"Yahoo!! Come on, guys, get the lead out!" Wildwing grinned and shook his head as his younger brother bounded into the Migrator. Mallory was next, just as eager to go.

"Ah, the exuberance of youth," Duke sighed, joining Wildwing at the bottom of the ramp. Even the older duck was in a better mood than usual this morning. 'Maybe this beach trip wasn't such a bad idea after all,' Wildwing thought. I guess we all need a break once in a while.' They were all already dressed for the beach, the men in their swim trunks and tank tops, and the girls all wearing shorts over their suits. Lila and Tanya appeared, carrying the ice chest of food between them.

"You sure you don't want to come, Grin?" Lila asked, letting Wing and Duke take the icechest. Grin assured her he would rather stay and meditate, keeping guard. After a few more attempts at persuading him, the rest of the team piled into the Migrator.

Wildwing relaxed a little once they were off and on the road, and continued to relax with each moment that went by without something going wrong. Having lived about as far inland as you could get on Puckworld, Wildwing had never seen the ocean before he came to Earth. And the fact that it was actually warm enough to swim in was an added bonus.

He heard a smack and a yell behind him and had to grin when he heard Lila scold, "Hands off, Nosedive, that's our lunch!" Nosedive returned to his seat, rubbing the back of his hand.

Wildwing squinted as he took a turn that faced the vehicle towards the sun, and wished he'd thought to bring his sunglasses.

"You forgot these." Wildwing glanced up and Lila handed him his shades. He took them, chuckling a little.

"You're a mind reader," he told her.

"My secret is revealed," she grinned and squeezed his shoulder as she returned to her seat.

He threw Nosedive a mock glare as the younger man snickered, but the smile lingered on his face until they reached the beach.

"End of the line," Wildwing called, "Everybody out." He unbuckled his own restraints and stood. Nosedive was already halfway down the ramp. "Hold it, Dive!" The blod duck skidded to a stop and turned to catch the beach blanket his brother tossed him. "Pick us a good spot!" Nosedive tossed him a jaunty salute and disappeared. The other ducks divided up the rest of the beach equipment and set off in search of their young comrade.

They didn't have to go far. Nosedive had claimed a plot of sand far enough to be out of sight of the concrete parking lot, but close enough that it was in easy reach. Somehow, Wildwing doubted it had been intentional on Dive's part. Especially when he spotted a distinctive purple mohawk approaching Nosedive.

"Hey bro!" Noseidvie waved. "Check it out! Thrash and Mookie are here too!" Wildwing offered a slightly indulgent smile to the human girl as he set down the folding chairs he'd been carrying. When the ducks were finished setting up, Wildwing plopped down in one of the chairs and surveyed the poles the two humans had erected nearby.

"What's that?" He wondered aloud as Thrash tied a net to the two poles.

"Something called a volleyball net," Nosedive answered. "Thrash says it's a game humans like to play at the beach. He promised to teach me and Mal."

"Hey, Nosedive," Mookie came over, "Are you coming in the water? Like, we probably won't be playing until after lunch."

"Cooella. Right behind you Mook-meister!" He sat down and pulled of his shoes. Mookie removed the t-shirt she'd been using as a cover-up, and Wildiwng managed not to laugh at the flourescent green and pink swimsuit she wore.

"Okay!" Dive jumped to his feet. He stopped as Mookie stared. "What?" Dive followd her gaze to his feet, and he rocked back on his heels. An amused look crossed his face as he realized what had surprised the human. "Puckworld to Mookie! Newsflash! Ducks have webbed feet!" She flushed and grinned appologetically. Nosedive shook his head and took off. "Race you to the water!"

Wildwing sighed and leaned back in his chair. He watched Nosedive and Mallory splash around in the waves. Duke stayed in the shallows, and Tanya just sat at the edge of the water, letting the waves wash up to her waist and watching them recede again.

"Mind if I join you?" Lila asked, sinking into the chair next to him.

"Glad to have you," Wildwing answered, accepting the soda she offered him. "Not up for a swi?" he asked, cracking the can open.

"Not at the moment," she answered, running her fingers through her dark hair. "I'll just keep you company, for a while." She fell silent, looking out to sea.

"Remind you of home?" Wildwing asked. She shook her head a little.

"Not really, Lila sighed, "No mountains, for one thing." Her eyes were hidden behind her mirrored sunglasses, and her tone was neutral. She smiled, though, as she caught sight of her cousin, wh had just been bowled over by a particularly strong wave. Laughing, Duke hleped Tanya right herself as she spit salt water out.

"Looks like Tanya's having fun, though," she commented. "She used to love to do that when we were kids."

"You could go in the water?" Wildwing asked in surprise.

"Yeah, during the middle of the warm season, if you didn't stay to long. Couldn't go much further in than she is now, but we used to sit and let the waves wash around us like that once in a while." This time her smile was a little sad. "It seems like such a long time ago..."

"Hey, bro! You two gonna sit there all day?" Nosedive yelled from the water. Wildiwng looked at Lila.

"Well," he sighed, "I'll go if y ou will." Lila grinned and pulled off her shades.

"Let's go, we'll get no peace until we do," she said, slipping out of her shorts and shoes. Wildwing pulled off his shirt and they joined the rest of the team in the waves.

A sharp cry caught Wildwing's attention, and his brow furrowed as he scanned the water. "Did you hear--" With a start he realized that Lila wasn't with him. The yell came again, and this time Wildwing found its source.

A young human boy floundered in the water. He was out too deep and was fighting to stay above the rough waves. H heard a whistle and turned to see a lifeguard runnikng into the water.

'He'll never make it in time,' Wildwing thought, looking back to the kid. He squinted his eyes and caught sight of Lila swimming fiercely toward the child. Wildwing's heart lept into his thoat as Lila reached the boy, only to disappear beneath the water as he clutched at her in terror. She reemerged and managed to calm him enough to drag him through the water. The lifeguard reached them, and Lila let him tow the boy to shore, following at a more reserved pace.

Wildwing caught up with her as she dragged herself out fo the water.

"Lila!" he called, worried. "Are you all right?"

Lila was bent over, her hands on her knees for support as she tried to catch her breath. She managed a nod and a weak smile as she glanced up towards the guard. "How is he," she gasped, straightening. "He'll be okay," the lifeguard told her. The boy looked up at Lila and grinned a little sheepishly, still to stunned or tired or frightened to speak. Lila smiled back and let Wildwing steer her back to their blanket.

Lila collapsed into her chair, laughing seslf-consciously. "I think I need to spend a little more time on the ring," she said ruefully. "I can't believe I'm this tired over a little swim." She didn't see Wildwing's affectionate smile as she gazed back out at the water. He put a towel around her shoulders and squeezed her hand.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked with concern as she coughed. The soft smile that answered him caught him a little off guard. "What?" he demanded, fighting the heat that was rising in his face.

"Nothing," she siad lightly, still smiling. Abruptly Wildwing got it.

"Oh I see," he grinned. "You think you're the only one allowed to worry about a temamate?

"It is kind of a switch," Lila admitted, leaning back and stretching her legs out in front of her.