A/N: This is a long one!

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

There was something suspicious about the way Storm had been humming.

She was barely into her second bowl of cereal—bless her growing metabolism—and swaying like she was in a musical number. Every now and then she'd glance at me and then back at her bowl, eyes a little too wide, like she was holding in a secret and it was physically painful not to burst.

I narrowed my eyes. "Alright, what did you do?"

"Nothing," she said, way too quickly. "Storm."

"I didn't break anything, okay?" She shoved a spoonful of Froot Loops into her mouth. "I was just humming."

"Suspiciously."

"You're suspiciously pretty, but I don't call you out for that."

I blinked. "That was actually smooth."

She grinned with milk on her lip. "Thanks."

I leaned over the island, watching her closely. "No weird calls from school? No unapproved purchases on my DoorDash account?"

She made an X over her heart. "Swear. Just good vibes."

That alone should've tipped me off. Storm was chaos incarnate. 'Good vibes' meant something was up.

Still, I let it go, rinsing my mug and tossing it into the dishwasher. Y/N had already left earlier for "city permit paperwork" or whatever vague firefighter-duty excuse she gave me when she kissed my forehead this morning and told me to keep the day free.

I hadn't questioned it—honestly, I'd been kind of distracted.

Mostly by how insanely soft she looked, that curl at the front of her hair doing the perfect little swoop, and how her voice dropped just enough when she said, "I'll see you later, baby."

I was thinking about that voice more than I should've. Enough to let the mystery of Storm's good mood slide. "What's the plan today?" Storm asked, licking milk off her spoon.

I shrugged. "I think I'm just gonna chill. Maybe read. Laundry. Might take a walk or something."

"You should wear that one skirt I like."

I gave her a look. "Why?"

"No reason." She didn't even try to hide her grin.

Oh yeah, something was up. Still, I didn't press. Instead, I texted Carlacia to see if she wanted to grab coffee later. She sent back a thumbs-up and a gif of a squirrel riding a skateboard, which I took as a yes.

.  .  .

By the time I made it out of the house, the sun was warm but not hot, and there was a breeze tugging at the edge of my cardigan. I wore the skirt. Because I was weak. And Storm was cute when she begged.

Carlacia met me outside the café, sunglasses on and hair in a slick bun like she was about to step into a magazine shoot. "Okay, wow," she said, eyes scanning me. "Who are you dressed up for?"

"No one," I said, then paused. "Maybe just for the sake of not feeling like a slug for once."

"Lies," she said, pulling me into a quick hug. "That's a 'my girl might see me later' outfit."

I rolled my eyes. "You're projecting."

"I'm observant." She pulled open the café door. "And I know when a woman is radiating secret butterflies."

We ordered, grabbed a table outside, and sat with our iced coffees while people walked by in waves. Carlacia kicked her feet up on the edge of the table, sunglasses sliding down her nose. "You're glowing."

"Stop it."

"I'm serious. You look happy."

I bit my lip, trying not to smile too hard. "I am. Weirdly."

She tilted her head. "Why weirdly?"

"I don't know," I said. "It's like... every time things have gone right in my life, I've always waited for the other shoe to drop. Like it couldn't stay good for long. But with Y/N, it's different."

Carlacia nodded slowly, taking a sip. "Because it's real. And she lets you be real, too."

"Yeah," I whispered. "Exactly."

We fell into easy conversation after that, trading stories, laughing over set bloopers, talking about JD's obsession with that new BBQ place. But the whole time, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was being kept from me.

Like there was a thread I hadn't tugged yet, and once I did, everything would unravel.

.  .  .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

It was absolute, beautiful chaos.

There were string lights tangled in my arm like a boa constrictor, Caleb was arguing with JD over the correct placement of the photo boards.

"Okay," I barked, stepping out from behind the old food truck we were using to anchor the power strip. "Let's go over this one more time before I lose my mind or accidentally marry the wrong woman from stress."

"Don't tempt me," Drew muttered towards JD from where he was hanging lights along the trellis. "I look great under ambient lighting."

"Drew," I said, pointing a warning finger. "Stay focused. You had one job."

"I'm literally doing it right now," he said, motioning to the lights. "This is domestic labor. You should be thanking me."

"I will when it doesn't look like a Pinterest board made by a drunk elf."

Caleb walked past with a box of battery-powered candles, snickering. "Don't mind her. She's just madly in love and losing the last of her brain cells."

"You act like you're not scared," I said, following him to the low benches we were lining along the outer edge of the field.

"Oh, I am terrified," he said. "But only because if this goes wrong, I'll be emotionally invested and devastated for weeks."

I sighed and ran a hand over my face. The spot we were setting up was one of the small grassy clearings just off the Poguelandia festival grounds, the place where Madelyn and I had met for the first time.

That day, I had no idea my life would change, I was there to surprise my sister with meeting her favorite actors and actresses from her favorite show and somehow, ended up falling in love with one of them.

That moment... it truly changed everything.

And now, here we were. Recreating the magic with a few additions—framed photos of us from the last year, a makeshift arch Carlacia had somehow built from driftwood and white tulle, and enough fairy lights to power a Christmas parade.

"How's the ring?" Lili asked, stepping beside me with her hands on her hips.

I reached into the small velvet box in my jacket pocket and flipped it open. "Still perfect."

Storm zoomed over on her scooter—because yes, she brought a scooter—hair whipping around her face, hoodie zipped to her chin.

"Okay," she panted. "I triple-checked the speaker. It's working. I cued the playlist. You're gonna cry. I'm gonna cry. I'm so excited I might explode."

"You already did explode," JD said, walking by with a bag of confetti cannons. "That was when you knocked over the entire table of snacks earlier."

"I WAS TESTING GRAVITY."

"Gravity passed," I muttered, giving her a side-hug. "You doing okay?"

Storm nodded quickly, then leaned into me for a second. "I'm really proud of you, you know."

I swallowed, throat tightening. "Thanks, booger."

"You're gonna tell her tonight that she's your forever," she whispered, smile stretching across her whole face. "That's huge."

"I know." I took a deep breath, glancing around. The last rays of sun were dipping low behind the trees, casting everything in that dreamy, golden haze.

Lili walked over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Ready?"

"No," I said, exhaling. "But I'm doing it anyway."

"Good answer."

Caleb came up with the final addition: a picnic blanket near the arch, set with a small cooler of drinks, one of Madelyn's favorite snacks, and a framed quote from one of her old interviews: "I think love is when someone makes you feel like yourself, only lighter."

I read it, smiled, and nodded. "Okay. Let's text Madison."

Storm's eyes widened. "Showtime?"

"Showtime."

I took out my phone, hands shaking only a little, and texted her:

Madelyn's Boo 💕:

Maddie Bailz 🤎:
EEEK WE ARE ON THE MOVE

I stared at the screen for a second after she sent that, heart pounding. This was it. The moment I was going to ask the love of my life to spend the rest of it with me.

Caleb threw an arm over my shoulder. "Let's go get you your girl."

.  .  .

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"You're being weird," I told Madison, narrowing my eyes at her as she pulled off the road and into the gravel path that curved along the trees.

"I'm always weird," she replied casually, eyes forward. "Don't act like you just noticed."

"Yeah, but this is suspicious weird. You're suspicious weird today."

She just grinned, her curls bouncing slightly as the car jostled down the path. "You ask too many questions. Just sit there, look pretty, and trust me for once in your life."

I stared at her.

"I said look pretty, not glare pretty."

"Madison."

"Madelyn."

She threw me a quick wink before turning back to the road, her hands loose on the wheel like she wasn't driving us into the woods with a mysterious twinkle in her eye and the world's most chaotic energy.

But then, I looked up. And I stopped breathing.

The clearing. It was lit up—soft golden fairy lights strung through the trees, twisting like veins of magic through the branches and around wooden posts.

The place where Poguelandia had once been—where I first met Storm, where I first noticed Y/N standing off to the side, watching her sister with a smile so warm I'd never forgotten it.

There were photos clipped to the trees with little wooden pins—photos of us. One where I was asleep on her chest, another where we were sitting on the floor in matching sweatpants with Storm in the middle making a goofy face.

One where Y/N was carrying me on her back, laughing so hard her eyes were closed. Dozens of them. So many memories hung up in the trees like they belonged there.

I stepped out of the car slowly, my boots crunching against the gravel. My breath hitched.

The sky was melting into twilight, that soft purplish-pink hue only springtime could offer. The lights reflected off the tears welling in my eyes before I even realized they were there.

I turned to Madison, who was already tearing up. "What the hell is happening?"

She just smiled. "Go see your girl."

My legs moved before I consciously told them to. Every step felt like a dream—like I was walking through something sacred.

There was a song playing from a speaker tucked against one of the trees. And then, at the center of it all, beneath the lights and in front of the driftwood arch wrapped in white tulle... there she was.

Y/N.

In a white shirt rolled at the sleeves, black jeans, shoes slightly dusted in dirt. Her hair pulled half up, soft strands falling around her face. Hands in her pockets. Eyes locked on mine.

I don't think I even realized I was crying until she took one slow step forward and gave me that crooked, nervous smile—the one she always gave me when she was about to say something that mattered.

"Hey," she said softly.

My voice caught in my throat. "Hey."

"You look beautiful."

I tried to laugh, but it cracked halfway. "You made me cry, like, immediately. That should be illegal."

"Sorry," she said, but she didn't look sorry at all. Her eyes were shiny too. "I just... wanted to bring you back here. Where it all started."

I nodded, unable to speak. She stepped closer as she guided me, hand in hand, and the music faded just enough that all I could hear was her voice and the pounding of my heart in my ears.

"I didn't know what I was walking into that day," she began, "when I came to Poguelandia. I just wanted Storm to have a good time. I didn't expect you. I didn't expect you to look at me like you knew exactly who I was... even when I didn't."

I let out a quiet breath, lips parting.

"I didn't believe in fate before that," she continued, her voice trembling a little. "But now... I don't know what else to call it."

She reached into her jacket, and I didn't realize I was shaking until she pulled out a small velvet box and held it in both hands like it was something sacred.

"I fell in love with you the way water fills a glass—quietly, all at once. And even when I tried to pretend I wasn't drowning in it, I was. I am. Still."

She laughed softly, her voice breaking.

"I've fought a lot of fires. Saved a lot of people. But you? You saved me. You made space for all the broken, terrified parts of me and never once made me feel like I was too much or not enough. You've given Storm the kind of love I didn't think we'd get again. And you've given me... you. All of you. Every day."

I wiped my cheeks, a sob catching in my throat. She stepped forward, slowly, carefully, and dropped to one knee.

"I want to wake up with you for the rest of my life. I want to hold your hand through the hard stuff and dance with you through the easy. I want to build something with you that's messy and real and ours."

Her hands opened the box, and inside was the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen—vintage, delicate, shimmering with quiet love.

"Madelyn Renee Cline," she whispered. "Will you marry me?"

I dropped to my knees too, tears streaming down my face.

"Yes," I breathed. "God, yes. Yes, yes, yes!"

She let out a breath like she'd been holding it for months and slipped the ring onto my finger, her hands trembling.

I kissed her. I didn't wait. I crashed into her like I was finding her all over again, hands cupping her face, the ring catching against her cheek as I pulled her close and kissed her with everything in me.

We were crying, laughing, kissing, and I didn't care who was watching.

But of course, we weren't alone for long.

A few seconds later, I heard a chorus of cheers and shouting, and when I pulled back, I saw them—Lili, Caleb, Drew, JD, Carlacia, and Storm—spilling out from behind the trees like they'd just won the Super Bowl, camera's out.

Storm sprinted across the field and launched herself at us, tears already on her face. "I KNEW YOU WOULD SAY YES!"

I laughed through my tears and hugged her tight, Y/N wrapping us both in her arms. I looked down at my hand, the ring catching the light. It shimmered like it was always meant to be there.

I was going to marry her. I was going to spend forever with her. And this? This was just the beginning.

.  .  .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The apartment had never looked more alive.

The soft amber glow from the string lights strung above the dining table mixed with the flicker of warm candles on the kitchen island.

Laughter echoed through the space—easy, loud, familiar. Madelyn's parents were seated near the middle of the table, wine glasses in hand as they chatted with Caleb's mom, Rachel, who had somehow already won everyone over.

I looked around the room, barely able to absorb the fact that this was real.

Drew and JD were posted up near the bar cart, arguing over who made the better margarita. Carlacia, her curls tied up with a satin scarf, was leaning into Storm's ear as they both burst out laughing over something probably outlandish.

Ezra, Caleb's dad, had managed to charm the hell out of the firehouse crew who were now all seated in the living room, beers in hand, listening to one of his "back in the day" stories that included somehow winning a chili cook-off and getting arrested in the same weekend.

And right there in the center of it all—Madelyn.

She was glowing. Hair in a messy updo that had slowly started unraveling, cheeks flushed from the wine and excitement, her hand never too far from mine. And that ring? That ring—my mom's ring—glinting on her finger like it had always belonged there.

"Hey," I whispered into her ear, brushing my lips just barely against the shell of it. "You good?"

She turned to me, eyes wide and full of stars. "I feel like I'm dreaming."

I smiled, catching her hand and bringing it to my lips. "Then I hope you never wake up."

Her eyes softened so completely I felt it in my chest. "I'm gonna cry again."

"You already cried twice."

"Yeah, well, that was proposal crying. This is dinner-party-overwhelmed-by-love crying."

I laughed softly and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Come on. Let's take a second."

We slipped away from the noise and energy, ducking into our bedroom where the light was low and the sound of voices faded into a low hum. Madelyn pressed her back to the wall, pulling me gently toward her by the front of my shirt.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," I said, crowding her space the way she liked. I rested my forehead against hers, letting my hands settle on her waist.

She bit her lip, eyes glassy. "You really did all of that for me?"

"Of course I did," I murmured. "I'd do it a hundred times over."

"I still can't believe it," she said, lifting her left hand to look at the ring again. "It's your mom's."

"She'd love you," I said softly. "She'd love how happy you make me. How you treat Storm like she's yours."

Madelyn sniffled and shook her head. "Don't make me cry again. I already used my napkin for the first wave."

"You're so dramatic."

"I'm engaged to you. I have to be."

We kissed softly then. Just once. Gentle. But it said everything. That this was real. That we'd made it here. That we were doing the damn thing.

"You two better not be in here having sex while you have company," JD's voice called from the living room. "We need a group pic!"

Madelyn snorted into my neck. "Do we have to go?"

I kissed her again, letting my lips linger. "Soon. But right now, I just want this. Us."

"I want this forever," she whispered. "And you. And more kisses. And carbs."

"Let's get you fed again, baby."

. . .

Back in the living room, Carlacia had somehow gotten everyone organized around the couch and fireplace for a group photo.

Madelyn sat curled into me, her ring hand held up dramatically in front of her face while Storm leaned into her side, grinning so wide I thought her cheeks might cramp.

We took so many photos.

Madelyn and her parents. Me and the firehouse crew. All the OBX cast huddled together, including a moment where JD yelled, "This one's for Netflix!" and lifted Madelyn bridal style.

Then Drew pointed at the two of us.

"Alright, alright," he said, waving the phone in his hand. "Now kiss and make it look hot."

"Drew—"

"No no, listen, we're commemorating the night you're definitely gonna consummate this engagement—"

"Jesus," Madelyn muttered, hiding her face in my shoulder as I burst out laughing.

"You are deranged," I told him.

Lili, walking by with a plate of cookies, didn't even look up as she said, "Which is exactly why Storm's going home with us."

"Wait, what?" Storm yelped.

"I'll make it up to you!" Madelyn called. "You can use our bathtub and pick the movie!"

Storm looked like she was considering it.

JD tossed a pillow at me. "Try not to fracture anything in celebration, yeah?"

I flipped him off and curled my arm tighter around Madelyn's waist. She grinned up at me, cheeks still pink, eyes shiny. "You good?" I asked again.

She nodded. "I'm perfect."

. . .

The apartment was finally quiet.

Storm had gone with Caleb and Lili. The firehouse boys were gone, the OBX crew had taken their leftovers and tequila and left laughing.

Madelyn's parents had been the last to leave, her mom hugging her for a