This was supposed to be the ending, Second one actually, only there where somany request on the site where I first posted it to keep going I did. Please review.

EwaB

Part 10

Phil was still angry when he left the house, but even without Lindsy's advice he would have gone for the bear hug.

Because if Josh looked like a five year old waking up from a bad dream, Jake looked like a four year old who had irretrievably lost his favourite cuddly toy letting it fish for salmon, knowing his parents would get angry because it they told him once they told him a thousand times that Teddy couldn't swim.

When Phil opened the door on the drivers side, Jake was rubbing the tears from his eyes and trying very hard to look tough. Ready to do battle again, but yearning for some reassurance.

With a only slightly grumpy.

"Oh Jake, you idiot."

Phil got in the car grabbing Jake for a bear hug and Jake just scooted over so Phil could get in.

And all Jake wanted to do was hold on for dear live.

Only at that moment Phil's pocket started buzzing, it was Larry and he wanted his car back, talking about great timing. So Phil got out of the car and grabbed an extra helmet and together with Jake they set off in Larry's car. First to the harbour to get Phil's bike and than to Larry's house. Where Jake would also switch to the bike. Phil just hoped that Josh and Lindsy wouldn't kill each other in the mean time.

Sitting next to each other in Larry's car, that had a lousy transmission by the way, neither knew what to say, until they both started at the same time with a rather disjointed apology.

After all the stress the last two weeks it was to much. It felt so good to Phil to be able to talk to Jake again that he started laughing. And soon Jake joint in. Neither knew what it was they where laughing about but is just felt good.

Ten minutes later they where talking about everything and nothing and for an unwitting observer it was as if nothing had ever happened.

They got to the harbour and Phil got ready to get on his bike.

"Race you to Larry's?"

Jake had to control himself not to roll his eyes, that was his very mature dad alright. He wasn't allowed to get a bike, because he would kill himself. And dad wanted to race through town on a Saturday morning. And no way he could ever win with this barrel Larry drove. But if Phil wanted a race, he got a race, to the gate and after that Jake would just concentrate on not completely wrecking the stick shift on this barrel.

Phil had won without any competition. Larry came out and stood there grinning from ear to ear, pretty much forcing Phil to come in and get a drink or something. Not that Phil was putting up a fight, he knew exactly why Larry offered a drink. Larry liked to know everything, and even if he didn't need details he sure would want to know what had happened between Phil and Lindsy. Did Phil drop her at her hotel and go home to mope some more, or did something else happen. And Phil didn't mind bragging about it, he actually wanted to shout it out over the whole world. And with somebody else there it was a relatively save way to make Jake hear it. And if Jake decided to explode again, both he and Larry could handle it.

By the time Jake got to Larry's place he was worried again, the forty-five minutes alone in the car had given him to much time to think. Only when he arrived his dad was already inside enjoying some coffee and gossip about the other captains and the opie season that was going on and Phil not making any move to leave. So Jake had little choice, his ride wasn't moving so neither was he.

Once Jake had some coffee the talk drifted from fishing to girlfriends and from there it was a short leap to Lindsy.

Listening to both Larry and his dad reminiscing what happened just a day earlier made him feel very uncomfortable, they where acting like a bunch of high school cheerleaders, discussing their favourite jock. Except for the language, that was just a bit more explicit and colourful than what he expected cheerleaders to use. But way to much information as far as Jake was concerned. The only good thing was that Lindsy sounded like a pretty cool lady, and not like too high maintenance.

Suddenly Phil got nervous about leaving Josh and Lindsy for such a long time, and he was eager to leave. And Jake was more than willing to go along, anything was better in his view than more of the gossip he had been forced to listen to for the last twenty minutes. So Larry never got a chance to get them to stay longer, they where out the door before he even had time to react. Within two minutes they where on their way, and this time Jake was really hanging on for dear live. Because although it wasn't a competition Phil was racing alright. As far as Jake was concerned he'd rather fish in 30 feet seas than get on the back of his dad bike ever again.

Phil wanted to get off his bike, but he couldn't, because someone had him in a death grip. So he tried to pry Jake's fingers lose but that wasn't really working, the kid had some strength in that wirery frame of his. All of a sudden Jake seemed to realize what he was doing and he let go, stepping back from the bike and nearly falling.

Standing a bit wobbly on his legs Jake felt like kissing the ground. He was never ever ever getting on a bike with his dad again. On the boat Phil was all about keeping his crew alive. But once he got on his bike he went mad as far as Jake was concerned. And no, Jake didn't want a bike anymore. He wanted a tank, and the even Hummer he used to have just wasn't a save enough car to drive. He wanted something much bigger and stronger, thank you very much.

By the time Jake was done thanking his lucky stars for surviving the ride, Phil was already inside. Still wearing his shoes off course. And what he saw took his breath away.

Lindsy and Josh sitting next to each other on the couch with Gizmo in between, a picture of camaraderie. Lindsy with her legs crossed beneath her, and Josh with his feet on the coffee table wriggling his toes, with one toe sticking out of his sock with a smiley drawn on in blue ink. His shoes forgotten on the floor. Both completely engrossed in the Deadliest Catch computer game with the sound on maximum. And clearly enjoying the game and the rivalry.

Jake managed to wriggle his way past Phil who was still blocking the doorway. He had decided to start with an apology for shoving Lindsy. But when he saw at what level they where playing he just picked up Gizmo and flopped down on the couch next to Lindsy to cheer her on and after a few bad actions he started giving advice.

That made Josh push pause.

"Jake, stop cheating. I am playing Lindsy not you."

That made Lindsy laugh once again.

"And how is you playing me not cheating, I clearly remember reading somewhere that you helped develop this game. And for some strange reason you only tell me the trick that I could have used to win after I lose."

And with that she gave her console to Jake.

"Just make sure to beat his ass and all is forgiven."

That got a big grin from Josh. And after Lindsy got up from the couch he leaned over and grabbed his baby brothers head in a deadlock and ruffled his hair. Whispering in Jake's ear.

"Take that offer and play nice to her, or I will have you picking maggots and fish guts out of your bunk for the entire next trip."

Josh could have saved his breath. Jake was eager to kick Josh his ass, and if it made Lindsy not mad at him he was game. He already had is dad around his little finger. So Jake's world was finally making sense again.

Lindsy made her way to Phil and just leaned in for a kiss, but at the moment Phil wanted to kiss her she said.

"Do take your shoes off, or the carpet will get dirty."

Which was impossible since Phil had parquet floors. But he got the message, and went into the hallway to take his shoes off. And after he got back in he got his kiss.

Jake was by this time beating Josh in a regal way. And he turned to tell Lindsy. But somehow the words got changed when they went from his brains to his mouth.

"ugh….. you two, get a room."

Phil was about to get angry again, he had spend so much time being angry he almost forgot how to respond in a different way. But Lindsy just took his arm and with a wink at the couch she said.

"That is the first good advice I got all day."

And she pulled an all of a sudden very willing Phil up the stairs. Leaving his kids to pretend gag on the couch.

They made it to the landing. At that point Phil started thinking with his other brain again.

"No we can't, the boys are down stairs. And I have to speak to Josh."

Lindsy gave him an other kiss, slow and deliberate. Making Phil forget what it was he was trying to say.

"I know but this beats you three starting a shouting match again. And you clearly have to talk to Jake to, he is way too sure about himself to have had "the talk". But relax, they really are great kids. You should be proud.

Only I feel like me being here is cramping your style, so I am going to call a taxi and get to my hotel."

And with that she went down the stairs again, picking up her sweater. Phil called a taxi, after Jake's reaction to the ride on the back of his bike he wasn't going to try the same thing with Lindsy, at least not yet.

They sat at the table watching Josh and Jake playing while waiting for the taxi. The interaction between those two was hilarious. In between games Jake saw something on Josh his feet.

"Dude. Why do you have a smiley on your toe?"

Josh went red once again. But he was saved by the bell. The taxi had arrived and so he could pretend not the have time for an explanation by saying good by to Lindsy.

After some over enthusiastic good by's from Josh, a shy one from Jake and a toe curling on from Phil, Lindsy put on her shoes and coat and got into her ride. She did made sure Phil had her phone number on speed dial though, and that she had his.