Hello to everyone who takes a moment to stop by and read this story! Welcome!
I love both Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. After watching the second film, I decided to see what fan fiction existed for them - I was disappointed to find only 17 stories at that time (now 22...mine makes 23). Most were written before Dolphin Tale 2 came out, but a few were written after. I
read all of them.
With regard to the other stories, I will only make one comment - the timeline of the second movie does not seem to be taken into consideration in any of the post DT2 ones that I have read. If you note the calendar in the movie, it says that Sawyer is to leave on September 27th. If you check the SEA Semester website, it shows the semester as starting on September 29th and ending on December 23rd - that puts Sawyer home right before Christmas. For that reason, I have made the holidays a component of my own story. (The intent is not at all to write a holiday story - that is just where the timeline happens to fall and it'd be silly for me to ignore it.)
Also, I chose the New Zealand program rather than the Caribbean one, as I felt that Sawyer would be more interested in "The Global Ocean" than "Colonization to Conservation". All SEA Semester information in the story was obtained directly from their website. It's very interesting, so by all means check it out!
As always, nothing but the plot and any original characters belong to me!
1.
Sawyer carefully maneuvered across the gangplank connecting the magnificent brigantine he had called home for the last five and half weeks to the dock where it would be moored until after the holidays. Once safely across, he turned around for one last look at the fine vessel, mentally bidding her a fond goodbye. He shivered, pulling the collar of his coat more snugly around his neck and tucking his hands firmly into his pockets with a sigh. His breath was clearly visible in the crisp December air, and he thought for the thousandth time that he was not suited for cold weather. He had enjoyed the six and a half weeks he'd spent in Woods Hole, Massachusetts before he had set sail at the beginning of November, but it had only been Autumn cold then (and he had left that behind for the warmth of late Spring in New Zealand). Now it was Winter cold.
As he shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder and made his way towards the entrance of the dock – falling into step with several of his now former crewmates - he smiled at the thought of Winter. He may not be particularly fond of the Winter up here in the North, but he was definitely fond of a Winter that was in the South. He grinned when he remembered that he would be seeing her soon. He had loved his time in SEA Semester and was so glad that he had chosen to be a part of it, but he had definitely missed Winter and the aquarium...and his mom….and Kyle….and everyone, really. Despite the biting cold, he blushed at the thought of a certain someone that he had missed more than he really cared to admit.
But, before the young man's mind could wander into alarming – yet confusing – territory, he was nudged out of his thoughts by the young woman walking next to him. "Earth to Sawyer! Hey! Where did you go?"
Sawyer started and sheepishly glanced at the pretty auburn haired Boston University Junior who had been kind of like a big sister to him during the past semester. "Sorry, Anna! Where you saying something to me?"
Anna chuckled in amusement and shook her head. "I wasn't." She gestured to the end of the walkway, "But Kyle has been trying to get your attention for the last few minutes."
The teenager's eyes widened and he looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, his cousin was there waving and calling his name. "Oh…right." He glanced back to her with a shrug. "I got lost in my thoughts, I guess."
"Lost in your thoughts, huh?" She grinned mischievously. "Thoughts about what? Or should I say whom? Maybe you were thinking about being reunited with this friend – Hazel, is it? – that I've heard so much about?" She put her arm around his shoulder, "Hmmm?"
Sawyer blushed again, "Um, I was thinking about home…and Winter…and the aquarium…all that stuff. You know."
Anna chuckled again, "Oh yes, I definitely know."
The young man squirmed under her arm and looked away, no longer even remotely feeling the cold. "Um…Kyle is waiting for me. I should probably go."
The grin remained on the impish woman's face as she replied, "Of course. I'll walk you over. But don't think I don't know that you are just trying to change the subject. I'll let it go this time, though." She winked as she removed her arm. "Consider it my Christmas gift to you."
His look of relief was not missed by the astute college student as she motioned towards the rest of their group. "We should say goodbye first, though, don't you think?"
Sawyer nodded with a smile. This group had been really great. They had all taken him under their wings like a kid brother, but had never once babied him. They had included him in everything, and had really seemed to value his opinions and experience. They had all become good friends – a team - despite the age differences. He was used to that at the aquarium, but he hadn't really expected it to be like that with a bunch of college students that he'd never met. He could not have been happier to have been wrong.
After many goodbyes, promises to stay in touch, and cheery exclamations of "Merry Christmas!", "Happy New Year!", and "Happy Holidays!", the two finally made their way over to the patiently waiting former soldier.
The handsome Boston University Senior grabbed his cousin into a huge hug that lifted him off of his feet. "Welcome back, Sawyer!"
The teen grinned as he was set back onto his feet. "Thanks, Kyle. And thanks for coming to pick me up."
Kyle returned the grin. "Of course! You're my favorite cousin, after all."
"I'm your only cousin, Kyle."
"Eh, that's just a technicality." He then turned to Anna and gave her a quick hug. "Welcome back to you, too, Anna! It's good to see you!" He put his hand on Sawyer's shoulder. "Thanks for looking out for our guy here."
"It was my pleasure!" She blushed a little, but smiled sweetly at the attractive Pre Med student. "Sawyer is great."
Kyle smiled warmly and squeezed his cousin's shoulder, "Yeah, he is."
The young man in question looked down at the ground in discomfort. Anna decided that embarrassing him twice in less than an hour was probably more than enough, so she decided to change the subject. "Well, I don't want to keep you guys. I know you have an early flight tomorrow." She pulled Sawyer into a hug. "Take care, Sawyer."
She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "And keep in touch! I need to stay up to date on Winter and the aquarium…and all that stuff. You know."
Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Yeah…I know."
She winked at him one more time, then turned her attention to his cousin. "Kyle, great to see you. You take care, too, and I'll see you next semester."
She gave a little wave and started to walk away, but stopped after only a few paces. She turned back around with a bright smile "Oh, how could I forget? You boys have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
They replied simultaneously, with smiles of their own. "You too!"
Kyle's eyes followed her as she walked over to a friend's car. He watched her until she was safely in the vehicle, then turned back to Sawyer. He grabbed his cousin's duffel and slung it over his own shoulder, then jabbed a thumb towards a silver Jeep that had seen better days. "Okay, ready to go?"
Sawyer nodded and Kyle slung his arm loosely around the younger male's neck, guiding him over to the SUV. "I want to hear all about your trip!"
TBC