[ Her head's above the water, and she manages to rest her other forearm on the ice. It's hard to breathe, and she doesn't know if it's the cold water around her with some kind of vice-like grip on her lungs or the sheer panic of the situation. She fights to keep her breaths steady — her teeth starting to chatter as she cries a little between the breaths. She's scared.
But he's got her, he's got her hand. She won't drown. And it's something to focus on, something to calm her own a little.
Kick, don't pull. The ice might crack otherwise, and it's another frightening thought, and her head's shaking a little. She voices a few soft little chattering no's. Like, it's too much. She doesn't know how to do this. She can't.
Until he looks at her again, and she stares back with wide eyes and it quietens something in her. ]
O-okay. Okay— [ Kate nods shakily, bracing herself a little. Her legs are already starting to feel a little numb.
But she kicks as hard as she can, working with him as he pulls on her. Even with the watered down weight of her, there isn't much to her. After a few moments, she can feel herself leaving the water behind her — thank God. And all she can do for a moment is cry out in exhausted, relief, babbling a little. ]
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But he's got her, he's got her hand. She won't drown. And it's something to focus on, something to calm her own a little.
Kick, don't pull. The ice might crack otherwise, and it's another frightening thought, and her head's shaking a little. She voices a few soft little chattering no's. Like, it's too much. She doesn't know how to do this. She can't.
Until he looks at her again, and she stares back with wide eyes and it quietens something in her. ]
O-okay. Okay— [ Kate nods shakily, bracing herself a little. Her legs are already starting to feel a little numb.
But she kicks as hard as she can, working with him as he pulls on her. Even with the watered down weight of her, there isn't much to her. After a few moments, she can feel herself leaving the water behind her — thank God. And all she can do for a moment is cry out in exhausted, relief, babbling a little. ]
I—I'm okay, I'm o-okay— th-thank you, I'm—