Disclaimer: We own nothing
Okay, so, no one has said anything for at least two of these one!shots... starting to get worried...?!
The doctor tightened his scarf around his neck, checking the time on his watch as he walked. There was still time enough before he needed to return, and he relished the crisp wind blowing in off the water. Regardless of his relation to the sea and water, there was always something freeing about it - something clean and refreshing. He smiled, watching the birds wheel in the air above him.
...Trevor had to wonder how he had come to this situation. He'd been swimming in the river, (Yeah, maybe he wasn't exactly supposed to, but that was a small fact) and now there he was. Dying. The young man's fingers broke through the holes of the fishing net, and he tried to swim to the top, netting caught around his tall, gangly body. His lungs burned and his heart pounded harshly in fear. The nets grabbed him like cold, raw fingers, scrapping at his skin. He could see blood drifting to the surface of the water. 'Luckily, if I do die, my brother won't kill me later,' the twenty-ear-old thought optimistically. His older brother was autistic, and scarily protective.
His lungs instinctively gulped in a breath, desperately trying to find the much needed air. Water filled his lungs and he tried to grasp his throat, but the fishing net wrapped haphazardly around his arms stopped him.
Henry's steps faltered, and he frowned as he heard something in the river. Turning away from the birds to glance over the surface of the water, he waited to see anything. For a moment, the water was unbroken - swept away by natural eddies and currents - but then he saw a splash out of the corner of his eye, and saw a hand push through the surface before sinking again.
The doctor's eyes widened as he realized what he saw: there was someone trapped beneath the water! Quickly shedding his coat, scarf, shoes, and watch, he ran down to the side of the river and jumped in, aiming for where he had seen the person last. Swimming blindly through the river, his hand snagged on a wriggling net, and he started to pull it towards the surface.
Trevor coughed out a bubble, the last of his air, watching in betrayal as it floated out of his reach. He tried to find whatever was pulling him, he didn't know whether to try and stop it, or let it happen. Was he going up, or down? To the surface, or to the river's depths? He practically hugged the newcomer, still fighting the restraining fishing nets.
Henry pushed the boys head above the water, struggling to hold him up and unwrap the heavy net from around his body. The boy's struggles to free himself were not helping - although the doctor understood why he fought.
Trevor trying to cough out the water, inhaling fresh air as deeply as he could, despite the pain burning with every breath. Hands trying to keep himself above the water, he panted heavily, the wounds stinging from the biting air. "It's like..." he coughed as his voice came out rough and pitiful, his throat burning. "'s like learn'n t' swim with'out floaties... all o'er again."
Despite the situation, a smile spread across Henry's face at the boy's words - images of teaching Abe how to swim coming to his mind.
"Can you breathe now?" He asked, wishing he had a knife or scissors to cut the net - but knowing it would probably have been too thick for one he would have carried. As he painstakingly and quickly attempted to untangle the stranger, he felt the current spin them around in the water, and he kicked the loose net away from his own feet.
"What's breathe?" Trevor joked, finally getting his breathing to steady somewhat. "Thanks," he wheezed, feeling the net start to untangle from around him. His long legs kicked in an attempt at keeping himself above the cold, dark surface.
Henry laughed, coughing as the current splashed water into his face. "Good. And you're welcome," He added, finally pulling the rest of the net free from the stranger and pushing him away. "There. Swim for shore now."
Trevor nodded briskly, starting to swim back to the shore. "You know, 'thought it was really over for a minute there, then you were there, and I was breathing, and at least someone noticed, I really though-" he turned around in the water, only to see he wasn't being followed.
Once Henry pushed the boy away from the net, he himself also tried to swim away from the snare. However, just as he kicked out for shore, the current spun him back around - straight into the net.
At first, it pulled him under, but he was able to swim back to the surface, gulping air, and trying to untangle the net from around himself. As he pulled experimentally at it, trying to find the edge, it seemed to grow tighter, constricting him until he could barely move at all.
As he floated downstream, he could see the boy saying something, clearly expecting to be followed. As the doctor slipped beneath the water, he saw the boy turn around to look behind him.
Henry mused on the irony of his situation, quickly sinking through the murky water, bound up in a net and unable to truly do anything to save himself. It was ironic that the very medium that would heal him and deliver him back to life would, this time, be the cause of his death.
His mind grew fuzzy on the edges, and he involuntarily thrashed against the net, desperately trying to hold his breath. He hated drowning - memories of an asylum, and of countless days spent in an empty ocean sprang to his mind. But at least the boy was safe. The doctor was willing to die, knowing it wouldn't permanently harm him - as long as those more fragile remained safe.
...Trevor wildly swam back, all flailing arms and legs. "I'm comin, I'm comin!" he hollered, trying to spot the man who'd saved him. He saw a hand thrashing above the water and madly dove towards it, still a ways away. "Hang on, Buddy!" he yelled, "Hold on mi amigo!" he practically screamed.
Convulsively, Henry gasped for breath, choking as all that entered was water. Fire erupted in his lungs, and he tried in vain to cough the water out - only succeeding in bring in more water. His hands struggled against the net; both trying to lift and clear his throat, and free him from the binds. As the pain was muted behind a wall of night and silence, Henry's last thought was rueful wonder about where he would reappear.
Henry pushed towards the water's surface, gasping for air as he broke through. Breathing deeply, thankful for both the oxygen and the chance to save the boy's life, he treaded water for a few moments.
Trevor looked as the man popped up a few feet from where he'd been seconds before, treading water. "You're alive!" the twenty-year-old exclaimed, ecstatic. He threw his arms in the air, water droplets spraying everywhere. " Estás vivo!" he yelled happily, running one hand through his short, soaked hair and grinning madly, laughing.
Startled, Henry spun around in the water to face the boy, surprised to realise that he had not changed location.
"I'm...alive?" He replied, semi-coherently.
"Yeah, man!" Trevor replied, waving as he tried to swim faster to catch up. "I thought you were gonna kick the bucket for a little while there!" he said, panting heavily as he swam.
Catching his breath, and trying to regain equilibrium in a situation he never expected, the doctor watch the boy swim closer.
"Rather..." He frowned as he realised his situation. "Perhaps you could return to shore? As you can see, I am well - I will follow."
"Yeah, you said that last time!" Trevor replied. "You sure you're okay? I mean, there's nothing you need? Like, EMTS?" he asked, absent mindedly looking behind himself at the shore.
"I assure you, this time I will be quite safe - thank you." He began to swim for shore, trying to keep a little behind the boy all along. "If you would, fetch my coat perhaps? I would appreciate it greatly."
"Oh-uh... Yeah!" Trevor clambered out of the water, searching the ground for the man's jacket. Seeing the coat he snatched it up, spinning back around and jogging awkwardly back toe the water, soaking clothes hanging off of him and dripping water. "This one?" he held up the coat.
Ducked mostly beneath the water still, Henry nodded and grabbed the coat, carefully extricating his watch and scarf from it. Thankful for it's length, he carefully stood up, buttoning it tight. "Thank you very much. May I ask your name?"
"Trevor, Sir. Trevor McAdam's." Trevor half waved, half peace signed. "What's your name?" he asked. He wrung out his shirt, flicking the water off of his hands before scrubbing a hand through his hair to dry it.
"Dr. Henry Morgan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Trevor - although not under ideal circumstances." He offered a hand to the boy. "Perchance, would you happen to have a phone with you that may still function?"
"You're a doctor? And uh... yeah! It's supposed to be waterproof, that's half of the reason I took a swim! Wanted to see if they lied," Trevor said with a casual shrug, digging through his soggy pockets until he pull out the cell. "Tadaa!" he said, holding it up in triumph. "Now it's time for the test that I almost gave my life for..." he said ominously, handing Henry the mobile.
Henry smiled and shook his head, gratefully accepting the phone. Dialing, he asked, "How old are you? And yes, I am a doctor." He added.
"Just turned twenty, Dr. Morgan," Trevor replied, his eyes on the phone as if he expected it to blow up any second. Luckily, it didn't.
Chuckling at Trevor's wary look, Henry waited for the phone to stop ringing.
"In the future, Trevor, perhaps placing the phone in a bowl of water would be safer - and serve the same purpose."
"Meeehh, yeah- but that's totally boring," Trevor groaned, tossing his arms away from himself before the dropped back down.
"Perhaps - but trust me. Dying is not worth the excitement."
"Yes. I'm sorry you got mixed into this," Trevor said, swallowing hard and looking apologetically at Morgan.
"No, Trevor - it's fine. While I agree that 'twould have been better had I not needed to be involved, I am very grateful that I was here." The phone was finally picked up. "Hello?"
"So am I," Trevor's voice dropped into a whisper when someone answered the phone.
"Henry?" Jo's confused voice answered. "Why are you calling me? You took a break and aren't needed at the office for nearly another hour..."
Henry motioned for Trevor to stay put before turning slightly to speak into the phone. "My apologies, Detective. I was...inconvenienced at the river - would you be kind enough to pick me up and take me home? I'd certainly appreciate it..."
He heard her sigh, and then the sound of her gather her purse and coat, calling out to someone across the building.
"Fine, Henry - which river?"
He quickly gave her directions.
Starting the car, she muttered, "How did you manage on your own..."
He briefly smiled. "Very carefully. Thank you, detective."
"Fine - I'll be there in under a half hour."
He thanked her again and then hung up, turning back and holding the phone out to Trevor. "Tell me, do you have a way to return home?"
"Yeah- crap, speaking of which, my brother is going to be livid. I should go, uh- thank you!" Trevor said, grinning. He took his phone, dialing a number himself and putting it up to his ear, waiting, even as he turned around and started walking. He looked over his shoulder, waving and mouthing 'bye'.
Henry smiled and waved, mouthing 'good bye, and good luck!' after the boy. He sighed and settled down to wait for Jo, looking up from the swirling currents to the wheeling birds in the sky.
