"Ah, finally." Guy chuckled as he saw members of the second team arrive at the campsite where 5 tents had been set up. The only one that was missing was Mo and Adele's tent as everyone else that was sharing had a member in each team. "Hang on, where're Zosia and Jac?" He frowned.
"We honestly don't know." Dom admitted helplessly. "We don't know how but we lost them and then we've tried calling Zosia where we can get signal but it just goes straight to voicemail."
"Have you tried phoning Jac?" He asked.
"Yeah, same thing; voicemail." Mo nodded.
"Well how long ago did you lose them?"
"Lose who?" Jonny asked innocently as he came out of his tent. "Lose who?" He repeated sternly.
"This is ridiculous. We've been following this river for miles, surely we must've gone past the campsite or something. Mind you, we wouldn't be so far behind if we hadn't have taken your stupid 'shortcut' which took us into some farmer's fields maway from the river." Zosia said with panic evident in her voice. It was almost completely dark and lighting along the river in the rural area was almost non-existent. They had torches but they provided little assurance for the two women in a dark, quiet area where the wind blowing through the trees and bushes had both of their hearts racing, not that either of them would admit it.
"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Jac asked. "We just need to keep going. We wouldn't have walked past it, Guy said it was right on the riverbank so we would've seen it by now if we'd passed it."
"I'm going to try ringing him again." Zosia muttered as she took her phone out of her pocket but once she pressed the home button to light up the screen, she found that she was only down to 8% charge – they needed to find signal soon or their phones would be useless. "Ugh! If I ever hear 'leave a message after the tone' again I'm going to go insane." She growled as she locked the device and then put it away in her pocket. With her torch on the path ahead of them, she looked down at Trouble who had been put on her leash to keep her under control but even the very fit and healthy border collie was panting and walking slower than during the day. They wouldn't be spending all night walking, would they?
"Jonny, you can't go searching for them–" Guy tried to protest before being interrupted by the Scotsman who had been pacing around the campfire where everyone else was sat.
"Just you watch me."
"Jonny, this isn't easy for me to say because my daughter is missing too but they're both sensible women and this isn't an emergency. If we all start searching in random directions in the dark then chances are, more people will get lost." Guy stated.
"What kind of a father doesn't want to go searching for his own daughter when she's lost in the middle of nowhere in the pitch black?" Jonny protested. "I'm sorry but I don't care what you say. I'm packing a rucksack and then I'm going to head back on the path that they should be coming from and I'll see if I can find any sign of them." Jonny stated.
"Wait… I'll come with you." Guy replied reluctantly. "But everyone else is to stay here on this campsite, do I make myself clear?"
"Did you see that?" Zosia whispered as she stopped in her tracks and put her arm out to her side to stop her companion.
"See what?"
"I thought I saw a light up ahead." Zosia frowned.
"Jac? Zosia? Where are you?" Boomed a Scotsman's voice.
"I've never been so glad to hear his stupid accent." Jac quipped as she increased her pace and shone her torch straight ahead when after a few moments, she found a very relieved looking Jonny and Guy.
"Oh, thank god you're alright." Guy exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around his daughter.
"Where've you been? I've been worried sick." Jonny stated as he gripped Jac so tightly in his arms as though he never wanted to let her go.
"I think we went on a bit of a detour." Jac sighed whilst she closed her eyes and enjoyed his warm embrace.
"How far is the campsite?" Zosia asked.
"About a mile back that way." Guy stated. "Here, give me your bag and I'll carry it back." He ordered and his daughter gladly unclipped the chest and waist straps and heaved over her heavy hiking bag.
"I suppose I'd better take yours then." Jonny smiled at his partner and hung his lighter rucksack on one shoulder and her bag on the other. "Are you two alright? Do you need any water or food?" Jonny asked.
"I'm fine, thanks." Jac sighed.
"Well, it's almost 11pm so when we get back I think it's time we hit the sack."
"I'll even admit that I missed the dog a little bit." Dom couldn't help but smile as he hugged his friend upon her return whilst the consultant and Scottish nurse headed over to their tent, away from the unnecessary attention.
"Good job she's sleeping on your sleeping bag tonight then, isn't it?" Zosia joked nervously but it suddenly hit Dom that she was definitely more vulnerable than she had been the last time that he'd seen her. She seemed a little shaky, almost innocent like a child.
"Oh Zosh, I'm so sorry we walked off without you." He said sincerely as he wrapped his arms around her once more. "We just turned around and you and Jac were gone but you were the ones who had the map so we just thought we'd let you argue and sort it out between you. We didn't know this would happen."
"I know you didn't." Zosia sniffed.
"Right, I think it's best you go to bed now and try and get some rest." Guy said as he placed a hand on her back.
"Night dad." Zosia whispered as she wrapped her arms around him, startling her father but he returned the gesture nonetheless.
"Night darling. Now go to bed and get some sleep; I'm sure Dom and Arthur will help you to unroll your bedding roll."
"Yeah sure. Come on." Dom smiled as he took the bag from his boss and then took Zosia's hand and led her over to their tent.
"I love you so much Jac Naylor." Jonny said softly as he laid with her in his arms with his sleeping bag unzipped and laid over the top of them. "And I never want to let you out of my sight again." He added before he lovingly kissed her just behind the ear after tucking her hair behind her. "Are you alright? You've been really quiet since you got back." Jonny stated.
"I'm just exhausted Jonny." She murmured. "I've been walking all day."
"Yeah, I know." Jonny whispered. "Goodnight." He said kindly before he slowly fell asleep with the woman he loved in his arms.
Thanks for all the reviews so far :) How do you think Zosia and Jac will behave when they see each other in the morning?
