Sameen put her bowl of mashed potatoes down and sighed, pushing Bear's nose away. She'd been eating non-stop since Mrs. Reese had started cooking Thanksgiving dinner at 7 am. Now, at 10 pm, she was finally starting to slow down. She pushed her spoon into the serving bowl she'd stolen from the kitchen.

Joss, Zoe, and John were home from school for the weekend and all the kids, and Bear, were going to sleep in the treehouse. Across the room, Lionel, Root, and John were playing Mario Kart. Root had managed to bring power to the treehouse and they'd set up a tv in one corner. Sameen watched as Root won a race and the boys groaned.

"You're never going to beat her," Sameen laughed. "She's the best."

Root looked over her shoulder and winked as Lionel started another game. "I really am."

"I've been practicing a lot," John countered. "I'm just warming up."

Lionel snorted. "That's what you said six races ago."

The friends laughed and Sameen stood up, picking up her bowl and crossing to the bed in the corner. She put her bowl on the nightstand and sat down next to Zoe and Joss. Bear sniffed at the bowl again before laying down at Sameen's feet.

"It's cold here," Joss said, shivering dramatically. "What is happening?"

"I don't know, but I love it." Sameen ran her hands over her bare arms. "I'm not sweating at all. I would love Texas if it was always like this."

Joss and Zoe huddled closer under their quilt and Sameen rolled her eyes. It was cold for Bishop in November, but it was only in the 60s. She'd spent the last three years melting constantly and now that she was finally comfortable, everyone else was freezing.

"Speaking of love…" Zoe started, "has John mentioned anything about Spring Break?"

Sameen shrugged, pulling her legs up and resting her feet on the edge of the bed. "No? He's terrible about that."

"Like you have any room to speak," John said, defensively. "When was the last time you texted me?"

"Lionel texts you enough for the both of us." Sameen leaned forward to scratch Bear. "I know he keeps you updated."

Root tossed her controller onto the floor as she won their race again. "I'm done with this. You guys are so bad."

Lionel threw his controller away, too. "I won all the time when you were still pretending to be bad. First, you were the best. Then, mediocre. Now, you're good again. I can't actually tell if I'm good or not!"

"We can race," John suggested. "Without Root."

Root chuckled and climbed to her feet. "Play without the genius."

"You're so full of it," Lionel mumbled. "Go get in bed with the girls."

Root hummed and crossed the room, smiling. "My favorite place to be." She climbed into bed and squeezed her way between Joss and Zoe, curling up with them under the blanket. When they'd settled, she stretched her long legs out, poking Sameen's thigh with her freezing toes and wiggling her eyebrows. "There's room for one more."

"There's really not," Joss laughed. "Even though Sameen is small."

"So rude," Sameen said, rolling her eyes. "Like I'd even want to be in your blanket. I don't want your cooties."

"I asked about Spring Break," Zoe said pointedly, "because we're having a ceremony and we'd like you guys to be there."

"What kind of ceremony?" Root asked, looking at Zoe and then Joss. "Like a cult thing? Or a wedding thing?"

Joss bumped her shoulder against Root. "A wedding thing, dummy."

Sameen looked at the girls for a moment. They were having a wedding, with John. She thought back to freshman year. Joss and Zoe had both been dating John and he hadn't told them. She remembered how hard it had been for them to figure out what they wanted and how to be happy together. It was weird to think about them getting married.

Zoe had hated the idea of marriage and being tied down. Sameen knew that Joss wanted kids, so did John, but what about Zoe? She wanted to go into politics and really make a difference. Would she have a baby? Sameen's eyes landed on Root.

John and the girls had only been out of high school for a few months, but they'd been dating for years. Would Root expect Sameen to get married right away? They were still so young and they'd just worked everything out. Sameen wanted to get married, or she joked about it anyway, but what if they got married and Root couldn't stay still? What if Sameen's type of love didn't last forever?

Root's eyes met hers and Sameen could tell she was thinking something similar. They wanted to be together forever, but after the last couple of years, they knew that it might not be possible. Both of them had big things to work out. Sameen was trying her best and she knew that Root was too, but what if…What if?

"I know it seems fast," Zoe said softly. She took Root's hand. "We've talked about it a lot, though, and it's what we want. We're never going to be able to get married for real. At least, not all three of us. So, we thought we'd do a little promise ceremony. Something to tie us together."

"I think it's sweet," Root said, smiling. "A promise ceremony sounds nice."

Sameen looked away, bending down to pet Bear again. A promise ceremony. She and Root had already promised each other 'for as long as we can.' Did they need to do something more? Did Root want more? Were they passed the point of promises? Did Sameen still have to prove herself?

Lionel spoke up from in front of the tv. "Can I come? I want to be the ring bearer."

Bear's ears perked up and Sameen patted his head. John laughed.

"You can come."

"Yeah," Sameen added. "I'll even drive you if you do my chores for a week."

"What!" Lionel glared at her as John won the race. "That's extortion! You can't do that."

Root leaned forward to see him better. "You can take Ruthie. I'm sure the ride to Houston would be fun. Wind blowing through that luscious mane."

Lionel just scoffed and started a new race. "So, what happens at a promise ceremony?"

Zoe pushed her hair behind her ears. "Well, it'll look like a wedding, but smaller."

"We'll say vows," Joss added. "Zoe and I will wear white dresses."

Sameen snorted. "Isn't a white dress for a virgin bride?"

Root kicked Sameen in the side. "Sameen! Let them do what they want to! It's their day!"

"Yeah, Sameen," John joked, "it's our day."

The power flickered in the treehouse for a moment before going out altogether. They sat in the dark for a second before Root sighed loudly.

"It's the squirrels. They chew the wires."

"You can win every race," Lionel said, "but you can't make wires squirrel proof."

Sameen stood up and pulled her phone out of her pocket, turning the flashlight on. "Alright, back inside. We can get some lights."

"No," Joss whined. "Aunty Marla is here. She'll try to kiss me again."

John laughed and opened the door. "Welcome to the family."

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Root looked around the carnival, grinning. She couldn't hear anything over the noise, but that didn't even bother her. It was her birthday and they'd gone to the Corpus Christi Winter Carnival. In front of her, Harold, Grace, and Mrs. Reese walked ahead, leading the way. Lionel and Sameen were on either side of her, stuffing their faces with elephant ears.

It was a cold night and Root had worn her new leather jacket. She looked good in it, like an adult, which was weird. She was eighteen now, old enough to vote, but it didn't make her feel any different. It just made it easier for her to leave Bishop, to make her own decisions, her own choices. Dropping her head back, she stared up at the stars.

Orion sat overhead, twinkling down at her as she walked. Every day brought them one day closer to the future. Sameen was already thinking ahead, buying small things for their college apartment like blankets and silverware and a shower curtain. Root was excited to leave Bishop and explore the rest of America, maybe even the world one day. She was almost free to live her own life.

With Sameen, of course. She turned her head to see Sameen shoving the last of her dessert in her mouth, her face and letterman jacket covered in powdered sugar. She grinned. Somehow, she had gotten the girl and she planned to keep her.

It wasn't always easy. Sameen had woken Root up a couple times in the last few months after nightmares and sometimes Root found herself somewhere else, her heart hurting. It was good, though. They were talking to each other. It was nice. Even if their new friends were monopolizing their time.

"You've got a little something on your face," Root said, gesturing to Sameen's mouth. "It's everywhere."

Sameen threw her plate in the trash, dusting off her hands. She lifted her hands to sign. 'Who cares?'

Root laughed and looked at Lionel. He'd done better; the sugar was only stuck to his lips. She noticed he had some stubble on his chin and wondered when he'd gotten so old. She nudged his shoulder.

"Your face is dirty."

Lionel rolled his eyes and wiped his face, licking his lips. 'That better?' he signed.

Root nodded. She hooked her arms in Lionel and Sameen's, pulling them close. "I'm officially the adult of the group. The mom friend."

Sameen waved her hand, getting Root's attention. She signed awkwardly, her one arm hindered by Root's grip. 'You're not the mom friend. I'm the mom friend. You're the disaster friend.'

"Well, I'm still the oldest," she asserted. "As the oldest friend, and the birthday girl, I demand that both of you win me stuffed animals."

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Sameen stared into the goal, kicking the ball from side to side. She had to make sure she didn't kick it too hard and hurt Harold. Root would murder her if she killed her adopted father on Christmas. Sameen took a couple steps forward, wincing at the feeling of damp grass under her footed pajamas.

Mrs. Reese had bought all of the children matching footed pajamas. She'd even bought Bear a matching bandana. They'd spent the morning having breakfast at Root's, the three Reese children, their girlfriends, and all seven parents. Sameen had only met Zoe and Joss' parents briefly, but they were nice people. They seemed fine with the Reese-Carter-Morgan situation.

Sameen kicked the ball around some more, glancing to the side to see their family watching. After breakfast, they'd all gone out to see a movie and then spent the day hanging out and watching tv. They'd just finished dinner and Harold had suggested spending time in the backyard. Somehow, they'd ended up with Sameen kicking goals and Harold trying to dodge them.

"Come on, Miss Shaw," Harold said, smiling. "Don't let the limp fool you. I'm not as weak as I seem."

Sameen raised her eyebrows. Jogging forward with the ball, she kicked it, watching as it arched nicely and hit the net. Harold hadn't been able to catch it after all. She shrugged at Harold, smirking.

"You're not my dad yet. I don't have to let you win."

"Why would I be your father?"

"When Root and I get mar- uh." Sameen flushed. "Nevermind."

Zoe laughed loudly from the sidelines. "When you and Root get married!"

"Sameen!" Root ran onto the field, throwing her arms around Sameen's neck. "Yes! I accept!"

"Get off me," Sameen said gruffly, trying to shove her away. "I'm not marrying you."

Root just laughed and held on tightly. Around them, their friends laughed, too. Sameen didn't want them to know she was thinking about marriage. She didn't even know if she was really thinking about it. She remembered that night by the pool when she told Root she didn't know if she wanted that.

Root pressed a kiss to her cheek and moved her mouth to Sameen's ear. "I know you're joking," she whispered. "It's ok. We have time."

Sameen closed her eyes. Of course Root knew what she was thinking. She turned her head to look at Root.

"I love you."

Root smiled and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I love you, too. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Root."

"Hey, lovebirds!" Joss called to them from the goal. "Play ball or get off the field!"

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Sameen rode her bike down the road, pedaling quickly. It was almost midnight and they weren't even at the park yet. She glanced behind her, seeing her friends racing to keep up. If someone had told her before she'd moved to Bishop that she'd have seven friends, she would have punched them. Now, as the clock ticked down to the new year, she could imagine being happy.

She turned forward again, the lights from the park growing larger as they got closer. 'The size of an object is proportional to the angle it subtends,' Root's voice says in her head. Sameen remembers that they have midterms when school starts again. She'll make an outline on her chalkboard wall tomorrow.

"Look at the ball!" John yells from behind her.

The mayor had decided to start a new tradition. Bishop was going to do a ball drop at midnight. Sameen could see the small construction vehicle in the field, its crane lifted and a small glowing lamp hanging from the top. She glanced down at her watch, only 5 minutes to go.

Her bike finally hit the gravel of the parking lot and she hopped off, jogging over to the bike rack. As she slid her bike in, she could see Mrs. Reese waving at her and she waved back. The friends left their bikes and started for the field. Sameen stayed where she was, waiting for Root.

Every time she remembered that this was her last year in Bishop, she felt weird. Her stomach felt tight and she wondered if this was nostalgia or something. Was she missing Bishop before she even left? Did that happen to people?

Root appeared next to her, sliding her bike into the slot beside Sameen's. She pushed her hair out of her face.

"It's so cold!" Root whined, wrapping Sameen's letterman jacket tighter around herself. "It's in the 40s!"

"Can you miss something before it's gone?" Sameen asked, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Does that happen to you?"

Root nodded slowly, smiling. "Yeah. I don't have a word for it. It's how I felt when you were lying about Tomas. We were still friends, but I knew it was going to end and I was already mourning it."

"Huh," Sameen said, shrugging. "Weird. I was just thinking about leaving Bishop."

"It's crazy, right?" Root took a couple steps forward, pressing against Sameen's chest. She slid her arms under Sameen's coat. "It felt like yesterday that we first looked at the stars together. Who knew we'd end up here?"

Sameen took a breath and stepped back. She took Root's hand, pulling her onto the grass and starting across the field towards their friends. As long as Root was with her, Sameen would be fine.

Her free hand played with the zipper of her jacket. It had belonged to her father and it was one of the few things she still had of his. It was too big for her. When she was younger, she thought she'd grow into it, but now she was starting to accept that she was going to be small forever. She didn't mind too much.

She checked her watch again and saw that there was only one minute to midnight. Turning to look at Root, she smiled. Root's eyes were fixed on the sky, glowing in the light of the New Year's ball. Their first night on the hill really did feel like a lifetime ago. Root had won her over immediately, just talking her way into Sameen's heart.

Root's eyes slid to the side and she turned her head to look at Sameen fully. "What?"

"This is our first New Year's kiss as girlfriends," Sameen answered.

Root frowned. "No way."

"Way," Sameen chuckled. "The first time, it was nothing. Sophomore year, we hadn't confessed. Last year, we were broken up. This is the first."

"Wow," Root breathed. "I can't believe it. Well, this is the first of many."

There was a groan as the ball started to drop, but Sameen didn't look away from Root. She stepped forward, sliding her hands under Root's shirt, resting them on her hips and pulling Root close. Root's arms wrapped around her neck and Sameen looked up into her eyes.

Root leaned down, her lips brushing against Sameen's. The countdown started as Sameen bit Root's bottom lip gently, sucking it into her mouth and running a tongue over it. Root sighed, their breaths mingling, and pressed their lips together fully.

Kissing Root always felt like coming home. It still drove Sameen crazy, still made her skin hot and her heart race, but it also felt comfortable. Sameen dug her fingers into Root's side, drinking in her moan. She craved the way Root tasted, like stardust and toothpaste and possibilities.

Around them, the crowd cheered, celebrating the new year. Sameen hardly noticed. Root's fingers tangled in Sameen's hair, tugging slightly. Sameen made a vow to start every year for the rest of her life this way. Come hell or highwater, she and Root were going to make it.

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"I feel like an idiot," Root said, pouting. "I'm wearing safety gear to cook."

"Would you rather cook without it?" Sameen asked, reaching out to adjust Root's collar.

Root sighed. "No."

They were practicing for their Home Ec. midterm. Well, Root was practicing and Sameen was 'helping.' Mostly, she made comments and ate Root's ingredients. Luckily, Grace's kitchen was stocked like the world was ending.

Root was trying to make something simple that would still be good enough for Greer. She needed an A on this midterm or she'd actually get a C in the class. They'd decided on a chicken dinner, a whole roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.

So far, she'd burned a pot trying to boil water and splashed herself with hot oil. The chicken was already in the oven and it couldn't hurt her from there. Probably.

Now, Sameen had forced her into long sleeves and pants. They'd duct taped mittens to her hands to try and cover all their bases. Root was even wearing chemistry goggles. She tried to adjust them, but just kept hitting her face with the mittens.

Laughing, Sameen reached out to straighten them. "You look cute," she said, stepping away. "Like a mad scientist."

"I am a mad scientist," Root joked. The corner of her mouth quirked up. "Madly in love."

"Disgusting," Sameen grumbled, her neck flushing. "Mash your potatoes, loser."

Root just grinned and moved to the kitchen island, awkwardly pulling the mixing bowl closer to her. Even though she'd been taking care of herself her whole life, Root had never really learned how to cook. She'd just lived on granola bars and cereal. Occasionally, she would splurge and buy a frozen pizza.

Mashing the potatoes carefully, Root looked over at Sameen as she hopped onto the island. Her legs sung in front of her, bare feet lightly hitting the cabinets. Sameen was texting and Root took the opportunity to look her over.

Sameen had barely changed since freshman year, at least physically. She'd grown an inch or two, and her boobs had definitely gotten bigger, but other than that, the only difference was the length of her hair. Root had convinced her to trim it. It was still long, but the ends no longer touched her butt.

Sameen smiled at her phone, reading a message and Root's stomach tensed. It was dumb to be nervous about Sameen now. They'd been through so much and Root trusted her completely, but sometimes the doubt still crept in.

"Who are you texting?" Root asked, hating that her voice sounded nervous. "Gen?"

Sameen glanced at her from the corner of her eye. "You're going to hate me for 10 seconds, but then you're going to think it's funny."

"Ok?"

"It's Tomas."

The blood drained from Root's face and she felt cold. Tomas? Her hands stilled around the potato masher. Why was Sameen texting Tomas? They'd seen him at the Halloween party, but they hadn't even talked to him. Now Sameen was texting him? What had changed? What has happening?

"Root," Sameen said, snapping her fingers in front of Root's face. "Let me tell you why."

Root glared up at her. "I'm not sure I want to hear it."

"Oh, you do," Sameen snorted. "You really do."

"Fine," Root bit out. "Why are you texting Tomas?"

Sameen leaned towards her. "Because he's dating Martine."

"What the fuck?" Root dropped her potato masher into the bowl and took a step backwards, mittens in the air. "That's too weird. I can't do it."

Sameen laughed at her. "She invited him to the party, because she invites everyone, and he was impressed by her punching Hersch."

"Oh, well, that's it then," Root said, rolling her eyes. "You tell a girl you like her punches once, and she'll never let you go."

"Impressive punches are a good quality to have," Sameen joked.

She stretched out her legs, hook her feet around Root's hips and pulling her close. Root pretended to resist, but stepped forward, letting Sameen's legs wrap around her waist. The marble island was cold against her stomach and she put her mittened hands on Sameen thighs.

"You haven't punched anyone recently," Root said, tilting her head. "I'm starting to lose interest."

"I can tell," Sameen murmured, dipping her head and brushing her lips against Root's. "You haven't kissed me in almost half an hour."

"So needy," Root breathed into Sameen's mouth, licking her lips, her tongue flicking against Sameen's. "I'll do better."

She fit her mouth against Sameen's, sucking in air through her nose as Sameen's hands settled on her shoulders. Her body always responded to Sameen's, always got hot at her kisses. The day Sameen's kisses did nothing for her was the day Root was ready to die.

Someone cleared their throat behind them and Root pulled away, turning to look. Harold stood in the door way, his face pink. Blushing, Root stepped backwards, trying to act casual. She still wasn't sure how to act around Harold and in this house.

Harold smiled at her. "You certainly are covered up. I thought you were cooking?"

"I am," Root said wryly. She held up her mittens. "This is a necessary safety precaution."

"Yes," Harold laughed. "Mr. Greer has explained your difficulty with the culinary arts."

Root paled. "He did?"

"Don't worry," Harold assured her, stepping further into the kitchen. "He's also told me how much you're trying."

Sameen patted Root on the head. "You have to have some flaws. Can't be a genius at everything."

"But I want to be," Root sighed, leaning against the table.

Harold chuckled and held his hand out, a letter clasped in his grip. "This came for you."

Root's eyes widened and her heart raced. Was it a college letter? She quickly tore her mittens off and threw them to the counter. It was early to be getting a response, right? This had to be a college letter.

"This is not a college letter. It's from your father."

Root's heart sped up for a different reason and she reached out to take the letter with a shaking hand. It was the size of a card and she wondered how her father had gotten her address. When she turned it ove, she could see her given name written out in her father's terrible scrawl. It felt like something out of a time capsule. It felt like Root was young again, but this time her father tried to keep in contact.

"I'll give you some space," Harold said gently.

Root watched him stagger away and sighed, turning back to Sameen.

"What do you think it says?" she asked, flipping the envelope over. "'Never come back to Dallas or I'll kill you'."

"I doubt that," Sameen said softly. "It's probably a Christmas card or a birthday card."

Root snorted. "It's January 3rd."

She slid her finger under the flap, carefully tearing the envelope open. She hated that she was so nervous, that she sort of cared what her father said. It would have been better if she hated him. The fact that she didn't want to see him, didn't want him to be part of her life, made her feel guilty. People should love their parents, but Root barely thought about hers.

Well. She barely thought about her father. Her mother was a prominent figure in her nightmares. Sometimes her mother was released from jail. Sometimes her mother never went away at all and Root still lived in that terrible house. She'd considered writing a Christmas card to her mother, but ultimately decided against it. Her mother was gone for good and Root was an adult now. She was free.

"You don't have to read it," Sameen said, watching Root pull the card out. "We could burn it."

"I'll read it." Root shrugged. "Who knows, maybe there's money inside."

The card was generic, a small reindeer stood on a wintery field. She opened it, laughing when she saw a twenty dollar bill. On the card was only a small note. 'It was good to see you last summer. I hope we can talk soon. Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas. Dad.' Root picked up the $20 and crushed the card in her hand.

"It wasn't important," she mumbled, handing Sameen the money. "I don't know why he bothered to send it at all."

Sameen leaned to the side and pushed the $20 into her pocket. "He probably did it to ease his guilty conscience."

"Probably," Root agreed, sighing. She stared down at her bowl of half-mashed potatoes. "Have you missed your parents recently?"

"I thought about them the other day," Sameen answered, leaning back on her hands. "I still have the Iranian snowglobe in my room. It made me think of my mom. I wish I could have learned to fight from my father. I learned to cook from my mom."

"That's nice," Root smiled. She picked up the potato masher again. "We'll teach our kids things."

Sameen scoffed. "Yeah, I don't see us having children."

"But Sameen," Root said, looking up with wide eyes, "who will I teach to cook? Who will carry on the secret chicken recipe?"

"The recipe that calls for burning?" Sameen asked, raising her eyebrow.

Root turned to the oven and a whiff on burnt chicken floated to her. "No! I'm going to fail this class!"

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Sameen stared up at their old friend, Orion, the grass tickling her bare feet. They'd come out to the hill for Sameen's birthday and even though it was freezing, she was glad they were out. Between friends and extracurriculars, there wasn't a lot of time to just hang out and stargaze. The cold weather was another thing keeping them inside.

She'd gone through most of her cold weather clothing in the past few months. It was surprising how much of it still fit. Sameen crossed her arms. She was wearing her father's old sweat pants, folding about three times around her ankles. A breeze blew past her and she heard Root sneeze.

Sameen turned to look over her shoulder and smiled. Root had brought her current project and was staring down at her work tray, a head lamp strapped to her face. Harold had bought her the pieces for a Ham Radio, so she could replace the one she broke, and Root had spent the past week or so making adjustments. Sameen watched her run her fingers over a small part reverently.

Turning to look out over the dark countryside, Sameen shoved her hands into her pockets. The seam inside was coming unraveled and she tugged at a loose string. She'd been think about her parents since Root brought them up a few days ago. Well, she'd been thinking about thinking about them.

Now that she was 18, she'd been with out them almost as long as she'd been with them. When she graduated college, she will have spent most of her life without them. The thought didn't make her feel anything. It just felt like a fact.

She knew that should make her feel guilty, that she felt nothing, but it didn't. She'd learned more about herself over the years, learned what she was supposed to feel, but that didn't mean she actually felt it. Root helped with that a little bit, answering her questions and being patient. Maybe after Med School, when Sameen really knew the science, she could write a book and help the people like her that didn't have as good a childhood.

She sighed, digging her toes into the ground. That was still so far away. Even if she was a legal adult, she was still in her childhood. There were five months left of high school, and all of summer, until she could start college. They should be trying to enjoy the time.

The light behind her disappeared and she turned around. Root was gathering her things, dropping them into her new took kit. Crossing the hill, Sameen shivered slightly, her toes going numb. She dropped onto their blanket and pull another one around her shoulders.

"Remember when we watched the X-Files every day? She asked, pulling the blanket tight around her. "You were obsessed."

Root smiled as she took her head lamp off. Her hair tie slid from her hair and the dark brown locks tumbled onto her shoulders. Sameen thought she always look so at home under the stars.

"I was," Root chuckled, moving her work tray aside and tossing the lamp onto it. "I got you into it though."

"Dragged me into it," Sameen corrected her. "Forced me to start BACKS with you, too."

"Backs!" Root pouted. She pulled her own blanket around her shoulders. "I miss that! I wish we had more time to start it up again. I wonder how Alicia and Denton are doing."

Sameen stretched her legs, dropping her feet into Root's lap. "Probably doing nerdy things with other children." She wrinkled her nose. "That sounds weird."

Root just laughed and scooted closer. She lifted her shirt and put it over Sameen's toes. "You're going to get sick if you don't stay warm."

"I won't get sick," Sameen scoffed, poking Root's stomach with her frozen toes. "I've only been sick once since we met."

"That's true. You weren't at school and I got a black eye. Then, you got me sick."

Sameen rolled her eyes. "You got yourself sick. I didn't make you take care of me."

"I had to." Root shrugged. "I was already so in love with you."

Sameen watched as she twisted her ring. Sameen hadn't worn her matching one tonight. She rarely wore it at all, actually. If she was honest, she was afraid to lose it. She never wore their matching bracelets either for the same reason. Just like she was afraid of losing Root, she was afraid to lose the things that were important to their relationship. Root smiled at her.

"Yeah?" Sameen asked, quietly. "You loved me then?"

Root's eyelashes fluttered, just like they always did when she was thinking about loving Sameen. "Yeah."

"How in love with me are you now?" Sameen asked, raising an eyebrow. "Would you take a bullet for me?"

"No, but I'd let you shoot me. In the shoulder, though, not anything fatal."

Sameen snorted. "I'd take three bullets for you."

"Well," Root laughed, "you're just a better girlfriend than me."

Sameen moved her feet, shifted her body so she could crawl over and lay on top of Root. They fell back to the ground, Root's stomach pushing against Sameen's as she laughed. Sameen just smiled, listening to Root's laugh float in the cold night air.

They wiggled for a moment, trying to get all their parts covered with blankets. Sameen shoved her face into Root's neck, breathing her in. After a moment, Root's arms wrapped around her.

"I love you," Sameen murmured into Root's collarbone. "To the stars and back."

"I love you, too," Root breathed into Sameen's hair. "Until the last star dies."

"Hey, Root?"

"Yeah, Birthday Girl?"

"Talk to me about space."

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To Root on her Birthday:

From Lionel: A Harvard Sweatshirt

From Sameen: 1,000 kisses and a new leather jacket

From Mrs. Reese: a fancy toolbox and a pack of stickers

From Harold and Grace: Tools for fixing computers and building things

Christmas

To Sameen

From Lionel: A poster signed by Mia Hamm

From Mrs. Reese: Black Rollerskates with blood red laces

From R/C/Ms: $100 gift card to Alan's Sex Emporium

From Harold/Grace: The collector edition of Edgar Allen Poe's stories

From Root: A really heartfelt love note and a new pair of exercise gloves

To Root

From Lionel: Shiny Binoculars

From Mrs. Reese: A cute pair of boots

From R/C/Ms: A book called "100 Ways to Use a Strap-On."

From Harold/Grace: A birdwatching book and the pieces for a new HAM Radio

From Sameen: A terrarium of Cacti and thick, fuzzy socks

To Lionel

From Sameen: His own set of weights

From Mrs. Reese: A signed baseball

From R/C/Ms: A signed basketball jersey

From Harold/Grace: An EMF reader

From Root: A Lion Plushie

To R/C/Ms

From Lionel: Some art posters for their apartment

From Mrs. Reese: Kitchenware

From Sameen: "Kiss the Cook" aprons

From Harold/Grace: A couple of nice potted plants

From Root: A BDSM Starter kit

To Mrs. Reese

From the Kids: Family Portrait!

From Harold/Grace: A trip to the spa

To Harold/Grace:

From the Kids: Family Portrait!

From Mrs. Reese: An expensive bottle of Brandy ("Welcome to Parenthood. You may only have adopted Root, but you now have six children.")

To Sameen on her Birthday:

From Lionel: An MIT Sweatshirt

From Mrs. Reese: New soccer cleats and a fancy suit

From Harold/Grace: Medical Textbooks that Harvard uses

From Root: A handpainted map of Bishop