Hi guys, here we are back with chapter 3. Please RnR

xo

Wednesday 22/12/2011

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!" Heidi sang, as the pair walked into the stationhouse together as the rain poured outside, today was going to be a busy day. "You excited for the first official day back?"

"Morning Heids, it sure is looking a lot like Christmas in here isn't it? I am very excited, I don't know how I could of just walked away from all this," Lara said, as they stopped off at their very decorated lockers to put their bags away before heading upstairs.

"Same here, it wouldn't of been the same without you," Heidi said, as they waited for the kettle to boil to make a cup of coffee.

"Morning ladies, enough water for me too?" Vince asked, joining them in the kitchenette.

"In this line of business, there is always plenty of water," Lara laughed as she poured water into all their cups.

"Guys, no time for coffee. Two missing backpackers in the Blue Mountains, I will meet you out there to set up." Michelle said, as they all put their coffee cups down and raced downstairs to the patrols.

Blue Mountains-Command Tent

"Usual pairings, three sectors to start with. SES will be assisting but sticking to the trails and their line searches, but their commander will set them up. Any cliffs, leave it to Rescue. Any ledges that need to be abseiled down to, leave it to Rescue." Michelle briefed, as she handed out maps, outlining each pairings sector. "Be careful, two hourly sit reps."

"Ready?" Dean asked, turning to Lara as he picked up his backpack

"Yep, just need couple extra bottles of water," Lara replied, pulling them out of the fridge and putting them in her backpack.

"Always the one that overpacks," Dean laughed taking a couple and putting them in his bag.

"God knows how long we will be out there. Need to prepare for everything," Lara said, as they trekked out of base and towards the trail that would soon become dense bushland.

"Yeah fair point," he said as they fell silent so that they could listen for any calls of help.

7 hours later

"Maria! Joseph! Can you hear us?" Dean yelled for the millionth time that day.

"Rescue Base to all portables. Inbound storm due in the next three hours. Please set up camp where you are. I repeat, set up camp where you are. Goodnight children." Vince called, before the comms line closed.

"Hey Lara, you heard that?" Dean yelled, cause she was a little further ahead than he was.

"Yeah, I did. Got your tent?" She asked, as she came back to the clearing where Dean was preparing to set up.

"Sure do, already know you have yours scout," he said as she dropped her bah and started undoing the clips that held the tent on.

20 minutes later

"Hungry?" Dean asked, kneeling in front of her tent opening, and offering her soup. They generally carried dried foods that they could cook over the fire.

"Not really, but thank you." She said, joining him by the fire.

"Have you eaten today at all?" he asked, watching the clouds full of lightning roll in over the mountain tops.

"I had a granola bar earlier. I'm fine Dean, really. Think I might crash early, going to be a long night. Good night." Lara said smiling at him as she touched him on the arm before disappearing into her tent.

"Goodnight," Dean whispered back, relishing in the faint feeling of where she had touched him before long he had watched the fire dull down as the rain started and he also turned in for the night.

3 hours later

In the midst of the storm, was the first bloodcurdling scream. Lara awoke with a start and darted out into the rain yelling, "Dean! Dean!"

"Lara what's wrong? Are you okay?" He said frantically, grabbing her arm and checking her over thinking the worst.

"I heard a scream, from over this way," she said pulling her torch out and racing off towards where she had heard it.

"Lara, slow down. This isn't the weather to dart off in," Dean yelled as he quickly donned his torch and radio and raced off after her.

"I heard the scream over here somewhere," She said, just as she lost her own footing and slipped but not before she felt a tight grip on the back of her pants.

"Jesus Lara, I don't want to go rescuing you off the side of a cliff either," He said, hugging her tightly. His heart pounded from the sheer thought of her going over the edge of a cliff without some form of safety lines. "I'm going to have a look and see if I can see anything. Radio into base for me."

"Rescue portable 2 to Rescue Base," Lara called, as she sat down on a near by rock and pointing the torch at where Dean was.

"Go ahead Lara," a sleepy voice called over the radio.

"Base, we are pinpointing a location to come back to later in the morning. I heard a scream and we went to investigate. Dean is currently having a look to see if we can see anything, over." She informed Vince as Dean came back shaking his head.

"Can't see anything at all, I've pinpointed." Dean said, helping her stand and then making their way back towards their camp.

"Copy that Lara, head back to camp and do a further investigation when this weather clears up later. Out." Vince called and comms line closed out once again.

Back at camp

"Where's my tent?" Dean asked, as she looked in the spot where it was meant to be as the wind raged on.

"Looks to me that the wind and that tree wanted it more than you did. Come on, you can share mine," She laughed pointing at the tree that the now ripped tent was sitting in as she headed off towards hers and climbed in.

"Oh you're funny. Thank," he said, climbing in after her and zipping the front up.

Next morning

"We have found one backpack. It is a body recovery at co-ordinates 36 48 213 South," Jordans voice crackled sadly over the radio as Dean and Lara set out after packing up camp and heading back to the co-ordinates from last night.

"Copy that Jordan, SES and Police are on their way, stay where you are and preserve the scene as much as possible." Michelle called over the radio from the command tent.

"This is the spot from last night," Dean said, double checking the co-ordinates. They were next to the cliff that Lara nearly fell off.

"Far out, I'm glad you were there," Lara said, looking at the cliff that could of nearly taken her life.

"Me too, let's focus on rescuing our patient." Dean said, as they started harnessing up and setting up safety lines,

They looked over and saw that their patient had landed on a ledge below.

"Now you okay to head down and make first assessment?" Dean asked, as he prepared Lara's ropes to abseil down the cliff.

"Yep, I'm all good. Ready?" She asked as she walked backwards towards the cliff edge and began to abseil down once Dean had given her a thumbs up.

"Can you hear me?" Lara asked, as she got closer.

"Please help me," She gasped, struggling for air.

"I will, I'm going to do a head to toe assessment. I want you to stay still for me alright sweetie," Lara said, beginning her examination and securing a c collar to the young girls neck. "Don't move for me sweetheart alright."

The young girl gasped for breath as Lara finished her examination. "Rescue portable 2 to Rescue portable 1." Lara called over her radio to Dean waiting at the top of the cliff.

"Go ahead Lara," Dean called back, looking down the cliff face.

"Dean, she will need a medivac. She has multiple broken bones, suspected spinal, a tension pneumothorax. Plus potential internal bleeding," Lara radioed back as she administered the girl pain relief and started getting the equipment out she would need to relive the pneumothorax.

"Copy that Lara. I'll radio back to base now. Sort that pneumothorax out." Dean radioed before switching channels. "Rescue portable 1 to Rescue base, do you copy?"

"Go ahead Deano," Vince called back as he sat at his desk, filling out paperwork and keeping an eye on the weather map. So far all clear for the weather and no systems due until tonight and hopefully his team will be home.

"Vince, we need an urgent medivac for out 21 year old patient. She has multiple broken bones, suspected spinal, tension pneumothorax that Lara is preparing to relieve. And she also has potential internal bleeding," he relayed the information Lara had given him back to base.

"Message received Dean. Medivac will be with in 30 minutes. Heidi, Jordan, Chase and Lachie are back at command base after the recovery of Joseph. Talk soon Deano. Base out." Vince said before the radio cut out.

2 hours later Lara and Dean trekked back into command very tired and very weary.

Back at base

"Good job over the last two days team. Complete your paperwork, have a shower and head home to have the weekend off. I don't want to see any of you stepping foot in here until Monday," Vince said, praising his team as they wandered off to their desks.

3 hours later

"Bye guys," Lara called, as she dropped her completed paperwork off on Vince's desk.

"Lara, wait up." Dean called after her, waving to everyone and following her downstairs to the carpark and not see her car. "How did you get to work?"

"i walked, it's only a couple of blocks." She said, as they stopped at his car.

"Get in, it's after dark. I'm not letting you walk home by yourself," He said opening the passenger door before walking around to his own.

Lara's House

"Wanna come in? I have cold beer," She offered as he cut the engine to the car.

"Sounds good, a woman after my own heart," Dean joked, following her up onto the front porch as she unlocked the screen door and then the wooden door.

"You're funny," she laughed as she grabbed him a beer and herself a white wine.

Dean closed the screen door and locked it. He had a funny feeling but shrugged it off.

He watched and waited. He watched them settle on the couch and turn the TV on.

He watched Lara get up to close the curtains.

He will wait, and he will have her again.