So far so good. Dares are not too bad and the group is really bonding. Lots of truth being told and the team is laughing a lot. Keith is starting to relax when Kinkade throws out a dare to Griffin.
"I dare you to look into Pidge's eyes for 5 minutes." He winks at Griffin and Griffin turns red but has smile on his face.
Griffin looks across the fire to Pidge, "Do you mind? I won't do it if you don't want to."
Keith feels his food in his stomach turn to lead. It's not a kiss and he knows he has no rights where Pidge is concerned. But all the same, he wants to smash Kinkade's face in and poke out Griffin's eyes which he is pretty sure is not typical behavior of a leader. In fact he knows it is not. He trains his eyes on Pidge, trying his damnest to read her mind.
Pidge's eyes are round, pushing her glasses up, she finds herself looking across at James. "Um... sure?"
James jumps up from his spot around the fire to quickly move towards her. He holds out his hand for hers and Pidge finds herself taking it. He pulls her up and draws her close. Her heart is beating a little fast because she feels super awkward. She knows Keith, <head shake> everyone is looking at them. Thinking quickly, she doesn't believe she's ever stared into someone's eyes for that long of time. Computer yes...people no. At least she doesn't have to talk.
Lance's gaze is jumping from Griffin and Pidge to Keith. Finally he jumps up and says, "Hey, he just said look, not touch! Hands off buddy boy!"He sends a quick frown to Keith. What the hell is up with Keith, is he not going to intervene? Ugh, he has to do everything!! He breaks Griffin's hold on Pidge's hand and backs up James. "Timer?"
Suddenly lightning flashes across the sky and the clouds seem so much more menacing than they were a few moments before. Suddenly it starts to just pour water down on them all! The slight breeze from earlier turns into a gusting wind that pretty much smothers the camp fire and even knocks some of the tents over. Everyone rapidly moves into action, each towards different items that need to be stabilized and collected.
As they are moving around, Keith freezes. He starts to listen intently, head cocked sideways. That's when Keith knows he hears a cry. A baby? A child? Is it an animal or human? A trick?
Keith looks around and Pidge is right in front of him, looking at him with concern in her amber eyes. "Did you hear that ?" Keith yells.
James says "NO! I can't hear anything!!"
Keith replies, "No, I heard crying. I could be someone in trouble. We need to spread out!"
James retorts, "You're crazy! It's the wind! We need to focus on camp."
Pidge shakes her head immediately and replies, "Keith has better hearing due to his Galra side. We need to spread out and see if we can find anything!"
Lance and Veronica agree. Lance shouts, "Even if it's only a chance! We need to look!"
Everyone starts to look around and move. Keith starts north with Pidge at his side. The wind is wicked strong and he holds onto her arm. They start calling out, yelling, "Where are you? Do you need help?"
Keith is pretty much directing them at this point because he can determine where the sound is coming from. He keeps an arm on Pidge though because he doesn't want to lose her and the wind is so loud that he's having a hard time distinguishing sounds.
They reach a stream where with the sudden rain, the water currently is moving like a rapids. It must be coming from the mountain area but the stream or creek is moving dangerously fast and looks more like a river! Both look at the water and are looking around still yelling when they spot a kid holding onto a rock on the opposite shore. No adult in sight!
Pidge yells, "Hey kid, hold on!!! We are going to help you!!"
The kid had to be young, no older than 3? and he looked like he was being smashed on the rock. He must have been crying or yelling before but now he was using all his energy just holding onto the rock. They both look around frantically trying to come up with a plan. Keith yells for everyone to come this way but they cannot be sure that help is on the way.
Pidge sees that a tree has a few branches that overhang over most of the fast moving water. Keith instantly knows what she is planning and yells, "No just wait for the rest of the team!"
Pidge retorts, "There's no time!"
She runs to the tree and starts to climb. Keith feels as if his heart is in his throat. With the rain pounding them, she could easily slip into the moving water and be swept away. She keeps moving slowly but surely, all the while yelling to the boy to hold on, she's got him.
Keith is yelling encouraging words to both of them. Keith wants to run and get some rope but he can't seem to move his feet. He unreasonably feels that if he moves Pidge will fall. But, ultimately he won't risk moving. If she falls he WILL save her.
Lance and Veronica reach him first and Lance takes it all in with a quick glance. He realizes Keith is probably scared silly but he knows that he needs to get some supplies for the kid and a way for them to get back across the river. He tells Veronica to stay put and he runs back to camp.
He starts by grabbing a first aid kit and some blankets. He also grabs a rope and yells for Kinkade. Kinkade and Griffin return and he let's them know what's going on.
Lance directs Kinkade, "Go get the drone that you guys were working on, maybe we could use it to help Pidge back across with the kid!"
Kinkade quickly gathers some supplies and they are all off.
Pidge is quickly realizing that tree branches are very slippery when wet! Quiznack!! This is not easy and while she's already wet and cold, she really doesn't want to go for a swim! Once she's near the end of the branch she has to hang from her hands because the branch is not thick enough to crawl over. This is going to be tricky. Her arms really are not her strongest body part. Heck as a kid, she didn't think she ever made it across the monkey bars. Then she sees the little kid and she sucks in a deep breath. Here goes nothing!
Keith takes an instinctive step forward to the edge of the water. Pidge is going to have to use he arms to cover the remaining distance and then swing over to the water's edge. He yells out, "You got this!!! Get a firm grip and swing down in a smooth motion. Keep your hands a body width apart. Great!! Now move along one arm movement! Good, you're almost there! Start swinging your body and build the momentum!! Harder!! The branch will hold! I swear!"
Veronica is gazing at Keith with wonder. This guy is the most uncomfortable and uncommunicative guy she knows. And here he is, acting like Pidge's coach! Clear directives, positive and she can tell he's genuinely worried. But he let her go and do her thing. Shit, she hates it when Lance is right about things!
Lance arrives out of breath just in time to see Pidge swing her body onto the shallow edge of the water. She quickly gives a thumbs up and sloshes over to the kid.
Pidge is finally next to the little tyke. She softly calls out, "Hey there buddy!! My name is Pidge, like a Pidgeon the bird. I'm going to help you ok, here, I got you."
The little boy turns he head an looks at her, he looks so exhausted, really past the point of even being scared.
"Mommy"
"Um, yeah, I'm going to help you find Mommy. Okay? C'mhere. I got you. I got you."
She grabs the little guy from under his arms and sloshes over to the water bed. There she turns him around, slam. His little body is wrapped around her! He feels like ice and Pidge bends down and starts to calculate how cold he is and tries to remember about biology and how long a person can last in cold water without negative effects. She starts to figure out the actual temperature then calculate the water's while making comforting crooning sounds that her mom used to make when she was ill. His little body was shaking trying to generate some warmth. She tried to check his pulse but she couldn't get an accurate read because his arms were clenched tight around her neck. Pidge stood with him in her arms and tried to ask him for his name.
He sounded like he slurred his words but honestly that could be due to his age. And while she was hugging him close, her body wasn't much warmer. In fact, she felt a little sluggish and hoped Keith had a plan for getting them back to the other side of the water. She looked up and over to Keith. He yelled, "Great job Pidge!! Just a little more to go, okay?"
Pidge nodded. She looked down at the little guy and she smiled. She's got this. Just a little longer!
Looking at him, he was missing a shoe and she decided to take the other one off as well. She needed to lighten the load for herself because she knew the cold and being tired was not a great mix. She then tried to put him down but he wouldn't let go. He kept saying "mine". So she just sat on the floor with him in her arms. She took off her own shoes and yelled, I'm going to throw these over!
Griffin came to the edge, "NO, you probably won't make it. We can send a bag and you can put them in it and"
Pidge shook her head, yelling, "Nope, I'm already tired and I'm trying to cut out weight. I'm also taking my coat off."
Lance replied, "I got the drone, put your stuff in the bag and we can fly it back."
Pidge nodded when lighting crashed and thunder shook the ground. The poor little guys was crying and holding her even tighter. She put her stuff in the bag and watched it fly over the river. "Hey what's the carrying capacity of that?"
Kinkade replied, "No where near enough!"
Of course. Where the hell was Cosmo when you needed him!
Sighing, Pidge walked over to the river bank where she landed. She looked up and realized, she was never going to be able to jump up there, especially not with the boys added weight. She shook her head. "Guys, it's no use, I can't make that jump!"
Keith replied, "I can climb over, tie the rope and swing it to you. You secure yourself and the kid and I can shimmy the rope along the branch."
Pidge looked and replied, "I don't think that branch is strong enough for our combined weight."
Keith growled, "Well then I'm crossing over! We can hike up or down the stream and look for a better way!"
Griffin frowned, "Or I can cross."
Keith frowned right back, "No."
Veronica rolled her eyes, everyone was tired, wet and cold. She really didn't need this. "Look Griffin, you are too heavy to be up on that branch. Keith, you too. I should be the one who goes over. But first let's"
<Flash>
"Cosmo! I swear you know when I'm calling you!! Don't'cha!" Pidge falls to her knees and leans into Cosmo.
"Doggie!" The little boy looks alive for the first time. A huge smile on his face and his eyes even brighten. Pidge smiles and feels like everything is going to be alright.
<Flash>
Pidge and her little friend are back on the right side of the riverbank. Pidge is shivering almost as bad as the little boy...who is petting Cosmo enthusiastically. Keith comes up behind Pidge and wraps his arms around her and the little boy. She gratefully accepts his arms around her, taking some of the little boy's weight and feeling his body heat counter her coldness. Veronica quickly tries to take the little boy from Pidge completely but he starts to cry and yell, "No, No, No." He tear-filled gaze looks directly into Pidge's eyes, "Help you. Help you! Idge, idge!" Holding onto her as tightly as his little arms could.
Pidge feels her heart melt. "I got him. Let's get back to camp, we'll get changed and warm in no time."
Keith's arms tighten around her for a second, then he changes position so he's got an arm around her and she's snug against his side. Cosmo on the other. Everyone trudges back, wet, tired and yet happy that they were able to save the little guy. Put a line in the win column!