Disclaimer: I don't own The Mysterious Benedict Society

Chapter 11 (Kate's POV)

It took about two loud thuds before the sound registered, and Reynie and me turned toward the dining room window. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see Constance smirking in at us with a fresh snowball in her hand. Well leave it to good old Connie girl to mess up a moment like this!

Not that I could really say I was surprised, or all that upset about it. (I felt too good to be upset.) And glancing next to her it seemed like she'd pulled Sticky along to boot. (Of course he was nervously polishing his glasses while he mouthed silent apologies for unintentionally spying on us.) Connie didn't bother with those kind of formalities though, and instead tossed another snowball hard at the window.

When it busted into a million little flakes and the view cleared again, I raised an eyebrow and locked stares with Constance. No doubt about it, that look could only mean one thing: War!

So grabbing Reynie by the arm I dragged him out the back door and into the fray. Then playfully pushing him behind a tree for cover, I scooped up a bucket full of snow before I ducked down next to him. "Grab a handful buddy, then let fly in the direction of that sniggering you hear." Patting Reynie on the shoulder I smiled at how confused he looked. The poor guy must have been a little jostled after proposing and everything, but sometimes life doesn't give you time to think before it whisks you off on another adventure.

Shaping a near perfect snowball in my hands I leaned out from behind the tree and locked my sights on one very amused Constance. Way too amused if you asked me. I smiled to myself. That wasn't anything a little snow couldn't fix. So winding my arm back I tossed a good one, and it exploded on contact. Then I heard Connie's signature groan and the next thing I knew I had a face full of snow.

All this sappy stuff must have been making me lose my touch?

But then again it did mean I had back up. Because just then I saw Reynie pull his head together again and quickly fling a snowball in Sticky direction. And he didn't miss either, but surprisingly the hit seemed to ignite something in Sticky, and now he was determined not to be out done. I never really figured Sticky to be the one to snap on you, but sure enough he darted forward and let loose a dozen rapid fire shots.

Diving farther behind the tree I pushed my back against the bark as a flurry of snowballs whizzed past us. "Good grief, when did he get so confident?" I asked with a smirk as I elbowed Reynie in the side. He smiled back with a shrug before we both carefully peeked out to see why the onslaught had suddenly stopped. Looking a little embarrassed Sticky reached to straighten his slopping glasses.

"Sorry about that guys, I got a bit carried away..."

I cracked a smile and started to laugh. Only Sticky would apologize for a snowball fight! Connie on the other hand wasn't even about to consider it. But I guess she figured the mood was lost all the same. Trudging out of her cover she paced up to Sticky and gave him a playfully accusing frown.

"You don't apologize to the enemy George Washington..."

Sticky cringed, annoyed at being called by his real name, but already too ashamed to mention it. Tilting her head back to look at Sticky who was a good two heads taller than her, she reached to playfully swat at his jacket sleeve. "And why are you so embarrassed anyway, they're the ones who were kissing?"

Ah Connie was as matter of fact as ever... I admit I felt my face going a little rosy, and poor Reynie had went as stiff with embarrassment as an ice sculpture. But being embarrassed was bad enough without acting like you were. So grabbing Reynie by the hand I pulled him from behind the tree. (He was more than a little reluctant.)

Slinging an arm around his neck I put on my biggest grin while I totally ignored the nerves knocking at my knees. "We actually have an announcement to make!" Sticky and Constance turned to look at us, and to me it felt like that old familiar moment where the ringleader introduces your act, and you've only got two second to either run, or face the music. I'd never ran from even a single performance back then, and I sure wasn't about to start now. So squeezing Reynie's shoulder a little harder, I decided to face the music with the same crowd pleasing enthusiasm that I'd mastered back in my circus days.

"Guess what?! We're gonna get married!"

For a few seconds, that honestly felt more like hours, they both just stared at us with faces as blank as if they'd been brainswept. Then at last I guess it clicked and Sticky beamed a smile that looked as thrilled as it did shocked. Opening his arms as wide as they'd go he crushed us in a hug that made me possibly reevaluate just how hard I hugged people from now on. I can't say I'd seen him as the crying type, but sure enough when he pulled back to look at us, his eyes were going a little misty.

Constance on the other hand looked more shocked than anything. And when she shifted her eyes to stare at the ground, well I knew good old Connie Girl was having a little trouble holding her usual indifferent face. I grinned. Anybody who didn't know her would have figured she wasn't really happy for us, but I knew that she just wasn't too great at showing when she was feeling something deeper. So moving my arm I opened up a little spot for her in our group hug.

"You better get over here Connie!" I shouted with a wink.

Grinning a little, she rolled her eyes before moaning her way over. "Fine...if we have to be this corny..." Laughing I pulled the three of them closer to me. "Actually, I think I just might be starting to like corny."

The truth was that with all of us together I couldn't help but think of everything we'd been through. And well I guess I'd never been happier then I was right then and there. Why? Because my friends, no, my family, were all wrapped up in my arms, and our future was looking brighter than I'd ever figured it could. Grinning as wide as I could manage, I squeezed them tighter as I let myself say just what I was feeling.

"You know, for some crazy reason, I sure love you guys..."

Was it probably a bit corny?

Yep, and frankly...

The Great Kate Weather (soon to be Muldoon) Machine, wouldn't have wanted it any other way...

FIN

Thanks so much for reading, and a double thanks to everyone who kindly left a review!