Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 42nd cycle. Now cycle 43!

INTRODUCING "CHEAT SHEET" - If you want to know ahead of time when a certain series will be updated next, just reassemble the link below and check out the list, save it, print it, bookmark it, whatever you need!
Go to: gleekathon [dot] tumblr [dot] com [slash] cheatsheet

** UPDATED WITH CYCLE 43 CHEAT SHEET ** Check it out to find out about shift days!

This is a shift day [see above]. There will be another upload this afternoon: The Long Aloha, chapter 6.

"Thresholds"
Shelby & Beth, Emmett & Joanie, Shelby/Emmett
Shelby & Beth series, following "Starting Fresh"

Events had been thrown into motion. Their two houses were now on the market, being viewed for purchase, while they themselves were searching out one home to bring their two families together under one roof. It was a bold move but one they felt as right. Joanie, naturally, had been more than happy with this turn of events, over the moon really. They could tell that at least part of her was going to find it hard to leave behind her home and even Shelby's, but if it meant all of them living together, then she was willing to do it.

As the weeks had worn on, with searches and searchers, they were all getting weary. They wanted it done. They didn't want to choose a house just to choose a house, but at the same time the length of the process was starting to make them tired.

But then in the last week or two, they had found a new wind, or at least Emmett had found it, and it had rubbed off on Joanie, and then Shelby, even Beth to some degree, even if the little one didn't really have an understanding of what was happening. And now on this day, with three houses to visit, there was a feeling in the air… This might be the day where they'd find what they were looking for.

They got to the first house, and when their real estate agent had given the go ahead, Joanie had gone off touring with Beth in her arms while Shelby and Emmett stayed with the woman. She gave the run down while they listened and looked. Everything seemed fine, though nothing really jumped out at them to say that this would be it.

Emmett would say that they'd know, as soon as they saw it, that this was meant to be their house. The right one was out there, they just had to keep looking until they found it. Shelby had teased back, saying her last house did have the distinction of having brought him into her life, validating his whole claim of 'the right house.'

"So what did you think?" Shelby asked Joanie once they were all buckled back into Emmett's truck.

"Well," Joanie laid her hands in her lap, pondering. "I didn't like the yard, it was too small, and the trees… well…"

"No space for a tree house?" Emmett guessed, and she smiled.

"And it didn't feel right," Joanie added. "Beth didn't like it either," she declared, making Shelby laugh.

"Didn't like it?" she asked the small blonde, shaking her head, and Beth did the same, probably imitating her, but still… "Alright then, on to house number two."

They got to the second house, and the visit began like the first, with the girls going off on their own while the parents got the information and their own tour. They had stayed longer than the first one, finding a lot of things were really better than they had anticipated. The bedrooms, for one thing, had been larger than they'd realized, and Joanie had been in awe of the potential for her own space. Once they'd gotten back to the truck, it was the big question: was this it?

"You girls would each have your own room," Emmett nodded.

"It had a window bench, I've always wanted one of those," Joanie spoke excitedly. "And a lot of light."

"What about the yard, how'd it look for your tree house?" Shelby asked.

"There's a tree house already, I saw it! Well, I didn't see inside of it because the ladder was broken, but I think the house itself was intact, and it's even bigger than mine!"

"And it's two streets away from Alex' house, isn't it?" her father asked and she almost blushed.

"Well, that," she admitted.

"Okay, well we should still see the third house, just to make sure," Shelby suggested.

"Unless it has… a dumbwaiter, it doesn't stand a chance, I'm sold on house number two," Joanie crossed her arms before herself with a smirk.

So they'd gone to see house number three. It wasn't without its perks. It was near to schools for both Joanie and Beth at one time or another, and Shelby's work, and the whole place had recently been renovated, so it looked 'shiny and new' as Joanie would describe it. Still there had been nothing to send them over the edge. As they sat in the car afterward, there was plenty to consider.

"I'm still saying the second house," Joanie made sure to be heard.

"Yeah, I might be leaning there, too," Shelby threw a smile toward Joanie, who held out her hand for a high five, turning to her father in anticipation.

"Alright, how about we see if we can go back for a second visit back there, and then we'll take a closer look," Emmett nodded. Soon they were heading back to house number two, and this time they gave a closer inspection, really tried to imagine themselves living there.

The girls' bedrooms would be across the hall from the master bedroom, and they each had a door leading to the same bathroom, lying between their rooms. They could see a lot of possibilities for the rooms. They would not be cramped. The family room had a coziness to it, especially knowing how much time they spent there. The kitchen might need to be worked on, but neither of them had a problem with that. The same went for the basement. They ended up in the attic, while Joanie and Beth were back to taking a gaze up at the tree house.

"I think... we might have something," Emmett gaze a tentative nod. Shelby was at the window, looking down at the girls.

"How's the tree house?" she called down to Joanie.

"Can you see inside from up there?" Joanie called back.

"Well… just a bit," Shelby craned her neck.

"Look behind you!" That was what she heard, though she wasn't sure what that had to do with the tree house.

"What?"

"Behind you," Joanie pointed at her, smirking. "Do it!" Shelby frowned, confused.

"What's…" she looked back and there was Emmett… on one knee… a small box in hand. Her head snapped back to Joanie, and the smile on the girl's face could have lit a small town. She looked back to Emmett and his smile was more nervous – his part wasn't done yet.

"Step this way?" he motioned for her to come closer, almost patting the ground before himself.

"Alright," she smirked, stepping forward. She wasn't usually the flustered type, but right then she was feeling herself speechless and nervous. He looked to the box, took a breath before opening it. "Joanie's advice was exactly "Don't screw it up,"" he explained, and it made her laugh. "But I don't think I will."

When he turned the box around, she finally saw the ring. She had never seen it, but she could tell that was the one, the family ring, the one Joanie's mother had never gotten a hold of… It was beautiful.

"I know it took us a while to find our way, but for good reason. You and I, our girls mean the world to us, we make all kinds of sacrifices for them, and somewhere in the middle of that, it paid off because we got each other," he smiled up at her. "We're already family," he shrugged. "But then there's this ring. It belonged to my grandmother and she always told me that one day it would belong to me, that she and my grandfather had lived so many happy years together with that ring on her finger, that it could only be passed on to bring that joy on to others. I always thought it was magic. I couldn't think of anyone else wearing it but you." They paused, and her smile gave him strength – he already had his answer, but still he was going to ask. "Will you marry me?"

She had this odd little smirk on her face, which only confused him when she started backing away. But then he saw what she was backing away to was the window. She held out her arm, never breaking eye contact with him, and held up her thumb. From below, Joanie hollered and squealed.

"That was a yes, by the way," Shelby told Emmett as he stood back up and she walked to him.

"Yeah, I gathered that much," he grinned. They took a breath together, looked down. He pulled the ring from the box, carefully slipping it on her finger. "Fits…"

"Well, it's magic," she told him. He leaned in, and they kissed. Just like that, they had created their first memory in their future home.

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!