With her arm clutched in her father's, Rachel Rafter made her way down the aisle, taking in the last few moments of being a Rafter.

"You look stunning", Jake told her, unable to wipe the grin off her face.

"Thank you- you scrubbed up pretty good". She smiled, and Dave kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Dad".

"Take care of my girls, Jake", Dave told him, and Jake nodded.

"I always do, Dave".

Ruby grinned, smiling at Jake.

"You look gorgeous too, Rubes", he added as an afterthought.

"Thanks Jake".

Jake was unable to wipe the smile off his face, as Rachel stood in front of him. He was completely biased, but she was the most beautiful woman in the room, and in his opinion, the world. There was no one more gorgeous than his Rachel Rafter (soon to be Barton, he thought with delight).

"Rachel Rafter, you are honestly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen", Jake said softly. "You are perfect in every single way, something you showed me when we were fifteen. I was fifteen when I fell in love with you, you and that beautiful little girl. Together, we've been through so much and I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I loved you then, I love you now, and I'll love you always. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you".

"Jake Barton", Rachel began, tears glistening in her voice. "I fell in love with you when we were fifteen, and I've been falling harder and harder every single day since. You are the most amazing man I've ever met; you would drop anything for your family. Your heart of gold shines above all, you let me and my daughter into your heart when we were sixteen and we haven't looked back since. I'm not asking for the moon and the stars, I'm just after someone to stand under them with me". Swallowing hard, she tried to get out her final line. "I can't wait to grow old with you".

Exchanging rings with Ruby bouncing excitedly (because she and Libby had pored over bridal magazines, the seven year old more excited than her mother); the celebrant said the words Rachel had been waiting for since she had woken up that morning.

"You may kiss the bride".

And as Jake kissed Rachel, everyone erupted into cheers, no one whooping louder than little Ruby Rafter.

"Yay Mummy!" she laughed, as Camel lifted her onto his shoulder. "Yay Jake!"

Letting go of Rachel, Jake held out his arms for Ruby, holding her to his hip as he and Rachel, hand in hand, returned back down the aisle and out of the church.

"For everyone who doesn't know me, I'm Dave, the father of the gorgeous bride", Dave said with a smile, his champagne glass in the air. "I've known Jake since we first moved to Sydney, and I am so happy that my daughter chose him to marry. They've been together since they were sixteen, and there are few couples that are as well suited as my Rachel and Jake".

Jake squeezed Rachel's hand, and Ruby grinned excitedly, moving to stand with her grandfather. Dave picked her up with one arm, kissing her on the cheek.

"Rachel's made me nothing but proud since the very first moment I saw her- my Rachel's been through a lot, but Jake's been there the whole time. If my two boys are even half as happy as their sister when they get married, I'll know Julie and I have done something right".

Ben and Nathan grinned at their sister, as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Congratulations, Jake, welcome officially to the family", Dave said, tears glistening in his eyes, and Ruby hugged him tight. "Take care of my girls for me. To Jake and Rachel!"

"To Jake and Rachel!" Ben and Nathan whistled, making their sister laugh.

"To Jake and Mummy!" Ruby echoed, making the entire congregation laugh.

For the most untraditional couple to grace the earth (Ben's words, and Julie had smacked him in the chest), their wedding was traditional. After Dave's speech, the bride and groom danced with their parents, Dave and Rachel and Grace and Jake respectively.

"Come on Rach!" Nathan grabbed his sister by her left arm, and Ben grabbed her right.

"Yeah, why don't we get a dance with our favourite sister? Jake got to dance with you!"

Rachel squealed, as Ben and Nathan lifted her off the ground. "Ben! Nathan!"

"The three Rafters", Nathan said sentimentally, as they hauled her onto the dance floor.

"The two Rafters and a Barton", Rachel corrected, grinning. "Oh my God, I can't believe it's actually true".

"He's a lucky guy, Rach", Ben said sincerely.

"He really is", Nathan agreed. "We don't tell you, but…"

"We're proud of you, Rach", Ben finished. "You turned out okay".

"Thanks, guys!" she said, laughing.

"No, seriously! After all the shit that happened, you turned out okay", Ben said brightly. "I mean, you scored a guy who would freaking give you the moon if you asked, and a daughter that worships the ground you walk on".

Rachel, laughing, hugged the two of them. "I know I never say it, but you two are awesome. You really are".

"Love ya, Rach", Ben said.

"Love you too, Benny".

"Love you, Rach".

"Love you, Nath".

Ruby watched the exchange between her mother and her uncles from the edge of the dance floor, looking around. She had danced with everyone in the room- her mum, her uncles, her grandparents and great grandparents, Theo and Rita (who were as much her grandparents as Dave and Julie and Grace) and all of Rachel and Jake's friends.

But she hadn't danced with her daddy.

Scanning the room for Jake, she frowned when she saw him talking to Libby and Grace, over the other side of the room. Padding barefoot across the floorboards (because Ruby was very much like her mother, having abandoned her heels by the time they sat down for speeches), she waved shyly to Grace.

"Someone wants a dance", Grace said quietly to Ruby, spying the little girl moving towards them.

Jake was quick to act, turning around to spot the tiny blonde.

"Ruby Louise", Jake called, holding out his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

Ruby beamed, as she took his hand. "Yes Jake", she giggled. "You can". Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed her tight. "Jake?"

"Yeah bub?"

"You're my favourite guy".

The grin on his face grew even wider, as he heard her whispered confession.

"Rubes?"

"Yeah Jake?" she looked up at him, her blue eyes shining.

"Don't tell Mummy, but you're my favourite girl".

Ruby giggled. "I won't".

He had considered himself a father- a dad- since he was sixteen, when he and Rachel officially became a couple. But now they were married (he still couldn't believe it), and he was officially a dad. And spinning the little girl around and making her giggle, he knew it was a job he wouldn't trade for the world.

"My two favourite people in the whole world", Rachel declared, as she moved towards them, wrapping her arms around Ruby and kissing Jake's cheek.

"We're really a family now, aren't we?" Ruby whispered.

"We always were a family", Jake said, as he hoisted Ruby onto his hip, squeezing her tight. Wrapping his free arm around Rachel, he pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "This just makes it official".