For the disclaimer, please see Chapter 1.

And so, the final part. I added the last paragraph of the previous chapter to make it flow better, don't think you're seeing things, it was done on purpose! So how will Stephen take the news? What will he think of his future son-in-law?

First Impressions

The kiss that followed was amazing, intense, passionate and filled with love. Walter hated to break it up, but from his stance at the kitchen window he could suddenly see Stephen Edwards' car was making its way up the drive, and he hardly thought the first impression Mr Edwards should have of what Walter was certain was going to be his future son-in-law, should be of him lip-locked with Miss Jennifer.

"Ah?" he tried, to no avail as the kiss continued.

"Miss Jennifer?" he tried again, with a bit more force behind it. "Miss Jennifer, you father is on his way up the drive!"

That seemed to get through, and the couple in front of him broke apart, breathless and wearing matching grins which morphed into a curious mix of worry and excitement.

"Pa?" Jennifer asked, "He's home?"

"Any minute," Walter said, watching as Stephen parked the car and got out. "And if you want to talk to him, I suggest – "

Jennifer turned to Jonathan, who still held her against his chest, arms wrapped loosely around her waist. "Jonathan I – would you mind if – I thought – " she paused, knowing what she wanted to say, but afraid of hurting his feelings.

"You want to talk to him first, alone, don't you?" Jonathan said, gazing down at her, a soft smile gracing his lips. "It's ok, sweetheart, I understand. I love you. I will always love you. If you want to talk to your dad by yourself, then I don't mind. The only thing that matters is the end result, you are going to be my wife and I get to be your husband. That's the most important thing to me. Now go," he said, turning her in his arms and aiming her at the doorway, a small kiss on her temple before he sent her on her way. "Love you"

"Love you too" she said with a smile, before glancing at Walter.

"I didn't hear a thing. Go and talk to your Pa" he told her, smiling back at her.

Stephen sighed as he took the keys out of the ignition, stretching slightly in his seat before getting out of the car. It had been a long meeting, productive but long. Thankfully lunch had made up for it, he was most definitely going to see if Walter could make that pie. As he moved towards the house, the front door opened and out stepped a sight that made him smile with pure happiness. Stephen adored his daughter. Strong, vibrant and very intelligent, he couldn't have asked for more.

"Jennifer, sweetheart! What are you doing here? I thought you were in London?" He said, wrapping her in a one armed hug as they stepped into the house.

"I was, but I'm home again. How was the meeting?" Jennifer said, her heart beating nineteen to the dozen as she thought about the news she was about to give her dad.

"Good, long, but good. Sweetheart, what is it?"

She sighed, he had always been able to see right through her. "Can we talk?"

"Jennifer?" Stephen asked, as she led him into his office.

"I'm fine, really I am, in fact I'm more than fine. I'm happy Pa. Really happy." Jennifer said, and Stephen relaxed as he saw the truth in her face. "I – " she stopped.

"What is it sweetheart?" he asked with a smile, loving to see his daughter happy, even if she was struggling to let him know quite why she was so happy.

"I met someone. His name is Jonathan, he lives in LA, he's a strong, kind wonderful man and I'm in love with him and he loves me too." Jennifer said, quite unable to stop the giddy smile appearing as she spoke about Jonathan.

Stephen felt his heart stop. The last time she had come to him about a man she'd met – no, he wasn't going to go there. It couldn't happen twice, not to someone as wonderful as his daughter. It shouldn't have happened even once, but Manning wasn't worth thinking about. He was nothing but a memory. Nothing. And this new guy that Jennifer was glowing about, he was nothing like Manning.

"It's serious then?"

"Serious?" Jennifer said with a question in her voice. Her heart was beating nineteen to the dozen. He seemed to be taking it well, but that was nothing compared to the news she was about to give him. Jennifer knew in her heart that marrying Jonathan was more than the right thing to do, she loved him with all of her heart and nothing had ever felt so right before. The fact that they had only known each other for a few days before he proposed and she accepted was nothing. If it was right, then it was right, and boy was this marriage right.

"Jennifer?" Stephen had stepped a little closer, watching the emotions that raced across his daughter's face. Happiness, nervousness, apprehension, happiness, giddy happiness and then as she came back from wherever – whomever – she had been thinking about, apprehension.

"Jennifer, sweetheart, what is it? This guy, you're serious about him? Jennifer, I only saw you two weeks ago, and you didn't say anything about this then – "he started.

"I know I didn't, and there's a reason for that." Jennifer interrupted, swallowing tightly.

"Sweetheart?" Stephen prompted.

"I hadn't met him then" she almost whispered.

Stephen's excellent hearing gave her no reprieve, however. "What did you say? You hadn't met him then? You've known this guy for less than two weeks and you're serious about him? You're in love with him and he loves you? Jennifer, you can't know that in such a short -

"We're getting married," Jennifer interrupted again, finding the courage in the face of her father's claims that she and Jonathan didn't know what they were feeling.

That most definitely stopped Stephen in his tracks for a good few seconds, before "You're WHAT?!"

The yell could be heard from the kitchen, where Jonathan had been hoping he had hidden his anxiety. He and Walter had spent the last ten minutes talking, getting to know each other and Walter was impressed. Despite obviously wanting to be standing beside Jennifer when she told her father, he had respected her wishes and stayed in the kitchen. He had hopefully hidden his glances towards the door, immersing himself into getting to know Walter and taking in the house she had grown up in.

Walter had gently given him the 'hurt her and you will regret it' speech, but hadn't really put any effort into it, knowing that Jonathan didn't have it in him to hurt the woman he so obviously adored, and so when Stephen's yell had drifted down the corridor, Jonathan had been outside his office door in a heartbeat, only just managing to stop himself from storming inside to get to her. Knocking once, he barely waited until he heard a yell of "what?!' before he opened the door.

For a second Jonathan's eyes met Stephen's, before he locked gazes with his fiancée. Moving to her side, he took her flushed face in gentle hands, silently sending her his support and love. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, before turning slightly to face Stephen, standing about half a step in front of Jennifer, in an unconsciously protective stance.

"My name is Jonathan Hart, and I am in love with your daughter. I'm – "he glanced back at Jennifer, smiling softly as she took a step to stand beside him, nodding, her hand warm in his as their fingers wove together. "We're getting married. I love her more than I ever thought possible and I know she loves me too. I – "

"Why?" Stephen broke in.

"Why? You mean why do I love her?" Stephen nodded, going round to sit at his desk, and waving them over to the sofa that sat off to one side.

Jonathan raised his eyebrows and grinned at Jennifer, who blushed slightly, having asked him that very same question only hours ago. Sitting down, he wrapped one arm around her shoulder before speaking to Stephen.

"There are so many reasons for loving her, but the most important one is because she's who she is. Jennifer is strong, intelligent, curious, passionate, stubborn – what?! "He grinned at her, wriggling away as she elbowed him in the side, before wrapping her in his arms again as he continued.

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, Jennifer is stubborn," his grin matched her resigned grin this time, "but she also has the biggest heart I have ever known. She stands up for what she believes in, and doesn't back away from anything if she thinks she's right, and when she isn't, she has the grace to admit it and move on. Jennifer is funny, astute and extremely creative. She's also incredibly beautiful with a smile that lights up your heart, eyes that a man would willingly fall into and hands that hold my heart. I love her, sir, for who she is and I will never try to change her in any way or do anything that hurts her if I can help it." Jonathan stopped, glancing down at Jennifer, who smiled and nodded at him as he turned back to Stephen.

"Sir, I know about Elliot Manning. I know what he did to Jennifer, and how he treated her. Believe me, if I ever meet him, well, let's just say that he should hope I don't meet him. She and I, we've talked, we've talked for hours and I know everything about her, and she knows everything about me." Unable to help himself, Jonathan ducked his head, claiming Jennifer's lips in a short but heartfelt kiss.

"Jennifer is my heart. She's my other half; she's everything I ever wanted in a woman, and more. I don't know how else to say it, except to say it again. I am in love with your daughter, sir, and we are going to get married with or without your blessing. Obviously it would be better with your blessing, and that would make Jennifer so much happier, but we are going to be married."

"Pa, please, I know it's only been a short time, but its right, Jonathan and me, we love each other and we are getting married. We haven't made any arrangements, or set any dates, but it is going to happen." She leant back into his embrace as he wrapped an arm around her, smiling up at him as he placed a soft kiss on her lips, followed by another cheeky little kiss on the tip of her nose, smiling as she laughed up at him.

Stephen had watched them the entire time, from his protective initial stance, his impassioned words about his daughter, to the way he held her, made her laugh and now as they both turned to him, identical looks of hope and the aforementioned stubbornness on their faces. He knew that this marriage would go ahead whatever he thought, and that things could only be better if he welcomed this man into the family. Jennifer was head over heels in love with him, that much was obvious, and it seemed that this Jonathan felt the same way, and heaven help him if he didn't, because Stephen felt himself smiling, standing and coming over to shake hands with his prospective son in law as he and Jennifer stood up.

Turning to his daughter, he gave her one last chance. "You're absolutely sure"

"Pa!" Jennifer started, before Stephen turned to Jonathan and held out his hand.

"Welcome to the family, son"