A/N: Apologies.. apparently the site and I were having a fight and I've been having issues getting on to upload the next chapter...Anywho, here ya go. Enjoy
"Momma, can I go down to the water with daddy when he comes back?" Ally asked as Carolina and Emma were laying out the big blanket they had brought down.
"You have to put on the life vest if you do," Carolina answered. Ally groaned at her. Carolina turned to her, "Do you and I need to have a discussion?"
"No…"
"Then please stop fighting when adults tell you that you need to do something."
"But I don't want to wear it…no one else has to wear one…" Ally mumbled kicking at the sand.
"Everyone else knows how to swim and what to do if a current grabs them. Do you know how to do either of those things?" Ally shook her head. "That is why I want you to wear the life vest. Just in case something happens. You can have just as much fun as everyone else, I promise."
"Fine…"
"Thank you."
"So I can go down then when daddy comes back?" Ally asked.
"As long as he doesn't mind. I know he's going to want to attempt his surfing fiasco with your uncles when he gets back so ask him nicely."
"Ok."
Carolina exchanged looks with Emma before looking over at Caboose and Tucker. Grif was supervising them rather than help put up the tent they had rented for shade. She walked up and stood next to him.
"How's it going?" Carolina asked.
"A lot faster if someone else would help," Tucker answered glaring at Grif.
"I'm supervising," Grif replied.
"Whatever dude," Tucker huffed. He snapped the last piece in place. "There. Done. Where are we putting it?"
"Over here," Carolina said. "Grif, at least help carry it over."
"Fine. But that's the extent of my work today," Grif grumbled. They all grabbed a leg and walked the tent over to where Emma and Carolina had laid out the blanket. Emma was unfolding chairs and paused for a second while they put the tent in place.
"Momma?"
"Yes Ally?"
"I would very much like to go down to the water. Would it be ok if I ask Uncle Tucker to go with? That way Daddy doesn't have to." Carolina raised a questioning eyebrow at Tucker.
"Yea, sure," Tucker nodded. "I'll keep an eye on her."
"Just for a little," Ally said.
"You still have to put your vest on," Carolina nodded.
"Ok!" Ally replied bouncing over to where it was sitting.
Carolina looked at Tucker, "You sure you can handle her?"
"Oh hell yea. I mean come on, I basically babysit Caboose half the time and he's still alive," Tucker chuckled. "Not to mention Junior."
"Alright," Carolina chuckled. "Just be careful."
"Come on Uncle Tucker!" Ally ran back over and grabbed his hand and started tugging him. Carolina watched them walk down to the beach and Ally squeal in delight when the waves came in and touched her feet before receding back. She shook her head before walking behind the tent to Emma to help her attach the back part to give more shade cover.
Grif had already made himself comfortable on the edge and was settling in for a nap.
"Please tell me you are going to pay attention to how long you sit out so you don't get sun-poisoning the first day," Carolina huffed.
"I got a system," Grif shrugged pointing at his watch.
"Plus Grif said we could bury him," Caboose added.
"I said no such thing."
"Yes you did. Ally asked you and you said whatever."
"Oh...yea, guess I did," Grif shrugged. "Oh well. As long as I don't have to move or put in any effort."
Carolina rolled her eyes and walked back over to sit in the low chair next to Emma who had pulled out her data-pad and appeared to be reading. Carolina stretched out her legs in front of her and looked down to the shore line to watch Ally splashing in the shallow water with Tucker. She heard more voices coming and turned to see York walking back with North, Wash, Sarge and Simmons. The first three had surf boards under their arms while the others appeared to be carrying a net.
"We have returned victorious!" York exclaimed shoving the end of the board into the sand and walking over to Carolina. She glanced up at him as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. He pushed his sunglasses on the top of his head and looked around, "Where's Ally?"
"Down at the water with Tucker," Carolina answered.
"I was thinking-"
"That's dangerous for you," Carolina muttered. York glared at her. "Sorry, go on."
"I was thinking, as long as it gets your approval, that I would take the kid out once the cobwebs are cleared. That ok?"
"We'll see," Carolina sighed.
"I brought back an ankle leash if you say it's ok so her and I wouldn't get separated."
"We'll see, but the hopes are looking higher. Ultimately, it's up to her."
"Come on York! Wash is going to take all the good ones," North yelled back.
"Yea, yea," York chuckled putting his sunglasses back on. "I'll be back."
"Be careful."
"That's no fun," he called back as he grabbed the board and jogged after North. Wash was already in and paddling out.
"So they do this often?" Emma asked placing the data-pad down to watch the three paddling out.
"Every once in a while when we got shore leave," Carolina shrugged. "Wash used to skateboard and while not the same, he always liked when they had the chance to catch some waves."
"You ever go out?"
"We all did. It really all depended when we got the leave though," Carolina sighed. "And if I would actually go out with them. Most of the time I stayed onboard to keep an eye on my father."
"I can understand that," Emma nodded giving her a smirk.
"Yea I guess you can," Carolina smiled back. She looked back out and watched as Wash eagerly grabbed the first good wave while North and York stayed back and watched him take it. Tucker and Ally had paused to watch, Ally cheering him on as he maneuvered the crest.
"Oh no!" Ally yelled as the wave started tunneling, covering her view of Wash. Carolina chuckled when she squealed in delight when he came out, beating the collapse before cutting a bit too high and dumping himself.
"Not bad for someone who hasn't surfed in years," Emma commented making Carolina chuckled.
"Since when could he do that?" Grif asked. He had propped himself up to watch as Sarge and Simmons had been joined by Donut and Doc to set up what looked like a volleyball net.
"Weren't you listening?" Carolina asked.
"Listening is different than actually seeing it," Grif mumbled as they watched North coming in on the next one. He didn't last nearly as long as Wash and then next was York.
"Go Daddy!" Ally cheered.
Carolina had to smile watching York ride the wave he caught almost as well as Wash had. Unfortunately a tunnel caught him on his left and he got trapped inside, only to surface a few seconds later after it passed. Carolina was impressed his sunglasses had managed to stay on his head when he popped back up and crawled back up onto the board.
After the initial attention to what the former Freelancers had been doing, the others went back about their business of what appeared to be getting a game of volleyball going. Grif had rolled over onto his stomach and Ally had run back to shed her vest and grab Caboose and their supplies to start making what they claimed was going to be an epic sandcastle.
All in all, Carolina had to admit it was a relaxing day. York eventually took Ally out with him while North continued to try and convince Emma who refused. Tucker did manage to convince both her and Carolina to go over for a game of four on four against Sarge, Donut, Simmons and Doc which they lost.
"Momma, momma, did you see us?" Ally yelled as Emma and Carolina were walking back over to the tent. York was carrying his rented board as she ran ahead of him, North trailing to the side.
"I did," Carolina chuckled. "Did you have fun?"
"Yes. Daddy said when I get bigger that maybe I can learn to do it myself," Ally bounced next to them. "But first I have to learn how to swim."
"Well then good thing there's a pool where he can start teaching you while we're here," Carolina smiled.
"That's what I was thinking," Ally giggled. "Can I go look for shells?"
"As long as someone goes with you."
"Aunty Emma, wanna look for shells with me?"
"Sounds fun," Emma nodded. Ally grabbed her hand and started tugging her back to grab a bucket as North and York got to where they had been standing.
"Where are they off to?" North asked.
"Ally wants to look for shells," Carolina replied. "You guys done for now?"
"For the moment," York nodded. "Wash is still out though."
"Course he is," Carolina chuckled. "Undo your tether."
"Why?" York asked slowly.
"Cuz I wanna go out."
"You want to go out…?"
"That's what I said," she chuckled taking the board from him. York smirked and undid the tether, transferring to her ankle before standing up and giving her a quick kiss before she took off down to the water.
"Someone is a lot more relaxed than I thought she was," York chuckled as he and North continued back to the tent.
"I have to admit, I don't think I've seen her smile that much," North replied. "So is there a plan for tomorrow and what is it?"
"Em and I are meeting everyone at the shuttle," York answered. "Gotta check with her to see what time they should be arriving. Probably going to go to dinner with my parents which I'm sure you guys are more than welcome to come."
"And if we don't, your mother will beat me up most likely," North chuckled. York nodded in agreement. "I swear, I gained 30 pounds while they nursed me back to health."
"That's mum," York smirked. He let out a sigh, "I'm glad their coming. It'll be good to see them after all the shit that happened."
"Do they know about Ally?"
"No clue what Emma told them," York shrugged before turning to give North a confused look. "Weren't you with her when she got a hold of them? I should be asking you that."
"It was e-mail correspondence and it's not like I was looking over her shoulder at what she was doing. You think she would let me?" North laughed.
"True. She'd probably hit you," York nodded. "So we'll find out when they get here."
"Did you tell Ally?"
"I have not," York sighed. "Lina knows. Maybe we'll tell the kid before she goes to bed."
"Momma, I'm not tired," Ally whined when they got back to their rooms later.
"Ally, your dad carried you up here and you fell asleep on him again. It's time for bed," Carolina sighed.
But I'm not tired," Ally repeated before a yawn escaped.
"Come on kid," York chuckled picking her back up. "I'll tell you a story."
"Everyone else gets to stay up…" she pouted when he put her down on her bed.
"One day you'll get to stay up with everyone else," York nodded. "But your mom's right. You did fall asleep on the way back again. And we still have a lot of fun things to do and you don't want to be too tired for those do you?" She sighed and shook her head. "Plus, the sooner you go to bed, the sooner you wake up and get a surprise tomorrow."
"What kind of surprise?"
"Some special visitors are coming," York replied.
"Really?" York nodded. "What kind of visitors?"
"Well, do you want it to be a surprise or would you like me to tell you?"
"Umm…" Ally paused to think a bit.
"Here, I'll let you change and then when I come back, you tell me if you want to know or not," York offered. Ally nodded her head. He ruffled her hair and left the room closing the door before going back out to everyone else.
"That was a quick story," Carolina commented.
"She's putting on her pjs," York replied.
"Ah."
"Where's Emma and North? Weren't they with us?"
"Maybe they're still outside," Carolina shrugged. "Why? Leave them alone."
"Come on," York chuckled. "Only reason I was asking is because I need to know what time that shuttle is coming in just in case an alarm needs to be set."
"I'm sure Church could tell you."
"Yea dude, did you forget about me?" Church replied popping up. "I feel so special now."
"Well, I was out in the sun all day," York smirked.
"Not that you have a brain to fry to begin with…" York narrowed his eyes at the hologram. "Anyway. Shuttle should be in roughly around eleven."
"Just in time for lunch," York rubbed his hands together. He kissed the side of Carolina's head, "Pick some place nice to meet us at while I go finish tucking the kid in."
"Whatever." He gave Carolina a wink before walking off. She sighed and turned to look at Church, "Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Surprisingly, I did," Church replied. "It was quiet for the first time in a long time and I love every second of it."
"Good. I was worried you'd get bored here by yourself," Carolina replied walking over to sit on the couch.
"Nah. Besides, it's not like I can participate in activities with everyone," he shrugged.
"True."
"How bout you guys?"
"It was a blast," Carolina smiled. "Haven't had that much fun in a long time."
"Good. It's about time you have fun and relax, you workaholic you," Church chuckled making her laugh. "Ready to meet the parents?"
"It's now or never. Who knows when we'll have this chance again."