Jack didn't sleep well that night. He tossed off his blankets when he heard the morning birds singing softly in the faint blue light. The floor sighed when he lowered his feet to graze its surface, numbingly cold. His toes sniffed out his slippers and slid inside. Arms up in a long stretch, his back arched and popped once. Only then did he rise.
Pausing to make sure he hadn't woken Mary, he started some coffee before reaching for his work clothes. As he pulled on his clothes, he was grateful that he wouldn't need his heavy flannels anymore. It was still the season for wool socks, though.
The coffee was ready. He groped blindly in the back of a cabinet too high for him to see the back of, eyebrows jumping when at last he laid hold of a dusty travel mug. He gave it a quick rinse in the sink, dried it off, and filled it with coffee. He thought about starting the fire and warming the place up for Mary, but Minnie was sleeping soundly in front of the hot coals. Better not to disturb her.
Dawn was breaking as Jack left the house. At this hour, he knew that even Ann and Popuri would stay away from the spring. He wanted to be alone for a few hours. Of course he loved Mary, and her company. But right now, he felt off, and he didn't want her to know.
The spring was magnificent, bloody with sunrise colors. He went to sit down on a dry rock by the water's edge when he noticed that one of the rocks was growing strange moss. No- hair. Jack set his mug down and carefully approached. The rock was a muddied head. "Gray," he said sternly. "Gray!"
Gray did not respond. He felt his throat: cold. Jack closed his eyes as he listened to his fingers. Shallow breathing. Faint heartbeat. Jack's eyes flew open. He looked for signs of injury to the neck or spine, and upon finding none, he dragged the body out of the water. He wasn't sure he could carry Gray or if he should, but he knew he didn't have time.
Turning him over onto his back, Jack listened to his chest. Breathing. Not much fluid, if any. No need for CPR. Wait-
Gray's body jerked. Jack jumped up and turned him onto his side. Gray unconsciously vomited water and bile. His body coughed and gasped for air. When it was done, Jack hoisted Gray onto his back and hobbled as quickly as he could back to the house. He jarred Mary awake, accidentally slamming the door with no free hands to stop it.
"What's going on?" She asked blearily, reaching for her glasses.
"One second." He trudged across the floor and woke Minnie, nudging her out of the way. He set Gray down gently in front of the warm, glowing red coals. "I found Gray by the spring. Looks like he nearly drowned."
"Oh my God!" She came running.
"I need you to get me some of my warmest pajamas that you think will fit him, and the heaviest blankets we have. He's cold as a corpse and the cold will kill what the water didn't."
Mary's lip quivered. She could only nod and went to do as he asked. In the meantime, Jack peeled off Gray's clothes, drenched in the barely-liquid water. He balled them up and plopped them into a colander set over the sink to drain. While Mary delivered the dry clothes, Jack grabbed a kitchen towel to dry Gray off and remove as much mud as possible. Once he was conscious, they could give him a warm bath, but only once he warmed up a little. Otherwise he could go into shock. Besides, he could panic if he woke up in water, especially if the last thing he remembered was drowning.
"Are these ok?"
"They're perfect, Mary. Thank you." Mary helped him dress Gray in dark plaid flannels and good fleece socks. Under his feet they tucked a pillow, and around him they wrapped a quilt.
After a deep breath, Mary kissed Jack's forehead and stood up. "I'm going to call the Doctor's emergency number. I know there's a special fee, but don't worry, I'll pay it."
"Oh shit-" He hit himself in the forehead. "Worry about the money later, I'd be happy to pay it. This is more important."
Mary smiled at him as best she could, waiting for a human voice to cut through the dial tone. "Hello, Doctor. I'm sorry to wake you so early. I'm afraid we have an emergency- Gray almost drowned and he's hypothermic… Yes, he's here with us. Yes, thank God. We've got him dressed in fresh clothes and- No, we haven't… Ok, Doctor. Thank you so much."
"What'd he say?"
"He said we should keep his head warm too if we can. He'll be here as soon as possible."
"Ok, I've got a hat that should fit him," Jack thought aloud.
While they waited for the Doctor, they put some milk on the stove to get warm should be become conscious, and Jack called Saibara to tell him they'd found Gray and that he was alive.
Saibara arrived before the Doctor, tears streaming down his face.
Side note: the precautions Jack & Mary take to help Gray in this chapter are generally good responses to a hypothermic victim, at least according to preliminary research. Circumstances are different if you cannot get indoors, offer dry clothing, and especially if the victim is not breathing. I'm not a doctor. Wear a coat. You're welcome.