Chapter Ten: Brought to Heel
Purdey returned MacGyver's jacket and then put on her shoes as he worked putting out the fire and dismantling the shelter.
"You'd never know we'd been here," she remarked, looking around with some amazement.
MacGyver grinned. "That's kind of the idea. Now c'mon."
He led them first to the little stream he had discovered the evening before. "Drink up," he advised. "We don't have a way to carry any with us."
"Actually, we do," Gambit realized, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a hip flask. He shook it, cocking his head as he listened to determine how much it held. "Shame to waste it," he commented, holding the flask out to MacGyver. "Have some?"
MacGyver's nose wrinkled involuntarily in an expression of distaste. "No, thanks."
"Purdey?"
"Thank you." Taking the flask, she drank a careful half of what it held before returning it to Gambit. He drained it, then tossed the empty vessel to MacGyver.
MacGyver rinsed it out thoroughly three times before filling it and handing it to Purdey. All three of them drank deeply several times before MacGyver filled it one final time and handed it to Gambit, who capped it before shoving it back in his pocket.
"Which way, Mac?"
MacGyver pulled out his watch and took another reading, then looked through the woods and picked a landmark to aim for. "That way; c'mon." He set off at a brisk pace, clearly in his element in these trackless woods. He paused only to glance back and make sure Purdey and Gambit were still keeping up behind him, or to take out his watch and pick another tree for his goal.
Despite being a city girl, Purdey had passed all her field tests with flying colors, and was determined she could keep up with any pace he chose to set. But, she reflected as she tugged her skirt free of a bramble for the third time, she might have chosen to dress a little differently if she had known she would be going on a hike in the woods.
She hurried to catch up, then suddenly felt her heel sink into a patch of soft earth. She lurched and fell to the ground, realizing as she did so that her heel was held fast. "Gambit!"
Ahead of her, Gambit half turned to see her sitting awkwardly in the mud. "What happened?" he demanded, hurrying to her side.
"My shoe heel's stuck," Purdey explained a little breathlessly, wincing a little as she tried again to wiggle free.
Gambit dropped to his knees beside her, taking hold of her ankle in an attempt to pull her loose.
Purdey bit her lip, unable to hold back a small whimper.
"Sorry; sorry!" Gambit apologized instantly.
"Try takin' her shoe off," MacGyver suggested, leaning with one hand on a tree as he stood watching them.
Gambit fumbled for a moment at the tiny buckles on the straps, and Purdey gave a snort of disgust. "Here, let me." Brushing his hand aside, she reached for the buckles, then winced as the motion bent her ankle further. "Ow…no…you better do it."
A moment later, Gambit succeeded in loosening the straps enough to slip Purdey's foot free.
She gave a sigh of relief, rubbing her ankle as it was released from its awkward position. As Gambit helped her move to the side, MacGyver knelt and began digging around the heel of her shoe with his knife.
"Think I'm gettin' it," he remarked a minute later as the shoe began twisting under his hand. A moment later he realized his mistake as the shoe broke off entirely, leaving the heel still deeply embedded among the roots of the tree. "Oops. Sorry," he apologized sheepishly.
Purdey sighed. "It's not your fault, I guess. But how am I supposed to walk like this?" She gestured to indicate the shoe he held as well as the one that still had its heel.
"You can't," MacGyver said slowly, wiping his knife free of mud as he considered. "Looks like there's only one thing to do." Working carefully to avoid slipping and cutting her, he worked the blade of his knife between the other shoe and its heel until he was able to pop it off.
"Hey!" Purdey protested.
"Sorry," he apologized without much conviction. "But I think ya proved high heels aren't the best for walkin' in the woods anyway." He pocketed the heel and reached for the shoe that had started all the trouble.
"Show off," Gambit muttered as MacGyver's deft fingers made quick work of the buckles.
"How's the ankle?" MacGyver questioned. "Are you all right to walk?"
"I think so," Purdey assured him.
Jumping to his feet, MacGyver offered her a hand, at the same moment as Gambit extended his own.
Purdey half shook her head and sighed in resignation, then accepted both hands and let them pull her to her feet between them.
"All right?" MacGyver asked again.
"Yes; thank you," Purdey responded, brushing off her skirt. She glanced around. "So…where are we?"
MacGyver pulled the map out of his back pocket. "I think about…here. Looks like close to halfway."
Gambit shook his head, looking around the trackless woods. "If we come out even within a mile of the airport, you deserve a medal.
MacGyver gave him a boyish grin, tapping his finger on the tiny airplane symbol marked on the map. "Unless we have to detour around something right at the end, we'll be in sight of it," he promised.
"Show-off," Gambit muttered again, but with no real animosity in his voice.
"How about a drink before we start out again?" MacGyver suggested.
They passed the flask around, each taking only a few sips before Gambit returned it to his pocket, though both he and Purdey were beginning to be sure MacGyver would have little trouble finding them more water if that ran out.
As MacGyver once more began blazing a trail through the woods, Gambit offered a hand to Purdey. And for once she accepted his aid as she accustomed herself to walking on heelless shoes whose toes now pointed elfishly upward.
Next chapter coming next week!
I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!
Please note that I have only minimal internet access, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. (But they are much appreciated, even if you're reading this story long after I originally post it!) If you have questions regarding my MacGyver or Avengers alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie
