Authors Note: Okay, so I was bored, and was wanting to write a fanfiction but alas, my imagination has been faulty, so I decided to go through my itunes for inspiration, and found nothing. So I then moved over to my parents computer, and went though theirs, where I found (On my dads playlist none the less) the song I Loved Her First by Heartland. I'd recommend this song to any father or mother who dreads there daughters wedding day, but at the same time dreams of it, or for any daughter about to get Married. The song is happy, but for some reason you can't help but tear up a bit. It's defiantly is a VERY touching song. Once again, I tried to break away from your traditional song fic, and discreetly add bits and pieces from the song in lines. So here it is! My newest one-shot fanfiction!
Summary: "Nothing would ever change the fact that he loved her first." Rated T, just to be on the safe side though I doubt there's anything bad in here. Just a cute Liley drabble as Robbie reflects on his daughters' life on her wedding day.
Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the bands, or music mentioned in this. I also do not own ANYTHING from Disney or Dr. Seuss. The only thing I own is the name of Lilly's father that I've picked out (Tom).
Robbie's Little Girl
By
Rain2009
"And he cried.
There goes my life.
There goes my future.
My everything.
I love you.
Baby goodbye.
There goes my life."
-- Kenny Chesney "There goes my life"
Robbie Ray looked out to the dance floor, as his 20 year old daughter - now Miley Ray Truscott – shared her first dance as partners with her wife, Lillian Dawn Truscott. The song couldn't have fit more perfectly; for they had chosen "It's Your Love" It was Tim's wife, Faith Hill performing the song. There gazes were glued to one another's eyes, unshed tears twinkling there orbs. The world around them seemed to disappear, as they were long ago lost in the moment and each others face, leaving them to be the only two in the crowded room, so completely, utterly and entirely in love.
There once was a time when he was his little girl's entire world. To him it felt as though it wasn't that long ago, just a few days at most. She would say that she wanted to live with him forever, because he was her Number One Daddy. She meant the world to him, even though those words were said to him way back in the days when Simba and Nala from The Lion King, decorated her bedroom, and kiss on scraped knees made everything better.
It had taken him a while to get used to the idea of his little girl being in love with another woman, but not once did he ever feel that it wasn't right. He chuckled, shaking his head at the memory of when Miley had shyly told him about her and Lilly. She was timid and scared, when she approached him, Lilly's fingers laced in her grasp. When they asked him to sit, Robbie was expecting them to announce that Miley had been pregnant. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, debating on weather or not to go upstairs and grab his shotgun, when the beginning of the conversation took a surprising twist.
"Remember how you said you'd love me and Jackson, no matter what we did or who we were?" Miley questioned. "And how you told us that we can go to you no matter what?"
Robbie looked at his daughter, pure confusion stamped across his face. "Yeah, I remember bud."
"Well, there's something I've been keeping a secret for so long, and I don't want to hide it any longer." She took a shaky breath in, Robbie Ray by this point was nearly falling out of his seat how close to the edge he was. "Lilly and I have been seeing each other for…a while now."
Now, Robbie cracked a smile, and visibly relaxed. He still wasn't sure what to do with this piece of information, but at least he didn't have to grab his shotgun to do some urban hunting. He thought about Miley's words for a moment, before he leaned forward. "How long is a while?"
The Big Hillbilly shook his head, taking a swig of Hawaiian Punch. Now that he reflected upon it, he really scared his daughter, making her question his sanity until he pulled both girls in for a bone crushing hug, telling Lilly to be careful with his girl. It wasn't until later that night that he confessed to his little girl that he was prepared to get his gun, for he feared some boy had knocked her up. She simply laughed and said "Crazy Hillbilly daddy say what?" They say time changes everything, and that life must go on. Yet despite how much Robbie Ray had tried to postpone it, time did happen, in addition to that he wasn't going to stand in the way of there relationship that quickly blossomed into love.
But nothing would ever change the fact that he loved her first. The usually well composed man took in a shaky breath, as he remembered standing beside his sweat drenched wife, looking over. His eyes were wide with jitteriness and hesitation, as the nurse walked up to him, wrapped in pink, so soft and warm in her own oblivious world was their little Smiley Miley.
"I think I have someone who wants to meet you." The nurse by the name of Stacy said as she approached the loving couple. Unsure, Robbie looked over at his wife, as if asking for permission.
"It's alright honey." She coaxed.
Gently, he reached out, and took the soft bundle into his big, strong, hands. Cradling her in the crook of his arm as if she were nothing more than a football, his blue eyes never once left hers, a smile broke across his face. "Gosh, she's so fragile. Even with Jackson I didn't feel as if I could break him." She was so much smaller than her brother had been.
The little girl's lips turned up, revealing two rows of bright pink, toothless gums as she returned the smile. The doctors would beg to differ, for they did with Jackson when he smiled up at his mother less than a day after being born, claiming it was just gas. But he knew that she was smiling at him. She was the most beautiful little girl Robbie Ray Stewart had ever laid his bright blue eyes upon. He couldn't help but laugh a little, his eyes becoming slightly moist just like they had a little over three years ago while looking down at his baby boy.
The strong, farm boy, songwriter was very rarely scared, but he was terrified the moment he discovered his wife was pregnant again. 'What if I'm not a good father?' he would constantly think, just as he had when Susan was pregnant with Miley's big brother. He helped his wife out as much as he could, cringing every time she was in pain, but feeling as if she were the most breakable thing on the planet when he first felt their little nudger.
It wasn't until
he heard his little girl take her first breath, did all doubt flee
from his mind. She whimpered once, but didn't let loose a screech
like most baby's did. And now as he held his world, he knew that
the love of a father runs deeper than the Colorado River through the
Grand Canyon.
When she first began to date, all he could do
was pray for her. He and his wife had brought up a strong, smart
little cookie. Yeah, he had tendencies to be stricter with her dating
than Jackson, but all he really ever wanted was for her to find
somebody who was going to treat her right. Someone to love his little
girl, just as much as her family did, and he was lucky enough that
Lilly stumbled across her path, though part of him was hoping that it
wouldn't have happened so fast.
He never thought that it would be so hard to walk his little Smiley Miley down the isle, only to stand at the end, speechless when Oliver – who had temporarily got his ministering license just for the occasion - asked who gave his little girl away. "I do." was all he could muster before he turned to face Miley, flashing his daughter her favorite smile before saying; "I loved you first Darlin, from the first breath you breathed." Swallowing hard, Robby Ray stepped forward, holding Miley's hand. Together he and Lilly's father Tom put their daughters' hands together, and then they stepped back and took their seats.
He watched as Lilly twirled Miley, her dress fanning out, before coming in close to her making it look all the more graceful. It baffled the gruff man to no end, that beautiful women dancing with Lilly was the same freckle face kid that he once knew. If he hadn't watched her grow up so fast, he would have sworn she were her mother.
He laughed as he remembered a night, back when her momma was still alive, and they all lived in Tennessee. Miley didn't want to go to bed without her nightly story. She stood before them, all three books barely in her hands. The first one was Dr. Seuss's "The Foot Book", the second the Disney version of J. M. Barrie's "Peter Pan", and the third, a book based upon the Disney Movie, "Winnie the Pooh". It was something that her Mommy and Daddy always did for their kids. Every other night, one would pick the story, and both parents would take turns reading a page before tucking them into bed.
Gently her father scooped her up, books and all, making airplane noises all the way to her room, before laying her gently onto her bed, opening Winnie the Pooh after a small argument about why they couldn't read all three. Both Miley and Jackson were out before both Susan and Robbie Ray even reached the halfway mark in the story.
As much as Jackson begged to differ throughout his childhood, and part of his teen years, he would often go to bed in his own room as a small fry only to have Susan discover him curled protectively around his little sister in the morning. Sometimes he would ask if he could just go to be in Miley's room, but the answer was usually a no, for they wanted him to get used to sleeping in his own bed.
With a throaty chuckle, he placed the book on the bed table, giving his daughter a kiss on her fore head, her mother doing the same, and then he clicked the light off.
Jackson would be alright in her room for one night.
It wasn't until nearly eight years later, did they loose a mother, a best friend, and a wife. Robbie Ray's family was so torn apart over it. When she offered, he moved into Dolly's home. That first year was the hardest. And the worst fear for every cup of Loco Hot Coco, for he tended to make that in hopes of cheering his kids up. Robbie Ray would work until late into the night, trying desperately to help keep food in the fridge. He would cry himself to sleep; often wishing his partner was still there beside him.
Miley blamed herself for her mothers death; for she was brutally yanked from there grasp the night Miley needed a ride home from a friends. It had been a stormy, winter night, and the drunken driver didn't care much for the speed limit. On more than one occasion he would catch her crying all alone in her room, and he would rush in to hold her.
Jackson tried being distant, but was often confronted by Dolly, his father or his little sister. The tough guy act was dropped almost as quickly as it had begun thanks to the fact that his loving family wouldn't let him bottle it up inside.
A year and five months after the death of her mother, Robbie Ray got a call from a Record Company, stating that they were interested in "Hannah Montana" after flying down there a few times; he managed to surprise his youngest with the news. The only catch was that they were going to have to move to California. At first, not everyone was stoked about it. But after a long family talk, and some loco hot coco, his two kids agreed to go. Miley had begged him to keep her identity a secret so that away she could lead a normal life, so as a small gesture, Dolly loaned her a blond, semi straight haired wig.
He didn't think that he would ever see a true smile upon his daughters' lips again when they moved down to Malibu. For three days straight she would wake up, go to school, and then come home, only to lock herself in her room. It wasn't until the fourth day that his little Nudger dragged a petite, small blond toward there house after getting off of the bus.
"Come on Lilly, I want you to meet my daddy" Miley chided.
"Okay, okay I'm coming!" She turned and looked behind her as a short, lanky round-faced brunette boy tagged along behind them, smiling at him. "Oliver you're such a doughnut!"
"So Miley, what have you dragged in this time?" Robbie Ray laughed, smiling at them.
"These are my new friends, Lilly and Oliver I met them in school today" Miley said. He expected her to make a crack about his horrible joke but she didn't. Miley just simply stood there, beaming up at him. He looked down and noticed that there fingers were still intertwined. Oliver noticed the same thing and smirked.
Now that he reflected upon that day, Robbie Ray couldn't help but notice that even then he knew that it was only a matter of time before Miley would fall madly in love with the girl that she had dragged home with her from that bus all those many years ago.
Suddenly a strong hand clapped his shoulder. "That's quite a girl you've got there."
Robbie turned to face his best friend Tim McGraw. He let out a defeated sigh, setting his Punch glass down. "Yeah, but she's not a little one anymore."
"She'll always be one to you. In our eyes they never grow up."
"But it'll never get any easier. You know, I thought that after a couple years of up all night and few thousand dippers later, I'd be able to give her away no problem." Robbie let out a shaky breath, watching as his daughter and daughter-in-law smile at each other. It was like nothing could tear them apart until the song drifted to an end.
They smiled again, and made there way over to Tim and his proud friend. "Thanks again Mr. McGraw for taking time out of your busy tour schedule to fly you and your family all the way out here to Nashville." Lilly said, as se extended her hand.
Tim reached out, and gingerly took the hand. "Don't worry about it! Miley's been like family since she was born!" He smiled before pulling her into a hug.
"Hey Tim, maybe its time for the song?" Miley questioned with a smile, and her eye brow quirk.
"I'll be right back." He said excusing himself. Robbie Ray was confused, until Tim was on the stage with a graceful leap, standing before the microphone stand.
"Howdy Y'all! For those of you who don't know, my name is Tim McGraw." There was a rather loud chorus of shouts from around the room, as he smiled, and waited patiently until the cheers and cat-calls settled down. "I've known this family, for years. Even before little Miley was born. Me and good old Robbie went on tour together, back when Coke was just a nice beverage." The crowed chuckled at his joke.
"But we're not gathered here to discuss how I know the family." He paused for a moment."Friends, family, ladies, gentlemen children and adults alike, we're all gathered here to celebrate the union of these two lovely women. I've known Miley since 'Uh-Oh' meant that both Robbie and Susan would burst out in a chorus of "The Potty Training" song."
Once again, more chuckles.
"I've been blessed enough to watch as this tinny ball full of energy turned into a lanky girl, from that into an awkward teenager until she reached the woman we all see smiling before us." He gestured to the brunette, who smiled brightly, taking her wife's hand. "As for Lilly, I haven't known her long. I didn't meet her until a BBQ I went to at the Stewarts, and she nearly knocked me over after gawking at me in pure awe!" Lilly blushed, as the crowed began to laugh at the mental image of Lilly trampling poor Tim.
"But even then I knew her and Miley were made for one another. My wife and I were so honored when they asked us to sing at there wedding that we just couldn't pass the opportunity up! My wife had already decided that she was going to perform: It's Your Love. I was in a bit of a dilemma as to what to sing. I wanted something that came from the heart, something meaningful to Robbie Ray. So I went through every song the two of us had ever liked. After many hours of searching, I finally managed to stumble across this next song that was originally preformed by Heartland. It's a special dedication to my best buddy, and his daughter. It's called I Loved Her First."
In a flash Tim picked up the guitar and threw the strap over his shoulder. As the slow, picking of the guitar harmonized with the violin, Miley moved to step in front of her father. Robbie Ray Stewart swallowed hard, holding out his hand. "May I have this dance?"
Smiling, Miley took his hand. "You most certainly may."
He led her out onto the center of the floor. As soon as they reached there destination, Tim's voice began to sing along to the sweet melody.
"Look at the two of you dancing that way.
Lost in the moment, and each others face.
So much in love your alone in this place.
Like there's nobody else in the world."
They began twirling around the floor, Miley clinging onto the man she's known as her daddy, all her life. She'd known why Tim picked the song. He'd known that this was going to be hard for his best friend, and that he would be thinking along the same lines.
"I was enough for her not long ago.
I was her number one,
She told me so.
And she still means the world to me,
Just so you know.
So be careful when you hold my girl.
Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I'm not gonna stand in your way."
As the melody began to pick up, so did the pace of Mr. Stewart's heart. He sniffed, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Gone was the girl he'd known, before him stood a woman. His voice cracked as he began to sing along with the chorus.
"But I loved her first and I held her first.
And a place in my heart will always be hers.
From the first breath she breathed.
When she first smiled at me.
I knew the love of a father runs deep.
And I prayed that she'd find you someday.
But it still hard to give her away.
I loved her first."
"Your momma would have been just as proud, as I am." He sniffed, letting the tears fall freely, as many other fathers and daughters of all ages began to move onto the dance floor. Even Lilly and Tom moved onto it, though they were on the other side of the floor, having there own conversation.
"I know she is Daddy. Even though I can't see her, I know she's smiling down at me." Miley sucked in a shaky breath as she too, tried not to cry. "I love you so much."
"I love you too bud." Robbie sniffed, wiping a fallen tear from his daughter's eyes. "To me you'll always be my Smiley Miley."
Miley's chuckle was thick with tears. "Ya'think?"
"From the first breath she breathed.
When she first smiled at me.
I knew the love of a father runs deep.
Someday you might know what I'm going through,
When a miracle smiles up at you.
I loved her first."
Tim's voice faded to a soft hum, as the violin slowed, and a gentle strum ended the song, the first two stopping right where they had begun. Robbie placed a gently kiss atop his daughters head, squeezing Miley tightly, before releasing her, turning as her daughter-in law approached. Gently he placed Miley's hand into hers. "Take care of her for me, will you?"
"Always and forever Mr. Stewart."
Robbie shook his head. "No. It's officially dad to you now." With a small giggle, Lilly engulfed him in a bone crushing hug. "Just remember that I loved her first."
Authors Afterword: Okay so I'm going to answer the question that all you Tim McGraw fans are going to ask. The reason why he didn't sing My Little Girl is because that was mostly about TIM'S daughter. And it didn't really fit how Robbie was feeling. To me it just didn't fit, so I used I Loved Her First…. So, what do you think? Once again, I don't like the ending, but if you have any suggestions, I'll listen to them! Please Review, for each one means a lot to me as a writer!
