Root kicked her feet idly, the cold pool water nice on her warm skin. She'd hopped out of the pool so Sameen could do laps. Now, she was sitting on the edge, the hot sun beating down on her. Water splashed into her lap as Sameen swam passed. She'd been doing laps for over half-an-hour and wasn't showing signs of stopping. Root didn't mind, though. Sameen's bathing suit showed off her muscles as she pushed through the water. She watched Sameen tap the wall, flip under the water and start back the other way.

Sighing contently, Root dropped her head back, warming her face. The concrete tiles were warm under her butt. It was only April, but it was shaping up to be a hot summer. They'd already bought several fans to bring to Houston. Harold had found them an apartment with AC, but Sameen was sweaty, and Root knew she'd appreciate the extra cooling.

Bear's paws clicked against the tiles as he trotted along the side of the pool, following Sameen's laps. Root smiled. Recently, Root had been feeling better. She wasn't getting angry like she used to, and Sameen had calmed down a bit, too. Root was looking forward to the summer and even to their Senior Year. College was just around the corner, as hard as that was to believe.

While Sameen was a big part of Root's happiness, Harold and Grace were helping, too. Root hadn't moved in with them yet, but they'd been having dinner together most nights. Harold had taken her to buy a bird the other day and she'd chosen a cockatoo, which she named Queequeg after Scully's dog. Last night, she'd helped Grace make dinner. Well, helped is putting it generously. She'd peeled potatoes until she cut herself. After that, she'd just kept Grace company.

Sameen tapped the wall and started towards Root, finished with her work out. Bear dropped to the ground next to Root and she put her hand on his head, hot from the sun. Resting her arms on the edge of the pool, Sameen squinted up at Root.

"How's it going? Sameen asked, slightly out of breath. "Did I take too long?"

"You're fine." Root smiled down at her. "You can keep going. I'm enjoying the view."

Sameen rolled her eyes. "Loser. I'm done."

Root scratched Bear's head. "When do you think I'll move in with Grace and Harold?"

"Soon," Sameen looked away, scratching her nose. "I mean, probably. All the paperwork was finalized last week, right?"

"Yeah. I'm officially a Finch."

Sameen mimed gigging. "Gross. I'm definitely not taking your last name now."

Root's heart clenched. Taking Root's last name? Was Sameen talking about marriage? Did she think about marrying Root?

Sameen's face turned red when she realized what she said. "I mean, um-"

"You want to marry me!" Root screamed. "You've thought about it! Were you going to take my name before? When were you going to propose? Soon or in a few years?" Root gasped. "Mrs. and Mrs. Sameen Shaw. Mrs. and Mrs. Root Finch. Yeah, ok, that's bad. Will you wear a suit? Will I? Neither of us? Both of us? How about - ah!"

Sameen yanked her into the pool with a loud splash. Root sank to the bottom, her back scrapping against the rough tiles on the floor. Twisting around, she opened her eyes and grabbed onto Sameen, using her to climb back to the surface. Bursting into the air, Root gasped for breath, Sameen's laughter loud in her ear.

"Sameen!" Root chuckled, shoving her away. "Don't think that distracted me! I'm not going to forget."

Sameen grinned wolfishly and swam forward. Root jumped backwards, away from Sameen and into the corner of the pool. Root laughed as Sameen's body pressed against her, instantly warming her.

"What?" Sameen asked, brushing her lips against Root's. "What so funny?"

"The first time we were in this corner, we were skinny-dipping," Root replied, arms around Sameen's waist, pulling her even closer.

Sameen hummed into Root's mouth and threaded her fingers into Root's hair. "I remember. You threw up on me."

"Yup," Root replied, popping the p. "If I hadn't, we might have been dating almost two years earlier."

Sameen finally kissed Root, her mouth hot. Root's eyes drifted shut as her body responded. It was almost miraculous, the way her body craved Sameen. When she was close, every part of Root tingled. She traced her fingers up Sameen's back, sucking in breath when Sameen bit her lip.

"No," Sameen sighed, pulling away. "You should get that."

Root frowned. "Get what?"

"Your phone is ringing."

Turning her head, Root could hear the quiet buzzing of her phone on the table. Even with her good ear, her phone was fairly quiet.

"Wow," Root said, impressed. "Good ear."

Sameen rolled her eyes and untangled herself, swimming back into the pool. "Very funny."

Root laughed, turning around. She pulled herself out of the pool and hurried across the patio, shivering despite the warm air. Taking her towel off the table, she wrapped herself and answered her phone.

"Hey, Grace."

"Hello!" Grace's cheerful voice responded. "How are you?"

"Good. Sameen and I are swimming." Root sat on a pool chair, phone pressed to her ear. She watched Sameen try and talk Bear into jumping into the pool. "What's up?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt." Grace said, apologetically. "Harold and I were wondering if you could come over. We have something for you."

"Oh," Root checked the time on her phone. "Sure. I can stop by. Sameen and I were going to do homework later."

"Well, come over and we'll make plans for this evening. Is that alright?"

Root smiled as Bear ran over to her. "That's fine. I'll be there soon."

"Great! Bye."

"Bye." Root ended the call and stood up. "Grace wants me to come over."

Sameen climbed out of the pool and squeezed her hair. Root was always surprised by how much water Sameen's hair could hold. A small waterfall splashed against the patio tiles and Root grinned. It might take them a little while to get to Grace's house.

"Go without me," Sameen said. "I'm going to shower and get ready for homework."

Root frowned, her eyebrows drawing down. "'Get ready for homework'? What does that mean?"

Sameen rolled her eyes as she started for the table. "Whatever. Just go by yourself."

"Do you know something I don't?" Root asked. "What is it?"

"Don't worry about it," Sameen shrugged, picking up her towel, "just go."

"Sameen…" Root glared at her. "I'm not opposed to tickling the answer out of you."

Sameen grabbed her phone and headed for the house. "You aren't getting a word."

"Sameen!"

"No!" she yanked the door open and led them into the house. "Nothing!"

Root watched Sameen hurry away and start up the stairs before running after her. She was going to get information, no matter what tricks she had to use.

"Sameen!"

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Twenty minutes later, Root walked out of the house and hopped on her bike. Sameen hadn't given her any clue what Grace was going to give her, but Root had left her alone in the shower as punishment. Of course, promising to make it up to her probably undermined the threat.

Root started towards Harold's house, rolling down the driveway and into the street. Harold's house was only a few houses over and across the street. It looked too big for the neighborhood, though. It had three floors and a basement, Root knew, even though all the other houses were only two floors.

She felt weird living in such a fancy house. It almost seemed like she was lying about her past. Her old house sat empty, technically Root's now because she'd finished paying it off her freshman year. When she turned 18, she'd have to decide what to do with it. Moving into Harold's felt like pretending none of that was real.

Slowing to a stop in front the house, Root sighed. She knew that wasn't true. Like Mrs. Reese's therapist had been telling her, she was allowed to move forward. She rolled her eyes as she climbed off the bike and walked it to the front door. It was so weird to be seeing a therapist, but she had to admit it was helping a bit.

Root leaned her bike against the outside of the house and reached into her pocket, pulling out her keys. She opened the door and stepped into the house. Slipping out of her shoes, Root called into the house.

"Hello! I'm here!"

Grace hurried out of the dining room, smiling. "Root! Hello! Sorry for dragging you over here."

"It's alright." Root shrugged. "We were just hanging out. Besides, you guys are allowed to tell me what to do, right?"

"Well," Grace smoothed the front of her skirt, "I suppose so. We did promise you'd have freedom."

Harold appeared behind her. "As long as you do your homework."

"Harold," Root rolled her eyes, "are you really worried about that?"

"No, I suppose not." He smiled, adjusting his glasses. "Do you want to see the surprise?"

"Sure!"

Grace smiled at Harold and headed upstairs. Root followed apprehensively. Even though they'd had BACKS meetings here, she'd never been upstairs. It always seemed off-limits, like a secret hideaway or something.

Harold and Grace stopped in front of a door with a poster stuck to the front. She stepped forward, squinting at it. It was her 'I Want to Believe' poster. Root knew it was hers because it had the tiny red heart Sameen had drawn in the corner. How did they get her stuff?

She turned to Harold. "I'm confused. Are you showing me my poster?"

"No," Harold chuckled, "the poster isn't the surprise. The room is."

He pushed the door open, revealing a bedroom that looked like an upgraded version of Root's. She walked inside, mouth open, taking in the room. A large bed sat in the far corner, dark purple sheets still creased from the packaging. Across the room was a desk; it took up most of the wall. Root's current project was neatly set up and Sameen's snowglobe had its own little cubby in the corner.

She ran her hand across the dark oak dressers. They were nicer than anything she'd ever owned. Pulling open a drawer, she saw her clothes, all folded nicely. When had these been moved? She'd just gotten dressed back at Sameen's. Root realized she'd put her clothes from the morning back on; she hadn't actually opened anything. Sameen had just handed her her shirt.

Root smiled. Sameen must have helped them move everything when Root was busy with Science Bowl. The posters she'd hung in the train had been hung on the walls. Above the bed, someone, probably Sameen, had painted a mural of space, Orion large in the center. Her eyes fluttered, and she wiped tears away.

This was her room. Sameen and Grace and Harold had given her a place, a real place, of her own. She turned to look at Grace and Harold, crying. Grace grinned at her, her own eyes watering.

"Do you like it?" Grace asked, nervously wringing her hands. "We didn't really know what you'd liked, so we asked Sameen to help. I hope that's ok."

"It's perfect." Root wiped her face again. "I love it so much."

Harold stepped into the room, gesturing for Grace to come in, too. "There's one more thing."

Root watched as he closed the door. On the inside was a chain, like the one Root had installed at her old house. Their last gift to her was privacy, and safety. Root moved to Grace and threw her arms around her neck.

"Thank you both so much," Root cried. "It means so much."

"We want to support you," Grace said into her shoulders, voice thick. "I know it seems like we're giving you a lot, but you're giving us something, too."

Root pulled away, unsure what she meant. "What am I giving you?"

"You may have noticed that we don't have children," Harold answered. "We tried, but it never happened. Then, we tried adopting, but it never happened. You're giving us the chance to be parents."

"You're almost 18, we know, but…" Grace smiled at Root. "Maybe eventually you'll come to think of us as family."

Root's heart clenched. They weren't just adopting her out of pity. Harold and Grace wanted to be a family. They wanted Root in their lives. She swallowed hard. She had somewhere to live that wouldn't rot out from under her. They wanted to pay for college, make her feel loved, be her parents. They even knew how important Sameen was to her.

"I already do," Root rasped. "You're the best family I've ever had."

Harold wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He smelled like ink and wool. Grace's arms wrapped around them both and Root laughed. If Sameen could see this, she'd never let Root live it down, but Root wasn't embarrassed. She was safe.

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"Ugh," Sameen groaned, throwing herself back onto the bed. "Why did we ask Harold to put us in AP Calc a year early?"

"I want to take Physics next year," Root answered, her mouth full of pretzels. "You didn't have to take it."

Root swung around in her desk chair to face Sameen. They were at Root's house finally getting homework done. Their grades weren't suffering, but all the making out was cutting into their homework time. Root laughed to herself. It was worth it.

"Listen," Sameen sighed, sitting back up, "if I'd known I'd end up doing the work alone for half the school year, I wouldn't have. I thought you'd be helping me."

"Whoops." Root shrugged. "We could always ask Harold for help."

"I'd rather be shot," Sameen scoffed. "I know you guys are buddy-buddy now, but he's still too weird for me."

Root just laughed and turned back to her desk. "You know, if you're going to marry me, you'll have to ask his permission eventually."

There was a moment of silence and then a pencil flew passed Root's head, smacking the wall in front of her. She spun around, eyes wide.

"Did you throw a sharp pencil at me?"

"No," Sameen crossed her arms, "I threw it passed you. If I wanted to hit you, I would have."

Root stood up, stretching her arms over her head. "Ok, let's take a break. All this math is making you mean."

"Ooh," Sameen crooned, pushing her books aside and crawling to the edge of the bed, "time for anatomy homework?"

"No…" Root chuckled. "I was thinking we could eat some ice cream."

Sameen scowled, but scooted off the bed. "Fine. Do they even have ice cream? Harold probably eats something dumb like Butter Pecan or Pralines and Cream."

"Hey!" Root pouted. "I like Pralines and Cream."

"I know," Sameen sighed. "I love you anyway."

"Whatever, Triple Chocolate," Root said, rolling her eyes and started for the door.

Sticking her head out, she listened for a moment. The hallway was dark, but that didn't mean Harold and Grace were asleep. Their room was further down the hall, but Root didn't know their patterns yet and she didn't want to risk getting caught and yelled at for eating sweets so late at night.

"Is the coast clear?" Sameen whispered from behind her. "Are they awake?"

"I don't think so," Root whispered back. "Come on."

She tip-toed into the hallway, stepping carefully. The rugs on the floor seemed to muffle the sound of their feet, but Root wasn't sure if any of the floorboards creaked. Sameen pushed passed her hurrying down the halls. Her socked feet were quiet on the stairs, so Root rushed after her, a little more at ease.

Sameen walked through the living room to the kitchen and flicked on the light. Root's eyes squinted at the brightness. She watched as Sameen pulled open the freezer, ruffling through. Finding nothing, she slammed it shut.

"I told you. Harold is an old man."

Root laughed and leaned against the door frame. "Damn, I really wanted ice cream."

"We could go to Dairy Queen," Sameen suggested. She looked at the time on the stove. "It's 9:15. If we leave now, we can get there before they close."

"Sure!" Root remembered that they weren't at Sameen's house. "Do you think they'll get mad?"

"They can't get mad if they don't find out."

Rolling her eyes, Root flipped the lights out and walked back into the living room. Sneaking out on her first night at her new house wasn't on her list of planned activities, but Harold and Grace had promised her freedom. She stepped into the entranceway and sat on the floor to slip her shoes on. Beside her, Sameen stepped into her own shoes and stood to grab their wallets.

The hallway light turned on and Root froze.

"Girls?" Grace asked from behind them. "Are you leaving?"

Root's heart raced and she couldn't bring herself to turn around. Sameen just smiled at Grace, not worried.

"Yeah, we were going to get ice cream."

"Oh," Grace didn't sound upset. "Alright. We should put a little notepad here, so you guys can let us know when you're out. Do you girls need money?"

Root sucked in air, trying to calm down. They weren't in trouble. Grace was fine with them leaving. She saw Sameen look down at her and tried to smile.

"We have money," Sameen answered Grace. "Thanks anyway."

Root finally turned around to look over her shoulder at Grace. Grace was wearing a fuzzy bathrobe, her red hair tied up in a messy bun. She didn't look upset at all.

"Ok," Grace nodded, turning around. "Don't stay out too late."

Root climbed to her feet, watching her walk away. When she started up the stairs, Root sighed, relieved.

"You ok?" Sameen asked, laying her had on Root's arm. "You didn't say anything."

"Yeah," Root replied. "I'm fine. I was just worried she'd be upset."

Sameen watched her, face neutral. This was a moment where Sameen couldn't relate. Root just shook her head.

"It's fine. Come on, I want ice cream."

"Ok," Sameen said carefully. "I'm buying."

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Sameen licked her chocolate ice cream quickly, trying to eat it before it melted. She shifted her legs, adjusting herself, and glanced at Root. They were in the Dairy Queen parking lot, sitting on RBG's roof. The DQ had been closing when they got there, and Sameen left a big tip as an apology.

Root hadn't said much since they'd left her house. Sameen wasn't sure what she was feeling, but knew it probably had something to do with sneaking out. Maybe Root thought she had to be perfect to stay with Harold and Grace? Maybe she was afraid it was still temporary?

Sameen took another lick of her ice cream. Root glanced at her and flushed.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Root wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"No," Sameen said softly. "You're perfect."

Root rolled her eyes. "Now I know something's wrong."

"I can't just tell my girlfriend she's perfect?" Sameen scowled. She was going to try to talk to Root, but if Root was going to have attitude, then whatever. "Nevermind. I take it back."

"Oh my god," Root laughed. "You're so dumb. Just tell me what's up."

Ice cream dripped onto Sameen's hand, cold in the hot, night air. She licked it off, thinking about how to approach the subject.

"I noticed how…tense…you were at the house," Sameen tried. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Root frowned and bit into her ice cream. Sameen winced. Root was the only person she knew who bit her ice cream instead of licking it or using a spoon. Maybe Root's cold body desensitized her teeth. Sameen made a note to look it up later.

"I don't want to abuse their hospitality," Root answered. "We had a good moment earlier and I don't want them to be upset with me. At least, not right away."

Sameen nodded. "That makes sense. Ok, as long as it isn't anything big."

"It's not," Root shrugged. "Just me overthinking, I guess."

"Do you like your room?" Sameen asked, scooting closer to Root. "I took some stuff from the train, sorry."

Root grinned at her and leaned down, resting her head on Sameen's shoulder. "I love it. I haven't thanked you for it yet."

"No, you haven't."

"Thanks."

Sameen licked her ice cream again. "No problem, babe."

"So…" Root tapped her feet together. "Does our no sex rule at Harold's house still stand? I want to show you just how much I like it."

Groaning, Sameen wrapped her arm around Root's shoulders. "I couldn't convince you to do it in the car, could I?"

"Without blankets or pillows? Would we do it in the Dairy Queen parking lot? Or in front of Harold's house? Lionel is in your room tonight, are you going to kick him out?"

"Ok, ok," Sameen stopped her. "Harold's house it is."

Root snuggled against her side. "Let's finish our ice cream first. The stars are beautiful tonight."

Sameen sighed. The stars weren't the only thing that was beautiful tonight.