"You lived here?" Grace asked as she walked out the back door of the small house in Niue.
"We did," Annie answered.
"When?"
"A couple years before you were born," Auggie said vaguely.
"It's beautiful," she gushed of the verdant landscape and stunning beach beyond.
"It is," Annie said nostalgically.
"Why are you selling it?" Grace asked after her parents explained why they were taking he trip.
"Well, you just took the trip, it is really far from home. That's what we liked about it back then, but your dad and I think we should find a beach house closer to home. We've only come here once since you were born."
"When?" Grace puzzled for a time her parents were both gone together and aside from their trip to Hawaii last year and a few weekends here and there she couldn't think of any.
"You were 3, your father needed a break. Your grandmother stayed with you, do you remember?"
"Vaguely," Grace admitted.
"Why don't you guys head down to the beach, I'll unpack," Auggie offered.
"Thanks," Annie kissed her husband softly and grabbed the bag with the sunscreen in it before heading out behind Grace.
Auggie moved things around the small house, their caretaker had been by recently and things were clean and orderly, so Auggie was able to unpack their bags and groceries with ease. Although the house was small and manageable the landscape seemed to change constantly so he took his cane as he charted a course for the beach.
He could hear Annie and Grace laughing and moved towards the sound, felt the sand pack shift under his feet as he got closer to the water.
"Hey," he said when he thought he was close.
"Hey," Annie's voice came from below him and he realized she was sitting and joined her.
Annie was watching and laughing as Grace ran in and out of the waves, throwing in an occasional cartwheel. They had spent a few days in New Zealand before sailing to Niue, so the 10 year old was already acclimated to the time zone shift and the weather.
"Working off the cabin fever from the boat?" Auggie asked as he followed the sounds of his daughter.
"She's getting so grown up," Annie sighed as she watched Grace's long legs work in the sand, her long hair up in a messy bun looked so much like Annie's, she had Auggie's well-defined jaw.
"Ten," Auggie said sadly.
"It went by in a blink. I was gone so much," Annie lamented.
"It went by fast for me too and I was home for almost all of it. Time passes, kids grow up."
"She's such a daddy's girl, you did a great job on your own a lot," Annie found his hand on the sand and placed hers on top of it.
"She loves you so much Annie," Auggie promised.
"I hope she still does when we are done talking to her," Annie blew out a long breath.
"Mom, come in the water," Grace called and Annie stood and stripped off her sundress to reveal her bathing suit underneath.
She tossed her sundress on Auggie's head and he was instantly surrounded by the scent of Annie.
"Not fair," he faux-lamented, clutching the soft cotton in his hands.
***555***
On their 3rd night in paradise Annie made a special dinner, she encouraged Grace to wear the new dress they had bought in the market and Auggie actually put shoes on.
"What is the occasion?" Grace asked suspiciously as she watched her mother brush a little make up on.
"Just wanted to have a nice dinner," Annie said with a smile.
"You look pretty Mom."
"You do too sweetie. Go find your dad."
Auggie was already at the table, a look of concentration and concern on his face.
"What's wrong?" Grace said, surprising him.
"Nothing Little G, nothing at all," Auggie smiled towards her.
"You and Mom are acting weird. I know you aren't getting a divorce, you kiss too much for that, what's up? Oh my God, is mom pregnant?" she asked simultaneously excited and grossed out.
Annie walked in in time to hear that.
"We were going to wait until after dinner, but maybe we should do this now," Annie sighed.
"You're both freaking me out?"
"Sit down Grace," Auggie instructed and the girl did as she was told.
"I'm not pregnant Grace. Your father and I wanted to talk to you about our jobs…" Annie began.
Auggie and Annie took turns telling Grace about their jobs, in as much detail as they could and felt she would understand. Annie noted the constant display of emotion on her face, she really was her father's daughter.
"Do you have any questions Grace?" Auggie asked tenderly.
"Probably," she shrugged and laughed uneasily.
"We know it is a lot for you to absorb, but we thought you were old enough to know and to understand how important it is that you never ever tell anyone," Annie reiterated the 'covert' part.
Grace stood and walked over to Annie and hugged her tightly and then left the room. Annie looked at Auggie and he seemed as confused as she was.
"She left."
"She can't go too far," Auggie shrugged.
"Is she OK? Do I go after her?"
"I don't know," Auggie sighed.
Annie and Auggie sat there silently for 15 minutes and finally Annie stood.
"I need to find her," she said calmly.
"OK," Auggie stood and took her lead.
It wasn't quite dark out yet and it was easy to spot Grace's long dark hair blowing in the breeze on the beach. She seemed to just be standing there.
"Grace," Annie called and she saw the tears when her daughter turned.
"Oh baby," Annie ran, dislodging Auggie's grip and causing him to stumble a little on the uneven sand.
"I'm OK," Grace smiled through the tears as Annie approached.
"We didn't want to upset you," Auggie said as he found his way to the small gathering.
"I just, I don't know what to say. I have, I mean, I always knew Dad was a hero, he was in the war and he was brave, but I didn't know. Mom, I'm sorry," Grace said, she sounded so grown up.
"Grace, you have no reason to apologize," Annie pulled the girl close.
"There were times I was mad at you, for not being there," Grace admitted with a small sob.
"Oh honey, you had every right to have those feelings, that's perfectly normal," Annie whispered against her hair.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Sometimes," Annie said honestly.
"Your mother is very good at her job Grace," Auggie added.
"Can we have dinner now?" was her next question.
"Sure," Auggie laughed.
***555***
The next day Grace & Annie emerged from the beach in search of food and found Auggie conversing with a lizard in his hammock.
"Friend of yours?" Grace asked.
"Grace, I would like you to meet Hank. Hank, this is Grace," Auggie introduced.
"Babe, I really don't think that is Hank," Annie laughed.
"Lizards have very long life expectancies," Auggie said and sheltered Hank from the potential bad news.
"Uh huh," Annie grinned.
"Are you making lunch?" Auggie asked hopefully.
"Yeah. Gracie, keep your dad company before he starts talking to the lizard again," Annie teased and headed into the kitchen.
"He's kind of cute, can I hold him?" Grace asked.
"Sure," Auggie scooped a docile Hank from the cotton of his tee shirt and held him out.
"Cool," Grace exclaimed as the lizard crawled onto her arm and relaxed there.
She sat on a chaise near the hammock looking at the gecko and her dad.
"How you feeling Gracie?" Auggie asked knowing her eyes were on him.
"I'm OK, everything seems really normal."
"This is normal for us, we are used to this life and even though you didn't realize it, you are too. Your mom is extraordinary, she can speak 18 languages and has been all over the world, but she is still your mom and a terrible cook and goofy as hell," Auggie laughed.
"Terrible cook, huh? Maybe Grace and I will eat lunch by ourselves," Annie said sternly as she emerged from the kitchen to take sandwich orders.
"You make a fantastic sandwich," Auggie conceded.
"You have just coasted by on your good looks all these years buster," she tried to stay stern but wound up laughing instead.
"See, totally normal," Grace laughed.
***555***
The house in Niue was small, really small. Grace was sleeping on an inflatable mattress in the living room, on the other side of the thin wall to Auggie and Annie's room. The first few days of their trip this was hardly an issue, between time zones, travel fatigue, sun and salt air and the stress of reading Grace in, everyone had fallen asleep quickly at night.
Tonight Annie was not so quick to sleep though, her body pressed deliciously against Auggie's in the sunken mattress, her fingers teasing at the elastic of his boxers.
"Annie…." He tried for stern but came off more whiny.
"Sorry," the word and her tone didn't actually match, and she didn't actually stop.
"I'm glad we brought her, but our last trip here," he lamented the idea.
"We can be quiet," she saw the crack in his reserve.
"Never have before," he countered.
"First time for everything," she whispered and crawled on top of him, the bed creaking under the movement.
"The bed alone will wake her up, it is so squeaky," Auggie flushed from the friction of her body against his.
"Floor? Shower? Closet? Hammock? Beach? Pick a spot Babe and pick it quick," Annie said as her lips worked against his neck.
He stopped her gently, his hands clasped around her upper arms.
"Beach," he said it softly and beautifully, like a prayer.
"Yeah," she smiled and nodded, kissed him quickly before hopping off the bed, freezing at the squeaking sound afraid it woke Grace.
Auggie moved around the room quickly gathering a few things and when Annie sighed slightly in anticipation he explained that sand was scratchy and she giggled at him, offered him her arm and led him quietly through the living room where their daughter slept.
Annie grabbed the half bottle of red wine and a glass from the kitchen counter and slipped them both quietly out the back door. She halted Auggie's progress, standing at the back door to make sure they didn't wake Grace. After a few minutes of no movement from inside she continued down to the beach.
The moon provided enough light for Annie and she knew the tide would be on its way out, so she walked them to the firm hard packed sand without fear of being swept out to sea. Auggie shook out the blanket as she pulled her nightgown off over her head and turned it into a pillow.
Auggie was already shirtless, the moon doing things to the contours of his body that made Annie's mouth go dry.
"You look beautiful," she said honestly before she pulled him down to the blanket with her.
She couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes as they made love on the beach. She also couldn't stop talking, Auggie was right they were hardly ever quiet in bed.
"I wish I could say this is where we fell in love, " she mentioned as she slid against his damp skin.
"It is definitely where we confirmed we were in love," Auggie offered as he reached for her hands, interlocking their fingers to allow her better purchase.
"I wonder what would have happened if we never went back."
"We probably would have had more than one kid, but we wouldn't have Grace as she exists now," Auggie philosophized.
"Yeah, playing what if is dangerous for people like us."
"Gorgeous successful people who are madly in love?" he asked with a grin and she leaned down to kiss him, rolling them to the edge of the blanket.
Despite the blanket they ended up sweaty and sandy, so Annie hauled her husband to his feet and led him into the warm water.
Refreshed, redressed and relaxed they sat, arms around each other, sharing a glass of wine.
"How do you have a toast with one glass?" Auggie asked.
Instead of an answer Annie crashed her lips against his as you would glasses, quick and sharp.
"To the next beach," she said and kissed him again.
The End….for now
Note: I am not "completing" this one as I imagine I will be inspired to revisit Grace in the future, I will use this story to add on (maybe even going back in time) down the road, but for now we plunge into Season 5, so, back to reality…..