Yes I know late post. Yes I know short post. But I will try to have the next part up this weekend. I couldn't find any other way to split it up. Thanks for being patient with me, thanks for all your wonderful reviews. I love reading them so much.

Chapter Nine: Rule of Three's

So the ground here wasn't incredibly hard, but it wasn't exactly a feathered mattress either. Still, she was too tired to complain. Sara wasn't an outdoor person; hiking and climbing were not hobbies of hers. Combine that with the lack of food and water, you were left with one tired investigator. She shifted on the ground as there was movement around her, the footsteps quiet and carefully placed.

"Where are you going?" Sara asked quietly, opening one eye to watch him.

"I won't be long," Greg reassured her, keeping his voice low despite the fact there was no real need to do so.

"What are you going to do?" she asked hurriedly, moving into a sitting position at the same time.

She heard him sigh as he turned around. "Sara…how many possible things could I have to do out here?"

"Oh…" she nodded in understanding, watching him as he left once again. "Don't go too far."

"Yes mother," came the belated response, loud enough for her to hear, but still on the quiet end. Sara smiled briefly, before leaning against the mossy hillside. Clumps of dirt and leaves stuck to hair as well as her clothes, and the moisture in the air only served to irritate her further. Dark threatening clouds had moved in during the late evening hours. Provoking a thunderstorm off in the distance. There had bee no rain, a disappointment for her as the muggy atmosphere did not help to improve their situation.

Sara swallowed dryly, trying to ignore the bitter taste in her mouth, or the ache in her throat. She was undeniably thirsty at this moment, had been thirsty for the entire day. The simple rule of threes was stuck in her mind, and the second rule was playing over and over again. Three days without water. It had already been over a full day. Twenty eight hours if one was a stickler for time.

Sara wondered briefly if anyone was looking for them, or if Greg had been right about Mckinely dodging out. He would be long gone she was sure of that much. But would he notify someone…she laughed bitterly to herself. What exactly would he tell them? That he tried to kill two out of state CSI's, and he wanted to make sure they wouldn't get hurt?

The scattering sound about her caused her to glance up. A frown had crossed her face and she listened quietly, wondering for a moment if it was Greg coming back. She called his name quietly, moving to her feet as she did so. She could see faint outlines, her eyes for the most part already adjusted to the darkness, but it still didn't make anything easier.

"Greg?" she called his name again, wetting her lips as she moved in the direction he had left, balancing against a tree as she stepped over a patch of rocks. She knew they were there, knew it because she had tripped over them the first time she had come by here.

There was a small path, nearly overgrown by ferns and other plants, a clear sign no one had treaded here recently. That alone was an ill sign for the pair, who had been desperately trying to find some sort of worn pathway that would lead out of this never-ending forest.

Wrapping her arms around her torso she ducked under a couple of low branches, glancing around the area as she called Greg's name once more. Part of her knew she shouldn't wander from the alcove they had selected prior to nightfall, the same area they had been settled in for nearly an hour now.

What would Greg say when he came back there, and found her gone? She had been the one to point out that they should stick together, for separation would only lead to a quicker death. Not that she necessarily planned to die that was.

It was off in the distance she first saw it, but at the time it was unclear to her what it was exactly. In another moment though she realized it was a flashlight, a single solid strip of light weaving back and forth throughout the trees. Sara could scarcely believe her luck. You never doubted the possibility of a rescue, but it wasn't something you expected, at least not so soon.

She jumped down off the small incline, waving her arms as she called out to the distant figure, only to be slammed down a second later, a hand covering her mouth as she was pinned to the ground. The initial blow knocked the wind out of her, and it was difficult to try and breathe through only her nose. The next second though she was struggling to get free, fighting against her unknown attacker.

It was Greg's quiet voice in her ear that finally calmed her down, but she remained tense, Greg still holding her firmly against the ground. A second try of shaking him off proved useless, but within the next moment he was pulling her to her feet, and into the nearby bushes.

"What are you doing?" Sara cried, trying to jerk free of his hold. "There's someone out there!"

"I know that," Greg muttered softly, peering through the scattered leaves, wincing as the light passed over them briefly.

"They could help us," Sara frowned, nearly spelling the idea at hand out. "We wouldn't have to die out here."

"You don't know who that is," Greg started, only to be cut off by Sara.

"Oh yes, because I forget. Now that we're across state lines we have to first make sure if they're friend or foe."

"Don't you think its a little odd there's only one person? Search and rescue travel in teams. Secondly, if that person was looking for us, don't you think they would be calling our names out?"

"It could be just a civilian," Sara pointed out, not willing yet to back down from the near rescue.

"Sure, because just anyone wanders the forest in the middle of the night alone."

Sara didn't respond, her steady gaze on the approaching form. She didn't want to agree with him, more than ready to get out of this unforgiving place, more than ready to just go home. But she had no choice. Greg was right…even as ridiculous as the idea sounded the situation was just odd.

"Come on," he tugged on the back of her shirt gently, pulling her along. "I know somewhere we can go to get a better look…"

She nodded, following him on her hands and knees, a vague attempt at staying hidden even as the figure walked by, apparently trying to stay as hidden as they were. Sara let out a breath, catching a glimpse of his face as he brought the flashlight up, the beam lightly grazing off his features. And for once in her life, she was grateful that Greg had stopped her from making such a deadly decision.

TBC