"I'm just saying," Lionel said from the backseat, "it's pretty convenient that right when the town was dying, an alien crashes into the windmill."

Root turned, pulling her leg up onto the seat between them. "It's not convenient! They had to rebuild half the town!"

"They were already rebuilding the town from the fire!" Lionel threw his hands up. "Conveniently!"

Sameen snorted and turned back to face forward, crossing her legs. It was weird to be in the passenger seat instead of driving, but on family trips, Mrs. Reese always drove. Sameen leaned on the door, watching the green countryside pass by. It had only taken 45 minutes for Root and Lionel to start arguing about aliens and about 5 minutes after that, Sameen had tuned out.

They passed a row of plastic barns and playground sets and she sighed, sitting back in her seat. They were on the way to Dallas for John's 'wedding' and she was looking forward to seeing him again. Zoe and Joss' parents had come up a few days before, but John hadn't wanted anyone to miss school. So, they'd left early Saturday morning and would be in Dallas around noon.

It was weird to go to her brother's wedding. Sameen still felt like an only child most days, an only child with a lot of friends. Mrs. Reese really was a mother to her though. She'd been there for Sameen, supporting her achievements, taking her to the DMV to get her license on her 16th birthday. She'd helped Root when Sameen was being dumb. Maybe Mrs. Reese would walk her down the aisle at her own wedding, like she was walking John.

She turned to look at Mrs. Reese. "Are you coming out for the bachelorette party tonight?"

"No," Mrs. Reese laughed, "I'll leave that for you kids. All of us parents are going to dinner."

Sameen nodded, expecting that answer. She tried to image her own wedding, but it was hard. Television and movies and books always made it seem like the most important moment in a girl's life, but it wasn't for Sameen. Her most important moment…she probably had a few. Her parents' deaths were negative, but still important. Meeting the Reeses and Lionel. Meeting Root. Almost every day that happened since then.

Root and Lionel argued in the backseat and Sameen crossed her arms. What was the point of getting married? Sure, she'd like to call Root her wife, but was it really that important? Couldn't they just be together forever and not bring other stuff into it? Sameen licked her lips, frowning. She loved Root; that was the only thing she felt for sure, but she couldn't help remembering the conversation they had in Houston.

What if Sameen faded away? What if Root wanted to leave? Marriage sounded magical and amazing, but what about divorce? Wouldn't it be easier to separate if there weren't lawyers involved? Money? She looked out the window as a billboard for a waterpark flew by. Neither of them wanted children, but would they feel pressure if they were married?

An old conversation with Root came into her head and she smiled. She and Root used to sit by the pool at night, talking about life and the future. God, they used to be so sure about what they wanted. It was easy to be when you were 14. Well, it was easy to be sure about big things like marriage and jobs, not so much about immediate things like crushes.

Sameen had asked if Root wanted to get married in the future. At the time, the future was a hundred years away, but now…now it was so close. She remembered what Root had said. Root had wanted an apartment and a girl and a dog in a city. That's what they would have in Boston in a few months. Root and Sameen and Bear and the rest of their lives. As long as they could.

Did they have to have a wedding to be permanent? Couldn't they just keep promising each other permanence? Wasn't that the same? Another waterpark billboard rushed past. Sameen couldn't remember her own answer. It was probably something like "I don't want to get married" or "I don't think I could love someone." She remembered Root's response, though.

'Don't limit yourself.'

Sameen had, though, in a good way. What would she want without Root? She'd go to college, get a job, live life. Root was her North Star. She winced. That sounded cheesy even in her own head, but it was true. Root had annoyed Sameen into loving her and now Sameen was thinking about marriage. They were so young, though.

Sameen sighed and decided to forget about it. They were young and she did want to marry Root, it was just…it was a lot to think about. Root would probably want to get married at night, in the winter so Orion was above them. That didn't sound too bad. Sameen smiled to herself, looking out the window. They could get married in her backyard and spend the night in the treehouse, just fill it with string lights and rose petals and champagne.

She was yanked out of her thoughts by Root screaming.

"Ow! Don't hit me!"

Turning to look behind her, Sameen laughed. Root was pouting and cradling her hand against her chest. Normally, Sameen would jump to her defense, but her new boots her pressed firmly into Lionel's stomach and it was easy to see who started it. Lionel glared across the backseat.

"You kick me with your Tomb Raider Boots, but I smack your hand and I'm the villain?" He turned to Sameen. "Make your girlfriend stop being crazy!"

"Children," Mrs. Reese scolded lightly, "Place nice."

Sameen snorted. "Yeah, children. Play nice."

Root stuck her tongue out, but she pulled her feet back and put them on the floor in front of her. "It's his fault. He said aliens weren't even real."

"I said ghosts are more likely to hang out on Earth than aliens," Lionel corrected her. He crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. "I'm so glad you guys won't be around to embarrass me at football games."

"You're trying out for football next year?" Shaw asked, surprised. "You haven't mentioned it."

"Well, you're a championship-winning soccer captain and Root is captain of the Science Bowl team. Just trying out for football my junior year isn't very impressive."

Mrs. Reese glanced into the rearview mirror. "Lionel, we're proud of you no matter what you do."

Lionel rolled his eyes. "That's what you say to kids who don't do anything."

Sighing, Root unbuckled her seatbelt and closed the distance between them. She hugged Lionel, ignoring his half-hearted attempts to knock her away. Sameen smiled softly, drinking in the image. Usually, Root and Lionel just squabbled or tried to one-up each other. Root had known him for as long as Sameen had, though, and she really did care about him.

"You're going to be the best touchdown person in Texas," Root cooed. "Take them to championships so we can have two athletes in the family."

Sameen grinned, leaning further into the backseat. "You know, Root…You're the only unathletic one."

"What?" Root gasped. "No, I'm not!"

"Well," Lionel chuckled, "John was on the lacrosse team. Zoe and Joss played soccer with Sameen. Even mom plays the occasional softball game with her work team."

Root looked offended, her mouth opening and closing silently. After a moment, she huffed and scooted back across the seat to glare out the window. Between being unathletic and her B+ in Home Ec., Root was definitely grumpy. Sameen decided to take pity on her.

"You're very smart, Root," Sameen offered, "and cute. I'll be the brawn and you can be the brains and beauty."

Sighing dramatically, Root crossed her arms. "I guess that's fine."

The car laughed and Root's face cracked into a smile. Sameen just watched her, thinking about how nice things had been since August. They hadn't fought in months and there hadn't been any major drama. She felt…steady.

She wished she'd known that this was how a relationship would make her feel. The beginning of their friendship, acknowledging her attraction, trying to be normal, it had all made her so uneasy. Now, she could just live and Root lived beside her Sameen was sure that college would bring new people and new struggles and fights, but they could handle it.

Root caught her looking and winked. "Enjoying the view?"

Lionel groaned and leaned over to punch Root's shoulder. "You're so gross! I can't wait to hang out with John again and get away from you lovebirds."

"I hate to break it to you," Mrs. Reese said, "but we're going to his wedding. I doubt he'll be any better."

Sameen reached out to pat Lionel's knee. "We'll find you someone to dance with, bro. Maybe Zoe has a cute cousin."

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Root sipped her glass of water, hoping it would settle her head. They'd been at the club for almost four hours now and she was having trouble keeping up with the other girls. The music was so loud that Root couldn't hear anything, and the noise and alcohol was starting to make her head hurt. She was having a good time, though.

They'd only been at the club for half an hour before John and Lionel had shown up. Apparently, this was the Reese-Carter-Morgan's favorite Saturday night spot because it had an animatronic bull. Root took another drink of her water and watched John struggle to keep his balance on the bucking bull. He was doing pretty well, considering how much he'd had to drink.

Root turned to the girls and snorted. Zoe, Joss, and Sameen were tossing back shots, even though Root knew they were all already drunk. The girls slammed their shot glasses down on the bar and crammed lime slices into their mouths. Sipping on her water, Root leaned forward.

"How's it going?" she screamed over the music.

Sameen grinned at her, giving her a thumbs-up. She pulled the lime out of her mouth, tossed it onto the bar and raised her hands to sign. 'It's great! Want one?'

Root rolled her eyes at Sameen's slow and sloppy hands. Was slurred speech a thing in signing? Because Sameen was almost unintelligible. "I'm ok! Maybe you should stop!"

Nodding, Sameen stepped towards her, stumbling forward. She fell into Root's arms, bumping the glass of water and spilling it onto the floor. Root could see Joss' mouth moving, but couldn't make out what she was saying. Grunting, Root maneuvered around to sit Sameen on a bar stool.

A tap on her shoulder made her turn and look at Zoe. If things got too crazy, Root was going to blame her. She was the one who got them into the club without IDs and the one who convinced the bartenders to give them all free drinks. In the short time that the Reese-Carter-Morgans had lived in Dallas, Zoe had made a lot of friends.

Their life in Dallas seemed pretty great to Root. They lived in a cute apartment, they were getting married, and they had their own special spots, like this club. She watched Sameen push hair out of her face and smiled. They'd have their own lives soon, hopefully in Boston. Maybe Root would even propose to Sameen, maybe she'd do it at prom.

Zoe signed, just as sloppy as Sameen. 'Are you ok? Need a drink?'

"I'm fine!" Root laughed, keeping a hand on Sameen's shoulder. "Someone here has to stay sober in case we need to call an ambulance." She swayed on her feet and put her empty glass on the bar, surprised when it just fell from her hand. "Well, sober-ish."

Something made the other girls look past Root and Root turned to see what was happening. The bass pulsed through her as she grinned. John had climbed to his feet and was riding the bull like a surfboard, somehow managing to keep his balance despite his obvious drunkenness. Lionel was leaning against the railing around the bullpen, probably shouting encouragement.

Root turned to Zoe. "Do you ride the bull? I can't imagine that."

Joss and Zoe laughed, clutching each other for support. Sameen shook her head, almost losing her balance and clutching Root's arm for support.

'Obviously not,' Sameen signed with one hand. 'She's a lady.'

"Aren't you going to ride the bull?" Root asked, pouting. She tilted her head. "I was looking forward to it."

Sameen waved a finger in front of her face, eyes squinted. Licking her lips, she pulled her hand away from Root, adjusting herself on her stool. 'You're not tricking me. There are enough embarrassing pictures of me on facebook as it is.'

Laughing, Root stepped into the space between Sameen's legs, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Surprisingly, Sameen's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in closer. Glancing at Zoe and Joss, Root smiled. They were holding hands, watching John across the room. It seemed like just yesterday John was dating them both secretly, not knowing just how close they were. The Reese-Carter-Morgans had struggled for longer than Root and Sameen had, trying to figure out how to be together.

Root remembered hearing that they were going to kiss on New Year's Eve and being desperate to kiss Sameen. Later, Zoe had really helped her when Sameen was dating Tomas. Even though Sameen wouldn't talk about it, Root knew Joss had helped talk some sense into her around that time. Root would be grateful forever.

If John and Zoe and Joss loved each other even half as much as Root loved Sameen, then they'd be alright. If the three of them could survive college, and bills, and real life problems, then Root and Sameen would be just fine.

Root ran her eyes over the bottles behind the bar, lost in thought. Her heart was pounding in the loud club and she couldn't hear if anyone was speaking, but it didn't matter. She was focus on her girlfriend, still loosely holding on. Sameen had been a little bit weird on the ride up to Dallas and in the hotel. Root could hear her brain screaming the whole day as she tried to work through something.

Blinking and looking down, Root saw that Sameen's eyes were fixed on Zoe and Joss's hands, dark and deep. Maybe Sameen was thinking about marriage. Root knew that they joked about it and that Sameen had been thinking about it for a while, but all of that could be a joke. She could still be nervous about them, about her own shortcomings. Root's, too.

Root wasn't worried, though. Sameen would talk to her about it eventually, or she would just get over it. They were stuck together now. Forever. Sameen jerked in her arms and Root stepped back to see what had happened.

'He fell!' Sameen signed, grinning. 'Like an idiot! Look!'

Spinning on her heel and only stumbling a little bit, Root saw John climbing to his feet, struggling to keep his balance on the padding the club had spread around the mechanical bull. He staggered forward to grab the railing and used it to guide himself to the exit. Root turned back to the other girls.

"That was really impressive," she gushed, knowing how that would make Sameen feel. "He looked really cool. I bet that's hard to do!"

Joss winked at her, dropping Zoe's hand. 'It is! He's so dreamy, isn't he?'

"The dreamy-ist!"

Sameen hopped off the bench, immediately falling forward into Root's arms. They teetered for a moment, before Root found her footing and hoisted Sameen upright. Sameen pushed her away roughly and started stalking towards the bull.

Tongue in cheek, Root shouted after her. "I thought you weren't going to do it!"

Sameen just gave her the middle finger, no sign language necessary. Laughing, Root hopped up on the newly empty barstool and settled in to watch Sameen. Joss and Zoe sat next to her, spinning on their chairs to ask the bartender for another drink. Root didn't want another one.

Sameen was talking to the guy controlling the bull, standing on her tiptoes to rest her arms on his podium. Looking between the bull and Sameen, Root wasn't sure she could even get up there. The saddle had to be at least five feet in the air. It seemed like the controller was thinking the same thing.

Slamming her fist on the podium, Sameen said something through gritted teeth. From this far, Root couldn't read her lips, but whatever she said scared the controller and he nodded. Sameen shot a glare at Root and stepped through the gate into the bullpen.

Root was right; Sameen was barely taller than the saddle. Swaying in front of the bull, Sameen put her hands on her hips. They were lucky no one else was in line or Sameen would never have been allowed in. John and Lionel finally joined them, stopping front of the group.

John started talking to the girls and Root rolled her eyes. He hadn't actually been that impressive, but complimenting John was a surefire way to get Sameen motivated. Lionel waved his hand in front of Root's face, distracting her.

"What?" she asked, craning her neck to keep an eye on Sameen.

Lionel waved his hand at her again and she turned to him. 'Didn't John look cool? I should try the bull.'

"Sure, Lionel," Root said, eyes wandering away again. "Once Sameen is done, you can do it. You might actually be good! You're pretty sturdy."

'Are you calling me fat?' Lionel sighed, frowning.

"No," Root assured him. "I'm calling you strong."

That seemed to put Lionel at ease and Root turned her full attention back to Sameen. She'd made some progress on her climb. One foot was in the saddle's stirrup and she'd managed to get her hands wrapped around the front. Root watched as she hopped, trying to pull herself up.

Sameen's arms tensed as she pulled, her muscles clear and strong. Licking her lips, Root kept her eyes locked on Sameen's arms, resting her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward. Finally, Sameen got a good grip, swinging her leg up and over the bull. She shot one cocky grin at Root before the bull started moving and she almost fell off.

Her bare legs tightened around the bull and Sameen stayed upright. The sight of Sameen's legs gripping the bull made Root light-headed. Sameen's strength had become so normal to her that Root forgot just how strong she was. The bull bucked beneath Sameen and Root could feel herself start to sweat. She never thought she'd be turned on by something as Texan as bull-riding, but here she was, wishing they were somewhere Sameen could do this naked.

Sameen slid her foot out of the stirrup and Root knew this could end poorly. She could see the sweat glistening on Sameen's bare arms and legs. The cool, winter weather had vanished in the last couple of weeks and it was shaping up to be a terribly hot summer. Root wasn't glad for the heat, but she was glad that Sameen was wearing crop tops and shorts again.

Her legs bending to keep up with the bull, Sameen straightened up, standing on the saddle. She grinned across the club at Root, immediately losing her balance and falling backwards. Root jumped off her seating, running around the railing to see if Sameen was ok.

She was fine, just lying on her back, grinning at the ceiling. Root sighed, relieved, and rested her arms on the cool metal barrier. When Sameen saw her, she climbed to her feet and walked over.

'Was I hot?' Sameen signed. 'Hotter than John?'

Root nodded, reaching out. She tangled her fingers in Sameen's top and yanked her forward, crashing their mouths together. Their teeth bumped together awkwardly, but Root didn't care. She dragged her lips over Sameen's until their mouths met and she could feel Sameen's tongue against her own. Sameen whimpered and Root pulled away just enough to speak.

"Meet me on the other side. We're going to have sex in the bathroom."

Sameen nodded, her lips sliding against Root's, before pulling away. She started running for the bullpen's exit and Root hurried to meet her, grinning. Every time they left Bishop, Root felt a little bit older. Four years ago, she could never imagine having a girlfriend, much less making out with one in the bathroom of a club in Dallas.

She got to the other side just in time to see Sameen salute the controller. The controller didn't salute back. Laughing, Root grabbed Sameen's arm and pulled her back to where their friends were still sitting and talking.

"We're going to make out in the bathroom," Root announced to the group. "Don't feel obligated to wait for us."

Lionel and John looked grossed out, but Zoe gave them a thumbs-up.

'The one on the left has a huge mirror. I recommend it.'

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"Joss," John started, "I remember the first day we met. We were in kindergarden and you wanted to take a nap in my usual spot. I didn't want to share and you threatened to kill me…"

Joss laughed, wiping away a tear. Zoe reached up to wipe away one of her own.

"I suggested we share the blanket," John continued, the paper he was reading from shaking in his hands, "and you said yes." He looked at Zoe. "Zoe, I remember when we met. It was five minutes later when you threatened to kill me for stealing your nap partner."

Everyone at the ceremony laughed and Root had to admit it was a cute image. The whole ceremony was beautiful, she thought as John kept talking. She'd been curious as to how they'd set it up, but they found a way to make it work wonderfully.

The soon-to-be-just-Reeses stood in a triangle, surrounded by a circle of chairs. They were in the hotel garden. It was full of flowers and butterflies and Root was amazed that the weather had cooperated to bring them a cool, spring day, only a little bit warm and not a cloud in the sky.

The sun shown down on Zoe and Joss, beautiful in their white dresses. Root could even acknowledge that John looked handsome in his suit, rented just for the occasion. They all looked so in love. They couldn't stop smiling at each other. Joss' father was presiding, dressed in his full Sheriff's uniform, even if he had no authority outside of Bishop.

Root loved it all. It was romantic and soft and nothing like she'd seen before. None of it was legal, but it was still real and solid. Their vows connected them. She looked at Sameen, smiling when Sameen looked back at her.

They hadn't seen each other for most of the day. Root had helped Zoe get ready and Sameen had helped Joss. Apparently, the brides weren't allowed to see each other, either, so the whole group had been spread out across the hotel as they got ready. Root wished she could see Sameen squirm at Joss' starry-eyed looks.

Sameen smiled back at her, but she still looked uncomfortable. Root wondered what she was thinking. Did any of this make her feel anything? Probably not. Root hoped she could understand why it was important though. Thinking back over all the declarations of love they'd made over the years, she knew Sameen did understand.

Sameen looked away, back to the vows, and Root took her hand, tangling their fingers together. Even if they never got married, there was so much waiting for them. They hadn't heard back from their colleges yet, but Root knew they'd get in. They had amazing grades, great extracurriculars, unusual upbringings.

She thought about their life in Boston during college and wherever they went afterwards. There was so much life waiting for them and Root wanted to experience it all. She wanted lazy Sunday breakfasts and late night swimming and evening walks in the park. She wanted to hang their star tapestry above a four-poster bed.

Their apartment would be uniquely them, with string lights and space sheets and piles of blankets. Root could picture them, their daily routines. Sameen would cook dinner and Root would do the dishes. Sameen would wake up early and go for runs with Bear and wake Root up with wet hair and warm pancakes.

Root would learn about everything there was to do in the city and make sure she and Sameen explored it all. They'd go to museums and ride their bikes around Boston, go to see the Pops and the Fourth of July fireworks. They could eat dinner on the roof on clear nights and watch X-Files in bed with Bear when it rained.

She'd make sure Sameen always knew she was loved and she'd make sure Sameen never felt alone again. In the summer, they'd take road trips. Two months of them and Bear and RBG and sunshine. Root would keep inventing better batteries and better radios, so they could talk to their family whenever they wanted.

During the holidays, they'd come back to Bishop. Root wasn't even upset at the thought. They'd spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with Harold and Grace and all the Reeses. On New Year's Eve, they'd watch the ball drop and kiss at midnight. They'd kiss at midnight every year until they died. Root would make sure of it.

Sameen pulled her hand away and started clapping. Shaking her head to pull herself together, Root realized that she'd missed the end. She took a deep breath, overwhelmed by her train of thought, and clapped. Something bumped her shoulder and she looked to her side to see Sameen, her face worried.

"Are you ok?" Sameen asked, sounding concerned.

Root nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"You're crying."

Touching her face, she realized she was and quickly wiped the tears away. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed. Sameen was still looking at her, so she smiled.

"I'm ok, Sameen. Just…thinking about love. I love you."

Sameen didn't look convinced, but she nodded. "Ok, weirdo. I love you too."

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"So…" Sameen said, shoving her hands into the pockets of her overalls, "what's this one?"

Root laughed. "You tell me! You're the artist."

Rolling her eyes, Sameen leaned forward to read the small card next to the picture. They'd gone to the Dallas Museum of Art to get away from their family. Spring break was almost over and a whole week of family drama and happy couples and grumpy Lionel was too much. So, they'd excused themselves and borrowed Mrs. Reese's car for the afternoon.

Sameen was not happy that the heat had come back, but Root's bare legs appeared in her peripheral vision and she couldn't be too mad. She hadn't brought up Root's tears at the wedding yet because she knew Root would ask about her own weirdness. All the wedding stuff was making it all too real. They were just kids, but if John could get married, then they could, too, but should they?

"'Back Road, Presidio, Texas, 1975.'" Sameen read aloud. She straightened up and stepped back so she could see the picture again. "Looks like that road between the school and the field."

"Yeah," Root chuckled. "It does."

Sameen sighed, noticing the way Root kept playing with her bag's strap. "Ok, ask me."

"What?" Root said, startled. "Ask you what?"

"Ask me why I've been weird this week."

Root pushed her hair behind her ear, shrugging in the way she did when she wasn't confident. "Why have you been weird this week?"

Sameen licked her lips. "Want to get some food from the café downstairs?"

Nodding, Root started walking slowly, letting Sameen fall into step beside her. They walked in silence for a minute and Sameen tried to come up with a cohesive answer. She should have done this before she told Root to ask. They started down a wide staircase.

"I don't know it I want to get married anymore," Sameen finally said softly. "I want to be with you forever, you know that, but all the…commotion? It's a lot."

"I know," Root said wryly. "I picked up on that."

"I know you know," Sameen snorted, bumping Root's shoulder with her own. "I wanted to tell you."

"Thanks," Root sighed.

They stopped on the landing between floors and looked at each other. Sameen ran her eyes over the slight sweat on Root's forehead and took in the way her hair was frizzing slightly in the humidity. Her T-shirt clung to her stomach and Sameen wanted to stick her hands underneath.

"Maybe we just wait a little longer," Sameen offered. She tapped the tip of her sneakers on the marble floor. "We don't have to get married at 19."

"We don't," Root agreed, turning back to the stairs. "We don't have to get married at all."

Sameen didn't answer. She just started walking again, leading Root down the next set of stairs. Picking at the inside of her pockets, she wasn't sure what to say. They weren't fighting. In fact, they seemed to be in agreement, but it still felt weird.

She stopped four steps from the bottom and watched Root reach the 1st floor. Root spun around to look up at her.

"We're not fighting, right?" Sameen asked, just to make sure.

"Nope," Root said, grinning. "We're just talking about the future."

Sameen frowned. "Usually, we'd kiss now."

"Usually," Root echoed, "we'd have sex now."

"Root!" Sameen hissed, hurrying down the last steps. "We're in public!"

Root rolled her eyes. "I know that. That's why we're talking about sex instead of having it."

"Whatever," Sameen mumbled, leading them forward. "Well, now I get to ask."

"Ask what?"

"Ask why you were crying on Sunday."

Root sighed heavily, dropping her head back dramatically. "Do you have to? It's so dumb."

Sameen pulled her hands from her pockets to cross her arms. Root looked like an idiot, stomping forward with her face tilted up at the ceiling. Her purse slapped against her thigh with every step she took. It was cute, though Sameen wouldn't say that out loud.

"I mean, you don't have to," Sameen said, knowing what it would do. "You can keep your secret, I guess."

Root's eyes slid to the side, to glare at Sameen. "That's not fair."

"Sure, it is," Sameen shrugged. "I tell you how I'm feeling and you tell me nothing. Totally fair."

"Ugh, fine," Root groaned, lifting her head and walking normally. "I was thinking about our future and how amazing it's going to be."

Sameen stopped walking, staring at Root. "Seriously? You were thinking about our future and crying because you were happy?"

Root blushed, pink spreading across her face. "Yes?"

"Feelings are so weird. Yikes."

"Yikes?" Root repeated, mouth dropping open. "I love you, Sameen Shaw. My life is one thousand times better because you're in it. Even if you did make me deaf in one ear."

"I didn't – Ugh." Sameen pulled her hands out of her pockets and rubbed her face. "It's…cute. Ok? I like that you think about our future and you're happy. That's what I want. It's what I've wanted for years."

Root sauntered forward, smiling down at Sameen. "Yeah? You want us to be happy together?"

"Obviously," Sameen mumbled, ignoring her own blush. "Don't act so smug."

She reached out to touch Root's waist, but Root jumped backwards. She waved a finger.

"We're in an art museum, Sameen. You know the rules," Root said, laughing. "Don't touch the masterpieces."