Louis was on cloud nine after his water skiing adventure. Barney chuckled at the boy's retelling of events and how he hadn't even been scared...well, maybe for a second.

"You're behind," Gunner said, showing Toll the photo of him holding two of the three fish. Barney had caught the third on his steel line on the way back to the cottage. Lee had grumbled and growled but hadn't commented. It was apparently hard to say that steel line fishing wasn't stupid.

"I didn't realize we were allowed to fish at separate times," Toll said.

"When did we say we had to fish together?" Gunner challenged.

"Alright," Barney cut in. "Toll, go out and fish right now, and then from here on out, you go together."

"But he'll take my fish then," Gunner argued.

"How the hell would I do that?" Toll asked, incredulous.

"They'd look at my lure first and then see yours and have a decision to make. It's not a fair decision."

"Are you conceding that a Williams Wobbler is better than a mepps and a minnow?" Toll questioned, his eyes twinkling.

"Not at all. I'm saying that they're both appealing, and I would never know if they preferred mine over yours."

"If they took your bait, then that would prove they'd prefer yours over mine," Toll said, laughing. "Gun, you're not making any sense."

"Might have something to do with this," Lee said, pulling out Gunner's flask from his back pocket.

"Thought you stopped that?" Barney asked, raising a brow.

"I did."

Lee gave the flask a shake, revealing it was empty.

"After today," Gunner added. Lee tossed the flask to Barney, who caught it easily. He felt worried. Gunner had fallen into a bad place three years ago with drugs and alcohol, and he'd quit then, so seeing him drinking again was concerning. He was pretty sure it was linked to Billy's death.

"Just whiskey, and not very often," Gunner told him, reading his mind. "I've stayed off the drugs."

"You better have," Barney warned. Lee tucked his beer away out of sight as if realizing it was triggering Gunner.

"I can be around alcohol," Gunner told him, noticing. "I can't hide from it. That doesn't help."

"Get a grip on your self-control," Barney ordered, heading to the cottage to dispose of the flask. He didn't want to worry about it anymore.

"Alright, I'm going out," Toll said, breaking the suddenly awkward silence. "Louis! You coming?!" The boy's excited response came from the backyard, and he came hurtling down towards the lake soon after. Toll went to find him a fishing pole as Caesar joined them. Gunner went to the hammock and crawled into it. Lee finished his beer. He saw Tia doing laps in the water between the two cottages. When he heard a boat, he looked to see Emily and a blonde woman with Maya in the middle going by. Maya was waving at him hard, and he smiled and waved back. Emily lifted her fingers covertly, her eyes boring into his. He gripped the empty beer bottle tighter, feeling that jolt inside again. The blonde woman shifted her hair out of her eyes and looked briefly at him without waving before turning away and looking straight ahead. Then they were gone.

Toll, Caesar, and Louis were heading out now, and Louis was chattering away. Lee saw Toll look in the direction where Emily had gone, a strange expression on his face. Lee felt his stomach clench. Did Toll like Emily too? He hoped not.

"Come on, Lee!" Tia called, jerking him out of his reverie. She was bobbing a few meters away from him. "Water's warm!"

"I'm good, thanks," Lee called back. For some reason, he didn't like the idea of being alone with Tia, not after the way she'd touched his leg with her foot earlier in the day and sought out his eyes more often than not lately. He looked at Caesar and noticed him giving Lee a look. It appeared Caesar didn't like it either.

"You afraid of the water?" Tia asked, teasing. Barney was coming back at this point, and Lee seized his chance.

"No. Barns and I are going for a walk," he answered.

"Huh?" Barney asked. Lee shot him a look, and he recognized it. "Oh, yea. We're heading for the landing for a bit."

"Oh. Okay."

Lee went to dispose of his beer bottle, feeling anxious. Tia wouldn't do that to Caesar, would she? He didn't want to believe it, but the way she was always hanging around him...

He jumped and yelped when a hand grasped his shoulder.

"What's going on?" Barney asked. "Why are we avoiding Tia?"

"I just felt like going for a walk," Lee answered, angry that Barney had been able to sneak up on him unnoticed.

"She's Caesar's wife," Barney said a little fiercely.

"I know that, but I think she's forgotten it," Lee replied a bit angrily. Barney let him go, understanding in his eyes.

"Has she tried anything?"

"Not yet, but I can't help but feel it's coming."

"She's always had a soft spot for you," Barney agreed, sighing. "Alright. Keep an eye on it."

"I'm really worried about those two," Lee said, referring to Tia and Caesar. "She's really got her doubts. She's vocalized that recently."

"To you?"

"Yea."

Barney looked a bit disgruntled, just like how Lee felt. Then he looked thoughtful.

"We'll have to plan something to give them some alone time," he said. Lee nodded.

"I agree."

"I'll talk to Toll and Gunner."

"Alright."

"We have to go for that walk now," Barney said. "Thanks a lot. I was gonna cut down that tree in the backyard."

"We can do it when we get back. Come on, old man," Lee retorted. Barney cuffed him as he passed, making him laugh.

"Call me old again, and you can swim there and back," he warned.

Lee's laughter echoed around the air.

...

"Sit still," Serena instructed, aiming the camera at Maya and Emily.

"I am," Emily insisted.

"I know you are, but she isn't," Serena pointed out. Maya stopped moving, grinning widely at her honorary aunt. Serena took the photo then. Maya's interest in the beaver swimming in the distance took over her interest to pose for further portraits. Emily pushed her hair back, feeling the sweat. It was a hot July day, but it was a bit better out in the boat with the wind. Emily was glad to have been taught how to operate a motor years ago when she was younger and spent time on the lake with her parents. It came in handy now, especially when Serena claimed she was too tired to drive the boat. Remembering those times, though, made Emily's heart ache.

"So who's the guy?" Serena asked casually, putting the lens cap back on the camera. She handed it to Emily, who put it back in its bag.

"What guy?"

"The one you laser beamed your eyes at ten minutes ago," Serena answered. Emily gave her a warning look, gesturing to Maya. Serena rolled her eyes and mouthed "this isn't over."

"His name is Lee," Maya said, having overheard and been paying attention after all. Emily groaned inside.

"Lee, huh?" Serena said.

"He likes Mum. He blushed when she came to get me today."

"Maya," Emily warned.

"Oh, really?" Serena was intrigued now.

"Maya met him the other night when you were fighting with Fred," Emily threw at her. She'd wanted to bring it up anyway. This just wasn't the ideal time, but she'd take it. Fred was always around otherwise.

"Oh," her friend said, looking guilty. "I'm sorry."

They drifted to the shore, and Serena grabbed the tree, pulling them in. They could hear the dam roaring to the left of them. Emily helped Maya out and then tied the boat to the tree before taking Maya's hand and walking beside Serena over to it.

"Be careful," Emily warned as Maya broke free and went ahead onto the platform to look over the railing at the water rushing down. Emily herself felt that head rush from being on something a little too thin and a little too high. Serena walked across with no problems at all while Emily gripped the railing and inched her way to the bigger platform. Her stomach still felt nauseous, though.

"This is cool!" Maya shouted over the noise. She went with Serena on the narrow ledge, making Emily feel scared.

"Don't!" she called, but none of them heard her. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid to watch and see if her daughter toppled over the side. Moments later, she felt Maya hug her tightly.

"I'm okay, Mum," she said as Emily opened her eyes to see her there.

"Don't do that again."

"I won't."

Emily looked up to see Serena balancing on one foot and laughing. Emily felt her heart constrict with fear. Her friend always seemed to have a death wish, and Emily didn't understand why.

"What's she doing?" Maya asked, seeing it too.

"I don't know. Come on," Emily said, nudging Maya back towards land. They crossed, and Emily looked back to see Serena following. She was still laughing.

"What?" she asked when she caught up to them.

"One of these days you're really going to get yourself killed," Emily said angrily.

"Relax, Em. I just like living on the edge."

Emily didn't say anything else as Serena walked ahead to the boat. Maya chased after her. Emily had a bad feeling in her gut that one day, her friend was going to fall off that edge to her death and leave Emily here all alone.

The fear in her stomach was like a vice now.

...

Tia cornered Lee that evening as he was cleaning the barbecue. She noticed him tense upon seeing her and look almost afraid.

"What did I do?" she asked, confronting him.

"Excuse me?"

"You're avoiding me. What did I do?" She crossed her arms, feeling impatient with him. He set down the brush and looked back at her.

"It's what I think you're gonna do that I'm avoiding," he replied. Tia gave a start. What was he implying?! Then, she thought about it. She had gravitated towards him a bit more lately and confided in him. She remembered touching his leg with her foot, but that wasn't anything in her mind. Had he misread all of that?

"Oh my God," she laughed. "You think I'm gonna hit on you?!"

"No," he said defensively.

"You're an idiot," she said, shaking her head and still laughing. "No offense, English, but you're not my type." She saw him relax a little, confirming she'd been right and that he'd thought she was going to hit on him. It made her laugh a bit more.

"Good," Lee said. "Cos you ain't my type either."

"I know. Geez, Lee," she said. "I thought I'd pissed you off or something."

"Nah."

"Well, now that we've settled this, can you act normal around me again?"

"Sure."

"FYI," Tia said as she backed away, "there's an adorable woman next door you might be interested in."

"I've seen her," Lee said.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she asked, smirking.

"The right time," he answered.

"Ah," she said, backing away. "Oh, and Lee?"

"Yea?"

"Nobody compares to Hale. Ever."

"Glad to hear it," Lee said, and she grinned. She turned and headed down to the dock where Louis was still bragging about their big catch. Toll had gotten one bigger than Gunner's, which had caused some more manly competition and banter. She went to sit on Caesar's lap and pulled his arm around her. He kissed her cheek softly, and she smiled.

There truly was no man for her but Caesar, and she was going to work hard to keep it that way. She just hoped he would work as hard as she was.

...

Toll was huffing a bit as he ran up the hill. He'd gone over to the landing for a run before darkness fell, and he was feeling the burn in his legs from the hills. The summer heat wasn't as bad as it was earlier that day, but it was still muggy. He was thinking about Barney's proposition of Operation Tia and Caesar and had some ideas. He was passing a dirt road that led to more cottages when someone came bursting out of it.

"Ho-ly shit!" he yelped, jumping off to the side out of reflex but somehow still managing to run in a forward direction without tripping over his feet and falling flat on his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Serena said, jogging with ease and not even flinching. "Did I frighten you?"

"Not at all," Toll lied, keeping pace with her as best as he could.

"Not everyone runs like a bear and sounds like a fire breathing dragon with asthma," she commented, smirking.

"Oho!" Toll exclaimed. "Is that so?"

"Yes. Some of us run like a deer," she replied. He was so star struck in this moment. Her pony tail swished back and forth as she jogged.

"I didn't realize you were a runner," he said, trying to keep her talking.

"Oh yes."

"It's something new I'm trying," Toll said. "I mean, I've done it before, so it's not really new, but it's never really been my thing. My doctor said I should be careful, so I'm back doing it again. For my heart. Gotta lay off the steak more too." Oh, God, did he just tell her all that? He wished he could suck back in all those useless words he'd just spewed all over her.

"Eating healthy and exercising is good," Serena said, not even batting an eye.

"Yes," he said. They reached the bottom of the last hill, and she slowed to a stop, stretching out her legs. Toll could hear a boat coming.

"You need a ride back?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "My ride is coming now."

"Gotcha." He noticed she was giving him a bit of a nervous look now, and he wondered why.

"Keep up the good work," she said to him, giving him a smile and walking down to the dock. For some reason, Toll didn't move. He got the sense that Serena did not want her ride to see him there. He tucked himself into the trees, watching through the leaves. The boat pulled in, and Serena hopped into it easily enough. The guy driving it was asking her questions, and she was answering and smiling at him. Something about that guy did not sit well with Toll. His eyes were too shifty and darting.

He waited for them to be gone before going down to his own boat. He was panting a bit still and sweating as he sat down and ran a hand over his head. He had a feeling that Serena was dating that guy, and his chances of getting to know her just got slimmer.

He yanked the motor to life and untied the boat before setting off. He wasn't quite ready to give up on the dream just yet.

...

Lee was sitting on the dock again that night, watching the moonlight dance across the ripples of the lake. He'd dreamt of Billy again, and now he couldn't sleep. It was quiet next door, thankfully. He thought about Maya befriending him and smiled. He'd always had a soft spot for children. He'd wanted a child of his own, but he was rapidly realizing it wasn't going to happen for him. He couldn't get a woman to stick around long enough to consider it, so how could he hope for a relationship serious enough to have a child involved?

He thought of Emily. She was obviously a single mother. Maya had told him she didn't have a father. He pulled out his phone, finding her contact information in it. He hovered over the keys for a second before typing out a message. After he sent it, he closed his phone and hugged his knees. It was a long shot, and he was afraid to get his heart hurt again after Lacy, but there was something about Emily that made him feel like everything was going to be okay.

He couldn't explain it.

...

Emily opened her eyes when her phone vibrated. She could hear Maya's slow, even breathing from her cot across the room. She didn't let Maya sleep alone when Ethan or Fred was around.

Ethan.

She felt anger then. He hadn't left like he'd promised. After seeing her interact with Lee, he'd decided to hang around. Fred, however, had left for a work thing an hour earlier and would be back in two days. It gave her and Serena a bit of relief. Emily noticed Serena looking over at the guys after she'd come back from her run earlier, and she wondered what was going on there. She hoped it wouldn't get her friend into trouble with Fred.

She opened her phone and smiled at seeing who the message was from.

Tomorrow sound good?

She felt bad that Maya didn't have a lot of friends. She'd been angry at the other kids' parents for making the decision for them that Maya was out of their league and didn't want her to make them feel stupid. If Louis's parents were nice, then maybe Maya could finally enjoy some company with someone her own age rather than hang out with Emily all the time. She loved her daughter, but she also loved having some down time too.

Sure, she texted back. We'll come around one.

His reply came back in seconds.

Perfect.

She put her phone back on the dresser and rolled onto her back. She wasn't going to pretend she hadn't imagined what it'd be like to feel him against her skin. She'd been alone for far too long. In fact, she'd been alone since Maya was conceived. Ethan had constantly tried to change that, but she hadn't given in. She'd rather be alone than with someone she despised. She also didn't want to just traipse anyone through the door for Maya to meet and then lose. She'd had a few dates over the years, but they never escalated to anything more. Most of them found out about Maya and ran for their life.

She had to be careful with Lee, though. Maya was already attached to him in such a short time, and Emily didn't want her to be crushed when they parted ways. She couldn't get close to him. She had to keep it platonic. She'd had lots of years of practice, so it shouldn't be a problem.

She ignored that stupid flutter in her stomach as she pictured Lee, and soon she was asleep.

...

Barney glided to the dock in the canoe without a sound, successfully making Lee jump in fright as he suddenly rounded the corner unexpectedly.

"What the bloody hell?" Lee demanded, recovering fast. Barney noticed his hand had gone to his hip where his knife usually was sitting.

"Sorry," he sniggered, catching the dock with his hand.

"What the devil are you doing out here in the bloody dark?"

"It's not dark. Moon's out," Barney answered, getting out and reaching to pick up the canoe to pull it up onto the dock.

"I know we find ourselves in life threatening situations, but I didn't think you'd intentionally go looking for one while on vacation," Lee said, stressing the word "vacation."

"Do you see any other boats out there right now, Christmas?" Barney asked, sweeping his hand towards the water.

"No, but it was really stupid to go out in the dark like that."

"Are you worried about me?" Barney questioned.

"You make it really hard to be your friend, you know," Lee replied.

"I didn't ask you to be my friend."

"And yet here I am," Lee said back. "Deal with it." Barney snorted and pushed himself off his knees to his feet, cracking his back. A loon called in the distance, making him shiver slightly at the haunting sound.

"Why are you out here?" he asked, looking down at Lee now.

"Can't sleep," Lee answered.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Now who's making it hard to be a friend?" He didn't have to see his face clearly to know Lee rolled his eyes.

"It's nothing new," Lee said.

"Billy," Barney commented, nodding.

"Just feel like I screwed up somehow, you know? We could have saved him. We'd taken out more people with less."

"We can't dwell on the 'what ifs,' Lee," Barney replied. "We learn from the past. It's all we can do."

"Uh huh."

"Hey, you owe me a tree cutting tomorrow since we did not get to it today," Barney reminded him.

"Yea, yea."

Lee didn't say anything else, and Barney knew he wanted to be alone, so he went up to his bedroom. He'd gone out to clear his head, but he'd succeeded in only creating more to think about.

Oh, how he missed the easy days of being barefoot and caring only about when it was time to eat or go to bed. He missed the dreamless nights and the nights where his dreams were actually sweet. He missed not being haunted.

He shut the door to block out Gunner's snores and then lay on his back in bed for hours, trying to stop seeing Billy's face as he died every time he closed his eyes.

...

Caesar was looking at Tia sleeping next to him, having woken up for some unknown reason, and he felt guilty for all the times he'd yelled and shut down on her in the last while. He had been struggling a lot, and he knew she understood, but he also knew it wasn't fair to always be like that around her. He was grateful she was keeping an open mind on this vacation and letting him show he was trying to make things better. He couldn't imagine life without her. There was no life without her. He smiled as she gave a soft snore. The day he'd met her, he knew they were meant to be. He could still see her in that green sundress and harried expression at being late while limping with a broken heel on her shoe. He'd literally swept her off her feet to carry her the last bit to her job interview, and things had just gone from there. She was everything to him.

He'd do anything to keep things going between them from this moment forward.

...

She was trying to sleep, but the anxiety was too high. She was so tired of living with the constant fear of something happening. She wanted to be free, but she didn't know how to attain that freedom anymore. Her brain couldn't stop thinking that perhaps the men next door could help provide her with that freedom, but she didn't even know them. She shifted her thoughts from them to the present moment and worked to even her breathing from the nightmare she'd woken up from. She kept having them more and more lately, and she didn't know if she should heed them as a warning or chalk it up to just bad luck of an overactive subconscious.

She rolled over, hugging her pillow tighter in her arms. For now, she was trapped, but one day...

One day, she would be free.