Boat Trip - Chapter Three

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Summary - The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?

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Warning - A little violence in this chapter, more in later chapters.

Authors notes - Thanks for the reviews! Thanks so much for liking my story. I'm sorry it took so long to post this, I've been a bit busy and haven't had the time to post it. It also took my beta reader a little longer than normal to go through and edit. Well, I hope you all enjoy it! Make sure you tell me if I'm making them OOC, it's very that they stay in character! VERY!

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Chapter Three

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Quatre faught hard to reach the surface, water sweeping quickly past him. A helpless feeling swept over him as he swam, he was going to die. 'No...' he prayed franticly, he didn't want to die. He couldn't. Forcing himself harder, he began moving slowly closer to his destination. He didn't want to give up, at least not yet.

'Please...'

Breaking the surface of the rough waters, he gasped for breath. Fighting hard to keep his head out of the water, his aquamarine eyes burning from the salty water . Another wave came by, smacking him down. Again, he began fighting for the surface. Every time he'd reach it, he would barley have enough time to fill his lungs before being smacked down again.

After almost having a heart attack seeing Duo get knocked off the boat, Heero jumped in after him, sending Quatre in to a whirl of worry and panic. Immediately after, a huge wave came, knocking all of them into the sea - destroying his brand new boat, and his wonderful day. Thoughts of his friends' danger, and death; sweeping through his mind.

Again Quatre broke the surface, but instead of breathing in a mouthful of air, he got a mouthful of water. Lurching, he sunk back down. Panic overwhelmed him, He was going to die out here; he just knew it. This wasn't happening, he kept telling himself. All the while fighting to keep himself from breathing in the salty water.

He felt something grab his arm and he was ripped to the surface. Again he gasped for breath, coughing out all of the unwanted water. He floated there a moment, breathing hard and wondering who had saved him. Over the roaring waters, came a very quiet voice barley heard above the noise. Glancing over, he was met with familiar emerald eyes. A wave of relief swept over him, knowing that at least he wasn't alone. At least one of his friends was alive, At least, Trowa was with him... He gave a minuscule smile, letting it fade almost immediately. He pulled himself closer to the young pilot and he was quickly yet gently shoved away. Hearing a quiet mummer from his friend, barley heard above the noise,

"Quatre, I can't hold you up..."

He noticed a inconspicuous grimace of pain shoot across Trowa's features. Frowning, he gave a questioning look.

Trowa ignored him, not wanting him to worry. At least not now...

Holding fast, they waitied in silent agony for the storm to end. They were both becoming exhausted, knowing that they wouldn't last long. If the storm didn't end, they would die.

After what seemed like hours, the storm was beginning to calm. They were now waiting in vein for help that would not come. Being stranded out in the middle of the ocean, with nothing but each other and a small hope that they would some how find something, anything, to escape this liquid prison.

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Floating aimlessly through the ocean, Duo and Heero were searching in vain for something to help them. The storm had finished its assault on them what seemed like hours before. Now they were trying hard to find... something. Duo had in mind a boat, knowing that the likelihood of that was next to nothing. Heero was hoping to find their boat; maybe it survived through the storm. He doubted it, there was a horrible feeling gnawing at the back of his mind. All was not well; he could feel it. And for some reason, he felt as if it were going to get worse.

Something caught Duo's attention from the corner of his eye. Glancing over, he found it to be a drifting piece of wood. He swam over, catching Heero's attention in the process; and grasped desperately onto the floating object, his treading immediately becoming easier. Heero followed suit, grabbing hold next to Duo. Both now being aided by the small plank, their tired forms now gaining a long deserved rest.

Thinking for a moment, he wondered where the wood could have come from. It must have come from the ship, he frowned, that would mean...

"Heero... where do you think this wood came from?" He asked timidly, not quite wanting to know the answer.

"I guess the boat was destroyed." was his response, his words short and quiet due to his exhaustion.

"You think the others are alright?" Duo asked, worry clear in his voice.

Heero only shrugged, too tired to talk. He was worried himself, but didn't betray his emotions to Duo. He didn't need to anyway, there was no point and it would only upset the american more. Heero let his mind wonder, wondering if they would even come out of this alive. They could die out here, that thought was very realistic and probably true. They hadn't told anyone about their trip, and nobody, once realizing that they were gone, would think to look way out here. They would probably be dead by then anyway.

"Hey, what's that?" Duo asked, pointing off into the darkness.

Heero perked up, looking in the direction Duo had pointed. Not seeing anything, he turned back to Duo with a look of curiosity.

"Maybe it's one of the guys." Duo stated, answering to Heero's look

Heero glared into the darkness, looking for what Duo had spoken of, "Maybe..." He glanced to Duo, then began kicking in the direction he had been pointing, "Let's find out."

Duo joined in, and they began slowly moving to their destination.

He soon noticed something moving through the water; it's slow smooth movement and the quick glimmer in the light of the moon, brought a sudden realization to him. This definitely wasn't one of the guys, in fact, it wasn't even human...

"Duo." He stopped, glaring off into the darkness.

Stopping his kick, Duo looked to Heero questioningly, "What? Do you see it?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it's one of the guys..."

"You don't..." He questioned, looking in the direction of Heero's glare.

"I think it's a shark." Came a quick and inane response.

There was a slight pause, "What?!" He yelled, a look of horror in his eyes, "A shark? Don't those things eat people?" Duo squeaked, and began kicking away, " I am not getting eaten by a shark! No way!"

"Duo stop it, calm down." Heero frowned, glancing back in the direction of the shark. He scanned the area, then turned back to Duo, "It's not there anymore, Duo."

Duo paused, glancing out over the restless waters, "So what if you can't see it anymore, it could still be there! It could be under the water."

"My point exactly, your movement must've alerted it of our presence ."

"Is that good or bad? Maybe we scared it away."

"Maybe..." Heero gazed into the distance, "Just stop moving."

Duo nodded, gulping down a lump in his throat. He glanced around, looking for any movement besides his own and Heero's. A feeling of alarm welling up inside him, he had never seen a shark. They didn't have those things back up at the colonies, the only time he had ever seen one was on TV and in pictures. He had definitely learned enough about them to know what they could do.

Heero also began scouring the area, hoping that their movement hadn't attracted the shark, but done the opposite and scared it away.

A sudden jolt of pain shot up his leg, ripping his attention from his thoughts. He flinched, barley catching a breath before he was yanked under the water. He lashed out, his instincts telling him to fight. He kicked the carnivore hard in an attempt to get it to release it's hold and surprisingly, it did. He immediately swam the short distance to the surface; gasping for breath upon arrival. He felt Duo grasp his arm, helping him to stay up. Heero quickly grabbed the small plank, pain seering through his body.

"Heero!" Duo exclaimed, his voice filled with alarm.

Heero cringed, pain showing vividly in his features. Duo frowned in concern, not quite knowing what to say. His mind raced as he tried to sort his whirling thoughts, realization setting in.

Glancing about in a frenzy, his eyes glimmered with apprehension and anxiety, he didn't quite know how to assess the situation, "Okay... uhhh." He sighed in an attempt to calm himself. "Did you bring your gun Heero? You brought your gun, right?"

Heero gave a curt nod, "Yeah. I think so." He reached back for his weapon, and at almost the same time, Duo was yanked under the water.

Heero gasped, "Duo..." Ripping out his gun, he quickly switched off the safety and aimed; ready to shoot. Just before pulling the trigger, he hesitated. There was a chance he could hit Duo. If he killed him, he would never forgive himself for the short amount of time he may live. And if he did somehow come out of this alive, there were a lot of people back home who wouldn't forgive him either.

But if he let him die here, when he knew there was a chance he could have saved him. Again, he would never forgive himself. There were only two choices; one assured death, the other gave a chance at life. It was risky, but he had to take the chance. This was the only choice.

He pulled the trigger, an inconceivable 'click' just before an ear- shattering boom, echoing loudly over the ocean waters.

And then silence.

Heero frowned, his gun still aimed down into the water, a tremor ran through his body, emotion only showing through his glimmering eyes. He loosened his grip, his body tense and rigid, shaking hard with anger...fear. "Duo..."

The sound of moving water and coughing, grasped his attention. He turned, quickly swimming in the direction of the noise.

Upon arrival, he found Duo, struggling to stay afloat. He quickly swam over, grabbing Duo's arm and pulling him up out of the water. Duo immediately released a cry of pain, gripping the arm Heero was holding. The Japanese pilot glanced down, now noticing in the moonlight the crimson liquid running over his hand and into the water. "Duo..." Heero released his grip, gingerly grasping Duo's uninjured arm, "Did I... did I hit you?"

Duo merely nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain.

Heero frowned, irritation clear in his eyes. Irritation at himself and the thought that he could have done better, he shouldn't have hit Duo. But, maybe it was the only way, why else did the shark let go. It seemed like it was planning on eating him, so, it must've been hit too. Why else would it free Duo? Heero flinched at a sudden realization of how bad his leg hurt. He had forgotton of his own pain in all the excitement, and now his body was reminding him of it. He glanced at Duo, "How's you leg..."

Duo clamped his eyes shut, gritting his teeth in pain, "I can't feel it...actually."

Heero hesitated, "Is it... still there?" glancing down through the water.

"Yeah, I think so."

Heero look through the water; the light of the moon aiding his vision. The water seemed a bit clouded, most likely blood. He found that both of Duo's legs were intact and sighed in relief.

"Well, we can't just stay here..." He glanced around for something... anything. They couldn't just stay out here; Duo would die.

He began kicking in a random direction, immediately stopping due to a sharp pain shooting through his leg. Wincing, he gave a quiet grunt of pain, halting his movement. He glanced to his companion, "Can you kick?"

Duo glanced up, giving a strained smile, "I can't even feel my leg."

Heero nodded once, "Then I guess... we'll have to let the tide take us somewhere..."

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I hope you enjoyed it and remember to review! I'll have the next chapter out as soon as I can. Thank you for being so patent for me to post this.