Guy Time

"This is sure a beautiful place," Tully said gazing around at the stream in which they were fishing. The mountains in the background gave it an almost picture postcard quality. He cast his line and in a few moments had a rainbow trout wriggling from the end. Removing the fish, he released it back to the water.

"I haven't been trout fishing for a lot of years," Troy commented, and Moffitt agreed.

"We used to spend some time here in the summer when we were growing up," Hitch said, "that's why there's all sorts of sporting equipment in the shed. This is where Isla taught me archery and I taught her trap shooting." He too, removed his catch from the line and returned it to the water.

"It will be a place to bring your children as they get older," Moffitt commented, sending out his line again.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Doc," Hitch laughed. "We're not planning on that for quite a while."

"Yeah, we weren't either," Tully grinned. He and his wife Mary Ellen had announced her pregnancy three weeks earlier.

"Hey, did you learn nothing from me when we served together?" Hitch jokingly demanded. "Always, Always carry protection. What were you thinking out there in the desert when she visited you at the dig site?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't about protection or where the nearest drugstore might be," Moffitt chimed in, and Tully hung his head.

"Seems to me there was one time when you thought that protection had failed," Troy reminded his former driver.

"Yeah, let's not even go there," Hitch warned as he released another trout. "Besides, it was a false alarm, the protection did its job."

"So, what are your plans for the honeymoon?" Tully changed the subject.

"We're going to spend several nights at the Waldorf before heading to Italy," Hitch said.

"Why so long at the Waldorf?" Troy teased.

"He's been a long time without a woman," Tully joined in. "Poor Isla will be lucky to see the light of day until they leave for the airport." Hitch actually blushed a little.

"I'm proud of you, Hitch," Moffitt said confidently. "You've come a long way since North Africa and a different girl in your bed every night."

"You're exaggerating," Hitch stopped fishing to comment, "not much but you're exaggerating. At times, I didn't have a bed, or I was in the desert with the three of you, not to mention the number of times I was in the hospital."

"You made up for it as we travelled throughout Europe, Troy added.

"I'm not proud of my behavior during those years," Hitch had grown quiet. "I look back on those days and I feel ashamed of myself."

"We all have past experiences and immaturity we'd like to forget," Moffitt spoke.

"And you've put all that behind you, because of your love for Isla," Tully finished.

"You're not the same impulsive kid you used to be. You've become a fine young man, Hitch," Troy complimented him. "I have every confidence you will be faithful to Isla."

"I can't even think of cheating on her," Hitch insisted, casting his line into the water.

"Yeah, you might feel the wrong end of her Louisville Slugger," Tully teased, and the others smiled.

"No, I'd be too frightened she would leave me, and I don't ever want to imagine a life without her beside me," Hitch admitted.

They fished for a few hours, keeping several trout for their dinner before breaking out the picnic basket they had brought along. They discovered archery equipment in the storage shed and set up the targets. Hitch instructed them how to properly use the bow and they spent time perfecting their skills. This was followed by some skeet shooting and a swim in the stream.

With their appetites sated by the delicious trout Hitch prepared for dinner, they sat around the campfire drinking beer and reminiscing.

"I want to thank you guys for agreeing to be a part of all the wedding hoopla," Hitch said.

"If this is wedding hoopla, I say, bring it on," Tully raised his beer in salute.

"Nah, this part is great, just being together again," Hitch continued. "Isla and I would have much preferred a small, quiet, ceremony like yours," he indicated Tully & Moffitt.

"We understand you felt you owed it to your parents, and I respect you for putting aside your own wishes to help make amends," Moffitt said. "Sometimes its more important to put family before self."

"Yeah, but all the crowd and events, it's like a circus. I just want you to know how much I appreciate your being here for me and putting up with everything," Hitch was grateful.

"Hey, we put up with you during the war, I think we can handle this. We're just glad to be here to support you and Isla. I for one, am glad you finally recognized what you had right in front of you and stopped being such a darn fool," Troy commented and they all grinned.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world," Tully assured him, "and Mary Ellen is having a ball."

"So is Pippa. She thinks its great fun," Moffitt assured his young friend.

"Mary Ellen just hopes her bridesmaid dress will fit properly," Tully sighed. This had been a topic of much discussion between the two.

"She isn't showing yet," Hitch remarked.

"She is a little, but not much," Tully replied. "I'll be glad when she can try it on and put her mind at ease."

"Trust me, if there is a problem, Isla will have it quickly resolved," Hitch was confident.

"We know, we've seen her in action," Troy agreed.

The following day they took a hike through the wooded area before returning to the city where they were joined at a health club by Hitch's father, Matthew, Isla's father, Malcolm, and her older brother, Duncan. They each enjoyed a vigorous massage, some time in the steam room and a manicure before heading to dinner and several rounds of drinks.

"I still think I could snap you like a twig if you do anything to hurt my sister," Duncan jokingly challenged his soon to be brother-in-law. In a swift moment, Hitch's blue eyes went from laughing to cold, steely, deadly blue, something the Rats had seen during the war. Duncan was rather taken aback and managed to murmur,

"Or maybe not," he took a long drink of the finely aged bourbon in his glass. Hitch stared him down and then the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile,

"You can think it all you want, however, I would suggest you never make the attempt," Hitch warned, and the other three Rats nodded in serious agreement.