A/N: Exciting news! I qualified to my company's Global Gathering, a weekend in Las Vegas where we get flown out to celebrate our achievements, complete with great food, drinks, and big name entertainment! I qualified as the 3rd highest consultant in my state, which is a massive achievement for my third year working here. I'm also flying over in business class, which I'm super excited about, and then, I'm coming home on the LONGEST FLIGHT IN THE WORLD, an 18 hour 45 minute slog from New York to Singapore... which I'm also very excited about. If you haven't worked out... I'm a MASSIVE plane nerd! Haha! But that's a bit of a background as to why I've been so sporadic - life has been crazy!

Morning had dawned bright and early, warm summer sunshine spilling through every open window in a stark contrast to the morning rains they had had the day before.

JJ awoke slowly to find the bed beside her empty. For a few moments, she wondered where he was, only to have her curiosity quelled when she heard a soft thud coming from the main room. She lay there for a while, listening as Will moved about quietly in the kitchen, examining the beautiful ring on her hand as she did. She was just as enamored as the first time he had given it to her, but the full weight of it had never settled properly in her mind. Back then, grief and pain had given little room for anything else. But now, they only occupied a very small part of her mind. The rest of it was filled with nothing but love and adoration for the man who truly wanted to be with her forever. She was sure in the last year of her life, she had forgotten what it felt like to be truly happy, but today, happiness and love were all she felt.

Pulling herself out of bed as she heard Will make his way out onto the back deck, she grabbed his t-shirt from where it was bunched up on the floor and tugged it over her head. Running a hand through her hair as she went, she made her way out to the back door, which he had left just wide enough for her to slip through. He was sitting in one of the deck chairs, a cup of coffee clutched in his hand, his eyes cast out over the lake as it shimmered in the morning light.

"Hey you," JJ said softly as she approached where he was sitting. He turned at the sound of her voice, breaking into a happy smile as he cast an arm out and beckoned her over to join him, setting the coffee down on the table with his other hand as he did.

"Hey," he said, his voice warm and relaxed as JJ dropped herself into his lap and looped her arms around his strong shoulders. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I've been awake for a little while," JJ replied. "Listening to you clinking your spoon against everything in the kitchen"

Will laughed. "I'm not that loud"

"Yeah you are"

"Did you sleep ok?"

"Like a baby," JJ said with a smile, flutters racing through her belly as his hand came to rest against her thigh. Tipping her head down to rest on Will's shoulder, she took a deep breath, dropping her left arm to gently trail her fingers up and down Will's forearm. "I don't want to go home"

Will chuckled. "I know. Back to the real world. It sucks"

JJ subtly shook her head. "No, that's… not it"

Leaning back so he could see her face a little better, Will frowned. "What is it then?"

"I… I haven't felt this happy in a long time. Here, with you, it feels like… before. And I just… if we go home, what's to stop me from screwing it all up again?"

Will felt his heart tug painfully as he watched the sad expression flash across JJ's face. Tightening his hold around her, he pulled her a little closer, running gentle circles on the outside of her thigh with the tips of his fingers. "JJ, you have got to stop shoulderin' so much of this guilt. You're not goin' to screw this up. I promise you that"

"But we don't know that Will. I don't know what I'm capable of, look at the dumb shit I did in Los Angeles, it's a miracle USADA didn't show up to drug test me the next day and just compound everything into one giant fuck up," JJ exclaimed. "I never expected any of that to happen, but it did, and I almost lost you because of it"

"But you didn't," Will reminded her gently. "JJ, I wouldn't have given you that ring back if I wasn't one hundred percent committed to you. Six months ago, I didn't understand exactly what was goin' on in your head, and so I didn't know what to do when the shit hit the fan. Not only that, but you were… you were hurtin' so badly and you refused to tell anyone. It's not like that anymore. You've got more help and support than you could ever dream of and you're thrivin' because of it"

JJ flicked her eyes up towards him, her face still reading the uncertainty she was clearly feeling.

"I'm not goin' anywhere," Will said softly, tipping her chin up until they were eye to eye. "I promise. No matter how bad it might get. We're gonna go home, to the real world, and we're still goin' to be happy, I'm still gonna love you. If some shit comes up every now and then and you have to have a meltdown to deal with it, then so be it. I don't care. I'll sit there with you through it all"

JJ exhaled heavily, glancing down to where his hand was resting on her thigh. "Promise?"

Will smiled, leaning in and pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Promise. Besides, if we never go home, how are you gonna keep trainin' and winnin' medals? We gotta keep you on track for Tokyo"

JJ cracked a smile. "That's cute, but I'm not going to Tokyo. I don't know why everyone keeps saying that"

"Maybe because it's eight years later and you're still competin', when most gymnasts end up fallin' apart after three years"

"For the hundredth time, I'm retiring this year. After Worlds"

"I'll believe it when I see it, Baby Chusovitina"

Surprised at Will's easy gymnastics reference, JJ laughed, playfully hitting his shoulder before leaning in and tucking her head beneath his chin once more. Together they sat there, watching the sunshine dancing across the surface of the lake, talking and laughing as they enjoyed their first full day as an engaged couple once more. For once, everything was right in their world. Exactly how it was supposed to be.

When they arrived back in Pittsburgh late in the afternoon, JJ could barely contain everything she was feeling. Her belly was swirling with excitement at telling her mom, but simultaneously, she was so happy she just wanted to burst into tears.

With a nod of encouragement from Will, JJ left him outside when they reached her house, making her way up to the front door. She reached out for the handle, her ring glinting in the low afternoon light and sending a fresh wave of excitement racing through her belly.

"JJ, is that you?" Sandy called from the next room as JJ slipped through the front door.

"Yeah," she called back shakily, her voice wavering as she glanced down at the beautiful engagement ring once again glittering from her left hand.

"How was the lake?" Sandy called out as JJ approached the kitchen.

JJ swallowed down the lump in her throat, rounding the corner and walking into the room with tears filling her eyes. Sandy looked up as she entered the room, her face falling as she took in JJ's expression.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, her face paling ever so slightly.

Without words, JJ held up her left hand, tears beginning to spill over as Sandy lit up with joy. Moments later, her mom had swept her into a tight hug, releasing all the emotion that was threatening to come forth again. Tears flooded down her cheeks, tears of relief, happiness, sadness, and everything in between. She felt like a little girl again, taking comfort and joy in her mom's embrace.

"Oh my girl!" Sandy gushed, rocking her daughter back and forth, her body radiating excitement. "He really did it!"

"He asked me yesterday. At sunset, when we were down at the water… I didn't expect it," JJ stammered as she pulled back, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "It was perfect… he really wants to be with me"

"How could he not?" Sandy said sweetly, giving JJ another tight squeeze. A noise in the doorway broke them both out of the moment. They turned, their eyes landing on Will standing in the doorway, a shy smile gracing his face. There was a second where no-one moved, before Sandy pulled away from JJ, heading straight for Will and tugging him into a tight embrace.

"I'm so happy for you. For both of you," she gushed, squeezing him tightly before pulling back and placing her hands on his cheeks. "I know this year has been… nothing short of hell for both of you. But through it all, you've focused on finding your own way, and look where it's brought you… back to each other"

"Yeah, it's like a roller coaster you can't get off," Will said with a smirk. JJ looked up at him, her eyes suddenly wide, before he chuckled and shook his head. "I'm kiddin' Jayje!"

JJ's face hardened, her hand snapping out to give him a warning whack across the belly, making Sandy laugh as Will yelped and jumped away.

"You'd think you two could behave like adults for five minutes, just once, but we could never be so lucky," she said with a grin. "Nonetheless, I'm thrilled for the both of you. Guess you better start making some phone calls"

After getting everything inside and packed away, they had started the task of calling their closest friends and family to tell them the news. The first phone calls had been to Will's parents, who had been thrilled as expected, and to Jason and Katie. Katie had shrieked with delight in the background while Jason attempted to give Will a menacing big brother talk, but it hadn't lasted long before he had dropped the act and sincerely congratulated them.

They had saved their most anticipated calls for last - the girls JJ had gone to Rio with, and Bailey-Rose.

Wanting to see the reactions on the girls' faces, JJ opted to do a group video call instead of a regular voice call. She was a little uncertain, for she had hardly spoken to Laurie, Maddie, and Simone since the debacle in Los Angeles, but she was excited nonetheless.

"Oooh a group call, she rises from the dead!"

JJ laughed. "Shut up Aly"

"Hello to you too. So rude. Will, you gotta control the way she speaks to me," Aly teased as Laurie answered the call and entered the chat.

"Sorry Al, you know I can't control her," Will chuckled.

"Hey Laurie," JJ said with a smile as Aly playfully rolled her eyes.

"Hey, how are you? God, it's been so long since I spoke to you. Everything ok?"

"It's been… a roller coaster. But I'm ok," JJ said with a smile. Almost simultaneously, Maddie and Simone popped into the call, their faces lighting up as they saw the couple sitting before them. "I missed you guys. I'm sorry I haven't called more"

"Don't be sorry, Jayje, you've had a lot going on," Maddie said sweetly, picking up without even missing a beat. "We've missed you too though, it's so good to see you. You look like you're doing really well"

"Thanks Mads, and what about you? First season at UCLA done and dusted?"

"Yeah, next year will be better though when I'm not injured," Maddie said with a laugh.

"You're always injured Mads," Simone chimed in.

"Tell me about it," Maddie replied.

"So what's going on? Why have we all been summoned?" Aly asked.

JJ couldn't help but break into a huge smile. "Well… Aly knows about this, I'm not sure if it made its way to you guys as well, but… after the incident at the Golden Globes, Will and I broke off our engagement, and there was even a period of time where we broke up altogether. So it's been a… to put it lightly, it's been a fucking shitshow of a year, but we've been back together for a little while now and things are getting a lot better. But… we went away for my birthday this weekend and…"

As she trailed off, she lifted her hand up to the camera, a happy smile flooding her face as the girls broke into an outbreak of excited cheers.

"Aww Jayje that's amazing!" Laurie gushed as Aly and Simone carried on in the background. "Congratulations, I'm so glad you guys have managed to work things out"

"I hope you had some crazy hot sex as well!"

"Good grief," Sandy said in the background, making Simone's eyes widen as Will turned a bright shade of red.

"Simone, do you ever think before you speak?" JJ laughed. "Like ever?"

"Nope"

"It's the gift of the ADHD," Aly said, earning laughter out of everyone. "I'm so happy for you guys. Are you going to have an engagement party?"

Hesitating, JJ turned to look at Will, raising an eyebrow as she did. "I… I guess so?"

Will broke into a handsome smile. "Of course we will. Probably after Nationals. Can't interfere with Miss Ten Olympic Medals here chasin' another national title"

JJ giggled, turning back to look at the girls. "What can I say, at least he gets me"

After a little while of easy chatter and catching up with the girls, they eventually bid their goodbyes. Will scrolled through his phone, easily finding his brother's number and calling him. It was about 10 seconds before Sam picked up, greeting the young couple with the background noise typical of a young family's home.

"Hey little bro, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Will chuckled, setting the phone down in front of both of them and turning the volume up. "JJ and I have some news that we wanted to share with you. Are Lisa and B-Rose around?"

"Yeah, hold up… Lis! B-Rose! Come in here fo' a minute!" Sam called out. Will and JJ listened as some of the background noise drew closer, before they were greeted by two more voices.

"What?" came B-Rose's voice.

"There's someone here to talk to you"

"IS IT JJ?"

JJ and Will burst out laughing. "Hi B-Rose!"

"Hi! I miss you!"

"I miss you too, crazy cakes!" JJ said with a grin. "We have something exciting to tell you"

"What is it?"

"B-Rose, remember how JJ and I were goin' to get married, and then we decided not to?" Will said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Well… yesterday, we were up at the lake, because I thought we should go away for the weekend. And I… I asked JJ again. I asked her to marry me"

"DID YOU SAY YES JJ?" Bailey-Rose shrieked, making all the adults laugh.

"I sure did," JJ laughed. "I'm gonna marry your Uncle Will, how does that sound?"

"So cool! And then you can have a baby and I'll have more cousins!"

"Oh, I think that's a little while away B-Rose," Will said hurriedly, making his brother laugh.

"You heard the kid, Billy. Hop to it!"