sending chills down my spine.

"Good" He smirked, I only rolled my eyes, and put my arms around his neck.

"Come on, I'm starved." I said trying to get up but he grabbed my pulling me back down to his lap.

"I didn't get my good morning kiss yet" He pouted.

Cupping his chin in my hand I lowered my face to his letting out lips touch softly at first. It was always an experience kissing him. My whole body came alive with ice and snow, but the good kind that sticks in your hair and makes wonderful snowmen. I smiled under the kiss so happy that I had him in my life. Our lips parted and I looked at him lovingly.

"Marry me" he said in a low whisper.

"I'm already going to" I said slightly confused.

"I mean now, here in OZ, with your mom here and everyone we care about." Terrence said leaving me speechless.

"Are you serious?" I asked in awe.

"Completely, I love you Elsa, and I don't want to spend another day without you as my wife." I smiled running my fingers along the back of his neck.

"Nothing would make me happier" I said softly.

"So is that a yes to getting married today?"

"Today?" I asked taken aback.

"Is that a problem?" He asked I shook my head kissing him quickly.

"it's perfect" I said standing up pulling Terrence up with me.

We walked into the dining room where Owsin was eating with Dorothy and Regina. They looked up and I grabbed a seat next to Regina.

"You two look happy this morning." Regina said looking at me.

"We are; Terrence and I were talking and we decided to get married here in OZ." I said looking at Oswin who was smiling.

"When?" He asked.

"Well today, I want all of you to be there and there's no other place I would rather get married." I said twirling the ring on my finger.

"I think that could be arranged, as far as I know the munchkin mayor is still alive and could do the ceremony." I smiled hearing Oswin's words.

"You'll give me away won't you?" I asked, I could see the glimmer of a tear in his eye.

"I would be honored" He smiled.

Looking at Regina I almost felt guilty, but Oswin was still my father for all intensive purposes.

"You'll be there won't you?" I asked.

She smiled at me, nodding. "But you'll have to excuse me," Regina said, standing up from the table.

"I need to go try to get ahold of the Mayor," Oswin said. I looked at Terrence then at Oswin making them both look at each other. "Terrence you're about my size. Let's see if we can't get you something to wear," Oswin suggested. Terrence nodded and stood, following Oswin out.

"Dorothy, I was wondering if you would be my maid of honor," I said as she stood up, she froze looking at me.

"Are you sure?" She asked baffled.

"Yeah, aside from Terrence you're the closest person I have to a best friend. In fact, I hope we are." I added.

"Are you kidding?" She asked looking at me with a smirk, then continued. "Back home I felt like a crazy person, everyone tried telling me that this was all a dream and that OZ couldn't possibly be real. You guys are like family to me."

"I know sometimes I feel like you're the closest thing I have to a sister." I said with a soft smile.

"I wish Leo and Sawyer could be here."

"Why? So they could give Terry and I a hard time?" I laughed getting up, we started walking down the hallway.

"You know they both cared about you, they would love to be here," she said glancing at me. "Any idea what happened to them?"

"No, but I feel like I'm missing something. I don't even remember being there when you went into the crystal ball but a part of me knows that I was." I said, thinking hard shaking my head slightly.

"Huh, that just seems odd that you would forget something like that."

"Believe me, I know." I said with a slight chuckle. "I need to talk to Oswin, but I'll see you later," I said, stopping just before the door to his office letting Dorothy pass me.

The door was cracked open and I reached for the doorknob stopping when I heard Regina.

"We never got to finish our conversation." She said, I moved to the wall leaning against it letting my ear go towards the door trying to listen.

"Right, what were we talking…"

"About Elsa. I had asked you if she had a happy childhood," Regina interrupted.

"Of course," Oswin said. I could hear him moving to a chair. "I would like to think that she did, even as her adopted father I wanted to give her everything. One good thing about Essie is never once have I heard her complain about how we lived or that she hated Aly and I." Oswin sighed and I figured where he was taking this next. Sliding my body down the wall I sat on the floor while he proceeded. "Before she got here, Zelena cursed Aly and I to never be able to have children and it broke both of us, but most of all Aly. I never thought I would be much of a father. Even when Essie got here I still wasn't open to the idea, and I didn't even know what being a father meant. I knew that Essie was a sweet little girl but I didn't know how to care for her, that was all Aly."

"I see how close you are with her; so what changed?" Regina asked.

"When Essie was about 12 or so she went on a camping trip with her class, Aly and I had thought it would be good for her. While she was there, Zelena attacked the camp and threatened Essie. A lot of her classmates and teachers died, and she had to watch. We had no idea what had happened to her and I was trying to help the citizens. When we finally did know that she was okay and we got her back home I was still busy running around talking to parents and relatives of those who were there. I saw Essie when Aly brought her back, but even then I was trying to do my job and didn't…. I didn't tell her what happened to me."

"I'm sorry, I don't think I understand," Regina said.

"I never told Essie that after that day, I realized that I loved her as if she was my own daughter, and I knew I would have done anything to have protected her from Zelena."

I smiled softly, hearing Oswin talk about me like that. He wasn't an open man when it

came to his feelings.

"It broke my heart knowing that something was out of my control, but I could have stopped it. If we had told her about Zelena and how much she hated us…" Oswin began again.

"That wouldn't have changed anything." Regina said. She was right, even if I had known everything about Zelena, that wouldn't have stopped her.

"Maybe not, I guess that's part of being a parent, you can't be perfect." He said with a soft laugh.

"But she was happy here?" Regina asked finally.

"Very, and she made us happy. Aly and I would have had a life without children or light or happiness if not for her." Oswin said. I closed my eyes breathing slowly. "We both know what that's like."

"As much as I didn't want to give her up, believe me it wasn't my choice, I'm glad that she had you."

"She was far better for us than we were for her." He said with a chuckle.

I smiled softly, he had no idea the impact he and Aly had on my life. Pushing myself up I walked past the office doors down the hallway. Turning the corner I jumped almost running into Terrence.

"You almost gave me a heart attack" I said laying my hand on my chest.

"What are we running from?" He whispered.

"Wha… I'm not… I have no idea what you're talking about." I said with a smirk unable to control myself.

"You're hiding something; I know you Es." He said sliding his hands to my waist.

"I assure you I have no. Idea. What. You're. Talking. About." I said between kisses I planted on his lips softly.

"Sure you don't." He chuckled, this time when our lips met he held me there. I smiled under the kiss pushing away from him; my hands on his chest.

"I really don't. And don't you know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" I asked smirking again, I loved the sound those words made.

"Then why did you run into me?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"I assure you it wasn't my intention." I said moving past him.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To get ready for OUR WEDDING" I called over my shoulder while I hurried to my room.

Opening the door quickly I ran inside closing it behind me. I smiled leaning against the door shaking my head in disbelief. I'm going to be marrying the man of my dreams in a matter of hours and it was just now hitting me. Actually everything was hitting me; Zelena is dead, my mother is down the hallway, my best friend is in the other room, my father was alive and the love of my life was just as much in love with me as I am with him. A part of me wanted to run and never look back, clear my head of everything that was haunting me. Cupping my hand I made a snowflake smiling as I let it spin in my hand. Reaching my other hand into my pocket I felt the note my father and written Oswin, pulling it out I opened it reading the now slightly faded words.

Dear Oswin,

It is with a happy heart I write you my dear old friend. I have fallen hopelessly in love with a woman so beautiful I can hardly imagine it possible. Her name is Regina, and while we haven't been together long, we already have plans for the future. She is with child and I have asked her to marry me. However, her mother has engaged her to the King after Regina saved the King's daughter. Even with this new struggle, we plan to run away, for her mother will not approve of our marriage or this child. It would kill me if something were to happen to either of them. It's terribly tragic that her mother can't see past her own needs or see that her daughter doesn't need to be queen in order to be happy. It would seem that according to her mother, Regina is set for greatness as queen. It isn't what she wants and her mother has yet to find out about the child or about us. I just hope that we can get far away, maybe to you in OZ, and I can protect her. I've told her about you and I hope that you will help us. I have found a way that we could get to your land, and I pray that we will one day soon meet each other again. Part of me is worried that Oz is the only place we could ever be safe, and even then I worry that her mother will one day find us. Oswin please understand that this woman is my life, I know you can understand that seeing as your love for Aly is true. I am so incredibly happy with her and can not wait to be the kind of father mine never was. This child deserves so much love and I plan on providing them with all that love and more. Looking over what I've just said I realize that I have talked about nothing but myself and I apologize. I only hope you don't mind and don't think me a fool for falling in love. Best wishes old friend.

Daniel

I ran my fingers across the paper memorizing every word and studding my fathers smooth crispy handwriting so much like my own. My father; my father had wrote this and spilled every particle of his love for my mother onto this piece of paper. He had been so happy to have the chance to be my father and that had been ripped away from him; from both of them. Folding up the letter I pressed it to my lips closing my eyes as I inhaled the scent of old paper. Finally opening my eyes I walked up the stairs moving in front of my closet, it was time to get ready for my wedding.