Moving Forward (Completed)

Chapter Forty Six

To say the drive to the cabin had been beautiful would have been putting it mildly. Winding roads, majestic scenery... Katherine had stopped multiple times at scenic overlooks to take pictures resulting in more than a few quips from Rafael about the inequitableness behind it being acceptable if she were the one prolonging the drive.

If they had driven the entire span of Blue Ridge Parkway straight through it would have taken eleven hours given light traffic. That hadn't been the plan though. Their journey had began early in DC, stopping for lunch a little ways after starting the trek down the parkway itself. They ate at a cute cafe catering to tourist and locals alike with food much better than she'd expected for a random, "hey, what about that place?" from MJ as they passed it somewhere toward the beginning of the lunch discussion. Katherine had meant to take note of the town, but had forgotten until they'd driven far enough to make it more difficult than it was worth to try to figure out. Ultimately she knew they had still been in Virginia.

"It's smaller than I expected." MJ's brow furrowed as she watched the water cascade over the short drop off in topography.

"We'll hike up to Crabtree Falls tomorrow. It's much larger... at least that's what I've read anyway." Katherine had seen a sign and decided a short detour to stretch their legs was in order. The hike to the waterfall they were currently staring at had only been half a mile, and despite Rafael's continual commentary on when she decided to stop, they were making good time.

"And if it's not we'll plan a trip to Niagara Falls to make up for it." Rafael smirked when MJ's eyes lit up.

"Can we go either way?"

"Why not."

"Come on," Katherine chuckled, guiding them back down the trail once she'd taken all the pictures she'd wanted, "I saw a little store on the road we took to get here. We'll pick up some snacks to hold us over until dinner. There's lots of small restaurants to choose from along the parkway closer to our cabin."

"We wouldn't dare stop earlier for dinner." Rafael smirked when she glared at him over her shoulder. "Watch your step." He was fighting hard not to laugh when she nearly tripped over the root of a tree that jutted out of the ground across the trail.

Katherine rolled her eyes and turned to pay attention as she walked down the uneven path, her two companions chuckling at her expense. Outwardly she tried to appear annoyed but it didn't last, instead she found herself smiling at how easily the two were getting along. It would have bothered her if they were only bonding over picking on her, but they weren't. MJ had talked his ear off, asking endless questions about the school she would be starting in the fall... ones he'd answered as best he could while reminding her it'd been a while since he attended.

They checked into the two bedroom cabin a little after six, dropping suitcases in their respective rooms, and then quickly left again to explore a little area they had passed that looked to have shops and food options.

"Are you actually going to buy that?" Rafael whispered, an amused look on his face as his eyes fell to the snow globe she had in her hand. It was a small souvenir but looked decently made, not the kind that the water would turn in a couple years. A replica of the waterfall set in the center, the landscape around it moving seamlessly from inside the glass to the base it sat on.

"Keep up the snarky comments and I'll move my entire snow globe collection from my parents house to our living room."

"You have a snow globe collection?"

His brows were lifted about as high as she expected, causing her to chuckle. "No, but I can start one if you don't behave yourself."

Rafael smiled as he eyed the souvenir still clutched in her hand. "Then what's the snow globe for?"