Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great Christmas (assuming you celebrate Christmas... if not, I hope you've had a good month?)

Sorry for the disappearing act! Long story short = a full time day job, plus a job in the entertainment / hospitality industry means that for the month of December I have worked about 200 hours... and I've been off for the last week catching up on sleep! Oh, and I met a boy too (:D) This is the first chance I've really had to update... but it's my longest chapter yet! Does that count for anything? *hopeful smile*

Chapter 21: Newlyweds in the National Park, pt 3

Chase had a gift. When he was little, and always reading his superhero comics, he used to consider it his superpower. Now, he just considered himself lucky. He had the ability to sleep. Perhaps it was because he was the youngest of what weren't exactly three quiet boys, but no matter what, he could always sleep. Even when he was worried, sleep came easily to him. His dad often joked there was more chance of waking a corpse.

Thankfully, he'd been told that his brother and Felicity were safe by the time they'd bedded down, and he'd had no problem in getting to sleep. So, when he woke up the following morning, he was surprised to hear the thunder grumbling away overhead.

"Of course you slept through it," Dean muttered, grumpily, an hour or so later as they continued through the bush. "If a plane crash landed next to your bed, you'd sleep through it."

"I see you're in a good mood," Chase told him.

"Once again, your observation skills are second to none," Dean snarked back at him.

"And you haven't made up with Lara," Chase added, before promptly slipping - only just catching his balance before he landed on the muddy ground below. Something Dean hadn't quite managed earlier, coating himself in mud.

"Leave it, Chase," Dean warned.

"But it's you and Lara. You always make up," Chase pressed.

Dean whirled back to him. "Well maybe this time we won't. Now leave it." He turned back and stepped off the fallen trunk. And then he let out a cry of pain.

"What? Dean?" Chase cried as Dean stumbled back against the log.

"Stay there!" Dean commanded, keeping his eye on something in front of him.

"Dean?"

"I've just been bitten," Dean grunted, slowly easing himself to Chase's side of the trunk, trying not to annoy the snake further. Finally, he was clear, and Chase hurried over as Dean rolled his trouser leg up. "Shit," he muttered, one very obvious puncture mark just above the top of his boot.

Chase stared down at the bite mark, his eyes as wide as his mind went blank. "What's that?" he demanded, crouching down to examine the small wound.

"Snakebite, Chase," Dean told him, reaching for his radio.

"What kind of snake?" Chase demanded, moving slowly towards the trunk to peer over the other side.

Dean frowned, grabbing Chase's sleeve and yanked him back. "We don't need both of us getting bitten. I didn't see it."

"All the more reason to see what it is," Chase pointed out.

"Forget it, Chase," Dean told him. "Rescue Team Leader to Rescue Portable Eight: You up yet, Vince."

"Yeah, go ahead, Deano."

"We might have a little bit of a problem," Dean told him, closing his eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over him.

Felicity's eyes shot open at the sound of Vince's gruff voice. "I didn't realise we were playing musical beds," he said, as he peered into the tent. "Get your arses in gear," he added, disappearing from view.

"Someone didn't get enough beauty sleep," Lachie muttered, smacking his lips as he stretched his arms above his head.

"Thanks," Felicity told him, shrugging herself out of the sleeping bag.

"I was on about Vince," Lachie started to defend himself, before realising Felicity was playing with him.

Felicity leant forward and stuck her head out of the tent. "Oh look. More rain. What fun." She sighed and got out of the tent, frowning further when she noticed Vince's expression. "Lachie, I think there's something wrong," she said, getting out of the tent and hurrying over. "Vince?"

Vince held his hand up. "What kind of snake?"

Felicity's eyes widened. "Vince?" she tried again.

"I don't know. I didn't see it," Dean told him.

"Did you see what colour it was?" Vince asked.

"What's going on?" Lachie asked, joining them.

"Someone's been bitten by a snake," Felicity explained quietly, wondering why it was taking Dean so long to respond.

"Brown, I think," Dean finally radioed through.

Vince gave Lachie a sideways glance, making a decision. "Deano, you need to get the patient lying down with the bite wound below the heart where possible. Get Chase to monitor the vitals."

"Sure," Dean responded, sounding slightly confused.

Vince turned to Lachie. "Go get the tents packed up. Now." Lachie gave him a puzzled look, but did as was asked. Felicity made to go help him, but Vince caught her sleeve. "I need to get in touch with Michelle."

"Okay," Felicity shrugged.

Vince sighed. "I need you to make sure that Lachie doesn't hear this conversation."

"Why?" Felicity asked slowly. Then she shook her head. "Actually, don't tell me. I'm a terrible liar."

Vince nodded slowly. "Flick, go help Lachie."

Felicity gave him a nervous smile and quickly hurried over to help Lachie put down their tent.

The rain wasn't helping things. Chase had moved Dean to a more sheltered area where he could treat his brother's injuries. With the bandage firmly on and covering the majority of his leg, Chase had left Dean where he could keep an eye on him, and had carefully gone back to the area Dean had been bitten to see if he could find and identify the snake. It was no good. The snake was long gone.

Although he hadn't spent long trying to find it, by the time he had returned to Dean, he was already starting to show symptoms. "Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Portable Eight: Vince, we need to get out of here. He's showing signs of it being a venomous snake," he informed Vince, his own chest feeling like it was restricting.

"Chase, we're heading to you now. I've spoken to Michelle and we're getting the chopper in the air ASAP," Vince informed him, sounding convincingly reassuring. "If you let me know what symptoms are showing before we leave this ridge, I can let Michelle know so she can inform the hospital."

"Sweating, his eyelids are drooping," Chase reported as he examined his brother again. "His eyelids are drooping and he's telling me he's having difficulty seeing, and he's beginning to slur his words."

"Chase, hang tight. We're heading to you now."

Lara and Jordan had been the first of all three teams to wake up, pack up, and continue on, much to Jordan's surprise. Like Chase he had slept relatively well (when he'd accepted the fact there was no way he was going to any signal where he was), and was curious as to why he was being awoken as the first creeping of light had made their way to tents.

They had had something to eat and quickly packed; pressing through the dense foliage and Jordan was quickly beginning to appreciate the early morning wake up call. The sooner they found the lost hikers, the sooner he could be out of the perpetual wet.

They'd been walking for about forty minutes when they heard Dean inform Vince about the snakebite. The colour had completely disappeared from Lara's face as she stared at the radio in her hand in disbelief. Beside her, looking just as concerned, Jordan was pouring over the map, trying to assess Dean and Chase's location in comparison to their own.

"What about us, Vince?" Lara asked, already knowing that regardless of what Vince said, she and Jordan were heading straight for Dean.

"You and Jordan are closer. Get to him and we'll meet you there. I'm getting an SES team to relocate to this ridge, but we're going to lose the radio for a while. Be careful."

That was all Lara needed. Practically leaving Jordan in the dust, she set off at a determined jog towards the location Vince had given them.

"You need to slow down," Jordan called after as she slid on a particularly slippery section ground. "You'll be no help to Dean if you hurt yourself."

"And I'll be no help at all if we get there too late," Lara called back, shuddering at the thought.

Jordan continued to hurry after when something caught his attention. "Lara?" he called.

"I'm fine, Jordan," she yelled back without breaking her pace.

"No - I can hear something!" he told her.

Lara stopped, turning on her heel. They stood in silence, listening to the sound of the fat raindrops hitting the tree canopy above them. Then Lara heard it too. A faint cry for help. "That way," she muttered, pointing in a direction which would take them further away from Dean, rather than towards him. Although it never became vocal, Lara cursed. However, aware that she couldn't abandon a cry for help, even if she wanted to, Lara forced herself to concentrate on the closer need for aid.

"Rescue portable three to Rescue portable eight: Vince, are you still on the ledge?" Jordan asked as he and Lara jogged towards the cries.

"Barely," Vince responded. "I'm just about to follow Lachie and Flick down to lower ground."

Jordan glanced down at his GPS. "I think we may have found the missing hikers," he explained, quickly reeling off their location and the direction they were heading in.

"Shit," he heard Vince curse.

On top of the ridge, Vince peered over the edge. "Felicity!" he yelled. "Get back up here." He could see Lachie and Felicity share a puzzled look, but she did as was requested and made her way back up to the top.

"What's up, Vince?" Felicity asked as she hauled herself up.

"It sounds like Jordan and Lara have found the missing hikers," Vince started to explain.

Felicity stared at him for a brief moment. "Vince, I'm a terrible liar," she hurriedly pointed out even though she could feel her stomach bounce about nervously. He hadn't said it, but she wasn't stupid. The thing was, so long as he didn't say it out loud, it was purely speculation on her part.

"I need you to get to Dean and Chase," Vince told her. "I've spoken to Michelle and SES aren't going to get to this location for a couple of hours. If you and Lachie get a move on, you can be there and back before then. I need to keep base updated with the hikers, and I need to keep you updated with the chopper."

"Chase or Dean?" Felicity finally asked.

"Dean," Vince said. "And I need you to keep Lachie and Chase under control."

Felicity nodded, numbly, a little too distracted to even begin to consider how on earth she would manage that, and descended the rope. "We need to move," she told Lachie as she hit the ground.

"What did Vince say?" Lachie asked as he watched Felicity detach herself.

"That he's staying up there and we need to move quickly," Felicity quickly abbreviated as she set off at a near jog in an effort to avoid his stare.

"Okay?" Lachie asked, quickly catching her up. They couldn't have been jogging for more than a couple of minutes before Felicity sighed and stopped. "What's going on?" Lachie asked her.

"I can't do it," Felicity muttered. "Vince is probably right and I probably shouldn't tell you." She took a deep breath. "It's Dean. He was bitten by a snake."

Lachie blinked, taking a second to process the information, then, wordlessly, he turned and set off at a sprint. Felicity took a deep breath and followed him.

"Over here," Jordan cried, spotting the bright blue windbreaker seconds before Lara. The two hurried over to the woman.

"Are you Patricia?" Lara asked, crouching down beside her.

"Yeah," Patricia winced as Lara checked her over. "I'm fine – it's my husband," she cried.

"You have a broken leg," Lara pointed out. "You're not fine."

Jordan gave Lara a sharp look before turning his attention to their patient. "Let me treat you and Lara will go look for your husband," he suggested, pulling out the pain relief stick for Patricia to suck on. She nodded, taking the stick and took a deep breath.

"He's that way," she told Lara, pointing. As soon as Lara grabbed her bag and started moving, Patricia turned back to Jordan. "I'm pregnant."

"I know," Jordan assured her. "And we're going to get you to a hospital as soon as we can," he added, starting his own assessment of the patient.

"It was a snake," Patricia muttered.

"You were bitten?" Jordan asked, looking up at her. "Your husband?" he tried again when she shook her head.

"No," Patricia explained. "He saw it and pulled me out of the way before I trod on it. Only we stumbled." She winced as Jordan began treating her broken leg. "He landed on a branch. It-" This time, the gasp was from the memory, rather than Jordan's touch. "It impaled him."

"Rescue portable eight to Rescue portable three: Sitrep?" Vince's staticy voice barked at Jordan.

It didn't take Lara long to locate Patricia's husband, Julian. He was lying back against a tree, a thin, broken branch protruding from his lower abdomen. Lara hurried over, checking for a pulse. He was cold, soaked – largely from the rain, but also from the blood which was slowly seeping from his wound - and unconscious. But he had a pulse. Albeit a weak one.

All while talking to Julian, she set up and inserted a drip. He needed to be removed from the branch and taken to a hospital, but removing the branch in this location would be more detrimental to his health than anything. Which meant the branch needed to be left in him, and instead, cut off the tree. Lara had the equipment, but she needed help.

Lara was about to radio Jordan and request his assistance when Vince radioed. She listened while Jordan filled Vince in on his patient's situation, and then added her findings. "Vince, I need help," she finished.

"I can't leave Patricia," Jordan radioed back.

"The helicopter is five minutes out," Vince added. "As soon as Dean is airborne, I'll send Chase and Lachie to your location. SES are still an hour from your location. You'll have to walk them out."

"I don't think we have that long," Lara told him. "We need to get Julian in the chopper."

"Dean doesn't have the time to wait while you get Julian off the tree," Vince returned.

Heidi took a deep breath and pushed open the door, taking a few steps towards the helipad as she waited for the previous pilot to disembark. In front of her, its rotor blades still spinning stood the bright red Rescue helicopter.

"She's all yours," the other pilot told her as he strode towards her. At Heidi's lack of response, he cocked his head, waving his hand in front of her face. "Wilson, right?"

Slowly, Heidi turned to him, blinking as she focused in on him. He was about her height with a shaved head and built like a wrestler. He also, she realised, had an Irish accent and bright white teeth. "Yeah."

"You don't look so good," he told her.

"Who are you?" she demanded, grateful for a distraction.

"Liam O'Byrne," he offered, somewhat surprised that she didn't seem to recognise him. "I was the one who did your official report on the crash. That's not why you're here?" he asked, slightly confused.

Heidi shook her head. "I've been cleared to fly. Got an emergency evac in the Blue Mountains."

"Oh, the missing hikers," Liam nodded. "You know, I'm still happy to go through that report with you?"

"No," Heidi responded firmly. "I don't need to."

"Mmmm," Liam agreed, his expression saying the opposite. "Well, she's all yours," he repeated, indicating to the awaiting chopper.

"Yeah," Heidi muttered, her feet rooted firmly in place.

"You alright?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she responded, somewhat venomously.

She wasn't.

There were two things she was completely certain of. The first was that that helicopter needed to be in the air and en route to Dean's location. The second was that she wasn't going to be flying it, no matter how much she wanted to. Just the thought of walking over to it was enough to make her want to throw up, never mind the fact her hands were shaking so much she wasn't even sure she'd be able to open the door.

And as she glanced at Liam, she was certain of one other thing. There was no way she was able to admit that second fact to him.

Somehow he seemed to sense that. "You snooze, you lose," he told her, darting over to the helicopter.

It wasn't until the helicopter was no more than a dot in the dark clouds that her heart stopped pounding.

By the time Lachie and Felicity made it to Dean and Chase, Dean wasn't looking so good. Frankly, Felicity noted, neither was Chase. He was only marginally less grey than his brother and looked immensely relieved to see Lachie and Felicity.

"How's he doing?" Lachie demanded as he dropped down beside both of his brothers.

Chase shook his head, helplessly. "He's going in and out of consciousness, and-"

"He's stopped breathing," Lachie cried as he tilted Dean's head back and started breathing into his lungs.

"Vince, we need that helicopter now," Felicity cried into her radio as the rain started to fall more heavily.

"Heidi's five minutes out," Vince responded. "You're going to have to move Dean to an area where they can lift you out."

Chase was already pulling a rolled up fabric stretcher from Lachie's backpack and laying it on the ground beside Dean. Felicity reached into her own back and pulled out a ventilation mask from her bag. "Lachie, we need to move him," she told Lachie, waiting for Lachie to lean back so they could roll him onto his side. After Chase had pulled the fabric stretcher underneath him, she covered his nose and mouth and squeezed the balloon while Lachie and Chase lifted the stretcher.

"We passed through a clearing," Lachie told the small group. "This way," he added, setting off a jog.

They arrived at the small clearing moments before the helicopter. "Someone order an evac?" A male, Irish – clearly not Heidi – voice asked, a stretcher and harness already on its way down, swinging wildly in the wind.

"Rescue portable eight to rescue portable six: Flick, I need Lachie and Chase to get to Lara and Jordan's position. They need assistance with their patients and you're closer to them then SES," Vince radioed as the stretcher reached the ground.

Felicity ignored the command as the three of them battled to stabilise the stretcher. Evidently the helicopter was struggling to stay still in the bad weather.

"Rescue Helios, you need to keep still," Chase bellowed, waving in frustration through the rain at the helicopter above them.

"I'm trying!" the pilot exclaimed. There was another tug as the stretcher jerked away.

"Flick?" Vince tried again. "Do you copy?"

Again, Felicity ignored him as she and Chase attempted to pull Dean onto the stretcher, while continuing the breathes, as Lachie, held the stretcher to the ground with all his strength. Finally Dean was strapped in.

"I'm going," Lachie snapped, reaching for the harness.

"No, I am," Chase cried.

Felicity steadily squeezed at the balloon, reaching for her radio. "Will do my best, Vince," she responded. "Guys, Vince wants you to help Lara and Jordan. I don't care who goes and who stays, but Dean needs to leave now," she said, firmly.

Lachie nodded first. He dropped to the ground and took the control over Dean's breathing. "Chase, help Felicity into the harness," he ordered.

Minutes later, Felicity and Dean were in the helicopter. "We need to get to a hospital," Felicity commanded at the unknown pilot. "And where's Heidi?"

"Nice to meet you too," the pilot told her. "I'm Liam, pleased to meet you."

Felicity sniffed. "Whatever... Felicity... just get us to the hospital."

He did. The next half hour passed in a blur. They landed on the roof of the hospital where a small team were waiting for them. Even as they took the elevator down, the doctors were administrating anti-venom while another was swabbing a sample from the bite wound. And then Felicity was left waiting in the hallway.

She was on her way to the pay phone to update Michelle when the yells from Dean's room stopped her. As she finally filled Michelle on a short time later, Dean was allergic to the anti-venom and had to be given Epinephrine before the doctors could continue with the anti-venom.

It was a couple of hours later when Lachie, Chase and Lara arrived, and thankfully Dean was stable. Felicity recited what Michelle had evidently already told them, and then sat back down while Lachie and Chase went to see their brother.

"Are the hikers okay?" Felicity asked as Lara sat down beside her.

Lara took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. "The wife and baby seem to be fine," she told her. "The husband... he's didn't make. He died in the ambulance."

"Oh," Felicity mumbled.

"Yeah," Lara agreed, leaning back into the chair, heavily.

They sat there in silence for a long time, before Felicity yawned. "Can I borrow your phone? Mine disappeared in the mountains and I'd really like to have a hot bath."

"I know there's an app for most things, but I don't think you're getting a bath out of that," Lara pointed out as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it over.

Felicity rolled her eyes, typed in Cole's number and hit call. He sounded out of breath. "I'm in the middle of something. I'll be there when I can."

"Go see Dean," Felicity muttered, handing the phone back.

"I don't know if I should. Lachie and Chase are with him," Lara shrugged.

Felicity sighed. "Look, what we saw with Zoe – I'll deal with it. Just go and see him."

"I'm still not sure it's a good idea," Lara told her.

"Fine, stay here with me. But the chances are, I'm about to fall asleep, so I'm going to be crappy company."

A sense of déjà vu flashed through Lara as she stood in the doorway, staring down at the figure in the bed. Seeing any of the team lying in a hospital bed was something she didn't want to see, but seeing Dean not only seemed that bit worse, but she couldn't help to feel responsible for him being there. It was always her and Dean working together, and now he was lying... all because she was too stubborn to admit that maybe he had been right and it hadn't been her business.

"Come sit with him," Lachie told her softly, rising from his seat beside him.

"I don't know," Lara muttered.

"I have something to do, and Chase could sleep through a hurricane," he told her, nodding his head in the direction of his younger brother who was asleep in an easy chair. "You have about half an hour before dad gets here," he added. Without waiting for Lara to consent, he left her in the room.

Lara walked over to the chair Lachie had vacated, and with her attention focused on Dean, managed to get the chair legs to squeal as she sat down, pushing it backwards. She winced, looking over at Chase. Despite Lachie's comments, she was surprised to see Chase hadn't stirred. Dean on the other hand, gingerly opened his eyes and cleared his throat.

"Sorry," Lara muttered in horror.

"I need water," Dean told her, his voice hoarse.

Lara quickly complied with his request and poured a cup. "No straw," she said, apologetically, as she held the blue plastic cup to his lips.

Dean took a few grateful sips before relaxing back into his pillow. "Hi," he smiled.

"Hi," Lara returned, sitting back down – carefully, this time. Perched on the edge of the seat, she looked at Dean, unsure as to where to start with the apologies.

It turned out she didn't need to say anything. He read it all in her eyes. Dean reached over and squeezed her hand. "Snake bites," he muttered. "Wouldn't recommend it."

"No, I would assume not," she agreed.

"Next time, I think you'd better keep me out of trouble," he added.

Lara squeezed his hand back. "Deal."

Lachie left Lara and started to make his way outside to make a phone call. To his surprise, the person he was going to call was still in the hospital. She was still seated in the uncomfortable bright blue plastic chairs in the cold waiting room, her head leant against the trunk of an artificial tree, fast asleep. He frowned and made his way over, sitting down beside her. "Goldfish," he said gently, shaking her shoulder.

Felicity sat up sleepily and leant forward, rubbing her eyes. "How's Dean?" she asked.

"He's going to be fine," Lachie told her. "Lara's with him now."

"Good," she said, stretching and leaning back into the chair.

"What are you still doing here?" Lachie asked her. "I thought I heard Jordan offer to give you a lift home."

"He did," Felicity shrugged. "But I said I would call Cole." She frowned. "What time is it?"

"Gone eight," Lachie replied.

"Oh," she sighed. Evidently he was running late. Lachie started saying something to her, but her attention was distracted by a familiar brunette at the nurse's station. "Go give Lara a heads up that Zoe is here," she told Lachie, cutting off whatever he was telling her. She rose and marched over to the police officer. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I'm here to see my boyfriend," Zoe responded looking a little startled at Felicity's hostility.

"You mean, as opposed to seeing your fiancé?" Felicity asked her.

"What are you talking about?" Zoe asked.

"So you weren't ring shopping yesterday?" Felicity offered. "With a guy who clearly wasn't Dean?"

"That is none of your business," Zoe growled at her.

"I don't care," Felicity returned, her hands planting themselves on her hips. "I'm making it my business. Right now, the only reason I'm letting you anywhere near his room is because Dean is lying in a hospital after being bitten by a Death Adder. So, go in there, be a caring girlfriend, and let him recover, because the last thing he needs right now is to hear that news. But I swear to god, if you haven't told him by this time next week, I will."

Zoe narrowed her eyes and glared down at the woman in front of her. "Do you have any idea who you're threatening?"

"Yeah," Felicity nodded. "A cheating skank."

Zoe's lips flattened into a thin line. With one last glare, she turned on her heel, heading for the Dean's room.

"Do I want to know what that was about?" Lachie asked, rejoining her.

Felicity shook her head. "No. And please don't ask me, because I'm a terrible liar," she sighed.

Lachie studied her, nodding. "I trust you."

Felicity groaned, popping out her back. "If you listen hard enough, you can hear my bed calling." At Lachie's raised eyebrows, she rolled her eyes. "Calling me. So I am calling a taxi. Night, Lachie."

"Hey, goldfish," said Lachie, waiting for her to turn back to him. "Thank you for telling me about Dean."

Jordan had gotten out of the shower to find a text message from Heidi waiting for him, asking if he wanted some company. He was in the process of texting the affirmative – his mother was working a nightshift – when there was a knock at the door. Seeing as the text message had been written a while ago, he assumed it was Heidi and opened the door, only wearing a towel.

"Oh, hello," a pleasantly surprised greeting awaited him.

A greeting which wasn't from Heidi. "Freya?"

"Hi Jordan," she said, softly. "It's been a while."

"You're out?" he asked, unable to hide the surprise from his voice. He wasn't aware she had been in prison for so long, and she looked... terrible. He'd seen it plenty of times to know she was high.

"Jordan, I need your help," she told him, wrapping her arms around herself.

Unable to turn her away, he stepped to one side and allowed her in.

Thank you all for still reading, all your wonderful reviews and messages, and of course for all the alerts and favourite adds!

Miss Deeds - i'll be honest, I'm personally not satisfied with your order. As the chef can do little more reheat, you do have the option of a complimentary dessert...?

ASandCastle103 - I didn't know that, thank you! Do you know when it's being aired? (And this throws a spanner into my theory... rats...!)

xxletgoxx - I'm sorry I've had to make you wait so long for another update! You are going to have to wait a little longer for that conversation, but it will be coming!

meddrama - I'm glad I could provide! There will certainly be more chapters like that, and definitely more moments!

Rescuelover - I think you may be right ;) LOL

MissShawnaAlice - Hehe, thank you :) I have joined the forum! I've just been as active over there as I have here... it's my next stop :)

MMC gang - Yeah... it's been a while... I'm sorry!

Elizajo - Thank you. I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner - real life just got in the way!