It was very curious, the way he was acting.

Brook had never seen Wade like this before. There was something different inside him.

"And she made this massive hot air balloon all by herself!" Wade continued, walking around in circles in the center of his apartment and throwing his arms open to the ceiling. "I've never seen anything so amazing! Her flame was . . . wow. And when her light reflects off of water . . . wow," he said breathily.

He turned back to her with a sigh and a calm smile. She had never seen him so . . . vibrant.

"And she might be meeting me tomorrow for a movie," Wade said, sheepishly tapping his index fingers together. "As friends!" he added quickly. "Not a . . . date, or anything." He studied the floor while tracing his foot through the pool.

Brook smiled calmly as he finished. "So, this . . . Ember. You really like her, hm?" she asked, leaning forward slightly in her floating chair.

Wade shifted, his smile faltering and beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Well, she's truly amazing, mom. You have no idea how hard she works to take care of her family. I mean, she chased me all the way across the city for them! I've never known anyone so dedicated."

Brook leaned on her fist. "And?" she said.

Wade met her eye for a moment, then laughed nervously. "What do you mean?" he asked unconvincingly.

Brook laughed. "Wade, I'm your mother. I can see there's more than what you're telling me," she said knowingly.

Wade swallowed and looked down nervously. "I'm not sure . . . I –"

Brook stood and approached Wade, putting her hands on his shoulders. "My drip baby boy. You can tell me anything. I just want you to be happy," she assured him, gently caressing his cheek.

Wade smiled and broke eye contact for a moment, then looked back up at her. "I'm still working through exactly how I feel, mom. But . . . I do know that she is a really special person."

Brook smiled softly and pulled her son into a hug. "Well, if it's real, darling, then let me know."

— § —

Brook jumped as Wade burst into her apartment unannounced. She'd been expecting him after his "not date" with Ember, but she hadn't expected him to make such an entrance.

"Mom!" he cried excitedly as he ran into the room. "She came!"

Brook chuckled. "Slow down, Wade," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Come sit and tell me everything."

Brook sat at the dinner table, elbow leaning on the table and resting her head on her fist as Wade recounted the "not date."

"And the way she lit up the theater, it was so beautiful," he finished, resting his head on the table longingly.

"Really?" Brook replied finally. "No one complained about her being too bright?"

Wade picked his head back up, his brow rippling in thought. "Oh," he started, "I didn't even notice. I was too focused on –"

He caught his mom's eye, who was watching him with an amused grin.

"– the movie," Wade finished, tight-lipped and tense.

Brook laughed. "Wade, you can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to your mother."

Wade nervously laughed and clasped his hands together. "I just . . ." His smile faded as he studied the table in thought. "I've never felt like this with anyone before."

"Why don't you tell her, dewdrop?" Brook suggested.

Wade shook his head and leaned back in his chair, running his hand over his face. "Because . . . she said herself we can never be more than friends."

Brook frowned as she studied Wade, clearly trying and failing to hide his disappointment. "Maybe she's just saying that because she's afraid," she suggested.

Wade let his hand fall so that his arms were folded over his chest. "I'm not sure," he said slowly.

Brook smiled softly and reached over, putting a hand on his arm. "Just be yourself, dewdrop," she reminded him. "Let her see you for who you are."

Wade nodded slowly, then finally smiled. "Thanks, mom."

— § —

The phone rang and Brook answered it, immediately becoming startled and nearly dropping the phone as a "MOM!" loudly resounded through the receiver, catching her off guard.

"Oh," Brook said with a laugh. "Dewdrop, you startled –"

Wade cut her off and started rambling on about his second "not date" with Ember.

"Ember is so incredibly amazing, mom," he started. "When we got to the Skyrise, she started making these smoke rings just with her breath! She made whole buildings look like people! It was so cool! And the kids loved it. I couldn't help but admire how special she is. And we got our pictures taken in a photobooth. She was so bright we couldn't even see ourselves in the pictures!"

Brook's brow furrowed in confusion. "Oh, that's . . . wonderful?" Most people would be upset if the photo quality was that low, but clearly Wade saw things differently.

A long and loud sigh resounded through the receiver. Brook smiled lopsidedly. "Dewdrop . . . are you feeling all right?" she asked.

"Mom, I feel better than I've felt in my entire life," Wade answered.

"Even better than when we saved you from that sponge?" Brook asked with a humored smile.

"Mom!" Wade complained. "We don't talk about the sponge incident! . . . But . . . yes."

Brook sat and leaned back in a floating chair. "Okay, so where are you going for your next 'not date'?" she asked with a chuckle.

"I'm taking her to the Open Air Cafe," Wade responded. "They have great music there and I hope . . . I hope she'll dance with me."

Brook frowned. "Are you sure, dewdrop? We aren't sure if you two are going to be able to . . ." her voice trailed off, worried that she might dishearten him.

Wade sighed again. "I know. It's crazy. I mean, she probably doesn't even want to be with a water guy."

Brook pressed her lips together for a moment, exhaling silently. "Well, then why is she agreeing to see you again?"

There was silence for a couple of minutes. Finally, Wade's voice answered.

"Maybe you're right. I'll update you tomorrow! Thanks, mom! Love you!"

A click resounded as Wade hung up the phone and Brook chuckled, setting down her own receiver. Though she supported her son's happiness, she couldn't help but worry. She didn't want to see her son becoming brokenhearted if this didn't work out.

But she couldn't deny that her son was absolutely smitten, try as he might to deny it.

— § —

Brook frowned. Something wasn't right.

Wade came to her side outside of the apartment building. His head hung low and he moved slowly. She put her hands over her heart and felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh, my drip baby boy," she said. "Did she –?"

"No," Wade said, cutting her off as he came to a stop by her side. "It's not that."

Brook nodded and wiped her tears. "Okay, then what's wrong?"

"We had a great time, but she doesn't seem open to the thought of us being more than friends," Wade said. "And that shouldn't bother me. She's a great person and I should be happy to be her friend. But I'm . . . not. Why?" he asked, looking up at her.

Brook smiled softly and reached out, taking his hands. "Because, dewdrop. You're falling for her."

Wade held eye contact for a moment. He wanted to deny it, but she wasn't wrong. "What do I do?" he asked.

Brook gently cupped his face. "You tell her, dewdrop," she said, tears welling up in her eyes once again.

Wade started to shake his head. "I can't. She might –"

"She might feel the same way," Brook interrupted, letting her hands fall and clasping them in front of her.

Wade stared at her for a moment, then at the ground.

"Dewdrop," she said, causing him to look back up at her. "It's not fair to her to keep seeing her without letting her know how you feel. And it's not fair to yourself."

Wade exhaled and nodded. Then he smiled softly and nodded with a sharp inhale, sticking his chest out and mustering his confidence. "Okay. I'm gonna tell her."

Brook smiled and then started bawling, tears streaming from her eyes like a fountain. "Oh, my drip drip baby boy is falling in love!" she wailed, hugging Wade tightly.

"Mom!" Wade complained, trying to push her away.

Brook laughed and let him push away from her, wiping her face. Other water people had started staring and Wade felt his face flush. He scratched his neck as he turned back.

"I'm meeting her at Mineral Pond tomorrow," he said. "I'll let you know how it goes."

Brook nodded, still sobbing quietly and thus unable to respond.

— § —

Brook waited anxiously in Wade's apartment. She had used her key to let herself in and was anxiously wringing her hands. A line of water had pooled underneath her, tracing the path where she'd been pacing.

After around four long hours, the door opened and she lunged forward as Wade walked through it, who screamed in surprise as she hugged him.

"Mom!" he complained. "We talked about not showing up to my apartment without telling me!"

Ignoring the comment, Brook stepped back and firmly gripped his shoulders. "Well?" she asked anxiously. "Don't keep me waiting dewdrop, give me the details!"

Wade chuckled softly and hugged her again. "She said she feels the same way!" he cried happily.

Brook started sobbing again. "Oh, dewdrop, I'm so happy for you!"

Wade started sobbing with her. "Oh, mom, now you got me crying!"

The two stayed that way, hugging and sobbing together, for a few minutes. Finally, Brook pulled away.

"Oh, Wade," she sighed happily. "It's so good to see you this happy." She frowned slightly. "I know things have been hard for you since your father passed."

Wade looked down and nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. Then he looked back up with a smile. "But Ember taught me Tìshôk, to embrace the light while it burns. Dad and I didn't always get along, but we had our good times too. I just want to live in the moment and appreciate things the way they are before they're gone."

Brook studied him for what felt like a long time. He was . . . different. A good different. Before Ember, he'd been very aloof and flowing between jobs, never really ambitious or passionate about anything. He hadn't really found his place in the world yet. He was too caught up living in the past and trying to live up to his father's expectations, though he and his father's expectations never flowed in the same direction. Finally, she smiled and cupped his face again.

"Wade," she said softly, "I just want you to know how proud I am of you. And no matter how this works out, I know that you're going to come out the other side a changed man. Ember has brought out a side of you I've never seen before, and you deserve to be happy."

Wade's eyes filled with tears again. "Thanks, mom," he said with a sniff.

A moment passed before the two started crying again, falling once again into each other's arms and sobbing uncontrollably.

— § —

Brook listened as her son recounted another day with Ember. She and the family had stopped by for dinner, and Wade was going on and on about how wonderful Ember is. Marco and Polo were too busy playing in the background, but the rest of the family were gathered around the table as Wade moved around almost in a waltz, setting out the dishes as he spoke.

"She was so bright I was nearly blinded!" he said excitedly, having caught everyone up to the night before. "The sand melted in seconds and she had the doors sealed before I could even process what I was seeing. She can make the most beautiful glass sculptures I've ever seen with her bare hands!"

"Wow, she sounds hot!" Alan said, earning him a slap on the arm from his wife, Eddy. "What? I didn't mean it like that!"

Wade stopped and rolled his eyes. "I swear, if any of you say something like that in front of her I will let her boil you," he said sternly, setting another plate down.

The family laughed as if Wade were joking and he continued to set the table. The phone rang and Wade excused himself to go answer it.

"Hot, hm?" Eddy said sharply, folding her arms and glaring at her husband.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Alan insisted again, spreading his hands.

"Oh, you two stop," Brook interrupted. "This might be something serious for Wade and we don't want to embarrass him."

Harold smiled and agreed. "Right! Nobody say anything stupid if we get to meet her."

"Oh my gosh!"

The family turned as Wade came rushing back into the room. "She's coming here, right now!" he cried, seeming both excited and scared. "Oh my gosh, what do I do?!" he screamed at his mother. He continued ranting incoherently.

Brook rolled her eyes and slapped him, interrupting his anxious rant. "Wade, get it together!" she said, grabbing his shoulders. "When she gets here, you're going to invite her to dinner. I know I speak for all of us when I say we can't wait to meet her!"

Wade took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right," he said, shaking his head and his expression becoming determined. "I'll go set another place at the table!"

The family exchanged glances and chuckled as he ran off to the kitchen with a skip in his step.

"Do you think he's excited?" Ghibli asked with a grin, exchanging a glance with Lake.

The Ripples laughed and Lake leaned forward on the table by their elbows.

"I don't know, I think that's more than excitement," they observed. "The way he talks about her, he's absolutely head over heels for this woman."

Brook sighed. "I think you're right," she said, putting her hand over her heart. "My little boy's falling in love."

She started crying and Harold patted her shoulder. "He talks about her the way Dewey talked about you, you know," he observed. "The look in his eyes, the way he admires her and her talents."

"Oh, stop!" Brook said, crying harder and batting his hand away with a smile. "You're going to make me cry all through dinner!"

Wade walked back into the room and he stopped when he saw his mom in tears again. He sighed as he approached the table. "Okay, who made her cry this time?" he asked, observing each of his family members knowingly.

"Oh, don't worry about me," Brook said, composing herself. "I'm just happy for you, my dewdrop."

Wade smiled softly. "Thanks, mom."

— § —

Knocking? At this hour?

Brook tried to ignore the knocking at her door for a few seconds, cursing whomever had the audacity to insist she wake up and answer the door at this time of night. But the knocking continued and she swung her legs over her bed and put on her robe. Storming to the door, ready to curse whomever was on the other side, she slowed as she realized soft sobbing accompanied the knocks. Water came seeping into her apartment under the door. She moved forward quickly and flung the door open, and felt herself recoil as she took in the side of her drip baby boy on the other side, crying uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry to wake you, mom," he said between sobs. "I just didn't know who else to go to."

Brook immediately felt her motherly instincts kick in, rushing forward and hugging Wade. "Wade," she said as he sobbed into her chest. "I will never turn you away no matter what time it is. Come in, my poor baby boy."

Wade allowed Brook to guide him into her apartment and to a seat that was big enough for both of them to sit.

"My baby boy," she said softly, wrapping her arm around him and holding him close as he continued to sob. "What's wrong?"

"Ember broke up with me," he said softly before crying harder, gripping part of her robe.

"Oh, Wade," Brook responded, holding him tightly. "What happened?"

Wade recounted the fight that he and Ember had, starting with how he had taken her to see the Vivisteria flowers with the help of Gale, how they'd touched, and how she'd run away from him.

"And she said that it would never work between us because I don't understand why she can't just tell her father that she doesn't want to run the shop. What does that even mean?" he asked, finally pushing away from Brook and sitting slumped on the edge of the seat, staring down at his hands.

Brook put a hand on his back. "I'm so sorry, dewdrop," she said gently. "Maybe it's for the best."

Wade sighed sadly, more tears dripping from his eyes. "Can I stay with you for the night?" he asked.

Brook put her arms on his shoulders and held him tightly again. "Of course, my drip baby boy," she said gently. "Stay as long as you need."

— § —

Brook frowned as Wade came into the kitchen where she was, looking down and dragging his feet, his face serious yet emotionless.

"Good morning, dewdrop," she said softly, though it was late in the afternoon when Wade finally crawled out of the guest bed. "I made you your favorite. There's –"

"You're right," Wade said, cutting her off and sitting at the kitchen table.

Brook was caught off guard and leaned against the counter. "What?" she asked.

"You're right," Wade repeated, looking up at her with a hard expression. "It's for the best."

Brook studied him. This wasn't her drip baby boy.

"Wade, what's going –"

"I mean, she's fire and I'm water," Wade continued, folding his arms. "I can't even eat her foods! Her dad hates me. Society would never accept our relationship."

Brook studied him worriedly as Wade continued listing off reasons he and Ember could never be together. He had this hard expression she'd never seen before. He almost looked like he was boiling inside. It was clear he'd spent all night creating this list. It was rare that his temper raged this hard. His inflection rose with every item on the list and he started flinging his hands around as he ranted. Without waiting for him to finish, she moved to the table to where he was sitting.

"And . . . she . . ." Wade slowly stopped talking and met his mother's eyes as she stopped next to him, watching him carefully with a small frown.

Brook gently traced the back of her hand on Wade's face. "What is your temper trying to tell you, dewdrop?" she asked gently.

Wade's expression softened. He looked down at his hands, the ghostly smoke of Ember's touch still there. If he imagined hard enough, he could almost feel her hand in his again, and the way their fingers intertwined together. He thought of the way she fit into his arms, how lucky he'd felt to be able to hold her. She had looked at him the way no one had ever looked at him before, and he reveled at the sight of her.

But it could never work . . . right?

He looked back up at his mom, who was watching him with a gentle smile. "You've thought of a lot of reasons you can't be together," she observed. "But you've forgotten one thing."

"What?" Wade asked, turning his body in his seat to face her.

Brook chuckled softly and took his hands. "You love her," she said breathily.

Wade's face fell and he could feel something ignite inside him, despite being a water person. In his mind, he'd recounted the dates and not dates he'd had with Ember. Her flame flickering softly in the wind as she walked or rode her firecycle. The way she laughed. How hard she worked to protect her family. Her talent, her eyes, her heat against his body. The way she brightened up the entirety of Garden Central Station when he'd led her in an air bubble to the Vivisteria flowers. The way she made heads turn regardless of where she went. The way she carried herself with confidence and poise. The way she loved her family.

The way her heat felt pressed against his body.

The way her light reflected against his water.

The way that despite all the reasons they shouldn't be together, she had a pull on him just as much as he had a pull on her.

"I have to go," Wade said, quickly getting to his feet. He ran a few feet toward the door, then quickly ran back and tightly hugged his mother. "Thanks, mom."

Brook chuckled and hugged him back. "You're welcome, dewdrop. Go!" she said, shoving him toward the door with a laugh.

She put her hands over her heart as she watched him charge for the door, slamming it shut behind him as he left.

— § —

Brook waited in anticipation in Wade's apartment, having entered using her key again. She paced back and forth, creating another trail of water in her wake. She gasped when she heard the doorknob turn and Wade stepped through the door. She rushed up with an excited smile, but it quickly faded when she realized Wade didn't seem to be celebrating.

"Wade?" Brook asked, her face falling with worry.

Wade opened his mouth to answer, but couldn't find the words. He just looked down and shook his head.

"Oh, my drip baby boy," Brook said, rushing forward and hugging Wade. She held him there for what seemed like a long time.

"I need to go."

Brook startled at Wade's voice cutting into the silence. He pulled away and walked past her.

"I just . . . need to go," he said as he walked toward his bedroom.

"Where?" Brook asked.

"Anywhere but here," Wade responded before going into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Brook put her hands over her heart, feeling it break at the sight of her drip baby boy's heart breaking. She looked down in the realization that he hadn't shed a single tear.

He was so broken that he couldn't even cry.

— § —

The Ripple family rushed off the train and gasped at the sight of Firetown. It had been completely decimated by the flash flood that had torn through it. They rushed forward.

"What was her father's shop's name?" Harold asked, vapor huffing from his mouth as he ran.

"There!" Lake shouted, pointing their finger at the Fireplace.

The Ripples rushed past several Firish people, who eyed them suspiciously as they passed. They pushed back the broken door of the Fireplace and were greeted by a group of Firish people helping the Lumen family clean the shop. Ember and Wade were in the back of the shop, helping Cinder and Bernie set the blue flame's hearth back up.

"Wade!" Brook screamed, rushing forward.

"Mom?" Wade said in surprise, turning just as Brook slammed into him, hugging him tightly.

"What happened?" she asked as the rest of the Ripples gathered around them. "You left so quickly!"

"The glass that Ember made to seal the doors gave way," Wade explained as Brook released him. "It flooded Firetown."

"Oh my goodness," Lake commented, putting their hand to their chest. "Is everyone okay?"

"I hope so," Ember broke in, coming to Wade's side. "We're still assessing the damage."

The Ripples looked between the two in surprise as Wade wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"But," Brook said, stepping forward and spreading her hands, "I thought that –"

Wade and Ember held each other closer and smiled. The Ripples exchanged glances, then all of them collectively started crying.

"We're so happy for you!" Brook said as she bawled uncontrollably.

"Hey!" Bernie said from behind. "Take your waterworks outside!" he demanded, standing in front of the blue flame to protect it.

The Ripples pulled it together and sniffed as Ember backed away to her father, taking his and her mother's hands and pulling them forward.

"Mom, dad, I want you to meet Wade's family," she said.

Bernie and Cinder awkwardly exchanged a glance and smiled up at the Ripples.

"Oh," Bernie said as he shifted uncomfortably. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Brook said. "I'm Brook, Wade's mother."

Bernie looked over at Wade and Ember, who stood off to the side with their arms looped together. He looked down at his hand for a moment, then back up at Brook. Slowly and hesitantly, he reached out his hand. Ember's jaw slacked and she put her hand over her mouth, waiting in anticipation for what was going to happen. Wade looked from Ember to their parents.

Brook studied his hand in shock and looked down at her own. After a moment, she gently reached down and grasped his hand. Both of them gasped softly upon touching, steam gently wafting up toward the ceiling. They were so surprised by the touch that they'd almost forgotten it was meant to be a handshake. They made eye contact as they slowly shook their hands up and down before parting. Wade and Ember looked at each other, feeling tears welling up in their eyes.

This could truly be the start of something beautiful.