A/N: Set directly after the last chapter, because of course there needed to be a reaction chapter for the rest of the gang. This one even has a smidgeon of Shules, since it's set after they've started dating.

Of Text Messages, Beers, and Secret Toasts

Somewhere between heated kissing, feelings of love, and the ride home, Lassiter had the common sense to shoot off a quick text message which simply read: She said yes.

Carlton could imagine Juliet, at her place, reading the message and squealing like a little girl, smiling like an idiot, not at all professional. Probably wanting so badly to call him, but restraining herself because she knows not to ruin the moment. He'd call her eventually and give her more details (she'd make him), but right now...he was busy.

He let his imagination waiver and return to the reality of arriving back at Elizabeth's place. There were clumsy half-sprints to Elizabeth's front door and the sound of her laughter, the feeling of her hand grabbing onto his in order to lead him to the bedroom.

Juliet, meanwhile, was doing exactly as Lassiter had imagined. She had squealed upon reading the message, beamed, teared up, and called Shawn. In that order.

"Shawn!" she exclaims in greeting. "He did it! Lassiter did it!"

Shawn, who is at his Dad's place and just about ready to eat, reaches for the plate of corn-on-the-cob directly to his left. His concern for Lassiter's affairs is limited by the nagging hunger in his stomach. But Gus slaps his hand away from potential sustenance, and Shawn sighs in resignation. "What did Lassie do, Jules?" he asks. "Did he finally buy a new, not atrociously ugly tie?"

"Elizabeth said yes."

"To wh- oh." Shawn pauses, caught a little off guard. This. Is. News. This is something.

Finally, he manages to regain the ability to speak. "I always knew she was crazy," he jokes, but there's a fondness in his voice that Juliet detects. And that's how she knows that Shawn is just as happy for her partner as she is.

"Listen, Shawn, I'm going to call the Chief. She'll want to know."

"Did he give you permission to tell everyone?"

"Let's say that he did," she laughs.

"Love you, Jules." says Shawn sweetly.

"Love you too," she replies, and with a quick goodbye, she's gone from the line.

Shawn slips the cell phone back into his pocket, then looks up to face his dad and Gus's questioning stares; they can tell something has happened.

"Who's crazy?" asks Gus curiously.

Shawn rolls his eyes and feigns a scowl. "Elizabeth," he starts slowly, "said yes to dear Lassie. Our Lassie."

Gus sputters. "He proposed?"

"Yes."

"And she said yes?" asks Henry.

"Right," affirms Shawn.

For a second, there's nothing but raised eyebrows and incredulous stares. None of them are quite used to change, and it had been enough of a shock when Lassiter had become more...happy...a little over a year ago, when he met Elizabeth. Now he's going to be happily married.

Finally, Henry recovers. He sets his dinner plate on the table and then opens the fridge. He pulls out three beers and passes one each to Shawn and Gus, but keeps the third for himself.

Now there's something celebratory in the atmosphere, and without quite intending it, they're becoming a party unto themselves.

"To Lassie," says Shawn, holding up his bottle suddenly, something like mischievous pride sparkling in his eyes. "May he never know that we toasted him."

"I hear that," says Henry, before he can stop himself. Shawn and Gus look at him in mild concern, but they shake it off with a long swig of beer.

After a moment, Shawn grins over at his best friend. "Hey, do you think Lassie will let me give him the Bachelor Party?"

"Over his dead body, maybe." says Gus, taking a small bite of his food. "Or yours."

"So what are you saying, no best man spot for me?" whines Shawn.

Gus swallows, then smirks. "Not in this lifetime, Buddy."

A/N: Reviews much appreciated!