A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the long delay! I was sleeping over at my Aunts' house all weekend. Thanks for the reviews in my absence, I hope this is worth the wait!

"But Da-ad!" Elizabeth protested. "Lisa doesn't have to go, why do I?"

"Lisa is working all day, Lizzie," her dad reminded her gently. "And we'll have fun."

"Daddy," Elizabeth said with a pleading expression. "It's the last week of summer vacation. I was gonna call a friend to see if we could go see a movie."

"Sweetheart, there's still tomorrow and Sunday, and we really want you to come," Dad said. Owen nodded with all the enthusiasm his nine-year-old self could muster. Elizabeth groaned. He was six years younger than her and sometimes she didn't really understand him.

"Do I have a choice?" She asked. Her dad just shrugged, looking hopeful. "Fine. I'll come. But I won't have fun."

"That's up to you, Liz," he told her. He pulled her and Owen into a hug and Elizabeth smiled slightly against her will.

"Let's go!" Owen said, impatiently squirming out of the hug.

"Alright, Owen," her dad laughed. "Hold your horses." They put the rest of the gear into the jeep and then piled in. Elizabeth took the back seat and leaned her head against the window, sulking as they passed her friends' houses. Her father glanced at her in the rearview mirror and he let out a short sigh.

"Turn on the music, Dad!" Owen said, bouncing in his seat. Dad smiled at him and flicked on country music. Elizabeth didn't join in with her father and brother's interesting singing, but occasionally she smiled slightly as their voices cracked.

"Alright, we're here," Dad declared. He parked, and any good mood Elizabeth had been feeling vanished instantly. The trail looked steep, and there wasn't much shade.

"It's shorter than it looks," Dad promised. He pulled out his large backpack and put it on, passing each of the kids a water bottle.

"Will you hand me my hat, Lizzie?" Owen asked her. She passed it over silently and followed them up the trial, hanging back as far as her father would allow her to. Owen stayed right with her dad and after a while he called to her.

"Lizzie! Come see this!" Elizabeth walked slowly toward them and Owen's face fell.

"Aw, you missed it," he said. "It was a cute baby chipmunk."

"I don't care," Elizabeth said with a shrug. Owen shrugged in return and bounced back to their dad.

The hike up took over an hour, and Elizabeth "missed" seeing several more interesting things. She half-wished she'd just waited in the car, but with the direct sunlight it probably would've been worse.

"Hey, Lizzie, Owen," her dad called. Owen had fallen back slightly to watch some red ants. They both caught up with him and he grinned. "We're at the top. I want you both to close your eyes, okay?"

"Alright!" Owen exclaimed, closing his eyes and bouncing impatiently. Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before closing hers.

"Okay, I won't let you fall. I'm just leading you through some bushes." Her dad planted a hand on their shoulders and led them forward. Elizabeth felt a rush of cooler air and a fresh smell filled her nose.

"Alright. When I count to three, open them. One... two... three."

Elizabeth's dark eyes snapped open and she let out a little breath of surprise. Thick trees hung over them, creating shade. A very small waterfall fed a little pond and river, and several small patches of flowers were growing around the clearing.

"This is awesome!" Owen declared, laughing as he kicked off his shoes and stuck his feet in.

"It's nice," Elizabeth said, nodding. Her dad pulled her into a sideways hug and then started to lay out a lunch from his backpack. Elizabeth let out a mental sigh. She'd been so rude.

"Can I help you, Daddy?" She asked. He nodded with a smile.

"Sure. Want to spread out the tablecloth on this big rock?"

That was her dad. Never saying I told you so. Just forgiving and forgetting and loving. She gave him a big hug.

"Thanks for bringing us here, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you, too, Lizzie."

From behind them, a big splash sounded. "Ahh! This is cold!" Owen shouted. He dragged himself, dripping wet, back to the bank and then grinned mischievously, running toward them and joining their hug.

"Owen! You're getting us wet!" Elizabeth protested, laughing.

"But it's a loving sort of wet," Owen said with a giggle.

"Well, you'll have to dry on the way down. Come eat." Dad released the sopping wet nine-year-old and they all sat down around the rock.

"This was the best hike ever!" Owen said. Elizabeth giggled.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It was."