[ It had all started smoothly enough. He'd been breaking his fast in the Community Hall with a cup of strong black coffee when Kate had arrived; one thing led to another and when he found she had plans to go foraging in the woods, of course manners and his duty as a gentleman demanded he offer himself as escort.
The walk had been pleasanter by far than might be expected, thanks to their grim surroundings, but conversation with Kate flows easily, now that he's grown more comfortable in her presence. It's still strange, but not impossibly so, and he's been lonely here in this place without any of his fellow midshipman and other officers, without Matthew and Styles, who have been so steadily by his side for so long.
He blames himself, of course — or will, when he has a moment to think. He hadn't thought anything of Kate going out on the ice in search of a quicker way across one corner of the little pond. Only when he hears the sharp report of ice cracking and her subsequent scream does he realize his folly.
Horatio sprints for the ice, flinging himself onto his belly as he reaches out to her, fingers grasping for hers. ]
[ It isn't the first time she's walked on the ice of the ponds of Milton's wilds. Of course she takes a whole lot of care, but it's always been so solid — even with the summer months. Winter's never really let go of this place. And it seems so steady beneath her feet as she steps onto it until the strange, horrible crack makes her freeze and the ice gives way, water swallowing her.
It's a small mercy she's able to keep her head above water when she gasps as the shock of the cold hits her, but she's quickly struggling — panic threatens to drown her quicker than the frigid water can. She flails, gasping and spluttering. ]
Please, no— no— [ Horror flashes in her eyes, a shaking hand reaching for his. ] I can't, c-can't— Horatio—
[ Her brain's scrambled with the cold-shock, but she grips onto his hand. ]
[ It's desperately important she not panic. Horatio forces a calm and level tone into his voice, giving her something less material but just as important as his hand to cling to. His fingers, long and raw-boned, grip her hand and wrist with single-minded resolve. ]
I have you, Miss March. I promise I won't let you go.
[ Their position is precarious in the extreme. He glances around himself, attention arrowing in on a root that pokes out through the ice just a few inches past the sole of his boot. If he can only hook his foot around it—
Horatio looks back at her, intent, his mind perfectly clear and coldly calculating, just as if he were back aboard the Indefatigable and facing action. ]
I'm going to brace myself against that tree root there, and draw you out. Miss Marsh, when I say, I need you to kick as hard as you can, but do your best not to pull on me. Any further pressure and that ice will only continue to crack.
[ He fixes her with a serious glance, but fills his voice with encouragement. ]
You can do this, I have no doubt. Now—
[ His questing foot finds the root, finds purchase, and he calls out the order with all the breath in his lungs, heaving hard at the same time. ]
[ 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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you lying next to me— AU-shaped
The walk had been pleasanter by far than might be expected, thanks to their grim surroundings, but conversation with Kate flows easily, now that he's grown more comfortable in her presence. It's still strange, but not impossibly so, and he's been lonely here in this place without any of his fellow midshipman and other officers, without Matthew and Styles, who have been so steadily by his side for so long.
He blames himself, of course — or will, when he has a moment to think. He hadn't thought anything of Kate going out on the ice in search of a quicker way across one corner of the little pond. Only when he hears the sharp report of ice cracking and her subsequent scream does he realize his folly.
Horatio sprints for the ice, flinging himself onto his belly as he reaches out to her, fingers grasping for hers. ]
Take hold of my hand, quickly!
no subject
It's a small mercy she's able to keep her head above water when she gasps as the shock of the cold hits her, but she's quickly struggling — panic threatens to drown her quicker than the frigid water can. She flails, gasping and spluttering. ]
Please, no— no— [ Horror flashes in her eyes, a shaking hand reaching for his. ] I can't, c-can't— Horatio—
[ Her brain's scrambled with the cold-shock, but she grips onto his hand. ]
no subject
I have you, Miss March. I promise I won't let you go.
[ Their position is precarious in the extreme. He glances around himself, attention arrowing in on a root that pokes out through the ice just a few inches past the sole of his boot. If he can only hook his foot around it—
Horatio looks back at her, intent, his mind perfectly clear and coldly calculating, just as if he were back aboard the Indefatigable and facing action. ]
I'm going to brace myself against that tree root there, and draw you out. Miss Marsh, when I say, I need you to kick as hard as you can, but do your best not to pull on me. Any further pressure and that ice will only continue to crack.
[ He fixes her with a serious glance, but fills his voice with encouragement. ]
You can do this, I have no doubt. Now—
[ His questing foot finds the root, finds purchase, and he calls out the order with all the breath in his lungs, heaving hard at the same time. ]
Kick!
no subject
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—