When I'm With You

Disclaimer: If you recognize it then I don't own it.

A/N: For Whumptober 2022 #12 What could go wrong- cave in

Riley's steps faltered as he came to a sudden stop. He looked at the gaping dark hole, that was no doubt the gateway to hell and swallowed hard. "Tell me again why you want to explore a cave that has no hidden treasure from history inside it."

"Because it's fun," Ben smirked, "Sometimes people do things just for the fun of it."

"Not us," Riley folded his arms across his chest, "Unless our lives are in constant danger or we solve some historical mystery, then there is no reason to even leave the house most days."

Ben ignored his friend's constant stream of complaints and started for the entrance of the cave. He turned back only once as he entered the shadows of the rocks to give Riley a look. "Well, are you coming or not?"

Riley's agitated movements ceased for a moment before he dramatically dropped his head with a sigh, "Fine, but only because I want a cut of the treasure you're gonna find inside."

Ben turned away with a laugh, listening to the stumbling and hasty footsteps trying to catch up with him. Once Riley, slightly out of breath, caught up to him he slapped the shoulder next to him with a smirk, "See? Isn't this fun?"

"You're sick," Riley grumbled but nonetheless remained faithfully by his side as they descended further into the cave, "Mark my words, there will be booby traps. There are always stupid booby traps."

Ben stopped periodically to snap photos of images on the rock wall for his mother to study or pick up a piece of pottery or an interesting rock or stick. He kept up a steady commentary of each find and their significance to history. Most of which went straight over the computer genius's head. But he would dutifully nod and make quippy comments like any good sidekick. Riley couldn't stop the shivers that would overcome him as the walls got just a little too tight. His voice would get just a tad unsteady and an octave too high when the darkness stretched just a little too far past the light of their headlights into the unknown.

He had just shoved his persistently shaking and sweating hands deep into his pockets when an ominous rumbling noise rose up around them. The walls began to shake and rocks clattered down in a roar of sound and cloud of dust. The two experienced treasure hunters threw themselves away from the worst of the falling debris. As the dust settled a wall of stones came into sight of Ben's weak light. Riley was not next to him.

"Riley!"

"Ow," Riley complained from under a pile of rubble on the other side of the newly formed wall.

"Riley," Ben called, his relief at hearing Riley's voice warred with the fact he still couldn't see the man stuck on the other side, "Are you okay?"

"Uh," Ben's nerves frayed cord by cord the longer Riley hesitated, "Yeah, I think so, mostly."

Ben tried to ignore what he couldn't control. He couldn't see the shape his friend was in until he could get to him. Riley was talking and coherent. At the moment he had to focus on just getting to him. They would figure out everything else once they were back together. "What do you see?"

"I see death and despair," Riley rambled on showing no sign of stopping and becoming helpful in getting himself free, "Listen to Riley. Riley is always correct when he says don't go in the sketchy cave."

"Riley," Ben called out sharply, starting to get exasperated. They needed to focus on the problem at hand and the younger man's dramatics were not helping the situation.

"It's a bit of a mess over here," Riley admitted so quietly Ben almost didn't hear him through the rocks separating them.

"How bad?"

Riley hesitated for a long moment, "I think we can handle it."

"Alright," Ben let out the breath he had been holding, "Are you mobile?"

There were sounds of scrapping and moving rocks before Riley yelped loudly.

Ben shoved his ear against the rocks trying to better hear, "Riley!"

"No, can't move," Riley grunted, his fast breathing loud even from the other side.

Ben shifted around some of the smaller rocks making some headway into a path to his friend. He stopped abruptly when he could no longer hear Riley's harsh breathing. He called out to him, "Riley? Are you still okay?"

"Still a little on edge from almost being crushed under a ton of rock," While he still sounded pained, Riley had worked hard to get his breathing back under control, "But other than that I'm just dandy. Thanks for asking."

"You must be alright then," Ben couldn't explain how much he was reassured by his friend's dry humor.

"How do you figure that?" Riley asked.

"Your sarcasm is still going strong."

"Ha ha, you're so funny."

The duo fell into silence as Ben's attention shifted back to the wall separating them. He focused on the structure that mother nature had made. Carefully picking what to move and in what order to avoid bringing the whole thing down on top of them. He knew he should go and get help. Experts and heavy equipment but he couldn't make himself leave his friend trapped and alone. He didn't even know if the way back was clear, but he was determined to find out together. He kept on shifting rocks even when his body was soaked in sweat in the cool cave air and his muscles protested every move, still he worked to free Riley.

"I'm not dying," Riley tried to reassure him but his voice was quivering, "But I am stuck and it's really dark over here."

"Riley?"

"Yeah?" His voice contained the breathless quality once more.

"Are you afraid of the dark?" His joking tone fell flat with his concern bleeding through so obviously.

Harsh hyperventilating breathing was his only answer. Riley was panicking and Ben had no way to get to him until he could dig a path to him. That would take time, time that Riley may not have. Something was wrong with his friend and he couldn't help him.

"Riley, I need you to talk to me, buddy," Ben begged through the obstacle separating them.

"You know what?" Riley finally gasped out.

"What, Riley?" Ben asked.

"I never used to be afraid of small spaces. In fact, I kinda liked them. My little cubicle was actually really nice. Cozy even."

"So it's claustrophobia?" Ben asked shocked. He had dragged his friend into many small tunnels, caves, and hidden underground treasure troves and Riley had never complained or seemed to have a problem with the locations.

"More of agoraphobia," Riley admitted quietly, his breathing evening out the more they talked.

"Fear of being trapped. It must be worse when your alone," Ben's brilliant mind hurdled a million miles as he thought through what he knew, what he could do, and why he didn't notice it before.

"Not exactly," Riley hedged, sounding almost embarrassed.

Alarm bells started ringing in the older man's head, "What makes it worse."

"Not being with you," Riley hesitated for a long time again, "If I'm with you, I know we'll make it out alright."

It was Ben's turn to fall into silence. He never knew that Riley trusted and relied on him so heavily. Everything they had gone through, the many times they had almost died and were close to never seeing the light of day again. In all those horrible moments, Riley had gotten through them because of him. It was a sobering thought. Riley needed him. His tired muscles gained new strength. With a renewed vigor he attacked the wall that stood in his way.

"I'm going to get you out of here," Ben promised. The rocks gave way under his hands until at last he found Riley and brought him into the light.