Pointdexter: A Swooning Over Stan-fiction

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Bird Watching

Alice tracked through the thick foliage surrounding the Mystery Shack, her backpack heavy on her back as she walked.

The sun peeked through the leaves above, sending shadows across the forest floor. Rustling leaves and snapping twigs were the only disturbances in the otherwise silent atmosphere. Alice let out a breath, still not used to the long hikes the Ford often dragged her on, but smiling still. 

She loved the hikes, the adventure, and the quality time with Ford. What more could she ask for?

"So where are we going?" She called ahead to him, pausing when she reached his side. Ford glanced back at her, slowing his pace so they were side by side, a smirk playing across his lips.

"It's a surprise," He replied, his voice low and playful. "You'll see."

His hand gently braced against her backpack, leading her deeper into the forest, sunlight flickering through the trees as they walked. Alice rolled her eyes, noting how thick the underbrush grew with each step, water roaring in the distance.

Alice blew a strange of hair from her face, shifting the bag up her back.

"You know," She tipped her head to him, her brow quirked. "We could have asked Stan to borrow the golf cart. I'm an excellent driver."

"Oh please, " Ford teased, stepping over a fallen tree trunk and glancing back at her, a smile spread across his face. "Where would the fun in that be? Trust me. This surprise you'll actually like."

"I usually do like surprises," Alice retorted, hopping over the tree trunk and grumbling as her jeans caught on brambles. She cursed under her breath, shaking off the leaves. "As long as they aren't thirty miles out in the woods."

Ford smirked, turning and brushing a stray leaf from her shoulder, caught by the strap of her backpack.

"It's not that far," He reasoned. "Besides, it builds character."

"I think you have enough character for the both of us," Alice shot back with a sly smile, catching his hand in hers. Ford squeezed her hand in his, threading their fingers together. Despite his tough exterior, there was always a distinct warmth and tenderness in his touch.

"And here I thought you were the adventurous type," He teased, eyes sparking with amusement. "Can't handle a little hike?"

"I'm a behavioral scientist," Alice corrected, letting their hands fall between them and continuing forward. "When I work in the field, I'm usually in a car or a tree for hours."

He hummed next to her, his gaze flickering over the beaten path as they passed through the foliage.

"So what you're saying is that you're more used to observing nature than actually experiencing it?" He teased, more amused than anything else. Alice shot him a playful glare, her brow raised.

"Are you telling me you've never studied in an enclosed environment?" She questioned, her hand swinging in time with her footsteps. "It's an interesting study if you ask me."

"I suppose you have a point there," He admitted, his eyes never leaving his face. He shrugged as he spoke, his free hand gesturing to the surrounding trees. "But I prefer a more 'hands-on' approach' if you know what I mean."

Alice snorted, rolling her eyes, struggling not to stumble over her feet.

She adored moments like this, where she and Ford could banter freely without Mabel's watchful eyes. Despite the thirteen-year-olds insistence that she was the key force leading to their relationship, said teenager also insisted that she supervise dates. The moment when Ford and Alice got time to themselves was usually quiet and stationary, at the library or reading on the porch.