Title: Fishing Follies
Chapter 1 - A Day with the Fishes
Summary: SQL to Gone Fishin' – Ed and Greg take Dean and Clark for another great outdoors excursion where friendly bonding and mishaps ensue. Family/Friendship/Humour Ed/Greg Clark/Dean
Disclaimer: Ah you know write? Ed's with me and well yeah that's about it…lol
A/N: Okay so as I promised in my last angsty OS I owed our Ed/Greg duo some happier times (at least right now) so I hope you all like this one as much as the first. Enjoy!
"So any troubles this time?" Greg asks Ed as he nods toward Dean and Clark heading toward them with some gear in hand.
"Surprisingly no. But…I know there was a dance this weekend so going camping and fishing with your old man…"
"Wait I thought Clark liked those things?"
"Only if Amanda is going to be there."
"Ah. She's away and you're the next best thing," Greg nods with a smile as Ed merely shakes his head. "I get it."
"Lemme guess, Erin's away also so Dean had nothing to do?"
"Something like that," Greg smiles. "You guys all set?"
"And they have wifi there right?" Dean inquires as Ed looks at Greg with pursed lips.
"It's one night guys."
"They always have to be connected Eddie."
"Hey we can watch our shows tonight when you are…"
"When we are what?" Ed looks at Clark squarely. "Don't say sleeping."
"Yeah we don't tire that easily," Greg inserts.
"Okay yeah so what will you be doing after the sun sets?"
"Playing poker," Greg interjects.
"Hopefully not strip poker," Clark and Dean laugh at the tired joke as Ed and Greg just groan.
"No. Real poker."
"You know how to play real poker?" Dean asks his father in wonder.
"Your old man knows a few cool things," Greg replies with a grin.
"Are you gonna play for money?"
"Isn't that gambling?" Ed chuckles.
"So what?" Dean counters.
"I have no extra money to lose," Greg deadpans as they finish tying off the canoe and the truck to Ed's Ford Flex is firmly closed. "Do you?" Greg asks Ed directly.
"Hey you're the boss, I get my paycheck from you."
"Ed has no money either," Greg smirks. "Sophie takes it."
"Okay…time to go."
"And what are Marina and Sophie doing?"
"They're going to a strip club," Clark snickers, making Ed's swivel at son and Clark look at him with a shrug. "Or not."
"Get in," Ed huffs.
"They're going to an opera," Greg informs them correctly.
"Opera? That's lame."
"Yeah you won't get too many complaints there. But trust me if they don't get this whole hockey mess sorted out in time to salvage some of the season, guess who's going next," Ed huffs as Greg chuckles.
"Ah the things you do for love."
"Not love. Mom threatened him," Clark pipes up.
"Clark, you're grounded," Ed retorts as Clark looks at Dean and both laugh. "What? I'm still his father, I can do that right?"
"Just take away the iPhone…that'll do it."
"Who's side are you on dad?" Dean interjects.
"Eddies, he's drowning here."
Ed merely smirks as they head onto the highway the crisp fall Saturday morning. It was early fall and the day would still be warm and sunny, perfect for some fishing and canoeing, the night would find them tucked into their tents, under the stars and enjoying the peace and quiet. At least…that was the plan. And plans don't always go according to plan.
"You made a reservation right?"
"I did."
"Where's the printout?" Greg asks as they near their Provincial campsite.
"It's um…Clark where's the printout?"
"I don't have it…I thought you did?"
"No I thought…Clark, really?" Ed asks with a hint of exasperation. "It was on the fridge and I asked you…"
"Hold on, it'll be online right?" Dean pipes up as he and Clark start to look for the website and the reservation.
"Everything's online now Eddie."
"Okay fine. I need a copy to get int."
"It's…it's under Izzy's name? Izzy Lane?" Dean snickers as Clark looks at him sideways. "What? She's like one years old…how did she get her hands on daddy's credit card?"
"That says Izzy Lane is M, M as in male."
"What's going on back there?" Ed inquires as Greg turns and looks the two boys who simply grin in return.
"I think they are trying to pull a fast one."
"We have it here. E T….haha ET Lane…ET phone home…what?" Dean looks at Clark. "That's your dad's initials. What's your middle name Ed?"
"It's Tucker," Clark states in haste.
"No way, Edward Tucker Lane? Sounds red-neck," Dean smirks as they near the park entrance, Ed rolling his eyes as the two boys continue to make ET and redneck jokes at his expense.
"Just for that you two are taking the canoe off and carrying it down to the water…on your own," Ed states firmly as he tosses Dean back his phone after showing the online confirmation receipt to the park manager. A smug look of satisfaction starts to cross his lips as the humorous assault on his name stops and two audible groans are heard.
"You know the ET stuff…was kinda funny," Greg offers in a low tone as they climb out of the car.
"Don't start," Ed sighs as his body slightly stretches. This time they had come well prepared with a picnic lunch and dinner in case they didn't catch anything, breakfast, full sleeping gear, two tents and extra clothing to change into in case they got wet.
"Where's the lake?"
"Down the road."
"Are you serious?"
"Guess ET is getting his revenge," Ed smirks as he ruffles Clark's brown hair, making Clark pull away and grumble.
"Lets go find the other Lane family," Dean laughs.
"Let's set up first and then all head down there."
"Excellent idea," Greg agrees as he goes in search of some firewood for later. "Okay I'll be right back."
"Hey boss!" Ed calls out, making two nearby male campers stop and stare.
"Eddie…" Greg states under his breath as he turns and heads back to Ed, "in public don't call me boss. Might…you know…give off the wrong impression."
"Old habits," Ed huffs as he looks up at the two men who were still staring at them in interest. "Greg," he emphasizes, "check and see if they have an extra book of matches."
"What, dad you forgot the matches?" Clark asks in amusement.
"I have a few left. Just…never mind," Ed's voice trails off as he works to set up his and Greg's tent, Clark and Dean sharing their own.
"So what time is it on tonight?"
"I think eight."
"Will we be back by then?"
"Uh yeah we better I'm not fishing in the dark."
Ed glances over at the small LCD screen on Dean's phone to see what the boys were so interested in watch and merely shakes his head. "Seriously?" Ed chuckles.
"Whatever dad," Clark quickly puts his phone away.
"Whatever happened to watching sports?"
"Like hockey?"
"You boys finished with your tent yet?" Ed retorts as Clark and Dean laugh. A few minutes later Greg returns with a slip and some matches. "No wood?"
"It will be delivered tonight. What did I miss?"
"Our sons conspiring to watch a model show?"
"Yeah Dean likes America's Next Top Model," Greg smirks as he looks over at Dean who merely shrugs and offers a sheepish smile. "See Eddie…it's like this…they like girls."
"Oh thanks Greg, I hadn't noticed that," Ed retorts as they finish making up camp. "Okay so…let's get this boat into the water."
"Don't forget the lunch cooler."
"Right."
"We hafta carry this?"
"Yeah you bad mouthed the wrong alien."
"Whatever," Clark rolls his eyes before he and Dean pick up the mildly loaded canoe and head for the water with Ed and Greg following behind. "Hey dad your friends over there are staring."
"Keep moving," Ed groans as he looks over at Greg who shrugs. They make it down to the water, the sun already starting to warm them, the water calm and inviting.
"Sunscreen anyone?" Greg offers the bottle to the group wearing shorts and tee's.
"Dad needs some."
"I'm okay Clark thanks," Ed smiles at his son.
"I meant for the top of your head."
"Smartass, I have a hat," Ed deadpans as pulls out his SRU baseball styled cap. "Better?"
"Smartass," Clark teases in a low tone, getting a surprised look from Dean. "What?"
"I'd be in the water for that comment."
"The day is still young, right Eddie?"
"Copy that. Okay…let's get this thing in the water."
With Dean and Clark already in the middle, Greg and Ed push/pull the boat into about a foot of water, Ed hopping into the front and Greg getting into the back; the poles, cooler, first aid kit and a few other things packed into the middle between the two boys.
"Okay so where do we stop?"
"For what? Lunch? It's only ten AM," Greg replies to Dean.
"No I meant to fish."
"We're fishing from the boat."
"We are?"
"Man someone's getting a hook in the eye," Dean snickers.
"No they're not," Ed retorts in haste. "You just gotta be careful."
"Dad…"
"We'll try it and see how this works," Ed tries to state with authority, earning two eye rolls behind his back. They reach the middle of the calm lake and Ed and Greg both stop paddling.
"Yeah so um…how do we keep from drifting?"
"Greg…did you pack the small anchor?"
"I…I forgot," Greg groans as he recalls taking out the small portable canoe anchor and leaving it by the tent back in the campsite. "Who wants to get out and hold the boat in place?"
"Yeah funny," Dean frowns. "Seriously what do we do?"
"We drift."
"Really? Do real fishermen do that?" Clark inquires as twists around to face him.
"Hey if you brought your gun we could always just shoot the fish," Dean snickers.
"Dean, first off…"
"Yeah dad it was a joke. Like a gun could fire under water and hit a fish directly."
"Maybe a dead one?"
"That's not the point," Greg smirks as he shakes his head, looking at Ed with a sympathetic expression. "Okay hand me a rod and…"
"You got the super lure again?" Ed asks in curiosity.
"No it um…it met a sad ending Eddie," Greg starts with a serious expression as Dean holds back a laugh.
"What happened?"
"Marina killed it," Dean laughs.
"She did not kill it, she merely…she killed it," Greg groans as the other three mildly laugh as his mock morose expression. "I'll spare you the gory details but let's just say…its end wasn't pretty."
"Ah so now you're just like the rest of us," Ed smiles.
"Any contest this time?" Dean wonders.
"Yeah who can bring in a fish and not end up in the water."
"Dad's losing that one for sure," Clark smirks as Ed purses his lips.
"Okay let's get started."
Greg casts his line into the water to the left of the boat, the same side Dean was supposed to. However…
"Hey we can't have three lines on this side," Clark moans as he nudges Dean to get his line out of the water. "Supposed to be fathers and sons on the same side remember?"
"Your dad is at the front of the boat, so now it's only two, we're okay," Dean quickly resolves the crisis.
"Eddie…you were supposed to play by the rules now."
"Can you ground him?"
"Truck duty?"
"Nice try…boss," Ed smirks.
"Oh see that only backfires on you," Greg banters back as the four of them enjoy their mid-morning outing. But it's not too long before Clark is tugging on his line and excitedly exclaiming.
"I think I got something!"
"Okay nice and…"
"Wow this one's a fighter," Clark utters as he tries to yank his rod upright.
"Yeah a one sided fight."
"It's stuck on something. Either that or you hooked the Loch Ness monster," Dean chuckles as Clark looks at him with a narrowed gaze. "Hey man sorry but it could be."
"In Canada?"
"Um guys…focus."
"Clark, hold on," Ed tells his son as he puts his own rod down by his legs and tries to maneuver the boat closer to where Clark's line was snagged.
"Maybe you caught a car?" Dean shrugs with a laugh.
"Damn the line's stuck."
"Clark, don't swear," Ed groans.
"You've said worse," Clark retorts in haste as Ed looks at him with a frustrated expression; looking up at Greg who shrugs. Knowing to argue back would be a losing battle, Ed tries to edge a bit closer to Clark but feels the front of the canoe starting to wobble and holds back; none of them wanting the boat to tip over.
"Okay Clark now give it a good…" Ed gently instructs. "Tug…" he groans as Clark's line pulls back, finally dislodging and flying from the water with a shoe on the end, the small boot coming into the boat and landing on Ed's lap; spilling water and mucky sand on his shorts and legs.
"Ahh gross," Dean laughs.
"Well…he listened," Greg manages between laughs as Dean slaps Clark on the back and gives him the thumbs up.
"Thanks…Clark," Ed groans as he tries to get the wet mess off his lap without standing up. "Just for that…the next fish I catch you hafta clean for me."
"What? That's not fair."
"What's not fair is I hafta sit here with wet shorts until lunch."
"You brought dry ones right Eddie?"
"I did. See I learned from last time."
"Good boy," Greg teases.
"Yeah just don't say that near the campsite."
"Why dad, are you worried someone will laugh?" Clark inquires.
"No, he's worried our two male neighbours will want to make a new friend."
"Very funny," Ed groans as the two boys finally clue in and snicker. The banter once again dies down as they cast their lines into the water and get back to business; the four of them failing to notice the boat drifting too close to the small island in the middle; but the side of the island with the trees and not the sandy side they wanted to get to eventually for lunch.
"Ed…"
"Yeah?"
"Check the right side of…"
"Oh damn," Ed gently curses as the right side bumps into a tree log poking out of the water, his back having been to the log and his brain telling him that they were gonna drift past. Ed scrambles for his paddle at the same time Dean casts his line into the water. However, Dean's line snags the tree and yanks his arm back at the same time Ed gives the boat a good brisk paddle in the opposite direction.
"Hey hol…"
"Dad wait!" Clark exclaims as Dean's body lurches backward, threatening to go overboard. "Let me get…" Clark starts only to have Dean try to twist himself around to get a better hold on the rod that was now pulling out his hand thanks to Ed's powerful paddle; but only succeeds in shifting closer to one side of the boat and threatening to topple it.
"Don't rock the boat!" Greg laughs as he tries to inch a bit closer to Dean, a sense of foreboding starting to shadow them. And as predicted as soon as Dean tries to stand up to correct himself and get a handle on the rod, despite the fact he thought he was steady and everyone else was sitting down, his leg gets caught on the wire as Ed paddles backward and he ends up tumbling into the cool water.
"Oh man…" Clark laughs as Dean resurfaces with a less than amused expression.
"And…I call lunch," Greg shakes his head as Dean tries to get back in the boat, finally succeeding and then giving Clark a big hug to get him wet.
"Man you suck," Clark sputters as Ed and Dean laugh at their boys, the fishing rods put away as they slowly turn around and head for the sandy side of the beach and the canoe finally comes to a stop.
"Anyone for a swim? What? I'm all wet so might as well enjoy it before I change right?"
"Sure," Clark shrugs as both boys take off their tees, leaving sockless runners and shorts on and charge into the cool water, laughing as they both do canon balls; their fathers watching with amused expressions.
"You wanna join them?"
"Why not," Ed shrugs. "I'm wet too, might as well make it a complete outing."
Ed and Greg also take off their tees and head for the water, not jumping in as enthusiastically as their boys, instead choosing to wade in and get used to the water. However, Ed is so caught up in his conversation with Greg that he fails to see Clark sneaking up behind until its too late; Clark attacking his father and both of them dunking into the water, Dean a few feet behind laughing as Greg turns to him with a warning expression before Dean charges.
"Only fair dad," Dean smirks as he rushes Greg, soon all four of them bobbing in the water.
"Clark's grounded," Ed sputters between a laugh as he tries to stand up with his son's soaked frame still hanging on his.
"We're not at home dad," Clark laughs as Dean nears and they high-five each other.
"No Top Model for you tonight."
"You know I heard the new season is gonna be all male models," Greg informs them.
"What? All guys? That's lame," Dean groans as Greg snickers, Ed picking up Clark in his strong grasp and then dunking him back in the water.
"Hey water wrestling."
"What's that?" Greg wonders.
"It's them on our backs and seeing who can push who over first."
"Seriously?"
"Come on dad you have we…" Dean stops as Clark snorts.
"Yes Dean?"
"Weighted down…you know um…"
"Continue?" Greg presses, not throwing his son a break.
"Um…experience?" Dean frowns as Greg playfully splashes some water on him.
"Come on dad," Clark urges.
"You guys are too big," Ed huffs as he playfully tries to wrestle Clark off him; the two of them dunking back into the cool water once more.
"How about us on them?" Greg chuckles as Ed and Clark resurface.
"You'd kill us," Dean deadpans as Clark laughs.
"Oh is that a fact," Greg laughs as he grabs his son around his chest and tries to dunk him the way he had seen Ed do moments earlier but not as successful; both of them coming up laughing. The four of them play a bit more in the water, Ed having gotten a small football that Clark had remembered to pack and the sons against the fathers play water football, with not much scoring but lots of laughs and dunks. Finally Ed and Greg slowly leave the lake, panting hard and wanting a small reprieve as their boys linger a bit longer.
"You know it's colder out here," Ed groans as he reaches for his extra large towel and wraps it around his back and chest, plunking down on the bench of the well used picnic table and smiling at the their two sons playing in the water; their playful antics and friendly banter, putting an easy smile on his face and settling his heart.
"So….think we'll actually catch anything this afternoon?" Ed inquires as he turns to help Greg unpack lunch.
"Besides a cold?" Greg snickers.
"Yeah that."
"You know even if we don't, I'd say this weekend will have already been a success," Greg smiles as he looks past Ed into the water at the two boys now trying to dunk each other and then back at Ed who nods.
"Copy…that."
"Okay boys! Let's eat!"
A/N: Okay so I got to page 8 and was like…uh yeah this was only supposed to be a one shot. But instead of making it one ginormous one shot, I thought if you want to see how the rest of the afternoon and evening plays out I could add chapter 2 or leave it here as is. Please let me know in your review and hope you all laughed at this one (hey we need a few laughs after all the angsty tension from the regular season right?) thanks so much in advance everyone!