Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age

The child is grown, and puts away childish things.

Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Preface

Beau had endured more than his fair share of near-death experiences.

It wasn’t something one could ever really prepare for. He’d leapt from the frying pan and into the fire more times than he cared to count.

It seemed inevitable to face death again. Like he really was marked for disaster. Beau escaped Death’s clutches more than once, and yet, it kept coming back for him. At this stage in his life, he considered Death a close friend.

Still, this time was different from the others.

Beau could run from the monsters. He could take a swing at his enemies. The fight to survive, the will to live, was strong.

Living. It was the most human thing he could do.

But all of that went out the window with someone he loved. How could he run, how could he fight, when doing so would only hurt them both?

If Beau’s life was all he had to give, how could he not give it up?

No one is staring at you. No one is staring at you. No one is staring at you.

It was no use. Beau wasn’t that good of a liar, even to himself.

He should have been used to the attention by now.

His summer days always began in the same way: Beau would snooze his alarm clock, give Edward a kiss goodbye, then dress for a run.

It was three miles from his house to the local gym. On a good day, he could do that distance in twenty-four minutes.

Days like today made those minutes feel like an eternity.

Beau stopped at the intersection to pull the t-shirt over his neck. As he pressed the button for the walk signal, a familiar gaze bored into his back.

Beau didn’t have to turn around. He knew it was Mrs. Stanley. Again. She was right on schedule.

He supposed one could make the argument that she had to drive past the gym to get to work.

That might have made sense—before.

But Beau knew the invitations were mailed out weeks ago. Ever since then, the whole town seemed to be watching him. It was like being the new kid all over again.

The jig was up: Beau Swan and Edward Cullen were getting married right out of high school, and they didn’t even have a teen pregnancy to show for it.

It might have been the first gay wedding in the history of Forks. Edward refused to confirm or deny that fact, no matter how hard Beau pressed the issue.

The walk signal flashed white. Beau raced across the street, past Mrs. Stanley’s car, past the unseen eyes, until he reached the doors of the gym. Then he glanced at his watch.

Twenty-two minutes, a new personal best. All of the recent attention had only made Beau faster.

Soon he would be inhumanly fast. Faster than all of the Cullens combined.

One of his soon-to-be in-laws sat waiting for him in the reception area. Emmett was in gym rat character today, from the muscle tee over his chest to the newest Jordans on his feet. A protein shake—all for show, of course—was in his hand.

“Twenty-two minutes today. Trending faster.”

Beau accepted the shake and took a swig. “I try.”

The two made their way to the weight room. The pre-work lifters were long gone by now, so they had the place to themselves.

Emmett stood at the head of the weight bench as a spotter. He took his responsibility seriously, if only to maintain his cred around town. He certainly looked the part. Other gym regulars had finally worked up the courage for his help as of late, once they got over the subconscious instinct to run away from vampires. Emmett was all too happy to oblige.

“Still no luck convincing Edward to join us?”

“No,” Beau said through gritted teeth. “He hates the hive mind, you know that.”

Edward made attempts to explain the sensation of hearing hundreds of thoughts at once, to little success. The best he could do was compare it to standing near a hive of bees. Sometimes, the repetitive buzzing of so many thoughts drowned out his own. If high school was Purgatory, that made the gym Dante-style hell. The Ninth Circle, he liked to joke, was flying on an airplane.

Beau always melted a bit when he got around to describing heaven. Edward told him it could be found in their meadow, with Beau at his side.

“Let’s hope you don’t get a wacky gift after the transformation,” Emmett was muttering. “I can’t handle another freak in the house.”

The battle lines on this topic had already been drawn within the coven.

Edward, Alice, and Jasper (all gifted themselves) were confident a new power was about to emerge. Rosalie and Emmett took the opposite side, naturally. Carlisle, always the pacifist, refused to take sides. Esme wished for the three days of pain to pass quickly.

Beau shuddered at the thought of the burning, but his mind was made up. The ends would justify the means, he was sure about that.

“Had enough?” Emmett asked, watching him lower the bar to his chest.

“More weight.”

“You said it, Giles Corey.”

Beau took a breath. “You’re just afraid I’ll be stronger than you.”

“One year. Enjoy it, because after that, you’re cooked.”

An hour passed before Beau waved the white flag. It wasn’t until the two were walking to the parking lot that he realized this was the last time they would ever do this. Tomorrow was the day before the Big Day. Beau and Charlie had appointments at the barbershop and final fittings with the tailor.

They were officially out of time.

Emmett seemed to reach the same conclusion. For a moment, Beau thought he looked wistful. Before he could put a question into words, the vampire pulled him in an inescapable headlock.

“I’m going to miss training you. It’s been fun getting to know you better.”

“Good. I would hate to call off the wedding because one of the best men doesn’t like me.”

“I would only split this job with your dad,” Emmett grumbled, releasing him. “Anyone else could bite me.”

Asking Charlie to be his best man took away some of the sting brought on by the engagement. Still, it had not been an easy conversation at first.

“Stop fidgeting, Beau. Please try to remember that you’re not confessing to a murder here.”

“Easy for you to say.”

They listened to Charlie unlock the front door and step inside. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Beau felt like the audience at a horror movie, waiting for the inevitable jump scare.

“Hey, Charlie,” Edward called.

“No,” Beau hissed.

“What?”

“Wait until he hangs his gun up.”

Edward ran a hand through his tousled bronze hair, grinning.

Charlie came around the corner, still in uniform, still armed. He tried not to make a face at the two boys sitting together on the loveseat. It was part of his previously-expressed effort to like Edward more.

This revelation was going to bring it all crashing down.

“Hey, kids. What’s up?”

“We’d like to talk to you,” Edward said. “We have some good news.”

Charlie made a show of removing his gun and belt first. He set both down within an arm’s length, dropped into the armchair, then sighed.

“The last time I used those words, I was telling my parents I knocked up Renée. Obviously that’s not the case here, so, what’s the good news?”

There was a long pause. Beau realized the other two were waiting for him to say something.

Edward, gallant as ever, came to his rescue.

“Charlie, I realize that I’ve gone about this out of order. Traditionally, I should have asked you first. I meant no disrespect, but since we’re all men here, I thought, to hell with tradition. So, instead of asking you for his hand, I’m asking for your blessing. We’re getting married, Charlie. I love Beau more than anything in the world, more than my own life, and—by some miracle—he loves me that way, too. Will you give us your blessing?”

Edward sounded so sure, so calm. The resolve Beau felt in the meadow, his excitement over their next chapter, began to bloom again.

Charlie, to his credit, took it on the chin. Or he tried to, anyway.

“I guess I’m not that surprised. You’re sure about this?”

“I’m one hundred percent sure about Edward.”

Charlie shifted in his seat. It was obvious he was searching for reasons to deter them.

“Are you going to throw a joint bachelor party? How’s that going to work? You’re both underage.”

“Maybe we will. Are you planning to cuff me if I have a glass of champagne at the reception?”

Charlie looked like he was seriously considering it. He pressed on, determined.

“Getting married now, though? What’s the rush?”

Beau didn’t know how to answer those questions. To do so, he’d have to get into the deal he struck with Edward: first a wedding, then a vampiric transformation, with sex somewhere in between.

The minutes ticked by in silence. Edward finally cleared his throat.

“We’re going away to Dartmouth together in the fall, Charlie. I’d like to do that, well, the right way. It’s how I was raised.”

Edward wasn’t exaggerating. They were big on chastity at the turn of the last century.

Charlie’s expression shifted to one of concern. Beau could tell the real, hard-hitting questions were coming, the ones weighing on him the most.

“Are the two of you going to be safe? You’ve been a small-town bubble here, with people that know and love you . . . what happens when you’re walking down the street and some whackjob doesn’t like seeing two guys holding hands?”

Beau flinched at his words. Charlie did not know he had already been the target of a homophobic attack in Phoenix. It was just months before his move to Forks, months before meeting Edward. Months before Beau learned of the existence of vampires and all the complications that came with them.

The thought of further violence from humans never occurred to him. Not with Edward by his side.

“I’m not worried,” Edward assured Charlie. “You’ve seen my brothers. I learned from the best.”

The chief gave a reluctant nod.

“And our boy’s no slouch in a fight, either,” Edward continued, his eyes meeting Beau’s. “We’ll be smart about it. I’ll keep him safe, I promise.”

There was no doubting the conviction in his tone. Charlie nodded again. Then, to their amazement, he laughed.

“What?”

Charlie held up one hand, unable to speak. Edward had his lips pressed tightly together, like he was trying to hold back laughter himself.

“What?” Beau demanded. “Dad!”

“You want my blessing? You got it,” Charlie managed to gasp. “But you have to tell your mom! I’m not saying one word to Renée! That’s all yours!”

Beau remembered the dread he felt as he dialed her phone number. It was the ultimate doom: telling Renée he was getting married before the age of thirty. Marriage at a tender age was higher on her blacklist than boiling live puppies.

Who could have foreseen her response? Not Beau. Certainly not Charlie. Maybe Alice, but he hadn’t thought to ask her.

“Beau, I’m a little miffed you waited so long to tell me. Plane tickets get more expensive by the day. Oooh. Do you think Phil’s cast will be off by then? It will spoil the pictures if he’s not in a tux—”

“Back up a second, Mom,” Beau interrupted her. “What do you mean, ‘waited so long’? It only happened . . . you know, today.”

“Today? Really? That is a surprise.”

“How so?”

“Well, things looked pretty sewn up when you came to visit me, if you know what I mean. You’re not very hard to read, sweetie. But I didn’t say anything because I knew it wouldn’t do any good. You’re exactly like Charlie. Once you make up your mind, there is no reasoning with you. You stick by those decisions, too.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“All my anti-marriage stuff . . . that was about me. My mistakes and regrets. And look at me now, married again! You’re a completely different person than I am, Beau. Commitment was never your problem. My little middle-aged boy. Luckily, you seem to have found another old soul.”

Beau felt himself relax. His mother was more right than she would ever know.

“Does he make you happy, Beau?”

“Yes,” he said at once. “Deliriously so.”

“Then consider me one hundred percent onboard.”

And that was that. Renée, Esme, and Alice talked almost daily about the wedding. All three assured Beau that it would have the low key vibe he wanted. He doubted that was the case, but in the end, it was one day. He could get through whatever they had planned, as long as Edward was there.

Charlie, meanwhile, spent most of the summer stewing about the whole thing. He was counting on Renée to play the bad cop. When she didn’t, he had nothing to go on. Even his Lady Friend Sue (Charlie refused to call her his girlfriend yet, out of respect for Harry) worked up the courage to ask if she could bring Seth and Leah as her plus-two. Charlie stormed off in a huff.

Asking his father to be the best man was a peace offering. A gambit, really. Beau had another choice in mind, but considering how they left things, he expected Jacob to have no interest in anything to do with a wedding involving vampires.

It was a very warm night in July. The Mariners were losing to the Yankees and Charlie was grumpy about that. Beau wanted to catch him in a good mood, but with the game in jeopardy, the window of opportunity was closing.

“Dad?”

“Unbelievable,” Charlie was muttering. “It goes all the way up to the owners, I’m telling you.”

“Sure,” Beau nodded. “But I wanted—”

“I want a new GM. That’s what I want.”

“Dad!”

Charlie lowered the remote. “What?”

Beau stood up to block the television. The Mariners were a lost cause, but his relationship with Charlie was not.

“Look, Dad, I understand you aren’t too happy about this wedding. But you have to get over it. I need you to be there next to me. Not just as my father, but as my best man.”

Charlie was stunned. “You want me to be the best man? Really?”

“Yeah? Why not?”

“Well . . . no one’s ever asked me before.”

“Never?”

“Billy and Harry had a pact since they were kids, so no dice there. And God knows when Mark is going to find someone.”

Beau folded his arms. “Well, I’m asking you. So? What’s it gonna be?”

He watched his father struggle for a moment. It must have been lonely on the other side of this. Lonely to be the last holdout.

Beau suspected Charlie’s reluctance was masking a fear of change.

Beau could relate to that. Life had moved at the speed of light since he arrived in Forks. Now he was on the cusp of starting an eternal life, one that would eventually continue without his parents. He didn’t want to spend another minute of his human one in conflict with them.

“I’d be honored,” Charlie said after a beat. His voice seemed to be quavering.

“Good,” Beau said gruffly. “I’m glad.”

Charlie patted the couch cushion to his left. Beau took a seat next to him, pleased.

The Swans were men of few words, but in this gesture, they said everything.

“Beau? Earth to Beau?”

Beau shook his head. He must have zoned out during the ride; they were already back at his house.

“Alice is going to kill me. You can barely move.”

“I’m fine,” Beau insisted. “Thanks for the workout. I’ll see you—”

Emmett’s cell phone rang then. The toughest vampire he knew winced.

“Speak of the devil. Brace yourself for her wrath.”

Beau watched him bring the cell phone to his ear. The human facade was beginning to slip; Emmett talked at vampire speed, too fast for Beau’s ears. Whatever they were talking about, Beau would have to wait.

But even someone as practiced as Emmett could not control his expression. Whatever Alice was telling him, it was not good news.

“What’s going on?”

Emmett snapped the phone shut. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

“It’s Faye Brandon. She’s missing.”

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING MISSISSIPPI WOMAN

Family, friends, and law enforcement are still looking for a Mississippi woman who hasn’t been seen in a month. Faye Brandon, who was living in a Waynesboro nursing home at the time of her disappearance, maintained daily contact with her children and grandchildren.

When she did not call after a routine visit with her doctor, the family began to suspect the worst.

A spokesman confirmed Brandon was last seen by a staff member from her nursing home. He was questioned by investigators and later cleared of involvement in Brandon’s disappearance.

Brandon’s family is offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

Beau read the article three times. By the end of the third round, his brain still refused to accept the information.

Faye Brandon was missing.

How?

Why?

The elderly were known to wander away from their caregivers, Beau reasoned. Sometimes it was purposeful; other times they were simply confused.

But Faye Brandon was sharp as a whip. Lucid. He didn’t know her very well, but he was very sure about that fact.

Beau Swan was a lightning rod for supernatural disasters. He knew and accepted this about himself.

And thus his supernatural spidey senses were tingling off the charts. There was something to this disappearance, he just knew it.

Beau picked up the cell phone Edward had given him for emergencies and started to dial.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Seth, it’s Beau.”

“Oh, hiya, Beau! How are you?”

Spiraling, he thought. Desperate for reassurance. “Fine.”

“Calling for an update?”

“You’re psychic.”

“Hardly. I’m no Alice—you’re just predictable,” Seth joked.

“I know I am. Anyway, let’s get down to it. Have you talked to Jacob?”

“Not for a couple of weeks,” the younger boy admitted. “I don’t know if he’s coming back, Beau. I’m sorry.”

“I figured as much. Listen, I know this may be out of line, but can you get a message to him?”

“I don’t know . . . Jake was pretty firm the last time we spoke. He wants to be on his own for a while. I can’t see him going to the wedding.”

“No, no,” Beau said impatiently. “Forget the wedding. It’s something else.”

“All right—shoot.”

“Tell him Faye Brandon is missing. He’ll know what that means.”

“Is ‘Faye Brandon’ code for something?”

“Um . . . yeah, okay. Seth, please, it’s really important.”

“Sure, sure. I wrote it down. I’ll tell him, I promise.”

“Thanks—I owe you one. Well . . . I guess I’ll see you at the, ah, wedding.”

“Looking forward to it.”

Beau hung up and returned to the computer. A refresh of the webpage yielded nothing; the article from before remained static. No new information.

Beau glanced at the window; Edward was due to come through it any minute. He would have something comforting to say.

Still, Beau was on edge. The last time humans started to go missing, vampires were the ones responsible for it.

Was it out of line to think they were involved in this disappearance, too?

Chapter Text

“I miss you already.”

“I don’t need to leave. I can stay . . . ”

“Mmm.”

The boys stopped talking for a few minutes. Talking was a waste of time with Edward in his bed.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that Edward was a vampire. He made it seem like kissing Beau was no big deal.

Yet Beau knew that his blood was a temptation for Edward. That the smell of it still caused him pain. A pain that burned like fire in his throat.

Beau opened his eyes to meet Edward’s. He still couldn’t believe his luck, even after all this time.

Their gazes locked. Beau felt he could see straight through to Edward’s soul. That soul enchanted Beau more than his mind or body ever could.

Edward was looking back at him as though he could see Beau’s soul, too. As if he liked what he saw there.

Edward couldn’t see into Beau’s mind, though. Not the way he saw into everyone else’s. No one—Beau included—knew what caused this strange glitch in his head.

Whatever caused the glitch, Beau was thankful for it. The alternative was too embarrassing to consider.

He pulled Edward back in for a kiss.

“Definitely staying.”

“No, no. It’s your bachelor party, you have to go. Besides, I had mine this afternoon.”

Edward propped himself up on one elbow. “I don’t know if going to the barbershop with your father qualifies as a bachelor party.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. We both had a beer at lunch afterwards.”

“From my understanding, bachelor parties are about . . . entertainment.” Edward’s hand disappeared under the blanket that covered them both. “There’s plenty of entertainment to be had here.”

Beau shivered. It was from more than just the temperature. Edward ignited things in him the way no one else ever could.

“Cold?”

“I’ll adapt,” Beau breathed, but before he could kiss him again, Edward sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Apparently my brothers are not going to let me bow out tonight.”

Beau clutched him closer for a second before letting go. He didn’t have a prayer of winning a tug-of-war with Emmett. Not yet, anyway.

“Have fun.”

There was a squeal against the window. Someone was scraping their steel nails across the glass to make a horrible, cover-his-ears, goosebumps-down-his-spine noise. Beau shuddered.

“If you don’t send Edward out,” Emmett—still invisible in the night—hissed menacingly, “we’re coming in after him!”

“Go,” Beau laughed. “Before they break my house.”

Edward was on his feet in one fluid movement. Beau watched him scoop up his shirt from the floor, feeling just slightly put out. It was a shame to see him cover up, but nice to watch him walk away.

“How are your feet?” Edward asked when their eyes met again.

“Toasty warm.”

“Really? No second thoughts? It’s not too late to change your mind.”

Beau grinned. “Are your feet cold?”

“Not in that sense. I’ve been waiting a century to marry you, Beau Swan. The wedding ceremony is the one thing I can’t wait—”

“Come on!”

Edward leaned down to kiss Beau one last time. Then he sank into a crouch and launched himself out the window too swiftly for human eyes to follow.

Outside, there was a muted thud. Emmett cursed.

Beau went to the windowsill. “You’d better not make him late.”

Jasper’s face appeared as if from nowhere. “Don’t worry, Beau. We’ll get him home in plenty of time.”

Beau felt calm then. All of his worries seemed unimportant now. Jasper was, in his own way, as talented as Alice with her uncannily accurate predictions.

Jasper dealt in moods, not the future, and resistance to his influence was futile.

“What do vampires do for bachelor parties, anyway? Are you taking him to a strip club?”

“Don’t tell him anything,” Emmett growled from the ground. There was another thud, followed by the sound of Edward’s laughter.

“Relax,” Jasper told him. Beau obediently did just that. “We Cullens have our own version. A few mountain lions, a couple of grizzly bears. You know, the ordinary night out for us.”

“Well, enjoy yourselves.”

Jasper turned to leave. But then his name burst out of Beau’s mouth like an explosion.

“What is it?”

“Have you guys heard anything? You know . . . about Faye?”

Jasper’s expression softened. “No, nothing. I’m sorry, Beau. We’re doing everything we can.”

“Do you think we should go looking for her? I want to help.”

“It’s not necessary. We hired private investigators—both human and vampire. Don’t worry. We’re covering all of the bases.”

“Okay. Thanks, Jasper.”

He winked and dropped out of sight.

Beau went back to bed and tried to get comfortable. It was easier said than done; Charlie’s snores were audible through the walls.

Beau thought about returning to The Merchant of Venice, but it was sealed and packed away in a box bound for Dartmouth.

His eyes shifted to the computer on his desk. Unlike his books, the computer would remain here. It did not go gently into the good night; Beau had crashed it earlier visiting websites of ill repute. All for research purposes, of course.

It was then that he realized something: tonight was his last night in this room.

In twenty-four hours, Beau and Edward would be on a plane to Chicago for their honeymoon.

Beau let his mind hover on that topic for a while. He expected sleep to take him, but when it didn’t, anxiety snuck back into his stomach. The bed felt too soft, too warm without Edward in it. Jasper had gone away, and all the peaceful, relaxed feelings had gone with him.

Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.

Beau was aware that most of his fears were stupid. Premarital jitters were to be expected. Attention was an inevitable part of life.

He had to get over himself.

The good news was that he wouldn’t be standing alone at the altar. Edward would be up there with him. Charlie and Emmett, too.

And he could not forget about his officiant.

“Um, I think you’re asking the wrong Weber.”

Beau and the golden retriever he was petting shared a glance. He’d offered to help Angela at the animal shelter with this question in mind, but so far, the plan was off to a shaky start.

“I want you to officiate my wedding, not your dad.”

“Beau, please,” Angela begged. “You know that public speaking is my biggest fear realized.”

“Weddings are my biggest fear and I’m still going through with one. Come on, Ang. Please?”

Angela shoved a handful of bowls in his direction. Together, the two went up and down the corridor, until every dog had something to eat.

Angela was still frowning when they returned to the front desk.

“Are you sure you want me to do this? Why not . . . Alice? Or Edward’s dad?”

Beau sighed. He couldn’t even begin to explain the whys to Angela.

There were days he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her that magic was real, that vampires and werewolves stalked the night, and that life was much crazier than it seemed.

Beau couldn’t tell her any of it. The world of vampires had one law: keep the secret.

Keeping the secret was more than an action, it was a lifestyle. It meant being inconspicuous. Moving on before humans suspected they weren’t aging. Sometimes, the lifestyle required steering clear of humans altogether.

If he wanted to join their ranks, Beau would have to obey this rule to the letter.

“Edward and I are getting married,” he said at last. “Most of us are moving out of Forks for school . . . so, a lot of things are changing. I want some things to stay the same. One of those things is our friendship.”

“Oh no,” she moaned, covering her head in her hands. “Not the friendship card!”

“Drastic times call for drastic measures. Sorry.”

“Okay, okay,” Angela sighed. “I’m in.”

Beau had thrown his arms around her and squeezed. It was important to have another normie up there, especially when Forks was about to be overrun with vampires, again.

The Denali clan was due to arrive sometime before the ceremony.

It would be touchy to have Tanya’s family in the same room as Billy Black and the Clearwaters. The Denalis were no fans of the werewolves. In fact, Tanya’s sister Irina wasn’t coming to the wedding at all. Ever since she learned what happened to Laurent, Irina wanted nothing to do with Beau, the Cullens, or anyone from La Push.

It was enough of a problem that her clan felt it was inappropriate to join the Cullens in the fight against the newborns. Not with one of their own in torment.

That was all over now. According to Carlisle, Tanya and the others felt a deep sense of guilt for their defection. A truce with the werewolves was a small price to pay for the past.

That solved the bigger problem. The small problem was Tanya herself.

Beau would have been happy to live in ignorance about her for eternity.

His soon-to-be sister-in-law had other plans.

Alice and Beau were at a meeting with the caterer in Port Angeles. Alice couldn’t sample any of the hors d'oeuvres so Beau had to try everything. It helped that he could eat a lot and still be hungry.

It didn’t help that she was designing a menu meant for the Palace of Versailles.

“Ew. Take that one off the list.”

“You don’t like it?” Alice asked. “It’s venison.”

He grimaced. “Gross.”

“You’re going to be eating a lot of venison soon, you know. If you catch my drift.”

“I caught it. Cross it off the list.”

“You’re grumpy today,” Alice giggled. “Is it because of the latest RSVP?”

“The Denali clan? So what? I thought you already saw them coming.”

It was a testament to their relationship that he spotted the attempt to control her expression. Beau was instantly suspicious.

“No reason. Forget I said anything.”

“Don’t make me put venison on the list,” Beau warned. “None of the humans will like it, and you’ll never live it down.”

The idea that one of her events would fall flat was enough to stop her cold. Alice let out a long sigh.

“He’s going to kill me for telling you this. Okay. Well, a while ago—like, before your dad was born—Tanya made a play for Edward.”

Beau couldn’t help but imagine that moment in time. Edward always said he didn’t know that he was gay until he met Beau . . . how far did it go between them, exactly?

“It was nothing,” Edward said impatiently later that night. “Tanya expressed a little interest. I let her know, in a very courteous, gentlemanly fashion, that I did not return that interest. End of story.”

“How come you never said anything?”

The vampire shrugged. “It was decades ago. I didn’t think it mattered.”

Beau frowned. He felt as though this should have come up before now. They were getting married, after all. The two were meant to share everything, both the good and the bad.

And then Beau remembered all the times Edward read Jacob’s mind. He remembered all the ways he hurt Edward in the past year.

“Well . . . I don’t have a leg to stand on, in that regard,” Beau admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” Edward chuckled. “You’re quite adorable when you’re jealous.”

In other words, Beau would just have to deal with it.

Beau wasn’t sure when the memory of that conversation became a nightmare. One moment it seemed like Edward was teasing him, and in the next second, Beau was standing alone in a gray, barren field.

A burnt smell hung in the air.

Beau noticed a huddle of figures standing across the field. They seemed to be gathered around something.

Beau was curious. He walked for what felt like hours to reach the group. By the time he drew level with them, he realized they were wearing cloaks.

This fact should have terrified him. The figures in cloaks could only belong to the Volturi, and here he was, still human. If they shared that information with their masters, Beau and the Cullens would be in danger. Again.

But Beau knew, as he sometimes did in dreams, that he was invisible to them.

Smoking heaps were scattered about the field. Beau detected the sweetness in the air and decided against examining the mounds of flesh. He had no desire to see the faces of the executed vampires.

Beau was afraid he would recognize one of them.

The Volturi soldiers were standing in a circle, whispering amongst themselves. Whatever or whoever they were talking about had clearly angered them in some way.

Beau crept up behind the group to investigate. At last he saw the object of their ire. A person stood on a little hillock at the center of the circle.

The vampire was tall and dark-haired. His skin was as white as the moon.

Beau felt his jaw drop.

He was the vampire in the center of the circle.

He realized a moment later that Vampire Beau wasn’t standing on a hill.

The vampire stood on a pile of drained and lifeless human bodies.

It was too late not to see their faces. Beau knew them all—Angela, Ben, Jessica, Mike . . . and there, directly at the feet of his counterpart, were the bodies of his parents.

The eyes of both Beaus finally met.

When Vampire Beau’s lips drew back into a smile, his teeth were red with blood.

Beau staggered back. If he could get away from Vampire Beau, he could pretend it was all a bad dream, not a hideous premonition of his future.

Beau collided with one of the cloaked vampires in his haste to escape. When the soldier pulled back his hood, Beau felt the ground drop out from under him.

It was Edward.

“No,” Beau whispered.

There were too many horrors to count. The sight of Edward in a Volturi cloak was at the top of the list.

The red-eyed Edward said nothing in reply. He crossed the field to meet the Vampire Beau, who greeted him with a bloody kiss.

Beau couldn’t help but watch them. The two kissed with abandon. They kissed without fear of hurting the other.

Beau was hypnotized by the sight.

In mere moments, the two were naked. Vampire Beau kissed a path down Edward’s chest, leaving bloody smears in his wake. Edward shuddered as Vampire Beau took his cock in his mouth.

Both Beaus trembled with pleasure at the sound of Edward’s ragged moans.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?”

Beau recognized that voice from his other nightmares.

Aro took Beau’s hand in both of his and sighed. His red eyes were bright with fervor.

“I so look forward to seeing the new you in person.”

Chapter Text

Beau’s eyes flew open.

The sky outside was as gray as the field from his dream. He realized it was not yet dawn.

The bed was warm, and yet, Beau shivered.

He hoped the nightmare was the result of an interrupted sleep schedule. Much of his summer passed by in an orderly fashion; last night had been a one-off. He would have to plan for enough rest, especially with college and all-nighters looming.

His sleep would also be interrupted for other reasons. That he didn’t mind so much.

The only way to tackle this anxiety was to do something else. Beau took a shower then hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. By the time his father ambled into the room thirty minutes later, a stack of fresh pancakes sat waiting for him.

“Is this all for me?”

Beau watched him spear two pancakes and guide them onto his plate. “Yeah.”

“You should eat something, Beau. You’re white as a sheet.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Jeez, you’d think today was your funeral, not wedding,” Charlie said as he covered his plate in maple syrup. “Let’s make a deal: get some of this food down, then I’ll give you a present.”

Beau reluctantly picked up his fork. When he’d eaten enough to satisfy his father, the elder Swan stood up.

“Wait here.”

Beau listened to his footsteps on the staircase. It sounded like Charlie had gone into his bedroom.

Beau took their dishes to the sink and washed them. He was wiping down the table when his father returned.

There was a well-worn box in his hands. When their eyes met, Charlie was smiling.

“I’m sure Alice is going to kill me for this, but I’ve been thinking about it, and I’m putting my foot down.”

“You of all people going against the General? This must be a big deal.”

Beau opened the box. He found a vintage bow tie and pocket square inside. Both were made of dark blue silk.

Beau ran his fingers over the fabric for a moment.

His father was watching him. “Do you like them?”

“I love them,” Beau said quietly. “Where did they come from?”

“They belonged to your Grandpa Swan. He wore them on his wedding day. He wanted me to do the same when I married your mom, but they had fallen out of style by then. At the time, I thought they were kind of old-fashioned.”

“I like old-fashioned things,” Beau told him, beaming. “Thanks, Dad.”

There was a brisk tapping on the front door. Both of them jumped in surprise.

“Bring the good old bugle, boys,” Charlie mumbled.

Beau went to answer the door, chuckling.

Alice’s short black hair was not in its usual spiky do. Today it was smoothed into sleek pin curls around her face. She looked beautiful—Alice always did—but pissed off, too.

It was clear she knew all about her nickname and the recent change in wardrobe. But there was no way to indicate that without making Charlie suspicious. She chose to smile in greeting instead.

“Hey, Charlie. I’m here to pick up the groom. Well, one of them.”

“Sure thing, Alice.”

“See you in a bit, then,” Beau said over his shoulder. He knew Sue would be over soon with Seth, Leah, and Billy in tow. The five of them were planning to drive to the ceremony together.

Something about that saddened him. He acknowledged it was selfish to think that way. Beau should have been happy Charlie would be looked after in his absence. And yet, the sadness lingered.

Alice scanned his face as he climbed into the Porsche.

“Oh, hell. Look at you. What did you do, stay up all night?”

His thoughts went to the nightmare: the vampire version of himself and Edward. The kissing, touching, and moaning. Embracing in a way they never could before.

Part of him longed for their freedom. Their passion. The other part of him was terrified of the risks, both physically and emotionally.

“Almost.”

“At least you’ll have plenty of time to sleep on the plane.”

Beau didn’t think so. Once the brouhaha of the wedding was over, he expected the anticipation of the next part to keep him as wired as an electrical panel.

“Is Edward home yet?”

“Don’t worry, he’ll be there. But you don’t get to see him until the music starts, anyway. We’re doing this the traditional way.”

“Traditional? Hardly.”

“You put me in charge of the planning, Beau,” Alice reminded him. “Now, be a good soldier and listen to your general.”

The two shared a grin before speeding away.

Thanks to the Porsche, they were soon turning down the drive to the Cullen house in no time at all. It was once again wrapped in hundreds of thousands of twinkle lights.

“I see you’ve decided to reuse the graduation party decorations.”

“Waste not, want not.”

“Whoa,” Beau said later as they made their way through the house. “What is that smell?”

Alice stopped in her tracks. “Is it too much? You’re the first human in here; I hope I got it right.”

“It’s great, Alice. Really.”

Dozens of flowers were tucked into every nook and cranny of the first floor. All of them worked together to create an intoxicating scent.

“I smell . . . orange blossoms. And lilac. Am I right?”

Alice turned to lead him up the stairs. “Very good, Beau. You only missed the freesia and the roses.”

Their path ended in Carlisle’s office. This room was one of Beau’s favorites in the house. The decor and bookshelves created a soft, cozy feeling.

It might have been part of Alice’s plan. His pulse was already starting to slow down.

“See? Not so scary.”

“Not yet,” Beau replied, eyeing the garment bag slung over the desk.

“Maybe this will help.”

It was Rosalie. Beau watched her glide into the office with a paper bag tucked under one arm.

“Hi, Rosalie.”

“Hi, Beau. I brought this for you.”

Rosalie held out the bag like it contained nuclear waste. Beau took it. He glanced down at the logo, then back to her.

“This is from La Bella Italia. You went all the way to Port Angeles for spaghetti?”

“Esme said it’s your favorite,” Rosalie shrugged. “And I could hear your stomach growling from the driveway, so eat up. You’ll feel better.”

The women flitted in and out of the room while he ate. Beau did feel better once the pasta was all gone. After Alice confirmed he was free of marinara sauce, he swapped his street clothes for the tuxedo.

“Very dapper,” Rosalie commented as he adjusted the bow tie. “Is that the one you picked out, Alice?”

“No,” Beau told her. “It was my grandpa’s.”

“It’s lovely.”

“Oh my goodness! Is that my son, or a movie star?”

Renée had flown in two days ago. Beau spent every minute he could with her—every minute he could pry her away from Esme and the decorations, anyway. She seemed to be having a blast here.

He felt bad for doubting her.

Beau smiled. “Hey, Mom. You look great.”

“Thanks, sweetie. How are you feeling?”

“He’s nervous,” Alice chimed in.

“Oh, don’t be,” his mother said. “When you get up there, and it’s right, all the nerves go away.”

The other two were nodding behind Renée’s back. Then Alice glanced at the clock.

“It’s about that time, Renée. Rose, will you get the music going?”

“Good luck, Beau. Don’t let him trip, Mrs. Dwyer.”

Beau made a face as she swept from the room. Alice winked and scurried after her sister.

“I won’t let that happen, I promise.”

Beau offered his arm in reply. His mother’s eyes were already filled with tears. They descended the stairs together to where Charlie and Phil were waiting for them.

“Are those cigars?”

Both men flinched at the sound of her voice.

Beau tried to take the bullet for them. “Mom, it’s a guy thing. It’s what we do at celebrations.”

“All right, fine. Can you at least wait until after the ceremony? Alice worked very hard to make this place nice. I would hate for it to smell like smoke.”

That seemed like a fair enough compromise. Phil kissed Renée then left to find his seat.

Beau was alone with his parents at last.

He couldn’t remember the last time this happened. Maybe when he was laid up in the hospital in Olympia, but that was over a year ago, and the moments were deliberately brief.

It was only a little awkward. Rosalie must have anticipated this, because soon the music changed. Beau knew that was their cue.

Charlie and Renée stood on either side of him. He glanced to his left, then his right.

“If I haven’t already told you today, I love you. Thanks for being my parents.”

Both of them squeezed his arm in reply. Then the three moved in sync toward the swell of music.

The backyard was alive with flowers and people. Alice had outdone herself.

Everyone was on their feet to see both grooms and their parents.

This was the latest compromise in a series of compromises. Beau wanted to go to the altar first and get it over with. Edward said since he was the first one to propose, he should be the first one standing there.

Esme, with all the patience of a mother, was the one to flip a coin.

Carlisle stood there to make sure Edward didn’t cheat. In the end, it was his idea for everyone to walk to the altar together, as a group.

Beau was grateful for his suggestion. It felt like the true merging of two families.

Carlisle and Esme, pale and beautiful, were beaming as they walked with their son between them.

Edward was—as always—resplendent.

Both sets of parents slipped away once Beau and Edward held hands. When they turned to face Angela, Beau realized he wasn’t the only one who was nervous.

Angela held her own, however. She didn’t need a piece of paper to remember the vows she heard her father recite a hundred times before. Beau knew Mr. Weber was somewhere in the audience, no doubt bursting with pride at Angela’s performance.

There were just two departures made to the traditional vows. The first—and obvious—was to change “husband and wife” to “husband and husband.”

The second was to “‘till death do us part,” which became the more appropriate vow of “as long as we both shall live.”

Beau felt as though his world was finally settling into the proper position. It was silly to dread this moment, because now, as Edward’s shining triumphant eyes stared into his own, Beau knew he was winning, too. Nothing else mattered.

“I do,” Beau managed to say. He was overcome with emotion at these binding words.

When it was Edward’s turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious.

“I do.”

There were tears in Angela’s eyes when she declared them married. When Beau drew back from Edward, all he could see was a deep joy that echoed his own.

The guests erupted into applause when the couple turned to face them. Beau squeezed Edward’s hand once before releasing it to accept a hug from his sobbing mother. He was then guided from embrace to embrace, only vaguely aware of who held him at any given time.

Edward was close behind and accepting hugs of his own. Marrying Beau seemed to finally make Edward approachable to the humans who knew him.

Beau felt his shoulders relax under the newfound mantle of a married man. He understood assigning maturity to marriage was stupid—the entire Las Vegas wedding industry would collapse if that suggestion was true—but he felt a change in himself nonetheless.

Today codified what he already knew.

He and Edward would be together forever.

Beau then found himself in the middle of a scorching hug. He pulled away to see a grinning Seth Clearwater.

Beau grinned back. He was touched that Seth had braved the throng of vampires to stand in for Beau’s lost werewolf friend.