Oh Dave, when will you ever learn? Well, Em ran and now her life is in danger. Now Dave is going to have to make a life altering decision that not only will affect Em, but himself and Mudgie too. But first he has to get to Em and save her. Will he? Can he? Or has he become so jaded by life that he doesn't care anymore?


Beauty and The Beast

Dave watched as Em ran out of the room. A part of him wanted to stop her, but he knew that it was for the best. She had lied to him and played him for a fool. No one played Dave Rossi for a fool and walked away unscathed; she got exactly what she deserved.

Hearing the front door open, he shivered against the sudden cold that quickly invaded the cabin. He started to call out for her to close the door, but thought against it. She was gone and that was good enough for him. He was happy she was gone. He didn't need someone like her in his life. Not when there was so much on the line.

Walking in to the living room, he looked around and sighed. Nothing was out of place, but something was missing: her! Shaking his head, he kicked the snow out to the porch.

"She could have at least closed the door!" he muttered. He started to close the door when Mudgie ran out. "Come on, boy; come inside." Mudgie looked at Dave and then out into the darkness. "Come on, Mudge, it's going to get cold."

Whining pathetically, he kept his gaze focused on the woods. Suddenly a scream pierced the air. Jumping to his feet, Mudgie ran to the edge of the porch and growled. His fur standing on end, his ears perked, he sniffed the air for anything to help him locate the source of the sound.

Dave stopped cold. Was that a scream? He listened again. He shook his head. Ten years in the woods had taught him that nature had a lot of things up its sleeve in way of things that made weird noises.

"It was probably an owl," he comforted himself. He snapped his fingers at the Lab. "Now, boy. I'm not telling you again."

Another scream.

Emily! Mudgie didn't think twice as he ran off the porch and into the dark. Dave started to call after him, but stopped. Something was wrong and Emily was in trouble. He needed to go help her. He wanted to help her.

Grabbing his rifle, he jumped down from the porch and chased after his dog. If anyone could find Em, it would be Mudgie.

Ducking around the branches, he ran as fast as he dared without causing injury to himself. Twice he lost sight of Mudgie and waited for the dog to bark to tell him where he was. Moving quickly, Dave tried to catch up.

Then the sound that caused his blood to run cold. A scream...or rather a chilling cry out for help. It was desperate and scared, and so…final. Running up to the clearing, he tried to see where the sound had come from, but couldn't.

His instincts kicked in; he smelled the rancid breath before he heard the growl. Turning around quickly, he didn't think twice as he pulled the trigger and felled the gigantic bear. Trying to catch his breath, he called for Mudgie, then he heard a splash.

Oh God! Em was in the water and Mudgie had just jumped in after her! He didn't have to think it through as he jumped off the bank into the dark cold water. He had to save them both.

Hitting the water, Dave felt a thousand knife blades hit his skin as the freezing cold water overwhelmed him and threatened to pull him down into its deep invitation of eternal sleep. Breaking the surface, he shook his head and tried not to yell out in pain as the cold sucked the life heat out of him.

"Mudgie! Mudgie!" he called out, while frantically trying to locate the Lab. "Where are you?" Nothing. Treading water, he tried to feel something, anything, to tell him he was in the right place. "Mudgie! Answer me! Em! Where are you?"

Keep moving Dave! Keep moving. If you don't, you will die, and so will Em and Mudgie! He ordered himself harshly. Swimming around, he prayed for light to tell him where he was. Please! I'll do anything; please help me!

Briefly the snow stilled as the clouds parted for a moment to let the moon shine down. Dave adjusted his eyes. There! In the middle of the river was Mudgie with Em's shirt in his mouth as he tried to pull her head above the surface.

Swimming quickly to the pair, Dave pushed the dog aside as he dragged Em up and into his arms. Laying her head against his shoulder, he held her close and paddled to the bank. Pulling the unconscious woman to the bank, he lay her down and checked for a pulse. Nothing.

Fighting the shivering taking over his body, Dave leaned over and tried to feel her breath on his skin. Nothing. Placing his hands on her chest, he gave ten compressions, and then a breath. He repeated the process. Nothing. The wind picked up, the temperature was dropping, and Emily was still unresponsive.

"Come on, Em," Dave commanded. Setting his hands again, he gave the required compressions and another breath. "Come on, Emily; don't give up. Don't leave me this way. Fight this. Please." Another breath. And another.

Mudgie sat off to the side and watched his master try to save his friend's life. Whining his discomfort and sadness, he wished that there was something he could do, but realized that even if he could, Em's fate rested in something a bit more powerful than even he understood. Moving closer to Em, Mudgie tried to block her face from the cold and biting wind. It was the least he could do as Dave worked like mad to bring her back.

"One, two, three, four, five…" Dave counted out loud to himself. His fingers were losing feeling, and face was frozen, but still he gave everything he had to Em. Covering her mouth with his, he expelled his breath into her lungs.

"Come on, Em," he pleaded, his eyes filling with tears…whether from frustration, guilt, or the cold, he didn't know, but as the warm liquid ran down his cheeks, he felt something swell in his chest. One more breath into her lungs, he paused for a moment and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Coming back, Em tried to catch her breath as fresh oxygen filled her lungs while she tried to expel the water. Spitting up, she tried to fight it as her body was turned over to one side and a firm hand delivered a couple of blows to help clear her lungs.

As the water left and air returned, Em burst into tears as the nightmare came back in full force. Strong arms wrapped around her as a warm wet tongue lapped against her cheek. Mudgie! She tried to open her eyes, but found her lids frozen shut.

"Tony?" she called out blindly.

"Shhh," he comforted. "It's going to be okay."

"I…I…" She tried to hold back the hysteria that threatened to overwhelmed her.

"It's okay. I have to get you inside before we both freeze to death."

"Thank you," she whispered.

Dave picked her up in his arms and held her close. "Hold on tight; it's going to take everything I have to get us out of here." Clicking his tongue, he motioned for the black Lab. "Mudge, you are going to have to get us out of here. Think you can do it?" Mudgie barked affirmatively. "Good boy. Now lead the way!"

Looking around the area he had traveled more than a thousand times and knew by heart, Mudgie searched out the easiest way to get out of the punchbowl. Finding the path, he barked excitedly at his master and waited for Dave to make his way up.

Satisfied, Mudgie lead the way until all three of them were at the top. Maybe not entirely safe, and pretty much far from sound, but out of danger and alive, he watched Dave pull Em closer. Right or wrong, he loved them both and he was going to save them. Barking wildly, he danced around to get Dave's attention as Em's head lolled to the side.

Half-frozen and numb from the freezing cold wind and equally freezing cold water, Dave tried to gather his thoughts and not give in to the welcoming invite of peace and warmth the wind was offering. He just wanted to lie down and get some rest. He could keep Em warm until he got his strength back. All he had to do was find a nice area to… Mudgie's barking brought him back to reality. Looking around, he shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts. What the hell had he been thinking? He had to get Em and Mudgie back to the warmth of the cabin!

Feeling Em's head slip from the crook of his neck, he shifted her weight and slapped her face lightly. "Come on, Em. Wake up. Don't fall asleep. Not now."

"So cold," she whimpered.

"I know. We are almost there. Talk to me. Talk to me about anything you want, but stay awake. If you fall asleep, you will die. I can't live with myself if you die. Okay?"

"I c-can't."

"Yes you can,Em." Turning to Mudgie, he snapped his fingers. "Take us home!" Following the black Lab, Dave walked as fast as he dared. "Where are you from, Em?"

"All over."

"Where were you born?"

"Buckingham Palace."

"That's the cold talking."

"No. My parents were ambassadors to England. I was late arriving. Made my debut in one of the royal suites," she slurred.

"Bet the Queen was surprised."

"She was cool with it. She chose the name Emily."

"Really?" Dave stepped over the fallen tree and tried to keep up with the dog. "Your first name is Emily?"

"Emily Marie," she corrected. Her head slumped forward. Dave slapped her cheeks lightly. "I'm here," she breathed."

"Stay with me, Princess."

"Where's the bear." Her words were slurred by cold and exhaustion.

"It's dead sweetheart. I had to kill it to save you."

Em closed her eyes. "Good. Wish I could kick it."

"Really?"

"And kick you, too."

"Let me get you home and once I get you warmed up, you can kick me as hard as you like."

"P-p-promise?" she shivered.

"You can get Mudgie to hold me down."

"G-g-good. You need a good kick."

"Yep. That to go with the heart attack you gave me."

"I'm sorry."

"Princess, don't be sorry. Get better and then we can talk." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Looking up, he saw the light shining from the open doorway of the cabin. "We're home, Em."

Home! Em closed her eyes and let the word wrap around her like a security blanket. Never had one simple word sounded so good.

"Em, wake up! Did you hear what I said?"

"We're home," she repeated, her voice coming from far away.

Quickening his pace, Dave nearly ran up the path to the steps of the porch. Mudgie stood by the door and waited for his master to come inside. Using his body, he closed the door and effectively kept the storm where it belonged: outside.

Standing in the room, Dave tried to get his bearings as the warmth of the shelter he always took for granted cloaked him. Then he shivered.

"Em? Are you still with me?" he asked, his heart nearly stopped from fear.

"Yes," she whispered.

"I'm going to take you upstairs and run a warm bath for you, okay?" Em nodded her response. "Then I'll get you something hot to eat."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Let's get you warmed up," Dave offered and took her upstairs to begin the process of making it up to her.