This is my first attempt at a SongFic. It wasn't ever really something I thought I would attempt but this song has been all over my tiktok FYP and has gotten stuck in my head. It felt very Bade to me so I figured I would give it a shot...and here we are. I hope you all enjoy. The song is linked on my profile.


You swear that you're staying single...

"This is all a bit much, don't you think?" Twenty-two year-old Beck Oliver remarks to his father

His older cousin, Justin, has just gotten married. They flew back to Canada to attend the ceremony, and although right now he thinks weddings are sappy and stupid, he was grateful to get a few days off from his classes at Northwestern.

"Not at all." His father, James, shakes his head as he takes a sip from his beer bottle "If you had been at your Aunt Tracy's wedding back in the day, you would know that this is nothing close to over the top."

"Not what I meant." Beck shakes is head "I mean the whole ceremony to dedicate yourself to one person for the rest of your life. Throw the huge party, spend all the money, ask people to take all of this time out of their lives...only to probably get divorced in ten years time anyway."

"Woah..." James chuckles a bit as he turns to face his son more directly "Where did that come from?"

"Where did what come from?"

"You're anti-marriage now?"

"I guess so." Beck shrugs "I dunno...it just seems like a waste of time."

"Does this have anything to do with Emily?" James asks his son

Beck and Emily had started dating when they were in high school, and only broke up about two months prior during the fall of their final year of college. It hadn't come as a surprise to James or his wife, Priya; Beck was at Northwestern in Chicago and Emily was at FSU in Tallahassee. They didn't see each other much anymore, and they were both meeting new people, taking their lives in very different directions...and Emily had been the one to suggest that they break up. Beck took it hard, but neither of his parents thought he took it hard enough to swear off ever getting married.

"It might." Beck shrugs "I dunno...like I said, I just don't really see the point."

"Give it time." James suggests "You might change your mind."

"I doubt it."

"We'll see."


Next thing you know
You meet a girl at a bar...

"You're new here!" A voice next to Beck says

Well, more like yells. The music in the crowded bar is rather loud and it would be hard to hear anyone talking at a normal volume.

Beck turns to see a girl he has to assume is around his own age smiling at him. She has brown hair that falls perfectly around her face, and he immediately notices her gorgeous blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, what?" He yells back to her

"I said, you're new here!" She repeats, almost laughing "God, it's fucking loud in here!"

"I go to Northwestern!" Beck tells her, again he feels like he has to scream to be heard "We don't come downtown that often!"

Northwestern is about a half hour north of Chicago in a suburb called Evanston. There are plenty of bars around the area, but every once and a while Beck and his friends like to go into the city just for a change of scenery. It's more expensive and more crowded, which is why they don't do it very frequently.

"What's your name?"

"Beck!" He yells "Your's?"

"Jade!" She tells him with a smile "S'nice to meet you!"

"You too!" He nods "Are you here with anyone?"

"Just a few friends!" She responds "You?"

"Same!" He smirks "Can I buy you a drink?"


And next thing you know
You get her laughing
It's 2 a.m...

"I don't know if I could have stayed in there any longer..." Beck admits as he holds the door open for Jade "It was so fucking loud."

"You must be getting old." Jade chuckles as they enter the restaurant and get in line "I didn't think it was that bad. The music has to be loud if you want to dance."

"Maybe it wasn't..." He shrugs "But it was definitely too loud to have a conversation. And I'd rather be talking to you than dancing right now anyway."

From the minute they introduced themselves at the bar, there had been an instant connection, an instant spark. They both knew they wanted to get to know each other better but as Beck had voiced, it was much too loud. They decided to leave after they finished their drinks, with Jade leading the way. It's just after midnight when they order food from the hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant down the street from her apartment, and once they've sat down to eat they're talking like they've known each other for their entire lives.

Beck is studying drama at Northwestern, Jade is studying English with a concentration in Creative Writing at UIC. They both want to work in the entertainment industry one day, Beck in front of the camera and Jade behind it. They both have so much in common already, and they've only known each other for a few hours. Both of them are disappointed when the manager tells them that it's close to closing time, and that they need to leave.

"Shit, it's almost two." Beck is surprised when he looks at his phone "I didn't even realize how much time had passed."

"Me either." Jade admits "Your buddies are probably looking for you."

"Let 'em keep looking." Beck smirks "Can I walk you back to your place?"

"S'not that far, I'll be okay." Jade insists "Don't look at me like that, it's literally up the street."

"So it won't take me that long to go with you." Beck assures her "I'll have my uber pick me up out front. What's the address?"

He doesn't want her to think that he's only interested in sex, because he's not. While it would be a nice bonus, he really only cares about making sure that he gets to see this girl again. So, he walks her back to her dorm, and she's right...it's less than two blocks from the restaurant they had been at. She stands with him while he waits for his uber to show up, and they're both disappointed when it finally does.

"Thanks for spending time with me tonight." Beck turns to face her "I had a lot of fun."

"Me too." Jade admits, biting her lip "We should do it again sometime..."

"Yeah?" Beck smiles, pulling his phone out for her "Put your number in."

Jade takes the phone from him and quickly enters her number in a new contact, then sends herself a text message so she can be sure she has his number too...there's no way for her to be ghosted that way. As she hands the phone back to him, he catches her off guard with a kiss.

"I'll text you when I get back to my dorm." He tells her "Goodnight, Jade."

"Goodnight, Beck..." Jade chuckles "Thanks for walking me back."


You're telling your buddies
Three months in
That she ain't moving in...

"You're moving into the city?" Beck's roommate, Andre, looks surprised "I thought you were going to-"

"I know what I said I was going to do." Beck stops him "But...I don't know, I think I have a better shot at getting a few jobs here in Chicago first before I head out to New York or LA. The market is smaller, so there's less people trying out for those roles."

They'll both be graduating in about a month, and as far as Andre knew Beck was trying to decide between moving to LA or New York to start looking for acting jobs. He himself had been secretly hoping his roommate would choose LA, because he was headed west to try and make it as a music producer and he liked the idea of having a friend around...but he could see Beck choosing New York too because it would be closer to his parents in Boston. When Beck said he's now planning to stay in Chicago to find smaller jobs and try to establish a credible resume before he moves anywhere...well, Andre had been surprised...but not that surprised.

"And this has nothing to do with the fact that Jade is applying to stay at grad school at UIC in the fall?" Andre asks him, raising an eyebrow at his friend

It's no secret that Beck is absolutely head-over-heels for the new girl that he's been seeing. They met out at a bar back in February, and have been next to inseparable ever since. She seems just as head-over-heels for him, and Andre has to admit that they do seem pretty good for one another.

"What?" Beck scoffs "No, it doesn't. We've only been together for a few months. It wouldn't be practical to base a major life decision like that off of the actions of someone I haven't been together with for that long."

But knowing that Jade would still be in the city too had definitely been a plus when it came down to his list of reasons to stay.

"Sure..." Andre nods

He predicts that Beck and Jade will be moving in together by the end of the calendar year.

"I'm serious!" Beck insists "Jade and I aren't there yet..."


The next thing you know
There's a U-Haul trailer...

By the time summer is over and Jade is starting grad school, she's practically spending every other night at Beck's apartment anyway. He's the one to suggest that she just move in, his apartment is bigger anyway...and they wouldn't ever have to spend the night apart. Not to mention she could finally ditch her roommates.

At that point they've been together for just over six months, and a lot of people who care about them are worrying that it might be too soon. Beck's parents especially, he's been broken up with Emily for less than a year...and now he's living with a different girl? They express their concerns initially, but don't bring it up again after that. Their son is an adult, he can make his own decisions...and his own mistakes.


Next thing you know
Your old apartment
Is y'all's new place...

"Welcome home..." Beck smiles as he and Jade lay side-by-side in bed, naked and tangled up beneath the sheets

They've had sex in this apartment plenty of times before. Just a few nights prior, actually...

But now instead of being Beck's apartment, it's their apartment. Both of their names are on the lease, both of them are contributing to the rent, both of them have clothes hanging in the closet and shoes by the door.

"Thank you..." She chuckles as she presses a kiss to his lips "It feels good to be home."

When they met at the bar all those months ago, neither one of them could have imagined ending up here...but now that they are here...neither one of them can deny just how right it feels.


There goes the carpet
But the deer head stays...

"You're right..." Beck sighs as the movers carry his old rug out of the apartment "That thing was an eyesore."

It hadn't been, back when he and Andre first bought it during their freshman year of college. But since then, the colors have faded, and stains that weren't there before made the pattern look less appealing.

Their new rug, the one they had picked out together at Crate & Barrel, looks much better. It's a more neutral color, without any loud and distracting patterns, and will be easier to keep clean.

"I'm sorry that you had to part with it..." Jade chuckles as he wraps an arm around her shoulders and presses a kiss to her temple "I know you and Andre made a lot of memories with it."

"I'll always have those memories." Beck assures her "And now you and I can make new ones."

"We certainly can." She smirks "Um, you wouldn't happen to have any memories attached to that Wayne Gretzky poster over there, would you...?"

"I certainly do." Beck assures her "Oh no, I know that look. Don't even think about it, Wayne is staying right where he is. That's a non-negotiable."


Next thing you know
You're saving money like never before, just to
Spend it all at a jewelry store...

"Can I see that one?" Beck asks the sales associate at the jewelry store, tapping the top of the case to indicate which ring he's referring to

He and Jade are twenty-five now, and have been together for just over three years. He's done some work on Broadway in Chicago, playing the role of Fiyero in Wicked during one of it's runs there and Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. He's also played a few small roles on some of the Chicago shows...Fire, Med, and PD. He's building his resume still with the hopes of moving to LA or New York, and making good money to help him do so.

But right now? His biggest concern is buying a ring. Just when he thinks that his love for Jade is as strong as it can be, that he couldn't love her any more than he already does...she finds a way to prove him wrong. Every morning he wakes up beside her so in love and so grateful that they met...and he wants to make sure that they stay together forever.

It's hard for him to believe he had once been so cynical about marriage. He'd marry Jade tonight at the courthouse with strangers for witnesses if he could.

"This one?" The woman behind the counter takes the ring out for him to see

"That's the one, yeah." He nods as he takes a closer look "It's perfect..."

A cushion-shaped diamond on a double white-gold band, sitting on a halo of slightly smaller diamonds. Not too flashy, but not overly simple either. Beck can't stop himself from grinning as he imagines what it will look like sitting on Jade's finger.

"I'll take it."


Getting down on one knee on her mama's porch
Just praying she don't say no...

Once Jade and her younger brother were both out of the house and living on their own, their parents decided to move somewhere warm. Now instead of going home to Indiana like she always has, Jade goes 'home' to Melbourne, Florida to visit her family. It's nice enough, she supposes. The Space Center isn't that far, she and Beck tour it almost every time that they visit, and the weather is almost always pleasant. The young couple loves to take walks on the beach while they're there, especially at dusk when the sunsets are especially beautiful.

"Are you alright?" Jade asks as they walk hand-in-hand along the sand

Beck has been with her to visit her parents in Florida many times before, and they love him. For some reason he's seemed especially nervous and jittery since they've arrived this time, for what appears to her to be no good reason.

"I'm fine." He assures her, looking over his shoulder

"Did you rob a bank or something?" She laughs "You're acting like someone is out to get you..."

"No, I'm fine." He says "It's just that...oh, let's stop here."

"Are you alright, Beck?" She asks him again

"I'm perfectly fine." He nods, taking her hands in his "I'm more than fine, actually. I'm perfect. My life is perfect, because you're in it, Jade."

"Well..." She chuckles "I do what I can. What's this about?"

"There was a low point in my life where I thought love was overrated." Beck tells her "But that was before I met you and I learned what love is supposed to look like...what it's supposed to feel like. I wake up more and more in love with you every single day, and I never want to know a life without you...so Jade..."

He reaches into his pocket for the ring, but she tackles him backwards into the sand before he even has a chance to show it to her.

"Woah!" He laughs "What are you-"

"Yes..." She tells him before pressing a kiss to his lips softy "Yes, I'll marry you."

"Do you want to see the ring first?" He asks her

"I don't care about the ring..." She assures him "Well, okay...I totally care about the ring. But I care about you more. Of course I'll marry you, Beck Oliver. I don't ever want to know a life without you either."

"I love you so much..." He tells her as he wraps her up in his arms

"I love you too."


Next thing you know
Your best man gives a half-drunk speech...

"This motherfucker..." Andre slurs into the microphone with a smile as he points to Beck "Told me that he and Jade 'weren't there yet' when I asked if they were going to move in together...then they moved in together a few months later. I should've made him bet me money!"

The whole room laughs, and Beck feels his face blush. He never told Jade about that conversation with Andre, he didn't want it to seem like he wasn't committed even though he was already very much in love with her at the time. His wife, he can't believe that's what she is now, doesn't seem offended by the story though, she's laughing right along with everyone else.

Beck picks up her hand, laced together with his, and presses a kiss to her knuckles. She smiles over at him, and he smiles right back.

"Worked out okay for them though!" Andre grins "Look at how in love they are! Everyone give the lovebirds a round of applause!"

Beck mouths a quick 'I love you' to Jade as the room filled with their closest family and friends begins to cheer for them and Jade mouths back 'I love you too'. For all either of them care, they could be alone in this room right now. All they care about is each other, and the fact that they're married.

It feels so good to finally be married.


And you're
Sunburnt on a honeymoon beach...

"Ouch!" Jade winces as Beck climbs on top of her

"What?" Beck quickly climbs off "What did I do? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She assures him "It's just my sunburn."

"I told you to reapply after lunch..."

"Oh let's not start this already..." Jade sighs "We've only been married for a week. I don't need the 'I told you so's..."

"I'm sorry that you're sore..." Beck leans down and kisses Jade gently "We don't have to have sex right now if you're-"

"I'll power through the pain." She stops him, not wanting to miss a moment of their honeymoon bliss under any circumstance "I'm a real sucker for it. I'll be okay."

"I don't want to hurt you, babe..." Beck chuckles "S'no fun if you're crying."

"It could be..."

"I'll tell you what..." He smirks "I'll run down to the gift shop and grab a bottle of aloe...if you're naked and waiting for me when I get back...I'll rub it all over your body."

"That sounds nice..." Jade bites her lip "Maybe then I could do you."

"Do me how?"

"Any way you want me to, Mr. Oliver."

"Don't tease me, Mrs. Oliver."


And your left hand's getting used to that ring...

"Good morning..." Jade yawns as she rolls over to face Beck

"Good morning, beautiful." He smiles, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together on top of the sheets "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." She yawns again "You?"

"Fine." He smiles at how sleepy she still is

"D'you forget to take your ring off last night?" Jade asks him, looking down to see what about his hand feels cold as it's touching her's

"Huh...yeah, I must've." Beck smirks as he looks as well "I forget I'm wearing it most of the time. Just feels like part of me now."

"And to think I used to have to remind you to put it on before you would leave for work..." Jade chuckles, snuggling up against his side "Look at you."

"Look at us." Beck smiles "All married and shit."

"All married and shit, yeah..." Jade laughs "I love you."

"I love you too."


And there the next two or three years go
Next thing you know...

Eventually, Beck decides that in order to further his career...he needs to finally make the move to a different city. He can't just up and move wherever he wants to now, he has a wife and her career to consider as well. When Beck and Jade are twenty-eight, they decide that they're going to move to New York City.

Beck books a smaller recurring role on a legal drama that films there, and Jade is hired as a writing assistant at NBC for one of their network dramas. They start off living in an apartment in the city, but before long find that it's not as cost effective as living in Chicago had been. They move to Great Neck, New York, just thirty minutes outside of the city. They buy a three bedroom house with a big backyard, and settle into their new routines.

"Look at us with a house all our own." Beck grins as he spins Jade around the living room

Elton John's 'Something About the Way You Look Tonight' plays out of the bluetooth speaker on the coffee table as they dance. Something they've found, now that they have the space, is that they love to dance with each other. They do so almost every night after dinner, it's an intimate way to enjoy each other's company and relax after a long day of work.

"We're real grown ups." Jade smiles "Wild isn't it?"

"Absolutely wild." Beck agrees "I wouldn't want to be a grown up with anyone else but you."

"Likewise." Jade tells him "I love you, Mr. Oliver."

"I love you too, Mrs. Oliver."

Life doesn't seem like it could get any more perfect than it is right now.


You weren't really trying
Next thing you know
There's a test on the counter...

Jade's schedule is more consistent than Beck is, her hours more normal. It's not out of the ordinary for her to eat dinner without him some nights, especially if he's held up on set longer than he had anticipated. She always makes an effort to be awake when he gets home though, even if it's just long enough to say goodnight.

On this night in particular, Beck arrives home around 8 pm. When he enters the house, he sees that Jade has saved him a plate of leftovers in the microwave. He'll come back for them in a few minutes, he wants to see his wife and kiss her hello first.

"Babe?" He calls out into the house

"Upstairs!" She responds

With a smile, Beck follows the sound of her voice up to their master bedroom. The room itself is empty, but he sees that the light to the ensuite master bathroom is on, signaling that Jade is in there. The door is open, so he figures she's cleaning or doing her hair, and tries to enter.

"Hey!" She appears in front of him suddenly, her arms stretching across the entire doorway so he can't go in "Welcome home!"

"Thanks..." He chuckles as she greets him with a kiss "Whatcha doin' up here?"

"Nothing."

"Seems like something." He laughs "S'almost like you don't want me to walk into the bathroom?"

"I would actually prefer if you didn't..." She admits

"Hiding something?"

"No I-"

She's interrupted when the timer on her phone goes off, the marimba tone echoing through the bathroom and bedroom and startling them both.

Beck raises an eyebrow at her as she retrieves the phone from her back pocket and silences it.

"I took a pregnancy test..." She admits "I wanted to surprise you."

"What?" Beck is surprised "What did it say?"

They had talked about having children one day, they both knew that they wanted to, but they hadn't really decided on when. They hadn't been trying, that's for sure, but they hadn't been not trying either. After being married so long and not having to worry about the same things they would if they were single, they had both become a bit lax with their birth control methods.

"I don't know yet...that's what the timer was for..." Jade tells him nervously, wringing her hands together "Do you want to look with me?"

"Absolutely." Beck spots the test face-down on the bathroom counter behind her, then takes her hand in his "Let's look together."


Next thing you know
She's standing there crying
Nodding her head yes...

"You can look first." Beck tells her as he places his hands on her shoulders "I'm right here."

"Okay..." Jade nods, reaching forward to pick up the test

She grabs it quickly, flipping it towards herself to see the result. Beck hears her take a sharp breath, and tries to lean around her to see the result.

"What does it say?" He asks

"It says...I'm pregnant." She holds it out for him to see "It's positive."

"Really?" He grins "That's great!"

They're going to be parents!

"I know..." She smiles, her eyes growing teary "Beck...we're having a baby!"

"We're having a baby!" He smiles as he wraps his arms around her waist, picking her up and spinning her in circles "I love you."

"I love you too." She tells him as he sets her down "I'm so excited."


You're half excited
Half scared to death...

"Congratulations..." The ultrasound tech smiles as she moves the wand around Jade's stomach "It's a girl!"

"A girl?" Beck perks up as he looks over to Jade "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." The tech laughs "And based on what I can see here...she looks perfectly healthy."

"Of course it's a girl." Jade smirks

"I hope she's just like you..." Beck tells her as he grabs her hand

"That's what I'm afraid of..." Jade laughs "I was a horrible teenager."

"I'm not worried." Beck admits as he leans down to kiss her

A girl.

They're going to have a daughter in just a few short months. Beck feels like he's flying, he's so excited. A girl means dress-up and tea parties and dance recitals. He can't wait to be a girl dad, and he knows Jade is going to be the absolute best girl mom too...even if she's not ready to admit it yet.

But a daughter also means boys...teenage boys. Oh god, he was a teenage boy once, he knows what they think about and what they're capable of. And one day he'll have to buy a prom dress...and then a wedding dress.

Holy shit.

As excited as he is to have a daughter, and a healthy one at that, he's also a bit...well, terrified too.


'Cause next thing you know
You're wearing scrubs and a funny white hat...

"You okay?" Beck asks his wife as he sits beside her

"As okay as I can be..." Jade sighs "Given the circumstances, at least. I'm a bit nauseous."

"That's normal." A nearby nurse assures her "Means the drugs are working, it'll subside soon."

"Okay, thank you."

"I'm sorry..." Beck sighs as he reaches out and tucks some of Jade's stray hair under her hairnet "I know this isn't what you wanted."

"I jus' want her to be healthy." Jade admits "If this is what it takes, then this is what it takes."

The baby is breech and unwilling to turn, despite constant efforts by doctors and nurses for the past few hours. Jade is going to need a c-section to deliver her safely, which isn't at all what she had wanted or hoped for. It all happened rather quickly too. One moment, a nurse was checking Jade's vitals and the next, she was being wheeled to an OR while Beck was asked to change out of his street clothes and into a pair of scrubs so he could be in the operating room with her. It's all for the good of the baby though, both Beck and Jade keep reminding themselves of that.

It's disheartening for Beck to watch his wife in such a compromising position, especially because he knows that she's scared. Her arms are strapped down to the operating table so they don't move involuntarily and interfere with the operation, she's been given drugs to numb the entire lower part of her body so that the incision doesn't hurt more than it has to, and she's about to be cut open. He can see the anxiety in her eyes, and does his best to comfort her. He wishes more than anything that he could hold her hand.

"Hey..." He catches her attention, leaning down so that they can be eye-to-eye "You can do this, okay? S'going to be fine. And when it's all over, we'll have our daughter."

"Right." Jade nods, biting her lip "I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too."


And the doctor's saying, how you doing there dad and
Nobody's ever called you that...

"Here she is!" A nurse grins as she holds the screaming baby over the cloth draped between Jade's head the rest of her body so the doctor's could operate "Say hello!"

"Oh my god!" Jade gasps "Hi, baby! Beck, look!"

"I see her..." He smiles, leaning down to kiss his wife's forehead "She's perfect."

He can't take his eyes off of the baby. Their daughter, that the two of them had created together, she's absolutely perfect.

"Dad?" The doctor calls out to Beck "You doin' okay? Do you want to cut the cord?"

"Beck!" Jade tries to catch his attention "He's talking to you."

"Huh?" Beck snaps back to reality "Me?"

"You're Dad, aren't you?" The doctor laughs

"I..." Beck chuckles nervously, looking from Jade to the baby "I guess I am, yeah. Wow."

Dad.

He's someone's dad now.


And you take that drive home slow...

"Don't look now..." Jade teases "I think a horse and buggy just passed us."

"Very funny." Beck smirks, but doesn't look back at her

He can't take his eyes off of the road in front of him, he just can't. Not even for one second.

His whole world, his wife and his daughter, are in the backseat right now. It's his responsibility to get them home safely...he can't take his eyes off of the road, and he definitely can't drive too fast.

"Are you guys okay?" Beck asks her

"We're fine." Jade assures him as she looks down at the sleeping baby in the carseat beside her "I promise...just..."

"Just?" Beck grows alarmed "Just what?"

"Just get us home before her first birthday, please." Jade laughs "Seriously, babe. The speed limit is 65, I don't even think you're going half that."

"Can you blame me?" Beck raises an eyebrow, and Jade sees it in the rearview mirror "I have precious cargo back there."


Next thing you know
It's first steps, first dates, first car, it's
11:01 wondering where they are...

"They're late." Beck says nervously as he paces back and forth across the living room "We told her to be home by 11:00, they're late."

"It's 11:03, I don't think we need to panic." Jade sighs from her spot on the couch, watching her husband as he moves back and forth across the room "Beck, seriously. Knock it off. She'll be home soon."

Sixteen years later and their daughter, Ava, is off on her first date, with an actual teenage boy...who has a car. Beck and Jade had been very clear on their rules, she could go as long as she was home by her curfew...which was three minutes ago.

Headlights shine across the wall as a car pulls into the driveway. Beck rushes to the window, as Jade rolls her eyes, to watch their daughter climb out of the passenger's seat. She runs around to the driver's side and leans in the window, if she kisses the boy or not Beck can't be sure, before running up the driveway and into the house.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Beck scolds as soon as she steps inside

"Beck..." Jade sighs "She's a few minutes late, it's not a big deal."

"We came from the city..." The teenager explains "There was traffic. I didn't think a few minutes would be that big of a deal as long as I-"

"You're right. S'not a big deal." Jade cuts her off, stepping between her daughter and husband "Did you have a good time?"

"I did, yeah." Ava smiles "Sorry we were a bit late."

"S'okay." Jade smiles, placing both hands on her daughter's shoulders and rubbing them gently "It's late, you should get to bed. I can't wait to hear all about your date in the morning."

"Alright." Ava nods "Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight..." Beck tries his best to smile as he watches Ava climb the stairs to her bedroom "Why did you-"

"Don't start." Jade holds her hand up to stop him from saying anything else "There's a line between protective and controlling, and if we blow up at her for being four minutes late, we're crossing too far into controlling."

"You're right..." Beck sighs

He doesn't want to be a controlling parent, to Ava or to her younger brother Jacob, but he doesn't want to be a complete pushover either. His kids are still just that, kids. He wants to keep them safe. As their father, it's the most important job he has.

"I just want her to be safe." He reiterates that thought out loud to his wife

"She will be." Jade assures him as she drapes her arms around his neck "We raised her to make smart choices. She'll be okay."

"She's a kid, kids make mistakes." He reminds her "We sure did."

"We'll be there to help her when and if she does." Jade assures him "But for right now, we need to trust her. She's never given us any reason not to."

"You're right..."

"Wow..." Jade chuckles "You don't usually admit that, and you've done it twice in three minutes."

"I know." Beck smirks, leaning down to kiss her quickly "I'm always thinking it, I just don't always say it out loud."


You're saying that USC's too far
It's amazing how fast 17 years go...

"I don't see what's wrong with NYU or even Columbia..." Beck sighs as he runs a hand through his greying hair "California...that's really far, babe."

"It is." Jade agrees with a nod as they look at the college pamphlets spread across the counter in front of them "But it's what she wants. Deciding where to go to college is a really huge, personal, choice. We can't make it for her, she could end up resenting us if we do."

Ava is seventeen now, a senior in high school, and starting to explore her college options. She's expressed interest in becoming a screenwriter, just like her mother, and has been looking into programs in California. She figures the easiest way to get a job once she graduates is to be in or near Los Angeles when she does so. UCLA and Pepperdine are both on her radar, but right now USC seems to be the front runner.

"I know, I know..." Beck nods "I just wish she had some desire to stay on the same coast as us at least."

"Well..." Jade rubs her husband's shoulder gently "You and I have both made names for ourselves in the New York industry, and she wants to build her success off of her own merit and not her last name. We have to respect her for that, don't we?"

"We do."

"And I'm sure our parents didn't love the fact that we both ran off to Chicago when we went to school." Jade reminds him

"I doubt they did." Beck says "Fuck, babe. What if she meets a boy out in California, falls in love, and never comes home again?"

"She's almost an adult." Jade reminds him "She should be out on her own and living her life without us being involved in every second. The most important thing is that we remind her that we'll always be around, whenever she needs us, even if she's far away."

"I'll miss her if she goes to California." Beck admits

"I know." Jade wraps leans her head against his arm "I will too."


Next thing you know
You get to know your wife again and you're
More in love than you've ever been...

Ava chooses USC and moves to Los Angeles the fall following her high school graduation. She still comes home for summers and school breaks, but not much more often than that.

Two years later her younger brother, Jacob, graduates as well. He opts to stay a bit closer to home, enrolling himself in Temple University in Philadelphia, but doesn't come home much more frequently than his sister does.

For the first time, Beck and Jade find themselves empty-nesters. Their home that had once been filled with toys and children's laughter, becomes much quieter. At first it's a bit sad, a constant reminder of how much they miss their children, but after a while...Beck and Jade start to not mind it as much.

They dance around the living room to love songs they had listened to as teenagers, or to the music that had been popular when they were in college and first started dating. They go out on dates more frequently than before, and take weekend getaways. Somehow, the couple finds themselves falling more in love with each other, something neither of them thought would be possible after all this time.


With a lot of years of remember when's
And still some down the road...

Jade is the first to retire. Beck never really will officially, and will keep accepting roles until it isn't possible for him to do so anymore. Regardless, having built a reputation in the industry, he's able to pick and choose when he wants to work, and chooses to work less so he can spend more time with his wife.

They choose to travel. When they first started dating and were first married, they didn't have the flexibility with work or the financial stability to be able to do so. Now that they have more money, and that their children are off on their own, they really have the freedom to do whatever they want and go wherever they please. They spend weeks on tropical islands and in new countries, their favorite has to be Rome. They frequent Italy multiple times over the next few years.

Their favorite thing of all? Time together, making new memories, and enjoying each other's love.


'Cause next thing you know
You got a yard full of your kid's kids...

"What's this?" Beck asks as he begins unwrapping his Father's Day present "A new bra?"

"You'll have to unwrap it and find out." Ava laughs at her father's humor, sitting on the couch beside her husband, Eric "I will tell you that it's not a bra, though."

"Darn it, he needs one of those." Jade smirks

"That sounds like a personal issue." Ava laughs again

"Alright, let's see..." Beck lifts the lid off of the shirt box "It's a shirt! World's Best Grandpa..."

"Ava, are you pregnant?" Jade gasps

"I am..." Ava grins, grabbing Eric's hand "We're due in December."

"Baby, that's fantastic!" Jade moves to hug her daughter "I'm so happy for you!"

"We're so happy for you." Beck adds "Even though we're not old enough to be anyone's grandparents."

They are though. Both Beck and Jade will celebrate their sixtieth birthdays this year. Beck's hair has all but gone grey, and the only reason Jade's hasn't is because she's continued to dye it over the years. She always says that so long as she has the means to keep it so, she'll never be grey. Beck doesn't really mind his though.

"Tell them the other part." Eric nudges his wife

"We're having twins!"

"Oh my god!" Jade exclaims "Twins! That's wonderful! Isn't it, Beck?"

"It sure is." Beck agrees

He's thinking back to that night when he and Jade found out they were expecting Ava, how he had been excited but also a bit scared. Now he isn't scared at all, only excited.

He can't wait to be a grandpa.


And ya
Take them to church, teach them to fish...

Beck has never really been one for fishing, but Eric had invited him along with him and the boys for the day, and he would never turn down extra time with his grandsons.

Jace and Nathan, Eric and Ava's twin boys, are seven now. They live in California with their parents, but the family visits Beck and Jade for two weeks every summer when the kids are on summer break. Beck lives for the time with his grandsons, wanting to soak up every moment that he possibly can. Come October, he'll have another grandchild to spoil...a granddaughter this time, that his son Jacob and his wife will be welcoming.

"Watch me, Grandpa!" Jace exclaims as he casts his fishing rod out into the lake with Eric's help

"No, Grandpa!" Nathan interrupts "Watch me!"

"I can see you both!" Beck assures them "Don't worry, I can see you both."


And ya tell them stories every chance you get
About how fast this life down here can go...

"How did you two meet?"

The question catches Beck and Jade off guard, especially coming from their ten year-old granddaughter. Her parents named her Savannah Jade, after the city they had honeymooned in, and her grandmother, of course.

It's Christmas Eve, and for the first time in a long time, Beck and Jade have their entire family home with them. Ava and Eric had flown out from Los Angeles with the boys, and Jacob and his wife had driven up from their new home in New Jersey with Savannah and her younger sister, Ashlyn .

"Yeah." Jace appears in the living room "How did you two meet? Was it after Grandpa got home from war or something?"

"Jace Beckett." Ava scolds "Knock it off. There was no war, you know that."

"How'd you meet, Grandma?" Savannah asks again

"Well..." Jade exchanges a look with her husband, taking his hand "We met at a bar."

"What's that?"

"S'like a restaurant." Beck explains "Your grandma asked me my name, we started talking, and then we went for tacos."

"Tacos?"

"Tacos." Jade nods "We were in college, it was cheap, it worked out well for us."

"I've been obsessed with Grandma ever since." Beck admits "My life changed forever that night, for the better."

"And now we have all of you."


Next thing you know...

Bing Crosby's 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' plays silently out of the stereo along the wall, as Beck and Jade sway slowly back and forth in front of the fireplace. Jade rests her head against Beck's chest as he guides her around in circles, dancing in no particular pattern. Despite being into their seventies now, they can still move pretty well...and intend to dance around the living room together until they physically can't anymore.

"Look at 'em." Ava remarks as she and Jacob watch from their spot on the stairs "Still so in love after all this time."

"I wish I knew their secret." Jacob admits "You would think after so long they would've gotten sick of each other by now."

"We may be old, but our ears still work just fine!" Jade announces "Santa only visits the kids who are asleep you know."

"We're in our forties, Mom." Jacob says "We-"

"Were just heading to bed." His sister cuts in "Just wanted to say goodnight first."

"G'nite kids." Beck laughs "Merry Christmas."

"G'nite!"

"We should go to bed soon too." Jade tells him "Christmas will be here before you know it and the kids will be up early."

"I know." Beck agrees "Let's just dance to one more song."

"Alright." Jade smiles, resting her head against his chest again "One more."

"Merry Christmas, Jade." Beck kisses the top of her head "I love you."

"I love you too." Jade says back to him "Merry Christmas."


If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I know it was long! This one is just one chapter, I feel like the lyrics tell a pretty complete story. I'm working on another story right now, but it definitely won't be anywhere close to ready to publish until the new year. In the mean time, I hope everyone has a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!

Thank you again for reading!