Disclaimer: Blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah, hey hey, not mine. :)

Author's Note: The song, "Butterfly Kisses" is copyrighted by Bob Carlisle. I'm just borrowing it to make people cry. :)

Dedication: For my dad, as always.

Claudia ran a comb through her cousin's long golden curls one last time before setting the delicate silver filigree wreath on Nicole's head. Nicole had opted, instead of a traditional veil with flowers, to wear the thin star-wrought silver band her father had made, with long creamy ribbons trailing down to her waist. Her sister Molly grinned as she waved her hand over Nikki's hair, casting tiny silver sparkles that caught in the light.

"There have to be some advantages to being an alien." She grinned.

Anna and Claudia slipped their arms about the two Guerins, and the girls gathered close, sharing one last hug.

Diane Evans snapped a picture with her camera, smiling at the sight. Her first granddaughter to get married. It seemed like all roads from the past led to this day, from the first fight Michael and Kyle ever got in, to when Sheriff Valenti had come to investigate the grease fire that her son had miraculously put out so long ago.

She looked at her four granddaughters, seeing a bit of their parents in each of them. Claudia's beautiful eyes, a warm amber gold at the moment, smiled her father's slow, understated smile. Anna, the tallest of the four, having inherited every bit of her mother's figure and grace, as well as her father's straight dark hair, danced her best friend Molly about the room, Alex's easy grin lighting up her perfect profile. Molly, with the trademark messy light brown Guerin curls and laughing dark eyes, smiled her mother's indulgent pixie smile on her father's sharply-chiselled face. And Nicole, the whirlwind, having inherited every bit of her parents' intensity and high energy, was standing in front of the mirror, totally and absolutely silent.

"Nik?" Maria's arms came around her daughter, resting her chin on Nicole's shoulder. Of the four Guerins, Nicole was the only one with her mother's flyaway blond curls. And since she'd let her hair grow out for the first time in her life, both of Nicole's grandmothers were reminded of another pixie-faced bride. But all of Diane's grandchildren had inherited their fathers' height. Even dainty Claudia had finally reached 5' 6, standing taller than both her mother and her Auntie Maria.

"I'm scared, Momma." Nicole's voice, an echo of Maria's own, trembled a bit. "What if...?"

Amy DeLuca came to stand beside her granddaughter, the same soft look lighting up three generations of heart-shaped faces. "If your mother survived it, you will too."

*click* One more picture for the walls of the Evans house, that seemed more full now that the children had moved on to lives of their own.

And there was a knock at the door. "Everyone dressed?" Michael's voice was unusually gruff.

"Come in, Daddy," Molly called back, and the door unlocked itself to admit the father and grandfather of the bride.

Philip still stood tall, his hair completely white. In Diane's eyes, he looked as handsome as the day she married him. He slipped his arms around his adopted granddaughter, kissing her forehead. "You look beautiful, Princess." He took all four of his granddaughters in his arms, leaving kisses on the top of each head. He looked at Michael, who stood, still clutching the doorknob, and then to Liz, Maria, and Isabel, all dressed in the same dark blue. "I don't know how you managed it, but the prettiest women on earth are all standing in this room."

"Daddy!" For a moment, Isabel was eleven again, tucking herself under her father's arm. Anna came to stand at her grandfather's other side, and once again, Diane was struck by how much her daughter and youngest granddaughter looked alike. Anna, the brilliant musician, who was studying at Juilliard, and Isabel, the most feared lawyer in Chaves County. Diane's eyes met Amy's and Nancy's across the room, and they exchanged smiles. Full circle. Three generations of Roswell women, celebrating love that came from the stars.

There was another knock at the door, and this time, it was Max who walked in. Her son was beaming with pride, even though it wasn't his daughter walking down the aisle. If it was, Diane knew that Max would look just as lost as Michael did.

And then, the words that made the dream become reality. "It's time."

A silent look passed around the room, and one by one, each kissed the bride before silently filing out. Finally, only Maria and Michael were left with the little girl they were about to give away.

"I love you, baby. Remember that if anything happens, just tell me, and I'll take care of it." For a moment, a flash of Hurricane DeLuca could be seen on Maria's face. And she kissed her daughter's flushed cheek, and with a meaningful look at Michael not to screw it up, left father and daughter alone.

They stood at the window together, shoulders touching, looking out at the night sky. Nicole had insisted on getting married in the backyard under the stars, so that 'both sides of the family could be here.' Candles lit up the backyard, shining like fairy stars in the trees, and lighting up the garden, where the rose-covered trellis waited.

"You sure you wanna do this, Nik? It's not too late..." Her father's voice sounded uncertain. "I mean, we can still leave. They need artists in New York." When she looked up at him, there was a trace of the old grin on his face.

She buried her face in his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I think I do, Daddy. I think I do." And she looked up at him, the same teary grin lighting up her eyes. "But I'll keep your offer in mind. We Czechoslovakians need to stick together."

He hugged her tight. "You belong to the earth and the stars, baby. Too bad they don't realize how lucky they are."

"There two things I know for sure:
She was sent her from heaven,
and she's Daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night,
she talks to Jesus and I close my eyes.
And I thank God for all the joy in my life,
but most of all for..."

Three year old Nicole, her tiny legs racing after the truck that her baby brother pushed away, grabbed it with both hands. She overbalanced, and fell, bursting into tears. "Bad truck!" she shouted, and the plastic toy exploded in her hands. Her wails filled the house and Michael scooped her up, quickly healing her small hands. And her sobs grew louder and louder as what she did sank in.

He remembered sitting with her on his knee, pointing up to the stars, and explaining that way up there, someone else lived who could do things like they could. And how those people had accidentally lost him and her Uncle Max and Auntie Izzy years and years ago, so they had to stay on earth. And he remembered how she had tucked her head into the hollow between his chin and shoulder, tears not yet dried on her pixie face, and feeling his smile crease her face against his cheek. "So we're special then, Daddy. Specialler'n anybody."

Michael looked at his daughter, offering her his arm, wondering how that three year old had turned into a woman behind his back. "C'mon, baby. It's almost time."

"Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
'Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride.'
'I know the cake looks funny, Daddy,
but I sure tried.'
Oh, with all that I've done wrong,
I must have done something right
to deserve a hug each morning
And Butterfly Kisses at night."

Nicole squirmed. "Daddy, that hurts! You can't do hair right like Uncle Alex does." Michael looked down at the mess he'd made of his daughter's pigtails, trying to straighten the lumpy braids.

"That's because your father's not in touch with his feminine side enough, Tinkerbell," Maria laughed, taking her husband's hands in hers and kissing each paint-stained finger.

And Nicole threw her arms around Michael's neck, giving him one of her smacking kisses on the cheek. "That's okay. He's my daddy and I love him anyway, cuz he's better at finger-painting than anybody--even stupid boogerhead Jamie Valenti."

And Michael remembered exchanging a worried look with his wife, wondering if this was how it had started all those years ago with an nine year old whirlwind named Maria DeLuca.

As they walked out the door, Michael straightened the ribbons that tangled up in his daughter's long curls. He repositioned the delicate crown on her forehead, noticing that it had slipped in typical Nicole-fashion. They stopped in the hallway, at the top of the stairs, and Michael remembered a night ten years ago when he had walked this same terrifying walk with his baby girl.

"Sweet sixteen today, She's looking like her momma
a little more each day.
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and makeup
from ribbons and curls.
Trying her wings out in a great big world.
But I remember..."

"You sure you wanna do this, Nik?" Her dad caught her by the hand as she stood at the top of the staircase. His dark eyes seemed sad for some reason.

She reached up, making the yellow paint that streaked across his nose disappear. "Yeah, Daddy. I am." And for a minute, she was a little girl in her daddy's arms again, hugging him harder than anything in the world. "You'll always be my dad. Always first in my life. You know that, right?"

He tugged lightly on one of her curls and the grin on his face matched hers. "You'll always be my favorite assistant." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead. "And if Valenti lays a hand on you, I'll make sure he never wakes up from his dreams."

"Daddy!"

She leaned against him for a moment, sharing that same flash of memory with him. "You're still first in my life, Daddy. You always will be." A soft smile lit up her face. "There's room in my heart for two men. He's the one to keep me anchored here, so that I don't get lost in the stars."

At least she'd found someone to remind her that there was a part of her that was human. He still thanked the lucky stars every day that he'd found Maria--that he'd remembered her and all she meant to him. "I just want you to be happy, baby." He kissed her temple, letting his lips rest against her cheek for a long moment, trying not to think of how much she looked like her mother.

Again, that gentle smile so full of love. "I will be, Daddy. If not, I'll let you beat him up."

"Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
'You know how much I love you, Daddy,
but if you don't mind, I'm only going
to kiss you on the cheek this time.'
Oh, with all that I've done wrong,
I must have done something right
to deserve her love each morning
And Butterfly Kisses at night."

"You're what?" The first and last major Guerin fight, only a two years before, when Jamie and Nicole had announced they were engaged. "You can't marry him. What if he...?" All the insecurities came rushing back--more than thirty years of fearing for his life, and the lives of those he loved. He knew this day would come, but he never thought it would be so soon.

"Mr. Guerin, I won't hurt her. You know that. You've known me my whole life, and my dad too. We're not..." In Jamie's blue eyes, he could see two previous generations of Valenti men. But in those eyes, he remembered all the times he had fled for his life, forgetting the two or three times those eyes had been his only friends, saving both his ass as well as those of the ones he loved.

"Daddy, he knows." His daughter's soft voice breaking the silence. She stood tall, her dark eyes burning with the same fierce passion that he saw so often in her mother's. Hurricane DeLuca rides again.

He knows. r a moment, the world spun out of control around him. His fists clenched, and he could feel the old buildup of power that he hadn't lost control over in years. The faces of his family around him: Guerins, Whitmans, Evanses, Valentis, Parkers, DeLucas--they all stared, comprehension dawning on most, others only stunned. And for the second time in his life, Michael lost control, and began to weep.

And thin arms came around him, as his daughter became the parent, holding him close. All of the old insecurities, all of the old fears... They'd hidden the secret for so long that even years later, it was still hard to forget.

"Michael...son..." Jim Valenti stood up slowly, his blue eyes as clear as they had been the day he saved Max's life, and gave them all the gift of trust.

And his daughter's voice, as gruff as his own: "Daddy, we're safe now. You know that. We can trust them. We have trusted them for years now. Jamie doesn't care where I come from. Just like Mama didn't care."

"But my baby...he's taking away my baby..." He never thought it would affect him this much. His little girl, marrying the son of the man he'd feared for so long. But Kyle had known for over a decade and still hadn't said a thing. And Jim Valenti was still one of their greatest protectors, even at the risk of his own job and reputation as former sheriff.

Her arms shook as she clung to him. "He's not taking me away, Daddy. He can never take me away. I'll always be here to be your assistant." And that smirky grin quirked across the soft mouth she inherited from her mother. "Besides, it would take years for you to train Molly. It's not like I'm going to another galaxy..."

They walked slowly down the stairs, Nicole's hand clinging tightly to his. He could hear flashes going off, and imprinted this memory into his mind so that he could paint it later. His eyes met Maria's from where she stood at the doorway, and he knew she was remembering the vision they'd shared ten years before of this very moment, their brightest star trailing glitter as she tripped down the stairs.

"All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Preciously butterfly
Spread your wings and fly."

They stood at the back door, and Alex's old band began to play the special march that Anna had composed. Michael heard his youngest daughter's golden voice soar over the silent crowd, hearing in the music an echo of the alien heritage as well as her human one. There was a soft, buzzing undertone that he recognized as the lullaby he, Max, and Isabel all vaguely remembered from before the crash.

"She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride room just staring at her,
She asks me what I'm thinking,
and I said, 'I'm not sure.
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl.'
Then she leaned over and gave me:"

And the tears began to slip down his cheeks as he prepared to let his daughter fly.

"Butterfly kisses, with her momma there.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
'Walk me down the aisle, Daddy,
It's just about time.
Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy?
Daddy, don't cry...'"

And they began to march as they had practiced, one slow step at a time. With each step, he could feel her flying farther and farther from his arms. From the look in Maria's eyes, glistening with the same suspicious teary shine, he could tell she felt the same thing. Max and Alex in their turns, blowing their noses, gave him similar sympathetic looks. They knew. They both knew that this was something they'd both have to face someday.

He stood at the altar, watching his bride to be drifting down the aisle. Only Jeff Parker on her left, and Alex Whitman on her right kept her from floating right off into space. Maria DeLuca had always danced to her own inner music, but today, her feet seemed to walk on air themselves. He could feel his old wise-ass grin stretching across his face at the thought that this bright fireball of intense vibrating energy was finally going to be his. But he didn't miss the look of loss on Mr. Parker's face. He made a silent promise to take care of Jeff's second daughter, just as he had years ago, when he'd taken Maria out on their first date...

"Oh, with all that I've done wrong,
I must have done something right
To deserve her love each morning,
and Butterfly Kisses..."

They finally reached the end of the aisle, and Jamie Valenti stood waiting, beaming like the proud fool he was. Michael couldn't help chuckling through his tears, knowing that his laugh sounded more like a wheezing sob. And James Andrew Valenti sent Michael Guerin the same silent promise to take care of the precious woman that was about to exchange hands. Michael knew it was a barbaric human custom, to give a bride away like this, but deep in his politically incorrect heart, he knew that Jamie would take care of his daughter. It was the 'look into my eyes soul-mate' look that they were giving each other.

And finally, the dreaded words.

"Who gives this bride away to be wed?"

At first, Michael couldn't find his voice. He opened his mouth several times, licking his lips, until Maria leaned over from where she sat, poking him in the butt. "The answer is 'I do,' cheesehead." And bittersweet tears trickled down her cheeks too.

"I do," he finally whispered, taking Nicole's hand in his one last time.

His daughter reached up, touching his face, creating that connection between the two of them, and sending him a pure stream of love that needed no words.

And he put her hand in Jamie's, smiling softly as the intertwined fingers began to glow softly.

He took his seat beside Maria, exchanging glances with his best friends around him. And as the ceremony went on, three pairs of interlocked hands began to glow too.

"I couldn't ask God for more,
Man, this is what love is.
I know I've gotta let her go,
but I'll always remember...
Every hug in the morning,
and Butterfly Kisses."

And as the minister pronounced the couple as husband and wife, Michael could hear his daughter's whispered chuckle. "Let's just hope nothing explodes."

And as the lips of the two soul-mates met, the heavens rained down shooting stars, exploding into cosmic confetti. And in the back of his mind, Michael heard the sound of a door opening, and the soft flapping of a dove's wings, flying up to the stars.

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