Author's Note-Based on the song I Loved Her First by Heartland. Enjoy NYLF xx

Jim Beckett sat on the edge of what he knew to be Katie and Rick's favourite table in the Old Haunt.

He couldn't help but smile as he watched his baby girl, his baby Katie, dancing in the arms of her fiancé, smiling the most tender, most in love smile he'd ever seen grace her face, leaning against him, trusting him to support her, while he cradled her like the most precious thing he'd ever held.

His daughter's eyes were open, watching his face with laser focus, so enraptured by the moment was she, that he could clearly see her committing this all to memory, one of the happiest he was sure she possessed.

With everything that had happened between them since her mother's death, Jim could hardly believe he was sat here, watching his daughter dance at her engagement party.

Rick twirled Katie one last time and dipped her, making her giggle before he captured her mouth for a tender kiss. They exchanged a loving smile as he pulled her upright and he kissed her hand before bowing, making her laugh, and flashing her a grin before leaving her side to get a drink, leaving Kate to giggle girlishly and blush adorably with Alexis.

Jim made his way over to the bar slowly, coming to stand beside his future son in law, watching as his eyes rarely left Katie.

"So, Rick, you asked my daughter to marry you, hmm?" Jim grinned, loving that he could make the writer jump.

"Hey Jim." Rick smiled, turning to face his fiancé's father. "Yeah, I know." He chuckled, running his hand behind his neck. "I should have asked you…"

Jim shook his head, holding up his hand. "Katie is her own woman. You don't need ask me for her hand, I don't hold that authority anymore, doubt I ever did if I'm honest. So much of her mother in her, our Katie, so independent."

Rick chuckled. "She certainly is something."

Jim watched as the writer's eyes were drawn to his daughter like magnetism. It made his heart happy, despite the slight melancholic air surrounding him.

"Listen, I have very little right to do this, the way I treated her…" Jim shook his head, but he'd captured Rick's attention again.

"Hey, she's forgiven you." Rick assured him. "It's in the past for her."

"I know, just, she means the world to me Rick, you have Alexis, you know what it's like."

Rick nodded slowly, curious as to where this was going.

"I was enough for her Rick, at one point, I was her number one, and the guy she turned to when she needed something. And she will always be my number one, so just, be careful when you hold my girl okay? I, more than anyone, knows that time changes everything and that life goes on and I'm not going to stand in your way, I wouldn't, not ever, just." Jim sighed deeply. "I loved her first. I held her first and she will always hold a huge part in my heart. I knew how deep that love between father and daughter runs from the moment I saw her, the first breath she breathed, the first time she smiled at me." He shook his head, looking across at his daughter as she laughed happily, so happily. Happier than he'd seen her in a very long time. "I prayed she'd find you someday, Rick."

Rick's eyes snapped back from the woman he loved to her father. "You prayed that she'd find me?" He asked shock colouring his words.

Jim smiled softly. "The one she was meant to be with. The one that made her smile like that." He nodded to the truly stunning smile on his daughter's face. "I know that's you Rick. Anyone with eyes in their head can see that. It doesn't make it any easier to give her away though."

Rick smiled empathetically. He had no idea how he'd do it when it was Alexis' turn.

"You know, Katie was this freckle faced, tom-boy, mud pie making, adventurous kid and I have no idea how that kid, the little girl I read fairy tales to and tucked into bed every night, turned into that beautiful young woman over there Rick, no idea at all." Jim smiled as he shook his head. "I have no idea but I'm so proud of her, and the first time I saw you two together I knew it was only a matter of time before this happened."

"Really?" Rick asked, happily, finding it impossible not to watch Kate dancing with Ryan, laughing and smiling along with her friends.

"Rick, I knew the moment she first mentioned you just a few weeks into your partnership that she was either going to kill you, or marry you." Jim laughed. "I, for one, am glad it was the latter."

Rick laughed nervously. "Yeah, me too."

Jim sighed softly. "Just, be careful with her, please? Someday, when a young man puts a diamond on your Alexis' finger you'll know what I mean but, she's my daughter. My baby girl and always will be, no matter how grown up and beautiful she gets. So handle her heart like it's the most precious gem in this entire universe because my girl's love is. Love her and treat her like you'd want that future young man to treat your Alexis. She's my miracle Rick and, I trust you with her heart. I hope you realise how great an honour it is that Katie gave you by saying yes."

"I do." Rick promised solemnly. "I know how amazing it is, what she has given me Sir." He hadn't called his fiancé's father 'Sir' for a very long time, but it felt right. "And I will always love her and treat her as she deserves because the only thing more precious to me than her, is my own daughter. And I've been your side of this, and seen people treat my daughter far less than she deserved and I would never do that to Kate. I adore her Jim, she's the love of my life and I hope with every part of my being that she will never doubt that." Rick sighed softly, his eyes wandering back to Kate, his smile tender and wide as he watched her. "I will never love her less than she deserves, I can promise you that, with no hesitation." He promised.

Jim wiped a tear from his eye before holding out his hand for his son in law. Rick took it and shook his hand slowly. "I'm very glad she found you, Richard Castle." He smiled before leaving his place to go see his daughter.

Rick watched on as Kate hugged and kissed her father, smiling brilliantly the whole time, as she had all night. Jim held up a hand in goodbye to Rick as he passed him and Rick returned to gesture before making his way back to his fiancé's side.

"What was all that about?" Kate asked once he had drawn her willingly back into his arms. Her tone was curious but not worried and it made Rick smile.

He leaned down to kiss her softly, sliding his arms around her waist to hold her closer to his chest as he started swaying them to the music.

"Father stuff."