Chapter 5

She was falling. Flashes of sky, streaks of stone, pain as her body rolled and hit the mountainside again and again. Ana clutched frantically at its surface; her arms slid over rough rock, her fingers closed on soil that came away in her hand. She heard herself scream. A smear of green shot past her and she grabbed at it, catching a leafy branch in a desperate grip.

It held. She jerked to a halt and hung from the bush by one hand, vicious thorns biting into her fingers and piercing her palm. Another scream tore from her throat through clenched teeth, more of terror than pain. She had come to rest with her back against a slab of rock that slanted out from the mountain, blocking her view of the drop below. Her legs dangled over its edge, and she kicked wildly, trying to find a foothold, but there was only empty space.

Another boulder jutted out to her left. If she could just swing her legs over a little she could get one foot on it... There. She braced against it to take some of her weight off the slender branch. Deep, gasping breaths racked her lungs and her veins ran with ice as she tried to get her bearings. She was stable, she wouldn't fall if she didn't move. The world shimmered around her, it didn't seem real. This couldn't be happening. A long time she held on, motionless, letting the terror wash over her.

"Ana!" Charlie's voice came from somewhere to her right. Her upraised arm holding the branch blocked her view; she lifted her head to look toward the sound. Charlie was close, standing on a narrow ledge with his hand outstretched. Ana dropped her head back against the stone.

"Take my hand," he said.

"I can't," Ana gasped. "I can't move."

"You've got to," said Charlie. "Please. You can do this, I'm right here."

"No!" said Ana. He wanted her to move, and she knew she would have to, but her mind reflexively searched for a way out. "I can't! Just... just go get Jack!"

There was a pause and for a moment Ana thought Charlie had done as she asked. Another stab of panic pulsed through her at the thought of being left alone. She raised her head and glanced toward the ledge again. Charlie was still there, his mouth open in disbelief.

"Are you insane?" he shouted. "Get Jack? Quit being so bloody stupid and take my hand."

He was right. There was nothing else she could do. "All right," she snapped. Fighting a wave of nausea, she pushed off from the boulder, hard, swinging her left arm over to catch hold of Charlie's hand. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her in; her foot hit the ledge just as she released the branch and the thorns tore out of her flesh. Ana flattened herself against the rock face and breathed heavily. Charlie was behind her, his body leaning in against her back, his hands on either side of her shoulders. She felt safer enclosed by his arms, she didn't want to move for a long time. Charlie didn't hurry her, just waited, breathing softly against her neck.

Finally she was ready. "Okay, we can go now. Show me how to get back up. I'll follow--"

"No!" Charlie interrupted her. "You go first."

"But I don't know--"

"That way," he said, pointing up and to the left. Ana scanned the mountainside in the direction he indicated, but didn't see a path.

"Damn it, Charlie," she started, but he cut her off again.

"Just go!" he said.

Idiot. How was she supposed to find the way? With building irritation she began to feel her way up, Charlie calling frequent directions from beneath. It helped. Dwelling on how annoying he was took her mind off her fear. A little bit.

Until they got closer to the top. Here it was almost vertical, and Ana's limbs shook, weakened from anxiety and exertion. Almost there. This was where she had slipped. Ana felt Charlie's hand on her leg as he boosted her up and over the top.

Safe. Ana lay on the earth, panting, exhausted, grateful. The ground was spinning and she hugged it, her eyes closed, her heart pounding. She heard Charlie pull himself up with a grunt and collapse on the ground beside her.

Ana rolled over onto her back. She could feel Charlie's warmth against her arm, though they weren't touching. He had saved her life. She felt like she should say something.

"Thanks, Charlie," she said softly. She wasn't one for eloquence, but she felt like she owed him a little more. "You know, I've never told anybody this, but... I'm afraid of heights. Pathetic, huh?"

Charlie didn't answer.

"Yeah, pathetic," Ana answered herself, glancing over at Charlie. He didn't seem to be listening. He looked stricken and Ana thought she saw tears in his eyes. She propped herself up on her elbow to get a better look at his face.

"What's the matter?" she said. He still said nothing, just stared up at the sky. Instinctively, Ana put her hand on the side of his face and turned his head toward her to catch his eye. "Hey, what is it?" she said.

He looked at her, his eyes full of pain, like a child in need of comfort. As she wondered what could be wrong, Ana suddenly remembered the way he had stared down at her from the top of the cliff. It had shocked her. She had never seen such intensity in him before. She had been so startled that she had taken a careless step and slipped. It was her own fault she had fallen. Now Charlie looked like a little boy, but it was not a little boy who had looked down at her with such power and possession in his gaze. Not a little boy who had saved her life. Hardly realizing what she was doing, Ana leaned down and pressed her mouth to his.

He didn't respond, and Ana was about to pull away in embarrassment when suddenly, fervently, he returned her kiss. He lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, pulling her closer. A faint moan escaped his throat and vibrated against her lips; his hand slid up the back of her neck and tangled in her hair as he kissed her more deeply. A thrill ran through Ana's body as she anticipated what would happen next.

But suddenly he let go and rolled away from her, staggering to his feet. His expression wavered between confusion and horror. "What the hell did you do that for?" he said.

Ana was stunned. She stood up slowly, her face burning. Turning away to hide her humiliation, she straightened her clothes and ran the back of her hand roughly across her mouth. What was the matter with the guy? One moment he looked like he was going to cry and the next he was telling her off for something he obviously wanted... And people said women were moody. Damn it, she didn't have time for this crap; Jack was waiting and he needed a gun. Ana's anger shielded her as she turned to face Charlie again.

"So we're up," she said, gesturing at the cliff's edge. "Now where are the guns?"