AN: Thank you for the reviews and alerts. I love hearing what you like and what you hope will happen so keep it up.

The sun was shining in her eyes as Emily stepped outside nervously. Her fingers twisted together in front of her as she waited for Daniel Jareau to say something. He was leaning against one of the porch posts staring off into the distance his knuckles turning white with the force of his hold on the wooden rail. She didn't know what to say or what to do so Emily just stood there waiting.

Silence filled the space between them until Daniel turned with guarded eyes. "Jennifer's had a rough life." he stated quietly. Emily didn't expect him to yell or scream that just wasn't Daniel but she did expect some sort of confrontation. She expected him to tell her to get lost.

"I know." she said just as quietly.

"Her sister was the start of it I suppose. Jennifer found her first." He looked to the ground fidgeting on his feet. "I will never forgive myself for the pain my little girl went through and how she had to see my wife and I during that time. But she made us proud by getting a soccer scholarship and making the most of her life. All I want for my girl is to be happy. When she found out she was pregnant she was scared but Will was there so I didn't worry too much. We thought she was happy… being with him. But after the first time he asked her to marry him and she said no I started to worry a bit more."

Emily bit her lip. She didn't particularly like hearing about someone else asking JJ to marry them even though she knew it happened.

"He came to me soon after and I told him when she is ready she'll say yes. She told him no two more times before they broke up." his eyes locked on Emily's. "Then she told me about you."

She swallowed the lump in her throat remembering the first time she saw the man. The tension between them at that thanksgiving was thick and since it hadn't really thinned much.

"You have to understand I thought I knew who my daughter was. And you changed everything, not only with her but with me too. And I saw her truly happy. But…" he paused, cleared his throat and stared at her. "I'm not a religious man, don't claim to be but I do believe marriage is only between a man and a woman. And I honestly don't think I can change that."

Emily looked up, "I'm not really asking you too. I can't change you just as much as you can't change Jayje. Your daughter is who she is and every day I wake up loving her even more than the last. And I won't change that."

Daniel turned back to the rail and closed his eyes. "Do you have to be married though? Can't you just go on like you already are?"

Emily was slightly confused that marriage was the issue. He never once told her to stop loving JJ or leave JJ alone. He was only upset about them getting married. "Why did you marry your wife? Because you loved her so much you needed to be forever tied to her? One day without her seemed too much to bear?" He nodded turning back to her with his arms folded over his chest. "We are just two people that love each other so much we can't bear to be apart. Can't you understand that?"

"But its…"

"What? A sin? Yeah I know. I was raised Catholic." She sneered.

"Not a sin but… I don't know. I just can't understand it." His head hung in defeat.

Emily stepped forward carefully, "If you can accept us as we are right now what does a piece of paper matter to you? I'm going to marry Jayje." She told him out right.

His jaw clenched as he looked at her. Emily saw the conflict and felt sorry for him but at the same time she was who she was and she wasn't going to change. She wanted to marry his daughter and she would with or without him.

Emily walked back into the house without much resolved with JJ's father but that didn't matter too much to her. "Hey" she said walking into the kitchen where JJ and her mother were talking.

"What happened?" JJ asked walking up to her and placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm not really sure but can you take a walk with me or something?" Emily asked feeling like she needed to get away for a few minutes.

"Sure, wanna take Henry to the river?" JJ's smile made Emily's heart melt, letting her move forward with the day.

"Yeah."

Emily held onto JJ's hand as the two of them walked down the path to the river behind the house. Henry led the way stopping every few minutes to pick up a stick or rock. His tiny hands held as many as he could carry, occasionally running back to them to have them hold some then gathering more. The sun beat down on them but the breeze kept the burn of its rays away.

Emily rolled the conversation with Daniel in her mind and wanted to talk to JJ about it but at the same time didn't want to ruin the nice afternoon. She was pulled away from her thoughts as they approached the banks and Henry let out a squeal.

"Look Momma!" he pointed and giggled as the water flowed.

JJ laughed letting go of Emily's hand and picked her son up. "Do you want to go swim?"

His eyes grew big and he nodded, "Yeah!"

JJ stripped him down to his shorts and climbed down the banks to a shallow end. Henry splashed and swam around with JJ right there to help him. Emily laid out a blanket they brought with them on a small patch of grass close to the water. She watched JJ hold Henry close as she took him deeper into the water, their giggles slowly making it to her ears as they moved away.

She closed her eyes and smiled. She wanted to hear that sound for the rest of her life. She wanted to spend days like this for the rest of her life. It really wasn't a matter of having to get married, she could spend her life just as it was and be happy but to forever bind herself to JJ was something she had to do.

The afternoon went on as Emily finally joined them in the water. Splashing and playing until Henry grew tired and grumpy. JJ had waited for Emily to open up but it never happened so as Henry dozed next to them after consuming way too many cookies from his grandmother she quietly asked, "What did my dad say?"

"Actually it was not what I thought he would." She sighed. "He never once told me to leave you alone or said anything bad about our relationship. He just doesn't believe in same sex marriage."

JJ nodded slowly, "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I am going to marry you." Emily smiled leaning over to kiss the blonde.

"Good because I plan on marrying you too. Mom is already planning." She grinned. She was happy her mother got into it so fast because honestly if she could she would marry Emily the next day. It didn't matter if her father was upset, it only mattered that Emily and her were together and happy.

"He really is tuckered out." Emily ran her hand over Henry's damp hair. "Do you think he understands?" they had told Henry they were getting married soon after JJ asked and tried to explain but the three year old didn't say anything.

"In a three year old version, yeah. Not much will change besides living together which we've done before and basically do now." the blonde said. "He'll be fine."

Emily nodded staring at the boy. "What if your dad doesn't come around?" she looked into the blonde's eyes needing the reassurance only JJ could give.

"If he doesn't then he doesn't. I don't need my dad to walk me down the aisle though it would be nice but I don't need it. All I need is you and Henry." She stood and held a hand out for Emily to take.

They walked to the edge of the higher banks looking over the water. "It's beautiful here." Emily whispered pulling JJ closer to her.

"It's my favorite place. Peaceful and safe." Emily hummed her agreement into JJ's hair then turned and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Let's do the ceremony here." The brunette whispered.

JJ's head snapped up and a smile graced her lips, "Really?"

Emily nodded, "Yeah, you love it here and I'm pretty found of it at this moment…" she paused looking back at the sleeping boy a few feet from them. "It's perfect." She turned back to JJ with a smile.

"Okay" JJ agreed with a kiss. "Do you have your phone on you?" she asked inching closer to the cliff at the deepest part of the river.

"No why?" Emily asked right before JJ took her hand and pulled her over the cliff with her. Both landed in the water with a splash. Breaking the water then shooting straight up for air Emily had only one thing on her mind. Jennifer Jareau was a dead woman.

"I think it's perfect!" Mary Jareau said passing the mash potatoes to her daughter.

"Me too." JJ grinned. "What about you baby? Do you think Momma and Emmy should get married by the river?" she turned asking Henry while filling his dinner plate.

"Yep, I like river." He smiled taking a bite of his green beans.

Emily sat across from them with a worried smile on her face as she glanced over at Daniel at the head of the table. Throughout the exchange of wedding plans between his wife and daughter he didn't say a thing. That only seemed to frighten Emily more. She knew she wouldn't change her mind but something inside told her she really needed Daniel to approve. JJ said she didn't care but to see the blonde walking down the aisle with her father made Emily want that to become a reality even more.

"Emmy," Henry whispered across the table trying to get the brunette's attention without his mother's.

Emily lifted a brow as he looked down at his carrots with a frown. "Try one" she told him picking up her own and eating it. She tried to keep a straight face but she hated carrots too.

"Yuck!" he spat it out after a second getting the whole tables attention.

Emily giggled along with Henry but stopped as Daniel cleared his throat. She swallowed the rest of the food in her mouth and looked up at him.

"Jennifer, I would like you to find another place for your wedding. Not here." he stood and walked away as the rest of the table went silent.

JJ's jaw dropped as she watched her father leave. After the shock wore off anger took its place. She glanced at Emily finding her in the same shock then at her mother who was glaring at the back of the man.

"Daniel, you see here…" Mary stood calling out her husband.

"No, she is not getting married on my land and that's the end of it. And if I were her I would leave sooner rather than later." His voice boomed through the room. "I've had enough of this."

Henry quickly scampered under the table and into Emily's legs gripping her flesh tightly. She put a hand on his head and looked to JJ. "Jen lets go." She told her. The brunette stood and wrapped Henry in her arms before turning and walking to the door.

"Em, wait." JJ called. She wasn't just going to leave even if her father demanded it. "We are not leaving." She glared at the angry man ready to face off with him but her mother grabbed her arm.

"Jennifer, I think you need to take your family outside for a few minutes." She motioned to Henry who was sobbing into Emily's neck. "He's scared."

JJ nodded walking over and leading Emily and Henry out of the house. Emily kept walking once outside. "Em, where are you going?"

Emily pushed back her tears and turned around. "He needs to get away. Just let me take him while you talk to your parents." She walked away without getting an answer.

It was getting cooler at night, the sun hiding behind the horizon. The sticks cracked under her feet but she kept walking the path back to the river. She didn't know where else to go but as long as Henry cried she would continue.

Soon the tears stopped and he looked up as Emily paused. "Scared Emmy." He whispered.

"Why were you scared? Me and Momma were right there." She asked sitting down and turning him in her lap.

"Pop yell, bad man yell. Don't go back." He buried his head in her shirt.

Emily frowned then Ian Doyle came to mind. Doyle had yelled that night which scared Henry so much that he was crying and attached himself to his mother so tightly JJ had marks on her body afterwards. "Pop isn't a bad man sweetheart. He was just upset. Sometimes when people get upset they yell. I know sometimes it's scary but it doesn't mean they are bad people."

"I don't like it." He lifted his face for her to see his sad blue eyes.

"Me neither." She kissed his forehead and held onto him as tight as she could.

AN: Is Daniel ever going to accept them? We'll see. Let me know what you think!