Chapter 5

The discomfort was growing, along with the cold. At one point the rain seemed to stop, offering them a momentary reprieve, but that was quickly blown away by a wisp of wind. Connor had clumsily, one handedly tried to wrap the thermal blanket tighter around himself. It crinkled and caught on something and Connor let out a frustrated sigh.

"Here, let me help," Ethan said, managing to free the blanket, then pulling it higher up so it was just under Connor's chin. Of course that made the water collected on it run down in a trickle around his neck. He shivered then grunted in pain. Everything bloody hurt. His broken ankle was sending out loud signals and he truly wondered how he managed to not feel the pain before. He wished for that sweet ignorance to return but knew that was unlikely.

His arm... that was a whole other matter. The tingling of his fingers was driving him crazy, mostly because he was imagining the nerve endings slowly dying. He knew he was being dramatic... for now... there was still time to fix it without permanent damage. But he also knew the clock was ticking and there was no sign of rescue still. And if they came, how long would it take to get them back up on the hill and to a hospital? Connor was afraid it would be much too long.

"Well, that does not look good," Ethan spoke startling Connor out of his dark thoughts. Only to bring up much darker ones and Connor blinked, looking at where Ethan was pointing.

At the sky.

"What?"

"Looks like another storm is coming," Ethan muttered, his own voice sounding troubled. Worried. Connor felt the leg under his head shake slightly and realized he wasn't the only one feeling the cold.

"You wanna... share?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Ethan shot him a confused look.

"Blanket."

"Oh. No, it's... alright. I'd rather you get the most of it."

Connor almost rolled his eyes. He stopped, because the world was already tilting on its own.

"D-doesn't keep me warm. Just... not as wet."

Ethan chuckled.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. If I'd known we get into this mess, I would've packed a sleeping bag too," he said with a smirk.

Connor snorted.

Then frowned.

"Alright there bud?" Ethan asked, his hand sliding down towards Connor's throat to check his pulse. He was doing that quite regularly. Connor would've lent him his hand, but both of them were hidden under the blanket, trying to retain some warmth. Ethan's own hand felt like ice against Connor's skin.

"I don't get it," Connor muttered once Ethan surmised he wasn't actively dying on him right now.

"What?"

"This." Connor made a shrugging motion, as if he wanted to encompass the whole situation. "I don't... my head is fuzzy."

"Well, you have several bumps there. And I'd say the blood loss isn't helping much either."

"I mean... what're we doing here?"

Now it was Ethan's turn to frown. He peered down into Connor's eyes, as if looking for a blown pupil.

"You don't remember?"

Connor huffed.

"I fell," he said, although he didn't really remember the details. But he knew that's what Ethan told him before. "I know we... got lost?" he said, though it was more of a question. He did remember being annoyed at Will at some point, bickering... and looking at a map. And a phone that didn't work.

But it all felt like a jumble of disconnected images that didn't make much sense. Why were they in the woods? What was the bloody point and how come they got lost with a map in hand?

Ethan fidgeted, looking away for a moment and Connor wondered if it was his imagination or if he really caught a look of guilt in those eyes.

"Ethan?" Connor pressed, trying to catch his sight, but it was a problem when one was wrapped like a burrito on a ledge of a cliff.

Ethan let out a sigh, running a hand over his face, glaring at the sky which was almost black with clouds heading their way.

"I'm sorry."

Connor blinked, confused.

"What for?"

"This," Ethan grunted, waving his free arm at their situation, back at Connor. "It was my fault."

"That I fell?" Connor tried to figure out in what world would Ethan Choi push someone over the edge of a cliff. He was a bit startled when he realized he could come up with several scenarios, though in all of them the victim was the bad guy who surely deserved it. He never pictured himself to be in that place however.

"No," Ethan quickly jumped in then grimaced. "Well, I suppose. Partially."

"Did you h-hit your head too?" Connor asked, suddenly worried that perhaps Ethan had suffered a concussion as well during his descent. Because he sure as hell wasn't making much sense right now.

Ethan shot him a look that was part exasperation, part... Connor didn't have a clue. He didn't have the mental or physical capacity to try to decipher the inner workings of the ex-army doctor under better conditions, never mind what they were facing now.

"My head is fine," Ethan finally said, sounding tired. "What I was trying to say..." he paused, taking in a deeper breath."It's my fault we are still here."

"Oh. You have a way to teleport us?"

Ethan blinked.

"Or hiding some climbing gear... in that pack?"

"What? No! What are you talking about?"

This time Connor did roll his eyes, then closed them shut for a moment. Instant regret.

"How's this... your fault?" he asked, eyes squeezed shut, voice colored with pain and annoyance. Impatience.

"I could've... found the trail." Ethan's voice wasn't louder than a whisper but Connor still heard. His eyes opened and he craned his neck and head upwards to look at the man.

"What?"

Ethan shrugged.

"I mean... Will did get lost. Not sure if you remember. But... after we found him... I could've led us back on the original trail. We could've made it back... before it started raining."

Connor shook his head, confused more than ever. He remembered the bickering, and he thought he now remembered Ethan being the one leading them around. But-

"Why? Why w-would you lead us on?" he asked, truly puzzled.

Ethan grimaced.

"I was being an idiot?"

Connor huffed but didn't comment. He waited for a better explanation. Surely that wasn't all.

"I just thought... it was better to take a walk and skip as much of the program as possible. I mean, listening to Will and Natalie bicker isn't my idea of good time, but besides that... it sure as hell beats the karaoke and trust falls or musical chairs that were planned for the afternoon."

"The what?"

"Musical chairs," Ethan enunciated, the horror palpable on his face. "I thought hiking was a better option anyway. I turned us back towards the path as soon as I saw the weather change, but we got a bit farther than I anticipated," he admitted.

Connor closed his eyes.

"Please... tell me you didn't... break the phones?"

"What? No! Those were pieces of crap already! Though now that I see those clouds... I have a feeling the storms might've hit down below sooner and knocked out some communication tower."

"Oh. Good. So there's a chance that help won't come?"

"I didn't say that," Ethan argued, but he sounded less convinced than before.

Connor tried to swallow down the lump that suddenly occupied his throat. It felt impossible. He rubbed at his chest with his good hand, grimacing. Ethan's revelation did little to ease his mind, on the contrary. But he didn't have the energy or the will to be pissed off about it. Or to throw guilt at the man that already felt guilty enough to climb down a cliff and risk his life.

Connor wasn't ready to say 'You're forgiven' or 'It wasn't your fault' either though. Somewhere in the back of his mind, there was the panic, lying dormant for the moment. The fear of losing his hand, of losing his career. The fact they might still die out there was just an added bonus.

"Karaoke huh?" he said in lieu of easing the mood. If not for Ethan's sake then for his own.

Anger and guilt weren't the best combination when being stuck on a ledge, especially not injured. And with a storm coming.

"Yeah... the horror, right?" Ethan spoke, his voice slightly choked.

Connor snorted.

"It's all Sharon's fault anyway," he muttered. This time he earned an honest chuckle from Ethan.

"Right? We could've had it all worked out already in the comfort of Molly's."

"I would about kill for a pint of Herman's special right about now," Connor agreed, feeling suddenly thirsty. But also like he didn't want to see water anytime soon, unless it was a scalding hot shower.

Ethan agreed, for a moment entertaining the idea of a good, warm dinner. The conversation had died down quickly though. Connor wanted to get some distraction, but was finding it increasingly harder to focus on what Ethan was saying. Most of his focus was taken by the increasing pressure of the tourniquet. His whole arm ached and it felt ready to burst. His right hand twitched. He moved his arm, as if trying to find a more comfortable position. In truth though, his aim was clear. Reach his left arm, hidden under the blanket. And then... maybe tweak the tourniquet. Not by much... just a bit. Just enough to ease the pressure-

"Stop that!" Ethan snapped suddenly and Connor went still. "You should know better than to try and mess with that," Ethan's reprimand somehow managed to clear Connor's mind, at least for the moment. As Ethan lifted the blanket to check that the tourniquet was undisturbed and that there was no new bleeding, Connor felt his face burning hot with shame and horror.

What the hell was he thinking?

"I wasn't... didn't-"

Ethan shook his head, his gaze softening.

"I know. I've seen guys pulling tourniquets off on the battlefield, bleeding out. It is instinct but it could kill you."

Connor gulped, his whole body shaking with the realization of what he was about to do. And what for? To stop the pain... and even though he knew logically it would kill him, there was still that urge to just... ease the pressure. He curled his right hand into a fist and moved it to his side, pressing it against the rock. The movement of course also jolted his leg and ribs and Connor let out an involuntary groan of pain.

"Easy," Ethan spoke, putting an arm on his shoulder to keep him stable, offering his support. "Try to relax. And breathe," he added when he noticed that Connor was trying to hold his breath.

"Everything hurts," Connor thought, then startled when he realized he spoke aloud.

"I know. I'm sorry; I don't have anything to give you right now. Just... hang on? Help is on the way," Ethan kept talking but Connor tuned him out again. Instead, he looked up above. At the ever so darkening clouds moving across the sky. Swelling and swirling and flashing...

There was a loud crack and Connor jerked, his heart skipping a beat. He didn't see where the lightning hit, but it was close he was sure. The crack was almost instant.

"We're so screwed," he said as the rain started anew.

Ethan opened his mouth but there was nothing to say. He just squeezed Connor's shoulder a little bit harder.

They waited in silence, which was interrupted by an occasional lightning. It had moved a bit away, but Connor felt like the storm was circling them. Threatening. Each time he saw the flash of light he jerked even before the thunder hit. Ethan counted out loud between that, to keep track of the distance. Two miles perhaps... three. Not far enough.

The rain seemed to come in gusts now, drenching them then dying down for a moment, as if offering a miniscule reprieve. It was in the moment of that calm between everything when instead of water, a shower of dirt and pebbles rained down on them.

Connor yelped while Ethan instinctively leaned over, trying to offer some cover.

Connor spit out some dirt, turning his head aside, when he heard it.

"Mountain rescue! Anyone there?"

"They found us," Ethan uttered in an awed whisper. Then much louder he called out: "Here! We're down here!"

"Okay, stay put! We will be right there!"

"Do you hear it, Connor? Help is here," Ethan said, a huge grin splitting his face.

Connor nodded, offering a loopy smile.

Help was there.

Another lightning bolt pierced the sky.

Connor didn't even try to count for the sound of thunder.

All he could think about was time. How much time had passed? And how much longer it would take?