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Grerchen had been looking forward to this trip for well over a week now, more so in the last few days for any number of reasons. A chance to get away from the island. A chance to soak up nature, the great out doors. Time alone, with Isaac. Considering their banter over the last few days, that thought alone was enough to make her flush as she tossed the heavy backpack up onto her shoulder, adjusting the straps. Jean capris, a band tee, and long hair pulled up under the cover of a red bandana, she was ready to go.

She hurried her way up the path to the lighthouse, humming under her breath, a spring in her step. The second the tall man came into view the girl was smiling, sweet as sugar but not quite as wholesome. "What's up, buttercup?" Teeth caught in her lower lip for a quick n** before she was grinning up at him. "Ready to head out?"

A startled look followed the less than gentle grip on her hand, but before she had a chance to question it he was leading her into the lighthouse and through the portal. Nature awaited on the other side. Green and fresh and alive. She gasped, tightening her grip on his hand as she took a step forward, half turning on the spot to take it all in. Beautiful.

Color washed over her cheeks, the compliment ridimg in on the tail of the breathtaking scenery. "Thank you." Her voice was just as soft as his when he mentioned the tent. A careful murmur, as anything louder might ruin the peace around them.

Her bag joined the rest of the luggage on the ground, and a quick stretch followed, one hand rubbing the opposite shoulder before she took a step towards him, bumped her hip to his.

"Should we set up camp, then?"

Fingertips came up to touch the point his lips had just brushed, and she smiles as she watches him collecting wood, gaze lingering for a long moment. All peace and serenity, content and comfortable.

A bullfrog croaked near the water, tugging Gretchen's attention away from the scenery and she turned her focus instead on the task at hand. Pick a spot. It could have been the easiest thing, but there was a perfect place out there for their campsite, and Gretch was determined to find it. Somewhere picturesque. Somewhere they could hear the birds, the frogs, the cicadas and the crickets. Somewhere dappled sun peeked through the trees that rose up high around them, but shade still cooled it.

She was humming again as she looked, walking slowly through the trees. A sedate, leisurely pace that didn't take very far from him; still within sight, easily spotted with colorful clothing and the flash of silver that caught the light with every step.

After a few moments she came to a stop in a lovely little clearing. Trees surrounded her, the lake was in view, framed by two thick trunks, but not too close. She'd come to a stop at the center, a thoughtful expression on that pretty face as she turned in place.

Perfect.

Gretchen trailed fingers along his arm when he moved closer, turning a pleased smile up to him before dipping her chin in a nod. "Mmhmm. It's gorgeous, isn't it?" If they wanted to commune with nature, they couldn't have done much better.

He went for the tent, so she went for the bags, the cooler, transporting them from where they'd been dropped to their temporary home away from home. Two days, forty-eight hours to themselves, away from the island and all the stress and strain that resided there. They'd only just arrived, hadn't even been there an hour yet, and already Gretchen felt a little more at peace. Just a little closer to the care-free girl she'd been before Deus had found her.

(You are weak.)

She ignored the irritated hissing with barely a flicker of reaction across soft features.

"Do you need help?" It had been over a year since the last time she'd been camping, but she still knew how to pitch a tent.

"Sounds like a pan, handsome." A good plan. How long had it been since Gretchen had tossed a line into water, felt a fish tugging at the end of it. Too long. She missed the rivers her dad would take her to. She missed the soft whip of the fly line as she flicked her wrist, sent it sailing in a high arch into some tricky pocket of rocks and downed trees.

They wouldn't be fly fishing today, or at least Gretchen didn't think so. Admittedly she wasn't sure what sort of rod(s?) Isaac may have brought along with them, but regardless, it was fishing, and it'd be a little slice of paradise.

So she knelt at one of the corners of the tent, straightening the pitch line, spread that half of the tent smooth so it'd be easier to erect.

Since it was his tent she'd take his direction, moving where needed, holding what needed holding. Whatever he needed, she was happy to oblige--and at any opportunity there was a brush of hand against hand, a bump of hips. Any excuse to touch, warm skin and muscle beneath her palms.

It might not have been the best tent in the world, but they'd done a good job of getting it set up. Not too big, nothing fancy, it was one small step away from all out roughing it, and that was just dandy.

As far as rocks were concerned, they shouldn't have much of a problem finding some. "Dunno which state this is, but it looks south-eastern by the looks of those trees." Hands on her back, fingers kneading up along her spine. It made her pause, head dipping as he reached the back of her neck.

"Should be plenty of rocks hidin' under the leaves." Her voice was a low, purring murmur as she leaned into that touch, reached back to rest the tips of her fingers lightly against the front of his thighs. "How many you reckon we'll need?"

Fingers flexed against his legs before he was stepping away again, hunting through the leafs for rocks. For a moment she just watched, smiling when he smiled, then headed towards a promising patch of uneven ground between a pair of trees.

"Couldn't have asked for nothing better." They didn't need to know what state they were in or what mountains peaked just over the treeline at their backs, not to enjoy it. It could have been anywhere in the world,it didn't matter at the moment.

Later, maybe, when they had to go back, hen this beautiful place had to be left behind, they could ask. Remember it for another time, another chance to get away and unwind.

She toed at the leafs with her foot, then bent to scoop up a pair of decent sized rocks. When she had a third she returned to the middle of their camp, dropping them off before looking for more.