A/N: Final chapter! :) Thank you to Mishkar once again for the ideas for this fic and allowing it to come to life. The vows were also written by Mishkar. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Chapter Eight

Ste was asleep on his sofa at home. He wasn't staying at Brendan's anymore; he had lingered longer than the few days he had initially promised. Even though Brendan's mood had been odd in those few weeks, Ste hadn't felt ready to leave him. Even now he felt restless with the need to see him, feel his hands and lips caress him, hear his sweet words of forever.

He was on the edge of waking when he was startled awake by his phone ringing. Without even looking at the caller ID, Ste answered groggily.

"Who is it?" He asked, rubbing at his eyes.

"I've done something stupid" Ste froze, his back stiffening.

"Callum?"

"Yes, it's me"

"What have you done?" Ste asked sharply. "Are you here?"

"I'm outside yours"

Ste hung up the phone, stumbling to the front door. "Oi! What's going on?" Ste shut the door behind him, shivering with the cold.

"No time to explain. Come with me" Callum attempted to grab Ste's arm but Ste shook him off.

"Where are we going?"

"I told you there's no time!"

"Well make time then!"

"Ste, he could die!"

"Who could?" Ste was beyond exasperated now. "What are you on about?"

"Brendan!"

Ste stared at him. Callum did a double take, apparently frightened by the look on Ste's face.

"Take me to him" he said, his voice dangerously low.

Callum nodded hastily, leading the way. He took him to the stairs of the club, frantically searching the pavement for something.

"He was right here!" He exclaimed, wringing his hands together nervously.

Ste grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "If you're lying to me…"

"I'm not! I swear it. I left him here"

"You left him here?" Ste turned to glare at him, his eyes like daggers. "What were you thinking of?"

"I wasn't thinking" Callum stuttered, avoiding Ste's gaze. "I saw you both at the club, talking about your engagement-"

"You were eavesdropping?" Ste butted in, exasperated.

"Well, yes"

"What is your problem? Why are you hell bent on ruining my life?"

"I'm not!" Callum looked away.

"I don't have time for this" Ste ran his hand over the back of his head. "Where is he?" he muttered to himself, fumbling for his phone but realising he had left it back at the flat. "You got your phone?" He grunted to Callum, who shook his head sadly. "Right, come with me"

"Where are we going?" Callum asked, following several paces behind.

"To find him" Ste replied, his teeth gritted. "You better bloody hope he's alright, Callum"

"Why?"

Ste whirled on him. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Brendan and me aren't like normal people, we have problems…we lash out, we hurt people"

Callum's eyes widened. "No. No, Warren said you were reformed"

Ste's eyes glinted. "I am. But do you not understand? I love him. And that's twice you've almost killed him!"

"Don't hurt me…" Callum backed away. "I only did it because I can't stand seeing you two together"

"Callum! We haven't even spoken for years, get over it!"

"There hasn't been anyone else…" Callum walked forwards nervously. "When Warren approached me I jumped at the chance. And seeing you in Paris, with him, I just… I lost it"

Ste rolled his eyes. "What we had, Callum was nothing. What me and Brendan have is everything. Accept that and move on"

Callum shook his head mutely. Ste, frustrated and anxious, stalked away from him. He could hear his feet hitting the pavement behind him however, following. He searched all over the village, unable to locate Brendan. Growing persistently tired of Callum in his shadow, Ste turned on him once more.

"Just go! You're slowing me down"

"I need to know he's alright" Callum said, looking more firm.

"Tough" Ste moved away from, groaning as Callum followed. "Right, just do one, yeah? Before I do something I regret. I'll tell you if I find him" Ste gestured with his hand dismissively. "You're lucky I haven't called the police"

"Why didn't you?" Callum asked quietly.

"I'm not a fan. And if Brendan's alright, he should have a say in it"

Callum nodded. "I am sorry you know"

"I don't care" Ste said, hearing the rising note of hysteria in his voice. "I just need to find him, so just go. Please"

Callum nodded, relenting at last. He backed away slowly into the darkness. Ste made sure he was out of sight before he turned to continue searching. As he turned he immediately collided into someone.

"Stephen" Brendan grabbed his face in his hands, pulling him against his forehead.

"Bren! Are you alright? Where have you been?"

Brendan smirked a little, looking dazed. "I waited until he'd gone. He missed, barely brushed my shoulder. I just stayed down so he fucked off and I could come find ye" Brendan looked at him carefully. "Ye weren't at home"

"I was looking for you!"

Brendan shook his head, his hands still attached to Ste's face. "I'm the one who finds ye, alright?"

Ste breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing into Brendan's embrace. "Have you been watching us?"

Brendan nodded, his head against Ste's shoulder. He seemed a little out of it. "I didn't want him to know I was alright, not yet"

"Do you want to tell the police?"

Brendan shook his head. "He deserves worse than that…"

"Bren…" Ste warned, a feeling of unease settling in his stomach. "When I threatened him, I didn't really mean it"

"I know ye didn't. Ye aren't like me, Stephen. Ye aren't capable of hurt anymore"

"Neither are you" Ste argued.

Brendan pulled away, his face set. "Ye should go home"

"No" Ste grabbed Brendan's arm. "Listen to me. You're better than this"

"I'm really not" Brendan looked out into the distance. "Maybe he can tell me where Foxy is as well. Think I should pay him a visit too…"

"Brendan!" Ste gripped his arm tighter. "Please, don't do this. They were wrong, badly wrong, but don't let them win. They want a reaction from you. Don't give them one"

Brendan slowly turned to look at him. "What's next, Stephen? What if they hurt ye? What will I do then?" Brendan's eyes looked haunted, causing Ste to falter.

"They wouldn't. Warren's long gone and Callum, he…well…"

"He wants ye" Brendan growled.

"Maybe" Ste said uncertainly. "He's not exactly the most trustworthy of people"

"If I'm sure of anything, it's the power of Stephen Hay and the ability to fall in love with him"

Ste blinked, taken aback by Brendan's words. "Err…" he said, unable to say more. Brendan smiled at him.

"Don't mean to make ye uncomfortable, lad"

Ste shrugged. "Its fine" he smiled weakly. "Just… we have the chance to make a fresh start of things. I don't want him to ruin that"

Brendan looked pensive, his jaw clenching and unclenching. He seemed to be having an internal debate with himself. Even in the circumstances, Ste found him fascinating to watch.

"Alright" he said eventually. "For now, they get a free pass. Only for ye. If they come near us again-"

"They won't" Ste said quickly. "I'll make sure of that"

Brendan nodded, his shoulders slumping. "Even though he missed the head, still fucking hurt"

Ste smirked a little, rubbing his shoulder gently. "Let's get you home then"

"Ye gonna play nurse again?" Brendan asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"I might" Ste said cagily. "I have to do something first though"

xxx

"Callum"

Shortly after going back to Brendan's, Ste had called Callum to arrange a meeting.

"Did you find him?" Callum asked nervously.

"I did. He's fine"

Callum breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now you need to leave"

Callum looked at him in confusion. "But he's okay, you said-"

"I don't care" Ste stepped forwards, his face like thunder. "I want you gone. You're lucky I managed to talk Brendan out of finding you"

Callum's eyes darted nervously to the door. "I'm not scared of him"

Ste laughed hollowly. "You speak so big, Callum when really you're just a scared little boy. I get it, I do. But I don't want you here. And if you stay, or you come anywhere near me and Brendan again, I will call the police"

Callum stared sullenly at him, his old presence returning. "That's your loss then, love"

"I'm not your love" Ste said, his voice low. "I'm Brendan's. I always will be"

"More fool you" Callum replied darkly.

Ste shrugged. "Maybe. But I don't care what you or anyone else thinks. I love Brendan and we will make it work"

"Have it your way" Callum said, pushing past Ste. "Look me up when it all cocks up"

Ste smiled slyly. "No thank you"

Once Callum was gone, Ste sensed a presence behind him.

"Brendan" he said without turning round.

"How did ye guess?" Brendan asked smoothly, turning Ste to face him by the waist.

"I knew you'd follow me"

Brendan shrugged. "What can I say?"

"Did you hear all that?"

Brendan smirked a little. "I always knew ye were mine, Stephen. Nice to hear it though"

"Oh you'll be insufferable now" Ste stated, rolling his eyes.

Brendan chuckled, drawing Ste against his warm body. "Ye love me though, so I win"

Ste relaxed against him. "It isn't over you know"

Brendan pulled away, confused.

"We still have a lot to do. Plans to make"

Brendan remained silent, searching Ste's face quizzically.

"The wedding" The words felt strange on Ste's tongue. Brendan's face smoothed out. He leaned forwards to kiss him softly on the mouth, their breaths lingering together as they drew apart.

"It'll be a day to remember"

"Every day with you is" Ste said breathlessly, kissing Brendan once more. Everything was going to be okay.

xxx

Several months passed by. Brendan began to anticipate the future in a way he hadn't for some time; with hope. The wedding was to be a small affair, only close family and friends. In other words, Cheryl and Amy. Declan had begged Eileen to let him attend and she had eventually relented. Poraic had to stay behind however. Brendan was happy enough to have one of his children there; it meant more to him than he could possibly express and yet Stephen seemed to know without him saying a word.

That was the thing. Now that they were together, they were inseparable. Brendan often forgot where he ended and Stephen began. He knew it wouldn't always be this way; they were mostly making up for lost time. The difference was, even when they were apart, Brendan would always feel him beneath his skin. Stephen was a part of who he was, always had been. He had taught him to love, to accept himself and to be the kind of man he had always wanted to be. It was why he wanted to tie himself to him in every conceivable way. Brendan wasn't big on romance and huge gestures but he wanted to do this for Stephen, for himself. This was their day and he would make it unforgettable.

"Stephen, from the moment we met, ye have continued to challenge me. Ye have helped me to not be ashamed of who I am anymore. Ye are not just my love; ye are my inspiration to becoming a better person. I know we have had our ups and downs mainly because of me and I deeply regret what I have put ye through, but now ye have taken the ultimate chance by marrying me. I want to prove to ye that I can be who ye want me to be and who I want to be, somebody ye can be proud of. Stephen, I love ye sincerely with all my heart. I will be forever yers. And ye will be forever mine, inexplicably"

"Brendan, we have been through so much together, but thanks to you, I have become a better, stronger person. Words cannot describe how happy you make me and how incredibly proud of you I am. When we first got together, I never believed in a million years we would get to this point. You don't have to prove anything to me anymore, I trust you with my life. I love you completely and unalterably and I can't imagine a life where we wouldn't find each other. I may be yours, but you will be forever mine"

Sealed with a kiss, forever a promise. There was a part of Brendan that would always remain unchangeable, but it was in these flaws, and in Stephen's own, that Brendan knew they were right for each other. They were two damaged souls, merging together; separate in their own unique way and yet ultimately together. And that was how it would always remain because now that Brendan had him completely, he was never going to let him go.