During (Billy)

Billy doesn't like neckties. But it's Rebecca's wedding day, so he's wearing one.

The ceremony was nice. Old Quil said all the right things, mostly Quileute traditions but with a few of the Christian vows. (At love, honor, and obey Leah and Sue had snorted simultaneously.) Bella cried (so had Charlie), Rachel smiled several times, and neither Jacob nor the groom's little brothers (one sixteen, one twelve) fidgeted too much.

And Rebecca glowed. Which made it annoyingly hard to hate Solomon Finar.

In fact, by the time Solomon had kissed Billy's oldest daughter and grinned with the most blissfully enthralled look, Billy had given up on rooting for a quick divorce.

All things considered... maybe it'll turn out okay after all.

And now he's settled comfortably at a reception table, eating grapes from the centerpiece, keeping his weight off his feet, watching most of the younger population of La Push giggle and dance to what he personally considers to be appallingly bad music but they seem to enjoy.

Charlie picks at the bow on the back of his chair. "What's with the mosquito netting?"

"It's called tulle," Harry says, sipping a glass of champagne.

"What's tulle?"

"That's tulle."

"The mosquito netting?"

"Yes."

Charlie gives Billy a confused look. Billy shrugs. "Damned if I know."

Harry shakes his head, then goes back to watching the crowd. Billy notices how his friend's observant eyes keep turning to Leah. She's tied the hem of her skirt almost up to her waist, and she's dancing with Sam Uley, who's home from college for winter vacation. He whispers something in her ear and she bursts out laughing.

"What do you think of that?" Billy asks bluntly. (Harry's been suspiciously quiet on the subject of Leah's boyfriend, though Sue's been ranting for months about the long-distance charges on their phone bill.)

"Leah seems happy. And Seth thinks it's a good idea. He's got a pretty good feel for these things."

"Uh-huh."

"But if that boy hurts my daughter I'll bury his body in the forest," Harry says mildly.

Both Charlie and Billy turn to look at him at that. Harry just takes another sip of his champagne.

Some Seattle friend of the twins' is dancing with Rachel. Rachel's got her hand on the girl's butt. Billy decides not to mention it until someone tells him what he should say, because whatever he comes up with on his own is bound to go horribly wrong.

Bella was only talking to the girls until Quil Ateara brought her soda and she started to giggle. Jacob was joking with Jared Cameron until Quil brought Bella a soda. He and Charlie's girl haven't spoken to each other all evening.

These kids. Except they're not really kids anymore.

"I don't recall giving anyone permission to grow up," Billy grumbles.

"Just wait. In a few years you might be a grandpa."

"I swear to God, Clearwater, I will shove this cane so far up your ass it'll break your teeth."

"I live with Sue, Billy. I'm immune to threats."

"Hey, guys?" Charlie interrupts. He's looking nervously across the dance floor. "What's with Solomon's mother?"

Billy turns to look. Judy Finar - early forties, divorced five years, stone-cold fox - is giving Charlie the eye from the other side of the room. And she's not being shy about it.

"Charlie," says Billy, "I know it's been awhile, but you can't have forgotten what a look like that means."

"Huh?"

"Jesus, Chief Swan. When a man and a woman love each other very much-"

Charlie instantly turns bright red, and as usual, Harry is the one to take pity on him. "Just go on over there. You'll do fine. I talked to her earlier, she's nice."

"And hot," Billy adds.

"Well, yeah- I mean, she is, but I don't- I haven't-"

Harry reaches over and pats Charlie's back. "Do you want me to have Sue talk to her for you?"

"No. We're not in high school anymore-"

"Exactly," Billy says firmly. "So man up."

Charlie glances back across the room at Judy. She smiles openly and gives him a little finger wave. "I... okay." And then Charlie finishes his champagne in one gulp, straightens his tie, and walks off like he's heading to his execution.

Billy glances at Harry out of the corner of his eye. "I haven't had time to talk to her. She really is nice, right?"

"Oh, yeah. She'll treat him just fine."

"Good. No more bitches."

"What do you take me for?"

"I take you for the guy who just called me a grandpa."

A slightly slurred voice interrupts: "I swear, you two bicker so much sometimes I forget I'm the one married to you, baby." Sue wraps her arms around Harry from behind, then leans down over the chair to kiss the side of his neck.

"Enjoying the champagne?" Harry's having a hard time keeping the smirk off his face.

"Mm-hmm. C'mon, let's get out of here."

Billy shakes his head. "You know there's about two hours left of this party, right?"

"Yes." Sue shoots Billy an evil, slightly drunken look. "Not that it's any of your business, but there's a perfectly decent coat closet right out in the hallway-"

"Forget I asked."

Harry allows himself to be pulled out of his chair and gives Billy a What can you do shrug. "Duty calls."

"Sure, sure."

On the other side of the room, Judy laughs at something Charlie has said, and he blushes and smiles in response. Seth is effortlessly flirting with one of the Littlesea girls. The little candles on the tables are keeping things bright even though it's after ten o'clock.

Sarah would have loved this.

And then Rebecca's standing in front of him, holding out her hand. Her dress is pinned up and she's smiling as happily as he's ever seen her. "Ready?"

"You bet." It takes a creaky moment, but Billy stands up and leads Beck out to the floor, because, after all, that's why he's been staying off his feet all day. He is damn well going to dance with his daughter at her wedding.