In Flames Extras

Eddie Can't Surf

As the sounds of Selena Quintanilla in the air and the sun beating down on the Los Angeles sand, the 118 found themselves on the beach. Bobby and Athena insisted on some mid-summer bash to give everyone a much needed rest day.

Rest being a subjective term.

Eddie looked up from the sandcastle he and Maddie were helping Christopher build just in time to see his girlfriend catch the football pass that David launched at her. She sprinted towards the flip flops indicating their goal line just as Buck slammed into her side and laid her out in the sand.

"Evan Buckley, don't break Mariana!" Athena shouted from her place at the grill with Bobby. The tall blond picked himself up and offered a hand to his best friend. Mariana groaned dramatically but grabbed his hand, letting him hoist her up.

"I'm not playing with him anymore if he's going to act like he's an NFL linebacker!" she announced, throwing the ball into his chest. Buck pouted as she made her way to her boyfriend, sitting down in the sand in between him and Christopher. Mariana leaned over to press a kiss to Chris' head before praising his work on the sandcastle.

"Dad and Maddie helped," he informed her.

"I'm sure Maddie did most of the work," she teased. Eddie rolled his eyes as she cheekily grinned at him. Her dark eyes looked out at the water and she sighed wistfully. He ran his knuckles up and down her arm, catching her attention. She tilted her head towards him and he tangled his fingers in her messy dark curls.

"Good surfing waves," she announced. He looked back at the ocean where a few people were riding out the waves. Mariana's eyes followed their movements, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Didn't know you surfed," he finally said.

"I used to. Before the tsunami...I would go out there a lot. Sometimes I taught some of the kids at the group home. I was never really good at it but Luis and Jess loved surfing. That's actually how they started dating. I supervised their surfing dates."

"You should get out there," he encouraged. She shook her head with a laugh.

"Nah, I don't want to leave you and Chris."

"Dad doesn't know how to surf," Christopher piped up. "I know how to surf and he doesn't."

"C'mon Eddie," Maddie added. "You can't move to LA and never surf. Mari, you should teach him."

"Hey Chris! Come help us bury Buck!" Denny shouted. Hen and Karen laughed at their son's comment. Christopher looked to his dad and Mari with puppy dog eyes.

"It's alright with me if it's alright with your dad," she agreed.

"Make sure you get sand in his hair," Eddie told him. Chris grinned as Maddie helped him up and the two went over to join the others. Mari turned to look at her boyfriend, a wicked grin on her face. He sighed and stood up, brushing the sand off of his shirt before holding a hand out for her.

"C'mon, there's a surf shack half a mile down the beach. We can rent boards for the day."

///

He was going to regret this.

They haven't even touched the water and he knows he's going to regret this.

But then, Mariana planted her surfboard on the sand and started to shimmy out of the clothes she had on over her bikini and suddenly, falling on his ass in front of the whole team feels worth it. He really needed to focus on what she's saying but the farther her shirt rose and the more skin that was exposed meant the less he was listening.

She tossed her shirt over by their shoes and pulled her hair up into a bun, turning to look at him. An unamused look passed over her face and she crossed her arms over her chest, not aiding him at all in this challenge to pay attention.

"Edmundo," she snapped, pulling his attention to her face.

"C'mon, you can't blame me." Mari rolled her eyes, but he definitely caught her side eye as he pulled off his shirt.

"Step one, paddling out to the waves."

"Easy enough." He reached to grab his board and she shook her head.

"You practice on land first."

Looking back at the team, Eddie grimaced when he realized they were all watching them. He would never live down Chimney's roasts after this.

///

"Hey, at least you were able to stand that time!" Mari cheered as he dragged himself up onto the board.

"I think I broke my back," he grunted. She grinned and swam over to balance her arms on his board and steal a quick kiss.

"You're fine you big baby," she teased. Raising an eyebrow, she leaned forward on his board. "Was that your leg that just brushed against mine?"

"Don't," he warned. "Do not. I will haul ass out of this ocean and leave you here to get eaten by Jaws."

She threw her head back with a laugh and moved back to her board. "How romantic of you. My hero."

"I will run into a burning building for you, but I will not fight a shark for you."

"Tragic," she commented dryly, sliding onto the board and paddling out towards the oncoming waves. Eddie was so focused on watching her lithe, muscular form on the board and the ease at which she lifted herself up and onto the board. The wave curved and she crouched down, her hand running along the blue water with a grin on her face. He could see the peace that passed over her face and knew that Luis was with her in her heart as she rode out the wave.

His admiration of her ended when the wave crashed right into his face and knocked him off his board. When his head hit the surface, he could hear the 118 laughing like hyenas. Mari coasted her board over to him, sitting down so her legs dangled off the edge.

"C'mon, my little Texan," she cooed, mirth dripping from her words. "Let's give you a break."

Eddie dragged himself up onto the beach and laid on his back, shutting his eyes as the sun beat down on them. He could hear Mariana take off her surfboard leash from her ankle and plant the board in the sand before her fingers wrapped around his ankle and she moved his board.

"Big baby," she teased as he let out an undignified groan. He cracked open his eyes to find his son and his girlfriend looking down at him with equally mischievous grins on their faces and sand in their hands.. He reached out and pulled them down into hugs as Christopher giggled and tried to squirm his way out. Mariana accepted her fate and laid down next to him, taking in the sun and the surf. She scrunched her nose up and stuck her tongue out at Chris, making his laughter increase.

"Our plan has been defeated," she announced dramatically.

"My ego and pride has been wounded and you two were ganging up on me? Traitors."

Christopher curled up next to Eddie, the excitement and fun of the day making his son sleepy. He turned his head to the other side where Mariana rested her head on his chest. She was tracing shapes on his arm, her dark eyes staring out at the water.

"Okay?" he asked softly.

"Perfect," she admitted. "Thank you."

She raised her head so she could kiss his cheek and then looked over at Christopher, running her hands over his messy curls. Christopher blearily blinked at Eddie and Mari and smiled.

"Love you," he said.

"Love you too buddy," she whispered.

"Love you both," Eddie added.

And not even Chimney's dramatic retelling of Eddie getting knocked on his ass over and over could take away from this moment where the Los Angeles sun looked down on them and ocean water lapped at their feet.

He never wanted to leave.

A/N: my archaeology lecture is staring at me in judgement since I wrote this during class