chap24

"So what are we doing tonight?" Shawn asked, spearing a piece of chicken and shoving it in his mouth.
"Manners, Shawn Douglas" his mom reminded him. He blushed slightly and Belle smirked at him. "And I don't know, whatever you want to do"
"Shopping?" Belle suggested, and Greta gave a nod of approval.
"No way, not again" Shawn protested, and Eric agreed. "We need to do something more...manly"
"I agree" John said, half kidding. "We're outnumbered by women here"
"I have an idea" Marlena said. "You males can bond-while you clean up after dinner"
"Haha, funny Mom" Eric said. "But seriously, what can we do?"
"We could find a place for a little ocean fishing" Bo suggested.
"That would be good" Shawn said, taking smaller bites of his meal.
"That's not manly" Greta spoke up. "I can do that"
"Me too" Belle said, speaking before she thought.
"Uh huh, I'm sure Miss Belle" Shawn said. "I'd like to see you bait a hook...or even touch the fish that you catch"
"I'm sure I can, Tough Boy" she said. "Right, daddy?"
"Well, sweetie, how about you put your money where your mouth is?" he asked, amused at the prospect.
"Fine, I'll go" she said, setting down her fork with force. "But only if Greta comes"
"Of course I will" Greta said. "We can't let these boys try and push us around" Everyone laughed gently.
"I for one am not interested in going" Hope said, struggling to her feet. "So I'll stay here and clean up"
"I'll keep you company" Marlena said, starting to gather dishes.
"Ok, then it's settled" Bo said, standing up with his plate. "We're leaving in 15 minutes so everyone go get ready". Belle followed Shawn to the kitchen with her plate and then caught his arm right before he went in his room.
"Shawn, I have a question for you" she said, nervously pulling on a strand of hair.
"What's that?" he asked, taking the hair from her hand.
"What do you wear fishing?" she asked, with utmost seriousness. Shawn burst out laughing. "What? I'm serious!"
"I know, that's what's so funny" he said, laughing even harder.
"Shawn, I'm serious" she said. "What do you wear?" He looked her up and down.
'Pink sundresses" he said.
"Oh, you're such an ass Shawn!" she said, opening up her door and stepping in.
"Wait, Belle, I was only..." he started, as the door slammed in his face. "kidding"
Belle gathered in the living room with the rest of the group who wanted to go fishing. She decided on a pair of bellbottom jeans, a t-shirt, with a sweatshirt tied around her waist. She was relieved to see everyone else was dressed similarly. The ride to the pier was interesting, with Eric and Shawn comparing stories and Greta and Belle silently worrying about their lack of skills. Once they got there, John and Bo paid for their rented rods and for some bait. John and Bo walked away to find a good spot and Eric and Shawn immediately settled in and casted their rods.
"Ok, Belle, I have no idea what I'm doing" Greta whispered to her.
"Shit, I don't either" Belle muttered.
"How's it going girls?" Eric called out across the pier.
"Fine" they both shouted in unison
"Do you need some help getting started?" Shawn asked.
"Shawn Brady, if I needed help I would ask for it..." Belle answered and he shot her a look. "And I need help" she finished, quietly. Eric got up and started over to them. He quickly showed them the basics and then got ready to show them how to bait.
"Need some bait?" Shawn asked, throwing one so it landed at their feet. Greta jumped back from it and Shawn laughed. Belle knew that he was just looking to get her worked up so she wrinkled her nose and pikced it up, quickly handing it to Eric. He baited the hook and then showed Greta how to cast it. She took a few practice tries until she got it right and he walked away.
"Ok, this is stupid" Greta said, after a few minutes.
"Seriously" Belle agreed, yawning. They heard a shout from behind them and turned to see Shawn reeling in a fish. They watched with some interest as he brought it up and quickly released it, saying it was "too small"
"Now that's excitement" Belle muttered.
"Oh! Oh!" Greta suddenly shouted, who was holding the rod.
"Looks like you got something" the man next to them said.
"Oh, no, what do I do with it?" Greta asked, looking panicked. The man set down his rod and showed her how to gently bring it in without breaking the line. John and Bo came back just in time to see her bring it in.
"Oh, that's a nice one" the man said, as it was bigger than Shawn's. Belle turned to him and stuck out her tongue at him. They both squeezed their eyes shut as he pulled the hook from its mouth and then released it back in the water. Belle found it impossible to resist rubbing it in their faces.
"We caught a fish too" she said, standing behind them.
"We noticed" Eric said, not even turning around.
"And it was bigger than yours" she said, poking her finger in Shawn's side. He laughed and jerked away from her.
"You're biting off more than you can chew if you're starting a tickle fight, right here" he said, reaching toward her menincingly.
"Oh, bring it on, Brady!" she said, stepping back a step. He grabbed her around the waist and they playfully tussled for awhile.
"Dude, can you get off my sister and pay attention?" Eric asked, impatiently, after a few minutes.
"I'm not on your little sister" Shawn insisted. "And what do you need?"
'Your line is stuck on something" Eric said.
"Shit" Shawn said. "I don't wanna pay for any missing pieces"
"I know, dumbass" Eric said. "So try and get it back" Shawn took the rod from him and tested it, finding that it was indeed stuck. Belle sauntered back over to Greta, who was watching with her line still in the water.
"Look, they even got their line stuck" Belle said, and they both giggled. They watched as Shawn climbed up one rung on the fence around the pier.
"I'm trying to get it but I don't want to pull too hard" they could hear him say, through the wind. He leaned over, gently pulling on the line.
"Careful Shawn" Belle said, in barely a whisper that she knew he couldn't hear.
"It's really f***ing stuck" they heard him say, as he stepped up another rung. No adults were around to tell him to step down.
"Shawn, maybe you should just wait for your dad..." Belle shouted.
"Yeah, so he can bitch at me?" Shawn answered. "No thanks" He climbed up another rung, now with the top of the fence at his calves.
"That's not safe" Greta muttered, as he leaned over, his one hand holding onto the fence for balance. He leaned over as far as he could, pulling on the line. Eric watched from a slight distance, his hands ready to grab him if neccessary.
"I think I've almost got it.." he said, bending even further. Belle watched in horror as his hand lost its grip on the fence as he started to lose his balance.
"Shawn!" Belle screamed, and Eric reached out, finally realizing what was happening.