"It's gonna take my hand off!" Elizabeth squealed, ducking a little as Dwayne laughed powerfully behind her. She squealed again, pushing her body back, trusting that he would support her.

She was stood comfortably, her feet on the lowest rail of the pier wall. He was stood right along with her, their legs and feet close together. Dwayne was behind her, his hands grasped firmly on her hips. He was still taller than her and she felt so incredibly protected and safe with him, encompassed and enveloped by his body. He was holding her tightly, making sure she didn't fall or slip. She loved the feeling of his hands on her body and she thought, perhaps, that he was holding her a little more closely than the situation required. It made her smile even more.

"Just throw it really hard" he advised through a chuckle, arms wrapped solidly around her waist now, easily supporting her wriggling body.

The seagull cawed angrily, moving to swoop down once more. It looked so big, almost like it was suspended in the air and she felt oddly intimidated by it. It was just a bird but it looked huge. She had been the one to insist on feeding it the dregs of their dinner and she was regretting it a little now, though having Dwayne so close was definitely something to be celebrated. With a little scream and then another explosion of laughter, she followed Dwayne's instructions and lobbed the pizza crust as hard as she could across the beach. The seagull dove to catch it, leaving them alone in their laughter.

"You knew that would happen" she accused through giggles.

Dwayne moved his head to kiss her cheek, then rested his chin on her head. He didn't deny it but she knew he was smiling as wide as she was. His chest vibrated with his chuckles.

Dwayne had bought a pizza, a medium pepperoni and they had been enjoying it together, sat on a bench on the pier. The boardwalk was busy and wanting to be with each other away from the jostling crowds, they had both agreed to hang out on the quieter side, away from the rides. That's what she'd wanted, anyway. Just to be with him. She didn't need attractions or rides.

Just him, just his company.

After eating a good chunk of the pizza, Elizabeth had said she was stuffed and suggested feeding the birds with their last, kind of forlorn slice. Dwayne's eyes had sparkled brightly as he nodded his agreement and had pointed her to the railings, telling her "that's a good spot to throw from..."

She had stepped up, smiling as he hopped up right alongside her.

She had thrown her first piece of crust to a sedate, fat looking bird and from there, the attack had begun.

"You're terrible" she laughed, sighing happily as she leaned against him still, making no move to step down or away from him.

"The worst" he agreed, moving to tickle her sides.

Laughing, she tried to wriggle free but was trapped between the railings and his chest.

"No!" she giggled, "I take it back! I take it back!"

He slowly stopped his tickling her and she coughed a little, getting her breath back.

"Wonder if he even likes pizza…"she spoke after a few minutes of easy, comfortable silence.

Dwayne mock tutted, "why do you think it's a he? You know-" but the sound of bikes seemed to reverberate around them, and he let is words fall into nothingness.

Dwayne squeezed Elizabeth's hip, gently helping her hop off the railing and onto the ground once more.

Turning, Elizabeth saw David, Marko and Paul easily dismounting their bikes. David had smoothly lit a cigarette and for a second, she wondered how he could move so fast and seamlessly.

"We thought it was you two.." Paul grinned, bounding over to the couple.

"Are we interrupting?" Marko asked with a terribly fake, innocent air and a grin of his own.

Elizabeth, surprised by how comfortable she felt around them, quipped with a wry smile, "yes..."

David chortled approvingly as the others laughed.

"Good to see you again, girl" Paul grinned.

"So. Are we going?" Marko asked with an expectant smile, cutting straight to the chase and Elizabeth looked between him and Dwayne, a little lost. Going where?

"If you're gonna see our digs, we have to do it properly, chica" Paul explained "we're throwing you a party!"

She laughed a little and Dwayne slid his arm over her shoulder, giving her a small squeeze, "it's nothing crazy, just food, some drinks-"

Paul interrupted, "-and weed and hookers and-"

He let Marko jostle him and stayed silent as the curly blonde confirmed, "-just the weed, Liz.."

Elizabeth laughed at the look of momentary exasperation that crossed Dwayne's face.

She knew Dwayne had been trying to reassure her, to make her know that she was welcome and wanted. She remembered how nervous she had felt when she was first hanging out with them, but she felt none of that now. Her heart swelled at how kind Dwayne was, how he seemed to just know her. She was a low-key kind of person but Paul's party also sounded fun.

"Are you OK?" he asked and she nodded immediately.

"Yeah, that sounds awesome" she assured.

She was excited to spend time with him at his place and honestly, she actually felt like she belonged with them, with his group.

She thought the next best thing to being alone with Dwayne was being with Dwayne and his friends.

Her friends, she corrected herself, happily.

"It sounds good" she assured him.

"Good?" Marko asked and David shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Great?" she offered.

Dwayne sighed.

"Amazing beyond my wildest dreams?" she tried again and as the four boys grinned and nodded, she laughed. Dwayne squeezed her shoulder and smiled down at her.

"Does she know?" Paul asked and Dwayne shook his head, eyes dancing.

"Know what?" she asked but the others just laughed.

"Hey, come on that's a bit discomforting…" she protested a little nervously and again, Dwayne squeezed her shoulder.

"Dwayne may have mentioned that you like history" David spoke as he exhaled "and our place is the epitome of historical.."

Marko was nodding and Elizabeth looked at Dwayne, "where do you live?"

Another enigmatic smile, "I'll show you"

She grinned and nodded, interested.

The boys moved to their bikes and Dwayne quietly asked her, "are you sure you're OK to ride?"

She felt fine and nodded with a warm smile, understanding what he meant.

They had walked to the boardwalk together from her house - she had gotten antsy, too eager to see him and, since Michael and Sammy had left to do their own things and Grandpa had locked himself contentedly in his work room, she'd decided to walk down the drive and down towards the boardwalk. It had felt torturous to wait in a dark and empty house, like time was moving so slowly. As she had walked down the dark drive, wondering when the streetlights on the main street would be repaired, she'd spotted a figure in the distance. She had known instantly it was Dwayne, and she'd dashed down to see him, ignoring the uncomfortable little burn she'd felt as she ran.

"I was coming up to get you" Dwayne said, letting her jump into his arms and planting a hard kiss on her lips, "you didn't have to come down"

"I couldn't wait to see you" she told him without shame, a bright smile on her face, "I thought I could meet you on the way or something"

He grinned and kissed her again, "are you OK?"

"Of course - I'm with you" Elizabeth said, shyness and nervousness gone.

She loved him. She had been with him, she had given him everything she had and she knew that there was no reason to worry about telling him her true feelings. It didn't even feel fast anymore. It only felt right.

"I mean, are you OK?" he asked again and she blushed a little, understanding his meaning.

"Minimal discomfort" she assured and he gently, softly released her body.

"Really?"

"Really"

"I was worried about you"

She shook her head, "it was perfect. Thank you..."

He kissed her again and she smiled into his kiss, returning it with an eagerness of her own.

When they parted, Elizabeth both breathless and flushed, noticed that he had been walking, "no bike?"

"Like I said, I was worried about you-" she loved how caring, how understanding and just how knowing he was "-so I parked it down by the pier and walked"

"You're amazing"

They moved in to kiss each other once more.

"Are your family-"

"-all out. Well, my Grandpa is inside but he's stuffing animals and the dog's probably hiding from it all" she grimaced a little and he laughed, "so I'm all yours tonight"

"I wouldn't have it any other way" he assured her, holding her hand.

"Me too" she beamed.

"Your brothers OK?"

Elizabeth shrugged as they walked, "Michael looks great. Sammy's made friends...everything's kind of perfect in the Emerson house" she summarized.

"Good to hear. No more fights?"

She smiled up at him and shook her head, "nah"

He pulled her close, his arm over her shoulders, "you'd tell me if they were? If you were upset or..."

She nodded, bending her arm upwards and linking her hand with his, "yes.."

"Good. I want you to be happy"

"I'm with you" she trilled happily, "what else could I be?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you.." she murmured to him, glancing as the three boys busied themselves with their own bikes.

She gently slid onto Dwayne's bike, noting how he was tensed a little, watching her over his shoulder. She felt a twinge of discomfort as he legs widened but nothing more. She settled herself softly, slipping her arms around his waist and he relaxed as she did.

"Hold on tight, huh Liz?" David suggested with a smile, revving his bike hard and leaving with speed.

Marko whooped, following him with an excited silence.

"...we can see about those hookers, girl" Paul told her in an exaggerated whisper, winking. He shot a ridiculously toothy smile at Dwayne before also taking off at speed.

"Remember the first time you rode my bike?" Dwayne asked over his shoulder and Elizabeth grinned, guessing where he was going. He was going to show her just how fast he could go. She laughed and pressed herself hard against him, feeling the bike vibrate beneath them as he began to push the accelerator.

Dwayne always made her feel like she was flying, the way he held her, the way he kissed her, they way they had been together. She thought she could float. But now?

She screamed in delight as they shot down the wooden boardwalk, feeling the contrast as they merged onto the hard concrete of the road.

She really felt like she was flying.

The wind whipped her hair, seemed to go straight through her thin sweater. Ahead, she could see the three boys disappear and she buried herself tighter against Dwayne in anticipation - she saw they were coming up to steep steps.

She screamed in fear and excitement as, for a moment, it felt like they were suspended in air before they came to a smooth land on the sand. There was no stopping. As the sand sprayed behind them, Dwayne cheered, zig zagging across the beach.

God, how had she lived before him? How had she gone through life without this feeling?

They passed, as fast as lightning, through the last strip of sand and emerged into a woody area. Instead of sand, soil sprayed behind them. Elizabeth breathed heavily, amazed by the beauty of the trees, the misty air. She didn't even know where they were, she couldn't even hope to glance at or make sense of her surroundings but she found that she just didn't want to.

They exploded from the trees and foliage, landing smoothly on a rocky, bumpy road and Elizabeth held Dwayne tighter still.

It was colder up here. Wherever here was.

There was nothing to watch, nothing to see. Just a vast expanse of open land and dark skies.

Dwayne began to slow.

Elizabeth breathed deeply, unable to help but laugh.

"Fun, huh?" David grinned, watching as Dwayne came to a stop.

He and Marko were already off their bikes, watching her and Dwayne patiently. They both looked happy.

"Fucking A!" Paul said, slapping his handlebars with glee.

"Do you always ride like that?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes bright and teary from the wind.

David chuckled lowly as he stepped forward and offered her his hand. She accepted it with a smile, feeling grateful and oddly accepted, like he approved of her. She liked the feeling.

"Careful-" Dwayne said, watching as David steadied her.

Elizabeth laughed again as Dwayne kicked himself off his bike, her legs felt shaky and she felt cold but she was still so happy despite it.

David released her hand as Paul lit a cigarette, the flame looking oddly bright in the darkness of the night.

"Elizabeth are-"

"You OK?" Paul and Marko said in time with Dwayne.

He turned to them with a stern, amused, frustrated look and he opened his mouth - looking like he was going to tell them where they could shove their jokes - before closing it again, as if he was unwilling to swear at them in front of Elizabeth. He looked almost like a fish that had just been caught, gaping and confused and Elizabeth couldn't help but giggle.

So strong, so handsome..and now, so goofy.

It was kind of cute.

"I'm fine" she assured him through another giggle.

"She's fine" Paul told Dwayne, his eyes dancing.

"Really, I'm great" she told Dwayne. She felt a little sore but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"She's great" Paul told Dwayne and this time, David laughed through his smirk.

"Whatever's wrong with you is no small thing..." Dwayne told Paul, propelling chuckles from everyone.

As the laughter died down, Elizabeth surveyed their surroundings.

There was nothing.

They had come to stop on a cliff, where it was she didn't quite know - there was just an expanse of cliff, a little fenced off area, a wooded area behind them and the wide, dark ocean before them...after what looked like a long, jagged drop.

"I thought we were going to your house?" Elizabeth asked with a little confused frown.

She turned on the spot again, looking around but no. There was nothing there.

"House?" Marko grinned.

"I'm pretty sure I said 'digs'" Paul said, lips clamped over his cigarette.

"You'll love it" Dwayne assured her.

The wind picked up a little and Elizabeth shivered lightly, tucking her fists into the long sleeves of her thin sweater, "...but I don't see it" she told them with a bemused raise of her eyebrows.

Dwayne shuffled out of his jacket and swung it around her shoulders with a deep, "here..." as Marko laughed, "it's right there!"

Elizabeth shook her head as she slipped her arms into the wide, long sleeves of the jacket. It was heavy and far too big for her but it smelt like Dwayne and provided instant respite from the chilly wind. She never wanted to take it off. Breathing in the scent of the jacket a little, she shook her head again. She had no idea what Marko was talking about; there was nothing around them. She shook her shoulders a little, letting Dwayne's jacket settle on her frame.

She smiled up at him, grateful and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.

He returned her smile before both of them were pulled in by Paul's laugh, "open your eyes girl - you're right in front of it!"

She shook her head again, "I have no idea what you're talking about"

David smirked a little, "look, Elizabeth..."

She gave a 'what is this nonsense?' glance at Dwayne who smiled reassuringly in response.

Look. Look at what?

"Okayy..." she said slowly, humoring them.

She looked over at the wooded area but Paul made a loud, "eh-ehhhh" sound. She turned instead to the sea, at the lighthouse in the distance but of course their house...their digs...wouldn't be way out there.

"Warmer..." Paul encouraged, and she glanced at Dwayne with a little frown before focusing on the fenced area at the edge of the cliff.

No way.

"We have a winner!" Paul chortled as Marko and David clapped like excited game-show contestants.

"No way..." Elizabeth said through a little laugh.

Now that she was looking at it, really considering it, she saw the fenced was scattered with old and very angry red signs.

"That's a keep out zone if I've ever seen one-" she said, taking a step back.

Dwayne moved to hold her hand softly.

"-but it's home" Marko said with an honest smile.

"It's ours" Paul told her, his eyes dancing with delight but his face serious.

She trusted his words.

"...is it safe?" she asked Dwayne, looking at up him.

"I promise, you'll love it" he assured her sincerely.

The three boys moved towards the fence but Dwayne made no move to follow them. She looked up at him and he gave her another warm smile before nodding.

She trusted him, too.

Elizabeth took a step forward and Dwayne followed her as she did. As they walked closer to the edge of the cliff, the bright white beam from the lighthouse reached them, illuminating the area for a moment.

"Oh man..." she muttered, eyebrows contracting a little.

Nothing about the area looked even remotely safe.

She glanced nervously at a 'DO NOT ENTER' sign attached to the rusty chain link fence and then down the steep, rickety wooden steps ascending into nothingness. The waves crashed angrily beneath them and they were plunged into darkness again as the light left.

David, his body periodically illuminated by the rotating beam from the lighthouse in the distance, was still, stood before the gate. He was staring calmly out into the sea.

"Trust us, Lizzie" Paul said with a small smile.

Was it safe? What was down there?

Marko moved to stand beside Paul, resting his hand on the rusty fence separating them from the stairs. Those old, weather worn stairs. He waited, smiling patiently, like he had all the time in the world.

Elizabeth felt Dwayne squeeze her shoulder comfortingly and she moved her head to look at him, an unspoken question on her face.

What was down there? Really? She felt a twinge of nervousness wash over her.

"It's just home..." he assured her, his voice low.

She nodded.

He smiled at her, "I swear. You'll love it" he assured her once more and again, she trusted him fully. The location, the stairs…the weirdness of it all made her nervous, uncomfortable but looking at Dwayne, she knew she was safe.

In her heart, she knew she was safe with him.

"Ok" she said with a firm nod, crossing her arms a little, retreating into the warmth of Dwayne's jacket.

"Yes! Atta girl!" Paul laughed.

Dwayne moved easily, standing beside his friends. Marko slowly opened the gate and Paul smiled with amusement as it creaked.

"You're one of us…" David spoke, turning to look at Elizabeth.

Dwayne extended his hand.

"…aren't you?"

Elizabeth looked at the four boys in front of her and, as her eyes rested on Dwayne's, she nodded and took his hand.

"Hell yes..." she said with a little laugh.

The four boys laughed happily along with her, all of them looking happy with her answer.

She didn't know for sure if she was one of them. She didn't know what to make of the situation - she knew she liked them a lot, she knew she was happy with their group and that she wanted to be part of it - but was she one of them? All she did know, without a single doubt, was that she was his.

She was Dwayne's.

As the boys cheered, David grinned and leaped down onto the stairs, walking fast and soon out of sight.

Their energy levels peaked again and Dwayne pulled her in for a discreet kiss before leading her down the stairs.

"Don't look, just step" he instructed and, heeding his words, she found them surprisingly easy to navigate.

"I can't wait for you to see it" Dwayne said, looking back at her.

Elizabeth grinned and nodded, a little eagerness and excitement washing over her.

She heard Paul and Marko whoop before they disappeared down and out of sight.

Down?

Down...

"It's a cave?!" she realized in wonder, her voice half caught in a laugh and half in an amazed gasp.

Dwayne smiled at her with a nod, pulling her in for another kiss.

As the waves roared beneath them and the wind swirled around them, Elizabeth succumbed to his kiss, so utterly lost in him and so eager to see their cave, to see what waited beyond the steep, dark incline.

She smiled in happiness.

Maybe she really was one of them?