We step onto the platform, the familiar sounds of Penacony's amusement park echoing around us. It's been two years since we left this planet together, and returning for our anniversary feels like closing a perfect circle. The air smells of sugar and mechanical ozone, just like I remember. Firefly's hand fits perfectly in mine, her fingers slightly calloused from the gadgets she's been tinkering with aboard the Express.

"Remember our first time here?" she asks, her voice carrying that same mix of excitement and shyness I fell in love with. Her blue eyes reflect the colorful lights strung above us, making them appear to sparkle.

Before I can answer, she tugs me toward the pinball ride that first brought us together. The mechanical launcher shoots us forward with a jolt, and Firefly laughs as we speed toward the theme park. Her hair flows behind her in the wind, catching the last rays of sunset.

As we approach the landing zone, she suddenly pulls me closer, wrapping her arms around my neck. With her legs encircling my waist, she meets my gaze with a look that takes my breath away—equal parts mischief and adoration. Her cheeks flush pink as she speaks, her voice dropping to a whisper despite the wind rushing past us.

"We have ten minutes," she says, her lips brushing my ear. There's a boldness in her eyes that wasn't there two years ago, though her voice still trembles slightly with nervousness. "I want to make every second count."