Hi, guys! I'm hoping for this story to be the starting point of an idea I've had since about a week after the finale. The basics are obviously in the summary but for a clarification of sorts, I'm hoping to write a few oneshots (and maybe twoshots!) about a time in which Audrey, Duke, Nathan and James are all able to live after the defeat of Croatoan and the end of the Troubles. A little of summary of the story itself will always be in front of the story as I post them. Anyway, I hope this made sense. None of these characters are mine, they're all rightfully Syfy's and such.

Hope you enjoy! :)

(It's James' birthday and Duke's delegated a job that doesn't really go all to plan.)

James' 27th birthday falls on a Wednesday, 60 years after he was born. It's his first birthday since coming out of the Barn and the occasion is huge. Audrey never really celebrated her birthday, Nathan's was usually a small gathering that most of the time begrudgingly included Duke doing something outrageous if he was actually in Haven, and Duke's only really mattered to him when he was surrounded by the people he cared about, which was rarely. But James is James, the Colorado Kid who never had a lucky day in his life.

Duke offers up the Grey Gull. Its layout is completely different, ever since he refurnished the bar after the sea monster took out most of it, but if Duke's honest with himself, it looks far better than it did before. Nathan and Audrey take the day off early, leaving the cats in trees to Dwight, who says he'll try and join them as soon as he can. Duke, despite it being his place, gets put in charge of making sure James doesn't catch a whiff of the party while Nathan and Audrey set it up. He decides to take him out on the Rouge. He hasn't been on it at all, even though he came out of the Barn months ago.

"Fishing?" James repeats when Duke asks him. He's cutting firewood in his backyard, having rolled his eyes when Duke had jumped over the back gate instead of going through it.

Duke nods now, shrugging. "Why not?"

"The last time I went fishing, my father almost knocked me into the river." There's amusement all over his face with a grin to match. It makes Duke happy to know that Nathan put it there.

"If I solemnly swear not to push you into the ocean, will you say yes?"

James narrows his eyes. "You're being overly pushy for someone like yourself, Crocker. Do you have something to hide?"

Duke throws his hands up, trying far too hard to appear like he doesn't. "I'm sorry I just wanted to do something for my buddy on his birthday." He turns around and starts to walk, hoping to everything the reverse psychology works. The sound of an axe hitting the grass makes his footstep falter. The sound of James' voice makes him stop altogether.

"Fine, let's go fishing."

Duke grins for a second before turning back to James. "I knew you'd come to your senses eventually. You take as long as Nathan does to make a decision."

"Like father like son, Crocker," James replies.

"He does that, too." Duke smiles in spite of himself and rolls his eyes. "Pretty sure Duke's easier to remember than Crocker. He's done it ever since we were kids."

"It's a pet name." James clicks his tongue. "He still calls my mother 'Parker'."

"They're married," Duke deadpans and James shrugs.

"We're just a bunch of very emotional people."

Duke snorts. "Well, you are your parents son," he says, mimicking words James said moments ago.

"I'm not just talking about us. You, too."

"Me? Emotional?" He shakes his head as he climbs into the driver's side of his car, waiting until James is in before continuing. "I don't think so."

"You call me and my dad Wuornos." James gives Duke a look while the latter starts the car.

"Because I know that it annoys your father."

"The fact that you like annoying my father seems to mean that you care enough to do so. Therefore emotional."

"I think all that time in the Barn scrambled your brain, kid." They pull out of James' driveway and head towards the pier. "I didn't even cry when Rose allowed Jack to stay in the water when there was a perfectly good amount of space for the both of them on that door."

"Who's Rose and Jack?"

Duke shakes his head. "Never mind. The point is, you're wrong and we're going fishing."

"Fishing, right." James laughs once.

"What's that supposed to mean, junior?"

"You're a distraction."

"Because of my dashing good looks? Tell me something I don't know."

"Why don't we go for a drink at the Gull before we go?" James suggests.

"You think my boat comes without enough alcohol to get us far more inebriated than appropriate?" Duke takes on an affronted look.

"Where are my parents?"

"Working." Duke makes his first actual mistake here, when his answer comes out sounding like a question. He'd never tell anyone but he actually starts to sweat. "Obviously. It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon."

"We could go visit them, couldn't we?"

"We're going fishing." Duke sends him a 'duh' look. "There's only so much daylight left."

"Don't make me pull out the 'it's my birthday' card."

"You're 27."

"And it's my one birthday wish to see my parents at their work."

"What type of person makes that their wish?" It's at this moment, Duke pulls up at the wharf. "Too late now anyway."

"I have long legs." James opens his door. "I could always make a break for it."

"To ashamedly quote your father, 'Don't make me chase you'." Duke jumps out of his own side and starts heading towards the Rouge.

"So, you are kidnapping me," James says from behind him.

"You came here of your own volition."

"You just threatened to chase me if I ran."

"Who wouldn't want to go fishing with me?"

"Nice change of subject." James laughs. "Did you learn that in one of the many times my father interrogated you?"

"That's a low blow, Wuornos."

"Just telling it like it is."

Duke shakes his head. "You try and do something nice for a guy on his birthday and he talks smack about you. What is the world coming to?" he mutters. His second mistake. Reverse psychology doesn't work twice in the same conversation.

His third and final mistake comes two seconds later, before he even sets foot on his boat. "What's happening at the Gull?"

"Party."

And Duke spins around so fast he almost gives himself whiplash.

James is grinning from ear to ear. "Do I even have to ask whose party?"

"I got done by another Wuornos," Duke says by way of an answer. He looks up at James and points at him. "You better be in the running for an Oscar when we get to the Gull."

James places his palm across his chest. "Cross my heart," he tells him through the grin. "After we go fishing, though, right?"

Duke hesitates for a moment but nods. "Obviously."

The duo turn up at the Gull three hours later. The lights are off and the doors are closed but when Duke lets the younger Wuornos walk in first, there's sound and brightness and happiness. James is still dripping wet, the water droplets making small puddles on the floor of the restaurant wherever he walks and Duke has a ripped shirt from where James grabbed him as he fell in. Neither would let the other change and that just about explains their friendship.

A/N: Feel free to send me prompts or whatever if you have them! c: