"Daddy, what the hell are you doing? Let him go! And put that knife up! We are in front of God and everyone, literally."

Fionn turned to face his daughter "Lass, tell me yeh didn' marry this bastard. And yeh know Ah always hav' me blade. Always."

"Daddy, we did get married."

Fionn let go of Stu's tie, but shoved him backwards, knocking him to the ground. "Hav' ya lost yer good sense child? Wha' were ya thinkin'?"

"I was thinking I love him. Stu, are you okay?"

"I'm fine love" he answered as he got off the ground. Shay noticed his neck was bleeding. Stu went to put his arms around Shay, and her father lunged at him. Shay pushed him out of the way and stood in front of him. "No! You aren't going to hurt him. I won't let you. You will have to get through me."

"Shay, don't do this love. You don't have to protect me."

"Stu, will you wait in the car baby?"

"No, I'm not leaving you."

"Okay, I just didn't want you to hear this." She turned and looked at her father. "Now you listen to me. I have been under you thumb long enough. We are married in the eyes of God and the law, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. Now you can accept it or not, but if you ever threaten my husband again, I swear on my mother's grave, I will see you in the ground beside her. Don't forget, I have connections too. Now you can be a part of our lives, or you can excuse yourself from them, but you make that choice now. Chose wisely, because there are no second chances. If you want me in your life, you apologize to Stu right now before the Lord. Otherwise, I will walk away right now, and you will never see me again. I mean it."

"Yeh can' be serious lass."

"I'm serious as a heart attack. Make your choice before I make it for you."

"Yeh just threatened me."

"Yeah, and I meant that too. He is my husband, and my allegiance is to him, as it should be. It says so in The Bible: 'Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." Stu stepped to stand beside her and put his arm around her waist. Shay gazed lovingly up at him.

Liam spoke up, "look, Dad, you know she is serious. She loves him, and he makes her happy. Look at her, she is willing to do all this for him. He isn't a bad guy, and he loves her. You need to give him a chance."

"Thanks Liam. You know what, to hell with this. Come on Stu, let's go home." Shay turned to leave, and Fionn stopped her.

"Ah'm sorry mo grĂ¡. Yeh are my baby. Ah just don' think he is good enough fer yeh."

"He is too good for me Daddy. I am not good enough for him. Do you know what I put him through? I cheated on him. He loves me enough to forgive me and marry me anyway. You have to give him a chance. I lost Mama, please don't make me lose you too." Shay started to sob, and Fionn wrapped her up in his arms.

"Don' cry love. Ah'm sorry. Ah will. Ah don' wan' ta hurt yeh. Please don' cry anymore."

Father Michael came out and asked what in the world was going on. Liam answered him "Just a little family drama Father. Everything is fine now."

"Sorry abou' yer neck. Ah will give yeh a chance, fer me daughter. Don' make me regret it."

Shay finally stopped crying, but she looked to Stu, "please take me home baby. I don't feel like being here right now."

"Of course love. Whatever you want."

Caoimhe hugged her "sweetheart, please stay. Don't let that old fool run you off." She whispered in her ear "I'm glad you made the right choice."

"Thanks Keevie. I really just want to go home though."

"Okay baby, but at least let us plan you a wedding reception. Are you planning on having a big wedding here to make it official?"

"It's already official. We were married by a vicar Keevie."

"Oh, I just meant legal. Don't you want a Catholic ceremony?"

"Not really. Our wedding was perfect. And legal too. You can do whatever you want. Our wedding was for us, no one else. I'm sorry. I just want to go home with my husband."

"Okay Shay. Call me later."

"I will. Come on Stu."

"Coming love." He looked over to Liam and offered his hand. They shook and Stu told him "thank you. What you said meant a lot."

"Look, just ignore my father. He is set in his ways. We are happy for you. I wish you would have waited, but that's not my choice. You see you take care of my sister."

"I will." Stu took Shay's hand and they walked back to the car. Stu opened her door and she climbed in. She was quiet, and he wasn't sure what she was thinking about. He knew she loved him and would stand by him, but he never expected her to threaten to kill her father for him. She never ceased to amaze him. He was glad he hadn't been on the receiving end of her temper much. He glanced over at her, and she looked like she was about to cry again. "Are you alright baby?"

She sounded defeated, but answered "yeah."

When they got home, she walked in the house and went and got undressed. She walked away from Stu when he tried to hold on to her. He didn't know where she was going, so he finished changing and followed after her. He called her but she didn't answer. "Shay? Baby where are you?" He walked in her music room and she was sitting on the floor crying, clutching a picture. He walked in and sat down with her. He didn't know what else to do so he pulled her into his arms. "Talk to me baby. You are scaring me."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes, with an expression that broke his heart. She only said two words as she handed him the picture "My Mama."

She started crying harder and Stu took the picture from her. "Ah love, it's alright."

"She wouldn't have let him act that way Stu. She would have been so happy for me. I miss her so much."

"Shhh baby."

"He had no right. None. Why did he have to ruin my happiness? Why can't he let me be happy? Mama would have loved you, you know. She loved the English accent. And she thought Brits were romantic, like they were all like Robin Hood and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. I still sometimes forget she is gone."

Stu held her tight and let her cry. There was nothing else he could do or say. He couldn't even imagine what she was feeling. He picked her up off the floor and carried her to the living room. "Baby, sit here, I need to make a call. I'll be right back." Shay nodded and he walked to the bedroom. He grabbed his phone off of the nightstand and dialed his mom. "Hello Stu!"

"Hi Mum. Look, this is going to be a shock, but I don't really have a lot of time to explain it. Shay and I got married while we were in the Bahamas. She just had a huge row with her father and she has spent the last hour crying in the floor because she misses her mum. I know you haven't talked to her yet, but believe me when I tell you I love her more than anything in my life and she is scared you won't like her. I really think it would help if you could talk to her. I know you can't be her mum, but maybe she needs a mother figure to talk to."

"Wow Stuart. Bless her. Of course I will talk to her. Take the phone to her love." Stu walked back into the living room and Shay was curled up on the couch.

"Love, someone wants to talk to you."

"Baby, I'm sorry, I am just not much in the mood to talk right now."

"Shay please. It's my mum. She wants to speak to you." Shay gave Stu a confused look, but took the phone from him. She spoke up timidly "Hello Mrs. Bennett."

"Sweetheart, call me Gail. We are family now I heard."

"Yes ma'am. I love your son very much. He has put up with a lot for me."

"He loves you. That much I know. He called me before he bought your Claddagh. I am very happy for the both of you. He told me that your father is not too happy?"

"No ma'am he isn't. But I really don't mind. Stu stayed by me and he is what I need. Your son is an amazing man. I am extremely lucky to have him."

"Well, he feels the same way. I have never seen him so in love before. And from what he has said, he feels lucky to have you as well. Things will all work out love. Is there anything you need?"

"No, we are good. I'm just not having a very good day."

"Shay, I know I could never take the place of your mother, nor would I ever try. But if you ever need me, for anything, even if it is just to talk, you don't hesitate to call me. I will love you like a daughter if you let me." Shay started to cry softly again, touched by her words. She wished her father had been that way with Stu.

"Thank you. So much. That means so much to me, you have no idea." Shay handed the phone back to Stu before she couldn't speak anymore.

"Yes, Mum, I will tell her. Love you too. Bye."

Shay threw her arms around Stu and climbed in his lap. He held her in a tight embrace.

"Thank you Stu."

"For what love?"

"For calling your mom. She is so sweet."

"I told you that she would love you Shay. And thank you for standing up for me to your dad, again. You surprise me."

"I will stand by you Stu. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. It is us against the world baby."