This is really the second part of Chapter 5.
Chapter 6
Wickham watched, helpless, as George fought to maintain his grasp on the tree limb while Fitz grabbed him ever tighter. Wickham could see how exhausted George was, his face barely above water while Fitz's face was further up as he had half-climbed upon George's back.
"Tell him to let go!" Wickham urged his younger self. "Hold on tight, George." Wickham remembered how hard it was to hang on and keep kicking to get them to shore.
"Fitz, you are drowning me," George told Fitz, "loosen your grip and grab the log with one arm."
Fitz seemed to become more aware of what was going on. He looked around, wild eyed as he clung to George, then mumbled, "I am scared George, but I will try." Without letting go of George with his one arm that was snaked around George's middle, Fitz tentatively let go with the other arm and reached toward the limb and a jagged outcropping where a smaller piece must have earlier broken off. George, seeing what Fitz was trying to do, tried to angle his body closer to that part of the branch.
Finally, after an interminable time which seemed like hours to Wickham, Fitz grasped the chunk of branch. Although he loosened his grip on George somewhat, he did not let go.
"Kick with me," George instructed and Fitz tentatively began to kick while George tirelessly continued his frog kicks. Wickham remembered how much his legs had ached, but he knew he could not stop or all would be lost. They were making slow but steady progress to the shore.
"My boat!" Fitz suddenly remembered.
"Not now, we need to get to shore." George did not say what he remembered thinking at that time, I never want to see that boat again.
After another five minutes or so of kicking, George asked, "Can you walk on the bottom yet?"
Fitz slid down a little and the answer must have been "yes" because he began to walk through the water, pushing the log toward the shore.
"I have you, George," Fitz declared. Now his grip on George was holding him up instead of dragging him down. In a few moments, George stretched out his legs and realized that he, too, could walk. However, both of them kept holding onto the log until they were bending down to keep doing so. Then, together, they let it go. George swayed on his legs, pale and shaking badly. Fitz leaned the smaller boy against him and they walked together to the shore.
George collapsed on the edge of the pond, unable to walk anymore. His feet, in his ruined and heavy shoes, were still in the shallow part of the water.
Fitz, with a burst of energy, walked over to his clothes and began to dress. When he was finished, he walked back to George.
"Can you walk?" Fitz asked.
"No," George answered.
"I will go get help," Fitz declared and ran off.
Wickham through the whole ordeal had stayed beside his younger self. He could see the utter exhaustion in every line of George's body. His eyes were closed and other than his ragged breathing and the slight rise and fall of his chest, he was devoid on any animation.
"You did well George," Wickham told his younger self. "You saved that arrogant prick from the effects of his own pride. Maybe you should have let him drown."
"You do not mean that," Rebecca told him, suddenly at his side. "Your younger self loved Fitz as a brother and true friend. George wanted more than anything to save Fitzwilliuam, would have paid his own life for it if that was asked of him. He was selfless and a true hero."
"And what did he get for it?" Wickham asked. "Nothing," he answered himself, "nothing but trouble."
"Young George did not expect anything from his efforts except that his friend would live. He did not act as he did for a reward."
"Yes," Wickham answered, "but he did not expect a kick in the teeth."
