Fun punishment

"Wakey wakey!" Buck seemed to get louder and more annoying Troy mused as he moaned and stretched; buffered by a warm, soft body against his chest.

"Shit!" he whispered, realizing he was spooning Gabi and that she had taken his hand to hold against her ribs and linked their fingers in the night; a gesture he was sure he would feel a whole lot happier about if it didn't land them in big doo-doo- huge, gigantic doo-doo he amended as he closed his eyes and waited for Buck to open the door.

"Time to get up and at 'em Cadets!" the man called as he burst in and his eyes fell on Troy; evidently sharing Gabi's bed.

"Uh…hi?" he blushed sheepishly and swallowed.

"Everything okay, soldier?" Buck asked first and Troy was thankful.

"Uh…yeah…"

"Wishing you hadn't finished that wine?" he guessed and Troy smirked, knowing he wouldn't be feeling any effects from last nights poison; but his bed-partner surely would.

"She was sick in the night…" he lied. "I just lay here until she got to sleep again…"

"Uh-huh," the older man nodded, clearly not buying his crap.

Troy smiled thinly.

"You best get up and get in the shower so I can have a chat with Cadet Montez…"

"It's Gabi's turn for first shower," Troy told him as he gently extricated his hand and slipped from the bed.

"I see." Buck folded his arms knowing too, that Troy had never taken first shower.

"Look, she had a fair bit to drink last night…you should go easy on her…"

Buck smirked at Troy and looked back to the bed, marching over and leaning close to Gabi's ear.

"You have ten seconds to get up Cadet Montez or I'll wake you up the old fashioned way!"

Gabi groaned at the loud voice in her sensitive ear and quickly realized where she was.

"Shit, it's seven already?"

"Get up, Cadet," Buck repeated and she burrowed into the mattress.

Buck stalked back towards the door where Troy ran a hand through his messy hair.

"I thought you were the drinker?" Buck asked with a brow lift and went outside.

When he came back in, he was carrying a bucket and Troy opened his mouth to stop the man but by the time he did, it was too late; the gallon of cold water had already been dumped on Gabi's head.

"Aieeeeeek!" Gabi screamed and sat up. "What the…?"

"Time to get up," Buck repeated and smiled knowingly. "You enjoyed yourself a little too much last night, Cadet."

Gabi scowled and blinked her damp lashes down to clear her eyes of sleep and something more- hangover, she mused.

"I'm up," her throat was gritty and dry as she sighed.

"Shower, now," Buck pointed the way and she staggered up, frowning as she looked around. She looked up at the doorway to find Troy there.

"Hey," she almost managed a smile.

"Hey, princess," he murmured back, wishing he could kiss her and wake her up another way.

She stumbled to the shower and didn't even think about her bikini as she enjoyed the warm sluice of water down her body. It took her ten seconds to realize she was taking all the water again and she quickly finished up, hoping she had left Troy with some heated water this time.

"You forgot your towel…" his warm voice inserted just as she looked left and right for her drying cloth.

"Don't look," she warned as she crossed her arms across her chest to shield herself and she didn't care if he had seen her in her underwear or not; she still had modesty to protect.

"Not a chance," he shut his eyes and squeezed them closed, making her giggle as she stepped into his offered towel and secured it around her. When she peeked at him, his eyes were still closed.

"You can open them now."

He popped one blue eye open and smiled slowly at her. "I love you first thing when you're all wet and sleepy…"

"No dawdling Cadets!" Buck's voice reminded them that this was not a holiday camp and they quickly scattered to get ready; their day of canoeing ahead seeming less and less like fun compared to their last few hours together.

"Kill me now," Gabi sighed as she wobbled back to the hut.

/

"Okay don't tip the boat…" Troy helped Gabi down into the small canoe they had to share and sympathized at her sorrowful face.

Gabi swallowed and sat in the cubby hole made for a very small person and wondered how Troy would fit.

"Do you have room?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Yep," he settled easily and was trying out his double-ended oar already in the water.

"Are you some kind of Sports whizz that I don't know about?" she frowned grumpily.

"No…" he smiled wanly. "But I have been kayaking before…"

"And on an assault course, and zip-wiring…is there something you're not telling me?"

"I'm a spy." He stated flatly and then let out a hearty chuckle at her face. "Just kidding!"

"Why am I so pathetic?" she wondered, testing her oars and quickly realizing she would have no contribution to this trip.

"Hey," he poked her gently on the shoulder. "No sulking."

"You did," she reminded him and he smirked.

"And you told me off for it."

"You didn't drink five glasses of red and get woken by freezing cold water being thrown in your face…"

"No, I did not," he quipped as Buck gave them the whistle to set off and Gabi swallowed down the threatening bile rising in her stomach.

"Oh god…" she leaned to the side of the boat and projected last night's consumption over the side.

"That's gross," Troy goaded her and she wretched again, tears stinging her eyes both from the force of vomiting and for being stupid enough to drink that heavily before a day of sporting activity.

"Cadet Montez! All out?" Buck called as he came up beside them and Troy leaned forward to brush her ponytail back and rub her shoulder.

"All out," she agreed as the rich acid taste clogged her throat.

"Here," Buck handed her a bottle of water and she smiled gratefully; dark circles shadowing her eyes.

"Thank you."

"Do you want to go back?" he asked and she looked down the leaf-framed water tunnel ahead of them.

"No."

"Good girl," he said and looked to Troy. "Can you row?"

"Aye, aye, Cap'n," he saluted Buck and began to paddle again, flicking concerned looks over Gabi's slumped form.

"You okay up there, princess?" he called.

"Not really," she clutched her stomach and he wondered if she had cramps.

"Hang in there…" he begged as they made their way down river; the trailing trees and intermittent birdsong a real treat.

"I don't think there's anywhere in Boston that you don't hear a motor…" he commented to Buck.

"She okay?" Buck squinted at Troy's cargo.

"Women's stuff," Troy whispered and arched a brow.

"Nearly there…"

Buck was right, the trip down river wasn't long- maybe an hour. When they climbed up onto the grassy bank of their destination, Troy rubbed Gabi's arms and then hugged her to revive her spirits.

"Hey come on, another adventure today," he encouraged and she looked up, all dank hair and big eyes like a drowned rat.

"My tummy hurts."

He smiled sadly and pulled off his hoodie; tugging it over her with gentle care where he watched her fold her arms.

"Better?" he asked and shivered in the wind.

"Spare fleece;" Buck threw him a jumper and he smiled.

"Thanks, Sergeant."

"All ready to go?" he checked with the couple and Troy nodded.

Gabi grasped his arm and laid her cheek there; letting him guide her to their destination and when Buck had made them climb a hundred steps of an ancient ruins; they sat on the edge of the old castle and awed at the views around them.

"Wow," Troy pulled Gabi close into his side and relished the moment.

"I feel sick," Gabi moaned as she looked down the long distance to the ground.

"Hey," Troy chuckled. "If you need to puke don't sweat it."

She gave him a death-stare. "It's not exactly attractive."

"Who cares," he shrugged. "Look at this place. This is amazing…"

She pitched her head against his shoulder. "Where's Buck?"

"Catching something for lunch I think;" Troy supplied and she relaxed as she realized they might have some time together, uninterrupted.

"Thanks for your jumper…"

"You're welcome."

"Do you think we'll ever come back?" she wondered.

"It's your father's island." Troy answered diplomatically.

"Doesn't mean he'll let us…"

"Oh, I'm invited then" Troy joked and Gabi put her arms around him, sideways to his body.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Just this. It all ends on Friday morning."

"You're getting a boat back?" Troy asked.

She shrugged. "A helicopter I think."

"Cool…"

"You're going straight home?" she asked and he nodded, his stubble brushing her hair.

"I'll catch you up in a few days; once my mom and dad stopped freaking out…"

"What are you going to tell them?"

"That if they want me to marry then it's going to be to you…"

"I don't know if I can lie to my father," Gabi worried and Troy wondered if it was such a big lie. He cared about her, wanted to see her again and sure; he wanted to date her; make out some more and learn her curves; so to him, the lie wasn't a far stretch. Just a necessity to get what he wanted.

"Then don't," he offered her an out.

She looked up. "Then I'd never see you."

He looked down as if challenging her to decide which she wanted more. "You can't have everything." He said gently.

"It's only because they made us think this way that we're even contemplating lying…" she justified. "If nobody pressured us to marry then we would just be honest and tell them we're friends…"

"Good friends," Troy teased and she kissed his cheek.

"Maybe more."

"Maybe," he added affectionately.

"Tonight is our penultimate night…" he reminded her.

"Are we staying here in the castle?"

"I have no idea," Troy admitted of Buck's plans.

As they spoke briefly of their leader, he ran back up; wielding a brace of birds of paradise.

"Fire's started down by the river;" he told them as they reluctantly pulled apart. "Who's cooking?"

Gabi managed to make them a game stew with the birds and some edible plants Troy picked under Buck's tutelage.

They ate the tasteless concoction under the willows and looked all around; searching for movement.

"Are we camping here tonight?" Troy asked.

"You are." Buck answered and Gabi looked up in surprise.

"Where are you camping?"

"Back at base camp."

"But we can't get back without you, we don't know the way…" she panicked.

"Sure you do," he twinkled.

"We could get eaten out here!"

"By the fish and the sea snakes? Unlikely…"

"But…what…I…"

"I'll take care of you," Troy chipped in and Buck gave him a nod.

"I can take care of myself," Gabi argued angrily and sighed. "I just don't want to…"

"Cadets must learn to survive in the wild alone…" Buck shared. "Be glad you have each other."

"We have no supplies," she worried and felt her exhaustion roll over her in waves.

"Have a sleep;" Buck told her. "Troy and I will make a safe sleeping hole inside the castle and we'll dig a latrine and find food."

Gabi flopped back on the river bank and closed her eyes. "I think I just might do that…"

/

The game was ten questions. It was Troy who answered first as they lay side by side on the soft grass ground beside the river where Gabi had curled up to nap and woke to find him lounging; arms behind his head.

"Mm, what is my brother like?" Troy repeated her question while he considered his answer. "The good guy. A true 'prince' inside and out…"

Gabi smiled and looked to him. "And you're not?"

Troy sighed. "I don't deal with things as well as he does…"

"What kind of things?" Gabi wondered, propping up on her elbow.

"Just expectations on who I should be, how I should behave…I always wanted a motorcycle, I never liked uniforms…and yet my father wanted me to be a carbon copy of Austin, the perfect prince."

Gabi propped her chin against his chest and folded her arms beneath it to prop her up.

"Austin doesn't ride?" Gabi guessed with a little smile.

"Not exactly," Troy derided and lowered his arm so he could splay his hand on her back.

"All you told me is that he's a perfect prince, you haven't told me anything about him as a person- about you as brothers…"

"Well we're really not that close," Troy admitted. "He's three years older and he has his family plan down pat…he's preparing to take over from dad and he's doing a great job of it. He's doing a great job of everything…"

"His marriage was arranged?" Gabi checked and Troy nodded, his fingertips drawing circles on her back before he glided his palm down her spine to rest in the curve before her backside.

She shivered at the contact and took a breath.

"Yeah but somehow he got lucky…they picked a girl he likes…"

"Maybe you will be too," she suggested hopefully.

"'Brie I like a girl who backpacks and doesn't mind getting dirty…"

"Really?"

He nodded. "Before I got sent away my dream of travelling the world always included a mystery brunette at my side; beautiful by nature and free-spirited."

"Why on earth do you like me?" she wondered honestly and he chuckled.

"You're that girl…underneath all the grizzling and whining…"

"Would you have…" she began and he looked down on her, knowing her unsaid words.

Would you have liked me if we hadn't met here?

"All I know is that I like you," he shared sweetly, running his hand up and down her back again. "It doesn't matter about anything else."

"I wish that were true," she sighed and he grinned at her.

"Your ten are up."

"What? No way!"

"Yes way! You would go on and on about my love-life," he teased.

"But I never got to ask you about your motorbike," she sulked and curled so she could rest her cheek against his belly and he rubbed her back consolingly.

"You can see it for yourself one day." He comforted.

"And ride it?" she lifted her head but didn't look up.

"I promise."

"Okay your turn," she conceded nervously, avoiding his gaze for a reason while he quizzed her.

"What are your family like?" he started off as she had, keen to know more.

"Well my father Joseph is quite strict and catholic so any form of non-compliance is considered a grave sin," she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"What about your mother?"

"She died when I was eight…I guess she was the soft one- the one who believed in 'being normal'," she shared fondly.

"And your sister?"

"Evelia? She's like Austin- the perfect role model, the apple of our father's eye."

"And you're the youngest girl…" he led.

"I got spoilt," she conceded. "I guess I knew that…I guess when I snuck out and played up I did it knowing he wouldn't be as hard on me…I did it to prove I had a mind of my own."

"What is it about palace life that just makes you feel so…trapped?" he described and she nodded against his belly.

"There's no realism in what we did. Parties, dressing up, balls, dances…suitors." She added bitterly. "All I wanted was to meet people and feel some passion…to feel real love."

"Alejandro?" he wondered and she pouted.

"No, that was not love. But it was fun…it was dangerous and it made me feel so alive."

"Like me and my motorcycle," he smiled.

She shifted, sitting up with her legs crossed and her knee overlapped his side. "Do you think there's ever a light at the end of the tunnel?"

"You're out of questions," his lips curled as he smiled mischievously and then he saw her face sadden. "I'm kidding. Of course there's hope. There's always hope."

"As much as I have tried to convince myself, I know I am not the person that this life was meant for…"

"You'd make a great princess," Troy argued. "You're confident and passionate and you care about people."

"I also feel nauseous at the idea of marrying someone I don't love let alone sleeping with them."

"Then maybe you can break the chain," Troy encouraged.

"Next question," she prompted to avoid commenting.

"What's your favourite colour?"

She looked at him, surprised at such a simple request but as his fingers idled over her neck and collarbone, she tilted her head.

"Khaki."

He laughed out loud and cupped her knee as his hand dropped. "Mine too. I'll miss this outfit…"

"I bet," she twinkled.

"What else do you like?" he wondered.

"Gardens in the summer, skiing in the winter. Snuggling up in fleece by the log fire…"

"What, no dancing?" he teased.

She shrugged. "I like how I feel when I'm wearing those clothes and controlled by the music…"

"So none of those other princes took your fancy?" he wondered; his last question.

"I'm like you, I need space- I need spontaneity. All those guys want is to 'settle down' and mould you into the perfect wife…"

"You would be a perfect wife as you are," Troy complimented and she smirked.

"I swear, I dance and I dress like a hooker while acting like a nun; I don't know too many guys who would be impressed by that," she shared.

He squinted. "I am."

"You haven't even seen me dance…"

"I'm dying to, believe me," he teased.

"When we go back," she ventured. "Do you think anything can ever be the same?"

"Right now I feel like I could stay here and be punished for a whole lot longer," he ran his hand up her thigh to signal his meaning.

She lay her palm over his hand. "Me, too."

"We should get inside before it gets dark and the gnats come out to bite…"

She nodded. "I hope Buck knows what he's doing leaving us out here all alone."

Troy stood and helped her up. "He's giving us perfect make-out time," he grinned.

Gabi merely looked at him. "No."

"Why not?"

"I told you…"

"So we can't even kiss?" he argued as she stormed up toward the castle and he followed her inside; helping her into the nest he and Buck had created with their sleeping bags and blankets.

It was beautifully cosy and private and had this been an altogether different story; Troy could imagine himself making love with her in their comfy little den.

"I'm tired," she excused as he slipped in beside her.

"One goodnight kiss?" he bargained, leaning on one arm to look into her face.

"Alright, okay," she allowed and reached across to pacify him.

She was surprised to find his thumb grazing her cheek and his warm eyes smiling on her. She was surprised to find her breath shortening and her heartbeat quickening at the look in his blue eyes. And most of all she was surprised to find herself sinking into a deep, darkly promising kiss that tripped her from her planned chaste peck and plunged her into an aching sweet hole she didn't want to get out from.

"Good night," Troy pulled away and she nearly over-balanced as she had been leaning so far forward to reach him.

She opened her mouth. Nothing came out so she closed it. She swallowed and flicked her eyes over his form as he curled away from her, apparently ready to sleep.

"Goodnight," she murmured, fidgeting her thrumming body as she lay down too.

Troy smirked as she heard her unsatisfied sigh and closed his eyes against his own evidence of attraction.

Little did she know he wanted her, too, he mused. But he had to gain her trust and for that, he was willing to do anything.

Even sleep with an arousal from hell.

/

"Troy?" Gabi woke and drowsily looked about, somehow sad he wasn't curled up beside her cute and sleepy, but she knew she had put him at arm's length and who could blame him for keeping to it?

Yesterday she had been hung over and vulnerable and angsty from her hormones and today she wanted a hug. Today would be their last day together. Tonight their last night.

Okay, they had talked about plans for after but neither of them really knew what would happen. Neither of them really knew what they wanted.

She stumbled out of the castle and rubbed her eyes sleepily, trying to source her adventurous partner.

"Troy?" she called, her heart rate quickening as fear set in.

What if he had left her, she panicked? What if he had abandoned her and decided a life with some unknown, less argumentative princess was better than sticking out the last day of rehab with her? What if-

"Hey!" his affection-warm voice brought her chin up and she squinted into the water; making out splashing now and she wandered over the lake edge; tilting her head at the sight of him swimming in the leaf-decorated water. "Come on in!"

"Erm, no it's okay," she shied, wrapping her blanket around her in the cool morning air. "What are you doing?"

"Enjoying this for all it's worth today," he shared and she nodded, pouting sadly that she couldn't join him.

"Mind the snakes," she told him and he grinned as his arms sliced into the water, propelling him.

"Why don't you join me?"

She hated swimming when she had her period it was like the suckiest thing ever but she doubted he'd understand.

"I still have stomach-ache," she explained and he lazily swam over and launched himself out of the lake to smile down on her bemusedly.

"Can I do anything?"

"No," she shook her head and swallowed as her eyes timidly worked over his wet and almost naked body.

Her look was warming him from the inside out and he couldn't stop his cocky smile.

Three seconds later; he shook his head and splattered her with drips of water; making her squeal.

"Troy!" She huffed, stepping back.

"Whoa;" he grasped her arms and stopped her next step and she froze, looking around with extra-slow care.

She frowned as nothing came into view. "What's the emergency?"

"There's a snail down there," he told her gently and she squinted, indeed recognizing the hard shell of the small insect.

She pursed her lips and looked up to him; his shaggy hair damp and his rash-tainted body glistening.

"You never got a buzz cut;" she tucked his hair back affectionately.

"Do you think I should?" his brow arched.

"Hm…"

"It might convince my father I made it…"

"You might hate it," she warned.

"You mean you might," he twinkled and reached for her and she stepped back.

"You're wet!"

"So what, I need drying…"

"Well don't use me! Troy!" she gasped as he wrapped his arms around her and span her; chuckling at her squeals of protest.

"I missed you," he told her with a soft husk of their morning apart and she softened into a smile too, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to secure her lift against his body.

"Me, too," she tilted her head for a kiss and popped her eyes open when it didn't come.

"Shit!" Troy swore and she froze.

"What? What is it?"

"There's a deadly spider right behind you; huge web and everything…"

"Troy, don't joke," she gulped.

"You avoided the snail but not the arachnid…"

"Just step back and I can escape…"

"Your blanket is already in the web, if I step back that thing is gonna run and we both have bare feet."

Gabi bent her head to his shoulder.

"Then what?"

He swallowed. "I'll put you down and take the blanket while you run…"

"What will you do?"

"Throw the blanket at the damn thing and run, too," he shared and she felt a glimmer of a smile cross her lips.

"Great plan, princey."

"Right, okay," he bent and very carefully put her toes to the ground.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked as he took up the corners of her blanket.

If he wasn't so afraid he might even have glanced at her revealed figure but his upper lip sweated in anxiety while his fingers quivered.

"Just go;" he told her and she quickly kissed his jaw before scampering out from the web; the sight of which made her gasp as she stepped away. The web was huge- taking up an entire tree-side and attached to the braches and now Troy controlled the damage with his gentle hands.

She ran back inside and waited for him with nervous breaths.

"Jesus!" he ran inside the shelter and panted out hysterical breaths.

Gabi ran over and threw herself on him; not sure if she was more frightened for herself or him.

"Are you okay?" she stroked his hair and asked.

"Yeah;" he nodded, his breath warm on her face. "You?"

"I wanted a hug when I got up but not like this…" she murmured and he chuckled, taking her lips into a kiss without thinking.

"Sorry," he apologized and she merely smiled.

"Don't be."

Gabi cupped the back of his head and let their lips mesh the way they both wanted to; a kiss that was inevitable with their pending separation. She giggled as he staggered; finally falling backwards into their soft bedding where she quickly straddled his bare thighs and kissed him some more.

"I thought you wanted a hug?" he panted as he broke for air; his words humorous even if his tone wasn't.

She smiled and conceded he was right; this thing between them just kept growing but neither of them could finish it.

"Well you seduced me, Bolton," she accused; lying beside him while he took deep breaths.

"I'm always a bad influence," he agreed lightly.

"Can I do anything?" she asked of the reaction in his lap she hadn't missed; copying his words from earlier.

He lay back and beckoned her into his side. "Lay with me."

"That's it?" she rubbed a hand over his lovely belly as she snuggled.

"This is what I missed this morning," he realized.

"You wanted your swim…"

"And now I want this," he assured.

She sighed. "Do we have to go back?"

He kissed her hair. "Yep."

"Can't I misbehave some more?"

He groaned with a chuckle. "God you're hot."

"You think so?" she remarked, surprised.

"We're going to do this, though, right?" he checked, tipping his head to her.

"The engagement?" she checked.

"Yeah…just for some time to decide what we want…"

Gabi kind of already knew what she wanted. She wanted the stupid fake-engagement idea to not actually be required. She wanted to date Troy and maybe more without the world's media watching and without her father's judgement.

She wanted to go home, tame down her partying and just extend this time with Troy.

But she knew he had bigger decisions to make. He wanted to travel; with the girl in his dreams. He wanted to advocate his heritage to feed his soul and although somewhere deep down she hoped she might be the girl to do it with him; she still wasn't entirely convinced she could fill his expectations.

He wanted someone who was adventurous, free spirited and comfortable in their own skin and she couldn't understand why he thought that person was her. She still couldn't imagine them being allowed the freedom they craved to test this bond they'd created.

As she nestled into his side and enjoyed their last moments; she decided that for today she wouldn't think about it.

Let their last hours be about fun; let their last night be about togetherness and let their separate flights home be a long distance thought she decided.

Let reality wait.

/

They had talked while they cuddled. They had packed up together with now-practiced ease.

Troy helped her back into the boat and they rowed back; quiet and contemplative but together in their thoughts.

They made their way back to camp hand in hand, in sync but tired, sagging.

Buck met them by the fire on which he was cooking crab for lunch and Gabi actually felt emotional tears fill her eyes before she went up to hug him.

"You made it back alive, Cadet, I'm proud." The older man husked.

"You should've seen this spider…" Gabi began and recounted their fright with the creature as Troy shook Buck's hand.

"Well sit down and rest yourselves; I have lunch on the way and tonight we can do whatever you choose…"

"No task?" Gabi looked up, surprised.

"Not tonight," Buck confirmed. "You cadets have come out mighty fine if I do say so and you deserve a little R&R."

"Wow…" Gabi pushed out her lower lip and looked around camp. "I think I'm actually going to miss this place…"

"After a few days back home, this will be all forgotten," Buck mused as Gabi went about tidying up, feeling restless and lost.

She looked up to see Troy by the fire, poking the crab and she frowned at Buck as if this moment might be the only time she could be honest.

"Maybe I don't want to forget it all." She considered.

Buck jerked his chin to guide her away from the camp a little where they walked and talked.

"Cadet, you've shown me a few things these last coupla weeks that surprised me…I didn't expect your determination and strength and don't think I've been blind about you and Cadet Bolton getting closer…"

Gabi blushed as the older man smiled.

"Well, I guess it would have happened whatever…"

"You're both going through the same thing; is it so unreal to think the friendship you found is genuine?"

Gabi sighed. "Time is running out."

"You have your whole lives…" Buck lifted a brow.

"You really think that's an option?" she wondered sagely.

"I think things like this don't just happen," Buck shared with a knowing wink. "I think sometimes you have to embrace the unexpected…"

Gabi looked up and contemplated his theory.

"I-"

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Troy called over and Gabi snapped her head up.

"Is lunch ready?" Buck asked to save her grace.

"Hot and fresh;" Troy affirmed and Gabi gave Buck a little thankful smile.

"I wish my father was more like you."

Buck grinned. "I bet he loves you all the same."

Gabi took her crab shell from Troy and ate the meat with a fork; thinking of ways they could celebrate their last night.

"How about a hula skirt making competition?" she suggested and both men laughed.

"The zip wire?" Troy asked and Buck pursed his lips.

"I know a short cut…"

"There is no way on this earth I am getting back on that thing," Gabi sulked.

"I have a better idea…" Buck went over to his lodge and returned with a map, handing it to Troy.

"Go up to Lover's Point, there's a giant hammock up there and you can watch the sun go down and get back in time for dinner."

"But we're not-" Gabi opened her mouth to protest.

Troy caught up her hand in his and smiled into her face.

"It sounds like fun."

"I'll get some rice on for later and make this crab into risotto," Buck commented as he rose and Gabi stared at Troy.

"What about Buck?"

"What about him? Let's go enjoy this sunset…"

"But it's our last night…"

"All the more reason to be alone," he grinned.

She gave him one of her looks that told him he wasn't getting any love from her any time soon and he disarmed his smile.

"Look; let's just enjoy this island for one more night and pretend we're not the most famous royal offspring for all the wrong reasons," he encouraged and she felt herself weakening even though spending more time with him was only going to remind her how much she had come to care about him already.

She pushed out her lower lip and sagged when his hands drew hers up; toward his chest.

"Smile beautiful," he accused softly.

She rolled her eyes. "Alright;" she agreed eventually.

"Great," he lifted his brows and went to pack a bag of essential ponchos and warm underclothes in case of a storm.

"Do you think we could get lost out here so no-one could find us?" He wondered as they made their way through the light brush toward the point.

"You can;" she remarked. "I can't live without my bed for another day…"

"Hey, what's the plan?" he looked to her and she shrugged.

"We tell our parents we're dating and we meet up in a few days?"

"A few days?" he frowned, looking down on her.

"We live at opposite ends of the country, Troy, what did you think would happen?"

"That I'd get to come see you after I dropped by home…"

"No way," she looked at him for a long moment.

"Thanks," he muttered and she rubbed her thumb into his palm.

"I need some space, okay?" she asked.

"What if you decide this isn't what you want?" he stopped and looked down on her as the point came into view.

She rubbed her lips together. "I won't."

"Promise?"

She flicked her eyes up; reticent to promise when she didn't know how her father was going to react yet. And Troy was acting like this was all very real and not a ruse at all which confused her because their friendship- and what came beyond that- was very real but she didn't know if they would be, back home in their environment.

"Is everything okay?" she asked instead, sensing his vulnerability.

Troy sighed and tracked up to the cliff edge that made the point and looked out.

"I just want somewhere I can escape to…"

"So I'm your escape route?" she asked.

"No," he turned to pierce her with his gaze. "I haven't hidden the fact I want to be with you, 'Brie. I just haven't crowed about it because you don't seem to feel the same…"

Gabi climbed into the huge hammock that was well-tethered between two redwoods and she sighed out; adjusting her position as Troy joined her and very quickly they overlapped each other both on their backs.

"Maybe I know how futile it is to think that any of this can be true," she shared.

"I told you, we're both being vetoed to marry so who's going to ask questions about our plan?"

"My father will," she assured.

"Then come to Boston and we'll ride out to Plymouth…"

"Can we just see how it is, when we get home?" she begged.

"Of course," his lips brushed her hair and he put his arm around her and she burrowed into him; showing if not saying how much she was going to miss this.

"Why did this stupid punishment have to be so much fun?" she complained and he chuckled.

"I don't know but I'd take it every day if it meant being with you."

"From the guy who can't settle down," she mused and he wasn't sure if she was insulting him or not but he didn't argue, he just tightened his arm and let her nestle.