chap33

When they finally pulled away from each other, Shawn set her down gently in the swirling water. After placing one final kiss on her forehead, they began to walk back to the beach house, hand in hand.
"This is going to be an amazing vacation" Belle said, smiling up at him.
"It's been amazing the whole time, just cause you were here" he said, giving her tiny hand a squeeze. They arrived back too quickly and Shawn held the door open as she brushed the sand off her bare feet and stepped on the smooth carpet.
"Looks like everyone's in bed" Belle said, hearing the silence.
"Not everyone" someone said, as Eric came out of the kitchen.
"And it looks like there was no bloodshed" Greta said, right behind him.
"Well, you know how Belle fights" Shawn said. "She's more into scratching and pulling hair, those marks won't show up till later" He was answered by Belle's elbow in his side.
"Funny" Belle said.
"So be serious...are you two ok?" Greta asked, her eyes darting from one to the other.
"Fine" they both answered, in unison.
"Oh" Eric said, expecting more.
"Well, actually, things are better than fine" Shawn said, as he slipped his arm around her waist.
"Are you guys saying that you two are..." Greta started.
"Yeah" Shawn said, slightly embarrassed by the attention.
"Oh my God!" Greta squealed. "I'm so happy for you guys!" Belle couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face and Greta hurried over to hug her. Shawn watched the two girls, amused, as they chattered back and forth. He jumped suddenly when he felt Eric's hand on his arm.
"Don't tell me that we're supposed to hug too" Shawn joked, turning to face him.
"Naw man" Eric said. "I just want to make sure you'll take care of my little sister"
"Hey...I've tried to take care of her all my life" he said. "And I think I've done a pretty good job so far. It'll probably be easier from now on since I think she'll let me protect her now"
"Shawn always protected me from the big scary bullies in elementary school" Belle added, mainly for Greta's benefit.
"Anyone that would look at her wrong would bring her to tears" Shawn teased. "I did a hell of a lot of threatening in her sake"
"But remember when you told Robby Johnson not to push me off the swings and he..." she started, but was muffled by his hand.
"What was that?" Greta asked, an amused grin on her face.
"Oh...nothing" Shawn said, as Belle struggled from his grip.
"Wasn't that when you got the hell beat out of you from that fourth grader?" Eric interrupted, attempting to get his dig in. "Do the words 'Ultimate Wedgie' ring a bell?"
"Alright, enough" Shawn said, as the other three laughed hysterically.
"Wait, what's an ultimate wedgie?" Greta asked.
"Oh, that's when they grab the back of your tighty-whities and pull them all the way up until they wrap around the top of your head" Eric explained. "Here, I'll demonstrate on Shawn..."
"No way" Shawn said, sidestepping him. "That's a once in a lifetime experience"
"And remember when we were in in third grade and you and Philip..." Belle again started, giggling the whole time.
"Woman!" Shawn said, grabbing her and covering her mouth again. "Let's not air all of Shawn's dirty laundry at once" Greta laughed at them.
"You guys are too cute" she said.
"We know" Belle kidded, wrapping her arms around his waist and staring up at him adoringly.
"Well, we better get to bed, it's late" Greta said, after a moment of silence. "Walk me to my door?"
"Of course" Eric said, as they headed down the stairs.
"Didn't your underwear rip before they got near your shoulders?" Belle asked, an impish grin on her face.
"Enough" he said. "Or I'll start telling embarrassing Belle stories"
"Like there are any" she said, leaning her head against his chest.
"Yeah, I know" he said, resting his head on top of hers. "You always have been, and always will be, my Perfect Girl"
"And you've always been my Tough Boy, even when you lost most of your sandbox fights" she said.
"What story were you going to tell, about me and Phjlip?" he asked.
"Oh" she said. "You dared Philip to run up and kiss me when I was on the swings. But then you got so angry at him that you wouldn't talk to him for a week"
"Well, no wonder" he said, tangling his fingers deep in her hair. "He was making the moves on my woman!" Belle laughed.
"You know my heart always belonged to you" she said.
"Let's keep it that way" he said, kissing the top of her head.
"Well, Mr. Brady, I'm exhausted" she said, pulling away. She held out her hand. "Ready for bed?"
"Yup" he answered. "It's been a long day" They walked the short distance and Shawn paued outside of her bedroom door.
"Well, sweet dreams Isabella" he said, pulling her into his arms one last time. "Thank you for giving me another chance"
"Thank you for giving us a chance" she said, her ear pressed to him to hear his heartbeat.
"And I'm sorry I never was very good at defending you when we were younger" he said.
"It's alright" she said.
"I'll do better from now on"
"No" she said, fimly.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"From now on, neither of us fights a battle alone" she said. "We'll take anything on...together"
"No objections here" he said, pulling her in for one final sweet good-night kiss.