Hello again. Here is the new chapter. I am trying my best not to leave you hanging. I will try and have an update at least every other day unless something major happens.... Like writer's block! Thank you all for your reviews. I have really enjoyed reading each of them. Please keep reviewing. If you have any thoughts on things that could be improved, please feel free to let me know. - Starcraze, thank you for your kind words. I am glad you are enjoying the story. Caitlin714 - Thanks for sending this review. I appreciate it. Thanks again.

Chapter 5

Gordo's heart was thumping wildly in his chest as he squeezed Lizzie's limp hand. Afraid of what he might find, he did not want to check and see if she were breathing. Inhaling deeply, he bent down next to her mouth.

After several tense moments, he exhaled slowly and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving once he realized she was still breathing and had only passed out. He wanted so desperately to let her stay unconscious. He knew the pain was unbearable, but it was not an option.

Slowly, he placed his hand on her shoulder and began shaking her, but Lizzie didn't even react to his gentle prodding. "Uh oh. That's not good." He said. With a little more vigor, he shook her again, this time talking to her, "Lizzie? Lizzie come on, I need you to open your eyes."

The loud sound of Thunder was the only reply he got. Looking up at the sky, Gordo watch the sky light up like a Christmas tree. The dazzling display of light threw shadows all across the canyon. "Great. Not helping here." He yelled, "We don't need this right now." Turning back to Lizzie, he tried again. "Lizzie please open your eyes. I need to know your okay. Lizzie, just so you will know, I love you too. I will not lose you like this okay. Please come back to me."

Another sharp explosion of thunder ripped through the canyon, shaking the ground. Lizzie jerked against Gordo's hold and opened her eyes. Looking up at him, she tried to smile. "I've never liked storms." She gasped.

Gordo looked down at her and smiled, "I know. Hey how are you feeling?"

"Not good." She replied. Closing her eyes against the pain, she gripped Gordo's hand so tight he thought she was going to break it. "I am really cold Gordo."

"I know, but Miranda will be here soon, and we will be able to get you warm, and I promise you will never be cold again."

"Gordo?" Lizzie asked shaking uncontrollably.

"Yeah?" Gordo replied. He leaned in so he could hear her.

"Do you really think Miranda will be able to make it back in time?"

Gordo really didn't want to lie to her, but he knew that if she were going to make it, he would have to give her hope. The way things were looking; he was beginning to have doubts himself. The good news he thought is you have quit bleeding. "You know that Miranda will move heaven and earth to make sure you are okay. All you have to do is hold on. Will you do that?"

"I'll try" she squeaked, "Gordo, will you hold me? Please, I am so cold."

"I will do whatever you need me to do, but you have to promise you will not stop talking to me." He kissed her gently on the forehead. God, I love you so much Lizzie, he thought. "I am going to get under there with you okay? It is starting to rain, and this should keep us dry."

Lizzie nodded weakly. If she weren't hurt, she would have actually found it funny. Gordo was trying not to jostle her, but being this close to her was making him so nervous, he was shaking as uncontrollably as she was. "Gordo, if this makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to."

He looked down at her and smiled. It was just like her to be in so much trouble, and to put someone else's feelings before her own. "I am never uncomfortable with you Lizzie. I love you. You are my best friend and my confidant." He moved under the sleeping bag and wrapped his arms around her, and her head rested on his shoulder. "Okay, you promised you would continue to talk to me, so spill."

"Why?" she asked.

Confused, Gordo answered, "Because you promised."

"No." Lizzie answered, "Not that. Why did we wait so long to say I love you? Why do bad things have to happen to make people understand what is they have before they lose it?"

Gordo tightened his grip around Lizzie. "I am not going to lose you."

"David," Lizzie said. "You may not have a choice in the matter."

Gordo went rigid at the use of his given name. Lizzie had never used it before. She had always called him Gordo. She had given him the nickname in grade school and in all the years they had been together, he could not remember her ever calling him David. It scared him. He was about to confront her when the storm moved in and it was pouring rain. "Great." He said. "This is all we need."

If Lizzie was cold before, now she was absolutely freezing. Gordo was trying desperately to keep her warm, but he was losing the battle and to make matters worse, she was fading in and out of consciousness. Her skin had a bluish tent to it and her breathing was getting dangerously shallow.

Gordo watched the slow rise and fall of Lizzie's chest. He knew she could not have much strength left to keep pushing air in and out of her lungs, and she would leave him soon if a miracle didn't happen soon.

Sighing deeply, Gordo did something he had never done before, he began to pray. "God please. If you can hear me, I am not a praying man, but please don't take her. She is my friend and one day, I hope to make her my wife. I can't imagine ever living my life without her. Please send help soon. Please don't take her. She means everything to me. Please God."

"Gordo." The sound of his name filled the air. At first he thought he was hallucinating, but then, he saw a small figure sliding down the rocks and running toward him.

"Thank you." He prayed. Careful not to jostle Lizzie, he got up and ran over to Miranda giving her a big hug. "Thank God. You made it back?"

David and James walked up behind Miranda. "Yeah, I brought help. Gordo?" Miranda asked with worry expressed on her face.

Putting up his hands to stop her tirade of questions he said, "She's alive. She's over there." Turning to point in Lizzie's direction.

Gordo stood still and looked back at them, but they had not moved. He was irritable. His friend was lying under the sleeping bag in pain, and they just stood there staring at him. "What?" he yelled.

Miranda pointed at the tail of his shirt. "Where did that come from?"

"What?" Gordo asked looking down. His face paled as he looked down at his shirt. It was covered in blood. "I don't know." He stammered. The he remembered how close he was to Lizzie; holding her and easing her pain and fear. "Oh no." he breathed.

Running over to where Lizzie was laying, he pulled back the sleeping bag. "Oh God. Oh no. Lizzie!"

David looked over at James. "Call life flight and tell them we need them here ASAP. She is bleeding out and we will need blood on the flight. Do either of you know her blood type?"

Miranda looked over at David, shock clearly on her face. David looked at her and snapped, "Don't phase out on me. We need you. What is your friends blood type?"

"I think its B+." Miranda stammered, "It's on her donor card in her wallet. Back pocket."

"Okay." David said. He walked over and turned Lizzie slightly. Taking her wallet, he handed it to James. "Call it in and give them the blood type." After giving James his instructions, David turned to help Lizzie.

Gordo was frozen in place. "Son listen, you are going to have to move if you want us to help your friend." Gordo was in shock. He looked at the girl he loved covered from the waist down in bright red blood.

It never occurred to him that she could be losing blood. He never saw it come from her mouth again after Miranda left. How did he miss this? Where was it coming from?

"Miranda!" James yelled, "Move your friend."

Miranda grabbed Gordo and directed him away from the grisly scene. She was shocked to see the amount of blood that covered her friend.

"I got a hold of Life flight. They will meet us at the opening of the Canyon. How is she?" David asked.

"Not good." Replied James; "She has a lot of internal injuries. She is bleeding vaginally, her stomach is rigid, and I'm not sure how much blood she's lost. To top it all off, she is not responding to any stimulation. We have to move. Now!"

Gordo lost all control and sank to his knees retching pitifully. Miranda tried to help him, but he pushed her away.

"Miranda," James called, "We are moving now. We need your help. Is your friend up to this?"

Miranda looked down at Gordo. Bending over she whispered, "You can feel sorry for yourself later. Right now you need to hold it together a little longer. Are you with me?"

Wiping tears from his eyes, Gordo nodded. "Yeah lets go."

He and Miranda ran over to where James and David had made a makeshift stretcher with the extra sleeping bag. With two at the head and two at the feet, they carefully picked Lizzie up and started back toward the opening of the Canyon. They carefully scaled the rocks to get out the other side. After slipping on some and almost dropping the makeshift stretcher, David commented, "It's probably a good thing she is unconscious. There is no way she would be able to take this."

"Let's just hurry." James replied.

Gordo and Miranda stayed quite as they made their way out of the Canyon. They prayed that the Helicopter would be there when they got out. "Please." Gordo prayed, "Please."

As they emerged from the Canyon, they could see life flight had made it and was waiting on them. The EMT crew rushed out to meet them. Pushing Gordo and Miranda away, they took over the care of Lizzie. "What's the status?" one called?

"She has lost a lot of blood. Not responding to any kind of stimulus and her belly area is rigid. I hear gurgling sounds coming from her chest when she breathed." James responded, "I think she has several broken ribs on the left side and possible pelvic fractures. She is bleeding out from the vaginal area."

The attendant turned and looked at James. "That's all?" he asked, "How is this kid still alive?"

James looked at David, Miranda and Gordo and smiled in reassurance, "She's a fighter."

The attendant stopped at the helicopter. "We need to get an IV started." He ripped open Lizzie's shirt so he could check her vitals. "Uh oh, her pressures dropping. We're losing her." He grabbed the paddles. "Come on honey, you've held on this long. Hold on for a little longer. Clear."

He placed the paddles against Lizzie's chest and the shock caused her body to jerk violently. Miranda and Gordo watched from a distance. Each time the paddles were applied, they jerked as hard as Lizzie did.

"Oh God." Miranda cried, "I can't take much more of this."

"Again." They heard the call and again they watched as Lizzie's small body was riddled with the effects of the shock. "There, we have it. She's back. That's good. You hang in there little girl. You have two friends who risked everything to get you help. Now don't you let them down."

Miranda and Gordo watched as the doors to the Helicopter were shut and their friend was airlifted into the darkness.

David walked over. "I will give you a ride to the hospital if you want. James went with the flight crew. They needed an extra hand."

"Is she?" Miranda asked.

"She is still in a lot of trouble, but that is the best team in the world on that chopper. Your friend is in good hands. Is there anyone you want to call and let know about the situation?"

Miranda and Gordo looked at David. "Oh God, we need to let her parents know." Gordo replied. "Do you have a cell phone?"

"Yeah, here." David said handing over his phone.

Gordo looked at it like it was a snake about to strike. This was the one thing we did not want to do, but since he felt responsible, he would call. Taking the phone, he dialed the number.

"Hello?" Jo McGuire answered the phone.

"Mrs. McGuire. This is Gordo. There's been an accident." Gordo began. He could not remember all the conversation. All he remembered was the horrible sound of Mrs. McGuire screaming on the other end.