A/N: Sorry this is late. And shorter than usual. I had a very busy day yesterday, so I didn't have as much time as I'd like. But I wanted to be sure I gave you a little something to snack on before the weekend! Thank you so much for all your reviews! I'm overwhelmed by the positive response to this story and my interpretation of Gabriel as a teenager. I did have a comment that we weren't happy with Katie. Just remember- Katie is a teenaged girl. She is vying for Gabriel's attention and enjoying driving him nuts. But don't worry- she's just as sweet as she always was. And Gabe will probably give as good as he gets by the time its all over. Anyway, enjoy!

"Scarlett, you have to put on sunblock!" Molly had been chasing her daughter all over the cottage trying to corner her. With Scarlett's red hair and pale skin, she'd burst into flames without sunblock. They'd been having this argument since she was old enough to talk back.

"But it stinks, Mummy! And it's cold. I don't like it!"

"As I've told you a thousand times before about a thousand other things: it doesn't matter if you like it or not," Molly growled, steering the child out on the patio. "Can we please not fight about this again, Scarlett?" Molly and Scarlett were alike in so many ways that they were often at odds.

Scarlett sighed but finally stood still, grudgingly letting her mother spray her arms and legs down with the sticky white lotion. But as she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection on the window, Scarlett's scowl softened. She was very excited about her brand new swimsuit. She looked very grown up. It was the first swimsuit she'd had that was completely devoid of little flowers, hearts or fruits printed on it. There were also no ruffles or skirts. It was a black and white two-piece with polka dots on the top that was almost exactly like Molly's. Her very first two-piece. "I look like you, Mummy!"

"A bit, yes," Molly said, rubbing the sunblock into her tummy. "You'll be the prettiest girl on the beach."

Scarlett smiled and threw her arms around Molly. "I love you, Mummy. Thank you for my cozzy."

And suddenly any annoyance she'd had with the child dissipated. Scarlett was nothing if not grateful. If you gave the child so much as a stick of gum she was falling over herself to thank you for it. It was one of her most endearing qualities. "Love you more, Peaseblossom. And remember if you're going to swim today to leave your hearing aids inside."

"Can I just take my case with me so I can take them out if I want to go in the water? I don't like to sign in front of regular people."

"Why not?" Molly asked. "You're very good at it." And she was. Scarlett had started going to a school that specialized in deaf kids when she was in kindergarten and now she was an expert in signing. Her speech was still a little strange at times, but she had made amazing progress.

"They look at me funny."

"Oh, that's just silly Scarlett. They're probably just curious. But if you want to wear them that's fine. Just be sure to take them out before you go near the water and clean them tonight before bed."

"Molly, I can't find my—" Sherlock stepped out on the patio, nearly falling over Scarlett." When he regained his footing, he gasped at seeing her. "Hello Scar-baby," he choked. "Would you mind going inside and looking for my sunglasses?" Molly wrinkled her nose, looking at him strangely. Sherlock didn't wear sunglasses. Ever. She wasn't even aware that he owned a pair. "I think Gabriel borrowed them." Scarlett nodded and gave her father a noisy kiss on the cheek before bouncing into the house to look for Gabriel.

Sherlock closed the door behind her and whipped back around to glare at Molly. "What on Earth is Scarlett wearing?"

Molly giggled. "Isn't it adorable? It looks just like mine!" She opened her cover-up and showed off her own swimsuit. It was a more revealing, adult version of the one Scarlett wore.

"It is not adorable! It's obscene!"

Molly burst into peals of laughter. "Don't be ridiculous, Sherlock."

"Me? Me being ridiculous? Did you not notice that all of her skin is showing?"

"Come on, Sherlock. She's just a baby."

"Exactly my point!" he hissed. "My baby that doesn't need to be parading around the beach with no clothes on!"

"Oh whatever! The first time we came here after she was born we had her out on the beach in nothing but her nappy!"

"She was an infant then! Now she's… taller."

Molly laughed and shook her head, standing on the tips of her toes and kissing his cheek. "You're so cute, darling."

"Please don't patronize me, Molly."

She smirked and stood back, examining him. "Did you change your hair today? I think it suits you better this way."

He narrowed his eyes, taking several seconds for it to dawn on him that Molly was using his own tactics against him. "That's not funny at all, Mouse."

She giggled as she walked away.

OoOoOo

Any boy that ever wanted to date Scarlett Holmes would have a lot to live up to. She lived in a predominantly male household that treated her like a princess every minute of every day. And no one could be more adoring of a little sister than Gabriel. And Scarlett thought that the sun only rose because Gabriel wished it. The only male that might ever possibly be in the same echelon with Gabriel was her father. So when she commented that the sand was too hot, Gabriel picked her up on his shoulders to carry her to the beach.

Everyone knew that Scarlett was afraid of the water. She could swim well enough in the pool around the corner from the flat, but when it came to the ocean, she was pretty wary. Her baby brothers had no trouble with this at all. Will had been scolded many times for running full speed toward the ocean without supervision. But Scarlett not so much. It was fairly odd considering her daredevil approach to everything else. She liked build sandcastles on the sand and play in tidal pools with the twins or Izzy and Jada, but she couldn't bring herself to go out in the waves. "Bre are you scared of anything?"

"Sure."

"Like what?"

"I dunno. Lots of things. I'm not much for roller coasters. Why do you ask?"

Scarlett shrugged and wrapped her arms around his head. "Izzy and Jada were laughing at me because I don't like the waves. Do you think I'm a scaredy cat, Bre?"

"Of course not. Swimming in the ocean is way different than swimming in the pool. And the only reason they're going out there is because John's holding them. If you tell Dad you want to go out there, he'll hold you too."

"Daddy goes out too deep," Scarlett sighed. Gabriel smiled remembering how he'd climbed up on his father's back, laughing wildly as he dove over the breakers and into the deeper water beyond. He'd been completely confident that Sherlock would not let him go under. Scarlett was much less trusting when it came to her personal safety. "Besides, he'll be playing with Will and Finn."

"Well just tell him you want him to play with you for a while. You know, I used to get jealous about you when you were little."

"You did not! You always liked me Bre."

He laughed and put her down on the sand as they reached the beach. "Of course I did. But that didn't mean I wasn't jealous. You were little and cute and it seemed like everyone liked you better. But little kids can't do stuff by themselves. They need a lot of attention, but you can tell Mum and Dad you need them too."

"Maybe," she said. "Daddy still goes out too deep."

"I'll teach you if you want. I'll have you swimming like a fish. You'll go out with me won't you?"

She hummed, obviously thinking about the prospect of going out in the ocean with her older brother. "I'll try, Bre. But if I get scared?"

"We'll come back. I promise."

Scarlett smiled and kissed the back of her brother's hand as he led her down to where their canopy had already been set up. Molly was terribly paranoid that the twins were going to be sunburned to a crisp and miserable so she'd insisted on a large, cumbersome canopy. Katie sat in a chaise beside Mary and as Gabriel spread out his towel and pulled his shirt over his head, he thought he caught a glimpse of her peering over her sunglasses at him.

So let her, he thought grimly. Perhaps she could think of him the next time she was snogging with Archie. "Come on, Scarlett. Let's go get wet before the twins get out here and make us play with them."

"I want to come too, Gabe!" Jada was immediately at his side and taking his hand. She turned back and motioned for Isabel to come. "Come on!"

Izzy shook her blonde pigtails emphatically. "I'm going with my daddy," she said with a tug on John's hand. Obviously Jada and Isabel were having an attack of sibling rivalry this morning.

"Oh look! The big puddles!" Jada exclaimed, grabbing Scarlett. She was referring to the tidal pools left behind at low tide. Both girls ran toward the tidal pools and began splashing around.

"Scarlett! You're going to get your hearing aids wet!" Gabriel called.

"Well here you are, back again." Gabriel turned to see Jessica jogging up behind them. She really must be staying just up the beach. Or maybe she was stalking him.

"Hi!" he said, giving a nonchalant wave.

"Splashing in the waves after your run?"

Gabriel smiled shyly and continued watching the girls. "I'm just here watching out for my little sister." He pointed to where Scarlett was splashing water at Jada.

"Oh that's sweet," Jessica said. "Your sister must be the redhead. She looks like you."

He nodded. "We both look like our dad."

"Your dad must be pretty sexy then." Gabriel's breath hitched, looking up at her like she was growing antlers. She giggled and winked. "Anyway, I just thought I'd say hello. When you're done playing with your sisters, want to get some ice cream?"

"Sure." She smiled and whipped around, tossing her blonde hair before running back toward her own family. Gabriel couldn't help but admire her curvaceous form as she made long strides. This time she was wearing a pair of short board shorts that just barely hid the curve of her bottom and a haltered bikini top. Very different than Katie's modest one piece. Gabriel thought he might like to get to know Jessica a bit better.