Archive of Our Own ^beta

Several months have passed since the incident in Livingstone Castle with the Boogieman—or formally known to the world as Brendon Dumont—having been resolved. Brendon had been charged with first-degree murder for claiming multiple lives during and outside of the incident, serving a life sentence in prison with no hopes of parole.

A funeral had been held two weeks after the incident to remember and bury the victims of the Livingstone Castle murders including that of the tour guide, Stevie Small, whom all the tour participants had been acquainted with; each of them had been in attendance despite sporting injuries of their own to pay their respects for the victims of that horrendous night. 

Nevertheless, life went on for the castle tour participants with each of them slowly yet surely recovering from the traumatic event as they eased back to their daily lives. The same could be said about the Barings who, after that fateful day, had bared their hearts out to one another with a heart-to-heart talk, mending their fraying relationship in the process, with the topic of divorce forever shelved and forgotten as they moved on with their lives.

Keith, as he had promised, started going on therapy sessions for his trauma, sometimes accompanied by his wife Helena, but more often than not attending alone. As the months passed by, Keith has shown gradual improvements mentally as he was able to cope with his problems in a healthier way, supported by Helena along the way. He had learned to be more honest and open towards his wife, especially when it came to how he was feeling, and Helena reciprocated just as much, displaying open communication with one another.

On one particular sunny weekend afternoon, Helena and Keith sat on the bench in their back garden, enjoying the cool spring breeze. Helena had a book open on her lap as she read in silence, a slight smile playing on her lips as she turned a page, absorbed in the world of the book, occasionally pausing to look up and soak in the peaceful surroundings with the vibrant colours of flowers in full bloom around her. Meanwhile, Keith sat by her side, their shoulders nearly touching, as he crossed his arm on his chest, eyes closed in thought. He would occasionally open his eyes to stare at their garden, noting how well-cared for it was—most likely thanks to Helena’s handiwork since he knew just how much she liked flowers and doing flower arrangements in her spare time.

Keith peers over to his wife, taking in the sight of her reading a novel; her soft, fluffy brown hair falling loosely around her shoulders, catching the sunlight that dappled through the branches of the tree above them. His eyes soften at the sight and Keith breaks the comfortable silence blanketing them, his tone slightly contemplative, “Hey, Helena?”

Upon hearing her name being called out, Helena turned to look at Keith curiously, a small smile gracing her lips, “Hmm? What is it, Keith?”

Keith paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts as he leaned back against the bench more comfortably, uncrossing his arms. “…Our tenth anniversary is coming up soon,” he uttered thoughtfully, turning his body slightly to face her.

Helena’s eyes soften at that, smiling gently at the reminder, “…So it is.” The passage of time truly felt strange; ten years seemed like a very long time yet, at the same time, oh-so-short. In the years they’ve been together, they have faced many challenges including the dangers of Keith’s work, their beloved son’s untimely and tragic passing, and the recent murders. Yet, throughout it all, they have persevered and while trials and tribulations waited for them at every turn, precious, joyful memories also remained.

“I was wondering if you wanted to do something different this year?” Keith asked, gauging her reaction. They had gone out on dates, sometimes even just opting to spend time together at home, in their anniversaries gone by. As a decade of marriage is considered a milestone, Keith had thought that perhaps she might want to celebrate it differently this year and, although he already had a plan conceptualised, he wanted to hear her opinion first before proposing his.

Helena paused for a moment, considering. In all honesty, she already had an idea in mind that she had been mulling over for months now; she only hasn't said anything in regards to it in consideration for Keith’s ongoing therapy and the fact that she wanted both of them to recover from the injuries they’ve sustained first before anything else.

Helena looked into his eyes, a small smile gracing her lips as she answered in a tender voice, “Actually, I do have an idea…”

Keith stared at her patiently, nodding as he ushered for her to go on.

“What do you think about renewing our vows, honey?” she suggested in a voice above a whisper, resting her hands on the book which laid almost forgotten on her lap.

A broad grin spread across Keith’s face as he let out a soft chuckle, his eyes crinkling at the corners, pressing the back of his hand against his mouth as if to cover it. Helena’s brows furrowed at his reaction, confused as to what he could have found so amusing with her answer. Did he find it corny?

“What’s so funny?” she asked, feeling a bit perplexed and slighted by his reaction.

“I wasn’t making fun of you, don’t worry,” Keith reassured her with a grin, shaking his head in denial. He rested his elbow on top of the backrest of the bench, leaning his cheek against his knuckles as he smiled at her, “I just didn’t expect you to have the same idea as me, that’s all. But I’m glad we’re on the same page.” 

With a soft, deep breath, Helena exhaled slowly, her lips parting as the sigh escaped her, carrying with it a sense of relief, “Oh, thank goodness…” She then pouted, narrowing her eyes on him, “You had me worried there for a second. I honestly thought you were going to tell me it was a dumb idea.”

“Never,” Keith waved his other hand in denial. “I would never find something like this stupid.” He then stared at her seriously, contemplating, yet his eyes carried a certain gentleness in it, “Any venues you’d like to hold it in? Or… would you like to hold it in the same church where we held our wedding?”

There was a pause as Helena considered it for a moment. A new venue would be nice to symbolise new beginnings, but there was also a certain appeal to holding it in the church they got married in as it meant that their marriage survived the weathers of the storm to return to their roots.

“…Perhaps the same church would be nice,” she replied gently after a while of deliberation, smiling tenderly at Keith.

He nodded in agreement, having secretly hoped she would choose it. “We could even ask the same priest to officiate the ceremony,” he uttered thoughtfully, hoping that the priest hadn’t been reassigned to a different parish in the last few years.

“That would be wonderful!” Helena beamed at him, her hands coming together in a clap showing her enthusiastic approval of it, making Keith smile in response.

There were still plenty of things to consider such as attires, guests, presents, booking the church for the venue, approaching the priest they wanted to officiate the ceremony and gaining their approval before anything else. Keith and Helena carefully planned them all together in their spare time for the next couple of months leading up to their anniversary, taking into consideration each other’s inputs, wanting it to be as special for their partner as it was for themselves.

Spring slowly transitioned into summer as the sun began to gain strength, melting away the cold mornings and turning the air warmer; the days began to stretch longer, casting a pleasant and orange glow to the surroundings, invigorating the plants all around, as if in celebration of joyful months ahead. The sky appeared to be splashed with a deep, clear blue hue, and the birds sang livelier, lauding the change.

Soon, the day of the wedding anniversary arrived.

Inside the church felt like a sacred, timeless space, filled with an air of reverence and joy. Candles glowed softly in their holders, casting warm, flickering glows throughout as it reflected off the stained glass windows overhead, shimmering the venue in vibrant colours of deep blues, reds and greens, creating a stunning mosaic of light across the walls and floors, appearing picturesque. The pews were neatly aligned, adorned with simple ribbons and flowers to enhance a less formal atmosphere; the scent of fresh flowers—of lilies, roses and daffodils—filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of polished wood and mild trace of incense.

Only a handful of guests were invited, consisting of direct family members from each side and a few close friends, making the entire occasion a lot more intimate.

Keith stood by the altar wearing the same black suit he wore all those years ago, just retouched to accommodate his much more muscular physique compared to back then, standing tall with a sense of pride and purpose, however feeling a mixture of nerves and anticipation deep down as he waited for his wife to appear by the entrance. He had his black hair neatly styled back in comparison to his usually roguish look—courtesy of his younger sister Jane who begrudgingly helped him out.

As the seconds ticked by, a subtle tension could be felt inside the church, however it was also tinged with quiet confidence as today marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Soon, the door opens and Helena steps into view. Time seemed to slow down for Keith as he took her appearance in, his breath catching, feeling the world fade away until it was just him and her in the vicinity. Helena walked towards him slowly, adorned in the same white wedding gown she wore ten years ago, embellished with pearls and ribbons, no doubt modified by Jane as well. Her gown flowed like a cloud of white silk with every step she took, the light catching the fabric and making it seem as though she was glowing. Helena’s hair was pinned up in an elegant bun, delicate curls cascading down in graceful spirals as they framed her soft face, appearing ethereal. In her hands was a bouquet of yellow and white daffodils, held together in place with aluminium.

It felt like it took forever for Keith before Helena reached his side by the altar, a joyful smile gracing her lips. He couldn’t stop the smile from breaking out on his face, mirroring her delight as he reluctantly tore his gaze from her face to focus on the ceremony.

Fortunately, they were able to get the same priest to officiate their wedding vow renewal ceremony and he started it off with a few prayers and bible readings, his voice carrying a sense of warmth and reverence with carefully chosen words that embodied the sacredness of the vows about to be exchanged.

The married couple listened attentively, however their gazes would flicker to one another from time to time, their hearts feeling light at that moment in time.

Finally, the time to exchange vows arrived, and Keith and Helena turned to face one another, staring directly into each other’s eyes fondly. Keith was the first to break the comfortable silence between them as he spoke in a low yet clear voice, full of promises, “These past ten years have been both the happiest and most melancholic years of my life as we went through a lot of ups and downs in life.” 

Keith smiled sadly as he reminiscenced the last ten years of their marriage; from the elation of marrying the woman he loved, to the excitement and joy at the birth of their son, to the utter crushing despair of losing their son in an untimely dead, to the emptiness of going through the motions of life before eventually recovering at the near cost of their marriage and their lives. So much had happened in only ten years, and yet he decided to move forward.

In a more pensive tone, Keith continued to speak, “I know I’ve changed a lot since our first meeting, but words alone can’t express just how much I appreciate you staying by my side through thick and thin. You’ve been so patient and understanding with me that I sometimes feel like I don’t deserve you.” He then stared into Helena’s eyes resolutely, “But I’m glad we’re together. I’m glad you gave me a second chance to chase after you and prove to you that I can be a man worthy of you.”

Keith smiled tenderly and affectionately, his voice carrying devotion as he gently held her hands in his, “I love you, Helena. I will always love you. I vow to love and cherish you for all eternity.”

Tears welled up in Helena’s eyes at his heartfelt confession before they fell across her cheek, one after another, unable to hold them back as she felt overwhelmed by the extent of his feelings. She was so touched, so happy, that her heart constricted against her chest at the gravity of it all.

Keith chuckled, leaning down to wipe the tears off the corner of her eyes delicately, “Hey, don’t cry. It’s okay. Was that too heavy for you?”

Helena shook her head, biting her lower lip as she tried to suppress her tears. “N—No. I—I’m just…” A hiccup escaped her lips as tears continued to well up at the corner of her eyes. 

Keith tried his best to calm her down, whispering soothing words only for her ears to hear. He knew they had an audience watching them but he didn’t care about them at the moment, focusing on comforting his wife.

It took a few minutes before Helena could compose herself enough to continue with the ceremony and recite her vow, her eyes glassy from unshed tears and cheeks rosy. She took several deep breaths to ease her fluttering heart, her voice wavering ever so slightly, “Our life may not have all been sunshine and rainbows, with hardships and challenges waiting for us at every turn. However, just like this bouquet I hold today, our marriage withstood weathering the storm as it protected our hope for a brighter future.” Helena held up the bouquet of daffodils clasped in her hands in an act to showcase it with a fond smile.

 “You have been a constant presence in my life. Despite suffering the same pain when we lost our son,” Helena’s breath hitched slightly at that, “you never once left me alone. You comforted me, reassured me, and aided me in my recovery—even at the cost of your own self.”

Fresh tears flowed down her cheeks once more as she continued to pour her heart out, “I can’t thank and apologise enough for it…! Thank you for always staying by my side, for your love and support. I—” Helena took a few calming breaths, smiling up at Keith through her tears, her voice choked with overwhelming emotions of affection, “I love you so much. I vow to love, support and cherish you even more throughout our life together. Your happiness is my happiness. Thank you for being my husband.”

 The priest congratulated them as the ceremony came to a close, proclaiming that they could share a kiss.

As Keith and Helena leaned forward, time seemed to stop for both of them as their lips brushed gently against each other, the world around them fading away as they closed their eyes, focusing only on feeling the warmth of the other; oblivious to the cheers of their families and friends. Keith enveloped his larger hands around hers, squeezing them comfortingly as their kiss deepened in a silent declaration of their ever-growing love for one another, their breaths and hearts becoming one. They shared a kiss that transcended the physical plains, reaching them emotionally as they solidified the connection between them. 

In that brief, intimate moment, they felt that everything would be alright as they embraced each other to embark on new beginnings together.