At the Water's Edge
Pairing: Pack
Rating: K
Genre: Family
Word Count: 552
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
"What are you doing with that?" one boy asked.
"We're gonna did a hole," the second boy said.
"To China?" a third asked.
"No, stupid. It's a trap to catch a cold one."
"Don't call people stupid, Ro!" a man called from up the beach.
"Sorry, Dad!" Ro called back. "If we did holes along the beach, and a cold one comes from the ocean, it will fall in the hole and the protectors will bite its head off."
The third boy scratched his head. "I don't know, Ro. Wouldn't it see it? Dad said they have good eyesight."
"And what if a protector falls into the hole?" the first boy asked.
Ro rolled his eyes at his friends. "Just go get shovels from your house."
The boys soon returned and the three set to dig their trap.
Up near the tree line, a group of people watched the boys. A fire crackled in front of them to keep them warm on the chilly fall day. The man in a wheelchair smiled fondly at the trio near the water's edge. Arms wrapped around his shoulders.
"It's like looking into the past, isn't it?" Joy asked. Billy nodded, patting her arm.
"The pictures not complete," Charlie said. "Ah. Here she is."
A small Native girl walked up to the boys, dragging her own shovel. She set about helping them out.
"How many pictures you gonna take, woman?" Quil queried. He wrapped his arms around his wife, his palms resting on her extended stomach.
"As many as I want," Bella replied.
"I always meant to ask," Sabrina, Collin's girlfriend, began. "Why do you call him Ro?"
"Cause he's Quil Ateara VI," Jake answered.
"Then why not call him Quil?"
"There's three Quils," Embry stated. He pointed to each in turn. "There's Senior, Junior and Hefty."
"We call him Roku, which means 'Six' in Japanese," Bella said.
"Hefty?" Sabrina asked.
"Kid weighed ten pounds when he was born," Quil said.
"Whose the other kids?"
"The one in the vest is Embry's son, Gaige. Roku is the one with a beanie. Ro, put your hood up!" Bella called out.
"'Kay, Mom!"
Quil chuckled. "I can hear his eye roll from here."
"The last boy is mine," Jake finished. "Hamish."
"And the girl?"
"Sam's daughter, Jade."
"They've got unusual names."
"Not that unusual," Bella grumbled.
"Easy, Mama," Quil whispered in her ear before placing a kiss on her temple.
Sabrina glanced around. Nearly every woman cuddled up to on of Collin's friends was pregnant. She frowned. "There's not something in the water, is there?"
They laughed. "Could be. It's like a domino effect," Sue said from beside Charlie.
"Once one gets pregnant," Joy began.
"Usually Bella or Emily," Sam interrupted.
"The others turn up with baby bumps," she finished.
"Always with one or two more adding to the group," Leah added. She stood and stretched, showing off her bump. She glanced over at the gate, where six toddlers were corralled.
A yell from the shore line turned the adults' attention. The girl tackled the boy in the beanie, knocking him into the water. The other two boys were yelling and splashing around them.
Sam sighed. "Let's go."
Jake, Embry and Quil followed him to gather their kids.
Old Quil chuckled. "Yep. Just like looking into the past."