Rescue Me

Beth frowned as she looked at the slight gap in the trail. Technically you should really have someone else out there with you when you were attempting to hike through the Smokey Mountains, but she hadn't been able to convince anyone else to go with her, so here she was. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. The gap really didn't look that big, five feet tops, she was sure she could jump it, and, unless she wanted to turn around and go back home, it was the only way across. She sighed and grabbed her bag, pulling it off her shoulders and tossed it across. When it landed safely on the other side of the gap she backed up, giving herself enough room for a running jump. Only, she didn't make it. Her foot caught the very edge and she fell back down the seven foot drop, screaming as pain seared up her leg and she heard the sickening crack of bone.

Tears leaked from her eyes as she moved herself around, trying to get a look at her leg. As long as bones were breaking the skin she'd probably be okay. She tried to stand but fell back down. "Shit." She reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out. "You've got to be kidding me." She didn't have any reception. She grunted in pain as she rested against the rock behind her. Someone had to come looking for her eventually. Her sister and dad both knew she was out there. She just had to wait.

…

"What the fuck?" Daryl frowned as he rounded around the corner and saw a girl lying against the rock, her skin pale and her lips blue. Normal people didn't go this deep into the mountains, that's why he liked living out there, he had his privacy. He sighed and walked over to her, lifting her into his arms. He couldn't just leave her out here, she'd freeze to death. He tossed her over his shoulder and headed back home, the deer he'd been tracking forgotten. He carried her back to his place and laid her out on the couch in front of the fire, grabbing more blankets and covering her up. She was in the beginning stages of hypothermia and he needed to get her warm. Grunting he pushed the couch close to the fire and threw a few more logs onto it, hoping it was enough to warm her up.

He left her to make something to eat. He had no idea how long she'd been out there, at least half the day if she was that cold already. He sighed as he threw something into a pan. He was pretty sure it was venison, then again, it could have been beef for all he knew, he'd stopped labeling things a while ago. He sighed as he looked over at the back of the couch. What the hell was he supposed to do with a half frozen girl? Not just half frozen, but fuckin' sexy too. He glanced over when she started to stir on the couch.

She sat up slowly and looked around. "Feelin' okay?" he asked, walking over with some whiskey. It was the only thing he had to warm her up. "Drink this."

She took a sip of it and made the cutest face. "What is this?" she asked, handing it back.

"Whiskey."

"Don't you have any tea?" she asked, pulling the blankets closer around herself.

"Do I look like I have tea?" He took a shot of the whiskey himself and put the bottle on the table.

"What kind of rescue party is this?"

He looked at her for a minute then realized what she was talking about. "Darlin' I aint no rescue party, just a redneck in the woods." He walked back to the stove to check on dinner. He turned the stove off and plated the dinner. "You think you can eat?" he asked, looking over at her.

"I can try, what is it?" she asked, letting the blanket fall off of her shoulders.

"Venison I think." He handed her a plate with a knife and fork. "What are you doing out there anyways?" he asked.

She sighed and picked at the overcooked meat on her plate. "I was hiking." She looked at him. "I couldn't get anyone to come with me, I guess I shouldn't have come."

He huffed as he chewed on the tough meat. "Why all the way out here?" he asked.

"I like the quiet." She winced as she tried to move. "Can you…call a doctor?" she asked.

"What's wrong?"

"I broke my leg when I fell." Daryl huffed and put his plate away, pulling the blanket up and gently pushed her jeans out of the way. Sure enough her leg was black and blue.

"Ain't no doctor's around here. You gonna be alright till morning?" he asked.

"Morning?"

"My brother won't be back with the truck until then and I can't put you on the back of a motorcycle with a broken leg." She sighed but nodded her head. He grabbed what pillows he could find and helped her prop her leg up.

"What's your name?" she asked as she curled under the blankets.

"Daryl."

She smiled. "I'm Beth." He nodded his head. "Thanks for saving me."

Daryl sighed. "Go to sleep. I'll take you to the hospital in the moring."