Moffitt folded his arms over his chest while watching Jules climb the tall, old oak tree that sat along the bank of a river in a park just outside of Cambridge. Hitch's seven-year-old son, Zachariah, was there, as was Hitch himself, but it didn't make Moffitt any less nervous of something going wrong. He didn't want to say anything, though, as he didn't want it to sound like he didn't trust Hitch to keep both boys safe. He absolutely trusted Hitch. It was his own anxiety that he didn't trust.

"You guys are doing great," Hitch said. "Just keep holding tight, and say something if you feel like you're gonna fall."

"Got it, Mr. Hitch," Jules said.

"Stay on this side of the tree," Moffitt instructed. "We don't need you two falling in the river."

"Okay, Dad."

"You doing alright, Zach?" Hitch asked.

"I'm okay," Zach replied.

Hitch turned to Moffitt. "So far, so good. How are you?"

"Keeping my fingers crossed neither of them fall," Moffitt muttered.

"I fell all the time climbing trees when I was a kid and I came out okay. Didn't you climb trees?"

Moffitt shook his head. "Wasn't allowed to."

"Aw, geez." Hitch frowned. "I'm sorry. Why not?"

"Because all of the trees at our home were decorative, not for 'silly and dangerous activities like climbing.' Mum's words, not Father's. I… tried once while I was with my father in a park, similar to this one, fell, broke my arm, and that was it. Never allowed to climb again."

"I'm sorry that happened, Moffitt." Hitch looked at the ground, then back at his friend. "Jules will be fine."

Moffitt glanced up, locking eyes with his son. Jules turned and sat on a branch, then moved slightly outward to let Zach sit next to him. "You can see really far, Dad!"

"Why don't you go up with them?" Hitch suggested.

Moffitt gestured to himself. "Me? Don't you think I'm too… old for such a thing?"

Hitch shook his head. "No. Go on. You didn't have a good experience with this when you were little, so you deserve to have a good experience now." He leaned in to whisper. "And it'll be a great moment with your son."

Moffitt sighed, meeting Jules's gaze again. "Alright." He started up the trunk, having an easier time than the two boys because of his height and overall strength. Jules and Zach both seemed impressed, watching Moffitt go much higher than they did, and they tried to follow.

Moffitt stopped when he felt that the branches above wouldn't support his weight. He peered through the leaves, and was treated to a gorgeous view of Cambridge. "You're right, Jules," Moffitt said. "You can see really far. Here—can you get to me?"

"I think I can." Jules scrambled up the trunk, and used a branch for leverage in order to get to his father. He nearly slipped, but Moffitt held onto him.

"Easy. I got you."

"That would've sucked," Jules said.

It could've killed you. Moffitt held Jules tight, then lifted him up to see the view.

"Whoa…" A big grin crossed Jules's face. "That's so cool! You can see the whole city from here!"

Hitch and Zach appeared on a branch nearby. "Hey, that is pretty neat," Hitch said, smiling.

A light breeze came through, and Moffitt closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation of the wind on his face, wondering if this had been something he had missed as a child. Jules won't miss it. He'll have fond memories of this, and now so will I.

When the breeze stopped, Moffitt opened his eyes. He looked down at Jules's smiling face, then realized they were both on the side of the tree facing the river. No matter. If someone falls, hopefully that someone will be me. Who am I kidding? Of course it'll be me. I'm rather accident-prone.

"What're you guys doing up there?" The tree began shaking as someone began climbing up quite roughly.

"Uh-oh," Hitch said. "Hey, you might wanna be gentle, Sarge."

"Come on, you can go higher than this." Troy climbed past Moffitt and Jules.

"Uh, Troy, you're a bit heavier than I am, and I didn't feel safe going further than where I am now," Moffitt said, nervously.

"Okay, okay." Troy stepped onto the branch Moffitt and Jules were on. The branch began creaking. "Oh, crap."

With a loud snap, the branch collapsed, sending Moffitt and Jules into the river below. Troy had fallen as well, but grabbed onto the jagged stump where the branch used to be, tearing his shirt in the process.

All this had occurred while Dietrich was approaching, a heaping, melting ice cream cone in his hands. Tully, his daughters, and Carolyn were behind him, also with ice cream.

"This is… quite incredible to see," Dietrich said.

"I could use a little help," Troy grunted.

"Oh, no, this is justice for when you made me rip my trousers in that ammunition dump in North Africa. Besides, I cannot set this down." Dietrich motioned to his ice cream.

"Y'all missed the ice cream truck!" Tully hollered.

"It seems they are in a bit of a predicament, Tully," Dietrich said.

"I see that. Sarge, you alright?"

"I'm good," Troy grunted.

"Moffitt, you alright?"

Moffitt and Jules were both soaking set, but thankfully uninjured. They left the river, their clothes weighed down with water. Drawing in a breath, Moffitt glared up at Troy. "Vanora is going to have your head!"

"Well, does it help that I've ripped my shirt and Dietrich is really enjoying this?" Troy asked. He positioned himself away from the branch stump, and slowly began climbing down. The entire front of his shirt was torn open.

"Holy cow, Sarge, you're lucky that didn't cut you right open," Tully said.

"Agreed, which is why we can laugh about it," Dietrich added. He snorted when he saw the sopping wet Moffitt and Troy with his shirt ripped standing together, then burst into laughter.

Troy gave Moffitt a look, then looked at Jules. "Hug him."

"I'm all wet, Mr. Troy," Jules said.

"That's the point. Go hug Dietrich."

"But he'll drop his ice cream, Mr. Troy."

"Come on, soldier, go hug him."

"Alright, Mr. Troy." Jules began running at Dietrich, whose eyes widened as he turned and sprinted away.

Troy grinned while watching, but his grin faded when he looked at Moffitt. "You're okay, right?"

"Very wet, but, yes, I'm alright, and Jules is alright. You would've been in big trouble if he had gotten hurt," Moffitt said.

"At least he didn't. I don't know what I'd do with myself if one of the kids got hurt because of something I did."

"You've come close a few times."

"Yeah, but somehow things manage to work out, just like with you and Hitch and Tully."

"We were hurt plenty of times!"

"True, but that was part of the job."

Moffitt sighed and nodded, then flinched upon hearing Dietrich shouting when Jules jumped on him.

Next to him, Troy was clapping. "Nice job, Jules!"

Moffitt couldn't help but grin. "I'm so proud of my son." He then frowned and rubbed his face. "Oh, bloody hell, Jules, don't tickle him."

Tully had a confused look on his face as he glanced at Troy and Moffitt. "Dietrich is ticklish? Huh. Learn something new every day."