Hanging by a moment
Disclaimer: I do not own Everwood or any of the characters in this story. They are all property of the WB.
Rating: PG
A/N: Amy and Ephram go on a hike, but when it takes a turn for the worse, what will Amy do to help?
The helicopter moved in as close as the pilot dared. They were nowhere near being able to save Ephram, but it made him feel better that they were trying. Even if he knew he wasn't going to be saved in time.
Jake started tugging at the rope attached to him. He was trying to get more rope, even though there was none. He kept pulling, not stopping until he actually moved. He didn't know why, but Amy did. She had woken up only moments earlier.
She knew that the tree she had tied Ephram to wasn't going to be strong enough to hold another rope, and Jake to boot. It was a small tree, and it had been hit by the rockslide. It was being pulled up by its roots, and it was coming up fast. If Jake could save Ephram, they would have two people to save.
"Abby, I think you should know something." Amy explained about the tree, and how it wasn't going to last much longer, much like Ephram's situation.
He wasn't going to be able to last much longer, either. But he was determined to hang on as long as possible, however long that was. His fingers were becoming intensely sore, much like the rest of his body. He knew the end was coming, whether it was by being saved, or by falling, it was coming.
Ephram wanted to pull himself up, back onto the ledge, but he knew that wasn't possible, because, for one, he was too weak, and for two, the ledge would break before he made it up.
He said a started thinking, but was interrupted by Jake, screaming, "I have to go back up, Ephram! Something is wrong up there, and I keep coming further down! I will be back down with more rope soon! Just hang on!" Jake was being lifted back up to the top. Ephram wished that was him in that position. He wanted to be back on solid ground.
Ephram felt himself begin to cry, and his vision was becoming quite blurry. But he had to hang on, and he was going to, no matter what.
******
Delia sat in a corner of the Abbott's house, all by herself. She didn't want to be bothered, but someone came to try and make her feel better anyway.
"Delia, do you want to talk about it?" Bright walked over to her, once he found her.
"No, I don't want to talk to anybody, especially not you." Delia was still mad at him for telling her what could possibly happen to her brother.
Bright sighed, but didn't leave, "Look, I know you're mad at me for the things I said, but I think you should know I wasn't joking. If they are on that mountain, which we now know they are by what Amy told my dad, those are possibilities." Bright knelt down to Delia's level, "I didn't mean to scare you, kiddo, I just want to prepare you for the worst. If the worst doesn't happen to Ephram, then it won't matter, but if I don't tell you, and it does, you would get very upset..."
"No I wouldn't!" Delia snapped at him.
"Okay, maybe you wouldn't, but let's just say you would, if that happened. I don't want to see you upset, and neither does your dad. I know Ephram wouldn't want you to be sad for him; he would want you to be happy. So, just hear me out, and let me explain to you the minor possibilities. Ephram can't get hurt too bad, depending on where he fell to. I don't know all the facts, but here it goes."
Bright started explaining to Delia all of the minor, and major things that could happen to Ephram. Most of the minor things had already happened to him, but Bright didn't know that, neither did anyone else.
******
"What are you doing?" Amy asked as she saw Jake being brought back up, "Why are you bringing him back? He has to help Ephram!" She was becoming frantic, so one of the other guys in uniform held her back from the edge.
"I understand why you are upset, Amy. But we don't want to have to save both Ephram and Jake, you said so yourself. If we can get Jake harnessed to something safer, then we will stand a better chance at saving Ephram."
"Fine, I guess that makes sense, just hurry up!" Amy pulled away from the guy, and walked about ten feet to be alone.
The only reason she stopped was because she saw the helicopter flying away, "Now what are THEY doing!?!" Amy had to yell over all the noise.
"You will understand once Jake is lowered back down. They have extra rope we can use, but we can't get to it just yet. They have to land at the bottom of the mountain so we can get it." Abby told Amy just what she didn't want to hear.
"The bottom of the mountain is two whole hours from here! They won't ever get it up here in time!" The sun was beginning to set, which worried Amy even more. It meant that it was going to get even colder, and that wasn't good for Ephram. He had only a light jacket on, and it was cold enough already.
"We need to get you home, Amy." Amy gave Jake a shocked look, "I know that is the last thing you want to do right now, but we have to get you warm, and I'm sure your family will be extremely happy to see you." Jake had a guy with the name 'Thomas' on his jumper walk Amy to the bottom of the mountain. They would have someone waiting for her to take her home from there.
Amy wasn't happy about it, but she knew it was probably best. She told Ephram what was going on, and told him that everything was going to be okay. He smiled weakly, but kept hanging on. She blew him a kiss, got up, and started walking with Thomas to the bottom.
******
Mrs. Abbott hung up the phone, turned around and smiled, "Amy is on her way home!" Harold embraced her in a hug, and they both smiled together.
Andy stood up and walked out of the room. He was glad Amy was safe, but he wanted his son back. He really wanted to be able to talk to him, and tell him how much he loves him again. But he was also thankful Amy was coming back, because he would be able to get more facts about what was going on with his son.
Nina walked into the room, "I'm so sorry, Andy. I really wish they could both be coming back, but I just heard Mrs. Abbott say that Ephram was alright. Amy wouldn't tell her much, but she said that he was close to being rescued." In her heart, Nina had her doubts, but she wasn't going to let Andy know that. She had to be strong for his and Delia's sake.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Nina. Ephram was always a strong boy. He has what it takes to survive. Although that was in New York, he's only been hiking once. I can't even remember how long ago that was." Andy smiled, but a tear escaped from him, and that's what made the flood gates open. "Oh Nina, I can't do this anymore! My son is hanging on for dear life on a mountain he's never stepped foot on before. I don't know for certain whether he's dead or alive, and if he is even going to be alright if he does survive!" Andy sat down on the steps and began to cry, "I want my son back, Nina. I want to be able to hold him and cuddle him, and to be able to tell him everything I haven't been able to lately."
Nina quickly sat at Andy's side, "I know, it's okay. Ephram will be home soon. Everything is going to be okay. Just let it all out."
"I need my son back." Andy said in a squeaking whisper.
******
Delia was doing the same thing, only she was being held by Bright. She was crying, and had been for the past little while, just like she had done with her dad earlier that day. She didn't know that Amy was on her way back, and neither did Bright. But when they got the news, they were both happy that one of the two would be home safely.
"I'm glad Amy is coming home. Even if it isn't Ephram, at least we know she's okay." Delia smiled at Bright, "I need to go find my dad."
"Okay, squirt." Bright let her go and smiled as she walked off.
"Thanks Bright!" He heard her say as she disappeared around the corner.
Delia walked all through the house, finally coming to the entryway, where she found her father and Nina on the steps. Andy wasn't crying anymore, and he looked up when her heard small footsteps.
"Delia, how are you doing?" Nina took her hand from Andy's.
"I'm fine, now. What are you two doing?" Delia was getting suspicious of something.
"I was just comforting your father. He's a little upset about Ephram's situation." Nina explained after Andy seemed to be at a loss of words.
"Right..." Delia walked to the steps and sat in between the two of them, "Did you hear about Amy coming back?" Delia asked smiling.
"Yeah, sweetheart, we heard. We can't wait for her to get here." Andy was trying not to cry in front of Delia.
"It's okay to cry dad. You should have seen me a minute ago. Ask Bright, I couldn't stop." Delia leaned her head on his lap and just sat there waiting for Amy to come back home.
******
Amy sat in the car on her way home, thinking. 'I shouldn't have left Ephram. He needs me right now. I need to be with him...But I guess I can't change that now.' She sat in silence for a few minutes, then thought of something she wished she hadn't. 'What if they took me off the mountain because they knew they couldn't save Ephram, and they didn't want me to see him die? What if they were covering that up, and didn't want me to freak out and tell Ephram?'
Amy began getting depressed. She had convinced herself that that was why they had made her leave Ephram. She was so worried for him, but knew there was nothing she could do.
She had faith in many things, like that tree, and that boulder, but this time her faith had run out on her. Amy Abbott, for once in her entire lifetime, was losing faith.
******
'Amy's gone, and it's getting dark...I have nothing to help me get through this anymore!' Ephram thought to himself. He could feel energy rapidly draining from his body, but still he hung on. Jake was on his way down, and Ephram knew he was going to be saved.
Or at least he thought he was until he felt the ledge breaking more severely. He tried to grab it with the other hand, but that action was too fast for the small lifeline of Ephram's. It split from the side and he started to fall.
Ephram didn't pay any attention to anything, except that he was about to die. He wondered how long it would take him to get to the bottom.
Ephram had no idea how fast he was thinking until he felt something grab onto him. He didn't even look at what was keeping him alive, the excitement was just too much for him. Everything turned to black.
Disclaimer: I do not own Everwood or any of the characters in this story. They are all property of the WB.
Rating: PG
A/N: Amy and Ephram go on a hike, but when it takes a turn for the worse, what will Amy do to help?
The helicopter moved in as close as the pilot dared. They were nowhere near being able to save Ephram, but it made him feel better that they were trying. Even if he knew he wasn't going to be saved in time.
Jake started tugging at the rope attached to him. He was trying to get more rope, even though there was none. He kept pulling, not stopping until he actually moved. He didn't know why, but Amy did. She had woken up only moments earlier.
She knew that the tree she had tied Ephram to wasn't going to be strong enough to hold another rope, and Jake to boot. It was a small tree, and it had been hit by the rockslide. It was being pulled up by its roots, and it was coming up fast. If Jake could save Ephram, they would have two people to save.
"Abby, I think you should know something." Amy explained about the tree, and how it wasn't going to last much longer, much like Ephram's situation.
He wasn't going to be able to last much longer, either. But he was determined to hang on as long as possible, however long that was. His fingers were becoming intensely sore, much like the rest of his body. He knew the end was coming, whether it was by being saved, or by falling, it was coming.
Ephram wanted to pull himself up, back onto the ledge, but he knew that wasn't possible, because, for one, he was too weak, and for two, the ledge would break before he made it up.
He said a started thinking, but was interrupted by Jake, screaming, "I have to go back up, Ephram! Something is wrong up there, and I keep coming further down! I will be back down with more rope soon! Just hang on!" Jake was being lifted back up to the top. Ephram wished that was him in that position. He wanted to be back on solid ground.
Ephram felt himself begin to cry, and his vision was becoming quite blurry. But he had to hang on, and he was going to, no matter what.
******
Delia sat in a corner of the Abbott's house, all by herself. She didn't want to be bothered, but someone came to try and make her feel better anyway.
"Delia, do you want to talk about it?" Bright walked over to her, once he found her.
"No, I don't want to talk to anybody, especially not you." Delia was still mad at him for telling her what could possibly happen to her brother.
Bright sighed, but didn't leave, "Look, I know you're mad at me for the things I said, but I think you should know I wasn't joking. If they are on that mountain, which we now know they are by what Amy told my dad, those are possibilities." Bright knelt down to Delia's level, "I didn't mean to scare you, kiddo, I just want to prepare you for the worst. If the worst doesn't happen to Ephram, then it won't matter, but if I don't tell you, and it does, you would get very upset..."
"No I wouldn't!" Delia snapped at him.
"Okay, maybe you wouldn't, but let's just say you would, if that happened. I don't want to see you upset, and neither does your dad. I know Ephram wouldn't want you to be sad for him; he would want you to be happy. So, just hear me out, and let me explain to you the minor possibilities. Ephram can't get hurt too bad, depending on where he fell to. I don't know all the facts, but here it goes."
Bright started explaining to Delia all of the minor, and major things that could happen to Ephram. Most of the minor things had already happened to him, but Bright didn't know that, neither did anyone else.
******
"What are you doing?" Amy asked as she saw Jake being brought back up, "Why are you bringing him back? He has to help Ephram!" She was becoming frantic, so one of the other guys in uniform held her back from the edge.
"I understand why you are upset, Amy. But we don't want to have to save both Ephram and Jake, you said so yourself. If we can get Jake harnessed to something safer, then we will stand a better chance at saving Ephram."
"Fine, I guess that makes sense, just hurry up!" Amy pulled away from the guy, and walked about ten feet to be alone.
The only reason she stopped was because she saw the helicopter flying away, "Now what are THEY doing!?!" Amy had to yell over all the noise.
"You will understand once Jake is lowered back down. They have extra rope we can use, but we can't get to it just yet. They have to land at the bottom of the mountain so we can get it." Abby told Amy just what she didn't want to hear.
"The bottom of the mountain is two whole hours from here! They won't ever get it up here in time!" The sun was beginning to set, which worried Amy even more. It meant that it was going to get even colder, and that wasn't good for Ephram. He had only a light jacket on, and it was cold enough already.
"We need to get you home, Amy." Amy gave Jake a shocked look, "I know that is the last thing you want to do right now, but we have to get you warm, and I'm sure your family will be extremely happy to see you." Jake had a guy with the name 'Thomas' on his jumper walk Amy to the bottom of the mountain. They would have someone waiting for her to take her home from there.
Amy wasn't happy about it, but she knew it was probably best. She told Ephram what was going on, and told him that everything was going to be okay. He smiled weakly, but kept hanging on. She blew him a kiss, got up, and started walking with Thomas to the bottom.
******
Mrs. Abbott hung up the phone, turned around and smiled, "Amy is on her way home!" Harold embraced her in a hug, and they both smiled together.
Andy stood up and walked out of the room. He was glad Amy was safe, but he wanted his son back. He really wanted to be able to talk to him, and tell him how much he loves him again. But he was also thankful Amy was coming back, because he would be able to get more facts about what was going on with his son.
Nina walked into the room, "I'm so sorry, Andy. I really wish they could both be coming back, but I just heard Mrs. Abbott say that Ephram was alright. Amy wouldn't tell her much, but she said that he was close to being rescued." In her heart, Nina had her doubts, but she wasn't going to let Andy know that. She had to be strong for his and Delia's sake.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Nina. Ephram was always a strong boy. He has what it takes to survive. Although that was in New York, he's only been hiking once. I can't even remember how long ago that was." Andy smiled, but a tear escaped from him, and that's what made the flood gates open. "Oh Nina, I can't do this anymore! My son is hanging on for dear life on a mountain he's never stepped foot on before. I don't know for certain whether he's dead or alive, and if he is even going to be alright if he does survive!" Andy sat down on the steps and began to cry, "I want my son back, Nina. I want to be able to hold him and cuddle him, and to be able to tell him everything I haven't been able to lately."
Nina quickly sat at Andy's side, "I know, it's okay. Ephram will be home soon. Everything is going to be okay. Just let it all out."
"I need my son back." Andy said in a squeaking whisper.
******
Delia was doing the same thing, only she was being held by Bright. She was crying, and had been for the past little while, just like she had done with her dad earlier that day. She didn't know that Amy was on her way back, and neither did Bright. But when they got the news, they were both happy that one of the two would be home safely.
"I'm glad Amy is coming home. Even if it isn't Ephram, at least we know she's okay." Delia smiled at Bright, "I need to go find my dad."
"Okay, squirt." Bright let her go and smiled as she walked off.
"Thanks Bright!" He heard her say as she disappeared around the corner.
Delia walked all through the house, finally coming to the entryway, where she found her father and Nina on the steps. Andy wasn't crying anymore, and he looked up when her heard small footsteps.
"Delia, how are you doing?" Nina took her hand from Andy's.
"I'm fine, now. What are you two doing?" Delia was getting suspicious of something.
"I was just comforting your father. He's a little upset about Ephram's situation." Nina explained after Andy seemed to be at a loss of words.
"Right..." Delia walked to the steps and sat in between the two of them, "Did you hear about Amy coming back?" Delia asked smiling.
"Yeah, sweetheart, we heard. We can't wait for her to get here." Andy was trying not to cry in front of Delia.
"It's okay to cry dad. You should have seen me a minute ago. Ask Bright, I couldn't stop." Delia leaned her head on his lap and just sat there waiting for Amy to come back home.
******
Amy sat in the car on her way home, thinking. 'I shouldn't have left Ephram. He needs me right now. I need to be with him...But I guess I can't change that now.' She sat in silence for a few minutes, then thought of something she wished she hadn't. 'What if they took me off the mountain because they knew they couldn't save Ephram, and they didn't want me to see him die? What if they were covering that up, and didn't want me to freak out and tell Ephram?'
Amy began getting depressed. She had convinced herself that that was why they had made her leave Ephram. She was so worried for him, but knew there was nothing she could do.
She had faith in many things, like that tree, and that boulder, but this time her faith had run out on her. Amy Abbott, for once in her entire lifetime, was losing faith.
******
'Amy's gone, and it's getting dark...I have nothing to help me get through this anymore!' Ephram thought to himself. He could feel energy rapidly draining from his body, but still he hung on. Jake was on his way down, and Ephram knew he was going to be saved.
Or at least he thought he was until he felt the ledge breaking more severely. He tried to grab it with the other hand, but that action was too fast for the small lifeline of Ephram's. It split from the side and he started to fall.
Ephram didn't pay any attention to anything, except that he was about to die. He wondered how long it would take him to get to the bottom.
Ephram had no idea how fast he was thinking until he felt something grab onto him. He didn't even look at what was keeping him alive, the excitement was just too much for him. Everything turned to black.