CaptainSwan in College

Mia's Wedding

* Writer's POV *

Killian made his way to the bridal room, every bit breath knocked from his lungs when he opened the door. Never had Mia looked more like her mother than she did that day, standing in the same gown Emma had worn so many years ago while her sisters helped her get ready for her wedding. Killian stood in the doorway just watching the three of them and trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Daddy!" Mia said excitedly when she saw him in the mirror, turning and rushing to throw herself into his arms. He quickly caught her, closing his eyes against the tears that sprang up when he looked at her until she pulled away. "What do you think? I didn't have to alter it, but does it look okay?"

"You look perfect, my butterfly," he smiled, brushing a stray curl away from her now pink cheek. "So much like your mother... I just wish she was here for this."

"She is," She smiled a bit, wiping a tear from his cheek with her thumb the way Emma always had and making his chest ache even more. "But come on, we're almost ready."

"Well I should hope so," he tried to tease all of them, shoving his emotion down. "The wedding is supposed to start in ten minutes. I always thought it was just your mother who took every moment to get ready, but apparently not."

"Runs in the family," Julie smiled as she put in her earrings.

"It's not our fault," Bella protested, yanking on her heels and nearly falling. "We've been talking her down all morning."

"Don't worry," Killian told Mia when she got a guilty look on her face. "Your mom was so nervous on our wedding day, she literally spent all morning getting sick. I went to check on her and Ruby nearly took my head off."

"Mom was nervous to marry you?" Mia asked quietly, only able to look at him through the mirror. "But you guys were so in love, why would she be nervous?"

"It's not a matter of love," he shook his head, going to help her as she tried to get her hand-me-down veil in place. "We'd been together for five years and I thought there was no way I could love her more, but it was still a big step, even for us. It meant a lot of changes that we didn't know if we were ready for."

"How did you deal with it?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "The anxiety?"

"I spent most of the day thinking of everything I wanted to say up at that alter, but the moment I saw her my mind went utterly blank," he said honestly, smirking a bit at the memory. "Once you see the person you love at the other end of that aisle, that anxiety doesn't matter anymore. You'll just know. When you love someone, you know."

"Thank you, daddy," she said as she turned to hug him again tightly, pulling away and taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready."

The four of them walked down the hall of the familiar church, all trying to ignore the fact that the last time they were there was for Emma's funeral. Julie and Bella linked up with the groomsmen and started the procession, leaving Killian and his first child alone.

"Alright, love, you ready?" he asked her, looking over to where she was staring terrified at the doors. "Mia?" Nothing. "Amelia Rose," he tried again and she looked over at him. "Are you alright, little one?"

"I'm not so little anymore, daddy," she sighed, smoothing out her gown nervously.

"Aye," he agreed, lifting her chin to make her meet his eyes. "But you'll always be my little girl. It's my job to make sure you're alright, especially since your mother can't. Now, are you ready?"

She just nodded a bit so he fixed her veil over her face before linking arms with her. They started the walk down the aisle and he felt it the moment her eyes met her fiances, her body relaxing next to him. When they got to the alter he pulled her veil back and kissed her forehead before placing her hand in that of her husband to be. He held Emma's ring in his fist through the entire ceremony, missing her so much it physically hurt him even just to breathe, but when Mia said her vows, the damn broke and the tears started to flow.

"I grew up with parents that were so in love it was disgusting," she started with a bit of a laugh. "And all I ever wanted was to find a love like that. They lived for each other and then for us, and I'd give anything to see them together again on a day like today. I have no idea where our life will take us, but I hope we'll be even a fraction as happy as they always were."

Anyone who had known Killian and Emma was now in tears, including all their children. Killian did his best to only be happy for her, to not let the ache in his chest that had been there since he'd lost her get any worse. Little did he know that Emma was watching from where she waited for him, so proud of her little family even she was in tears.

It's not great, but I felt like I owed you after teasing you with my little author's note. One other piece of news for you, this writer is engaged now. Things are getting crazy for me, but I'll try to keep updating things. Anyway, if you have any requests for flashbacks, I'd really appreciate the help. Later, loves!