It was a little bit after nine when Sara entered her bungalow. She had taken so many photos again and had to clean her SD card before she could take more photos. But first a little break. Diving in the morning made her tired and with a disturbed night in her bones she was tired anyway.

She dropped on her bed and closed her eyes. There were all the colorful fishes again. And the turtle. Sara had seen another turtle today and this one had stayed around for a few minutes before it left them. Sofia had managed to take a photo of the turtle and Sara in a as short as possible distance of two yards. This photos had good chances to become her favorite photos of the trip. Until she was with the dolphins. Yes! Sofia told her today when Sara passed all her tests tomorrow they would celebrate this with a dive tour the day after tomorrow when Sofia had an afternoon off. There was a place where you had the chance to meet some dolphins while you dove and sometimes they let you touch them or pulled you through the water. Another life time experience.

She felt some warmth from her stone but when she touched it, it was not warm nor cold. Nothing special just like a stone felt that was on a leather strap around her neck. Sara remember that when she laid in Sofia's bed last night the stone felt warm too. Almost like it had when Rhys had hugged her. It wasn't like she believed there were such things as magical stones, she was still a scientist but if they existed this had to be one. One that got warm or warmer when…yes when? She was close to people? She wasn't close to anybody yesterday evening and she wasn't close to somebody now.

"I know somebody who knows the answer." No time for sleeping, first se wanted some answers and after that she could get herself a blanket, a book and relax at the beach, have a little nap and walk over to the other side of the island. If she wanted to offer some dinner tonight she had to do some shopping.

"Good morning, Beauty." Rhys sent her a smile. "I heard you had a sleep over."

"I did, my nosy bartender."

"Glad to hear that."

"Why's that?"

"Because you and my Golden Treasure have a lot in common, the two of you haven't that found out yet entirely but I'm sure you're on a good way."

"You're the voodoo priest you must know."

Rhys smiled widely. "Anything you want to tell my, Beauty?"

"Yes. Your stone…"

"It's your stone."

"The stone you gave me yesterday, is it a magical stone?"

"There isn't such things like magic, Beauty. For everything what happens is a scientific reason, isn't it?"

"Let's pretend there might be such things like magic, magical stones. Would the one you gave me be one?"

"What makes you think so?"

"It feels warm sometimes."

"The stone is warm?"

"Yes…no, not the stone. My skin under it. Like it glows for a second and when I look at it there's nothing left than the warmth."

"When does that happen?"

"When you hugged me yesterday, when I was in Sofia's bed and this morning when I was in my bed."

"I can understand that you feel hot when you're in my Golden Treasure's bed."

"She wasn't there, don't get excited."

"Of course not, she knows better. Anything else you noticed about your stone?"

"Besides that it gets warm? No. I want to know why it gets warm."

"You'll find out."

"Rhys!"

"Beauty, you should remember that sciences plays on paper, magic plays in the head. You're the only one who can have a look into your head and find out what makes your stone warm. If it gets warm. Think about it as a scientist and as a person who believes in magic and you'll get all the answers you want." He put a cocktail in front of her and left her alone.

"You're not very helpful today." She mumbled, took her cocktail and walked with her towel away. As a scientist the stone was warmth because of her body heat. It saved it like any other item that was on her skin. Easy. The skin under the stone felt warmer because it kept the heat there. As somebody who believed in magic…how could she find an explanation for that? She didn't believe in magic.

"I wish I were a tourist and could lie lazy around, read a book and do nothing while other people have to work hard." Sofia sat next to Sara in the sand, her shades on, wearing shorts, a shirt and a baseball cap.

"Yeah, poor Rhys, I know." Sara chuckled

"He and me."

"You worked?"

"Yes since six o'clock this morning. A naughty ex CSI, who slept in my bed, got me into the ocean to find Nemo."

"You can have your bed the next time, I take the hammock it looked cozy."

"Who said there'll be a next time?" Sofia cocked a brow. She couldn't remember she made such an offer.

"Wanna bet?"

"No, I don't bet, that's too much Vegas."

"True. How about dinner?"

"Sounds much better I'm starving. Will Rhys serve something?"

"No, I prepared something."

"You?"

"Yes." Sara was satisfied with the surprise in Sofia's face. "I went over to the shop and got us a lovely dinner."

"Wow, I'm impressed."

"You better are." Sara waved at Rhys who blinked at them when they walked pass the bar. "One day he should take a day off."

"That's our boss says. Rhys prefers to work than be at home and relax. He says his perfect holiday destination is the bar and he's fine working there every day. It's what he loves and wants to do."

"A workaholic."

"Not the first I met."

"I got that." Sara bopped Sofia.

"You are on holidays."

"Yes for the first time in ages. And who do I meet? The smug blonde."

"That's what you call a perfect vacation."

"Not in English." Sara opened the door to her bungalow

"Ohmygod!"

"Yes, please?"

"Tell me you covered something with chocolate."

"Why should I lie to you?"

"Because if not I look at a chocolate cake."

"Triple chocolate mud cake to be correct. With that I'll serve some pineapples, cooled and covered with milk, dark or white chocolate, a banana pancake with chocolate sauce, a fruit mix on chocolate ice cream and in between I've a pizza Hawaii. Unfortunately it's only warm and not hot anymore."

"I think I died and am in heaven now."

"Don't you dare to die before we were at the dolphins."

"I'm in chocolate heaven." Sofia hugged Sara "You are crazy."

"And you're hungry."

"Yes."

"Help yourself." Sara got some cold water out of the fridge. If she ate all these sweet things she needed something neutral. And probably a doctor later.

It was past ten when Sofia got up from Sara's porch. "I think it's time for me to sail home before it's absolutely dark and I won't find my little island anymore."

"Yeah…"

Sofia looked at Sara. "What is it, Sara?"

"Nothing."

"You're a bad liar, did anybody ever told you that?"

"No."

"Now you know."

Sara swallowed and bit on her lips.

"Come on, spill it. I can see you've got something on your mind."

"It's ridiculous."

"Why don't you tell me first and I make my own decision."

"No. Forget it."

"Come on, it can't be that bad."

"It's stupid." Sara got up and opened her door. "I wish you a good night. And a safe trip back to the island. Shall I wait until you're there? You can give me a sign with a torch."

"Sara." Sofia stepped close to the brunette, touched her arm. "Tell me what's on your mind, please."

Sara sighed. It was stupid, ridiculous she made herself…she couldn't say this out loud. It was so much not her.

"I promise I won't laugh or bite you."

"You'll laugh your ass off."

"I won't. Big diver promise."

Sara swallowed again. She about to make a fool out of herself. She knew it and there was no way she could get around it.

"Could you…I mean…I know it's not a good idea…but …maybe…"

Sofia pulled Sara in her arms and held her. "Why don't you rethink your sentence again and say it out loud then? I've time, don't rush yourself. Get it the way it feels most comfortable for you and say it."

Sara closed her eyes. She felt how she relaxed. And her stone, it seemed to be warm again. Double body heat? Had to be.

"Could you stay here? I don't think I…I'm afraid…"

"Of course."

"But only if that's okay, I mean you've to work tomorrow…"

"You've a test to pass tomorrow."

"Yes, I learnt today and am prepared."

"I didn't expect anything else. Where do you want me to sleep?" There weren't many possibilities where Sofia could sleep. It was either a chair, the floor with Sara in her bed.

"I won't send you on the floor. It's a queen size bed that should be all right, shouldn't it?"

"Yes. Give me a second and I get a toothbrush from the bar."

"They've got…?"

"Yes in case a guest realized he or she forget their toothbrush. They've the most important things there."

"Okay. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Sofia pulled Sara closer once again. "It's all right, don't worry."

"I feel like a stupid child."

"You're not a stupid child, you're a sensible grown up woman. Hurry up in the bathroom, we both need some sleep to be fit for the big day."

"It's not a big day for you."

"Every time I can give somebody a diving license is a big day." Sofia blinked at Sara and left the bungalow to get the toothbrush. This was a surprise, a big one. But she was glad Sara asked her to stay. She had worried if the brunette would have more nightmares this night and would be too tired for her test tomorrow.

Saturday

When Sara woke up she realized Sofia had an arm causally placed over her belly. In the light of the moon she could see the face of the sleeping blonde. Sofia looked calm, relaxed and had a little smile on her face. Maybe she had a nice dream. Sara's dreams were…better. So far she hadn't dreamed she was killed by anything. Her dreams weren't nice, she could only remembered bits and pieces but also no fear. Maybe she was over the experience of almost drowning or Sofia's presence scared the nightmares away.

She shared a bed with Sofia. Things got weirder and weirder. What was next? She snuggled up in the arms of the blonde? What was the matter with her? It wasn't like she didn't like Sofia she had enjoyed the time with her the last days but…but this was all wrong. In nine days she would leave Magical Beach and had to be an adult again. Had to sleep alone and handle her life - that included dreams as well. There was no way she…Sara stopped breathing for a second. Sofia had turned and laid close to her now, head almost on Sara's shoulder, held her tighter. Not Sara was about to end up snuggling in Sofia's arms, it was the other way around. That was too close to comfort, that was…actually quite relaxing.

To hell with this stone, it felt hot. Sara flipped it aside. Stupid thing. Magic. That wasn't magic, that was annoying. Maybe it was a kind of solar stone that stored body heat and released it later. She had never heard of such stones but she had never been interested in something like that. At least it was an explanation, a scientific explanation. Everything else was… there were no other explanations.

A quiet sight escaped Sofia like she dreamed of something nice. Probably more chocolate, Sara reckoned. The eyes of the blonde had gloomed like a child's eyes on Christmas Day. The little surprise was perfect. If that was reason why Sofia agreed to stay? Contrary to Sara the blonde didn't have any problems to stay, to agree and she didn't look like she thought Sara was stupid asking for it. More like she liked the idea and was glad to stay. If Sofia felt bad because of what had happened to Sara? If she thought it was her fault and she tried to make up for that?

Sofia. The stone. Was this little thing reacting to the blonde? When Sara thought about it she could remember at least three situations in that the stone was warm, Sofia was somehow involved. But why would it react to her? There was no reason for it. It wasn't like Sofia or her presence made something with Sara…okay, she felt safe and relaxed with the blonde, but that was only because of the swim thing. That had nothing with Sofia as a person to do. Maybe she should just give the stone back to Rhys.