(Emma's P.O.V.) -The next day-

I sighed lightly, watching the bridge carefully as the others crossed it one by one. John called out, "Keep going, Jim! No looking down!", watching Jim as he followed Haku who's just up ahead, close to the end of the bridge upon the other side of the cliff.

I exhaled slowly as I glanced down to the river that's deep and fast-flowing in this section, looking to be like that way for several miles at most, and I knew when it comes to flooding and rain, the river's bound to be more higher, and more deeper. Over centuries at least, I can tell that the cliffs has been eroded due to the river's changes, making the fact of crossing the bridge even more tenacious and dangerous at times.

John laughed out loud, shouting, "That's it, son! You're almost there!", and I looked up to see Jim upon the last few boards of the bridge, and with a hop, he made it to the other side with the others cheering and clapping him on the shoulder, with Eilonwy kissing him on the cheek, a glint in her eyes with Jim blushing, a grin on his face.

I smirked softly as I heard Jim and Eilonwy talking earlier, and she told him if he kept looking ahead without looking down while being on the bridge, she would then give him a surprise that he would like, and I knew that she's bound to kiss him one way or another.

John chuckled warmly, "Looks like I owe you two coppers for that.". I grinned at him with a wink, "Women has a way of sensing those sort of things, John, and don't you doubt that for a sec!". John nodded lightly, and bowed before me, "Ladies first, bonnie lassie.".

I laughed softly, "Oh, you! Alright, let's do this.", and headed to the edge where the bridge started from, and I looked back, "You got me, right?". John walked up to the pillars, his arms prepared to take hold of them in case if the bridge shook, and smiled brightly, "Don't worry, Emma. And besides, you couldn't get rid of me if you ever tried, eh?", crookedly winking at me.

I giggled softly, and turned my attention now to walk on, taking a deep breath, looking forward, carefully watching my steps. After a couple of minutes, I suddenly heard a roar, and it wasn't a dragon roar, and I looked up to see a bunch of orcs attacking everybody as they tried to fight back.

I ran, knowing that I have to help them when boards cracked under me, giving out, and I fell, scrambling to grab into the nearby board, screaming as I heard John shout for me, "Emma, hold on!", hearing the sound of running footsteps behind me.

I looked over my shoulder to see John running up to me, and I yelled, "Help, John! I can't hold on much longer!", my legs scrambling as I tried to get over, but the hole was too jagged to even get over.

"Grab my hand, reach!', John called out to me, crouching as best as he could, his hand reaching out to me, and I looked at him as I grunted, letting go of one hand, and reached out to his hand, and John leaned slightly more, and I sobbed out loud as I felt his hand grab into mine.

"I got you, lass! Let go of the other one, and I'll pull you up!", John replied loudly as he looked at me determinedly, and I took a deep breath, letting go of my other hand, grabbing into his wrist as his other hand got over my hand, pulling me up as he grunted, heaving as he moved back, landing on his back as I landed upon his stomach.

He panted heavily, "You okay, Emma?", and I nodded shakily when I heard a scream on the far side, "NO!", and I looked over to see a horrific sight. A particular large orc is cutting the wooden pillars with two swift swings of his mighty axe, and I gasped in terror, seeing the bridge break away just as Jim jumped at the orc.

John tried to hold me close, but the combination of the bridge falling, and the boards breaking at the force caused us to fall apart, and it was too fast as I felt numb at the sensation of my body hitting the water, screaming as I struggled to swim, to fight against the current, dodging boulders and such, trying to search for John.

Just as another rapid approached, I saw John reaching for me, screaming for me, and next thing I knew, darkness overtook me when I hit something, struggling to swim to the surface.

"Emma! EMMA! WAKE UP! Please, wake up!", a voice called out as I was floating though some sort of fog, feeling pain all over, and something then shook me furiously, causing me to cough and gasp, feeling hands turn me over to the side, "That's it! Breathe!", throwing up water, hacking as tears fill my eyes as I gulp in fresh air.

"Easy, easy, lass, I got you.", John murmured softly as he held me from behind, rubbing my shoulders, and I sobbed, my voice rasping, "John? Is it really you?". John sighed in relief as I felt his body shake, "Aye, it's me...I thought I lost you, Emma. I...I'm so sorry...I should have held you tighter...".

I turned around to face him, his body looking quite worn out, bruises everywhere, and I softly spoke, "It isn't your fault, John, nor mine. We wouldn't have known that those orcs have been waiting for a surprise attack...I pray that everyone's okay...".

John nodded, "Aye...I never knew Jim to be that furious before...He really tried to warn us...", his eyes taking upon a glimmer of weary pride, and I realized that in a way, John was proud of him...I sighed tiredly as I looked around, noticing that we were upon a secluded rocky beach with a shallow pool that averted from the river, and I tried to get up, but I suddenly felt a flare of pain in the back of my head at the action.

"Whoa, whoa, take it slow. You got quite a egg back there on your head. You definitely hit something when we were in the river.", John stopped me gently from moving again, and I blinked softly as I took the note of concern in his voice.

I sighed lightly as I carefully looked up to the sky, and saw that the sun is high in the sky..."Did we last a hour or two in the river?". John hummed lightly, "I'd say a hour and a half. Thank the spirits that I found you in the shallow pool. I was upriver a little ways off when I crawled up to shore, and I figured you were somewhere more south due to the river flow.".

I nodded slowly at that, and replied, "The river was quite fast for having a late winter time about it.". John nodded, "Aye. Luckily we weren't witnessing the early spring thaw otherwise we'd have possibly made it to the lake.".

I blinked softly, "What do you figure where we are right now?". John shrugged lightly, "Possibly two or three days' walk from the bridge, but our friends wouldn't wait there since the orcs would have told Scar by then.".

I sighed heavily at that, "So, we're technically lost then?". John sighed wearily, "Your maps washed out into the river, and I haven't been to Andalasia for perhaps 7 years since I was focusing on being a father for Jim...".

I gasped, "I lost the backpack?". John nodded, "Afraid so. The rapids must have torn it off you when you were unconscious.". I groaned in frustration before I widened my eyes as I remembered something. I looked down as I grabbed my pant leg on the left, pulled it up, and sighed in relief as I saw my holster holding my beloved pocketknife. Granted that it isn't service issued, it's still quite handy.

"I knew that holster would have held on no matter what.", I laughed happily as I grabbed the pocketknife out of the holster, and checked it over, glad to see no damage to it. John chuckled softly, "I forget that you often have a backup plan in case. Let me check my pockets. Perhaps I have something.".

After checking his pockets, John managed to find a soaked handkerchief, and a flask. John sighed lightly, "Looks like we got something to drink water out once boiled, and when the handkerchief dries, we could have berries and such to carry.".

I smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, a few things is better than nothing.", grunting lightly as I moved my neck around to release the tension, and sighed lightly, "Let's find somewhere to rest for the day once we find a way up there.", gesturing to the rocky cliff.

John nodded in understanding, and got up gingerly, his magical metal eye and leg still going strong which is incredible, really. I guess Mickey or Merlin must have made them waterproof and shielded against mud and such. He smiled gently at me as he gave out a hand for me to grab ahold when I am ready to get up, "You can do this, Emma. You're heck as stubborn as me self!".

I giggled softly, giving out a smile in return as I grabbed into his hand, feeling it tighten around mine, and steadily, I got up into my legs, glancing to see John grin as he laid his other hand upon my back, helping me out to walk.

This turn of events may have separated me and John from our friends, but somehow, I am glad to have him at my side, and I am secretly excited to get to know him even more without our friends nearby to bother us.