Recovery
Chapter Six
"OK, boys!" Casie called out. "Time to get to work!"
Her announcement was answered by… "Work?" and "Huh?" and "Wait, I'm on vacation!"
"I need to have a good bed of coals before I can make dinner tonight and that's going to take a while, so, get off your lazy butts and bring me back enough dry wood to get a blaze going that will last all night."
"Oh, man!" Aiden whined.
"If you want to eat tonight, my dear, you'll get the wood. But there is some power bars and MREs in the jumper if you don't want to help." She offered as he trudged down the beach.
After they had presented her with a large pile of dry wood, Casie sorted it by size, setting them next to the pit she and Teyla dug while they were gone.
John watched her for a moment then asked, "You know how to get a fire going?"
"I was a girl scout!" she replied.
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"Were you a boy scout?"
"As a matter of fact, I was an Eagle Scout."
"Oh, good. Cause, I learned the best way to make a nice hot fire…" She stood and looked up into his hazel eyes. "Is to rub a Boy Scout and Girl Scout together." Her smile was evil as she pinched his stomach. "Now stay out of my way, good lookin', or I'll use you for kindling!"
The others chuckled at Shepherd, who stood with his mouth open, staring at Casie, who'd gone back to what she was doing.
"You know," Rodney said to Radek, "that's the first time the Major hasn't had a snappy comeback since I've known him."
As she worked, John noted that she actually did know how to make a fire quickly and efficiently. Soon they all realized that it was still too early and much too warm to sit around a campfire and moved down closer to the water.
"Major," Teyla asked, "when will you show us this… what was it you called it? Surfling?"
Sitting up from his reclined position on the sand, Shepherd gazed out at the water. "Surfing"… and I guess this is as good a time as any to try out my board. I'll go change." He ran back to the camp.
"This should be entertaining." Rodney said dryly.
When John returned, he wore a pair of long baggy shorts. Actually, they looked like he had cut the legs off his uniform.
"Damn! And here I was hoping for Speedos!" Said Casie, snapping her fingers.
"Not a chance in hell!"
"You sure you wanna go out there, hon? We don't know what's out there that might wanna make a snack out of you." Casie was honestly concerned for his welfare, he noticed.
"She's right, Major." Radek agreed.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful. I've been looking forward to this for months!" There was that silly grin again. At that, John picked up his brand new surfboard and running out into the water till it was up to his knees, jumped onto the board as he set it in the water… and sank.
Popping up out of the water, John stood, dripping, staring down at his brand new surfboard as it sat on the sandy bottom. Hysterical laughter coming from his friends barely registered. The puzzlement easily readable on his face, "It sank…"
Laughter.
"I can't believe it… sank!"
More laughter.
"How can it sink? It's wood!" He looked up at the others. "How can it sink?"
"The wood…. must… be… too dense." Answered Zelenka, between guffaws.
"That's OK," crowed Ford, "So is he!"
The laughter just kept coming.
John turned his attention back to the board underwater, still not quite believing what had just happened. He continued to stand there, just staring down into the water for a full five minutes. Then, picking up the surfboard and gathering what dignity he could muster, John waded back to the beach and plopped down on the sand next to the others.
Every time he thought that they had gotten themselves under control, the whole thing would start over again. Till finally, just an occasional snicker could be heard coming from Ford.
The five of them sat quietly on the beach for the rest of the afternoon. Casie, joined later by Aiden, worked on building, as she put it, the first Atlantian sand castle. Fascinated, Teyla declared that the Athosian children would love this activity, since they had very little experience playing on sandy beaches.
When the ornate keep with outlying walls and moat satisfied Casie, she wiped the sand off her hands and rose to head back to camp. As she walked past Shepherd, she patted him on top of the head, "A fine show of skill and bravery, Major."
"I too was impressed." Added Teyla as she joined Casie.
John watched as the men followed the ladies with grins on their faces. "I'm never gonna hear the end of this." He shook his head and dragged himself off the beach.