Ha! See? I hadn't forgotten the fic. Sorry for the delay... this is almost done. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Jaye had one hand on Beach's arm, deceptively tight around the bicep. "Wayne, isn't it a pleasant day?" Her tone said more than the innocent words. "Aren't you having a nice time?"

Beachhead dragged his eyes away from the stranger who had sauntered up to their group. "Huh?" He had spent the better part of the last ten minutes watching the man, who he noted to himself, was younger, thinner and better looking than himself, smoozing up to Courtney and kissing Flint's ass.

Jaye had managed to notice almost immediately that the guy's behavior was ticcing off the big Ranger. "It's such a lovely day... it'd be a shame if anything spoiled the day, wouldn't it?" Her fingers tightened in warning and she heard a low rumble before Beach's head lowered slightly and he eased backwards a step. "There. Now, Mr Cornwell is just showing Courtney some tips on her game. Isn't that nice of a professional to stop and help her out?"

"Ain't the game he's thinkin' of..." Even lowered, Beach's voice held a definite warning note. "If'n he gets any closer to her, he'll be 'helpin' her outa her clothes..."

Courtney's eyes flicked up to his face only for a second in warning. Then her pleasant vacant smile was back. The ex-professional golfer motioned her to line up to putt the ball again. "Oh, you've been soo helpful, I think I've got it now." She eased herself away from his almost-embrace from behind as he'd been 'adjusting' her stance and grip. "You know I have trouble seeing all the dips and rises in the greens too."

Obligingly, Cornwell stepped away to squat on the edge of the neatly trimmed grass and motioned at it. "This green just has the slightest upslope to the right. It's nearly impossible to see... if you're not as experienced as I am, of course." His advice led to Courtney putting the ball right into the cup. She gave a little jump in fake excitement and Beach felt his left eye twitch at how focused the pro was on her 'jumping'. "Very good! See? I knew I could help you out."

Beach's fist tightened on a golf club as the group headed to the next tee. Jaye placed her hand on his forearm again. "Wayne, you cannot beat the guy to death with your 9 iron."

His voice was low as he rumbled a reply. "Why the fuck you call them 'clubs' if you can't beat folks with them then?" He watched Courtney walking between Flint and Cornwell and fought back the jealousy. He hated feeling jealous. It was stupid and there was no good reason for it. Courtney was perfectly capable of thwarting unwanted attentions. Of course, she was practically flirting with the guy and he was eating out of her hand... his eye twitched again. Cornwell's hand came up to rest on the small of the woman's back in a overly possessive manner and Beach felt the golf club in his hand rise slightly.

Jaye hissed slightly. "Beach, stop it. He's just helping her with her swing... it's nothing."

He growled. "Well, Ah just wanna help him by showin' him MY swing." Jaye sighed and tugged his arm to slow him from advancing on the threesome ahead of them. "I'm just gonna..."

"You're going to stand here and look pleasant and let Courtney deal with him. You know she can handle this on her own." Jaye frowned at him.

He frowned back but stopped walking and stood with his arms crossed glowering. "It's what he's tryin' to handle that perturbs me." Even through the glaze of jealous anger, he saw that Jaye was right. The ex-model seemed to never be in quite the right position for a hand to land on any part of her that would be unseemly. She had a knack for stepping to the side accidentally right when the brash professional moved in closer. As Beach watched her maneuvering around the tee, he had to admire how elegantly she put the poor pogue off without presenting anything he could object to.

By the time it was his turn to tee off, Beach was smirking at how frustrated Cornwell seemed over his inability to manipulate the leggy blond. He was so pleased over it that he barely cursed when his ball went winging off to the right.

"You sir have a heck of a slice going on there." Cornwell motioned at the tall Ranger. "You certainly could benefit from some beginner's instruction. I'd suggest you try a less challenging course some time. You might enjoy it more." He remained smug, not even noticing the frowns from the other players.

Beach simply smiled tightly. "Naw, I doubt I'd enjoy it a whit more than this course here. Scenery is grand even if they'll let any old riff-raff in to play." Ignoring the man, he walked on, bending an elbow to offer Courtney his arm as he headed to find his golf ball. "Comin'?"

Her eyes closed slightly in satisfaction. "Of course, dear." They sauntered away while Cornwell sputtered in indignation. Courtney glanced over her shoulder at Flint and Jaye trying to placate him. "I thought you were going to wrap that 9 iron around his skinny neck. I can't stand a rich guy with grabby hands."

Beach smiled as he strutted. "You were handlin' him just fine." He motioned rather grandly. "And when I said scenery, I meant you. You're lookin' fine as frog hair out here today, you know." She smiled and hugged his arm. "Of course, I wouldn't have minded seein' you knee him in the nads neither."

"I thought about it."

"That's mah girl." Beach watched Flint and Jaye catch up to them. "What? Did Mr Hoity Toity Cornwell decide not to play with us no more?" He smirked at Flint's evident anger.

Flint glowered at him. "No, the expert decided that he was unappreciated in our group. He's headed to the clubhouse." When Beach simply smirked more, he pointed at him. "You need to stop pissing off anyone who you don't like."

"Why?" Beach held out a hand to his caddy who put a club into it from a safe distance. "He's an asshole. And if'n I'm supposed to be some rich pogue what would be a member here, I wouldn't care whether I pissed the piece of shit off or not, now would I?" He turned away and waved the end of the club at the area, speaking to his caddy. "Where's the stupid ball this time?"

"Over this way, s-s-ahhh... here. This is it." The caddy stepped aside and pointed out the flag in the distance. "I'd suggest a good straight on hit. We're on a bit of a rise, it'll have enough height to reach the green." He eyed the Ranger lining up to hit the ball and then stepped further away.

Flint crossed his arms, still fuming. Jaye reached out to pat his arm and spoke to him quietly. "You know, he is right. If he was some rich redneck member..."

Flint rolled his eyes at her. "I know he's right. Why do you think I'm so pissed?" He watched her snicker slightly. "I hate when he's right. He's so damn smug when he's right."

She shifted her hips and watched the Ranger smacking the golf ball. He seemed pleased when the ball flew towards the green. He handed the club back to his nervous caddy with some praise for the boy's advice. "Wayne is improving. He hasn't yelled at the caddies in the last.." She paused to check her watch. "... the last ten minutes or so."

Flint snorted loudly. "That's only because he's got them so scared that all he has to do is glare now."

"True." Jaye leaned slightly into her boyfriend as he put an arm around her. "It is kind of nice to spend a day out here, playing golf and socializing with you. No worries and no real duties." She smiled up at him and watched his face relax into a smile.

As if cued by their relaxing, loud shouting came from nearby and Flint sighed. "No duties other than keeping our Sergeant major from murdering caddies."

"He won't murder any of them. Maybe rough them up, a few soft tissue injuries... but not kill them." Jaye smiled at Flint's irritated grumbles. "That's why you're here. To keep everyone out of trouble."

"I'm going to get Duke back for this. He should be here putting up with this. But is he going undercover as a golfer? Noooo, Duke gets to stand around in a suit with dark glasses, speaking mysteriously into his sleeve and looking cool. I'm the one pulling out his hair trying to corral these stubborn troopers." Flint sped up to approach the green where CoverGirl was attempting to land a blow using her sand wedge on Beachhead who was scrambling on all fours trying to escape. "Jebus Crissy! If it's not one of them, it's the other!" He waved his arms. "Stop trying to kill him!"

CoverGirl aimed slightly better and thumped Beach in the back. He yelped and she pointed it at him as he rolled to his feet. "You! Crouching down on the grass like that!"

He held up his hands. "Hey! HEY! Stop tryin' to hit me! That professional was crouched down on the grass too! I wasn't doin' nothin' he wasn't doin' too!" He ducked another swing.

She stopped a second to shake a fist at him. "HE was squatting to look at the green better! YOU were squatting to look up my skirt better!"

Beach grinned unrepentantly. "Hey, I got better priorities than he did! You gotta nice ass, after all!" He caught the club when it swung at him again and jerked it away from her. "Ha! Now whatcha gonna do!" His loud yelp made Flint wince in sympathy. "STOP KICKIN' ME IN THE KNEECAP!"

Jaye crossed her arms. "You know... maybe we should have picked Clutch and StormShadow instead."

End Chapter

I think the next chapter will be the last one. I'll try to get it finished quickly! Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed. It's greatly appreciated.