Chapter 9

Day 3

The next morning after breakfast we headed out on another training run. I have one raft a little further down the river so that they can come and get me. Emmett and Jake lost control when they were hitting the class five rapids. They flipped and I unwedged from where I was and went after them. Then while I was locked in I offered one hand to each guy and helped them into the raft and took them to calmer water. When we arrived at the bottom of the run, Emmett and Jake carried me off the boat and said, "We lost that bet fair and square," and bowed to me.

"Alright, knock it off," and I then explained where they went wrong, "now are you both ready to do this again?"

"Yes." Back down the river I went to wait, this time they made it to me for the rescue and all went well.

Edward and Carlisle were a great team together. They got everything right on the first shot. Sam and Jasper were good together, as well. Don't get me wrong Emmett and Jake were very good, too. They just let the fun of it get them carried away once or twice. Late that afternoon, we moved down stream to our next campsite. Emmett brought me a chocolate bar and told me to sit and relax. The boys set up our tent for us.

Felix and I started dinner after catching fish. Edward found me and said, "I'll clean the fish for you."

"Thanks."

One of the three boys always followed me into the woods when I went to the bathroom to be my protectorate and to watch for bears. That night we talked about what we all liked to do. Emmett finally said, "You and Edward have so much in common; you two should go out on a date when we get to Anchorage before we fly home the next morning."

"Sorry, Emmett. I don't date my clients."

"Oh well, too bad Edward," Emmett said.

"Alright conversation over time for sleep."

Day 4

Today the boys all cursed a lot because we did swift water rescues without the rafts.

That night the boys went to bed before me and I asked them, "Are you three okay?"

"Yes, just tired."

Felix went with me to the bathroom that night and he asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes."

"What do you think of these guys?"

"They're amazing and work perfectly together."

"I agree the CIA trains well. Edward steers and maneuvers almost as well as you do Izzy."

"It's more than that," I said. "They work together as a perfect unit. Carlisle demands respect, but yet he does it subtlety."

"Alright Felix, I'm tired so I'm going to turn in as well."

"Alright, good night, dear."

Day 5 - final exam.

It's around 1 in the afternoon and Edward and I are in position further down river waiting to be signaled to get into position for rescue. Edward said, "Izzy, will I ever see you walk around without pants or socks covering your tattoos?"

"Edward, stop that. You know I can't."

"No, you're beautiful. I want to see those long, strong legs out exposed to the sun on a beach someday."

"Edward, shut up. We have work to do and you know I can't leave my leg exposed like that."

Edward turned around to continue the discussion with me and said, "Oh fuck, Bella, watch out."

The name change startled me and as I turned I saw a grizzly coming at me, but it was too late the grizzly slashed at my side and the boat. The bear punctured the boat and the hiss of it losing air could be heard all around us, I came back around with my helmet to hit the bear and distract him. Now he was mad, growled at me and reared up on his back legs... I ducked away from him and I jumped straight into the river.

"Edward into the rapids now," I shouted because I knew the only way to get away from the bear was to go into the rapids because the bear wouldn't follow us. When I looked over my shoulder, the bear was still coming at us. So I shoved Edward into the rapids, I stepped in as well. But my dry suit instantly filled with water and my buoyancy was off. I couldn't control my floating anymore; the next thing I knew I got slammed into rocks. First on my ribs and back, and then on my head but the bear had stopped. At that point, I just wanted to sink, relax and not care because everything hurt and I was freezing. I had no life jacket on so I really wanted to sink. I guess I wouldn't have to explain anymore of myself. Then I felt myself being tugged into someone's arms; I assumed it was Edward grabbing me as I went by and that is the last thing I remember.

EPOV

"Bella," I asked.

Bella mumbled, "Wet, cold, head, lungs. Survival gear in clothes," and she passed out.

I clung to Bella as we went through another half a mile of rapids. I was able to drag her out of the water; it was pretty difficult until I was able to get some of the water to drain out of her ripped up dry suit. Once I was finally able to scoop her into my arms and finish carrying her ashore, I noticed her lips were turning blue, her teeth were chattering and she was very cold.

I knew I needed to get a fire started to warm her quickly to help keep her from getting hypothermia. I stripped out of my dry suit to move around easier. I quickly got to Izzy's pants and found the precious water proof matches. Within five minutes, I had a fire going. Within ten minutes, I had a roaring flame. Bella was lying next to the fire and we had plenty more wood to use. Bella's body temperature was low, she was still wet and her lips were still blue. I turned away from her and cursed to myself that I had to do what I had been trained to do. So I turned around and started getting Bella out of her soaking wet clothes. As I did, I felt the bump on her head. Then as I got down near her ribs, I felt blood. I thought to myself oh shit. I got her tops and long underwear off and saw the bear made it all the way to her skin. I took her long underwear and cleaned away the dry blood to see what he had done. It should probably have stitches, but we probably wouldn't get to a hospital soon enough. Her skin was bruising up in the area from the force that the bear hit her with. I wrapped her long underwear around the wound. I realized how strong she really was. Bella took that swing from a grizzly just like any of us guys would have, but she came right back at him with her helmet in a full swing jostling him enough so that she could start to get away. Bella was incredible even while I just layed there and held her; she was still so cold.

"Bella, I'm so sorry," I said and I slipped out of my clothes so that we could share my body heat plus the fire's heat. As I moved her pants so that we could move closer to the fire, I found a solar blanket in another one of her pants pockets. I ripped it open and pulled her in tight and wrapped it around both of us. God, I hope you don't wake up. She would really freak out finding me wrapped around her with both of us naked. I brushed her hair away from her face and kept her cradled on my arm so her head wasn't lying on the ground. She was gorgeous; I already knew that. Yet, she was also strong and independent; but wrapped in my arms, she looked like she needed to be protected and was innocent. I loved her brown wavy hair, I wish I could run my hands through it and hold her hair and head. Then I would bring her in for a mouth watering kiss because her lips just called out to me to be kissed especially the bottom one when she nibbled on it. I dreamt many of nights about running my tongue over her lower lip to get her to open up and we could really kiss.

Bella groaned a little and I prepared for her onslaught; but then I realized her pulse and breathing were still very slow and calm. I really wanted to see her beautiful brown eyes looking at me so that I could get lost in them. I could just sit and stare at her beautiful eyes for hours. I also knew from our first trip how put off she was when I called her sexy so I always kept staring at her eyes to a minimum.

For a while, I just kept talking to her and I would add wood to the fire to keep it going. Bella was slowly warming up in my arms. Thank god for that. I recited poetry to us while we laid there. I did fall asleep for a little while. I woke up when I felt Bella try and move some and groan. But I told her it was okay and we were safe. "Bella, just rest," and she settled back down into my arms.

Finally six hours later, I hear voices out on the beach. Then Emmett's booming voice, "Edward, we see your path, what do you need?"

"Blankets for Izzy. Her dry suit was ripped by a grizzly and we went through the rapids in our dry suits without the raft.

"Damn Edward. You have her naked back there—Fuck, wait a minute, she isn't yelling at me. A grizzly holy shit, are you two okay?"

"No, she is unconscious with a concussion and probably a couple of broken ribs. She is dry and warm now. I'm okay, as well."

"Fuck," Emmett said.

"Carlisle, can we get a helicopter in here for her?" I asked.

"No not on this part of the river. Felix said there is no room for a helicopter, but we have four blankets. Felix is getting the gear and he'll order the chopper. We need to get her down some class five rapids about two miles then a helicopter can airlift her out."

"I got the blankets, Edward; I'm on my way," Emmett said.

"Emmett, stop," said Edward.

"Why?"

"Because I need a cool head back here with me. Give the blankets to Jasper because if Izzy wakes up; we'll need Jasper's calming affects to sooth her."

"Jasper, give me five to slip back into my clothes."

"Alright, man."

"No way, Edward," said Emmett.

"Emmett, sorry dude. Basic survival skill share body heat."

"You lucky son of a bitch."

"Shut up, Emmett. The last thing she said to me was that she had survival gear in her pants pockets and has been unconscious for six and a half hours."

"Alright, Jasper, you can come on back."

Jasper came back with the blankets. "Her ankles," I whispered.

"I know, what do you suggest?"

"One blanket around lower half and another around the upper half and then seal them in place with the other two almost making her like a burrito." We carefully jostled Bella around getting her wrapped up. Bella would groan subconsciously as we moved her around

Jasper said, "Do you want me to carry her out of here?"

"No, I got her. Will you take care of the fire and bring our dry suits up?"

"Of course man." I carried her out and put her in the middle of the raft making sure she was completely wrapped up still. I put my dry suit back on. That is when Jasper got back after taking care of the fire and Emmett cut up Bella's dry suit and we wrapped her in it and tied it to her.

"Edward, I hate to ask this of you; but you navigate these rapids better than any of us. Can I hold her while you navigate us down this run?" Carlisle asked.

"Carlisle!"

"Edward, this is the rescue that you have to be prepared for. Put your emotions aside. Izzy would expect it of you."

"Fine. Sam and Jake, you are in the back with me. Jasper and Emmett go up front.

"Carlisle, secure yourself and hold her tight, but not to tight. I think she has cracked ribs but god, please don't lose her."

Carlisle got situated then called Felix. Felix was calling in the National Guard to come and get Bella.

Carlisle said, "Let them know that they just need to lower the basket with an additional harness. Edward will come up with her."

Edward said, "Thanks, Carlisle."

The seven of us paddle through the rapids. I actually for the first time hated my job because I couldn't keep Bella from being jostled all around. Bella got damp from the spray of the river; now I'm just holding her on shore sharing my body heat with her. Fifteen minutes later Felix caught up to us.

"Izzy, come back to me please. Sweetie, you're like a daughter to me."