~.~
"Pathfinder!?" she yelled, plunging her hands into the river to grab at the figure there, almost dragged under herself by the weight of his suit as it soaked up water.
Wraith grit her teeth as the robot replied the affirmative, and tore open the air just in time to miss a shotgun blast that would have obliterated the last of her shields and most decidedly wounded her. She hauled her unconscious teammate with her as she fled, aware that she had to balance the distance she was putting between them and their opponents with the knowledge that he was running out of time.
When they dropped through her portal at the other end, she collapsed it. Pathfinder would have to find his own way, she couldn't risk the enemy arriving when she was busy. She dumped her rifle by her leg and turned Mirage flat on his back, planting her knees on either side of him as her fingers pushed aside the clasps of his gear, fumbling for the zip at his throat. Blood ran sluggishly from the wound on his head. She dragged away the straps and bands from the top of his holo-suit and splayed it open, checking his head was tipped back and immediately lacing her hands atop the thin cotton shirt over his heart.
Wraith pushed her weight into every beat as she began CPR, relying on her best guess of a steady rhythm when she couldn't rely on her own heart, galloping away like it was. She counted as best she could, pausing when she thought she was meant to and pressing her mouth over his to force air into his lungs, before returning to his chest.
"Come on, come on, come on." she chanted under her breath, every beat agonising as he lay there, not even breathing on his own.
Wraith didn't have time for panic, ignoring the screaming clamouring of Voices in her head, but panic was drenching her anyway, soaking up her legs with the river water from his suit, slithering up her spine. Her muscles ached but she kept at it, forcing them both to breathe.
"Come on, Elliot," she whispered against his lip as she gave him another breath, drawing back and starting the beat again.
Wraith's own heart was sinking, drowning. She could feel the burning in her shoulders and couldn't be sure of how long she'd been there, performing CPR on the only person she could possibly feel this panic for, this crippling terror that he wouldn't survive.
"Please," she chanted, unable to tear her eyes from his motionless face, "Breathe, Mirage, breathe, please…"
Her eyes were beginning to burn too, her arms locking as the muscles cramped. Wraith kept going, kept counting, stopping only to make him breathe, and starting again, and again, and again, and-
She heard herself sob as his body convulsed, his head snapping to the side as he choked out mouthfuls of water. Wraith fell limp, kneeling at his waist with only her haunches and his hips holding her upright, only able to stare at him as her chest heaved. Mirage choked up what felt like an endless amount of water, before he drew a huge long breath and promptly threw up.
Wraith reached for his face as he jerked and retched, holding his head steady while he emptied his gut all over the floor beside him. When he collapsed back against the concrete and gasped, his eyes were dull gold and murky with confusion as he hacked and coughed his way back into awareness.
Wraith's palm stayed on his cool cheek, as her tears blurred her vision and her own breathing hitched and cracked. Mirage looked up at her with eyes full of things she hoped he wouldn't say, as she tried to convince herself that everything was okay again. That he was alive, and breathing. She barely pushed aside the need to clutch him close, to make sure his heart really beat again. He closed his eyes and relaxed against the ground when his breathing grew steadier.
"Shhhhit." he breathed.
A strange, pitching giggle escaped Wraith's throat, a sound she'd never heard herself make before. She cringed that she could hear the fear in it, her immobilising panic that she'd nearly lost him. Somehow Mirage found the strength to raise a watery smile, his eyelids lifting drowsily. Wraith's other hand still rested above his heart and she could feel it now, thrumming under her trembling fingers. Adrenaline and relief made her weak. Her arm gave up on her, slumping her down on Mirage's chest as she giggled strangely again, almost unable to stop herself.
Mirage gave a watery chuckle, and his fingers brushed her fringe from her eyes. His voice was low and gentle.
"Are you… crying?"
Wraith pulled away when his thumb brushed under her eye, suddenly realising where she was. She rolled off of him as her skin burned hot and uncomfortable, and she shook her head as she righted herself beside him.
All at once she felt a little more herself again, that calm determination waving at the shadows of her doubts.
"It's water." she cleared her throat and busied herself with retrieving supplies, "The river was pretty deep where you…"
She stared down at her hands as her words seemed to fade from her tongue and for a second she was confused about the syringe between her fingers before remembering they'd just been in a fight. Her head was a jumbled mess in the wake of all the screaming that had been going on and all she could see when she closed her eyes was Mirage's unconscious face, under the shimmer of the water.
"Hey." he sat up weakly and reached out to cover her hand with his own, and when her gaze flickered up questioningly, he smiled.
Wraith looked away, shifting uncomfortably, but his other hand brushed her cheek, pulling her softly but firmly towards him. Her stoic front wavered as he pulled her against his chest until suddenly the bubble swelling in her ribs burst, and she dug her fingers into the shirt at his back, pressing her face into the sodden fabric at his neck. The hug was awkward but crushing, like he was squeezing all the words he wasn't saying into her skin.
Wraith did her best to fight the tears. Mirage's face brushed against her hair. She could feel his chest rising and falling against her own as he breathed, and felt silly for how she'd fallen apart. When she pulled away she tried to apologise for her - incredibly embarrassing - behaviour, but Mirage pressed his lips to her forehead and the apology disappeared.
To stop herself from thinking she reached for his arm, pushed up the uncooperative weight of the water-logged material, and removed the cap from the syringe. He let her find a vein, waiting while she eased the plunger, his eyes on her even though she couldn't bear to meet his gaze.
"Thanks."
She nodded, pitching the syringe into one corner of the abandoned room as she reached for an antiseptic wipe, tearing open the packet and finally lifting her eyes. Keeping her gaze focused on the deep gash above his temple, she cleaned the area with efficient speed, peeling open butterfly stitches to press into the skin. Mirage sat patiently and let her work, seeming to know that she needed to do it, that she needed to use the jittery nervous energy she was left with.
When she pressed down the last corner of the bandage and sorted his fringe over it, his hand came up to take her wrist, keeping her touch there against his face. She could have pulled away, she could. But Wraith looked up at him and felt the ache in her chest as she thought of how close she'd been to losing him, and she didn't.
"Thanks." he said again, and she knew he didn't mean just the bandage.
She dropped her gaze and shrugged, her throat feeling tight when she swallowed. His hand found her cheek and his forehead lowered to press against hers. Wraith swallowed the hitch in her breath.
"We should get ready to move." she said despite the vulnerable wanting in her chest to stay right there like that, with him.
"You okay?" he answered, and Wraith's mouth smiled without her meaning to.
"Am I okay?"
Mirage chuckled, and she smiled properly.
"Fair." he sighed, drawing back and ducking his head to make her meet his eye.
Wraith did, her heart thumping, and Mirage's mouth curved gently.
"But are you?" he teased her, and Wraith shoved him out of her face as she groaned.
"Get your shit together." she returned, amused despite herself, "We're moving out."
Mirage's laugh was still kind of croaky, and she'd be keeping a close eye on him for the rest of the Game, but he was on his feet and sorting his suit and making flirty, teasing comments about her half-undressing him in front of the entire Frontier and how he couldn't believe he'd missed it, so she figured he was okay.
~.~