Reality came rushing in when Crissy was halfway back to the shop as a bitter cold wind picked up. She'd left her coat and scarf back at the station in her hurry to escape and now her teeth were chattering. She paused and considered heading back, then just as quickly changed her mind. She was almost home anyway...besides, she thought to herself, that smile creeping back again, it gave her an excuse to go back to the station in the morning to fetch her coat and scarf and maybe see Quinn again. If that meant she'd have to be a little chilly now, well, she would gladly pay that price.

By the time Crissy slipped into the shop, it was well after midnight and the lights were out, save for one light at the booth in the corner. Amy and Manu were snuggled into the booth, wrapped up in a blanket as they slept. She knew Amy wouldn't have gone home until Crissy came back from the party, but at least Amy hadn't spent the night alone.

Crissy switched off the light and headed towards the stairs to her apartment. Halfway up the stairs, her cell phone blared to life and she rushed to answer it.

"Christina?"

Shit.

Crissy froze on the stairs and squeezed her eyes shut at her sister's voice. That was the second time in one week she had answered her phone without checking the ID first. Amy was going to be furious. In all the excitement over the party, she'd completely forgotten her mother's warning about Andrea's impending engagement.

"Hey, Andrea," Crissy replied, forcing herself to sound innocently curious. "You never call this late. What's going on?"

"Oh, I know, but I just had to call and tell you my good news. I'm engaged!"

Crissy did her best surprised impression but she didn't need to say much apart from a cursory, "Congratulations!" Andrea continued talking a mile a minute, detailing every second of her evening and up to the engagement. Crissy unpinned her hair and changed into her pajamas as she half-listened.

She really did want to be happy for her sister. Andrea and Kenneth had been seeing each other and working together for eight years, it was bound to happen at some point. Andrea had spent much of her teen years pouring over wedding catalogues, dress designs, floral arrangements.... she had been dying for her wedding for many, many years. And now she was finally getting exactly what she wanted.

"Mother has been so thoughtful through all this, too, Christina," Andrea said. "You wouldn't believe how much she's already been planning with me."

"Oh, I can imagine," Crissy said, memories of diet plans floating to the surface unbidden. She shoved them away and crawled into bed. "I suppose you already have a date set?"

"Well, of course I do. I've always wanted a June wedding, just like what Mother had. I've told you that."

Crissy nodded and let her sister keep talking as she stared at the ceiling. She couldn't bring herself to be mad, not after the night she'd had, not with the memory of Quinn's kisses, warm and soft, still lingering on her lips. She smiled to herself and slid a little further under the covers. Andrea could talk for hours, Crissy wouldn't mind, not with such perfect memories replaying over and over and over...

[][][]

Crissy barely remembered when the conversation ended hours later as she slipped off to sleep. It seemed like mere seconds before Amy bounded into her room at seven in the morning and bounced on Crissy's bed.

Crissy groaned and yanked the covers over her head but Amy only jumped more.

"You didn't tell me you came home last night, you little skunk!" Amy said.

"You were asleep!" Crissy shouted back, her voice muffled from beneath the covers.

Amy dropped to the bed and wriggled in next to Crissy. "So how'd it go? Spill every dirty detail, girlfriend."

Crissy grunted. "Too early."

Amy managed to tug a corner of the blanket up and waved a warmed up blueberry scone around, letting the smells work their magic. Without opening her eyes, almost unbidden, Crissy slowly wormed her way out from under the covers, following that tempting scent.

But Amy held it out of arm's reach which earned a scowl from Crissy.

"Grumpy bedhead," Amy said with a grin. "You don't scare me sweetie. You're too adorable for that. Now tell me what happened last night? You were out for hours."

Crissy dropped back on the pillows and she couldn't stop the smile that returned to her lips unbidden. Amy noticed it and squeaked with excitement, shaking Crissy's leg.

"I knew it! I knew it! Success!"

"Stoooop," Crissy groaned as she burrowed under her pillows.

Amy yanked the pillows off and flopped down beside Crissy, their faces inches apart. She held up the scone between them and this time she didn't pull it away when Crissy accepted it.

"I met his best friend from when they were little," Crissy said, determined to draw it out just a little, tiny bit because it made her happy to see Amy so excited for all this.

"And?" Amy asked.

"And I met his sister. She has four kids and doesn't look a day over twenty-five. She was very nice and accepted me like she'd known me forever."

"And?" Amy repeated, her voice rising higher with every word she spoke.

Crissy's grin grew even wider, if that was possible. "He kissed me."

Amy grabbed a pillow, squished it over her face, and screamed into it. Crissy laughed and wrapped her arms around Amy in a tight hug.

"Everything okay up here?"

Manu stood half in the doorway, tentatively peering in. He was wrapped up in several layers of sweaters and a scarf tucked up around his chin. He'd lived in Colorado for seven years and he still wasn't used to the cold and Amy never missed an opportunity to tease him about it.

Amy shot out of bed and kissed his cheek. "Everything is perfect," she said. "Time for a little celebration I think. Cheesecake pancakes?"

Without waiting for a response – not that she needed one with an offer like that – she darted down the stairs and into the kitchen. Manu met Crissy's gaze with a small smile.

"I should stop her from burning down your kitchen," he said.

Crissy nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. I'll be there in a minute."

Manu started down the stairs then turned back and poked his head in the door again. "Judging by Amy's excitement, I take it last night was good? Amy was pretty worried after you left."

Crissy bit her lip but Manu noticed the faint blush in her cheeks.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," he said. "And if Amy hasn't offered enough physical harm, I picked up some tricks in Venezuela you Americans would never see coming."

Crissy laughed and shook her head. She started to respond but a clatter of pots and pans cut her off. Manu winced.

"That's my cue," he said.

Once Crissy was alone, she flopped back onto her bed, her arms spread wide, and finally let herself smile like crazy at the ceiling.

But only for a moment. More pots and pans rattled downstairs and she pushed herself out of bed, concerned for the well-fair of her kitchen. She changed into jeans and a t-shirt, tied her hair back, and shuffled down the stairs. Amy was dusted up to the elbow in flour but she wasn't actually working on anything. Manu was the one at the stove, fiddling with the dials while simultaneously pouring a perfect pancake into the skillet with Amy hovering over his shoulder.

"The dials are finicky, babe," Amy insisted. "Just wiggle them around a bit. The heat will even out."

Crissy stepped closer to adjust the knobs and Manu readily moved aside to let her take over.

"I don't know how you get anything done with that thing," he said.

"It's needed to be replaced ever since we started working here," Crissy replied. "But it's not in the boss's budget so we make do."

"Will an electrical fire be in the boss's budget?" he asked.

Amy jabbed him in the ribs. "Manny, watch it," she chastised, though there was no heat to her words.

"What?" he asked, spreading his hands. "Faulty wiring can be an issue..."

"Yeah, but that's our boss you're talking about. He pays us to put up with his faulty wiring."

Manu sighed and shook his head. "I just don't want you girls getting hurt."

Amy tipped her head onto his shoulder. "That's sweet of you."

The pancakes were finished off quickly and Manu headed out to meet his band before the first customers started to arrive. Crissy was arranging the day's bakery selection on trays when Amy returned to the kitchen after seeing Manu off.

"Manu wants kids," Amy said.

Crissy fumbled the tray of caramel eclairs and nearly dropped it. Her head snapped up and she met Amy's gaze.

"He what?" she squeaked.

Amy nodded. "I know. I mean, it's not like we're in a space for that, right? A teeny tiny apartment. He's got the recording business. I've got my job here with you..."

Crissy set down the pastries, wiped her hands on her jeans and took Amy's hands. "Do you want kids?" she asked quietly.

Amy met her gaze and for a split second, Crissy saw a flash of fear in Amy's usually fearless eyes.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I think so? I haven't really thought about it."

"Have you talked to him?"

"A little. Last night. He won't push me, he was very clear on that. And he won't be upset if I say no but..."

When Amy faltered, Crissy squeezed her hands. "What? But what?" she asked.

"I'd hate to disappoint him," she said in a small voice. "He's been so good to me. No matter how batshit crazy I get, he's steady as a rock. Always."

"You could never disappoint him, Amy," Crissy said. "Manu adores you."

Amy's eyes misted up and she fluttered her hands up and down. "No, no, no, don't make me cry, Cris, I swear to God."

"Why don't you take the day off?" Crissy offered. "You held down the fort for me last night, I'll manage today."

Amy glanced around the kitchen and shifted from foot to foot. "I should work though, it might take my mind off things..."

"What you should do is take home some chocolate covered strawberries and give yourself a hot bath with bubbles a mile high," Crissy said.

Amy managed a small watery smile and laughed. "Bubbles. Oh, Cris, you always know how to calm me right down."

Crissy nodded and turned Amy around gently. "Go home," she said. "Get some sleep and spoil yourself. Call me in an hour."

After Amy left, Crissy propped her hands on her hips and surveyed the kitchen. Her mother's phone call. Her sister's engagement. Quinn. Amy with a passel of kids running around her feet. She closed her eyes and took a breath. This was turning out to be one hell of a weekend.