It was the morning and she sat with Lukas on the couch as his Gojo team fluttered around going through things on the deal. Rose sat tucked into his side with her knees pulled up and resting in his lap with her sketchbook propped up against them as she drew.

She was drawing the wedding dress. Lukas was on his phone as she drew scrolling through photos of wedding dresses that she made.

"What about this one?" he questioned as he tilted his phone towards her to see.

She smiled a bit in amusement before she kissed his cheek, "Babe, when I marry you, I'm wearing a one-of-a-kind wedding dress that no one else will ever wear."

Lukas nodded with a small grin, "Like a princess?"

"I'll be your princess bride, yes," she giggled a bit.

Rose had talked to him a bit last night about wedding planning. She had already decided they were getting married on New Year's Day in Greece because it was when and where they met only a year ago.

She had also told him that because she wanted the dress to fit absolutely perfect, they would not be having sex until they got married. She didn't want to chance any sort of pregnancy. It didn't mean they still couldn't have fun as they did last night but regular sex was off the table.

Lukas smiled before pressing a quick kiss to her lips. Then Shiv walked in after getting off the phone which made Rose close her sketchbook.

"Okay! I think they lost Stewy. He's wonked. So that means we got..." Shiv chuckled. "Kendall in the trunk, all trussed up and ready to fucking bake! Yeah? It's good."

Shiv then held up a piece of paper to the wall as she tallied the votes (that Rose already knew), "Okay. 'Cause, you know, we got me, obviously... Here. Uh... me, Simon, Frank, Sandy and Sandi, locked. And then Stewy. I... Look, he talks a lot of shit, but I think he's gonna stay. He's not gonna split. 'Cause money, honey, right?"

"And why wouldn't he split?" Rose pointed out an error in her thinking as she stared Shiv down. "He's going to vote with Kendall because he thinks if Ken wins, he's solid and has a future there, and even if Ken doesn't win, he gets a shit ton of money. It's a no lose situation if he votes the other way, Shiv."

Lukas chuckled a bit at her harsh criticism and gazed at her with adoration. They had already talked last night about the position of CEO. Lukas really wanted Rose but she declined. Instead of Shiv (who was completely incompetent), she recommended Tom.

Shiv rolled her eyes at Rose, "Okay, fine. So, then we got Diane Liu, Sonya. And then we... we have it. Then, if we peel off Dewi, Paul, and Ewan, then there's only, like... is that... Ken and Rome in the against. That's fuckin'... And Rome might not even show up from whatever jerk dungeon he's being pity-spanked in. You happy?"

"Very happy," Lukas said softly as he stared at Rose.

Rose then stood up with her sketchbook clutched to her chest. She looked down at Lukas, "Okay. I'm going to head to the airport to go down to Caribbean. But I'll see you at the board vote."

"You're going to Mom's thing?" Shiv asked.

"Yes, Shiv, I am," Rose answered without looking at her.

Rose thought it would be best to go down to the Caribbean. She could tell her mother she was getting married before news got out because her mother would have a fit if she wasn't the first to know.

Rose leaned down and kissed Lukas shortly on the lips, "Bye, handsome."

She started to leave before she looked at him as she walked away, "And wear what I told you for the board vote. Don't forget."

He grinned in amusement as he teased, "Yes, beautiful."

She shook her head before she blew him a kiss as she stepped out of the door.

           _____

           Rose arrived in the Caribbean. She was surprised to find Roman was already there but he had stitches above his eyebrow. She had fussed over him for a bit and it was then that Roman noticed her ring.

        "Look at that fucking giant rock," Roman commented as he had grabbed her hand to steady it as he observed the ring.

          "Rose, are you..." Caroline started to ask.

           "Yes, Mom. I am walking down the aisle again," Rose stated.

         "That's lovely, dear," Caroline smiled as she hugged her daughter. "I am very happy for you."

      "I think this calls for a toast. Let me get some champagne," Caroline said excitedly before leaving to get the alcohol.

          "So you're going to be Rose Matsson?" Roman asked.

          "No. I'm keeping my last name," Rose clarified. "Any of our kids will take his, though."

            "The prenups from you two must be crazy," Roman chuckled before he became serious as his eyes widened in worry. "Are you getting a prenup, right?"

           "Yes, Rome," she smiled. "And they're very extensive. Our lawyers are already having a tough time sorting it out...."

That had been earlier.

Now, Shiv and Kendall were here pitching Roman on who he should vote for. It was now dinner time and they all sat around the table before their mother made an announcement.

"I'm sorry this sale has you all fighting but something that should make you all happy or at least I am," Caroline said before smiling widely. "Your sister is getting married. She's shown me some of the dress design and she's going to look simply stunning."

"You're marrying him?" Kendall questioned.

"Yes, Kendall," she stated without looking at him.

"Well, uh, I guess congrats but I think it's a mistake..."

"Not everyone cares what you think," she said harshly.

"No wonder he wouldn't shut up about you this morning," Shiv said as she finally noticed the ring sitting on her finger.

Shiv was jealous she had nearly every man eating out of the palm of her hand. Even Tom. Her husband had even admitted it and told Shiv that he had always wished to have Rose the night of the tailgate party. But Shiv tried to bury that feeling of not being good enough and offered her best smile, "Congrats."

Rose stared at Shiv carefully, "Thank you."

"To Rose then," Roman suggested a toast as he raised his glass. And all of her siblings did, in fact, raise their glasses and toast to her and her future happiness. For a moment, it felt like everything could be okay between all of them.

Only for a moment.

Then that moment broke loose when Kendall got a call. It was revealed that Lukas was looking for alternative CEOs and it was not going to be Shiv.

Shiv stared at her in betrayal, "Did you know?"

"Of course I did," Rose shrugged. "But it's not like it was promised to you, Shiv."

"Yes, it was. Lukas said..."

"Oh, so he said?" Rose raised her eyebrows.

"It was implied," Shiv corrected.

"And you trusted that?" Rose questioned with a shake of her head. "And he was supposed to trust you as CEO? Are you an idiot, Siobhan?"

Rose spoke coldly and Shiv couldn't help but shiver as if their father was speaking. She sounded just like him.

"You're always so fucking poised and perfect all the time," Shiv said with tears in her eyes. "I hate you."

"Well, I hate you, too."

_____

Shiv had ran off to her room for awhile before coming out to scheme with her brothers. Roman was only going along with what majority of his siblings thought. Kendall now thought that he had the numbers. Rose sat on the terrace overlooking the ocean when the three of them came to her to pitch her voting along with them.

"Rose, we have it," Kendall said with a proud smile.

"You don't, though," she stared at him as she sipped on her drink.

           "Rose, come on," he said confidently. "We have it. It'll be 8-7 and the vote will be tied. The sale won't go through. Do you really want the company to fall out of family hands?"

           "Well, in two months, Lukas will be family by law and whatever children we have will inherit so that argument is void," she pointed out.

            "Okay," Kendall said. "Well, we have it, Rose. Just admit it."

            "You don't," Rose smiled secretly. "You're forgetting that I've always been the favorite niece."

It took Kendall a moment to realize what she meant before his eyes widened, "Uncle Ewan? He's voting for you?"

"What do you think?"

"Rose, okay, um..." Kendall swallowed. "At least, do this for me? Okay, vote for me?"

"Why would I after what you did? You haven't even apologized," she said before she stood up. "You know what? I don't need this. I'm going home."

Rose started to leave but she called back, "And by the way, you and Shiv are disinvited from my wedding."

_____

That same night in New York, Lukas was interviewing alternative CEOs. He went to dinner with Tom before he interviewed the man.

"How do you feel about, uh, soft pitching me? On Tom. Just, you know, the main slide," Lukas questioned.

"On me? As in my value to keep me? Sure. Yeah. Yeah. I can sing for my supper," Tom chuckled uneasily as he joked. "Uh, well, no. Um. So, yeah, as a manager, I think, you know, I'm...I'm simple. You know, I squeeze the costs and juice the revenue. Follow the boss. You know, I, uh, digest strategy and implement. Like, for, you know, cruises, for example, is shit-gobbling and firefighting. And ATN is money. You know, I'm cutting heads and harvesting eyeballs. It's pretty... Yeah, pretty simple really. I give the customer what he wants. I don't think it's my place to offer dietary advice. You know, if they want red meat and boiling tar, then... buon appetito. Right?"

"And on a hang level, who would you say you are?"

"Who am I? Um... Huh. That's a good one. I'm a grinder. I grind 'cause I worry. I worry all night about everything. All the, uh, threats to... to me and to my, um...my division and my physical body. And I... I, uh, I have an excess of vigilance, I think, and I have a very, very high tolerance for pain and physical discomfort."

"Can I... can I be frank with you? Can...can you be discreet?" Lukas asked.

"Fuck yeah."

"So, the thing is, um, with Shiv, uh...You know, I thought getting someone from the family with the name would be an upside. I thought Rose would like it," Lukas admitted. "But, you know, they have this thing between them..."

"Oh, yeah. That's been there forever," Tom said. "Those two do not get along."

"Yeah. So, you know, Shiv is smart I guess but...Rose comes first since she's going to be my wife and, well, everything," Lukas shrugged.

"Wife?" Tom questioned in surprise.

"Yes. She agreed yesterday," Lukas said a bit happily until he looked at Tom who was frowning a bit. "I'm sorry. Is that a problem?"

"No. Of course not," Tom shook his head. "Congratulations."

"Yeah so...Rose likes you and she recommended you," Lukas informed. "I need an American 'cause I don't wanna scare the horses. ATN being the... the profit center. But also, honestly... I'm not looking for a partner. You know? I'm looking for a front man. Cause, um... we're gonna cut shit close to the bone. We're gonna get right fucking in there. It's gonna get nasty. Uh... So I need a pain sponge... when I'm under the hood doing what I love, you know? That's kind of what I'm after. So, would that be a problem?"

"Nah. No, man. Nah. I could do it," Tom said simply.

"Great, then let's do some fucking shots," Lukas smiled as he got up to go to the bar but Tom sat there as he thought about Rose and how she was the one to get him this position.

_____

Rose attended the auction at her father's penthouse. She attended early and did not see the rest of her siblings. She greeted Connor and informed she was getting married.

"Rosie, that's wonderful," Connor hugged her and she melted into the hug as she clutched onto him tightly.

"And...I need someone to walk me down the aisle," Rose suggested as they pulled away.

Connor smiled, "Of course I will, Rosie. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Rose sniffled as she thought of her father who would miss it. She reined in her grief before hugging Connor again.

____

Rose had left shortly after and before the rest of her siblings got there. Before the board vote, she actually headed to the restaurant that she always met her father for lunch once a month. She had the whole place cleared out so she could be alone.

She sat there alone in their booth they always sat in. She stared at the space across from her sadly before she talked like he could hear her wherever he was.

"Dad," she swallowed as she spoke quietly. "I'm only doing what I think you would've done. Even if it makes others mad. I'm doing this for you. For you, Dad."

She sniffled as she wiped away some tears that fell. Then she got up with a small sigh before she left to attend the board vote. She was the last one to arrive.

Once she sat down, Frank started, "All right. Let's call this meeting to order. I note that all the directors are present. Uh, the agenda and the information packs have been circulated and I would like to take them as read. We have a revised offer to consider from the GoJo board, and a lot of work has been done to get us to a position where we're ready to sign if the board agrees. As you also, of course, are aware, we will be hearing from our co-CEO about strategic alternatives. Uh, we've aired the issues and heard from our advisors on the GoJo proposal in the previous session. So now, I'd like to hand the floor to Kendall."

"Yeah, the GoJo offer," Kendall started. "Uh, yeah, this...this deal... The deal is a bad deal. The GoJo offer. We were proud to land it, me and Rose. Uh, we know it inside out, but it's a bad deal. And if you want it to go through, you'll have to fire me and find someone else to take it through, yeah? I think you have your packs here with the structural arguments and the financing options. And look, it's a nice thick pack. We've knocked it out of the park. So, look. Look. We know each other. I've spoken to you all. I like and respect every one of you, but, uh, no one's gonna have their mind changed in here. Right? So I suggest we move to the vote. Kill this, excuse me, GoJo bullshit. And, you know, let's eat their lunch."

"Before we vote, I'd like to say," Rose stood up. "My Dad made sure I got his board seat so his wishes would be followed. If my Dad believed in anything, it was good business and this deal is nothing more than that. So...for my Dad."

"Don't listen to her, guys," Kendall suggested.

"Alright," Frank stated. "Would anyone object to moving directly to a vote?"

"No," none of the board members objected.

"Uh, very well," Frank said. "So, yes, I think it's a good deal. I can't in good conscience as chair vote any other way. Sonya?"

"Yes."

"Diane?"

"Yes."

"Kendall?"

"You know my vote. No. No to GoJo."

Then Sandy spoke for herself and her father, "Yes. And yes. We want out."

Then Dewi was in the against along with Stewy as she predicted. Then Paul was one more in the against. Liu and Simon voted yes and then it came to Ewan.

"I believe that the only person my brother wanted to run the company was Rose," Ewan said. "So, for Rose, I vote yes."

Rose smiled as it became time for Shiv to vote.

Shiv stared at Rose. She wanted to put away her jealousy and envy but it had seeped in for so many years that there was no removing it. It was a stain that could not be washed away.

"No."

Rose rolled her eyes before it was time for Roman to vote.

"Uh..." he scratched the back of his head as he stared between Rose and Kendall; and at the end of the day, there was only one that was the most like Logan. "Yes."

"Roman!" Kendall shouted. "You change that fucking vote."

"Fuck you," Roman said. "If she believes it's what Dad wanted, then it's what Dad wanted."

Now it all came down to Rose.

"Rose, please," Kendall pleaded desperately. "Please. Please, don't do this. I need this. I fucking need this, Rosie. Please."

"When I say that it's business, I mean that," Rose said gently. "And you can always find a new one, Kendall."

Then she cast her vote.

"Yes."

____

Kendall had walked out and Roman shook hands with Lukas before the signing. Uh, congrats and take care of my sister. Then he left. Rose ended up doing the signing along with the photo op and she was pleased to see that Lukas wore what she picked out.

"Let's get one with me and my girl," Lukas smiled as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"You just love that we won together, don't you?" she whispered as she smiled for the photo.

"Always," he muttered against her ear and she smiled.

The photos were then done and Lukas wanted to celebrate. She merely kissed him on the cheek as she smiled slightly at his excited manner, "You can. But I'm never stepping foot in this place again."

And she walked away.

It was true that she never wanted to step foot in Waystar again. It held too many memories of her father but it was also the reason it caused her siblings to do unforgivable, cutthroat things.

Like Kendall who she thought would never stoop so low but in fact did because he wanted the crown their father placed upon her head. Like Shiv who wanted the love people placed upon her. And perhaps her relationship with them would never recover.

But perhaps it didn't need to. Perhaps it was easier to let people go than to forgive. Because some ships were meant to sink and she didn't want anything drowning the new one, with Lukas, that she had boarded.

AN: the epilogue is the next chapter