Archive of Our Own

It was a beautiful day, or at least, as beautiful as you can get in Horseshoe Bay during late August. Though the breeze coming off the ocean smelled like more than just regular seawater, the beach roses were in full bloom and the sky was a clear, crisp blue with a brilliantly shining sun. Most places in town were as busy as they usually are during the last summer, but there was a special gathering beginning to unfold at the Drew household. After years of curses, cases, and all other things mystery and life related getting in their way, Nancy Drew and Ace Hardy were finally getting married. 

The ceremony itself had been a quiet affair early that afternoon; the only witnesses being Carson, Ryan, Thom, Rebecca, Nick, George, and Bess. The real party, however, was just about to start and most of the town was invited. Through their years in the town as detective and coroner’s assistant, the community had grown to appreciate them and the work they do. Because of this, their friends in town wanted to help them celebrate this monumental shift in their lives. Ryan had been overjoyed when he found out Ace was planning to propose, almost letting it slip in front of Nancy during a family dinner and only stopping when Carson stepped in to distract from the situation for a moment.

Bess, who had known about the proposal ever since Ace first mentioned the possibility to the young woman, was overjoyed for her sister. She’d known for years that her sister and Platanchor would make a great match, so it was equally as difficult for her to keep the secret as it was for Ryan, but she managed in the end. All the tongue-biting and held-back words were worth it to see the look on Nancy’s face, at least, until she could start talking Nancy’s ear off about wedding planning and decorations.

Nick and George had reacted in pretty similar manners, which was to be expected when the two of them had also recently gotten engaged themselves, on the heels of George’s graduation from law school and starting a new job at Carson’s firm as his apprentice. When they were asked to be part of Nancy and Ace’s wedding party, neither of them hesitated to say yes for a second other than George asking if it would be possible for her to wear something other than a dress for the event, causing Nancy to burst out laughing at how in-character that was for her friend.

However, all the time spent planning the day was in the past, and while the ceremony had already happened, the party had just begun. Specially curated playlists courtesy of Bess played in the garden through several speakers Nick had linked together, showering the guests in a delightful ambiance as they milled around the backyard having hors d'oeuvres made by Jessie, Ted, and Charlie who, while they couldn’t be at the event itself due to other circumstances, they still wanted to contribute to the happy occasion in some way. 

Even as the reception guests arrived at the Drew home, the new Drew-Hardys stood next to the counter in the kitchen looking out the window, taking a minute to soak it all in.

“I can’t believe we finally got married. All the ghosts, curses…everything. I always hoped we’d get to this point, but to actually be here is unbelievable.” Nancy said to her new husband, tucked against his shoulder as they observed all the people gathered to help them celebrate the day.

“Through it all, I knew we would make it past everything thrown at us. After all, how many people can say they survived a frozen heart curse?” Ace half joked, causing Nancy to lightly elbow him in the stomach at the reminder of the first time she’d thought she was going to lose him after realizing how she felt. 

“After all this time, I still have no idea how you can joke about that. I was terrified you were going to die at Temperance’s twisted hand, especially after she told me I had to stay away from you in order to avoid her curse. I can’t tell you how relieved I was when we finally managed to break it.”

“I always had faith in you, Nance. Always have and always will.”

“And I’m forever thankful for that. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“You probably would have found yourself in more scrapes with no way out.” Ace wraps his arms around Nancy’s waist, leaving a kiss in her hair.

Nancy lays her arms on top of Ace’s, hands resting on top of where his fingers are interlaced. “Who’s to say what would have happened? Even with all we’ve been through, I don’t think I would have changed a bit of it. I still remember the day we first met, when you came over to help Bess with her computer, only to find an overload of glitter in the CPU.”

“Oh yeah, I remember bits from that day, though I seem to mostly just recall the dance party I walked into. I’m guessing you remember more of it than I do?”

“I do, if you’d like to hear it again.”

“I wouldn’t mind hearing this, I feel like I’ve never heard the entire story from the beginning.” Ryan says, walking into the kitchen from the back door. “Bess just said we have a few minutes before you two walk in.”

“How have you never heard this story, Ryan? I feel like I’ve told it a million times. Alright, since we have a few minutes, I guess I can share the condensed version.”

“It all started back in the summer before my sophomore year in high school. It was a hot day in August, one of those days where you just want to take a nap.”

* . * . * . * . * . * . * . *

“Hey Bess, were you and Mom able to get the snacks for movie night tonight? I know Dad meant to ask Mom about it earlier when she left to pick you up from school earlier.” 15-year-old Nancy didn’t even look up when the door opened, too transfixed on the needles in her hands to break her focus. 

“Yeah, the store was out of raspberry sorbet, so we got mango instead. The rest of the snacks are still in the car, but I’ve got the frozen stuff here so it doesn’t melt more than it already has. Oh, and you know how my computer’s been randomly freezing up? One of the librarians has a son who’s apparently a wiz with technology, so he’s coming over soon to take a look at it.”

“Wait, really? Which librarian is it?”

“Rebecca, you know, one of the librarians who’s been there forever.” Bess lugs the grocery bags from the front doorway to the kitchen, finally letting go of them once they’re safely on the counter. 

“Oh, she’s really nice! I’ve asked her to get several books for me through interlibrary loan and there’s only been one she wasn’t able to get for me. She’s always told me about any new books she thinks I’d be interested in before they come in too so I can be the first one to check them out.” Nancy pulls her gaze from her knitting needles, causing her to miss the yarn. “You have got to be kidding me! I was finally starting to understand that new stitch too.” 

“I love that you’re getting back into knitting, Nancy, but maybe that’s a sign you should take a break from it for a while and help your mother.” Kate Drew’s voice wafts through the doorway escorted by the rustling of more plastic bags. “After all, I’ve got a few too many bags here and not enough hands to hold them all.”

“Sure, sorry Mom.” Nancy puts her project to the side and stands up, walking over to the doorway and picking up a few grocery bags in each hand. “I still can’t believe how hot it’s been recently.”

With the three of them together, the bags quickly disappear as things get put into their proper places, and the process is made even quicker when Bess plugs her phone into a speaker in the kitchen.

“Alright, what do you two want to listen to? I think there might be a new episode of that mystery podcast you’ve been listening to, Nancy.” Bess turns toward the other two with her phone in her right hand and left hand on her hip. 

“Yeah, that—” Nancy starts replying, but Kate interrupts her before the girl can finish her sentence, slightly irritating the redhead. 

“Why don’t you pull up one of those playlists we were listening to the other day, Bess? Maybe we save the mysteries for another time.” Kate gives her older daughter a wink to prevent a disagreement that she knew was on its way without her intervention, even seeing her oldest’s mouth open only to snap shut at her mom’s look. 

“Fine…” Nancy grumbles half-reluctantly, not thrilled at the prospect of having to wait to find out what happens next in the podcast she’d been listening to, especially after how the previous episode had ended but also understanding that they’d been listening to her podcasts a lot recently. Instead, the room fills with the sound of the summer’s top 40 and Bess starts dancing around the kitchen putting dry goods away in the cupboards as she spins to her heart's content. Her energy is so infectious that only a few songs later, Nancy starts singing along to the songs she recognizes and starts dancing to them herself. 

Before long, Nancy and Bess are dancing around the kitchen in tandem having forwent taking care of the groceries in favor of a dance party. The kitchen now resembles a school dance in terms of music volume, though the lighting situation is quite different. At one point, Nancy’s so busy singing along to Really Don’t Care by Demi Lovato that she fails to realize someone’s right behind her until she turns around and bumps into something she didn’t expect. Regaining her balance, she realizes she's bumped into a teenage boy, one with unkempt sandy blonde hair who looked vaguely familiar, though the redhead couldn’t quite place where she knew him from. 

“Oh, Ace! I didn’t even hear you come in.” Bess says, dropping the bottle of dish soap she’d been using as a microphone into the sink. Luckily there hadn’t been much water in the sink after Nancy had washed the dishes a while before, but the little bit left splashed up, getting Bess’s blue shirt slightly wet.

Ace, Nancy thinks. That name sounds familiar, maybe someone in the year ahead at school?

After stumbling slightly from Nancy bumping into him, Ace stands by the dish towel cabinet next to the stairwell. “Yeah, your mom let me in, though she didn’t give me any warning of the ultimate dance party going on in her kitchen.”

Bess laughs lightly. “Oh, we were just putting groceries away before starting dinner. I guess we got carried away. You’re welcome to join us though, right Nance?” 

“Sure, the more the merrier!” With the veil of distraction broken by the newcomer’s appearance, Nancy goes back to the forgotten groceries, pulling items out and setting them on the island in the kitchen. “Ace, what grade are you in school? I feel like I’ve seen you around the grounds before.”

“I’ll be a junior this year, though I’m usually the one helping people in computer class so maybe that’s where you know me from. Class with Mr. Wilson?”

“Oh yeah, I had him as my third period teacher last year. I bet you helped me with the printer not recognizing my computer during the first class.”

“Wait, you were the one that happened to? I still remember that.”

“Yeah, I was the girl with the printer-phobic computer in my friend group for a month after that.” Nancy turns away from the oven, having prompted the preheat setting for the pizza currently sitting on the island behind her before beginning to prepare a baking sheet for the pie to go onto.

“Nancy, if you have this under control, I’m going to get my computer from upstairs so that Ace can help me figure out what’s been going on with it.” Bess says, drying her hands on a towel.

“I think the salad greens and such are the rest of what we need for dinner tonight, so I’ve got that covered. You need to figure out why your computer’s been overheating. I almost burned myself the other day when I had to move it out of Dad’s way.”

Bess walks up the stairs toward her room, voice fading as she rounds the corner in the stairway. “I know, I know, I’ve come close to doing that myself. But that’s why Ace is here!” 

A few minutes pass while Bess is upstairs, with Nancy getting the rest of the dinner items out and setting the table while Ace stands slightly awkwardly by the stairs, clearly unsure what to do. 

“So Ace,” Nancy starts slightly awkwardly. “How did you and Bess meet?”

“Oh, just in the library. She was trying to log into her account there to look something up and locked herself out, so I helped her unlock it again.”

“Yeah, I’m still having issues with my library account, actually. It’s the strangest thing.” Bess says as she walks down the stairs, computer and power cord in hand, now wearing a green tank top. “Here Ace, we can sit at the end of the table while dinner cooks.”

“I don’t want to intrude on your meal, we can always look at this tomorrow or something.” Ace is cautious, not wanting to have invited himself over when he wasn’t welcome.

“Oh, nonsense. Any friend of our daughter’s is welcome, especially one who can help with any technology issues that arise.” Kate says, walking in from the laundry room. “We usually wouldn’t be eating so early, only my husband has a meeting in town tonight.”

“Really, it’s fine Ace. Then we can look at my computer after we’ve eaten something, less distracting that way.” Bess says, opening a cupboard to retrieve plates.

“If you’re fine with it, I’ll let my mom know that I’ll be getting home a little later tonight.”  Ace says, pulling a phone out of his pocket and pressing a few buttons on it. 

A while later, Bess and Ace are sitting at the table with her computer upside down as Ace starts to gently unscrew the panel holding the bottom of the computer on. “Okay, so once this screw is out, I should be able to get a better look at what’s going on. Let’s just…” 

The panel lifts up to reveal a glitter covered interior heavily focused around the fan, but still remaining scattered around the inner workings of the device, leaving a healthy dusting of pink glitter on the table as well.

“Oh crap , Mom’s going to kill me!” Bess says, jumping out of her chair. “We’ve got to pick this up before she sees it.”

Nancy, who’d gone out to the kitchen for a bowl of sorbet, sees what’s unfolded on their kitchen table. “Bess, did you leave the glitter from Mary’s birthday posters open on your computer after Mom told you not to? Can’t say she didn’t warn you, you know.”

“I know, I know, I just didn’t think it would get this bad just by having the container sit next to the keypad for five minutes. Guess that’s my lesson learned. Okay, what do we need to clean this up, Ace?” Bess says, shaking her head good-naturedly.

“We can’t clean all of this up without all the tools I have at home, but we can still get the majority of it out.” Ace says, thoroughly examining the damage’s extent. “We’ll need some toothpicks, paper towels, water, tape, and a can of compressed air if you have any.” 

“I think we still have a can of compressed air from when Dad’s space bar got sticky for no reason. I’ll go check in his office.” Bess darts out of the room toward the office, an invisible clock ticking down the minutes she has to fix the problem before Kate finds out how much glitter is on her table.

Nancy, finished observing the events in her dining room, settles down on the couch in the TV room and grabs the remote, bowl of sorbet in hand as she curls up with her feet next to her.

“Now, what to watch today,” She muses aloud, flipping idly through the channels before landing on a show whose title she recognizes. “I think Liz was telling me about this at the ice cream shop the other day, Pretty Little Liars. Something about this character A? Guess I can check it out.”

A few minutes later, Nancy’s fully engrossed in what’s on screen, leaving even her sorbet to melt in the bowl as she finds herself immersed in the mystery beginning to unfold before her eyes.

“He’s her English teacher, by the way.”

Ace’s voice startles Nancy, causing her to jump slightly, not expecting to hear it in proximity closer than the table.

“Okay, and what makes you think that?” She retorts, tearing her eyes off the screen for a split second in order to look at him leaning against the wall behind the television. 

“Just watch and see what happens. I think you might be surprised.” Ace pushes himself off the wall and turns back toward the table just in time for Bess to come almost literally crashing into the room, arms full of bottles and other objects.

“I hope this is everything. Mom looked at me funny when I asked her where the compressed air was, so we probably don’t have much time.” Bess says as she drops everything on the table and watches Ace start setting up a work area.

Nancy hears the interaction between the two and shakes her head fondly at Bess’ antics as she picks up her bowl again. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

Only a few minutes after turning her full attention back to the show in front of her, Ace’s prediction of events comes true as Aria’s new English teacher walks into the classroom to reveal the guy she’d seen at the tavern a few days prior. Nancy spends the rest of the episode puzzling over how Ace could have known about that, almost focusing more on that than the events unfolding onscreen. Before long, the end credits are playing and Nancy can hear the sounds of Bess and Ace cleaning up after themselves at the table. 

“Alright, that should be the end of the glitter. If it isn’t, feel free to blame me for anything left on the carpet, floor, anywhere.” Ace says to Bess, gently peeling one last piece of tape off the table, appearing satisfied with the non-existent amount of glitter he sees. “I should probably be going though, Mom will be wondering where I am. I’ll see you around Bess, and let me know if you still have any issues with your computer.”

“Yeah, thanks Ace. Hopefully I can remember the tips you had for the next time I have issues with my library account.” Bess walks her friend to the door, waving a goodbye until the door fully shuts behind him. “Well, that should help with my computer overheating. Turns out there was a literal wad of glitter right next to the fan, which was why it got so hot.”

“I can definitely see how leaving an open container of glitter on your computer can cause that to happen.” Nancy says under her breath, breathing a half-sigh of relief when she realizes Bess hadn’t heard her before saying something in a more audible tone. “I guess we’ll see if anyone ends up burning their fingers on it in the coming days, won’t we?

“Oh, did Ace already leave? I wanted to ask him to tell his mother that I said hello.” Kate walks in from the laundry room again, arms full of folded bed sheets and towels. 

“Yeah, he had to get going before Rebecca worried too much. I can tell him next time I see him though. My computer should be fixed now, Ace was a whiz with it!” Bess says, picking up her computer and power cord as subtly and quickly as she can before speeding upstairs. 

“What that girl finds so interesting in her room is something I don’t think I’ll ever understand.” Kate says as she watches the brunette scurry up the stairs. “Wait, why is there a patch of pink glitter on my floor? Bess!”

* . * . * . * . * . *

“Didn’t Kate make Bess get one of those carpet cleaners from the store to get the glitter out?” Ace laughed, now remembering how much Bess had complained to him about the machine’s weight after the fact. 

“Yeah, she did. That was the last time Bess ever used loose glitter anywhere indoors.” Nancy said, eyes sparkling with mirth. 

Ryan laughed, the picture of teenage Bess using so much glitter that it stopped her laptop from working not a far stretch from what he knows about her. “I can’t believe I’ve never heard the entire story about how you two met until now, but it makes so much sense.”

Nancy put an arm around Ace’s waist. “How did you know about that scene in the show, hon?”

“Oh, I think it was something Mom had told me about because Dominique had been raving about it and Mom thought it was something I might have been interested in. I only ever watched the first episode, but I still recognized the scene when I saw you watching it.”

As Ace finishes his sentence, Bess walks up to the back door and opens it slightly, motioning to the trio. “Alright, we’re ready for you. Ryan, you come out first, then Nancy and Ace follow behind.”

As Nancy and Ace walked out to the backyard, the crowds awaiting them burst into cheers and applause, confetti cannons shooting streamers toward the newlyweds as they walked over to their table in the center of the grass. All of the tables, while simple, were elegantly decorated by a few flameless candles and a small bouquet of flowers atop a white tablecloth. The happy couple’s table, however, was additionally decorated by two silver candlesticks, the twisted detailing reminding Nancy of playing mystery games with her parents when she was a young girl. As they sat down, Nancy whispered in Ace’s ear.

“I’m glad you were able to talk me into putting those candlesticks on our table. Having them on the table is like having Mom here.”

“And that’s why I was so insistent on including them, Nance. I knew you’d want her with us today.” Ace said, helping Nancy sit as she arranged her skirts around the chair. 

“Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate with us today!” Bess said, microphone in hand as she began the evening’s introduction. “I know Nancy and Ace can’t imagine celebrating this day without any of you. I’d like to start this off with toasts from the wedding party, so if George and Nick could come forward?” 

Nick and George stand up from their table to meet Bess in the center of the dance area, and Bess hands the microphone to Nick.”Good evening everyone. If you don’t recognize me, my name is Ned Nickerson, though my friends all call me Nick. I met Ace when I first moved to town before my first year of high school when we both went to the town’s halloween party as Han Solo. I remember we had a good laugh about it, then spent the rest of the night cracking jokes to anyone who would listen about us being Han Solos from different universes. I’ve considered Ace to be one of my closest friends ever since that day, so when he asked me to be his best man, I accepted in a heartbeat. We’ve been through so much together, and I’m so glad to have the opportunity to support him in this next chapter in his life. Congratulations to Nancy and Ace, the new Mr and Mrs Drew-Hardy!”

George takes the microphone next, a smile on her face as she looks out at the crowds. “Hi everyone, if you don’t know me, my name is George Fan. When I first met Nancy and Ace, I knew that somehow, somewhere, they’d end up where we are today. Maybe it was how they were always good partners whether they were goofing around or doing their actual work or how they’d always know what the other was saying or that they’d constantly finish each other’s sentences when no one else had any idea what they were saying, but there was always something between them. I remember the first day that I really knew they would end up together. We were all working at the Claw, and Nancy and Ace were sorting things in the back room while the rest of us cleaned the rest of the place. At one point, I heard a shout come from the back room so I rushed back to find that several large boxes of macaroni had fallen off the shelf and spilled, leaving a pile of pasta scattered across the floor. Nancy had already run in search of the broom and dustpan, but Ace was sitting on the floor in the back room using the pasta to draw different pictures on the gray backdrop. Once Nancy came back in with the broom, of course, he helped pick it up, but something about that interaction got me thinking about how well they would work together. Now, ten years later, look where we are! Nancy, Ace, you might be one of the more unorthodox couples I know, but I love you both so much for it. Congratulations!”

With the end of her speech, George handed the mic back to Bess who eagerly took the device. “And last but not least, I’m Bess Turani-Drew, and I’m Nancy’s sister. I was adopted into the Drew family when Nancy and I were very young, but she and I became inseparable almost immediately. That’s not to say that she and I didn’t have our fair share of arguments growing up, but I always knew she’d be in my corner no matter how mad she was at me or what else was going on in our lives. Nancy was so strong as a teenager, stronger than I thought most people could be, and I’ve always looked up to her for that, even on the days when she’d let the wall break slightly and I helped her put the pieces back together. Now, having seen her relationship with Ace grow from the literal first day they met, I’m confident that Nancy and Ace have both found their home in each other. Though my computer was the reason they originally met, I have absolutely no doubt that these two would have found each other regardless. That’s the type of connection they have - an electric one that’s so strong even trips around the world aren’t strong enough to break their bond. It’s one that I’ve dreamed of for so long, and one we all deserve to have in our lives.”

Through all of the speeches, Nancy and Ace sat silent at their table, words from their closest friends causing Nancy’s eyes to water as she dabbed gently at them with her napkin. Ace put his arm around the redhead, resting his head on top of hers. “We have some pretty kick-ass friends, Nance. I think they’d go to the ends of the world for us if we asked.”

“Yeah, they probably would, though I think they already have in many ways. I mean, Odette, Temperance, all the other hauntings and mysteries we’ve been through together? Those seem pretty much like the ends of the earth to me. I’m glad we’ve had each other though, because I can’t imagine having to get through all of those things without help from you or any of them.”

“Hey, do you remember the first time you and I had a mystery of our own to solve? It was that corn maze that the Hutchins family opened that one fall, a few months after we met.”

“The one where you and I both got separated from our friend groups only to literally crash into each other at one point?” Nancy asks. “Yeah, that was a pretty crazy night, though it all turned out okay in the end.”

“Yeah, it definitely did.” Ace said, gently pulling Nancy into him. “Not only did we learn who our friends really were that night, but I got to know you a bit better, especially after we got thrown out of the maze for cutting through the rows to get out faster.”

“That was one of the first times we got ice cream together, wasn’t it? I can’t believe you like chocolate ice cream with blue raspberry sauce when raspberry sorbet and chocolate sauce exists, but I still love you.”

“Yeah, the only reason I refused to pay for it that time was because you almost knocked me over trying to beat your friends out of the maze to, how did you phrase it? ‘Teach them a lesson’?” 

Nancy laughed a bit awkwardly. “I guess that wasn’t one of my brightest moments, but I was highly competitive at that age, not to mention absolutely furious at them for ditching me. Besides, I got to hang out with you, so I’d say it all worked out in the end even if it meant neither of us have ever been allowed back in that maze.”

As Nancy finishes her sentence, the empty plate in the place setting below her is replaced by a warm, vibrantly colored plate of food, the scent drifting from the plate making her mouth water as she realizes how little she’d eaten that day during her preparations. “I’m so glad we decided to go with both the lemon salmon and garlic steak, I’m not sure how we would have chosen between them. If I’m being quite honest. And the risotto is delicious as well, I’ll have to ask Rebecca for the recipe.”

“Actually, Mom gave me a little surprise for you.” Ace said, reaching into his suit pocket and pulling out an index card. “She wrote down the recipe for you as a gift so that you could start your own recipe collection since she remembered how much you admired hers.”

“That’s such a thoughtful gift, I can’t believe she gave me one of her recipes.” Nancy said in shock, a hand lightly covering her mouth. 

“Of course, Nancy. You’re part of our family now.” Rebecca said, walking up to their table. “I remembered how much you liked it from the first dinner you and Ace had with us, and I thought it would be a nice gesture since this was one of Kate’s favorite recipes of mine as well.”

“So that’s why she always had to make the risotto any time we had it. I always asked her where to find the recipe we used so I could make it on nights that she was more busy, but she always made the time to make it herself.”

“Oh, I never intended for her to not share the recipe with you and your sister. I only ever wanted it to be shared and enjoyed by your family.”

“I appreciate that, Rebecca, thank you.” Nancy hugged her mother-in-law gently.

Warmly returning the hug, Rebecca said, “Hopefully this helps you remember what it was like to cook with your mother, and I hope that you know you’re welcome in my kitchen at any time.”

“I’ll definitely remember that.”

As Nancy and his mother talk, Ace sees someone walk up to their table who he doesn’t entirely recognize, though the person does seem familiar. 

“Nancy, Ace, I just wanted to stop by and congratulate you two! This reception is so…quaint, it’s perfect for you.” Stating her greeting in a fake tone topped by more obviously fake blond hair, the woman standing in front of them is someone who doesn’t know them well, though Nancy recognizes her immediately.

“Britney, how thoughtful of you to stop by.” Nancy says through gritted teeth. “What brings you back to Horseshoe Bay? I thought you were living in New York City now, something about small towns like this stifling you?”

“Oh Nancy,  don’t be silly! And here I thought you’d be happy to see one of your oldest friends.”

“With all due respect, you lost my friendship when you, Parker, and all our other friends back in  high school dumped me after my mother was diagnosed with cancer. I know partying was the most important thing to you back then, as it likely still is given where you currently are, but I had more critical things to take care of than who was going to a beach bonfire with whom. I’m not sure what you expected to achieve by coming here today, but I refuse to let you ruin this day for me. Goodbye Britney, you are not welcome here.” Nancy’s tone and words were firm, not allowing any loopholes for her former friend to poke into. With a glance at her now father-in-law, who’d been standing next to Rebecca through the entire altercation as she signed the conversation to him, Thom steps forward, quietly yet firmly showing the woman out. 

Seeing through the front Nancy had put up, Ace steps up next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he sees her begin to shake with unshed tears. “If you don’t mind me asking, who was that?”

“Britney McPherson, queen bee and former best friend of mine. I met her in kindergarten and we were friends all through school until Mom found out about her diagnosis in my junior year. She and all the other kids I used to hang out with at school until I missed one too many of her parties that summer.”

“Oh, was that why you ended up going to prom with Bess and me that year? You know I rocked the green and pink suit combo at that!” Ace’s weak attempt at a joke breaks through Nancy’s façade, bringing a small smile back to her face at the memory.

“Yeah, I remember the fuss Bess made when she found out I was wearing sneakers to prom instead of heels. Sparkly ones, at least, but still.” Nancy laughed softly. “I wonder if those ever got donated or if they’re in my old bedroom even now.”

“Well if they are, they are more than welcome in our home if you want to wear them.”

“At this rate, I’m probably better off donating them. Something tells me some other teenage girl would probably be thrilled to wear them to one of her dances.”

“If that’s what you’d rather do with them, I’m sure we can make that happen.” Carson says, walking up to their table as Rebecca and Thom return to their seats. “Those shoes are still there as far as I know, you never wanted to get rid of them for some reason. Anyway, old dance shoes aside, you look absolutely beautiful Nancy. I’m so glad everything worked out for today, especially the weather.”

Nancy nods in agreement with her father. “Yeah, I think we really lucked out with everything. Bess has been great at helping us plan everything and make sure it all happened when it was supposed to, she’s really taken to her new job as wedding planner.”

“And speaking of your sister…” Ace says, seeing his Platanchor walk into the center of the yard again with microphone in hand.

“I hope you’ve all enjoyed your meals. Now, I’d like to invite our happy couple out for their first dance.” Bess smiles and nods to the person in charge of music, followed by the song’s opening notes. 

Nancy and Ace make their way to the middle of the dance area before starting to slowly sway to the music. Neither one of them had taken formal dance lessons for this, but all of the school dances and the occasional undercover case with social dancing was adequate preparation for them. During one particularly slow turn, Nancy’s gaze falls on a chair off to the side of the dance floor, closer to the house than the rest of the tables. While it was unoccupied by a guest, the seat itself was covered by framed pictures of everyone the pair had lost in the years leading up to this moment, pets and people alike. The pictures of Lucy and Kate are centered in the display with pictures of Ace’s grandparents Rose and Isaiah on either side. Pictures of Nancy’s bull terrier Togo and Frank, Ace’s collie are also there, all of the frames reminding the redhead of everyone who the pair wished had been able to come to their wedding. 

“Hey, penny for your thoughts?” Ace said, seeing Nancy’s face fall slightly.

Nancy rests her chin on Ace’s shoulder. “Just thinking about everyone we’re missing today, especially Kate and Lucy. They probably would have loved this.”

“They definitely would have, are you kidding? I’m pretty confident they’re watching us together from somewhere though, at least, if all our experiences with the supernatural are to be believed.”

“I know, I wish at least one of them could have been here today though. It’s like the day of the winter formal my senior year. There have been so many things they’ve both missed, so many important events for me that aren’t the same without them. I still remember what it was like coming home after prom.”

* . * . * . * . * . *

“Hey, thanks for driving me home, Ace.” Nancy said as she stepped out of his car, Florence. 

Ace shuts the passenger door behind her before walking with Nancy to her door. “Nance, when have you ever known me to let a friend find their way home alone, especially when that friend is one of my best friends? I couldn’t let you try walking home, not in this weather or those shoes.” 

The night is chilly but quiet, a typical December night in Horseshoe Bay. The clouds that had gathered throughout the day had opened into a light snowfall partway through the dance, leaving white specks all over the pair’s jackets and hair. The walk from the driveway to the door isn’t long, but the two young adults take their time with it, neither one wanting the night to end while also waiting for Bess and her date, Addy. 

“Hey, why don’t you come inside for a while and warm up before heading home?” Nancy offers as they near her door. “Bess shouldn’t be far behind and I know she’ll want to tell both of us all about how her night was.”

“Sure, I can hang out for a bit, as long as your parents won’t mind.”

“Are you kidding? You’re practically family to them.” Now at the door, Nancy unlocks it, stepping into the entryway before unlocking and stepping through the main door into her house. 

“Mom, Dad, I’m ho—” Her greeting is cut short when she sees the broken plate, food strewn across the floor in front of the stairway. Looking toward the tv room where she knows her mother has steadily spent more of her time over the last year, Nancy feels her heart stop as her eyes land on her father kneeling on the floor next to the bed, her mother unnaturally still. At the sound of her voice, Carson turns his face toward the door, face wet with tears. 

“N-no. This can’t be happening. Mom. Mom!” Nancy’s eyes welled with tears, simultaneously frozen on the spot and racing to her father’s side, all memories of the dance immediately forgotten. As she reaches her parents, a hand immediately finds her mother’s to squeeze it but receives no reassuring squeeze in return. She falls to her knees beside her father, weeping openly as Carson puts an arm around her shoulders. 

“How did you convince me that going to the dance would be better for me tonight? I should have been here, I could have helped, I could have done something, anything!” The words are choked out through tears as Nancy gasps for breath. “I should never have gone tonight!”

“Oh my God, Mom!” Bess’s voice rings out in a scream and Nancy’s wracking sobs begin anew as her sister joins them on the floor. A tissue box appears in front of them, and Nancy is able to nearly make out Ace’s silhouette crouched in front of her. He sits in between two of his closest friends, holding their hands to support them as tears fall from his eyes as well, mourning one of the few adults he had fully trusted aside from his mother. Addy, not exactly knowing what to do, kneels slightly awkwardly behind Bess, a hand cautiously on her shoulder as a part of the clump of people on the floor of the tv room that night. 

An unknown amount of time later, Nancy’s finally able to take a full breath again, throat dry and eyes tight from crying. She’d collapsed between Bess and Ace, the former having cried herself to sleep. Nancy’s left hand, which had been holding her mother’s hand, is now relaxed and draped over the bedrail, covered by Carson’s hand. Her other hand, however, is still within Ace’s grasp, not restricting her movement, but reassuring her that he’s still there. His eyes are open and staring into space, lids red and slightly puffy, though no tear tracks are visible on his face. As he hears her heels scrape on the floor he looks up, and Nancy knows the sorrow on his face is likely reflected thrice-fold in her own. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Ace’s voice cracks slightly as he whispers. “Come here, Nance.”

Nancy leans against him with little hesitation, grateful that one of her closest friends is here at this moment as one of his arms wraps around her. “I can’t believe she’s gone, Ace. If I’d been here, if I hadn’t gone to the dance tonight, I-I could have done something and she’d still be here. There was so much more I wanted to tell her, and now it’s too late.”

“I know, Nancy. It seems like there’s always so many things we want to say, but we don’t realize them until it’s too late. She wanted you to remember the good times though, when you could all go to the movies together or that time you hiked Cadillac Mountain in June and had a snowball fight at the summit. Times when you were all laughing and enjoying life.”

“None of those good times will ever feel the same without her there, though. She’s always been the light and glue that held us together.”

“It’s going to take time, like anything. But eventually, you’ll discover new ways and places to find that light and you’ll move forward. Until then though, and even after that, the rest of your friends and I will be there when you need us, you and Bess. We aren’t going anywhere, Nancy.” Hearing a sniffle, Ace hands her a box of tissues from the coffee table before glancing around at Addie, Bess, and Carson who were either drowsy or fully asleep now. “Here, why don’t you sit up for a second? I’ll get everyone some water, blankets, and pillows since it doesn’t look like anyone’s going anywhere tonight. Do you still keep them in the hallway closet upstairs?”

Nancy nods, wiping her eyes with a tissue. “Yup, as always. And Ace?” She grabs his wrist as he stands up, causing his head to turn back toward her. “Thanks.”

“Anytime, Nance.”

The night passes slowly but Nancy eventually falls asleep, waking up early the next morning to sunlight in her eyes. At first, she’s disoriented to see beams above her head rather than her room’s popcorn ceiling and glow-in-the-dark stars, but then she remembers the events from the previous night. Sitting up slightly, Nancy looks around the room to find that while Addy and Bess were asleep with Bess’ head on Addy’s shoulder, Ace and her dad were nowhere to be found. After a brief stretch to start smoothing out all the stiffness and aches from sleeping on the wood floor, Nancy gets up, hearing noise in the kitchen and decides she’ll go into the kitchen to get a drink and look for the other two people who’d been with them the previous night. 

As she rounds the corner of the stairwell, Nancy sees Ace looking through the cabinets with a large mixing bowl and cookbook on the countertop. 

“Hey, what are you looking for?” She says, amusing herself slightly when he jumps at her voice, not knowing that she was awake because his back had been to most of the house. 

“Morning Nancy, I was just looking for pancake mix or something similar, felt like you guys would appreciate it if someone else made something for breakfast.”

“Oh, it’s in here.” Nancy says, pulling the box out of a grocery bag that was set off to the side. She puts the box on the island countertop before getting a glass out of a cabinet and filling it with water from the sink, taking a long drink once the glass is full. “We got some yesterday, but I didn’t get around to putting it away before the dance.”

“How are you feeling this morning?” While his hands are occupied, Ace spares a glance from the directions on the back of the pancake mix to check on his friend. 

“Like my life just got turned upside down last night. Oh right, it did.” Nancy laughs humorlessly, willing the tears not to reform in her eyes. “Any idea when my dad left?”

“You actually just missed him. Something about having paperwork to fill out, I couldn’t understand all of it. Are Bess and Addy awake yet?”

“No, they’re both still asleep, which is probably for the better, at least in Bess’ case. She and Mom were really close, especially these last few weeks.”

“Yeah, I noticed that she took a step back from her shifts at the Claw. How come you didn’t?”

“You know me,” Nancy shrugged half-heartedly. “I’m always better off distracting myself rather than facing my problems head on until it’s too late, and even then…”

“The more you distract yourself, the less time you have to spend processing it all.”

“Exactly.” True to her word, Nancy opens a cabinet and takes out everything needed to make coffee and tea before filling the electric kettle and flipping the switch for it to start heating water. “So, any chance you know if Addy likes coffee or tea better?”

Almost an hour later, Bess and Addy emerge from the TV room, the smell of coffee and promise of food finally rousing them. Ace had, of course, taken a picture of Bess leaning her head on Addy’s shoulder while they were sleeping, but the slumbering pair were none-the-wiser to it, having been in such a deep sleep from the stress of the previous night combined with exhaustion from the dance. 

“So, there’s pancakes and syrup along with eggs, toast and fruit for breakfast plus fresh coffee and hot water for tea. Help yourselves.” Nancy said, putting together her own plate of food before sitting down on one end of the dining room table. Before she can put the first forkful up to her mouth, however, a knock is heard at the door. 

“I’ll get it.” Nancy says, standing up from her chair and walking to the door. Despite suspecting who is behind the door, she looks through the peephole first with the repressed tears from earlier threatening to resurface to see Conor, the town’s coroner, standing on the other side with a grim look on his face and what looks to be a black clipboard in his hands. 

“Hi Nancy, I wish I was here under better circumstances.” Conor says as the door opens. “Carson called me a little while ago and told me what happened. I’m so sorry.”

Nancy sniffles slightly, trying her best not to cry while she attempts handling the situation. “Thank you Mr. McNew, she’s just in here.”

Gesturing toward the TV room where her mother has laid for the last twelve hours, Nancy sees in her periphery that Ace and Bess had also walked to the door from the table and she puts a hand around her sister’s shoulders to hug her close. “She loved both of us so much, Bess. One of the last things she said to me before I left was that she hoped last night was one of the happiest nights of our life so far. It’s going to be different now, but we can get through this together.”

“And you have all of us too, Bess.” Ace pipes in. “Nick, George, all of us. We’re here for when you need us.”

“This feels like a terrible nightmare, I just want to wake up.” Bess wails anew, leaning her head against Nancy’s as fresh tears fall. The trio stand in relative silence by the door watching Conor and his assistant work, noting the estimated time of death and gently covering Kate’s head with the bedsheet before unlocking the wheels on the hospital bed, slowly beginning to wheel the hospital bed toward the door. Nancy’s eyes start burning as she watches the adults work but she’s able to keep the tears at bay until the bed passes where she’s standing at the foot of the stairs. Bess wrenches herself out from Nancy’s arms, lunging at the bed. 

“No, Mom! Don’t leave me!”

“Bess!” Ace and Nancy both reach for Bess at the sound of her cry, but neither one manages to grab more than the smallest wisp of the brunette’s sleeve as she misses the hospital bed and lands with a crash on the wood floor. The sound she makes is awful, causing Conor to glance back at them in an effort to ensure nothing was broken, but Ace waves him away with a hand, already having decided in a split second that he’d bring his friend to the hospital if she needed it. Nancy crouches down next to Bess and cradles her sister in her arms not unlike how Kate would always comfort them when they were upset, unable to keep the tears at bay herself. Ace is right there with Nancy, a hand on both girls’ shoulders. Addy, having watched the entire thing from the back of the dining room awkwardly and not seeing to know how to react, is suddenly standing next to the trio. 

“Hey Bess, I hate to do this, but Mom texted me, and she’s here to pick me up. I’ll see you later, okay? Don’t worry about the clothes, I’ll have them back to you as soon as I can.” Addy says, having changed out of her formal outfit into a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie at Bess’ insistence, gives her date a hug as Bess latches on like a koala. “Let me know if there’s anything you need. Food, help with things here, you name it, just send me a text.” 

“Thanks for staying last night, Addy. I really appreciate it. And yeah, I’ll let you know if we need anything.” Bess says, letting go of the near strangle-hold she had on the girl in front of her. Before she can fully pull away though, Addy grabs Bess’ hand and gently squeezes it in reassurance before glancing at both Bess and Nancy’s faces. “Like Ace said a few minutes ago, I’m here for you, both of you. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for the two of you.”

“Thank you Addy, that means a lot.” Nancy says, a sad smile flickering across her cheeks. 

After another moment, Addy gently pulls her hand out of Bess’ and stands up, putting her shoes on and walking out the door, leaving a chilly breeze in her wake and causing the three other teens to shiver. 

“Bess, why don’t you go upstairs and change out of those wet things since it looks like you landed in a pile of snow that Conor or his assistant left when he walked through. I don’t want you getting any colder than you likely already have. I’ll make something warm for us to drink when you come down, okay?” Nancy stands back up, bringing Bess with her with some assistance from Ace to keep the two from toppling backwards before hugging her fully for a long moment and gently pushing her towards the first step in the stairway. Bess goes upstairs slowly, sniffling all the way, and Nancy stands at the bottom of the stairs watching her until she’s out of sight, making sure Bess doesn’t trip on the stairs. Through this, Nancy’s eyes are still filled with tears and she wipes at them furtively with her sleeve before a tissue appears before her eyes. 

“Here,” Ace says softly. 

Nancy takes it, replacing her sleeve with the tissue as she wipes the tears away. “You don’t have to stay, Ace. I’m sure you’ve got a million other things to do today, and I can’t even imagine how worried Rebecca must be.”

“I’m right where I want to be, Nancy. Mom already knows that I’m hanging out here today in case there’s anything I can do to help, I sent her a text before you all woke up. Mr. D should be home soon, he wanted me to let you know that he was just going to be at the office for a little while this morning, then he’ll be home. That was almost two hours ago now, so he should be back soon.”

A breeze cuts through Nancy’s pajamas unexpectedly, the drafty house quickly making her aware of how wet her own clothes had gotten by the snow that had been tracked in. She shivers, then says, “Okay, maybe I landed in more of a puddle than I thought I had. I’ll be right back down, but could you start the kettle again?”

At Ace’s nod, Nancy starts going up the stairs herself, following the path of her sister just moments before. A heaviness begins to settle on her shoulders as she begins to realize what her responsibilities have become, but the full burden of that weight is cushioned by the knowledge that her friends, the ones who have proven themselves to her several times over, will be there to help her pick up the pieces and settle into her new normal, whatever that may be.

* . * . * . * . * . *

For the second time that day, Nancy finds tears in her eyes with the memory of her mother and all she lost at such a young age. As the song comes to a close, she lifts her head from Ace’s shoulder and makes eye contact with him. With just a look in his eyes, she knows he was thinking of the same things as her, his eyes speaking a silent apology. She squeezes his hand in reassurance though, both of them knowing they don’t have to go through that pain anymore without the other beside them for support. 

Bess steps up and hugs Nancy as the newlyweds step off the dance floor, having talked to her sister that morning about the past would likely affect her. Nick and George are right beside her as well, and the two couples strike up a conversation when Bess goes to invite everyone else to start dancing the night away.

“You are rocking that dress, Nancy. I knew as soon as you walked out wearing it that it would be the one for today.” George says, toasting Nancy and Ace. 

“That’s so kind of you, George, thank you. That pantsuit you found suits you perfectly, I’m glad we were able to find it.” 

“You can thank Jessie for it. She told me that if I didn’t wear this today, she would talk my ear off at dinner tomorrow night about how cruel it is to make clam chowder because of how the poor things must feel about the whole ordeal.” George gestures loosely to her attire, a perfect match to the wedding colors of sage green and light pink, before the quartet laughs with the perfect imagery of Jessie saying that flitting through all of their heads as the music picks up.

“What a perfect day, isn’t it?” Nick says, looking between his three companions and the clear, cloudless sky above. “Something tells me that Kate and Lucy might have had a hand in this, wanting today to be perfect for the two of you.”

Nancy sighs. “As long as that’s all that happens today, I’ll be more than happy about it.” 

“How about the two of you?” Ace asks. “Have you started thinking about your own wedding plans yet?”

Nick and George lock eyes at this, silent communication passing between them for a moment before they both laugh softly. “No, we haven’t started really thinking about it yet. We have the time now, and especially with my work at the Youth Center and George starting her new job with Carson, we’re just enjoying having the opportunity to relax and take our time with it.”

“Yeah, that’s totally understandable. Conor’s stepped back from his work to help Lily take care of her parents, so I’ve been stepping up a lot more there.”

“My cases have been going pretty well so far too.” Nancy says. “Will’s covering the place while I’m on vacation, but I think we’re getting really close to solving that case from upstate.”

Nick’s curiosity is piqued, both him and George knowing how both of those investigations had been for Nancy. “The one about the missing child, or the treasure found in an abandoned cave?” 

“Both, actually. I’m hoping we’ll have the cases cracked before September, but we’ll see what happens with some new evidence that just came in.”

By now, there’s a decent number of people dancing beside the quartet and Bess dances over to them, a drink in hand as she weaves through the crowd. “You all better not be talking about work when there’s a party going on. Come on, you guys, let’s dance!” She grabs Ace’s hand and swings her new brother-in-law around just like the pair had often danced at their school formals, breaking through the group’s seriousness enough for Nick to coax George into a loose waltz form as Nancy joins her husband and sister in swaying and twirling to the music. 

A few songs later, Bess has Nancy laughing as they reminisce about all the parties they’ve gone to in the past and after a couple of drinks, almost everyone at the party is dancing around the entire yard in a conga line. Bess started it, to no one’s surprise, by spontaneously put Nancy’s hands on her shoulders and started the march around, collecting more people as they went. In this moment, Nancy is overwhelmed with a sense of love, appreciation, and belonging by everyone surrounding her. Though people in town had initially ignored her or dismissed her investigative talents as a young teen’s fleeting fancy, she had come to prove herself through grit, determination, hard work, and more pain than anyone her age should have to go through. Everything, regardless of how it felt at the time, had come together to work for good. 

At the end of the conga line, everyone breaks away to catch their breath, giving Ace and Nancy their first moment to be alone since their first dance. The pair walk to the side of the yard, Ace’s arm around Nancy’s shoulders as they observe the party, Nancy’s head resting on Ace’s shoulder. “I don’t know about you, Nance, but I’m really happy with how today turned out. The guests have all been great, the food was wonderful, and I got to spend the day with the love of my life by my side.”

“I don’t know what I would have done without your love and support all these years, Ace. Thank you and I love you so much.” Nancy smiles at Ace, reaching up to pull him into a kiss. 

Ace pulls away a moment later, gently pressing their foreheads together. “I want to be with you for the rest of my days and beyond, Nancy. My heart will always be yours, it has for a while and I think you knew that. No matter where life takes us, good or bad, I hope I always have you by my side.” 

“I hope you’re always by my side too, Ace. There’s no one else I’d want to have with me when solving mysteries. You have already saved my life more times than I can count, and I can’t imagine a life without you in it.”

A breeze brushes through Nancy’s hair as the two start to walk back into the party’s epicenter, and Nancy pauses at the familiarity of its touch. Turning her head slightly toward a more empty corner of the yard, she sees two clear silhouettes begin to take shape. The first one materializes quickly, and although the second one takes a few more moments to truly be clear, Nancy recognizes both forms immediately. The ghosts of Kate Drew and Lucy Sable float before her, expressions on both of their faces matching the one on Nancy’s own as she realizes. However, almost as soon as they appear, the spirits begin to disappear, leaving nothing but the faint odor of Kate’s favorite perfume and a voice Nancy can only assume is Lucy’s saying, “We love you, Nancy Drew.” 

The smile on Nancy’s face doesn’t fade the rest of the night, the knowledge of seeing both her birth mother and the mother who raised her lifting her spirits more than she thought possible. Why Kate waited until that particular moment to show herself to Nancy, the young woman may never know, but she does know that she wouldn’t have had it any other way.