The stars above the Quest mansion glittered faintly, scattered across a velvet sky. Somewhere in the distance, the faint hum of late-night crickets whispered through the air, but the garden was calm, scented with the soft perfume of jasmine and the dampness of freshly watered roses.
Caleb lay sprawled on a blanket Maddie had pulled from inside. His eyes followed the faint trail of smoke spiraling from a citronella candle they'd lit more for the atmosphere than the bugs. Maddie was curled up beside him, giggling into his shoulder, her hair brushing his collarbone as they both watched the lights flickering from the upper windows of the house.
"Did you see how James kept whispering to Blair and pretending it wasn't a big deal?" Maddie asked, drawing lazy circles over Caleb's chest with her finger.
"He acting mysterious again like we all don't know he's head over heels," Caleb chuckled, brushing a strand of hair away from her cheek.
Maddie laughed. "And Cassie was just... chill. Suspiciously chill. Like, has she finally moved on from James? Or is she plotting murder in that gorgeous head of hers?"
Caleb grinned. "Cassie's always been good at hiding things behind that sarcastic smile. I honestly can't tell. But hey, she didn't throw a pillow at them tonight. That's growth."
They both laughed softly. Then silence slipped in, gentle and easy. Maddie shifted to rest more fully against him, the night cool and slow. Caleb kissed her temple.
"You've been amazing lately," he whispered. "Like... I didn't know it could feel this easy. This peaceful."
Maddie smiled, a little shy but confident. "Because we're not trying to fight it anymore. We're just... us."
He leaned over and kissed her, softly at first, just a brush of lips. But when she sighed into him, he deepened it. Their bodies aligned effortlessly, years of knowing each other shaping the rhythm. Caleb rolled so Maddie was beneath him, their blanket the only barrier between them and the garden's soft grass.
His hands traced down her sides, memorizing her again like it was the first time. Maddie's fingers slipped under the hem of his shirt, tugging it up and over his head, revealing the strength in his chest. She kissed his collarbone, then the spot just below it. Caleb exhaled slowly.
"You're sure?" he asked, voice low.
"Always," she whispered, pulling him back down.
They kissed like the night was theirs alone. Caleb's lips mapped her jaw, her neck, the curve of her shoulder as she moaned softly. Maddie's hands slid down to his waistband, teasing the button open, and he helped her out of her top, baring the softness of her skin to the moonlight.
He kissed lower, over the swell of her breast, her stomach, his hands gripping her thighs as she pulled him in with her legs wrapped tight around his waist. The world outside the garden disappeared.
They made love slow at first, letting each movement, each breath speak what they didn't say. Then faster, harder, gasps escaping into the open air. Her nails gripped his shoulders, his back, pulling him deeper. Caleb kissed her everywhere—her throat, her breasts, the dip between her hips. Maddie arched into him, completely his.
When they both came, it was quiet, tender. A shudder shared between two people who had found each other again, who had fought their pasts and still come back together.
Afterward, Caleb lay beside her, brushing her damp hair from her forehead.
"That was..."
"Perfect," Maddie said breathlessly, curling into him.
They lay like that, under the stars, their heartbeats finally slowing, the warmth of each other anchoring them in the moment. Neither of them spoke again for a while.
Because nothing needed to be said.
---
The warm golden morning crept over the Quest estate, painting the walls in honeyed light. Inside, the mansion was unusually quiet. Cassie, Blair, Maddie, and the rest were still in their pajamas, lazily lounging around the living room with unbrushed hair, mismatched slippers, and half-sleepy grins. Blair, in one of James's oversized shirts again—this time a faded The Strokes tee—was curled beside him on the couch as they shared a quiet laugh over a video on his phone.
Cassie sat cross-legged on the rug, teasing Andrew over his tragic karaoke performance the night before, while Maddie stifled a yawn and leaned into Caleb's shoulder.
Suddenly, the front doors burst open with a rush of wind—and voices.
"Guess who came back early!" Victor boomed from the doorway.
Lily's voice followed, breathless and bright, "Surprise!"
"Mom?!" Blair blinked and bolted to her feet.
"What the—" Cassie sprang up too.
Before anyone could fully register what was happening, Blair sprinted across the room, socks sliding on the marble floors, and practically jumped into Lily's arms. "You're back early!" she squealed, squeezing her mother tight.
"We missed you guys," Lily said, grinning as she kissed Blair's forehead. "Look at you, still in pajamas at this hour."
"I was emotionally recovering from karaoke," Blair muttered, earning a laugh from Cassie and a dramatic gasp from Andrew.
James gave Victor a quick side-hug. "Didn't think you two would be back till evening."
"Meeting got canceled. And we got too bored in Florida without our chaos squad," Victor replied. "So—early flight."
The rest of the gang swarmed in, offering hugs and sleepy smiles. Maddie wrapped her arms around Lily while Caleb gave Victor a firm clap on the back and an awkward one-armed hug.
Lily stepped back and looked around. "Alright, now where's my coffee? Or better yet—where's breakfast?"
As if summoned by her words, the scent of fresh bread, eggs, and pancakes wafted through the hall from the kitchen.
"The maid beat you to it," Cassie said, pointing toward the long dining table already set for breakfast.
The group migrated to the dining area, all talking at once as they sat down. Lily raised her brows when she noticed Cassie and Blair sitting side by side, legs casually pressed together beneath the table, laughing over something Jazmine whispered to them. Her gaze briefly flicked to James and Blair as well—he was quietly peeling an orange for her while she sipped coffee.
Victor cleared his throat dramatically as everyone started eating. "By the way, we didn't come back empty-handed."
He gestured to the corner where several travel bags sat. Lily beamed. "We brought you all something."
"Ooh! Presents?" Andrew said, mouth half-full of pancake. "Is it a yacht? I've always felt like a yacht person."
"You'd capsize a yacht with your ego," Cassie muttered.
Victor began handing out small boxes and shopping bags, personalized with name tags. "Maddie, Caleb—this is for you two. Cassie, yours is the pink one, obviously. Blair..."
"Oh my God, is this a real Chanel?" Blair asked, pulling out a black mini handbag.
"Limited edition," Lily said, raising her brows smugly.
Blair nearly screamed and clutched it to her chest. "You're the best mom in the universe."
"I know."
Cassie got a delicate gold anklet that she immediately put on. Andrew got expensive sunglasses he claimed made him look "like a secret agent with trauma," and James received a vintage sketchbook with a fountain pen set. Even Jazmine got a soft leather-bound journal and a matching pen.
As the laughter flowed and forks clinked against plates, the whole house felt full again—warm, noisy, alive.
For a brief moment, as Blair leaned back in her chair with a happy sigh, she felt it: a fragile, fleeting perfection.
No darkness. No secrets. Just sunlight and pancakes.
---
After breakfast wound down and the table was cleared, the house settled into a soft, satisfied hum. Laughter still echoed faintly from the hallway where Blair chased Andrew around for stealing the last pancake. Maddie disappeared with Caleb to the garden again, and James had excused himself with a distracted "Maybell, I'll be upstairs if you need me," earning a faint smile from Blair.
Cassie stood in the hallway for a moment, fiddling with the hem of her oversized hoodie, then padded barefoot to her dad's room and knocked twice.
A muffled voice answered. "Come in."
She pushed the door open to see her father, Victor, sitting on the edge of the bed, still wearing his linen travel shirt. Beside him, Lily was sorting through her bag on the dresser, humming softly. The room smelled like her mom's rose oil and the faint hint of Victor's cologne—comforting in the way childhood memories sometimes sneak up on you.
"Hey," Cassie said quietly.
Lily turned, smiled warmly, and walked over to her. Without a word, she hugged Cassie close and kissed her cheek. "Go ahead," she said, as if reading her mind. "You two need this." Then she slipped out, shutting the door softly behind her.
Cassie turned to her dad with a sheepish grin.
And then she ran into his arms.
Victor chuckled as she jumped onto the bed and threw herself at him like a little girl. "Whoa! Still my hurricane, huh?"
"I missed you so much, Daddy," she mumbled into his shoulder, arms wrapping tightly around him.
"I missed you too, baby girl," he said, hugging her back with all the warmth she remembered from when she was younger. "God, you still give the best hugs."
She didn't let go. Instead, she settled beside him on the bed, legs curled underneath her, leaning against him like she used to when they'd watch late-night movies together.
"Everything okay?" he asked gently, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Yeah," she nodded. "I mean… mostly. Things are weird sometimes. But it feels like home again with you and Lily back."
He gave a small, grateful smile.
Cassie rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm really glad you married her."
Victor blinked, touched. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. I mean… the house feels lighter when she's here. Like everyone breathes easier. Blair's always smiling when your name comes up—Maddie too. Even James listens to you, and he barely listens to anyone," she said with a playful smirk.
Victor laughed. "Well, James needs someone to keep him in check."
Cassie grinned. "I know I've been a brat sometimes. But I just… I'm happy, Dad. I don't think I've said that in a long time."
He turned toward her and cupped her cheek gently. "You're allowed to have bad days, you know. And bratty ones. But hearing you say that? That you're happy? That's all I've ever wanted, Cass."
She leaned in again, hugging him tightly. "Thanks for always making me feel safe."
"You'll always be safe, mi reina," he said quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Always."
They sat there for a while, the kind of peaceful silence only fathers and daughters share—the kind that didn't need fixing or filling.
Then Cassie finally spoke, lips curving into a sly smile. "So... do I get extra allowance for being the most emotionally mature daughter today?"
Victor let out a loud laugh. "Ah! There's my girl."
---