Remi-niscent

Chapter 7:

Ty's P.O.V
There's an overwhelming feeling of relief that floods through my system like a shot of morphine the instant I hear her voice. The intensity of my own emotions startles me for a moment, but without another second's hesitation, I gather Remi into my arms murmuring, "Please don't ever do that again. You scared me so much." My voice sounds hoarse, even to my own ears.

Remi wearily raises her head off my shoulder, "What do you mean?" She rasps, "What happened?"

My heart sinks as I tilt my head back slightly to be able to look her in the eyes, "You don't remember?"

Remi's face twists in confusion, "I remember the thought crossing my mind that I was nearly there before being pulled under by the current. But it was really peaceful and quiet and I was just so, so tired. I didn't have the energy to move anymore." She reminisces with a small frown, "The next thing I know, everything is burning from the inside out as if someone had poured gasoline over all my intestines."

"Okay," I say gently, "Don't freak out when I tell you this, okay?" Remi looks uncertain as if unsure of what exactly she's agreeing to, "When you went under and didn't come back up, I jumped in after you. By the time I made it to where I had seen you last and found you underwater, you weren't moving. After pulling you up and out of the river, Jase then checked for your pulse." I have to pause momentarily to compose myself, "Remi, I don't know exactly how to break this to you, but you didn't have a pulse anymore. Your heart was not beating for at least six minutes, if not even longer. We thought we had lost you..."

My voice cracks as I say this, and I look away so that Remi can't see the tears welling up in my eyes. However she just grabs my face in one hand and wipes the tears away softly with the pad of her thumb. Though as fatigued as she is, it doesn't take long for her arm to tire, making it drop back down to her side like overcooked spaghetti.

"Ty, I am so, so sorry, " She says quietly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Shaking my head in disbelief, I let out a small dry chuckle, "Remi, you know only you would worry about someone else after literally being dead. Only you woman. Only you."

We're interrupted by the guy from the blue team. Coughing out water, he struggles to grab onto the bank to stop himself being swept downstream in the vicious current.

Remi tries to get up to help him, however due to how exhausted and weak she is - not only from the intense physical hardship she's had to endure but also the lowered levels of oxygen in her blood - she doesn't even make it a step before she just stumbles and trips, collapsing in an ungainly pile in front of me.

But Logan and Jase have it covered, seeing to it that he makes it out safely. After making sure that he's okay, we help him to his feet and turn to see his teammates running along the riverbank coming to meet him.

Sapped of all her energy, Remi sighs, "We should probably get going again." Painstakingly she pulls herself to her feet. Though at first she tries to fend off my efforts to assist her - saying she doesn't want to be a burden - she soon gives up letting me pick her up and carry her back to the quads.

After an emotional reunion with the Logan and Jase who had respectfully kept their distance allowing Remi and I to have some space, we decide it's time to head back to camp. After all, while the competition has been the last thing on our minds for the past half an hour, the clock is still ticking. Remi however looks uncertain about something, "What's wrong?" I ask concerned.

She looks across at the bike and then back up at me, "It's just... I'm not sure if I'm in a good enough condition to drive the quad," she mumbles, "But can you or Jase drive it?"

"I can drive," I interject immediately, "We'll just have to go a little slower."

End of Ty's P.O.V

Sliding forward, I close the small gap between us, wrapping my arms around Ty's waist and tiredly lean my head onto the back of his broad shoulders.