The day of the beach trip dawned bright and early.

Very early. The plan was to actually take the bus out before dawn so they had the entire day. Jim smiled. He could already see the first light of dawn and the hint of a warm day.

"Good thing we live in California where it's warm, right, Jimbo!" Toby said, marching up with what looked like several backpacks of gear. "Imagine doing this in North Dakota."

"You do know we're only going to be there for a day," Jim said, staring down at Toby's gear. "And I'm pretty certain North Dakota is landlocked."

"I like to be prepared," Toby said. "Snacks, extra suits in case of malfunctions, beach towels—"

"Girlfriend," Darcie said as she came up to Toby and aware of her father's gimlet eye, gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Ah, yeah, her too," Toby said with a blush. "Where's Claire?"

"Her mom wanted to talk to her by the car," Jim said.

Behind the van, Claire frowned at her mother. "I've got everything," she said.

"No, you don't," Ophelia said. "You don't have this." She held out a bag, her arms trembling.

Claire took it, and blinked at the weight. "Wait a minu—" She opened it, and inside saw the gleaming armor. "But—do you think."

"No. But why did you leave it behind?"

"Well, you were worried…" Claire fell silent. Dr. Kruz had told her how frightened her parents were and so she'd decided that if she didn't carry it to school, she could leave it home for the beach.

"Yes. And I took it out on you. I don't think anything is going to happen. But the fact of the matter is, that like it or not, and I don't like it, this is your world now. So… If you want to take it, if you feel you need your armor, you can take it, with my blessing."

Claire stared at the armor. Safety. But she hadn't been that worried when she hadn't been planning to take it. She had her staff and Jim and so was it safety… or a safety blanket? She shook her head at that and put the bag back into the car. "No. I'd just get paranoid that someone was looking into it. If I need it…" She gestured at her other bad. "I've got the staff and nobody can use that."

In fact… Lately Claire had been able to call the staff to her, her control and power seeming to grow of its own accord. She shook her head. "It's fine."

"I—Have fun, than, Claire." She glanced over at Jim. "But not too much fun. I don't want to hear you gave the teacher's a heart attack."

"Don't worry about that," Claire said. It won't be me…

The drive to the beach took about an hour and Claire and Jim found some time for snuggling—as did most of the other partnerships. Chaste snuggling, given Uhl and Coach's observation. Mary was unhappily confessing the injustice she faced from her parents as she talked to Jim and Claire, Toby and Darcy listening from their side.

"Not only did they say I couldn't bring a senior, they made me wear my one-piece when I had this selected!" She displayed the garment and Jim blinked.

"Mary, isn't that like… some dental floss and three bandaids?"

"It's stylish!" She said, turning around and sitting in her seat in a huff.

"She does that all the time," Claire whispered to Jim. "I've never seen her in anything but a one-piece and she keeps buying these, like super skimpy outfits that she never even tells her parents about. She must have a whole drawer full of them."

"She must buy a lot," Jim said. "Or it's a really small drawer." He grinned. "What about you?"

"I have my two piece."

Jim made a very happy sound and Claire poked him. "Don't think it's like what you just saw, buster, I want to have some fun without worrying about things falling off."

"That's what surgical glue is for!" Mary's voice drifted over her seat.

When they got to the beach, Claire and the other girls quickly went to the changing stations, the boys heading to their own. Jim came out in his shorts and waited for Claire. Toby handed him a nouget nummy and they waited until the girls appeared, Darcie jumping up and kissing Toby, even as Claire ran over to Jim. "So, volleyball first, or swimming?" she asked.

"Volleyball, then we can see who's best at boarding it," Jim said with a grin. "Wanna be on the same side?"

"You got it, buster!"

Jim loved it. Claire was on his side, then by popular demand, she was on the other side, so the other team would have a chance. They played Frisbee, swam, and as the day wore on, had lunch. The sand was warm under his feet, Jim's ears were full of laughter from his friends and the beach had other people on it, families and college kids enjoying the day.

Midway through the afternoon, Jim and Claire found themselves sitting under a big beach umbrella, watching Toby, Darcie, Mary and several other students engaged in a game of… "Are they playing polo?"

"I think they're playing dogpile anyone with the ball," Claire said as she leaned into Jim, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Susan and Jake went behind the dunes."

"And there goes Coach," Jim said.

"Uh-huh." Claire shook her head. "Bad hiding place."

"Yep." Jim snuggled a little more into Claire. It was nice just sitting here, feeling the warmth of the sun and his girlfriend. Toby erupted from the water, holding the ball and Jim grinned at the way the other junior looked surprised at how strong Toby was. He still looked chubby, but that was just an overlay on his muscles. Toby was probably stronger than Jim and it showed. Toby had his back, now and forever and Jim had wanted to cheer at the knowledge that his friend had a girlfriend of his own.

Toby went under for the fourth time, but he was buoyant. Jim and Claire were snuggling and happy as they waved at him from where they were sitting.

I wonder if they're both oblivious? Claire wasn't just getting looks from the other kids, but some of the college guys (and girls) were walking past more than once. The same went for Jim. They were no longer skinny, not like they had been when they'd come back, but their forms were fit, smoothly muscled and they moved like gymnasts. Fortunately, nobody tried anything.

Toby figured that Jim might be over going ultraprotective when people just got too close to Claire, but he didn't think he'd ignore someone hitting on Claire. Fortunately, everyone was being cool, so Toby didn't have to see if college students had a survival instinct.

And they were having fun. That made Toby's day, as they smiled, and laughed, and joined in with the games over the day.

And then, as the sun started to set and fire pits bloomed with yellow-orange fires, he found himself sitting next to his girlfriend. Darcie.

She doesn't know anything, and yet she sticks with me. Toby. God, he was lucky.

For a moment, Claire felt herself quiver. The fires, sometimes were the same color as the stones in the Darklands.

But then she looked up, at the stars blazing in the night sky, the ocean reflecting their light. She put her hand on the ground. Good ground, not desecrated. The stars, the same stars that had been here long before mankind had existed, that would be here, for every generation to come. The giggles and chats as kids toasted marsh mellows, laughing or just sitting together, quietly enjoying each other's company.

There were things in Creation beyond any power of Gunmar's to mar.

She relaxed, the comfy blanket keeping her and Jim warm.

"We'll be going home in a little while." Claire looked around.

"Yeah." Jim stared up at the sky. He paused, then leaned in and kissed Claire. Claire returned it, and they stayed that way, until they finally broke the kiss off. "I'm glad we came here."

"Yeah." Claire leaned into Jim, closing her eyes, feeling him pressing into her. "So am I." I—we can stand again.

"It's why we fight," Jim murmured sleepily. "This. Screw the glory."

She patted his hand. "You got that right, Trollhunter."

Jim didn't say anything else, the two just laying on the beach in companionable silence, until Coach called them back to the buses.