As far as meals went, breakfast that morning seemed even noisier than normal. The kids were in high spirits – especially the boys from Australia – and were looking forward to a full day of outdoor activities. They were chattering at every table, each wondering what their cabin was going to do that morning for their activity, and speculating on what they'd be doing the rest of the day as well. Australia was no different; the boys were trying to figure out what they were going to do – since all the schedule said was 'individual cabin activities', and that didn't really tell them much.

"I hope we're swimming!" Chance said, spraying Wilson and Chad with bacon in his excitement.

"Me, too!"

"Or skiing!"

"Yeah. That'd be cool, huh, River?"

River grinned.

"Yup."

"You know how to ski, River?" Brian asked, interested.

"Sure."

"River can do anything in the water," Wilson said, loyally.

"Can you ski, Ian?" Chad asked.

"Ian can do anything, too," Chance said, just as loyally.

Ian had been concentrating more on eating than anything else, although he'd been listening to the conversation while stuffing himself with French toast and bacon. Now he looked up, and shrugged.

"I've tried it."

River looked over, still smiling.

"Wiped out?"

"You haven't?"

"Never."

"Bull-"

"Ian." Jack interrupted, reminding him that they weren't alone.

"-ony."

River's smile broadened to a shit-eating grin, and Shawn chuckled, well aware of what the New Yorker had been planning to say. Even the kids laughed, although they had no idea why it was so funny. The only one not smiling at the table was Sammy, who had lost his enthusiasm the minute they'd mentioned doing water activities.

"Maybe we're hiking," Bruce said, hopefully. He'd been looking forward to a nature walk, and they hadn't had one yet.

"Or canoeing!"

"Or sailing!"

Yes, the opportunities seemed endless now that the sun was out once more and the entire camp was open to the campers once more.

Ian glanced over at Sammy, realizing he hadn't said anything, and noticed that same fear lurking in his eyes. He considered saying something to reassure him – it wasn't like anyone was going to force the kid into doing something he didn't want to, after all – but before he could, Gary Hines rose from his spot at the staff table, where he'd been chatting with Sam.

The kids noticed immediately, of course, and the room silenced almost immediately. Gary smiled, well aware that they were all eager to find out what they were doing.

"Okay, campers!" He looked down at the paper in his hand – the schedule – and then back at the kids, who were all watching excitedly. "This morning when we're done eating, you're all going to go back to your cabins and clean them up a bit…"

There were groans of dismay; this was not what they wanted to hear. Especially the kids who were especially messy.

Gary's smile widened. He couldn't have them going out to their various activities right after breakfast, after all. Otherwise, they'd be cramping up in the water, or throwing up on the ponies from motion sickness and who knew what else?

"After that, the bell is going to ring," he said, nodding to his assistant, who came around and handed one counselor at each table a paper. "When it rings, you'll be dismissed to your morning activity. Because of the rain, we've had to change things around a little, so your counselors are getting a list of which activity each cabin can choose from…"

He waited for the murmuring to subside as each of the tables craned to see what the paper in their counselor's hand said.

"There will be different activities later, so don't panic if you don't get to do whatever one you wanted – and don't start trying to decide which one you want to do just yet. You can figure that out once you get to your cabins. Okay?"

There were assorted groans and more murmuring, but none of the kids objected. They were all too curious about what was on their particular lists.

River had been handed the paper for Australia, but before any of the kids – or Jack – could sneak a look at their options, he folded it and put it in his pocket, which caused even more groans from the kids at his table. They were pretty certain they were going to die from anticipation.

"Okay, campers," Gary said. "Finish eating, clear your dishes and head on up to your cabins!"

Now the room erupted in excited buzzing as each table tried to get their counselor to tell them what was on their list. Ian kept eating while the boys of Australia tried to bribe River with everything from cleaning his stuff to making his bed to get him to tell them what was on the list. The Californian just grinned, though, and started stacking dishes. He had lots of experience antagonizing little kids by keeping secrets from them – he had a ton of little sisters, after all, and had teasing them down to an art form. He'd already figured out that girls were the same as boys when it came to that.

When the dishes were stacked as neatly as six-year-olds could stack, River and Jack headed up to the cabin with the boys, giving Ian and Shawn a chance to go as slowly as they needed to. Ian reached out, though, and put a hand on River's arm before the Californian could head for the door. The boys kept running, followed by Jack, who only stopped long enough to tell Sam hi and make sure she didn't need anything.

"What are the choices?"

River grinned.

"Can't stand the wait?"

Ian scowled, in no mood to be teased himself, even though the hearty breakfast had helped ease his headache.

"I was thinking more of Sammy."

"Ah." River shrugged. "Canoeing, sailing and skiing…" he said. "Not something Sammy's going to want to do, huh?"

"And there's no way the other kids are going to turn down a chance at the ski boat," Shawn said, having come up to listen in on the conversation.

"And no reason they should," Ian agreed. "Not just for one kid."

As much as the other two hated to agree with that seemingly callous statement, they both did.

"I can't go on a boat," Shawn said. "Not with my cast. He can hang out with me, instead."

"Doing what?" River asked.

"I don't know."

"He liked the riding," Ian said.

"I can't ride right now," Shawn protested.

"I can, though, and I'd rather ride than do anything water related right now, anyways."

"Are you sure?" Shawn asked. "I don't mind-"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Ian looked over at River. "Unless you'd rather take him riding?"

Now it was River's turn to scowl.

"I'm still waiting for my testicles to drop from the last time…"

Ian snorted, amused.

"Adams can play Popeye with you and the boys. I'll go find out who has riding as an option and invite myself along."

"Sounds like a plan. You don't need feet for sailing, anyways – or for riding in a ski boat."

"We'll meet you back at the cabin," Shawn said.

Ian nodded.

"I won't be long."