Part 2

Jody broke the companionable silence first after they stopped to survey the rocks and hills from along one of the cliff walls. "So, you going to tell me what's going on?"

Completely lost in thought, Blair didn't even hear his friend speaking and was surprised when he walked flat into the other teens back. "Why'd you stop?"

"I asked you if you were going to tell me what's going on. Why you are living in a frat house? What's with this Stephen guy? Did something happen? You are way too quiet. Man, I can remember chasing you with duct tape, threatening you to shut up or else."

Blair smirked. "You never did catch me."

Jody countered with a successful swat to the arm, "Just for the record, I let you get away. Stop trying to change the subject. We've been at the dig of your dreams for the past three days and you've barely said 'boo'. Do you even want to be here?"

Unhooking his pack, Blair let it drop to the ground before he climbed up and sat on a boulder facing out over the lake. Once Jody dropped to sit beside him, he opened his mouth, trying to put into words what was raging through his mind. "Do you know what your path is?"

"My path? Sure, I'm the next Indiana Jones. Humble, yet sexy."

"No, be serious. I need to find my path."

"You've been on your path since you were six. You've always known what you wanted and have gone after it. The Sentinel thing drives you. Isn't that why you're in college, to find the missing watchman?"

Dark blue eyes studied deep into the piercing brown that returned his gaze. "I heard a voice." When Jody didn't even blink, but merely waited, he continued, "It told me to find my own path."

"When?"

"When, what?"

"When did you hear the voice?"

"When we first got here, the night Daniel took me to the burial site."

"And?"

"The voice said this Sentinel wasn't mine, but that mine would need me soon. That I was first to find my own path."

"Anything else?"

Blair shook his head 'no'. "You believe me?"

"Do you believe that you heard this voice?" When Blair nodded, Jody smiled. "Then, yeah, I believe you."

"Just like that? You don't think I was smoking some peyote or anything?"

Jody snorted and shook his head. "Remember when Mrs. Blinko made me be your room buddy after you got bumped up into my class and I told her 'no'?" Not waiting to hear Blair's response, he continued, "She pulled me aside and gave me some story that you needed someone who could show you around and be a friend. When I looked at you, I saw something in your eyes that didn't show fear, but eager anticipation as you waited to see what was going to happen. I knew, Blair, at that moment, you were meant to be my friend. Mom told me once that we were the youngest soul mates she'd ever seen. So, yeah, I believe you."

"Thanks, man." Staring out over the sparkling lake, Blair took a deep breath, "It's kind of weird."

"What's that? The fact that you are hearing voices in the middle of the desert at an ancient burial site?"

"No. Yes. No. I don't know."

"Well, I think you covered all the bases on that one. So, what now?"

"It's weird-"

"You already said that."

"Well, if you'd let me finish. What I was going to say is that I don't have a burning urge to work the dig. Ever since I heard the voice, I feel like I should be looking for something else."

"Blair, this is what you wanted, right?"

"Yeah, but now knowing there's a live one out there somewhere, I feel like I need to get going."

"Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know."

"Are you going to stay?"

"Yes. I need to learn all I can from the site and I, I don't know, I want to be there, but I also feel like I need to get going."

"Then let's go!" Jody stood up and dusted off the back of his jeans before pulling Blair to his feet. "Now that that's out of the way, tell me what's going on while we hike to the old silver mine."

"Mine? Ah, come on Jo, it'll be dark in there, and cold and wet. Let's go check out the bluffs on the east ridge."

"Mine."

"Bluffs."

"I'm older and I say the mine." Grabbing onto Blair's heavy denim jacket, Jody laughed and tugged hard to get his friend heading in the direction of the hills.

"Think there'll be bats this time of year?"

"No, they hibernate in the winter. Man, you have been gone too long."

"Yeah, but this isn't snow, it's the desert."

The teasing continued as they hiked. When a second bought of silence once again brought Jody to a halt, Blair reluctantly divulged what happened his first month at Rainier.

oOo

They sat side by side on a large rock overlooking the hillside. "I wish I could have been there for you."

"It's okay. Not like I was alone."

"I know. Don't get me wrong or anything, I'm grateful to Stephen and the guys for watching out for you, but… I guess I still worry about my little brother."

"I've processed and moved on. I'm on my," finger quote, "path." That earned him a shove off the rock.

"Speaking of moving on," Jody hauled Blair back to his feet and soon they were walking the trail again.

Stretching out his arms high and wide, Jody grinned at Blair, "So this big guy…"

"Tony."

"Tony. He'll come with Steve?"

"Uh-huh."

"Cool." Jody stopped to pull back a patch of dried scrub grass and some tumbleweed to reveal a long dormant mine entrance. Gesturing inside, he raised his brows, "Shall we?"

"It's not too late to hit the bluffs." The look Blair received let him know that wasn't an option. "How do you even know this place is safe?"

"In class, when we were studying the maps of the site, we found several old mines listed on the survey. One afternoon, Doc Pritchard and a few of us guys decided to take an afternoon off and do a little exploring. We hadn't made it to this one yet."

"That didn't answer my question," Blair grumbled.

Jody stepped into the entrance and with a wave of his flashlight beckoned his friend to follow. "Come on, Blair, just for a quick peek. It's not boarded over and there's no sign warning 'keep out', so I think it should be okay."

Blair checked his watch and noted that they had a couple hours before dusk. "Okay, on one condition."

"Anything."

"Mark the entrance so that the search team can find us."

"Oh for crying out loud, Blair, nothing's going to happen." Pulling a thick piece of chalk from his coat pocket, Jody put their names over the entrance. With a final flourish, he encased them with a big heart shape. "Happy?"

"You know, you're not funny."

"Yes, I am." Jody disappeared inside the tunnel. "Get in here and check this out!"

Stepping into the darkness, it took Blair a moment to adjust before he was able to spot a flashlight beam deeper ahead. The noticeable absence of debris and relatively safe looking shoring timbers eased his discomfort so he followed.

oOo

They searched the main tunnel and several branches for over an hour, only to find the mine empty of treasures and not a spec of silver to be seen anywhere. By then, Blair had to admit that although they were empty handed, he was having fun. And Jody was meticulous about writing on the walls so that they would always be able to find their way back out of the underground maze. When the two teens noticed an echo developing, they discovered with excitement that they had entered a huge underground cavern enveloping a small lake.

"Oh, man, check that out." Jody's flashlight reflected far across the dark water.

The thud of Blair's pack hitting the ground quickly followed. "What do you say we leave these here and just walk a little around the side before we head back out?"

"Sounds like a plan." His pack beside Blair's, Jody took the lead, climbing over and along the rocks that lined the dark water. "Hello!" He yelled, then waited for the accompanying echo. (Hello, hello, hello…) "This is just too cool. Yell something."

"Jody!" Blair shouted. (Jody, Jody, Jody…)

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Moron!" (moron, moron, moron…)

"Idiot!" (Idiot, idiot, idiot…)

"You slay me, Jo." Blair gave his friend a small push to get him moving again. "You know, is it me or does it not seem as dark in here?"

Jody gripped Blair's arm as he pulled him onto the next rock. "It's still dark. I think our lights are reflected by the water." Stopping, he turned and shined his light in Blair's face, "Did you spit on me?"

"What?"

Jody reached up and touched the top of his head, pulling back his hand to examine his fingers. They were wet. When another plop fell on his head and he knew Blair didn't do it, he turned his flashlight upwards along the wall and discovered a thin steady stream descending into the lake. Panning his light towards the top of the cavern, they saw large stalactites hanging like giant teeth.

"Wow," they murmured in awe simultaneously.

In search of a better view, Jody climbed up on a small boulder then quickly glanced down when the stone moved beneath his feet. "Blair!" he shouted as he lost his balance.

Blair caught Jody by the wrist and tugged him hard away from the edge but it was too late. Years of water dripping over the rocks had eroded all sediment that would have held them in place, and once that one boulder coming loose it started a chain reaction. Soon a large expanse of the wall began to break free and tumbled in a rush down into the water.

Stone, dirt and debris thundered down on the teens as they tried to make their way back to safety. Fate had other plans when a large rock collided against Jody's legs, shoving him into the frigid water, while another struck Blair's right shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

"Jody!" Blair screamed as he lost sight of his friend; his call drowned out by the roar of the slide echoing throughout the cavern. Carefully crawling to the water's edge, he searched the depths for his friend. The water was murky, filled with loose debris but he was able to make out the glow of a flashlight moving beneath the surface. "Oh God, oh God, Oh God," he chanted as he stripped off his jacket and boots and plunged into the depths.

The submersion into ice-cold water made his head and chest ache. Pulling short strokes towards the light he reached his friend, finding one of Jody's legs pinned beneath a large stone. Jody was jerking, desperately trying to get free. Tapping his friend on the shoulder, Blair motioned for him to stop struggling while he tried to find a way to set his friend free.

He was able to feel slight movement when he tugged on the stone. If he were able to position himself in a way to somehow create leverage he could most likely roll the rock off. Jody's insistent tapping on his back with the flashlight had him turn around to check on his friend and was shocked to see sheer terror and desperation in the young man's eyes. Jody was out of air! Grabbing his friend's head, he shared what little breath he had left and then signaled that he'd be right back. Surfacing quickly, he returned seconds later to share and Jody's panic decreased.

Once again, Blair positioned himself next to the rock, pulled with all his might, felt it shift, and then roll away. Catching hold of Jody's jacket, he dragged him to the surface where they both gasped for air before collapsing along the water's edge.

For a long moment neither spoke. And it wasn't until Jody tapped Blair with the flashlight again that Blair opened his eyes.

"Thank you," his friend wheezed.

"Anytime," Blair whispered back. Using what little strength he had left, he hauled himself up to his hands and knees, stopping abruptly at a stabbing pain erupting in his shoulder where the rock hit him earlier. Getting Jody free had caused even more damage and now his entire arm and hand throbbed unmercifully. Gritting his teeth, he placed his hands beneath Jody's armpits and pulled him the rest of the way out of the water. "We need to get warm. Do you think you can make it back to where we left the packs?" he asked, as he pulled his coat and boots back on.

"I'll try." Placing his arm over Blair's good shoulder, he struggled to right himself and leaned heavily on the smaller youth for support.

Both were exhausted by the time they made their way back. Blair could feel Jody shivering and knew by the way his friend wasn't putting any weight on the leg that had been trapped, that something was very wrong. Heat and dry clothing were priority if they were going to stave off joint bouts of hypothermia. Catching sight of their abandoned gear, they dropped wearily on the ground.

Huddled in a ball, his leg clutched tightly, Jody nodded to his pack. "Blair, I've got a few flares. They can burn for 20 minutes and we can save the batteries in the lights."

Blair yanked it open, pulled out a dry shirt and rolled socks as well as three road flares "Here, change your shirt," he urged before carefully tugging his own over his head. He then rummaged a little deeper in the packs in search of the small first aid kits, tore open a couple packets of Tylenol, handed Jody two, and then took two himself.

Next, he struck one of the flares. The burning light seemed like a sunburst forcing him to look away.

"How're you doing, Jo?"

Flat on his back, his eyes pressed shut, the older teen didn't answer right away. "I understand now," he eventually groaned.

"What's that?"

Jody's tired eyes turned to meet Blair's. "Why you hate cold and wet."

Blair laughed. "You know, I tell people it sucks and they just don't believe me until they've experienced it themselves."

Rocking his head, Jody chuckled but stopped when a bout of coughing stole his breath. "I feel like shit," he moaned.

Blair placed one of the dry packs beneath Jody's head and then draped his mostly dry coat over his friend. "You rest while I go try to find something for a fire."

A small nod was his only answer.

With flashlight in hand, Blair made his way back to the tunnel in search of some old pieces of shoring timber to use for a fire. It took longer than he'd planned to collect even a small armload before he returned to Jody's side, grateful to see the flare still burning.

He needed to search his jacket pockets for matches and had to smile when Jody asked if he was trying to get fresh. "Not this time," he snarked back then held out the box of wooden matchsticks. "Ready to be dry?"

"Oh, yeah."

The old wood caught quickly and in no time the blaze of a warm fire encompassed the shivering teenagers.

"This is kind of like camping at night," Jody commented, stifling a groan while shifting closer to the heat.

"You know Jo; we've never had good luck at camping."

"Ain't that the truth."

"Jo?"

"Hmm."

"I need to look at your leg."

Heavy lids opened as Jody eyed Blair and then nodded. "Look, but don't touch."

Blair chewed his lower lip, "Sorry, man, can't keep that promise." Slipping his pocketknife beneath Jody's pant leg, he slit the denim up to the thigh and peeled back the wet fabric. His own lip tightly clenched between his front teeth, he gently ran his hand over and under the bruised and swollen leg, then grimaced in sympathy when Jody yelped in pain. "Sorry. Jo, you need a doctor, 'cause I don't know what's wrong. Nothing feels broken, but maybe you have a fracture or tore some muscles."

Jody grunted as Blair tied a makeshift splint around his wounded leg. "We've got to get out of here."

Blair nodded and turned while letting out a deep sigh, shining his flashlight back towards the tunnel.

"Blair," his friend called quietly.

Glancing back, he was surprised to see Jody struggling to sit up. "What? What's wrong?"

"Bleeding."

Blair tried to examine his injured friend again but not finding anything. "No you aren't."

Jody shook his head in frustration, his own shaking hand reaching to Blair's shoulder. "Your back, bro'."

It was impossible trying to look over his shoulder and Blair shook his head. "No, I'm just still wet from our swim. My hair's still dripping."

Jody groaned as he made his way up to one elbow and reached out to grab the back of Blair's shirt, "Your right shoulder."

Blair pulled on it first to see what Jody was looking at, then spying a dark patch below his shoulder blade. "That's nothing. I got scraped by a rock when the slide hit."

"Let me see."

"No, I got it. You need to lie down and save your strength."

"Damn it, Blair, I'm too tired for this bullshit. Let me see your shoulder," Jody demanded.

Turning his back towards his friend, Blair lifted his shirt, exposing a jagged wound where the rock had hit.

"You should have told me," Jody gasped, sitting up. "Hand me some gauze pads and tape."

Blair silently passed the items behind him, biting his cheeks to stop from crying out when the tape pressed against injured muscles. When the movement stopped, he tugged his shirt back down and turned around.

Dark brown eyes were studying him closely, "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, just my shoulder."

Jody didn't look convinced and pulled Blair's coat off his chest, pushing it over, "You need this."

"No, you're in shock and need to stay warm. You keep it."

"I have my coat. How do you suppose I wear two? Plus, its winter, and even the desert gets cold at night."

Blair stayed silent knowing Jody was right. Carefully drawing the coat over his injured arm and shoulder, he buttoned the front tight and slipped his pack over his back, before he helped Jody get to his feet. "Okay, ready or not, it's time for us to get out of here.

oOoOo

When Stephen received the urgent call from Daniel saying that the two teens didn't return by dinner and he was getting concerned, Stephen and Tony quickly left the house and headed back towards the dig. It had taken them close to an hour to get there and one agitated pacing archeologist greeted them. Quickly the trio pulled on packs loaded with gear and went in search of their missing friends.

"What time did they leave?" Stephen asked as they trudged up another rocky hill.

"Not long after you did," Daniel replied. "They asked me to go with them but I was busy and passed. Now, I wish I had."

A look at the sun disappearing over the mountaintop, Stephen tried to come up with a reason as to why they might be late. "After hearing a handful of their stories, maybe they just lost track of time and are already on their way back."

Piercing blue eyes turned to meet his gaze, "Is that why you came rushing back from Vegas?"

"No, to be honest I had a feeling those two were bound to end up in trouble. I was just hoping I wasn't right."

"Hey," Tony interjected, "we know how smart Burg is, let's give them the benefit of the doubt."

"Daniel, how far to the mines?"

"Not that far actually. A little over a mile. The problem is, there's about a half a dozen of them spread out over another mile. The trick is going to be finding the right one."

Shifting his pack, Stephen nodded, "Okay then. Let's start at the first one and keep going until we find them."

oOo

The old tunnels seemed to go on forever and Blair was beginning to think that even with Jody's marks on the walls, they would never find their way out. To make matters worse, he could barely keep his eyes open he was so tired. His shoulder and arm ached from supporting Jody and he didn't know how much longer he or his friend could go on.

Jody had grown increasingly quiet, his energy focused entirely on staying on his feet. Clenched eyes and beads of perspiration dotted his forehead; the only signs that he was in excruciating pain. Finally, giving into exhaustion, he slid sideways, falling limply to the floor, as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Blair stumbled losing the counterbalance of Jody's weight, and fell beside his friend. Burning pain flared across his shoulder as he crashed against the rock wall and he found himself holding his breath until it passed. "Aaargh!" he cried out when a second muscle tightening spasm ripped across his back.

His head lying in the dirt, eyes scrunched tightly shut, he tried to control his breathing and ease the contraction. He was so damn cold and it would be so easy to let the darkness have him. If he could only sleep for a minute and then go get help, Jody would understand.

No, he berated himself. Using what little strength he had left, he dragged himself to his feet, panting heavily as he dropped the canvas pack and peeled off his coat to drape over his still friend. Next, he scoured the tunnel and located a few more pieces of dry timber to make a small fire. Placing the few remaining pieces of wood beside Jody, as well as one of the flashlights and a canteen of water, he reluctantly pulled himself to his feet. It was time to go for help.

With one final glance back, he firmly gripped the light and searched for the next marking. '4A' practically leapt off the walls with a single arrow on the top pointing to the right and a double arrow on the bottom pointing left. He could hear Jody's voice echoing in his head, explaining his own system of leaving a trail that he'd modified from boating on the Lake Meade; (red) right returning, (green) left going. He needed to go right and he would find the entrance. Picking up the pace with renewed vigor, he staggered ahead in search of the next arrow.

oOo

Although it felt as though it had taken forever, Blair eventually found himself standing in the outside and he'd never been happier to see a clear night with a full moon on the rise. Picking his way carefully down to the desert floor, he had to work his way over large boulders and around prickly cacti, only stopping for a breather when his legs were twitching so badly that he could no longer lift them.

Another mile and he should be able to find Daniel. Please, oh please, he pleaded to whomever or whatever might be listening, let the archeologist still be at the site. His eyes slid shut on their own accord when he slumped back against a large rock, while pain and exhaustion washed over him like a weighted blanket. If he could only sleep.

"He needs you," his weary brain reminded him.

"Who?" Blair mumbled aloud as he tried to remember, pushing the dark fog away in his mind.

A vision of Jody back in the tunnels became clear. His best friend needed him, but so did someone else. The voice back at the burial site had said someone else would also soon need him.

Opening his eyes, he willed himself to get up and start walking, coaxing his drained body to follow through with each step. Soon he fell into a rhythm that carried him back with a stout determination. They needed him.

oOo

"BLAIR."

"JODY."

The teen stopped and listened. Was someone calling him or was he hearing voices?

"BLAIR."

"JODY."

There it was again. Someone was calling for them. "Over here," he tried to shout back but nothing more than a hoarse barking cough erupted. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward and gasped as his vision grayed.

"Blair, Jody," the voices called again, this time sounding further away.

Oh, god, he couldn't let them leave. Hastily struggling to drop his pack, he fumbled for the remaining road flare and struck the cap. A shower of bright red sparks once again lit up the darkness and he waved it precariously above his head. Please let them see it, he begged silently.

"BLAIR. JODY." The voices shouted again, now getting closer, "WE'RE COMING! HOLD ON!"

The sound of running feet and people yelling encouragement washed over Blair. Unable to stand any longer he sank to his knees and dropped the flare before he burned himself.

When a hand touched his left shoulder, he jerked, not realizing that he had fallen asleep on his knees. Opening his eyes, he blinked several times, recognizing Daniel and his two housemates all crouched around him, asking him questions.

"Jody," he mumbled and tried to point back to the mine.

Stephen gently took Blair's filthy face in his hands, "Blair, where's Jody?"

Glazed dark eyes blinked back at him before Blair slowly lifted his left hand and pointed back from where he'd come. "Silver mine," he groaned, before another wave of agony speared across his back and left him breathless.

"I think I know where they went," Daniel said, looking back in the right direction. "It's about a half mile from here."

Stephen followed Daniel's gaze before turning back to his young friend. "Blair, is Jody hurt?"

"L-l-leg," he stuttered. Utterly exhausted, he was so close to getting help for Jody that he unconsciously relaxed and his mind began to shut down on its own, "Cold."

Tony pulled off his parka and handed it to Stephen. "He's turning blue, Ell. Use this to get him warm."

Blair yelped when Stephen wrapped the jacket about him, inadvertently touching his wounded shoulder. Shaking his head, he tried to pull the warm coat off. "Jody, cold," he whispered, tears of frustration forming on his dusty eyelashes.

"Okay, take it easy, Blair. I understand," Stephen said softly. Turning to Tony and Daniel, he nodded at Blair while he removed his phone from his pocket, "I'll take care of him and call for help. You guys go find Jody."

Blair's feeble hand waving made them stop.

"What do you need, Blair?" Tony asked, stooping down beside the agitated young man.

"Daniel," he mumbled, looking for the archeologist.

Daniel and Tony swapped positions. Blair swallowed, trying to find the words to explain what he needed to tell him. "Code on the wall," he whispered. "Right return, left go. 4A."

Serious eyes studied the teen before nodding, "Thanks, Blair. We'll find him for you, don't worry."

Blair could only nod and collapsed back against Stephen, no longer careful of his arm. This time when his worn body pulled his heavy lids closed, he didn't resist.

Stephen sat on the cold hard ground with Blair's silent form resting against him, feeling the youths trembling muscles twitch beneath his grip. On the phone, the sheriff's Search and Rescue team estimated that it would take them at least 20 minutes to get to the site, and requested that the college senior check Blair for injuries and keep him warm.

Shifting Blair, Stephen slid Tony's jacket open, enabling him to check for injuries. Finding the dried blood on the back of Blair's shirt, he used his pocketknife to cut a slit and then tore the material free. The blood soaked gauze pads were still damp so he used water from the canteen to clean the area and apply fresh pads. The red jagged wound below the shoulder looked sickening and he could feel heat emanating off Blair's back.

"Come on! Come on!" he shouted into the darkness, not ready to lose another special person he cared for. The comforting whump-whump sound of an approaching helicopter filled the night and soon the beam of a bright search light scoured the ground, coming to rest on the pair.

Stephen watched the aircraft set down and figures in jumpsuits piled out of the doors, their arms laden with boxes of equipment. Moments later, a second helicopter arrived carrying more searchers.

Pointing back towards the darkened hill, he filled them in on the rest of his group while two medics carefully worked over Blair. A second pair of rescuers headed off in the direction of Jody.

oOo

Daniel led Tony silently through the night towards nearest mine. Losing his footing for a moment on loose gravel, his yelp ended quickly when he found himself caught under the arms and set back on his feet by Tony.

"Careful, Doc."

"Thanks," he mumbled, once again on track. "We should be almost there." Shining his light over the hills, he picked up an opening and turned to grin at Tony when they both saw the names encased in the heart.

"Burg has some explaining to do," the larger man chuckled while pulling a few stray tumbleweeds out of the entrance.

"Jody!" Daniel called into the dark tunnel. Running his light over the sides, he spotted markings further down the shaft as the men located the first marker. "Blair said '4A', so he can't be too far in."

It was strange running through the darkened passageway, but the glow of burning embers suddenly became visible when they rounded a bend in the hillside. There, lying on the cold floor was Jody.

"Thank God," Tony said quietly over the young man he'd never met.

"He's breathing," Daniel confirmed, after a quick check, "but, he's really burning up. We need to get him out of here, now. Do you think you can carry him?"

"Not a problem." The gentle giant lifted Jody like the boy was made out of crystal. Carefully maneuvering his way back out of the tunnel, Tony followed Daniel quickly down the hillside, now clearly lit by the full moon overhead.

Two figures with searchlights raced up the hill to meet them.

oOo

Warm and dry, so tired he didn't think he could move, and generally pain free, Blair heard a familiar steady beep from somewhere nearby and turned his aching head to identify the sound.

"Hey," a muffled voice called to him softly, "you working on Tony's record again?"

"Steve?" the young man whispered without opening his eyes.

"Yeah, Blair. I'm here."

"Whu' hapn'd?"

"You got hurt in the mine but we found you. You're going to be okay, alright?"

Flashes of memories that made little sense sifted through his thoughts but before he could ask a dry cough broke free from his throat. "Water?" he croaked. A straw touched his lips and he reveled in the cool relief that quenched his thirst. Slightly more coherent, he suddenly realized who was missing. "Steve?" he whispered again.

A cool hand brushed across his brow. "Shhh, Blair, go back to sleep."

"Jo," he mumbled, determined not to go back to sleep until he found out about his friend.

"He's right beside you, sleeping. Next time you wake up, I'll tell you what happened, okay?" Stephen said softly.

"'Kay."

Stephen sat back in his chair between the two beds and watched as both young men slept. It had been a long night for all of them. Blair's blood loss and Jody's near drowning taxed the boy's reserves even further. The next twenty-four hours would tell how soon they would recover.

oOoOo

New Year's Eve found all five young men resting comfortably back in the large house rented by William Ellison. Recently released from the hospital earlier in the day with strict orders to be followed, Jody and Blair were propped up with pillows and blankets, forbidden from doing anything but rest.

Blair discovered, to his delight, that while they were recuperating in the hospital, Stephen had called Mrs. Applegate, asking her to notify William, Naomi, and Jody's mother of what had happened. After she had done so, she immediately flew down to take care of all five of 'her boys', much to Jody and Daniel's surprise. Mouth-watering aromas of practically every food they could imagine wafted from behind the kitchen doors as she bustled about stating her firm belief that a lot of TLC was the best cure for her extended family.

Glancing about at each other, Jody was the first one to break the easy silence that had enveloped the group. "So, next week, we head back out to the site?"

"And, just how are you going to climb over all the rocks while on crutches, Limpy?" Blair teased from his spot, his arm tightly bound to his chest.

Jody grinned, "Not a problem. You see, I'll supervise."

"I don't think so," Daniel interrupted. "Someone needs to keep an eye on you two. I'll do the supervising."

"You?" Stephen jumped in. "I've been watching over Blair the most recently. If anyone's to keep an eye on them, it'll be me."

Tony turned and grinned at his friend, "Tell me, Ell, how you gonna supervise when you're fishing?"

Stephen shot a fake glare to Blair who tried to look innocent. "Hey, I only went fishing one time."

"That's not what I heard," the big man challenged.

Soon friendly banter and laughter rang throughout the large room, each finally able to relax after the events of the past few days. They'd made it, old and new friends, now bound together by a life changing experience. When the antique mantle clock chimed midnight, the five men quieted and raised their glasses in a toast.

"To friendship and the New Year," Blair offered with a bright smile.

"Here, here," they replied, their glasses of sparkling grape juice clinking together. "To friendship."

The end.

A/N: I never completed this series. But, while dusting this off and doing a bit or rewriting, I might have come across a plot bunny or two. Perhaps one might happen in the future. We'll have to see. Thanks for the reviews and notes some of you have taken the time to post, they've been greatly appreciated. I still have a few more fics to post so I'll be back soon. J