A/N: Tell me what you think.
The next few days the crew worked relentlessly. Their only breaks were for meals and the short runs between strings. Natalie only ventured out on deck to bring plates of food to the guys and retrieve things from the freezers. By the time the boat was plugged everyone was exhausted. The guys fell into their bunks and Natalie made the rounds giving as many treatments as she was able to. The trip to Dutch would take them almost 24 hours. Natalie cooked a huge platter of Monte Christo sandwiches for the first hot lunch in two days and Edgar made his favorite steak and shrimp going to town dinner. Other than eating the crew mainly just spent time sleeping. Sig had spent the entire last push in his chair, getting up only to go to the bathroom. Since she was of no help on deck Natalie had spent her time in the wheelhouse doing fetch and carry errands for Sig and Chris. Now that the boat was stuffed the crew each took turns doing wheel watch. Natalie would bring up the french press of coffee for each of the crew members and either rub their shoulders or just chat with them. She certainly made what was normally an boring task on the boat more enjoyable. They were just eight hours from Dutch when a huge storm blew in. The radio had been chattering about it for days but the Northwestern had managed to avoid seeing any part of it. Suddenly it seemed they'd driven right into it. Norman sat in the chair piloting the boat through the monumental waves. Natalie sat quietly on the bench trying to keep her head on straight. The dip of the boat into the waves made her feel queasy.
"Wow, these waves are intense" said Chris. "I'm going to head out to film some B roll."
Norman turned to watch Chris's retreating back.
"Natalie, go down and just keep an eye on him from the door. If any of the guys are in the galley take one of them with you" said Norman. "Sometimes these filmmakers get a little ambitious."
"Roger" said Natalie.
Moments later Natalie, Matt and Jake were standing under the shelter wall watching Chris teeter across the deck. He was trying to get a good shot of the waves passing by the boat. Originally his plan was to stand at the rail to shoot but after being doused with water mid deck he changed his mind. Natalie was engrossed listening to Matt and Jake, who were having some sort of pissing contest about who had more scars.
"We'll let Natalie decide which one is best" said Jake.
"No really, I don't want to get involved" said Natalie. "I'm sure both of you have equally impressive scar tissue."
"Mine is way cooler" said Matt.
He pulled up his sweatshirt revealing a long jagged scar along his forearm.
"It's from a bar fight" he explained.
"Really?" asked Natalie doubtfully.
"Maybe" said Matt.
"I call bullshit" said Jake.
"What the hell, this scar is older than you are and twice as cool" said Matt.
Natalie laughed out loud at this comment. Her mirthful laughter was cut off by a gut wrenching scream. She whipped around and saw Chris laying on the deck clutching his arm. Without thinking Natalie started to run to him. Matt caught her by the edge of her sweatshirt holding her back.
"Let Jake go, you're not safe out there" said Matt.
"He's hurt" said Natalie struggling to pull herself free.
"Then we all go together" said Matt.
The three of them raced to Chris. He was curled into the fetal position clutching his right arm to his chest. Natalie bent down to see what happened. The moment she rolled him she saw the most heinous compound fracture she'd ever seen. His radial bone had broken with such severe force that it had punctured the skin. Blood poured out of the wound, squirting with each beat of his heart. For a moment Natalie didn't know what to do, then the whole world seemed to slow down and her mind cleared allowing her to focus. Her razor sharp awareness lasted all of 10 seconds before a huge wave washed over the side of the boat flooding the deck and sending her and Chris sliding.
"We need to get him inside" shouted Matt.
"Ok" said Natalie.
Matt tried to grab Chis but on a rolling deck it was nearly impossible to move him without dropping him.
"Forget it" said Natalie. "We have to drag him."
She scanned the deck for something to use and spotted a tarp covering the bait station. Jake followed her eye line and immediately sprinted over to retrieve it. The waves were coming faster and Norman's voice came over the hailer telling them to get inside. Jake and Natalie spread the tarp out and gently pulled Chris onto it. Another wave broke over the shelter wall dousing everyone. Natalie used her body to shield Chris as best she could but he was still getting soaked.
"Come on, we have to go" yelled Matt.
A 20 foot wave roared by the boat with the sound of a freight train. The sound stopped Natalie in her tracks. Matt poked her hard bringing her back to reality.
"The next wave like that might not be passing by" he said ominously.
Natalie nodded and then reached down to grab a corner of the tarp. Matt and Jake waved her away, they grabbed the ends and pulled Chris quickly towards the house.
"Camera" muttered Chris.
Natalie turned and saw the camera lying forlornly on the deck. She turned to get it.
"Natalie, leave it! We need to get off deck" said Matt.
"I'll be right back" she said.
Running down the deck sliding to a stop directly above the camera. She grabbed it and turned back. What she saw next was nothing but a wall of water. Knowing she had to grab onto something quick she made a mad dash to the sorting table. Matt and Jake made it to the awning just as the wave crested over the top of the wheelhouse. It hit the boat with the force of a bomb blast and water flooded the deck.
"Where the fuck is Natalie?" shouted Matt.
Jake searched the deck but all he saw was water.
"We need to get him inside, he's going into shock" said Matt.
"What about Natalie?" asked Jake.
"We'll come back for her" said Matt.
He and Jake moved as fast as they could into the house. They shouted for Edgar and left Chis laying in a heap just inside the door. Rushing back on deck they scanned the deck for any signs of life. A quick movement caught Jake's attention and both he and Matt were ecstatic to see a soaked Natalie weaving towards them.
"Holy Shit, I thought we lost you" said Matt.
"Almost" said Natalie. "But on the upside I got the camera."
"Fuck the camera" said Matt.
Natalie walked inside and immediately went to Chris's side. He was clearly in shock. Edgar appeared a second later holding the first aid box, but the moment he saw the state of Chris's arm he knew nothing in the box would help.
"Tell Norm to call the Coasties" said Edgar to Nick. "And wake up Sig."
"We need to stop the bleeding" said Natalie. "But we can't put pressure on the wound or risk causing an infection."
"Ok, how about a tourniquet" suggested Edgar.
"I don't know, he risks loosing his arm if the tourniquet is on too long" said Natalie. "How long will it take the coast guard to respond?"
"It's hard to say. The weather is shit, they may not even be able to drop a litter to get him" said Edgar.
"I guess the next thing is to immobilize his arm" said Natalie.
Natalie stood up quickly to get another towel just as a disheveled Sig appeared in the doorway.
"You're covered with blood" he said, his eyes wide with shock.
"It's not mine" said Natalie grabbing the towel and turning around.
Sig followed her and leaned over to see Chris on the floor. For a moment Sig felt a little sick, he was pretty sure he'd never seen so much blood in his life.
"What happened?" he asked.
"It's a compound fracture" said Natalie. "He needs off this boat."
"Norman is on the phone with Coasties right now" added Nick.
"They aren't going to be able to get him in this storm" said Sig.
"They have to try" said Natalie. "This is serious, he could bleed out if we don't stop the bleeding and even if we can he needs to get a somewhere clean so he doesn't get an infection."
"We'll get him to the hospital one way or another" said Sig.
Sig left, presumably towards the wheelhouse. Natalie turned back to Chris who was staring at her with a wild look in his eyes.
"It's going to be fine" said Natalie softly. "We'll get you where you need to go."
Chris nodded, his eyes rolling back as he did.
"No, no. Stay with me" said Natalie. "Don't move too much. You've lost a little blood and it's probably made you light headed."
"I'm cold" whispered Chis.
"I know, you're all wet" said Natalie. "Let me see what I can do."
Edgar met her glance over Chris's prone body. His eyes asked the question she didn't have the answer to.
"Well" he prompted.
"The tourniquet" said Natalie resignedly.
Edgar pulled out an elastic bandage and handed it to Natalie. She hesitated for a moment.
"Seriously either do it or I will. He's going to die if you don't" said Edgar.
"Ok" said Natalie.
She wrapped the bandage above the affected area and quickly tightened it watching for the moment the blood would stop.
"Edgar, it's not stopping. It's slowing but not stopping" said Natalie.
"Let me tighten it" said Edgar.
Edgar stepped in and tightened the bandage as much as possible the blood slowed to a trickle but didn't stop.
"What the fuck, that shit is as tight as it's going to get. Why hasn't it stopped" said Edgar disgustedly.
"It means the injury is severe" said Natalie.
"We need to talk to Sig, the Coasties need to know this is major" said Edgar.
The call to the coasties was brief, they explained the Jayhawk was on its way and would get to the location as soon as possible. They advised the crew to keep Chris comfortable and to try to stem the bleeding. Natalie had taken the news hard and the realization that Chris wouldn't be rescued for another 2 to 3 hours was worrisome. She sat next to Chris on the floor holding his hand and speaking softly to him. Jake sat next to her handing her clean towels and getting her whatever she needed.
"He's still bleeding" said Jake.
"I know, I wonder if we could slow his heart down" said Natalie to herself. "If we got him cold enough we might be able to. But that would provide it's own set of risks."
"Well short of putting him in the freezer we can't really do it" said Jake.
"Yeah, you're probably right said Natalie thoughtfully. "Although, it's cold outside, we could put him out there and keep him cold. That would slow his heart rate."
"It might make him sick" said Jake.
"I think a cold is the least of his worries" said Natalie.
"Before we do anything we'll have to ask Sig" said Jake.
"Of course" said Natalie. "Will you stay with Chis?"
"Would you rather me ask him?" asked Jake.
"No, I'll do it" said Natalie.
Jake and Natalie made to switch places, but Chris wouldn't let go of Natalie's hand. She looked down and saw him grimacing. He attempted to pull her closer but his strength was already fading. Realizing what he wanted Natalie leaned down next to him.
"Save the tapes" he whispered.
"The tapes?" asked Natalie.
"They are my legacy" said Chris.
"No, you have a long way to go before you need to be worrying about your legacy" said Natalie.
"I want Jason to film" said Chris.
"He has been" said Natalie moving slightly to reveal Jason standing behind her.
"Good" said Chris. "It's making good tv."
"You'll be editing it in no time" said Natalie. "Just try to rest, the Coast Guard will be here soon."
"I'll go ask Sig about taking him outside" said Jake.
Jake was gone for only a few minutes before he returned with Sig hot on his heels.
"Are you insane?" asked Sig.
"It was just a thought" said Natalie.
"It's raining outside you'll both be soaked" said Sig.
"What about using ice to cool him" suggested Natalie.
"I just don't know" said Sig. "You really can't stem the blood flow?"
"It's still oozing, I'm not sure how much blood he's actually loosing because I don't want to uncover the break" said Natalie.
"The coastguard said to just keep him comfortable, I don't think we should try anything too ambitious. We're on a boat in the bearing sea if something goes wrong here there is no turning back" said Sig.
"Something's already gone wrong" said Natalie.
"But he's alive and you're taking care of him" said Sig. "It's honestly all we can do."
Natalie nodded and turned back to Chris. She felt more helpless in that moment than any other time in her life.
Natalie sat back on her haunches, the situation with Chris was getting worse. His pulse was thready and he was unconscious more than he was conscious. The pile of blood soaked towels was growing by the minute. Edgar had taken over for Jake as Natalie's nursing assistant. He was anxiously awaiting word from Sig that the Coasties had arrived. It had been almost 3 hours. The seas were just as choppy but the wind seemed to have died down a little. Edgar looked at Natalie and sighed. Her head was bent and though he could see her lips moving she wasn't saying the words out loud.
"What are you saying?" he asked.
"Just praying" said Natalie worriedly.
"Me too" said Edgar grimly.
"I hope they come soon" said Natalie.
Edgar just nodded and placed a comforting hand on Natalie's arm. When he pulled it away he noticed blood on it. Grabbing a towel he wiped off his hand and set it on the dirty pile. Edgar was just about to tell Natalie to go clean up when Sig announced the Coast Guard helicopter was almost there.
"Ok, we need to get him out onto the deck" said Edgar.
"It's best if we slide him on the tarp. I don't think he'll be able to move on his own power and any jostling will just make the break worse" said Natalie.
Matt, Nick, Jake and Norman arrived to help as if summond. All of them worked together to get Chris out onto the deck. The noise of the Jayhawk was deafening. The seas were still choppy but the wind had come down enough that a litter could be dropped. Natalie shielded her eyes as the wind whipped up water from the deck. The rescue swimmer dropped down to the deck. He walked over and assessed Chris's situation and then radioed for the litter to be dropped. Natalie did her best to explain what she'd done and the last vitals she'd taken. She'd yelled at Chris to take care and that she'd see him soon. The litter lifted into the air swaying dangerously close to the mast and finally being pulled into the helicopter's cabin. The rescue swimmer was pulled up next and then the helicopter turned and headed towards land. Natalie stayed outside and watched the chopper until it had disappeared. Matt finally had to pull her inside.