Rewritten
2008 – Rafting disaster
Summary: The original plan was for Declan's raft to be flipped not Zeke's, what would of happened it that had came true?
Kyle smirked as he explained the plan to Justin and Zeke. Plan B as Kyle called it. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean Libby said something about dangerous waters up here"
"It's Napier and his cronies, who cares what happens to them" Kyle laughed. Upon receiving a glare from Zeke he changed his answer "fine we'll be careful"
X
"What if they've got another trick up their sleeves?" Donna asked staring at the boat in front of them where Kyle and Justin are whispering to each other.
"They wouldn't dare, not with the dangerous waters coming up, they'd be too scared" Ringo laughed
"I'm with Ringo, I don't think they'd try anything" Declan announced "but we should..." he was cut off by yelling from the other raft
"1, 2, 3 now!" Kyle yelled and their rafts pulls to a stop and started going backwards causing Declan's raft to crash into them and flip over. Gasping for air, trapped under the raft Declan reached out a hand for Donna, as he could feel himself being pulled away by the current. "H...help me" he pleaded Donna put her own hand out and grabbed his, she held on as tight, as she could. "Don't let go, please don't let go" he begged, but she could already feel her hand slipping from his. "No!" she screamed grabbing at the water hoping to find his hand. Declan was pulled away be the currents, Donna soon after.
Ringo had made his way to the bank, looking for his friends, who were nowhere to be seen. Justin, Kyle, Zeke, Bridget, Libby and Andrew clamber onto the bank moments later
"Donna!" Ringo yells. But there's nothing to be seen, only the two rafts.
"Where's Dec?" a frantic Didge asks but there's no answer because nobody knows the answer "Dec, Dec, Declan!"
"Now look what you've done!" Ringo yelled at Zeke before grabbing Bridget's hand and dragging her back down to the crash site.
X
"Donna! Declan!" Ringo called as he walked along the bank, but there was no reply.
"Donna, Dec!" Ringo tried again
"R...Ringo?" a faint reply is heard
"Donna?" Ringo asked turning around to find the reply. There she is smiling softly at him, but after only taking two steps she collapsed into his arms.
X
Bridget paced the floor of the rescue tent, desperate to join the search. She couldn't help but think the worse, there'd been no news. No one had any clue where Declan or Donna was. They could be dead for all she knew.
Bridget sighed and stopped pacing before falling into a seat next to Zeke. "Look Didge..." he starts but she doesn't want to hear it.
"Are you happy?" she snapped "they could be dead! How could you be so stupid?"
"I didn't think any..." he tried to explain but she cut him off again. He let her, knowing what she felt like at the moment
"You didn't think did you? How all this could affect everyone else" she snapped, she turned to him glaring at him, but seeing his expression she knew he felt bad enough "look I shouldn't be taking this out on you, I'm just really worried"
"I know I am too" Zeke admitted not moving his eyes from the door. The pair jumped up when the door opened and Ringo stepped inside Donna in his arms. She is instantly taken away by paramedics. Bridget headed over to Ringo trying to not look too disappointed that Donna had been found and not Declan.
X
"Are you sure you're ok?" Ringo asked from Donna's bedside at the hospital
"I'm fine" she told him "I just hit my head a little that's all"
"A little?" Ringo questioned his eyes travelling up to the bandaged gash on her head
"A lot" she rephrased "I'm ok" the door opened instantly taking Ringo and Donna's attention off each other. "Has there been any news?" Donna asked Elle who had just stepped inside the room
"They're scaling down the search its getting dark" Elle explained
"But he's still out there, they have to keep looking" Donna pleaded, tears welling in her eyes.
"Donna, what happened in the river?" Ringo asked concern evident in his voice. Donna buried her head into her pillow, wanting to escape. "I couldn't hold on" she mumbled to herself "I couldn't hold on"
X
"Declan!" Zeke called walking along the river bank Bridget by his side
"Declan!" she yelled, but the only reply is a gust of window, whistling softly in the trees. A tear rolled down Bridget's cheek as she looked out at the river
X
"Any news?" Rebecca asked seeing Zeke and Bridget arrive back at the rescue tent
"No" Bridget replied sadly shaking her head, her brown curls falling into her face
"Rebecca!" Dan yelled entering the tent "I think you need to see this" a confused Rebecca followed Dan out of the tent Didge and Zeke right behind her.
They followed him up the bank past the crash site; they kept walking until they reached a spot where two police officers were leaning over something. A broken helmet completely smashed in the middle.
"That's Dec's" Bridget croaked out. She didn't want to believe it, but she had to. Now he was not only lost but most definitely injured as well.
X
"When can I go home?" Donna asked as the doctor walked in
"We'll keep you in overnight, you've got a concussion" the doctor told her
"I want to go home" Donna snapped
"As soon as you get some rest Miss Freedman"
"I can't" Donna admitted tears welling in her eyes "I can't"
"Donna what's wrong?" Ringo asked stepping inside. He's soaking wet, from helping out with the search in the rain.
"I couldn't hold on, I couldn't hold on" she sobbed in his arms