After spending 8 days with Simmons' mom, they were now stepping foot off a plane and touching down in Hawaii.
Virginia noticed the permanent grin on Simmons face, and loved how happy he was.
"Aw man, that dipshit will be so surprised!" Simmons said as he retrieved his suitcase from the baggage carousal.
They got another rental and followed the GPS coordinates to Grif's mom's house.
"Hawaii is so beautiful!" Virginia gasped as she stared out at the blue ocean. "Hard to believe anyone would want to leave this place."
"Well, Grif was drafted and apparently, his sister was lonely without him." Simmons explained.

They drove into the a trailer park, coming to a slow crawl as they looked at the numbers printed on the front of the trailers.
"What's their number?" Virginia asked as she squinted out the window.
"Sixty..." Simmons sighed. "Nine."
They counted the trailers until they arrived to '69'.
Simmons parked the car and seemed to turn into a giddy kid. They both exited the vehicle and Simmons rushed to the front door. He opened the screen door, amd then knocked.
They stood anxiously, hearing someone shifting inside and a few clatters.
"Comiiing." Someone screamed from inside. The door swung open and Simmons found himself staring at the familiar pudgy Hawaiian. "What the fuck?!"
"Grif!" Simmons beamed. Grif's eyes grew wide.
"What are you guys doing here?!" Grif asked as he stepped outside.
"We thought we'd surprise you." Simmons wore a wide grin. "We've been on Earth for a little bit and thought we would visit."
Grif looked fidgety. He closed the door behind him and tried to walk Simmons and Virginia away from his home.
"I'm glad to see you guys. Where you staying? How longyou staying?"
"We got a hotel right on the beach." Virginia replied. "Coconut Cabana."
"Fancy!" Grif responded.
"Grif, you're acting weird. What's wrong?" Simmons asked. Grif sighed, avoiding eye contact.
"N-Nothing. I'm just surprised to see you both." Grif shifted on his feet.
"Fine, asshole." Simmons smirked. "Be cryptic." Simmons sounded bummed. "We thought you'd be happy." Virginia watched as Simmons turned and began to walk back to the car.
"Grif." Virginia glared at him. "Your best friend was excited to see you. You go after him and talk to him." She ordered, narrowing her blue eyes. Grif sighed.
"Okaaay. Just... stop glaring at me." Grif begged as he ran after Simmons.
Simmons was grumbling angrily as he made it to the car. He dropped the car keys on the ground, cursed and bent to pick them up. When he stood up, he heard someone clearing their voice behind him.
"Look, I'm sorry." Grif said. Simmons turned to face his team member.
"What's your problem?" Simmons asked, throwing his hands out by his side.
"Look, I'm just a little... embarrassed."
"Embarrassed?" Simmons looked confused. "Grif, it's me. What do you have to be embarrassed about in front of me?"
"Look at where I am." Grif waved a hand towards the trailer. "My mom is a sideshow in a circus and we're living in a damn trailer. I guess... I was afraid you'd think I wasn't cool anymore."
"Grif, I never thought you were cool." Simmons and Grif stared at each other momentarily, and then they both cracked up laughing.
"That's more like it." Virginia was leaning on the car. Grif jumped back, startled.
"Fuck! You damn Freelancers and your sneaking. Can't you wear a damn bell?"
Virginia flipped Grif the middle finger with a forced smile.
Grif chuckled and the three of them stepped closer for a quick hug.
"Hey, I'll take you guys to a cookout on the beach tonight! They'll have a pig skewer!"
"Sounds like fun." Virginia admitted.
"We should head to the hotel and drop our stuff off. Grif, want to come with?" Simmons asked.
"Sure!"

After checking in to the hotel, they went up to their room to drop off their suitcases.
"I'm gonna change." Virginia said as she stepped into the bathroom.
"Simmons, this will be great. We can have drinks on the beach! We can eat crab. We can go see waterfalls, and swim with dolphins, and there's this great buffet nearby!" Grif began to ramble, sounding excited.
"Of course you'll bring up all the best food places." Simmons rolled his eyes. "I expect nothing less."
"So what was seeing your mom like?" Grif asked as he shoved his hands into his shorts pockets, looking out the window.
"It was nice. She had to get used to the fact that I'm partially cyborg and dating a Freelancer." Simmons shrugged. "Virginia and I attended my high school reunion."
"Oh boy, how'd that go?"
"Well... I got a standing ovation and called my old bullies a bunch of cockbites." Simmons smiled.
"You would have been so proud." Virginia stepped out of the bathroom in a purple bikini with a mesh sapphire-colored skirt that wrapped around her hips. "Then, he gave them wedgies."
"No shit?!" Grif laughed and looked at Simmons.
"Totally did." Simmons looked smug.
"Wow, I'm proud of you, bud."

They ventured down to the beach, finding a lounging area with umbrellas perked up over seats.
They sat down and a waiter came over to retrieve their orders.
"Three coconut specials." Grif grinned. He leaned back in his seat, his black hair pulled into a ponytail. He wore an orange Hawaiian shirt with white hibiscus flowers, and khaki pants.
"I can't recall the last time I had coconut." Simmons admitted. He wore a maroon Hawaiian shirt with white spirals and black shorts.
After a few minutes, the waiter returned with three coconuts with tiny umbrellas poking out of the tops.
Everyone took a sip and Simmons began to cough.
"Man, there's alcohol in this?!" He patted his chest.
"Um, yeah dude." Grif said, sucking on the straw. "That's why it's a special."
"I like it." Virginia admitted.
"That's because you're a lush." Simmons smirked. Virginia narrowed her eyes at Simmons.
"Come again?" She asked.
"I-I-I... I didn't mean that in a bad way!" Simmons face turned red as Grif pulled out his cellphone to record Simmons impending death.
"Now you're definitely staying a virgin."

They enjoyed the beach, conversing and having a few drinks. The sun was setting, causing the sky to become orange and pink.
Grif paused for a moment when he heard a series of chimes. He held up his watch, tapped it and a projection screen opened up in front of him.
"Hey, big bro!" Came a familiar voice.
"Kai? What's up?" Grif rose an eyebrow. Virginia and Simmons leaned in closer to Grif, so Kaikaina could see that he wasn't alone. "Oh my God! Virginia and Simmons is there, too!" She turned her head to look at someone.
"Who you talking to?" Grif asked. Suddenly, a familiar face came into view.
"Hey assholes, 'cept for Virginia because she would probably kill me." Tucker was smiling as he put an arm around Kai's shoulders.
"Oh, hey Tucker." Grif said in a flat tone. "Do I even want to know what you two are up to?"
Kai was smiling as she looked at Tucker, then back to her brother.
"Weeeell, we have a special announcement." She gushed.
"Oh God, don't tell me you're pregnant." Grif groaned.
"Oh, no no no." Tucker waved his hand, laughing. The two paused for a moment, wearing identical wide smiles.
"We eloped!" Kai screamed. Grif's face drooped.
"You WHAT?!" He screamed. "Does mom know?!"
"No, silly. We were kinda hoping you'd tell her." Kai admitted.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because you're the bestest big brother ever?" Kai had an innocent grin on her face as she batted her long lashes. Grif sighed.
"I don't want to be responsible for mom's heart attack. You tell her."
Kai's face bunched up in anger.
"Fine! Asshole! We'll call her now! Thanks for nothing!" She stuck her tongue out.
"We're heading on our honeymoon after we call her." Tucker announced. "So no interruptions, please." He winked.
"Ugh." Grif shuddered.
"Congrats on your... sudden lifetime commitment." Simmons said.
"I'm happy for you two." Virginia added.
"Thanks! Bye guys!" Kai and Tucker waved, then the transmission abruptly ended. Grif dropped his hand to his side, looking shocked.
"Dude, Tucker is your brother-in-law now." Simmons gasped.
"Kill me." Grif groaned and began marching down the beach.
"Hold up, Grif. Where we going?" Simmons and Virginia hurried along his side.
"I need to eat some barbecue pig on a skewer and drink something with alcohol in it. Pronto."

They arrived to the cook-out and Grif quickly began to partake in the food. There were various people spread out on benches or sitting on logs, surrounding a bonfire. A table was set up for the food and drinks. Someone was set up to the side, strumming a guitar.
Simmons looked down at Virginia, watching as she stared out to the ocean. A small breeze startled her hair, causing strands to blow by her face.
"You are so beautiful." Simmons said as he put an arm around her. She looked up at him and smiled.
"You're so sweet." She stretched upward and kissed him softly. Simmons fingertips brushed over the scar on her abdomen.
"Does it hurt?"
"Nah, it's healed. I sometimes forget I have it." Virginia shrugged.
"You two are fucking gross. Get a room." Grif groaned.
"Don't be jealous." Virginia retorted.
"I'm sick of this lovey-dovey bullshit. Fucking Kai runs off and gets married to Tucker?! Ugh!" Grif bit into a chunk of pig on a skewer and yanked it off viciously.
"I'll go get us food." Virginia said to Simmons as she walked by Grif.
Grif walked to a bench and dropped onto it, looking defeated as he ate.
Simmons walked over and sat next to him.
"I'm sorry if Virginia and I..." Simmons began to say.
"Nah, man. Don't apologize. I'm happy for you two." Grif glanced over to the Freelancer as she picked up some food. "She's actually out of your league."
"Gee. Thanks." Simmons glared.
"Seriously, though. She's hot, a bad ass fighter, smart and not a nerd." Grif bit another piece of meat. "How'd you get that?"
Simmons sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Apparently, I'm good looking and intelligent and can be witty." Simmons said.
Grif started coughing heavily as he pounded on his chest with a fist.
"Are... are you choking?" Simmons began to panic, seeing Grif's face began to change colors as he continued to cough.
Simmons slapped Grif on his back until he began to inhale.
"...Did you call yourself 'good-looking'?" Grif asked after a few deep breaths.
"I should have let you choked to death on your food." Simmons grumbled.
"Too bad. Missed opportunity." Grif shrugged and ate another piece.
Virginia returned and handed a plate to Simmons and sat down.
"I wonder if anyone else knows about Tucker and Kai?" Virginia asked.
"Oh, I'm sure they know." Grif sighed, dropping the empty skewer on his plate and picking up a full skewer.
"I miss them." Virginia admitted.
"I'm surprised kiss-ass here," Grif motioned his head towards Simmons,"Hasn't pissed and moaned about missing Sarge."
"You totally missed the conversation we had with his mom." Virginia pointed out.

Back at Simmons' mom's...
"Sarge was a great leader, mom! He-"

"I think he talked for 40 minutes straight about Sarge." Virginia giggled, seeing Simmons blush.
"You guys suck." Simmons growled and ate a piece of pineapple.
"Shocker." Grif laughed and took a sip of his drink.
Virginia looked up at the sky, seeing the stars poke out in the pink sky.
A familiar tune broke the momentary silence, and Grif retrieved a cellphone out of his pocket.
"Aw, crap." Grif groaned and looked at his friends. "It's my mom."
"Uh oh."
"I'll just let that go to voicemail." Grif silenced his phone and put it back into his pocket.
Virginia laughed, when someone caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see around the bonfire.
"Can't be..." she murmured. She quickly got to her feet, seeing the person turn and walk off behind a few palm trees.
Virginia took off in a light jog, finding it difficult while wearing sandals and on sand.
"Virginia?!" Simmons called out to her, but Virginia was focused.
She got to the palm trees and quickly hurried into the shadows. The sticks cracked under her feet, and she began to step quieter. She felt herself grow on edge and balled her hands into fists.
As she ventured deeper into the palm trees, having the bonfire illuminate everything in a hazy orange glow, she heard the crackles and pops of the fire behind her.
A noise came from her right, and as she looked, she bent back, dodging a kick that came at her.
The kick impacted the neighboring palm tree, causing it to tremble. Virginia backed up, lowering into a defensive pose with her fists up.
The unknown assailant landed after the kick and stared at her.
"It is you...!" Virginia gasped, straightening up her stance and lowering her fists. "...Nevada?"