Later that night

"You look nice," JC winked from the couch.

Liz grinned, walking into the living room in a pair of shorts she kept in his laundry room and wearing one of his t shirts. Of course, the diamond on her finger only complimented the smile on her face.

"Comfortable now?" JC asked with a smile as she took a seat on his lap in a horizontal position and nodded. She put an arm around him and brushed her lips against his. She pulled away and JC couldn't help but laugh at the ear to ear grin on her face.

"I'm happy!" she laughed in defense. "I can't help it!"

"Okay, okay, sorry," he chuckled, kissing her sweetly. "I'm happy you're happy."

"We're happy," she told him softly, leaning her forehead in to touch his.

He nodded, taking her left hand that was in her lap and bringing it up to his lips to kiss it softly before entwining their fingers. "That we are,"

"I can't believe this," she looked at her ring. "You're crazy you know that? I mean we are crazy."

He grinned. "Crazy in love,"

"So true," she giggled, relaxing against him with her head on his shoulder and his arm around her almost like he was cradling her.

"We're engaged Lizzie," he kissed the top of her head, running his fingers up and down her back.

"Yea, we are. And I love it."

"Did you expect it though?" he asked. "When I did it, I mean. Did you know I was going to ask you tonight?"

"Actually, no, I really didn't. I mean, I thought it was kind of odd with the whole decorating the dock and staying out by the lake instead of just coming inside but I just assumed you'd just pull out a birthday cake or something. I didn't expect a proposal."

"So you're ready to spend the rest of your life with me?"

"If I had any doubt in my mind that you weren't the one for me I wouldn't have said yes, Josh," she said softly. "I love you, you know that right?"

He smiled against her hair and spoke. "I did but it's always good to hear. I love you too."

They spent a few more moments in silence before they started to feel the couch vibrate.

"It's your phone," JC said, reaching across for the phone and handing it to her.

"It's Em," she smiled, looking at him then back to the phone in her hand.

"Put it on speaker,"

Setting the speaker on, she answered. "Hey Em. You're on speaker with me and Josh,"

"Hey Em!" JC called out into the phone.

"Hey you two," she smiled into the phone. "Am I interrupting anything? Any late night birthday make out sessions?"

"Not at the moment," JC replied. "We have to talk to you about something though."

"What about?"

"You wanna tell her now?" JC whispered but Emma spoke before Liz could even answer.

"Hey, Lizzie, are you coming home tonight by chance? Because I already locked the front door and you left your keys on the counter. So should I go unlock the door and wait up or..."

"Uh, no it's okay. Josh can just drop me off in the morning before work, right babe? I'll just take a shower over here and put on some casual clothes and change when I get home."

JC nodded. "Sure,"

"Okay, great. So, what'd you have to talk to me about? What extravagant present did JC get you this time?"

"Yea Lizzie," JC mumbled against neck, kissing the skin. "What did I get you?"

"He got me this really, really beautiful present but I don't want to tell you what it is until tomorrow morning. I want to see the expression on your face when I show it to you," Liz grinned.

"Oh God, he didn't buy you your own house did he?"

"Hmmm," Liz hummed into the phone. "Something like that actually, but wait until tomorrow when I get home. Stop guessing!"

"Okay, okay, I'm done. I'm just glad you had a great night with him."

"The best night," she confessed, nuzzling her nose to his. "I'll see you in the morning Em. Goodnight,"

"Goodnight Lizzie. ‘Night Josh! See you two tomorrow,"

"Bye Emma!" JC called out before they heard the line click signaling the end of their call and Liz tossed the phone back on the couch. She leaned against JC. "So... what'd we do now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I've never been engaged before. It's funny really. Everyone knows what supposedly happens on the honeymoon night but no one ever talks about what we're supposed to do the night we get engaged."

"Call family and friends and fill them in on the good news?" Liz suggested with a giggle. "Why don't we call your parents now?"

"My parents are probably asleep by now and I don't want to leave a message like this over voicemail. I can tell the guys when I see them in the studio tomorrow. So for the rest of the night, it's just you and me baby."

"I got work in the morning so let's call your parents first thing tomorrow instead of waiting for a later time. I want them to be one of the first people to know so that they don't find out through someone else that might see this ring on my finger. Your parents, Emma and the guys should be the first set of people we tell because they're the most important to us. I don't want any of them thinking any less of what they mean to us if they had to find out through someone else."

JC smiled. "You're really sweet, you know that?"

"I did, but like you said, it's always good to hear. Especially from you."

"It's one of the things that got me to fall in love with you in the first place."

"What're the other things?"

"If I were to name them all then it'd take me all night," JC sighed.

She smiled. "Tell me your favorite then,"

"My favorite huh," he smiled. "I guess it'd be the fact that it's become impossible for me to picture my future without you in it. I love the way you make me feel when you're next to me - or in this case, on top of me - and it's like when I'm with you, I feel like I can do anything and I can be anything because nothing seems impossible to me knowing you'll stand by me. That's my favorite."

"Wow," she murmured. "I expected you to say something like ‘You got a hot body' or ‘I like the way my hand fits perfectly into yours when we're holding hands' or something."

JC chuckled. "Those too,"

 "But I like the answer you gave me a lot better," she mumbled against his lips before taking his lower lip between hers.

"I think we should go up to bed now." JC said, finally breaking the kiss. "You know, that's officially going to be our bed once we exchange vows."

"And I can't wait," she smiled. "When do you want to start?"

"Start what?"

"Planning!"

"Planning what?"

"Our wedding Joshua," she nudged him.

"Oh," he laughed. "Whenever you want to start planning baby, we'll start planning. But I don't know how much help I'm going to be. I mean, this is what you do for a living and I'm kind of clueless about this kind of stuff. I mean I'm organized and I like when things run smoothly, but that only applies to stuff I know how to do. Planning a wedding is not one of those things."

 "It'll be our wedding Jace, not just my wedding. I just have more experience with this type of thing. That doesn't mean I'm not going to want you to help me out. I value your opinion you know,"

"How about we start all this planning tomorrow, when we're both fresh and energetic, and we can start telling people and then get everything together."

"Okay," she smiled. "Sorry, I'm just excited. I think I love you too much,"

He grinned, getting up from the couch abruptly but still holding her in his arms with one hand around her back and the other under her bent knees. She gasped.

"Goodness you're strong," she commented.

He shrugged. "Eh, you're not that heavy anyways,"

She grinned. "You really know how to boost a girl's ego Chasez,"

He rolled his eyes. "Now, Lizzie the last thing you should be worried about is your weight. You're beautiful,"

"Are you planning to carry me all the way up the stairs?"

"Well since you suggested it..." he adjusted his arms a little and started making his way out the living room and up the staircase, but stopped when Liz suddenly said ‘Wait'.

"What?" he asked.

"Did you put away the remaining cupcakes that were on the island into the fridge?"

He thought for a moment and then shrugged, continuing up the staircase. "I'll put it away tomorrow,"

"Josh," she whined, making him stop again.

"What?"

"There's icing on those cupcakes and there's some icing that's scattered on the island!"

"Not my fault!" JC grinned.

She laughed. "You tried to shove one in my face and you missed!"

"You'd look cute covered in icing,"

"Jace if you don't put it away or clean up you'll have an ant invaded kitchen,"

"Liz, c'monnnn," he complained in a mimicking fashion. "They're just cupcakes. The kitchen will be fine for one night,"

"It's cake! C'mon babe it'll just take a minute. Put me down and just run into the kitchen and put ‘em in the fridge. It's not that hard."

"Lizzie," he groaned. "Let's just go to bed."

"It'll just take one minute!" she insisted. "You'd be saving yourself from an army of ants that like sugar,"

He looked at her blankly.

"If you want, just put me down and I'll go put them away."

They stared at each other for a moment before he sighed in defeat, putting her down on the next higher step and stretching his arms.

"I'll do it," he muttered.

 She smiled as he turned around and headed back down the stairs.

"I'll meet you upstairs babe," she smiled. "Thank you,"

"Yea, yea," he waved his hand, reaching the last step and taking a right into the kitchen.

"Oh! Don't forget to take off the kitchen light when you're done okay?"

JC rolled his eyes. "Jeez, we've been engaged for a half an hour and you're already starting to sound like my wife!"

** **

Next morning

She skimmed through the contact list on her phone as she made her way to the bedroom, munching on a pop-tart and eyes focused on the screen of the phone. She pushed open the door, not bothering to knock.

 "Hey, baby do you think we should call-"

"Wait! No, Lizzie I'm not-"

"Oh my God," she gasped, dropping the phone as she stood in the doorway. Heat flooded between her legs as her eyes came into contact with the perfectly sculpted body before her a few feet away. The perfectly sculpted and naked body by the way. "Oh my God," she repeated, frozen in place.

JC chuckled, grabbing his boxer briefs from the bed where his towel lay and pulled them up quickly.

"I was going to tell you that I wasn't finished changing but oh well," he smiled, reaching for his jeans.

She was too shocked to respond as she still stood there, lifeless, half a pop-tart in hand and the phone still on the ground.

"Lizzie?" he waved his hand in front of her face, walking up closer to her as he buttoned the pants. "You're still staring at me."

Her eyes widened and she spun around, looking at the floor. "Oh, uh, sorry."

He laughed, turning her around to reveal her reddened face. "I have pants on now, it's cool."

"You know you could have grabbed the towel and covered yourself or something,"

"I didn't know you were going to barge in just like that! And I don't care if you see me naked. Actually, I'm kind of glad you finally did. You're my fiancée. I'm not going to try and hide anything from you, including my body. You're eventually going to see everything one day - I didn't think that today would be that day - but it's not a big deal to me what you see." He grinned. "You on the other hand didn't make any effort to cover your eyes or run out the room either,"

She broke their eye contact and the blush had spread from her cheeks to over and behind her ears. "I was too shocked to move," she mumbled.

He laughed whole heartedly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing kissing her cheek before whispering in her ear. "Like what you saw baby?"

She pushed him away, still not making eye contact. "Shut up and put on a shirt,"

"So was that a yes or a no?"

"It was a, ‘I didn't see anything so let's get on with our day'."

"Oh please," he scoffed. "You saw the whole package and you liked it, didn't you? I've never seen that look in your eye before so I know that you liked it."

She giggled lightly. "You were blessed in more ways than one Chasez," she said quietly.

He beamed with pride. "And it's all yours when we get married," he winked.

She rolled her eyes. "Now that we're past this, can you please get dressed? I don't have any of my work clothes over here and I need to get changed at the house. Plus we still have to call your parents and-"

"You know," he said, interrupting her as he walked over to his closet and pulled out a sweater. "You've now seen me naked, but I haven't seen you naked. That's not fair."

"Josh is that all you're going to think about for the rest of the day?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Seeing me naked?"

"That's all I think about every day," he grinned.

"You're disgusting."

He shrugged. "I just don't think it's fair when you got full body frontal from me and the most I've gotten is bikini from you."

"Hey man, you had a chance to see everything," she reminded. "And you turned it down."

He looked at her and wagged his finger from side to side. "No, no, no. I turned it down because you wanted to do something you weren't ready for. This however, is me wanting to get a sneak peek of what to expect when you are ready."

"You saw enough," she giggled.

"But all the good parts were covered!" he complained.

She laughed, walking up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "You'll get to see all that you like on the honeymoon baby, don't worry. Nothing will be covered."

"Fine," he murmured against her neck. "What do I get until then?"

"Close your eyes and you'll find out," she whispered.

He had a goofy grin on his face as he closed his eyes and she took a step back. She tip toed quickly over to the dresser and grabbed the keys.

"I'll be in the car," she giggled as she speed walked past him, making sure to give him a pat on the butt before running out the room. "Hurry up and finish get dressed!"

His eyes snapped open and he gasped as he got a quick glimpse of her running out of the room, giggling. "You're horrible!" he yelled out to her with laughter in his voice. "That's not fair!"

"And you still love me for it!" she yelled back, already halfway down the stairs.

JC shook his head and chuckled to himself. "Damn right I do,"

** * **

"Em?" Liz called out, entering the house with JC right behind her, holding hands. "Emma?"

"In the kitchen Lizzie," she answered.

"Ready to start telling people?" JC smiled.

"Let's go," Liz nodded.

Walking into the kitchen, he holding her left hand so that the ring wasn't visible, they found Emma sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal and an open fashion magazine in front of her. She looked up at them and smiled before returning her focus to the cereal.

"Morning you two," she greeted the couple.

"Morning Em," JC smiled.

"Hey Josh," she nodded. "How was your guys' night last night?"

Liz grinned. "It was great, thanks."

"Did you have breakfast yet?"

"I had a pop-tart," Liz shrugged. "Josh took too long to get ready so he didn't have anything."

"Well there's coffee over there," Emma nodded to the counter. "Freshly brewed and there're bagels in the cupboard if you guys want to make anything. We're still pretty early so we got time."

"Actually, Lizzie and I wanted to talk to you about something first," JC spoke up.

Emma looked at them awkwardly and gave a confused smile. "Talk to me? Talk to me about what?"

Liz looked at him with a smile.

"Tell her," he urged.

"Okay. Remember last night when you asked me what birthday present Josh got me and I told you I'd show it to you this morning because I wanted to show you in person?"

"Oh yea," she smiled. "Where is it?"

"Right here," she pulled her hand slowly away from JC's hold and brought her hand up to her chest so that her palm was facing her and the outer part of her hand that boasted the diamond ring faced Emma, whose eyes widened.

"Wow, that is a beautiful ring," she commented, getting up from her seat. "But it's on your ring fing-" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the smile on Liz and JC's faces. "Oh my God,"

"I finally asked her," JC stated with a smile.

"You guys are engaged?"

"Yea, we are," Liz grinned.

"Oh, well, oh my God congratulations!" she pulled in her friend for a tight hug, smiling and laughing. "I can't believe this! You guys are engaged!"

"Yea," JC chuckled, hugging her back tightly when she embraced him. "Thank you,"

"That ring is gorgeous by the way," she pointed out. "It's beautiful and I am so happy for you guys!"

"Thanks Em," Liz smiled, hugging her once more. "Or should I say, ‘my future maid of honor'?"

Emma's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Don't act all surprised," she giggled. "You know I wouldn't let anyone have that title except for you,"

"True," Emma grinned, making them all laugh. "Really, congratulations. And now this is just one more wedding to add to our calendar except this is actually going to be one I'll do and not care if I'm getting paid or not,"

"Speaking of getting paid," Liz looked at her watch. "We have work and I'm not even dressed for it yet. I'm going to go change real quick and I'll be back down in couple minutes."

"Go ahead. I'll wait around till you come back down and then I'll leave," JC told her.

"Okay," she smiled, giving him a peck on the lips before walking out of the room.

"So you're engaged now..." Emma concluded, taking the almost empty cereal bowl over to the sink and turning on the tap. "That's wonderful. You did a really great job picking out the ring. Nice timing too, with her birthday and all."

JC nodded, going over to the coffee machine and filling a mug for himself. "Thank you," he smiled. "I'm really happy about it. I'm ecstatic that she even said ‘yes' so now I guess I'm just really excited for what the future holds, you know?"

"Yea, I know. I'm glad she said yes too, but more importantly, I'm glad she found someone worth saying yes to. At least with you I know that you'll treat her right and she'll be okay and you're successful enough to support her and any kids you guys might have in the future. At least I know that you'll both be stable."

JC nodded. "Yea, thanks. You're obviously going to play a big part in the wedding planning and the wedding itself so expect to be dragged along for the ride," he chuckled.

Emma nodded, washing out the bowl and placing it in the strainer. There was silence for about a minute before Emma spoke up and looked at him.

"How long do you guys plan to have this engagement?" she asked with a frown.

JC swallowed the hot liquid and thought for a moment before answering. "We actually haven't talked about setting an official date yet. We're just pondering for now and letting the engagement itself sink in."

"Oh,"

"Why'd you ask?"

She shook her head, taking up her seat at the table and turning another page on the magazine. "No reason,"

"You sure?"

"Yea, I was just wondering. I mean, I know you guys are working on the second album and the new single and then all the promotion and the touring, plus an engagement, then a wedding and eventually a wife and marriage to balance out? It just seems like a lot to take on."

JC shrugged. "Yea, I guess so but I know it'll all work out one way or the other. We'll find a way to even things out. I'm just glad we're doing this. Honestly, she's definitely made me happier than I've ever been and I love her. I think we're both excited about this new part of our lives."

"I'm glad you guys are happy," Emma murmured. "If the two of you are happy, then I'm happy too I guess."

JC frowned, walking over to the table and taking the seat opposite hers so that they faced each other. "Are you happy Emma? Are you really happy about this engagement?"

"'Course I am. She's my best friend and I've grown to like you Josh. I'm happy for you guys."

"Okay, so, you're happy we're engaged." JC said slowly. "Is there anything else that's possibly bothering you? Something that you're not happy about?"

Emma shook her head. "Even if there was, you're not really the person I'd talk to about it."

"Why not?"

"Because it's really none of your business."

"Then why are you getting mad at me for trying to help?"

"You don't even know what you're trying to help."

"Well I'd know if you'd tell me."

"Don't worry about it. It's stupid anyways and if I say it out loud, I'm going to feel stupider than I am in the mood for so let's just let it go and we can go back to celebrating."

"Is what's bothering have anything to do with me and Liz being together? Emma, you can tell me if it is. If you want I can just get Lizzie to talk to you about-"

"No! Don't tell Lizzie anything. I'll be fine."

"Well if you won't tell Lizzie and I doubt you'd confide in anyone else, why can't you just talk to me? You know that you could if you needed to."

"I can't talk to you..."

"And I repeat... why not?"

Emma sighed, looking at him. "Josh, I'm happy for you guys. Both of you deserve each other and what you've found in each other and I could not be happier that that's the case in your relationship. But ever since the two of you started getting more and more serious, can you recall the last time Liz and spent some with me besides at work? Can you recall the last time she told you she didn't want to hang out with you for a night because she preferred to stay at home or go out to a party with me? Because I can't!" She continued. "I can't remember the last time the two of us even had one on one time and we're supposed to be living in the same God-damn house but she's with you all the God-damn time! Her stuff is here, but she's not. We have spent the last few years of our lives together and we have been through hell and back but then after she met you, I just felt like I took the backseat and she didn't care like she used to. Don't get me wrong, I mean, I love you both but I miss my best friend sometimes Josh. And now you come and tell me that you guys are engaged, and I think that that's amazing and all, but it just hit me that my friendship with her is never going to be the same. After this she's going to be a wife to you and where does that leave me, huh?"

"Emma, I am so sorry," JC shook his head. "I mean I didn't know that Lizzie and I being together all the time would have this effect on you."

"I didn't think it would either until I saw the look on her face when she showed me the ring a few minutes ago. She's happy with you Josh, happier than she's ever been, and while I love that, it just hurts that from now on it's never going to just be me and her like it used to be. It's going to be you and her..."

 "Is that honestly what you think? You think that she loves spending more time with me than she does with you? You think she's forgotten about you?"

"I know she hasn't but sometimes it just seems that way,"

"Emma," JC started. "The love Lizzie has for me and the love that she has for you, while they're two completely different kinds of love, they're the only two major loves she has in her life. Em, when Lizzie and I got into our first big fight, who was the one she came home crying to?"

"Me..." she mumbled.

"And when I was going crazy trying to get her back, who was the one I needed forgiveness from?"

"Me," she sighed.

"And when we get married and have a million more of those fights, who's the one she's going to be calling on the phone when she needs someone to vent to?"

"Me?"

JC smiled "Emma you've known her way before I did. You guys have a friendship that even I'm jealous of sometimes. You've been through literally hell and back together and that's what makes your bond so strong. Besides me, and this is only because we're in love, you are the most important person in her life. I cannot tell you how much Lizzie loves you Em, and how much she cares about you and appreciates you. You guys have so much together. Now that we're engaged and we want to get married, that doesn't mean you're any less important to her than I am. I'm just a different type of important. That doesn't say that she's forgotten about you just because you guys haven't spent as much time together as you did a couple years ago. Her priorities have just changed. She went from this single, working woman who'd go out with you to clubs on the weekends to a fiancée whose latest major worry is going to be what color dress her bridesmaids are going to be wearing. And when she has a fit because the caterer calls and cancels on us at the last minute, who do you think is going to have to calm her down?"

"Oh God, me,"

"Bingo." JC pointed at her.

Emma giggled, running a hand through her hair and sighing. "I needed that Josh, thank you."

"I understood where you were coming from," he said. "You're not jealous and I can see how happy you are for us-"

"-But I was just having a hard time adjusting the change."

He nodded and stood.

She smiled and got up, going over to hug him. "Lizzie is really lucky. And I could not be happier for her. Thank you,"

"You're welcome," he hugged back. "By the way, you're the first to know about us."

"'Us' being..."

"Our engagement. You're the first person we've told. And Lizzie was the one who wanted it to be that way."

"That's awesome and I appreciate it so thanks." She nodded. "You know, she really is lucky to have us around."

"Tell me about it," JC chuckled, high fiving her.

"What're you two high-fiving about?" Liz asked, walking into the kitchen buckling her watch.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Emma smiled. "Are you ready? It's getting kind of late."

"Yea, let's go." She walked up to JC and wrapped her arms around him. "I'll talk to you some time during the day, alright?"

"Okay," he kissed her sweetly. "Now that Emma knows, now we can tell the rest of the world."

Liz giggled. "Look, it's actually getting late so do you want to call your parents and tell them later or..."

"No, I'll just call and tell them when I'm back in the car and once they know I'll tell the guys. Although, I think they already kind of know."

"Well, tell your parents that I'll give them a call when I'm done with work okay? And if you get to, tell Heather and Tyler hi for me."

"I will babe," he kissed her on the forehead. "Time for you guys to get to work,"

"Time for you to get to the studio,"

"I'll see you later?"

"Of course," she smiled. "Em, you ready?"

"Yea," Emma nodded. "Ready when you are."

"Ready to hear all the details?"

"What details?" JC asked, clueless.

"Girl stuff, don't worry about it. You know, the proposal, how you did it, my reaction, that sorta thing."

"Girls really go through all that?" JC raised his eyebrows. "The only thing the guys would want to know is whether your answer was ‘yes' or ‘no.'"

Liz laughed. "I'll see you tonight baby," she kissed him one last time before taking Emma's arm and leading them out the kitchen and out the door. "Love you babe," she smiled, waving as JC walked past her and toward his car.

"Love you too," he winked. "Have a good day you two!"

Emma smiled as she waved back and then turned to Liz, who was still grinning as she watched JC get into the car, honk the horn a couple times and wave before driving off.

"I'm really happy for you Lizzie," Emma told her. "I'm really glad that you're happy."

"Thanks Em," Liz smiled at her. "It means a lot. I am happy. Happiest I've ever been actually."