[ It's true. They aren't the sort of men who can retire to a peaceful beach-side town and live out the remainder of their years puttering about doing nothing whatsoever. But every once in a while, it's nice to visit a place like this. Even if it's only pretend.

Wash looks over at the nudge, the corner of his mouth quirking in a vague sort of smile. There aren't many memories of visiting the beach, but he shifts through what he's got until he finds the happiest. ]

Last time was a weekend. Right before I shipped off to Basic. my mother brought some novel she'd been excited to read. My sisters spent the whole time laying on the beach staring at boys. Gossiping about the other girls. There was a storm one night. Real bad one right off shore. The lightning lit up the sky for hours, seemed to dance on the water.

[ He chuckles a little, remembering one of his youngest sisters saying that it was like nature was giving them fireworks. ]

They were happy. All of them. The Covenant came not too long after.