Katie reports that the Coast Guard promo exceeded expectations, capturing adrenaline, beauty, and sacrifice, and subtly revealing that she fell in love with Hutch while filming. She also finishes the Day-in-the-Life mini-doc featuring Hutch and George Bailey. Intending to leave it public briefly for Sullivan’s review, Katie watches as Hutch, recalling Cole’s original viral-video gambit, emails the link to Jennifer Aniston, who posts a clip and sends massive traffic, saving Katie’s job.

In the aftermath, Sullivan reverses plans to downsize Katie and even offers her a promotion, which Katie declines. Instead, Katie moves to Key West—not “for a man,” she jokes, but for Rue—accepting a job managing the Starlite with housing and community perks. She keeps Beanie’s Coast Guard–orange pillows as a talisman and continues video work alongside her new day job.

Katie’s freelance career blossoms from the viral attention, leading her to sign with a manager and begin an HBO shipwreck documentary while taking scuba lessons. Rue embraces her heart diagnosis as motivation, adopting comprehensive lifestyle changes—exercise, diet, sleep, and sober choices—and continues nightly sunset dinners with The Gals, whose friendship reshapes Katie’s sense of community.

Cole and Sullivan begin dating; Cole remains competitive but is gentler after confronting Hutch and learning that their mother told Hutch to save Cole first in the fatal crash. The brothers now playfully compete at the Starlite and collaborate on pool games with The Gals, with Cole’s former resentment deflated by empathy. Katie notes that Cole’s lying appears to have ceased with his reframed family story.

George Bailey recovers from his injury and becomes more careful with Katie, ultimately splitting time between Hutch’s new cottage next door and Katie’s place after the Rue the Day sinks. Hutch largely stays at Katie’s cottage, saying the fun is there. In a surprise coda from the rescue, Lucky the toad survives because George Bailey carried him in his mouth into the helicopter.

Post-rescue logistics keep Hutch and Katie apart briefly, and Katie fields Beanie’s angry relief about not being told the boat was sinking, then delights her with the revelation that Hutch was her rescuer and kissed her midair. Settled in Key West, Katie adopts a colorful wardrobe, overcomes her bathing suit fear, and appreciates how hardship opened her up.

Katie credits Beanie’s mantra—“You have to do the thing you’re afraid of”—for helping her reclaim agency. She sums up her new philosophy: to be alive, to feel everything, and to rescue herself and others. Echoing Rue’s belief that no one is born fearless, she reclaims the tabloid insult about having “let herself go,” asserting that she has let herself go—in the best, most glorious way.